School: Kilclonfert
- Location:
- Kilclonfert, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: T. Mainséal
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0803, Page 270
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- (continued from previous page)dancing, no rhymes or songs. The houses are visited at night-on xmas night-St. Stephen's night and the performance ends with a division of the spoils.
- Xmas. The feast is still celebrated in the homes of the people. Few if any leave their own homes on Xmas Eve, even to visit neighbour's houses. But most of the customs still found in parts of Ireland have been forgotten and are no longer observed. Xmas candles have become rare and most of the houses present their usual every night appearance, only very few being lit up in traditional fashions. Holy and ivy are still used as indoor decoration - the evergreen being put up on Xmas Eve and left so until the "Twelfth Day". Paper decorations are also used. Most people wish for a white Xmas. It is said that a "green Xmas makes a fat churchyard", a reference to disease which is according to belief was, sure to follow if the weather for the feast is mild. Great attention is paid to the 12 days succeeding the feast. It is said that the weather for the following twelve months will correspond(continues on next page)
