Romantic Ireland; volume 1/2

he species. The "personally conducted," alone or in droves, have no realization of the unquestionable authority by whic

the shortest possible time, and by the most direct

circumstances never alter cases more than when met with

he above singu

-TOPS, GIAN

ist in order for one to se

, may be dirty, picturesque, or beautiful accord

if it were made to kiss, and s

own heights and is pestered meanwhile by a shabby, loafing beggar for an "American nickel or dime," the

the water's edge, may seem grim and bare where he would have found it forest-grown. The Giant's Causeway, but for the recollection of its various legends, mig

s travel-routes laid down and simplified,-the pres

ctive. The Holyhead mail-boats are so timed as to accomplish remarkable regularity

e a good test of one's fitness for a seafaring life. The passage from Stranraer to Larne is better, being less than two hours and not all of that in the open sea; while from Milford Haven to Waterford, in the south, is some six or eight hours' j

should be popular. Holyhead, itself, offers little suggestion of the dense forests of druidical times. It is popularly supposed to have been devastated by the Romans, w

m Liverpool via St. George's Channel,-the mail-packet begins to find herself; and, in the course of time, wind, an

Ireland actually denote hospitality; in fact, it is doub

not central at all; but it is the best that offers, and is the gatewa

s naturally enough along the boundary-lines of the ancient political divisions of Leinster, Munster,

ns forms a centre of itself, and ea

north. The entire island is but three hundred miles in length by one hundred and eighty miles in width. Naturally such a circumscri

b} {5

ot than to walk around the island along

o so is strongly recommended to so accomplish a portion of the round, if only that sma

sure by means of his bicycle, or, more progressively, by motor-car. In any event, he will then see and real

le the spirit of adventure need not necessarily be great in one's soul, it is unquestionably with somewhat of the feeling that the old explorers must have had tha

urope where this is equally possible, as w

ed to the civilization of cities, can possibly conceive; and, yet, all is within a couple of hours' ride by rail of centres of population whi

al divisions into the south, the north, and the west. Thus one may go to Cork either via Mallow, the juncti

apidly or slowly, as the places en route may

IFFS O

vements with something of the precision of a time-table, depending on whether

tween Cork harbour-whence so many sunny-spirited Hibernians have migrated to America during th

ff. Another week-it can hardly be accomplished in less time-should be passed between Limerick and Sligo, including Galway, Connemara, Achill,-that lone peak rising from the sea,-and such of the western highlands, in general, as it may be possible to cover in this time. A f

e height of the season, July and August,-one should not, however, go anywhere in "the height of the season,"-there are charming variations of travel by lake or river

f something over a hundred miles of the noble river Shannon,-"Our own romantic stream, green Erin's lo

Y MORE'

and twenty miles stretches Lough Derg, crowded with islands and lined, one might almost say, on both shores by ruined castles. From Portumna, at the head of Lough Derg, and Banagher are the rich meadow-lands of Galway, along which the river winds tranquilly, passing hundreds of beautiful islets, its banks green with rich, low-lying pastur

d the cross-channel absurdly short, as sea-voyages go. One may, of course, spend "anything he likes

to be hoped that this practical chapter, as the writer is pleased to think it deserves to be called, m

which is much the same the world over, or to America or England, or to Germany or Russia to do the same thing. What he really wants, or what he would really like, did he but know how to get it, or were he possessed of sufficient unconventionality, would be to eat snails in Burgundy, bouillabaisse in Marseilles, saddle of mutton in Eng

Ireland, keep away from the establishments which cater for the "tripper" pur sang; follow the unworn track, which, perhaps, will lead you now and then into a quandary, but which will mean no great hardship or incon

what he may have set forth to do. This will most likely be the case; but he should curtail his tour abruptly and not by piecemeal, omitting, if necessary, the northerly portion entire, and returning to Du

wherein are to be found the most complete "creature comforts," as civilization knows them, albeit the charges for them may in many cases rise to heights which are unknown outside of really fashionable tourist points. Still, in this respect, there has been a great improvement of late, and, unless one

other more popular regions, Brittany, North Spain, or Tuscany, for instance; and, while large and populous modern towns are not

ek for himself the charm of Ireland, in preference to all other neglected tourist points. It certainly stands first and foremost as

re appealing centre of interest; and, when he reaches that same railway, or one of its newly made tentacles, which are for ever reaching out toward new lands to conquer, he may be forced to pass an equally lonely, though perhaps awe-inspiring, vigil at the base of some bald, bare mountain-peak, awaiting the main line connection whi