Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-05-20
Name of the Great COmmoner
to BE Dropped from the List
of Irish Landlords.
Six Centuries Herbert Played
Part i'm the History
of England.
Description of the Beautiful
and Picturesque Muck
ross Estate.
IRISH AMERICANS SHOULDPURCHSE 1T

The students of national and family
history will notice with singular interest
that famous name has been dropped out
OF the list of Irish landlords-there will
no longer be Herbert of Muckross. 1t
is said by genealogists that Herbert of
Muckross was the greatest commoner in
the three kingdoms. He was the nm
doubted head of that great house of Her
bert, which has for six centuries played
such a part in the history of England.
To 1t belong the long line of the Dukes
OF Somerset, those proud Dukes of
Somerset whose vaulting ambition was
SO fatal to many of them. The first Duke
was that protector to the realm of Eng
land who thought to wear its crown. but
persisted by the axe on Tower Hill. His
son suffered long Imprisonment for his
secret marriage with the Princess Cathe-
rine, the grandniece of Henry VIII. His
grandson met similar fate for his secret
marriage with the Princess ArabeIla, the
first cousin of James /. The Earls of
Pembroke and the Earls of Fowls are also
of the Herbert blood, as were the extinct
Earls of Cherburg Though the Herberts
OF Muckross remained commoners they
had mated with the greatest nobility.
The present Mr. Herbert's great-grand-
mother was the daughter OF the last Duke
OF Dorset; he is himself the nephew of
Lord Salisbury and the first cousin of the
Balfours. But all this glory is now over,
for the estate of Muckross has been sold
to the tenants, and in a few davs the
Mansion House, demesne and Deer park
will be put up for sale in the land court.
Now this sale of Muckross demesne
has for the Irish public very great and
real interest. To take the lowest ground
not the least valuable asset of ireland Is
her beauty. OF all the beautiful spots
in this island Killarney is the fairest and
the most famous. Everybody who has
spent day at the lakes knows that the
sheets OF water themselves and the
mountains surrounding them are private
property, in part belonging to the Ken
mare and III part to the Muckross estate.
The most beautiful and frequented side
of the lakes belongs to the Muckross
estate. The tourist who has walked or
ridden through the Gap of DunIoe can
not actually reach the boats to row down
the lakes without paying toll of one
shilling at the gate of the Muckross
estate The middle lake is almost if not
entirely landlocked by the Muckross
estate. The Tore cascade is, we believe.
on the Muckross estate. As it is, things
are bad enough. A toll of a shilling
head is very stiff on some hard working
artisan from Cork or Limerick who has
scraped up the money to give himself
and his wife and children a davis
holiday at Killarney. That beautiful tract
OF mountain, the deer forest of Muckross.
is strictly preserved and the public rigidly
excluded from il. But things may be very
much worse. Every inch of Muckross is
private property, the public have no
rights OF way within it; the levying and
universal payment of the tax is sufficient
proof of this. 1t is, therefore. entirely
open to any man who buys Muckross TO
shut his gates and exclude the public
from all excess to the lakes of Killarney.
1t may be said that this is not likely. 1t
is true that 1t is not likely, but il is en-
tirely possible. There have been lentv
of eccentric gentlemen who, like
"Vathek," Beckford and the late Duke
of Portland, absolutely excluded the
public from all ingress to their
demesnes. 1t is bad enough to have to
pay shilling to get on the lakes of Kill
larney, but it would be great deal worse
if the gate was altogether shut against
the people.
Muckross house and Demesne can be
obtained on very reasonable terms. The
sum of 10000 has been mentioned in
connection with some negotiations for
private sale. In any other country in the
world TIE State would interfere and pur-
chase Muckross as national park. In
any other country in the world the State
representing the people would instantly
take this opportunity of rescuing the
lakes oil Killarney from being the prop
erty OF private gentleman and the APP
panage OF private demesne. In America
the State has with characteristic magnifi-
cence bought up vast territories contain
ing thousands of square miles, and dedi-
Gated them forever to the public. In
most European States interesting build
ings or places of beauty have been
purchased as national property. In
Switzerland the vast area of mountain
and picturesque valley is as free to all
corners as the mountain air. In London
thousands are lavished on the parks. We
are always told that consistency with the
maintenance of the union the British
Government was ready to do all for Ire
land that would have been done nv an
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