The Schools’ Collection

This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. More information

Filter results

Results

76 results
  1. Stomach Trouble

    CBÉS 0770

    Page 065

    Boil burdock seed and drink for a bad stomach.
  2. Herbs

    CBÉS 0187

    Page 303

    The names of weeds are: Tear Ban, Cowsfoot, Turaun. The ones which grow in good land are, Burdock root, Lady's Mantle.
    Burdock is used in medicine for stomach trouble. The burdock root is boiled and the liquid is then ready for use.
    The Turaun used as a food for cattle. It is chopped up and mixed with gruel, made of Indian meal and water. The Nettle is also used as a vegetable by the people.
  3. Local Cures

    CBÉS 0137

    Page 135

    Broom, Burdock and Dandelion boiled and strained and having "sugary-candy" (sugar o' candy) added is a cure for coughs, colds & chest troubles.
  4. (no title)

    Cuckle-Root = great burdock

    CBÉS 0507

    Page 210

    Cuckle root = great burdock = buacallan mop (?) and distinct from buacallan buide there which is georaian (ragweed) here in Croom
  5. Herbs

    CBÉS 0724

    Page 325

    The most harmful weeds growing on the farm are nettles, dock-leaves, thistles, and rag-weed. They are harmful because they spread rapidly. Nettles grow on poor land. Thistles grow on good land. Some herbs have medicinal properties e.g. burdock, dandelion, millbrook and chickory. Burdock is used as a blood tonic, Millbrook is used for diseases of the kidney. The green leaves of the chickory are used in salad, and the roots are ground and put in coffee. Dock leaves are sometimes used as food for pigs, by boiling them with meal. No herbs are used for dyeing purposes, or for poison.
  6. A Cure for a Burn

    CBÉS 0923

    Page 103

    A very good cure for a burn, is
    burdock. It is a plant like a dockleaf. It grows wild on nearly every farm. If you rub the burdock regularly on a burn it will soon disappear.
  7. Herbs

    CBÉS 0954

    Page 026

    There is medicine made from "dandelion" "rose-noble" "baberry", and "rhubarb". The "Broom" is used for the Botts in the horses.
    "Cumfery" is made into ointment and is used for cuts. "Burdock-Seed" when boiled and made into medicine is good for the cold. "Bogbine" is made into medicine. "Nettles" are good for everything. The "Sallow-Berry" is used for dying purposes. "Puffs" are poisonous. The "Yew" tree is also poisonous at certain times of the year. People were relieved by "Burdock" and "Bogbine.
  8. Herbs

    CBÉS 0079

    Page 295

    Clover, dandelion or burdock do not harm the land. Docks, chicken-weed, nettles or sloíchteán do harm the land. The docks make the land poor. They root deep and draw the substance from the soil. The sloíchteán does the same thing. The chicken-weed and crow's foot creep round the crops and choke them, especially young seedlings. Nettles make
  9. Herbs

    CBÉS 0263

    Page 170

    17. Cuckoo Sorrel is given to chickens.
    18. Water Cress grows plentifully in running streams. It is eaten in spring as a vegetable and is considered a great blood purifier.
    19. Burdock is a weed with prickly tops, globular in shape with sharp spikes radiating from the centre. Children take great delight in pelting those at one another. They stick into the clothes and are removed with difficulty. Old people say there is a great cure for a weak spine and faulty kidneys in the roots of the burdock. They are boiled (after peeling and cleaning) for several hours and allowed to cool and liquid is then strained and bottled.
    20. Dandelion which resembles the buttercup grows very plentifully everywhere in the country. It is supposed to be a cure for nerves and weak stomachs.
  10. Local Cures

    CBÉS 0868

    Page 085

    Sore feet in Summer can be cured by putting Elder leaves in the boots. Celery leaves stewed in beer is a cure for scurvy. Stewed Burdock or velvet leaves is a cure for a cough. To cure warts rub constantly with Ricketts blue. Barbara bark stewed in beer is a cure for jaundice. Boiled Robin-run-the-hedge is good for purifying the blood.
  11. Composition - Curing Herbs

    CBÉS 0930

    Page 150

    Almost every weed is useful. There is a very large number of them which are used as remedies for disease. There is a cure in Bog Bean. Burdock root, Marsh
  12. Herbs

    CBÉS 1000

    Page 098

    The broom is a splendid remedy for dropsy. It is generally combined with juniper berries and dandelion. It is boiled in water like the dandelion and is taken fasting every morning. Burdock cleans the blood and it is also used
  13. Herbs

    CBÉS 0159

    Page 289

    Herbs
    The most harmful weeds that grow in a garden are, nettles, bishops weed, dandelion, dock, thistles, wild parsley, chicken weed, burdock, groundsel, camomile, cuckoo pint, bind weed, foxglove, garlic, watercress, and flagons.
    The most harmful of the weeds are, nettles, dandelions, thistles, groundsel, garlic and wild parsley because they spread rapidly. The herbs from which medicine can be obtained are, dandelions which is a cure for warts, garlic for colds, burdock for purifying the blood, camomile is a cure for mumps when it is made into a poultice, mint is for colds.
    Nettles are given as food to young turkeys and hens eat dandelions.
    Dye is got from flowers and herbs and the herbs which are most poisonous are hemlock, nightshade, and foxglove.
    When there was no medicine in the olden days people had to use herbs for cures, and some of these cures are better than those which can be bought nowadays.
    Celery is used as a cure for rheumatics.
    If you bring the weed called burn-the-house into your house it will go on fire.
    Written by - John Blain.
  14. Our House and Farm

