School: Doire na Groighe (C.), An Bhán-tír (roll number 7451)

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1. The Care of Our Farm Animals (continued)

   

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   spacious buildings in which can be kept from ten to thirty cows.
   The names of our cows are Bluebell, Rose, Polly, Longhorn, Maol, Purty, Canny, Bettie, White head, Bunny, Blackpus, Strawberry.
   There are many old stories connected with the cows.

   1. To put an emblem over the cow house door to bring luck on the cows. This was usually a horse-shoe turned upside down, or the image of a black cat or an old boot.

   2. The old people believed that it was unlucky to wet the cow's paps while milking them.

   3. When a cow is being milked for the first time after calving it is lucky to put a penny into the bottom of the vessel in which she is being milked into.

   4. It is thought to be unlucky to give a cow her own milk to drink.

   5. It is lucky to burn the hair off the cow's udder with a blessed candle after calving.

   6. The beestings used to be taken to the neighbours and the neighbours used to shake a grain of salt in the vessel when returning it.

   7. If a stranger or neighbour comes into a house while butter making is going on that person is made strike the churn staff for fear the luck would go out of the butter.

   8. A boy or man is not allowed to smoke during butter making.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. animal husbandry (~2,587)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Batt Sweeney

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   c. 50

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Coolcloher South, Co. Cork