References to food in Galway

Information taken from the Duchas Website - Schools’ Folklore Collection. 101-200

Clare Doyle

101. Food Galway (308) Mick Dowd the Butcher

Mick was a butcher who lived in Lower Leahive and he would go to the large farms around Creggs 2 or 3 times a week. He would buy any sick or dead sheep for a small sum and ‘he sold or hawked the meat from house to house on a donkey cart’. Before leaving home, he would weigh the meat into chunks and stick a piece of sally rod in each. The rod had marks or nicks signifying the weight in pounds of each piece of meat.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Butcher, meat, rods, donkey, cart

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

102. Food Galway (308) The Butcher

The Butcher was a neighbour and he had no English. One of his daughters was married to Pat Lahy who lived near Dunmore. He used to buy rotten and dead sheep. If you had a sick sheep or goat Micky would be sent for so it could be taken away. The people gave him the nick name “Antín Tarns”

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Butcher, sheep, goats, Dunmore

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

103. Food Galway (308) Boxty Bread

Raw potatoes were peeled and scraped onto a board using a flat piece of tin that had been bored with a nail. Flour was added to the potatoes and it was baked on a griddle. It turns out like potato cake but very dark in colour.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Boxty, tin, nail, griddle, flour

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

104. Food Galway (308) Making Swedgeen

Oatmeal and milk was boiled together for about 5 minutes to make this.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Swedgeen, milk, oats

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

105. Food Galway (308) Making Flummery

This was made with oaten meal and hot water and mill seeds. The seeds are first put into a vessel and left to soak for a few days until they are sour. Other people say that Shearing should be boiled in a pot until it turns to jelly. It is very good for a cold or a cough.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Flummery, shearings, jelly, meal

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

106. Food Galway (308) Cheerings/Shearings

Steep oatmeal and seeds in a crock or tub of water for 4 or 5 days and cover with straw to keep the seed under the water. This is used for drinks or also as stir about instead of milk.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Seed, oat, crock, tub, milk

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, ww.duchas.ie

107. Food Galway (308) Stir about

There was always a large pot of this boiling as it was taken for breakfast and supper. The pot used was the same one used for boiling the potatoes as there wasn’t a second pot available in the house. Sometimes buttermilk was added to the mixture. Well-to-do people had a little butter and buttermilk at dinner with their potatoes. The mugs they used were wooden – some had 2 handles and others had 4 handles.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Pot, breakfast, supper, dinner, buttermilk, butter, mugs

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

108. Food Galway (308) Homes Long Ago

Long ago every house had a dresser, but not like the ones you see in houses today. Then, they were just a few board tied against the wall. The table was a large box. Mugs were wooden and called noggins. No one used to sleep in the room below as that’s where the cattle were tied. The hens were in the loft every night and the cock had a place for himself. This arrangement is not long out of fashion. People thought that if the hens were left outside that they would not lay and that there would not be enough heat. One night in winter when it was very cold we brought the sheep into the house. We tied a rope to the rafter and hung oats up on it with seed handing down so that the sheep could eat it. The floor was very wet in the morning and we had to get shovels and put ashes on the floor to dry it. We swept it with an ash broom to get it dry.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Sheep, cock, hens, mugs, dresser, broom, oats, rope, shovels, ash

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

109. Food Galway (308) Flour

The people used to have no flour except for the 2 stone of flour they bought at Christmas. I never saw a bag of flour in anyone’s house.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Thomas Brennan, Knockmascahill, Co. Galway

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Flour, stone, weight

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.

110. Food Galway (308) Tea and sugar

If there was a sick person in the house a half pound of sugar and a half ounce of tea would be got. I saw this happen but the sick person would have to be very sick and in bed.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Thomas Brennan, Knockmascahill, Co. Galway

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Sick, bed, tea, sugar

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

111. Food Galway (308) Oatmeal Tickets

The government at the time had control over the meal. When we were getting short the priest would give us a ticket so that we could go and get it. The priest looked after those in need and appointed men here and there to give out the meal. Morris, a school teacher from Tobbaroe who was such man tasked with giving out the meal to those with tickets. The tickets were used instead of cash.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Thomas Brennan, Knockmascahill, Co. Galway

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Priest, teacher, ticket, meal, government

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

112. Food Galway (308) The Famine

I was born in the year 1849 and the Famine was in the year 1847. The people were dying with the hunger and were puling nettles to eat them. Calves were bled at a certain part of the neck and the blood mixed and eaten. The people had no help to bring a corpse to the graveyard. When they got tired they would go into a house to see if there was anyone who could help them. The people would see the funeral coming and close their windows and blinds so that they would not be asked to help. Even to this day, people do this when a funeral is passing.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Thomas Brennan, Knockmascahill, Co. Galway

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Famine, blood, calves, nettles, funeral, corpse, graveyard, blinds

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

113. Food Galway (308) When the cow has calved

When the cow has calved, a lighted candle is taken to where the cow is and is raised over her back and under her belly 3 times. The person must also say “In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost”.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Thomas Brennan, Knockmascahill, Co. Galway

