cattered
myriads of blazing torches, all converging to one point; whilst at a
distance, in the central part of the parish, which lay in a valley,
might be seen a broad focus of red light, quite stationary, with which
one or more of the torches that moved across the fields mingled every
moment. These torches were of bog-fir, dried and split for the occasion;
all persons were accordingly furnished with them, and by their blaze
contrived to make way across the country with comparative ease. This
Mass having been especially associated with festivity and enjoyment, was
always attended by such excessive numbers, that the ceremony was in
most parishes celebrated in the open air, if the weather were at all
favorable. Altogether, as we have said, the appearance of the country
at this dead hour of the night, was wild and impressive. Being Christmas
every heart was up, and every pocket replenished with money, if it could
at all be procured. This general elevation of spirits was nowhere more
remarkable than in contemplating the thousands of both sexes, old,
young, each furnished, as before said, with a blazing flambeau of
bog-fir, all streaming down the mountain sides, along the roads, or
across the fields, and settling at last into one broad sheet of fire.
Many a loud laugh might then be heard ringing the night echo into
reverberation; mirthful was the gabble in hard guttural Irish; and now
and then a song from some one whose potations had been, rather copious,
would rise on the night-breeze, to which a chorus was subjoined by a
dozen voices from the neighboring groups.

On passing the shebeen and public-houses, I the din of mingled voices
that issued from them was highly amusing, made up, as it was, of songs,
loud talk, rioting and laughter, with an occasional sound of weeping
from some one who had become penitent in big drink. In the larger
public-houses--for in Ireland there usually are one or two of these in
the immediate vicinity of each chapel, family parties were assembled,
who set in to carouse both before and after mass. Those however, who had
any love affair on hands generally selected the shebeen house, as being
private, and less calculated to expose them to general observation. As
a matter of course, these jovial orgies frequently produced such
disastrous consequences, both to human life and female reputation,
that the intrigues between the sexes, the quarrels, and violent deaths
resulting from them, ultimately occasio