Descriptive List - University College Cork Library

some monies due before travelling to Ireland. Requests that Dan and Phil
write.
457 15 May 1805
Incomplete letter from Mary Nash, Ipswich, to her sister in law Mary Anne
Ryan, discussing her estate and the legacies of her late husband George. Mary
offers advice on Mary Anne’s plans to pursue a case on behalf of her children
into Chancery. She counsels caution “founded on sad experience” and
recommends a respectable attorney be engaged “such as Mr. Furlong, Mr.
Matt Frank of York Street or Mr. Dunn of Stephens Street” and that their
opinion be given to “Councellor Saurin”. Cautions however “of the law tribe,
very few of them are to be found who would not encourage you to contention,
untill they had drained the last Penny from your income”. Moves on to discuss
the education of Mary’s children, advising that a school as good as Oscott
would not be found in Ireland. Of Mary’s worries regarding Inch she says “ I
do not think the state of Inch should give you concern I wish the great fabric
would fall to the ground it would cost more to pull it down than to build a
comfortable house”. Entreats Mary to trust in God and not object to the
actions of well meaning relatives. Gives news of friends and relatives
mentioning “the land of potatoes”. She plans to visit London for a week “to
give my lasses a few days amusement in the great & gay world.
458 1 July 1805
Letter to Mary Ryan from her sister in law Mary Nash, London, discussing the
future of Mary Ryan’s sons. Gives news also of the activities of the Otter
family and her daughter Maria Brown. Describes the social scene in London,
and the lifestyle there of her daughter. “As to Belles, 2 Irish ladys still have
the preminece Lady Olivia & Lady Cecelia FitzGerald daughters to the late
Duke of Lenister”. Refers also to the current joy at news of Nelson’s
successes against the combined fleets. Describes her own routine. She is “so
entirely dependant on other peoples carriages I can not always do as I wish, at
3 o’clock I am regularly taken about the town, but as to calling on a mere
friend that’s out of the question”. Details suppers and parties she attended and
the style observed.
113
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