GREENCASTLE & SHROVE

One or two amplifications. I am informed that the Standing Stone in Ballybrack only turns around when it hears the cock crow at early dawn on Easter Day. Also, if you were coming down from Glenagivney and reached the cross roads at Pound Town on your way to Greencastle, you would not have gone straight on as at the present time: eighty or ninety years ago the track turned to the right at Pound Town, and after reaching a stream and a bridge it turned down to Greencastle, beside the old mills of which I have spoken. The townland above Pound Town is called Ballymacartur after Sir Arthur Chichester, who bought this property a century ago.

KILBLANEY

On the lower Shrove-road beyond the present golf links, on a hillock close to the road is the site of a very ancient church, no exact date can be given. The remains of the church have vanished, the present cross is modern but the site of the church, a very small one, can be traced. There are graves all round it, and some of the old chiefs are buried there.

SHROVE

There is no doubt Shrove has had a good population for many centuries: sailors and fishermen lived here long before Greencastle or Moville were inhabited. I suppose Kilblaney was their church. I can find no record of any other.

Donovan, in 1835, says that

"Sruva Broin, or the Stream of Sorrow, is marked in the account of diocesan boundaries in the synod of Rathbreassal, 1112 A.D. This is considered to be at Strova Point in Moville parish, where a stream, gushing from the rock, invites all the mad and delirious people in the country to drink of its waters. It is the stream that crosses the path just before Port-a-Doris is entered. All know Port-a-Doris, the "Port of the Door."

I cannot find details about Shrove before the beginning of the 19th century. The house now known as Hegartys is one of the oldest with any history. A Mr. Walker inhabited it, but had not built it. He was a solicitor, his wife was a Cary. Her sister married a Vandeleur, of Kilmoyle.

The landlord of Shrove was Mr. Charles M'Intyre. I also hear of a well-known family named Hernon. There were adventurous spirits in those days in this faraway spot. I mention no names, but two of the inhabitants of Shrove were yarn merchants. A great deal of flax was grown and spun and woven, and the linen conveyed to market on slipes - there were no wheeled vehicles. I think Coleraine must have been their market.

But they had other ventures. Vessels brought to Malin Head and Inishowen silks, satins and velvets which escaped the Revenue officers, and were deposited in a house in Shrove, which is no longer in existence. In one of the rooms of the house there was a bed, and when you moved it a trap door, well concealed, was uncovered: this led to a commodious cellar with shelves all round the walls. An old friend tells me that, when a child, she often descended into that cellar, but was told to be careful to make no allusion to it.

In due time, Mr. Walker gave place to Mr. Hegarty, who had a close friendship with the father of Sir Newman Chambers. It was in this way that Sir Newman became devoted to Shrove and its glorious headlands, and at length built Carrig-nog. There are many stories connected with Mrs. Porter, how that she was a strong character and the tenants all had to give her certain "duty days," that is, a day's work in place of rent. Her name was Rosetta, and families in Shrove gave that name in many instances to their daughters.

A SOUTERRAIN

On the hillside, before Hegartys is reached, there is an underground room, the entrance covered by a stone. It is said to have been made by smugglers. Doubtless, it was used by them but it is more likely to be an old subterranean chamber, used centuries ago as a hiding place. Probably there are others in the neighbourhood, but now unknown.

In the "Irish Naturalists' Journal" for September 1930, Mr. Lawlor tells us that in County Antrim "the country in some districts is practically honeycombed with these underground dwellings." In one district, there are five souterrains in one field. On the whole, he considers that in that neighbourhood these souterrains are as numerous as the farm houses: they have been carefully closed for fear of accident.

Another expert tells me that the Island of Inch is full of these underground rooms. What a reign of terror it reveals to us as existing in days of old.

NAVIGATING LIGHTS IN THE LOUGH

In old days, nothing was more familiar to us than the various buoys which marked the channel to Derry. We loved the quiet trip in the daily steamer, and the beauty of the Foyle upstream from Culmore. May the days return when we can enjoy that luxury again.

Meanwhile, I want to pay respect to the buoys and lights by telling something of their history. I have not at present discovered the date of the building of the twin lighthouse at Shrove Head, but the following details will be of interest. I have no record of the date when what are called dark buoys were placed in position, that is, unlighted buoys. Probably that would take us back to the year 1800. Before that doubtless boats were sunk, and fishermen had their marks. Before there were any recognised pilots, a vessel would pick up a fisherman as a guide. The vessels were not large, and probably could tack up with a fair wind, but always, I think, on a flood tide.

In the year 1848 action was taken by the Harbour Commissioners, and lighted buoys were introduced. These were, of course, in those days the larger lights, reached daily by a boat, and only lighted during darkness. The following dates are worth giving. The Culmore Lighthouse; Coneyburrow and Whitecastle 1848; Ture, 1850; Kilkean, 1851; Redcastle, 1832; our chief Moville Light, 1882; Saltpan, 1912; Gas Buoy in Moville Bay, 1921; Magilligan Light, 1924.

It was in 1912 that buoys had gas lights - compressed gas in cylinders could flash their signals for three months or longer without attention, though, of course, they needed inspection. It is known to all, of course, that they flash by day as well as by night, but are only visible in the dark.

