Superstitions, Irish Superstitions

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

There is a book, a little book, and the house which has it will never be burned; the ship that holds it will never founder; the woman who keeps it in her hand will be safe in childbirth. But none except a fairy man knows the name of the book, and he will not reveal it for love or money; only on his death bed will he tell the secret of the name to the one person he selects.

The adepts and fairy doctors keep their mysteries very secret, and it is not easy to discover the word of a charm, for the operator loses his power if the words are said without the proper preliminaries, or if said by a profane person without faith, for the operator should not have uttered the mystery in the hearing of one who would mock, or treat the matter lightly; therefore he is punished.

Some years ago an old man lived in Mayo who had great knowledge of chars, and of certain love philters that no woman could resist. But before his death he \enclosed the written charms in a strong iron box, with directions that no one was to dare to open it except the eldest son of the eldest son in a direst line from himself.

Some people pretend that the have read the charms; and one of them has the strange power to make every one in the house begin to dance, and the can never cease dancing till another spell has been said over them.

But the guardian of the iron box is the only one who knows the magic secret of the spell, and he exacts a good price before he utters it, and so reveals or destroys the witchcraft of the dance.

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

In some parts of Ireland the people, it is said, on first seeing the new moon, fall on their knees and address her in a loud voice with the prayer: ?O moon; leave us well as thou hast found us!?

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

If pursued at night be an evil spirit, or the ghost of one dead, and you hear footsteps behind you, try and reach a stream of running water, for if you can cross it, no devil or ghost will be able to follow you.

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

If you want a person to win at cards, stick a crooked pin in his coat.

Where did that one come from "step on a crack breaks someone's back"?
A

Annabelle here is something that I have found:

"Encyclopedia of American Popular Beliefs and Superstitions"
Donald Ward, Editor-in-Chief
Center for the Study of Comparative Folklore and Mythology
UCLA
Los Angeles, Ca 90024

CRACK. In many European- and African-American folk belief systems, cracks in the earth, in walls or between walls and doors, or in sidewalks or floors frequently indicate fissures in metaphysical boundaries between this and some other - often nefarious - world. Employing sympathetic magic, people may interact with such boundaries. These clefts in the boundaries may be divided intro three general types: the most common, which deal with health and the family; those concerning either placating or taunting the supernatural spirit world; and those which manipulate the physical environment.

health/family

Stepping or standing on cracks is usually believed to bring ill fortune or health to yourself or a member of your family. This tempting of fate is familiar to many - sometimes in the form of a hopscotch or walking rhyme - as involving a negative magic; stepping on a break causing a break. A well-known folk culture exemplar is:

Step on a crack
Break your mother's back [1]

I couldn't find anyplace else to put this so here it goes.

An Irish Friendship Wish

May there always be work for your hands to do

May your purse always hold a coin or two

May the sun always shine on your windowpane

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain

May the hand of a friend always be near you

May God fill your heart wit gladness to cheer you.

A

When I was a little girl and visited my grandparents in Ireland, they had a lot of superstitions.
It was said that if a bird came into the the house that there would be a death soon within the house.
Putting shoes on the table would bring bad luck on the house.
Swimming on a Sunday would lead to misfortune.
At the moment of a death, statues ( particularly holy ones ) would tend to fall and break.

(eh....starting to feel a certain vibe here! Don't remember anything which brought good luck. )

Tartangal, you need to read in the Irish Omens. I have been putting some Good Luck things in there.

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

A married woman should not walk upon graves, or her child will have a club foot. If by accident she treads on a grave she must instantly kneel down, say a prayer, and make a sign of the cross on the sole of her shoe three times over.

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

The cause of a club foot is this?The mother stood on a cross in a churchyard before her child was born?so evil came.

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

Never taken an infant in your arms, nor turn your head to look at it without saying, ?God bless it.? This keeps away the fatal influence of the Evil Eye.

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

Fire is the holiest of all things. Walk three times round a fire on St. John?s Eve, and you will be safe from disease for all that year.
(St. John?s Eve is celebrated between June 20 ? 26)

This one is from me.

When I was growing up and when we set the table. If a fork fell onto the floor, Mom would say that a Man is coming over and when a spoon fell, then a Woman was coming over. I never thought to ask, what happens if a knife fell on the floor.

Has anyone else heard of this and if so, what about the knife?

?Irish Cures, Mystics Charms & Superstitions? by Lady Wilde

Superstitions

A whitehorn stick is a very unlucky companion on a journey; but a hazel switch brings good luck and has power over the devil.