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BY T. F.
CRANE
.548
BY
LADY WILDE,
AUTHOR OF "ANCIENT LEGENDS OF IRELAND," "DRIFTWOOD FROM SCANDINAVIA
ETC.
WARD
IK STREET,
W.C.
50
&*-
t?
CONTENTS.
.... ....
.
PAGE
1
THE TUATHA-DE-DANAN
ANCIENT DOCTORS OP IRELAND
ANCIENT MEDICAL MANUSCRIPTS
DRU1DIC CHARMS
....
10
against
ANCIENT CHARMS
Charm
Accidents,
....... .......
....
Fire,
Tempests,
i.O
11 11
CONTEXTS.
ancient charms {continued)
PAGB
For a
Wound
that Bleeds
11
For Toothache
12
.
12
For Consumption
12
12 13
For Inflammation
For Whooping Cough
ANCIENT CUBES
For Cramp
13
13
Mumps
13
14 14 14
of
Blood
14
IP 15
Burn
CONTENTS.
ANCIENT CORES
16 16 17
For Contusions
For the Bite
of a
Mad Dog
17
17
18 19
21
22
Dropsy
Fasting Spittle
.
22 22 23
ANCIENT CURES
24
For Rheumatism
24
24
25
To Remove Warts
For a Stye
viii
CONTENTS.
CONTENTS.
MALIKIC CHARMS
MALEDICTIONS
E LEPREHAUN
CONCERNING TREES
BURYING-GROUNDS
SUPERSTITIONS
CONTENTS.
PAGE
OMENS
74
75
\/ the banshee
....
march
st.
83
84
st.
85
92
a legend of
st.
patrick
93
festivals
</
May Day
in Ireland
97
106 106
Maidens
.
May Eve
107
107
May-Day Usages
Whitsuntide
Hallowtide in Ireland
108
115 125
127
Garland Sunday
PEASANT GAMES
WAKE GAMES
129
CONTENTS.
PEASANT TALES
OF IRELAND.
though unseen,
and
all
They
trees,
felt
and
ever
striving
towards
ascension;
and
of the
power
'that
produces
all
things,
and where
all
that lives
Thus
to
and
vivid-
reality
a mystic and psychic relation to humanity, and ruling it through the instrumentality of beings who
for
good or
evil
over
We turn
the
first
of all countries
and peoples, and find stamped on page the words " God and Immortality."
j
all
the old-world
J
and culture, and underlie all myths, and monuments, and all the antique usages
lore
'
and mystic
sacrificial
of
charms,
incantations,
and
observances.
The
debased,
primal
savage
man
superstitions,
and
in all of
ceaseless
and
instinctive
of
humanity
to
incarnate and
make manifest
to
the desire,
also,
worthy of note,
and
more
faithful
<
is
is
at
-
>
USAGES OF IRELAND.
But
(which,
the
myths,
superstitions,
and
legends
faith),
are the
expression of
a people's
and
finally
become
so
daily
This
is
who, having
by
their language
at the
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
The
Celtic
Pelasgian
along
the
same line of westward migration, carrying with them Egyptian and Pelasgian ideas even beyond the
Pillars of Hercules,
till
the distant
Hibernia, where
monustill
attest
people
I
such as
4
of
Grange, at the Boyne, one of those eternal works of the hand of man over which time seems
to
New
also
all
many
ments
f~and
i
many
beliefs
elements in
ritual.
common
as regards
religious
The Jews borrowed from Egypt, as the Egyptians borrowed from Babylon and Chaldea. jThus the creeds, symbols, and usages of all the
have a certain basis of identity.
however, have retained more of the
than
Ijsarly nations
The
ancient
people,
Irish,
superstitions
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.
and hold
to
The
Ikish Doctors.
Prom
ment
order.
of
medicine
distinguished place at
they were
of
honour when,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
,at
by a large
who
in the diagnosis
and treatment
and the
The
chiefly
skill
of
upon a profound knowledge of the healing toature and properties of herbs ; and they were also well acquainted with the most deadly and concen-
common
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,
in
which
various
magic
ceremonials
\
from the battle of Magh-tura (Moytura, the plain of the Towers) fought about three thousand years
Erin,
new
set of invaders
and the Tuatha-de-Danans, a from the Isles of the Sea, and famous
as warriors
and physicians.
of Moytura,Dianecht,
which the wounded were plunged,) and from which they emerged healed and wholeJ During the fierce combat, Nuada, the King of the!
efficacy,
into
it
is
recorded
that!
by
the
name he
lives in history.
skill
Owing
to
their
great
knowledge and
in
metallurgy,
fled before
them
to
extreme limit
of
the
western
coast,
even'
and protection from the enemy, those marvellous Cyclopean forts, whose stupendous, ruins, with the causeway leading to them, formed
of
enormous masses
After
of stone, can
be seen to this
day.
this, until
by the
Milesians from
of
remained masters
art flourished
Ireland,
rule.
under their
An
ancient poet
The Tuatha by
Could raise a slaughtered army from the earth, And make them live, and breathe, and fight again.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
i
[Kings/'
Adjoining the royal palace or "Tara of the they erected a hospital called "The
the
after
wounded knights
the
battles
and
of
be healed
there
of
their
attended
But
if
^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
If the
make
satisfactory progress,
fees,
which were
handed over
I
to a better liaigh.
The
practice of physic
was hereditary
in certain
families,
and each of the nobles had a special phyIn the more ancient
then, as learning
by
is
caused him to be
all efficacious
in curing disease
and thus,
though,;
I
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
:
were
profession, so that
many
of the manu-r'
Europe.
They
commentary)
whole and
stated
by
Sir William;
was able
to
tabulate
seventy-five fatal
diseases
1
by the native doctors, with many that were not fatal and he asserts that
accurately described
;
USAGES OF IRELAND.
f\J^
/
\
--*
J* Y>s
wjin-
e_
who
believed in
No
sun,
subI
names
of the Trinity
still
ing cures.
And
in this
mode they
who
consider
them
as talismans of
;
the sick
and no amount
to
pome down
dition
;
them through
evil
them,
an
fate
would
all
certainly
fall
on
the scorner.
is
<2>r
For, above
work for good; and charms kre set with most effect upon Wednesdays and Fridays, and must be set fasting, generally before
i
jaunnse.
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
Sickness.
By
the
wood
of the Cross,
healed.-"
be said in the
left
on
th|e
patient,
and he
is
to
the
name
of G-od
and th
when by
be cured.
Charm
against
Accidents,
Fire,
TempestsJ
i
Mary
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
" This
..
in
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
my
USAGES OF IBELAND.
11
And
by
hfe
whoever reads
it,
or tears
it,
cannot be hurt
fire
neither can the devil have power over him, nor will
die
all
dangers
be
Foe a
Speain.
to the
As
St.
mountain
of
But sinew
all
right to
C>
i'
i
man,
in
and bone to bone, God makes him who has faith and be thou healed, Jesu's name. Amen.
to sinew,
:
When
to
Christ
first
He
was
be
crucified,
He
"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,
And
or the
ague?"
"A
child
and the water was dark and muddy, but the Say these words child was pure and beautiful."
<pver the
I
12
adding:
God and
will be.
of
the Lord
Christ, let
staunched."
And
if
Foe Toothache.
pinch of clay from a priest's grave, and put
it
your mouth.
long as you
A
Drink
of
Cure
j?oe
Weakness.
boundary
Sunday mornings, before sunrise, fasting, and before any one has crossed the stream. In silence it must
of
nine
to
any one;
buifc
<
Foe Consumption.
|
The Crov-Darrig,
or
Red Hand,
one
to
be pulled,
by tying
otherwise
it
it
fatal to the
who
pulls
it.
The!
every
Wednesday morning.
The
leaves then to
bp
carefully burned.
Foe Inflammation.
,
Nine handfuls
to
of
powder.
Nine pinches
USAGES OF IRELAND.
tike
13
mouth, fasting.
If a trout
of
Then put
a'
back
may be
tried.
The tooth
man rubbed
ANCIENT CURES.
i
Foe Champ.
An
aud
eel's
on a
slip
mix
some soft food, and make the So will he be cured if he trusts pktient swallow it.
irf
Foe Mumps.
Tie a halter round the child's neck, then lead
Him u
to a
14
A young
she ties
it
girl,
and
when
thre4d
miraculously disappears.
as a poultice.
Chickweed
is
also
us4d
and
remove
stiffness or swellings]
Foe Rickets.
anvil
for
seven days
:in
timfe.
For
Cut a twig
patient's
Epilepsy.
and string
fall
neck
made.
bb
USAGES OF IRELAND.
muddy
So
is
15
that the
it
stopped flowing.
!
So
stop
let
the blood
"
let
blood
Let
it
flowing in the
!
name
of Jesus,
of Christ
This
scarlet
worsted
is
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
mouth on
Old clod beneath the clay, Burn away, burn away. In the name of God be thou healed.
Amen.
will
on the patient.
w Jrds
Two
angels sat
upon a
stone,
One was
16 It
if a.
person
is
by the
"Man-
for a
man
gives
great ease.
but a plant
house-leek affixed
to
should not be
forgotten,
preserves the'
the-
danger
of fire as
long as
it
remains untouched.
I
ANCIENT CURBS.
Fob Whooping Cough.
',
Take a mug
of
;
streatn,.
throw the rest away with the current; repeat this for three mornings before sunrise, and the cure willbe perfected.
!
Foe a Mote
in
the Bye.
An
incantation
is
to
be said by a fairy-woman
the patient
is
Then
to look.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
steadily at the plate,
17
will
drop into
ill-luck
is
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
this
always
first
Mad
Dog.
By
may
given him to
eat.
It
may
also
be
cow
hog or
dog.
18
It is a
all
rubbed
over with
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
is
Jaundice.
;
of great repute
also a salad
made
the
of various herbs
called
green
ointment,
considered a
sovereign
remedy.
All the
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
West was
nearly poisoned
by a dose
of this physic,
who
so nearly
died of
it
to murder.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The Homoeopathic adepts amongst the
doctors always employ yellow
jaundice, as saffron, turmeric,
sulphur,
19
Irish
and even
which
yellow soap.
held to be a specific,
if brewed to a strong drink, and taken every morning, fasting, for nine days
in succession.
An
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,
tree
in
which
is
As long
is
from the disease; but, should it be broken, he will have a relapse and probably die from
safe
mental
before
emotion,
caused by fear
of
the result,
many
efficacious
a pilgrimage to
20
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
pearl
adhering,
which
she
affirms
is
the the
attraction
is
is
of
amber.
pierced
used as
the
the eyes.
This cure
is
called
crown
head has been long used by the wise women, and with wonderful success. The crown
of the
of the
head
is
first
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
spittle
is
profession,
ophthalmic surgery.
Fasting
by mixed with
into a
This
is
made
To
if
on entering a cabin
and
admiringly on a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
child,
21
he
is
at
it;
this
unknown
to
him
or
rite
Irish,
up from her seat by the fire and perform the ceremony herself, that so good luck may not depart
on a penny piece,
of the
stomach;
light
the
when
is
This
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
him
till
the
fit
leaves
him.
If,
The
also
will of the
Lord must
used
harrow-pin, a
down
in the earth,
22
in the
fit,
and he
is
given
Foe Asthma.
Let the patient drink of
dandelion (dent-de-lion
ivy,
a potion
made
of
lion's tooth) or of
ground-
in the
said over
before drinking.
is
Ave Maria
is
very efficacious
afterwards buried.
of hair, cut
from the
up
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
In former times
spittle
was used
in baptism,
life,
and
in
many
of
as
USAGES OF IRELAND.
a lucky and confirmatory
bargain
is
23
act
fair
concluded
at
market
till
the
money in the palm of Lis hand The head of the faction fight and spits upon it. spits upon his blackthorn stick to make likewise the blow more deadly and certain. But, for a
receiver lays the
saliva should
be used
fasting,
It is
effectual
as a
dust and
name
of the Trinity.
Fjever.
tie it tightly
person,
saying:
Father, Son,
the fever go
ANCIENT CUKES.
If a
cow becomes
feist,
restive,
plunges about, or
lies
or
worm.
To cure
this,
a long
a knot, like a
knitted that
is
Tet there
mode
of
24
coil
is
quite free.
is
This
said
beneficial result is
snaidhenof
worm's
knot),
and
is
great
Evil.
wise
of
men
amongst the
who keep
pieces
paper, transmitted
And
if
the paper
is
in the
name
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
;
but
it
must not
touched
be exhibited, and
it
should never be
lent, or
To Remove Warts.
Tie up some pebbles in a bag with a piece of
silver
it
finds
USAGES OF IRELAND.
piece of meat and apply
it
25
then,
raw
to the warts
bury
it
stolen,
there
are
many
curious
down by
cure.
tradition,
and
in
But, to
be
clay
foot on entering
the house,
all
when
it is
God save
affected,
believes, for
For a Stye.
The
tail of
a black cat,
if
will effect a
speedy cure.
It is
nine thorns in
succession
without
use
touching
it,
after
over the
left
26
and receives or
visits
first
patients
on
no other occasions.
He
and across the forehead, then from ear to ear over the crown of the head, then diagonally across
ears
the vertex.
"too
And
same
time.
is
This process
last
closing
and
has grown
much
smaller
in
completed when
on
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
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Some wool
taken,
27
a sure
remedy
for earache.
A
will
few
tied
off
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
doctor,
keep
slices
and eaten
will
The king's
black cat.
A peasant
made
woman had
off
was almost
applications
entirely nipped
by the repeated
altogether, pro-
away
bably to
effect a
POPULAR CURES.
Spiders are used for
for ague.
many
ailments, especially
up
in a
on.
Pills, also,
may be made
it
cobwebs
in
after
which time
would be dangerous
to
continue the
treatment.
The
spider's
web
is
also
an excellent
styptic,
and
28
is still
amongst
all
In
lips
the
operation of
patient
drops of
blood that
to
It
is
considered
unlucky
the
bleed a
young
in the
arm; the
in
operator therefore,
foot,
when
first
which
is
warm
water.
boiled down,
is
Duckweed
sick.
The Falling
Burn the
fall in
Sickness.
church key
Should he
juice,
mouth, and he
will
(1460).
A
got
;
called
"The Charge
it
of the Artificer's
was
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
Mesmeeism.
Charms,
esteemed
relics,
holy
of
wells,
stroking
by
are
an
all
hand
a seventh son,
agents.
infallible
curative
But
the
power
of
He
must, however,
first
pray in silence
for
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
known
its
to the Druids,
who by
this
will of the
gods
by
aid prophecies
Kheumatism was
all
chiefly cured
by
stroking,
and
30
incantations,
Latin
words were used as charms, sewn up in a bag and carried in the pocket, tied round the hind legs
of a hare.
