School: Ballinahinch (roll number 11191)

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1. May Eve Customs (continued)

   

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   Another custom in our locality is to singe the cattle along the back with a lighted straw. A bunch of primroses is also tied to the cow's tail, for it is said that no evil spirit can come near any animal that is guarded by these flowers, if they are plucked before sunrise.

   Another custom is to have a branch of a rowan tree woven in the roof, and the house is safe from any evil spirit for at least a year, and if it is mixed with the timber of a boat nobody in the house will be drowned for twelve months.

   
   A number of ancient traditions circle especially round May day called in Irish La-Bealtaine (the day of the sacred Baal fire) because in the old Pagan times on May Eve the druids lit the great sacred fire at Tara, and as the signal flames rose up high in the air a fire was kindled on every hill in Erin, till the whole island was circled by a zone of flame.

   It is a saying amongst the Irish:-

   "Fire and salt are the two most precious things given to man"

   Fire above all was held sacred by them, as the symbol of Duty and the mystic means of purification, and three things were never given away by them on May Eve, fire milk and butter, for this would be to give away luck.

   No

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
         1. May (~639)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Josie Dwyer

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballynahinch, Co. Tipperary