431 



called Labba Mollogga in the county of Cork, (see Vol. V. of this series), 

 now figured 



No. 34. And the third I have already illustrated in connexion with 

 the details of the old church of Kilmalkedar in the county of Kerry, 

 Vol. V. of this series. The occurrence of stones carved in this peculiar form 

 in places so remote from each other is somewhat remarkable, and there 

 must have been some peculiar meaning attached to them, with which we 

 are at present not acquainted. At Kilmalkedar I was informed that this 

 heart-shaped stone was originally placed on the apex of the west gable, 

 and that it was thrown down in a storm ; it is quite possible that this 

 was the original purpose for which these stones were intended, and, if so, 

 we have discovered the correct device for the completion of the west 

 gable of churches up to the early part of the twelfth century at least, a 

 point in early Irish ecclesiastical architecture hitherto undefined. 



No. 35. Exterior view of the doorway of the old church of Clona- 

 mery, or Killamery in the county of Kilkenny, from a sketch by the 

 Eev. J ames Graves. This doorway, which is flat-headed, with converg- 

 ing sides, is strictly Etruscan in its style of masonry ; it is surrounded 

 by a raised broad flat band, which does not appear to have been completed 

 down the lower half of the southern jamb of the door ; from the upper 

 part of this band, where it crosses the lintel, a broad flat moulding pro- 

 jects vertically across the lintel, and joins on to a cross of eight points 

 (the dove cross), also flat, but in relief, and carved on the adjoining stone. 



Erom the general similarity of this doorway to that of the old 

 church of St. Eechin's at Fore, in the county of Westmeath, figured in 

 Vol. VI. of this series, and also to that of the Eound Tower of Lusk, in 

 the county of Dublin,-'' we are safe in assigning the date of this doorway 

 to the seventh or eighth century. 



No. 36. Plan of the doorway of the old church of Killeshin, in the 

 Queen's County, near Carlo w. 



No. 37. Engraved ornament, drawn to the full size, on the soffit of 

 the inner arch of the doorway of Killeshin old church. 



No. 38. Decorations at either side of the jam of the doorway of the 

 same old church. 



No. 39. Engraved ornament on the soffit of the outer arch of the 

 doorway of the same old church. 



No. 40. Exterior view of the window in the north wall of the same 

 old church. This ope, which is of slender proportions, and semicircular- 

 headed, is surrounded by a remarkably broad and projecting flat mould- 

 ing, terminating in a flat-sided pointed arch, cut out of one stone. The 

 inner eastern edge of this band has been cut, for a portion of its length, 

 into a round pilaster, without a cap or base — thus showing that the 

 decorations of the window were never completed, and assisting to prove 

 in a remarkable manner the truth of the historical fact recorded of this 

 church, that the architect quarrelled with the founder, and left the build- 

 ing unfinished, f 



* See Vol. IV, of this series. f See " A.nnals of the Four Masters," 



