When does a habit, a quirk or an eccentricity become a custom? So many customs particular to Christmas and the New Year are quoted at this time, but the most exhaustive for the New Year comes from Mourne country. Here is a list supplied to the publication 12 Miles of Mourne by Catherine Hudson.
It led off, of course, with the opening of the door of the house on the last stroke of mid night on New Year's Eve to allow the old year out and the new year in. There are many admonitions for New Year's Day itself. Don't, for example, wear shoes that have a hole in them, or financial problems will stay with you the whole year long. Don't wear new clothes on this day. Don't sweep the floor, or you'll sweep a friend away. Don't do any washing, as throwing out water on the day that is in it is considered unlucky. (Explain that!).
Don't remove the ashes from the fire or take a burning ember from one house to another. Don't let the fire go out. Don't make any money deals on New Year's Day as that will bring bad luck. Don't carry any debts over into the New Year. Don't pay any money on the first Monday of the New Year. Don't poke a neighbour's fire.
After all those `Don'ts,' you are allowed to sweep your chimney, as this will bring you luck. Luck, too, if a dark haired man brings a lump of coal into your house: that's a good `first footing', but bad news is a red haired woman as your first visitor. No flesh meat, it is claimed, was eaten in Mourne Country on New Year's Day, this obligation would spare the family from infection over the year. And young people would bring "wisps", small bundles of straw, often taken from the crib, and they handed them to the householders with "A penny a wisp and a Happy News Year." This issue of the journal, published by the Mourne Local Studies Group in Kilkeel, County Down, carries, among, other contributions, a long, fascinating article on 19th century coastguard stations in the area.
Smugglers versus the revenue men is a continuing story. Here are items quoted from the customs records of Campbelltown: "13 April 1811 - A cask containing 68 lb of gunpowder for Ireland has been declared as sugar candy' . . . 21st June 1811 - 21 black cattle put ashore by Flower of Carrickfergus. We cannot help mentioning that everything where Irishmen are concerned, disorder and irregularities but too often happens." Tobacco smuggling was the big item in early 19th century smuggling. High consumption of tobacco among "the lower orders" was noted.
A lively place, the Mournes. And this is number 7 in the publication. Price £3.50.