School: Cross (roll number 13141)
- Location:
- Cross South, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Mártan Ó Colmáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0241, Page 164
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- XML “Churning”
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- In some country places even at the present time (Maggie Costello, Creggane, does it) people use a "gad" on the dash when churning. This is made by plaiting saplings from the rowanberry tree and slipping it in on the handle of the churn dash over the clobber. Its use is to keep off the evil hand or prevent anyone taking the butter.
A story is told of an old woman, Kitty Harte, who lived where Pat Corcoran's house now stands (Low Clogher) She was often caught in the act of milking neighbours' cows on May morning. It was believed that in this way she could take the butter from these people during the year.
A common superstition throughout the locality was that if a man lit his pipe while churning was in progress in the house he brought the butter unless he left some of the ash from the pipe under the churn.
It was also believed that if came in and went out without taking a turn at the dash he could bring the butter.
- Collector
- Nan Coleman
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Cross South, Co. Roscommon
- Informant
- Dudley Costello
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 60
- Address
- Creggan, Co. Roscommon
- Informant
- Nano Costello
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 60
- Address
- Creggan, Co. Roscommon
