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XXIV. 



ox THE ORIENTATION OF SOME CROMLECHS IN THE 

 NEIGHBOURHOOD OF DUBLIN. (Pakt II.) By PRO- 

 FESSOR J. P. O'REILLY, Royal College of Science, DubHn. 

 (Plates XTIII. to XX.) 



[Read November 30, 1896.] 



In the previous Paper 1 point out that the Cromlechs of Glen 

 Diuid, Shani^unagli, and Howth showed distinct evidence of orien- 

 tation, and that in the case of the first-mentioned, the arrangement of 

 the stones forming the north, south, and west walls of the chamber, 

 seemed to admit of the opinion that the monument had served for tlie 

 observation of the summer solstice. Encouraged by these results, I 

 was led to examine and make plans and sections of the other crom- 

 leaclis wliich exist in tlie neighbourhood of Dublin ; and during the 

 summer months just jiast was practically able to complete this work. 

 I have now to submit the plans of the Cromlechs of Mount Yenus, 

 Larcli Hill, and Shankill, with a description of two of tlie stones forming 

 part of the group known as " Druid's Chair," Killiney, as they seemed 

 to me to bear on the general question of the orientation of this class 

 of monument. 



Mount Venos Ckomlixh. 

 (PI. XYIIL) 



A sketch of the Mount Yenus cromlech is given in Plate XYIII. 

 It is mentioned by O'Neill ("Trans. Kilkenny Archaeological Soc," 

 vol. ii., 1852-3, p. 42). Having given the dimensions of the prin- 

 cipal stones, he states: — "The floor is of clay, and a foot below 

 the surface level, to which height its sides are faced with small 

 stones without mortar." These facings no longer exist. The sup- 

 porting pillar, according to O'Neill, must have been higher, " as it is 

 evidently broken at the top." This seems to be an error, as all the 

 similar pillar-stones of the other cromlechs observed, are pointed, and 



