Recent changes

[Drawing of a spurtle and a roof.][The length of a spurtle is given as "about 20 inches". There is a label stating that the wooden handle is 5 inches, and another clarifying that the remaining 15 inches of the spurtle is made of iron.][There is a simple diagram of a traditional single-storey, gable-roofed Irish cottage. The lowest point of the sloping roof is labelled as the "eason": "Begin at Eason and thatch upwards". The top of the roof is labelled "rigging". A line has been drawn dividing a section of the roof near the chimney, which is a "spar = portion thatched at a time".]["Rods for Scobes": A drawing of several curving but parallel horizontal lines][Another drawing shows us several lines curving upwards until they converge to wrap together into a circle. This is described as "Knotted straw ready for Spurtle."]["Put fork of Spurtle in loop of straw and push it up into old thatch, beginning at eason."]

and into the inch inside the road, and galloped as fast as she could go for home but the dog kept the same pace on the road outside.When the rider thought he had gained some few yards on the dog he again jumped the mare over the wall on to the road. The dog took spring off the road to land on the mare's back from behind. But the mare screeched and left the hind legs fly at him thereby losing one shoe. The dog made a second jump but the mare acted as before loosing another shoe and still galloping with all her might. The dog made a third attempt and failed so he followed no further.Still the mare continued her speed until she came to the gate leading to the yard which she jumped and landed home safely. The servants were up waiting for the man and when he saw the light in the house he fainted but revived after some time and the mare was nothing the worse for her experience next day.

one of the brothers rode a black hunting mare into Mallow to fix a meet for hunting. He remained with his friends until late in the night. He started for home about 11 p.m. He came along all night and passed through Millstreet at about 1 o'clock. He drove on through the town and at the west of the dispensary. There was an old kiln where a ghost was said to be seen and no lone person would venture to pass there late at night.On approaching near the kiln he saw something in the shape of a dog coming from the eye of the kiln on the road against him. His two eyes were like balls of fire and the man thought there was light issuing from his ears, eyes and nose. The dog jumped on to the road in front of the mare. The latter bolted and turned back for the town in spite of her rider. Having no other way to go home and being bold and daring he turned the mare for home using the whip and spur but the dog was still before him.The dog made a dash to get on to the saddle but the mare jumped the wall

There were two classes of house built in this locality in the second half of last century, one made of stone and mortar and the other of mud wall. The latter type is in use to the present day.
The term ‘mud-wall’ is misleading. There is really no ‘mud’ as the ordinary person understands that term in the composition of these houses. The material used, is soil called, lack lea or blue clay, or blue till.
The last mud-wall house in this parish (Denn) was built in 1882, after an eviction in Kilnacor. The soldiers who carried it out were called the Red Soldiers from the fact that they wore bright red uniforms. As well as the young family and their parents, there were also two old women in this house and it is stated that after they were forced to leave, they knelt outside and began in Gaelic, to curse the soldiers with great vigour. The attention of one of the officers was attracted by the strange tongue and he is said to have remarked “what are the old devils saying.”

A great crowd of people had gathered to see the eviction and when it was finished, resolved to construct a temporary home for the homeless ones. So when a certain man who lived along the Bastan [?] (Pollakeel) road offered a site for a new house, the crowd proceeded there and began building a mud-wall house which they finished the same night. The little house is still standing.
The timber used for roofing purposes consisted of rough sticks of bog oak. The number of couples used varied according to the size of the house, but as a rule two were used over the kitchen and one over each room. Rafters were also of the same rough material. Light lats or sticks of any kind were nailed to the rafter and rolls of tough sod placed over them. The sod is visible from inside in many houses still.
Most houses contained a kitchen and two rooms, one on each side of the kitchen. Often there would be a loft over one of the rooms to which access was gained by a rickety ladder. The younger people of the house slept on the loft.

