School: Valleymount

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1. Festival Customs

   

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   There are a good many customs in this Gaelic Erin. Here are some of them:-

   
   (1) People suspend two crossed poles from the ceiling by a string. On the two shoulders of one pole two lighted candles are placed. Then the poles are set spinning. A person blind-folded tries to catch an apple in the mouth. The apples signify the ripe fruits of the earth. The candles signify the departure of the sun for the long dark day of the winter.

   
   (2) Another custom is the callcannon and barmbrack. The person who finds the ring in the barmbrack is said to be married soon.

   
   (3) Another belief is that souls are released for 48 hours to revisit their homes. Fairys and pookas, good, and bad, can leave their enchanted raths and pallaces ( i.e on Hollow E'en night) to wander whither they will. So the kitchen is swept and the heart is polished, a fire lit, food and drink placed on the table before the people would retire. The visitors (i.e the souls) are supposed to be heard moving the furniture and delph about. Some even working at the occupation they held when they were on earth. For example:- weaving or spinning.

   
   (4) Another custom is to stand at a church door at midngiht on Hollow E'en. Anybody has courage to do so would hear a spirit announce the names of those who would die in the parish the future year. If no voice is heard nobody will die in the parish.

   
   (5) Any person who throws a reel of tread over his (her) shoulder

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Peggy Perry

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Tulfarris, Co. Wicklow

   Informant

   Mr George Perry

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   69

   Occupation

   Smith

   Address

   Tulfarris, Co. Wicklow