154 



of the ecclesiastic. The large opening over the arch supporting the 

 east wall of the tower is on a level with the floor of this room, and I 

 believe led to the space between the roof and the flat ceiling of the 

 church. 



No. 52. Plans of Tristemagh old church and tower ; that of the upper 

 floor of the latter shows the position of the fireplace and the necessarium ; 

 that portion of the west wall over the stairs, and the recess in the same 

 wall, close to the south angle, have small spaces or turrets over them, 

 marked by dotted lines on the plan. 



No. 53. Plan of the old church atLickblaw, near Castlepollard. This 

 building, which consists of nave and chancel, having the doorway in the 

 south wall, is not of older date than the fifteenth century. 



No. 54. East window of the same church. 



No. 55. Plan of Morning Castle, county of Longford. This building, 

 which is a square tower of massive proportions, has been mutilated from 

 time to time by the systematic removal of all the quoin stones to near 

 the summit, and all the cut stones or casings of the doors and windows. 

 So completely shaken is the whole tower by this spoliation, that I should 

 not be surprised to hear of its fall in a short time, especially during wea- 

 ther which would be alternately wet and freezing. 



No. 56. Plan of Skurlockstown Castle, county of "Westmeath, near 

 Collin stown. 



No. 57. Plan of the old church of Moat Parrel, county of Longford. 

 Near this ruin is the Moat of Parrel, on which once stood the castle 

 residence of the O'Parrall or O'Parell family. There is a tradition pre- 

 served in connexion with this family and that of the O'Eeillys and 

 the Edgeworths, which may be worth preserving ; I believe that it is 

 founded on truth, and I know it is recognised as such by the family of 

 the Edgeworths. Some time about the early part of the seventeenth 

 century the Parralls and the O'Eeillys owned large possessions on the 

 eastern borders of the county of Longford ; and as the country was in a 

 very disturbed and unsettled state, the O'Parralls, trusting to what they 

 believed their superior interest and power, devised a plan by which 

 they might gain possession of the property of the neighbouring O'Eeillys. 

 On a stated occasion they invited the O'Keillys to a grand banquet at 

 their castle of MoatEarrall, and arranged the meeting so that each 

 O'Parrall had an O'Eeilly placed by his side at the table. At a given 

 signal, during the progress of the feast, the O'Parralls stabbed each his 

 neighbour, so that not one of the O'Eeillys left the banquet hall alive. 

 Their success, however, was of short duration ; for scarcely had they 

 seized the territory of the O'Eeillys when the English Government sent 

 a strong force to punish such an atrocity, and the whole of the O'Parrall 

 property was confiscated, and bestowed on an English officer, named 

 Edgeworth, who was instrumental in the punishment of the guilty 

 clan ; and since that period the Edgeworths have retained possession of 

 the estate. 



No. 58. Plan of Mulchan's old church, county of Westmeath. This 



