138 LIFE IN IRELAND 



CHAPTER XII 



A Public Audience, and Introduction of Brian Boru at 

 the Castle— Making a Knight— A Batch of Ditto— Hell by 

 Twilight— A Cellar Scene, and Grammachree in high order 

 — Scene in Dirty Lane — An Irish Mummy Pit — A Visit to a 

 Holy Well— The Devil's Drawing Room— Arrival at Bal- 

 briggan. 



HERE this strange eventful scene closed, and 

 Brian Boru, with Sir Shawn O'Dogherty, 

 prepared to meet the elements. Before departing, an 

 interview was requisite with the Lord Lieutenant, that 

 is, a public one. Reader, if thou hast never been 

 present at an audience, held by a Viceroy of a 

 neighbouring kingdom, you may be amused with a 

 description of its ceremonies. There are a set of 

 people about the Castle of Dublin, as necessary to jog 

 on the wheels of state, as a waggoner's nag is to carry 

 his driver. These are called Masters of Ceremony, 

 Lords Chamberlain, Equerries of State, Door Goers, 

 and TresoUing Barbers. As a leading article to these 

 immense concerns, Joe Ward holds a very immortal 

 place ; it is his duty to gallop on an old lean horse, 

 from the Castle to the Lodge in the Phoenix Park, and 

 announce that the Lord Luff is coming : this is not very 

 easily done, but when it is done, it is done quickly. Joe 



