secret garden

By freespiral

Empty

A grey and murky day but we finally both had a good sleep and woke slightly refreshed, going a bit downhill now though! Like this poor old school which I've blipped several times before
Dunbeacon National School
Dunbeacon National School 2

 and sadly watched it become more and more derelict, now beyond redemption I fear. The earth closets are still intact,
 In 1934  school children were invited to interview older members of their community on all aspects of local life and lore..There are many entries for Dunbeacon School, built in 1902 and once thriving. Here's Teresa Coughlan's contribution after she interviewed her mother, 52 year old Mrs J Coughlan about local cures: 
A great cure for sprained bones is to rub the root of a plant called "Humpfrey" to the injured part. The plant is very rare, as it was a lady from Clare first brought it to this locality. The root is much like that of a "dock", but the plant grows much taller.
The root should be peeled at first, as it is the inner substance is active.
A cure for "skinned heels" is to place the leaves of the "elder tree" to the sore part
A cure for a weak person's health is to boil a plant called "camomile" with brown sugar or porter.
A cure for warts is to rub boiled potato water to them or pickle.
Two teaspoonfuls of salt in water is a good cure for a person who has eaten poisonous berries.
Olive oil or castor oil is good for scalds.
Dock leaves are reliefs for nettle stings.
A remedy for sunstroke is to loosen clothes, and put the patient into shade and apply ice to head.
A cure for a mad dog or snake bite is to tie a cord above the wound, an animal to suck it, and cut out the adjoining parts with a knife.
A cure for a sore tongue is to rub the belly of an "eascú luachra" to it. ( a sort of lizard)
If a person ate rat-poison, a drink of lime-water would relieve him.
Some still familiar, others not!

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