g the South of Ireland.-(Vide p. 221.)-Among the lower orders here, as in the last mentioned city, many of what are termed the old Milesian habits are still prevalent. It must, however, be confessed that this class requires much improvement. Indolence is perhaps the cause of all their defects; but this arises not so much from inclination as necessity, there not being sufficient sources of profitable employment for the industrious poor. Small inns and tippling-houses are numerous, and even on the Sabbath are very indecorously kept open during the hours of divine worship. The evening also of this sacred day is not unfrequently profaned by drunkenness and riot. Several old and vulgar ceremonies, formerly in esteem, have long since disappeared. It is many years since the savage practice of bull-baiting has been laid aside: chanticleer need no longer tremble at the approach of Shrovetide, and the public cock-pit, formerly in such request, now lies deservedly neglected.-To conclude, the population of Galway, with many faults, will be also found to possess several excellent qualities, and, if adequately encouraged, would prove in no degree inferior to that of any other part of the British dominions. 6. Public Amusements, &c. The theatre is situate in Kirwan's-lane, which is one of the most confined and inconvenient parts of the town. The house is small, but the scenery is esteemed elegant; and, from the taste and attention of Mr. Macartney, the accommodations are as complete as the nature and size of the building will permit. The most celebrated performers, viz. Barry, Mossop, Kemble, Cooke, Siddons, Walstein, and O'Neill, have occasionally visited these boards. The facetious Smithson had long been a favorite; and the exertions of Mr. Clarke to contribute to the rational entertainment of the public are deserving of every success. A new theatre, however, in an open and central situation, appears necessary. The assembly-room in Middle-street, frequently displays an assemblage of native beauty, elegance and fashion, which would grace the drawing-rooms of a court." These, with The author here begs leave most respectfully to point the attention of the heads of the corporation to this reprehensible practice, and to a few other matters, which, if heretofore attended to, might have been productive of much public advantage. The first is, the providing a fire-engine, the want of which, in this populous town, has been long and severely felt. It is a well-known melancholy fact, that a conflagration here is seldom extinguished for want of proper assistance, until the ill-fated building which it seizes is completely reduced to a heap of ruins-Another most desirable and necessary improvement would be the introduction of water-pipes through the principal streets, or the erection of three or four public fountains, which could be done at no very considerable expense. The process of flagging along the main streets, and a few lamps, would also be most important additions to the convenience of the inhabitants.-Ano ther (though apparently trifling) improvement would be, that of putting up the names of the streets: no small confusion has oftentimes arisen in describing the situation of property; and, from uncertainty in this respect, legal contentions and even non-suits have been frequently hazarded, which the adoption of this simple process would entirely prevent.-These observations, it is hoped, may not be esteemed obtrusive, or beneath the attention of our worthy representative. The following extract is taken from the observations of a lively French traveller, before alluded to:-"There are public assemblies daily, at a moderate price. Sometimes the ladies are dressed, sometimes half-dressed, and sometimes undressed; and, according to these different degrees, these meetings are called assembly, drum, or promenade. The price of entrance differs according to the name. The greatest gaiety and ease reign there: in occasional concerts and incidental public exhibitions, are the only species of amusements which engage the attention of the inhabitants of Galway. If the green, or Meyrick-square, (which has lately become a favorite promenade with the ladies,) be excepted, there is no public walk worthy of the town; but there are some agreeable rides towards the west, whence the picturesque scenery of the bay, and the county of Clare mountains appear to considerable advantage. 7. Country Seats. There are several fine seats in the vicinity of Galway. Of these the principal are:-Ardfry, the beautiful seat of the right honorable lord Wallscourt, situate near the new harbour, to which vessels resort from the road of Galway in tempestuous weather, and ride in perfect safety; Tyrone House, the seat of Arthur Ffrench St. George, esq. which commands a charming prospect of the bay of Galway and the islands of Arran; Renvile, the seat of Philip Lynch Athy, esq.; Oranmore Castle, the residence of Walter Blake, esq.; Frenchfort, the seat of Michael Blake, esq.; Merlin Park, the fine seat of Charles Blake, esq. adjacent to the ruined castle of Doughisky; Well Park, the seat of Mr. Macnamara; Merview, the seat of Mr. Joyce; Menlo Castle, the ancient residence of the Blake family; Dangan, the former seat of the Martin family, (this was universally acknowledged to be one of the most delightful residences in the kingdom, but it has of late years been suffered to go considerably to decay ;) Newcastle, the property of Robert Persse, esq. conveniently situated near the river, opposite the ruined castle of Terrilan, the once noble residence of the earls of Clanricarde; Rahoon, the seat of James Bodkin, esq.; West Lodge, the seat of our late venerable and respected recorder, James O'Hara, esq.; Barna, the highly improved and elegant seat of Marcus Blake Lynch, esq. which for situation and beauty of prospect stands unrivalled. Galway gives the title of viscount to the noble family of Moncton. fact, the belles of Galway are capable of instructing the French ladies in coquetry. In the morning, five or six young ladies, stowed in a car, with their legs hanging ont, go two miles from the city to refresh their charms in the sea; and in the evening, if there be no assembly, they go from shop to shop, buying, laughing and chatting with their friends whom they meet on the way. There are in this good city some ladies who grow old without perceiving it, and who go about shopping, dancing and bathing, until they are upwards of fifty."