School: Cluain Uaithne Beag
- Location:
- Shannon Harbour, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: Winifred Molloy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0816, Page 306
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- XML “Animal Folklore”
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- In an agriculture and pastoral country like Ireland there needs must be a varied store of oral tradition associated with the rearing of our domestic animals. This tradition is an ancient one; it has been enriched and coloured by the beliefs and superstition of past generations, and though unrecorded, its main content is still preserved among our rural population.
In the first instance there is general folklore applicable to all domestic animals i.e. their pet names, methods of calling them to their food, of driving them away or routing them when thieving, of coaxing or soothing them, of fettering or tying them. There are special names for fetters in various districts, there are private marking to denote ownership, there are many accounts of "shielings" (bualí, machím etc). There is no districts where such matter is not available, and its collection would provide suggestions for more valuable study for scientific folklorist. There are also oral traditions associated with individual types or groups of animals i.e. the cow, horse, sheep and(continues on next page)
