July Books 15) The Cruise of the R.Y.S. Eva

[nwhyte]

15) The Cruise of the R.Y.S. Eva, by Arthur Kavanagh

My latest little project is to read up on the fascinating Arthur MacMorrough Kavanagh, whose life story combines my interests in Irish history and disability. I have ordered all three available biographies second hand, but was delighted to discover that the one book which he himself actually

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[clanwilliam]

*grins*

I spent most of my summer holidays at university working in Borris.

Therefore, not only did I see the walls he tried to jump on a horse (and the man was *mad* - they were higher than the biggest Puissance wall I've ever seen) on a daily basis, but his descendant is a rather nice man, whose mother had enough clout to insist on her second marriage that, while she'd take her husband's name, their first-born son had to take hers to ensure that there was still a Kavanagh at Borris.

There's a great story told about Arthur McMurrough Kavanagh though, on his visiting a friend elsewhere in the country. Apparently he arrived and complimented his host on the memories of the locals. "It's extraordinary. I haven't been here for ten years, but the stationmaster recognised me instantly."