Teresa Kelly
COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Riddles
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: John Kelly, Age 50, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo”
Who is the man who can hold up a motor car with one hand?
As I went up Sandyhill, Sandyhill was shaking and all the birds on Sandyhill would cover a half-an-acre?
If a man was on the top of a house if he fell down, what would he fall against?
As I was going to the fair of Saint Ives I met a man and seven wives, the seven wives have seven sacks. The seven sacks had seven cats. The seven cats had seven kittens. Between kitten’s cats sacks and wives how many were, going to the fair of Saint Ives?
Humpy dumpy sat on the wall. Humpy Dumpy got a great fall all the kings horses and all the kings men could not put humpy dumpy together again?
What would make an old soldier?
Answers
A civic guard.
A man shaking oats.
Against his will.
One.
An egg.
A young one.
Weather-Lore
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: John Kelly, Age 50, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo
Date: 9th May 1938”
When salt gets damp and wet, it is a sign that it is going to rain.
A red sunset is the sign of a fine day the next day.
A ring around the moon is the sign of rain.
When the goats come home it is a sign of a storm.
When the crows lie on the stone walls it is the sign of bad weather.
Story
COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Martin Ansbro, Age 74, Address, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo
Date: 9th May 1938
Long ago a ship went out to sea. A big shark kept following it for a long time. The captain of the ship tried to shoot him, but he could not. They tried everything they could to keep him away. They threw out a can and he swallowed it then they threw out a can and he swallowed it. Then they threw out a goat and he swallowed it they throughout a stool and he still followed them. They then thought he must be looking for a human being. They cast lots to see which of them would be thrown out to him. The lot fell on an old woman and they threw her out and he swallowed her. He still followed them. They shot him at last and brought him into the ship and they opened him. They found the old woman sitting on the stool milking the goat into the can.
Lime-Kiln
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 16th May 1938”
There was a lime-kiln in Cregg Parish of Balla Co Mayo. When people want lime, this is what they do. They quarry lime-stones, they then break them into pieces about as big as an egg.
The lime-kiln is a round hole. It is built with stones in a bank. There is a small door in the side of it to let out the lime. The people first put timber on the bottom of the lime-kiln. Then turf and then the stones. They then light them. When the stones are half-burned they put in more stones. They keep doing this until they have it filled up.
They take the lime out in the side of the lime-kiln. They keep some of the lime and sell the rest of it.
This is done yet in Prison, and many other places.
Prizon School 1933/34
Tees Kelly-
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Names of Fields in Our Farm
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 18th May 1938”
Local place-names
Gappa-an-fhaith
Páircín-an-gabhair
Nóinín
Páirc-na-mbó
Sean tsráid
Culán-an-tobair
Páirc-na-lúchra
Gabhlánn
Cruic Nóra
Cruic-an-Céarta Céardta
Speadhóg
Bárr-na-staire
Poll-na-lacha.
The names mentioned above are on our farm in Prison.
Names of Birds
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 27th May 1938”
The swallow builds in the eave of a house. She migrates. She lays six eggs.
The wren builds in bushes. She does not migrate. She lays sixteen eggs.
The crow builds in trees. She lays about five eggs. She does not migrate.
The black bird builds her nest in a hallow of a tree. She lays four eggs. She does not migrate.
The corn-crake builds in a meadow. She lays about forur eggs. She migrates.
The thrush builds in a black-thorn. She lays about five eggs. She does not migrate.
The wild-duck and the water hen build by a lake. They lay about eleven eggs. They do not migrate.
Tinkers
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 27th May 1938”
The Tinkers long ago used to have a little box in which they carried tools for fixing, cans, guns, spraying-machines, pots, saucepans, cross cuts. The names of the tinkers were Sheils Wards, Delaney. The tinkers now do not mend anything. The men now make cans and saucepans. Then the women go around the country selling them. When they (women) know there is a fair in any town they go there for it. They have a lot of asses for the fair. Saucepans.
My Home District
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 31st May 1938”
Pupils of Prizon school 1960’s
I live in the village of Prison Barony of Cara Co Mayo
The village got its name from an old jail or prison which was in the north side of it.
There are fifteen houses in it with seventy people living in them Among those seventy people there are five old people These are their names. Michael Murphy, John Mc Hale, Mary McDonnell, Mrs. Kearns, Mrs. Glynn.
The names most common in the village of Prison are Murphy and Kearns. These are the names of the people Connolly Colman, Coyle, Corcoran, Moran, Kearns, Mc Nicholas, Reilly, Adams. Bourke, Glynn, Kelly There are two families of Murphy and two families of Kearns.
The land is good in Prison. There is a lake called Lough na Minno dividing Prison from Ballinagran.
There is a little stream flowing through the village and it flows to a river which flows out from Loch na Minno.
