Armachiana Volume 22 by Armagh City Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council

us eu

us eu M

un ty

m us e

y nt

ou nt

o C

ag h

ag h Ar m

ÂŠ

Ar m

Armachiana Vol22 (Armagh County Museum ARMCM.28.2014.51)

If any of the material is reproduced, in any form and in any medium, you should acknowledge Armagh County Museum as the source and give the document references below.

us eu

nt y

The contents of this digital resource should only be used for non-commercial personal research and all rights remain with Armagh County Museum.

ou nt y

Armachiana Volume 22

nt y

us eu m

us eu

ou nt y

un ty

The cont ents of these volumes l a belled are simply notes for t alks to

Armachiana

local and visiting societies in search of

They a re not of any

and ancient monuments .

ou C

o C gh

ag h Ar m

ÂŠ

Ar m

TGF Paterson

nt y

students seeking da t a on the county g enerally or on their own distri ct s i n particular .

ÂŠ

great i mportance but may provide a gui de to

Ar m

material relating to it s historical background

us eu m

AfiliAGHMISCELLANEA

eu m

VOL.XII

us eu m

89-92

98-103

114-122

nt y

ou C

104-113

us e

93-97

ou nt

140-143

136-139

144-149 150-160

123-131

Festivals

Ar m

Local Pastimes

85-88

132-135

Bird Traditions

Ar m

Windmills

Cutting

Turf

m eu

us M y C

Ar m

Mass Gardens and Mass Rocks Horse Racing

66-84

Customs

Funeral

Customs

50-65

Marriage

ag h

33-49

Ar m

Cures and charms

25-32

Sayings

9-24

nt y

Ar m

Luck and Good Luck

Local .Descripfive

Events

ou nt

Beliefs

Greetings

Luck, Ill

m eu

and Fairy

ag h

of Historical

Local Traditions

Patrick

Fairies

St.

ag h

Our Pagan Background

Navan Rath Traditions

1-8

Introductory

ou nt y

Folklife

1 61

us eu m

MISCELLANEA ARMAGH VOL.XII

eu M

us eu m M

us e

205-216

nt y

217-223

230

229

ou nt

C h

Ar m ·"

184-204

224-228

day

Ar m

St. Patrick's

August 15th

183

Halloween Customs May Eve Customs

ag h

Ar m

Rhymers

.180-182

nt y

Ar m

Christmas

Customs

Ar m

Harvest

Paul

John

178-179

of St.

and St.

Feast

1st)

174-177

ou nt y

Peter

(July

171

173

ou nt

of St.

Mid Summer Eve

170

172

Feast

Bonfire

ag h

Shrove Tuesday

Night

nt ou

ag h Easter

166-169

March 25th

All Fools Day

165

Eve & Day

Brigid's

163-165

Day

Twelfth St.

Day

Stephen's

St.

Day

New Year's

Pages 161-162

us eu m

eu m

Folklife

us eu m

COUNTY ARMAGH MISCELLANEA,

us e

a continuation itself

m Ar ©

The fort

which had at had not

fence,

a march di t eh between .two farms .

therein

· In the same year a

by a thorn

and that

thorn

was told me at Lissummon, a fort

b~en divided

"had

Ar m

poisoning

fort

his life,

Ar m

some period

us eu m

Two years

and forfeited

cows

nt y

the farm 11 •

ag h

Ar m

story

owners and their

man had sawn off a branch of a fairy an arm by septic

townland

owner of Rathconvil

similar

in that

Ar m

an earlier

tampered with the enclosure and lost

in 1927 when on a

a fort

had died upon them and they lost

another

that

with

nt y

I was told

I beard that

such as

much venerated

y of occurred

Ar m

and the still

"had been broken up by the previous

later

landmarks,

to a taboo of interference

I learned

to Lislea

the destruction

reference

that

or other

ou nt

The first

issues.

places,

ag h

m Ar

thorns .

earthworks

with forts

burial

in succeeding

luck following

prehistoric

visit

with ill

of or interference

ag h

deais

of Folk Tales of var!ed

be printed

some of which will

This selection

of a collection

interest,

Ireland,

They form part

were

working on the

Monuments of Northern

in 1940.

a work published

beliefs

us eu m

Survey of Ancient

Preliminary

fairy

1934 whilst

down circa

ou nt y

taken

eu m

chiefly

on County Armagh traditionary

ou nt

These few notes

us eu m

then been meddled with otherwise.

Such tales

ou nt y

to break up the forth

us e

was left

An' thank God

ou nt

enclosure.

Ar m

example of a double-ringed

the place

nt y

want for bread. did even in the Famine time. 11 <2 )

nt y

of them.

happen an' they were bothered.

ag h

Ar m

till

alone _tbe Nugents wud niver

(1) A fine

and plough were

of bread was thrown in front thing

in the

_but when the horses

A wise woman said it was an omen that

we niver

ou nt

Ar m

was a strange

before

us eu m

ag h

m Ar

Ar m

(2) 11When I was young I remember hearing of the Famine, but its little I mind of it now •..•• The way it was in our house must not have been bad or I would have thoughts of it in me head still. n Taken down from Mrs. Brigid Quinn of Glassdrummond drummond near the village of Ball's Mill [Ballsmill] when I last saw her on 28 Nov. 19 39. Born 1836, died 1941, aged 10 5 years.

days of my forebears, a slice

I should

us eu m

after.

cut one down and was no time alive.u

upon it

on the

thorn

for James McArdle who owned it

3. Drumboy. "They were goin'

fairy

my wife and son shortly

have knowed better

was soon mended

1 cut the last

and I lost

only

died so they put back the soil.

fort

ag h

2. Ballinagalliagh. Cl)

but I shall

was broken up but it

A cow and · a calf

The fort

again.

are legion,

lµck

examples.

nt ou

1. Balteagh.

the

and had wretched

other

quote four

half

•

their

however,

afterwards

destroyed

eu m

family

"Finch

Later,

us eu m

eu m

see an' wonder at it .

ou nt

Ar m

This stone walled monument gave name to the town.land (3) terminoand :is now better known as the 11Relig 11, the latter logy deriving from the fact that unbaptized children and SUicides were at one time buried within it .

Many instances

Ar m

extended · to prehistori

cillin graveyard

us e

An' it

again.

h ag

Ar m

:j.t

tried

in the county as well .

places

stories

was bare as yer fist

not even a stubble .

they niver

days like

In earlier

nt y

ag h

the corn or anything,

give them such a fright

burial

Ar m

deil

But in the

give a han'.

sure it

when they got there

An' they

•

Ar m

mornin'

says he,

ou nt y

An' he says,

"I 1 11 cut eome the morrow if help can be got

wo were with him promised till

us eu m

An' one evenin'

ou nt

wur there.

some others

an'

ag h

m Ar

himself

An' it ripened .

of the Relig.(3)

above

far

The headswur as long as yer arm an' reachin'

nt y

an' near they come till

the walls

An'

saw.

corn ye iver

us eu m

for him, but nothin '

was afeared

An' he had the finest

from far

was

time it

McParlin's

was in oul'

the countryside

ag h

happened .

he saw the view from Drumboy. 11

"Sure it

done, an'

4. Cashel.

lighted

of poetry

had the fire

. county over and niver until

the

.honour by a man 11wr10 travel3:ed

WTitten in its

bis heart

of 26

of a ballad

because

and is famous locally

prospect verses

commands an extensive

in question

The earthwork

stones

Ballymoyer.

days on Midsummer's Eve an' there

would be

ago .

nt y

in 1816 due to

Ar ©

distress

The family suffered financial of the Newry Bank.

ou nt

C h

are now represented

Ar m

(5)

to a

is attached

(4) Neither the Synnots or the Caulfeilds in the county . the failure

story

A like

to the family in the building

Castle. 5)

of Killevy

results

Ar m

used with disastrous

nt y

Stones from it are said to have been

Ar m

family.

belonged to the

formerly

on land that

ag h

Ar m

to a chambered grave

Foxhall

ou nt y

Ar m

at Clonlum, situate

being lighted

the custom had ceased over

is attached

The same tradition

us eu m

50 years

but that

who informed

on the hill

ou nt

ag h

annually

remembered such fires

he actually

to me

was told

85 years

us eu m

story

This particular

dancin' . 11

were lighted

Bonfires

in 1931 by Daniel Rocks, then aged

me that

out

turned

ag h

music an'

for both of them 11 • <4 )

in the oul'

to Lord Charlemont,

removal and

for their

'Whogave permission

unlucky

but on land belonging

property

was not

however,

The earn,

on their

The

by the Synnots

were moved from it

'When they built

eu m

goes that

story

patch known as uThe Green Height".

is a circular

In Cladybeg there

a few of them.

allow me to mention

only

will

Space, however,

us e

us eu m extant.

are still

places

from such

the removal of stones

attending

the ill-luck

us eu m

( )and at Bally-

same type at Ballinteggart,

grave of the

eu m

macdermot on land owned by the Seaver family.(?)

us eu m

ou nt

They shouldn I t

ou nt y

ou nt

Ar m

(6) In the closing years of the . 17th century a house was largely built from this cairn by the Bolton family, in a guest, which the famous Dean Swift was occasionally - a family whilst staying with the Achesons at Markethill Ballintaggart by the present Earl of Gosf'ord. now represented to whom teggart had formerly belonged to the Sacheveralls, by King James I. it had been granted at the Plantation speak of the place as Bolton's Folly. Old people still

(7) In 1815 Jonathan Seaver of Heath Hall, Co. Armagh, of those by John Bell. a well-known antiquarian assisted chambered grave forecourted days, excavated an interesting Both of in the above townland, on the family property. · them a:t'terwards met w1th misfortune.

him.

nt y

ag h

It killed

nt y

Ar m

of which

the like

soon he hed a face, at a11:

an' tuk

us e

one down

He cut it

of a thi~g.

for a Christian

Ar m

jaw an'

kind of witcheries

I mind a man taking

not iver.

only a crabbed bit

fit

for its

at the fireside

bushes wur different.

Ar m

There wur all

else.

But gentry

a pain in his

wasn't

the lore

In them days

that.

toul' tales

but fairy

a hate

be cut at all, an' it

bein'

be notbin'

ag h

m Ar

then.

ag h

I mind as a youngster

divil

and the reasons

tree

in our

cut a thorn bush when the haws are upon it.

llNi ver

there'd

C h

protection.

thorn

Fairy

feature

illustrate

stories

The undernoted

of the isolated

landscape.

a familiar

still

or "Gentry Bush

Thorn

as the

known perhaps

is the "Lone Bush", better

One of the most common obj :ects in our countryside

us eu m

grew on a fort.

An' I mind some that

wife cut them.

she wus soon in bed an'

M ·

us eu m

us e

said

he said to himself,

ou nt

for the bast of a day,

Ar m

over

all

Ar m

he wus so bate,

nt y

branches

capers.

He wus out with the bill-hook an' at long · last,

nt y

ag h

Ar m

An' he, poor man, wus

with them an' with cuttin'

to stop their

an' trampin'

awful,

somethin'

down the crops beyond .anything. bothered

once with the wee people.

were breakin'

Sure the cattle

to oul'

was caretaker

.,him that

•

the

an' leave

ou nt y

venture of Newtownhamiltona(BJhad

the place

us eu m

ou nt

Take my advice

alone

Ar m

ag h

m Ar

Ar m

thorns

"Me brother-in-law,

fair

if I will

a bit

The divil

Will ye

But he got a saw anyhow an 1 look at the fix be

got int-0 beTore he died.

Stitt

t1Not if ye give me £20 11 , says I.

for me".

me yer sawu says he.

bush

cut that

ag h

but his brother

Said he to me 11ye'll

cut.

do more than trim it

C h

(8) Newtownhamilton, a village in the townland of Tullyvallen Shee Fina - the fairy white hill - the reputed vallen1 site or the palace of Lir, lies one mile west.

John wud hev it

fairy

a house an'

thorn in the middle of the street.

wud niver

says I.

six months!

an' lay for

nt ou

a • fairy

Ernie----

len'

an' he

from it,

riz

is my judge but I wus once fixin'

Jesus ws

she niver

in his leg an' fut

tuk a pain

there

She wus the worst - but

eu m

an' his

Oul Terence

us eu m

wus nobody near.

mercy he didn't

tuk

An' in a day or two it

It wus the great

ag h off.

an' out come

So back he put the branch

was as well as iver.

be safe

he'd

An' he wus fair

an' boun' it up with splinters.

cut it

at what he did.

with fright

again,

smothered in blud.

the billy-hook

An' he thought

so he hacked it

in broad daylight,

iverywhere

He looked

but there

moan.

us eu m

was a tarrable

eu m

give there

chop he

But the very first

11 •

they• 11 Diver be missed

thorn

lop a branch or mebbe two from the · oul'

"I'll

he,

us e

nt y

it may prove of

in 1934 in the town-

to know that

liberties

nt y

Ar m

to your readers

Ar m

interest

cairns, · and lone thorns,

with forts,

of taking

the effects

Having considered

ag h

ou nt y

his only cow was dead

stop a gap and in the mornin'

in it.

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

here once took a branch from one

till

A man ne·~

Ar m

at times.

they talked

It was there

about them.

was always a traffic

the birth .

pronged fork held up during

she deemed it unlucky to do so.

3. · Never went into the byre without a straw or two because

ou nt

Had a three

at calving .

cow

Ar m

Salted

the

Ar m

who -

an old lady lived

land of Fergort -I was shown a bouse in which I was informed

"Gentry bushes always had a pad round them and there

us eu m

4. And always milked the first

eu m

and very

ie,

toasth

unchancy 11<10 \ill

niver

till

own free

ye of its

kind of

chase that

and was warned

comes till

us eu m

us e

to task

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

nt y

I was taken

ag h ©

Towards.

Ar m

Ar m ©

Ar m

for levity.

also be necessary

that

the feeling

Having expressed

would surely

a bull

ou nt y

calves.

Ar m

cows to ensure

a goat should always be kept with the

ag h

I was also assured

ou nt

awar _f.rom llle, in case my luck might well go with it.

Ar m

(10) Used as above simply means unlucky but the word can in some instances mean "doubtful".

ag h ,

stray

( 9)

C h

will

face

with a dog or cat that

part

lamb of the season

was lucky to meet the first

with its

I found that

and in discussion

were more forthcoming

however,

, Her neighbours,

door.

the

me by closing

banished

man11 and eftectively

strange

by a

to be interviewed

she refused

Unfortunately

on the floor

squirts

of the wee people.

because

us eu m

ArmaghEI SQJ:t.iLLANL

Gullion

of the mythical

the name of

formerly

stone ih the Dorsey entrenchment whitewashed each spring.

But

Ar m

wus he an• not

ou nt

where they

Did ye iver hear of

some say it

us e M

nt y

Gullion

but I

Ar m

here,

the Calley Berry who threw the 'White Stone A standing

us eu m

ou C h

aroun'

as well.

(l)

sorrows

nt y

C all

had giants

of Lir,

forms one of the great

country

W~ll, there's

the

of the Palace

side of Slieve

Finn Mccool

us eu m

include

have been to the other and witches

are

interest

ag h

country.

foundress

on the west of the village

Ar m

story-telling.

very gentle

linked

ou nt y

Ar m

of whose· children

"It's

of like

the site

Ar m

of Newtownhamilton,

very gentle

of its

ou nt

Other sites

White Hill

ag h

m Ar

recounted.

of Irish

whose fight

in him acquiring

Shee Fina the fairy

It•s

which they al .so

of Armagh where stories

outskirts

of gossip

of Emain Macha on the western

earthwork

have

Bhirra

by which he is even more intimately

with the great

tragedy

a source

Cuchullain,

ag h

hound resulted

with Culan's

still

Calliagh

with Gulan the Smith and Setanta

associate

countryside,

romantic

around that

with Finn are still

whose adventures

the inhabitants

to relate

many stories

district

In the Slieve

eu m

OurPaganBackground,

#..

us eu m

to .

OurPagan BackgroundCcont,)

eu m

ou nt y

nt y

M C

ou nt

- well then Finn earn on the

Ar ©

(2) This is the local name for the great summit of the mountain.

nt y

an' sich like

giants

lies

is downright

the truth

comes till

not - for half

ye hear is true,

all

An' if

Ar m

days.

Ar m

beach in the early

but then it's

ye, WllSn' t the only pebble on the

I may tell

Finn,

when it

or if I do I

Finn wusp't much of a man at all, 11

the end

till

ag h

Ar m

disremember.1.1

us e

Ay an' will

But where Finn is I know not,

of time.

;

the Gally Berry

very day .

once,

this

Ar m

till

an' down an' in the bottom chamber sits herself

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

ye Galley Berry's

Her house goe s down

stone.

till

an' they were turned

for

wus so afeared,

went into

party

ye know a weddin'

us eu m

nt ou

cud never head the whole road,

an' out he come a done

an' youthful

up ~he mountain to see the lake but

Often I started

ag h

again.

Finn.

An' they had a high time making him right

man.

oul'

it.

An' in he went fresh

Do ye

very lake( 2 )she coaxed fool

that

was into

in spells.

an' the lake beside

know her house on the mountain Shure it

of fut

An' if he wus fleet

she wus strong

of limbs

strong

an'

togither.

earth

upon the

for they wur both

they both mebbe had a han ' in it,

sure

') .

\I .

us eu m

Our Pagan Back~round(cont.)

eu m

ou nt

us eu m

us e

nt y

an 1 where is .he 's

Good morrow, me woman,11 says he,

ou nt

wus with her .

God

fellow

An' before ye ' d say

the other

I 1 ve done

An '

Says she

says she.

Ar m

save ye,

do more.

be,"

Ar m

an' I can't

me best

one footin ' it over.

off more than 1 1 11 chew, 11 says

be,. will

till

ag h

Ar m

she, "but what's

says

Carrick

at the size of him .

1 1 ve mebbe bit

nt y

Ar m

wus the other

Finn,

she · makes a cradle

she bad a look over till

she got a fright

herself,

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

sees me. 11

me, 11 an ' with that

An' then

an' there

herself

self?"

M y

ag h

till

leave

his wife an' says he, "I ' ll

complete].y if tlion fella

of sorts.

till

on Carrick

tween the two oul ' teeth

So he in till

murdered

troth

but a far

An' he didn 't like · the look of him at all,

beyant .

she,

of himself

the spit

us eu m

man restin'

all.

Finn wus on the hill

is the way of it.

above when he saw a giant bigger

' he was blue moulded for

pretendin

the want of a fight .

' the mountain

he had been struttin

proud as a paycock,

a man.

batin ' like

than take he's

An' for days before

' this A...n

Finn hid in a

doesn ' t know that

Newry that

once rather

cradle

Indeed he wusn ' t

Shure there ' s not a sowl from

much of a man at all ! here till

think.

the man some people

half

wsn't

eu m

us eu m

ou nt y

us e

nt y

ou nt

me ring

I 1 ve lost.

C it's

shure

What 1 s the bother?

sorraful.

she,

says

sad an'

when he

says he,

be the lake,

lookin'

ago,

of long

side

An' he said,

ou nt

ag h

up the mountain

lyin' . on her

saw a lady

0ch,

goin'

people

oul'

the

Ar m

Finn ws

say,

did

they

"Shure

Ar m

and blastin',

blowin'

day - always

blessed

come till

An' shure the men are the

Finn for ye!

tbis

be waitin'

I can't

the back he iver

Ar m

An' that's

for

Says he,

fella.

an' away an' off he _goes

An' he ups

Slew Gullion.

that

Ar m

an' bog but divil

over mountain

same till

the other

day,

some other

again

now.

no longer

he is.u

wus enough for

ag h

call

An' that

"I'll

father

out with he's

but

at,

lookin'

worth

brat.

but an ill-thriven

one's

"me ouldest

she,

ag h

it's

says

us he is

but

chile,

Shure,

what

llA!J

our youngest

"that's

as ye can see for yourself 11

y she,

says

0ch,

he.

says

cradle.

the

Ar m

have we here?

he spied

that

An 1 with

she.

says

be in a little;'

back he'll

but it's

mountains,

the Kerry

a walk till

for

minit

this

out

stepped

he' s jist

she,

says

eu m

0ch,

us eu m

OurPa~an Background(cont.)

us eu m

OurPa~anBack~roun.dCcont.) if I can.

Don' t worry, I 111 get it

eu m

shure

An' in he went but when he reached the bank again, grey.

.An' his huntsmen come up an'

that

m eu

I know of the sa:ne Gally Berry,

us eu m

us e

nt y

being lame like me.

day an' he wus bad with the

But he cud go an•

the lake for the cure.

some be cars.

an'

way an' more got out at Kinney's.

went up that

An' be went till

us eu m

Ar m

an' some be fut,

toothache besides

Some

too.

things

Ar m

Me brother

come this

You'd niver

for our oul' ·mountain.

in them an' other

An' a whole lot

an' iverything.

wus such a gra'

Some come be the chapel

sorts

comed from Dublin had all

ay, oranges

had bags with sweetbreads

he went

ag h

Them that

there

It wus

They had tay on the mountain

Ar m

beiieve

they wur.

nt y

Ar m

of refreshments,

The whole world wus

Swarmin 1 all over it

black with them iverywhere. but I got none.

ou nt y

mountain.

the great

Ar m

on top one day.

Shure it's

of it.

I often

·Many a night

.wondered what it might be she wus boilin'. I lay awake thi:okin'

An' indeed

ou nt

ag h

above,

The Gally

me mother ,

say till

people

has a male in her pot the day.

the oul

I heared

ag h

but many a time when the mist wud be · on the mountain

s little

I do forgit .

Indeed

· ·an' what happened after

she run away

she wus the Cally Berry

An' the lady,

changed.

of them cud know him, he wus that

sorra · a bit

ou nt

an'

he wus oul'

Then, says he,

us eu m

Our Pagan Background (cont.)

an ' I ' 11 go, 11 says he;

C out of mischief

yer lone?

us eu m

us e

nt y

ou nt

well knowin ' fu11 r

ye,

Who wus

ye cudn 1 t keep

them after

boo]?y,11 says she.

sent

big

wol!lan, I ' m a gonner;

noo long ye great

wus me sworn comrades

ye,

I tell

"Shure

he .

you

Ye ' 11 dave me with

Ar m

that?

said

woman.

did

didn ' t I rescue

Ar m

yer blethers,

yer tongue,

houl

Ar m

0ch,

says she,

herself?

Berry

"lie

she,

says

ag h

Ar m

Cally

from the

1 l

"I 1 m a done man.

Bedad an ' yer not,

though ,

me. 11

till

0ch woman, 11 says he,

"Finn,

an ' trust

a wakeness

ou nt y

her .

about

after

He ' s wife

pegs .

on his

wits

quiet

ag h

Ar m

had her

he had more

wus comin ' an ' he jist

an ' stillshaky

of sorts

there

Scotchman

the

ou nt

m Ar

that

do tell

they

An' he wus sore put about when he heared

one.

than

ag h

them I won ' t be sayin ' , for

which of

with he ' s wife,

was on the mountain

And Finn was Cock of Slew Gullion again. nFinn

1111

ye as well.

leave

will

an ' mebbe the laziness

the pain,

•

we 1 11 be done with

me mother,

us eu m

Thank God, 11 said

sound.u

an '

I 1 m cured

says .he,

An ' when he returned,

be the

I die

should

way .11

eu m

"Troth

us eu m

us e

nt y

ye must,

ye neither

bit

returned

h Finn

an• £oun' I had offered

for

ou nt

she,

that

says

or sup,

some tay. u

"Och now,

ou nt y

for

stay

him , only

this night

with him .

! cudn ' t. u

Says he,

wud carry

legs

as his

''Ye'll

father

An' he wud have been off again

hadn ' t finished Says she,

ou nt

C h

as fast

wpat must the

Scotland

at all.

till

while

he,

says

chile

that ' s the

herself

at all,

till

be like

wbat have we here?"

Ar m

he says,

himself,

baby,

of a fine

s_ a divil

the bed just

she .

says

ag h

our baby,

Ar m

Why that

says he,

Scotchie,

the

says

Ah,

Ar m

didn ' t move in

divil,

till

be fit

nt y

Ar m

then!

the

Finn

will

wnen he comes back.

ag h

An ' if

I go on with me bakin ' , for himself

the house

excusin'

ye be after

"will

she,

says

he comes in.

ye down till

sit

but

she says,

ag h

she,

says

before

at home?

himself

then,

Finn the minit

jist

an ' her

as ye like,

No/

me if ate

he,

An'

eu m

II_An', 11 says

good woman wus all

the

an ' sweet

word with

cross

the

and quietness

wus peace

all

An'

arrived.

Scotchie

an ' politeness

smiles havin'

when the

An'

go at that.

word, let

last

the

a woman wud have

·we:kl ·knowin ' that

.An' Finn,

us eu m

Our Pagan BackgroundCcont.)

down to a beauti,ful for

An' poor Scottie,

us eu m M

us e

nt y

she had hundreds

of him,

the belly

an ' she had the sarve nt s drop them in till

more when it

have

to iather

Ar m

an 1 they wur mad for they didn ' t want till

the lake,

The

the lake .

till

wus huntin ' they might be.

An ' poox oul ' chappie he off

ou nt

an ' r eady agin th e

ou nt y

dried

us eu m

ou nt

all

ye that

Shure there ' s ni ver

win t er fires,

sticks

tell

s where himself

~Jee

till

fill

Ar m

bund l es of

that'

enough till

Ar m

An.1 I forgot

is upon him .

says she.

ye see the wee lake

ag h

Ar m

ve-s-sel I have large

says she,

drink s .when the thirst

Cud I have a drink

she says,

ur do.

Ar m

"Well,

be shure,

ag h

.l\n' says she, uTill

An' he says,

the griddl e played

like?

ag h

till

her

an' worse with his innards . says he,

below ye?

than hurt

indeed,

An ' when he had finished,

drown me thirst

she wus the

rather

aul' Nick with he ' s teeth

cake

ate it up, though,

ye'll

feelings,

sat himself

in the middle of it,

cunnin ' one .

Shurely

with a griddle

the baby

An '· Scottie

enough I have.

Stay?

s tr oubles

An 1 with

teething,

a tongueing .

nt y

wud git

eu m

s meself

us eu m

Our Pa~an & ck~round (cont ,)

17,

us eu m

Our Pagan Back~rounq{cont.)

eu m

an ' the bits

ate,

.An' the man wus in a disperate

he wus fit

us eu m

us e

an.' Finn wus cock

nt y

ou C

Ar m

ou nt

Ar m

stone at the side of th e big one i s a part

Ar m

wus the way

he sent it.

an ' thumb, an ' that

tween his finger

He tuk i t be

a hoult

are on the mountain above .

Shur e the

no word of a li e , for indeed it did happen. comrades of it

it , an 1 • that 's

a~ter

broke off in he ' s han ' when he wus throwin ' the 0ther .

He wus so annoyed he threw the wee bit

' on the mountain when he threw them .

Finn s Finger Stones.

that

an' between

ag h

of Slew Gullion .again!

An' the little

digest

nt y

Ar m

That wus what Finn I s wife planned

"Finn wus playin

ou nt

caused trouble

with the sticks,

Ar m

the griddle

him entirely

them they destroyed

very day.

set up a quarrel

down an '

himself

so he laid

1 be not being able till .A.n.

of him .

ag h

it,

ag h

this

till

A..~' while he slept,

th~ insides

got over,

he niver

he lies

there

he says

An I then

wakeness come upon him, but he only got a

.An' a tarrable sleepyness

an '

burst

till

If Finn comes back I ' m done for . 11

he ' s self,

till

of wee sticks.

full

himself

filled

An' he drunk an' he drunk till

altogither

state

ou nt y

cruel.

wur hurtin'

of the griddle

cake he'd

salt

of the

cheeks because

down he's

wur coorsing

tears

us eu m

Our PaganBackground{cont.)

Finnmata.. dragon once,

"Finn met a dragon once.

us e

nt y

ou C

nt y

ag h

Finn wus near Armagh,

Finn

wur lots

An '

lay down an' died.

Lislea.

Ar m

them in them days . 11

us eu m

him.

put about it

after

sword

man-jack

with his

one in Camlough but sure there

us eu m

M of it,

Finn

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

that

wus no match for Finn

But it

killed

wus that

out of

swallowed them everyone .

bopped an ' ivery

the brute

- nearly

cud lrnock a cow or a man

mad~_an opening in the belly

out he

an'

of trees.

as ye like.

an' his band though it bedad,

the size

An' with it,

over as aisy

of teeth

wus.

an ' the mouth of it

wus high in the air

sight

of it

ag h

C3) A summit near Lislea

Chapel locally called the "Sugar Loaf 11 because of its resemblance to the mountain so called in Co. Wicklow.

ou nt

An' Finn wus

Ar m

on he ' s pins .

wus the faster

fella

other

But the

him .

an 1 he wu_s that ~annoyed, he after

giant

"Finn wus near Armagh one day, when he saw a Scotch

Ar m

An' the tail

said,

ou nt

wus gaping open an ' full

The head of it

as big as Sturgan

nearly

battle.

so he give it

afeared

But he had all his men with him an ' wusn ' t

a bit

as big as

eu m

a mountain.

It ws nearly

us eu m

Our Pagan Background Ccont ,)

there

This refers to the old volca nic neck of Slieve Gullion now a lake on the summit between the northern and southern cairns .

Ar m

ou nt

C h

Ar m

Drumintee.

"Two people dreamt of a crock of gold in it one (4)

was near

nt y

Ar m

nt y

Finn got into.

have when Finn that

a God was so badly·used.u

us eu m

ou nt y

Sure ye lmow the bother

The Calliagh's Grave.

What do

There ' s other pla ces

anyhow for?

chance would a mortal

enough.

right

ag h

ye could try.

Ar m

ye want to bath e in it

wud

the way it

ou nt C

lake (4) haunted

Ar m "The oul

An' if

Lough Neagh .

Fisherman,

ag h

back ye 'd be surprised

The lake is haunted right enou@,

What

A.n.1 the pla ce

out of is now Lough Neagh.

ye put the island

ag h

the earth

of Man

the island

wus made be a man I s throw.

fit . 11

An.1 it ' s called

bee?ause it he tore

very day .

this

till

over him an' dropped in the say, an ' it ' s still

went right

But it

us e

him have it .

an ' let

of lan'

acres

both he 's ban ' s with

us eu m

eu m

An' in he ' s hurry he filled

him.

on him, so he threw sods as big as hills

get a grip

he ' d

away an' swim back before

he 'd git

sore afeared

1;2 • ..

'20 .

They knowed all

I only heared it from the oul ' people .

coun tr yside

nt y

ag h

on Camly

h ag

pa ssage grave on the south er n summit Sli eve Gullion , excavated in 1961 by Mr. A.E. P. Colli ns.

A pr ehis t oric

(5)

Ar m

(Taken do-wn from an old woman on Dr omi nt ee l oani ng) .

Dr omi ntee .

ou nt

Ye 1 d har dl y beli eve the t hi ng s tha t

Ar m

happened h ere •11

ye .

floating

It is the quare ancient

thi s I can tell

Ar m

after noon as many a one has , ye ' d find

at all,

on Sunday

Wby is ye wus to throw in a stick

1 •

us eu m

a bottom in it

nt y

Ar m

have gran ' s tories

of people

Indeed her oul ' lake has divil

in the mornin Lough [Camlough]

us eu m

ou nt

there ' s lots

rooms

may be there

The Calliagh

of her capers -with Finn .

at all .

is only one now -

Where the other

for indeed

Ar m

still

ag h

are now I won' t be s aying .

It had

ou nt y

at one time but there

ag h

rooms in it

enough .

right

there

wus only her house.

wus the pa r l our in her days.

.An' indeed the Cal l i agh ' s buried

T'De t hi ng on the mountain five

about it .

I do forget .

us e

by a light

bline

or only struck

after

but whether

bline

They wur struck

they wur dark iver

eu m

got it .

they niver

But indeed

they saw it plain.

' s Grave (5)an'

Calliagh

in the

It wus hidden

got it.

but they niver

night,

us eu m

Our Pagan BackfroundCcont.)

~2l.

us eu m

OurPa~an Back~round Ccont.)

eu m

ou nt y

had a sword

nt y

.An1 the leader

us e

nt y

from me

till

the last . "

of himself

Carri ckbr oad .

I t w.s he wus br ight

He's the one cud ha ve toul t ye lot s of

ou nt

I heared th e st or y often

' an ' there

kil led the kitlin

an ' tore it out an '

Ar m

wus no troub le after .

Ar m

friens

an' the kitlin ' i~ pJ?ed at be t s throat .An' his

' what

. !n ' when he went home he did so

me11 •

ye have done till

yer kitlin

Ar m

him - "when ye go home tell

ag h

Ar m

the head of'f him.

things.

set out till

an ' it wus he had the luck till slice A,nt as the head fell down all bludy

with a charm in it

grandfather.

the men of

laked out an ' a party

or be kil l ed b~ him .

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

But the secret

be died.

an' one day

with them t:i..11 put an ' end till

said till

men

us eu m

way.

the cats of Ireland

An 1 h e ruled

y nt

ag h

that

a ccounts he wus often

made a plot

with

when the t emper wus upon him an ' be all

alike

ant animals

An" h e wud kill

do as he wanted.

him - he ·wd jist

of years

cum a time when they cud do nothin

Bu.t there

beginn i ng .

kill

an ' hundreds

the Calli agh in the

- he mebbe belon ged till

Orior .

He wus

h ere in Finn ' s time and for hundreds after

for h e wus of an age with the hills

in hi,

sort

of some

wus witchery

"He wus an oul t one an t there

TheMoyry Cat .

us eu m

Our Pagan BackgroundCcont.} TheBlack Pig Rose in the Valley.

the hare,

(8)

Alternative

nt y

name for Black Pig ' s Dyke.

ou nt

Camlough.

an ' there

(7)

Meigh.

Baliinliss.

(6)

us e

nt y

as he run,

still.

the county of

of the trench

into

An.1 he tore up a deep trench

an'

An' the boys

Ar m

are bits

so he fled

Down.

him ·with stones,

pelted

wus there

come back he struck

him a black pig .

Ar m

an ' called

.An' the

ag h

Ar m

An 1 when the master

got

them their

Ar m

him with it

it.

The

wus oftenest

wus out with the hunt but the stick

he grabbed

us eu m

houn' s an'

be a magic stick.

an' he up to the school one day.

master

us eu m

into

to hear of the quare way he had of larnin' lessons,

One of

art.

ou nt y

that

of the wee fella

ou nt

He did it

Ar m

have gran ' hunts. father

wus to turn he I s scholars

tricks

people.

in Meigh in the days

an 1 he had the black

ag h

he's

St . Patrick

ag h

nThere wus a schoolmaster

was about

had still

to the oul'

Tbe Black Pig, before

that

I wish I had listened

come.

remember.

The Race

war but there

of people

a great

I don 1 t right

story

The oul '

a massacre

Tbe Race 8)with

was another

to the lough. (7)

linked

and run from

eu m

people

Ballinliss

through

there

(6)

pig rose in the valley

uThe black

us eu m

Our Pa~an Back~roundCcont.)

The Red Cowof Orior,

She wus the pride

wus well-known

us eu m for

The Gap of tbe North.

us e M

nt y

ou nt

of Upper and Lower Orior.

sober coloured

the wee Jinny wran.11 [wren]

and others

the kingfisher

all

Wlll'

and some wur gay wi '

Ar m

colour

and little

great

They

Ar m

small,

the story.

bi~,

as to which would be king among

Many a time I heared

there,

of the air

Ar m

one day to houl ' a contest

the birds

C of all

in a

ou nt y

Edenappagh.

ag h

uT'.aere wus a gathe±in

ou nt

Ar m

The gathering of the birds,

(10) The baronies

he had milked

an' nobody seen her more - she left

rage an' ni ver come back.

them.

An' he

her.

