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LIMERICK. 



LIMERICK. 



6ia 



landing piers erected on each shore of the ^estuary ; one of these piers 

 has been built at Kilteery on the Limerick shore, between Glin and 

 the island of Foynes. Between Foynes Island and the mainland is a 

 safe natural harbour, completely sheltered from all winds ; and with 

 ample depth of water at all times of the tide. 



The Itadins lines of road diverging from Limerick to Clonmel, 

 Cork, and Tralee are carried nearly in straight lines over the open 

 country. A new road by Groom to CharlevUle has been completed, 

 and several good roads traverse the mountainous district surrounding 

 Abbeyfeale. The Great Southern and Western railway from Dublin 

 to Cork approaches close to the most eastern angle of the county, 

 whence a branch line, 22 miles in length, runs to the city of Limerick, 

 and another 55 miles long runs in a south-south-east direction to 

 Watt-rford, near the south-eastern corner of the island. 



Geology. — The level part of the county consists of the carboniferous 

 limestone of the central plain of Ireland. The mountain groups and 

 detached eminences of its eastern and southern margins are formed 

 by the protrusion of older rocks, and the high lands on the west 

 consist of more recent series superimposed. The Slieve - Phelim 

 group consists of clay-slate supporting flanks of yellow sandstone and 

 conglomerate. Old red-.saiidstone forms the nucleus of the Slieve-na- 

 muck chain, an offset of the Qaltees, the western declivities of which 

 spread into Limerick above Qalbally. The clayslate reappears in the 

 central summits of the Qaltees and Castle Oliver Mountains, flanked 

 by old conglomerate with red, purple, and green clay-slate, sustaining 

 a margin of yellow sandstone. Old red- and green-sandstone compose 

 the various protrusions which rise between and in the valleys of the 

 Upper Maigue and Deel rivers, except in Knockfeernha Hill, which 

 consists chiefly of a mass of crystalline greenstone trap. Trap protru- 

 sions, interstratified with limestone, occur in 12 distinct localities in 

 the eastern part of the county, between the emboachare of the Maigue 

 and the border of Tipperary. Pallas Hill, one of these protrusions, is 

 remarkable for the great fertility of its soil, and for the presence of 

 columnar basalt, which overlies the amorphous trap of its northern 

 brow. Felspar porphyry occurs in various forms thronghont the 

 hilly district The mountainous district on the west of the county 

 belongs to the great Munster coal-tract, which is one of the most 

 extensive in the British Islands. The coal is usually of a slaty struc- 

 ture, and much softer than that of Tipperary or Kilkenny : it is chiefly 

 used for burning lime. The only workings within Limerick have been 

 at Kewcastle and Loughill. About 7 miles from the city of Limerick, 

 near the Askeaton road, is a quarry producing a fine maroon-coloured 

 marble ; and in the more immediate vicinity of the city, on inferior 

 black marble is got in abundance, and generally used as building-atone. 

 Iron-, copper-, and lead-ores are found in the ttap districts, but no 

 veins are at present worked. 



Climate, Soil, and Produce. — The climate of Limerick is remarkably 

 equable, and favourable to health. The soil is generally fertile. A 

 tract of extraordinary fertility, called the Oolden Vale, stretching 

 westward out of the county of Tipperary, extends from the sources of 

 the Maigue to the Mulkem, and has an area of about 160,000 acres. 

 The Boil is a rich, mcUoiv, crumbling loam, and is equally suited to 

 grazing or tillage. A still richer soil is that of the ' Corcasies,' or rich 

 bottoms, which extend for 15 miles along the left bank of the Shannon, 

 from a little below Limerick to the embouchure of the Deel. They 

 are similar in character to those on the opposite side of the river 

 [Clabe], having a subsoil of yellow or blue clay, covered with a deep 

 rich black mould. They yield the heaviest wheat crops in Ireland ; 

 and their produce of potatoes sometimes amounts to 100 barrels of 22 

 stones each to the acre. The soil of the remainder of the limestone 

 plain is light and sweet, very good for tillage, and yielding excellent 

 pasture for cattle and sheep. 



