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XXXII. — On some Recent Excavations at Howth. By the Rev. J. F. 



Sheakman - . 



[Read June 8, 1868.] 

 No. I. 



In the month of April, I860, the foundations for the new Protestant 

 church of Howth were excavated. An immense quantity of human 

 bones, some also of the horse, &c, were turned up. So numerous were 

 the human remains, that in every barrowful of earth was at least one 

 skull. During the progress of these works, being on the look-out for 

 objects of Antiquarian interest, I selected two skulls now presented to 

 the Royal Irish Academy. On the 15th of April, a curious ring was 

 turned up. It is made of a substance resembling jet ; its diameter is 

 2 j inches. It seems to have been hand-made, and is not perfectly cir- 

 cular. What its use was is doubtful, unless it belonged to some very 

 rude and ancient horse furniture. This church replaces one built in 

 1816: before that time a dog kennel was kept here. When the 

 foundations were then opened, from 2 feet to 18 inches of the upper 

 soil was removed ; bones, old coins, sword blades, &c, were turned up. 

 The excavation of 1865 reached about two feet deeper still, from which 

 the remains described were turned up. The constant tradition of the 

 oldest inhabitants points to this place, and the field between it and the 

 town, as the site of the various battles of which Howth was the theatre 

 in ages long passed away. Ivora Bridge, called also the Ivy Bridge, was 

 nearer to the town of Howth ; it spanned a brook called " the Bloody 

 Stream," which takes its name perhaps from some long-lost legend of the 

 Battle of Howth. It is now diverted from its original course, which was 

 at the end of the chancel of the church, and forms a cascade nearer to the 

 town. Mediaeval chroniclers say that here Sir John De Courci, with his 

 brother-in-law, Sir Almeric Tristram, vanquished, in 1177, the Danish 

 and Irish inhabitants of Howth. This place, marked by these indications 

 of ancient strife, was in a situation most favourable for the evolutions 

 of armed men. It lies above the strand still called " Baltray," i. e. 

 the town or place of the strand, now cut off from the sea by the rail- 

 way embankment. Here most likely landed the various raiders who 

 fleshed their maiden swords on the natives of Ben Edair. An old road, 

 formerly called " the paved lane," now the Castle Avenue, led from 

 here up to the hill, going through a field called " Cross Garvy" till it 

 reached to where tradition says the " Old Town of Howth" stood in 

 that part of the demesne called " Balkill,'' under the Ben of Howth ; 

 between which and the old earth works is a marsh, from which flows 

 the " Bloody Stream," passing by the site of the old Celtic town. Here 

 are to be seen the remains of very ancient earth works; a circular 

 mound in the direction of Dunhill and Oarricmore encloses a very con- 

 siderable space, fifty paces in diameter. It is now divided by the fence 

 of the plantation which runs through it. There are also some indiea- 



