170 LVwc. U.N.E.C, 



melite Order, and to the west of it stood the castle of the 

 MacSwyne-na-Fanait. This little harbour has had an event- 

 ful history, and is one of the most interesting spots in all 

 Donegal. In 1587 the celebrated kidnapping of Hugh 

 Roe O'Donnell took place here. Treacherously trapped by 

 Captain Birmingham, Hugh Roe was taken to Dublin Castle, 

 from whence he escaped in 1591. The story of his capture, 

 escape, chief tancy, victories, and miserable ending in 1602 has 

 recently been told in vivid language by Standish O'Grady. 

 By way of reprisal for the many raids of Red Hugh, George 

 Bingham, son of the Governor of Connaught, sailed down 

 Lough Swilly and plundered the Abbey of RathmuUan in 

 1595. But the most dramatic event that took place here was 

 the " Flight of the Earls " in 1607. 



A steamer from RathmuUan brought the party to the Derry 

 side of the Lough, and a special train conveyed all to London- 

 derry, where the home train was taken at 6 p.m. Dinner 

 was served as soon as the train started, after which the 

 members adjourned to a reserved saloon; and after a most 

 enjoyable run Belfast was reached, and the "Long" excursion 

 was a thing of the past, but it will be many a long year 

 before its memories fade away from those who partook of its 

 pleasures and its work. The Club desires to record its deep 

 obligations to the Belfast and Northern Counties Railway 

 and the Letterkenny Railway Company for their courtesy, 

 attention, and willing assistance extended to it. 



The district visited proved very rich in fern life, Cratlagh 

 Wood in particular being found most prolific in this section 

 of our flora; here that rare species the Hay-scented Fern 

 (Lastrea cemula) was observed growing in profusion along 

 with luxuriant specimens of many of our commoner species, 

 some of which, as the Hard Fern {Blechnum spicant), yielded 

 to our collectors fronds of bifid and other varieties, while 

 specimen fronds of the common Bracken (Pteris aquilina) 

 proved to measure upwards of six feet in length. In the 

 neighbourhood of our Hotel the Moonwort (Bofrycium lunaria) 

 Avas collected, and that local species the Black-stalked Spleen- 



