No less than four of the seven McGillicuddy boys were altar boys, wearing little red cassocks and white surplices in church.

They were supposed to leave the cassocks and surplices in the sacristy, but Ignatius McGillicuddy, aged ten, had sneaked out of the sacristy, still wearing his red cassock, and, seeing the chaplain passing out of the gate, thought it safe to begin an elaborate skirt dance, in his cassock, and making many fancy steps, with much high kicking, while the skirt of his cassock waved in the air.

In the midst of his final pirouette, he caught the chaplain's stern glance fixed on him.

Instantly Ignatius appeared to turn to stone, and the vision of a switch, wielded by Mrs.McGillicuddy's robust arm, passed before his eyes.

He was immensely relieved when the chaplain said, grimly: "Ten pages of catechism next Sunday." Kettle went home and was very solemn all day.