Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 131 



the interior, and measures nine feet by seven feet six inches in height ; the door- 

 way is two feet four inches wide, and three feet six inches high. The material 

 of this structure is mica slate, and, though its external appearance is very rude, 

 its interior is constructed with admirable art. 



The introduction of this quadrangular form, by the first propagators of 

 Christianity in Ireland, is clearly pointed out in an ancient Irish stanza, pre- 

 dicting this and other Christian innovations, which is quoted as the composition 

 of a certain magus of the name of Con, in the ancient Life of St. Patrick, ascribed 

 to St. Evin, a writer of the sixth century, and thus translated by Colgan : 



" Constantinus autem in suis vaticinijs loquens de eo eodem aduentu cecinit. Adueniet cum 

 cireulo tonsus in capite ; cuius cedes erunt ad instar cedium Romanarum : efficiet quod cellce futures 

 sint in pretio fy cestimatione : cedes eius erant \_erunt~\ angustce Sf angulatce 8f fana multa : pedurn 

 pastorale dominabitur. Quando hcec portenta 8f prodigia euenient, nostra dogmata Sf idola euertentur : 

 fides <$- pietas magnificabuntur. Quse omnia veridice pradicta esse probauit euentus, licet per ora 

 inendacijs assueta, prolata, cogente omnis veritatis fonte & authore ; qui ssepe patrem medacij 

 cogit ad testimonium veritati prsebendu." Trias Thaum. p. 123. 



It is remarkable, however, that the early Irish Christians do not appear to 

 have adopted all at once the quadrangular form and upright walls, here alluded 

 to as characteristic of the houses of the Romans, and observable in the churches 

 still existing, the erection of which is ascribed to St. Patrick and his successors. 

 In the remote barony of Kerry called Corcaguiny, and particularly in the 

 neighbourhood of Smerwick Harbour, where the remains of stone fortresses and 

 circular stone houses are most numerously spread through the valleys and on 

 the mountains, we meet with several ancient oratories, exhibiting only an im- 

 perfect development of the Roman mode of construction, being built of un- 

 cemented stones admirably fitted to each other, and their lateral walls converg- 

 ing from the base to their apex in curved lines; indeed their end walls, 

 though in a much lesser degree, converge also. Another feature in these edi- 

 fices worthy of notice, as exhibiting a characteristic which they have in com- 

 mon with the pagan monuments, is, that none of them evince an acquaintance 

 with the principle of the arch, and that, except in one instance, that of Gallerus, 

 their doorways are extremely low, as in the pagan forts and houses. 



As an example of these most interesting structures, which, the historian of 

 Kerry truly says, " may possibly challenge even the Round Towers as to point 



s 2 



