Ancient Cures Charms and Usages of Ireland by Lady Wilde

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Presented to the Department of
Romance
Languages
BY
T. F.
CRANE
.548
ANCIENT CUKES, CHAKMS, AND USAGES

OF IEELAND.
ANCIENT CURES, CHARMS, AN]

USAGES OF IRELAND.
CONTRIBUTIONS TO IRISH IORE,
BY
LADY WILDE,
AUTHOR OF
"ANCIENT LEGENDS OF IRELAND," "DRIFTWOOD FROM SCANDINAVIA
ETC.
WARD
LONDON
AND DOWNEY,
IK STREET,
COVENT GARDEN,
1890.
[All rights reserved^]
W.C.
CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS,

CHYSTAL PALACE FBESS.
50
&*-
t?
CONTENTS.
THE EARLY RACES

THE IRISH DOCTORS
....
....
PAGE
1
THE TUATHA-DE-DANAN
ANCIENT DOCTORS OP IRELAND

ANCIENT MEDICAL MANUSCRIPTS
....
DRU1DIC CHARMS
ANCIENT CHARMS
For the Falling Sickness
Charm
against
Accidents,
Water, Knife, or Lance
For a Sprain
For the Ague
10
Fire,
Tempests,
....
.......
.......
i.O
11
11
CONTEXTS.
ancient charms {continued)
PAGB
For a
Wound
For Toothache
that Bleeds
11
12
.
12
Cure for Weakness
For Consumption
12
For Inflammation
12
For Whooping Cough
13
ANCIENT CUBES
For Cramp
13
For the Nine-day Fever
13
For
13
Mumps
CHARMS AND CURES
For a Sprain
14
For Rickets
14
For Epilepsy
14
For the Staunching

For
of
Blood
Burn
Another Charm for Burns
14
IP
15
CONTENTS.
ANCIENT CORES
For Whooping Cough
16
For a Mote in the Eye
16
For Contusions
17
For the Bite
of a
Mad Dog
17
For Suspected Witchcraft
17
For Jaundice
18
For Sore Eyes
19
3HARMS AND CUBES

For Dyspepsia
21
For Asthma
22
Dropsy
22
Fasting Spittle
For the Night Fever
ANCIENT CURES
22
23
For the King's Evil v/
24
For Rheumatism
24
To Remove Warts
24
For a Stye
25
viii
CONTENTS.
CONTENTS.
MALIKIC CHARMS
MALEDICTIONS
THE DEAD HAND >/

WITCHCRAFT
THE EVIL EYE
SUPERSTITIONS
FOOD OF THE IRISH

FOR THE MEMORY
SUPERSTITIONS
E LEPREHAUN
CONCERNING TREES
THE SACRED TREE

THE BRIAR
CONCERNING BIRDS
SUPERSTITIONS
BURYING-GROUNDS
SUPERSTITIONS
CONTENTS.
PAGE
OMENS
74
THE NATURE OP FAIRIES

t:
....
\/ the banshee
the demon bride
st.
st.
st.
83
84
Patrick's day, 17th
a legend of
75
march
patrick
patrick and the witch
85
92
93
festivals
</
May Day
in Ireland
97
The May-Day Dance
106
Advice
106
to
May Eve
Maidens
.
107
May-Day Usages
107
Whitsuntide
108
Hallowtide in Ireland
115
Garland Sunday
125
PEASANT GAMES
127
WAKE GAMES
129
CONTENTS.
PEASANT TALES
{CONTRIBUTIONS TO IRISH LORE.

i
ANCIENT CURES, CHARMS, AND USAGES

OF IRELAND.
'
The Eaelt Eaoes.
All nations and
races from the earliest time have
held the intuitive belief that mystic beings were

I
always around them, influencing,

every action of
They
felt
life,
and
all
though unseen,
the forces of nature.
the presence of a spirit in the winds, and
the waves, and the swaying branches of the forest
trees,
and
in the primal elements of all that exists.
Fire was to them the sacred symbol of the divine

essence,
ever
striving
towards
and
ascension;
water, ever seeking a level,
was the emblem
of the
purification that should cover all daily life; while

in the elemental earth they reverenced the
power
'that
produces
all
things,
and where
all
that lives
finds a grave, yet also a resurrection.
Thus
to
the primitive races of mankind the
unseen world of mystery was a

'
vital
and
vivid-
ANCIENT CUBES, CHABMS, AND
reality
the great over-soal of the visible, holding
a mystic and psychic relation to humanity, and

ruling it through the instrumentality of beings who
had a strange power either

human lives and actions.
We turn
for
good or
evil
over
back the leaves of the national legends
and peoples, and find stamped on

page the words " God and Immortality."
of all countries
the
first
These two ideas are at the base of
all
the old-world
J
and culture, and underlie all myths,

and monuments, and all the antique usages
thought
rituals,
and mystic
'
and
incantations,
idea may be often degraded,

and obscured by the low instincts of
primal
debased,
savage
charms,
of
observances.
sacrificial
The
lore
man
ceaseless
and
and
incarnate and
yet, religious faith is the basis of all
superstitions,
in all of
instinctive
them can be traced the

effort
make manifest
of
humanity
to
this prescience within

\
the soul of the unseen dominating the seen, with
the desire,
also,
through the aid
to
'
master the forces of nature
of these invisible spirits.

(
It
and
is
worthy of note,
also,
that the mythology
superstitions of a people are far
more
faithful
<
guides as to the origin and affinity of races than

language, which, through commerce and conquest,
perpetually changing,
last
till
the ancient idiom
is
is
at
crushed out and lost by the dominance of the
stronger and conquering nation.
>
USAGES OF IRELAND.
But
the
myths,
are the
(which,
superstitions,
and
legends
a people's
expression of
faith),
remain fixed and fast through successive genera-
become
inwoven with the
tions,
and
life of
the people that they form part of the national
finally
so
character and cannot be dissevered from
This
is
especially true of the Irish,
daily
it.
who, having
been wholly separated from European thought and
by
culture for countless centuries,
and insular position
at the
their language
extreme limit of the known
world, have remained unchanged in temperament
and nature
still
clinging to the old traditions with
a fervour and faith that would
now,
suffer death sooner
make them, even
than violate a superstition,
or neglect those ancient usages of their fathers
which have held them in bonds since the first dawn

of history. For the customs and usages of the Irish
race can be traced far back, even to the Egyptian
and Pelasgian influence that dominated the primal

tribes of humanity, ever wandering westward by
the shores and islands of the great sea.
tribes
followed the earlier
Pelasgian
The
Celtic
along
the
same line of westward migration, carrying with

them Egyptian and Pelasgian ideas even beyond the
Pillars of Hercules,
the distant
till
they reached the shores of
Hibernia, where
pre-historic
monu-
ments, supposed to be of Pelasgian origin, are

existing
people
I
to
attest
such as
still
the presence of that ancient
the grand and wonderful Temple

B 2
ANCIENT CUBES, CHARMS, AND
New
Grange, at the Boyne, one of those eternal

works of the hand of man over which time seems
of
to
have no power.
Irish customs
many
things; for
ments
resemble the Hebrew in
nations have preserved frag-
the one primal creed, and have
of
elements in
common
as regards
religious
many
beliefs
The Jews borrowed from Egypt, as

the Egyptians borrowed from Babylon and Chaldea.
jThus the creeds, symbols, and usages of all the
f~and
i
also
all
ritual.
Ijsarly nations
The
have a certain basis of identity.
Irish,
ancient
however, have retained more of the
superstitions
than
any other European
them with a reverential belief

by any amount of modern
teaching.
They are also, perhaps,
\ philosophic
lindebted to Egypt for the wonderful knowledge
of the power of herbs, which has always characterised
the Irish, both amongst the adepts and the peasants.
people,
and hold
to
that cannot be shaken
The
Prom
Ikish Doctors.
the most ancient pagan times, the Irish
doctors were renowned for their skill in the treat-
ment
of disease,
and the professors
of
medicine
held a high and influential position in the Druid

order.
They were allowed a
distinguished place at
the royal table, next to the nobles, and above the

armourers, smiths, and workers in metals
also entitled to
wear a special robe
of
they were
honour when,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
,at
the courts of the kings, and were always attended
by a large
staff of pupils,
in the diagnosis
who
and treatment
assisted the master

of disease,
and the
preparations necessary for the curative potions.
The
of
skill
the Irish physicians was based
upon a profound knowledge of the healing

toature and properties of herbs ; and they were also
well acquainted with the most deadly and concen-
chiefly
trated poisons that can be found in the
common
field plants.
But, in addition to the aid given by science and

observation, they also practised magic with great
knowing well how strongly charms, incantafairy cures can act on the nerves and
impress the mind of a patient.
Consequently theirA
treatment of disease was of a medico-religious
effect,
tions,
and
character,
which
in
various
magic
ceremonials
largely helped tbe curative process.
The Tuatha-de-Danan.
The
oldest record of physicians in Ireland dates
from the battle of Magh-tura (Moytura, the plain

of the Towers) fought about three thousand years
ago between the Firbolgs, the primitive, unlettered

dwellers
new
in
Erin,
and the Tuatha-de-Danans, a

from the Isles of the Sea,
set of invaders
more learned and powerful than the Firbolgs,

skilled as metal workers,
and physicians.
and famous
as warriors
At this great historic battle
of Moytura,Dianecht,
the chief physician of the Tuatha, had a bath of

j
herbs prepared, at the rear of the army, of singular'
which the wounded were plunged,)

and from which they emerged healed and wholeJ
During the fierce combat, Nuada, the King of the!
efficacy,
into
Tuatha, lost his hand; but
recorded
is
it
that!
Dianecht made for him a silver hand, fashioned

with the most perfect mechanical and
artistic skill
and henceforth the KiDg was known as Nuadii,
by
Airgeat-lamh (Nuad of the silver hand), and
name he
this
great
Owing
lives in history.
knowledge and
their
metallurgy,
in
skill
to
the
Firbolgs looked on the powerful invaders as necro-
mancers and enchanters, and

extreme limit
the
the
of
fled before
western
them
coast,
to
even'
out to the remote Arran Isles, where they built,
and protection from the enemy, those

marvellous Cyclopean forts, whose stupendous,
ruins, with the causeway leading to them, formed
for shelter
of
enormous masses
day.
After
by the
of stone, can
this, until
the final conquest of Ireland
Milesians from
remained masters
art flourished
of
be seen to this
Spain,
Ireland,
under their
rule.
the Tuatha longand learning and
An
ancient poet
thus describes their great medical power
The Tuatha by
force of potent spells,
Could raise a slaughtered army from the earth,

And make them live, and breathe, and fight again.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Adjoining the royal palace or "Tara of the

they erected a hospital called "The
[Kings/'
House of Sorrow/' where

and chiefs were carried
forays
to
attended
be healed
there
of
wounded knights
the
the
after
battles
and
wounds, and were
their
by the doctor and
his
staff
of
pupils until quite restored.
But
if
the liaigh, or leech, took up his abode at
^he house of the patient, he was entitled to his

diet, along with four of his pupils, in addition to
bis fees, during the healing of the wound.
cure, however, did not
make
If the
satisfactory progress,
the liaigh was obliged to pay for the food already
consumed, and to refund the
handed over
fees,
which were
to a better liaigh.
Ancient Doctors of Ireland.
The
practice of physic
families,
was hereditary
in certain
and each of the nobles had a special phy-
sician attached to his service.
times, medical knowledge

oral tradition
In the more ancient
was handed down by
from father to son
then, as learning
advanced, by written books, carefully preserved

in each family.
by
is
it
said that Dianecht, being jealous of the superior
skill of his son,

,
The sons were generally educated
their fathers in the practice of physic, but
caused him to be
the grave of the youth sprang a
when from
number of herbs,
slain,
j
i
all efficacious
in curing disease
and thus,
though,;
dead, he carried on his work.
After the introduction of
Christianity
by
St.j
Patrick, schools were established both for law;

and physic, where Latin was sedulously taught
and freely spoken. Camden describes these schools,,

and says of them " They speak Latin there like the!
vulgar tongue, conning by rote the aphorisms of
Hippocrates, Galen, Avicenna, and others amongsti
:
the great masters of surgery.' 5
Ancient Medical Manusceipts.
Numerous copies
made by the learned
amongst the
scripts can
many
of the manu-r'
be found in the chief libraries 01

are
written on vellum, and are
beautiful specimens of penmanship.

in Irish
were
doctors and freely distributed
profession, so that
still
They
Europe.
of these ancient writers
commentary)
was sometimes added, besides which, several
translations into Irish of the chief medical works^
whole and
entire, are in existence.
In proof of the great and accurate knowledge!

of these Irish physicians,
it is
stated
by
Sir William;
Wilde, that when preparing "The Status of Diseased
from the Earliest Times," for the Irish census, he
was able
to
tabulate
seventy-five fatal
diseases
by the native doctors, with

many that were not fatal and he asserts that
accurately described
the Irish terms for the principal diseases were of
USAGES OF IRELAND.
far more appropriate significance than those at
present employed in English, or derived from the ?
Latin and Greek.
J* Y>s
--*
wj-
f\J^
Deuidic Charms.
Meantime, the ancient Druidic charms and

vocations continued to hold their
who
people,
No
faith.
them with undoubting
believed in
doubt, in pagan times, the invocations
were made in the names of

and by the power of the
fte winds
;Baal aa4_ Ash taroth, "^
the moon, and
sun,
but the Christian converts, while
names
stituted the
And
ing cures.
still
and the words of

more powerful in effect-/
in this
mode they
are used to the\
present day amongst the peasants,

as talismans of
;
sub-
of the Trinity
the Christian Ritual as
the sick
still
J
retaining the form of the ancient charms,
them
in-
power over the
who
consider
magic power when said over
and no amount
of
argument would shake
their faith in these mystic formulas which have
pome down
dition
them,
to
or
an
the scorner.
is
them through
centuries
of
tra-
nor would any one venture to laugh at

evil
fate
For, above
would
all
certainly
fall
on
things, fervent faith
necessary while the mystic words are uttered,
work for good; and charms

kre set with most effect upon Wednesdays and
Fridays, and must be set fasting, generally before
<2>r
the charm will not
jaunnse.
e_
10
ANCIENT CHARMS.
few examples
of
these
;
,
ancient cures
and
given to show their simple, half-;

character,
so well calculated to impress a.
religious
people like the Irish, of intense faith and a strong
charms
may be
and the supernatural.*
instinct for the mystic
Foe the Falling

"
By
the
wood
of the Cross,
overcame death, be thou

to
be said in the
patient,
and he
left
is
healed.-"
by the Man that

These words are
ear while the
fit is
on
th|e
be signed three times with
to
the sign of the Cross,

blessed Lord,
Sickness.
in.
when by
the
name
of G-od
and th
virtue of the charm he wil
be cured.
Charm
against
Accidents,
Fire,
TempestsJ
Water, Knife, or Lance.

"Jesus, Saviour of men.
in
Mary
In Jesus trust, and[
trust truly for all grace.
" This
is the measure of the wounds of Christ

upon the Cross, which was brought to Constants
nople to the Emperor as a most precious relic, so!
that no evil enemy might have power over him
1
..
have already included many ancient Irish charms

published work, entitled " Ancient Legends of|
Ireland," to which I must refer the reader who may bei
* I
in
my
interested in the subject.
USAGES OF IBELAND.
And
by
whoever reads
it,
or tears
it,
11
cannot be hurt
or tempest, or the knife, or the lance
fire
neither can the devil have power over him, nor will
an untimely death, but safety from
die
hfe
dangers
will
be
Foe a
As
Speain.
Agnes went over the moor
St.
all
his to the end."
to the
mountain
of
But sinew
and bone to bone, God makes

him who has faith and be thou healed,
Jesu's name.
Amen.
fell
man,
in
with her foot turned.
to sinew,
right to
all
C>
Moses, she
i'
Foe the Ague.

i
When
was
to
And
be
Christ
first
crucified,
saw the cross on which
He
He
trembled very exceedingly.
"Hast Thou the fever,

"No," He answered, "neither of
these do I fear, for God is above all."
Wherefore, when the fit comes on, let the
person afflicted repeat these words of Christ, and
be will be calmed.
the Jews asked Him,
or the
ague?"
Foe a Wound that Bleeds.

i
'
"A
child
was baptized in the river Jordan;
and the water was dark and muddy, but the

Say these words
child was pure and beautiful."
<pver the
I
wound, placing the finger on the spot
ANCIENT OURES, CHARMS, AND
12
where the blood
God and
of
staunched."
flows,
And
"In the name of

the blood bp
adding:
the Lord
Christ, let
the patient have faith, so
if
ilfc
will be.
Foe Toothache.
Drink water from a human skull; or take a

pinch of clay from a priest's grave, and put
your mouth.
in
it
Then kneel down, say a Pater and
an Ave, and you will have no more toothache as

long as you
live.
J
A
Drink
of
Cure
Weakness.
j?oe
the water of a river forming the
Sunday
mornings, before sunrise, fasting, and before any
one has crossed the stream. In silence it must
boundary
three
of
properties
nine
for
be done, and without speaking
to
any one;
buifc
afterwards repeat nine Aves and the Credo.
<
Foe Consumption.
|
The Crov-Darrig,
or
Red Hand,
to
be pulled,
by tying
it
to a cock's leg, or the leg of a dogj
otherwise
it
is
fatal to the
one
who
pulls
it.
The!
leaves to be squeezed, and the juice taken, fasting,
every
Wednesday morning.
The
leaves then to
bp
carefully burned.
Foe Inflammation.
,
Nine handfuls
to
powder.
of
mountain moss, dried on a pan!

of it, and nine pinches ofj
Nine pinches
USAGES OF IRELAND.
13
ashes from the hearth, to be mixed in whey,
tike
t&ken every Tuesday and Thursday.
Foe Whooping Cough.

Put a
live trout into the child's
Then put
it
back
mouth, fasting.
alive into the stream.
cinnot be had, a frog
may be
tried.
dead horse or the hand of a dead
a'
If a trout
The tooth
of
man rubbed
oyer the jaw, will also be found effective to ease
the pain of an ailing tooth.

i
ANCIENT CURES.
i
Foe Champ.
An
aud
eel's
skin tied round the knee alleviates pain,
for deafness nothing
is
constant anointing with the
esteemed better than

oil
of eels, used per-
fectly fresh.
Foe the Nine-day Fevee.

Write the name
on a
slip
ol paper, then cut the paper into small bits,
mix
of Jesus nine times
some soft food, and make the

So will he be cured if he trusts
pktient swallow it.
the pieces with
irf
the Lord.
Foe Mumps.
Tie a halter round the child's neck, then lead
Himu
to a
c
him three
brook and bathe him, dipping
times in the name of the Trinity.
14
CHARMS AND CURES.

Foe a
A young
girl,
under fourteen years
a thread dry, that

she ties
it
when
and
of age, spins
without using saliva; then
is,
round the leg or the arm

the cure is completed the
miraculously disappears.
Chickweed
afflicted,
thre4d
us4d
also
is
Galen notices the virtue of this herb,
as a poultice.
and
Sprain.
extols its use to
remove
stiffness or swellings]
Foe Rickets.
A blacksmith, whose fathers have been smiths for

three generations, must carry the child in his aprOn
three times round the
anvil
for
seven days
succession, repeating the Paternoster each
But no money must be accepted
For
Cut a twig
:in
timfe.
for the cure.
Epilepsy.
of elder tree into nine parts,
and string
the pieces as a necklace to be tied round the

patient's
neck
but should the necklace
touch the ground,
it
and
must be burned, and anew oAe
fall
made.
Foe the Staunching op Blood.

"There came a man from Bethlehem
to
bb
baptized in the river Jordan ; but the water was so
USAGES OF IRELAND.
muddy
So
let
name
is
that
blood
the
So
stopped flowing.
it
of Jesus,
Let
stop
it
and by the power
let
15
the blood
flowing in the
of Christ
"
This
said in a loud voice over the patient, while a
scarlet
worsted
is
round the wrists and
tied tightly
round the throat, to stop the course of the blood.
Foe a
Btjen.
A lone widow-woman from the Antrim shore,

who had the gift of second-sight and the knowledge
of many charms, used the following to cure a burn
Laj your right hand very softly over the burn,
:
theti
repeat
these words three times over unto
yourself, giving a gentle blast each time from your
mouth on
the place burned
Old clod beneath the clay,

Burn away, burn away.
In the name of God be thou healed.
Amen.
After this the pain will cease, and a deep sleep

fall
will
on the patient.
Anothee Chaem foe Buens.
Blow upon the burn three
times, repeating the
w Jrds
Two
angels sat
One was
upon a
stone,
Fire, the other Frost,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
ANCIENT CURES, CHARMS, AND
16
It
is
person
believed in the South and West, that
is
by the
licked
lizard called the
if a.
"Man-
keeper," he will never suffer from burns, and can
even heal them in another by his touch
for a
man
one day having trod on a lizardj found that he had

acquired this power by the contact.
In modern times a plaster of potatoes, scraped

as for starch,
gives
is
constantly applied for a burn, and
Fried cabbage-leaves are also
great ease.
used by the people to deaden the pain

of
house-leek affixed
should not be
but a plant
the thatch of the roof
to
forgotten,
as
this
preserves the'
inmates of the cabin from scalds, burns, and
danger
of fire as
long as
it
the-
remains untouched.
I
ANCIENT CURBS.
',
Fob Whooping Cough.

i
Take a mug
water from a running
of
against the current
streatn,.
give the child a drink, th^n
throw the rest away with the current; repeat this

for three mornings before sunrise, and the cure willbe perfected.
Foe a Mote
An
incantation
is
over a plate of water.
to
in
the Bye.
be said by a fairy-woman
Then
the patient
is
to look.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
steadily at the plate,
and the mote
17
will
drop into
the water, and the eye become clear.
The most powerful charm against
ill-luck
is
a horse-shoe made red-hot, then tied up at the

entrance door, and never after touched or taken
down.
Foe
Contusions.
Heat a great stone in the fire, and, when redhot, throw it into water, and bathe the bruise with
the liquid.
Repeat
always
heating the stone, and the cure
first
this
treatment twice a day,

is
certain in a few days.
Foe the Bite op
Mad
Dog.
charm which Columkill applied to a wound,

it took away the venom
brimful of poison, and
"Arise, Cormac O'Clunan, through Christ be thou

healed.
By
the hand of Christ be thou healed, in
blood, marrow, and bone, and
may
the poison die
in thee as I sign the sign of the Cross."
This oration to be said over the person bitten,

while butter
said over a
is
cow
given him to
eat.
It
may
or a horse, but never over a
also
be
hog or
dog.
Foe Suspected Witchceapt.

The forge dust of three
mixed together, to be given
Paters and Aves are recited
I
different forges, well
to the patient while

;
or the herb called

c
18
Lusmore may be used as very

witchcraft.
is
rubbed
It is a
all
effectual against
powerful poison, and the patient
over with
it,
though the practice is

may die under
dangerous, as the bewitched person
the treatment, especially if tied naked to a stake, as
was the custom in old times, while the imprecation

" If you are bewitched, or fairy-struck,
is said
may the devil take you away, with the curse on
your head for ever and ever."
:
For
Elder ointment
made
the
is
Jaundice.
of great repute
of various herbs
green
ointment,
also a salad
by the wise women,

is
considered a
called
sovereign
remedy.
All the
ancient cures were derived from the
animal and the vegetable world, never from the

mineral kingdom.
very ancient belief pervaded
the South and West, that twelve large earth-worms

baked upon a shovel, then reduced to powder, and
made into a philter to be drank every morning,
was an unfailing remedy for jaundice ; but not
long since the child of a gentleman of rank in the
West was
nearly poisoned
for the nurse,
by a dose
of this physic,
being dissatisfied with the treatment
of the doctor in attendance, secretly gave a drink

of the philter to the little patient,
died of
it
to murder.
who
so nearly
that the nurse was tried for an attempt
USAGES OF IRELAND.
19
The Homoeopathic adepts amongst the

doctors always employ yellow
jaundice, as saffron, turmeric,
Irish
medicines for the
and even
sulphur,
The Allopaths employ other remedies,
yellow soap.
especially the leaves of the barbary tree,
which
is
if brewed to a strong drink,

and taken every morning, fasting, for nine days
held to be a specific,
in succession.
An
adept in the County Galway attracted great
crowds to his dwelling recently by his wonderful

cures for jaundice and other diseases.
The remedy
used was simply a dose of tartar emetic, administered freely for every form of ailment, and often the
result
was most
satisfactory.
The fairy-doctors use the following cure

Nine young shoots from the root of an ash
that had been cut down.
bottle,
which
is
These are placed
then buried in a secluded spot, the
patient not being allowed to see
As long
tree
in
it.
as the bottle remains in the ground, he
from the disease; but, should it be broken,

he will have a relapse and probably die from
is
safe
emotion,
mental
before
many
caused by fear
of
the result,
days are over.
Foe Sore Eyes.

The most
the eye
is
efficacious
treatment for diseases of
a pilgrimage to
a holy well, for the

c 2
20
blessed waters have a healing power for
mic ailments, and can even give sight
all
ophthal-
to the blind.
removed
by an amber bead, the tenth upon the rosary,
rubbed upon the eye and the wise woman of the
village will show the amber bead, with a white
Pearls upon the eye are said to be
substance
which
adhering,
she
removed by the mystic
pearl
amber.
affirms
attraction
Also the shell of a living snail
with a pin, and the fluid that exudes

healing
This cure
the eyes.
for
" Snail Drop."
crown
of the
of the
head
is
the
of
the
pierced
is
is
is
used as
the
called
Severe counter-irritation upon the
head has been long used by the wise

women, and with wonderful success. The crown
is
first
shaved, and then a plaster
is
made of coarse lint and white of egg spread

upon a piece of tow. This is left on till a blister
rises, when the cure speedily follows.
This remedy of counter-irritation is, however,
applied,
now
well
known and
profession,
Fasting
recognised by the medical
and largely used

spittle
is
in
ophthalmic surgery.
considered of great efficacy
the peasants for sore eyes, especially

clay taken from a holy well.
This
is
if
by
mixed with
made
into a
paste and applied to the eyes, and the people say
"nothing beats the fasting
To
necessary to spit upon

if
spittle for blessedness.'"
avert the evil eye from child or beast,

it
on entering a cabin
a stranger looks fixedly and
it is
and
admiringly on a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
child,
he
is
at
once requested to spit upon
saving process being perhaps

if
21
he should not understand
that preserves from
evil,
unknown
to
it;
this
him
or
and omit the
Irish,
rite
then the old mother will
up from her seat by the fire and perform the

ceremony herself, that so good luck may not depart
rise
from the house.
CHARMS AND CURES.

Foe Dyspepsia.
Fix a small piece
on a penny piece,
of candle
then lay the patient on his back and place the
penny on the region

candle, and over
all
stomach;
of the
light
place a well-dried tumbler,
the skin will be drawn up, as in cupping.

called " the
lifting of the evil
the
when
This
is
from the body."
For epilepsy there are many cures, but chiefly

by exorcism. When the priest is called upon to
exorcise the evilspirit,he puts on his sacred garments
for the ceremony, sprinkles the patient with holy
water, and recites prayers over
him.
If,
him
till
the
fit
leaves
however, this treatment does not succeed,
the priest will not repeat the exorcism, saying
" Leave him to God.

be done."
Another cure
is
The
also
will of the
used
Lord must
harrow-pin, a
piece of money, and cuttings of the hair and nails

of the patient are buried deep
down
in the earth,
ANCIENT CURES, CHASMS, AND
22
on the spot where
lie fell
in the
fit,
and he
is
given
a drink of holy water, in which nine hairs from the

tail of
a black cat have been steeped.
Foe Asthma.
made and used
ivy,
said over
in the
same way, with prayer
before drinking.
it
The red rash
if
of
ground-
lion's tooth) or of
is
cured by applying unsalted
Ave Maria
butter to the part affected, while the

is said.
made
a potion
Let the patient drink of

dandelion (dent-de-lion
Also the blood of a hare
is
very efficacious
applied to the skin with a red rag, and the rag
afterwards buried.
For whooping cough, a lock

head
tied
of a person
up
of hair, cut
who never saw
in a piece of red cloth
from the
be
and worn round the
his father, is to
neck.
Dropsy.
This disorder was not prevalent in Ireland in
early times, but since the general use of potatoes
as
diet
amongst the
villagers,
along
with the
copious amount of whisky drank in the towns, the

disease has
become very common.

Fasting Spittle.
In former times
and
in
many
of
spittle
was used
in baptism,
the daily transactions of
life,
as
USAGES OF IRELAND.
a lucky and confirmatory
bargain
concluded
is
at
act
and even now no

market
or
fair
23
the
till
money in the palm of Lis hand

The head of the faction fight
and spits upon it.
blackthorn stick to make
upon
his
spits
likewise
the blow more deadly and certain. But, for a
receiver lays the
perfect result, the
not even tasted water.
cure for chapped lips
name
applied in the
sick
as a
dust and
Fjever.
tie it tightly
saying:
person,
round the head
"In the name
and Holy Ghost,
from thy head,
effectual
also
It is
when mixed with
of the Trinity.
Take a ribbon and

Father, Son,
fasting,
when the person had
Foe the Night
of the
be used
saliva should
especially after a black fast,
let
of
the fever go
man, and be thou healed."
ANCIENT CUKES.
If a
cow becomes
restive,
down with ber nose

have the
feist,
or
plunges about, or
worm.
To cure
string is taken and twisted into

coiled
worm; and the
knitted that
is
mode
of
it
lies
to the ground, she is said to

this,
a long
a knot, like a
curious knot seems so firmly
never could be untied.
Tet there
drawing out the two ends, when the
24
disappears and the string
coil
is
over the animal, when the most

cure
This
sure to follow.
na-peista
worm's
(the
This
quite free.
is
done three times while the Paternoster
is
said
beneficial result is
called
is
and
knot),
is
snaidhenof
great
antiquity.
For the King's

There
peasants
are
who keep
men
wise
certain
pieces
Evil.
of
amongst the
paper, transmitted
from their fathers, which, they say, have been

steeped in a king's blood.
rubbed over the patient

he
will
And
in the
if
name
the paper
is
of the Trinity,
be cured.
Foe Rheumatism.
The bone of the haddock that lies under the
mark of Christ's fingers is always to be carried in
the pocket.
This bone has many other virtues, and
always works good to the owner
be exhibited, and
it
should never be
but
it
must not
lent, or
touched
except by the owner.
To Remove Warts.
Tie up some pebbles in a bag with a piece of
silver
money, and throw
finds
the bag and keeps the money, to him the
it
on the road; whoever
warts will go, and leave you for ever.
Also, steal a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
piece of meat and apply
bury
it
raw
it
to the warts
in the ground, and as the
then,
meat decays the
Bat the charm is of no use

and no one should see
warts will disappear.

unless the meat
25
stolen,
is
you either stealing or burying

For other ailments
it.
there
are
many
curious
usages employed by the people that have come
down by
and
tradition,
in
which they have the
greatest faith, and the faith, perhaps, effects the

cure.
some clay must

the threshold, made into a paste and
For the slaedan, or

be scraped
off
influenza,
applied as a plaster to the chest.

effective, the
clay
spot where a person
the house,
all
when
But, to
be
must be taken from the very
it is
first sets his
foot on entering
the custom to say, "
God save
here," for these numerous blessings have given
the clay a peculiar power to cure the chest and
when it is
power is only for him who
he will be made whole.
help the voice
affected,
But the holy
believes, for
by
his faith
For a Stye.
The
tail of
will effect a
a black cat,
speedy cure.
nine thorns in
touching
it,
over the
left
if
rubbed over the eye,
It is
succession
at
good, also, to point

the
eye,
throwing away each one

shoulder.
without
after
use
26
CHARMS AND CURES.

Foe a Headache.
Measuring the head for nervous headache is
much practised. The measuring doctor has certain
days for practising his
patients
his
art,
and receives or
no other occasions.
on
visits
He
first
measures the head with a piece of tape above the
and across the forehead, then from ear to ear

over the crown of the head, then diagonally across
ears
After this he uses strong compression
the vertex.
with his hands, and declares that the head

open/''
at the
And
same
he mutters certain prayers and charms
is
repeated for three days, until at
the doctor asserts that the head
has grown
"too
time.
This process
last
is
much
smaller
in
is
closing
and
proof he shows his
measurements; and the cure
is
he pronounces the head to be
completed when
" quite closed,"
on
which the headache immediately vanishes, and the

patient
is
never troubled by
it
again.
Ancient Cures.
Shark Island, that any man who

rubs his tongue over a lizard's back will be given
power to cure a burn by applying the tongue to
They say
in
the part affected.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Some wool
27
from a black sheep, and worn,
taken,
constantly in the ear,
is
a sure
remedy
for earache.
Spiders are of great use in curing disease.
and worn round the neck,
will
few
tied
keep
up
in a bag,
fever and ague ; but none, save the fairy

must ever open the bag to look at the
contents, or the charm would be broken.
Also a
off
doctor,
black spider, laid as a sandwich between two

of bread-and-butter,
will
and eaten
slices
one every morning
be found a great strengthener of the body.
The king's
evil
was almost
cured by the blood of a
is
A peasant
black cat.
woman had
entirely nipped
made
applications
a cat whose tail
by the repeated
for a drop of the creature's blood.
away
Finally the cat was carried
bably to
off
altogether, pro-
speedy cure by the more copious
effect a
use of poor pussy's healing blood.
POPULAR CURES.
Spiders are used for
for ague.
up
in a
on.
fit is
cobwebs
in
Pills, also,
would be dangerous
spider's
web
is
may be made
which the eggs remain, and
taken daily for three days
The
ailments, especially
cobweb, then put into a lump of butter and
eaten while the

of the
many
small living spider should be rolled
to
also
after
which time
continue the
an excellent
it
treatment.
styptic,
and
28
is still
amongst
in use
classes for the staunch-
all
ing of blood, or any abrasion of the skin.
In
the
operation of
sprinkled on the plate

patient
of the
lips
bleed a
to
operator therefore,
the
foot,
warm
were touched with the
blood that
drops of
unlucky
which
is
bleeding, salt was first

and in the cup, and the
flowed.
young
when
first
It
girl
first
considered
is
in the
arm; the
possible, bleeds her
in
placed for some time in
water.
Duckweed
and the liquid drauk
boiled down,
three times a day,
is
an excellent potion for the
sick.
The Falling
Burn the
Sickness.
patient with a red-hot
church key
along the head, and he will be cured.
Should he
fall in
juice,
the
fit,
put the juice of absinthe, or iennel
or sage juice into
mouth, and he
his
will
get well at once.
Foe Soke Eyes
charge of great power,
of the Artificer's
got
(1460).
called
"The Charge
Son," and from the Danes
and these are the herbs
with ambrosia and garlic; and
it
was
onions and dillisk,

let
the plants be
broken and boiled upon beer; then add the gall

of a hog's liver and a drop of wine or of doe's
milk, and, when well strained, pour it into an
USAGES OF IRELAND.
29
amphora of brass, and apply the liquid to the

eye, when the benefit is certain.
Another illustrious charge is made of white
lily, valerian, and the leaves of the rowan tree.
Also yarrow, and honey, and the gall of fish boiled
together and strained, then applied to the eye, will
carry
off
every description of blindness and clear
the pains of the head.
Mesmeeism.
Charms,
relics,
adept, and the
esteemed
infallible
stroking
by
an
a seventh son,
are
all
holy
hand
of
wells,
curative
agents.
But
the
seventh son born in succession, without a daughter

intervening, has the
power
of
curing pains and
aches by merely waving his hand over the part

affected.
He
must, however,
first
pray in silence
power and strength.