Before this farm was divided there were about 400 acres of land and only three farmers, John Mc Ellin of Balla and Mr. Begly of Balla and Mr. O'Donnell
This farm was divided into fifteen farms, each farmer has about twenty acres . All houses are slated except one which is thatched. A herd lived in it. The families came here from Cregg, Rushhill and Tavanagh eighteen years ago.
The Potato-Crop
Jim Ansbro With others
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 1st June 1938”
When anyone wants to set potatoes, they first plough the land in which they intend to set the potatoes. Then they cross-plough it and then harrow it. Then they drill with horses and a plough. Then they put out yard manure.
The potatoes are slitted by the women. An eye is left in each of them. The slits are left a foot apart in drills. Then a man comes with a horse and a plough and closes the drills.
After a month when the stalks come up they are moulded When the potatoes are a foot high they are sprayed.
In spring they are set. In harvest the potatoes are dug. Then they are put in pits.
Old Saying
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 4th May 1938 (possible June)”
Smooth waters run deep.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Hills are green far away.
Laugh and the world laughs with you, weep and you weep alone.
Feast and your halls are crowded, fast and the world goes by.
Man proposes but God disposes.
God helps those who helps themselves.
Plough deep while sluggards sleeps.
Better late than never.
Look before you leap
A new broom sweeps clean.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Don’t swap horses in crossing a stream.
Here to-day and away to-morrow.
A stitch in time saves nine.
Make the hay while the sun shines.
Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies.
A good name is better than riches.
He who laughs last laughs best.
Many hands make light work.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
Silence is golden.
To err is human to forgive divine.
Time or tide waits for no man.
Experience teaches
Ignorance is bliss
Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
It is never too late to learn.
It is not all gold that glitters.
The greater the rogue the more genteel.
Never leave until tomorrow what you can do to-day.
Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
Saint Bridget's Day
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 7th June 1938 ”
A few days before St. Bridget’s day all the girls make crosóg Brígdé and rag dolls.
When Saint Bridget’s - day comes the girls get ready. They put old clothes on them and each of them gets a rag doll.
They go out in groups of two. They go round to every house. They get a penny in some houses two pennies in other houses and so on like that.
They go to three or four villages. When they have travelled all the villages they count up the money and divide it between them.
That night the man of the house puts up a cros óg Bríghde on the roof in honour of St. Bridget.
Archival information
St Brigid's Day and Brigid's Cross: St Brigid's Crosses, Department of Irish Folklore. Source-Dúchas.ie
Easter Sunday
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 8th June 1938 ”
On Easter Sunday morning we first go to Mass. when we come home we have our breakfast. It is the customs to have to have eggs for breakfast and each one gets as many as he is able to eat.
After the dinner all the girls gather together in a field and they make a feast.
We make a fire, and we make tea and we have sweet-cakes and eggs in a field if the day is fine.
All the children get up early to see the sun dancing.
It is said that the sun dances very early that morning.
Everyone is very happy on that morning because Our Lord arose from the dead.
Archival information
Easter: Painted Easter Eggs. Source-Dúchas.ie
Old Houses
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
Date: 12th July 1938 ”
All the houses long ago were thatched with straw and scraws. There was a "cailleach" in every house in which there was a bed. The house was made of mortar and stones. A room and kitchen were the only compartments that were in the house.
Story
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Martin Ansbro, Age 74, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo
Date: 15th July 1938”
There was an old miser named Sean Mc Airgid who lived in Tyrone. He had more money than ever he could spend. He kept it locked in a box. He began to fear that any-one would hear of his riches and break into his house and steal it.
One night he carried the box of gold and buried it under the yew tree. Day after day he would go to the field and stand by the tree and talk to him-self of all the riches that were hidden under his feet and so past the years. Little he thought that a thief had watched him creeping out from the hiding place and had dug to see what was hidden and found the money and had made off with it.
One day old Séan having saved another pound decided to bury it with the rest of his wealth under the yew tree. What a surprise to him to find the box empty. He went to consult a lawyer at once "Whatever can I do" he asked. "Be cool" said the lawyer. Will you give me a pound if I give you an advice.
"Yes indeed" said miser. " I would give even a pound if you put my mind at ease. "Tell me" said the lawyer. "Did you go to the place often "I went every" And you were content as long as it was there "I was said old Séan " You did not suffer even though it was gone.
Not in the least said Sean. Very well said the lawyer give me a pound and I will put your mind at ease. Here is my advice go back to the tree, close the hole, pretend to your-self that the money is still there visit the place every day and do not worry about its being gone any more than you did before.
Hens
“COLLECTOR: Teresa Kelly, Prison, Balla, Co. Mayo
INFORMANT: Mrs Kelly, Age 45, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo
Date: 21st July 1938”
We have about thirty hens at our house. We have black white red grey hens. They have a little house for themselves with perches going across from wall to wall and the hens roost on them every night.
People do not like to put an even number of eggs under a hen because it is considered unlucky.
Thirteen egg are always put down under a hen for a clutch. After three weeks the chickens came out of the eggs.