Ordnance Survey Letters of Galway

My dear John,

I got from Mr. Smith some vile copies of Irish inscriptions collected in Connaught by a man named Mathias O'Conor, and among them are some which never fell in my way, as one in the church yard of Fuerty in Roscommon and another at Fair hill, Co. of Galway. It is a pity I did not get the former while O'Conor was doing the barony of Ballymoe, as he could have made an accurate copy of it without much loss of time. This is however now beyond our reach; but the other, that at Fair hill may be got, and I write to you that you may bear it in mind. It appears that there are two townlands of this name in the County, one in the Parish of Rahoon, Barony of Dunkellan, the other in the Parish of Kiloscobe Barony of Tiaquin, and I do not know in which it is situated. If it be in the latter I suppose O'Conor will find it out if you direct his attention to it.

You are in error

in supposing the Hens castle to be in Lough Mask. It is [in] Lough Corrib, and a very beautiful and very ancient castle it is. By the way the islands of this lake contain monastic and other remains of great interest. When you were at Cong, you missed seeing a very interesting old church of Patrick's time within the Domain of Ross, on the Southern shore of Lough Mask. And I find also that in your valuable letter on the monuments of Moy Tuireadh you make no mention of one of the most interesting, a well which had been buried for ages under a cairn. This well is covered in in the Cyclopean style with a bee-hive roof, and is very deep. The descent by a flight of steps as I think 12 in number.

The great cahir which Mr. Crampton destroyed was 150 feet in diameter, walls 24 feet thick. There was a second cahir beside it, about 30 ft. in diameter.

There are several curious monuments in the Neale Park which you did not notice.

And what I more wonder at is that you did not see the following inscription in the abbey of

Ballintober.

Inscription in Ballintober Abbey

These characters are evidently of the 13th Century.

We are hard at work here collecting the historical extracts for the Queen's County, and if any suggestions should occur to you you should forward them at once. Mangin is at work for you, and an admirable scribe he is - first rate.

Tom Moon is here collecting materials from the college library &c., for his next volumes.

I suppose you will not visit Arran till next year; if you do let me know before hand that I may give you a letter to Mr. O'Flaherty.