Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-12-03
A visit to o'connell's Estate.

Miss Martineau, in an account of visit she lately
paid to the tomb of the celebrated Daniel ConHell
says: -z5lf.
The mos, iml,lacable enemy of oConnell could not
but be touched and softened by visit to Derrynane
Abbey at this day. There can hardly he more af-
fectng spectacle than that house, where much OF
the politics of our coanIry has been conceived and
discussed. The situation of that old scat of the o.
Connell's is finer than description can give idea
of Seen from above, IN its green emDosomed in
woods, guarded by mountains whose gray rocks are
guady with gorse and heather, and facing
Sprinked with islets it looks like paradisaical re-
treat The first glimpse of it from the CahiIcyeen
road-the road by which O'Connell passed from one
mass of his large property to another-shows his
yacht riding sound in front of his grounds and
that sea-view suggests the remembrance of the old
days when the OConnells of both famiIies--Dan's
uncle and father-were understood to do others
did who lived in situations favorable for those
commercial enterprises which conducted by light.
In the wild times of the last century, when defiance
of law rather virtue than otherwise, and COM
munication with France was Irish privilege. gen.
llemen who had houses among the bays and sounds
of the west coast were under every inducement to
make their fortunes by smuggling The wild ruin
Of the house where Daniel born stands in adj
mrabe situation for Sn,uggling;- ID so does the Alb.
hey aud legends that the facility was album
dainty used. --.... ... .... ~
/ Smuggling is quite over now. as the coast guard
tell with sign. And agitation is over, too. So
the one house stands ruin and the other is rottng
away in damp and neglect. 1t is inhabited; it is
even filled with company at times; 1t Is to be so to-
morrow. But not the less forlorn is its appearance
when seen from nearer point than the mountain
roads. Choked by It's own woods which grow al
most up the windows, stained with damp, out OF
joint, unrepaired, unrcnewed. it is truly melan-
choy spectacle. Melancholy to all eyes. it is most
so to the minds of those who can go hack quarter
of a century ard hear again the shouts which hailed
the advent of the liberator, and again the
ent enthusiasm which watched him from afar when
he rested Derrynane from his tolls and went forth
to hunt among bis hills cruise about his bays
Now. there is his empty yacht in the sound, and his
chair in the chapel covered with black cloth. All
else that he enjoyed there in his vast wealth of mon
ey, fame, and popular love, seems to be dropping
away to destruction. When we were there, the bay
whose full waters must give life and music to thu
whole scene. forlorn stretch ofimpassablt
sand-neithcr land nor water, The tide was out
It was too like destiny of him whom it neighborec
so nearly. His glory swelled high and grand a
one time was its dash and roar but the tide is out
And it can never return-could never have return
ed if he had lived for there is going on, we trust
a gradual upheaving of the land, giving some prom
Use of that reclamation which he aever would allow