COMPARATIVE HEIGHT OF THE CHIEF MOUNTAINS IN IRELAND,
Reading edition
Above the Level of the Sea.
Eng. feet.
M'Gillicuddy's Reeks, Co. of Kerry, 3404
Sleibh Dorm, Co. of Londonderry, 3150
Knockmeledown[2], dividing Cork, Tipperary, and Waterford, 2700
Croagh Patrick, Co. of Mayo, 2666
Nephin, Ditto, 2640
Mangerton, above the Lake of Killarney, Co. Kerry, 2505
Mourne Hills, Co. of Down, 2500
Commerach Ridge, Co. Waterford, 2160
Croaghan Kinshelly, Bar. of Arklow, 1850
Sawell, Co. of Londonderry, 1600
Slenish Mountain, Co. of Antrim, 1390
Alt-English-Hill, Co. of Londonderry, 1300
Benbradagh, Co. of Londonderry, 1300
Benyevenach, Ditto, 1250
Sleibh Gallan, Ditto, 1250
Donald's Hill, Ditto, 1200
Kedy, Ditto, 1100
Croneham, Co. of Wicklow, 1000
Croaghmore, Co. of Antrim, 600
ISLE OF MAN
Inafel, in centre of the Island, 1740
LIST of ROUND TOWERS; principally extracted from Dr. Beaufort's Memoir, with an indication of those he had seen marked with an Asterisk.
Key:
Ht. = Height in Feet.
Cf. = Circumf.
Th. = Thickness of Walls.
Dr. = Door from ground.
Ht. Cf. Th. Dr.
In ULSTER, 9.
Antrim, near *Antrim, at a place called Steeple.
at Armoy.
in *Ram Island, in Lough Neagh
Cavan, at Drumlane.
Down, at *Drumbo.
at *Maghera, half only is standing
Fermanagh, in *Devenish Island, in Lough Erne 76 41 3-6
Monaghan, at Clones.
at *Eniskeen.
In LEINSTER, 26.
Dublin, at *Clondalkin 84
at *Lusk.
at Rathmichael.
at *Swords 73 55 4-8 2
Kildare, at *Castledermot.
at *Killcullen 40 44 3-6 7
at *Kildare 132 54 3-6 13
at Oughterard 25 48 3 8
at Taghadoe 71 38 3-8 11-6
Kilkenny, at *Aghavuller, part only remaining.
at Fertagh, alias Beggar's Inn 112 48 3-8 10
at *Kilkenny, or rather in Irishtown.
at Kilree.
at Tulloherin.
King's County, at *Clonmacnoise—two
Louth, at *Dromiskin, part of one 130
at *Monasterboice 110 51 3-6 6
Meath, at *Donaghmore.
at *Kells 99 48 3
Monaghan, at Clones—one perfect, one ruinous.
Queen's County, at *Dysert.
at *Timahoe 35 53 4-4 14
Wicklow, at Glandelough—two, one of them perfect.
In MUNSTER, 14.
Clare, at *Drumcliff.
at *Dysart.
in Iniscalthra, in Lough Deirgeart
in Scattery Isle, in the Shannon 120
Cork, at *Cloyne 92 50 3-8 13
at *Ballybeg, the stump of one.
at Kineth 70
Kerry, at *Aghadoe.
at Rattoo.
Limerick, at *Dysert.
at *Kilmallock.
Tipperary, at *Cashel on the Rock 54 4 11
at *Roscrea 80 45
Waterford, at Ardmore 100 45
In CONNAUGHT, 9.
Galway, at Feartamore.
at *Kilmacduagh 112 57 24
Mayo, at Aghagower.
at Ballagh.
at *Killalla.
at *Melick.
at *Turlough 70 45 29
Roscommon, at Oran.
Sligo, at *Drumcliffe, the ruin of one.
These towers are all standing; there were five others still perfect within a few years.
1. Co. Down, at Downpatrick, lately taken down[3], was 66 feet high, 47 in circumference.
2. Co. Dublin, in Ship-street, Dublin, destroyed a few years since.
3. Co. Cork, at Cork, pulled down about fifty years.
4. Ditto, at Brigown, not long down.
5. Co. Kerry, at Ardfert, which fell in 1770.
A very ingenious friend remarks[4], that almost all our round towers are divided into stories of different heights; the floors supported in some by projecting stones, in others, joists put in the wall at building, and in many they are placed upon rests. The last are from four to six inches, carried round and taken off the thickness of the wall in the story above; and he very probably conjectures that these rests do not diminish the thickness of the wall as they ascend, because then it would not have been sufficiently strong to bear storms or support the conical cap which was generally solid and heavily constructed. They seem therefore to be swellings in the wall which rather add to its thickness upwards, and this Mr. Cooper confirms by the round tower at Lusk, whose wall is three feet thick at top. Cashel tower is divided into five stories, with holes for joists.
Fertagh has five stories and one rest.—Kilcullen has three stories and one rest.—Kildare has six stories and projecting stones for each.—Monasterboice has six stories and projecting stones.—Oughterard has five stories and projecting stones.—Taghadoe has six stories, the upper has projecting stones, the others rests.—Timahoe has seven stories, the second has projecting stones, the others rests.
The door of Cashel Tower faces the S.E., those of Kildare and Kilkenny the S., and the others vary.
Four small windows were placed at the top of Kells Tower pointing to the four cardinal points.
Kenith Tower stands 124 feet—Drumbo 20 feet—Downpatrick 48 feet—Kildare 90 feet—Kilkenny 8 feet—Dromiskin 90 feet, from their respective Churches. Ardmore, Castledermot, Cloyne, and other Towers were formerly and at present are used for belfries.