Irish Historical Allusions, Curious Customs and Superstitions, County of Kerry, CorkaguinyFoley, Patrick M.
History
Irish Historical Allusions, Curious Customs and Superstitions, County of Kerry, Corkaguiny
Foley, Patrick M.
Allusions; Ireland -- History; Kerry (Ireland) -- Social life and customs
_Glas-Guineach._--This cow was remarkable for giving a large quantity
of milk. She belonged to the monks then residing at Kilmalckedor, was
well fed and grazed upon the best patches of sweet pasture in the
district. A thief attempted to steal her, but was captured in the
act. To make an example of him, his finger prints and the impression
of the cow's hoofs for future reference and to warn the people of the
district to be aware of him were cut or set into the stones by some
natural art touching finger prints then known to those monks. The
stories of the Glas-Guinach are numerous and interesting. Children
inclined to steal were reminded of what happened to the thief who
stole the monk's cow.
_Gospels._--These are received from a priest, sewn into a piece of
cloth, worn on necks of some children.
_Haunted Houses._--Three houses in the whole barony of Corkaguiny
are all I can discover to have the reputation of being haunted now.
Thieves, robbers and persons of fraudulent and dishonest intentions
manufactured ghosts and imposed them on their innocent neighbors as
haunting certain places, while in other cases where an unnatural
death took place, such as murder, suicide or the like, a fear would
seize the person finding the corpse or one hearing about it. Children
seeing white boys assembled by night in open places and not knowing
who they were prolonged the belief in the ghosts and fairies.
_Headless Coach Stories._--These are wicked lies which were told
on winter nights at the firesides by old people and imposed upon
children as real truth. To make it more serious, the storyteller
would put on a long, solemn face and speak in whispers. He would
start and describe in detail the make, appearance and movements
of the headless coach, thereby terrorizing the very lives in us
children, so much so that we would not willingly come home after
dark unless accompanied by another. There never was such a thing as a
headless coach in our parts, and some old people there are guilty of
a very serious crime in poisoning and destroying the minds of young
children with such horrid tales.
_Hold Out the Hand and Split the Difference._--In selling or buying
horses, cattle, sheep and hogs at fairs and markets a peculiar custom
prevails. When the buyer and seller are within a few shillings of
a bargain a friendly neighbor asks them to "split the difference"
and places their hands together. Another habit is for a buyer, when
making an offer which he expects will be accepted by the seller, to
ask the seller to open his hand. This being done, he slaps the open
hand in token of an agreement as he makes what he pretends to be his
last bid.
_Holy Water Bottles in Canoes._--There is a custom among fishermen
to the west of Dingle of carrying very small bottles containing holy
water tightly corked and fastened by a strong string to their canoes
when going to sea.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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