School: St John of God Convent, Rathdowney (roll number 16203)
- Location:
- Rathdowney, Co. Laois
- Teacher: The Sisters
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0828, Page 090
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- XML School: St John of God Convent, Rathdowney
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- XML “Shrove Tuesday”
- XML “May Day”
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- Shrove Tuesday night was called pancake night and on this night a large quantity of pancake were made and a ring was usually put in there and whoever got the ring was supposed to be married first. The reason why pancakes were made was because long ago the people used to have a black-fast on Ash Wednesday which was the day after Shrove Tuesday and on the night before, in order to use up all the milk and eggs they used to make pancakes.
- On May morning every girl got up before sunrise and washed her face in the dew. If she allowed the sun to dry her face she believed she would be fair and beautiful. The master of the house cut a May-bush and walked three times round a well and by so doing thought he could take his neighbour's butter for the year. It was supposed to be unlucky to take milk from a farmer's house. Even now, there are superstitious women who will not even sell milk on May day. They also say that it is unlucky to bring a May bush inside the door.
