Dublin Penny Journal

Woodstock Castle, Athy, County KildareAuthor(s): EnnaSource: The Dublin Penny Journal, Vol. 3, No. 141 (Mar. 14, 1835), pp. 295-296Published by: Dublin Penny JournalStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/30003392 .

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THE DUBLIN PENNY JOURNAL. 296

Jarly formed as those of the Giant's Causeway-they are in general hexagonal-they incline frorm the perpendicular towards the

.north at an angle of about 17 degrees, the

columns at either side leaning towards the centre. TIh space of ground already opeiied is about 40 feet in breadth, and 14 deepi; the colums appeatring at present being about 12 feet in height. It is the opinion of a scientific friend, (as far as he could judge friom a hurried observa- tion,) that these columns fotrmn probably pa rt ofa great whin dyke,running southward ffom the nortihern shores of

Antriim, and that they will not be found to extend much beyond the widthl now exposed in view, either towards the east or wvest. This will, in some degree, soon be as- certainled. In the mean time, the discovery of su'ch 'regu; lar basaltic columns so fur inland may fortm to the geolo- gist a subject of interesting

speculationll.--Beljhl News

Leltelr.

CATCHING A TARTAR. The Galtee mountains, in the county Tipperary, arc

frequented by a large species of the eagle, which have been an uncommon annoyance to the farmers, in the destruc- iion of their lan;bs

and- poultry; there is also a rabbit.

wvarren convenient, which the eagles often visit in search of pey,; and kill great nuimbers, in dufiance of every means resorted to for the purpose of destroyig them. A few inonthls ago, one of these enormous birds was observed to pounce upon a large cat which was sleeinig upon the roof' of a thatched c abin, and to carry her off;, (taking her, it was supposed, for a rabbit.) The eagle arose right upwards, and the spectators continued to watch him until he soared. beyond their sight. About ten iniutes after, he was seen to descend, apparently struggling with his intended victim. At last he fRill to the earth, nPot fifty paces ftrom the spot where he lifted the cat, so weakened through loss of blood that he died

almost ininediately, his throat and breast hav- ing been desperately cut in the struggle. The cat was little or .nothing the worse. N.

SINGULAR SAGiACIT OF'0 TWIO MULES. About two miiles fromn the town of IBallytnahon, in the

county of Longford, resides a gentleman, who has in his possession two mules of the Spanish breed,. They will regulariy go to a tipumip laccd in the yard, andl while one applies his mouthi to the spout, the

other, works the han-

dle by alternately raising and depressing his shoulder. W\rhen one has satisfied, his thirst, he exchianges. places with his companion, and: returns the service hei has received. Improbable as this may:;appear to some, it is an absolute fact; and the person who d'ives, the account of it, has re-- ceived it very recently from the owner of the mules, iand from several members of his- uminly: . W. C L.

CHUM6lRING 1V 'HILEM. in Chile, btttet is i'ed in shep-skiiis, ith the wool

side out, and old prood in spit of appearances, Rwe~put:,nd w:w. I4e 6f,00,.lu 61N.

were it notso much salted. The op Sion of ch.urning i performed by a donkey The cream is put into large

gourds or dry skins, placed on his back, and taen the ani- mal is kept trotting round the vard till the butter is made. In this art they seem not to have advanced a single step since its discovery; for, we are told that a countryman some where lost a large jug of cream by carrying it for a distance on a hard trotting horse, which accident lekd to the important invention of churns and butter. A friend told me that he had presented, somn years ago, a Yankee churn to a family residing near the capital, and taught11 them to Us& it. So long as it was a novelty they were pleased, but at the em.nd of a few we4s they decided that tie donkey made butter Just as well, and co.. 'nsequItly threw: is aside.-'T/e Years in'u the cfI.

ORTHOCAPHICAL TRANsMOb Gt1ICATION. A blacks milh lat::madie out a bill agaisnst one of his-

customers, iin thich: a charge" was intelnded to be made for, steeling o mattcks. . ptting stee:I to t" won points of the instr:uments.: But tithe son of IVulcan who had beetn more used to ieding: a

siedrehaimer, than study- ing D octor Johnson, ac'tua:lly :-e the bluowing item: STo lea(ing , .d dus, '

THE EXILE'S SONG. By the side of the :Ganges, whose mystical wave (ift serves as a tumb to the exile and slave, I mourn, but in vain, for the de ar belov'd few That bound me for ever, dear Erin, to you. In vain does the East all its treasures display, Or the fce Asee iatic enliven the day; My bosom still beats for the dear belov'd few, Thlat moiioutr'd my departure, de:ar Erin, fi'om you.

