Picturesque Ireland : a literary and artistic delineation of the natural scenery, remarkable places, historical antiquities, public buildings, ancient abbeys, towers, castles, and other romantic and attractive features of Ireland . of De Vescy, who built a strong castle.^ Ralph de Bristol, consecrated in 1223, was the first En--^ glish Bishop of the See, and he, at great expense, re-paired the cathedral. It was again repaired about thecommencement of the sixteenth century ; but it was de-stroyed, and a part of it levelled by the parliamentaryartillery in the war of 1641. The walls, and the sou
Picturesque Ireland : a literary and artistic delineation of the natural scenery, remarkable places, historical antiquities, public buildings, ancient abbeys, towers, castles, and other romantic and attractive features of Ireland . of De Vescy, who built a strong castle.^ Ralph de Bristol, consecrated in 1223, was the first En--^ glish Bishop of the See, and he, at great expense, re-paired the cathedral. It was again repaired about thecommencement of the sixteenth century ; but it was de-stroyed, and a part of it levelled by the parliamentaryartillery in the war of 1641. The walls, and the southside of the steeple and nave, which have six Gothic archesind buttresses, are still standing. Church services areheld in the choir, which has been repaired for the pur-pose. Thirty yards west of the cathedral stands one ofthe oldest Round Towers, which presents some notablecharacteristics ; among them, a chevron cornice mould-ing, and battlements at top. Its height is given as onehundred and thirty, and its external circumference about fifty-four, feet. Thelarge arched doorway is fourteen feet from the ground. For twelve feet it is builtof white granite, and thence upward of blue stone. Near by is an ancient stone Round Tower and Cross atKildare. * She was reverenced not only in Ireland, but in Scotland, and the western isles, Hy Brides, are said to have takenher name, which was invoked by the islanders to confirm their most solemn oaths. An annual festival was there held inher commemoration.—Fergusons The Irish before the Conquest, p. 165. KILDARE. The bright lamp, that shone in Kildares holy fane,And burnd thro long ages of darkness and storm, 567 Avas kept alive with slight cessation, day and night, for nearly a thousand yearsby the nuns in a small stone structure—the Fire House—which still exists. De Vescy having fled to France to avoid a single combat with Fitzgerald,Lord of Offaly, who had accused him of treason, the possessions of the formerwere conferred
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