| 1937/38 Ennis N.S. Folklore Collection |
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| Monday, 08 November 2010 18:41 |
Folklore Project 1937/38 – Ennis Boys' NS(Introduction: Below are some extracts from the Ennis National School's contribution to The Irish Folklore Commission’s collection of folklore in schools (1937-38). Students were asked to gather folklore in their locality on a number of topics and write it down. Two classes from Ennis NS took part - the class of Frank Finucane (Proinnsias Ó' Fionnmhacháin) and the class of George Molony (Seoirse Ó'Maoldomhnaigh). The Scheme was one of the most ambitious ever undertaken in the field of folklore collecting. The original manuscripts are held by the Department of Irish Folklore, University College, Dublin. The collection website is http://www.ucd.ie/ Here are some extracts from the material collected by the class of George Molony at Ennis NS (added April 11th, 2011)
Saint John’s Well St. John’s Well is situated near Killone Abbey in the parish of Ballyea. It is situated on the banks of a beautiful lake called Newhall Lake. St. John’s well was first founded by a blind man about the year 1190. A blind man was walking along a field. Suddenly he heard a voice saying ‘Stop’. The man was told to take off his boots and walk three times around the well. The blind man did so and his sight was restored. People come to the well on Mondays and Thursdays. There is a great day on the 29th of June. People come from all parts of Ireland and camp there for two or three nights. If you go out to the well, you will see a beautiful statue of Saint John in a wooden case, and also two crutches hanging up on a tree. ---------------------------------------- My uncle told me about this well. He is seventy-four years of age. His name is Thomas Williams of Clare Road, Ennis. My name is Brendan McMahon, St. Flannan’s Terrace, Ennis. ********************************************************************* Saint John’s Well In the year 1190, St. John’s Well was founded by Daniel O’Brien. It is situated in Newhall, a few miles from the town of Ennis. The ruins of St. John’s monastery are still to be seen. It is now used as a graveyard. Some people go out on St. John’s feast-day and do the rounds in their bare feet, in honour of his feast-day. It is the principal well in Clare. When you pass the well, the first thing you notice is a big lake where people go out boating. It is a lovely place to go to in the summer for a walk. ---------------------------------------- Written by Christy Shannon, Turnpike Road, Ennis. ********************************************************************* Saint John’s Well St. John’s Well is situated in Ballyea on the banks of Newhall Lake, near Killone Abbey. There was once a man who closed the well and would let nobody get water out of it. It soon sprang up in another place. Now people go there on the 29th of June to do the rounds. There was once a man who had a cellar on Newhall. A mermaid used to steal his wine and he used to blame his butler. One night he watched the cellar and he saw the mermaid in it. He got his gun and he went in to see but the mermaid was gone. He went out the door and saw her struggling to the lake. He shot her and he reached the lake covered with blood. Now people say that the lake turns red every seven years. ---------------------------------------- Saint Joseph’s Well On the other side of Ennis is another well called St. Joseph’s Well. It is near the asylum. It is not as nice as St. John’s Well but many people go out there every evening to do the rounds. ---------------------------------------- Told by Mrs. O’Connor, Turnpike Road, Ennis. Written by Desmond Cullinan. ********************************************************************* Old Riddles What goes up when the rain comes down? An Umbrella Twenty sick sheep went out a gap, one died, how many were left? What is it we see every day, seldom the king sees, and God never sees? His own equal. Men may come and men may go but I go on forever. What am I? A river. Jenny inside the wall, Jenny outside the wall; If you touch Jenny she’ll bite you. What is she? A nettle. Why does a hen peck the pot? Because she cannot lick it! Tis cut on the table, tis quartered on the table, And still tis never eaten? A deck of cards. It grows in the wood, it sounds in the town, It earns its master many a crown. What is it? A fiddle. Why is a dead ass like narrow road? It has no breath (breadth). What is the strongest thing in the world? A snail because he carries his house on his back. What is taken before you get it? Your photograph. A flock of white sheep upon a red hill; Here they go, there they go, now they are still. What are they? Your teeth. ---------------------------------------- Told by Martin O’Loughlin, Fergus Row, Ennis, aged 75 years. Written by Anthony O’Neill. ********************************************************************* Stories about Fairies, etc A True Story Long ago in Clare, there was a man who was very noble and brave. He had a great shot. He always carried two pistols with him. His name was Fireball McNamara. One day he was present at a court in Chapel Lane, Ennis, where the old Courthouse once stood. A certain man was accused of some great crime. Fireball was listening to the court as it went on. The judge said that if there was a noble man present who would side with the criminal he would be set free. The man said he knew Mr. Crowe but Mr. Crowe said he did not know the man. Fireball stood up and said aloud “I know him”. They got afraid of Fireball and the man was let free. When the man went out, he was thanking Fireball, and Fireball said: “Trust not in Crowes or sparrows, But only in the McNamaras”. ---------------------------------------- Told by my grandfather Michael O’Neill, Corrovorrin, Ennis, aged 96 years. Written by Michael O’Neill, Turnpike, Ennis. ********************************************************************* A Fairy Story My grandmother told me some stories which she heard when she was young. This is one of the stories she told. There was a woman who lived near a meadow. The woman used to put down her dinner early on a Sunday and go out in the meadow with the child. One day she left the child in the middle of the meadow near a cock of hay. The cock of hay was lifted and brought away by the Good People. ---------------------------------------- My grandmother is over 70 years