Descriptive List - University College Cork Library

639 1928
640 1929
at Inch 11pm having crossed by day mail. Found the dear Dad very ill. Bad
bronchitis. Maude doing day nursing. Nurse Shaw from St. Vincents doing the
night”. Entries continue detailing the state of his father’s health until his death
on the 26 th February. “ Fr. Hayes gave last blessing about 5.30 pm Dear dear
Dad”. Entries then continue in the established format recording weather, farm
work family activities and sporting (mainly hunting) activities. Includes 19
July “Got great shock about 1200 - a telegram from Stephen [Grehan] to say
Joss [Ryan] had died yesterday as the result of a polo accident. What a
tragedy – Poor little Aileen. My best friend gone- I can’t realise it!”. On the
31 Aug he notes “Col Minchin’s [whose family lived locally] aeroplane, in
which he is attempting to fly to Canada, passed over the meadow at a low
altitude & flying slowly, at about 1100”. A note at rear records books sold to
W. H. Robinson of Newcastle, and repairs to his car.
114pp
Country Gentleman’s Estate Book and Diary. Brief daily entries record
weather conditions, work on the home farm, general and sporting activities
and family news. 11 Jan “A lovely day but cold. Hunting at Dragan – Drove
to Fethard in car and hacked out – All the morning blank but found at Bennets
Hill in the afternoon & had a slow hunt at about 1½ hours finally losing him
near Bannintown. Home by 1800 & went with K [his wife, Kathleen] to
Kilkummy hunt ball…..A well arranged affair but I saw v. few I knew &
found it v boring.” Notes farm work and unusual occurrences at home 24 Feb
“D.G. no fresh cases of F&M disease so far”. 25 March “ Hannah, Mary &
Kitchen maid all gave notice - a row downstairs!”. 14 Aug “ Georgie [his son
Arthur] smashed the barometer playing ball in the hall”. His entries also give a
clue as to what happened the rest of the Ryan archives, 30 April “Got a pit
dug for burying old books & other rubbish –Fitted up an old iron hay rack for
burning papers etc. in ”. Notes at front and rear record the [hiring out] of
horses, vegetables sown, repairs, breakdowns and mileage of his car.
108pp
Country Gentleman’s Estate Book and Diary. Brief daily entries record
weather conditions, work on the home farm, general and sporting activities
and family news. e.g. 13 Mar “Went to a hunt meeting in Thurles in the
evening. Pure waste of time”. 19 th July “K & her Aunt [Christine Chichester]
went to a garden party at the Veseys. Tried to look at beehive but bees were v.
cross & went for me”. While away on his annual trip to the Dublin Horse
show he is careful to note farm activities at home. 6 th Aug “ Inch Sold 16
167