To this class belong the Pillar Towers of Agharullee Kilkenny; Kibrie, St. Carrice, Kilkenny; Cashel and Roscrea, Tipperary; Castledormor, Kilcallen, Kildare; Fertagh and Kelles, Meath; Swords, Dublin; Furlough, Killala and Meeleck, Mayo; Kilmallock, Limerick; Monasterboice, Louth; Rattoo, Clare; Seven churches, King's county; Keneith, Cork, and Seven churches, Wicklow.

The Pillar Towers being no longer strictly religious edifices, their original form was modified to suit the fancy of the architect and the prevailing style of the period. The graceful Pillar Tower of Ardmore, is built in square-coursed work of reddish sandstone. The courses vary in thickness from 6 to 10 inches, and the inner face of the building is ordinary rubble-work walling. Its external circumference diminishes considerably with the height, and it has three setsoff externally, with weathered string courses, with sets-off internally. The door is 13 feet from the ground and semicircular at top, and diminishes in height and width internally; and the jambs widen below, with a threeinch torus round them, at their outer angle.

Keneith.

Ardmore.

The Keneith Tower is built of the slate-stone of the locality; and is very peculiar in its external form, having a hexagonal base; each side of which is 10 feet 4 in. in width, and 20 feet in height. Including the round part, the tower is 50 feet 4 inches in height, and it appears to have been left unfinished; or else a portion of the original top has been destroyed. The Tower is built upon a levelled rock, cropping abruptly from the ground. The door faces the west, and is fourteen feet from the ground. The whole has undergone recent repair, and has been provided with iron stairs to the door, and to each of the four stories, which rest upon ledges left in the thickness of the wall; each compartment is 11 feet and 9 inches in height. The diameter of the Tower contracts as the wall rises; and the breadth of each ledge, four inches, increases the splaying of the wall. There is a small bell in the upper stage, supported by cross beams, but it appears to be unused. The walling of the foundation consists of large rough stones, and the

selection of the slate stones has been so good, that it is still in good preservation. The marks of the narrow, flat, and slightly concave chiselhammer are still clean cut in the stone. The floor of this Tower is on a level with the door, and is supported by a flat arch with a well-hole in the centre, proving the advanced state of the arts at the time of its construction: a chamber is thus formed below the level of the door. The whole erection is admirably executed, and cemented with shell-lime, and the general effect is most graceful. This would be much more apparent, but for the ivy which covers the lower part and has already displaced some of the stones. If this ivy is not removed it will endanger the Tower.* 3. In the third, or Anglo-Saxon period, the Christian religion had been introduced into Ireland. It extends from the fifth or sixth to the end of the ninth century; when the primitive churches were made of mud, and wattled as in Britain. As the influence of the priests increased, they absorbed much of the wealth of the country, and brought architects from the continent, whose constructive skill they employed in preparing the first stone edifices, while they enriched their altars with their most precious ornaments, to increase the splendour of their religious rites. This explains why these establishments were so frequently attacked by their unscrupulous neighbours, and the merciless Danish pirates. By the priests, the Pillar Towers of Ireland were found most valuable erections near them they resided, and took refuge in them with their most valuable effects; thus following the injunction of Pope Gregory to Augustine of Canterbury, in the sixth century, to adopt any thing good from the Pagan places of worship, for Christian purposes; making such additions, as were necessary or convenient. They accordingly not only occupied such as already existed, but partially built some of these useful erections. These latter may be known by their more modern construction, and by their rounded doorways being cut into a series of recesses, the angles of which are slightly rounded off: also by the addition of a moulding, a mere incision upon the face and soffit of the arch. Other of these modern doorways are decorated with the chevron and bead ornament, as in the gold ornaments found in Irish bogs and in some very antique cinerary urns, dug up from old Pagan and Etruscan cairns and tumuli. In some of the Towers, the pediments, and the repeated columns, and successive arches and various mouldings of the doorway

In the annals of Munster, still in MS., this Tower is said to have been built in 1015, soon after the battle of Clantaril.

become rich and striking; the latter narrowing as they recede into the wall. The capitals of some of the columns are heads, the hair of which is entwined with snake-like animals; as in the Timahoe, and Kildare, the ornaments of which resemble the rich and elaborate decorations on Cormac's chapel Cashel, executed towards the end of the ninth century. It may be allowed that Norman builders executed these doorways, and decorated them with the ornaments and symbols of their religion, like

Donnaghmore.

McCarthey's church and Pillar

Tower, Clonmacnoise.

their churches and other buildings. As they were in the habit of working in sandstone, these ornamented entrances in the Pillar Towers were usually of this stone. So much was this prized, and so marked is the contrast between the entrance and the Tower, that the former is supposed by that able architect, Mr. R. B. Brush, to have been subsequently inserted.

The Donnaghmore Pillar Tower has the ruins of a church and belfry close to it. This having been more modern, and being used as a place of retreat, has the door elevated, and is without the four upper windows. A crucifixion is over the door (page 564,) of this Tower. McCarthey's church in the N. W. side of the cemetery of Clonmacnoise, is interesting from its having a Pillar Tower built at the same time, of the same stone, and similar in the character of the masonry. Part of the solidity of the Tower was sacrificed to give full