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Mayflowers flowering.

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  • 06-04-2015 8:52am
    #1
    Western Pomise
    Registered Users Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭


    In the middle of a heavy hailstone shower the other day I sheltered under a bush and came across a small bunch of Mayflowers.
    A lovely scent from them.


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    #2
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Western Pomise wrote: »
    In the middle of a heavy hailstone shower the other day I sheltered under a bush and came across a small bunch of Mayflowers.
    A lovely scent from them.

    Probably blackthorn, leaves only coming out on whitethorn at moment.,


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    #3
    Western Pomise
    Registered Users Posts: 1,656 ✭✭✭Western Pomise


    No these were what we know as Mayflowers,yellow flower with a lovely scent.


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    #4
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Western Pomise wrote: »
    No these were what we know as Mayflowers,yellow flower with a lovely scent.

    Marsh Marigold, or such like used to be collected on 1st May and thrown on the roof of the house for good luck. Some people called them May flowers. But the flower of the May is hawthorn.


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    #5
    Capercaillie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭Capercaillie


    Could be gorse? A coconut smell..


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    #6
    baaba maal
    Registered Users Posts: 772 ✭✭✭baaba maal


    Lesser celandines?


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    #7
    jmkennedyie
    Registered Users Posts: 678 ✭✭✭jmkennedyie


    Primrose?

    http://www.wildflowersofireland.net/plant_detail.php?id_flower=214&wildflower=Primrose


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    #8
    Lumi
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,466 ✭✭✭Lumi


    Primroses, buttercups and marigolds are the May Flowers that were traditionally picked on the evening before May Day

    The National Museum of Ireland have a great article on the tradition here


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    #9
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,824 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    Lumi wrote: »
    The National Museum of Ireland have a great article on the tradition here
    i had understood the rhyme they reproduce in that article differently - that it's 'cast ne'er a clout til the may be out' - as in that it refers to the may flower, not the month of may.


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    #10
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,824 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i've just been doing a bit of googling on that - it seems that there's no definitive answer, but generally the month is favoured more than the flower as the explanation.


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    #11
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    i had understood the rhyme they reproduce in that article differently - that it's 'cast ne'er a clout til the may be out' - as in that it refers to the may flower, not the month of may.

    Around here it is taken as referring to Hawthorn flower and the "out" to mean when it is finished flowering.


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