Grand Parade, South Mall, Great Georges-st., and Mardyke; the latter once the promenade of the fashionables of the city. The churches and public buildings are not of especial interest. Of the latter, the most noteworthy are the new and imposing Protestant Cathedral, St. Patrick's, in the Gothic order of architecture, and the church of St. Peter and Paul, a rich Gothic building. The church of the Holy Trinity, a Gothic building, is chiefly remarkable from having been founded by Father Mathew. There is a statue of the Father in St. Patrickstreet, near Patrick's Bridge. Sheridan Knowles, Haynes Bayley, Maclise the painter, and Hogan the sculptor, were born in Cork. William Penn, while visiting Cork to look after business connected with his father's estate, became a convert to Quakerism under the preaching of Thomas Loe. He was imprisoned here for a few days, with eighteen other converts to this faith. ROUTE 2. CORK TO BLARNEY CASTLE. HE distance is 5 miles. It may be reached either by jaunting-car, or railway from Cork; the former is usually adopted. The route is by the north bank of the river, the scenery by that course being preferable. A car from Cork costs 6s. to 7s. It is always well to arrange with the driver before leaving, stipulating price, length of stay, &c. BLARNEY CASTLE is the name given to the ruins of a massive and powerful structure built by Cormack M'Carthy in 1449. Its chief feature is its square tower with a battlement. It is annually visited by thousands, not for any especial interest it possesses as a castle or ruin, but because it contains the world-renowned Blarney Stone. An eminent architect who resides at Cork, whose statements are authoritative, writing to the author of this Guide Book on Dec. 31st, 1875, says: "The real Blarney Stone was a small hollow stone on the uppermost point of the northern turret, which has recently been removed." The name is now given to a large stone, upheld by an iron clamp, below the parapet. The Blarney Stone was a byword in Ireland before 1799, the year in which Milliken wrote the now celebrated song," The Groves of Blarney." Since then the stone and the ruin where it is placed have attained a world-wide renown, and "blarney" is a synonym for flattery wherever the English language is spoken. Webster, in his dictionary, has defined it smooth deceitful talk-flattery." It is certainly very curious that a few lines remarkable only for their absurdity should have gained for this place, which possesses nothing remarkable in itself, such a wonderful notoriety. There are several versions of the song, which may be found in most collections of British poetry. The following, which will serve as a sample, is from Crocker's "Popular Songs of Ireland:" "The groves of Blarney, Of sweet silent streams, By the sweet rock close. The " groves, ,"the adjacent lake, and the caves, supposed to have been used as prisons, may be visited, but they are not of especial interest. IRISH JAUNTING CAR. ROUTE 3. CORK TO KILLARNEY. EAVING Cork from the station of the Great Southern and Western Railway, we pass, 5 miles, Blarney station. (See Route 2.) MALLOW JUNCTION, (19) miles.) (Hotel: Queen's Arms), at which point our road branches off to Killarney. Mallow is a pretty town of about 9,000 inhabitants, agreeably situated on the Blackwater river. It was once a fashionable bathing-place. The castle on the river, at the east end of the town, is the residence of Sir Denham Norreys. After leaving Mallow, Gazabo Hill is seen, 4 miles to the left, a conical bill with a ruin on the summit; 20 miles distant is Mill-street, near which is Drishane Castle, the seat of J. Wallis, with an extensive park; and (41 miles) we reach KILLARNEY. (Hotels: RAILWAY, ROYAL VICTORIA, Lake.) Killarney has ample hotel accommodation. The Railway Hotel, a large and admirably managed establishment, adjoins the Railway Station. It is in a central and convenient position for visiting the best scenery. The Manager personally supervises the arrangement of boating and other excursions with a view to comfort and economy. The tourist who is pressed for time may see in a single day, cursorily, of course, the chief objects of interest in this attractive region. To enable him to do this, he should start early from his hotel and visit Muckross Abbey and the Torc Cascade by car, and returning to his hotel, should take another car to the Gap of Dunloe, having, previous to starting, arranged to have a boat to meet him at Lord Brandon's cottage. If the tourist has two days, the excursion to the Gap and his visit to the various places of interest on the Lakes will consume one, and the excursion to Muckross, Torc, and, if he desires, the ascent of Mangarton, will occupy the second. It will be well to study carefully the geography of the region before setting out upon these excursions. The accompanying map will be found valuable for this purpose. Before starting, the keeper of the hotel should be consulted, and his choice adopted in the selection of guides and conveyances. The tariff for cars, boats, and guides is |