The Irish Penny Journal, Vol. 1 No. 16, October 17, 1840

The opening pages of this historic volume whisk listeners to the rugged heart of County Clare, where the newly‑opened roads have begun to unveil a coastline praised as perhaps the most spectacular in the British Isles. Readers are introduced to the Castle and Lake of Inchiquin, set against a backdrop of mountains, lakes and craggy shores that were once inaccessible to ordinary travellers. The narrative paints a vivid picture of a landscape that, while still wild, is beginning to welcome curious eyes and eager steps.

In this early nineteenth‑century perspective, the author laments the scarcity of comfortable inns for the growing class of sightseeing tourists, while celebrating the region’s appeal to geologists, naturalists and lovers of the picturesque. He describes the limestone caverns of the To‑Mines near Kiltanan with a palpable enthusiasm that far surpasses the dry accounts of contemporary guidebooks. The tone is optimistic, suggesting that with better publicity and modest hospitality, Clare’s unique charms will soon draw even larger numbers of visitors.