Schools’ Folklore Scheme (1937-38)
In 1937 the Irish Folklore Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, initiated a revolutionary scheme in which schoolchildren were encouraged to collect and document folklore and local history.
Over a period of eighteen months some 100,000 children in 5,000 primary schools in the twenty-six counties of the Irish Free State were encouraged to collect folklore material in their home districts. The topics about which the children were instructed to research and write included local history and monuments, folktales and legends, riddles and proverbs, songs, customs and beliefs, games and pastimes, traditional work practices and crafts, etc. The children collected this material mainly from their parents and grandparents and other older members of the local community or school district. Now known as the Schools' Manuscript Collection, the scheme resulted in more than half a million manuscript pages of valuable material.
The following are the submissions from the pupils of Courtmacsherry National School (Scoil Cúirt an tSéafraidh).
The principal teacher of the school was John Sheehy (Seán ỚSithigh)
The submissions were written between October 1937 and May 1938.
In 1937 the Irish Folklore Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, initiated a revolutionary scheme in which schoolchildren were encouraged to collect and document folklore and local history.
Over a period of eighteen months some 100,000 children in 5,000 primary schools in the twenty-six counties of the Irish Free State were encouraged to collect folklore material in their home districts. The topics about which the children were instructed to research and write included local history and monuments, folktales and legends, riddles and proverbs, songs, customs and beliefs, games and pastimes, traditional work practices and crafts, etc. The children collected this material mainly from their parents and grandparents and other older members of the local community or school district. Now known as the Schools' Manuscript Collection, the scheme resulted in more than half a million manuscript pages of valuable material.
The following are the submissions from the pupils of Courtmacsherry National School (Scoil Cúirt an tSéafraidh).
The principal teacher of the school was John Sheehy (Seán ỚSithigh)
The submissions were written between October 1937 and May 1938.
Story by Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry - dated 28th October 1937
A good many years ago there lived in Carhue a man named Con O’Callaghan. One night he dreamt that if he went to a fort in Carhue he would get his fortune, only to take a few men, and a few shovels and pickaxes. At eleven o’clock that night four of them went to the fort and started digging, at last they came to a step, they dug away and came to another step and still another.
Finally they came to a room where there were many small dwarfs and one woman whom the dwarfs had brought in from the country told them not to eat any food in the fort nor to talk there.
The man was told in the dream that when he would see a place marked ‘x’ to dig there, so they came to the place and dug there. Then they came to the gold, and the man told them to stop, that they had their fortunes made and they stopped, but the (steps) steps by which they came down were now a winding stairs and it took them until two o’clock in the morning to get out.
When the men got home they put the gold in a box over the fire for safty (sic.) but when they awoke in the morning only a lump of earth was in the box for the dwarfs had tricked them.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Holland, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
Finally they came to a room where there were many small dwarfs and one woman whom the dwarfs had brought in from the country told them not to eat any food in the fort nor to talk there.
The man was told in the dream that when he would see a place marked ‘x’ to dig there, so they came to the place and dug there. Then they came to the gold, and the man told them to stop, that they had their fortunes made and they stopped, but the (steps) steps by which they came down were now a winding stairs and it took them until two o’clock in the morning to get out.
When the men got home they put the gold in a box over the fire for safty (sic.) but when they awoke in the morning only a lump of earth was in the box for the dwarfs had tricked them.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Holland, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
Story by Denis Cahalane, Courtmacsherry - dated 4th November 1937
Long ago two giants had a fight in Meelmane. They were fighting for a long time and either of them did not win. After a long time they decided to take a huge stone that was in a field near by and the one who could make the longest throw should be regarded as the winner.
The first one only threw it to the top of Faill na bό. Then the other threw it out in the strand, where it is still resting between two rocks and it is said that anyone who would go under it would never get a toothache. This stone is called Toothache Stone.
Pupil: Denis Cahalane, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Peter Cotter, Broadstrand, Courtmacsherry
The first one only threw it to the top of Faill na bό. Then the other threw it out in the strand, where it is still resting between two rocks and it is said that anyone who would go under it would never get a toothache. This stone is called Toothache Stone.
