108 Proceedings of the Roijal Irish Academy. 



The old building has evidently suffered much by alterations made 

 at different times, as well as by the actual destruction of certain 

 parts, evidently, amongst other purposes, for procuring headstones or 

 covering-stones for graves and such like. The "western doorway has 

 seemingly been tampered with. The actual height of the opening, 

 134 cm. (4' 4'96"), is less than might be expected in comparison with 

 similar doorways in the other old churches mentioned by Wakeman. 

 It would seem as if the lintel, which most probably was a large single 

 stone of granite, had been taken out to be used as building-material 

 or as a headstone, and the present poor mica-schist lintel put in its 

 place, with consequent loss of height in the doorway, and therefore 

 deterioration of its original proportions. It presents still, however, 

 the trapezoidal form due to its inclined jambs ; and it also allows of 

 the ''batter" of the wall being very distinctly recognized. The 

 present dimensions of this doorway are as follows: height, 134cm. 

 (4' 4-96") ; breadth of opening on sill, 90 cm. (2' 11-43") ; same under 

 lintel, 87 cm. (2' 10^"); thickness of western wall at ground, 86 cm. 

 (2' 9-86"). 



As the building stands at present there are several openings, or 

 indications of openings, which seemingly have been made at different 

 times ; the principal ones are represented in the plan herewith sub- 

 mitted. At the south-eastern end of the nave there are two of these 

 quite different, the one from the other, in their characters and details, 

 and therefore, it may be inferred, not contemporaneous ; that seem- 

 ingly the original or more ancient one is situated relatively high up 

 in the south wall above the ground, and presents a comparatively 

 narrow opening of 13 cm. width (5-12"); its height being 84 cm. 

 (2' 9-07") ; the head is rounded, and the interior splay is of 84 cm. in 

 width (2' 9-07") ; the material of the masonry is relatively small and 

 even in size. This window or opening may have served for the same 

 purposes as that described in the Paper on Dalkey Town Old 

 Church " ; that is, not only for affording light on the altar, but also 

 for the determination of certain days or dates, by means of the 

 incidence and form of the sunlight patches on the floor or opposite 

 wall ; but, in consequence of its present ruined state on the inside face 

 of the wall, and the absence of any indication as to the saint to whom 

 the church may have been dedicated, no conclusion can in this respect 

 be arrived at. What is remarkable is the character of the window 

 situated immediately under it, which is evidently much more recent, 

 as evidenced by the rectangularity of its outline, its greater width, 

 and more perfect finish as regards the stones which form the sill, 



