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Harris, Smith, Vallancey, Gough or any other of our writers on 

 antiquities, I thought it worth while to form fome little account 

 of thcfe curious antiques, though I can by no means afcertain their 

 antiquity, or determine their ufe. 



From the many articles of gold almoft daily difcovered in this 

 kingdom it will not appear unreafonable to fuppafe with eur 

 ancient hiftorians, that Ireland once poffeffed mines of that precious 

 metal, or elfe muft have had a confiderable traffick with fome 

 nation abounding in that commodity. 



A FEW years ago Mr. Samuel Johns, a working filverfmith 

 in Limerick, bought a very curious piece of thin gold of this 

 Ihape )' 7 and of an exceeding fine quality, fuppofed to 



be a fhicld or breaft plate : he got it from a labourer who found it 

 in the parifli of Feakle and county of Clare — it weighed upwards 

 of twelve ounces ; he gave three pounds eight fhillings and three 

 pence per ounce for it, and fold it afterwards to Mr. Wm. D. 

 Moore, Goldfmith in Dublin, for four pounds an ounce. 



Another filverfmith or merchant of Limerick (Mr. Wm. 

 Power) bought a very beautiful crown that weighed above one 

 pound of pure gold, with a place for a precious ftone in the center, 

 moft elegantly worked, and found near Shronehill, county Tippe- 

 rary, it was unfortunately broke up for rings and toys, but has 

 been feen by feveral of my acquaintances. 



Another 



