624 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



A cruel custom is said to have been common in the district at one 

 time, which was still in use in 1835, of harrowing with the harrow 

 fastened to the horses tail. 



The females of a family sleep in the " room," the men in the bed 

 in the kitchen ; if the family be large, the beds will be very full, the 

 occupants lying "heads and points," as several of my informants 

 phrased it, that is, some with their heads in the ordinary place, others 

 with theirs to the foot of the bed. jS"o night-clothing is worn by 

 either sex among the poorer people. 



A method of sleeping when the house was much crowded was 

 formerly practised in this district, which is fully described by a writer^ 

 who has been frequently quoted in this Report : — " This is what is 

 called sleeping in stradoge, and is regulated as follows : — The floor is 

 thickly strewed with fresh rushes, and stripping themselves entirely, 

 the whole family lie down at once and together, covering themselves 

 with blankets if they have them, if not, with their day-clothing, but 

 they lie down decently^ and in order ; the eldest daughter next the 

 wall farthest from the door, then all the sisters according to theii" 

 ages ; next the mother, father, and sons in succession, and then the 

 strangers, whether the travelling pedlar, or tailor, or beggar; thus 

 the strangers are kept aloof from the female part of the family, and if 

 there be apparent community, there is great propriety of conduct." 



3. Food. — The dietary varies somewhat with the locality, but 

 fish seems to form a considerable part of it in all but the mountainous 

 portions of the district. Flesh or fowl are rarely tasted, except at 

 Christmas time, or at Michaelmas, or some other great occasion. 

 The islanders are said to make some use of sea birds, but use fish as 

 the staple animal food. This is eaten fresh in summer, and coarsely 

 salted for winter use. 



The main articles of diet are stirabout, soda-bread, and boxty 

 (a form of damper made of grated raw potatoes, and cooked on a 

 griddle. This extremely indigestible form of bread is much used in 

 the mountainous parts), potatoes, and tea, which is becoming more 

 extensively used than formerly, and is now taken at nearly every meal. 

 Whatever the other meals may be composed of, fish forms part of supper. 



An average day's dietary in the ATullet would be somewhat as 

 follows : — 



Breakfast. — Potatoes and fish, or Indian meal (sometimes oatmeal) 

 stirabout, buttermilk. 



1 C. 0., " Sketches in Erris and Tyrawley," p. 34. 



