School: Sceachánach Beag, Dún ar Aill (roll number 4129)

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   “Long ago people were more superstitious than at the present day and the selection of a site for a house was the subject of much discussion as to lucky or unlucky places.”

   

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   Long ago people were more superstitious than at the present day and the selection of a site for a house was the subject of much discussion as to lucky or unlucky places. It was considered unlucky to build in a passage or a bohreen, as by doing so an obstacle would be placed in the way of the "Good People" or fairies. It was also thought unlucky to build too near a fort. The following incident occurred in the Parish of Knocklong.
   A farmer wanted to build a house, and after much debating decided to build on the back of a double ditch. The work was started and some of the walls built, when one of the workmen looking around, saw a little man standing on the back of the ditch observing them, one of them saluted. He answered pleasantly, and enquired for the master. The master was shown to him and he advised him to stop building on that spot, but to revove to the far side of the next field. Of course the farmer objected seeing that he some of the work done, so the little man said "Bad luck of every kind, will attend your family, if you build this house, and you will never live in it for long, so take a wise man's advice and proceed no further

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   John Hanley

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   An Sceachánach Bheag, Co. Chorcaí

   Informant

   Mrs Richard Hanley

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   37

   Address

   An Sceachánach Bheag, Co. Chorcaí