School: Earl Darnley (roll number 13573)
- Location:
- Baile Átha Buí, Co. na Mí
- Teacher: Siubhán Ní Loichéid
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0696, Page 156
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- XML “Halloween Customs”
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- (continued from previous page)dark and the small children think it is the fairies who are knocking.
In the olden times the people used to whiten their faces and wrap white table-cloths or sheets round them. Then when it got very dark and late they would jump out from behind the hedges or walls at people. Of course it would give the people a fright and the most timid of them would run home at once. This was when my mother was about my age and she told me about it.
When I was about seven, I same some big boys scoop out a turnip in the shape of a skull then place a flash lamp inside it. They then went out into the dark and hiding in a corner, they held up the skull. Of course it shone like a ghost and all the children who were playing nearby, ran home screaming.
Most people make it their business to be in the house before dark at Hallowe'en, as it is believed that the elves, fairies and ghosts are all out on that evening, and the children believe that the bad fairies will carry them away.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Noel Booker
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Crosa Caoil, Co. na Mí
- Informant
- Mrs Booker
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Crosa Caoil, Co. na Mí
