1909-1910.]
COMMISSIONERS OF PUBLIC WORKS IN IRELAND.
51 Ancient Monuments under the Irish Land Act, 1903, Section 14.—During
the past year the Estates Commissioners have offered for vesting under the above Act the following twelve structures:—
Togher Castle, County Cork.
Cregnakeerogue Fort and Basinstone, etc.,
County Clare.
Relaghbeg Fort, County Cavan.
Killusty Castle, County Tipperary.
Kinnafad Castle, County Kildare.
Callas Fort, County Cork.
Cullahill Castle, Queen's County.
Inchbofin Abbey, County Westmeath.
Laughanstown (Tully) Crosses, County Dublin.
Longstone Rath and Standing Stone, County Tipperary.
St.
Connell's Cross, County Donegal.
Ballynoran Castle, County Tipperary.
Out of this number the following three have been accepted:— 1.
Cregnakeerogue Fort, Basinstone, etc, County Clare.—In
addition to the Fort and Basin Stone, there are two standing stones and a cairn, the whole forming a most interesting group of monuments.
The " Fort " is an earthen mound of considerable extent, evidently intended for ceremonial purposes, and was the inauguration place of the Dalcassian Princes, known as the Mound of Magh Adhair.
It is fiat topped—-the level portion measuring 105 feet by 83 feet, and is 20 feet in height, surrounded by a fosse.
It has an approach sloping upwards from a cairn on the west side.
The Basin Stone is on the north side of the Mound.
It is a conglomerate boulder with a depression in its upper surface, and has two pear-shaped sinkings, the larger about 6 inches deep.
The Mound is mentioned as early as A.D.
981 and A.D.
1051 in the Annals of the Four Masters.
In the 13th century Brian, son of King Conor, was inaugurated here by Sioda MacNamara, the Hereditary Marshall.
It is described as the place " where the kings of Thomond were made."
2.
Laughanstown (Tully) Crosses, County Dublin.—These
crosses are near the ruined church of Tully—one standing on the public road and the other in the field adjoining.
They are the remains of an important ecclesiastical foun¬ dation dating from the time of St.
Bridget.
The original name of Tully in Irish is Tulach-na-nespuc, or Tulach-na h-easbog, meaning the Hill of the Bishops.
There are the bases of two other crosses and two cairns included in the vesting, and the Board are in treaty with the Rural District Council of Rathdown No.
1 for vesting the remains oi the primitive church in the adjoining graveyard of Tully.
3.
Inchbofin Abbey and Church, Co.
Westmeath.—These
ruins are situated on an island of that name in Lough Ree adjoining the Westmeath shore, to which county it belongs.
The Island is associated with the name of St.
Rioch, a nephew of St.
Patrick, who is said to have founded a monastery there.
The Abbey is a small structure, consisting of nave and transept: It has a beautiful Romanesque window, and there are some remains of the domestic buildings.
The church, a little distance away, is a larger structure, and has a semi¬ circular headed chancel, arch and window of 11th century date in good preservation.
The remaining nine structures offered by the Estates Commissioners, though of much local interest and worthy of preservation, seem to be more suited for the custody of the Councils of the respective counties in which they are situated.
Of the ruins offered by private individuals and bodies other than the Estates Commissioners there is only one, viz.,
St.
Mary's Church, Gowran, County Kil¬ kenny, the guardianship of which has been accepted by the Board.
