School: Ardrahan, Mainistir Ó dTórna (roll number 13167)

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1. Another Version of the 'Wran' Song (continued)

   

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   On St Martin's eve the blood of a goose a chicken or duck was drawn and kept in a piece of tow or wool. This blood which was called "Saint Martin's Blood" was kept and considered a cure for a pain in the side.

   On November Eve games were played with apples and beans. This was a great night in this part of the country. Two beans were put down together on the hearth to roast with the name of a boy on one and the name of a girl on the other. If the two beans stayed together while roasting it was said that the pair would be married but if they jumped away from one another it was said there would be no marriage.
   The two beans were then put into a bowl of water. If they stayed together on the top or if the two went together to the bottom it was said there would be a marriage.
   All this was innocent fun and pastime but some piseoga were observed also.
   At 12 o'clock a girl stood in front of a mirror eating an apple and it was supposed that she would see the face of her future husband looking into the mirror over her shoulder.
   Also melted lead was poured through the hole in a key and let drop into water and it would form the letters of the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
         1. Feast of St Stephen (~402)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Joe Nolan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballybroman, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Ned Mahony

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   71

   Address

   Ballybroman, Co. Kerry