Lloyd's Tour of Clare, 1780 | |
Home | Search Library Catalogue | Search this Website | Copyright Notice |
Clare County Library |
This Barony or Territory of BURREN, is a rocky, high, Country; the subsequent Description thereof is humbly submitted.——The Barony of BURREN (saith General Ludlow in his Memoirs) is a Country, where there is not Water enough to drown a Man, Wood enough to hang him, nor Earth enough to bury him, which last is so scarce, that the Inhabitants steal it one from another, and yet their Cattle are very fat, for the Grass growing in Turffs of Earth, of two or three Feet square, that lie between the Rocks, which are of Limestone, is very sweet and nourishing; this Country belonged to the Ancient Family of the O’LOGHLENS, who then certainly aim’d at the Nominal Title of Kings and Princes of Burren——from this Principality along the adjoining Barony of CORCAMROE, and the Northern bleak Coast, is one continued Ledge of high, rocky, Cliffs to the West End of TUOHARAN; on this Western Cape or Headland lies the famous, Old, Fort RUAIN, call’d MOHAR, which is nearly the same as Fort in the Irish Language; this Mohar is the summit of a very high, stupendous Cliff, surrounded with a Stone Wall, a part of which is up; inside of it is a green Plain, which exhibits a clear Prospect of the gloomy Highlands of EYR CONNAUGHT, the Isles of AREN, of almost the whole Coast of MALBAY, and of the adjacent Country for many Miles; underneath this is another green Pasture gradually declining to the lower Cliff, and which is often covered with the raging Billows of this alarming Coast: On the lower Plain is Hagshead, a high, perpendicular Rock, almost parallel with the upper Surface; it is closely similar to a Woman’s Head, for which it is call’d HAGS-HEAD, a remarkable Point in the Seaman’s Chart. This wonderful Promontory almost encompass’d with devouring Seas, and the opposite Wild Shore, really affords an horrible and tremendous Aspect, vastly more to be dreaded than accounted for. Numbers of different Ranks, from far and near resort
hither every Summer to see this amazing Appearance and Curiosity of Nature. Near to MOHAR, are the Noted Sand-Hills of LISCANOR BAY, commonly call’d O’CONNOR’S DOUGH, from that Chief’s Residence on the inside Sandy Plain; the Walls of his Court and Castle are still up on the River AINEY—this Barony of CORCAMORE is for the most Part, a fertile, plentiful, and good Country—the brave and Hospitable old Family of the O’CONNOR’S, were, for a succession of Centuries, before the first English Invasion, and for a good while after, sole Proprietors of this Romantic Country. |
||
Back to Lloyds Tour of Clare Homepage |