COLLECTOR

Annie Kearns, Address, Manulla, Co. Mayo

Weather-Lore

When you see sheep coming down from the mountain it’s a sign that we are going to have a storm.

When you see the chimney puffing it’s a sign of rain.

When you see red in the west it’s the sign of frost.

When you see a ring around the moon it’s the sign of rain.

When you see the wild geese crying it’s the sign of rain.

Dyeing by Moss

1. Lime is burned in kilns. These kilns are built different heights or depths.

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Some of them are sunk in banks others are built over ground surrounded by a bank but there must be a little hole at the bottom of one side of the wall for ventilation purposes other wise the fire wont burn.

2. When the kiln is complete a layer of turf is put on the bottom then a layer of lime stone which has been broken into pieces the size of an egg. The Kiln is filled with every second layer of turf and stone until the top is reached.

3. The turf at the bottom is sent on fire through the poreen or little hole. Turf and stones are added alternately until the kiln is full of burned stones.

4. The top of the Kiln is then covered with wet sods to keep in the heat.

5. The lime is taken out through the hole at foundation. We do not burn lime now.

Séan a Sagart

Long ago there lived a very wicked man in Ballintubber, Co. Mayo named Seán A Sagart. He used to go out searching for Priests.

As he found them he beheaded them and brought their heads to the English governor and he got his five pounds for them.

Diseases Common in Former Times

In olden times people had terrible diseases one of which was the small pock. Margaret Kennedy's two little brothers died within the week with it. When the first one died he was put over-board on the table. A big white butterfly came and rested over the little corpse on the wall until the next one died.

No one saw him coming or going. When two people are going to die in a house a butterfly comes in and rests over the first corpse.

A cure for warts is to rub spit on them every morning for sixteen mornings, before you eat or drink anything or wash yourself.

The following birds frequent Prizon, parish of Balla, barony of Carra.

Crow, Swan

Black-bird, Snip

Gold-finch, Jay

Tom-tit, Sally-picker

Jack-daw, Red shanks

Robin, Water-hen

Wren, Wild duck

Swallow, Wild geese

Mag-pie, Seagull

Corn-crake, Ballcurt

Cuckoo, Pigeon

Yellow hammer Lark

Sparrow

Linnet

Thrush

Sandpiper

Traona

Crotach

Where the Births build their nests 25th May 1938.

The crow builds her nest in the top of a tree. She lays six eggs. The nest is made out of sticks and moss.

The black-bird builds in a white-thorn bush.

The Tom tit builds in the eave of a house. She makes her nest out of hay and hair. She lays three eggs.

The jack-daw builds in the chimney. She lays five eggs. She makes her nest with sticks and hair and hay.

The robin builds in a fence. She lays six eggs. The wren builds in the thatch. She lays 15 or 18 eggs.

The swallow builds in sheds. She lays 6 eggs.

The Mag-Pie builds in the very top of Ash trees she lays 5 eggs. The corn-crake builds in the meadow. She lays 5 eggs.

The Cuckoo makes no nest. She lays in some other bird's nest.

The yellow-hammer builds in a bush. She lays 9 eggs.

The swan makes her nest at the lake. She lays four eggs.

The snip builds in a sod bank. She lays 5 eggs.

Many travellers come to the Prizon district Barony of Carra Parish of Balla co. Mayo.

The Tinkers are poor people. They have no home. They camp on the side of the road. They go around from place to place. Some of them have caravans and others of them have carts and horses. They bring a lot of asses with them. They go in bands. The Mahons, Wards, McCanns, Myres, Laceys and the McDonaghs are the tinkers most often seen here. In the winter time they go to the Mid-lands. In Summer time they come most often to this place. Most of the tinkers are able to make tin cans and they go around with them to the houses. They come to the door. Any thing they see in the house they ask for it. If they get what they ask they will be thankful and they say "God bless ye. The Lord Have mercy on the dead".

In the years 1846 to 1847 there was a famine. The landlord came around and drove the people out of their homes because they were not able to pay their rents. Many thousands of people were dying out by the side of the ditches with the hunger.

The year before the famine there was a great supply of potatoes and they were throwing them out by the side of ditches. In the next year the potatoes did not grow any larger than big stones.

I live in Fargureens, Parish of Balla, Barony of Carra. There are only two houses in the village - Kearns's house and Early's house. Our house is situated on the side of the hill. From it we have a lovely view. There are fourteen in our house and five in Early's house. To the front of the house we have a green field in which we play every evening. Our house is a three-roomed house.

There are no old people in our village now. There were thirty-two houses in our village long ago. Some of them are in ruins and others of them are used as cow houses and barns. There are two thatched houses. There is a river separating Fargureens and Boghoue. There is no name on the river. There are about 60 acres of land in this village.

May all your future days be happy.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Practice makes Perfect.

Great men think alike.

A stitch in time saves nine.

Laugh and the world laughs with you.

Still waters run deep.

The early bird catches the early worm.

