School: Cluain Leith Áird (roll number 12530)
- Location:
- Glenbaun, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: Máirtín de Barra
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0482, Page 073
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- The Raising Of Breastbones.(Though this cure is not a charm-cure, being a natural method of treatment. It is interesting and was practiced by the old people. I was told of it by Mrs. Mary Griffin, Baranigue, Carrickerry, Ardagh, aged 68).An ailment especially among women is the falling inwards of a bone in the breast. There was a woman in this locality who cured the ailment by raising the breast bone, which had fallen. Her name was "Mare" Meara (or Mary O'Meara).The operation was performed by means of a tumbler and a piece of lighted candle. A penny or other flat little object was placed on the centre of the affected part. Then a piece of candle, short enough to allow a tumbler to be placed over it, was put standing on this penny, and was lighted. The tumbler was now placed over the candle, and the mouth of it pressed very firmly on the breast, so that no air could get into it.The candle was allowed to burn for a while. Then the curer caught a firm hold of the tumbler and pulled it as strongly as she could upwards, without turning it to any side. This pull on the tumbler brought the fallen bone back to its original position. The drawing up of the tumbler(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mrs Mary Griffin
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 68
- Address
- Bauraneag, Co. Limerick
