Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, $c. 71 



As in the preceding arguments I find nothing requiring an answer, which 

 has not been already noticed, I shall gladly pass on to the arguments more re- 

 cently adduced by Mr. Windele in a tone of confidence, which contrasts strikingly 

 with the cautious spirit of inquiry exhibited by Mr. Moore. The first article in 

 support of this hypothesis, put forward by Mr. Windele, appears in a work en- 

 titled Historical and Descriptive Notices of the City of Cork and its Vicinity, 

 fyc., Cork, 1 840, and is as follows : 



" The origin and use of these towers are still, as they have been for nearly two centuries past, 

 'questiones vexatce,'' and are likely so to continue, dividing the leisure of archaiologists, with such 

 useful objects of enquiry, as Hannibal's vinegar, Homer or Ossian's birth place, or the Mysteries of 

 the Babylonian bricks ; absurdities innumerable have been brought forth in the discussion. OIK; 

 writer has found their original in the square, solid pillar of Simon the Stylite, where from, by way 

 of close copy, a round, hollow tower was formed. O'Brien, one of the latest authorities, has disco- 

 vered the Hindoo Lingam, in their form ; and, their use he says, ' was that of a cupboard,' to hold 

 those figures, sacred to that very decent deity the Indo-Irish Budha. Grave writers, too, have not 

 been wanting who ascribed their construction to the ' Danes,' to serve as watch towers ; and a re- 

 cent essayist, has, by way of climax, declared his belief, that they were erected in order to serve, 

 as indices to the cathedral churches. But amidst all these follies, the ground of debate has been 

 gradually narrowed, and the parties belligerent, at present, may be classed into two, one contending 

 for their Pagan, and the other for a Christian origin. 



" Vallancey was the first who hold the former opinion. He was ably sustained by Dr. Lanigaii, 

 and followed by O'Brien, Dalton, Beaufort, and Moore. The other side, reckons amongst its adhe- 

 rents, the names of Ledwich, Milner, Hoare, Morres and Petrie. To us, it seems, that all the force 

 of argument, authority, and analogy, is with the former. The advocates of the Christian origin, 

 have, in vain, sought for a prototype, in Christian lands ; whilst their opponents have found it in 

 India, Persia, and Babylonia; and, perhaps, we may add amongst the remains of the ancient Phoe- 

 nician colonists of Sardinia ; thus indicating to the antiquary, that connexion or affinity of the early 

 inhabitants of Ireland, with the ' Golden Orient,' which their antiquaries are fain to claim. 



" Their Irish names, Tur-aghan or adhan, Feidh-neimhedh and Cikagh are of themselves con- 

 clusive as to their Pagan origin, and announce, at once, a fane devoted to that form of religion, com- 

 pounded of Saboeism, or star- worship, and Budhism, of which the sun, represented by fire, was the 

 principal deity in all the kindred mythologies of India, Persia, Phenicia, Phrygia, Samothrace, and 

 Ireland. This idolatry in many respects, differed from that of Gaul and Britain. Zoroaster was its 

 grand reformer in Persia, and the reformation seems to have been accepted in Ireland. He it was, 

 who caused Pyreia, or Fire temples, to be erected. Hanway tells us, that four of them which he 

 saw at Sari, are of the most durable materials, round, about [above] 30 feet in diameter, and raised in 

 height to a pointof about 120 feet. It is objected to our Pyreia, that there was no necessity for carry- 

 ing them up to so great a height. The objection equally lies against those at Sari. Fire temples, 

 also constituted part of the Brahminical worship. They were called like ours, Coil from C/ialana, 



