CUSTOM

'Wearing long hair in plaits is the most common traditional hairstyle.'
'Ribbons were worn in the hair, red ribbons popular and the red ribbon wards off danger and the evil eye. White and yellow ribbons are also worn.'
'Gare is cant for a plait of hair.'
'Hair was washed traditionally on Sunday.  Water would be carried from a source, sometimes rain water.'
'Hair washed with egg or olive oil or carbolic soap.'
'The ends of hair clipped regularly.'
'A comb was called a rack.'
'Boys hair cut short or shaved.'
'Young girls hair sometimes cut short in order to make it grow thicker.'

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SUPERSTITIONS 

 

'Don’t pick up a comb if you find it on the road – it could belong to the Banshee and she will come looking for it.'
'Be careful of what happens to your hair when you cut it. You don’t want the clipped hair to fall into the wrong hands.'
Jesus’ hair was clipped on Holy Thursday so you never cut your hair on that day.'
'When a close family member dies the women cut their plait off and place it in the coffin with their loved one.'