sir 



ancient or a modern addition does not appear ; however the adjacent 

 ground was very anciently a cemetery, and its surface may possibly 

 have risen to its present level. In Castle Dermot tower there is an 

 entrance on the ground level, but it was made some years since for 

 the convenience of the bell-ringer. 



There are two instances of towers having two doors, those of 

 Drumcleve, county of Clare, and Aghaviller, county of Kilkenny. 



The greater number of towers rise from the ground without any 

 base, but some few have this member. Aghaviller, already mentioned, 

 and Kilree, which have circular bases fourteen inches deep, and pro- 

 jecting six inches, which rest upon square foundations formed of large 

 blocks of stone. At old Kilcullen there is both a projecting base 

 and two plinths round the bottom of the tower.* Some towers stand 

 also upon a sort of crypt or vaulted excavation ; at Oughterard, 

 county of Kildare, is one so supported ; and at Londonderry the 

 tower is placed upon an excavated mound, vaulted and lined with 

 stone. This building is only thirty-five feet high, apparently the 

 lowest of all the Irish towers, and is in perfect preservation, having a 

 remarkably high conical roof; it is said to stand near the spot 

 where Columba planted a monastery. -f- 



Clondalkin tower, near Dublin, rises from a solid basement of 

 stone work, resembling the artificial mount of an ancient castle.:^: 

 This tower, said by some to be eighty-four feet high, by others an 

 hundred and ten, is remarkable for continuing of the same internal 

 diameter to about two-thirds of its height, where it narrows so sud- 

 denly as to give the wall within almost an ogee shape. The door is 



• Survey of Kildare, p. 130. 



f Survey of Londonderry. — The vault is so well built, and continues in so perfect a state, that 

 it is used as an icehouse. 

 J Brewer's Beauties of Ireland, I. p. 207. 



VOL. XV. F F 



