Chapter I: Introduction: xi

EXORCISING THE DEMON OF VORACITY--_From the Irish_ 1

THE ROMAN EARL--_From the Irish_ 7

THE FELLOW IN THE GOAT-SKIN--_Folk-Tale_ 9

OFTEN-WHO-CAME AND SELDOM-WHO-CAME--_From the Irish_ 22

THE OLD CROW AND THE YOUNG CROW--_From the Irish_ 23

ROGER AND THE GREY MARE--_Folk-Poem_ 23

WILL O’ THE WISP--_Folk-Tale_ 25

EPIGRAMS AND RIDDLES--_From the Irish_ 32

DONALD AND HIS NEIGHBOURS--_Folk-Tale_ 34

THE WOMAN OF THREE COWS--_From the Irish_ 39

IN PRAISE OF DIGRESSIONS--_Jonathan Swift_ 41

A RHAPSODY ON POETRY--_Jonathan Swift_ 45

LETTER FROM A LIAR--_Sir Richard Steele_ 50

EPIGRAMS--_John Winstanley_ 55

A FINE LADY--_George Farquhar_ 56

THE BORROWER--_George Farquhar_ 60

WIDOW WADMAN’S EYE--_Laurence Sterne_ 67

BUMPERS, SQUIRE JONES--_Arthur Dawson_ 70

JACK LOFTY--_Oliver Goldsmith_ 73

BEAU TIBBS--_Oliver Goldsmith_ 84

THE FRIAR OF ORDERS GREY--_John O’Keeffe_ 93

THE TAILOR AND THE UNDERTAKER--_John O’Keeffe_ 94

TOM GROG--_John O’Keeffe_ 97

BULLS--_Sir Boyle Roche_ 101

THE MONKS OF THE SCREW--_J. P. Curran_ 102

ANA--_J. P. Curran_ 103

THE CRUISKEEN LAWN--_Anonymous_ 105

THE SCANDAL-MONGERS--_R. B. Sheridan_ 108

CAPTAIN ABSOLUTE’S SUBMISSION--_R. B. Sheridan_ 115

ANA--_R. B. Sheridan_ 124

MY AMBITION--_Edward Lysaght_ 126

A WAREHOUSE FOR WIT--_George Canning_ 127

CONJUGAL AFFECTION--_Thomas Cannings_ 130

WHISKY, DRINK DIVINE!--_Joseph O’Leary_ 130

TO A YOUNG LADY BLOWING A TURF FIRE WITH HER
PETTICOAT--_Anonymous_ 132

EPIGRAMS, ETC.--_Henry Luttrell_ 133

LETTER FROM MISS BETTY FUDGE--_Thomas Moore_ 134

MONTMORENCI AND CHERUBINA--_E. S. Barrett_ 137

MODERN MEDIÆVALISM--_E. S. Barrett_ 141

THE NIGHT BEFORE LARRY WAS STRETCHED--_William Maher(?)_ 145

DARBY DOYLE’S VOYAGE TO QUEBEC--_Thomas Ettingsall_ 148

ST. PATRICK OF IRELAND, MY DEAR!--_Dr. William Maginn_ 160

THE LAST LAMP OF THE ALLEY--_Dr. William Maginn_ 164

THOUGHTS AND MAXIMS--_Dr. William Maginn_ 166

THE GATHERING OF THE MAHONYS--_Dr. William Maginn_ 173

DANIEL O’ROURKE--_Dr. William Maginn_ 175

THE HUMOURS OF DONNYBROOK FAIR--_Charles O’Flaherty_ 184

THE NIGHT-CAP--_T. H. Porter_ 187

KITTY OF COLERAINE--_Anonymous_ 188

GIVING CREDIT--_William Carleton_ 190

BRIAN O’LINN--_Anonymous_ 198

THE TURKEY AND THE GOOSE--_J. A. Wade_ 200

WIDOW MACHREE--_Samuel Lover_ 202

