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“Mr, - - M--‘ - ‘ ' ........a..i.4..,.....
QUEEN'S counrr. 187 e
The view is to the highest degree magnificent; the spectator stands in the '
centre of an amphitheatre; gazes over line and fertile valleys; and notes how i
bountifully nature has endowed the land. At his feet are huge masses of
masonry, scattered in picturesque confusion, which form a strange contrast to
the tranquil beauty of the surrounding scene. The fortress seems to have been
built for etemity-yet there it is-scarcely one stone upon anoti1e1'."""
There are the ruins of numerous other castles in the Qucen’s County; but
1 the political history of each is nearly similar to the one we have described:
- among the most remarkable are those of Lea, at Portarlington, and Stradballyfl‘
of which the remains are now scarcely discernible; the history of which is
intimately associated with the VVars of the Pale.
' The estate-in which Dun-a-mase stands is the property of Sir Henry Parnell (now Lord (longleton);
“whose fal.hcr,"’says Mr. Brewer, “exhibited a very laudable care to preserve the ruins of the castle from
further injury than they had experienced before it came into his possession.” It is with great rcgret we have
OJ record that the son has not followed the father's example. A few years ago, the base of the hill, and for
, some distance up the ascent, was thickly planted with oak-trees-which added largely to the beauty and
l picturesque character of the scene. They were flourishing luxuriantly until within the last three or four years;
When-if we are rightly infunncd, and our authority is the tenant who rents the rock-the trees were "sold
' by Sh‘ “em? to a Mr. Clark, who sold them to a Mr. Purcell, who sold them to the collieiics." 'l'he rock is, , ,,
l therefore, completely bareil; for Sir Henry's customer left nothing but the roots. Thcir value must have been
5 ‘"7 Small; we understood indeed that Sir Henry received in exchange for them no more than .6100; although,
,. no doubt, the retail dealers between the baronet and the colliers made a handsome profit out of the spoils of
, modem Dun-a-mase. There may have been some excuse for Cromwell's soldiers converting the castle into 3
min: but there can be none for this act of an Irish gentleman of the nineteenth century. Even the humble
labourer who gave us the statement mourned over the loss as a national atiliction and degradation ; and it was
I
natural for us to consider how vain must be the hope to see trees again introduced into Ireland if such an
'1 example were extensively followed. Some consolation, however, was afforded us-strangely 8n0“Sl‘? 3 53" r l
1 miles distant from Dun-a-mase on our road to Kildare, we passed by llloret Castle, and learned that several years ' ,,; f
. , , , . , V
ago the tenants of the Marquis of Lansdowne, who then owned it, were removing the stones to build walls; all
2 and had actually removed a conside.-31,19 portion of them, so as greatly to deface the time-honoured structure.
? The marquis having received information of their doings in good time, not only stayed farther dilapidations, y.
l but compelled the men to restore every stone they had taken away, and rebuild, at their own proper cost, the I . .1
I I r
l Pam’ “'93 had taken down. Such was the anecdote we received from our drivel‘, 8 m‘lvl"9 9f ill” Place? “'9
hbpe his statement was correct; it was borne out by the appearance of the building. The spoiler’: lW“'9““'v
E has been more successful elsewhere. “ 1 am sorry to say," writes Dr. Ledwich, “that my predecessor in 1119
; lmllg 01' Aghaboe, who had the fee of the land on which the abbey stood, demolished most of the venerable
3 bile to enclose a demesne.”
f Towards the close of the sixteenth century, a grant of the lands of Stradbally, with the monastery for
f Fmncl5ca“3y Was obtained by Francis Crosby on condition of his undertaking to “ furnish yearly nine English
I horsemen.” The Crosbys were at perpetual lstrife with the O‘Blores: an incident which occurred at one of
their battles is given by Sir Charles Coote in his statistical sun‘ey of the county. “ An Irish chief, enrying
; I ma‘ the estates of the O'Mores should have been transferred to English adventurers, sent the Cmsbys a ;
haughty me55“S'3y that he on a certain day would cross the bridce of Stradbally with his soldiers, and demanded ;
‘ for ‘bat P“"P05Ba pass’ which was the re uted form of a challence in those times. To allow it would be
acknowledging the infeiiority of the Crosbpvg and a mark of pusillaiiinnity which never was the characteristic of
“mi nee‘ They: of course Prellared to give the Irish liattlty 3"“ ""9 Wmged W ‘ll3P““ H“ W” Wm‘ “'3
, enemy’ Wm came in Street riumbers at the appointed time. The issue of the battle was long d"“bm‘l' which
H‘ rwgm "ml Emit bravery and perseverance; and at many times each part! SWIM Germ“ ‘if ‘“““5”‘
Ihll"-':T‘