School: Ballycastle Boys' (roll number 14290)
- Location:
- Ballycastle, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: Mícheál de Búrca
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0140, Page 144
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- XML School: Ballycastle Boys'
- XML Page 144
- XML “St John's Day”
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- (continued from previous page)To celebrate this a huge Bonfire was lighted in every village.
For days previous, the small boys were busy collecting material for the fires.
When old wood was not procurable, dried heather made a grand fire.
The boys and girls looked forward to this event. The girls appeared in summer frocks with tresses and faces unveiled and uncovered. Many friendships dated from this event and ended in happy marriages the following shrovetide.
There is a saying with reference to persons who spend a lot of time together that "St Johns day would not be long enough for them." But the old order is very much changed. There is only a remnant as it were this happy old custom. "This freedom" which the young people now enjoy has almost killed it
- Collector
- Dan Lenihan
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballycastle, Co. Mayo
- Informant
- Mrs Polke
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 63
- Address
- Ballinglen, Co. Mayo
