When disease swept through a community, people would try anything that might help to save the ones they loved. In times before modern medicine, illnesses rarely seen today, like measles, pox and whooping cough, were killers, and traditions were passed down by families desperate for anything to give them the luck they needed to survive through the crisis.
But putting your trust in superstitious actions and legends of past cures could also lead to some very strange results…
With thanks to Con Ryan, my grandfather, for his unique and fascinating insight on these traditions.
Read The Podcast Script
Sources And Further Reading
Thinking Critically About Coronavirus
- How to Spot Coronavirus Fake News
- Coronavirus: How Bad Information Goes Viral
- Coronavirus: The Fake Health Advice You Should Ignore
- Do Onions Fight Off The Flu Virus?
Old Cures
- Nosanna Agus Piseoga na nGael by Sean Ó Súilleabháin
- Ancient legends, Mystic Charms & Superstitions of Ireland by Lady Wilde
- Old Cures on Dúchas.ie
Minor Monuments by Ian Maleney
Music
- The Butterfly by Sláinte
- The Lark in the Clear Air by Shake That Little Foot
- Northern Lullaby by Sergey Cheremisinov
- The Irish Washerwoman by Howie and Ann Mitchell
- Lovely Maria by Aislinn
Unreal 
Hello Ruth, just discovered your podcast – and surprised to hear Con in Gleann speaking. And also, him mentioning a Ryan “Cooga” around 5:10. Didn’t quite hear the name he said. My interest is being one of the Cooga descendants! So, we’re cousins!! Briefly met Con at a walk, down there, a few years ago. He knew more about me, than I about him! As is commonplace in parts of the country. Anyway, that’s rather a long “hello”!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hello Eugene, lovely to hear from you! And what a small world it is!
I believe the Ryan “Cooga” he mentions there is Roger “Rodge” Ryan of Cooga – my late granduncle’s godfather.
Hope to see you in the hills again at some point in the future!
LikeLike