The following are extracts from the Journal,1824-30 of Clarissa Trant published in "Crosshaven, a Literary Portrait", compiled by Diarmuid O'Murchadha
The Trants were an old Jacobite family originally from Caheratrant near Dingle. In the 1720s Thomas Trant moved to Cork and around 1793 his son, Peter purchased Myrtleville House. Another son, Nicholas, joined Walsh's regiment in the French army, and after the revolution fled to England and became one of Count Walsh's captains in the British army. The British promoted him to Brigadier-General, and the king of Portugal made him a Knight Commander of the order of Torre e Spada. Imn 1822 he rented Myrtleville House from Peter, and built Myrtleville Cottage near the sea (now the bar/restaurant known as known as 'Bunnyconnellan') where he frequently holidayed with his two children, Clarissa and Tom. Clarissa kept a private and somewhat irreverant-journal, which was edited by her grand-daughter, Clara Georgina Luard, and published in 1925. The following are extracts from it, relating to her beloved 'Cottage on the rocks'. CLARISSA TRANT, 1829 By D. Maclise March 1824: After Church my father proposed a vliit to the cottage which I was naturally very anxious to see. We went in an open boat [from Cove] outside the harbour (a part of the expedition which I did not admire),sea very rough, landed at the foot of a noble cliff which we ascend with the assistance of the sailors.
		The scene was wild and beautiful even beyond my expectations, and I cannot imagine a sweeter spot for a summer residence than that which my father has selected, if it had a little wood - but I fear the plantations will not thrive. I am no longer surprised at his prediliction for Ballyhoneen [Baile an Chuainin] where his happy childhood was spent. Our reception was half affecting and half burlesque -'Welcome to Ireland and a thousand welcomes', were repeated by the ragged regiment who followed us in every direction and it would require the pen of a Miss Edgeworth to do justice to this amazing scene. I wish some of our English friends had witnessed it.
20 April 1824: Met my Father at Ballyhoneen. The cottage looks very well, and it prospers. I believe we shall be obliged to spend the winter in it in order to retrieve the expenses of building. Mieux vaut mille et mille fois une chaumire sur un Rocher avec mon pere qu'un palais a Bath et lui en Portugal. My Father came to dinner and I had the melancholy task of communicating to him the death of one of my Father's earliest friends Mrs Brooke. 6 May 1824: My father went to Ballyhoneen. Lady Colville called and we walked together on the beach. Read Lady Moyan's new work. 9 May 1824: Dined at Mr. L.'s.The conversation was in one unvaried strain of local chit-chat, - Heaven knows I am no advocate for solitude - no one enjoys society more than myself, but I would rather live from one end of the year to the other amongst the rocks at Ballyhoneen than be condemned to mix in the gossiping circle of a provincial town in Ireland. C'etait un de mes jours noir. Why am I always cross? 10 May 1824: Lord and Lady Colville called to take me in their barge to Coolmore and Hoddersfield. The weather was delightful. His lordship tres aimable and very chatty. I was much pleased with the excursion. 18 May 1824: Crossed the water and arrived at Hoddersfield in time for dinner. J'etais souffrante, et la societe m'a paru fort insipide. 24 May 1824: Walked down with my father to the cottage which looked beautiful. Saw the Tweed sailing out of the harbour - May God grant them a good voyage and safe return! 27 May 1824: Hoddersfield. Nothing can exceed the kindness of this family, - mais il faut que j'ai le coeur bien ingrat car les journees me pesent terriblement. (28 May) II y a tant de jeunnes personnes et elles sont toutes si obligeantes que je me trouve rarement seule- mais le moyen se s'interesser beaucoup aux conversations journalieres de Hoddersfield! Les messieurs ne parlent pas que de la chase la peche etc; les dames! - mais elles sont fort bonnes it je suis fort ingrate. 