640 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



grinding barley for cattle food, or in some few cases for malt for 

 poteen. 



Hooped piggins are used ia many houses, as also are sheepskin 

 sieves (lorans). 



The spinning-wheel for wool is of the usual Connaught type, with- 

 out treadle, and is made in the district. The cards used for the "wool 

 are imported, being all made in Dublin. The hand-looms are the same 

 as used elsewhere in the West, and of rather rude construction, though 

 capable of turning out good -work. 



A machine of rather primitive design is used for compressing cloth. 

 It was made by its user, and has been working for many years. 



Eush-lights are used in some houses, and in others the rude lamp 

 already referred to, which is evidently merely a reproduction in tin- 

 ware of the old stone or iron lamp for fish oil. 



The stills employed by the makers of poteen are constructed of tin, 

 and of simple but efiective design. They are made in the owners 

 houses by tinkers. 



The curragh, of the usual form, is the boat most in use, and seems 

 likely to hold its own. It is now covered with tarred canvas, but 

 seventy years ago horse-skins were used for this purpose. A large 

 stone is often used as an anchor for small boats. 



2. Antiquities may be divided into two classes — [a) Architectural 

 remains, and (5) Articles of use or ornament, {a) Architectural 

 remains are still very numerous, though many of the most interesting 

 have altogether disappeared ; of these the most noticeable was the 

 Oileach, the fortified seat of the chiefs of Hy-Fiachrach, which was 

 situated at Elly in the Mullet, on or near the position of Bingham's 

 Castle. Several castles belonging to the Barrets and Burkes have 

 also been entirely destroyed. 



Some of the ruins still remaining are of pagan origin, others are 

 ecclesiastical structures. The principal pagan antiquities are the 

 duns or forts, both stone and earthen, the monuments, &c. There 

 are several duns, both within the district actually treated of in this 

 Paper, and along the coast line of the surrounding country ; those 

 vdthin the Mullet are Bunnamoe, a stone fort of large size, built 

 on a rocky promontory overhanging the sea, and formerly one of the 

 most perfect on this coast ; of late years, however, it has suffered 

 severely, the greater part of the wall has been broken down to afford 

 building material for houses and walls about Belmullet ; the guard- 

 chambers mentioned by O'Donovan and others are now almost 

 destroyed, the outworks thrown down. One part of the wall alone 



