He was selected for this duty for three reasons: he is a Donegal man who has lived at Gweedore for sixteen years; he is a fair stenographer; and he speaks Irish, in which language Father M'Fadden made his speech.
"I speak Irish quite as well as he does," said the Sergeant quietly, "and he knows I do.

What I did was to put down in English words what I heard said in Irish.

This I had to do because I have no stenographic signs for the Irish words." He tells me he taught himself stenography.
"As for Father M'Fadden," he said, "he told the people that' he was the law in Gweedore, and they should heed no other.' He spoke the truth, too, for he makes himself the law in Gweedore.

He dislikes me because I am a living proof that he is not the only law in Gweedore!" Of the business shrewdness and ability of Father M'Fadden, Sergeant Mahony expressed a very high opinion, though hardly in terms which would have gratified such an ecclesiastic as the late Cardinal Barnabo.

Possibly Cardinal Cullen might have relished them no better.