Patrick James Moran
COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Hidden Treasure
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 9th May 1938”
In a deep river beside the curate's house in Balla there is a pot of gold. But nobody can get it unless a living person is thrown in its place. In times gone by many a person tried to get it but failed.
Two divers were brought down from Dublin to dive for it. They got to the pot but there was a big eel twined around it which would not let them touch it unless they gave a living person in its place They asked a poor woman who had a son that had no feet and was deformed otherwise to throw him into the place of the pot of gold. But the poor woman said for all the gold in the world she would not give her son except to God almighty when He would call for him. So, the gold is there always. There are two rivers joining together just under the bridge of the road. This part of the river where the pot of gold is hidden is terribly deep and is called Poll salach.
Making Dye
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 9th May 1938”
Long ago the people used to cut the top of the green heather that grows in the bog and boil it for hours in a pot. When it was boiled they used to strain the heather and boil the material which was to be coloured and the juice together for a half an hour. The result would be a beautiful brown colour.
Rush Candles
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 12th May 1938”
The kind of light that used to be used in every house about sixty years ago was got from rush candles. These candles were made by pulling rushes from the roots, then peeling the skin off them, next lard or unsalted butter was melted in a pan. Then the peeled rushes were dipped in the grease and tied up in little bunches and hung near the fire to dry.
Tinkers used to make what was called a sconce to hold the candles while burning.
Archival information: Lighting: rushlight, Eadargabhail. Source: Dúchas.ie
Riddles
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo”
1. What has a tongue and cannot talk?
2. What walks and cannot talk?
3. What is it that is so high that an aeroplane or anyone cannot reach?
4. What falls against the ground and never gets hurt?
1. A shoe.
2. A dog.
3. The sky.
4. A bunch of leaves.
Thatching a House
Archival information
Roofs & Thatching: Roof construction: (9) thatching - first stráca, boibíní, (10) second stráca, bundle of scollops, lúbán, thatcher’s mallet for driving home lúbán, scollop: hazel rod approx. 3 ft long; 1/2” to 3/4” thick.
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Edward Bourke, Age 55, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo
Date: 16th May 1938”
The first thing a man must do who intends to thatch a house is to procure the necessary articles for doing so, namely a sufficient quantity of rye straw, a ladder a mallet a sharp knife and scollaps for tightening the straw. He next rears his ladder on to the roof of the house in a slanting position with one end resting on the ground. He then places a heavy weight at the end of the ladder to keep it from slipping when he mounts it. The position of the ladder is then that it lies on the roof about eighteen inches from the gable of the house. The distance between the ladder and the gable is the width of a streak of thatch. The next thing he does is to mount the ladder to the top of the house and pull down the old thatch off the damaged streak. When that is done he comes down the ladder to the ground and takes a bundle of straw scollaps and a mallet up again with him as far as the eve of the house He places the bundle of straw on the roof at his left hand side and drives a scallop or two under it in the thatch to keep it from falling down.
He places the mallet between two rungs of the ladder above him. Now he is ready to begin to put on the first streak of thatch. He loosens the bundle of straw takes about four handfuls and leaves it across at the eave of the house from the gable to the ladder, he then takes a scollap and sticks one end of it down by the gable the point of it dircetex up ward. The other part of the scollap he brings towards himself across half the streak and he drives the end through the roof. Another scollap is driven likewise to tighten the remaning of the streak. He takes the mallet now and strikes down the scollaps to tighten them. He continues this process until he reaches the top of the house. He then puts on the rigging to finish off the streak and scollaps it down. He now takes his knife and shaves it down to make it look well and so that the rain will spill off it. He also cuts it straight across at the eave. That is one streak now on. He comes down and change his ladder and leaves the width of another streak between it and the new streak and carries on in this way until he finishes the house.
Marriage
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 18th May 1938”
In times gone by when parents would consider it time to take in a daughter in law first they would consult their son next they would send word to the girl's people. Then both parties would meet together along with a few friends on each side to have a matching transaction performed.
