We were confident that, as we were on sound economic ground, no matter what difficulties might confront us it was only a question of time for the attainment of our ends.

All that was required was that we should keep pegging away.

My own experience was not encouraging at first.

I was, and am, a poor speaker, and in Ireland a man who cannot express his thoughts with facility, whether he has got them or not, accentuates the difficulties under which a prophet labours in his own country.

I made up for my deficiencies in the first essential of Irish public life by engaging a very eloquent political speaker, the late Mr.Mulhallen Marum, M.P., to stump the country.