The Irish standard., 1892-02-27
WIND AND SPRAY,
That is What That Little Irish
Town, POrtrush, is
Noted for.
THE GIANTS CAUSEWAY,
A Visit to That Historic Place and
Many Happy Reminis-
cenc9s Recalled.

Portrush is a little town full of wind
and spray writes Charles W. Stoddard, ,l
in recent issue Of the Ave Maria.
The sea lashes the headland about it,
and the low, sharp reefs that line it's
shores are white with tumbling foam.
The casual observer will discover moth
ing more entertaining than the numerous
hotels, and the omnibuses that haunt
the station when tho train comes in from
Belfast. From Portrush you hasten by
car over the nloors to the Chants Cause
way, about seven miles distant. Some
times the road drops into hollows out OF
sight of the sea; but for great part OF
the way it hugs the cliffs overhanging
The beautiful beach, where the scenery is
grand in tho extreme.
The ruins Of Dunluce Castle crown d
perpendicular and insulated rock, tower
ing hundred feet above the water, and
connected with the mainland by a single
marrow BRIDGE 1t is the haunt of sea-
birds and photographers, and The admir-"
alton Of all lovers OF the truly picturesque.
One of the low ya,1lted chambers, in tol-
erable preservation, is said to BE- tho re-
sort of ''banshee," but the place,
though clean swept, was vacant when l
looked into it. Fortunately. the mourn
full wall that foretells death or sorrow to
family was silent, or drowned in the
roar Of the waves that wash the rocky
foundations of the castle.
The basaltic rocks, that have become
world-tamous SINCE the opening Of the
eighteenth century, line the northern
coast Of the County Antrim for four
miles or more. They vary somewhat in
their formation, though the honeycomb
pattern predominates. In one spot only
can you walk over the tops Of the col
unns, forty Thousand in numher-as
some have taken pains to ascertain; and
here the rocks are so low that many Of
them are covered at high tide. There is
but one triangular pillar in the whole
collection; there are but three having
nine sides each; those having four or
eight sides bear small proportion to the
entire mass, Of which ninety nine out of
every hundred have either five, six, or
seven sides. Each column is formed OF
several pieces, with their concave and
convex surfaces fitted neatly together;
these sections rest one upon the other.
and can be lifted away without fractur-
ing the stones in any part. The different
sections Of pillar vary in length from
one to four or more feet. Many of these
sections have been shipped abroad as
curiosities, and the guide assured mo
that half dozen had gone to America.
One beautifully formed stone, with a hol-
low in the top as smooth and regular as
shallow bowl, was forwarded to
church, where, we areinformed, it is now
used in its natu- al state rs baptismal
tount.
When your feet are slipping over the
irregular surface Of the Causeway-no
two of the columne are exactly of the
same height, so that you are continually
going up or down stairs, as il were,- you
naturally wonder how the colossal honey
comb turned to stone: and why it stands
where it does, on the bleak north coast,
with the angry sea gnawing at it forever
and a day. The fiction is that the Irish
giant Flu McCool, now happily deceased,
hsda dispute with his colossal rival in
Scotland. They ussd to ait on their re-
spective shores and call each other bad
names By and by Fin got leave Of one
Of the Irish kings good luck to him!-
to build 9 highway over to Scotland.
When the road was finished the Caledo-
nian giant came over to fight Fin on his
own ground; but Fin got the better of
him of course. They feasted for sea-
son. and the Scotchman concluded to
stop in Ireland and marry an Irish girl
who that has seen the Emerald Isle in
her perennial beauty is not seized with
the same desire?
The causeway between the two shores
being no longer OF service fell into disuse,
and was ultimately washed away. Frag-
ments are still visible at the Island Of
Rathlin; and the Portals Of the Grand
Gate, better known as FingaPs Cave,
are to this hour the glory Of Sstaffa, Of
! the Scottish coast The truth Of the
matter is almost ass nrprising; the col
! umns are comp posed chemically of about
ono Sdinty eartt one-qu quarter iron,
and one.quarter clay and lime. They
are of Plutonic orie formed bys.a per-
feot fusion tthe the 81 iient IS into one