THE Beauties OF IRELAND. PROVINCE OF LEINSTER. COUNTY OF CARLOW. THIS small and inland county was made shire-ground by King John, under the name of Catherlough, or Caterlogh. Its greatest length, as computed by Dr. Beaufort, is twenty-six miles, and its extreme width twenty-three miles. On the east and north-east its boundaries meet Wexford and Wicklow. Kilkenny adjoins its borders on the west. On the north and north-west lie Kildare and the Queen's County. This district comprehends the antient territories of "Hy Cavanagh and Hy Drone," being the northern part of the principality of Hy Kinselagh. Its most antient families are the Mac Morough-Kavanaghis; the O'Ryans; the O'Nolans, and the O'Mores; also the Walls, or Duvals; the St. Aubins; De La Fraynes; De Berminghams; De Carews; Landys, or De La Landes; the Graces; and the Butlers. Since the time of Queen Elizabeth the following, amongst other families, have likewise obtained property and influence in this county: The Bagnals; Eustaces; Burtons; O'Briens of Thomond; Ponsonbys; Hamiltons; Cokes; Bernards; Vigors'; Vicars'; Burdetts; Bunburys; Beresfords; Bruens; Bagots; and Brownes. Mr. Wakefield notices amongst the principal proprietors of landed estates, at the present time, the families of Kavanagh; Bruen; Burton; and Rochfort. This county, after the Strongbonian settlement, became a palatinate in the family of the earl marshal. After the death of William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, and of his five sons successive earls, Carlow fell to the share of his daughter, the wife of Hugh le Bigot, Earl of Norfolk; who, in her right, succeeded to the dignity of Earl Marshal of England. This earl, residing in the latter country, confided the seneschalship, or stewardship, of Carlow, as did in like manner the Lord De Carew, Baron of Idrone, the superintendance of his estate in this county, to Donald-Mac Art Kavanagh, one of the antient proprietors of the soil, and a vassal of those noblemen. Instead of executing these trusts with fidelity, Donald-Mac Art seized the first favourable opportunity of shaking off his allegiance to his employers, and, assuming the title of Mac Morough, claimed the sovereignty of this entire quarter of Leinster, founding his pretensions upon his descent from Donald Kavanagh, who had borne the same title, and was the illegitimate son of Dermod Macmorough, last King of Leinster. Froisard gives a lively, and not uninteresting, character of this turbulent chieftain, concerning whose descendants some further particulars occur in our description of Borris, the most distinguished seat in this district. In the present place it may be sufficient to observe that the troubles occasioned by Donald's assumption of local sovereignty, form a prominent feature in the history of the county of Carlow. The general aspect of this county is agreeable, but partakes less of the sublime and highly-captivating than is witnessed in many other parts of Ireland. In compensation of this deficiency there are few harsh effects of contrast; and the English traveller is often reminded of the equable but grateful scenery to which he is accustomed in the midland districts of his native country. The chief elevations approaching towards the character of mountains, rise on the west side of the river Barrow, and in the southern part of the county, on the borders of Wexford. This latter range commences on the north with the rocky acclivities of |