Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 341 



But, though the notices of the duirtheachs, as a distinct class of buildings, 

 are as numerous in our Annals and other ancient authorities as those of the 

 daimhliags, or stone churches, modern writers have failed to form a definite 

 idea of the class of buildings which the term denoted, and consequently have 

 given very inaccurate translations of the term, whenever it came in their way. 

 This will abundantly appear from the following examples : 



In Peter O'Connell's MS. Irish Dictionary it is explained thus : "Duijiceac, 

 a house of austerity, rigour, and penance." In the Dictionaries of O'Brien and 

 O'Reilly the word is thus explained: " Oectp-reac, a certain apartment in a 

 monastery calculated for prayers and other penitential acts." In the older 

 Glossary of O'Clery, we find the name explained, " Ouipcectc, .1. ceampall," 

 " Duirtheach, i. e. a church." Dr. O' Conor, in his translation of the Irish 

 Annals, usually renders it by Nosocomium, as I have already shown in p. 120, 

 and sometimes by Hospitium pauperum, Hospitium peregrinorum, and Noso- 

 comium peregrinorum. And he thus explains the term in a note in the Annals 

 of Ulster, at the year 823 : 



" Glossaria Hibernica confundunt Deartach et Doimliag, quas voces plane separant Annales 

 Ultonienses ad arm. 839. ' Dertighibh 7 Doimliag.'' Deartach proprie Nosocomium, seu Hospitium 

 ad usum peregrin antium, Doimliag Ecclesiam principalem, seu Cathedralem significat." 



As I have already shown, Colgan, who translates it pcenitentium cede 

 [tedes], and domus pcenitentium, is nearer to the truth, as it does not appear 

 that there was any other word in use amongst the Irish to designate a chapel 

 for penitential prayer. But, as I shall presently show, this explanation is too 

 limited ; and, indeed, it would appear that Colgan had no accurate notion of the 

 meaning of the word, as he sometimes translates it ecclesia, and sometimes, 

 plurally, sacris cedificiis. See his Annals of Kildare at the year 835, and his 

 Annals of Armagh at the year 890. But, that the word was understood by the 

 Irish themselves to signify an oratory, or consecrated chapel for private prayer, 

 will fully appear from the following passages in the Irish Annals : 



" A, D. 804. Cell Achaidh cum oratorio novo ardescit." Annal. Ult. 



Thus given in Irish by the Four Masters, under the year 800, these annalists 

 being usually in error a few years in their dates about this period : 



" A. D. 800. Ceall achaio DO lo]xcao, co n-a oepthaij nui." 

 " A. D. 800. Ceall achaidh was burned, with its new dertkach." 



