ULSTER : THE SEVENTH TIME

By E. E. Roberts

Whitsuntide 1949 once again tempted a crowd to Fermanagh. Remarkable success like 1948 could hardly be expected, but Pollnatagha to the South might turn out good, the limestone behind the great Knockmore cliff (west of Derrygonnelly) was reported massive, and there was a certainty of fine weather, millpond crossings, and grand fun searching for new things as in the pioneer days.

June 4. – Met by Sam Bryant and his lorry at Belfast. Ordnance Survey closed, no additional maps to be obtained. A lovely run with lunch at Dungannon finished with a warm welcome from Mr. Barbour at Killesher. Outside Five Mile Town the better road via Tempo to Enniskillen was missed.

June 5. – Sunday we were off to new things, by-passing Enniskillen by narrow lanes, and up the mountain road beyond Boho to the Noon’s Hole dead-end, dropping Armstrong, Marsden, Godley, Watts and Burton with two nylon ladders, etc., to settle with Rattle Hole. Using the full length of experimental nylons, 100 ft., they duly ticked this off, returning in an atmosphere of hate which, however, use has modified in some people.

It is quite certain now that this was the first descent of Rattle Hole, 120 ft. They considered that Marsden and I, by the chimney route, were further from the bottom than we thought. Praeger’s descent of a steep grass slope was obviously in Murphy’s Hole not far off.

The President (C. E. Burrow), Cullingworth, W. Booth, Tyas and I went north to Pollamadda of the map, and laddered it, 36 ft. only. It looked promising, but Tyas boldfy stepped over a dead cow, and found round the corner – nothing.

On over broken country into the narrow Legland dale which runs up behind Knockmore for a mile almost level at just over 700 ft. The far side is a hundred feet of cliff and scarp and brushwood above the lane. There we did a little cave and a conspicuous one which turned out to be Garrison Cave, 80 yds., very muddy, interesting, often visited, with an awkward little pitch near the end. A hunt followed along the top where the name on the six inch map seemed to indicate its position.

Above Legland Farm was shown a swallet, and on the way we met Mr. James Flanagan, who told us of a fenced pot just before the swallet which had gone through in a flood seven years before, when the dale above was turned into a great lake. He and I had met before below Knockmore and discussed six inch maps and many other things.

The active’ swallet was thoroughly searched, impenetrable. It is at the foot of a distinct barrier, on top of which was the new pot-hole, Pollaraftra, where you could once shelter. Mr. Flanagan said he would block it up, but he has not done so yet, 1951.

June 6. – Pollaraftra. The lorry went 15 miles, “past Bqho, along the foot of Knockmore and climbed the terrific bank with ease to the 700 ft. level. Then we carried tackle over a slight ridge to the pot from the road. A short pitch and one of 30 ft. took us to the stream and a chamber. The stream soon reached a dead end pool but Tyas and Cullingworth kept at a high level and Tyas got through a long, narrow and awkward route. Having left my overalls behind I did not try it. After lunch Tyas and Barton went through, and hours later reported a very fine stream cavern along which they had gone for half-a-mile.

Meanwhile five men had set out to find more caves, crawled into Pollamuck of the map, gone over delightful limestone ridges and dales but picked up nothing. Three more later went updale to the main road and crossed it to Whitehouse Cave, often visited, one small chamber well worth looking into. On the carry home Marsden went through Tunnel Cave and up Knockmore.

June 7. – On Tuesday morning it actually rained enough to put the Cladagh in flood. In the afternoon five men went into Marble Arch and thoroughly explored the top of the great boulder chamber. There is the window through which Brodrick’s ladder came. Why ? For there too is the easy crack to the top recorded in 1948. Perhaps it has opened naturally, perhaps someone has cleared it.

The passage at the bottom was measured, 40 yards left to a dead end, 20 yards right to the entrance of the Pool Chamber. The New Chamber (to Skreen Hill Passage) was flooded.

June 8. – Pollnatagha. Glorious Irish sunshine. The lorry took us south past Benaughlin and up the narrow lanes to Mullan Quarry, whence Watts en route for home returned to Killesher in two hours via the Rourkefield footpath high above Tullyhona Church. Pollnatagha was rigged and Burton, Cullingworth, Marsden, Tyas and Barton were down by 1 p.m. ; Godley and Armstrong by 1.45, 168 feet of ladder climb were confirmed but the results were disappointing. All passages were found short and muddy, even the one deep down the 2nd pitch closed in far too soon.

The first whistle went at 3.40, all up by 5.15 ; raising the ladders was a dirty business. Though lifted away from the wall by a rope passed underneath, each pull collected much vegetation and mud. We wanted A. A. Scott’s great bobbin fitment for Long Kin West. So awful was their condition that the ladders had to be washed immediately in the Polliniska beck.

On the return we were lucky to hit the scarp direct at the. Natural Arch whence it is quite a way along to the quarry, I wonder how many people in Enniskillen or even Swanlinbar have ever been there.

June 9. – Another glorious day followed. A day at Sligo among the fleshpots of a country which had a good war is now quite a ceremony. Even Chubb left his self-sacrificing labours as caterer and cook for this excursion, but three of the ten got down off the bus at Manor Hamilton and walked, watching and enquiring for caves in a district of character so marked that ” there must be lots,” but almost in vain.

