306 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



tions of former days had these subterranean appendages to serve as a 

 last resource in case of raiders appearing in too strong a force for 

 ordinary resistance to be effective. 



From their nature it is improbable that anything belonging to the 

 original builders or occupiers will be found in them, as, after their 

 abandonment, there can be little doubt but that such constructions 

 were frequently entered and ransacked, by people finding them, and 

 going in out of curiosity. 



For many years Knockrath cave has been open. It lies on the 

 south side of a small rath, about 125 ft. in diameter, which occupies 

 part of a small hill. As will be seen from the plan of this cave 

 (Plate YI., fig. 1), there are two bends in its passage, which are of 

 such an angle that should an invader throw in missiles either from 

 the entrance or from the first bend, if he ventured so far, they would 

 not go straight into the chamber, whereas anyone inside could throw 

 stones or arrows at an advancing enemy with hardly any exposure 

 of himself to danger. Although this cave is on a steep little hill, I 

 have frequently found water lying in the chamber, and covering almost 

 the whole floor to an average depth of about a foot, which circumstance 

 would seem to preclude the possibility of its having been used for a 

 permanent habitation. 



The drawing of the end of the passage, where it joins the chamber, 

 will give a fair idea of the masonry in all the other caves examined, 

 but in most of them small stones are used from the top of the passage 

 to the foundation, the two large ones resting on the ground here 

 shown being unusual. 



The rath is now partly destroyed, its ditch being nearly filled up. 

 The cave is built of dry masonry, its passage being flag-roofed, l^e 

 top of the chamber is formed from a large flag about four feet in 

 diameter. 



Length of passage to centre of chamber. 

 Diameter of chamber, .... 

 Height ,, „ .... 



,, of passage at entrance, 



,, ,, ,, ,, chamber. 

 Breadth ,, ,, ,, enirsmce, above 2it.l'm..',leloio 



,, ,, ,, ,, chamber, ,, 1ft. 9in.; ,, 



At a distance of a mile east from Knockrath are Ballinlough chapel 

 and cross-roads; and at a spot about 300 yards from here, along the 



FT. 



IN. 



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