The record-union., 1893-05-13
Especial Correspondence of the RECORD
UNION. Copyright, 1891


UNION. Copyright, 1881
LONDON, May l, 1893.
Throughout the entire south of ireland,
and particularly along the banks of such
rivers as the Barrow, SUR, Blackwater,
Bride and Lee, are found the ruins or
the well-preserved remains of huge
square castles, built by the heads of septs
and clans at different periods during the
thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and a few
as late as the sixteenth centuries.
Whatever the reasons for the same,
these massive stone keeps-for they bore
no resemblance to architecturally beau
tiful Irish and English castles of the
Elizabethan and a still more modern
time-seemed to have been constructed
with reference 10 conveying intelligence
from one to another, probably from sig
nal lights from their lofty parapets, as
some which are still standing are more
one hundred feet in hight. Wherever
you may saunter along these southern
Irish rivers, you will find that there is an
uninterrupted view between the sites of
the ancient castle ruins. Often they are
but two miles apart, frequently from
four to six, but in every Instance they are
III view of each other, and ancient roads,
blOWIuR ludJ QUICK duQ easy
cation was taken into account, are inva-
riably found between.
Probably three of the most interesting
of these massive old structures in the
south of Ireland are very near together,
and can all be visited in a days journey.
They are Castle Lisfnny, at the ancient
town of Tallow on the Bride River, near
the boundaries of Counties Waterford and
Cork; Castle Kilcolman, on a rivulet flow
ing into the Awbeg, in the northern part
OF County Cork; and Castle Blarney, i'll
the beautiful Blarney Vale, but an hours
lovely walk from the winsome city of
Cork. Taken together these three are the
best existing specimens of the tower
house or castle OF the ancient Irish
chiettain, while each in its way is world
famous in view of its distinctive associa-
tions.
Castle Lisfinny stands on the side of
gentle deolivity, which rises from the
margin of the River Bride, with the
sleepy old town of Tallow and its low,
gray convent nesting in the valley on
the southern side. 1t is supposed to have
been built by the Earl of Desmond, and
has undergone but little change during
the past hundred years. 1t consists of q
massive square tower with facades of
fully fifty feet, and the structure is nearly
one hundred feet high. Its summit com
mands a delightful view of the valley of
the Bride, upwards of twenty miles in
extent, gemmed with villas, sheeted with
luxuriant farms and dappled at intervals
with wltchiug revealments of the river
here and there appearing like tiny lake
of silver in emerald settings of verdure
and woodland.
The late Douglas Pyne, M. P. for West
Waterford, as l knew from personal ac-
Quaintance, one of the most loyable of
men, in the fall of 1887 threw the whole
nited Kingdom and part of America
n pf a
characterlstically Irish mode of avoiding
arrest for upwards of three months with
the police, soldiery and warrant all lit
orally under his very nose. The "sedi-
tious offenses" which had brought the
law upon him consisted in tunneliup
from his own land to the house of a
neghboring tenant undergoing siege for
eviction, and in this novel manner sup
plying him now and then IN his dilemma
with courage and comfort in the form of
an old bottle of whisky and snug ham
per of Yictuals cooked by good Mrs.
Pyne herself. Mr.. Pyne was considera-
BILE of a wag, and as it was October when
he was ''summonsed," his crops were all
in, and as Parliament did not meet until
january, he decided to employ the inter-
vening time in having little fun with
the miniops of the law.
Mr.. Pyne was tenant of the Lisfinny
demense, and his home, few yards from
the castle, was one of those old and now
almost obsolete mansions of the Irish
gentleman of half a century ago, He
had converted the castle into byre. barn
and storehouse. Into this strange struct-
ure Pyne and two of his companions re-
treated, walllng up and completely bar
ricading the lower entrance, and, pro-
vided with canned meats, fruits and
other edibles, with an unknown quantity
of whisky and cigars, here he grandiosely
defied arrest.
An entire company of Balfour's soldiers
endeavored to diSlodge him. But that
was impossible. An entrance could not
be effected. Even if one had been made,
arrangements were such within, that
anywhere from one to a dozen tons of
rock could have been precipitated upon
the invaders. Mr.. Pyne, from his lofty
perch above them, soothingly told the
soldiers all this, and much more, which
wade their duties particularly agreeable.
The, situation becoming known, Lisfinny
was the center of attraction for all Ire
land. Throngs came to Tallow daily to
cheer Mr.. Pyne, who sagely addressed
them on the wrongs of Ireland" from a
window ninety feet from the ground,
while the unfortunate soldiery were the
butt of immeasurable and inexpressible
ridicule.
For thirteen weeks this tremendous
farce continued, when, finally, the great
question as TO how Mr.. Pyne would take
sally discussed. Irish wit and recourse
answered this promptly. Suddenly there
appeared placarded all over the Counties
of Cork and Waterford a notice that
Douglas Pyne's grazing lands would on
a certain day, be sublet by auction. To-
wards evening of that day every road
leading into Tallow swarmed with Irish
men. BY sunset over 900 cattle were
believing and charging around the base
of old Listinny, while fully one hundred
tenant farmers, swearing, protesting, fig ht-
ing, managed to have the soldiers hope
lessly stampeded by the excited herds.
1t is about forty miles by road from
Tallow to Cork harbor. In the melee a
clever ruse by Pyne's friends among the
tenantry, the emminent offender was
lowered from his aerie, and by relays of
swift horses was at Queenstown before
midnight. The next night he was in the
south of England, and ten days later,
while Balfour's soldiers were still closely
guarding old Lishnny, that the arrant
rebel should not escape, Douglas Pyne
quietly entered the House of Commons
in London and gravely took his seat in
Parliament, amid such cheers as never
before or since made the great structure
trembie TO its very foundations.
l feel sure that One-after enjoying the
glorieS of the Blackwater with those OF
its sweet and nlurmurouS tributary, the
Awbeg, and after q tramp from old DON
eraile town, set like squalid gypsy en-
campmeut amid gorgeous natural envi-
rons 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
loueliest spots in ali Ireland. \ vast vale
surrounds it, but as far as the eye can
reach there is scarcely a sign of human
habitation. The once noble forests have