The second most historic spot in Ulster--Sublime view from it--Noble work done in its partial restoration--Its early history--Its destruction by a Munster King--A funny _rann_ from the Four Masters about it--Its great antiquity--The great Circuit of Ireland made from Aileach--Quotations from an ancient poem on the Circuit--A great poem totally ignored by the Irish cultured classes--Muircheartach MacNeill a great prince--His capture of the provincial Kings--His tragic and untimely death. "ROYAL AND SAINTLY CASHEL" 172 Peculiar situation--Ancient Irish churchmen's appreciation of the beautiful in nature--Superb beauty of the site of Cashel--A wonder that so few poets have been inspired by it--Sir Aubrey de Vere's Sonnet on Cashel--Marred by the erection of new monuments--Long the seat of Munster Kings-- Antiquity of Cashel as a centre of Christian cult--Wondrous beauty of Cormac's Chapel; the most remarkable of early Irish churches--The ancient Irish had no castles; they were introduced by the Norman French--The city of Cashel-- Cashel, Glendaloch and Clonmacnois the most interesting places of their kind in Ireland. LOCH ERNE 186 Loch Erne, Loch Ree and Loch Derg compared; the former the most peculiar of all Irish Lochs--Its innumerable islands, and the great beauty of its shores--Want of proper passenger steamers on it--Tourists must have good accommodation--Ireland's beauties can never be fully known until good hotels are provided--No other country of its size has so many lakes and rivers as Ireland--Historic attractions of Loch Erne--Devinish Island. MELLIFONT AND MONASTERBOICE 195 They are the most interesting ecclesiastical ruins in Louth--Great beauty of the site of Mellifont--Terrible and wanton destruction of its ruins--Its name not Irish--Was generally known as "the Drogheda Monastery"--Size of the building--Was founded in 1142--Renaissance of Irish ecclesiastical architecture; it began when Danish plundering ceased--Effects of the Anglo-French invasion--Dearvorgil, wife of O'Ruarc, buried in Mellifont--Antiquity of Monasterboice--Its glorious ancient crosses--Its round tower--Became a ruin many centuries before Mellifont--Beauty and historic interest of locality--Drogheda--The burgs of the Boyne, New Grange and Dowth. TRIM CASTLE 207