IRELAND . 163 



tolerably fine, success is almost certain. Many of the small rivulets 

 yield trout of surprising richness of flavour. They cut as red as 



All flies with gray drake, starling or woodcock wings, are good 

 for these waters ; and the hackle and palmers are quite standards 

 especially in summer. 



THE PROVINCE OF MUNSTER. 



This province stands pre-eminent for its angling resources. A 

 considerable portion of the waters of the Shannon, flow through it 

 to the ocean. These bear away; the palm over all the otker parts 

 of the province, for the prodigious quantities of salmon found in 

 them. 



The best locality for angling for salmon, on the Shannon, is above 

 the city of Limerick. But it is requisite to have a boat, to com- 

 mand the waters. 



The Blackwater is a fine salmon stream. Lismore is a good 

 angling station. Trout are also very abundant ; but the further up 

 the river the more numerous they become, and the better are the 

 streams for the fly. Any sportsman who knows how to handle a 

 rod, may kill his ten or twelve dozen of trout in a few hours in the 

 Blackwater. This river falls into the sea at Youghal. 



The river Suir contains many salmon and trout, and is much 

 frequented by Irish and English anglers. It is said that this river 

 contains some of the finest and richest salmon stations in Ireland. 

 The river is not, however, very eligible for angling. The navi- 

 gable traffic upon it, makes the fish difficult to hook. The trout 

 are excellent as well as the salmon ; and immediately after a 

 summer flood, a good day's sport may be anticipated. The small 

 stream called the Anna, which empties itself into the Suir, two 

 miles below Clonmel, is a good angling locality. The trout are 

 here smaller than in the Suir. The Anna has pike, for which its 

 broad, deep, and sluggish waters are very favourable. Trout have 

 been caught, it is said, of seven pounds weight ; but such captures 

 are rare. 



In the higher departments of the Shannon, there are some most 

 delightful scenes, which it is impossible without the aid of painting 

 or poetry to bring before the mind's eye. Imagine yourself seatei 

 on the top of an elevated promontory, and see the mass of waters 

 striking against the foot of an island which they encircle, and 

 where fine trees and the greenest verdure deck their edges 

 with the loveliest hues, in which all the magic play of light and 

 shade are reflected on their brilliant surfaces. Here they rush 

 down a rapid descent, and break against the scattered rocks which 

 obstruct their passage, and dash and send up their spray, in a 

 thousand forms. Now you see them fall' into a transverse basin, 

 o me thing like the shape of a cradle, and are urged forward by the , 



