School: Baile Mac Rabhartaigh (roll number 3978)
- Location:
- Ballymagrorty, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Mícheál Ó Fiannaidhe
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1032, Page 184
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- XML “St Brigid's Day”
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- The people make St. Brigid’s crosses in the district; They make the crosses on Candlemas-Eve. They are made of rushes now-a-days but they were made of straw long ago. Every-body [everybody?] in the house is supposed to make one. The rushes are got in a wet low-lying field. Thick green rushes are required. The man of the house cuts them. The rushes are cut with a hook, and they are made into sheaves. The crosses are made after the supper. They are left outside the house until they are blessed. They are blessed with holy water.A cross is put in every room in the house and in every out house [outhouse?]. When blessing them they make the sign of the cross. People give crosses to the old people who cannot make them.An old saying connected with Candlemas is “If Candlemas is bright and clear, there are two Winters in the one year.” Crosses are put up in honour of St. Brigid. They are also supposed to be lucky.
- Collector
- Jessie Mangan
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 11
- Address
- Birra, Co. Donegal
- Informant
- John Mangan
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 48
- Address
- Birra, Co. Donegal
