LIMERICK, a county of Ireland, in the province of Munster, is bounded on the east by Tipperary, on the west by Kerry, on the north by the river Shannon, and on the south by Cork. It is a fruitful and populous tract, the soil requiring little or no manure in most places: besides rich pasture for sheep and cows, it produces rich crops of all kinds of corn and rape, with some hemp. It gave title of earl to the family of Donnan. It contains 375,320 Irish plantation acres, about fifty-six church livings, though a much greater number of parishes, ten baronies, three boroughs, and sends eight members to parliament. It has some clays, furze, fern, and mountain-lands, and is famous for good cyder; it has been much benefited by the palatines, who settled there and increased tillage; they are a laborious independent people, most-
Limerick. ly employed in their own farms. This country is well watered by large and small rivers; the Shannon runs at the north side of the county, and fertilizes its banks. The firing of the inhabitants is chiefly turf, and the bogs are conveniently situated. At Loghill in the west of the county, there is a mine of coal or culm, but it is more used in kilns than in houses. There are few lakes except Lough Gur; and the principal hills are Knockgreny, Knockany, Knockfiring, and Toryhill. The mountains lie westward, the highest being Knockpatrick or St Patrick's hill. This county is about 45 miles long and 42 broad.