The Sunny Side of Ireland: How to see it by the Great Southern and Western RailwayO'Mahony, John
History
The Sunny Side of Ireland: How to see it by the Great Southern and Western Railway
O'Mahony, John
Ireland -- Guidebooks
Irish antiquaries for generations have squabbled over these famous
"Pillar Towers of Ireland," but the general trend of scientific opinion
is that they are of early Christian origin. Father Matt Horgan, a famous
Munster antiquary, humorously started the theory that they were built to
puzzle posterity, which they have very successfully done. ~Lucan~ is a
health resort, possessing a sulphur spa, and situated in a well-wooded
country above the Liffey. The Hydropathic stands well sheltered and
commanding a splendid view. The drives in the district are many, and the
antiquarian will find much of interest. In Lord Annaly's demesne are the
remains of an early Norman castle, and in the vicinity is an ancient
Rath and souterraine. The drive to the Salmon Leap, at Leixlip, should
not be missed. Near by is ~Castletown~, the palatial mansion of the
Connolly family, and a grotesque structure known as "Connolly's Folly,"
which was built in the time of the famine of "Black '47" to give
employment. Here, too, the great Dean of St. Patrick's beguiled his time
at "The Abbey," the home of Esther Vanhomrigh, the "Vanessa" of his
strange life. From Lucan Maynooth may be reached. Here is St. Patrick's
National College for the education of priests for the Catholic Church,
originally founded on a Government grant. "Carton House," in the
vicinity, is the residence of the Dukes of Leinster. It is surrounded by
beautiful parks, well planted, among the trees the royal oaks, for which
Kildare was celebrated, being conspicuous. ~Straffan~ may be called a
"hunting village," as the meets of the famous "Killing Kildares" most
usually take place in its neighbourhood. Here, too, are the seats of
Lords Cloncurry and Mayo. The thriving market town of ~Naas~ is two
miles from Sallins, and is the railway station for Punchestown, the
great steeplechase meeting of the Kildare Hunt. Long centuries ago it
was an historic spot--"Naas of the Kings." From the station may be seen
the Hill of Allen, rising like a sentinel on the mearings of the "Great
Plain of Ireland." ~Harristown~, the second station on a branch line, is
about three miles from Poulaphouca Waterfall. The road to the Falls
leads through the picturesque village of Ballymore-Eustace, situated on
a bank at a bend in the river Liffey. The view from the river below the
Falls is very impressive. Tullow is the terminus of this branch of the
line. It is a good business town, and the river Slaney affords excellent
trout fishing. Within half-an-hour's walk from Sallins is Bodenstown
Churchyard, where Theobald Wolfe Tone, the founder of the United Irish
Organisation of 1798, is buried. He was the most desperate man who ever
crossed the path of the English Government in Ireland. "The most
extraordinary man I ever met," is the verdict of the Duke of Wellington.
"He went to France with but one hundred guineas in his pocket, and
induced Bonaparte, by his single unaided efforts, to send three
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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