Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 



31)7 



the seat of a bishopric, the boundaries of which were defined at the Synod 

 of Rath Breasail in or about the year 1118; and that, according to the tra- 

 dition of the country, there were anciently seven churches at the place. Its 

 ancient name was Rath Muighe tuaiscirt, i. e. the rath, or earthen fort of the 

 northern plain; the word tuaiscirt being added to distinguish it from Rath 

 Muighe deiscirt, now Rattas. See p. 169. 



This Tower is now popularly known by the name Giolcach, by which is 

 understood a bell-house, and which is obviously a local corruption of doigtheach, 

 or doictheach. According to the local tradition of the place, there was a silver 

 bell placed in the upper story of the Tower, and which had a remarkably sweet 

 tone, and this bell is now concealed in the adjacent River Brick, into which it 

 was thrown for safety during the " troubles." It cannot, however, be now 

 found, though, as it is said, it used formerly direct attention to its locality, by 

 occasionally emitting melancholy tones. 



In the neighbourhood of the Tower there are ruins of two churches, neither 

 of which, however, is of an antiquity at all approaching that of the Tower, and 

 do not demand any particular notice in this place. 



North 



East 



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Scuth 







Wcsi 





I should have noticed, in connexion with the preceding general remarks on 

 the construction of the Towers, that the division into stories is sometimes 



