CHAPTER IV.

DONEGAL.

Pilgrimage to Patrick's Purgatory-Departure from Convoy-Gap of Bearnosmore-Magnificent Defile-Old Fortification-Residence of Rapin the Historian-Dreary Moorland Journey-Arrival at Lough Erne-Characteristics of that Lake-Legend concerning its Orgin-What St. Columbkill did for it-Ruined Castle-Story concerning the Ghost of an old Buccaneer, its Builder-Arrival at Petigo-Character of its Inn-The Colonel and Attorney-The Host and Hostess-Departure for Patrick's Purgatory in Lough Derg-Account of my Guide-First sight of Lough DergContrast between Lough Erne and it-Account of my Ferryman- Arrival at Purgatory-Pilgrims-Their Numbers-The profit arising from them-Forbearance of the Landlord of Purgatory-Modern and ancient Descrip. tion of this noted Place-Uprooting of Purgatory in 1632-Change of its Position in latter times-Why removed-Legend of Lough Derg before St. Patrick-Fin M'Coul and the hag with the Finger-Fin M'Coul's Militia-St. Patrick and the blatant Beast-Legend of the origin of Fin M'Coul's bravery and wisdom.

BEFORE I left Donegal, I was determined to make a pilgrimage to purgatory, in the far-famed island in Lough Derg. So leaving my hospitable friend's house at Convoy, and proceeding through Stranorlar and Ballybofey, I ascended into a wild moorland, dreary and desolate in the extreme, and approaching the gap of Bearnosmore, one of the most magnificent defiles any where to be seen. A chain of lofty mountains extends nearly at right angles from the great

112

GAP OF BEARNOSMORE.

into

ranges that defend the north-western coast from the Atlantic, and runs forward into the county of Tyrone. Through this chain, which is very precipitous, and almost inaccessible, nature has cut this extraordinary gap, and through it a very level road leads you the low country bordering on the bay of Donegal— on either side the mountain rose abrupt and almost perpendicular. It was a grey cold morning in September when I passed through: a fog rather than a Icloud had wreathed itself around the heads of the hills, and left you to guess at their elevations. The water-worn chasms that were channelled in the sides of the mountain to the right and left were now dry and black-the heath was in its autumnal bloom, and the yellow-flowered furze flaunted around in its unprofitable gaiety, and here and there a stunted oak or birch gave sufficient vegetation to the Alpine picture to make it sublime without being desolate. There was a stream, or rather a strand of one, (for the weather was very dry,) winding through a defile; but there was sufficient evidence what a torrent it must be, after autumnal or wintry rains. Oh! how I wished, even at the expense of a thorough wetting, to go through this pass after a fall of rain-to see

BARNSMORE GAP.

113

many cataracts tumbling headlong on either sideto hear the rush of the river, the roar of waterfalls, and moanings of the mountain blast-realizing the poet's description, when

Red came the river down,

And loud and long the angry spirit of the waters shrieked.

Just at the northern entrance of the

pass you

observe

a square sort of castellated ruin on a position commanding the defile. It was erected in King James's war, and here it is said that Rapin, one of those French Huguenots who did William such good military service, and who have been beneficial to every country where they took refuge-here it is said this honest and impartial historian compiled his voluminous history.* But no matter when the grey and massy walls of this old fort were built, or who were its successive keepers; the defile itself has seen many a warrior and many a plunderer pass for battle or for prey, through its open mouth. Often through it have the clans of O'Neill and O'Donnell rushed to join Maguire of Fermanagh, in attacking the English for

* I have since heard that there is no foundation whatsoever for this tradition. 1839.

114

A BATTLING BISHOP.

tresses on the Shannon, or in spreading desolation over the plains of Sligo and Roscommon; through this pass Ebher M'Mahon, the popish bishop and general, led the victorious veterans* of Benburb to fight the Cromwellians at Letterkenny, when with sword in one hand, and breviary in the other, he headed his men to the charge, and fought for, and lost his cause and his life. Through this pass the brave Enniskilleners in King William's wars held communication with their fellow-sufferers and fellowconquerors of Derry. But enough of wild, desultory, and misery-working war has this mountain gap witnessed. I trust it may yet be put to the more peaceful use of facilitating commerce between the north and west, and that through it a rail-road will run from Derry to Sligo. So to proceed. I shall not

* Owen Roe O'Neal defeated the parliamentary Scotch forces at Benburb, with the loss of 3200 men, with all their artillery and baggage: Monroe, the Scotch general, fled without hat, wig, or coat. Owen Roe's army was all composed of old Irish Macs and O's. The Papal Nuncio Rinuncini, writing to Rome an account of this victory, announces, "that the army of your HOLINESS has obtained in Ulster, a signal victory, with the slaughter of almost the whole of the Puritan forces."Curious perversion of words: a thing called a HOLINess, committing slaughter on a thing called a PURITAN.

detain you, gentle reader, with an account of my journey from Barnsmore to Petigo, in the vicinity of which lies Lough Derg. I shall, briefly, say that except about the town of Donegal, the country is dreary and desolate in the extreme; I have seldom travelled in a more uninteresting extent of moorland, than what lies here in all its solitariness before you ; but when you descend within two miles of this latter village, the road falls towards Lough Erne, and you get a very noble and extended view of this fine lake, which is more expanded here, and less beset with islands than elsewhere. The great fault of Upper Lough Erne is, that it is too much incumbered with hilly islands, so as to give you rather the idea of a hill country, with its low lands flooded, than of a broad sweeping expanse of lake. Indeed the ancient tradition is, that such was the origin of Lough Erne. Giraldus Cambrensis, with his usual gravity and attention to truth, assures us that this district of country was inhabited by a people that became fearfully and incorrigibly vicious-so much so, that Sodom would have blushed at the deeds they perpetrated, and therefore the Sovereign Judge of the earth decided that this land, so defiled,