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esting features. From the Moss House is a path wind-
ing through the woods up the northern side of the glen,
to a projecting platform of shapeless and rugged rock
far above the summit of the highest trees on either side,
and protruding into the very centre of the chasm; from
this elevated station, which is called the Lovers’ Leap, the
extent and beauty of the glen are seen in pleasing com-
bination with the softer features of the Powerscourt
demesne at its western extremity. From another
elevation, at no great distance from the former, called
the View Rock, are seen the demesnes of Powerscourt
and Tinnehinch, with the lofty mountain of Knocksea;
the splendid chain of mountains from Beehanna to
Glencree; and a large sweep of the glen, with a pictur-
esque cottage on the opposite side. Lord Powerscourt
kindly allows public access to the Dargle every day in
the week, except Sunday. Kilruddery, the splendid
mansion of the Earl of Meath, though in this parish,
is so closely connected with the parish of Bray that it
is described under that head. Gharleville, the beau-
tiful seat of the Earl of Rathdowne, is a handsome
modern mansion of granite, erected near the site of a
former building, which was accidentally burnt down in
1792: it is finely situated in a richly wooded demesne
of 120 acres, surrounded by the grounds of Powerscourt
and embellished with timber of extraordinary growth.
Tinnehinch, formerly part of the estate of Lord Powers-
court, is now the seat of James Grattan, Esq., and was
the favourite residence of his father, the late Right
Hon. Henry Grattan, for whom it was purchased by a
vote of the Irish parliament, in testimony of their ad-
miration of his splendid talents and gratitude for his
unequalled exertions in obtaining a free trade with Great
Britain, in 1782; it is beautifully situated close to the
Glen of the Dargle, with the woods of which it commu-
nicates, and the Dargle river flows through the grounds.
The house is a plain building, and previously to the pur-
chase of the estate by the parliamentary grant of £50,000,
was the principal inn of the county, and the frequent re-
sort of that distinguished senator, who spent much of
his early life amidst these enchanting scenes, in the cul-
tivation of those brilliant talents which commanded
the respect and admiration of his country. Bushy Park,
the seat of the Hon. Col. Hugh Howard, is beautifully
situated on rising ground, commanding an extensive
range of mountain scenery, with a fine view of the man-
sions and demesnes of Powerscourt and Charleville.
There are numerous handsome villas in the parish, of
which the principal are Lough Bray, in the mountain
district of Glencree, a beautiful cottage on the lake in
one of the most romantic parts of the mountain scenery;
Ballyornan, the residence of Mrs. Quin; Dargle Cottage,
of R. Sandys, Esq.; Ornee, of H. Mason Esq.;
Ballymorris, of R. Graydon, Esq.; Ballywaltrim, of J.
Ormsby, Esq.; Charleville Cottage, of Lady Crofton;
Ballynagee Cottage, of the late Capt. Sandys; and New-
town Cottage, of G. Kennan, Esq.
The scenery of the parish, on the side opposite to
that of Powerscourt and the Dargle, abounds with fea-
tures of impressive character; the valley of Glencree
forms a noble vista, four miles in length, enclosed on
each side by barren and rugged mountains, and ter-
minating with the lofty mountains of Kippure, impend-
ing over the basin of Lough Bray, below which were the
Glencree barracks, a fine range of buildings, erected by
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Government after the disturbances of 1798, and pur-
chased by Lord Powerscourt in 1834. The scenery
around Lough Bray is pleasingly romantic: there are
an upper and a lower lake; the lower, which is the
larger, comprises 37 acres, and is near the summit of
the mountain, enclosed on one side by lofty and pre-
cipitous rocks, and on the other by a steep declivity:
this district is much frequented by visiters from Dublin;
the approach is by the military road, which joins the
road from Rathfarnham. The Djouce mountain, which
has an elevation of 2392 feet above the level of the
sea, is in the parish, and forms a prominent feature in
the numerous varieties of its mountain scenery. The
lands not in demesne are chiefly under tillage 3 the
soil is a light limestone gravel; yielding good crops; and
the system of agriculture improved; turf is procured in
abundance on the mountains, and there are several
quarries of good granite.
The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Dublin, con-
stituting the corps of the prebend of Stagonil in the
cathedral of St. Patoick, and in the patronage of the
Archbishop: the prebend was instituted in 1303, when
it was charged with the payment of £10 per annum to
the economy fund of the cathedral: it had formerly two
dependent chapels, situated respectively at Kilruddery
and Kilcroney; the latter, in the time of Archbishop
Alan, was claimed by the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey,
near Dublin. In 1831, some townlands of this parish
were separated from it by the act of the 7th and 8th of
Geo. IV., to form the newly erected parish of Calary.
The tithes amount to £369. 4. 7½.: the glebe-house,
towards which the late Board of First Fruits contributed
a gift of £200 and a loan of £600, was built in 1817;
the glebe comprises 3½ acres, held by lease from the
Earl of Rathdown, at a rent of £4. 10. per annum. The
church, a handsome modern edifice, nearly in the centre
of the parish, and within the Powerscourt demesne, was
enlarged in 1820, at an expense of £1000, advanced on
loan from the late Board of First Fruits; the church-
yard contains many interesting monumental inscriptions.
In the R. C. divisions the parish forms part of the union
or district of Bray: the chapel, at Curtlestown, is a plain
building, and service is also performed in a barn every
Sunday. About 400 children are taught in ten public
schools, of which four are supported by Lord and Lady
Powerscourt, one by Lord and Lady Rathdowne, and two
by the Rev. R. Daly, the rector; there are also a private
school, in which are about 130 children, and two Sunday
schools. An estate in the county of Longford was
bequeathed by F. Adair, Esq., to the unions of Bray and
Delganny and to this parish, one-third each, for cha-
ritable purposes. There are ruins of ancient churches
at Churchtown and Killegar; and on a hill to the west
of Enniskerry are the remains of a cromlech.
POWERSTOWN, a parish, in the barony of GOW-
RAN, county of KILKENNY, and province of LEINSTER,
3 miles (S. E. by S.) from Gowran, on the road from Kil
kenny to Graig; containing 1718 inhabitants. This
parish comprises 5508 statute acres, as applotted under
the tithe act; the greater portion is good arable and
pasture land, about one-half being under tillage. On
the lands of Curraghlane, yellow ochre of good quality
is procured; and at Mount Loftus is an extensive quarry,
in which is raised excellent granite of a beautiful light
yellow colour, fine-grained and very compact; it may