School: Páirc an Iarla (roll number 9303)

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1. Local Cures

   

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   There were no doctors long ago dentists or hospital long ago. When people had teethaches a frog would be put down their throats. If it did not get better they would go to the local forge and get it pulled. A string would be put around the tooth at the forge. They tied it from that to the anvil. Then the blacksmith would redden an iron. And go to hit the man with it. When the man would see the iron, he would get a fright and make a leap, and the tooth would come out.
   The water in which the blacksmith cools the iron is used for curing warts. When children are getting teeth, they often get thrush on their mouths. This is a sort of white blisters on the tongue, and around inside the mouth. Goose grease was rubbed on this and was supposed to cure it.
   Holy wells were also visited for certain ailments. Some are for sore eyes and others for sore ears and warts and boils.
   There is a holy well a few miles from our school. It is situated in Kilbegly Moore Co. Roscommon (Post Town) Ballinasloe. There is also a bush there. When people are passing by this tree they always leave a hairpin or a piece of string after them. If they have any disease on them if they pray to St. Begley it will be cured. This village is called after St. Begley.
   When a person has warts if they meet a flag with a

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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

   Nora Colohan

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   12

   Address

   Beagh (Brabazon), Co. Roscommon

   Informant

   John Colohan

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Beagh (Brabazon), Co. Roscommon