Chapter V: Part 5

"Oh! Father, send not hence my bark,
Through wintry winds and billows dark;
I come with humble heart to share
Thy morn and evening-prayer;
Nor mine the feet, oh! holy Saint,
The brightness of thy sod to taint."

The lady's prayer Senanus spurned,
The wind blew fresh, the bark returned;
But legends hint that had the maid
Till morning's light delay'd,
And given the Saint one rosy smile,
She ne'er had left his lonely isle.

Galway and District.

Leaving the County Clare by rail we cross into Galway, between Crusheen and Tubber. Beyond the marshy country on the right, away in the woodlands, nestles Loughcootra Castle. The great lake from which the place takes its name covers eight square miles. The hundreds of islets here scattered about its surface are the homes of thousands of herons. The country people have a belief that this bird is a messenger of good omen, and never interfere with it or its young. There is a beautiful legend in Irish of a heron which visited St. Columba, at Iona, a traveller from his own country. This story is recorded in the interesting life of the saint written in the seventh century by Adamnan, one of his successors; a beautiful version in English tells of the saint rising at dawn of day after a dream of the coming of the bird:--

"He looked out over the dreary moor,
Over the hill so bleak and hoar--
'A bird from the land I revisit no more
Has come to visit me,
Dear Innisfail from thy fragrant shore--
Land of my own I shall see no more--
Across the driving sea.'

Then he left his prayer, and 'Brother,' he said,
'Take to thee corn, and oil, and bread,
A bird has alit--half frozen, half dead--
Upon our southern strand.
Then warm him and feed him with gentle care,
And chafe his wing's and anoint him there,
He comes from my own loved land--
From my own loved land,' and the old Saint wept;
But the Monk arose, while the others slept,
And warmed the heron, and fed and kept
The bird for a day and night.
So Columb feeling, though far away,
For Ireland's soil--like the Gael to-day--
One favour in heaven's sight."

The magnificent residence was designed and erected similarly to East Comer Castle (by Nash, who remodelled Windsor) for Lord Gort, the head of the Vereker family, at a cost of £70,000. The black hand of the famine of 1847 fed on this property, like many another in Ireland, and it passed from its owners under the Encumbered Estates Act. Cove Park, the residence of Lady Gregory, is just outside Gort. Her Ladyship has found a way to the hearts of the country people by her sympathy with the Irish language movement. Her volume, "Mr. Gregory's Letter Box," is a valuable contribution to the history of Ireland in the first three decades of the nineteenth century. Sir William Gregory's Memoirs it is that contain the circumstantial version of the Cabinet scandal, in which the name of the Hon. Mrs. Norton (George Meredith's "Diana of the Crossways") figures. The story of the leakage of the State secret is as follows:--

"When Sir Robert Peel determined to repeal the Corn Laws he
consulted a portion of his Cabinet. They were Sidney Herbert, Lord
Lincoln, Sir Jas. Graham, and Lord Aberdeen, all of whom determined
that the repeal of the Corn Laws should be kept a profound secret
until the whole of the Cabinet had assembled. That same evening
Sidney Herbert dined _tête-à-tête_ with Mrs. Norton, the well-known
object of his attachment, and with whom he was infatuated. Before
dinner was over she wormed out of him the secret of the Cabinet.
After dinner she pretended to go to see a sick friend for a short
time, and returned in half-an-hour. In the meantime she had taken a
cab and driven down to the _Times_ Office, and saw Barnes, the
Editor, and told him the Government were going to repeal the Corn
Laws. Barnes said to her, "If you have no proof I shall not detain
you, but if you have you shall have £500." She gave him the chapter
and verse, and returned to poor Sidney Herbert with the cheque in
her pocket. The next day the announcement was made in the _Times_
which astounded all England. This was on the 5th December, 1845.
The other papers disbelieved it. Lord Derby and the Duke of
Richmond left the Government."

In the heart of a stony country beset with high fences and rough copple stones, stands the little town of ~Gort~, The military stationed there now add to its importance. Kilmacduagh, at the base of the Burren Hills, contains a church (seventh century) of St. Colman, the Blue-eyed, and a Round Tower leaning out of the perpendicular. In pre-historic times all this country side at the foot of Burren, from Gort to Loughrea, and for miles apart, is said to have been the favourite hunting-ground of Queen Maev. ~Kinvara~, away on an inlet of Galway Bay, is a fishing village, and the locality is celebrated for the "succulent oysters"--which in the season are to be found in every restaurant in Dublin. The antiquary will find his way easily to Corcomroe Abbey--the church is still in a good state of preservation. Donald More O'Brien, King of Limerick, is commonly believed to have built it in the twelfth century. It subsequently became subject to Furness, in Lancashire. Donough O'Brien, King of Thomond--killed in battle in 1267--is buried here; his monument discloses the rude magnificence of his attire. The effigy is looked upon by scientists as an example of the attire of an Irish King of the thirteenth century.

~Athenry~, as its name, the "Ford of the Kings," signifies, and its ruins testify, was of old a place of renown. The tower is entered by a small gate tower; before it stands the quaint market cross, on one side is the Virgin and Child, on the other the figure of the Crucified. The base is relieved with deer and wolf hounds, and at the corner an angel holds a scroll, the legend of which is defaced. The Franciscan Priory (1464), despite the attempt to modernise it, has still two thirteenth century windows, and the south transept has the remains of a very beautiful window. The Dominican Priory is said to have been erected at the personal request of St. Dominick in 1241. So late as 1644 it was the seat of a university acknowledged by Rome.

~Tuam~ is now of little importance. It is to ecclesiastics, however, of interest, as the centre of an Archiepiscopal See. The statue to John MacHale is worth seeing. He was well known in the first part of the nineteenth century as "John of Tuam." An uncompromising Ultramontane, he translated Homer into Gaelic, and O'Connell in one of his speeches called this great patriot bishop "The Lion of the Fold of Judah." The ancient cross in the square is a good specimen of the Irish stone crosses.

