To John Tyndall, Snr   July 1st. 1841.

Kinsale!!! July 1st. 1841.

My dear Father

When you receive this letter you may truly say that a voice from ‘the world’s end’¹ salutes your ear, as I am at present siting about 8 or 10 perches² from a place which goes by the name. I started from Youghal on Wednesday morning at 7 o’clock, and arrived in Cork at 11. Here, after seeing our luggage removed or rather after removing it ourselves to the Kinsale Coach office, and paying our fare there, we (namely Ginty and myself) issued forth thro’ the city of bragge and blarney.³ Having been met by Tidmarsh at the coach office we were straightway conducted to his father’s house, where the moment we got in we were set down to bread butter cheese and ale. After despatching a moderate quantity of that, and having some business to transact in town, we again sallied forth, and did not return until half past 2. On our entrance our noses were most agreeably saluted by the effluvia of a smoking roast leg of mutton. On this we dined most heartily and I took a tumbler of punch made out of the best Cork whiskey. After dinner, being fortified by this for the road, we again to coach and left Cork at a ¼ before 4. I was sitting beside two gentlemen whose whole discourse was about the coming election. I think they were radicals, for they had the Southern reporter⁴ along with them, and tho’ they did not actually express their opinions, still I could gather from their discourse that they were what I have stated them to be. Among other subjects the present state of Carlow was discussed. They seemed to take a great interest in it. They were fully acquainted with the disturbances that have taken place there. I think the eyes of Ireland are at present turned on Carlow. We arrived in Kinsale at about 7 o’clock and were met by Foy⁵ at the coach office. The next job was to seek for lodgings. After rambling for a while thro’ streets something less than 50 miles in breadth, we at length hopped on a place where we thought it likely that we might be accommodated. We were shewed up stairs by the landlord and after a few preliminaries we closed our bargain. Tidmarsh and I took two very good rooms at the rate of 5 shillings a week.⁶ Here I intend to remain until Evans comes back, if he does not like our present location we have plenty of time to look out for another. I have not yet rambled through the town, so on that account I am not able to give you a full description of it in this letter. One great feature that I could not help remarking was the narrowness of the streets. A reasonable standing leap would carry me from the door of my lodgings into the shop at the opposite side. Our host is a Wesleyan⁷ and an active conservative. He is up nearly every night securing votes for Col Thomas.⁸ Our officer⁹ is in the barracks and the 1st thing we heard when we went into it was an order read which prohibited any of our lads from meddling in the anticipated political struggle.

This is a great town for fish. The houses of the World’s End are actually thatched with it, we had I believe about 3 dozen fresh herrings for dinner yesterday, they were however not much larger than pinkeens.¹⁰ I received a long letter from Evans.¹¹ He tells me the conservatives of Carlow are determined to either stand or die. It is very near post time and for fear of being late I must conclude. Give my love to my mother and Emma

Your affectionate son | Jack.

RI MS JT/1/10/3229

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