σε tr "hills or mounts, and were very strongly "fenced in every quarter of the hundred, i to the end that if in the night or any "other time,, any troubles, cry or uproar "fhould happen, they might repair with all fpeed unto their own fort, which was ap pointed for their quarter, and there remain fafe, till they could affemble themselves in greater ftrength: for they were made fo ic ftrong with one fmall entrance, that whofoever came thither firft, were he one or two, or like few, he or they might "there reft fafe, and defend themselves againft many, till more fuccour came unto them: and when they were gathered to a fufficient number, they marched unto the next fort, and fo forward till they met the peril, or knew the occafion thereof." See Spencer's ftate of Ireland. 66 Dunleer. This fmall market town is fituated between Ardee and Drogheda, and is 27 miles from Dublin-Here are the remains of a Danish: Temple to be feen, which by fome is called Killing Hill, and is near, the plains of Dundalk, it has all the marks. of having been a magnificent, building.Near this hill is Fagbs na ain eigbe, or the one night's work. It is a very uncommon building, reprefenting at a diftance the ruins of an old castle, and one way, the stump of a Danish Tower; the fhape of it resembles, the hulk of an antique fhip, and the walls of it are near 7 feet thick. It is fuppofed to to be the tomb or monument of fome of the first adventurers to this ifland, or pirates, the western seas being much infested with them before the conqueft of this kingdom. In this county is a very old curious cross, about 18 feet high, called St. Boyne's Crofs. It is faid to be all of one ftone; it was fent from Rome and erected by order of the Pope. On one fide is a figure representing Chrift, and on the other St. Patrick; at the bottom are the figures of Adam and Eve, and alfo a figure of St. Boyne. There is a fort of Hiftory of the creation, all fculptured throughout. At Forfeckan, near Dunleer, are the remains of a fine old castle, belonging to the See of Armagh, and formerly one of the feats of the Lord Primate of all Ireland, wherein he used to refide a confiderable part of the year. Archbishop Ufher was its laft inhabitant. It is pleafantly fituated by the fide of a pleasant river. Athenry. This town is fuppofed to be, by Camden, the Rigia or Regia of Ptolemy. It gives the title of Baron to the Earl of Louth, and that of Viscount to the noble family of Netterville. Between this town and Carlingford is Cattle-Rath, and appears to have been antiently the refidence of fome perfon of distinction; probably that of a bishop or abbot, by a chapel being adjoining to it; near it are several forts or raths, and near the fort is a fepulchral mount, which evidently appears to have been made ufe of for for that purpose. Homer by two very long paffages in his Iliad feems to intimate that this was long ago the practice both of the Greeks and Phenicians; and their manner of burying the dead, particularly heroes and eminent men, of which the monument of Patroclus, in the 2 3d book of the Iliad, and that of Hector in the laft, are notable inftances of this fort. Defcribing the funeral of the first of these heroes Mr. Pope thus tranflates that poet. The facred relicks to the tent they bore, High in the midft they heap the fwelling Of rifing earth, memorial of the dead. Caftletown. A fmall town in the county of Louth, is remarkable for a mount called after this town, confifting of a large fort; and is fuppofed from its appearance it was a royal or chief Danish ftation; for fuch it appears to have been well worthy of, having near it a magnificent fepulchre, in which fome of their moft eminent captains lie intérred. The town from whence this caftle takes its name, was facked and deftroyed by Edward Bruce, brother to the King of Scotland about the year 1318. Carlingford. Stands on the fouth fide of a large bay of its own name, where there is room room for a very confiderable navy. The bay is about 4 miles long and as many broad, and in the narroweft part two miles broad: and having from 10 to 20 fathom water in most places, at the bar there is water enough for any fhips not drawing above 22 feet, and is very deep in the entrance; but there being feveral rocks, between which the paffages are narrow, it is little frequented by fhipping. It is to be observed that when in harbour, the fhips are well defended by the highlands from all winds. Several of their ships are employed in the fishery on the coaft, and others in bringing coals from Whitehaven. The town is 26 miles north of Drogheda, and about 49 from Dublin, and is fmall and neat. There are feveral confiderable merchants here, and many of the inhabitants are employed in fhip building. It gives the title of Vicount to the Earl of Tyrconnel. Long. 11. 12. lat. 54. 5. The ancient town of Carlingford confifted originally of a number of small caftles, which appear to have been the common habitations in this county in general; that being the manner of building formerly; and as they were built at a small diftance from each other, whence it is imagined in cafe of furprize one caftle affifted the other; the manner of building then I am informed by the inhabitants of this county, was borrowed from the Spaniards, who formerly were vifitors of this inland. In this town are ftill ftill to be feen the ruins of a fine monaftery, and near it upon the fummit of a hill is a little church or chaple with a fpacious burying place adjoining. The neighbouring mountains are fo high, that during great part of the fummer feafon the inhabitants of the town lofe fight of the fun fome hours be fore it fets in the rational horizon. Carlingford Caftle, was built in the reign of King John, in the year 1210. The foundation is on a folid rock washed by the fea, in the mouth of the harbour of Carlingford; fome of the walls are 11 feet: thick, and was formerly a magnificent building of great ftrength; on one fide of which was a platform or battery defigned for the defence of the harbour, and to defend a narrow pass at the foot of the mountains, close by the fea, where very few men can walk abreast, being furrounded on one fide by very high mountains, and on the other by dangerous rocks, fome of which are near 700 yards perpendicular, and beneath them an exceeding deep fea. County of EASTMEATH, Is bounded on the north by Cavan and Louth, on the eaft by the Irish Channel, on the fouth by Kildare and Dublin, and on the Weft by Longford and Weftmeath. It is 32 miles long and about the fame in breadth. This county abounds in corn, pasture and herds of cattle, the air and foil being |