When my Knocknagore neighbour and friend Danny Reidy died last September an avalanche of pleasant memories over-took me.
Over the following days it dawned on me how much interaction there actually was between our two families on that short stretch of the Tralee Road.
Drives to school, standing in the creamery car holding on to the strap of the tanks and the extra special drive back to the meadow as the hay car went to collect another wynd of hay.
St. John’s Eve Fire
But it was the memory of Danny’s involvement in the St. John’s Eve fire at the Knocknagore bridge over the Dirtoge river that burned its way deepest into that memory bank.
And, at the time of his passing I thought that I would ask a few people if we could or should salute his memory with a re-enactment of the fire – and last night was the night to do it.
Fearful of attracting a crowd around the bridge on the extremely busy Tralee Road – in spite of the bypass – I asked the two nearest neighbours, Willie Leane and Willie Reidy and we were all delighted with the opportunity to meet up.
Revival Half-Century On
Breda and Willie brought their four children and we went through the process as witnessed at the bridge so many times down through the years but not with the past 50 years or more.
As if prompted by a primeval urge, the two youngest of the children took a lighted stick and marched into one of their fields nearby.
And that was always one of the rituals involved in the days when their grandfather, Danny and great-granduncle Jamesie Geaney and neighbours, Jerh O’Connell and Mickey McGlynn had their fires going – God rest them all.
Sticks, Sods and a Handful of Weeds
Everyone brought a few sticks and sods and a handful of weeds from their fields and it was all set alight. You can imagine that there may have been an old tyre or two thrown in to spread the word.
And the word was spread.
The fire wouldn’t be long lighting when the Tralee Road would be black with people walking and cycling back to join in the celebration of the night.
People were more aware of these occasion of observance and opportunities to celebrate.
Because of the sacrifice of the bits of timber and the weeds from the houses of the participants the ashes of the fire were also an important part of the night.
Ashes Collected and Sprinkled
It was collected and sprinkled over the land in an appeal for weed-free fertility and to ward off evil spirits. I collected the ashes today and sprinkled some on both Reidy’s and Leane’s farms and on our own little acre.
Willie Leane made his own bit of John’s Eve Fire lighting history with the introduction of a ‘Fire Log’ and Willie Reidy used his scouting days fire lighting skills in spite of a strong breeze.
We’ll Do it Again
Interestingly, Breda Reidy recommended a website by Michael Fortune which explains the traditions behind what we revived last night on St. John’s Eve.
We’ll do it again in 2024 with a kettle of water and tea and conviviality and music – and the teenagers put in a request for marsh mallows and hot dogs and there was ready agreement to their demands all round.
Have a look at Michael Fortune’s site and see another version of St. John’s Eve / Night with a Click on the Link here: https://www.facebook.com/michael.fortune.wexford/videos/4226564447364981
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