98 LIFE IN IRELAND 



replied Sir Shawn, as they rode up to Molshy Mullor- 

 mug's door and called for two rattlers of raspberry and 

 white sugar. ' Bless your sweet face, my jewel ! ' said 

 Molshy, as she handed up the horn drinking-glass, ' and 

 isn't there a sweet Irish rainbow for the King to see, 

 and the first he ever seed in his life.' There was no 

 time for comment ; the royal carriage drove out of the 

 Park at full gallop ; our party bowed low to the King 

 and galloped onward in company with nearly all the 

 men and horses in Dublin, or out of it. 



The sky-blue scarfs were black with mud, and so 

 rapid was the royal speed, not a soul that started 

 arrived at the Curragh but Brian Boru and Sir 

 Shawn O'Dogherty. 



Little can be said of the day's sport ; all the crom-a-boo 

 boys were mud-larking it on the road or in the ditches. 

 The Duke received the King upon the stand, and he 

 graciously bowed to the wet ducks below, who were 

 astonished to see him move his hat hke a common man. 

 His Majesty presented a gold mounted whip to the 

 steward of the course (never a fellow in Ireland deserves 

 the whip better) and another to the Duke, to be run for 

 annually by donkeys and garrens of real Irish breed ; 

 no mares, horses, geldings, oxen, or mules to be 

 eligible, as the object in view is to improve upon the 

 ancient breed, such as are natives of the soil. 



On the right of the King's left arm sat the Duchess, 

 but not long ; for after a handful of meat and a mouth- 

 ful of drink, Royalty again took the road, and dashed 

 off for Dublin. As before, every mother's son was thrown 

 out in the chace, and when the royal carriage drove to 

 the Lodge entrance, only Brian and Sir Shawn were 