Pupil: Denis Cahalane, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Peter Cotter, Broadstrand, Courtmacsherry
Story by Aidan Holland, Cullenagh - dated 4th November 1937
Some years ago when men were working in a field, Ballincurrig, Broadstrand, they came across an entrance to a cave or underground room. They were earthing their potatoes when they found a big flat stone. They raised it and to their surprise they found a flight of steps leading down into the earth. John O’Mahony went down the steps and when he got down he found himself in a room with three passages leading out from it. The passages are low and it is necessary to go on hands and knees to get along it. They did not travel to the end of them as the place was all loose earth from being closed up so long. The roof was kept up with big flags 18 feet long. and 2 feet wide, and it is a mystery to all who have seen them how did they get there. The old people say it was used as a hiding place when the Danes came to Ireland long ago. It can be seen any day.
Pupil: Aidan Holland, Cullenagh, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: John O'Mahony, Ballincurrig, Courtmacsherry
Pupil: Aidan Holland, Cullenagh, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: John O'Mahony, Ballincurrig, Courtmacsherry
Story by Sean Sheehy, Courtmacsherry - dated 4th November 1937
Some harvesters were cutting and binding corn in a fort field. Among them was a poor woman who, having nobody at home to look after her baby had to bring it with her to the cornfield. She placed the ^ between some sheaves in the shelter of the fort while she worked at the binding.
After some time when she came to see the baby she found it had been taken away and replaced with a changeling. On seeing this ugly nature the poor woman was horrified and screamed loudly. Her crying attracted the attention of the farmer who came up to see what was wrong.
On hearing what had happened he ordered the workers to gather dry bushes and ferns and bring them to the spot and place them in a ring round the changeling. He then set one of the dry bushes on fire and as the blaze was drawing near the fairy child a hound sprang out of the fort with the poor woman’s child in its mouth and dropped it at her feet. Then it sprang in over the ring of blazing bushes, grabbed the strange creature in its mouth and disappeared with it into the fort. The mother as well as all the other harvesters were delighted to have the baby back again.
Pupil: Sean Sheehy, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Holland, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
After some time when she came to see the baby she found it had been taken away and replaced with a changeling. On seeing this ugly nature the poor woman was horrified and screamed loudly. Her crying attracted the attention of the farmer who came up to see what was wrong.
On hearing what had happened he ordered the workers to gather dry bushes and ferns and bring them to the spot and place them in a ring round the changeling. He then set one of the dry bushes on fire and as the blaze was drawing near the fairy child a hound sprang out of the fort with the poor woman’s child in its mouth and dropped it at her feet. Then it sprang in over the ring of blazing bushes, grabbed the strange creature in its mouth and disappeared with it into the fort. The mother as well as all the other harvesters were delighted to have the baby back again.
Pupil: Sean Sheehy, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Holland, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
"Weather" by Margaret Whelton, Courtmacsherry - dated 18th November 1937
If it is raining when the moon is rising, dry weather is to be expected. It generally rains when the tide is coming. A cold sting is felt in the air before rain. The soot falls down the spaniel sleeps and spiders from their cobwebs creep when rain is near. When the shadow of the land is reflected on the sea we will have rain and when birds fly low we will have rain. A circle round the moon is a sure sign of bad weather. A rainbow in the morning is a shepherd’s warning, a rainbow in the night is a shepherd’s delight. The crickets sing loudly before rain. When the cat sits with her back to the fire it is a sign of cold weather. The wind howls through the key holes when rain is near.
Pupil: Margaret Whelton, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Donoghue, The Terrace, Courtmacsherry
Pupil: Margaret Whelton, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Donoghue, The Terrace, Courtmacsherry
The wreck of the "Guelph" by Jeremiah Coakley - dated 25th November 1937
On a bad, wild, winter’s night about the year 1887, a bark named the Guelph carrying baulks of timber drifted ashore on the south west of Garrettstown. A crew of fifteen were on board, and four of those were aft, and they got ashore on baulks and the other eleven were drowned.
