At Millstreet we stopped a few minutes, and most of the passengers took a lunch. A loaf of bread, the shell of half a cheese and a huge piece of cold baked beef were set upon the table in the dirty barroom. Each went and cut for himself, filling mouth, hands and pockets as he chose. Those who took meat paid a shilling ; for the bread and cheese, a sixpence. The Englishmen had their beer, the Irishmen their whiskey, the Americans cold water. Our party came out with hands full, but the host of wretches about the coach, who seemed to need it more than we, soon begged it all away from us, and then besought us, ” Please, sir, a ha’-penny, and may God reward ye in heaven.” A woman lifted up her sick child, in which was barely the breath of life, muttering, ” Pray, yer honour, give me a mite for my poor childer, a single penny, and may God save yer shoul.” Several deformed creatures stationed themselves along the street, and shouted after us in the most pitiful tones. Others ran beside the [read more …] “A Visitor to Millstreet in 1850”
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Community website for Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland
