Browne — Ethnography of Inishhofin and Inishshark. 345 



Begging is practically unknoTm, and drunkenness, as a habit, does 

 "Bot exist, the sobriety being very noticeable on holidays, though 

 occasional bouts of drinking are sometimes indulged in when a good 

 take of fish has been made. They are very conscientious in their 

 religious observances, and depend greatly on the advice and control of 

 their clergy, with regard to temporal as well as spiritual affairs. 

 Sexual irregularities are extremely rare, no case of illegitimacy having 

 been recorded from the islands for years. 



As fishermen they are brave, hardy, and extremely venturesome ; 

 this applies especially to the men of Inishshark, who are reputed 

 in Bofin to be the best and most daring boatmen on the west 

 coast. 



Quarrels often occur, but a regular stand-up fight appears to be 

 unknown, the men usually contenting themselves with abusive lan- 

 guage, or at most a sudden blow or stone-throwing. A woman 

 when angered may use very abusive language towards a man, as she 

 would be practically safe from any fear of physical violence on his 

 part, even when she was very provoking. 



On the other hand, they are not without faults. In their ordinary 

 life they are thriftless, and not too cleanly in many of their habits, and 

 have but little regard for ordinary sanitary laws ; their veracity, too, 

 is not altogether unimpeachable, while the people of the mainland 

 allege that they have a very strong aversion to the payment of debts, 

 rent, and cess, for the last-named of which they owe over £1300. 



The habits and manners of the people of Shark are much the same 

 as those described above. The people are noted for their loyalty to 

 one another ; they never tell any stranger anything about their local 

 affairs. They are kindly and civil to visitors, always crowding down 

 to assist them on landing, but are said to be capable of acts of ferocity 

 when roused. 



5. Folk-names. — The following list of fiity-one surnames comprises 

 all those now to be met with on the islands. Some of these names, 

 however, are those of families not long establislied on the islands, 

 while others, formerly common, as Gorham and Halligan, are now 

 without representatives. 



The Gorham s are still, to some extent, connected with Inishbofin, 

 as one of them is proprietor of the only shop there worth the name, 

 and in addition holds a farm, but he lives on the mainland, and 

 iaanages them by deputy, only occasionally visiting the place himself. 

 It is possible that, owing to the heavy emigration, other surnames 

 may also have disappeared. In the list of surnames given in the 



