1902-1903.] 79 



yew at Crom." The pleached yew-tree bower stands close to 

 the other, and is probably as old. This yew has been trained 

 into an arbour or bower " with seats beneath the shade," now 

 represented by a few stones. The branches have been so inter- 

 twined (they are now intergrafted in many places) as to re- 

 mind one of the old Celtic interlaced work of other days, and 

 the result is one of the most remarkable examples of the 

 "pleached bower " to be seen in Ireland. The water valerian 

 was common, with great masses of meadowsweet and purple 

 loose-strife. 



Proceeding to Crom Pier, the party embarked on the s.s. 

 Belturbet, kindly placed at their disposal by Miss Porter, of 

 Bellisle, a member of the Dublin Club. An hour's steaming 

 down the lake provided an ever-varying panorama of island 

 and water, till we reached Knockninny Pier. Here we landed 

 to allow time for collecting. Some of the more energetic 

 climbed Knockninny Hill in the expectation of finding newly- 

 unearthed antiquities in the cairn on the summit. On the 

 ascent, the butterfly orchid was found in great plenty. On 

 the summit Mr. Thomas Plunkett, M.R.I. A., of Enniskillen, 

 was waiting us, having been engaged all morning directing 

 operations of excavating the cairn in the expectation of having 

 an exhibit of antiquities in situ for the benefit of the Club. 

 Though all our expectations were not realised in this respect, 

 we yet found much to discuss, and expect that more extended 

 excavations will add another record to the many finds made by 

 Mr. Plunkett in the district. From the top of the hill we 

 got an extensive view of the Upper Lough Erne and the 

 district that was to be the scene of excursions on the following 

 days. 



Knockninny, according to tradition, derives its name from 

 St. Ninny's connection with the place. He was of the race of 

 Niall of the Nine Hostages, a pupil of St. Finnian of Clonard, 

 and Bishop of Inis-Muighe-Samh (the island of the plain of 

 the sorrel), in Lower Lough Erne. From the number of 

 cairns on the summit of the hill, as well as from the traditions 

 connected with the name, the place must have been a centre 

 of some importance in the olden times. 



