Superstitions

A superstition is a belief that is common. It is usually not based on reason or fact. This is a record of some of the superstitions we have gathered in our area. Some are popular all over Ireland and even the world, but we think some are particular to our own area. We gathered them by talking to our parents, grandparents and older people in our area. We also found some of them in our parish history book.

If you have any superstitions (or piseoga as they are known in Irish), we would be delighted if you could e-mail them to us and we will post them on this page and add your name to them.

• If you dream of the dead, you will hear from the living.
• It is unlucky to keep a young hare as a pet.
• If a person hits you with a hazel stick, they will get a headache
• It is unlucky for a married couple to meet a white horse first thing after their wedding.
• You should turn back if you see two magpies on a journey.
• It is not lucky for the cock to crow near the door when a person is sick in the house.
• If there is a black spot on your tongue, it is a sign that you told a lie.
• If you put up an umbrella inside a house, it is unlucky.
• If you see a falling star, it is a sign that a soul is gone to heaven.
• If a knife falls from the table to the floor, it is a sign of an early death.
• If you go into a house and someone is churning, you must turn the handle of the churn or the butter will not thicken.
• You should not put an elder stick on you shoulder or you will not grow.
• If you meet across-eyed woman, you have recently told a lie.
• If a hen comes into the house with a straw hanging from her tail, it is a sign that a stranger is soon to visit the house.
• If you turn a penny over in front of a new moon, you will have lots more money before the next new moon.
• Clocks are all stopped when someone dies in a house.
• If you keep blessed ashes in a house, it will never burn down.
• If you are moving to a new house, it is unlucky to bring a pet cat with you to the new house.
• If thirteen people sit together at a table, one of them will die within the year.
• If your forehead is itchy, you will hear of a death shortly.
• When churning, if you put a coal under the churn you will get lots of butter.
• If a hare crosses your path, you are sure to be disappointed.
• It is lucky to find a horseshoe on the road.
• If it rains on St. Swithin's day, it will rain for 40 days.
• It is unlucky to see a new moon through glass.
• If you get gloves as a present from someone, you will stop being friends soon afterwards.
• If you break a miror you will get seven years bad luck.
• It is unlucky to turn back on your journey.
• If you have a dream about your teeth falling out, you will fall out with a friend.
• If you are milking a cow, yiu should make the sign of the cross with the froth from the milk on the cow's back when you are finished.
• If you see a white moth flying around a light, you will get a letter the next day.
• It is unlucky for the groom to see his bride on the morning of the wedding.
• You should never cut down the bushes in a fairy fort, or the fairies will come after you.
• If you visit a house, you must go out the same door that you came in.
• Mirrors should be covered with sheets when someone dies in the house.
• Seven is a lucky number.
• If you see a new moon over your left shoulder, it is lucky, but over your right shoulder is unlucky.

(Many thanks to Verona for these)

• If you see a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck.
• If you dream of the dead they have gone to heaven.
• It is lucky to drink pink champagne the morning after your wedding - (I got that in England.)
• If you end up with two teaspoons on your saucer or in your cup, it is a sign of a christening.
• For good luck always move into a new house on a Friday.
• Spilling salt is bad luck, but if you throw a pinch of it over your left shoulder you will dispel the bad luck.
• A picture falling from a wall is a sign of a death in the family.
• A robin entering your house is a sign of a death in the family.
• When giving a present of a purse to someone, always put a penny in it for luck.