[ ^83 ] 



IX. 



THE MAEBLE AECH CAVES, COUNTY FERMANAGH: 

 MAIN STEEAM SEEIES. 



By HAEOLD BEODEICK, M.A., F.G.S. 

 Plate XII. 



Eead February 8. Ordered for Piiblication February 10. Published April 24, 1909. 



The caves in the Count}^ Eermanagh, in the demesne of Florencecourt, 

 although well known locally, seem to have attracted no wider notice until the 

 visit of M. E. A. Martel in 1897. In that year, in the course of a journey 

 through the British Isles, during which he explored and surveyed a large 

 number of caves, he, in company with Dr. H. Lyster Jameson, spent two days 

 at the Marble Arch caves. Considering the short amount of time at his 

 disposal, and the smallness of his party, he did exceedingly good work, but 

 admitted that he had not completed the exploration. He also states, in his 

 book, " Irlande et Cavernes Anglaises," that the lengths in his surveys were 

 largely obtained by pacing distances. 



After a period of ten years from his exploration, a party, several members 

 of which had had much experience of cave exploration in England, spent 

 Whitsuntide, 1907, in Fermanagh, carefully going over the ground previously 

 covered by M. Martel. They explored the caves in the neighbourhood of 

 Boho,^ some ten miles to the north, and also spent two days at Marble Arch. 

 In 1908 the same party, augumented by others, spent Easter at Blacklion, 

 and devoted their whole time to the Marble Arch caves. The work described 

 in the following pages was carried out by the members working collectively 

 or singly, according to circumstances ; and for the surveys and maps they are 

 jointly responsible. 



The following were members of the party in both years : — Dr. Chas. A. 

 Hill, E. Lloyd Praeger, and the writer. E. A. Baker was with the party m 1907. 

 In 1908 Drs. H. Bassett, A. Eule, and W. L. Hicks joined the party. 

 Mr. Andy Bowles, the head-keeper to the Earl of Enniskillen, was with the 

 party on both occasions, and rendered much assistance in numerous ways. 



^ Yorkshire Eamblers' Club Journal, vol.ii., p. 291. 

 R. I. A. PROC, VOL. XXVII., SECT. B. [2 E] 



