Morning journal and courier., 1888-10-06

and weight would sometimes force my legs to my middle. But I was in for it; and there was neither honor nor advantage in turning back So full was my soul with purpose, and my trowsers with the sacred mud of antiquity, that was half way to the mountain summit before paused in coutem- plation of the Grianan of it's peak There it stood like monstrcus black turret against the on sweeping light from the east. I pressed forward, determined to see one sun- rise upon Ireland's wild north from the lefti- est height of it's desolate walls. Leaping, falling, splashiHg, barely escaping duckipg in the holy well of St. Patrick, and stum- bling over the half leveled and obscured outer ramparts, at last reached the solid rock of Aileach upon which this mightiest rath of Pagan Europe is set; and following the circular walls around to the east, to which the single passagewsy of the structure opens, stood in the first rays of the sunlight within the entrance into which had passed, two thousand years before, sfwith titles of dread" the barbaric, the unconquerable, arch kings of Ireland.
 The Grianan of Aileach, called by the peasantry "the ould Forth of Greenan," is situated on a conical, denuded hill or noun tain eight hundred and three feet in height, at the eastern edge of county Donegal, about six English miles from the city Of London derry. The Grianan has given it's name to the mountain which rises from the south eastern shore of the romantic Lough Swilly. From it's eastern or Derry side for nearly 8 mile from it's base the ascent is quite gradu- al; but within hundred yards from the top it becomes extremely precipitous. A broad, ancient road, over which the valorous Eo- chys and their retinues formerly ascended, leads up at the northeast between two lodges Of natural rock from Leugh Swilly to the circular apex and stronghold. This oom- mands. owing to the topography of outlying valleys which at the far horizon are encom- passed by mountains, the most extensive, varied and magnificent views to be found in all Ireland. There eoncentric ramparts must be passed through before arriving at the cashel or keep of the fortress. The lower or outer rampant is barely traoeable; but the two nearest the walls are still plainly fol- lowed. Though the remote ordinance sur- veys cite only these three ramparts, enclosing respectively as you ascend areas of five and one half acres, four acres and one acre, 1 discover in historic poem of great antiqui- ty in the Dinnseanchus, in which the Grians an of Aileaoh is minutely described, that there were originally five.
 Aileach:Firin, plat of the king-rath
 royal of the world;
 Dun, t0 which led horse>roads, though
 five mighty ramparts;-
 sang the bardic historian, whose words are preserved in the book of Lecan. These two effaced lines of ramparts were undoubtedly in the nature of lower redoubts enclosing perhaps eighty acres all told. Ingenious writers have argued etymologically that this most ancient known Irish stronghold was erected so long as two thousand years before Christ as a temple by worshipers of the sun. While the sun is known to have been wor. shiped by the Pagan Irish, this conjecture rests solely upon the etymology of the name Grianan, from grain, the sun. No authority is found for such use of the word Grianan, while multitudinous authorities concur in the meaning of just what it was-"the shi- ming place." the Upright tower on the gray cliff" "the shining Dun;" ia noble habitaA tion; :" ''the Royal Seat" The Grianan of Aileach was the royal seat, fortress, strong- hold of the North6ren, who were the most ancient kings of Ireland.
 The grim cashel itself Ca considerable part of which is 8 timely restoIation) is 6 mass sively walled circular enclosure, with a cir- conference of nearly three hundred and sixty feet, surrounding area of nearly eighty feet in diameter. It is about fifteen feet high above the solid rock apex of the mountain. The breadth of the wall at the base is fifteen feet; at it's coping about eleven feet. The outer wall has a curved slope or inclination inward from the base upwards; and the entire mass is laid with uncemeDted stones. The single entrance to the curious structure is from the east. This gateway is trife over six feet high, is foar feet across at the bottom, and the sides incline slightly from the base to the horizontal Iintel above; form common in most ancient structures, and especially in elevated entrances to round towers, of 1re- land In the interior at the four arms of the circle stone steps lead right or left to first platform. The second platform is similarly ascended. The last or grand platform is reached by seven stone stairs irregularly To- cated; and the coping of the csshel's walls r. kha 1akk platform. In the center of the southern wall and at the center of the northeastern quarter circle are entrances into which ene can creep on hands and knees. They lead to intramural galleries, the former about sev. enty and the latter about forty feet ir length; each but five feet high, twenty six inches wide at the bottom and with in clining sides. At the west, almost opposite the entrance, are 8 hidden and drain vel preserved. In the progress of restoration many articles of great antiquity were un covered and preserved. Aside from these absolute evidences of it's remote origin, tht grand antique is clearly located as the Rsgis of Ptolemy in the second century; while al Eochy Ollahir, the Dagds, exactly synchro nizes with the Assyrian monarch Darcylus its existence can be definitely traced to thu period 1053 before Christ. Another curious fact should be noted. That is the wonderful similarity of its plan to that of the battle mented city of Ecbatana, as described b. Heroditus; and there can be no doubt tha it's rude art was fashioned after Eastern typ and design.
 But what thrill runs through the fram as standing alone with the silences upon tn Grianan's walls the appalling thought sweel from Now to Then possesses you There Il the east is the rising sun which perhaps the, worshiped. It floods the beauteous valley with shine and life. It lays upon ancien road, field, fallow, house top, church spire ruined round tower and castle it's warm an6 glowing hands. It mantles Lou9h Swilly with crimson and orange from the base ot Aileach past the white sails of the herring fishers smacks, until the Lough is lost a the laundering edge of the shoreless north ern seas. It leaps to an hundred circlinl mountain peaks, from Slieve Snaght to Tap paghan, from Knocklayd to mystic Errigal and lights matchless fires in their crowninl mists. So burned the signal fires in the din days, a tiara of flame to wake the helots ant their herds. Hither they streamed, thest skin clad hordes Within these very ram parts huddled the afrighted focks. Within these very walls kings watched over battles Into these very galleries were hurried tho treasure, and their surpassing treasure, thei women Here were the feasts of victory the wailings and lamentations; the weird wild rites;-all thousand years before bar barous man looked beyond the great god 0
 day to the one great God.
 The world, and particularly the Irish race owe the restoration in it's original form ant with its identical stones to the erudition, pa ! triotism, sacrifice and extraordinary patienc of one man. That man is Dr. Walter Der nard, of Londonderry, the indomitable anti quarian and archsologist of the North. T | half lifetime of research and study wa added fortune in expenditure and nearl 1 five years of unremitting physical labor 1 The savants secuted his efforts. He mad the peasants his allies. Their unselfsh ps triotism, the patriotism of to-day's barbs rous conditions, made success possible They came, dozen at first; then in score!
 in ffties. in great throngs, contributing the
 brawn for one day of each week. Under
 master mind they lovingly gathered togethe and in their rude art, rude as that of tt
 frst builders, refashioned the s'shining Grit nan" true to it's massive olden plan. An
 thus was restored and preserved for conten
 plation in future ages the mightiest link 1
 bind the civilization of to day to the rem
 test eras.of Irelands historic tradition. 4
 I descended the Aileaeh, securing old Joh
 Porter's pardon for my trespass through il
 viting myself to his hospitality in hug l