School: Gráinseach Ailt an Chaistín (St. Johnston)
- Location:
- Saint Johnstown, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Seán Ó Seanacháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1106, Page 33
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- (continued from previous page)splashed in the fun. This is called "dooking" for apples.
Halliday and Hollintide are local names for All Hallows Day or All Saints Day or the 1st of November. The night when the harvest is all completed is called "churn " night. The harvest home is celebrated with feasting and dancing.The 1st of August is called Lammas. Lammas used to be considered a very poor time of the year for the farming community because it was the time of the year when all the old crops were done and the new ones were not ready for harvesting, consequently extravagant people are often reprimanded with the saying "Is there no Lammas with you at all at all?"
On Christmas Eve the houses are always decorated with berried holly and also with mistletoe. The children all hang up their stockings near the fireplace in the kitchen so that Santa Claus when he comes down the chimney can stuff them full of toys. In the week preceding Christmas mummers go around from house to house saying rimes. They do dress in various kinds of attire and always wear a great lot of straw on their heads. The group of mummers vary in numbers from six to sixteen and each one has his portion of the rime to say. Their object in going around is to get money. The people all give them some money. They(continues on next page)
