Chapter I: Preface: To the American Edition

The people of America may or may not indulge kindly views of the Irish community; but there cannot be the slightest question that the Irish of Ireland have kindlier feelings for America than ever they have had for England. To the Irish of Ireland, in fact, America has long stood in the relation of a sort of promised land, and they have a habit of turning their thoughts thitherward even when small matters are concerned. There is a tale of an elderly lady of Galway who, on being informed by her medical attendant that it was desirable that she should consult a dental specialist, set forth incontinently for New York to the total neglect of London. She believed that of the two places, New York was the friendlier. I am informed that, broadly speaking, New York is policed by Irish Americans and that the American Irishman makes a rather useful subordinate municipal official. Be this as it may, there can be no doubt that very considerable numbers of Irishmen contrive to do themselves a great deal better in the United States than they could ever have hoped to do in their own native Erin. To those Americans and American Irish who happen to be at all interested in the present condition and prospects of the green country, I venture to offer the following pages for what they are worth.

T. W. H. C.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I.—DISTRESSFUL 1

II.—THE SHILLELAGH 11

III.—BLARNEY 19

IV.—WHISKY 29

V.—THE PATHRIOT 36

VI.—ORANGEMEN 42

VII.—THE LOW SCOTCH 50

VIII.—PRIESTCRAFT 60

IX.—MORALS 71

X.—PRETTY WOMEN 91

XI.—THE LONDON IRISH 100

XII.—TOM MOORE 105

XIII.—W. B. YEATS 117

XIV.—WIT AND HUMOR 130

XV.—MORE WIT AND HUMOR 141

XVI.—DIRT 151

XVII.—THE TOURIST 158

XVIII.—POTATOES 169

XIX.—PIGS 179

XX.—EMIGRATION 187

THE WILD IRISHMAN