BARNEY O’HEA--_Samuel Lover_ 204

MOLLY CAREW--_Samuel Lover_ 206

HANDY ANDY AND THE POSTMASTER--_Samuel Lover_ 209

THE LITTLE WEAVER OF DULEEK GATE--_Samuel Lover_ 213

BELLEWSTOWN HILL--_Anonymous_ 228

THE PEELER AND THE GOAT--_Jeremiah O’Ryan_ 231

THE LOQUACIOUS BARBER--_Gerald Griffin_ 234

NELL FLAHERTY’S DRAKE--_Anonymous_ 239

ELEGY ON HIMSELF--_F. S. Mahony_ (“_Father Prout_”) 242

BOB MAHON’S STORY--_Charles Lever_ 243

THE WIDOW MALONE--_Charles Lever_ 253

THE GIRLS OF THE WEST--_Charles Lever_ 255

THE MAN FOR GALWAY--_Charles Lever_ 256

HOW CON CREGAN’S FATHER LEFT HIMSELF A BIT OF
LAND--_Charles Lever_ 257

KATEY’S LETTER--_Lady Dufferin_ 264

DANCE LIGHT, FOR MY HEART IT LIES UNDER YOUR FEET,
LOVE--_Dr. J. F. Waller_ 266

FATHER TOM’S WAGER WITH THE POPE--_Sir Samuel Ferguson_ 267

THE OULD IRISH JIG--_James McKowen_ 271

MOLLY MULDOON--_Anonymous_ 273

THE QUARE GANDER--_J. S. Lefanu_ 279

TABLE-TALK--_Dr. E. V. H. Kenealy_ 288

ADVICE TO A YOUNG POET--_R. D. Williams_ 290

SAINT KEVIN AND KING O’TOOLE--_Thomas Shalvey_ 291

THE SHAUGHRAUN--_Dion Boucicault_ 294

RACKRENTERS ON THE STUMP--_T. D. Sullivan_ 298

LANIGAN’S BALL--_Anonymous_ 306

THE WIDOW’S LAMENT--_Anonymous_ 308

WHISKY AND WATHER--_Anonymous_ 310

THE THRUSH AND THE BLACKBIRD--_C. J. Kickham_ 314

IRISH ASTRONOMY--_C. G. Halpine_ 320

PADDY FRET, THE PRIEST’S BOY--_J. F. O’Donnell_ 322

O’SHANAHAN DHU--_J. J. Bourke_ 329

SHANE GLAS--_J. J. Bourke_ 332

AN IRISH STORY-TELLER--_Patrick O’Leary_ 333

THE HAUNTED SHEBEEN--_C. P. O’Conor_ 337

FAN FITZGERL--_A. P. Graves_ 341

FATHER O’FLYNN--_A. P. Graves_ 343

PHILANDERING--_William Boyle_ 344

HONIED PERSUASION--_J. De Quincey_ 345

THE FIRST LORD LIFTINANT--_W. P. French_ 347

THE AMERICAN WAKE--_F. A. Fahy_ 355

HOW TO BECOME A POET--_F. A. Fahy_ 358

THE DONOVANS--_F. A. Fahy_ 368

PETTICOATS DOWN TO MY KNEES--_F. A. Fahy_ 371

MUSICAL EXPERIENCES AND IMPRESSIONS--_G. B. Shaw_ 373

FROM PORTLAW TO PARADISE--_Edmund Downey_ 382

THE DANCE AT MARLEY--_P. J. McCall_ 393

FIONN MACCUMHAIL AND THE PRINCESS--_P. J. McCall_ 397

TATTHER JACK WELSH--_P. J. McCall_ 403

THEIR LAST RACE--_Frank Mathew_ 405

IN BLARNEY--_P. J. Coleman_ 409

BINDIN’ THE OATS--_P. J. Coleman_ 411

SELECTED IRISH PROVERBS, ETC. 414

BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX 423

NOTES 433