Unlchanged is my heart, thougt my s'irit 's subdu'd; The sunshine of hope, oftentties wvill intruile, And tmt meto sih ftor the dtear belov'd few, That bound me for ever, dear Erin, to you. When the vwoes of the care-worn exile shall cease, And the mandates o death ibring a filnal release, O! the last throb of naturie's eternal adicu Shall be mingled in blessings, dear ErLi fmor you.

EFarewell, honour'd landI of my foirerfithe birthi; Dear isle of deliglit-heivens fIvoured on e arth To thy green

mantlped. lower, and tsiu nains of blue

Dear Erin, my country I, for eve..r

ad. J. D.

"WOODSTOCK CASTLE, IATiY, COUNTY KIDArE. - Thy valls that ri.e stiilin, In proud dedlianue of till clonqueriig time."

Strength and dunrationa in onl e guancee combined, Higth thoughts awsiden i' the soarig

it;nd For nuial, frail telailt of a day, ali tioulr, Exults iti dreams of lon' g-etdiritg power; While noble piles, inl ancielit moudels east, 'I uehi himnt a satred lessoti i6f tIe past,

:Bid him iend o'er tlhe gulf o' lortme r duios, Or pierce the future .with

his, ardent guaze-M'.l ross, To have the recollection of the days that are long gone

over stirredo up in our minds, and to dwellv upon them With affectionate interest, may appear weak int the eyes .of. tfrie philosophy. Yet to dwell fondly on the history of scenes that are for ever fled, it it bea weakness, it seems to be one of the most pardonable weaknesses of our na- ture-t ifrailty as universal as it is interesting. t iaS'.: - bering reflection which we are naturally afeted wNi , by it the best sympathies of our nature are

ofteni ua

When cont ieplati:ng the ,oulo eridng remais of:: io,

fices. of ouir :forefthti:erS, a; oions .press ioi P) td,

linked as. theyre with the ipresent ai. the past, l t of in convey instsruttions of ordiioary lind Perhips the Ca tle of Woodsttck, tie suabject of our preseit ~xnt may be classed amongst odthet as

aordig. evid enc" of

the justness of this re'iark. F'rm its' viciity,

Woodstek. Castle hisas

pairtaken, of

;near~iye thie chanres that befelAth. Stan dtug on tie ves r 'bank ofi the river Barrow, it waisdesimnsdito con- maind the principal ford

.oni this part of thie river, in ten

Sjunction. vith Whits cýastle, situate on :the oppo'ite bianI,

a little lower down-the ford lying between. The title this castle xvas built is uonoswn. iTtdition asstgis it to abotut the year 1'0r , and tlhint

ae

indent of the earl of

Pe1ibrokein was its first: rate ur

h

t unlnqtiuuilies,

Iw ith ioi reiason,e Ctit

inIncd to: attribute the rere- tion of the present strucituire to .Tholumis F'itg'erl, htdf Oftaley, andI

afterwards seventh e:il of Rilth(itt, nuur on

marrying Dorothen: trh danentero Ahi yr O

fiere,aC Leix, redeived ii dow eu'r the munurs of Woodqtock undi Rhtaen, in nich lrtily it still u eains. The ptln of itell

b-ild ing was

orig.ially regular

oar; in hefte

tim es aui datition lvas mad to it of asu1rt toetnnSg the otuth

side, antd .Anbuilt in uniformity with the front aItg h civer. Thue walls are of gre t thicknes, 6 eomdttnig cthei at- tacks gthey have beet espoxed 'to in ol pr:ervatin IThe toullincited wintl:osvs are auch admires anid sere ele- gantly executed. I viens'iucw6i'te ri itWIin tntri f w t can1 be collectedfrom i it'e re,1 8, 'sir a st:rcNk vithb the cul- rious arraugnteaic ,f tinct architcctume A fine arched gatessay, and part' of the ote coi twa ll yet remadn Some iort 46ne since a stone, of which ite fole owin' cut

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296 THE DUBLIN PENNY JOURNAL.

i a representation, was discovered in the ruins, and care- fully preserved by Holmes Bigham, Esq., the present occu- pier of the adjoining land; it is the only piece of sculp- ture of interest that has, even in a mutilated state, survived, from the barbarous taste of disfiguring pleasure-grounds and grottoes with relics, that can be only useful where they were rendered interesting by time.

