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PETER FINN writes in his excellent "History of The Priory Bishop's Waltham" :
The School Magazine
Much that occurred in the school and was known to the pupils was reported in the school magazine. Particular achievements, exceptional events, and special visitors were described; articles, comments and poems by the pupils appeared; and the results of every game and competition were reported. The team captains usually wrote the sports reports and were always sure to boast of their triumphs and quietly admit to their defeats. Every game had to be won; anything less would not be living up to the teams that had preceded them. The general impression from the magazines is of a fun-filled time, tremendous enthusiasm for everything, a love of God and his world, strong aspirations for the missionary life, and a longing to go to Africa.
The magazine appeared twice yearly at Christmas and in the summer until 1957. Thereafter it appeared once a year in the summer. The first issue of the magazine - The Priorian - was published at Christmas 1926. The magazine continued until the school closed, having changed its name to The Pelican in the Christmas issue of 1954. The change of name was occasioned by the decision to issue a single magazine for the Priory and St Columba's, which until then had had its own journal The Columban, and to include news of old boys. The students wrote and compiled the copy, but the final approval rested with the Superior. In the 1960s, editorial control and discretion were put completely into the hands of the students, and for the first time advertisements appeared. Local businesses, including pubs, made up the bulk of the advertising, and the rest were mostly national recruitment advertisements for army officers, the Midland Bank, and university scholarships. As the students were not in a position to respond to any of the advertisements, it was to be hoped for the advertisers' sakes that copies of the magazine were widely distributed in the locality and beyond.
Unfortunately, very few copies of the magazines have survived. They were very much the boys' view of their world, and those copies that are still extant depict a boyhood zest, a tremendous pride in sports results, little delight in academic achievements unless they earned house points, and a profound spiritual awareness expressed and implied. Reading them now one can hardly believe that robust schoolboys could be so religiously animated. One wonders how many in later life would recognise themselves in their boyhood writings. One fears that for many it would be a case of feeling, as Thomas Hood did,. . .now 'tis little joy
To know I'm farther off from Heaven
Than when I was a boy.
Brother
Paddy's Reminiscences
About
the author ..........
Brother Patrick, born Patrick Leonard, was both a student and member of staff
at the Priory. After studies and training at Autreppe in Belgium and at Maison
Carree in Algeria, he returned to the Priory in 1934 and continued there until
1956 when he took up an appointment at Blacklion, County Cavan, Ireland. When
Blacklion closed he moved to Templeogue, Dublin, where he continues as an active
member of the community. He now travels, almost continually, the length and
breadth of Ireland collecting funds for the White Fathers' missions in Africa,
and he still finds time to keep bees and run an engineering workshop.
THE BEGINNINGS
Around 1912 there was a fear in France that the proposed anti-clerical laws
would close the seminaries, so the Superior General and his Council decided
to transfer the junior seminary of St Laurent d'Olt to England. About this time
The Priory came on the market and was purchased by the White Fathers. Fr Travers
and colleagues took up residence immediately, and on the 17th October 1912 Fr
Bouniol and Fr Falguiere arrived with 14 students.
In the last century the building was officially opened by royalty and was to
be known as the Royal Albert Infirmary. Over the door in a niche was a statue
of Prince Albert and the royal coat of arms. The statue had been removed many
years before and the niche was now filled by a statue of Our Lady
.
A new wing was built and was blessed by the then Bishop of Portsmouth, Bishop
Cotter. Of the 56 students who were admitted eight became Missionaries of Africa,
three were ordained for dioceses, and one became a brother. Two died, one being
a scholastic and the other a novice.
During 1917 the possibility of accepting British candidates was mooted and the
first six students came form St John's College, Portsmouth, in 1918. The Scots
followed and the Irish arrived ten years later.
During June of the same year, the new wing was leased to the Brothers of Christian
Schools who had 72 novices. In 1920 part of the buildings was used as a Novitiate.
The novices were quite separate from the student body except for Holy Mass and
meals.
During the 1930s what was known as the small dormitory was erected for the senior
students. It was a wooden structure divided into several rooms, but it had no
central heating.
