The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-05-27
Claimed as Private Property by
Kenmare and Herbert.
SUGGESTION FOR A NATIONAL PARK
Description of the Picturesque
Muckross Demesne.

We announced some weeks ago in
these columns, says the Dublin Free
mans Journal, that the Herberts OF
Muckross had finally parted with their
beautiful and historic demesne, that all
the agricultural land had been sold to
the tenants, and the the mansion and
demesne would soon be sold in the
Land Court. This Information, so inter
esting to the lovers of the beautiful has
made the round OF all the journals OF
the empire, and Messrs. Whitney and
Moore, the solicitors for the vendors
now write to an English contemporary
with reference to the statements in our
columns. That letter fully confirms the
substantial accuracy OF our statements
The land has been sold to the tenants
The house and .demesne are for sale,
whether by private contract or i'll the
court it matter not. 1t is said that the
sum of 100000, mentioned by rumor as
the reserved price, would not for mo-
nient be entertained We do not pin
ourselves to any exact figure, but we
repeat that Muckross Demesne can be
hade for very reasonable price. What
!; Is to be sold is enumerated by rhe solici-
Tors in paragraph which is deeply in
teresting. In few weeks there will be
offered for sale the Middle Lake OF
Killarney, half the Devils Punch Bowl,
half Mangerton Mountain. two-thirds Of
the Purple Mountain, the whole of the
Tore and Toomies Mountains, the ISL
ands OF Dinis and Brickeen, the ruins of
Muckross Abbey, the Tore Waterfall,
O'Sullivan's Cascade, Brandon Cottage,
the fine Mansion of Muckross, its gar
den and demesne; the Deer Park with
its noble red deer, the last free repre-
sentatives of the mighty herds which
once roamed through Ireland. Father
Prout tells us that when another famous
spot was to be sold
The MUSES. shed tear
When the cruel auctioneer
With his hammer in his hand to fair
Blarney came.
The "cruel auctioneer" has now come
to more celebrated place, and the
Lakes of Killarney are offered for sale.
A correspondent, who writes over the
signature of "Diermod O'Dyna," has
raised most interesting and important
question. What, it may we'll be asked,
are the rights of the public to the Lakes
of Killarney and their banks? AS to
the waters proper, it is possible that the
public may have right to row over
them, and even to land for necessary
purposes OF portage on part of the
bank. This is, we say, possible, and a
few weeks ago decision of the English
law courts declared that Windemere
Lake was public highway. At present,
however, it is enough to note that the
lacustrine proprietors, Lord Kenmare
and Mr.. Herbert, claim the lakes as
their private property, and the right to
row over them could only be secured by
a doubtful and expensive lawsuit. As
t. the banks of the lake the public have
no rights at all save at one spot; the
right of the public to embark and dis
embark at Ross Castle quay was Sue
cessfully asserted against the Earls of
Kenmare by the late Judge Leahy, OF
Killarney. As to the banks of the lakes
the public have no rights at all. Their
banks and surrounding lands are all
part of the Herbert estate or the Ken
mare estate. To neither is the public
admitted save by the payment OF fee,
and if Lord Kenmare and the owner OF
Muckross wished it they could shut up
the lakes of Killarney from the public
as absolutely as they could their own
diningrooms. For example, the CLASH
cal Killarney tour is through the Gap
of Dunloe, and thence by water to the
quay at Ross Castle. Every one who
has made this journey knows that after
passing from the Gap the tourist before
he reaches the boats must pass through
a gate on the Herbert estate and pay a
toll of one shilling. II Muckross is ever
sold to curmudgeon or crank he
could shut up all access from the Gap,
could prevent all visits to the Abbey;
could Shut out from the world the beau
Z tiful Tore Waterfall and O'Sullivan's
Cascade; could, we fear, cut off all ac-
cess by land or water to the Middle or
Upper Lakes; could, in fact, shut up the