Barry: Laughter Before And After The Tears

By Barry

                                              In Memory

This was in a country and time of both plenty and want. Yet, they were the only legal comfort left to a seemingly doomed indigenous people. Still too, they could smile just before and after the tears.

Hermann Von Puclker-Muskau, a travel writer from Germany visiting Ireland in 1828, and between famines then, wrote the following observations:

"Our driver blew his horn, as in Germany, a signal from the mail-coach to get out of its way. However, the sound was so distorted and pathetic that everyone burst into laughter.

"A pretty 12-year-old lad, who looked like joy personified, though almost naked, let out a mischievous cheer, and called after the driver in his impotent rage: 'Hey you! Your trumpet must have a dose of the sniffles, it's as hoarse as me auld grandmother. Give it a drop of the craythur or it'll die of consumption before ye reach Galway!'

"A crowd of men were working on the road. They had heard the feeble sound from the horn, and all laughed and cheered as the coach went by.

"'There you are, that's our people for you,' said my companion. 'Starvation and laughter – that is their lot. Do you suppose that even with the amount of workers and the lack of jobs that any of these earn, have enough to eat his fill? And yet each of them will put aside something to give to his priest, and when anyone enters his cabin, he will share his last potato with them and crack a joke besides.'"

Barry