130 Pyoceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



graves, occasionally as " giant's gi'aves,"^ but no legends of their 

 ■occupants seem to exist. In other cases they are supposed to be 

 Christian- altars (as Altoir Ultach and Knockshanvo) or wells (as 

 Tobergrania). I only met one legend, and that not from a local person, 

 but from a servant, that the " Druids " used to offer black cocks upon 

 the Maryfort cist. I have also heard on local authority that (over fifty 

 years ago) a black cock "without a white feather" was actually 

 offered on the giant's gi'ave at Carnelly in the same county. This was 

 intended to bring about the fulfilment of the sacrificcr's dearest wish ; 

 but was also believed to have brought misfortune in its train. Whether 

 the dolmen was an accidental rather than an essential adjunct of these 

 unholy rites is not clear; probably the " Druidical " pseudo-archgeology 

 of the earlier nineteenth century filtered into the minds of some of the 

 peasantry, superseding their own rational tradition that the dolmens 

 were sepulchral by that of the belief that they were sacrificial altars 

 of the pagans. 



In later days (about 1879) gi'eat excitement and anger was caused 

 in a place about a mile from the !Maryfort dolmen, by four quarters of 

 a beast having been found " offered" at the foiu' corners of a certain, 

 field. The comparatively recent date of the latter event prevents my 

 saying more on this very obscure but curious subject, though I am 

 acquainted with the names and circumstances ; but these two cases 

 show that it is not impossible that {minus the "Druids") the Maryfort 

 stoiy may have, at least, some probability. The most general impression 

 seems to be that they were graves. All seem to have been opened 

 before living memory, except, perhaps, Ballinphunta. Only one find, 

 that of a gold fibula, is recorded (Knocknalappa). Owing to the lapse 

 of time since they were explored, all memory of finds of bones (as at 

 various dolmens in the Burren) or pottery is lost. 



To summarise for the four baronies surveyed in these Papers, there 

 are simple cists of foiu- blocks and a cover — Ballyhickey, Ballyma- 

 conna, Ballymacloon, Caherloghan (4 ? 5), Kilvoydan, Monanoe, 

 Toonagh (2 ? 3), Ballysheen, Dromullan (?), Tobergrania, Kiltanon, 

 Maiyfort, Miltown (at least 6), Moymore, Fomerla (I ? 2) Elmhill, 

 Violet Hill, Knockshanvo, Lackareaghmore. (In all 26 or 29.) 



Simple cists of more than four side-blocks and a cover — Knappoge 

 (with enclosm-e), Knocknalappa, Altoir Ultach, Bally croum, Druman- 

 doora (2), Cappaghbane, Corracloonbeg, Kiltanon, Newgrove (with 



^ Dermot and Grania are Christian "saints from Feakle," Grania being a man 

 in the legend at Ballycroum. See Proc. R.I. A., vol. iv., ser. iii., p. 91. 



