New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-20

tinuing the work Steamers from America and
the Black Sea laden with wheat for her Touring
mills lie at her docks, as well as the smaller
craft which carry her butter and bacon to England.
One of her largest interests is that of porkpaclng
and the curing of bacon and hams. There are
several houses which pack over 800 animals per
day in good times Last spring the business was
a good deal disturbed by strikes among the en-
poyes, which had some curious consequences.
The poor of the city purchase the hearts and other
waste parts at small prices. The strike produced
meat famine among them. The packers do not
like animals weighing more than 200 pounds as
the smaller bacon suits their market best. The
farmers, therefore, take their pigs when at this
size to the little markets held every Saturday in
the larger towns, where the middlemen buy them
for the packers But the strike made it impossible
for the farmers to sell, and the pigs increased
in size they deprecated in value.
The attempt to establish the linen manufacture
here was a failure, the linen trade
elsewhere is not in good condition. but
the condensed milk industry which is gain
ing a footing is worth more TO the city
and environs As result of all this enterprise
the whole country about Limerick presents an
appearance of easy comfort which is in marked
contrast with the more southern cities. The
Protestant population is larger than in Cork, where
it is little more than an eighth of the whole.
Both they and the Catholics have new and -four
shing churches. The ladies OF Limerick are dis
tingushed for intelligence and beauty. This has
been city renowned Tor its battles and SicgcS.
Al first It was an outpost of the Mortimer who
had established themselves at Dublin. After
ward Brian Boru, King of Munster, ard to my
mind the greatest hero in Irish history, drove
them away and occupied the post Its most
thrilling military event was in the time of the
dethroning of King James of England, when the
city held out Loyalty for the Old King. The
battle with the English troops was wagcd with
great ferOcity on the bridge leading to the
tie, where the Irish were retiring, disputing the
ground inch by inch. Their French commander,
either from cOwardce or trcaChery, ordered the
warder of the castle TO pull up the draw-bridgc
behind them Thus the English in front
of them, and the rushing waters of the Shannon
behind them. Out of the 500 heroes the bodies
of all but Ill were found next day the
islands or banks of the river.
OF course We could not leave Limerick without
making all excursion TO hillalOc, so rlch in It's
historic associations 1t lies about seventeen
miles north the Shannon, and around the
southern shores Of Tough Dcrg. In the town
is a queer little church with stone roof, thought
to have been built by st. Flannan, who was OF
the generation after Patrick, between 500 AID
500 A. ID. One meets these old hcrmitageS in
various parts of Ireland where holy men lived
in solitude, and by their prayers and lahors shed
a little celestial light and subducd somewhat the
brutal barbaTiSn around them. Most OF their
churches or oratOries were rude heaps of stone,
laid without mortar, and with neither arch
nor ornament. The Government is taking care TO
preserve these national monuments. SONG III
them, and | think what severe battles tnose
bottom. 1t impreSSeS deeply TO stand within
them, and | think what scNerc battles thoa,
saints fought against all the forms Of beastIl-
ness A legend is told of St Finbarrc, whose
shrine is at Gougane Barre, that Patrick lett
one great dragon which was desolatIng the
whole southern land for Flnbarre to destroy.
In the legend Of It's destruction. | imagine that
we ought TO read Of the terrible struggles bJ
which he evicted the old hcai henlsm and INTRO
duced Christianity. But hllaloe has even more
interest as connected with the great King bran
Boru, who, by his native strength OF character
raised himself to the throne of Munster, con
qucred one by one the other IRISH ana Dahsh
kingdoms and brought the WEoe Blahu uIN'i
one hand | stood on the site of his famous
castle Of Kinc0ra, but scarcely a stone remains.
In his old age Brian came TO defeat ana death
through falling in love with a beautiful Nlr1go.
Her name was Gorullaith, and sire was da4@ht n
of the vassal King of Lcinstcr. She had already
been the wife Of TWO kings, who could not endure
her tongue, and had divorced her IN ne e"Sl
manner Of those DAYS. Brian found that Tie
woman's temper was too much Tor HIM, too' ana
he put her away also. But she ralSgi asaII>i
him the Ieinstcr men, the O'Nels Of Ulster the
mailed Mortimer Of Dublin, and even the raTls OF
the Orkneys Brian was then eighty years Ola
and age was beginning to tell on his course S ana
vigor. He fell in single combat Win broHar, on
Good Friday in tie year 1913, on what Is now
the site Of Phoenix Park Dublin. IL is Sald inAi
when his head was nearly cloyen he still heWcd
4
| life of the greatest lrlshman.
At Balyvally, near kilaloe, is fort probably
| much older than Brian II Is in such good condl-
! tion that il mieht have been built year ago but
! for the grand old trees which cover II, and with
their roots knit together its whole structure. ii
| * q great circular cmbaukmclt of earth ahoDt
! twenty feet hiqh. inclOsiLg hall-acrc Of ltud
with a deep moat around il. which IS vailed dp
! on The inner side. The entrance 10 Ia" lori l'
sufficient only for one person. he theory is iA'l
! this was a stronghold, into which the neg nor
| ing people brought their women ana chunT'h-
! their cattle and valuables when the news ran
| through the land that the Mortimer were com
/ ing up the shannon. What anxiety and exciting
| hustle must have frequently been here from M
! teen 10 eighteen hundred years ago What
! lowing Of cattle shut in from their familiar past
! ures What tears Of anxious mothers and irght-
! ened children, What deeds Of valor were done
| on these cmbankments by fathers and husbands
and sons as in the fury of battle IN Celtic fashion
| they threw off clothing and fought naked wild
the terrible mailed Mortimer. Wha, horIld ana
heart-rendng scenes We're here if the enemy
gained this stronghold What piiless strokes
were struck here on the dcfencecss by men who's,
swccthearts would not cO"s'nt - he wood tlli
they could show that their blades bad hccn
bathcd in this human blood, and till they cond
! exhibit the spells Of these raids on the teluc
coasts, No wonder that these Irish are hard -
oppease now when the SORROWS and the blood
shed Of so many centuries Of our GcrInanic IN
vasion have been so deeply craven on their hearts