( clxxix ) 



Since the date of our last Report, various objects of interest have 

 been added to the Academy's Museum. Amongst these may be 

 specially mentioned portions of a beautifully carved Harp, bearing 

 inscriptions in Irish, and the date, 1621, known as the " Dalway 

 Harp;" a set of silver-mounted ivory Bag-pipes of the middle of the 

 last century ; and an ancient Boat, recently found in the County of 

 Galway — the last being a donation from the Eev. Sir "William Ross 

 Mahon, Bart. 



The valuable collection of Irish antiquities belonging to the late 

 Mr. "Walsh of Dromore has also been purchased, comprising objects in 

 gold, silver, and amber ; weapons and other articles of bronze, flint, 

 and stone ; wooden utensils, earthen cinerary urns, &c. All these 

 have been temporarily deposited in wall-cases, on the south side of the 

 Eeading-room gallery. The arrangement of the Museum in the first 

 floor and basement continues to advance with systematic regularity. 

 Its condition is now eminently satisfactory. 



The decorative painting of the walls and ceilings of the Long 

 Room has just been completed by the Board of Works, and a consi- 

 derable improvement thus effected in the general appearance of this 

 part of the Museum. 



The Hand-book for Visitors to the Museum, intended for popular 

 use, which was announced in our last Report as in preparation, has 

 since been published, and will, we trust, contribute to a more general 

 understanding and appreciation of our antiquarian collections — espe- 

 cially by such of the working classes as may avail themselves of the 

 evening opening. 



It will be remembered that in April, 1875, the Council offered 

 Two Premiums of Fifty Pounds each for the best Reports or Essays 

 on the present state of the Irish Language and Literature in the Pro- 

 vinces of Ulster and Leinster. Three Essays were sent in to compete 

 for these Premiums. The Council were not of opinion that any of 

 these Essays was of a nature to deserve the full award of a Premium. 

 But the knowledge and industry displayed by one of the writers, Mr. 

 Francis Keane, seemed to entitle him to a substantial mark of consi- 

 deration, and they accordingly presented to him a sum of Twenty 

 Pounds as an honorary donation. 



The most important part of the work of the Council during the 

 past year consisted of the negotiations and other proceedings ren- 



