BB JOURNAL OF THE BRISTOL EXPLORATION CLUB
Vol. 8 No.85
September 1954
Caving in Ireland. July 1954. By R.M. (Pongo) Wallis) My summer holiday this year has been spent caving in Ireland. It was my first trip over there and was thoroughly enjoyable. The party consisted of Johnny Pitts, Joan Light, Donald Thompson and myself. John and I travelled over via Hollyhead - Dun Laoghaire and we were to meet the others at Mitchellstown with the car which we collected at Dublin. Unfortunately, about 10 miles outside Dublin the car rotated about the wrong axis (horizontal instead of vertical). When we got out we found it would still go but was rather the worse for wear. When it had been reported to the Guarda (Police) and to the hirers it was taken back to Dublin and we had time to wonder what to do next. The first thing was to get in touch with the other two, which we eventually managed and it was arranged that I should meet them at Lisdoonvarna in Co. Clare on Monday, where we were due to go on Tuesday in my case. I duly travelled down to Limerick on Monday, leaving John to, argue about the car, and then out to Lisdoonvarna by bus meeting the other two at Limerick. We arrived at Ballynalacken Castle that evening and were greeted by Mr. & Mrs. O’Callaghan Joan & Don were old friends from previous stays. We found a party of 8 from U.B.S.S. under Prof. Tratman in residence and hard at work on their Cullaun caves as well as anything else in sight. Our enthusiasm must have been tremendous, as next day we set out for Doolin, about 3 miles away loaded up with 40 feet of ladder, lunch, cameras, &c. Luckily the local priest came by and gave us a lift there and was most interested in the whole proceedings. Doolin, in my opinion, ought never to have been discovered. It starts with a very wet section where we got wet up to the neck, and after another couple of hundred feet or so one is again almost completely immersed. After this it is reputed to get very large and one just walks for 2,000yds. or so, but this we took on trust, as we were by now very cold and completely covered in very wet mud, having rashly explored a flat-out muddy crawl. We also thought that the water was unpleasantly high and as it was raining outside we didn't want to get trapped. When we got back, our suggestion that the place might flood has treated with great scorn, but to our delight when U.B.S.S. went there to continue their survey a day or two later, the entrance was completely sealed. Later that evening John turned up - - no car, alas! – but with J.C. Coleman in his car. Jack was extremely sporting and next day which was very nice and fine, took us all out for a general look round which included almost everything of note from Ballyvaughn in the north to the cliffs of Moher in the south. After tea at Lisdoonvarna in the Irish Arms we began on the stout drinking. This continued till about 1am. and was then continued at Ballynalacken till about 3.