Irish Superstitions | Irish American Mom

Why Celebrating New Year In January Is A Relatively New Custom In Ireland

December 31, 2016 by Irish American Mom 8 Comments

Did you know that marking the beginning of each new year on January 1st is a relatively new custom in Ireland? Believe it or not, this practice is less than 300 years old.

Until recent years New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebrations were very subdued in Ireland. The Irish national folklore archive does not hold much evidence of these dates being cause for major festivities in centuries past.

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Now let’s face it, the world just keeps on spinning around the sun, and takes a little over 365 days to accomplish this feat. The exact date when we decide this cycle begins and ends, and a new year should be celebrated, is completely arbitrary.

And so since today is officially New Year’s Eve in Ireland and America, I thought I would dedicate this blog post to the history of New Year celebrations, and how January 1st became the arbitrary day chosen to celebrate the New Year on both sides of the Atlantic.

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A New Year History Lesson:

It was not until 1752 that the New Year was officially decreed to start on January 1st in Ireland. This was the year when Great Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar rather than the Julian calendar. Since Ireland was ruled by England at that time, we too adopted the new date to mark the New Year. Up until then the New Year was legally declared to start on March 25th.

Now until Christianity took hold in Ireland the New Year had always been celebrated at Samhain or Halloween on the last day of October when the harvest had been gathered. Even after the church officially changed the start of the New Year to March 25th, many rural Irish folk continued to celebrate Samhain as the start of the Celtic new year, and St. Brigid’s Day on February 1st as the beginning of spring.

There are many old Irish customs and traditions associated with Halloween and St. Brigid’s Day, but they’re are relatively few associated with our celebration of the New Year.

January Vs. March For New Year Celebrations:

Originally Julius Ceasar decided January 1st was the perfect day to start the New Year since the month was named after the Roman god, Janus, who had two faces, one looking forward and one looking backward. Janus was also the god of doors and gates, so good ol’ Julius Caesar decided this symbolism was perfect for marking the New Year.

After Rome fell in the 5th century Christianity spread throughout Europe. Celebrating the new year on January 1st was seen as a pagan Roman tradition, so the powers that be in the Christian church decided to move the date to March 25th. This was the feast of the Annunciation, when Mary was told by the Angel Gabriel that she was to be the mother of Jesus.

Now there was little unity back in those days. Some countries chose Christmas Day, December 25th to mark the start of their new year, while others chose to change the day every year to coincide with Easter Sunday.

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Out Of Sync With The Solar Year:

But troubled times were a brewing for calendar watchers. When Julius Caesar created his calendar based upon the astronomical spin of the world around the sun, he counted 365 days but failed to calculate the extra 6 hours required to complete the cycle. Calendrical chaos ensued as the Julian calendar became misaligned with the solar year.

By 1582 the difference had grown to 10 days, requiring holidays and feasts to be changed frequently to match the solar year. Pope Gregory XIII was fed up with having to re-set the date for the Spring Equinox and Easter each year.

And so he decided to devise a new calendrical system which implemented the addition of a single leap day every four years to keep the solar years and calendrical years all in sync. He also decided to restore January 1st as the official first day of each year.

Catholic countries, like France and Italy, adopted the new Gregorian calendar quickly. But Protestant countries like England were hesitant to accept the calendar created by a Roman Pope.

Since Ireland and America were ruled by England, the acceptance of January 1st as the day for celebrating the New Year did not occur until 1752.

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Old Irish New Year’s Customs:

And so you see, celebrating New Year in January is a custom less than 300 years old in Ireland.

To tell you the truth, in times gone by, the main thing Irish folks did on New Year’s day was simply nothing at all.

An old custom dictated that nothing should be brought into or out of a house on New Year’s Day. All water that might be required should be gathered from the well before sunset on New Year’s Eve. All water, both clean and dirty had to be kept inside the house until after the dawn of day on the 1st of January.

The night of December 31st was deemed the anniversary of the date Jesus changed water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, and for this reason no water should be thrown out, or added overnight for fear the Lord would think the household greedy.

In last year’s New Year’s post I shared some other customs like once again lighting a candle in the window, and how bread was thrown at the door to ward off hunger in the coming year.

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Foreseeing The Future At New Year:

It does not appear our forefathers made New Year’s resolutions as we do today. They were not so keen on goal setting and planning, but seemed to trust their future to fate, and of course the weather, which dictated the destiny of a rural farming people, like the Irish.

