GovFKY —Ffir/f/ Iron Sword found in Ireland. 43 



The oecurrence in Ireland of the type in iron is therefore of con- 

 siderable interest. The somewhat slender look of the sword and the 

 ridge disposes me to regard it as late in the series ; it must, however, 

 rank as probably the earliest type of the iron sword which has been 

 found in this country. 



The early iron sword with flat handle-plate had been found in 

 considerable numbers east and south of Poitou in Berry, Bourgogne, 

 and in Lot. But its extension to the west had not been known till 

 the example figured by the Abbe Breuil. It should be noted that 

 Poitiers is close to the old line of communication between Ireland 

 and the Continent by way of the Loire valley. 



Illness has prevented me from placing before the Academy the 

 archaeological evidence I have collected bearing on the question of 

 early intercourse between Gaul and Ireland ; but I should like to 

 state as a preliminary note, that certain forms of bronze caldrons 

 and types of pottery at the close of the Bronze Age, also of types 

 of iron spear-heads and other objects of the La Tene period, may be 

 advanced in support of the historical tradition in our tales of a settle- 

 ment of Gauls in Leinster under Labraidh Loinngsech, at a date 

 placed perhaps too early by the Four Masters (b.c. 541), and from 

 whose "broad blue spears" the name of the province of Leinster 

 (Laighen) is derived. 



K.I. A. PKOC, VOL. XXVI., SKC. c] 



