O'Eeilly — Old Churclies of Dalkey Toicii and I.^laml. 207 



As regards the festivals mentioned as occurring between the 20th 

 Aiigust and the 2nd Septemler, the nearest in date would be that of 

 St. Bega {Sc2)temher 3rd), of whom it is stated, as ali'cady mentioned, 

 that she was an Irish princess of the seventh century, was venerated 

 at Dunbar, who lived in an island in the Ocean Sea, and whose festival 

 is given by Allan Butler on the 6th September, and by Waller', in the 

 citation from the "Imperial Dictionary of Biography," as occurring 

 on the 1th Septemler. But, as has been already pointed out, a 

 great confusion rests over the different saints known by this name. 

 At all events, if the Orientation of the church of Dalkey be taken as 

 having a connexion with the patron saint's festival, then it would 

 point to the St. Bega of Dunbar, whose festival is given as occurring 

 on the 3rd, or 6th, or 7th September, and relatively close approximation 

 to the dates indicated by the Orientations (29th Augtist to 2nd 

 September). The question of the Orientation of the Church on Balhey 

 Island will be discussed further on : it is sufficient here to say that it 

 is quite different from that of the church of Dalkey Town. The data 

 concerning the church on Dalkey Island are, as has been already 

 pointed out, very scant. The only thing apparently on record is its 

 transference by Hugh de Lacy to the Cathedral Chapter of Dublin, as 

 mentioned in Mr. Elrington Ball's account of it, already cited. 

 Nothing is seemingly known as to the date of its foundation, nor, 

 strictly speaking, as to the particular saint to whom it was dedicated, 

 except the tradition that it also was dedicated to St. Begnet, the 

 patroness of Dalkey Town church. 



It might seem that any further description of it than that given 

 by Wakeman, ali-eady cited, would be superfluous ; but the closer 

 examination of the ruin on the one hand, and meagreness of 

 dociimentary record concerning it on the other, justify a more careful 

 examination of the remains, were it only for the pm'pose of secui-ing 

 a fairly correct plan and details of the structure. Moreover, the 

 question of the orientation presents an interest in this case also, and 

 being different from that of Dalkey Town church, it is presumable 

 either that the church may not have been originally dedicated to the 

 same saint, or that a different intention guided the founders in that 

 respect. 



The position (PI. XIY., fig. 6) occupied by the building is re- 

 markable, as shown by the east and west cross-section of the island 

 through the old church. It lies in a sort of depression on the central and 

 longer axis of the island, at a point where the ground offers an extent of 

 surface sufficiently level to allow of its being conveniently built on. It 