~Galway~ still possesses the evidence of its former greatness. To-day it is simply an old world city in the midst of a sporting county. Of old it was a strong-walled town, ever on the alert against alarm and foray, with its harbour crowded with the warships of Spain and the merchantmen of many a foreign port. There is a famous map of the city, dating back to 1651, when the then Lord Deputy Clanricarde pledged the town to the Duke of Lorraine. It shows a walled-in town with fourteen gates, each guarded by a watch-tower.

In the twelfth century, when De Burgo conquered O'Connor, he made Galway the citadel of his western possessions. During the next century there gathered into the prosperous town from far and near adventurers and merchants--the Blakes and the Bodkins, the Lynches, the Morrises, the Martins, the Joyces, &c.; founders of the great families, whose names have since been inseparable from Galway. In after times the clanship and attachment of these families to their members and each other, drew from the Scripture-loving Puritans the scornful appellation--"The Tribes of Galway"; but the expression was afterwards adopted by the Galway men as an honourable mark of distinction between themselves and their cruel oppressors. In old times the merchant princes of the place were renowned for their hospitality, which they carried to such an excess that the civil authorities interfered with it, in 1518, with a law to the effect that

"No man of this town shall oste or receive into their houses at
Christmas, Easter, nor no feaste elles, any of the Burkes,
MacWilliams, the Kellies, nor no cepte elles without license of
the Mayor and Councill, on payn to forfeit £5; that neither O nor
Mac shall strutte nor swaggere through the street of Gallway."

Indeed, the O's and Mac's seem to have made their history by more than enjoying the hospitality of their neighbours, and what was not given them willingly they at times took by the strength of their right hands. Over the western gate of the city was the following meaningful inscription:--

"From the fury of the O'Flaherties, good Lord, deliver us."

The trade with Spain was for centuries a source of great prosperity to the town, and those familiar with the characteristics of Spanish architecture will see much in Galway to remind them of it. The sympathy of the townspeople seems always to have been with the leaders of forlorn hopes in Irish history. It was almost destroyed by Ludlow for its fidelity to the King in 1652, and having been rebuilt, it again fell before the siege trains of the victorious Ginckle in 1691 after the battle of Aughrim, the Culloden of Ireland. With the fall of the Jacobite standard in that battle, the hopes of the western Irish declined. The surviving sons of most of the old families sought service abroad in the armies of France, Spain, and Austria. There are many love songs of the time in Irish, which have been translated, such as--

AFTER AUGHRIM.

Do you remember long-ago,
Kathaleen!
When your lover whispered low--
"Shall I stay or shall I go,
Kathaleen?"
And you answered proudly, "Go,
And join King James and strike a blow
For the Green."

Mavrone! your hair is white as snow,
Kathaleen,
Your heart is sad and full of woe--
Do you repent you bade him go,
Kathaleen?
But still you answer proudly, "No,
Far better die with Sarsfield so,
Than live a slave without a blow
For the Green."

Many of the old houses remain. Far and away the most interesting is Lynch's mansion at the corner of Abbey Gate-street. On the walls are the arms of the Lynches and their crest, a lynx, which it is said was given them for the watchfulness with which they guarded a besieged Austrian town in the middle ages. Behind Saint Nicholas' Church, in Market-street, is the Lynch stone, inscribed with a skull and crossbones, and "Vanity of vanity, and all is but vanity," above which is an inscription:--

"This memorial of the stern and unbending justice of the Chief
Magistrate of this city, James Lynch Fitzstephen, elected Mayor,
A.D. 1493, who condemned and executed his own guilty son, Walter,
on this spot, has been restored to its ancient site A.D. 1854, with
the approval of the Town Commissioners, by their Chairman, Very
Rev. Peter Daly, P.P., and Vicar of Saint Nicholas."

The stern and unbending justice relates to the Mayor's execution of his own son. The story tells how a young Spaniard, who was the Mayor's guest, crossed in love the Mayor's son. One night, heated with wine and inflamed with jealousy, young Lynch drove a stiletto through the heart of his rival. His father tried and condemned him for the crime. His mother roused the sympathy of the townspeople to such an extent that none could be found to act as executioner, but the old Mayor was even-handed with them, and hanged the unfortunate culprit with his own hands.

No visitor to Galway will fail to find out the Claddagh. It is the most conservative community in Ireland, and with them neither old times are changed nor old manners gone. The colony inhabit a number of low-thatched cottages apart from the town. They live mostly by fishing. The Claddagh women dress in blue cloaks and red petticoats, and their rings, which visitors procure as keepsakes, represent two hands holding a harp. Hardman, in his "Rare History of Galway," wrote of them as follows:--

"The colony, from time immemorial, has been ruled by one of their
own body, periodically elected, who is dignified with the title of
Mayor, regulates the community according to their own peculiar laws
and customs, and settles all their fishery disputes. His decisions
are so decisive and so much respected that the parties are seldom
known to carry their differences before a legal tribunal or to
trouble the civil magistrates."

Salthill, to the west of the town, is a well-sheltered bathing-place, with pleasant villas for visitors. The Queen's College will repay a visit. At the bridge in the town excellent salmon fishing is to be had. When the fish are making up the river for Corrib or Lough Mask the sight is very interesting. From Galway the old Franciscan Monastery at Claregalway may be driven to, or an excursion made down the bay to the Arran Islands. They are twenty-seven miles from the harbour. There are three principal islands, Innismore, Innismaan, and Innisheen, and several small isles. Two centuries ago they were described as paved over with stones, with wide openings between them for cattle to break their legs, and the modern description by Hon. Emily Lawless does not far differ.

The dress of the people is mostly white, homespun flannel "bawneens," and sandals of cowhide, fastened across the instep, which they call "pampooties."

Connemara and Sligo.

The Great Southern and Western Railway line runs northward from Tuam to Sligo. To the westward lies Iar Connaught and Connemara, the capital of which is Clifden, standing high above Ardhear Bay. If we go direct from Galway to Clifden we pass Oughterard and the ruins of Aughnanure Castle, formerly the stronghold of "The furious O'Flahertys." From its Tower we can get a view of Lough Corrib, with its famous Caislean-no-Circe, long the lair of Grace O'Malley, of whom the western peasant may say she

"Fought, and sailed, and ruled,
And loved, and made our world."

