Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Rev. Daniel A. Beaufort's Tour of Kerry, 1788 (Author: Daniel A. Beaufort)

Entry 11

[August] 23 To Tralee
Disappointed by the bad weather of yesterday, but unable to remain here longer, we set off at 9 — William & I in the chaise by the great road, Mess[rs] Caldwell & Walsh by the Connors, a Mountain 5 or 6 miles off which is so perpendicular on the North side that they descended by 13 flights of steep narrow road, just wide enough for one horse, but having a good parapet of sods, yet infinitely too steep to ride it. From thence they crossed for some miles the most beautiful Strand that could be seen91 & saw both Kerry head & Loop head. On this road they met a common fellow with a pack of hounds which he said were his own & that he was paid by the country folks for going about killing the foxes with them.


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From the hills on this side of Dingle we saw Ventry bay very distinctly across a very narrow istmus between it & Dingle bay just beyond Mr Mullins new house.92 At 1 1/2 Miles we came to a great Stone a little off the Road on the right hand. Its dimensions were 14 1/2 feet hight & 16 in circumference.93

We returned the same road we had come {Ms 4030 page 25} for 8 Miles. The Mountains on our Right & Left are well expressed in Sk[inner?] & T[aylor?].94 On the sides & in the Vallies there is a good deal of poor tillage — the Crops good & harvest forward — much Wheat & Flax. Some of the highest hills are green to the top. But not a tree anywhere to be seen.

At the fort of Cahirconree95 the View of Kerry head & Tralee bay opens to us. Here we stopped at a cabbin to feed & William & I walked on. The place is called Glandine. From the high ground under Cahirconree saw St Brandons Mountain & head, bluff & boldly projecting a Cliff into the Sea — as also Kerry head from whence low Mountains rise & coast the Shannon for 8 or 10 Miles. Kilgobbin Church & Glebehouse96 [were] on the Shore quite under us.

The Rock of Muccollogh97 which stands in Tralee bay, single, is placed too much to the East in Kitchin's map.98 The West Terminus of Tralee bay is a continuous heap of sandhills. Off that point lie the Maghery Islands, where much fine corn grows & Barley is frequently ripe in 6 Weekes from Sowing.

{Ms 4030 page 26}We pass by a very small ruinous Church of Killeltin.99 A mile


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farther at Derrynane where there are a few trees100 the Chaise overtakes us.

The Road to Tralee is very dull & flat. A mile & half from it a bridge crosses the River, close to which are Saltworks, & an embankment forming against the Sea. Here the Town ought to have been built.

Tralee

The entrance is very dirty, the town very rambling in its plan. Some good houses on the Mall, a broad street by Sir Barry Denny's101 frightful old Castle.102. A Square very small & irregular. The Church is large & decent but never painted. A large new Jail103 is building. Many houses building so that half the streets are in rubbish.104

The husbandry seems wretched all round this town, tho' the ground is exceptionally good, & lets near the Town for £4 — and at some miles off for 2 Guineas — per Acre.

{Ms 4030 page 27}The Riders did not arrive till past 6 very weary. Dean Graves called on us & asked us all to breakfast & dinner tomorrow.