School: Dubhais (roll number 16323)
- Location:
- Dooish, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: -
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1096, Page 331
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- XML School: Dubhais
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- XML “<span class="exact">May</span> <span class="exact">Eve</span> and New <span class="exact">May</span> Morning”
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- (continued from previous page)a branch of the mountain-ash or rowan tree gathered on May Eve and put about the byre door on the inside was considered very effective - as a charm. It was firmly believed that on May morning the witches were out trailing a tether after them over the dew before sunrise - around the different houses from which they wished to take the milk. They were said to chant "Come all to me, come all to me, between Glenafton and the sea"This butter-snatching or milking the tether was firmly believed in by all the older people who used to tell stories in support of the contention. The following was told by Abraham Flanagan (p.4)
A family called Temple once lived at the spot marked x on the map on page 22. No trace of their house now remains. They had only one cow but were supposed to practice "milking(continues on next page)
