Frazer—On Three Bronze Celts from Co. Mayo. 417 
LYVI.—On Turee Bronze Certs osptainep In County Mayo, anp 
PRESENTED TO THE Museum oF THE Roya IrtsH ACADEMY, BY THE 
Rey. J. M‘PHELPIN, WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROBABLE SOURCES 
AND USES oF sucH ImprEMENTS. By W. Frazezx, F.R.C.S8.L., 
Member of Council of the Royal Irish Academy. 
[Read, November 9, 1885. ] 
Tux examples of ancient bronze celts which'I am enabled to lay before 
the Royal Irish Academy reached me through the kind intervention 
of Rev. J. M‘Phelpin, of Ballyvary, Castlebar. He procured them for 
our Museum from Miss Eleanor Flynn of Loughkeeran, to whom he 
requests our acknowledgments should be sent, and placed them in 
my hands for presentation this evening. In the letter that accom- 
panies them he stated they were discovered a few months since in a field 
situated in the townland of Gallen, county Mayo. The locality where 
they were found is in close proximity to the well of St. Kieran, where 
large crowds assemble during the months of August and September to 
perform stations in honour of this early Irish saint. Mr. M‘Phelpin 
further mentions in his communication that there is a large stone in 
the field about six feet high, four feet broad, and two feet wide. I 
presume these measurements relate only to the portion visible above 
the surface of the ground. 
When examining these fine specimens I noticed certain interesting 
poimts which appeared to merit investigation, and induced me to sub- 
mit the following remarks :—Leaving out of view in the present in- 
vestigation the earlier rude chipped paleolithic implements of stone, 
which were unrecognized in Ireland until Mr. Knowles, by his recent 
explorations in the north-eastern flint districts, appears to have obtained 
important evidence as to their presence there, we start with that still 
remote period when a primeval race existed who fabricated stone 
implements with polished smooth surfaces. In the course of time, still 
at so distant an era that we cannot assign to it a satisfactory date 
within even approximate limits, either traders from abroad, or pos- 
sibly an invading tribe of different origin, gradually introduced 
weapons made from bronze. It required a succession of years before 
these could haye penetrated as they did every district of our country, 
for such extension must have been gradual and progressive, and does 
not necessarily imply the simultaneous or speedy disuse of stone imple- 
ments. In Ireland, the examination of an extensive series of bronze 
celts, palstaves, spear-heads and other articles, does not enable us to 
concur with the suggestion (possibly true in other countries), that an 
age of copper preceded that of bronze. The causes of the apparent 
foundation for such a theory will be alluded to hereafter. 
