416 THE BRITISH ISLES. 



county town, stands on tlic river Triogue, which is tributary to the Barrow. 

 Near it is the rock of Dun-a-mase, with remains of the stronghold of the Kings of 

 Leinster. Portarlintifou, on the lîarrow, was originally founded with the aid of 

 French and Gorman Protestants. MountuicUich, at the foot of the Slieve Bloom, 

 has a cloth-mill and a foundry. Moinifrath, only founded in the seventeenth 

 century, is the principal town in the valley of the Nore. It manufactures a little 

 cloth. Other jilaces on the Nore are Borrin-in-Oasonj, anciently the seat of a 

 bishop, Abbei/h'ix, Diirroir, and BalUnakill. 



The county of Kii.dake forms part of the central plain, and is drained by the 

 rivers LifFov and Barrow. The Bog of Allen occupies a considerable area in the 

 north, but much of it has been drained and brought under cultivation. In its 

 midst rises the Hill of Allen, according to the Irish tradition Ossian's real 

 home. The village of Mai/Hoofh, with St. Patrick's College, founded in 1795 for 

 the education of the Catholic clergy of Ireland, and Carton Castle, the sumptuous 

 seat of the Duke of Leinster, lies near the northern boundary of the county, on 

 the Boyal Canal. Ascending the Liffey, we successively pass Celhvuhjc, Naafi, 

 Ncichrklye, and Kilciillen, enclosed by a ring-shaped rampart. Naas, one of the 

 ancient capitals of Leinster, has a rath in its centre upon which the Parliament 

 of the kingdom used to deliberate. Newbridge has the ruins of an abbey and 

 cavalry barracks. The Curragh of Kildare, a famous sheep-walk and racecourse, 

 4,858 acres in extent, lies to the west of it, in the direction of the ancient city of 

 Kildare, \\\\\\on\ "renowned for its saints," as is attested by the ruins of a cathedral 

 and a fine round tower, but now a poor village. In 1804 the United Irishmen 

 mustered their forces, to the number of 30,000 men, upon the Curragh, which is 

 now the site of a standing military camp. 



On the Barrow are Monastereian, w'ith the ruins of an abbey, and Athy, a 

 flourishing market town, with a cloth factory. Balhjfore, in a side valley of the 

 Barrow, used formerly to be inhabited by Quakers. 



The county of Wicklow, with its range of bold mountains culminating in 

 Lugnaquilla, differs altogether from the flat and imiform stretches in the interior 

 of the island. No valleys of Ireland are more deservedly frequented by tourists 

 than those of the Dargle, Yartr^^, and Avoca, which rise in these mountains, and 

 at whose mouths are seated the three principal towns of the county. Bray, at the 

 mouth of the Dargle, is a favourite watering-place. Wicklow, at the mouth of the 

 Yartry, has an indifferent harbour. Copper and lead are mined in the neigh- 

 bourhood. Arkloic, at the mouth of the Avoca, consists of a fine upper town 

 and a poor "Fishery." The harbour is closed by a bar. Herring and oyster 

 fishing and mining are the principal occupations. Tourists make this town 

 their head-quarters when desirous of exploring the scenery of " sweet " Avoca, 

 ascending which they visit successively the copper mines ; the " Meeting 

 of the "Waters " under Castle Howard ; RatJulnim, formerly noted for flannels ; 

 the ruins of Castle Kevin and the seven churches; Annamoe ; and Lough 

 Dan. On the western slope of the mountains are Baltinglas, Tinuliehj, and 

 Shillelagh. 



