.584 IRELAND 



CHAPTER LXXIV. IRELAND. 



Dublin ; view on the Liffey. 



PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



1. Boundaries and Extent. Ireland is an island separated on the east frofn England by St. 

 George's Channel, and the Irish Sea, and on the northeast from Scotland by the narrow strait 

 of Port Patrick. It extends from 5P 20' to 55° 20' N. latitude ; and from 5^ 20' lo 10^ 30' 

 W. longitude. Its greatest length from northeast to soullivvest is about 300 miles, and its 

 greatest breadth 160. There is not a spot upon it 50 miles from the sea. It contains about 

 30,400 square miles. 



2. Mountains. The highest ridges of this island are usually in short lines, or detached 

 groups. They are not sufficiently numerous or connected to give it the character of a moun- 

 tainous country. They are not bold or precipitous, but their sides are gentle acclivities, 

 admitting of culture a considerable way toward the summits. The highest mountain is Gur- 

 ran Tiial, in the county of Kerry, in the southwestern part of the island, 3,400 feet above 

 the sea. The shores, particularly in the west, are the most mountainous parts. 



3. Rivers. The largest is the Shannon, which flows southwest into the Atlantic. It is 

 about 170 miles in length, runs through several lakes or Loughs, and widens at its mouth 

 below Limerick to a spacious bay ; it is deep and navigable. The Barrow flows south about 

 100 miles to the sea, at Waterford. The Foyle and Bann are small streams which fall into 

 the sea at the northern extremity ; the latter discharges the waters of Lough Neagh. The 

 Boyne is of historic interest. 



4. Lakes. The Irish name for lake is Lough. There are large numbers of them in the 

 island. Lough JVeagh in the northeast is the largest ; it is 15 miles long, and 7 broad. Its 

 waters deposit a calcareous sediment ; the shores are tame and uninteresting. Lough Earn, 

 a little to the west of this, consists of two lakes joined by a canal ; the first is 20 miles long, 

 and the second 15; they are comparatively narrow. They contain many islands, and their 

 shores are pleasant, but not bold ; Lough Corrib, on the western coast, is a narrow sheet of 

 water, 20 miles in length. The most noted are the three lakes of Killarney, at the south- 

 western extremity of the island. They are small, but very beautiful, and will bear a com- 