Don't worry-it may never happen.

Heaven helps those who help themselves.

Many hands make light work.

It is a long lane which has no turning.

Green are the hills that are far away.

It's never too late to mend.

On Saint Bridget's night two girls go out with dolls. They go around from door to door and they say , "Honour Saint Bridget". Then the woman in the house gives them some money. When they have a few shillings gathered they divide them between themselves.

Our churn is 22 inches high and the diameter of the top is fourteen inches while the circumference of the bottom is 56 inches.

There is a circular lid for it. In this lid is a hole for the dash handle. The sides of the churn curve inwards.

When preparing to churn cream we leave the churn out to air for an hour. It is then fresh and sweet. We heat it and the dash and lid with boiling water and then put in the cream. We put the dash into the churn and cover it with the lid. We then slip the goggeler down on the dash handle and this prevents the cream from splashing through the hole in the lid.

If the weather is cold boiling water is added to the cream to rise the temperature.

The cream is dashed up and down until the butter is seen in little specks on the lid and dash.

The motion is changed from dashing to rocking and by this means the tiny specks of butter are gathered into one mass. The lid and dash are then rinced down with cold spring-water and the butter is lifted by means of a wooden cup into the wooden butter dish. Both of those vessels are first scalded with boiling water.

The butter is washed several times with cold fresh water and finally salted and shaped with butter spades.

The churn is then emptied, scoured and left to air before it is put in its place.

On St John's night a lot of people gather together. Each one brings an ass-load of turf from the bog and they appoint to meet at a certain place. When they have a lot of turf gathered they make a big fire. They put a bone in it. Then the old people come out and they say the rosary and all the children answer it. They keep walking around the fire until it is said. Then the old people and the children go in and the young boys and girls wait there for a long time singing and dancing.

When they are going home every one takes a coal with them and throws it in-side the fence washes in the water which has cooled his irons finds himself refreshed and made stronger.

“Long Long ago a lovely mermaid arose out of the sea...”

Long ago a lovely mermaid arose out of the sea and came ashore. After some time, she learned to speak to the people in their own tongue. She told them that she was sent to announce the coming of three cows. These were the white the red and the black cows and they would fill the land with finest cattle so that nobody would ever be in want again. When the people heard it they were delighted and they carried the mermaid from house to house so that she might tell everyone about it. When she had been among them for some time she asked them to bring her back again to the sea. She had grown sad that she was a long time away from her own folk.

A lot of people went down on May morning with her to the strand. She told all the people to be there on that day a year afterwards they were all to come to the same place and wait until three cows would come out of the same place and wait until three cows would come out of the sea. Then she went into the sea and was seen no more. All the people on that, a year later all gathered on the shore to watch. Just at noon the waves were stirred up and three cows came out of the sea a white a red and a black. The black went south the red went north the white crossed the plain of Ireland. Many a place is called after them.

Long ago there was a poor widow living alone in a cottage in Kerry. She had a fine son who used to eat five eggs at each meal. She wished her son would become a Priest someday.

In those days lads who were to be Priests had to go to Spain to study as Catholic boys were not allowed to study in Irish collages.

One night a strange figure came to the door. It was a tall man in a priest’s cloak. He asked for shelter for the night.

"Come in" said the woman. "My cottage is poor, and I can give you no bed but some straw."

"I am hungry" said the man. "I can give you nothing but eggs" The stranger took the eggs. "God bless you" said the woman. I never knew another man who ate five eggs a eat a meal but my dear son.

Where is he now? asked the stranger. He is gone to Spain to study to be a priest" said the woman. He must be changed since he left Ireland.

"Yes" said the Priest. He is changed so much that you did not know him. It was the woman's son that came home.

We have four cows at home. We have these names on them, the Poll, Maoilín, Strawberry, Grey horns. We have a barn especially for the cows. They are tied around the necks with chains or homemade ropes. If the cows go into damage we put a Cromh Nasc, Boolin or side Lang on them. When a cow calves we put the sign of the cross around her with a coal to to bring good luck.

When a person has finished milking, she puts the sign of the cross in the cow's hip and says "God bless you".

The following are weeds which take away the good of soil, fearrabhán, buachallán Dockens.

The buachallán is given as food to sheep.

The fearrabhán is given to cattle. The Dockens are given to pigs.

Hens are the birds most commonly reared around Fargureens where I live. Everyone has thirty or forty hens. They lay about a score of eggs every day. We feed them three times a day, first feed in the morning of oats, next boiled potatoes and Indian meal and the evening a feed of raw Clarendo and Indian meal mixed. It is always lucky to put down an uneven number of eggs under a hen such as eleven or thirteen.

The Landlord of this district lived in Queen's County and he had agents for collecting rents before the land Commission took the estate over.

One agent lived in Prison, Balla in the Barony of Carra Co. Mayo where Connelly’s now live. His house was a very big house with three storeys in the back and two in the front. His name was Barrett.

