122 Royal Irish Academy. 



Monday Evening, Febetjaet 23, 1880. 

 Sir PtOBEEx Kane, ll.d., e.k.s.. President, in the Chair. 



A Letter was read from "W. J. Corrigan, ll.d., thanking the 

 Academy for the Eesolution adopted by them with reference to the 

 death of the late Sir Dominic J. Corrigan, Bart., ji.d. 



E. Atkinson, ll.d.. Secretary of Council, brought up the following 

 Eeport from Council, on the death of Mr. Joseph O'Longan, Irish 

 Scribe, to the Academy : — 



The late Me. Joseph O'Longan, as he was probably the last, so he 

 ■was amongst the most distinguished, of Irish Scribes. He belonged to 

 a family in which this profession was hereditary : the names of him- 

 self, his brother, father, and grandfather — all of them acting in this 

 capacity — are not likely to be soon forgotten. 



Many products of their skill and industry now lie in the Hoyal 

 Irish Academy, but the most important work has undoubtedly been 

 accomplished by Me. Joseph O'Longan, who is just deceased. 



In early life employed as a schoolmaster in Co. Cork, under the 

 !National Board — a service which, had he continued in it, would have 

 entitled him to retire on a pension — he there made for himself a name 

 as an efficient and trustworthy Irish Scribe. During that period we 

 have from his hand a beautifully- written copy of the Book of Lismore, 

 together with many minor MSS. in the Windele Collection. On the 

 death of O'Cueet in 1865, Me. O'Longan was appointed to the post 

 of Irish Scribe to the Academy, which he has held ever since. During 

 the early part of this period we have from his hand the invaluable 

 Index of Subjects and of Initial Lines, of the matters contained in 

 the MSS. of theBoyal Irish Academy, a work in sixteen folio volumes, 

 which enables a reference to be at once made to almost any topic dealt 

 with in the MSS. The work on vi'hich he was subsequently engaged 

 was the transcription of the great MSS. — Leabhar na h-TJidhre, Leab- 

 har Breac, and the Book of Leinster — all of which he completed. 

 The Book of Ballymote was little more than begun when his fatal 

 illness attacked him. 



It is unnecessary to enlarge on the value of these important pub- 

 lications ; but testimony may here be fitly borne to the manner in 

 which Me. O'Longan's work on them was performed. It may be 



