On the 8th I set off by the road nearest the coast to Ennistymond. The solid brownstone gravel covered with bog & some copse wood on the side of one long hill. The road does not come down to the shore till we reach Laght131 where the rocks are similar to those at Milltown. This village is at the opening of a little valley and enjoys by that mean a more sheltered situation and a pleasanter country than Milltown but this indeed is saying no great deal in its favor nor can much be said. I could procure no breakfast at this place and therefore walked on to Ennistymond where with some difficulty I obtained what I wanted. Ennistymond is seated among little hills with a pretty little river running over its rocky bed. Nature has been favourable but the usual complaint occurs of want of wood. Major O'Brien has [p . 111] a seat132 on a rocky knoll half surrounded by the river — the opposite shore just at that point is covered with wood & there is wood and an orchard on the same side as the house. These may appear trifles but a person who travels much in Ireland will learn to consider them of importance. The house is admirably placed but as usual very ugly. About noon I reached Kilfenora situated in a limestone valley imperfectly covered with a bed of rich loam.
Kilfenora is a bishops See now united to that of Killaloe. It certainly does not look like a rich bishoprick as the town consists only of a few miserable cabins. The Cathedral133 is said to be one of the oldest in Ireland. It has not an atom either of the magnificent or the venerable. The Tower (if it can be called so) is very singular, [p. 112] There are some respectable looking farmhouses in the neighbourhood but they are all in ruins and replaced only by poor cottages. I had a letter from Mr. Morony to Mr. Lysaght, (originally Collesaghta)134 who was good enough to invite me to spend a few days in his house while I looked about the country.