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In 1910,T.J. Westropp, one of Ireland's leading archaeologists and historians, surveyed the paintings as part of the Clare Island Survey. Though the paintings were faded and some irrevocably damaged at that time, he described the colours as they must have appeared five centuries ago. There are five ribs, one up the west edge, three in the centre| of the vault and one on the east edge. In each of the four resulting bays are the two more ribs crossing at the crown of the vault. Down the centre of the vault,running east-west are a series of encircle crosses.Within this framework are the paintings. The work of a team of conservators,working on
the paintings since 1991,have revealed more figures than Westropp was able to see. The
paintings ha ve undergone severe and rapid deterioration since Westropp's time due to
excessive condensation and the resultant geowth of algaes, moulds and salt on the ceiling
and wallplaster. In removing the algae,in some cases,complete and coloured figures have
been uncovered. Sometimes only fragments have been found, requiring active imaginations to
piece together evidence. In other cases only the incision lines in the plaster can be
sees, the figures being without any pigment. Fifty-two separate images have been indentified,though some of thes are a part of larger figures now erased. This is compared to Westropp's thirty-nine. There are at least two layers of painting. The older can be seen along the norh wall where on either side of the yomb there is a stag or deer being chased by a dog or hound and on the south west corner wall above the door,where there is a horse and rider,the rider wearing a helmet and mail. These figures are completely different from those found on the ceiling. We have used Westropp's orientation for our new "map". Among the figures are the following, moving from west to east along the north wall
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