having those chapels erected, is to recommend the clergyman to form a committee in his parish, this committee to consist of the principal men in each village, and to appoint a treasurer, and that the priest with the aid of the principal men in each village would lay an assessment upon the people according to their circumstances: this assessment is collected in the best manner it can, then put into the hands of the treasurer, and expended afterwards upon the building.

"Have not instances come frequently within your knowledge where the assessment made in this manner has fallen very heavily upon the people, and has been complained of by them, although submitted to for the sake of having a place of worship?-Many instances have occurred where they complained of the assessment, and of being called upon for this aid.

"Are there any means of enforcing that assessment?—No means whatever of enforcing; the clergyman threatens to withhold his services from them, and reproaches them for not contributing; and I know of no other means whatever of enforcing it.

"But those appeals from the clergy have generally been found successful as far as their means have permitted them to contribute?—Yes.

"What do you understand by the clergy threatening to withhold their services from them ?-What I allude to is, the practice of churching females after their accouchement; and the clergyman, unless he finds that the husband has paid his portion of the cess, does not church the woman till that money for the erection of the chapel is made up.

"Is that the only service they threaten to withhold ?—That is the only service; they never refuse the administration of sacraments by any means."-H. C., 1825, p. 255-257.

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Are the assessments for the repair of chapels laid on by the people themselves?-By the people themselves, by the heads of villages; the clergyman is recommended to form them into a committee, who assess the parish, and the clergyman is the principal collector of this assessment; he pays it

into the hands of a treasurer appointed by themselves, and the money is expended afterwards.”—Ibid. p. 261.

Dominick Browne, Esq. M.P. :

"Are the Roman Catholic chapels in general adequate to the wants of the people?-They are entirely inadequate in every part almost with which I am acquainted in Galway and Mayo, and in some places I know there are none at all. I have very often seen a place, where on Easter Sunday and Christmas Day, and festivals of that kind, I am certain there were from ten to fifteen times as many people kneeling outside the chapel on the road, as the chapel could contain.

"Did not many of those purposely kneel outside that could go in ?—I do not believe that is the case; I believe the chapel is filled before they kneel outside. I have seen that occur when it has been very cold and raining.

"Do you consider the want of sufficient room in chapels to arise from the total inability of the people to provide them, or from want of zeal?-From total inability.

"Do not the Protestants of property contribute in general towards the building of those chapels?—They do in some measure, but not generally; only landlords, never the Protestants of the lower classes."-H. L., 1825, pp. 588-9.

Right Rev. James Magaurin, R. C. Bishop of Ardagh:

"You were asked a question on the subject of the state of the chapels in your diocese, are the chapels generally in a good state or otherwise?-Some of them are, but the others are miserable enough.

"When you answer that they are in a good state, do you mean that the buildings are in good repair, or that they are commensurate to the wants of the people?—They are, some of them, in a respectable situation, so far as regards the building outside; they are not so decently finished inside as I could wish.

"Are there many places within your diocese where the

chapels are entirely inadequate to the number of the congregation ?—I think in general all are so.

"Will you describe what occurs in such cases, or how the population can attend divine worship?—The only remedy we can adopt in order to avoid the awkwardness of remaining outside, is to increase the number of clergymen. At the chapel at Ballimahon, I attend every morning at eight o'clock, on Sundays, invariably, and my curate attends at ten and at twelve afterwards, and there is a large congregation each time.

"Are there other places within your diocese where service is celebrated three times ?-Yes, there are.

"Are there any instances where it is celebrated more than three times ?-I think not.

"Are those three services on the Sunday entirely owing to the number of the congregation and the inadequacy of the means of receiving them, or at all those parishes would not two services be celebrated on Sunday?—Not always two, in case where there are two chapels and only one clergyman.

"Are there any instances in which the congregation are obliged to kneel down in the open air?-It does occur in many instances where there is only one mass."-H. C., 1825, p. 288.

Colonel Currey, agent to the Duke of Devonshire :

"Have you had occasion to be acquainted with the state of the Roman Catholic chapels in the south of Ireland?—Yes, I have been in several of them upon the Duke of Devonshire's property; and indeed in other places.

"What have you found to be the condition of those Catholic chapels?—In all the country parts they are very indifferent; I have seen some wretched places on the duke's property; by his contributing to their improvement, they have, in many instances, been repaired and improved.

"There are, and you have seen, many that are still wretched? -Very wretched thatched chapels, so irregular in the line of their roof, that they looked like several cabins joined together.

"Are they sufficient, in general, for the accommodation of

the population who attend them?-Very insufficient for the number that attend them.

"Are all that attend received into the chapel, or are many left out-of-doors?-In most instances the congregation is so numerous, that they are seen kneeling outside in the chapel yards; I have seen them kneeling outside in the chapel yards under bad weather.

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You have stated that in many places the chapels were in very bad condition; were those chapels in large Catholic parishes?—In the large Catholic parishes, and where there are towns, they are in better condition than in the country parishes certainly; but generally speaking, I believe, they are inadequate to the number of the congregations, and in very many instances certainly in indifferent repair.

"In those parishes to which you are alluding, where you stated the chapels were in such bad repair, is there a large population?-A very considerable population.

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And a certain number of wealthy farmers?—The farmers were not very wealthy in those situations.

“What was the reason why the inhabitants of those parishes, being chiefly Catholic, did not subscribe for the purpose of putting their chapels in adequate repair?-From their poverty.

"Do the priests endeavour to raise subscriptions for that purpose?—I believe, in some instances, they are at this moment collecting small sums, for I have told the priests of parishes upon the Duke of Devonshire's property, that if they would exert themselves to raise a certain sum amongst their parish, in fact to do something for themselves, that I would, in conformity to the general instructions I had from the Duke of Devonshire, give them assistance from him; that is, whenever they were upon his property, or even in parishes where he has the impropriate tithes, the duke's instructions to me were always to give assistance wherever they would do something for themselves likewise; I never give assistance unless they raise something for themselves,"-H. C., 1825, pp. 299, 300.

Major-General Bourke, magistrate, resident in the county of Limerick :

"What is the state of the Roman Catholic chapels in your neighbourhood?-Some of them are in very indifferent repair; but latterly they have got into a better state than formerly.

"Are they sufficiently large to afford accommodation for the population of their respective parishes?-By no means; during the celebration of divine service you see a number of persons outside the chapel.

"Do you conceive it would be felt as a great boon by the Roman Catholics of Ireland if there was some provision made by law for the repair and maintenance of their chapels?—I do; I think it would be received with great gratitude, and felt as a great kindness.

"Are the payments made to the Roman Catholic clergy considered by the people as a heavy charge and incumbrance upon them?-They are; I have known them state as much.

"In the event of the state making provision for the Roman Catholic priesthood, would not that be considered by the people at large as relieving them from the burthen of a double establishment?-I should think so; I imagine, if the people were aware that the state provided for their clergy, they would not continue to pay the dues.

"Then do you not consider that a provision by the state, for the Roman Catholic clergy, would have the effect of removing one of the causes of dissatisfaction which at present exists as to the payment of the Protestant clergy?—I conceive it would, by diminishing the burthen.

"Do you conceive that the payment, by the state, of the Roman Catholic clergy, would add to the stability of the Protestant church in Ireland?-I think so; in so far as it would remove the existing complaint of having two church establishments to maintain."-H. C., 1825, p. 335.

Rev. Thos. Costello, county of Limerick :

"Are there not other charges that are levied upon the