In 1912 there were 30 Catholics in the area, but by 1931 the numbers had increased
sufficiently for Bishop's Waltham to be erected as a parish under the jurisdiction
of the White Fathers.
Up to the late 1930s students travelled from London by train to Botley and changed
to a branch line for Bishop's Waltham. When the passenger line closed the station
only handled freight. Leaving the platform one walked up the steep hill and
into the grounds from where there was a view of the old house with a statue
of Our Lady of the Rosary over the Hall Door, and one could not miss noticing
all the lovely roses. The Superior or one of the fathers greeted all visitors
and made them v very welcome.
THE FARM AND PLAYING FIELDS
The back field was bought from the West family, and also what was to become
the football field known as The Mine. The field next to the railway line was
rented and part of it was to become the famous cricket pitch.
During the early years Fr Travers was approached by a neighbour, Mr Carpenter,
who offered the loan of a cow or the use of his horse or help in any way. I
remember during the hay making in 1930 he and his son were there giving a hand.
In the years up to 1910 the hay was loaded onto the Priory cart which was drawn
by a mighty Clydesdale and taken to the hay shed as also was grass for making
silage. Then the mechanical age came in with the purchase of a lorry which had
suffered bomb damage. A neighbour had a hay sweep which was attached to a car.
The sweep was borrowed and adapted to fit the lorry and presto! the backache
of pitching hay high into the cart was over. A few years later a Fordson tractor
was purchased and also a grass mower and other gadgets. Later on the Fordson
was replaced by a Ferguson. A milking machine was added to the equipment since
the cattle herd was getting larger. The Milk Board sent a lorry every day to
collect the churns, and the farm was by now a commercial venture. It is worthy
of note to mention that one particular year the Priory herd of Guernsey cattle
was the seventh highest in Hampshire for milk production.
A new cattle byre was built and the dairy had a modern system of milk cooling
and sterilising equipment. The herd was tested for bovine TB when such a thing
was not obligatory. At various times when the workload was heavy, students with
farming knowledge would lend a hand doing the milking or other farm chores.
Some of them still speak nostalgically of those days.
Many farm buildings were erected over the years. The older ones were built by
Brother Aubert, namely the hay barn, pigsties, fowl houses, cattle byre, slaughter
house and granary. He also built the carpenter's workshop and the students'
bicycle shed. Before and after the Second World War, the farm supplied the college
with milk, butter, eggs, and meat in various forms such as beef, duck, chicken,
lamb, pork, home-made sausages and black pudding, bacon which had been put in
brine, and Brother Modeste's famous soft cheese and his beer made from the leaves
of ash trees. The vegetables were home-grown, except the potatoes which were
bought locally. The orchard produced bumper crops of apples which Brother Modeste
stored in an outhouse. He remarked one day that apples were disappearing and
could not understand why until he found a broken arrow with an attached piece
of string stuck in a forbidden piece of fruit.
Brother Aubert used to go to the local cattle sales where he was well known.
He had a keen eye for a young quality animal which he would buy to rear as prime
beef. He used to join the farmers in the pub, and one day while having a drink
a local was heard to say "Bloody parsons! I ain’t got time for them.
When I be a-dying I’ll send to the Priory for Brother Albert!"
The top football pitch was begun by Fr Bouniol in 1928. The sloping ground was
not suitable as a playing field so he and his merry men - the students - used
to spend the after dinner recreation period removing soil from A to B with wheel
barrows. For any misdemeanour a student could be given a "penance"
which consisted of removing so many barrowloads of clay after dinner or on a
Saturday. Then the big day came in 1930 when a skip with its own railway and
turntable arrived. There was an eagerness to fill it and the prize for the fillers
was an illegal ride on the back of the skip, the speed of which was controlled
by a piece of timber being applied to a wheel as a brake. On one occasion it
got out of control when the "brake" broke and the riders jumped off
just before the unit went helter-skelter over the edge of the embankment. There
were several penances given out that evening during spiritual reading.
