WESTWARD HO ! 271 



Queenstown stands since the middle of the twelfth 

 century. It has disputed with the Eoches, from 

 perhaps even an earlier period, the sovereignty of 

 half the extreme South of Ireland. 



I am not sure whether the famous Sir Boyle Eoche, 

 who assured the House of Commons that, not being a 

 bird, he could not be in two places at once, was a 

 member of this family or not, his name being spelled 

 by some writers ' Eoach.' 



' In any case, he was the celebrated author of a 

 great many original remarks, the memory of which 

 survives. It is not, however, so well known that his 

 attached body - servant was also an unconscious 

 humol'ist of the first order. When poor Sir Boyle 

 had paid the debt of Nature, and this good fellow 

 wished to acquaint the late Baronet's especial friend 

 with a change in the last arrangements, it is stated 

 that he went to him and said, ' Sir, my master sends 

 his compliments, and he will not be buried until 

 to-morrow night.' 



The postal telegraph office at Eoche's point is 

 situated on a point of land on the eastern shore of 

 the entrance of Cork Harbour. 



It was opened in March, 1862, by the London and 

 South of Ireland Telegraph Company, of which the 

 late Lord Fermoy was promoter and principal share- 

 holder. His lordship's rights were acquired by the 

 Post-Office, who paid under the award of an umpire 

 eight thousand pounds for a line which probably 

 could now be put up for a tithe of that sum. The 



