[ 7 ] 



it before, T was thrown into the utmoft confternation for fomc 

 time, my objed not appearing in view, when I was confident it 

 fhould. This was occafioned by a contrivance of fuch of the 

 peafants as had difcovered it themfelves, and by fome means 

 came to be apprifed of my vifit. For (in expe£lation of an op- 

 portunity to enrich themfelves, or of being rewarded for fhewing 

 it) they had covered the ftone all over with heath, the better to 

 conceal it, and difappoint my fearch : However, as I well knew 

 the particular fpot, I was fortunate enough to baffle their con- 

 certed plan, and execute the purpofe of my deputation, by fhew- 

 ing it to Mr. Burton, who made an accurate drawing of the 

 ftone, and tranfmitted the fame to Colonel Vallancey. 



As I imagined myfelf the firft perfon led by curiofity to vifit 

 this monument, I congratulated myfelf much in the good fortune 

 of the difcovery ; but Mr. Burton has informed me that a Mr. 

 Barclay, who lived fome time ago in that county, vifited it from 

 the fame motive, being direded thereto by the papers of the late 

 Michael Comyn, Efq; who lived in the neighbourhood of Mount 

 Callan, and had made the difcovery a good while before. I 

 make no doubt but this is fad ; for Mr. Comyn was celebrated 

 for his knowledge of Irifli antiquities. He made a tranflation of 

 Keating, which he intended to publifh, but death prevented the 

 execution of his defign, and the manufcript has been fince fa- 

 tally loft*. 



* I have read an elegant romance of his compofition in Irifli, ^^'herein he gives 

 an account of moft of the antiquities of the weftern part of the county of Clare ; 

 and in fpeaking of the before-mentioned altar, he fays it was dedicated to the fun, 

 and that the natives in heathen times aflembled there on every ift of May, which 

 they kept a feftival, to offer facrifice to that deity. 



There 