The number of acres under crops in Limerick county in 1853 was 

 197,572, of which 10,324 acres grew wheat ; 53,133 oats ; 17,792 barley, 

 bere, rye, beans, and peas; 27,830 potatoes; 13,015 turnips; 39«9 

 mangels, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, vetches, and other green crops ; 

 849 flax; and 69,160 meadow and clover. On 15,291 holdings in 1852 

 there were 15,917 horses, S929 mules and a-'ses, 145,286 cattle, 61,761 

 sheep, 53,614 pigs, 14,088 goaU, and 274,355 head of poultry. The 

 total value of the live stock here euumerated was estimiited at 

 1,231,460/. The chief occupations are agricultural; pasturage and 

 dairy farming are most attended to. Large quantities of butter and 

 other farm produce are exported. The only manufactures of import- 

 ance are (oarse woollens, paper, flour, and meal. Limerick is the chief 

 point of exportation. Cider is made in the districts about Rathkeale, 

 Adare, and Croom. 



Limerick county is divided into 14 baronies: — Owneybeg, north-east; 

 Clanwilliam, west of Owneybeg; Coonagh, east; Small County, south 

 of the preceling; Coshma, central ; CosUea, south-east ; Pubblebrien, 

 north ; Keiiry. west of Pubblebrien ; Lower Conuello, west of Kenry ; 

 Upper Conuello, sooth ; Kilmallock Liberties, between Coshlea luid 

 Upper Counello; Shanid, west; Qlenquiu, south of Shonid; and 

 Worth Liberty, north. 



The principal towns besides the city of LiJiEniCK are Newcastie 

 and Rathkkale. These are noticed under their titles. Of the other 

 towns and villages tbu following are the most important ; the pouu- 

 latioDs are those of 1S51 :— 



AUeyftale, a village of 717 inhabitants, in th« centre of s moun- 



tainous district, is situated on the river Feale, which here separates 

 Limerick from Kerry. The village takes its name from the Cistercian 

 abbey founded in 1188 ou the right bank of the Feale. The ruins of 

 the abbey still exist, and near it are the ruins of Purt Castle, a seat 

 of the Geraldines. Abbeyfeale contains a church, a Roman Catholic 

 chapel, and a dispensary. Fairs are held on June 29th and October 

 18th. Adare, or Adair, a market-town 12 miles 3.S.W. from Limerick, 

 population 967, is situated ou the Maigue, which is navigable at high 

 water for small vessels up to the town. Adare stands in a fertUe, 

 richly-wooded, and very beautiful country : it is an ancient place, and 

 was distinguished for its castle and its church eveu before the Norman 

 invasion. It afterwards became the property of the Fitzgeralds, earla 

 of Kildare. The splendid ecclesiastical structures whose remains 

 form the great attraction of the place were erected by members of the 

 Fitzgerald family. Among these structures are the Black Abbey, the 

 Augustiniau Monastery, aud the Franciscan Abbey. The Black Abbey, 

 founded in 1279, is situated in the town ; the tower, nave, and part of 

 the choir of the church remain, and are fitted up as a Roman Catholic 

 chapel. The nave, choir, and south transept of the Augustinian 

 Monastery are tolerably entire, and stand close to the bank of the 

 river, in the demesne of Adare Manor, the seat of the Earl of Dun- 

 raven, which adjoins the town. The Franciscan Abbey stood close to 

 the bridge over the Maigue ; the tower, nave, and choir of the church, 

 the cloisters, and the refectory remain. The nave and choir are fitted 

 up as a parish church ; the refectory is formed into a school-room, and 

 the cloisters have been restored. The Earl of Dunraven haS erected 

 a family mausoleum near the cloisters. A large ruined castle of the 

 Desmond branch of the Fitzgeralds rises from the bauk of the river 

 near the town. The town has a petty-sessions court, a fever hospital, 

 and a dispensary. Adceatmt, 17 Uiiles W. by S. from Limerick, on the 

 road to Tarbert, population 1957, besides 803 in an auxiliary work- 

 bouse, was a parliamentary borough till the Union. It is situated on 

 the Dcel, about 3 miles above its confluence with the Shannon, and 

 contains a church, a Roman Catholic chapel, several schools, a dispen- 

 sary, and a petty-sessions court. A market is held weekly on Tuesday. 

