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 collection was recorded with 5th class pupils from Thomond Primary School and features a collection of various stories and beliefs as told by the children.
List of Contents:
00:00 – An account of how you should eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve for good luck.
00:14 – When you see 11:11 on your clock or phone, you can make a wish.
00:20 – An account of blessing yourself when you see an ambulance.
00:30 – An account of blessing yourself when passing a church.
00:43 – Explanation of a holy bracelet, which can also be worn on the ankle, and some wear it around their waist if they want to get pregnant.
00:53 – Saying it's good luck to get pooped on by a bird.
01:00 – A story about a Grandad who was fishing at 3 a.m. and saw the Banshee sitting on a pillar by a church, combing her hair.
01:23 – A girl tells how her father took her to see the scratch marks on the bridge left by Drunken Thady.
01:31 – Another account of blessing yourself when you see an ambulance.
01:40 – An account of crossing your fingers to get out of a lie, or for good luck.
01:49 – Another Banshee sighting, this time on a wall near the Handball Alley.
02:03 – The story of Drunken Thady, who was thrown over the bridge by the Banshee.
02:25 – You should never pick up a comb off the ground because the Banshee will come looking for it.
02:47 – A story about the saying: “Knife to the floor – man to the door,” in which a knife fell and a man actually came to the door to fix the internet.
03:00 – His Mam told him that if he hits his elbow off a bannister, he should hit the other elbow on purpose to reverse the bad luck.
03:12 – A story about an old lady who saw the Banshee.
03:32 – Description of a St. Philomena’s Cord.
03:50 – At New Year’s, she would clean out the house and get new things to start the year fresh.
04:10 – Blessing yourself when passing a church.
04:25 – Bringing a holy bead (rosary) along when playing a match — they haven’t lost a game yet.
04:33 – He tripped and hurt his finger, which he blames on getting bad luck from putting new shoes on a table.
04:45 – Repeats the superstition that if you pick up a comb, the Banshee will come to get it back.
04:53 – Magpie superstitions — lreferences to the rhyme or saluting the magpie.
05:10 – You should never split a pole — it brings bad luck.
05:28 – You’ll get bad luck for disrespecting God if you don’t bless yourself when the 6 o’clock bells ring.
05:42 – More on the practice of crossing your fingers.
05:53 – Explanation that the saying “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back” comes from the idea that the Banshee lives under the cracks.
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 collection was recorded with 5th class pupils from Thomond Primary School and features a collection of various stories and beliefs as told by the children.
List of Contents:
00:00 – An account of how you should eat 12 grapes at midnight on New Year’s Eve for good luck.
00:14 – When you see 11:11 on your clock or phone, you can make a wish.
00:20 – An account of blessing yourself when you see an ambulance.
00:30 – An account of blessing yourself when passing a church.
00:43 – Explanation of a holy bracelet, which can also be worn on the ankle, and some wear it around their waist if they want to get pregnant.
00:53 – Saying it's good luck to get pooped on by a bird.
01:00 – A story about a Grandad who was fishing at 3 a.m. and saw the Banshee sitting on a pillar by a church, combing her hair.
01:23 – A girl tells how her father took her to see the scratch marks on the bridge left by Drunken Thady.
01:31 – Another account of blessing yourself when you see an ambulance.
01:40 – An account of crossing your fingers to get out of a lie, or for good luck.
01:49 – Another Banshee sighting, this time on a wall near the Handball Alley.
02:03 – The story of Drunken Thady, who was thrown over the bridge by the Banshee.
02:25 – You should never pick up a comb off the ground because the Banshee will come looking for it.
02:47 – A story about the saying: “Knife to the floor – man to the door,” in which a knife fell and a man actually came to the door to fix the internet.
03:00 – His Mam told him that if he hits his elbow off a bannister, he should hit the other elbow on purpose to reverse the bad luck.
03:12 – A story about an old lady who saw the Banshee.
03:32 – Description of a St. Philomena’s Cord.
03:50 – At New Year’s, she would clean out the house and get new things to start the year fresh.
04:10 – Blessing yourself when passing a church.
04:25 – Bringing a holy bead (rosary) along when playing a match — they haven’t lost a game yet.
04:33 – He tripped and hurt his finger, which he blames on getting bad luck from putting new shoes on a table.
04:45 – Repeats the superstition that if you pick up a comb, the Banshee will come to get it back.
04:53 – Magpie superstitions — lreferences to the rhyme or saluting the magpie.
05:10 – You should never split a pole — it brings bad luck.
05:28 – You’ll get bad luck for disrespecting God if you don’t bless yourself when the 6 o’clock bells ring.
05:42 – More on the practice of crossing your fingers.
05:53 – Explanation that the saying “Step on a crack, break your mother’s back” comes from the idea that the Banshee lives under the cracks.
