We _mere Irish_ assume to be descended from a Phoenician colony; the
word _Milesian_ is not Irish, the families so designated being known in
the Irish language only as "Clonna Gäel" (I spare the English reader the
_mute_ consonants, which _would rather bother him_ to get his tongue
round).
Our tradition is, that the leader of the said colony saw Ireland from a
tower, still said to exist near Corunna; he bore the style of _Mileadle
Spaniogle_, for which no better translation is offered than "the soldier
of Spain." His brothers and sons, the chief himself having deceased, are
said to have conducted the expedition to Ireland; and if your
correspondent wishes for a full account of their adventures, he should
consult Keating's _History of Ireland_, which will, at all events,
afford him some amusement.
As to the round towers, Mr. Petrie's book on _The Ecclesiastical
Antiquities or Architecture of Ireland_ has set that question at rest.
He has shown that they are undoubtedly Christian buildings intended as
_Bell-houses_, which their name in Irish signifies; and further,
probably, for the safe keeping of the sacred vessels, &c., in time of
war or tumult. It is unfortunately too certain that agitation was always
rife in Ireland. On all points connected with Irish antiquities, the
safest and best reference is to the Secretary of the Royal Irish
Academy, Dublin. If this answer attract any of your correspondents to
visit the museum of that establishment, I venture to prophecy that they
will account themselves well repaid for their trouble, even though they
should miss visiting the Great Exhibition thereby.