Oughterard nowadays is given over to fishermen instead of the fighting followers of the western chieftains. The Connaught Glendalough differs much from its Leinster namesake, but the Maamturk Mountains and the Glen of Innagh have a panorama of scenes difficult, indeed, to rival. Clifden is an excellent centre from which to make excursions. Wherever we look the Twelve Bens of Bumabeola spring up like uplifted lances. The coast-line is beautiful, and from the promontories we see distant Slyne Head and the Isles of the West. Mountain climbers will find on the summit of Urrisbeg a curious plateau. The district is a good one for lake and sea fishing.

The coast drive to Leenane should not be missed. Leenane itself is on the outer flank of "Joyce's County," as a fiord of Killery Bay. Letterfrack is but ten miles from Clifden. The mountain scenery in the immediate vicinity of the town is delightful. Within easy reach is Little Killery Bay and the beautiful valley, The Pass of Kylemore, near which is Kylemore Castle, where Mitchell Henry started his model farm in 1864. The mountain pass of Lehinch cuts through the hills to the sea. A journey by Ballinakill brings the adventuresome to Renvyle Bay, where there is a comfortable hotel. Leenane is the best starting ground for an expedition up the Twelve Bens; from it also a tour may be made to Cong.

About eight miles beyond Leenane is Errig Bridge, from which the best view of Croagh Patrick Mountain may be had. But an ascent of the mountain is best made from Murrisk Abbey, six miles outside Westport. From the mountain side the expansive country from island-set Clew Bay to Nephin and Slievemore, in Achill, spreads out to best advantage. The famous coach road from Clifden cuts into Westport from the south. The Quay and Mall and the Marquis of Sligo's demesne are the "sights" of the town. It is a convenient centre from which to visit Achill Island. The drive through Newport, Mallaranny, and Achill Sound to Dingort, although across an exposed country, on a fine day will more than repay the tourist.

The views of Clew Bay are like the changing scenes in a panorama. Newport will clamour for the attention of fishermen; and lavish on them opportunities for sport. The Glens on the way to Mallaranny will tempt excursions, and beyond Burrishoole Bridge the antiquary will deviate to Carrighooley Castle, and lend his ears to the peasant tales of Grace O'Malley and her husband, the MacWilliam.

Mallaranny is a home of rest. It hides beside a promontory in the bay, and its splendid strand faces the south. The direct way to Achill is through Dingort. For scenery and sport few places in the west surpass the island. The mountain cliff scenery is superb. The seals breed in the cliffs, and the rocks are the homes of countless seabirds. At Meenawn, the eagles on the island mostly nest. The great horned wild goats offer good sport to the marksman, and the deep-sea fisher will delight in the shoals and "schools" of herring and mackerel which in the seasons strike the coast and into the bays of the island. Did Izaac Walton but live in our days he would be sure to find his way to Ballina, because of the Moy River and the salmon which "most do congregate there." Loughs Conn and Cullin are open free fishing, and on the preserves the terms are most liberal. Foxford, beside Lough Conn, will gladden the hearts of those interested in philanthropic schemes for the benefit of "the very poor" in rural Ireland. Within a few years, enterprises well directed, has transformed the district from being a "most distressful country" into a thriving, self-respecting, self-advancing locality. Killala, six miles from Ballina, is of interest as the point at which General Humbert and 1,100 Frenchmen invaded Ireland in 1798. Sligo is the most thriving town in the west of Ireland. Its public buildings, its commerce, and its picturesque position, are one and all notable. Sligo Abbey, a structure of the thirteenth century, is a very remarkable pile of ruins. Lough Gill contains most beautiful sylvan and sea pictures. There is sea, lake, and river fishing _galore_, and mostly free. The point from which to see Lough Gill in all its glory is Dooine Rock. Excursions may be made to Hazelwood, Glencar, and even to Bundoran, the most deservedly patronised watering-place in the north-west of Ireland. Those who desire an exquisite souvenir of a visit to Ireland, should not fail to procure a piece of Belleek ware, remarkable for its elegance and delicacy; and if in the vicinity of Belleek village, permission may be obtained to visit the interesting pottery.

For information as to Sport to be had in the Sligo District, see end
of this volume, where particulars are given as to Golf, Fishing,
Shooting, Cycling, &c.

Summer and Winter Resorts

The health resorts of Ireland are so many, their attractions and advantages so varied, that one wonders why it is that they are comparatively so little patronised. The explanation is not far to seek. Hitherto they have been but little known, one cause and another have helped to keep Ireland a _terra incognita_. The "faculty," however, has been for long acquainted with the benefits which the Green Isle possesses, and many an insular invalid, consumed with the desire to visit some continental resort, has taken the common sense advice of the family physician and learned to appreciate the advantages Providence has bestowed nearer home.

Winter quarters we have a good store, and beauty spots abound on the coast, where summer delights can be enjoyed _galore_, to use an Irish expression.

Most of the places referred to beneath have already been described in the foregoing pages, but it will, perhaps, be convenient for those in search of particular information as to health resorts and seaside watering places, to have them collected in one chapter and listed alphabetically--

~ARDMORE.~--Fishing village, five miles from Youghal, growing as a
watering place. Beautifully situated on southern shore of Bay.
Splendid strand, good opportunities for bathing. Deep-sea fishing,
mackerel, and herring "schools," plenty of lobsters. Cliff scenery
in vicinity; the bay is frequented by seals. Gaelic-speaking
peasantry. Round tower and ancient church. Good cottage
accommodation.

~ARRAN ISLANDS.~--Three in number--Innismore, Innismaan,
Innisheer--standing out in the Atlantic, a sort of long harbour bar
to Galway Bay. Scenery cannot pretend to be attractive. Bathing and
deep-sea fishing. Splendid views of cliff scenery on Clare Coast.
Steam trip up Galway Bay delightful. An enjoyable inn at Kilronan.

BALLYBUNION.--Good watering place, splendid strand, fine cliff
scenery, sheer on Atlantic Ocean, plenty bathing accommodation.
Castle Hotel is comfortable, lodgings clean and cheap. Eight miles
from Listowel.