An
eel-skin
many
virtues
rheu-
Erysipelas.
fire," is
believed
The blood
for it
is
of a black
cat
is
best, consequently
few
tail,
nipped
off bit
by
bit to
The black
creature.
If
bone
of
it,
you can
this,
To obtain
mouth before a
the bone
is
if
reflected there
for should
is
you happen to
last is
found
which
If
will
make you
is
invisible at pleasure.
cow
sick,
mounts
astride
given a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
bannock
of
to eat, well buttered,
;
31
cream
bite,
a sup
if
if
it
be so ordained,
it
well;
not, leave
to its fate;
will eat."
to cure the depression of spirits, called in Irish " the sinking of the heart," in the following
been known
manner.
Holding a cup of
to
known
only
This
is
and which has never been written down. done on Monday, Thursday, and the
Monday
Then
cat,
a cake
is
made
it
of the
till
is
baked,
the cake
it.
of the Cross
made over
of
It
then
eaten
with
nine
sprigs
waterinto the
cress,
fire,
and
if
any
is left, it
must be thrown
it,
the sign
faith
in the ancient
wonld
far
woman
of
the
One
32
that a
woman
of the place
to her the
no harm," added the doctor, " I left them on, though meanwhile I added what I considered best,
became quite
well.
But,
all
Love Charms.
Philters, love
affection
belief in
in Ireland, and the them existed from the most ancient times.
allusions to
most awful
of all is the
dead
Girls
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
this
they manage to
tie
round the
leg or
arm
of the
man
it
And
from
all
eyes, so long
man's love.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
33
Madness.
There was a
for
insanity,
terrible care
employed
in old times
implicit faith.
A pit
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
to
for the
harrow-pin
attributes,
is
and was always used in ancient sorceries, and then the unhappy patient was left alone. If he survived the living burial, he was generally
taken out
of the pit
alive,
perished
ever.
mad than
Yet
it
actually restored
inhuman treatment.
Sickness.
The Falling
This sickness
priest.
is
best cured
if
by the hand
on the
first
of
But
it
is
said that
attack
off
and thrown
into the
and burned,
the
pared, and
hair
down
into the
34
grave
then
lie will
while he
lives.
is
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
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.
Some
tail.
Then no
of
power are on
her.
Insanity.
another remedy
but as
it
is
a laborious underis
always provided
When any
showed signs
of devils
of madness, this
man was
sent for,
began
of
his exorcism
by pouring
forth a
torrent
USAGES OF IRELAND.
dashed holy water
to thrash the
all
05
he proceeded
demented person most vigorously, the patient being held firmly all the time by three or
four of the friends or neighbours.
When
the poor
had
still
but as the
evil
spirit
was
Whereupon he commenced
to
all directions,
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
lately in
Roscommon.
Mynn became
man
of the place
suddenly
mad, or "
elf-
in all haste.
and foaming
at the
moutb, while
men were
trying to hold
him down
and
a great
36
Davy Flynn at
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
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
the real
;
and to keep
for
man
alive,
in Fairyland, the
substitute
a horse.
On
oats,
aided of
course
by the poteen,
five
company.
The operator
form
of
first tied
wave
band
in the
a cross, he
commanded
silence.
After
Davy had
whicb he responded by
terrible cries.
At
last tbe
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
if
he
to pieces,
man
them
the
At
length
tied
the
died, to the
the death
Foe Lumbago.
Dog-fern
roots
and
shamrocks
should
be
salt, till
a kind
This
is
rubbed
is
all
over the
back,
Hail Mary
is
washed
off,
but
the cure
perfected.
Complaint.
33
and
fasting,
while Hail
Mary
these are to
and the Paternoster all be boiled and strained, and the herbsis said,
after wards to
be carefully burned.
glassful of
Foe Dysentery.
in
Woodbine and maiden-hair, pounded and boiled new rnilk, with oatmeal, and taken three times a
ANCIENT CURES.
(From an
Irish Manuscript in the
Sickness.
and white
7 lb.
add
;
to a paste
will cure.
up with
his
Or, a plaster
ivy,
made
laid
of
boiled
and
upon the
the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
patient sleeps
not.
lie will
39
do
well,
and
iE
not,
he
will
Or, a band of the fresh skin of a wolf worn round the body as a girdle, and as long as the
patient wears
sickness.
it
Or, pour
in
the
fit.
an amulet.
away.
The
himself,
doctor,
this
who copied these receipts says of "I am Conlan Mac Liagk son of: the and in the Monastery of Tuam I am
scribe
years, four
of the Lord."
to the left
hand.
in white,
The person gathering it, also, was to be clad and to offer a sacrifice of bread and wine.
mentions that vervain, one of the sacred
Irish,
He
also
herbs of the
was
to
of the Dog-star,
when
moon was
40
power
And he and render the possessor invulnerable. makes mention of the virtues of the elder tree as
being widely
epilepsy;
known
of spiders
and
their
webs
as is of
same manner
himself
Barton, in his
"Anatomy
used
Melancholy,"
mentions
having
web being
A porridge
of the
ailments of the
worms.
It con-
wood
This
sorrel,
oatmeal.
Also
According
Against
of the
made
of the apple
grow downward
in the earth.
These to
USAGES OF IRELAND.
be boiled with the brains
fasting,
till
41
of a wild
thing: that
was
Make
more
wait
till
a good
fire,
throw into
it
a handful or
;
by the fairy-women
a great smoke
rises,
fire,
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
doing.
till
the
that
then you
may know
is
redeemed from
and
let this
and a day.
power either
hen
crowing
or demon, or
42
Take the cowslip, roots, blossom, and leaves, clean them well, then bruise and press them in a
linen cloth,
add honey
put
it
ia
nostrils
and ears
he lying on
his
back.
till
away whatever
obstruction
on the brain.
This
may be
re-
into
the ears.
But
good
as
there
for
it
is is
nothing so
peculiarly
it
chill
that
and
if
the private
stills
sickness
would there be
in the
Foe Falling
Sickness.
fit,
No oue
only the
He
first
takes a bundle of
ties it
and toe nails ; these clippings he gathers together and burns with.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
the linen yarn.
4,3
into
two
parts, after
laid flat
on the
earth and two holes are made, one at his head the
placed over
So
thus
And
never to
rise
remain untouched.
Hydrophobia.
Many of the cures, however, used by the people and the witch-doctors are not merely superstitious
practices, but are based
human
ages
all
For the rules and tenets primitive science have been transmitted!
who
in direct succession.
In the
instance,
MacGowans,
for
have a
hydrophobia,
acquired in
known only to themselves, and About one hundred and fifty this way
:
44
years ago,
One day a strange dog came swimming towards them and was
visit
each other.
lifted into
the
signs
of
decided madness.
for lost, and
at last,
overcome by
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
shown
to
him
in the
f
dream.
The
result
;
perfect restoration
rom the
fatal disease
strange story,
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
;
malady;
name
of the
herb or the
mode
of preparation.
known only
to
tra-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
dition,
45-
and
But
to
orders must be rigidly observed. First, the patient must be brought under care within nine days
after
the
attack,
;
before
the
hydrophobia
has
cross
become
virulent
secondly,
he must not
power
cat,
of the
MacGowans, and
to
excited
pet
belonging
a farmer's
family,
savage
ferocity,
and
Sis of
Evidently
of
the
beast
in
terror
at the
and the
eldest agreed to
cure,
fifty
starting.
sum
for
the farmer
to give
MacGowan
at
of
largo stock
of
garlic
and hazel-nuts.
fluid
'1
46
AND
was
taste.
green colour, and very nauseous to the The people said it was made of the Atherlus
but
MacGowan kept
strict silence
on the subject,
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
fluid.
at the
end
of that
would surely
die, their
help them.
quite successful.
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
all
entreaties
to reveal the
name
of the
green
fluid,
and
to this
even the priest himself, has ever obtained a knowledge of the mystery, save only the eldest son of the
eldest
MacGowan
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
afflicted
with
between
two
feather
beds
the
near relatives
death followed.
Malific Charms.
of maledictions
and
name
is
of the Evil
One.
sheaf of corn
who
in
is
Another form
candle
of malediction is to
bury a lighted
by night
weird ceremonies.
A young
who had
determined on
He was
a fine, healthy
to pine
he began
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
it
Yet even
this disagreeable
remedy was
of
no
young man
still
continued to pine
Maledictions.
off
an entire
by the
devil's magic,
considered powerful in
to offend
him.
The Lusmore,
poison,
is
deadly
in malice to
is
he
is
tried with
is
USAGES OF IRELAND.
wrapped
in a
49
woman's red
hood over
clay, all
and
if
Imbas forosma (the knowledge that enlightens) was a weird and fearful pagan ceremony by which
evil
of the
made to
performance was
accompanied
rites,
of too
Druid
priests,
and
sup-
an infant
is
it is
To
is
before the
If it
is
a fairy imp,
will
as-
disappear
burned that
cries are
it
though
its
family around.
secrets of witchcraft,
it
to visit
50
This
is
preserved by drying or
women
are
known
as
the strongest
powers
of
and as having the most fatal witchcraft. These witch-women are re-
and
if
child, it
doomed
her
own
it.
churn, though
of her.
Beware
When
safe.
churning
is
"
God
work
;
"
;
but a witchif
woman
refuses,
therefore,
she
known
at
unlucky.
man
can cure
many
diseases.
It
the milk
is
stirred
round nine
times with
it
while a witch-prayer
is recited.
Bat
many
and
be learned
USAGES OF IRELAND.
61
Witchcraft.
An
churchyard
guilt.
But
all
and
the
the
man whose
skull
was used
for
the
is
falsely
maligned turns
will
luck will
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-
he lay sleeping
with a stick
him he must be
name
of the Trinity,
cut from a
lay
is
tree, in the
hidden.
dies.
of
:
thine eye."
The
evil-eye influence
particularly
e 2
52
is
then
and
and
In
men and women and their blood was sprinkled on the ground but this practice has now died out, even in the western
old times, the
islands,
though
sacrifice
through blood
is
always
The
blight on cattle
You
them
for his
own.
To break
cattle at once to a
But
if
in
Superstitions.
The popular
seem
to
writer
who
travelled
USAGES OF IRELAND.
which none
gress, that
of the peasants
53
would dare
think
it
to trans-
came under
his observation.
"
wrong
to rub
down
" They
asks for
fire
on
May
"
When
going out
in
for
good
luck, or
to a
luck,
may come
for the
day
in that
manner
man.
"
salt is flung
on
the earth
and
in the towns,
when
salt
a magistrate
first
Food of the
Iktsh.
He
and
"
The
Irish,"
he
much upon
flesh,
herbs,
roots.
watercresses,
They
and
sometimes
51
whom
They
it
also bleed
jelly,
their kine,
it
and as the
with butter,
it
blood stiffens to a
they stew
and eat
with great
reiish,
washing
down with
huge draughts
of usquebaugh."
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
stimulants
Amongst the
the
brain,
is
specially
advised
as
an energetic
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
The
and
peasants
still
world times.
To
will
but
is
the pieces
fall
to
the
certain.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
If
55
any feathers
of wild fowl
be in a bed the
is
to
hang a
On
down
St. Bridget's
day a crop
of peeled rushes is
and a mat
of fresh
hay
is
laid
comes
to pray for
St.
of the family.
Bridget
in
was
very
high -tempered
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.
haughty
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
of the Church."
And
so
it
began
to rise
till
Saint's cell
were
as
it
all
was formed
years,
now
on
St.
be heard
;
and
of a
56
know
Mark's chapel, banned and doomed by the powerof the holy Bridget.
The Leprehaun.
The
little
little
sprite the
name
of the
herb or the
words
of the
treasure,
charm which reveal the hidden only the Leprehaun has the knowledge-.
which give wealth to him who knows;
May morning
but
if
he reveals
So the adepts keep the secret,, Yet the peasantry still by them
to obtain
make many
Concerning Trees.
yew The
hazel
is
witchcraft.
St.
of a hazel
USAGES OF IRELAND.
57
be
released.
circle
And
draw a
spirit.
fairy, or
demon, or serpent, or
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
it
should be hung on
May morning
cradle,
away
power
evil
and over the churn and the door, to keep The blessed spirits and evil hands. and the rowan
and
is
;
of the hazel
is
firmly believed
still
safeguard
against
witches
for
and no
tree
is
considered malignant in
is
its influence.
it
The willow
which
of the
wood.
Brian Borohm'sis
in
existence,
made
of
the-
willow tree.
four-leaved
shamrock has
in-
He
cannot be cheated
and makes
and by
its
aid wondrous
:
"Whoever
must never be shown to man nor mortal, or the power would exist no more.
But
it
58
ancient tree
made
by the memory
of a saint.
One
of
cold,
St.
Moling;
house in flames.
spot, but,
was
safe
So he returned
to his
work
but
all
was safe
at his
home.
he returned to the
as he
tree,
and lopped
when, to
off as
much
home
burned
to the ground,
and he was
left
without a
The
Great virtue
in cases of
is
Briar.
is
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and split evenly from end. to end.
59
The
pieces are
men
the
and waving
and
;
rise
up
till
they touch
then a
bound
the time
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,
which he
will
Concerning Birds.
Everything in nature, above and around them,
exercises
a mysterious
is
influence
over the
Irish
mind, and
their fortune
and
good or
evil.
60
beneficial
as
if
some malign
were in them.
belief,
They come
with signi-
to the popular
messages from the unseen world of good or bad omen, but generally with warning and pro.
phecies of doom.
The water-wagtail
is
particularly
but no danger
was apprehended
until one
to
morning
bill,
water-wagtail came
the
as
if
trying
to-
break
the glass
this
For three
mornings
and
in four days
he
was dead.
up and
said
" Behold
the spirit of
doom
is
let
And
the evil
his
came
as
foretold,
from the
in
some unaccountable manner, and the young man was carried home dead to his unhappy mother.
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
his
enemies,
is
it.
When
disaster
;
a raven
is
evil is near,
therefore to turn
fire
away
ill
luck, say at
once
evil,
"
May
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
expected; but
if
he crows with
his
then death
If a
fairies
is certain.
have struck
hen crows on the roost it is a sign that the it, and the head of the hen must
off
be immediately cut
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
down
62
at
a hair
is
to-
co mb your
own gray
locks
good
old
agev
There
is
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.
cuckoo
sits
Tou may
sell
Superstitions.
When
ing
till
a person
is
are-
and
left
burn-
extinguished,
is
given to the
first
The corners
of the
The
charms ever
after.
Amongst
in the
most
fatal is to
break
certain that
is
some one
out.
And
This
there
evil fate.
superstition
holds
its
indeed, amongst
all classes to
omen
is
To break the
spell of witchcraft,
it is
good to eat
USAGES OF IRELAND.
incantation.
63
But the patient must eat of them only on Mondays and Thursdays, and the Monday
On
it,
and
all
burned
first
down.
