School: The Vale (An Gleann)
- Location:
- Leiter, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: S. Ó Brolcháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1010, Page 413
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- St Brigids Day
On St Brigids Eve the people around the locality made crosses of either straw or rushes. Those crosses are called St Brigids Crosses and they are made very quaintly.
First of all a light lath of wood is got. About two feet long of wood is needed. Then this lath is cut into halves and made into the shape of a cross. Then either the straw or rushes is got but generally they are made of straw and sometimes there is a centre of rushes put in them. About twelve rushes or straws are sufficient for to make one cross. Then whatever material is got it is woven in and out between each little lath until the cross is completed. When the cross is finished it looks very nice. After these crosses are made they are placed outside the door on the Eve of St Brigid. It is said that St Brigid call around and blesses these crosses. This is a great custom and is carried on each year around this locality on the eve of the feast day of St Brigid.
- In olden days it was customary with the people to hold a festival on the different feasts during the year. Most of those customs are dead and gone. Not much of those customs are to be found in our district(continues on next page)
