Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Pococke's Tour in Ireland in 1752 (Author: Richard Pococke)
entry 64
On the 5th I set out and came to the river, and going eastward passed in four miles through Carrigtwohill, where is the burial place of the Cotters; in two miles more to Midletown, a small market town and burrough, near a seat of Lord Middleton's, with a fine park belonging to it this is within two miles of Cloyne. I went three miles to Castlemartyr and saw the charter school for 40 children; founded by the encouragement given by His Excellency Henry Boyle, one of the Lords Justices and speaker of the House of Commons, who has a seat near. He has made an artificial water, it may be beyond anything in Europe; for it encompasses the little town to the east of this seat, and one may be rowed four miles on the Canal and serpentine rivers. From this place after I had taken some refreshment, I crossed the mountains of Tallogh in the County of Waterford, having had a fine view of the sea, and of the mouth of the Blackwater. Tallogh is situated about a quarter of a mile south of the river Bride which two miles lower falls into the Blackwater; it is a market town and a Burrough, and they have a Barrack here: It is the estate of the Earl of Burlington. At Curryglass not far distant in the County of Cork is a pleasant seat and plantation, lately Mr. Maynard's but now
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belongs to the Crown; the author of the County of Cork says that there is a fine white clay here with which the park walls are plaster'd and look very beautiful. I came in the evening to Lismore, which is a village most pleasantly situated: The Castle and Cathedral are on a hanging ground, some of which is covered with wood over the Blackwater: From the Castle and the Warren behind the Cathedral is a fine view of the river both ways, of the meadows on each side, of the wood on the hanging ground and of the Cascade from the Salmon Weir; one sees the beautiful rock of Killree making out like a head to the north; and below that Cappoquin and its Castle: To the south a mountain torrent called Oenshad falls into the Blackwater directly opposite to the Castle through a Glyn or narrow vale, between the mountain, the lower parts of which are adorned with wood, from this there is an opening into the County of Tipperary, and a way into that country by what they call the Devil's Causeway; on one side of it there is a fine Lough, in which there is the black Trout; and on each side of this Glyn are high mountains and particularly to the East the highest of them Knockmealdown: the Quire part of the Cathedral is very old, built with sort of Pilasters at the corners, and long narrow windows on each side and at the end. It was founded by St. Carthage als. Mocoddy who was driven by King Blathmac out of the Abbey of Batheny in the County of Westmeath. He first founded an Abbey of Canons Regular of St. Augustine, where the Castle now is: He also founded a School or University here, which was afterwards governed by St. Cataldus, who in process of time became Bishop of Tarentum.47 This Cathedral was
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repaired by Munchus King of Munster in 1130. The body of the church is a modern building, probably of the time of King Charles 2d. The Chapter house is a good room, there are remains of the staircase in it, and signs of a room above in which they might keep the Archives of the Church. In the church are remains of the tomb of a Magrath in 1557 probably a relation of Bishop McGrath. The Chapter consists of a Dean, four other Dignitaries and nine Prebends, and it is founded on the rule of the Cathedral of Sarum. There are five vicars Choral, who ought to be presented by the Dignitaries to the Dean as they were formerly, and admitted by him. But the Dean puts them all in. The Author of the County of Waterford says there was an Anchorite here, to whom Baleyhausey or Anchorites Town did belong. And that there was a Lazaret or Hospital here, the Master of which was called the Prior of Lismore. 'Tis said the Castle was built by King John, but soon destroyed by the Irish; and when rebuilt was the place of the Residence of the Bishops till Miler McGrath about 1588 granted it and other lands for a chiefry to Sir Walter Rawleigh, from whom it was purchased by the first Earl of Cork. There is a Free School here founded by that Earl. Sir Robert Boyle was born in this Castle, and if I mistake not Congreve the Poet. I lay at Dean Jervais's and on the [gap: extent: one word] I rode through the old Park of Lismore, now disparked two miles to the Blackwater opposite to Drummannah Lord Grandison's, leaving the old mount or Fort to the left in the way to Cappoquin, from which Lismore (The Great Fort) has its name and also Kilbree, an estate of the Bishop's, where on a hanging ground over the river is an old House, said to be on the site of an old Castle built by King John. A little further to the west is the rock
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of Kilbree already mentioned, it is to the left over the river, and is a glorious situation for a house; and also Cappoquin over which one passes by a long wooden bridge; it is a very small town of one Street with a Barrack at the end of it, for one troop of horse: The Castle over the town is a beautiful situation and commands a fine view of the Country every way, and particularly of the rich vale to the east, as far as Dungarvan. Between this and Lismore at Salt Bridge north of the river were Iron works and Iron mines near and a vein of Iron runs through the Park. There are at present Iron works at Araglas to the west of Lismore. I crossed the Blackwater to Drumanna to the Earl of Grandison's, situated on a rock over the Blackwater, where there was formerly a Castle; the hanging ground and wood on it to the south of it is beautifully laid out in Terraces, slopes and walks down to the river which is navigable to Cappoquin for large vessels, and the tide goes up near to Lismore. There is a handsome avenue to Drumanna house from the east: To the north of which is first a wood and several pieces of Water, and then a Park and fine enclosures down to the Phinisk, which is the bounds between this Estate and Affane; to the south is a new planted wood of many sorts of trees, with firs on each side of the ridings, and near the house is a Green, on one side of which my Lord has built seven houses; that in the middle is a handsome edifice for an Inn, the other are for necessary tradesmen.