One natural sign used as an omen of good and bad fortune at New Year was the water level of local rivers. If the river was running high on New Year’s Day, it was a sign that commodities and food would be expensive that coming year. If the river ran low then necessities would be inexpensive.

Another old superstition dictated that no money should be spent on New Year’s Day for fear it would foretell a year of major expenses ahead.

If someone visited a house on New Year’s Day they should always bring a gift, since their lack of giving might indicate the house would be empty throughout the coming year.

As a result, little visiting was done on this date. People believed that by giving away something from their own home they might be giving away their luck. It was safest to sit home and keep everything you possessed under your own roof, rather than visiting neighbors and sharing your luck.

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The Cycle Of Life:

And so, January 1st was a very quiet day in Ireland in olden times. Women’s Little Christmas, celebrated on January 6th, was marked with far more festivities. Women were celebrated for all their work over the twelve days of Christmas.

Withered holly was put away and saved so that it could be burned in the fire on Pancake Tuesday, the day before Lent began.

Important Irish festivities were linked through ritual and January 1st did not feature much in this traditional holiday pattern. After Christmas ended on January 6th, the next big day for celebration was February 1st, St. Brigid’s Day, when the coming of spring was welcomed, and the cycle of life was renewed by nature.

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Celebrating The New Year Irish Style:

And so, if like me you find yourself a little under-awed by the razzmatazz and hoopla of New Year celebrations, don’t mentally beat yourself up.

As you sit at home, watching the craziness of celebrations at College Green in Dublin, or at Times Square in New York, just raise a glass and toast your Irishness.

Let’s face it, our avoidance of setting resolutions we know we will fail to keep, and our inclination to sit back, relax and do nothing as we ring in the New Year, are simply expressions of our genetic inheritance.

The Irish have never done much to celebrate a January New Year, and so this year I plan to religiously adhere to that age old tradition.

Happy New Year To All!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Furze – The Yellow Flower Of The Irish Landscape

June 7, 2015 by Irish American Mom 18 Comments

Ireland’s hills and hedgerows are blooming with the golden glow of yellow furze. This prolific plant adds stunning color to the Irish landscape each and every year.

A Plant Of Many Names:

Now this hill brightening plant bears many names throughout Ireland.

I grew up calling it furze. In northern counties this landscape illuminator is referred to as whins.

Other names include gorse and broom, but interestingly both furze and gorse are words with Anglo-Saxon origins.

The Irish word for gorse is aiteann (pronounced ah-chin).

Whatever you choose to call it, these spectacular, yet prickly plants are part and parcel of my Irish memories.

A Flower For All Seasons:

With different species of gorse plants thriving in Irish soil, these yellow flowers bloom all year round. This long flowering season gave rise to the old saying ….

“When furze is out of bloom, kissing is out of fashion.”

Love, like hope, springs eternal. We all know kissing is unlikely to ever stop, and likewise gorse will unlikely never cease to flower in Ireland.

Whiskey and Wine:

Yellow gorse petals are actually edible, and are used to make a special brew called gorse flower wine, a favorite of our ancient Celtic forebears.

In years gone by, the golden glow of Irish whiskey was achieved by using gorse flowers, which also added subtle almond flavor to Ireland’s favorite distilled beverage.

These edible flowers have been used in salads, and for tea, and the buds were pickled like capers.

But be fair warned. Overeating can lead to an upset stomach due to slightly toxic alkaloids in the bloosoms.

Furze – A Farmer’s Friend:

Often seen in hedgerows, the prickly spines of the furze bush make it a good barrier for containing livestock.

Furze “grows like wild fire” making it a little invasive for some farmers’ liking. Before there were limitations on unlicensed burning, old furze growth was frequently burned back to help nourish the soil. The ashes of the furze were alkaline making them a perfect fertilizer.

New furze shoots where a food greatly enjoyed by cattle and sheep.

Burning furze torches around farm animals was believed to promote fertility. Whether this fertility trick worked or not, the gorse smoke also helped to kill fleas and other unwanted creepy crawlies in animals’ coats.

Alkali furze ashes were also mixed with animal fat to make soap.

In County Kerry furze was used to treat horses for worms, a fact I’m quite certain you never before thought you needed to know. Here’s an excerpt from the Irish National Folklore Collection ….

‘Get a few handfuls of the yellow blossoms of the furze and boil them in water.

Give the water as a dose to the horse and this will cure worms’.

~ From the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin. NFC 782:356 From Co Kerry.

