The Irish standard., 1907-04-06

the original churches with which they
are connected.
That architectural construction rem
'der them eminently fit for the double
purpose, belfries and Keeps or castles.
And that variety of passages from
Irish Annals and other ancient docu-
ments prove they were constantly ap-
piled to these uses.
Now, in regard to Judge Coughs
objections. He says: THAT they were
not belfries is plain from the fact that
they are nowhere Joined to the churches
near which they stand. That many of
them were built where no churches
ever stood. That If built as belfries
the doors or entrances would not be
placed sixteen feet from the ground,
moreover as nearly all the early saints
used only hand bells, there would be
no use building tower 100 feet high
for bell boy could carry around in
his hand"
1t is common knowledge that many
of the campaniles in Italy are de-
tached structures. The statement that
many Of the round towers were built
where no church ever stood is in direct
conflict with the facts found by Mr.
Petrie, on whose authority rely, and
whose conclusions have been adopted
by Wakeman and Cooke in their mod
| Undoubtedly Mr.. Cough saw towers
near which no churches are visible to-
day, but many of the original churches
were swept away in the 1nerciless in
vasions which SO often ravished Ire
land. the towers alone remain owing
to the cylindrical strength and SIM
plicity of their construction.
The fact that the first doorways are
some sixteen feet from the ground is
only an additional argument in favor
Of the theory that they were used for
the double purpose 1 have mentioned,
easily made accessible in times of
peace, the height Of the entrance from
the ground was an element of defense
, in time of danger.
The last argument seems puerile
Because ST. Patrick and his fellow mis-
sionaries on their Journeys through the
island carried hand bells with them, is
that any reason to believe that when
churches and abbeys were built no
large bells were placed in them? That
there We're no large bells connected
with the ancient ecclesiastical build
ings of Ireland would be very rash
statement. At the round tower of Rat
too, one of the best preserved of these
ancient structures, tradition has pre-
served amongst the people it's legend
that the silver bell which hung in it
is at the bottom of the adjacent river
Brick.
The contention by Judge Cough that
some Of the large ancient crosses of
Ireland were erected by the Phoeni-
clans and Carthaginians is I think,
utterly untenable. His chief argument
seems to be that they are simple
Roman crosses, while the Christian
crosses are distinguished by a circu-
lar band enclosing the arms and
usually by sculptured figures engraved
upon them.
But Roman crosses without the
circle are found cut into the most an
cient Christian monuments in Ireland,
to-wit: On the pillar stone marking
the grave Of ST. MONAGHAN near Din
gle in Kerry, and on a stone pillar
in front of the Church Of Temple Pat
rick on the Island Of 1nchaguill in
Lough Corrib, coeval with the time of
St. Patrick, and there are many other
instances.
The erection of crosses and the adj
dition of the circle and sculptures
were but steps in the progress of
Christian art. The fact that these
ancient monuments are of Christian
'origin does not render them a whit