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XXII. — An Account of the Ogham Chamber at Deumloghan, County 

 of Wateefoed. By Kichard R. Beash, M.R.I.A. 



[Read November 30, 1867-] 



The Souterrain of Drumloghan is situated on the townland of the same 

 name, in the parish of Stradbally, barony of Decies without Drum, and 

 Co. Waterford. The site is a gently rising ground to the north of the bog 

 of Drumloghan, an extensive peat basin, surrounded on all sides by hills, 

 the most remarkable of which, a bold and singular looking ridge, rising 

 east of the bog, gives name to the locality — Drumloghan, the " ridge 

 of the lough." The scenery is wild and lonely, being destitute of trees 

 or plantations, and surrounded by hills that seem to shut out the busy 

 world from this weird-looking spot. Here are some relics of a remote 

 age — an irregular piece of ground, approaching a circular form, enclosed 

 by a rude fence of earth and stones, and grown over with clumps of 

 ancient white-thorns, interspersed with rough unhewn stones, marks the 

 site of one of those ancient burial places known as Killeens, or Ceallu- 

 raghs, and which are unconsecrated cemeteries appropriated to the in- 

 terment of unbaptized children and suicides, and which many well- 

 informed, antiquaries believe to have been originally places of pagan 

 sepulture. This one is termed by the neighbouring peasantry Killeena, 

 which appellation is usually applied to them in this county as well as 

 in Cork ; while in that of Kerry the name of Cealluragh is generally 

 used. Here, however, at present there is no appearance of interments, 

 nor has there been within the memory of " the oldest inhabitant ;" yet 

 such is the traditional sanctity of the spot, though entirely devoid of all 

 Christian relics or associations, that it is carefully preserved and regarded 

 with superstitious veneration. 



Immediately under the fence, at the northern side, is a flat stone, 

 buried in the ground, its upper surface level with the green sward ; in 

 this stone is an artificial cavity, 5j inches in diameter, and 6 inches 

 deep, usually filled with water, and containing also a quantity of 

 votive offerings in the shape of buttons, marbles, pins, needles, berries, 

 &c, deposited there by persons using the water as a cure for various 

 skin diseases, and especially for warts, polypi, &c, for which purpose 

 persons come from a considerable distance. I saw a man there with a 

 polypus in his nose, who, after trying various surgeons, had come to 

 test the efficacy of " the well," as it is here called. The peasantry 

 affirm that this cavity is never without water in the dryest summer, and 

 that it never freezes during the hardest winter. 



About twenty yards to the south-east of the Killeena is a rude block 

 of stone, upon the upper surface of which is a basin-shaped cavity, 

 perfectly circular, and ten inches in diameter, and certainly of artificial 

 formation. It is of that class of monuments usually denominated 



