AN ACCOUNT OF THE Nature, Situation, Natural Strength, and Ancient, and Modern Fortifications, of the several Cities and Garrison-Towns in IRELAND; That are still Possessed by the Forces of the Late King James; Their Distances from Dublin, and each from the other: With the several Approaches by which they may be Attacked.  
Also, a Scenographical Description of the Famous River SHANNON, On which Stands Those Two Strong Places Limmerick, and Athlone: The former of which is Besieged by His Majesty in Person, the latter by Lieutenant General Douglass.  
By an Irish Officer, who served in the Army under the Late Duke of Ormond.  
Licenced JAMES FRASER,  
LONDON, Printed for W. Bonny, and R. Hayhurst in Little-Britain. 1690.  
Price Two Pence.   

An Account of the City, Port, Garrison, and Fortifications of LIMERICK.  
THIS City is the biggest in Ireland, except Dublin; its Haven lies on the Westside of Ireland, and South of Galway; It divideth the Province of Connaught from Munster, being of a great length, no less than sixty Miles; for so far it is from the mouth of the Haven to the City of Limerick, to whose Walls Merchantmen of great Burden, or Third, and Fourth Rate Frigates may go up, without meeting with any thing else in all that way, save a number of little Isles, but not any foul Places, Rocks or Sands.  
This Harbour is nothing else but a great Lough (half way its length growing somewhat narrow, but immediately enlarging itself again into greater breadth) whereinto the River Shannon, (upon whose Banks Limerick is situated) dischargeth itself a little way below the said City; although the English and the Irish both call it the Shannon, all the way until the Sea, as it were not a Lough into which the River falleth, but the River itself thus enlarged. This City, as aforesaid, standing on the Banks of the Shannon, which encompasseth it so about that its a perfect Island, by which means its very strong by Nature; it's also Fortified with a very high strong Wall, on which are several Bastions and Redoubts; also, three spacious Gates, well-built with curious Stone, viz. St. John's Gate, St. Peter's Gate, and the Newgate.  
These Gates give the Name to the Three Principal Streets in the City, on which are good Stone-Buildings: It hath also a Castle and Bridge, viz. King's Castle, and Thomand-Bridge, Pieces of great Strength and Beauty, though very Ancient, being of the Foundation of King John, who was exceedingly delighted with the Situation. It's distant from Dublin eighty four Miles, from Cork thirty seven Miles, and from Galway thirty six.   

GALWAY.  
THE Haven of this City is the most considerable in the Province of Connaught, being a very great Bay, some Miles broad, and many more long, having in the Mouth three Islands, (called the Isles of Arran) the which lie North and South by the side of each other, there remaining the Channels for to come out of the Sea into this Bay. One Channel runeth betwixt the Land and the Northern Isle, and called therefore North-Sound: The second between the same Northern Island and the middlemost; which Channel being the most usual of the Three, is commonly styled St. Gregory's Sound; and the third between the most Southermost Island and the Mane, named South-Sound; the Channel betwixt the Southern and the middlemost Island not being passable, by reason of the Sands and Shelves, wherefore the Name of Half-Sound hath been given unto it.  
The whole North-side of this Bay is very foul with Sands and Rocks, so as one may not approach the Shoar in a great way; at the end of which Sand, and in the innermost part of the Bay, lieth a little Island, called Mutton-Island, at the East-side whereof, one may Anchor in five or six Fathoms of Water; but from thence Northwards, until the City of Galway, which is the space of two or three Miles, none but little Vessels and Barks can go, the City standing not on the Bay itself, but on a broad Water like a River, the which not far from Galway coming out of a great Lake, called Lough Corbes, dischargeth itself into the Bay a little above Mutten-Isle.  
This City is the principal of the Province of Connaught, both for Beauty, Strength and Trade; it's environed with a very strong Wall, the best in all Ireland, on which is a Counterscarp, Bastion, and other Fortifications; and it's no less strong within itself, the Houses being built very regular with Stone, with Battlements at the top, for Guns to be Planted. It's distant from Dublin eighty five Miles, and from Athlone thirty six Miles.   

ATHLONE.  
THIS Town is the greatest Pass from Dublin to Connaught, and so to Leinster: it's a place that is but small, yet of very great Strength, the River Shannon running through it, like London and Southwark; it's joined by a stately Stone-Bridge, on which are Fortifications, built at the charge of Queen Elizabeth, and repaired in the Year 1663. On that part of the Town that is in Connaught stands a great Castle, regularly Fortified according to the modern way by K. Charles the II. a little after his Restauration, with the addition of a high mud Wall round that part of the Town, and several other new Works hath been lately made here by the order of King James. It's distant from Dublin forty nine Miler.  

KINGSALE.  
THE Haven of this Town is one of the most Famousest of all Ireland; Ships of great Burden may Sail into it, keeping in the midst of the Channel, without any danger, either without, or in the Mouth of the Harbour, except a blind Rock close to the East-Point: Within the Haven, on the Westside, lieth a great Shelf, which shooteth a great way off from the Land, but leaving a very large Passage along by the side of it, in which, as in all the rest of the Harbour, it is many Fathoms deep. This Haven for some Miles goeth in N. N. East, but afterwards turneth Westward, until the Key of Kingsale, where Ships may Ride in 8 or 9 Fathoms of Water, being defended of all Winds: The Town stands upon the Mouth of the River Bany; and at some distance from it stands a curious Citadel; (which cost K. Charles the II. 80 Thousand Pound the Erecting;) it's of great Security to the Port so that no Force can attack it, either by Sea or Land, without great hazard and danger: The Town is well Fortified by Land, having a Wall, and several Works on it, but it's commanded by the adjacent Hills, particularly by one Hill that is exact against their great Fort, which renders the place uncapable of holding out a Siege. It's distant from Dublin 127 Miles, from Limerik 46.    

