414 TUE BRITISH ISLES. 



and bounding deer are plentiful within it. The fine botanical gardens at Glasnevin, 

 north from the city, are the property of the Royal Society. On the northern side 

 of Dublin Bay is Cloufarf, famous as the scene of Brian Boroimhe's victory over 

 the Danes, with an old Norman stronghold. Farther in the same direction the 

 entrance to the bay is guarded by the rocky peninsula of Ilowth (5G3 feet), with 

 shaded woods, the ruins of an abbey overhanging the sea, and a raagniticent view over 

 the bay. The people of Dublin often liken their bay to that of IS'aples, although 

 there is no Vesuvius screened by a Somma, and encircled with white and pink 

 villas, and the sky above is rarely as bright as that of the Mediterranean. 

 Opposite HoM-th we perceive Kinr/stoun, with its harbour covering 250 acres, and 

 virtually a suburb of Dublin. Blachrock, a famous bathing-place, adjoins it on the 

 loft ; Da/kci/, an important seaport before Kingstown usurped its place, lies to 

 the south ; and Killiney, with its mountain of granite, upon whose sides quarrymen 

 swarm like ants, is beyond. 



To the north of Howtli are the fishing villages of Malahide, Rush, and Slicrn'es. 

 Balhriggan, with a small port, is noted for its stocking manufacture. Lmk, Sicords, 

 and ClondalkiUy all within a few miles from the coast, can still boast the possession 

 of round towers ; whilst Finrjhis, to the north of Dublin, and Lxcan, on tlie Liffey, 

 have mineral springs. 



The county of Louth includes the hilly peninsula between Carlingford Lough 

 and Dundalk Bay (1,955 feet), and the low-lying maritime region which extends 

 thence to the river Boyne. That river is born in the Bog of Allen, and only washes 

 one laro-e town on its way to the sea, namel}^, the ancient city of Drogheda, 

 4 miles above its mouth. The town is for the most part seated upon the lofty 

 northern bank of the river, here spanned by a railway viaduct 94 feet in height. 

 Its docks are accessible to vessels of 300 tons burden, and there are a large cotton- 

 mill, flax-mills, and other industrial establishments. The battle of the Boyne, 

 which cost the Stuarts a throne, was fought in the immediate vicinity in 1690. 

 A little above the field of battle, near the river, are curious prehistoric remains, 

 including the sepidchral tumulus of New Grange, which Llhuyd, the antiquarian, 

 laid open in 1699. Tcrmonfeckiii is now a favourite watering-place, but was formerly 

 the residence of the Archbishop of Armagh. Dundalk, on a flat site at the head 

 of a wide bay and the mouth of Castleton River, with a port accessible to vessels 

 drawing 16 feet of water, is an ancient city, where Edward Bruce was crowned 

 Kino of Ireland, and near which he was defeated and killed by the English 

 (ISlS^i. Dundalk distils whiskey, brews beer, spins flax, grinds corn, and makes 

 pins, but its commerce is inferior to that of Drogheda. Louth, to the south-west 

 of it, which gave its name to the county, is a decayed village. Ardee and CoUon 

 are market towns in the interior of the county. Carlhujford, on the lough of the 

 same name, has oyster beds, and grows in favour as a watering place. 



Meath forms part of the central plain, with a few detached groups of hills. 

 It is drained by the river Boyne and its tributary, the Blackwater. At the 

 confluence of the two rivers stands Navan, the most populous town of the county, 

 and an episcopal city, with a Catholic college. Trim and Clonard, an old episcopal 



