Kinahan — On Irish Arenaceous Rods. 539 



To the north-west of the county, in the Coal-measure of the 

 Cuilcagh and Benbrack Hills, there are said to be some beds of 

 good stones. These, however, have been rarely worked, and, for 

 the most part, are unknown on account of their backward situa- 

 tion, and the difficulty and expense of bringing them into the 

 market, railway charges being so high. They were, however, once 

 largely wrought into millstones, and next to those from Druni- 

 downey, in Kilkenny, were highly esteemed. 



Sand and Gravel. — Usually these are scarce in the county, 

 especially near the capital town, as for building purposes sand has 

 to be procured from a considerable distance. At Bailieborough 

 there is a red pit-sand, but not very good. 



CLARE. 



Ordovicians occur in the mountain groups of Slieve Aughta 

 find Slieve Bernagh. In these are grits and sandstones, but not of 

 much account, except for rough work. There is also a green rock, 

 full of little round bits of quartz, from the size of shot to that of 

 peas, locally called " Porphyry." It is a hard massive stone, good 

 for heavy work, but rises in unsightly blocks. 



Carboniferous. — Margining the Ordovicians, and in a small 

 outlying exposure between Newmarket and Bunratty, are Loicer 

 Carboniferous Sandstones {Upper Old Red). The stones vary much 

 in colour, from nearly white to yellow, reddish-yellow, and red or 

 purplish. Grood stone can be got in many places ; but there are 

 so many good and large surface-blocks, that only a few quarries 

 have been opened. The stones in the hills, about ten miles from 

 Scariff, have very silicious grains in a felspathic cement ; they 

 work rather easily, but wear the tools rapidly. 



Ballyheigue. Near Scariff. — Yellowish, gritty, with little 

 cement ; ferruginous spots ; not difficult to work. In 1842, and 

 following years, this stone was extensively used in the works for 

 the improvement of the Shannon at Killaloe, and subsequently 

 was used for the "Workhouse, Scariff ; but in Scariff it is not 

 much used, as they prefer the stones procured in the hills, about 

 ten or twelve miles distance. 



A vein of excellent stone, equal to the Tyrone stone, is said to 



