Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/68

60 whole amusement consists, is called nag or, in Irish, brig. It resembles the game called golf in Edinburgh. Christmas is the season when it is most generally played. It prevails all through Ireland, and in the highlands of Scotland.

The trundling of eggs, as it is called, is another amusement, which is common at Easter. For this purpose the eggs are boiled hard and dyed of different colours, and when they are thus prepared the sport consists in throwing and tumbling them along the ground, especially down a declivity, and gathering up the broken fragments to eat them. Formerly it was usual with the women and children to collect in large bodies for this purpose. They pursue this amusement in the vicinity of Belfast. Here it is generally confined to the younger classes. It is a curious circumstance that this sport is practised only by Presbyterians, though it is admitted that it is a very ancient usage, and was spread over the Russian empire and Greek islands long before the Reformation.—(pp. 207-208.)

The belief in witches and fairies is as firm as any article of their creed. When any person dies of a disease not generally known it is attributed to the influence of the former: and the latter imaginary personages are held in such reverence that their supposed places of haunt are guarded with the utmost sacred care. The fairy thorn, for instance, is often seen with an intrenchment, or barricade of stones erected around it, lest any persons, or even cattle, should injure this favoured spot of fayish revel.—(p. 208.)

Listerling, county Kilkenny.

There is a tradition that St. Mullen formerly resided in or near the moat of Listerling, and consecrated a well in its vicinity. The well is overshadowed by a fine old spreading hawthorn-tree, which the tradition says sprung from St. Mullen's walking-staff that he stuck down in that spot The saint, having been disgusted with the conduct of the people who stole some articles from him, left them in displeasure, and removed to a place about two miles distant called Carrick-mullen (i.e. Mullen's Hill), now Mullinakill (i.e. Mullen's Church), from a church dedicated to him, the ruins of which still remain, and where his day, as patron saint, is annually celebrated on the Sunday after the feast of St. Bartholomew.—(p. 245.)