School: Finiskill (roll number 13075)

Location:
Finiskil, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Cathal Ó Floinn
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0219, Page 382

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0219, Page 382

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    On Easter Sunday egg eating was a recognised custom some years ago. Even the children partook plentifully of eggs when this feast day came; old residents of the district have told me that for a bout a week prior to Easter Sunday young boys used to busy themselves fashioning crude wooden spoons from pieces of ash and willow.
    The girls, too, co-operated in the surreptitious taking of eggs from kitchen dresser and hen house coop. These eggs were secreted in some safe place until Easter Sunday arrived and then a band of young boys and girls would go off together to some secluded spot preferably in the neighbourhood of a bog where fuel was obtainable.
    A fire would then be kindled and the eggs boiled in any old tin vessel they could lay their hands. The wooden spoons would soon be brought into play and each child would eat his share of the eggs - often as much as half a dozen. Strangely enough, no other food was consumed at these Easter morning feasts, neither did the elders frown upon the practice. This custom which seems as strange nowadays was regarded as quite natural by the people of bygone years. The reason however is quite logical. The Lenten fast of long ago was according to tradition much stricter than at present. In addition to this the people
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)
    Language
    English