School: Barrlinn
- Location:
- Inchinarihen, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Máire Ní Chruadhlaoich
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0282, Page 040
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- XML School: Barrlinn
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- XML “The Skellig Rock”
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- The following - "The Sgeilg Rock" "The Sgeilg List" "The Manchester Martyrs", "The Rustic Miner" etc were [?] by Mrs. E. Cotter Derrynafinchen, Borlinn aged 78. They were written more than 50 years ago by Jeremiah McCarthy.
When the Church laws concerning Easter and Lent were first adopted in Ireland, they did not extend to the monastery in the rocky island of Sgeilg west of Kerry for some time. Marriages could take place there on Ash Wednesday. There was an extra day in Shrove. So people who made up their mind to get married and hadn't managed to do so by Shrove Tuesday need not wait till Easter. They could get the ceremony performed in Sgeilg.
It is still a joke in this parish to send the unmarried people "to the Sgeilgs" on Shrove Tuesday night
"Are you going to the Sgeilgs?" is a common question asked on the evening of Shrove Tuesday. And on Ash Wednesday morning "You look worn out. Had you a good crossing to Skeilgs?"
On "the night of the Sgeilgs" the children of Bantry town get a long rope and tie on all the tin cans they can find. Two are "harnessed" at one end. They run making an awful noise - the following tin cans. The crowd runs after them The noise represents the noise of cars-full going to Sgeilgs the youngsters shout "Come on to Sgeilgs"(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mrs E. Cotter
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 78
- Address
- Derrynafinchin, Co. Cork
