Browne — The EthnograpMj of Clare Island and Tnishturk. 63 



piggins, or -wooden vessels (now being replaced in Clare Island by im- 

 ported articles), a loran, spinning-wheel, &c. 



The " room " is sometimes boarded, and is scantily furnished, a 

 couple of tent beds and chair or two, a chest, a table, a couple of 

 cheap religious pictures (perhaps), and an article of furniture known 

 as the milk chest : it is mounted on four legs, and has a tightly fitting 

 lid. It is used for containing the milk vessels. The sanitary con- 

 dition of the houses is bad, owing to the absence of proper ventila- 

 tion, the presence of the cattle and fowl in the houses at night, and 

 the proximity (frequently) of stagnant pools and muck heaps to the 

 doors of the dwellings. 



Transport. — The modes of transport on land are very simple, the 

 only two methods of conveying turf, sea weed, fish, or potatoes, being 

 in baskets on the backs of the people themselves, or in panniers slung 

 over the back of a horse or donkey. Stones for building are carried 

 in rough wooden frames of a V-shape known as stone-cleaves. 



There are about eighty horses on Clare Island ; the number in 

 Inishturk could not be ascertained. 



The roads are pretty good, considering that there is no wheel 

 traffic over them. 



Tor conveyance by water as well as for fishing there are boats, 

 twenty-seven of which are sometimes used for fishing ; five of these are 

 pookhauns, two hookers, one of which belongs to Inishturk ; there are 

 about a dozen curraghs. 



V. FOLK-LOEE. 



Considerable difficulty was experienced in obtaining much infor- 

 mation on the many curious and interesting beliefs and customs still 

 persisting in these islands, but the following items were collected, 

 thanks mainly to Mrs. C. Kelly, Sergeant M'Golderic, e.i.c, and Mr. 

 Edward O'Malley, of Clare Island. Some other information was 

 gathered from the people of Inishturk. The information which I was 

 able to obtain relates mainly to minor folk-lore. 



1. Customs and Beliefs. — Eeference has already been made to 

 funeral and wedding customs. There are customs and beliefs relating 

 to certain days, most of which are the same as those observed and 

 reported on in Inishbofin, &c. The people will not give fire out of 

 the house on May Day lest all good luck might go with it. On St. 

 John's Eve bonfires are lighted, round which the people circle seven 

 times in the name of the Trinity, bowing towards the fire each time. 



