2^6 Procecdmffs of the tloyal Irish Academy. 



Before the lake was drained, and at the time when the Black Castle was 

 erected, it is quite clear that this piece of ground must have heen under water; 

 otherwise the defences of that castle, as at present to be seen, would have been 

 without value or significance. In fact, it is still so at times ; for a resident in 

 the neighbourhood told me that he had seen the water up to the wall between 

 the stones and the road, and had himself fished over the place where the 

 stones are. This argument seems to me to be conclusive, as no stone circle 

 would be placed under water, and in addition it may be added that the arrange- 

 ment of the stones, which certainly in places does suggest segments of circles, 

 is not really such as would convince any person who has studied many of 

 these objects that there is anything other than a natural arrangement of 

 stones present. 



II. "H." 



" Giants' Graves " (see figs. 14 and 20). 



Still further along this road, and on its southern side, is a large cistvaen 

 called " Giants' Graves." The general arrangement of this is shown by the 

 plan (fig. 20) ; and the following additional observations may be recorded 

 concerning it : — The cist is 12 feet long and 5 feet wide, and its long axis is 

 nearly due magnetic east and west. It is 3 feet in depth, and is lined al 

 round by large flat slabs. On the south side there is a line of tabular stones 

 with their iiat surface parallel with the edge of the cist, one of which is 

 displaced out of line. These form the outer part of what may be described as 

 a kind of ambulatory between the cist and themselves. The cist seems to 

 have been originally covered by three or four stones, which are now more or 

 less displaced. 



No. 1 is wedge-shaped, tilted into the cist at an angle of 30° from the 

 horizontal, and is 1 foot 3 inches in thickness. 



No. 2 is tabular, and rests on both sides of the cist, 1 foot 6 inches in 

 thickness. 



No. 3 extends over the north-west corner, and is tilted towards the lake. 

 It is an irregular pentagon, and is 1 foot 8 inches in thickness. It will be 

 observed that when in place this stone would have covered in the end of the 

 cist. 



No. 4 is a small block over the south-west corner. I am not quite clear 

 that this is an original stone, but its position is as I have described it. This 

 completes what apparently was the covering of the cist. The remaining stones 

 are arranged as follows : — 



No. 5 is tabular, and lies east and west, and is 18 inches high. 



No. 6 is 2 feet 3 inches high. 



