Part 20
GLENDALOCH is a spot which cannot fail to excite high interest in the minds of all persons of taste or enthusiasm; for from the very earliest ages, Ledwich observes, it has been the favourite seat of Superstition. If visited from Wicklow, (from whence it is 11 m. N.W.,) proceed 2 m. to Newry-bridge; see Glenmore Castle to the right, seat of Mr. Synge; ascend an exceedingly steep hill, with fine prospect looking back to the sea, but in front a brown dismal waste, bordering on the Devil's Glen. Proceed across a boggy flat, wild and dreary, towards Anamoe, where is a curious square earthen embankment; the road dividing, on the right to Luggela, on the left over a country dreary and mountainous to the little village of Derrybaun at the confluence of two mountain rivers, a short distance from whence first gain a view of the once famous city, with its tall Round Tower in the centre of a large wild valley, encircled with vast rugged mountains. If you approach it direct from Dublin by the new road, fail not to notice a charming sheet of water, Lough Bray, with shores embraced by stupendous cliffs, overtopped by lofty mountains. If going by the Wicklow road, fail not to notice the Devil's Glen, already mentioned, which Miss Plumptre considers as the finest in the county. The vale is about 11 m. N.W. from Wicklow, and 22 m. S. from Dublin, from whence it forms an agreeable morning ride, and is surrounded on all sides, except to the E., by stupendous mountains, whose vast perpendicular height throws a gloom on the deep dell below, well suited to inspire religious dread and horror: for, being covered with brown heath, or more sable peat, their summits reflect no light whatever. As nothing facilitates the observation of the tourist more readily than a clear idea of the topography of the place he visits, it may now be stated to him, that on entering the vale, he will perceive towards the S. the mountains Lugduff and Derrybaun, separated only by a small cataract, opposite to which, and on the other side of the lake, is Kemyderry, between which and Broccagh on the north side is a road leading from Hollywood to Wicklow. At the west end of the upper lake he will observe a cascade called Glaneola Brook, falling from the hill; and further on St. Kevin's Keeve, a small stream from Glendason river, and in which Superstition still dips weak and sickly children every Sunday and Thursday before sunrise,--and certainly with an efficacy which an early cold bath must produce on any other day of the week. Looking into the bosom of the vale, the tourist will soon perceive that these and other cataracts form a junction when they assume the name of Avonmore or the Great River, sometimes so swelled with torrents as to be rapid and dangerous, but generally confined within narrower bounds, and merely feeding two romantic little lakes separated from each other by a rich and verdant meadow. It is evident from the names of the mountains, that these eminences were once a forest; but at present the gloom of foliage is much wanted by the venerable ruins of the religious edifices, or the "Seven Churches" that give so much interest to the vale. Here once stood an extensive city, but now almost extinct, except that from what can now be discovered by its walls and foundations, it is conceived to have extended from the "Refeart Church" to the "Ivy Church," on both sides of the river; and some idea of its ancient state may be formed from its remains in the road leading from the market-place into the county of Kildare, still in good preservation, being paved with stones placed edgewise, to the breadth of ten feet. Those who wish to know all the superstitious traditions respecting this holy spot, may consult the second article in _Ledwich's Antiquities of Ireland_, where they are related. One of these, however, must be noticed, as explanatory of one of the wonders of the place. Tradition tells, and Superstition believes, that St. Kevin, whilst ascending a neighbouring hill in a period of scarcity and famine, met a woman with a sack on her head, in which were five loaves. The woman, being rather churlish, when the saint inquired the contents of her sack, told him they were stones. "I pray they may be so," said the holy inquirer, when instantly five stones tumbled out, rolled towards Refeart Ch. where they were kept as sacred reliques for many years, but are now exhibited in the valley, weighing about twenty-eight pounds each, and certainly bearing a great resemblance to loaves, from whence this idle story has arisen. The tourist having now taken a general survey of the place, it remains to lead him through it in detail; and the first spot he meets, on approaching from the E. is the Ivy Ch., completely invested with evergreen foliage, where he observes a circular belfry, supposed by Ledwich to be one of the first attempts to unite the Round Tower with the body of the Ch. Passing on, or rather retracing his steps, a little to the S.E. is seen the eastern Ch. or