I paid very reasonably for my accommodations at Tralee. The morning of the 25th was introduced by heavy showers but with beautifully fine intervals in one of which I set out. Here is nothing either rich or beautiful, the views are very extensive but principally over bog or over country cultivated [p. 90] indeed but presenting to the eye of the traveller none of the advantages of cultivation. The road winds over some hills forming the base of a ridge of mountains of little elevation called the Stacks. The views extend from the Killarney mountains on one side and to those of Clare on the other. To the left the ruins of Abbey Odorney100 excited some curiosity but having a long day's walk before me I was afraid to go out [of] the way to visit them. In the midst of the valley stands a large house101 and not far from it what I took for a summer house; a round temple built on the top of a little hill ‘to spy the nakedness of the land’. It is a bad object — and seems placed in a situation which the Lover of Nature would carefully avoid. It may perhaps be the mausoleum of Thomas, the first Earl of Kerry102. What a difference between what is and what might be in such a country as this if instead of bog [it] had trees houses and cultivated lands. The ruins of the abbey of [...]103 seem considerably [...] but they were still farther from [p. 91] me than those at Odorney. Beyond it appeared the round tower at Ratoo104. On the right of the road near the house of a Mr. Elliott who was killed by the White Boys is a woody dale — a scarce feature in Ireland since the peculiar form of country we call a dale is rare here as well as wood. At Listowel the river Feal runs pleasantly between high and woody banks. There is an old castle105 not much in itself, but well situated and of rather a singular form. Fearful of not meeting the packet boat at Ballylongford I hurried away from Listowel as soon as possible. The Road from this place to Ballylongford was for the greater part of the way, over a bog, deep, rich and considerably elevated. The road excellent. ‘Now tell me, Sir’, said my Carrier who had before been grumbling at the roads and lamenting for [p. 92] those at Mucross, ‘is not this an elegant road’. The Banks of the Shannon where we first see it are very pleasing. Whether the packet boat had sailed or whether as appeared to me rather to be the case there is no such thing as a packet boat I could not distinctly make out. At any rate no boat was going when I got to Ballylongford and as I could get no bed at the place I was obliged to proceed to Tarbert. This necessity prevented any examination of the ruins at Lislaghten Abbey106 which are just by Ballylongford. Near Tarbert the views over the Shannon are particularly fine. Holy Island with its round Tower and ruins107 makes a very good object.
I got excellent accommodations at Tarbert and there I paid off my carrier — determined to get a boat if I could or if not to try to procure a Chaise to Limerick. He had complained sadly on the road of the dearness of provisions but I had given him what he called his breakfast at Listowel (consisting of bread & cheese & [p. 93] Porter at past 2 o'clock) and he seemed very well satisfied with his bargain. I gave him a few shillings over. ‘I am very well paid, indeed I am.’ So different is the character of the lower Irish in the country, from what it is when spoilt by the habit of attending at inns and winning their bread by importunity to travellers. From the time I got my lodging at Mucross till I reached Limerick I never paid any money which was not received with thankfulness & content, tho I paid less than I did in the towns where it was always considered as insufficient.