As We Neared The Castle The Woods Became Broken Into A Lawn And
Pleasure Ground, And At A Sudden Turn We Found Ourselves Before The
Castle.
I am not yet tired of looking at castles, whether in ruins, as
relics of the past, or inhabited as the "stately houses where the
wealthy people dwell."
Dunany, with its court-yard, where wines, climbing roses and Virginia
creepers grew luxuriantly over the battlemented walls, reminded me of
descriptions I had read of Moorish houses in sunny Spain. Every house
has a history, and it is no wonder if these great houses tell a story of
other times and other scenes that has a powerful influence on the minds
of the descendants of those who founded these houses and carved out
these fortunes. There were little children playing before the castle,
happy and free, that ran to meet their uncle.
We were received by Sir Thomas Butler, Sir Allan's son-in-law, whom I
had met with before on the evening of my arrival at Castle Bellingham.
My errand to Dunany Castle was, strictly speaking, to gather the
opinions of these gentlemen on the land question, but the quaint,
foreign look of the castle, and the historic names of Butler and
Bellingham, sent my mind off into the past, to the battle of the Boyne,
and into the dimness beyond, when the war cry of "A Butler" was a
rallying cry that had power in the green vales of Erin.
In the cold Celtic times when men held by the strong hand, the numerical
fighting power of the clan was of the utmost importance, a chieftain
being valued by the number of men who would follow him to the field. As
a consequence, men were precious. In these more peaceful times, when the
lords of the soil are rated by their many acres, lands, and not likely
lads, are the symbol of greatness.
Sir Allan Bellingham is such a fresh-looking active gentleman that I
could hardly bring myself to think that he had reached, by reason of
strength, the scriptural fourscore. I was almost too much taken up
admiring to think of the Land Question, but, after the fashionable five
o'clock tea, had some conversation with Sir Allan and Sir Thomas on the
subject.
Sir Allan thought the Land League much to blame for the present
miserable state of affairs. Men well able to pay their rents, and
supposed to be willing to pay their rents, were prevented from paying
from a system of terrorism inaugurated by the Land League. Some
instances were given. One was of the man who had the mill which we
passed on the road, who being behind in his rent, was willing to pay but
dare not do it. Certainly by the busy appearance of the mill and by the
style of his dwelling-house it did not seem to be inability that kept
him from paying. Another instance was that of a man holding a large
farm, on which he had erected a fine house, which I saw in passing, a
very nice residence indeed, with plate glass windows, and carpeted
throughout with Brussels carpets, I am told.
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