Priory of St. Saviour, near which is a stone-roofed Chapel. Resuming his former route, and rambling about three hundred yards from the Ivy Ch., is a small square which was the market-place of the ancient city, with the pedestal of a stone Cross; to the southward of which he may pass the river on stepping stones, the ruins of a bridge, and then enter the solemn cemetery by a gateway with a Saxon arch, when he arrives at the Cathedral, evidently in the Saxon style of architecture. Here the E. window is deserving of notice from the curious sculptures which adorn it, representing the most miraculous actions of the patron saint. This window has the peculiarity of diminishing in size, until it becomes so narrow as to be almost impervious either to light or air; a peculiarity evidently adopted from the want of glass. Here notice a tomb of freestone on the S. side of the choir: at a short distance, the sacristy or priest's house, of which a closet, where the vestments and holy utensils were kept, still remains, to turn thrice round in which, is supposed by the vulgar to be a certain cure for the head-ache; also some remnants of crosses and sculptures worth noticing, particularly some on the tombs of the O'Tooles, ancient Irish kings, here and in the Lady's and Refeart Churches. Returning from Refeart Ch., observe a circle of stones piled up conically about three feet high, round which pilgrims still perform penance; then on a recess of the southern mountain, see St. Kevin's bed, excavated from the living rock in a projection from the mountain, also Teanpell-na-Skellis Ch. But the path to these holy curiosities is so evidently dangerous and difficult, especially in returning, from its extreme narrowness, that he who wishes to avoid the chance of a slip into the lake below will be content to admire them at a distance. Observe in the centre of the vale the ruins of the Abbey, north of which is Trinity Ch. with part of a Round Tower; also several smaller chapels and oratories. If time will not permit the tourist to complete this investigation, let him then approach this interesting scene by the bridge of Derrybaun, from whence the Seven Churches present a very picturesque and pleasing view. The bridge itself is a pleasing object in the landscape, being a modern erection of three elliptical arches over the Avonmore, covered to a great extent with an oak coppice on one side and the huge Broccagh on the other, which here confines the view up the valley, at the end of which the great Round Tower and other ruins appear to great advantage, whilst a remarkably smooth and high mountain forms a most singular and agreeable back-ground.
NEWTON MOUNT KENNEDY, 7 m. S.W. of Bray, and 17 from Dublin, although placed here under a separate head, may be included in the beauties round Powerscourt and the Dargle. It is a pleasant village, on the mail-coach road, half way between Bray and Wicklow, and may therefore be made head-quarters, especially by the picturesque tourist, and even by the traveller. The tourist whose time will not permit visits beyond the immediate vicinity of the metropolis, must not fail to inspect Mount Kennedy, the seat of the late Lord Rosmore, to which there are few places in Ireland superior in beauty. The house itself, a design of Wyatt's, is finished in a high style of modern architecture; and the principal front is simple, extremely light, but enriched with an elegant portico of the Ionic order. It is seated on an eminence, and to the rear, commands a fine view of the sea at the distance of 2 m., whilst the country which the eye runs over in the interval, is extremely beautiful: from the principal front, looking towards the west, is seen the demesne, bounded at some distance by mountains which form a bold termination to the prospect. At distances from the demesne are spots which present the most striking scenes of natural beauty and ruggedness. On these the taste and fancy of the late proprietor have been exerted, so as to render them highly deserving the tourist's notice, who must not omit to inquire for Dunran, about 2 m. from the house, even if unable to visit the remaining interesting objects. This place forms a prominent feature in the list of curiosities to be visited in this very picturesque county. Dunran is indeed, by its peculiar beauties, rendered difficult to describe, and more appropriate to the pencil than the pen. Here are 200 acres of wood, water, rocks, and lawns highly dressed, in which the bold ruggedness of nature has been softened by the hand of culture so happily, as not to fritter away the characteristic grandeur of the original; whilst each romantic eminence presents a varied and extensive prospect of mountain, vale, and wood of this beautiful county, at intervals contrasted with the sublime and expansive line of the ocean. This glen has many miles of road winding through it; and the rambler will often find its deepest recesses enlivened by the cheerful parties which frequent it during the summer.