    CBÉS 0162

    Page 057

    kinds of plants and flowers grow in our land; nettles, holly, wild rockets, black sallies, ask plants, dandelions, ivy and burdock. There are various birds that frequent our land; the blackbird, the robin the wren, the rook, the mag-pie, and the yellow-hammer. They all nest in our land. There are many insects and creepers that frequent our land: the frogs, the snails, worms, crickets, clock, blacklads, and spiders. There is a little story about one of our fields. There was a family living in "John Loftuse"s field" called Nearys. They all died but one old woman called "Mary Neary". No one ever went near the house after they died. The old woman wasn't to be seen for a long time. One day John Loftus went to the door and he saw her dead in a bed. He gathered the neighbours and they buried her in a hole at the head of our far field. When my grand-
  15. Herbs

    CBÉS 0233

    Page 097

    a pain in the stomach. It is boiled with milk and it is then drank with more milk and sugar.
    Water-cress.
    Water-cress is taken to purify the blood.
    Nettles
    Nettles are boiled and the juice is called nettle tea. It is a great cure for measles when drank.
    Foxglove.
    Foxglove is used as a heart stimulant when a drink is made from it.
    Burdock
    Burdock is used for coughs when drank.
  16. Herbs

    CBÉS 0657

    Page 248

    drink for colds.
    The Dandelion. The dandelion is very common. It is found in all kinds of fields. There is a cure in it for warts. The milk which is inside when rubbed on the warts cures them.
    The butter - cup. The butter cup is a weed that spreads. It has a hot taste and cows will not eat it.
    The Chiskweed. The chickweed spreads in the potato drills very rapidly. It chokes the growth of smaller vegetables. It is good to apply to a welling as it cools it and takes the inflamation away.
    The Groundeel. The groundeel is noted for making the land poor.
    The bogbeam. The bogbeam when boiled is good for weakness, run dowwn system and nerve disorders.
    The Burdock. The burdock spreads quickly and its roots have a cure for kidney trouble and skin disease.
    The Centuary. The centuary has a cure for indigestion and the heart.
    The Chickweed - Is good for
  17. Herbs Used for Cures

    CBÉS 0706

    Page 069

    just like a Mouse's ear. It is found growing near manure heaps. Bishops weed. Another common weed is picked and equal quantities of each pounded together between two stones. The pulp and juice obtained is used as a poultice for a Whitlow. (Thomas Smyth, Ballincleva).
    Nettle.
    A tall green plant with a sting. It is boiled in water and the juice given to children who have Measles.
    Fox Tongue.
    A long green leaf of fern class. It is boiled and used as a poultice for a sprain. (C Clarke, Baltrasna).
    Burdock.
    Burdock leaves are boiled and placed on a burn. (T Smyth).
    Sow thistle.
    The juice obtained by boiling sow thistle in water is used as a cure for Whooping Cough. (Mrs Govern, Moynalty).
  18. Herbs

    CBÉS 0789

    Page 161

    Herbs
    The most harmful weeds growing in our district are bulky-shans, thistles Dandelion, Wild ivy and Burdock. These weeds spread rapidly and they also impoverish the land. Most of these weeds grow in good soil except the burdock it is found wild in waste places.
    Wild-ivy spreads rapidly through vegetables and rose-bushes, it does not grow in grazing land.
    The herbs that have medicinal properties are Dandelion, Nettles and Thistle root. Dandelion is good for delicate people to eat raw.
    Nettles are boiled and are given to people to purify the blood.
    Thistle root is good for abscess and other sores and boils.
    Dandelion is yellow flowered and is found along banks and in ditches.
    Written by: Joseph Marks
    Told by: James Marks
  19. Herbs

    CBÉS 0849

    Page 351

    ulcers ringworm and other complaints. "Nettle seed" are used as a remedy for consumption and as a blood medicine.
    The "Burdock" seed is noted as one of the best blood purifiers and is often used with other herbs for other purpose. "Solomon's seal Root" is used for piles and bruises etc. Clover is said only to grow on good land.
  20. Local Cures

    CBÉS 0923

    Page 192

    Local Cures: The onion was used for nervous complaints and when boiled with milk was an excellent cure for coughs. Bolewart which was an old word for cabbage when boiled with water and honey was a very good cure for eye trouble. Elderblossom with peppermint tea was used for chills and colds, also when mixed with treacle was used for appendisitis. For warts sea water was used, and salt was used for sore throats. Nettle broth was used for sciatica and hleurisy. For jaundice and other liver troubles dandelion was used. Burdock tea was used as a cure for ecxema and for dipthesia the red sage was used. A slice of lemon placed over corns for one night was used to banish them. Water - (crest) cress was used extensively in cases of consumption, red clover tops made into tea was used for cancer. Black brony root scraped and laid over bruises was an excellent remedy. For internal bleeding boiling water poured over comfrey and stewed was used.