Mesmerism has been practised in Ireland from
Druidic times, and cures were effected by waving
The
of the hands without contact, or by stroking.
phenomenon of clairvoyance, called in Irish the
for
" enlightenment," was also well
who by
this
known
means ascertained the
to the Druids,
will of the
gods
in important matters, and
by
were made and the thoughts
of the heart revealed.
Kheumatism was
all
its
chiefly cured
aid prophecies
by
stroking,
and
remedies that acted on the imagination, such
30
mesmeric charms, and
as lying in a saint's bed,
were deemed most
incantations,
effectual.
Latin
words were used as charms, sewn up in a bag and

carried in the pocket, tied round the hind legs
An
of a hare.
had great virtue placed

Forge
eel-skin
on the chest, or tied round the knee.
many
water had
and could
virtues
allay
rheu-
matic pains; also potato water, used hot, with the

froth on.
Erysipelas.
Called by the Irish the " wild

to originate
The blood
spilled to cure the disease.
cat
be seen with an entire
by
few
best, consequently
is
bit to
believed
tail,
of a black
of these animals can
for it
is
nipped
off bit
perform the cure.
The black
cat is a
If
bone
you can
it,
To obtain
very weird and mysterious
you manage to possess one particular
creature.
of
fire," is
from fairy malice; and blood must be
this,
at will render yourself invisible.
boil the cat alive,
then take the
bones one by one, and hold each singly in your
mouth before a
the bone
is
looking-glass, strictly observing
reflected there
for should
hold one in your mouth that
is
not reflected, then
you may know that the mystic bone at
which
If
will
mounts
make you
cow
is
astride
if
you happen to
last is
found
invisible at pleasure.
sick,
the witch-man or charmer
on the animal, and
is
given a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
bannock
of
to eat, well buttered,
cream
bite,
these he takes, saying
a sup
well;
if
if
it
along with a bowl

" A bite, a sup, a
be so ordained,
not, leave
it
to its fate;
31
let the beast get

but the bannock I
will eat."
wise woman, learned in the mysteries, has
been known
to cure the depression of spirits, called

in Irish " the sinking of the heart," in the following
Holding a cup of
manner.
meal close to the

" Base to the
patient, the operator says in Irish

heart, ease
to
the heart," at the same time re-
peating the words of an invocation
known
only
is
and which has never been written down.

done on Monday, Thursday, and the
Monday
following, each time the meal being cast
to herself,
This
into the fire after use.
Then
a cake
remainder, the patient sitting by
taking care that neither
cat,
baked and the sign
It
is
fire,
then
and
cress,
eaten
if
any
till
with
is
it
of the
baked,
nine
the cake
fire till
of the Cross
is left, it
made
nor dog, nor any living
thing passes between him and the

is
is
made over
sprigs
water-
of
must be thrown
so that no animal should touch
it,
it.
into the
the sign
of the blessed Cross being stamped thereon.
The peasants have such

cures that,
wonld
far
in case of
sooner trust the wise
village than all
One
faith
in the ancient
accident or sickness, they
woman
of
the
the dispensary doctors in Ireland.
of these authorised practitioners narrates
32
woman
that a
once consulted him about a severe
affection of the throat,
and when examining her he
found that she had a scarlet worsted thread tied
round the throat, and another round the wrists.
Asking the meaning

wise
woman
of this, she said that the old
had given them
of the place
night before as a certain cure.
to her the
" So, as they did
no harm," added the doctor, " I left them on,

though meanwhile I added what I considered best,
and under the usual medical treatment she soon
became quite
But,
well.
in the scarlet thread,

its
all
the same, she believed
and secretly thought that by
power she was cured of her ailment."
Love Charms.
Philters, love
affection
belief in
powders, and charms to procure
were frequently used
in Ireland, and the

them existed from the most ancient times.
The bardic legends have frequent

love charms; but the
allusions to
of all is the
have been known to go
Girls
strip.
most awful
dead
to a grave-
yard at night, exhume a corpse that had been nine

days buried, and tear down a strip of the skin from
head
to foot
leg or
arm
this
of the
they manage to
man
taking care to remove
it
tie
round the
they love while he sleeps,

before his awaking.
And
so long as the girl keeps this strip of skin in her

possession, secretly hidden
will she retain the
from
man's love.
all
eyes, so long
USAGES OF IRELAND.
33
Madness.
There was a
for
employed
terrible care
in old times
which the people believed in with
insanity,
implicit faith.
It consisted in
for three days
and three nights
burying the patient
A pit
in the earth.
was dug, three feet wide and six feet deep, in

which the patient was placed, only the head being
left uncovered ; and during the time of the cnre
he was allowed no food, and no one was permitted
speak to him, or even to approach him.
to
harrow-pin was placed over his
harrow-pin
is
body,
for the
supposed to have peculiar mystic
and was always used in ancient sorceries,

and then the unhappy patient was left alone. If
he survived the living burial, he was generally
attributes,
taken out
of the pit
more dead than
with cold and hunger, and more
Yet
it
by
this
ever.
inhuman treatment.
The Falling
This sickness
But
it
is
is
and burned,
pared, and
the
Sickness.
best cured
said that
the person's shirt be taken

fire
perished
was averred that sometimes the senses were
actually restored
priest.
alive,
mad than
if
off
by the hand
on the
first
and thrown
of
attack
into the
and his nails

and the parings buried,
his hair cropped,
hair
together with a young cock put
down
into the
34
grave
alive,
while he
then
lie will
never have another attack
lives.
by giving the person three

substances not procured by human means, and not
made by the hand of man. These are honey, milk,
and salt, and they are to be given him to drink
Madness and the
before sunrise in a sea-shell.
falling sickness are both considered hereditary, and
Madness
also cured
is
caused by demoniacal possession.
For king's evil, a most effective cure of proved

power is made of burdock roots, the common dock,
bog-bean, and rose-noble boiled in water, of which
the patient must drink three times a day.
Vervain and the mountain ash are the best

preservatives for cattle against witchcraft.
Some
should be tied round the cow's horns and her
Then no
of
fairy or witch can do
power are on
tail.
harm while the herbs
her.
Insanity.
Exorcism and incantations by a witch-doctor

is
another remedy
but as
it
a laborious under-
is
taking, a good supply of whisky

for the adept.
showed signs
When any
is
always provided
person in the village
of madness, this
man was
sent for,
and, after a good pull at the whisky, the caster out

of devils
torrent
began
of
his exorcism
by pouring
forth a
gibberish in a loud voice, which he
called Latin prayers
while at the same time he
USAGES OF IRELAND.
dashed holy water
all
05
over the room and the patient.
Then, taking a stout blackthorn
stick,
he proceeded
demented person most vigorously, the

patient being held firmly all the time by three or
to thrash the
When
four of the friends or neighbours.
the poor
victim was half stupefied, and unable even to yell any

longer, the operator announced that the devil
had
gone out of him
still
but as the
spirit
evil
was
lurking somewhere about, he must be expelled by
Whereupon he commenced
or magic.
force
whirl the blackthorn stick round in

striking everything, animate
lay in his way,
as
if
to
all directions,
and inanimate, that
crazed with fury; especially
beating the doors, by which, he said, the devil
might escape, and he was determined to have a

good blow at him; and all the time, during the
process of beating, he kept on reciting the gibberish
Latin in a loud, strong voice, fortifying his efforts

at
exorcism by frequent appeals to the whisky

'
jar.
singular case of attempted cure took place
lately in
Roscommon.
Mynn became
suddenly
young man named Davy

mad, or "
raving
elf-
stricken" as the people say, and the great witch-
man
Sunday morning
He found him bound hand and foot,
of the place
in all haste.
and foaming
men were
was sent
at the
for one
moutb, while
trying to hold
five or six strong
him down
and
a great
crowd was gathered round the door, who declared

d 2
36
that the wretched

all,
madman was
not
Davy Flynn at
the handsome Davy, once the pride of the village
and strength, but a fairy demon who had

taken his shape. So the witcb-man baving examined
him, and performed sundry strange rites and
for beauty
invocations, pronounced bis opinion that the lunatic
was certainly not Davy Flynn, but an old Frencb

charger, a fine stalwart [horse in his time, once
belonging to a Frencb general/who came to Ireland
long ago in tbe time of the troubles
man
the real
substitute
alive,
who was now
and to keep
in Fairyland, the
must be well fed witb the proper food
for
a horse.
On
oats,
bearing this the friends ran for a sheaf of
and crammed tbe straw down the wretched
maniac's throat, after which tbe exorcist prepared

for
mortal combat witb the
his
course
by the poteen,
five
devil,
aided of
kegs of which were
brought in for the general strengthening of the
company.
The operator
first tied
shoulders, then, witb a
form
of
a cross, he
a white apron over his
wave
of the
commanded
band
silence.
in the
After
which, be began the invocation by a volley of

gibberish Latin, thundered forth between tbe occasional draughts of whisky, while poor
Davy had
only a bucket of cold water thrown on his head,,

to
whicb he responded by
At
last tbe
terrible cries.
people got tired of tbe work,
and
USAGES OF IRELAND.
37
one of them secretly cat the cord of the halter,

which held the supposed French charger, while the
witch-man was busy over the poteen. Davy, thus
finding himself free, sprang at the doctor as
would tear him

the crowd,
man
who rushed from

and
maniac was secured and

till
the
the house, the witch-
following, while the maniac leaped after
with hideous yells
he
if
on which a panic seized
to pieces,
curses.
At
them
length
the
down by a strong rope

who ordered him off to
tied
the magistrate arrived,
Roscommon Lunatic Asylum, whither he was
once taken, and where he eventually

great relief of his friends,
who
died, to the
really believed that
he was the old French charger, and that

of the demon-substitute, poor
at
till
the death
Davy had no chance
of being released from the bondage he was under in

Fairyland.
Foe Lumbago.
Dog-fern
roots
and
shamrocks
should
be
cleaned and pounded well, then mixed with butter
made on May morningand holy

of paste is formed.
back,
This
is
rubbed
washed
but
off,
and the paste

left till
the cure
For the Livee

The
is
all
a kind
over the
and the
by no means to be
while the Lord's Prayer
Hail Mary
salt, till
is
is
said,
perfected.
Complaint.
leaves of plantain, wild sage, the shamrock
33
and dock-leaf, with valerian and the flower

daisy, are to be plucked
rise,
and
fasting,
while Hail
Mary
these are to
of the
by the person before sun-
on Mondays and Wednesdays,
and the Paternoster all

be boiled and strained, and the herbs-
after wards to
is said,
be carefully burned.
glassful of
the liquor to be taken twice a day.
Foe Dysentery.
in
Woodbine and maiden-hair, pounded and boiled

new rnilk, with oatmeal, and taken three times a
day, the leaves to be afterwards burned.
ANCIENT CURES.
(From an
Irish Manuscript in the
Royal Irish Academy,
dated about 1450.)
Foe the Falling

Put
nights,
salt
add
to a paste
and white
7 lb.
Sickness.
snails into a vessel for three
woodbine leaves, and mis them
a poultice of this applied for nine days-
will cure.
Or, the heart of a crow, beaten
blood, and drank for
up with
his
nine days, will relieve the
disease.
Or, a plaster
ivy,
boiled
and
made
laid
of
mandragore and ground-
upon the
head.
If
the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
patient sleeps
lie will
do
well,
and
iE
39
not,
he
will
not.
Or, a band of the fresh skin of a wolf worn

round the body as a girdle, and as long as the
patient wears
it
he will be free from the falling
sickness.
Or, pour
wine upon a pound
gathered, and let
the
it
of hemlock, fresh
be drank while the person
is
in
fit.
Or, three hairs of a milk-white greyhound to be
up and worn on the neck as
tied
This keeps the
The
himself,
doctor,
this
an amulet.
away.
fit
who copied these receipts says of

"I am Conlan Mac Liagk son of: the
and in the Monastery of Tuam I am
scribe
14th day of the moon's age, and a thousand
years, four
hundred years, and nine years the age
of the Lord."
Pettigrew, in his interesting book on medical

superstitions, mentions the ancient idea that black
hellebore was to be plucked, not cut, and this with
the right hand, which was then covered with the

robe, while the herb
hand.
was secretly conveyed
to the left
The person gathering it, also, was to be clad

and to offer a sacrifice of bread and wine.
in white,
He
also
mentions that vervain, one of the sacred
herbs of the
Irish,
of the Dog-star,
was
when
to
be gathered on the rising
neither sun nor
moon was
shining, an expiatory sacrifice of fruit and honey
40
Hence the
being previously offered to the earth.
power
of vervain to cure fevers, eradicate poison,
And he
and render the possessor invulnerable.
makes mention of the virtues of the elder tree as
being widely
epilepsy;
known
for effecting a cure in cases of
also the use
usual with the Irish.
Melancholy,"
webs
their
same manner
Barton, in his
mentions
plaster of spiders, the
and
of spiders
for curing ague, applied in the
having
of
used
himself
web being
as is
"Anatomy
effective for the
staunching of blood, as also the moss from a dead
man's skull brought over from Ireland,
A porridge
of the
advised by Dianecht, chief physician
Tuatha-de-Dauans, has been handed down
through the centuries for
relief of
ailments of the
body, as cold, phlegm, throat cats, and the presence

of living things in the body, as
worms.
It con-
sists of
hazel-buds, dandelion, chickweed, and
sorrel,
all
boiled together with
oatmeal.
wood
This
porridge to be taken morning and evening, when

the cold and the trouble will soon disappear.
Also
a poultice of yellow baywort tied round the throat

is
excellent as a cure for the throat cats.
According
to Dianecht, there are fourteen dis-
orders of the stomach, and he gave recipes for

consisting mostly of plants and herbs.
witchcraft he ordered a potiou to be
roots of the alder tree
tree that
and the roots
grow downward
all,
Against
made
of the
of the apple
in the earth.
These to
USAGES OF IRELAND.
fasting,
till
thing: that
bog, and drank
of a wild
be boiled with the brains
41
the bewitched person casts up the evil
was
in the stomach.
To Cuke a Fairy- stricken Child.
Make
a good
throw into
fire,
more
of certain herbs ordered
wait
till
a great smoke
three times round the
rises,
fire,
it
a handful or
by the fairy-women
then carry the child
reciting an incantation
and sprinkling holy water all around.

But during the process no door must be opened,
or the fairies would come in to see what you were
against
evil,
doing.
Continue reciting the incantation
child sneezes three times
then you
till
may know
the
that
broken, and the child has been
the fairy spell
is
redeemed from
fairy thraldom for evermore.
good, however, in addition, to
tie
It
is
a small bag round
his neck, with three rounds of red ribbon or thread,
containing a nail from the shoe of an ass and some

hair of a black cat,
and
let this
be worn for a year
and a day.
black cat without any white spot has great
power either
for or against witchcraft,
must be taken from

the demons fear
it.
and the hair
a cat of this description, for
Also, about midnight, give the
crowing
child a drink
of a
hen
or demon, or
mixed with the blood

will
be safe from fairy,
he
then
the evil of witchcraft.
42
Foe Deafness.
Take the cowslip, roots, blossom, and leaves,
clean them well, then bruise and press them in a
linen cloth,
put
add honey
and ears
nostrils
to the juice thus pressed out,
a bottle, and pour a few drops into the
ia
it
he lying on
of the patient,
away whatever
the water pours out, carrying
till
his
Then, after some time, turn him on his face
back.
obstruction
on the brain.
lay
may be
This
re-
Or fold up two eels in a

them on the fire till they are
peated for three days.

cabbage-leaf, place
soff,
then press out the juice and drop
it
into
the ears.
But
good
as
for ordinary disease
the native poteen,
there
for
it
is
nothing so
peculiarly
is
adapted to the climate, and, as the people say,

keeps away ague and rheumatism, and the
strikes the heart
let
the private
would there be
and
stills
if
in the
sickness
whole country round.
Sickness.
should touch the person ia the
man who works
it
that
the gaugers would only
alone, not a bit of
Foe Falling
No oue
chill
the charm.
unbleached linen yarn, and
He
first
ties it
fit,
only the
takes a bundle of
round the patient,
and toe nails ;

these clippings he gathers together and burns with.
then cuts his hair, and the finger
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The ashes are then divided
the linen yarn.
two
parts, after
4,3
which the patient
is
laid flat
into
on the
earth and two holes are made, one at his head the
other at his feet
into these are
ashes, while a harrow-pin
is
poured the divided
they leave him for a day and a night.

the falling sickness
never to
rise
is
all.
So
And
thus
placed over
buried for ever in that spot,
up again while the ashes aud the iron
remain untouched.
Hydrophobia.
Many of the cures, however, used by the people

and the witch-doctors are not merely superstitious
practices, but are based
upon the accurate know-
ledge of herbs, and their mystic power on the

frame, which the Irish have possessed in
human
all
ages
For the rules and tenets

primitive science have been transmitted!
from the remotest times.

of this
orally
through countless generations, with sacred
reverence and solemn care, chiefly in the direct line

of special families,
who
are the trusted guardians of
the mysteries, and are bound by strict custom and

traditional law not to divulge the secrets of herbal
lore,
except to the eldest son of the eldest son
in direct succession.
In the
instance,
County Cavan, the
have a
for
wonderful but secret cure for
known only to themselves, and

About one hundred and fifty
this way
hydrophobia,
acquired in
MacGowans,
ANCIENT GORES, CHARMS, AND
44
years ago,
two brothers of the name, living at
opposite sides of the lake, used frequently to cross
One day a
strange dog came swimming towards them and was
over in their
lifted into
boat to
visit
each other.
the boat, but he instantly bit one of the
brothers severely, and showed
decided madness.
for lost, and
at last,
all
signs
the
of
The young man gave himself up
wandered about the
overcome by
fatigue,
fields all night, till
he lay down in his own
Then and there a dream

fell asleep.
came to him, that under his head grew a herb that
would cure him, if prepared in a certain way
revealed to him as in a vision.
garden and
On awakening, he
and having found
it,
at once
sought for the herb,
to his great joy, set
preparations for the potion exactly as
shown
to
him
in the
perfect restoration
strange story,
dream.
rom the
The
about the
had been
was his
it
result
fatal disease
and the
having got abroad, the MacGowans
became famous throughout the country for the cure

of hydrophobia
large sums being paid to them
for the exercise of their skill and knowledge.
Thus they amassed a deal of money, for the
;
wonderful herb seldom failed to cure the terrible
malady;
but no amount of money could tempt
the brothers to reveal the
mode
of preparation.
name
herb or the
This great secret remains,
therefore, a mystery to this
the head of the
of the
day,
known only
MacGowans, who preserves the
to
tra-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and
dition,
But
45-
will transmit it only to his eldest son.
ensure a pei'fect cure, certain rules and
to
orders must be rigidly observed. First, the patient

must be brought under care within nine days
the
after
become
attack,
virulent
before
he must not
secondly,
hydrophobia
the
has
cross
water during the progress of the cure.

Quite recently a curious case happened which
power
tested the
of the
MacGowans, and
excited
the greatest interest throughout the country.
pet
cat,
belonging
suddenly showed signs of
to
a farmer's
savage
family,
and
ferocity,
flew at every one, inflicting severe bites.
Sis of
the children were laid up, aud even the farmer

himself was attacked before the animal could be
Evidently
killed,
terror
of
the
beast
was mad, and,
in
the consequences, the family sent an
urgent request to the MacGowans to come and

help them.
Three brothers of the name were living

time,
if
eldest agreed to
and the
cure,
shillings were paid down to him before
fifty
starting.
to give
at the
go and try the
This was a large
sum
for
the farmer
but as six of the children were lying half
dead from fright, he consented, and paid the money.
MacGowan
at
once set forth on his mission of
mystic healing, bringing with
him two kegs
of
liquid, each containing about five gallons, also a
largo stock
of
garlic
and hazel-nuts.
The
fluid
'1
AN,GIENT GUBES, CHARMS,
46
was
AND
green colour, and very nauseous to the

The people said it was made of the Atherlus
of a
taste.
(ground-ivy) which has singular mystic properties;
but
MacGowan kept
strict silence
on the subject,
and no one dared to ask him a question as to the

nature of the ingredients.
The family, meanwhile, were ordered to provide

two stone of barley-meal and three pounds of
butter, and with these cakes were to be made,
moistened with the fluid from the keg, of which also
the patients were to drink copiously; and during
the three days appointed for the cure they were to
have no other sustenance, save the barley cakes
and the green

If
at the
fluid.
end
of that
effected, then the patients
time the cure was not
would surely
die, their
only chance was over, nothing more could be done

to
Happily, however, the cure was
help them.
quite successful.
The children were
all
restored,
MacGowans increased, and no end of presents and money were

sent to them in addition to the sum paid down.
and, consequently, the fame of the
Still
the head of the race resisted
to reveal the
green
fluid,
name
and
of the
to this
all
entreaties
herb or the secret of the
day no man nor mortal, not
even the priest himself, has ever obtained a knowledge of the mystery, save only the eldest son of the
eldest
son in each successive generation of the
MacGowan
family.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
47
But other modes of curing the bite of a mad

dog are used in different districts one is to applysome of the hair of the dog to the wound and
leave it there, bound tightly, till all danger is over.
;
Another
it to
is
to take out the liver of the dog, grind
powder, then mix with water, and give
it
to
the patient to drink.
In old times, in Ireland, people
afflicted
with
canine madness were put to death by smothering
two
between
beds
feather
the
near relatives
standing round until asphyxia was produced, and
death followed.
Malific Charms.
Not only are charms and incantations employed

for curing disease, but they are also used to induce
disease
and death, in the form
curses,
and
in the
name
sheaf of corn
is
of maledictions
of the Evil
and
One.
sometimes buried with a
certain form of dedication to Satan, in the belief
that as the corn rots in the ground, so will the
person wither away
Another form
candle
who
is
under the curse.
bury a lighted
of malediction is to
by night
weird ceremonies.
in
a churchyard, with certain
A young
been treated badly by her
village girl,
lover,
who had
determined on
mode of curse upon him.

young fellow but suddenly
revenge, and adopted this
He was
a fine, healthy
he began
to pine
and dwindle away, and then every
48
must have buried a candle

Great efforts were made to induceagainst him.
her to tell where it was buried, but she resisted all
At last, however, the candle was found,
entreaty.
one
knew
that the girl
and the man had to eat
Yet even
curse.
no
avail, for the
it
in order to neutralise the
remedy was
this disagreeable
young man
still
of
continued to pine
away, and in a short time he lay dead.
Maledictions.
Epidemic diseases that will carry

family can also be produced
by the
off
an entire
devil's magic,
and smiths and old women are generally adepts in

the black art.
St.
Patrick prayed to be delivered
from smiths, women, and Druids

present time the smith
is
and even to the
considered powerful in
the working of charms, either for a blessing or a
and the peasants are cautious not
curse,
to offend
him.
The Lusmore,
poison,
or
Fairy-finger,
and sometimes has been used
is
deadly
in malice to
produce convulsions in children.

In the case of a sudden fainting or swoon, the
individual
if
he
is
is
supposed to be struck by a curse, and
unable to answer questions, he
a grannoge, or hedgehog, and

it
is
if it
tried with
is under the
Or the suspected person is
a sure sign that the person
influence of the devil.
is
erects the spine
USAGES OF IRELAND.
wrapped
in a
woman's red
49
cloak, with the
hood over
the head, and laid in a grave cut two feet deep.
There he remains some hours covered with

but the
face,
and
if
clay, all
he becomes delirious and raves,
then the people know that the devils are round

him, and his death
is
considered certain.
Imbas forosma (the knowledge that enlightens)

was a weird and fearful pagan ceremony by which
evil
was invoked, and men gained knowledge
future after offerings
performance was
made to
accompanied
solemn incantations and mystic

terrible
The
by strange and
rites,
but
all
of too
nature to be revealed to the people.
They were known only

by them held sacred.
If
of the
their idol gods.
an infant
is
to the
Druid
and
priests,
very small and weakly,
it is
sup-
posed to be a fairy changeling, and under a curse.
To
test its nature, the child
before the
fire.
If it
is
placed upon a shovel
is
a fairy imp,
suredly, after a little while, fly
disappear
will
as-
but, while waiting for the solution of
the question, the poor baby
burned that
cries are
it
up the chimney, and
it
is
often so dreadfully
dies in great torture,
though
its
heard with callous indifference by the
family around.
The Dead Hand.

To obtain the power and
is necessary
to visit
secrets of witchcraft,
it
a churchyard at midnight, and
50
of a recently buried corpse with
hand
cut off the
your own hand.
This
preserved by drying or
is
smoking, and can then be used with great and fatal
women
Old
effect.
are
known
the strongest
as
and as having the most fatal

witchcraft.
These witch-women are re-
tools of the devil,
powers
of
cognised at once by their glittering eyes and long,

skeleton fingers
and
if
they have a dead hand in
their possession, their influence is irresistible.
witch-woman overlooks a beautiful
If a
is
doomed
butter will be carried
off to
own
her
she has nothing but water in
When
child, it
If she overlooks the churn, the
to die.
churn, though
Beware
it.
of her.
she enters the place, put a red coal under
the churn, and
tie
a branch of the rowan tree on
the child's cradle, and a red string on the cow's
then they are
churning
is
going on should take a turn with the
dash, and say
woman
"
God
bless the
work
dare not say the words
refuses,
she
tail
Every one who enters while
safe.
is
known
at
"
;
but a witch-
therefore,
if
she
once to be fatal and
unlucky.
Stroking by the hand of a dead
many
diseases.
It
butter to the churn,
times with
many
it
man
if
the milk
is
stirred
while a witch-prayer
round nine
is recited.
Bat
awful things must be done, and evil rites
practised, before the witch-words can
and
can cure
has also the power to bring
uttered.
be learned
USAGES OF IRELAND.
61
Witchcraft.
An
oath taken upon a skull brought from the
churchyard
used for clearing from
is
should the oath be taken
upon the race

sins of
the
falsely, the sin will rest
to the seventh generation,
man whose
But
guilt.
skull
and
was used
all
for
the
the
clearing will be upon the head of the false swearer

also.
There are two stones in Joyce country, Connemara, and
if
any one who
falsely
is
maligned turns
these stones while he prays a prayer against the
wrong-doer, the prayer

evil
luck will
will
be granted, and some
on the wrong-doer as a punish-
fall
ment from the hand of God.

If a young man is suddenly taken with weakness
and depression
of spirits, it is believed that a field-
mouse crept down
his throat while
under the hayrick, and

well beaten, in the
cut from a
lay
is
name
tree, in the
hidden.
to cure
he lay sleeping
him he must be
of the Trinity,
with a stick
hollow of which a field-mouse
And, after the beating, the mouse
struck by the same stick
till it
dies.
The Evil Eye.

If
any one suspected
fixedly at you, say at once
thine eye."
The
of
:
the evil eye looks

" The curse be upon
evil-eye influence
is
particularly
e 2
52
strong at Beltaine (May Eve).
And
then
is
it
advisable to sprinkle oatmeal on the cow's back,
and
and
to bleed the cattle
taste of the blood.
In
men and women

and their blood was sprinkled on the ground but
this practice has now died out, even in the western
were likewise bled,
old times, the
islands,
though
sacrifice
through blood
always
is
considered sacred and beneficial.
The
blight on cattle
comes from some individual
whose glance has a natural malignant power.
may know such
brows and sunken

evil.
You
persons at once by their lowering

eyes.
Distrust them, they are
Persons of defective baptism are also dan-
gerous, for the devil already claims
them
for his
own.
To break
the spell of the evil eye, drive the
cattle at once to a
holy well, and
of the blessed water.
But
if
in
make them drink

going they chance
to look at a graveyard, the cure will not succeed.
Prayers, also, must be recited while the cattle are
drinking at the well, and through the prayer of

faith the spell will be broken.
Superstitions.
The popular
seem
to
superstitions of the Irish people
have remained unchanged from the earliest
time to the present day.
writer
who
travelled
Lawrence Eochard, of Christ

College, Cambridge mentions several of the usages
in Ireland in
1690
USAGES OF IRELAND.
which none
of the peasants
came under
gress, that
would dare
to trans-
his observation.
" The people," he says,
down
53
"
think
wrong
it
to rub
or curry their horses, or to gather grass to
feed them, upon Saturdays.
" They
asks for
also esteem her
on
fire
May
wicked and a witch who
morning, and butter would
only be given to a sick body, and then with a

curse.
" If butter is stolen,
they cut away some of the
thatch from over the door and cast
it
into the fire,
believing that so the butter will be restored.
"
When
going out
the morning, they are
in
very careful who they meet

ill
luck,
may come
for the
for
first,
day
good
in that
luck, or
manner
to a
man.
"
Before sowing the corn, some
the earth
and
in the towns,
when
salt is flung
a magistrate
on
first
enters on his office, the wives and daughters, along
the street, fling wheat and
down on him and
salt
his followers."
Food of the
He
and
Iktsh.
also notes the very simple diet of the people,
their temperance as to food.

"
The
Irish,"
watercresses,
They
he
says, " feed
much upon
shamrocks, mushrooms, and
also take beef broth,
and
flesh,
herbs,
roots.
sometimes
raw, from which they have pressed out the blood.
51
They do not care much
for bread
the corn to their horses, of
They
careful.
also bleed
blood stiffens to a
and eat
it
jelly,
with great
huge draughts
but they give
whom
they are very
and as the
their kine,
they stew
reiish,
with butter,
it
washing
it
down with
of usquebaugh."
Amongst the
recommended by the
later Irish physicians, we find saffron named as "the
most excellent of tonics; " also aqua vitce and sugar,
with bread soaked in it, that it may not harm
the
brain,
is
stimulants
specially
advised
as
an energetic
strengthener of the organs of the body.
Foe the Memoey.

White frankincense beaten up with white wine is
profitable for the brain and the stomach, and an
may be made of one part gentian,

and two parts centaury, bruised well together, and
mixed with distilled water for a drink. But these
excellent cordial
things are for the learned and the aristocrats.
The
peasants
and
still
cling to their simple herbal cures
mystic charms, and the ancient usages of the old-
world times.
To
will
ascertain the result of a fever the people
take a black cock, split him open, and apply
the halves, while
still
hot, to the soles of the feet.
Should they stick on, the patient

if
the pieces
certain.
fall
to
the
will recover
but
ground, then death
is
USAGES OF IRELAND.
any feathers
If
of wild fowl
55
be in a bed the
patient will not sleep, and his death will be dis-
The only help
turbed and painful.
to
is
hang a
horse-shoe on the bed, or to place the sick person's
shoe face downward.

SlJPEESTITIONS.
On
St. Bridget's
down
day a crop
and a mat
nailed to the door,
of peeled rushes is
of fresh
hay
for the Saint to kneel on, in case she
to pray for
any sick member
Bridget
St.
haughty
was
is
laid
comes
of the family.
high -tempered
very
and
One day she came to

attend mass at St. Mark's chapel, but found, when
she arrived, that the ceremony was all over. Then
her ways.
in
she was angry, being accustomed to much reverence,

and asked the Saint, indignantly, why he had not
waited for her arrival, to which St. Mark answered
:
" For no
man nor woman
shall I delay the holy rites
Then Bridget grew more angry,
of the Church."
and prayed that a lake might cover the
And
court and chapel.
began
to rise
Saint's cell
was formed
years,
on
till
were
as
St.
it
so
it
Saint's
was, for the waters
the court, and chapel, and the
all
submerged, and the great lake
now
exists.
Mark's day, the
But once every seven

bells can
be heard
ringingin the lake, and the chant of the choristers
and
of a
summer's day, down deep in the water,
can be plainly seen a heap
of stones,
and the people
56
know
that they are looking on the ruins of St.
Mark's chapel, banned and doomed by the powerof the holy Bridget.
The Leprehaun.
The
gray Leprehaun has the secret of
little
hidden gold, and by the power of a certain herb he

it and thus become master of unlimited
But no one has ever yet obtained from the
can discover
wealth.
sprite the
tricksy
little
words
of the
treasure,
name
of the
herb or the
charm which reveal the hidden

only the Leprehaun has the knowledge-.
There are also herbs of grace to be gathered on
May morning
which give wealth to him who knows-
the proper form of incantation

the mystery he dies.
but
if
he reveals
So the adepts keep the secret,,

Yet the peasantry still
being afraid of the doom.
make
many
constant efforts to find the hidden gold, and

curious rites are practised
by them
to obtain
a knowledge of the mystic herbs.
Concerning Trees.
The most sacred

tree, the
hazel
is
the most effective against
witchcraft.
St.
trees in Ireland are the
rowan, the hazel, and the willow.
It
was by the use
yew
The
demon power and

wand that
of a hazel
Patrick drove out the serpents from Ireland, one
only escaping, who plunged into the Great Lake
afe-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
57
Killarney, and remains there to this day crying to
be
And
released.
draw a
circle
with a hazel stick a person can
round himself, within which no
thing can enter
evil
demon, or serpent, or
fairy, or
evil
But the stick must be cut on May morning,,

and before sunrise, to make it powerful.
The rowan tree is very sacred, and branches of
spirit.
it
should be hung on
cradle,
May morning
over the child's
and over the churn and the door, to keep

The blessed
spirits and evil hands.
away
evil
power
of the hazel
and the rowan
in to the present day,
safeguard
and
is
witches
against
firmly believed
is
used as the best
still
the Irish,
for
like
their Persian ancestors, are fervent tree-worshippers,,
and no
tree
is
The willow
considered malignant in
is
thought to have a soul in
speaks in music; for
were generally made

ancient harp,
its influence.
still
of the
in
it
which
reason the Irish harps
this
wood.
existence,
Brian Borohm's-
made
is
of
the-
willow tree.
Whoever has the

good luck
four-leaved
in all things.
He
shamrock has
cannot be cheated
in-
a bargain, nor deceived, and whatever he undertakeswill prosper.
It enlightens the brain,
one see and know the truth

things can be done.
and by
its
and makes
aid wondrous
So the people say
"Whoever
has the four-leaved shamrock can work miracles."
must never be shown to man nor mortal, or

the power would exist no more.
But
it
58
The Sacked Tree.

It is very
ancient tree
One
cold,
dangerous and unlucky to cut down an
made
sacred
by the memory
of a saint.
winter's day, during the hungry times, a
farmer was tempted to cut down a few branches

of
St.
a huge alder that shadowed the ancient well of
when, on looking back, he saw his
Moling;
Immediately he rushed to the
house in flames.
spot, but,
on reaching home, found that
and no flames were
work
visible.
all
was
So he returned
of cutting off the branches,
safe
to his
when again the
red flames rose high over his cottage, and again he
hastened to the spot to extinguish the

with the same result
all
was safe
fire
at his
but
home.
So, determined not to be disappointed a third time

in getting the branches,
and lopped
much
off as
he returned to the
as he
sacred alder, and carried the bundle safe
when, to
burned
his dismay,
tree,
required from the
home
he found that the cottage was
to the ground,
and he was
left
without a
roof over his head.
The
Great virtue
in cases
of
is
Briar.
attributed to the briar, especially
sprain, or dislocation; the
species
bearing a reddish flower being the best for use.
strong twig of this
is
taken, about a yard long,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The
and split evenly from end. to end.
then held by two
men
the
three feet apart

incantation,
mystery-man pronouncing an
his hands over them until
and waving
and approach each other

is
pieces are
with clean hands, about
the twigs seem endowed with

piece
59
till
life,
and
they touch
rise
cut off at the point of contact, and
firmly over the sprain, the mystery-man
all
up
then a
bound
the time
never ceasing his incantations, nor the waving of
The ligature is left on for three days,

which time the sprain is found to be perfectly
cured but the power of the split sticks is entirely
his hands.
after
should either of the men holding

them be illegitimate.
The buds of the briar are used in spring to
make a refreshing drink for the sick, and the roots
in winter.
The roots are boiled for twelve hours
neutralised,
in an earthen vessel, then a small cupful of the

liquid
is
administered frequently to the patient,
who, after some time,
which he
will
falls into
a deep sleep from
awake perfectly cured.
Concerning Birds.
Everything in nature, above and around them,
exercises
a mysterious
mind, and
is
their fortune
influence
over the
Irish
connected, the people believe, with
and
destiny, either for
good or
evil.
Trees are venerated and held to be sacred and
60
beneficial
as
if
but, strange to say, birds are not trusted,
some malign
spirit
and go, according
They come
were in them.
to the popular
with signi-
belief,
messages from the unseen world of good or

bad omen, but generally with warning and proficant
The water-wagtail
phecies of doom.
disliked, for it has

its
is
particularly
strange mystical powers, and
presence always forebodes something
but no danger
be suffering from an attack
of fever
was apprehended
morning
until one
water-wagtail came
to
the glass
mornings
this
bill,
if
trying
to-
For three
was repeated, by which time the

were so completely shaken that
he gave himself up for
and
lost,
he
in four days
But, to the surprise and terror of the
family, the bird
still
continued to come each morniDg
and strike the window as before.
who was kneeling by her husband's

rose
as
and enter the room.
sick man's nerves
was dead.
early, when a
window and tapped
the
furiously at the glass with his
break
fatal.
gentleman in the County Cork happened to
up and
said
" Behold
Then, the wife,

coffin in prayer,
the spirit of
doom
has come for another of the family; one death

not enough
came
as
let
us watch and pray."
foretold,
for
And
is
the evil
when returning from
his
father's funeral, the eldest son
was thrown violently
from the
having taken fright
carriage, the horses
some unaccountable manner, and the young man

was carried home dead to his unhappy mother.
in
USAGES OF IRELAND.
61
The robin redbreast is the only bird looked

upon with favour and veneration by the peasantry
for they believe that he once hid the
Lord Jesus
by covering Him with moss,
but the water-wagtail plucked away the moss and
so discovered our Lord to the Jews ; for which act
the bird has even been considered unholy and un-
from
enemies,
his
lucky, while the robin
would dare to injure
When
a raven
evil is near,
disaster
once
"
is
is
held sacred, and no one
it.
seen hovering round a cottage,
and a death may follow, or some great
therefore to turn
May
fire
away
ill
luck, say at
and water be in you,
bird of
and may the curse of God be on your head

for ever and ever."
If any one is sick in the house, and the cock
crows with his head to the fire, recovery may be
evil,
expected; but
then death
If a
fairies
if
he crows with
his
head to the door,
is certain.
hen crows on the roost it is a sign that the

it, and the head of the hen must
have struck
be immediately cut
off
and flung on the ground, or
one of the family will surely die before the year is
out.
Never disturb the swallows, wherever they may

build, and neither remove nor destroy their nests
for they are wise birds, and will mark your conduct
either for punishment or favour.
The
first
time you hear the cuckoo, look
down
62
at
your feet;
co mb your
There
is
if
a hair
is
own gray
lying there you will lire
good
at
locks
an old rhyme respecting
to-
agev
old
this bird
on a bare thorn,
your cow and buy corn
But if she sits on a green bough,
Tou may sell your corn and buy a cow.
If a
cuckoo
Tou may
sits
sell
Superstitions.
When
a person
is
dying, twelve rush-lights
lighted and stuck in a bowl of meal,
ing
till
extinguished,
burn-
and the meal
is
given to the
The corners
first
of the
wrapped the corpse, are careand laid by as charms for disease.
that
also,
fully cut off
The
left
the death takes place; then the candles are
pauper who passes the door.

sheet,
and
are-
pins, likewise, used in laying out the dead, are
preserved reverentially, for they have great power

as mystic
charms ever
Amongst
after.
fatal signs, the
a looking-glass, for then
it is
most
fatal is to
certain that
And
evil fate.
This
house will die before the year
there
is
superstition
still
indeed, amongst
omen
is
holds
its
some one
out.
in the
no mode of averting the
break
is
power over the people
all classes to
the present day the
looked upon with dread, and a firm belief
in its fatal significance.
To break the
spell of witchcraft,
of barley cakes over
it is
good to eat
which the exorcist has said an
USAGES OF IRELAND.
63
But the patient must eat of them only

on Mondays and Thursdays, and the Monday
incantation.
following; never on a Friday.
Twelfth night the people make a cake of
On
yellow clay taken from a churchyard, then stick
twelve bits of candle in
it,
kneeling round, until
all
A name
down.
is
and
recite their prayers,,
the lights have
given to each
light,
burned
and the
first
that goes out betokens death to the person whose-
name
bears, before the year
it
On Candlemas night
out.
is
the same trick
twelve lighted candles are named

the
first
whose
to the last,
light
who
will
burns out, dies
is
;,
first;
and
on
so
all.
marked on theand the black mark
every one
forehead with the blessed ashes,
practised
after the family,,
be the survivor of
On Ash Wednesday,
is
is
retained carefully through the day, the priest him-
having touched the brow with his
self
coal
is
brought from
the priest's
finger.
Also, a
house to kindle
the-
the consecrated coal brings good fortune
fire, for
to-
the house and the inmates.

It is
by the
good to cut the hair
light of the
moon
at the
itself;
all
and'
but never should
the hair be cut on a Friday, for
unlucky day of
new moon,
it
is
the most
the year, and no one should
begin a journey, or move into a new house, or
comtnence business, or cut out a new dress on a

all, never bring a cat from,
Friday; and, above
one house
to
another on a Friday.
64
The creation of Adam, the Fall, the expulsion

from Eden, and the death of Christ, all took place
on a Friday; hence its evil repute and fatal
influence, above all other days of the week,
human
But the
actions.
fairies
upon
have great power
on that day, and mortals should stay at home after

sunset, for the fairies always hold their revels
upon
Fridays, and resent being interfered with or troubled
by
the
human
presence.
unlucky to meet a red-haired
It is
"the first
thing in the morning
woman
haired
man
or
but a freckled, red-
particularly dangerous.
is
she be in your path on

at once, for danger
Judas Iscariot had red
hair,
Should
going out, turn back
first
Some
way.
in the
is
woman
say that
hence the tradition of
augury.
its evil
It is
unlucky to
tion, for there is
offer
hand to those we
those we honour."
left
It is
your
left
an old saying:
unlucky to
sit
hand
"A
in saluta-
curse with the
hate, but the right
down
hand
to
thirteen to dinner, for
one of the party will certainly die before the year

out.
This is a most wide-spread superstition,
is
and extends
lowest.
It
to all classes
from the highest to the
probably originated from the fact that
Judas was the thirteenth at the Last Supper, and

was in his heart as he sat at meat.
the evil
There are some days in the week considered

by the people for certain work or
unpropitious
USAGES OF IRELAND.
no
Thus,
projects.
one
business of importance on
should
65
undertake
Wednesdays
any
or Fridays,
nor set out on a journey, nor get married; and

should the ancient superstition he disregarded, evil
will fall
on the sinner, and whether
heaven or
hell,
come
it will,
for the fairies are out
their
revels
it
comes from
so the peasants believe,
on those nights, and have
and dances, and no mortal should

But the fairies never have three
trouble them.
parties in the week, for that

Trinity,
and
is
sacred and holy
other days free to men.
There
concerning days and children

Monday's child
the
is
number
of the
so they leave the
is
a popular rhyme
fair in the face,
Tuesday's child fair of grace,

"Wednesday's child lone and sad,
Thursday's child merry and glad,
Friday's child
must work
for a living,
Saturday's child is Godly given, but

Sunday's child will go straight to heaven.
Bubying-Gkootds.
In old times
it
was thought right and proper
to
have separate burying-grounds for the different

There was one for aged strangers, another
classes.
for infants
who
died unbaptized, for they could not
be admitted into consecrated ground. Suicides were

buried separately, in a place called, " The Wounded
Man's Grave."
had
Women who
died in child-birth
also a special burial-ground,
and the men were
66
In the County Tyrone there
buried alone.
male burying-ground, and
if
woman
enters
is
and
it
stands upon a grave, she will assuredly die before

the year
will
pass
dead
and
are
Consequently, no living
out.
is
the
very
would
only
gate,
as
strict
all
up
rise
anything
if
dead man, he
them no
rest
lies
will
till
The
form
from
and
usage,
graves
their
if
were laid amongst them.
one, not of their class,
Also,
the
to
woman
dead men.
heavy on the conscience
of a
appear to his people and give
the disturbing cause
very respectable aged
man having
removed.
is
died near
Dun-
more Castle some few years ago, his brother buried

him with all honour in the graveyard near by ;
but the corpse would not rest quiet. At night,
and in lonely places, the ghost would appear and
fix his
dead eyes on the brother, but say no word,
and look so mournful, that the poor

joy in
life
and knew not what
man had no
Then he
to do.
consulted the priest at last, and his reverence gave
him some holy water blessed and consecrated by

himself with special prayers, and told him to take
the flask with him at night to the place where he
usually
met the ghost, and question him
cause of his disquiet.
and drew a
circle
So the man went
as to the
as desired,
round himself as he stood, and
poured the holy water
all
over the place.
And
twelve o'clock exactly the ghost appeared
when he got within the
circle the
man
felt
at
and
brave
enough
USAGES OF IRELAND.
67
knew he was
protected by
to speak, for he
So he asked the ghost
the holy water.
have you
left
me ?
the grave to trouble
"
" Why
Then
the ghost told him that only one thing prevented
him getting
and he would never have

were removed from him, for the
to heaven,
rest unless this sin
thread that sewed his
was stolen
him while it
was there, so he had to wander about, and had no
place of rest either ou earth or in heaven, and he
bade the brother go to the grave and rip the
clothes, and take away all the thread and burn it,
and get a mass said for the repose of his soul, after
grave-clothes
thread, and the angels wouldn't touch
which he would have

did, even as
rest.
And
all this
the brother
he was desired, and the ghost was
seen no more.
corpse must not be touched by any hand, nor
keened over, until two hours at least have passed

after death, for the soul
settle
voice of
new
must be given time
to
and the
the mourners might quicken the dead into
quietly in
its
a brief return to temporal
place of rest
life,
when
the pangs of
a second death would be greater even than those of
The body is then washed with soap and

and the use
dried with a liuen cloth
and
water,
being over, the water is spilled, and the cloth
buried in a hidden place in the earth, where no
the
first.
foot will tread and no eye will behold
twelvemonth has passed by;
for
if
them till a
any person
f 2
ANOIENT CUBES, CHARMS, AND
68
stood upon the ground where the water was spilled;

he would be fated to wander about the fields all'
knowing where
night, not
to find his house
till
the
cock-crow in the early morn.

