282 [p roc . B.N.F.C., 



had the pleasure of thanking the Rev. W. Kilbride, the rector 

 of Aran, and the Rev. Father Colgan and his curate for 

 their guiding care and the valuable information they so freely 

 bestowed. 



After lunch the members visited Teampul Benan, on the 

 southern end of the island, where the site of an abbey and the 

 base of a round tour was passed. It was from the materials of 

 this abbey and tower that Cromwell built the great fort still 

 standing on guard at Killeany Harbour. A fair sea was 

 running to the west of the island, dashing against the jagged 

 rocks ; still the curraghs of the bold islanders were seen here 

 and there amidst the waves toiling for fish as if in smooth 

 water. 



The party set off on their return journey stored with a 

 miscellaneous mass of information on manners and customs, 

 botany, geology, scenery, and antiquities, of the like of which 

 few on board had ever the smallest conception, and regretting 

 only that there was not twice or three times the amount of 

 time to spend in this unique and fascinating country. Galway 

 was reached at eleven o'clock, and everyone retired soon, as 

 next morning an early start was to be made. 



Breakfast over, on Tuesday the 9.10 train for Oughterard 

 was taken, and after a short journey brakes were mounted at 

 that station and the majority made their way to a beautiful 

 spot on the shores of Lough Corrib, near Cam Seefin, which 

 was to be the rendezvous for the day. 



A party of geologists, however, under the leadership of R. J. 

 Kirwan, spent a couple of hours at the interesting section in 

 the railway cutting just beyond Oughterard. This and the 

 other new cuttings have been carefully described in a recent 

 number of the Irish Naturalist. The extraordinary variety of 

 rocks, including carboniferous limestone, quartzite, granite, 

 hornblende schist, and other rocks, gave one a wonderful 

 insight into the amount of contortion, upheaval, and general 

 metamorphosis through which even this one little section has 

 passed. Later in the day the lead and copper mines were 





