18 Mr. PETBIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



He next adduces the authority of Dr. O'Brien, the learned author of the Irish 

 Dictionary : 



" Cuil-ceach, or Cul-kak corrupte claiceach, a round tower ; as Cuikeac Cluana-umha, the tower 

 or steeple of Cloyne. O'Brien. This word, adds he, seems to be corrupted of clog-theach, that is, 

 the bell-house. I have had occasion before, -to shew, that Dr. O'Brien, had very little knowledge of 

 the roots of his mother tongue, for dog is a contraction of cugal. 



" Cuitt-kak, is evidently the annunciator, instructor, or proclaimer of the festivals. See ail, gid, 

 and kak, in the preceding list of Oriental and Irish words. Hence, it is rather more than conjecture, 

 that our Irish round towers, which Cormac tells us, were built by the first people who came to this 

 island, were the buildings from which the approaching festivals were announced." Ib. pp. 486, 487. 



General Vallancey next tells us: 



" Another name for the round towers, is sibheil, sithbheit, and sithbhein. See O'Brien and Shaw's 

 Lexicons."/*, p. 488. 



He then compares this word with what he considers cognate words in the 

 Hebrew, Arabic, and Syriac, and resumes : 



" The Irish word, Sith-bheit, is literally, the Beth, or house of Sith; which may imply, the house of 

 peace, of pointing out the seasons, or, the house of adoration. Sith, particularly, expresses every 

 place established by the Druids in Ireland for devotion. Sith-drum, was the ancient name of 

 Cashel, or Caisiol, that is, the Sith upon a hill : the tower of Caisil is thus situated ; Caisiol, implies 

 also, a house built of lime and stone. Sith, is pronounced See, the t being aspirated : I think it bids 

 fair to be the root of the Latin, sedes, and the English, see ; i. e. the diocese of a bishop. Ainsworth, 

 derives the word from the Greek, e^&, edes. Sith-bhein, in Irish, will imply the place of the bene- 

 diction, of pointing out, or proclamation, of the anniversary, or of the vigils, the evening place of 

 prayer, and, lastly, binn, is also a bell, used by the Romish church in excommunication. Gur 

 beanadh binn6an Chiarain, air. Chron. Scot, ad an. 1043. 



" Caiceach, the last name I find for the round tower, is supposed by the Glossarists, to be com- 

 pounded of cai, a house, and tfieac, a house ; this is tautology with a witness ! The word may be 

 compounded of cai, a house, and ceac, instruction, &c. but I rather think it should be written, 

 caig-theac, or caig-each, i. e. the house of solemnity, or of the feasts or festivals. 2n chag, in 

 Hebrew, as we have already shewn, is a circle, festival, anniversary. Exod. x. 9. we have a (chag) 

 festival day, xxiii. 18. nor shall the fat of my (chag) annual sacrifice, remain till morning. The 

 Hebrew, chag, is the root of the Irish, cagaus, & name of lent. Cargus, i. e. Cag-aos, the season of 

 Chag Vet. Glos." 



" These towers were certainly belfries in after ages ; and, probably, were not only observatories, 

 but belfries too, at the time of their construction. It is worthy of observation, that all festivals are 

 proclaimed in the eastern countries from the top of the misgir, or diz-ghale, or round towers of 

 the mosque: Bells might also have been used by our Druids: the hand bell is of a very ancient con- 



