Some Old Irish Supersitions

From the country folk come a wealth of beliefs related to physical ailments. For
example, a stocking filled with hot potatoes and applied to the throat cured
tonsillitis. Shaving on Sunday encouraged toothache - but carrying a haddock's
jawbone helped prevent it. Boiled daisies were said to relieve sore eyes, milk in
which kelp had been boiled could cure boils, and unsalted butter rubbed on a
stitch in the side could make it go away. As for warts, it is said they could be
cured by rubbing them with a fresh-cut potato and burying the potato in the garden.

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Livestock fairs are still widespread in Ireland and it's common practise to give a
"luck penny" which means returning a portion of the sale price to the seller when
a deal is made. The deal is then settled by spitting on the palm and slapping the
hand of the customer. Interestingly, a man's status in the area is often
determined by the size of the "luck penny" he is in the habit of giving.

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