School: Cnoc na gCaiseal (C.) (roll number 9709)

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1. Herbs

   

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   There are several kinds of plants growing around. Some of them are poisonous and there is a cure in more of them. Some of those plants are the Geóscbán, the dead man's plant, and the thistle. The Fílíbhearg is also supposed to be harmful. The thistle is a very rapid plant for spreading and also for impoverishing the soil, though it is said that this particular plant grows only on fertile land together with the poisonous yellow-root plant.

   In the yellow Root plant there is a hole through the middle and if you bruised it white stuff like milk would come out of it and if it went on your hands it would blister them. It was used here by the old people for colouring wool for frieze coats. It was also used to catch fish. It was put into a tin box and the juice let go out into the water and it would poison the fish and they would easily be caught. They would come up to the top of the water and the boys would "suil" them out and bring them home. It is also used for hens having the sickness.

   There is another plant called the Camomile. They used to boil it and use the water for a sore in a child's head. Nettle is a plant with green leaves and if you tipped it, it would burn you. It is given to young turkeys and hens. Nettles are boiled and the water that would be left after boiling them is called nettle-water and

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. medical practice
         1. folk medicine (~11,815)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Bean Uí Chatháin

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Knocknagashel, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Nora Walsh

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Feavautia, Co. Kerry