14 June 1824 At ten o'clock this morning, I left Coolmore and arrived at our cottage on the rocks where I was welcomed by my beloved father and the two other members of our half-pay establishment) vis. our Welsh maid and our little dog. Father and I dined tete-a-tete and spent a most happy day. The presence of my dearest brother was alone wanting to render it one of the happiest of my life and as if to console us for his absence we received a letter dated 7th January. I found a thousand good resolutions to be good and contented in our new and solitary home. 22 July 1824 Club day. Mr. C. assembled the yachts under our windows and they had a pretty effect. We dined at Hoddersfield to meet the Dean of Cork, who is considered a well-informed intelligent man. Au reste the conversation of the family party was not calculated to draw him out. 1 August 1824 Read my prayers amongst the rocks intending intending to go to Church in the evening. Nothing could be more calculated to inspire devotion than the magnificent scene before me and I endeavoured to fix my mind upon serious subjects, but alas, all my thoughts were soon replaced by frivolity and vanity. The first object that attracted my attention was the steam packet coming from Bristol and I thought to myself- 'Serait-il la'? 12 September 1824 Received a visit from our new neighbour Mr.C.O'G. Oh what a specimen of a Co. Limerick foxhunter! What a melancholy attempt at being irristible! Dieu merci que nous ne sommes pas plus proches voisins! Anne Penrose arrived in the 'Gossamer' to spend some days with me-she is a very amiable girl. 13 September 1824 Went to Church and heard a very bad sermon. Walked out in the evening evening and most providentially met a poor woman who had come to us for wine two days ago and of whom to my shame be it spoken spoken I never thought since. I took the opportunity to verify the account she gave us of her extreme misery and of her son's illness, and in truth such wretchedness I never saw. I thank God that he has enabled me to repair the unpardonable neglect of which I was guilty and made me for once the instrument of good. The unhappy mother was actually giving her only son cold water and a potato for his sole nourishment, he has been been confined to a bed of straw for six months. 19 Sept.1824 Went to Church - visited my poor woman. With what trifling means one may relieve the distress and secure the gratitude of a wretched Irish peasant! 10 Oct 1824 Visited a wretched family who are actually living in a hole made between the angles of a hedge and covered with straw-the poor woman within three weeks of her confinement,her sick child streched by her side. We hear of misery - we talk of it- but we know not what it is until we have seen it exemplified in Ireland! 20 April 1827 The Penrose girls, the only beings whom I love on this side of the water, came to spend the morning with me. In the afternoon we embarked in my Father's whale boat and after two hours of misery, for sailing in an open boat is nothing less to me , we landed at the cottage on the rocks. lM7l21 April 1827 It blew very hard all night and day. Our half unfurnished rooms look very dreary and my heart is oppressed with many painful recollections. Every view, every rock here has some association attached to it, and calls those days when I believed everyone to be as sincere and open hearted as I was myself. 22 April 1827: Ireland. Weather cold and stormy. wretched half starves beings covered with rags succeeded each other all day at our windows imploring that charity which no one could refuse, to misery and want personified. Oh fair and happy England, how little do your wealthy well-clad cottagers know of the sufferings of their neighbours in this oppressed country! An English peasant considers himself starving if he cannot afford to provide his family with tea and sugar: an Irish farmer is thankful if he can provide his children with a dozen potatoes for the day. 30 April 1827 Mr, O'Grady and his brother dined with us.Very heavy work to amuse two Limerick foxhunters! 26 May1827: Th« steam packet came in this morning, and in half an hour afterwards we saw a boat rowing towards the Cottage- a tall slight figure was seated at the helm, which we soon recognised to be my darling Brother. - What a day of happiness! It was not of long duration - in a few days he was confined to his bed by illness - but even then I was comparatively happy for I h»d the privilege of nursing him. June 1828 I endeavoured to spend this summer a little more profitably then the preceding ones - instead of passing hour after hour in reading and writing in my Grotto among the rocks hoping I dare say, that when I raised my eyes I should by accident meet those of some delightful and unexpected visitor, I made myself better acquainted with our poor neighbours, and ventured to to commence a little working school for twelve girls. 31 July 1829 The morning broken upon, by the cavalcade from Gortyrumane [Gortigrenane House]. Sir R. and Lady T. and the three May Poles. 