Irish Folklore Commission

The Irish Folklore Commision was set up in 1935 to collect, classify and study aspects of Irish folk tradition. We have gathered together some of the writings which either came from Coolanarney N.S. or referred to our area. The main section deals with local cures.

Local cures-Coolanarney N.S. 1936.

1. If you got a cut, rub a cobweb on it and that would cure it.
2. If you had a wart, there is a weed that grows in a potato field or turnip field and if you break it in the middle something like milk comes out, rub it on, and that would cure it.
3. If two people got married and they both had the same surname the women can make a piece of bread and it would cure the whooping cough.
4. If you had a hiccup tickle the palm of your hand or get someone to frighten you or swallow a lump of sugar and that would cure it.
5. If you got a burn put bread soda and lamp oil on it and that would cure it.
6. If your nose was bleeding put something cold on the back of your head and that would cure it.
7. If you had a ringworm the seventh son with no girl between them can cure it.
8. If you had concussion let a frog down your neck and you would cure it.
9. If you had a toothache rub mustard on it and that would cure it.
10. If you had a sore throat put a sock of bran on it.
11. If you got a sting of a nettle rub a dock leaf on it.
12. If you had a headache put vinegar and brown paper on your forehead and that would cure you.
13. If a sheep had sore eyes put a tobacco spit in it, and it would be cured.
14. If a dog had the fits get castor oil and a few pennies. File the dust off the copper into the castor oil and make him drink it.
15. If you sleep in a grave yard for three nights you would never have bad teeth.
16. If you had a boil on your neck get honey or linseed meal and it would cure it.
17. If a young child took the thrush go and get a man who never saw his father and that would cure it.
18. If you had a corn on your foot put tar to it and it would cure it.
19. If you got a cut rub salt into it and that would cure it.
20. If you had a wart on your hand, dip it in the forge water three times but don’t let the blacksmith see you.
21. If you had a toothache, put pepper on it.

Also in the Folklore Commission reference was made to old customs in the area The following are a few recorded from our school.

Old Customs in our Area

The old people counted certain days and weeks lucky and unlucky.When people would be leaving an old house to go into a different one, they would generally leave on a Friday as they count this day a lucky day.

When the people were throwing out ashes, they would never throw it out on a Monday because it is said they would throw out their luck for the week.

People nearly always got married on a Wednesday as it is counted the luckiest day of the week and they never get married on a Saturday for it is counted the unluckiest day of the week.

Monday and Friday are supposed to be the luckiest days to start to plough.

Saturday is supposed to be the unluckiest day to start any work.

John Guinian , Roscore, Blueball.

Local Marriage Customs

Wednesday is supposed to be the luckiest day of the week to get married as the rhyme says:

Monday for wealth
Tuesday for health
Wednesday the best day of them all
Thursday for crosses
Friday for losses
Saturday no day at all

There is another rhyme about the clothes of the bride:
Something old,
Something new,
Something borrowed,
Something blue.

Weddings frequently took place before Lent and Advent. When a pair came out of the church after being married there was generally someone belonging to the wedding throwing confetti on them.
It was not considered lucky for the bride to go home until she was a month married.

Susan Carroll, Garbally.

Old Crafts in Our Area

The Folklore Commission writings also refer to old crafts that were carried on in our area.
The following are crafts from townlands in our area.
Long ago there was a good many old trades in Ireland but there are not many of them now.
There is only one that my father knows in the district and this is limeburning.
I n the townland of Lowertown there is a limekiln. The owner is John Dunne who lives in Roscore. He gets the
stones in a hill near the limekiln.

Susan Carroll,Garbally.

Long time ago in the townland of Coolanarney and in the parish of Killoughey there lived a man by the name of Jimmy Doran. He used to make baskets. He used to bring them on market and fair days to Tullamore. The farmers bought some of them. He made them out of hazel rods.He was also a teacher of this craft .

Elsie Doolan, Lowertown.

There was a man by the nameof WilliamHoulihan who was a weaver and a tailor by trade.He lived in the townland of Ballincanty in the parish of Killoughey. The first suit my grandfather got he made it.This would be about one hundred and twenty years ago. Every weekend he would have three or four suits to make.

John Cash,Killoughgey.