School: Melview, Longford (roll number 7518)

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1. Hallows' Eve Customs

   

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   Hollow-eve is a time which everyone looks forward to, because at that time all the old Irish customs are brought back to the homes throughout the country.
   The most important of these games is diving for apples or money which provides great fun, for everyone gets wet doing so. First of all a tub is procured and filled with water, then everyone in turn 'ducks' for the apple and whoever succeeds in catching the apple can keep it. The next game is known as the "three plates" First of all (a tub is procured and filled with water) three plates are got, in one of them clay is put in another water and in the last one a ring. Then one of the company is blindfolded and the plates are put in front of him. If he touches the clay he will die before a year is out, if he touches the water he will go across water before that time twelve months and if he touches the ring he will be married before a year is out. Another very amusing game is trying to catch an apple tied from the ceiling. First of all an apple is hung from the ceiling with a piece of string then each of the players tries to catch it with his mouth, if he succeeds he is let keep the apple.
   A very popular game in North Longford is cutting the yarrow. The yarrow, a small green weed is pulled from the garden and is cut into eleven pieces with

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
         1. Halloween (~934)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Seamus Mc Manus

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Aghadegnan, Co. Longford

   Informant

   Mrs B. Mc Manus

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Aghadegnan, Co. Longford