An' after

a riddle.

ag h

days she huffed,

from Louth who said one day he wud test milked her intill

us eu m

wus a fool of a man

milk from her , but there

ag h

An' she wus a great milker - the whole of Orior

~ot their

(9)

where she went down

the rocks

wur plain

An 1

in a well of her own

for drinkin'

an' her hoof-marks

place

she wus.

she bad a special

to drink.

an ' many a

she had for it

narrow escape

of the place

days.

oul'

the haunt of a famous red cow in the

eu m

uThe Pass was

us eu m

OurPa~anBack~round(cont,)

eu m

the sky, Soon

itself

a wee wran [wren] had

us eu m

ou nt

1 m your

us eu m

ou C

h ©

Ar m ©

ag h Ar m ©

aged about 80 .

nt y

h ag Ar m ©

Crossmaglen,

us e

Its

and the wran won.

ou nt y

The eagle wus sore put out

the same wran . 11

Ar m ©

to follow

ag h

wus too tired cute wee bird

11 1

upwards singing

am 1 11 •

from

nt y

but as sure as to-morrow

king of the air

into

behine and in no time was high as

rose and continued

Ar m

soared

in the topney of the eagle unknownst,

ag h

which it

right

hid itself

the one

There and then it proclaimed

king Qf the air

wud

They wur all

the sun itself.

them all

left

that

be the hawk and the eagle.

the eagle

but it

The lark

wus soon passed

but it

king,

and they started.

wus arranged

wud be the king.

the highest

there

as to how the matter

cud rise

that

but in the end it

be decided

contention

ou nt

There wus a great

us eu m

ARMAGH MISCELLANEA,

eu m

NavanRath Traditions, about two miles west of Armagh city, from Armagh to Enniskillen

us eu m

us e

nt y

the

in warlike

themselves

most

ou h seems

Attar the death of Fergus Fogha the earthwork

under a sort of ban, by which it was deemed

to have fallen

we know

ou nt

that

as Antrim and Dow.

into a territory

of the Ultonians

Collas in 320 A.D.

of Emain Macha and the

brought about the destruction

the three

Ar m

defeat

King of Ulster,

Fergus Fogha, the last

whose disastrous

Here Macha is reputed to have been buried and

somewhere near lies

expulsion

exercised

Ar m

games.

order of chivalry',

notable

Ulster• s famous and Ireland's

ag h

Red Branch Knights,

seven

mound was the crowning place

and on the slopes beneath it

Ar m

of the Kings of Ulster,

For nearly

ou nt y

central

name

to have been responsible

about the year 350 B.C.

the great

its

ag h

Ar m

centuries

us eu m

us y

it is said to derive

ou nt

amongst the old mythology and

from a Queen Macha 'Whois believed

for its .lay-out

mound, now

ag h

of our country,

earthwork

central

(1963) in process of investigation.

legends

- and a great

Chief in importance

The so-

enclosure

circular

a destroyed

traceable

easily

of an earthen-ringed

containing

twelve acres, still

the way to Emain Macha.

consists

rath

where a

sign points

direction called

on the old coach-road

nt y

Navan Rath lies

'l..b .

us eu m

Macha he founded a church,

to an earlier

eu m

dedicated

the origin

to become supreme in all Ireland,

destined

east,

two miles

and on a hill

arrived on his mission

Patrick

later

A century

unlucky as a place of abode.

back to

is not quite

on which the rath is sited

than Emain Macha.

still

Tne hill

is more ancient

Armagh itself

that

or the fact

precedence

of secular

a transfer

of whose primacy may in some measure be traced

Ar m

m Ar ©

survives.

ou nt

are forgotten

the story of Emain Macha strongly

us e M

occupation

past glories

Ar m

but their

wereas

cairn also remains to remind us of earlier

and settlement,

Bronze

circular

The imposing kerb of a large

nt y

prehistoric

Ar m

were at one

stones and several

time a number of pillar

Age

there

ag h

In the immediate neighbourhood graves.

telling.

story

Ar m

epoch of Irish

that make the

nt y

Ar m

Tain" the greatest

in manly arts,

excelled

and from it evolved those narratives 11

besides.

ou nt y

Cuchullain

grassy hillsides

us eu m

and the sons of

Uisneach and a hundred other incidents its

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

From the summit

to Tara.

of Deirdre

the tragedy

that

asserts

the south where tradition

an old road ran from there was witnessed

excepting

sides

ag h

200 feet high and is surrounded by marshy lands on all

'-7·

us eu m

ABHAGH HISCELLANEA.

NayanRath

us eu m

us e

for shure ye

the King's

Stables

till

away

nt y

ag h

go.

see it,

ou nt

an' round-it

An' in he started

wus a pity

so lovely

We'il, me bou.11 0 O'Toole

the water away.

an' it

the

horses

cut the b~k

like.

their

he wud drain

days, watered

chariots

Ar m

in the oul

Ar m

an' washed their

an 1 there

from the bottom wid water,

Kings of Ulster

till

Ar m

always full

thought

they up an'

An' one day over in Tray - ye know the place

beyant.

till

from it

give

ou nt y

Ar m

a passage

know there's

an' the water wus

the very wee water-hens,

But he wus not the last

in the

sunk in the middle

went back,

An' he wid them an' glad till

too.

it's

as it

once by

a whis'le

stood on en'.

Ar m disturbed,

that

he niver

the lake,

head over heels

ou nt

ag h

him such a fright

an'

fall

of the lake an' his very hair

let

caused him till

He saw the face of it

water.

years,

back till

tween a screech

nearly

a hiss

iver

blud of the owner

-whenhe heared

ag h

O'Rourkewho wus mowing wid he's

that

been seen twice in recent

in him.

oul

them, who has not the rightful

Shure it's

but the divil

seen them, for the dragon won't

body n ear

in the lake

a one has iver

lie

us eu m

an' gold galore

Pearls

nt y

eu m

The NavanDragon,

Stories,

us eu m

NavanRath Stories (cont.)

the water

eu us M

us eu m

without

ou nt y

us e

nt y

an '

An' the nearer

they got ,

Ar ©

they got nearer .

But they wur less

happy before

How-an-soever

enough like .

off cheerful

ou nt

Ar m

at all , with the dread of it .

they started

beds tha t

in their

fathers

they wudn' t have slept

their

Ar m

for indeed

with spades an' lanterns

they wud have a try for it .

themselves

at all,

nt y

ag h

Ar m that

spoon for the rest

some brave young lads

night

made off to the forth,

had lmowed it niiht

Ar m

themselves

An' they provided quietly

Ar m

So one fine

he ' s life.

he who

an' that

itself,

it might ate with a silver

fine

bethought

.An' some said as how it wusn 1 t in the

but in the oul ' fort

lake at all wd

wur .

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

talkin ' of the gold and treasure

- -t&at wus bid be th e King of Navan, when he left packin ' as it

The

the day who wur at the diggin ' .

wur for iver

people

ago or more, an ' be the same token

years

wus fifty

there ' s them alive

ag h

The Breaking of the Rath.

ou C

his bed.

oul'

he tuk till

Ay, an' for many a long day after,

since.

that ' s

he ' s not the same man

that

except

' something But shure

wicked wid fire .

eyeballs

he knows about it,

An1 it spittin

be seen for it .

awful an' its all

eu m

he did for up popped the dragon so big that cud hardly

diggin '

it ' s little

But, bedad,

the shape .

destroy

till

us eu m

NavanRath Stories Ccont.)

an'

but they wr

till

choke them, till

that ' s

fierce.

An' the

dug, a cock crowed somethin'

us eu m

say,

An' with the first

in a bundle they 'stud .

ag h

the

wus them had a fear

enough .

So roun'

wus like

wanted to do, for it

upon them right

of it

alone an come home with yeH - although

what they all

spadeful

they reached

an' none had the courage

togither

"Leave it

An' at last

the quietness

forth

happy they wur.

eu m

the less

us eu m

ou nt

gripped

in on them, an '

ou nt y

began to close

nt y

deaths

except

, an ' tha t' s the true way of it .

m Ar

ou nt

die natural

them that ' s livin ' still

till

is a serious

Ar m

lived

they wur young

' of a forth

for the destroyin

An' nothin '

very day .

this

till

any of them, mebbe because

but they all

seen no more , though the maxks

thini,

on be the lanterns

an' foolish,

them

wur niver

of the diggin ' be there happened till

spades · behine

An' the spades

houl

Ar m

though they had sense till

their

An ' they left

from the lake .

by the side farthest

ag h

So off they fled

wus

us e

way too .

Ar m

on its

Ar m

the dragon in the lough below an' they wur shure it

An' they remembered

on the top of the forth .

them right

didn ' t stop them

Then the fear

for the noises

Ar m

them hard,

but that

howlin ' .

ag h

the dogs started

until

over the countryside,

all

too,

more they dug the more the cocks crowed., an ' the hens

~3o .

us eu m

NavanRath Stories (cont.)

eu m

one side of his head was bald.

When he woke an '

slept .

so he lay down an'

wus tired

wus a warm day an ' he

of the rampaxt in the trench .

some

filled

A man who one time owned the Navan ring

us eu m

so, an ' sure

after.

us eu m

us e

C h

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

nt y

ag h Ar m ©

ou nt y

ou nt

C h

ag Ar m ©

An I he did

Ar m ©

side of his head grew good hair

ag h

that

Ar m

as yer here,

oul

back again in its

she , uput the soil

an ' all will be well.

place

said

said,

so be went to a canny woman, an ' she

again,

wudn ' t

An' the hair

wus.

enough it

grow on it

ag h

An' shure

bald .

went home his wife toul ' him one side of his head wus

us eu m

3J.

ABhAGH hI SCELLAN EA. I

NavanRath

us e

C h

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

nt y

ag h

ou nt y

us eu m

known as Enagh Macha

Ar m ©

and

us eu m

fort.

ou nt C

h ag Ar m ©

cattle

ag h Ar m

Ar m

in bygone days .

1928, then over

that

in Lisbaboe

was undoubtedly

and guarded .

seems curious

ag h

Enagh it

and sheep

of age .

sheep should have enclosed regards

of Lisbanoe

Thomas Corr, . Lisbanoe,

70 years

at Enagh that

weeks and cattle

in the fort

-- -Informant

were treasured

or three

a fortnight

lasted

was a fair

In the ou.11 days there

Enagh Macha,

eu m

Stories,

us eu m

Cuchullain

eu m

he was

at last

him

us eu m

us e

nt y

ou C

ou nt

C Ar

h ag ©

ou nt y

ag Ar m

Ar m

ag h

ou nt

us eu m

y nt

ou C ©

nt y

Ar m ©

Ar m

ag h

until

Sure it was no bother till

top of the mound.

grew in weight

grown bull to the very

the full

able to transport

increased

strength

Cuchullain's

at a11n.

And as the calf

very summit.

each day, ay to the

calf up the hill

a bull

carried

Sure he

was the boy.

Cuchullain,

.Ay indeed,

3-3. ARHAGH HISCELLANEA

us eu m

eu m

ST. PATRICK

with various

us eu m

nt y

us e

ou nt y

or died of a

h ag

Ar m

St . Columba and St . Brigid were both commemorated by early churches, the sites of which are well known and Brigid's s Well 11 still exists in the Palace Demesne thouih no longer a place of pilgrimage. '

roun ' but

nt y

for miles

Ar m ©

(1)

I don ' t remember .

that

The whole of Armagh

be Patrick ' s curses

temper,

all

wus very annoyed an '

It raged an ' tore

wus killed

ag h

wus after whether it

went mad.

Ar m

an ' it

cursed the bull

shore of Lough Neagh.

the night

.An' Patrick

set up be day .

it .

ou nt

pushed over during

Ar m

ttThe bull

Patrick

on the northern-

may not be true.

The stories

point

Road under the peat

southern

Ar m

townlands

' s Lough near

' s Chair on the highest

of .Armaghbrague, and a St . Patrick's

in certain

in Gosford

known as Swift' s Well.

we have a St. Patrick

a St. Patrick

links

ag h

those

now better

ag h

Demesne (Markethill), Besides

take place

at Mahon, near Portadown,

are sited

of the

in the county dedicated

the saint

interest.

outskirts

Other wells

each 29th June.

ou nt

are our chief

well to which pilgrimages

by an ancient

city

that

is commemorated on the western

Patrick

traditions

is the Patrician

saints (l)but

Armagh is associated

c-. .34 ,

us eu m

St. Patrick (cont.)

An' ivery

time she riz

eu M

Ar m

always

very day .

this

ou nt

till

That wus in the oul ' days an' the oul ' people

nt y

in under the Grey Stone ~3) [Corran]

are on stones

us e

an ' me,

the one that

feet

is buried

Ar m

The marks of its

he ' s self,

ag h

Ar m

chased Patrick

the Moores

he toul ' me brothers

of the oul ' days - mebbe indeed

a bull

An' it ' s often

that

I I d be on the mountain

who wus herd till

above wi ' oul ' SammyMorrison of Lisnadill

ou nt y

C h

Ar m

wus often

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

umien I wus a boy it

them anyhow . 11

toul'

Armaghbrague.

WhenI was a boy.

may not be

But the stories

him .

The oul ' people

ag h

true .

till

us eu m

That should

the groun ' an ' the wheels did no damage . have been a lesson

capers

with him for

once on a man but God raised

He tried

sort.

of that

But God wasn ' t always pleased

of it .

Sae soon died

over her again .

an ' drew the chariot

the

he turned

nt y

way.

his

He killed

sister

over · ye too if he tuk the notion . that

An '

ye for little.

on ye an ' curse

ride

horses

A standing stone tbat ticures

in locaJ. folklore.

(3)

A mid-fifth

century bell . It and a shrine made for it by Donnell O Lochlan , King of Ireland , during the Primacy of Donnell McAuley (Archbishop of Armagh from in Dublin) . 1091 t-o 1105) are now in the National Collection

(2)

eu m

h.is b e bell

. He ' d ring

accounts

be all

wus good at it

The same Patrick

days .

oul'

in the

cud curse

the way the saints

wus wonderful

us eu m

st. Patrick Cc0 nt,}

Patrick

tried

eu m

very animal.

They said it

be that

bed built

day on Carrick

- and no wonder, tor shure ivery night it wud

be wrecld.n' all that Patrick

us eu m

an• he gathered the country

nt y

we niver went near the

ou nt

One or three hoot-indented boulders linked by' tradition with the bull that drove Patrick from Carrigatuke

h ag

Ar m ©

stone at all."

we wr so ateared or him risine

An' when we wur childer

Ar m

vur so ateared he'd rise qain.

us e

nt y

they put the stone on top, they

Ar m

ag h

An' they due the deepest hole that iver wus an•

th97 dullped him in.

(~)

hi■

An' they retched the biggest stone they cud

Ar m

-find.

Corran.

till

trom tar an' near, an' they slew the baste an• dracced

even Patrick,

Ar m

ag h

ou nt

an' the noise wus avtul. at Ballymanab, [Ballymacnab]

at Carrick an• lit

It trichtened

us eu m

went mad, ay, completely crazy, an• be riz

!b~ bull

or they wdn 1 t be toul'.

ag h

something in oul 1 stories

ou nt y

it the story is true - an' mind ye

- that's

the tine site

Ah sure, only tor that bull Armaeh wd be on

beyant.

An• the dancin'

on Carrickatuke.

to settle

countryside

there's

went clane mad when

ot it put the tear ot God in the whole

an• roarin'

made [Ballymacanab] Ballymacnab ws

Track

had it that the "Bull's

us eu m

st, Patrick Coont,>

eu m

TheGreyStone of Corran

an oul

"I did hear that

that did live here in the oul

y nt

a church at the

ou nt

ag h

mill somewhere, but

ou nt y

near to the oul

ag h

He come be

wus this way once.

Slieve Cross an I wus all tor buildine head ot the town

us eu m

An' so

us e

this very day.

nt y

Site or an ancient Christian only the churchyard remains.

settlement

vbich

Urney

(6)

(,> Forkhill

Ar m

(Local tradition asserts that St. Patrick slept one nicht in the cleft ot a rock between Slieve Brack as it is more commonly and Slieve Cross or Cross Slieve [Croslieve] called.)

ou nt

Shean.

Ar m

mebbe you wudn't think it.•< 6 )

nt y

ag h

Many a dacent man wus buried in that wee place thourh

where the wee graveyard is till

the river,

bad to build his wee church on the ott -side ot

Ar m

Patrick

Ar m

God thourht the Louth ones needed him more.

Arthur McKee.

st, Patrick was this xax once"Indeed St. Patrick

us eu m

I n1 ver heared that he said in what direction.

but

stone,

ot that oul'

within the throw ot a finger stone

an• that he did say there wus a crock ot coold [gold]

telline,

tor toretelling

days had a gift

man be name ot Paddy Dogherty

Patrick

bate the bull at lone last.

"The boul

eu m

st, Patrick and the bull.

tair

aneered.

Armagh hews

himself - "I must show the baste whoI s the

be till

Says

the bugger followed him till

ball from one hill

till

us eu m

bounced leek an injy-rubber

ag h

tour pins

When it come down acain it

and whirled it into the sky.

master here" and with t.hat he crabbed it be its

roun' him, but when

cive him bother on Carrick (7) dancin

an• in

Newtown, but the bull

ou nt y

Ar m

a couple ot places on the way till

(8)

There's marks at the Navan itself

us eu m

ag h

place still.

be seen in many a

ou nt

They're plain till

its marks.

lett

another all roun I the town, an I i verywhere it tell

us M

ou nt

was

ag m

Newtownhamilton

point in Armaghbrague

(8)

the hichest

Carrickatuke

Ar m

(7)

ou C

nt y

ag h

that when Patrick

bis church at Armach be had a horse that caae

bllildinc

there is a tradition

as the Hill ot the

and

horse

is lmown locally

1927.

Tullygarron

Ar m

The Hill 0t the Horse,

Ballyheridan,

Ar m

tor tetb the oul' boy's here yet.~

nt y

couldn I t have been the di vil as some people would have it,

Ar m

us eu m

st. Patrick {cont,>

us eu m

st. Patrick Coant,>

from Armagh to eraze on this

fields

townland have Irish

us eu m ot

nt y

■ad.

under a lump ot a stone •

Ballymacnab

Ar m

Whoknows'?"

divil

ou nt

they buried

!n'

ag him.

at all bu.t the very oul'

- an I aebbe he ws.

that he vent clane

an• there he lies

.An• some sa-, he vus no bull

acain an• came

Ar m

An' the country up an' _slauchtered

till

he back an• he laps

!n•

An' attar

touched earth

in Lisnadill.

him. on Corran,

as has the

ag h

An 1 then he riz

Ar m

on another

us eu m

himself' ws here.

Ar m

at Ballymacnab.

down on the side ot Navan Rath.

hiaHlt

are as plain

Ay, many a time I heared the story

how the bull riz on the Brague an• niver he lit

ou nt

cloots

ou nt y

can tell.

.An.1

scenery ye iver

so many years cone by, none but th•

I saw it with me own

the crandest

larnin

it down.

day as they wur when Patrick

Ar m

that's

ag h

blessed

nothin

Ar this

an• there's

tooted

Bure the marks of' the baste•s

saw.

ye it's

June 1942

Sure I niver believed

as ye like.

it wus as plain

two eyes an• I tell

!n•

there

me an• some others

ag h

it meselt until

the whole world over.

touch it

till

.Armach like,

on the way till

•1t•s

TheBull'ss Track.

Some

Lennon, Tullygarron,

Patrick

names.

hill.

in this

eu m

out each night

us eu m st.

fatr1c;k;{cont,>

eu m

Carrick :wasalxays a centle place, It

was mebbe that before St. Patrick's

An' he wd hev hed a wee church there

us eu m

ou nt

be there on the first Lammas

!bere'd

gamesan• dances an• lots

nt y

Hot so ;one aco thousands

August Sunday Blayberry1n

ou nt y

Ar m

~~en the saint micht hev sta.)'lld.

done it earlier,

ag h

they had

Better

the people riz an• destroyed the bull.

ag h

It ws mebbe then that

heart an• went on to Armach.

us M

nt y

ag h

were on the

hill

before Patrie~• s

but indeed it micht be that sich catherin•s oul'

people used till

sa:, Carrick wus a cultivated

iver since.

m Ar ©

The

place

Ar m

hev laster

day an_•

ou nt

sweethearts,

meet their

tor an• till

How they sq it's

come

But who knows now?

they

that

Blayberries

the thine!

start

Sunday

There must hev been somethin' till

was killed.

Ar m

the bull

It ws mebbe on that

Ar m

the Bxcise man.

till

Ar m

of _harmless tun, thou.eh to be sure there micht be too ~eh drink betimu, stronc _stutt too, that paid notbin'

lost

vent on tor a lone time an' in the end Patrick

!hat

in the mornin'.

torrard

us eu m

so that

bull that cored the walls to bits ivery nicht, the saint wus no farther

rbey raised

it.

druids disliked

but that the oul

to build on it.

Day tor he was keen

nThe top of Carrick was always a gentle place.

us eu m

St, Patriak Ccont,)

eu m

when he come an• that the rest ot the country was scrub

an' full of wild pigs an• even worse, thincs

kn.owedor now, God be thankit!"

TheHole stone at Allistragh

"It was on the top ot the hill

road

when the oul'

that nothin's

and trees

us eu m

in the meadow with the oul •

Ar m

He come here< 9 ) once

ag h

from Armach an' he had a ficht -

us e

a tooth". lost An' Patrick .. "Su.re Partick vtis the one?

Ar m

nt y

James Maguire Allistragh aged about 10, 1942

nt y

ou nt y

Ar m

he lef't the mark of the butt

ot his staf't in the stone.

ou nt

ag h

us eu m

bless the country round and so that

he lllicht not be torcotten,

he cot

come ti11 · the hill

The story 1s that when Patrick

ott bis horse till

ou nt

Ar m

in the The village ·or Blackwatertown, Co~ .A.rmach,_ Parish of' Clonfeacle - "meadowof the tooth (10) The Dabhall or Blackwater river, f'r0111which the · Ti.lla,e · takes its ·name. · in which (11) !here 11 another version in the Tripartite life It states hi• Satanic Majesty does not appear. that Patriok lost the tooth •llfhen washine his gums in the river." (9)

away, bu.t

the divil [devil]

a pity -indeed that

It's

Ar m

7e.

boy himself'~ _ ~• th~ battle ended in the river(lO)below

present home when the new road was built.

to its

ag h

come that way but the oul' McKennells and Maguires moved

st.

us eu m

PatriQk {cant,}

indeed its

away he cot.

tha fight

on the brink of the water, an• it lay in it

An• Patrick

eu m

met another saint< 12 >

like him anyhow,

had

coachman - tor indeed the quality

nt y

the wee lough (l3)ivery

be hundreds of people.at

ou nt

C h

(14) (1;)

(13)

st. Olcan. See Stokes Tripartite Life I! 166 tor Tale ot the encounter between the two bishops shops. St. Patrick', Lough · St. Patrick's Stone; 1'b1s refers to the pilgrimage

(12)

Ar m

lie on the stone ,<l~) but vhy they lay on it I don't mind, for the thi.n,C 15">was

weemin as men.

People went till

There 1 d be younc an' oul I an' as many

29th of June.

ag h

be many a bit of tun roun• Drumlougher

Ar m

"There used till

aced

ou nt y

h ag

It• s a pity that oul' customs 1ba11Jt1 011. lily there'd

so it•s

J.L., Blackwatertown area, about 80.

Ar m

they are."

are in history

salt.

ou nt

ag h

I have heared that the stories

he's

us e

than Patrick

us eu m

wu.s ate~red to run down a man

that wus mebbe as cood or better sacred truth

us eu m

But the driver

fellow.

such like in them days too - to drive over the other

ag h

but he didn't

whose name I clain :torcit,

It wus here too the same Patrick

so he ordered he's

the

it wus tuk intill

at last

:tor many a year, until

church.

lost a tooth in

us eu m

st. Patrick Ccont.}

eu m

the marks werecaused by St. Patrick

us eu m

What happened

quare dent tor the mark's there still.

ag h

He must have hit it a

his length on the stone.

chased it an' in the runninc

There was a water-snake there in the

oul' days an• the saint

Bilt I heared too that the mark was

caused differently.

thon hard block.

tripped

sleeping a night on it.

he'd have been in the rushes poor man tban on

better

It's

say that

away when I ws a boy. · They used till

falling

us eu m

People wd always aave a

too!

There wr bonefires

ou nt

ag h

the water vith a saint on its tail.

the snake I rorci t - but sure it wud hed no chance out ot

ou nt y

ou nt

h ag m

Ar ©

h ag

Ar m

St. Peter's Lough - it adjoins st. Patrick's.

nt y

Ar m

Drumlougher 80, 1926.

a pity that

oul' cu-stoms should die. "

Ar m

It's

or that.

to it too, but I know notbi~

(16)

us e

nt y

people siad the other wee lough <i6)hed a pilgrimage

ag h

OUl.1

did.

I don't mind that part but me father

Ar m

about than.

wd be taken down an' the ashes thrown

An• the catt1e

be.

Ar m

bac or turf :tor that eveni~no matter how short they llicht

~us eu m

st, Pa,tr;tak ccont,>

1 Wall, The Druid's

eu m

In Orior in the days ot the Druids there were tvo their

waters could make ye

of substance or maybe a beggar - and because of

man

magic wells ot bic repute~

it was few

that if they supped

would not be worth livin'.

us eu m

trom the wronc well life

classes

by either

Be~ause ot the dread there was no trying

ag h

wealth and the poor were afraid

their

The rich reared the loss of

llho'd drink trom them.

~he tac~ that _no man knew which was which,

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

were not ordinary wells at all but sprincs of mystic water

ag h

Ar m

and that one was 1n loughgilly

and the other in Killevy,

nt y

orders

It is said that both were closed by Patrick's

us e

ou nt y

own

they kept the wells tor their

use.

such stories

spreadinc

Ar m

that they alone micht enjoy, and it was in that way by

ou nt

cospel but the O'Hanlon s

Ballard - base of Slieve Gullion, 1943 fold to myself and party ot soldiers.

believed it anyhow."

its

Ar m

I wouldn't be sqinc

Ar m

story and bis ones were oul'

stqck.

That

Mickey Pat O'Hanlon

nt y

was

ott and the wells could have been anywhere.

way

Ar m

but I have my doubts about that - them times are a lone

to tind them and that was what the Druids wanted, tor they

1:2.

us eu m

st, Patri rurCcont,>

eu m

st. Patrick's Road,,

us eu m

saint

another

kn~w ~1~.

shoes an•

pull on their

way. _ An'_ that• s why the men an• weem.in

Ar m

both -their teet in their stocld.n•s or Columbkill before they pull .their shoes on." (Fishermen's story (17) Lough Neagh _ _

(18) Part or the townland or Derrylard, near the villace Beach. or Milltown on the shore or Lough Neagh

An' he put a

stockings s that

wud

strong curse on ~~em th!l-t

he wus shod an• th.ey soon ~aucht him.

Ar m

way

run tor

because of the

But he wus aisy tracked

Ar m

he's bare life.

he had till

·one stock:1.n• an' one shoe on until

An• he'd only cot

nt y

cet up.

bed

nt y

An' the man wus in he's

ag h

Ar m

at . the time but . he had till

~eople who di~•t

he passed Maghery he wus chased be

one daf an• attar

us e

visit

ou nt

till

ou nt y

way

on he's ws .

Ar m

1926.

Derrytrasna

ou nt

ag h

Columbkill's•s Curse, Columbkill .

ou C

ag h

on maps.•

say it's marked

said it's

I've heared it

as that.

not so ancient

brig

down,half-a-dozen

say it wus built be Patrick sand from. the louch< 1?~to Armagh but others

m&7~e. spadeinc __

an• it was a brave bit

lyin,

trunks

us eu m

sides

saw it

I niver

It wus made ot tree

but sure me_people did. on their

road.

is an oul'

"Sunk in the turt

---~--·

xa.

us eu m

st, Patrick Ccont,>

eu m

The Death of Ushen

an• the friends ot he's he saw acain he's

he cud no more until

an he niver to

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

bill when

so up h~ hopped on his hich white horse.

ou nt y

cud houl

But nothin'

a dead an I cone man.

be tuk the notion,

soil acain or it wus down he'd

rest he's feet on Irish tall

ag h

orr he set, So Gullion] oul' home on Slew Gullion. [Slieve

us eu m

An' rest

youth.

sleep an' woke no

when he did wake, shure,

But

for Ireland

he had a heart loncin'

more tor hundreds of years.

the

till

country of the iver younc an• there listenin' birds in the trees he vus charmed till

for the

Ireland

"Before the days or Finn, Ushen left

nt y

'WOlllaD

C h

m Ar ©

Ar m

100d bic open hearts

rotten bad ones.

vith them ones, they had either

tears he vus that tender of heart - but that ws the way

ou nt

An' Ushen eudn't hear a

Ar m

tor it had

or hard black turr an' she cryinc,

slipped her shoulders.

An' it

Ar m

vus full

overtuk a wee oul' womanwith a very large bag

nt y

bu.t there he

ag h

· An' he reached Carnacore in safety, -

us e

belly vud be clean an• dry above the croun•.

Ar m

in the bogs its

Ar m

An' it was a real enchanted one with real lone lees, tor iverybody knows no matter how far it wud be after sinkin'

us eu m

St, Patrick coont, >

.An' there

helped

An• with the en• ot his

wus

him about Heaven an' help him make he's

ag h

himselt

But when be heared be tlew till

happen wus upon him.

day an' the saint

way to A.rma1h.

Ushen to tell

ot turf trora the

wee bog below, an• what wus till That w s in Patrick's

than no

An' in less

her up with the bac.

time he was a dying man, tor it wus tull

upon he's

But

toe,

his toot.

with

an•

us eu m

he reached

down

know what to do.

eu m

put about he didn't

Ushen that

was she, the poor sowl, an• she cryin'

sowl.

ou nt y

he,

us e M

wus that put about he says,

Ar m

An' Patrick

co near him then."

Says

as brass.

so cood a man as Finn, so I won't

"Your God is not nearly

"Awaywith ye

ou nt

says he.

Th.en up spoke Usheen as boul'

nt y

christians,"

man."

heads an• harps

ban's

Ar m

in their

Ar m

ye wud with colden crowns on their

brutes

Is it dress up the

"Och, says Patrick,

"a plague upon ye an' sure ye can't .

nt y

with me. 11

Heaven can I

an' baycels

ag h

have me houn's

Ar m

Heaven before ye ,o."

if ye 1 ll turn till

says Ushen, "it I must be &oin 1 till

"Well,"

us eu m

But Patrick

nye may have three wishes

before ye die,

Ar m

had a _wakeness tor him an' says,

at all.

so he wudn't listen

ag h

heroes wur not,

ou nt

But Ushen had no hanker for a place where Finn an' the

1$.

us eu m

st , Patrick

"Ye can have another

it al1

ou nt

But shure

herself" with the lazy man's load?

An'

more like,

some are not.

••bbe some ot them are worth it an',

burn still.

they• re the cause ot maDYa heart

Ar m

come be the weemin an• if ye u:

411 the sorrows ot Ireland ••,

what she cud carry an' not

Ar m

be burdenin,

:f'illin'

nt y

Ar m

to her anyhow, for it wus the creed of her caused it. she be atter

- bad luck

up the mountain when a woman with a bac of' turf Why cudn•t

us e

nt y

ag h

side of Carrickbroad

bic white horse ws careerin'

Ushen on he's

Ar m

Shure it wus on the other

happened.

ou nt y

that.

An• that's

better.

only that he liked Ireland

still,

been livin'

where he micht have

of Diver die,

back from the lan'

Ar m

jist

on the

An' Ushen wus

ag h

wd be down the next mornin'. Brague [Armaghbreague]

wus sore

ou nt

that he'd be building

tormented for iverythin1

ag h

"It wus in the days of Ushen an' Patrick

us eu m

An,4Patrick xas Real Snra:11

that iver was. 11

funeral

that wusn' t the createst

an• I misdoubt me it

ot his burial,

in sicht

Carnagore

An• he died on

him, he wus so 1rieved like.

"Bo" till

say

till

the heart

hadn't

tor Patrick

.An•there he lies

Gullion] 11 on the sunny side of Slew Gullion. [Slieve

us eu m

Ushen, lttet me lie

Then says

wish anyhow."

eu m

says he,

41.

{cont,>

us eu m

st. Patrick Cc0nt,l

be after

his lees on the croun• an'

droppin'

eu m

he wus sate on he's horse only so lone

sbure Ushen foreot as he didn't

a lone story short,

be slicin'

till

How an' so iver,

on her back.

us eu m

Ushen, "It's

till

An' says Patrick

ou nt

Shure it's

ag h

sorry I am till

about

along an' be heared all

passin'

an' up he coes.

it,

wus

An' Patrick

ag h

her, went away.

the woman who ws mebbe the Cally Berry, or someone like

see ye so wake now.

yerseU

a likin'

till

us e

Says he,

him.

about tor be wus tald.n'

ws sore

nt y

An' Patrick

says Usben.

Ar m

nt y

there at all,"

"Well I'm not

one," says Patrick.

coin'

"The divil

an' bqcels Says he "Are there houn'ss[hounds]

there?

to him of Heaven but Ushen wsn•t

Ar m

much of a bother.

put

ou nt y

talked

ag h

An' Patrick

Ar m

can have the wish three times one before ye die now. 11

An'

side.

death upon him an• dow he lay upon the hill

the

Ushen soon felt

ws the harm.

that

och anee,

An',

down he hopped an• helped her up with the turf

ou nt

C h

"Deed an' I will,"

clap a stone or two above me.•

Jn' will ye bury me hich an' dry an'

he, "Will ye bury

Ar m

Slieve Gullion.

sqs

An' Ushen bad a wish,

....

my heart."

like to be breakin'

Ar m

I'• "Tween you an' that brute of a bull on the Brague [Armaghbreague]

says

us eu m

St, Patrick (cont.}

Then says Ushen,

Give

doin'

boy an• be after

us eu m

us e

nt y

C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

an I bu.ried

sorry."

Ar m

ws real

An'

nt y

Slew Gullion

ag h

An' Patrick

oul'

ou nt y

hill there.

Usin'

But shure he woke no more.

him back till

destroyed,

in the skin of the baste.

they broucht

look tor

come till

as not he w.d be totally

he wus.

Ar m

for a blanket

ou nt

An' when Patrick

ag h

m Ar

Ar m

he wus asleep

on a mountain

the Brague [Armaghbreague] with a stone above it,

him, thinkin I as like there

knocked

us eu m

himself.

buried

a Christian

An' it's

as you like.

as stiff

box in the face that

a mortal

he struck

ag h

somewhere near till

eu m

C h foun'

have

An' Ushen went an• sarched for the bull an• when he

says, ·"Rise me boul'

your best."

wish I Ill

an' I' 11 rid ye of him II says he.

me back my strencth An' Patrick

For me last

I take a look at yer bull.

acain till

me strength

Patrick.

. £"D

us eu m

hI SQELLANEA.. ARhAGH

Local Traditions of Historical Events.

us eu m

Nobody

us e

nt y

1925).

nt y

ou nt

Ar m

In Stuart • s 11Armagh11 (:p.163) there is a reference to a battle here in 1188 in which Donald son of . Hugh O O'Lochlin, King of Tyrone, lost his life The author states that the then name was Cavanacaw it ha s •na-cran11 (hollow field of trees) but that since been denominated 11Cavan-na-cath 11 - the field of the figh t. The cairn has a height of five feet and a circumference It is the only memorial of its feet . of fifty-one There was a small type that I know of in the county . one in Ballymoyer churchyard over the gr ave of Florence MacMoyer the last Keeper of the Book of Armagh but the stones there were thrown with the idea of disgracing p . 761. See Wakefield ' s Account of Ireland, the grave.

(2)

(Drumahavil

ag h

Ar m

remember anyone li vin ' who wus at he ' s wake.

(1)

I niver

ago or less.

died of something .

he jist

ou nt y

Ar m

That wus maYbe two hundred years

mark the spot where a man wus foun ' dead once . knowed him an' he wusn' t murdered,

till

wus raised

Sure it

M y

earn . ( 2 )

ou nt

ag h

"It ' s not a real

ag h

(Cavanacaw 1925) .

It's not a real cairn

are always right . 11

histories

ye see in print

Things that

must be true .

some of it

in oul

is printed(l)

us eu m

say the v.lbole story

They

comfort to him .

was little

so the battle

his life,

but he lost

He won alright

raged for days.

~ne battle

here in the oul ' days .

king killed

"There was a great

eu m

Thereswas a great king killed here.

us eu m

Local traditions of Historical events {cont,)

TheButter Lep,

place.<3)

eu M

us eu m

of the backs would roul

ou nt y

1926 .

h ag m

Ar ©

house of call

Ar m

of the

ou nt

Cladymore.

Empty house on Newtownhamilton-Armagh road on the northern slope of Black Bank. to A small cask wherein butter was transported markets . People

us e M

nt y

about it .

Allen,

An' the people

away.

ag h

know nothing

villians

ou nt

;t~ke it

Ar m

houseC5)wd

us eu m

the robbers

where other

the bottom,

Ar m

of butter,

wus done the butter

Ar m

tiil till

wud be _. waiting

(4)

ag h

m Ar

What that

down the hillside

(3)

the market

set upon them, an ' cut the firkins (4)rree

of the ponies .

that

of firkins

bits

the butter

till

Lon~ ago vm.en people wud be goin'

of Newry with their wd

side of the road is

ag h •

It ' s not

an ' the worst of all

An ' on the other 11

C h

dog .

is a headless

murdered

the killin'.

W1+l' worth

but many that ' s about it

one ghost

lep

wur often

is if they

that

but travellers

parts .

in the oul ' days,

in it

It wus a place

in these

It has a bad repute call

eu m

A wudn' t be stayin ' too long aroun ' that

nt y

tt•

5-Z..

ccont. )

Events

of Historical

us eu m

Local Traditions

X@'dhev heared all the oul' tunes there.

house an army.

us eu m

Shanroe.

us eu m

y (7) here .

It was mebbe

ou nt y

nt y C

ou nt

ou C

Ar m

Seems Forkhill Fair . Held on Michaelmas Day. ~ to have been more important from the social gatherin . cattle and horses of sales its from than view of point Mullyard Hill . Probably the two stones that remain pal't (one upright and one recumbent) were ori~inally . earn burial ot a A deep bole in the river in Drumault Glen .

(8)

us e

nt y

h ag

Keenan who was

(7)

bad place .

(6)

Tory Hole's (8)a

The

1928 .

Doohat

Ar m

It•s scaresome right enough.

ag h

Ar m

time but the oul ' people bed the They fought till the death and they were both story . There ' s only two stones now but buried in one grave . 11 there were lots in the days gone by . St . Patrick's

before

Ar m

ag h

:till the death . '_'Two giants did a battle

:f.b.e:y: fought

ag h

m Ar

ou nt

in Louth or Monaghan who wudn' t be doin ' his best . Ye'd hev heared all the oul ' tunes there an' the bards makin' fun of each other in songs . 11 singer

An ' the tents

wudn' t be a fiddler

of merrymaking an ' there

of the road and the cattle were full

would be on one side

on the other .

An1 the horse fair

its

eu m

"There was a fair here 6)in th e oul ' days that hadn ' t like in the north . There ' d be as many tents as wud

eu m

was saw there.

eu M

M ou nt

C h

Ar m

Grave marked on burial ground (10) Aghory Presbyterian 1835 by above of sheets Survey Ordnance the first title. The celebrated townland. Cli) Faughart Fort in Tullymore in fight took place on 21 Sept. 1795 and resulted the foundation of- the Orange Order.

1927.

Teemore and Tamnamore.

Ar m

nt y

Tullymore,

Cullen,

us e

nt y

ag h

Laurence

Cornascreibe,

are not long quit

People

for them."

Ar m

coming to say prayers

of the

at the Battle

Ar m

here. (ll)

Diamond were buried

Teemore, 1927.

ou nt y

C h

Some of the people killed

us eu m

times they threw him out.