A name
it
is
given to each
and the
name
is
out.
is
On Candlemas night
the
first
practised
;,
whose
light
will
and
so
on
to the last,
who
be the survivor of
is
all.
On Ash Wednesday,
is
self
Also, a
theto-
coal
brought from
the priest's
house to kindle
fire, for
at the
new moon,
it
is
and'
by the
light of the
moon
itself;
unlucky day of
all
comtnence business, or cut out a new dress on a all, never bring a cat from,
to
one house
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,
upon
human
actions.
But the
fairies
upon
by
the
human
presence.
It is
"the first
man
or
woman
Should
haired
woman
particularly dangerous.
first
in the
hair,
Some
say that
augury.
It is
unlucky to
offer
your
left
hand
in saluta-
an old saying:
"A
hand
to
unlucky to
sit
down
is
one of the party will certainly die before the year out. This is a most wide-spread superstition,
to all classes
and extends
lowest.
It
the evil
Judas was the thirteenth at the Last Supper, and was in his heart as he sat at meat.
There are some days in the week considered by the people for certain work or
unpropitious
USAGES OF IRELAND.
projects.
65
Thus,
no
one
should
undertake
any
business of importance on
Wednesdays
or Fridays,
it
comes from
heaven or
come
it will,
their
revels
trouble them.
and dances, and no mortal should But the fairies never have three
is
;
the
number
of the
and
is
There
:
a popular rhyme
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
to
have separate burying-grounds for the different There was one for aged strangers, another classes.
for infants
who
be admitted into consecrated ground. Suicides were buried separately, in a place called, " The Wounded
Man's Grave."
Women who
died in child-birth
had
66
buried alone.
is
woman
enters
it
and
out.
Consequently, no living
gate,
strict
woman
The
usage,
if
pass
are
the
only
as
the
to
dead men.
dead
very
all
form
their
and
and
Also,
would
rise
up
from
graves
anything
lies
dead man, he
will
till
them no
rest
removed.
man having
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
man had no
Then he
to do.
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
as to the
as desired,
and drew a
circle
And
;
at
and
brave
circle the
man
felt
USAGES OF IRELAND.
enough
to speak, for he
67
knew he was
protected by
:
" Why
have you
left
me ?
"
Then
him getting
to heaven,
and he would never have were removed from him, for the
grave-clothes
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
which he would have
did, even as
rest.
And
all this
the brother
seen no more.
to
quietly in
voice of
new
when
the pangs of
The body is then washed with soap and and dried with a liuen cloth and the use water, being over, the water is spilled, and the cloth buried in a hidden place in the earth, where no
the
first.
;
for
if
68
stood upon the ground where the water was spilled; he would be fated to wander about the fields all'
night, not
knowing where
till
the
When
the body
is laid
sanctifies a
over
self-
the corpse.
And
this is
done because,
if
any
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
turned down-
wards
have any
infant's nails
till
it is
a twelve-
month
old, or it will
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.
retire to rest at
left alone,
A
fairies
the
away
When
at once
:
a person sneezes, the people around say " The blessing of God and the Holy Mary
USAGES OF IRELAND.
be on you," otherwise the
evil
69
fairies would do some " The consecration be Or they say upon you," meaning the holy water. This will at
turn.
once avert
It is
all
fairy spite
and malice.
fall
sets.
kill
it is fatal,
and
take
When
it is
unlucky to
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
her, she
must come
freely, of
her
own good
The
at
is
will.
tail of
If a
cow suddenly
it is
falls sick,
parent cause,
The remedy
loins,
is
to strike
ment belonging
to
any one
of the
name
70
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 holywell, casting
an
elf
And
be
if
then
elf
stones
must
tied
up
in a cloth
Some
butter, also,
may be added
to pro-
pitiate the saint of the well, and after this the cow
will surely recover.
There
is
bearing a rude resemblance to a chair. This is called " The Madman's Stone/' and the people
believe
that
if
a lunatic
is
placed on
it,
seated,
At
Porfcrane,
County Dublin,
at
is
a well called
is
"
The-
high tide
covered by the
fresh and pure.
itself
Any
this is carried
At
property of Sir
Hugh
Massy,
is
many
St.
and has
left the-
The people
try to
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and never
impress
left
fail
71
to
find
relief
if
by the
Saint.
A most efficacious
is to
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
for
amongst the crowd surrounding the holy wells if the blessed bread is added to the power of
;
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
is
A strip
of the skin of
memory
manger
dying,
if
of
Holy Mother
if
in the
is
at
Bethlehem.
scapular
But
the
woman
the
must be
she dies
of
it,
with
it it
and
priest.
generally taken
dying
woman by
the
nearest
female
relative,
who
72
reverently places
up her
soul
God.
Until a
has gone through the ceremony of churching, after the birth of her child, she is the
woman
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 water over her.
to wash,
Even
if
all
go
away
from her
For
to
be touched by unholy
all
the
river,
and the
disappointed angler could not help regretting that the fish were so very particular as to the tenets of
man
leave
home
after
his wife's
confine-
them both
all
off.
For the
fairy
queen
as
desires,
above
things, a mortal
woman
if
fairy offspring.
And
her
own
child happens to
be an ugly
little
change
it
USAGES OF IRELAND.
for the beautiful
73
human
babe,
who henceforth
will
see his
kindred or home.
When
toms are
woman
is
is
but
if
the symp-
pronounced to be in Fairyland,
and
his
appearance.
Then the
priest
is
sent for
but
if
who begins
If
his operations
by
filling
incantation.
present in
is
solemn incantations
This process
being recited
the time,
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
a
is
is
life,
own
is
or another's.
To
break the
fatality,
little
bird
hand
till it
dies.
over,
and the
evil
spell is
an offering
74
To break
a mirror
is
It portends
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
;
pieces fell
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.
first
;
alarmed at
and
this she
Thus the
child
was saved,
bride,
for the
ill
who
;
cares
and
crosses
but the
happy,,
for her
good fortune
in all things
The
cricket
is
who
may happen
will
to kill
one
up the
offender's
as
loss of a friend
and
relation.
Every woman
wear
USAGES OF IRELAND.
three rings blessed in the
75
name
of
the Trinity,
of
wiles of
The Nature of
If a child spills
:
tin of
"
That
to
never scolded,
fairies
lest that
luck.
For the
mean and
free,
joyous nature
is
who
And
fire in
considerate,
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
;
their
councils
yet
not too
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
feathers.
They
human
aid,
it.
and
and acute
off
in
obtaining
man
at night, put
him
morniDg
76
to his
home, wearied and exhausted, he finds that, instead of a splendid horse, he has only been riding
a
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
have human
;
has
living
;
They
place
man and
to
examine
it,
and carry
off
he gains
it
for them,
gifts,
if
and he
is
after.
Though
he
un-
successful,
home
lame
The
may
that all the fairy spite against them is caused by envy and jealousy because man has been created
is
doomed
to ex-
Bat
saints
receive full
people,
invoked against
evil influences
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The people
makes
more
77
if a farmer amongst them money than his neighbours, they become indignant and often do an injury to his
cattle as a
punishment.
be milked.
come to him though he gathers ever gold/' and they determined to do him an
will
so
ill
much
turn-
Now
vision
the
man was
to
came
him that
hill
he lamented he heard a
great cave on the
and
call
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
the
her,
he
is
all
She
is
under a fairy
spell
and
;
is
hidden
away
but, never
fire
78
went
and
on the
cow
" Come
forth,
come
forth," but
turf all
round the
unless the
and
I will
May
your
fire
be accursed," he said
take your cow away with you, but never more will
is
upon
her."
And
was
witched,
And
as
and very sorrowful, a young girl came up close and " Ask for the spansel, or whispered in his ear
:
you
will
On me
"
Bring
the spansel, or
is
hill
and not
fire."
still
he cried out
evermore.
"Accursed be your
The
Only leave me
in peace."
And
So when the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
farmer got
it,
79
lie
was content;
was broken
at last
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
;
And
fairy-doctors.
was practised by the Druids in their solemn rites, and St. Patrick in his conflict
It
and water.
is
As
a prevalent belief
all
that Friday
the year,
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
who was
And
one day
tapped
gently,
and
come
80 in
travelled far.
"Come
"and
there
in
is
and welcome/'
Sullivan,
Now
near the
and the old woman turned it over by and all the water ran
This, of
course,
was a sign
of
luck
but the
woman
expressed so
much
sorrow,
Now, Alanna,"
can to help
woman,
" I'll
not
more
little
milk
my
be
I'll
my
people on the
before
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
" That
of the house,
before I go,
I'll
just light
my
fire,
with that she took a piece of burning sod from the and carried it outside to light her pipe, and
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
be
allowed a lame
woman
to
come
;
in here
let
;
and
sit
you
the water
you gave
also
away milk
allowed
fire
and butter
to be
on a Friday, and
gone for
And
grew
left
so
it
less
and
so
little
money
from
eat,
in
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
;
it
lame woman
"
the can
is full
and
all
your own."
can that be, good woman, for we
luck
is
"But how
have none
our
gone?"
Sullivan, weeping.
"Well,
morning,
I'll tell
Every
fast
you are
a
82
the milk in
my
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,
!
in tears, " of
to do,
"
?
and
my
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
tail
go home and
tie
my
keep her from the particular friends, and I'll bring them
this will
be
safe.
butter on a Friday
nor
let
the churn
nor
let fire
fire
spell of evil
was
made and
laid
upon you.
Attend, therefore, to
words, for I
am
and
my my
word is law," and with that she disappeared and was seen no more. Then Mrs. Sullivan hastened
home, wondering
at the words,
and
USAGES OF IRELAND.
83
horns; and next day, to her great delight, she had her pail
and the churning went on even better than ever and the butter was the
full of
milk
richest
and best
in the
always put a
live
coal
come
in to
carry
away milk
especially
no lame woman
and
The Banshee.
The Ban-Sidhe, the
only
of
fairy spirit of
doom, never
an appanage
are
She
is
families,
who
always
supposed
to
be a beautiful young
until
the family,
who must be
young and
Ban, or
Van
to
love, to desire.
is
To
this
of
the house
called
Irish, the
original signification.
g 2
84
sometimes
At other
girl,
times, she
is
kirtle
and
scarlet mantle,
There
but
is
is
no harm or fear of
is
her mere
a sure
is
and
death
of
Truagh,
County
said to be
haunted by an
at
evil spirit,
that
funerals
the
spirit
be a
a beautiful
passion,
young
girl,
inspires
churchyai d.
The promise
fire
then
by
through
he
is
and makes the promise required. Then she disappears, and the young man proceeds homewards ;
USAGES OF IRELAND.
85
on
his
Then
terror
month
demon
bride,
is
graveyard of Truagh.
case,
In a recent
where a
by
his
no exorcism
had any
effect.
On
man
fell
to
when they
But the
to
the
graveyard
for
at
sometimes the
beautiful
festivities,
weddings or
its
secure
victims,
by dancing
brain,
them
maddens the
and
March.
teacher,
Patrick,
the great
apostle,
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
force.
This
is
proved
his rapid and decisive overthrow of and of the strong Druidic priesthood in Ireland, through the daring and successful measures he
by
paganism
by the
and a
Sun God
an
altar
faith that
have now
Saint's
When
band
him that he
island,
side.
of
on every
much
to the
men
of injuries
St. Bridget,
convert, and
;
all
through his
apostolate
nationality.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The opening
grand.
lit
87
of Patrick's mission
By
the King's
command no
in Erin
the Royal
of death
;
was
first
on the
hill of
Slane, so that
On
and
his
this the
King was wroth, nine chariots and armed slay him. But the Saint ness, and when the Magi
power
cease his
efforts,
men
to seize Patrick
Afterwards
Patrick
and
his
band
of the
followers
King's Court,
his
was
at this
hymn which
this
still
holds
its
In
spells of
women, smiths,
:
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
sun,
a stream
of
this
memorable occasion
in
shamrock
triune
his
been
the
national
symbol
for
But the
schools,
wherever
he
went
he
established
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,
and nobles,
bards
fold,
and
Druids, were
his death
all
and before
the
complete.
;
For his
mode
of action
was
full of tact
rites,
Baal
fire,
became sacred
and
of
demons,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
privileges-
Thus,
worn by the
called
"
priest
at the sacrament.
offering."
This was
the robe of
And
before his time only three had the right to speak in public
namely, the historian, the poet, and the but Patrick added another, "the man the lasting language" that the priest of the Holy
judge
of
is,
in.
So that form
and has
The
scribe,
or
man
of
letters,
was esteemed a
was
liable to the
penalty of death, or
girls,
each
cruel
sister
sin.
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
take heaven
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,
Then Patrick
at last
promised his
sister that as
she
him
in the path.
where the
cross
now
stands
A softer and gentler spirit is in the story of the two princesses converted to the Christian faith by
the Sanctus Patricius Episcopalus.
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
two daughters
of the
flowing
morning prayers
must be
And
the maidens
he young
?
Is
he handsome
his
daughters
are
?
Are
?
Is he rich
Is
"
Who
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
and
He
what things he
On which
others, that
the
made seven
requests,
among
no
who were deputed to judge and that every Thursday and Saturday
of hell.
A thousand
years
may
still
shoulder,
made
in
his hat,
and every
Irishwoman
the
leanne, while to
many an
most acceptable
of presents,
and
92
Patrick's Hall,
his suite will
wear huge bunches of the national emblem, and all the ladies will have it mingled with
adornments of their dress. be held in London in the Saint's honour, where princes and peers will appear
their garlands
and
in the
Even a Royal
levee will
Court ceremonials.
festival will
And no
for
be
fine,
St. Patrick
made
him
to
this a
know
of
And
for
thus
it
now no
may happen
in the
less
of for
by the
honour.
great apostle,
Saint,
and
we
wear
in his
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,
93
weeping
fled
bitterly.
And
away from the Court of the King because, in his anger, he had vowed to slay them with the sword unless they
gave up
their
;
new
religion
to the
to the
ancient idols
for they
God
of
And
their
tears
fell
fast
life itself,
but
they
whom
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
Columba, the
Witch.
When
94
wandered on
till
at last he
came
to
a-
And
;
in the night
he was
thirsty,,
and asked
for water
to
fill
had forgotten
water except at the well, and not one of her servants or people would venture to go there at such
thirst
on him
till
devil,
if
it
home.
and asked
On
this the
woman wondered
to
greatly,
be so brave, for a
go near
it
The
Saint,
how-
ever,
made answer
God
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
;
the place
in the
name
of the-
down dead on
his face-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
So Patrick was
inn.
95
at peace to
fill
And
Irish,
if
it
was a saying afterwards amongst the they were offended or suffered injury,
of St. Patrick
on the "
!
man
of the well
Now, the magician had a mother a wicked and she vowed vengeance-
So he pursued her
to Croagh-Patrick,
where
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
him
bell
it,
in the darkness.
