Ireland is peculiar. The mountains, or more properly the hills, instead of being in the interior, and approached from the coast through level lands, form a kind of belt along nearly the whole of the coast, leaving the country comparatively flat. The most noteworthy of the hills is Carrantuohill, County Kerry, the highest peak in Ireland. It is 3,414 ft. above the level of the sea; Lugnaquilla, in County Wicklow, 3,039 ft.; Slieve Donard, in County Down, 2,796 ft.; Galtymore, in County Tipperary, 3,015 ft.

The principal rivers are the Shannon, the Barrow, Boyne, Suir, Slaney, Erne, Foyle, Bann, Blackwater, and Liffey. The Shannon is the largest; in fact, it is the largest river in the United Kingdom, its length being 240 miles; it is navigable for barges to within 5 miles of its

source.

Ireland is justly celebrated for the number, extent, and beauty of its lakes or loughs. No country in Europe contains so great a proportion of land covered with fresh water. Lough Neagh, in Ulster, is the largest, it being 14 miles in length, by 11 miles in breadth. The celebrated lakes of Killarney are the smallest, the three covering an area of 6,110 acres, while Lough Neagh alone covers 98,200 acres.

The climate of Ireland differs from that of England and Scotland in being more equable, neither the heat in summer nor the cold in winter being so severe. The mean annual temperature is from 47° to 49°. The average annual rainfall is estimated to be thirtysix inches.

The soil and climate are favourable to the growth of grasses and oats. Barley and potatoes are extensively grown. The humidity of the atmosphere and the equable

nature of the temperature are unfavourable to the production of wheat. The smallness of the holdings in the hands of poor tenants, generally from two to ten acres, and the want of care and encouragement both of resident and non-resident landlords, impeded the advancement of agriculture.

The population of Ireland was, in 1877, not far from 5,400,000. It diminished between 1841 and 1851, according to official statements, from8,175,124 to 6,551,970, and in 1871 was reduced to 5,411,416. This falling off is due, in the first instance, largely to the potato famine of 1845, and it has been subsequently increased by emigration, chiefly to the United States.

The length of the island from N.E. to S.W. is 304 miles, its greatest breadth 194 miles, and it comprises a total of 20,322,641 acres, or 31,874 square miles.

Ireland is divided into thirtytwo counties, nine of which form the province of Ulster, twelve that of Leinster, six that of Munster, and five that of Connaught.

HOTELS IN IRELAND.

The Irish hotels generally visited by tourists are remarkably well conducted, and in the larger towns are entitled to rank with any in the British Islands. The charges are rather higher than those of English hotels, and are generally similar to those of the best Scotch establishments. Excellent hotels are The Imperial, at Cork; the Railway and Victoria, at Killarney; the Shelbourne and the Gresham, at Dublin. Belfast is singularly deficient in first-class hotel accommodation, but it is presumed that the rapid growth of the city will soon render the building of really first-class hotels a necessity.

ROUTE 1.

QUEENSTOWN TO CORK.

REVIOUS to 1849 this place was known as the "Cove of Cork." In honour of the visit of the Queen in that year, the name was changed to Queenstown. The place possesses in itself nothing of interest.

The traveller arriving by sea will have remarked the noble scenery of the spacious harbour, with its two islands, Hawlbowline and Spike (one a depôt for ordnance stores, and the other a prison for convicts), and the town extending along the quays, and covering the steep hill in the background. The harbour is one of the most extensive in the United Kingdom, and is capable of affording shelter to the whole British navy. Of the beauty of the scenery, Arthur Young says that "he thought it preferable in many respects to anything he had seen in Ireland." It was to this harbour that Drake retreated when pressed by the Spanish navy. On Great Island, upon which the town itself is situated, are buried the remains of Wolffe, the author of the celebrated lines on the burial of Sir John Moore.

The railway from Queenstown to Cork, where it connects with the railway to Dublin, follows the shore of the Cove of Cork and the river Lee, affording many pleasant views. (Trains every hour.) The route by the river, 11 miles, is the most agreeable and picturesque. The boats leave many times a day.

After rounding the point, quitting the Cove, and entering the river Lee, the first place reached is MONKSTOWN (3 miles).

The prominent object of interest here is the now ruined castle, built in 1636, in relation to which a curious story is related. During the absence of her husband in Spain, Anastasia Goold (others say Anastasia Archdeckan), in order to prepare an agreeable surprise for her lord on his return, determined to build a castle. To provide means, she arranged with all the workmen employed to receive in payment, at prices fixed by herself, food, clothing, and other necessaries. The tariff of prices fixed was so liberal that she cleared profits enough to cover the entire cost of the castle within fourpence. The castle was always thereafter said to have cost only a groat.

From

PASSAGE (1 miles), a pretty village, latterly of some note as a watering-place. The largest ships may anchor here. this port Sir Walter Raleigh sailed for Guinea in 1617, and the "Sirius," the second steamship which crossed the Atlantic, left Passage on the 1st of January 1838, for New York. Lover, in his "Irish Lyrics," thus pleasantly says of the town:"The town of Passage is both large and spacious,

And situate upon the say; 'Tis nate and dacent, and quite adja

cent

To come from Cork on a summer's day."

Passing through a magnificent sheet of water, called Lough Mahon, we see BLACKROCK (3 miles), a picturesque promontory, which at a distance resembles a ruined castle. Blackrock Castle is a modern structure, consisting of a circular tower with a small turret.

The tall round tower overlooking our route is the Mathew Tower, erected in honour of Father Mathew, the great apostle of temperance.

CORK. (Hotel IMPERIAL.*) Population in 1877, 78,382. This city, the capital of southern Ireland, is situated on the river Lee, and is peculiar from its singular mixture of broad avenues and quays, and narrow squalid lanes; the latter are, however, disappearing, and the city bears visible marks of having been vastly less beautiful than it now is. The principal modern streets are in that part known as the Island, which is connected with the shores by six bridges, of which Patrick's and Parliament bridges are worthy of attention. The chief streets and avenues are Saint Patrick's, 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 former, 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. St Ann's, known also as "Shandon Church," is a quaint edifice with a curious tower. Its chime of bells has been rendered famous by Mahony's "Lyrics:

"With deep affection
And recollection

I often think on

Those Shandon bells,
Whose sound so wild would
In the days of childhood,
Fling round my cradle

Their magic spells."

QUEEN'S COLLEGE, on a height near the city, was opened in 1849. The museum and some of the halls are well worth a visit. The college has 19 professors. There is a statue of the Father in St Patrick street, 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