Superstitions.
When
the body
sanctifies a
the corpse.
is laid
in the coffin, the priest

it
over
any
self-
handful of earth and sprinkles
And
this is
done because,
if
murdered person were brought to the churchyard

to be buried, all the dead would turn in their
coffins, unless only those on whose bodies the
blessed earth had been sprinkled by the priest.
If the face of a first-born child is
wards
in the coffin, the parents will never
more children.
Never cut an
month
turned down-
infant's nails
old, or it will
till
it is
have any
a twelve-
be light-fingered, and addicted
to stealing.
Never get married in harvest, or you will have

no rest from worries and troubles, and will always
be overworked, and laden with cares and anxieties
all
your
life
long.
new-married couple should
the same time, for

fairies
if
retire to rest at
the bride were
would come and
steal her
left alone,
away
the
for the sake
of her fine clothes.
When
at once
a person sneezes, the people around say

" The blessing of God and the Holy Mary
USAGES OF IRELAND.
69
fairies would do some

" The consecration be
Or they say
upon you," meaning the holy water. This will at
be on you," otherwise the

evil
turn.
once avert
all
fairy spite
and malice.
very unlucky to meet a weasel coming
It is
towards you in the early morning, and you should

at once spit at him, for^
great danger will
fall
Tet, you must never

will
if
he spits at you
first,
on you before the sun
kill
a weasel
it is fatal,
sets.
and
bring sure destruction on yourself, for the
whole family of the murdered weasel
will
take
vengeance and cause something dreadful to happen

to
you within the year.
When
changing your residence,
it is
unlucky to
bring a cat with you, especially across a stream,
and a red and white cat is particularly ominous

and dangerous. If a black cat comes of her own
accord to your house, keep her, she is a good spirit;
but do not bring
own good
The
her, she
must come
freely, of
her
will.
tail of
a black cat rubbed on the eyes has mar-
vellous curative properties, and the blood of a black
at
is
largely used in all mystic cures for disease.
If a
cow suddenly
parent cause,
it is
falls sick,
without any ap-
believed that she has swallowed an
insect of the beetle kind, called Berih, which lives in
ditches and stagnant pools.
The remedy
the animal three times across the
ment belonging
to
any one
of the
loins,
name
is
to strike
with a garof Cassidy.
70
But
if
a cow
is
bewitched by the
fairies
and gives
no milk, the owner must lead her three times round

one of the ancient stone monuments near a holy-
an
well, casting
And
be
elf
stone each time on the heap.
then
this is not successful,
if
tied
up
in a cloth
thrown into a vessel
Some
drink.
elf
stones
must
with a piece of money, and

of
water for the animal to
butter, also,
may be added
to pro-
pitiate the saint of the well, and after this the cow
will surely recover.
There
is
a large stone at Dunsang, County Louth,,
bearing a rude resemblance to a chair. This is

called " The Madman's Stone/' and the people
that
believe
if
a lunatic
is
placed on
seated,
it,
he will recover his reason.
At
Porfcrane,
County Dublin,
Chink Well," which

salt water,
Any
at
is
The-
covered by the
itself
fresh and pure.
one seeking a cure should leave a piece of
bread on the brink of the well, and
away by the next

along with
At
many
if
this is carried
tide the disease will depart also-
it.
the village of Dunas, County Clare, once the
property of Sir
St.
"
is
high tide
yet always remains
a well called
Hugh
Massy,
is
a well noted for
healing virtues, from having been blessed by
Lenanus, who dwelt near
it,
and has
left the-
impress of his hands and knees as he prayed on

the
flat
rock near the brink.
The people
try to
kneel in these indentations as they stoop to drink,,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and never
fail
impress
by the
left
to
find
they touch the
if
Saint.
A most efficacious
is to
relief
71
cure for disease of any kind
eat a piece of the bread of
gathered twelve baskets
which the Apostles
full after Christ's miracle
of feeding the multitude.
The wandering friars carry about with them

some of this miraculous bread, and sell it to the
people in small quantities for urgent cases, especially
amongst the crowd surrounding the holy wells

if the blessed bread is added to the power of
;
for
the holy well, the cure cannot
fail of success.
The peasants have also great faith iu the

scapular, which is worn tied round the neck as a
talisman or charm against all evil demons, fairies,
or witches.
If a
woman
is
iu great
her confinement, and
is
danger of death during
not wearing the scapular,
she must be invested at once, and the midwife
always carries one with her ready for the purpose.
A strip
of the skin of
an ass and a piece of the
hoof are also tied round her neck, in

the travail of the
Bethlehem.
scapular
But
must be
Holy Mother
if
the
in the
woman
is
memory
of
manger
at
dying,
at once removed, for
if
the
she dies
away the blessing out
with
it
on, she carries
and
it
has no more virtue until reblessed by the
priest.
It
woman by
is
generally taken
the
nearest
from
female
the
relative,
of
it,
dying
who
72
reverently places
it
around her own neck, there
to remain until she also has to give

to
up her
soul
God.
has gone through the ceremony

of churching, after the birth of her child, she is the
woman
Until a
most dangerous being on earth.

No one should eat food from her hand, and
myriads of demons are always around her trying to
do harm, until the priest comes and sprinkles holy
Even
water over her.

to wash,
the fish will
in tremor and fear.

race,
all
For
and cannot bear
she goes to the river
if
to
away
go
from her
fishes are a very pious
be touched by unholy
hands ever since the mark of Christ's fingers was

Indeed, they were once by accident
on them.
auditors of an
argument against transubstantiation
held by a heretic, and were so shocked at his
language that they
all
the
left
and the
river,
disappointed angler could not help regretting that

the fish were so very particular as to the tenets of
the Holy Church.

If
man
leave
home
after
his wife's
confine-
ment, some of his clothes should be spread over

the mother and infant, or the fairies will carry
them both
all
off.
For the
things, a mortal
fairy offspring.
be an ugly
little
And
fairy
woman
if
her
queen
as
own
desires,
above
nurse for her
child happens to
sprite, she will gladly
change
it
USAGES OF IRELAND.
human
for the beautiful
who henceforth
babe,
live entirely in Fairyland,
73
and never more
will
see his
kindred or home.
When
woman
nervous or hysterical, she
is
often supposed to be fairy-struck
toms are
severe, she is
but
if
is
the symp-
pronounced to be in Fairyland,
while a simulacrum, or fairy sprite, has taken her

place in the house, and assumed her features
appearance.
Then the
priest
is
sent for
but
and
his
if
prayers are of no avail, the family apply to the

fairy-doctor,
vessel
who begins
by
his operations
filling
with oatmeal, over which he mutters an
incantation.
If
half the oatmeal disappears sud-
denly, then he pronounces that a fairy
is
present in
the woman's form, and the remainder of the meal
being made into a cake,
solemn incantations
given to her to eat
is
being recited
all
the time,
while the doctor lays his hands on the head of the
This process
patient.
is
repeated for three days,
which the true woman comes back from

Fairyland, and is able to resume her household
after
duties, being perfectly restored in health.

If a
male child
fated to take away
break the
fatality,
close in the child's

is
over,
and the
born in Trinity week, he
is
life,
his
little
hand
evil
sacrifice of the bird as
own
To
is
caught and held
dies.
Then the danger
bird
till it
or another's.
is
spell is
broken through the
an offering
to death.
74
Omens.
To break
a mirror
the most unlucky accident-
is
It portends
that can happen.
many coming
crosses-
and trials, and sometimes foretells a death. It

happened once that a gentleman, who was just
married, drove up in his carriage to the door of his
residence with his bride
his little niece, hearing
window and dashed back the

never heeding that it struck a handsome
by the violent swing, till the broken
Her nurse was terribly
to the ground.
the arrival, ran to the

glass door,
pier-glass
pieces fell
alarmed at
first
but then hastily picking up two
pieces of glass, she ran out to hide
them in the folds
of the bride's dress, before she entered the house,
and
this she
accomplished while no one was irfinding
her, in the hurry of the arrival.
was saved,
bride,
who
crosses
for the
ill
had, indeed, a sad
but the
and was noted
Thus the
child
luck was transferred to the
little girl
life after, of
grew up well and
good fortune
for her
cares
and
happy,,
in all things
she set her mind on.
The
cricket
looked upon as a most lucky
is
inmate of a house, and woe to the person
may happen
will
to kill
one
meet in general -assembly and
offender's
as
clothes,
loss of a friend
and
Every woman
who
for all the other crickets

eat
up the
a just retribution for the-
relation.
in charge of a dairy should
wear
USAGES OF IRELAND.
three rings blessed in the
name
75
the Trinity,
of
one to guard from the wiles of women, the second
from the wiles
of
men, the third from the
wiles of
witches.
The Nature of
Faieies.
In Connaught the people have many strange

superstitions of great antiquity.
tin of
its
"
That
to the fairies, leave
and the child

ill
is
mean and
fairies
who
to
them and welcome,"

might bring
lest that
hate everything that looks
niggardly, being themselves of a bright,
joyous nature
free,
it
never scolded,
For the
luck.
If a child spills
milk on the ground, the mother says
except, indeed, the Banshee,
the spirit of sorrow and doom.
is
And
who are kind and

and who leave food on the dresser and
the grate at night for them when they hold
the fairies like people
considerate,
fire in
their
councils
much fire, for they

good woman of the house-
not too
yet
dislike smoke, and the

must never throw out water after dark, without
saying " Take care of the water ; " for the fairies
are very nice in their ways, and resent any such
awkward chance as might spoil their pretty gay caps
:
and
and
feathers.
They
also greatly desire
are very clever
Sometimes they carry
and acute
off
man
in
human
aid,
obtaining
at night, put
it.
him
on a horse, jump up behind him, and away they go

fleet as
the wind.
But when the man comes back
in the
morniDg
76
home, wearied and exhausted, he finds that,

instead of a splendid horse, he has only been riding
to his
log of wood, or perhaps a sucking-calf, and he

can hear the laughter of the fairies as he flings
himself
tricks.
down on
Yet the
the hay to rest after their malicious
help in their battles, and, above

for whichever
have human
fairies often strive to
has
side
all,
living
general will surely gain the day
human leader
man for its
;
and they try to
obtain him by sundry tricks, as in this

dress up an old broomstick like a
it
in deep water, then,
to
examine
and carry
the man.
But, after the battle,
good luck ever
successful,
lame
if
he gains
Though
after.
it
for them,
gifts,
if
and he
he
is
they strike him, and send him
of a leg or
The
place
when any one goes over
they send him back laden with fairy

lias
They
they toss the broom into the stream
it,
off
way
man and
fairies
un-
home
with a crooked neck.
may
be propitiated, but are never
worshipped by the people, who look on them as

inferior beings to themselves
and they know well
that all the fairy spite against them is caused by

envy and jealousy because man has been created
immortal, while the Sidhe race

tinction at the last day.
receive full
Bat
homage from the
invoked against
all
is
people,
evil influences
earnest faith and trust.
doomed
saints
to ex-
and angels
and they are
with the most
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The people
77
are very suspicious of fairy influence
if a farmer amongst them

money than his neighbours, they
become indignant and often do an injury to his
being used for gain, and
makes
more
cattle as a
punishment.
There was a man living in Innistush, one of the

western islands, who had a wonderful cow with
only one horn
but she gave more milk than any
other cow on the island, and always came of herself

to
be milked.
So the people said
" Surely he hath
sold himself to the evil one for luck, but no luck
come to him though he gathers ever

gold/' and they determined to do him an
will
Now
vision
man was
the
came
to
turn-
when a
cow was dead, and as
voice saying " Go to the
he lamented he heard a
hill
much
ill
out fishing one day,
him that
great cave on the
so
his
and
call
her three times, and
she will answer you and come back to you."
So the man hastened home, and as he neared the

house he heard a great cry, and there, sure enough,
was his wife weeping and lamenting because the
cow was dead
and
all
trying to comfort her.

" "Whisht, Alanna,"
safe.
away
She
is
the
women were round
he
under a fairy
" the cow
said,
spell
and
in the great cave under the hill
fear, for I'll
is
her,
is
all
hidden
but, never
put a stronger spell on her by the
power I learned in my dream."

So that same night he took
fire
with him and
78
went
to the cave,
cow
" Come
come
Then he lit the
forth,
forth,
she came not.
cave and called out again
and
of the fire
I will
come
""
May
round the
"See, I have the power
burn down the
your
forth," but
turf all
cow is restored to me."

Then a little man came forth and
with wrath. "
on the
called three times
and
hill
unless the
his face flamed
be accursed," he said
fire
take your cow away with you, but never more will
she do you any good, for the curse of the fairies
upon
And
he entered the cave and led her forth.
But she trembled, and began

master tried to lead her away.
was
is
her."
sorely grieved, for he
witched,
to
moan when her

Then the farmer
saw that she was be-
and would never leave the
And
come with him.
as
fairies
and
he turned away lamenting,
and very sorrowful, a young girl came up close and

" Ask for the spansel, or
whispered in his ear
:
you
On
me
never get her back."
will
this the farmer called out again
the spansel, or
leave a soul that
is
I'll
burn down the
hill
not scorched by the
"
Bring
and not
fire."
So the old man came forth again from the cave

looking
fiercely
still
:
more wrathful, and
"Accursed be your
spansel shall be yours.
And
fire for
he cried out
evermore.
Only leave me
The
in peace."
he bade a young lad, who was by, to enter
the cave and bring forth the spansel.
So when the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
farmer got
it,
was broken
at last
And
lie
was content;
79
for the evil spell
through the judgment of
fire.
cow came back with her master, and

gave milk enough ever after to keep him and his
wife in plenty and comfort
and the neighbours
were afraid to play any more wicked tricks, for
they saw that a good man can conquer even the
power of the fairies, and all the envy and malice of
men, through wisdom and the help of God.
The exorcism by fire and water, these being the
two most powerful elements in nature, is of great
antiquity and is still held in high respect by the
the
was practised by the Druids in

their solemn rites, and St. Patrick in his conflict
fairy-doctors.
It
with the pagan priesthood made use of the double

ordeal of
As
fire
and water.
already stated, there
that Friday
is
is
a prevalent belief
the most unlucky day of
all
the year,
for the fairies are very powerful then, and mortal
people should be very cautious about opening the
door after sunset and allowing a stranger to enter
But there was a farmer's wife in Shark

so good and kindly, that she never
refused a handful of meal or a light of the pipe to
the house.
Island,
who was
any wayfarer that passed her door.

(it
And
one day
chanced to be Friday) as she was churning,
towards evening, a lame woman, with a red cloak
wrapped about her
head,
tapped
begged the good mistress would
gently,
and
just let her
come
80
and eat a
in
bit, for
she was very weary, and had
travelled far.
"Come
"and
and welcome/'
in
there
is
near the
Sullivan,
by the fire," and

the woman came in.
she went on churning as
Now
said Mrs.
a seat ready for you
there chanced to be a can of water just

fire,
and the old woman turned it over by

and all the water ran
accident as she sat down,
under the churn.

luck
ill
but the
This, of
woman
course,
was a sign
expressed so
much
of
sorrow,
that poor Mrs. Sullivan could not scold her nor
turn her away, and she even gave her a drink

of milk to comfort her.
"
Now, Alanna,"
trouble you any
my
in
is
more
can to help
on me, and give
be
my
people on the
off,
woman,
but just put a
" I'll
little
not
milk
me on the road when the thirst

me a light of my pipe, and then
for the sun
I'll
" That
said the lame
hill
is
down, and I must meet
before
it
grows dark."
do and welcome," said the mistress

"so hero is the fill of your can for
you of milk, and a good lump of butter, too, at the
top, and now light your pipe and go in peace."
Then the lame woman rose up and took the can
" And now, by your leave,
of milk with thanks.
I'll
of the house,
before I go,
I'll
just light
my
pipe," she said, and
with that she took a piece of burning sod from the

and carried it outside to light her pipe, and
fire,
then went her way, throwing the
fire
on the road.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
81
Some time after, the farmer came home,

^nd his wife told him all that had happened.
"Woman," he said, "you have destroyed our luck.
You
allowed a lame
woman
to
come
down, while you were churning

be
spilled on the floor
let
under the churn
away milk
and butter
allowed
to be
fire
in here
you
and
sit
the water
you gave
on a Friday, and
also
taken out of the house on a
Friday by that lame witch; our luck
is
gone for
ever by your folly."
And
grew
left
so
and
less
in
it
was, for from that day the butter

less,
and there was
so
little
money
from
the house that the children cried
hunger, and there was nothing to give them to
eat,
and the poor mother was at her wits' end for sorrow,
and worked like a slave for the morsel they had.
But one evening, coming home late, she met the lame
woman in the field, carrying her big can as before.

" What have you got, now, in the can ? " asked
Mrs. Sullivan.
" Why, what
butter," said the
else
should
lame woman
it
;
be but your own
"
see,
the can
is full
to the top with the loveliest butter eyes could see,
and
all
your own."
"But how
have none
can that be, good woman, for we
our
luck
is
gone?"
cried poor Mrs.
Sullivan, weeping.
"Well,
morning,
I'll tell
you, just in this way.
long before sunrise, while
Every
you are
a
fast
82
asleep, I milk the
cow and carry
off
my
the milk in
and so I have always the richest

butter in the whole island for myself and my
people/' and the lame woman laughed as she told
big can here
her story.
" Oh, Maia, mother " cried poor Mrs. Sullivan,
!
what am I
hunger, and not a
my
in tears, "
to do,
of
bit of food in the house,
no money nor nothing
and
children dying
and
"
?
Well now," said the lame woman, " don't fret,

for you were good to me
the day I rested at your house. Bat take my
advice, for I am wise, and what I say is true and
"
I shall have pity on you
must be done
cow's
go home and
tie
a red string on the
and another on her horns, and do not
tail
her out before sunrise

witches,
let
keep her from the

particular friends, and I'll bring them
my
this will
and butter, so yours

But mind, never again give away
to another place for their milk

shall
be
safe.
butter on a Friday
the churn
nor
nor
let fire
let
water be spilled under
be taken out of your house on
a Friday, for on that day the witches are powerful,,
and through the
made and
laid
words, for I
fire
and water the
upon you.
am
spell of evil
Attend, therefore, to
the head of the witches,
and
was
my
my
word is law," and with that she disappeared and

was seen no more. Then Mrs. Sullivan hastened
home, wondering
at the words,
but she did as was
desired and tied the red strips on the cow's
tail
and
USAGES OF IRELAND.
83
horns; and next day, to her great delight, she had
and the churning went on

even better than ever and the butter was the
her pail
milk
full of
and best
richest
always put a
in the
coal
live
whole country; for she
under the churn before
beginning, and on Fridays she watched the door

carefully,
carry
and
and allowed no stranger
away milk
or
fire,
so the old luck
especially
to
come
in to
no lame woman
came back, and the children
laughed again and were happy, for they had enough

of the best to eat
and the farmer forgave
his wife
and, henceforth, they had plenty of money, and

peace, and rest, and happiness.
The Banshee.
The Ban-Sidhe, the
only
of
highest
the
doom, never
fairy spirit of
appears but to aristocrats.
She
families,
is
an appanage
who
are
always
followed by the shadow of this spirit of deatb,
supposed
to
be a beautiful young
who cannot enter heaven

of
the family,
until
who must be
girl of the race,
some other member

likewise
young and
beautiful, takes her place through death.
Van, means woman
Ban, or
and Vanitha, the lady of the
house, in Sanscrit, as in Irish, comes from the root
Van
to
the house
love, to desire.
is
called
To
this
word having the same meaning

loved one," in
its
day the lady
The Vanitha by the
of
Irish, the
as Venus, " the
original signification.
g 2
84
At Lord O'Neil's residence, Shane's

there is a room appropriated to the use
Banshee, and she often appears there
Castle,
of the
sometimes
shrouded and muffled in a dark, mist-like cloak.
At other
girl,
times, she
seen as a beautiful young
is
with long, red-gold hair, and wearing a green
kirtle
and
scarlet mantle,
brooched with gold, after
the Irish fashion.
There
no harm or fear of
is
presence, unless she
but
is
this
death
is
a fatal sign, and the mournful wail
is
and
a sure
her mere
evil in
seen in the act of crying;
is
prophecy that the angel of
certain
waiting for one of the family.
The Demon Beide.

The ancient churchyard
Monaghan,
is
said to be
of
Truagh,
haunted by an
County
evil spirit,
whose appearance generally forebodes death.
The legend runs
that
watches for the person

graveyard.
If
it
be a
alone, the spirit takes
young
girl,
inspires
at
funerals
the
the form of
a beautiful
him with an ardent
passion,
and exacts a promise that he
will
day month
The promise
sealed
by
in the
churchyai d.
-
meet her that
a kiss, which sends a fatal
his veins, so that
he
is
spirit
who remains last in the

young man who is there
fire
is
then
through
unable to resist her caresses,
and makes the promise required. Then she disappears, and the young man proceeds homewards ;
USAGES OF IRELAND.
85
but no sooDer has he passed the boundary wall

of the churchyard, than
evil spirit rushes
on
the whole story of the
mind, and he knows that
his
he has sold himself, soul and body, for a demon's
Then
kiss.
till
and dismay take hold
terror
of him,
despair becomes insanity, and on the very day
month
fixed for the meeting with the
demon
bride,
the victim dies the death of a raving lunatic, and

laid in the fatal
is
graveyard of Truagh.
In a recent
case,
where a
young man was
reported to have fallen under the influence of this
weird temptation, the priest was sent for by the

family to try
if
by
his
power he could absolve the
victim from the promise given.
had any
effect.
On
no exorcism
Still
the very day of the intended
man
meeting, the young
fell
to
the earth with
the glare of madness in his eyes, and

tried to
lift
But the
to
the
evil spirit does not limit its operations
graveyard
for
demon form appears

and never
them
when they
him he was dead.
fails to
sometimes the
at
weddings or
secure
into the fever that
its
victims,
maddens the
beautiful
festivities,
by dancing
brain,
and
too surely ends in death.

St. Patkick's Day, 17th
St.
Patrick,
the great
March.
apostle,
teacher,
and
guide of the Irish people out of the darkness of

paganism, holds a most remarkable and eminent
86
He was a
place in the early history of humanity.
man of culture and learning, and of extraordinary
wisdom, power, and mental
This
force.
is
proved
paganism
his rapid and decisive overthrow of

and of the strong Druidic priesthood in Ireland,
through the daring and successful measures he
by
adopted for the establishment of Christianity.

Baal and Moloch
fell
before him at once, and he
by the
raised the Christian altar
Sun God
to the
an
and a
altar
side of the pillar
faith that
have now
remained fixed and fast for fourteen hundred years.

Therefore on his day, the 17th of March, twenty
millions of Irish all over the world celebrate the
Saint's
name, and honour his memory.
When
band
Patrick arrived in Ireland with his
of faithful followers, it is told of
saw a dense ring
of
demons round the
extending a six days' journey from
it
little
him that he
island,
on every
side.
These obstructionists, however, he subdued without
much
difficulty; but, of all
to the
men
of injuries
the doctrines he preached
of Erin the Irish
found that forgiveness
was the hardest, and the nation in
respect seems unchanged to this day.
this
St. Bridget,
afterwards the great Abbess of Kildare, was his

first
convert, and
apostolate
worked with him
crated to the use of

Ireland,
all
through his
hence these two names were conseall
the children born since in
and have become the expression
nationality.
of Irish
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The opening
By
grand.
lit
in Erin
of Patrick's mission
command no
the King's
87
was bold and

fire was to be
on the morning of the Baal
festival, until
the Royal
fire
of death
but Patrick, disdaining obedience, boldly
was
lighted his Paschal

it
kindled at Tara, under pain
first
fire
on the
hill of
Slane, so that
could be seen by the whole country round.
King was wroth,

nine chariots and armed
slay him.
But the Saint
ness, and when the Magi
this the
power
men
to seize Patrick
and the Druids beheld
his
and they bade the King
for that " a fire
efforts,
and
covered them with dark-
their hearts failed,
cease his
On
and sent forth from Tara
was that day
kindled in Erin that would never be extinguished."
Afterwards
his
band
appeared suddenly in the midst
of the
Patrick
and
of
followers
King's Court,
and the Queen, struck with fear and terror by

preaching, was at once converted.
time, also, that Patrick
hymn which
still
holds
It
was
at this
composed that wonderful
its
place in Irish literature,
unequalled for strength and simple grandeur.

this
he prays against " the
and Druids," and
his
spells of
In
women, smiths,
invokes, in fine resonant words
The power of God to guide me,

The wisdom of God to teach me,
The eye of God to watch over me,
The ear of God to hear me,
The shield oE God to defend me.
For
this
hymn
Patrick
is
described by Sechnall,
88
"the flame of a splendid

wisdom with splendour;" and
he calls the hymn " a diadem of princes, chanted
music, a noble solace for men." Further, it was on
one of his
this
disciples, as
a stream
sun,
of
that, in the presence of the-
memorable occasion
King, and Queen, and Court, Patrick, taking the
shamrock
his
in
hand, addressed the people and
taught them the mystery of the Trinity from the

triune
leaf,
symbol
which has since
been
the
of Ireland for a thousand years.
national
But the
Saint not only gave religion but culture to Ireland,

for
wherever
went
he
he
established
schools,
churches, and monasteries, where the Latin letters
and alphabet were taught to the people, who before

that had only the Ogham writing; and after this
time Greek and Latin were freely taught in the
and Latin became the ordinary tongue

amongst the men of letters and learning. Thus,
under his powerful guidance, the conversion of
Irish schools,
Ireland proceeded rapidly.

chiefs
and nobles,
brought into the

conquest
mode
was
Christian usages.
fire,
and
Druids, were
and before
fold,
over paganism was
of action
throw the pagan

Baal
bards
Kings, queens, princes,
full of tact
rites,
his death
complete.
;
For his
he did not over-
but converted them to
Thus, Beltaine, or the day of the
became sacred
as the Easter festival
of the dead and

became Hallow Eve, the Day of Saints.
Samhain, the day
all
the
of
and
demons,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Patrick also confirmed the Brehon laws in so

far as they were just,
of the bard,
and upheld the
privileges-
he himself being a poet, at the same-
time giving honour to the priesthood above
all.
Thus,
the bard was allowed seven colours in his raiment;
but Patrick permitted eight colours in the sacred
worn by the
satin robe
This was
called
"
priest
at the sacrament.
the robe of
offering."
And
before his time only three had the right to speak in
namely, the historian, the poet, and the

but Patrick added another, "the man
the lasting language" that
the priest of the Holy
public
judge
of
is,
Canon. Learning he upheld
in.
high honour, and he
himself taught the Latin letters to the converts.
So that form
of writing spread rapidly,
and has
remained in use ever since as the Irish alphabet.
The
scribe,
or
man
of
letters,
was esteemed a
personage of such importance that whoever shed

his blood
was
penalty of death, or
liable to the
obliged to pay a forfeit of seven slave
being value three cows.
girl
cruel
sister
and remorseless against
girls,
each
But the Saint was

His fair young
sin.
Lupait angered him because she broke her
vows and gave
herself
Patrick cursed her and
to
her lover
on which
her lover Colmain, and
vowed to keep them out of heaven. Then Lupait

went forth to meet Patrick in the way as he drove
in his chariot, and fell down on her knees before
him, praying for mercy and that he would not
-90
lover and
away from her
take heaven
their son
But Patrick sternly bade the charioteer to

drive over her. Yet still she prayed for grace, and
Aedan.
three times she ran in front of the chariot, and,
kneeling down, entreated pardon and forgiveness.
Then Patrick
at last
promised his
sister that as
she
repented he would not take away heaven from her,

;
and again be bade
So the third time the
yet that she must surely die

the charioteer to drive on.
chariot passed over Lupait,
him
and she lay dead before
Then Patrick had the Requiem
in the path.
sung, and she was buried as she died, in the place
where the
now
cross
stands
but her soul was
suffered to enter heaven.
A softer and gentler spirit is in the story of the

two princesses converted to the Christian faith by
One day the
King of Meath, Ethna and
Pedalma, on going down to the river to bathe,
beheld St. Patrick and his converts all draped in
the Sanctus Patricius Episcopalus.
two daughters
flowing
of the
white robes, for
morning prayers
must be
they were celebrating
and the princesses thought they

Daine Sidhe), and
of the fairy race (the
they questioned them, on which Patrick expounded
And
the Christian truth to them.
asked him many questions.

Is
he young
daughters
are
Is
Are
Is he rich
"
is your God ?
Has he sons and
daughters as handsome as we
he young or aged ? Is he to
he handsome
his
Is
Who
the maidens
USAGES OF IRELAND.
die like us, or does he live for ever
? "
91
Then Patrick
them on all those points, the two

maidens, Bthna and Fedalma, were baptized, and
became zealous workers for the Christian cause at
having
satisfied
their father's royal Court of Tara of the Kings.
was a great favourite with the Lord,
St. Patrick
and
He
sent His angel to him. to ask
desired most to be granted to him.

Saint
made seven
requests,
among
what things he
On which
the
others, that
no
Outlander should ever rule over Ireland; that he,

Patrick, should alone judge the Irish at the last
who were deputed to judge

and that every Thursday and Saturday
day, even as the twelve

Israel
twelve souls of the Irish people should be freed
from the pains

It
is
of hell.
interesting to reflect on the permanence of
symbols and memories when once they have taken

root in the heart of a nation.
have passed by, yet

child in Ireland will
shoulder,
made
in
still
A thousand
years
may
on the Saint's day every
wear a Patrick's cross on the

the national colour, of green
ribbon, and every Irishman throughout the world

will
be known by the shamrock in
Irishwoman
will
leanne, while to
the
his hat,
and every
have her bouquet of the Seamrog-
many an
Irish exile in foreign lands
verdant and sacred symbol, fresh from the
native sod, will be carefully sent by post as the
most acceptable
of presents,
and
at night there will
be the great annual ball at Dublin Castle, in St.
92
when the Lord Lieutenant and
Patrick's Hall,
all
wear huge bunches of the national

emblem, and all the ladies will have it mingled with
his suite will
adornments of their dress.

be held in London in the
Saint's honour, where princes and peers will appear
and
their garlands
Even a Royal
in the
levee will
with the glittering insignia of the Order of St.

Patrick
is
a special compliment to Ireland, for there
no Leek day, nor Thistle
And no
Court ceremonials.
be
festival will
fine,
for
day, recognised in
doubt the day of the
his wishes, that
him
to
this a
know
on his special day, the 17th
March, no rain should

be bright and
made
St. Patrick
particular point with the angel sent to
fair, to
fall
of
but the weather always
allow the attendance of the
faithful at the service of the Church.
And
thus
it
has been for fourteen hundred years,
from that time
for
till
now no
rain has fallen upon
the Saint's day throughout the length and breadth

of
green Erin, no matter what
less
of
for
may happen
in the
favoured regions of the earth outside the pale
" Holy Ireland/' the Insula Sanctorum, blessed

evermore
by the
great apostle,
Saint,
and
guardian of the Irish race, whose sacred symbol

all
wear
in his
we
honour.
Legend op
St. Patrick.
One day three young princes came to Tara,

where Patrick had erected his altar, and fell pros-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
trate before the holy Saint,
weeping
they told him how they had
93
And
bitterly.
away from the

Court of the King because, in his anger, he had
vowed to slay them with the sword unless they
gave up
new
their
ancient idols
and prayed again
to the
had become converts
to the
religion
for they
fled
faith of Christ and worshipped only the
God
of
the holy Patrick.
And
their
tears
fell
fast
in the dust at the
Saint's feet as they told their story, and said they
were ready and willing to give up
life itself,
never their faith in the one true God,
whom
but
they
had learned to know from Patrick's teaching.
Then the Saint being greatly moved with pity

and tenderness, laid his finger on the cheek of each
youth as the tears fell, and lo the tears changed
" Now, swallow them," said the Saint,
to pearls.
" and three sons will be born of you whose destiny
is to overthrow the idolatries and the devil-worship
!
of Erin."
And
so
it
happened, for one of the sons born
afterwards was the renowned St.
Columba, the
glory of the Church, and the light of Ireland and

of the world.
St. Patkick and the
When
Witch.
Patrick came over to Ireland to convert
the pagans, no one would give him a lodging, for

so the Druid priests had ordered.
94
And
lie
wandered on
till
came
at last he
to
a-
small inn, where he was allowed to rest, the people
And
not knowing him.
and asked
for water
had forgotten
to
fill
in the night
he was
thirsty,,
bnt the mistress told him she

the vessels and there was no
water except at the well, and not one of her servants or people would venture to go there at such
an hour, so he must just bear the
on him
thirst
morning; for there was no use fighting the
till
devil,
and never a one ever came back from the well
if
they tried to brave him. Then Patrick said he would
go himself and
On
this the
fill
the can, and fetch
woman wondered
what country he came from
to
it
home.
greatly,
and asked
be so brave, for a
great enchanter lived by the well, and no one dared

to
go near
ever,
it
in the dark night.
made answer
The
how-
Saint,
that he feared no harm, for
and the angels would guard him.
God
So she gave him
a wooden noggin with a lid to carry the water,,

and bade him take care how he lifted his eyes tolook at the light set on the rock where the enchanter dwelt, or he would certainly fall downdazed and die.
But Patrick, nothing fearing, went forth and
when he came to the rock by the well, he cast a
;
strong spell over

Trinity,
the place
in the
name
of the-
and the magician trembled and uttered a
loud cry, and then dropped
and spake no word.
down dead on
his face-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
So Patrick was
at peace to
fill
95
the vessel with
water from the well, and he returned safe
to the
inn.
And
Irish,
was a saying afterwards amongst the

they were offended or suffered injury,
it
if
" The curse
of St. Patrick
on the
"
be on your head for evermore
man
of the well
Now, the magician had a mother a wicked

and she vowed vengeance-
witch called Churana
on Patrick, and turned her
So he pursued her
sorceries against him.
to Croagh-Patrick,
where
she lived, and ascended the mountain after her,
though she flung down great rocks on him
to stop
But he prayed to the Lord, who gave

him strength to fling them aside, and still he went
on up the mountain. Then the witch caused a
great fog to arise, and he was left alone, for none
of his disciples could find their way to follow
his way.
him
in the darkness.
alone, until,
bell
it,
Patrick went on
Still
by chance,
all
his foot struck against a
and when he rang

on the mountain path
And.
his followers heard and came to him.
;
at last they gained the top,
though
all
was black
darkness around them by reason of the fog.

And it was the first Sunday in harvest-time,,
which Sunday was called ever after through

the years Donagh-fram-dubh ("the Sunday
all
of
Gloom").
Then they began
to
descend the mountain..
So
But the witch caused water to be poured over

em that was nauseous to the smell and taste; so
tli
Sunday
the
is also
called "Garlic
Sunday"
ever
since.
Still, never heeding, they pursued her even
--as far as
the great lake, where the evil witch
plunged into the water. But Patrick struck her
with the bell as she passed him and slew her
and
her blood changed that water to red, so that the
known
Red Lake."
lake was
the "
And
Patrick,
ever after as Lough-Dearg,
in
memory
of
his
or
deliverance,
established a station there and founded a monastery.
And
yet once more he ascended Croagh-Patrick,
and beheld
all
the country lying westward
finding that his time
was
short,
but,
and that he could
Connemara nor the lands near, he lifted

up
hands and invoked a blessing on the bays,
and the harbours, and the shores of Connemara,
even a sevenfold blessing. So ever since the fish
are abundant there beyond all other places on the
not
visit
his
coast of Ireland.
Nor
yet
had he time
to visit Erris
but, un-
happily, he forgot, before leaving the mountain, to
invoke a blessing on the island, so the people of

Erris are
still
pagan
in all their
ways
rakish
and
prodigal, and given to strong drink, even to this

clay
for
the blessing of Patrick never rested on
them, nor on their land or coasts.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
97
FESTIVALS.
Mat Day
in Ireland.
Every race since Creation has tried
to express
in the invisible
world by
man's
some
belief
intuitive
image, or occult symbol, or mystic
visible
legend
and
humanity
thus
the
primitive
been faithfully preserved
have
sacred ritual that
it
would be
as firmly as they
ago,
of
as
of
fatal to disregard.
In Ireland the ancient usages are

to
traditions
adhered
still
were three thousand years
when they expressed a
religion,
and the gods
the people were the visible forces of nature.
The awakening
of spring to life
and beauty,
after
the death-sleep of winter, especially touched the
human
heart with joy and hope, and was cele-
brated with garlands, and music, and song.
Mystic
symbols were fashioned to represent the mysteries

of nature,
and strange mystic
of spirit-life
every successive generation

delibly
They
stories of
the rush
through the world were repeated by

till
they became
in-
stamped on the national heart and memory.
are
still
recited at the popular festivals
by
the professional village bards, and crooned over
by the old women

or
told
at the
with awful
wakes and
solemnity to
christenings,
the
children as they crouch round the turf

winter's night,
listening
fire
of a
eager to hear the weird stories
ANCIENT CUBES, CHAEHS, AND
98
of witches
and demons
of the dead
who walk
when to
in their white shrouds on certain nights,
meet them
fatal to the living
is
or of the mys-
who
terious fairy race, the fallen angels of heaven,
have been cast down to earth to expiate their sins,

and who live in crystal caves paved with gold beneath the sea, or in the mountain
the caverns are
the rocks, and
lit
who
sunbeam and the
many a
pretty
girl,
that
stud
nectar from the cups of
sip
the flowers, and weave their

the
where
clefts,
by the diamonds
gossamer robes of
glittering
as
she
dewdrops.
listens,
And
longs
to
dance in the moonlight with these fairy beings

under the scented hawthorn tree, for the Sidhe
more beautiful and graceful than

earth, though a deep
ever on them, knowing that at the
(the fairies) are
any of
the children of
sorrow rests
last
day they are destined to eternal death, while
the
human
race
will
live
in
heaven for ever-
more.
number
round
May
of ancient traditions circle especially
Day, called in Irish La-Bel-Taine (the
day of the sacred
\Baal_jfire),
because in the old
pagan times, on May Eve, the Druids lit the great

fire at Tara, and as the signal flames rose up
sacred
high in the
Erin,
flame.
salt
till
air,
fire
was kindled on every
hill in
the whole island was circled by a zone of
amongst the Irish, " Fire and

most precious things given to
It is a saying
are the two
USAGES OF IRELAND.
man."
99
was held sacred by them,

and the mystic means of
purification, and three things were never given
away by them on May Day fire, milk, or butter
for this would be to give away luck.
No one was
Fire,
above
all,
as the symbol of Deity
permitted to carry a lighted sod out of the house,
And
or to borrow fire in any way.
hand was allowed

can were
filled
no strange
to milk the cow, for
in
the
name
of
if
the
first
the devil there
would be no more milk that year for the family

would all be secretly taken away by the fairies.
it
The
first
three days of
cattle, for the fairies
them
May
were very dangerous to
had then great power given
One; therefore they were well

guarded by lighted fires and branches of the rowan,
and the milkmaid made the sign of the Cross after
of the Evil
milking, with the froth of the milk.
Nothing
else
was so effective against witches and demons.

