School: Baile Dubh (C.) (roll number 2493)
- Location:
- Ballyduff, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Brighid, Bean Uí Leathlobhair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0415, Page 288
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- XML School: Baile Dubh (C.)
- XML Page 288
- XML “<span class="exact">May</span> <span class="exact">Day</span> Superstitions”
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- Long ago as the old people were always full of superstitious beliefs they practised Piseogues on May Eve. They stole the spancels from the neighbours. It is said that in this way the owners of the spancels had no butter for the year.The cattle were singed along the back with a lighted wisp of straw, and a bunch of primroses was tied to the cows' tails, for the evil spirit could not touch anything guarded by these flowers, if they were plucked before sunrise, not else. When the people of the house were going to bed they swept the threshold of the door clean, and sprinkled it with ashes and when they got up in the morning they looked for a foot-print in the ashes, and if it was turned out it would be the sign of death for some one in that house, and if the foot-print was turned inward it would be the sign of marriage.
- Collector
- Bridie Flynn
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 12
- Informant
- Daniel Flynn
- Relation
- Parent
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 48
