The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-02-13

also disappears from view. but Strongbov
remained. Seven centuries have gone by.
and Strongbow il still very much there.
Il II thus perfectly fair 70 ascrihe the
blame Of the introduction OF strangers to
Dermot He alone did II, and upon his
head all succeeding generations Of Irish
men have heaped the malcdicttons Of tho
ages. II Is NOS 80 strange that people so
prone TO myths and weird fancies should
speedily have developed faith in standing
and specific curse for family which had
such crime on It's conscience.
The curse OF the McMurroughs" be-
came . byword in Ireland before hun
dred years had elapsed. The expression is
- familiar today TO the Irish PEASANTS ear
~ that twin phrase. 1.-THE curse Of Crom-
well" cannot now find any detailed ac-
count OF the ways in which this curse
worked vengeance upon Dcrmot's descend
ants. The popular belief Is that in every
generation they had = man-chiId born
blind or deformed. but how much of this
is fact and how much Q mere legendary
expression of the fitness OF things. l do not
know But II Is certain that this gentle
man just dead was lineal descendant Of
King Dermot, that there has always ex-
listed . general popular superstition OF q
curse laid upon these descendants, and
that his astonishing deformity was quite
universally regarded by the peasanty Of
Leinster rs the outcome Of that curse.
Engrafted upon this there Is also semi
religious myth i'm modern ieinster folklore,
OF which have heard several rcnderings.
One Of these is that Mrs. McMurrough- ay-
anangh's mother changed from the Catho-
lie 10 the Protestant faith q short time he
fore his birth. and that. when she came out
of the church after having publicly Joined
the new communion. . strange old woman
shouted AZ her: yesterday We were the
highest Catholic in Leinster; today We are
The lowest Protestant IN Ireland" This is
obviously an adaptation of q more
famous and familiar remark. and
II not specially characteristic Of
the section. But the story
al Dublin and came frequently into col
lIsion with the claims OF the O'Connorx on
the west nermot went mp into this Con-
nanght country on one occasion 10 present
his side of the disputed case with the Gus
fonaary arguments Of IRE and sword, and
when he returned be brought hack as a
part oi his booty the beautiful wife Of Tier
nan D Rourke.
goes on 20 say that the day before the child
Was born this same strange old woman
came into the room with . crucissx and
broke the arns and legs OFT the figure on il.
Another form Of the legend is that the cru
cisix was mads of dough and baked on the
top 81 = PIE. and that the mother herself
broke oil the arms and legS 60 get 81 the
contents OF tie dish. Both these versions
are very sixsincfivety Irish.
Ne other equally sinister legend attaches
10 any Of the ancient Irish families. though
the fics, folklore of the island has keps
alsve vast number Of these alsmvthical
stories The tribal feelings 40 predominant
in Celtic Peoples may disappear under
home ssis in Ireland. just as IL has i'm
nsessurshsy weakened in Brittany under
tho rerahiie. and almost perished In wales
through The influence Of tho Nonconafornl-
tSs Sunday school. Hat the heassShips sf
ali these old families are always regarded
with interest and head with pride. Many
ct them have sesa carried Eorwara for gsss-
e-2tsonS in exile.
The a'Isanaeil. Cor example, has long
he<n donalealsd IN Spain. The oskelIy Is 4
native Austrian. snd TIE osDwyer. The
q E02rke. sfaa several others are French
aser- Toe MaxAasy II an Italian nchls-
man. Count Naxxxiy-C~rAn. of Nis.olo-
title whssh dates hack 10 ifa, when
Charles vi Vas emperor, and one at the
scvsns Asesaiys to1ght under him aad