amount current for the past year, was presented to each
member, we have reason to believe from our knowledge
pf the qountr^-, that it woukl prove gratifying to many,



58(5 TJie Irhh Tourist:

and we think it would peculiarly encourage members of
humble rank to continue their attendance, a class of so-.
ciety for whom the benefits of this institution being
chiefly intended, their gratification should be peculiarly
consulted, and in every question relative to those degrees
of improvement which come within the sphere of their
knowledge, it would be proper to open with them a fre6
communication through proper agents.

lUTIIDRUM.

Rathdrum is a small village in the Wicklow mountains,
on one of those roads which open a communication be-
tween Gorey and Wicklow. The characteristic feature of
its trade, is that of the Wicklow flannel and coarse woollen
cloth manufacture, to which it forms a centre of union,
by the very commodious hall which has been built there
for the sale of those articles. There is a flannel fair held
monthly in that edifice, which is much frequented by the
Dublin traders, as also by shopkeepers from the country
towns ; but the largest proportion of those goods are
there purchased by the drapers from Dublin. About
four thousand pieces of flannel are manufactured and
sold annually in those fairs, but for some time past, we
were sorry to hear, that this trade had suflTered a tempo-
rary depression. There are two establishments in the
neighborhood for the manufacture of coarse woollen
cloths, the principal of which we have already noticed,
as being under the patronage of Mr. Hayes. There is
a neat ihurch and glebe-house, on the south end of this
town, and a dispensary under the conduct of Dr. Mac
Murray, which is an instrument of considerable benefit
to the poor.



The Irish Tourist, 58?



GLENDALOCH.

From Rathdrum I drove through the mountains, to the
romantic valley of Glendaloch, usually called seven
churches,* from that number of religious edifices having
once existed in the valley. Of the ruins of these
churches, two or three are now nearly demolished ; but
although, to the antiquarian, those vestiges of antiquity
which have survived the lapse of ages, with the sculpture
and gothic inscriptions which they exhibit, are the great
objects of enquiry, and even to the scenographic tourist,
are not without interest, yet the operations of nature,
in the production of this glen and its lakes, (which are
enclosed on the north and south west by lofiy mountains,
and except an opening on the east, are wholly embo-
somed in hills) presents to the spectator by far the
most striking objects of admiration.

The road from Rathdrum to this celebrated glen, ex-
tends along the declivity of a mountain, by the crystal
waters of the Avonmore, through an interesting vale,
under the shade of a mountain coppice ; and passes by the
seat of Mr. Ben. Johnson, a villa denominated Coppice,
from its proximity, I presume, to this rich and lofty
object in the landscape, of which, with the valley and its
neighboring beauties, this seat commands an interesting
domestic view.

In your progress to Glendaloch, you pass over the
bridge and river of Dcrrybawn, through a cool and shady
plantation, in view of a handsome foot barrack, which

* For a particular account of those churches, sec Doctor
Ledwicb's Antiquities of Ireland.



588 The Irish Tourist.

government has judiciously built among those moun-
tains for the protection of the country, and in a quarter
of an hour yon arrive within vitw of a lofty rou'id tower,
which is the first object to attract your attention in the
fanious valley of Glendaloch, or lakes of the glen.

Beside this tower, ibough in less perfect preservation,
there are severnl vestiges of churches, as we have al-
ready noticed- Of these, that called the cathedra],
(which with the ground around it appears thickly inha-
bited by the dead,) is much the largest, and on the
molding of the eastern window, which is now much
broken and mutilated, there are some figures expressive
of the legends of the place, as also on several fragments
of the ruins, so that in the fragments of those fabulous
or historic sculptures, the curious will find as much 6*^-
tertainment, as the learned have found matter of inves-
tigation and dispute.

The reputed bed of St. Kevin, which, to the visitor
of GJendaloch, forms no mean object of enquiry, is si-
tuate in a rock projecting from an almost perpendicular
mountain, which encloses the valley on the south west
side. The entrance to this aperture, which Dr. Ledwich
says has been excavated from the Jiving rock, from
the best calculation I could make on the distant bank,
appeared to be about thirty feet above the surface of the
great lake, which fills the breadth of the whole valley in
that place, and is indeed one of its principal ornaments.
I continued on the bank opposite this famous recess,
until a lad who was attended by his trusty dog, had clam-
bered over the rocks which guard the mysterious passage
and saw him enter it, though with great difficulty, from
the shadow of the mountain (which overhangs the reccis



Tlie Irish Tourist. 589

and a considerable portion of the lai<e,) intercepting the
reflection of the sun upon those objects.