I have never seen a loft or half-loft over the kitchen in Co.Cavan, though it is the rule in south-west Donegal. On very rare occasions do you find a back-door. Where they have been tried they have always been built up again on account of the excessive draft.
Sometimes a very small window is found on the back of the house near the kitchen fire, and where there is a loft, there is always a tiny window in the gable. In the majority of houses windows are never seen open even yet.
The out-shot at the back of the house, near the hearth corner of the kitchen, which is a feature of the older country houses in Donegal and North Connaught, is not found in any part of Cavan I have visited. The out-slot was built in order that the tester bed placed in it wouldn't occupy too much room in the kitchen. In Cavan, however, the tester bed was unknown (at least in the part with which I am familiar). Instead we find the "settle" bed in the same corner of the kitchen. This "settle" bed is collapsible and is used as a bench

Is mór an difriḋeaċt atá idir na tíġṫe atá againn anois agus na tíġṫe do ḃí ann céad bliaḋain ó ṡin.Ḃíoḋ na tíġṫe tógṫa ar árdán beag cupla céad slat ón gcoiscéim agus cinn tuiġe a ḃíoḋ orra.Ḃíoḋ ḋá ḟuinneóg ionnta sé sin ceann ar gaċ binn agus i gcuid aca ḃíoḋ ceann sa gceisteannaċ.Ḃíoḋ ceisteannaċ agus seomra aṁáin ionnta agus do ċonġḃuiġeaḋ na mná iad sin ċóṁ glan lé biorán nua.Ní ḃíoḋ aċt ḋá leabaiḋ aca, sé sin ceann sa seómra agus ceann eile sa gceisteannaċ ar a ṫugaidís "cailleaċ" air.Ḃíoḋ doras ar aġaiḋ an tiġe agus doras eile ag dul síar ón gceisteannaċ go dtí an seómra.Nuair ḃíoḋ sé in am dul a ċoḋlaḋ ċuirdís an maiḋ éamuinn leis an doras ionnus naċ ḃfosglóċaḋ sé dá néiriġeaḋ storm.

Duḃairt mo aṫair liom gur éiriġ na maiḋ éamuinn gan, agus lé himṫeaċt na haimsire ṫáinig na glais i réim.Ċuala mé na daoine arád go ḃfuil teaċ in aice le Clúnfada agus tá an maiḋ éamuinn in úasáid aca.San oiḋċe ní ḃíoḋ lampaí aca mar atá againn fa láṫair.Ḃíoḋ sliseóga giúṁaise aca agus lasaidís iad nuair a ṫagaḋ an oiḋċe ann.Ḃí an saoġall ag éiriġ leó san am sin agus geallaim duir na gcuirḟaidís mórán airgead amúaḋ.

Duḃairt mo aṫair liom gur éiriġ na maiḋ éamuinn gan, agus lé himṫeaċt na haimsire ṫáinig na glais i réim.Ċuala mé na daoine arád go ḃfuil teaċ in aice le Clúnfada agus tá an maiḋ éamuinn in úasáid aca.San oiḋċe ní ḃíoḋ lampaí aca mar atá againn fa láṫair.Ḃíoḋ sliseóga guíṁaise aca agus lasaidís iad nuair a ṫagaḋ an oiḋċe ann.Ḃí an saoġall ag éiriġ leó san am sin agus geallaim duir na gcuirḟaidís mórán airgead amúaḋ.

Is mór an difriḋeaċt atá idir na tíġṫe atá againn anois agus na tíġṫe do ḃí ann céad bliaḋain ó ṡin.Ḃíoḋ na tíġṫe tógṫa ar árdán beag cupla céad slat ón gcoiscéim agus cinn tuiġe a ḃíoḋ orra.Ḃíoḋ ḋá ḟuinneóg ionnta sé sin ceann ar gaċ binn agus i gcuid aca ḃíoḋ ceann sa gceisteannaċ.Ḃíoḋ ceisteannaċ agus seomra aṁáin ionnta agus do ċonġḃuiġeaḋ na mná iad sin ċóṁ glan lé biorán nua.Ní ḃíoḋ aċt ḋá leabaiḋ aca, sé sin ceann sa seómra agus ceann eile sa gceisteannaċ ar a ṫugaidís "cailleaċ" air.Ḃíoḋ doras ar aġaiḋ an tiġe agus doras eile ag dul síar ón gceisteannaċ go dtí an seómra.Nuair ḃíoḋ sé in am dul a ċoḋlaḋ ċuirdís an maid éamuinn leis an doras ionnus naċ ḃfosglóċaḋ sé dá néiriġeaḋ storm.