 The river is navigable for vessels of 60 tons up to the bridge. The town 

 was iu former times much larger than at present, aud was surrounded 

 by walls, and defended by a strong castle, built by the s-veuth earl of 

 Desmond. The massive ruin of this castle, which had a high rock 

 encompassed by the Deel for its site, is still an object of great interest ; 

 the keep and banqueting-room remain. Close to the river are the 

 remains of a Franciscan abbey founded in 1420, the cloisters of which 

 ore in good preservation. The parish church was formerly part of 

 the church of a commandery of Knijjhts Templars, founded in 1298. 

 Ballitifjarry, 14 miles S. by W. from Limerick, has remains of several 

 religious houses founded at an early period, a parish church, a Roman 

 Catholic chapel, a dispensary, several schools, aud 1602 inhabitants, 

 besides 957 in the auiiliarj- workhouse and the fever hospital. Mar- 

 kets are held twice a week, on Tuesday aud Friday. Bruff is a poor 

 town of 1224 inhabitants, 14 miles S. by E. from Limerick, aud a 

 little south of the beautiful Lough Uur, on the Dawn, a feeder of the 

 Maigue. It contains a neat church, a Roman Catholic chapel, a court- 

 house in which quarter and p^tty sessions are held, a dispensary, a 

 bridewell, and the rains of an old castle. The market is held weekly, 

 on Friday. Bruru, 4 miles W. by N. from Kiltuallock, population 

 7lJ0, stands in a fertile country watered by the Maigue, aud lias a 

 pet^-seasiona court and a dispensary. The Irish bards used to meet 

 half-yearly in this place : the last meeting took place in 1746. Cakir- 

 conlith, 11 miles E. by 3. from Limerick, and a little south of the 

 Limerick Junction i-ailway : population, 485. It coutaina a church 

 aud a Roman Catholic chajwl. Cahircoulish was formerly a walled 

 town, and was defended by four castles, every vestige of which has 

 disappeared. Cappamort, a towu of 579 inhabitants, is situated at 

 the foot of the Slieve-Phelim Mountains, 14 miles E. from Limerick, 

 at a short distance north of the Limerick Junction railway. CWte- 

 Connell, 7 miles N. from Limerick, population 665, is situated on the 

 left bank of the Shannon, close to the fall called the Leap of Doonas. 

 The town takes its name from its castle, which was built by Conal, a 

 local chieftain, and long inhabited by the O'Briens of Muuster; it was 

 finally bloivn up by General Giukel during the siege of Limerick. 

 The ruins cover the summit of an isolated rock in the towu, and form 

 a very picturesque object The town of Castle-Connell is very irregu- 

 larly built, and consists of an assemblage of cottages, villas, lodging- 

 houses, cabins, and iuns, to suit the circumstances of the paHies who 

 frequent it for its scenery and its chalybeate spring, both of which are 

 celebrated. Castle-Connell has a petty-sessions court and a (tisp'-nsary. 

 In the angle between the Shannon and the Mulkcrn are the ele,'ant 

 mansion and extensive demesne of Mount Shannon, the residence of 

 the Earl of Clare. Cboost. Drumcollogher, a village of 757 inhabit- 

 ants, is situated at the base of the MuUaghaueirk Mountains, cl.ise 

 upon the boundary of Cork; it contains a large Roman Catholic 

 chapel. Two miles from the village is Springfield Castle, the seat of 

 Lord Muskerry. GatbaUy, population 301, is situated at the hea 1 of 

 the beautiiul glen or vale of Aherl iw, which is soreene.l by the Oaltees 

 on the south, and the 81ieve-na-rauck Hills on the north. The village 

 coutains remains of sevei-al ancient occlesiaMtical structures. Petty 

 sessions are held in this place. Glin. J/otpital, population 684, a 

 small town 6 miles E. from Bruff, is famous for its horse- aud cattle- 



