Kinahan — On Irish Arenaceous Rocks. 57& 



In this county, as so common elsewhere in Ireland, sandstone 

 formerly was extensively used, but afterwards was superseded by 

 limestone. As pointed out by Wilkinson, the ancient structures 

 testify to the beautiful finished and durable work the stones were 

 capable of producing, as specially exhibited in the exquisite door- 

 way of the church in Killeshin Glen, a little south of the road 

 from Carlow to Castlecomer. According to "Wilkinson, the local 

 sandstone was used, and this doorway, as also the doorway of the 

 Round Tower, Timahoe, Queen's County, were " evidently con- 

 structed by the same workmen." 



The same authority states that the columns, mouldings, and 

 other dressings in Jerpoint Abbey also show what the Carboniferous 

 Sandstones are capable of being put to. Its dressings are of the 

 Lower Carboniferous Sandstone from the neighbourhood, and still 

 show the chisel marks after seven hundred years. It is generally 

 believed that the stone was got within a mile of the Abbey, where 

 there are any amount of blocks on the surface. 



On the authority of Wyley, it is stated that the sandstone 

 in Jerpoint Abbey was procured in the southern portion of the 

 townland of Ballyhowra. " The stone is very soft, composed of 

 grains of quartz and earthy felspar, with mica to a small amount." 

 " The tradition is that, when the particular beds of stone were 

 reached, they were wrought underground in the form of a tunnel." 

 He considers the stone unfit for outside work. Wyley, in referr- 

 ing to the ruins of an old church half-way between Xnocktopher 

 and Newmarket, states that the stone is similar to that used in 

 Jerpoint, but that it may have been procured either in the Knock- 

 topher or Newmarket quarries. (G. S. M.) 



As mentioned by Mr. Langrish, " Brownstone House," on the 

 left bank of the Nore, between Thomastown and Inistioge, is built 

 of a highly silicious stone of the district, greenish to purplish in 

 colour, hard to cut, but looks very well. Some of the dressings of 

 Inistioge Abbey, founded 1262, are of this stone and of the hard 

 purple conglomerate which shows in Coolnahan Mountain, between 

 Inistioge and Waterford. It is remarkable how shallow the 

 mouldings were in comparison with those cut in the limestone. 

 At Coalcullen, in the Coal-measures, about four miles from Castle- 

 comer, is a stone of a light-brown tint, and easily worked ; it 

 was largely used in the restoration of St. Canice's Cathedral,. 



