Summary: Magpie
Key dates:
In rural areas it was considered lucky to see two magpies together, but seeing a single magpie would bring bad luck. In the early years of the 20th century a Co. Derry Presbyterian minister recorded how his son had picked up the habit of saluting in military fashion when he saw a single magpie before spitting. The custom was you would conciliate by the salute and then you would spit out the bad luck.
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