This was recommended to me by my father-in-law, Tom, last summer, on the eve of our holiday to the west of Ireland. Only just got round to reading it. It's a bit like an Irish P. G. Wodehouse: an English Resident Magistrate (a former soldier) tells of his life in rural Ireland: the servants, the dilapidated houses, the horses, the hunts, the sports days, the sailing trips, the dances, the rivalries and spats. I never really laughed out loud, but it was amusing and there's a nice turn of phrase from time to time, including a deliciously intoned Irish brogue. It feels quite modern even though it was published in 1899: I guess it has the same register as Three Men in a Boat: we're definitely not in the Victorian era anymore, but it's still a time of the British Empire and patrician attitudes towards the subjugated colonies. The Irish (although often foolish) don't suffer fools gladly, and often take advantage of their English lords. There's a lot of stuff about horses and hunting with hounds, which gives a good insight into the thrills of the chase. Apart from that, it's good-natured fun. Interested to learn that this was written by two women. Not sure yet if I'll continue to read the sequel: Further Experiences of an Irish R.M. (1908). I feel like another Pym.