Page:The National Gazetteer - A Topographical Dictionary of the British Islands, Volume 2.djvu/437

Rh KILLARGA. 429 KILLARNEY, LAKES OF. senach. There nro some church ruins, said to be those of a monastery founded in the 6th century, and dedicated to SS. Aidan and Brigid. There are likewise i u;cs of a castle erected by Sir Hugh do Lacy in 11S1, and subsequently possessed by the Geoghcgans and Shaens. KILLAEGA, a par. and seat of a post-office in the bar. of Dromahaire, co. Leitrim, prov. of Connaught, Ireland, 5 miles S.S.W. of Manor Hamilton. The parish is 5 miles in length, and 3 in breadth. It lies within the valley of the Bonnet river, and includes Lough Celhavel and several small lakes. The surface is bare and hilly, comprising ;i portion of the Bardaldicg hills. The road from Manor Hamilton, to Carrick-on-Shannon traverses the interior. The village is considerable. The living is a rect. and vie. in the dioc. of Kilmore, val. 418, in the patron, of the bishop. The church was erected in 1830, partly by a loan from the lute Board of First Fruits. There are a Roman Catholic chapel, and eight day schools. KILLARGLIN, a vil. near Castlcmaine Harbour, co. Kerry, prov. of Munster, Ireland, 4 miles N.E. of Lake Garra. KILLARNEY, a par. in the bar. of Gowran, co. Kilkenny, prov. of Lcinster, Ireland, 3 miles N.W. of Thnmuatown. The living is a rect. wholly appropriated 10 St. Canico Cathedral, in the dioc. of Ossory. There ore remains of the castle of the Graces. KILLAKNEY, a par. and market town in the bar. of Blagunihy, co. Kerry, Ireland, 12 miles N. of Ken- mare, and 186 from Dublin, by the Killarney branch of the Great Southern and Western railway, oil which it is a station. The par., which is of large extent, contains, besides the town of Killarney, the vil. of Cloghreen, with Muckross Abbey on the lower lake of Killarney, under Mangerton mountain. The town contained in 18'il a population of 5,187. It is said to have derived i igin from the iron smelting works in its neighbour- hood, and from the copper mines of Ross and Muckross. 1 1 s present prosperity is principally owing to its con- tiguity to the celebrated lakes of its name. It consists of two principal streets, with several smaller streets branching from them. At the S. end of the main street is the best part of the town, called Kcnmare-place, near which is the entrance to the estate of Lord Ken- mare, by whom the streets have been paved, and the town otherwise improved. The appearance of the town is neat, and in summer presents a very animated appear- ance, being thronged with tourists, who come to visit the lake*. The principal buildings are the court-house, with a bridewell attached, a market-house, theatre, fever hos- pital, dispensary, reading-rooms, nunnery, two banks, savings-bank, police station, almshouse, and union work- house. It is a polling place for the county elections, and quarter sessions are held in the town ; also petty ses- sions every Tuesday. Races are occasionally held in the vicinity of the town, and regattas take place on the lake. A stag hunt is frequent in the mountains of a, which abound with native red-deer. Balls are S'vcn in the old court-house during the season, towhich ustrious strangers are invited. The scenery around is delightful, affording magnificent views of mountain and glen. Commerce does not flourish to any great degree, but there is a thriving local trade. Tanning, " hich the neighbouring oak woods are favourable, is slightly carried on. Linen is made in the neighbour- hood and sold at the market, and there are two breweries and a snuff manufactory, also large flour mills. A variety of ornamental articles are made for visitors to carry away as souvenirs, from the arbutus tree, which grows here wild as in Italy. The Poor-law Union con- tains twelve electoral diva, in the county of Kerry. The living is a vie. in the dioc. of Limerick, Ardfert, and ", val. with the vie. of Kilcummin, 500. The church contains several mural tablets of ancient date, o a place of worship fur 1 (isscnters, and " chapels. In the town is a tirst- "1. The population comprises 5, 062 I '-'(I Established Church, 4 