Furze or Gorse in Ancient Traditions:

Like many other Irish wildflowers, the yellow furze of my homeland features significantly in ancient mythology and legendary lore.

In the past, a small sprig of furze was added to bridal bouquets, but like many old traditions there were rules associated with its use.

Only the bride herself could cut the furze for her floral arrangement. It was considered extremely unlucky to receive or give this prickly plant as a gift, because we as humans do not own these golden blooms.

Property Of The Faeries:

And so whom, you may ask, holds sway over these thorny bushes?

Of course, being Ireland, the magical owners of these prolific plants are none other than the faerie folk.

Furze bushes, like all other thorny bushes in Ireland such as hawthorn and white thorn, belong to the Sidhe, and often guard their portals to magical realms.

Judging by the amount of gorse growing throughout Ireland, it is one magical land indeed.

An Ancient Gold Catcher:

Gorse was used in ancient times for collecting gold. By lining the bed of a stream with furze plants our predecessors would capture gold dust flowing on the currents.

I believe gorse grows in California too, so I wonder if any prospectors used this ancient Irish technique at the time of the Gold Rush.

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Bealtaine Fires:

Bealtaine is the ancient Celtic feast celebrated on May Day. Gorse was considered a sacred wood and because of its high oil content may have been used to start the Bealtaine fires.

The Celtic god of light, Lugh, is linked to the furze bush, probably because of the golden glow of its vibrant yellow flowers.

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Medicinal Plant:

Like many of Ireland’s edible wildflowers herbalists of years gone by used these plants for many medicinal purposes.

Children suffering from scarlet fever drank an infusion of the flowers.

Seeds were considered a treatment for diarrhea.

Bad breath was treated by mixing the blossoms with honey and using it as a mouthwash,.

And flower petals were strewn about on the earthen floors of cottages since they were thought to be a flea repellant.

And so there you have it … my little roundup of facts and magical lore surrounding these glorious golden blooms of Ireland’s landscape.

If you know any other tales or names for this native Irish plant, please let us know in the comment section below.

And for those planning a trip to Ireland this summer, I hope you’ll smile when you admire the Irish hills swathed in yellow blossoms.

You can say to yourself, ‘I know all about this furze, or gorse, or whins, or broom, or whatever on earth this magical plant is called in this neck of the woods.’

Slán agus beannacht!

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Irish Primrose Superstitions And Lore

April 22, 2015 by Irish American Mom 19 Comments

When I think of Ireland, I imagine hedgerows of delicate primroses in spring. I love to see these yellow blossoms in shady banks, damp woods, along the roadside, or peeping between the blocks of old stone walls.

I wasn’t one bit surprised to learn this wild flower of Ireland was considered sacred by our Celtic ancestors who believed it held the keys to heaven.

Primroses color the Irish countryside from March until May. And so today I thought why not share some primrose photos, myths and lore.

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Meaning of the Primrose’s Name:

This simple flower is a perennial and its official botanical name is Primula Vulgaris. This name derives from two latin words meaning “first rose”.

The primrose is also known as the English primrose. However, this beautiful spring flower is also native to the Emerald Isle.

In Irish it’s name is sabhaircín (pronounced sour-keen).

Medicinal Uses For Primroses:

This eye-catching flower and its supporting plant are edible and supposedly taste like lettuce. I’ve never actually nibbled on a primrose, but it’s good to know they are safe for consumption, and good for garnishing spring dishes.

Primroses were prized plants for those in Ireland who brewed their own cures and concoctions in days gone by. Primroses were widely used as remedies for muscular aches and pains, rheumatism, paralysis and gout.

The leaves and flowers of the plant were used both fresh and dried. Roots were only used when dried, and a special infusion of the roots was used to treat headaches.

Evening primrose oil which we often hear of today, was not available in Ireland long ago, since it is derived from an American variety of the primrose plant, not the kind found in Ireland.

The Irish primrose was used to relieve painful toothaches. Those suffering would rub the aching tooth and gum with a primrose leaf for two minutes.

Primroses were also touted as a cure for jaundice – a yellow flower for those yellowed by jaundice.

Pig lard and primrose were combined to create a salve or ointment for burns. In Cork a tea made of primroses was used to treat insomnia.

And being a versatile herb, this little plant was used to cure both “man and beast.” Horses with coughs received a nasal treatment of crushed dried primrose roots strained in milk.

Primroses and the Faeries:

The primrose may be a small blossom, but in days gone by it was considered a symbol of safety and protection. Primroses placed on a doorstep were said to encourage the faeries to bless the house and all who lived there.

