I have been aware since my youth that we did possess at least one ancestor of which my mother and my maternal grandmother were particularly proud.
John Francis Maguire, who flourished at the latter half of the nineteenth century, was the same Granny’s grandfather and therefore my great-great grandfather.
Among his many claims to fame were that he founded the Cork (now Irish) Examiner. (I remember my Granny telling me that he would get someone to row out to the Transatlantic Liners in Queenstown, as it was then, to get the latest news from America, then telegraph it on to London to be the first there with the news.)
He also stood as an MP for the city of Cork, served on many occasions as Lord Mayor for that city, but, principally he earned his place in history by writing many learned books on politics and history.
His book on Rome so pleased the Vatican that he was awarded a Papal Knighthood by the Pope. His book on the Irish in America was obviously a seminal work in that field and now has been preserved on line.
Two recently learned facts about the man have fascinated me.
One was that he also wrote fairy stories for children, one of which called Prince Marigold and Other Stories I am trying to locate, the other was that he was pictured by the cartoonist “Spy” for Vanity Fair in 1872.
This I discovered, too late for purchase, on a link into Ebay.
But my luck has returned because I found the cartoon in an on-line antique print specialist in Canada, managed to buy it and it arrived this morning.
So at last I am able to look at the illustrious man himself.

Not very flattering is it?
Well it is a caricature.
Labelled, rather sardonically “A Home Ruler” the print is dated March 23rd 1872.
I am delighted, as I know of no other extant picture, to be able to see the man at last.
I am even more delighted to see the strong family resemblance.

There is no denying my Great grandmother, Mary Maguire Harding (his daughter)’s nose and chin

Nor her daughter, Josephine Harding Daly, (on the left below) my grandmother’s similar features.

Indeed the man must have had a particularly strong set of genes as I could name several first cousins with the same features (But won’t!)

So 135 years later, nice to see you Great Great Granda!

Post Script on February 3rd 2006

It was not the only extant picture of the illustrious forebear as I discovered when I opened todays post.
My brother Ted has managed to unearth another of John Francis all dickied out as Lord mayor of Cork.

No oil painting is he?
In fact the Spy cartoon wasn’t so unflattering after all.