30 Recent Antiquarian Explorations. 



daughter of James, Earl of Desmond, who laid its first stone in 

 1464. Close to the ruins of this abbey are the remains of a 

 strong castle built by the Kildare branch of the Fitzgeralds, 

 who owned extensive estates about Ad are. 



We next proceeded to the residence of Lord Dunraven, 

 where the collection of paintings, antiquities, and art treasures 

 were thrown open for inspection. The entrance hall, library, 

 and picture gallery are the prominent features of the house. 

 The hall is decorated with coats of mail and ancient armour ; 

 also skeletons of the Irish elk. In addition to a fine collection 

 of paintings, the picture gallery is adorned with some rare 

 carvings of cabinets and panels collected on the Continent. In 

 the grounds and convenient to the house there is a collection 

 of those curious inscribed stones called Oghams. These were 

 collected by the late lord, whose remains lie in a vault close by 

 the Agustinian Church. The following inscription is placed 

 over the entrance to the vault : — " My son, remember now thy 

 Creator in the days of thy youth." The party were shown 

 through the Augustinian Church by the Rev. Mr. O'Brien, 

 the rector, son of the late William Smith O'Brien, and after- 

 wards through the Trinitarian Chapel by the Rev. Mr. Flanigan, 

 the parish priest. 



On Friday we started by special train to Killaloe, a most 

 picturesque town, built on the Shannon, which is here crossed 

 by a fine bridge. The principal object of interest is the 

 cathedral, built in 11 60, on the foundation of a still older 

 church. Divine service is still held in this venerable building. 

 A fine Romanesque doorway is one of the greatest objects of 

 interest in the cathedral. Petrie refers to it as follows : — " That 

 the cathedral is not of Brian's time is, however, sufficiently 

 obvious from its architectural details, which clearly belong to 

 the close of the twelfth century ; and its re-erection is attributed 

 with every appearance of truth to Donald Mor O'Brien, King 

 of Limerick, who died in the year 11 94. Yet that a more 

 ancient church, and one of considerable splendour, had pre- 

 viously existed on its site, is evident from a semicircular 



