Fonsie Mealy Auctioneers RARE BOOK & COLLECTORS SALE 6th & 7th, December 2022

75 Fonsie Mealy’s Est. 1934 521. Father of ‘’The Cripple Kavanagh’’ Kavanagh (Thomas) A single page A.L.s. from T. Kavanagh, Burlington Hotel, London, July 8th, 1830 to Rev. Thomas Vigors (of Burgage, Co. Carlow, Rector of Powerstown, Co. Kilkenny) asking for his support in the forthcoming election. As a m/ss., w.a.f. (1) * Thomas Kavanagh, Borris House, Co. Carlow (1767-1837) was M.P. for Kilkenny, 1797 - 1799, and for Carlow 1826 - 31, and 1835 - 37. He was proprietor of a huge landed estate, he was considered ‘charitable and benevolent’ by all, and it was said of him that ‘he descended from a line of princes, he was princely in thought, word & deed.’ By his second wife, Lady Harriet Margaret le Poer Trench, he was father of the amazing Arthur Mac Murrough Kavanagh, or ‘ The Cripple Kavanagh ’. (1) €120 - €180 522. Naval Interest : [Rokeby (Sir Richard)] An interesting 19th Century Naval Account Manuscript Book, for the ‘HMS Eden’ (a 24 Gun Sixth Rate Warship) which was commanded by Sir Richard Rokeby, off the Coast of Africa 1830 - 37, approx. 30pps (interleaved) in contemp full red mor. As a manuscript, w.a.f. (1) €130 - €180 523. Co. Monaghan Printing: Printed Poster, Timber for Sale. To be Sold at Lisnalong, For Ready Money,... Ash, Oak, Larch and Scotch Fir... July 15th 1832. Printed by Nathaniel Greacen, printer, etc. Diamond, Monaghan. Good, as ephemera, w.a.f. Scarce. (1) * Lisnalong is situated midway between Coothill and Ballibay. €40 - €70 524. Co. Leix: Three Letters written by Thomas Fitzherbert (?) to J. Price of Westfield Farm, Mountrath, Queen’s County, 11 May, 19 June and 6 October 1837. In the first, the writer promises to send a copy of his (electoral?) address. In the second, he complains of giddiness in his head but looks forward to “taking advantage of your kindness and hospitality”. In the third, written from Plasnewydd (Cardiff? Anglesey? Llangollen?) he thanks Mr. Price for his congratulations on the birth of a child, again complains of ill-health, and refers to a recent public meeting, the appointment of a doctor, and the location of a police barracks. As a m/ss., w.a.f. (3) * Westfield is outside Mountrath, Co. Leix. €100 - €150 525. Co. Kerry: An Album of poems by Sir Edward Denny and others, 1830s-1840s 4to Album, containing poems by (among others) Sir Edward Denny, 4th Bart, hymn-writer and benevolent landlord, including Denny’s hymn “Zion”, “[Lines] written within view of the light house on the magnificent Skellig Rock, Sept. 2nd 1837”, and “On the death of a lovely boy Edward Gayer who died on the 9th January 1840”. Approx. 31pp in all, in a contemporary notebook. As a m/ss., w.a.f. (1) €150 - €200 526. Lengthy Letter from an Angry Irish Expat, 1837 Connolly (John) Letter running to approx. 8,000 words 7pp foolscap written by John Conolly in Bagni di Lucca, Tuscany, to Thomas Kelly, Lower Gardiner St., Dublin, November 1837. Conolly writes at great length and in considerable fury concerning the machinations of John Farrell and his law agent, ironically named Lawless, Farrell (one of the two trustees of his wife, a ward of court) having withheld monies due to her under her marriage settlement – bonds, dividends, income from rents at Newhaggard and King St., Dublin. Worst of all, “as if to put us to every possible expense, the paper used was the thickest he could find; the consequence was, I was put to the cost of triple postage, and which I am ill able to afford, for his cock and bull story. You may imagine the delight of my children on bringing me a letter of such an appearance, knowing full well what I was led to expect … and have suddenly their joy turned to sorrow and dejection.” Appends a schedule of documents and a copy letter to Messrs Jno Farrell and Joseph Barnewall (the two trustees). Begun on 1 November, the letter took a long time to complete: “I have been labouring under very severe indispositions for the last month and the writing of this letter, for the most part in bed, has taken me three weeks, our circumstances having prevented us quitting the mountain where we have latterly been exposed to dreadful weather in a miserable accommodation without even a fireplace, brought on a very severe illness.”With postal markings etc. As a m/ ss., w.a.f. (1) €160 - €240 527. The Family of Jonathan Swift’s Friend Co. Leix: Wilmot Chetwode Family Twenty-five small diaries and account books of the Wilmot Chetwode family of Woodbrook, Queen’s County, c. 1816-1891. They include general accounts, household expenses, inventories of furniture, silver, etc., farm accounts, travel expenses, relating mainly 80 Newtown Park, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, and to Woodbrook, Co. Leix, which was inherited by EdwardWilmot in 1839, on the death of his cousin, Jonathan Chetwood. One of the volumes records a journey to Clifton in 1818 and concludes ‘.... returned to Ireland with a broken - oh may it be a contrite spirit,’What a world of anxiety lies before me! My heart is weak, and my children just at the age to require my utmost vigilance, care & activity, May God give, me his blessing!’ & also includes a significant reference to the ‘Night of the Big Wind in 1839,’ Mostly covered in limp hide & paper. As a coll., of m/ss, w.a.f. A Scarce survival. (1) * Jonathan Swift stayed at Woodbrook, Portarlington on several occasions, and he is reputed to have written the bulk of “Gulliver’s Travels,” in the library there. In the 1940’s John Betjeman often stayed in Woodbrook & fell in love with its galleried kitchen. The demesne is described in Thomas Lacy’s volume, printed in 1863, “Sights and Scenes in Our Fatherland, c. 1860’s. €300 - €500