Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1907-08-08
A LETTER FROM IRELAND
Written by Representative of the
Iowa County Democrat.

Dear FrlendS-AS promised 10
write you from ireland, I will now try
to make good my word. We landed
at Queenstown, Ireland, June 27, and
have been on the move most of the
time since.
We first went to Cork, which is quite
lively business city, and on the way
I first realized why Ireland was called
1.-THE Green Isle", for the green is so
pronounced and of such a bright hue
and so varied that it is very noticeable
and attractive. | find the grass is
a great item in this country, and this
is the first place ever saw that could
beat southwest Wisconsin for grazing
purposes. am reliably informed
that you can pasture two cattle on one
acre and get them fat in three months;
and then put on two more and fatten
them. Down around Limerick, where
they have large milk condensing fac
tories, [ am told the milk from IL, 900
cows is received and manufactured
into butter and condensed milk.
The farmers in instances are buying
out the landlords and getting the fee
title to their lands, for the purchase of
which the government is furnishing
the money at three and one-fourth per
cent interest; and the value of the
land is fixed by commissioners ap-
pointed for that purpose. 1t seems to
me that the people of Ireland are
more favorably circumstanced than
ever before and the country seems
quite prosperous.
We visited Blarney Castle which is
about seven miles from Cork, driving
through a very good agricultural
country and of course we kissed the
world famed killarney Stone" From
Cork we went 20 Bantry Bay and
by stage coach to Glen Garitf, which
we are told is the warmest place in
Great Britain, and the flowers and
trees took on quite q tropical nature.
And we are told many cOnsumptives
90 there for the winter season. From
Glen Gariff we went by stage coach
across the mountains to Killarney,
and the country through which we
passed was quite romantic in its seen
cry. We saw great many mountain
sheep and goats and passed through
several tunnels. We also passed by
several public houses where the tour
lists are refreshed with 'mOuntain
dew" ginger ale, coffee, tea, cakes,
etc.
[ was very much surprised to see so
much timber inland, and so many
beautiful trees; in fact never saw
so many beautiful trees before, the
foliage being so thick and of such
rich colOrings and the shapes so uni
form and symmetrical. While at
Killarney we took some drives
through the mountain pass, 1.-THE
Gap OF DunIOe, -" then we took boats
manned by six strong Irishmen for a
trip through the worldfamed lakes of
Killarney for fourteen miles; and the
boatmen amused US very much with
their stories about the "Wee folk, "
the "Benshee, " The ancient giants, "
etc. In fact the drivers on the
coaches and nearly every one you
would see would have some fairy tale
to relate AS we were going along a
favorjte subject was, 1.-The Landlords"
collecting rent in Ireland and living
in England and other countries; but
along the way they pointed out 1.-THE
Devils Mountain" The Devils Is
land, )" The Devils Punch Bowl" ETC.;
so one of the party said, 1.-THE devil
seems to be a large real estate owner
in this country" and the driver re-
piled Yes but he is an absentee, like
the rest of the landlords" Killar-
ney and it's surroundings are very
beautiful and we enjoyed ourselves
very much, seeing the sights and visi-
ting with the people.
We visited in Carlow county, which
is said to be about the best agricul-
tural county on the island; and it
certainly is fine here. We ate some
of the largest strawberries [ ever saw,
and the flavor was very good. We
have visited many of the old castles
and cemeteries, Cor rather church
yards, and found them very interest
ing, especially the architecture of the
10th century, and earlier
The roads of Ireland are a marvel
for solidity, smOOthness and grade,
which makes driving pleasure.
We next visited Dublin, which is a
fine old city, full of old churches
statues and monuments of the past,
THE Four Courts" The Old Irish
Parliament House, st. Patricks
Cathedral" saint GATHERINGS Parish
Church., 4" DIRTY Lane" near which
Robert Emmett was beheaded, are
some of the very interesting places we
visited. We attended services at ST.
GATHERINGS which was built in A. D.
IlO5.
We visited the Intern ational Exhi-
bitiOn in Dublin, which was very
good and saw too much to describe
~, ,,,oD+Ico. b,,t will Sov tho Capa6 ian