Footnotes
[1] Knocksheogowna signifies “The Hill of the Fairy Calf.”
[2] “Called by the people of the country ‘Knock Dhoinn Firinne,’ the mountain of Donn of Truth. This mountain is very high, and may be seen for several miles round; and when people are desirous to know whether or not any day will rain, they look at the top of Knock Firinne, and if they see a vapour or mist there, they immediately conclude that rain will soon follow, believing that Donn (the lord or chief) of that mountain and his aërial assistants are collecting the clouds, and that he holds them there for some short time, to warn the people of the approaching rain. As the appearance of mist on that mountain in the morning is considered an infallible sign that that day will be rainy, Donn is called ‘Donn Firinne,’ Donn of Truth.”—Mr. Edward O’Reilly.
[3] Literally, the great herb—Digitalis purpurea.
[4] Correctly written, Dia Luain, Dia Mairt, agus Dia Ceadaoine, i. e. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
[5] And Wednesday and Thursday.
[6] Act ii. sc. 1.
[7] Book i. canto 10.
[8] The term “fairy struck” is applied to paralytic affections, which are supposed to proceed from a blow given by the invisible hand of an offended fairy; this belief, of course, creates fairy doctors, who by means of charms and mysterious journeys profess to cure the afflicted. It is only fair to add, that the term has also a convivial acceptation, the fairies being not unfrequently made to bear the blame of the effects arising from too copious a sacrifice to Bacchus.
The importance attached to the manner and place of burial by the peasantry is almost incredible; it is always a matter of consideration and often of dispute whether the deceased shall be buried with his or her “own people.”
[9] A peculiar class of beggars resembling the Gaberlunzie man of Scotland.
[10] Inch—low meadow ground near a river.
[11] A ford of the river Funcheon (the Fanchin of Spenser,) on the road leading from Fermoy to Araglin.
[12] i. e. “In the time of a crack of a whip,” he took off his shoes and stockings.
[13] About two hundred yards off the Dublin mail-coach road, nearly mid-way between Kilworth and Fermoy.
[14] “Kilmallock seemed to me like the court of the Queen of Silence.”—O’Keefe’s Recollections.
[16] In the county of Galway.
[17] In the county of Limerick.
[18] Spancelled—fettered.
[19] “The neighbouring inhabitants,” says Dr. Smith, in his History of Kerry, speaking of Ballyheigh, “show some rocks visible in this bay only at low tides, which, they say, are the remains of an island, that was formerly the burial-place of the family of Cantillon, the ancient proprietors of Ballyheigh.” p. 210.
[20] The remains of Dunkerron Caslle are distant about a mile from the village of Kenmare, in the county of Kerry. It is recorded to have been built in 1596, by Owen O’Sullivan More.—[More, is merely an epithet signifying the Great.]
[21] This is almost a literal translation of a Rann in the well-known song of Deardra.
[22] My little girl.
[23] A monotonous song; a drowsy humming noise.
[24] Give me a kiss, my young girl.
[25] Faced, so written by the Chantrey of Kilcrea, for “fecit.”
[26] A splinter, or slip of bog-deal, which, being dipped in tallow, is used as a candle.
[27] Siesteen is a low block-like seat, made of straw bands firmly sewed or bound together.
[28] See Weld’s Killarney, 8vo ed. p. 228.
[29] Or slaib; mire on the sea strand or river’s bank.—O’Brien.
[30] Labbig—bed, from Leaba.—Vide O’Brien and O’Reilly.
[32] An English shilling was thirteen pence, Irish currency.
[33] Children.
[34] Tighearna—a lord. Vide O’Brien.