92 



As an example of the exuberant fancy of the sculptors of the 1 3th 

 century, I may mention that, at the springing of the choir arch mould- 

 ings, south side, we see a clever representation of the celebration 

 of the Last Supper, our Lord being the central figure, and represented 

 as holding up a knife in his right hand, in the act of cutting the bread, 

 while the figure on his right is about to take up the cup of wine from 

 the table which extends in front of the three figures. The correspond- 

 ing carving represents an otter hunt, and is a most spirited design ; three 

 dogs are crowding eagerly over each other, and seize a female otter by 

 the head and neck, the animal being in the act of protecting its cub, by 

 clasping it tightly to its side by its right paw (that farthest from its 

 pursuers), and close to some protecting bullrushes. It is difficult to un- 

 derstand what connexion there could be between these two designs, and 

 we must therefore attribute this incongruity to the fancy of the 

 sculptor. 



INo. 27. Plan of the old church of Ardsallagh, Co. Meath. 

 ]STo. 28. Cap of pilaster in choir, showing the Otter hunt. 

 ~No. 29. Window in the west gable, which originally lighted the 

 apartment or dwelling-place of the resident ecclesiastic* 



Slane Alley, Sfc, Co. Heath. 



No. 30. View of two rough upright slabs of silurian grit in the grave- 

 yard of Slane Abbey, Co. Meath. In the centre of each slab a calcarious 

 layer has weathered out down their edges, thus forming a rude groove. 

 A recent writer on the antiquities of Slane calls this an ancient grave, and 

 asserts that the stones are six feet apart, and states that the rough 

 grooves I have described were intended to receive the ends of flat flags, 

 to form a kind of roof to the structure. Setting aside the inaccuracy of 

 the first statement — for the slabs are only three feet ten inches apart — I 

 do not hesitate to say that I believe these rough flags once formed the 

 doorway to a large stone beehive- shaped hut, or cloghaun, possibly 

 the original house and church of St. Ere, the patron saint of the 

 place. Doorways of this rude character are still to be seen in the 

 primitive beehive-shaped churches on the Islands of Arran, and on 

 Church Island in Lough Curram, Co. Kerry, as figured and described by 

 the late Dr. Petrie in his work on the "Round Towers of Ireland." 

 The writer has also figured and described similar remains, as St. 

 Kevin's house at Eeafert, Glendalough, St. Gobonet's house or church 

 at Ballyvourney, Co. Cork, and St. Bridget's house at Paughart, Co. 

 Louth.f One large rough slab belonging to this ancient structure is 

 yet to be seen in the interior of the abbey church adjoining, the remain- 



* See paper by the writer in the " Kilkenny Archaeological Journal," vol. v., p. 27, 

 On some Peculiarities in Ancient and Medieval Irish Ecclesiastical Architecture. 



f See preceding volume of these Antiquarian Sketches, Library of the Royal Irish 

 Academy. 