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags:

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

114. Food Galway (308) Johnny the Sugar Stick Man

Johnny used to put sugar and water in a can and when it was boiled he used to roll it on the hearthstone to thicken it. He had red paint and he used to put stripes through it. It was just as good as any sugar stick today. His wife, Biddy, used to bring it to the market to sell it. She used to shout out “bigger one, longer one, stronger one, thicker one”.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Martin Collins

Place: Gortnadeeve West, Co. Galway

Tags: Sugar, paint, market

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

115. Food Galway (308) Food in Olden Times

The diet of the average country person was entirely different from what it is at present. At that time, it was entirely composed of homegrown produce like potatoes and oatmeal. The morning meal consisted of milk and stir about. A milk substitute was known as sheerans, and it was steeped in water for a week along with the fine seeds from the grinding of the oats and some oats themselves. It had a very taste but was very nourishing. This could also be made into Flummery. Stir about was thought to be a very good food. Sometimes oatmeal cake was boiled into it. Cabbage with bacon was served in richer homes for dinner.

Collector: Bridie Geraghty, Williamstown, Co. Galway

Informant: Eamonn Geraghty, Williamstown, Co. Galway

Place: Ballyroe, Co. Galway

Tags: oats, Flummery, Sheerans, milk

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

116. Food Galway (308) Meals and Food

In the old days, people used to get up at 6 o’clock to work. Oatmeal bread was generally eaten as flour was not known in the parish. The oatmeal was mixed with water and kneaded flat and placed on a griddle to bake. Boxty was another food that was popular and was used for supper. People considered it a very healthy food. The old people say that Champions and Pinks make the best boxty. Tea was not known until about 100 years ago and it was used in very small quantities.

Collector: Mary Edwards, Pollaneyster, Co. Galway

Informant: Bean M. Uí Bhreathnach, Pollaneyster, Co. Galway

Place: Ballyroe, Co. Galway

Tags: Boxty, griddle, potatoes, bread, flour

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

117. Food Galway (308) Poitín

Má tá an poitín i riocht bluire beag ime a coinneál ar uachtar na dighe tá sé “os cionn Proof!” Annsin feadfaidh tú uisge a chur isteach ann go dtuitfidh an tim go tóin an ghloine acht gan nios mó uisge a cur isteach ann. Tá “Proof” agat ansin. Comhortha eile go bhfuil sé laidir má coinnigheann sé na coiricíní nu na boiligíní le tamall maith théis craitheadh a thabhairt dó.

Deantar poitín mar seo:-

Faigtear dabhac mór nu baraille, nu dhá bharaille reir an méid arbhair a bhíos aca. Annsin cuirtear an tarbhar i malaí agus togtar ag an loch é. Deantar é cur a bogadh san loch go ceann seachtmhaine. Togtar é ansin agus cuirtear an an gcill é chun é do thiormú. Caithfidh na daoine a bheith an-aireach faoin gcaoi nach mbeadh an tarbhar doighte. Ní beadh moran poitín ar an arbhar agus rud eile ní bheadh sé go maith dá mbeadh sé doighthe. Ar a bheith tirm do caithfear é thabhairt ag an muillean chun é do mheile. Abhaile leis ansin agus cuirtear i mbarraillí é. Cuirtear uisge te, (a bhí fiuchta) air agus braith. cuirtear cludach maith ar an mbairiile agus fagtar ansin é le oibriú déanann sé oibriú i gcionn ceithre lá. Tógtar é annsin nuair atá an bárr tuitighthe sios go tóin an bharaille agus curitear isteach sa bpota nu san “still” é. Cuirtear teine bheag faoi. Teigheann an caipin ar an bpota annsin agus an piopa casta, an “worm” síos i mbairille fuar uisge. Teigeann an gal amach trí an pioba cam casta agus amach i soitheach beag atá faoi. Deantar é seo leis an mbeóir ar fad. Tá an “singil” agat ansin.

Nuair atá an singil ar fad carrnuigthe caithfear é cur isteach sa bpota aríst agus é a tharraint airíst. Tá poitin agat ansin.

Is fearr an cead galun a thiocfas amach na an chuid eile dhe An “Blogam Bróach” nu “Tús a’ phota” a dtugtar ar seo. Tá sé an láidir agus bionn sóir air le haghaidh scoilteacha. Cuirtear fuar uisge isteach san bpoitín annsin go mbí sé lagaigthe aca síos go “Proof.”

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Pollagh, Co. Galway

Tags: Poitín, proof

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

118. Food Galway (308) Bread in Olden Times

Bread was made from oaten meal and wholemeal. Flour was not made locally. Other types of bread included potato cake, pot cake, boxty and oaten cake. Boiled potatoes were used to make potato cake. They were pounded until the lumps were taken out and kneaded into a flat cake.

Collector: Michael Connolly, Castleblakeney, Co. Galway

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gallagh, Co. Galway

Tags: bread, potatoes, boxty

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

119. Food Galway (308) Pot Cake

Pot cake was an oaten bread that was put down into a pot or a gruel. It could also be put into a soup. As people at the time didn’t have many potatoes pot cake could be eaten with meat.

