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| RATHDRUM, COUNTY WICKLOW.-This handsome village stands on an elevation which overlooks the silvery Avonmore river, at some distance above its confluence with the Avonbeg, in the Vale of Avoca. It is situated within the boundaries of the Earl Fitzwilliam's estate, and is one of the most noted stations on the Dublin, Wicklow and Wexford railway. It is a favorite abiding place of the numerous summer tourists attracted to the Avonmore by the magic of Moore's deathless melody. Notwithstanding adverse criticism of this poet in the matter of his alleged lack of virile descriptiveness his songs have done more to celebrate the varied scenery of Ireland than all those of his, perhaps, more vigorous rivals combined; and County Wicklow, in particular, should remember him with gratitude for what he has done for Avoca and Glendalough. Rathdrum can hardly be called a meodious or, at least, euphonious name. It is derived from "rath," a Gaelic form of fort, usually applied to the so called Danish fortifications, and "drum," a long hill. Avoca-more properly Ovoca-is from the Greek Oboka which according to Joyce appears in Ptolemy's work on European names of places, with map-Mercator's edition, 1605. The Irish form is Avonmore which means "great river." |
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