Antiquities^ Social Customs^ &c. 31 



partly by farming and partly by fishing ; the latter has great 

 room for development, as they fish only in their canoes, which 

 are not equal to Norway yawls for deep sea fishing. It is very 

 probable the Congested Districts' Board will, in the near future, 

 assist the islanders to develop the fishing as they have done in 

 other places around the coast. Up to the reign of Queen 

 Elizabeth the islands were owned by the Teige O'Brien, 

 branch of the O'Briens of Clare, descendants of Brian Boru. 

 They passed to various owners afterwards, being mortgaged 

 and sold, until they came to the present owners. O'Brien's 

 Castle still stands on the highest part of Innisheer, in 

 sight of the County Clare, the native county of the O'Briens. 

 Oliver Cromwell, in the time of the civil wars, took the 

 Islands, built a strong castle at Killeany, on the North 

 Island, which is still standing. He left a garrison in this 

 island, many of whom never left it, but intermarried with the 

 natives. The houses on the island are very clean. Women 

 attend to domestic duties, spin wool, knit, gather carrigreen 

 moss, weed their crops, and do other light work. The air on 

 the island is very pure, and there is scarcely .any disease ; 

 consumption and rheumatism are very rare. The people 

 frequently live to a great age. On a stone in the churchyard at 

 Killeany is the following inscription : — " Michael Dirrane, who 

 departed this life in the iigth year of his age. Dated, 1817." 

 Several wonderful stories are told of a greater age than this. 

 When the Land Bill became law the tenants took advantage of 

 it to get fair rents fixed. The result was a reduction of about 

 40 per cent, on the average rentals. Their mode of salutation 

 is worthy of note ; the visitor, on entering a house, says, " God 

 save all here." Meet a man on the road, greet him with a 

 " God save you, sir," he'll remove his hat and reply, " God save 

 you kindly, your honour." If you pass them working in a 

 field always address them with a '' God bless your work, boys," 

 they will answer, "And you, too, sir." They are an extremely 

 virtuous race, cases of illegitimacy being almost unknown. 

 There is neither a jail nor workhouse on the islands. One of 



