School: St Columba's, Cloonagh, Granard (roll number 12813)

Location:
Cloonagh, Co. Longford
Teacher:
Peter O'Reilly
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0762, Page 286

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0762, Page 286

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  1. XML School: St Columba's, Cloonagh, Granard
  2. XML Page 286
  3. XML “Weather-Lore”

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  1. I found out that the old people of this district had a dread of rain on the 6th July St Swithin's day but they had a greater dread of rain on the 26th July, the Gooseberry Fair of Bunlahy as it was believed that it was on this day that the flood began (the deluge)
    Bunlahy is a very small village near Granard and there is a fair held there on the 26th July. Mrs Brady of Kilmore who is now over 90 years of age told me that it got the name of the Gooseberry fair since the time general commodities were exhibited at fairs for sale and gooseberries were the most plentiful fruit at that time of the year.
    There was and is at present a Rookery in Derrywilliam a small wood at the end of the townland of Derrycasson on the shores of Lough Gowna and the old people observed the flight of the crows to this rookery. If they flew high and went straight for the rookery it was a sign that good weather might be expected. If they flew low it foretold a wind storm. If they flew fairly high and came down to rest on the hills, head foremost coming down, it was a sign of a wind storm, followed by heavy rain.
    The seagulls flying inland indicated a coming storm.
    The robin singing in the morning on the top branch of a bush it was a sign of a good day but if it sang in the middle of the bush a bad day was sure to follow.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. genre
      1. weather-lore (~6,442)
    Language
    English