488 [Proe. B.N.F.C., 



A halt was made at Drumbo church to inspect the ancient 

 clochteac in the graveyard. Mr. Lockwood, C.E., gave an 

 interesting sketch of this very early round tower. Drumbo — 

 meaning in Irish u The Ridge of the Cow " — was a religious 

 settlement early in the sixth century, and had for abbot St. 

 Mochumma, brother of St. Domangart, after whom Slieve 

 Donard gets its name. The round tower now measures about 

 32 feet 6 inches in height, 50 feet in circumference, and 8 feet 

 6 inches in the interior diameter. This remnant has been well 

 conserved at the expense of Mr. Robert Young, C.E., a former 

 President of the Club. Miss Stokes, in her '* Ecclesiastical 

 Antiquities of Ireland," places this bell tower amongst the very 

 earliest erected in the country — probably the eighth century 

 saw it built with the rude field stones dug out by the toilers of 

 an early Christian settlement. The flat-arched doorway faces 

 east, and is some distance from the ground ; it is 5 feet 6 inches 

 high, 22 inches wide at the base, and 19 inches at the top. 

 Whilst the photographers were busy with the bell tower, others 

 of the party viewed the neat church adjoining, and the in- 

 teresting old clock in the vestry. 



After a short walk down the hill, vehicles were mounted, and 

 way made towards the Giant's Ring. The fine cromleac is in 

 the centre of a huge lis 193 yards in diameter, whose enclosing 

 rath of considerable height is about 80 feet wide at the base. The 

 whole is enclosed by a modern wall, and at the gate the 

 following inscription is cut : — " This wall for the protection of 

 the Giant's Ring was erected a.d. 18:2 by Arthur, third Vis- 

 count of Dungannon, on whose estate this singular relique of 

 antiquity is situated, and who earnestly recommends it to the 

 care of his successors." The tomb of Viscount Dungannon is 

 in the old churchyard at Belvoir Park. Mr. Lockwood again 

 made a few remarks, clearly explaining the historic facts con- 

 nected with these evidences of the past. He considered these 

 Cyclopean remains to be the places of burial of important per- 

 sonages, and in nowise connected with druids or druid wor- 

 ship ; he gave instances and facts to support this theory, 