Another old superstition claimed if you ate the blossoms of a primrose you would see a fairy. My little girl would feast on primroses if she thought a fairy might appear before her very eyes.

Primroses are loved by the faeries. Letting these little flowers die is a terrible offense to our magical friends, so beware if you forget to water any primroses you might plant.

Ancient Celtic wisdom associates seeing a large patch of primroses with a gateway or portal into the faerie realms.

Cowslip and primrose flower juice were combined into an ointment for treating facial spots and wrinkles. Even in days gone by our ancestors were worried about retaining their youthful good looks.

Primroses And May Day:

Primroses grow well in both England and Ireland. Whereas primroses were closely associated with Easter by our English neighbors, the Irish created deep connections between the flower and May Eve when it was widely used to protect against the faeries.

Traditionally primroses, together with yellow gorse shrubs, were used to decorate the door and threshold on May Day (Là Bealtaine).

“Guard the house with a string of primroses

on the first three days of May.

The fairies are said not to be able

to pass over or under this string.”

~ From the National Folklore Collection,

University College Dublin. NFC S.455:237.

From Co Kerry.

In rural Ireland in days gone by the butter making season began in May. To promote good milk production in their cows, our farming forebears rubbed primroses on their cows’ udders at Bealtaine (May Day). Primroses scattered on the doorstep supposedly protected the butter from thieving faeries.

The Celtic Druids And The Primrose:

The Druids often carried primroses during their Celtic rituals as a protection from evil.

Fragrant primrose oils were used to purify and anoint during these ancient rites of the Druids. This little yellow flower grew abundantly in Ireland and was easy for them to collect.

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Primroses and Hens:

In years gone by Irish folk often kept their pig and chickens inside their very own house, sharing their living quarters with their animals.

Primroses were never brought indoors if the hens were laying eggs or hatching indoors.

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Primroses and Tír na nÓg:

Oisín, the legendary son of Fionn MacCumhaill, made Tír na nÓg famous, when he followed his golden haired Niamh to this land of eternal youth.

Old Irish myths claim primroses bloomed in Tír na nÓg. Anyone who might return from this legendary land would always carry a bunch of primroses.

And so there you have it, a quick round up of Irish primrose superstitions and lore.

I hope if you ever visit Ireland in spring, you’ll spot a few primroses peeping out of the hedgerows. And perhaps you’ll smile, thinking of the faeries and other mythical visitors from Tír na nÓg, the Land of Eternal Youth.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Bidding Farewell – A Not-So-Simple Irish Ritual

January 27, 2015 by Irish American Mom 26 Comments

Saying goodbye and departing a friend’s home may be a simple act in America, but in Ireland there is an unwritten code of honor that guides farewell rituals.

There are superstitions that must be adhered to, or God forbid you may draw some form of ill fate upon your unsuspecting self.

I always remember my mother’s superstitions about a first visit to a new friend’s home.

She advised me to always leave by the door through which I first entered.

I have arrived at parties in the U.S. where all the guests are streaming through an open garage door. Try as I might to forget obsolete traditions of my youth, my unwilling feet always lead me to the front door of each and every home I visit.

I find it very difficult to arrive non-chalantly through a back door with an enthusiastic announcement of my arrival. For me, the ding dong of a door bell wards off those bad luck spirits ruling over ancient Irish greeting rituals.

And then of course there is the issue of which door I may leave through without bringing ill luck my way.

My mother’s words return and you know you should never ignore your mother.

Leave by the door through which you entered on your first visit to a home.

If I go in through an open garage when I arrive in daylight, it can be a little awkward to ask to exit through the garage, if it’s all closed up at the end of a night’s festivities.

Oh the dilemmas of carrying old cultural ways all the way to a new land.

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And then there is the whole drama of bidding farewell to guests in my own home.

Unsuspecting American guests might announce they are about to leave, and try to slip out the back door or through the yard unnoticed.

Not in my Irish American home!

Guests must be escorted to the front door for a proper goodbye and thank you. Even my kids know they should join the farewell party as we move out to the porch.

Into the bargain we stand there and wave goodbye as your car departs down the street. Our front door does not close until you have officially departed. I know my neighbors think I’m crazy, but what can I say. I’m Irish.

In Ireland farewells can go on and on. Deep conversations are launched at the door. A quick exit is very difficult, so plan your departure with plenty of time to spare.

