213 . 



The tower of Devenish, in Lough Erne, is eighty-two feet high 

 and forty-nine in circumference ; the stones of which it is built 

 appear to have been chiseled on the spot to fit the exact place they 

 occupy; many of them are dove-tailed into each other with the 

 greatest nicety,* in the same way as in the low fire-houses before 

 mentioned, near Smerwick, in the county of Kerry, according to the 

 description in Smith's history of that county,f- which strengthens 

 the idea that they are nearly coeval with the towers, and destined 

 for the same purposes. On the north-east side, where tiie wind has 

 least power, the building has a fresh appearance, as if recently 

 finished ; the conical roof is crowned by something of the same 

 nature as that formerly at Ardmore. Below the springing of the 

 roof the wall is surmounted by a cornice richly sculptured in foli- 

 age, and the key-stones of the upper window arches are carved into 

 heads, a singular instance of such an ornament being employed. 

 The inside is not plastered, but has been dressed and smoothed until 

 almost polished. Close to the tower once stood the stone-roofed 

 house of St. Molaise, which was built in precisely the same manner 

 as the tower, it is now pulled down.;}; 



The tower of Kineth varies from all the others in the lower story, 

 being hexagon, from which to the top it becomes circular. Dr. 

 Smith quotes an Irish MS. Life of Dunchad, which places tiie date 

 of this tower in the year 1015 ; unfortunately it does not distinctly 

 mention for what object it was built.§ The want of vouchers for 

 the authenticity of the manuscrtpt throws some doubt upon the 



* Sir R. C. Hoare's Tour in Ireland, p. 181. 

 ■j- Smith's History of Kerry, p. 191. 



t Parochial Surveys, II. p. 193.— Ledwich's Antiquities of Ireland. — Belfast Magazine, No. 

 IV. 



§ Smith's History of Cork, II. ilS. 



