1889.] Ooi. [Mooney. 



from one house to another, expecting to receiv a treat at each, and in this 

 they ar seldom disappointed. In the city of Limerick, where, as may wel 

 be supposed, the old custom has degenerated, a broom is drest up, not as 

 the saint, but as " Miss Bridget." 



In Galvvay and other parts of the west, companies of young girls carry 

 about on this eve a figure known as the Brideog (Breejoeg), made of straw 

 and rushes and drest to resemble the saint. At every house the carriers 

 sing a short verse or two, and ar rewarded with a small gift of money or 

 cukes, the net proceeds being expended by the participants in a jolliflca- 

 tion later in the evening. The young men, with their faces coverd with 

 painted masks of paper, go aboixt in like manner, singing verses and car- 

 rying a rope known as the Crios B'rig'ide (cris Vreja) or "girdle of 

 Bridget," which wil be described later. The ends of this rope ar joind 

 so as to form a circle, through which every one is expected to pass on 

 payment of a small trifle. The Gaelic verse commonly used in Galway is 

 as follows : 



Crios BTig'ide, rao CTios, 



Crios na d-tri g-cros. 



Eirig- suas, a b'ean na tig", 



Tab'air d'am rod-a cinnt 'sgo tTl mo crios, 



Agus go m-bud' seac't mile fearr b'eid'eas tu bliag'ain 6 anoc'd.* 



Which may be renderd literally : 



Bridget's girdle, my girdle. 



Girdle of the three crosses. 



Rise up, woman of the house, 



Giv me something and pass through my girdle, 



And may you be seven thousand times better a year from to-night. 



The English verse used in Eastern Galway runs thus : 



God bless the master of the house. 



And the mistress also, 

 And likewise the little children 



That around the table grow. 

 Go down into your cellar. 



If anything you can find 

 Your pockets are not empty 



If to help us you'r inclined. 

 Your pockets are not empty 



Of money or strong beer (!) 

 . And we'l trouble you no more again 



Until another year. 



"While this verse is wel known in East Galway, it is English in its ori- 

 gin and easily to be recognized as such, altho as here given it has receivd 

 one or two unmistakable Irish touches. No genuin Irish popular song 

 would ever bid the master go down into the cellar, such a thing being an 



* Pronounced : Oi's Vreja, mo Mirls, 

 Cris najre grun. 

 Iree suns, a van a che, 

 Thoar um rudh a ceench xgii hre mo khris, 

 Ogus go mfi shokhth mcelyafdr vise thu bleean o nukhth. 



