Chapter III (9)

WILLIAMS, RICHARD DALTON.--Born in Dublin, of Tipperary
family, on October 8th, 1822. Was one of the earliest and one of
the leading contributors to _The Nation_, writing generally
over the signature of “Shamrock.” His writings are often very
fierce and intense, but his true power lay in the humorous vein,
some of his parodies being almost unrivalled. He was implicated
in the ’48 rising and was arrested, but was soon released,
and went to America, where he became a professor of English
literature at Mobile, Alabama. He was a medical student when he
wrote for _The Nation_. He died in Louisiana on July 5th,
1862.

WINSTANLEY, JOHN.--A Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin.
He was born in 1678, and died in 1750. His poems first appeared
in 1742, a second series being published after his death by his
son.

NOTES

_The Monks of the Screw_, p. 102.--Curran belonged to a small convivial society in Dublin known by this name in the latter part of the last century. It included some of the most famous Irishmen of the time, and Curran was prior, and called his residence at Rathfarnham “The Priory” on that account.

_To a Young Lady, etc._, p. 132.--From _The Shamrock, or Hibernian Cresses_, 1772, a collection of poems edited and largely written by Samuel Whyte, the schoolmaster of Moore, Sheridan, etc.

_Daniel O’Rourke_, p. 175.--This was written for Crofton Croker by Dr. Maginn, together with other stories, and as they were included in the former’s _Fairy Legends_ without a signature, they have been always assigned to Croker.

_Kitty of Coleraine_, p. 188.--This very popular song is based on an old story, of which one version will be found in “La Cruche” by M. Autereau, a contemporary of La Fontaine, the fabulist, which is included in some editions of the latter’s works.

_Brian O’Linn_, p. 198.--This version is made up from several in the possession of Mr. P. J. McCall, of Dublin.

_Bellewstown Hill_, p. 228.--An inferior song on the same subject was written by Richard Sheil, a Drogheda printer and poet.

_The Peeler and the Goat_, p. 231.--This famous song, thought written at the time of, or very soon after, the establishment of the Irish police force, is still popular in Ireland. A version of it will be found in Gerald Griffin’s _Rivals_, 1835.

_Nell Flaherty’s Drake_, p. 239.--Many versions of this ballad are to be found in the Irish ballad-slips. They are all corrupt and generally very gross.

_Father Tom’s Wager with the Pope_, p. 267.--This is extracted from the story of “Father Tom and the Pope,” which, though attributed to Dr. Maginn, John Fisher Murray, and others, was really written by Sir Samuel Ferguson. It appeared anonymously, in May 1838, in _Blackwood’s Magazine_, at the time of a famous controversy between a Father Maguire and the Rev. Mr. Pope.

_Molly Muldoon_, p. 273.--This poem was written about 1850, and its authorship has always been a mystery. An American journal once ascribed it to Fitzjames O’Brien, the Irish-American novelist.

_Lanigan’s Ball_, p. 306.--A version made up from several, and as near absolute correctness as seems possible.

_The Widow’s Lament_, p. 308.--This piece is of comparatively recent origin. It appeared in an Irish-American paper some years ago, and attempts to find its author have proved futile.

_Whisky and Wather_, p. 310.--Taken from a song-book published in Dublin, and there attributed in a vague way to “Zozimus” (Michael Moran), the once celebrated blind beggar of Dublin. He, however, could not have written it, any more than the other matters assumed to be his compositions because he recited them.

THE WALTER SCOTT PUBLISHING CO., LIMITED, FELLING-ON-TYNE.
12-07

FOOTNOTES:

[1] _I.e._, Wexford, the natives of which are nicknamed “yellow bellies,” from a legend current amongst them. Queen Elizabeth first gave them the name (so they say) on witnessing a hurling match when the Wexford men, with yellow scarves round their waists, won. Said the queen, “These Yellow Bellies are the finest fellows I’ve ever seen.”

[2] Mourn.

[3] Forsooth.

[4] Law commentators of the time.

[5] A celebrated and noisy French singer.

[6] A noted French actress.

[7] Hanged.

[8] Generous, satisfying.

[9] Fool.

[10] My boy.

[11] O’Connell’s.

[12] Lament.

[13] Catholic.

[14] Anything eaten with potatoes.

[15] A pig.

[16] Be it so.

[17] Hat.

[18] A draw, a whiff.

[19] Short pipe.

[20] Darling of my heart.

[21] Friend.

[22] A forked stick.

[23] Cudgel.

[24] Come hither.

[25] Evidently _sprissaun_, a diminutive, expressing contempt.

[26] Blockhead.

[27] Puppy.

[28] Lout.

[29] Child.

[30] Devil.

[31] _Knapawns_, a huge potato.

[32] _Knasster_, a big potato.

[33] A seat made of straw or hay ropes.

[34] _Casoge_, a coat.

[35] Reclaimed mountain-land.

[36] A species of diver.

[37] The small toe.

[38] _Gom_ or _Gommach_--a fool.

[39] Bard.

[40] Harped.

[41] Cudgels.

[42] _Beimedh a gole_--Let us be drinking.

[43] The “American wake” is the send-off given to people the night before their departure for America.

[44] A hundred thousand welcomes--pron. _cade meelya falltha_.

[45] _Canavaun_--blossom of the bog.

[46] _Floohool_--generous.

[47] Kindliest.

[48] Woman of the house.

[49] _Doreen_--small drop.

[50] _Colleen dhas_--pretty girl.

[51] Overcoat.

[52] Indeed.

[53] Woman of the house.

[54] Suitable.

[55] Girls.

[56] Forsooth.

[57] A kiss.

[58] A blow.

[59] Kiss.

[60] Kiss.

Transcriber’s Notes:

1. Obvious printers’, punctuation and spelling errors have been
corrected silently.

2. Some hyphenated and non-hyphenated versions of the same words
have been retained as in the original.

3. Italics are shown as _xxx_.

4. Where appropriate, the original spelling has been retained.