Diamond.

the

ou nt

Three times he was

ago.

ag h

Ar m

TheBattle

(9)

ag h

name who put an end

in Aghory (lO)and three

buried

covered a man of that

over a hundred years

himself

till

y nt

C h

was.

join it

townlands /9)

where tbe three

on the roadside

In a corner

1929.

Drumault,

Conner'sGrave. 11

scaresome

It's

enough.

Many a thing

the bother

to save himself

us eu m

burials. right

into

of the Tories

5'3 .

(cont.)

threw the headless

oul Johnny Johnston,

taker of heads till bodies

Events

of Histo~ical

us eu m

Local Traditions

us eu m

Local Tradjtions of Historical Events (cont,)

eu m

us eu m

ou nt y

us e

nt y

about 1920).

Ar m

gits.

castle built by Anthony Cope Remains of a Plantation the destroyed-in between 1611 and 1619 and partially Civil War.

(13)

Tales about above event are rarely heard now though it rem.-1D1beredas the Big Wind of 1839. is still

(12)

the

ou nt

only the Madden it

(Taken down from an old man at Madden Inn,

us eu m

its

of a dog

was called

off times for it

now indeed

the

It was a place

it.

but

and it

divides

from the oul ' people

in far

of some importance

that

of river

here but I forgit

wud be drinkin'

Pass too,

ag h

a story

. I beared

Ar m

counties • that

C h

from the wee bit

was so called

That

was Moddy-na-hone

Ar m

"The oul'

he went

shure she was gone.

place

name of this

Ar m

Moddy-na-Hone.

Ar m

was tough on him ."

took

a young fella

a bush whilst

her till

When he come back,

for help .

height

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

M y

"When the storm was at its

his mother out and tied

1927.

Cullen,

Laurence

(13)

ag h

The Big storm,

from Lough

on horses

y nt

ou C

Neagh.

was carried

to build

was brought

the sand that

said

people

The oul'

is the day.

than there

a~o ~here was more of it

Sixty years

since.

not so long

an' that

sight

Raw (l2)was at one time a fine

"Castle

Castle Raw,

us eu m

Local Traditions of fljstorical Events Ccont.)

boys now?

ou nt

us eu m

us e y

for

was the usual

to her for a good while and

Me listened

and there

cleaning

woman for miles,

the bells

Ar m

the best-tongued

C h

McGee havin~ an argument She carried

'W1th a woman in Ballymaculley.

nt y

C h

Ar m

19JO).

! remember my Uncle Patrick

the middle of

nearing

it's

until

(Local man aged 80, circa

Spring Cleaning.

an' nothin'

ag h

at all,

Ar m

the day."

But what

about.

skite

an' the dew on the grass,'

about the mornin•s at all,

has the time till

nt y

ou nt y

the long evenin' s is good

ou nt

Ar m

do with God's own time.

for them that

spring

Shure what has foolish

the clock.

But miti.d ye I'm not denyin'

a doin'

nt ou

ag h

m Ar

man till

I doubt whether

changed too.

Not but what they've alter

at times .

with the horses

bow the saysons go when yer in the

Ye have a guess as till

it wus wise till

good

have but it's

the farmers

an' in the fiel's

be alive

open.

a hard life

it's

till

Ay!

atween their

the reins

than feel

places,

ag h

fingers.

or one of Ameriky [America]

a bus or go till

drive

now wud rather them foreign

Shure the young fellas

but who needs sarvent

have here

they used till

fair

hiring

us eu m

wus a gran

"It

eu m

Hamilton's Bawn,

us eu m

Local Traditions of Historical Events Ccont,)

•

chief

ag h

at Lough

He lived

He was a petty

d] of Down. County bricklan in the Bricklan [Lough

ou nt y

his posterity

us e the

and the feast

ou nt

But he had

again.

so he went among the wives of the chiefs and in them tales and they were soon fighting,

heart

and told

Ar m

cause wars among the men of Ulster an evil

Ar m

he had done and promised never to

made amends for all

The place selected for nine days and nine nights. was the hill of Dundrum, now crowned by an old castle of All the kings and chiefs were there and be later days. lasted

he had slandered,

to all

nt y

ag h

that

and give a feast

and chiefs

a banquet ball

Ar m

made him build

nt y

That gave him a fright,

imposed a penance on him as well.

and the.Druid

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

Druid paid him

to curse him and all

he did not mend his ways.

kings

the chief

such a pass that

and threatened

a visit, if

ag h

Ar m

Things reached

in them.

of truth

had a bit

for all his lies

sort

He managed and the cause of dozens of wars in Ulster. He was a dangerous it all by lies and an evil tongue.

This is the story.

was a bad one.

Brickin

The real

the nickname was come by.

how

I learned

was a long time before

blood of them

us eu m

ou C

in us anyway.

not a drop's

God there's

"thank

Said he,

Brickins"?

who were the

Said I to my uncle,

wy.

her up and I wondered

That dried

eu m

of the breed

signs

the

You have all

Brickin"?"

"Are you a

then he said

Events {cont,)

us eu m

LocaJ Tradjtions of Historical sides

slaughter.

July 1943.

us eu m

McCarten, Ballymacully.

and that

of Brickin

ag h

ou nt

or maybe a wake,

nt y

He grabbed her comin' from the Chapel,

It wus aisy to do .

he tuk her.

wanted a girl

us eu m

ou nt y

Ar m

if a fella

In them days

in them than they hev now.

had more spirit

us e

of Cross

There wus a time when the boys and girls

In them day~ if a fella wanted a ~irl he tuk her.

ag h

(l5)

nt y

agree to save her caracter.

Ar m

people wud hev till

there ' d soon be a weddin ' for indeed the girl ' s

After that

ag h

or the two of them might go off from a blayeberrying ~l4)

Ar m

ou nt

h their

went astride

•

pony or

that had no sich conveyances

them and them

loaned them or brought

Themthat bed sidecars

Ar m

them days are not so long ago - an ' well worth seein

This usually takes place on the last Sunday in July Sunday in August and is chiefly attended and first by the young people .

Cl,)

Character.

(14)

in them days too wur weddin ' s - an • mind ye Weddin's [wedding]

Ar m

before

was centuries

Patrick ' s day.

That was the last

ate him .

the pigs

by a wild boar and

He was killed

of wild pigs .

by a herd

of Dehomed Mountain he was attacked

the foot

as he crossed

he made for home, but

to the Druid,

of his promise

thought

When he saw what he had done and

in a great

ended

too and the feast

eu m

no time the men were taking

17-

58 .

us eu m

Local Tradjtions of Historical Events Ccont,)

eu m

house an 1 bonefires [bonfire] the evenin'.

oaten cake baked for

The bits

us e

nt y maybe

of them.

ou nt

generation

were people come from

The visits

(17)

Marry.

(18)

Alexander 1 s Forth 11 in Kinnego townland. 1927. Corr of Mullaghmore.

called 11bonefires 11 • Such fires , Bonfires - locally common still but the custom is dying out. are fairly

Ar m

(16)

there

after

there(lS)or

Denmark, generation

.buried

Ar m

Down the centuries

nt y

ag h

a Danish chieftain

two.

Ar m

"There's

there,

buried

Danish chieftain

Ar m

There1 s a

draim of them they'll

they'll

do the day, thinkin' splice(l 7 )with.

on them same as foolish

be the younger ones an' they slept people

gathered

wur all

ou nt y

the house.

cake an' wus broke on her head when she

Ar m

come back till

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

marriage

the

It wus called

us eu m

family had a special

her an' well harned be her mother. bride's

her time the

how up till

me mother tell

in ivery

fun an' I

But it wus great

bride

I heared

man wus a drag on him

when I wus a boy.

things

ag h

mind sich

of his life.

for the rest

of the oul'

the wake an' funeral

for

had a chance,

niver

a son, the poor fella

if he left

out of debt an'

wus niver

us eu m

a bunch of daughters

A man with

at the bride's

party

be a great

There'd

on fut.

the crowd followed

horse an'

Informant

#ocal

us eu m

Traditions

now

' s time but they're

never knew when they begun.

eu m

Ccont,2

Events

Historical

my grandfather

were paid up till

quit.

nt y

is said

Enagh-macha in bygone days, with events at Navan Rath.

This townland was called and is locally associated

Its use as a graveyard Fort. 11 to date back to "the Wars of 164-1 •

,~o)

1928 .

Ar m

and sheep

and guarded.

Thomas Corr, Lisbanoe,

(19) Legar Hill

that

of Lisbanoe

nt y

weeks and cattle

(20)

ou nt

ag h

in the fort

in Enagh

was a fair

were treasured

or three

even if her 1 s wus not.

Ar m

a fortnight

days there

lasted

Ar m

In the oul'

so that

us e

upright

In the oul' days there was a fair in Enagh. 11

us eu m

Ar m

minds might be quiet

on an '

her in Legar Hill.

did turn up they planted

But they tuk good care to bury her stanning their

lie

at last

Tbey wur so mad with her that

Ar m

when her toes

but she lived

ou nt y

ag h

An' they promised,

·ws worse after.

wus

she made them promise she wud niver

ou nt

in Legar Hill.

But she tuk a brash one day an' when she knowed there

grown up.

us eu m

ag h

She wus a

an' them all

to her husband and childer

Did ye hear

there?

lie

till

wus niver

no mending for ber,

C h

in it now does no fighting.

of the woman that tarror

James or William 's men set fut in Charlemont

ay, long before But them thats

the oul ' days,

wus there(l9)in

there

l'Many a fight

She made them ~romise she would never lie in Legar Hill,

H:-.

us eu m

Loc~l Traditions of Historical Events (cont.) I Carlmore's s Rock. "Ca h.Cahier na coppal (21) himself

(22)

But tbey

us eu m

us M

3\n

ou nt y

Maybe

nt y

Lisdownwilly, [Lisdonwilly] 1926 .

(23)

The Mound Tullyard. Said to be the burial-place of the Sons of Usna but also connected in some way with a Saint Cretan . Her grave is said to be in the·adjoining townland of Mullynure on the -spot later occupied by Mullynure

ou nt

Abbey .

Ar m

(24)

nt y

Charles Carragher, commonly called Carl More, from whom it evidently gets its name. He was keeper of t?e Dorsey pound but was executed becau~e he stole his neighbours horses and cattle . 11He is mentioned in Donaldson ' s 11History of the Fews •

(22)

Ar m

Cahier-na-coppal otherwise Charles Dempsey the notorious highwayman . Executed 1753.

(21)

ag h

Ar m

She haunted it well an• was seen be many. it was Deirdre C2l+)hersel~. Who kriows now?11 days.

the oul

us e

ou nt

"There was a woman in white about it(

us eu m

( Sturgan).

· of Dorsey

nt 11

at last.

ag h

in the hills

be day an' a rogue at night.

were both caught

ship them from Newry• .

Tullyard yard Mound,

horses

was also used .be big Charley Carragher

who was dacent

they'd

C h

stolen

here before

graze their

They used till

He was a gran

but he had a brother

read or write,

was a scholar.

tbat

eu m

an 1 be cud nether

tbief

. used it.

6/ .

us eu m

Local Traditions of Historical Events Ccont.)

eu m

TheKing's Table,< 25)

us eu m

with it now. 11

nt y

of th e Fews11, p.

(26)

an enclosure Local name for Dorsy entrenchment, in period. linked with Emain Macha and pre-Christian Tullysaran Chapel was burned 7 March 1797. See Northern Star 13-17 March 1797.

See Donaldson's

Ar m

(25)

of the people

ou nt

"History

burned

The_names of three

and was wilfully

Service .

about the year 1809~27)

and gave a plot

small and thatched

ou nt y

ag h

family

us e

1928.

under Lord Charlemont .

a chapel for Divine

Ar m

ground on vmich to erect

the

I showed people

ou nt

C h

broad-minded

Ar m

They were a liberal

was mud-walled,

an ' always they ' d

Often as a child

owned Tullysaran

"The Olivers

Mrs . Conlan, aged 86, circa

Ar m

lysaran, Tullysaran

but sure nobody bothers

Ar m

it,

the King ' s Table

ag h

m Ar

way till

that held the glass

ag h

vmo didn ' t visit

have a meal there .

and bottle . 26 In my father I s day nobody comeI d to the 0 Rampars 11 < )

growing over the very holes

but now they ' re

from whins,

and free

clean

In them days too the rock

in which King James put his .

was kept

in . the very holes

an ' bottle

glass

an' put their

table,

come from far and near .to dine upon the

degree,

highest

too of the very

ay, an ' ladies

"Long ago gentlemen,

:i::..

us eu m

Local Traditions of Historical Events Ccont.)

eu m

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

had to be

Her breast milk.

She was pu t

When she was well

her daily .

ou nt

for the first

When

on his own estate .

(28)

th~ man was a tenant

learned

Ar m

time that

was then Lord Charlemont

He would not accept

and it

of gold .

him one day with a handful

Ar m

he went no more, but Lord Charlemont drove over to see

was clotted

heattended

and was

things

He went to Lady Charlemont

and

upon a diet

and other

ag h

Ar m

with him .

opened for the trouble

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

man.

looked upon a s a · medical lances

The man

be sent for the man.

horses

was a handy man in blood letting

and took his

a carriage

that

and ordered

us e

ag h

Ar m

the fastest

with

the story

Lord Charlemont

nt y

ag h

m Ar

heard

eventually

troubles

out of like

safely

other

several

her of a man whom she knew, who had taken ladies

told

One of her servants

and grew worse .

was very ill

She Sbe

and the baby bad died.

her confinement

was after

took ill . C2S)

time Lady Charlemont

did not know what to do . About that

The

for the purpose.

a lease

C h

people

to grant

and Verner his

of approach

was difficult

Lord Charlemont refused

they could not do anything .

lease

a temporary

had only

but as the Olivers

was built,

chapel

a stone

Later

agent

McDowell, Manly and Wallace .

have survived,

responsible

us eu m

Looal Traditions of..Jll.storjcal Events Ccont.)

of half

an acre Daniel

us eu m

man was my grandfather

Macarten,

Aug. 1943.

Ballymacully,

ou nt

ag h

you the ground and you can do what you

own name and that

Conroy of Cloghfin.

heard that,

So he gave him a lease

and in his

give

it . 11

with

Tbe breaking of the cairn

ou nt y

They in the carn.(29) [cairn]

nt y

ou nt

h ag m

earn. (Jl)

h ag Ar

Moneyed men.

(30)

us e

nt y

Ar m

The lal'ge:r

earn on Carrickbroad.

(29)·

~3l)

of Carrickbroad

was built .. from the smaller

Ar m

Folly

an' .Johnston's

for the Johnstons Halpenny [Halfpenny]

called

the mountai.n·by

from a earn across

Walls were built a family

made men( 30) e:V-Elfi;-after.

Ar m

i were a:n

mules

with

night

that

But they _returned

ag h

Ar m

the hunt off.

called

they

the treasure,

were knowin ' boys an when they spotted

one day, when a hare took to hiding

Ar m

nThe Thompson's of Jonesboro ' were out with a hunt

When Lord Charlemont

us eu m

C like

"I will

ag h

said,

it.

has refused

But the man

worship and your agent

for Divine

our dead and a place

but I want ground for

for myself

I want nothing

said,

eu m

farm be given to you or your son 11 •

larger

that

direct

"I will

he said,

that

heard

Lord Charlemont

days when the Johnstons

was one of their

at night

of the ghosts

few people

that

still

An.1 the head of many a dacent

that

h ag

us eu m

us eu

Mrs. Hughes, Tullymacree,

u(35)

set be his friends.

ou nt

1927.

but in a trap

nt y

the fox he was caught at last

hunt though,

the

But like

fair

a fox.

was

Many a one hid in it

said he would take till

ag h

not in

I heared it

Ar m

and bracken.

Ar m

earth

him.

in Tullymacree.

nt y

Ar m

a cave in the heather

besides

place

Redmond had a biding

a fox.

ou nt y

1930. Informant aged 75-

ou nt

Umericam, circa

Ar m

the earth

ag h

m Ar

He'd take till

man went up instead of a. Tory an' Keenan (33)Wl1S worse than the Johnston (3 4 ) n

ag h (33)

"Keenan of the Head _s11, locally believed to ha ve been responsible for behea.ding more than a hundred tories rock. on this particular

(31t)

John Johnston of the Fews, notable as a Tory hunter in the early 18th century, of whom many stories survive.

Ar m

(35)

A rock iµ Umericam Bog, near Silverbridge.

(32)

AD' the blood-

Five pounds a head they wur paid for all

went to Armagh or Dublin.

stones.

very day, an' its

because

there.

this

wud pass

till

are upon it

stains

beheading

that

were at Roxboro',

In the oul'

eu m

Pulkown P2)

us eu m

Local Traditions of Historical Events (cont.)

Events Ccont,)

us eu m

Local Traditions Of Historical

us eu m

us e M

nt y

nt y ou nt

from

h ag m

ou C

Ar m

sources .

and in many

can be verified

or printed

and places

made therein

documentary

Ar m

They mostly deal with people the statements

memories and an

in by~one times.

instances

retentive

They illustrate

and

must have been very common in

Ar m

of stories

Informant

ag h

Cullyhanna (circa 1930). over 80 years of age .

inter.est

but the blood followed

Ar m

days.

the house,

he died . 11

past

from the roof

And they moved the bed here and

ou nt y

throughout

ou nt

there

Ar m

on to his bed .

ag h

he came to die a drop of blood began to drip right

When

but his end was wicked.

ag h

othe"rs,

and had to die like

These types

and it

But he was only mortal

in it.

was far too long he lived

dropped until

and

in the townland of Tullyvallen

Cormac lived

saying

and that's

of the Fews was detested

by all.

Johnston

for indeed

feared

than his master

us eu m

He was worse hated lot

was no Tory.

the head of many a man that

he chopped off

and

man for the Johnstons

Cormac Keenan was heads'

eu m

Cormacof the heads,

us eu m

ARHAGii NISQELLANEA,

us eu m

branches

ou nt y

covers

such

nt y

They

ag m

Ar ©

who

the eyes of people

with destroying

that

was believa.d

Ar m

credited

ou nt

ag it

nt y

ag h

tales ,~$U-rvive showing that

they were angels. who bad been cast out of heaven. were also

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

Many

Ar m

7. 8. '9. J.O. ll .

of breaking

People being kidnapped by fairies . Horses ridden by fairies . Fairies attended fairs . Led their subjects into battle . Stole cows~ Visited houses at night . Lived in old forts . Abducted children . Were visible on certain occasions . Had a liking for whiskey and poteen. Sometimes lived in underground habitations Were good musicians .

Ar m

t5.

when they were

The range of county stories

you that

would not have knowed

it was unwise to speak ill

as -

Ar m

tales

in the

assure

that

ag h

m Ar

thorns

They will

them and warned to be careful lone

people

the oul'

young they were told

are

must have been such things

ag h

about them" .

of the

and grandparents

oul ' days otherwise

parents

there

to say

inclined

stories

us e

from their

having heard

of the seventy

age group,

people"

wee

ago and many people

years

to ninety

were common throughout

years

the county fifty

to the fairies

relating

Stories

eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs.

us eu m

eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs.

us eu m

us eu m M

ou didn

wur some that

a loose

C wall

tbrowup

It was the custom nexe(l)to

Ar m

The wee pegpla we;r,egreat weavers.

ar-e no wee,-people now. 11

Lisdrumbrochus. John Hillock aged 89 in 1930, a delightful <n:!mpanionand very witty. Talking o.t' a preVious rector of Aghavilly who neglected to- visit his parishione~~~ he said of him Ube wus a man not hard till sweep a£te:r11•

and his

ou nt

did it

Ar m

the spoon

wuqn' t be able

the wee people

But there

us e

nt y

and drive

Ar m

'Why there

ou nt y

ag h

people would up-end the

Me grandfather

irami.fath~..:--.- 3.-.-;-. :aJ.:i5:Ca , -~ l:l.itn.

the

for the custom, I give

the mate f:r;om it,

away in it.

through

to me by an old friend

Her reason

through it:i bo~tom; was that

(l)

80 or more.

egg wh-en they picked

and that's

was commonly

taken down at Carrigatuke [Carrickatuke] on

in her ow words - nthe raison

sail

and in the

The egg was then

1923 was related

Ar m

eaten.

story

milk

affairs

egg the top was

ou nt

Ar m

Armaghbreague circa

till

these

in the eggcup and the spoon driven This little

then aged

a boiled

shell.

ag h

removed and the contents

reversed

when eating

their

but they were

I may mention that

that

into

on the byre floors

ou C

ag h believed

fate

as an offering

In passing

a like

C h

houses.

passing

To prevent

to steal

women about to

nt y

priests.

Men suffered

was spilled

the children

possession. unable

They stole

to babies,

give birth

shape.

had seen them in fairy

(cont.)

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs (cont.) the house was built.

with spinning

Filled

But they wur

ou nt

she

see the wee people they went till

the country

one till

at all •

Before they left

at all,

here.

wus always the chance that

might not appear as herself .AnI she wus th _e last

she slithered

mouths till

Ar m

them for there

out till

wud be in their

heal'ts

heared many a

.An' when they thumped the duxe

- , crack they shouldn't. their

for ,they'd

go in,

Ar m

till

nt y

ag h

an• sent the

wur good to her,

wee ones .'With milk an' male many a time. always ·arear~d

for

us e

the same she wus come.of

an' when she wus past fendin'

the neighbours

herself

But all

said she wus given till

nt y

resi-dente~s

Ar m

a broom stick.

rid.in'

an' none too

bit

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

for it wus often

us eu m

ou nt

us eu m

weavers an' helpful

oul'

Sbe wus a through-other

the hearth

an' clean and tidy

A Through other Qul' Bit. sonsy at that,

care wus taken in all

ago.

Tbe wee people wur great

at times.

ag h

night .

of houses on

There wur lots

they wur, an'

them to rake the fire

C h

and weaving,

they wur thrown

the house wus begun, but if

a hundred years

the hill

If the

y set,

wus a sign to move.

wishes.

wud know the wee people's

the builder stones

This was done so that

eu m

before

the

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs (cont.)

eu m

us eu m

says he .

beu.

'ill

ag h

nt y

wus the en' of her .

ou nt

should

be a man too that

~t was burned at his wake.

Ar ©

have knowed better.

was short,

Ar m

firing

me the story

was cut one winter

a man wan

of a lone bush that

frien's.

about her and he r fairy

It :wasburned at his wake. I heared

toul'

nt y

An' them that

Ar m

be a woman.

of her knowed all

even in the

wus far from safe for a man till

alone•, let

of man or brute,

bad times '«hen it

afeared

Ar m

woman, she wusn't

-4n' mind ye, all but she was but a wee croul of a

for them an• that

us e

wus an' she tuk a brash an' died

Ar m

An' bludy water it

lgneliness

the

thole

ou nt y

on the well

bludy the water

we're bayte it's

be 11 , says she.

Keep yer blinkers

of heart

ye a sign".

leave

ou nt

ag h

uAn' what will 11

We' 11

she

wi.thout news of ye ' s 11 •

through

Says he,

ag h

whole winter

An' with that

1 cud niver

Says she,

yammer.

now.

"Och! but ye will

ye 1 s 11 •

die I wud without

till

started

ou C

Sure it's

she says,

An1 she up an'

be back" .

we may niver

An 1 u, says the spokesman,

her.

they bid till

sich frien's

them bein'

An' she an'

war.

till

her they wur goin'

tell

till

why they went

An' what do you think for,

house to her .

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs Ccont.)

us eu m

us e

nt y the

ou nt C

h m

such food.

- hay or other

Stuff

till

ye besides

can tell

Ar m

Feedini

the field

(2)

stub it

till

soon be down with the cattle

will

across

Ar m

as many another

now it

Ar m

Sure he tried

caused it.

An,r.

nt y

An' Larry McFarland,

now.

wastin'

;rt ' s

ag h

wus the finest

an• -wsn•t he thrown right

·very road its .elf,

Ar m

he 1 s the one that

ou nt y

Ardmore, Lough Neagh .

Ar m ©

thQugh

thorn iver,

house

over the road there

field

In that

meself.

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

A man once coaxed one of them into

The Fairy Thorn.

dow,

luk at them if ye saw them on the roads

destrq_yed the place.

an' it

ag h

at night.

cats here too.

4n' there wur fairy

wusn't wise till

wouldn ' t be safe

king an' for many nights

their

be about.

till

used to meet h ere for till

of Ulster

The fairies

(aged 80 odd years) .

ou C

of Ulster.

The Fairies elect

Tullyvallen

they'd

an' lave.

ate it

eu m

If fother< 2 )was given to them at it

under it.

down

lie

thorn - the cows would niver

was a very gentle

't!

us eu m

'1l Fairies and Fairy Beliefs {cont.)

eu m

I heared of one that

alone.

Lane Bushes were left

y nt

Lone Bushe:;;••

till

wus.

as iver

in as good a field

an' it

otherwise,

a one wud lay han

but the divil

it,

scratching

us eu m

us e

M ou nt

with

stopped

near Cullyhanna.

fairies

nt y

one

An 1 the

fort

but

at the . turn-end

A treble-ringed

the shoemaker's

Ar m

but one.

bullock

ou C h

an• he·met a drove of bullocks on ivery

Lisletrim

nt y

up till

Ar m

wus goin'

"A weeM:eila

us eu m

ou nt y

plain

ag h

the noise

Ar m

a fairy

ou nt

Ar m

He heared

He slipped

into

them an' they disappeared

he saw none of them.

(3)

of them walking

funeral.

an' heared the convoy comin 1 •

out an' followed

night,

1939,

He wus up

a fairy

Ar m

at night

jump

ou C

ag h

man once followed

fort

Mr. Mallon, Clontygora, then aged 70.

The Fairy Funeral, late

come out.

will

ag h m

insanity

you never know were

way anyhow -

- but he . might have gone that

head after

was cut be the son of the house an' he went wrong in his

us eu m

bullock.

him an' put him on the last

eu m

him when ye reach the lake

they till

jump it

•

him.

wud come till

wus ill-luck

or it

be in the air

keep his mouth shut when he'd

him till

An' they toul'

An'

said

started

set off for the lough.

the fairies

all

an'

again

An I as soon as

him the procession

clapped roun'

he had his legs

7 "- ·

(cont.}

and Fairy Beliefs

Fairies

us eu m

ou nt

•tween swimmin'

ou nt y

us e

nt y

ag Ar

Commands an extensive view . Drumboy Fort. Famous locally because of a ballad of 26 verses written in its honour by a man who had travelled the county over uan ' niver had the fire of poetry lighted in his heart until he saw the · view from Drumboy11 [Creggan parish]

ou nt

want for

alone the Nugents would niver

(I+)

if the

them that

Ar m

wus left

in front

to happen and they

but a wise woman told

place

thing

Ar m

wur bothered,

and plough

of bread · was thrown right

It wus a strange

of them.

a slice

Ar m

wur upon it,

but when the horses

days of my· forebears,

4 to break up the forth( )in the

ag h

Ar m

They wur goin'

Ar m

again . 11

They :were going to break the forth. [fort]

·and wadin' himself

lan'

an' it wus many a long day before be wus

ag h

drowned be wus but he got till

An• it wus nearly

back.

if he

an• blest

with fright

off its

right

didn ' t fall

he yelled

across,

half-way

when he wus

But the poor wee fella,

well.

cleared

ag h

An• one be one they riz on the bank of the lake an '

'13. An' thank God we niver wus always a right

A crowd of hares

sit

us eu m

till

us e M

fetch

Witches had the power of becoming hares quest of 'butter:, et-c.

(6)

when in

Ar ©

take the •

Greyhound

( 5)

ou nt

Ar m

till

Ar m

wur futi:o.g it_ back be wanted bar

an'

:J?~~a~sa of l;lA.s wife being tuk with her

He went for the- woman @~- got her safely

when they

nt y

ou C

one night

Ar m

in a hurry

ri&e in a hurry.

the midwife __ ~l!l.~

us eu m

woman around that

an oul'

ag h

Ar m

An' sure as yer here the

nt y

wu.s hardly

( 6\-oJI ,'a', '

he borrowed

ou nt y

them have it.

Ar m

a gun an' let

be them, an' one night

bothered

~Atn.ali ll~d -till_rise

But

they were back on the rampar.

H.e was sorely

morning there

way.

the sbeugh of the

into

ou nt

ag h

As soon as he left

pains.

an' even the

of the ring .

ag h

-when they saw him they slipped

4 manhad till

there

of them in the centre

wu.snI t in bed.

in the wee forth

went in once when they were there.

He saw .the lot

himself

nixt

cud see them well wud luk the other

Me grandfather

fort.

that

jist

They used till

grue 11(5)

gather

at night.

used till

place.

A Crowdof Hares,

fairy

time.

did even in the Famine

eu m

bread.

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs Ccont.)

us eu m

Fairjes and Fairy Beliefs {cont,>

near cut.

Said she

hour is the shortest

the

foremost

way home 11 •

says he, Hlet us both put our best fut

then".

at this

A1ri~ht

of her wud.

eu m

way roun'

a bit

longest

But divil

an' both of them wur afeared.

us eu m It

us eu m

ou nt

ou an'

of the tale

them.

the story is gone, God rest

Ar m ©

taken down about 1930.

Ar m

but

if I can mind the rest

what she did,

ou nt

me sowl to glory

nt y

I heared

the charms.

Ardgonnel,

us e

the midwife

Ar m

•

an' mebbe

only that

woman knowed all

nt y

ag h

died in her labour

the chi_le wud have done so as well,

as we can,

them we may gunk them yet

An 1 the woman nearly

cud finish

wee one either.

us be away as fast

Ar m

before

lose his first

we get there

too.

ou nt y

Ar m

want till

Says the midwife woman 11let

-them that

about the

of a shock to the poor man for he lecked his

wife an' didn't

enough confabbin'

wus a bit

they

a long they stayed!

was comin' an' the mother herself

ag h

that

right

It ws the wee people chile

- but s0rra

lissen

C till

ag h

the week wee people mebbe 11 says she, and with that stopped

Its

voices

they heared

Soon they wur near the house an• sure as yer here,

'lS

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs Ccont.)

eu m

ry Hunt • lb e Fairy

ou nt

- I .wus not much then,

ou nt y on Slieve

wu.d

ou nt

once but didn ' t see the

C h

in certain

parts

are so described

fields

of the county .

Low lyini

Ar m

Edenappa townland.

(7)

Lots of the oul

the fires

ag h

the flames .

I saw

horsemen.

through

Ar m

ones saw them ..

an' hundreds

of fires

An' some of them wur mounted an'

of wee people their

be scores

Ar m

there'd

aroun'

themselves

us e

on top an' the wee people

cud be seen plain as ye like disportin the bonfires.

Gullion.

nt y

there · wus light

but well

nt y

ag h

Ar m

on top.

about the wee people

I mind bearing Many a nig.ht

but they' re gone now. 11

"I wus only a chile

wus a great

us eu m

ag h

till

Manya; night. there :wurlights

ride

men wur twin

an' done out of the· same boul.

age they lived

y nt

brothers

always

hunt h ere that

An' the two oul'

ended in the forth.

They

caps.

horsemen for

mebbe fairy

wus a fairy

days there

the oul'

sowans wben up

an 1 · white

coats

enough,

right

wur wee people

s bottom(7)wur

us eu m

walked two wee men in green

suppin'

at the dure one evenin'

sittin'

in Kelly's

men wbo lived

uTwo oul'

r/b .

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs {cont,)

Grimesoxtercogged with the fairies,

eu m

us eu m

ou nt

ou nt y

Ar m

wur fairy

cats here too.

us e

M ou nt

from

an' move it

It wus then

put under the cow1 s nose an• she wus soon bette~.u

Bernard McCreesh, Tassagh

of a

of a prayer.

Side to side an• say a bit

be the tongs

Ar m

from the fire

:k:1.ndled turf

He 1 d take a bit

Ar m

mind a llian cud cure the bother.

when I wus wee.

Cows were some times elf shot

Ardmore, near Lurgan.

nt y

ag h

Elf shot,

the place.

Ar m

it destroyed

a house an 1

nt y

Ar m

wusn 1 t

luk at them if ye saw them on the roads at

A man once coaxed one of them into

night.

wudn 1 t be safe till

An 1 there

wise till

y nt

king an 1 for many nights

about.

elect

used to meet here till

of Ulster

ag h

m Ar

Thomas Quinn, Sheetrim.

of Ulster used to meet here,

"The fairies

their

them to keep

tellin'

ag h

C h

to her.u

and he 1 d even deny it

The fairies

Many a time

of a man and she was six feet

He was a wee bit

off him.

always deny it.

the well he was heared

till

goin'

them, but he'd

us eu m

y nt till

He 1 d

would hear him

with them and people

be in conversation talking

often.

oxtercog ged with the fairies

Grimes

district.

77,

us eu m

Fa1ries and Fairy Beliefs <cRnt,2

us eu m stop or

us eu m

been touched

ou nt y

ou nt

at all

the ferryman

botrrering

without

-Arl'

got in.

An' the doctor

An' he

when they reached Maghery Ferry the whole contraption over tbe river

us e

nt y

buy you.

Ar m

with him.

trouble

near her time

An.1 he - says me wife's

&1 1 there

Ar m

an' went down.

have no one in her

One

wus a knock on the dure.

wus a man waiting.

Ar m

He wus a midwife -man.

trousers

ag h

long ago on the other

who lived

ni&ht he wus in his bed when there on he's

nt y

Ar m

side of the Blackwater.

had a carriage

ou nt

ag h

"There wus a doctor

and she will

Hughes, Knockbane, near Middletown. Age, over 80 years .

Man, Midwife

An 1 he pulled

An• they stopped .

ye 11 •

It has niver

yet.

An' a shore

wur in danger

and said

happen till

bad will

Ar m

with an' the wee people

An' ye can see the bit

ou C

ag h

something

wur disturbed.

An' a wee man appeared

flooding.

since."

C h

was interfered

An'

fond of

they wur that

walls

An' the wee people

ground.

got the land.

party

An 1 another

down the oul'

they pulled

- the whole boon

there

of them died out.

of the name to live

He was th e last

's.

of me grandfather

_ There was an uncle

lives.

of their

the days

all

about the fairies

raved

people

"The oul'

eu m

The ;weepeople were disturbed,

went if

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs (cont.)

eu m

same way an ' near Ardmore they reached

us e M

wus

nt y

ou nt

over the

the

m Ar

be for

from an old man who crossed at this point

Bann with me by the ferry

Taken down in 1940

all

Ar m

~;.,--

thereid

~___..-

Ar m

. -

peace

barracks t tiey •planted police i1ke .;s~~"' _.. . --· . dacent ~unt~~{g~e-., . . -..the

though Lord

little

Ar m

nt y

ag h

Ar m

then,

But shure even if there

at. a:111 it's

no house oii- it

was too for the job,

wus there

a house there

has -e-he now.

Charlemont

(8)

ou nt y

of whiskey made on Coney in the

An.1 a sonsy place

the devil

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

.-ii-There wus·.ca power

ou.1 1 da,ys .

us eu m

ag h

m Ar

ag h

The ConeyIsland Still, .

for

of them.

ye wud ·have seen whole companies

niihts

On moonlight

the Armagh ones .

wud be over visiting

gentry

we wud niver

Sometimes too the whole of the Tyrone

of it .

have heared

indeed

- only for that

C h

An' the doctor

or even money or he wud be kept for iver. did as he was toul'

or sup

take bit

and warned him not till

she was grateful

An'

woman

An I the

was born .

the chile

time after

a big

wus a woman in bed.

J\.n' in the house there

a short

(8)

Ferry in the

house.

the Bann Foot

crossed

An' they

company he wus in.

of the sort

an inkling

That give the doctor

please.

14.

-rq.

us eu m

and Fairy Beliefs Ccont.)

Fairies

eu m

when they heared flutes

They both beared it and they

or two .

till

but they did nothing

saw the wee people

cum nearer

An 1 it

both listened.

them .

mebbe a fiddle

and bagp i pes an '

An ' they

them .

disturb

till

one night

still

nt y

- not even a

the corn or anything

deil

But in the mornin' when they got there sure it wus bare as yer fist_

•

Ar m

give a han 1 •

ou nt

An1 he says,

wur there.

4.n• they who wur m.th him promised till

A.n' one

ripened.

come the morrow if help can be got

says he, ~I 1 11 cut it

far

some others

an'

A.n' it

Ar m

himself

evenin'

The heads wur as long as yer arm an' reacbin' above the walls of the Relig.

us e

nt y

see an' wonder at it.

Ar m

saw.

From far an 1 near they come till

corn ye iver

ag h

An' he had the finest

happened.

us eu m

ou nt y

for him , but not hin '

McFarland 's time it wus done

wus afeared

Ar m

an• the countryside

ou nt

Ar m

wus in oul'

Shure it

us eu m

Fish er men, Maghery, Lough Neagh . Ages and names not taken.

ag h

m Ar

The Ploughing of , the Relig, 11

y nt

ag h

them they tuk too.

good till

The wee people were ay

of a sup they made.

got houl'

a guager iver

for the divil

luck iver

had the greatest

A.n1 them two men

w.d be gone in the morning .

always it

An' always they ' d leave a drop of whiskey for them an '

17. <;3D.

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs (cont.)

us e

C h

enclosure.

from a stone-waJ.led

ou nt

Ar m

Name derives

saw the

Lisnadill.

(9)

people

Cashel,

Many a time

Ar m

washing

nt y

where the river

I have seen them an' many a time the oul' fairies

saw,

- just

div-ides Geordie Armstrong from Paddy McKee .

nt y

C h

themselves

wee bits

pots ye iver

an• they in the stones

they did their

the purtiest

Ar m

Sure there's

ag h

Segahan [Seagahan] river beyant,

1 •

wus well she met

Ar m

washin

us eu m

But they flew

with.

out and couped her over an' sure it

An 1 in

us eu m

the fire

ou nt y

them to light

who tuk some dry

thorn at the foot of the bill.

with no worse.

o:f

nt fairy

sister

Ar m

She picked

under he's

upon him an' he hooked it

ag h

wus me father's

from the oul'

branches

it right

ou nt

An' there

An 1 he jigged

it.

