Observations on the

on each side, and a covered passage or guard chamber at each end, with watch- towers at the corners. This tower is very substantially and well built of cut stone. The CASTLE OP CASHEL is a large square tower forming the west end of the cathedral, and was begun in the twelfth century ; the ground-floor and but- tresses are of that period, but the greater part was built in the thirteenth, and the upper story partly rebuilt in the fifteenth. The internal arrangements are the same as in the other tower houses, with the usual vaults ; there is a fine doorway of the thirteenth century from the cathedral into it. The outer doorway a (lords a good example of one of the modes of defending an Irish house. The door opens as usual into a small square space, forming a sort of inner porch, with three doorways besides the entrance ; one straight forward into the lower vaulted chamber, one on the right hand to a small guard chamber or porter's lodge, the other on the left to the staircase : all the doors were securely barred, and to the outer door in the later castles there was a portcullis. This inner porch is usually about eight feet high, and is covered by a stone vault, in which is a small square opening called the " murthering hole," that usually opens into a small guard- chamber, in which a pile of stones would be kept ready in case of need. But at Cashel this mode of defence is carried one step further; the "murthering hole" opens into a small flue which goes straight up into the principal fire- place, close to the side of the lire, very convenient for pouring down boiling water, hot sand, or molten lead. The other doorway has a " murthering hole" with a similar flue brought up also near to the fireplace. The chief apartment was on the first floor over the vault, but had other rooms above it. There is a curious secret passage in the Avail leading from the chief apartment to the rooms over the vaults of the cathedral ; the entrance to it is not more than two feet square, just above the staircase ; as soon as the opening is passed the passage is of the usual height. BALLINCOLIG CASTLE, near Cork, appears to be of the thirteenth century. It consists of a very tall square tower on the summit of a rock, with considerable remains of the wall of enceinte, which has bastions and other buildings attached to it, inclosing the bailey. The ground room is vaulted and had no entrance, excepting by a trap door from above, so that it was probably the prison. The room on the first floor is also vaulted ; the space within the walls is only ten feet by eight ; the entrance was into this room with a sloping road up to it, carried on arches. The windows are all small single lights, mostly with pointed heads, some square-headed ; one has a trefoil .head with various rude incised