272 Some Characteristics of Irish Folklore.
or residence. A very good instance of this may be quoted. January 31 is kept for the most part as St. Bridget's Eve — that virgin sharing with St. Patrick marked precedence throughout the land. But in Co. Cavan January 31 is the peculiar property of St. Mogue. He was born in the ancient kingdom of Brefifny, so in his native place "the last day of January must be kept, or the breaker of this custom gets a bad day for his funeral."'*^ But leave Brefifny and cross into Connaught and in Co. Mayo you will find the girls carrying round dolls dressed up gaily in coloured ribbons, to gather a little money for a dance because it is St. Bridget's Eve.
Another instance of this, one might almost say non- recognition of the more orthodox calendar saints, is found on February 14; popularly St. Valentine's elsewhere. Now of Valentine observances I can find little or no trace, and the only matrimonial custom so far known to me at this season is in connection with an Irish local saint, for those who stand on the moat of the Boys' Fort near St. Gobinet's Well, on St. Gobinet's Day, will be married within the year.^-
St. Gobnate, Gobinet, or Gobinata, Abbess of Bally- vourney, near Macroom, Co. Cork, is venerated, O'Hanlon states, in the South of Ireland, but there is conflicting evidence as to her day. Some of this I have tabulated — it does as another instance of the difficulties bristling round the collector of Calendar Customs dealing with Irish local saints :
According to the calendars, says O'Hanlon, her Patron day is February iith,*^ and he mentions a cattle fair at Kilgobonet, Co. Waterford, the Fair of St. Gobinet's Well at Kilgobinet, Co. Limerick, when rounds and prayers are made at the well. But the Protestant Rector of Bally- vourney gives February 12 as the day when pilgrimages
« Told me by :\Iiss B. Hunt.
^^ O'Hanlon, Lives of the Saints^ vol. ii. p. 469. ■'■' ii. 467.