An old friend gives me his experiences in our big Moville Light. For years he and another man had to spend the night in the Light, going and coming in a boat which would be slung clear of the water. There is plenty of space inside, a fireplace and coals, a bed and seats. The machinery of the light had to be wound up every forty minutes. At times, it was hard work getting to the light, and still harder getting away in a gale. They had to keep provisions with them in case they were marooned. I gather that they were never kept captive for more than two days. He said there was no fear of cold, it was often too hot if they lighted the fire.

All such experiences are things of the past. All lights in the lough up to the Warren Light by the golf links are in the charge of the Derry Harbour Commissioners; beyond it the Trinity House (Irish Lights) comes into force.

PILOTS

In past days there must always have been sailors and fishermen in Shrove always ready to pilot vessels up the lough and as part of their profession. They all probably were farmers as well, and, no doubt, competition was fierce, and there were quarrels from time to time, and boats might be cruising outside the Heads to get the first chance of a job.

Piloting at length came to be regulated, and I should imagine it would be about the year 1848, when the buoys were properly taken in hand. Men were licensed, and no unlicensed person could act. There were also supernumerary pilots in order to meet a sudden rush of vessels.

In days before steam, sea traffic must often have been delayed, then the lough became crowded with sail. One hears of dozens of vessels of all rigs on such occasions awaiting their chance and anchored off Moville and Carrownaff. In old days the present Channel was not used, but the one further out in the lough: it is still there, but it is not buoyed.

Our Channel, though called the New Channel, has been used for a long while, and so well marked that today probably any capable sailor could take a vessel up to Derry. The licenced pilots are, of course, regularly paid, and all competition between them has disappeared. I think they also all have farms.

At the Pilot Station, near the lighthouse, a boat's crew of three men is always in residence, and it is their one occupation. With them, there is always a pilot in readiness, and he is generally on watch. The pilots arrange their watches, which are for two hours at a time, and, of course, they relieve each other regularly. If a pilot is called to ship, another immediately takes his place.

In old days, when a pilot had brought his ship to the wharf, he threw his coat over his shoulder and walked back to Shrove. I know one house at Pound Town where the men were always welcome, whether by day or night. The owners tell me it was quite a common sight when they came down in the morning to find one or more of these men fast asleep on the kitchen floor. The doors were always left unlocked for the purpose.

The regular passenger coasting steamers have captains who themselves hold pilots' certificates, but not so with the coal boats. They take pilots, for their business takes them to any port. One boat which we may see here today may not enter the lough again for months.

In old days, before licences, men bargained with the captains, but all that has ceased; pilots receive a salary, and ships pay according to their tonnage into a "Pilot Fund" of the Derry Harbour Commissioners. This fund provides the pilots' salaries, and also provides for a small pension on their retirement.

The custom with the big liners is that a pilot from Shrove is sent for to Glasgow in time to board the outgoing steamer. He brings the ship into the lough, and the ship lands him at the Pilot Station when she goes out, or, if it is very rough, at Greencastle, or even at Moville.

At times, a liner picks up a pilot at the Station, then the man is brought alongside by the pilot boatmen. I believe the liners have never been compelled to take a pilot on to America; an expense to the company, of course, if such a thing has to be done.

THE LIFEBOAT

Our lifeboat has gone from us. This is the day of high-powered boats, costing large sums, and able to reach vessels in distress far more rapidly than boats only manned with oars and with sails.

On the arrival of one of these splendid boats at Portrush the Shrove lifeboat was removed; and we were all sorry for the men who had so faithfully stood by vessels in distress, the coxswain being Mr. Philip M'Kinney. Fortunately for us, they were photographed by the "Sentinel", and thus their memory is preserved. The last secretary was Mr. J. M'Curry, who has in his possession a board on which are depicted the records of the Greencastle lifeboat.

Of course, our boat was enrolled in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. It is only right to give the record in full:

THE MARY ANNETTE LIFEBOATS

1866 June 19th: Brigantine "Scottish Maid", Barrow - stood by.
1867 February 10th: Brigantine "Eclipse," Londonderry (lives saved - 1)
1870 September 9th: Schooner "Caroline Martin," Glasgow (lives saved - 4)
1872 November, 11th: Barque "L. G. Biglow," Yarmouth, N.S. (lives saved - 2)
1877 December 26th: Schooner "Beautiful Star" - rendered assistance
1878 February 19th: Schooner "Mary Elizabeth," Beaumaris (lives saved - 5)

TEMPORARY LIFEBOAT

1889 December 31st: Schooner "Cwmavon," Swansea (lives saved - 4)

MARY BECKWITH LIFEBOAT

1900 December 21st: Schooner "Mary Jones," Chester - stood by vessel and landed master.
1901 December 12th: "S.S. Neritea" (lives saved - 12)

BRITTAN IVILLE'S LIFEBOAT

1905 September 1st: A ketch of Buncrana, landed (lives saved - 2)
1907 November 21st: Schooner "Emily," Runcorn (lives saved - 5)
1909 October 5th: Schooner "Laura Griffith," Portmadoc (lives saved - 4)
1914 June 28th: Anchor liner "SS California," Glasgow - stood by vessel.
1914 July 16th: Anchor liner "SS California" - stood by during salvage operations.
1919 December 24th: "SS Albert Clement," Londonderry - stood by
1920 November 8th- Canadian Steam Drifter C.D. 37- Stood by vessel

 

My task is ended, and it has been a labour of love. Of course, there must be errors here and there, and I hope those who have noted them, or those who can add interesting details, will communicate with me. Some have asked me whether this history may be expected to appear in book or pamphlet form. That depends upon financial considerations and upon the wishes of our people.