School: Ballinahinch (roll number 11191)

Location:
Ballynahinch, Co. Tipperary
Teacher:
Miss E. Merrick
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0577, Page 080

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0577, Page 080

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  1. XML School: Ballinahinch
  2. XML Page 080
  3. XML “May Eve Customs”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    one is permitted to carry a lighted sod out of the house, or to borrow fire in any way. And no strange hand was allowed to milk the cows, for if the first can was filled in the name of the devil, there would be no more milk that year for the family, it would be all secretly taken away by the fairies.
    The first three days of May were very dangerous to cattle for the fairies had then great power given them of the Evil one, therefore they were well guarded by lighted fires, and branches of rowan, and the milkmaid made the sign of the Cross, after milking with the froth of the milk.
    A young student was nearly killed one time by the people, for they saw him walking up and down on May morning on the grass while he read aloud from a book in some strange language, and they concluded that he was trying to bewitch the herbs of grass that are for healing.
    Josie Dwyer
    Ballinahinch
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    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