Next thing the young man would purchase a ring and give notice to the priest. Whatever day the priest appointed the marriage would take place. Each party then invited his own friends and neighbours to the wedding. The night before the marriage the young man went to the bride's house accompanied by a friend or two also the boy that’s to stand sponsor for him. On that night the fortune was paid. The young man got a note written for the balance due witnessed by those few friends. Next all the young boys and girls went to the marriage what is called the dragging home. The old ones remain at home preparing the wedding except one married woman who went to the Chapel for luck with the bride. When coming home from the marriage the young couple come first into the house together. A friend of the bride's meet them first at the door as they enter to wish them luck. Next when the supper is over they start to drink the health of the young couple. The straw boys begin to come in crowds dressed in big hats of straw, old clothes, their faces blackened, big sticks, a funny sight but great sport if they get treated decently. They enter the house and dance. Otherwise they make mischief around the house and the police have to be sent for to shift them. The young woman is now in her own home and can’t go to her parents’ home for one month. Another party is got ready in her parents’ home for the coming home visit.
Local Cures
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 20th May 1938”
The old people had belief in getting ferrets leavings to cure chin cough. To procure it the ferret gets milk to drink in a basin, when he drinks his fill what he leaves after him in the basin is given to the person to drink but the person must not know that it has been left or its no good.
Another belief is to steal a small drop of milk from a neighbours goat or donkey and give it to them.
Another belief is if a man is mounted on a white horse to ask him for a cure for the chin cough and whatever he prescribes to give this must be kept a secret from the person that has the chin cough until he is better.
The Famine
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 25th May 1938”
Ninety years ago all the crops failed in this country, even the cattle died. Whatever oats grew the people got growned into meal and lived on the meal. Others had to wander about in search of food and lived on nettles and anything they could find. While the nettles lasted they begged for salt in the houses. It was not considered any wonder to see two or three people dead in a field or on the road side.
One poor man who travelled all the way from Achill in search of food, died on the road-side, outside Prison School. He was waked and coffined there. His coffin was a poor one.
Others migrated to America and died on the voyage as a result of the hard-ships, they suffered from hunger before leaving home. The famine was followed bu a plague which caused many thousands of deaths.
Faith in God
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 27th May 1938”
Some years ago there used to be old men going around through the country who were gifted with knowledge of the planets, It happened down at Foxford that one of these old men got lodging in a farmer's house one night and on that night the farmer and his wife were blessed with a young son of whom they were very proud, so the old man went outside as it was a bright starry night. When he came in he told the parents that the son had been born under a very unlucky planet, that he would grow to be a very good-looking man but that when he would be eighteen years old on a June day the 14th he would be killed by thunder and lightning.
He grew as the old man had said. When the time predicted came near the father got a very deep pit dug in the field and built it with bricks and mortar to put the son into in order to save him on that day.
The 14th of June arrived a lovely bright, warm day. The father began to say, "Now where is the prophesy?" But after two o'clock the day began to darken, and terrible thunder and lightning and rain started. The father got a coat, threw it on the son and said come quickly until I cover you in the pit. The son took the coat threw it on the floor said "I don’t want it, but mother give me a beads and prayer book. Let ye stay inside until all is over. I'll go alone." So out he went on the storm up to the top of the hill. Down he went on his knees, prayed to God and his Blessed mother to save him. When all was over he came in as dry as a bone. He found his father and mother in a faint. So, he told his father to go and look at the pit. Well, every brick and stone was rooted up and burned into pieces.
The Townland of Cregg
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 31st May 1938”
The village of Cregg is situated about three miles from the town of Balla in Barony of Cara, Co. Mayo. It got that name because it is very rocky stony land. It is rushy and heathery too. It consists of about 120 acres of land. It was very thickly populated about 100 years ago. The inhabitants lived in a cluster of houses and in small huts through the village with a rood of land or a half acre. They lived on spinning and carding wool and flax. One man Michael O’Connell taught school at night in his hut. He taught reading, writing and the double spelling book. His pay was 2D a week. There were no roads at that time only paths. Seventy years ago the government started the road that is steamrolled now. The labourers had to carry the material on donkeys and creals and men and women carried gravel and stones in creals on their backs at 4d a day. Afterwards the poor people that lived in the huts migrated. The land was divided and then there remained eleven tenants. Their names were two Moran’s two McHughes one O'Malley, one Cahill and five Kelly’s. Another change came. Some migrated to Prizon farm. They got a new holding of land each. Now the remaining tenants are Moran’s Kelly’s Corley’s Brady’s Hunts Hughes and Kenny’s. There are seven tenants in Cregg at present and the population is twenty-nine.
Old Sayings
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 3rd May 1938”
Never put off till tomorrow what you can do to day.
Think twice before you speak once.
A closed mouth catches no flies.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wise.
Smooth waters run deep.
A silent person has a bad mind.
