deiseal

-eala, a Towards the South, southward. 2 Having a southern exposure. 3‡‡ Lucky. 4 Dexter in heraldry. 5 Ready, prepared. 6 Finished. Am feadh is a bhitheas a' ghrian a' dol deiseal, while the sun goes southwards; deiseal air gach ni, the sunward course with everything — south course, right direction; cuimhnich am beagan a bha eadarainn, gum bheil e deiseal dhomhsa agad, remember that there is a little outstanding between us, you ought to have it ready for me. Prosperous course, turning from East to West in the direction taken by the sun. Deiseal air gach ni, the sunward course (is the best) for everything. This is descriptive of the ceremony observed by the Druids, of walking round their temples, by the South, in the course of their divinations, keeping the temple always on their right. This course was deemed prosperous, the contrary (tuathal) fatal, or at least, unpropitious. From this ancient superstition are derived several customs which are still retained amongst us, as drinking over the left thumb, as Toland expresses it, or according to the course of the sun. Martin says, “some of the poorer sort of people in the Western Isles retain the custom of performing these circles sunwise about the persons of their benefactors three times, when they bless them and wish good success to all their enterprises. Some are very careful, when they set out to sea, that the boat be first rowed sunwise and if this be neglected, they are afraid their voyage may prove unfortunate. I had this ceremony paid me when in Islay by a poor woman, after I had given her an alms. I desired her to let alone that compliment, for that I did not care for it; but she insisted to make these three ordinary turns and then prayed that God and MacCarmaig, the patron saint of that island, might bless and prosper me in all my affairs. When a Gael goes to drink out of a consecrated fountain, he approaches it by going round the place from East to West and at funerals, the procession observes the same direction in drawing near the grave. Hence also is derived the old custom of describing sunwise a circle, with a burning brand, about houses, cattle, corn and cornfields, to prevent their being burnt, or in any way injured by evil spirits or by witchcraft. This fiery circle was also made around women, as soon as possible after parturition, and also around newly born babes. These circles were, in later times, described by midwives and were deemed effectual against the intrusion of the daoine sìth or sìthichean, who were particularly on the alert in times of childbed and not infrequently carried infants away, according to vulgar legends, and restored them afterwards, but sadly altered in features and in personal appearance. Infants stolen by fairies are said to have voracious appetites, constantly craving for food. In this case it was usual for those who believed that their children had been taken away, to dig a grave in the fields on quarter-day and there to lay the fairy skeleton till next morning, at which time the parents went to the place, where they doubted not to find their own child in place of the skeleton.”

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