The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-01-04
FROM REV. s. L. BowERMAN's LETTERS
"THROUGH IRELAND"
IN THE METHODIST
CORK.


looked up in the morning is suitable
conveyance with which to see the city anC
its suburban places. Street-ca and ON
nibuSes are here called "Tramways,
which afford deck-passage for gentlemen
and are driven with three horses abreast
But the .aunting- car is an inimitable insti
tuition, and must have been of Irish orr
gin. Imagine an odd two wheeled vehicle
designed for one horse and five persons
driver perched above the horse, passen-
gers seated back to back-speed swift, you
may be sure, for we go in on gallop, and
all hold on. Add to this the accompani
footed and strong, coming III beside us on
the run, where we come to a brisk trot
women carrying great baskets full of bog
wood momentoes, which they throw one
by one into the lap Of "the lady," for in
specton and sale; boys, round-chested and
healthy, awaiting our approach on a hill
top, or at q hovcl-door, starting on q race
quite in advance of us, wing with each
begging at once at the top of the voice,
Ha'penny. Ha' penny!-and you have some
thing Of a picture Of many an experience
we had in the Irish jaunting-car. Ameri-
can carriages are very little in use here.
Cork is an abbreviation of the Irish name
1 Corrock, meaning a swamp, from the fact
Of its early situation on two marshy islands.
1t was probably founded by the Danes,
who invaded ireland in the eighth, but
over-ran the country during the uinth CELL
fury. 1t seems that under the auspice of
st. Fionn Bar, the city assumed consider
able Importance, since a seminary of learn
| ing is reported as having 700 students
"flowing in from all parts The McCar-
thys and O'Mahoneys were the original
proprietors of the soil. Cork now boasts
of about so, 900 inhabitants. To our stran-
ger eyes, the city looks like nondescript
that had taken a second growth. Broad
and beautiful avenues have sprung up
amidst the dirtiest, dingiest alleys, while
the bridges named Parliament and St. Pat
rick's, spanning the branches of the river
| Lee, are certainly structures worthy of coz
sideration. A fine statue of Father Mat
! thew in bronze, in posture and expression
most benignant, adorns st. Patricl's street
near the bridge bearing the same name
Touching its relative importance as q city,
an old saw says:
Limerick 1as, Dublin as, but Cork shall
be
The largest city of the three"
BLARNEY CASTLE.
1t is five miles away to Blarney, whose
castle, groves, and stone have given such
distinction to the name. The village it
self is an old tumbled-down affair, of no
note. The royal McCarthys, whose power
was so felt once in Southern Ireland, own
ed all these estates. The castle is firm,
massive old ruin, built about 1449, having
its square tower and battlement, and don
.iou-keep or prison, hundred feet in the
air, with a supplementary cave below Of
huge dimensions, where condemned pris-
oners are said to have been committed
This fortified home of the chief is repre-
sented as having been built by the Earl of
Desmond 800 years before Oliver Cromwell
invaded Ireland, in 1G49. Cromwell COM
pletely dismantled the castle. Its walls
still stand, and seem remarkably strong
We clambered to the very top, up through
tstower and winding stone stairway. A
beautiful English ivy, of immense stock,
and wealth Of green, covers all the re-
naming walls. Here, too is the original
Blarney- stone-the genuine article-known
throughout Ireland for seventy-five years
as imparting to any one kissing it re-
markable 50 eloquence SO t!attering and
persuasive that nothing could resist its
power" This stone is placed in the wall,
to which it is grappled with irons at the
end Sand hundred feet in the air, while
another, at the foot of the castle, impart-
ing the same virtues, may be kissed for
siXpence piece.
THE LAKES OF KILLARNEY.
Next we directed our course to the Kill
larney Lakes in Southwestern Ireland
Here are some of the finest scenes of ma
ture in all Great Britain. The lakes are
three in number, chain exquisitely beau
tiful, contrasting so strikingly with the
very bold, barren mountains which flank
the lakes on the seward side. To reach
these waters most approximately, the tour
list should go first to Dunloe Gap, wild
pass through gorge along the base of the
Purple Mountain. A beautiful streamlet
of the pass. Reaching the gorge by car
| riage, we resort to the horse and saddle:
and in our approach, our guides fire cannon
to afford us hearing of the wonderful
echoes that reverberate from height to
height, through several minutes continu-
ance, as if mountain were calling out to
mountain, and each responding with in
creased rapidity, until, in strange confu-
sion the echoes die away. Passing through
five miles of this deep defle, with i'm
mense craggy cliffs suspended fearfully
over us, we arrive at the first of this chain
of beautiful lakes, and are fifteen miles by
water from our starting point-the Royal
! Victoria Hotel Here four-ored boats
await us. The scenery is magnificent
Wild, barren grandeur is succeeded by the
loveliest landscapes, which put on all their
beautiful green. Numerous islands stud
the upper lake, and these are crowned with
a foliage Of richest gloss, interspersed with
! flowers that seem waxen and tlash-like and
beautiful beyond description. Taking to
the boats, we began to descend the lake
rapidly. Every mountain and island,
every point and rock has its legend and
song. 1t is a rich pastime to listen to the
! guide and oarsmen as with characteristic
wit and popularity they relate the story of
these scenes. The upper lake, which is
nearly three miles i'll length, surpasses the
others in the wild beauty of it's views
| The old Wier Bridge-an antiquatee struc-
ture of two arches, said to be the Oldest in
Ireland, and built by the Druids-is passed
by a stream of uncomfortable force, and