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

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1. Folklore - Farm Animals

   

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   Some people have pet names for their cows for instance one of our cows is named "Starry" on account of having a star on her forehead. Cubeen on account of having turned in horns. Cows are called after their colours such as Strawberry, White, and Grey. When a person buys a cow from another she is generally given the name of the person from whom she is bought. Men driving cows say "Hoy". The litter or bedding placed under cows is course hay, peat, or sand. Cows are tied round the horns or around the neck. The tying is made of "slander" cut from the cow's tail. When they tying is made there is an "eye" in one end and piece of wood in the end that passes through the eye. This tying, made from hair is called "spancel". They are also tied by ordinary ropes or chains made for the purpose. Some people leave a little bottle of holy water on the cabin and hang palm there to bring luck on the cows. Cows that have milk fever lose their milk immediately or a cow that lies on an ant-hill loses her milk for a day or two. Cows losing their milk some people attribute to the "evil eye" that is they were "overlooked". Some people spill milk accidentally while milking and they say it is the fairies or good people that are the cause of spilling it and that

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)
            1. animal husbandry (~2,587)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Anna Mc Namara

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Derrynalecka, Co. Clare

   Informant

   Michael Studdert

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   83

   Address

   Kilmurry McMahon, Co. Clare