588 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



barony of Erris, county Mayo. It was at first intended that only the 

 Parish of Kilmore, including the peninsula known as the Mullet (or 

 Erris proper) and the Inishkea Islands should he undertaken, hut 

 unusual facilities for working the isolated district of Portacloy 

 presenting themselves, it also was included in the inquiry. 



The circumstances under which the work was carried on differed 

 considerably from those experienced on the two previous occasions, the 

 field being wider and the people more scattered ; but the same methods 

 were adhered to as far as possible, and this report has been drawn up 

 on the same lines as its predecessors, in order to facilitate comparison 

 and reference. 



II. — Physiogkaphy. 



The district dealt with in this Paper consists of two distract localities, 

 one clearly defined, the parish of Kilmore, the other more indefinite in 

 its boundaries, being a tract of wild mountainous country around the 

 little hamlet of Portacloy ; both form part of the barony of Erris, in 

 the extreme north-west of the Co. Mayo. 



Kilmore includes the Mullet peninsula, the inhabited islands of 

 North and South Inishkea, Duvillaun and Eagle Island, and a consider- 

 able number of uninhabited islets, the most remarkable of which is 

 Inisglora (Inis Gluaire). The Mullet, or Erris proper, is a long 

 narrow strip of land, nearly cut off from the mainland, as it is bounded 

 on the east or landward side by Broadhaven and the magnificent Bay 

 of Blacksod, some forty-five square miles in area, the only connection 

 with the rest of Erris being by a narrow isthmus, about 200 yards in 

 width. The peninsula runs nearly north and south ; its extreme 

 length is about fifteen miles, and its width varies from about seven 

 miles in the northern part to less than half a mile near its southern 

 extremity. The total area of the parish, including the islands, is 

 29,492 acres, or about 46 square miles. 



The coast line, in the northern portion, consists mainly of high 

 cliffs, indented by deep coves with precipitous and often overhanging 

 walls, and in places pierced by caves and natural bridges. This pre- 

 cipitous coast extends from Broadhaven, on the north-east, round to 

 Annagh Head on the west, a distance, following the coast line, of 

 about thirty miles, the cliffs rising in many places to above 300 feet, 

 and affording only three inlets of any size. Blind Harbour, on the 

 north (200 acres in area, nearly all dry at low water), and Frenchport 

 and Scotchport on the west, the others are either inaccessible from the 

 land side or only practicable for curraghs. Erris Head forms the 



