1876-77.] 227 



the cliff, leaped across the chasm, and so made his escape. The 

 cliffs at the upper end of the glen are completely covered with 

 ferns, amongst which may be seen magnificent specimens of Poly- 

 podium Hibernicum. Much has been done by judicious care and 

 taste to preserve the natural beauties of the place, the idea having 

 evidently been, not to supplant nature by art, but rather to aid 

 and assist her in her own direction, and to propagate and protect 

 the rarer plants which have their habitat here. 



In addition to its picturesque beauties, Redhall is interesting 

 on account of the historical associations connected with it. 

 Situated close to the territory formerly occupied by the Mac- 

 donnells of the " Glynns," who long strove with the English for the 

 possession of the north-east of Ulster, this neighbourhood has 

 been the scene of many sanguinary engagements, notably that on the 

 4th November, 1597, when "James MacSorley Macdonnell (son 

 of the celebrated Sorley Boy) came near this place (Carrickfergus) 

 daring the garrison ; when Sir John Chichester, Governor, marched 

 out to attack the enemy with such troops of the garrison as could 

 be spared. On this movement Macdonnell retreated, and Sir 

 John, in the pursuit, fell into an ambuscade placed in the glen of 

 Altfrakyn (the Old Mill Glen). The party were instantly sur- 

 rounded, and nearly cut to pieces; and Sir John, being taken 

 prisoner, was beheaded by Macdonnell on a stone near i The 

 Glynn'" (M'Skimin, Hist, of Carrickfergus). As to the precise 

 locality of the battle authors slightly differ, another stating that 

 the engagement took place prope vadum ac tumulum — i.e., near 

 to a ford and a mound. This would indicate that the scene of 

 the fight was at the lower end of the demesne, and close to the 

 shore of Larne Lough, where, as has already been stated, the 

 remains of the ford still exist, and where also the entire mound 

 may yet be seen. 



The geology of the district would repay a careful examination, 

 indeed, the glen contains an almost complete epitome of the geo- 



