^Ije gvxMj Jlittxintaet. 



VOL. II. DKCEMBKR, 1893. No. 12. 



THE ARAN ISI.ANDS, COUNTY GALWAY 

 A STUDY IN IRISH ETHNOGRAPHY. 



BY PROFESSOR A. C. HADDON, M.A. 



The Irish Naturalist is itself a witness to the increased 

 interest which has of late j^ears become manifest in the study 

 of Natural History in Ireland, and it is encouraging to see 

 notes from new observers in various parts of the country. It 

 would be very undesirable to divert to other channels any of 

 the energy which has now been brought to bear on Natural 

 History, but there must be a large number of persons in Ire- 

 land who do not take any special interest in any one group of 

 animals or plants, and have no taste or opportunity for making 

 collections, but who, nevertheless, w^ould like to occupy their 

 leisure with something that is both interesting and worth 

 doing. To such I would commend the study of the Irish 

 Man. 



It is surprising how little attention we have given, in the 

 British Islands, to a study of our fellow-countrymen, whether 

 from an anthropological or from a sociological point of view. 

 In this respect we are far behind the great continental nations. 

 Nor is it from lack of suggestive facts to be recorded or of 

 problems to be solved. The mixture of races in these islands 

 certainly renders the problems complex, but this should not 

 paral3^se effort. Very interesting results may be expected 

 from a careful study of certain groups of the populace, but to 

 gain them immediate action must be taken. Owing to migra- 

 tion and emigration, the mingling of peoples has become more 

 intimate, and the newspaper and the school-board have been 

 potent in sweeping away local customs and in levelling up the 

 less advanced folk. All we can now do is to record the little 

 that remains of old-time custom and thought. Experience, 

 however, shows that more persists beneath the surface than is 



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