Philippe Rouille said of mechanical music in Ireland:

> Of course, there were a few rich people (mainly English), but
> probably most of them took their musical boxes away back to England
> when Ireland became independent.  (Sorry, I am presenting a rather
> caricatural summary of Eire's history !).

Er, yes.  About 70% of the "rich English" in Ireland in 1916 were
actually wealthy Irish families, many of whom who scorned their roots
and behaved in the same dismissive way as actual English -- not unlike
the border lords of Wales 600 years earlier who tyrannised the locals
in service of the English crown but were, in fact, no less Welsh.

Irish historians have begun to redraw the traditional picture of the
1840s famine, which was British neglect of the Irish in terms of formal
responsibility, but rich people's neglect of the poor in terms of what
was usual at the time, exacerbated by the poor communications.

Depending upon their local reputation, the houses of these "Anglo-
Irish" were selectively sacked, some being completely spared where the
family was liked and respected.  Some families pre-empted this uncer-
tain judgement by removing themselves and their effects promptly to the
shrunken UK.

The result is the same: there is little mechanical music in Ireland !

Dan Wilson, London