288 Mr. PETEIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



" A. D. 1138. Cormac, son of Muireadhach, son ofCarthach, son of Saorbhrethach, son of 

 Donough, son of Ceallachan Cashel, king of Desmond, and a man who had continual contention for 

 the sovereignty of the entire province of Munster, and the most pious, most brave, and most liberal 

 of victuals, and clothing, after having built [the church called] Teampull Chormaic, in Cashel, 

 and two churches in Lismore, was treacherously murdered by Dermot Sugach O'Conor Kerry, 

 at the instigation of Turlough O'Brien, who was his own son-in-law, gossip, and foster-child." 



The consecration of this church is also recorded in all the other Irish 

 Annals, except those which are defective about this period : thus, for example, 

 in Mageoghegan's translation of the Annals of Clonmacnoise, at the year 1135 : 



" A. D. 1 135. There was a great assembly of Leath Moye in Cashell at the consecration of the 

 church of Cormac Mac Carthie King of Cashell." 



Thus also in the Annals of Kilronan, which are preserved in the Library of 

 Trinity College, Dublin : 



"A. D. 1134. Coippecao cempoill Copmaic." 

 Thus again in the Chronicon Scotorum: 



"A. D. 1134. Coippecao cempoill Copmaic i j-Caipiol la maicili imoa." 



" A. D. 1 134. The consecration of Cormac's church at Cashel by many dignitaries.'' 



Thus again in the continuation of the Annals of Tighernach : 



"A. D. 1134. Coippejao ceampuiU Copmac a j-Caipiol maichiB imoa, imp laech 7 clei- 

 peach." 



" A. D. 1134. The consecration of the church of Cormac at Cashel by many chiefs, both lay 

 and ecclesiastical." 



And, lastly, thus in the Annals of the Four Masters : 



" A. D. 1134. Ceampull DO ponao la Copbmac, mac TTlic Capcaij, pi Caipil, DO coippec- 

 cao la peanao clepeach n-Gpeno i n-aoin ionao." 



" A. D. 1134. The church which was built by Cormac, the grandson of Carthach, King of 

 Cashel, was consecrated by a synod of the clergy of Ireland [assembled] in one place." 



The preceding authorities will, I think, leave no doubt as to the true age 

 of this structure, and therefore an examination of its characteristic features will 

 not only enable us to obtain an intimate knowledge of the style of architecture 

 prevalent in Ireland in the early part of the twelfth century, but also to mark 

 the differences between that style and those found in buildings, which, there 

 is every reason to believe, should be assigned to earlier periods. 



It may indeed be objected, that the word cumo^ic, which is used by the 

 annalists to express the erection or foundation of this church, does not lite- 



