Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Rev. Daniel A. Beaufort's Tour of Kerry, 1788 (Author: Daniel A. Beaufort)

Entry 15

[August] 27
After breakfast I went to the other Inn to call on Col. [?Mecfayer] who received me very politely. The morning being wet we some way idly did not set off till twelve o'clock, being also delayed by various demands & impositions & losing whips, etc. Then drove to Mucruss, embarked there, sailed thro' Tork lake, landed at Dinas where we met a large party from Mr Herberts, chatted a while & proceeded on our voyage to the upper lake, still in rain & clouds, picked up on the bank Mr Carrol the Painter142 & carried him with us, [then] landed on Ronan's Isle from the top of which we might see the whole lake of a fine day. Mr Ronan143 [sic] himself locked his door on our approach & stood outside of it like a great Brute

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{Ms 4030 page 37} & would give us no shelter though it rained very hard.144 We left him & rowing across the lake went up the pretty little river of Derrycunnihy on the retired borders of which Mr Blennerhassett is building a Cottage. Here is a tolerable house of a woodrangers where we eat [sic] our eggs & drank Brandy & gave the Woman a shilling. She had offered us some Nuts which she had pulled for us & said she was glad she had given them before she received any gratuity.

Corrected Wilson's plan145 of upper lake. Faden's146 is incorrigible.

Martins are plenty here, & in whatever Islands they have been put they have destroyed all rats, rabbits, & even crows. The boatmen say there are squirrels in the woods, but I doubt it. They say also that there are black hares, & in Winter white ones, in the Mountains.

Donal - a - Neelagh's (the enchanted O'Donaghoe) Room at Ross Castle is still haunted, & they tell dreadful Stories of the consequences of foolhardy soldiers who slept there.147

It grew a little fairer and we {Ms 4030 page 38} set forward to ascend the Hill, about 1 1/2 Miles to the high road where our carriages waited. At one place the River crosses it [the path] & I clambered across

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over a vast ledge of Rocks, not without much difficulty. The rest rode through it. It was past 6 when we got on the High road and had 6 miles to travel to Kenmare. Mr Walsh & James rode on to bespeak beds & dinner but James was soon sent back to us with intelligence that the road was so exceedingly rocky & had such steep sharp hill & short turns that he did not think the carriage could get there till 12 o' clock. Upon this Mr Caldwell, William & I mounted our horses and proceeded riding & walking alternately along this horrid road thro tremendous rocks {Ms 4030 page 39} & Mountains.148 At last it grew very dark, but the road was good. The descent being steep, however, I alighted & was walking quietly & solitary down when the Chaise to my astonishment overtook us. I got in and at 9 we arrived all safe at Nedeen,149 where we found but little room at Mrs O Sullivans150 — one bed for us two; another for Mr Caldwell. Mr Walsh lay on Chairs. After a tolerable supper we got into our poor beds at 2.

Capt. Offley of the 21st [Regiment] — a friend of Mr Caldwell quartered here — came to see him & engaged us to breakfast & dine the next day. There was no bed for the Servants who sat up all night, nor provender for the horses. I wrote to Mr Pelham151 (naming Lady O'Brien)152 though I knew he was not at home. But

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Mr Stewart153 the Curate who read my note gave us hay & stabling & Capt. Offley sent oats.