'Oh la! Miss Trant, what's that funny little man doing in a mortar?' (alluding to a little, bronze, antique figure of Mercury which had been placed in a patera) 'I declare hes like old Harry with horns on his head.' 6 August1829: Yacht Club day, beautiful weather; a large party landed from the Gossamer. Sir William and Lady Chatter-py •coomplished, nice little person - Austins - Colonel , (Ihnrles Turner, etc. - wanted me to return with i| I promised to go to-morrow. ? IM9: The boat came for me at 10 o'clock, we picked up it Crosshaven, and I proceeded under his auspices ill, where he left me with a merry party, having first ill to the family, with whom he was pleased. Very pleas-Contrast of high fashion and extreme vulgarity. Wtts there. We danced. i 1829: The morning having cleared up soon after 28 Crosshaven 1750-2000 Clarissa Trant 29 breakfast I insisted upon returning home. They consented a I last, and we all started, a merry party, in the Gossamer. They landed me at Crosshaven, and I walked across the dreary road and churchyard alone. I was very happy to return home. 29 August 1829: We went by water to Gorlegrinna. Lady T. is a most extraordinary specimen of a good-natured Irish garrison lady. 'And what would I do if they shot him?' speaking of her husband. 'I hate all that "old Pottery"', in allusion to Sir Robert's collection of antiques, 'but I can't help seeing them when I go into his Office.' Oh , Ireland! 16 Sept. 1829: My Father busy with his garden, and I was left to amuse Major Eden, who is without exception one of the leasl difficult persons to amuse that I ever met with. We took a lonjj and pleasant walk together to Ringabella, then rowed up the river to Gortegrinnana. The family not at home. Returned by the rocks. Had a nice chat about Tom and old times. 28 Sept. 1829: A most tragical accident occurred this morng. which has, thank God, terminated much better than we at first expected. Mr Burgess had just taken leave of us at the Cottage and mounted his horse to return to the Barracks when the animal took fright at the sea, and galloped off full speed along the Cliffs - the saddle turning at the same moment, our poor friend was thrown upon the bank but not until he had been dragged some distance. We saw him rise as if nothing had happened and run after the horse, but not seeing him after the horse was caught we began to fear that something had happened. I ran to the top of the hill and saw him lying on the grass in a field beneath, apparently unable to move. When he saw me he tried to persuade me that he was not hurt, and made very light of the injury which his knee had sustained; but he was in great pain, and my Father wrote to his Colonel to inform him of the circumstance. 5 Oct. 1829: I was doomed to spend another nonsensical morning varied by the arrival of Lady T. and her three gawky daughters. As usual, she was scarcely seated before she announced her determination of not allowing her girls to man ^ tiff* dt»th. Tkll that to the Marines. Poor Woman, it is 'III Jlir whole heart is set upon their disobedience to i Wilked with Mr. Burgess to Collins' farm. Our little Cottage looks quite dismantled, and I ill li picked up I shall not be sorry to leave it; at the I (Hft never feel too grateful for the peace and tran-i hiVi •fljoyed during the past summer. lllOt Tom and I went to Coolmore where we had and sleep. I did not feel well but but I exerted to the Ferry, and in chatting to my dear brother I ue. It was a lovely evening when we turned to lit f Hmpse of the cottage and of the bright blue sea. All > ind the sun shone with so much brilliancy that every 1(1 more than usually cheerful. After breakfast I wrote to Mrs. Conyngham and i|| lit Pllmella, and amused myself in talking nonsense If fcfOther and Mr. Tighe until the carriage drove to the which was to convey Lord Mount Sandford the »nd myself to Cork. Tom left Coolmore at the same r Ih* cottage, where he had been long arrived before the Mmt In the yacht and carried him off to Hadville. 1181: Started with Anty for the Cottage. The evening |l, ind gloomy, and the sea roaring when I reached Bally-whife I was kindly greeted by my dear Father, the crow, thi poor people who assured me I looked 'fine and illi-lH 'that they had thought every day a year till they'd see lin*. }N11 The cottage never looked more cheerful or the sea ffhit^n ill cent than it did during this beautiful weather. We nut, liappy and thankful - the poor people so affectionate tntv hearted and my beloved Brother comparatively nur reach! but the month soon passed away and at the I we left our Cottage on the rocks, our sea and our poor tltst'cr to return. The blessings of the poor followed my - may their prayers be heard and accepted!
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