Paddy Naughton and Johnny Crinigan recall some folk beliefs from south Roscommon.
Belief in the fairies and in the supernatural was very strong among the older generation when Paddy Naughton and Johnny Crinigan were growing up. They recall entertaining nights in a neighbour's house where supernatural stories were told and lingered in the mind.
I used to be afraid to go home.
It was known in the locality that one man in particular, Andrew Loftus, had the gift of second sight. A respected figure in the community, he also predicted the weather based on fairy battles, and people believed him because
Superstitious practices or pisreógs were part of daily farming life at that time in Grange, County Roscommon.
Customs relating to cows, milk and the churning of butter were taken seriously, as it was believed that the fairies took a special interest in these.
Folk practices to protect cattle and dairy produce were still taking place in the late 1970s. A smoking sod or burning coal was brought into the dairy and passed under the churn to prevent the fairies from stealing the butter.
This episode of 'Looking West’ was broadcast on 28 March 1980. The reporter is Jim Fahy.
'Looking West' was an RTÉ Radio series presented by Jim Fahy which featured stories from life in rural Ireland during the 19th and 20th centuries.
