186 



The same writer states that " a fine copper coin of the Em- 

 peror Nero was found some years ago, and is now in Mr. A. 

 Ogilby's collection, the head finely relieved, and in perfect 

 preservation." In the collection of the Royal Dublin Society 

 are three Roman copper coins of the Caesars, dug up in Fer- 

 managh, and presented by Sir C. Coote. But the most cu- 

 rious fact in connexion with the coins exhibited by Mr. Mac 

 Cullagh, is that of a Roman gold coin being found many 

 years previous, nearly in the same locality. The Rev. Robert 

 Trail, in his statistical account of Ballintoy (Mason's Par. 

 Survey), says, " within these few days a gold coin of Valen- 

 tinian was brought to me in perfect preservation, and is now 

 in my custody. It is about the size of half a guinea, and on 

 the head side is the following inscription d. n. valenti- 

 NiANUs, p. F. AUG. On the reverse restitutor reipublic^. 

 As Valentinian succeeded Jovian in 364, and died in 375, 

 this money must have been struck during that period, but 

 how it came into this parish I cannot conjecture." — (II. 

 p. 155). 



A single coin might be accidentally dropped and lost by 

 some collector or virtuoso, on his tour to the Giant's Cause- 

 way ; but we cannot account in this way for a large collection 

 of coins of ancient date. They must have been placed 

 where they were found, by some careful hand, probably in 

 times of turbulence and danger, as in a place of safety, 

 whence they might be removed at a more favourable season. 



A few years ago, G. Putland, Esq., of Bray, had occasion 

 to build piers for a gate contiguous to the sea-beach, on the 

 north side of Bray Head. His workmen, on digging for a 

 foundation, were surprised to meet with the skeletons of se- 

 veral human bodies, which, on farther examination, they 

 found to be placed, not confusedly heaped together, as the 

 slain on a battle field, but in graves placed regularly side 

 by side, and separated each from its neighbour, by thin 

 partitions of flag or of stone. On the exposure to the air, 



