Semi-weekly herald., 1908-08-27

place since, Tor generations and now
that family also is practically extinct
The last of the male line, the Honor.
able Arthur Herbert, died In 1866, and
a beautiful Celtic cross has been erect
ed to his memory upon the highest hill
in the neighborhood, overlooking the
park that he priced SO highly, and
where he enjoyed so much pleasure.
His widow and daughters lived there
for thirty years until they expired,
when the place was offered at auction
and Lord Ardilaun bid it in for 81, 900
pounds sterling for the estate, and
paid 10000 pounds more for furni.
ture, pictures, live stock and other
property. making 1t cost him alto
gether about $4,000 pounds sterling, or
In the neighborhood of $350.000. And
now he offers 1t for sale-the whole
thing, house OF thirty.two rooms, a
park OF 290 acres, the ruins of Muck
ross abbey and history and legends
galore for 75,800 pounds sterling. And
perhaps he would take less from the
proper person. Last year syndicate
was organized to purchase the place
and turn 1t into a Monte Carlo. They
proposed to make the handsome old
mansion gambling house and erect
a large hotel with all possible allure.
ments near by; but, when Lord Ardi.
laun learned of the scheme, he in
structed his solicitors to insert in the
deed clause stipulating that It should
be used for residential purposes only,
and that made 1t worthless to the syn
dicate. So Muckross abbey and its
beautiful surroundings are still in the
market
The abbey dates back to the dawn Of
Christianity In Ireland, and its site
was originally occupied in the fourth
or fifth century by monastery found
I'd by st. Finian Of Innisfallen and
his monks. The present building,
however, was erected by Donald Mac.
Carthy Nor, prince of Demonde, in
1880, and was finished by his son in
1340 for the Franciscan friars, who oc-
cupied 1t as monastery and as col
lege. There was some kind Of an in
stitution on the same site between the
monastery Of st. Finian and the pres.
ent one, for an ancient manuscript in
the library Of Trinity college. Dublin,
gives an account of its destruction by
fire in the eleventh century. The
founder, Donald MacCarthy Nor, built
the beautiful chapel as a burial place
for himself and his posterity. It Ia
also the burial place of the O'Donag-
hues Of the Glens. and in the very
center Of the choir is large square
tomb In which was deposited the body
of THE Great O'Donaghue," the chief
tain Of the lakes, concerning whom SO
many legends are told, as related in
yesterdays letter.
The O'Donaghues were connected by
marriage with the MacCarthys, kings
of Munster, and had their headquar-
ters at Blarney castle. near Cork
Twelve generations, so far as the In
scriptions can be deciphered, of that
proud family are lying here, and more
than twenty generations Of ODonag-
hues. The last MacCarthy buried here
was Florence. husband OF Agnes Her.
bert, who lived In Muckross house un.
til his death In 1910. The last O'Don-
aghue buried here was Donal, a direct
descendant of the O'Donaghues Of the
Glens, who was a member of parlia-
ment and died In 1889. His son JEFF
rey, The ODonaghue," as the head of
the family is always called. is a bar
rister living In Dublin, a gentleman OF
high reputation and much influence,
although he has lost almost every.
thing but his proud name and a line
age that is interviewer with the history
Of ireland since human actions were
recorded.
The grandfather OF "The ODona-
ghue" was a captain in the Munster
fusilers, which were recruited in Coun.
" merry anu WAS sthtioneu ~ CueBtof,
near Liverpool. the home Of Gladstone.
in1860. during religious agitation.
A band Of rioters we're making ready
to burn an effigy Of the pope when
Captain O'Donaghue warned the lead.
ers that II such an insult to the holy
father was offered the Kerry men
OF his regiment would burn the city
OF Chester to the ground. When this
threat became known the mob dis
persed and there were no more reiigi
Gus demonstrations while Captain
oDonashue and the men of Kerr,
were in the Chester barracks.
! The O'Donashhues were general,
prayin' when they Worent foirhtin' o