MOST HIGH, PUISSANT, AND NOBLE PRINCE WILLIAM ROBERT FITZGERALD, DUKE OF LEINSTER, MARQUIS AND EARL OF KILDARE, EARL AND BARON OF OPHALY IN THE KINGDOM OF IRELAND, VISCOUNT LEINSTER OF TAPLOW IN THE PREMIER DUKE, MARQUIS, EARL, and Baron THIS HISTORY OF IRELAND, I S INSCRIBED AS A TRIBUTE OF ESTEEM AND VENERATION DUE TO A CHARACTER SO HIGHLY DISTINGUISHED FOR PRIVATE AND PUBLIC VIRTUE; FOR THE DISPLAY OF AMIABLE QUALITIES AS A NOBLEMAN, AND THE EXERTION OF GREAT ABILITIES AS A SINCERE LOVER OF HIS COUNTRY, By His Grace's Ever respectful And moft obedient humble Servant, Sept. 1780. THE EDITOR. IT T is universally acknowledged that nothing contributes more to the advantage and improvement of mankind, than just and im partial histories of those nations with whom we are connected; and the force of this truth appears evident with refpect to a concise yet comprehenfive account of the present state of Ireland this kingdom continuing to increase every day in its importance to the: World, to which its fituation, for foreign commerce, greatly contributes, and the falu tary laws which have paffed this feffions in the British legislature refpecting the reftrictions on our trade, and the utility of our harbours for carrying on an extenfive foreign trade,render the attaining a knowledge. of Ireland, an object not unworthy the public attention; more particularly to the noblemen and gentlemen of landed and commercial property; many interefting and useful particulars being inferted in the course of this work as will be found to be highly neceffary to those whom business or pleasure may induce to make a tour through this kingdom, or may be interested or connected with it. In the opinion of many intelligent men, a compendious History of the prefent ftate of Ireland,. therefore, reprefented in its true and proper colours, would tend not only to the honour, but to the real. emolument of the kingdom. For For were the ornaments and natural advantages of this country known, the fertility of the foil, healthinefs of the air, its many navigable rivers, large and fafe harbours, the neighbourhood of the fea for the benefit of commerce, with all things neceffary for the fupport and conveniences of life; but above all, the bleffings of an inviolable fecurity of property, by mild and equitable laws, and a juft and impartial diftribution of juftice, and where the conftitution in church and ftate is eftablished and revered, and where men of the greatest learning, piety and abilities, fill the moft important ftations, it would tempt thofe at prefent groaning under foreign arbitrary governments, to fly from their oppreffions and refide in this kingdom, a bill of naturalization having lately passed. The riches of a nation confift in the numbers of its inhabitants and its manufactures, which ever have, but more particularly at prefent, deferved the encouragement of every well-wifher to Ireland, as they would add real ftrength and wealth to a country not yet fully benefited by the removal of the reftrictions laid on its trade. The English were indebted to foreigners both for their woollen and filken manufactures; the former, in the perfons of the Walloons, who fled from the cruel perfecutions of the Duke of Alva, and were hofpitably as well as. politically received by the wifdom of Queen Elizabeth and her miniftry; the latter, by the revocation revocation of the edict of Nantz, when Lewis XIV. drove multitudes of his moft ingenious manufacturers out of France into England, where they met with fuch a reception as is fcarcely to be paralleled in hiftory. They both amply rewarded their benefactors, by fpreading and diffufing thofe beneficial branches of trade through Great Britain and Ireland which they now enjoy, and which by the great improvements made therein, are justly the admiration of all Europe. The hiftories of Ireland which have been published are most of them too voluminous and expenfive to render the attainment easy to the principal part of mankind, more especially foreigners and travellers; and those hiftories of this kingdom which are published in a smaller fize, chiefly relate to the antient ftate of Ireland only, confequently could not render that fervice to gentlemen in making the tour of this country which they would wish to derive from defcriptions of a country through which they travel. In taking a view therefore of the condition in which the history of this nation ftands, it must be acknowledged that an account of their trade, manufactures and commerce, and other effential particulars have not been communicated in fo general a manner, in foreign countries especially, as the nature of the fubject would admit of, except what knowledge foreigners may have attained from merchants and travellers; while all other nations of Europe have their fmall but compendious hiftories |