Nor was Bianconi without honour in his adopted country. He began
his great enterprise in 1815, though it was not until 1831 that
he obtained letters of naturalisation. His application for these
privileges was supported by the magistrates of Tipperary and by
the Grand Jury, and they were at once granted. In 1844 he was
elected Mayor of Clonmel, and took his seat as Chairman at the
Borough Petty Sessions to dispense justice.
The first person brought before him was James Ryan, who had been
drunk and torn a constable's belt. "Well, Ryan," said the
magistrate, "what have you to say?" "Nothing, your worship; only
I wasn't drunk." "Who tore the constable's belt?" "He was
bloated after his Christmas dinner, your worship, and the belt
burst!" "You are so very pleasant," said the magistrate, "that
you will have to spend forty-eight hours in gaol."
He was re-elected Mayor in the following year, very much against
his wish. He now began to buy land, for "land hunger" was strong
upon him. In 1846 he bought the estate of Longfield, in the
parish of Boherlahan, county of Tipperary. It consisted of about
a thousand acres of good land, with a large cheerful house
overlooking the river Suir. He went on buying more land, until
he became possessor of about eight thousand English acres.
One of his favourite sayings was: "Money melts, but land holds
while grass grows and water runs.
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