Is mór an difriḋeaċt atá idir na tíġṫe atá againn anois agus na tíġṫe do ḃí ann céad bliaḋain ó ṡin.Ḃíoḋ na tíġṫe tógṫa ar árdán beag cupla céad slat ón gcoiscéim agus cinn tuiġe a ḃíoḋ orra.Ḃíoḋ ḋá ḟuinneóg ionnta sé sin ceann ar gaċ binn agus i gcuid aca ḃíoḋ ceann sa gceisteannaċ.Ḃíoḋ ceisteannaċ agus seomra aṁáin ionnta agus do ċonġḃuiġeaḋ na mná iad sin ċóṁ glan lé biorán nua.Ní ḃíoḋ aċt ḋá leabaiḋ aca, sé sin ceann sa seómra agus ceann eile sa gceisteannaċ ar a ṫugaidís "cailleaċ" air.Ḃíoḋ doras ar aġaiḋ an tiġe agus doras eile ag dul síar ón gceisteannaċ go dtí an seómra.Nuair ḃíoḋ sé in am dul a ċoḋlaḋ ċuirdís an maid ċamuinn leis an doras ionnus naċ ḃfosglóċaḋ sé dá néiriġeaḋ storm.

the water and it would ease the pain. There is a fish in League and anyone that would be cured of any disease they would have.Other diseases: – a disease called the "liecneac" could be cured by going into the pigs' sty and say a certain prayer. Then the pigs would take the disease. A man that you would meet with a white horse can cure chincough. Any thing he would say would be a cure. If you would put a trout in water, and the little trout to leave some juice after him, the person that had the chincough, and him to drink the juice would be cured.Kathleen Flannelly, Bofield, Bonniconlon

also good for biles.People that used to cure – Tom Muldowney from Ellamore used to cure biles. Jamsey Crean's father used to cure ringworm. Tom Ginty and James Neary from Carralavin used also cure ringworm. James Joy from Carralavin used to cure ringworm too. Mrs. Loftus from Ellamore makes a straining thread for strained hands. "Big Mary" from "Cortoon" makes a charm for the "rose".Holy wells – There were some holy wells around here. People used to go to these wells to get cured for any disease they would have. One of the wells is in Kilgarvin, and the other is in League. People that would have toothache and would drink some of

"Cures"cures – Long ago the people used to have a lot of cures. They used to cure many things. The juice of a dandi-lion [dandelion] was good for a weak heart. There was a "capóg" know [known] as "Capóigín Ṗáḋraic" for curing biles. The juice of some shelli-strings is good for curing yellow-jaundice. The juice of tobacco is also good for that disease. Ointment made from sugar and red soap is good for pimples. The sour part of a sink of water called "múlaċ" is good for a swollen udder of a cow.

If a person had a stone-bruise the juice of a snail would cure it. If a person had a thorn that was very sore he would rub the tongue of a fox to it. An eel's skin used to be tied around a person's hand that was swelled. The "lights" of a sheep was good for taking away the black colour from a sore eye. If the shoe would rise a blister red soap would take it away. People would get asses' milk for anyone that would have chin-cough. The milk that a ferret would leave after him would be good for chin-cough.Plasters – A plaster of mustard was good for sore backs. A plaster of linseed for biles. A plaster of white bread and bran was

"Cures"Long ago the people used to have a lot of cures. They used to cure many things. The juice of a dandi-lion [dandelion] was good for a weak heart. There was a "capóg" know [known] as "Capóigín Ṗáḋraic" for curing biles. The juice of some shelli-strings is good for curing yellow-jaundice. The juice of tobacco is also good for that disease. Ointment made from sugar and red soap is good for pimples. The sour part of a sink of water called "múlaċ" is good for a swollen udder of a cow.

Wattlers still come to weddings. In some places there is welcome and in others there is not. They alawys [always] have a sergent [sergeant] with them and sometimes this man will not allow any drink to be taken.Michael Judge Kilgarvin Bonniconlon.

