Above: View in Connaugh

Connaught comprises that part of Ireland west of the Shannon, south of Ulster, and north of Munster. Its shores, which are much broken, are washed by the Atlantic Ocean. A great part of its surface is wild and rugged; farming is in a very backward state; and the people often suffer from famine. It contains five counties.

County Leitrim touches the coast at Donegal Bay. It is almost cut into two parts by Lough Alien, a widening of the river Shannon. It is a mountainous county, containing many high peaks.

Carrick-on-Shannon, the county town, is a busy river-port, with a large trade in grain and dairy produce. It is the only town of any size in the county.

County Sligo lies south of Donegal Bay and west of Leitrim. The coast is broken by Sligo Bay, which opens eastward, and branches into three inlets. It contains many beautiful lakes, some of which almost equal the Lakes of Killarney in beauty.

Sligo, on Sligo Bay, is the county town. It has considerable trade, and exports cattle. Here are the ruins of Sligo Abbey. The country around the Atlantic coast is very beautiful.

County Mayo is a large county, forming the western shoulder of Ireland. Here the waves of the Atlantic have broken and pierced the rocky coast, which forms some of the grandest sea-cliffs in Ireland. Some of the inlets are almost land-locked by jutting headlands or islands, which here are very numerous. The chief coast features are Achil Head, on Achil Island, and Clew Bay.

Among the mountains of Mayo are Croagh Patrick and Mount Nephin, both of which are near the coast. The lakes of Mayo have never been counted, they are so many in number. Lough Conn is one of the largest and finest in Ireland.

Castlebar, on the river Castlebar, is the county town. Westport, on Clew Bay, is a sea-side watering-place. A mountain stream runs through the middle of the town to the bay. Ballina, on the Moy, has a corn and provision trade.