a maritime county in the province of Munster, in Ireland, bounded on the N. by the estuary of the Shannon, which separates it from the county of Clare; on the E. by the counties of Limerick and Cork; on the S. by the county of Cork and part of Kenmare estuary; and on the W. by the Atlantic Ocean. The tribe of the Juvenil inhabited this part of Ireland when Ptolemy wrote. Previously to the English invasion, the O'Connors were in possession of the northern, the Morartys of the central, and the O'Sullivans and O'Donoghues of the southern portion of the district. The M'Carthys, who were the chief of the Irish septs in South Munster before the arrival of the English, retired into the wilds of Kerry when dispossessed of their more valuable tracts of country. In consideration of services rendered, Dermud MacCarty granted a considerable tract of this county to the celebrated English adventurer Raymond le Gros, who settled his son Maurice here. Maurice became so potent that he gave his name to the part of Kerry then called Lixnaw, from the ancient Luceni, as also to his family, the country being called Clanmaurice, and the family Fitzmaurice, to this day. In 1329 Maurice Fitzgerald, great-grandson of the first Lord of Kerry, was created Earl of Desmond. The county had been made shire-ground so early as 1210 by King John; but now the southern portion, together with a large part of the county of Cork as far as the mouth of the Blackwater, was formed into a palatinate in favour of the Desmond family, the head of which exercised an authority nearly equal to that of sovereign in the district until the close of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. After the attainder of Gerald, the sixteenth and last Earl of Desmond, the family estates were parcelled out among various English knights and gentlemen, viz.—Sir William Herbert, Charles Herbert, Esq., Sir Valentine Browne, Sir Edward Denny, Captain Conway, John Holly, Esq., &c. On the breaking out of the rebellion of 1641 the native Irish regained possession of a considerable portion of the county, but their property was afterwards extensively confiscated, and among the new proprietors was Sir William Petty, whose estates, as well as those of the Fitzmaurices, are held by the Marquis of Lansdowne, who represents the ancient barons of Kerry. The county is at present divided into the eight baronies of Clanmaurice, Corkaguiney, Dunkerron, Glenarought, Iveragh, Magrunihy, and Trughanachy, and extends over a surface of 1853 square miles, or 1,186,126 acres, of which 414,614 are arable, 726,775 are uncultivated, 11,169 are in plantations, 807 are occupied by towns and villages, and the remaining 32,761 acres are covered with water.

The county contains the two dioceses of Ardfert and Aghadoe, which have from time immemorial been united so intimately that the parishes belonging to each cannot be ascertained. In 1663 they were both allowed to be held in commendam by the Bishop of Limerick, and the union thus formed has not been since disturbed. This union of dioceses is the only one that has not been in some manner altered by the late arrangements for the reduction of the number of Irish bishoprics. The diocese of Ardfert includes the northern part of the county; the seat of the see is Ardfert, a small town, now little more than a village. The cathedral was burned in the wars of 1641, but a small part of the building was afterwards fitted up for divine service, and in 1831 was completely repaired. The seat of the diocese of Aghadoe, which comprehended the southern part of the county, is at a place of the same name, near Killarney, where the ruins of the cathedral are still to be seen. The number of parishes in the united dioceses is 83.

Previously to the Union, the county returned eight members to parliament,—two for the county, and two for each of the boroughs of Tralee, Dingle, and Ardfert. At the Union the number was reduced to three,—two for the county and one for Tralee. The Reform Act made no alteration in this arrangement. Kerry is in the Munster circuit, and is divided for poor-law purposes into the unions of Cahirciveen, Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney, Listowel, and Tralee. The head-quarters of the constabulary force in the county are at Tralee, and sub-inspectors are stationed at Cahirciveen, Dingle, Kenmare, Killarney, Listowel, and Tralee.

