Lewis Topographical Dictionary - OSi Online Shop

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much improved; to Tralee, a new mail line greatly im-
proved, widened, and levelled; to Tarbert, on the banks
of the Shannon, a new, level, and excellent road; and
lastly, the Dublin line, which, though good, is decidedly
inferior to any of the others, being circuitous and hilly,
and at Annacotty both narrow and dangerous. A new
line of road has recently been opened leading through
the mountains from Abbeyfeale to Glin, which will be
of great advantage to that part of the country; another
is now being formed between Croom and Charleville,
on the western bank of the Maig, intended for the mail
line between Limerick and Charleville; and a third
from Kilfinane to Mitchelstown, intended for a shorter
and more direct mail line from Limerick to Fermoy
and Cork.
The vestiges of antiquity are numerous and of great
variety of character. There were two ancient round
towers; that at Ardpatrick fell a few years since; the
other, at Carrigeen, is in good preservation. Of the
earlier and ruder kind of pagan relics are the cromlech
on Bailenalycaellach hill, and two others near it; forti-
fications on Knocktow; a large fort at Friarstown;
a large and very perfect moat at Kilfinane and another
at Pallasgreine; a tumulus at Bruree; an earthen fort
of great height, near Croom; stone circles at Grange;
a large dun or intrenched mount, with raths and other
circular fortifications, at Kilpeacon; a circular fort di-
vided into segments near Shanid castle, and traces of
an ancient city in Cahir park. The number of religious
houses that have been founded here is about 35, exclu-
sively of those in the city and its liberties: there are
still remains of those of the Trinitarians, Augustinians,
and Franciscans, at Adare; of Monaster na Geailleach;
of Askeaton abbey; of Kilshane abbey, in the parish
of Ballingarry; several extensive ruins of the ancient
college at Mungret; of Galbally friary; of Kilflin mo-
nastery; of Kilmallock abbey; of Monaster-Nenagh
abbey; and of the fine old abbey in the parish of Roches-
town, all of which are more particularly described in
their respective parishes. There are upwards of 50
ruins of churches: it is, however, but right to observe,
that in many instances new structures have been built
in more eligible situations, and every parish has now a
church, or is united to a parish in which there is one.
So numerous were the castles rendered necessary by the
former unsettled state of the country, that they are
sometimes found within half a mile of each other;
there are still ruins, more or less extensive, of nearly
one hundred, which, with the modern seats of the nobi-
lity and gentry, are also noticed in their respective
places. The peasantry differ little in their manners, habits,
and dwellings from the same class in the other southern
agricultural counties; their dwellings being thatched
cabins, their food potatoes with milk and butter occa-
sionally, their fuel turf, their clothing home-made frieze
and cheap cottons and stuffs: their attachment to the
neighbourhood of their nativity, and their love of large
assemblages, whether for purposes of festivity or mourn-
ing, are further indications of the community of feelings
and customs with their countrymen in the surrounding
counties. Among the natural curiosities may be included
Lough Gur, with its romantic knolls, islands, and cave;
the Castle-Connell chalybeate and astringent spa; and
the sulphuric spring at Montpelier, in the parish of
Kilnegariff. Bones and horns of the moose deer
VOL. II.—265
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have been found in many parts of the county, from five
to ten feet deep in boggy ground; five pairs of horns
were found at Castle Farm, near Hospital, and seven
pairs near Knocktow. In many parts of the county old
fireplaces of the primitive inhabitants are occasionally
turned up, containing burnt black earth, charcoal, sooty
and siliceous stones.
LIMERICK, a city and
county of itself, situated on.
the river Shannon, locally in
the county of Limerick (of
which it forms the capital),
and in the province of MUN-
STER, 51 miles (N.) from
Cork, and 94 (S. W.) from
Dublin; containing, in 1821,
59,045, and in 1831, 66,554
inhabitants, of which num-
ber, 44,100 are in the city
and suburbs, and the re-
mainder in the rural district. This ancient and im-
portant city, supposed by some writers to have been
the Regia of Ptolemy, is called Rosse-de-Nailleagh in
the Annals of Multifernan; and is believed to have
been the place described under the name of Lumneach,
as forming the western extremity of the southern half
of the island as divided A. M. 2870 and 3970, which
name appears to have been modified by the English
into its present designation. St. Patrick is said to
have visited it about the middle of the fifth century;
but the first authentic notices of Limerick repre-
sent it as a Danish settlement. The place was first
plundered by them in 812, and about the middle of the
same century they made it one of their principal maritime
stations, surrounding it with walls and towers which
enclose the area now occupied by the English town.
For nearly a century their power continued to increase,
until Brien Boroimhe assumed the dominion of Munster
and Thomond, when he expelled the Danes from Inniscat-
tery, and reduced Limerick, allowing the inhabitants
however to continue in it, subject to their own laws and
customs, on payment of an annual tribute, said to have
been fixed at 365 tuns or casks of wine of 32 gallons each.
In 1064, Turlogh, King of Munster, received here the
homage of Donsleibhe, King of Ulidia; and his suc-
cessor Murtogh, having given Cashel to the church,
removed the seat of royalty to Limerick in 1106, from
which time it continued to be the residence of the kings
of Thomond, or North Munster, until its conquest by the
English: from this circumstance, his successors were
styled indiscriminately kings of North Munster or of
Limerick. The Danes of Limerick did not embrace
Christianity until the 11th century, and in the following
they elected their first bishop. In 1153, Turlogh O’Conor,
King of Connaught, besieged the city, and compelled
the Danes to renounce the authority of Turlogh O’Brien,
and drive him west of the Shannon.
A succession of intestine wars among the native
princes was carried on until the landing of Hen. II., who
soon after obtained possession of it and placed a garrison
there; but after his departure, Donald O’Brien, King
of Thomond, regained possession of it. In 1175, Ray-
mond le Gros, with the assistance of the King of Ossory,
invested it, and by fording the river in the face of the
enemy, so daunted them that he entered it without
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