28/11/2023
In the West of Ireland, the setting of crab and lobster pots is not just a pragmatic ritual but also a nod to centuries-old superstitions or piseogs, with coastal communities intertwining practical knowledge with beliefs passed down through generations. There is an associated vocabulary of fishermen, who for superstitious reasons can't mention certain individuals or animals while at sea. Instead they use alternative words which are widely understood within the fishing community. For example the fox, or anything of a red colour, shouldn't be mentioned out at sea in a boat or to fishermen on their way to work. In Galway fishermen call the fox ‘fear na gcluasa biorach’ ‘the fellow with the pointed ears’.