BLARNEY.--Hydro, at St. Ann's Hill, on the side of pleasant uplands
overlooking old castle. Nicely wooded, with lake and trout stream.
Cottage homes, within grounds which are between six and seven
hundred acres in extent. Sandy soil and pine forests. The
residences well sheltered. Six miles from City Cork and Muskerry
tram; two miles G. S. W. Railway. Terms and particulars of
treatment, &c., to be had from the medical officer, Dr. Altdorfer.

CAHIRCIVEEN.--An inlet of Valencia Harbour, well sheltered, mild
winters. Coach drives through mountain scenery or along coast to
Waterville. Valencia three miles.

CASTLECONNELL.--Fishing village on the Shannon, outside Limerick,
six miles. Possesses chalybeate spring. Beautiful river scenery,
and splendid fishing. The Shannon Hotel can be recommended.

DUNMORE EAST.--Pleasant, quiet, and select seaside resort, eleven
miles from Waterford, at the mouth of the River Suir. Good strand,
well sheltered. Splendid sea fishing and exceptionally good harbour
for yachting or boating. Plenty of villa and lodging-accommodation,
demand for same on increase in season. Good bathing; good hotel.

GLENGARRIFF.--Coach from Kenmare or Bantry. Beautiful scenery.
Inlet of Bantry Bay. Well wooded, mild climate, winter resort
beyond compare. Gulf Stream strikes coast in vicinity. Excellent
hotel accommodation. Good cottage accommodation. Plenty coaching
and boating facilities in summer; splendid sea bathing. Arbutus
grows wild.

KENMARE.--One of the starting-points for the Grand Atlantic Coast
Drive. Thriving pleasant town at the head of the fiord.
Macgillicuddy Reeks stand out behind the town. Mountain climbers
will make ascent best from point beyond Sohaleen Bridge. Both the
Cork and Kerry sides of the bay are very beautiful and worthy of
investigation. The Southern Hotels Company has one of its branches
outside the railway station. The Lansdowne Arms is an old coaching
inn, famed for its mountain mutton and good claret.

~KILKEE.~--The best bathing-resort in the three kingdoms. Splendid
facilities. The cliff scenery and coast walks attractive. Good
villa and cottage accommodation. Modern hotels on esplanade.

~KILLARNEY~, see page 136.

~LEHINCH.~--Bracing air from Atlantic. Good bathing. Bold coast
line. New hotel, fine golf links. Promises to be the most
up-to-date watering place in Clare.

~LEENANE.~--The pleasant place on Killary Harbour. It has the
Mweelrea mountains behind it and the sea in front. The bay is
remarkable for sea fishing, while the salmon and trout angler will
have his heart's desire in Errif Lake. The Leenane Hotel stands
close to the shore, and the Aasleagh Hotel, high above the Errif,
is surrounded by demesne lands. The mountain scenery is remarkable.

~LISDOONVARNA.~--Inland watering place. An old favourite health
resort now more easy of access than hitherto. The spas are
sulphurous and chalybeate. The hotel accommodation is unusually
good, but still insufficient for the summer and early autumn
visitors. The driving tours in the locality take in the most
delightful scenery in county Clare.

~LUCAN.~--A very old spa. Beautiful sylvan retreat within nine
miles of Dublin. Scenery on upper Liffey and drives in vicinity
through charming country. The Hydro, equipped with every modern
advantage.

~PARKNASILLA.~--THE PREMIER WINTER RESORT OF IRELAND. Hotel well
sheltered on fiord of Kenmare Bay. The grounds around beautifully
wooded and planted with luxuriant shrubs. Absolutely free from
winter cold. This country side the pride of Kerry. The seascape and
islands in vicinity delightful. Admirable arrangements for boating,
fishing, and coaching.

~POULAPHOUCA.~--Approached from Harristown on the Tullow branch. The
upper Liffey winds here through a beautiful glen with a splendid
fall beyond Poulaphouca bridge. Splendid facilities for shooting and
fishing are afforded in the surrounding mountain country.
Convenient centre for pedestrian and cycle tours. Hotel immediately
above the Fall, also good hotel at Blessington: and four miles
higher up in the Wicklow Highlands, at Lacken, excellent hotel.

~QUEENSTOWN.~--"The Paradise of Pensioners." The port of Cork
Harbour. Centre of American tourist traffic. Well sheltered. Long
the winter quarters of invalids. Every facility for visitors.
Within easy reach of Cork city. Excellent train service. In summer
steamer trips on beautiful river. Several good hotels; splendid
villa accommodation. A bright cheerful town, full of life and
change of colour. A well known specialist (Dr. A. Thomson), in his
"Physician's Note Book," puts the query--"Where should a
consumptive patient pass the winter months if he can't go abroad?"
and answers himself, "There is no place within Great Britain and
Ireland so well adapted for the residence of a consumptive patient
as Queenstown."

~RECESS.~--Midway between Clifden and Kylemore, on the edge of the
western Glendalough, guarded behind by mountain scenery, secluded,
but all the more attractive to those weary of the busy haunts of
men. The lake and mountain scenery exceptionally wild. It is an
ideal resort for sportsmen.

~TRAMORE.~--One of the most attractive watering places in Ireland.
Its name in English signifies "the great strand," and it is no
misnomer. The bathing facilities are the best on southern coast,
and are not, indeed, surpassed on any other coast. Splendid new
hotel up-to-date in every respect, and other hotels to suit all
classes, with fine race-course, plenty of lodgings and houses to be
had in the season. Twenty minutes run from Waterford by train.
Military bands in the summer. Exceptionally good place for
families. Tramore is a delightful seaside resort, built on a
gradual incline, with a southerly aspect, on the shores of the
broad Atlantic. The air is almost proverbial for its restorative
qualities, not only in popular but also in scientific opinion. It
is beyond all doubt that Tramore has as many hours of sunshine,
less rainfall, and more even temperature than any other seaside
town in the United Kingdom.

~VALENCIA.~--The next parish to America, the home of Atlantic cable
stations. The island remarkable for the number of tropical plants
which grow in the open. Climate unusually mild. Boating, sailing,
and bathing in the season. Deep-sea fishing with islanders. Good
hotel, comfortable, clean, and cheap. Other accommodation difficult
to obtain.

~WATERFORD~, see page 112.

