Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 435 



literal meaning of the term, and though it occurs very frequently in the Irish 

 Annals, and other ancient authorities, as applied to a building, or portion of a 

 building, it is unfortunately very difficult to form any accurate idea of the kind 

 of building it designated. Thus, in the earliest notice in the Annals, in which 

 the word occurs : 



" A. D. 825. topcuo Him je bile, co n-a epoatmib, o jemcib." Chron. Scot. 



" A. D. 825. The burning of Magh-Bile, with its erdams, by the Gentiles" [Danes]. 



From this passage we learn, at least, that there was more than one erdam at 

 Magh Bile ; but, we are left in the dark as to whether they were attached to the 

 church or not. 



The next notice in which the word occurs, relates to the erdam of St. Kieran, 

 at Clonmacnoise, and is equally unsatisfactory. 



" A. D. 1070. Qn clochan 6 Cpoip Gppcoip 6rchen co h-lpoom Ciapatn, bo oenarii h-i 

 j-Cluam mac Noip la JTIaoilciapain DTIac Cuinn na m-bochr, agup an clochan 6 Cpoip 

 Chorh jaill co h-ului6 na o-tpi j-cpop, ajup uaio piap 50 bel na ppaioe." Ann. Quat. Mag. 



"A. D. 1070. The causeway from the Cross of Bishop Etchen to the Irdom of St. Ciaran, at 

 Clonmacnoise, was made by Maolciarain Mac Cuinn na m-bocht, and also the causeway from the 

 cross of St. Comgall to the earn of the three crosses, and thence westwards, to the mouth of the 

 street." 



From this passage it might be supposed that the erdam at Clonmacnoise was 

 a distinct building ; and such a supposition would be strengthened by another 

 notice of this erdam in the Chronicon Scotorum at a later period. 



"A.D. 1113. Gpoam Ciapain DO cumoac ecip plinn ocup benncobap." 



" A. D. 1113. The Erdam of Ciaran was covered both shingles and benncobar." 



The same impression would also be made by the passage already quoted, at 

 p. 53, from the Annals of Ulster, relative to the burning of Armagh, at the year 

 995, and which, for the convenience of the reader, it maybe desirable to repeat 

 here : 



" Qn. DCCCCXCV. Gene oiaic DO jabail Gipbmacha, co na pupcaib oepcecli, na oamliacc, 

 na h-epoam, na piOneineaD ann cen lopcab." 



" A. D. DCCCCXCV. Lightning caught Armagh, so that it did not leave a duirteach, or daimttiag, 

 or erdam, or fidhnemead there without burning." 



But such a conjecture is not only proved to be groundless, by the fact, that 

 no distinct building to which the name could be applied, now remains in Ire- 

 land, for Dr. O'Conor's supposition, that it was applied to a Bound Tower, has 



3 K2 



