The Famine

Annie Corcoran, Country Life, Farming, History & FolkloreAnnie Corcoran15 March 2021FamineComment

St. Patricks day

On St. Patrick's day all the girls wear blue ribbons and the boys gather sham-rock for their jackets.

Festivals, National Folklore Collect, Country Life, Dùchas.ieDúchas14 March 2021Annie M. Reilly, Prison North, Mary Kate Kelly, Patsy Ansbro, Festivals, St. Patricks DayComment

St Stephen's Day

St Stephen’s day is a happy day for all the boys. It falls in the 26th December.

The night before the boys go out with lamps searching for wrens.

Festivals, Gleann an Dúin - Prison, Jimmie Adams, The Schools’ Collection, Dùchas.ie, Country LifeJimmie Adams26 December 2018St. Stephen's Day, FestivalsComment

November's Night

On November's night we all get a couple of stones of apples in Balla.

Annie Reilly, Country Life, FestivalsAnnie M. Reilly28 October 2018Halloween, Hallow's Eve, NovemberComment

The Famine

About 96 years ago there was a great famine in Ireland. The potatoes and all the crops rotted. The people were starving and dying with the hunger.

INFORMANT: Mr Ruane, Age 48, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo

National Folklore Collect, Farming, Country Life, Dùchas.ie, Margaret Ruane, History & FolkoreMargaret Ruane9 September 2018Mr Ruane, history, social, FamineComment

Lime-Kilns

About twenty years ago every farmer in this district had a lime kiln. This was a hole dug int the ground and built with stones.

INFORMANT: William Ruane, Age 50, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo

Co. Mayo, Gleann an Dúin - Prison, Local Area, School Collection, Country Life, CraftsMargaret Ruane8 September 2018local, Craft, lime kilnComment

Local Marriage Customs

The marriage of my uncle and aunt took place a year ago in the parish of Balla, in the month of April. They had 4 motorcars and thirty of the nearest relations with them.

INFORMANT: Mrs Ruane, Age 50, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo

Dùchas.ie, Country Life, Marriage, National Folklore Collect, School Collection, The Schools’ Collection, Customs & CuresMargaret Ruane8 September 2018Marriage, Local heros, Mrs RuaneComment

Tinkers

These are the names of the tinkers most common in the Parish of Straide, in the Barony of Gallen, in the town land of Tavanagh, Co; Mayo.

INFORMANT: Mrs Ruane, Age 47, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo

Country Life, Co. Mayo, Gleann an Dúin - Prison, School Collection, Dùchas.ieMargaret Ruane8 September 2018Travelling folk, People, tin, CraftComment

The Potato-Crop

Potatoes are the most common crop the farmers grow round this district in the village of Tavanaghmore, Parish of Straide in the Barony of Gallen.

INFORMANT: Mrs Ruane, Age 50, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo

Country Life, Mrs Ruane, FarmingMargaret Ruane8 September 2018farm, Patato, Mrs RuaneComment

Marriages

A week before the marriage took place the match was made. The two parties met at some house. They agreed for a certain sum of money. About £50 was a good fortune that time. Then a day was appointed for the marriage.

Mary Kate Kelly, Dùchas.ie, Country Life, History & FolkoreMary Kate Kelly21 May 2018Marriage, John Kelly, customsComment

St Bridget's Day

On St Bridget's night all the little girls go round to the houses with the brídóga.

Festivals, The Schools’ Collection, Jimmie Adams, Dùchas.ie, Country LifeJimmie Adams20 May 2018St. Bridget's Day, FestivalsComment

Old Forges

There is a Forge in the parish of Balla Barony of Carra Co. Mayo.

The Schools’ Collection, Gleann an Dúin - Prison, Jimmie Adams, Crafts, Dùchas.ie, Country LifeJimmie Adams20 May 2018Tom Adams, Forge, CraftsComment

Churning

We have a churn at home. We have it two years. It is two feet in length and sixteen inches broad. We make a churning once a week in it.

Jimmie Adams, The Schools’ Collection, Crafts, Dùchas.ie, Country LifeJimmie Adams20 May 2018churning, craft, CraftComment

Fairs

There is a fair held in the parish of Straid four times a year, on the last day of May....

INFORMANT: James McIntyre, Age 60, Address, Knocksaxon, Co. Mayo

Dùchas.ie, School Collection, Country Life, Farming, Shops, History & FolkloreJoe Mc Intyre6 May 2018Fairs, cattle, sheepComment

A Lime-Kiln

INFORMANT Patrick Reilly; male, Age; 87, Prison North, Co. Mayo

Annie Reilly, Crafts, Dùchas.ie, Country Life, History & Folkore, Customs & CuresAnnie M. Reilly5 May 2018lime kilnComment

A Tailor

About seventy years ago there was a tailor in Fargureens on the Parish of Balla in the barony of Carra named Micheal Reilly. He was never called but "Micheal an tailliúir."

INFORMANT: Mrs Kearns, Age 40, Manulla, Co. Mayo