At four o’clock that evening she passed the Galley Head and her sails only consisted of rags hanging to the mast. She was seen drifting to the Barrels by a man from Travara who mounted a horse and drove to Courtmacsherry and reported the matter to the Coastguards who gathered the crew of the oar lifeboat and went out. The crew of the lifeboat were Noble Ruddock, Frank O’Driscoll, his brother Jerh, John O’Donovan, Jerh Keohane, John Brown, John O’Brien and two coastguards named Kirby and Attridge. Only one of that crew is now living and that is Johnny O’Donovan.
At ten o’clock that night these men left Tanner’s pier and before going they were told when the Rocket would go of at the Point to answer it. An hour after they went Frank Ruddock and Tim Tobin went down to the Point and fired three rockets, and the lifeboat did not answer them until two hours later, that was when they reached Horse Rock.
During that time she was only seen once and that was when passing the (Point) Point. When she reached the scene of the wreck all that was left were the baulks, the ship herself was smashed to matchwood.
The life-boat left the pier at ten o’clock that night and did not reach the scene of the wreck until five o’clock the following morning and all this time she was battling with the sea.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Tim Tobin, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
At four o’clock that evening she passed the Galley Head and her sails only consisted of rags hanging to the mast. She was seen drifting to the Barrels by a man from Travara who mounted a horse and drove to Courtmacsherry and reported the matter to the Coastguards who gathered the crew of the oar lifeboat and went out. The crew of the lifeboat were Noble Ruddock, Frank O’Driscoll, his brother Jerh, John O’Donovan, Jerh Keohane, John Brown, John O’Brien and two coastguards named Kirby and Attridge. Only one of that crew is now living and that is Johnny O’Donovan.
At ten o’clock that night these men left Tanner’s pier and before going they were told when the Rocket would go of at the Point to answer it. An hour after they went Frank Ruddock and Tim Tobin went down to the Point and fired three rockets, and the lifeboat did not answer them until two hours later, that was when they reached Horse Rock.
During that time she was only seen once and that was when passing the (Point) Point. When she reached the scene of the wreck all that was left were the baulks, the ship herself was smashed to matchwood.
The life-boat left the pier at ten o’clock that night and did not reach the scene of the wreck until five o’clock the following morning and all this time she was battling with the sea.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Tim Tobin, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
"Superstitions" by Gerald Gregan, Courtmacsherry - dated 8th December 1937
To dream of a marriage is the sign of a death. If a fox bites a dog and escapes, the bite will never heal, but if he is killed, the bite will heal quickly. To mention meat, rabbits or pigs on the sea will bring you bad luck. Bad luck will follow you for seven years if you break a mirror. Poison is in the scrawl of a first kitten. You should never kill a cricket for the rest will eat all the clothes put to dry near the fire. The cock crows when a person dies. It is unlucky to drink out of a well after dark. The first person a cat looks at after washing herself will be the first to die in the house. It is unlucky to postpone a marriage. When a person finds a lump of coal they should throw it into the first fire they see and then they will have good luck. When the palm of your hand it itching you will get a lot of money. A person should never turn back alone from a funeral. If you find a button you will have good luck. If you find a horse shoe with the back turned to you, you will have good luck. If you put a pair of new boots on the table there will be a row. When two knifes (sic) are crossed on the table there will be a row. If a knife falls off the table a man will pay a visit to the house and if a fork falls a woman will come. If you burn alder there will be a death in the house. Soot on a grate is supposed to be a crape in a funeral. Whistling at sea is calling for wind. If you borrow salt it is unlucky to give it back. If you killed a cricket you would not have luck for a year. It is not right to walk before a funeral. It is unlucky to bring a live rabbit to a house. It is unlucky to light three cigarettes with one match. It is very unlucky to open an umbrella in a house. When out fishing it is unlucky to count your catch. When there are two spoons in your cup you are going to get married. The person that borrows and takes anything to a wake must take it back again. When people are laying out a person after dying the same people the same people must take them off again after the funeral. When there is a straw on a hen’s leg someone is dying. You should never turn a horseshoe upside down on a wall because all the luck will fall out of it. If you wish to live and thrive, let a spider run alive. It is unlucky to meet a red haired woman when going fishing. It is unlucky to make a friend a present of anything that cuts for it cuts the friendship. It is unlucky to have three candles burning in one room. It is unlucky to look out of a window at a funeral. It is unlucky to see the new moon through a window. It is not right to carry a corpse through a field.