Still
Patrick went on
all
alone, until,
by chance,
and when he rang on the mountain path And. his followers heard and came to him.
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").
to
So
tli
But the witch caused water to be poured over em that was nauseous to the smell and taste; so
the
Sunday
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
and
or
lake was
the "
And
in
memory
of
his
deliverance,
And
and beheld
not
but,
was
short,
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
his
coast of Ireland.
Nor
yet
had he time
to visit Erris
but, un-
pagan
in all their
ways
rakish
and
for
USAGES OF IRELAND.
97
FESTIVALS.
Mat Day
in Ireland. to express
belief
in the invisible
world by
some
legend
and
thus
the
primitive
traditions
as
of
humanity
have
would be
fatal to disregard.
still
adhered
ago,
of
The awakening
and beauty,
human
Mystic
stories of
the rush
of spirit-life
they became
in-
They
are
by
at the
wakes and
christenings,
with awful
solemnity to
the
listening
fire
of a
98
of witches
of the dead
meet them
is
or of the mys-
who
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
clefts,
where
stud
by the diamonds
sip
that
who
gossamer robes of
dewdrops.
listens,
glittering as
And
to
many a
she
longs
dance in the moonlight with these fairy beings under the scented hawthorn tree, for the Sidhe
(the fairies) are
any of
the children of
sorrow rests
last
more beautiful and graceful than earth, though a deep ever on them, knowing that at the
will
live
the
human
race
in
more.
A
round
number
May
sacred
pagan times, on May Eve, the Druids lit the great fire at Tara, and as the signal flames rose up
air,
high in the
Erin,
flame.
salt
till
fire
hill in
It is a saying
amongst the Irish, " Fire and most precious things given to
USAGES OF IRELAND.
man."
Fire,
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
above
all,
And
no strange
if
the
first
in
the
name
of
it
would be no more milk that year for the family would all be secretly taken away by the fairies.
The
first
three days of
May
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
them
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
They would
come disguised
carry
off
as old
women
or wayfarers in order
fatal theft
a most
or
to
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
in
peace,
though
all
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
for
healing.
Fortunately,
was a copy
of Virgil
so
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
use of the Church.
On
this they
were pacified,
to depart in
A
of
curious superstition
is
still
prevalent
among
gather
May Day
of
the
ancient kings
together a great
foot,
army
the
dead, horse
and
and they
tell
for Ireland,
clash
shields
and
respond with
the nation.
The
last
from
when
marching men
USAGES OF IRELAND.
resounded distinctly through the
hills;
101
but when
the
hosts
air.
of
the
dead warriors
had
still
vanished into
Many
Among
others
it is
May
it,
Eve.
and
iu the
IE it turn
inward a marriage
but
if
happen
cattle
out.
The
is
spirits
cannot touch
if
they are
else.
if
the house
is
safe
and
if
and no man be
of greatest
drowned in
it
May Day
lands
as
to
and gar-
celebrate the
Resurrection of Nature,
of
;
mourning
divided into these two epochs, symbolising death and resurrection, and the year itself was expressed
102
by
symbol
popular processions, wreathed with the rowan and the marsh marigold, and bearing, suspended within
it,
two
emblem of the hoop and the balls is still carried on May Day by the villagers, though the meaning has
been
sun,
lost
when
stars,
it
was consecrated
to
Baal, ac-
moon,
and wind."
all
At
dance held on
May Day
tall
May bush
The
to
included
homage
May
was part
of
the
still
exist,,
In
May Eve
on
Carolan,
it is
acquired
all
by
the-
when
USAGES OF IRELAND.
fairy
103
he played the
time the
fairies
from memory;
to
seem
airs
are as susceptible to
Irish peasant.
Every one
life
of
omens and dreams, and of days when the malific powers, whose mission seems to be to torture the
human
crush
all
as
how we
events
of days
when
all
who
chill
;
the
heart and
others
stifle
or of
veins and
moment
that
we
So we may sympathise
by the
common
to all humanity, of a
or see
them
101
who watches
the Baal
fires
on the mounto
tains flaming
announce
The
fairies exercise
evil at Bel-Taine, or
May time
kill,
it
so as a preservative
season
wound and
is
the custom on
May
ground.
through the
fire
West but the children are still when it has burned low, and
;
as in
through the
still
fire to
Moloch"
over,
and
the
young men
coming
May Day
in
was
to
offered.
were lighted
kingdom
of death
and
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and ceremonies were made sacred through
great
fire,
105
the
symbol
of
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
man
said
unto me,
Milesians,
who gave
battle
ful
fiery darts
Milesians to kill
go forth against the Prince of the him but, in passing, they were all
;
And from
;
that time
May
bushes are
so evil
believe
is
by fire and left to burn, for and we carried away from the land
lit
and the
and pass
them from the spell of witchcraft." This was the story told by the peasant, as he heard it
serve
of his father.
106
Dancing was the most important of the sacred and the circular rites in all ancient religions
;
is
still
the young
hold
hung
moving
in curves
from right to
left,
as
if
imitating
meaning
of the movement,,
which
is,
in
reality,
a true ophite
hieroglyph of
Advice to Maidens.
On May morning,
garden, and the
first
put
it
it till
after sun-
Should the
but should the
snail
house
be almost out
will
of
his shell,
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
to
you by the
if
snail,
or avoid
of
you are
afraid
the
Mat
Eve.
May
Eve,
bewitch the
cattle if
hills,
and young persons should not go out alone on the nor listen to the singing of young girls in
the night, for they are
fairies in disguise,
all,
and
will
work harm.
any food, May Eve
And, above
fire
is
fire,
should not be
the
life
of
man
and
if
from
to
May
Day,
it
must not be
eaten, but
away the
and
and
left in its
made
to look like
to touch
them would be
fatal.
May-Day Usages.
to
beautify
will
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
for
men and
efficacy.
both by
work
Children born at
will
said, are
foredoomed ; they
or
have the
evil
eye,
commit a murder,
also, is
Water,
very dan-
gerous;
be crossed, or
sail in
safe
like-
from harm.
making the
off
sign of the
evil;
and young
men
at night, for
the dead
the
waves
on white
to
horses,
revels,
and try
young men,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to kill
them with
down under
evermore.
A
it
told of a
late fishing
But
his
at
last
fish,
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
horses
making over
were
him ; and
their faces
And
from the boat to the shore, and then he knew he was safe, though one of them rode over
close
to
of
knew him
as a friend of his
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
:
"
who
if
are with
me want you
lost for
for their
company, and
there
is
Hasten,
the boat
and the
fish
fled
away home,
110
and never looked back at the dead on heart was filled with.
And
At
of
men
them
to their dancing
music,
own people
or even
the spell
fairies
on
of the beautiful
a fancy to
spells
a handsome mortal
over
him with
resistless
power.
A case
in the
kind happened some years ago County Wexford. Two brothers, fine young
of this
home
one evening in Whitsuntide from their day's holiday, when, to their surprise, as they crossed a
broad, beautiful
field,
lit
all
USAGES OF I HE LAND.
hair
ill
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
as
girls left
and, coming
over
to
the
younger brother,
she
murmured
!
softly in his
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.
Long, long
but
they danced,
till
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
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.
!
I will
So
112
where,
And
all
still
no tidings could
in the dance,
No
him
nor
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
come
back to
his
home
for
again.
fell
the
and asked
of
came
secrets
Now, the old man who had known the fairy and the mysteries through many generations,
advice.
a great race
and would
tell
my
good
woman," he
and
will
said,
not
or
let
their food
him drunk
go.
of
And
their
if
he has eaten
a year has
fairies
passed by.
come
for their
mad
revels
of the
my power
USAGES OF IRELAND.
witchcraft,
his
113
and the
at
or
go
yourself, if
you are
alive,
and
will give
you a
spell
to break the
strongest
So
when Whitsuntide
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
;
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
yet,
lonely, waiting
falls
for you.
Come away,
before
"
the darkness
and the night comes on.'" not yet," answered Brian; "I must
dance."
Not
finish
this
And
the
fairy
beautiful white
fast.
arms round
lest
So the brother
the
circle
he feared to
should
tell of
enter
fall
the
enchantment
on him;
his failure.
charm
it
she
hung
11-1
the
And at last she came to the saw him dancing and dancing like mad, with the
;
and
and she called to him,. witch- girl in his arms " Come back, come back to us, Brian darling
come back
heeded
her.
it
is
your mother
calls."
But Brian
at her nor
danced on and
on,
she went over in the very midst of the fairy dancers with their glittering eyes, and taking the spell
it
arm
laid
weeping
bitterly.
Then,
at once, the
demon
spell
was
and he
let
of the fairy
mother were
left in
the
field.
Then she
led
him
to-
and
watched by
him,,
but
still
he
Then
Yet, for
"stronger
fair
he married a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
young
girl
115
Whit-
time the
fairies
man can
take to
Hallowtide in Iheland.
year,
corresponding
calendar
one
all
represented
resurrection
nature and
things to
and death.
summer end, the first day of winter, when the Sun-God entered the kingdom of death therefore,
;
on that night
of
priests sacrificed a
libations to the
dead who
of
dread and
ill
omen
and
Irish
November was
of
called
mourning/'
summoned
him
judgment
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,
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
;
festival like
hill,
wine from
day.
fairy
is
dead,
when
with
mad
joy in the
of the living.
And
if
on
round;
if
it
is
the dead
who
are behind
you
and
die.
must
The
first
but
this
settlers
word
ale.
into
lamb's-wool,
made
of apples, sugar,
and
So on
this night
in every
USAGES OF IRELAND.
were flung into the
fire
117 to
burn
for
it
startling
Many
were
knowledge
all
incantations at
One and this solemn and gloomy ritual of death and sorcery lasted through the entire month of
;
November,
arose with
until a
prophecy of hope, as
it
were,
December, called
by the
Irish
Mi-
The number two is esteemed the most unlucky all numbers; therefore the second day of November was appointed for the sacrifice to the
of
up the
be
spirits
answer questions.
from the grave and compel them to But for this purpose blood must
blood
;
the
the sensation of
life.
moment
and
sometimes
occasion a
call,
happened
to the questioner.
On one
and
girl
the rite
of the people
On
118
and
emblems
barley
and
go about collecting
cakes,
butter,
;
eggs,
likewise
money
to purchase the
and
at
Then
the
hemp
seed was
girls
sown
in the
name
and the
would hang a garment before the fire, and watch from a corner to see the shadowy apparition of the
destined husband
it;
to turn
and a
ball of
when
the
while
Paternoster
was
recited
backwards.
for
up the surface
of
the
young
girl
once
silent,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
'the spell all alone,
119
They
tried to
room,
and a
profound
followed.
Her and
on
resounded
from
the apartment,
and
while the
Another practice
outside,
is
and
let
moon
fall
on the
surface,
when
good
the mirror.
The young
the root.
If
girls
also visit
the neighbouring
seized
is
a close, white
;
cabbage, an old
if
man
but
hoped
Another custom
is
to
make
a cake of
it,
form
of
witch-prayer while
the candles
name
is
them.
According as the
that
lights
burn
it
out, so will
name
bears,
and
the
the
first
is
To obtain
knowledge
of
the future
is
and mystic
rites practised
120
at Hallowtide.
girls
sometimes rake
out
the ashes of
overnight,
making
is is
a.
This
done
sure
name
and the
result
come in a certain and morning the print of a foot marked in the ashes.
If
fatal
will
sign, for in
the
be found distinctly
indicates
the impress
is
perfectly
;
flat,
it
life
but
if
down They
make
a cake of flour,
mixed with
it.
soot
and a spoonful
time, the
of salt,
if
bake
it,
and eat
It will
man
offers
a drink at the
year
is
out.
The young men seeking brides have other forms of incantation. If a man on Hallow Eve
creeps
shadow
he
is to
first
Spirit's teaching.
And
briar,
if
ness,
man
at
dead
of night,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
From
they love
121
buried
may have
occasion,
appear on earth.
It
is,
therefore, considered
good
when he goes amongst the other ghosts, as they rise from their graves and meet together on the night
of the festival of the dead.
The nearest
relation
may wear
to
For
no alteration in
size
by any such
practice
when
he-
wanted to begin
festival.
it
woman haviDg
lost
her only
son,,
expended
122
grave; yet night after night for a week her son appeared to her in dreams, looking unutterably sad,
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, "
Look
here,
my
how
all
my
me
?
it,
is
down
to the knees
piece to lengthen
in
heaven
and as
then,
to
me.
Help me,
my
mother, before
too late."
And
her,
own hands
she
and make
Then
and
and the
soul
was
at peace.
Amongst
who
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and
recited prayers to the Evil One, to give
of the future, there
123
them a
knowledge
was a
certain class
"who followed the strictest rules of living, and abstained entirely from the stimulating poteen during
who
by
desired
evil spirits,
worked up
copious
which they considered a potent strengthener of the organs of the body, and powerful to give
courage
to the heart of a
man
if
properly taken
native doctors.
The English
the
settlers
stimulant
"
its
sloweth
it
age,
it
strengtheneth youth,
helpeth digestion,
cutteth
phlegm,
it
it
abandoneth
melancholy,
it
it
relisheth
the heart,
the
spirit,
it
quickeneth
it
cureth hydropsis,
it
pounceth the
stone,
from
from dazzling, the tongue from lisping, the mouth maffling, the teeth from chattering, and the
throat from rattling.
stifling,
It
the
stomach from
from
124
from
spirit
This
in
hymn
in former times
by the English
colonists,
who
thus
of the chronicle,
"more
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
or
prophecy of
fate.
The name
called
was
fatal.
of fate
Once, at
of the castle
was
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.
my
" that
her,
coffin.
ill
But
well to
know
that
if
a bird of
omen
who
is
Satan's
own
way
to
turn aside
the evil
USAGES OF IRELAND.
influence
is
125
on you, and
be on your head,
And
further,
three
lighted at once in
precautions are
duly taken
against
evil
spirits,
then Hallowtide, or " the month of gloom," may pass over safely, without the fear of a dead hand
in the ear
by an unseen
spirit,
La-mas-abhal.
Garland Sunday.
(The first Sunday in September.)
to
solemn
rites
in
honour
of
their
dead
kindred.
The
garland, or hoop,
the morning
girls
were
allowed to gather
Then
all
churchyard, the
young man
From
one
126
dropped
a lucky
it
was considered
prophecy of
fell
omen
long
after
life
but
if
an apple
in the graveyard, it
evil,,
was looked on
especially to those
at the time
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.
is
widow
is
making
while
dead husband by
pretty Eileen;
daughter,
lover,
is
the
the
girl's
the
handsomest
to
young
fellow in
the village,
selected
be the gar-
land-bearer.
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
old sacred ruin in the graveyard;
after
which a
USAGES OF IRELAND.
plank
is
127
the garland
fixed,
and
all
the-
not join
it,
Still
At
last,,
lover,,
at their feet of
iu
the
excitement
scarcely heeded.