An' it wus well be wus able.

as quick as he cud.

right

he foun'

An' then he got the fear

feet.

till

a.n' well till

long

for

An' the -music was so

keep from _steppin'

ag h

the one

people wur crazy - of someone

till

the oul'

the Relig one evenin'.

good he cudn't

tried

seldGm I listened

- but it's

crossing

think

stories

I used till

me - she's

the oul'

had all

An' I remember me mother tellin'

they niver

it again.

eu m

An' it give them such a fright

stubble.

s I·

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs (cont.)

us eu m

gumption

us e

nt y

mebbe they' 11 ni ver.

come

will

of bones without

Ar m

you:•te

us eu m

ou nt

barl

or sense who said it

An'

God, ay, the

speyed ·the fairies

But it's

Ar m

wus quare altogitber.

- or mebbe worse.

wus an oul'

But it

ag h

times are changed.

ramp

Hom~ they'd

to the wee ones they think

fairies

of whigmaieeries

again.

ye mention

Sure it

now if

as they

Ay, divil

had come.

gubs • .

in their

themselves

ou wus

about

Tanderagee.

Ar m

said it

the

ou nt

He bit

anyhow.11

She wus lame after

nt y

at it.

the hips an' it got away, but· the . country Jane Hanlon.

in till

slip

come out he blazed

for

As it

of silver

a ban I ful

He watched an' he saw a · hare

He put a

an'

byre .

gun one night

Ar m

colpher.

in his

eharge

of the milk.

Some body wus takin ' the best

ag h

Ar m

He cua get no milk. 11 .A man in Granemore cud get no good from bis cows.

ag h

cud.

as fast

full

once darkness

wud they let

wudn1 t munch a bite a blade

An' sure the cattle

of them.

myself because

I got

Many a mallyvogin

them .

catch

shoughs ready till

in the

wud be dukein'

wus said the wee people

Sure it

An' no wonder •

of the evenin'.

in the heel

on the hill

daunder

till

be afeared

used till

The very cbilder

ou nt y

eu m

Il)e Timesare Chan~ed.

us eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs (cont.)

were in days bygone .

There she'd

us till

field

from that

the butter

ali

brought

be in

And that

her .

a rope behine

trailing

ag h

She was seen at it many a morning.

the grazing

from t h e cows .

cud take butter

I mind well t he oul ' people

in "Black Art 11 •

of a woman that

talking

till

things

dabbling

Now-a-

y nt

are too busy with other

days people

then .

of the times

'.llley were part

for that .

T'nere ' s fact

us eu m

eu m

there

Witches

Witches.

And

her .

us e

nt y

ou nt

h ag

Ar m ©

.lrn" - errand ..

Tanderagee - Tassagh.

ClO)

;,but God only

is 110w. u

Ar m

kept the whole townland

pi:~li~>f'gr many a lon~ year, the house at ;,_ tl\liilg knows where theG : ;r,, -~. ... .

in an

__-:i~¥"F_::·_-~~-:·_:_-:..

Ar m

that I JU-~ a ghost that -·-

us eu m

;.it was quare about the hair rope but

then to put the country sure mB:UYa ~}µ?& ,_hapJeU.ed uproar .

went

and they were plentiful

toe at one time .

..leit;_._fo-rtbem bodies bullet ·- - --·: -

was

there

Ye had to have a

same arn . (10)

.on the

hares

But

Nothing

the kind that

ag h

silver -

ye might shoot at,

Ar m

allout as

that

ano~b.e:rsort

kind of one.

Ar m

over .

the country

ou nt y

cud be done abo~t that

ou nt

she had gathered

that

hair

ag h

tbe rope wasn ' t bay or straw mind ye but made of human

us eu m

He knowed al J.

eu m

Fairies and Fairy Beliefs Ccont,l

They went

of a scrap by he 's account.

a hell

tilgi~her.(ll)

arrived

that

gate between two funerals

graveyard

at the

minded a fight IIJ:vlegran ' grandfather

us eu m

ou nt

ou nt y

ou nt

still.

Re-opened.

common belief

(14)

This is a fairly

God

till

(13)

Corpse.

Ar m

U2)

a pity

Together.

{11)

It's

Ar m

for charms.

skins

but be

at all,

not be people wa.ntin 1. bodies for doctors people wantin'

day s, an'

Ar m

4 grave was hoked(l )in the oul'

nt y

ag h

Ar m

Many a

us e

M Ye might

in such a spot. as well go home and make yer will. (l 3_)

he],p ye .if ye spread yer length just

was bad, but heaven

on a grave it

an' tripped

An' if .ye went for a walk in the

Ar m

graveyard

but

of I

taey wur afeared

or fairies

was ghosts

a notion.

haven't

ag h

whether it

to some one,

was hurtful

to do it in case it

they 'd be

was night,

throw out an' it

us eu m

weemin

nt y

ag h

had water till afeared

f or him .

to chop and carry

bludy fella

PeoplB wur quare in them days - why if oul'

the other

for each other like Turks all because of a notion that through the gates wud hev the corpCl 2 )who was first

us eu m

Fairies and Fai+Y Beliefs (cont.} time .

eu m

ye -wurn•t here in me grandfather

crack as well.

m eu

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h

m Ar ©

C h

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

us M y

ou nt C

h ag ©

Ar m

1928.

eu us M

y nt

ou C

ag h ©

Terryhoogan,

nt ou C

Ar m ©

ag h

Hallow Eve an I many another

out of food on

He cud have toul ye too of the putting

He knowed all.

us eu m

MISCELLANEA. COUNTYARMAGH

eu m

Greetings.

in the countryside,

us eu m

us e

nt y

importance

ag m

Ar ©

such

ot all and sundry,

Ar m

ou nt

Ar m

nt y

ag h

ou nt y

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

and we are reminded of its

seem to . be on the lips

in all

for discussion

as -

that

. Great day. Mortal fine mornin'. The wind's in a bad art the da y. There 'll be a taste of rain the day. Smushy day. Clabbery day. Broken weather. Spi tty morning. Nice open day the day. Teemy day. Brave morn.in' . Fine day. Right open weather. It's a wee thought warmer the day . It's blowing a wee thing tbe day .

as a subject

proverbs

Ar m

ag h

of the country

of the of the

is I would say representative

Blustery Weather. Sore day this . Desparate day. Soft day. Nippy day. Right day. Middling day. Hardy mornin' . Ill lookin' mornin'. Settled day the day. Slabbery day. Blowey day. Lamentable weather. Muggy day. Wind's very pushing. wind the day. A starving Weather predominates

to the Baronies

ag h

county as a whole.

parts

confined

was then chiefly

Upper and Lower Fews it

my attention

summary and although

by no means exhaustive

in this

figure

conditions

to say weather

Needless

largely

those two years.

in 1937-1938, I

so much so that

of such as I chanced to experience

to make lists

decided

receives

one

greetings

in the daily

I have always been interested

-2-.

g& .

us eu m

pping June makes a farmer 's bear t beat A dry May and a dripping a merry tune . churchyard.(l)

makes a fat

A green Christmas

eu m

All the months of the year curse a fai r February . a lion,

When March comes in like

a sad harvest.

m us eu m

h ©

days after of the year

must come.

(1) If the six days before Christmas and the six noted they will show how the months are carefully will behave. (2) The March wind had almost killed the old cow borrowed three days from April wherein to finish

be two

on his day it

rains

Ar m

Candlemas storms and Lammas floods

If it

Ar m

St. Swithin - the wet saint. rains for forty more.

will

there

and clear

If Candlemas Day be bright winters in that year.

Ar m

A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay .

ou nt

soon .

Mist in May, heat in June, harvest

nt y

May is out.

us e

time .

nt y

till

the year at harvest

ag h

Ar m

Change not a clout

ou nt y

bless

Day.

will

hay or corn.

May flowers.

neither

winds hurt

A cold April

ou nt

ag h

showers bring forth

Ar m

April

- good harvest.

us eu m

up on St. Patrick's

The warm side of the stone turns Cold April

from April, ill, again, rain.

three days and they are from March of wind and

ag h

March borrows Three - days April borrows Three days

C h

days.< 2 )

borrowing

March has many weathers. March-April

in May.

in March, frosts

Wet March brings Frosts

a lamb.

goes out like

so March the job.

us eu m

As the days lengthen

the cold strengthens. i s near.

eleven.

before

fine

seven,

Rain before

eu m

When the winds from the south the rain

under a bush means rain.(3)

A robin

a storm.

is a

of rain.

us eu m

nt before

together

Cows huddle

is the forerunner

in the trees

Soft rustling

or tables

the legs of chairs

sure sign of rain.

ag h

If the cat scratches

The south wind brings warm weather, The north wind wet and cold together, The west wind always brings us rain, The east wind blows it back again.

weather.

-o~k is well acorned it is a sj,gn of frosty

us e

week.

h all

nt y

ou nt y weather.

ag h

If ~

Ar m

Rain on Sunday,. rain

bad for man and beast.

it's

so is Sunday's

Ar m

weather,

grass it is a sign of rain.

When the wind comes from the east, As Friday

us eu m

ou nt

When the dog eats

ou nt

ag distant

- the storm is near, If tfl"ij riitg: is -<;1-0se - ~_ f-artber ~-away~

indoors

When he ventures

is well.

Ar m

Wheri. he ls on.- top alI

hard weather: i,s be~okened! '(4)

nt y

-the moon is a sign of coming bad weather. (4)

-\~~-:_:::i~

(J)

Ar m

A.ring round

,.A,haw ye.ai! ~s a "braw year:

Ar m

a woe yeaT. A sloe -yeax<i.:S--

If th~ frog wears a golden coat, the weather will be fine, ..But .if _h~ puts on his black coat rain is on the way.

ag h

When the wind is in the west the cuckoo is in her nest.

then

us eu m

eu m

rain .

down the chimney betokens

herald~

coming indoors

on the way.

rain

Soot falling

swallows fly low .

Before rain

Spiders

rain.

before

to shelter

Hens retire

a sign of rain.

south-west,

The wind from the

mouth.

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

ou C h ©

ou nt

ag ©

Ar m

us e

nt y

ag h

.whether you

tell,

h ag Ar m

daisies

and scatters

May will

try,

glow.

loughs again.

a good flax year.

April will

Ar m

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

and clear,

March will search, live or · die .

and thaws the frozen

loud and shrill,

March brings breezes over the hill . February bright

the rain

February brings

and our fingers

the snow, Makes our faces

brings

January

ag h

When the wind ' s in the south it ' s in the rain's

chirp .

crickets

Tbe donkey roars,

Midges swarm, the cat washes her face.

us eu m

MISCELLANEA. COUNTYARMAGH

us eu m

nt y

of the ill-fortune

many aspects

us e

the new moon

to seeing

ou nt

sit.

is a short

(2) Elderberry.

flit

Saturday's

(l)

Ar m

Unlucky - Crowing hens - must be killed. 11 To burn human hair . II - To bestow gifts on New Year's Day.( 2 ) II To burn the wood of the Bore-tree. II To rob swallows' nests. II To kill the cuckoo - it brings Spring.

ou nt y

is also

to a new home on Saturday. (l)

tting"

Ar m

to such beliefs

important

flitting

illustrates

list

us eu m

ou nt

attaches

glass,

day.

ag h

through

ill-luck

and nothing

particular

that

Ar m

thought

ag h

Ar m

enough have been

Ill-Luck.

unlucky

of the

people

by the younger generation

is considered

The

and good luck.

strangely

should be commenced on that

linked

however , carefully

It is,

to some extent

Friday

This short

accepted

•

which

as "that

amongst the older

current

county and the implications

ag h

- ill-luck

two classes

into

terms are still

by chance

divided

seemingly

happens

sometimes

luck

put the matter

Dictionaries

when they describe

even more clearly

fails".

wins where craft

that

the saying

In Armagh one hears

eu m

1.JJ.clh

us eu m

us e

ou nt

Ar m

(J) This may, however, be evaded by throwing a few grains over the left shoulder! (4) By doing so a · friend is lost. (5) Ill luck may be averted if no food is eaten. covers the feet also hence the saying (6) This evidently "he who on Sunday pares a corn, it were better he was never born 11 • (7) In case it should sweep the family away.

nt y

Ar m

nt y

ag h

ou nt y

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

Ar m

ag h ©

eu m

- To harm the robin. Unlucky 11 To put dovm. a setting of eggs of even numbf;]r II To spill salt.,3) II - To roe~ an empty cradle. II - For a wedding pa rty to meet a funeral. II . To pla ce one 1 s boots on a table . II - To take cash for setting egg s (Better to have something in exchange) . ll To drown a cat. II - To beg i n the building of a house on Friday. II . - To share washing water.(4) II To sit down with a pa rt y of thirteen.C5) II in the To display peacock 1 s feathers ( 6) house. ll - To cut or pare nails on Sundays. ll To break or lose a wedding ring . u (Believed To have the right hand itch. to be a sign of money being lost). II To kill a spider. II - For the fire to burn on one side only. II :::--Tobring a spade into the kitch en. II To lift a pin by the point or to hand one to a friend without sticking it in wood. 11 To pass under a ladder . ll To· have a picture fall from the wall. 11 To buy a broom in May.C7J II For Christmas Day to fall on Saturday . II To ·have a rat cross your path . ll If a baby does not cry at baptism Devil not dislodged. II To clO'se a spring well. II To strike anybody with rag-weed or hawthorn. ll To bring whin or hawthorn blossom into the house.

us eu m

GoodLuck.

eu m

a funeral through a un.Lucey - To spy window or door.CS) II - To not sweep the floor before churning. II - To put on sock and boot of one foot . II - To enter a new house by the back door . II To put ashes out on New Year ' s Day . II - To straddle a creeping child in case it should turn into a 11crowlie 11 •

under this

ou nt

cures.

nt y

Ar m

certain

can effect

(8) In former days it was quite usual for the occupants a house to stand outside whilst funerals pa ssed.

(9) Such persons

us e

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

heading

is lucky if your right ear burns (somebody is speaking wel~ of you). It is lucky to have swallows ne st with you. Lightning such houses. ne-1rer strikes II to· have a robin about the house . II to meet a pie-bald horse . II in the house . to ha,re crickets II to lay the sheaves by the sun when building corn stacks . II one from to find a horse shoe especially a hind leg . II to be the seventh child of a seventh cbild .( 9 ) ll to meet a horse with one white leg. II of pigs . to meet a sow and a litter II to meet a snail with horns erect . II to find a spider on one ' s coat (foretells a new suit). II to find white specks on finger nails . LI to ha,re your left hand itch . ( Good fortune coming). II to be born with a caul · (Cannot meet a violent death) . II for Christmas Day to fall on a Sunday . II to ha,re house leeks on your dwelling .

there are many things Fortunately to cheer us on our way.

us eu m

is no need to worry unduly.

arises

probably

The difference

take good luck too much for granted

us eu m

us e

C h

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

us eu m

to the archaeologist

ag h ©

Ar m

s muck there ' s

ou nt y

ou nt

C h

Ar m

Ar m ©

thought

good fortune .

may bring

rthat where there

which is a cheerful

ag h

m Ar

that

than those

Do not forget , however, -

with the things

rather

ag h

to be avoided

a middle course between the difficulties

one ' s memory is more concerned

of whether

usee a pin and pick it up, All-the day you ' ll have good luck. See a pin and let it lie, And you will need it bye and bye . 11

seems to strike

luck

we all

that

from the fact

eu m

in number, but there

greater

o~ens are the

the ill-luck

that

be noticed

will

us eu m

ARKAGHHI SCELLAN:g:A. 11

localisms

us eu m

cheeks

been for

nt y

of the kail.

nt y

Born at the bladeing

us e

Tears running down their like beetles up a hill.

ou nt y

and

and smaller -4,n stature.

ou nt

out of a saw.

th_e teeth

Be' d talk

a_nole in his thatch.

There's

He wasn't behind the door when feet were given out.

the

the flies.

hind legs.

ear.

He'd buy you in one field sell you in another.

(2) Becoming frail

mouth misses

Ar m

(1) Unable to get about.

A closed

a hair

the

ye like

not at that

Ar m

She knows full -wall: the length of hi_s shoe.· ·

It fits well.

He hears

ou nt

a young

He's all to one si-de like handle of a jug.

book.

It's as true as truth's ·a long time.

Ar m

crow.

C h

squa:re"_o-f being

All gab and guts like

He. knows his

ag h

Ar m

wants

round.

Ar m

She·

a burnt

She has an eye like hole in a blanket.

Sayings,

Crooked as a dog's

above a duck.

ag h

feet

the walk.Cl)

He has lost

a torn pocket.

ag h

A mouth like

and shall

your thumb.

powers of no mean

an introduction

He is past

Two

Descri:pti,le

group my examples under titles.

carefully

I am not going to attempt

order.

imagination

and descriptive

blended with observational

They are

over the county and portray

spread all

are a tonic.

eu m

Armagh descriptive

Sayings

Local Descri:i;itive

not sugar or salt be melting .

him with

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

ou nt

C m

h ag Ar

or fairs.

nt y

h ag ©

called Old bachelors are still boys . Stop talking . Issue of unmarried paren ts. Dances well . A drunken man. An excuse for a drink at markets

