Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1882-02-02
IRISH sUPEksfITI0Es..

tempered private letter. with hag;ng.
as they affirm, said vsrv litkle abossk
ireland in these articles which / hawa
contributed during many wears r.
was simply by accident, Lee ma sap.
that such apparent negleck occurred.
There i en- abundance Of what a
called folklore in all ancient cousi4
tries. L literally l. the growth q
ages, and In many instaaces "a wara.
curious.
In many places. tinglinr Of the
ears denotes that some one i speaki M
OF you. In Ireland. the belief is 4
tagging Of the lea esr denotes thai
"a snemy speaks against roo whera@
as the tingIing Of the right ear init.
mates that . friend is bestowing hiS
praise IN your absence.
lt y an ordinary saying in Ireland:
though not acted upon BY the middle
or higher classes. IF you wish 10 have
luck, never shave on Monday" and
OF irish artisans who were too much
addicted TO making q holiday Of the
second day Of the week-facetiously
called Saint MOnday"-to take the
trouble OF using the razor. tt
1t used 70 be . custom TO propitiase
the fairies, at christeuings. BY giving
the nurse who carried the child q
church . piece OF bread, with cheese,
which she handed to the first person
she met. This was intended 10 save
the infant from vitchcraft or the fai-
ries.
In soma places, ealt Ia put into thA
churn, when butter 10 being made. b
insure large produce. Stale water
was thrown on q plow to keep Il from
the mischievous influences Oh wicked
or enraged good folks" Flowers
growing on hedge, particularly green
or yellow ones, are regarded as Elf
cacious in keeping off the fairies.
The purple flower Of the fox-alove
10 usually regarded By Irish children
as supplying the caps which the fai.
ries are rsputed 10 wear.
1t Is regarded as unlucky 10 no. ON
May morning. into q neighbors konaa
for fire, 30 turf was therefore kept
burning all night at home. Nothinr
was considered more unlucky than %
came across red-headed woman inn
nediately after leaving your house in
the morning.
Ia Ireland, If you notice q man Il
work, whether in the fields or at hiis
trade. it is considered unfriendiy, Of
'unlucky," to pass by without salul-
kinR the Workman and audihly sayinz.
God bless The work
Many Of the superstitions of ireland
are derived from Pagan times ana
Pagan worship; that il, before tho
middle Of the fifth century, when
Christianity. introduced by st. Pat
rick. was generally adopted BY the
nation, which then was powerful, popu-
lous and independent.
The making of large bonfres on the
eve of st. John, in each year, though
nominally . Christian practices. il Of
Pagan origin On the I'D Of Juno.
which 10 the eve of Midsummer nssI
(St. Johns) in Ireland, boufres are
lighted upon most Of the hill-tops,
particularly in the south Of ireland.
The eject on the rich sunset ID very
grand. The people dance around
these fires. children jump through the
hames, and, in some districts, live
Goals, or flaming brands of wood or
turf, are carried through the corn
fields to prevent blight. All this I
have witnessed in my youth, and peR-
fectly remember.
This certainly 10 Q remnant Of the
worship of Baal, which was introduced
by Ph0nician settlers in Ireland, CEN
turies previous TO the beginning Of the
christian era. Il used TO be popular
belief that the round towers Of ire
land were intended and used for tho
display Of signal fires in connection
with this Pagan worship. 20 ssr
In GALWAY, the extreme central
west OF Ireland, and generally rsgavd.
ed now as Che most Celtic, the super.
stition Of the Evil Eve largely contia.
ues. When an infant il first present.
ed for admiration By the proud moth.
er, it Is expected that the courteous
visitor shall use the gesture ofspitting
on the child's face, and Of exclaimink.
God bless I'll"
In Italy. in the Greek Islands. and
IN Turkey, the superstition Of the Evil
Eye 10 firmly accepted 10 this very
day. Byron alludes to it il 1.-The
Giaour, Turkish tale.sand the Triah
probably owe tLeir belief in it 10 their
undoubtedly Oriental origin.
To sneeze is considered les among