HISTORIC FORDS OF DONEGAL (By Very Rev. T Molloy, D.Ph.) "On learn1n~ the e!lemy'5 pl:i.r:t. of campaign~ Caesar led his army to the Thames in order to enter the territory of Cassivellaunus. The river is fordable at O:'.'le point only, ·and even there with difficulty. At this i;roint he found large enemy forces draw·n up on the opposite bank. The bank was also fenced by sharp stakes fixed along the edge, and he was told by prisoners and deserters that similar ones were concealed in the river bed. He sent tlhe cavalry acros-s first, and then at once ordered the infantry to follow. But the infantry went with such speed and impetuosity, although, they had only their heads above water, that they attacked at the same moment as the cavalry. The eneimy was overpowered and fled from the river bank". THIS echo fr'om the classics is quot,ed merely to ,emphasise the great importance that 1was attached in olden times to fords. From the variety ·of na~es 1which we in this country us·ed ~o descr,ibe different ty~pes of ford, a variety ur::paralleled in other languages, it is ck ar that fords entcriEd largely into the day-to-day life of our uncestors. Ath is the more general J"}f./n1e for a ford. The older name of Dublin, E1aite A.:lr.a Cliath, is an example. So is Beal Atha Muice, Swi!lford, where Beal indicates the appr(jach. So in Beal Atha Se~nnaig~h in our own county. Scairbh indkates a river spr1ead wide over fa rough bottom, e.g., Seariffbo1is between Conwal and New Mills. ,Fearsat indic1ates a snndbank formed .near the :mouth of a river by the opposm~; cmTcnts of tide and. stream. At low 1water these points formed a faiT]y safe pas~age ac!"oss. .Belfast is an example. An/ Far:;et .More dctvVn-stream from Letterkenny ~ould, I believ·e, still be crossed at low water. Where there 1\\l8s not a good natura1 ford it was often necessary, or at least it added considerably to the convenience of a riive.r crossing, if trees, osiers c1· stones were fixed in the bed of a river. Thus we have Ceis .or Ceiseach which ~ndi0ates such a construction. 303
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