The Dublin Penny Journal from Dublin, Dublin, Ireland • Page 5

THE DUBLIN PENNY JOURNAL. 29 THE CLIMATE OF IRELAND. The moistness of the Irish climate, as compared with that of Britain, is. the characteristic by which it is most strongly marked. In consequence of its situation between England and the Atlantic Ocean, Ireland necessarily arrests in its progress the vast body of vapour collected from that wide expanse, of waters.

Yet the medium full of rain in our country, is less On the average than the medium fall of rain in most parts of England. It is owing to aerial evaporation, rather than to the quantity of rain, that the climate is so humid, but though it is so damp and also unstable, it is yet conducive to health and longevity, whilst its mildness is also conducive to the favorable cultivation of the soil. THE IRISH HIGHLANDS. Cunnemarua is a word which to English, and even to Irish ears, is expressive of nothing but the ultima Thule of barbarism. Yet its signification is most poetical bays of the sea." Towards the north-east extremity of the county of Galway there is a portion cut off, as it were, by a natural barrier of lakes and mountains.

If the map does justice to its subject, Cunncmarra will appear black with mountains, dotted with lakes, and studded with bogs its coast will be icen rugged and indented with fine harbours, while the inland country, though wild, mountainous, and ill cultivated, and so little known and visited, thnt its name is a proverb, is yet equal to the finest part of Wales or of Scotland, and the traveller who ventures to enjoy its romantic picturesque scenery, and who, from natural or acquired taste, can relish the "lone majesty of untamed nature," may here have his feedings gratified to the full. As proof how little is known of this singular part of Ireland, it may be mentioned, thnt a magistrate in an adjoining county, when ho heard that criminal had been arrested who had long hid himself in the mountain fastnesses of these Irish highlands, declared that the poor fellow bad Buffered enough, in nil conscience, for any crime he might have committed, by being banished seven years to. Cunncmarra." The inhabitants of this part of the country nrc, of course, behind the rest of Ireland in knowledge nnd civilization. But if the reader understands by this, that they are barbarians, and destitute of the feelings of humanity, he commits a very great mistake. Our Irish Highlanders are a warm-hearted generous people, attached to their wild mountains nnd romantic glens, and, considering the few advantages which they enjoy, a lively, intelligent race.

In the old times, their mountain land" was the retreat of those daring spirits who scorned to submit to the yoke of an invader and here, preferring poverty and freedom to restraint and submission, they found a shelter amid the deep vallies nnd craggy rocks, like the ancient Britons in Wales, and the highlauders in Scotland. This was the region of Grana Weal or Uille, the proud queen of the Wvjst, who paid a visit to the court of Queen Elizabeth. This noble heroine ruled orer the mountains of Cunnemarra, and even the islands on the coast owned her sway. Of her we will speak again, and give some anecdotes of her daring and courageous character: but in this article we merely wish to introduce our readers to the Irish highlands, assuring those of them who may be ignorant of the circumstance, that when in Cunnemarra they are in the nearest parish to America 1" selves and the publishers the injustice of supposing that we, by any possibility, can or will extract the best of the volume, and that that they can get for a few pence what would otherwise coBt them as many shillings, they completely mistake both the character of the work and our intentions. SHANE FADH'S WEDDING.

Our readers may suppose a party assembled round a cheerful fire in a winter's evening, and all enjoying the comforts of a social chat. Shane Fadh tells his own story, which commences in the following manner Well, Shane," said Andy Morrow, will you give us an account" of your wedding I'm tould it was the greatest let-out thnt ever was in the country, or since." And you may say that, Mr. Morrow," said Shane, I was at many a wedding myself, but never at the likes of my own, barring Tim Lanigan's that married Father Corrigan's niece." When I was a brine-oge," a young man full of fun and frolic said Shane, I was as wild as an unbroken cowlt no devilment was too hard for me and signs on it, for there was'nt a piece of mischief done in the parish, but was laid at my door, and the dear knows I had my own to answer for, let alone to be set down for that of other people but any way there was many a thing done in my name, when I knew neither act nor part about it. Mary was then as purty a girl ns you'd meet in a fair indeed I think I'm looking at her, vith her fair flaxen ringlets hanging over her shouldere, as she used to pass our bouse, going to mass, of a Sunday. God rest her sowl Bho's now in glory.

Many a happy day we passed together and I could take it to my death, that an ill word, let alone to raise our hands to one another, never passed between us The world is a strange thing myself hardly knows what to make of it It's I that did doat night and day upon that girl nnd indeed thrro was them that could have seen me in Jiinmaiky for her sake, for she was the beauty of the country, not to say of tho parish, for a girl of her station. For my part, I could neither ate nor sleep, nfter it was settled that she was to be my own married wife, and to sleep under my own When I'd think of it, my very henrt would bounce to my throat, with downright joy and delight. The Sunday before we were married, I mot her at Althadhawan wood, and I'll never forget what I felt when I was going to the green at Saint Patrick's Chair, where the boys and girls meet on Sunday but there she was the bright eyes dancing with joy in her head to see me. We spent the evening in the wood, till it was dusk I baling them all leaping, dancing, and throwing the stone for, by my song, I thought I had the action of ten men in me she looking on and smiling like nn nngel, wheu I'd lave them miles behind me. As it grew dusk, they all went home, except herself, and me, and a few more, who, maybe, had something of the same kind 011 hands.

Well, says a-cushla machree, it's dark enough for us to go aud, in the name of God, let us be off." The crathur looked in my face, and got pale for she was very younsr then says she, and she thrimbled like Bit aspen lafc, I'm goin' to trust myself with you for everfor ever, Shane, nnd her sweet voice broke into purty murmurs as she spoke whether for happiness or sorrow, God he only knows. I can bear poverty and distress, sickness and want with yon, but I can't bear to think that you should ever forget to love me as you do now or that your heart should ever cool to me but I'm says she, you'll never forget this night, and the solemn promises you made me, before God and the blessed skies above We were sitting nt the time under the shade of a rowan-tree, and I had only one answer to make I pulled her to my breast, where she laid her head and cried like a child, with her cheek against mine. My own eyes wern't dry, although I felt no sorrow, but but I never forgot that night and I never will." He now paused a few minutes, being too much affected to proceed. Well, at last, the dny came. The wedding morning, or the bride's part of it, as they say, was beautiful.

It was then the month of July. The evening before, my father and my brother went over to Jemmy Finignn's, to make the regulations for the wedding. We, thnt is my party, were to be nt the bride's house about ten o'clock, and we were then to pro- Fadh signifies tall or long. TRAITS AND STORIES OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY. Messrs.

Curry and Co. of Sackville-street in the most handsome manner, unsolicited and freoly, have given us permission to make extracts from a well known volume, of which they are the proprietors and publishers, Traits and Stobieb of the Irish Peasantry." In availing ourselves of this privilege in the present number, we will be under the necessity of abridging, nnd in some measure altering for the limits of our publication would not permit tho insertion of an entire tory. In so doing, wo may run the risk of abridging unskilfully, and perhaps marring its effect wo will endeavour to avoid this, as far as we and assure such of our renders (if any there he,) who are able to purchase the work itself, and admire the specimen we present, that if they do them.