School: Clonlara
- Location:
- Cloonlara, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Dll. Ó Heoghanáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0585, Page 005
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- (continued from previous page)4. Another custom - is to put down a black and a white bean on the hearth the white one representing some girl and the black one some man. The heat of the fire will cause the beans to move if they move closer the girl and boy will be married and if they move away from each other "there will be nothing doing."
5. Still another old custom is that of the three plates - Clay is placed in one, water in another and a ring in the third. Each member of the household is blindfolded in turn and is led to the table and asked to place his hand in one of the plates, if he places his hand in the water he will cross the sea that year, if he chooses the clay he will die that year and if he chooses the ring he will be married before the year is ended.
A great number of superstitions is connected with November Eve. On this night the woman of the house never throws out water after dark. "Is it to drown a poor soul?" she would say, for the belief is strong that the souls of the departed return to their earthly home on this night.
6. Still another old superstition connected with November Eve is , where a girl who is in search of a husband makes a bee line to the
