Considered an unlucky day. T. Moore who helped Dr. Clague write his book ‘Reminiscenes’ told me that his grandfather would not allow his household to go from home on Easter Day for fear of accidents.
Daffodils were not to be brought into the house as long as the geese were hatching. They were thought not to bring good luck.
The Manx name for daffodils is ‘lhuss-ny-ghuiy’ i.e. goose-herb.
Chickens coming out of the eggs at Easter were thought not to be lucky either.
“Eayn hig er laaghyn yn Chaisht, cha jean eh money grayse.” “The lamb that will come at Eastertide will get no grace.” i.e. the lamb born at Easter will not prosper.
“Ta shin laccal yn gheay ec y niar ec y Chaisht dy eiyrt ny saggyrtyn dys Nherin, as ta shin laccal yn gheay ec y near ec y Kingeesh dy eiyrt thie ad reesht.”
“We want east wind at Easter to drive the priests to Ireland and we want west wind at Whitsuntide to drive them home again.”
The latter saying was explained by William Cashen, late custodian of Peel Castle, as follows:
“At Easter they used to come with their offerings to Peel. They used to come to Peel from Ireland and the Scottish Isles and it was said, ‘The wind was always at the N.E. at Easter for the Pilgrims and that if it would be dark there would be a supernatural light from the Cathedral to guide them in.’”*
(source: Manx Calendar Customs by Cyril I Paton (1942); photo)
* The author, Cyril I Paton has written…’I can find nothing in tradition or history to support this account of pilgrims or priests visiting the Cathedral in Peel Castle.’
