Part 4 of Lewis Dillwyn's Visit to Kerry, 1809

Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Lewis Dillwyn's Visit to Kerry, 1809 (Author: Lewis Weston Dillwyn)

entry 3

Thursday, July 20th
We determined to commence our operations in this Neighbourhood with a visit to Dunloh Gap & accordingly set out in our Carriage, immediately after Breakfast. We drove over an excellent Road by the side of the lower Lake, & about a Mile & a half from Killarney passed the Ruins of Aghadoe Cathedral, which did not

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appear either so extensive or beautiful as we had been led to suppose.²⁴ The surface of the Lake was perfectly smooth & beautifully reflected the numerous well wooded Islands with which it is studded & its Banks on the opposite side are formed by the Glennaa and Tomies Mountain beyond which the Reeks appear majestically overtopping them. About 4 or 5 Miles from Killarney we turned to the Left beyond the North end of the Lake, & crossed a Bridge over the River Laune to Dunloh Castle.²⁵ It now consists of a single square Tower which originally formed only a small part of the ancient Edifice & is the residence of Major Mahony.²⁶ The Major as we were ascending on foot to the Castle, met us in his Gig, from which he immediately alighted, & with the utmost politeness conducted us into his Grounds, which are truly beautiful & command some fine views of parts of the lower Lake. It being Session time at Killarney²⁷ he apologised for not being able to remain with us long but desired his Son (a fine Lad of about 16) to do the Honors in his stead. He first paddled us about in a small pleasure Boat on the River, whose Banks are overhung with Trees, & it's Stream as clear as crystal. We were then conducted to the top Battlements of the Castle from which we enjoyed a fine view of the Lake & its surrounding Country, & afterwards set out again for Dunloh Gap. We reached the entrance to the celebrated Chasm at 1 O'Clock & there left our Carriage with directions that the Driver should be in readiness at the same place by ½ past 4.

We first ascended by the side of a clear Stream. When the River

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after rain is swollen by the mountain Torrents, the Cascade which it here forms must be a very grand object, but the Stream is now small owing to the present unusually dry weather. Above this Fall we found a deep but narrow Lake whose surface was almost covered with the Flowers of the two Nymphaeas²⁸ & of Lobelia Dortmanna.²⁹ We here seperated, & each pursuing his Fancy took a different direction among the Rocks we did not meet again for nearly three hours. At the end of the first Lake there is a small ascent over which a widely arched & not inelegant Bridge crosses from one side of the Chasm to the other. From this Bridge I pursued my course nearly to the end of this tremendous defile which is almost three Miles in length, & I passed along the edges of three other Lakes of which the last is particularly romantic and beautiful. It is awfully surrounded with nodding precipices and seems enclosed with Dangers. In several parts of these Lakes we observed Isoetes lacustris and I was particularly struck with the beautiful appearance of several large Bushes of the white variety Erica tetralix³⁰ which were literally covered with Bloom.

At the further end of the defile I to my no small surprise met our Driver who having got somebody to hold his Horses had rambled to view this stupendous Scene. I asked him how he liked it. ‘Not at all’ said Pat. To my query why he replied ‘Because its such a terrible place & then what's the use of it — why to be sure is'nt one Acre of Land about Waterford worth all of it put together’.³¹

In this part of Ireland it seems to be the custom of the Peasantry to wrap themselves up as much as possible in all Weathers, & tho' this day has been exceptionally sultry we have scarcely seen a Man who was not great coated or a Woman who was not muffled up in a large woolen Cloak.

We regained our Chaise about 5 O'Clock, & returned by the Road

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we came to Killarney, where I found that the Post had just arrived and brought me four Letters from Swansea. In consequence of our having determined on some alteration in our future plans we this Evening discharged our Chaise, & Pat wishing long life to our Honors, prepared with a doleful countenance for his return to Waterford.³² It was near 8 O'Clock before we got our Dinner, after which we employed ourselves in writing & in preserving Specimens till so late an hour that tho' we were a good deal tired it was after Midnight when we went to Bed.