A month
Yet the
of
was
evil
came;
for
while
out boating with some friends duriDg the week of the marriage
festivities, a
on,,
upset.
All,
who were
;
seen no more
evil are true
good and
and
their destiny.
As
foretold, so it
must
come,,
be
it
for
ban or blessing.
Peasant Games.
There
is
a curious ancient
game
still
Game
of the Eope,"
which
is
very popular,
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
" I
who in his youth was often wake ceremonies, and thus deof
game
the son
am
mountains
of a tailor,
at
of Partry.
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
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
Then
young man
If
is
led forward,
who
takes his
is
his
sweetheart.
he objects to
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
USAGES OF IRELAND.
chair, while
129
but as he
is
beaten
all
ceremony
as brief as possible.
girl
is
"The
then asked
she
if
she
is
content,
and sometimes,
all,
for fun,
tells
man
is
the ropes,
he
he
But the
goes on,
girl
till
and
so the
game
every young
man
in the
And
so ends, with
much laughter,
'The Game
of the Rope.'
Wake
in use
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
:
'
or thirty of the
of straw,
young people
to the chin,
sit
round on bundles
the
feet pointiDg
his place
forming a
knees drawn up
to the centre.
and the
a
fine,
and
it
generally
active
young
circle.
his office
it is
to find the
brogue and
a blow on
seize
capture
as
shuffled rapidly
round the
many
to
unsuccessfully,
the
130
assailant.
he
is
lncky enough to
is
and then he
is
asked to name
and permission
as his reward.
But no
;
girl is
it
allowed to be kissed
to
is
enough
have been
by her
lover."
called "
Another game
a string of
is
The
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
"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
lie
So
made, a
round,
man
bent as
in leap-frog, for
young
allowed
girls
sit
likes best,
The young
is
to
kiss the
same
is
fail
in the
jump, he
USAGES OF IRELAND.
smith
flat
131
is desired to see to his shoes. So he is laid on the ground, while the smith examines his
shoes,
stick
see
fastened
a nail
ho
is let off,
recompense for
Another game
called
"The Mock
dress
Marriage."
Two
clever
young
wake-men
and
themselves
fantastically as priest
a linen bag
filled
meant
the
for
it is
up
spirits
wake
allowable,
and
The
who
and
hurries
of ashes enforcing
obedience to the
As the name3
his place
priest
man
takes
by the bride named for him, and the begins the ceremony in Irish, adding a
life
probably reserved
k 2
132
Bat
this is all
Then the
threatens
clerk whirls
his
bag
of
ashes,
and
to strike
any man who grumbles at the and he demands his fee. Something
must be given
the bride
and
must give an
own
property;,
but this
is
is
wanted to test her obedience. After the ceremony over, whisky is served round, and priest and
clerk
No widow
woman,
nothing
is
is
or
widower, or married
man
or
of
the
room where
relatives
the-
a coffin
is
for the
On
first
down on
USAGES OF IRELAND.
company
gether,
is
133
over.
down and recite a prayer toespecially when one of the wake tricks Then an old man will rise, take off his hat,
will kneel
:
and say
in a loud voice
"Let us pray
is
of the dead."
stilled,
and
all
present
it
is
over,
there
is
and fun
is
Then the
men
left
of a true country
wake
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,
girls
No
134,
sons to do
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
curious
traditionally
ancient times.
There
corpse,
fill
is
of
tobacco and
enters,
is
expected to
his pipe,
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
But at one
still
well
remembered by the people, there was no sign of merriment. A beautiful young girl was one day
struck
the-
two young
sisters,
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
to almost a shriek of despair.
And
so passed the
in tears
and lamenta-
and
Wake
cabins,
ceremonies are
ancient stories
of
when
con-
no mirth or laughter
;
frozen,
is
dumb
PEASANT TALES.
A
West
fellow
young
ever
lived, his
and
as
brave as he was
lonely and
handsome.
desolate,
But
for
ever came
of his
that way.
life
altogether,
V36
went
wide
away over
his
beyond which were bright, beautiful new And, lands, where, perhaps, he might be happy. finally, he could bear the desolate loneliness no
longer,
but
one
day threw
up
his
work and
resolved to
plains,
the go down amidst the and see if they knew anything of joy and
people of
laughter,
and the
youth.
sunrise,
he began
descend
the
mountain, not
knowing
which path to take, but walked on and on, till he was dead tired, without meeting a soul when,
;
was coming
the hut
on,
around.
And
by hunger and
fatigue, that
he resolved to brave
No
told
woman
crouching
over the
him
was no place
let
him
to find shelter
"
me
rest, for
there
no other place in
miles,
all
and
and I
Then the
old
and
gentler,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
and
food.
let
137
him
sit
down by
the
fire,
he had now better leave at once, as strange people were coming who would be wroth if they saw him,
and
certainly do
him some
so
injury.
"Yet,
Let
"
mother," he
said,
"let
in
me
stay
till
daylight, for I
am
weary and
of God,
need of
rest.
me
stay, in the
name
Hush "
!
name
is
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
at midnight a
outside, as of the rushing of
you
if
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,
many
a white feather.
They
eyes,
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.
the
13S
had
already-
the hut
so
they
let
him
And
man produced
much
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,
the wine
is
out,
more.
know
a grand
gentleman
in
the far
cellars in the
whole country
let
we can
morning
us?'"'
our bottles
And
"Young man,
you go with
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
Ay, that
will," replied the
!
any
of
them.
let
"Then
"bub
USAGES OF IRELAND.
first
139'
a white feather."
just like
rushed out
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
hall
flight of stairs
till
they
came
and bolted;
thumb, and
it
went
in
and
"Come, now,"
had enough.
find
"we have
This
is
Let us be
Connaught.
know where
to
again
dawns."
So they
all
scampered
off
so
much wine
that he was-
of the place-
coming
last
in
fine fellow
?
found him there fast asleep. " Ah, my " he exclaimed, " have I caught you at
all
And
my
spilled about,.
You
shall
hang
140
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
and the priest and the hangman stood there holding the cap to cover the face of the poor young man for his
execution;
all
all the town was young Denis dance the rope-dance walked by him saying the prayers,
and the
said the
sheriff
"Now,"
unhappy
criminal, speaking up
for the last time, " I have just one favour to ask of
die.
Do
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
face which the
my
me
die with
it
on
my
Now, the
sheriff
was a
tender-hearted
fellow, so
man, and
said,
he
he pitied the young " Let him have the cap go,
;
fetch
it
for him,
and
let
him
die in peace."
"Ay,"
now
die happy,"
and he took
placing
all
the
officials
round
USAGES OF IRELAND.
HI
the gallows, and the sheriff and the priest and the
hangman
stared
at
each
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
least, of
so fine a
young
Legend oe Shark.
lived
story.
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
;
away
woman was
herself
waiting,
all
who brought
silk.
her
in,
at once in a splendid
hall lit
And the
142
woman
till
she was
called, as there
to attend to.
her alone,
Mary began
and a large
with sweet-
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,
ing fixedly at her, asked
here,
one of the children came over quite close, and look" What brought you
:
Mary, to
it
leave
until
life
And
it
the
men went
bring
when you
it
harm
die.
watching for
it,
so hasten back, or
will
be
too late,
And
my
and
mother that I
not to
fret, for
am
we
with the
shall
ment Day."
my
way."
;
USAGES OF
leaf,
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
herself outside the door of the great
fell
Mary found
house
;
but a tremor
loud voices
was sinking
at her
moment
she was
own
;
door,
of the pursuers
ceased
and a
woman
Mary,'"'
"Come,
"come
is
quickly.
it,
child is dying.
Something
strangling
Tour and we
little
Then Mary,
in bed where lay the child, the face, as if some one was holding him by the
"throat
;
leaf
and
crushed
into
the
child's
And
gradually
and the
while he
laid
and she
night
;
him
in his
all
but
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
144
hands of the dead that dwell in the Spirit Land, And Mary made a case for the leaf, and worked it
richly,
and tied
it
more.
And from
day the
fairies
ceased to
him
safe
from harm.
The Doctor's
The
if
Visit.
fairies
baby
is
One evening,
late in
summer, a servant
house of
the chief
up to the
attendance-
doctor of
Roscommon, and
his
handed
suddenly
him
a letter requesting
is
but
as he
locality
men-
tioned,
of the
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
bearing,
who
received
the
doctor
with
great
USAGES OF IRELAND..
courtesy,
145
into
number
servants in
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
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
lost
The doctor
professional
skill,
satisfactorily, the
bell,
and the
lady, but
gentleman appeared.
He made
There the
doctor found
many noble
guests
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
and he
rose-
in his
hand
to quaff
the wine in
when
;
a beautiful
young
girl
:.
Beware
sat
of
the wine
it
is
fatal,"
sofa,
it
and
hand.
And
seemed
to
and
still
words in
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
till
own
name,,
He
started
but
all
alone, for
him
to rise.
" Where
doctor, "
am
exclaimed
the bewildered
?
"
is justit-
"Look
is
"your honour
And
lucky
is
upon
it,
so I
;
knew your
USAGES OF IRELAND.
in.
U7
trying to get
here
is
to
And
God
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."
me up," said the doctor, who was rather benumbed, and a little crestfallen, thinking of that beautiful young creature who had
played hiin such a trick
" and,
Terry,
go and
home
at once."
nothing
Fairy Help.
Every
district in Ireland
has
its
peculiar
and
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
is
paved with
gold.
And
all
148
region,
is
handsome
Bat another
of
over
the
is
western
Fiachra.
sea-coast
the
Atlantic,
whose name
Now
of the
O'Haras
all
above
money
like
a king right
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
restored to him.
all
who
all
were sure
for there
them
and the weather was bad, and no boat could get to Galway. So he thought of Fiachra,
all;
to the
old
And
he threw
the.
result.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Not
keg
as
if
Hi,
long, however,
had he
and a great
Spanish wine was flung up on the beach from a shipwreck. But O'Hara knew that
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
and danced
music.
all
The Western
Isles.
The
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
for,
well
off
and wanted
for
nothing.
;
So they
all
who was
set to
to
and
fro,
each time
150
it
set
many
grains
man
it
it,
and put
in a horn snuff-box
to
and carried
home.
Now
all
success.
of
the
his
snuff-box to a neighbour,
"How
may be Flaherty's wife you have in And Flaherty himself, hearing of the
to the
do you know," said his friend, "but this the box ? "
tale,
came
after
the whole
to
story,
in
his
man
did, before
all
Flaherty and
might judge
the
And when
beetle,
room
as hard as
could go.
And
after a little
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
and was
girl
calling him.
And
was none
So a
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
fright.
"
"
Never
fear,
'
Mary
woman,
When
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.
stir
and he
will sleep
and do
On
this the
152
dead
home and
did as she was ordered; the hen was killed, and the blood sprinkled.
And
sat
the
morning.
said
Then he
let
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
of the blood.
Now
it
rose up
and said
like to die,
but look
how
Dermot cured
blood.
his son
So they caught
a terrible
But, lo
door was
flung open,,
and in walked two monstrous black cats. " How dare you kill my kitten ? " said one of them" my
darling only kitten
!
But you
"Ay,"
rn suit
said the
other,
how
to-
own wretched child," and man and tore his face and hands.
at
man
strove
to defend
USAGES OF IRELAND.
spade.
it,
15*
But all the same the cats had the best of and clawed and tore and scratched till the
their faces.
down
fly,
However,
man
"Now we
to
live,
this night,
is
and he has
this
safe,
and
we
king
of the cats."
of the
by man
or mortal
also
hapthe
tell
to the narration of
all
who
we
are
bound
to accept
unquestioned
invent.
for
They only tell in their plain, unvarnished A man and idiom, what they have seen or heard.
his wife
But
in process of
154
power
of food.
But
after that
quite weeshee
and no
though he
ate as
much
as ever.
And
man
he was queer in
or an ugly dwarf.
his ways,
and
little
in
That must be
Tom
went
in
but
lo
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:
girl,
rushing
"Help! help!
is sitting there,
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
USAGES OF IRELAND.
of the little
155
imp was
much
little
of
a sod of
n/
man.
So they
when
the
knew he was a witch-child. And parents came home they had him put
all
fairies
And
man and
Satan,
his wife
imp
of
who was
in the
The
lives,
islanders
seem
to
live
for
ever
in
the
whether
for
good or
ill
luck,
is
attributed to
who
is
are sometimes
Every
believed to be
the primitive
of
science
of
the
people,
their
knowledge
herbs,
is
and
of
powerful
charms
.and incantation,
who haunt
pretty
little
girl
was out
a sudden
day weeding
in the turnip-field,
when
156
so
that she lost the use of her limbs for the time,
saw
at last
woman.
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
when with
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
witch-work
ear
believe,
and
set
to
work
to
make
known potency
throat,
against
three drops to
and the
And
drink
they
what could be
not
the
But
Let
Mary
said,
"I
will
me
die, for
and be
at peace."
is
one
thing yet
that
is
may be done
to
if
devil's spell
days in the
name
of the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
blessed saints.
her, then the
157
And
if
power
of the Evil
One
is
too strong,
it,
and
the
I can do
no more.
But
let
iu
name
So
of God."
days the
down
of
And
gradually
walk
all
the
way back
to her
own
face,
place.
And
limbs,
and the colour and beauty came back for the spell of the fairies was broken
spirits of evil.
Beide.
who promised
her lover, by
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
determined to
kill herself.
So, in the
madness
of
158
down from
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
while.
river's
bank
until the
moonat
And
so he
time,
and they
walked as before
the third night she told him to come no more, she meant to go and visit him at his
own
place,
where he
lived,
though he must
;
tell
no one, nor
therefore, she
would not
all
come
alone.
till
dead
of
night,
when he would be
Now
could
when
USAGES OF IRELAND.
advice.
159'
friend.
"Take
place
it
from the farmyard, and between yourself and her whenever and
is
harm
of this
it
be certain."
So he got the knife as desired, and laid
downacross the door of the barn where he slept, and.
safe.
And>
the
and through
tkis
to force
her
it
way
so
laid
in his
bed
through the
split in
the wall.
to him,
and
told
if
down at his feet on the bed the hour came when they must part; but sbe lay down, her hand happened to touch
as
the
knife that was between them, and she fell back with a fearful cry. " Now," she said, " the power
is
is
broken
by means of that knife whicb you have placed between us, we Alas! we might have had are parted for ever.
life
;
me
moment
for
160
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
of his
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
life;
terror.
ployed about the Castle at Castle Derby, and he had a deal of work to do from morning to night,
find
of his life
by reason
of the
work.
the
rest,
and
of
aware
ing up,
hair,
dream, he was some one bending over him, and on lookhe beheld a young girl with long golden
he lay
there, half in a
draped
all
of the sunset,
made him
to
tremble.
his
feet,
and
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.
farmyard
firm of
in order, for she
161
was fleet of foot and and the beasts and fowl followed hand,
And
came also, and the next, and worked so well that Dermot had scarcely anything to do at last, except
to
work was
all
over.
