340 Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



signifies one who shuns, or avoids ; but the person whose name is here in- 

 scribed is probably the Sechnasach, " Priest of Durrow," whose death is 

 recorded in Mageoghegan's translation of the Annals of Clonmacnoise at the 

 year 928, and in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 931. 



I have now brought this Dissertation on the Irish churches to a conclusion. 

 It has, indeed, extended to a length far beyond what I had originally intended, 

 but not, I trust, greater than the subject demanded ; for the ignorance of our 

 antiquaries on this most important class of our architectural antiquities has 

 been not only disgraceful in itself, but the fruitful source of all those fantastic 

 and erroneous theories which have been advanced relative to the origin, uses, 

 and age of the Round Tower Belfries, and other classes of ecclesiastical archi- 

 tectural remains, of which I have yet to treat. 



That I may possibly err, in some instances, in the opinions offered as to the 

 age of some of the examples of decorated architecture which I have adduced, 

 I have already freely acknowledged ; but the subject is now, at least, submitted 

 to the learned on new grounds, and whatever may be their ultimate decision 

 upon a matter so interesting, as illustrating the history of ecclesiastical archi- 

 tecture in Europe, my object must necessarily be attained that of leading 

 others to the discovery of truth however I may myself have failed occasionally 

 to see it. 



SUBSECTION II. 

 ORATORIES. 



THE class of antiquities of which I have next to treat, namely, the duir- 

 theachs, or dertheachs, has been, to modern Irish writers, as much involved 

 in mystery as even the Round Towers ; and yet it is perfectly certain that, prior 

 to the twelfth century, the buildings, thus designated, were a class of churches, 

 or religious edifices, essentially differing from those noticed in our Annals 

 under the appellation of daimhliag, as will appear from the following notices 

 from the Annals of Ulster : 



" A. D. 824. opcac IDaiji bile, co n-aoepctjib, 6 



" A. D. 824. The burning of Magh bile, with its dertkechs, by the Gentiles [Danes]." 



" A. D. 839- 6opca6 Gipoo machete, co n-a oepthijib 7 a ooimliaj." 



" A. D. 839- The burning of Armagh, with its dertftec/is and daimhliag." 