Now recently I learned of an American term called ‘an Irish goodbye’. This phenomenon is also called ghosting, and refers to leaving a social gathering without saying your farewells.

I never heard of this expression in Ireland. Perhaps it evolved in the U.S., as those in the know slipped out the back door, to avoid the infamously prolonged real Irish goodbye.

Shakespeare may have summed it all up when he said “parting is such sweet sorrow,” but in Ireland parting is full of superstition, and endless chat.

If you know of any other Irish superstitions regarding the rituals of coming and going, please feel free to tell us in the comment section below.

And so, without any more fuss, I bid you all farewell this cold and wintery January evening.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Irish Halloween Superstitions Foretelling Romance, Love And Marriage

October 21, 2014 by Irish American Mom 12 Comments

Move over Valentine’s Day – Halloween is nearly here, and in olden days in Ireland, this was the time of year for predicting romances, just waiting to flourish.

The Irish were, and still are, a very superstitious race. Since we will be celebrating Halloween at the end of this month (or all through this month, if you live in America), I thought why not explore some old Irish superstitions associated with this holiday, especially those centering around romance, love and marriage.

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Halloween is a great time for fortune telling and divination according to Irish tradition. In days gone by Halloween night was a time when the Irish believed the future and past coincided, and for one night only every year, all time frames existed in the present. If the future collides with the present at Halloween, what better time could there be for looking into what the future may hold.

For all those in search of someone special to share their future, Halloween is the best night of the year to try to figure out who might be waiting just for you. Well that’s what the Irish believed anyway.

Here are some simple, romantic, prophetic tests from Ireland’s Celtic past and from around the British Isles…..

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The Cabbage Test:

For those interested in finding out their future partner’s wealth then all you need is a good old cabbage patch on this magical night.

Just follow these steps to find out what the future holds …..

Don a blindfold.
Run into a field of growing cabbages.
Search around the ground for a nice big head of cabbage, and yank it out of the ground, roots and all.
Now, uncover your eyes, and check out those cabbage roots.
If you extricate the vegetable with roots intact and a good amount of earth still attached, then your beloved will have oodles of money.

But don’t get too excited. You still don’t know if he’ll be cranky or kind.

Head on home with your newly harvested cabbage and cook it up Irish style.

If your cabbage is bitter, then I’m afraid a sour, old, so-and-so may be in your future. But if your cabbage is sweet, then your fate holds a kindhearted, loving mate.

The cabbage test was easy to complete if you lived in rural Ireland many years ago, but I’m afraid we urban dwellers today have little access to cabbage patches. So then, your best bet for predicting love is to move on to the bonfire test.

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The Bonfire Test:

A Halloween bonfire is touted as a way to help envision a future partner. Bonfires featured significantly in ancient, Celtic celebrations of Halloween or Samhain. Here’s what must be done to encourage dreams of your future love.

Simply snip a few strands of your hair, and drop them into the burning embers of a Halloween fire.

The magical flames of your burning hair will encourage vivid dreams of your future spouse. I hope he or she will fulfill all your dreams.

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The Apple Peel Test:

Apples were also used for telling the future on Halloween night. When I was a little girl in Dublin, most home owners shared apples and nuts with trick or treaters, rather than candy or sweets. In recent years I have come to appreciate how this custom was rooted in age old traditions.

The apple peel love test may have originated in Scotland rather than Ireland, but this trick was practiced throughout the British Isles. A little apple peeling skill is required for this one.

First you must peel an apple all in one go, creating a long strip of peel. Love awaits only for those who can remove the peel with no breakages.

The peel must then be thrown over the shoulder. As it falls the peel may land to reveal the initial of a would-be suitor.

Love is an apple peel – it sounds like the name of a song.

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Hazlenut Trials:

If you’re still interested in finding out if your spouse will be bitter or sweet, and don’t have time to go pulling cabbages to cook, then never fear. A hazelnut will reveal your future love’s temperament, just as accurately as a trusted cabbage.

Simply pick out the hazelnut you believe represents your future love. Crack the shell and taste. You’ll quickly learn if a sweet or bitter nut awaits in your future.

And there’s even more romantic news to be uncovered through these powerful nuts.

If you want to know if your future marriage will be full of happiness, then you and your partner must each choose a hazelnut.

Light a match between the two nuts (only do this on a flameproof surface), and watch how your two nuts react, not only to each other, but to the flame of love burning between them.

Remember our forebears had stone hearths for these fiery tricks, so don’t do anything dangerous.

