Category Archives: Folk traditions

Culchie Day in the big city

Posted on December 8, 2020 by sarthure

Today is 8 December. It’s a holy day of obligation, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and when I was a child it was a day off school. Traditionally, this was the day that the country people went to Dublin … Continue reading →

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Turnip carving? It must be Halloween

Posted on October 28, 2020 by sarthure

I’ve written before about Halloween, citing a spine-tingling poem and stories of children stolen by the good people. I loved this time as a child, that feeling of uncertainty, that strange things could happen on this one night when the … Continue reading →

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Bonfires and St John’s Eve

Posted on June 24, 2019 by sarthure

Yesterday, 23 June, was St John’s Eve, which was traditionally celebrated in Ireland with large bonfires across the countryside. Hence its other name, Bonfire Night. June in Ireland is the height of summer, and the long twilight would be a … Continue reading →

Posted in Baker's Flat, Folk traditions, Folklore, Ireland, Irishness, Kapunda, South Australia | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Bonfires and St John’s Eve

We’re building a wall and adding a foundation deposit

Posted on October 14, 2018 by sarthure

So, we like gardening, although we’re often neglectful and the plants that thrive do so because they’re hardy.  This weekend’s project, in which I played a minor role, was to build a three-course curved wall around the fence that holds … Continue reading →

Posted in Excavation, Folk traditions, Foundation deposits, Ireland, Irishness, Material culture, South Australia | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on We’re building a wall and adding a foundation deposit

A short visit to Z Ward

Posted on August 12, 2018 by sarthure

It was a cold and wintry afternoon in Adelaide today. What better time to visit an old lunatic asylum? For nearly 90 years, Z Ward was home to the ‘criminally insane’ patients of South Australia’s health system. Opened in the … Continue reading →

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