IRELAND HISTORIC AND PICTURESQUE BY CHARLES JOHNSTON ILLUSTRATED 1902 CONTENTS. I. VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. II. THE GREAT STONE MONUMENTS. III. THE CROMLECH BUILDERS. IV. THE DE DANAANS. V. EMAIN OF MACA. VI. CUCULAIN THE HERO. VII. FIND AND OSSIN. VIII. THE MESSENGER OF THE NEW WAY. IX. THE SAINTS AND SCHOLARS. X. THE RAIDS OF THE NORTHMEN. XI. THE PASSING OF THE NORSEMEN. XII. THE NORMANS. XIII. THE TRIUMPH OF FEUDALISM. XIV. THE JACOBITE WARS. XV. CONCLUSION. LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Photogravures made by A.W. ELSON & Co. PEEP HOLE, BLARNEY CASTLE IN THE DARGLE, CO. WICKLOW MUCKROSS ABBEY, KILLARNEY BRANDY ISLAND, GLENGARRIFF SUGAR LOAF MOUNTAIN, GLENGARRIFF RIVER ERNE, BELLEEK WHITE ROCKS, PORTRUSH POWERSCOURT WATERFALL, CO. WICKLOW HONEYCOMB, GIANT'S CAUSEWAY GRAY MAN'S PATH, FAIR HEAD COLLEEN BAWN CAVES, KILLARNEY RUINS ON SCATTERY ISLAND VALLEY OF GLENDALOUGH AND RUINS OF THE SEVEN CHURCHES ANCIENT CROSS, GLENDALOUGH ROUND TOWER, ANTRIM GIANT'S HEAD AND DUNLUCE CASTLE, CO. ANTRIM ROCK CASHEL, RUINS OF OLD CATHEDRAL, KING CORMAC'S CHAPEL AND ROUND TOWER DUNLUCE CASTLE MELLIFONT ABBEY, CO. LOUTH HOLY CROSS ABBEY, CO. TIPPERARY DONEGAL CASTLE TULLYMORE PARK, CO. DOWN THOMOND BRIDGE, LIMERICK SALMON FISHERY, GALWAY O'CONNELL'S STATUE, DUBLIN IRELAND. I. VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE. Here is an image by which you may call up and remember the natural form and appearance of Ireland: Think of the sea gradually rising around her coasts, until the waters, deepened everywhere by a hundred fathoms, close in upon the land. Of all Ireland there will now remain visible above the waves only two great armies of islands, facing each other obliquely across a channel of open sea. These two armies of islands will lie in ordered ranks, their lines stretching from northeast to southwest; they will be equal in size, each two hundred miles along the front, and seventy miles from front to rear. And the open sea between, which divides the two armies, will measure seventy miles across. Not an island of these two armies, as they lie thus obliquely facing each other, will rise as high as three thousand feet; only the captains among them will exceed a thousand; nor will there be great variety in their forms. All the islands, whether north or south, will have gently rounded backs, clothed in pastures nearly to the crest, with garments of purple heather lying under the sky upon their ridges. Yet for all this roundness of outline there will be, towards the Atlantic end of either army, a growing sternness of aspect, a more sombre ruggedness in the outline of the hills, with cliffs and steep ravines setting their brows frowning against the deep.