Don’t hope to hinder him,
Or to bewilder him,
Sure he’s a pilgrim
From the Blarney Stone!”
CHAPTER VII.
SEEKING AN AUTHENTIC CASE OF BOYCOTTING—LINE-FISHING ON THE SHANNON—THE CONSTITUTIONAL—ENGLISH EDUCATION—THE IRISH FARMERS—SUNDAY AT CASTLE-CONNELL—DEPARTURE FOR SHAUNGANEEN—MR. THOMPSON—THE CORK DEFENCE UNION—CLOSE BOYCOTTING—PRETTY MISS M’CARTHY AND HER LEG OF MUTTON—ENSILAGE IN THE OPEN AIR—THE RETURN FROM CAHIRMEE—THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE ENGLISH LADIES’ VIRTUE AND THE BREEDING OF HALF THOROUGHBREDS—THE ORIGIN OF HARICOT MUTTON—CHRISTMAS NIGHT AT SHAUNGANEEN, 1880.
July 12th.—The study of the newspapers and everything that is said around me shows me that I have at present only seen Ireland in the most exceptional light. At Kenmare a fortunate combination of circumstances has resulted in the two parties having as their chiefs very intelligent men, both very popular in the two camps, and both using every effort to calm the public feelings. The situation is so strained, that in spite of these favourable conditions, there are some drawbacks: but suppose a less prudent agent or landlord, or even a president of the Land League who was anxious to attain notoriety, was there, as elsewhere, they would certainly be in the same state that I am told is only too common in this unhappy country.
I should be much disappointed if I were forced to quit Ireland without being able to judge for myself what the life of an unfortunate man severely boycotted, as they say here, is like. The hospitable traditions of the Emerald Isle are always in full force. I had therefore scarcely expressed this wish before my amiable hosts endeavoured to gratify it. It was not difficult to find a boycotted person. There are enough of them to form a regiment, and every one to whom I explain my difficulty says at once: “I know exactly what you want.” They then proceed to enumerate with the greatest complacency all the claims which their man can advance to be called “severely boycotted.”