VISITORS
A treat for the students would be the visit of a White Father coming back from
Africa and a talk by him about work in the missions. In the thirties Fr Voillard,
the Superior General, spent a few days at the Priory as did some of his assistants
in later years. Fr Voillard was a piece of history as he had been secretary
to Cardinal Lavigerie who founded, in Algiers in 1868, the Missionaries of Africa
dubbed by the people the "White Fathers" on account of their white
garments, the gandoura and burnous. In 1948 Bishop Kiwanuka, a White Father
and the first African bishop honoured the Priory with a visit. To celebrate
the occasion a holiday was given - something that was not too frequent. Another
visitor who remained for several days was Archbishop Arthur Hughes, who died
in London some weeks later. He had been Apostolic Nuncio to Egypt during the
War and knew King Farouk personally. His funeral which took place at the Priory
was attended by several members of the Egyptian Embassy from London such was
the great esteem in which he was held while in Egypt.
A frequent visitor was the late Canon Parsons of Finchley who encouraged several
of his grammar school students to enter the Society. Every Friday afternoon
for several years Canon Murphy from Portsmouth used to give courses in English
to the senior class. One afternoon when local workmen were doing some outdoor
repairs he said to the students. "Gentlemen", for he always addressed
them as such, "Listen to the delightful local accents." Just then
one of the men came out with a mouthful of expletives not to be repeated. "Gentlemen",
said the canon, "Please close the window." At various times in later
years the Provincial Superior would stay for a night or two and give a talk
during Spiritual Reading.Another frequent visitor was Doctor Mitchell from Bishop’s
Waltham. During 1937 there was an outbreak of scarlet fever and he came into
the refectory during the evening meal. Standing on the podium, he asked for
silence then he most seriously announced "Boys, the devil is in your midst"
to howls of laughter from the boys. The quarantine was in a building on the
premises. Meals had to be brought over and the soiled dishes and cutlery disinfected
in Jeyes fluid. The victims were six lads and Fr Keane . . . . . . a community.
SPORT AND RECREATION
Apart from studies, sport played a major part in student life. Every Wednesday
afternoon sports took place. For years before the playing fields were made,
they took place on the downs. Every week the students used to go to the downs
for sports. However the day came when the Superior was informed that it was
no longer possible as the land was to be used as gallops for racehorses. Football
was the principal sport, and Saturday afternoons were dedicated to it in the
season. The Priory team was known far and wide for its prowess. After the war
a naval team came from Portsmouth, and one of their number was heard to say
"Fancy being beaten by a lot of ruddy choir boys!" During the Summer
cricket was popular. There were two tennis courts, while indoors there was table
tennis, billiards and a boxing ring.
One has to say a word about cycling since it was very popular. On holidays some
enthusiasts would go as far as the New Forest, Salisbury or Chichester, making
sure the cycle lamp had a good supply of oil or carbide. The oil lights, though
legal, did not give a very good light. At some time every student visited Winchester
Cathedral. The old prison was also visited and gave food for thought when one
saw the different kinds of punishments which were meted out to offenders.
On one occasion when the students had a day off, four or five decided to go
for a ramble over the downs. One of them dawdled behind and when he eventually
caught up with the group which had rested for dinner he was asked what had happened
to the food, to which he replied "I met a poor hungry man on the road and
gave him most of it." Tommy was not very popular that day. He was the late
Fr Tommy Kane.
There were paper chases which brought one over miles of farm land and there
were sports days on the downs. On these occasions a man from the village would
take the cooked dinner along by horse and cart, and after the meal a group photograph
would be taken as a souvenir.
In 1933 a second football pitch was begun. This entailed much more work as the
gradient was very steep. Many generations of Priorians have had happy memories
of the games played on those pitches.
The gymnasium was bought from a place near Southampton and re-erected by a local
tradesman during 1931. It had belonged to one of the armed services and was
surplus to requirements. Thrown in was a vaulting horse, parallel bars, and
a beam. It also included a stage and dressing rooms. Over the years many plays
were produced and given by the students in the gymnasium to which outsiders
were invited. During the latter years one remembers the dedication of Mr Heath
to the musicals.
