School: Graiguenamanagh (B.) (roll number 16311)

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1. Festival Customs (continued)

   

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   this people sprinkle holy water all round the house. Some old people say that if you whitewash on May Day you was the family away.

   Among the old people Hallow Eve was considered a very festive night indeed. Many old customs practised by them on Hallow Eve might have come down to us through the years. Games in plenty such as diving for apples, snap apple, and burning nuts are some of the games which have come down to us through the years. A number of apple was put in a tub of water, and the different competitions were to dive for them. In the burning nuts a number of nuts was placed on a plate over the fire.

   They were fixed in pairs, each pair standing for two lovers. If the burning nuts flew from each other, the pair they represented would not marry. If the nuts remained together the lovers would marry. A very old practise was that of going to a kilm armed with a ball of wool. One end of the wool was thrown in, and the holder of the ball shouted "Who holds my ball of yarn". An answer came spoken by the future husband. The devil it was who really answered.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Michael O' Shea

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Graiguenamanagh, Co. Kilkenny

   Informant

   Mrs Maguire

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   84

   Occupation

   Widow

   Address

   Tinnahinch, Co. Carlow