258 SPORTING REMINISCENCES 



had very little but trouble in the world the coach- 

 man solemnly blamed the friend who had ' over- 

 looked the missus.' 



" Wasn't misfortin' sure to come afther what 

 he said, without ever a God save ye from it on his 

 tongue." 



Bees hold an important place in the catalogue 

 of Irish superstitions. If a stray swarm comes into 

 the place it is the greatest of good luck. If the 

 bees rise and go death or great trouble is near. 

 For some unknown reason I have twice seen the 

 bees leave a place when the head of the house 

 was dying. After death the bees must be care- 

 fully put into mourning, or they will give you no 

 honey all that year. 



If a cat strays into the house blessings and 

 holy water must be used to counteract its evil 

 visitation, but a stray dog means the best of 

 luck, and it must not be hunted away. ; 



The most unlucky insect you can meet is the 

 Thorra Dheoul, the devil's coach horse. 



The warnings which come before death are 

 endless and varied. 



Some houses merely have the dead coach, 

 which rumbles up to the door. The house of an 

 old family who lived near Croom has this for their 

 warning, and four people have assured me that 

 they ran twice to the door believing that the 

 doctor was coming when the last of the race was 

 dying there. 



