416 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



of some gentleman, who many years ago evinced more cniiosity 

 than care in searching after subterranean passages, &c. : since which 

 time this interesting work of antiquity has deplorably suffered 

 by the summer invasion of visitors from the neighbouring city — 

 indeed, to such an extent that the drawings of the fort, taken at the 

 time of the Ordnance Survey, have literally become matters of history, 

 for the inclined jambs, the interior terrace with its steps, the small 

 central building, and many other features of note which then existed 

 are now no more. 



These statements, from reliable witnesses, are sufficient to convince 

 anyone that what had lain concealed and disregarded for centuries 

 would, by the unthinking, careless, and curious, be soon reduced to 

 nothing. Probably this work of spoliation might still have advanced 

 with a more rapid pace, inasmuch as newspaper writers of late years 

 have been drawing the attention of the general public to the locality. 



It is unnecessary to go over its ancient history and written tra- 

 ditions, as a very full and lucid account of such is summarised in the 

 Ordnance Survey above referred to. It remains for me to give what 

 account I can of my own work of exploration and restoration. My first 

 great difficulty was how to commence the undertaking single-handed, 

 without possessing any personal influence or exercising extraneous 

 pressure. Moreover, none took a substantial interest in the enter- 

 prise, and such an undertaking, counting the costs through the medium 

 of contractors, would have been impracticable. 



Having expressed the object I had in view to the farmers residing 

 round the hill, they did not at first quite believe in the practicability 

 of what I wanted done. However I managed to get some to follow 

 my example and work. So we commenced in the Spring of 1874; 

 and, although at the beginning the number could be counted on the 

 fingers of one hand, yet seeing that there was an earnestness of pur- 

 pose in the undertaking, some more soon followed, and recruits were 

 weekly added. All that season, owing to the interest I took in the 

 progress of the work, the number still increased, so that, not unfre- 

 quently, I had as many as forty-four. Seldom were there less than 

 fifteen. As a rule we worked only one day in the week, very rarely 

 on two, except towards the end. 



In consequence of being surrounded with quarries and loose stones, 

 many of those who assisted had acquired a taste for dry mason work ; 

 and so well skilled are they in this, that contractors prefer to have 

 dry masonry executed by countrymen rather than by the regular 

 mason. During our progress a spirit of emulation existed as to whose 

 piece would excel, for neatness and durability. 



It was found that the vestige of the inner facing was not battered 

 as the outer. Indeed little attention appeared to have been given by 

 the ancient builders to the laying of the stones in this part of the 

 work. Many are very irregular, and give the impression that it could 

 not last long. However it has been now exposed for three years. 

 The "weathering influences" have not had the slightest effect upon it; 