If the nuts burn quickly, then alack and alas, the future marriage may not be strong, and may be at great risk of crumbling when life gets tough.

Now if your two nuts do a little dance and move away from each other, then proceed to marriage with caution.

If your hazelnuts hop closer together, moving towards the flame of love, then future happiness is yours.

Believe it or not, these trusted nuts hold even more secrets of the future. Hazelnuts can be used to choose between potential beaus.

In the past, inquisitive young women determined which admirer might be faithful, by choosing three nuts, and naming them after the young men she wished to test. The three nuts were placed upon the bars of the fire grate.

If a nut cracked or jumped, then that lover might be unfaithful. If the nut burned brightly then that beau held a flame for the girl performing the hazelnut trial.

This test could be taken a step further by adding a fourth nut, named after the girl. If her nut and one of the nuts named after a potential suitor blazed together, then love was assured and marriage inevitable.

A Slice Of Brack To Tell Your Fortune:

Traditional Irish Halloween celebrations involve serving an Irish cake called brack. This tradition continues to this day.

These raisin breads are baked with hidden treasures in the dough, usually a coin, a piece of cloth, a key, a ring, a thimble or a button.

Lucky Halloween revelers who discover the coin can look forward to a year of prosperity.
But I’m afraid your finances look bleak if you find the old piece of cloth.
Of course, the ring foretells an impending marriage, or a new romance.
But if you find the thimble you’ll be an old maid.
A button foretells a year of bachelorhood for a male barmbrack eater.
And a key tells the story of an imminent journey.

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A Bowl of Porridge:

Now if you don’t have time to be baking fancy barmbracks with rings and things inside, do not fear. A simple bowl of porridge will do the trick.

Fuarag (pronounced foo-ur-ag) is a traditional dish of oatmeal mixed with cream. If you’re eager to learn if new love is just around the corner for you or one of your friends, just make a big pot of porridge.

Add some cream, a ring and a coin. Dish out the porridge to all those seeking to know if their future holds marriage or wealth. The lucky finder of the ring will be married within the year, while wealth awaits whoever recovers the coin.

And hold your breath if your bowl of creamy gruel reveals both the ring and the coin – a wealthy spouse may soon cross your path.

Remember to eat with caution on Halloween night – all these bits and pieces in traditional foods are a major choking hazard.

Colcannon:

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish served at Halloween. It’s a mix of kale and mashed potatoes, served with melted butter, and once again this simple dish holds the powers of divination.

In the past, unmarried women would take their first and last spoonful of colcannon and put it inside a stocking. These colcannon stockings were hung from the frame of the front door. The first man to enter the house and pass beneath the fortune telling stocking would become their husband.

Halloween – A Time For Romance:

And there you have it – my romantic guide to Halloween festivities. If you know of any more prophetic Halloween traditions concerning love and marriage, please feel free to add your two cents worth in the comment section below. I look forward to hearing new superstitions from all over the world.

Wishing you all happy love matches this Halloween.

A New Year History Lesson:

January Vs. March For New Year Celebrations:

Out Of Sync With The Solar Year:

Old Irish New Year’s Customs:

Foreseeing The Future At New Year:

The Cycle Of Life:

Celebrating The New Year Irish Style:

Happy New Year To All!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

A Plant Of Many Names:

A Flower For All Seasons:

“When furze is out of bloom, kissing is out of fashion.”

Whiskey and Wine:

Furze – A Farmer’s Friend:

Furze or Gorse in Ancient Traditions:

Property Of The Faeries:

An Ancient Gold Catcher:

Bealtaine Fires:

Medicinal Plant:

Meaning of the Primrose’s Name:

Medicinal Uses For Primroses:

Primroses and the Faeries:

Primroses And May Day:

“Guard the house with a string of primroses

on the first three days of May.

The fairies are said not to be able

to pass over or under this string.”

~ From the National Folklore Collection,

University College Dublin. NFC S.455:237.

From Co Kerry.

The Celtic Druids And The Primrose:

Primroses and Hens:

Primroses and Tír na nÓg:

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Leave by the door through which you entered on your first visit to a home.

Not in my Irish American home!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

The Cabbage Test:

The Bonfire Test:

The Apple Peel Test:

Hazlenut Trials:

A Slice Of Brack To Tell Your Fortune:

A Bowl of Porridge:

Colcannon:

Halloween – A Time For Romance:

Samhain Shona Daoibh

Happy Halloween

Irish American Mom

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