The end of a scolding

Ar m

match.

~~~ ( 5)

10)

There 's no luck in a dry bargain . ( 10)

bravely.

than

(6) (7) (8) , (9)

Born on th~ vaong side of the blanket.\. 7)

Ar m

( 8)

His rearing was no better his schooling .

Make haste .

:tJe good to you.

The divil

ag h

of the way

hi s feet

ou nt

Ar m

He can handle

he ' s

The road was not wid~ enough for his walking.\9)

That ' s only a cat ' s lick . He goes a wee bit with everybody.

yer back.C 4 )

till

Ivery man' s a boy till married . ( 5)

Ar m

grow

When a patient is rich there are doctors in plenty . Don't be there

ag h

Don't let the grass under your feet. Houl yer gab .C6 )

than

Between you and me and the post . A bad excuse is better none at all.

legs . up of

And that was tbe)taking the weather. t3

are the worst fools.

was

us e

and no breakfast

ag h

Old fools

Brow boots

His head never saves his

on the

He put the saddle right horse .

It might cut butter hot .

Ar m

There ' s more red noses than 'llidge s the day .

Child.er and chickens must always be picking .

You might as well look for blood in a turnip .

He• s like a daddy-long-legs on the ski te .

eu m

catch

You won't chaff.

If he only had an apple he ' d give ye the peelings .

us eu m

You're till

us eu m

Descri~tions Attached to People of

He's daft

He's

us eu m

us e

nt y

ou nt

C h

ag m Ar ©

Ar m

person.

Ar m

ou nt y

ag h

(12)

insincere

It's a poor house where the hen outcrows the cock,

Ar m

woman's not like a book, ye can't always shut her up when ye want.

An effusive,

Sher d shake hands with a hedgehog. ( 11)

A whistling maid and a crowing hen would raise the divil out of his den.

She goes from house to house looking her bit.(12)

(11)

but the

She's the sort that if axed to a wedding would wait for the christening.

Her looks would sour milk.

ou nt

in the

She's bad at fasting divil for prayers.

Ar m

ye with talking.

She won't tare plucking.

to women~

She's not the sort till sell her hens on a rainy day.

ag h

for all

off.

M y

ag h

She has a good many knicks in her horn.

She 1 d blind

in the head.

He has a slate

Sayings relating

She is no chicken her cheeping.

soft

there,

in the head.

touched.

He 1 s slightly

The poor soul' s a wee bit cracked.

He 1 s not all

quare in the bead.

A wee bit

nt y

foolish.

wee\ bit

eu m

Weak Intellect.

us eu m

leg.

ou nt

He's the spit of himself. (Like his father).

nt y

Terms.

us e

ou nt y

extinct.

nt y

ou nt

h ag m

(1~) Alas almost

(13) Dominated by his wife.

Ar m

yer duds me. boy.

where

If ye turn yer tongue on me I' 11 brain ye.

Pile

a torn

pocket.

make ye scratch I'll ye have no itch.

Ar m

Your big man but a wee coat will fit ye.

A'll lave yer mouth like

wipe yer neb an' it I'll won't be with a hankie.

an'

make ye smell brimstone for that .

ag h

Ar m

I cud lick the seed, breed, generation if ye.

I'll

a leathering If it's want I'm yer man.

country pubs produced most of these. such as bear stock expressions

Ar m

Country fairs There you will still

ag h

Ar m

Fighting

us eu m

ag h

m Ar

Babies.

their heads cool and their bottoms dry.

Keep

him

If ye want till overtake rise ea ~ly . ye'll

For a lucky man the pot will boil without a fire.

What's the use of a farm to a a man if his-wife's widdy .

(barefooted).

He was in his feet

C h

Hone$men marry young, wise men not at all.

insense.

He's hard till

Many a man ties a knot with he's tongue that his teeth will never loosen .

on me.

Don't turn your tongue

us eu m

man.(l3)

langled

A well

but his

What 's a gentleman pleasure.

An old man is but a bed of

bones.

blames the scythe.

A bad reaper

eu m

has a loose

A bachelor

us eu m

q7.

snout wiped .

- warm the wax in his lug.

Let him have it

He wants his

whose advice

the peacemakers

There are also

on the lug.

Give him a sother

by shouting

eu m

the quarrel

to encourage

who hasten

are emphasized by friends

These remarks

to "let

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

M y

ou nt C

h ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

y nt

ou C

ag h

Ar m

ou C

ag h ©

him cool in the skin he warmed in" is seldom taken.

us eu m

ARMAGH MISCELLANEA.,

us eu m

came

This

•

was given to me by

the townland of Annahaia -

an old lady·in

Tb.is cure for Erysipelas

1928-1939.

exal'.llples were noted in the period

Most of these

be compiled.

Ar m

coul.d easily

last

ou nt

do not by any means cover

the subject, in so far as the county is concerned. much longer

the beginning

on cures

'.I'be·se few notes

in until

Ar m

the 19th century.

believed

Ar m

seriously

us e

in any form of

had no interest

ag h

in such

nt y

that

uun1ess they cud get at ye with a knife

was indeed

body-

apparent

when County Infirmaries

the surgeons

us eu m

was still

was commonly believed

Ar m

institutions

with

and it

survive

ou nt y

into

still

to doctors

18th century

that

means taken to prevent

Ar m

in the late

had the money

were credited

ag h

as regards

doctors

the fact

and surgeons

doctors

This attitude

being,

There was also

the dead 11 , and stories

parishes

snatching

ag h

"man-handling

the 18th century

certain

days and only them that

with them".

normal

to county tradition

ou nt

according

were few in the oul' bothered

they were considered

that

nt y

past

Indeed

may seem absurd

but one can be certain

practice.

illnesses

of to-day,

the not so distant

Charms

eu m

for certain

These remedies to the people

illness

and

Cures

us eu m

The Lord save me from having

again and keep ye from it

in the flax

ou nt y

nt y

well.

a near

but I mind it

ou nt

an' sure

ws gone • • An' I wus big then,

on the spot,

wus placed

Then

an' brought out a

grown girl,

Son and Holy

Ar m

of bog-mud that

in the mofnin'

an' Peter

water an• bathed me face .

be stuck in his ban' in the bog-hole poultice

tuk me

wus Peter

Red Bog at Larry's

threw a stone in the name of the Father, Ghost, an• then lifted

the oul'

Ar m

an• we went till

An' the cure wus

an• mother wus living ', an'

from off the road.

nine wee stones

us e

ag h

whose father

nt y

wus in me face I tuk it.

a boy an' a girl

But mind

or in yer feet.

in yer legs

Ar m

But sure it

anywhere;

Ar m

ye, ye cud take it

It wus in me

rage.

wus in a tarrable

an' it

that.

But the Rose - God save ye from it .

. face .I had it

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

knowed me.

I am, an• I niver lay off me work

blood in me or anything

no dirty

us eu m

standard

I mind

man.

an• a quare civil

even when I had me ankle sprained

there's

s some oul'

ye what to do.

tell

ag h

sure the world an ' all

of them an'

I'm the oul'

she will

father

He ws Dr.

yet,

It's

woman ye want.

the lot

says he,

An ' he says,

went till

but I first

the bog-hole,

I was tuk till

the doctor.

too .

big an' red as anything.

Your head might swell up

eu m

of.

know nothing

doctors

- an' the cure is one the

thing

thing - a very tentle

a gentle

but . it's

lilt might take ye anywhere,

eu m

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

ou nt y

nt y

from the Cattle

Raid of

were fought

of Bruce -whowas crowned King near

ou nt

They both figure

cures.

taken down in Tne Gap of the North in

Cooley to the invasion

us e M

ag h

are also

Ar m

'Which many battles

decays the warts disappear.

in the undernoted

rubbing

Having done so they

Ar m

and snails

red meat .

killed

bury the meat and as it

Wart wells

with them, have tried

them with freshly

troubled

Ar m

those

Most of us have

Warts can be cured in many ways .

heard that

to investigate.

neglected

nt y

I unfortunately

Ar m

ringworm - this

had

sister

had a charm for

a neighbour

that

and learned

been cured,

in a beam by which the owner said his

Ar m

nails

went for

In the above house I was shown the heads of three

the charm.

the

a beam in the

into

was a man two girls

the sufferer

kitchen.

lived.

completed

the other

were driven

the nails

Usually

ag h

One boy drove them in half-way, task.

affected

in which the person

of the house,

portion

some immovable

into

to drive

nails

horse shoe

given three

the boys were

that

After

who had the charm .

the person

went to

and mother living

"Two boys with a father

that

It states

treatment

different

records

end of the county,

northern

in the

time from Ballintaggart

tbis

Another cure,

us eu m

~ (00

. "IF

Dundalk in 1316 and shortly

us eu m

us M

ou nt y

Ar m

But shure Thomas

cure them as well .

be able till

Mallon used till

wid a hole in it

s an oul 1 sstone

ou nt

wud be good for warts. Cl)

that

y nt

C It

ag h

well .

This is

An' shure

the Wart Stone at Kilnasagart?

Is it

they ' s the

with childer

an ' big

nt y C

ou nt

ou C

Edenknappagh townland near Jonesborough, in a Stone of field alongside the famous Pillar a monument dating back to 714 A.D. Kilnasaggart,

us e

nt y

away, away goes yer

withers

an' then ye stick

an' as it

on the wart,

on a thorn,

Cut it

cure them too.

open ye must an' rub it

will

Ar m

snail

Ar m

A wee black

buy

is now in bed.

that

father

He was Paddy's

He wud give ye a penny an• say I'll

Ar m

yer wart.

ag h

He cud do it

quare articles. people both.

thank God, for it's

had a wart since,

Ar m

niver

come down an' said "Kate, here 's a penny 11 an' I

jist

(l)

to the warts .

But to return

the story

C h

at the Boyne .

I know it

of James and

to the conflict

in succession

through

and captured

in 1601 by Mountjoy

William passed

of the

fortress

in 1641 and in 1689 the troops

the Irish

has

the First

The little

Moyry was built

eu m

Gap of battles

been a

All down the

the days of _Elizabeth

until

centuries

of St. Brigid.

- the birthplace

nearby

a Faughart

fell

afterwards

us eu m

{OI

IZ·

us eu m

to-2. .

m eu

us eu m

us e

nt y

the stye

bush . 11

ou nt

a charm as well .

however,

such

h prevents

Ar m

There is,

Ar m

skin bracelet

happening .

An eel

perish . 11

Sprains

borne by her

washed in water used to cool blacksmith

they will

irons

whose mother 's

ag h

from a gooseberry

nt y

same as ·that

of a hawthorn

T'ne cure is made by pricking

"If

us eu m

from a blacksmith

by a person

Ar m

SUli th

with a blessin~u

at the roots

ncan be cured

with a thorn

Warts,

which must

ou nt y

a nail

Ar m

A Stye,

husband.

ou nt

uprocure

maiden name is the

It.

us M

Toothache

Ar m

for and must be given

God's name and bury it

affected

Children

not be paid

bush

is necessary

some griddle bread

sent for

ag h

m Ar 2.

wife -who both bad tile same

marriage.

surname before

are then

a man and bis

find

ag h

•1To cure this

Chin Cough.

ou C

Charms.

Cures

some further

briefly

now mention

I shall

snouldn

people

that

They ' d like

them 11 •

.mow about

and

eu m

them cures .

don ' t

But doctors

look for it .

till

cure.

It's

up .

on the way an' pick it

Ye must meet it good -whatever

is a sure

once an' it

it meself

I tried

wart .

~us eu m

' o'?J.

To stop bleeding

then cease to flow .

WhoopingCough Go to a house where husband and

eu m

Blood will

the cut .

Take a cobweb and place

and sugar

us e

seems

h ag

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

on the way to the

Ar m ©

of water in the

and back.

There

to be silent

Ar m

water-hole

to have been usual

winkers .

Son and Holy Ghost .

ag h

Ar m

they swallowed three mouthfuls

nt y

which they paraded wearing horses name of the Father·,

were taken

complaint

used by the farm horses

places

wounds .

from this

us eu m

cures burns and cleans

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

to drinking

it .

ou nt

A dog ' s tongue

Mumps Sufferers

us eu m

the person doing so will

that

Son and Holy

ag h

After

able to cure a burn by licking

times in the name of the Father, Ghost .

to ask for

Burns. Find a mankeeper [newt] and lick its belly three

things .

the three

It is essential

butter

wife have the same surname and ask for bread,

[iB!5. .

us eu m

}O~

AHl~AGH NISCELL.ANEA,

in country: district3

us eu m

nt y

considered

ou nt

town, have lunch,

the shop windows

one of the more attractive

houses

came later.

Ar m

viewing

us e

ou nt y

the

in honeymoons .

fun of the day , however,

premises. [pub]

for

that

Licensed

The real

to the nearest

Ar m

.(l)

did not indulge

in couples, into

for

work on

curriculum

(l)

interrupted

I may mention

ag h folk

or call

slipping

sweets

were always of a type known

Ar m

the streets

and possibly

ou nt

Ar m

time farming

The custom then was to drive

and parade

adjoining

as they bore mottoes

lozenges",

for the occasion.

At that

of course,

In passing

chosen by the children

suitable

was a school

havoc with the school

day.

as "conversation

ransomed by a contribution

This,

Ar m

sweets

for the younger

for the poor man to provide

ag h

the farm and played

recently)

Huge crowds would

and if there

as well.

particular

was

the ceremony the bridegroom

e,rentually

drinks,

tbe children

that

district

ag h

until

was necessary

then it

at the church and after captive

holidays

gather

of money for

of the immediate

was held

comparatii!ely

were practically

people

(and indeed . until

such e;rents

that

then

customary

ago were

than they are to-day.

affairs

a century

much more lively

half

Marriages

eu m

Marriage Customs.

~home the wedding party

an aspect

us eu m

from Donaldson's

of the parties

ou nt y patrons

and other

Bonfires .

ag h

and negociations

ou nt

commence

and brough t 1923 by W. Tempest

~p to date in 1838. Pr:i,nted and published Dundalk see page s 64-66.

(3) Compiled by John Donaldson in 1818 and enlarged

some of the

her,

is termed,

after

away, as it

of the offenders.

(2)

but the

priests

female ' s relati,res

and to their

for the marriage

the running

by force,

Ar m

after

fees

enforced,

Shortly

extra

house.

owing to the laws in that

Ar m

charging

being frequently

respect

abolished,

custom is now nearly

Ar m

sometimes accomplished

This was heretofore

the male

Ar m

to one of his friends

is,

nt y

or relations

brings

- that

us e

and at wakes, funerals,

&c. , from whence they run away together the female

public

and amusements,

often

nt y

on at fairs,

us eu m

ou nt

Account of the Barony of Upper

sports

ag h

Ar m of rural

happenings

by an abstract

and courtships

commence and are carried

places

dull

of matrimony,

The acqB.aintance

sparks

of the English

celebrations

and Statistical

Fews11 • (3)

ag h

"Historical

which were indeed

be illustrated

which can best

and

The weddings

of the descendants

settlers

with nati,re

contrast

or thatch.

and Scotch

much horseplay

to the wind carrying

to the haggards

above were those

described

fires,due

were

accidental

from the bonfires .

and refreshments

There was, of course,

occasionally

with

distributed.

the bride ' s house,

were greeted

"bonefires 11<2)at

eu m

On the return

us eu m

/u5.

~us eu m

106 .

us eu m

relations

nt y

of from ten to twenty of his

Ar m

which

ou nt

and bride

are similarly

1The weddings of the poorer classes go on foot. conducted, but the parties

nt y

the bridegroom

arrive,

Ar m

when the parties

house first;

be at the bride's

where,

party .

are single-mounted

meet those of them that

then contend for who will

where they are

to the bride's

Ar m

When the parties

residence,

horsemen belonging

met by a few single

for the bottle,

running

and advance towards the bride's

and intend

are single

Ar m

that

latter

ag h

mount their regaling themselves at the bridegroom's, horses, 1 the women behind the men, except a few of the after

us e

consists

party,

generally

the bridegroom's

be not convenient,

residence

if the priest

ou nt y

for the wedding,

Ar m

with them.

On the day appointed

and "meskans

of oatbread

ou nt

ag h

quantities

of butter

ag h

m Ar

large

us eu m

y nt

bring

generally

be poor,

to the wedding, if the parties

invited

potatoe s

of bread and butter , as the

and a profusion

and flour,

of bruised

consists

generally

classes

the poorer

among

which,

commences for the wedding dinner;

preparation

or rolls

where a scene of

home to her father ' s house,

to return

is permitted

bride

the intended

for the wedding,

appointed

females

eu m

The match being agreed upon and the day

daughter .

of his

the reputation

to preserve

in order

allow,

will

his abilities

than

to promise more portion

being obliged

unhappy father

by the female's

terminate

which often

the match,

respecting

us eu m

nt y

behind the bridegroom ' s man, and scamper away towards

m Ar ©

being then changed

us e

nt y

the bride

us eu m

ou nt y

which the company

horses,

to the public

after

to rise;

again mount their

of whiskey,

often

spent in drinking

Ar m

potations

time is

in some

parties

they again adjourn

Ar m

where a considerable

plenteous

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

scene is over,

this

have the

and bride

by their

and are assisted

house,

Ar m

contend for this, after

the bridegroom

of France;

benediction,

to portend

as it is believed

of the house,

Departments

ag h

Ar m

of the

whichever

or perhaps

longest,

live

is considered,

of the ceremony.

the nuptial

after

rises

couple first

spirits

who cheer their

knot,

the indissoluble

tying

new married

is seldom wanting,

the performance

before

glass

with a hearty

to where

most convenient

guests,

the joyful

the van being

behind the brides-

which, as Burns says,

and which receives

After

the alehouse

lives;

ag h

the priest

they reach

man, until

riding

the bride

led by the bridegroom;

will,

C h

in one grand cavalcade,

the whole then join

and

horses,

who remain at home) mount their

people

besides

as numerous as tbe bridegroom's,

former being often ancient

(the

parties

and bridegroom's

the bride

this

eu m

y nt After

eye.

of an evil

or the effect

the power of witchcraft

to prevent

probably

small mouthfulls;

ou nt

us eu m

of which each of them take three

and salt,

of oatmeal

with a plate

matron)

ancient

other

mother or some

by the bride's

(generally

are presented

the

us eu m

near finished,

bridegroom,

who flings

it with the remaining

contents

considerable

distance,

where it is generally

ou nt

broken.

nt y

among and

of the bridegroom

Ar m

the dignity

a kind of rivalry

being frequently

the spirits

provides

1 It is usually the bridegroom on these occasions .

if th~_y do ·not happen to be of one

them in supporting particularly

between the different

and bloodshed

there

Another

Ar m

in riot

terminates

us eu m

ou nt y

ag h

and drunkenness

they may dream of

scene of noisy then commences, 1 which often

in life .

partners

a portion

of placing that

in order

Ar m

future

festivity

bride,

Ar m

pillow,

of it under their

upon by young

seized

and is greedily

of both sexes for the purpose

people

parties;

the bride ' s cake is broken over

which is called

the bride ' s head,

their

Ar m

or flour,

house a cake of oatmeal

at the bride's

arrival

On their

is handed back to the

when it

ag h

round until

us eu m

then goes

ag h

and

of it

who also partakes,

bride,

to his

hands it

drinks

who first

to the bridegroom,

bands it

where he

to the main body of the wedding,

C h

again returns

and

the bottle

then receives

The victor

house is

at the bride's

arrives

us e

victorious.

that

person

the first

parties;

and the bride's

the bridegroom's

for between

contended

is frequently

of the bottle

The winning

ou nt

bottle.

the race for the

to behold

eu m

and eminences

the hills

are collected

numbers of people

whilst

house,

bride's

us eu m

of ancestors.

eu m

m eu

us eu m

ag h

story .

1930) the following

us e

nt y

or maybe a wake,

He grabbed her comin' from the chapel,

to do.

It wus aisy

he tuk her.

ag h

wanted a girl

In them days

nt y

in them than they hev now.

Ar m

if a fella

us eu m

ou nt y

of Cross

"There was a time when the boys and girls

had more spirit

from

Fews11 though it had been available

Ar m

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

townland in

was an. old man of 86 and he had no knowledge

of Donaldson's 1923.

In Corliss

lon~.

the Fews I took down (circa My informant

live

traditions

ago

almost 150 years

was written

The above account

but folk

&c. 11

manners,

of their

a portion

who in some measure retain

customs,

national

and Scotch

of the British

by the descendants

settlers,

particularly

modes are adopted,

and rational

where more prudent

are many instances

but there

are conducted;

Irish

of the

and weddings of the descendants

of the courtships native

the generality

This is the manner,

line

to save her car act er. ( 5)

ou nt

agree,

people wud t-ell her till

the gerl's

soon be a wedding for indeed

th~re'd

Ar m

that

After

Ar m

or the two of them might go off from a blaye berrying 1.<4)

m Ar ©

( 5) Character.

Ar m

in the to the annual blayberry festival (4) This refers takes place on tJ:i.e -1ast townlan.d of Armaghbrague which still Sunday Lammas] and is chiefly Sunday in August [Blayberry Sunday in July and first attended by the young people.

Weddin' s in them days too wur weddin' s - an I mind ye

us eu m

t 10

them days are not so long ago - an' well worth seein'

eu m

on fut.

ou nt y ©

are

Ar m

ou nt

them to the car.

(7) Marry.

nt y

the happy

Such fires Bonfires - locally called 11bonefires 11 • but the custom is dying out . ~airly common still (6)

still

It is

Ar m

to tie

us e

C h

now-a-days .

lucky to throw old shoes after

pair but modern custom inclines

up be

draim of them they'll

however, considered

interesting

nt y

ag h

Ar m

Weddings are less

gathered

on them same as foolish

people do -the day, thinkin ' they'll with. ( ?)

wur all

The bits

the younger ones an ' they slept splice

us eu m

ou nt

the house.

Ar m

come back till

the

wus called

cake an' wus broke on her head when she

Ar m

marriage

bride's

us eu m

ag h

for

cake baked

oaten

her an' well harned be her mother .

the

her time,

how up till

family had a special

I mind

fun an'

But it wus great

when I wus a boy .

bride in ivery

ag h

m Ar

man wus a drag on him for

of tbe oul'

of his life.

for

had a chance,

niver

a son, the poor fella

if he left

a bunch of daughters

I heared me mother tell

wus niver · out of debt an'

A man with

the wake an' funeral

the evening . house an ' bonefires [bonfire],C6)in

party at the bride's

sich things

be a great

There'd

horse an' the crowd foliowed

pony or

t heir

went astride

that had no sich conveyances,

the rest

them and them

loaned them or brought

bed sidecars

Them that

us eu m

,.,,. 'WhenI was a boy rice barley or flour

a bridegroom

in the wooing.

us eu m

us e

nt y

some

bride-

un.til

•

Ar m

to change the name not

is to change for worse and not for better

ou nt

that'~he

counties

other

in her wedding dress 11

h ag

Ar m

and that

are plentiful

we are given

Probably

for we are told

as 1930,

nt y

ag h

Ar m

well informed

he sees her in church

to marriage

In the county,

on the subject.

given

the wedding

extinct.

groom must never see the bride

the letter,

ou nt y

Ar m

advice

that

remembered as late

and rhymes relating

and indeed illuminating.

as that

ag h

Ar m

were still

though by then many years

are equally

evidence

ou nt

is the expression

is not so informative

but it provides

customs in question

excellent

With

line

in that

The above story

Proverbs

was

and ask two old

for your trouble".

by Donaldson

in the

near each of whom had a loom.

to coming events

am sorry

s a child

he meant there

to go immediately

who lived

made worse indeed by the fact

ag h

spinsters

embarrassment,

I threatened

regard

too long

I well remember

1 am glad to know there

When I asked what on earth

considerable

loom 11 •

time married

that

was

an old man say to a young man who had been some

hearing

who had tarried

the wedding comes the baby!

After

and there

eu m

for

was always scattered

,-:

us eu m

1)2..

of the day -

on the choice

advice

given

We are also

eu m

Monday for wealth, Tuesday for health ' Wednesday the best day of all Friday for crosses Thursday for losses, And Saturday no day at all.'~)

from my note books say -

Other abstracts

us eu m

of luck.

ou nt

than four bare legs

ou nt y

but

are looked upon with a

Ar m

Those who do not find partners

nt y

- long lament.

ag h

Never marry money but marry where money is. Short pleasure

of the advice

on to-day 's matri monial

(9) This seems a contradiction Previous line.

be has a rag

given in the

(8) Could this have any bearing problems?

ou nt

also the expression

heard,

Ar m

I have frequently

as well be a man as a boy" is something

0ch shure ye might

to wed.

be in g encouraged

side you hea r old bachelors

form of conte mpt and as one goe s about the country -

Ar m

kindly

nt y

Ar m

He who marr ies for love ha s good nights sorry days.

us e

Wedlock is padlock .

us eu m

ag h

they marry

are matters

marriage

There ' s more till in a bed.

Ar m

lest

early

and hangings

ag h m

Marriages

Happy is the wooing that ' s not long a- doing .(9)

at leisure.

and repent

Marry your daughters themselves .

upon .

Marry in haste

the sun shines

Lucky is the bride

Marry in May and rue the day .

10 .

eu m

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h

h ag

Ar m ©

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

us M y

ou nt C

h ag Ar m

M y

nt ou C ©

that

the

being

Ar m ©

Ar m

ag h

ag h m

of all.

trouble

him an ' the hen lay ed awayn, the last worst

wife died

when his

as the man said

come singly

niver

we are told

Troubles

coul ' coortin'.

' is

oul ' coortin

market

their

to have missed

too

of the male sex are warned

contemporaries

and their

said

are

in years

advanced

comment

and if

girls

still

are

spinsters

Elderly

as well.

come under

they

As for the girls

bush 11€

on ivery

ou nt

us eu m

,, 3.

us eu m

111'-· COUNTY ARMAGH HI SCELLANL,

eu m

Funeral Customs.

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

be games,

Ar ©

of them.

lots

An' there'd

Great God, the games there'd . be an ' some of the biggest hea r ed .

ou nt

Ar m

After

wud be tied

an ' the body wud be put in under the table.

bla ckguard songs ye iver

us e

nt y

-when I wus a boy.

capers

the corpse wud be washed the two big toes together

of various

was then aged 80 and stated

Ar m

informant

Wakes wur dreadful

note was taken down in

The following

that

in so far as the

in 1928 and is representative My

practice

to the Church,

day .

now extinct

ag h

however,

county is concerne d. a ccoun ts .

ou nt

Ar m

Wake games are,

other

in Roman Catholic

as soon as possible

on the arranged

t.o await burial

parish

take place

owing to the now almost universal

of r~moving the remains

Li snadill

howe1rer, approved of in such

either,

Ar m

households

no longer

homes .and indeed

coming to pay

sympathy with

and express

Games were not,

ag h

the bereaved.

there

with visitors

to the corpse"

their_ "respect

was the same

there

denominations

as to refreshments,

ag h

hospitality

other

us eu m

As regards

ism .

rowdy-

actual

into

games, etc . , which at times degenerated

the

such as

activities

social

allowed

where tradition

fami lies,

in Roman Catholic

especially

feature

wake11 was an essential

open house"

The custom known as

was general.

death

following

years

very recent

In the county up until

2-.

us eu m

,,s: wud hev to sing to her .

fella

eu m

An' that

an' mebbe he'd make her

An' he'd make the song himself as well.

game a man went down on his knees an'

us eu m

man went in an' the game begun

or some

A fella

m Ar ©

duked

at his wake.

yisterday

Ar m

of tricks

sorts

ou nt

He wus a bag-pipe

I mind him as well as if he bed lived

There wus all

nt y

an 1 he died.

Paddy Harla

player .

I knowed

bad work at wakes sometimes .

Ar m

a man called

had to guess -whohad it . There wus real

The Brogue wus passed an 1 ye

sat in rows.

The players

Boult the Brouge 11 •

nt y

Ar m

game called

Ar m

There wus another

be so many

to bring.

for hours there'd

tools

thing .

ag h

rt · cud last

other

over again an' mebbe he wud be a blacksmith

us e

ou nt y

Ar m

all

for

clout

somebody give him the one

Then that

The

wus wanted .

An' he got a right

he axed for until

agreed upori.

that

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

tool

of the games wud agree to the tool

ivery

the head

his head wud be atween an• another

ag h

man -whose legs

An• the

Mebbe he wud be a tailor.

crowd then choose tools.

his back.

he wud choose.

trade

Then somebody axed him what

bis han 1 d behine

He then put

man's legs.

stuck his head atween another

In another

blush

pick a boy .

an 1 she wud

on a chair

wud come out an 1 sit

A girl

. ~

us eu m

116 under

the bed an ' when no one wus lookin'

piper

sittin

eu m

He came down an 1 went in in the dark an ' the

full.

an• the bellows

wur on the flure

pipes

He wusn 1 t

11 •

himself but the divil [devil]

That' s not a mortal

·wus a game called

An 1 there

us eu m

ag h

But them capers wur common then.

plai zed after.

11Jury

C h

says he

at all

he wus up th 'e house.

squeal .

stud on them an 1 they give an' unearthly two ticks

An' he

priest

somebody went for the

that

After

sittin

went out an'

Then the lights

up in bed,

he wus left

he put the

A man stud

us eu m

h ag

gate

It wus a

account.

tilgither.

They went for each other

of a scrap be he's

arrived

that

between two funerals

of age.

at tbe grave-yard

minded a fight

Ar m

-Me grandfather

hell

to say about such an event -

had this

90 years

approaching

Ar m

a very old man, possibly

and the narrator

of Ballymore

Ar m

in the parish

instance

in this

hour and on the same day. · The location was Terryhoogan

at the same

happened to reach the churchyard

ou nt

ag h

that

funerals

us e

relating

In the same year I took down a story

nt y

Ar m

husbands ·at such a wake in Co. Armagh. 11

nt y

got good

girls

ago three

than 50 years

less

went, but a do

A don 't know how it

know that

•

Ar m

The man with the candle wus

ou nt y

"Justice

ou nt

called

afore ye .

candle

ag h

lighted

behine yer back an' he put a ban ' over yer eye an ' a

us eu m

,,7 because

the gates

to chop and carry

for him.

wud hev the other

People wur quare in them throw out an '

in such a

ou nt y

nt y

recent

days the

were avoided.

graveyards

ag h

the older

ends or

only people who met with untimely

was supposed tbat

out of food on Hallow Eve an I many

Ar m

of all

He cud have toul

He knowed all.

Ar m

sides

here in

to God ye wurn't

In the ~litn:ty ~i:lJ:ittiLcomparatively north

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

crack as well.

ag h

Ar m

' s time.

but b~ people wantin'

at all,

It ' s a pity

ye too of the puttin' another

us eu m

ag h

me gran'father

an ' not be people

days,

us e

for doctors

skins for charms .

wus

on a grave it

an ' tripped

Many a grave was hoked in the oul'

This is a common belief .

Ar m

(l)

ou nt

had died without the blessing of the church should be buried though they therein, <2 ) or unbaptized children. and suicides,

that Brian Boru having died relates (2) Local tradition on the north side of the without the blessing was interred Great Church 0£ Armagh following the battle of Clontarf in . 1011+.

An' if ye went

as well go home an I make yer will. (_l)

Ye might just

wantin ' bodies

or fairies

bad, but Heaven help ye if ye spread yer length spot .

wus

in case it

wus ghosts

of I hevn ' t a notion .

for a walk in the graveyard

to do it

to someone - but whether it

they wur afeared

they ' d be afraid

hurtful

wus night,

days - why if oul ' weemin' bed water till it

bludy fella

eu m

through

wus first

the corp who

that

of a notion

nt y

like Turks an' all

at crossroads roads.( [cross3roads] )

us eu m

There is a stone in Lurgan parish old name of Shankill)

use .

at night.

ou nt

Ar m

nt y

ou C h

at a window at night.

A cock crowing at night. A dog crying

death

nt y

Ar m

the rookery.

Ar m

Rooks deserting Bird tapping

that

such as those noted below are in

ag h

is near when signs

such as the certainty

us e

exist,

and indeed some

(-3} One such burial in Teemore townland is commemorated on 0.6. Sheet 13 as "Corner's Grave". According to tradition the unfortunate man took his own life and was refused burial in the graveyard of the Presbyterian Meeting House at Aghory nearby.

general

us eu m

still

into

of our more

of death were plentiful

Ar m

at least

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

Forewarnings

brought

portions

however,

graveyards

to remove

ancient

were the northern

of his

This did not,

•

ou nt

later

-evidence.

side of

among many, that

at the time and not until

centlll'y

such beliefs

and unholy

have much effect

it,

which prevails

is profane

appointment

imagination

such part

on the north

expresseth

ag h

superstitious

by special

as he himself

agreeably

in order

seven, in the sixty-

age and is interred

will,

"The Reverend

Died the 24th of

hundred and Sixty

year of his

the churchyard,

Parish,

sixth

of this

Rector

Forde,

December, Seventeen

eu m

Arthur

inscribed

(better

known by its

cemetery

us eu m

interred

were usually

6-.

us eu m

. 119 hives .<4)

Bees swarming and leaving

A magpie coming to the door.

us eu m

s not so many long years

us eu m

the re.

An 1

nt y

wus

nt y

that

enough she

the music of the pipes

aroun- 1 the house be all

ou C

ou nt

Ar m

(4) I . have also been told that in certain families it was customary for some member to convey the news of an approacbins death to the bees. ( 5) In 1926 in the townland of Ballymacnab I was told never died or stayed in by an old friend that 11crickets a house were death was and that was as true as night Strangely enough I have personal follows the da.y 11 • knowledge of at least one house in County .Armagh where a took place just previous to the migration of crickets death of the owner.

h ag

Ar m

wus well with her sowl because of the tunes

I 1m thin kin

all

heared

after,

she,

An.1 right

ag h

Ar m

An' the night

an' hoped she didn't

said

away . 11

wus three

there

ou nt y

an 1 said,

I '11 git

did .

we knowed it

ou nt

an' in the night

us e

ag h

Ar m

s the night

We wus sore afeared

but she did,

hear it,

that

An1 when the woman of the house lay a-dyin'

loud knocks.

ag h m

An 1 indeed,

with others,

wus there

type of warning.

another

above ye wus once as sonsy a house as in the

two Fathoms.

since.

11 •

illustrates

keeps picking

Them walls

not recover

story

This short

and

who is ill

y will

the bed-clothes

a person

is commonly

and it

same family,

in the

that

believed

eu m

death

grave foretells

of a newly occupied

The sinking early

the house.(5)

leaving

Crickets

in connection

operates

are dealt

mirrors

were covered,

ou nt

in the daily

papers. clocks

In the

stopped and

us e

nt y

appellation

known

I remember as a boy and

and a few mourning

by the hearse

jaunting · cars preceded

Ar m

with sometime.s from 80 to 100 traps

present.

ou nt

functions

private

they are strictly

with only a few persons

changed in character.

now-a-days

seeing funerals

wake-house

of course,

Ar m

Very often

have,

Funerals

a general

which seemed to cover day or night,

birl house

as the

to the

one often heard the

but the term

There was also

meant night.

took place

ag h

corpse house

Ar m

expression

in daylight

Ar m

bereaved household

If a visit

on such occasions.

are no longer

ou nt y

drawn but so far as I am aware clocks

silent

to some

with by insert-

still

notices

ag h

itself

Ar m

blinds

such matters

household

of course,

ag h

but usually

ions of obituary

That,

to the public

nt y

extent

generally

given that

and instructions

the sad news should be relayed on the way.

those whose presence

at the funeral

us eu m

to all

was desired

immediately

specially

Friends,

were informed

sent

messengers

with death.

relatives,

especially

a recognized

was observed

ritual

century

Up to the end of the last

us eu m

long road.

down the last

God be with you an' I when we travel

wur played.

eu m

that

us eu m

120

8. 12/ .

us eu m

Now, motor cars have replaced If there

it was customary

were two ways to the graveyard

to proceed

particular

custom is still

associated

to deal with

I forgot

us eu m

ou nt

Boyle's

mother died.

ou nt y

us e

nt y

some say it's

ou nt

an'

as it may, no human "

Ar m

so, mind ye, I doubt it.

such grief,

Be that

Ay, it

says she.

family here,

Ar m

cud utter

she said a pray:r

the Banshee

has gone before.

in the wind.

Ar m

Thats

for many an oul'

one that

wus streamin'

An' me mother,

We both saw it. mebbe two.

hair

an' its

ag h

Ar m

from a coffin,

heart

her man or mebbe a

An' the thing wore a shroud as if it had come

son 11 •

cried

an'

An' says she

an me mother with me.

me, "Some poor woman has lost

till

gray horse

the oul'

Ar m

I wus comin' home in the dusk with a load of sods,

(6) I first heard the tradition at my great-grandfather's funeral in 1896. He died in that~year aged 86 and although I was then only eight years old"wasAhis eldest greatgrandson and therefore present at his burial.

1 saw the Banshee when oul'

us eu m

supernatural

now very elusive

ag h

C6)

place".

ag h

to say about that

with rain

In Seagahan townland an old man had

•

manifestation

resting

this

was sprinkled

forewarnings

Banshee

and an old

When mentioning

C h

the

last

was the belief

happy was the corpse that

on the way to its

with burials

that

prevalent,

superstition

route

eu m

that

by the longest

transport.

horse-drawn

coaches.

us eu m

town.land of Ballymacnab I was told

bed with a

the

them for miles."

Ye'd have heared

Ar m

cry for him.

ou nt

An' all

wus more an'

there

for iverybody.

stuff

dacen .t weemin I of the whole ·towrtlan' , an' more, turned out till

us e

an' kept open

wus an' gran'

Ar m

an' leavin's,

best

of whiskey there

us eu m

nt y

an' so wus a

times,

in he's

An' on the day of the funeral

more, lashin's

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

Plenty

Days.

particular

a week afore he wus put till

that.

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

The corp wus drest

house for nearly shovel.

as well with

of Plantation

"A wake wus a wake in the oul'

funeral.

only but in

to mind a uwake11 story from that

parish.

There

nt y

ag h

Ar m

This brings

accounts.

families

of the Scotch settlers

descendants

old native

of the Fews it was linked

parts

some kind of spirit,

It's

I noted several

the Banshee followed

In Creggan parish

too.

them tbat

but there's

saw it,

I niver

, mebbe a kind of the wee people.

I'm thinkin'

other

85.

a wee woman.

ag h

say it's

That wus in

an' Barney O O'Tooleheared

our Arthur,

for

ou cried

very house.

this

aroun'

heard it

I've

too.

McParlands

the

follows

an' it

us,

It follows

it.

heard

"I've

eu m

Banshee as follows:-

who spoke of the

friend

by an even older

story

a similar

In the adjoining

123 .

us eu m

COUNTY ARMAGH NlSCELLAN~

eu m

Mass Gardensand MassRocks

These survivals

are relics

such sites

of the Rev. Patrick

in 1673 by the ill-fated

Archbishop Oliver Plunkett.

Dr. Hugh

_-'

as ttthe at

due to his presence

tradition

h (

ou nt

Chapel on

in local

Bard of Armagh" an appellation

from Lislea

Ar m

survives

Doctor

-~b6u,t one- in.ile distant

the way to Crossmaglen The

with Armagh he re sided chiefly townland now known as Doctor's s

Corrimallagh

Quarters,

~-;:._

Ar m

McMahon was consecr ·ated Archbishop of Armagh in 1714. - . - . .· ,,

~ . iiii-:his~connection

us e

until

ag h

bishoprick of Dromore in 1697, and;indeed

to the

his appointment

after

nt y

."C..:_. -

Diocese of Armagh, a

Ar m

ti9st-s _)lh{chhe retained

and

nt y

:·of the Roman Catholic

ou nt y

Ar m

Dr. Donnelly was for a time Vicar-General

Administrstor

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

being that

~.D., who was born circa 1649 and ordained

Donnelly

of such

one of the most int eresting

and best_remembered

related,

ag h

events are still

Many stories

-0r transportation.

priests

Mass were liable

found celebrating

imprisonment

priest

at that period,

and bishops

In the county generally

"they are now but folk memories.

past,

in the

us eu m

must have been plentiful

although

of the Penal days and

us eu m

Mass Gardens and MassRocks (cont),

eu m

us eu m He

than a bishop.

us eu m

us e

nt y

M ou nt

ou C

them with

This has now been deserted.

nt y

provided

for a chapel.

she immediately

a site

in wintry weather

Mass in the open that

Armagh, was so

shocked by seeing her own tenants

into

driving

that Mrs. Cope of Drumilly

states

Tradition

chapel.

Ar m

Mass Garden near present

as 1813 - see

Ar m

Annacramp. [Annacramph]

as late

under Tynan.

Ar m

ag h

in evidence

indeed were still

common - some

were pretty

such places

county generally

in the

does show that

but it

very defective,

Ar m

course,

of Mass Gardens and Mass Rocks is,

Ar m

This list

ou nt y

he'd have Masses in out of the way

midnight

in South Armagh11 •

places

and fairs

ag h

from after

all over the county and

ou nt

in Penal Days and went about as a fiddler.

lived

He'd be at markets

He was no less

ag h

where you

the Bard of Armagh

C h

that

'Will hear in conversation man.

Quarters,

Doctor's

Mullabawn and especially

was a great

around Camlough, Crossmaglen,

especially

tradition,

his place in

illustrates

story

This little

and woods.

y glens

for Masses in

he arranged

'When at such assemblies secluded

of a wandering minstrel.

in the role

and markets

fairs

J..

· I 2.5"

Ballyargan.

eu m

us eu m

Mass Gardensand MassRocks {cont.)

Mass Rock in above townland on the Turly farm .

cnab. Ballymacnab

(Informant

eu M

ou nt y

us e

nt y

C h

h ag m

Ar ©

ou nt

nt y

ou C

h ag

gives no other particulars).

Ar m

(Tradition

kept and used in Foy Lane in

11 •

on bank of

chapel,

Ar m

Mass Box formerly

ag h

near present

DrumcreeFarish.

- see

by Thomas Hughes, p.100.

small stream.

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

Mass Garden site

Drumcree Parish

the remnant of

corner of a plantation,

of Tynan Parish,

heard

the faithful

be seen at the rear of the building

which may still

Cladymore.

edifice)

Ar m

Mass in a secluded

Ar m

of a somewhat earlier

of Camlough.

in 1826 (on

chapel was erected

Before the present

History

ag h

Cavandoogan. the site

Mass Rock in above townland near village

ag h

Carrickcroppan

Cullyhanna).

Mr. Devlin,

