School: Gráinseach Ailt an Chaistín (St. Johnston)

Location:
Saint Johnstown, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Seán Ó Seanacháin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1106, Page 30

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1106, Page 30

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  1. XML School: Gráinseach Ailt an Chaistín (St. Johnston)
  2. XML Page 30
  3. XML “Festival Customs”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    will wear,
    And what he will say when he come
    to court me"
    She then takes the bunch of yarrow into the house without uttering another word and places it under her pillow. She is supposed to dream about her future husband. When she awakes in the morning she much not speak to anyone of the household. She then proceeds along the road and the first strange young man to whom she speaks on the road is supposed to be the man she will marry. The custom is still observed extensively in East Donegal. Mayflowers, primroses and branches of the rowantree or mountain ash are used in another ceremony connected with May Eve. A branch of rowantree is procured and is decorated with mayflowers and primroses and is stuck in the middle of the "middan", as the manure heap is called in East Donegal. This is done to welcome the fairy of good luck when she passes round at dawn on Mayday and to invoke good luck on
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
    Language
    English