School: Gort Uí Chluana, Beanntraí
- Location:
- Gortacloona, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Seán 7 Tadhg Ó Súilleabháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0285, Page 018
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- Some old people in this locality still believe that evil minded old women are able by devilment to turn themselves into hares, so as to take the produce of the milk of their cows from neighbours. Tis said that when they take the form of hares they go to the field or house where the cows are kept on May Eve and milk them. Any milk the cows yield during the season will be of little use to the owners. The good of the milk will be with the old woman who, through devilment was able to become a hare for the time being.
Some stories are told of hares being caught in the act of milking and when pursued they turned back into old women and were then recognised. Another superstition relating to May Evening was as follows:-
An old woman possessed by "devilment" used lie hidden in the field where the cows were milked on that evening. She kept a close watch to see if the milker left the spancel after her. If so she pounced greedily on it and took it home with her. She then hung it from the beam going across the fire-place, put a vessel under it and(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Mary Mac Carthy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Cullomane West, Co. Cork
