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The Aran Isles: or, A report of the excursion of the Ethnological section of the British association from Dublin to the western islands of Aran, in September, 1857 (Author: Martin Haverty)

chapter 4

SECOND DAY

THE SEVEN CHURCHES

After breakfast the vessel was got under weigh, and conveyed the tourists round the north-eastern side of the island, landing them on the beach of Glenaghaun, not far from Teampull Brecain, or the Seven Churches, near the north-western extremity of the Great Island. This beach presents at low water some exceedingly curious features in its formation. Like the rest of the island, it is of solid limestone, the horizontal strata being, as in many other parts of the island, broken by vertical fissures into thin, sharp layers, almost resembling enormous hatchets placed side by side, with their sharp edges uppermost. Again, the broader ledges are eaten, apparently by the agency of small marine animals, into large basins filled with the water of the last tide; and the bottom and sides of these basins, below the waterline, are perforated like honeycombs with innumerable round cavities, all occupied by young Echini marini embedded in the substance of the rock, while the sea anemone and other strange productions of the deep are deposited wherever it is possible in the interstices. It was not without some difficulty that Mr. Wilde was able to get the stragglers of his party away from these marvels of natural history, and to collect them in the small rocky glen in which stand the interesting walls of Teampull Brecain, and Teampull a Phuill, or the Church of the Hollow, the only remains now left of the Seven Churches that were, in remote ages, clustered in this secluded spot. Dr. Petrie, at the request of Mr. Wilde, favoured the party with some particulars about St. Brecan's Church, within which they were assembled. St. Brecan, its founder, was the same who founded the episcopal church of Ardbraccan, inMeath, and was the grandson of Carthen Finn, who was baptized by St. Patrick, and was the first Christian Prince of Thomond, and son of Achy Balldearg, also the prince or chieftain of the same territory. The grave of St. Brecan was opened about sixty years ago, and was subsequently reopened in the presence


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of the parish priest, and of Mr. O'Flaherty, the magistrate, for the inspection of Dr. Petrie, who found in it a well-shaped skull, which he believed to have been that of the saint, and which was immediately and carefully restored to its resting-place, and also the cross, or headstone of St. Brecan, which was afterwards taken away by some person not now known. Several inscribed stones have been found about this ancient church, one of which bears the words ‘VII ROMANI’, ‘the seven Romans’. An interesting Irish inscription, on a raised scroll, on the inner side of the west gable, was discovered by Mr. Wilde on his former visit to Aran, but, as it is imperfect, the antiquaries who now examined it could not agree in their versions of its supposed meaning, except that it begins by requesting a prayer for some one whose name is partly defaced. The church consists of a chancel and choir, the latter of which is much more modern than the former, and may belong to the twelfth century — its circular choir arch and lancet east window being exquisite pieces of masonry, while the chancel is built in a rude style, with cyclopean windows.

Around this church are traces of several monastic buildings, and a finely engraved terminal cross; and about two hundred yards to the north is the foundation of a small square castle of the sixteenth or seventeenth century, which, judging from the thickness of the walls, must have been of enormous strength. It is called ‘Sean Caislean’, or the ‘Old Castle’. On ascending from the glen, amid some steep rocks, we come to a small, oblong enclosure, called an aherla, which word, as Dr. O'Donovan thinks, means a tomb, and is applied to one or two other remains on the island; and close by this relic are two richly carved crosses, the fragments of which were discovered and put together, the first by Mr. Wilde, and the second by S. Ferguson, Esq., some years since. The circumstance is thus alluded to by the latter gentleman in some interesting papers on Aran, which he published in the University Magazine for February (recte January) and April, 1853: — ‘In the neighbourhood of the Seven Churches they preserve a grateful recollection of the interest taken in the preservation of their antiquities by Mr. Wilde, during a visit to those islands several years ago. At his instance (or rather, we


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should say, under his direction, and in a great measure with his own hands), the fragments of a richly sculptured stone cross, which had long lain scattered in different directions about the ruins, were brought together, adapted to one another, and laid in their places on a smooth, flat rock, forming part of the threshing-floor of Martin O'Flaherty, the guardian of the ruins. The fragments have been surrounded with a low wall of dry stone to keep off the trespass of cattle, and are an object of much respect, and the source of very grateful feeling towards their restorer. I also succeeded in collecting from various quarters of the ruins, and surrounding stone wall fences, the fragments of another cross of greater dimensions, but ruder workmanship, which is now laid side by side with that restored by Dr. Wilde. On one side is a sculpture of the Crucifixion, of extremely barbarous design; the other is carved with knots and patterns of interlaced work of the usual kind.’ Each of these crosses was broken into some twelve or thirteen pieces. They are long and narrow, and the arms scarcely project from the sides.