School: Duleek (B.) (roll number 6554)
- Location:
- Duleek, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Micheál Ó Braonáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0682, Page 254
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- Long ago in Duleek on May Eve the boys would go away through the field for a May bush. When they would cut down the bush, they would trim it and bring it home.
When they would reach home the girls would have a good heap of flowers tied in little bunches.
When the girls would hang all the flowers on the bush they would all go for sticks and furze. When they would come back with the sticks they would build a ring of stones round the May bush, with one stone in the middle.
Then some of them would tie butts of candles on the May bush, while the rest of them would set the fire. Then some of the boys would stay at the May bush and mind it while the rest of them would go home for their supper. When they would come back the boys who were minding the May bush would go home for their supper.
When they would all be ready they would send someone round for the people. Then they would send for the fiddler, and he would sit on the stone under the May bush while the old people would sit on the stones round the May bush. Then the fiddler would start playing the fiddle while the people would dance. It would be a beautiful sight to look at the bush with all the candles in it.
- Collector
- Seán Ó Conchubhair
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Commons, Co. Meath
- Informant
- Ristéard Ó Conchubhair
- Relation
- Grandparent
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 76
- Address
- Commons, Co. Meath
