business on a large scale, and is being rapidly improved by the erection of new buildings and otherwise. For this improvement it is largely indebted to the liberality and public spirit of its principal proprietor, Colonel Sir Robert Alexander Shafto Adair, Bart., D.L. From Ballymena the railway runs near the River Main, through a country still improving, until we arrive at the town of Antrim. Near Randalstown is the Cookstown Junction Station, from which there is a line, curving round the head of Lough Neagh, to Toome, and thence to Castle Dawson, Magherafelt, and Cookstown, where it terminates; the portion of the line between the last place and Toome being in the county of Londonderry. Randalstown is a clean, pretty, respectable little town, a sort of feudal appendage to Shane's Castle, the grand entrance to the demesne being at this place; and here it is entered by the River Main, crossed by a beautifully ornamented bridge, with a single lofty arch, which connects the grounds with the Deer Park. It enters Lough Neagh at some distance above the castle. The grounds extend for three miles along the shores of the Lough. The surface is undulating, varied, and beautifully planted, and the timber, especially along the banks of the winding river, is probably the most magnificent in the kingdom. Nowhere else can be seen primitive oak so large, or so venerable from age. In order to see Shane's Castle properly, the tourist should engage a car at Randalstown, alighting at the ruins, and other interesting points, and then driving through to Antrim, in order to see the demesne of Lord Massereene, and the Round Tower. With respect to the ruins of Shane's Castle, it may be remarked that they can scarcely be appreciated fully without some knowledge of the history of the wonderful man by whom the castle was built. Shane O'Neill was, in fact, the sovereign of Ulster, and so acknowledged by Queen Elizabeth and her ministers, who found him so troublesome as an enemy, and so difficult to conquer, that the Lord Deputy Sussex employed a person to assassinate him, 'regarding him,' says Mr. Froude, ‘as a kind of wolf, whom, having failed to capture in fair chase, he might destroy by the first expedient that came to hand.' At the request of Elizabeth, Shane went to London, with the Earl of Kildare in attendance, a train of galloglasse, £1,000 in hand, and a second £1,000 awaiting for him on his arrival. On January 6th, 1569, The O'Neill stalked into the royal presence, his saffron mantle sweeping round and round him, his hair curling on his back, and clipped. short over the eyes; behind him followed his galloglasse, bare-headed and fair-haired, with shirts of mail, which reached their knees, a wolf-skin flung across their shoulders, and short broad battle-axes in their hands. Prostrating himself at the foot of the throne, he rose and confessed his crime and rebellion with 'howling,' in the Irish language. After being detained for a long time, he was permitted to return, and to enjoy the title of The O'Neill, with all the sovereign authority of his ancestors, with the service and homage of all the lords and captains, and other nobles of the said nation of O'Neill, on condition that he and they should wage war against the Queen's enemies. It was the boast of the Irish that when Shane had subdued all his opponents, he ruled Tyrone with such order, that if a robbery were committed within his territory, he either caused the property to be restored, or reimbursed the loser out of his own treasury. The late Peer belonged to a younger branch descended from the O'Neills of Clandeboye and Ards, one of whom, Sir Henry O'Neill, was possessed of Shane's Castle, or Edenduff Carrick, as it was called, in 1637; and a descendant of his, John O'Neill, Esq., M.P., was elevated to the Peerage, in 1793, as Baron O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, and made Viscount two years later. The Rev. William Chichester, according to the will of the deceased lord, assumed the surname of O'Neill, and was elevated to the Peerage, as Baron O'Neill, in 1868. Proceeding from Belfast, Antrim is the first town we meet on the Northern Counties Railway, distance thirteen miles. It is a place of great antiquity, and it was the scene of a sanguinary engagement, in 1649, when it was burned by General Munroe. Antrim Castle, the venerable mansion of Viscount Massereene and Ferrard, occupies an elevated position quite close to the town, on the bank of a small river, commanding views of Lough Neagh and the rich country beyond. The grounds are rather limited, but they are adorned with very fine old timber, and the gardens are peculiarly laid out in the style of Louis Quinze, with long, straight avenues, adorned with flowers, terminated by bright vistas, with mimic lakes, formally cut lime trees, &c. The castle was built in the reign of Charles II. by Sir Hugh Clotworthy, a gentleman from Somersetshire. Lord Massereene has concentrated in himself several titles; he is Baron Lough Neagh, Viscount Ferrard, and Baron Óriel, as well as Viscount Massereene. Sir William Skeffington was created a Baronet by Charles I. Sir John Skeffington, the fifth Baronet, married the heiress of Sir John Clotworthy, who was elevated to the Peerage, in 1660, by Charles II. He died