Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
This collection of folklore was recorded and produced by Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert, facilitated by The GAFF and supported by The Arts Council, Limerick Arts Office, St. Mary's National School and Thomond Primary School.
This compilation of stories was recorded with 4th class pupils from St. Mary's National School on the 26th of May 2025. Also featured are stories from the class teacher and staff, Donnchadh O'Callaghan and Lisa Blackhall. Lisa was one of the pupils recorded back in September 2004 by Michael and Aileen.
List of Contents:
00:00 – Waving at a magpie to make the bad luck go away.
00:19 – Greeting a magpie with the rhyme, waving at it, and doing a gesture with your friend to break the bad luck if you both saw it.
00:44 – A story about her father who saw the Banshee in the Handball Alley & was chased by it.
01:17 – A story he heard about a fella with a ribbon and a cardboard box, but he doesn’t believe it.
01:34 – Saying it’s bad luck to put new shoes on the table.
01:37 – He tells how he didn’t listen to his Nanna about the shoes-on-the-table superstition, and the next day a plank fell on his head.
02:02 – An account of builders getting bad luck after breaking the Banshee’s Rock.
02:21 – You should bless yourself when you see an ambulance.
02:27 – An account of The Bishop’s Lady, who was thrown over the bridge.
02:49 – Never pick up a comb, or leave one on the windowsill — it might belong to the Banshee.
02:57 – If you're down the banks and throw a rock in, The Green Lady will come out and start throwing stones at you.
03:21 – A version of the Headless Horseman story: he asked the nuns for his horse, and they turned around and chopped his head off.
03:29 – A story about three witches who cut off the Headless Horseman’s head.
03:44 – Trying to remember the magpie rhyme.
This collection of folklore was recorded and produced by Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert, facilitated by The GAFF and supported by The Arts Council, Limerick Arts Office, St. Mary's National School and Thomond Primary School.
This compilation of stories was recorded with 4th class pupils from St. Mary's National School on the 26th of May 2025. Also featured are stories from the class teacher and staff, Donnchadh O'Callaghan and Lisa Blackhall. Lisa was one of the pupils recorded back in September 2004 by Michael and Aileen.
List of Contents:
00:00 – Waving at a magpie to make the bad luck go away.
00:19 – Greeting a magpie with the rhyme, waving at it, and doing a gesture with your friend to break the bad luck if you both saw it.
00:44 – A story about her father who saw the Banshee in the Handball Alley & was chased by it.
01:17 – A story he heard about a fella with a ribbon and a cardboard box, but he doesn’t believe it.
01:34 – Saying it’s bad luck to put new shoes on the table.
01:37 – He tells how he didn’t listen to his Nanna about the shoes-on-the-table superstition, and the next day a plank fell on his head.
02:02 – An account of builders getting bad luck after breaking the Banshee’s Rock.
02:21 – You should bless yourself when you see an ambulance.
02:27 – An account of The Bishop’s Lady, who was thrown over the bridge.
02:49 – Never pick up a comb, or leave one on the windowsill — it might belong to the Banshee.
02:57 – If you're down the banks and throw a rock in, The Green Lady will come out and start throwing stones at you.
03:21 – A version of the Headless Horseman story: he asked the nuns for his horse, and they turned around and chopped his head off.
03:29 – A story about three witches who cut off the Headless Horseman’s head.
03:44 – Trying to remember the magpie rhyme.
