1917 - 18 ' 337 



DOWNPATRICK. 



The sixth excursion of the season was held on 28th July, 

 when thirty members and friends travelled by the 10-50 a.m. 

 train to Downpatrick en route for Struell Wells and Sleive-na- 

 Griddle. Messrs. W. B. Burrowes and R. May were the 

 conductors. A pleasant walk of two miles brought the party to 

 St. Patrick's Holy Wells at Struell {struther, a stream), once a 

 famous resort of pilgrims. A clear stream which flows down a 

 little valley supplies the water. Wells have been dug along its 

 course and covered in by stone-built huts. The ruin of an 

 -ancient church beside the wells was dedicated to St. Patrick ; it 

 was repaired in 1750, but never completed. The lands of the 

 stream were conferred by Bishop Malachie in 1178 on the Abbey 

 of Down. Harris, writing in 1744, says — "Vast throngs of rich 

 and poor resort on Midsummer Eve and the Friday before 

 Lammas, some in hopes of obtaining health and others to perform 

 penance." The hill beside the wells, on top of which were a 

 number of stones, known as St. Patrick's Chair, was resorted to 

 by the latter. Pilgrims came from all parts of Ireland, also from 

 France and Spain. Utter neglect is now a prominent feature of 

 the historic spot. A walk of one mile further brought the party 

 to Sleive-na-Griddle (the mountain of the griddle), 414 feet in 

 height. On the summit a cromleac formerly existed ; all that 

 now remains is the top stone. From the summit a delightful 

 view is had of the beautiful land chosen by St. Patrick for the 

 early part of his mission. At the foot of Sleive-na-Griddle and 

 close to the roa ^ide are the remains of a stone circle of pre- 

 historic times. By and near the roadsides the botanists reported 

 noting the following of our less common plants: — Papaver dubiuni, 

 Pimpinella Saxifraga, Linaria vulgaris and Lamium album ; and 

 also white variet'es of Prunella vulgaris, Bartsia Odontites, and 

 Carduus pc A t Lough Money were noted : — Nyi7iph<za 



alba, Nup >:m agrarium (near the north-w r est end 



of the lough — d Aumifusu/n, Apium inundation, Sium 



