Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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any one kisses it, he will ever after have a cajoling
tongue and the art of flattery or of telling lies with un-
blustiing effrontery. Few, however, venture upon this
ceremony, from the danger in being lowered down to
the stone by a rope from an insecure battlement 132
feet high. The “groves of Blarney” are of considerable
extent and very interesting; and beneath the castle are
some spacious natural caves, one of which was converted
into a dungeon by some of its early proprietors: it is
entered by a very strong door, near which is a solitary
window scarcely admitting a ray of light, and there are
several massive iron rings and bolts yet remaining.
Stalactites and stalagmites of beautiful formation and
very compact are found in these caves.
The village, though now of little importance, was
once the most thriving in the county, and between the
years 1765 and 1782, when the linen manufacture was
carried on, had not less than 13 mills in operation, erected
by St. John Jefferyes, Esq., at an expense of
about £20,000. The cotton trade was afterwards intro-
duced and flourished for a time, but has decayed; and
the only establishments now in operation are a spinning-
mill belonging to M. Mahony, Esq., in which about 120
persons are employed in spinning and dyeing woolen
yarn for the extensive camlet manufactory in Cork; and
a paper-mill, erected by G. Jenkins, Esq., which employs
about 170 persons. St. John Jefferyes, Esq., the pro-
prietor of the village, has it in contemplation to rebuild
it on an enlarged and improved plan. Just above it
stands the parish church, which was repaired and en-
larged in 1835, and is a very neat edifice. Fairs are
held on Sept. 18th and Nov. 11th; here is a station of
the constabulary police; and petty sessions are held on
alternate Tuesdays. A national school, capable of accom-
modating 500 children, was built in 1836, at an expense
of £300, of which the Commissioners gave £90, the
parishioners £11, and the Rev. M. Horgan, P.P., gave
the remainder; and there is a dispensary.—See GARRY-
CLOYN’E.
BLASQUET ISLANDS, also called BLASQUES
or FERRITER’S ISLANDS, lying off the shore of the
parish of DONQUIN, barony of CORKAGUINEY, county
of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 10 miles (W.S. W.)
from Dingle; the population is returned with Donquin.
These islands were granted by the Earl of Desmond to
the family of Ferriter, but were forfeited to the Crown
by their joining in the rebellion of that nobleman, and
in 1586 were granted, with other possessions, to George
Stone and Cornelius Champion; they were afterwards
purchased by Sir Richard Boyle, ancestor of the present
proprietor, the Earl of Cork. They are rated for the
county cess with the parish of Donquin, but for tithes
with that of Ballinvohir, on the northern shore of Dingle
bay. In September, 1588, part of the Spanish Armada,
consisting of the admiral’s ship the St. John, a large
ship of 1000 tons called “Our Lady of the Rosary,” and
some smaller vessels, came into the Sound in distress.
Our Lady of the Rosary struck on a rock and was
wrecked, and of 500 persons on board, among whom
were the Prince of Ascule and 100 gentlemen, only the
pilot’s son was saved: a violent storm soon after dis-
persed the rest of the ships. The islands, which are the
most westerly on the coast of Ireland, are situated
in Lat. 52° 6’ 40” (N.), and Lon. 10° 33’ (W.), as taken
from the southern point of the Great Blasquet; they are
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twelve in number, including those which are mere rocks,
and extend 2½ miles W. by S. The largest is called the
Great Blasquet or Innismore, and is nearly two miles
from the main land: it is about three miles in length,
and is elevated mountain ground, with some arable land
towards the north-east extremity: ten families reside
upon it at present, and there are the ruins of a very
ancient church, with a burial-ground. The second in
size, and the southernmost, is Innismackilane, which
lies about seven miles W. by S. from Dunmore, and is
low and bleak, but yields a very rich herbage: it is the
abode of two families, and contains the ruins of an
ancient chapel with a burial-ground, and a small stone-
roofed cell or hermitage, with the remains of several
others. The third is Innisnebroe or Quern Island, so
called from its resemblance to the old mill-stones called
“querns.” The fourth and most northern, called Innis-
tuskard, is about an Irish mile in length: only one
family resides on it, and there is a stone cell similar to
that above noticed. Near the Great Island are three
smaller, one of which is called Innisbeg or the Little
island, and consists of about 16 acres of rich grazing
land; the other two are of the same character, but not
so large. Most of them are stocked with sheep and
black cattle, and abound with rabbits and sea-fowl, of
which the last breed in vast numbers on the stupendous
pyramidal rock forming the eighth island, and situated
four miles W. N. W. from the Great island, and are taken
for their feathers: near this rock is another of a similar
form but inferior height. Here are also numbers of
hawks and eagles, the former of which were once held
in great esteem for sporting; and a small bird, called
by the Irish gourder, and said, to exceed the ortolan in
deliciousness of flavour, appears to be peculiar to these
islands. Smith, in his History of Cork, published in
1749, says that, for the space of 45 years before he
visited the Great island, “neither man, woman, or
child died on it.”
BLENNERVILLE, a small sea-port town, in the
parish of ANNAGH, barony of TRUGHENACKMY, county
of KERRY, and province of MUNSTER, 1 mile (W.) from
Tralee, containing 532 inhabitants. It is situated on
the bay of Tralee, and consists chiefly of one street
extending from a bridge over a small river which empties
itself into the bay along the road to Dingle, and con-
taining 88 houses, most of which are neatly built and
roofed with slate. On the opposite side of the bay is
an oyster bed, which with the fishery in the bay affords
employment to a portion of the inhabitants. An exten-
sive trade in corn is carried on with the port of Liver-
pool. Fairs are held on May 9th, Sept. 15th, Oct. 25th,
and Dec. 19th; and there is a penny post daily between
this place and Tralee. The Tralee ship canal, now in
progress, will pass under the north end of the bridge
and extend to the channel at a place called the Black
rock; it is supposed that this work, when completed,
will nearly annihilate the trade of Blennerville, which
has hitherto been the port of Tralee. A portion of the
slob on the east side of the bridge has been lately em-
banked by Mr. Blennerhasset, of this place. The parish
church, a neat modern structure with a square tower,
is situated in the town; as are also the Protestant
and R. C. school-houses, and at Curragrague is a school
under the trustees of Erasmus Smith’s charity.—See ANNAGH.