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Romantic Ireland
Volume I.
Travel Lovers' Library
_Each in two volumes, profusely illustrated_
Florence $3.00
By GRANT ALLEN
Romance and Teutonic Switzerland 3.00
By W. D. MCCRACKAN
The Same.--Unillustrated 1.50
Old World Memories 3.00
By EDWARD LOWE TEMPLE
Paris 3.00
By GRANT ALLEN
Feudal and Modern Japan 3.00
By ARTHUR MAY KNAPP
The Same.--Unillustrated 1.50
The Unchanging East 3.00
By ROBERT BARR
Venice 3.00
By GRANT ALLEN
Gardens of the Caribbees 3.00
By IDA M. H. STARR
Belgium: Its Cities 3.00
By GRANT ALLEN
Rome _net_ 2.40
By WALTER TAYLOR FIELD
Romantic Ireland _net_ 2.40
By M. F. & B. MCM. MANSFIELD
[Illustration]
L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
(INCORPORATED)
New England Building
Boston, Mass.
[Illustration: THE ROCK OF CASHEL.
(_See page 271_).]
ROMANTIC
IRELAND
By
M. F. and B. McM. Mansfield
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOL. I.
_Illustrated by
BLANCHE McMANUS MANSFIELD_
[Illustration: colophon]
Boston
L. C. Page & Company
_MDCCCCV_
_Copyright, 1904_
BY L. C. PAGE & COMPANY
(INCORPORATED)
_All rights reserved_
Published October, 1904
_COLONIAL PRESS_
_Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co.
Boston, Mass., U. S. A._
Contents
VOLUME I.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. INTRODUCTORY 1
II. A TRAVEL CHAPTER 16
III. THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE 37
IV. ROMANCE AND SENTIMENT 82
V. RELIGIOUS ART AND ARCHITECTURE 109
VI. THE SCOTCH-IRISH BLEND 136
VII. IRISH INDUSTRIES 155
VIII. DUBLIN AND ABOUT THERE 176
IX. KILKENNY TO CORK HARBOUR 242
[Illustration]
List of Illustrations
VOLUME I.
PAGE
THE ROCK OF CASHEL (_See page 271_) _Frontispiece_
MUCKROSS ABBEY 11
THE CHIMNEY-TOPS, GIANT'S CAUSEWAY 17
MAP OF IRELAND (_facing_) 22
THE CLIFFS OF MOHER 25
MCCARTHY MORE'S CASTLE 29
ST. DOULOUGH 41
PEAT-CHOPPERS 47
A WEST OF IRELAND FARM 55
BOG LAND, KERRY 59
A JIG DANCER 69
THE GENUINE IRISH PEASANT 83
BOG LAND, KERRY 87
AN IRISH LASS 99
A BROOCH FROM THE HILL OF TARA 107
THE HILL OF TARA 113
ROUND TOWER, ARDMORE 117
DOWNPATRICK 129
THE BELL OF ST. PATRICK 133
DUNLUCE CASTLE 149
LIMERICK PIGS 157
TORC CASCADE 161
A COTTAGE SPINNER 165
A COTTAGE LOOM 169
EMBROIDERING 173
NEW GRANGE 177
DUBLIN CASTLE 199
ENNISKERRY 207
GLENDALOUGH 217
ST. KEVIN'S KITCHEN 221
THE VALE OF AVOCA 225
THE MEETING OF THE WATERS 229
REGINALD'S TOWER, WATERFORD 235
SIR WALTER RALEIGH'S COTTAGE, YOUGHAL 239
KILKENNY CASTLE 245
ST. CANICE'S STEPS AND
THE ROUND TOWER, KILKENNY 253
RHINCREW CASTLE 257
CAPPOQUIN 261
LISMORE CASTLE 265
THE CROSS OF CASHEL 273
Romantic Ireland
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY
In times past books of travel were frequently written for the perusal of
"a few intimate friends." Such was the purpose of a little pamphlet
entitled "A Trip to Ireland," which a few years ago fell into the hands
of the writer. Its author and place of publication are unknown, but it
bore the date of 1836.
The writer of this book has not the excuse of this unknown author and
admirer of Ireland's sylvan, historical, and romantic beauties for
compiling the present work, nor is he possessed of the belief that he is
called upon to attempt the task of merely imparting knowledge to the
untravelled. But, since his attention was thus first directed to
Ireland,--with the result that he has made a more or less intimate
acquaintance with the allurements and charms of this delectable, if
impoverished, land,--he has come to believe that there are a large
number of interested people who would be glad to have an attractive
presentation of some of the sights, scenes, and incidents which come to
those who are fortunate enough to be able to sojourn there for a time.
In other words, this book is a record of, and some impressions of, a few
of those ever-present charms of the green isle which have so permeated
its history, its romance, and its literature.