Collector: Michael Connolly, Castleblakeney, Co. Galway

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gallagh, Co. Galway

Tags: Pot, meat, gruel, soup

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

120. Food Galway (308) Using Black Potatoes

Black potatoes were used in a special way. They were not fit for eating on their own so they were used to make boxty. They would scrape the black potatoes with a piece of tin and add some flour and water to bring it all together. Some salt was also added and then it was put on the griddle to cook. Sometimes people would put it into a pot of gruel.

Collector: J.J. O’Dowd

Informant: Unknown

Place: Gallagh, Co. Galway

Tags: Potatoes, boxty, salt, gruel, griddle

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

121. Food Galway (308) Ned Donohoe and food in the old times

Ned Donohoe told me about the food in the old times. He said that he used to work for the Bellew’s at Mountbellew when he was a boy. He would take a piece of oaten bread and some fresh milk with him. He said they never used to drink tea and if they were digging potatoes they used to make a fire in the field and roast the raw potatoes and have them with the milk. In the evenings, they wold eat stir about.

Collector: Ann Raftery, Lehanagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Ned Donohoe

Place: Gallagh, Co. Galway

Tags:

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

122. Food Galway (308) Meal and Bread

Most people had their own meal and the bread was made using oat meal and cooked on a griddle. Potato cakes and boxty were also made. Some made potato cakes and in cants and boiled them in a pot. They used to be rolled out with a rolling pin.

Collector: Bridget Ryan

Informant: Mrs Hussey

Place: Menlough, Co. Galway

Tags: Boxty, potato, utinsils

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

123. Food Galway (308) Making Pot Cake

To make pot cake, people would make oat bread from meal and put it into a pot of thin porridge. This wold then be boiled for about an hour.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: John Scanlon, Pollnabrone, Co. Galway

Place: Menlough, Co. Galway

Tags: cake, meal, porridge

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

124. Food Galway (308) Bread

People used to make boxty bread from raw potatoes. They would be peeled and cut into pieces. Flour would then be mixed through with buttermilk and boiled potatoes. The dough was put on a griddle to cook.

Collector: Jessie Burke

Informant: Michael Moore

Place: Menlough. Co. Galway, Castleblakeney, Co. Galway

Tags: Potatoes, buttermilk, dough, griddle

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

125. Food Galway (308) Pot cake

My grandfather remembers the pot cake. It was made from oatcake and bacon boiled together.

Collector: Teresa Burke, Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Informant: Timothy Burke, Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Place: Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Tags: Pot, cake, bacon

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

126. Food Galway (308) Good Friday

On Good Friday, the people would drink tea without milk and eat unleavened bread

Collector: Teresa Burke, Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Informant: Timothy Burke, Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Place: Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Tags: Friday, bread, milk, tea

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

127. Food Galway (308) A cure for toothache

Go out into the garden and collect 9 worms. Throw one away and let the other 8 dry out on a shovel. Once dried you can put them in a pipe and smoke them.

Collector: Teresa Burke, Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Informant: Timothy Burke, Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Place: Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Tags: Toothache, worms, pipe

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

128. Food Galway (308) The Malt House

The oldest house around here is the Malt House, about 2 miles from the school. In old times, they made malt there. The old ruins remain but part was taken away for building purposes.

Collector: Anne Quirke

Informant: James Quirke, Windfield, Menlough, Co. Galway

Place: Ballinrooaun, Co. Galway

Tags: Malt, whiskey, ruins

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

129. Food Galway (308) Food in Olden Times

People had no special hour for eating, they ate 3 meals a day. It was usual for people to work before having their first meal of the day. For breakfast, they would eat oaten bread with butter and some milk. They would have potatoes for the dinner and they did not eat much meat. They lived chiefly on potatoes, oaten bread, milk and stir about. There was no tea in those days and they drank from wooden mugs not cups.

Collector: Margaret O’Brien, Clough, Gorteen

Informant: Mrs Dooley, Clogh, Co. Galway and Mrs Coen, Temple, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: meals, potatoes, stir about, oats, milk, tea

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

130. Food Galway (308) Tea comes to the area

The first-time tea came to the area people poured the tea away and ate the leaves.

Collector: Rita Greally & Peggie Cannon, Gortnalone North, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs Greally, Clogh, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags:

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

 131. Food Galway (308) A Spring Well

Long ago there was a spring well in the Ffrench estate at Monivea, Co. Galway. A policeman who stopped to take a drink there, fell in and drowned. Since then the well has been known as “poll gairda”.

Collector: Unkown

Informant: Pat Fahy, Ballynamona, Co. Galway

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Garda, well, drowned

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

132. Food Galway (308) Types of bread

People made current cakes at Christmas and ate pan cakes at Shrove. A mark was put on the top of the cake so that it would not grip to the oven.