Many former students will have remembered the big tree in the courtyard. Fr
Marchant installed a swing from one of the strong boughs and over many years
it was used by the younger generation.
THE WAR
In 1941 an invasion from the Continent was expected and citizens were told to
take all precautions to frustrate an airborne landing. Behind the farm was the
very long field of several hundred yards and in it were placed at different
angles upright lengths of the railway that had been used for building the football
pitches. At road junctions old vehicles were used as obstacles, people with
any sort of weapons were encouraged to have them ready for service. The Home
Guard was then formed.
Many stories were told of an attempted landing on the beaches and about the
terrible enemy losses. Gas masks were given to everybody should they be needed.
Ration cards for food and garments were introduced which was a very fair system
and there were not too many complaints. There were some exceptions, one being
an allocation of sugar for bee keepers for spring feeding, another being petrol
coupons for special work. During the hours of darkness all windows from which
light could be seen had to be blacked out and even cars and lorries had the
main beams controlled by an ingenious device which shed the light directly on
the ground.
Another organisation was Civil Defence and at the lectures one was told what
to do in case of a gas attack or other military intervention. Small phials of
phosgene and other gases were passed around for ever such a tiny sniff so that
they could be identified. All households were issued with stirrup pumps to control
fires from incendiary bombs or other causes. On one occasion they were used
in the grounds when incendiaries were dropped over and around the village. The
doodle bugs were a feature for some time and a few fell locally breaking windows
or displacing plaster from ceilings. It was forbidden to ring church bells except
in the event of an invasion and so it was that the Priory bell remained silent
until the ban was lifted.
At the beginning of the war an air-raid shelter was made in the bank of the
second pitch. It had bunks and one felt secure that in the event of a bomb falling
on the premises one was safe. When an air-raid warning sounded all went there.
One particular afternoon a bomber dropped his load on the local brickyard and
before he could gain height the occupants of the cockpit could be very plainly
seen.
One remembers the Battle of Britain when there were dog fights high up in the
sky, and during the night ack-ack guns would be pouring missiles towards the
head of the searchlight beams.
The army occupied the students' wing with the exception of the chapel and two
rooms. The first unit was the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers who
had been evacuated from Dunkirk. It was they who made what became known as "the
Burma Road", which was nothing less than a long line of railway sleepers
placed side by side. This was for the use of army vehicles which were parked
under the long row of trees coming down from the house. The REME were followed
by an infantry unit which did a lot of training on the football field with bayonet
charges at dummies and much blood curdling screaming and shouting. Some weeks
prior to D day it became the turn of the Americans. On the roads around Bishop's
Waltham and going towards Southampton and Portsmouth were parked many hundreds
of army vehicles of various descriptions waiting for the big day, and when it
came they were gone. There was no end of aircraft to be seen towing gliders
towards France.
Relations with the army were always very cordial. The farm supplied the different
units with milk, usually between six and eight gallons. We received from them
for free the pig swill which was a real bonus, but it had to be boiled to conform
with the law and so a boiler had to be purchased. It used solid fuel, however
a very simple method was developed so that it could burn spent engine oil of
which there was plenty supplied by the army.
When the War Office commandeered the student quarters after the boys had left
for Scotland and Ireland, the Priory was connected to the mains electricity.
It was in 1927 that a small electric generator was installed in an outhouse
to replace the gas lighting. The voltage was 110 DC. When the line was overloaded
there was an annoying flickering of the lights and this is how it was until
the army arrived.
During September 1942 ten students returned from Scotland where they had been
sent because of the air raids. They were housed in the old building where they
remained until after D-day when the army left
One of the results of the army presence was that the Priory became part of Bishop's
Waltham and the suspicion that there were French students still present disappeared.
When the celebrations for the Queen's coronation in 1953 were to take place
in the Bishop's Waltham Palace grounds vandals cut some of the tent guy ropes.
A delegation came from the village to ask if members of the community would
spend a few nights patrolling the grounds. It was the first time since the Reformation
that Catholics had been officially invited into the grounds. It was ironic that
two Irishman were chosen: the late Fr Bill Halligan and Brother Paddy.
