266 FAITH OF THE IRISH PEOPLE. * By noble and true-hearted men, faithful through centuries of persecution. And loudly and nobly, though it be but faint to human ears, is that echo uttered also by the aged woman who lies down by the wayside to die in the famine years, because she prefers the bread of heaven to the bread of earth, and the faith taught by Patrick to the tempter's gold. By the emigrant, who, with broken heart bids a long farewell to the dear island home, to the old father, to the grey-haired mother, because his adherence to his faith tends not to further his temporal interest, and he must starve or go beyond the sea for bread. Thus ever and ever that echo is gushing up into the ear of God, and never will it cease until it shall have merged into the eternal alleluia which the often-martyred and ever-faithful children of the saint shall shout with him in rapturous voice before the Eternal Throne. ROYAL Seats in Ancient Ireland.-Poetical Description of Tara.-The Cursing of Tara.-Ancient Description of Tara.-Cuan O'Lochain on Tara or Temur.-Keating on Tara.-Description of the Feast of Tara or Teamair.-The Ancient Architecture of Ireland.-Church Bells.-Different Opinions.-Prison Fortresses.-Dr. Petrie's Opinion on the Round Towers.-Another Opinion.The Towers of Kildare and Timahoe.-Cromlechs, Cairns, and Monumental Remains.-Cromlech in the Phoenix Park.-Illustrations of Antiquities.-Ancient Gold Head-dress.-The Ancient Architecture of Ireland.-The great House of Tara.-The Senior of the Buildings of Erin.-Sweet was the Music of the Sons of Usnach.-Rather Misfortune than Dishonour.-What the Sons of Usnach did.-The Lions of the Hill are gone.-The Time of keeping Easter. |