Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-02

lures in the gallery and the articles OF
interest in the museums.
Kildare House is severe pile OF black
stone. and the guide book says that 1.-The
White House at Washington is largely
reproduction of it's main features. though
the American building has a semi-circu-
lar colonnaded porch, which rather con-
ceals the likeness" But resident OF
Washington would find little resemblance
betwe the two buildings. except that
they are about the same size and botn
have windows and a roof.
The corner stone bears a curious in
scription in stilted Latin. which illus
trates the lofty pride of the Earls OF
Kildare. 1t is addressed to THE Casual
Explorer who may finw it amonrSthe state
ly ruins of fallen house. and bids him
mark the greatness Of the noble builders
and the uncertainty of all things terres-
trial when the men who raise such
splendid monuments can rise superior to
misfortune"
There ere several other fine old edifices
in the neighborhood, but. unfortunately.
many of the historic houses are passing
away from the families who built and
lived in them and are now being used for
public offices or business purposes.
Splendid Street Car Service.
Dublin has splendid street car serv-
ice. Double decked tramcars run in every
direction for miles into the suburbs, and
from the roofs one can see over the walls
that were erected to preserve the privacy
of the owners of the fine old mansions.
ride on the top of a tramcar is almost
as interesting on the top of a London
bus. and when one is weary and feels the
need of a little diversion there is nothing
SO easy or SO enjoyable as to climb to
the roof and take a ride into the country.
One of the lines runs out to Donny-
brook. the scene of the famous fair,
which was abolished. however, nearly
hundred years ago, even before the time
Of Sir Walter SCOTS visit to Ireland in
1s2o for he says: we dined at Wal
ters, and in the evening drove to Donny-
brook-the scene of the noisy fair, which
Is now dissolved and abolished. 1t was
Il charming ride, thick with villas and all
the insignia of ease and opulence; in
fact not to be distinguished from the
environs of London. except by the beau
tiful hills on the right and the innumer-
able hosts of jaunting cars blowing the
fine road in every direction at a speed
apparently most cruel"
Sir Walters description holds good TO-
day. Donnybrook is the most respectable
and aristocratic of all the suburbs of
Dublin. The tract of land where the cat
the fair was formerly held in the fall of
a. pasture merry-go-round" sor a
whirl-about," as they call it here, was
the only diversion that we could find IN
the silent and orderly surroundings. but
every year In August on the adjoining
land: and reached by parallel roads the
Dublin horse show is held, and it is the
great event of the season socially and
otherwise. 1t brings over from London
ana otner parts of England large crowds
Of fashionable people: it draws the sport
ing element from every part of the king
dom, and all Ireland is represented.
Donnybrook Fair.
Donnybrook- meaning 1.-The little brook"
is so called from the Dodder, a small
but rapid stream, which comes dashing
down from the hills of Wicklow and
empties into the bay of Dublin. The cat
tie dealers of Ireland for 900 years used
to meet upon its banks for the sale, ex-
change and exhibition of animals for
eight days In the month of August an
nually and drew around them saloon and
restaurant keepers peddlers Of every sort
and shopkeepers who went out from Dub
lin with stocks Of goods and exposed then,
as temptation to the men who had sold
their cattle and had the money in their
pockets In addition to the tradesmen
itinerant shows gathered to entertain the
rarchmen: strolling players. jugglers,
'pipers and other public entertainers made
1t their rendezvous. Naturally these at
fractions called together the lads and the
lasses who f1irted and danced to the mu-
sic and had good time generally
"Donnybrook capers. that bothered the
vapors
And drove dull care away"
But the entertainments were not en-
tirely innocent. and the fair finally became
such a scene Of disorder. thevery and
murder that the authorities were COM
pelleG to abolish the annual festivities.
1t attracted all the toughs and roughs