~WATERVILLE.~--Principal posting place on Atlantic coast tour.
Splendid watering place, beautifully situated on strip of land
dividing mountain lake from sea. Fine strand. Sea and lake fishing.
The station for Mackey Bennet cable system. Three good hotels,
M'Elligott's and Galvin's, on the coast, and the Southern Hotel on
the shore of the picturesque Lough Currane, within a stone's throw
of the sea. Very good cottage accommodation in summer season.

Natural History of the South and West of Ireland.

By R. LLOYD PRAEGER, B.A., B.E., &c.

The Natural History of the South and West of Ireland possesses a special and peculiar interest in the occurrence in this region of a number of plants and animals which are rare in or absent from Great Britain and the adjoining portions of Europe. Let us first consider the general geographical features of this area, and the geological characters which have produced those features. Ireland has often been likened to a saucer, consisting as it does of a great central plain, fringed with mountain groups disposed around the coast. The plain has a slightly undulating floor of Carboniferous limestone; the groups of hills are mostly formed of older rocks, which break through the level limestones. On our journey from Dublin to Athlone, or from Dublin to Mallow, we pass across typical portions of the central plain; and the brown ridges of Slieve Bloom and Devil's Bit, and the greener heights of the Galtees, furnish good examples of the masses of older rocks that rise out of the plain.

In considering the features and natural history of this wide area, it will be convenient to divide it into districts, which we shall treat of in the following order:--

1. Wicklow and Wexford.

2. Waterford and East Cork.

3. West Cork and Kerry.

4. Clare and East Galway.

5. West Galway and West Mayo.

6. Sligo.

7. The Central Plain and River Shannon.

1. ~WICKLOW AND WEXFORD.~--Here we are on the East Coast, looking across St. George's Channel towards the shores of Wales. The lovely county of Wicklow is the most mountainous in Ireland, having 180 square miles over 1,000 feet elevation, and 25 square miles over 2,000. Wexford is lower and more fertile. The coasts of both counties are in great measure flat and sandy, and are the home of many rare plants. A number of species of light soils and of gravelly shores have here their Irish headquarters, such as the Round-headed Trefoil (_Trifolium glomeratum_) the Sea-Stock (_Matthiola sinuata_), the rare Sea-Cudweed (_Diotis candidissima_), and the Wild Asparagus (_A. officinalis_). The Murrough, a great gravel beach backed by salt marshes which extends from Greystones to Wicklow, and the marshes of the River Slaney, may be specially recommended to the naturalist. These coasts are the only Irish locality for the handsome ground-beetle, _Nebria complanata_, a typical South European animal. The Wicklow mountains, which reach in Lugnaquilla a height of 3,039 feet, are the main portion of the Leinster highlands, formed by a great mass of granite which stretches from Dublin into county Kilkenny. Considering their elevation this range is singularly devoid of alpine plants and animals, but many interesting species inhabit the lower grounds, famous on account of the beauty of the scenery.

Among the Lepidoptera several rare species are characteristic of the district, such as the "Bath White" butterfly (_Pontia daplidice_), and the "Four-spotted Footman" moth (_OEnistis quadra_).

2. ~WATERFORD AND EAST CORK.~--This is a picturesque district, formed largely of slates and sandstones of Old Red Sandstone age. The coast is mostly of very bold character, with towering cliff ranges. The country is generally undulating and fertile, with occasional mountain ranges, of which the Comeraghs are rendered especially interesting and picturesque by the deep "cooms," embosoming tarns, which give them their name. The Comeraghs and the lovely valley of the Blackwater furnish particularly attractive ground for the naturalist. The flora and fauna of this area are intermediate in character between that of the district last considered and of the surpassingly interesting country that lies to the westward, and which will next claim attention. Thus, the coasts yield several of the rare plants mentioned in the last paragraph--for instance, _Diotis_ and _Asparagus_ grow at Tramore; while at the same time we first meet in this area with some of the most famous plants of the south-west--London Pride (_Saxifraga umbrosa_), Kidney-leaved Saxifrage (_S. Geum_), Great Butterwort (_Pinguicula grandiflora_), Irish Spurge (_Euphorbia hiberna_). Two rare butterflies of this district are _Dianthæcia cæsia_ and _D. luteago_ var. _Barrettii_; and the largest of the British leaf-beetles, _Timarcha lævigata_, has been taken near Waterford, and at Tipperary.

3. ~WEST CORK AND KERRY.~--This is one of the most beautiful and interesting districts in the British Isles, and indeed in Europe. The ancient Devonian rocks which prevail have been folded into a grand series of simple arches and troughs, the axes running north-east and south-west. The arches form noble mountain ranges, which on the coast project far into the Atlantic in a series of grand promontories, and inland form picturesque highlands, of which Macgillicuddy's Reeks, which rise to 3,404, constitute the highest land in Ireland. The valleys in their lower portions are occupied by the sea, in the form of long island-studded fiords; their upper parts are often filled with Carboniferous limestone, and offer a pleasant contrast of tillage and green pasture between the gaunt brown mountain-ribs. Here we stand on the most western outpost of the European Continent, with the Atlantic on three sides. The effect of the encompassing ocean, and the western winds which constantly blow in from it, is to produce here and along the whole western coast the most uniform annual temperature to be found in Europe. Frosts are almost unknown, and great heat and drought likewise. These peculiar climatic conditions have resulted in the acquisition and preservation of a fauna and flora which spread here from more southern latitudes at some time now long gone by, and which in these favoured spots still remain to remind us of a period when a state of things prevailed very different from what obtains at present. For naturalists tell us that there can be no doubt that these southern plants and animals migrated to Ireland over land-surfaces now destroyed, having spread along the old-time coast line which long ago extended from the Pyrenean highlands to Ireland; and as a relic of their march, we find some of the species still surviving in the south-west of England, while all of them are absent from the rest of England and from the adjoining parts of continental Europe.

An enumeration of a few of the most remarkable of the plants, with a definition of their range, will make clearer this peculiar feature of the natural history of the West of Ireland:--

London Pride (_Saxifraga umbrosa_). In Ireland along the west and south coasts. Absent from England. On the Continent it is found only in the south.

