"Faith it is, sir."
"But we are not very far from the sea, are we?"
"About a couple of miles."
"Well, then," I said, "couldn't a harbour be made?"
"They were thinking about that, but there's no depth of water, and the engineer said it would be cheaper to send the people to America. Everyone is against emigration now, but the people can't live here."
"So there is no hope," I said, "for home industries, weaving, lace-making."
"I won't say that."
"But has it been tried?"
"The candle do be burning in the priest's window till one in the morning, and he sitting up thinking of plans to keep the people at home. Do you see that house, sir, fornint my whip, at the top of the hill?" I said I did. "Well, that's the playhouse that he built."
"A playhouse," I said.