HAL
Gunning, Mr. Walford "9* says : " The two sisters are very much alike ; both are remarkable for their small mouths, high foreheads, aquiline noses, and arched eye- brows. Certainly Maria would be adjudg- ed by the ladies now-a-days the prettier in detail — she is slim and_ elegant, though rather inanimate; but I much prefer the looks of Elizabeth, who is darker, plumper, and more intelligent, and altogether a finer woman." There was a third and younger sister, Catherine, who, in 1769, married Eobert Travis and passed most of her life in Ireland. She had a daughter who, in the next generation, kept up the fame of the family for personal beauty. It is amusiug now-a-days to read of the excitement their beauty occasioned — of the nobility at a di-awing-room clambering on to chairs and tables in the presence of royalty, to get a sight of them ; of 700 persons sitting up all night in and about an inn to see them pass to their chaise in the morning ; of a guard of soldiers being necessary to protect Lady Coventry from the curiosity of the public. This interest continued even after her death : io,cx3o persons went to see the out- side of her coffin. "^ '^^
Holiday, William, a promising Irish scholar, who died at an early age, the son of a Dublin tradesman, was born about 1 788. He studied Irish as a dead language, and produced a grammar in his nineteenth year. He was one of the founders of the Gaelic Society, and projected a translation of Keating^ s History of Ireland with the Irish text and a memoir of the author, only one volume of which (Svo. Dublin 181 1) had appeared at the time of his death, aged 23, on 26th October 18 12. Edward O'Reilly, in the preface of his Irish Dictionary (1821), acknowledges in warm terms his obligations to him. The inscription on his tomb in Dimdrum churchyar', County of Dublin, was written by his friend Dr. Lanigan. He is thus spoken of in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, vol. xv. : "A Oranunar of the Irish Latiguage, Dublin, 1808, pub- lished in Svo. under the fictitious signature 'E. O. C; but the author was William Haliday, a native of Dublin, and a singu- larly g&ted youth, who not only compiled this grammar, but published the first volume of a most excellent translation of Keating's History of Ireland, with the original on collateral pages. He also pro- ceeded on a lexicon of the language, which he would have published, but was pre- vented by a premature death at the early age of twenty-three. Had this young gen- tleman lived he would most probably have 240
HAL
achieved more for the ancient literature of Ireland than any other individual of his time. His early display of talents, and deep knowledge of the Greek, Latin, and some of the Oriental languages, joined with unwearied antiquarian research and an enthusiastic zeal for devoting his talents to the service of his country, would have rendered him one of its brightest literary ornaments." =°^ ^^ s^st 349
Haliday, Charles, a distinguished Irish antiquary, a Dublin merchant, bro- ther of preceding, was born in 1 789. He was elected one of the Royal Irish Academy in January 1847, and thenceforward was among its most active and useful members. For many years he was on the council. His paper on the ancient name of Dublin is printed in the 22nd vol. of the Transac- tions; that on the Danes and Danish anti- quities of Ireland, read but not printed, he afterwards set himself to extend and develop. He made some important disco- veries relative to the history of Dublin and the extended rule of the Danish colony of that city. He did not live to complete the work, but his manuscript was con- signed to Mr. John P. Prendergast, who is now (1877) engaged in preparing it for publication. He died 14th September 1866, aged jj, and was buried in Monks- town cemetery. County of Dublin. His splendid collection of pamphlets on Irish affairs was presented by his widow to the Royal Irish Academy ; and his portrait, painted by order of the Academy, adorns its walls. '4* ^33
Halpiue, Charles G., Major, an author, better known by the pseudonym of " MUes O'Reilly," was born at Oldcastle, in the County of Meath, November 1829. His father, a clergyman, a scholar, and an author, was at the time of his birth editor of the Bvhlin Evening Mail. Having passed through Trinity College, when but eighteen he emigrated to America, and was engaged on the press in New York and Boston until AprU 1861, when he volun- teered in the Union army and rose to the grade of major in the regular service. He resigned in 1864, ^^d became editor of the Citizen, supported Mr. Lincoln's second candidature, and was appointed Register of the County of New York. He died from an overdose of chloroform, 3rd August 1868, aged 38. While serving in the south he wrote Poems by the Letter H, two volumes of humorous writings under the name of " Private Miles O'Reilly," and a volume of war songs and verses, which became favourites in the army. The New York Times says : " Person- ally, General Halpine was extremely
