Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/62

54 of the river into the holy ground of Inniscattery.—(Vol. ii. pp. 439440.)

The fishing-boats in use are the ancient Celtic coracles, or nivoges, a kind of basket-work covered with hides.—(Vol. ii. p. 451.)

The new year is opened with divine service in Kilrush. Young people expect "New Year's Gifts" to fill their "Christmas boxes." On the first of February the labour of Spring commences with the old adage, "On Candlemas Day throw candle and candlestick away." Shrove Tuesday is the greatest day in the year for weddings. The usual desert and supper on Shrove Tuesday is the pancake. Small pieces of them rolled up in a stocking and placed under a lover's pillow are found to be very efficacious in producing prophetic dreams (of future husbands).

On Easter Sunday every one in the union breakfasts on eggs and dines on fresh meat. Easter Monday is a great holiday here, and multitudes go into Scattery Island this day for the purpose of performing penance on their bare knees round the stony beach and holy well there.

On the 1st of April the old practice of fool-making is kept up here. On the 1st of May bushes are erected before the doors and decked with flowers. (It is worth observing that so tenacious are the native Irish in Ulster of their ancient customs that it is on the 1st of May, "old style," namely, the 11th day of that month, they put up their May-bushes and strew flowers round them.) On the night of the 23rd of June, being Midsummer eve, bonfires are kindled in all directions through the country, the young people dance round them, and some drive their cattle through them.

On the last day of October all the Hallowe'en tricks are played here in a manner similar to those in the mountains of Ulster or the highlands of Scotland.

Till within a few years, for some weeks before Christmas, a midnight procession with music took place at Kilrusb called "Waits," but this custom, with that of assembling in the Christmas holidays as mummers or wren-boys, and baiting a bull on St. Stephen's day, is now grown obsolete.

It was formerly usual here to make expensive entertainments at