See a pin and pick it up and all your days you will have good luck. See a pin and pass it by and you may want a pin before you die. If a person fell inside a graveyard he would be the next to die. It is very unlucky to knock down a swallow’s nest. It is very unlucky to refuse a good price for anything.
Pupil: Gerald Gregan, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Richard Drake, Ballinamona, Courtmacsherry
See a pin and pick it up and all your days you will have good luck. See a pin and pass it by and you may want a pin before you die. If a person fell inside a graveyard he would be the next to die. It is very unlucky to knock down a swallow’s nest. It is very unlucky to refuse a good price for anything.
Pupil: Gerald Gregan, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Richard Drake, Ballinamona, Courtmacsherry
"Ghost Stories" by Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry - dated 19th January 1938
Not so many years ago there lived near Lord Bandon’s Quay a young girl. She got sick and while ill two of her friends came every night to see her. A certain night they came about half past six and when they were going home about seven o’clock they said they would come again about ten o’clock as it would be bright. She said not to for she would be dead by then.
As they were going home one of them looked back and what did she see but a coffin and four men carrying it. They were surprised for there was no one dead near. As the coffin was passing they blessed themselves and said a few prayers and the coffin and the men vanished. They were not long at home when the news came that the girl was dead.
A good many years ago a man was going home to Courtmacsherry about twelve o’clock in the night. As he was passing the Hotel a cock crew. He stood in the porch of the Protestant school and after a while a funeral passed up the Ring Road.
He then went home and as he was passing the Fuchsia Walk a big stone struck the ditch near him. He ran and stones were thrown after him until he reached his own door where one big stone struck him in the back. He went in home and went to bed where he remained for a month and then he died.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Tim Tobin, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
Not so many years ago a woman in Timoleague by the name of Mrs. Ryan dreamt she saw a man all in red come in the window and walk across her bedroom and disappear. Next day she got a cable from America telling her that her son had been murdered by Gangsters and that all his money had been taken also that he was to be married the next day. As she saw him again next night she told the Priest and he blessed the house and said prayers for the man, was after that the man was seen no more.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Ryan, Timoleague
As they were going home one of them looked back and what did she see but a coffin and four men carrying it. They were surprised for there was no one dead near. As the coffin was passing they blessed themselves and said a few prayers and the coffin and the men vanished. They were not long at home when the news came that the girl was dead.
A good many years ago a man was going home to Courtmacsherry about twelve o’clock in the night. As he was passing the Hotel a cock crew. He stood in the porch of the Protestant school and after a while a funeral passed up the Ring Road.
He then went home and as he was passing the Fuchsia Walk a big stone struck the ditch near him. He ran and stones were thrown after him until he reached his own door where one big stone struck him in the back. He went in home and went to bed where he remained for a month and then he died.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Tim Tobin, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
Not so many years ago a woman in Timoleague by the name of Mrs. Ryan dreamt she saw a man all in red come in the window and walk across her bedroom and disappear. Next day she got a cable from America telling her that her son had been murdered by Gangsters and that all his money had been taken also that he was to be married the next day. As she saw him again next night she told the Priest and he blessed the house and said prayers for the man, was after that the man was seen no more.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Ryan, Timoleague
"Forts" by Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry - dated 9th March 1938
Forts are common all over Ireland, and they were made in very early times. A fort is circular in shape and the Irish name is Lios. It is said that they were made by the people for protection when the Danes came. Some people say that fairies live in them now. Nobody would go into a fort on May Eve for on that evening the fairies dance there. The Leprechaun comes out on the stroke of twelve that night and plays the fairy music, and the queen and all her subjects come out to dance to the fairy music.
If you stand in a fort you can see three more from it, it is also said that an underground passage leads from one fort to another. It is not right to knock down a fort or to till one. A person once tilled a fort and it is said that his family never had a day’s luck after.
A fort is circular in shape and around are two earthen banks one outside the other and between the two banks there is a trench five or six feet deep and this trench used to be full of water.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Donoghue, The Terrace, Courtmacsherry
If you stand in a fort you can see three more from it, it is also said that an underground passage leads from one fort to another. It is not right to knock down a fort or to till one. A person once tilled a fort and it is said that his family never had a day’s luck after.
