Folklore of Ireland

The year ahead

Tuesday 29 September 2026

Saturday 31 October 2026

Folklore from the old calendars

The Leinster Hallowe’en Spell Lore and belief LeinsterChambers printed a story from a Leinster family of the eighteenth century.
Lamb’s-wool on Holy Eve No longer kept IrelandA writer in the Gentleman's Magazine said that no merry-making on Holy Eve in Ireland was without lamb's-wool, made by bruising roasted apples into ale or sometimes milk; in better houses white wine had once been used instead.
Oidhche Shamhna No longer kept IrelandOn the eve of Samhain, according to General Vallancey, Irish country people went from house to house carrying sticks and clubs, collecting money, bread, butter, cheese and eggs for the feast and reciting verses.
The Wet Sark Sleeve No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandIn the Scottish form of this Hallowe'en spell the seeker dipped the left shirt sleeve in a south-running burn where the lands of three lairds met.
Sowing Hemp-seed No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandOn Hallowe'en a girl crept out unseen and sowed a handful of hemp-seed, dragging something behind her to harrow it in, and saying a rhyme over and over.
The Blue Clue No longer kept Ireland, ScotlandOne of the Hallowe'en spells Burns described among the country people of the west of Scotland had to be tried alone and in the dark.
Burning the Nuts Lore and belief England, Ireland, ScotlandOn Hallowe'en a pair of nuts was named for a lad and a lass and laid in the fire.

Monday 23 November 2026

Wednesday 25 November 2026

Saturday 26 December 2026

Tuesday 5 January 2027

Sunday 31 January 2027

Wednesday 17 March 2027

Thursday 18 March 2027

Friday 26 March 2027

Sunday 28 March 2027

Monday 29 March 2027

Friday 23 April 2027

Friday 30 April 2027

Saturday 1 May 2027

Folklore from the old calendars

O’Donoghue’s white horse Lore and belief MunsterFrom Crofton Croker's Fairy Legends of the South of Ireland, Hone gives the belief that at first light on May morning the princely O'Donoghue rides his white horse over the waters of Killarney.
No fire given out on May Day Lore and belief IrelandCamden, writing of the manners of the Irish, said they counted any woman who came to fetch fire on May Day a witch.
Driving the cattle through the May fires No longer kept Connacht, MunsterGeneral Vallancey wrote in 1772 that in Munster and Connaught the poorest cottager who owned a cow and a wisp of straw still drove his cattle through fire on the first of May, to keep them free of disease for the year.
Stir-about for the first day of summer No longer kept LeinsterSir Henry Piers wrote in 1682 that the Irish of Westmeath counted May Day the first day of summer and always had one formal dish at their meal that day, stir-about or hasty pudding, flour and milk boiled thick.
The Finglas maypole No longer kept LeinsterA Dublin correspondent told Hone that Finglas, a village two or three miles out on the great northern road, was the only place near the city where May Day was still kept in the old style.
The Dublin May bush No longer kept LeinsterOn May morning young men and boys of Dublin went a few miles out of town to cut a May bush, a whitethorn four or five feet high, and planted it in the middle of their street.
The May mummers of Ireland No longer kept MunsterHone quotes the Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland, just published, on the Irish mummers, whose proper festival was May Day.

Thursday 6 May 2027

Tuesday 1 June 2027

Wednesday 23 June 2027

Monday 28 June 2027

Saturday 24 July 2027

Sunday 1 August 2027

Not tied to a day

Told of Ireland, but not tied to a day of the year.

