163 
Mr. Wilde exhibited a remarkable antique brooch, recently found at 
Rathmore, county of Cavan, and purchased by Mr. West, College-green, 
by whose permission he brought it under the notice of the.Academy. It 
is of bronze, but was originally plated, and was also beautifully orna- 
mented in front with enamel, portions of which still remain, and show 
that Irish artists had attained considerable skill in that description of 
decoration. What adds considerably to the interest of this object is its 
having four spiral rings, or helices, each of three turns, wound round one 
side of the circle. One of these spiral rings is encircled within a smaller 
one. ; 
Mr. Wilde presented a portion of the head and antlers of a fossil . 
elk, and also a good specimen of the head and horn-cores of a goat, the 
latter found in Dunshaughlin crannoge, several years ago. 
The thanks of the Academy were voted to the donor, after which the 
Academy adjourned. : 
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1859. 
James HentHorn Topp, D. D., President, in the Chair. 
Ow the recommendation of Council, it was— 
Resotvep—That the sum of Fifty Pounds be placed in the hands of 
the Council to enable them to purchase antique articles for the Academy 
Museum. 
The Rev. Dr. Retves read— 
AN ACCOUNT OF THE CRANNOGE OF INISHRUSH, AND ITS ANCIENT 
OCCUPANTS. 
Tuar part of Ulster known in the sixteenth century as Brian Carragh’s 
Country consisted of a tract on either side of the Bann, of which Port- 
glenone may be taken as the centre. The portion on the Antrim side of 
the river, which consisted of the adjacent part of the parish of Ahoghill, 
was held, by inheritance, under O’ Neill, of Clanaboy; while the Lon- 
donderry portion, which consisted of the south-east part of Tamlaght- 
ocrilly parish, was wrested by force of arms from O’Cahan, and held in 
adverse possession. In Marshal Bagenal’s ‘‘ Description of Ulster,” 
1586, the territory is thus noticed :—‘‘ Brian Caraghe’s countrey was a 
_ portion of Northe Clandeboy, won from it by a bastard kinde of Scottes, 
of the septs of Clandonells, who entered the same, and do yet holde it, 
being a very stronge piece of lande lienge uppon the North side of the 
Bande. The name of the nowe Capten thereof is Brian Caraghe,* who 
* A very interesting document from the State Paper Office has been printed by 
Herbert F. Hore, Esq., in the Ulster Journal of Archzology, vol. vii. p. 61. It is a 
letter from Allister McConeill to Captain Piers, dated 10th of Decerfber, 1566, in which 
he says: “als mony as we myt drywe and dreaf ower y® Ban all y* carycht y’ Brean 
Karriche hade. . . . . , and ane innyse [i.e., island, namely, Innisrush] yt Brean 
Karriche hade of befair and Oneiles servand tuk yt, and now we have gotten y* innys 
agane, and that harchips I behuffit to sla yame to be meit to my arme.” 
