School: Drumdigus (C.), Kilmurry McMahon (roll number 13479)

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1. Customs (continued)

   

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   mark a sheep, a lamb, or some other animal for St. Martin and slaughter it on St. Martin's Eve sprinkling the blood on the house and at the doorstep so as to have St. Martin's protection of the house. Some people kill fowl to honour St. Martin, sprinkling the blood to ask St. Martin's protection on their cattle.
   Hallow E'en is the eve of the first Nov. Some people nourish the belief that spirits are abroad that night and that they are the spirits of the people who have died, but are not at rest. On the night young people indulge in the feast of the beans and apples. An apple is placed in a deep tub of water and the young boys try to bring up the apple with their teeth. They are not allowed to force the apple by the side of the tub but to force it to the bottom and bring it up in their mouths.
   Likely young boys and girls are paired and two beans representing them are placed on the hearth close to the fire. If the beans burn out together it is a sign that the pair will be married but if the beans jump the pair will not be married.
   The "Pooka" is supposed to be one of the spirits that is out on Nov. night. He destroys all the wild fruits that are growing and any person cannot eat wild fruit after Nov. night.

   

   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

   Anna Mc Namara

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Derrynalecka, Co. Clare

   Informant

   Michael Mc Namara

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   68

   Address

   Derrynalecka, Co. Clare