162 



the falling in of the earth, which now chokes up the western end of 

 the cave, and renders it impossible to say how far it extends. 



The writer is indebted to W. M. Hennessy, Esq., for the following- 

 further notes in reference to this cave : — 



" In the list of celebrated places preserved in a stave of the ' Book 

 of Leinster,' which is really a portion of the ' Book of Lecan,' the cave 

 of Crnachan is described as one of the three caves of Ireland, — the other 

 two being the cave of Howth, and the Derg Farna, now known as the cave 

 of Dunmore, near Kilkenny. This tract, from its language, appears to 

 be of very high antiquity. 



" In the historical tale called the Tain-bo- Ainghin, or the Cattle Spoil 

 of Ainghin, preserved in the ' Yellow Book of Lecan,' the cave of Cru- 

 achan is referred to as the residence of a fairy community ; and some in- 

 teresting particulars regarding the proceedings of its denizens are related 

 by a person who, for some slight to a fountain fairy, was condemned to 

 a year's residence therein." 



It consists of a natural fissure in the limestone rock, which appears 

 to have been artificially widened, so as to give an average breadth of five 

 feet throughout a distance of about forty yards. This cavern, the floor of 

 which is from fifteen to twenty -five feet under the surface, is connected 

 with the upper chambers, in which the inscriptions exist, by a passage 

 excavated in the rock, and roofed over, as are the external chambers, by 

 long stones, artificially placed, and bonded into the dry stone walls form- 

 ing the sides of the passages or chambers near the surface. Whether 

 these upper passages be entrances to the cave, or chambers to which the 

 cave itself served as an entrance, may be a matter of doubt. They are 

 two in number — one forming a prolongation, at a higher level, of the na- 

 tural cavern, the other opening upon it at right angles. Around these 

 openings exist the remains of a tumulus of about twenty yards in dia- 

 meter. The subjoined woodcut exhibits the general appearance and 

 disposition of the parts, the dotted lines representing the underground 

 constructions. 



Fig. 1. 



The traces of several interments remain about the margin of the 

 tumulus; and one nearly perfect sepulchral cist exists within a few 



