132 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



It is to the Rev. John Dubordieu, Rector of Annahilt, in his 

 Statistical Survey of the county of Down, we owe the first published 

 description of this interesting monument, and the drawing of the 

 remarkable legend found within it. 



An earlier account, however, in point of observation, although 

 not published for some years after the appearance of the Statistical 

 Survey, is found in the Grammar of the Irish language by the Rev. 

 Dr. "William Neilson, of Downpatrick, published in 1812. It is to 

 be desired that something more were known of this capital scholar 

 and philosophical writer. O'Donovan, in his preface to his Irish 

 Grammar, recognizes Neilson's elegant and logical arrangement, but 

 censures his examples as provincial and barbaric, although ad- 

 mitting that in the Achill edition of 1 845 (from which I shall quote), 

 these imperfections have been to a great extent rectified by the 

 Rev. J. Wangle. O'Donovan remarks that Dr. Neilson was assisted 

 in the compilation of his " Grammar"- by a good Irish scholar of the 

 .same neighbourhood, Mr. Patrick Lynch, of Inch parish. Nothing in 

 its kind can be more natural and agreeable than the illustrative 

 dialogue, probably contributed by Lynch, which forms Neilson's 

 Appendix. The passage I shall cite occurs in the dialogue, entitled 

 " Teach Oidheachia," or the Country Inn. The duine uasail, or 

 gentleman, has entered into friendly conversation with two persons of 

 humbler rank, one being called Mac an Gobhain or Smith — we may take 

 him to stand for Lynch himself — who, throughout the dialogue, main- 

 tain the characteristic shrewdness and politeness of the native peasantry 

 with much felicity of expression. Having spoken of political matters 

 the gentleman observes : — 



G. " We may speak, also, of the antiquities of the country without 

 offence. Are there any remains of old castles, old churches, and ancient 

 towers in it?" 



S. " Indeed there are; and the raths, the caves, and engraved stones 

 found in it are ancient works also." 



G. " Where were these engraved stones found, do you say?" 



S. "I will tell you, Sir. About a mile from the place where we 

 live, a cave was found, on the brow of a hill, by a person who was 

 digging round a stone, about ten years ago. No person thought or 

 knew that such a place was there, and it happened to be found thus : 

 a long narrow cave, without bone or relic, or trace of anything in it, 

 but empty walls covered with great stones. There was a neat little 

 chamber of a round form, like a bee-hive, on one side of the cave, and 

 a little narrow door to enter by, empty also as the rest. However, 

 there was found one broad smooth flag on the top of the place 

 (a mullach na haitese), and on the lower side of that flag there were 

 three lines engraved (tri line grabhalta) of clean, well-formed letters; 

 nor has any person been found since who conld read or explain the 

 inscription." 



R. "It is perfectly true, fori saw the cave, the flag, and the 

 inscription when it was discovered.'' 