From the round tower on the east (by which you ap-
proach this place to a mountain which forms a beautiful
back ground) to the great lake, in the opposite direction,
may measure about one Trish mile ; but the visiter who
stops short of this latter object, will miss the observatioa
of, by far, the most beautiful feature of that scene. It
is separated from the lesser lake%y one of those rer-
dant lawns which mix with the softer beauties of this
place, and unite with them in tempering the lofty horror
of the mountains, and those relicks of superstition in
the valley, which appear well calculated to unite with
those dreary objects, in the production of rural and
even reverential feeling.

Here the lover of nature's bold and beautiful desigqx"
will find an object to engage his admiration, in the art
with which she has concealed this western beauty of the
glen from the transient visiter of its eastern curiosities,
to whose eye it is rendered impervious by a splendid
curve of the mountains, into the bosom of which you
must enter, before the great lake, the bed of Si. Kerin,
and the other beauties oftliis lofty enclosure, unfold them-
selves to your view. Had the sides and summits of those
mountains been covered with forests of oak and other
timber, as antiquaries maintain they were, in ancient
times, I cannot conceive how nature could form, in the
immense variety of her works, a scene better calculated
to command the admiration of the philosopher, to have
rivetted the chains of superstition in an age of ignorance,
or to have furnished a persecuted community with a safe
and suitable asylum, in a bigottcd and bloody reign.



590 The Irish Tourist,

It is impossible not to be amused with the stories which
the country people will tell you of the famous cave of
St. Kevin, wiih the origin of which they profess to be
perfecily well acquainted, by tradition. They trace it
to a love affair^ a thing somewhat singular in the his-
tory of this saint, and one which had like to have
proved fatal to the poor lady who was enamoured of his
•virtue. She (as the story goes) having pursued St.
Kevin to this strong fortress, to which he had retired for
the purpose of avoiding her importunities, the saint
perceiving this shocking proof of the violence of the
lady's passion, is said to have precipitated her from this
tarpeian rock into the lake beneath ; but being seized
with anxiety for the consequences of hhjust indignation
he prayed for her safe arrival at the other side, which
being happily accomplished, headded another prayer, viz.
that the lakes of Glendaloch might never thenceforth prove
treacherous to a woman. This latter part, however,
may be considered as a spurious addition to the pri-
mitive history, as a poor girl, who some years since,
had the temerity to approach this holy recess, for want
of adequate caution in measuring her steps over the
craggy rocks which surround it, lost her footing, and in
a few moments perished ia the great lake of Glen-
daloch.

This famous glen or valley was supposed, agreeable to
the simplicity of ancient times^ to derive such important
benefits from the patronage of the departed St. Kevin,
as to induce many pious persons to establish themselves
there for life ; the number of these votaries rapidly in-
creasing, a city was at length erected, which for several
centuries was thq see of a bishop, but its wealth and



The Irish louinst. 591.

beauly, produced by the contributions of the pious, be-
coming objects of rapacity to the northern invaders of
those times, who frequently spoiled the inhabitants of
their possessions ; and the see of Rome having deter-
mined to incorporate with the more noted bishopricks of
this kingdom, those rural ecclesiastical sovereignities,
which were then numerous, for the purpose of rendering
the whole more manageable, that of Glendaloch, witli
the diocese or archdiocese of Dublin, was at length
carried into efFect, after much useless opposition of the
people, and being ultimately confirmed by Pope Hono-
rius III. in the year of our Lord 1216, this period may
be considered as the era of Glendaloch's political de-
clension.

From Ratbdrum I proceeded to Wipklow, by a new
road preparing for the mail coach, in the autumn of
1814. In this direction you have the observation of
some planted mountains, a portion of which are advan-
tageously seen from the elevated position of Holly-
mount, the seat of Captain Carroll, which I just looked
at in my progress to Wicklow. There are also a few
other'objects in that direction, by which the finger of
improvement may be traced in its progress through the
mountains; but after my visit to Hollymount, being de-
tained in a long and useless discourse with a shrewd
catechist in that neighborhood, until a late hour in
the evening, I had to traverse several miles of this
new road in the night season, and consequently
was badly circumstanced for making observations on the
•Quntry.



