Sheila's Brush: An evening of cultural heritage

I'm pleased to announce the following. Click to view a larger version:

From the Newfoundland Dictionary:

"sheila's blush*, ~ brush; also sheila: fierce storm and heavy snowfall about the eighteenth of
March (England, 1924) "Perhaps the most memorable of those occasions was on the night
of 'Sheila's Brush,' which is to say the 18th of March. Newfoundland has two 'brushes,' Patrick's and
Sheila's; that is to say, storms supposed to be connected with the birthday of St Patrick and that of his
wife... The word 'brush' is not always used, however; you will hear Newfoundlanders say:
'We have our Sheila dis time o' year.'"

Admission is free. At the moment, the lineup includes Alice Lannon, storyteller, Marina Gambin, author, Michael Collins, poet, Christopher Newhook, artist, and Bernard Penney, artist.

It's not meant to be representative or definitive, so other writers and artists shouldn't feel left out. It's our hope to hold more of these in future, so if you're interested come out to Sheila's Brush and let us know.

Folklore and Ghost Stories, Part II

Well, there were a few nice responses to yesterday's post asking about local stories and folklore concerning ghosts, fairies, superstitions, the supernatural, etc. I'm going to post two of them below, anonymously. If you've got more, send it along to placentiablog@gmail.com --- contributions are the blog's lifeblood!
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The first one is with regards to the devil at a dance on Red Island. It's a local story I've heard a few times myself --- does anyone know any more specific details, such as when this was reputed to have happened?

There was a story about a stranger at Red Island who went to a dance and the dancers could not stop dancing after he arrived. It is said that it was the devil. Ask around and you might find out more about this story.

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The second concerns the spring or well that runs out from under Cemetery Hill in Placentia (I've always called this Swans Spring). I had heard that drinking from it meant you'd never leave Placentia (or, you're destined to always come back). The rest of it is all news to me! Is there anyone else with info about this spring or well? I know (as PATH's comedic skit 'Dirty Laundry' reports) it was abandoned as a water source sometime in the 19th century, because of fear of run-off from the cemetery.

Have you heard anything about the Old French Well under Cemetery Hill and what some locals have said about it? For instance, I've heard about a French soldier's finger that was cut off and thrown into its depths? And weasels that will spit in your eye if you go near it after dark? And if you drink from it you'll never leave Placentia.... or something like that?

Tales of Ghosts, Fairies, and the Supernatural

Perhaps because I've been reading Wonderful Strange, a collection of supernatural stories from Newfoundland collected by Dale Jarvis (of St. John's Ghostwalk fame), but today I'm wondering . . .

Here in the Placentia area, do you have any stories of ghosts? fairies? unexplained or weird events? Or even just a bit of information about a house that you'd heard was haunted?

Please email them to placentiablog@gmail.com or drop them off at the Placentia Public Library (the blog's headquarters). If you're afraid of people saying you're foolish or crazy, we'd be more than happy to respect anonymity if it's requested.

I'll start.

I grew up in and around the Burnt Woods in Southeast (Bond's Path). There were a lot of children in this neighbourhood in the 80's and 90's. Some were adamant that the curve of road just past the turn off for Lannon's Place and Burnt Woods subdivisions (heading away from Placentia) was haunted. A ghost was supposed to appear there at midnight every night.

At the time, the only building on that bit of road was the old abandoned (now restored) cabin. The old schoolhouse just before the curve had been recently torn down; none of the new houses that are there now had been built. I'm sure we were just easily spooked kids and these abandoned old buildings, the lack of lights, and the encroaching woods were to blame. I never saw a ghost anywhere near the Burnt Woods, and older folks who I've mentioned it to are not familiar with the story.

Another possibility is that the story began as an easy way for parents to get their kids to keep curfew. I know for sure there were some nights when you'd be flying on your bicycle or running fit to kill yourself, to make sure you got past the curve and safely home before the witching hour struck.

Now, working at the O'Reilly House last summer, there actually were a number of minor yet unexplained events . . . .

. . . . but I want to hear stories, first. Remember, email them (or anything you'd like to see here!) to placentiablog@gmail.com or drop them to the Placentia Library.

- The Maintainer
(Michael Collins, if you've been curious who's been running this particular ship)