526 Proceedings of the Royal IrisJi Academy. 



wheeled traffic, and tlie bulk of the people depend for transport of their 

 fish, manure, turf, or farm produce upon their own labour, carrying all 

 these articles in baskets on their backs, for, with the exception of a few 

 donkeys used for carrying panniers, beasts of burden are conspicuous by 

 their absence. 



The boats used are heavy wooden kelp boats, hookers, and pook- 

 hans. There are no curraghs, as the coast is said to be too rocky for 

 them. 



y. FoLK-LoiLE. 



"Whatever its poverty in other respects, and probably on account of 

 that very poverty and backwardness, this district is rich in its folk- 

 lore. Legends, traditions, old songs, &c., are to be heard at the 

 winter fire side, and many old customs are kept up which have died 

 out elsewhere. It is by no means easy, however, to obtain much infor- 

 mation on these points, and a special search for it would have taken 

 up much more time than was available for the whole work. The 

 people are naturally reticent on this subject, especially with strangers. 

 The following notes, most of which relate to minor folk-lore, were 

 obtained, however, largely through the kindness of Mr. P. llongan of 

 Carna, and Mr. Cahill, foreman of the works at Mace Harboui', also 

 some other informants whose names I withhold by request. 



1. Customs and Beliefs. — There are many old customs still kept up, 

 though others have become extiuct, and some of those still existing are 

 modified. 



Belief in the " bad eye " is widespread, and in praising a child or 

 an animal it is customary to say " God bless it" to avoid any suspicion 

 of having " overlooked " it should any evil afterwards occur. "When 

 entering a house where a person has met with any accident, people 

 spit to avert the action of the bad eye, lest that should have been the 

 cause of the injury. Beltane fires are still lighted. The people dread 

 being out after dark, and cany a coal of turf if necessity requires that 

 they should go, as a protection against ghosts and fairy influences ; 

 and there are many beliefs still remaining about the occult influence of 

 fixe and its power to dispel enchantments. Men sometimes take a coal 

 with them when fishing to bring luck. 



It is thought unlucky to give fii'e out' of a house in which a person 

 lies sick. There is a lingering remnant of the ancient belief in the 

 magical power of blacksmiths, for which reason they would fear to 

 take anything surreptitiously from a forge. There is great faith in 



