SIR JOHN KENNEDY, 1814-1841 



dared to say a word. The phrase still current in the 

 county and its origin are so typical of the Ireland of 

 a bygone day that they seem worthy of being put on 

 record. Tom Kelly was a hunting man of renown, 

 who lived in the Athy district, and used often to 

 tell of his experience at Portarlington School, 

 where he acquired such learning as he possessed. 

 He appears to have been the whipping boy of that 

 establishment. Whenev^er any little misunderstand- 

 ing arose between the master and the assembled 

 school, and the former was unable, after the cus- 

 tomary inquiry, to identify the culprit, he would 

 strike the desk fiercely with his cane and exclaim 

 in a voice of thunder, '* No one's done it, of 

 course, but step up, Tom Kelly; I can cut the 

 backside off Tom Kelly, any way." 



Mr John Kennedy was a disciplinarian, but per- 

 fectly just and even tempered, and his son re- 

 members being chastised once only. The master 

 always read prayers of a morning, even on hunting 

 days, when hounds met near. On one of these 

 occasions young Robert was looking out of the 

 window instead of following his devotions, on the 

 watch for the whips going to the stable. His in- 

 terest in sport caused him to forget himself so far 

 as to say, " There goes Martin," when he felt him- 

 self knocked oft' his feet by the heavy prayer-book 

 which his father threw at his head. 



127 



