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 296

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0762, Page 296

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  1. XML School: St Columba's, Cloonagh, Granard
  2. XML Page 296
  3. XML “How to Take the Butter”

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  1. I heard the following story from Mrs McNamara of Cloonagh who heard it from a comrade girl in her young days. This girls mother was suspected to be an expert at the works, as she owned a small farm and kept two cows.
    From these two cows, she was known to have more butter than any of her neighbours, who had six or more, and furthermore, it was noticed, that no matter how bad the cow was, that she bought, she was still able to have the big amount of butter.
    Mrs McNamara drew round the conversation, with this woman's daughter, with whom she was very intimate, if there was such a thing as taking the butter or if it could be done.
    The girl said indeed it can, and it's not very hard to do. If you go out into your neighbour's field, where the cows are, before sunrise on a May morning, while the dew is on the grass, and bring a hay rope with you. Draw the rope too & fro in the dew, in front of the cows breath, and mumble to yourself while dragging the rope through the dew,
    "Come to me, Come to me
    Come all home to me."
    You drag the rope several times, before each cow and you repeat the saying, as long as you continue dragging the rope.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Mrs Mc Namara
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Cloonagh, Co. Longford