622 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



not, like an Inishbofin man, consider himself disgraced, nor is he 

 inconsolable. 



Engaged couples or newly married people often come in for an 

 amount of attention from the children of the neighbourhood, which, 

 however flattering it may be, is decidedly embarrassing; they are 

 followed about and cheered whenever they appear together. Weddings 

 are occasions of family festivities, and are usually followed by a dance. 

 " St)-aw-boys " go round to the house on these occasions and take part 

 in the dancing. They are disguised in tall conical-shaped straw 

 masks, adorned with strips of red and green cloth, white shirts 

 decorated with coloured ribbons, and white or red petticoats. The 

 band is lieaded by a captain and a mate, who enter the house first 

 and declare that they are shipwrecked sailors, and that they have 

 come to dance at the wedding ; the captain then dances with the 

 bride, the mate with the bridesmaid, and the rest of the band with 

 the other girls. It is usual to treat the straw-boys to drink, but they 

 often refuse it, and never demand money, or indulge in any rowdy 

 conduct. 



The young couple usually set up house on their own account,, 

 except in the case of the youngest son, who inherits his parents' house 

 and property, in which case the bride goes to live with her people- 

 in-law. 



When a person is dying, windows and doors are thrown open, and 

 the clock (if there be one) stopped ; it is considered unlucky or im- 

 proper for any of those in the house to cry until after the death has 

 actually occured. 



Wakes are still held in this district, and many of the old obser- 

 vances and games are kept up ; but owing to the discouragement of 

 these by the clergy, the people show a great reluctance to give any 

 information on the matter. A good deal of drinking usually takes 

 place on these occasions. 



The funeral customs have undergone some change during the past 

 thirty years, but much still remains that is worthy of notice. A grave 

 is not usually dug until the coffin reaches the graveyard, if begun before 

 hand it is never dug on a Monday, or commenced at least, but a start 

 is made, if necessity compels, by raising a few sods on Sunday. It is 

 believed to be unlucky to bury a corpse on New Year's Day, an act 

 whiih is thought to bring misfortune to the whole neighbourhood. 



The coffin is usually taken out the back door of the house, and 

 conveyed to the cemetery by the longest route. At the graveyard the 

 caoine is raised by the women immediately after the religious ceremony 



