School: An Clochar, Cill Ruis

Location:
Kilrush, Co. Clare
Teacher:
An tSr. Pól
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0629, Page 490

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0629, Page 490

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  1. XML School: An Clochar, Cill Ruis
  2. XML Page 490
  3. XML “Bread”
  4. XML “May Customs”

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  1. There are many old May customs some of which are practised still. Neighbours go to each others' wells and skim them and throw the water over their left shoulders, so that they get the cream from the neighbours for the year.
    Boys went around and put Summer tree on the door of the houses - it was said to be lucky to have it put on the door. On May Eve the fairies go around and steal the farmers' butter from the dairies. If the fairies saw bread left on the table they would take it and leave sods of turf instead.
    If a person was seen coming home from a well on May morning with a bottle of water, it was a custom to spill the water and break the bottle, if not that farmer would not have butter for the year.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. May (~639)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Maureen Barrett
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Kilrush, Co. Clare