Kin ah an — On Irish Marbles and Limestones. 429-^ 



King's County. 



Except in Slieve Bloom and in Croghan Hill, the rocks of this 

 county are limestones, some being of excellent quality and well 

 known. 



Banagher. — In this vicinity the rocks are of the Calp type. 

 Dark-blue or grey, inclined to black, earthy, in part flaggy, and 

 difficult to dress ; can be raised in large blocks suitable for coarse 

 work, and were used extensively in the works for the improvement 

 of the Shannon navigation ; also in the buildings in the town and 

 neighbourhood. 



Skerough. — A mile from Birr or Parsonstown. Grey; compact,, 

 semi-crystalline ; uniform in colour ; easily worked ; has been used 

 very much in the public buildings of Parsonstown. 



Clonmacnoise (Seven Churches). — Grey; thin-bedded; some 

 beds very f ossilif erous ; weathers unevenly. Stones of large size, but 

 modern thickness, can be obtained. This stone was very much 

 used in the old buildings at Clonmacnoise, and in the works on the- 

 Shannon. The fossiliferous beds full of encrinite stems (locally 

 called "screws") when polished have a quaint appearance, and have 

 been much used for chimney-pieces, &c, having been formerly 

 very extensively wrought at the Killaloe marble works. Wilkin- 

 son remarks, in connexion with the ruins at Clonmacnoise : — " In 

 the doorway of one of these churches this stone has been used for 

 delicate carving, and the surface of the door-jambs is polished, 

 doubtless to display what was considered a beautiful material." 



Upper Eglish. — Eighteen miles from Parsonstown. Grey, com- 

 pact, easily worked. A great deal is sent to Parsonstown, being 

 cheaper than the stone in that neighbourhood. 



Killane. — Near Edenderry. Grey, compact, easy to work. 



Bally 'dale (Tullamore). — Grey, with purplish tinge, crystalline, 

 massive, thick-bedded, and can be obtained in large blocks. It 

 takes a fine polish, and is then of a dove-colour, clouded with a 

 darker tint. It is very much admired in chimney-pieces and or- 

 namental slabs. This well-known and beautiful stone has been 

 used in the tracery, windows, and dressing, in St. Patrick's Ca- 

 thedral, Dublin ; for columns and cornices of the Club-house, 

 Kildare-street ; the Roman Catholic Church, Monasterevan ; and 

 in numerous other places. Formerly more used in Dublin than 



