School: Boireann

Location:
Burren, Co. Cork
Teacher:
Eibhlín Ní Bhriain
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0313, Page 162

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0313, Page 162

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  1. XML School: Boireann
  2. XML Page 162
  3. XML “Bonfire Night”

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  1. Bonfire Night is on St John's Eve June 23rd. People light fires of furze and bushes. They used not light them near a house where someone had died out of respect for the dead, but lately they nearly always light them. People in this locality "try" thenew potatoes that night. They go out after supper and dig a few stalks bring in the potatoes and wash and boil them immediately. They eat them with "just a grain of salt" to try the taste. The old saying is "While you'd be eating one new potatoe the rest would be boiled."
    People used to take a bit of stick out of the dying bon fire and throw it into each tilled field for luck on the crops. Some used put a bit into every field. Some people do it still.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. Feast of St John (~208)
    Language
    English