140 
IN AT Oia, 
[ DECEMBER 10, 1903 
THE ORIENTATION OF THE ANCIENT 
CHURCHES OF IRELAND.* 
PROF: J. P. O’REILLY’S paper, although mainly anti- 
quarian, presents certain points of scientific interest 
worth attention for their novelty and possible application 
elsewhere. The two churches in question afe easily 
accessible from Dublin, but they have not been fully and 
sufficiently examined. The author examines what is known 
of the saint to whom both the churches are said to be 
dedicated, giving citations from the public records relative 
to the saint’s name and its various forms. He shows that 
there are at least four different saints of the name of Begga 
mentioned having different festival days, and points out 
the admitted uncertainty existing as to the dedicatory saint 
in question. As a solution, he takes into account the 
orientation of Dalkey Town Church, assuming that the 
church was oriented to the rising sun of the saint’s festival 
day. The older or western part of the church is oriented 
E. 8° 10! N., while the newer or eastern part or chancel 
has that of E. 9° 30’! N. He finds the sun to present a 
northing corresponding to these figures between April 11 
and 15 on his passage northward, and between August 29 
and September 2 on his passage southwards. “As re- 
gards,’’ he says, ‘‘ the festivals of saints mentioned as occur- 
ring between August 29 and September 2, the nearest in: 
date would be that of St. Bega (September 3) (the saint 
venerated at Dunbar).’’ Hence he draws the conclusion 
that she was the particular St. Bega to whom the church 
was delicated. 
Prof. O'Reilly then considers the church on Dalkey 
Island, points out its remarkable position, gives the details 
ot its structure, and argues that the belfry (so called) was 
most probably used as an observatory for the determin- 
ation of the equinox in particular, and for the observation 
of the stars so as to fix the hours of service. This argu- 
ment he supports by several citations and a description of 
the meridian line, with inscriptions, existing in St. Sulpice 
Church, Paris. He then compares the south-east window 
now existing in the Dalkey Island church with that of 
Dalkey Town Church, and shows their close relation in 
certain respects. This leads to a detailed examination of 
the south-east opening of Dalkey Town Church, its 
dimensions and probable use, for the determination of the 
saints’ festival day by the stoppage of the sunlight rays 
through it at certain times of the year. He shows that 
this would happen for one of the compartments of the 
window on April 9 and September 4, so that here again the 
festival day of St. Bega of Dunbar is pointed out. As 
regards the orientation of Dalkey Island church, he shows 
that it is about E. 3° south, not due east. He explains 
this error from the nature of the ground as previously 
described, and further points out how the true east and 
west line is given, and was apparently fixed, by a line 
passing through a Greek cross carved on a rock opposite 
the western door, and the north-west angle of the church. 
Lastly, his measures having been made metrically, he finds 
that the unit of measurement used in the building was the 
Spanish ‘‘ Vara ’’=0.835m., and gives proofs of this. He 
thus raises the broad and interesting question of the unit 
or units of measurement having been in use in Ireland 
previous to the adoption of the British standard of feet 
and inches, and invites further investigation in this respect. 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
Campripce.—Mr. W. H. Young, Peterhouse, has been 
approved for the degree of Doctor of Science. 
A vacancy for a university lecturer in histology has been 
caused by the election of Dr. Langley to the chair of 
physiology. The appointment will be made in the Lent 
term, 1904. 
Dr. Dickinson, Dr. Rolleston, and Dr. Kellock have 
been appointed additional examiners for medical degrees 
on account of the large number of candidates in the present 
term. 
1 “* Notes on the Orientations and Certain Architectural details of the Old 
Churches of Dalkey Town and Dalkey Island, Dublin.” By Prof. Jos. 
P. O'Reilly. Abstract of paper read before the Royal Irish Academy, | 
February 23. | 
NO. 1780, VOL. 69 | 
The Walsingham medal for biology has not been awarded 
this year 
The Sheepshanks astronomical exhibition is awarded to 
Mr. P. E. Marrack, one of the senior wranglers of the 
year. 
The observatory syndicate proposes that the office of 
assistant director of the observatory should be conferred on 
Mr. H. F. Newall, who has been observer since 1890, with- 
out stipend. 
The graces for the organisation of the school of geography 
were opposed in the Senate on December 5, but were carried 
by large majorities. A board of studies, a special examin- 
ation for the ordinary B.A. degree, and a diploma in geo- 
graphy are thereby established. 
Sir Wittiam Martner will distribute the prizes at the 
Merchant Venturers’ Technical College, Bristol, on Thurs- 
day, December 17. ‘ 
A Girt of 50,0001. has been made by an anonymous donor 
to University College, London, through Prof. Starling, to 
be used by the council of the college for the promotion of 
higher scientific education and research at that institution. 
Mr. Joun D. RockEFELLER has, we learn from Sctenee, 
offered to give Vassar College 40,000l., or such part of this 
sum as may be equalled by gifts from other sources before 
June, 1904. 10,0001. has so far been subscribed, and an 
appeal is made for further gifts. 
Tne annual meeting of the Association of Technical In- 
stitutions will be held at the Leathersellers’ Hall, London, 
on Friday, January 29, 1904. Sir John Wolfe Barry, 
K.C.B., F.R.S., will occupy the chair, and an address will 
be given by the president-elect, the Right Hon. Sir John E. 
Gorst KG. MP. 
Ir is announced from New York that the committee to 
control the selection for the Rhodes scholarships available 
for Americans has been formed. The presidents of Yale 
and Harvard Universities are the principal members of the 
committee, which also includes one representative from 
each State in the Union. 
Tue University of Ottawa was totally destroyed by fire 
on December 2. More than five hundred students from all 
parts of Canada, the United States, and Mexico were in 
residence. Fortunately they escaped, but several professors 
were injured, none, however, fatally. Everything in the 
building was destroyed, the total loss being estimated at 
500,000 dollars. 
Tue first meeting of the court of the University of Liver- 
pool was held on December 5, when Sir Edward Lawrence, 
Pro-Chancellor, presided. During the course of an address, 
proposing the adoption of the report and accounts, the chair- 
man said the university had started its career with a 
property in land, buildings, and investments having a value™ 
of more than 500,000l. The subscriptions to the university 
movement in Liverpool amount to 170,000l. 
A CONFERENCE was held on December 4 between the con- 
sultative committee of the Board of Education and repre- 
sentatives of various professional bodies in order to discuss 
the desirability and feasibility of the introduction of a 
system of school leaving certificates for England. Similar 
conferences with representatives of universities and of the 
teaching profession have previously been held. Lord 
Londonderry attended the conference for a short time in 
order to say a few words on behalf of the Board of Educa- 
tion. Sir W. Hart Dyke subsequently took the chair. 
Mr. R. B. Hatpane, K.C., M.P., presented the prizes and 
certificates at the Borough Polytechnic, Southwark, on 
December 4. In the course of his address, Mr. Haldane 
said that with regard to the movement for the creation of 
a great school of technology in London, there had been a 
certain amount of mystery as to its relation to polytechnics 
and its position generally. The reason that nothing had 
yet been disclosed was because things were moving, but 
with such deliberation that it was inexpedient to present 
pictures of the end when they had not got much beyond 
the beginning. They were only in the early stages at the 
present time. Conferences were taking place with various 
