1904-1905.] 313 



of the Congested Districts Board, and is an earnest worker 

 for the agricultural advancement of his people, and the 

 author and compiler of many valuable works on the subject. 

 His presence amongst us was very welcome, and his fund of 

 information, deep and profound, was readily at our disposal. 

 From him we learned m.uch about the local history — ^the 

 legends of old times, the histories of later ones and the 

 efforts to make the people grapple with the science of their 

 work. If well-stocked, comfortable farmsteads, nestling in 

 one of the beauty-spots of God's earth, owned, not tenanted, 

 by well-clothed and hard-working people, are the results of 

 such men's teaching, then, indeed, they are blessed beyond 

 measure, and we bow to the man who has devoted a life to 

 leading them onward. Father Meehan remained with us till 

 evening, and we parted with many hopes of renewing our 

 friendship and intercourse with him. 



After lunch our guide conducted us up the side of the 

 mountain through the wooded talus into the Swiss Valley. 

 This slip is unseen from the road partly owing to the vegeta- 

 tion which has grown up, and partly to the natural perspec- 

 tive which hides the division. At this point our party 

 djvided, and the more venturesome took a track up the 

 mountain, and returned by another path, meeting the main 

 party at the head of the lake. Resuming our cars we jour- 

 neyed home, arriving at the moment dinner was ready, after 

 which we wound up the evening by a most enjoyable dance in 

 the Town Hall, which, by the way, Mr. Praeger had for- 

 gotten to put in the programme. 



Saturday, the 16th July, saw us in a region of wonders, 

 a vast necropolis of a forgotten race of men, an area of 

 gigantic monolithic memorials, so numerous, so mysterious in 

 their rude dignity that were they a thousand miles distant 

 instead of within our easy reach they would be preserved with 

 care, and visited by thousands. This, however, applies to 

 much more than these; for we hear the same story in every 

 county in Ireland. The whole townland of Carrowmore seems 

 studded with " an amazing wealth of stone monuments " 



