268 



IRELAND. 



SMbta. vinces of Connaught and Lcinster, and afterwards the 

 *^~Y~ m/ former, from Munster, its western banks are formed by 

 the counties of Roscommon, Clare, and Galway; its 

 eastern ones by Leitrim, Longford, King's County, 

 Meath, Tinperary, Limeric, nd Kerry. This fine river 

 ia almost throughout its whole course so wide and deep, 

 as to be navigable for vessels of considerable burden ; 

 the only impediment of consequence is a ledge of rocks 

 at gome distance above Limeric, and a little below 

 Killaloe, over which a cataract falls. The famous Earl 

 of Stratford had formed the intention of removing this 

 impediment, but his own troubles, and those of his 

 country, prevented its being carried into execution. 

 From Killaloe to Carrick-on-the-Shannon, near the 

 source of this river, there is an inland navigation of 

 some convenience and utility. .The only other river in 

 Connaught of any importance is the Suck, which falls 

 into the Shannon a little below Athlone. 



Bwidon. The Bandon is succinctly and well described by 



Spencer, as 



' The pleasant Bandon, crowned with many a wood." 



This river, which was anciently called Glasheen, rises 

 in the mountains of Carberry ; passing by Dunmanway, 

 and receiving a tributary stream, it runs to the east 

 through a bog, with a divided channel, and arrives at 

 Inskeen: after passing the town of Bandon, it winds 

 north-east to Innis-shannon, a little below which it be- 

 conies navigable. Hence it winds in several beautiful 

 reaches to Kinsale. The Lee rises out of a lake in the 

 west of Musskerry ; and after passing by several hills, 

 and receiving a considerable accession of water, it ex- 

 pands into Lough Allua ; on its exit from this, it flows 

 to Cork ; a little below this city, being joined by the 

 Glanmire, it expands into a spacious and commodious 

 haven, falling into the sea about 15 miles below Cork; 

 it is not navigable any higher than this place. The 



Blackwater. Blackwater, or Broadwater, rises in a bog near Castle- 

 island in the county of Kerry : its course is nearly due 

 east for about 50 miles, till it comes to Cappoquin ; 

 here making an angle, it turns to the south, and pro- 

 ceeding in a straight course, about 10 miles farther, it 

 falls into the sea at Youghall ; it is at present navigable 

 only as high as Cappoquin for vessels of any burden, 

 but formerly it was navigable as high as Mallow, about 

 40 miles from its mouth. This river is very liable to 

 overflow its banks. The Bandon, Lee, and Blackwater, 

 are all in the county of Cork, and run in a manner pa- 

 rallel to one another ; the Bandon, about 7 miles south 

 from the Lee, and the Blackwater, 14 miles to the 

 north of that river. 



Surf. The Sure rises at the foot of Banduff mountains in 



the county of Tipperary, near the source of the Nore ; 

 but they soon take different directions: the course of 

 the Sure is at first south-west ; afterwards due south ; 

 below the village of Ardfinane, it turns to the east, di- 

 viding the counties of Tipperary and Waterford ; and 

 having received a small stream, it bends northward till 

 it reaches Spencer's ' Sweet Clonmell," after a pro- 

 gress of 8 miles more it comes to Carrick, and at last 

 falls into the sea at Waterford : it is navigable for large 

 vessels as far as this city, and for barges as far as Clon- 

 The Barrow rises in the King's County ; its 

 course for a short space is north-east, then suddenly 

 turning, it flows to the south-east, dividing King's and 

 Queen's Counties from that of Kildare: it next passes 

 through the centre of the county of Carlow, and then 

 separates the counties of Kilkenny and Wexford; a 

 ttle before it reaches Ross, it receives the Nore, already 



Barrow. 



mentioned; after their junction, its course bends rather Statistics. 

 to the west, till it unites with the Sure, forming the S "~Y""^"' 

 right arm of Waterford havenT The Nore is Vmvigable 

 from New Ross to Inistioge ; the Barrow* and the Nore, 

 previous to their junction with the Sure, are navigable 

 for large ships to New Ross, and for barges to Carlow 

 and Athy. After the junction of all these three rivers, 

 there is a considerable bar, which prevents the passage 

 of large ships, except during high tides. 



The Slane rises in the south-west corner of the coun- Slane. 

 ty of Wicklow; its course at first is very winding 

 through the county of Carlow, sometimes to the south- 

 east and sometimes to the south-west ; afterwards, flow- 

 ing in a south-east direction, it divides the x county of 

 Wexford till it reaches Enniscorthy ; its course is then 

 south, and afterwards east, which brings it into a bay a 

 little below the town of Wexford. The Slane is navi- 

 gable for barges from-Wexford for Enniscorthy. The Lifly. 

 river Liffy rises about 10 miles south-west from the 

 city of Dublin, and about 15 west from the sea: its 

 course at first is south-west through the county of 

 Wicklow ; then running directly west, it enters the 

 county of Kildare ; where it again forms an elbow and 

 flows north-west, and at length due north : in this 

 part of its course, it is parallel to the sea, and nearly 30 

 miles distant : afterwards bending to the north-east, it 

 enters the county of Dublin, and then turning at first 

 to the north and next to the east, it flows with a full 

 stream and pretty strong current to the capital, and 

 falls into the Bay of Dublin ; its course is about 50 

 miles. 



The Boyne rises in King's county; by its junction, Borne, 

 soon after its rise, with a great many rivulets, it becomes 

 a very considerable river in its passage through the 

 county of Kildare; and still stronger in its course, and 

 more beautiful in its appearance, when it enters East 

 Meath, where it passes by Trim, Navan, and Slane ; 

 its course from lane to Drogheda, for about seven 

 miles, is east ; about two miles below Drogheda, it 

 falls into the sea. The Boyne is navigable for ships of 

 considerable size as far as this town ; and, by means of 

 cuts, barges may proceed from Drogheda to Navan. 

 The river Bann rises in the plain called the Deer's, or Bann. 

 King's Meadows, in the northern part of that ridge of 

 mountains, in the county of Down, already mentioned, 

 called the Mourne ; it soon becomes a large stream ; 

 its course at first is winding, but generally in a direc- 

 tion to the north-west ; at Portodown, it is joined by 

 the canal of Newry ; and, a few miles lower down, it 

 falls into Lough Neagh at Banfoot-ferry, after running 

 about 30 miles. When it leaves this lake, it continues 

 its former direction north-west, and divides the coun- 

 ties of Antrim and Londonderry. After passing over 

 a ridge of rocks, called the Salmon leap, it flows with 

 impetuous force into the sea, a few mjles below Cole- 

 raine. The river Foyle passes by Londonderry, and 

 has a considerable estuary called Lochfoyle ; it is navi- 

 gable to Liffbrd. 



Ireland abounds in lakes, some of which are very ex- Lakes, 

 tensive. They are commonly divided into salt water 

 lakes, and fresh water lakes ; but as the former, proper- 

 ly speaking, are estuaries, or inlets of the sea, they will 

 be described afterwards, when we treat of the sea coast 

 of Ireland ; at present, we shall confine ourselves to 

 the fresh water lakes, or lakes properly so called. 



Thfe most extensive lake of fresh water is that of Erne. 

 Erne, which, however, sometimes appears as a river, 

 and sometimes as a lake. Lough Erne is in the pro- 

 vince of Ulster, and county of Fermanagh ; as a river, 



