A Chorographical Description of West Or H-Iar Connaught

'S éad Mairias O'Dubáin an fioránać lúżṁari,
Crann seasta na cúise nár ċlis a n-aon gádb,

Da b-fágað sé greim píobáin, no corráin na guailne air,
Teagfad sé an Púca is mó cáinic a riaṁ.

Raċfainn-ri a m-bannaió dá g-cuirfide żar cuan é,
Nac d-tiucfad an puaig air an bealaċ so niar,

'S naċ seasad an cleasaid a n-aon ċeard de'n coige,
Níos gaire ioná Condoin nó Tuaomumain Ui Briain.

Tá muinizin maiż azam-sa as ¿níoṁ Phádruig Seóizig,
Go b-féacfaió sé fós é le cumas a ċnáṁ,
Cineál na n-gaisgideaċ is na sidiríde cróganta
Ghluais lé Strongbou ċugainn as breatain anállk.
Dá g-casfaide dó an Púca a g-ceart-lár a' bóżais,
Ze cum an tráżnóna no tamall poiṁ lá,
Bheir sé 'já lascad lé baza is lé dórnaid
Go g-cuirfead sé móid air gan fillead go bráť.

Ca b-fuiffeάo-ra capall coṁ maiż leis an b-Púca,
bheir meanmnaċ, lúżṁar ag imeact 's az toideaċt,
'S dá mbao ríos ag ceann Acla do cóigfeaỏ sé uallaċ,
Ŏheir sé a lear-uair ag geataío baile áża cliaż.
Caraó òó Taci a n-deire na h-oíoće,

'S é déanaṁ aois drífil a riẻ n-diaid mná,
Thiomáin sé leis é go tóin Rinne maoilem,
'S cauesion sgríobża żart lé na ċeann.

i O'Dubhain, Anglicè Duane, an old Milesian family of Iar-Connaught, anciently attached to the O'Flaherties, and still highly respectable. Of this family was Counsellor Mat. Duane of Lincoln's Inn, London, distinguished in the last century for his learning and antiquarian knowledge. See an interesting letter from him in the Irish Magazine, Dublin, 1809, p. 425.

The district of Thomond or Clare.

This alludes to the British extraction of the Joyces, for which see ante, p. 45; and Additional Note Q, p. 246.

Chuaio

Lackey or Malachy O'Malley, a wit and "Rhymer" who lived near the mountains of Partry, and of whom many facetious stories are still related. The ludicrous employment of Púca-driver here assigned him by his friend, Mac Sweeny, gave occasion to several good-humoured sallies between these rival wits, which are still remembered by their admirers.

m Rinvile, the residence of Henry Blake, Esq. This place, with Aughris, the seat of Geoffrey Coneys, Esq., and the other localities mentioned in the succeeding stanzas, are well known in this district.

Chuaio an Púca zo Gailliṁ air maidin dia haoíne,
Az iarraid adbar briste de'n éadach dob feáss,
Thainig an deireanas, is ¿uit air an oídċe,
Agus tosaig sé ag caoine n-uair a d'imċiż an lá;
Bhí sé ag spreadad 's ag imżeaċt żar timċioll,
Go b-fázao sé dídean astig leis na mnáib,
Seólao go h-Eaċruis is go baile Conpoi é,
Amać τpe cnoc muoínis is ¿ort Innis meadoin.

A comaprana dilse sa buachailide óga,
An méid agaib zuigios cladnas mo cáis,
Tizide cuzam-ra a n-ionad mo conganta,
Go g-ceapam an cúirt-seo a n-ażaid trí lá,
Cuirfeamuid teaċ ann a n-ainm a iesuit,
Go n-dibriġeam a' Puca amaċ as a laun,
'Sé ainm bias feasta air Crioċan a t-siomsa,
Agus cairlean Mic Suibnie zuas i n-a bápr.

But the most popular of Mac Sweeny's compositions is an ironical description of a "Conamara Wedding," wherein he recapitulates, in a strain of considerable humour, the preparations made for the feast, and enumerates the guests to be invited on the occasion. It has been said of the description of an entertainment at Templehouse in Sligo, in the last century, that it might be considered "as the ne plus ultra of all the subjects, that the wit of man has ever devised, to excite and continue the loudest peals of laughter."-Walker's Memoirs of the Irish Bards, vol. i. p. 331, Dub. Ed. 1818. To apply this to the following effusion might be thought presumptuous; but we may safely affirm that no one who understands the Irish language can hear the "Conamara Wedding" recited or sung by a native, without acknowledging the comic powers of the author". Had Mac Sweeny received the advantages of our well-known countryman, O'Keeffe, he would, probably, have displayed equal wit and humour.

In the first four stanzas, a rich assortment of dresses is ordered for the bride; and, for the feast, an abundant supply of wine and whiskey, beer in boatloads, tea and spices of all kinds, including "nutmegs and saltpetre:" with all the necessary apparatus of "knives and forks" (which, it appears, were not at that time in general use in Conamara), pipes, tobacco, cards, backgammon boxes, and "bands of

bainis

music." The eatables are next provided, beginning in the fifth stanza, with a profusion of fish, from the herring to the "tortoise;" in the sixth stanza, wild fowl in great variety; and in the seventh, all kinds of meat, from the ox to the badger; with a humorous hint that it would be prudent to have these latter viands either boiled or roasted. In the three follow. ing stanzas the guests are enumerated. These con

bainis Phegi ní h-Eaġra°.

A labpais Fheiċín", gluais go tapaid,
O's tú tá cum a déanta,

Tabair leat a baile ádbar rascail
Agus clóca fáda síoda,a

Bróga 's patens, cnotaio gallda,

Agus ribiniġe deasa tríoża,

Glouer is bobs is gaċ aon níd deas

Dár jógann d'aon bean 'san riżeaċt.
Bíod sin agad pompedore,
Spangled silc is dres-cap mór
Poudered hairpin, uedge pomatum,
Muff maiz déanta

Chum a gleusta,

Te hadaig fear a córúżaỏ.

II.

Eirge air maidin 's gleus do capall,
'S imtig leat go h-eusga,

Síos go Gaillim map b-fuil na ceannaigre,
Tabair leat gaċ ní dár féidir;

sist of the great Milesian families of Connaught, with some "Strongbonians" and "Cromwellians," “giỏ nás cóir”; and they end with the neighbouring gentry, and others of Iar-Connaught, who are summed up with some keen touches of wit. To complete the irony, the father of the bride is introduced, and the furniture of his cabin displayed, viz., a pot, a spinning-wheel, and a kneading-trough for dough; although bread was a luxury which the family never tasted. The spirit of this curious poem would be entirely lost by translation. See Tytler's "Principles," chap. xiii.

"The wedding of Peggy O'Hara," but more generally called the "Conamara wedding." The number of English words, borrowed for want of corresponding terms in Irish, shews the increase of the Eng