A Mass Rock used here in Penal times.

us eu m

carnally.

Mass Rock on O'Toole farm in above townland.

us eu m

Mass Gardens and Mass Rocks (cont.)

eu m

Drumilly near Mountain House.

near the above Mass Rock, on

There is a "Relig

cross

slab in September 1952.

and an inscribed

"Mass Rock Garden 11 Site lllarked by a granite

us eu m

that Mass was

ou nt y

to the

us e

spot previous

nt y

ou nt

Ar m

there was a Mass Garden.

Bridge,

Near Lisadian

County Armagh 1760.

Maps, Sheet 1835.

Shown on Rocque 1 s Map of

Site of a Mass Garden.

Lisadian an.

o.s.

Kiltubrit. [Kiltubbrid]

See

from Charlemont to Loughgall.

ag h

Ar m

Keenahan .. R. c. Al tar shown in above townland on side of road

states

at this

of the chapel in1786.

Ar m

building

celebrated

Tradition

Ar m

frequently

Well.

a place where Mass

ou nt

ag h

m Ar

The Altar

under a thorn bush is said to mark

Keady

us eu m

fence situated

stone in field

was said in the past".

M y

Cross-inscribed

ag h

as to a church site. Eshwary

the farm of Mr. Peter MacParland and there is a tradition

us eu m

MassGardensandMassRocksCcont.)

eu m

and was killed .

Mass there

celebrating

The present

the glen was not then in existence.

m eu

road through

Longfield

that Friar McGurk was caught

asserts

Local tradition

m eu

Chapel in a clump of

us eu m

ag h

Mass Garden near to present

Maghery.

Site known locally.

of. Forkhill

nt y

ou nt

Ar m

in 1813.

C The

is said to have been mentioned in

Mass House in question

us e

nt y

ou C

to have been in use nntil

of a church at Derrymacash in 1825.

directory

us eu m

ag h

It is believed

Ar m

the building

walls now form part of a barn on the

Forde property.

about the end of the 18th

Ar m

The original

in the Forde demesne used

until

Byrne, P.P.,

Brothers'

ou nt y

Ar m

stone building

century.

a local

Ar m

Raughlin [Rockland] by a Father

See DowneyMS., Christian

School, Armagh. A small

ou nt

Mass Garden.

ag h

Mullynure

trees midway between Maghery Diamond and the Ferry.

A Mass Garden in above townland near the village

sh. Shaneglish

eu m

us eu m

MassGardensand MassRocks(cont.)

Mass Garden or Mass Rock near the Adair farm.

Shean

end of ridge

On a rocky eminence on the northern

the year ·

us e

nt y

ancestor Mr. Brownlow gave the

Ar m

1800 when Lord Lurgan's

nt y

there was a chapel

immediately following

the battle

ou nt

was destroyed

that

here that

states

for the

Local tradition

Tartaraghan

garden.

Ar m

stood in this

shelter

Ar m

celebrant

shed or "'bobog" affording

A small

ag h

Catholic 's an old disused mill in Dougher townland.

Ar m

of the Diamond in 1795, an event that did not occur until the summerof 1797 - see Belfast News Letter 14 July 1797,

use from the time of Cromwell till

Ar m

ou nt y

The spot is said to have been in

(Lurgantarry). frequent

Mass Garden on the land of Mrs. John McConville

us eu m

ou nt

The Mass Garden is known

ag h

m Ar

ag h

as Carrickahiffrin.

Tanoaghmore.

Friary.

Franciscan

in Penal Times,

side of the road is the site of a

and on the opposite

little

in which Mass was celebrated

enclosure

running from north to south there is an ancient

us eu m

MassGardensand MassRocks Ccont,l

eu m

James Verner of Church Hill was accused of encouraging

tha Yeomanry and Orangemen to fire denial

of it.

between 1797 and the building

us eu m

of the present

Church of Tartaraghan.

In that

the Mass Box was burned.

to have occupied the site

ag h

Presbyterian

troubles

It is reputed

in the open

the Mass Box.

called

period during political

ag h

ou nt y

Tullyah near Carrickananny Chapel.

ou nt

h ag

Ar m

(Informant Mr. Devlin, Cullyhanna

hut."

Ar m

to Miss Maggie Ann Donaghy daughter of The place was known as the 11bohog 11 or Patrick Donaghy.

little

us e

nt y

ou C

nt y

townla.nd on a farm (now

1955) belonging

in this

"Mass was celebrated

of Armagh.

Tullinaval inava1.

the city

on the bank of the River Callan

ag h

just outside

Situate

Ar m

Mass Rock.

Tullyard

Ar m

Reputed Mass Garden on the farm of Mr. James Burns.

Ar m

in a wooden structure

ou nt

Eglish Chapel in 1825, Mass was celebrated

us eu m

In the years

to the building

had contributed

saying it was not many years since he

spirited

at it but made a

us eu m

/30

Mass Gardens and MassRocksCcont,)

eu m

Tullymore near Armaghcity.

A Mass Garden was si tua.te in a small clump of thorns

Tullymore Park.

us eu m

us e

days wudn1 t have had it happen for

The Bard-Bishop is said to have celebrated Mass here.

ou nt

C h

He who owned the

land in the oul'

of it.

an' there wus

great anger over the cutting

the altar

thorn sheltered

Ar m

A gentle

Ar m

The Mass Bush at Dorsey.

(1)

with the

remain with regard to these links

past.

ou C

the form of folk

These two accounts illustrate

nt y

Garden 11 on the

ag h

Ar m

farm of Mr. P. McKeown.

nt y

Ar m

the "Priest's

Ar m

ou nt y

country to join a still

ran from Emain Macha southwards.

Mass Garden called

memories that

Highway" keeping east of

Well and across

Tullywinny

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

st. Patrick's

older road that

m Ar

days was on

The garden't in earlier

road from Armagh to the South which crossed

the Callan by the Saint's

buried in or near

is an old chalice

ag h

the Mass Garden. the ancient

font said to have been found there.

there

stated

and also a reputed

the spot

have preserved

owners of the property

Different

Tradition

Tullymore House, commonly called

hand side of the avenue leading up to

on the right

us eu m

MassGardensand MassRocks{cont.) But he is dead now an• all his

.An' it's

him till

the heart.

well for shure it wud have vexed

people.

eu m

hundreds of pounds.

m us eu m M

keep them off it.

us e

nt y

C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

Ar m

(2)

ag h

day that iver wus an' not git spot

them the wettest or jap of rain.

Ar m

The bushes are hundred of years of age an' a purty Ye cud sit in under sight they are in the Spring.

do be

ou nt y

hard till

over - it's

Ar m

tram.pin• it

the cattle

but now shure its

altar,

us eu m

ou nt

There wur wee steps up an' a place for the

ag h

days and Mass wus said there many

a chapel in the oul' blessed

Three of them made

bushes in the county are there. a time.

gentry

The finest

place.

It wus aye a gentle

The Mass Garden at Farlagh. 2

but since he died it gets none.

the White Stone each year in the Spring,

he lime-washed

an' it wus

He wus a Carragher,

l ~2,

us eu m

MISCELLANEA. ARMAGH

eu m

Horse Racing

We know,

us eu m

of Armagh was functioning

ou nt

ag h

us eu m

the Corporation

at that time.

ag h

that

War of 1641 it is understandable

they should have disappeared however, that

Records are missing

As the city was sacked and

1731.

burned in the Civil

but alas the Corporation

from 1613 until

nt y

Minutes.

ag m

Ar ©

ou nt

the Corporation

King James_ with them disappeared ( )

by the orders

who had been superseded

Ar m

the officers

Ar m

following the Two years later, ot his own creation. battle of the Boyne, the government of the city returned

and nominated new representatives

Sovereign and Burgesses

in 1688, on which occasion he excluded the existing

nt y

to the city

ag h

being when James II paid his memorable visit

us e

Corporation

from then onwards and indeed were in

should exist

Ar m

minutes

1641) by two new m~ces procured in 1657.<)

ou nt y

Ar m

again by 1657 as in that year the Sovereign and Burgesses replaced the 1613 silver maces (lost in the Civil War of

Ar m

being by the Sovereign and Burgesses

of the city,

into

It was brought

seems to have been one of the earliest.

track

Armagh city

the county in the 17th century and the

into

introduced

seems to have been

over set courses

Horse racing

us eu m

enough, however, all records event are missing despite

to the fore in the city.

in a Corporation

In that

the occurrences . mentioned

was still

The proof is available

3rd 1731, which reads

We present

Minute of March

Mr. Alexander Livingston

1731.

down until

above horse racing

that

eu m

that

year we discover

follo~ng

particular

Strangely

toward

us eu m

the said Thomas Ogle and

ou nt

shall

account upon oath before the

for

nt y

consent of the Grand Jury of the Corporation

of the then planning

The result

out.

Ar m

ot Armaghit was proposed to enclose the ground in questioll. !bis was duly carried

In a minute of June 15, 1752,

ou nt

it is clear that the race-

Ar m

in use.

From the above statement course continued

and all others.u

us e

and fix the prices

of the Corporation

Ar m

the Inhabitants

we learn that

nt y

to regulate

of each booth on the said course as well as

the standing

the said Thomas Ogle and

ag h

Ar m

William English,

Alexander Livingstone

when

ou nt y

h ag

We present

Ar m

Sovereign and Grand Jury of the said Corporation

required.

us eu m

ag h

Alexander Livingstone

subscriptions

of Armagh and others

for which subscriptions

and Mr. Thomas

and take up the several

be given by the Corporation

Ogle do collect a Plate,

the said Alexander Livingstone

ag h

and that

as Clk. of ye Course of Armagh for the said ensuing year

us eu m

1s shown on Rocque's Map of 1760 which portrays

eu m

in 1773 when Archbishop Richard Robinson

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

at the Siege of Derry

us e M

circa

Castle

as to his racing activities

race-

The ground was called 11

Course

unie Course" and gives name to a house known as

Ar m

defined on Rocque's Map of 1760.

survey of 1732 and is clearly

The actual

ou nt

Ar m

period.

with Lord Conway and others

in the sport in that on an estate

nt y

ag h

in eorrespopdence

course appears

us eu m

ou nt

Information

Ar m

The Major was present

and died 1690. interested

the younger,

of the mansion now known as Richhill

1664-1666. survives

Sacheverall

• . Major Richardson and his wife were the

builders

founded by

grantee of the Manors of Leggacorry

Ar m

and Mullalelish

of Francis

son of the original

of towns -

who, circa 16,1+, married .Anne

Ar m

heiress

ag h

Major Edward Richardson Sacheverall,

known as Leggacorry,

earlier

that of Richhill

in the immediate vicinity

county both situate

in the

There were two other well-known race-courses

ag h

Chase Races".

the Armagh Steeple

as an annual event known as

survives

the city where it

moving outside

in racing

This resulted

of the city.

of the inhabitants

Walks 11 for the benefit

utilized

the space in question .might -be better

decided that

took place

The break in continuity

of the Course.

improved lay-out

the

us eu m

eu m

in the forenoon of each day's sport.

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h

h m

Ar ©

h ag

Ar m

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

us y

ou nt C

h ag Ar m ©

nt ou C

Ar m

m eu

ou ag h ©

Ar m

ag h

It is

seems to have been 18th century in origin.

shown on Rocque's Map of 1760 but

of the

on the outskirts

race-course

The· crossmaglen

or Cockfight

village

Stag Main

Apart from racing there was a daily

newspapers.

for

accounts of events appear in contemporary

a week and detailed

lasted

In the 18th century the race-meeting

ou nt

Lodge".

us eu m

ARMAGH MISCELLANEA,

The fairies

are supposed to have known about the

for fuel.

us eu m

was any hope for them in heaven an'

ou nt y

ou nt

(l)

us eu m

C 11 •

he lay under

the

•

M y

ou nt

Ar m

in 1920.

the

He was of the same age

Noted down on the Armagh-Monaghan border near

Clontibret

stacks.

Ar m

fashion.

described

(l)

in similar

into

?. Home to the hearth •

Mr. George McNeill of Derryhubbert

turf cutting

nt y

building

5. Clamping. 6. Carrying to rampar and

Cutting. Spreading on bank. Footing. .Turn Footing

operations.

Ar m

sequence of cutting

ag h

more who was then aged 70 years and he gave me the underrioted

us e

nt y

to Mr. Jacob Sandford of Annagh-

Ar m

In 1940 I was speaking

information

upon which we have little

Ar m

when peat became the common fuel in County

Armagh ifl a matter

Another story

the answer only that

blessing

Just

ye.

The wee people would have kilt

ag h

brought

Patrick's

there

he said not.

man that

ag h

whether

Before that

of the wee people got a body to axe the

saint that

cud have toul'

says that'une

"the

It happened about Patrick's

father

relates

they only knowed of wood, time;

story

the people about the turf.

toul'

fairies

A local

use of turf

eu m

Turf cutting

eu m

us eu m

were also

ou nt y

instead

of the

nt y

C h

m Ar ©

that

Ar m

of wind passed through a number of persons

"a blast

the Four Masters occurs in 1488 from which we learn

ou nt

in the Annals of

Brehon Laws and a curious reference

Ar m

As a fuel it is mentioned in the Senchus Mor or

peat broader.

Ar m

who also informed me that in lighter

moss the spades were narrow and in heavier

us e

in 1941 from

of this

I learned

with men who

It was a great favourite

Ar m

11slides [slipe]

ag h

was once very commonin the Montiaghs

went in for piece work. Mr. J . Pickering

than the turf-barrow,

with a horn terminal

Ar m

area of Armagh.

"Slips"

in u~e for transport. cross-bar

This was carried

ou nt

ag h

the normal container.

usual

rampar 11 was a basket-

and seemed faster

to the

conveyance"

ag h

suspended from two poles.

turf-spade

work creel

for bringing

by two persons

- they float

In the peat areas of the county the the turf

in which "no matter

were damp sections

on water and are always water-logged.

do you'd get no solid turf

how deep ye'd

keerans

in the moss or bog as

us eu m

which he stated

"fum11 and spoke

commonly called

turf,

patches

of certain

He mentioned the name 11cat

nt y

turf" for light

above.

as Mr. Sandford

us eu m

Turf Cuttin~ Ccont.)

us eu m

Turf Cutting (cont,}

us e

nt y

C h ©

ou nt

ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

than a

ou nt y

rather

area in a friendly

Ar m

sense.

used to distinguish

ag h

indeed are still of that

us eu m

ou nt

11 bummers 11 or "moss cheep er s ,

turf

Ar m

styled

sight on roads in the

East and West and they were

Baronies of Oneilland

ag h

Ar m

were a familiar

carts

years ago in the Autumn and Winter,

laden with turf

derogative

has ceased completely.

inhabitants

locally

of the 19th,

names that

ag h

the making of such implements

quarter

usually

were very much to the

and indeed into the first

fore in the 18th century,

C h

Though spade manufactories

Fifty

yearly.

decreases

raised

scenes of great activity,

that month our bogs are still but the quantity

during

consequently

in May if possible,

cut the turf

proper to

it is considered

county generally

us eu m

In the

kind are events of the past.

of that

hazards

Fortunately

to become swollen".

of the rest

the faces

eu m

causing

one of them

at Tuaim Mo which killed

working at turf

us eu m

:curt Cuttinr Ccont.}

ot turt :f'ires was an old custom in Many were kept alive tor County Armaghhomesteads.

eu m

"The rakeing

in that way.

!he candles were liebted from •., tor indeed there were no oil lamps then,

m eu

an• rosin sluts!

us eu m

us e

C h

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

ou nt y

ou nt C

h ag ©

M y

Annaghmore

Ar m

Ar m ©

Ar m

ag h

the school

ag h

the winter each broucht a tu.rt in the mornin I s to hate

that stud on the nu.re

Seholars in them days sat on creepy stools an• in

· and burned rushlights

bu.t lone candlesticks

nothin'

such fire

aenerations

Windmills

corn is manufactured

of this

ou nt

C by

local

or even

, a claim

P ,275-2 76.

facts

(l)

Ar m

cannot be substantiated

that

in the

were then plenti~ul

windmills

lies

Ar m

that

:i ll the above abstract

tbey are equal to

that

supply th~ demand of the country.u suggestion

nt y

are none of them constantly

however, it is certain,

T'.ae interest

which

ag h

of oats the mills

Ar m

employed;

ao, as there

us e

It might be more

county are e~ual to manufacture , than. the quantity they actually

of oats

nt y

but all

Ar m

easily . a,reraged, what quantity

that

ou nt y

in tbe aggregate,

driven

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

is very limited,

for coun~ry use not for exportation.

us eu m

are usually

but :nany of them are windmills .

considerable

and flax

and those for the

oatmeal mills

The manufa ·ct1_J.reof flour

count y ,

for the corn manu-

an.d those

are oat mills

of flour

of E<rery

only in this

of the latter,

by water,

on Mills

.Of the former kind are bleach mills

ag h

mills;

for linen

facture.

manufacture

are of two descriptions

those necessary

Mills

that

sec tion

Kindu (l) states

in 1803 in his

Survey of County

Armagh published

Sir Charle s Coote in his Satistical

eu m

us eu m

COUNTYARl; -iAGH HISCELLAN~

us eu m

I ptl .

· The follo wing par t·1culars

us eu m

ou nt y

M 11

nt y

good

and a

from that

nor indeed during the Cromwellian

building .

Local tradition

was a renewal o'f windmill

between James and William

f~:ii;w.1:0:g:the conflict

It does seem,

Ar m

oc~l;}atj.,pn or tµe ifays of the Restoration. how'ev!ilr, that

to events

War0 ·r 1641,

Ar m

the Ciiril

of Armacbians made with regard

the depositions

onwards we do riot find any mention of windmills

are plentiful

ou nt

us e

of one

nt y

ag h

Ar m

of watermills

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

Ar m

ag h

period

of the then town of

on both sides

on the Cop.e proportion

sur;rey was

.,., further

it then consisted

that

houses built

Though records

as to such amenities

a pen-picture

from -which we learn

of forty

and situate

East and West respecti,rely.

of tbe county.

baronies

and a windmill"

settle:uents

give any information

made in lb2~ and provides

windmill

ou C

of O Neiland

bowe,rer,

in the other

street

and a windmill"

b~th English

on the Cope lands, the :baronies

and "two watermills

on the Brownlow estate

Lurgan

two watermills

Manors in County Armagh but Pynnar in

Plantation

his Su.r,rey of 1619 shows -

does not,

of any kind

of 1611 mentions no mills

Carew ' s Report

as regards

Grantees.

of English

were in possession

and only on such as

estates

on Plantation

can be localized

they

and that

in the second decade of the 17th century

place

there

the county _took

into

introduction

their

would assume that

sources

from various

eu m

tradition.

that

two sue.~ mills

eu m

cartographer

cap and sails The site

us e

landscape.

example

machinery and minus its

ag h

near

well preserved

The latter

in the local

us eu m

Tullynacross

town.

Ar m

Parish,

ou nt y

Ar m

f-eature

- of which later.

and the fairly

01' another :,.;in· Armagh

-t!Jougb. now bereft:-Gf

most were

in. Tartaraghan

or Poyntzpass

is a striki.:ng

tbat

ou nt

the villiage

ag h

Drumanphy

no less

are stumps11 at Drumnacanvy in Seagoe

there

such structures

the one in Armagh city

At present

shell

excepting

Parish,

eight

idle,

naps were drai-m up

stump 11 of which it is probable

ag h

ou nt

ou C

m Ar ©

5'15-.16.

a powerful

Esq ., engaged in

of Robert Jackson,

the manufacture of flour". (2)

iri his Memoir 'of Armagh as

windmill property the

and mentioned

in 1810,

Ar m

in 1819 by Stuart

of the city

pre-

sails

painting

James Black ' s

complete with its

Ar m

lt. is depicted

of its

site

one in 1809 aiJ.d a,c"tilaI1y p,ccupies the decessor.

nt y

Ar m

has been occuviid py a windmill since thB early 17th c~tuxy . The ··pre sent mill, however~ superseded the earlier

in 183) and depict

and one

time,

and delineates

Ordnance survey

windmills.

and published

interest

a survey of considerable

of that

Made

us eu m

a celebrated

than nine

Buss

map of. the county appeared in 1760.

by Rocque,

for the Copes of Loughgall .

The first

Captain William de

erected

evidence

and there

nt y

factual

was due - to Dutch settlers

indeed

this

that

states

us eu m

l'T'2. ··

Ves'k:

shows that

1-Jis soldiers

t:,e ..::reat and tl at 11

of roads

ec to t'. .c

referr

highway

ou nt

or the old road fr x1 Lurgan

to have been the lah er a s

ou nt y

Ar m

us e

ou C

di s.::oi;.nt -

nt y

the meal without

h e ate

ag h

that

Ar m

horse.

his

states

Ar m

also

nt y

Ar m

ing from

in ::,_·::st:::.on

sur~ri,res as to the General him -elf the Blue Stone( 3 ) at Lylo as a luncheon table.

tradition

used

Tradition

seems likely

ag h

a curious

Lur ga n and Lisburn

but it

to Armagh,

from the entry

11 great

aforementioned

road between

having

ag h the

whether

clear

is not

Shomberg

of gereral

order

highway had in par t been amended by the

ou nt

ag m

Ar ©

Ar m

This well-known landmark ga,re name to a lawless band ( 3) Boys who were the cause of Jmcn known as the· "Bluestone ? in The associ ation was broken in the area . trouble 1781 when three members of the gang were found guil t · i n For a short note on t:1e subject murder case. a horrible 11 I P• 562. Armagh", of s Memoir see Stuart

upon repairs

Shankill

21, 1690,

April

date

engaged

were also

th e Lurgan

nt under

minutes,

du ties,

from guard

Apart

districts.

surrounding

in the

s o~.,e

in the town Jf

were stationed

and h ad out- po sts

Lurgan

deri,res

us eu m

of Schombe rg I s troops

that

from the fact

eu m

The designation

us eu m

Tower 11 •

~)S,

known as Shomberg

locally

of Drumnacanvy

that

st u

windmill

abo,re mentioned

three

One of the

us eu m

COUNTY Aru,;AGHMISCELLANEA.

Bird Traditions,

by spitting

should a magpie fly

us eu m

in which they build

are never tumbled by storms or struck familiar

with the rhyme,

My informant

nt y

ou If you saw

•

CJ.)

might be a chance.

there was then a place in the village the.area collected letters personally

Ar ©

ou nt

Chapel

On the way you'd have

one magpie - no letters

Ar m

Mass.

Ar m

seems that

the inhabitants.of

.at Cullyhanna

(1) It

after

saying

two of them there

get the letters

on Sunday mornings heard people

magpie is unlucky.

young one we used till

information

I mind when I was a

A single

unusual

was an octogenarian

ag h

subjects.

It was rather

memory from whomI obtained

Ar m

so I noted it down. with a most retentive on many folk

magpies.

nt y

about single

Ar m

story

in the Barony of Fews I was once told

Ar m

In Cullyhanna

little

ou nt y

0ne for sorrow, two for mirth, Three for a wedding, four for a birth.

us eu m

and we are all

us e

Some more 1rulgar

11 ,

trees

ou nt

lightning

ag h

nests

is said that

their

ag h

Locally

shoulder

path .

left

their

hat if a man.

over their

to find people

bird by bowing (if

to avoid the ill-luck

across

times

try

C h

three

one's

however,

usual

harm from a lonely

try to evade possible

persons,

quite

is still

and it

a woman) or raising

magpies are looked upon

eu m

with disfavour

single

generally

In the county

1·.-h ere .

us eu m

The same person

wren which be described

as tbe

eu m

had a _warm spot in his heart

could be traced

ou nt y

and some wur gay wi'

nt y

ou nt

itself

king

There and then it proclaimed

from which it

but as sure as to-morrow a wee wran had hid

in the topney of the eagle unknownst,

Ar m

of the air

Soon

them all behine and in no time was high as

the sun itself

Ar m

wus soon passed be the hawk and th.e eagle .

the eagle left

us e

nt y

the one

wud be the king . They wur all The lark soared into the sky,

that

and they started

sober coloured

as to how the matter •

ag h

the highest

us eu m

They wur a~l

contention

Ar m

cud rise

of the air

but in the end it wus arranged

but it

be decided

there

itself

There wus a great

that

and others

wran.

Ar m

the kingfisher

the wee jinny

the story .

and little

coloux like

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

small , great

us eu m

m Ar

big,

the birds

as to which would be king among

Many a time I heared

there,

T'nere wus a gatherin ' of all

one day to houl ' a contest

story

as I have heard many

of it.

them .

versions

is somewhat general

ag h

which I think

would take a

and to prove it told me the following

tne

of age, said "the Wran was the King

of the birds

all

One of his neighbours,

oyer 80 years

that

but him, an' that

quare one to man him 11 • himself

and declared

He considered

birds

an' oul ' fashioned

"cute

Jenny Wran11 ,

for the

us eu m

Once it

us eu m

ou nt y

ag h

nt y ou nt

and plucked a thorn from (2) "It was at the Crucifixion Christ ' s brown, in the doing of which its breast became stained with His blood . 11

Grey backed crow. Linnet. Goldfinch. Lapwing. CommonWren.

Ar m

Corbie Linty Gold Pink Pee Weet Jinny Wran

Tbe The The Tbe The

however, in commonuse.

Ar m

Those noted below are,

I have never been able to compile an exhaustive

Ar m

list .

secondary names.

have often

In the county birds Unfortunately

is unlucky.

a wagtail

nt y

Ar m

That houses that have swallows nests in them will never be struck with lightning.

ag h

That if the lark sings on St. Brigid's Day it is the sign of a good Spring.

That killing

are -

Other beliefs

us e

a robin.( 2 ) .

to kill

it is

For instance

but now alas it is seldom seen.

are many.

unlucky

rare.

ou nt

ag h

of young firs,

Bird superstitions

golden-

and was also very much at home in

groups

has become extremely

the farm haggard

considered

enough the wren seems to be growing less

wren it

cute

a right

Its

in the county and as for the tiny little

plentiful

little

same wran.

Strangely

haunted

and the wran won.

the

wus

The eagle was sore put out but it

to follow

wee bird

crested

king

king,

eu m

am I.

of the air too tired

r ,m your

upwards singing

rose and continued

Heather Bleat Felt Blue Bonnet Hern Cran Yeltie Bardrake Briar Bunting Fieldfare Crail Scale Drake Stone Checker Chi tterling

her granny always said they always began the

us eu m

day of March but if

is really

they'd

bring

till

ou nt

a stick

ou nt y

Patrick's

Ar m

I am much out of doors excepting

_so I cannot say - March

is not a month that

"cuckoos changed into

ou C

h ag

One swallow does not make a summer.

ou nt

birds.

make fine

the worm.

in local

catches

nt y

h together .

Ar m

bird

Fine feathers

flock

Ar m

The early

such as Birds of a feather

proverbs

Birds also figure

cannot be checked.

assumption

Ar m

hawks in the summer11 but as we have no summers now the

ag h

that

us e

nt y

was at one time believed

Ar m

on St.

Day when the warm side of the stone is said to

turn up - and indeed __u-sually does so! It

the

us eu m

Whether that

next dayu.

and that

on the first

day was a Sunday divil

in Armaghbrague .

ou nests

ag h

of their

survive

ouilging

about birds

"the crows were Christians

that

beliefs

an old lady told me that

ag h

For instance

Many curious

Snipe. Redwing. Blue Titmouse . Heron . Yellow Hammer. Merganzer. CommonBunting . Blue Felt. Merganzer. Sheldrake. Stonechat . Swallow.

eu m

us eu m

The The The The The The The The The The The The

us eu m

If the cuckoo sings on a leafless sell your cows and buy hay . Killing

eu m

two birds

thorn,

with one stone .

eu M

nt y ou

nt y

ou C h

h ag m

Ar ©

h ag

Ar m ©

•

us e

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

M y

ou nt C

h ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

nt ou C

ag h

Ar m ©

to rise makes a man

and wise 11 •

ag h m

wealthy,

to bed and early

our

early

is not to be encouraged despite

than the

saying

riser

local

worm was an earlier

ou nt

rising

healthy,

early

bird,

As the unfortunate

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush .

us eu m

eu m

us eu m

ou nt

us eu m

us e

nt y

ou nt

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

l€,O

ARMAGHMISCELLANEA..

eu m

Local Pastimes,

an accident.

(Cork and Clare players,

I believe,

and never once witnessed

nt y

century

Ar m

I have seen hundreds of games within the

An iron

bullet

bowl")

weighing about 28 ounces is the us1;al missile,

ou nt

call

Ar m

to old people

though I have heard and indeed seen and talked

us e

ag h

thereon.

(1) The famous Dean Swift in his poem dermot and Sheelagh" written at Markethill, Co. Armagh, in 1728, whilst staying there with the Acheson family, mentions the game by its older name of 11long bullets 11•

nt y

on our roads has increased

Ar m

it a

half

This

some justification

speed and number of vehicles

last

of fact

a matter

There is perhaps

as transport

Ar m

both as regards

dangerous._

from time to time making efforts

being played.

attitude

from

Unfortunately

ou nt y

to visitors

prevent

to be slightly

in the police

Ar m

results

continues

to the game.

ou nt

is thought

matches with

still

and pleasure

who are strangers

throwing

for this

of interest

bullet

of some antiquity,

ag h

m Ar

counties

well organized

ag h

is a pastime

and is a source other

stakes.

respectable

Apart from friendly

us eu m

were, of course,

to areas within

events

of Armagh.

of the

us eu m

of the city

confined

the vicinity

quite

is chiefly

coupty but at present

there

played in most parts

formerly

M This game(l)was

Throwing.

Bullet

t 5'(.

us eu m

ago there

ou nt

Ar m

and able to sing them, but_ alas they have gone and with t~e to past games. most of the old commemorative songs relating

Ar m

were roughly shaped and then finished (2) Such bullets smoothly by turning them in specially prepared circular in suitable boulders or rock outcrops. depressions Act of 1851, Section X, sub(3) The Summary Jurisdiction the playing of games on public highways . section 2, prohibits

with such ballads

who were familiar

·.1ere•

nt y

of a century

were

contests

- alive,

ag h

Ar m

A quarter

us e

nt y

Ar m

us eu m

ou nt y

Ar m

ou nt

ag h

sport.

appear in court . (3)

and the participants

in verse . still

and

may witness

happens the bullets

When that

In days gone by the more important

many people

It is one of

days of commercialized

from time to time.

celebrated

eets

are compelled to descend upon the

however,

are confiscated

be" .

which spectators

enjoy withou t cost in these

players

It is a healthy

seems a pity that

from t'the powers that

the few re maining pastimes

The police,

nt and it

pastime

is not thrown whilst

are approaching .

ag h

and fascinating

are always posted

Scouts

the bullet

to see that

with disapproval

reach £100.

or pedestrians

traffic

the course

a consider able crowd and the stakes

The game attracts

may sometimes

number of throws being

in the least

the winner.

declared

usually

distance,

the fixed

covering

or more miles,

three

is thrown along the

road and the bullet

the person

The course

eu m

always a country highway,

in use.(2)

stone bullets

who remembered

l 5 .l

amusing themfor the

numbers and select

nt y

The

problem arises!

than

seems to have become more English

(4) Third Series, Vol.9, pp.63-66. p.738. (5) Account of Ireland, in Brand' .s upopular Antiquities" - the game is (6) For instance throw the mentioned as a Welsh custom pra ctised as they described as and d Englan of parts stone in some Blacksmith's long bullets. as d Englan rn Northe iri similar to the game known

ou nt

are evidences<

the game is

- then a pretty

nt y

C - and there

Ar m

population

Ar m

old Irish

the theory

supporting

in assuming that

from Great Britain

an introduction

If Wakefi eld is correct

the winner.

ag h

ground is declared

Ar m

He who hurls it the greatest lead and weighs six pounds. distance in the fewest throws making it roll along the

us e

is of

The ball

roads.

the most level

us eu m

a game much

ou nt y

in great

favourite

ou nt

Horse-racing,

When they intend

scene of action

ag h

Ar m

they assemble

selves

m Ar

by the weavers.

they

their

They play also at long bullets,

amusements.,

practised

of the Scotch. are therefore

and bull-baiting

cockfighting

by the descendants

ag h

are joined

of the country and in this

forefathers

to their

which gave birth

°whose descent and names.

language

features,

Ireland

into

progenitors

in the recreations

delight

in their

may be traced These last

·a class

19th century,

introduction

the game owes its

sprung from English

that

suggests

· · wr1t1ng in the early

ield , Wakef ak

Journal

in the Ulster

eu m

verses has been preserved Archaeology. (l+)

us eu m

which ran to twelve eight-line

effort

One such poetic

us eu m

eu m

settlers

by British

and forgotten

be neglected

should

should be duly

who may be able to expla i n

by our historians,

investigated

why it

that

- a fact

themselves

the British

and so wholehea rtedl y adopted by Irishmen .

would no doubt be r ewarding to study the methods of

It appears

been pro pell ed diff .eren tl y .

to have been an

In Scotlandnd for in stan ce th.e bulletet seems to have

play .

us eu m

ou nt

of life

ou nt y

nt y

ag h

the now

That, however,

on our highways.

Ar m

most popul ar game in the county, but alas we have no ear l y

of (7) Di cti ona ry of Scotti sh Langua ge , pr in t ed by Sawers 11 Edinbu r gh 1818 wherein i t i s te rmed long Bullet •

C and indeed the

is per haps the most varied

Foot ball.

ou nt

the fut ure must solve as best it may.

Football

may survive

a problem that

conditions

brought about ideal

Ar m

in cr eased tr affic

that

The renewed interest

for th e sport . largely

tra n sport , facts

Ar m

of motor

and conse quent r educt ion in the vol ume

Ar m

shorta ge of petrol

was la r gely due to the

Thi s revival

in the war year s.

Ar m

In Count y Armagh the game took on a new lease

us e

ag h

motion that made it

rapidity_(

move with considerable

a cquir ed a rotary

hi ghroad , by which it

by the

t hrown forward on the

the bull et was forcibly

hand, whilst

was wound, th e end of which was held fast

garter

ag h

iron bull et and somet ime s a round stone about which a broad

us eu m

regarding

a century

years told

me this

ago an old friend

them well.

time a football

, I niver

seein'.

worth

One townlan'

match was

saw one such but he minded

wud play another.

An' they 'd

then aged 80

story_

"In me grandfather's sport

In Curryhughes ' near Keady

eu m

nearly half

it.

traditions

us eu m

wud be out till

us e

nt y

ou a first

(8) Short Straws and long straws held in the hands with even ends showing. Heads of the teams plucked a straw each. Usually the long straw was considered the deciding straw but the metbod was re~ersible.

in the

considered

was undoubtedly

Ar m

wben it

with us.

in tbe ~ounty especia~ly

18th century

and is still

It was once very popular

in the past

Ar m

roots

This has its

Cock fighting

ag h

hooligans .

Ar m

of ill-natured

and the

the butt

are frozen

ou nt

players

Ar m

system wbereby the spectators

fun than the

nt y

That to my mind must have been better

present

cheer.

be agreed

ou nt y

us eu m

than hunts

the fun begun.

keep

If that happ ened

might be any number but it bid till

before

till

said it wus better

the whole of tw-country

Ar m

The sides

thatteam

.o I er the boundary.

He often

ag h

an' that

from get tin

th.ey'd be bate.

till

an• it wus up till

ou nt

the ball

begin in the middle

townlan'

of that

An' they'd

kickin'.

ag h

start

they'd

draw straws< S) for which wud hev the choice as to where

us eu m

6-: ·-._l5S: for gentlemen!

with the public.

then popularity

in secret

and isolated

show its

- now such matches only take place

places .

To be fought a

The Royal Sport of Cock-fighting

notices

The following

chief favourite

it was then

Like bull-baiting

eu m

class pastime

us eu m

ou nt

To be shown on Sat. the 20th day

in the town

the week following

and fought

ag h

us e

nt y

be shown at Lurgan the 22nd

between the Gentlemen

31 cocks and 15 bye battles

ou nt

May 10 , 1779 . "

B.N.L.

Ar m

To be shoW!Jin Moy in the County of

cock fighting.

Ar m

of County Armagh and County Down for 100 guineas the main or odd battle and to be fought on M-0nday24th instant .

' Tyrone on Sat. 12th June between the gentlemen of the County

nt y

March 9, 1779,

ag h

B. N.L.

Ar m

instant,

Cock fighting.

Ar m

Armagh and the County of Antrim .

ou nt y

Ar m

a main of 31 cocks for four guineas a battle and one hundred the main or odd battle between the County of

of Moira,

of March instant

April 4, 1786.

B. N. L.

ag h m

11Cock fighting

on Monday following.

and fought

April

To be shown on the 29th

a cock .

and 5 guineas

battle

main of cocks in Portadown between the gentlemen of Antrim against Down and Armagh for 500 guineas the main or odd

,-7-.

us eu m

156. of Tyrone and Armagh, 31 cocks for 10 guineas the battle the main.

June 17, 1779. 11

eu m

or 100 guineas

B.N.L.

"Cock-fighting.

between the gentle-

bye battles

cocks and fifteen

thirty-one

To be shown at Lurgan the 22nd inst.,

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

ou nt

of the 18th

period in the year 1764 Dr. Richard

m Ar ©

In the latter

quarter

the Mall -

Ar m

d'ays down to the last

cent111'y.

nt y

of the old 17th century race-

course - known as the Commons,now designated

from Plantation

had

tradition

the circuit

to local

been played within

according

These two pastimes

st •

under a penalty of forty

the Corporation

Ar m

Shillings

that no bull should be

was decreed

Ar m

within

of the owners of the cocks".

ag h

baited

Ar m

At the same time it

and

us e

at such cruel sports,

to be paid by every perso~ present to be levied

of five shillings

ou nt

within th~ Corporation

nor the tbrowin~ of cocks, under a penalty twenty shillings

us eu m

minutes survive and read

not be suffered

shall

Ar m

The actual

up of

by the d:a~ng

ag h

in 1798.

cockfights

in the City of Armagh

precincts

from its

were both banished

as under -

Lurgan, May 10, 1779. 11

and bull baiting

Cock-fighting

new bye-laws

B.N.L.

and to be fought on Monday 24th inst.

main or odd battle

men of County Armagh and County Down for 100 guineas the

us eu m

of Armagh.( 9)

encampments and other

in 1773 he leased the Commonsto the

to a cathedral

adjuncts

undignified

At anyrate

ou nt

us e

nt y

to Armagh.

Ar m

to an Archery Club in an Irish

I am aware of occur~ in relation

us eu m

nt y

ag reference

Archery.

ou nt y

features.

ag h

The first

city that

in the open green space now one of

Ar m

Armagh's most pleasant

This ended its use as a race-

ag h

and resulted

Ar m

course,

Walks".

city as "public

of the

of the inhabitants

them for the benefit

utilizing

ag h

Sovereign and Burgesses of Armagh for the purpose of

h Ar

1:g~~4 •

created Baron Rokeby of Armtaghi n 7~7 ,~~d~ founded the Armagh Observatory 1n 7 9

Dr. Robinson built the present Palace in 1770, (9) endowd and founded the Public Library in 1771, was

ou nt

Ar m

Ar m ©

It was founded by the Very Rev. James Downham,Dean of We know that the Dean's son-in-law, Armagh1667-1681.

nuisances

the consequent

that he considered

the gipsy and tinker

disturbances,

It is,

feature

however, more likely

town.

of our city life.

then followed the races for several

us eu m

M that

days . an unpleasant

disagreeable

gambling, cockfig~ting

free fights,

the bull-baiting, and drinking

It is said that he found

eu m

Archbishopric

to the

from the See of Kildare

Robinson was translated

was cap t ain in 1676, by which time ve may assume that the Club had been some years in existence. references to the sport are somewhat scanty Unfortunately

us eu m

ou nt

however, until

the l9l~-l8

was beginning to fall

Not,

into decay.

the ~entury it

war did it become completely

detunot.

but by the end of

Ar m

tournaments,

Dtllllbersto compete at its

Ar m

a club it enjoyed great popularity an~ was attended by English and Scotch archers who came over in respectable

ou nt

ag h

nt y As

published his survey of the county.

1888 when Bassett

Ar m

That, however, is somewhat the Club was founded in 1862. It moved from the Palace lands to the Pavilion incorrect. state in grounds in 1860 and the Club was in . a flourishing

us e

nt y

in 1888 states .that

County Armagh published

ou nt y

day.

ag h

use for that

shows and has been in intermittent

Ar m

shortly

for the County Armagh Agricultural

was utilized

Bassett

us eu m

of the butts was just west

and north of the farmyard on land that

purpose to the present

ag h

m Ar

afterwards Society

The position

walls.

enclosing

of the Palace

Ordnance Survey

Maps for the county which show in 1835 two 11Archery Butts". By that date the mensal lands had become bounded by

by the first

is borne out to some effect

This

then unenclosed.

demesne lands,

the archepiscopal

flourished

that the sport first

states

Tradition

locally.

eu m

us eu m

Walter Cope of Drumilly,

us eu m

Croquet According to the Armagh Guardian of August 1868 Club "opened a new croquet clubn in The game does not, however, seem to have that year: in the ci·ty though J.·t_ con t inued in the been a favourite houses until county as a pastime on the lawns of country the first quarter of the present century.

nt ou

Bowling

us eu m

us e

ou nt

of 1760. Shown as 11Bridewell 11 on Rocque•s Map a place of as it ion ment 1796 of aws bye-l Corporation playing ons "pers and en" wom detention for udisorderly e" and Hous et Mark the d aroun s game other handball or . refer to it bf its original name (10)

nt y

Ar m

ag h

nt y

Ar m

ou nt y

however, no detailed maps of the town for Armagh we that period but from rentals of the Manor of For instance know that it was situate in Scotch Street. mentions Ashe in a Survey of the See Lands made in 1703 which was "one small park by the Bowling Green tenement 11 small park adjoindestroyed in the late wars" and another both lying ing the above wherein was the Bowling Green t is not clear together near the House of Correction". (lO)I 11 11 referred to from above reference whether the late wars 16~1 and 1690 or to the latter only. We have,

ou nt

of 1641.

ag h

popular In the 17th and 18th centuries bowling was a are few. pastime in Armagh city but references to it just previous to the Civil War We know it was flourishing

eu m

the Armagh Archery

H. t&o. ,

us eu m

Garbaldy,

eu m

This game, which seems to have been a form of hurly

his death in ll+o4, found it

necessary

at a Provincial

Synod held between the years

Armagh from 1381 until

John Colton, Archbishop of

For instance

century.

was played in Armagh Diocese in the fourteenth

us eu m

us e

C h

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

nt y

ag h

ou nt y

forsook the reprehensive

Ar m ©

us eu m

C h

ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

in doubt as to

ou nt

actually

ag h

Ar m

pastime.

whether the faithful

was excommunication, but

the story ends and we are left

there

for disobedience

The penalty

sins and homicides ensuing therefrom.

of the mortal

ag h

1383 and 1389 to forbid the playing of the game because

ARMAGH MI~CELLANEA,

us eu m

Festivals

eu m

NewYear's Day.

tradition

