School: Béal na Carraige, Béal Átha Fhinghín (roll number 10739)

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   “Long ago in this district no one would give a mare to remove a corpse or green flax...”

   

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   completely disappeared. When pulling the ends of the twine, it should be held to the animals' side. The process should be repeated a specified number of times.

   Another 'piseóg' was that known as "turning under a briar". This was considered real devilment, and was supposed to confer great powers. The briar of course should be rooted twice, as most briars always are. Mrs. Crowley says it should be a white briar that is I expect a young tender shoot. This was a trick used by those people who stole the butter from there neighbours on May morning. They say gamblers also resorted to this trick. At the present-day when cards are played locally, it is often said to a player who happens to be remarkably lucky "you must have turned under a briar to-night".

   
   Much mystery too was woven around the hare. It was considered very mislucky to meet one after night unless he was followed by a dog. Otherwise there was no proof that it was a natural hare. Stories are told of people who met this little animal at night, and were then taken suddenly ill and died.
   Farmers hated to see a hare among the cows on May morning, for it was commonly known that certain women empowered by the devil used go about as hares stealing butter. Mrs Crowley says that this was a fact.

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. seánra
      1. creidiúint (~391)
         1. creidiúint choiteann (~2,535)

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Collector

   John Hayes

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Béal na Carraige, Co. Chorcaí

   Informant

   Mrs J. J. Crowley

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Inse Fionn, Co. Chorcaí