592 The Irish Tourist.

WICKLOW. . !

The town of Wicklovv is composed for the most part,
of good houses slated, and but for the wretched aspect of
«ome liovels of misery in the suburbs of the town, and
certain defects which shall be noticed in the present
condition of its harbour, would be entitled to a note of
considerable distinction in an estimate of the beauties and
improvements of this county : but though the aspect of
the town is, upon the whole decent, and there are se-
veral good houses in it, (as for instance those of Mrs.
Weldon, and Mr. Pirn, a merchant,) yet the streets,
branch out from each other in directions so shockingly
irregular and void of symmetry, as to furnish proof,
that in the construction of this town, very little attention
had been paid to the beauty^ of proportion, or to the
order of mathematical exactness.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

Of the few public buildings which I saw, the parish
church and county jail, are most deserving of attention.
The former, which stands on a piece of elevated ground
on the north side of tlic town, is an appendage of con-
siderable beauty to Wicklovv. When inspected from se-
veral surrounding positions, the ornamental spire of this
edifice (towering above a group of foliage which enve-
lopes the chamber of devotion, and beautifies the site
on which it stands) is regarded with aitention, as exhi-
biting no mean proof the taste and judgment with which
the several parts of that object in the landscape, have
been selected and combined. The jail, though by no
means an extensive buijding, is yet, .happily, in ih^



The Irish Tourist, 593

present situation of the county, much more than ade-
quate to the ends of its institution. It stands retired a
few paces from the pathway, near the centre of a street
on the east side of the town, in a very good and conve-
nient position ; and though by no means an edifice so light
and ornamental in its aspect, as the jail which we have
noticed in our description- of Kilkenny, yet its appear-
ance is rather respectable than otherwise, and the clean-,
liness and comfort which the. persons and apartments of
the prisoners, exhibited on the Sunday of September
25, 1814, when I visited that institution, administered
more satisfaction to my mind, than the most splendid or-
naments which could have decorated the exterior of the
building. The prisoners (if we except two debtors of
some rank in society) were only three in number — Of
these I saw one man and one woman, with the wife
and child of the former, and they had every thing in
their persons and apartments which denoted cleanliness
and comfort. The openings in the towers, on each
end (by which the cells in those towers, for the confine-
, ment of criminals, are, enlightened and ventilated) were
the only or principal objectionable parts of this structure.
In the summer season these apertures may answer^ very well
for the admission of light andair , and for preserving the per-
sons of the prisoners cool and heathful — and in the winter
season, as rendering those apartments pervious to wind and
frosty air (in reference to prisoners of broken health or de-"
licate constitution) they may answer the useful purpose
of superseding the tedious operations of trial by jury.

Though'the town of Wicklow, if we confine ourselves,
to its mere natural advantages, appears well circum-

stan«ed for the sale and exnortation of bacon, butter
Pp



594 The Irish Tourist,

and cortv yet eveth of this latter article, there is compa-
ritively. but little sold and exported, and no wonder,
since in. addition to the defective state of its harbour,,
they have not even a- regular market for the sale of this
article, a circumstance, considering the goodness of its
bay,, and its proximity, to. the city of Dublin, admi-
nistering to the stranger just matter of surprise.

Tjjat [portion of the beach on the Wicklow bay, called
the Murrow, a-ver^; interesting flat which constitutes a
race course to the sportsmen of this neighborhood, and
a pleasing open drive between Wicklow and. Glonmanin,.
the beautiful seat of Dr. Truell, is worth noticing, as^
an object of considerable consequence in the topography
of this neighborhood. It extends about three miles from
south to north, and" open? a private communication
through the demesne of Mr. Truell, to the Dublin road,,
by Newtown Mount Kennedy. One of the most remark-
able curiosities on this portion of the beach, is that of
the variegated pebbles which are found there in gyeat
abundance, and which by lapidaries, are modified into
various ornaments of dress, such as necklaces and watch-
seals. A choice collection of those pebbles, were po-
litely presented, to me for inspection by Mr. Browne and
iiis hidy, of Merrion-square, Dublin, wiio at the period
of my vi-iit, were at Wicklow for the benefit of the salt
baihs.

lu my walTv over a small portion of this tract, I derived
considerable pleasure from an observation- of the light
shipping floating on the channel, on my right hand ;.
the Wicklow river, with the parish church on an elevated
bank above it, on my left, and in front, Glonmanin and
•j'.her uiteresting villas, besprinkling the distant lands.