The ford which the castle commanded, and from which Athy derives its name, was called Athelehac, or anciently Athlegar, the ford towards the west; also, Ath-trodan, or the cattle ford. It was here the great battle was fought, in the third century, between the people of Munster and those of Leix, under Laviseagh Cean Mordha.

In 1642, the Marquis of Ormond took Woodstock from the rebels; and subsequently, in 1647, Owen Roe O'Neal surprised it, and put the garrison to the sword ; his victory, however, was but of short duration; for Lord Inchiquin compelled him, in a little time after, to surrender it and Athy.

The lordship of Woodstock and Castlemitcheil was set by the Earl of Kildare to Daniel Hutchison, alderman, for ninety-nine years, from May 1st, 1657, at 100ol. the first forty-one years, yearly, and 2001. a year during the rest of

_jhe lease, with six fat wethers or three pounds.

ENNA.

WOODSTOCK CASTLE. The writer accidentally met with the following verses,

connected with Woodstock Castle, which, he believes, are original, but appear to have suffered much in transcribing :

Woodstock, famed in Irish story, Raising high its tow'ring head ;

Still proclaims its former glory, Near old Barrow's crystal bed.

O'er its walls, where ivy creeping, Loves to wave its sombre green;

Forth, beneath the foliage peeping, Many a sculptured stone is seen.

Where the silken standard flying, Once its waving folds display'd;

Now the breeze, in murmurs sighing, Mourns the havoc time has made.

Oft, within those dark recesses, Perish'd many a chief of old

While the blood-stain'd floor confesses Horrors human tongue ne'er told.

Woodstock's lord once lov'd a fair one, And did court her to his arms;

Daughter of a neighbouring baron, Blest with beauty's softest charms.

But her sire had pledg'd his daughter To a gentle knight hard by,

Who with tender love had sought her-- Call'd Sir Kemelin, of Athy.

Vengeful thoughts seized Woodstock's boso.q When denied the blooming maid;

Yet to none did he disclose 'eam, But his plot in secret laid.

Straight he made him preparation, Solemn tourney to proclaim;

And forthwith sent invitation To many a.noble knight and dame.

To partake at Woodstock-hall, Mask and dance, and pageant gay;

All within the castle's wall, On St. John's high holiday.

Gladsome rose the wishedi for morn, Rob'd in cloudless golden light;

Loudly blew the bugle horn, Banners grac'd the castle's height.

And many a lady passing fair, All bedecked in rich array;

And many a brave knight from afar Passed through Woodstock's gate that day.

Ah ! who is he whose vernal cheek Blooms high in health and beauty's pride;

Whose blue eyes, love's soft language speak To the fair lady by his side ?

'Tis Kemelin-flower of chivalry- And Eva with the golden hair;

Of Rheban's youth the bravest he, And she the Curragh's maid most fair.

Festive mirth, its joys imparting, Beamed around the splendid scene;

Till at midnight hour departing, Hied them o'er the distant green,-

"Kemelin," quoth Lord Woodstock, "stay With thy lady here this night;

False Tyrconnell may thee betray- 'Tis said he owes thee mortal spite:'

"Much I thank thee, courteous baron, Though my heart ne'er felt dismay;

Yet, to calm this trembling fair one, Here, beneath thy roof, PI'l stay."

Sad and dismal was the hour, Darker friown'd the low'ring gloom;

When, yielding to a villain's power, Kemelin seal'd his tragic doom.

From that fatal moment, never Eva to her friends returned;

Mystic was her fate for ever- Long the hapless fair they mourned.

But, upon the seventh morn, Kemelin's floating corse was found,

Down the river's current borne, Pierced with many a ghastly wound.

Near the river stands a mound, O'er it the tall poplars wave;

Water-lillies spring around, And this, I heard, is Kemelin's grave.

And still the banshee, wand'ring round, Loves to raise her plaintive song;

When each swift revolving year, Brings the feast of good St. John.

T. FRENCH,

DUBLIN: Printed and Published by P. 1), HARDY, 3, Cecilia Street; to whom

all communications are to be addressed.

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