As a record of a pilgrimage, this book will doubtless appear less
satisfactory than as a presentation of facts relative to both the
storied past and present-day affairs of the country, though it deals not
so much with political issues and economic aspects as it does with the
more pleasing and more tangible features of historic sites and scenes.
It is not expected that this book will escape criticism; probably it
will not. It is impossible to attempt to compress a history of Ireland,
a monograph on its ancient civilization, a treatise on manners and
customs, or even an account of its architectural remains, at all
consistent with the deserts of the subject, within the confines of a
work such as this.
All that is claimed is that it is a résumé of the facts and the romance
which, garnered from various sources, have impressed themselves upon the
minds of the collaborators of this book in their journeyings through
Erin's Isle.
It is hoped, however, that these chapters, or, perhaps, more assuredly,
the pictures with which they are adorned, will awaken a curiosity on the
part of some to know more of Britain's sister-isle.
Unfortunately, to many travellers--and to most American
travellers--Ireland is a mere name, with a handle at either end,
Queenstown in the south, and Londonderry or Moville in the north, where
ships stop, in the dead of night, to land or embark the mails.
Usually, travellers from the Western world are in too much of a hurry to
partake of the delights of London or the "dainty prettiness" of the
Thames valley, the sanctity of the cathedral precincts of Canterbury or
Salisbury, or even the more alluring attractions which lie "across
Channel," to think for a moment of disembarking at Cork harbour, with
the mails, on board a rather uncomfortable "tender," and, usually, amid
much discomfort of weather.
Once the opportunity is missed, they are unlikely to retrace their steps
in that direction, since one's enthusiasm or desire pales before charms
and attractions then present.
It ought to be a part of every traveller's experience for him to pay a
visit to Ireland--the "Emerald Isle," or "Romantic Ireland"--and judge
of its attractions, the places and the people, as seen on their native
soil.
With a warm heart she will welcome him; with lip-liveliness and
sparkling language she will entertain him; with impulsive zeal she will
conduct him over her diversified domain, and bring under his eye scenes
where--
"Grace and Terror smiling stand
Like sisters hand in hand."
Though less fastidious than England, and without the canny cautiousness
of Scotland, yet, of the Three Graces of the United Kingdom, fair Erin,
for natural gifts and spontaneous beauties, stands preëminent.
"To the Bretons, the Basques, and the Irish," says an observant French
writer, "races not dissimilar in their hidden habits of thought and in
the vague sadness of their eyes, the Atlantic Ocean is a boundary for
the mind.... It is their climate background, resting-place, and grave
... the green hills into which Europe breaks to meet the southwest
wind."
All this, and more, is the Atlantic to the whole of northwest
Europe,--Ireland in particular,--and its influences are not only great,
but far-reaching.
The Irish, they say, have never been great seafarers. This, it is
feared, is true to no small extent. They are not even great fishermen,
as they well might be in their sea-girt isle. The Irishman himself will
tell you that it is because the thrifty and hardworking west-coast
Scotch have usurped their market. This may be so to a certain degree;
but, to a still greater degree, their lack of capital to properly equip
the industry is the reason why the harvest of the sea is garnered under
their very sight.
It is not given to all who would travel and muse _en route_ to be able
to express their thoughts with that beauty of language which graces the
lines of Stevenson or of Sterne. One may not even have the temerity to
attempt to imitate their style.
He may, however,--and with propriety, thinks the writer,--consider, if
he will, that theirs was the view-point of the acute observer and lover
of the beautiful, and, as near as may be, imbibe somewhat of the
emotions and sentiments with which these masters beheld the spots
covered by their wanderings. Their words have come down to us as a
variety of topographical description which can only be recognized as a
new and precious thing, compared to the descriptions before and since.
With such an end in view were the various wanderings which are set forth
in these pages undertaken. Not consecutively, nor even methodically, was
the route laid out, but in the end it covered practically the entire
island at varying seasons and under equally varying conditions of
comfort or discomfort, though no hardships or disagreeable experiences
were encountered, and it is confidently asserted that nothing of the
kind would be met with by any who might make the journeys under similar
conditions.
"June the nineteenth, arrived at Holyhead after an instructive journey
through a part of England. Found the packet, the _Claremont_, Captain
Taylor, would sail very soon.
"After a tedious passage of two and twenty hours, landed on the
twentieth, in the morning, at Dunleary (now Kingstown), four miles from
Dublin, a city which much exceeded my expectation."
Thus wrote Arthur Young in his simple and quaint phraseology in 1776.
Arthur Young was a great traveller, one might say an inveterate
traveller. He observed and wrote mostly of matters agricultural, but his
side-lights thrown upon the screen--if not exactly illuminating it to a
marked degree--were of far more interest and value to the general reader
or travel-lover than the dicta of pedants or the conjectures of
antiquarians.
