Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, <SfC. 271 



but God and Ciaran incited the Delvins in pursuit of them, and they slaughtered them, together 

 with the heir apparent of Hy-Focarta, for it was he that had killed the student. Their captives 

 also returned to them at rising time on the day following to Cluain through the miracles of Ciaran." 



I should confess, however, that, if we are to trust Dr. Ledwich, this cross, 

 of two sides of which he gives a very inaccurate representation, and couples 

 with them two sides of another cross at Clonmacnoise, as if they were the re- 

 maining sides, is no older than the close of the thirteenth century, at which 

 time, he says, the cathedral church was re-edified by Odo, or Hugh, the dean of 

 the place. His remarks on this subject would be unworthy of notice, if the 

 character which he obtained by his show of research, and plausible assump- 

 tion of love for truth, did not cause his audacious misrepresentations to be 

 received with respect by the learned, and render it a duty to expose them. 

 His description of this cross is as follows : 



" The other ornamented cross is at Clonmacnois. The stone is fifteen feet high, and stands near 

 the western door of Teampull Mac Diarmuid. Over the Northern door of this church are three 

 figures : the middle St. Patrick, in pontificalibus, the other two St. Francis and St. Dominic, in the 

 habits of their Orders. Below these are portraits of the same three saints and Odo, and on the fillet 

 is this inscription : ' Dons Odo Decanus Cluanm, fieri fecit.' Master Odo, Dean of Clonmacnois, 

 caused this to be made. This inscription refers to Dean Odo's re-edifying the church, and must 

 have been about the year 1280, when the Dominicans and Franciscans were settled here and held 

 in the highest esteem, as new Orders of extraordinary holiness. The figures on this Cross are com- 

 memorative of St. Kiaran and this laudable act of the Dean. Its eastern side, like the others, is 

 divided into compartments. Its centre, or head and arms, exhibit St. Kiaran at full length, being 

 the patron of Clonmacnois. In one hand he holds an hammer, and in the other a mallet, expressing 

 his descent, his father being a carpenter. Near him are three men and a dog dancing, and in the 

 arms are eight men more, and above the Saint is a portrait of Dean Odo. The men are the arti- 

 ficers employed by Odo, who show their joy for the honour done their patron. On the shaft are two 

 men, one stripping the other of his old garments, alluding to the new repairs. Under these are 

 two soldiers, with their swords, ready to defend the church and religion. Next are Adam and Eve 

 and the tree of life, and beneath an imperfect Irish inscription. On the pedestal are equestrian and 

 chariot sports. On the North side is a pauper carrying a child, indicating the Christian virtue, 

 Charity. Below these a shepherd plays on his pipe, and under him is an ecclesiastic sitting in a 

 chair, holding a teacher's ferula, on the top of which is an owl, the symbol of Wisdom, and its end 

 rests on a beast, denoting Ignorance. The other sides are finely adorned with lozenge net-work, 

 nebule mouldings, roses and flowers." Antiquities of Ireland, pp. 75, 76. 



On this extraordinary description it is scarcely necessary to remark, that 

 Dr. Ledwich is as much in error with respect to the age of the north doorway 



