144 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



IRISH CELTS AND THEIR RELICS. 



Read before the Geological Section, Feb. -May, i8gi. 

 BY COL. C. C. GRANT. . 



Within the past century much additional light has been thrown 

 on the subject of Pre-historic and Pagan Ireland, by Dr. O' Don- 

 ovan, Eugene Curry, Professors Graves and Todd, Trinity College, 

 Dublin. The Ossianic Society, by giving us translations of the 

 lays and traditions of the Gael have contributed also not a little 

 valuable information respecting our Celtic forefathers. However, 

 on the whole it may be admitted that the knowledge we possess of 

 our early history is very little indeed. The Monkish chroniclers 

 evidently entertamed but slight affection for the bards, an order 

 likely to keep alive the memory of things they were desirous of con- 

 signing to oblivion. Probably this may account in some degree for 

 the very meagre details of pre-Christian times incorporated in our 

 oldest manuscripts. 



The Royal Antiquarian Society, of Ireland, (embracing Irish- 

 men of all creeds), is one of the noblest conceptions that ever eman- 

 ated from the distinguished sons of our Irish soil. Independent 

 of the knowledge we are likely to acquire from this union, we may 

 also realize the dream of the poet and patriot, whose mortal frame 

 reposes in Irish soil, the land of his birth. 



"And 0! it were a glorious deed 

 To show before mankind, 

 How every class and every creed 

 May be in love combined ; 

 May be combined yet not forget 

 The fountain whence it rose, 

 As filled by many a rivulet 

 The stately Shannon flows." 



I. 



As in all records of ancient races, doubtless there is much that 

 is fabulous in the early history of Ireland. Who were the primitive 

 inhabitants — from whence did they come ? This problem may 



