1915-16.} 2 I 5 



proudly and tenaciously to their rights and privileges therein. If 

 one of these were asked where he hopes to lie when gathered to 

 his fathers he would doubtless reply promptly, " Oh, in Magher- 

 nagaw, where they bury no ' strangers.' " This lingering tradition 

 concerning "strangers" is embodied curiously in some of the 

 place-names of this south-western corner of the county. Gawley's 

 Gate, for example, would appear to indicate the Gall's Gate — that 

 is the gate or entrance of the " stranger " or " foreigner." From 

 the researches carried out by the late Dr. Hume and others it is 

 clear that the Plantation settlers in this part of County Antrim, 

 embracing the parishes of Aghagallon, Ballinderry, and Glenavy, 

 were mainly of English origin, and who consequently came to be 

 spoken of by the Irish-speaking natives of their day simply as 

 Galls, "strangers," or "foreigners." 



Gawley's Gate, on the very verge of Lough Neagh, is about 

 two miles due west of Ballinderry, and a mile or so south-west of 

 Portmore Lough or Lough Beg, where the original church of 

 Portmore, associated with the ministry of the celebrated Jeremy 

 Taylor, is located. The members dismounted on arriving at the 

 residence of Mr. David Mairs, Gawley's Gate, and immediately 

 betook themselves to the lake shore, there to pursue their various 

 scientific pursuits and hobbies. The weather conditions were 

 ideal, and the waters of the lake a beautiful sight. Just north of 

 Gawley's Gate is the Selshan (Soilesean — the " illumination," 

 " light," or " lantern "), a name which seems to indicate that at 

 the spot in early times was a ford or bridge, where a light of some 

 kind was displayed for the use and guidance of those who were 

 travelling by night. The whole neighbourhood still abounds in 

 bogs and marshes ; and the only road at the place two or three 

 centuries ago may have been a track on the sandy and gravelly 

 raised beach, which forms an almost continuous escarpment to 

 the lake shore. North of Selshan was Lord Conway's great deer 

 park, which contained about 1,000 acres. The lower part of it, 

 occupying the promontory to the north-west of Selshan Bay is 

 known as the Hog Park. The shores are here well wooded, and 



