Armstrong — Catalogue of Silver and Ecclesiastical Antiquities. H09 



Iron Bells. 



1. Square iron bell. Bell formed of hammered-out or sheet-iron, joined 

 along the narrow sides or ends by an overlap of nearly an inch, which is 

 secured by three rivets. The handle, which passes through two apertures 

 on the top, appears to be continued so as to form on the inside an attachment 

 for the clapper. It stands 12 inches high exclusive of the handle (with 

 the handle, over 14 inches), and is about 9 inches by 6 inches at the 

 mouth, which is oblong. Found in Castle Mylogh, near Oldcastle, Co. 

 Meath. The edge of mouth shows that it was washed or coated with 

 bronze or brass. (Dawson Collection, 10.) 



2. Similar bell, in metal and construction, but has five rivets, and stands 

 9f inches high, and with the handle, over 11| inches. It was coated, inside 

 and out, with bronze or brass, which may be seen on portions of the surface in 

 raised lumps or corrugations. From Cashel, Co. Tipperary. (Dawson Collec- 

 tion, 11.) 



3. Bell, similar in construction and coating to the last, and about the 

 same height ; it has only three rivets at the ends, and measures at the mouth 

 8 inches by 6 inches ; it has not so much appearance of the bronzing, and is 

 in worse preservation. Found at Tybroghan, near Mullingar, on a flat stone 

 over a grave. (Dawson Collection, 12.) 



4. Bell, similar in construction and coating to no. 3, and likewise partly 

 destroyed by corrosion. It has the handle continued through the top in the 

 same manner for suspending the clapper as no. 1. Near one of the angles 

 at the mouth is a slit artificially made, running If inches into the body of 

 the bell; height same as no. 3; breadth at mouth, 1\ inches by 6 inches. 

 Found at Tybroghan, near Mullingar, on a flat stone over a grave. (Dawson 

 Collection, 13.) 



5. Bell, similar to foregoing ; it is very imperfect, and wants the handle ; 

 it shows little, if any, traces of bronzing. It stands S| inches high, but 

 appears to have been originally as tall as no. 3 or 4. From Ennisnag, Co. 

 Kilkenny. (Dawson Collection, 14.) 



6. Bell, similar to foregoing ; it is much destroyed by corrosion, wants the 

 handle, has remains of bronzing well marked, stands 9 inches high, and is at 

 the mouth 6§ inches by o£ inches. Found near the ruins of Labbamologa, 

 near Mitehelstown, Co. Cork. 



See the chapter on Bells, JR. LA. Celtic Christian Guide, 2i\d ed., pp. 65-67 ; 

 and also the figure of St. Patrick's bell in the same work, p. 47, fig. 52, as an 

 example of the type of these iron bells coated with bronze. 