RATHDRUM, 8 m. S.W. of Wicklow, forms an excellent station for the artist, with fine mountain and river scenery on the Avon; with romantic mountains towards Arklow, covered with luxuriant forests finely contrasting with the wild and savage landscape in other parts of the vicinity. See the Wool hill; some lead-mines near it, between which and Rathdrum in the valley is a romantic bridge, which Miss Plumptre strongly recommends as a subject for the pencil. Visit the beautiful grounds of Avondale, 1 m. distant: whilst here, the tourist will find a very agreeable excursion in a trip to Glenmolaur, about 14 m. from Wicklow, being a long strait glen, or valley, rude and barren, with a rivulet wandering through it between two mountains, whose tops are so broken and divided as to seem like an extensive chain, yet the sides are so smooth and steep that cattle frequently, by grazing too near, slip down and are killed by the fall. At the entrance of the glen is a lonely shepherd's cottage; and in proceeding towards its termination, the visitor finds a rugged ascent formed of huge pieces of rock loosely thrown together, whilst the ascent opens into an ample cove, or kind of amphitheatre, from the top of which descends a waterfall that feeds the stream below, and though inconsiderable in dry seasons, yet becomes a foaming cataract after heavy rains, adding greatly to the romantic wildness of the scene.
WICKLOW, 24 m. S. of Dublin, stands agreeably on the side of a lofty hill. Tolerably good accommodations. See the Ch., with high steeple; modern Court-house; Gaol, and Market-house; ruins of Black Castle, on a huge rock rising from the sea; and some curious limestone caves at the base of Wicklow-head. Some remains still exist of the Abbey of Franciscan Friars, founded in the reign of Henry III. Little more is left than masses of broken walls with some fine arches; but being seated in private garden-ground, they have of late years escaped dilapidation. Wicklow ale is excellent. Ballybeg is a house and demesne near Wicklow, which to the lovers of mountain scenery cannot fail to afford gratification. Mr. Wakefield observes, that although destitute of lake or river, yet the magnificent prospect of mountain rising above mountain, until they fade in the distance, presents quite an alpine view, the distant hills clad with woody scenery, and the foreground well filled up with thriving plantations, verdant lawns, and other modern improvements. There is a very pleasant pedestrian ramble to the Devil's Glen. On the right appears the sea at some distance, extending from Wicklow-head to another headland: beneath the observer's eye is the glen with a mountain stream running along its bosom; beyond which are cultivated hills, rocky promontories, and fine plantations of evergreens surrounding the place of view;--the whole forming a scene of great beauty.
MINERALS.
Trap; greenstone; hornblende; felspar; porphyry; and pyrites:--round Arklow.
Copper, with some recent discoveries of gold; pyrites:--at Cronbane.
Lead ore; large blocks of pure quartz; blocks of mica slate; foliated galena, and gneiss:--at Glenmolaur.
Gneiss; granite:--on Lugneguilla Mountain.
Lead ore; galena; carbonate of lead crystallized; sulphate of barytes:--at Shankhill.
Hornstone, and quartz:--in the Sugar-loaf mountains.
BOTANY.
_Asplenium Trichomanes_, English black Maiden-hair:--on rocks.
_Hieracium paludosum_, Succory-leaved Hawkweed:--on the Mountain of the Three Rocks.
_Juniperus communis_, Juniper:--on mountains.
_Pulmonaria maritima_, Sea Bugloss:--on the Meneagh of Wicklow.
_Saxifraga umbrosa_, London Pride, or None-so-pretty:--on mountains.
_Silene amœna_, Sea Campion:--among stones near the sea.
_The following Iters from Dublin, extracted from_ CUMMING'S Traveller's Guide through Ireland, _may be found useful_.
