At a meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held at Cork in August, 1843, the author read a paper on the Statistics of the River Blackwater, the object of which was to aid the laudable endeavours of the Earl of Mountcashel and Sir Richard Musgrave in rendering this beautiful river available for the purposes of inland navigation. The essay having met with the approval of the meeting, the author was solicited to extend his inquiries ; and, embodying the substance of the essay, to prepare the present work for the use of strangers visiting the picturesque district of the Blackwater.
Considerable encouragement was afforded him by the nobility and gentry of this country and Great Britain, in subscribing their names for copies ; and from many connected with the localities information of a very useful character has been furnished.
For the kind assistance he has generally received, the author tenders his acknowledgments. His thanks are especially due to the Rev. James Mockler
IV PREFACE.
of Rockview, and the venerable and Reverend Matthew Horgan, the parish priest of Blarney ; to his legal brethren, J. D’Alton and J. K. O’Donoghue, Esqrs., for many valuable hints ; to the Rev. Samuel Hayman for much interesting matter respecting the ancient house of Raleigh ; and to Mr. Windele of Cork for the result of his antiquarian researches.
The author more particularly acknowledges the kindness of his friend Dr. W. Cooke Taylor, in superintending the pass

blackwaterinmuns00ofla