Festivals - Easter

transcribed at

Festivals - Easter  [duchas:5003757]

EASTER

In this district Easter is one of the greatest feasts of the year in the Church.

CUSTOMS.

There are many customs still carried on in connection with this feast. On Easter Saturday morning salt and water are blessed.

Blessed salt is very necessary in every household especially for the curing of sick animals and every good Catholic keeps Easter water in the house to sprinkle in time of danger such as storms, lightning and in time of war.


FOOD

In every household rich or poor plenty of eggs are eaten for breakfast at Easter. For dinner everyone tries to have a bit of lamb or a roasted kid and for tea there is  a special cake made which is called a "Simmel" cake.

This cake is so called because

Festivals - Easter  [duchas:5003758]

there is a story attached to it which I will now write down.

STORY

A long time ago there lived an old pair whose names were Simon and Nellie. One Easter they said they would make a nice cake for Sunday.

Nellie said she would bake the cake and Simon said she should boil it. After a long arguement they agreed that they should both boil and bake the cake.

When the two of them had got their wishes they put both their names on the cake and called it "Sim Nel". This is the proper way  that an Easter Cake should be cooked.
THE TOBIES

It is the custom in this part of the country for the "Tobies" to go around on Easter Monday.

"Tobies" are children who go around in three's and four's dressed up in all kinds of old clothes and a veil down over their faces so as not to be known.

Each one carries a basket on one arm

Festivals - Easter  [duchas:5003759]

and a stick in the other.

They knock a the door of each house saying at the same time "Jugs or Money" and of course they change their voices.

At nearly every house they get a penny or an egg or two and at the end of their journey they divide their result and give each an equal share.

Kathleen Murphy
Butlerstown

27th April 1938.