A Fairy Fort: Folklore from Co. Sligo
This Irish folklore account relates to a ringfort in Co. Sligo and is based on information supplied by Mary Brennan in 1938. Ringforts are the classic early medieval settlement type and were long...
View ArticleChurching the Cow: Folklore from Co. Galway
These two fascinating folklore accounts from Co. Galway detail a practice known as ‘churching the cow’. It was carried out immediately after calving and was believed to protect the cow from harm or...
View ArticleSigns of the Weather from the Sky, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and the...
This folkore account details some of the signs associated with approaching weather systems. It is based on information supplied in 1938 by Edmond Burke (age 53) from Bunatober, Corrandulla, Co. Galway....
View ArticleHalloween in Irish Folklore
These folklore accounts detail some of superstitions and festivities which once surrounded Halloween in Ireland. They are based on information supplied by schoolchildren to the Irish Folklore...
View ArticleSt. John’s Eve or Bonfire Night; Irish Folklore
Tonight, June 23rd, is St. John’s Eve, or as it is known in many parts of Ireland, Bonfire Night. It was traditionally marked by the construction of bonfires throughout the countryside. These were lit...
View ArticleAnimal ‘Sacrifice’ and Blood Letting, Saint Martin’s Feast in Ireland
Today, the 11th of November, is the feast of St. Martin of Tours. He was a particularly popular saint in Ireland and up until quite recently his feast (Martinmas) was surrounded by a number of...
View ArticleFalse burials and dangerous water: Whit Sunday in Irish Folklore
Whit Sunday (or Whitsun) is an important Christian festival that celebrates the Pentecost. It normally falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter and in Ireland it was sometimes considered a ‘contrary...
View ArticleWayside funerary crosses, an ancient tradition from Kilmore, Co. Wexford
In the parish of Kilmore, in the very south of Co. Wexford, persists a peculiar funerary custom that may have medieval origins. It involves members of the funeral cortege leaving a cross, traditionally...
View ArticleNan O’Toole: A Folk Medicine Practitioner from Galway
Nan O'Toole sold fish in Eglinton Street and was also known to have cures for many ailments....
View ArticleTraditional Irish Farming Tools: Drill/Drag Stones
These distinctive holed stones were once an important part of an Irish farmers tool kit.
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