The palace before it was destroyed was the country residence of the bishops
of Winchester. During the disturbances in the time of Oliver Cromwell the residence
was bombarded from the Priory hill, probably from somewhere near the main gate.
The bishop was smuggled out of his residence in a simple way. Tradition has
it that he was placed in a cart over which was put wickerwork on the top of
which was spread a large heap of farmyard manure. Some say that when the driver
was challenged "Where do you be going then?" he replied "I be
off to the downs". Speculation has it that it was from those days that
Bishop's Down got its name.
GALLEY DOWN
At the end of the war Galley Down was vacated by a local farmer and the White
Fathers were offered the tenancy. It was a godsend. There was about 50 acres
of land part of which was used for growing potatoes and barley while other fields
were reserved for cattle or hay. There were also about 40 acres of woodland
where badgers and foxes had a quiet home with plenty of rabbits for company.
There were many nightingales in the hedges and they could be approached quite
closely with a torch. It was about three miles distant from the Priory and was
for many years the haunt of the boys. After the Matriculation examinations those
students who qualified spent two weeks under canvas in a corner of one of the
fields. The food was plentiful, though the cooks were not always up to scratch.
The Jubilee Inn was always available to provide liquid food. During the evenings
there would be music, songs and stories around the camp fire.
SCHOOL ROUTINE
At the beginning of the classical year a few days retreat was given by a priest
from outside the community, and so gradually the new lads would be initiated
to a new way of life. Every day there were morning prayers followed by Mass,
then breakfast and a short period of recreation. Lectures began at 9.00 am with
a break of 15 minutes at 11.00 am. Dinner was at 1.00 pm, after which there
was recreation then more classes and homework. The staff took their meals with
the students, but at a separate table. Before dinner some verses were read from
the Imitation of Christ and at the end of the meal there were other readings.
The community then went down to the chapel reciting the Miserere. Tea was at
5.00 pm. The refectory tables were originally 12 feet long, but were later cut
down to six feet. The butter served at each table was sometimes a contentious
issue since the one who divided the portions was the last to be served. Consequently
the precisely cut portions could not have been better measured by sensitive
scales.A word would not be out of place to refer to the catering staff. They
were ladies recruited locally by Mr Wheeler, affectionately known as “Pop”,
who laid the tables in the refectory and, when members of the community were
not available, answered the phone and opened the door to visitors. A neighbour,
Mr Ernie Apps, would give a helping hand on the farm or in the garden at weekends.
They were all dedicated people.
For many years there were five classes known as Rudiments, Grammar, Syntax,
Poetry and Rhetoric. They eventually became known as Forms 1 to V and a Form
V1 was added.
Every day there was a period set aside for manual work, which varied from peeling
potatoes (until a potato peeling machine was installed) and polishing floors
to cleaning windows and tidying the grounds.
A great bonus for some lads was being in charge of the boiler on Saturday afternoons
which meant keeping it stoked to get hot - and sometimes boiling - water for
the baths. The privilege ensured that one was excused from whatever function
was taking place. Over the years no end of potatoes were baked on the fire ashes,
a real treat.
Sunday mornings were reserved for letter writing, choir practice and, of course,
sung Mass. In the evening there would be Benediction. Each weekday evening the
Rosary was recited and the Superior gave a pep talk. After Sunday supper one
took part in the debating society which was always presided over by one of the
Fathers. There were two houses, the Augustinians and the Xaverians, who vied
with each other for the honours at the end of each term.
One of the students was in charge of the tuck-shop which contained all sorts
of everything from writing materials to sweets. Brother Modeste was the barber
until eventually a student learnt the art of cutting hair and passed it on to
others. At times practical jokes were played. On one occasion when a particular
student received a parcel of goodies he refused to share anything. A few of
the lads went over to the farm and collected a number of chicken heads - the
chickens were being prepared for the following feast day. They were put in a
package complete with stamp and addressed to the culprit. The package was then
given to the prefect who distributed the mail at the 11.00 am break. Tom got
his parcel and promptly made off, only to reappear shortly afterwards a very
angry young man.
