Some Notes on the Natural History of Iar-Connacht in the Seventeenth Century
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Fauna in Seventeenth Century Galway
O'Flaherty in his Iar-Connaught states:
"The land produces wild beasts, as wolves, deer, foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, hares, rabbits, squirrels, martens, weasels, and the amphibious otter, of which kind the white faced otter is rare. It is never killed, they say, but with loss of man or dog, and its skin is mightily precious. It admits no rats to live anywhere within it (in Iar-Connacht), except the Isles of Aran, and the district of the west Liberties of Galway".
When O'Flaherty wrote his famous book in 1684, wolves were to be found in Iar-Connacht, but not in such numbers as in the early part of the seventeenth century. The last wolf, according to Hardiman, was killed in the mountains of Joyce's country in the year 1700. after the wars of 1641, the number of wolves and the damage the did compelled the State of appoint "wolf hunters" in various districts, including Iar-Connacht. Hardiman quotes a popular work entitled the Present State of Great Britain and Ireland printed in London in 1738, in which it is stated that "Wolves still abound too much in Ireland; they pray for the wolves, lest they should devour them". Hardiman adds, however "A little enquiry might however had satisfied the worthy author that there was not then, nor for many years before, a wolf to be found in Ireland. But that wolves did abound in Ireland in the seventeenth century, and particularly in the early part of it, there are several melancholy proofs on record.
Declaration Against the Transporting of Wolf Dogs
The following curious documents from the original Privy Council Books of Cromwell's Government in Ireland were extracted by Hardiman:-
"Forasmuch as we are credibly informed, that wolves do much increase that some of the enemy's party, who have laid down arms, and have liberty to go beyond the sea, and others, do attempt to carry away several such great dogs as are commonly called wolf dogs, whereby the breed of them, which are useful for the destroying of wolves, would (if not prevented) speedily decay. These are, therefore, to prohibit all persons whatsoever from exporting any of the said dogs out of this dominion; and searchers and others officers of the customs, in the several parts and creeks of this Dominion, are hereby strictly required to seize and make stop of all such dogs, and deliver them either to the common huntsman, appointed for the precent where they are seized upon, or to the governor of the said precinct. (Dated at Kilkenny, 27th April 1652 Council Book, A.).
Declaration Touching the Poor
But that the "common huntsman" even with the aid of the dogs, did not succeed immediately in eliminating the wolves, appears from the following declaration:-
"Upon serious consideration had of the great multitude of poor, swarming in all parts of this nation, occasioned by the devastations of the county, and the habit of licentiousness and idleness which the generality of the people have acquired in the time of this rebellion, insomuch, that frequently that some are found feeding on carrion and weeds, some starved in the highways, and many times poor children who lost their parents, or deserted by them, are found exposed to, some of them fed upon by ravenous wolves, and other beasts and birds of prey, the said Commissioners conceive it a duty incumbent upon them, to use all honest and laudable ways and means for the relief of such poor people. And for as much as at present the poverty of the country is so great, and the number of poor who (by reason of the wasting of the country) have neither friends or habitations to resort unto, are so many, that the ordinary course provided by law for their relief, cannot be so effectual as is desired: the Commissioners have resolved, and do hereby order and declare, that subscriptions shall be taken in every precent in Ireland, of all such persons (either civil or military) as shall be willing to underwrite any sum of money for the relief of poor children or other the uses aforesaid, for one year next ensuing, to be paid quarterly, and some part thereof to be advanced beforehand. And the said Commissioners have thought fit to publish this declaration in print, that all such as have received mercy from the Lord by being enabled to administer relief unto others, may lay hold on this opportunity, to honour him with their substance, by contributing cheerfully to this so public and charitable a work, as faithful steward of those talents wherewith God has entrusted them". (Dated at Dublin, the 12th May, 1653 - Council Book)."
Declaration touching Wolves
Shortly afterwards the following order was made:-
"For the better destroying of wolves, which of late years have much increased in most parts of this nation. It is ordered that the commanders in chief and commissioners of the Revenue in the several precincts, do consider of, use and execute all good ways and means, how the wolves, in the counties and places within the respective precincts may be taken and destroyed; and to employ such persons or person and to appoint such days and times for hunting the wolf, as they shall adjudge necessary. And it is further ordered, that all such person or persons as shall take, kill, or destroy any wolves, and shall bring forth the head of the wolf before the said commanders of the revenue, shall receive the sums following, viz., for every Bitch wolf, six pounds; for every dog wolf, five pounds; for every cub which prateth for himself, forty shillings; for every suckling cub, ten shillings. And no wolf after the 1st day of September until 10th January be accounted a young wolf, and the commissioners of the revenue shall accuse the same to be equally assessed within their precincts. Dublin, 29th June 1653."
The assessments for this work fell heavily on some districts. In December 1665, the inhabitants of County Mayo petitioned the Council of State, that the Commissioners of assessment might be at liberty to compound for wolf-heads; which was accordingly ordered. The wolves were finally destroyed, so much so that in the early part of the eighteenth century the appearance of a wolf was considered a rarity in the counties of Galway and Mayo.
Cats
Connellan states that it is remarkable that in almost all known languages the term for cat is the same, with some variations. Caesar Otway writes in his Erris and Tyrawley, "Cats are supposed to be but too often connected with witchcraft. Not very long ago, a vessel was detained for some time in Blacksod Bay; during the time of the delay, the skipper became intimate with and engaged the affections of a girl named Catty Kane. But when his vessel was ready for sea, the roving blade, with all a sailors inconstancy hoisted the sails, and he put out to sea, never intended to see the fair, one more. But Catty knew a trick worth two of that, and had recourse to her cat. And now the brig is put into all her trim to clear the bay, but in vain; the wind blows a hurricane in her teeth, and back she must come to her old anchorage. From this time forth, day after day, the captain used all possible skill to get out of harbour, but as often as he weighs anchor he is driven back again; and Catty understands the management of her cat so well, that the brig must just come in for shelter close to the poor girls' residence. This continued for many months the cargo is spoiling - what is he to do? Why, as he captain finds it impossible to quit Catty, he must needs marry her, and so, taking her and her cat on board, and doing all decently, ext day, with a fair wind and flowing sheet, he can and does bid adieu too Erris!..."
Cuckoo
The Cuckoo was regarded as ominous, and among the many associations attached to it was when first heard, in whatever quarter the listener was then looking to, in that direction the person was surely to live the reminder of the year, but the distance was indefinite. Among other omens ascribed to the note when first heard were that hairs of various colours would be found under the sole of the right foot of the hearer. It was believed that the Riavoge (the greyish little bird) always followed the cuckoo till she laid her egg, and hatched and reared the young cuckoo.
Dubh Dael or Dara Dael Insect
Dubh Dael, or Dara Dael, is a black insect of the Earwig class; the meaning of its name in English is the Black or the other Devil. In creeping along, whenever it hears any noise, it always halts, cocks up its tail and protrudes its sting, which is similar to that of the bee. No insect has been so much abhorred or dreaded by the country people as the Dara Dael, as it is popularly believed that it betrayed to the Jews the way in which Christ went when they were in search of him, and that anyone killing it has seven sins taken off the soul of the slayer. They believe its sting to be very poisonous, if not deadly and that it is possessed of a demoniac spirit, or Satan himself. When found in a house the custom was to destroy it by placing a coal of fire over it, and when burnt, the ashes were carefully swept out. It was never stepped on as a common beetle would be, nor was it killed by a stick as the spirit of the insect would be conveyed to the hands and body through the stick, and was therefore killed with a stone. If turned up by a spade in the field it was killed by the blade, iron not being a conductor.
The Pig
The Pig seems to have existed in Ireland from the very earliest times either in a wild or domesticated state. Its remains have been found throughout the country in crannogues and beside raths. Cambrensis speaks of the immense numbers of swine in Ireland in his time. In pagan times the animal was held as sacred, and some writers attribute this to the names of some islands such as Muc Inis, Inis Arcan, Kill-na-much, etc., to the sacred character of the pig. The old native breed of Irish swine has now disappeared. It has been described as long legged, large boned and razor-backed with a long head, a sharp snout, thin and spare of body, and easily fed but difficult to fatten.
Rats
O'Flaherty in his Iar Connaucht states, "It (Iar Connach) admits no rats to live anywhere within it, except the Isles of Aran, and the district of the west liberties of Galway". Hardiman, in his notes to this work, writes, "This is not the case at present. The Norway rat everywhere prevails, having nearly extirpated the little black Irish rat. The latter was the species mentioned by Lynch in his Cambrensis Eversus.
Dr. Todd read at the Royal Irish Academy in 1853 a curious paper on the power once believed by the Irish Bards of rhyming rats to death, or causing them to migrate by the power of the rhyme.