Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-13
Wakema3's U(a3deTi0qs.
ODD INCIDENTS OF Fo2E1GN TRAVEL AND
OBSERVATION.

| of It's sweet and murmufous tributary.
the Awbeg, and after q tramp from old
Doneraie town, set like a squalld Gipsy
encampment amid gorgeous natural
environs. to the level tract where stand
the ruins of Kilcolman Castle, the Irish
home of the poet Spenser--would agree
with me in pronouncing the place one
Of the loneliest spots In all Ireland A
vast vale surrounds Il; but as far as the
eve can reach there Is scarcely sign Of
human habitaiion. The once noble
forests have disappeared. Only one
little lake to the south Can be seen; and
searching in vain for sight or sound Of
human activity or ncarness, only tie
gray OF fair horizone dye settles lead
emily down upon the Waterford noun
tains to the east, the heights OF Kerry to
the west, the Maggie mountains to the
south, and the Ballyhowfa Hills to the
north. II Is said that from the top Of
the castle view Of above half the
breadth of Ireland was once comman-
dcd. If there was compensation IN that
In Sponsors time, !, could hardly be
found now.
Kilcolman or ON C5inap in Irish,
means Colman's Church. There were
above sixty saints Colman, and any Of
these, 10 ones liking, may be taken as
the patron saint OF this particular town
land locality. The castle, as the RUNS
indicate, however remote its date Of
construction, must have been one OF
strength and importance. Historically
II is known to have been originally one
Of the great Earl Of Desmond s fortified
castles. The lower portion Of the great
quadrangular keeps in n good state OF
preservation for about thirty feet from
the ground; one Of lis side walls, show
Ing a noble window, rises solidly ard
firmly for perhaps twenty-five feet above
this; and massive square Ranking
tower still lifts It's rough old walls TO
probable height OF seventy feet. II must
have been weird and dreary place tor
one OF Sponsors line nature.
But three things OF the gravest impor.
lance TO poet, prince or peasant came
TO this man In his eleven years of prac.
teal Punishment here, between / 5S7 and
1899. The first OF these was the chas.
,cning and cxalting influence Of abso-
lutte sclfdenial. The second was In his
wooing and marrying women "of
mean birth, who was so loyal, sweet
and good, that Spencer never knew an
unhappy hour on her account during
his life, more power to women 'of mean
BIRTH for il. The other was In his visits
10 and communions with his noble
friend, Raleigh, at messy old Youghal,
few miles distant upon the sea coast.
Raleigh, genius and poet that he himself
was, generously recognized the greater
poets true greatness; warmed his hear,
with sunny inequalities; sustained his
doubtful dreamings with strong and
heartsomc friendship; and In $50 bodily
took the timorous Spenser TO London;
introduced him TO the queen:
aud that very year saw the publication
oil the first three books Of Fdeyfe
CHceH
These three good fortunes, despite
bitter financial straits on the one hand. |
and, on the other. Irish "rehellions" of /
such startling frequency that every far |
line OF trees, like trembling silhoue,tes |
against the horizon, undoubtedly took |
on the form OF Desmond and Tyrone |
avengers, made him sing rs no English |
poet before his time had ever sung. |
And in these true things OF his ~. lay |
me compensations; for the later A..,. Of |
poverty in London, where, as the sequel |
proved, English indifference was more
fatal than Irish savagery, brought him
nothing save the loyalty OF his com.
panion 'of mean birih,' and he was
allowed TO die in want in the land he
had more infinitely houored than any
other who ever lived in il, save Shak-
'peare. There is but little here TO
-emind OF Spenser now. So desolate Is
I'D Kilcolman and devoid Of suggestive
association the region roundabout, that
he pilgrim hither must perlotcc bring
,penser along in his heart and build
Utmost the entire fabric of lie, home
md haunts from his own loving fancy.
Only one real and sweet thing Is here
which will always remain as II revealing
he radiance Of the poets gentle pre-.
ence. That is the near little river.
Awbeg, the "Mulla" Of his Joyous verse.
more joyous and melodious ever. as Il
ings Of him who sung. on its sunny.
way to the Backwater and
he sea.
There Is nothing more beautiful in all
roland than Cork city, set in stone and
GRACE against her leaiy heights, and
he broadening river Lee, which, rising
n the mystic depths OF weird, wild
iougane Barra. nj the edge of Kerry.
pandcrs through lovely glens and sunny
'ales to where The city and tide meet
nd then, blending with the salt water
weeps through the most glorious and
picturesque estuary In the world, down
'ast Queenstown to the sea. But this
as been repeatedly told by word pain
srs galore. My own secret longing led
nc first and last to.
THE groves of Barney,
That look SO charming
Down by the purlings
Oh sweet silent brooks"
One hardly realizes that he is in Ire.
md while among these handsomely
tired people who. seeking their subur.
an homes, throng the cars OF The little
ailway leading from Cork along the
weet shores Of murmuring stream.
nd for the short four miles to Blornev
ne almost feels he is again within the
OF the clear-eyed, active
reezy and prosperous folk one always
nds In American aud London suburban
iilway travel. At the end OF This little
lilway and ut the head Of the valley
trough which II and the stream have
IN, IN a tiny, pockety vale whose sur
zee is almost level ON either side 10 The