School: Dunmore, Kilkenny (roll number 4331)
- Location:
- An Dún Mór, Co. Chill Chainnigh
- Teacher: M. Ó Leathlobhair
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0863, Page 210
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- Saint Brigid's Eve has lost many of its customs here as well as in other parts of the country. The rush cross was made here up to about forty years ago. This is how it was made. A girl of the household carried in fresh rushes over the threshold. Then the crosses were made and tea was made with pan-cakes. Then the crosses were hung from the rafters inside and also in out-houses.The Girdle of Saint Brigid was also made here in our townsland but went out about 50 years ago. The girdle is made of straw and rushes plaited trebly with crosses worked in. The ceremony that formerly went with the girdle is now dead. It lived in this area down to about 1850.The custom was a chosen girl in each townsland carried this girdle from house to house while saying a verse about the girdle. The people in each house came out and each person had the girdle hung round them three times in their turn.(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Martin Culleton
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 55
- Address
- An Dún Mór, Co. Chill Chainnigh