During the first three days of May, also, it was
necessary to take great precautions against the
fairies entering the house, for if
once they gained
admittance they worked mischief.
come disguised
as old
women
to steal a burning coal
carry
off
They would
or wayfarers in order
a most
fatal theft
or
to
the herbs of power, that were always
May morning with the dew on them.

But the best preventive against fairy or demon
power was to scatter primroses on the threshold,
gathered on
for no fairy could pass the flower, and the house
h 2
100
and household
were
in
left
peace,
though
all
strangers were looked upon with great suspicion.
young student was nearly killed one time by

the people, for they saw him walking up and down
on the grass, while he read aloud
from a book in some strange language; and they
concluded that he was trying to bewitch the herbs
on
May morning
of
grace,
which
are
Fortunately,
healing.
for
however, a priest came by, and having examined

the book, found
it
was a copy
of Virgil
so
informed the excited crowd that the young
he
man
was simply going through his college duties in the

grand old language that St. Patrick had brought
to Ireland, and which was sacred for ever to the
On
use of the Church.
this they
were pacified,
and the young student was allowed
to depart in
safety.
curious superstition
of
is
still
May Day
the people that on
prevalent
the
Ireland arise from their graves and
together a great
foot,
and they
come to fight
to march as
warriors
army
tell
of
the
among
ancient kings
gather
dead, horse
and
the troops that the hour has
and they must be ready

commanded.
Then the spectral
for Ireland,
clash
their
shields
and
respond with
wild cries to the kings and chiefs and captains

of
the nation.
from
The
last
time the kings arose
their graves was, it is said, in
the tramp and the shouts
of the
1848,
when
marching men
USAGES OF IRELAND.
resounded distinctly through the
101
but when
hills;
the people rushed to the spot where the shields
clashed and the voices sounded, not a form was

visible
the
hosts
vanished into
air.
dead warriors
the
of
Many
remain among the peasants.

thought right and proper
swept clean on
sprinkled over
May
it,
foot is looked for.

is certain,
but
if
Among
to
still
outward then a death

is
will
tail,
for the evil
spirits
branch be woven into the

for a year at least,
and
if
roof,
if
the house
to
in old time
it,
if
safe
and no man be
was the period
celebrate the
of greatest
for
and gar-
Resurrection of Nature,
November was a time
mourning
is
mixed with the timber
rejoicing in Ireland, a festival of dances
as
they are
for the next twelvemonth.
it
May Day
tied to
But the rowan
else.
of a boat no storm will upset
lands
is
cannot touch
the best preservative against evil
drowned in
cattle
singed along the back with a lighted
plucked before sunrise, not

is
of a
happen
The
out.
anything guarded by these flowers,
tree
lightly
inward a marriage
IE it turn
wisp of straw, and a bunch of primroses

the cow's
it is
morning the print
iu the
in the family before the year

also are
others
still
have the threshold
Ashes are then
Eve.
and
had
of the old customs
solemn gloom and
of
the dying sun
for
the year was
divided into these two epochs, symbolising death

and resurrection, and the year itself was expressed
102
by
circle of the sun," the-
word meaning "the
symbol
which was a hoop, always carried in the
of
popular processions, wreathed with the rowan and

the marsh marigold, and bearing, suspended within
it,
two
balls to represent the
sun and moon, someThis
times covered with gold [and silver paper.
emblem of the hoop and the balls is still carried on

May Day by the villagers, though the meaning has
been
when
lost
it
was consecrated
to
Baal, ac-
cording to the solemn oath of the Irish, " by thesun,
moon,
stars,
dance held on
and wind."
May Day
and danced round a

mound, the
girls
tall
all
At
the great long
the people held hands-
May bush
erected on a
wearing garlands, while the pipers
and harpers, with gold and green sashes, directed

the movements.
The
oldest worship of the world
to
the tree and the serpent-
homage
included
Trees were the symbol of
dance round the

sinuous
May
knowledge, and the
bush, which simulated the
curves of the serpent,
was part
of
the
ancient ophite ritual associated with the worship-
The dance and the May bush
of Baal.
but the fairy music seems to be

the ancient days
all
it
still
exist,,
lost for ever.
was heard upon
May Eve
In
on
the hills of Erin, and the most beautiful tunes
wera thus caught up by the people and the

musicians.
acquired
all
Carolan,
it is
native-
said, the celebrated bard,
the magic melody of his notes
by
when
the-
sleeping out on a fairy rath at night,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
103
music came to him in dreams, and on awaking
fairy
he played the
time the
from memory;
airs
fairies
seem
and no more exquisite
but since his
keep silence on the
to
hills,
have been added to the
airs
pathetic national music of Ireland.
The educated and learned
are as susceptible to
the mysterious prescience of an invisible spiritual
world as the
is
illiterate
Every one
Irish peasant.
conscious of the strange influence upon
life
of
omens and dreams, and of days when the malific

powers, whose mission seems to be to torture the
human
crush
race, are fearful
all
and strong, and ruthlessly
our wishes and resolves, showing us
weak and powerless we
of days
when
all
how
we
things are fatally unlucky;
of the presence of certain persons
heart and
others
as
life
or to gain control over even the simplest
desire,
events
are to order
stifle
who
chill
the eloquence of the lips
who pour a warm

make us divine
flood of genius into the
veins and
for the
moment
that
we
So we may sympathise
are under their magic spell.
with the Irish peasant,
the
or of
who has given definite forms

we only dimly feel, and
to the superstitions that
recognise the kinship of

universal intuition,
all
races and classes
common
by the
to all humanity, of a
mysterious, unseen world of spiritual beings around

us.
These are for ever influencing our actions or
directing our destiny, though
we cannot hear them
playing their sweet music on the
hills,
or see
them
101
dancing under the scented hawthorn, like the Irish

peasant,
who watches
tains flaming
the Baal
fires
on the moun-
up through the midnight
to
announce
the coming of May.
The
fairies exercise
a very powerful influence for
May time
evil at Bel-Taine, or
so as a preservative
against their malice and the fairy darts, which at this
season
wound and
kill,
it
is
the custom on
May
morning, at sunrise, to bleed the cattle and taste of

the blood mingled with milk.
Men and women were
also bled,
and their blood was sprinkled on the
ground.
This practice, however, has died out,
West but the children are still

when it has burned low, and
even in the remote

lifted
through the
fire
the cattle are driven through the hot embers
as in
ancient times both children and cattle were "passed
through the
still
fire to
Moloch"
and
the
young men
leap through the flames after the dance round
the burning bush
is
over,
and they carry home a
lighted branch of the sacred tree to give good luck

to the family during the
May Day
in
coming
year.
pagan Ireland was the great
festival
Then the fires were

and the great sacrifice
of Baal, or (Qria?t\ the Sun.
lighted on the Druid altars,

of the year
was
offered.
November, the month
gloom, was also sacred to the Sun, when the
were lighted
kingdom
to
of death
of
fires
guide him in his descent to the

;
and
at both seasons the sacrifices
USAGES OF IRELAND.
105
and ceremonies were made sacred through

symbol
great
of
fire,
the
the creative, all-sustaining God,
and the source of all life through the universe.

The origin of the May bush, or burning tree,
was thus described by an intelligent peasant, who
had it from his father, an old man about eighty years
of age, well versed in the old traditions of the people:
"
The
lighted
May
unto me,
man
bushes," the old
" were first set
said
up in honour of the great
on May Day to the

Tuatha de Danans, and conquered. Then a powerMilesians,
ful
who gave
battle
magician of the Tuatha caused innumerable
fiery darts
to
go forth against the Prince of the

him but, in passing, they were all
Milesians to kill
stopped by a bush that stood between the chief and

the magician, so that a flame arose, and the bush
withered and burned away.

the
May
so evil
believe
is
And from
that time
by fire and left to burn, for

and we
carried away from the land
bushes are
lit
and know that no lightning, nor thunder,
nor evil enchantments can ever enter a house before
which stands the sacred
bush with the yellow
flowers that represent the flame of
people dance round
it,
and pass
fire
and the
their cattle through
the smoke, with also the young children, to pre-
them from the spell of witchcraft." This

was the story told by the peasant, as he heard it
serve
through the traditions
of his father.
106
The Mat-Day Dance.

Dancing was the most important of the sacred
and the circular
rites in all ancient religions
;
serpent-dance round the tree has been practised
from the remotest antiquity.

In Ireland
it
is
still
retained as the favourite
pastime of the people on the La-Bel-Taine (May

Day), when
all
the young
men and maidens
hands, and dance in a circle round a tree
hold
hung
with ribbons and garlands, or round a bonfire,
moving
in curves
from right to
left,
as
if
imitating
the windings of a serpent, though quite unconscious of the cryptic
which
is,
in
reality,
meaning
of the movement,,
a true ophite
hieroglyph of
the earliest traditions of humanity concerning the

serpent and the tree.
Advice to Maidens.
On May morning,
garden, and the
put
it
first
before sunrise, go out to the-
you see take up, and
snail
on a plate sprinkled lightly with
a cabbage-leaf over, and so leave
when yon will find

lover's name traced on
rise,
Should the
snail
when you take him

but should the
snail
flour, place-
it till
after sun-
the initial letters of your

the
flour.
be quite within his
house
up, your lover will be rich
be almost out
then your future husband
will
of
his shell,
be poor, and pro-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
107
bably will have no house or home to take you

to when you wed him.
Therefore take good heed
of the
warning giveu
you by the
to
trying your future fate
or avoid
snail,
you are
if
afraid
the
of
result.
Mat
Eve.
May
Great precautions must be taken on

for the fairies have fatal
Eve,
power over the human
race upon that night, and steal the children and
bewitch the
cattle if
they can find an opportunity;
therefore no door should be left open after sunset,
and young persons should not go out alone on the

nor listen to the singing of young girls in
hills,
the night, for they are
work harm.
given away, for
any food,
May Eve
fairies in disguise,
And, above
fire
is
fire,
all,
the
life
and
man
of
and
boiled, roast, or baked, is left over
to
May
Day,
it
will
should not be
must not be
if
from
eaten, but
buried in the garden, or thrown over the boundary

of the town-land for the dogs, because the fairies
stole
away the
real food at night,
place only lumps of turf sod,

food,
and
to touch
and
made
them would be
left in its
to look like
fatal.
May-Day Usages.
On May morning
gathering May dew
their
faces,
the peasant girls delight in

before
sunrise,
to
beautify
and they believe that the sun
will
then have no power over their complexions to spoil
108
them by the summer heat ; and no fire is lighted

any home until the smoke is seen rising from
the chimney of the priest's house, which, to the
modern world, is like the first fire on the Druid
altar of old, that gave the signal of the uprising of
the Sun-God.
in
Whitsuntide.
by
Whitsuntide has always been considered

the Irish as a very
and unlucky time
fatal
for
the people hold that fairies and evil spirits have
men and
then great power over

sea and land, and
work
malign and mysterious

Whitsuntide,
it is
have the
-either
eye,
foredoomed ; they
or
very dan-
also, is
no one should bathe, or go a journey
where a stream has

boat, for the risk
is
be crossed, or
to
sail in
from harm.
great of being drowned, unless,
indeed, a bride steers, and then the boat
is
safe
Great precautions are necessary,
like-
wise, within the house
and no one should venture
to light a candle without
making the
Cross over the flame to keep
men
will
commit a murder,
Water,
or die a violent death.
gerous;
Children born at
efficacy.
said, are
evil
both by
cattle,
their deadly spells with
off
evil;
sign of the
and young
should be very cautious not to be out late
at night, for
all
the dead
who have been drowned
in the sea round about come up and ride over
the
waves
revels,
on white
and try
to
horses,
and
carry off the
hold
strange
young men,
or
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to kill
them with
down under
evermore.
story
who stayed out

forgetting
But
his
at
and draw them

with the dead for
their fiery darts
the sea to live
is
last
one Whitsuntide, quite

the night of the death-ride.
boat to unload the
way home with
man named Murrey,
told of a
late fishing
was
he neared the
it
all
and drew up
and then make his
shore,
fish,
Just at the moment,
speed.
however, he heard
a great rush of the waves

behind him, and looking round he saw a crowd
of the dead on
their white
to the boat to seize
horses
him ; and
making over
their faces
were
pale as the face of a corpse, but their eyes burned

like
fire.
And
they stretched out their long skeleton
arms to try and lay hold
of him, but he sprang
from the boat to the shore, and then he

knew he was safe, though one of them rode over
at once
close
to
him by the edge
knew him
of
as a friend of his
the rocks, and he
own, who had been
drowned the year before; and he heard the voice

of the dead man calling to him through the rush
of water, saying
for the dead
company, and
there
is
who
if
"
Hasten, hasten to your home,
are with
me want you
for their
once a dead hand touches you,
no help, you are
lost for
ever.
Hasten,
home again, but be

Then Murrey knew that
or you will never see your
with the dead for ever."
the spirit spoke the truth, and he
and the
fish
on the beach and
fled
left
the boat
away home,
110
and never looked back at the dead on

heart was filled with.
their white
horses, for his
And
fear.
never again did he go out to fish at Whitsuntide,
waited for him to seize him,
though the dead
but he came not, and lived henceforth safe from
At
harm.
this season, also, the fairy
great efforts to carry
men
of
queens make
the fine stalwart young
off
the country to the fairy palace in the
them
cleft of the hills, or to lure
to their dancing
grounds, where they are lulled into dreams by

the sweet,
subtle
fairy
music,
and kith and kindred, and never

again to their
is
own people
and forget home

desire to return
or even
if
the spell
broken, and they are brought back by some
strong incantation, yet they are never the same;

for
every one knows by the dream-look in their
eyes that they have

the
hill,
danced with the
and been loved by one
when they take
but fatal race, who,
a handsome mortal
him with
A case
in the
resistless
lover,
cast
fairies
on
of the beautiful
their
a fancy to
spells
over
power.
kind happened some years ago

County Wexford. Two brothers, fine young
of this
fellows of the farming class, were returning
home
one evening in Whitsuntide from their day's holiday, when, to their surprise, as they crossed a
broad, beautiful
field,
lit
up by the red rays of
the setting sun, they saw a group of girls dancing,
and they were
all
draped in white, and their lono-
USAGES OF I HE LAND.
ill
hair
fell floating over their shoulders.

So lovelywas the sight that the young men could not choose
but stop and watch the dancers yet, strange to
say, they were all strangers; not a familiar face
was among them from the whole country round.
;
And
they looked and wondered, one of the
as
girls left
she
and, coming
dance,
the
younger brother,
murmured
laid
softly in his
with me, Brian.
over
to
the
her hand on his arm, while

ear
" Come, dance
have waited long for you.
Come, come " and she drew him gently away.

!
Then Brian flung down his stick on the ground,

and taking her hand, they were soon whirling
away in the dance, the handsomest pair that ever
trod a measure on the green sod.
they danced,
till
Long, long
the red light passed away, and
the darkness began to cover the
hills,
but
still
they danced on and on, for Brian heeded nothing

save the young girl with her long hair floating
on
his shoulder,
and the
fire of
her eyes that burned
At last the elder brother called

to him, "Brian, come home; leave the dance;
the mother will be waiting for us " " Not yet,
into his heart.
not yet," answered Brian

round.
Leave me, and
the elder brother
left,
watched and waited
till
but he never came.
" I must finish this
I will
follow you.
'
So
and he and the mother

midnight for Brian's return,
Then, the next morning, the
brother went to see after him, searching every-
112
though
where,
And
in vain.
and the night he searched,
No
be had.
one had seen
that day to sunset
all
still
him
no tidings could
in the dance,
nor
with the white dresses and the
the young girls
though when the neighbours heard
floating hair,
the story they looked very solemn, and said there was
no help for the doomed young man, for the fairy

power was strong at Whitsuntide, and no doubt
they had carried him down under the earth to
the fairy palace, and he would never, never
back to
home
his
Then the poor mother

and she sent
into terrible grief,
the
his
advice.
a great race
of
secrets
fell
the wisest fairy-doctor in
Now, the old man

who had known the fairy
and the mysteries through many generations,
and asked
place,
came
for
come
again.
though they kept the knowledge to themselves,
and would
no one how they gained power
tell
over fairies and demons.
woman," he
said,
"Well, now,
my
good
" the fairies have your son, for
the daughter of the great fairy chief loves him,
and
will
not
their food
him
drunk
let
or
And
go.
of
their
help him, not even I myself,
passed by.
come
if
he has eaten
wine no one can

until
a year has
But next Whitsuntide, when the
for their
mad
revels
and dances out
fairies
of the
heart of the mountains and up from the depths

of the sea, they will
if
my power
bring your son with them, and
can reach him he will be free from this
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and the
113
be broken. So let
meet
him
in the same field
brother go and
witchcraft,
his
spell shall
the same hour, and there he will find him
at
dancing in the sunset with his fairy bride
go
yourself, if
you are
alive,
and
will give
and a charm that has power
spell
strongest
fairy
or
you a
to break the
when Whitsuntide
So
thrall."
came round, the elder brother set out on his

search, and there, sure enough, in the very same
green field, with the red sunset streaming down, was
the group of young girls in their white dresses
dancing to the music of the fairy pipes and in
;
the midst was Brian, dancing with his fairy bride,
and her long yellow hair floated over his shoulder,

and her eyes burned into his like coals of fire.
" Come
away, come away, Brian," cried the
" you have been dancing long enough,
brother
and the mother is at home, sad, and sorrowful,
;
and
lonely, waiting
yet,
falls
And
dance."
this
beautiful white
the
So the brother
enter
the
circle
on him;
lest
before
"
Not
finish
bride wound her

him and held him
fairy
arms round
fast.
fall
Come away,
for you.
and the night comes on.'"

not yet," answered Brian; "I must
the darkness
lost heart, for
the
he feared to
enchantment
should
and he went back home to
tell of
his failure.
Then the mother
rose up, and taking the
which the fairy-man had given
her,
she
charm
hung
it
11-1
the
to look for
round her neck and went forth
and
And at last she came to the

saw him dancing and dancing like mad, with the
field
missing son.
and she called to him,.

witch- girl in his arms
" Come back, come back to us, Brian darling
;
come back
it
danced on and
heeded
her.
is
calls."
But Brian
and never looked
at her nor
your mother
on,
Then, for the sorrow made her brave,
she went over in the very midst of the fairy dancers

with their glittering eyes, and taking the spell
from her neck, she flung

his
arm
laid
Then,
bitterly.
it
over Brian, and clasping
her head down on

all
his shoulder,
demon
at once, the
weeping
was
spell
broken, for a mother's tears have strange power,,
and he
let
her take his hand and draw him away
from the magic
circle
and the form
of the fairy
bride seemed to melt into the sunset, and the whole
scene passed away like a mist, the music and the-
dancers with their floating hair, and only Brian and

his
mother were
left in
the
field.
Then she
him
led
home, but he spake no word, only lay down
and
sleep,
but
still
so for seven days they
he
slept.
Then
watched by
to-
him,,
at the end of the seven
days he rose up strong and well as ever, and

the past seemed to him only as a dream.
fear of the fairies, his mother
still
all
Yet, for
made him wear
the magic spell round his neck to keep him from
harm, though in process of time a

spell
was woven round
his life, for
still
"stronger
he married a
fair
USAGES OF IRELAND.
young
girl
115
of the village before the next
Whit-
suntide, good as well as beautiful,
time the
and from that

and witches had no more power over
fairies
him, for a pure, true wife
is
the best safeguard against
witchcraft and devils' wiles that a
man can
take to
his heart as the angel of the house.
Hallowtide in Iheland.
The ancient Irish had two

Samradh and Geimradh
year,
corresponding
calendar
nature and
May and November
to the
one
all
great divisions of the
summer and winter
represented
things to
life
the
of our
resurrection
of
the other the descent
and death.
of all things to darkness
La-samnah, or Hallow Eve, was considered the
summer end, the first day of winter, when the

Sun-God entered the kingdom of death therefore,
;
on that night
of
downward path; and the Druid

black sheep, and offered
had died within the year.
It
and
Irish
fire was
him on his
gloom the great sacred
lighted on every Druid altar to guide
libations to the
was a weird season
for this reason
" the month
priests sacrificed a
of
dread and
November was
of
mourning/'
thatG3aal] the lord of death,
omen
ill
by the \/
Then it was
called
summoned
the souls of the dead to receive
dead who
before
judgment
him
for the
works done in the human life; and on the vigil of

Saman, or Hallow Eve, the dead had strange power
i
116
and could work them harm, and

take revenge for any wrong done to them while
they lived. Even now, according to the popular
over the living,
not safe to be near a churchyard on
belief, it is
Hallow Eve, and people should not leave their

homes after dark, or the ghosts would pursue them.
For on that one night of the year power is given to
the dead, and they rise from their graves and go
forth amidst the living, and can work good or evil,
no man hindering and at midnight they hold a
;
the fairies of the
festival like
wine from
fairy
cups, and
shrouds to fairy music
till
For Hallow Eve
day.
when
dead,
mad
with
is
hill,
dance in their white

the
first
life
red dawn of
the great festival of the
their bonds are loosed,
joy in the
and drink red
and they revel
And
of the living.
if
on
that night you hear footsteps following you, beware

of looking
you
it
is
the dead
who
are behind
if
you meet their glance, assuredly you
first
day of November was dedicated to the

and seeds, and was
and
must
round;
die.
The
spirit that presides over fruits
called La-mas-abhal, the
but
this
settlers
day of the apple fruit;
being pronounced Lamabool, the English

corrupted
the
word
into
lamb's-wool,
which name they gave to a strong composition
made
of apples, sugar,
in every
and
ale.
So on
this night
house the table was piled with apples and
the gathering of the nut trees, and handfuls of nuts
USAGES OF IRELAND.
were flung into the
burn
for
it
117
by the young people
fire
was believed that strange and
to
startling
prognostications of fate and future fortune could
be made from tie

were
rites
Many
ashes.
weird and fearful
also practised at this season to obtain a
knowledge
oE the future, for
all
incantations at
Hallowtide were made in the name of the Evil
One and this solemn and gloomy ritual of death

and sorcery lasted through the entire month of
;
November,
until a
arose with
prophecy of hope, as
December, called
by the
it
were,
Mi-
Irish
Nolagh, " the month of the new-born. "
The number two is esteemed the most unlucky

all
numbers; therefore the second day of
November was appointed for the sacrifice to the
of
dead, and certain incantations were used to bring
up the
spirits
from the grave and compel them to

But for this purpose blood must
answer questions.
be
spilled, for it is said the spirits love
life.
tations, very strange
happened
and
fatal results
to the questioner.
On one
drew away the
girl
the
sometimes
occasion a
dead man in his shroud answered the
from the midst
moment
them
However, during the incan-
colour excites them, and gives
the sensation of
blood
for the
who had performed
of the people
fright turned her brain,
call,
and
the rite
assembled; but the
and she never afterwards
recovered her reason.
On
the Vigil of Saman,
or
Hallow Eve, the
118
to assemble with sticks
peasants of Ireland used
and
emblems
clubs, the ancient
go about collecting
barley
of laceration,
meal, and all things necessary for a feast
money
to purchase the
for the sacrifice.
and
eggs,
butter,
cakes,
likewise
black sheep, so important
After this candles were lighted,
before which they prayed for the souls of the dead,
and
at
midnight the unholy practices began, from
which the young men and maidens tried
Then
the secrets of the future.
sown
in the
name
the
hemp
of the Evil One,
to learn
seed was
and the
girls
would hang a garment before the fire, and watch

from a corner to see the shadowy apparition of the
destined husband
it;
and a
ball of
come down the chimney
to turn
yarn was flung from the window,
when
the apparition would appear below and wind
the
yarn,
while
Paternoster
the
was
recited
backwards.
But the incantation before the looking-glass

was the most fearful
of
all,
for
the face of the
future husband would appear in the glass, though
sometimes a form
filled
up the surface
mirror too terrible to describe.

practised this evil rite
door being closed.
all
young
of
girl
the
once
alone in her room, the
After some time a violent
scream was heard, and when her friends rushed in

to the rescue they found her fainting with terror.
Yet she kept
silent,
and would reveal nothing, and
next night she announced her intention to repeat
USAGES OF IRELAND.
'the spell all alone,
and a
room,
They
with closed door.
dissuade her, but in vain.
profound
119
tried to
Alone she entered the

followed.
silence
friends thought no danger was to be feared,
Her
and
they were jesting and laughing when a terrible
resounded
shriek
from
and
the apartment,
on
entering they found the girl lying dead upon the

floor,
her features horribly contorted,
while the
looking-glass was shivered to atoms.
Another practice
outside,
and
surface,
when
good
let
to carry the looking-glass
is
moon
the rays of the
fall
on the
a face will be revealed, connected for
or evil with the future fate of the holder of
the mirror.
The young
girls
the neighbouring
also visit
gardens at night, blindfold, to tear up cabbages by

the root.
the one
If
man
cabbage, an old
if
seized
first
is
is
a close, white
the destined husband
but
an open, green head, then a young lover may be
hoped
for.
Another custom
to
is
make
a cake of
yellow clay taken from a churchyard, then stick
twelve pieces of caudle in

recite a
form
of
are lighted, and a
them.
it,
and, kneeling down,
witch-prayer while
name
is
According as the
given to each one of
lights
the fate be of the person whose
the
first
that
is
To obtain
the candles
all
burn
name
out, so will
it
bears,
and
extinguished betokens death.

a
knowledge
object of all the strange
of
the future
and mystic
is
the
rites practised
ANCIENT CUBES, OEABMS, AND
120
The young
at Hallowtide.
out
the
the ashes of
sometimes rake
girls
fire
perfectly flat surface on the hearth.
name
in the
fatal
the impress
If
is
marriage and a long
down
They
a.
done
is
sure
the
result
if
flat,
it
indicates
the toes are bent
into the ashe3, death will inevitably follow.
make
also
and a spoonful
time, the
is
mixed with
a cake of flour,
of salt,
cause thirst, and
year
but
is
be found distinctly
will
perfectly
life
This
sign, for in
and the
of the Evil One,
come in a certain and

morning the print of a foot
marked in the ashes.
to
making
overnight,
if
bake
man
girl will assuredly
it,
and eat
offers
it.
soot
It will
a drink at the
be married before the
out.
The young men seeking brides have other

forms of incantation. If a man on Hallow Eve
under the long, trailing branches of the
creeps
briar on which blackberries grow, he will see the
shadow
of the girl
he
is to
marry ; but he must
first
pronounce some words too awful to be^ written
down, for they come of the Evil
And
briar,
ness,
if
Spirit's teaching.
a gambler hides under the tendrils of the
and invokes the aid

he
will
of
the Prince of Dark-
have luck at cards, no matter what
But the words he uses are too
colour he bets on.

diabolical to repeat
only a witch-woman can utter
them, and she whispers the spell into the ears of

the
man
at
dead
of night,
none hearing her.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
From
121
old times in Ireland the people attached
great importance to the grave-clothes in which one-
they love
is
buried
for a belief is prevalent that
the dead continue to wear the clothes they last
used in this world whenever they

appear on earth.
to
It
is,
may have
occasion,
therefore, considered
very lucky for the dead person to have a new or a
good
suit of clothes in his possession at the time of
death, for then he will always appear respectable
when he goes amongst the other ghosts, as they rise

from their graves and meet together on the night
The nearest
of the festival of the dead.
may wear
relation
the clothes in the daytime, but at night
the dead come back and require them, should they
have any work

churchyard.
is
do in the neighbourhood of the
to
For
this reason
no alteration in
size
permitted of the death garments, as the ghost
would be exceedingly angry
if,
by any such
practice
on the part of the relations, the clothes proved to

be a
misfit, just, perhaps, at
wanted to begin
the very time
when
he-
his midnight rambles amidst the
living on the solemn
and awful November
festival.
If possible, therefore, the people procure a religious
habit for the burial, as this distinction, they know,

will
be esteemed a high compliment by the dead, and
give them dignity amongst the other ghosts. Thus,

.
is
told that a poor
expended
all
woman haviDg
lost
her only
it
son,,
her hoarded savings on the purchase of
a habit for his burial, and in this he was laid in the
ANCIENT CUBES, CHARMS., AND
122
grave; yet night after night for a week her son

appeared to her in dreams, looking unutterably sad,
though he spake no word.

On this the mother became much troubled in
her mind, and prayed the Lord
God
to
show her
in
what way she had failed in her duty as regarded

So the next night in her dream
the burial rites.
she saw her son again, and he came over quite close
to her bed, and looking at her with hollow, mournful
eyes, said, "
how
my
all
Look
here,
to the knees
me
?
piece to lengthen
it,
and as
to
too short, and only comes
is
So unless you can add a good

my legs will be burned off
entirely before ever I
heaven
come before the angels
And
then,
in
going out with the other ghosts
for the festival, why, they
Help me,
mother, do you not see
legs are scorched in purgatory, because
the habit you gave
down
my
my
would only mock
mother, before
it is
at
me.
too late."
with that he departed; but the poor mother
heeded his words, and next day she had the

raised
and opened, and with
sewed a good piece of

lengthen
it
and make
stuff all
it
her,
coffin
own hands
she
round the habit to
proper and right.
Then
the coffin was closed and laid in the earth again,
and
after that the
mother was troubled no more
with dreams, for the dead rested quiet in the grave,
and the
soul
Amongst
was
at peace.
the most solemn of the adepts
who
practised weird and mystical charms at Hallowtide,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and
123
recited prayers to the Evil One, to give
knowledge
of the future, there
was a
them a
certain class
"who followed the strictest rules of living, and abstained entirely from the stimulating poteen during
the performance of their incantations; but others,
who
by
power over demons and
desired
worked up
evil spirits,
their energies to a species of delirium
copious
draughts
the national beverage,
of
which they considered a potent strengthener of

the organs of the body, and powerful to give
courage
to the heart of a
man
properly taken
if
with honey and bread, so as prevent harm to the

liver or the brain, according to the advice
of the
native doctors.
The English
were not slow to recognise
settlers
merits of poteen, and Richard Stanihurst, in
the
his description of Ireland, thus eulogises the Irish
stimulant
"
Being moderately taken,
strengtheneth youth,
phlegm,
the
stone,
it
melancholy,
lighteneth the mind,
it
spirit,
sloweth
its
helpeth digestion,
abandoneth
it
the heart,
it
it
cureth hydropsis,
it
it
it
age,
it
it
cutteth
relisheth
quickeneth
pounceth the
keepeth the head from whirling, the eyes
from dazzling, the tongue from lisping, the mouth

maffling, the teeth from chattering, and the
from
throat from rattling.

stifling,
from
the
It
keepeth the weason from
stomach from
swelling, the hands
wambling, the heart
from shivering, and the
124
sinews from shrinking, the veins from crumbling,
from aching, and the marrow
the bones
from
softening."
hymn
This
in
poteen shows the genial
to
spirit
which Irish ideas were received and assimilated
in former times
by the English
colonists,
became, according to the words
"more
who
thus
of the chronicle,
Irish than the Irish themselves."
Such a stimulant was indeed necessary for the

people at Hallowtide, when the air was filled with
the presence of the dead, and everything around
became a symbol
of a person
prophecy of
or
dangerous omen; but

result
was
of fate
The name
fate.
from the outside was a most
called
if
repeated three times, the
Birds also came as messengers
fatal.
during Hallowtide, and their appearance
was generally a prognostication
of evil.
Once, at
a great lord's house, a white pigeon came for three
days in succession and perched on the window-sill,

outside a
room where the lady

" Oh,
of the castle
was
my
God! "she exclaimed, at last,

me " and the omen
was fatally true
for before the week was out
the young mother lay dead, with her baby beside
iying
ill.
" that
white bird has come for
her,
and both were buried in the one
But
it is
well to
know
that
if
coffin.
a bird of
ill
omen
should happen to come to the house, such as the
raven or the water-wagtail,

emissary, the
best
way
to
who
is
Satan's
turn aside
own
the evil
USAGES OF IRELAND.
influence
is
on you, and
to say at once:
in your
be on your head,
And
further,
"Fire and water be
mouth; and may the curse

bird of
evil,
for evermore."
must never be left

the room. If these and other
candles
three
lighted at once in
duly taken
precautions are
125
against
evil
spirits,
then Hallowtide, or " the month of gloom," may

pass over safely, without the fear of a dead hand
being suddenly laid upon the shoulder, or words

of
doom being whispered
spirit,
in the ear
by an unseen
while the apples and nuts are piled upon the
board for the ancient
festival of
La-mas-abhal.
Garland Sunday.
(The first Sunday in September.)
This was a great festival with the people from

the most ancient times, and was devoted by the
Irish
to
kindred.
solemn
The
rites
in
honour
garland, or hoop,
their
of
dead
was decorated the
night before with coloured ribbons, but the flowers

that encircled
it
were not plucked
of the great day,
allowed to gather
till
the morning
and only unmarried

the
flowers
girls
were
and wreathe the
garland, for the touch of a married woman's hand

in the decorations
was deemed unlucky.
the company proceeded to the

finest
young man
carry the garland.
Then
all
churchyard, the
in the village being chosen to
From
the topmost hoop some
apples were suspended by their stalks, and
if
one
126
dropped
a lucky
long
after
off
during the procession,
it
was considered
for the garland-bearer, a
omen
and success in love

the garland was set up
life
was looked on
as a sign of
especially to those
ill
but
if
prophecy of
an apple
fell
in the graveyard, it
luck and coming
who were dancing
evil,,
at the time
for a dance always closed the festival, after prayers

said, and flowers were strewn, with weeping
and wailing, over the recent graves. The Irish
nature passes lightly from sorrow to mirth, and
the evening that began in tears ended in feastiDg
were
and dances, while the garland of hospitality was

offered to the mourning strangers, who had come,
perhaps, a long distance to do honour to their dead
kindred.
Sometimes a romance
ceremonial.
making
widow
is
interwoven with the
seen superintending the
of the garland for her
the hands of her
while
is
the
fellow in
girl's
daughter,
lover,
the village,
is
the
dead husband by
the
pretty Eileen;
handsomest
selected
to
young
be the gar-
Next day they join the procession

to the churchyard, the widow and Eileen walking
beside the young man.
At times he shakes the
pole bearing the garland, hoping to bring down
an apple for luck, but none falls. Then the prayersare said, and the mourning is made round the
garland, as they place it in the shadow of the
land-bearer.
old sacred ruin in the graveyard;
after
which a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
plank
laid for the
is
the garland
fixed,
is
127
dancing at the place where-
and
the youths and
all
the-
garland maidens commence the dance.

not join
will
But Eileen
though her lover prays her to
it,
dance with him.
she refuses, saying she must,
Still
stay with her mother while she prays.
At
however, she consents, and dances with her
last,,
lover,,
looking radiant and happy; when suddenly two

apples
the
at their feet
fall
excitement
from the garland, but
A month
scarcely heeded.
after
were married, and the sign
Yet the
quite forgotten.
iu
omen is
the young lovers
the dance the evil
of
coming
of
came;
evil
evil
for
was
while
out boating with some friends duriDg the week of

the marriage
festivities, a
and the boat was
upset.
storm suddenly came
All,
on,,
however, were saved,,
except the pretty bride and her handsome husbandlover,
who were
engulfed in the stormy waves, and
seen no more
evil are true
and
their destiny.
As
be
it
for
for the ancient signs of

certain,
it is
good and
and no one can evade-
foretold, so it
must
come,,
ban or blessing.
Peasant Games.
There
Game
is
a curious ancient
of the Eope,"
which
is
game
still
called " The-
very popular,
even at the present day, amongst the young people
when assembled at a wake or a festival. The

account of it may be best given in the words of
128
a peasant
present at these
scribes the
am
" I
who in his youth was often

wake ceremonies, and thus de-
artisan,
game
the son
of
a peasant, and was reared
in the wildest part of Mayo, on the line of the
mountains
of a tailor,
at
There I learned the trade

and had always plenty of work to do
of Partry.
home, besides being asked to
all
the villages
round, whenever there was a wake, or wedding, or

any other diversion going on. For the young men
always wanted
me
at
such times to
make them
smart and nice for the dances and fun.

" Slapping hands is the first game played at a
wake, just while the company is coming in and
-sitting down.
Then more regular games begin,
when
the handsomest girls are led out
the best partners are chosen for them.
and
But 'The
first,
Game of the Rope' is the prime favourite after all.

" Two short ropes, made of hay and twisted as
hard as they can be made, are held by two men,
standing at each side of a chair placed at some
little
distance from the corpse lying in the coffin.
Then
young man
seat on the chair,
sweetheart.
If
is
led forward,
who
takes his
and they ask him who
he objects to
tell,
is
his
they beat him
till he names one of the girls present.

