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name of Connamara, and very good blankets ; and tSe en- 

 couagtment given by the prtfent ponVfTor (Col. Martin, 

 M. P. for the county) to fettlers from Ulller, will probably 

 contribute much to the improvement of what is now one of 

 the mod 'rude and uncivilized diftrifts in Ireland. A late 

 traveller obferves, that even in Galway, within 15 mili-s of 

 it, Connamara was lefs known than the iflands of the Paci- 

 fic ocean ; and that he was advifed not to venture into it. 

 Such a dread had the inhabitants of this town of the clan 

 of O'Flahertys, which poiTclTcd it, that death was threat- 

 ened, by an infcription over the gate, to every perfon of 

 that name found within the walls. Yet notwithftanding 

 their ancient charafter, the above-mentioned traveller, in 

 his ramble through the countr)', found the people peaceable 

 and friendly, and lefs favag'e in their appearance than the 

 peafantr)' near the capital. They are in general much better 

 clothed, and are m.ore induftrious. The women, like thofe 

 of Wales, knit as they go from one place to another. 

 Smuggling is very general ; and it is confidered fuch an afy- 

 lum for deferters, that it is not uncommon for poorpesfants 

 to go acrofs Lough Comb, and enlift ; and when they are 

 paid and clothed, take the firft opportunity of returning, 

 after which they are never heard of. There are many traces 

 throughout the country of its having been cultivated in an- 

 cient times by fome intelligent people. Dr. Beaufort's Me- 

 moirs. Mr. Young's Tour. Latocnaye's Rambles through 

 Ireland. 



Ballinahinch, a market and poll town of the county 

 of Down, in Irrland, fituated nearly in the centre of the 

 county, and for that reafon occationally fixed on for meet- 

 ings of the farming fociety, and others of a public nature. 

 It was the fcene of a dreadful engagement in the late rebel- 

 lion, the infurgents being numerous, and ftronglv polled in 

 the lawn before lord Moira's houfe, which is clofe to the 

 town. They were however defeated with conCderable lofs, 

 and one fide of the town entirely deftroycd. In its neigh- 

 bourhood, at the n<irt of Sliehh Croob mountain, is a fulphu- 

 reo-chalybeate fpring, which is much frequented. The 

 water is very clear and cold, and of a highly difao-retable 

 fmell and talle, like fome of the waters of Aix la Chapelle. 

 Diftance from Dublin, 76 Irifli miles. N.lat. ^4° 23'. W. 

 long. 5° 48'. Dr. Beaufort's Map. Book of Roads. Rutty 

 on Mineral Waters. 



BALLINAKILL, a fair, market, and poll town, of 

 the Queen's county> in Ireland, fituate 48 Irilh miles fouth- 

 •weft of Dub!::i. Until the union took place it was alfo a 

 borough town, and returned two members to parliament. 

 It now has a brewery and three tan-yards, befides fome in- 

 confiderable woollen faflories. The ruins of a caftle yet re- 

 main, which was battered by general Fairfax, and bravely 

 defended by the garrifon. Coote's Statift. Account of 

 Queen's County. 



BALUNA'SKELIGS, a haven In the county of Kerry, 

 Ireland, between Kenmare river and Dingle bay. It is 

 d-;ep and open, but not (heltered from foutherly winds. It 

 takes its name from a town, of which fcarcely a trace is 

 now to be feen ; but which is in Stanihurfl's Catalogue 

 of the haven towns of Ireland, prefixed to H(<llin(head's 

 Chronicle. The ruins of a monaltery arc near the fhore, . 

 which formerly belonged to the Auguftine order, and was 

 removed from the greater Skelig ifland to this place. From 

 tl-.efe iflands the town took its name. In the neit.'.ibourhood 

 is St. Michael's well, one of thofe holy fpring5 to be met 

 ■with in every part of Ireland, which are frequented by the 

 common people on the day of the patron faint, and which are 

 fuppofed to cure all manner of difeafes. This devotion paid 

 to wells has beea mentioned as one of the remains of Druid- 



7 



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ical fuperftition, though feemingly without fufficlent ar. 

 thority. N. lat. 51^ 42'. W. long. 9° 20'. Smith's Hif- 

 tory of Kerr)-. Rambles through Ireland. Hollinlhead's 

 Chronicle. 



