This day is also known as Innocents' Day.
Death Warning.—The following were considered as sure warnings of impending death if any of them were seen or heard by a relative, namely: Dogs barking at the moon or the ghosts of the living; headless coach approaching; weeping of women; the Banshee's wail; sounds of a carpenter's hammer making a coffin; funeral processions; spots of blood on the floor, ground or roadway.
Of course, there were several others, but the above were most commonly mentioned.
Easter Sunday Sun Dance on Easter Sunday Morning.—That the sun can be seen dancing in the heavens on Easter Sunday morning is a widespread superstition, more or less all around the whole globe. It is quite true that almost every Easter Sunday morning in our parts we have fine, bright sunshine, but this is due to the fact that at that season of the year everything in the ground is springing out fresh and green, and the warm heat of summer is approaching. When I was a little boy of about nine or ten years of age, I was often told that if I got up very early on Easter Sunday morning, I would see the sun dancing with a lamb, a cross, and a bird on its face. I did so, but of course I was disappointed. I dare say that many of those who were telling me then that I could see the sun dance on Easter Sunday thought Lent so dreary and long that they wished to see the Easter Sunday morning sun so that they could be at liberty to dance. Eggs are eaten in no small quantities on this morning.
On Easter Sunday dancing on the old crossroads called "Coughlanes" started. However, if one immoral case or any immodest transaction occurred in a parish, it often happened that dances and dancing schools in the entire district were wholly suppressed by the word of the parish priest and the dancing master turned away.
Sun dancing on Easter Sunday may be traced back to a heathen custom when the spectators themselves danced at a festival in honor of the sun after the vernal equinox.
Eastern, Protestant and Catholic Winds.—A member of the Protestant Episcopal religion came under my notice who made it a practice to remain out on the night of the 31st of December until New Year's morning that he might see with his own eyes if the wind was favorable to the Protestants. If at midnight it blew from the east, it would indicate to him that the Protestants would be very prosperous that year, but if it blew from any other direction he would become restless and uneasy. Should it happen to blow from the west, he would express such words as "God help us poor Protestants; everything is going against us and in the way of the Roman Catholics this year." I have no doubt but some Catholics might then be found possessed of a like superstition.
Fallen Angels.—These were supposed to be in the air, in the house, and everywhere, and had the power "of good and evil." They could use a bush for a horse and ride all over the country. As they were considered pretty active gentlemen by night for hurling persons, standing in their way was not always safe. If they gave you a blow of their hurley on the head, you would not know what happened to you. Physicians now have found a cure for nearly all diseases, consequently such ignorance quickly disappeared.
Funeral Bells.—The custom of tolling bells slowly and solemnly three times for funerals is carried on in Dingle both in the Catholic and Protestant churches.[14] The ringing of a hand bell through the streets of Dingle to summon the people to mass is many years gone out of practice.
Gates of Glory.—These are Gallauns standing at Milltown, Dingle. Probably they were first erected as landmarks. At a later period they served another purpose. Persons amenable to the town court for certain acts, such as debts and the like, were considered outside its jurisdiction when beyond those stones or landmarks. I was told that it often happened orders were obtained against deceased persons who owed money and the body arrested and held without burial up to, but not exceeding, nine days, unless some friend paid the debt. However, if the corpse escaped beyond the "Gates of Glory" the court was unable to follow it and those in the funeral could stone the bailiff. Consequently those stones were designated the Gates of Glory.