MY FIRST AND LAST STEEPLE-CHASE 149 



wor wracked among the haythens. But wind 

 or no wind, yer honour, I suppose the races will 

 come off ? " 



" So I hear, Barney." 



" I'm towld there's to be a fight between the 

 Elahertys and the O'Donnells ; but shure av the 

 priest's there it's no use for them to try." 



" Why not, Barney ? " 



" He's mighty handy with a hunting-whip, an' 

 has got a bad curse besides. He hot Mickey 

 Devine over the head, for trying to rise a row at 

 the fair of Dingle, and left a hole in it you might 

 put your fist in. It was no great things of a head 

 at the best of times, but faith, he's quare in it at 

 the full of the moon iver since. He cursed Paddy 

 Keolaghan, too, last Easter, an' the luck left him. 

 His nets wor carried away, the boat stove in, and 

 the pig died. I don't give in to the pig myself, for 

 they let him get at the long lines afther they wor 

 baited ; and sure enough when the craythur died, 

 there was fifteen hooks in his inside, enough to kill 

 any baste. Besides, his reverence is very partikler, 

 an' wouldn't curse a Christian out of his own 

 parish ; but it's not lucky to cross him anyhow ; 

 an' if he's there to-morrow, sorra bit of fun we'll 

 have. They say yer honours are for givin' a ball 

 afther the races." 



