138 



Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



In addition to the preceding evidence, I may add also that we are not with- 

 out monumental inscriptions testifying to the same fact, of which I annex, as an 

 example, one which marks the grave of seven Romans interred near the church 

 of St. Brecan on the Great Island of Aran, and which reads as follows : 



un 



That this inscription is of very great antiquity 

 the form of the letters sufficiently indicates, and 

 we can very nearly determine their exact age by a 

 comparison of their forms, as well as the style of 

 cross carved on the stone, with the letters and cross 

 sculptured on the grave-stone of St. Brecan himself, 

 the founder of that monastery, of which an accurate 

 copy will be seen on the next page. 



The inscription to which I allude, is, as will be 

 seen, put into a Latin form, like the preceding one, 

 and was, probably, cut by one of the very seven 

 Romans whose grave in Aran was so marked: it 

 reads as follows : 



ci &raecaNi, 



which, when written in full, would obviously be 

 CAPITI BRECANI. 



It must interest not only the antiquary, but in an especial degree the nume- 

 rous progeny of the Dalcassian tribe, to find so curious a monument as this 

 existing of the first and most distinguished ecclesiastic of that race ; for it 

 appears certain from our historical documents that this St. Brecan, who was 

 the founder of Ardbraccan, now the seat of the bishops of Meath, was the 

 grandson of Carthen Finn, the first Christian prince of Thomond, and the son 

 of Eochaidh Balldearg, also prince of Thomond, who was baptized by St. Pa- 

 trick at Saingel, now Singland, near Limerick. The year of St. Brecan's death 

 I have not been able to ascertain, but it must have been in the early part of the 

 sixth century. This head-stone, as it may properly be called, of St. Brecan was 

 originally of an irregular square form, about four feet two inches diagonally, 

 but was broken in opening the tomb, as is indicated in the engraving by the 



