Those in Waterford continued for some years later, and the last record of this town is in the catalogue of the London Exhibition of 1851, where Gatchell had some wonderful exhibits, including one centrepiece of forty pieces of glass for a banqueting table, no metal work of any kind being used in it.
In 1788 William Penrose made a celebrated service for their Majesties. And as early as 1729 beautiful deep green glass was made at Waterford.
Interesting and romantic were the tales told by the last of the hand glass-cutters, Barry Sheehan, who died a very old man in Cork in 1890. He knew all the old glass-cutters, was an artist and enthusiast, and always kept an old hand-cutting wheel at the back of his shop, a relic of a past age of inspired workers.
According to this great authority, "lustre cutting" was the most difficult of all, and very popular in Cork.
One old lady who lives in Cork, a sister of the late Mrs. Gatchell, who is nearly 100 years of age, has a set of chessmen in old Irish glass, and many children's toys and trumpets were made in her late husband's factory.
One of the glass-houses in Cork was owned by "honest Joe Romayne," one time M.P. for Cork, and another by a family named Foley, and the descendants of both of these people have some splendid pieces still.
Engraving was a different matter. This decoration was more often done by men (chiefly foreigners) who wandered round the country carrying with them a queer little box (one of which I have in my possession). A few delicate copper wheels were used outside the box, which were driven by a shaft, and two wheels inside. The handle was turned by a boy while the engraver worked.
