The principal seats are Malin Hall, the residence of J. Harvey, Esq., J.P. It is situated on the edge or shore of Strabreagy, in a beautifully planted and well-wooded demesne. Rockfort, the residence of the Rev. J. Canning; Gorey Lodge, and Drumaville House, the residence of J. M'Sheffry, Esq. There are National Schools at Malin, Urblereigh, Malin Head, Keenagh, Gorey, Aughaclay, and Cookinny. There are stations of the constabulary and coastguards at Malin Head.

From the "Ulster Visitation Book" it appears that in 1622 Edward Boucher was minister of Cloncha. He is said to be "an honest man, but no licensed preacher ; fit, however, to catechise, and speak and read Irish, and sufficient for a parish wholly speaking Irish.”

CHAPTER XIV.

Culdaff.

The parish of Culdaff is bounded on the west and south by Cloncha, Donagh, and Upper Moville; on the east by Lower Moville, and on the north-east by the Atlantic. It is six miles distant from the town of Moville. The population in 1861 was 4,895. It contains 20,089 acres; but nearly two-thirds of the entire are mountain and bog. The highest mountain is Croagh, at Glengad; and then follow Carthage, Clonkeen, and Crucanoneen. These ridges are covered with bog, over which grows heath or coarse grass. Limestone is abundant in Gleneely; this name itself implies the glen or vale of lime. Much of it is raised and burned here, and carted off to Clonmany, Donagh, Buncrana, &c., where it is sold for building purposes. At Dunmore there exists a very fine quarry of clayslate, from which flagstones, lintels, headstones, and gravestones of best quality, and of a hard and fine-grained texture are obtained. The land is chiefly cold, but in some parts, as in the neighbourhood of Cashell, Baskill, Kindroyhead, and Tierawee, much improved by cultivation. In the several bogs fir and oak, in a good state of preservation, are found embedded. The moorland extends westward to Malin, surrounding, as it approaches the head of Strabreagy, small elevated knolls, known as the "Isles of Grellagh," in the parish of Cloncha; and it is surmised that the sea once flowed around these "islands," as marine exuviae are found beneath the bog. Compare what has

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been said regarding Strabreagy where turf bog exists, in deep and extensive beds, beneath the sand and gravel.

There is a considerable indentation of the ocean of a semicircular form, known as Culdaff Bay, on the boundary of this parish. It is bounded on the north by the rocky promontory of Carthage, and on the opposite side is Redford; between these two points is an extensive sandy beach, composed of coarse red sand, largely intermixed with powdered shells, corals, &c. The big green waves roll in magnificently along this strand, and from its sheltered situation is regarded by many as a favourite bathing place. The bathers sometimes amuse themselves by crouching on the sand and allowing wave after wave to roll en masse over them, but unless they are expert swimmers this is rather a dangerous experiment, for sometimes the water, when returning, carries them back along with it. Some years ago a Catholic clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Clarke, I believe, was drowned while bathing here.

Through this bay the locality enjoys a good position for earrying on a coasting trade, but little or nothing is done in the way. On the margin of the bay, and about half way between its two extreme points, stands the village of Culdaff, through which the principal river of the parish flows, and then, winding through sand banks, slowly enters the sea. Trout and salmon of first quality are taken in this river, and for that purpose it is much frequented by anglers. At Moneydarragh is a small lake where trout of the Alpine species are obtained in considerable quantities.

The principal seats are Culdaff House, the residence of G. Young, Esq., J.P. It stands in a highly improved, wellwooded, and well-cultivated demesne, adjacent to the village; Carthage House, Redford, Grousehall, and Kindroyhead House.

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The village of Culdaff contains about 35 houses, and, as already stated, is situated on the river near the head of the bay. Fairs for the sale of cattle, sheep, and pigs, are held in it on the 10th of February, May, August, and November. remarkable circumstance about these fairs is, that from time immemorial the days on which they fell have almost invariably happened to be wet. The village has a Penny Post-office, and is the terminus of the mail car which passes through Moville from Derry. There are also in it a Constabulary Barrack and Dispensary, but they belong, as does the parish, to the Petty

Sessions district of Malin, where the courts are always held. There is also a Loan Fund in the village of Culdaff.

On the leading road from Carn to Moville, which intersects this parish, and about half way between them, a road turns off to the north leading to the village of Culdaff. This is the mail car line. The point of junction with the Moville road is called Dristeran, or, more commonly, Crossroads. There is here a Constabulary Barrack, Penny Post-office, Dispensary, and excellent National School. Fairs, similar to those of Culdaff, are held at Crossroads on the last Tuesday of February, May, August, and November, and are well supplied with stock, and largely attended by buyers. These fairs, though but recently established, promise to be eminently successful.

The Parish Church is in the village of Culdaff. It is a neat structure, with a tower of comparatively recent erection. The living is a rectory, in the patronage of the Marquis of Donegall, and the tithes amount to £361 10s per annum. The glebe

lands comprise 105 acres.

