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which extend the entire width of the wall, and are dressed to the splay of the window.

Its position is accurately marked in the map of Kilmacduagh, preserved amongst "O'Donovan's Letters" in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. But this map has two other ancient churches shown upon it, of which, unfortunately, we have now scarcely a trace.

Is history, in this disagreeable form, about to repeat itself there?— REV. J. FAHEY, D.D., Hon. Local Secretary, Galway, South.

An Ancient Seal.-Writing in reference to the old Seal of Dungarvan, which he recently gave to the present Commissioners of that town, the Rev. Father O'Brien, P.P., says that, in the second year of the reign of James I., about the year 1604, the Manor of Dungarvan was granted to Sir George Thornton, and subsequently was, with the Castle, by Act of Parliament, vested in the Earl of Cork, from whom it descended to its present proprietor, the Duke of Devonshire. The Devonshire Arms are engraved on the seal, and as the Duke of Devonshire exercised any manorial rights he possessed, through a seneschal, it is presumed that the seal was that used by the seneschal in this capacity.

Discovery of an Artificial Cave at Oldbridge, County Meath.Recently, as two men in the employment of Lieutenant-Colonel J. Coddington, J.P., Oldbridge, were ploughing up a field, they came upon a large flagstone. They raised the flagstone, and discovered a hole, which they immediately determined to explore. After a short time spent in widening the aperture, and clearing away the soil, they entered, and found a passage leading to a circular chamber, the passageway and the walls of the chamber being built of stones, without any appearance of mortar or cement. At the far end of the circular chamber were some charcoal ashes, and what looked like a spot where fires used to be lighted. No weapons, vessels, or any other remains were found.

Funeral Customs.-It may interest the Dublin readers of Miss Stokes' Paper on "Funeral Customs," to know that the practice of stopping at the village cross is still carried on within a few miles of Grafton-street, viz. at Blackrock. The writer recently witnessed a coffin being conveyed out of the chapel, and, instead of putting it into the hearse, which was waiting at the gate, it was carried by several of the mourners down to the old fourteenth-century granite cross that stands at the top of the Main-street. Here a few prayers were read by a boy acolyte, the bystanders remaining bareheaded. The coffin was then brought back to the hearse, and the funeral procession went on its way to the cemetery. On inquiry it appears that this is the usual procedure in the case of residents of Blackrock. It is almost unnecessary to state that the latter part of Miss Stokes' narrative is not carried

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out, and the stone cross, on week days, is generally decorated round its base with the contents of an adjacent ironmonger's shop.-A. P., Member.

Cromlech near Castlewellan.-I send two photographs of a very remarkable cromlech which is on my property near Castlewellan, county Down. It is in an out-of-the-way place, and, I believe, is very little

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Cromlech near Castlewellan. (From a Photograph by Lord Annesley.)

known. Perhaps you may think them worth a place in the Journal. It is so beautifully balanced that the upper stone, though of enormous weight, can be easily rocked by pushing it with an umbrella. The stick alongside of it (shown to the right in the opposite Plate) is 3 feet high; so you can judge of its size. I think it is one of the finest

cromlechs I have seen.-ANNESLEY.

Social Life in Dublin Society a hundred years ago. I have lately been lent by a friend the diary of a member of a well-known Irish family, beginning with the year 1796. From it I give two extracts. One is an account of a party at which the Lord Lieutenant was present at one of the great Blackrock houses, Temple Hill, alias Neptune, the seat of the Earl of Clonmell. The party took place on Thursday, June 8, 1797. It will give us a glimpse of social life as led in the mansions to which I have referred on p. 9.

The second is a pen-and-ink sketch of the assemblies held in the Seapoint rooms under the auspices of Mrs. Medlicott, as noticed in the article on the "Antiquities between Kingstown and Dublin," page 6. – G. T. S.

(Extracts from MS. Diary of ALEXANDER HAMILTON, Q.C., LL.D., of 23, Rutland-square, Dublin).

"June 8, 1797, Thursday, at one o'clock, I went to Lady St. George's house in Merrion-row, where I found her son Sir Richard St. George expecting me to accompany him to Neptune, Lord Clonmell's villa, a little way beyond the Blackrock. As soon as the shower was over the curricle was brought to the door, and we drove off together. When we arrived at Neptune, we found a numerous company at breakfast in the drawing-room. After breakfast a few of the party ventured to walk about the shrubberies between the showers. Those in the house sought amusement in crowding the hall and library, or sitting in formal array round the dining parlour, into which some fiddlers and a dulcimer-player were introduced, and, by playing several lively dances, in vain endeavoured to prevail on the surrounding crowd to begin a country dance. Lord Clonmell's entreaties to the same purport had as little effect. About five o'clock his Excellency arrived; and about six everything was ready for dinner. The crowd and squeeze were immense, for the frequent showers which fell during the whole day prevented dinner being laid in tents on the lawn according to the original design. The other rooms overflowed; tables were laid in the hall and some of the bed-chambers. I dined in the library between Mrs. and Miss Loftus Tottenham; at the same table sat Ladies Clare and Cahir, and several of their male attendants. There appeared to be a most sumptuous supply of everything at dinner. Soon after we had dined, one of the servants requested we would join the gentlemen of another room at wine, as that in which we sat was to be laid out for a card-room. Mason and I preferred a walk to this proposal, and took this opportunity of giving our toast-master, the Solicitor-General, the slip. We walked through the shrubberies for some time, when we met Mrs. Newcome walking with her three fair daughters, whom I joined, till we were driven back to the house by a heavy shower. Dancing soon after began, and I had the honour of Miss Talbot's hand

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