holly from these trees. The old man told him not to take the holly because it was fairy holly. The boy did not listen, and he gathered the holly, and off he went home. About a month after this occurrence, the boy had to be taken to a lunatic asylum. The people said that the fairies punished him for taking the holly.

Holly + Ivy It is the custom for all people in this locality to decorate the walls of the house with holly and ivy at Christmas This is done in honour of the Birth of Our Lord as an ivy and holly tree were growing outside the stable in which Our Lord was born. The people endeavour to get holly with berries on it but if that is not to be had, holly without berries is used instead. It is said that wherever ivy grew it should not be interfered with because if a person pulls ivy with the intention of destroying it at any time other than Christmas he will get a sore hand. The holly and ivy are

All the people put up holly and ivy on Christmas Eve. The put a little branch of holly and ivy at the sides of every picture. Sometimes people get leaves of holly and ivy and put a twine through them all Then they nail the twine to the window in the form of a cross. The reason for putting up holly and ivy is, on the walls of the stable in which Our Lord was born there were holly and ivy growing. So when people see holly and ivy on the walls, it reminds them of the birth of Our Lord. On Christmas Eve and Christmas

About a quarter of a mile east side of Aughaclay Chapel, there is a field with a holly tree growing in the middle of it. The owner of this field who did not believe in fairies employed a man to subsoil the land and remove this holly tree. On the night before he was to remove this holly tree he was preparing for bed when a small woman with a red hood came into the house, although the door was closed. She told him not to interfere with this holly tree but to tell his employer to put a high wall to the west side of it. Then he turned to question the woman she was gone; the door was closed all the time. He went next morning and told his employer what he saw and heard and said he would not interfere with this holly-tree no matter what he gave him for doing it, as he was afraid. His employer said he would have to remove the tree next

The custom of decorating our houses dates back to the birth of Our Saviour. When the first day of winter began to get long, the people celebrated the birthday of the sun. It was also the custom at that time for the people to burn big logs of wood on the hearths, and there was a special log called yule log at that time. The word yule itself meant the feast of the Sun. The people also at that time imagined that every greens had a special blessing attached to them and for that reason they were very fond of taking them indoors, and furthermore the plants that had fruit would bless them still more they thought, and for this reason they decorated their houses with holly, ivy, and mistletoe. The Druids used mistletoe at their religious ceremonies every Christmas and used to cut it up in sprigs and divide it among the people, who believed it kept away harm. Nowadays we observe this old custom. There is scarcely any family who does not decorate their houses. Holly is generally used for the purpose of decorating the house. It has a very nice polish and it looks very nice under the chirstmas lights. Ivy is nice mingled with holly at christmas. It does not stand erect like the holly, but droops and is a direct contrast to the holly. The holly or mistletoe it put up on christmas Eve and are not taken down until after the twelve days.

There are many feasts celebrated by the Irish throughout the year. Of these, the one which is considered the greatest is Christmas. There was a pagan custom practised by Druids, hundreds of years before Our Lord was born. The feast they celebrated was called. "The birthday of our sun," and it fell on the 23rd of Dec. They held it on this day, because it was the day after the shortest day in the year, and they knew that the long dark days of winter were over: In olden times, people decorated their houses on the birthday of the sun, as we do now at Christmas. There is scarcely a family that does not decorate the house. Holly is generally used for this purpose, but ivy, laurel, and mistletoe, are also used. Holly containing berries is very much fancied, because it looks very attractive. The Greeks liked holly and ivy, but they preferred holly and mistletoe. They did not like ivy because it had no berries. When there is a very severe Winter it is very difficult to get holly with berries as the birds eat them for food. Holly contains thorny leaves, but sometimes it is to be found without any thorns. In ancient times a great log of wood

Julia Cloonan got this story from her grantmother Honoria Cloonan Clough, Colemanstown, Ballinasloe, Co Galway.
The Holly Tree
The old people of this district have an old legend about the holly. It is thought that one evening as St Joseph was returning from work the Blessed Virgin and Our Lord went out to meet him. As he was coming near them a pack of robbers attacked St Joseph but a holly tree that was growing by the waside came forth and stood between St Joseph and the robbers. The robbers knew then that St Joseph was different from other men and so they went their way but as they were passing Our Lord one of them pushed him and he fell in the holly tree. His had when pricked by the thorns of the bush began to bleed and everywhere a drop of his blood fell a red berry appeared. Ever since that time anyone who puts up holly at xmas will never have ill luck in

If you hit a bullock with a holly stick he will take the murrain.

for holly and ivy, especially for the holly with the red berries on it, then they decorate the houses all over with holly and red berries. The people used to make crosses and hang them up in honour of St. Bridget.

It is a custom for the boys to go from house to house gathering money on St. Stephen's Day. For weeks before Christmas they prepare for the day. They get ready all sorts of funny clothes. Some get ragged trousers, jackets, broken boots and paper hats. Others get skirts, aprons and women's blouses and they decorate hats with holly ribbons and feathers. They cut a holly bush and ornament it with ribbons. They hunt the wren. If they succeed in killing him they tie him on to the holly bush with ribbons. The wren is very hard to catch, but sometimes they succeed in killing her at night. She flies about from bush to bush and they strike her with a stick. If they cannot procure a wren they get coloured cloth or paper and shape it like a wren and tie it on to the holly bush.
On St. Stephen's morning they get up early and dress up in their funny clothes. Sometimes there are as many as ten in each group of wren - boys. One boy carries the holly bush on his shoulder and another carries the tin for the money. The wren

People who visit the locality during Christmas time usually decorates the alter with holly and ivy.

behind and in his hurry he jumped into a bush of holly. The cruel thorns tore his woolly coat and left little spots of blood which on the branches. That was the origin of the red berries that are to be seen in the holly nowadays. Ever since holly is used in connection with Christmas decorations, and the more red berries the better we like it.

It is an old custom in this parish to bring in the holly a day or two before Xmas Eve. It is placed in places around the house. The windows, fireplaces, and pictures are hung with sprigs of holly. Berry holly is much sought after, as it is considered a good sign of plenty for the coming year. On the 6th January or what is better known as "Little Xmas Day", this holly is taken down and thrown out, as it it a bad omen to leave holly in the house when Xmas is gone.
Where mistletoe is used for Xmas decoration, it is kept in the homes where there are eligible persons for matrimony. This is considered to bring them a favorable offer of marriage.

very hard to get berry holly because the birds knock off the berries

holly that was put up at Christmas.

The houses are decorated with holly at Xmas. This is a very old custom and it is considered very unlucky for the person who fails to do so. The general belief around here is that he who fails to do so arouses the anger of evil spirits. On Xmas morning it is considered very lucky to bring in a branch of holly to the house and on hanging it on the crook to recite:-
"Holly, blessed holly ever so green

"Wild Fire" or Fever:- Hang holly over the door

2) Cullenagh, The Place of the Holly Trees; near the Pass of Plumes

The Christmas Holly

put in a holly bush and carried round by crowd of boys.