9^ [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



A meetin *f the Club was held on ioth April, in the 

 Museum, whai there was a large attendance. The President 

 presided, and briefly introduced George Coffey, M.R.I. A., of 

 Dublin, who delivered a lecture upon the " Pagan Cemeteries 

 and Burial Customs of Ireland." 



The Lecturer spoke for nearly an hour, tracing the different 

 Pagan ceremonies in connection with the disposal of the dead 

 from the very early practice of inhumation, followed by the 

 almost universal custom of cremation, which in Christian times 

 again gave place to interment. The great burial tumuli on 

 the Northern banks of the Boyne, about six miles from 

 Drogheda, were especially dealt with. They were conclusively 

 proven by Mr. Coffey to have been the historical " Brugh-na- 

 Boinne," or city of the dead, used by the ancient Kings of Tara 

 from the first century till the introduction of Christianity by 

 Saint Patrick, King Cormac being the first of the regal dead 

 who was not interred in this Royal mausoleum. He, having 

 embraced Christianity, did not wish to be interred with his 

 Pagan ancestors, and so was interred at Knocknaree. to the 

 south of the Boyne, with his face to the east. The Lectu»er 

 also explained in detail the monumental remains at Loughcrew, 

 elucidating a theory for the erection of a earn, not covering 

 remains, trying to prove that such a monument was intended 

 as a cenotaph to appease the spirit of the dead. The lecture 

 was copiously illustrated by lantern slides, shown by W. 

 Nicholl, of the different remains, many of them being very 

 cleverly taken in the dark interiors by the aid of magnesium 

 wire, showing the quaint and curious ornamentation of the 

 internal slabs. 



W. H. Patterson, M.R.I. A., moved a vote of thanks to the 

 Lecturer, which was seconded by William Gray, M.R.I.A., 

 who said Mr. Coffey had afforded the Club an excellent treat 

 by his learned and clever lecture, and pointed out the advan- 

 tages to be derived from the study of archaeology, as it brought 

 together in perfect harmony the different sections in religion 

 and politics, and helped to do away with the asperities existing 



