Kin ah an — On Granite and Metamorphic Rocks. 207 



less continuous massive sheets of whinstones, eurytes, felstones, 

 and tuffs interbedded in the Ordovicians ; while in the country 

 immediately to the S.E. are dykes and other intrudes con- 

 nected with them. Most of the intruded rocks in the zone of these 

 volcanic rocks are more or less similar to the bedded masses ; but 

 one variety is very peculiar, having all the characters of a tuff, or 

 agglomerate, and containing limestone concretions, but behaving 

 in mass like a normal intrusion. These are conspicuous in the 

 country S.E. of Ferns, and also to the N.E. of Adamstown ; but 

 their intrusive character can be best studied in the coast section 

 between Kilmichael Point and Courtown Harbour. {Bally money 

 Section.) The intrudes seen to the S.E. of the sheets are masses 

 of elvan, apparently the laccolites or roots of the interbedded rocks. 

 They are very fine-grained, and the mica is in exceedingly small 

 scales, and seems to be sometimes replaced by minute crystals of 

 hornblende. None of these rocks, whether bedded or intruded, 

 seem to be in request, except in a few places, and only for mere 

 local purposes. However, when the railways were being made 

 they were used for building walls and bridges ; when it was found 

 that some of the green calcareous tuffs were very suitable for cut- 

 stone purposes. That they are durable is proved by the state of 

 preservation of the beautiful doorway of Clone Church, near Ferns. 



[In describing the limestones of this county (vol. v., page 443) and the partly similar 

 calcareous tuff in Limerick (vol. v., page 431), it was suggested that this class of stone is 

 " not durable.'' But this may not be universally applicable. The stones after some 

 time become discoloured, and seem to be decaying : this is due to the leaching out of 

 the iron, which, however, seems to give tbem new life, and some at least of them will 

 regain their green colour and acquire a permanent condition.] 



Clone, a mile south-west of Ferns. Bright green ; calcareous ; 

 fine; works easily; thin-bedded, and capable of being raised in stones 

 of fair scantling. Used in the new church at Clone, in both wall- 

 ing and dressing. The suitability of this stone for minute and 

 beautiful work, as also its durability, is well exhibited in the old 

 church at Clone, especially in the doorway. In the old castle of 

 Ferns, and in the early ecclesiastical buildings there, a similar stone 

 was used. 



Between Enniscorthy and Ferns the D. W. W. Eailway has 

 made excavations in calcareous tuff, and used the rock for cut-stone 

 purposes, and for rubble work in the bridge and walls. 