A fort is circular in shape and around are two earthen banks one outside the other and between the two banks there is a trench five or six feet deep and this trench used to be full of water.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Mrs. Donoghue, The Terrace, Courtmacsherry
Names of Fields - dated 30th March 1938
On nearly every Irish farm the fields are names such as, Páirc ne Sceithe, Páirc na Claise, Páirc na h-Abann, An Cnapόg, An Mullac, Páirc Fada, Páirc na Gamhna, Páirc a’Portacán, Páirc na Criseoige, Páirc a’Tobair, the Kiln field, Páirc na Carraige, Páirc na Ioclann, Páirc na hCόrnan, Páirc a’Leasa, Páirc an Aiteinn, Páirc an Fhraoig, An Páirc Rúadh, Páirc a’tSrutha, An Páirc Ghlas, Páirc a’Casáin, Páirc a’Comίn, Páirc a’Preacáin, Páirc a’Tighe, Bonnéicin, Cúilίn, Páirc na Scoile, Páirc a’Chomghair, Páirc an Rais, Páirc a’Mhoinfhéir, Páirc na Ceardchan, Páirc na bPucai, Páirc a’Droichid, Páirc na Lárach, Páirc na Tuaighe, Páirc a’Tairbh, Páirc na Faille, An Páirc Gairid, Páirc na Seamroige, An Peicin, An Faithίn, Páirc Ni Réagán, An Gairdίn Franncach, Páirc Pháid Rúaid, Páirc na Capall, Páirc an Crό.
"Marriage" by Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry - dated 7th April 1938
Long ago people would not get married only at special times. They would only get married in Shrove, they would not get married in May or August under any circumstances for they said these were unlucky months, and they thought, Monday, Wednesday and Friday were unlucky days.
The matches were made at the fairs in a public house, and sometimes the man did not see his intended wife until the morning of the wedding. At that time the women wore hood cloaks and it often happened that a man to a strong woman for he would not see her face until after the wedding.
The fortunes of long ago are the same as they are today. In those days when there were no motors, the people went to weddings on horseback. The married couple in the first horse, the best man and bridesmaid on the next and all the guests on horseback after them and sometimes in carts, traps and sidecars.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Tim Tobin, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
The matches were made at the fairs in a public house, and sometimes the man did not see his intended wife until the morning of the wedding. At that time the women wore hood cloaks and it often happened that a man to a strong woman for he would not see her face until after the wedding.
The fortunes of long ago are the same as they are today. In those days when there were no motors, the people went to weddings on horseback. The married couple in the first horse, the best man and bridesmaid on the next and all the guests on horseback after them and sometimes in carts, traps and sidecars.
Pupil: Jeremiah Coakley, Courtmacsherry
Storyteller: Tim Tobin, Ramsey Hill, Courtmacsherry
"The townland in which I live" by Aidan Holland, Courtmacsherry - dated 1938
I live in the townland of Cullenagh. The meaning of the word Cullenagh is the place of the Holly. It is in the parish of Barryroe.
There are about seventy houses in Cullenagh. They are all slated with the exception of two which are thatched.
There are about twenty-eight people over seventy in the townland. Seven of these speak Irish. The names of the people who speak Irish are Mr. and Mrs. Grace, Mr. Sexton, Mr. Donovan, Mrs. Holland, Mrs. Donovan and Mrs. Walsh. Most of the houses in Cullenagh are very old. Three or four families lived in some of them long ago. Not many people leave the district now. About one quarter of Cullenagh is under wood, and the rest is good land.
Pupil: Aidan Holland, Cullenagh, Courtmacsherry
There are about seventy houses in Cullenagh. They are all slated with the exception of two which are thatched.
There are about twenty-eight people over seventy in the townland. Seven of these speak Irish. The names of the people who speak Irish are Mr. and Mrs. Grace, Mr. Sexton, Mr. Donovan, Mrs. Holland, Mrs. Donovan and Mrs. Walsh. Most of the houses in Cullenagh are very old. Three or four families lived in some of them long ago. Not many people leave the district now. About one quarter of Cullenagh is under wood, and the rest is good land.
Pupil: Aidan Holland, Cullenagh, Courtmacsherry