Collector: Michael Carr

Informant: Mrs Carr

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: Christmas, Shrove, oven

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

33. Food Galway (308) A saying about bread

Rye bread would kill you dead, barley bread would do you no harm, Oaten bread would redden your blood, wholemeal bread would strengthen your arm.

Collector: Paddy Burke

Informant:M. Burke, Temple, Gurteen, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: Bread, rhyme

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

134. Food Galway (308) Buying, selling and exchanging goods

There were few shops in the area long ago. Goods were sold after mass but people had very little money and often goods were exchanged for goods. People were very glad to have an exchange of goods for a day’s work. It was thought unlucky to transact money business on a Monday and especially on the first Monday of the New Year. There were markets held in Galway and Monivea.

Collector: Rita Greally, Clogh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs M. Greally, Clogh, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: Markets, money, New Year

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

135. Food Galway (308) Oaten Bread

Oaten bread was the most common food in the area. It was used in many ways and cooked propped upright at the fire. “Caca pora” was also eaten – this was placed in a pot of gruel and boiled. It could be eaten with potatoes or turnip. Potato cake was also eaten at times and made with potatoes and some rye meal. In every village, there was a small kiln for drying the grain. This was just a few sticks across a wall with straw thrown over to hold the grain. A small fire would be put underneath to dry out the grain. This would take about 12 hours. Small querns were used for grinding the corn into meal.

Collector: Nan Grady, Ballyglass

Informant: Willie Grady, Ballyglass, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: potato, turniop, quern, grain, meal, kiln, oaten

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

136. Food Galway (308) Cures

People used to cut the dandelion and put it down to boil and then drink it to cure a cold.

Collector: Nora Cannon, Gortnalone North, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs K. Duffy, Temple, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: dandelion, cures

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

137. Food Galway (308) Use for Garlic

Long ago people used to get garlic and cut it up and boil it with milk. This was good for pains.

Collector: Bridie McGann

Informant: Mrs McGann, Clogh, Co. Galway

Place: Gorteen, Co. Galway

Tags: Garlic, cures

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

138. Food Galway (308) Eating Fish

Long ago people used to only eat fish. Those who were far from the sea could send for a barrel of fish that was salted and placed in barrels by the fishermen. In other parts of the country people ate different food. There was oaten meal porridge, buttermilk, potatoes and salt, and porridge for supper.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Meals, fish, fishermen

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

139. Food Galway (308) Cakes

In later years, people began to eat potato cakes and griddle cakes. Griddle cakes were made with oaten meal and buttermilk and mixed with flour. This was rolled very thin and placed on a griddle. This cake would bake very hard. Potato cake was made using broken up potatoes with no lumps and the mixture kneaded with boiled potatoes and flour. It was cut into cants and baked on the griddle. People used stones for grinding the meal. The stones were driven by the river and as they struck each other the corn was crushed and ground between them.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Bread, potatoes, cake, griddle, mill, river, stones

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

140. Food Galway (308) Days of the Week

Many years ago, people thought it unlucky to begin work like ploughing, sowing potatoes or cutting turf on any day but a Friday.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Ploughing, potatoes, turf, sowing

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

141. Food Galway (308) Markets

Over 30 or 60 years ago there were markets held in Monivea. They took place every Friday during the year. Farmers bought bonhams, potatoes, cabbage plants and sometimes turnips. The women bought all kinds of fowl, butter and eggs. In other places people went to a fair and market and exchanged a pig for a certain amount of potatoes.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Fair, market, vegetable

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

142. Food Galway (308) Fairs in Monivea

The fairs in Monivea long ago consisted of cows, pigs and especially horses. The buyers came from all counties. People had to pay a man to get into the fair and the money was used for buying stock for the orphanage. Sometimes a buyer might disagree with the seller about the price of something and a friend would come to the rescue and tell them to split the difference.

Collector: Philomena Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway

Informant: John Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Fairs, Markets, Orphanage

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

143. Food Galway (308) Fairs in the area

Fairs around this area were held in Athenry and Abbey. There is a story told in Abbey about a man named John Bullett who killed his son and then committed suicide. At the fair, in about 1894, all the animals died within a month of being sold. Fr. Doyle had to say mass in the ruins of the Abbey. “Luck” is given at every fair, and money is given to Mr Dempsey near the railway as a custom.

Collector: Philomena Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway

Informant: John Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Fairs, Markets, murder, suicide, luck

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

144. Food Galway (308) Shops and trades in the area

There was a shop in the village owned by Mr. Jim Feeney. Other shops were owned by Maire Beag and Higgins Botham. This man was a weaver as well as a shopkeeper. He used to weave silk in England and got £6 a day. His family was very well off and they left this village in 1896. There was a man living in Shudane who was a cobbler. His name was Mark Jordan and people used to do work for him for boots.

Collector: Philomena Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway

Informant: John Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Weaver, cobbler, shops, trades, England, boots

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

145. Food Galway (308) A story about a giant

There is a story told about a giant who was living in Knockbrack. He fought and beat Fionn MacCumhail in a fight and came again to defeat him. Fionn’s mother made 3 griddle cakes and put the griddle into one of them. The giant came and picked up the house and she gave him the cake with the griddle in it. The giant complained about the hardness of the cake. A fairy put a spell on Fionn, making him small enough to fit in to a cradle. The giant was surprised he could eat the cake so easily and out his finger in his mouth. All the giant’s power immediately disappeared when his finger was bitten. The fairy returned him to his original size and he immediacy killed the giant.

