Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, 



401 



sculptured in relievo on the stone immediately over the lintel, somewhat similar 

 to that on the lintel of the doorway of St. Fechin's church at Fore, of which I 

 have given an illustration at p. 173 ; and such sculptures appear to me to fur- 

 nish a strong evidence that both churches and towers were regarded as sanc- 

 tuaries. 



It is remarkable that though the foundation of the church of Antrim is 

 ascribed perhaps erroneously, to St. Mochaoi, a cotemporary of St. Patrick's, 

 who died, according to the Irish annalists, in the year 496, the popular tradi- 

 tion of the country ascribes the erection of the Tower to the celebrated builder 

 called Goban Saer, who flourished in the seventh century. 



As examples of early semicircular-headed doorways, without ornament, and 

 in which the arch is formed by cuttings in the horizontal stones, I annex en- 



gravings of the doorways of the Towers of Kilmacduagh, in the County of 

 Galway, and of Glendalough, in the County of Wicklow, both, as there is little 

 doubt, erected early in the seventh century. 



The doorway of the Tower of Kilmacduagh, which is placed at an elevation 

 of twenty-six feet from the ground, is constructed of large blocks of limestone 

 of the district, and measures six feet ten inches in height, and two feet ten 

 inches in width at the sill ; and the wall is four feet four inches in thickness. 



VOL. XX. 3 F 



