BALLYMOAT. 311 



Twenty years ago the late Lord Shelburne 

 came to Ballymoat, a wild uncultivated region, 

 without induftry or civility; and the people all 

 roman catholicks, without an atom of a manu- 

 facture, not even fpinning. In order to change 

 this ftate of things, his Lordfhip contracted 

 with people in the north, to bring proteftant 

 weavers, and eftablifh a manufactory, as the 

 only means of making the change he wifhed ; 

 this was done, but falling into the hands of 

 rafcals, he loft 50.00I. by the bufinefs, with only 

 17 protectant families, and 26 or 27 looms efta- 

 blifhed for it. Upon his death, Lady Shel- 

 burne, wifhed to carry his feheme into execu- 

 tion, and to do it, gave much encouragement 

 to Mr. Wakefield, the great Irifh factor in Lon- 

 don, by granting advantageous leafes, under 

 the contract of building and colonizing, by 

 weavers from the north, and carrying on the 

 manufactory. He found about 20 looms, work- 

 ing upon their own account, and made a confi- 

 derable progrefs in this for five years, railing 

 feveral buildings, cottages for the weavers, and 

 was goiny; on as well as the variety of his bufi- 

 nefs would admit, employing 60 looms. He 

 then died, when a fland was made to all the works 

 for a year, in which every thing went much to 

 ruin. Lady Shelburne then employed a new 

 manager to carry on the manufacture upon his 

 own account, giving him very profitable grants 

 of lands, to encourage him to do it with fpirit. 

 He continued for fiveyears, employing 60 looms 

 alfo- but his circumftances failing, a frefh flop 

 was put to the work. 



Then 



