Most  of  the  birds  used  for  food  at  the  present  day
were  eaten  in  old  times :  and  frequent  allusions  to
birds  as  food  are  found  in  ancient  Irish  writings.
CHAP.  XVII.]        FOOD,  FUEL,  AND  LIGHT  I    HOSTELS.  357

Giraldus  Cambrensis  says  that  the  Irish  loathed  the
flesh  of  the  heron  ;  but  that  Henry  II.  induced  those
kings  and  chiefs  he  entertained  in  Dublin  at  Christ-
mas, 1171,  to  taste  it.  They  do  not  seem  to  have
much  relished  it :  for  ever  since  that  time  the  Irish
people  have  let  the  herons  alone.  Eggs  were  exten-
sively used  :  goose-eggs,  if  we  are  to  judge  from
their  frequent  mention,  were  a  favourite.  In  a
legendary  account  of  bishop  Ere  of  Slane,  we  are  told
that  he  kept  a  flock  of  geese  to  lay  eggs  for  him.
At  the  banquet  of  Dun-nan-gedh,  some  of  these  eggs
were  on  the  table,  cold  ;  and  Congal,  going  in  to  view
the  feast,  ate  a  part  of  one.  And  when  the  com-
pany sat  down,  a  goose-egg  [cold]  on  a  silver  dish
was  placed  before  each  chief.  From  all  this  we  may
infer  that  eggs  were  generally  boiled  hard  and  eaten
cold.
All  the  fish  used  for  food  at  the  present  day  were
eaten  in  Ireland  in  old  times,  so  that  there  is  no  need
to  go  into  details.  Only  it  may  be  remarked  that
salmon  was  then  the  favourite ;  and  we  meet  with
constant  reference  to  it  as  superior  to  all  other  fish.
The  salmon  of  the  "  salmon-full  Boyne,"  of  Lough
Neagh,  and  of  the  Barrow,  were  much  prized.  The
subject  of  fishing  will  be  treated  of  in  chapter  xxv.,
sect.  6.