Then he is
asked would he like to kiss her, and they beat him
till he answers yes.
"The
girl is
then led over and seated on the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
the lover kisses her
chair, while
beaten
but as he
is
the time with the rope, he makes the
all
ceremony
129
as brief as possible.
"The
girl
is
and sometimes,
then asked
for fun,
she
she
if
content,
is
them that the
tells
lover they gave her had no idea of a proper kiss at

all,
on which the young
the ropes,
But the
goes on,
till
girl
till
he
man
beaten again with
is
he
cries out that
won't have him;
every young
man
and
in the
seated on the chair in succession,
And
has been kissed.
'The Game
will try again.
so ends, with
game
so the
room has been

and every girl
much laughter,
of the Rope.'
Wake
Games.
There are also many^other wake games
still
amongst the people. A peasant who was

" wake tricks," as he called
them, thus describes some of them
"In the game of Shuffle the Brogue' twenty
in use
familiar with these
'
or thirty of the
of straw,
young people
forming a
knees drawn up
to the chin,
to the centre.
within the circle

fellow
and
capture
it
as
and the
generally
is
fine,
to find the
shuffled rapidly
Often during the search he gets

the back, and
tries,
his place
active
young
brogue and
round the
many
unsuccessfully,
the
feet pointiDg
young man then takes
his office
it is
round on bundles
sit
circle, all close together,
to
circle.
a blow on
seize
the
AXCIENT CUBES, GHABMS, AND
130
But
assailant.
at length
capture the brogue

his sweetheart,
is
and permission
But no
as his reward.
twice in the evening
by her
kissed once
he
and then he
Another game
is
is
asked to name
given to kiss her
allowed to be kissed
girl is
it
lncky enough to
enough
is
to
have been
lover."
is
called "
The
The Horse Fair."
leader or chief man, holding a brogue in his hand,
puny young men together as horses,

and drives them round the circle, while another
man goes in front and drags them on by the
rope, striking any who are restive with the brogue.
Then a blacksmith and a horse-dealer appear, and
they examine the horses and put them through
A short, stout young fellow is named
their paces.
ties
a string of
"Cob," another with long legs is the "Race

Horse," a jolly young man is the "Pony;" and
the
after they are all tried, the horse-dealer declares
he
must see them jump before
So
a great circle
is
made, a
bent as
in leap-frog, for
young
girls
allowed
sit
round,
lie
man
bids for them.
being in the centre,
them to leap over, while the

and the best jumper is
the privilege of choosing the maiden he
likes best,
and giving her a
salute.
The young
horses generally succeed in the jump, th6 reward
is
though two men are never allowed
to
so attractive,
kiss the
same
jump, he
is
girl.
Should one man
fail
in the
derided and beaten with brogues, and
ordered to be sent for further training, and the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
131
is desired to see to his shoes.

So he is laid
on the ground, while the smith examines his
smith
flat
shoes,
and beats the
stick
to
fastened
ho
sole of the foot with a big
is loose and wants to be

but then his sweetheart intervenes, and
see
if
a nail
and even allowed to salute her as a

all he has gone through.
is let off,
recompense for
Another game
Two
is
young
clever
fantastically as priest
a linen bag
called
"The Mock
wake-men
and
dress
Marriage."
themselves
clerk, the latter carrying
with turf ashes, which he swings
filled
about to keep order, giving a good hit now and

then, while the dust promotes a good deal of cough-
ing amongst the crowd.

is
meant
up
the
for
it is
considered that whatever keeps

at
spirits
But nothing irreverent
wake
is
and
allowable,
harmless in the sight of God.
The
priest then takes his place in the circle,
the clerk at his elbow, and pours forth a volley of

gibberish Latin, after which he calls out the names
of those
who
are to be married, the selection being"
always most incongruous; and the clerk seizes them
and
hurries
them forward, the bag
obedience to the
of ashes enforcing
call.
As the name3
are called out, each
man
takes
by the bride named for him, and the

begins the ceremony in Irish, adding a
his place
priest
homily, describing the hoVrid
life
probably reserved
for the bride and bridegroom, owing to their vile
k 2
ANCIENT CUBES, OEARMB, AND
132
temper and other bad
Bat
qualities.
this is all
pure fun, as nothing private or personal would be

permitted.
Then the
threatens
clerk whirls
wife he has got,
must be given
the bride
but this
bag
his
of
ashes,
and
any man who grumbles at the

and he demands his fee. Something
to strike
to him, a penny, or even a button,
must give an
is
article of her
returned to her, and she
own
is
and
property;,
told they only
wanted to test her obedience. After the ceremony

over, whisky is served round, and priest and
is
clerk
and the bridegroom drink a glass for good
luck, while the bride sips a little
from her husband's
glass.
No widow
widower, or married
or
man
or
woman,
is
allowed to take part in this game, and
nothing
is
said that could offend or lead to quarrel-
ling and fighting.
Meantime, the corner

corpse
lies in
a coffin
and the players.
is
of
the
room where
the-
kept sacred from the games
Here the nearest
relatives
are
seated,
some weeping, or some crooning a lament
for the
dead, and reciting the virtues of the de-
ceased, but taking
no part or interest in the games.
Yet much reverence
is
shown by the people
on these occasions.
On
each person kneels
down on
first
entering the cabin,,

the threshold and
prays for the repose of the soul of the departed,,
and several times during the evening, the whole-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
down and recite a prayer toespecially when one of the wake tricks
Then an old man will rise, take off his hat,
company
gether,
is
133
over.
and say
will kneel
in a loud voice
"Let us pray
for the soul
of the dead."
At once the laughter
stilled,
is
and
present
all
join in the prayer with the most grave and solemn
demeanour.
After this the funeral wail will be raised by the
relatives
there
is
round the corpse, and when
it
is
over,
a solemn silence for some minutes, which
has a most impressive
After this the games
effect.
go on again with renewed vigour, and the laughter
and fun
is
,kept up through the night.
party breaks up, the young
men
home, while the mourners are
left
Then the
seeing the girls

alone with the
dead.
These are the customs
of a true country
wake
but in towns the fun often degenerates into license
and drinking, and many games have been therefore

forbidden by the priesthood, particularly the one
called " The Mock Marriage," which often gave
occasion to much scandal, and tumult, and fighting
amongst the young men, whereas, in the country
wake, it would be deemed a disgrace for a man
to create a disturbance, or even lose his temper,
and the women and young

the utmost respect.
racter
No
girls
were treated with
persons of doubtful cha-
were admitted, and the women knew they
134,
were safe and protected.

considered
The
fathers of the village
sons to do
their duty to send their
it
honour to a dead neighbour, and the mothers sent

their
without fear to the house of death,
girls
where they took their places with quiet decorum

and joined in the prayers, though quite ready
afterwards for the fun, and the laughter, and the
dramatic games that had been preserved
curious
amongst the people from the most
traditionally
ancient times.
There
always a plate
is
full
of
tobacco and
another of snuff placed on a table by the side of the

corpse,
fill
and each man, as he
his pipe,
enters,
is
expected to
and pray in silence for a few moments.
While the married people and elders are present,
wake is very solemn; there are no games, but

ancient poems are often recited in Irish by the
Then, when the elders
professional story-teller.
the
leave, about
sorts of tricks
ten o'clock, the fun begins, and all
and jokes are practised.
But at one
country wake held not very long ago, and
still
well
remembered by the people, there was no sign of

merriment. A beautiful young girl was one day
struck
dead by lightning while walking in
hay-field with her
two young
sisters,
the-
who were
The children ran home to tell the

and the greatest consternation prevailed
through the country. At the crowded wake held
afterwards in her honour, not a laugh was heard, not
untouched.
sad
tale,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
135
a trick was played. There was nothing save prayer

aud weeping, or the deep silence of sorrow, after
which the wail. of the women would rise up again
And
so passed the
in tears
and lamenta-
to almost a shriek of despair.
whole long night of gloom

tions,
and
mourning kindred over
bitter cries of the
the fair young form of the dead.
Wake
cabins,
ceremonies are
still
held in the Irish
where the meu drink and smoke, and
ancient stories
tell
though the highly dramatic games
former times have almost entirely died out;
of
"for," as the peasant narrator added,
when
con-
cluding his account of the scenes he had witnessed

in his early youth, "there
to
is
no mirth or laughter
be heard any more in the country
gone from our people, and
and the music
is
dumb
all
the spirit has
the old fun
is
frozen,
in poor Ireland now."
PEASANT TALES.
Night with the Fairies.
In a remote part of the mountain
West
of Ireland,
young man named Denis Ryan,

fellow
ever
as
handsome.
desolate,
that way.
life
lived,
and
as
as fine a
his
lonely and
ever came
So by degrees he grew weary
altogether,
and longed
young
brave as he was
home was very

hardly a human being
But
for
district of the
there dwelt, once on a time, a
of his
to follow the clouds that
ANCIENT CUBE 8, CHARMS, AND
V36
went
away over
sailing
head on to the great,
his
beyond which were bright, beautiful new

And,
lands, where, perhaps, he might be happy.
finally, he could bear the desolate loneliness no
wide
sea,
up
day threw
one
but
longer,
the
go down amidst the
and see if they knew anything of joy and
people of
resolved to
plains,
work and
his
free life that stirs the soul of
and the
laughter,
youth.
So early one morning, before

descend
boldly to
the
sunrise,
he began
knowing
mountain, not
which path to take, but walked on and on, till

he was dead tired, without meeting a soul when,
;
just at nightfall, as the black darkness
was coming
he came to a rude hut in a lonely glen with
on,
nothing but bare heath

looked dreary and queer
by hunger and
And
around.
all
the hut
but he was so pressed
fatigue, that
he resolved to brave
the worst, and, lifting the latch, he entered.
No
one was there but an old
over the
told
him
and she looked
fire,
to begone, for that
to find shelter
and
no other place in
and
miles,
and I
crouching
very angry, and
was no place
for
him
food.
" But, mother," he

is
woman
all
said,
"
let
me
rest, for
there
the country round for miles
am weary and hungry after crossing

Let me
the mountains and travelling since dawn.

rest in peace."
Then the
old
woman grew
softer
and
gentler,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and
let
him
sit
down by
But when he was
food.
the
137
and gave him

him that
fire,
rested, she told
he had now better leave at once, as strange people

were coming who would be wroth if they saw him,
and
certainly do
"Yet,
mother," he
daylight, for I
me
Let
him some
am
stay, in the
so
injury.
name
me
"let
said,
weary and
of God,
in
stay
need of
till
rest.
and the blessing
of the Lord will be on you."

"
name
Hush "
!
is
she cried, with an angry voice, "that
never to be named here.
coming who would

word before them.
kill
you
if
There are people
you uttered that
Now, mind what I tell you.

At midnight they will be here, and you must hold
your peace, and be civil and quiet; but ask no
questions, and eat no food they may offer you, and
beware of making the sign of the Cross, or of
naming the Name."
So he watched and waited, and
tramping was heard
many
at midnight a
outside, as of the rushing of
and the door flew open, and in came

a crowd of little men, each wearing a red doublet
and cape, and a small cocked hat on the head, with
feet,
a white feather.
They
eyes,
stared at the stranger with bold, fearless
but were not unfriendly; and when the old
woman spread out the table with food, they all

down to supper in the highest glee, and asked
young man to join them and eat.
sat
the
13S
This, however, lie refused, saying he
had
already-
eaten his supper, thanks to the good, "kind lady of
the hut
they
so
him
let
merry amongst themselves.
man produced
each
alone, and were very
And
after the food,
a bottle, and drink was poured
much
out in tiny cups with
Now when the young
laughter and merriment.
wayfarer saw the beautiful
it so much, that when they

him a cup he was loth to refuse, but drank
it off, and then another and another, though the
old woman held up her finger, and made signs to
him to warn him of the danger. And after they
had all drank, and laughed, and made merry,
the chief of the little men rose up and said
" Comrades, it is time we were off, the moon is up,
red wine, he longed for

offered
the wine
is
more.
know
and we must go and search for
out,
of
a grand
North who has the best

round
cellars in the
the far
in
whole country
us go at once to him, before the day
let
dawns, and while

fill
gentleman
our bottles
all
the household sleep
and be away before
dreams are over."
And
we can
morning
turning to the stranger,
"Young man,
he asked:
their
will
you go with
us?'"'
young fellow, for

I
" Then here's to
the wine had made him valiant.
the North " shouted all the little men, and he
shouted: "Here's to the North!" as loudly as
"
will," replied the
Ay, that
any
of
them.
"Then
let
us be off," said the leader;
"bub
USAGES OF IRELAND.
139'
give our friend here a red cape and a hat with
first
a white feather."
So they dressed him up
one of themselves, and then they

into the night like a whirlwind of
just like
rushed out
all
fallen leaves
and presently they stopped before the gate of a

stately castle, and the leader just touched the lock
and it opened at once; and they entered a great
and passed down a
hall
came
thumb, and
just
filled their bottles,
had enough.
Let us be
again
it
went
in
rarest.
said the leader at last,

off to
"we have
Connaught.
right good Spanish wine, and we'll

find
all
and drank besides, as much
wine as they liked of the best and
"Come, now,"
they
touched the door with his
opened freely; and they
it
till
and bolted;
to a cellar underground, locked
but the leader
and
flight of stairs
This
know where
is
to
but now we must go before the day
dawns."
So they
all
scampered
off
again like a rush of
leaves before the wind.
But Denis had taken
so
much wine
that he was-
unable to follow them, and he lay helpless on the

floor of the cellar.
So when morning came, the master
coming
in
fine fellow
last
of the place-
found him there fast asleep. " Ah, my

" he exclaimed, " have I caught you at
And
all
my
and ever so many
good Spanish wine

bottles stolen.
for this, as sure as fate."
spilled about,.
You
shall
hang
140
So the poor youth was carried off to gaol, and

fairly tried by judge and jury, was condemned
being
had no defence to offer. It

was quite evident that he had broken open the
cellar door and stolen the wine, and consequently
to be hanged, for he
deserved his
fate.
And when
crowded
to see
all the town was

young Denis dance the rope-dance
walked by him saying the prayers,
the fatal day came,
and the priest

and the hangman stood there holding the cap to
cover the face of the poor young man for his
and the
execution;
all
looked on to see that
sheriff
was right and proper.
"Now,"
said the
unhappy
criminal, speaking up
for the last time, " I have just one favour to ask of
these good gentlemen before I
my
Do
die.
not put
hangman
is holding in his hand, but give me my own red cap
with the white feather that I had on when I was
that ugly thing over
face which the
arrested in the cellar, and let
head, and nothing else."
fellow, so
it
he
die with
it
sheriff
on
my
was a
he pitied the young

" Let him have the cap
go,
man, and
tender-hearted
fetch
me
Now, the
said,
for him,
and
said Denis, " I shall
let
him
now
die in peace."
die happy,"
"Ay,"
and he took
the cap with the white feather in his hand, and

it at once upon his head, he cried out in a
loud voice, " Here's for home " And then arose
placing
a great commotion amongst
all
the
officials
round
USAGES OF IRELAND.
HI
the gallows, and the sheriff and the priest and the
hangman
stared
each
at
other speechless
with
amazement, for the young man had disappeared,

cap and all, and from that hour to this no tale or
him could be heard; and the sheriff and

the hangman looked very foolish as they made their
way home amidst the hooting and the laughter of
the crowd, who shouted for joy that the' gallows had
tidings of
been cheated, for that time at
young
least, of
so fine a
fellow for a victim as Denis Kyan.
Legend oe Shark.
On Shark Island there

woman named Mary Callan,
lived
some years ago a
with her one only child.
Indeed, she never had another, from the fright she

got some weeks after her baby was born, and this
was her strange
story.
Suddenly, at dead of night,,
and starting up,

she lit the candle, when to her horror she saw two
straDge men standing beside her bed, and they
she was awoke by
the child crying,
threw a mantle over her and drew her out of the

house into the dark night and there at the door
;
she saw a horse waiting, and one of them lifted her

up, and then sprang up himself, and they rode
away
like the wind into the darkness.
Presently they came to a great, black-looking

house, where a
her
in,
hall lit
woman was
and she found
herself
waiting,
all
who brought
at once in a splendid
up with torches and hung with
silk.
And the
ANCIENT CURBS, CBABMS, AND
142
woman
down and wait
told her to sit
called, as there
Now, when the woman
to attend to.
Mary began
and a large
till
she was
was very important business for her
to look
her alone,
about her with great curiosity,
pot on the table,
silver
left
filled
with sweet-
smelling ointment, especially attracted her, so that
she could not help rubbing some on her hands, and
touched her eyes with the fragrant salve.
Then suddenly a strange thing happened, for

the room seemed filled with children, but she knew
that they were all dead, for some of them were from
her own village, and she remembered their names,
and when they died. And as she watched them,
one of the children came over quite close, and look" What brought you
ing fixedly at her, asked

here,
Mary, to
leave
it
until
For no one can

the Judgment Day, and we dwell for
ever in sorrow for the
And
ns.
bring
it
this dreadful place
the
life
men went
that has been taken from
for your child to-night, to
here amongst the dead, but
struck a light they could do no

still
watching for
too late,
it,
am
not to
we
fret, for
shall
it
will
be
tell
my
spirits of the hill,
and
will
with the
when you
yet they are
so hasten back, or
and the child
mother that I
harm
die.
And
meet again on the Judg-
ment Day."
"But how can
go out in the darkness?"
asked Mary, "for I know not
my
" Never mind," said the child
way."
;
" here, take this
USAGES OF
IltJELAND.
143
and crush it close in your hand, and ib will

guide you safe from harm." And she placed a
green leaf in the woman's hand, and on the instant
leaf,
Mary found
house
herself outside the door of the great
but a tremor
fell
loud voices
on. her, for
were heard calling her back, and footsteps seemed

to pursue her as she fled away.
was sinking
Then, just as she
to the earth with fright, she grasped
the leaf close in her hand, and iu a
own
at her
ceased
"Come,
moment
she was
of the pursuers
but she heard a groat cry within the house,
woman
and a
and the footsteps
door,
rushed out and seized her arm.

she
Mary,'"'
child is dying.
said,
"come
Something
is
Tour
and we
quickly.
strangling
it,
cannot help or save him."
Then Mary,
wild with fear, sprang to the
little
and he was quite black
in
bed where lay the child,
the face, as if some one was holding him by the
"throat
and
but, quick as thought,
crushed
gradually
it
into
the
Mary took the
little
slept peacefully in his mother's arms,

in his
and the
the convulsion passed away,
natural colour came back, and in a
him
bed and watched by him
leaf
And
hand.
child's
while he
and she
laid
night
but
all
no harm came, and no evil thing touched him.

And in the morning he smiled up at his mother,
bright and rosy as ever, and then she
fairy
knew
that the
power was broken, and the child was saved by
he spell of the leaf that had come to her from the
144
hands of the dead that dwell in the Spirit Land,

And Mary made a case for the leaf, and worked it
and tied
richly,
it
round her neck to wear for ever-
And from
more.
that
day the
fairies
ceased to
molest her, and her child grew and prospered, for
the spirits of the dead watched over him to keep
him
from harm.
safe
The Doctor's
The
Visit.
have always an earnest desire for
fairies
the aid of a mortal physician in sickness, especially

if
a fairy
baby
is
expected.
summer, a servant
house of
the chief
him
handed
One evening,
in rich livery rode
doctor of
late in
up to the
Roscommon, and
a letter requesting
his
attendance-
immediately for a lady of rank, who had been taken

ill,
and was in great danger.
The doctor, with that alacrity in cases of
emergency for which his honourable profession
suddenly
is
distinguished, instantly ordered his horse
as he
was quite unacquainted with the
tioned,
locality
and had never even heard the name
but
men-
of the
residence before, he requested the servant to accom-
pany him, and they rode
off
together at a brisk pace.
After a couple of hours' ride they came to a fine

house in a park thickly wooded, and there on the
steps of the mansion was a grand, stately gentle-
man
awaiting them, like a nobleman in dress and
bearing,
who
received
the
doctor
with
great
USAGES OF IRELAND..
courtesy,
number
and led him

servants in
of
145
the house, where a

splendid livery were in
into
attendance.
Having passed through a spacious hall, the

doctor and the gentleman entered a gorgeous saloon
hung with silk and tapestry, and from that they
passed into the lady's sleeping-chamber, when the
master of the house withdrew, leaving the doctor
alone with the lady,
who lay on
a gilded couch, with
rich silken curtains falling all round her.
The doctor
no time in making use of his

and with the best results, but all
the time the lady had a black veil over her face,
and spoke no word. However, when all had ended
professional
lost
skill,
satisfactorily, the
doctor rang the
and the
bell,
gentleman appeared.
He made
no remark to the veiled
lady, but
courteously thanking the doctor, handed him forty

fee, and then requested him to
come to supper, which was awaiting them in the
grand saloon.
golden guineas as his
There the
doctor found
many noble
guests
assembled, and ladies glittering with jewels, and a
gorgeous feast covered the table ; but he was
tired,
and threw himself on the sofa to rest, when all the

company gathered round him and entreated him to
And the master handed him a silver
eat and drink.
cup of ruby wine, and told him he must drink the
lady's health, and he pressed the cup into his hand.
146
So the doctor was too

up with the cup
honour
of the lady,
and he
polite to refuse,
hand
in his
when
rose-
the wine in
to quaff
a beautiful
young
girl
near him touched his foot, and whispered, gently

"
Beware
fatal,"
and
sat
seemed
of
the wine
touch nothing here
and she drew him down again on the
is
sofa,
And
hand.
beside him, holding his
it
:.
it
him nothing on earth could surpass her

and glittering eyes;
she held his hand, and murmured soft
his ear till a faintness came over him, and
to
in beauty, with her golden hair,
and
still
words in
gradually his eyes closed in a deep sleep, and he
knew nothing more
till
the sound of his
own
name,,
called in a loud voice, aroused him.
He
started
up and looked round.
sun was bright in the
east,
but
all
The morningthe glory and
the beauty of the festival had vanished, and he was
No, not quite
in a churchyard alone.
his faithful servant
him
to rise.
" Where
doctor, "
am
"
exclaimed
the bewildered
and what has brought me here
"Look
there," said Terry,
the sign of the Cross
is
upon
it,
honour was safe when I called you

for I have been looking for
"your honour
lying on Father Byrne's tombstone.

is
alone, for
Terry was beside him, assisting
And
so I
;
"
is just-
lucky
it-
knew your
and glad I am,
you since daylight, and
never would have thought of trying the churchyard,

only the mare, poor beast, was at the gate, as
if:
trying to get
here
is
USAGES OF IRELAND.
U7
Though how your honour came
in.
a wonder, unless you were carried over the
wall, for the gate
get the key.
was
And
locked,
it's
and I ran myself
to
a hard bed you've had, and
a cold bolster," added Terry, rolling away a big

stone that bad been placed under the doctor's head
for a pillow.
"
God
protect us, master dear, but
the good people must have had a hand in this work,
and bad luck would have come of it, only your

honour lay down on the sign of the blessed Cross,
and so your honour is safe this time, anyway."
" Well, Terry, help
me up," said the doctor, who

was rather benumbed, and a little crestfallen, thinking of that beautiful young creature who had
" and,
fetch the mare, for I must be
home
played hiin such a trick
go and
Terry,
at once."
So while the mare was coming round, the doctor

put his hand in his pocket just to comfort himself
with a sight of the golden guineas; but,
lo
nothing
and the doctor

wiser
man.
sadder
and
a
home
a
rode
was there save a handful
of moss,
Fairy Help.
Every
district in Ireland
has
separate fairy chief or king.
its
and
peculiar
Finvarra, as every
one knows, has his palace on the hill of Knockma,

at Tuam, deep under the ground, where the walls
are of crystal, and the floor
And
he has power over
all
is
paved with
gold.
the fairies of that

l 2
148
region,
and
is
adored by them, for he
and splendid, and
all
is
Bat another
are beautiful as a garden of roses.

chief
rules
over
Now
western
the
whose name
Atlantic,
handsome
the fairy ladies of his Court
is
sea-coast
the
of
Fiachra.
there was a gentleman of ancient lineage
living in that part of the country, of the great race
O'Haras
of the
above
and Lochlin O'Hara was noted
others for the open house and the liberal
all
hand, for he spent his

royally
money
like
a king right
but bad times came, he got engaged in a
lawsuit which carried off all his money, and Lochlin
O'Hara was on the verge of despair, when at last

the good news came that the cause was given in his
favour,
and
all
the land of his forefathers was to be
restored to him.
So he resolved to make a great feast to
all
comers to celebrate his triumph ; but when he began

to
reckon up the numerous friends and relations
were sure
to
who
assemble to drink his health, and
all
the guests from the country round, he grew alarmed,

for there
was not wine enough
in the cellars for
and the weather was bad, and no boat

could get to Galway.
So he thought of Fiachra,
them
all;
the fairy chief,
who was always good
families, especially the
O'Haras
to the
old
and he wrote him
a letter telling of his great need, and asking for

the royal help of the fairy king.
letter into the sea
and waited the
And
he threw
result.
the.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Not
long, however,
had he
to wait, for the next
day there was a storm along the
keg
as
Hi,
coast,
and a great
Spanish wine was flung up on the beach

from a shipwreck. But O'Hara knew that
of
if
Fiachra had sent it, and he and his friends feasted

and drank right merrily, and in no man's memory
had such wine ever been poured out at a feast as
Lochlin O'Hara gave on that night to the assembled
guests in the
home
of his fathers.
For Fiachra honoured the old race because they

had ever been good to the fairies, and never
meddled with
their hunting-grounds, but always
respected their raths and mounds, and the ancient
hawthorns where they sheltered and lived happily,
and danced
all
night in the moonlight to the fairy
music.
The Western
The
Isles.
islanders in these remote places are firm
believers in witchcraft to this day,
and
still
practise
many strange spells among themselves. There was

a man called Ned Flaherty, who was specially
suspected by his neighbours as being in league
with the Evil One,
though he had only a
for,
small patch of ground, yet he had always plenty
and was rich and
of corn to bring to the market,
well
off
and wanted
for
nothing.
determined to watch by turns

the neighbour
who was
set to
saw something black going
to
So they
all
and one morning

spy over the
and
fro,
field
each time
150
then
carrying a grain of corn, which,
the ground and returned for more,
till
man
got near, and saw that
many
set
grains
Then at last
was a hideous
were thus carried away and planted.

the
it
it
the work, and he stooped
black insect doing
all
down and caught

that he happened
it,
and put
to
have with him, and shut down
the
lid close
Now
and carried
it
in a horn snuff-box
home.
it
in a little while there
was a great com-
motion, for Flaherty's wife had disappeared, and

all
the next day they searched for her, but without
Then the man happening
success.
of
the
"How
insect
in
his
to tell the story
snuff-box to a neighbour,
do you know," said his friend, "but this

the box ? "
may be Flaherty's wife you have in

And Flaherty himself, hearing of the
to the
the whole
house and heard
which he begged the man
to
tale,
came
story,
after
come home with him,
and bring the box with him and open

presence.
several
of
This the
man
did, before
the neighbours, that
all
of the truth of the strange story.
it
in
his
Flaherty and
might judge
And when
the
box was opened, out crawled a large black insect

a
like
room
beetle,
and ran direct into the woman's
as hard as
it
could go.
And
after a little
while out came Mrs. Flaherty, looking very pale,
and with one

"
of her fingers bleeding.
What means this blood ? " asked the man.

"Why," said Flaherty, "when you shut down'
USAGES OF IRELAND.
151
the box, you snapped off a little bit of the beetle's

claw that was outside, so my wife suffers."
Then all the people saw that there was witchcraft in the house,
and the
Flaherfcys were
shunned
by every one, and finally they sailed away from the

island and were seen no more.
In Shark Island they tell a story of a man
called Dermot, whose wife died of a fever, leaving
two
children, a
boy and a
girl.
The
girl died
year and a day after the mother, but the boy throve
well, until one
day when the fever seized him, and
he cried out that his mother had come for him,
and was
calling him.
of water, but there
And
he asked for a drink
was none
So a
in the house.
took a can and ran down to the well to
girl
fill it
was stooping down a black shadow fell

on her and covered her. Then she saw the dead
mother close beside her, and nearly fainted with
and
as she
fright.
"
"
Never
fear,
'
Mary
alanna," said the
When
but do as I bid you.
will see a black
woman,
you go home, you
cock by the head of the child's
This is the Spirit of Death come to carry

away the boy; but you must prevent him. ThereBatch a crowing hen and
fore do as I tell you.
the
blood over the bed, and
kill her, and sprinkle
bed.
take ten straws and throw the tenth away, and

the blood with the rest
child,
and he
will sleep
stir
then lay them on the
and do
well."
On
this the
152
dead
vanished, and the girl went
woman
home and
did as she was ordered; the hen was killed, and
And
the blood sprinkled.
the boy slept after the
blood touched him, and slept on and on
Then he
morning.
said
the
up and asked for food, and

and must go and play.
sat
he was dow quite
till
well,
him get up, and he was as strong as

ever, and no harm came to him any more.
And the heart of the father was glad that the
child was given back to him through the sprinkling
So they
let
of the blood.
Now
it
happened that about three months after,

sick, and was
a child of one of the neighbours grew

like to die.
Then the man's wife
" See, now, our child
Dermot cured
is
rose up
like to die,
but look
how
through the sprinkling of
his son
So they caught
Let us do the like."
blood.
and said
a crowing hen and killed her, and sprinkled the

But, lo
blood over the sick child.

thing happened, for the
door was
a terrible
flung open,,
and in walked two monstrous black cats. " How

dare you kill my kitten ? " said one of them" my
darling only kitten
"Ay,"
rn suit
said the
But you
other,
shall suffer for it."
"we'll teach you
a royal cat again, and
kill
how
to-
one of our great
own wretched child," and

man and tore his face and hands.
race just to save your
they flew at the
Then the wife rushed

while the
man
at
strove
them with the churn-dash,

himself with &
to defend
USAGES OF IRELAND.
15*
But all the same the cats had the best of

and clawed and tore and scratched till the
spade.
it,
miserable pair could not see for the blood streaming-
down
their faces.
Luckily, however, the neighbours, hearing the-
scrimmage, rushed in and helped to fight the cats
but soon they had to
fly,
for the cats were too
strong for them, and not a soul could stand before
However,
them.
grew tired, and

paws and washing their faces,
at last the cats
after licking their
they moved towards the door to go away,

saying to the
man
"Now we
first
have done enough
punish you for this time, and your baby will

for
Death can take but one
this night,
So yours
taken our child.
safe,
is
to
live,
and he has
and
this
we
swear by the blood, and by the power of the great
king
of the cats."
So they whisked out
by man
house, and were never more seen
of the
or mortal
on the island of Shark.
But many other strange things have

pened on the island according
who
the islanders,
details they give,
for
to the narration of
all
the
and never exaggerate, only
tell
are extremely accurate in
the simple truth, which
unquestioned
hap-
also
we
are
bound
to accept
the people are too simple to
They only tell in their plain, unvarnished

A man and
idiom, what they have seen or heard.
invent.
his wife
on the island had two children, lovely as
angels, and were very happy.
But
in process of
154
time a third child was bora, a son, and he was two

inches longer than any baby that ever yet was seen,
and had a great head of black hair, and even something like a beard. And he went on growing up
fast to three years old, and was as wise as a man,
besides eating a
But
quite weeshee
much
power
after that
and no
And
as ever.
with his wizened

sprite of an old
of food.
he dwindled down, and became

size at all,
he was queer in
little
man
though he
ate as
his ways,
and
face looked just like the
or an ugly dwarf.
Well, one Sunday the parents went to mass,

leaving a young girl to tako care of the children.
And, while she was out
in
the garden picking
suddenly she heard the merriest,
flowers,
jolliest
dance-tune from the bagpipes, played by some one

in the house.
That must be
went
in
but
lo
Tom
the Piper, she said, as she
and behold, there was the
little
imp stuck up in his grandmother's arm-chair, and

he playing away with all his might the sweetest
music on a set of paper pipes, and with his wizened
face looking fifty years old at least. " Ob, the Lord
between us and harm !" exclaimed the
out of the house, and
voice:
"Help! help!
girl,
rushing
screaming at the top of her

sure
it's
the devil himself
and not the child at all " And the

neighbours ran when they heard the screams, and
went back with her into the house, but not a sign
is sitting there,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
of the little
imp was
155
to be seen, though, after
much
searching he was discovered behind the meal-tub,

a mere
little
sheeoge, not the size
and burned black as any
turf,
and
stiff
a sod of
of
and quite dead,
coal,
stark, with the withered face of
an
old, old
man.
knew he was a witch-child. And

parents came home they had him put
So they
when
the
all
outside on the shovel, and before night he was
gone; the devil or the
And
away.
had carried him
fairies
man and
right glad were the
to be so well rid of the
imp
never more seen or heard of
Satan,
of
in the
his wife
who was
house from that
hour.
The
seem
islanders
to
ever
for
live
the
in
presence of the spiritual; and every event of their

lives,
whether
good or
for
ill
luck,
the influence of unseen beings,
is
who
attributed to
are sometimes
Every
good, but more often malign to mortals.

sickness or accident or misfortune
is
believed to be
the work of the invisible Sidhe, or fairy race; and

all
the primitive
knowledge
of
.and incantation,
science
herbs,
is
and
of
of
people,
the
powerful
their
charms
used to break the spells and
counteract the sinister designs of the active sprites
who haunt
the house, and are especially anxious to
get possession of the children and carry them

to the fairy homes.
one
day weeding
pretty
little
in the turnip-field,
girl
when
off
was out
a sudden
n/
156
and gave her a
blast swept over the place,
so
chill,
and
Six months
that she lost the use of her limbs for the time,
was carried home and put
to bed.
she lay there, and grew thinner and thinner,
saw
till
woman.
So the people
that she was fairy-struck, and no doubt
she looked like a

at last
little
old
was away every night with the
fairies
on the
hill,
though she seemed to be lying there helpless in her

bed. And they beat her and starved her to make
her
did
tell
them how she got away, and what she
when with
the fairies.
But the poor child cried to them, " Sure, I am

little Mary, and never a foot have I stirred out
since you laid me in this bed."
Yet not a word
would they
believe,
and
set
witch-work
to
three drops to
throat,
remainder to be used for washing her.

sent for a wise fairy-woman to see
done.
potion.
and be
But
Let
Mary
me
"I
said,
die, for
against
will
and the
And
they
what could be
not
drink
the
at peace."
thing yet
is
then I shall go to heaven
" Well," said the wise
that
make
to
be poured into her
and three drops down her
ear
work
known potency
powerful fairy potion of
may be done
to
over the child, and
if
woman, " there

break the
is
one
devil's spell
that fails she must die.
Let her father carry her to the bog every morning

before sunrise, and dip her
days in the
name
of the
down for twice seven

Holy Trinity and the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
And
blessed saints.
her, then the
and
I can do
the
name
power
if
that does not help and cure
of the Evil
no more.
157
But
let
One
is
too strong,
her father try
each morning for twice seven
So
it,
iu
of God."
days the
father carried the child to the bog, and dipped her
down
And
before the sun had risen.
gradually
her health and strength returned, and at the end

of
the twice seven days, on the final day of the
cure, she was able to
own
place.
And
walk
all
the
way back
to her
the weakness passed from her
and the colour and beauty came back

for the spell of the fairies was broken
limbs,
to her
face,
at last
through the words of the wise woman, and her
power over the
spirits of evil.
PEASANT TALES OF THE DEAD.

The Spectre
Beide.
In one of the southern villages there was once a

beautiful young girl
who promised
her lover, by
the sign of the blessed Cross, that she would marry
him alone.
But her parents
him the house, and told her
she must never more see him, or walk with him, or
for they wanted her to marry a
talk with him
rich old farmer, a widower, who lived near by.
Then the poor girl fell into a black despair, and
no one
else
save
objected, and forbid
determined to
kill herself.
So, in the
madness
of
158
her sorrow, she came to the rock of St. Finian to

fulfil
down from
her intention, and cast herself
thence into the river and was drowned.
Now it happened that the next night the

young man she so dearly loved came by that way,,
and she appeared to him suddenly. And when he
beheld her, he was so enchanted that he tried tothrow his arms around her, for he had no fear;,
but she waved him back, and told him he must not
touch her, or put a hand on her, else she would
have to go back to the dead, and he would see her
no more. But he might take hold of the corner of
her apron, and walk with her in the moonlight for
a
little
bank
while.
until the
So they wandered by the
back to the dead, and she faded away

light, telling
river's
hour came when the dead must go

in the
moon-
him that she would meet him again
at
the same spot the following night.
And
so he
met her a second
walked as before
till
time,
and they
the midnight hour; but on
the third night she told him to come no more,

she meant to go and visit him at his
where he
though he must
lived,
allow any one to see her
come
till
dead
of
night,
tell
own
as-
place,
no one, nor
therefore, she
would not
when he would be
all
alone.
Now
the next night,
for the meeting,
could
when
the hour was near
he grew terribly frightened, and
not help telling a friend and asking
his-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
"This do," said the
advice.
159'
"Take
friend.
from the farmyard, and

between yourself and her whenever and
large, black-handled knife
place
it
wherever she appears; for as long as the knife

there between you she can do you no
harm
is
of this
be certain."
So he got the knife as desired, and laid
down-
it
across the door of the barn where he slept, and.
went and lay down, thinking he was
And>
safe.
exactly at midnight she came, and tried to enter
through the door, but could not

sorrowing wail
of
and he heard the
her voice outside.
But there was a chink
in
the wall
at
the
opposite side of the barn, quite close to his bed,
and through
way
in his
he heard her trying
tkis
to force
he made a dash for the knife, and
so
bed
just as she glided in
through the
her
laid
it
split in
the wall.
Then she talked long
to him,
and
told
she loved him, and asked as a favour
if
him how
he would
down at his feet on the bed

the hour came when they must part; but
sbe lay down, her hand happened to touch
only
let
her
lie
till
as
the
knife that was between them, and she fell back

with a fearful cry. " Now," she said, " the power
I had over you
me
is
gone, and the spell
moment
is
broken
by means of
that knife whicb you have placed between us, we
Alas! we might have had
are parted for ever.
that gave
life
for a
for
160
now
a happy bridal, but
must go back
to the
dead for evermore/' and so saying, she laid her

band upon his face, and left him blind all the days
and then the pale ghost of the girl

rose up from the bed, and disappeared in a flash
of fire, leaving the unhappy lover senseless from
of his
life;
terror.
The Witch- Girl.
long while ago there was a youDg lad em-
ployed about the Castle at Castle Derby, and he

had a deal of work to do from morning to night,
find
was often weary
the
hills,
rest,
and
aware
by reason
of the
he threw himself down on the grass to
dream, he was
some one bending over him, and on lookhe beheld a young girl with long golden
as
he lay
there, half in a
of
ing up,
hair,
of his life
So one evening, when the sunset was on
work.
draped
all
of the sunset,
in white, standing in the red glow
and her eyes,
like glittering stars,
were fixed upon him with a love-light
made him
to
his
tremble.
feet,
and
in them that
At once young Dermot sprang
taking her two hands in
his,
questioned her as to where she had come from,
and why she was watching him while he slept.

"Because I love you," she answered, "and pity
you, and I have come to help you in the work.'''
So she stayed till the dark of the evening came on,
and helped him to herd the cattle and set the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
161
was fleet of foot and

the
and
beasts
and fowl followed
hand,
farmyard
firm of
in order, for she
And
quietly wherever she led.
the next day she
came also, and the next, and worked so well that

Dermot had scarcely anything to do at last, except
to
look at her beautiful eyes, and listen to her
sweet singing, as he lay on the grass when the
work was
At
all
over.
length, however, a sad time came for the
lovers, for
one day she told him that perhaps he
would see her no more,
And
her.
had sent
for
he was sorely grieved, and
the earth weeping.
promised
as her people
if all
fell down on
Then she comforted him, and
ended well that she would see him
soon again, and go on with their work and happy

life
But now she must leave
together.
for her
kindred were summoned to a battle far away, and
it
was her place to watch by the wounded. Yet she

also might be slain; who could say if her life would
be given to her ? So let him heed the sign she
gave him by which he would know if she were
And the sign she gave him was this

" Go/' she said, " to-morrow-evening at sunset
living.
to the well near this, where
together, and
then you
if
may know
me
never, never see
and
am
in the
we have
that
morning rub
dead you will see
more.
my
it
am
been
so often
you see the water red,
like blood,
dead, and you will
So take
this ointment,
into your eyes, and
if
funeral passing this way,
162
And
where we have been so happy."

little
box
of
ointment
in his
she laid a
hand, and disappeared.
Dermot waited very imvisit the well; but, when

he saw the water in the sunset light, lo, it was red
like blood
and his bitter cries rose up, and
lamentations, so that no one could comfort him
Now
the next day
patiently
till
evening to
nor could he
love, for she
to
tell
any one the story
had bound him
only cry aloud
"
My
friend,
of his lost
He
to silence.
my
friend
is
could
dead.
was
to
her no more."
shall see
Now
the next day,
when the
rubbed the ointment on
pass, he
funeral
his
and
eyes,
coming along the road, but the

sight of the coffin made him quite frantic, and
he clapped his hands and tore his hair, like one in
presently he saw
it
Then the men who bore the
madness.
coffin,
him
seeing his state, stopped in pity, and asked
would he
for they
like to see the face of the girl
were touched by his prayers and
they opened the lid; but

coffin, in
once more,
tears,
when he looked
place of the beautiful girl he
and
into the
had loved,
there lay in her shroud the form of a hideous old
hag, with long, protruding teeth, that came
down
over her lips and reached to her chin like the fangs
lifted
and
he screamed in horror she

one skinny hand and tried to clutch him,
of a wild beast,
as
while her eyes rolled as

her head
but he
fled
if
they would start from
away, and never again did the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
witch-girl appear to
sadness was on him
him
163
living or dead.
all his life
And
long for ever
after.
The Headless Horses.