Collector: Philomena Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway

Informant: John Mahon, Newcastle, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Fionn, giant, cakes, griddle, folklore, story

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

 146. Food Galway (308) Shops in Newcastle.

There were 4 shops in Newcastle. They were owned by Tom Feeney, James Burke, Mary Burke and Sally Corbett. Mr Feeney had a forge as well as a shop. He used to shoe horses for free for any farmer who brought him scrap iron. Mr Burke lived just beyond the bog and the bridge at Licklea. Mrs Burke had a small shop and a ‘shebeen’ where she kept drink and ‘potheen’. If she saw anyone making potheen she threatened to tell the police unless they gave her some too. Mrs Corbett used to sell loaf bread.

Collector: Julia Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Shops, alcohol, police, iron, forge

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie/

147. Food Galway (308) Fairy Fish

The old people used to think that there was a fairy salmon or fairy mackerel. It was said they could be seen in the month of May. If anyone got too close to the lake they would be brought down underneath the water.

Collector: Julia Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Lake, fish, drown

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie/

148. Food Galway (308) Holy Water

Water that is blessed on Holy Saturday has a special meaning attached to it. You cannot get that blessing at any other time of year. Everyone brings home a bottle of it and each person drinks a small mouthful. If there as a thunderstorm this water would be thrown against the windows and doors to guard against harm. The same would be done with Whitesuntide water.

Collector: Julia Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Easter, holy, water, thunder

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

149. Food Galway (308) The Land League

The Land League was organised in each parish to support those who were in prison. The leader in Gurteen was James Griffin and he alongside John McGann, Mike Ward, John and James Coen. They were put into prison with the intention of starving them to death, but the money collected by the Land League fed them. Anyone not in the Land League was called a “Blackfoot”.

Collector: Julia Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway (grandparent)

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Land, League, prison, starved

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

150. Food Galway (308) Cromwell

During the time that Cromwell was in Ireland he captured some young men and women near Athenry and locked them in the Castle. The people became enraged and said that they would not give the soldiers any food. There was a young man living in Newcastle who said he would set the captives free. He dressed as an old man and filled the ass cart with the best of food and drink and brought it into the soldiers. At midnight, he stole the key from the warder and set the captives free. They were recaptured and put on board a ship.

Collector: Nora Jordan, Shoodaun, Co. Galway

Informant: Thomas Jordan, Shoodaun, Co. Galway

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: ship, prison, castle, cart, food

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

151. Food Galway (308) An enchanted horse

About 35 years ago 3 men named James and Michael Glynn and Peter Ruane were fishing at eh side of Tiaquin Lake. They felt the rushes under their feet move and from them emerged a white horse. It swam to the middle of the lake and disappeared. To this day there is a part of the lake that is rough and wild even on a calm day.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: horse, fishing, lake, enchanted, folklore

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

152. Food Galway (308) Old Beggars

There are several beggars who visit the village frequently. They are Jude Kelly, John Folan,        Mary Dempsey, Mike McHugh, Tom Rush and Martin Devaney. These would beg for tea, sugar, tobacco and bread. Very few of them sold anything. They lived from what they got from the farmers and took lodgings with them overnight. Most of them died on the workhouse in Loughrea.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Beggars, workhouse, food

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

153. Food Galway (308) Omens and signs of bad luck

People believed that if someone gave away butter that person would have no butter for 4 years after.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Luck, butter

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

154. Food Galway (308) Omens and signs of bad luck

If the woman of the house was churning and a stranger arrived, he must do some of the churning or take some of the butter off the milk

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Churning,

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

155. Food Galway (308) Dances Long Ago

Long ago after the harvest there would be a dance to celebrate. Many of the dances were very old and had been danced by many generations before them. The shoemakers used to dance while shouting the words, “over, over, over, back, back, sist, sist, rap, rap, rap.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Dance, shoemaker

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

156. Food Galway (308) The Old Castle

There is a ruin of an old castle in a field belonging to Michael Tracey. There is a story told about a man named Paddy Byrne who used to go to England every year to work for a man named Lord Robert Grey. One year he didn’t have enough money to pay his ticket to England and stayed at home instead. The landlord ordered him to pay his rent or he would evict him. Paddy lived with his wife and a servant boy named Mick O’Connor. All they had was a stand of oats. Himself and the boys threshed the oats and got them bagged and ready for the market. He was on his way to Galway when he was stopped by a gentleman who said he would buy the oats. He went to the Glen as ordered by the gentleman and found his castle. At the end of the story Paddy comes out of a deep sleep, his landlord thinking he was dead gets a fright at seeing him and gives him a receipt for the rent for 20 years.

