School: Louth (C.) (roll number 3252)
- Location:
- Louth, Co. Louth
- Teacher: M. Ní Chasaide
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0665, Page 291
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- XML School: Louth (C.)
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- XML “May Lore”
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- May Lore
On May Eve flowers are gathered and they are thrown up on the roofs of the houses and it is said that they will keep all the bad luck from the house and from the inhabitants.
Long ago the young girls used to go out on May Morning and they would gather May dew and they would bathe their faces with it and that would make them beautiful. They would go down on their knees and would get the dew in their hands and would bathe their faces that way. It is unlucky to get married in May.
The first man you see on May Morning will be the colour of the man you are going to marry. If he is dark you will marry a dark man and if he is fair you will marry a fair man. It is lucky to see a black snail on May morning.
On May Eve the children put up a May bush and they dance and sing all the evening around it. Till late at night, the big people dance and sing round a fire that the young people light.
A wet and windy May...
Fills the haggard with straw(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Cecilia Ryan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Louth, Co. Louth
