School: Baile Theas (B.), Malla (roll number 4953)

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1. Local Weeds and Herbs

   

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   A weed is a plant that grows out wild in the fields and does not require any cultivation. There is a great deal of harmful weeds such as praiseach, rushes, ferns and a great many others.
   Praiseach is a weed that grows in wheat, oats and a great deal of other crops and is about a foot high. It has green leaves and has a yellow flower. When it is growing in a field it spreads its seeds over the fields in the vicinity. People spray the wheat to banish the praiseach or charlock and the spraying does not injure the crop.
   There is another weed called burdock and it has a red flower and young people pick it and put it on to the end of a donkey's tail and it would cling to his tail until it would be taken off. Several of the weeds are of great use. The Dandelion is a medicinal plant as well as a feeding plant. The juice of it is used for healing warts. It is a wild form of lettuce and people dig it up and give it to young fowl. Nettles are a cure for rheumatic pains. People say if you eat nettles three times in May you will not require a doctor for the rest of the year.
   The thistle is a weed that grows in very dry land and is not eaten by any of the animals only a donkey. The donkey eats the top of the thistle and he also eats the leaves but they do not eat the stem.
   The switch grass is a weed that grows in gardens

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Informant

   Mr David Duloherry

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballygiblin, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Mr John Lombard

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballygiblin, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Mr John O' Hanlon

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballyhass, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Mr Thade Conners

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Coolawaleen, Co. Cork