Uses of the Round Towers of Ireland, fyc. 



177 



Nessain, or, the Island of the Sons of Nessan, off Howth, in the county of Dub- 

 lin. This doorway, which was unfortunately destroyed some years since, that 



the stones might be used in the erection of a Roman 

 Catholic chapel at Howth, was, as usual, placed 

 in the west front of the church, and was six feet 

 six inches in height, two feet eight inches in 

 width below the impost, and three feet at the 

 base ; and the wall was two feet eight inches in 

 thickness. As a description of this curious church, 

 with its Round Tower belfry, will be given in the 

 third part of this work, together with an inquiry 

 into its true history, which has hitherto been very 

 erroneously investigated, I need only state here, 

 that its erection may, with every appearance of 

 certainty, be referred to the middle of the seventh 

 century, when the three sons of Nessan, Dichuill, Munissa, andNeslug, flou- 

 rished, and gave name to the island. 



Very similar to this doorway, but of better architecture, and presenting a 

 torus or bead moulding along its external edges, is the doorway of the ancient 

 church in the townland called Sheepstown, 

 in the parish and barony of Knocktopher, 

 and county of Kilkenny, of which I annex 

 a drawing. This doorway, which, as 

 usual, is placed in the centre of the west 

 wall, is composed of sandstone, well chi- 

 selled, and measures seven feet in height, 

 or five feet six inches to the top of the 

 impost, and one foot six inches thence to 

 the vertex of the arch ; in width it is three 

 feet immediately below the imposts, and 

 three feet three inches at the bottom; and 

 the jambs are three feet in thickness. As 

 the ancient name of the church is wholly forgotten in the locality, as well as the 

 name of its patron or founder, it is out of my power to trace its ancient history. 

 VOL. xx. 2 A 



