School: Kilbonane, Lios an Phúca (Beaufort) (roll number 5482)
- Location:
- Kilbonane, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Dll. Ó Clúmháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0458, Page 168
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- On St. Brigids day the young men of this district go round from house to house collecting money. They disguise themselves by wearing strange clothes and masks. They bring with them a large home-made kind of doll which is called "the biddy". Sometimes they bring a wooden horse, called a "hobby horse". Each one of them brings some musical instrument, and they play music and dance for about a quarter of an hour in each house. They buy porter with the money they collect. On the first Saturday night following St. Brigids day they have a dance and drink the porter. When they they do not have a dance they divide the money between them. St. Brigids day is also called "Biddies day", and those who go around collecting money are called "Biddies".
On St. Patrick's day everyone wears a piece of shamrock on his coat. It is supposed that it is lucky to find a four-leaved shamrock. Long ago the men went to the nearest(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Tomás Ó Murcadha
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballymalis, Co. Kerry
- Informant
- James Murphy
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballymalis, Co. Kerry
