42 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Samuel Ferguson (1853). — In the "Dublin University Magazine," 

 vol. xli., p. 494, " S. F." (as he also signs some of his poems' m the same 

 pages) gives this excellent description, which, being rather inaccessible 

 to antiquaries li\-ing outside Dublin, may be given in a condensed form : — 

 " After a walk of half a mile (we) reach the outer rampart of Dun 

 Angus, a dry stone wall of about 3 (perhaps 8) feet in thickness. The 

 circumvallation covers a space of about 11 acres. A similar wall on 

 each side of the avenue flanks it onward from the outer entrance to a 

 second line of wall lying close to the main body of the fortress. This second 

 wall apparently consisted of a banquette and a parapet. . . . All round 

 the base of this second rampart . . . sharp-pointed fragments of rock are 

 pitchetVon end; ... it is with difficulty one can approach the place save by 

 the avenue. . . . The entrance is still perfect . . . about the middle of the 

 eastern front. . . . The \nsitor must climb in on his hands and knees, 

 under the wide massive lint€l-stones. On the right, on entering, are the 

 remains of a flight of steps conducting to the lower banquette ; . . . one or 

 two other indications of steps may be detected." 



Dr. CoxitOY (1870).— The Most Eev. George Conro}', Bishop of Ardagh, 

 iu " A Visit to Arranmore of St. Enda," published in " The Irisli Ecclesias- 

 tical Record," X.S., vol. \-ii., p. 24, follows S. F. closely. He describes 

 the lieautiful cliffs and rock-pools. Notes " the dry-stone wall, an irregular 

 ellipse," built " in two di^^8ion8," the abattis 60 to 80 feet wide, where a 

 narrow avenue is left ; it runs all round the second wall, between which and 

 it is "a fragment of wall covering about one-tenth of the second line," 

 which is 32 feet to 42 feet from the central fort to the north-west and 

 in two sections. The central fort is a half oval, the wall in three sections, 

 " like the coata of an onion," traces of stairs, and the banquette, on the 

 east side": the nearly perfect door 3 feet 4 inches wide, with a lintel and 

 two stones to shift the pressure, and a passage leading into the wall, are 

 mentioned. The dimensions are from the " Ordnance Survey Letters." 



"The Irkh Buildei: " (1877). — A series of anonymous articles, partly from 

 notes taken in 1877, but (so far as Dun Aenghus is described) a compilation 

 from O'Donovan, Ferguson, and Conroy, were published in this paper, from 

 August loth, 1886. The notes seem hurried and unrevised : for example, 

 they describe Dun Moher and Dun Farvagh as separate forts, p. 237. 



Lord DuyRAVKX {antt 1875). — This splendid work is too well known to 



' For example, " Archytu and the Mariner," following the Aran paper, on p. 506. His history 

 and topogntpby of Clare are inferior ; he locates the Battle of Corcomroe Abbey, 1317, at Doolin, 

 and asserts KiUilagh Ciiurch to be " the Abbey " ; places Magh Adhair (in eastern Clare) at " Mov 

 Adiii " (Moyadda), near Eilruah ; probably confuses Caherlaherta with Ballykinrarga, and mokes 

 Bichard de Clare surrire tbe Battle of Dysert. 



