79 



grey. The resemblance between a leek and the eye is not very 

 apparent, as the following quotation shows : — • 



" Dhearca mar dlilaoi don bhugha. 

 Is a dha bhraoi cearta caol-dhiibha." — O'Brien. 

 His eyes like a bunch of leeks, 

 And his two eyebrows straight, dark, narrow. 



Although Shaw gives the name to leek, probably the plant 

 referred to is the harebell (see Scilla non - scripta). Irisii : 

 comdid, coiime, caiiuicn. Welsh : ceniii {ce/i, a skin, peel, scales, 

 given to onions, garlic, leeks). 



"Do roidh, no do coindiJ, no do ablaibh. " 

 Thy gale, nor thy onions, nor thy apples. 



Coi/idid, though applied to leeks, onions, &c., means seasoning, 

 condiments, Latin : condo. 



A. ursinum — Wild garlic. From the Celtic. Gaelic and 

 Irish : gar/ca^. Welsh : garlleg, from gar^ gaircc, bitter, most 

 bitter. Gairgean. Creamh (Welsh, craf), cream, to gnaw, 

 chew. Lurachan, the flower of garlic. 



"I.e d' lurachain chrcaiiihach fhàson 

 'Sam buicein bhàn orr' shuas." — M 'Donald. 



The feast of garlic, " Fèisd chreamh," was an important occasion 

 for gatherings and social enjoyment to the ancient Celts. 



" Ann's bidh creamh agus sealgan, agus luibhe iomdha uile fliorreas, re a 

 n-itheadh úrghlas feadh na bleadhna ma roibhe ar teitheadh ó chaidreath na 

 n-daoine, do 'n gleann da loch." — Irish. 



Where garlic and sorrel, and many other kinds, of which I ate fresh 

 throughout the year before I fled from the company of men to the glen of the 

 Two Lochs. ^ 



A. scorodoprasum — Rocambole. Gaelic and Irish : creaviJi 

 7ian crag (M'Kenzie), the rock garlic. 



A. ascalonicum — Shallot. Gaelic : sgalaid (Armstrong). (See 

 Allium). 



A. schoenoprasum — Chives. Gaelic : fcuraii. Irish : fcaran, 

 the grass -like plant. Saidse. Creamh g/iàradh, the garden 

 garlic. Welsh : ce)ii?i Fedr, Peter's leek. 



A. vineale — Crow garlic. Gaelic: gar/eag MJuiire (Arm- 

 strong), Mary's garlic. 



1 A most gloomy and romantic spot in the County of Wicklow. 

 "Glen da lough ! thy gloomy wave, 



Soon was gentle Kathleen's grave."— Moore. 



