School: Easgéiphtine (B.) (roll number 2039)

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1. Festival Customs

   

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   1. On St. Stephen's Day, men and children go around hunting the wren and then go around from house to house collecting money to bury it.

   2. During Shrove, people make "matches" between one man's son and another man's daughter. The boy may have the farm and the girl so much money, as the girl the farm and the boy so much money. When the boy marries in the latter way, he is know as a "Chliadan isteach.

   3. On Shrove Tuesday night pancakes are made in nearly every house because on next day all men and women have to fast. That is to say, giving up all sweet things. The Lenten Fast was called the "Black Fast" because people were not allowed to use milk in their tea.

   4. On Ash Wednesday all Catholics wear ashes on their forehead. The priest put it on those that are at mass on that morning, and as he puts it on he says, Remember an that thou are but dust and into dust thou shall return.

   5. On Easter Sunday, when the lenten fast is over there are a lot of eggs eaten. An egg signifies "new life" and on "Easter Sunday" 1905 years ago, Our Lord entered into a "New Life."

   6. May day is the end of the story telling season. Long ago the Fianna went home on November Day and remained there till May Day. During this time they told stories.

   7. On May Eve there is holy water shaken in most houses to keep away the fairies that are said to be around on that day or night.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Stephen Foley

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Askeaton, Co. Limerick

   Informant

   James Kenny

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   80