4^8 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



KENMARE. 



The second triennial Conference and Excursion of the Irish 

 Field Club Union, took place at Kenmare, and occupied from 

 the 7th to the 13th July. 



This re-union was in every way most successful, and 

 important results followed, of which full particulars are given 

 in the report published in the Irish Naturatist, Vol. VIL, No. 

 9, September, 1898. 



30 July. 

 BARNEY'S POINT. 



It will be admitted that there is not much poetry in the 

 above title, and yet it is sufficient to excite the imagination of 

 the thoughtful naturalist and to call forth images of interesting 

 scenes and strange forms of animals and plants that millions of 

 years ago flourished in our locality. Barney's Point is not an 

 argumentative idea ; it is a positive reality, a place, the happy 

 hunting ground of geologists for many years. 



The first field meeting of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club 

 was held here more than thirty-five years ago ! Until then 

 Barney's Point was scarcely known ; since then it has been 

 frequently visited, and always with interest. We paid our first 

 visit in 1863, going by Ballycarry Station, and as our party of 

 over eighty members and friends walked from Ballycarry to 

 Barney's Point a gentleman who resided on Islandmagee met 

 us, and, recognising one of our party — a friend of his — asked 

 where such a lot of people were going. His friend replied, ''We 

 are going to the Lias." "The Lias!" he exclaimed. Why, I 

 know Islandmagee well, and I assure you there is no such place 

 as the Lias, so there must be some mistake." His interest, 

 however, was at once secured when our conductor explained 

 that our object was to visit and explore an outcrop of the Liassic 

 geological formation that occurred at that portion of Island- 