Name of Teller – Bridget Ruddy
Address – Kilgarvin Bonniconlon"Maraiges [Marriages]"Most people in Bonniconlon marry beteween [between] January and Lent. Some people say that if Ash Wednesday falls in March it is unlucky to marry beteween [between] the first of March and Ash Wednesday. It is also unlucky to marry on Friday.Matches used to be long ago and are sometimes yet.Some girls still get fortunes but not as many get them now as there used long ago. Any fortunes that girls get now are very small. Long ago they used not be too much bigger.There are not much drag now but there used to be a lot long ago. Side-cars that used to be in it long ago.

Name of teller – Pat Moran
Address – Bonniconlon Bofield"Charms and cures"Old weavers had a cure for a strained hand or foot. When you would go to the weaver you must not ask the thread off him but tell your ailment to him and he will give you a thread to put around your hand or foot to make it better again. Mick Madden, Breaffy used to give threads. Pat Mullen, Currower used also give threads. Pat Duncan Creggan got cured from a sore foot by one of these threads.Jimmy Neary Breaffy could cure you from worms. First he would put a good few knots on a good long string. Then he would hide

a wart. You must rub the snail to the wart and then hide the snail so that no one could see him.A dandelion is a cure for a weak heart. When you get the dandelion you must take the juice out of it and then drink the juice.Red soap is a cure for a blister. You must rub the red soap to the blister once or twice and it will get cured.John Moran Bofield Bonniconlon

failed. Tom Genty, Carralavin could also cure the ring worm. Pat Boland Carracrum had the cure also for the ring worm.Tom Mulldowney Ellamore could cure the head fever. He also could work a charm that would cure a sore.Mrs Mary Conlan, Currower could cure a disease called the nose. She cured a lad from Bofield out of that disease.When some people get a sting from a wasp they rub a fox's tongue to the place they got the string. More people would get three wasps and would burn the wasps. Whatever ashes is left after the wasps is rubbed to the sting.A snail is a cure for

station. While he was doing the station he saw the trout swimming in the well. After that his foot got no worse.Tom Rafter, Bofield could work a charm that would cure a disease called the evil. His mother could work the same charm.Tom Loftus Carracrum was a bleeder, that is to say he could take blood out of people that would have pleurisy.Martin Colkin Carracastle is a man that can cure people from a disease by herbs. He cured John Durcan Bofield from stomach trouble.James Crean's father whose name was Martin Crean could cure people from the ring worm because he was a seventh son. Martin's cure never

for the chin-cough, he will give you a cure. Any thing he will tell you to do it will cure the chin-cough. Ass's milk will cure the chin-cough. Some more people put children under an ass so that they will get cured from the chin-cough.Mrs Kit Crean Bofield had some class of an ailment when she was young. One day she went to Patrick's well to perform a station and when she was doing the station she saw the trout at the bottom of the well. After that she was cured of the ailment. Micheal Mc entire Bofield had a sore foot when he was young and as he was getting older it was getting worse. One day he went to Patrick's well to do a

the string in a very dark corner so that no one could see it. After a few minutes he would take out the string and if the knots were lossened {loosened} there were worms in the man or child.A man named Micheal Glacken from Bofield went to England. When he was in England a chaff went into his eye. A cousin of his that lived in Bofield made a charm for him, and after she had the charm made she saw the chaff that was in the man's floating in a cup of water, in Bofield.When you are walking along the road and if you meet a man riding on a white horse, and if you ask the rider to give you a cure

Name of teller – Pat Moran
Address – Bonniconlon Bofield"Charms and cures"Old weavers had a cure for a strained hand or foot. When you would go to the weaver you must not ask the thread off him but tell your ailment to him and he will give you a thread to put around your hand or foot to make it better again. Mick Madden, Breaffy used to give threads. Pat Mullen, Currower used also give threads. Pat Duncan Creggan got cured from a sore foot by one of theses threads.Jimmy Neary Breaffy could cure you from worms. First he would put a good few knots on a good long string. Then he would hide