Collector: Julia Cloonan

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Folklore, landlord, fairies, threshing

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

157. Food Galway (308) A Story about a man going to the bog

Pat Mannion and his wife lived at New Inn. They had 2 sons, one of whom could not walk or speak. On day, Pat and the oldest son went to the bog and Mrs Mannion went to bring the dinner to them there. She met a neighbour who asked about her sons and he mentioned to her that the child at home was not hers but a fairy child. He told her that the next day, on her visit to the bog she should turn back after 5 minutes. When she and Pat returned, they found the child playing the fiddle in the cradle. By the time they opened the door all the fairies had gone. The chid continued to cry and the father threatened to light a fire and kill him.

Collector: Julia Cloonan

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Tags: Fairies, folklore, bog, dinner

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

158. Food Galway (308) The Potato Diggers Meal

At the time of digging the potatoes the men used to come together in a group. A fire would be made in the field where the potatoes were dug and some of them roasted.

Collector: Bea Mangan

Informant: Unknown

Place: Rahoon, Co. Galway

Tags: Potatoes, roasted

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

159. Food Galway (308) Indian Meal

In the time of the Famine people who could afford it bought Indian meal. Those who could not afford this ate the roots of weeds having boiling them.

Collector: Bea Mangan

Informant: Unknown

Place: Rahoon, Co. Galway

Tags: Weeds, famine, meal

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

160. Animals Galway (176) Wild Animals in the District

Some wild animals include the fox, hare, badger, weasel, fox and ferret. Many men follow the fox to try to kill it as it eats the hens, ducks, geese and lambs. If a person wishes to sell a fox it is worth between 5 and 8 shillings. There is said to be a cure in a fox tongue

Collector: Nellie Hogan

Informant: John Hogan, Biggera More, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Animals, fox, hunt

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

161. Animals Galway (176) Rabbit Meat

The meat of the rabbit is very sweet and nearly everyone likes the taste. Rich men shoot it for food.

Collector: Eddie Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Informant: Tim Kearns, Caltragh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Rabbit, taste

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

162. Animals Galway (176) The hare

The hare is a very swift runner and people here say that it is best not to have anything to do with it. No one eats the meat of the hare for food.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: hare, luck

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

163. Animals Galway (176) The rat

The rat is like a weasel and it destroys a lot of the farmer’s corn from the barn. Farmers often try to stop this by poisoning or trapping the rat.

Collector: Eddie Kerns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Informant: Jim Kearns, Caltragh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Rat, corn, poison, trap

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

164. Animals Galway (176) The Ferret

Ferrets are kept in some parts of the country to go down borrows and kill rabbits. In the wild though, they could kill a great many hens and ducks. Some of the old people in Caherlistrane say that there is a cure from a ferret when it leaves food behind. This cure would work for those with whooping cough.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: John Burke, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Ferret, hens, ducks, cure

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

165. Animals Galway (176) A cure for mumps

If the juice of an orange was boiled with a nettle it could be taken with a spoon of soda and a cup of milk as a sure for mumps.

Collector: Eddie Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Informant: Tim Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Nettle, mumps, orange, sods, milk, cure

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

166. Animals Galway (176) Spring Well

There is a spring well at Gurane, Corofin, Co. Galway. Anyone who washes their hands in the water there, can open any knot.

Collector: Eddie Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Informant: Martin Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Well, spring, knot, folklore

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

167. Animals Galway (176) Men with cures

There were some men who were the seventh son who could cure diseases. John Brien, Gurane, Corofin could cure the pox. He used half a pint of new milk, a cup of whiskey, a spoon of water and a spoon of salts to make a plaster.

Collector: Eddie Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Informant: Martin Kearns, Pollnahallia, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Cure, pox, whiskey, seventh, son

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

168. Animals Galway (176)  Blessed Wells

There are several holy wells in the area. The well at Cuana near Caherlistrane never dries out. People come from all over Galway on 15th August to pray there.

Collector: Nellie Hogan, Ballintava, Co. Galway

Informant: John Hogan, Ballintava, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: well

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

169. Animals Galway (176)  A story about 3 girls

There is a story told about 3 girls who lived together. They made a pot of cally and had just started to eat it when the heard a man coming close to the house and they became afraid. Before leaving the cally they filled it with needles. When the man came in he began to eat it and the needles stuck in his throat. The story finishes when the man steals the girls and outs the in a bag. When he goes to cook them in a pot he unloads the bag and stones fall out.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mary Burke, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Folklore, cally, needles, kidnap

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

170. Animals Galway (176) A riddle about a farmer from Tuam

A farmer who lived near Tuam had no stock aside from 17 cows. When he was dying, he wanted to divide these between 3 sons. After their father died, the sons went to the fair to see if they could find anyone to settle the division. One man’s cow went in along with the other and this man decided to count out the division, giving half to the eldest, one third to the second and one ninth to the last. This added up to 17 and the man took his own cow home.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Cows, dead, fair, riddle

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

171. Animals Galway (176) Signs of a storm

When a goat comes down from the mountain it is a sign of a storm coming

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: John Burke,               Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Goat, storm, weather

