225 
Monpay, APRIL 23RD, 1855. 
LIEUT.-COL. LARCOM, F.R.S., Vice-PresipEn7, 
in the Chair. 
Rev. Dr. Topp presented a rubbing of the ancient inscription 
~ on the base of the cross which stands in the principal street of 
the village of Cong. This inscription does not appear to have 
been ever published, nor do the names it contains occur in the 
Irish Annals. It is written in the black letter text of the 
fourteenth century, and not in Irish characters, although it is 
in the Irish language. It is very much effaced, and by no 
means easy to read, but Dr. Todd, with the assistance of Dr. 
Petrie, who had copied it many years ago, has succeeded in 
deciphering it as follows :— 
@rx’ do nichol ag’ do gille bert o dubthaich ra bin abaiddeact Cunga. 
Which he reads thus: 
OROIT DO Nichol agus Do sillebert oO OubThaich ra 
bIN abalohedcT CUNSa. f 
‘<A prayer for Nichol and for Gillebert O’Dubhthaigh [O’Duffy], 
who were Abbots of Cong.” 
Dr. Wilde gave it as his opinion, that the base or steps on 
which the cross stands were of an earlier date than the present 
shaft of the cross; and he mentioned a report current in the 
town, that many years ago the ancient cross was carried away 
_ by some soldiers and thrown over the bridge into the river. 
It is said by some that it was recovered and replaced, but 
others think that this was not so, and that the present shaft 
belongs to a cross that formerly stood in the old abbey burial- _ 
ground. 
Dr. Todd presented an accurate drawing of a chalice 
made some time ago by Mr. M‘Carthy ; and stated that when 
a VOL. VI. : ‘ x 
