

426 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



Workhouse (Ballinasloe). — Slight bluish-grey, crystalline, com- 

 pact, hard ; a good stone ; difficult to work. 



Kilroe. — Nine miles from Tuam. Bluish-grey; close-grained, 

 semi-crystalline ; splintering in fracture ; works well. From here 

 were procured the blocks for the cut stone for the E. C. Cathedral 

 of Tuam. 



Workhouse (Tuam). — Bluish-grey, crystalline, uneven-grained : 

 smooth fracture. 



Cong. — In the vicinity of Cong, in the counties Galway and 

 Mayo, there are extensive crags of excellent stone, capable of being 

 procured of any size, and the stones of some beds taking a good 

 polish. It is suitable for all cut-stone purposes. The cut-stone 

 work in the ancient abbey at Cong attests its durability, and the 

 fine class of work it can be applied to. Some of these stones are 

 capable of being split into long beam-like masses, suitable for 

 bridges, for which purposes they have been used. 



The Carboniferous limestone gives an excellent lime. The Silu- 

 rian limestones at Salrock, Derrynasliggaun, and Leenaun, do not 

 appear to have been much used, while the metamorphic limestones 

 give a strong dark-coloured lime, but a small return. For this 

 reason, in the west and north-west of the country Carboniferous 

 limestone is generally procured either from the Arran Islands or 

 from Clew Bay, Co. Mayo. In old times sea-shells were burned for 

 lime along the Connemara coast. 



Kerry. 



The Carboniferous limestone occupies a considerable area in the 

 eastern portion of the county, including a small isolated tract near 

 Kenmare. It is of various characters, being cleaved or slaty near 

 Kenmare, while to the north it partakes of the characteristic both of 

 the Calp and Lower limestone, except at the Lakes of Killarney* 

 where, in general, it is more or less slaty like that of Kenmare. 

 This slaty stone was used in the building of the Abbey of Muck- 

 toss, and furnished some very well- finished work. Limestone of 

 Ordovician age occurs on Caherconree in the Dingle promontory. 

 In the Carboniferous the stones best known are as follows : — 

 Kenmare. — Grey and blue ; slaty ; difficult to work across the beds ;. 

 can be made into good jambs, window-sills, and such-like, espe- 

 cially if sawn across the grain. 



