Frederick Forsyth wrote about a train journey with Judge Michael Comyn. Can you locate this?

Thought for 1m 2s

The reference you’re looking for is a short story titled “Sharp Practice” by Frederick Forsyth, published as part of his 1982 collection No Comebacks.

The story is set in Ireland in the late 1930s and follows Judge Michael Comyn during a train journey from Dublin to Tralee, where he becomes involved in a game of poker with two strangers (a small man and a red-faced priest) that leads to an unexpected twist involving sharp card-playing tactics and a courtroom revelation the next day.

The full collection is widely available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats.

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Can you give a synopsis of the story

Thought for 38s

“Sharp Practice” is a short story by Frederick Forsyth, originally published in his 1982 collection No Comebacks. Set in Ireland during the late 1930s, it follows Judge Michael Comyn on a train journey from Dublin to Tralee. In his compartment, he encounters a small, unassuming man named O’Connor and a jovial, red-faced priest. To pass the time on the long ride, the group engages in a seemingly innocent game of poker, which starts without stakes but gradually escalates to include monetary bets.

The priest, who professes little knowledge of the game and appears hesitant at first, ends up winning hand after hand, primarily at the judge’s expense. By the journey’s end, Comyn writes a check to cover his losses to the priest.

The following day, in the Tralee courtroom where Comyn is presiding, O’Connor appears as the defendant in a case brought by a horse dealer named Keane, who accuses him of cheating at cards during a similar poker game on a previous train ride. Through cross-examination, it’s established that O’Connor neither initiated the game nor was the primary winner—details that mirror Comyn’s own experience but lead to O’Connor’s acquittal due to lack of direct evidence against him.

Outside the court, as Comyn and Keane discuss the case, they spot O’Connor and the priest together in a car, waving mockingly as they drive off. This revelation exposes the duo as professional card sharps who have orchestrated the scam, leaving the judge to grapple with his own unwitting role in the scheme.

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