A chara, – Frank McNally's Irishman's Diary (February 2nd) set me to reminiscing. In this part of East Galway the tradition is that if the gráinneog (hedgehog) peers out of its winter quarters on Candlemas Day and finds the day to be sunny it will return to hibernation as fine weather has returned too early.
The accompanying rhyme is as follows, “Candlemas Day bright and clear, we’ll have two winters in this year”. – Yours, etc,
GERRY LAWLESS,
Ballinasloe,
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Co Galway.