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  1. Herbs

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Mrs Mary Renihan
    Age
    76

    people all know that they should rub the affected part with dock lead and strange both it is remarked grow side by side. Dock is a very useful herb and it is so called from the colour of its roots which is the most valuable part of the plant. It is used for hemorrhage of the lungs. The best way of using it as a remedy is, wash roots and boil half a pound of the powdered root in a pint of golden syrup. This can then be taken in teaspoonful doses. It is also used in liver complaints and is a mild laxative.

    Marshmallow
    Marshmallow is a nice herb with purple flowers and dark green leaves. The crushed roots will draw out inflammation from boils or wounds when other things fail and it is called Mortification Herb by most country people and when the leaves are brewed (like tea) it is known to cure the most obstinate cough.
    Coltsfoot
    Coltsfoot, a little of the dried leaves put on a plate and lighted will gradually smoulder away and the smoke inhaled

  2. Herbs

    Language
    Mixed
    Collector
    Caitlín Ní Chatháin, Kathleen Keane
    Informant
    Seán Ó Fearghail
    Age
    circa 55

    Bindweed, Buttercup, chickweed, Coltsfoot, Cauch grass or scutch, Dandelion, Dock Moss, nettle, scarlet pimpernel, Thistle, Prasaugh, Groundsel.

    The most rapidly spreading of above weeds are :- Bindweed, Chickweed, Coltsfoot, scutch, Dock, Prasaugh and Thistle.
    Prasaugh is a terrible pest in the oat crop, but there is a quick remedy now for destroying it, by spraying is with blue stone at the proper time.
    Herbs.
    Comfrey, large rough leaves, Grows a tall flower spike which throw out a lot of ball shaped seed pods, these balls are covered with needle shaped spines and have the habit of sticking to clothing, sheeps wool or anything which comes in contact with them, they are called, Conaudauns in Irish. Comfrey likes a cool moist soil. Its roots when pounded up makes a sticking mass and used to be used by the old people with splints for setting broken legs of ducks, geese, etc.
    Docks will grow almost anywhere except in wet land. The leaves used to be pulled and boiled formerly and given to pigs and fowl. They say there is a

  3. Old Cures

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Maura Cronin
    Informant
    Mrs Lohan

    A bad cold. Turnip water is a cure for a bad cold.
    Rheumatism - The dandelion is supposed to be a cure for rheumatism
    Ringworm - The coltsfoot is a cure for ringworm

  4. Herbs

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Maureen O' Keeffe
    Informant
    Mr O' Keeffe

    Herbs
    There are many herbs such as nettles, docks, dandelion, switch-grass, water-cress, sea-weed, wild-carrot, charlock, coltsfoot and ragweed.
    Long-ago the old people boiled nettles and gave them to the turkeys to eat. They also boiled thistles for the pigs. Dandelions are very good for pigs that are not thrivings. The coftfoot grows in heavy, damp soil and in waste land bordering railways and roads. Ragweed is a small green flower which is the cause of hay-fever. The ragweed grows in dry pasture and meadows. The ragweed causes disease both in cattle and horses.
    Long-ago, the old people pulled wild-carrot and left it up for a few weeks. Then they peeled them and boiled them. They put them up in jars. Then they took a spoonful a few times a day. That was very good for the system.
    Maureen O'Keeffe
    Old Road,
    Tuam
    I got this from my father
    Mr. O'Keeffe,
    Old Road,
    Tuam