BALLINASLOE, a fmall but neat and well-built town 

 of the county of Galway, in the province of Connaught, 

 Ireland. It is fituated on the weft fide of the river Suck 

 (though in many maps it is placed on the eaft fide, in the 

 county of Rofcommon), which river from the nature of the 

 countiy might be eafily made navigable to the Shannon. It 

 IS one of the moft thriving towns in the county, having a 

 great wool fair on the 13th of July, and fevcral cattle fairs, 

 at which 10,000 oxen and 100,000 Iheep were fold annually 

 from the paftures of Galway, Clare, and Mayo. From 

 the increafe of tillage however, and other caufcs, the num- 

 ber of (heep is faid to have decrcafed. At one of thefe 

 fairs, a (how of cattle and premiums have lately been intro- 

 duced, under the aufpices of the farming fociety of Ireland, 

 for the laudable purpofe of improving the breeds. The 

 wool fair was edablilhcd in 1757, by Mr. Trench, father of 

 the prefent lord vilcount Dunlo, to whom the town belongs ; 

 and on account of the more convenient fituation of Balii- 

 nafloe in the heart of the wool country, and the great at- 

 tention paid to the accommodation of thofe who frequent 

 it, it has taken the lead of MuUingar fair, and is now per- 

 haps the greateft for wool in the united kingdom. Several 

 days generally clapfe before the buyers and fellers can agree 

 refpefting the price ; during which period, the news of the 

 day is as eagerly fought as on the Stock Exchange, and 

 often produces a confidcniblc effeft. The number of bags 

 ufually brought to the fair for fome years pall was about 

 1500, each containing about tight hundred weight; but 

 this is fcarcely a fourth part of what is engaged from the 

 country gentlemen at the fame time, at a fomewhat higher 

 price. Mr. A. Young has made a comparifon between the 

 price of wool in the fleece in Ireland, and in Lincolnfhire ; 

 from which it appears, that for 16 years ending in 1779, 

 the average price in Ireland was 136. 8 d. per ftone of fix- 

 teen pounds ; and in Lincohifliire during the fame years, it 

 was 9 s. 3 d. for the fame quantity. The height of price 

 in Ireland he attributes to a dccreafe in the quantity pro- 

 duced, from ploughing up great trafts of fheep-walks, and 

 an increafe in the confumption. The fame caoics have con- 

 tinued to operate in a ftill greater degree, fo that the ave- 

 rage price for four years ending in 1801, was 18 s. as the 

 writer of this article was informed by an eminent manufac- 

 turer. A good deal of large combing wool was bought 

 indeed at a lower price, but not that fit for making cloth. 

 In comparing the price of Enghfh and Irilh wool,' it fhould 

 be mentioned that in Lciniler and Connaught, the bags are 

 always paid for as wool, which makes an addition of four- 

 pence per llone to the price. Yet though the price of wool 

 is fo much higher, fuch is the difterence in the price of 

 labour, that there is in time . f peace a confiderablc export 

 of worfted yarn to Norwich and Manch.ller. The di- 

 ttance of BaiUnafloe from Dublin is 72 Irilh miles. N. 

 lat. 53°i5'. W. long. 8° 8'. Mr. A. Young. Dr. Beau- 

 fort. 



BALLINROBE, a market, pod, and occafionally an 

 afiize town of the coui:ty of Mayo, in Ireland, which is 

 fmall, but flourifhinsr, fituated on the river Robe, which 

 runs into Lough Mafk. Here are the ruins of an abbey ; 

 and in the neighbourhood a charter fchool for forty 

 boys. Within a few miles of it, on the road to Caftlcbar, 

 are the ruins of Baliintobec abbey. The part that yet re- 

 mains entire of this venerable llniAurc, exhibits a fine fpeci- 

 men of Gothic architeclure ; the rafters, if they may be fo 



termed) , 



