Mr John Tyndall | Ordnance Survey Office | Youghal
Leighlin Bridge | March 17th, 1841.
My dear John
I was very much disappointed this morning when your mother brought your letter to Emma1 to the bedside to me. Mr Winnet2 who is now the letter carrier called to the house with it and said ‘here is a letter for Mr Tyndall from his son.’ Your mother ran up with it to me without looking at the superscription and said ‘here is your Patrick’s pot3 for you.’ I put on my spectacles and took a view of the cover. I immediately saw it was for Emma. The moment she heard it was for her she demanded it immediately. I gave it to her – she read it then handed it to me – I read it and was highly pleased with its contents, particularly that part of it where you say you can eat as much as your two comrades this was delightful intelligence to me and your mother, as I know you cant be such a cormorant for eating4 without being in very good health, Your mother says she paid you the 11½d long ago when you were going to the fair of Orchard5 from Nurney and also to Leighlin Bridge, and as I am willing to forgive you the debt I thought legally due, do you compromise the matter with your mother. I am just after seeing about five hundred teetotlers pass.6 Hughes comes this moment from the upper window not thinking it worth while to go to the door, they assembled at the Priest’s house,7 marched with the band before them through the Royal Oak Bagnalstown, and round to Leighlin Bridge amidst the most tremendous rain – Priest McMahon Commander in Chief and Paddy Malloy8 from Old Leighlin second in Command, for I saw him at the head of the division with a white rod in his hand a little behind McMahon who rode on horseback in front. If protestants acted so what an outrage on the majesty of the people would be the eternal cry of the repealers.9 The plan you sent Willy10 done very well but their funds is at such a low ebb at present they cannot go on with the Minister’s house. John, if William Heydon is in Youghal I would be glad if you would speak to him and let him know from me that his father is not well off at present, being in no sort of business and that it is a very great shame for him to say he never sent one shilling to his father since he left Leighlin; now be the amount never so small you know he could from time to time save something that would be of service to him. I am glad to hear you have bought a suit of clothes; your shoes and boots I suppose are nearly worn out as you bought two pairs of soles the other day. If you had come home at Christmas I would have got made for you two or three pairs of shoes, but I think you dont intend coming any more. There was a great Christening at Caleb’s on Sunday last,11 the house though large I hear was filled with people from different parts of the country and some of them very decent. Amongst the number Mr Lee from Milford12 and several others too numerous to mention. I had a letter from you to Mr Conwill until evening yesterday, waiting for a messenger, when I got one. I expect him here this night to read your letter and his answer but he has not come yet. I now conclude with sending our love to you and
remain your affectionate father | John Tyndall
I was not well writing this letter you’ll therefore not mind any faults in it.
RI MS JT/1/10/3214
LT Transcript Only
your letter to Emma: letter 0050.
Mr Winnet: not identified other then being the ‘letter carrier’.
your Patrick’s pot: St Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, is said to have persuaded a miserly innkeeper to fill his customers’ glasses to overflowing. The receipt of Tyndall’s letter on St Patrick’s Day – 17 March – was celebrated by his mother as a similar sign of gladness and generosity.
a cormorant for eating: As cormorants are fish-eating birds that dive on their prey, Tyndall is likewise portrayed as swooping on his food.
the fair of Orchard: an agricultural fair held in various Irish counties.
five hundred teetotlers pass: The Irish temperance movement, led by Father Theobald Mathew, was strongly supported by many Catholic priests. It held marches on St Patrick’s Day 1841 in many cities and towns, including Tullow (Freeman’s Journal, 24 March 1841, p. [3]).
Priest’s house: probably the Priest’s House in Dunleckny, close to Dunleckny Manor, about a mile north-east of Bagenalstown.
Paddy Malloy: not identified.
the repealers: The movement, spearheaded by Daniel O’Connell, that sought the repeal of the union between Britain and Ireland.
The plan you sent Willy: see letter 0045.
a great Christening at Caleb’s on Sunday last: not indentified, but it would appear that neither Tyndall nor his father was invited.
Mr Lee from Milford: Peter Lee worked on John Alexander’s Milford estate, where he was employed as a clerk or possibly steward.
Please cite as “Tyndall0051,” in Ɛpsilon: The John Tyndall Collection accessed on 28 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/tyndall/letters/Tyndall0051