Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday morning we first go to Mass. when we come home we have our breakfast. We make a fire, and we make tea and we have sweet-cakes and eggs in a field if the day is fine.

Theresa Kelly, The Schools’ Collection, National Folklore Collect, Local Area, Festivals, Feasts, EasterTeresa Kelly21 March 2021Easter Sunday, Easter, Feasts, Feast daysComment

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

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

My Home District

My home district is in the Parish of Straide the Barony of Gallen the town land of Tabhanachmóre Co;Mayo.

COLLECTOR: Margaret Ruane, Tawnagh More, Co. Mayo

Margaret Ruane, Local Area, National Folklore Collect, School Collection, The Schools’ Collection, Dùchas.ieMargaret Ruane7 September 2018Place Names, Loughill, Cregg, KearnsComment

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

Old Sayings

INFORMANT: Mary Mc Donnell Age, 76 Address: Prison North, Co. Mayo

Jimmie Adams, The Schools’ Collection, Dùchas.ie, Customs & CuresJimmie Adams20 May 2018old saying, Mary McDonnellComment

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

A Story

Once upon a time there was a man who had three sons.

When the eldest of them was twenty-one his father thought it was time for him to go and seek his fortune, so he gave him a hound a hawk and a filly and his blessing and he set off on his way. He travelled along for a week and a day till he came to a rich farmer's house.

INFORMANT: Tom Adams, Age 47, Prison North, Co. Mayo

The Schools’ Collection, Jimmie Adams, Dùchas.ie, A story, History & Folkore, History & FolkloreJimmie Adams6 May 2018wedding, StoryComment

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

National Folklore Collect, Margaret Kearns, School Collection, Co. Mayo, Dùchas.ie, Country Life, Shops, The Schools’ Collection, Local Heroes, History & FolkoreMargaret Kearns4 May 2018Tailor, ShopsComment

Story of a Fort

Bridgie Kennedy, Gleann an Dúin - Prison, Dùchas.ie, The Schools’ Collection, History & FolkoreBridgie Kennedy29 April 2018StoryComment

Landlords

Sir Robert Lynch Bloose who lived in Ball about 35 years ago was a Land-Lord. His wife Lady Harriet was born in Westport.

INFORMANT: Mary Mc Donnell, Age 77, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo

Country Life, Dùchas.ie, Local Area, My Native village, National Folklore Collect, School Collection, The Schools’ CollectionMay Adams28 April 2018Landlords, Mary Mc DonnellComment

A Lightning Storm

One night about sixty years ago a great lightning storm arose. There was an old man and an old woman in Roxtown near Balla.

INFORMANT: Mary Mc Donnell Age, 76 Prison North, Co. Mayo

History & Folklore, Local Area, National Folklore Collect, School Collection, Weather-lore, The Schools’ Collection, Dùchas.ie, Jimmie AdamsJimmie Adams27 April 2018Lighting storm, Mary McDonnellComment

A Fairy Story

Once upon a time a widow and her son were living in a little cottage. The man went out in a field scoring for potatoes. There was a bush in the middle of the field in his way and he dug it up. INFORMANT: Mary Mc Donnell Age, 76 Prison North, Co. Mayo

Jimmie Adams, Dùchas.ie, Fairy Stories, National Folklore Collect, Stories, The Schools’ CollectionJimmie Adams27 April 2018Fairies, Story, Mary McDonnellComment

A Story

A woman and her daughter were going a journey in a train, about one hundred years ago INFORMANT: Martin Ansbro, Age 74, Dooros, Co. Mayo

Local Heroes, National Folklore Collect, Dùchas.ie, Story, The Schools’ CollectionMay Adams27 April 2018Co. Mayo, Prison school, Martin Ansbro, BallaComment

Candle-Making

Eighty years ago, people used to put eight rushes together and steep them in grease which they got out of fried beef fat

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

Crafts, Dùchas.ie, The Schools’ CollectionAnnie M. Reilly22 April 2018Crafts, Patrick Reilly, Candle making, christmasComment

Old Ruins

INFORMANT: Mary Adams, Age 77, Prison, Balla Co. Mayo

Hidden Treasure, History & Folklore, Gleann an Dúin - Prison, Local Area, Local Heroes, National Folklore Collect, School Collection, The Schools’ CollectionMay Adams21 April 2018Comment

Riddles

Riddle me this riddle me than. What gets wet with drying?

Mary Mc Donnell Age, 76 Prison North, Co. Mayo

Gleann an Dúin - Prison, Jimmie Adams, The Schools’ Collection, Riddles, Dùchas.ieJimmie Adams9 April 2018McDonnell, Mary McDonnell, RiddlesComment

A Story

Glug and Grug were two giants who lived in Ireland.
Glug was as tall as a flag pole and he had an eye in the back of his head. Grug was not as tall as Glug but he was as wide as a hay stack. INFORMANT: Tom Adams, Age 47, Prison North, Co. Mayo