The superstitious minds of the Irish - looking into our weird and wonderful beliefs

We may no longer believe in leprechauns but many of us cling to superstitions, says Sharon Ní Chonchúir as she delves into the spiritual world and finds we are a mess of contradictions.

LAST year’s Mayo football team set such store by curses that they called on a priest for help. He blessed them to counter the curse to prevent them winning an All Ireland while any member of the 1951 team remains alive. Unfortunately, the team lost to Kerry in the semi-final replay and the power of the curse lives on.

I’m not superstitious. If a ladder blocks my way on the footpath, I will always walk underneath it. Yet I cross my fingers while I do so.