All the world one time was going to the great
fair at
Navan, and amongst them was one Denis
Molony, a cow-jobber, a well-to-do, honest man,
who had cattle along with him to sell at the fair.

But when he reached the outside of the town,
night was coming on black dark
so he thought
;
he'd wait awhile, and just
the cattle graze as
let
they liked, while he laid himself down under the
hedge
At
till
the morning.
that moment, however, a loud
screaming came
him
all in
her,
and her
moaning and
and a woman rushed past

a winding-sheet were round
to his ear,
white, as
if
cries of despair
were terrible to hear.
Then, after her, a great black coach came thundering along the road, drawn by two black horses;
but when Denis looked close at them, he saw that

the horses had no heads, and the coachman had
no head, and out sprang two men from the coach,

and they seized
and they had no heads either
her
by
force into the
and
carried
woman,
the
carriage, and then drove off.
Now Denis was terribly frightened, and he went
;
back on the road to a house he had passed some

time before, and narrated all he had seen to the
people.
ANCIENT CUBES, CHASMS, AND
164
him that the woman he

saw was an evil liver, and a wicked sinner, and
no doubt the devils were carrying her off from the
churchyard, for she had been buried that morning.
But never a prayer would she say, nor make confession to the priest before her death ; so God and
On which they
told
the holy saints had given her up to punishment,
and the
sure,
to
devil
had
his
own
at last.
But
to
make
they went next morning to the churchyard
examine the grave, and there sure enough was

coffin, but it was open, and not a trace of the
the
dead
an
woman was
evil fate
gone
to be seen.
had come on her,
So they knew that

and that her soul was
to eternal torture.
The Woman with the Teeth.

The road to Navan has always had an unlucky
reputation, and formerly it was consi jred very
dangerous to persons travelling alone between dark
was haunted by a ghost, who

appeared sometimes as a bag or a pack of wool
rolling along, and no hands touching it, or as a
and midnight
shrouded
for it
woman
with gleaming white teeth, or
sometimes as a dog, the worst of

a ghost to appear
And many
all
shapes for
by
this ghost,
in.
persons were killed
and were found in the morning lying dead, with a

black mark round the throat, as if they had been
USAGES OF IRELAND.
strangled.
So great
few dared
to venture
But there was a
165
was on the people, and
fear
on the road after dark.
young farmer one time
fine
at
the fair at Navan, and after drinking and making
merry with
his friends, he declared that he
home by
go
would
that
road and
fight the ghost,
no
other,
would
and he
and not leave a shred
of it
together.
So he mounted
and rode
his horse
night was falling; and
all
seemed
off just as
clear on the road
for some distance as he went on, when suddenly

a woman sprang across the path, and leaped up
behind him on the horse before he could hinder her.
And
she put her two arms round his waist and bade
him look round
at her beautiful white teeth, for
there were no such teeth in
But he would
many
all
Then she
not.
times to look at her; for
she killed her victims, the

her their
doom was
the country round.
him
means
tried to entice
it
was by
this
moment they looked
at
certain.
The young man, however, had a brave, resolute

and he told her he would not look at her
then, but he would bring her home with him, and
heart,
as they sat by the
fire in his
own house he might
take a look at her wonderful teeth, and be the best

of
good company
that he took
to her
off his
round her, buckling
and treat her
well.
With
broad leathern belt and slung

it
again fast to his
it
own body,
ANCIENT CUBES, CKARMS, AND
166
and then the two rodethe wind, and never a word more
so that she could not
home
as quick as
move
did she speak.
he reached his house, all the people

were waiting outside to see what had become of
him, and they set up a great shout of .laughter
when he rode up for there, buckled round his waist
Now when
was a great log of wood, but no sign of

the woman. So he unstrapped the wood, and afterwards chopped it up into small pieces, and from
at the back,
every piece
saw that
outside;
for the
fell
And
drops of blood.
then they
all
so he flung the pieces

it was devil's work
but next morning when he went to look
;
wood
forth the
it
evil
was
all
ghost
comfort of the people.

a good piece of
And from
gone.
disappeared,
that time-
the
to
great
Thus the young farmer did
work by that night's
ride.
The Punishment.
There was once upon a time a
repute,
named Donegan, who
himself in a wretched
Allen.
And no
one
little
evil
by
no work, and neither
it
at
was by robbery and murder;
for he did
was a
very
alone
knew how he got any money
by, unless
ail
of
all
hut close by the bog of
all to live
So
man
lived
tilled
nor planted-
the people were afraid of him, and said he

tool of the devil.
And
no one would venture
near his hut, or have any dealings with him, or
say,,
" God save you kindly " when they met him on the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
But
road.
lie
167
cared nothing, only looked at them
askance from under his shaggy brows, and went
on
way
For he himself liked to be

and would never let any one, not even the
his
alone,
in silence.
priest himself, cross his threshold.
Now
open
window
there was no
in the hut, only an
to let in the daylight, and when night

came he used to put a good wisp of straw and a
plank of wood over the opening to keep all safe.
But one night, after he was in bed, he heard the
slib
sound of some one trying to push away the plank,

as
if
to enter the hut.
no one would come in

to steal,
and he
also
Now, Donegan knew
to rob, for there
knew
that
was nothing
that none of the neigh-
bours or villagers would venture to his hut at such
some one might come just

to annoy him, he was so hated by the people ; so
he sprang up, and pressed against the plank to
keep it from moving. But all was of no use; the
force outside was too strong, and in a moment
a time of night, though
Donegan was flung flat on the floor on his back,

and the plank along with him, and a great, tall,
strange
a
man
mask over
fierce,
entered and stood beside him, wearing

his face.
Now, Donegan was strong and

to fight for his life, and leap-
and accustomed
ing to his feet at once, he hit the stranger a terrible
Mow,
full in
the face
but to his surprise, the blow
went right through him, as if he were but air, and left

Still Donegan was not to be frightened.
no mark.
163
"Man
or devil," he shouted,
"you
shall not escape
me," and he hit him another tremendous blow.

Yet he was only beating the air, and the man never
moved, but stood
fixed, staring
with red, fiery eyes
through his mask.
Then Donegan grew

afraid yet," he
parson,
God
cried,
"I never was
furious.
" of father or mother, priest or
or hell, and I
am
not afraid of you,
you are a ghost from the dead."

tried to hurl the man to the ground, but
even
if
only struck the
And
he
still
he
air.
the ghost lifted up his arm and

mask from his face, and Donegan saw
him the terrible, ghastly features of the
Then, at
last,
took the
before
murdered dead, come from the grave

geance on the murderer, and he
helpless
to
fell to
and paralysed with fear
take ven-
the ground
but the ghost
had no mercy, he clutched the unhappy wretch,

and dashed him against the wall
of the hut,
then
followed and clutched him again and dashed him
back to the opposite
wall,
Donegan was almost
senseless.
left
and so continued till

Then the ghost
him, for the hour had come
when
the dead
return to their graves; but before his departure he
clasped
Donegan round the
wrist
and burned a
"
Now
and that the
fires
red circle right through to the bone, saying
you
will believe there is a devil,
of hell are waiting for your sinful soul."
After this fearful adventure, Donegan lost
all
USAGES OF IRELAND.
169
strength and power, and sent for the
whom
he made a
crimes, too
ears
confession
full
to
terrible
priest,
of
to
many-
his
be uttered to any other
but that same night he disappeared, and no
one knew from that day forth whither he had gone,
He
or what became of him.
no
left
sign,
never seen afterwards by living man;

people believe that he was carried
and was
but the
bodily
off
by
the devil himself, for an evil fate was on him, and
both in
and death he was accursed.
life
Irish Minsteelsy.
Music was held
much
in
repute iu the ancient
world as a curative agent, besides being the

spiration
gave force to
that
soothing as the
all
arts,
system,
has a subtle
and
the sudden,
emotion.
till
moment
is
able
swift,
to
life,
required
for music,
above
power over the nervous

interpret and direct all
and varied phases
It can stir the soul to its
the tears
in-
stimulating or
fall in silent
sorrow, or
with a passionate enthusiasm, which
of
human
inmost depths
fill
is
the brain
a prophecy
All the great nations of antiquity
of victory.
recognised the relation between emotion and music.

Plato
made
it
a direct educational agent, even as
Pythagoras had done when he showed the people
how, by
its
wonderful power,
to divine pity, or kindle
that creates great deeds.
it
it
could melt the soul
to the
sublime madness
170
The
Irish,
from the
have shown
earliest times,
their belief in the mystic influence of music

life;
and
their legends record
upon
how the musician
wounded or calm the dying, and

even make those in agony forget their pains. At
the festivals and religious ceremonies, and the
could soothe the
banquets of kings and

chords of the harp
surged or
fell in
bard swept the
chiefs, the
the waves of
human
passion
rhythmic harmony with the bardic
And, above
song.
till
all
men, at the royal Court, the
bard was honoured for his divine
He was
gift.
given a noble income by law, freely and of grace,,

to
lift
him above the necessity
servile cares~
of
His place at the royal table was next the monarch,
and above the nobles, and wearing

seven colours, and the circlet of
no longer recognises
the
of
gold upon his
brow, he sat a prince amongst princes.

sation
his robe
But
civili-
true mission of
music as a redemptive power, able to calm the

nerves or exorcise the evil
when
spirit,
the soul
sinks under the shadow of coming sorrow.
Even
our hospitals never seem to think of utilising musicas a curative agent, either to
the dormant faculties to a

life
new
yet the wards are often
perfume
of flowers sent
flowery, unlike music,
may
still
pain or waken
sense of the joy of

filled
with the rich
by loving hands, though

be at times a dangerous,,
even a deadly offering to the

Music, however,
lull
sick.
retains its subtle, spiritual
USAGES OF IRELAND.
influence over the Irish heart, and no great political
movement was ever yet inaugurated in Ireland

without the aid of the priesthood of song; but as
a powerful agent to relieve pain or act on the
nervous
system,
music
formerly,
by the
fairy-doctor or the wise
is
no
longer
used,
as
woman
of the village to help or to effect a cure.
Thus, in the direction of therapeutics,
its
use
seems to have wholly ceased; but, as a spiritual

power, it can still excite and inspire the Irish
nature with the same vivid force that in old times
made music supreme above all other arts

human soul. A
mystic influence upon the
volume
in its
recent
Irish poems, collected
and edited by
Mr. Halliday Sparling,* proves that the instinctive
tendency of the Irish people to set their wrongs to
music
of
still
exists as vividly as ever.
Music and song have
illustrated all the great
epochs of modern Irish history
and the Volunteers
the era of Grattan
O'Connell and Emancipation, when Moore, in his " Lalla Rookh," under
the disguise of " The Fire Worshippers," incarnated
;
of
the fierce resolve of Catholic Ireland to break the
bondage
era of
received
of the penal yoke.
1848,
its
when
And
then came the
the intellect of
the
nation
most splendid impulse, and with the
noblest results.
Emancipation had been gained,
* "Irish Minstrelsy," by Halliday Sparling.
Canterbury Series.
London,
172
and the Catholics of Ireland, after two centuries of

insult and degradation, were just then beginning
to feel and know that they had human rights, and
But the
they so willed.
utterance of a people, though always vehement, is
strength to gain them
if
often incoherent, and then
it
is
men
that the
of
education and culture are needed to interpret and

formulate the vague longings and ambitions of the
Thus the
passionate hearts around.
literature of
1848, under the guidance of eminent and gifted
men, became the glowing incarnation
of the desire
of a whole people to raise their country to a fitting

place
among
the nations
and the spirit-power was
the mighty force they used to overthrow narrow

intolerance and prejudice,
and
to give the fierce,
popular instincts for right and justice, a higher

direction than
The
pressor.
elective
mere reckless revenge over the opleaders soon gathered round
affinity
all
them by
glowing genius
the
of
the
country, an impassioned race of poets and orators,
famous afterwards
the "
Young
in the history of the period as

Ireland " party, whose words of power,
to use Chaucer's phrase,
were "like a trumpet thun-
dering" in the ears of the people.

all,
The
poets, above
touched the heart of the nation, when, with a
madness
and hopes
of the
of inspiration,
they chanted the wrongs
of the people in
rhythmic words.
Most
songs in Mr. Sparling's collection date from
this period,
when
the whole
life of
the nation
moved
USAGES OF IRELAND.
173-
Even the peasants and artisans of the

time became poets, and some of their strong, fiery-
to music.
show how
verses, the product of powerful emotion,
even the rudest elements were kindled and trans-
by the glory of the new light.

Thomas Davis, the chief of this young band
thinkers and workers, was an incarnation of
figured
of
passionate genius
the most powerful of
the most brilliant of the essayists.

like a fiery cross, flashed
breadth
His words,
through the length and
awakening mind,
of the land,
the poets,
heart,
and
brain, from the dull apathy of centuries of oppression.
With the tempest
lightning on his
lips,
in
his
and the
soul,
he poured out for the people-
the divine wine of intellect that
lifts
humanity
to the god.
But his brief life
work for Ireland soon ended; it was scarcely
more than a three years' fever, and then in the very
prime of his youth and genius, and the full triumph
from the animal

of
of
his
successful leadership,
as
with a rainbow
gleam he sprang into the sunlight and

is well represented in the selections
most striking poems

Geraldines,"
as
as
so died.
of '82,"
popular.
He
several of his
" Fontenoy,"
"The Volunteers
celebrated and
by
and
" The
and others
Charles
Gavan
Duffy, however, as editor of The Nation, had the

chief direction of the
new movement.
man
of
the highest culture, of exquisite literary taste, and

a clear and powerful writer, both in prose and
74
was eminently
verse, lie
sellor to all
guide and coun-
fitted for
the young, fiery intellects that composed

winning manners and earnest
his staff, while his
sympathy with
literature
As
and
art gained their
a poet he stands in the
One
bards.
and beautiful in
admiration and love.
that was noble
all
of his best
first
rank
of the national
poems, "The Muster
of
the North/' by the strong, fierce music of the
rhythm, shows the true Celtic
fire
and force
of his
nature.
The
to the
leaders of
men
Young
of the great
Ireland were often likened
Gavan
French Revolution.
Duffy was the Vergniaud, the organiser and inspirer.
Meagher,
in his beautiful youth,
and with
the passionate fervour of his eloquence, was the
John Mitchell, strong
St.
Just without his cruelty.
in
words and powerful in purpose, was Danton,
with his fearless gospel of audacity

Butt, with his tossed masses
flashing eyes,
of
and splendid rush
while Isaac
black hair, his
of classic oratory,
was the Mirabeau of the party. Smith O'Brien

was honoured as leader, from his lineage and rank.
Stately as a king, of rare and stainless honour, he
seemed never to forget that he was the descendant

of kings, and might even one day claim the
himself,
if
the revolution succeeded.
father of the
young
John
title
Dillon,
patriot of the present day,
was
a grand specimen of the Spanish-Irish type, and the
southern
fire
ran
warm through
his veins.
He was
USA0E8 OF IRELAND.
one
175
most impassioned speakers of the gifted
of the
band, and no assembly could resist the volcanic

torrent of his burning words.
orators of
they
set
Young
up a
lofty ideal
These were the
Like the Girondists,
Ireland.
for
humanity
to
re-
generate the people by culture, noble aims, noble

lives,
and the service
of
solemn devotion
to their
But there was no Marat among them

they had no plans of cruel vengeance and plunder
country.
they counselled no crimes

as their doctrines,
their fair fame.
As
their lives were as pure
and not a shadow
rests
upon
a poet described them, so were
they
Souls of fire like columns pointing
Flamelike upward to the skies,
Glorious brows which God's anointing
Consecrated altarwise
Stainless hearts, like temples olden
None but priests hath ever trod,
Hands as pure as were the golden
Staves that bore the Ark of God.
Yet these singers and scholars, these

young orators and writers, who showed
height Irish genius might rise
if
brilliant
to
what
trained and guided,
with their sublime ideal of nationhood and heroic
means of action, were deemed more dangerous by

for enEngland than even the assassin's knife
;
lightenment means independence.
But the
selections in Mr.
Sparling's
work are
not limited to one party or one theme.
Every
176
name
note down to the present day, and
of
with
tendencies,
political
all
has
every chord that
vibrated to Celtic sentiment and feeling, will be
found in the
of
collection,
making
most
Irish minstrelsy the
volume
and the
this pretty
interesting
most comprehensive compendium
of national poetic
About twenty
genius yet given to the public.
be found in the list of poets. Among

them Florence McCarthy, the translator of Calderon;
and Sir Samuel Ferguson, the bard and Brehon,
names
will
the rude legends of early history and
who took
them by
transfigured
power
poetic
his
stately majesty of national epics
into the
and John Francis
who
Waller, the sweetest living lyrist of Ireland,

unites
all
the subtle
charm
of
faultless
and tender grace with perfect melody.

weird fancies of Clarence
gotten
of
Mangan
are
nor the spiritual delicacy and
William Allingham, nor
Aubrey de Vere, glowing
in
form
And
the
not forfine
touch
the classic verse of
thought and carefully
with well-skilled workmanship, contrasting
chiselled,
well with the rough-hewn rocks of Banim's powerful verse
we have
streaked with rich veins of gold.

the playful
humour
turns to music in the utterance
beauty of Lady
known "I'm
Sam
of
;
and the pathetic
Dufferin's songs,
sitting
on the
And
Lover, that
stile,
like
the well-
Mary," which
has been steeped in the tears of two hemispheres
and the
fierce defiance
of
iDgram's great poem,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
177
'98;" while the strong

is illustrated by such
ballads as Colonel Blacke's famous " Still put your
trust in God, my boys, but keep your powder dry ;
and the stirring strains of " The Boyne Water
and "No Surrender/ poems still chanted at all
""Who
fears to speak of
minstrelsy of the fiery North
''
convivial meetings
by the strong Ulster men, who

Nor is Dion
always mean what they say and sing.
Boucicault omitted, with his intensely Irish grace,

music, fun, and pathos.
number
their
of the peasant
floating
There
and
are, besides, quite
street ballads, with all
philosophy and
picturesque idiom
given for the first time in a poetical

anthology, such as " The Wearing of the Green/'
correctly
so dear to the popular heart; the quaint
Shan-van-Vocht, with
its
and mystic
mysterious and cryptic
meaning, and the rollicking humour of such ballads

as "
The night
all its rich
before Larry was stretched/' with
vernacular Dublin slang that recalls the
almost extinct race of wandering blind Homers, of
which the eminent

last representative.
"
Zozimus " was perhaps the
Happily,
also,
we
minstrelsy the last great
poem
marked
save Ireland,"
celebrity
" God
find in the
that has attained
by
T.
D.
Sullivan, M.P., late Lord Mayor of Dublin, the

most ardent and powerful of the living Irish poets.
This spirited chant, which has all the strong,
musical beat for which Mr. Sullivan's verses are

Boted, at once took the heart of the people by
178
storm, and the chorus, caught
twenty millions
Irish
the
of
up and echoed by
race, was heard
throughout the world
God save Ireland say we proudly,

God save Ireland, say we all,
Whether on the scaffold high,
Or the battlefield we die,
what matter, when for Erin dear we fall.
!
Al l these illustrations of the passionate genius of

Ireland find a place in Mr. Sparling's " Pantheon
And
of Poets."
true lovers of
which he has
he well deserves the thanks of
fulfilled
arrangements of
his
to give
task,
his
and
the
lucid
All the various
materials.
have been touched, and
strings of the Irish harp
made
all
song for the admirable manner in
up the strange,
fitful,
and wayward
music that can move at
will to tears or laughter,,
and which never
vibrate in the Irish heart.
fails to
For music and soQg are part of the

people
life
of
the
they give a glow to the stormy twilight of
their troubled lives,
terrors of
and strength
a bitter destiny.
to bear the tragic-
Through music and
song the Irish race has always uttered the strongest

emotions of
the vivid
Celtic
nature,
and their
poets and orators have ever had a sovereign power
them above the relentless tortures of privaand persecution, and to redeem them from the
to lift
tion
darkness of despair.
The passionate dreams
of
political enthusiasts-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
179
may
pass away, but the literary value of the songs

remain as a richly illuminated page of Irish history.
Nothing
good
really
in a nation's life is ever lost.
remains an influence for
It
age
of
soul
and
time
all
now go back
people will never
and the
to the servile
spirit that held
bond-
them enchained
before the fetters were rent and the bonds broken
by the genius
and
intellectual
force,
the lofty
teaching, and the cadenced words of the
men
of
'48.
Ancient Irish Gold.

There
existed
is
every reason
abundantly in
and the mines
of
the
believe
to
Ireland
gold
that
former times,
in
South were worked, and
the gold smelted in the various gold
pro-
districts,
bably a thousand years before the Christian Bra.
The
earliest race,
men
however, the
of the Stone
Age, do not seem to have had any knowledge of

metals, and no gold
ornaments have been found
in the ancient crannoges, or lacustrine habitations,
or with the earliest remains of the dead.
But the next
race, the Tuatha-de-Danans,
were
skilled in metallurgy,
and eminent as
gold and silver;
so
that in
they were
be necromancers, and in league
with the
held to
fairies
and the
artificers in
the popular belief
spirits of
the
hill.
Dianecht, the chief smith of the Tuatha-de-
Danans,
still
holds an
tradition for his
skill
enduring
in
place
in
Irish
the production of
n 2
an
180
hand, fashioned of
artificial
silver,
Nuadhe, the king, who had
for
in the great battle
which he made
lost his
own hand
fought with the Firbolgs for
the possession of Ireland, and in confirmation of

this story the
king
henceforth
is
known
in history
as "
Nuadhe of the silver hand."

The Milesians who followed and conquered the
Tuatha, were a Celtic-Spanish race, according to

tradition,
families
and from them the chief existing noble

of
claim
Ireland
such
descent,
and
O'Neills, the O'Connors, the O'Briens,
whose descendants are

for their ancient
The
the
others,
honoured by the people
and noble blood.
Milesians were a splendid and powerful
people, wise
of
still
as
Ireland,
extended
and learned, who,
after the conquest
became the founders
code
of
laws,
a just and
of
and
of
race
may be
a well-defined
political social system.
To
this great Milesian
the vast
quantity of
manufactured
attributed
gold
which
has been dug up from time to time from the
and bogs
soil
of Ireland.
The ancient bardic legends and poems make

frequent mention of the costly personal decorations worn by the kings and queens, the chiefs
and
princes,
torques,
bards
diadems,
and
amulets,
Brehons;
rings,
the massive
and
brooches;
the gold trapping for the horses, the rich clasps

for the royal mantles, and other
ornaments of
USAGES OF IRELAND.
lei
beautiful form and workmanship, all
made by the
who had
native goldsmiths,
and weight
for each
certain
ornament to
fixed
suit
size
the rank
Even the very nature of the ornament was specified by law. Thus we read, that by
of the wearer.
command
at
all
of
one of the chief monarchs of Erin,
the great festivals held at the Court of Tara,
the princes were ordered to wear torques of gold
and chains upon the neck,
to
distinguish
them
from the common people; and the nobles, rings
upon the fingers.

The bards were distinguished by a golden fillet
round the brow, while the queens and royal ladies
of gold
bound
with the
circlet,
find it related of
Maeoe,
their long flowing locks
or asion of gold.
And we
the great Queen of Oonnaught, that
when going
to battle she rode in an open chariot, accompanied
by four other chariots

and one on each side,
before her,
behind her,
keep the golden asion
to
on her head, and her royal robes from being defiled

by the dust raised by the tramp of the horses
and the men-at-arms
as they
rushed by.
For
all
the sovereigns of Erin sat crowned as they drove

in their war-chariots to battle, as well as at the
public feasts and ceremonies.
Gold rings were also used as current money for

barter, tribute, or
because
of
And the victor in a

"The Exactor of Eings,"
reward.
battle was often styled
the ransom
he demanded from the
182
Of Queen Boanna, wife of the PoetKing of Munster, who gave her name to the River
vanquished.
Boyne,
it is
told that,
beside the king, she
when she
sat at the festivals
had her arms covered with
rings oE gold, ready for bestowal on the poets
who
pleased her best by their recitations.
In the ancient " Book of Rights," gold-adorned

shields are mentioned, also gold trappings for the
and tunics, and. rings

The amount of gold given on
various occasions is also distinctly stated by the
Thus, Brian Boru, the king, made an
chroniclers.
horses, gold-trimmed cloaks
of " the red gold."
offering of twenty ounces of gold at the shrine of

St.
Patrick; and Dermot MacMorrough,
brought
the
Normans
hundred ounces
who
first
over to Ireland, gave a
gold to O'Rourke, Prince of
of
Bresney, as an einach, or atonement, for having

carried off his wife
spouse,
faithless
after
seeing
entered the
made an
while Devorgill, the fatal and
when, repentant and sorrowful
the
Abbey
invasion
of
her
of Melifont to
country,
she
end her days,
offering on the altar of a golden chalice,
along with twenty ounces of gold, as an expiation

for her sin.
When
monarch
King
of Ulster visited Tara, the chief
of Ireland
was bound to present him with
the
a minn, or lunula, a crescent-shaped ornament for
the head, " of the full breadth of his face in gold."
And
the provincial kings had rings of gold upon
USAGES OF IRELAND.
every finger.
by one
Caps
of
183
gold were frequently offered
king to another, and
the tribute paid
annually to the chief monarch by the minor kings
included steeds with golden bridle-bits, and cloaks
with golden clasps, swords, shields, and numerous

caps of gold.
were
inlaid
The drinking-horns and wine-cups

with gold
the sacred shrines were
plated with gold, and encrusted with jewels; and
the golden chalices, and other adornments for altar
were of such splendour that the churches

were frequently plundered by the Danes and other
service,
piratical
In
Norsemen, for the sake of the rich
1169,
Donogh
"The Four Masters"
record
O'Canoll, Lord of Airghialla, gave,
spoil.
that
when
dying, three hundred ounces of gold to the clerics
and churches
of this kind,
From costly gifts

made by the kings and nobles, a vast
for the love of God.
amount of treasure was accumulated in the abbeys

and monasteries, much of which became the prey
of the rude invaders, and was carried off by them
to their northern home.
As no
native gold
is
found in Denmark,
it is
supposed that the Danes melted down the Irish

gold,
and then fashioned
after their
vessels
and ornaments
own manner, giving them
impress of Scandinavian art
the distinctive
and thus the presence
many gold articles in the great northern

museums may be accounted for.
The amount of ancient manufactured gold
of so
184
which has been found in Ireland
No
credible.
Europe
other
possesses
times; and
it is
so
country
in
almost in-
is
north-western
much belonging
to
early-
remarkable that the same special
character of ornamentation can be traced throughout
specimens,
these magnificent
all
called
Kemble the Opus Hibemicum, proving

were the genuine product of Irish
by
that they
artistic skill.
In 1802, ten golden bracelets, of the open shape
common
to
Egypt and the Bast, were found
in
Connaught, buried deep down in a bog, and sold

afterwards for seven hundred pounds
the
mere
value in weight.
In 1854, while making the Bnnis railway, the

workmen came upon a vast number of gold ornaments,
as
it
all
is
This great " Clare Find,"
in one hoard.
called,
was discovered deep down
ground, packed together in a
little
in the
stone receptacle,
the ornaments being neatly piled one upon the

other,
and covered with
clay.
The hoard com-
prised one hundred and thirty-seven rings of gold,
numerous torques, gorgets, fibulae, bracelets, circlets,

amulets, and other ornaments, all of pure gold, and
bright as
if
just fresh
from the goldsmith's hand,
the value being estimated at five thousand pounds

in
mere weight, without considering the perfect

The hoard was supposed to be the
workmanship.
spoil of a foray, carefully secreted
by the
victors,
but never removed, probably from some adverse
USAGES OF IRELAND.
185
chance of war; and so the precious deposit had
remained hidden and untouched in the earth for
more than
a thousand years.
second hoard was discovered some time after
when
cutting another portion of the railway, of the-
value of two thousand pounds.

costly
articles
Museum
were
secured
of the Royal Irish
Many
for
the
of
these
National
Academy, which now

manu-
contains above three hundred specimens of
factured gold, forming the most interesting Celticcollection
to
be found in Europe.
The
British
Museum
also obtained some specimens from the

great " Clare Find," but a large portion disappeared
in
Gold
the smelting-pot.
frequently found in the

are ten in the Dublin
soil
diadems have been

or the bogs.
There
Museum, weighing from four
was discovered twelve

feet deep in a bog, in the County Limerick, and
measures above eleven inches in height. The form
is perfect and beautiful, having large gold discs to
finish off the ends at the ears, and the ornamentato sixteen ounces.
tion
is,
The
finest
in the highest degree, artistic.
There are
museum, two
also thirty-seven
of
gold torques in the
them being the most splendid
specimens known, measuring above five feet in,

length, and each being more than twenty-seven
ounces in weight.
by
They were discovered
in 1810'
a peasant boy, at Tara, the ancient Court of the
Kings, and after
many
vicissitudes,
these costly
186
found their
historic relics
of the late
Duke
way
of Sussex,
into the possession
but were
pur-
finally
chased by the Royal Irish Academy.
The torque, as a personal decoration, was well

known to the ancient world, to Egypt, Persia, and,
later, to the Romans.
It can be seen in the
Pompeian Mosaics and on the neck of " The Dying
-Gladiator
that
and
"
is
it
a well-known historic fact
name Torquatos was given
the
to
Titus
Manlius and his race for having taken a torque
from the neck

above
all,
ornament
of
of
Celtic Gaul
in battle.
But,
seems to have been the favourite
it
the
Celtic chiefs,
and more golden
torques have been found in Ireland, and of greater

size,
than exist
The torque
a large hoop
in
any Continental
(or
made
tore
in
collection.
Irish),
was
in
form
and
was worn on the neck, or round the waist. The
size and splendour of these magnificent personal
of twisted ropes of
gold,
ornaments show the instinctive love of the Irish for

bright and glittering decorations.
It is recorded of
Cormac Mac-Art, who reigned
at Tara, that he sat at the banquet

gold,
wearing a
fine,
crowned with
purple garment, a golden
brooch on his breast, a collar or tore of gold round

his neck,
stones
and a belt adorned with gold and precious
encircling his waist.
Trinity College, Dublin, there
In the
is
museum
of
a fibula of pure
gold, eight and a half inches long, and weighing
VSAGES OF IRELAND.
thirty-five ounces, the heaviest
exist.
It
was no doubt one
187
known
as yet
to
of the ancient regal
ornaments used to fasten the mantle of the king

on the shoulder.
Of the lunette
(called
minn
or
meend
in Irish),
there are eighteen specimens in the Royal Irish
Academy, from
eleven inches high, and
to
five
there are three in the British
Museum, brought
They were worn by chiefs, and
over from Ireland.
the victors in a battle, and by royal ladies.
It is
recorded
chief
of
Queen
Maireen,
of
Dermot,
monarch at Tara, that being bald, she wore one on

her head to cover the defect
but a favourite of
;
King Dermot's, being
woman
jealous
of
bribed a
her,
minn from the queen's

head as she sat at the festival surrounded by the
" May God preserve me
princes and nobles.
exclaimed Maireen, when she was conscious of the
insult, placing her hand upon her head, when lo
to tear the golden
before any of the Court had time to look, or

at her, a flowing mass of golden hair
fell
mock
down
upon the queen's shoulders, covering her with

beauty.
And
its
thus she triumphed over her enemies.
Manufactured gold
generally found in Ireland
is
hidden deep in the bogs,
or, in isolated
specimens
of great value, in the vicinity of the ancient forts
and battle-grounds,
in
as
a hasty retreat,
if
or
dropped by the vanquished

buried,
on some
surprise, for fear of the plundering invader.
sudden
188
The south-west
the north-west
over
the
literally
richer in these treasures than
but they are scattered broadcast
The
country.
seems
Ireland
of
soil
strewn with gold, and
many
rich hoards
no doubt, be discovered in time, according
will,
as
is
bogs
the
railroads
are
drained,
made through
or
new
cuttings
for
the remote districts of the
South and West.

Unfortunately,
large
already destroyed and
been
have
quantities
lost,
from the ignorance
of
the finders respecting the antiquarian value of the

articles, or
through fear of detection
from the absence of
all
but chiefly
law of treasure-trove
the
present law, chiefly obtained through the valuable

services
and exertions
of the late learned
and gifted
Lord Talbot-de-Malahide, having only come into

operation in the year 1861.
Before
that
period
the
jewellers
purchased
largely from the finders for the purpose of melting
down
the gold.
The leading goldsmiths
of
the
present day estimate that within the last few years
upwards
of ten thousand pounds'
ornaments
have
passed
into
worth
the
of
crucible.
gold
splendid fibula from one of the finds was sold for

fifty-two guineas, its exact weight,
lost
to
the national collection.
law of treasure-trove, the finder,
and
But now, by the

if he brings the
article to the nearest police-station, is
with the promise of
full
so has been
given a receipt,
value to be paid by the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
189
Government; the antiquarian value being four

pounds the ounce, or even more, if the article is
of
special rarity or beauty.
According
to the best Irish authorities, there is
Wicklow were worked

They were well
proof that the gold mines of

fully three
known
thousand years ago.
to the people,
and from the quantity
of the
metal found in the plain of the Liffey, the men of
"The Lagenians
Leinster were anciently styled
of
the Gold."
Gold
is
found in Wicklow, but the mines
still
are not worked, as the result was not considered
qual to the cost of working; yet in 1796, an
experiment having been made, ten thousand pounds'
worth
of the precious metal
weeks from one
of the
was procured
in a
Wicklow mines, and
few
in the
very place where, according to the old annalists,

gold was
first
Besides
smelted and fashioned into ornaments.
Wicklow,
are
there
auriferous districts in Ireland
other
several
Wexford, Dublin,
Kildare, Antrim,
and Londonderry have
duced gold ; and
many
all
pro-
places are associated with
the word Oir (gold) from the quantity found there,

either
there
unwrought or manufactured.
is
Thus
in
Kerry
a place called Dun-an-oir, the Fort of the
Gold, from the
number
of
gold ornaments found
secreted in one hoard, deep in the ground.

Irish gold in
its
native state
is
generally found
in grains or nodules, frequently on the surface,
190
washed down by the mountain streams and riversIt is always slightly alloyed with silver and copper.
The silver was much used by the ancient artificers,,

and brooches were made of thin plates oE gold
hammered down on a basis of silver. A slight
artificial alloy of silver or copper was also often
used by the ancient goldsmiths to produce the
colour required for manufactured ornaments, silver
giving a pale hue, while the admixture of copper
produced what
Renewed
is
called " the red gold."
efforts will
probably now be made to
work the gold districts of Ireland, the attention of

the Empire having been recently aroused to the
value and importance of native gold
by the
interest-
ing and very successful explorations in Wales.
Only a year ago operations were commenced
in>
Merionethshire, through the influence and generous-
Mr. Pritchard Morgan, the great Australian
aid of
capitalist;
there,
it
being well known that gold existed
and had been worked
The
result
has
former times.
in
been most encouraging
for
within four months above four thousand ounces of
gold were obtained by the miners
the value being
over fourteen thousand pounds.
Mr.
Pritchard
attention
Crown
to
and
is
now
turning
his
has already obtained
leases of fifty-four square miles of land in
Wicklow, which
being
Morgan
Ireland,
convinced
he proposes working for gold,

that with
capital
and
proper-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
191
machinery the Irish gold districts can still be

worked with great commercial profit ; but as a preliminary step, he is anxious that an influential goldmining company should be formed, as in Wales,,
without delay, to supply the necessary funds, and
and secure the

Thus a rich source
to direct
profitable
success of the explorations.
and a new and

industry, may be opened to the Irish
of wealth,
people to stimulate their energies, and to send a tide

of fresh activity
through the land.

Pkihitive Man.
No
matter
how
may have
far civilisation
pro-
gressed in any country during the long lapse of

ages, yet the beginning of the
of
life
humanity was
simple and uniform throughout the entire world.
Man formed
force,
which
gradually
is
made
own
natural
their aid
he has
implements to aid
and by
limited,
it
almost
his daily subsistence, he
his
To provide
infinite.
had
he had not made
wedge, the bow, the canoe, and
if
tools to help himself to sustain
life,
remained
far
inferior
to
for
to invent the axe, the
he would have
the animal creation in
power and resources, though they are only guided
by
instinct.
Primitive
man
picked up
the hardest
struck them together and produced
shaped and fashioned the
flint
each other, and with these
chips
first
fire.
flints,,
Then he
by the
aid of
rude elements of
192
human power he
kill his
other
prey,
could
hew wood, dig
and make war, or defend himself
from.
tribes.
The flint axe was the first symbol

humanity,
is
the ground,
it is
in the history of
contemporary with the mastodon, and
human work
the oldest record of
to
be found on
is
nothing more
ancient than this tool, and nothing
more humble;
the face of the globe.
There
yet archaeologists can read the history of the primal

race
by
it,
as the astronomers calculate the orbit of
a planet from measuring an arc of the circle.

first
chapter in
human
life
was the Age
of
The
Stone;
when men dwelt in

caves, and with their implements of flint or wood
slew the wild animals for food and made clothing
the beginning of
of the skins, deftly
all
things
sewn together with thongs, using
a fish bone for a needle; or
wove
tunics of plaited
rushes, and cut their mocassins out of untanned

hide,
in a like manner with the sinews

But primitive man had also abundance
sewn
animals.
of
of
been proved by the
oysters for his sustenance, as has
enormous mounds of oyster-shells
still
existing in
Denmark, amongst which may be sometimes found,

even now, the flint knives used by the cave-men
for opening the nutritive bivalve.
The Age
of Stone,
when men
through the central forests of

stone
axes,
and fought for
bear and the hyaena,
may have
cleared a path
Europe with
existence with
their
the
lasted for countless
USAGES OF IRELAND.
ages, while the world
race
the
was preparing
1P3
for the
Adamic
and highest that has yet appeared
last
on earth; but
it
seems almost certain that the
cave-men, the antediluvian or pre-Adamic
race,
never attained to a more advanced grade, for no

evidence of a knowledge of metals has been found
amongst
their remains.
Metal, for the most part,
remains hidden in
the earth and the rocks, and cannot be used with-
out much, labour and dexterous manipulation

stone
lies at
by the
but
the feet of man, before his eyes, and
simplest
effort
can be made into a tool
or a weapon, from the rudest hatchet to the highly
implement which has received the
finished flint
modern name of celt, from celtis, a chisel, though

some people erroneously imagine from the word
that the implement owed its origin to the Celtic
But the Celtic people, from whom the Irish
race.
are
descended, are infinitely dissevered from the
lower primal race of the cave-men, and did not

follow in their track
after the
men
of the
till
perhaps a thousand years
Stone
Age had spread
over
The
the world and were passing into oblivion.

