A Tour in Ireland

Young, Arthur, a distinguished agriculturist, was born at Bradfield, Yorkshire, 7th September 1741. He wrote accounts of several tours of observation in different parts of Europe, and is regarded as one of the highest authorities upon the social and agricultural condition of Ireland in the latter half of the 18th century. Between the years 1776 and 1779 he travelled in a chaise 2,300 miles through the country, and from 1777 to 1779 managed the estates of Viscount Kingsborough in the County of Cork. He held the clearest and soundest opinions upon political science. His Tour in Ireland, with General Observations on the present state of that Kingdom, made in the Years 1776,1777, and 1778, and brought down to the end of 1779, was first published, in one volume, in 1780. It is more generally to be met with in two volumes. The first is occupied with his tour through Ireland in the autumn of 1776. A few pages of the second volume are devoted to tours in 1777 and 1778, the remainder being devoted to "Observations on the preceding intelligence". There are several interesting plates of scenery, and one giving a shocking picture of "an Irish cabbin". He accurately describes the system of farming in different parts of the country, and specifies the rents and wages; states the condition of roads and public works, and makes judicious comments upon all matters within the scope of his observation. He was not indifferent to natural scenery, and was specially delighted with Lough Erne and Killarney.