CLARE 803 which has a magnificent beach, on Liscannor Bay, and forms a delightful summer residence, Kilkee, perhaps the most fashionable watering-place on the western coast of Ireland, and Kilrush on the Shannon estuary. The soil and surface of the county is in general better adapted for grazing than for tillage. Agriculture is in a backward state, there not being a fifth part of its area under cultivation. In 1870 the acreage of the county under crops amounted to 147,662 acres, and in 1875 little advance had been made. The number of acres under the principal crops in these two years stood as follows : 1870 1875 Oats. 18,776 17,354 Wheat. Potatoes. 7828 3296 33,107 28,459 Turnips and other Green Crops. 9,764 10,411 Meadow. 73,429 84,927 As regards live stock the same stationary condition of its agricultural industry will be apparent from the following figures : 1870 1875 Cattle. 100,839 100,405 Sheep. 15,100 13,459 Pigs. 24,771 21,413 Horses and Poultry. Mules. 6601 284,551 6989 323,635 As regards the property in the county, the land in 1874 was divided among 1025 separate owners, of whom 243 possessed less than one acre, and 782 one acre and upwards. Twelve proprietors owned more than 10,000 acres each, the most extensive demesnes being iu the hands of Lord Leconfielcl, with 37,292 acres ; the marquis of Conyngham, with 27,613; E. P. Westby, 25,779; Lord Inchiquin, 20,321 ; Colonel Yandeleur, 19,790 ; and the Hon. C. W. White, 18,266. The value of the land was at the same date rated at an average of 8s. 3d. per acre, while that of all Munster was 11s. 2d. There are no extensive manufactures in the county of Clare, although flannels and friezes are made for home use, and hosiery of various kinds, chiefly coarse and strong, is made around Corofin, Ennistymon, and other places. The Shannon, west of Scattery Island, and the sea along the coasts, are good fishing stations, abounding with cod, haddock, ling, sole, turbot, ray, mackerel, and other fish, but the rugged nature of the coast and the tempestuous sea greatly hinder the opera tions of the fishermen. Near Pooldoody is the great Burren oyster bed called the Red Bank, where a large establishment is maintained, and from which a constant supply of the excellent Red Bank oysters is furnished to the Dublin and other large markets. Crabs and lobsters are caught on the shores of the Bay of Galway in every creek from Blackhead to Arrlfry. The salmon fishery of the Shannon is very considerable, and eels, which abound in every rivulet, form an important article of consumption. The population of the county shows a remarkable decrease within the 30 years between 1841 and 1871, although, after all, this is exceeded by the neigh bouring counties of Cork, Limerick, and Tipperary. In 1841 the inhabitants numbered 286,394 ; in 1851, 212,440 ; in 1861, 166,305; and in 1871, 147,864. Of these 144,440 were Roman Catholics, 8027 Episcopalians, 220 Presbyterians, and 177 of other denominations. In 1874 there were 8709 persons who had obtained parochial relief throughout the year, while during the twenty-four years ending 1875 there had emigrated from the county 90,154 persons. At the date of the last census (1871) 64,566 persons could read and write, and 15,972 could read but could not write ; and 4432 were returned as speaking Erse only. There were 12 superior and 253 primary schools in the county. The principal towns in Clare are Ennis, population (1871) 6503; Kilrush, 4424; and Kilkee, 1600. The county returns three members to the Imperial Parliament, two for the county and one for the borough of Ennis. The county of Clare, which is divided into 1 1 baronies, contains 80 parishes, and includes the diocese of Kilfenora, the greater part of Killaloe, and a very small portion of the diocese of Limerick. It is within the military district of Cork, with barracks for infantry at Clare Castle, Ennis, Killaloe, and Kilrush, and for artillery in the forts at Scattery Island, Donnaha, Kilcredano, Blackwater, and Kilkerrin. The assizes are held at Ennis, where the county prison, the county infirmary, and the district lunatic asylum are situated. There are eight poor-law unions. This county, together with some of the neighbouring district, was anciently called Thomond or Tuadmuin, that is, North Munster, and formed part of the monarchy of the celebrated Brian Boroihme, who held his court at Kincora near Killaloe, where his palace was situated on the banks of the Shannon. The site is still distinguished by extensive earthern ramparts. Settlements were effected by the Danes, and in the 13th century by the Anglo-Normans, but without permanently affecting the possession of the district by its native proprietors. In 1543 Murrogh O Brien, after dispossessing hia nephew, and vainly attempting a rebellion against the English rule, proceeded to England, and submitted to Henry VIII., resigning his name and possessions. He soon received them back by an English tenure, together with the title of earl of Thomond, on condition of adopting the English dress, manners, and customs, and maintaining no kerns or gallowglasses. In 1565 this part of Thomond (sometimes called O Brien s country) was added to Connaught, and made one of the six new counties into which that province was divided by Sir Henry Sidney under the Act 11 Eliz. c. 9. It was then named Clare, probably from the name of an English adventurer, Thomas de Clare, who obtained a grant from Henry III. of all the lands he should conquer from the Irish, and whose family for some time maintained a precarious position in the district. In 1602 the county was re-annexed to Munster. The O Briens and other native chieftains had many fierce contests to preserve their independence against the Anglo-Norman and English adventurers, and generally succeeded in maintaining their position as native kings and chieftains of Thomond. From some cause or other the comparative immunity of Clare in ancient times from foreign rule and settlement, and from absenteeism, has proved of doubtful advantage to its modern condition. The chief ancient families of note in the dis trict were the O Briens, now represented by Lord Inchiquin of Dromoland, the Macnamaras, and the O Loghlens. The county abounds with remains of antiquities, both military and ecclesiastical. There still exist above a hundred fortified castles, several of which are inhabited. They are mostly of small extent, a large portion being fortified dwellings. The chief of them is Bunvatty Castle, built in 1277. Raths or Danish forts are to be found in every part. They are generally circular, composed either of large stones without mortar, or of earth thrown up and surrounded by one or more ditches. The list of abbeys and other religious houses formerly flourishing here (some now only known by name, but many of them surviving in ruins) comprehends upwards of twenty. The most remarkable are Quin, considered one of the finest and most perfect specimens of ancient monastic architecture in Ireland ; Corcomroe ; Ennis, in which is a very fine window of un commonly elegant workmanship ; and those on Inniscattery, or Scattery Island, in the Shannon, said to have been founded by St Senanus. On the same island there is a round tower, and also the ruins of what are called the seven churches. It is called Holy Island, and is still one of the
most popular burial-places in the county. Four other round