Sir, - "In Time's Eye" (July 10th) reminds me of a blackbird shoot at Marlfield, Clonmel, in 1933, the year when my widowed mother married into the Bagwell family and I was given a 20 bore shotgun. Jack Bagwell, Maurice Headlam's contemporary, had as W. T. Gosgrave's nominee for the Free State Senate been kidnapped and had escaped, and I painfully discovered that he had changed the size of his shot from No 10 to No 7, perhaps in case of further molestation.
As the junior gun, I was sternly warned that if I shot unsafely, I would never be allowed to shoot again. At lunch I was light heartedly asked: "Well, my boy, have you shot anyone'?" I deferentially replied: "Actually, no, sir", for a step relationship did not entitle one to familiarity. I then added: "Mr Bagwell shot me, but I don't suppose that matters."
Despite some blood from a slight flesh wound, I supposed correctly. The comment was: "You should not have got in the way".
In my later career from private soldier to colonel, I encountered many remarkable characters but for none did I ever acquire so great respect, and indeed affection, as for John Bagwell of Marlfield. Yours, etc.,
Ballingarrane,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.