A Cruise Round the Irish Coast. 



23 



only occupiers besides the birds being three lighthouse keepers. 

 The smaller Skellig was white as snow with the birds, which are 

 very tame, and would sit on the rock till touched. 



We rejoined the ship, happily without accident, and the visit to 

 the Skelligs terminated. Many were disappointed at not landing, 

 but that could not be helped. We continued our course, and 

 entered Bantry Bay, one of the finest, if not the very finest, in the 

 United Kingdom, and sailed past Beare Island, anchoring close 

 to Glengarriff. The Channel Fleet was lying at anchor in the 

 bay — some ten vessels — as we passed, which added very much 

 to the effect, combined with the splendid scenery. 



On Tuesday morning we left Bantry Bay, calling at Clear 

 Island, and afterwards at Baltimore, the great fishing village of the 

 South. On an island here is Sherkin Abbey, built for the Fran- 

 ciscan Order. We left Baltimore for Cork Harbour, which we 

 reached after a fine sail along the South Coast, in the track of the 

 American liners, one of which we passed. We stayed at Queens- 

 town for the night, and left the following morning, calling at 

 Ardmore, in County Waterford, to visit the ecclesiastical an- 

 tiquities of that well-known place — viz., round tower, ancient 

 church, and 15th century cathedral, holy well, &c. We next 

 called at Bag-in-Bun, in County Wexford, the spot where the 

 Anglo-Normans first landed in Ireland, and after examining the 

 earthworks supposed to have been made by Raymond-le-Gros, we 

 proceeded to Kingstown, which was reached as the clock at the 

 harbour was striking 9-0 p.m., the hour arranged in our pro- 

 • gramme before we started. The English and Welsh visitors 

 remained on the " Magic," which proceeded direct to Liverpool, 

 and the others proceeded homewards by rail. Thus ended the 

 most delightful cruise that the Society have so far carried out. 



