The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-03-31
MAN OF CONSIDERABLE VERSATILITY
Sans Legs and Arms He Indulged
in Athletic Sports.
Led LANDLORD FACTION IN BRAINS
Descendant of Art M'Murpough
Prince of Leinster.

The late M'Murrough Kavanagh,
owner of extensive estates in the county
Carlow, local lord lieutenant, one of
her majesty's privy councillors and
chairman of several legal and admins
trative boards throughout the country,
was one of the most remarkable beings,
physically apd mentally, that this cen
tury has produced. He was born with
out either legs or arms, says Thomas
Minotte Donnelly in the Weekly Bou-
quet, of Boston, Mass.
Visitors to Boris House, the resi-
dence of the Kavanaghs, were made
aware by the servants mysterious whis-
perings Of the existence of a deformed
boy, who was concealed in the garret
from the prying eye of curiosity. One
OF his female attendants, a tender
hearted woman, used to take the afflict-
ed one in her lap, and tell him tales of
his great ancestors, notably of Art
M'Murrough, Prince of Leinster, who
defeated the army of the powerful Eng
lish monarch, Richard H., in the wilds
and Businesses of Wicklow, and who de-
fed the whole power OF the Pale for 90
years. The boys crippled form held a
determined soul, an indomitable will
From this domestic he received the first
rudiments of his education. By his own
exertions he amply supplemented her
teachings.
An accident in the hunting field, by
which his elder and only brother lost
his life, left him sole heir of the lordly
denesne and all its revenues. Thence
forward he appeared in public, and per-
formed all the duties incidental to his
squiredom. There was nothing that the
neighboring gentry could do that he
was unable to perform. He did many
things that were entirely beyond their
power He sailed his yacht around the
world, he was considered the most dar-
ing huntsnan in that sporting commun-
ity, he was an expert fisherman, and
moreover, he was acknowledged by
friends and foes alike as the brain car
rier- Of the Irish landlords landlords. Terribly
handicapped as he was he wooed and
won, from rivals as wealthy as himself
noble, beautiful maiden, the daughter
of the rector of Boris. When she ac-
quainted her father of her intention to
marry Kavanagh, that good man lost
his temper. Surely, you do not mean
to marry one who has neither legs MOI
arms?" he cried. "He has enough body
to keep his soul together" she replied
'besides am not marrying him for his
body" "But," he urged when he found
that she was in deadly earnest, II ex-
pected a different result as the out.
come of my training. I have always
taught you to be truthful and to act
sincerely. How can you marry a man
you cannot love?" "But I love him
devotedly, passionately," she stoutly
vehemently maintained. "Would you
marry him if he were poor?" was hel
fathers final query. "If he were, he
would be Of too noble nature to ask
me-" was her answer.
Kavanagh became the father of fine
family. He was strict disciplinarian
It is related that on one occasion the
governess, going to the library, found
her master correcting his eldest son, a
Ifne handsome boy of seventeen years,
five feet and half in height. Turning
around suddenly to find the cause of the
intrusion the cane dropped from be-
meath his stump, which was about six
inches in length, to the floor. Dutifully
obcdient the youth stopped, picked it up
and replaced it in its former position,
receiving his punishment without a
word. He established the Emergency
Association, composed of the landed
gentry, their agents, bailiffs, we'll wish
ers and loyalists generally. 1t was a
counter organization to Parnell's fa-
nous Land League. Kavanagh was the
bitterest political enemy the Irish chief
had, but the latter always entertained a
warm personal regard for him. That
the great Irish leader was of chival-
rous character is shown by the follow
ing incident. Kavanagh, whilst acting
as chairman of a, public meeting con-
vened in the city Of Dublin, said, in the
course of his address: "A resolution has
been put into my hands," 'Where the
- did you get hands? came the
brutal interruption from some saxaaes