104 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



morning, and people have been kaown to desist from the projected 

 undertaMng on tids account. It is also unlucky to have a hare cross 

 one's path., but not so much so as the meeting of a red-headed person. 



HI fortune also follo-svs the digging of a grave on a Monday, the 

 change of residence on that day, the removal of one of the pipes ofp a 

 grave, giving fire out of the house on May Day, and the molesting of 

 the \rild swans which visit the coast in winter. To stumble or fall 

 in a graveyard is looked upon as a sign that the person so doing will 

 die within the month. The death- warnings mentioned in the report 

 on the Mullet are also believed in here, as is the evil eye ; the con- 

 sequences of which may be averted in the manner mentioned therein 

 {I. c. 631). It is considered by some to be very unlucky to rescue a 

 drowning man, as he will be certain to do some evil to his rescuer. 

 The old belief that blood will start from the body of a murdered person 

 at the touch of the murderer, is still prevalent. Fairies are believed 

 in by many, and many tales of their actions are related. They are 

 believed to be a class of fallen angels who took part with Satan to 

 some extent, but whose guilt was not sufficient to condemn them to 

 the infernal regions, and were, instead, made to wander through the 

 universe. Michael Conway, who has a local reputation for his know- 

 ledge of their ways, says that they are of three classes — the first were 

 made dwellers in the air; the second, in the sea ; and the third, on 

 the earth. They are accused of doing much mischief, both to men 

 £uid to domestic animals. Cattle becoming suddenly ill are said to be 

 "shot" by them, and the "cure" applied by a wise man who possesses 

 a fairy stone (arrowhead) is the passing of the said flint arrowhead 

 over the back and under the belly of the animal thrice, accompanying 

 the action by suitable incantations. 



Changelings are believed in, and tales are told of cases of this nature. 

 Quite recently the fairies were supposed to have stolen away a child, 

 and carried him to a distance of three miles. Michael Conway states 

 that he knew a man who, when out one night, heard sweetmusic of pipes, 

 and in an ecstasy he danced to the music ; he died within the year. 



The people do not meddle with an old rath or fort, even though in 

 the centre of cultivated land, as they believe these to be favoui-ite 

 dwelling-places for the fairies. A man built an addition to his house 

 upon a "fairy hill " : he died within the year (was drowned), and later 

 on his brother also died. A hearth should always be swept clean, 

 and new fixe put down when going to bed for the fairies to wann 

 themselves at. 



The devil, as usual, bulks largelv in the local tales ; he is said to 



