School: Oldtown (roll number 7470)
- Location:
- Oldtown, Co. Dublin
- Teacher: M. Ní Ruanaidhe
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0787, Page 56
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- Saint Stephen's is held on the 26th of December. People who do not eat meat on this day are supposed never to be sick during the year. On this night the "Wren Boys" go around from house to house looking for money to bury the wren. They divide the money they get.
Saint Brigid's feast day is held and on the first day of February. Saint Patricks feast day is held on the 17th March. People wear shamrock on this day. In some places the band plays on this day.
On Shrove Tuesday people make pancakes. Nobody can get married after this day till Lent is over. On May-day, the children get a may bush and they put it into the ground and they light candles on it. They also dance and sing around it.
On Holy Thursday the Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament is held. On Good Friday, the Stations of the Cross are held and at three o'clock everyone kisses the Cross. On Easter Sunday the children get chocolate Easter eggs. They also get some hen eggs. The sun is said to be dancing in the sky on Easter morning. May used to be a hiring month, Employers used to hire men from May to Hollantide. Long ago everyone used to go to the May Fair in Drogheda and and hire people. The boys used to be on one side of the street and the girls on the other side.