Ihe Irish Touristy 595

which are terminated by lofty mountains. On returning
towards Wicklow, the appearance of this town with its
various appendages elevated above the water, will also
administer pleasure to the heart of him who delights to
behold the creation aronnd him improved and beautified.

Here 1 had ihe satisjfaction of conversing with two or
three officers of the East Suffolk Regiment, commanded
by Lieutenant Colonel White, a gentleman whose at-
tachment to this country, united with great affability and
extensive knowledge of the world, rendered his conver-
sation one of the highest treats, which I had the pleasure
of enjoying during my travels through Wicklow.

Mr. Thornas, the post-master of this town, a very
obliging man, accompanied me to the prison, and ren-
dered me such other services, during my short stay in
Wicklow, as were compatible with his knowledge and
circumstances.

INNS.

In the article of inns, if we take a comprehensive
glance of this whole district, we are bound from observa-
tion and experience, to recommend the stranger who
may be coliducted hither by his business or by the
beauties of the country, to take up his abode at the New-
rath-inn, within two miles of Wicklow. For cleanliness,
comfort, and general civility, it has the advantage of
many other houses in this district, but on the ground of
ex pence they are nearly equal. Were the inns of Ire-
land which are noted for civility, cleanliness, con»fort,
and fair dealing, to be deducted out of the whole num-
ber of these establishments, 1 fear the balance would
P p 2



596 The Irish Tourist,

oalaiice would be such as to give the English people a
ad prospect of the stale of public entertainment in this
couiUry, nor will the-cvil of whicrf we complain be ge-
nerally corrected, until the press enters into this subject,
until travellers pay more attention to their beds and
horseS) and resist the frauds which are daily practised
upon them in those departments, and finally, as the most
sovereign remedy of all, until gentlemen who have
towns upon their estates, erect inns for the public ac-
commodation, and place them in the hands of persons
who shall be rendered accountable for their conduce.

On finding fault at one of these houses in theWicklow
district, and that by no means of the worst character^
with a spurious kind of litter which was placed in the
rack as a substitute for h?y, but which I saw very plainly,
the horses neither would or could eat, I was informed
by way of apology for this rotten goods, and for the in-
solence which punished my temerity in presuming to

censure it, that the horses of his Excellency

and those of the Bishop of F , had been fed on the

same provender, and that these great men (who, of
course, had laid out a vast deal of money at this house)
did not give it half as much trouble us I bad done on
account of this single article. To all this overbearing
cant, T simply replied, that I ohonld endeavour through
some public channel to make those ex,alted characters
acquainted with the treatment, v/hich their horses had re-
ceived — that these horses had much less business to per-
form than mine — that my interest in the life and health
of my animal was infinitely greater, than the interest of
those great men in a mucli larger number; that if
their wealth and titles raised them above attention to thir



The Irish Tourist' 59?

cattle, that was not my case, and that it was highly cruel
and unjust, that persons by whom innkeepers live,
should first be defrauded of their due, and afterwards
insulted by proxy for presuming to correct the errors by
which ihey have been abused ; so after enduring two or
three vollies of insult from^a rascal ho.stlcr, who was the
faithfur instrument of his master's designs, I succeeded
in compelling them to feed my horse, from thenceforth,
with a portion of good hay which I found they had iii
possession, but' which they were carefully preserving,
until the litter should be disposed of. The name
of this house (for the landlord of which, with his large
family, notwithstanding the treatment I have noticed,
I feel some tender consideration,) shall be concealed
for the present. I have no other end to answer by
the publication of this or any similar incident, than
that of admonition and improvement; for if to blacken
the inns of this country was my single object, I might
fill a considerable part of this work with a list of the
houses which have disgraced the character of this country
â–  by culpable negligence, gross insolence, or palpable
frauds, many of which I have detected, by that vigilant
attention to those establishments which necessarily results
from my knowledge of their character, and from the ne-
cessity to which my circumstances reduce me of spending
so large a portion of my time in them.

