Ireland 60 Years Ago

By John Edward Walsh. Originally published in 1847.

I love this book, Ireland 60 Years Ago -- it is full of illustrative ancectdotes that one can envision, thanks in part to all those period dramas on public TV that give the ambiance. Here is a great example from the book. The subject of discussion is the propensity for duelling then prevalent among Irish gentlemen:

When travelling in England, Power had many encounters with persons who were attracted by his brogue and clumsy appearance. On one occasion a group of gentlemen were sitting in a box at one end of the room when he entered at the other. The representative of Irish manners at this time on the English stage was a tissue of ignorance, blunders, and absurdities; when a real Irishman appeared off the stage, he was always supposed to have the characteristics of his class, and so to be a fair butt for ridicule. When Power took his seat in the box, the waiter came to him with a gold watch, with a gentleman's compliments and a request to know what o'clock it was by it. Power took the watch, and then directed the waiter to let him know the person that sent it; he pointed out one of the group. Power rang the bell for his servant, and directed him to bring his pistols and follow him. He put them under his arm, and with the watch in his hand, walked up to the box and presenting the watch, begged to know to whom it belonged. When no one was willing to own it, he drew his own old silver one from his fob, and presented it to his servant, desiring him to keep it; and putting up the gold one, he gave his name and address, and assured the company he would keep it safe till called for. It never was claimed.

One gets the impression, from reading Ireland 60 Years Ago that the Irish were a very violent people -- but that is like forming an impression of American society based solely on the evening news. The events that get attention are the unusually violent ones -- unusual being the key term here. Indeed, many Americans think the Irish are still extremely violent, their opinion being based entirely on what they see on the news. In fact, if one were to compare violent crime statistics between Dublin and any comparable sized city in the U.S., I suspect the Irish would seem a most peaceful people.

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0001 Chapter I. - State of Society and the City of Dublin - Liberty Boys and Ormond Boys - Collegians - Police - Bucks and Bullies - Chalkies.
0002 Chapter II. - Duelling - Judicial and Legal Duellists - Duelling Clubs and Rules - Hates - Pat Power - Bryan Maguire - Trials for Duels.
0003 Chapter III. - Abuction - Abduction Clubs - The Misses Kennedy - Miss Knox.
0004 Chapter IV. - Civic Processions - Riding the Franchises - The Liberties - The Lord Mayors Penance.
0005 Chapter V. - Drunkenness - Notions of Conviviality.
0006 Chapter VI. - Gambling - Lotteries.
0007 Chapter VII. - Shoeblacks - The Streets - Public Vehicles.
0008 Chapter VIII. - Slang Songs - Prison Usages - The Night Before Larry Was Stretched - Kilmainham Minit - Executioners - Bull Baiting - Lord Althams Bull - The Bush.
0009 Chapter IX. - Raparees and Robbers - Hedge Schools - Freney - Northern Robbers - Shawn Crossach - William Crotty - Crottys Lament - Felons Bodies - Frederick Caulfield.
0010 Chapter X. - Tiger Roche.
0011 Chapter XI. - The Kingdom of Dalkey - The Dalkey Gazette - T. OMeara.
0012 Chapter XII. - The Visitation of 1798 - United Irishmen - James Farrell - Expulsion of Power and Ardagh - Cause of the Visitation - Its Proceedings - Lord Clare - Dr. Brown - Dr. Stokes - Its Effects - Sketch of Farrell - of Corbett.
0013 Chapter XIII. - The Gibs Parliamentary Privileges - Fire in the House of Commons.