[Father Tom Maguire, Dean of Kilmore, Irish Roman Catholic priest, celebrated orator.] Autograph Letter Signed ('T. Maguire') to Richard Montgomery of Coolehill, regarding his gift of a five-year-old pup, 'coursing in Goulan', and 'a great Auction'.

Maguire was, his entry in the Oxford DNB states, 'one of the most popular orators of his age, and from 1829 until 1843 he addressed huge crowds and packed congregations in churches and at venues throughout England and Ireland'. A year before the writing of the present letter he had 'dropped from public view [...] devoting himself to a legendary hospitality and to other country matters as, by his own boast, "the best shot, the best courser, the best quoit-player, the best breeder of greyhounds, pointers, and spaniels, and the best brewer of 'scaltheen' in the whole county of Leitrim", as his obituary in the Gentleman's Magazine recalled'. 1p, 4to. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and worn, with heavily worn second leaf (addressed, with four postmarks, to 'Richard Montgomery Esq | Coolehill') cropped along outer edge, and with traces of mount adhering. Folded four times. Seventeen lines of text. The letter fully supports Maguire's boast, beginning: 'Dear Mr Montgomery, | I sent your Puppy & Umbrella to Netterville of Ballyconnell yesterday with very particular directions about the treatment of the Puppy. She is a most beautiful black & white, having taken after Emperor. James Benison will run mad if he hears I gave one away, as I flatly refused him. This is the only Season for Coursing in Goulan & Glan-[Cane?] & take chance here - you will be sure of a well aired Bed - you will see better sport than at the celebrated Mountainstown'. Montgomery's five-week-old pup is 'trained to boiled white bread and new milk. The Lady is quite dry.' He ends by urging Montgomery to come to 'a great Auction of Captain Hassard's on Monday': 'your Dogs will be well cared here'. Three years after the writing of this letter Maguire was poisoned with arsenic, in a plot involving acquaintances of his housekeeper, two of whom were hanged for it.