WJCKLOW BAY.

The bay of Wicklow is open and spacious— in the ab-
sence of north and north east winds, the largest vesseh
can ride therein with safety. The liarbour also affords
good anchorage to shipping, and nature, by a range of
rocks on the south east side, has provided jt wiU/ one



^598 The Irish Tourist.

good pier or barrier, but in the opposite direction there
is no pier-head lo enclose the harbour and protect vessels
from the N. and N. E. winds, which are the most detri-
mental to shipping, And consequeniiy by ihe omission of
this improvement, the trading interests of Wicklow have
been long retarded. But mariners maintain, that an im-
provement in the trade of Wicklow is not the only benefit
which would be produced to the country by this useful
addition to the harbour of that port. Vessels both out-
ward and homeward bound, would derive material pro-
tection from it in many cases of distress, as for instance,
shipping from Greenoch, Belfast, and other northern
ports, proceeding to Cork to join convoy, meeting with
southerly winds, in their progress south of Wicklow,
and driven back by these, are now obliged to make for
Carlingford, Strangford, or for Larne, on the coast of
of Antrim, as Dublin-bay, the next north of Wicklow,
besides its other inconveniences, does not afford safe an-
chorage, particularly for heavy \essels, and in dark tem-
pestuous weather, so that the vessels only which are
bound for that port, are fond of making to it — Again,
vessels from southern ports bound northward, as for in-
stance, those from Cork and Waterford, and more par-
ticularly the West India fleet, which after arriving with
convoy at Cork, and dispersing for the several northern
ports for which they are bound, being arrested in their
progress by northerly winds after having cleared Wicklow
Jicad, would not be under the necessity of encountering
iho dangers of the Wexford ccast, in bearing for tho
harbour of Waterford, between which city and that of
Dublin, there is, no safe shelter for them, nor is this
i'iticr b^y safe and satisfactory, as we have just noticed ;



The Irish Tourist. , 59D

â– so that to Waterford on the Irish coast, or to Milford on
•the coast of Wales, vessels in these circumstances arc
necessarily impelled, an inconvenience which the ma-
•riners of this coast maintain would be completely pre-
vented, by the erection of a bar or pier-head, ou the
north west side of the bar of Wicklow. ' On the autho-
rity of persons wliose course of life qualify them to de-
termine the utility of this improvement, we have given
their observations q place in these memoirs, and if found
to be a correct portrait of the case, we unite wiiih th.em
in hoping, thatit-will be condescendingly noticed by the
proper authorities.

In the vicinity of Wicklow there are many local fea-
tures which conspire with the grander beauties of the
â– country to embellish the surrounding landscapes. A mi-
nute description of all those scattered features or villas,
%vould be incompatible with the other objects of my pur-
suit, and in a county s'O abundantly supplied with grand
materials as that of Wicklow, the sccnographic tourist is
less dependent on the works of art for picturesque de-
scription, than in districts to which natare has been less
â– bountiful of her gifts. I shall therefore briefly notice,
that of the various minute objects which contribute to
the beauty of this neighborhood, Tinekilly-lodge, the
•seat of John Grogan, Esq. a neat villa, near thu road
from Wicklow to Rosanna (the extensive and richly-
wooded demesne of Mrs, Tighe.*) The lofty rock of

f * I had the satisfaction of seeing a very handsome scliOcl-
linusc in this neighborhood, which was erected, and I believe is
principally maintained by I\Irs. Tighe. May this praise-worthy
branch of bpnevolcncc, continue to grow nnd -spread its hallowed



600 The Irish Tourist.

Cronrow, which commands a fine view of Wicklow-bay ;
Ballycurry, whose light modern structure and fine Gre-
cian colonade, ghed a noble influence^on the lake, lawns,
and plantations which surround it; Kiltimon, the seat of
Wni. Eccles, Esq. the elevated grounds, of which com-
mand a more beautiful view of Wicklow-head, the lofty
lighthouses, and the channel, than any other position
which I visited (and the pleasing manners of whose pro-