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
hills are interspersed with the most delicate maiden-hair fern, growing
wild. There are two small but neat hotels in Ballyvaughan. From this
little town Galway might be visited by steamer and the Arran Isles by
hooker. ~Kilkee~ is admittedly the best bathing-place in these islands.
It is dashed into with the full force of the Atlantic, but with the
countless nooks fitted into the rocky coast-line, there are numbers of
sandy strands suitable for bathing. Here, situated in the very outpost
of the West of Ireland, it is as up-to-date and as go-a-head as some of
its more fashionable rivals, while in natural advantages it excels them
all. It is easy of access by land and sea. The town is protected by a
long reef of rock, called "Duggerna." The cliff scenery is very
beautiful. The spots to visit are The Puffing Hole, Saint Senanus' Holy
Well, Bishop's Island, with its beehive cells and Green Rock. A tour to
Loophead will bring one in sight of a long line of cliff scenery.
~Lehinch~ and Liscanor Bay promise to become the best patronised golf
links in Ireland. Right in front of the little town is a splendid
strand, and local enterprise has been auxiliary to nature in making the
spot attractive. ~Spanish Point~ also possesses splendid strands, where
sea-bathing may be enjoyed with safety. Two miles away is
~Milltown-Malbay~. The town is business-like, and the coast-line in the
vicinity is associated with weird tales of wreckers; there some of the
unfortunate Spaniards came to grief in 1588. The ~Cliffs of Moher~ may
be visited from Milltown, Lehinch, or Lisdoonvarna. Going up the road
from Lehinch to ~Liscanor~ we pass a Holy Well dedicated to Saint
Brigid. The only cliff scenery in the British Isles to compare with that
of Moher is at the Orkney islands. They make a magnificent embroidery
into the red sandstone along the coast-line for four miles, rising in
heights varying from 440 to 700 feet. From their height on a clear day
the distant Isles of Arran may be seen, and the whole surroundings make
as gorgeous a seascape as is to be found anywhere in the world. An
observer will readily recognise that the quaint craft which the
fishermen still use in the vicinity of Moher, as indeed elsewhere in
Clare, is the ancient coracle. ~Kilrush~, on the Lower Shannon, is
chiefly of interest to the antiquary. It can be reached from Limerick,
by the Shannon, as pointed out already, and from Kilkee by Rail. By a
ferry from a slip at the foot of the little town, the holy island,
Scattery, the shrine of Saint Senanus, may be reached. The Round Tower
is in good preservation, and the remains of the Seven Churches can
still be traced. Saint Senanus' bed is still pointed out. No peasant
woman who wishes to be a mother will ever enter this hallowed spot. The
legend of Saint Senanus is similar to that of Saint Kevin. He was
haunted by the love of a woman from whom he flew. Thomas Moore in verse
tells us the hard-heartedness of both the anchorites:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account