Stokes — On Existing National Monuments of Ireland. 23 



9. Garry William Hermitage, and Kilshannig Church, same Barony 

 ( Ordnance Sheet 27). — These remains consist of a very old church [see 

 Lord Dunraven's photograph], and round crypts or cells built of 

 stone. The sand will soon smother them all, I am told. I have not 

 seen them for twenty years. 



10. Killiney Church, same Barony (Ord. Sh. 36). — There is a pe- 

 culiarity in this ruin which I think remarkable. The church stands 

 attached to an old castle, or a building of exactly the character of the 

 ruined castles, evidently taken down from a greater height. It is in 

 an enclosed churchyard, with the modern parish church in it, and so 

 is safe enough. Here is one of the old Irish stone crosses. It is 

 about 9 ft. high. 



1 1 . Ballinskelligs Alley, Barony of Iveragh ( Ord. Sh. 97). — This is 

 a very old, and was apparently a very poor abbey. It had a very mas- 

 sive stone window, of a very singular pattern, in the east gable of the 

 church adjoining the sea, which gradually undermined the building, 

 and demolished the window. It is over eighteen years since I warned 

 the late proprietor of the adjoining lands that that very singular 

 monument would be destroyed by the sea. He laughed at me. The 

 encroachment went on to within 3 ft. of the gable, when I again repre- 

 sented the danger to the present proprietor, offering to secure the 

 buildings if he would pay a few pounds, but " he would not." About 

 the same time the Board of Guardians refused to enclose and protect 

 the churchyard, under the powers conferred upon them by the 

 Burial Act. About six years ago I went there after a storm, 

 and found the gable and window were a heap of stones and shingle in 

 the sea. I did not hear of it until I saw it — nobody cared. Here is 

 a striking instance of the utter carelessness of all classes for the pre- 

 servation of such monuments in Ireland, even of those which it would 

 be supposed are held most sacred. 



12. SJcelligs Island, Hermitages, Barony of Iveragh {Orel. Sh. 104). 

 — Lord Dunraven's photographs will fully show the character of these 

 stone-roofed buildings, which are of great monumental value. The late 

 James Butler, of Waterville, who sold the island to the Ballast Board of 

 Ireland for the purpose of erecting lighthouses on it, stipulated as one 

 of the conditions of sale that the old ruins should be carefully pre- 

 served. I believe, from what I saw and heard since, that that bargain 

 has not been fulfilled. Mr. Butler, a short time before his death, told 

 me of that clause in his deed of sale, and deplored the destruction that 

 had occurred to several of the buildings. I presume that by repre- 

 sentation of the matter to the proper authority the further injury to 

 the ruins might be stopped. 



13. Templecashel Oratory, Sfc, same Barony (Ord. Sh. 96). — On the 

 headland next Skellig Island there are several of those stone-roofed her- 

 mitages, on one of which I saw a few years ago the greater part of the 

 roof still standing. They are on the estate of Mr. Charles O'Connell, 

 at Moyrisk and Ballinablown. They are uncared for, Mr. O'Connell 

 being an absentee ; Dr. Barry, of Cahirciveen, is his agent. 