Arthur Young was an agriculturist, an economist, or whatever you like to
think him; but he evidently could not repress the temptation to put the
results of his observations into print, as the many scores of entries
to his credit in the history of book-making and authorship will show.
He sought to chronicle his "Tour in Ireland" for posterity, and
conceived the thought of publishing the work "by subscription." This he
did in the year 1780--and a most unlovely specimen of book-making it
was. It was foredoomed to failure, and it apparently met it forthwith;
for the author states in his preface that he was only able to complete
the work at great expense to himself.
No further criticism shall be made. It remains now but to praise. The
book is a veritable mine of fact--with precious little fancy--of the
farming, fishing, weaving, and allied interests of the Ireland of that
day, with not a little detail concerning the history, romance, and plain
matter-of-fact social and economic conditions of life.
To-day, conditions for all but the well-to-do classes have changed but
little, and here is a splendid framework to suggest a line of thought as
far different from that conveyed by the "impressions" of one travelling
for mere pleasure, as it is from the cut-and-dried bits of scrappy
information which fill the guide-books to-day.
Until the indefatigable German comes to the rescue, it may be ventured
that we shall have no comprehensive, concise, and correct guide-book to
Ireland, and will have to take our pickings where we find them.
This book attempts merely the task of compiling fact and fancy, drawn
from many sources, in connection with current comment--based upon actual
observations.
There is much contributory and allied matter to be found in the wealth
of illustration "done by the artist on the spot," which, like the
letter-press, professes truthfulness and attractiveness in its
presentation.
Such economic questions as are dealt with herein are those only which
would be observed by all, no matter how rapid their passage; and
references to political questions have only been made when they bear
some relation to historical events of a past long gone by.
The controversial side of the religious question is omitted, though,
considering the many noble monuments, ancient shrines, ruined abbeys,
and existing church edifices throughout the land, references to it, and
many of its acts and functions, were here and there necessary.
So, too, mention has been made of many of the romantic and eery legends
of the country, many of which are, in the light of recent history,
considered somewhat apocryphal as to their genuineness. But, reader,
what would you? You surely would not go to Ravenna and not see Juliet's
tomb, even though you know that Juliet had no real identity. Neither
would you go to that gay little city of mid-France, Nevers, without
visiting the tomb of "all the Montmorencies," nor to Warwickshire
without going to Stratford. Hence you must, if you would know aught of
Ireland, see Muckross Abbey, Blarney Castle, and the Giant's Causeway.
The harps, the shamrocks, the blackthorns, and the peat-bogs, all of
which are genuine enough, will then fit themselves accommodatingly into
the ensemble, and you will have a picture so impressed upon the memory
that the recollection of it will rival most things of this earth with
which one has had but a passing intimacy.
This work, then, may in some small measure
[Illustration: MUCKROSS ABBEY.]
give a more favourable impression of the country than has commonly been
produced even by Ireland's pseudo-humourous novelists--that it is simply
a land where mud huts, misery, discord, and violence predominate--by
recognizing it as a land blessed by Heaven, in the first instance, at
any rate, with nearly every natural gift.
If there be no end to the making of books, there should at least be a
suitable and preconceived ending to all so made; and herein lies the
difficulty for most writers.
The popular fictionist seems under the impression that the public want
close upon a couple of hundred thousand words, filling a plump,
ungraceful volume, for their few modest pennies; the compiler of books
of pedantic information pads his product into a stately quarto, and the
guide-book maker descends to small type and badly designed pages and
crowds as much as he can into a small pocketable volume.
From these species of printed things ramify many varieties, and the
author of this work has many times been placed in a quandary as to what
mammoth proportions it might not assume were he to allow his
predilections to run riot through its pages.
It is easy to say with Sterne, "Let us write a duodecimo," but with what
measure may an enthusiastic or just admiration be limited as to the
overflowing volume of appreciation?
Mere cubic capacity as to size of the volume, or the superficial area of
its pages, will not serve. The arts of the publisher and his printer can
nullify any preconceived plans of this nature.
A judicious selection of the material to be used would be much more
likely to bring about the desired result, though again we are confronted
by the moving question as to how elaborate or extensive a work is
necessary in order to cover the ground as minutely or as broadly as
might be desired.
The result will not be found to approach the completeness of an
historical record, nor yet the flimsiness of a mere sentimental journey
along well-worn roads. It fills, rather, the gap which lies between, in
view of the greater interest which is daily being shown in all things
relating to Ireland--its literature, its history, its architecture, and
its arts. Hence to a considerable public, which, it may be presumed,
will ultimately show an interest therein, it is offered as an
appreciation of the Ireland of the past and the present, based upon
something more than a personally conducted tour to Killarney, or a
jaunting-car ride about Queenstown, while awaiting the departure of the
Atlantic mail-boat.