_miles._
From Dublin to Howth.
To Marino 2 Clontarf 2-1/4 Raheney 4 Beldoyle 6 Howth 7-1/2
From Dublin to Malahide.
To Coolock 3 St. Douloughs 4-1/2 Malahide 6-1/2
From Dublin to Balbriggan.
To Drumcondra 2 Santry 3 Swords 7 Turvey 9 Man of War 12 Balruddery 14 Balbriggan 15-1/2
From Dublin to Naul.
To Glassnevin 2 Forest 5-3/4 Brackenstown 6-1/4 Bally-boghill 10-1/2 Naul 14
From Dublin to Garrelstown.
To Finglass 3 Pass if you Can 5-1/4 St. Margarets 5-3/4 Chapel Midway 7 Kilsaloghan 8-1/4 Clonmethan 10 Garrelstown 14
From Dublin to Cloonee.
To Castleknock 3-1/2 Mullahedart 6-1/4 Cloonee 7
From Dublin to Lucan.
To Chapelizod 2-3/4 Palmerstown 4 Lucan 6-1/2
From Dublin to Tallagh.
To Crumlin 3 Tallagh 5
From Dublin to Waterford.
To Rathcool 8 Johnstown 5-1/2 13-1/2 Naas 2-1/2 16 Kilcullen Bridge 5 21 Timolin 8 29 Castle Dermot 5 34 Carlow 5 39 Leighlin Bridge 6 45 Royal Oak 2 47 Gowran 5-1/2 52-1/2 Thomastown 7 59-1/4 Waterford 15 74-1/4
From Dublin to Limerick.
To Rathcool 8 Johnstown 5-1/2 13-1/2 Naas 2-1/2 16 Kildare 9 25 Monasterevin 5 30 Maryborough 10 40 Montrath 7 47 Burros Ossory 7 54 Roscrea 5 59 Toomovara 10 69 Newport 17 86 Limerick 8 94
From Dublin to Cork.
To Rathcool 8 Johnstown 5-1/2 13-1/2 Naas 2-1/2 16 Kilcullen Bridge 5 21 Timolin 8 29 Castle Dermot 5 34 Carlow 5 39 Leighlin Bridge 6 45 Royal Oak 2 47 Kilkenny 10 57 Callen 9 66 Ballypatrick 10 76 Clonmel 6 82 Ardsennan 7 89 Clogheen 4 93 Ballyporeen 4 97 Kilworth 8 105 Fermoy 2 107 Rathcormick 5 112 Cork 12 124
From Dublin to Galway.
To Lucan 7 Maynooth 5 12 Kilcock 2 14 Clonard Bridge 12 26 Terrilpass 14 40 Killbeggan 5 45 Athlone 15 60 Ballinasloe 12 72 Aghrim 4 76 Loughrea 11 87 Oranmore 14 101 Galway 4 105
From Dublin to Donaghadee.
To Swords 7 Balruddery 7 14 Drogheda 10 24 Dunlear 7 31 Dundalk 10 41 Newry 9 50 Loughbrickland 8 58 Dromore 8 66 Hilsborough 4 70 Lisburne 3 73 Belfast 7 80 Bangor 10 90 Donaghadee 4 94
ITERS THROUGH DIFFERENT COUNTIES OF IRELAND.
MR. HOLMES'S ITER, 1797.
_miles._
From Kilkenny to Cork.
To Kells 6 4 Callan 4 4 Cashell 18 6 Holy Cross 7 2 Silver Mines 10 0 Killaloe 8 2 Limerick 9 7 Adare 9 0 Askeyton 8 3 Tarbert 14 3 Listowel 19 4 Castle Island 2 5 Killarney 9 7 Cork 38 4 Cove 6 0
From Cork to Kilkenny.
To Rathcormuck 13 1 Lismore 10 0 Clonmell 11 4 Callan 16 4 Thomastown 10 2 Kilkenny 8 0
SIR RICHARD COLT HOARE, 1806.