-Rambles through Ireland.-Whatever truth might originally have been contained in some of these remarks, matters have since changed very materially. A period of twenty years makes great alterations in human affairs. Were this gentleman to visit Galway again, we venture to predict that his observations would be very different. Finis. ADDENDA. I-MEN OF LEARNING AND GENIUS, NATIVES OF GALWAY AND ITS VICINITY. THE length to which this work has already extended precludes the possibility of more than briefly noticing a few eminent individuals. Of these the first, in order of time, is, 1. Patrick Darcy. This gentleman was born in Galway, in 1598, and was the second son of James Riveagh Darcy, who was mayor in 1603. He was educated in the profession of the law, and became a leading member of the parliament assembled at Dublin in 1640, when the Catholics had a joint share with the Protestants in the legislation of the kingdom. On 9th June, 1641, he delivered (by order of the house of commons) his celebrated argument before a committee of the lords in the castle of Dublin, on questions touching the independence of Ireland, the illegality of appeals to England, the castle chamber proceedings, &c. propounded to the judges. Printed 1643, 4to. He afterwards became one of the supreme council of the confederate Catholics of Ireland, assembled at Kilkenny, in 1647; and, after sharing in all the political vicissitudes of those eventful times, he died in Dublin in gationi de propaganda fide, A. D. 1659, exhibitam 1664, 4lo.-Supplementum alithinologiæ, quod partes invective in Hibernos cusæ in alithinologia non oppugnata evertit, 1667, 4to. But the work by which he principally acquired fame was published under the feigned name of Gratianus Lucius, and is entitled "Cambrensis Eversus, seu potius Historica fides, in rebus Hibernicis, Giraldo Cambrensi abrogata. In quo, plerasque justi historici dotes desiderari, plerosque navos inesse ostendit Gratiamus Lucius Hibernus; qui etiam aliquot res memorabiles Hibernicas veteris et novæ memoriæ passim è re nata huic operi inseruit. Impress. An. 1662, folw."—In this work the errors and falsehoods of Gerald Barry, or Cambrensis, concerning Ireland, are detected and ably refuted. He wrote also "Pü Antistitis Icon, sive de vita et morte rev. D. Francisci Kerovani, Alladensis Episcopi. Maclovi, 1669, 8vo." and became himself titular bishop of Killala before his death. A late biographer states he was traditionally informed, that our author “was a man of the greatest benevolence, amiable manners, and virtuous dispositions, and that the whole course of his life was distinguished by a prominent and unaltered feature-the love of humanity and his country.” 3. Roderick O'Flaherty. This learned Irish antiquary was born about the year 1630, at Park, near Galway, part of the ancient inheritance of his 1668, and was interred at Kilconnel, in the county of Galway. family. He applied himself with astonishing perseverance -Vide Harris's Ware, et ante, p. 11. The author of this work has in his possession, in manuscript, an able, but ineffectual, remonstrance, written by Mr. Darcy, against the partial proceedings towards the ancient inhabitants of the town and county of the town of Galway, after the Restoration. 2. John Lynch. This virtuous and learned prelate was born in Galway early in the seventeenth century. He taught what was called a school of humanity in his native town. During the troubles of 1641, he disapproved of the violent measures of the warden, Walter Lynch; and, in 1647, opposed the nuncio, Rinuncini, who was then in Galway. He afterwards became archdeacon of Tuam, and, on the surrender of Galway to the parliament army in 1652, he went to France, where he published, under the name of Eudoxius Alithinologus," Alithinologia, sive veredica responsio ad invectivam, mendaciis, fallacis, calumniis et imposturis fætam, in plurimos antistites proceres, et omnis Ordinis Hibernos_A. R. P. R. F. C. Congre 66 64 to the study of the history and antiquities of his native country, and in 1684 published his great work, entitled, Ogygia: seu Rerum Hibernicarum Chronologia; ex vetustis membranis fideliter inter se collatis eruta, atque è sacris et prophanis literis primarum orbis gentium tam genealogicis, sufflaminata præsuliis. Londini, 1685, 4to." which he dedicated to the duke of York, afterwards James II. This learned and excellent writer, to whose laborious researches we are indebted for the most accurate chronology of this country that ever appeared, died on the 8th of April, 1718, aged 89 years. He lies buried in a field near the house in which he was born. In the year 1775, Charles O'Conor, esq. published, with notes, “Ogygia vindicated against the Objections of Sir George Mackenzie, a posthumous work, by Roderick O'Flaherty, &c."-This tract was published from the original, in the author's hand-writing. Several other manuscript remains of this excellent antiquary, particularly his Ogygia Christiana, or "Annals of the Christian Ages to the Dissolution of the Irish monarchy," are said to be still preserved by his descendants, near Galway. |