School: Tighmhanach (roll number 15715)
- Location:
- Tivannagh, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Mrs E. Jordan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0234, Page 312
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- XML School: Tighmhanach
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- XML “May Customs”
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- The evening before the first of May the children go round and gather May flowers and throw them outside the door and outside the cowhouse. This is supposed to bring luck for the year. It is counted unlucky to give away milk or salt on that day because it is said that it will take away the butter off the milk. In some places people go out before sunrise on May morning and wash three times in the dew and this will keep them from getting tanned during the year. Some of the children make an altar and put flowers on it in honour of the Blessed Virgin. In England people get a pole called a May pole and a lot of coloured ribbons tied on it. On May day each child catches a ribbon and dances round the pole and this is called the May pole dance.
All the nice girls of the village or town gather together and(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mrs Brennan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Cashel, Co. Roscommon