Celts,
when they
first
reached the
West
of
Europe
from their Eastern home, were to a certain degree
advanced
metals,
at
in
culture,
least
of
and had the knowledge

copper,
of
which in time they
and thus formed the

beautiful bronze weapons and tools, of which so
learned to combine with
tin,
194
many hundreds have been found
in Ireland, unsur-
passed in any modern work for the brilliancy and
beauty of the metal, which shines like burnished gold.
of
The
Celts found the stone hatchet in the
the
indigenous
race,
hands
and adopted the form
which they reproduced in bronze, and added to

the weapons and tools they had already in use.
The
furrows
first
of
were traced
civilisation
and dug by the primitive man with his rude stone

but
implements and without the aid of metal
;
the higher race, the Adamic, seems,
we
if
trust
the Bible, to have had a knowledge of metals
from the very beginning, and the Age of Copper
was the
ages
in
first
The
and to work.
their
and
date of the two great metallic
copper being comparatively easy to extract
Celts of
weapons from the

it
was the
first
used
Ireland
earliest
dawn
and even hammered into shape
But
preceded
it,
finally, brass,
gave place to a
metal, and the
Age
of
for
of history,
metal which became of im-
portance to man, being smelted without
condition.
it
difficulty,
easily in its native
like the
still
stone that
more powerful
Iron succeeded.
This metal produced an immense revolution in

the world,
and
developments of
is illimitable
jife
and
and
is
the source of
human
its
uses are infinite
civilisation date
employment
of iron
the higher
all
industry, for
;
its
power
and modern
from the knowledge and

of any other metal.
beyond that
USAGES OF IRELAND.
195
Thus, in the history of humanity, the law
may
Age of Stone first, the Age of
the Age of Brass intermediate and
And legend and mythology have a
the
be formulated
Iron
last,
transitional.
certain basis of truth

of the world into the
when they divide the epochs

Age of Gold, of Brass, and of
For the knowledge
Iron.
that of
of gold certainly
other metals.
all
As
Sir
preceded
John Lubbock
remarks in his important and valuable work,

" Prehistoric Times " " Gold was the metal which
:
no doubt
is
first
attracted the attention of
many
often found on the surface, and in
and by
attractive
who
bright colour would
its
even
the
to
Silver
was not
it
rivers,
certainly prove
savage
rudest
instinctively love colour
tion."
man, as
tribes,
and personal decora-
in use until long after gold,
and was preceded by both copper and tin; but

gold was often used in its crude state for ornamental purposes by savage tribes, though it never
was
of
importance to
purposes.
human
life
for
industrial
few years ago a cave was discovered
in Spain containing several skeletons, all clothed

in
tunics of
woven
rushes, but decorated on the
neck and arms with bracelets and collars of crude

and one skeleton, who,
gold pressed into shape
;
perhaps, was the king or chief, wore in addition

a circlet of gold round the head
been discovered as yet

Stone Age.
but
in Ireland
no gold has
belonging to the
ANCIENT CUBES, CHARMS,. AND
196
The New Eaces.

The cave-men, who had
originally
made the
world their own, and overspread the whole earth,
seem
have entirely passed away, having

as pioneers of the higher
at last to
their mission,
fulfilled
come and they finally became

mammoth and the mastodon,
and the great Cervus Megaceros of Ireland, and the
many other giants of land and sea, that were
humanity that was
to
extinct, along with the
with the
contemporary
the
ages of
first
Stone
Age
died out, leaving no descendants,
and no other evidence

the silent
we can
of
their
their being,
how they
lived
by which
and worked, and had
and take the measure
standard, which, though
save
existence
but eternal symbols of stone,
see
types, yet
men
prepared for the new race, the
sufficiently
of the
rudimental humanity of
So when the world was
life.
of their
mental
the lowest of the
human
was not without some
instincts of art
and design, for they drew rude sketches on

walls of their caves,
and
their
weapons had
the-
often.
a rude ornamentation, the product perhaps of their

leisure hours.
The
races that
followed to people the world
belonged to a new creation, a higher humanity
of
of
;.
them we owe all, the great representatives

mankind iu history, and all the existing peoples
Chief amongst them may be named
the earth.
and
to
the Semitic, Teutonic, and
the
Celtic
races
the
USAQES OF IRELAND.
197
eminent for religion
Semite being always
the
and power and the Celt

The Celtic race that founded
for art and intellect.
our own Irish nation, and from whom the Irish
Teuton for conquest,
nature obtains
the
rule,
all its
peculiar characteristics,
was
bring culture to Ireland, architecture,
first to
the symbols of writing, and the arts of weaving
and metal work, along with a code
of laws that
trained the people to a sense of right and justice.
amongst
them was deemed worthy

the highest honour; and while all Europe lay
Intellect
of
in
darkness, the Celts of Ireland in the early Christian

centuries were distinguished for their love of art
and
and sent forth from
learning,
many a man
their
schools
eminence to carry the torch of
of
light through the world;
and
to this
day
in all the
highest illustrations of intellect in Europe can be
traced a strain of the Celtic blood.

It is
remarkable that through
all
the lapse of
ages, the distinctive characteristics of a race never
change or
alter.
the Teuton
and poet
The Semite is still the priest,

and the Celt the artist
the warrior,
of the world.
Three thousand years may
have passed by, yet the Semitic race stands, as of

old, at the
head
doctrine.
The
of the highest religious
code and
Teuton has never ceased going forth
conquering and to conquer,

world
is
now under
his
till nearly the whole

sway; and the Celt (with
whom we Irish have a living affinity),
is still
the pas-
198
sionate poet
huraan
and
polity,
orator, the centrifugal force of the-
ever sending forth a rush of
thought into the world, to kiudle as with light
new
and
flame the hopes and aspirations of oppressed peoples
and
nations, and to arouse their energies for the-
holy war against wrong, and for the sublime cause^

of
human
right.
THE AMERICAN
IRISH.
The Irish of To-day.
The record of Irish wrong is now, perhaps,,

scarcely remembered by the nation whose struggles
for conquest so long made Ireland a land of mourning and woe; but the tale
with enduring
vitality.
nessed some fierce
still lives
Every century has
effort to
throw
yoke, and every generation adds
long
roll of
for the vain
pendence.
in Irish hearts
martyrs and victims
off
wit-
the foreign
new names
doomed to
to the
suffer
but beautiful dream of national indeExile, confiscation, the prison,
scaffold form the leading chapters
even to our own day
an
and
the-
of Irish history,,
endless
martyrology
written in tears and blood.
Yet, some good has
Many
come
of the evil.
holy and sacred things spring up in a
nation's soul from the seed
sown by persecution.
Suffering purifies and refines, and a people learns
the value of coherence and unity mainly throuo-h
USAGES OF IRELAND.
There
oppression.
is
also
something ennobling
the love of an object out of
an abstraction
freedom, with
called
all
self-reverence,
the
and
19D
in the devotion to
self,
Country ; in
word means
dream
this
of
dignity, honour,
be a sad
It will
self-respect.
higher national
day, perhaps, for the
in
life
when
Ireland has no more dreams, and the country no
more martyrs,
for then
out of the
of the people,
life
an ideal
will
have passed
and a nation without
an ideal aim on which to concentrate the passions,

soon becomes hopelessly materialised, inarticulate,
and
The
dull.
fancies,
subtle, spiritual
human
finer issues of
and the
are stifled by the
feeling,
sensuous, selfish enjoyment of the actual and the
present
and nations, as well as individuals, become
and
hard
sacrifice
cold,
without
divine
the
nationality of the Irisb, with
its
large indefinite-
ness of aim and instincts of resistance,
due much
a people to arm, they can
Words become
their weapons,
and
of
All
laws forbid
and the
Irish
armoury
Nationality, this
an ideal future, illumines their poetry
oratory, their
splendour of
even the
When
also
only speak or sing.
always bright and burning.
dream
may be
of the fervour of Irish eloquence.
oppressed nations are eloquent.
is
impulse of
To the impassioned
and self-abnegation.
music and song, with a vague
passion
common
and pathos, and preserves
speech and popular literature
of the people from the coarseness
and vulgarity
200
so obtrusively characteristic of the English lower

classes.
some compensation
Ireland, then, has

sufferings
many
manner that
of her people, a gentle courtesy of

is
almost
and a power
reverential,
sympathy and
which
love
with
organisation,
for her
fine-toned chords in the nature
its
self-centred egotism,
is
the
plethoric
of
stolid
winning
English
prosperity
and
entirely without.
It is remarkable, also, that
wherever the Irish
are located in other lands, they never forget the

It is still the
old country.
eyes are ever turned.

their feelings,
Mecca
to
which their
Exile even seems to intensify
and the
fearless oratory of passion
glows with a fervour that would be impossible in

the police-ruled country at home.
more
especially, free
In America,
speech knows no limit with
regard to the past and future of Ireland.

festivals are celebrated there
like
swords,
while
Irish
with words that clang
memorial
rituals
keep
the
martyrs of freedom for ever living before the eyes

of the people.
Armed
clubs are
chief leaders of Irish revolt,
mark
named
after the
and solemn processions
the anniversary of each national tragedy, for
there are
no triumphs
The Greeks
of old
in letters of gold
to record in Irish history.
wrote the names of their heroes
upon the walls
of their temples
the Irish must search for the names of their heroes
on the walls of a prison.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
201
This consecration of revolt, this canonisation of
the victims of rebellion, has a powerful influence on

the young generation of American Irish. It kindles
bitter
and deathless indignation in their hearts,
and, like a
passion
warm
surges
gulf
stream, the tide of their
the Atlantic to raise the
across
temperature at home to the revolutionary heat,

which, in these days, generally culminates in the
endeavour to found a Republic.

the Irish
may
It is singular that
England, yet they
live for years in
never acquire the Euglish manner
calm,
grave,
and self-possessed nor the English habits of order

and routine; nor even the English accent while
;
in America they rapidly become Americanised, bold

in speech, audacious in enterprise, self-asserting in
manner, and, above
No
Irishman
On
Monarchy.
all,
returns
Republican in sentiment.
from
America
loyal
the old bonds of servile feudalism, with

superstitions
soon gain
of
class
many
worship
and
is
and
all
all
its
his opinions
The American
followers.
holds the place of honour at

tions in Ireland,
to
the contrary, he laughs to scorn
flag
popular demonstra-
always greeted with enthu-
siastic cheers, while the flag of
England
is
nowhere
seen.*
* It
was the American flag that waved over the

Fenian prisoners during the great torchlight
procession in Dublin to welcome their return. The English
flag was not visible anywhere.
liberated
ANCIENT CURES, CHASMS, AND
202
These are some of the outward and visible
signs-
and
American
Republican tendencies amongst the Irish people,,
and it is a natural result, considering the incessant
intercourse, and the strong relationship existing
between Ireland and America.
the rapid spread
of
influence
of
Tear by year Ireland sends forth thousands

of her people in the
weeds
to
helpless
crowd
peasants
known
emigrant ships, like outcast
be flung on the shores of America, a

of
crushed,
and
have never even
their rights as freemen,
dulled by want,
oppression,
and
despair;
speaking, perhaps, no
language save the ancient tongue

Celt,
unlettered
dispirited,
serfs -who
slaves
of the primitive
through which no new light of thought has
flashed for
a thousand
years
seeing
nothing,
knowing nothing in all God's great universe save

the two awful and irresistible forces that for them
rule earth and heaven, the landlord and the priest.
Silent and troubled, with the scared, sad look of
the hunted deer, they gather on the beach amid
the wild cries of their kindred, and
with
exile
the
unknown land beyond the
ship,
were passing
of death.
to
all
its
another
But, in the
sail
unknown
the
life
sea,
away
horrors,
as
if
in
to-
they
through the gates
next decade the children
of these serfs of the desolated lives, the bewildered

brain,
and the darkened
soul, spring
up
at once-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to the level of the nineteenth century
205
ardent
in
purpose, fearless in word, eager for action, and
with a glowing ambition to scale those heights

which under a Republic are accessible to all who
filled
have
intellect
gotten,
The past
and daring.
but they stand on
it
as
is
not for-
on a pedestal,
from whence they take a wider survey of their

position, and recognise the truth at last that life
means something more
to
man
endurance of the negation of
up a nation, or a human
helpless,
all
than mere passive

things that build
They are no longer

incoherent masses of ignorant and unsoul.
organised men, waifs driven by the storm-winds

of despair, with only bitter memories, or vengeful
hopes to guide,
that, like
torches held over an
abyss by an uncertain hand, too often lead but

to
dismay and
ruin.
The American Irish are the opposite of all this.

They receive a soldier's training, with full privileges of freemen and citizens.
They are educated
and organised; important by their numbers, and
by that ready talent and indomitable spirit which
is rapidly gaining for them the highest positions
as statesmen, generals, orators, writers, and journalists in the States.
Laws and Governments have an immense

fluence
upon the moral nature
of
a people,
in-
and
help to create a national character as much, or
204
even more, than the ethnical elements out of which

a nation
is
men
formed. Under a Republic,
acquire
those noble qualities of self -reverence, self-respect,
and personal
pressed
races
and
trodden down
abjectly
the
nature,
Irish
and
through fear
long
so
made almost
coercion and
humbled, and
and
servile
amongst op-
rarely found
dignity,
penal laws, gains a new force and sense of strength
under Republican teaching that

from a death
The
vastness of America, the
the infinite
prise,
is like
an awakening
sleep.
extent
gigantic enter-
her
of
resources,
the
boundless wealth waiting on every side for the

skilful
hand and the energetic
brain, have a pecu-
upon the multitudes who

energy finds no
brain, and intellect has neither
liarly stimulating effect
have
work
quitted
for
a country where
hand
or
honour nor reward.
The
lassitude
induced by the utter stagnation of
home
if
is
thrown
off,
they have the
and languor
things at
all
and men begin to
gifts
win
to
feel that
success, they have
which
also a right to share those splendid rewards
under a Monarchy are reserved almost exclusively

for a favoured few, but
freely to
all.
And
powerful enough to
which a Republic
the American Irish
command
of their adoption
at
home.
a nation
now
They have
success.
become a great and mighty people
are
offers
in
the land
greater than the nation
There are twice
as
many
Irish
now
USAGES OF IRELAND.
in
205-
They form
and
America as there are in Ireland.
a third
of the population of all the great cities,
are banded together in one powerful organisation
by
race, religion,
They have
new
era in
memory, and hopes.
also
one aim, which
is
the history of Ireland.
fanaticism of their lives
to create a
This
The
the individual dies, the nation lives and waits.
English sneer down the idea

eradicate
the
the
is
but they bide their time

;
yet nothing will
dream from
splendid
the
Celtic
imagination that some day the Irish race will be
powerful enough to recross the Atlantic with ships
and arms and money, overthrow English

annex Ireland
And
the Stars and Stripes.

that the project
is
it
and
rule,
to the great Federal Eepublic
under
must be confessed
not wholly improbable or im-
possible, should there
be some new arrangement
of the nationalities of the world, for
a standpoint in Europe
America needs
and Ireland would form
a capital Atrium for the unresting, eternally
moving
masses of the American people, who, having already
swept along the whole coast of the
Pacific,
will
soon be surging across the Atlantic to seek
new
homes. Indeed the subject has already been openly

discussed,
and
even
suggestion
offered
that
America should purchase Ireland from the English

Government in a peaceable, orderly way for considering what a thorn in the flesh the Green Isle
;
has ever been to England, the severance,
it
is
206
made without much
thought, might bo
grief
on
Meanwhile, the American Irish boast
either side.
of their ten millions, all ready to pour across the
Atlantic
they
when
can
the fitting
reconstruct
moment comes
their
ancient
in
which
motherland
upon the newest Republican principles.

We are accustomed to think of Ireland
as
according
to
nation
only
home
statistics
of
five
millions,
and census reports; but, including
Australia with America, the Irish
may be counted
at eighteen or twenty millions
and
case of
in
European complication, or
some
between England and the United States,
violent
of
war
it
may
be interesting to speculate on which side these

would range themselves. Gratitude would
millions
bind them to America

against
the
adversity,
them
flag
when
that
evil
they could never fight

sheltered
them
in
their
laws and bitter tyranny forced
to abandon their
own unhappy country; and
they could scarcely be expected to show an enthusiastic desire to support
England even
at the
sacrifice of their lives.
So tremendous a catastrophe, however, as war
between England and

never happen
and with
the
States will probably
but revolutions
spirit steps.
may come
Such a revolution,
now going on
silently
silent
gradual, but certain,
is
mind abroad and
home, and some day the new
ideas
will
find
at
visible
expression in
in the Irish
perhaps a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
higher national
life
than any Ireland has yet known.
Education will create a new history;

that above
to utilise their chances
blindly after their ideal, which

this is
is
and
groped
National Indepen-
the magic phrase that binds them
together as one people
symbolised a religion
it
have
the Irish
Hitherto
opportunities.
the force
it is
others moulds the destiny of a people,
all
and teaches them how
dence
207
all
and
over the world, as

if
if it
they have striven for
through seven centuries of darkness and
dis-
shores of America holds
it up now
when Liberty from the
high her torch for men to
read their rights by
and America has,
organisation, they are not likely to give

in this nineteenth century,
in
an
especial manner, constituted herself the teacher of
Lectures upon
the Irish people.

poetry, oratory, and
all
Irish
history,
that illustrates the genius,
sufferings, wrongs,
and destiny of the
most popular of
subjects throughout the States,
and
all
attract eager
strange
to
additional
say,
charm
and sympathetic crowds

these
subjects
of novelty.
reared upon traditions, but
knowledge
of
their
own
The
have
for,
the
have
little
accurate
upper
history, while the

it,
with the
Academicians
who
curiously, as they do the Vedas, for
mere
exception
it
also
Irish people are
classes are notoriously ignorant of
study
Irish, are the
of
a few
learned
ethnological or philological purposes.
The reason
of this national ignorance
is
simply
208
that Irish history
Ireland
of
is
not taught in any of the schools?
not in the National schools, nor the
endowed schools
nor
is it
included in the course
at the Queen's Colleges or the
history
is
by
steadily ignored
and colleges
schools, academies,
a national annihilation that probably
could find no counterpart in

Irish children
Dublin University,
In Irish education, Irish
to qualify for a degree.
may recite
the rest of Europe.
all
the kings of the Heptarchy,
or the causes of the Punic Wars, but of the long,

heroic struggles of their forefathers against foreign
domination, they are taught never a word.

Naturally, the object of an alien
Government
was
to extinguish the idea of a country
and
obliterate heroic
memories
as a traitor,
and nationality
manner the
pride, self-respect,
to
degrade
brand a patriot
to
as treason
and
and
in this
self-reliance of
the Irish people have been slowly murdered through
the centuries
for strong
and noble
qualities like
these are only found amongst a people
who
are
taught the dignity of nationhood, and to reverence

the
men
of their race
who have
and suffered for some great
toiled,
idea, or
and fought,
some sublime
word.
America, however, fully responds to the eager

desire of the Irish
amongst them
ledge and clearer light.
Many
are almost wholly devoted
for fuller
know-
influential journal*
to Irish subjects, and,
the past and future of Ireland are discussed with a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
fearless audacity
remarks
unknown here
" There
is
209
for, as
Emerson
a boundless freedom in the
and people have been put to death in other

what are but the commonplaces
American writers/' One of the best of these
States,
countries for uttering

of
is The Boston Pilot, edited by an Irishman,

John Boyle O'Reilly, the distinguished author of
" Songs from the Southern Seas," a series of wild,
journals
fierce tales of adventure,
remarkable for startling
originality of conception, nervous language,

full flow of
and a
sonorous harmonies in the versification.
Another journal of considerable critical ability,

The New York Nation, is also edited by an Irishman,
Mr. Grodkin, son of the author of " Ireland and her
Churches," and other works.
The Irish World, the
favourite organ of the ultra-democratic party, has a
and openly advocates an armed

Ireland, and the redistribution of all
fiercer inspiration,
invasion of
This journal
the confiscated estates.

violently
anti-English,
and
the
is
indeed so
are
illustrations
so bitterly sarcastic on the Eaglish Court (although

with
none of the revolting ribaldry permitted
to
appear in some of the London papers), that recently

it
has been stopped at the Irish Post Office, and the
priesthood discourage
people.
It
is,
its
circulation
amongst the
however, extremely popular with the
extreme section of the American
Irish,
and
held
is
to be a true exponent of their views.
Amongst the many works issued by
the American
p
210
by far
press on Irish subjects, the most recent, and
the most important,
is
the "History of the Successive
by Mr. Amory, including

whose estates were seized and
Confiscations of Ireland,"
the families
lists of
divided amongst the English adventurers.*
work has
excited
descendants of
all
The-
great attention in America, for

these families
may be found
in
the States, and they are proud of their kinship with
the old historic clans. j-
Mr. Amory, the author, an American

guished
opinion
position,
and
influence,
of the highest value, writes
is
of distin-
wealth,
whose-
with much
kindly feeling of the Irish, yet with fairness and

moderation, while he states the truth boldly at the
same time, with respect

only an American
he
says, "
the fault
still
is
Had
English
to
dare to do.
policy,
as
"If Ireland,"
remains turbulent and disaffected,
due to England, who never strove to
gain the love of

despoiled,
may
the people,
and exterminated
but crushed, and
in place of affiliating..
Irishmen, " he continues,
"
been left lords of

and not made bondsmen tostrangers, they would have been the honour and
their
own
lands,
"The Transfer
Lippencott
&
of
Erin,"
by Thomas
"0.
Amory.
Co., Philadelphia, 187?.
t An immense interest has been recently manifested in

America on the subject of family history. Since the close
of the war people have had little to do, and so have taken
to heraldry, and we may soon expect a Columbian King-atarms, and an American Debrett.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
211
and proved themselves,
safety of the united realm,
as they are in America, an intelligent, thrifty, law-
abiding, brave, generous, and noble-hearted people."
And when
worthy of
the Irish have shown themselves so

freedom, he considers it " base and
unjust in the highest degree for English writers to
pursue them across the Atlantic, casting obloquy
on their nation, their history, and their traditions,

with the sole aim apparently of lowering them in
the
eyes of the people -who shelter and protect
them."
In the interest, therefore, of fair play, he under-
took the work "to show the true nature of English

rule from
tiny."
great
which sprang
And ho
all
the evils of Irish des-
has accomplished his task with
Every page
ability.
shows careful
and
extensive reading, and patient study of the involved
and complicated
details of Irish history, along with
a generous, high-spirited feeling towards Ireland,

that contrasts very favourably with the usual tone
of English writers on the same subject.
In the early portion of the " History," he chiefly

follows
"the
Four Masters,"
but
he
has
also
amassed material from many other sources, ancient
and ^modern,
so that his
volume
densed history of Ireland

Elizabeth,
when the
last
down
is
to
gleam of
really a con-
the time
of
independent
sovereignty died out with the submission of the

great O'Neill, after a ceaseless war of four hundred
p 2
212
years between the two races.

will
the
tell
James
I.
story
which the gloom
after
confiscations
Irish
of
Cromwell and William
to
second volume
of the
from
Boyne
of the penal laws settled
on
the country, and the Irish had no more land to be

confiscated, nor even a legal right to hold
on their own
wrong,"
" For a far
soil.
Amory
Mr.
cast off the English
remarks,
yoke for
less
"
ever,
the
any land
amount
of
Americans
and proclaimed
independence."
The
early portion of Irish history
slightly,
the
for there
Norman
shared by
all
passed over
were no confiscations prior
The land belonged
invasion.
and the goods
clan,
is
alike.
of
life
The
were abundant and
condition of the Irish
people was better a thousand years ago than
now
to
to the
it is
makes the rich

They seem to have
the progress of civilisation
richer,
but the poor poorer.*
lived happily in those primitive days, with music
and song and cosherings and feastings, where they

drank
at their
banquets of
"
the best seven sorts of
wine," and never a care troubled them save an

occasional
brush with the Danes, or with each
*
thousand years ago the people of Ireland had their
share in the cattle of the plains, the salmon of the rivers,
and the deer of the forest now the railroads carry off all
the produce of land and rivers for export. Th-3 great
;
proprietors in consequence grow wealthy, but the peasants

are reduced to the level of a root-eating people, and never
taste
meat but twice a year
at Christmas and Easter.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
other, to
keep their shields bright and their swords
Nor were they
clean.
2113
deficient in artistic culture;
their golden diadems, torques, bracelets,
and other
personal ornaments were costly and splendid, and
evinced a
day.
this
in
skill
workmanship rarely equalled
in
Like the Greeks, they prized highly
personal gifts, and their kings were chosen for their

strength, and beauty.
Courage they
esteemed as one of the noblest virtues, and victory
stature,
'
highest glory.
"What do you
asked Saint Bridget of a great chief.
the
desire?"
"Shall I
pray that the crown may never depart from your

race, and that your soul may find rest in heaven ? "
" I care not for heaven," he answered, "of which
know
nothing, but for long
which I greatly
enemies."
And
delight,
life
have
for
my
ever, or victory
the emphatic answer, " Hell to

victory
is
When
rude
mine to-day
questioned
"Which
prayers are powerful
and heaven for
my
and for victory over
Saint Patrick, having
the king on the eve of battle:
and
all
in the battle
this world, in
in
will
you
defeat
hell
to-day
" received
eternity
so the
"
!
the Normans came, the Irish were no
barbarians,
endeavoured
to
as
some English
represent
them.
writers
Christian civilisation of seven centuries
many Saxon
musicians eminent in their art above
a learned
priesthood, honoured throughout Europe

for instruction, the resort of
have
They had
all
colleges
princes
others
214
and a code
of wise, just laws, including evidences
much tender feelin- towards the weak and helpless.

Even in the pagan time a queen of Ireland
erected a hospital near her own royal residence
for the sick and those wounded in battle, and
The manycalled it "The House of Sorrow."
of
stately
abbeys,
the sculptured
crosses,
the
illu-
minated manuscripts (which to the Normans seemed

the work of angels) attest their wonderful sense of
symmetry and beauty, and
their reverence for all
things pertaining to religion

still
older art and
culture
while evidences of a
exist in those mystic
towers which Giraldus Cambrensis gazed upon with
awe and wonder above six centuries ago, and which

happily, though volumes have been written on the
subject,
still
remain inscrutable, for nothing could
be more revolting to the imaginative mind than

the satisfactory solution of a world-old mystery.
Farther back, even in the very night of time, are
the sepulchres of the Boyne, and the Cyclopean
Temple
of
New
race that dwelt
Grange,
on the
relics of the
Argive
same mighty
plain,
the Cyclopean builders of Mycenae.
and were
Rude
in art,
but powerful in strength, their tombs stand to this
day
in
all
their awful
Ireland as in
race, that
had no
literature
whose colossal symbols

and tombs.
and majestic grandeur in
Greece, memorials
of the great, silent
and no alphabet, but

were temples
of expression
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The
many
Celts in
215
things have a strong affinity
honours were given to
"with the Greeks, the highest
learning and poetry, and their music had the same

subtle power ascribed to the Dorian measure, which
had " such strange influence over the human
summoned
that the bards were often
by
their divine
temperament, proud,
and warlike, accustomed
who had owned
of their race,
to heal feuds
harmony."
A. people of this sensitive
passionate',
soul,
the
to think greatly
soil for
nearly two
thousand years before the coming of the Normans,
and had never endured the yoke
of the Cassars, nor
the presence of a foreign enemy, save the pirate
Danes
of the
was
coasts,
ill-fitted
hard, insulting tyranny of English
Saxons had a
Norman
their
masters
accepted
patiently
and
traders,
Empire, no
servile
ever since,
and
race,
made
the serfs
after a while they
fate,
pitying them.
that nature meant them

for
stolid
and became the

and factory hands of the
their
toilers,
man
The
temperament, they were
different
rapidly crushed, and humbled, and

of
bear the
to
rule.
It
was evident
for a destiny of inferiority,
and so they have remained
emphatically "the lower classes" of
England.
The
nature,
Celts,
on the contrary, with their Greek
love glory,
hate
toil
and
and beauty, and
distinction,
and splendid, but they

They were made
despise trade.
everything that
is
free
ANOIENT CUBES, CHARMS,. AND
216
for warriors
and
and daring,
lit
orators, for a life of excitement
by
or fame.
swift impulses, fast
They
as electric flashes.
They adore a
will
and
fiery
do anything for love
hero, but they will never
tamely submit to coercion, injustice, and a position

of
inferiority,
the
like
apathetic,
dull
-brained
Saxon.
would indeed be impossible to find natures
It
Saxon and the

The English live under method and rule>laboriously and industriously, without excitement
more
entirely antagonistic than the
Celt.
or ambition, and will even bear oppression, so as a
chance of gain comes with

ture
They
it.
will
manufac-
muskets for their own country, or for the
foreign
army
that
fights
against England, with
equal readiness, and dispassionate commercial calm;
and they
war with the Turk
will shout for
or th
Christian, or against them, not for the sake of God,,
but for the sake of cotton.
But of all races the Celt is the most easily led

by the affections. If the people believe that their
popular
hero
sacrifice
their lives
loves
really
for
grateful for benefits to

for
sympathy with
of a
man, "
He
and tender, as
self,
they would
The English are
Ireland,
him.
the Irish are grateful
their country.
When
they say
died for Ireland," the voice

if
is
low
they spoke of the passion of
Christ.
The great mistake
of
England was not trying
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to
The
gain the love of this people.
mand some
217
Irish de-
visible personal object for their
homage
and devotion, but England's rule was only known

to
them through cruel Acts of Parliament, and

demand for " gratitude " they might have
to her
answered
"We, for all our good things, have at your hands
Death, barrenness, child slaughter, curses, cares,

Sea leaguer, and land shipwreck, which of thsse
Which
The
shall
we
are
Irish
first
give thanks for
naturally
oriental abnegation of
loyal,
self,
to
with
an
almost
those they love
but the English never cultivated their
affection,
and never comprehended the deeply reverential

Irish nature, so full of passionate fanaticism, that
sympathy with
whether in
than
if
their ideal, whatever that
politics
or religion,
is
more
may
to
be,
them
gold were showered upon their path; but
as they never received
sympathy or
affection,
but
only taunts, insults, and penal laws, the history

of Ireland,
hour,
is
from the
fatal year
1172 to the present
the saddest in Europe.
Yet the
first
love than war.
invaders conquered more through
The Normans were a
fine,
brave,
high-spirited race, one of the leonine races with
firm noses, as Victor
Hugo
describes them, destined
They intermarried rapidly with the

royal families of Ireland, and thus immense estates
passed into their hands, many of which are held by
to conquer.
218
of
The five daughters

King Dermot Mac-
descendants to this day.
tlieir
grand-daughter
Isabel,
of
Murrougb, had each a county for her dower they

all wedded English nobles, and it is remarkable
;
that to this line can be traced
all
the highest names
in the English peerage, the royal family of England,
and, through the Stuarts,
the leading crowned
all
heads of Europe.
The Norman Irish, the descendants of these

mixed marriages, grew into a splendid and powerQueen
ful race, the Geraldines at their head.
Elizabeth came of this blood through her mother
and the Ormonds, indeed, Mr. Hepworth Dixon

imputes the fascinations of
Irish strain
these
and the
Norman
Anne Boleyn
to this
came
to love
Irish gradually
who
nobles
amongst them,
lived
adopted their speech and dress, and often fought

with the clans against England.
bonds
the English kings, and

first
a singular fact that the
it is
coercion laws in Ireland were enacted to break
this amity
strictly
for
But these strong
excited the jealousy of
of friendship soon
the
between the two
races.
Marriage was
forbidden with the Irish, and fosterage

children
grew
so
fond of
tlieir
foster
kindred, that they often refused to leave them, and
renouncing allegiance
Irish
mode
of life
found adequate to
Spenser, the poet,
to
England, adopted
the
But no laws were

prevent intermarriage. Even
when he came over to receive
and
dress.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
219
Ins three thousand, ncres of the forfeited estates,
took
to wife an Irish girl, whose portrait he has

sketched so prettily in the " Epithalamium " and
all
when they
Cromwell's troopers,
with
despite the severest penalties.
Then
down
settled
Irishwomen,
land warrants, married
their
new danger
alarmed England, for the children of these marriages
spoke nothing but
were made by the
officials
was almost dying out

"were
made
in
Irish,
and complaints
that the English tongue

farther efforts
in Ireland;
consequence to force the English
put away their Irish wives, but in vain.

Thus a second mixed race spi'ang up in Ireland,
still known as " the Cromwellian Irish," strong
settlers to
but Liberal in
Protestants,
Republican in theory.
politics,
and
Meanwhile the
rather
Irish dis-
dained to use the language of the invaders, or
adopt their dress, for "the tribes of Eriu ever
hated foreign modes."
The English kings some-
times sent over presents of costly robes to the great

chieftains,
Shane
but they refused to wear them
O'Neill
Elizabeth
in
and
appeared at the Court of Queen

the
long
flowing
yellow
mantle,
brooched with gold, after the Irish fashion, and

.addressed
her Majesty in Irish,
which sbe was
ungracious enough to say resembled "the howling

of
a dog."
When
asked to confer in English with
the Commissioners, he replied, indignantly:

shall an
O'Neill
writhe his
mouth
in
"What
clattering
ANGIENT CURBS, CHARMS, AND
.220
English
"
The husband
Burgho, could speak French, and Latin, and

but no English
and one frequently reads
Norman
annals of some
hood with an Irish
who swore
chieftain,
Irish,
in the
brother-
and assumed the
Irish speech, in sign of friendship.
and
Irish dress,
noble,
De
Grana-Uaile,
of
In order therefore to crush more completely
tendency
the
union between the two
to
drawn together by sentiments

a policy of
of chivalry
to
give up their old historic
from
love,
They were
names, and
unmeaning surnames, from

brown or
assume hideous and

colours,
and
the most insulting degradation was
adopted towards the Irish of the Pale.

forced
races,
as black, white, gray, green,
fishes, as salmon, cod, haddock, plaice
and
every other stupid appellation that malice could
by which the old associations of noble

They were also
descent might be obliterated.
invent, and
excluded from
places of trust and honour
all
the
son had to follow his father's trade, lest
by some
chance he should
all
times
it
act to kill
fear of
Norman
rise in
the social scale
and
at
seems to have been held a praiseworthy
an Irishman, without
law, or punishment of
nobles
who
let
the
or hindrance,
slayer.
The
sided with the clans were also
persecuted, and great portions of their estates were
given over to a
new
friendly to the Irish.
lot of
English colonists less
The Geral dines
especially,
being the most powerful, were treated with most
USAGES OF IRELAND.
severity.
the
of
221
In the reign of Henry VIII., six nobles
Geraldines were executed in
London
for
aiding rebellion amongst the Irish, but even this

bitter vengeance could not
From
zeal.
teresting
quench
their national
Thomas to the fated and inLord Edward Fitzgerald, the great house
Silken
of Kildare has always
been on the side of the Irish
nation.
The war
of races lasted without
intermission
for four hundred years, dating from the invasion

until the fall of
O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, the last
independent prince of Ulster.*
Then followed the
war
of religions, which has not even

Queen Elizabeth resolved that the
Irish should become Protestant, and burnings,
massacres, and devastation were the persuasive
means employed.
fiercer
still
yet ended.
All
who would not conform were
driven from
their homes, and left to perish in the bogs and
woods where they tried to find a shelter. All the

South was confiscated and divided amongst a set
of Protestant English adventurers.
cast forth to die,
tion
went on
and the horrible
until even the
The Irish were

work of destruc-
Queen complained that
she would soon reign only over ashes and corpses.
Spenser, the poet, has
left
a vivid description of
* The Rev. 0. P. Meehan has graphically described

memorable epoch of Irish history in his admirable
this
volume
entitled, "
The Flight
of the Earls."
ANCIENT CURES, CHABUS, AND
222
He
the state of Ireland at that time.
describes the
land as "the fairest upon earth," but the people

wandered about like ghosts from the grave, house-
and starving, and
less
all
the roads were strewn
with the unburied dead.
When King
James came to the throne the Irish

He was a Stuart of the line-
had a gleam of hope.
of their ancient kings,
ness at his hands
for
and they looked
for tender-
the sake of his
Catholic
The war of
mother;
religions waxed fiercer, and the persecution was
more bitter and cruel. Queen Elizabeth had conKing James confiscated the
fiscated the South
over
the fishful rivers and broad
North, and handed
but the hope was vain.
lands of Ulster to the Worshipful Fishmongers of
London, who rejoice

this
day.
And
in their possession
again,
massacres,
even unto
burnings,
and
devastation were the means employed to get rid of
the unhappy natives of the

ful that a terrible
soil.
It
was not wonder-
vendetta should be the result-
In the memorable year 1641 the Irish rose en masse,
headed by Lord Maguire, Earl of Enniskillen, with

the avowed object of sweeping all the English out
of
the island at once, seizing Dublin Castle, and
proclaiming a national
But the project failed,

power have failed in
independent Government.
as all projects against English
Ireland.
captured and brought over to
was but twenty-six
Lord Maguire wasLondon for trial. He
(the leaders of revolutions are
USAGES OF IRELAND.
all
223-
young), and he met his fate with the calmness
martyr for
of a
When
religion.
they teased him
with taunts upon Romish doctrines, and advice to

abjure them, he only answered
men,
me have
let
"I pray you, gentle-
may
peace that I
earnestly pleaded to
by
be tried
He
pray."
peers
his
in
deference to his rank, and to be beheaded in place
hung
of being
having
been
these requests were denied, and
from
degraded
his
Lord
of
title
Enniskillen, which afterwards was conferred upon
one
of the Cole family,
he was drawn on a sledge
from the Tower through London, and on

where, being removed into a
and prayed, awhile, and
war
of
religions
went
Tyburn,
The
was executed.*
so
on
to
he kneeled down
cart,
with
still
increasing
bitterness during the Republican period between
the Irish,
who
held for
King
Charles,
and the
Parliamentary forces, until Cromwell himself at last
appeared upon the scene, and

Catholics alike
in
stifled Royalists
a bath of blood.
North had already been
confiscated.
completed the work by confiscating

Ireland.
he
all
and
South and
Cromwell
the rest of
His policy was extermination, and
carried out with a ruthless ferocity that has
this
made
* An interesting novel founded on the rising of 1641,

entitled " Tully Castle," by Mr. Magennis, of Fermanagh,,
has recently appeared. The hero is Lord Maguire, and the
scene and his tragic death are drawn with much
power and minute accuracy of detail.
trial
224
name eternally abhorred in Ireland. "The curse

Cromwell on you " is the bitterest malediction a
his
of
peasant can utter even to this day.
The
were the Canaanites
Irish
down branch and
root.
Had
be hewed
to
the nation had but
one neck he would have struck
The
it off.
priests
were massacred by hundreds, the nobles were driven

into exile, the
women and
children
were sold in
thousands as slaves to the West India planters.
was seized, and five million

-acres were parcelled out by lot to his troops in
payment of their arrears of pay.
The bleakest portion of Connaught alone was
reserved for the remnant of the Irish people amidst
The whole
of the land
the
treeless
wild,
mountains
thither the fugitives
rigours
of
winter,
the West,
of
were driven during

with
all
and
the
not to approach
orders
within five miles of the sea under penalty of death
the object being to shut

the Irish
world, and,
nation from
if
all
up the
last survivors of
intercourse
possible, to extirpate
with the
them wholly by
famine and sickness.
One should read
this tragic tale of the
uprooting
of a nation in Mr. Prendergast's great historic work,
"The Cromwellian Settlement
of
Ireland"*
No
nation ever endured greater horrors, and no people