The Roman Catholic Chapel is at Bocan, nearly midway between Crossroads and Culdaff. It has been recently enlarged and improved, and is now a spacious and very handsome edifice. The side walls are high, and the whole seems to have been well and substantially built. The windows are Gothic, and very high, reaching almost to the eve. This chapel was first erected in 1805, and enlarged and improved in its present form in 1846.

There are National Schools at Bocan, (male and female) Carrowmore, Dristeran, and Ballyharry. The remains of cromleachs, circles, and pagan temples, which exist so abundantly in this parish, have already been treated of. On a steep rock,

which is nearly surrounded by the sea, near Carthage, are the remains of a very ancient castle or fort, said to have been erected by Prince Owen, from whom the peninsula derives its

name.

Near this is also an ancient cromleach in a very perfect state of preservation. This was not included in the account of the others. At Carrowmore are two very ancient stone crosses, and near them the plinth of another. Adjoining these crosses is a mound which was the site of an abbey or monastery. This monastery was in connexion with that at Cloncha. Both were exceedingly flourishing. It is related by tradition that a certain monk, in a procession from the monastery at Carrowmore to that at Cloncha, forgot his Breviary until he was about to

enter the door of the latter church, and that, turning round, he passed the word to the next, who likewise passed it to his successor, and so the intelligence was conveyed to Carrowmore, and the book forwarded from one to one till it was delivered to the owner, at a distance of three-fourths of a mile, so great was the number of the monks at these monasteries. The land around the site of the ancient monastery at Carrowmore is more than usually fertile, as, indeed, is the case where similar institutions stood.

The patron saint of Culdaff was St. Ultan, and a very ancient stone cross, believed to have been erected by him, stood at Falmore. The hand of time, however, crumbled that cross to fragments, but Mr. Nicholson, the proprietor of the property around which it stood, with praiseworthy generosity got a splendid Irish cross of stone erected on the spot a few years ago.

The time at which the little altars which we find interspersed throughout the country were used, forms an epoch in the history of the Irish Church. Of these altars, some were erected in caverns by the sea-side, or in the recesses of the mountains; and those places were selected as a security against the enemy or the persecutor. Others were erected and used when the Catholic religion began to be tolerated, and we find them situate in advantageous spots, where a shelter was to be had against the inclemency of the weather.

These latter are of a type as to position, and structure, and size; so that the following description of one will serve almost equally well for all. In this parish of Culdaff, at a short distance from the public highway, there is a comfortable farmhouse. The owner is a Protestant, but not a bigot. Beside it there is a neat and well-kept garden. In the rere of this garden, and not far distant, there is a rising ground, which commands a view of the ocean, and of the adjoining mountains -it is called the "Altar-hill." On this elevated plateau there is a rock, not unlike the projecting cliffs to be seen by the seaside. It affords a shelter from the north wind, more than usually stormy in this cold locality. It is about ten feet high, and its overhanging top forms a sort of semicircular canopy. At its base there is a few loose stones piled together without any mortar or cement. They form a plane, about three feet high, about the same in length, and about two and one-half feet broad. This is overgrown with ivy, and a little stunted thorn

stands hard by. Such was the "little altar." Mass was often celebrated here; and my guide told me it was only discontinued about the year 1805.

These little altars must have been used in Ireland for at least two centuries. In the Synod of Kilkenny, held in 1642, it was ordained :- "That as priests were frequently obliged to celebrate the divine mysteries in the open air, those places should be selected which would appear most safe and becoming; the altar, moreover, must be covered almost on all sides; so that it may be sheltered thereby from the inclemency of the weather." The little altar, standing by a rock, was generally sheltered thereby from the wind; but if it rained, or if there were a fall of snow during the time the priest was celebrating, then two young men out of the crowd formed a canopy over his head by a cloak kindly given by some one present. Two more formed a like shelter on his right side, and two more on the left.

Near Muff, in the parish of Culdaff, at a distance of about two miles from the altar already described, I have seen four others closely adjoining each other. They were all built at the base of a projecting rock, and never had any covering overhead beyond what the rocks afforded. The reason why there were so many, and so near each other, was, that there might be a shelter from the wind in whatever direction it blew. On Carthage mountain, about half a mile from these, there is another little altar. At Carrowmore, in a most picturesque and beautiful glen, was another. This is not far from the ruins of an old Franciscan monastery, and within view of the two beautiful Irish crosses above described. The spot can scarcely be distinguished from the surrounding objects, for the altar itself is gone. My guide told me that it is usual among many of the Catholics of the place, as they pass the spot, to uncover their heads and sometimes kneel and say a prayer. The altar, which was here, was used till towards the close of the last century.

Those little altars have their traditions and their associations, which would form a history in themselves. They are hallowed spots. No wonder if the Catholic reveres them, and is jealous lest a profane or impious hand should disturb them. a short but expressive history of the penal days. sometimes spared from a feeling of religious fear. is the age of material progress, and the old altar has been

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