Volume 1

The beauties of Ireland. Being original delineations, topographical, historical, and biographical, of each county / By J.N. Brewer. Illustrated with engravings, by J. & H.S. Storer, after original drawings, chiefly by Mr. Petrie.

  • Brewer, J. N. (James Norris)
Date:
1825-1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The beauties of Ireland. Being original delineations, topographical, historical, and biographical, of each county / By J.N. Brewer. Illustrated with engravings, by J. & H.S. Storer, after original drawings, chiefly by Mr. Petrie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    On the side of the road near Bonnestown is a third cross, said to have been erected in commemoration of the melancholy fate of a young ‘man of the family of Courtstown, who had been only two days married when he was killed, on this spot, by a fall from his horse. The date of erection is 1619; the most recent date for the erection of such a structure with which we are nneneine im this country. ane . There are, throughout the bole af this district, many of the bine elevations termed raths; and, also, several of the curious remains locally called Druid’s chairs; with other vestiges of very remote antiquity. We notice, on this head, some descriptive par- ticulars contained in the ‘‘ Parochial Survey.” . The most perfect of the raths is situated on the townland of Courtstown, and is « surrounded by a very deep foss, inclosing nearly half an acre of ground, having other intrenchments on the outside, comprehending about six acres, to which the smaller central inclosure appears to have been designed as a kind of citadel. On the same town- Jand, and within a quarter of a mile of this large rath, there are two others of about fifty yards in diameter, with barrows, or mounds, in the middle, and a step, or swell, in the ground along the side banks, apparently designed as a seat; and the whole is enclosed with fosses.”’ The rath of largest dimensions’ in this neighbourhood is situated on the townland of Rathley-Grace, towards the northern boundary of the parish, in the midst of fine undulating pasture hills. ‘«‘ The inner fosse includes nearly two acres of ground; and in the adjoining fields the exterior rampart, marked by very large banks and dykes, evidently for defence, is still paid discernible.” At the distance of about 150 yards from the old church, of Tullaroan is “ @ caught, or meeting place for funerals, distin- guished by two bushes on a heap of earth, and by another of “he ny aggregated by the prevalent superstitious customs of the times.’ The funeral processions of the peasantry still make a stop at this place, and a prayer for the deceased is repeated by the mourners. Gowran, nominally a corporate town, but in reality a small