The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-02
IRELAND.
A VISIT TO LIsMORE AND GLEN
CASTLE.


The Irish castle Of the CRvendIshes-
Celebrated OIL PRIntHngs-The View
from the Top OF the Castle.
Especial Correspondence Of the Democrat
LIsMORE, May Is, 1878.
Old Irish chronicles dignity
LIsMOEE
rs n "city." We would call it model town.
One Of those towns in which nature has not
altogether given place to stiff rows Of i'll
built low houses. It boasts bank, n college,
cathedral aud n castle. Even casual tour
| list Is impressed by the fact that Its inhabit-
ants favor progress and refincment-a fact
| that cannot be asserted of most Irish vii
| lagos.
| The word LgmOre comes from Ills, fairy
abode, and More" circle, and therefore sig
niies great fairy-land or great fairy abode.
| The place was so named because on It's out
skirts lies great fairy circle. in which is the
Well OF st. Carthage. st. Carthage Is the
patron saint Of Lsmore. The waters,
Sloan like, were supposed formerly to pos
sess miraculous powers Of healing.
| There Is no need for n name beautiful In its
euphony as we'll as it's appropriateness. If
we select our point Of view" and gaze OH the
scene before and below us, we readily under
stand why this should be Lism0re.
The hiIsdes, with just enough shrubless
green between the paintings to make isles Of
| forest on an ocean Of verdure the houses Of
the town peeping out from among clustering
trees the castle, with It's numerous and d.
versely shaped towers and its vy-Clad walls,
which seem continuation Of the steep en-
fundamentals foundation; "The Glen with
its wealth Of oooring and foliage; the rich
lands; the lazy, browsing cattle; the
| WINDING BLACKWATEH.
with It's shrub kissed surface, all form pic
turo of exquisite loveiness.
We turn from It's contemplation with re-
! luctanCe to visit the interior Of tho castle
The ancient pile is now in possession Of the
Cavendish family, Dukes Of Deyonshire. 1t
came to them by intermarriage with the
Boyles, Earls OF Cork, they in turn having
obtained it on it's conlscation after the down
fall Of the Desmonds, famed in song and story
as the representatives OF those Irish chief
tains who struggled 50 long and nobly against
| English supremacy.
THE CASTLE
wng originally a round tower, supposed to
have been erected by the Danes. Successive
generations have added tower and turret till
the nucleus has been lost in comparative in
significance.
The main entrance opens on n square court
yard, shut in by the Creeper-Clad stone walls
Of the castle. This entrance is large square
apartment, combining billiard-rOom and hall
to the right an elk head with its stately horns,
on the left family portrait OF the Cavendi8h
family. Carefully preserved under glass
cases are q sword Of great antiquity and a
crOZer supposed to belong to one Of the
ancient bishops of Ireland. These were found
in the ruins when portion Of the castle was
being repaired,
We tufn to the left up n massive stone
stairway and into the ballroom. Our first
impression is we have entered a chapel. The
lofty gothic room, the orchestra gallery, the
stained glass windows all aid the deluSiOn,
which Is, however, quickly dispelled by OBJ
serving the walls OF crimson and gold; the
blue sky-like root studded with stars, the
OrnamentatiOn for the most part elaborate de-
vices Of the DevOnshire arms, and the essen
; TALLY Irish welcome, "Caed Mile Falthe," "a
hundred thousand welcomes" sCulptured Oh
, the mantle Of "Caen" stone.
Next In order comes the dining hall, as We
know by the stiff rows Of Oaken chairs, each
bearing the DevOnshre crest The only
OIL PAINTINGS
in the castle, with one exception, are hung on
its walls. Over the mantle IL Sir Robert
Boyle the philosopher a scarce mOuStached
youthful faCe, hair dark and brown, parted III
the middle and falling in long loose waves
on either side, n brow low and broad, eyes
quiet and thoughtful, features Of good CON
+ tour This is tho portrait painted by Souest;
by no means the face of Il philosoPher,
THE Madonna with the Rabbit, after Cor
reggie! What realistic ideas these old paint
ers form Of the "Virgin Mother" Look at
. this, q sandaI-fOoted woman, seated on the
ground, CuddIing In her arms the "Divtne
Infant" His cheek Is pressed close against
l her bosom his eyes look back into her down
VIRGINS off m
round his dimpled shoulders; her right hanG
' touches his baby feet; close at hand n rabbit
half bold, half timid. rs if anxious for irOlic
, The artist has admirably pri9oned an ex
! preston Of tender, mOther-Ove in the perfect
: lineaments of the Italian face, All Correg
giO'S sOftncgB and grace OF attitude perVad'
: the picture. There are here also "a Wreck,
by LudOlph BaCkhuySen; ''The Dance after
, Titan, and n ST. Cecilia, after DOmenichn0
The ceiling is particularly fine, being or
! namentcd in ribbed-Oak and panels contain
. ing the brilliantly ColOred family motto
r "Cavendo lutus' safe through caution -
: and q Scriptural phrase.
I Along q corridor we proceed to the draw
: ing-roOm. Here is, Of course, the usua
amount Of mirrors, and crimson velvet up
! hOlstery presents itself. The walls are {
brilliant green, enlivenGd by brOnZe-hOrned
white dcerhead8. The arches Of the gothic
. roof are defined by ribs Of crimson white anC
t gold, each arch terminated by the EARNS o
DevOnShtrG."
The CHIEF feature OF interest mere Is
8 THE VIEW FROM THE BAY WINDOW
+ overlooking the Blackwater. 1t is well wOrtf
; an artists study. In was at this very win
3 dow that the hapless career Of James II wa
nearly cut short. Forgetting how low thu
+ window opened ne nearly lost his balanc
4 while looking from it, Had he been precipt
l. tated into the dark waters flowing beneath
g probably the battle Of the Boyne had neve
! been fought. We who know the wretchet
+ end the long years Of hope deferred and mis-
d cradle dependence endured by the iuckles
$ monarch, cannot help thinking the short
i brief struggle in the peaceful waves below u
0 had been happier alternative.
S We now pass to sitting-rOOm in which W
g examine photographs of the present Cayen
T dish family; among others that Of the Mar