Days of the old Cow are the days of the brindled cow, that is, the last two days of March and the first day of April. The legend is that the brindled cow complained at the beginning of April of the harshness of March whereupon March borrowed two days from April and these days were so wet and stormy that the old cow drowned. Hence March has one day more than April and the borrowed days are called Laeṫeannta na Riaḃaire.–––Harvest of the Geese is the time immediately after the gathering in of the corn when the geese are allowed to range the stubble. The old people used say that these days were wont to be hard and gusty. They were called Foġṁar na nGeádna.–––Written by Mary Josephina Moynihan, Drishane.
Told by Mrs. E. Moynihan, Drishane. Aged 55.–––

Wednesday: When a person gets a new boat, she is never taken to sea at first on Wednesday as it is considered unlucky.Thursday is a lucky day for marriage.Friday: If a person wants to go to see a sick person, he never does so on Friday. It is also unlucky for marriage. If a person gets sick on Friday he will never recover.Saturday is a lucky day for marriage and for removing into a new house.Good Friday: It is unlucky for a smith to redden an iron in a forge or for a farmer to redden a scrape of ground on Good Friday.–––Onions should be sat on the shortest day of the year and pulled on the longest day.Blackberries should never be picked after the last day of September.Potatoes should be sat before St. Patrick's day and should be dug before November day.

"Lore of Certain Days"Monday is considered a veru unlucky day for starting any new work such as sowing crops, building houses or removing into new houses. It is also said that it is unlucky to pay or give away any money on Monday. It is also an unlucky day for marriage.Tuesday is considered a very lucky day for starting any new work. In Winter, when the farmers are putting in their rows they never put them in for the first time on Monday. They always wait until Tuesday and likewise when the cows are putting out again in Summer.

And there they met their awful fate beneath the deadly swellIV
O Lord! it was an awful sight when the boat and two were found
Close to Bird Island that being near the fishing ground
The other four poor fellows they met a watery grave
May the Lord have mercy on their souls let all good Christians pray.V
Now to conclude and finish I have no more to say.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary pray for their souls this day.
And may her Son the King on High their parents now console,
Who are weeping for their darling men lost off Dunmanaus Shore.Written by Mary O'Sullivan
Told by Mrs Mary Moynihan, Shountellig, 75 years.

"A lament for the six who were drowned in Dunmanaus Bay thirty five years ago"
Composed by John Tobin, Kilerohane.I
You feeling hearted Christians attend both young and old
Until those doleful verses to you I will unfold
How six brave men did lose their lives, it grieves me to say
Nigh to the shores of Kilerohane, which lies in Dunmanaus Bay.II
Those six men were in their prime and were healthy for to view
Three of them being MacCarthy, Tim Spillane and Donovan – two
And also Charles Coughlan, as the public papers tell
I hope for all eternity in heaven their souls do dwellIII
The night was wild and stormy as they ventured for the shore
The sea it rolled in mountains high against them more and more
Soon the boat upturned it grieves for me to tell

The first part of lament is to be found on the 7th page from thisNow to conclude and finish I have no more to say.
May the Blessed Virgin Mary pray for their souls this day.
And may her Son the King on High their parents now console
Who are weeping for their darling men lost off Dunmanaus Shore.Written by Mary O'Sullivan
Told by Mrs Mary Moynihan 75

on the roads. Crickets sing in the walls of the house.hills: The far away hills seem near. When Mount Gabriel is foggy it is a sign of rain.

"Weather Lore"sky: When the sky gets darker than usual it is a sign of rainsun: When there is a sheen on rocks it is a sign of rain. When the sun is red at sunset it is a sign of good weathermoon: A circle around the moon is a sign of rain and the wider {nearer, crossed out} the circle the nearer the rainclouds: They become dark and gloomywind: The south wind generally brings rain to this districtbirds: Sea gulls are seen far-inland when bad weather is coming and rooks caw as they flyanimals: When cats turn their backs to the fire it is a sign of bad weather and cows and sheep come home from the hills and seek shelter by the fencesrainbow: When a rainbow is seen in the east rain has disappearedfire: A purple flame is a sign of rain and when smoke comes into the kitchen it is a sign of rainInsects: Insects are seen in thousands creeping

