Folklore and Customs from Kildare and Wexford - Michael Moore and Peter Foley

Here are Michael Moore (born Kildare in 1943) and Peter Foley (born in Wexford in 1952) chatting to me about folklore and customs around Christmas and New Years.
List of Contents:
• Christmas Tree and lack of them
• Gathering Berry Holly
• Moss used a decoration
• Holly behind the Sacred Heart Picture
• Memories of WW2 and the food shortages
• Goody - Milk and Bread for Infants
• Birds Nest Decoration
• Hunting the Wren in Bunclody and Kildare
• Wren Boys Poem (Kildare/Robertstown version)
• House Calling
• Bunclody - Wren Version - Little Tree with a Nest
• Kildare - Wren Version - Bird in a Coffin
• Vizzards on face on Stephen’s Day
• No ‘vizzard’ in the Kildare account
• Wren boys in the home
• Collecting money from the Wran to buy sweets, toys etc
• NewYears - Opening front and back door to welcome new year and let out old year
• Opening window to let soul out after someone died
• For and candles on All Souls Night
• Souls coming in on All Souls Night - tablecloth moving, clothes moving etc
• Throw out water on All Soul’s Night
• Horse and Dog sense danger
• Dogs/Horses and Lightening
• Hear a ringing in your ear - a soul asking for a prayer
• Candle lit on Christmas Night
• Candle lit on 6th of January (Little Christmas)
• Christmas Crib - Throw money into the straw on the Crib
• Meal and Candle at Little Christmas
• Bottle Blowing for Weddings/Wedding Horners
• Targeting Women if getting married 2nd time (Kildare)
• Fired shots for man if getting married 2nd time
• Robbing Orchards
• The Pious List - the divide between rich and poor
• High Money-High Mass, Low Money - Low Mass, No Money -No Mass
• Little Christmas Meal - Holly burnt on 6th of January when cooking the meal.
• Holly for Shrove Tuesday - Account from Kildare
• Funny story about putting money or ring in pancakes..
Michael Moore (born Kildare in 1943) and Peter Foley (born in Wexford in1952)
• Christmas Tree and lack of them
• Gathering Berry Holly
• Moss used a decoration
• Holly behind the Sacred Heart Picture
• Memories of WW2 and the food shortages
• Goody - Milk and Bread for Infants
• Birds Nest Decoration
• Hunting the Wren in Bunclody and Kildare
• Wren Boys Poem (Kildare/Robertstown version)
• House Calling
• Bunclody - Wren Version - Little Tree with a Nest
• Kildare - Wren Version - Bird in a Coffin
• Vizzards on face on Stephen’s Day
• No ‘vizzard’ in the Kildare account
• Wren boys in the home
• Collecting money from the Wran to buy sweets, toys etc
• NewYears - Opening front and back door to welcome new year and let out old year
• Opening window to let soul out after someone died
• For and candles on All Souls Night
• Souls coming in on All Souls Night - tablecloth moving, clothes moving etc
• Throw out water on All Soul’s Night
• Horse and Dog sense danger
• Dogs/Horses and Lightening
• Hear a ringing in your ear - a soul asking for a prayer
• Candle lit on Christmas Night
• Candle lit on 6th of January (Little Christmas)
• Christmas Crib - Throw money into the straw on the Crib
• Meal and Candle at Little Christmas
• Bottle Blowing for Weddings/Wedding Horners
• Targeting Women if getting married 2nd time (Kildare)
• Fired shots for man if getting married 2nd time
• Robbing Orchards
• The Pious List - the divide between rich and poor
• High Money-High Mass, Low Money - Low Mass, No Money -No Mass
• Little Christmas Meal - Holly burnt on 6th of January when cooking the meal.
Holly for Shrove Tuesday - Account from Kildare
• Funny story about putting money or ring in pancakes.
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This film is from a collection of folklore, customs, beliefs, words and sayings by Michael Fortune, entitled “Bolldoons and Wren Boys” which was produced in association with Wexford Library Services and five Men’s Shed Groups in Killanerin, Bunclody, Enniscorthy, Kilrane/Rosslare Harbour and Taghmon, Co. Wexford in 2019.
The collection was recorded and produced by Michael between September and December 2019 and launched in Wexford Library in the form of a box set containing six DVD-ROMs which are packed with interviews and accounts covering a variety of folkloric topics.
This collection was launched in Wexford Town Library on December 19th where a 45 minute compilation was screened to provide a flavour of the wide range of topics and themes. Michael also produced a printed inlay in the box-set which details and catalogues the topics and content for ease of viewing and researching.
This collection was produced as part of a larger ‘Folklore on Film Training Project’ that was funded through the Dormant Account Funds via the Department of Rural and Community Development with the support of Wexford County Council and in association with Wexford Men's Shed Ireland and folklore.ie.