Macalisi'kr — -The History and Antiquities of Inis Cealtra. 113 



been given above. I gather this from a letter of the Eev. M. J. Kenny, P.P., 

 printed in the same issue of the "Freeman's Journal." He says: "The 

 accompanying letter from Mr. O'Looney may be calculated to call the 

 attention of our Archaeological Society to the necessity of preserving from 

 utter decay the two remaining churches of Holy Island. Three of the 

 Dominican Fathers, who are holding a mission here, visited the island 

 yesterday, and were shocked at the appearance of both churches and 

 cemeteries. When I read the enclosed [i.e., O'Looney 's letter] to the Scarify' 

 ]3oard of Guardians on this day, they unanimously passed a resolution to 

 enclose tlie two cemeteries of St. Uaimiu's and St. Mary's, with as little 

 delay as possible. The area to be assessed was decided on, and it was agreed 

 that the enclosure should be both substantial and ornamental." St. Mary's 

 cemetery, however, was not enclosed, and is even yet open. The wall which 

 is built round the cemetery south of St. Caimin's Church does not appear in 

 the old sketches and photographs referred to above, but was already in 

 existence when the Board of Works began its operations. I presume, there- 

 fore, that this wall was built by the Board of Guardians. The wall round the 

 Saints' Graveyard was in existence when Brash visited the island in 1865. 

 He describes it as being in ruins, portions remaining from 2 feet to 4 feet 

 high. 



Through the good offices of Mr. Hibbert I was fortunate iu getting into 

 touch with a most intelligent man, by name Delany, who had been employed 

 as a labourer in the restoration works. Gifted with a good memory, and 

 inspired with a genuine interest in the ruins, he was able to give me infor- 

 mation that supplemented usefully the rather meagre official report. He 

 told me that the work lasted for six months, with ten workmen. The 

 following statement of the work done was drawn up from information 

 supplied by him on the spot, checked by comparison with the official report: — 



St. Michael'.s Church : Floor cleared out. 



St. Brigid's Church : West gable entirely rebuilt, includiug the Romanesque door- 

 way, which had been ruined to its foundations. Building cleaned and 

 pointed. 



St. CAI^^N's Church ; Floor cleared out to a depth of about 2 feet. Chancel arch 

 partly taken down and rebuilt, being in danger of destruction from ivy. West 

 doorway almost entirely rebuilt, all having fallen except part of the north jamb. 

 East end of chancel entirely rebuilt from foundations. Side walls of chancel 

 repaired, including windows in south wall. Altar entirely rebuilt from 

 foundations. The whole building pointed, and walls repaired. 



St. Maky'.s Church : Cleared and pointed. 



Axchorite".-; Cell : Cleared, walls repaired here and there, and one of the large stones 

 which had been broken repaired with a metal clamp. 



Tea3ipull na bhFear kgoxta ; Cleared ; a large whitethorn in the middle cut down 

 and rooted out. Wall round the Saints' Gi'aveyard coped. 



