8o The Early Christian Architecture of Ireland. 



Killarney, and accompanied us during the entire tour. Several 

 eminent men were of the party, including Professor Sayce, of 

 Oxford ; Professor Rhys, of Cambridge, president of the Cam- 

 brians ; Professor Stokes, D.D., of T.C.D. ; and others. A 

 series of excursions, extending over ten days, was arranged to 

 visit the ancient churches, oratories, and bee- hive huts near 

 Dingle, as well as the ancient monasteries and churches in the 

 Counties of Limerick, Clare, and Tipperary. The views of 

 these ancient monuments of early Christian art were taken by 

 various members of the society during these excursions, and I 

 only regret that it has not fallen to abler hands to present them 

 to you. 



This is probably the only public occasion I may have to 

 announce that the next summer meeting will be held in Belfast 

 in the month of August next, and it is proposed to have a series 

 of excursions extending through County Down, particularly in 

 the vicinity of Downpatrick. Should any ladies or gentlemen 

 wish to join the society now in anticipation of this visit, if they 

 forward to me their names and address I will attend to it. It is 

 now a great many years since the society last visited Belfast, 

 and it is probable that we shall have a large number attending, 

 and that the meeting will be a great success. 



The early Christian architecture of Ireland is a subject which 

 should specially interest Irish people, as it leads us back to a 

 remote period in our history, when the Irish had just emerged 

 from Paganism, and embraced the Christian faith with all 

 the warmth and fervour of their Celtic nature. Stimulated 

 by a holy zeal for the new religion, the clergy and people 

 exerted themselves to the utmost to erect temples, humble 

 though they were at first, in which to celebrate Divine worship. 

 These primitive churches became associated with the names 

 of their founders, which have left a clue to the dates of their 

 erection. The first churches were of a very humble kind, con- 

 structed of timber and roofed or thatched with reeds or straw. 

 We need not be surprised at this, as in our time in new coun- 

 tries like the Western States of America, on the frontiers, log 



