School: Baile na Cille, Roscrea (roll number 10350)
- Location:
- Ballynakill, Co. Tipperary
- Teacher: F. Bergin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0548, Page 116
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- (continued from previous page)One of these customs to welcom the feast is by putting up a May bough dressed with flowers over the doors of the houses.
Superstitious people believed that the butter could be taken on May Day. It was customary for the people to watch their pumps and wells as they were afraid that the bad neighbours would come and take some of the water. It was believed that taking some of the was part of the witchcraft used in taking the butter, you would not get milk in a neighbours house on May day. This is supposed to be another practice used in taking the butter. Taking the butter meant that when they went to churn their cream they could not get any butter off it, and then they blamed on somebody else for taking it.
In like manner it believed that the crops could be taken, it is said that these could be taken by burying eggs and onions in the four corners of the field.
Besides these customs there also religious customs, one of these is spreading Easter Water in the fields and on the cattle.
- Collector
- Edward Meagher
- Gender
- Male
