School: Ballycumber (B.), St Ciaran's

Location:
Ballycumber, Co. Offaly
Teacher:
G. Ó Súilleabháin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0811, Page 091

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0811, Page 091

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  1. XML School: Ballycumber (B.), St Ciaran's
  2. XML Page 091
  3. XML “May Day”

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  1. There is a custom around this place that on May Day people put up a May bush which is generally made of a black thorn branch.
    They put this branch standing on the ground outside their door.
    They gather flowers principally cowslips and tie them in little bunches and decorate the bush with them. The shells of the eggs that the hens lay on Good Friday and that are eaten on Easter Sunday are kept and put on the May bush.
    The May bush must be put down before the Sun sets on the eve of May day.
    There is a fair in Bally-
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. May (~639)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Michael Fenlon
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Ballycumber, Co. Offaly
    Informant
    Patrick Flanagan
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    40
    Address
    Ballycumber, Co. Offaly