one of the Western islands of Scotland, seated at the mouth of Loch Linnhe, an arm of the sea in Argyleshire, navigable for the largest ships to Fort William, which is in the country called Lochaber. This island is 10 miles in length by one in breadth; and contains above 1000 inhabitants. It abounds in limestone, which forms a fine leamy and very fertile soil, yielding rich crops of barley. This island was formerly the residence of the bishop of Argyle, from which he was frequently named Episcopus Lismorensis. Great part of the cathedral yet remains, and part of it is still employed as the parish church. The bishop's castle stands four miles from the cathedral; the walls are yet pretty entire. There are some vestiges of fortified camps, and an old castle with a ditch and drawbridge, which, it is said, were erected by the Danes.

a borough town of Ireland, in the county of Waterford, and province of Munster, 100 miles from Dublin; N. Lat. 52. 5. W. Long. 7. 50. It was anciently called Leffmore or Lios-more, i.e. the great enclosure, or habitation; it is now a bishopric, and formerly had an university. St Carthagh or Mochuda, in the beginning of the seventh century, founded an abbey and school in this place, which in a short time was much resorted to, not only by the natives, but also by the Britons and Saxons, during the middle ages. According to an ancient writer of the life of St Carthagh, Lismore was in general inhabited by monks, half of it being an asylum into which no woman dared enter; consisting entirely of cells and monasteries, the ruins of which, with seven churches, are yet visible. A castle was built here by King John. The site of Lismore was in early ages denominated magh fia, or the "chosen shield," being the situation of a dun or fort of the ancient chieftains of the Decies, one of whom granted it to St Carthagh on his expulsion from the abbey of Rathen in Westmeath. On becoming an university, Math Sgith obtained the name of Dunfionne, or the "fort of the Saxons," from the number of Saxons who resorted thereto; but soon after, it was called Lios-more or Leis-more, and now Lismore; the bishopric of which was united to that of Waterford in 1363, being 730 years after its foundation. The public road to Cork was formerly through this place, and at that time it had a better face of buildings. St Carthagh, who retired to this place with some of his religious in 636, to avoid the fury of the then Irish monarch, tied his disciples to a most strict rule of life; they never were allowed the use of flesh, fish, or fowl; only the vegetables that the ground produced at the expense of their own labour. Father Daniel, in his Histoire Monastique, mentions one on the same foundation in France. The castle here, which, as we have formerly mentioned, was built by King John, was erected in 1195 on the ruins of the abbey of St Carthagh: it belonged to the duke of Devonshire, and gave birth to the great philosopher Robert Boyle. In 1189 it was demolished by the Irish, who took it by surprise. Being afterwards re-edified, it was for many years an episcopal residence, till Myler Magrath, archbishop of Cashel, and bishop of this see, granted the manor of Lismore to that noted scholar and soldier Sir Walter Raleigh, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, at the yearly rent of 13l. 6s. 8d.; but that estate was lopped off with his head in the reign of King James I. After which it fell into the hands of Sir Richard Boyle, who purchased all Sir Walter's lands; he beautified the whole, and added many buildings to it, most of which were burned down in the Irish rebellion; at the breaking out of which, it was closely besieged by 5000 Irish commanded by Sir Richard Belling, and was well defended by the young Lord Broghill, third son of the earl of Cork, who obliged them to raise the siege. The castle is boldly seated on the verge of a rocky hill, rising almost perpendicularly to a considerable height over the river Blackwater. The entrance is by an ancient and venerable avenue of trees. Over the gate are the venerable arms of the first earl of Cork. Opposite to the entrance is a modern portico of Bath stone, of the Doric order, designed by Inigo Jones. Most of the buildings have remained in ruins since the era of the rebellion; but the several offices that make up two sides of the square are kept in repair. At each angle is a tower, the chief remains of its former magnificence. In October 1785, the late duke of Rutland, then lord lieutenant of Ireland, whilst on a tour in Munster, held a council in, and issued proclamations from this castle. The cathedral is still pretty well kept in repair. Here is a fine bridge over the river Blackwater, erected at a very great expense by the duke of Devonshire: this bridge is remarkable for the extent of the principal arch, the span of it being 102 feet. Below the town is a rich fishery for salmon, which is the greatest branch of trade here. Though this place is at present much reduced, yet Cambrensis informs us, that, not many years after the conquest, this was a very rich city, and held out some time against the English, who took it at last by storm, and gained rich plunder here, enough to load 16 sail of ships.