of age. She was born in Kilmaley. Her name is Mrs. Mary Barry, Turnpike. Written by Thomas Barry, Drumbiggle, Ennis. ********************************************************************* A Story My father told me that there was an old woman in Drumbiggle long ago. She prayed for power from the devil that any word she would say, it would be true. He said she was like Biddy Early. One day, as a man was coming to town, he asked her if it would rain. She said “No, but we will have snow”. The man said “Do not always have the bad word”. “Go away or I will kill you”, she said. The man went away home. When he reached home, he got sick. The next day he died. No one went near her then. They thought the first time that they had no power from the devil. ---------------------------------------- Written by John Fitzgerald, Drumbiggle, Ennis. ********************************************************************* Superstitions 1. If you break a mirror, you will have seven years bad luck. 2. If you meet one magpie, it is a sign of bad luck, and if you meet two magpies, it is a sign of good luck. 3. If a red coal falls out of the fire, it is the sign of visitors. 4. If a glove falls off our hand and you pick it up, it is the sign of a disappointment. 5. If you find a horseshoe, it is the sign of good luck. 6. If a knife falls on the floor, it is a man to the house. 7. If a fork falls on the floor, it is an invitation to the house. 8. If you meet a black cat on the road, it is the sign of good luck to the house. ---------------------------------------- These I heard from my mother. Written by James O’Brien, Turnpike, Ennis. ********************************************************************* A Story Long ago there was a small house built in a quarry, which was haunted by a big beast like a pig. The people used to say that it was a big sow pig, and that anyone who would pass that house after midnight would be killed by the beast. There was a wild boy in the parish. One day his father sent him to the forge to get spades made. It was after midnight when the boy left the forge to go home. He had to pass the quarry. He had with him six spades and a stick. The boy called to the quarry “Are you there?”. I am here”, said the beast. “I want to fight you”, said the boy. The beast had a large chain with a ring at the end of it. The boy threw a spade at the beast. The beast flung the chain at the boy. The third time he flung the chain, the boy caught the chain with the stick and killed the beast. ---------------------------------------- Told by Martin Cunningham, Old Mill St. Written by Joseph Molloy, Old Mill St. ********************************************************************* Wakes and Funeral Customs
Wakes are held to show that a person is dead. We say the Rosary. The five candles are lighted and we leave them on a table with a saucer full of snuff. One person takes the saucer and goes around with the snuff to the people. When the people take a pinch of snuff, they say “The Lord have mercy on the dead”. The people get tea ready and give it around. Then, after the tea, porter is given to the men. They say that if you remain after twelve o’clock, you should not leave the wake until daylight or you would be taken by the fairies. The corpse is brought to the chapel and the candles are left lighting until they burn out. They say the Rosary before the corpse goes to the chapel. It is wrong to throw out the water in which a dead person has washed. ---------------------------------------- “My mother told me this”. Joseph Molloy, Old Mill St. ********************************************************************* Wakes are now a thing of the past. Wakes were more like a place of amusement than a place of mourning. Forty or fifty years ago the people used to get more than a healthy supply of drink. Pipe tobacco and snuff were also distributed, and the poor departed soul was very often forgotten. Wakes are held for two or three purposes. One reason is to make sure that the person is really dead, as it often happens that persons are buried alive when doctors think they are dead. There have been seven or eight cases of people being buried alive over not having a doctor to look at them. After the corpse has been waked, it is brought to the church. Next day the funeral takes place. ----------------------------------------
“My grandfather Michael O’Neill told me this. He is ninety-six years of age”. Written by Michael O’Neill, Turnpike Road, Ennis. ********************************************************************* Superstitions People say it is not right to buy anything on New Year’s Day because you would be buying for the year. If you dig the clay on New Year’s Day to bury a person, you would be burying for the year. If you see a red-haired woman early in the morning, it is the sign of bad luck. It is not right to go to a spring-well after sunset. It is not right to go into the fields in May because they say the fairies would take you. It is not right to build a house in a fort because the fairies would take you. ---------------------------------------- “My mother told me these superstitions”. John Fitzgerald, Drumbiggle, Ennis. ********************************************************************* 1. If you break a mirror, you will have seven years bad luck. 2. When you cut potato-seed, old people say it is right to put a coal of fire and a shake of holy-water on the seed. 3. It is not right to go to a spring-well after sunset. 4. It is not right to open the clay on New Year’s Day to bury anybody because you will be burying for the year. 5. A red-haired woman named Mrs. McGlaskey lived in Drumbiggle. She had a bad eye and, if anyone met her, they would run in over the wall to avoid her, because she was unlucky. 6. If a coal of fire falls, someone will come in. 7. If a cock crows at the door, you will have visitors. 8. If sparks fly from the fire, it is the sign of money coming to you. 9. If you see one magpie, it is the sign of bad luck for the day. If you see two, it is the sign of luck for the day. If you see three magpies, it is the sign of a marriage. 10. It is bad to go to a spring-well after sunset because the fairies drink there. ---------------------------------------- Told by Martin Leyden, Cloughlea, Ennis. He is blind and is seventy-five years of age. Written by Peter Hegarty, Cloughlea, Ennis ********************************************************************* |