ou nt

story

us eu m

little

"God help him", said she,

us e M

nt y

ag h

Ar m

1,rerbody will be jumpin' the ditch rather than meet her • If I had my way It's a quare she'd niver set a toe in the house.

But sure,

it would just ~ave been the same if he had She wus ill to plaza a saint from hea~ren.

on that

or milk.

day - sextons

avoided funerals

generation

as the

regarded

Ar m

to some extent

wrong time to pay out ~oney or give away butter The older

ou nt

Ar m

one. 11 New Year's Day is still that

that".

Ar m

married

nt y

to a dacent body a . daughter

affront

a woman whose son was

to one make a moan about it.

married

people are not always sonsy - especially

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

The following

I well mind bearin'

women.

to be red-headed

sonsy 11•

"Red-beaded

visitor

the belief

illustrates

ag h

are not

and it was and is still

for the first

Such people

occasion

unlucky

Water of no kind, however, was

•

to be thrown out on that

gettin'

uwriat comes into

on that morning would be plent;ful

the year

considered

cakes were

throughout

special

day 11 and that

baked for this

the house first

ou nt y

formerly

~hat

asserts

Local

162. to dig graves on New Year's

us eu m

indeed have been known to refuse

of uwisps 11 of hay was once a feature

The presentation

Day.

m eu

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

us M y

ou nt C

h ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

M y

ou C

ag h

Ar m ©

ag h m

C h

the reason for such gifts.

not discovered

I have

county of Down.

area in the adjoining

howe,,er,_in

survives,

the Kilkeel

The custom still

decay.

into

fallen

eu m

of the day but in so far as County Armagh_i~ concern~d has

f b"3.

us eu m

St. Stephen'sDay

of the wren has qui· te di sappeared except on the Amagh-Louth border where one may still find gr oup s s and singing the wren of children carrying decorated cage more than They seldom, however, can manage no longer cont ai ns a on! verse, and, of course, the cage live wren. such groups ~~ Dublin A few years ago I saw se1reral venture to provid e money where it was clearly a commercial and sweets. On St. Stephen's Day 1953 I saw for pictures in Dundalk and two ot hers six or seven groups circulating border. Amongst such at Faughart on the Ar~agh-Louth sing the first two ~arties it now seems usual to only finds that four verse s are verses, but one occasionally

nt y

ou nt

Ar ©

nt y

Ar m

all

ag h

Ar m

y were young mel'_l,nowthey are us uall When I last also . Joung boys but the girls are active I was very m~ch amused t o find saw the "playu in Dundalk into a decorated br anch that the cage had deteriorated nied by another you ngs ter which was swung by one boy accompa kissed him from time to dressed as a girl who embraced and the party pran ced about time whilst the other members of Some attempt was made at dressi ng up and sang loudly. straw hats and str aw but, ot course, the traditional Originally

us e

us eu m

ou nt y

ou nt

us eu m

ag h

Ar m

ag h

known.

eu m

The hunting

us eu m

.Another later group composed of leggings were missing. · · small boys were all dressed in cowboy kits with revolv ers Alas they barely knew the

eu m

waistbands.

strapp~d to their

of the song - and· in deed their p:edecessors The Armagh version runs were not much better informed.

Between a holly An' an ivy tree Where none of the birds Can meddle with me.

ou nt

One

Ar m

two other version.

Ar m

Then up land-

are rendered

( ) SometimU these two lines 1147 and give him a trate".

from credits it with saving a port;on of Cromwell's army King Similar destruction and a service of the same kind for uBefore William previous to the battle of the Boyne.

us e

us eu m

I have, of course, ~beard at least

Ar m

day.

ag h

one night an' we wud have wiped them Didn't it dance on the all out only for it. That wus before Brian's drums and waken them. sleepin'

nt y

ou nt y

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

I asked an old friend in Edenappa some questions about the custom and he had this to tell me Well "Is it the hu.ntin' of the wren yer after? The bludy Sowl ay! it wus done right enough. The Danes wur all bird lost Ireland to us. On one occasion

us eu m

Although he is little His honour is great, Then up with ye alL\. ) An' give us a trate.

ag h

Q...

wran, wee wran, ,._, We Wnere is your nest, 1 Tis in t~e tree That I love best.

The wran, the wran The king of all th~ birds St. Stephen's Day he was Caught in the furze.

to four -

verse

first

High King of

to a celebrated

us eu m

Brian's day" simply refers

eu m

Ireland who died in 1014 and is buried in Armagh.

us eu m

•

nt y

ou C h

nt y

us e

ou nt y

ou nt

h ©

Ar m ©

ag h Ar m ©

night

twelftb

us eu m

y 11

ou nt

C h

ag ©

Ar m

ag h ©

Ar m

should be removed on or before the

enough

Curiously

that all Christmas decorations

believe

a day on which

is considered

ag h

Armachians still

that.it

excepting

in so far as County Armagh

to it has perished

should be free~y given.

charity

Most of the folk

new year began to lengthen.

lore relating

is concerned

as the time on which the

regarded

This was formerly

days of the

Twelfth day

lb&

us eu m

St. Brigid's Eve and Day_._

relating

eu M

us e

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

occurrences 1 •ar •. London MDCXCI•

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

Ar m

ag h

Brigid_ customs on the Eve ~nd Day of st. as Christ preser;es all uLet us preserve this fire hou ' se and Brigid in the Christ at stthe head of ' ' the mid ng this house and all in it ervi ~res and Guar~ng the day 11• of t ligh the until particular Peat was then the commonfuel in that stated that the fire had household and family !radition in the ashes nightly been raked and the live turf buried The reference to Brigid interested me for generations. the heart of the fire. in that it linked the saint with Brigid's Crosses. to when the maki~ No early evidence . is available as Festival Crosses on the Eve and Day of Brigid's of Brigid's to belie,re that the first began, though there is reason of the Christian Period and is a survival custom pre-dates local account is contained The earliest an earlier cult. in a pamphlet printed in 1689.< ) old custom In County Armagh in.such homes as the the rushes are gathered continues (and they are ~,ery few) ght to the house. on the last day of January and brou erial and impartial history of the most mat ()•true last two in the Kingdom of Ireland during the

summary of tales

prayer for the rakeing to this an introduction

I noted down many years ago a of the fire which I shall use as

parish

eu m

In Ballymore

.'>

us eu m

They must be pul led and may not b e CU,t

until

inside

are not taken

eu m

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

are divided and the members

which the rushes

the crosses.

ou nt y

begin the task of fashioning

of the household

us eu m

The door is then opene~ and all kneel in

•

after

ag h 11

Go on your knees, open the door and let

times · and cries

spot near the door, knocks three

rushes from some comrenient

Brigid in

the prepared

lifts

~e immediately

closed.

carefully

of the night and the door

sent out in the darkness

She is

prayer

of, a female member of the

chosen to bring the rushes into the house.

household

us e

nt y

ou nt

C h

from

fashioned

are chiefly

varieties

made of rushes,

Cross now seldom appears as

It is. almost invariably

though the interlaced

to ha~re an apple griddle-cake

apple-dumpling as well, In County &rmagh, Brigid's a straw cross.

it is usual in certain

districts

apple-growing

as the chief d;sh,

Ar m

always feature

s Supper 11 and though pancakes

Ar m

"Brigid, s Tea" or Brigid,

spoken of as

is · generally

The meal itself

Ar m

of.

before the meal is

upon the table

partaken

nt y

is made and placed

ag h

Ar m

of the making of the crosses seems to ,rary In some places a cross districts. somewhat in different The ritual

Ar m

meal in which pancakes

and when partaken

brought in,

On that e1rening

This mostly takes place before the rushes are

figure.

sunset.

after

to have a special

it is usual

As a rule ~hey

,_ reeds.

us eu m

The making of s t strawcrosses presents a rather perple~ng problem. It SuggeSt s in some ways links with the harvest

us eu m

ou nt y

they crumbled

us e

nt y

ag h

When they can no longer be preserved

thrown aside.

they

Ar m

Brigid's 1 s Crosses when fashioned must not be lightly

nt y

on Brigid's

Ar m

should be burned or buried. Though it is th?ught more proper to make the Crosses

ou nt

strengthened

between

and f~iendship

of bestowal,

welfare being increased

Ar m

bJ tbe gift

who made them, their

on the persons

Ar m

Day or Eve, they are quite often mad~ specially The making and giving of such for presentation to friends. crosses is said to honour st. Brigid and confer a blessing

roof was

of preceding

remained there until

Ar m

the proper place for the crosses

years and they usually

were

side of the thatched

ou nt

the inner

ag h

tbe donor and recipients. ( ) For a more detailed study of the subject see Ulster lournai ot Archaeology (Third Series) Vol.8, pp.43-48.

when most of the country cottages

devoid of ceilings,

away.

of colour,

to a straw

is not then noticeable.

ag h

In days past

with new

contrast

bleaches

the cross eventually

colour and the effect

considered

a pleasant

but of course

The pro,ri~es

green rushes•

of the p~evious year · intermixed

exposed rushes

is sometimes varied by having weather

The rush cross

eu m

and makes one wonder whether Brigid took over ' some of the attributes of th e Calliagh besides those of her Pagan namesake.

lb~ .

Quinn of Glassdrummond who was born near

enough.

both older and

In them

in their

homes,

children

Ar m

nt y

ag h

around here and all the women and girls worked on them. The way it was in our they were glad to do anything.

New roads were made

I mind of it now.

Ar m

but it is little

was young I remember hearing of "the famine

nt y

Ar m

in.

ou nt y

to be done in the chapel for then you

us e

baptized

us eu m

correctly

ou nt

ag h

When I

and sister,

brother

often

but it was better were written

ag h

the priest

who

of us were put in the priest's

dead were entered

long since

in the house with my sister

was christened

book, though another

saw her on 28

She died in 1941 aged 105 years.

was twin to me, but neither

days

Nov 1939.

when I last

active

very mentally

and still

old lady

She was a most delightful

us eu m

in 1836. Mill [Ballsmill]

Ball's

ou nt

m Ar ©

Ar m

The girls would • ks' At Hallow E'en we made t ric • throw a ball into a lime kiln and ask for the name of The boys would be waiting and they would their boys. I remember a girl who called knov 1fh1ch girl to answer.

Ar m

it in my head still.

house must not have been bad or I would have thoughts of

Mrs Brigid

eu m

us eu m

I have taken down many stor. ies about the custom tbis one deals with other subJ'ects as well - and has a It was told to me by special appeal for me personally.

us eu m

Is..

one sue~ night and a voice shouted back

who is there"

and I •m wait· ing h ere for . you".

eu m

armful was tied in three plaits

When it was

It was done here

us eu m

ou nt

There were

•

they came to cry before death.

And there

ou nt

h ag m

Ar ©

Ar m ©

and the man watched for it•"

Ar m

old women, who could take the milk and butter I mind seeing a hare shot coming from or maybe do worse. It had been taking the milk a byre one Hallow E'en night.

were witches,

angels

They

nt y

to have been "fallen

us e

nt y

ag h

too,

banshees

were talked ·of when I was young.

Ar m

prople

were believed

of St. Peter and Paul.

kept the Feast Wee

Day and we always

Nobody worked on Patrick's

Ar m

stream.

to Faughart to pray at her

Ar m

sometimes made a pilgrimage

ou nt y

ag h

made them of rushes and of straw and on the day after

us eu m

We always

in her honour.

Eve and made crosses

long ago.

the holy Days better

We kept

minded Brigid's

not long ago.

ag h

would have a grand caper that night. till

was taken into the house and the boys and girls

and the boys had throws with a hook at it. sheared

The

was, the last

way of it

you.

was always done when I was young.

The Calliagh

That put an

that eveni'ng I can tell

of balls

end to the throwing

"the divil

us eu m M

eu m

LANEA H MISCEL ARMAG

according

This festival

to local

25th March 25

tradition

was in some way connected with the Feast of the

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

us y

ou nt C

h ag Ar m ©

are now forgotten.

nt ou C

Ar m

ag h

for the association

reasons

Assumption on August 15th but the customs or

us eu m

17I.

eu m

All Fools' DayClst April of April some do say

"The first

for All Fools Day,

It may

us eu m

times but alas the skies are

ag h

day.

on that

arrive

have been so in earlier

Cuckoos, Swallows and

traditionally

Corncrakes

So says the old rhyme.

M C

h ag

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

ou C h

)

us e

nt y

ag h

(

objects.

and other imaginative

Ar m ©

Errands.

ou nt y

h Ar m ©

( )

foolarns

fool

us eu m

ou nt

round squares"

Ar m ©

and they themselves are sent on

for

Ar m

looking

still

but children

somewhat ·1ater.-

ag h

elders

their

becoming more dangerous for birds and migrants now seem to be arriving

Not I, nor they themsebre s do know11 •

C h

But why the people call it so

Was set apart

us eu m

Easter.

of Lent , Easter becomes a much to normal practices in food and refresh-

observance

connected with that season has dis-

us eu m

ou nt

ou nt y

now-a-days

ag h

us e

nt y

the produce of our poultry

of that day.

ou nt

ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

as it was general to all denominations.

Ar m

This seems a pity

that we

egg with the result

on the morning or afternoon

fields

sUitable

Ar m

seldom see them rolling

but it

on that day for

the use of the household but alas the children the confectioner's

us eu m

crop is now

are on the decline

eggs in quantity

Ar m

to provide

but under the modern agric-

of that particular

Sunday ce~ebrations

usual

falling

Day it was considered

much later.

ag h

usually

set-up

ag h

the planting

ultural

potatoes,

a lucky time to plant

is still

parents,

Like Patrick's

into non-observance.

Easter

the graves of their

but the custom is fast

and n~ighbours,

kinsfolk

prefer

some of

nt y

people yet visit

the older

On Good Friday in the country district

appeared.

traditional

County Armagh is concerned much of the

In so far.as

ment.

return

appreciated

eu m

After the austerities

us eu m

t73. MISCELLAFEA. ARHAGH

Pancake

us eu m

people say it on

us eu m

us e

nt y

ou C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

•

nt y

ag h Ar m ©

uhusbands-to-be

ou nt y

h ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

ou nt

and their

ag h brides

Ar m

prospective

was a season of matchmaking and playing of tricks

some elderly

than that

other

Locally

methods of

as to particular

for those baked in the homes.

I have found no records

ag h

which are indeed

by shop varieties

poor substitutes

y nt

been superseded

types baked on the griddle .have, however,

The traditional

observance

Tuesday" this festival

by the baking and eatin g of pancakes.

celebrated

is still

Commonly called

eu m

Shrove Tuesday

us eu m

eu m

MISCELLAJ,"IJF,L_ ARNAGH Eve. Mid Summer

us e

nt y

ou nt

Ar m

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

Ar m

ag h

were 1· h ted on Mid Summer Eve d Drumbunion ig an h t ms more Hill near Keady see o ave been one of the important sites connected With the festival . Locally it summit. is believed that most of Ulster is visible from its ed 90 odd man in 1928, then ag I was told by an old day it was one of the greatest her's years, that in his fat It; was es in the county. bli em ass e Ev r me um of the Mid-S ces from considerable distan th en attended by visitors ' of St. Mochua, (1) ell W the d ite vis have many of Whomwould 2 ) and St . Meedy's Well. St • Patrick ' s Chair,( me festival have not 11 co r ula rtic _pa s thi t ou ab Stories rd An old friend, Berna tail. dow" in any great de November ar Tassagh) aged 75 in (ne e ge era nd Ta o:f h McCrees ' d be a 11 0n Mid Summer Eve there 1 9'+2, informed me that sic an • all the ght procession and mu li ch tor a th wi re nfi bo church e of the ruined pa and near the sitof st ml tol in d ar ge erl ma um gri Dr pil (l) ce pla le tab no a s ha , t ose bu no of Derry th e 19th ce ntury,[cu neht?] stoug t ngbro Custom lapsed in A days. wishing stone tharsi , tly en g rec nin d tur ive of rev d en be metho according to the the Church, removed &ood or ill luck int of n tio en erv was, through the d. and secretly burie highest point on Carrigatuke, the ark dm lan wn no the only ll-k of (2) A we e scene Still nd of Ar11maghbragu unty . co the in the townla in pilgrimage 11blaeberry August. in ay nd Su g vin st rn fir su July and in ay nd Su t las the bald o~ details Iskeymeadow . No linked the townland of ma lly na itio ad Tr . (J) Situate in to pilgri ge of te da as ive rv su . a St. .Meedy. 1dtb Bonfires

us eu m

mm Eve Ccont, ) Mid-Summer

There'd

the crowd wud be gone,

too who'd wait till

turf

a half-burned

then they ' d collect

ou nt y

would

ag h

as to when the

was correct

nt y

it must have been the last

there

place in the county wherein it was observed!

h ag

Green Height

patch

(a circular

(5)

r"'°families no longer represented in Co. Armagh . Curiously enough both the Synott house and Lord Charlemont•s house at Roxborough have both been demolished and neither families now own any land 1n the coU1'lty!

Site now known as the tree from heather).

Ar m

(1+)

ou nt

inn known as the Mountain

Ar m

of Drumully near the old roadside

taken down in 1942 from Michael Murphy ·

Another tale

us e

That was indeed a

nt y

The custo m continued

ago 11 •

Ar m

custom was discontinued

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

about 50 years

If my informant

us eu m

of musi.c and dancing.

till

at the

days on Mid-Summer Eve and there

Ar m

were lighted

"bonfires

be the best

This he said

for both families.<5)

Here I found that

earn in the oul'

for which they had permission

to remove the stones.

ag h

had been unlucky

from Lord Charlemont

•

Cladybeg townland

of a carn (4)i~

the site

the new house at Ballymoyer,

surprise.

had been used by the Synotts when they built

ag h

ll!hen discussing

here right

corn crops

an'

old friend ·, Bernard Rocks, aged 85, in 1931

Another

told me it

them home with them to put on the flax

or two an ' take

oul' han's

always be a few

be ~here .

eu m

young people

us eu m

17b . Mid- SummArEve Ccont ,)

eu m

us eu m

here on Midsummer

Tullybrone, 1942

C 11

us e

ou C

Cor r an .

Ar m

nt y

she did not go out on the

an I l i ght a whin or a bott le of straw.

ag h

nt y

Ar m

an ' the Eve never passed that

us,

nixt

I mind an oul ' woman who lived

ou nt

h ag m

Ar ©

Armaghbrague .

Ar m

r' s Eve. ot Mid- Summe

on the nigh t "When I was young the re' d be a bonefire [bonfire]

ou nt y

Alexan der F. Fleming,

ou nt

us eu m

had one even

Every hill

of straw on a pole.

Ar m

bonfires

0n Mid-Summer Eve there ' d be bonefi r es but they

have vanished .

hill

or politics"

nt ou

pass ed.

has all

ag h

m Ar

ag h

They used . to have great

it was only a bottle

of riv alry in religion

Eve but that

was forgotten

harml ess th i ngs shoul d be broken up by

It ' s a pity

an ' th e festival

into f actio n fights feelings

In time they grew

each other .

them attacked

lighted

that

come a time when tb~ parties

but there

You would have seen them blaze on the

Summer Eve • hills,

on Mid-

we used to make bonfires

that

House, states

us eu m

Mid-Summe r Eve (cont.)

"There were bonfires

was nothing had died

spoken of by the old

us eu m

was still

a few

All that

or games.

ag h

though the festival

there

in the way of assemblies

district

somebody was sure to light

whins somewhere but in this

out,

night

seventies

"On that

Cassidy , circa 1930 11then in his Tandragee (Tassagh).

about

ago.

here up till

eu m

years

fifty

on the hills

us e

for many a day.

nt y

to have stopped

ou nt

G.P. Aged 75.

Ar m

Cornascriebe,

are said , however,

of 1798.

were from 70 to 80

Ar m

the matter

Such fires

after the troubles

figh t

or ten years of age at the time

and the peopl e debating

Years old.

of a

than the

was eight

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

it . better

and bad blood between the two townlands I suppose

the bonfire

There was then a free

by themselves.

the

ou nt y

one lighted

crowd if they thought

Ar m

nei ghbouring

townland raided

often

people of an adjoining

and that

ou nt

ag h

of each other 's efforts

jealous

people who said it had ceased because the town.lands were

us eu m

17<;J.

eu m

ARMAGH MISCELLANEA Bonfire Night July 1st

"WhenI was a boy, and that was well over half century

us eu m

to the change

us e M

and have the

of the ceremony.

ou nt

nt y C h

so it was

part

as well,

barrel a, the final

This was most

but sometimes burned too quickly, bonfire

or other

Ar m

8Uitable cask mounted on a high pole.

took the form of a tar barrel

Sometimes,

however, the fire

Ar m

from farms in the vicinity.

of a mass of inflammable

material collected

UIUaJ.to have the ordinary

thrown upon the

consisted

nt y

equipped with an

effigy of Lundy, which was subsequently fire and usually

procession

Ar m

were games, songs and dancing

there

ag h

Ar m

bonfires

of July 1st.

by which the date for the famous battle

and sometimes a torchlight

•ttective

us eu m

ou nt y

due perhaps

bas now become July 12th instead

they had an earlier

Ar m

possible,

began,

with the battle

ou nt

ag h

linked

then perhaps

I thought

At those

when such bonfires

but as they were a celebration

in the Calendar

and become in

I could never discover

that

districts

an urban feature.

of the Boyne itself,

ag h

some few instances

on that

Now the custom has practically

from the country

evening.

disappeared

from dusk to midnight

particular

from which we could see

blazing

to nearby hills

bonfires

ago, I remember going with young people of my

o'Wllage group

origin

us eu m

July 1st (cont.)

Night,

I first

from

us e

ou nt

C h m

ag Ar ©

ou C h

Ar m

ag h

nt y

Ar m

us eu m

ou nt y

us eu m

landscape.

in the local

features

that they began in

which even then were still

Ar m

bonfires

the festival

of the July

but may indeed have derived

19th century

the early

Ar m

to the date of origin

I cannot help feeling

bonfires.

seasonal

etc.

Ar m

But to return

11 ,

ag h

0ul Orange Flute

and so

rThe sash my father

favourites

ou nt

the

similar

were other

wore

account was most thrilling,

This realistic

ag h

July the First in Oldbridge town, • There was a grievous battle, Where many a man lay on the groun' By cannons that did rattle. King James, he pitched his tents between The line for to retire, in, But King William threw his bomb-balls • An' set them all on fire. 11

nt y

ballad -

heard the old

eu m

It was at one such gathering

Bonfire

us eu m

I HISC&,LAN&). AtltjAGH

lt,l:iSTIVALS.

st. Peter and st. Paul.

eu m

The Feast of

us ©

us e M y

Ar m

which he described

the evening ceremony there was a bonfire

as part

1ntol'Ulant, wo was aied 80 in 1926 said that

ou nt

on the stone •.

length

Ar m

bis full

from

nt y

water-

and in running

Ar m

tripped

nt y

a night upon it whereas

says that he was chased by "a giant

the serpent

upon

with St . Patrick.

that he slept

swimming in the lough,

us eu m

ou nt y

links

snake11 wan

as tollows

us eu m

ou nt

tradition

ag h

another story

Lake 11

to lie

in pilgrimage

congregated

Ar m

states

One account

Ar m

a slab of rock that

in Drumlougher

of the county,

lake known as "Patrick's

is a little

people

lilhere local

particular

took place on that

In the Crossmaglen part

tow.al.and, there

as to the

now available

formerly

ag h

festival.

days of the 18th century-and

information

that

celebrations

ceased in this

there is little

ag h

in the closing

than

the well overflows

Bonfires

on June 29th.

connection

midnight

to tradition

According

formerly.

to St.

survives

well attended

Armagh, though less

Well,

Patrick's

still

A pilgrimage

wells and bonfires.

with

seems to have been linked

In County Armagh this

19 i:. I

us eu m

Tue Feast of st. Peter and st. Paul (cont,)

us eu m

ou nt

ou nt y

nt y

ag h

on the 29th of June each year on the shores

nt y

Christian Brothers ' School.

at the Armagh

Ar m

derives from the Downey MS., now preserved

this

ou nt

Ar m

My info r mation regarding

ago .

of Armagh was visited

A well at Li s adian near the city

up to about 80 years

Ar m

remains o:f a pilgrimage

or the dying it is hard to say 0 .{ 2 )

but whether it was a Patron

Lough Patrick,

us e

there used to be a

lntormw

Cullyhanna .

Mr. Devlin

(a)

4djoining Bonfires

St. Pat r i ck ' s but known as 11st. Peter ' s Lough 11 , and on that nigh t were lighted on Carrigatuke a ccording to another friend of equa l other hiih hills, ageNthe ashes from such fires had a cure in themll but what it was be had foriotten .

{l)

from

of a stick

home a bit

that

near

wud remain till

that

lassie

h ag

Ar m

A.notoer acc ount states

gathering

Ar m

the .fireu.

"Ay

here on June 29th and a

I remember one oul'

the end an' she ' d always·take

It's of

A neighbour

•

There ' d be songs till

to the lough.

ag h

mornin'.

ag h

always be a bonfire

pilgrimage

hed a

his remarks in these words -

equal age confirmed there'd

but me father

of that.

but I know nothing

cus t oms should die

oul'

that

a pity

part

wee lough(l)

I don ' t mind that

too,

they

\,ru.dbe taken down an 1 the ashes

said the other

to it

pilgrimage

how short

.An' the cattle

Oul people

eu m

might be.

for tnat

did.

People wu.d always save a

evening no matter

bag of turf

thrown about them.

too .

bonefires

uT'nare ws

us eu m

eu m

A.REAGH MISCELL ANEA,

it was customary

· It was usual

us e

ou nt

h ag m Ar ©

nt y

ou C h

ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

us eu m

ou nt y

ag h

ou nt

us eu m

nt ou C

Ar m

Ar m ©

ag h

Ar m ©

ag h

to church-

customs no longer observed.

pilgr i mages to holy wells and pay visits yards,

to make

to add ani mal bones as fuel.

that

affirms

Bonefire

Night" and tradition

was known as

festival

this

Locally

Feast of st. John,

us eu m

IS')--\

MISCELLANEA, ARMAGH

eu m

Festivals,

us eu m

ou nt y

The wetting of the Calliagh - a similar custom Sometimes to the wetting of the shamrock. a "cry" was raised before and after the cutting.

After the cutting ritual it was carried into the house where it might be draped round the neck of either master or mistress.

The cutting or the Calliagh was mostly followed by a special meal known as the Churn.

ou nt

Ar m

was thro'Wll from a butt.

nt y

The sickle

ag h

nt y

The sickle was thro'Wll in a special way and women could take part in the throwing of it.

Ar m

ag h

Womenwere allowed to plait the Calliagh and when cut it was sometimes despatched to a standing. neighbour whose corn was still

us e

may be

that

facts

ou nt

interesting

The Calliagh when cut was carried into the house where it was sometimes preserved to · the next harvest.

Ar m

They do,

certain

disclose

ag h

m Ar

that I make no attempt

the one from the other.

summarized as under -

briefly

however,

nationalities

customs of the three

in County Armagh are so interwoven to distinghish

and Scotch

English,

of Irish,

The harvest

have been

by people

contributed descent.

noted herewith

accounts

The various

The Harvest.

us eu m

The Harvest, {cont.)

that mythical

The following

story

taken down

states

us eu m

There'd

be dances in

us e

nt y

all engaged

nt y

The scythe was

Ar m

and saving of the crops.

ag h

time in County Armagh the

with men, women, and children

the scythe was still

but on· the smaller holdings

Ar m

time horse drawn mowing machines were fairly

1898 to 1914.

ou nt

wheat straw for the purpose

That would have been circa

implement, but I remember seeing

Ar m

But times

them in to dance now?"

in use for shearing

of thatching.

Indeed there'd

time night about.

ago in harvest

then the common cutting the sickle

plaits

ou nt y

Ar m

were alive

in the reaping

ou nt

Ar m

Who.1 d let

years

three

of hooks or be the sweep of the

night.

all the _houses in harvest Fifty

was

would go to hang on the souple.

be a week dance that

are changed.

us eu m

ag h Then it

ag h

m Ar

scythe.

the

When the field

straws were woven into

and cut be the throwin'

prevalent

uthe

that

but how she got into

Gullion

bare the last

At that

on Slieve

of the corn nobody knows.

nearly

fields

_aspect.

particular

that

7q,

was a kind of -witch, an oul hag of a woman.

cutting

illustrates

then aged

Bhirra

in 1939 from a Mr. Mallon of Clontygora,

She lived

linking

with the harvest.

Calliagh

are traditions

of the Calliagh

there

survive, figure

eu m

In South Armagh where stories

us eu m

In those days, and indeed later,

was saved in considerable

day and threshed

a ladder

on a couple

us eu m

bagged 11 and taken to the barn

and made ready for the Market.

us e M

nt y

ou nt

an' the fella

It was done on the last . day of the

It was cut from a butt

up an' plaited

who cut

carried it ott to the house, where it wud be put above

it,

of corn was gathered

shearin

found in Irish

an• tied in a knot.

tales

Ar m

handful

and similar

customs could

A little

Ar m

generally.

of harvest

be enlarged

Ar m

collection

This little

In those days straw

commodity and was carted many miles

markets for sale.

counties

ag h

in farmyards where the same power

was also used for churning milk.

undoubtedly

nt y

Ar m

sights

waa a valuable

Such machines were common then and

by a pa.Lr-of horses which moved in

fashion.

were familiar

ou nt y

machines pulled circular

we were equipped with metal threshing

Ar m

somewhat earlier,

and the

By 1898, probably

by flails.

ag h

accomplished

ou nt

With wheat and oats the mode was different

us eu m

was cleaned

de-seeding

the grass was hammered with wooden

and subsequently

where it

usually

chairs,

winnowing cloth,

supports,

ag h

of kitchen

batons,

on a large

which on raised

on a

suitable

together

the sheaves were gathered

and stooked

seed

After being cut

quantities.

grass

to be seen.

eu m

The Harvest Ccont.).

us eu m

TheHarvest Ccont.)

is the

day.

be a bit of a spread an' plenty

was as cheap then as buttermilk

whiskey, for

there to the nixt year.

eu m

there'd

That night

an' left

for luck,

the dure-head

ou nt y

us e

nt y

An'

•

death.

till

·them an' were frightened

the wee ones .believed

s caught the day we

hang y er moth er with

Ar m

it in till

ag h

be sayi:n, "when the _ Calliagh

us eu m

ou nt

Ar m

That day the workers would torment the

hook from a butt. 'Will be bring in,

the

day, ·was be throwin'

way it was done in my father's

1942.)

July 30th,

cut, but I know the

mind seeing the Calliagh

"I don't

•

h m

Ar ©

Ar m

in Ballymoyer Parish).

"Mrs. Murray, wife of above John, and a native Ballintate

ou nt

do. 11

thing till

that was the right

Ar m

It was' always put about the neck of the woman of the house,

Ar m

was cut it was taken home an 1 hung in the kitchen

(John Murray, Armaghbrague, aged 85.

childer

shearing.

us eu m

weemin in one fiel

an' ivery womanbed a rig.

was then in rigs

When it

or twelve oul

ag h

The lan

ag h

s~eing eleven

cut by the hook an I I mind well

I saw the Calliagh

July 29, 1942.)

(John Haughey, Armaghbrague, aged about 83 years.

us eu m

TheHarvest Ccont.)

cut and cut with a hook too,

eu m

I saw the Calliagh wus long ago.

wee bit

the last

They plaited

but that

us eu m

The man that

us eu m

us e M

nt y h

Ar m

were accustomed

and other animals

ou nt

Ar m

at the side of a lane

to quench their .thirst.

usually

or road, at which horses

A water-hole,

aged about 70 years).

Drumart, Loughgall,

(Thomas Mallon,

Ar m 11

ag h

that ye'd be fit

I know a man it wus done with an• he's

an' over eighty.

(l)

an' after

belly,

a donkey's

as a fiddle.

Ar m

times under

he'd put ye three

ye'd done it,

nt y

An' after

drink too.

a flush(l)where

An' there he'd make ye

wd be drinkin'.

the horses

alive

an' take ye down till

He'd put on

ou nt y

Ar m

s winkers

ou nt

An 1 this

cure almost

is how he'd work it.

He'd be able till

ag h

cud do things.

anything.

a horse

"There wus a charm in the Calliagh.

cut it

nt ou

roun'.

all

(Bernard McCreesh).

ag h

with trates

libt:!rty

hang him, but he

till

man of the house an' threatened always bought his

the neck of the

cut it put it roun'

The man that

it.

of the corn an' then they stud back an' threw hooks at

~ 1

us eu m

'$ 'f-

TheHarvest Ccont.)

in the oul'

eu m

an' when they wur cut they wur tuk

An' all the neighbourin'

take it till

is the 11

the

han 1 staff

soupel

now.

few cud handle a flail

(Thomas Mallon, Drumart).

Sure its

They wur joined by the tug an' it wus

Ar m

mostly made of skin.

an' the

ye gripped.

The

Ar m

the corn with,

hit

part ye'd

used now.

us e

an I the wind wud blow the chaff away. are little

ag h

Ar m

they'd

a winnowing-

nt y

see two of

ou nt

ou nt y

a man for the

each other across

An' when it wus -thrashed Flails

part

be the whole

Sometimes indeed ye'd

facing

hill

Ar m

cloth.

give them

cut once. -

Ar m

them with flails,

not

He used till

When I wus a boy people wud hire threshin'.

rather

the Montiagh

ou nt

from Ardee 11 •

talk but I only saw the Calliagh winter's

time he'd be encored he'd

ag h

He'd always sing

the others.

they'd

us eu m

listen

ag h

- when he wus there,

nthe turf-man

He wus the talk

hear him.

of the countryside till

too till

"Geordie look-up

wd be there

wus

He wus called

way of walkin'.

wedding 11 an' ivery

wud sing be ear but there

because

be note.

An'

an• fun.

one cud do it

ladies

wus singing

nt y

Then there

all the men an• the girls of he's

us eu m

the house.

stalks

the corn wur plaited till

days the last

"At Drumilly

us eu m

TheHarvest Ccont.),

"When we cut the Calliagh

be a party

and tea and dancing."

us eu m

and then they'd

nt y

Ar m

The throwing might last

the dear boy now even if people had time

tor such things.

Ar m

(West), May 1941).

Garvey, Tullyvallen Tipping

but sure that's

drink and in them days it was whiskey,

He got the first

ou nt

Ar m

of the house.

would cut it would run with it to

the house and put it round the woman or girl

Henry

us e

nt y

ag h

of your arm, that

Then a butt or mark was made and

thrown from there.

while and the man that

ou nt y

Ar m

and plaited.

the corn

When all

about the thickness

was down to a bit

the sickle

it was the reaping-

of the Calliagh

was used not the scythe.

hook that

raise

(Brigid Gormley, aged 90 in 1937),

Ar m

ag h

the cry "cut her down, cut her down11 • 11

•In the cutting

And

boys 11 •

ou nt

put up the Calliagh

wud be platted

handfuls

the three

ag h

shout in many a fiel

ye'd hev heared them

uNearing the end of the harvest

was left

Age 75).

us eu m

spirits

(Mrs. McKinley, Clontygora.

with

there'd

bows were made at the same time and that night

Harvest

Some does do it yet on

was always given to the owner.

The Calliagh

the sly.

lock of corn in

The last

•

and cut.

was plaited

the field

souple

eu m

and hung to the

it was always brought in

-8':

l(}I.

us eu m

The Harvest (cont,),

there

He that

us eu m

but long

it an• swing me scythe through it,

of that kind now.

nothin'

but there's

M y

be a cheer

time there'd

days as well.

send for a quart of whiskey or mebbe they'd

have had it in,

us e

nt y

Ar m

us eu m

It was done in me

time an• in me father's

When it would be cut in their

I just plait

June 16, 1942).

cut the Calliagh.

grandfather's

Tullygoonigan,

"I still

of it in was

Churn. u

Ar m

(Donnelly,

by the

The bringing

ag h

always followed

ou nt y

about it,

all

farm here up

I never saw it done

as 50 years ago.

Ar m

but I heard

as recently

was cut on the Gillespie

Ar m

"The Calliagh

June 16, 1942.)

ag h

Lennon, Tullygarron,

was

I heard of it

ou nt

(Patrick

everywhere at one time.

an• they'd

Probably he

of whiskey at the uChurn11 •

often.

stood

cut it won a prize,

ag h

to cut it

hooks.

helping

usual

their

was I don•t quite remember.

got an extra

but what it

was finished.

at the top in some way and the shearers

back and fired

the evening when all

ou nt

and not cut until It was tied

somewhere in the field

nt y

A bunch of corn was left

days.

until

were few scythes if any in those

then;

The corn

Ar m

was shorn

of the Calliagh.

eu m

uI heard of the cutting

us eu m

TheHarvest {cont..l ago it was done be the throwing of the hook.

something when they cheered but

eu m

days they shouted

I have no memory of what it was.

house for luck.

tea that

the Churn 11 •

eu us

could only be cut by a

ou nt C

so as to make

That method was necessary

as back hand.

way kno-wn

Ar m

of the sickle

in a particular

by the throwing

nt y

and sliced

The corn was plaited

tbe book Spin, for the plait

us e

nt y C

of the Calliagh

I saw the cutting

50 years ago.

(Drumcree Parish).

Ar m

than

"In Derrylard

Ar m

them capers.

are gone knowed

that

people

The oul'

kiss.

Ar m

he got a

with it unless

ag h

cut her throat

till

drink or

less

of oats

an' rush in to the woman of the house with it,

threatening

all

it wus done one of the men would pluck a han'ful

from it

us eu m

Ar m

· As soon as

time.

in harvest

stack of corn wud be built

of a custom here .when the last

ou nt y

ag h

ou nt

tell

but

of the Calliagh

"I. ni ver heard of the cutting

I rememoer hearin'

June 1942).

Killyfaddy.

ag h

of merriment as well.

(Henry Price,

a wee bit

and often

there was a feast

.Always at the end of the Calliagh

us eu m

evening.

always a special

It used to be called

I'm not the only one here that does it

an' there's

still

the

It goes into

oul'

In the

us eu m

IQ.3

TheHarvest {cont.)

eu m

The person cutting

home and if he so desired,

at the harvest

Some-

also.

there was always a generous

of the cutting

as the chief drinks • 11

eu us eu m M

girl.

the house when I was a little

by the throwing of sickles,

Ar m

I think it was cut originally

and cut

Ar m

Tow.land of Mulladry.

but wen I saw it being done almost sixty years ago it

(2)

and tied

Aged 80).

was always plaited

us e

nt y

kinds.

into

were games of various

Ar m

uTbe Calliagh brought

Those who could

ag h

so and there

Ar m

to supper.

(M. Honeyford, 1942.

and

and all

home and placed in the kitchen

were entertained

cut

was finally

ou nt y

When the Calliagh

Ar m

it was brought

sing did

ag h

Then a spot was chosen from which the

was thrown.

present

,·s time. ( 2 )

were gathered into three parts

ou nt

stalks

Some good strong

y nt

was cut in your grandfather

"The Calliagh

sickle

1942).

(J. Pickering,

ag h

spread with whiskey and porter

and plaited.

On the evening

times the women were allowed to throw the sickle

ou nt

was his to take to his own house.

the Calliagh

us eu m

drink

the first

it was entitled

nt y

motion.

circular

us eu m

TheHarvest (cont.} was used.

that

eu m

the Churn",

and a party called

was devoted to a feast

tumblers of

were offered

at which the men and girls

of the corn

of the cutting

that marked the completion

evening

The particular

and a dance.

My mother always danced the first

ou nt

ag h

of the corn

ou nt y

M us

into three

This was separated

ag h

corner of the field.

standing in the

nt y

Ar m

nt y

for

wine, and porter

~ouJ.d be a eoodly spread and whiskey

ou nt

and on that night there

was called

the Churn" and was different

itself

Ar m

the workers and su-cb of the neighbours as might be invited. 1'he feast

to the "Harvest Home which took place la tar when all

The custom was

of the Calliagh

the next harvest.

hung until

it into the house in triumph

carried

1'be man who cut it

Called the cutting

Ar m

and tied and cut by the throwing of a hook.

Ar m

spanned by a man's hand would be left

Ar m

as much grain as could be comfortably

would be finished

"On ·the evening on which the cutting

'Where it

us eu m

ag h

Co. Armagh. 1941.)

formerly of Corcullentragh,

us eu m

Loughgilly Parish,

(Mrs. T. Hare, Cornagrally,

plaited

dance never

She died young and my father

held "churns" for the workers afterwards.

parts,

tea

fuss as to who should

would always be a little

be her partner.

and there

This was followed by a very special

fresh cream.

vas the scythe

the

~L.o.

us eu m

TheHarvestCcont,~ and was very much the same kind

corn was in the haggard

eu m

years hanging round the

going back for fifty

bad Calliaghs

at the corner (3)

I remem er 1.rwright's

dish •

then a favourite

walls.

of apple dumplings,

but with the addition

of entertainment

us eu m

ou nt

ou nt y

nt y

shear in

work would be done on somebody's

when their

rood of oats that they'd

ag h

oztlya

Ar m

by a body with

the evenings

Ar m

the scythe,

ag h

saw the hooks thrown at it but I In my time it was cut by how it was done. though mebbe it was done in the oul' way still

lively

1941).

h ag

85.

aged

(3) A public

Ballymore,

house at one time the home of a particularly The premises are now a farmhouse and ghost.

unlicensed.

D.,

(J.

which mebbe I didn I t•

Ar m

knowed1 t,

for them that got it would be very angry. I ~as young then so I forget the reason why, if ever I •ebbe a joke,

ou nt

Ar m

It was

Ar m

I do not know.

But why they did it

1'1Dished.

nt y

into the house and that I heared of people be a bit of a spread. evening there'd 88llding it to their neighbours whose harvest would not be We took the Calliagh

farm.

hooks at it

Then the men would throw their

I niver

from. a butt.

know that's

uncut and that wud be

by one of the weemin who'd

and platted

diVided in three be tying.

would be left

handful

ag h

corn the last

of the

At the cutting

of the Calliagh. .

"I heared

herty] 194-1). (Matthew O 'Hanlon, Manordogherty, [Magherydog

us eu m

TheHaryest(cont.) years ago when the Calliagh

u1 remember sixty

eu m

and brought in and put round the neck

(Henry Conn, Tullygoonigan). saw it cut an•

years since I last

Hill beside was at the Warden's of Tannagh [Tonnagh]

then it

us eu m M

nt y

ag h

Ar m

If there about the neck of the boss of the house. was no man it wud be put aroun• the woman. I saw it cut I mind first near Crossmaglen, but many a time I saw it. seeing it done at Harrison's of Drumlick, at Ballydoo an' put it

Ar m

