From Thomas Archer Hirst   Saturday, June 24th/54

Limerick | Saturday. June 24^th/54

My dear John,

Immediately after posting my last letter¹ at Cork I received yours.² After a hard weeks work I have now arrived at Limerick and in an hour or two shall start by train to Dublin. We have had rain everyday since I started I am sorry to say, for through it I am now suffering from a severe cold which forces me to hasten to Dublin and remain quiet for a day or two. On Thursday morning I started from my Inn to ascend Mangerton³ one of the highest mountains about Killarney.⁴ It was rather hard work and I perspired very much; as usual on the top it was very cold and foggy for the mountain was covered with clouds. The cold drizzling rain wet me through. The toil of descending, however, again warmed me and dried my clothes so that I did not change them and anticipated no evil results, for in Switzerland I have often done the same thing. Next day I rode in a jaunting car from Killarney to Tarbert⁵ through Tralee;⁶ it rained all day, wet me through and through the result of all which is that today I am worth nothing. I got up about noon after a miserable night’s unrest, during which I did nothing but sneeze and grow alternately very hot & very cold. With the exception of this furious cold, however, I have profited much from my journey. My face is no longer of a pale yellow colour, but a healthy brown, and my coat is already more difficult to button than it was. The country between Cork and Killarney fully satisfied my expectations it is wild and in many places grand whilst near Killarney there are some of the sweetest little spots in the world. I did not go direct from Cork to Killarney but went round by Inchegula,⁷ Gougane Barra,⁸ Glengariff⁹ and Kenmare. I stopped a night at Glengariff and was delighted with it. It stands at the head of a quiet bay which opens into the celebrated Bantry Bay.¹⁰ From whatever side you approach it you have to pass through wild barren scenery which reminds one of Grimsel,¹¹ high hills and deep valleys where nothing but bare rocks and bog will grow. Whereas Glengariff is rich and full of beautiful trees. One great disadvantage of Irish scenery is that you are never left for many minutes in quiet contemplation of it before you are disturbed by some poor beggar. They will follow you for miles in order to wring a halfpenny from you by making themselves nuisances. If a penny is thrown to them they tear one anothers eyes out to get it. When you descend from a coach or steamer you are nearly devoured by carmen.¹² The only way to escape is to seize your own trunk and with it to knock the first carman down. If you talk to any of them you find they are saving money to go to America. Fellows who scream for a penny have changed me half a crown when necessary. But good Bye write soon to the Post Office Dublin.

Yours affectionately | T.A. Hirst

RI MS JT/1/H/199

RI MS JT/1/HTYP/345