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Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



As another example of similar form I may instance the doorway of the 

 ancient church of Cluain Claidheach, now Clooncagh, in the barony of Conillo 

 and county of Limerick, erected by the celebrated St. Maidoc, patron of the 

 See of Ferns, about the close of the sixth century. 



The doorway of the very ancient church of Killaspugbrone, or the church 

 of Bishop Bronus, near Knocknarea, in the county of Sligo, furnishes another 

 example of a semicircular arch, but without the 

 imposts, and the jambs not, as usual, inclined. 

 Contrary to the usual custom also, this doorway 

 is placed not in the west, but in the south wall, 

 a deviation from custom, rendered necessary from 

 the situation of the chvirch on the sea-shore, and 

 its consequent exposure to the prevailing wes- 

 terly winds. This doorway is six feet high, and 

 three feet six inches wide, and its jambs have a 

 reveal of six inches in width, on each side. 



The church of Killaspugbrone, which is of small dimensions, and, with the 

 exception of the doorway, of rude construction, appears to be of great antiquity, 

 and may be well supposed to be the original structure erected for Bishop 

 Bronus by St. Patrick, in the fifth century. The Saint Bronus, for whom this 

 church was erected, as appears from the Annotations of Tirechan in the Book 

 of Armagh, fol. 15, and also from the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, Part II. 

 c. 117, was bishop of Caisel-Irra, situated in the district of Cuil-Irra, a pe- 

 ninsula situated to the south-west of the town of Sligo. 



A doorway very similar to this of Killaspugbrone, but placed in the west 

 wall, occurs in a very ancient church at Oughtmama, near the abbey of Cor- 

 cumroe in the barony of Burren and county of Clare, and which is obviously 

 of cotemporaneous age with a second and larger church at the same place, in 

 which the doorway has the usual horizontal lintel. The memory of St. Colman 

 is venerated here as the founder of these churches, but I have discovered 

 nothing relative to his history as connected with them. The antiquity of their 

 foundation is, however, sufficiently indicated by the Litany of Aengus, in which 

 the seven holy bishops of Ochtmama in Corcumruadh are invoked. 



The old church of Aghannagh, near the shore of Lough Arrow, in the barony 



