Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 6 1888.djvu/70

62 the first of May green bushes are planted opposite every door, and the pavement covered with flowers. On Midsummer-eve the bonfires are kindled with great regularity.

In the course of the summer several individuals make pilgrimages either to holy wells in the immediate neighbourhood of this parish, such as that of Killevally, or St. John's, in the county of Roscommon, opposite to the ruined church of Cashel; or else to the more distant but more celebrated shrine of Loughderg, in the county of Donegal, to which latter place many persons in affluent circumstances have been known to walk barefooted as an act of penance for their sins. On the 29th September (Michaelmas-day) hunting commences, and every family that can procure a goose has one dressed for dinner. Hallow-eve is observed on the last day of October, with the usual necromantic ceremonies, and the amusement concludes with a supper of granbree—that is, boiled wheat, buttered and sweetened.

For some weeks before Christmas, several musicians, generally pipers, serenade the inhabitants of Ballymahon about an hour or two before daybreak, calling out, in the intervals, the hour of the morning, and stating whether it is cold, wet, frosty or fine. This is called going about with "the waits"; and those who give themselves this trouble expect to be paid for it in the Christmas holidays, when they go about in the daylight playing a tune, and receiving the expected remuneration at every door. At this festive season the grown people, after feasting on their best fare, amuse themselves by dancing, blind-man's buff, questions and commands, and the relating or hearing legendary tales. The children make and paint circular crosses; expect Christmas-boxes from their friends as a reward for the exhibition of their proficiency in writing in what are called Christmas pieces. A large candle is lighted on Christmas night, laid on a table, and suffered to burn out. If it should happen by any means to be extinguished, or more particularly if it should (as has sometimes happened) go out without any visible cause, the untoward circumstance would be considered a prognostic of the death of the head of the family. St. Stephen's day is always spent in bull-baiting.

It is customary to give entertainments at christenings here. Protestants stand sponsors for Roman Catholic children, and vice versa.