Name/Title
StereographEntry/Object ID
2023.055.3.0252Description
A black and white stereograph. Image is of a man standing on a rock outcropping pointing out into the distance. Above the image "T285 (Star)" is printed, below the image "12691T Some of the 40,000 Columns of the Famous Ciant's Causeway on the Coast of Northern Ireland." is printed, to the left of the image "Keystone View Company COPYRIGHTED Manufacturers MADE IN U.S.A. Publishers" is printed, to the right of the image "Meadville, Pa., New York, N. Y., Chicago, Ill., London, England." is printed. On the reverse the following is printed:
12691
THE FAMOUS GIANTS'S CAUSEWAY, NORTHERN IRELAND
For nearly four miles along this shore the rocks are more or less like these, some 40,000 regualr prisms of basaltic rock standing on end as we see them over yonder, and packed edge to edge as we see them here under our feet. They have the effect of some fantastic architectural construction, and you are almost ready to believe the old legend about their origin.
It seems that, once upon a time, there were giants here in Ireland. One, Fin MacCoul or Fingal, was the champion of these northenr shores and everbody stood in awe of him, as well they might. Only there was a boasting Caledonian giant across the North Channel, in Scotland, who vowed that he could whip the champion if he chose. Indeed, he said he would do it, too, if it were not that he didn't like to get wet coming over. When Fin MacCoul heard that he made up his mind in three shakes of a lamb's tail. He just built a causeway across to Scotland so that the Scot might have no excue for non-appearance, and then he gave the boaster a most tremendous thrashing as it was fitting he should. The causeway stayed there for a long time, but after the doughty Fin MacCoul went to his rest, the stones sank to the bottom of the sea, all but these and a few others at the farther end, at Staffa, off the Scottish Coast.
Geologists tell us that these basaltic rocks are of volcanic origin. In some earlier age of the earth's history a lava river flowed down into the sea near here and when the fiery liquid contracted in cooling to solid form, it did just as starch does when it has been mixed into a stiff paste with cold water and allowed to dry - it cracked into these regular columnar parts.
Copyright by The Keystone View CompanyCollection
Photograph Collection