When told a story about a neighbour say nothing until you hear the other side.
Never go the by way while you have the high way.
It's too late to spare when all is spent but its never too late to learn.
Never believe all you hear.
Tell me who is your company and I will tell you who you are, If you sleep with the dog you will rise in fleas.
It's a wise person that minds his own business.
When you are in a temper sit down, smoke your pipe and when you have smoked the vex is gone.
The Potato-Crop
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 10th June 1938”
We sew about one acre of potatoes. We first set the potatoes in lealand. We get a pair of horses and a plough and turn two lines of sods about 4ft apart. These turned sods are called philibeens and the space between makes the ridge. The ridge then consists of two scraws and the green heart in the centre. Yard manure and artificial manure are next spread on the ridge. The potato slits are left on the ridges about one ft apart. These slits are covered with clay out of the furrows on each side of the ridge.
We make drills in stubble land, that is land which produced a crop of grain the previous year. We plough the stubbles, then harrow. Then we make drills with the plough. We put manure in the furrows between the drills. On the manure we lay the potato slits. We next turn the clay that is in drills in on the slits each side. This is done by means of the horse drawn plough.
After three weeks the clay in the furrows between the drills is scuffled and it is then put in on the young potato stalks by the plough. The last process is called moulding. The potato crop is afterwards sprayed with disolved lime and blue stone to prevent blight. This is done by a machine which a man carries on his back.
We set one acre of oats. We plough the land and then harrow it. We scatter the oats seed, harrow again, then roll.
Herbs
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 13th June 1938”
The following plants are poisonous to man and beast; - Hemlock, Henblune, Deadly night shade, Laburnum, Woodbine.
The leaves of rhubarb and relogue, which grows in the bog are good for cattle with either dry or red mouraine. The parsley peat which grows in certain land is good for kidney trouble. The crow's foot is good for rheumatism.
Farm Animals
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 13th June 1938”
People in this district keep both horned and hornless cows. The latter they call maol cows. Long ago they used to keep Kerry cows which were small black cows with long horns. The old people called them Kilos. They were very good for supplying milk and butter. They were strange cows, for when calving they wished to be alone and always made for a shrubbery.
Cows are generally tied to stakes in the stable by means of chains which are fastened round the neck. In case of poll cows they are tied by a halter on the head as they could pull their heads through a chain.
When driving cows people say "Hursh" or gabh mach leat anois" and when calling the cow they say "prugeen, prugeen.
A red string is tied to the cow's tail before calving for luck and after calving she is blessed with a coal in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Bonfire Night
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 14th June 1938”
On the 23rd June I get turf, blocks and make a big fire. Then I put a bone in the middle of it. I bring a lighted coal or two from the house and with them the bonfire is lit. Then I go around the fire and say the rosary and say prayers for the dead. When leaving the fire I take a coal and throw it into the field of oats in honour of Saint John.
Hens and Chickens
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 20th June 1938”
When a hen begins to clock I get from ten to fifteen eggs and I get a small box and put hay or straw into it. Then I fix the eggs into it. I put the hen in the box and cover her to keep her quiet. I take her out of the box every day to feed her and give her a drink. When the hen is lying on the eggs three weeks and the birds begin to leave the eggs she gets very hot and has to be taken out twice a day.
Then when the chickens are out of the shells I feed them on oatmeal and new milk for one week.
People set a hen to hatch any day except Sunday. If the moon is full when setting a hen to hatch they say the chickens shall be all cocks.
Saint Stephen's Day
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 23th June 1938”
On Saint Stephen's Day every year all boys go out with the wren. They get a flash lamp and go outside and catch a wren in the thatch. This is done by dazzling the bird. When the boys see the wren in its nest they flash the light in his eyes.
Then they get a box and cover it with a net of wire and put the wren into it.
They dress up in straw and old clothes and go around from house to house and say at every house
"Honour the wren". Then the people of the house ask where is the wren and they show it. Then they give them a penny or two.