The population of the county, according to the estimate of De Burgo, amounted to 56,628 in 1760; in 1792 Beaufort judged it to amount to 107,000. The first parliamentary census, taken in 1813, which, however, was very inaccurate, stated it at 178,622; that of 1821 gives 216,185; that of 1831, 268,126. The census of 1834 being returned according to dioceses instead of counties, prevents the specification of the amount of the population at that period; but from that return it appears that the dioceses of Ardfert, and Aghadoe, which are nearly commensurate with the county, contained 304,687 souls, of whom 7529 were Protestants of the Established Church, 27 Protestant Dissenters, and 297,131 Roman Catholics. In 1841 the population was 293,880, which decreased in 1851 to 238,239. Of this number, 44,455 are returned as speaking only the Irish language, which is spoken by 61 per cent. of the population of the county.

The land in the northern part of the county is low, rich, and generally level, although it rises to an elevation of 710 feet above the sea in Maulin Mountain, which occupies the centre of Kerry Head, a remarkable promontory projecting from the mainland into the Atlantic. The middle part is an upland, gradually rising to the E. and S.; the southern and western parts are almost wholly mountain, glen, and bog, comprising some of the highest points in Ireland. The loftiest of these, and the highest mountain in Ireland, is Carranmohill, 3414 feet above the sea, being the summit of the range called McGillycuddy's Reeks, which stretches across the barony of Dankerron, sending out branches in various directions. Next to Carranmohill the highest summits are—Casper, 3200; Mangerton, 2756; Purple Mountain, 2739; and Coomenagh, 2446 feet above the ocean. To the west is the mountain of Drung, which rises precipitously from Dingle Bay to a height of 2104 feet; over the edge of the cliffs at an elevation of 200 feet, a road is carried, little inferior, says Inglis, in the magnificence of its mountain and sea views, to any of the celebrated roads along the shores of the Mediterranean, and every way superior to the road from Bangor to Conway in North Wales. In the barony or peninsula of Iveragh also rise the lofty summits of Culleen, 2231; Knockadubber, 2000; and Knockatubrid, 1556 feet high. More northerly are—Brandon Hill, 3127 feet; the Sheve Mish Hills, the Stacks, and the Glanrudeiry Mountains, all of inferior elevation to those already mentioned. These mountain ranges are intersected by deep and precipitous glens and ravines, possessing features of sublime and picturesque scenery. The most remarkable of these is the Gap of Dunloe, lying between Tomies and McGillycuddy's Reeks, formed by mountains on each side, nearly perpendicular; it has a flat base or floor, which renders the passage through it easy to both horsemen and pedestrians, and opens into a valley watered by a succession of mountain lakes, and terminated by a romantic waterfall. These valleys are the beds through which numerous small rivers take their course. The most northern rivers are the Feale, Gale, and Brick, which, having formed a junction near Rattoochooch, form the Cashin, a wide but short tidal stream which runs into the estuary of the Shannon. The Maine runs from Castle Island to the head of Castlemaine Haven. The Flesk, after a winding course through Glanflesk, falls into the Lower Lake of Killarney, from which it passes, under the name of the Laune or Lane, with a body of waters much augmented, into Castlemaine Haven. The Carra, rising in the mountains of Dunkerron, falls into the same bay. The Ferta and the Inny rise near Drung Mountain, collect the waters from the boggy uplands, and flow westward, the former into Valentia Harbour, the latter into Ballinskellig Bay. The Roughty empties itself into the head of the estuary called Kenmare River. The Blackwater flows from the Dunkerron Mountains into Kenmare River, part of the boundary between this county and Cork.

