94 THE IRISH PEOPLE. 



66-66 ; and the Irish are the lowest in weight. Only 

 346 Irish were measured, and, curiously enough, 

 we find the height, for Connacht, 68-73 ; Munster, 

 68-52; Ulster, 68-41; Leinster, 68-21. From these 

 returns the Committee says : " The western pro- 

 vinces of Ireland possess a higher stature similar to 

 the Scotch Highlands, with which they may have 

 a common racial origin, while the lower stature of 

 the eastern provinces is probably traceable to the 

 comparatively recent Scotch and English immigra- 

 tions. The Irish returns are, however, too few to 

 be relied on, until they are confirmed by more 

 extended inquiries." These returns, indeed, are 

 quite misleading, for I have been informed by Mr. 

 French, of Trinity College, Dublin, that so good a 

 judge as Dr. O'Donovan often declared in his hear- 

 ing, that " the finest and biggest men of Ireland 

 are to be found in Wexford and in that part of 

 Tipperary which is nearest to Wexford." He meant, 

 I think, the people of the quadrilateral formed by 

 the towns of Wexford, Waterford, Cashel and Kil- 

 kenny. Dr. Beddoe, who agrees with O'Donovan, 

 says : " The people of North and West Wexford and 

 in the city of Waterford and its neighbourhood are 

 tall and fair; the prevailing type in the county of 

 Tipperary, though very often brilliantly fair, is not 