CORK.  
THE Haven of this City stands Ten Miles to the Eastward of Kin-sale, the which goeth in N. N. East, being within large and wide, running a great way into the Land; for the City (until whose Key this Haven is very clean and deep) is seated many miled from the Sea, and from the Mouth of the Harbour.  
The City is but small, consisting chief of one large Street, reaching out in length, but very populous: It is the only thoroughfare of all English Goods and Commodities (as they term them) namely, rich Broad , Stuffs, and Linen, Fruits, Spices, etc. Sent most commonly this way out of England, for those two remarkable Port-Towns of Limmerick and Galoway; it is Fortified with a very good Wall, and curious Stone-Bridge, on which are several Works, and being environed with Water; were it not for the Hills near it, which over looks the City, (in the same nature as at Kin-sale) it might be made a place Impregnable, but the Hills has such a command of it, that a Battery from thence, would Beat the the Town about the Ears of the Garrison: It is distant from Dublin One Hundred and Sixteen Miles, from Limmerick Thirty Six Miles.  

WATERFORD.  
THIS Haven is Situated on the Confines of Lenister and Munster, and runneth seven, or eight Miles into the Land, not Winding or Crooked, or with any great Inlets or Nooks, but almost in a straight Line (extending itself North, North-West) and in most parts of an equal Breadth, all the way Deep and Clear, having no Rocks nor Sands: Without the Harbour, it is Eleven, or Twelve Fathoms Deep; in the Mouth Seven and more; inwards Six Fathoms. Within the Esterly corner is a good Road, in Four, or Five Fathoms; and on the other, or Westerly side, Five or Six Miles from the Mouth, is an other good Road, very Commodious, as well for those Ships that go fourth, as those that will Sail upwards to Waterford. Upon the East side, about half way the length, lieth a very strong Fort and Castle, called Duncannon, (Built much in the Nature of that at Tilbury, against Graves-End) and so commandeth the Harbour, that no Ships can go up or down against the will of the Fort: This Haven in the end divideth itself into two Arms; both a great deal Inferior to the principal Harbour; The City is Situated some four or five Miles from that Division, a little below the place where the River Shower falleth into this Harbour: And though it stands at a reasonable good distance off from the Main Sea, yet Ships of the greatest Burden may safely Sail to, and Ride at Anchor before the Key thereof, the Fortifycations of this Place are not very considerable, having but an indifferent Wall round it, with a small Fort, but it's very strong by Sea, on the account of the Fort of Duncannon.   

CLONMEL.  
THIS Town is in the County of Typperary, and Situated on the River shou●e about Twenty Miles above Waterford, from whence it's Passable to it, by Vessels of small Burden; this Place is Naturally Fortified, standing on an Advantageous ground, very hard to be Attacked; besides, it's Environed with a very good Wall and Castle of great strength. This Place made a resolute Defence against Oliver Cromwell, Ano Dom. 1649. who endeavouring to get it by Storm, the Garrison beat his Soldiers twice from the Breaches, and at last Surrendered on Honourable Conditions, it's Sixty Six Miles from Dublin.   

The River SHANNON.  
BEsides the excessive number of Brooks, wherewith Ireland is Watered; it hath a great many Rivers, the which being Broader and Deeper than the Brooks, are consequently navigable; althô the Major part are not portable of any great Ships, but only of small Vessels.  
The principalest of all is the Shannon, who taking her original out of Lough- Allen, and in her course dividing the Province of Connaught from Leinster, and afterwards also from Munster, passeth through two other great Loughs, to wit, Lough- Ree, whereout she cometh just above Athlone, and Lough- Dergh, about halfway betwixt Athlone and Limerick; and a little below the said Town, she dischargeth herself again into another Lough, by far the biggest of all, the which extending itself from Limerick into the Sea, which is 60 Miles. And above 60 Miles from Athlone it is held by the Irish, as well as the English, not for a Lough, but for the Shannon itself; so that its whole length is 120 Miles.  
This River is wide and deep every where, so as she would be Navigable in her whole length, not only with small Vessels, but with Ships of large Burden, to the great advantage of them that inhabit next it, were it not for the impediment of a certain Rock within 8 Miles of Athlone, the which standeth a cross in the Channel, and the River with great violence falling downwards over it, all communication of Navigation betwixt the upper and lower parts of it is thereby absolutely hindered. It was proposed to the Earl of Stafford, when Lord Deputy, by certain Dutch Ingineers, That for the Sum of 8000 l. Sterling, they would in that place cut a new Channel, A Sum not very considerable, in comparison of the great profit which afterwards would have accrued from that Work; but the Rebellion ensuing, it was never taken in hand to this day.  
But it's now hoped, that upon the happy Settlement of the Kingdom of Ireland, under the Benign Government of Their August Majesties, King William and Queen Mary, this advantageous Work may be performed.   
FINIS.   

CAtastrophe Galliae, & Hiberniae Restitutio. An Impartial Judgement, Denoting the Reduction of Ireland this Revolution 90. (ending March the 10th. 1691.) Also, The Conquering of Lewis the XIV. present King of France, by His Sacred Majesty King WILLIAM the III. in a few Years. Prophetically deduced from the Characters of Heaven.  
Printed for Tho. Howkins in George-Yard in Lombardstreet, and are to be Sold by R. Baldwin in the Old-Bayly, 1690.