School: Cloonlyon G. (roll number 12937)
- Location:
- Cloonlyon, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: Annie Burke
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0116, Page 164
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- XML “May Eve”
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- It is a very old custom of the Irish people to send out their children after sunset on May Eve to tether armfuls of bright yellow flowers, known as Marsh Mallow or May Flowers. These they strew on the entrance gate of every field and on every path leading to a homestead outside the doors of homes and outside offices and even on house tops.
This was done to keep away ill luck and bring good fortune.
Some of the flowers they keep and smash them up with a stone and rub them on the cows udder. This they do for fear the fairies or the neighbors would bring the butter. Another custom of the Irish, they would not lend any article or give either milk or food even to beggars. They would not light a fire on May Day until it was late in the day for fear that the people would see the smoke and would bring the butter. Another saying about May Day is - If a girl gets up and washes her face in the morning(continues on next page)
