206 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academi/. 



effected by piling, or a concrete wall along its margin.^* If this were 

 done, the north "full" ought soon to be carried away by the tidal 

 driftage and the cutting out of the J!^. E. winds. 



CoTJETOWN Harbour. — This has not been a sixccessful undertaking. 

 The work consists of two parallel piers leading to a small basin, into 

 which the Owenavorragh has been conducted by a canal cut from 

 Courtown House (Fig. 3, PI. 6). Within and near the mouth of the 

 harbour a bar accumulates, over which it is both difficult and dan- 

 gerous to haul the boats except in calm weather. 



None of the conditions of the locality seem to have been considered 

 in laying out this harbour. As at Poulduff, so here also, the most ad- 

 vantageous site would have been near the point (Breanoge Head) ; 

 besides, the two piers should not have been of equal length : it is in con- 

 sequence of their being so that the nearly impassable bar is formed. 

 The driftage and cutting out of the beach is similar to that at Poul- 

 duff, but the jS". E. winds have little or no power between the piers 

 to cut out the bar.'^ 



There seem to be facilities for constructing, even under present 

 circumstances, a good harbour in this locality for a coasting trade. 

 But to do this the south " full" would have to be secured and made 

 permanent by a retaining wall from Breanoge Head to the south pier : 

 the latter should be lengthened into deep water by a stage similar to, 

 but higher than, that which is now in ruins ; while the north pier 

 ought to be cut away, and the land driftage from the sandhill to the 

 north prevented by a wall or trees. The retaining wall from Breanoge 

 Head would prevent detritus accumulating on the south of the piers, 

 to be carried by every " flow-tide" into the harbour mouth. A stage 

 instead of a solid pier would not interfere with the driftage, while the 

 cutting away of the north pier would give the jS^. E. winds full power 

 of cutting out any bar that might accumulate. 



Arklow Harbour is circumstanced somewhat similarly to Courtown 

 Harbour. I hope to describe it fully elsewhere. 



WiCKLOw AJfD Gketstones Harbotjrs. — At these localities the obser- 

 vations made were not sufficient to be of much value. At Wicklow 

 the shingle beach does not travel far enough south to block the 

 entrance. This seems to be due to the "half counter-tide" previously 

 mentioned, which a few hours before high water runs from Bride's 

 Head westward. It might have been expected, that as the head 

 waters of the Vartry, which river here flows into the sea, were cut 

 off some years ago to supply Dublin with water, some alteration 

 would have since taken place in the condition of the bar at Wicklow 



^* Piling fails on this coast on account of tlie worm ; it is therefore not to be 

 recommended. 



^* Some years ago the end of the north pier was carried aM^ay by a storm, and 

 while it was in ruins the bar diminished, but since the pier was repaii'ed the bar 

 -has been as bad as ever. 



