ever, is of little authority, as the publisher had the account only from tradition. The general opinion seems to be, that the name is derived from the words Gail, merchant, and ibh, pronounced iv, a territory; and Tacitus and Ptolomy countenanced this idea. Mr. Hardiman also says, that in all the ancient documents down to the year 1400, it is invariably written Galvy. "In process of time the word Gal-iva was altered into "Gal-via, the literal translation of which, Gal-way, "first occurs about the year 1400, and from that time " it has remained uniform and unchanged, by any varia"tion to the present day." Campion, in 1571, says, that "Connaught hath as yet but the county of Clare, "the towns of Athenry and Galway, a proper neat "city at the sea side." At a very remote period the county of Cavan was reckoned part of Connaught.

SECTION III.

CLIMATE.

THE climate of this county is in general peculiarly healthful; the strong and almost constant gales from the Atlantic, though frequently productive of rain, and unfriendly to the growth of trees exposed to their influence, seem to agree with most constitutions. A great improvement in the climate might be produced by planting extensively, and by the drainage of the extensive bogs and moors which form so large a portion

of this county. The opinion entertained by many,

whose education should enlarge their ideas, that trees will not succeed in situations exposed to the western gales, is a very erroneous one, and frequently dictated

by a want of spirit: how is it possible such patches and their screens, as we see in almost every place, can stand exposure; even where they are thrown into a more extended form, they are on so pitiful a scale that they can only exist under the head of "Plantations and Planting." I shall enlarge on a subject peculiarly interesting to a county like this, so subject to storms. If there had been any meteorological observations made and continued for a number years, the change of climate could be ascertained; but it seems to be the general opinion of the oldest inhabitants, that for some years past storms and rain have been more frequent from the west than formerly. As some corroboration of this idea, the encroachment of the sea near the Recorder's quay on the west side of Galway, may be adduced, where the marks of the potato ridges may be seen, and which only a very few years ago were in cultivation, though they are now covered at every tide. This ground could easily be recovered from the sea, and made more productive than formerly. There can be little doubt the sea is encroaching on the land where it meets resistance from rocks or high banks of earth: where a gradual sandy shore occurs, the highest tides do no injury. Those who make embankments against the sea or rivers should imitate this. In Ireland they are wretchedly constructed; at Borna instances may be seen of both the above effects of the sea. Lately the ground near the Recorder's quay, has been reclaimed by Mr. Bulteel, and promises to remunerate his very spirited exertion.

The medical gentlemen of Galway inform me that the town is generally very healthful, and where disorders do occur, they cannot be imputed to the

It is a curious circumstance that rice was sowed here in 1585, and was raised in England in the last century.

climate or want of pure water, but to a want of cleanliness in the inhabitants, and a total neglect of every ordinance to enforce it by the magistrates. The fish market, and the adjacent quays, are particularly filthy at some seasons, when fish are very plenty. The fishers are permitted to cut off the heads and gut the fish in the market and on the quays, and leave them there unheeded, until they rot and emit a most offensive and dangerous stench. I cannot conceive what sort of organs the magistrates must possess; it is astonishing what nuisances indolence and habit will permit some people to doze over or overlook. * Disorders are sometimes caused by an immoderate use of fish, especially by strangers not used to good fish, but more especially from a too plentiful addition of melted butter, and that frequently very indifferent. The poorer inhabitants, who at certain seasons consume great quantities of fresh fish, have seldom cause to complain; butter is generally above their reach, and the more wholesome potato is substituted. The water of the town is also generally supposed to cause a disorder to strangers usually called the Galway, and they are put on their guard against its use; but if it is taken up above the town, or at Nun's Island, I imagine there cannot be better water any where; but whilst the inhabitants through indolence permit their servants to take up water near the fish market, they cannot be surprised at its unwholesomeness, after passing through all the sewers, slaughter houses, tan pits, and barracks in the town. I assure the fair ladies of Galway I have fre

Since I composed these strictures, several years ago, a most material change for the better has been made in every respect by the present Mayor, James Hardiman Burke, Esq. and many others are in a state of progress.

quently seen their tea-kettles filling between the old county gaol and the fish market; and within a few feet of their servant I have observed one filthy drab beetling dirty clothes, and another gutting fish. There are several excellent springs around Galway, but few make use of them, except those in their immediate neighbourhood, chiefly from the difficulty of getting their servants to go to them.

It is very easy to obviate much of the complaint against impure water by procuring a tin filtering ma

chine of the annexed shape

filled with fine and

clean sand, which must be taken out and washed occasionally; the top or trumpet part should contain about four quarts of water, and if it is covered with canvass, it will prevent the necessity of washing the sand so frequently; the expense eight or nine shillings. There have been many machines for this purpose on a larger scale invented lately, which no large house should be without, but this simple one will answer for a small family. Cunnemara is particularly healthful, so much so, that I was informed by a respectable Catholic clergyman, that in a parish containing upwards of 3000 inhabitants, only 40 died in 37 years, and of that number only 3 under 90 years of age. Frost or snow seldom remain on the sea coast of Cunnemara. I was there in December 1816, when the inland roads were impassible from the depth of the snow; here, it was not more than three inches deep, and remained only 3 or 4 days. Cattle of all kinds remain out all the winter, and very rarely ever taste hay, for it is a scarce article in Cunnemara. I do not know any part of Ireland where watered meadows would so amply remunerate the proprietor, or where they could be so

easily and cheaply constructed. This shall be noticed more fully under its proper head.

SECTION IV.

SOIL AND SURFACE.

THE greater part of this county, if we except that immense tract west of Oughterard, is limestone; the divisions between this and the granite are generally well defined; even the superior verdure discovers immediately the limestone. Almost the entire of the county, beginning at either Bannagher or Ballinasloe, and continued to Galway, is calcareous From Galway to Oughterard, in a western direction, the highroad nearly marks the division between the two regions; all the country to the north of that road and extending over Loughcorrib into the counties of Mayo and Roscommon, except the neighbourhood of Dunmore, is limestone; that to the southward of this road, comprehending the baronies of Ballinahinch, Ross and Moycullen, extending upwards of forty miles long and sixteen broad, with the exception of some detached masses of primitive limestone, and which occur frequently near the road from Oughterard to Clifden, is all either granite or other minerals of great variety of ap

pearance.

All the mountains of Sliebhbaughta that divides this county from Clane, beginning at Mountshannon, and running by Dalyston and Roxborough, and ending near Gort, are, I believe, silex. A remarkable tongue of fine limestone runs boldly into the mountains at