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parts of this country. In regard to the stone hatchets, I 

 would merely observe, that the greater number, which arc 

 black, are composed of the siliceous rock called Lydean 

 Stone, which occurs in thin beds, interstratified with the 

 dark gray, impure limestone called Calp, which is abun- 

 dant in the neighbourhood of Keelogue and Banagher ; but 

 the others, some of which present a bluish gray, and some a 

 yellowish colour, are composed of a subcrystalline, and ap- 

 parently igneous porphyritic rock, none of which occurs in 

 the neighbourhood, or possibly in the south of Ireland, 

 Hence it is probable that the latter, which are much more 

 perfectly executed than the black, or those composed of 

 Lydean Stone, were brought from a distance, and probably 

 from a foreign country. 



The important and interesting subject for consideration 

 in the antiquities before us is, that they are evidently the 

 relics of very different, and probably distant periods. Owing 

 to the rapidity of the current at Keelogue ford, it is extra- 

 ordinary that any comparatively recent deposit should have 

 been formed, and at all events the annual increase must have 

 been inconsiderable ; hence, though not more than one foot 

 of silty matter may be found between the stone weapons of 

 a very remote age, and the swords and spears of another 

 period still remote from us, yet under the circumstances de- 

 scribed centuries may have intervened between the periods 

 of mortal strife which must have taken place in the river 

 probably between the Leinster men and Connaught men of 

 old, disputing the passage of the river at two distinct and no 

 doubt very distant periods. 



I am not sufficiently versed in the ancient Irish history to 

 say whether any records are in existence of a battle having 

 been fought at the fords of Meelick and Keelogue ; but if 

 any such exist I have no doubt that many members of the 

 Academy, and lovers of ancient lore, will be enabled to en- 

 lighten us on the subject. I have only further to mention, 



