{From Mr. Richard A. Gray.] 



"Drainage Office, Kinnegajd, 

 " December 1, 1851. 



" Dear Sir, — I herewith forward to you a case containing 

 forty-four specimens of Irish antiquities, principally of a warlike 

 character, obtained from the excavations connected with the im- 

 provement of the Boyne and Deel rivers, in the counties of Meath, 

 Westmeath, Kildare, and King's County. 



" In addition, I beg to add twenty-five from my own collection, 

 which I will feel obliged by your presenting to the Academy, and 

 at the same time decline your offer to reimburse my expenses 

 incurred in obtaining the articles belonging to the Drainage col- 

 lection. 



" Amongst the Drainage articles is an iron two-edged sword, 

 No. 1, on which, inlaid with gold, are represented six female 

 figures, bearing banners ; there are three on either side, corre- 

 sponding exactly in position and size, each four inches in length, 

 and extending along the blade. It was found imbedded in bog, 

 close to a ford across the Deel, connecting the lands of Derrymore 

 and Eiversdale, in the county of Westmeath. It probably belonged 

 to the time of Hugh De Lacy, in the twelfth century. 



" An iron weapon, No. 6, of a compound character, was found 

 near the castle of Donore, imbedded in gravel and sand, about two 

 feet under the bed of the river. Along with it was found a short 

 sword, with ornamental guard, labelled No. 12 ; and a battle-axe, 

 No. 5, in the same place, imbedded in alluvial deposit, beside the 

 river. 



" These weapons probably belonged to the Scots, who, with 

 Robert and Edward Bruce, were encamped near Trim, under cover 

 of a wood (Longwood '?), in the spring of 1317. The first-named 

 weapon I have seen no duplicate of, nor any description more than 

 a drawing in Meyrick's Ancient Armour (vol. i. plate 28), repre- 

 senting weapons used in 1312. 



" The sword with the ivory handle, No. 4, was found below 

 Stoneyford Bridge, in the side-cutting of our excavations; it was 

 lying on the gravel (formerly the bed of the river), and covered 

 with alluvial deposit four feet in depth. It belonged to one of the 

 volunteers of 1779. 



" The other sword, No. 2, is a yeomanry sword of 1798. 



