578 



" This inscription, it should be observed, is mutilated by 

 the loss of a part of the moulding which contained three or 

 four words; but there can be no doubt as to what those words 

 expressed, from the inscription which next follows, namely, 

 that the shrine was made for him. 



The second division of the inscriptions reads thus: 



" ' Opoic t)o Cheptjelbach u Chonchabhaji, t)0 jnj Gpent) la 

 pa Tit)eiipnat) in jpep pa.' 



" Or, in English, 'A prayer for Turlough O'Conor, for the 

 king of Ireland, for whom [that is, at whose desire or expense] 

 this shrine was made.' 



"The third compartment reads thus — • 



" ' Opoic t)0 Domnull TTIac piannacan u Dubcbaijli, eppcop 

 Connachc, t)0 chomapba choTnTnan acup chiapan ica neppnaO 

 in 5peppa.' 



" That is, ' A prayer for Donnel, the son of Flannagan 

 O'Duffy, bishop of Connaught, and coarb (or representa- 

 tive) of St. Comman and St. Ciaran, under whose superinten- 

 dence this shrine was made.' By which we are to understand that 

 this bishop was abbot of St. Ciaran's great monastery at Clon- 

 macnoise, and of St. Comman's monastery at Roscommon, 

 which gave its name to the county. 



" The fourth and last compartment of these inscriptions 

 is not the least valuable, though it only preserves the name 

 of a person of inferior station, that of the artificer who made 

 the shrine, as it proves incontestibly what without it might 

 and probably would have been deemed doubtful, namely, that 

 the shrine was of native workmanship. It reads as follows : 



" ' Opoic t)0 maelipu TDac bpac&an u Bchan t)o pigni in 

 Speppa.' 



" Or, 'A prayer for Maelisa, the son of Braddan O'Echan, 

 who made this shrine.' 



" Of the different persons whose names are thus recorded, 

 with the exception of the artist or maker, of whom no other 

 account has been found, many historical notices are preserved 

 in our authentic annals ; and one of these authorities also re- 



