Volume: CBÉ 0407 (Part 1)
- Date
- 1937
- Collector
- Locations
Archival Reference
The Main Manuscript Collection, Volume 0407, Page 0022
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- Sion of the noble house of Murrough Kavanagh of Borris & M. P. for Carlow for many years. Born "without arms or legs," he was endowed with great intellectual acumen & much sensuality. He certainly had two little stumps of arms but no axis of flection in them. A real historic character. Could write beautifully, holding the pen between his teeth; was a keen huntman, following the hounds in a kind of houdah strapped on the horse's back. He sailed on his own yacht from Borris, down the Barrow, cross the Channel to moor at Westminster.M'athair.
The Kavanaghs or Mac Murrough Kavanaghs, to give them their full title were a fine Catholic family until the time of the Reformation, when they, in common with so many of the landed gentry sold their religion for a mess of pottage. The chapel & the statues remained undisturbed until this man's mother arrived on the scene. She had the greatest contempt for all things Catholic & for the poor.
It is said that a poor woman with a flock of children at her heels asked alms of my lady when she met her on the 'grand drive'(continues on next page)
