School: Glassalts (roll number 1239)

Location:
Glasalt or Treanfasy, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
M. P. Ó Dochartaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1116, Page 122

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1116, Page 122

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  1. XML School: Glassalts
  2. XML Page 122
  3. XML “Feast and Festivals - Easter Sunday”
  4. XML “Feast and Festivals - 1st April - All Fools' Day”
  5. XML “Feast and Festivals - May Eve”
  6. XML “Feast and Festivals - St John's Eve - Bonfire Night - 23rd June”

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  1. On the last evening of April it is usual to erect a "May Pole". Sometimes it is put up in the "Doiche all" (manure-heap) or in a garden or at an entrance to house. A fork, graip, or long stick put standing and on top a whin bush in blossom is placed. Below this May flowers and primroses are tied around the stick. The children play around the May Pole. It is taken down next day.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
  2. The people used to gather sticks, fir blooks and turf so as to have a big Bonfire in every townland. All the people both young and old would gather out to the Bonfire and they would sing and dance until the morning. When putting in the cows it was the custom to throw a "coal" from the Bonfire after them to bring good luck.
    Some people would throw a "coal" into a field of their corn to bring a good harvest. There used to be a Bonfire in every townland. Some of the boys from the townland would go to the neighbouring townlands and would try to steal a burning.....

    ( In some townlands a dozen men with big sticks guarded the.....)
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. Feast of St John (~208)
    Language
    English