The Henson Journals

[5]

Wednesday, August 10th, 1927. Bundoran.

The smart–looking youths in light–green uniform whom we encounter on the cliffs are clearly puzzled by the hat–strings & gaiters of an English bishop. I change into my 'blacks' for dinner, & we walked on the cliffs for an hour before turning in. Some of them salute me with a respect they would certainly not give if they knew me to be an English heretick: & some look suspicious & uncomfortable as they pass without saluting. The young priests, better skilled in detecting wolves in sheep's clothing, go by with settled hostility on their professional faces!

As we motored to Lissadell yesterday, I observed the country closely. There is very little tillage, the main employment being the raising of cattle. The houses, whitewashed & thatched, are similar to the oldest types of miners' houses in Durham. Twice we passed the ruins of constabulary barracks which had been burned by the Sinn Feiners. Such inhabitants as we saw were mostly middle–aged or old, & had an ill look. Donkeys were plentiful, & hay making in progress. The chauffeur who had served in the Army, & gone safely through the War, spoke scornfully of the people of Donegal as shirkers & cowards. He hailed himself from Fermanagh. His car was adorned with a brass place carrying a picture of St Christopher, & the legend, "Behold St Christopher, & then wend your way in safety".

[6]

After breakfast we walked on the cliffs for nearly two hours. At that comparatively early hour we had the cliffs to ourselves, & were able to enjoy the amazing beauty of the scene without distraction. Then we walked to Sea View West, & lunched with Lady Gore Booth. We motored to Classiebawle, a bleak house set up on a headland. It was built by Lord Palmerston, and is now owned by Colonel Ashley, who leaves it derelict. We walked out on the rocky promontory, which is the haunt of sea–birds. I was assured that seals were often to be seen there, but none showed up today. About 5 miles off the land was the small island of Innismurray, famous as containing some of the primitive bee–hive cells, which belong to the earliest days of Irish Christianity. After tea we returned to the Hotel in time for dinner.

The Irish Times reports that Edmund Pearce, the Master of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, has been appointed the first Bishop of Derby. So we have two brothers on the Episcopal Bench, neither of them great or saintly, but both capable, astute, & aspiring. After dinner we walked on the cliffs for three quarters of an hour, & then went to bed.