248 SPORTS AND ANECDOTES. 



constant companion, and which was neither more nor 

 less than a blackthorn stick, all over knots, quite 

 straight, of equal thickness all the way down, and 

 polished from use till it fairly shone again ; it also 

 always had the bark on, and was a real skull-cracker. 

 It was a real dangerous tool if properly handled, and 

 I have seen more than one sore head from the ad- 

 ministration of it, under the influence of whisky. 



I remember seeing two of " the boys " fighting in 

 the streets of Ballina and bent on real mischief, when 

 who should come up but the priest. Father Tim (I 

 will call him), went up to them, and accosted them 

 with " Come out of that now ! What, are ye going to 

 kill yourselves ? What are ye fighten like that for, 

 like bastes, and in the strates too ? Come out of that ! 

 Give me that now ! " and taking one of their imple- 

 ments of war from them, he gave them each as tidy 

 a belabouring as I ever had the pleasure of seeing 

 administered to any Christian. And they standing 

 all the time in the most submissive attitude, with their 

 hats in their hands. After having given them both a 

 real good dusting, he dismissed them with the paternal 

 benediction, " Now, boys, ye'll not be fighten in the 

 strates agin, anyhow, mind that." 



The poor boys, who must have been black and 



