School: An Drom Clochach (B.)
- Location:
- Dromclogh, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Pártholán Ó Ruadhacháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0408, Page 178
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- XML “Butter-Making”
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- (continued from previous page)butter from the 15th August until the 1st October and then sold it to make the half year's rent.
Whilst the barrel was making no one was allowed to take a coal from the fire to light his pipe. In summer the cows were milked in the fields, if any accident happened to the milk, it was supposed that the fairies carried the milk.
During the month of May the old people always sprinkled the cows with holy water.
When a cow calved the person who milked the cow first burnt the hair of the udder with a blessed candle and quenched the candle on the cow's loin in the form of a cross.
If a person went to a neighbour to help him to milk his cows, it would be considered very bad luck if he did not wash his hands before he left the house to return home again.
It was considered bad luck if a cow wet the stall during the summer months. If the milker saw her doing so, he or she gave a dash of the cow's urine with his or her hand into the milk pail. This was supposed to prevent the bad luck.
- Collector
- Mrs Norah Costello
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Assistant teacher
- Informant
- Michael Costello
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 78
- Address
- Ballyhorgan East, Co. Kerry