Kidney-leaved Saxifrage (_S. Geum_). In Ireland in the south-west. Unknown in England. On the Continent confined to the Pyrenean district

Strawberry-tree (_Arbutus unedo_). In Ireland in the south-west. Unknown in England. On the Continent it grows all along the Mediterranean.

Great Butter wort (_Pinguicula grandiflora_). In Ireland in the south-west. Unknown in England. On the Continent it grows on the Alps and in the south-west.

Irish Spurge (_Euphorbia hiberna_). In Ireland along the south and west coasts. In England it is confined to Devonshire. On the Continent it occurs only in the south-west.

Going for a moment further north, we find in Connemara, and there only, a group of three kinds of Heath with the same peculiar distribution:--

St. Dabeoc's Heath (_Dabeocia polifolia_). In Ireland
in Connemara. Unknown in England. On the
Continent confined to the south-west.

Mediterranean Heath (_Erica mediterranea_). In
Ireland in Connemara. Unknown in England.
On the Continent confined to the south-west.

Mackay's Heath (_E. Mackaiana_). In Ireland in
Connemara. Unknown in England. On the
Continent in Spain only.

Nor is it the plants alone that exhibit the peculiar relation existing between the Natural History of Ireland and of the Pyrenean region. Among the animals the same features may be observed, the most striking instance being the peculiar Kerry Slug (_Geomalacus maculosus_), which is abundant in many parts of the extreme south-west of Ireland, and is elsewhere found only in Portugal.

Mixed with these southern forms in the West of Ireland we find another group of still stranger affinities. In pools and lakes from Kerry to Donegal grows the curious Pipe-wort (_Eriocaulon septangulare_). It may be also found in the Island of Skye, in the West of Scotland, but nowhere else in Europe; to see it again we must go to the northern regions of North America, where it flourishes under conditions much more rigorous than those which obtain in its mild Irish home. The deliciously fragrant orchid, _Spiranthes Romanzoviana_, grows in the counties of Cork, Armagh, Antrim, and Londonderry; elsewhere only in sub-arctic America and the portion of Asia which most nearly approaches the Alaskan shores. The "Blue-eyed Grass" of Canada (_Sisyrinchium angustifolium_) is likewise confined to the West of Ireland and to North America; and further instances might be quoted. In the animal kingdom, too, parallel cases have been noted, the most interesting being the discovery of no less than three American species of fresh-water sponge, which are unknown in the rest of Europe.

To account for the presence of this American group naturalists are driven, as in the case of the southern species, to the conclusion that these represent one of the very oldest components of our existing fauna and flora, and point to a period when the edge of Europe was prolonged far to the north-west, forming a continuous land area, presumably by way of Iceland and Greenland, to America. And here on the wild western coast of Ireland these last inhabitants of the lost lands of Europe still survive.

4. ~CLARE AND EAST GALWAY.~--Our last district--West Cork and Kerry--was characterised by great ribs of slate and sandstone, and by an absence of limestone and the numerous plants which follow in its train. The present district forms a marked contrast, being largely composed of Carboniferous limestone. And the remarkable thing about these limestones is that they are over many miles totally devoid of any covering of soil or clay; the grey gnarled rock, fantastically carved and crevassed by the action of rain and weather, lies naked and bare. But in the crevices of the rock a wonderful variety of rare and beautiful plants abound. One or two of these have their home in the far south, like the plants we have lately considered, notably the little Close-flowered Orchid, _Neotinea intacta_, whose nearest station is about Nice. But the majority of the interesting species of these limestones are alpine plants, usually found at high elevations on mountains, which here form sheets of verdure down to the very edge of the sea. The Mountain Dryas (_D. octopetala_), the Bearberry (_Arctostaphylos Uva-ursi_), the lovely Spring Gentian (_G. verna_), and the Blue Moor-grass (_Sesleria cærulea_) are good examples, all of them growing in great abundance from the hill-tops down to the shore. It is this strange mingling of plants from the far south, from the far north, and from the mountains, which renders the West of Ireland so fascinating a field for the botanist. In the barren district of Clare, and in the adjoining Isles of Arran and south-west portion of county Galway, this peculiar flora may be seen in its greatest perfection. Some very rare insects have been taken in eastern Galway, including the Lepidoptera _Nallia ancilla_ and _Lycæna artexerus_.

5. ~WEST GALWAY AND WEST MAYO~.--In this district we have again a complete change of geology and of scenery. The grey limestones with rich grass and rare flowers filling every crevice are gone, and we are in a wild region of ancient metamorphic rocks--schists, quartzites, gneisses, and granites--which form wide moorlands, dotted with innumerable lakelets, with noble mountain groups rising over the wild boggy lowlands. To the student of metamorphism the geology of this area is of very high interest. The botanist finds himself once again, as in Kerry, in a focus of the southern flora already discussed. As stated above, Connemara contributes to the list of Pyrenean plants three Heaths, of which St. Dabeoc's Heath is the loveliest of the British representatives of the order. Here we may also meet again our old Kerry friends the London Pride, and on Inisbofin the Irish Spurge--plants which strictly avoid the limestone, as do the Heaths. The American element is represented by the Pipe-wort, which is common, and the little water plant, _Naias flexilis_, which grows near Roundstone. Of the three famous Heaths, St. Dabeoc's is abundant throughout Connemara, becoming rarer in Mayo. The Mediterranean Heath grows near Roundstone, and in immense abundance on the north side of Clew Bay, and again near the north-west corner of Mayo, extending inland as far as Lough Conn. Mackay's Heath is the rarest, being confined to the neighbourhood of Roundstone. As regards its fauna, Connemara and West Mayo yield fewer peculiar species than the south-west; but much remains to be done before it can be said that the zoology of this area is thoroughly known, and it offers a most promising field for the explorer.

6. ~SLIGO.~--The visitor who makes Sligo his headquarters finds himself in a district of much variety and interest. This is a district that cannot be too highly recommended to the naturalist. To the geologist the fossiliferous limestones and the metamorphic rocks are alike of interest. The botanist naturally turns to the Ben Bulben Mountains, which harbour the richest group of alpine plants to be found in Ireland, including the pretty _Arenaria ciliata_, which does not grow elsewhere in the British Isles. To the zoologist a rich field lies waiting. A recent exploration of the limestone glens by a party of English and Irish conchologists has shown that in variety of land mollusca this district surpasses almost any other in these islands; and good results may be confidently expected in other invertebrate groups.

