CHAPTER III. 



IRISH MAIL AND STAGE-CARS. 



Irish troubles— A clever novelist— Larry Flood— A sprig of shillelagh 

 — As safe as in church— These roads before they were made 

 — A rustic cicerone— A wild Irishman— Irish impudence— 

 Bianconi— Leaving home to seek a fortune — A spirit of mis- 

 chief—His first car — Car-drivers— Electioneering — The Bians 

 — Irish fisheries — Immunity from violence— Bianconi's popu- 

 larity — Mayor of Clonmel. 



Before quitting the subject of road travelling by 

 public conveyances, I feel compelled to mention 

 Irish jaunting-cars. These vehicles are not to be 

 found in common use in any other part of the 

 civilised world. Those persons who have not visited 

 Ireland may have been made familiar with them by 

 seeing sketches of them in Punch. John Leech not 

 only portrayed the Irish car, its driver, and the horse 

 which drew it. but gave us the jokes of the Irish 

 car-driver, and so furnished us with excellent examples 

 of their wit, good-humour, and readiness of repartee. 



The Irish car is inseparably connected in our 

 minds with Ireland and the Irish; there is an 

 eccentricity about it that appeals to our sense of the 

 ludicrous. Both to the theoretical and practical 

 coach-builder it is possessed of no good quality 

 when balanced on two wheels, as the balance is 

 rarely, if ever, true. In the dog-cart the weight is 

 distributed almost over the axle, but this is not the 

 case with Irish cars. 



Sometimes some one, enthusiastic about all that 

 is Irish, exports one of these vehicles, and it is seen 



