School: Desart, Cill Choinnigh (roll number 3839)
- Location:
- Baile Mhic Dháith (Desart), Co. Chill Chainnigh
- Teacher: Mary Commins
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0854, Page 104
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- XML School: Desart, Cill Choinnigh
- XML Page 104
- XML “Local Cures”
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- 1. Cahill's blood - that is blood from the descendant of father and mother named Cahill is supposed to cure "Anthony's Fire"2. The Leech Cure - There is an artificial pond in Ballykeefe called the Leech Pond. About eighty years ago one of the Earls of Desart imported leeches and put them in this pond. Then, he bought up old worn-out hourses and put them in the vicinity of the pond. When the leeches sucked the horses' blood for a while they were removed to good ground to recruit and replaced by a relay of others and so on. Then when anybody suffered from bruises or concussions they brought on three or four of the leeches. They put them to the wound and let them suck the bad blood until they were gorged. They then put the leeches on a plate, sprinkled them with salt until they disgorged and then applied them to the wound again. This was a very popular cure and was(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Laurence Banan
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 60
- Occupation
- Tradesman
- Address
- Clais an Rois, Co. Chill Chainnigh
