LISMORE. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. 263 



particular notice. It is now the seat of the Roman 

 Catholic College, an establishment maintained in great 

 part by the produce of the lime quarries ; large quantities 

 of this commodity being here burnt, and exported for the 

 consumption of the whole western coast. 



The fertility of Lismore in grain, renders it a centre 

 of illicit distillation, for which the facilities are also greatly 

 increased by its extent of sea coast, and the consequent 

 ease with which the manufactured commodity can be 

 exported; while the vicinity and population of all the 

 surrounding shores, offer a ready market for the sale of 

 the produce. The process in all its stages is here, as 

 elsewhere, extremely simple ; the necessity of concealment 

 with the risk of seizure, added to the limited capitals 

 of those who carry on the trade, restricting the apparatus 

 to a very small size. Two or three tubs for the wash, as 

 many casks for the produce, and a common still, of about 

 eighteen gallons capacity, with a very short worm, form 

 the whole establishment, and even this is generally divided 

 among many adventurers. Occasionally a rude and open 

 hut is erected to shelter the materials and protect the 

 operators from tHe weather: this however is often dis- 

 pensed with, and the process is conducted in the open air 

 under the side of some hill or rock, which, while it affords 

 concealment and shelter, adrnits the ready introduction 

 of a running stream from above into the worm tub. In 

 insular situations, or on the sea coast, the shore is gene- 

 rally chosen, since it not only enables the operators to 

 keep watch against the visits of revenue boats, but facili- 

 tates the concealment of their commodities in case of an 

 attack ; thus enabling them to escape the terrific sum- 

 mons, which is frequently a sufficient punishment, since it 

 may compel the delinquents to a distant attendance, 

 exceeding in expense and inconvenience the amount of 

 the penalty. 

 In an agricultural view, the question respecting distil- 



