the Ulster accent is generally regarded as a hard one, I never thought
it was so with my friend. Perhaps this is owing to my partiality as a
County Down man, which, though born in Antrim, I always consider myself,
Down being the native place of my people from time immemorial. I have
always thought that the people born and reared, as Bernard was, among
the Mourne Mountains and their surroundings have anything but an
unmusical accent.

In connection with the Fenian movement my dear old friend was a strong,
active, and generous sympathiser. His purse was always available for
every good National object, whether "legal" or "illegal," and I know as
a fact that many a good fellow "on the run" found shelter under his
roof, and never went away empty-handed.




CHAPTER V.

THE "NO-POPERY" MANIA--THE TENANT LEAGUE--THE CURRAGH CAMP.


The restoration of the Catholic Hierarchy, September 29th, 1850, brought
on what appeared to us one of John Bull's periodical fits of lunacy. I
witnessed many scenes of mob violence at the time, when, in deference to
the prevailing bigotry in opposing what they termed "Papal Aggression" a
part of the Penal Laws were revived in Lord John Russell's
Ecclesiastical Titles Act. In due course John got over his paroxysm, and
the Act was repealed.