The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-08-15
Easily Understood Why it is Called the Most
Beautiful Spot in Ireland, Says
Journalist. =
A Magnificent Inlet is the Bay, Without
Shoal, Sandbank or Other Peril
to Navigation.

In letter from Hlensariff, Ireland,
to the Chicago Record Herald. under
date of July 81, William Il. Curtis,
says:
This is the loveliest place you ever
saw. They call it "the Madeira of
Great Britain" because it's climate Va
r:es only a few degrees, winter AMI
summer, and is about the same as
that Of the Madeira Islands, without
trace Of frost or snow except IN among
the rugged mountains that protect it
from the cold winds and make 1t an
ideal resort for those who seek health.
rest or solitude.
The name signifies "a rough glen"
and that describeG it exactly---a deer
cleft III the mountains. a. Sasl, which
scme Irresistible glacier made ages
ago in tho rugged rocks. about three
miles long and quarter of A mile
wide. which terminates upon an ex-
quisite little sheet of water, a. branch
81. the Bay Of Bantry, OF the far south
western. coast of Ireland.
The glen. is filled with, wonderful
trees and wonderful flowers. which
seem to bloom perenniaIly. The SUI.
rounding mountains, are Of the widest
description. being naked moorlands
covered with heather and gorse and
huge gray powders and peaks which
project into the air. Among them. II
Is said, there are no less than 3SE lit.
tie lakes. that number having suggest
ed to the pious peasants. who attri|-
ute everything to apostolic interposi-
tion, that some holy saint prayed CT
fectually for A. separate one to supply
water for each day of the year. THO
rocks reach far away to the westward
and down into the cold blue Of an un.
easy ocean, which beats impetuous'y
upon the outer wallis. but the water Is
seldom disturbed by more than a rip
pie within the bay. For a. combna-
tion of ocean, mountains, lakes, rocks.
waterfalls. forests and flowers have
never seen tho like. and anyone can
easily understand why GIengariff is
called the most beautiful spot In Ire
land.
Thackeray in his Irish Sketct.
Book says: THE journey from Glen
gariff to Kenmare is one of aston
ishinE beauty; and have seen Killar-
ney since, and am sure that t;Iengarif
loses nothing by comparison with this
most famous of lakes. Rock, wood
an sea stretch round the traveller. Il
thousand delightful pictures; the land
scape is at first wild without being
fierce, immense woods and planta-
ti"rs enriching the valleys, beautiful
streams to be seen everywhere. What
sends picturesque tourists to the Rhine
and Saxon Switzerland? Within Ave
miles round the pretty inn at Glengar-
ift there is country of the magnif-
cence of which no pen can give the
idea. i would like to be a. great prince
and bring A train Of painters over to
make. il they could, and according 10
their neveral capacities, a set Of pic
lures of the place. Were such a. bay
lying upon English shores it would be
a. worlds wonder. Perhaps IL it wers
OH the Mediterranean or the Baltic
English travellers would flock to It, by
the hundreds. Why not come and SEQ
i: in 1reIand?"
The town Of Glengariff is composed
OF fourteen houses. a postoffice, a vine-
covered headquarters for the constah-
ulary which looks altogether too pic
turesque and beautiful for such g.
practical purpose. a Catholic church,
brand new and built with money from
America. an old church, where the
Catholics formerly worshiped, now
| used as a school for teaching lace
making, a Church of ireland chapel.
az ivy-clad rectory adjoining and sew
elal comfortable hotels. There arc