A Cruise Round the Irish Coast 19 



most favourable. Fair Head is always a most striking object on 

 the Northern coast, and looked very fine on this occasion. The 

 headlands of the Causeway soon came into sight, and an extremely 

 fine view of it was obtained, as well as of the White Rocks towards 

 Portrush. After passing quite close to the well-known Northern 

 watering-place, the vessel steamed straight for Malin Head, the 

 most Northern portion of Irish land. There is always, even on 

 the calmest day, a jumble in the water between the Island of 

 Innishtrahull and Malin Head, and the present was no exception. 

 We soon entered Lough Swilly and got into quiet water, anchor- 

 ing close to the little town of Buncrana. It was a lovely moonlight 

 night, and a large number, after dinner, landed to inspect the town 

 of Buncrana, which is a charming little watering-place, with good 

 golf ground, connected with Londonderry by rail, from which it is 

 distant about 15 miles. The castle of Sir Cahir O'Doherty is the 

 principal object of interest at Buncrana. Sir Cahir was a notable 

 personage in Innishowen in the days of good Queen Bess, and 

 his castle and grounds are now owned by Mr. Richardson, of 

 Belfast. Lough Swilly is notable in Irish history as the place 

 from which the Earls took their flight from Ireland — viz., Tyrone, 

 and O'Donnell. It was also from here that young Hugh 

 O'Donnell was enticed aboard an English merchant ship, and 

 conveyed a hostage to Dublin Castle, from which he afterwards 

 escaped. The scenery of Lough Swilly is very fine, high moun- 

 tains surrounding it on all sides, and the entrance and some of 

 the islands are strongly fortified, so that it can be used as a naval 

 base in time of war. 



We left Lough Swilly early on the morning of Wednesday, 

 22nd, for a very long sail — viz., for Blacksod Bay on the coast 

 of Mayo. A delightful view of the coast of Donegal was 

 obtained, also of Horn Head, and on to Torry Island, on which, 

 however, we did not land, having visited it before. A view of 

 ever varying beauty was unfurled as the vessel's course lay along 

 the indented coast of Donegal, passing Glen Head, and reaching 

 Slieve Liag, to which we approached very closely, and a fine view 