Lakes are numerous, but few of large size. The principal are the picturesque Lakes of Killarney. They are situated near the town of Killarney, at the northern side of the range of mountains of which the Reeks form the summit, and consists of three lakes, named the Lower (Leough Leane), the Middle (Muckross or Torc), and the Upper Lake. The first and second, which are on the same level, are separated only by a narrow peninsula, on which stands the fine ruin of Muckross Abbey, embosomed in lofty woods, and still retaining many fragments of its ancient grandeur and picturesque architecture. The Upper Lake, the level of which is five feet higher, is connected with the others by a river navigable by boats, a perfect specimen of close river scenery, and equally admired as the lakes themselves. The lower lake is studded with islands, of which the most remarkable, both for fertility and beauty, is Inisfallen, above 12 acres in extent, and contains, besides a small banqueting house, the ruins of an abbey of the same name, founded in 600, and the locality where one of the most ancient of the native chronicles, entitled the Annals of Inisfallen, was written. It consists of extracts from the Old Testament, a compendium of universal history down to the arrival of St Patrick in 432, and, thenceforward to the end, treats of the affairs of Ireland, finishing at 1319. The original, commenced A.D. 600, and continued during 500 years, is now preserved in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. On Ross Island are the ruins of Ross Castle, the garrison of which made a gallant stand against the parliamentary forces in the wars of 1641. Another, named O'Donoghoe's Prison, is supposed to have been used as a place of confinement by a chieftain of that name. The other more remarkable features of the Lower Lake are O'Sullivan's Cascade, and the Bay of Glena, where there is an extraordinary echo. The Upper Lake has twelve small islets. The other lakes in the county are Lough Carrane, near Ballinskellig Bay, containing several islands, Lough Brin, Lough Carra, and Lough Gutane, besides many of smaller extent.

The Lakes of Killarney are not of great size, the Lower Lake, which is the largest, covers 5001 acres, the Middle 680, and the Upper Lake only 430 acres. They are all exceedingly beautiful, but the Upper Lake, although smaller, has more grandeur. The numerous islets and wooded promontories diminish the extent of water seen at one time; but almost every islet and promontory, whether rising from the water in steep, bare rocky cliffs, or sloping gentler down to it, is crowned with the most luxuriant canopy of trees, among which the arbutus, distinguished by its subdued and mellow green, is most conspicuous.

The coast is indented by several large bays. Nearest to the county of Cork is the great estuary called the Kenmare River, which contains some good harbours, and has many small islands along its shores. The next is Ballinskellig Bay, to the N. of which are the Skellig Islands. On the largest of these, which is a lofty rock of slate rising several hundred feet above the level of the sea, there was formerly a convent, which was afterwards transferred to the mainland. Two lighthouses were erected on this island in 1826: one of the lights is placed 372 feet above the level of the sea, being the most elevated of all the lights on the Irish coast. The gannet breeds here, and nowhere else on the coast. N. of this bay, and separated from the mainland by a safe and capacious roadstead, is Valentia Island, chiefly the property of the Knights of Kerry; the greater part of the island is under tillage, and it contains an extensive and valuable slate quarry, which is worked for export. Dingle Bay succeeds, containing within it Castlemaine, Ventry, and Dingle Harbours, and having the Blasket Islands at its northern extremity. Dunmore Head, to the N.W. of this bay, is the most western point of the mainland of Ireland. Smerwick Bay, Brandon Bay, and Tralee Bay are adapted for smaller vessels only: between the two latter are the Magharees or Seven Hogs Islands. Ballyheige Bay, which is entirely exposed during westerly winds to the fury of the Atlantic Ocean, is separated from the Shannon by the bold promontory of Kerry Head. Within the mouth of the Shannon are the harbours of Ballaghlongford and Tarbert, the latter protected by the island of the same name. Nearly the whole of the coast of Kerry is bold and mountainous, adding much to the picturesque beauty of the district. The late Sir David Wilkie expressed an opinion that the county of Kerry, so nobly indented with bays of the Atlantic Ocean, and possessing a climate so favourable for vegetation, along with its mountains and inland waters, might, without injustice, be pronounced, in point of scenery, the finest portion of the British islands. Many plants, generally deemed suitable only for the genial atmosphere of more southern latitudes, grow here freely; and cattle remain frequently in the open air during the whole winter.

