Binder's Cove Souterrain Finnis Dromara. ( Bring a strong flashlight and wear strong hats or better still cycling helmets and good gloves and old jeans) The name comes from the French. 'Sous' meaning under and 'terrain' meaning earth. This has to be a very strong contender for best preserved in Ireland and longest souterrains in Ulster! This Binder Cove souterrain dates from early Christian times around the 9th century. It is well under an hour's journey out of Belfast. It is close to Dromara and closer still to the small village of Finnis in the shadow of Slieve Croob. It is easily found because of road signage and a well defined pathway leading right up to the entrance. Once inside switch on the solar powered lighting. This is s very well preserved souterrain. It should be completely dry, no muddy floor. The floor has a loose gravel covering. During the winter months the tunnels may be flooded so the gate is locked.The key may be obtained from O'Hare's garage on the B7 Rathfriland Road, near Finnis/Massford. This souterrain, near the settlement of Finnis, and just down the road from the impressive Legananny portal tomb, was rediscovered in the early eighteenth century. It was originally referred to simply as the “Finnis Cave,” but was also known by the name of the nearby peak, Slieve-na-Boley. The site took its modern name from a previous owner of the field (“Binder”) and a corruption of the English and Irish words for “cave.” Binder’s Cove has a short entrance passage, 2 m (6.5 ft) long, with only a meter (3.3 ft) of height, with a low lintel stone at the end that might break the head of an intruder rushing into the dark tunnel. After that constriction, the main passage at Binder’s Cove is about 30 m (98.5 ft) in length, with two side passages that are each about 6 m (20 ft) long. The main passages have about 1.5 m (5 ft) of headroom, and are about 1 m (3.3 ft) wide. Further Finnis Souterrain, is a securely built underground structure made up of three passages. The main passage runs from east to west for approximately 29m. It is made of granite, with large stones near the base giving way to smaller stones, creating an inward batter or curve. The main passage sidewalls are characterised by an outward stepping of the top most wall course, which provides a platform or ledge onto which the massive roof lintel stones were set. Two side passages extend from the central passageway in a north easterly direction, and there are low lintels at the entrance of each of these chambers. The chambers are both around 6m in length. In the first side passage, the constricted entrance is formed by large lintels. A roof aperture above these lintels possibly provided a vantage place for someone to hide and surprise an unwelcome intruder. Finnis Souterrain is known locally as ‘Binder’s Cove’. According to Mark Clinton, souterrains were commonly referred to as ‘an uamh’ or cave. He also states that the given price for building a souterrain was two cows. ‘Binder’ was the nickname given to a previous occupier of the souterrain field. Souterrains date from the early Christian period, between the sixth and tenth centuries AD. This was a period of civil unrest, with the constant threat of Viking raids, intertribal cattle raids, and regular theft of slaves. Although there is some debate about the purpose of souterrains, it is thought that they were built mainly as places of refuge, but were used for storage on a day to day basis. Finnis Souterrain would have made a useful cool store in the summer. The present entrance to the souterrain is not the original access point, the location of which is not known. Archaeologists think that the main passage continued beyond the present entrance. A report in the Northern Whig in 1836 refers to stone steps leading down to the souterrain, but these have never been found. It is not known when the present entrance to the site was made. Finnis Souterrain has been known for at least 200 years, but has been ‘rediscovered’ many times.

( This long video of 40 minutes represents a compilation of a number of past footage I shot at Belfast City Cemetery between 2015- 2017. ) Belfast City Cemetery, established in 1869, is one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in Northern Ireland. Since it was opened, nearly 250,000 people from the very rich to the pauper, have been buried there. The cemetery lies between Falls Road and Springfield Road, near and almost opposite Milltown Cemetery. It is maintained by Belfast City Council. Unfortunately vandalism in the cemetery is widespread. It would not be a place you would wish to be after nightfall. At present new plans are being drawn up to protect, enhance and promote the cemetery's rich heritage. Over £2 milion National Lottery Heritage has been provided for this purpose. The cemetery provides an important insight into the history of Belfast. It is a recognized historical site and shows many fine examples of Victorian, Edwardian and Gothic revival architecture. Many of Belfast's leading citizens and other noteable people lie buried there. Sir Robert Anderson, 1st Baronet - politician, former Lord Mayor of Belfast, co-owner of the Anderson and McAuley department store Robert Hugh Hanley Baird - (1855 - 1934) - owner of the Belfast Telegraph newspaper for 48 years. Margaret Byers - educator, activist, social reformer, missionary, and writer Sir George Clark, 1st Baronet - shipbuilder Samuel Cleland Davidson - inventor and founder of Belfast Sirocco Works Denis Donaldson - Former IRA member and Sinn Féin politician; killed as a British spy. Vere Henry Louis Foster - educationist and philanthropist Tom Gallaher - tobacco merchant Edward Harland - shipbuilder James Henderson - Unionist politician, former Lord Mayor of Belfast. John Hopkinson - physicist Daniel Joseph Jaffe - Built Belfast's first synagogue; father of Otto Jaffe, former Lord Mayor of Belfast. Florence Augusta Lewis - mother of C.S. Lewis Robert Wilson Lynd - author. William Henry Lynn - architect Florence Lewis (died August 1908) - mother of famous author CS Lewis Thomas Macknight - Political author and biographer. Francis Maginn - missionary Valentine McMaster - Victoria Cross (VC) recipient (Indian Mutiny). Bernard McQuirt - VC recipient, Indian Mutiny. (Grave in pauper plot unmarked; commemorative headstone at Donaghcloney, County Armagh). Rinty Monaghan - boxer William Pirrie, 1st Viscount Pirrie Margaret M Pirrie (died June 1935) – wife of Viscount Pirrie and financial supporter of the Royal Victoria Hospital Elisha Scott - football player Robert Thompson - politician Sam Thompson - playwright William Whitla - physician and politician