Dowling— On the Book of Clonenagh. 13 



Y. — Note on the Eev. John O'Hanxon's Paper — " On the Misslng 

 Book of Clonenagh." By Daniel ~F. Dowling. 



[Read June 27, 1870.] 



During the latter part of the last century, and the beginning of the 

 present, there resided at Ballynn House, in the Queen's County, a 

 member of the "Pole" family, popularly known by the title of Lord 

 Maryborough. During this period, the now missing manuscript, called 

 the " Book of Clonenagh," was seen in the library of Ballynn House 

 by a man named Martin Bray, of Mountrath, who died about the year 

 1844, aged 90 years. 



Mr. Bray was a member of a corps of volunteers called'the "Ballynn 

 Cavalry," raised and commanded, in 1782, by Lord Maryborough, and, 

 therefore, could have had access to, and an opportunity of seeing, it in 

 the library of Ballyfin House. Since Bray saw the manuscript it has 

 been missing. 



There is a story current amongst, and popularly believed in by, the 

 parishioners of Clonenagh, and to the following effect, viz. : — That a 

 clergyman of the Established Church, named Valentine Griffith, found 

 the book whilst some of the old walls of Clonenagh monastery were 

 being removed by and under his directions about sixty years ago ; and 

 that, at his death, which happened about 1825, the book passed into 

 the hands of a medical doctor, named Robert Knaggs, of Mountrath, 

 who was his son-in-law, and was appointed by him as his sole executor 

 and legatee. 



This story of the finding of the book cannot, however, be true, as 

 Keating, in the preface to his History, written about 250 years ago, 

 refers to the "Book of Clonenagh" as being then in existence, although 

 he seems to have had no access to, or profited by, its contents. I be- 

 lieve, however, the book to have been in the possession of the Pev. 

 Mr. Griffith, and to have afterwards passed into the hands of his son-in- 

 law, Pobert Knaggs, and adduce the following reasons in support of 

 such belief. 



Between the years 1782 and 1813 the above-named reverend gentle- 

 man officiated as chaplain to Lord Maryborough — through whose in- 

 fluencehe appears to havebeen appointed perpetual curate of the parish — 

 and during that time was on the most intimate terms with him. Such 

 being the case, it is but reasonable to suppose that Lord Maryborough 

 presented the manuscript to the reverend gentleman, solely on account 

 of its being connected with the parish of Clonenagh. 



Again, about thirty years ago there lived, as servant, with the above- 

 named Robert Knaggs, a woman named Margaret Russell, since deceased. 

 I have had from an intimate friend of hers the following statement, as 

 she gave it at that time to my informant : — " That she (Margaret Rus- 

 sell) often opened the ' Book of Clonenagh' but could not read it. as 



