Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 37 



As to the argument that there were thousands of churches in Ireland, 

 without Round Towers in their vicinity, it hardly deserves notice. It was not 

 every religious establishment that could afford to erect a round tower belfry, 

 or that might require one ; and I will hereafter shew, from the annals and 

 other authorities, that very many cloigteachs, or Round Towers, existed in Ire- 

 land, which are no longer to be found. 



Let the reader now judge how far Dr. Lanigan had solid ground for his 

 final conclusion, viz. " that it can scarcely be doubted that the original models, 

 according to which they were constructed, belong to the times of Paganism, and 

 that the singular style of architecture which we observe in them was brought 

 from the East." 



The arguments in support of this hypothesis adduced by Miss Beaufort, in 

 her very elaborate and valuable " Essay upon the State of Architecture and 

 Antiquities previous to the landing of the Anglo-Normans in Ireland," are 

 much less tangible than those I have just examined, and rest almost entirely 

 on the supposed Persian origin of the Irish, and the consequent agreement in 

 manners, customs, and religion between the ancient ' Iran and Erin.' " This 

 talented lady, indeed, following in the track of Vallancey, has been indefatigable 

 in reading the travels of Eastern tourists, in search of evidence to support his 

 views, but the new instances which she has gleaned from their works, of towers 

 in the East, always excepting the minarets, have scarcely any agreement with 

 those in the West, and, also excepting Hanway's eternally quoted instance of 

 the " Rotundos of the Ghebers," all the supposed temples of the Fire-worshippers 

 present forms which have not the slightest similitude to the Round Towers of 

 Ireland. 



Miss Beaufort's etymological evidences shall be examined in their proper 

 places, in the course of this investigation, but a few general assertions, which 

 she has hazarded, seem to require particular examination here an exami- 

 nation which, however, I must say, from feelings of respect for the talents and 

 acquirements of that estimable lady, I should gladly have avoided entering on, 

 if the course of this investigation did not demand it, and if silence on the ar- 

 guments and authorities which she has adduced might not, perhaps, be taken as 

 evidence of inability to refute them, or, what I should still more regret, of a 

 want of proper respect for the value of her labours. 