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

172. Animals Galway (176) Signs of good weather

If the cock crows late at night, it is a sign of good weather to come.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: John Burke,               Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Cock, weather

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

173. Animals Galway (176) A big storm

In 1839 there was a big storm called “oiche na gaoither morra” and the farm animals were going around the field roaring as the stables and the houses were knocked. The storm arose during the night and no one expected it.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Brigid Burke

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Storm, animals

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

174. Animals Galway (176) A serious drought

In 1928 a terrible drought came to the area. It lasted for about a month and the ground became very hard. People had to go 10 or 11 miles away to get water for the farm animals. Thaddy Higgins from Kilcurriff, Corofin had to go 9 miles to get 2 barrels of water. He had to do this every day.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Thomas Burke

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Drought, barrels, water

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

175. Animals Galway (176) Pancake Tuesday

The first Tuesday before Lent is called Shrove Tuesday. There are pancakes made in every house that day for the people who did not get married.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mary Burke

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Pancakes, marriage

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

 176. Food Galway (308) Matchmaking

When a father was looking for a husband for his daughter he would go to a fair and go into a small room in a public house. He would bring the man whom he wished his daughter to marry. He would buy a bottle of whiskey and the intended man would be drunk and might consider marrying the girl for a small amount of money.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mary Burke

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Whiskey, fair, match, dowry

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

177. Animals Galway (176) Getting Married

After the couple come from getting married and go into the house, some of the bride’s friends breaks the wedding cake over the bride’s head. Most weddings involve a large feast that lasts late into the night. All the people of the village are invited.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mary Burke

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Wedding, cake, bride

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

178. Animals Galway (176) The Fox

The flesh of the fox is not very nice to eat and few people like it. It destroys cabbages, turnips and sometimes potatoes.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: John Burke

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Fox, vegetables

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

179. Animals Galway (176) Ferret Cure

The milk that a ferret foes not drink is said to be a cure for whooping cough if drank by the person requiring it twice a day. The person would be cured in 3 days.

Collector: Annie O’Dowde, Cluidrevagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs O’Dowde

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Ferret, cough, cure

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

180. Animals Galway (176) Weather

To hear cocks crowing on a warm day is a sign of rain

Collector: Nellie Hogan, Biggera More, Co. Galway

Informant: John Hogan

Place: Castlehacket, Co. Galway

Tags: Weather

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’,www.duchas.ie

181. Animals Galway (176) Catching Hares and Rabbits

The only person I ever heard who could catch a hare or rabbit by running after it was John Carty of Toomard.

Collector: Maudie Clarke, Toomard, Co. Galway

Informant: Martin Clarke, Newvillage, Toomard, Co. Galway

Place: Windfield, Co. Galway

Tags: Hare, rabbit

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

182.  Animals Galway (176) The Eglintons – A story

The Eglintons lived in Summerhill. Two young men went out fishing and caught an eel. The eel went mad all along the road for about a mile before they could kill it. They took it home and cooked it. Each of the men’s families got a bit of it and they all went mad. About 12 of them were taken to the graveyard at Killyan.

Collector: Delia Conneel, Ardeevin, Mountbellow, Co. Galway

Informant: Thomas Ryan, Ardeevin, Mountbellew, Co. Galway

Place: Windfield, Co. Galway

Tags: eel, fishing, graveyard

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie/

183. Animals Galway (176) A story about a fox

One night a fox entered a hen cabin through a hole in the door. He killed and ate as many hens as he possibly could and when he tried to make his escape through the hole in the door but found he was too fat. He lay down on the floor of the cabin and he pretended he was dead. Next morning when the farmer went to let out his hens he saw the fox lying on the floor of the cabin and he thought he was dead. He threw him out on to the street and the fox jumped up and ran away laughing to himself at the success of his trick.
On another occasion the fox went to the house of a certain angler who had caught a large fish in a nearby lake. The angler had the fish just cooked and left up on a plate to cool. The fox saw the fish and his mouth began to water. He was yearning to snatch it and eat it. The fox began to relate to the angler the story of his wonderful exploit in catching the fish and he told him all the people knew the story too.
All the while he kept edging nearer to the fish. The angler was getting excited and did not notice the fox’s movements until alas – it was too late. The fox made a lightning like jump, seized the fish and was gone out the door before the angler could do anything to stop him.

Collector: John Dowd, Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Informant: Unknown

Place: Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Tags: Fox, fish, fisherman, farmer, hens

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

184. Animals Galway (176) The Famine

There as a great hunger at the time of the Famine. The people managed to get seed by digging up the oats from the previous year. Some people got seed from foreign countries. So many people died that they had to be buried in the fields.

Collector: Mary Raftery, Clogher Upper, Co. Roscommon

Informant: Matthew Raftery, Clogher Upper, Co. Roscommon

Place: Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Tags: Famine, hunger, oats, seed, buried

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

185. Animals Galway (176) Christmas Customs

At Christmas, the people burn coloured candles. It is said that if you eat enough on the last night of the year, you will have enough all through the year.

