School: Cavan (1)

Location:
Cavan, Co. Cavan
Teacher:
S. Ní Chiaráin

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May Day Customs

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0975, Page 143

Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD. See copyright details »

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May Day is the first day of Summer. On May Day people strew flowers in front of their doors. They put them there to keep off evil spirits.
The night before May Day people go out at twelve o'clock and gather a flower called Yarrow, they gather ten stalks of Yarrow. While they are picking it they say a rhyme to themselves. This is the rhyme they say:-
Good morrow, good morrow fare Yarrow
Thrice go morrow to thee,
I hope before this time to morrow,
Thou wilt show my true love to me.
When they go home they don't speak, they throw one of the stalks away. Then they go to bed and dream of their future wife or husband.

Collector
Muriel Moorhead
Gender
female
Address
College Street, Co. Cavan
Language
English