School: Cartown, Clogherhead (roll number 1576)
- Location:
- Carstown, Co. Louth
- Teacher: Alice Mc Glue
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0675, Page 094
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- LumbagoAn old woman (long dead) used to have a cure for Lumbago or a pain in the back. She was "left" this cure by a man & she in her turn had to leave it to a man.
She met her "client" at a stream flowing towards the rising sun. Out of this stream she picked stones up a certain size nicely rounded - like paving stone I think. Seven was the number.
Her "client" bared his or her back As each stone was rubbed to the affected part in turn a certain prayer was recited.
This prayer was a secret to be handed down with the cure.
The "doctor" & patient both faced the rising sun, AT SUNRISE on seven successive mornings, while this was being done.
As each stone was used it was thrown in the direction of the sun.
The woman who HAD this cure ceased to practise years before her death,. The patients had either all been cured or had lost faith in her
She got a small offering for her trouble