Folklore from the old calendars

Charming the sword No longer kept IrelandUnder St Patrick's Day Hone gathered old English accounts of Irish beliefs.
Elf-shot Lore and belief Highlands, IrelandWhen cattle sickened or a heifer lay struck down, it was said that the fairies had shot her with their arrows headed with flint, and the flints themselves, often found in the ground, were called elf-shots.
Fairy sickness in Ireland Lore and belief IrelandCamden recorded that when an Irishman fell he sprang up, turned round three times to the right, dug the earth with a sword or knife and took up a turf, believing the ground had given back his shadow or that a spirit was in the earth.
Licking thumbs on a bargain No longer kept Scotland, UlsterIn Scotland a sale was sealed by the two parties licking their thumbs and pressing them together.
Rhyming Rats to Death Lore and belief IrelandIt was once widely believed that rats could be got rid of by cursing them steadily in rhyme.
St Patrick’s jaw-bone Lore and belief UlsterA family in humble life near Belfast kept a silver case said to hold the jaw-bone of St Patrick, which once had five teeth; three were given to members of the family emigrating to America and one was put under the altar of Derriaghy chapel.
The apparitions at Poinstown Lore and belief MunsterHone reprinted a tract of 1679 describing wonders seen in the sky at Poinstown in Tipperary on Sunday 2 March, near sunset, by sixteen named witnesses including a minister and a schoolmaster.
The Banshee Lore and belief Highlands, IrelandHone, following Brand, notes that certain families were believed to have their own warnings of a coming death, some by the appearance of a bird and others by a tall woman in white who shrieked about the house.
The black ribbon Lore and belief IrelandChambers gives the Beresford family legend under the death of Sir Tristram Beresford in 1701.
The Carlow Apparition Lore and belief LeinsterIn January 1824 the London papers copied a story from a Carlow newspaper.
The charm crystal Lore and belief Highlands, IrelandVallancey recorded that in the Highlands of Scotland a large oval crystal had been kept by the priests to work charms with.
The Claddagh Ring Still kept ConnachtRings with two clasped hands were a common old wedding design, and Chambers found the fashion still in daily use among the fishing families of the Claddagh at Galway, a close community of five or six thousand who seldom married outside their own people.
The Cry of Rossmore Lore and belief LeinsterLord Rossmore, commander of the forces in Ireland, died suddenly in the night between 5 and 6 August 1801 at his Dublin house, having been at a drawing room at the Castle until eleven.
The Fetch Lore and belief IrelandIn Ireland a fetch was the ghostly double of a living person, and seeing it foretold either long life or a death close at hand: if it was seen in the morning the person would live long, if in the evening they would soon die.
The harper’s song at Ballyshannon Lore and belief UlsterEarly in the eighteenth century an old Irish harper sang before the Bishop of Derry at dinner.
The Healing Ring Finger Lore and belief England, Ireland, SomersetThe wedding ring is worn on the fourth finger of the left hand from an old belief that a nerve ran from it straight to the heart.
The Pig-faced Lady Lore and belief Leinster, LondonThe story of a lady born with a pig's face, told in several languages, usually said a beggar woman cursed a new bride who called her squalling child a pig.
The serpent of Lough Dilveen Lore and belief MunsterAmong the seven lakes of the Galtee Mountains, between Cork and Tipperary, is Lough Dilveen.
The Seventh Son Lore and belief Cornwall, Ireland, WalesA seventh son, and still more the seventh son of a seventh son, was believed to have the gift of healing.
The taman of Tipperary Lore and belief County Durham, Munster, NorthumberlandCunning men, sometimes called white witches, were consulted to cure diseases laid on by witches, to find thieves, recover stolen goods and tell of absent friends.

The year ahead

Tuesday 29 September 2026

Saturday 31 October 2026

Monday 23 November 2026

Wednesday 25 November 2026

Saturday 26 December 2026

Tuesday 5 January 2027

Sunday 31 January 2027

Wednesday 17 March 2027

Thursday 18 March 2027

Friday 26 March 2027

Sunday 28 March 2027

Monday 29 March 2027

Friday 23 April 2027

Friday 30 April 2027

Saturday 1 May 2027

Thursday 6 May 2027

Tuesday 1 June 2027

Wednesday 23 June 2027

Monday 28 June 2027

Saturday 24 July 2027

Sunday 1 August 2027

Not tied to a day

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