Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-05-25
THE DUELLO.
SOME NOTABLE IRISH DUELs.

Ireland is the home oethe modern duel.
Ii Aourishes here to an extent not dream
ed OF elsewhere. 1t was in Ireland. and
as late as 1872, too, that the Judge said
from the bench, in trial for murder in
duel, to his jury; "Gentemen, it is my
business to lay down the law to you, and
l will. The law says killing man in
duel is murder, and l am bound to tell
you that it is murder; therefore, in the
discharge ormy duty, tell you so, but at
the same time | say to you that fairer
duel than this | never saw in the course
Of my life"
If Ireland is the home Of the duel, Sir
Jonah Darlington may be called the
father of the code. His utterances upon
this subject are law all over the world
Darlington himself had several duels.
He was once called by Mr.. DAILY to the
field, without ever having seen him.
When he reached the ground Mr. DAILY
announced that Darlington was not the
man he had intended to challenge. Bar
rngton insisted, ,however,u upon proceeding
as, by Rule of the code "No apology
can 5e received without exchanging shots
after the parties have met" He fired
and wounded Mr. DAILY, and then accepted
his apology. At another timo he went
out to fight one McNaIly. His ball
struck McNally, who instantly cried /:
81 am hit" But tho bali had struck the
buckle Of his gallows spendors), and
had not entered tho body. Thereupon
Darlington said: : "You are the first
rogue, McNalIy, that | ever saw Sarcd
by the gallows." Darlington survived
all his dues.
John Philpot Curren was exceedingly
happy on the field, and usually went into
his "affairs" laughing. Ho oonce fought n
Mr.. St. Legor. He received his antago-
mist fire without hinching. but did not
return it "There was no necessity for
me to do so,' he said. 81 was perfectly
certain he would die Of fright at the re-
port OF his own pistol" On another oc-
ca,ion he went out to meet John Egan,
who is described rs great bully, and of
enormous size. EGan complained OF the
great disparity in their size, and said: 81
could rs easily hit razor edge ms him,
while he can take me as easily as turf
stack" Curran with an mir Of charming
candor, advanced and said: 81 wish to
take no advantage That may be offered mo
in your size. Therefore | am willing for
a section Of your body just tho size OF
mine to be chalbcd ON you and every ball
that / lodge il you outside Of the chalk
lines shall count for nothing"
O'Conneu, the Liberator, fought one
duel and killed his man. In speech
once he spoke Of Dublin MS "a beggarly
/ corpoIation.' lie was almost immedi
ately served with Il challenge from rs
terre, Il momber from Dublin. O'Connel
tired in several ways to avoid the meet
ing. The meeting, however, was insiste,
upon. When on the field O'Connol
made a speech in which he said that tn
duel had been arranged by the politica
opposition to take him off. "They haV
reckoned without their host" he said
"for l am one Of tho best marksmen il
Ireland. ! shall kill my opponent" -
His words proved true. D'Esterre fel
NJ the first dre,mortally wounded. O'Con
nell had one other meeting with 81
Robert PeeD, which, however. did no
come to shots. He always declined
to accept a challenge. "lIaving blooC
upon my hand" he said, 81 have regis
tered vow in heoyen never to NEE
another man IN mortal combat