Antiquities y Social Customs^ &c. 33 



Wednesday. The object is soon made known. I should have 

 stated the girl's parents are not quite taken by surprise, for 

 word is sent two days before that such an event may be looked 

 for. Then the terms of the marriage are talked over, over, ma^^ 

 be, a drop of drink. When all is nearly settled the girl is 

 called in and asked by the intended husband's friends if she is 

 willing. She is asked then to taste whatever they may be 

 drinking, and the bargain is made. The marriage invariably 

 takes place the following morning ; always provided there is 

 no close kinship between them, when the Archbishop's (Tuam) 

 consent must be obtained. The marriage fees are increased by 

 a pound or more in such cases. The girl may or may not go 

 to the husband's house that night, but if she does not go that 

 night, she does not go for a month. Second, there is always 

 a bonfire on the islands on St. John's Eve, however scarce the 

 fuel may be, mostly one in each village. Third, games on a 

 winter night. One is popular. A number — say ten — youngsters 

 assemble ; they divide into groups of five. Lots are drawn to 

 see who gets in the centre of a circle. The person on whom 

 the lot falls stoops down. The nine stoop down in the same 

 manner. ' A soongawn,' or thick straw rope, is then passed 

 quickly from one to the other, under their legs, whilst sitting 

 close together, so that the person in the middle cannot see who 

 has the rope. From some unexpected hand he gets a blow, 

 anywhere except on the face, which often pretty well hurts 

 him. Outdoor games are chiefly ball-playing. Fourth, wakes 

 and funerals. There is always a supply of pipes and tobacco 

 and drink. Even when a near friend dies in America the 

 person is very often waked in the parents' house (just as if the 

 body was present) for one night only. The people keen at 

 funerals always, both at the corpse's house and at the grave. 

 There is no particular door for bringing out a corpse, but the 

 south door is most usual in our island. The persons who carry 

 the coffin from the coffin-maker's house to the residence of the 

 deceased are the persons who invariably lower the coflSn into 

 the grave. Ghost and Fairies — The Banshee is not understood 



