Irish Customs

Irish customs and superstitions

Superstition is the source of many customs and Irish customs are no exception. Human beings of all civilizations have unique superstitions that have shaped and influenced many of the customs that they practice. In the case of irish customs, the act of carrying a rabbit's foot for good luck is from the superstition that rabbits are lucky. The custom of giving a "lucky penny" at livestock fairs is also from an Irish superstition that "lucky pennies" decide the status of a man in the area.

Irish customs seem to have a bad view of cats. Much superstition revolves around the bad luck of cats, especially black ones. One such superstition is that if you and a cat look at each other right after it wiped its face with its paws, you would be the first in your family to die. This is why Irish people try to avoid cats unless it has strayed into their home, at which point they would do everything they could to keep it in their home.

Of the many Irish customs, an interesting one requires you to say "God between us and all harm" whenever you hear a rooster crow. This is from a Christian background referencing the betrayal of Jesus Christ in the garden of Gethsemane. To better understand a people and their customs, learning about their superstitions is a good method. When you can understand the reasoning behind some of their actions, it will be easier to understand them as a culture and not offend or be offended by certain situations.