Recent Archaeological Explorations in Co. Sligo. 47 



is well defined. It is on the southern side ; is three feet nine 

 inches wide on the outer side and is three feet six inches on the 

 inner side. The entrance passage is thirteen feet through the 

 thickness of the wall. On the right side of this passage as 

 you enter there is a recess of about six inches deep. I also 

 observed a hole about two inches in diameter drilled to a depth 

 of twelve inches in a large stone. It occurred to me this hole 

 was used for inserting the hinge for the door, and the recess on 

 same side was intended for the door when open to fall back into 

 and leave the passage clear. In the Grimian of Aileach* there 

 are two recesses, one to right and left as you enter, about midway 

 in the passage. I would conclude from this there were two 

 doors, one on either side, closing in the middle, the joint breadth 

 of the recesses being about equal to the width of the passage. 

 If the doors were of stone this would be obviously a good 

 arrangement. 



In this cashel the recess is equal to the width of the entrance, 

 which goes to show it was closed by a door hung on one side. 

 There is an angular shaped souterrain in the middle of this 

 cashel, terminating in a bee-hive shaped structure. One of the 

 sides measures eighteen feet. In all cashels I have examined, 

 where the nature of the ground permitted, these chambers were 

 constructed in the ground. At Aileach, which is erected on the 

 solid rock, there are two chambers constructed within the thick- 

 ness of the wall, one on each side of the doorway. In no instance 

 have I observed chambers in the wall where the ground could 

 be easily excavated. These souterrains and chambers were no 

 doubt intended as storehouses and receptacles for valuable pro- 

 perty, as the entrance to them could be so easily concealed or 

 defended. 



The lecturer next described another sepulchral structure 

 situated to the south-east of the cashel in the Deer-park. It is 

 like three ruined cromlechs, with the covering stones fallen off 



*Note. — Since this lecture was given, the lecturer had the pleasure of inspecting the 

 Grimian of Aileach with a friend, accompanied by Dr. Bernard of Deny, to whom 

 Irish archaeologists are under a deep debt of gratitude not yet acknowledged, for his 

 great labour in restoring this ancient and historic structure. 



