TCD MS 10247/12/47 folio 6
Augt 8th [1914] Satdy
Very wet day rather stormy. Belgians check to Germans at Liége thoroughly confirmed. Bank rate it is thought will go down to 5. The Government are expected to take over the volunteers & there is to be a special parade this evening before some official sent to inspect them. Near tea-time when we had quite given up hopes of them Jack & Charlie appeared wet through. After tea V. & I went to look for the volunteers & met two coming up the avenue with their wooden guns, they gave us a note for Father which turned out to be a polite intimation that ‘Mr. Montmorencie Major’ was coming to inspect the volunteers in the Salmon pool field & would like to make his (Father’s) acquaintance. A little after six they marched up about 30. Father O’Byrne (with whom Sergeant [?McCluskey] said Mr M. was having a “counsel” causing the delay which we interpreted to mean his afternoon tea!) brought up & introduced. Mr M. & we all went to the field & saw them drilling , their “inspecting officer” wandering about after them in a bowler hat, an umbrella & a waterproof down to his heels. W. & I returned before long with F. & M. Mr. M. having been asked to supper. He duly appeared. He is a small, thick-set man, rather dark with very dark eyes a somewhat aggressive nose & a general air of ‘adventurer’ stamped all over him. He has not a bad face with his hat off. I expect he is rather a ‘stormy petrel’ having a natural affinity for rows & intrigues. He was on the Ballycannon gun-running vessel according to Father O ’B. & has been all <over the world in every sort of job according to himself. At present settled for the Summer at Killiney in a Mrs. Domville’s cottage of whom the chief thing he seemed to know was that she was the 3rd wife of her late husband. He said he volunteered for the war in Sth Africa & was leader of a sort of “scallywag” company of artillery. >