School: Scoil an Chlochair, Cappamore
- Location:
- Cappamore, Co. Limerick
- Teacher: An tSr. Fionntán
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0520, Page 308
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- (continued from previous page)and medals on the latch, and leave it out on St.Brigid's Eve and St. Brigid's Day, and if ever anyone in the house gets a pain in his head, he puts it around his head and it will cure it. On St. Brigid's Eve, people leave the fire lighting all night, and leave the door open to welcome Saint Brigid and her holy women. They leave clothes in the outhouses for Saint Brigid and her holy women to put on them, and they lay the table, and put potatoes on the hob and put the tongs at one side and the poker at the other side.
After sundown, the youngest of the house, takes a reaping hook and slips away as unobtrusively as he can, bent on a special mission. He cuts a bundle of rushes and conceals it outside the house, until the time arrives for the feast to begin. Then he again leaves the house and walking round the homestead in the direction of the sun, picks up the bundle, and completes one circuit. When he reaches the open door, all within kneel down, and listen attentively to his petition.
"Go on ye're knees, close ye're eyes, and let in Brigid". To which the kneeling household answers "Welcome, welcome, the holy nun". A second circuit of the homestead and a third are made, always with the same petition at the door and the same response within.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Eibhlís Ní Umfraidh
- Gender
- Female
