School: Baile an Mhóta (roll number 16260)
- Location:
- Ballymote, Co. Sligo
- Teacher: Seán Beárnais
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0183, Page 013
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- XML “Old May Day Customs”
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- Curious old ceremonies and customs were carried out by many of the local inhabitants on May day some time ago but for the past four years scarcely anyone carries on those quaint May day customs and now they are but a memory of the past.There is still one carried on by some of the people and that is the throwing of flowers on the door - threshold on May day to welcome the Summer in. Also milk carts and bread vans usually have a green sprig of foliage fixed on them but this custom is fastly dying out. In some houses the dwellers never lit a fire until the saw smoke coming form every chimney in the vicinity and it was usually mid-day before a fire was lit in that house. People considered it unlucky to light a fire first thing in the morning. That custom is no longer carried out now. Some - times a May pole was erected and the local children used to come and dance round it dressed in bright costumes. The pole was decorated and a musician(continues on next page)
