Scandal, satire and the battle for reputation in Limerick’s ascendancy, 1815–20

‘Unconquerable Malice’

Brian Leahy

Step into the turbulent world of nineteenth-century Limerick, where scandal, ambition and razor-sharp wit collide. This gripping account unravels the explosive feud between barrister-poet Thomas Grady, the controversial banker George Evans Bruce, and the politically ambitious Windham Henry Quin, the future earl of Dunraven and builder of Adare Manor. When Grady’s incendiary satire The Nosegay ignites a firestorm of legal battles and public outrage, reputations are shattered and alliances tested. The drama escalates to the halls of parliament, drawing in Whig reformers and captivating newspapers across Britain and Ireland. Through vivid storytelling and meticulous research into private letters, parliamentary records and newspaper archives, this book exposes how a fabricated narrative – crafted to destroy Bruce – endured unchallenged for two centuries, only now revealed as fraud. More than a tale of rivalry, this is a window into the power of words, the fragility of reputation and the making – and unmaking – of history itself.

Brian Leahy was born in Limerick and now lives with his wife and three children in Castleconnell—the village at the heart of this book. He completed his MA in Local History in 2025, graduating alongside his wife Daniela, and has a passion for uncovering the stories and people that shaped his locality.