School: Carrickerry, Árd-achadh (roll number 11281)

Location:
Carrigkerry, Co. Limerick
Teacher:
Caitlín, Bean Uí Chonaill
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0487, Page 463

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0487, Page 463

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  1. XML School: Carrickerry, Árd-achadh
  2. XML Page 463
  3. XML “A Local Custom of St Brigid's Eve”

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  1. On St Brighid's Eve it is the custom in this district for the man of the house to go out at dusk and bring in a 'beart' of straw which he places on the floor beside the door. When the evening meal is over all the household get a portion of straw and some sticks which they fashion into crosses. The straw is then woven around the timber cross giving the shape of a diamond in the centre. Each of the four ends is then crossed with a shorter stick giving four other little crosses with the shape of a diamond in the middle of each also. Nobody is supposed to speak while he or she is making the crosses. When the crosses are completed the are put up on the roofs of the houses as an invocation to St. Brighid to protect the inmates of the house from all disease and trouble.
    St. Brighid's Cross. [drawing / diagram in green ink]
    Margaret Hayes, Carrickerry, Ardagh.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
        1. Feast of St Brigid (~366)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Margaret Hayes
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Carrigkerry, Co. Limerick