School: Maigh Locha (B.) (roll number 13851)

Location:
Moylough, Co. Sligo
Teacher:
Pádhraic Ó Braonáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0170, Page 0027

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0170, Page 0027

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  1. XML School: Maigh Locha (B.)
  2. XML Page 0027
  3. XML “May Customs”

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  1. Long ago there were many old customs associated with May Eve.
    The woman of the house gathered May flowers and scattered them at the door of the cow-house so as to prevent the witch from taking the milk and butter from the cows.
    The best preventive of fairy power was to scatter primroses on the threshold, for no one could pass the flowers and and the house and house-hold were left in peace.
    The only way to restore the milk and butter to the cows was to put down a pot of water with a pebble in it on a fire made of green ash.
    When the pebble would start to stir in the pot the witch would in and say "I will take off the spell if you take up the pot."
    (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. May (~639)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Willie Gallagher
    Gender
    Male
    Informant
    Pádhraic Ó Braonáin
    Gender
    Male