This letter (no. 21) is continued from the last issue on the subject of Clonmacnoise, The Monck family of Banagher would be worth explaining. O'Brien had written a work on the Round Towers which was superseded in the late 1840's by Petrie's great work..

(5).Temple Douling is the most modern of the group. It lies to the south of the Cathedral. Molloy says that this was anciently called Temple Hurpin, but why, he does not know. It was built or rebuilt? in the seventeenth century and was used as the Protestant Church of the Parish in Archdall's time.

I do not understand how the Name Books have been manufactured as far as regards these churches, but am confident that the descriptions were not written by one who had examined the place. Were not these descriptions taken from Ware's Map of the Cemetery of Clonmacnoise, the north being in every instance mistaken for south ?

(6).Fineen's Church (Regles Finghin) lies to the north of the Cathedral and the boundary wall which encloses the cemetery. It has a round tower attached to it, which Molloy says was erected by Finghin Mac Carthy, Prince of Desmond. Can there be any truth in this? If there be, what is the meaning of the following passage which occurs in the Annals of the Four Masters, and of Tigernach, at the year 610:-

"Gorman, who had spent one year over Tobar-Fingin, died on his pilgrimage at Clonmacnoise this year."

The well of Tobar-Finghin is still in existence near this tower, on the brink of the Shannon, but now covered by its (the Shannon's) waters.

This well is believed to have taken its name from the same Fineen from whom the Church and tower have been named. If he be Fineen Mac Carthy, why should the well be mentioned under the name of Tobar Finghin so early as the year 610?

It may be answered that the Four Masters would give it that name by prolepsis, but then Tigernach would not. Did not Tighernach flourish before Mac Carthy (Finghin) was born?

Who was the Finghin from whom the well had the name of Tobar Finghin so early as the year 610?

This Church is mentioned in the Chronicon Scotorum at the year?

"A great storm happened in this year (the greatest that had occurred in these times) (dona faghthar sed na samhuil) by which the Great Oak of Regles Finghin at Clonmacnoise was prostrated."

I have no record whatever of Finghin Mac Carthy from any of our Irish Annals. I believe the Registry of Clonmacnoise says something about him, but this Registry is modern (15th century) and evidently a fine specimen of monkish imposition.

This Church, of which one beautiful arch remains, I would judge to be an erection of the 11th or beginning of the 12th century and the round tower attached to it not older. They are evidently coeval and adapted to each other.

(7).O'Rourke's Tower. This is the large Tower of Clonmacnoise and lies immediately outside the wall which encloses the cemetery to the northwest of the Cathedral. I have no historical record to shew why tradition calls this after O'Rourke.

Mr. Richard Monck, a very sound scholar, an old friend of mine now living at Banagher, who has seen the greater part of the round towers of Ireland, does not believe this tower to be older than the 11th century, it being, in his opinion, four centuries more modern (younger) than the Tower of Roscrea O'Brien might call him the champion of modernization in earnest.

I find no reference to the existence of a round tower at Clonmacnoise, nor is there any reason for supposing that there ever had been any previously to the year 1124, when O'Malone, the Coarb of St. Kieran, finished the erection of the Cloictheach.

"1124. Forbadh cloicthighe Cluana mac Nois fri O'Maoileoin comhaerbha Chiarain.

"The finishing (completion) of the Cloictheach (turris) of Clonmacnoise (Cluanensis) by O'Malone, Coarb of Kieran."

1135. The cap (Benn-cover) of the Cloictheach of Clonmacnoise was knocked off by lightning."

Dr. O'Conor thinks that O'Malone only repaired the cap of the tower this year, but the verb Forbaim, forbadn which signifies to complete, finish, end, and not to repair, as in these instances: Iar bhforbadh a shaoghail - after finishing (i.e., spending) his life: Iar bhforbadh na hoibre - after finishing the work.

No argument can be brought forward to prove (shew) that this tower is older than 1124, but it is probable that it was often repaired since the year 1135, when its cap was struck off by lightning.

Does not the Registry of Clonmacnoise state that this tower (castlelike steeple) was erected by or at the expense of O'Rourke, Prince of the Breifnys?

There is extant a nice little poem composed by Erard Mac Coisi in lamentation of the death of Fergal O'Rourke, who was killed in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. Mac Coisi represents himself as prostrate on the royal tomb, the flag of the Kings, on which gold was glittering. If there be any historical truth in this poem the O'Rourkes must have had a tomb at Clonmacnoise long before the round tower was erected by O'Malone.

Does Mr. Petrie believe that the larger tower of Clonmacnoise is the one which was Forbadh (Forbed) by O'Malone in 1124? If it be, why does he think it was popularly called after the O'Rourkes?