Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Diary of a Tour in 1732 through parts of England, Wales, Ireland and Scotland (Author: John Loveday)
Entry 10
Monday, 12. — From Waterford to 3 mile bridge; to Kilmedin, 2; to Porthla, 3; to Carrick, in ye County of Tipperary, 4; to Clonmell, at ye Globe, 8 Miles. The Country at first was heathy, then ye Road over a mountainy barren Countrey, & between Mountains, where It was something stony & rocky, — part of ye Road also in ye Valley. Killotery Church, with a Cross at one end — two Miles from Waterford — is one of Those rebuilt by Bishop Milles. At 3 mile bridge to ye left was Colonel Crispus's house. Beyond Porthla to ye left was a Park wall'd in, at ye bottom of which stands a large Seat of ye Lord Tyrone's. The Suire was seen to run beautifully sometimes to ye Right of ye Road; We cross'd it over a stone bridge of 10 Arches, carrying us into ye County of Tipperary, & ye Town of Carrick; before which on t'other side ye bridge is Carrick Beag or little Carrick, where to ye left is ye Shell of ye Church &c. of a Franciscan Friery, founded by ye 1st Earl of Ormond; and there are some houses on ye same side of ye Water. Carrick is a good airy little Town, built on ye banks of ye Suire, behind which runs-on a
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ridge of Hill. The Town has Gates & Walls. The Duke of Ormond's Castle here is an old thing, now upon a Lease from ye Earl of Arran. Good Barracks here for Horse. From hence to Clonmell, pronounced Clemell, Mountains run-on both to ye Right & Left; ye Ground heathy as before: a distance before 2 mile bridge (so call'd in respect of Clonmell) We lost ye Mountain to ye Right. Part of this day's Ride on a Causey, as usual; two or three ruinated Churches in view. The Anner runs under 2 mile bridge. Clonmell is a pretty little Town, consisting chiefly of ye Street in which ye handsome stone Town-house stands supported on Arches, — & of That which runs along at right angles from ye front of it. It has Gates & Walks on ye Walls. But one Church here; as to ye living, see Swift, xix. 268. Whilst We were in ye Church-Yard, a Child was attended to it's Grave with ye Irish Howl; it surpris'd Us to see It put in ye ground & cover'd up, without any Burial-Service, ye Company returning home; upon Enquiry, it was ye Child of a Catholic, & ye Protestant Service is never read over Them in this Kingdom. The Presbyterians have a Meeting in part of a Franciscan Friery. This Town is built also on Suire's Banks; ye River, contracted at Clonmell, flows to ye South behind which runs on (as at Carrick) a ridge of hill. Long Rows of Cabbins make large Suburbs here. This is ye chief Town in ye County.