Macalisteij — The History and Antiquities of Inis Cealtra. 137 



west. The walls stand on a footing or plinth 6 inches broad. At each 

 of the corners is a pilaster, projecting 2 inches from the outer face of the 

 wall, and having a breadth of 5 to 6 inches. There are no traces of 

 windows in the walls as they now stand ; but there are no fewer than three 

 doorways, which is very remarkable considering the small size of the build- 

 ing. In the north wall is a doorway, 3 feet 2 inches wide, and 3 feet 9 inches 

 fi'om the north-east external angle. In the south wall is another doorway 

 2 feet 1| inches wide, and 5 feet 2 inches from the south-west external 

 angle. The third doorway is in the middle of the west wall, and measures 



1 foot 11 5 inches outside and 3 feet 11 inches inside; this is the only one of 

 the three doorways with splayed jambs. The orientation of the building is 

 93 degrees. At the east end there is a built-up altar of stone 5 feet long and 



2 feet broad. The east wall is prolonged northward to meet the wall of the 

 cemetery. This is an original feature, difficult to explain. Indeed, this little 

 building is full of difiicult problems. There is nothing of importance about 

 it in the 0. S. Letters, nor does the Board of Works Eeport allude to it. Brash 

 mentions it, but no more, except that he records a tradition (not otherwise 

 attested) that " any woman entering within its walls will lie under the curse 

 of barrenness." The only work done to the structure in the restoration works 

 was the clearance of the floor, and the uprooting of a great whitethorn that 

 had grown up in the middle. 



VI] . The Round Tower Views, Plates XII, XIV). ' 



The Eound Tower stands south-west of St. t'aimin's Church ; its doorway is 

 turned towards the east, thus facing towards the doorway of the charch in 

 accordance with the usual rule. 



The cap and belfry-stage of the tower have disappeared, if they ever 

 existed at all. I'here is a local tradition that the tower was unfinished. By 

 a calculation from the length of the shadow of the tower I estimated its 

 present height to be 79 feet, which accords very closely with previous 

 estimates. The other dimensions are as follows : — external circumference, 

 47 feet ; height of doorway above ground outside, 1 1 feet ; height of doorway 

 above floor inside, 8 feet ; height of doorway, 5 feet 3 inches ; its breadth, 

 2 feet ; its length through thickness of wall, '6 feet 3 inches. The Ordnance 

 Letters give 7 feet 11 inches as the internal diameter. 



The openings in the wall of the tower are as follows : — (1) the doorway, 

 for which see Plate XII, fig. 2; a well-built structure with arched head, the 

 voussoirs of the arch and most of the jamb-stones being of sufficient length 



' From photographs by Mr. Crawford. 