Q. As black as ink; as white as milk; and it hops on the ground like hail-stone
A. MagpieQ. As round as a marble; as deep as a cup and all the sea would not fill it up
A. A strainer.Q. What's full and holds more?
A. A pot of potatoes when you pour water inQ. What goes round the wood, and round the wood and never gets into wood?
A. The bark of the treeQ. I went up a borheen; I went down a borheen and I took the borheen on my back.
A. A ladderQ. What is the beginning of eternity; the end of life and space; the beginning of every end and the end of every place?
A. The letter "E".Q. What is it, the longer it lives the shorter it grows?
A. A lighting candleQ. I went into a field; there was no one there; yet there were hundred{s} of eyes looking at me.
A. A field of potatoes.

Q. What is it that the more you take from it the longer it grows?
A. A grave.Q. Why is a policeman like a rainbow?
A. Because he generally appears after a storm.Q. Why does a miller wear a white hat?
A. To cover his head.Q. What is it that everything has and a needle has it too?
A. A name.Q. Who wears the biggest hat?
A. The man with the biggest head.Q. What is it that always walks on its head?
A. A nail in your shoe.Q. Why does a hen pick the pot?
A. Because she cannot lick it.Q. A man was to be hanged, but if he could give a riddle to the judge which he couldn't solve, he would be set free. Having been told by Daniel O' Connell what to say, he went on his journey and said:–
As I roved out the day I came in,
Out of the dead the live did spring.
Six were there and the seventh came free.
If you riddle me that, you may hang me.
A. A bird's nest in a dead cow's head.

Q. Which side of the cup is the handle at?
A. The outsideQ. Which is it a ton of feathers or a ton of coal is the heavier?
A. They are both the same.Q. The man that made it never wore it and the man that wore it never saw it.
A. A coffin.Q. Where did Noah strike the first nail?
A. On the head.Q. Where was Moses when the light went out?
A. In the darkness.Q. What is it that you wouldn't like to have, and if you had it, you wouldn't give it away for all the world?
A. A bald head.Q. Headed like a thimble, tailed like a rat. You may guess for ever, but you couldn't guess that.
A. A pipe.Q. What is the largest bridge in the world?
A. The rainbow.Q. As I roved out the day I came in, out of the dead the live did spring. Six were there and the seventh came. If you riddle me that you may hang me.
A. A bird's nest in a dead cow's head.

Q. What runs fast but has no legs?
A. A Tap.Q. What word of five letters become{s} "smaller" if you add two more letters?
A. The word "small"Q. What cape does a prisoner like to get?
A. S. cape = EscapeQ. A lame beggar had a brother. The brother died and the man that died never had a brother.
A. The lame beggar was a womanQ. Jack's wife was Paddy's mother. What relation was Jack to Paddy's brother?
A. His fatherQ. Jack's father was Paddy's brother. What relation was Jack to Paddy's mother?
A. She was his GrandmotherQ. Two black men and a white man went out motoring. The two black men ate the white man. What was the number of their car?
A. 281. (Two ate one)Q. Over gravel I do travel with an oak stick in my hand. I rowed {road} a mare that never foaled and kept the bridle in my hand
A. A man rowing a boat.

Mr. Goodwin.After a while, Mr. Goodwin whipped his little horse, and soon caught up to the gentleman again, and said, "I'm sorry I cannot be waiting for you, because I'm going on a message and I must be back, before night.{"} Mr. Goodwin went to Dublin and got the brass buttons, and as he was returning het {he} met the gentleman near Dublin.Then Goodwin whipped the little horse and was home in Carrick again at five o'clock in the evening, with the brass buttons.Told, by:
Mr. John Smyth (aged 58)
Currower,
Attymass,
Ballina,
Co. Mayo,
Ireland.

