School: Ballydurrow

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1. Superstitions (continued)

   

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   In the morning people looked to see if there was any footstep on the hearthstone. If the step went towards the door it was the trace of a coffin and someone in the house would die soon. If the step did not go towards the door it was all right and a good omen. It was considered very unlucky to interfer with or cut down a lonebush as it sheltered some poor soul who was spending a term of penance there for some thing it had not atoned for in this life. Hence something very bad or death would come to anyone who interfered with such bushes. If you met a coffin or funeral on the road you should go back three steps with the funeral.
   If a person was going to the fair with a faulty animal he would put a red rag hidden in its tail and it was supposed he would surely meet a good buyer. If a person had a valuable animal in the fair he did likewise to keep the animal from being "overlooked". Another Superstitious belief was held by the people, that a person could bring about the death of another. A sheaf of oats was got and in each ear of corn a pin was stuck. A certain prayer was said and the sheaf buried. The person or persons sat up all night for nine nights round the spot waking the sheaf. According as it rotted the person whose death was intended was supposed to rot

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. belief (~391)
         1. folk belief (~2,535)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Líam Hetherton

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Ballaghdorragh, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   Brian Masterson

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Rahard, Co. Meath