7. ~THE CENTRE.~--The area comprised in the field of operations of the Great Southern and Western Railway Company include the southern half of the great Central Plain of Ireland and the lower course of the Shannon, the largest river in the British Isles. Towards the east the counties of Carlow and Kilkenny include much picturesque ground, especially along the courses of the rivers Nore and Barrow; and as picturesque ground implies the existence of hill and valley, wood and rock, the naturalist will find himself at home here. The flora is rich, though without any very marked features; the Nettle-leaved Bell-flower (_Campanula Trachelium_) being the most characteristic species. Regarding the fauna much has still to be learned. In Tipperary, Queen's County, and King's County we are in typical central plain country--great tracts of slightly undulating drift-covered Carboniferous limestone, the surface including wide pastures, cultivated ridges, and large areas of peat bog and marsh. The bogs, which form so peculiar a feature of the surface of Ireland, may be studied here over many miles of country. The noble Shannon, which winds slowly southward across the plain, widens at intervals into great lake-like expanses, of which Lough Derg is the largest, a place of much interest to the student of natural history. One plant which grows here, the Willow-leaved Inula (_I. salicina_), is found nowhere else in the British Isles; other characteristic Shannon plants are the Water Germander (_Teucrium Scordium_) and the rare Stone wort _Chara tomentosa_. Further west, in Limerick, a more varied surface prevails. Like Waterford and Cork, Limerick is a great centre for animals of the "Southern" distributional type, such as the Wood White Butterfly (_Leptidia sinapis_) the Brimstone Butterfly (_Gonapteryx rhamm_), and the Purple Hair-streak (_Thecla quercus_). The small but handsome Ground-beetle, _Panogæus crux-major_, is known in Ireland only from Finlough. This species has a typically "germanic" distribution in Great Britain. The Water-beetle _Pelobius Hermanni_, a very rare species, and the only British member of its family, occurs near Limerick and Cork. Cratloe Wood, by the Shannon near Limerick, may be specially recommended as a hunting-ground.

SPORT.

For sportsmen Ireland is a happy land, ready to supply their every want. Royal Meath, Kildare, Waterford, Tipperary, and Cork County are hunted by several good packs during-each season, and "the meets" are duly published in the local newspapers.

In the large tracts of bog, moorland, river reaches, and mountain lands there is splendid shooting; in Kerry especially, where poaching is put down with a heavy hand, there are plenty of opportunities for sport.

In most cases the hosts of the hotels have secured the shooting of many thousands of acres in their vicinity.

When the weather is "hard," excellent sport can be had along the southern districts.

The gentry most usually preserve their estates with great vigilance, but they are generous in giving permission to bona-fide sportsmen.

GENERAL HINTS

(FROM MECREDY'S ROAD BOOK OF IRELAND.)

June and September are the driest months in Ireland. Tourists will find the Royal Irish Constabulary the best source of information, and they cannot do better than inquire at the various police barracks on the way for advice as to places of interest to be visited, and the condition of the roads. In unfrequented country districts the footpaths as a rule may be taken with impunity, but it is never absolutely safe to do so. It is always well to enquire of other cyclists met _en route_. The roads are very variable, some being grand and others very bad. Intercourse with the peasantry will be found interesting and amusing. Nothing can exceed their civility and courtesy; and for those who are not too particular it will be found an excellent plan to lunch in their cottages, excellent tea, home-made bread, butter and eggs being procurable for 1/-per head. There is little use questioning them as to distances, however. They are nearly always wrong, and in any case they calculate in Irish miles--11 Irish equal 14 English. The police, however, are reliable, and give the distances in statute miles. Repairers are few and far between, but the local blacksmiths are often clever and handy men. The by-roads are generally better than the main roads, and the surface is better at the edge than in the middle. The mountain roads are as a rule very good, and not nearly so hilly as one would expect. The country people are rather stupid about getting out of one's way, and live stock on the road are a frequent source of danger, especially pigs, sheep, donkeys, and Kerry cows. Mountain passes should be negotiated carefully, as mountain torrents sometimes sweep away short stretches of otherwise excellent roads, and one comes on these spots unexpectedly. The corners, too, are excessively sharp, and steep pitches occur unexpectedly.

In most small Provincial towns the Hotels are not good, but in tourists' districts, such as Kerry, they are really excellent and the charges are reasonable. Where lodgings are required it is a good plan to ask the local Head Constable for advice.

~CORK DISTRICT.~

Cork is an excellent centre for cycling. The roads are in fair order and the inclines moderate. There is abundance of fine scenery, and notably in the extreme south and south-west where there are some entrancing tit-bits. Magnificent tracts of inland mountain scenery are to be found, and many important historical and archæological ruins. There are hotels nearly everywhere within easy reach, many of them very good, and in most cases affording fair accommodation at reasonable cost.

~One Day Tours from Cork.~

No. 1.--To Queenstown, road 14 miles or rail 12 miles. Thence to East Ferry, 5 miles, cross the Ballinacurragh River by ferry. Thence by road to Midleton, 4 miles, back to Cork, road or rail, 12 miles. Fine views of the River Lee, Lough Mahon, the lovely Harbour of Queenstown, Ballinacurragh River, &c.

No. 2.--To Youghal, road or rail, 27 miles. Thence by road to Ardmore, 6 miles--a watering place with a ruined chapel where there are some curious carvings in stone, and a fine and perfect specimen of the old Irish round tower, Return same road.

No. 3.--To Midleton, 12 miles, road or rail. Thence to Cloyne, 6 miles, where there is an ancient Cathedral still in use. Thence to Ballycotton, 6 miles, a small watering place. Back by Cloyne and Aghada, on Queenstown Harbour, 12 miles. Thence by steamer to Queenstown, or across the East Ferry by road to Queenstown, 6 miles. Back by road or rail, 12 miles.

Hotels at Midleton, Cloyne, and Ballycotton.