The college magazine was produced by the students. It was firstly known as ‘The
Priorian’ and was later called ‘The Pelican’.
A very special treat in the old days was to be allowed to go to the cinema in
the village. Those were the days of the silent films. In a corner of the hall
a pianist was kept very busy. Eventually what were known as "the talkies"
arrived. Occasionally a neighbour, Mr Symes, who had a projector gave shows
in the refectory. After the war a 16mm projector was bought which Fr Burridge
used to operate. If he considered part of a film was showing too much flesh
he promptly put his hand over the lens; this did not endear him to the boys.
No school would be complete without a captain and prefects who were elected
at the beginning of the school year. They were responsible for certain functions
such as sports and discipline and were chosen from Rhetoric. One exception was
the late Fr Dick Walsh who was elected captain while in Poetry. He was later
to become an assistant to the Superior General, and while in Tanzania was a
personal friend of the President, Julius Nyere. It was Fr Dick who encouraged
him to take up politics. When Julius Nyere was on an official visit to London
he made a point of going to Dublin to visit Fr Dick's grave.
HOLIDAYS
The Summer holidays consisted of seven weeks, the Christmas holidays lasted
for two weeks, and there were a few days off at Easter. Nobody went home at
Easter. The Irish boys also remained in residence during the Christmas holidays
as the travel fare and time spent travelling was considered too much. They enjoyed
themselves with outings, visiting different churches and playing cards in the
evenings. There was no radio, but there was a gramophone and plenty of records.
FORMER STUDENTS
To our knowledge about 170 of those students who passed through the Priory were
ordained. With regards to those who found their vocation elsewhere it is gratifying
to know that many of them have kept in touch with the White Fathers over the
years, many of them becoming very successful professional or business men. Those
who founded The Pelicans - an association of former students - are to be applauded
and also the men who work behind the scenes.
These
are some of the reminiscences of one who is a former student himself and who
had the privilege of spending 25 years in that hallowed house. Alas the Priory
is no more, and dwellings have taken its place. However there is a silent reminder
of yesteryear in the form of the cemetery where lie the remains of Archbishop
Hughes, himself an Old Priorian, Fathers Travers, Pierce English and Harry Morton,
Cornelius De Waal - a deacon, Brothers Modeste and Aubert, and two students.
May They Rest In Peace
Return to top
GALLEYDOWN:
The Priorians' Sanctuary
By J Lee
Taken from The Pelican, Summer 1955
No sound broke the silence. In the early morning Galleydown stretched peacefully
over an expanse of acres; a long sweeping flat bordered on one side by towering
slopes. It was the month of June. The wheat crop had still its verdant coat.
Now and again the breeze rippled through the green field causing the wheat to
assume a sickly-white appearance. Tall trees, pine, willow, ash and beech dotted
the slopes like stalwart sentries. Their branches shook from time to time, rustling
their leaves with every breath of wind. Across the fields a heifer lowed, sounding
rather like a hunter's horn among the silent elm and silver birch.
Suddenly the bushes parted and a chubby visage peered from the undergrowth.
Its owner was seen to be a lad of generous proportions. Evidently the Priory
lads were out for the day. About the chubby youth lay potatoes, some of them
still to be peeled. With knife in hand he toiled away with cheerful abandon,
vying with his surroundings as a picture of happy simplicity. Now as he heard
a noise from farther up the slope he smiled. Someone was descending the slope
at top speed. That would be Peter. Suddenly there was a crash, a scream and
a rattling of metal followed by a quiet but sinister splash. "You've spilt
the soup," wailed the chubby lad. The soup-stained Peter emerged from a
bush. "What do you expect"? he retorted, "I do all the work running
about." He forgot to mention that he ate most of the food too.
The sun rose in the heavens, glowing down from a sky of bright blue tinged with
white. The cool air carried the fragrance of wild rose-trees mingled with all
the enchanting scents of rejuvenating vegetation. The birds warbled in the wooded
slopes. Everything was unhurried and unworried. Galleydown. "exempt from
public haunt," was a beautiful dream, vivified, representing life, peaceful,
happy and contented.
