School: Traceystown (roll number 12156)
- Location:
- Tracystown West, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Proínséas Bean Uí Phearáil
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0883, Page 111
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- XML School: Traceystown
- XML Page 111
- XML “<span class="exact">May</span> <span class="exact">Day</span> Customs and Beliefs”
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- May-Day or Bealtaine was one of the great festivals kept in pagan Ireland for it was then that the druids lighted the sacred fires in honour of Baal, the sun-god, hence the name, Baal-tinne so Bealtine was given to this month. An old custom still prevails in South of Ireland of making children and cattle pass between two fires in order to purify them and safeguard them from evil.
As fairies and witches were supposed to have great power at this time children and cattle milk and butter, had to be specially shielded from their influence.
Fire was supposed to be one of the elements over which the fairies had no power, and it was a custom to place a spent coal under the cradle and another under the churn, for if, by chance,(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Statia Kehoe
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 14
- Address
- Raheen, Co. Wexford
- Informant
- Mrs Walsh
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 62
- Address
- Raheen, Co. Wexford
