This ignorance of the past may have its bright side, after all,
though to speak truthfully, it did show a too scanty knowledge of
national history. But if one must forget, it is as well to begin
with the wrongs of far-off years, those 'done to your ancient name
or wreaked upon your race.'
Part Fourth--Connaught.
Chapter XXII. The Weeping West.
'Veiled in your mist, and diamonded with showers.'
Alfred Austin.
Shan Van Vocht Hotel,
Heart of Connemara.
Shan Van Vocht means in English the 'Poor Little Old Woman,' one of
the many endearing names given to Ireland in the Gaelic. There is,
too, a well-known rebel song called by this title--one which was not
only written in Irish and English, but which was translated into
French for the soldiers at Brest who were to invade Ireland under
Hoche.
We had come from Knockcool, Donegal, to Westport, in County Mayo,
and the day was enlivened by two purely Irish touches, one at the
beginning and one at the end. We alighted at a certain railway
junction to await our train, and were interested in a large
detachment of soldiers--leaving for a long journey, we judged, by
the number of railway carriages and the amount of luggage and
stores. In every crowded compartment there were two or three men
leaning out over the locked doors; for the guard was making ready to
start.
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