Abbey Boyle, or Boyle, 20 m. N. of Roscommon, pleasantly seated on the river Boyle. See two stone Bridges, on one of which is a pedestrian statue of William III.; fine Ch. and barrack. In Lord Kingston's demesne the attention of the antiquary will be turned to the ruins of the ancient Abbey, which stand within it at the back of the town, presenting a most elegant specimen of the architecture of the 13th century, when it was founded for Cistertian monks in honour of the Virgin. It is now a mere picturesque mass of ruin, filled with lofty trees and much thorny underwood. The approach from the bridge is very grand; especially the effect of the tower, covered with thick foliage, and springing from great arches which were 45 feet in height before the ravages of time had spread the floor with the relics of the mouldering walls. The interior has once been very fine; solid walls fill up the spaces between the pillars, supposed to have been erected in the reign of Elizabeth, when this dissolved monastery was turned into a fortified post, for which it was certainly well fitted, and actually stood a siege from the Earl of Tyrone in 1595. The east window, when in its glory, must have been extremely beautiful. Near to the Abbey are some vestiges of one of the round towers; and every thing around it would tend to produce a most impressive scene, were it not that the cloisters have been long occupied as a barrack: yet the silence and gloom of the interior, with the solemn arcades, and the emblems of mortality that lay scattered over its surface, will not fail to gratify the contemplative visitor. Cambo Castle is about 2 m. distant. About 7 m. from Boyle, and upon the edge of a very extensive bog, are the ruins of the Abbey of Clonshanville, now almost a total ruin. Of the cloisters no remnant exists; but the tower, 60 feet high, forms a pleasing object, with the few Gothic fragments at its base. Croghan is immortalized as the residence of Cathmor, the friend of strangers: here is an ancient Rath, also a sacred Cave of the Druids, and near to it Relig-na-Riagh, or the resting-place of the Kings of Connaught, an immense cemetery in a circle 200 feet diameter. Visit French Park. See Kingston Hall, an elegant mansion of Lord Lorton. Lough Arrow, 3 m. N. of Boyle, is beautifully studded with wooded islands: also Lough Gara to the W. Lough Glinn is also in this vicinity; on its banks stands a noble mansion of Viscount Dillon, with some extensive grounds, of modern erection and improvement; and on the opposite shore the tourist may visit two ruinous towers, which are all that remain of a once very extensive antique fortress, a feudal residence of the old barons of Ophaley. One of these towers has long been used as a temporary prison.
Athlone, 12 m. S.E. of Roscommon, is principally in Westmeath, where it will be described.
Elphin, 13 m. N. of Roscommon, though an episcopal see, is only a small neat village, celebrated as the birth-place of Oliver Goldsmith. See the magnificent palace; also the Diocesan school-house. Ballintobber was the residence of O'Connor, king of Connaught, but now a dilapidated village. Here are some very extensive ruins of the ancient Castle, built round a square, flanked by four towers of different forms. The vestiges are in a most dilapidated state, but possess some further interest from an anecdote recorded by Grose of a young Irish Gentleman, during the civil wars, who behaved with the most devoted bravery in an action fought close to the walls. When victory declared for the Parliamentary forces, this youth, disdaining to fly with his party, placed himself at the corner of a ditch, where he defended himself with his pike against five horsemen who fired on him, when a gigantic English soldier, getting behind him, slew him. Being stripped and his cap taken off, long tresses of flaxen hair fell down, which exciting further curiosity, it was at length discovered that this unhappy youth was a female. See Lough Kee, a romantic lake, adorned with finely wooded rising grounds; on a peninsula are the very picturesque ruins of St. John's Castle. In the Lough is an island called MacDermot's, after a chieftain of that name, stated by tradition to have been of a very jealous disposition, and to have confined his wife in it, whenever he was engaged in any of the warlike contests of those turbulent times. If the legends, however, are to be credited, the lady certainly gave him sufficient cause for his jealousy; and all his precautions were unavailing: for it is said that her lover used to swim to his nocturnal visits as Leander did to Hero. The obstacles he had to surmount were indeed numerous; for the island is surrounded by a wall close to the water's edge, encircling a gloomy tower now overgrown with ivy. At present the interior is filled with trees, and the island presents a picturesque and singular appearance. On another island are the ruins of a religious edifice, supposed to be founded by the Culdees, and now called Ennismacreeny Abbey. The walls of the Ch. are yet standing, solemn and sombre, the windows being only long loop-holes; at some distance is a little dark Chapel, which sufficiently marks the gloomy seclusion of those superstitious times. Round Tower at Oran. Strokestown is a neat village; near it the magnificent mansion of Ross Mahon, Esq. Visit Tulsk, a mere hamlet, but worth notice for its antiquities. Here are some remains of an ancient Abbey, little known, and supposed to have belonged to the Dominican order. Nothing exists now but some bare walls, marking the site of the Ch., and part of a square tower; but it seems never to have been very lofty nor very extensive. Near it is Tormonia, the ancient residence of O'Connor, of whose Castle there are some remains.
Roscommon, 70 m. W. of Dublin, is the assize town.—Ancient Castle stood several sieges in Elizabeth's reign and in the Civil wars; now an extensive mass of ruins. See the once august ruins of the ancient Abbey, founded by Cathal Crowdeargh O'Connor, king of Connaught, in the 13th century, whose tomb may be traced in its solemn aisle. Little remains except some shattered windows and ruined arcades. Near to the modern mansion of Castle Coote are some remains of the old Castle, erected by Sir Charles Coote in the reign of James the First. It stood two sieges during the Civil wars, but is at present a mere mass of ruins; forming, however, a picturesque object in the demesne. See elegant mansion at Castlereagh; and a curious battlemented house, called Donamon Castle, may be visited from Roscommon. Its appearance is extremely whimsical, being square with projecting turrets at the angles. A lofty range of stone steps leads up to a circular doorway, nearly as high as the roof; and within is a similar range leading to the upper apartments. It is in good repair and habitable. In front is the river Suck. About 7 m. N.E. of Roscommon, the tourist may visit the picturesque but not very lofty or extensive ruins of the Abbey of Clonthuskart, in such a state of dilapidation that little more can be accurately traced than the principal chapel, the eastern window of which must once have been extremely grand. Kilmaine is the demesne of the Crofton family, within whose bounds is the hill of Kilmaine, on the summit of which is a small ancient Ch., partly in ruins. The place is solemn and fitted for meditation, were not the visitor's attention completely engaged by the very extensive prospect which bursts upon him over no less than sixteen counties.
