1<JO Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



friend's sake in captivity, whereby they believe he will soon get succour by [through] the inter- 

 cession of the saint. Duleasg, or Salt-leaf, is a weed growing on sea-rocks, and preserved by dry- 

 ing it on stones in fair weather, and soon after when occasion serves, for eating. There is scarce 

 any sea-shore [whereon] it grows not. The boats that pass between Mason head and this island, 

 have a custom to bow down their sails three times in reverence to the Saint. A certain captain of 

 the garrison of Galway, anno 1672, passing this way and neglecting that custom, was so tossed with 

 sea and storm, that he vowed he would never pass there again, without paying his obeisance to the 

 saint. But he never returned home till he was cast away by Ship- wreck soon after. Few years after, 

 one Gill, a fisherman of Galway, who would not strike sail in contempt of the saint, went not a mile 

 beyond that road, when sitting on the Pup of the boat, the mast by contrary blast of wind broke 

 and struck him on the Pate, dead, the day being fair weather both before and after. 



" This saint's proper name was Sinach, and Patronimically called Mac Dara, from his father 

 Dara. The Parish church of Moyrus by the sea-shore just opposite to the island in the continent 

 of Irrosainhagh is dedicated to his name, where is kept his altar stone by the name of Leac Sinach. 

 His festival day is kept as patron of Moyrus parish the 16 of July." 



I have now described the various features which characterize the hitherto 

 little noticed and unappreciated primitive churches of Ireland. That, as I have 

 already stated, they have little in them to interest the mind, or attract regard as 

 works of art, it would be childish to deny ; yet, in their symmetrical simplicity, 

 their dimly-lighted nave, entered by its central west doorway and terminated 

 on the other side by its chancel arch, affording to the devout worshipper an 

 unimpeded view of that brighter sanctuary, in which were celebrated the divine 

 mysteries which afforded him consolation in this life and hope in the next, 

 in the total absence of every thing which could distract his attention, there is 

 an expression of fitness to their purpose, too often wanting in modern temples 

 of the highest pretensions ; as the artless strains sung to the Creator, which, 

 we may believe, were daily hymned in these unadorned temples, were calculated, 

 from their very simplicity and artlessness, to awaken feelings of deep devotion, 

 which the gorgeous artificial music of the modern cathedral but too rarely ex- 

 cites, even in minds most predisposed to feel its influences, and appreciate its 

 refinement. In short, these ancient temples are just such humble, unadorned 

 structures, as we might expect them to have been ; but, even if they were found 

 to exhibit less of that expression of congruity and fitness, and more of that 

 humbleness so characteristic of a religion not made for the rich, but for the 

 poor and lowly, that mind is but little to be envied, which could look with 

 apathy on the remains of national structures so venerable for their antiquity. 



