Climbed Up The Little Triangular Steps Of Stone That Led Into The Belfry Tower, And Looked Forth From The Tower Windows Over Woodland Hill, Green Carpet And Blue Waters, With A Blessing In My Heart For The Fair Land, And An Earnest Wish For The Good Of Its People.

There is in the old churchyard one of the fair, skilfully carved, ancient crosses to be found in Ireland.

It was shattered and cast down, but has been restored through the care of the Government. It is very high and massive, yet light-looking, it is so well proportioned. There are pictures of scriptural subjects, Adam and Eve, David and Goliath, &c., carved in relief over it. Two I saw at Ennishowen had no inscription or carving at all.

The Government has built a wall around these fine ruins for their protection from wanton destruction. It takes proof of the kind afforded by these ruins to convince this unbelieving generation that the ancient Irish were skilled carvers on stone, and architects of no mean order. I have looked into some of what has been said as to the uses for which the round towers were built with the result of confusing my mind hopelessly, and convincing myself that I do not know any more than when I began, which was nothing. I am glad, however, that I saw the outside of this round tower. I saw not the inside, as the door is nine feet from the ground and ladders are not handy to carry about with one.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 132 of 404
Words from 34702 to 34958 of 107283