At
lovers, for
had sent
for
And
promised
if all
together.
for her
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
living.
And the sign she gave him was this " Go/' she said, " to-morrow-evening at sunset
:
we have
so often
been
together, and
if
like blood,
then you
may know me
am
more.
it
So take
and
in the
morning rub
am
my
162
And
she laid a
box
of
ointment
in his
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
patiently
evening to
nor could he
love, for she
tell
to
of his lost
He
is
could
I
"
My
my
friend
dead.
her no more."
the next day,
Now
pass, he
when the
funeral
his
was
to
eyes,
and
presently he saw
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
madness.
coffin,
him
and
would he
for they
once more,
tears,
when he looked
into the
had loved,
down
over her lips and reached to her chin like the fangs
of a wild beast,
lifted
he screamed in horror she one skinny hand and tried to clutch him,
as
if
and
but he
fled
USAGES OF IRELAND.
witch-girl appear to
163
him
living or dead.
And
after.
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
;
let
hedge
till
the morning.
At him
her,
moaning and
screaming came
all in
white, as
and her
cries of despair
Then, after her, a great black coach came thundering along the road, drawn by two black horses;
no head, and out sprang two men from the coach, and they seized and they had no heads either woman, and carried her by force into the 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.
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
the holy saints had given her up to punishment,
and the
sure,
devil
had
his
own
at last.
But
to
make
to
the
examine the grave, and there sure enough was coffin, but it was open, and not a trace of the
dead
an
woman was
to be seen.
evil fate
gone
to eternal torture.
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
;
for it
shrouded
woman
shapes for
And many
by
this ghost,
and were found in the morning lying dead, with a black mark round the throat, as if they had been
USAGES OF IRELAND.
strangled.
165
So great
to venture
fear
few dared
would
go
home by
that
road and
no
other,
and he
of it
would
together.
So he mounted
his horse
all
and rode
off just as
seemed
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
at her beautiful white teeth, for
all
Then she
many
was by
this
him means
at
doom was
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,
fire in his
good company
to her
With
it
that he took
off his
own body,
166
move
home
as quick as
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
fell
drops of blood.
;
And
then they
all
saw that
outside;
for the
so he flung the pieces it was devil's work but next morning when he went to look
it
wood
was
all
gone.
And from
to
that time-
forth the
evil
ghost
disappeared,
the
great
The Punishment.
There was once upon a time a
repute,
man
of
all
very
alone
evil
lived
by
at
himself in a wretched
Allen.
And no
one
all to live
by, unless
for he did
nor planted-
So
ail
was a
And
" God save you kindly " when they met him on the
USAGES OF IRELAND.
road.
167
But
lie
on
his
alone,
For he himself liked to be and would never let any one, not even the
in silence.
way
Now
open
there was no
window
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
that
was nothing
and he
also
knew
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,
and accustomed
full in
Now, Donegan was strong and to fight for his life, and leapbut to his surprise, the blow
Mow,
the face
no mark.
went right through him, as if he were but air, and left Still Donegan was not to be frightened.
163
"Man
"you
me," and he hit him another tremendous blow. Yet he was only beating the air, and the man never
fixed, staring
furious.
parson,
God
or hell, and I
am
you are a ghost from the dead." tried to hurl the man to the ground, but
even
if
And
still
he
he
air.
Then, at
took the
before
the ghost lifted up his arm and mask from his face, and Donegan saw him the terrible, ghastly features of the
last,
to
take ven-
fell to
;
the ground
then
wall,
senseless.
when
the dead
clasped
wrist
and burned a
:
"
Now
fires
you
all
USAGES OF IRELAND.
strength and power, and sent for the
priest,
169
to
whom
ears
;
he made a
terrible
full
confession
of
his
many-
crimes, too
to
He
left
no
sign,
and was
but the
bodily
by
both in
life
in
much
gave force to
life,
;
stimulating or
soothing as the
all
moment
able
to
required
for music,
above
arts,
has a subtle
system,
and
is
swift,
human
inmost depths
fill
the tears
the brain
is
a prophecy
made
its
it
how, by
wonderful power,
it
it
to the
sublime madness
170
from the
earliest times,
have shown
upon
and
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
chiefs, the
the waves of
human
passion
surged or
song.
fell in
And, above
He was
of
servile cares~
his robe
of
But
civili-
no longer recognises
the
true mission of
when
the soul
Even
our hospitals never seem to think of utilising musicas a curative agent, either to
lull
pain or waken
new
perfume
may
USAGES OF IRELAND.
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
formerly,
system,
music
is
no
longer
used,
as
by the
woman
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 mystic influence upon the
in its
recent
volume
and edited by Mr. Halliday Sparling,* proves that the instinctive tendency of the Irish people to set their wrongs to
music
still
O'Connell and Emancipation, when Moore, in his " Lalla Rookh," under the disguise of " The Fire Worshippers," incarnated
of
bondage
era of
And
1848,
its
when
the intellect of
received
noblest results.
Canterbury Series.
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
strength to gain them
it
is
that the
men
of
education and culture are needed to interpret and formulate the vague longings and ambitions of the
passionate hearts around.
Thus the
literature of
of the desire
among
the nations
and
The
them by
of
affinity
the
glowing genius
the
famous afterwards
the "
Young
in the history of the period as Ireland " party, whose words of power,
The
poets, above
madness
and hopes
of the
of the people in
rhythmic words.
the nation
Most
this period,
when
the whole
life of
moved
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to music.
173-
Even the peasants and artisans of the time became poets, and some of their strong, fieryverses, the product of powerful emotion,
show how
of
by the glory of the new light. Thomas Davis, the chief of this young band thinkers and workers, was an incarnation of
passionate genius
the poets,
His words,
heart,
breadth
of the land,
and
his
soul,
and the
lightning on his
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
of
his
successful leadership,
as
with a rainbow
so died.
He
by
several of his
" Fontenoy,"
of '82,"
and
" The
"The Volunteers
as
and others
celebrated and
popular.
Charles
Gavan
new movement.
man
of
the highest culture, of exquisite literary taste, and a clear and powerful writer, both in prose and
74
verse, lie
sellor to all
the young, fiery intellects that composed winning manners and earnest
all
sympathy with
literature
and
As
first
bards.
One
of his best
fire
and force
of his
The
to the
leaders of
Young
men
of the great
French Revolution.
Gavan
Meagher,
and with
in
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
title
John
Dillon,
father of the
young
ran
was
southern
fire
warm through
his veins.
He was
USA0E8 OF IRELAND.
one
of the
175
Young
Ireland.
they
set
up a
lofty ideal
humanity
to
re-
of
solemn devotion
to their
country.
But there was no Marat among them they had no plans of cruel vengeance and plunder
they counselled no crimes
as their doctrines,
;
upon
As
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
means of action, were deemed more dangerous by for enEngland than even the assassin's knife
;
But the
selections in Mr.
Sparling's
work are
Every
176
name
all
political
with
has
found in the
of
collection,
making
most
this pretty
interesting
of national poetic
About twenty
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
who took
transfigured
them by
his
poetic
;
power
into the
who
form
the
the subtle
charm
of
faultless
And
fine
Mangan
are
not for-
touch
And
we have
humour
of
;
Sam
Lover, that
beauty of Lady
Dufferin's songs,
the well-
known "I'm
and the
sitting
on the
stile,
Mary," which
of
USAGES OF IRELAND.
""Who
fears to speak of
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
''
convivial meetings
number
their
of the peasant
and
floating
philosophy and
picturesque idiom
correctly
given for the first time in a poetical anthology, such as " The Wearing of the Green/'
and mystic
Shan-van-Vocht, with
as "
its
The night
"
Happily,
we
find in the
marked
celebrity
" God
poem
save Ireland,"
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,
178
twenty millions
of
the
Irish
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
of Poets."
And
all
true lovers of
which he has
task,
and
the
lucid
arrangements of
his
materials.
made
to give
up the strange,
and wayward
fails to
of
the
and strength
terrors of
a bitter destiny.
and their
tion
them above the relentless tortures of privaand persecution, and to redeem them from the
of political enthusiasts-
darkness of despair.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
179
may
pass away, but the literary value of the songs remain as a richly illuminated page of Irish history.
Nothing
It
really
good
time
and the
bond-
now go back
to the servile
age
of
soul
and
them enchained
force,
by the genius
'48.
and
intellectual
the lofty
men
of
every reason
to
believe
in
that
gold
abundantly in
of
Ireland
former times,
the
pro-
The
earliest race,
however, the
men
of the Stone
were
skilled in metallurgy,
and eminent as
that in
artificers in
so
held to
with the
fairies
and the
the
hill.
Danans,
still
holds an
skill
enduring
in
place
in
Irish
the production of
an
n 2
180
artificial
which he made
for
lost his
own hand
king
is
henceforth
known
in history
as "
Nuadhe of the silver hand." The Milesians who followed and conquered the
and from them the chief existing noble
of
families
Ireland
claim
descent,
such
as
the
and
others,
still
The
of
people, wise
Ireland,
a just and
extended
code
and
race
of
a well-defined
To
may be
attributed
the vast
quantity of
manufactured
gold
which
soil
and bogs
of Ireland.
and
princes,
bards
and
Brehons;
rings,
the massive
torques,
diadems,
amulets,
and
brooches;
the gold trapping for the horses, the rich clasps for the royal mantles, and other ornaments of
USAGES OF IRELAND.
beautiful form and workmanship, all
lei
made by the
fixed
size
native goldsmiths,
who had
certain
suit
and weight
for each
ornament to
the rank
of the wearer.
Even the very nature of the ornament was specified by law. Thus we read, that by
of
command
at
all
to
distinguish
them
upon the fingers. The bards were distinguished by a golden fillet round the brow, while the queens and royal ladies
bound
with the
circlet,
or asion of gold.
And we
find it related of
Maeoe,
when going
behind her,
before her,
to
on her head, and her royal robes from being defiled by the dust raised by the tramp of the horses
as they
rushed by.
For
all
reward.
because
of
the ransom
182
vanquished.
Of Queen Boanna, wife of the PoetKing of Munster, who gave her name to the River
it is
Boyne,
told that,
when she
who
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."
who
first
brought
Normans
of
hundred ounces
spouse,
after
seeing
the
her
country,
she
entered the
Abbey
of Melifont to
made an
When
monarch
the
King
of Ireland
And
USAGES OF IRELAND.
every finger.
183
Caps
of
by one
were
inlaid
were of such splendour that the churches were frequently plundered by the Danes and other
Norsemen, for the sake of the rich
spoil.
piratical
In
1169,
record
that
Donogh
when
and churches
of this kind,
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
gold,
native gold
is
found in Denmark,
it is
vessels
and ornaments
the distinctive
after their
many gold articles in the great northern museums may be accounted for. The amount of ancient manufactured gold
184
almost in-
No
it is
other
so
country
in
north-western
to
early-
Europe
possesses
much belonging
times; and
these magnificent
specimens,
called
by
that they
artistic skill.
common
to
in
the
mere
In 1854, while making the Bnnis railway, the workmen came upon a vast number of gold ornaments,
as
it
all
in one hoard.
is
called,
stone receptacle,
clay.
numerous torques, gorgets, fibulae, bracelets, circlets, amulets, and other ornaments, all of pure gold, and
bright as
if
just fresh
workmanship.
mere weight, without considering the perfect The hoard was supposed to be the
by the
victors,
USAGES OF IRELAND.
185
more than
a thousand years.
A
when
costly
Many
the
of
these
were
secured
for
National
Museum
be found in Europe.
The
British
Museum
in
also obtained some specimens from the great " Clare Find," but a large portion disappeared
the smelting-pot.
Gold
soil
There
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 ornamenta-
The
tion
is,
There are
museum, two
of
specimens known, measuring above five feet in, length, and each being more than twenty-seven
ounces in weight.
in 1810'
by
many
vicissitudes,
these costly
186
historic relics
of the late
way
Duke
of Sussex,
but were
pur-
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
;
"
and
it
is
that
the
Titus
Celtic Gaul
in battle.
But,
ornament
size,
of
than exist
in
any Continental
tore
The torque
a large hoop
(or
in
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
made
gold,
ornaments show the instinctive love of the Irish for bright and glittering decorations.
It is recorded of
wearing a
fine,
stones
museum
of
a fibula of pure
VSAGES OF IRELAND.
thirty-five ounces, the heaviest
exist.
187
as yet
known
to
It
Of the lunette
(called
minn
or
meend
in Irish),
Academy, from
five
to
Maireen,
Queen
of
Dermot,
chief
monarch at Tara, that being bald, she wore one on her head to cover the defect but a favourite of
;
jealous
of
her,
bribed a
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
! !
woman
mock down
its
And
Manufactured gold
specimens
and battle-grounds,
in
as
if
a hasty retreat,
or
on some
sudden
188
the north-west
over
the
country.
The
soil
of
Ireland
seems
literally
will,
many
new
rich hoards
as
the
bogs
are
drained,
or
cuttings
for
railroads
made through
quantities
have
been
of
but chiefly
;
law of treasure-trove
the
and exertions
and gifted
Before
that
period
the
jewellers
purchased
down
the gold.
of
the
upwards
of
gold
ornaments
have
passed
into
the
crucible.
and
so has been
to
USAGES OF IRELAND.
189
Government; the antiquarian value being four pounds the ounce, or even more, if the article is
of
According
fully three
known
to the people,
"The Lagenians
of
the Gold."
Gold
is
still
worth
was procured
in a
few
in the
Besides
Wicklow,
there
:
are
several
other
Wexford, Dublin,
all
Kildare, Antrim,
pro-
many
unwrought or manufactured.
is
Thus
in
Kerry
there
number
its
of
native state
is
generally found
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
produced what
is
Renewed
efforts will
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-
in>
capitalist;
there,
former times.
;
The
has
for
Mr.
attention
Pritchard
to
Morgan
and
is
now
turning
his
Ireland,
Crown
being
Wicklow, which
convinced
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
to direct
profitable
No
matter
how
far civilisation
may have
of
pro-
humanity was
Man formed
force,
implements to aid
limited,
it
his
own
natural
which
is
and by
had
their aid
he has
for
gradually
made
almost
infinite.
To provide
life,
remained
far
inferior
to
by
instinct.