Why Tinkers Are Homeless
When our Lord was sentenced to death the Jews went to the black-smiths to make the nails to nail Him to the cross. They refused to make the nails so the Jews went to the tinkers and asked them to make the nails. They did so. Ever since the tinkers are cursed and are always a wandering tribe. Tradition has it that the blacksmith had great power ever afterwards. We are told they had the power of turning the anvil on anybody who would do them an injury and by doing so could kill him. They could cure several complaints by giving a drop of the forge water to those afflicted to drink. They had also a cure for a score or a lump or for bringing back a person whom they thought was gone with the fairies. On a certain day of the week they would take nine irons and say certain prayers before twelve o'clock in the day and then rub the irons one after another on whatever part of the patient was affected. People respected the blacksmiths, not for love of them but for dread of them. The blacksmiths before never closed the doors of their forges, because anything stolen out of a forge was sure to come back again and it was the people' s belief that the fairies used to be working at night in the forge.
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 24th June 1938”
Shops in Olden Times
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 12th July 1938”
Down in Cregg bog an old yank of the name of O'Gara kept a small shop. She used go around the village twice a week with loaves and tea and sugar in a shawl on her back selling them. She went by the name of "High Bread". She was about six feet tall.
An old man also had a shop in Tavanaugh. He used to travel to Galway with a donkey for herring. There used to be a big market of herrings there. One day the herring sellers had a row. A priest came to stop the row One woman that was among the crowd took a herring and struck the priest in the face with it. The priest took one of the herring and threw it out in the sea. Never again were there any herrings caught there.
Clothing and Food in Days Gone By
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 14th July 1938”
In times gone when people got up in the morning they first said their prayers then they went to the field to work and did all the morning jobs before getting a breakfast. They got for breakfast potatoes and milk or stirabout and milk. If milk wasn't plentiful in the homes, they used "sound shearins" that was oatmeal and seeds of oats steeped in a crock for a week and when it got sour people used it instead of milk.
The kind of bread they used was "Tom Steel" that was oatmeal made with water and baked standing up against a big flag at the fire. They used to make an oatmeal cake and bake it between two leaves of cabbage in the greasac of the fire. People used a lot of herrings; no tea was used.
In time of digging the potatoes people never came into a house for dinner. They would bring a can of sheerins or milk or butter out to the field and roast a cast that is a lot of potatoes. When first tea came to this neighbourhood one innocent woman got a half pound from a tea man. She said she would surprise her husband with tea instead of stirabout. She put all the tea into a pot and boiled it for a long time. Then she threw it into a wooden dish to cool. When the husband came home hungry he went to the dish and said "It’s all soot so I can't eat it."
Very little shoes were worn only treehans that is stockings with no sole only a bit knitted out for the big toe. All winter women and girls were carding and spinning. The women all wore two petticoats one white, one red or black. The young girls wore the same. The old women wore a gown of flannel. The old men wore a bawneen of flannel, short breeches long stockings, and low shoes, a swallow tail coat with yellow gilt button the coat and knees of the breeches and a caroline hat. The old women wore caps with borders, big heavy, navy-blue cloaks loose all around, and head shawls. Young girls wore small black shawls.
About the Merry Maid (Mermaid)
The merry maid is half a man and a fish. From the head to the waist she is a woman with a lovely yellow head of hair. From the waist down to the tail she is like a fish. In times gone by if she appeared to a ship one of the passengers should be thrown out into the sea or she would drown the ship, that's why her picture is put on the front of every ship. If she appears, when she sees the picture she disappears content. At one time a young mermaid was caught back at the west. The people killed her and buried her on the land. A plague came over the district. All the young girls began to sicken and die so the people had to lift her up again and throw her out into the sea, then the plague went away, and no more girls died.
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 21stJuly 1938”
Old Prayers
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Ellen Kelly, Age 70, Cregg, Co. Mayo
Date: 27th September 1938”
As I lie down upon my bed this night to rest I pray to God to be my guide.
There are four corners on my bed may four angels be on them spread. Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John God bless me on this bed I lie on. One to save me, one to guard me one to carry my soul to heaven. Amen
Jesus meek and Jesus mild pity me a little child. Jesus suffer me to come to Thee. Jesus take my heart and soul and bless them that nothing evil may ever possess them. Amen
O Lord I am asking one little charity, when I am dying to let my poor soul into heaven where I will ask neither food or clothes but to be among the angels and saints for ever Amen.
Saint Bridget
Saint Bridget was born in the year 453. Her father was a pagan petty king. Her mother was a christian belonging to his household not of Irish birth. Saint Bridget worked at all kind of farm work and house work and lived a hard life but a holy and charitable one. As her own mother died she was treated cruelly by her stepmother. Like her own mother Saint Bridget was very good to the poor. If she had nothing to give to the poor she would.
“COLLECTOR: Patrick James Moran, Address, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 28th September 1938”