very small, and mostly square-headed; one has an ogee head and perpendicular tracery. The parapet is plain, not in battlements, but with a stone alure behind it, and the usual openings through to let off the water; it had a low building attached to it, probably a kitchen.
Drimnagh Castle, near Dublin, is a plain mediæval house still inhabited, and so deprived of all its original character that it is very difficult to assign a date to it, but is probably of the fifteenth century. All the windows and dressings are modern, but it is built of rough stone, hammer-dressed only, and the walls are thick. The moat is perfect, and washes the foot of the wall on one side. The plan is oblong, with a square tower at one end, under which is the entrance gateway, with a plain barrel-vault and a round arch. On the outer side of the tower is a stair-turret carried up above the roof, and a watch-turret with external stairs to it. The battlement is in steps, with a good coping and the alure behind it, and has the usual openings for carrying off the water.
Swords Castle, near Dublin, has been a large and important castle, but little now remains except the outer wall of enceinte, which is tolerably perfect, with its battlements and alure, a square tower at the north-east corner, an entrance gateway in the centre of the south side, remains of a large hall or chapel on the east side of it, and ruins of other buildings on the west. The large room which looks like a hall has only bare walls in a dilapidated state, and remains of the canopy of a niche at the cast end, which seems to agree with the popular notion that it was a church. The whole of these ruins appear to be of the fifteenth century, though some of the windows have trefoil heads.
Malahide Castle is interesting from its history; it was founded by Richard Talbot in the reign of Henry II., has always been inhabited by the same family, and is still occupied by his lineal descendant, the present Lord Talbot de Malahide. Unfortunately the improvements which have been made from time to time, according to the tastes of successive lords, have left very little of ancient character in any part of the building. The stone vaults of the cellars and offices, and part of a stone staircase, are probably of the fifteenth century, but there is nothing that appears to be earlier. The hall and the oak chamber are of the time of James I. There are several towers, round and square, with battlements, but plastered over on the outside, and thoroughly modernised within. The castle is beautifully situated, and the effect at a distance is extremely picturesque, but it does not repay the examination of the antiquary.
Howth Castle, near Dublin, is an extensive range of building, still inhabited by Lord Howth, and much modernized. The original parts are probably of the