Above, where the ragged gorse fringes the path to the water tank, a wisp of
smoke, sole vestige of a dying fire, drifted heavenwards. Around the fire that
had sent it forth lay three figures in the shade of a friendly cypress, about
them slender traces of the soupless meal. The midday sun could not lure these
minions of the shade from their retreat. They rested with nature.
Day was waning. Colours deepened and the trees stood out more vividly on the
skyline. No sound broke the silence. Far down the road the last Priorian, a
soup stain on his trousers made tracks for home . . . Behind stretched Galleydown,
land steeped in Priory traditions, the lighter side of Priory life, the food
for meditation during term, the Paradise of many a holiday.
Return to top
TRAVELS
IN A BLACK SUIT
By Bro. McBride
Taken from The Pelican Summer 1956
When Priorians have a free day they usually resort to a day's camping at Galley
Down, and St Columba's lads are wont (or used) to spend the day down the "valley,"
or to set out en masse for Scott's view. So, the question arises, how do they
pass their holidays over in Blacklion, in the little isle of green? This article
is intended to answer that query and is not meant to be an apology for a guide
book. The Blacklion substitute for a day's camping at Galley Down is one spent
beneath the great pines of the Marble Arch, the name given to a fantastic series
of caves and pot-holes, great woods and a swiftly flowing river just across
the border, in lovely Co. Fermanagh.
In Ireland you have to keep your eyes open for who would suspect that hidden
greenery of the great trees across the river from the camping site was the almost
perfectly preserved cell (built in the first century) of a 6th century Saint,
St. Lassar? The cell which is now concealed by the earth reminds one of an igloo
by virtue of its vestibule and pill-box entrance, which allows only one to enter
at a time, the visitor having to crawl on his stomach to the "parlour"
beyond. However, the walks to the Marble Arch are slightly longer than that
from The Priory to Galley Down and so, if you prefer your camping nearer home,
there are some excellent sites "over the hill' and down by the shores of
Lough MacNean. These rocky shores offer wonderful opportunities to those who
have a flair for building fake megalithic tombs, dolmens and the like.
The keen pedestrian need not fret, for though there is the walk to Marble Arch,
he will never become an inveterate walker until he has done the 16 miles "round
the lough" tour, the half-way house on this circuit either way being Kilty-clogher
and the memorial to Sean McDermott, a "Kilty" man himself and a leader
in the rising of Easter Week 1916. Keep your eyes open here also, for you may
walk away disappointed that you cannot read what it says on the monument about
Sean's compatriots of Co. Leitrim because the inscription is in Gaelic. Actually
it is all in English on the other side. Perhaps, spurred on by the "Ascent
of Everest" you prefer a climb at the end of your walk. Then why not try
the Cuilcagh Mountain which lies to the south of the college, in Fermanagh?
The Druids used to do worship to Baal atop Cuilcagh, probably once in a blue
moon on account of the hard climb. Away to the front of the house lies Ben mountain,
which has, when one is close to it, a mysterious and awe-inspiring quality.
The Mora is the hill which dominates Glenfarne; try approaching it across the
bog in February or March, barefooted, and you have a Lough Derg in miniature
right on your doorstep. But if you really must have a climb, then walk to Boho
(say Bow); it's a climb almost all the way; or cycle to lively Lough Glen car,
nestling in its Swiss valley, and make the ascent of Truskmore or Ben Bulben
. . . hard climbing indeed, but the view from the top, of the great Atlantic
hammering Ireland's north-western coast is worth all the effort. Talking of
cycling, there is a fine twenty five mile run to Sligo, and the new hydro-electric
plant at Ballyshannon, and the world famous potteries at Beleek are well worth
seeing.
However do not expect to see a lot of Cavan. Blacklion is situated in the neck
of the buck country and hemmed in by Leitrim and Fermanagh with Sligo on its
west, Enniskillin to the East. Oh, and before I forget, if you feel you have
the call of the sea in your blood, then there is always Lough MacNean and the
rowing boat and, for a change, camping on an island.