Long ago there were witches in Ireland who by skimming the wells and rivers on farms where cows would drink water were able to take the butter off the milk. The cure to banish this witch-craft is on May Eve to put a little Holy water in the pumps, wells and rivers where the cows would drink water.Blessed Cream
A neighbour named Hugh Gilsenan used bless cream. First he would burn straw and mix it through the cream. Then he would put a coat over his head and go into the room where the cream would lie. He would say certain prayers and then bless himself. Next he would spit in the cream and give it to you.Many years ago there was an old witch who lived in Damastown. Early every morning during the Summer months when everones cows were out in the fields she would turn

On their way he threw the cat into a deep river named the river Liffey."Ah, if I knew you were oing to do that to me I would have you with me."Told by: Martin Mullen (aged 57)
Currower,
Attymass.Written by: Lillie Mullen, Currower, Attymass.

"Tom Connor's Cat"Tom Connor's cat was a very good cat but any time he heard the children crying or asking for clothes or anything, the cat started to cry too for clothes. Winter soon drew and the children started to cry for shoes and the cat started to cry for shoes too.To the shoemaker Tom Connor always went for shoes for the children. This day he went for a pair of shoes for the cat and the shoemaker said to him "Put him into a bag and dround [drown] him but say to the cat, 'I am going to bring you for a pair of shoes'." Next day Tom put the cat into a bag, and and said, "I am going to get a pair of nice shoes for you now."

"The townland of Ballymore"21- 6 - '38The name of my Townland is Ballymore. It is situated in the parish of Attymass, in the barony of Gallen. The Townland got its name because a lot of people dwelt in it long ago. There are twelve houses in it. There are four slated houses, three roofed with galvanized iron and five thatched ones. All the houses are a good distance away from each other. There are two rooms and a kitchen in most of the houses and in some more there are a room and a kitchen.All the young boys and girls went to America long ago and some of them are now as well. Very few girls went to England long ago, but the boys went. All the girls are gone to England now except a few. Some of the girls stayed there and earned about five shillings per week for their hard work. While the [they] are in England the women and school children have to go to the fields and work hard.Some of the roads are bad and some more are good. About twenty years ago the roads were made and some of the people

grief, until the grave was filled. Then the grave-diggers made the sign of the cross on the grave, with the shovels and spades. If it it was a parent that died, the children walked, three times, across the grave. It was said that if that was done, they would not grieve too much for him.If you meet a funeral, on the road you should stand, and bless yourself. A man should take off his hat. You should walk "three steps of Pity" with the funeral.It is believed that it is not lucky to open a new grave for a newly-wed man or woman. The person is buried with his father's or mother's people.Told by:-
Mr., and Mrs. Cunney
Currower.Written:-
Maureen Cunney.

"Superstitious Beliefs"Old people are superstitious. They have charms and customs unknown to the youth of Ireland today.When a young cow calves for the first time, three pennies are put in the milking bucket before she is milked. When the cow is milked, the pennies are taken out and given to the pet child in the house, to spend. The pennies are put in the bucket, to make the cream rich. When the first churning is being made, the coulter of a plough is put under the churn, to prevent the fairies from taking the butter.It is believed that nothing, and especially a hatchet or a coal, should be given away, while a churning is being made. If a man lights his pipe with a coal while a churning is being made there will be no butter on the milk until he comes in and puts the ashes

November Night.Children play the following tricks on November Night: They put three saucers on the table. One contains salt-water, one clay, and another a ring. Each person in turn, is blindfolded and brought to the table. The saucers are then shuffled. If the person puts his hand on the salt-water, he will cross the sea within twelve months. If he touches the clay he will die within a year, and if he touches the ring he will be married within a year.Written by: Maureen Cunney, [Cunney, crossed out] Currower, Attymass, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

began to eat it before a mirror. When he had eaten one half, he turned his back to the mirror and (eat) ate the other half. Then he faced the mirror again and it was believed that he saw the reflection of the person he was to marry, in it, instead of his own.These latter were told to n Maureen Cunney by Mary McNicholas Currower, Attymass.At midnight a person began to comb his hair, with his back to a mirror. After a little while he faced it and saw – it was believed – the person he was to marry, looking over his shoulder.The above was told to Maureen Cunney by Mrs. Cunney (aged 85), Lisaniska, Aclare, Co. Sligo.Now, every woman makes a cake, containing a ring. On November Night, it is cut in pieces and divided among the family. All the pieces are searched and the one in whose piece the ring is, will be married – it is said – before the next