School: Cnoc na Sná (B.), Mainistir na Féile (roll number 12368)

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1. Local Cures (continued)

   

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   The seventh son or daughter -

   is regarded as having a cure. I know a seventh son and when quite a young lad he cured me. This man is Daniel J O'Sullivan Stumble Mount Collins co Limerick. He is about 50 years of age. When about 8 years old I suffered terribly form boils on my neck. I was taken to a doctor who prescribed for my complaint but to no advantage. No sooner was one boil departed but another came on, and so on for months. I was in a very bad way. An old woman told my parents to take me to young Sullivan. He was the 7th son and that he could cure me. One fine Sunday afternoon my father took me to "Johnny Bawns" as the boy's father was called. Nothing was done for me that trip as his mother told me I should come fasting in the morning and Dan should be fasting also.
   Early on Monday morning my father took me, and this is what was done as far as I remember, and I believe I am correct. He breathed three times on the sore neck, nest put his fasting spit on the boil, and finally washed his face, and washed my neck afterwards with the water. After that the good hospitable Old Mrs Sullivan gave me my breakfast before returning home. The same treatment was continued for three mornings. On my return home the first morning I was very ill, the boils were more painful than ever I thought, and continued so all day and night. On Tuesday I was very ill, but towards evening the pain abated and I

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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

   D. O Connor

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir