THE DONEGAL PEASANTRY.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] SIR,—After many years spent in charge of a rural parish in England, I have come to live in Donegal, and been thrown a good deal among the Celtic peasantry of that remote part of Ireland. I have found them a civil, kindly people, and though they have not English ideas about truth, law and order, and the guilt of murder, they are fairly peaceable and honest, and I cannot believe that, if left to themselves, they would willingly injure any one. They are, however, extremely clannish. " One might as well die," a man said to me, " as be out of the fashion," and the fashion here is always set by the priests, to whom they are devoted to an incredible degree. This is the most remarkable peculiarity of the Irish Roman Catholics; there is nothing like it in Europe, I am certain. I can give a recent and striking instance. The people here are poor, or at least live much more poorly than English labourers ; they set a high value on money, and are most unwilling to part with it. Yet when the Bishop lately ordered a collection for the Tenants" Defence Fund, they have already given him £1,017.
The poor parishes on the North Coast contributed most largely. Gweedore gave £50 14s., and Falcarragh £57,—and this, as the Bishop notes, in addition to large previous sub- scriptions to the expenses consequent on Mr. Martin's murder. This fund is to help the " Plan of Campaign " now going on on three estates in the county. Mr. Irving, one of the land- lords attacked, can hardly be said to belong to the English garrison, as he is of an old Celtic family in the district; but he is a Protestant.
I need hardly say that the ignorant voters always follow their priest at all elections, and the Bishop thus really nominates all our Members of Parliament and Poor-Law Guardians. It is only fair to add that few priests are se masterful and pugnacious as Father MacFadden, of Gweedore, and that the Bishop is opposed to smuggling and drunkenness, the besetting sin of the country. The people seem fairly- prosperous now, communications are improving, and wonder- fully large prices given for tenant-right of farms. It is odd that the Queen's health must not be given at dinners when Roman Catholics are present ; but the English peasantry, too, are apt to fancy that she not only reigns but governs.—I am,
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