Tom Kernan was immense last night, he said. And Paddy Leonard taking him off to his face.

O, draw him out, Martin, Mr Power said eagerly. Wait till you hear him, Simon, on Ben Dollard’s singing of The Croppy Boy.

Immense, Martin Cunningham said pompously. His singing of that simple ballad, Martin, is the most trenchant rendering I ever heard in the whole course of my experience.

Trenchant, Mr Power said laughing. He’s dead nuts on that. And the retrospective arrangement.

Did you read Dan Dawson’s speech? Martin Cunningham asked.

I did not then, Mr Dedalus said. Where is it?

In the paper this morning.