Wishing all Club members a happy and healthy new year-for this year more than ever.
Today is New Year's Eve (Oíche Chinn Bhliana) and it is one of the days associated with a number of traditions in Ireland. Back in the time when a well was the source of water, it was believed that you should never draw water on New Year's Eve, as if you do, the water is said to turn to wine at midnight and anyone who witnesses this will disappear. In Leitrim it was considered unlucky to throw out water or spend money on that day. It was said that people who did not eat enough on New Year's Eve would not have enough to eat for the year. In Co. Limerick it was believed that if you threw a loaf of bread at the main door of the house, it would ward off hunger from the house for the coming year. At midnight, the back door and the front door were opened to let out the old year and let in the new year. In Roosky, Co. Roscommon, men would beat drums to beat out the old year. Different times indeed
After the revelry on New Year's Eve, you had to mind your manners the day after. Anyone quarrelling on New Year's Day (Lá Caille) is said to do so for the coming year! Folklore recorded from Boyle, Co. Roscommon noted that if a woman was the first person to visit your house on New Year's Day, it was bad luck but if a man was the first, he was given some silver to bring luck to both for the coming year. Hmmmm, I wonder.....
People also believed that if they had 'full and plenty' on New Year's Day, they would have it for the year. Boxty, a type of bread made with potatoes, salt and flour was traditionally eaten.
So let us eat, drink and be merry, remember times past, be grateful for what we have and look forward to the future! An donas amach, an sonas isteach ó anocht go blian ó anocht!
All the traditions above were accessed at www.dúchas.ie, a fantastic online resource on Ireland's folklore gathered by schoolchildren in the 1930s.