five years after, and his honours devolved upon Sir John Skeffington. The titles oí Viscount Ferrard and Oriel of Collon, was borne by Foster, last Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, coming to him by marriage. The Round Tower of Antrim stands about half a mile northeast of the town, in the plantations of G. Jackson Clarke, Esq., J.P., who keeps it in repair. It is cylindrically built of unhewn stone, and is ninety-five feet high, forty-nine feet in circumference at the base, and the cone forming the summit twelve feet in height. The door is seven feet nine inches from the ground. Immediately above the door-way is a Grecian cross, rudely sculptured in alto relievo on a block of freestone. Around the base of the tower great quantities of human bones have been found. Lough Neagh has been already sketched in outline (p. 11). Coming from the Antrim coast, or from the Lakes of Killarney, its shores seem very tame, in the absence of mountains, cliffs, glens, gorges, and other features of the picturesque. Its shores are flat, and its waters are generally very quiet; so much so, that in some severe winters it has been completely frozen over; and, in 1814, Colonel Heyland passed over it on horseback. Tradition ascribes the lake to various causes, one of which is, the submergence of the earth by which an ancient town was sunk, and covered with water; as the national poet sings: 'On Lough Neagh's banks, as the fisherman strays, He sees the Round Towers of other days There is a very general belief, however, that the lake has the property of petrifying wood. Ram's Ísland contains nearly seven statute acres, and is beautifully laid out, and planted with rose-trees, and a profusion of other flowering plants. An extremely ornate cottage, tastefully furnished, was erected by Earl O'Neill, in which the caretaker resides, from whom visitors and pic-nic parties, who frequently, in summer, spend a day in the sweet little spot, receive every requisite attention. Tourists and excursionists have ready means of access to the island by boats from Glenavy Water-Foot, the mouth of Crumlin Water, and other adjacent points. It is principally celebrated for the ruins of a Round Tower, the only object of antiquity which it contains. Its original height can only be guessed at, as Time with assailing arm Hath smote the summit, but the solid base The altitude of the portion which remains is 43 feet; its circumference over 35 feet; the thickness of the walls is 2 feet 8 inches. The entrance is on the south-west side, nearly level with the ground. CHAPTER XVII. ARMAGH, MONAGHAN, CAVAN, AND FERMANAGH. ARMAGH COUNTY. HE County Armagh runs across from the head of Lough Neagh, its northern boundary, almost to the Bay of Dundalk, where Louth bounds it to the south. It has Down on the east, and on the west Monaghan and Tyrone; its greatest length being thirty-two miles, and greatest breadth twenty, comprising an area of 328,076 acres, of which 265,243 are arable, 35,117 uncultivated, 8,996 in plantations, and 17,942 under water. The surface is hilly, rising into a mountain range towards Sleivegullion on the south-west. The popu lation has been kept up since 1851 better than in most counties, the falling off being only about 6,000. At the last census it was 190,086. The lieutenant of the county is Lord Lurgan; the number of magistrates being eighty-one, including fifteen deputy-lieutenants. The county returns two Members constituency, 7,443. Next to Armagh, the capital, the largest town is There Lurgan (pop. 7,766). It stands on the eastern verge of the county, about 2 miles from Lough Neagh, and seventeen from Belfast. The surrounding country is very well cultivated, producing abundant crops. The town occupies an elevated site, looking clean and comfortable, with a well employed, thriving population, and good markets. is, however, little that is picturesque, if we except Lurgan House and demesne, the beautiful seat of Lord Lurgan, by whose ancestor, Sir William Brownlow, the town was founded. He came over from Epworth, in Derbyshire, and received a grant of lands here, in 1629. The demesne comprises more than 300 acres, and is highly ornamented with plantations. About five miles further on the line of the Ulster Railway is Portadown (pop. 5,524), which stands on the River Bann, near its junction with Lough Neagh, on which side the country is low, marshy, and bleak; but the environs are well cultivated, adorned with numerous villas, and snug farm-houses. The junction between the Dublin and the Ulster railways has greatly increased its business, and it is a decidedly prosperous and rising town. It was founded at the time of the Ulster Plantation, by a gentleman named Obens, and it has held its ground as well as most of the Ulster towns that originated at the same period. Tanderagee lies in a rich valley, about five miles to the north-west. It is an exceedingly pretty little town, formerly the property of a most public-spirited gentleman, and a most improving landlord, General Sparrow, and now the estate of the Duke of Manchester. The approach to it from the County Down is charming. The castle of Tanderagee is a large, modern, baronial pile, occupying the site of an ancient fortress, built when the estate was granted by James I. to |