There were no houses near the avenue then but there are eight now.

Foot note by Annie-

The Landlord of this district lived in Queens County and he had agents for collecting rents before the land commission took the estate over.

Long ago there lived in our village a tailor named Reilly. This tailor used to make clothes for everyone. He had a sowing machine.

There was once a school master going round teaching night school. He was very fond of playing cards. One night he was going home late and he met two men. They asked him to play a game of cards for his books. He played for them and lost them. Then he played for his money and lost it. They then asked him to play for the eyes in his head and he played for them thinking they wouldn't take them off him. He played and lost again.

Then he had no eyes and he couldn't go home so he managed to get to an old house where he stayed for the night. He was not long there when a great crowd of cats came in telling the news of the day to the king cat. Then they talked about the man who lost his eyes. One of the cats asked would he ever get back his eyes again. The king cat said there was only one way of getting his eyes again. "There is a well at the back of this house and if he washes his eyes there he shall get them back" that is the only way but he will never find it.

In the morning when the cats had gone until the next night the man left and found the well and got back his eye sight.

The next day the man met the devils and they saw he had his eyes back again and they asked him how he got them back and he told them. These cats had all the news of the day. The devil went the next night for news and hid in a corner.

When the cats came in that night they told the king cat all the news. They told him the man got his eye-sight again. They said someone must have been listening here last night. So, they made a search and found the devil and tore him to pieces.

In the morning when the cats had gone until the next night the man left and found the well and got back his eye sight.

Once upon a time there lived in Bohogue in the parish of Balla, Co. Mayo two very old men named Peadhar and Shawn. They were brothers and they lived in a cabin in a bog. They went about begging from one village to another.

Everybody thought they were poor but under a hawthorn bush in a corner of a field near the cabin they had a pot of gold hidden. Shawn got sick and died. A month afterwards Peadhar died. Shortly after they were buried a man that lived in Tuam dreamt of the pot of gold. So, he set out to see if he could find the ground he saw in his dream.

The people that lived in Bohogue saw the strange man every evening but didn't know what brought him there or where he came from.

However, the third day he set to work and dug up the pot of gold and brought it home with him.

One night there was a man out very late visiting. When he was going home he met a lot of fairies on horseback and they asked him to go with them. He said he would if he had a horse so they gave him one. They told him that if he would not speak they would leave him back again.

They came to a big river and all the horses jumped it. The man said that it was the best jump ever a horse did. The horse ran out from under him and left him there.

The man said that it was the best jump ever a horse did. The horse ran out from under him and left him there.

Long ago there was a man walking on the strand. He saw a Mermaid sitting on a rock on the brink of the sea combing her hair. She had her cap left beside her on a rock. He stole up behind her and took it from her. He ran away with it and the Mermaid ran after him. She was calling him to give her her cap but he took no heed of her. She went after him into the house. He locked the door and hid the cap. After a while they got married and had three children. He thought that the Mermaid would not leave him when they had three children.

One day he was up in the loft over the fire and the cap fell down and she picked it up and she ran out the door and was never heard of again.

About 50 years ago all the people had thatched houses. They used to grow oats and with the straw they used to thatch the houses. In those houses there was always a bed kept in the kitchen and it was called a little house built in the side wall but there was no door on it.

The fire was always in the gable of the house. Some of the houses had no chimneys on them but the smoke went out the door and there was a round hole in the thatch for it to go out. There was only one room and a kitchen in the house. At that time the people used to keep all the cows at the end of the house.

There was a loft over the cows where the hens used to sleep. When the people bought bonaveens they would put them under the bed in the hag. They used to keep the ducks under the dresser and they used to put pieces of boards outside them to keep them in.

Michal Coyle who lived in Tavanagh parish of Straide barony of Gallen Co. Mayo and who is now living in Prizon South, parish of Balla, Barony of Carra, Co. Mayo had a shop in Tavanagh.

In it he sold all groceries and bag stuff. He also sold twigs, buckets, cans, and every other article wanted in a house. He sold paraffin oil too.

Mrs De Laney, Rushhill, parish of Balla, barony Carra, Co. Mayo has a shop. She sells all groceries and other articles used in a house. She also sells tobacco cigarettes matches and oil.

He sold paraffin- oil too

she sells all groceries and other articles used in a house.

When the Blessed Virgin and Saint Joseph and the Infant were on their flight to Egypt Our Lady lost the pin of her cloak which she had wrapped round the Holy Infant. When they went on a little further, they saw a boy herding sheep in a field. Saint Joseph asked him for a thorn which would do for a brooch. He said that he was too busy to look for one although he had nothing to do but to watch sheep.

They went on and asked another boy and he made the very same excuse.

When they were passing a forge, the smith was standing at the door and saw that the Holy Mother needed a pin. He put his hand into his pocket and took a piece of silver out and he made a brooch that ever was seen.

Our lady took the Brooch and thanked the smith and she gave him her blessing. Ever since then a smith who