Volume: CBÉ 0220 (Part 2)

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1. The First of May (May Bush) - Taghmon

   

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   Today the 1st May, about fifty children gathered together in a little field at the back of the village of Taghmon. They brought with them a '[?]' tree which was about four or five feet high. They fixed the end of it in the ground and then proceeded to decorate it with ribbons, eggshells and candles. When the decoration of the bush was completed the candles were lighted. In the meantime a little boy or girl sat under the tree. They too were decorated with ribbons, more so than any of the others. They represented the King and Queen.
   When the "bush" was fully decorated and all the candles lighting the children sang and danced around the "Maybush".
   Coming on to nightfall the whole party marched through the principle streets, bringing the "bush" along with them, the King and Queen out in front of the procession.
   When they came to O'Reilly's shop in the Main Street they stopped (for money was always thrown to the children from this shop on Mayday) and Mrs O'Reilly threw up a handfull of pennies amongst the children.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Item type

   Lore

   Language

   English

   Writing mode

   Handwritten

   Writing script

   Roman script

   Informant

   • Mrs Brian Murphy