"There is a nice monument put up to O'Connell in Ennis, in a corner it
is of the middle of a street, and himself high up on it, holding a book.
It was a poor shoe-maker set that going. I saw him in Gort one time, a
coat of O'Connell's he had that he chanced in some place. Only for him
there would be no monument; it was he gathered money for it, and there
was none would refuse him."
A PRAISE MADE FOR DANIEL O'CONNELL BY OLD WOMEN AND THEY BEGGING AT THE
DOOR
"Dan O'Connell was the best man in the world, and a great man surely;
and there could not be better than what O'Connell was.
"It was from him I took the pledge and I a child, and kept it ever
after. He would give it to little lads and children, but not to any aged
person. Pilot trousers he had and a pilot coat, and a grey and white
waistcoat.
"O'Connell was all for the poor. See what he did at Saint Patrick's
Island--he cast out every bad thing and every whole thing, to England
and to America and to every part. He fought it well for every whole
body.
"A splendid monument there is to him in Ennis, and his fine top coat
upon him. A lovely man; you'd think he was alive and all, and he having
his hat in his hand. Everyone kneels down on the steps of it and says a
few prayers and walks away. It is as high as that tree below. If he was
in Ireland now the pension would go someway right.
"He was the best and the best to everyone; he got great sway in the town
of Gort, and in every other place.
"I suppose he has the same talk always; he is able to do for us now as
well as ever he was; surely his mercy and goodness are in the town of
Gort.
"He did good in the world while he was alive; he was a great man surely;
there couldn't be better in this world I believe, or in the next world;
there couldn't be better all over the world.
"He used to go through all nations and to make a fight for the poor; he
gave them room to live, and used to fight for them too. There is no
doubt at all he did help them, he was well able to do it."