The soil in the northern parts of the county is retentive and coarse; the middle district is mostly of an alluvial character. The valley of the River Maine is entirely limestone. The uplands are chiefly argillaceous, but with limestone intermixed. The valleys in the mountainous region of the S. are mostly covered with bog; and, though at present little better than wastes, they are capable, from their favourable exposure, of being cultivated to advantage. All the limestone in the county is secondary, with marine remains and calc spar. The north-western coast to Kerry Head is composed of beds of argillaceous sandstone, nearly horizontal, in the parting of which, the quartz crystals called Kerry-stones are found. The midland district is mostly argillaceous, composed chiefly of slate clay and hard sandstone, covering beds of anthracite and culm, which has not been raised for fuel, partly on account of the abundance of turf, partly from the offensive vapour of the coal when ignited. The component rock of the mountains which form the whole of the southern district is of the clay-slate formation. The slate is quarried for roofing, particularly at Valentia Island. It is light and durable, splits readily, bears piercing, and is harder and more siliceous than that of Bangor. In all the mountains the common gritstone contains large quantities of quartz crystals. Detached blocks of it are also found in the valleys, in some places in such quantity as seriously to impede cultivation. Iron ore is found in great plenty in the southern parts, and was largely manufactured at Killarney and Blackstones, until the works were stopped by the failure of timber for fuel. Copper was raised at Ardutully, near Kenmare, at Muckross, and in Ross Island. The marble of Tralee is marked like that of Kilkenney, with more white spots; other kinds of marble have been raised in various parts. Fine amethysts have been found near Kerry Head. Potter's and pipe clay, a substance like tripoli, brown ochre, and fuller's earth, are to be met with in various places. The whetstones found near the Devil's Punch-Bowl are much valued. Fossil shells, particularly cardites and terebratulites, are frequent. Several mineral springs, some chalybeate, others sulphureo-chalybeate, have been discovered. Of the former, there is one near Killarney, another near Valentia Island, another at the mouth of the Inny, and several between Blackstones and Killorglin. Of the latter, the most celebrated are near Dingle, Castlemaine, and Tralee. A saline spring at Mag- There are no manufactures of importance carried on in the county; the manufacture of coarse linen is mostly confined to the barony of Corkaguiney. A quality of narrow cloth, of strong texture, called handle-linen, and also "box and trap," was formerly in demand for the army and the West India market. It owed its reputation to the careful method of preparing the yarn, but has fallen into disrepute. The manufacture of woollens is almost entirely confined to that employed in the domestic consumption, the rest being sent in the raw state to the Cork and Limerick markets. Flannels, however, are sold in some quantities in the markets of Tralee and Dingle.

The fishery is chiefly carried on at Dingle and Valentia, from the former in row-boats, and from the latter in sailing vessels. A fishery is also carried on along the shores of the Kenmare River. All kinds of round fish are taken, as are also herrings. Pilchards were caught in large quantities, but they have lately deserted the coast. Shell-fish of every kind are large and abundant. Salmon is caught in the rivers; but in some places the numbers are supposed to be considerably diminished by the seals which frequent the rocky shores.

The deep and extensive vales with which the mountainous district in the south is everywhere indented, are almost wholly occupied with bog, most of which, from its elevated position, and the declivities of the land, would admit of easy and profitable reclamation. The extent of bog throughout the county is estimated at 171,054 acres. One species of it, called by the people meagh-bone, or fat turf, is of a highly inflammable quality, and is therefore used more to give light than heat: a small piece applied to a lighted candle burns like a wax taper.