at Drumore in the county of Monaghan. The boys an• girls in the harvest fields in them days made and wore harvest

ou nt

h ag m

Ar ©

Ar m ©

11 knots but sure I haven I t seen one for years. June 28, 1942). (Toal, Drumcairne, near Armagh city.

tuk it in an'

to be cut an• him that cut it,

Ar m

was plaited

a sup of drink an' a song or two.

ou nt y

of atein•,

ou nt

ag h

There was always a big night when it was laid.

Killylea

ou C

mebbe forty

ag h

It•s

It was only used then

wheat for thatching.

thrown at Calliagh.

for shearing

Plenty

called

evening

the sickle

There was always a special 11the Churnu. I never saw

us eu m

of the man of the house.

have been platted

tea on that

would

Ccont.)

us eu m

~arvest

eu m

hard to mind now."

ou nt

Ar m

1'here•d always be a good cheer when it was cut,

Ar m

or four to throw at it from a butt.

was done when I

ou nt

The way it

it.

Ar m

I have cut it myself with a

Vas wee was for three

book but not be throwin

It is cut by the scythe

the next harvest.

nowbe them that does it.

nt y

ag h

When it was cut

it was took in an' hung up in the kitchen an' there it stayed till

it from the ground and tied

of ' the corn.

the top with some stalks

an' then cut her.

Ar m

days the boys plaited

us eu m

ou nt y

h ag

first

the Calliagh

nt y

ag h

Ar m

was

June 28, 1942).

Hugh Campbell, Shean, near Forkhill. "You plait

boyu to

in Co. Down so that most of his life

farmers

passed away from Shean townland).

us eu m

ag h

It's

wus rushes,

a very young boy he hired as a "servant

(A.s

various

ormebbe

s Crosses but I seen them done.

I think she made them of straw

made them.

My sister

with plenty of all

made Brigid

I niver

of food an' drink.

sorts

after

be a feast

saw it done here but I know it

I niver

ws done and there'd

I saw it done often in the

an 1 hooks then,

County of Down.

The corn was plaited.

corn cut in the harvest,

ws sickles

bit of

wus the last

the Calliagh

"What they call

of Brigid

I saw lots

s Crosses made.

eu m

an' the scraw.

the ribs

between

The cross I saw was

They were sometimes made of straw.

They were

on the inside

stuck up in the roof of the houses,

,near Mullabawn. Lathbirget [Latbirget]

ag h

(John Kelly,

ou nt y

They

of some

always be a trate

ag h

nt y

ou nt

the young ones

They thought she was in the corn

would be in a bother.

would be a cuttin',

lillen the Calliagh

then an' sometimes two days ~ork I niver saw harvest knots made.

Ar m

1'Duld be done in one.

provide ye with an extra pint" .

Nobody wanted to be last

the day we'~ll

if ye can finish

an' I'll

for him -

say then to the people

Ar m

be in fron of

A man would often

'Who'd be workin'

Ar m

farms.

Smallest

kind with a feed an• lots of drirtk an' that even on the

be cut there'd

nt y

to be done be the scythe.

Ar m

Whanthe Calliagh

it an' then they all stud back an' threw at it.

In my time it was beginnin'

of corn in the corner of the field.

a wee bit

Ar m

who sheared with the hook.

plaited

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

They shore all but

of people

June 28,1942).

The people that I used to see do it were the remains

mind well.

for

no runnin'

I was a wee runner about then but I

Mayflowers now.

to put the Mayflowers on, but there's

us eu m

On May Eve a wee tree would be stuck in the midden

us eu m

TheHarvest·{cont, 2

TheHarvest (cont,)

ones would say

South Armagh. June 28, 1942.)

in the house · of Mr. Frank Cullen

"I saw a Calliagh

m eu

C h

Murphy, Drumilly,

(Michael

in the feast.

They took no part in the throwin'

shared

An' the young

her up in the corner.

tie

ones were satisfied. but they

there

an' we'ill

come

she. goes, but she, ill

eu m

the oul'

from the field

back

If a

near the end, as often happened,

bare fled

us eu m

ag h

miles south of Armagh city on alliagh] a few of Ballingallia, [Ballynag June 20, 1942, who told me he always brought it in at

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

Every-

nt y

ou nt

drink at the Churn, a great

Prize vas mostly the first

Ar m

Then the men that were shearing would stand The one that Up an• cut it -, with .flings of their hooks. cut 1 t put 1t around the neck of the owner of the corn an' The threatened to choke him if he did not get a gift. at the top.

from the roots an' tied

handf"ul of the best corn plaited

Ar m

thing was shorn then by the hook an' in a field every man There'd always be a VOUl.dhave his own rig to shear.

told me all about the Calliagh

ag h

IIMyfather

ou nt

Ballingallia. [Ballynagalliagh]

Ar m

(Frank Cullen,

Ar m

of' the city.

ag h

llliles north

time though "the Churn11 is no longer celebrated. He was formerly of Tullygarron about the same number of harvest

us eu m

an' would be watching for her to run from it.

us eu m

TheHarvest <cont,l teast that

follo~ed

after.

They used to have great

EYery hill

lock they looked for the

come to the last

us eu m

When it

an• then stud they'd

raise

it in an' it wud be hung

cut it carried

Him that

ou nt

ag h

wus cut an' they might be some time doin' it,

us eu m

back :five or six yards an' threw hooks at it.

a cheer.

it.

for who wud throw first

ag h

They then tossed

best they cud see an' divided it in three an• plaited

corn.

That night

nt y

they'd take three

Then

ou nt

That was the Calliagh.

In the days of hooks it wus done be

linked with stories of St. Patrick's adventures with a bull that destroyed each night all that Patrick built by day.

A monolith

nt y

them.

ban• .fuls and plait

of the cuttin

June 29, 1942).

Ar m

McKernan, Corran.

"At the finish they 1 d out it.

ag h

(Patrick

(If.)

that wus cut

of the Grey Stone (4)1ately

Ar m

last harvest.

I saw a Calliagh

be a feed.

there'd

Ar m

in TomKelly's

ou nt y

the next year so that the house might never want

Ar m

up till

Ar m

29th June, 1942).

ou C h

uWhen it

Tullybrone.

Fleming Johnston,

(Alex.

on a pole.

of straw

had one even if it was only a bottle

eu m

bonfires here on Midsummer Eve but that has all passed.

-±-8-

:Loi .

us eu m

TheHarvest {cont.) throwin' an' wus tricky.

downed it would throw it roun'

eu m

a cheer an' the one that

eu us

y nt

us eu m

farm there.

The Bells did it always.

ou nt

ag h

as 1914 on Francis Bell's

ou nt y

an' then snigged off with the scythe.

us eu m

ag h

nt y

ou nt

Ar m

shear round the corn Them th at were leav.t.nc a lock of the best standing. Whenthe lbear1n• would stan' back an' fling the hook. Calliagh was down there'd be a bit of a cheer an' the one •The way of it was they'd

ou C

June 30, 1942.)

nt y

Corr an.

and diamonds.

Ar m

( Samuel Herron,

Some~ere knotted but

others were shaped like hearts

Ar m

as a bit of frigari.

button-hole

ag h

Ar m

I saw cut it was taken in an' hung on the jamb-wall. They were wore in the harvest knots an' made them.

Ar m

was done from the roots an' the heads tied an' dressed with a corn band. After it was

It was plaited

cut at Lisnisk in Loughgilly

the Calliagh

as late

With string

cut but be the sweep of a scythe.

I heard of it here also.

ur saw

The plaiting

done for thatching,

Keenan Granemore

(Patrick

Parish

When I wus young

shearin'

a little

saw it

but I ni ver

still

drinks.

them all

he promised

there ws

an• houl' him prisoner

the neck of the man of the fiel' till

When it wus cut there'd

us eu m

TheHarvest(cont.) that got it

would run to the house with it an' put it

house an' houl'

days it

us eu m

us M

of straw.

nt y

The Grey Stone <5)

There are stories

C h

Ar m

on Carrick beyond at the time that it was

ou nt

ivery night,

Ar m

knocked down ivery stone,

One had to do with the

mind them.

0£ Armagh that

she did not go out on the hill

Ar m

don't

nt y

womanwho lived nixt us an'

is a long ti~e there.

but they have

a whin or a bottle

that was built (;)

he bonefires

ag h

passed that

Bull

ou nt y

Ar m

I mind an I oul

but

cattle-

an' they were always put at the well.

the Eve niver

on the hill

the doors an' window-sills,

On Mid-summer Eve there'd

an' light

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

May flowers were gathered then on May

all

vanished.

My grandmother

She was 88 when she died an 1 that was

ag h

houses an'

Crosses made here but I have

They were made of rushes.

an• put on all

about it

mind Brigid's

of them.

don't

49 years ago. Eve

Everybody did

C h

talked

out too in a

Few do it now but I will as long as I'm able.

seen them.

was promised.

was only one shearer.

where there

it then.

a trate

till

would have been carried

field

man or oul' womanof the

In oul'

it there

eu m

round the neck of the oul

203

The Harvest (cont.) There was another about

us eu m

chose for the City of Armagh. a giant throwin'

eu m

- for his thumb and finger marks are on it.

giant at that

never grows close to the stone round it.

us eu m

ou nt y

nt y

for I was the one that

shiilings

Ar m

purse and gave me five

his wife an' she put her han' in her

man so I •m sure he was

He was a well-read

tun.

That bought two quarts of whiskey an' we had

cut it.

ou nt

Ar m

roun'

So we-put it

a rule for the Calliagh -

the woman of the house it should always go.

roun'

nt y

ag h

When we

to put it about his neck but

he Said un 0 Boys" said he "there's

of Lisnadill.

for he had pains.

Ar m

for Mr. Paterson

in we were goin'

Ar m

at the cuttin'

me the male that

We called it all the Calliagh.

the Churn".

I mind once workin'

brought it

an' dressed before

toul'

was him that first

was

come after

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

cuttings.

ll"eat

would

I mind a blind man who used to be at all the

it was cut.

it's

us eu m

In the oul' days it was better

It was plaited

of · youngsters.

lie wasn•t

ag h

do it.

till

C h

be full

be clane quit here for I'm no

will

was then done be the hook and the fiel'

· It

longer fit

year, but in

I cut it last

I cut the Calliagh.

a short time it

June 30, 1942).

Corran.

(James Kelly,

s time.

irandmotber'

It was that way too in my

a ring of grass

always

there's

The heather

fun.

a left-handed

from the same place_

us eu m

TheHarvest Ccont.) His wife was well-off

she bad plenty.

eu m

They were a dacent family but sure their

house is emp'y now.

names.

eu us eu m

ou nt

C m

h ag Ar

nt y

ou C h

nt y

ou nt y

ag ©

Ar m

ag h

ou nt

us eu m

nt ou C ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

Corran).

ag h

Hughes,

(James

M y

That must be ·sown in the spring or given to the

birds or animals.

don't

should never be burned with the grain

on it.

The Calliagh

an' girls

They run to girls

carry on oul'

an' niver missed the money,

rieht.

;\ I VilSCELLAHF Nli·lAGH

us eu m

The ChristmasRhymers...

eu m

and painted

or masked faces,

us eu m

nt y

ou nt

h ag

Turk.

St. George.

Ar m

The

had a caS t as under:vrouse rs , sword Red tunic, wbite .,_ nd plumed hat. white trousers, . a with Turkey feathers Black tunic,t green bere . and sword.

Players

differently.

The Drumcree

quite

Ar m

dressed

of Ballymore and Mullavilly

th e custom had continued until the outbread of war. . ·,.,a in close proximity t.....,. though 1 1v1.~ of players, •v sets

each other,

the words for fu~ure

in the same year that in

discovered

Ar m

of Drumcree

nt y

to record

ag h

in the parish

by the parishes

covered

with them.

contact

Ar m

advisable

I also

us eu m

Ar m

from about 1896 until

annually

them flourishin~

I then found

women.

come into

1942 did I again

an area

long coats and oddly

from time to time but not

afterwards

1908 and then

black

hats,

ou nt y

ag h

the players

fantastic

ou nt

I heard

I have only a vague

ag h

dressed

behaved and weirdly

reference.

any clear

beards,

of flowing

and thought

evening .

remembrance

until

worn.

costumes

memory of the

I still

particular

I was then too young to retain

infortunately

of that

recollection

have a vivid

play .

yuletide

ancient

in their

parts

their

them sing or recite

Christmas Rhymers and heard various

saiv the

ago since I first

years

sixty

over

z:.

us eu m

The ChristmasRhymers (cont,t Old Woman.

Doctor .

Cromwell.

eu m

Red coat, white trousers sword and huge false nose. '

us eu m

nt y

formerly

ag h

that the characters

nt y

out completed their

ordinary

over their

Ar m

mal'iller but more in keeping with the older They wore long shirts

Hats

"Ovried swords made from the backs of scythes .

at the waist by a coloured scarf and all

ou nt

costumes .

rhymers were dressed in a

Ar m

worn inside

limbs encased in straw ropes;

The Ballymore MullavillY

tied

of the

straw hats with coloured streamers and

Shirts or coats

tlotbes,

and grandfathers

Ar m

the fact

and had their

traditions.

ou nt y

amongst the fathers

elicited

less colourful

ou nt

All in white, red hat and carrying money-box.

ag h

Ar m ©

Enquiries

_wore plaited

Red coat, w'aite trousers, face blacked and carrying a besom.

Doubt.

.John Funny .

Dressed in huge padded trousers and wearing long beard.

Divil

Big Belly .

feathers

Bl~ckhcoat, white trousers, stick in and and frying pan on shoulder.

ag h 8.

Players

Rob? decorated with gold and silver paper and carrying a gilt crozier.

Beelzebub .

10 •

St. Patrick.

C h m

shawl

Tall hat, black coat case and umbrella . '

nt ou 6.

Red flannel petticoat and stick.

us eu m

The ChristmasRhymers{cont,)

St. George.

Turk.

St. Patrick.

7. Beelzebub .

ou nt

Divily

us eu m

8. Big Head.

Doubt.

ou nt y

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

Doctor

father.

Turk's

Cromwell.

ag h m

ou C h

were as follows:-

characters

Their

or in long women's stockings.

straw ropes

encased in ."legging s 11 of

Legs they neatly

the same way.

verses as a kind

ou nt

were also good-humouredly lampooned as

C h

es if Young Farmers'

festiviti

to the

Ar m

of the Christmas

Well -as local celebrities. One feels that it would add considerably

figures

and public

with the

Political

of the immediate neighbourhood.

indiViduals

nt y

and peculiarities

Ar m

of the district,

love affairs

ballad-fashion

for they_dealt

Ar m

great amusement,

These were very witty indeed and a source of

of encore.

interest

or personal

topical

ag h

versions

authorized

added to the

they quite frequently

nt y

that

the fact

despite

The Rhymers were popular with all creeds and classes,

Ar m

eu m

commonly known as dunce caps and decorated in

of the type

wore cone-s h aped head-gear

but others

streamers,

coloured

bags and adorned with

pound paper flour

to fourteen

strong white seven

made from old-fashioned

were usually

us eu m

The Chr·is t masRhymers Ccont,2

and revive these annual perform-

Clubs ware to encourage

OF Ceremonies

Master

Drumcree version

boys, Give us room to rhyme. To we show a bit of our activity At this Christmas time . Active yc,uth and active age, The like was never acted on a stage. If ye don I t believe what I say, E..nter in St . George and clear the way.

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

ou nt y

Ar m

ag h

ou nt

h ag

Who are you but a poor s-illY lad .

Ar m

ST. GF.ORGE:

nt y

TURK:

I I r.a. the man that dare ye challenge, Though your courage be so great, With my sword I make all to shake, Even dukes and earl s to quake,

nt y

ag h

Ar m

Here comes I , St . George, from England have I sprung, And many a noble deed of valour have I done. For years I was in close quarters kept, And out of that into a prison leapt, And out of that into a block of stone, Where I wade many a sad and grievous moan. Many a giant did I subdue, And I ran the fiery dragon through and through. I fought them all courageously, Until I earned th e victory . Show me th e man that dare rae stand, And I will cut him down, with my courageous hand.

Ar m

m ©

ST. GEORGE:

R?om, room, brave gallant

or dance .

a:ny form of social

eu m

Such plays would bring young p~ople together and no doubt, prove as enJ·oyable a wi·nter en t er t ainment as

ances.

us eu m

The ChristmasRhymers(cont,L TUBK:

m eu M

DOCTOR:

ag h

Ar m

nt y

what i s your medicine?

doctor,

TURK' S MOTHER:

ou nt y

Enter the doctor.

ou nt

w I ' Ill alive, r that made me revive,

God bless the weeb ?ecY~in the words I say, And if ye don I t e11 -· . Enter in Sir Oliver Cromwell, And he will clear the way ·

Ar m

b t

Ar m TURK:

Once I was dead

nt y

Ar m

Hens pens and Turkish treacle, Bum bee eggs and midges bacon, Sti;red up with a great_ cat's feather, Mixed in a mouse' s bletner, And ~iven tbrice a day . He sits up and gives tb Doctor attends to tbe Turk · anks .

ou nt

us eu m

ag h

Ar m

Well,

nt ou

TURKI s HOTHER:

St. George, St. George. Oh, what have ye done. You have killed me only son. See him lying bleeding there, Oh, my heart is sinking in despair. A doctor, a doctor, ten pounds for a doctor. Is there ·ne'er a doctor to be found . who can cure me son of his deep and mortal wound?

ag h

~ying

St. George and the Turkish champion engage in sword The Turk falls and his mother enters weeping and

plaY.

eu m

I am a Turkish champion From Turkey land I came' To_fight you, the great'st. George be na:;:ie, Ana I say, by George, you are a liar sir, So draw your sword and try, sir! '

us eu m

£ne QArjst@asRhymersCcQnt,) CnOMWELL:

us eu m

ST. PATRICK:

ag h

us eu m

Ar m

Here comes I, Big-bellied Ned, I£ ye can ' t give me money, give me plenty of bread, For when I was young I was not well fed, But now they call me Big-bellied Ned. Ir ye don ' t believe in the words that I say, ilDter in wee Divil Doubt and he will clear the way.

ou nt

h ag

NED:

nt y

Ar m

Here comes I, Beelzebub, And over me shoulder I carry me club, And in llie band a dripping-pan, Anq I count myself a jolly fine man. And if ye don't believe the words that I say, Enter in Big-Bellied Ned and he will clear the way.

nt y

B&iLZEBUB:

ag h

ou nt y

Ar m

ou nt

Here comes I, St . Patrick_, in my shinin ' armour bright, I was once a noble champion, but now a worthy knight . I fed my sheep on oats and hay, And after that I ran away, If ye don ' t believe the words that I say, .Enter in Beelzebub and he will clear the way.

ag h

m ©

eu m

~ere comes I, Sir Oliver Cromwell . As ye may suppose, I have conquered many nations with my long and copper nose, I have caused my foes to tremble, And all my enemies to quake, Sure I bate me own companions, Until they were no longer fit to spake. I shot the divil through a reel, And through an ou1 1 spinning wheel , Ti1rough a bag of pepper, Through a horse - shoe -cocker . Such a man was never known. And if ye don ' t believe the words that I say, Enter in St . Patrick and he will clear the way.

.2..J

us eu m

fne Qhrjstmas RhYWers{cont,2 DI VIL DOUBT:

eu chant the

us eu m

ag m

Ar ©

us M

Ar m

Room, room, brave gallant boys, And &ive us room to rhyme, fo we show ye some activity, This happy Christmas time. Active youth and active age, '.fhe like was never acted on the stage, If ye don't believe the words I say, .:inter in St. Geor~e and he will clear the way.

ou nt

nt y

VERSION.

BALLYMORE Mullyvilly

nt y

ag h

bow and retire.

Ar m

II.

ou nt y

Ar m

Players

ou nt

us eu m

is made the players

God bless the master of this house, Likewise the mistress, too. May their barns be filled with wheat and corn, And their h earts be always true. A merry Christmas is our wish, Where •er we do appear, To you a well-filled purse, A well-filled dish, And a happy brii.:;ht New Year.

Ar m ©

tbe collection verse:-

ag h

Here comes I, the bold John Funny, I •m tbe man that lifts tbe money, ill silver and no brass, Bad ha' pence won't pass, Send the farthings to Belfast.

C After

followin~

M y

JOHU FUNNY:

ag h

eu m

Here comes I, wee Divil Doubt, If ye don ' t give me money, I' ll sweep ye all out, Money I want and money I crave, I f ye don't give me money, I ' ll sweep ye till your grave. rr ye don't believe in the words that I say, .Qlter in John .Funny and he will clear the way.

us eu m

Th@Cbristwas Rhymers(cont.) ST. GEORGE:

us eu m

us e

I am a Turkey champion, from Turkey land I came,

nt y

TURK:

ag h

Ar m

lad.

nt y ou nt

Oh, Georie, Oh, George, what have ye done, Ye have killed. my one and only son .

Ar m

1 S FATHER: 1"'£JRK

Ar m

you, great St. George by name, cut ye and slash ye and send ye out to Turkey, .And after that is done fight every man in Christendom . the 111.~k and St. George draw swords . After some sword-play •1.U"kfa11s and his father rushes in crying To f'ight

I will

ou nt y

ST. GEORGE:

And who are you but a poor silly

us eu m

dare ye stand .

Here am I the man that

Ar m

ou nt

entrance.

TUBK:

ag h

The Turk now makes his

ag h

eu m

Here comes I, St. George. From England have I sprung, One of taose noble deeds of valour to begin, For seven long years was I in a close cave kept, And out of that into a locked prison leapt. And out of that into an old and rusty stone, W'nere I made many a sad and grievous moan. Many a giant did I subdue, By running my dagger through and through, I saved poor Sabo from the fiery stake, W-nat ~ore could mortal undertake? I £ought them all courageously, And always won the victory, wrong, lmgland 1 s right and Ireland's Show me the man that dare me stand, And I will cut him down with my right hand.

us eu m

The Christmas RhymersCcont,J ST. GEOrtGE:

m eu

God bless

C h

. the doctor that made me revive,

Once I was dead but now I'm alive,

ou nt

Ar m

TURK:

nt y

up, then stands.

sits

recovers,

Ar m

nt y

DOCTOR:

peesy weezy, midges eyes and . bumbees bacon, blood of the smoothing iron, the Juice Heart's of the tongs •The brains of the bellows, three turkey eggs three miles long. Give Jack a drop of this and he will rise and sin~ a song. Hens pens,

us e

bag

doctor?

ag h

Ar m

us eu m

ou nt y

TURK'S FATHER:

your medicine,

What is

ou nt

ag h

Ar m

wearing tall hat and carrying a large bottle.

enters

from which he produces

If ye cut him into four quarters, Your body I will soon destroy, a doctor, ten pounds for a doctor, A doctor, Is there no doctor to be found To cure my son of bis deep and mortal wound?

ag h m

TURKI s FATHER:

sir, I will cut him into four quarters, On this very ground where he doth lie, sir .

The doctor

ST. GEORGE:

ou C h

Turk .

bodYof the

the

forward and stands astride

now steps

George

st.

eu m

sir, me to fight, He challenged And why should I deny him, sir?

't -

us eu m

The Christmas RhymersCcont,)

eu m

Wonderful, wonderful things have I seen Seventeen old women knocked into ninete~n And ?ut of_nineteen into full twenty-four; And if ye cton•t believe the words that I say Enter in Oliver Cromwell and he will clear ' the way.

the way.

C h

Here comes I who ni ver come yi t, wi ~ • The more my head ' s so big my body ' s small , But I ' ll do my best to plazB ye all. And 1! ye don't believe the words that I say, JZ.nterinto wee Divily Doubt and he will clear Big head and little

ou nt

Ar m

BIG HEAD:

Ar m

Here comes I Beelzebub, Over me shoulder I carry me club , .A.nd in me han ' a drippin ' pan, I count meself a jolly wee man, And if y e don 't believe the words that I say, Enter in Big Head and he will clear the way.

nt y

ag h

ou nt y

BEEL~B

Ar m

Here comes I, St . Pa.trick, in my shining armour bright, I am a worthy champion come to fight this very night, Who was St . George but St . Peter ' s sarvent boy? Who fed h_is horse on oats and hay and after ran away, And if ye don' t believe th e words that I say, Enter in Beelzebub and he will clear the way.

us e

us eu m

ST. PATRICK:

ou nt

ag h

Here comes I big Oliver Cromwell with my long and copper nose, I have conquered many nations as you may well suppose, I made the French to tremble and the Germans for to quake, I bate the bludy Dutchmen till their hearts were rit to ache, And if ye don ' t believe the words that I say, Enter in St . Patrick and he will clear the way.

ag h ©

CROiviWELL: .

r - -------------------------------

21S

us eu m

The ChristmasRhymers{cont.) DI VILY DOUBT:

eu m

Here comes I, wee Divily Doubt, I f ye don I t give me money, rr 11 sweep ye all out, hon ey I want and money I er ave, I f ye don ' t give me money I 1 11 sweep ye to the grave .

nt y

us e

us eu m

ou nt y

the cast

I clearly

For instance

that

ou nt

was pleasant

to listen

Pla ye rs an d on a December rri.gbt it

Ar m

but i n th e two versions quoted they are missing . At t·l mes th e rh ymers were a ccompanied by a couple of flute

Ar m

t o th e musi c of the flute s coming nearer .

I al so reme~ber that in the early days of my knowledge or the playe r s they wore bigh cone-snaped hat s fashioned

nt y

known as Jack Straw and Funny Face

Ar m

in the play as

I was to discover

in ce rta in district

re member two characters

but later

ag h

hea rd it

of St . Patrick

I f irst

Ar m

I ha ve no recollection

varied

ou nt

Ar m

ag h

ag h m

Your cellar doors are locked, And we are like to choke ; And it ' s all for the drink that we sing; Si ng, boys , sing . And women round the fire with pockets full of money, And men with barrells full of · golden beer . Sur e it ' s all for the d~ink --·tfia t we sing. Si ng , boys, sing . __ A merry Christmas:i.s our wish, And a happy bright New Year .

Di vily Doubt now collects the money in a large purse whilst ti1e players stand in two lines facing each other, si ngi ng t he following verse to which they beat time (by sword- play) 'With each other .

l.rl

:J:heChristmasR.qymers Ccont.) fro'-'- wheat ea t or oat

us eu m

1,;orn putee

were frequently

young r-e~1 dressed

comedienne could have displayed

us eu m

and no stage

and much be-frilled

of well-starched

ag h

they could find

us e

nt y

due I

ou nt

h ag m Ar ©

walking

seems to have departed

Ar m

that

Pages 81-85 .

considerable

Ar m

f ro m our count ry districts.

entails

years,

chiefly

that

capa cit y , a form of activity

(l)

Rhymers 11 in recent

the custom bas become extinct,

t hi nk to t ~e fact

the more interest-

in many perform-

of the

Ar m

and I fear

participation

ag h

Ar m

I have not heard

is all

and the variant

ing becau s e of hi s personal

ances.

ou nt y

mountain,

us eu m

Ar m

romantic

ou nt

ag h

the m more amusingly . Ti.1e version in South Armagh has been noted by Michael Murph y in "At Slieve Gullion's Foot 11,(l)that delightful book of essays on folk customs around the slopes of that

They

dance .

garment s, but each managed to somehow

and wear a pair

white knickers

the

the whole show,

they wear whatever

did

part

alom3

t i1e way of female secure

gave an exhibition

the most diverting

fo r not

who towards

were often.

time

accompanied by a number of

of t i1e performance

At that

legs.

in women• s clothes,

end

fa shion on their

same

the rhymers

ropes of the

eu m

oateria

straw with twisted

ARl&;AGH hI SCELLANFA,

us eu m

Festivals,

as a whole this

us eu m as

us e M

nt y

acq ire .

Blackberries

were

Ar m

forbidden f rom Oct. 31. When r was a' small boy I would oa~e been a£raid to eat them after that date as I had be en

ou nt

charms to

then.

all

carrieci

using

or wife they might

were taboo

us eu m

nt y

or possibly

it,

and bachelors

liiscover what kind of husband

Ctrtun things

within

out such as spinsters

p -

Th~ .latter

were a number of odd practices

There

friendshi

of the Hallow E'en .i'east

ag h

concealed

renewing

barnbracks

Ar m

a ring

commonly called

to one far !!!

ou nt y

Ar m

had often

the

fTom the othe:i: ....

in the parties

formed part

cakes

Silver coin .

by objects

Ar m

belonging

ou nt

for material

resulted

and apples

way about

ag h

Nuts

around midnight,

were known not to be on speaki ng

to be moved and replaced

but not always .

who because

was customary

days .

neighbours

terms, it

Sometimes this

ghosts

and on their

ag h

groups

people

of meetini

small

countryside

by the younger

y out

of the possibility

travelled

down to the present

carried

continue

These were

that

though not always not appreciated,

jokes - pranks

of the year.

festivals

of practical,

was a night

popular

most

still

is one of the

was, and indeed

county

Ar m

In the

eu m

Hallow E1 en Customs.

21<;

us eu m

Hallow E'en CustomsCcont.)

the "Devil

would get me11 even if I only ate

a few of the ripest.

eu m

Most people then dug their

in the last

Unfortunately

omitted in certain

us e

M one

An' be shuk

type of illness.

•

(l) brasb - a serious

hour of the night

this

An'

in yer bed than

Ar m

on the loanin'

him 11wud.Il,t ye be better

She ·Said till

ou nt

Ar m

she had heared was lying with a brash.Cl)

bers that

Hallow• s Eve when she met a crowd of people. An' when th ey got nearer she saw among them an oul' sweetheart of

Ar m

we knowed was walking the bog-loanin'

nt y

ag h

instances

nt y

Ar m

ou nt y

Ar m Eve

as 1939.

or over and as late

names and dates .

us eu m

ou nt

ag h

were taken down from old friends

so I accidentally

why

ag h

m Ar

These few stories

".A.girl

to enquire

was commonly spoken of as Hollintide

and marked the end of summer.

when doing

that period

have been so.

aged 70 years

within

but I neglected

essential

The season

clamps 11 wherein

of the potatoes

it should

covers they kept remarkably

The digging

was considered

Hallows J s

warm earthen

well.

bings

under their

them in

November and stored

us eu m

days of the month or early

potatoes

warned that

-"'

the nixt Halloween - sowl no!

us eu m

nt y

ou nt

When

th e bludy cart .

the dure again and drove home

closed

into

the

the dure and it was through

And when Mickey come home bedad the ass

bad backed against

us e

ou nt y

th e house and then they took the

donkey in and harnessed

was done they

and

And they got the cart

wheels .

Ar m

inside

its

they bad tbe

Then they got the donkey-cart

dure .

and they undid

they weren ' t long till

Ar m

hasp from the

ag h

a cailey

ou nt

come out and when he faced up the

him till

Ar m

'Waited for

the hasp .

They

once.

played Mickey a trick

Ar m

"Some fellas

the weels

Ar m

A Hallow E'en Prank,

road for

story

in Armagh County Museum, which Russell

to use in a play) .

intended

similar

in the George Russell

in an AE notebook

ag h

collection

An almost

near Lurgan .

ag h

preserved

(Taken down from an old lady in a townland adjoining

Derrymacash

that

she had seen.

ghosts

they wur all

t out late

before.

C h

She wsn

that

An.1 the nixt

he had died the night

that

she heared

passed

An 1 he jist

her there.

an ' left

others

She knowed then

answer .

a quare

She

gone".

for them that's

eu m

thought

too short

night

•

too long for the livin

the day's

an ' the

mornin'

an I said

he I s head

with the

us eu m

HallowE'en Customs{cont,}

us eu m

HallowE'en Customs(cont,) go.

window he had till

then

Bedad he got a worse fright

eu m

he I d got in be the dure ! 11

than if

us eu m

ou nt

The

ou nt y

M aged

75.

Ar m

McKinley, Clontygora,

ou nt

Ar m

~rs.

Horses are supposed to be very sensitive . on Hallow E'en.

(J)

!his seems to have bean applied to a beam in the kitchen but the word nsually means the outer arm of a t1a11.

to ghosts

who died during

(Z)

=====~ ~!Osts ot those L-:=

the year.

It wasn 't a good

l11ght to be out anyhow, because of them that might be Valk:ine . u ( 4)

nt y

was

dark.

so nobody went out after

if they could,

Said,

Ar m

Glen.

ag h

take ye then,

They'd

Fairy

go near the

we wouldn't

night

us e

nt y

Ar m

On that

them.

some people

from the souple(3)and

We swung apples

would be your husband but some

at all.

:nights nobody .entered

Ar m

entered

boy that

ducked for

a cabbage with your eyes shut,

somewhere in the house near the door.

and place

One of the

fun at Hallow E'en!

to do was pluck

things

first

had great

ag h

Hallow E1 en, 11

ag h

can meddle ye there. uC2 )

Nothing

Nothin&

be as safe as ye like .

Ye will

ye then.

can hurt

tracks.

in the horse's

right

be sure ye

road at night,

walk in the middle,

you are on a haunted

"If

Jgthin~ can meddle ye there,

us eu m

Hallow E'en Customs{cont,)

eu m

nt y

ou C

ou nt

and had to be

on a string

Ar m

~as suspended by mouth 11•

in a tub of water and had to be

by moutb 11 •

us e

ag h

We always had our own apples.

~ apple

cauebt

they might be dry and

Ar m

so that

hazel nuts in

them in tubs or crocks of water and tried

removed (6)

nt y

we began to gather

for use at Hallow E'en.

apples

Thomas Quinn, Sbeetrim McMahon, near Crossmaglen, lfovember, 1939.

glen at Aghory,

~e dueked for

for horns,

used to parade on this

to death.

Ar m

people

runts

ou nt y

with kail

ou nt

in sheets

"Early in October

th e little

ou C

ag h

and frighten

on one such

Sheetrim.

made of straw ropes,

Ar m

and tails

(5)

M y

ag h m

sheets.

of people

A man saw a girl

night .

Boys dressed

We ducked( 5)

_The wraiths

and she was dead in America.

Boys dressed

f"t1

- and

the cattle

they were never found.

and we swung( )apples .

come back on that

night

They let

out too and sometimes for apples

happen still

gates

flax holes

such things

night

took doors,

and hid or threw them into

indeed

fry

and harrows,

us eu m

the younger

us eu m

uAt Halloween

Halloween loween•

6-. z;i..2. _

us eu m

HallowE'en Customs(cont.) secure them in our mouths.

eu m

us eu m

foretold

of the courtship

ag h

nuts were named for

ou nt

ag h

us e M

ou nt

old homes.

or seventeen

doors,

able to sneak off and knock our neighbours'

we were

Later 1'ihen we were boys of sixteen

look ~t their

for a last

Ar m

night

of the dead who had died during the year coming

back on that

and detailed

Ar m

the most ghastly

we were present

that

nt y

forgot

Ar m

out into

accounts

visitors

and launched

frequently

portions

who consumed their

. "dro'WD.edin Old Coleraine€€ [whiskey] Quite

nt y

ag h

amongst our elders

night.

of the proceedings

feature

This was a much appr~ciated especially

apple dumpling on that

football

Ar m

a large

There

nuts.

a waste of our precious

That we regarded-as was always

ou nt y

Ar m

the manner in which they were consumed by the fire.

and the trend

couples

courting

and be

or young people of more mature

were present,

ourselves

years than

and animals

of old rhymes to go with them.

or uncles

aunts

of birds

lot

had a most wonderful If

silhouettes

They were mostly

and the wall.

us eu m

between the light

of odd shapes

sorts

all

his hands into

on the wall by folding

pictures

would

games and father

special

We had other

procure

with them sat down and ate

playing

them and when tired them.

to bite

and attempted

with string

ceiling

tbe kitchen

We also suspended them from

us eu m

HallowE'en Customs(cont.)

and one of mother 1 s sheets

around the carrying

draped

us e

M ou

nt y

ou C h ©

ou nt

ag Ar m ©

ou nt y

ag h Ar m ©

us eu m

ou nt C

h ag Ar m

75.

G.P., aged

us eu m

C ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

the job.

Co. Armagh. Cornascreibe, [Cornascreeb]

ag h

ag h m

and we finished

consternation

when

They fled in

water.

of harrows in the stagnant

Onesuch night we

younger boys were about to immerse a pair

some slightly

tour the

pole,

unexpe~tedly

side of a flax-hole

appeared on the

and sundry.

all

annoying

country side

suitably

eu m

inside

candle

lighted

and a

a skull

scooped out to represent

'l{ith a turnip

Festivals, May Eve,

eu m

us eu m

MISCELLANEA, ARMAGH

of' Summer.

us eu m

ou nt

ou nt y

It was

in the fields

or cows left

nt y

or hunt hares.

on which to buy clothes

occasion

ag h

Ar m

would meet with mishaps and that May Day was

us e

ag h

Ar m

an unlucky

ag h

that night

horses

that

us eu m

The reason for that particular

I have never been able to discover.

also believed

a fire

chimney before lighting

own hearth.

observance

to wait for the smoke rising

failed

never

for instance

Some families

as the end of the 19th century.

as late

from a neighbour's

decorated

around in a little

member of the party and if she is

journeys

cart lira-deout of an old box or perhaps in a low chair-like

ou nt

the

in her tin1

She is usually

Ar m

ot tender years,

and carries

hands a wand or a bunch of flowers. Joungest and prettiest

wears a wreath of

white veil

by their

flowers and a flowing

nt y

of Armagh escorted

The Queen usually

illlpish attendants.

of the city

Ar m

in the streets

Ar m

On May Eve and May morning, Queens of May yet parade

with the day were current

customs associated

Many old

their

sure you are as welcome as the flowers in May".

to visitors

greeting

and the current

still

forth May blooms

April showers have brought

as the beginning

In County Armagh May Day has always been regarded

us eu m

MayEve <cont, )

type of p ram.

were taken down between 1929 and

These few stories

several

eu m

young boy s.

Sometimes the party includes

Many of them stated

us eu m

ou nt y

us e

of the We

nt y

sheaves of them.

nt y

Many a time we gathered

luck for to you. ·

They'd be taken for luck, but

be.

ag h

at the well an' ye hed to watch them or

ou nt

h ag

Ar m

McMahon•s."

them in John Larry Quinn' s meadows an' in Hughie TomJohn

Ar m

Terence Toner.

an• stable-dure.

the byre-dure

~•ll an• at the house-dure,

Mayflowers always an• put a lock at the

"Wegathered

We'd gather

Ar m

they'd

a lot they'd

at the byre dure and in front

Ar m

always put a lot

Ar m

dure of the house.

When we had gathered

thrown at the well,

that wud be less

that

times I gathered Mayflowers in Henry

meadow.

stolen

is missing also.

"A hundred

it will be noticed

ou nt

ag h

verification

the townland

in some

I have not noted the names of the people who

told them to me and in others

it's

are a mixed bunch, and unfortunately

instances

Billy's

that

May Day on May 11th.

always kept their

ag h

The tales

and ten.

grandparents

their

years

three score

, 1939, from men and women, all of whomhad exceeded the

us eu m

MayEve Ccant,}

eu m

John Haughie, Armaghbrague.

go for them now. 11

hardly

lazy besi4'des - they'd

May

nt y

ou nt

an' pull

An' the Mayflowers we would tie

m Ar ©

nt y

ou C

togither

gather

hlilbea an• Mayflowers.

It wasn't thought right

We'd all

always be out on May Eve

Ar m

sunset mind ye.

be out then.

h ag

Corran.

Ar m

"WhenI was a wee one I'd till

ag h

Ar m

neighbours.

but not after

on the roof

to show them that they were no credit

window-sills thei}'

Ar m

till

nettles

we'd scatter

us e

An' if we found a

an• they were always put at the well. May flowers

houses an' all,

cattle

ou nt y

then on May Eve an' put

were gathered

the doors an' window-sills,

house without

us eu m

Armaghbr ague.

on all

water an' the luck as well.

ou nt

flowers

Ar m

May

ag h

flower of the year's

and

us eu m

y nt

an' the man.or woman who got the

go of water from the well on May mornin' got the

first

at a distance,

an'

the dures to keep the witches

fairies

to throw aroun'

flowers

0n the day of May Eve weI d all be gathering

an•

of such things

the day are careless

sure the childer

but

from mischiefs,

It was done for luck an' protection

us eu m

May Eye Ccont , >

but we did

Corran.

mind why we did it,

I don't

well.

eu m

an' liked

over.

townlan'

we'd march the

an' when we all had posies

on the bushes

us eu m

at the well

us e

ou nt y

be first

nt y

On May Eve,

about it.

i'here was some kind of witchcraft

nt y

ag h

here.

years ago May Eve was practised

ou nt

C 11

on that mornin'.

1942.

Ar m

Michael Murphy, Drumilly,

•traneer take water from it first

Ar m

kay blossoms were plucked before sunset and scattered on th e house an' at the well an' it wasn't lucky to have a

ou nt

us eu m

M y

ou h

days

Sheetrim McMahon, Near Crossmaglen, Nov. 1939.

Ar m

nDow to fifty

till

Ar m

in the morning.

night

who'd have sat up all

and thrown and left

There were people here in the oul'

Ar m

the well.

Bernard McCreesh.

were gathered

ag h

"Mayflowers

an' windows. 11

be put on the duresteps

ag h

they'd

an' when we brought them home

May flowers,

an' gather

"On May Eve w~'d be sent to get Rowantree branches

;2_'2.'

us eu m

MayEve Ccont,) and

eu m

"On May Eve care was taken to lime the wells

us eu m

us e

nt y

C h ©

ou nt

ag ©

Ar m

Ar m ©

Cullyhanna

ag h

M. Devlin,

ou nt y

on the farm.

field

ou nt

ag ©

These we were

some twigs.

Ar m

and

rowan-tree

us eu m

we would

ag h

to go to the nearest

sent to plant - in each tilled

them home

the office

around the doors of all

break from it

Ar m

ag h

m Ar

later

When we brought

At some time on the same afternoon

be instructed carefully

besides

were

we as children

of the doors and on the

in front

some were placed

houses.

ou C h

Mayflowers .

sent to gather

day of April,

last

Then aged 70 years.

1939.

Clontygora,

Mr. Mallon,

window sills

with corn and hay.

the haggards

was said to fill

"On the

A wild and rainy May

about the doors.

put mayflowers

us eu m

HISCELLANEA. A..'iNAGH

us eu m

are equipped

in form

ou C ©

C h

Ar m

ou nt

nt y

us e

ou nt y walks

ag h ©

which

processions

day, though not so colourful

Ar m

Ar m ©

survives.

ou nt

in politics.

Ar m

though different

and music and thus somewhat similar

Ar m

with banners

as the Orange

attended

or so well

on that

the Church of

of the site

Order of Hibernians

place

The Ancient

ag h

regarding

evidence

take

documentary

ag h

- though no indication

C h

the Virgin"

generally

known as Kilvergan

still

there

to the parish

attached

In the Glebe lands

in.

was filled

about which time it

a portion

day down to the 185O's

on this

was visited

grounds

with pilgrimages

festival

Lady's Well in Seagoe Rectory

For instance

to wells.

this

links

tradition

Local

eu m

August 15th

2.-;o .

us eu m

St. Patrick's made of coloured

eu m

On it

potatoes.

time

uthe warm side

up 11, and we often heard the old slogan

ag h

ago it was the recognized

of the year.

ou nt

holiday

Ar m

us e

nt y

come

the austerities

Ar m

the most appreciated

on which

and associations

Coming as it does before

Lent it is perhaps

accepted.

it is an occasion

Ar m

day in that

use of it

nt y

meet and new friendships

ag h

Ar m

old friends

special

us eu m

ou nt y

understood

It is a very into being.

and creeds

heartily

equally

of the Trinity

as an illustration

away."

classes

- and indeed the story of the saint's

shamrock is worn by all

"drowning the shamrock 11 fully

and the e~ression and approved

ou nt

county

Ar m

In the

Day throw candle and candlestick

ag h

On Patrick's

"On Candlemas Day throw the candle away,

turned

of agricultural

us eu m

years

of early

for the planting of the stone

and fifty

activities,

colour.

marked the beginning

This day formerly

wood

sexes wear

Now both

seems the fa~rourite

and green

or thin

the same type

St. Patrick's

day by the men but girls

wools:

in coloured

covered

and called

made of cardboard

are said to h~ve worn crosses which they

ribbons

worn on this

were f~rmerly

crosses

{17th March).

Rosettes

Day