School: Inis Céin

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1. Bird-Lore

   

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   The wild birds commonly found in this district are, the robin, the blackbird, the thrush, the goldfinch, the bullfinch, the swallow, the linnet, the lady-wagtail, the wren and the yellow hammer.
   The most of these stay with us during the Winter, the swallows of course migrate and before their migration their movements are noticed by everybody. In our district it is common for them to come together on the electricity wires and then after a few days they leave and go to countries that have warmer climates than ours.
   The wild birds build their nests and hatch their young ones during the summer months, they build their nests in bushes, in house-eaves, in holes in walls and in fences. Swallows build in house eaves and in the farmers' out houses, the wagtails build in slaty fences; all the others build in stone made and clay fences, and in bushes. The mean habit of young boys stealing birds' eggs is now very rare, it is said that those who steal birds' eggs will get sore eyes as a result. In Winter when the plovers come up close to a village it is said that a very heavy fall of snow is likely.
   The wren boys hunt and kill the wrens and put them on their holly bushes for St Stephen's day celebrations. We are told that the wren is persecuted so much because he informed the Jews where our Saviour gone to, He was then pursued and captured. The tradition explaining the red breast of the robin is that the blood of our Saviour dropped on his breast when he was crucified on Calvary. The KINGFISHER, a very rare bird, visits infrequently, he is generally seen near the small river known as the "Athán" and it is said that much rain is likely to fall when he appears. A nest

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
         1. bird-lore (~2,478)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Séamus Ó Lordáin

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Enniskean, Co. Cork