l as tropical cryptogamia and Alpine
plants, overgrow every available spot along the sides of the rough
defile. It is come-at-able from Cork by train to Bantry and then coach,
or by coach from Killarney or Kenmare. Apart from the beauty of the
situation and the mildness of its climate, Glengarriff possesses
splendid facilities for sea bathing and boating. There is excellent
hotel accommodation both at Eccles', on the shore of the bay, and at
Roche's, in the midst of beautiful grounds, through which the Owvane, or
"fair river," flows, making on its way a wild cascade. The drive from
Glengarriff to Gougane Barra, through the Pass of Keimaneigh, "the path
of the deer," is one of the great excursions to be made. ~Gougane
Barra~, the shrine of Saint Finbarr, is in the midst of a lonely lake
near the source of the Lee. It is still the scene of "patrons" on Saint
Finbarr's day, and Mass is celebrated in the open air in the middle of
the lake. There is good trout fishing in the Allua and other streams in
the Desmond Valley. Callaghan, the poet, has sung of it--

"There is a green island in lone Gougane Barra,
Where Allua of songs rushes forth as an arrow;
In deep-valleyed Desmond--a thousand wild fountains
Come down to that lake, from their home in the mountains;
There grows the wild ash, and a time-stricken willow
Looks chidingly down on the mirth of the billow;
As, like some gay child, that sad monitor scorning,
It lightly laughs back to the laugh of the morning.

And its zone of dark hills--oh! to see them all bright'ning;
When the tempest flings out its red banner of lightning;
And the waters rush down, mid the thunders deep rattle,
Like clans from their hills at the voice of the battle;
And brightly the fire-crested billows are gleaming,
And wildly from Mullagh the eagles are screaming."...

The "green island" is a little over half an acre in extent. In its
centre is a quadrangle, with walls at parts fourteen feet thick, in
which are eight cells or cloisters rudely arched over. Within, on a
raised platform, is a large cross with five steps ascending to it. There
is a large flagstone here with an inscription, giving directions how
"the rounds" are to be performed on the vigil and forenoon of the feast
days of St. Finbarr and St. John the Baptist, to whom there is a
special cultos all over Munster. The road from Gougane runs through
Inchigeela and Ballingeary by a wild stretch of river inches,