SIR RICHARD O'dONNELL's FARMS. 31 



and very improvable. Sea-weed and coral-sand can be 

 got at the sea-beach, which is within about half a mile 

 of the lands, for Is. a boat-load, containing about four 

 cart-loads. Upwards of 100 acres of this tract have 

 been drained, and enclosed with substantial stone 

 fences; and a commodious barn and other houses have 

 been erected. I walked over part of the improved 

 land, and found it deep, strong soil, with a good many 

 large stones in it, and susceptible of much improvement 

 by draining. Flax is cultivated on it with success ; 

 and I was assured, to my surprise, by a farmer of Sir 

 Richard O'DonnelFs, that the oats here produced some- 

 times weighed as much as 46 lb. a bushel. 



The same proprietor has plenty of other land, which 

 he is anxious to let. That which lies along the sea- 

 coast appeared to be of good quality, and, from the 

 peculiar conformation of the coast, it did not seem to 

 suffer from exposure to the Atlantic. Clew Bay is very 

 peculiar. Its spacious basin is sheltered by the lofty 

 Clare Island, which shuts it in from the ocean ; and 

 along its coast there are hundreds of little islands, 

 affording shelter to the jutting points of the mainland; 

 while numberless indentations of the sea, running a mile 

 or two up into the land, give safe and convenient water- 

 carriage to every part of the coast. On many parts of 

 the sheltered sides of these bays and islands, wood 

 grows to the water-edge ; and, under careful manage- 

 ment, they are capable of being made most picturesque. 

 The climate is mild, and the soil very suitable for 

 green-crop husbandry. 



Sir Richard O'Donnell has exerted himself greatly 