Collector: Mary Raftery, Clogher Upper, Co. Roscommon

Informant: Mr. Raftery, Clogher Upper, Co. Roscommon

Place: Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Tags: Christmas, candles, food

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

186. Animals Galway (176) Meals

Long ago people ate boxty and porridge. In the morning, they used to head porridge and milk for their breakfast and milk. They then went to work in the fields before coming in to eat potatoes and milk. In the evening, for the supper people would eat stir about. Potato  cakes was also eaten and was made using potatoes and flour.

Collector: Mary Raftery, Clogher Upper, Co. Roscommon

Informant: Matthew Raftery, Clogher Upper, Co. Roscommon

Place: Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Tags: boxty, porridge, potatoes, breakfast, dinner, supper, flour

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

187. Animals Galway (176) The Fox

There was a man who kept hens in the kitchen of his house. The fox came and the man tried to stop him. The fox threw the man’s shoes into the fire and while he tried to get them out, the fox quickly took the hens in his mouth and ran away.

Collector: Katie Kelly, Beagh, Co. Galway

Informant: Mrs Maggie Kelly, Beagh, Co. Galway

Place: Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Tags: Hens, kitchen fox, farmer

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

188. Animals Galway (176) A fairy story

There was once a man who went to the fair at Williamstown. He sold sheep and lambs and bought drink and got very drunk. When he was going home, he fell and went to sleep and woke to the sound of fairy music. The fairies asked him if he wanted a gift and he replied that he wanted them to take away the hump on his back. The man went home without the hump.

Collector: Katie Kelly, Beagh, Co. Galway

Informant: William Shally, Beagh, Co. Galwa

Place: Flaskagh More, Co. Galway

Tags: Fairies, drink, fair, sheep

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

189. Animals Galway (176) Buying and Selling

Long ago people did not have far to go to the shops. Buying and selling was carried out after mass. The items sold include tea, sugar, bread, tobacco and matches. Sometimes money was not exchanged, but labour was offered instead. Saturday was an unlucky day to transact business.

Collector: K. Broderick

Informant: Unknown

Place: Killimor and Boleybeg, Co. Galway

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

190. Animals Galway (176) The Fox

Michael Connely, Monivea, had a stable which he divided into two parts, one for his horse and the other for his hens. The fox got in through a hole in the roof and killed all his hens, but when trying to get out by climbing on the horse’s backs and made so many attempts that the poor horse’s back was completely bald in the morning.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Fox, stable, hens

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

191. Animals Galway (176) Cures

If you have a hole in the tooth you can use sulphate of copper, ginger, whiskey or tobacco. You can also use some cotton wool with jeyes fluid.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: tooth, cures

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

192. Animals Galway (176) The fairy hare

Two men caught a hare and put it into the pot to boil. When stirring the soup with a fork they heard a voice from the pot saying “Do not stick me, do not stick me.”

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: fairy, hare, soup, fork

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

193. Animals Galway (176) A toothache

You can fill a hole in your tooth with a mixture of soot with salt or vinegar

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Toothache, soot, salt, vinegar

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

194. Animals Galway (176) A story about a fox

A man who caught a fox tied him to a pole in his garden and fed him on maize meal. Unknown to the man the fox spread the meal in a ring as far as his chain would allow and when the hens came to eat it and he caught them.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Fox, hens, garden, maize

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

195. Animals Galway (176) A fairy hare

A man who went hunting one day shot a hare which he took home and skinned and put into the pot to boil. When he lifted the lid to take out the boiled hare, a little woman jumped out and took her place at the table to eat with the man. He ran in terror to a neighbour’s house and when the neighbours returned with him they saw the hare running from the house. The next day he got a severe headache and his head split in two and he died.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: hare, shot, hunting, fairy, neighbour, headache, death

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

196. Animals Galway (176) A fairy hare

A man named Woods who lived in Ballinamona threw a stick at a hare which he found milking his cow one day and wounded her on the leg. The hare however managed to reach the shelter of a nearby uninhabited cabin. When the man entered, he discovered an old woman nursing a bleeding leg. He pulled her out but she took the form of a hare and escaped.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: hare, fairy, milking, cow, bleeding

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

197. Animals Galway (176) A cure for burns

If you apply a cabbage leaf to a burn it will cure it. Flour shaken on the burn will also ease the pain. A cloth with a sprinkle of baking soda also eases the pain.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Burn, cure

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

198. Animals Galway (176) A cure for corns

There are many cures for corns but one includes bathing it in hot water and salt.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Corns, cures

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

 199. Animals Galway (176) A cure for colds

If a person has a cold they can take a drink of buttermilk and boiled oatmeal. Butter was added and the mixture taken when hot. Lemon and honey is also a good cure.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Cold, cure

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

200. Animals Galway (176) A cure for warts

Steal a piece of meat from a neighbour’s house and rub it on the wart. Hide the meat in a hole in the wall and all the meat decays so will the wart.

Collector: Unknown

Informant: Unknown

Place: Garbally, Co. Galway

Tags: Wart, cure

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie

This page was added on 24/04/2017.

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