*
One
of the
most valuable contributions which
this
age has given to Irish history, and perfectly trustworthy,

being compiled from authentic sources and State papers.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
225
but the Irish could have survived them.
remained
untilled, the
had
stroyed, and food
to
for Cromwell's soldiery.
Patrick's Cathedral,
to go to
The land
and corn were debe imported from "Wales
cattle
and
all
court-martial sat in St.
delinquents
who
refused
Connaught were hanged, with a placard
on the breast, "for not transplanting." The corpses

of the slain and the famine-struck were flung into
the ditches;
multitudes perished from want, and
the roads were covered with the unburied
dead.
The wolves came down from the mountains in

such numbers to seize their prey, that travelling
became dangerous because of them. Then a price
was set on the wolves and on the men who still
wandered about the woods and bogs near
ancient homes
five
pounds for the skin
their
of a wolf,
ten pounds for the head of an Irishman,
twenty pounds
if
he were distinguished
even
still
the
heads did not come in fast enough, and a free

any Irishman who
pardon was then offered to

killed another
and brought his head
to claim the
reward.
At length Parliament
tion that
it
interfered, with a sugges-
were better not
nation, but to leave
Commissioners
some
reported
richest land lay waste
to
to extirpate the
till
that
whole
the ground, as the

four-fifths
of
the
and uninhabited.
The English had now been governing Ireland for

The
five hundred years, and this was the result.
Q
226
James
accession of
He was
times.
the
however, promised better
a Stuart and a
always
Irish
II.,
own
the Stuart race, as being of their
had no better
loyalty
had
leagued with
Charles
of
fate
than
King James.
But
blood.
disaffection.
They
Spain for the sake of King
now leagued with France
they
and
Catholic,
clung with fatal fondness to
for the sake
Cromwell avenged the
first,
and
William of Orange the second attempt to support

English royalty by foreign arms
and
after
the
decisive conflict of 1688 a deeper darkness settled
The
upon Ireland.
successors
was
policy of Elizabeth
confiscation
mination, but the policy of

his Parliament,
meant
social
and her
that of Cromwell exter-
King William,
was degradation,
or rather of
for the penal laws
and moral death; and statesmen then
sedulously set themselves the task of debasing a
whole people below the level of humanity.

hero,
William loved heroism
As
and the splendid
valour of the Irish, their devotion to their king, their

country, and their faith filled
admiration.
him with wonder and
" Give them any terms they ask," he
And when
wrote to his generals at Limerick.
twenty thousand of the best and bravest in Ireland
went forth from the surrendered

themselves under the French
city
flag,
and ranged
from
to pass
thence into the armies of his hereditary foe,

bitterly
he regretted that such
into exile, or
men should be
degraded to slaves
if
how
driven
they remained
USAGES OF IRELAND.
at
home.
men
Earnestly
lie
naturally desire
offered
rank,
227
them everything
wealth, a position as
high in his army as they held
in their
own,
would only enter
But the
Irish
not
his service.
if
they
heeded
they kneeled down reverently to kiss the Irish
soil for
a last farewell, and then passed on to the
ships amidst such lamentations as never were heard

before in Ireland, and sailed
land never to behold
The laws
it
away from
their native
more.*
of William's Parliament were cruel,
but those of Queen Anne were ferocious.
No
other
nation ever invented a code so fitted to destroy
both soul and body.
The son was
set against the
father, brother against brother, for the
law decreed
that the informer and betrayer should be rewarded
with the estates and property of his victim.
During the whole
of the eighteenth century this
atrocious code was endured
any open revolt
by
'the
Irish without
but at last the bitter indignation
of the people burst forth in the great rebellion of
1798
movement, strange
nated with the Presbyterians
to
first
which
origi-
of Ulster, the descen-
dants of the Scotch settlers of

object at
say,
King James.
Their
was simply to repeal the infamous
* "The History of the Irish Brigade," by Mr. O'Callaghan,

gives a full account of the fate and fortune of these dis-
tinguished Irishmen and their descendants. Many of them

founded noble families on the Continent, as the MacMahons
of Prance, the O'Donnells of Spain, the Nugents, TaafEes,
and
O'Reillys of Austria,
and many
others.
Q 2
228
penal laws, but gradually the organisation became

Republican under French influence, and the leadership of the fated
How
Lord Edward Fitzgerald.
the rebellion was put
down
is still
fresh in
the minds of the people, for the generation

yet extinct whose fathers witnessed the
is
not
atrocities
practised.
The
pitch cap
was the favourite amusement of

piles of these caps were kept
the English soldiery
in readiness at the barracks,
and when
with
filled
burning pitch one was pressed tightly on the head

of the victim, who, half-blinded and maddened by
the agony, was then turned out to run the gauntlet
of his savage tormentors until
he dropped dead
amidst their shouts of ferocious laughter.
Gunpowder was rubbed

set
on
fire
into the hair
the ears were cut
off
and then
priests
gentlemen of station were half hung to extort

mation.
fierce
Irish
and
vengeance
terrible,
in
return
and
infor-
was often
but deliberate torture does not
seem to have been practised at the rebel camp,.

and many impulsive acts of generosity in saving
life
are recorded of the insurgents.*
* On the day the rebels entered "Wexford, the rector,

Archdeacon Elgee, my grandfather, assembled a few of his
parishioners in the church to partake of the sacrament
together, knowing that a dreadful death awaited them. On
his return, the rebels were already forcing their way intohis house they seized him, and the pikes were already at
his breast, when a man stepped forth and told of some;
USAGES OF IRELAND.
At leDgth
'98 was put
down
229
seventy thousand
Irish lay dead, hut the penal laws remained un-
The
changed.
Irish
Parliament
at
began
last
seriously to consider the disaffected state of the

nation.
rose
up
Splendid
to
men
of genius
denounce wrong,
and high purpose

and tyranny
injustice,
and the most magnificent advocacy of a people's

rights ever uttered was heard in the Irish Parliament
just before
But the answer England gave
its fall.
to the noble appeal of the Irish patriots
and decisive;
was
brief
she simply annihilated the Parlia-
ment, and the voices of the prophets of freedom
were heard no more.
The degradation
of Ireland
was now complete.
After the Union, the palaces of the nobles were

left
desolate
brilliancy of
wealth,
social
from the capital
by one;
literature
and
spirit,
enterprise,
all
the
intellectual life vanished
the various trades died out one
became extinct; the publishing
trade, once so vigorous and flourishing, almost entirely
disappeared;
the currents of thought and
great act of kindness which, the Archdeacon

family.
had shown
his
In an instant the feeling changed, and the leader gave

orders that the Archdeacon and all that belonged to him
rebel guard was set
should be held safe from harm.
over his house and not a single act of violence was permitted.
But that same evening all the leading gentlemen of the
town were dragged from their houses and piked by the
rebels upon Wexford Bridge
230
energy
set to
London, and have continued to flow
there ever since, draining the life-blood of Ireland
makes a
nation great and strong and self-respecting was
to
fill
the veins of England, and
that
all
annihilated.
With splendid eloquence
the great orators,
Grattan, Plunkett, Bushe, denounced the evils of

the Union, and their burning words have fed the
flame of disaffection to
it
ever since, but with
Concessions, indeed, were
result.
they came
tardily
made
and grudgingly.
little
at last,
It
but
only
is
within a few years that Catholics have been admitted
and
to social
the
political equality
bond-slaves of yesterday
and the concessions

do,
with Protestants
Catholics of to-day are the children
came too
of
of England, as they generally
late for gratitude
from the embittered
hearts of a long oppressed people.
But the
themselves are also much to blame
nimity that produce great results.

is
B,eligious ani-
the upas tree perpetually distilling its
fatal poison
of national
Irish
their efforts
organised with the strength and una-
are never
mosity
the
they were born in fetters,
upon every broad and liberal project

The great French Revo-
advancement.
lution overthrew the feudal tyranny of a thousand

years.
still it
Freedom was purchased with much

was gained
sion only strengthened

liberty
that
blood,,
but Irish revolt against oppres-
originated
the fetters
the
the love of
movement soon de-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
231
generated into a rabid hatred of race and creed,
and no good
fruit has ever
grown upon
that evil
tree.
Other nations have had their seven years' war,

or thirty years' war, but Ireland has carried on an
unavailing war of seven hundred years,

and even yet scarcely recognises the truth that to
utterly
Ireland
raise
Empire
a
splendid
position
the
in
entitled, there should
is
programme
clear, dignified
all
the
to
which she
to
of measures, to
be
which
noble natures could say Amen, and the united
action of a whole
people to obtain their
ment.
is
Disaffection
exist, it is
the lever of progress, but incoherent dis-
affection only
and weakens the energies
scatters
This
of a people.
is
at the present time,

less
painfully evident in Ireland
when a mournful and hope-
stagnation rests upon
commercial
classes
merely
are
English manufacturers
there
work, no career, no rewards for

to support art or literature
of education
the pro-
is
agents
the
for
no stimulus
intellect,
to
no wealth
and every young man
and culture must look abroad
for a
and be content to leave

her destiny as a mere cattle-pen for
opening for
Ireland to
things
all
the nobility are absentees, the
fessions languish,
fair
fulfil-
not an evil where wrongs
his gifts,
England, and a
co-operative
store
to
sell
her
surplus goods.
The
ignorance
of
English
statesmen,
also,
232
respecting the needs, the history, and even
the
existing condition of the people, has been highlyprejudicial to the country.
are ever thought of as a

" disaffection."
No large,
remedy
Complaint
is
liberal
for
measures
acknowledged
answered by a coer-
and the only remedial act is to proclaim a

Lord Beaconsfield, though Prime Minister,
never visited Ireland, and knew so little of the
country he governed a country that has been
cion
bill,
district.
devastated, plundered, and three times confiscated,
and reduced by want and famine from eight millions

to five millions during the last thirty years
he imputed
all
that
the discontent of the Irish solely
to their position beside
" the melancholy ocean."
English statesmen might study with advantage

the
mode by which the Greeks, the great
colonisers
of the ancient world, gained the love of all peoples.
Like England, the Greeks carried on extensive
commerce with many strange

never sought
to
exterminate
many
Their trade swept by
nations,
;
but they
they humanised.
shores, but
not to
They opened bazaars,

they built temples, they planted corn, and erected
If they wanted land they took it, but
factories.
civilised the people, and drew them up into their
destroy, or burn, or ravage.
own higher
oil for
civilisation
the corn
and
more, the wine and

intellects,
they gave their wine and
flax of the stranger,

oil of their
own
but
still
richly gifted
and they freely intermarried with the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
233
foreign peoples, especially with the Celts, between
whom and
the Greeks there was ever a strong
affinity of nature,
temperament, and character.
So they passed on
in ceaseless migration, found-
ing states wherever they landed, but leaving every

state to be self-governed, though bound to Greece
by the strong bonds of love and gratitude.
Above all people, the Greeks seem to have been
endowed with the gift of personal fascination the
;
English as a nation have none
of
it,
though capable
The colonists were proud to be called Greek, and felt a

pride in the triumphs of the Greek name ; but in
Ireland the word Sassenach inspired only fear,
and dread, and hatred. The English strove to crush
the mind of the subject race, knowing that culture
is power, but the Greeks gave civilisation and
refinement, art, science, and philosophy.
They
of splendid acts of individual generosity.
conquered by their divine
gifts,
in return glorified Greece
by
the Greeks passed they
left
and the
their genius
trail of
England a trail of blood.

England never had a divine idea
colonists
wherever
light,
but
in the treat-
ment of nationalities, least of all in Ireland.

Nothing grand or noble in policy was ever
thought
Self
of to lift the people to their true height.
was the only motive power; greed
greed of wealth the only aim

everywhere, the love of
of land,
the lust of gold
God nowhere;
spoliation
234
and
insult the only policy
the result being that
no nation has ever been so unsuccessful in gaining

the love of subject states as England. It is told of
the Emperor Aurelian that having decreed the
destruction of the city of Tyana, the philosopher
Apollonius appeared to him in a dream and said

" Aurelian, if you would conquer, abstain from the
:
destruction of cities
Aurelian,
if
you would reign,
abstain from the blood of the innocent; Aurelian,.

if
you would be
loved,
be just and merciful/'
It is
strange that royal races so seldom seem to under-
stand that their only claim to loyalty
is
in so far as
they promote the good of the people.
government
steadfast
In the
of a nation there should be one thing
Right;
one thing ever sacred
Love;
one thing ever manifested
but
Truth
this is a
by statesmen. The proscountry means to them its commercial
gospel seldom preached

perity of a
moral elevation of the souls com-
value, not the
mitted to their charge.
But no doubt there
is
some instinctive
sympathy between
also
antagonism, or deficiency of
English and Irish nature, to account for the eternal
war
of
and
races,
made
and temperaments
The English are half
religions,
through so many centuries.

of iron, like their soil
robust, stern, steadfast
in purpose, without illusions, without dreams, with-
out reverence
but in the
soft,
relaxing air of
Ireland, the energies of the people are only stirred
USAGES OF IRELAND.
fitfully, like
the sudden storms of their
There
tain lakes.
235-
no persistent
is
utter stagnation of
own moun-
force,
the absence of
life,
and the
all
motive
to exertion forces the people to live in the past, or
the future, rather than energetically in the present.
They
are
give
them
nothing.
always dreaming that to-morrow

they require, for to-day gives
all
The
on the contrary, in their
English,
overflowing
full
life
have no time
of the present,
for vain lamentations over the past.
man now cares
will
them
What EnglishCommon-
for the devastations of the
wealth, even with
solemn tragedy of a king's
its
death, or for the deadly struggle of Guelph and
Stuart
The exports
of cotton
and the price
corn are more to them than the story of
all
of
the
They never loved

They have no popular idol in
No great historic fact has become
dynasties since the Conquest.
any
of their kings.
all their history.
part of the national
life.
No
lofty aspiration in-
They live wholly in the

sensuous and the actual. The Irish live on dreams
and prayer. Eeligion and country are the two
spires
their
oratory.
words round which their
lives revolve.
The frame-work, also, is different in which their

The factory smoke is so thick in
souls are set.
England the people cannot see heaven. In their
hard industrial
toil
life
in their ears
and the stroke
their eyes are never lifted

is
from
only the rush of the wheels-
of the
hammer
and the
air
they
236
the poison dust of a world-wide com-
breathe
is
merce.
But the
without manufactures or
Irish,
commerce, or anything to do save tend the

for English food, can at least live, as
visible presence of
lake and river,
smoke
it
were, in the
God, in the free enjoyment of
by the
and mountain unsullied
The world above
of labour.
No
the Irish peasant.

faith in the unseen.
a reality to
is
people have more intense
tempera-
It is their religious
ment, so childlike in
alone makes their
cattle
its
life
enables them to meet
and
simplicity
trust, that
of privation endurable,
all
sorrows, even death
and
itself,
with the pathetic fatalism expressed in the phrase

so often heard from peasant lips, " It
of
was the
will
God."
The round,
stolid
English head, and pale, cold
eyes, denote the nation of practical aims, a people
made
commerce and industry ; while the small

and deep, passionate eyes,
for
oval head of the Celt,
made
for religion
greatest
mistake
denote a people
therefore,
the
England was the endeavour

tion on a
without
art,
or beauty,
of the English.
means
to
The
them simply
as
the
art
and,
made by
to force the
people like the Irish.
Reforma-
Protestantism,
or ritual, or symbol, or
reverence, suited the self-asserting,
a judge
and
ever
dogged egotism
judgment
right of private
that every
parson,
man
or better.
parishioner pays the clergyman
to
is
as
The
good
stolid
do a certain
USAQES OF IRELAND.
duty, as he pays the doctor
237
and the lawyer, but no
sanctity surrounds the Protestant priesthood.
The Reformation was a genuine outcome of

Saxon nature ; a rude revolt against grace, refinement, the beautiful, and the mystic
to
a cold appeal
the lowest level of the understanding; not a
sublime and unquestioning acceptance of an awful

revelation from the lips of a consecrated priesthood..
Both in
religion
and
politics the Irish
need the
Their ideal must be impersonated
visible symbol.
in some form they can reverence, worship, and love-
What
sad Irish mother, with her half-famished
children round her in their miserable cabin, could
bear with
day by day without the
life
in the Divine
Mother who, she
over and pitying her
with
ritual,
the mystic symbols of altar and
they were offered the abstractions of theology
in the Thirty-nine Articles
stately
and
in
while, with the blas-
it
desolate, where, not
of self,
was the work of God, their

and beautiful abbeys were plundered and
phemous boast that
made
watching
could Protestantism
In place of the Divine Mother, the solemn
emotional
cross,
What
hard scholastic dogmas do for such a
its
people
infinite trust
believes, is
self,
but the abnegation
was the pure ideal of the high ascetic life,

their place were set up the bare, bleak,
whitewashed parish churches.
The
Irish,
however, found no comfort in the
Thirty-nine Articles, and would not enter the parish
-238
They preferred to die, and so thousands

them were slaughtered with their priests, and the
churches.
of
rest
were degraded
to pariahs in their
still,
through
fires of
all
the
own land
persecution, they clung
to their ancient faith, with a fervour that
makes the
devotion of the Irish to their creed and priesthood,

during the bitter martyrdom of three hundred years,
one of the most touching chapters in
all
human
history.
But new paths opened through the darkness.

God has many agents by which peoples and nations
driven forth to be trained and educated
are
strong, fresh influences.
They seem
by
evil at first,
by such means war, pestilence, and famine

that the human race has been made to
on,
yet
it is
drift
ever westward,
during the last
three
thousand
years.
The
terrible
famine that came upon Ireland was
one of these agents of God.
million perished
miserably, but a million also of the people emigrated.
The
Irish peasant
from
his tireless hearth
new home
was forced
across the ocean.
death-in-life of his
at last to rise
and blighted
fields, to
From
up
seek
the dismal
wretched existence, with a frame
wasted by hunger, and a soul lying
torpid
in
bonds, he was sent forth to gain wealth, power,
freedom, and light by contact with a great people

of illimitable energies,
who needed
his toiling
hand
in exchange for their gold, to build up the chain
USAGES OF IRELAND.
of cities
from the Atlantic to the
239
Pacific,
the rails that span a continent for the
and
traffic
to lay
of the
world.
What may be
the future of the
ineffaceable Irish race,

line of action has yet
who
none can
much
tell.
but
tried,
No
definite
been formed, but a people
are learning, under the teaching of America,
the dignity and value of
human
not
rights, are
likely to acquiesce tamely in the degraded position
Ireland holds in Europe, decay stamped on her
and her
cities
people,
who
institutions, helpless poverty
yet
better placed for
own
all
on her
a country larger, richer,
and
the purposes of commerce than
half the autonomous States of Europe.
The
Irish
never forget their motherland or give up the hope

of national independence
even amongst the kind-
bearted Americans they have not eaten of the
makes tbem forget Ithaca.
lotus that
But the
regeneration and re-creation of Ireland will not
come through " Home Rule "
as understood
present supporters and leaders,
if,
fiction
an
is
not even
now
by
its
indeed, that hollow
almost extinct.
No
one
seriously believe that the Irish nobles will ever
come back
to their ancient palaces, or the
take up her residence

city
and a land
at
Dublin Castle
of poverty, torpor,
Queen
in a desolated
and universal
decadence.
"
class
Home
and
Rule," with
caste, is
its
old feudal distinctions of
looked upon with bitter disdain
240
by the advanced party in Irish

never be galvanised into
life
politics,
and
it
will
again by any amount
of platform platitudes.
A
over
National Convention, with supreme power

that concerns Ireland, and control of the
all
members elected by
and secured in power for a
revenues, to be composed of
universal
suffrage,
definite time, is the idea
now by
most prominently
the American Irish.
Convention without the
set forth
Of course a National
command
of the revenues
would be a cheat and a delusion, for

the power to make laws and decree improvementsof the nation
would be
of
of Ireland
was poured
little
avail
as long as the revenue
into the treasury of another
country.
The new movement
will
have a larger and more
comprehensive aim than the mere "Repeal of th&
Union."
The American Irish, with their bolder

new system of things, not
views, desire to create a
merely to resuscitate the
not from the-
old, for it is
shrivelled rags of effete worn-out ideas that a people
can weave the garment of the new age.
wine must be poured into new bottles
The new
and a higher-
object even than to increase the material prosperity

of a country
is
to create the
moral dignity of a
people, to bring the torpid, slumbering energies of
Ireland within the influence of the powerful electric

forces that everywhere else are stirring
into
new
life.
humanity
USAGES OF IRELAND.
241
The influence, however, must come from without

Ireland alone and unaided has never yet
accom-
these great revolutions such
plished one oE
as
France, Italy, and England have had, that sweep

off
at
once the accumulated evils of
because Ireland has
no
firm
One
content, only a bitter sense of wrong.
however,
that
is
is
and
organisation,
power, only a vague nameless dis-
therefore no
now
centuries,
certain
there
is
thing,
a stir in men's minds
a prophecy of change;
the feverish
unrest that has driven the young generation of

Ireland to America will one day drive them back
again
with her ideas, and ready to pro-
all alight
claim that in a Republic alone is to be found the true

force that emancipates the soul and the
life of
man.
England should have counted the cost before

compelling the Irish people to take shelter iu the
arms of the mighty mother
Yet there
" Republic."
is
of
freedom.
nothing to alarm in the word
means the Government of

Every one
things,
and all
of
old
system
with
the
is wearied
long to throw off the iucubus of prejudice, and
routine, and fetish worship, and to start afresh on
It simply
common-sense for the common good.
new career under new condition.

The American Irish are eager to
join this world-
wide movement, which is straining towards a goal

set far beyond all merely local aims, or the progress
of one's own race and country.
R
242
America
the great teacher of the nations, and
is
In '9$
her lessons will eventually lead the world.
American ideas overthrew the thousand-year-old

Monarchy of France, and they will probably overthrow the Monarchies of all Europe in time. The
next great movement in Ireland will not be a
rising of the peasantry against the police,
be
as a part of the
European struggle
it
will
of the masses
against a dominant minority.
Lines, like hidden
Republican
feeling, traverse un-
electrical wires, of
seen the whole
them
soil
of Ireland
a touch will wake
into action.
What
predict,
the
but
unknown
future
another half
may
bring, none can
century
witness
will
new order of things in society and

One can hear already the low murmur of
assuredly a
politics.
the advancing waves of change, and in the endless
mutation of
and
ideas,
all
things, Governments, and peoples,
even Ireland may hope that change
bring progress.
It is
to touch the zenith,
will
given to every nation once
and perhaps the hour
of her
advancement draws nigh.
But whether the change will come through the

war or the peaceful organisation of a great
clash of
European brotherhood
The great world-movers

cast
will
is
down
of freedom,
none can
of the future will
before they build up.
The
say.
probably
iconoclasts
precede the constructors, and the present time
emphatically iconoclastic.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
243
All the old-world opinions, dogmas, traditions of
custom and usage,

old-world
life
and
all
the cumbrous machinery of
political systems,
into the crucible of the critics
but what the residuum

eliminated,
We
who can
will
say
have been flung
and philosophers
be when the dross
is
can but read the signs of the times, not
strive after vain prophecies.
who
ever, that those
diligently the
It
is
important, how-
rule the nations should study
tendencies of the age throughout
Europe, while to England
it
is
of special import-
ance to study the influences from America that are

so powerfully affecting the tone of Irish thought,
for Ireland
may
yet be the battle-ground where
the destinies of the Empire will be decided.
The
American
any
Irish are prepared
sacrifice to obtain the
for
autonomy
natural right of self-government
Gladstone says, belongs to

Peril
all
any
effort,
of Ireland
that
which, as Mr.
peoples.
and danger may be in the way, but they
accept and brave
all
consequences.
They wait beneath the furnace blast,

The pangs of transformation
Not painlessly doth God recast,
Or mould anew a nation.
;
Meanwhile England, all-powerful England, may

effect a social revolution peacefully, and without
any danger to the integrity of the Empire,

and just measures are organised in time
if
wise
for the
244
true advancement and prosperity of Ireland
and
the Irish people, in return, will stand faithfully
England
in
those
hours
of
by
seem
which
peril
gathering in clouds of darkness upon the horizon,

and threatening dangers which only a united
Empire can meet and overcome.
CONCERNING IRISH PROVERBS.
A vast
amount
of characteristic popular
wisdom
has existed for ages amongst the Irish peasantry,
condensed in proverbial sayings that show a subtle

itjsight
into
motives and
knowledge of
human
in
heart
all
with a deep
conduct,
the varied influences that
but though well worthy
stir
the
of a place
our national literature, these proverbs of the
people
have
remained
unknown
to
the general
reader, from the fact of their being hidden
away
in the obscurity of the original vernacular.
This
hindrance, however, has now, to a great extent,
been removed;
for,
within the last few decades,
several eminent Celtic scholars have taken
up the
subject, and devoted both time and learning, with

patient, loving zeal, to the collection
and translation
USAGES OF IRELAND.
into English of
of
many
ancient thought
hundred
Irish
of those interesting
the
result
proverbs have
examples
being that many-
now been rescued
from obscurity and made known

rature,
chiefly
tinguished
245
to English lite-
through the labours of such
men
John O'Donovan
as
Canon Ulick Burke,
of St. Jautath's,
dis-
the Rev.
Tuam, one
of
the most learned Irish scholars of the age; and
Robert MacAdam, of Belfast, editor
of
The
Ulster
Journal of Archaeology, whose attention was more

particularly devoted to the proverbs of the North
of Ireland.
National proverbs form a kind of synthesis of

national character and of the moral tendencies of
There may be no written code amongst
a race.
the peasantry of morals or manners, yet deeper

truths
concerning
tendencies often
human
lie
at
actions,
motives,
and
the base of the popular
proverbs, than could be gathered from even the
most learned and

Irish
their concise
cerning
wisdom
diffuse essays of the philosopher.
proverbs are
and
especially
remarkable for
forcible expression of truths con-
conduct, and action.
life,
of the centuries is in them,
The matured
and they bear
witness to the acute vision of the ancient seers and

Pileas,
human
who
could fathom the very depths of the
soul,
and reveal the mysteries
these strong, enduring
A keen sense,
also, of
maxims
of
life
in
of steadfast truth.
the sad and bitter realities of
ANCIENT CURE 8, G HARMS, AND
246
human
destiny
is
observable in them
the result of
shrewd observation, shadowed by the melancholy

of
age and experience.
The peasants rarely speak on any subject that

touches them deeply without illustrating their
opinions by a proverb, uttered with the firm decision of assured conviction.
Indeed, the peculiar

the
sacred
wisdom
of their ancestors has given rise
to the
saying,
" It
veneration in which the
is
hold
Irish
impossible to
contradict the old
word'" (the proverb).
The
Irish people
have always believed
that
Kings, Brehons, Ollamhs, and Bards were
their
gifted with singular
and peculiar
intelligence,
and
a mystic power of reading the secrets of the heart.
Hence the sayings of these great wise men

ancient renown have passed through the mind
of
of
the people in each successive generation, and are

still
for
ever on their lips as
so
many
sacred
maxims, to be accepted, without questioning, as

undeniable truths respecting their
works
for
many
of
marked manner, the

of Irish nature
life,
these proverbs
still
words, and
show, in a
ineffaceable peculiarities
the kindness and
sensitiveness of
the people, their instinctive sense of the grace of

courtesy of manner, their love of distinction, their
trust
in
good
luck
rather than in work, their
eminently social qualities, especially the love of

conversation, and the pathetic acceptance of the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
doom that want and poverty bring on
247
life, "
because
the will of G-od."
it is
These
qualities
have been connected with the

all history, and are as true
Irish race throughout
now, in the present time, as they have been in the

past. Above a hundred years ago, Lord Macartney,
the great Ambassador of England to the East, thus
described the native Irish
" They are active in
body; bold and daring; patient of cold, hunger,

and fatigue; dauntless in danger, and regardless of
when glory
life
is
in
view
warm
friendship, quick in resentment,
in love and
and implacable in
hatred; generous and hospitable beyond

of
prudence
talkative,
bounds
credulous, superstitious, and vain
disputatious,
turbulence and contest.

ing,
all
and strongly disposed
They
are
all
and are endowed with excellent
to
fond of learnparts, but are
usually more remarkable for liveliness of thought
than accuracy
Many
of
of expression."
these
national
and
enduring
characteristics will be found expressed with
force
and freedom
in the following selections
race
much
from
the terse and acute sayings of ancient Irish wisdom.
Selected Proverbs.
True greatness knows gentleness.
When
wrathful words arise a closed mouth
soothing.
Have a mouth
of ivy
and a heart
of holly.
is
ANCIENT CURES, CHARMS, AND'
248
silent
mouth
is
musical.
Associate with the nobles, but be not cold
to-
the poor and lowly.
short visit
is
best,
and that not too
often,,
even to the house of a friend.

Blind should be the eyes in the abode of another.
Great minds live apart; people
may
meet, but
the mountains and the rocks never.
A man
with loud talk makes truth
itself
seem
folly.
Much
loquacity brings a man's good sense into
disrepute,
and by a superfluity
of words, truth is
obscured.
No
rearing,
no manners.
Tell not your complaints to
him who has no
pity.
Neither praise nor dispraise thyself; the well
bred are always modest.

It is difficult to soothe the proud.
Every nursliDg as
is
it is
nursed; every web
as it
woven.
Without
store
no friends; without rearing
no-
manners.
A
ship.
little
relationship
is
better than
much
friend-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Gentleness
249-
better than haughtiness.
is
constant guest
The peacemaker
is
never welcome.
never in the way.
is
Forsake not a friend
of
many
years for the-
acquaintance of a day.
No
heat like that of shame.
No
pain like that of refusal.
No
sorrow like the loss of friends.
No
feast
No
galling trial
till
there
till
Praise youth, and
Reputation
Wine
is
it
the roast.
one gets married.

will
advance to success.
more enduriug than
life.
pleasant, unpleasant the price.
Drinking
is
Character
If
is
is
is
the brother of robbery.

better than wealth.
the head cannot bear the glory of the crown,
better be without
it.
Face the sun, but turn your back
Do
to the storm.
your work, and heed not boasting.
Without money fame
He who
is
up
is
is
dead.
extolled; he
who
is
down
is-
trampled on.
Sweet
is
the voice of the
man who
has wealth.
ANCIENT CUBES, CHASMS, AND
250
but the voice of the indigent

heeds him.
How many mourn
man
is
last
like the poor,
no one
the want of possessions
the strong, the brave, and the rich,
grave at
harsh
all
go
yet
to the
and the emaciated, and
the infant.
God
stays long, but
Death
is
Many
a day
God
nigher to us even than the door.
is
He
strikes at last.
the poor man's best physician.
we
shall rest in the clay.
hound's tooth, a thorn in the hand, and a
fool's retort are the three sharpest things of all.
Do
not credit the buzzard, nor the raven, nor
the word of a woman.
No
wickeder being exists than a
woman
of evil
temper.
The
lake
is
not encumbered
the steed by the bridle
nor the
man by
Bad
It is
is
is
is
by the swan; nor
nor the sheep by the wool;
the soul that
Conversation
contention
is
in him.
the cure for every sorrow.
better than loneliness.
a bad servant, but he
sad to have no friend
tunate children
is
better than none.
sad to have unfor-
sad to have only a poor hut
sadder to have nothing good or bad.
There
is
Even
nothing malicious but treachery.
but
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Idleness
Gold
is
A long
Do
buy
is
251
fool's desire.
light with a fool.
disease does not
tell
lie, it kills
own
not take the thatch from your
slates for another
The
roof to
man's house.
remains,
tree
planted
at last.
but
not
hand
the
that
it.
A heavy purse makes a light heart.

Better April showers than the breadth of the
ocean in gold.
Never count your crops
Autumn
till
June
is
over.
days come quickly, like the running of
a hound upon the moor.
Send round the

to the right
He
hand
that spies
is
meeting in
burying ia the
glass to the south, from the left

all
things should front the south.
the one that
kills.
the sunlight
is
lucky,
and a
rain.
Winter comes
fast on the lazy.
There are three without rule
a mule, a pig, and
& woman.
The beginning
a stone
of
of a ship
is
a board
beginning of health
is
sleep.
of a kiln,
a king's reign, salutation
and the
252
Have
sense, patience,
and
self-restraint,
and no
mischief will come.
Four things
a
slow horse,
to
be hated
chief
worthless hound,
without wisdom,
wife
without children.
Better a good run than a long standing.
Falling
easier than rising.
is
One morsel
Cleverness
is
am
often abides with a fool.
yellow, I have a fair heart.
day
If the
is
long, night
"Whether the sun
God
of a cat.
better than strength.
Good fortune
If I
worth two
of a rabbit is
comes at
last.
rise late or early, the
day
is
pleases.
There
No
no joy without
is
affliction.
one seeks relationship to the unfortunate.
A foot
at rest
The day
Virtue
Wisdom
Shun
of storm
is
Avarice
meets nothing.
is
not the day for thatching.
everlasting wealth.
is
the foundation of every
evil.
excels all riches.
a prying thief
and a
deceiver.
as
USAGES OF IRELAND.
An empty
253
vessel has the greatest sound.
Three good things are often thrown away
good thing done for an old man, for an ill-natured

man, or for a child for the old man dies, the other
is false, and the child forgets.
;
In slender currents comes good luck ; in rolling

torrents comes misfortune.
Misfortune follows fortune inch by inch.
God never
closed one gap but
He opened
an-
other.
Good begets goodness, and bad badness. Money

begets money, and wealth friendship.
Gentleness
is
ment than going
better than haughtiness; adjustto law.
store, than a large house and
small house and full

little
food.
Better to spare in time than out of time.
The son
the foal of
widow who has plenty of cattle,

an old mare at grass, and the miller's
of a
dog who has always plenty
of meal, are the three
happiest creatures living.
Good luck
It
is
is
better than early rising.
better to be lucky than wise.
Every man has bad luck awaiting him some time

or other. But leave the bad luck to the last
perchance
it
may never come.
254
Have
a kind look for misery, but a frown for
an
enemy.
misty winter brings a pleasant spring.
pleasant winter a misty spring.
Red
in the
South means rain and
Red
in the
Bast
Red
in the
North rain and wind.
Red
in the
West sunshine and
You
will live
is
a sign of
cold.
frost.
thaw.
during the year, for
we were
just
speaking of you.
There
A
there
A
from
is
wisdom
poem ought
is many a one
in the raven's head.
to spoil
man may be
itself
Want,
be well made at
to
it
own
his
first,
for
afterwards.
ruin.
It is a
wedge-
that splits the oak-tree.

slavery, scarcity of provisions, plagues,,
battles, conflicts, defeat in battle,
inclement weather,
rapine, from the unworthiness of a prince do spring-
In contradistinction
of a
good
the land.
prince,
to this statement,
the reign
asserted, brings a blessing on
it is
In the time of Cormac-Mac-Art,
"The
world was delightful and happy, nine nuts grew on

each twig, and nine sure twigs on each rod."
And
"The
grass
in the reign of Cathal-Crovh-dhearg,
was
so
abundant that
the cattle,
when they
it
reached above the horns of
lay
down
to rest in the field."
USAGES OF IRELAND.
255-
Mysteries and Usaqes.
The ancient Druids,
many
his
and magi possessed

by waving of
priests,
wonderful secrets.
The
priest,
wand, could throw a person into a deep
and while under the influence

the
operation,
patient
of
magi had
this
also the
known
power
this
Druidical
could describe what was
passing at a distance, and exhibit

clairvoyance as
of
sleep,
all
the phenomena
the moderns.
to
of prolonging
life,
The
and for
purpose an Irish pearl was swallowed, which
rendered the swallower as youthful as when in

his prime.
secret,
The Tuatha-de-Danans possessed
this
hence the tradition of their long existence
secreted in caves, after their defeat
The Druids
by the
Milesians..
moon exercised a
human frame, and pro-
believed that the
powerful influence over the
duced a violent
pulsation
in
the
blood-vessels
during the space of twenty-four hours.

It
is
reported
ancient
the
that
Irish
used
poisoned weapons, and the poison was extracted
from hellebore and the berries

It is believed that
if
any
of the
yew
tree.
of the Irish of noble
race should die abroad, the dead are so anxious to

"rest in the ancestral home, that their dust flies
on the winds of heaven over land and sea, blasting

every green and living thing in its passage as it
goes by, until
it
reaches
the hereditary burial-
ground, and there rests in peace.
And
this fatal.
ANCIENT CURBS, CHARMS, ETC.
.256
and baneful rush
of the dust of the dead,
blights the crops
and the
"The red wind
people,
fruit,
called
is
and
of the hills,"
is
which
by the
by
held
th<3m in the utmost dread.
In the time of the Fenian Princes, the dead
were not burned but interred in the earth, the feet

to the east, the head to the west; and a cairn of
stones was raised
over them.
Through
this,
passage with doors led to the place where the dead
grave of two doors for a
man of science a
woman mounds over
foreigners
and enclosures round
lay.
those
grave of one door for a
of
distinction
who died
of
the deadly plague.
Thus, sex
and rank were distinguished by the construction
of
the grave.
There was also another mode
The dead were placed
warriors.
position, their
of
in
burial
for
a standing
arms and shield beside them, and a
great circular cairn of earth and stones was raised
over them.
in battle,
Thus the heroic King
was placed
in his grave. "
in his sepulchre, with his javelin
of
Munster, slain
Mogha-Neid lies
by his shoulder,
with his club which was strong in battle, with his

helmet, with his sword
with deep love, and
long shall he be lamented
his absence be the cause of
darkest sorrow."
THE END.
CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS, CRYSTAL PALACE PEES
'

Ancient Cures Charms and Usages of Ireland by Lady Wilde

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Ancient Cures Charms and Usages of Ireland by Lady Wilde

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Copyright:

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The

the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright

the United States on the use of the

In compliance with current

Library produced this

replacement volume on paper

mm\\ ^mvmity Wiixim

ANCIENT CUKES, CHAKMS, AND USAGES

ANCIENT CURES, CHARMS, AN]

CONTRIBUTIONS TO IRISH IORE,

[All rights reserved^]

CHARLES DICKENS AND EVANS,

THE EARLY RACES

ANCIENT DOCTORS OP IRELAND

For the Falling Sickness

Water, Knife, or Lance

Cure for Weakness

For Whooping Cough

For the Nine-day Fever

CHARMS AND CURES

For the Staunching

Another Charm for Burns

For Whooping Cough

For a Mote in the Eye

For the Bite

For Suspected Witchcraft

For Sore Eyes

3HARMS AND CUBES

For the Night Fever

For the King's Evil v/

THE DEAD HAND >/

THE EVIL EYE

FOOD OF THE IRISH

THE SACRED TREE

THE NATURE OP FAIRIES

the demon bride

Patrick's day, 17th

patrick and the witch

The May-Day Dance

{CONTRIBUTIONS TO IRISH LORE.

ANCIENT CURES, CHARMS, AND USAGES

The Eaelt Eaoes.

All nations and

races from the earliest time have

held the intuitive belief that mystic beings were

always around them, influencing,

the forces of nature.

the presence of a spirit in the winds, and

the waves, and the swaying branches of the forest

in the primal elements of all that exists.

Fire was to them the sacred symbol of the divine

water, ever seeking a level,

was the emblem

purification that should cover all daily life; while

finds a grave, yet also a resurrection.

the primitive races of mankind the

unseen world of mystery was a

ANCIENT CUBES, CHABMS, AND

the great over-soal of the visible, holding

a mystic and psychic relation to humanity, and

had a strange power either

back the leaves of the national legends

and peoples, and find stamped on