School: Clochar na Trócaire, Ceannanus Mór
- Location:
- Kells, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Siúracha na Trócaire
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0703, Page 115
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- There were four great festivals held in Ireland long ago, and these four were February, May, Midsummer and November. May was the chief one. The people used to light two big fires and drive their cattle between them. Fire and salt are the most sacred things and if you give them away on May day you give away your luck for the year. The witches make great efforts to steal milk on May morning and if they succed the luck and the milk passes from the family for the whole year and will belong to the fairies. The best preventative is to scatter primrose on the threshold and the old women to tie bunches of primroses to the cows' tails, for the evil spirits cannot touch anything guarded by these flowers if they are picked before sunrise not else. The people tie twigs of mountain ash around the milk pails and churn. They put the twigs of mountain ash round the doorway for luck. Al this must be done before sunrise. The old people go after the cows and take the clay from under their feet and bring it and place(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Peggy Kiernan
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 12
