School: Monasterevan (2)
- Location:
- Monasterevin, Co. Kildare
- Teacher: Miss Ievers
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0780, Page 106
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- XML School: Monasterevan (2)
- XML Page 106
- XML “Hallow Eve”
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- Hallow Eve.Hallow Eve or to give it its Irish name of "Samain", is the great festival before All Saints day. On this evening the Irish people have great sport and merriment. Each district in Ireland has its own customs. Here in Monasterevan grown boys dress up in old clothes. They go round from house to house singing and looking for money. These are called "Pucas". These "Pucas" do a lot of harm sometimes, such as taking gates off hinges, letting cattle, horses and other animals out of fields. They often steal things. At times they come into the houses and sing or dance. If there was bread or other eatables on the table, they would take them without permission. Another trick is this. Boys sometimes scoop out a turnip or a mangold and cut out eyes and a mouth in it. They put a lighted candle inside it and they stick it in a hedge to frighten people passing by.In this district people have a habit of taking an apple. They try to take the peel off without breaking it. If they succeed in doing this they throw the peel on the floor to see will it form a letter. If it does they say that letter represents the name of the person's future husband or wife(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Hugh Warren
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 12
- Address
- Skirteen, Co. Kildare
