Frazer—On an Karly Ecclesiastical Silver Seal. 445 
LIX.—Earty Ecctestastican Seat oF SILVER INSCRIBED WITH THE 
NAME oF Mavrick HoLiacHaN, PROBABLY REFERABLE TO THE 147TH 
OR EARLY PART OF THE 15TH CENTURY, WiTH Remarks. By 
Writam Frazer, F.R.C.S.1., Member of Council, Royal Irish 
Academy. 
[Read, January 26, 1885.] 
Tue Seal composed of silver which bears on it the name of Maurice 
Hollachan, belonging to a sept well known in the south-west of 
Treland in early ages, and from which several individuals came who 
were connected with the ancient diocese of Ross, will interest the 
student of our ecclesiastical history, and deserves to be described and 
figured, I have the pleasure of exhibiting it to this Academy and 
will endeayour to call attention to its more important features. 
Asie S 
We may assume that it was fabricated to be used as the distinctive 
signet of an Irish ecclesiastic who had attained no mean rank amongst 
the officials of his Church. Its history previous to falling into my 
hands is, I regret to say, imperfect. I obtained it through the 
kindness of Messrs. West, of College-green, who permitted me to be- 
come its purchaser. It had lain in their possession for some years, 
and there were not any records or other means of ascertaining whence 
it came, who had been its former custodians, or the slightest clue to 
its previous history, so that we are unaware how it continued to be 
preserved for so many years in as perfect condition as when its owner, 
Maurice Hollachan, got it made and used it for his distinctive and, 
I believe, official signet. I conjecture it was found in the earth, and 
sold by its finder. Fortunately it fell into good hands, and was not 
melted down, like too many objects of antiquarian interest, far more 
valuable as such than for their intrinsic metallic worth. Seals of this 
