School: Leath-árdán
- Location:
- Lahardaun, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: Máirtín Ó Ceallaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0150, Page 100
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- In the past in this part of the country the holdings were very small and the winter feeding for stock was very limited and in most cases was consumed by the end of March.
The people felt that if their stock survived that month the need for fodder was over.
On one occasion an old cow was so delighted she had survived the cold bitter days of that month that when the first of April arrived she cocked her tail and started to abuse March and its cold biting winds.
To have revenge on the old cow March then borrowed three days from April saying 'April, April stand to me now, And lend me three days to skin this old cow.'
And since then the three first days of April are called the Riabhach Days.
- Collector
- Mary Doyle
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Tobernaveen, Co. Mayo
