290 . Folklo7'e and History in Ireland.
not daring to marry their Daughters to them, the custom grew and continues to this Day, that by mutual marriages one with another all the citizens are of kin in some degree of Affinity." In this connection it is not without interest to note that the office of major became at one period hereditary in Cork.
Given these conditions it is not surprising to find continual feuds between the urban and rural population, such as that between Waterford city and the O'Driscols. "Yet this," according to an old MS. in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, "did not hinder the mayor and a chivalrous party of his citizens from going by sea on Christmas eve (a.d. 1453) well armed," be it noted, " to Baltimore, and presenting themselves to O'Driscol and his family at their Christmas dinner in the hall. They soon relieved them of their terrors, by telling them they had come, not to injure them but to carol and to dance. And having enjoyed his hospitality, they brought O'Driscol and his family back with them to Waterford, to partake of the city festivities, and to dance on St. Stephen's Day." ^
On the face of things it would seem probable that an incident in connection with such local warfare gave rise to the custom of blocking the Irish, or West Gate of Carrickfergus on Christmas Eve with carts, cars, gates, planks, and so forth, collected by young men and boys. There is, however, doubt as to the early origin of the practice, for M'Skimmin declares some of the older in- habitants denied knowledge of it in their young days, and he mentions a "vague" tradition that it arose from Protestants having barred out Roman Catholics. It does not appear very likely though that an event of this kind should not be remembered other than vaguely if it occurred in the lifetime of living man, and the reason is just such a reason as, knowing no other, an Antrim man would proffer. The town's historian specifically states that there was no
' Prendergast, Croui. Set., p. 297.
