School: Drumcar (roll number 16771)
- Location:
- Drumcar, Co. Louth
- Teacher: Mrs Bell
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0671, Page 127
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“People say that no milk must be sold on May Morning...”
People say that no milk must be sold on May morning - and if milk is taken to a house for a present, the can or jug in which it is sent must not be sent back empty, so frequently a pinch of salt is put in it - or a coin if there are children in the house.
Long ago an old man called Paddy Ward, spent the winter going about from farm to farm clipping horses with the scissors and comb and then he would singe the odd hairs.
Sometimes hunters or carriage horses would be singed secondly in a few weeks. The hair of cattle was always put into plastering for ceilings to make it stick better.
When dogs whined at night many old peolpe firmly believed that a death in the family was at hand.
And also if pigs are restless at night trouble is near for the owners.
People dread hearing a cock crowing at midnight, as they say he is inviting Death to the place - and they say the same when he crows in the doorway (of) the house.