School: Naoimh Ióseiph (roll number 15628)
- Location:
- Boyle, Co. Roscommon
- Teachers: Mícheál Ó Mainnín Pádraig Ó Cinnéide
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0235, Page 040
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- XML “Festival Customs”
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- In almost every district in Ireland the inhabitants adhere to certain old customs concerning fast days, and the residents in the Boyle district are no exception
Perhaps the most honoured of all the Feast Days is St. Patrick's Day. For weeks before its arrival the children can be seen in the fields picking "Shamrock" to send to their exiled friends across the wave. In olden days the people of this district used to gather together on St. Patrick's Eve in a certain house and hold a "porter-spree". Both young and old were present and peals of song and laughter bespoke the general mirth. Many toasts were drunk and the first and best to our patron Saint. "Here's to our good and great St. Patrick." Then later story-telling was replaced by singing and dancing. Even the old people danced, in groups of three. As the night waxed apace the mirth became greater, and as the "Poitín" took effect the entire crowd "voiced" the praises of the "Great Saint Patrick" with greater vigour. Sometimes the kitchen door was laid on the floor and it was no unusual thing to see an old man of seventy dancing a "reel" on it. If the "Spree" was of big dimensions two or(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Mark Dwyer
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Assylin, Co. Roscommon
- Informant
- Mrs Dwyer
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 62
- Address
- Assylin, Co. Roscommon