Primitive
man
picked up
the hardest
fire.
flints,,
Then he
aid of
flint
chips
by the
first
rude elements of
192
human power he
kill his
the ground,
from.
prey,
other
tribes.
in the history of
human work
There
is
to
be found on
nothing more
more humble;
by
it,
The
chapter in
human
all
life
of
Stone;
the beginning of
when men dwelt in caves, and with their implements of flint or wood slew the wild animals for food and made clothing
things
of the skins, deftly
wove
tunics of plaited
sewn
animals.
in a like manner with the sinews But primitive man had also abundance
of of
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
stone
axes,
of Stone,
when men
cleared a path
their
Europe with
existence with
the
may have
USAGES OF IRELAND.
ages, while the world
1P3
was preparing
for the
Adamic
race
the
last
on earth; but
amongst
their remains.
remains hidden in
but
by the
simplest
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
men
of the
Stone
over
The
when they
in
first
reached the
Europe
of
advanced
metals,
at
culture,
of
least
and thus formed the beautiful bronze weapons and tools, of which so
learned to combine with
o
194
The
of
hands
the
indigenous
race,
The
first
furrows
of
civilisation
were traced
and dug by the primitive man with his rude stone but implements and without the aid of metal
;
if
we
trust
was the
ages
;
first
in
and to work.
their
The
first
Celts of
Ireland
used
it
for
earliest
dawn
of history,
and
was the
But
it,
finally, brass,
like the
still
stone that
preceded
gave place to a
more powerful
Age
is
of
Iron succeeded.
and and
the source of
all
the higher
its
developments of
is illimitable jife
human
its
industry, for
;
power
and modern
and
civilisation date
employment
of iron
beyond that
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Thus, in the history of humanity, the law
195
be formulated
Iron
last,
transitional.
may Age of Stone first, the Age of the Age of Brass intermediate and And legend and mythology have a
the
Iron.
preceded
that of
other metals.
As
Sir
John Lubbock
remarks in his important and valuable work, " Prehistoric Times " " Gold was the metal which
:
no doubt
is
first
man, as
it
many
rivers,
and by
certainly prove
attractive
even
to
the
rudest
savage
tribes,
who
tion."
Silver
was not
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
human
life
for
industrial
purposes.
tunics of
woven
neck and arms with bracelets and collars of crude and one skeleton, who, gold pressed into shape
;
but
no gold has
in Ireland
belonging to the
196
made the
seem
at last to
fulfilled
their mission,
to
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
extinct, along with the
contemporary
the
first
with the
life.
rudimental humanity of
ages of
sufficiently
men
save
of the
Stone
Age
their
existence
by which
mental
we can
see
how they
lived
their being,
human
the-
instincts of art
weapons had
often.
The
and
of
of to
races that
them we owe all, the great representatives mankind iu history, and all the existing peoples Chief amongst them may be named the earth.
.
the
Celtic
races
the
USAQES OF IRELAND.
Semite being always
Teuton for conquest,
eminent for religion
;
;
197
the
and power and the Celt The Celtic race that founded for art and intellect. our own Irish nation, and from whom the Irish
rule,
nature obtains
all its
peculiar characteristics,
was
the
first to
of laws that
them was deemed worthy the highest honour; and while all Europe lay
amongst
of in
and
learning,
their
schools
many a man
and
to this
day
in all the
all
the lapse of
change or
the Teuton
alter.
the warrior,
The Semite is still the priest, and the Celt the artist
Three thousand years may
code and
and poet
of the world.
head
doctrine.
The
now under
is still
the pas-
198
sionate poet
huraan
polity,
new and
and
of
human
right.
THE AMERICAN
IRISH.
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
still lives
in Irish hearts
with enduring
vitality.
wit-
effort to
the foreign
to the
long
roll of
suffer
pendence.
and
the-
of Irish history,,
an
come
endless
martyrology
Many
sown by persecution.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
oppression.
19D
in
There
is
also
something ennobling
self,
in the devotion to
this
an abstraction
freedom, with
self-reverence,
called
Country ; in
dream
of
all
the
word means
dignity, honour,
It will
and
self-respect.
be a sad
life
higher national
when
more martyrs,
out of the
life
for then
an ideal
will
have passed
of the people,
and
dull.
The
subtle, spiritual
fancies,
and the
finer issues of
human
feeling,
present
hard
and
without
the
divine
impulse of
sacrifice
and self-abnegation.
To the impassioned
its
large indefinite-
may be
also
due much
All
When
laws forbid
Words become
is
their weapons,
and the
Irish
armoury
Nationality, this
dream and
oratory, their
splendour of
passion
even the
common
and vulgarity
200
some compensation
for her
many
manner that
of
almost
reverential,
and a power
which
the
plethoric
winning
English
sympathy and
organisation,
love
its
stolid
with
prosperity
and
self-centred egotism,
is
entirely without.
old country.
It is still the
Mecca
to
which their
and the
In America,
more
especially, free
like
swords,
while
memorial
keep
the
Armed
clubs are
named
after the
mark
there are
no triumphs
of old
The Greeks
in letters of gold
USAGES OF IRELAND.
201
bitter
and, like a
passion
warm
gulf
surges
across
It is singular that
may
calm,
grave,
and self-possessed nor the English habits of order and routine; nor even the English accent while
all,
Republican in sentiment.
No
Irishman
returns
from
America
loyal
to
Monarchy.
superstitions
On
of
its
worship
and
his opinions
flag
soon gain
many
followers.
The American
all
popular demonstra-
and
is
England
is
nowhere
seen.*
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
* It
202
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.
of
of
influence
weeds
to
helpless
crowd
;
of
crushed,
dispirited,
unlettered
peasants
slaves
and
serfs -who
known
oppression,
and
despair;
speaking, perhaps, no
of the primitive
flashed for
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 the
exile ship,
sail
away
if
in
to-
with
all
its
unknown
sea,
horrors,
the
as
they
were passing
of death.
another
life
But, in the
soul, spring
up
at once-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to the level of the nineteenth century
205
ardent
in
with a glowing ambition to scale those heights which under a Republic are accessible to all who
intellect
have
and daring.
The past
it
is
not for-
gotten,
as
on a pedestal,
from whence they take a wider survey of their position, and recognise the truth at last that life
to
man
all
hopes to guide,
that, like
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.
in-
of
a people,
and
204
men
acquire
and personal
pressed
races
dignity,
;
amongst opso
and
and
the
Irish
nature,
long
trodden down
abjectly
servile
humbled, and
through fear
and
is like
The
prise,
gigantic enterresources,
the infinite
extent
of
her
the
have
a country where
or
work
for
hand
upon the multitudes who energy finds no brain, and intellect has neither
The
lassitude
and languor
all
things at
feel that
home
if
is
thrown
off,
gifts
win
which
offers
which a Republic
are
success.
And
now
powerful enough to
command
They have
in
the land
a nation
home.
many
Irish
now
USAGES OF IRELAND.
in
205-
a third
by
race, religion,
They have
also
to create a
new
era in
This
is
the
the
splendid
dream from
rule,
and
under
And
it
must be confessed
America needs
a standpoint in Europe
moving
will
Pacific,
new
that
and
even
suggestion
offered
America should purchase Ireland from the English Government in a peaceable, orderly way for considering what a thorn in the flesh the Green Isle
;
it
is
206
thought, might bo
either side.
on
Atlantic
when
the fitting
moment comes
ancient
in
which
they
can
reconstruct
their
motherland
as
to
nation
of
five
millions,
according
home
statistics
may be counted
and
in
case of
of
it
war
may
be interesting to speculate on which side these would range themselves. Gratitude would
;
the
flag
that
them
in
their
adversity,
when
evil
them
to abandon their
the
but revolutions
may come
silently
silent
and with
spirit steps.
is
Such a revolution,
now going on
expression in
in the Irish
at
find
visible
USAGES OF IRELAND.
higher national
life
207
the force
and
Hitherto
the Irish
is
have
groped
National Indepen-
dence
this is
if it
symbolised a religion
it
and
it up now when Liberty from the high her torch for men to
in
an
Lectures upon
all
history,
most popular of
all
and
attract eager
to
say,
for,
strange
have
also
the
additional
charm
of
of novelty.
The
have
accurate
knowledge
exception
their
own
upper
with the
a few
learned
Academicians
who
mere
study
it
The reason
is
simply
208
Ireland
endowed schools
nor
is it
Dublin University,
schools, academies,
history
is
steadily ignored
;
by
all
and colleges
may recite
Government
;
was
to
degrade
and
obliterate heroic
memories
to
brand a patriot
;
as a traitor,
and nationality
as treason
and
in this
manner the
pride, self-respect,
and
self-reliance of
the centuries
for strong
and noble
qualities like
who
are
men
of their race
who have
toiled,
and fought,
idea, or
some sublime
amongst them
for fuller
know-
Many
influential journal*
USAGES OF IRELAND.
fearless audacity
209
unknown here
is
for, as
Emerson
remarks
States,
" There
and people have been put to death in other what are but the commonplaces American writers/' One of the best of these
journals
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,
and a
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.
invasion of
indeed so
are
anti-English,
and
the
illustrations
to
priesthood discourage
people.
It
is,
circulation
amongst the
and
is
held
the American
p
210
is
Confiscations of Ireland,"
lists of
the families
work has
excited
all
descendants of
may be found
in
of distin-
influence,
and
wealth,
whose-
with much
to
English
policy,
as
may
dare to do.
"If Ireland,"
he
says, "
still
the fault
is
and exterminated
lands,
in place of affiliating..
"
Had
their
been left lords of and not made bondsmen tostrangers, they would have been the honour and
own
"The Transfer
of
Erin,"
by Thomas
"0.
Amory.
Lippencott
&
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.
safety of the united realm,
211
And when
worthy of
the Irish have shown themselves so freedom, he considers it " base and
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-
which sprang
all
And ho
ability.
great
Every page
shows careful
and
and complicated
"the
Four Masters,"
so that his
but
he
has
also
and ^modern,
Elizabeth,
volume
is
really a con-
down
to
the time
of
when the
last
gleam of
independent
212
second volume
the
to
story
of
Irish
confiscations
of the
from
;
James
after
Boyne
on
any land
of
on their own
wrong,"
soil.
less
amount
Mr.
Amory
the
Americans
yoke for
ever,
and proclaimed
passed over
to
independence."
The
slightly,
is
the
Norman
invasion.
to the
clan,
shared by
alike.
The
now
richer,
banquets of
"
* 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
USAGES OF IRELAND.
other, to
clean.
2113
in
in
day.
the
desire?"
"Shall I
pray that the crown may never depart from your race, and that your soul may find rest in heaven ? "
know
life
in
this world, in
which I greatly
enemies."
my
you
And
questioned
will
"Which
hell
?
have
for
my
defeat
;
and
all
eternity
mine to-day
as
in the battle
"
!
When
rude
barbarians,
to
some English
them.
writers
have
a
endeavoured
represent
They had
;
a learned
;
colleges
many Saxon
all
princes
others
214
and a code
of
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."
stately
abbeys,
the sculptured
crosses,
the
illu-
while evidences of a
awe and wonder above six centuries ago, and which happily, though volumes have been written on the
subject,
still
Temple
of
New
Grange,
on the
relics of the
same mighty
and were
in art,
Argive
plain,
Rude
day
in
all
their awful
Ireland as in
race, that
Greece, memorials
literature
had no
of expression
USAGES OF IRELAND.
The
Celts in
215
many
soul,
summoned
to heal feuds
by
their divine
harmony."
temperament, proud,
to think greatly
passionate',
of their race,
the
soil for
nearly two
was
ill-fitted
to
bear the
rule.
The
stolid
Saxons had a
their
different
made
the serfs
Norman
and
masters
their
and
fate,
patiently
traders,
accepted
toilers,
Empire, no
man
pitying them.
was evident
servile
race,
ever since,
England.
The
nature,
Celts,
love glory,
is
distinction,
everything that
hate
toil
and
216
for warriors
and daring,
or fame.
by
and
fiery
as electric flashes.
They
will
They adore a
like
the
apathetic,
dull
-brained
Saxon.
It
Saxon and the The English live under method and rule>laboriously and industriously, without excitement
more
Celt.
it.
They
will
manufac-
foreign
army
that
fights
and they
or th
But of all races the Celt is the most easily led by the affections. If the people believe that their
popular
sacrifice
hero
really
loves
for
Ireland,
their lives
him.
self,
sympathy with
man, "
their country.
When
they say
is
of a
He
low
and tender, as
Christ.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
to
217
Irish de-
The
mand some
to
homage
them through cruel Acts of Parliament, and demand for " gratitude " they might have
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
shall
we
first
The
Irish
are
naturally
with
an
almost
;
oriental abnegation of
self,
to
affection,
sympathy with
whether in
than
if
may
to
be,
politics
or religion,
is
more
them
but
sympathy or
affection,
from the
fatal year
hour,
is
Yet the
fine,
brave,
Hugo
They intermarried rapidly with the royal families of Ireland, and thus immense estates passed into their hands, many of which are held by
218
tlieir
of
Isabel,
grand-daughter
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
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
Anne Boleyn
came
lived
to this
and the
Irish gradually
to love
these
Norman
nobles
who
amongst them,
bonds
of friendship soon
it is
this amity
strictly
races.
Marriage was
for
the
grew
to
so
fond of
tlieir
foster
renouncing allegiance
Irish
England, adopted
the
mode
of life
and
found adequate to
Spenser, the poet,
But no laws were prevent intermarriage. Even when he came over to receive
dress.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
219
took
all
to wife an Irish girl, whose portrait he has sketched so prettily in the " Epithalamium " and
Cromwell's troopers,
their
when they
Then
settled
down
with
Irishwomen,
new danger
Irish,
and complaints
farther efforts
in Ireland;
made
in
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
Protestants,
but Liberal in
politics,
and
rather
Republican in theory.
Meanwhile the
Irish dis-
Shane
O'Neill
in
Elizabeth
yellow
mantle,
a dog."
When
O'Neill
"What
writhe his
mouth
in
clattering
.220
English
"
The husband
of
Grana-Uaile,
De
Irish,
in the
Norman
who swore
brother-
chieftain,
and
tendency
to
races,
and
love,
from
and
by which the old associations of noble They were also descent might be obliterated.
all
excluded from
the
by some
;
chance he should
all
rise in
and
at
times
it
an Irishman, without
let
or hindrance,
slayer.
law, or punishment of
the
The
Norman
nobles
who
given over to a
new
lot of
USAGES OF IRELAND.
severity. of
221
the
London
for
quench
their national
From
teresting
Thomas to the fated and inLord Edward Fitzgerald, the great house
Silken
nation.
The war
intermission
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
war
yet ended.
All
driven from
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
left
this
* The Rev. 0. P. Meehan has graphically described memorable epoch of Irish history in his admirable
entitled, "
volume
The Flight
of the Earls."
222
He
describes the
land as "the fairest upon earth," but the people wandered about like ghosts from the grave, houseless
all
When King
James came to the throne the Irish He was a Stuart of the lineand they looked
for tenderfor
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.
;
in their possession
even unto
day.
And
again,
massacres,
burnings,
and
soil.
