Vol. v7: 
Wooden-bridge and the river Liffey, form 
a moft delightful valley. 
The town of Lucan.is fmall, yery neat, 
and clean, and, in the fummer, much in- 
habited by perfons refortiny there for the 
benefit of the fpa, and for ‘whofe actom- 
modation there has been an excellent 
hotel ereéted within thefe three years, ia 
addition to the many lodging- hoafes al- 
ready in the rown. 
About @ mile weftward of Lucan 
another neat and beautiful village, calle 
Leixlip, principally i inhabited by | an hum - 
le fet of peopte, who, in addition to their 
induftry in hufbandry, let lodgings in the 
fummer feafon, to fuch perfons as refort 
there for the benefit of the Lucan Spa, 
and thus obtain a decent livelihood ; there 
is, in this town, a good inn or tavern, for 
travellers, Waa poft-otfice, 
The caftle of Leixlip is an old plain 
brick building, partiy gothic, formerly the 
feat of General Sandford, now moftly oc- 
cupied as a barrack. ‘The grounds being 
diverfified by feveral hills are extremely 
beautiful, and the entrance to them from 
the town of Leixlip exceedingly fo; ina 
part of this demefne is a moit beautiful 
and remarkable fpot, called the Salmon 
Leap, to which you approach from the 
caftle, bya walk at the fide of the river, 
richly fhadowed by old oak, beech, and 
afh trees. ‘This falmon leap is a water~ 
fall, or rather cataract, occafioned by a 
rock which in that sie runs acrofs the 
channel of the river Liffey, about eighteen 
feet high; the top of this ridge of rocks 
is paflable when the water is low, and 
with the affiftance of a ruined arch, a 
communication is formed with the oppo- 
fite fide of the river, the feat of Charles 
Croker, Efg. the breadth of the whole is 
about one hundred and eighty feet. In 
floods which fall from the mountains, 
this cataraét’s height is fometimes en- 
creafed to thirty feet. The falmon ge- 
nerally begin to run-in March or April, 
and to retura in Auguft and September, 
when many perfons frequent this place 
to fee them lean, sie as they arrive at 
the bo:tom of the fall, they rife jutt above 
the water for near bales minute, as if to 
obferve the height and diftance, then 
finking, they prefently dart ftraight up 
from the furface, thaking their fins and 
tails with a quick motion, and often clear 
the leap at the firft pring ; ; but frequent- 
ly the force of the failing water a 
them back upon the fhe Iving rocks, from 
‘whence they leap back again, and wait 
fome time.before they make a fecond at- 
tempt. The writer of thefe fheets, upon 
is 
4 
U 
. ; . f 4 
Tour in the Vicinity of Dubhn. 
eleven and three o’dlock ; 
ag 
the twenty-fifth day of Auguft, 1707, 
faw upwards of one huadred falmon leap 
this fall in the meee of twohours. Vhefe 
fith are taken in great abundanse near 
Dublin, by Sir William Aor rthington, 
pr sprieror of a falmon-fithery there, frotia 
whence the citizens of Dublin Bre mofily . 
fupplied-with live falmon, of ° 
at all times 
nearly whatever fize they fend for, at fx- 
pence per po und, the more efpectally if 
fuch is Belpoke 3 in the preceding evening 
of the day the ey are wanted. 
Upon that fide of the river Liffey, op- 
polite to this cataraét, is the feat of 
Charles Croker, Efq. highly decorated, 
and laid out to the beftadvarttage. Upoa 
the fide of a richly planted -hill, atinrole 
immediately oppofite the fall, is ereeed a 
very handfome gothic temple, which com-. 
mands a full view of the falmon leap, and 
adds much to the beauty of this charming 
fcene; here is alfo a rural cottage, to 
which many companies refort, and bring 
refrefhments. Fifhing nets ar€ placed im 
this cottage, fo as to form window -cur- 
tains in feftoons; the utmoft: liberality is 
granted to ladies and gentlemen, to ride 
or drive through thefe grounds. 
At the diftance of about half a mile 
from this place is the cclebrated manfion 
of the Right Hon. Thomas Conolly, at 
Caftletown, nine. miles weft from Dub- 
lin. Permiffion is given to all decent per~ 
fons to drive chrough this demefne, which 
extends above three miles in different di- 
rections, the one is towards the town of 
Maynooth, the other towards the town of 
Celbridge; but the only time at which 
the public is permitted to view the doxufe 
1s Upon Sundays, between the hours of 
‘but perm fiom 
is given at any time to-ladies or gentle- 
men who make application for that pur- 
pofe. The houfe is a moft fplendid mana 
fion, large and {pacious, the fhair-eafe ex- 
ceedingly magnificent, the great faloon 
very fuperb, and conta‘ning many fine 
paintings, with fome excellent {culptures 
at each fide of the houfe the out- ee 
are connetted by a femicircular cole. 
nade; the afcent to the hall door ‘is oy 
grand ftone fteps, about twenty in num- 
ber, fifty feet wide, and a balufirade at 
each fide e aaa: boldly from the houfe 
into the lawn 3 upon py fide of the half 
door, when you afeend thefe fieps, is a 
green garden chair, each capabl e of af. 
af ding ret to fix pérfons. The arc 
to this bu! lding was Cafiell's, 
years fince ereéted many of the beft build- 
ings in Dubin, and its vicinity Within 
thefe few years, Lady  Louifa Oe 
wife 
wh 
no res 
+4 
