Contents of "Seventy Years of Irish Life."

Seventy Years of Irish Life Being Anecdotes and Reminiscences By W. R. Le Fanu New Edition Edward Arnold 37 Bedford Street. New York, 70 Fifth Avenue 1896.

This is a very enjoyable read - though the chapter detailing his massacre of fish and fowl is disturbing today (not being of a hunting disposition I won’t comment further). A brother of the famous author (I’m trying to track down “The Cock and Anchor, a Chronicle of old Dublin City”) he looks back with a kindly eye on people and places. I’ve still to complete the first three chapters. KF, June 9, 2002.

Preface and Chapter I Early days - A royal visit to Ireland in 1821: Grattan’s witticism - A maid for a dog - A disciple of Isaak Walton as preceptor - Sheridan Le Fanu’s youthful verses and relaxations - A parrot at prayers; and a monkey with the parrot.

Chapter II Lord Edward Fitzgerald’s dagger - United Irishmen: the Apologia of John Sheares - Doctor Dobbin’s kind deeds - The story of the Ilchester oak - An outlaw sportsman: his narrow escape and sad ending.

Chapter III Faction fights: the Reaskawallahs and Coffeys - Paternal chastisement - A doctor in livery - I bear the Olive branch - Battles of the buryings - Dead men’s shoes - Fairy Doctors: their patient spoils a coachman’s toggery - Superstitions about birds.

Chapter IV Good will of the peasantry before 1831 - A valentine - A justice’s bulls - A curious sight indeed - Farms to grow fat on - Some cooks- “What the Dean wears on his legs” - Blood-thirsty gratitude - Old servants and their theories

Chapter V The tithe war of 1831: the troops come to our village - A marked man - “Push on; they are going to kill ye!” - Not his brother’s keeper - Boycotting in the thirties - None so dead as he looked - Lord Cloncurry’s manifesto - A fulfilled prophecy.

Chapter VI The pleasures of coaching - I enter at Trinity College, Dublin - A miser Fellow: Anecdotes about - Whately, Archbishop of Dublin, and his legs - The vocative of cat - Charles Lever’s retort - Courteous to the Bishop.

Chapter VII The “Charleys”’ life was not a pleasant one - Paddy O’Neill and his rhymes - “With my rigatooria” - Too far west to wash - On the coast at Kilkee - ” Phaudrig Crohoore” - The Dublin Magazine.

Chapter VIII Peasant life after the famine of 1847 - An aged goose - Superstitions and Irish peculiarities - The worship of Baal - The Blarney stone - The wren boys - The direful “Wurrum ”- A remedy for the chin cough, and doctors’ remedies.

Chapter IX Mitchelstown remembered - A Night on the Galtees - The weird horse - Killing, or murder? - The ballad of “Shamus O’Brien” - A letter from Samuel Lover.

Chapter X A determined duel - I act the peasant, and am selected for the police force - Death of my sister - Sketch of my brother’s life - Dan O’Connell’s “Illustrious Kinsman ”- A murderous Grand Jury - A sad reflection.

Chapter XI The power of the people - Sergeant Murphy; his London manners - Pat Costello’s humour - I meet Thackeray - Paddy Blake’s echo - Dan O’Connell’s imagination - Sir James O’Connell’s anecdotes - He is prayed for by his herd

Chapter XII A proselytizing clergyman - Some examples of religious intolerance - An inverse repentance - The true faith - The railway mania - Famine of 1846 - Mrs. Norton solves a difficulty - The old Beefsteak Club - A pleasant dinner-party.

Chapter XIII Smith O’Brien’s rebellion - Louis Philippe’s interview with the Queen, as seen by the Boy Jones - Plain fare and pleasant - Married by mistake - A time for everything - A pagan altar-piece - Drawing the long-bow - Proof against cross-examination - Fooling the English - Larceny, or trespass?

Chapter XIV Anthony Trollope: his night encounter - A race for life on an engine - Railway adventures - I become Commissioner of Public Works - Some Irish repartees and ready car-drivers - Rail against road - No cause for uneasiness

Chapter XV Tory Island: its king, customs, and captive - William Dargan: his career and achievements - Agricultural and Industrial experiments - Bianconi, the carman - Sheridan Knowles: his absence of mind - Absent-minded gentlemen - Legal complications - Judges and barristers - Lord Norbury.

Chapter XVI Irish bulls - Sayings of Sir Boyle Roche - Plutarch’s Lives - A Grand Jury’s decision - Clerical anecdotes and biblical difficulties - A harmless lunatic - Dangerous recruits -Tom Burke - Some memorials to the Board of Works

Chapter XVII Shooting and fishing - Good snipe grounds - Killarney and Powerscourt - My fishing record - Playing a rock - Salmon flies - Salmon and trout - Grattan’s favourites - Hooking a bird - Fishing anecdotes - Lord Spencer’s adventure.

Chapter XVIII Illicit stills - Getting a reward - Poteen — Past and present -Dress and dwellings - Marriage and language - Material improvement since 1850

Chapter XIX The science of hypnotism - Early experiments and lessons - A drink of cider - I convert Isaac Butt - All wrong - A dangerous power

Chapter XX Catholic emancipation, 1829 - The tithe war of 1832 - The great famine of 1846 - The Fenian agitation of 1865 - France against England - Land-hunger - Crime and combination - Last words