'He could do nothing, my lord, but he was just walking round searching for a vacancy.'
Which reminds me that fair play is not always recognised as essential in these matters, as the following anecdote shows.
There was a faction feud between the Kellehers and Leehys near Sneem.
One of the Leehys had a bad leg, and was therefore bound apprentice to a shoemaker in Sneem.
On a fair day a solitary Kelleher ventured into the town, and very speedily the Leehys had half-killed and beaten him as well as their numbers would allow.
Suddenly there was a shout, and the poor lame Leehy came hobbling down the street as fast as his wooden leg would permit.
'Boys, for the love of mercy,' says he, 'let a poor cripple have one go at the black-hearted varmint.'
One of the counsel engaged in the Harenc case was Mr. Murphy, who was a near relative of Judge Keagh, and he was a man of ready wit into the bargain.
There was a company promoter from London, who had induced several people to take shares in a bogus concern, and was consequently defendant in an action brought against him in Cork.
He thought he would make an impression on the wild Irish by being overdressed and gorgeously bejewelled.