Liscannor (1891)

In the distant coast line, the towers on Hag's-head, and the Cliffs of Moher, are visible. Standing on the cliffs at Lahinch, the Panorama, taking it from Hag's-head, and including a long range westward, and northward, with the neat, white cottages of the farmers, and the handsome residences of the gentry, dotting the landscape here and there, is as nice a picture as any one could desire to see. Starting from Lahinch, with a view to making a closer acquaintance with the country westwards, we pass at the north side of the Sandhills, which are of large extent and elevation, and keeping an old Castle on a lonely spot, on a sandy beach, to the right, and crossing over a bridge of no mean proportions, just near it, we soon after arrive in Liscannor, a fishing station on the bay. Here are an ancient castle, and a Coast-guard Station, of modern build, perched near each other, on a prominent cliff, which can be seen for miles around. Liscannor has its little Harbour, where vessels load and discharge their cargoes; there are extensive flag quarries in the neighbourhood, and the flags are shipped to other parts of Ireland, as well as to England,-which traffic has grown into a large industry of late years; coal is also imported here, and the seaweed, after being burned and converted into "kelp," in large quantities, is also shipped from Liscannor. A number of men are employed in deep water fishing, but have only those frail canoes to face the dangers of the sea, to follow their perilous occupation, the result being that their earnings are precarious. A local gentleman has been endeavoring to improve their position, but, so far, has not been very successful in his efforts to ameliorate their condition, or to provide larger boats, to enable them to fish in deeper waters, so as to capture the larger sized fish. In Liscannor and its vicinity are laid many of the scenes and incidents recorded by Trollope, in his work, "An eye for an eye"-who has peopled the surrounding country with lords and ladies, who have had no existence, except what his imagination has created. All the same the story is interesting, and is said to be founded on fact.

Holiday Haunts on the West Coast of Clare by H.B.H
Courtesy of Clare Local Studies Project

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