School: Cill Chuimín, Durlas Éile (roll number 12538)
- Location:
- Kilcommon, Co. Tipperary
- Teacher: Donnchadh Ó Cuinnéain
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0542, Page 317
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- (continued from previous page)may be taken by fairies while nurse etc are absent from house. Salt hinders them.
(6) When the baby is being taken to church salt is generally tied in the corner of Christening Robe. Some say this also is to prevent the Good People taking the child. I believe myself it is more Christian than pagan. An old nurse or midwife now dead told me that it was a custom handed down from Penal Times when the baby had to be taken to some glen or lonely spot to be baptised by some hunted priest and salt was taken for use in the ceremonies and for blessing Holy Water.
(7) When the baby is baptised nobody must kiss it. Its first kiss is reserved for the mother.
(8) If a Baby dies the little coffin is generally wrapped in a white linen shroud. When being buried this shroud is taken off and after burial is rinsed or washed in the nearest stream before being taken home. THis rinsing is supposed to prevent the death of other babies in the same family.
(9) If a baby dies after Baptism, birthmarks, sores, toothache, pain are said to be healed or cured by touching the affected parts with the dead child's hand.
(10) A mother who dies in childbirth is believed by many to watch over and feed her child until it has grown up.
(11) Some older people yet believe that the mother who(continues on next page)
