Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-05-11
JlCCS TO BUY
IRISH CASTLE
With GHOSTS
Creator of Cartoons Shown
In Herald Wants a Home
BY the Sea
BY EUGENE X. cAMpBE1xL.

To the roster of, well known Arneri-
cans who maintain country estates in
Ireland there is to be added shortly
the name Of George McManus. the
%cartoonist and creator Of Bringing
Up Father who slipped quietly away
from this country on one Of the
steamships sailing last Saturday, and
July will he the landed proprietor
of. a broad Irish demesne. i
AS far back as 1913. while visiting
a lifelong friend who inherited
Clonally House, at Ballygawley in
Tyrons. from a great uncle. McManus
became inoculated with the desire to
own an Irish home some day and for
part of every year enjoy there the
charm Of Irish country life. and satur-
ate himself with the beauty OF Irish
scenery. The following a while
the plan was still urgent in his mind.
the war Until this year. the
war and the changes which followed
1t, and his own work have compelled
him to defer the putting into effect
of his intention.
But let a man in Ireland once an
nounce that he is captivated with
Things Irish n not a war lasting a
century will suffice to blur the effect
OF his announcement upon those in
terested-if they like HMM having
him come to bide among them. In
the nearly ten years which have
passed since McManus declared him.
self in love with Irish life his friends
in the green isle have watched care
fully for opportunities which they
thought would attract him and have
kept him informed of what was offer
ing in the market and why.
The recent situation in ireland has
brought salient changes to more than
one ancient country family, and now
the man looking for Irish acreage has
a variety of choice and location which
has not been afforded since 1s4S. At
least six estates which McManus has
news Of have everything calculated to
appeal to a new owner in whom the
strain of artist pulses strongly. One
has a castle on it. another a ruined
monastery. another was once the
home Of a famous patriot. a fourth
is the house which once sheltered a
Each. according to descriptions
which have accompanied pictures of
the residence houses to this country,
is in the heart of hunting land and in
a neighborhood conspicuous for all
those traditions which mak Irish
country life and hospitality the indi-
vidual thing that it is.
McManus' own inclination is for a
certain estate which looks out upon
the sea and behind which the country
falls way in Il rolling panorama of
field. woodland and lakes. The house
Is four centuries old and has a ghost
or two. Two kings have slept in 1t
and three times it's owners have held
siege when their tenantry tried to
burn it about their ears. st. Patrick
is said to have preached on the lawn
before the house where there are still
four tall standing stones. which, ac-,
cordins to legend. were one part OF
an open air druid temple. ,
But before making his final choice.
McMapus will see the several others
and will live in or in the neighborhood
of each for an extended stay in order
to make certain that he will like it If
he buys it,. At a dinner given in his
honor just before he went away he
said:
Il Expect to have to deaI with 20
solicitors, forty-four land agents, Sir
members of the House ofzLords. and
one thousand heirs. devisees and next
Of kin, before ! come back from Ire
land. and>. listen to their logic and
keep proof against their barney and
make a sensible choice in the long
run But Ill nave the deeds to an
Irish place in my pocket when I come
back. 1 made up my mind ten years
ago that l was going to sit at my
own Irish bacon and drink my w
pot'een before 1 reached the time OF
life when n place was the same as,
another and here goes"
He will spend long vacation at
his estate eve~l- voai after he takes
it over, and will manage to make
first residence include Christmas. He
has always believed in long holidays
insists that all work and no play
makes Jiggs a dull boy. Mrs.
McManus has gone to ireland with
him and, as he says. probably will tip
the balance Of choice if the choice
gets very narrow.