The county contains a vast extent of unimproved pasture land, amounting on the whole to 727,000 acres, the greater portion of which is situate within the elevated mountain promontories, to the N. and S. of Dingle Bay; but large tracts of low, and comparatively improvable, boggy lands, are situate in a cold clayey country, extending from Tarbert on the Shannon, by Listowel and Castleisland, to Kilnarey, many parts of which are highly improvable, and are similarly circumstanced, in every respect, with the crown lands of Kingwilliamstown, in the county of Cork, where extensive land improvements have been effected. Similar, and very successful improvements were also made to the W. of Listowel, in this county, by the late Mr Pierce Mahony, which prove what can be done at a moderate cost in an extensive district which is similarly circumstanced. It is probable that, of the entire extent of waste lands of this county, about 150,000 acres may be drained and reclaimed, so as to produce corn and green crops: 250,000 acres may be drained, both for the purposes of pasture and coarse meadow; and 327,000 acres, consisting either of mountain tops or deep flat bogs, may be deemed incapable of improvement under present circumstances.

The county was once covered with timber, much of which has been cut down for the supply of the iron-works; but there are still many fine tracts of wood; and, even where the land has been cleared, its re-growth is prevented solely by the cattle; for, wherever these are excluded, the trees shoot up from the old roots so vigorously as often to choke up the young plantations.

acreage extent, is the third largest county in Ireland; but if we deduct from its aggregate area the waste of mountain and deep bog land which could not be improved at a profit, the district engineer reports that it will be found that in no other county has so much been done in the way of drainage and improvement on a given surface of available land, or with better and more satisfactory results; for, probably in no part of Ireland has agriculture made more rapid progress, whether in dairy or mixed husbandry, which is mainly to be attributed to the large sums expended under the provision of the drainage acts; for, consequent upon the thorough drainage of the land, followed an improved system of husbandry. The occupiers have been enabled to introduce a better rotation of cropping, and by degrees to introduce a different and superior breed of stock, so that the produce on the improved farm, whether as regards cattle, sheep, or corn, has been very much increased, but the great feature in the change is the extended breadth of turnips annually sown, this being the principal crop whereby to judge of the progress of agriculture in any district, it being the foundation of all good husbandry. In districts where nothing has been done in the way of drainage, the old system of agriculture is still pursued in its primitive form of lazy-bed culture, and alternate croppings of oats and potatoes.

Tralee, the assize town, with good open streets, and many good houses, is the largest in the county, and was once the chief residence of the Earls of Desmond, and the place where they held their palatine court. On the ruin of that family, it was made the county town, and obtained a charter, with the right of returning two members to parliament, which is retained till the Union, when it was deprived of one of its members. Previously to that period, the constituency was limited to the burgesses, fifteen in number, who were nominated by the proprietor of the town, Sir Edward Denny. It now consists of about 315 burgesses and householders. The town suffered greatly in the civil wars of 1641 and 1688. Its situation on the River Lee, about a mile from Tralee Bay, is healthy and picturesque, but not well adapted for trade, as vessels above 300 tons can approach no nearer than the Samphire Islands, six miles distant. The court-house and jail form one side of a square in the centre of the town. The other public buildings are,—the church, which is a fine modern structure, two Roman Catholic chapels, the Methodist and Independent meeting-houses, the county infirmary, the new court-house, and an infantry barrack for 600 men. The remains of one of the four castles belonging to the Desmond family are still in existence. At some distance from the town is a celebrated sulphureo-chalybeate spa. The population in 1851 amounted to 9057. The next town in rank and population is Killarney, which owes its celebrity chiefly to the lakes in its neighbourhood; and there were formerly extensive iron and copper mines wrought here. Mennius states, that there were four circles of mines round this town; tin, lead, copper, and iron. Tin has not been found here in modern times. Lord Kenmare's seat is contiguous to the town. Its population is 5962. Dingle, a place of some trade, and a fishing station, contains 3262 inhabitants. The population of the other towns which have more than 1000 inhabitants each, is as follows:—Listowel, 2126; Castleisland, once the county town, but now a declining village, 1005; Tarbert, 1000; Ballylongford, a rising seaport on the Shannon, with a very improveable harbour, 1862; Cahirciveen, 1862; and Kenmare, at the head of the estuary of the same name, 1509.