No. 4.--To Queenstown, road or rail, then by steamer, 20 minutes across the harbour to Crosshaven. Thence by road, 2 miles, to Church Bay. Fine view of mouth of the harbour and open Atlantic. Thence by Carrigaline and Douglas, back to Cork, 12 miles.

Good hotels at Crosshaven and Church Bay.

No. 5.--Cork to Blarney, by the Valley of the Lee and Carrigrohane, 9 miles. Famous Castle of Blarney with the "Kissing Stone." The Groves of Blarney round the Castle may be seen, also St. Ann's Hydropathic establishment. Return by Rathpeacon and Blackpool to Cork, 6 miles.

No. 6.--Cork to Dunkettle, 3 miles, road or rail, thence along the Glanmire River to Glanmire, 2 miles. Thence by Sallybrook and Kilcully, back to Cork, 6 miles.

~Two Day Tours from Cork.~

No. 1.--Cork to Macroom, road or rail, 25 miles. Thence to Inchigeela, 10 miles, and Gougane Barra, 10 miles. Beautiful lake scenery, and the hermitage at Gougane Barra; a chapel on the Holy Lake is well worth seeing. The Pass of Keimaneigh is 3 miles further. From this point the traveller can return to sleep at Inchigeela or Macroom, where, at both places, there are good hotels; or may continue his journey to Glengarriff, Kenmare, or Killarney. If returning to Cork from Macroom, the journey may be made by Coachford and Dripsey, distance about 25 miles.

No. 2.--Cork to Bandon, 20 miles by rail or road. Thence to Courtmacsherry and the Old Head of Kinsale, each about 7 miles by road. The tourist can sleep at either place, and return to Cork by Kinsale and Innishannon, or continue his journey to Bantry, 37-1/2 miles by road or rail. Thence to Glengarriff, Killarney, &c.

~Tours for Three or more Days from Cork.~

No. 1.--Cork to Youghal, 28 miles by road or rail. Thence to Temple Michael, 3 miles along left bank of the River Blackwater, through Dromana to Cappoquin, 11 miles. From Cappoquin the Trappist Monastery of Mount Melleray, 3-1/2 miles, can be visited. Returning to Cappoquin the tourist can take either bank of the Blackwater, along a beautiful and level road to Lismore, 3-1/2 miles. The distance from Lismore to Fermoy is 16 miles by road or rail; the road along the Valley of the Blackwater being very fine throughout, and most picturesque. At Lismore the beautiful castle belonging to the Duke of Devonshire can be seen. The tourist can return from Fermoy to Mallow 16 miles, and thence to Cork, 21 miles. Good hotels at Youghal, Lismore, Fermoy, and Mallow.

No. 2.--Two day tour, No. 1, can be extended to three or more days, by proceeding from Inchigeela to Glengarriff, 23 miles, and Killarney, 39 miles. Good hotels at Inchigeela, Glengarriff, Kenmare, and Killarney.

Two day tour, No. 2, can be similarly extended to three or more days, by continuing the journey from Bandon to Bantry, 37-1/2 miles. Thence 10 miles by road to Glengarriff, thence to Killarney, 39 miles. Good hotels at Bantry, Glengarriff, Kenmare, and Killarney. Or from Kenmare, 20 miles, or from Glengarriff the tourist can ride to Parknasilla, 16 miles from Kenmare, where there is an excellent modern hotel and some of the loveliest scenery in Ireland.

~LIMERICK DISTRICT.~

To the cyclist on tour, Limerick and the surrounding districts offer many scenic attractions in wood, lake, and river. The roads are not good as a rule, owing in a great measure, to the fact that the city is the centre of a large agricultural district. The hotels in the city are good, and in the surrounding towns and villages the tourist will find good accommodation in hotels and otherwise.

~One Day Tours from Limerick.~

No. 1.--Perhaps the easiest one day tour which the cyclist can enjoy from Limerick, as his head quarters, is to Doonass Falls _via_ Clonlara. Five miles thence by O'Brien's Bridge, 7 miles, to Killaloe, where an excellent lunch can be had. The return home can be made by Castleconnell, the popular resort of the devotees of "Izaak Walton," where an excellent tea can be had at the Shannon Hotel.

No. 2.--Castleconnell and Clare Glens, and lengthened visit to Castleconnell to view the waterfalls, "The World's End"--a remarkably fine reach of the River Shannon. There is much to interest the visitor in the gigantic eel fishery, and here also is the renowned Enright, whose fishing rods are used all over the world. The Clare Glen, situated by the way in Limerick county, is not far from Castleconnell; and if liberty is obtained beforehand, the Glenstal Demesne, seat of the Barrington family, can be visited. Sir Charles Barrington, the present baronet, has never yet refused permission to the cycling tourist to view the charming scenery surrounding the Glenstal Castle.

No. 3.--Askeaton, 16-1/2 miles, splendid road, one of the best from Limerick; famous old abbey to be visited, with excellent fishing on the Deel, granted that the tourist has obtained the requisite permission.

No. 4.--Adare, 9 miles; roads pretty good. Mr. P. Fitzgerald, J.P., Agent to Lord Dunraven, should be written to beforehand for a permit to visit the demesne, where some fine old ruins are in an excellent state of preservation. The Manor House is a magnificent building, but visitors are only allowed to enter when the family are away. This is well known as the district which inspired Gerald Griffin to write one of his famous poems. Lunch can be had at very moderate terms at the Dunraven Arms Hotel. The demesne wall turns eastward to Croom. The name of this village is derived from the old war cry of the Geraldines, "Munster Branch "--_Crom-a-boo_. To Limerick, from Croom, _via_ Patrick's Well, there is a pretty good road, 10 miles.

~Two Days Tours from Limerick.~

Ballybunion. Good roads generally, but slightly up-hill when the Kingdom is reached. This charming seaside resort is rapidly coming to rival Kilkee. It has splendid bathing accommodation, and the coast scenery and caves equal to those of any other watering place in Ireland. The visitor for the first time makes his acquaintance with the Lartique, or "Single Line," Railway--the only one in the United Kingdom--from Listowel to Ballybunion, a distance of 8 miles.