The Letters of "Norah" on Her Tour Through IrelandNorah
History
The Letters of "Norah" on Her Tour Through Ireland
Norah
Ireland -- Description and travel
Upon a high hill above the town, commanding a beautiful view of the
country far and wide, stand the ruins of the castle of Harry Awry O'Neil
(contentious or cross Harry), an arch between two ruined towers being
the only distinct feature left of what was once a great castle. This
castle commanded a view of two other castles, owned and inhabited by two
sons or two brothers of this Harry Awry O'Neil. These three castles were
separate each from each by a river. Here these three lords of the O'Neil
slept, lived and agreed, or quarrelled as the case might be, ruling over
a fair domain of this fair country. I do not think the present
generation need feel more than a sentimental regret after the days of
strong castles and many of them, and hands red with unlimited warfare.
Towering up beyond Harry Awry's castle is the high mountain of Baissie
Baal, interpreted to me altar of Baal. I should think it would mean
death of Baal. (Was Baal ever the same as Tommuz, the Adonis of
Scripture?) In the valley beyond is a village still named Beltane (Baal
teine--Baal's fire), so that the mountain must have been used at one
time for the worship of Baal. The name of the mountain is now corrupted
into Bessie Bell.
In the valley at the foot of the mountain is the grand plantation that
stretches miles and miles away, embosoming Baronscourt, the seat of the
Duke of Abercorn, and the way to it in the shade of young forests. There
are nodding firs and feathery larches over the hills, glassing
themselves in the still waters of beautiful lakes. Lonely grandeur and
stately desolation reign and brood over a scene instinct with peasant
life and peasant labor some years ago. The Duke of Abercorn was counted
a model landlord. His published utterances were genial, such as a good
landlord, father and protector of his people would utter. Some one who
thought His Grace of Abercorn was sailing under false colors, that his
public utterances and private course of action were far apart, published
an article in a Dublin paper. This article stated that the Duke had
evicted over 123 families, numbering over 1,000 souls, not for non-
payment of rent, but to create the lordly loneliness about Baronscourt.
His Grace did not like tenantry so near his residence. Those tenants who
submitted quietly got five years' rent--not as a right, but as a favor
given out of his goodness of heart. They tell here that these evictions
involved accidentally the priest of the parish and an old woman over
ninety, who lay on her death-bed. He had called upon the priest
personally and offered ground for a parochial house; he forgot his
purpose and the priest continued to live in lodgings from which he was
evicted along with the farmer with whom he lodged. Of the evicted
families 87 were Catholics and 36 Protestants. If they had been allowed
to sell their tenant right they might have got farms elsewhere. Of those
cleared off seventeen who were Protestants and six who were Catholics
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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