IRISH TROUBLES. 165 



Standing in a coach-house side by side with sober 

 and precise EngHsh carriages, Hke a clown or a panta- 

 loon amidst a gathering of Church dignitaries in full 

 canonicals ; or wending its way along our quiet 

 English country lanes. 



Passenger cars took the place of coaches in Ireland 

 some sixty years ago. There has always been 

 trouble in Ireland, but in those days there w^as 

 not so much as in recent years. A writer has re- 

 marked that " in those days landowners lived in 

 peace upon their properties, the peasantry were glad 

 to see them and have them living amongst them, 

 every look was then a smile, and, although the 

 shillelagh was in frequent use, a rap over the head 

 at a convivial meeting with that weapon was often 

 regarded as a token of friendship. No Irish fair 

 would have been perfect without a flare-up between 

 the boys, and if a few heads were bruised it was 

 looked upon as a very ordinary occurrence." 



When the coaches were in existence they were 

 very roughly turned out, but the roads were excellent, 

 and so they have ever since remained ; as for the 

 coaches, if they were rather rough, they went at a 

 great pace, as the horses were nearly always good. 



Nevertheless, Irishmen do not consider it neces- 

 sary to break a horse so completely as we do. 

 Consequently to the coaches, and even later, to the 

 cars, some very queer customers were harnessed ; 

 often they would be led out of a field, a twitch being 

 put on their nose, and one of their fore-legs being 

 held up, they were initiated into the mysteries of 

 harness, never having before looked into a collar, 

 or had a bit in their mouths. Very frequently they 

 would start the coach or car with one such animal 



