Superstitions

[Twobob]

I remember my Ma used to ask our next door neighbour to knock on our door at Midnight on New Year's Eve. Seems your first person to cross the threshold in the new year had to be a dark aired man offering you a lump of coal.

Morning Rashers ,When we moved into out house ,my brother in law handed me some salt and coal , never got what the meaning was behind that one . Ill take a guess the coal represents heat/comfort ?? .

[Rashers]

Do you believe any of these.?.....

If a magpie comes chattering at your windowsill it is a sign of death.

The shoe or a horse or donkey nailed above your door will bring good luck. But the shoe must be found, not bought.

If you come across a crowing hen or a whistling girl both are considering bad luck.

If a chair falls when a person stands up, it is an unlucky omen.

If your ears are burning, someone is gossiping about you.

If your nose is itchy, you will have a fight with someone.

If you stumble at a grave it is considered very bad luck.

If you break a mirror, you can expect seven years of bad luck.

If you spill salt, you must throw some over your left shoulder to stave off bad luck.

The seventh son of a seventh son has the power over all diseases and can cure them by laying hands.

It is also seen as very bad luck to place new shoes on a table or chair.

If you want to know the name of the person you are to marry, put a snail on a plate sprinkled with flour. Cover the plate and leave it overnight. In the morning the initial of the person will be on the plate, traced by the snail.

[Rashers]

The Good Luck horseshoe.

Hanging a horseshoe on or over the door of a home, to bring good luck to those inside and to keep the devil away, has long been a tradition in Ireland.

The legend goes that a wise old blacksmith was hard at work one day making horseshoes, when he attracted the attention of the devil. The devil, of course, has hooves himself and he decided he would try getting them shod. The blacksmith recognised the devil and nailed on red-hot shoes, driving the nails deep into the devil’s foot.

The devil paid him and left … the blacksmith threw the money away knowing it would bring him nothing but bad luck.

After walking some distance, the devil began to suffer pain from his new shoes. Finally, after having endured searing agony for some time, he tore them off and threw them away. From that time on, whenever the devil saw a horseshoe, he turned and ran. Hanging a horseshoe on or over the door of a home, therefore, was sure to keep the devil away and bring good luck to everyone who lived there.

Another reason horseshoes were lucky was because they were made by blacksmiths, which was considered a very lucky trade. Because they worked with elemental fire and magical iron, they were thought to have special powers … it was believed that a blacksmith could heal the sick and, if a couple was married by a blacksmith, their marriage would be a happy one.
Horseshoes were originally made from iron, which was also considered magical because it was able to withstand fire and was much stronger than other metals.

So there you have it, but remember … you must always hang the horseshoe with the heels (open end) up, to ensure that the luck keeps collecting and can’t flow out!