Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-11-18
Mountainous and Picturesque
Place That Lends Interest
to Tourists.
It's InhOspitable Coast Has Few
HarbOrs But Excellent
Waters.
ABOUNDs IN HISTORIC RUINS

The County wicklow is just south
of Dublin on the eastern coast OF
ireland. From Bray to the southern
corner near Ballingate House II is
forty-one miles long, and from
Mizzen Head to the boundary near
Dunlavin it is thirty-one and a half
miles broad. 1t has an area of
1914 square miles, and a popula-
ton of 10000. The entire county
is a mass of mountains, subsiding
into low hills, ridged land and small
plains along the sea coast south of
Bray Head. Wicklow contains a
smaller area of level land than any
other county in Ireland.
The old form of the name is
Wykynlo, which is Danish. The
native Gaelic name is Kilmantan,
the Church of st. Mantan, one of
st. Patrick's companions, to whom
the ancient church was dedicated.
The Wicklow mountains do not run
together in chains, but are thrown
in groups, knots and clusters; or
rather the whole may be said to form
one great group. The eliminating
summit of the whole group is
Luganaquilla, 3,039 feet high, which
stands a little to the southwest of
the center of the county. 1t is a
great flat-topped mountain, the high
est in Leinster, precipitous on some
of its sides. One mile southwest of
this is Slovenian, 2,49S feet tall.
Wicklow has many other mountains
and hills. but those named are the
most important.
Except at Bray Head and Wicklow
Head the whole coast is low with a
fine sandy strand the entire way,
occasionally interrupted by a low
projecting spur of rock. II is most
inhospitable coast, containing no
harbor where vessels might shelter,
except those of Wicklow and Ark
low, which can scarcely be called
harbors at all.
The Avoca, falling into the sea at
Arklow, is the most important river
in the county and drains most of
the middle and east of Wicklow. The
Avoca is formed by the junction of
the Avonmore and Avonbeg, and the
point of confluence is the we'll known
spot concerning which Moore wrote
"The Meeting of the Waters" This
mountainous county has other rivers
and streams like the Aughrim river,
the Annamore, the Annamoe, the
Glensdan, the Glenalo, the Gold
Mines, the Vartry, the Dargle, the
Bray, the Cookstown, the Liffey, the
Slaney, the Dereen and the Derry
rivers. Besides Wicklow has a
plentitude of beautiful mountain
lakes.
One of the most important towns
in Wicklow is Bray, town of 5000,
but about one-third of the inhab-
itants reside in that part of the town
that lies in Dublin. It is the finest
and most favored watering place in
Ireland. II lies under the north
side of Bray Head, has fine strand,
and in its Immediate neighborhood
there is an infinite variety of the
loveliest scenery. Wicklow, the
asslze town. has a population Of
1891. 1t lies near the mouth of
the Vartry river. Like Bray 1t is
celebrated as a watering place.
Lead and copper mines were
worked III WICKLOW III udyS BOHt ny,
and gold in considerable quantities
was found In the waters of the Gold
Mines river. Wicklow was the or
iginal territory of the OBrynes,
O'Tooles and O'Malleys.
Glendalough is the gem of Wick
low, but the natural attractions are
enhanced by the historic associa-
tions of the place and by the inter-
esting ecclesiastical ruins scattered
over the lower parts of the glen. In
the early part of the sixth century
st. Kelvin, who like st. Columbkille
and many other Irish saints was a
member of princely family,
founded a monastery there which
became a great center OF religion
and learning. Ruins of the old
place that survive are round tower
10 feet high. Our Lady's church.
st. Kevin's kitchen, and an old
Cathedral that is coeval with the
round tower. Wicklow is the most
beautiful of all the beautiful counties
In Ireland