School: Stonehall, Cora Caitlín
- Location:
- Stonehall, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Páidraig Mac Cormaic
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0599, Page 431
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- People were from twenty to twenty-four years of age before they wore boots in the olden times. They took great care of their boots then. They never wore them during week days, and on Sundays they would bring their shoes to the Church gate before putting them on.
They never wore their boots when going through fields or when travelling on bóichríní - only when they came to the main road did they put them on. A woman was one day walking barefoot along a stony bóichrín carrying her boots slung over her shoulder. Suddenly she struck her toe against a stone and broke it. "Thank God", said she, "that it wasn't my grand pair of new boots I had on!"
People also wore clogs. Jamsie Hayes of Clenagh was a great clog maker.
It is not right to leave the water in which you have washed your feet in the house during the night. If you do so the "good people" will come and take it away. It should be thrown far away from the door.
People never throw away water on New Year's Day because all their money would be going with it for the year.
