Kinahan — On Irish Marbles and Limestones. 439 



Sligo. 



In this county, as in Mayo and Galway, there are extensive 

 crags and cliffs of Carboniferous limestone. The rock, however, 

 is not, in general, as good a class of stone ; those about Lough 

 Arrow, to the south, and some beds near Ballysodare, being con- 

 sidered of the best quality. Many of the Sligo stones are more or 

 less of a Calpy type, and difficult to dress ; yet in the old abbey at 

 Sligo the local blackish stone was used for all purposes ; and in 

 the ruins are different examples of excellent work still in good 

 preservation ; but of late years the Killea sandstone, Co. Leitrim, 

 seems to have been preferred for cut-stone purposes. 



Bally sadare. — Greyish-blue ; crystalline ; semi-compact; easily 

 worked ; takes a good polish ; has been used for tombstones. 



Ballinqfad. On the south-west shore of Lough Arrow. — In 

 different places, grey and blue ; crystalline ; semi-compact ; easily 

 worked. Formerly much used before the quarries at Boyle, Co. 

 Roscommon, were opened ; the stones for Rockingham House, 

 near Boyle, having been brought from this neighbourhood. 



Lime of the county good and cheap, but often dark- coloured. 



TlPPEKARY. 



Except in portions of the barony of Lower Ormond, where it 

 is of the Calp type, the limestone of this county is of a very uni- 

 form blue colour, and compact. It has been very generally used 

 in some of the best ancient ecclesiastical structures. On this sub- 

 ject Wilkinson writes : — "At Cashel, with the exception of the 

 sandstone used in the construction of Cormac's Chapel and the 

 Round Tower, limestone is the material with which all the build- 

 ings have been erected. At Holy cross this stone has been used '■> 

 and the beautiful ruins in both these places show the excellent 

 quality of the stone, both as regards the fine work it is capable of 

 receiving, and its durability ; for the mouldings of the oldest parts 

 are still fresh and sharp on the edges, and even preserve the marks 

 of the tools used in preparing them." 



Fir Quarry, Ballinderry. Not far from Carrick-on-Suir. — Grey ; 

 close ; even-grained ; difficult to work. 



Camus. A short distance from Cashel. — Light-grey ; easy to 

 work. 



