Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/311

 Folklore and History in Ireland. 301

We'll wallop a mosey down Mead-Street in tune And we won't leave a weaver alive in de Coombe But we'll rip up his tripe bag, and burn his loom Ri rigidi, di do, dee ! "

Fights between the different city companies were only to be expected in a land where faction fights may be con- sidered calendar customs. Smith, in his History of Cork, mentions " great riots between the weavers and butchers at the fair of this city ' ' in the beginning of June. Thistelton Dyer, of course, quotes Fitzgerald's account of the Mid- summer Day march of the Limerick tradesmen, with " their merry-men " who, like those with the Claddagh fishermen's Midsummer procession, " played a thousand antic tricks." But the finale was not so peaceful as in Gal- way, for "the day generally ended in a terrible fight between the Garryowen and Thomond Gate boys (the tradesmen of the north and south suburbs)." A Limerick ballad gives the tale of the " Battle of the Mayor's Stone."

" We are bold Limerick Clothiers, we'll have you for to know • That we must bear the sway wherever we shall go ;

Though Vulcan with his weapons had sworn he'd kill the Weavers, Assisted by the Carpenters, and by the Masons too — There were Tinkers, Bricklayers, Glaziers with Stone Cutters and Braziers, All joined against the Weavers, but all it would not do. For as we sat merry boozing, the plot it was concluding

Which spread a vast confusion outside of Thomond Gate, But these dogs they were so footy, in as they had no booty. We taught them then their duty and made them soon retreat.

For when first they did attack us with adzes keen and axes, They stood as if already fixed our Clothiers to destroy ;

But soon we did attack them, and nobly we did whack them. To our great satisfaction we worked them sore annoy."