tended only in summer: in winter, which is much the custom elsewhere, the masters attend at the houses of their pupils. To the west of Galway the inhabitants do not wish that their children should learn English, as they say, from their almost daily intercourse with the town of Galway, the girls would be seduced frequently by the soldiers, and the sons tempted to enlist in the army. Formerly Mr. Eyre allotted the profit of the salmon weir of Galway, and a large brick house opposite to the exchange, for the maintenance of 20 poor men. I am at present ignorant if this bequest is fulfilled. The state of education in Ireland at a remote period must have been very high, and comparing it with that of any other part of the world at the same period, it would lose nothing; for we find from Dr. Ledwich and other authors, that in the 6th century the British clergy fled to Ireland to avoid the tyranny of the Saxons, and opened schools here. The Irish clergy also at this period frequently resorted to the east, to receive episcopal ordination, by which their knowledge was much improved, and they were often accompanied on their return by the religious of those countries, prompted by curiosity and that high religious character we had so justly obtained at this time. From this cause the Greek language was well understood in Ireland. Pope Gregory the First discountenanced profane learning, the more to encourage sacred, and with that intent burned the Palatine library and the works of Livy (what barbarism)! hence the liberal and ingenious were necessarily driven to this isle to acquire the rudiments of knowledge, as papal injunctions had no force here.-Note, it was not until the 12th century that the discipline of the church of Rome in Ireland was established by the council of Cashel. In 1652, the New Testament was published in Irish by archbishop Daniel of Tuam, and the expense defrayed by the province of Connaught, and Sir William Usher, clerk of the council. SECTION XI. STATE OF RESIDENT AND NON-RESIDENT LANDLORDS. THERE are very few absentees of large fortune in this extensive county; though some may be absent, yet still in most cases a small establishment is kept up, and improvements are carried on; but this is very inferior to the advantages to be derived from the cheering influence of the proprietor of an estate. There is scarcely a possibility of a man of fortune residing on his own estate without making some kind of improvements, and exclusive of the relief this affords to his cottier tenantry, the example is highly useful to the better class of farmers. I trust before long to see the example of Lord Clancarty followed by every landed proprietor, in the establishment of a farming society for the encouragement of his tenantry. I can venture to assure them, that every shilling they expend in this way will return them ample interest, exclusive of the delight they must experience from seeing around them a cleanly and happy tenantry. I wish much to impress this warmly on the minds of my younger friends in this county. To the old gentlemen I fear it would be too troublesome for adoption. The day has long since passed away when the pursuits of agriculture were thought to be derogatory to the rank of gentleman. Happily it is now cherished by men of the first rank in every part of the world. We may judge from what Cicero says in his Offices, how highly it was esteemed in the most polished period of Rome, when after discriminating between professions that are mean and those that are honourable, he says, "But amongst all the methods of enriching oneself, there is no better, no one more profitable, pleasant and agreeable; no one more worthy of a man and a gentleman than that of manuring and tilling the ground." One of the beneficial consequences of such a resident proprietary, is the number of excellent grand and petty jurors it produces. Of grand jurors I think there could be at least six sets selected, of ample fortune and sound judgment; and petty jurors are generally of a description and fortune rarely to be met with elsewhere. In a debate in the House of Commons in 1811, Mr. Fuller gave our absentees the following excellent advice:--" Let the great men of Ireland go home, instead of spending their money here; let them regulate their own tenantry and estates, and not hear of them through those secondary persons whom they employ." Lord Kaims says very justly, “It is 66 a strange sort of ambition that moves gentlemen to "spend their estates in the House of Commons, where "most of them are mere mutes, instead of serving their 66 country and themselves at home, which is genuine "patriotism." How many fortunes in Ireland have been ruined by this mute propensity? RESIDENT PROPRIETORS. Lord Clanrickard (a minor), Portumna. Lord Clonbrock, Clonbrock. Lord Clancarty, Garbally. Lord Riverston, Pallace. Archbishop of Tuam, Tuam. John D'Arcy, Clifden Castle and Kiltolla. Robert D'Arcy, Woodville. Burton Persse, Sen. Tallyho-Lodge. Burton Persse, Jun. Persse Lodge. Robert Persse, Roxborough. Henry Persse, Persse Park. John Blake, Belmont. Pierce Blake, Holly Park. Edward Blake, Castle Grove. James Blake, Waterdale. Henry Blake, Renville. Blake, Corbally. Robert Blake, Killeen Castle. Colonel John Blake, Forbough. Michael Blake, Frenchfort. Christopher Dillon Bellew, Mount Bellew. Michael Bellew, Mount Bellew. Hon. Arthur Nugent, Flower Hill. Christopher Usher, Eastwell. Michael O'Kelly, Creran. Denis O'Kelly, Kelly's Grove. Rev. Armstrong Kelly, Castle Kelly. Denis H. Kelly, Castle Kelly. William Kelly, Ashfield. Francis Kelly, Liskelly. James Kelly, Ballinamore. Rev. Dean Browne, Ahascragh. Mark Browne, Rockville. Andrew Browne, Movilla. Sir John Ross Mahon, Castlegar. Rev. Dean Mahon. Walter Lawrence, Belview. Christopher Reddington, Kilcornan. Joseph Kirwan, Hilbrook. Edward Kirwan, Ballyturn. Edward Kirwan, Gardenfield. Kirwan, Cregg. Marcus Blake Lynch, Barna. Mathew Lynch, Lavalley. |