It
headed by Lord Maguire, Earl of Enniskillen, with the avowed object of sweeping all the English out
of
proclaiming a national
independent Government.
Ireland.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
all
223-
of a
martyr for
religion.
When
:
men,
let
me have
peace that I
may
by
pray."
He
in
earnestly pleaded to
be tried
his
peers
hung
having
one
been
degraded
from
his
title
of
Lord
Tyburn,
he kneeled down
so
was executed.*
with
still
The
war
of
religions
went
on
increasing
the Irish,
who
held for
King
Charles,
and the
and
stifled Royalists
a bath of blood.
confiscated.
all
South and
Cromwell
the rest of
this
he
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
trial
scene and his tragic death are drawn with much power and minute accuracy of detail.
224
his
of
name eternally abhorred in Ireland. "The curse Cromwell on you " is the bitterest malediction a
The
Irish
to
be hewed
Had
The
priests
women and
children
were sold in
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
wild,
treeless
mountains
of
the West,
all
and
the
rigours
of
winter,
not to approach
up the
last survivors of
all
intercourse
with the
possible, to extirpate
them wholly by
uprooting
of
Ireland"*
No
One
of the
this
age has given to Irish history, and perfectly trustworthy, being compiled from authentic sources and State papers.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
but the Irish could have survived them.
225
The land
remained
untilled, the
cattle
had
to
A
all
Patrick's Cathedral,
and
delinquents
who
refused
to go to
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
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
their
five
of a wolf,
even
the
twenty pounds
if
he were distinguished
still
heads did not come in fast enough, and a free any Irishman who
to claim the
reward.
At length Parliament
tion that
it
whole
some
to
Commissioners
reported
that
the
and uninhabited.
The English had now been governing Ireland for The five hundred years, and this was the result.
Q
226
accession of
times.
He was
a Stuart and a
and
the
Irish
own
blood.
But
had no better
they
fate
than
disaffection.
They
had
of
leagued with
;
Charles
King James.
and
the
and
after
upon Ireland.
successors
The
policy of Elizabeth
;
and her
was
confiscation
King William,
was degradation,
meant
social
As
admiration.
And when
and ranged
city
flag,
to pass
from
how
men should be
if
driven
into exile, or
degraded to slaves
they remained
USAGES OF IRELAND.
at
227
home.
Earnestly
lie
offered
them everything
own,
Irish
if
men
naturally desire
rank,
wealth, a position as
in their
they
his service.
But the
heeded
soil for
away from
their native
it
more.*
The laws
No
other
law decreed
by
'the
Irish without
movement, strange
to
say,
which
origi-
King James.
Their
* "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
down
is still
fresh in
is
not
atrocities
The
pitch cap
and when
filled
with
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
on
fire
priests
Irish
vengeance
in
return
was often
and
terrible,
seem to have been practised at the rebel camp,. and many impulsive acts of generosity in saving
life
* 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
changed.
'98 was put
229
down
seventy thousand
The
Irish
Parliament
at
last
began
Splendid
to
men
of genius
rose
up
denounce wrong,
injustice,
and the most magnificent advocacy of a people's rights ever uttered was heard in the Irish Parliament
just before
its fall.
and decisive;
The degradation
left
of Ireland
wealth,
social
;
spirit,
all
the
brilliancy of
and
by one;
tirely
literature
disappeared;
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
all
annihilated.
flame of disaffection to
result.
it
little
made
at last, It
is
but
only
they came
and grudgingly.
and
political equality
with Protestants
of
the
the
bond-slaves of yesterday
came too
But the
;
Irish
their efforts
mosity
is
fatal poison
of national
advancement.
upon every broad and liberal project The great French Revoblood,,
the love of
originated
USAGES OF IRELAND.
231
and no good
tree.
grown upon
that evil
unavailing war of seven hundred years, and even yet scarcely recognises the truth that to
raise
Ireland
to
to
the
is
splendid
position
in
the
Empire
a
all
which she
be
clear, dignified
programme
of measures, to
which
action of a whole
fulfil-
ment.
Disaffection
exist, it is
This
is
things
the pro-
fessions languish,
commercial
classes
merely
there
is
agents
for
the
to
English manufacturers
no stimulus
intellect,
no wealth
of education
fair
opening for
Ireland to
England, and a
surplus goods.
her
The
ignorance
of
English
statesmen,
also,
232
No large,
remedy
is
liberal
measures
for
acknowledged
Complaint
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
district.
that
he imputed
all
colonisers
nations,
;
but they
not to
exterminate
they humanised.
many
shores, but
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
but
still
own
richly gifted
USAGES OF IRELAND.
233
whom and
affinity of nature,
So they passed on
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.
gifts,
and the
;
colonists
by
their genius
wherever
light,
left
trail of
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.
of land,
God nowhere;
234
and
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 be
loved,
is
in so far as
In the
government
steadfast
Right;
Love;
Truth
this is a
but
is
also
antagonism, or deficiency of
war
of
races,
and
religions,
made
out reverence
but in the
soft,
relaxing air of
USAGES OF IRELAND.
fitfully, like
235-
tain lakes.
There
is
no persistent
force,
utter stagnation of
life,
the absence of
They
give
are
will
them
them
nothing.
full
The
overflowing
of the present,
What EnglishCommon-
Stuart
The exports
of cotton
of
the
any
of their kings.
They never loved They have no popular idol in No great historic fact has become
life.
No
They live wholly in the sensuous and the actual. The Irish live on dreams and prayer. Eeligion and country are the two
oratory.
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
from
they
in their ears
of the
hammer
and the
air
236
breathe
merce.
But the
without manufactures or
cattle
were, in the
by the
smoke
of labour.
is
a reality to
No
its
It is their religious
tempera-
ment, so childlike in
alone makes their
simplicity
and
trust, that
life
of privation endurable,
and
all
itself,
was the
will
God."
The round,
stolid
made
for
commerce and industry ; while the small and deep, passionate eyes,
denote a people
therefore,
made
for religion
and
ever
art
and,
the
greatest
mistake
made by
Reforma-
to force the
Protestantism,
without
art,
or ritual, or symbol, or
The
right of private
means
to
them simply
as
that every
man
to
as
good
stolid
a judge
the
parson,
or better.
The
do a certain
USAQES OF IRELAND.
duty, as he pays the doctor
237
The Reformation was a genuine outcome of Saxon nature ; a rude revolt against grace, refinement, the beautiful, and the mystic
to
;
a cold appeal
Both in
religion
and
need the
visible symbol.
What
bear with
life
infinite trust
in the Divine
believes, is
watching
What
could Protestantism
with
its
?
people
emotional
cross,
was the work of God, their and beautiful abbeys were plundered and
it
made
and
self,
of self,
in
was the pure ideal of the high ascetic life, their place were set up the bare, bleak,
Irish,
The
-238
churches.
of
They preferred to die, and so thousands them were slaughtered with their priests, and the
were degraded
through
all
rest
still,
to pariahs in their
fires of
own land
makes the
the
devotion of the Irish to their creed and priesthood, during the bitter martyrdom of three hundred years,
all
human
But new paths opened through the darkness. God has many agents by which peoples and nations
are
by
They seem
evil at first,
yet
by such means war, pestilence, and famine that the human race has been made to on,
it is
drift
ever westward,
years.
three
thousand
The
terrible
million perished
The
from
a
Irish peasant
was forced
at last to rise
fields, to
up
and blighted
seek
new home
From
the dismal
death-in-life of his
who needed
his toiling
hand
USAGES OF IRELAND.
of cities
239
Pacific,
and
to lay
traffic
of the
What may be
much
tried,
but
none can
tell.
No
definite
who
human
rights, are
not
and her
on her
people,
who
yet
own
all
and
Irish
The
But the
as understood
if,
by
its
not even
now
almost extinct.
No
one
an
come back
city
Queen
Dublin Castle
in a desolated
and a land
of poverty, torpor,
and universal
decadence.
"
Home
and
Rule," with
its
class
caste, is
240
and
it
will
A
over
revenues, to be composed of
universal
suffrage,
now by
Of course a National
of the revenues
command
would be a cheat and a delusion, for the power to make laws and decree improvements-
would be
of Ireland
of
little
avail
was poured
country.
will
The American Irish, with their bolder new system of things, not
old, for it is
moral dignity of a
humanity
new
life.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
241
accomas
at
centuries,
no
firm
organisation,
and
One
thing,
however,
is is
certain
there
is
now
that
a prophecy of change;
the feverish
again
all alight
man.
of
freedom.
Yet there
is
means the Government of Every one with the old system of things, and all is wearied long to throw off the iucubus of prejudice, and routine, and fetish worship, and to start afresh on
It simply
" Republic."
new career under new condition. The American Irish are eager to
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
In '9$
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,
it
will
be
as a part of the
European struggle
Republican
of Ireland
of the masses
soil
them
into action.
What
predict,
the
unknown
future
-
may
but
another half
century
witness
assuredly a
politics.
new order of things in society and One can hear already the low murmur of
all
mutation of
and
ideas,
bring progress.
But whether the change will come through the war or the peaceful organisation of a great
of freedom,
European brotherhood
none can
say.
probably
down
The
iconoclasts
emphatically iconoclastic.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
243
all
and
political systems,
and philosophers
is
will
?
who can
say
We
important, how-
who
diligently the
is
of special import-
may
The
any
American
for
any
effort,
autonomy
all
of Ireland
that
which, as Mr.
peoples.
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
and
by
England
in
those
hours
of
peril
which
seem
gathering in clouds of darkness upon the horizon, and threatening dangers which only a united
A vast
amount
of characteristic popular
wisdom
into
motives and
all
;
conduct,
with a deep
stir
knowledge of
the
human
in
heart
of a place
people
have
remained
unknown
to
the general
away
This
been removed;
for,
up the
and translation
USAGES OF IRELAND.
into English of
of
245
many
of those interesting
ancient thought
Irish
the
result
hundred
rature,
proverbs have
tinguished
men
John O'Donovan
of St. Jautath's,
the Rev.
of
Tuam, one
of
The
Ulster
a race.
human
at
actions,
motives,
and
tendencies often
proverbs are
especially
remarkable for
their concise
and
cerning
life,
The matured
and they bear
wisdom
Pileas,
who
soul,
human
of
life
in
maxims
of steadfast truth.
A keen sense,
also, of
246
human
of
observable in them
the result of
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.
Irish
hold
the
sacred
to the
wisdom
saying,
" It
is
impossible to
The
their
Irish people
that
and peculiar
intelligence,
and
of
of
Hence the sayings of these great wise men ancient renown have passed through the mind
still
so
many
sacred
words, and
works
for
many
of
these proverbs
still
show, in a
ineffaceable peculiarities
sensitiveness of
good
USAGES OF IRELAND.
doom that want and poverty bring on
it is
life, "
247
because
These
have been connected with the all history, and are as true
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
body; bold and daring; patient of cold, hunger, and fatigue; dauntless in danger, and regardless of
life
when glory
is
in
view
warm
bounds
to
prudence
talkative,
disputatious,
They
are
all
than accuracy
Many
force
of
these
national
and
enduring
race
much
from
and freedom
Selected Proverbs.
When
soothing.
is
Have a mouth
of ivy
and a heart
of holly.
248
silent
mouth
is
musical.
to-
short visit
is
best,
often,,
may
meet, but
A man
folly.
itself
seem
Much
disrepute,
and by a superfluity
of words, truth is
obscured.
No
rearing,
no manners.
pity.
Every nursliDg as
is
it is
as it
woven.
Without
manners.
store
no-
A
ship.
little
relationship
is
better than
much
friend-
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Gentleness
is
249-
constant guest
never welcome.
The peacemaker
is
many
No No
No
No
No
there
is
the roast.
galling trial
till
it
advance to success.
life.
Reputation
is
Wine
is
Drinking
Character
If
better be without
to the storm.
Do
dead.
He who
trampled on.
is
up
is
extolled; he
who
is
down
is-
Sweet
is
man who
has wealth.
250
harsh
no one
;
yet
go
to the
the infant.
God
is
God
He
we
strikes at last.
Death
is
Many
a day
A
Do
No
woman
of evil
temper.
The
nor the
lake
is
not encumbered
;
man by
Conversation
contention
is
Even
Bad
It is
is
tunate children
but
There
is
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Idleness
is
251
fool's desire.
Gold
is
A long
Do
buy
The
planted
tell
lie, it kills
at last.
own
roof to
man's house.
but
not
the
tree
it.
remains,
hand
that
ocean in gold.
till
June
is
over.
Autumn
hand
He
that spies
is
meeting in
the sunlight
lucky,
and a
burying ia the
rain.
Winter comes
& woman.
The beginning
a stone
;
of a ship
is
of a kiln,
;
of
and the
beginning of health
sleep.
252
and
self-restraint,
and no
Four things
a
to
be hated
chief
worthless hound,
slow horse,
without wisdom,
wife
without children.
Better a good run than a long standing.
Falling
is
One morsel
Cleverness
of a rabbit is
is
worth two
of a cat.
Good fortune
If I
am
If the
day
long, night
comes at
last.
day
is
as
God
pleases.
is
There
no joy without
affliction.
No
A foot
Virtue
meets nothing.
is
The day
is
of storm
everlasting wealth.
Avarice
is
evil.
Wisdom
Shun
a prying thief
and a
deceiver.
USAGES OF IRELAND.
253
An empty
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.
;
God never
other.
He opened
an-
food.
The son
the foal of
widow who has plenty of cattle, an old mare at grass, and the miller's
of a of meal, are the three
Good luck
It
is
is
Every man has bad luck awaiting him some time or other. But leave the bad luck to the last
perchance
it
254
an
enemy.
Red
Red Red
in the
in the
cold.
a sign of
frost.
in the
Red
in the
thaw.
You
will live
we were
just
speaking of you.
There
is
wisdom
A
there
be well made at
it
first,
for
to spoil
afterwards.
ruin.
It is a
A
from
man may be
his
own
wedge-
itself
Want,
inclement weather,
In contradistinction
of a
to this statement,
the reign
good
prince,
it is
the land.
"The
And
grass
"The
was
so
abundant that
it
the cattle,
when they
lay
down
USAGES OF IRELAND.
Mysteries and Usaqes.
255-
priests,
many
his
wonderful secrets.
The
priest,
Druidical
the
patient
the phenomena
clairvoyance as
also the
known
to
the moderns.
life,
The
magi had
this
power
of prolonging
and for
this
The Druids
duced a violent
pulsation
the
blood-vessels
reported
that
the
ancient
Irish
used
of the
yew
tree.
any
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
And
this fatal.
.256
which
and the
fruit,
is
called
is
people,
of the hills,"
and
held
by the by
over them.
Through
this,
distinction
of
those
who died
of
burial
for
warriors.
in
a standing
position, their
over them.
in battle,
of
was placed
THE END.
'