DUBLIN
To Black Bull Inn 10 Trim 12 Mitchelstown 11 Mullingar 12 Kilbeggan 12 Tullamore 6 Birr 19 Nenagh 19 Limerick (through Killaloe) 25 Adare 8 Newbridge 8 Tarbert 16 Tralee 25 Killarney 15 Mill Street 16 Cork 23 Cloyne 18 Youghall 12 Lismore 15 Fermoy 15 Mallow 15 Charleville 15 Tipperary 21 Cashel 10 Johnstown 17 Durrow 8 Ballyroan 8 Emo Inn 9 Kildare 10 Naas 10 Racool 8 Dublin 8 Maynooth 12 Trim 14 Mitchelstown 11 Kells 12 Virginia 9 Cavan 13 Belturbet 8 Enniskillen 19 Church Hill 9 Ballyshannon 14 Donnegal 9 Ballybofey 14 Derry 20 Newton Limavady 13 Coleraine 10 Causeway 10 Ballymony 7 Ahoghill 14 Antrim 12 Belfast 12 Hillsborough 12 Tullamore Park 21 Hilltown 8 Ross Trevor 6 Newry 7 Dundalk 10 Dunleer 10 Slane 14 New Grange 3 Navan 6 Trim 8 Killcock 11 DUBLIN 16 ---- Irish miles 810
N.B. By the ratio of 11 to 14, or 16-1/2 to 21, 40 to 50, this 810 Irish, makes rather more than 1030 English miles; but in travelling, the various length of miles, and the reputed distances between stages, often lead to much inconvenience.
_Tour from Dublin through several of the Southern Counties, and returning to Dublin: made in 1809._
_miles._
To Enniskerry 10 Bray 9 New Town Mt. Kennedy 8-1/2 Dunran 3 Turn leading to the Devil's Glen 4-1/2 Wicklow 5 Glendaloch 12 Rathdrum 6-1/2 Arklow 8-1/2 Gorey or Newborough 9-1/2 Ferns 8-1/2 Enniscorthy 5-1/2 Ferry Carrick 9 Wexford 3 Fook's Mill 11-1/2 New Ross 8-1/2 Waterford 12 Through Curraghmore: To Carrick-on-Suir 17 Clonmell 11 Ardfinnan 7 Clogheen 5 Lismore 10-1/2 Youghall 14 Castle Martyr 8-3/4 Middletown 5 Cork 12 Macroom 19 Mill Street 10 Killarney 16 Tralee 15 Listowell 15 Rathkeale 20 Adare 6 Limerick 8 Bird Hill 10 Nenagh 11 Roscrea 15-1/2 Burros in Ossory 6 Maryborough 13-1/2 Emo Inn 5-1/2 Monasteraven 5 Kildare 5 Naas 9-1/2 Johnstown 2 DUBLIN 13-1/2
ROUTES OF MAIL COACHES FROM DUBLIN.
CORK MAIL, _Starts a quarter before 8 in the evening_.
To Naas, Kilcullen, Castle Dermot, Carlow, Leighlin Bridge, Royal Oak, Kilkenny, Clonmel, Clogheen, Fermoy, Cork--Arrives 1/4 past 9 following night.
LIMERICK MAIL, _Starts a quarter before 8 in the evening_.
To Naas, Kildare, Monasteraven, Maryborough, Montrath, Burris, Roscrea, Nenagh, Limerick--Arrives about 3 in the afternoon.
GALWAY MAIL, _Starts a quarter before 8 in the evening_.
To Leixlip, Maynooth, Clonard, Kinnegad, Killbegan, Moat, Athlone, Ballinasloe, Loughrea, Galway--Arrives about 5 in the afternoon.
SLIGO MAIL, _Starts a quarter before 8 in the evening_.
To Leixlip, Maynooth, Clonard, Kinnegad, Mullingar, Rathowen, Edgeworth Town, Longford, Roosky Bridge, Drumsna, Carrick-on-Shannon, Boyle, Colloony, Sligo--Arrives about 5 in the afternoon.