The Irish standard., 1907-11-16

Leaving Limerick ION the azure riv-
or" and turning northward either Of
two picturesque routes may be select
ed, says John o'Callaghan in tho Bos-
ton Globe.
One is on 1.-The Shannon stream to
Athlone by steamer, the other by rail
to Ennis, Athenry and Tuam or Gal
way. BY tho latter route several very
interesting side trips may be made to
some Of the prettiest seaside resorts
in ireland, including Kilkee. the Cliffs
of Moher, Miltown Malay and Ennis
tymon. The Shannon route to Ath.
lone presents picture Of river and in
land scenery Of different character,
but equally picturesque and delight
full,
A Mennonite Of the Siege Of Limerick.
Taking first the railroad route. the
traveller leaving limerick passes over
a lone wooden bridge, spanning the
Shannon, which at that point is con-
siderably more than a mile" wide. Be-
tween the railroad terminus and the
bridge over the Shannon, the traveller
by train sees the ruined structure Of
New Castle, where William Of Orange
had his quarters during the Siege of
Limerick. After crossing the bridge to
the Glare side, before reaching the first
station, Longpavement, he sees on tho
left Cratloe Keel Castle, close beside
Cratloe wood, by which the railroad
runs for several miles. History states
that in this remote forest around the
year 900, the Ulster clans invaded
Clare. and among other booty which
they carried off they cut down and took
away sunicient oak timber tJ roof the
old palace, called the Grianan Of ALL
each, near Londonderry.
But the Munster men were not in
clined to be submissive. Some years
later they retaliated, and marching
northward razed the Grianan to the
ground, each soldier carrying off as a
trophy or souvenir Of the exploit stone
Of the wall in his knapsack. Returning
and built into a. parapet "in memoriam"
around the royal residence Of LINER
ick.
Thief and Banker.
Cratloe Wood in the first part of the
eighteenth century was the hiding place
of a famous highwayman named Free
ney. He was finally captured and Inn
prisoned, and while thus confined he
was one day visited by an insolvent
banker, who expressed his satisfaction
at seeing such a notorious thief In GUS
tody. Freeney was equal to the occa-
sion, however, and he retorted to the
banker, You ought to be the last man
in Ireland to say that, for when the
whole world refused your notes took
Them" The incident is referred to in
Thackeray's Irish Sketch Book
A good view Of the lower Shannon
can be had from Cratloe station, close
by which is Bunratty Castle. the old
residence Of the former Lords Of Tho
mond. In the middle Of the seventeenth
century it's park Of several thousand
acres held as many as three thousand
deer. Passing Six Mile bridge on the
way to Ballycar and Newmarket. one
can see from the train Dromoland
Castle, the residence Of Lord 1nchiquin.
It was there that William Smith o'Brien
was born. There, too, in some recent
times. Nine. Marconi, wife Of the in
ventor Of wireless telegraphy. was
born.
Tho Ruins Of Old Monastie Buildings
Close by Ardsollus may be seen the
ruins OF ouin Abbey. erected for. the
Franciscans several centuries ago. Au-
thorities differ as to the date Of itl
establishment, its foundation being va
riously stated as 1878, 1867 1402 and
1888. A number of monastic buildings
including cloistsrs, dormitoriss and 70.