Presby- n. terians, and 1 1 Methodists. Quarries of limestone and slate are worked to a great extent; lead and copper ores arc also obtained in great quantities. There is a considerable extent of bog, which is used for fuel. The chief seats of the surrounding gentry are, Kenmare House, of the Earl of Kenmare; Muckross, of Mr. Herbert ; Flesk Castle, Castle Lough, Flesk Priory, Courtayne Castle, &c. About two miles from the town is an old rath called the Druids Circle. Market day is Saturday. Fairs are held on the 4th July, 8th August, 7th October, llth November, and 28th December. KILLARNEY, LAKES OF, in co. Kerry, Ireland. Of all the lakes of Ireland those of Killarney are the most interesting. They are situated about 2 miles from the town, on the confines of a chain of lofty mountains, and close to that range which forms the most elevated point in Ireland. These lakes form an immense reser- voir, and their surplus waters are discharged through the harbour of Castlemaino into the Atlantic by the river Laune, their only outlet. They consist of the Lower, Middle, and Upper lakes. The Lower Lake is 6 miles long and 3 broad, and is bounded by the moun- tain of Glena and the Tomies mountain. Its largest island is called Ross Island, containing about 80 acres, with the ruins of Ross Castle, founded by the O'Donoghues, and giving the titles of viscount and baron of Castlerosso to tho Earl of Konmare. The shores of Ross are ornamented with all kinds of plantations. To tho N. is the O'Donoghue's Prison, a rock rising about 30 feet above the lake's surface. To tho W. of Ross Island is that of Innisfallen, tho most beautiful in all the Lower Lake, and immortalised by Mooro in the melody, " Sweet Innisfallcn, fare thco well." It is very fertile and luxuriantly clothed with woods, which embosom the ruins of an abbey founded in the 6th century. Near the abbey is an ancient oratory with a Norman doorway. Between the Glena and Tomies mountains is O'Sullivan's Cascade, con- sisting of three falls in a descent of 70 feet. The bay of Glena is a spot of most enchanting beauty, and has a fine echo. The northern shore of the Muck- ross peninsula is bold and rocky, and studded with islands. The Middle or Tore Lake, so named from tho mountain bounding it on the S., is separated from tho Lower Lake by the islands of Dinis and Brickeen, and the peninsula of Muckross. It is about 2 miles long and 1 broad. At its northern end are " Devil's Island," a rock of considerable height, and " Bay." The penin- sula of Muckross is thickly covered with wood, and forms part of the estate of Mr. Herbert. On its S. side Tore Mountain rises in majestic grandeur, with its wooded slopes. On its eastern side is Glaun- na-Coppul, the " Glen of tho Horse," entirely sur- rounded by precipitous rocks. East of the peninsula are seen the interesting ruins of Muckross Abbey. It was built in 1-140, rebuilt in 1626, and consisted of a nave, choir, transept, and cloisters. In the interior are tombs of tho MacCarthys and the O'Donoghues of the glens. The Upper Lake is about 3 miles to the E. of the Middle Lake, with which it communicates by a channel whoso current is so rapid as to render navigation against its stream very difficult. Near the old bridge is an eddy called " O'Sullivan's Punchbowl." Tho stream ia studded with islands, one of which is called the " Man- of-War," from its supposed similitude. A lofty rock, called the "Eagle's Nest," rises abruptly from the river, its base covered with wood. A very fine echo is produced here. The entrance to the Upper Lake, which is very contracted, is called " Coleman's Leap." This lake is surrounded with mountains and studded with islands, causing the scenery to differ from that of tho other two lakes. To its S. the Cromiglaun Mountain rises from its very shore ; to the W. of this mountain is Derrycunnihy, where falls the cascade of that name. To the N. of the lake are Gheramine and the Purple Mountain ; and N.E. is the Long Range. Tho chief island is Rossburkie, rising from a rocky base and covered with wood ; the names of the rest are Eagle's. Ronayne's, McCarthy's, Duck, and Arbutus islands. 3 I