Personally I headed for the Pigeon Pots along the Rourke­ field path, first of all to the powerful Tullyhona Rising, hoping against hope. But no cave, so along the dyke path to the ruined farm and then over Mullaleam Moor Top, past Lough Aleim, down on to the Pigeon Pots via a stream not shown on the 6 in. map to where it sank into what seems to be a pot-hole marked as 610 yards, 2° bearing from the north corner of the Leg-na-Hurry gill. Returning home I picked up a second hole at 200 yards, 315° ; so there are still some small things left here.

June 10. – Pollaraftra. Marsden, Tyas, Barton and Burton were driven up Knockmore Bank, and the last three got through and went on half-a-mile over various difficult blocks in a big stream cavern longer than the passages of the Marble Arch group. At the second sump Barton, who felt seedy, pushed Tyas and Burton up into a passage where they lost the stream, but in which water collected again until at about three quarters of a mile they were halted by a deep pool.

In August 1950 the Craven Potholers gave two days to the cavern ; on the first Tyas, Holgate and D. Brindle waded the pool, made a severe climb and reached a deep canal. On the second day, with boats, Tyas and N. Brindle crossed three canals, the last very long, supported by D. Brindle and T. Jones, and halted after about a mile.

The map suggests that the water emerges at Gortgor Rising one mile air-line almost due east of Pollaraftra, a descent from 700 to 480 feet above sea-level, the rising being nearly 300 feet above the Boho lane, and so not having been visited預 pity.

Boho Cave. Godley, Cullingworth, W. Booth and I were dropped here. Deliberately against local advice we went in above, were forced to the left, and finally reached a high part going east and south. South took us outside. Entering next door we were again forced left and came suddenly into a high part running east, where we saw our candle to the west and marched straight out east by a long straight lofty passage. The whole distance is only about 150 yards. The quarry outside is working again. (See Baker’s Caving.)

Pollkeeran. We now walked past Boho Church, up a steep lane, on westwards past a farm and out on to the platform. It is a huge sink-hole full of bushes. The beck flows along the side and back into it. A path leads on to Poll Beg Farm. Nothing doing.

Poll More is at the next farm north. The sink-hole is not obvious at first. The beck goes over a fall and down a gill, part only flowing into the great hollow on its left bank filled with a grove of spruces and masses of flowering plants. The watercourse circles round through the lush growth to a final choke. In another country these two holes would be well-known. We reached Pollaraftra just in time at 6.30 as the stuff came out. At 6.45 we were moving off; at 7.15, the lorry began its crawl down Knockmore and for a change we went home via Derrygonnelly. We had had a delightful time thanks to Mr. Barbour’s hospitality and to the way in which Chubb managed and cared for the expedition.

I stayed on at Enniskillen after the crowd left and made up arrears of sleep. I will confess it rained on Sunday morning and even later, but for the next four days Ireland was in its old form, warm and sunny. The walk to Boho and over the moors to Belcoo with grand clear views of the Cuilcagh hill country taught me nothing new. On Tuesday I was taken to Swanlinbar, still adorned with slogans only slightly less forbidding than those of 1948, and a long straight lane led on to our Slieve Rushen route, which I soon left for the slopes of Molly Mountain to the north.

I could detect nothing of interest to account for the name Pollnagat, and further north the map showed three swallow holes, of which the first was a trifling disappearance, the second a pond with no sign of rock anywhere. However at the third a rill ran into a rocky tree-filled shakehole where the shape of the end wall and the steep dip were interesting. So back to a bus much too early.

Next day to Swanlinbar again and south-west to Aghaboy Pollnagollum across a lovely bit of dale. There is no bare rock near. The chimney of descent is easy and is now obvious among the masses of bushes. No fairies were observed. The return was over Cratty top, peat, with scattered limestone blocks, and a.number with a curiously artificial appearance on the way up. The only bits of clint were at Polliniska. I went past the Quarry Cave which carried no water, the actual risings being at 10 feet lower level in the dry course and in the middle of the field.

What remains now in Northern Ireland ? To finish Poll­ araftra, to. repeat Noon’s Hole, to tick off three, small .pot­ holes, and if possible to enlarge the pot-hole area. So far we have had the guidance of the six-inch map, which is service­ able, even in its first edition. Outside the British Museum the only available copy is at Glasgow, a first edition.

” With a Polliniska, Pollnagollum, Peter Bryant’s Cattle Hole,”
” Pollamadda, Pollaraftra, Marble Arch and Rattle Hole,”
” Pollnagapple, Pollnatagha, Pollnamuck (a dirty hole) ”
” They wrote upon the kitchen wall the names of five and thirty hole.”

Late News. – At Whitsun 1951 the Craven Potholers gave three days to Pollaraftra, and over long pools got as far as ij miles. They also got one man, Tyas, to the bottom of Noon’s Hole. As detailed elsewhere study of the O.S. map, second edition, has led to discovery of many Eire pot-holes, west towards Sligo in Leitrim, June, 1951.