School: Clochar (roll number 13296)
- Location:
- Inishkeel, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Seán Mac Giolla Bhríghde
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1049, Page 12
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- Hallow Eve occurs on the thirty first of October. There are many customs and superstitions connected with it. people say that unless you have in all the water before nightfall something to you. It is said that it is changed into wine after nightfall and if you taste it while it is in the form of wine something will happen to you.
The man of the moon went out one night and tasted the wine. He wished to know what sort of taste the wine had. After he tasted it he was lifted up to the moon. The old people say that the dead came back to life that night and some people leave the door open and put on a good fire for them to warm themselves. Others set the table and some put a white cloth on the floor and put cups and saucers and bread on it. When they would get up in the morning it would be all away. The day before Hallow Eve the women are occupied making boxty for the feast on Hallow Eve night. When the night comes a crowd of people gather to a certain house. Then they start a feast. After the feast the young people go out and get cabbages and turnips and throw them at every door. When they come in again they start to play games. They get a basin of water and drop in a sixpence to it. Then some person tries to get it out with their mouth. If any of them should succeed they can keep the sixpence. Another game is to(continues on next page)
- Informant
- John Gildea
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 82
- Occupation
- Farmer
- Address
- Clooney, Co. Donegal
