158 



tained either from Cornwall, or from St. Michael's Mount, the ancient 

 Cassiterides ; and in mediaeval times, chalices and patens, and other 

 vessels and utensils connected with ecclesiastical uses, were often made 

 of pure tin. 



The following series of ancient Irish inscrihed tomb slabs are from 

 original sketches, taken at Clonmacnoise, in the King's County. In 

 availing myself of the very limited time at my disposal for consulting 

 such records as the " Annals of the Four Masters," I have, I believe, 

 been able to identify some of these tomb slabs as being commemorative 

 of people whose names are recorded in these "Annals." 



No. 67. The first tomb slab is that which was close to St. Kieran's 

 Well, half a mile distant from Clonmacnoise, on the Shannon Bridge 

 road; it bears the name of Fechthach — Op oo pechchach, In the 

 "Annals of the Four Masters" I find the death of Fachtna, lector of 

 Clonmacnoise, recorded at the year 1024. 



No. 68. Tomb slab,bearing the nameMaelfmnia — Op boTT)aelpinnia. 

 There is another tombstone, from Clonmacnoise, engraved by Dr. Petrie 

 in his work on the " Eound Towers," at p. 325, which bears the same 

 name, and which he believes to be commemorative of the abbot of that 

 name, son of Spellan, whose death is recorded in the " Chronicon Scoto- 

 rum" atthe year 992, andinthe " Annals of the Four Masters" at 991, 

 The ornamentation on the crosses of the two slabs is very different ; in 

 that before you, the arms of the cross end in stirrups, formed by the 

 looping of the double line which makes the ornament. Are we to sup- 

 pose that there were two abbots of Clonmacnoise of the same name ? and 

 if so, what date are we to assign to the tomb slab I have figured ? 



No. 69. Tombstone of Moelpatric — Op oo TOoelpoxpic. 



No. 70. Tombstone of Daniel — Op bo t)aineill. I find that a Daniel 

 was abbot of Glendalough, and died 866. Could he have been buried 

 at Clonmacnoise, as being a more fashionable place of interment ? 



No. 71. Tombstone of Brigit— Op bo bpigic — apparently of equal 

 antiquity with the former. 



No. 72. Fragment of another ancient tombstone, the usual abbrevi- 

 ation, Op . t>o . (pray for), being surmounted by two small serpent-like 

 animals. 



No. 73. Tombstone bearing this inscription — Op op JiHas^apam, 

 A prayer on Gillaglarain. This slab was discovered by Mr. Molloy, 

 the farmer who resides close to the ruins, only a few days before my 

 visit to the place, on the 9th of April, 1863. 



No. 74. Tombstone of Maelmhichil — Op bo TTIaelmhichil. 



No. 75. Tombstone of Mailcaeimghin (Mulkevin) — Op boTTIailcern 

 — with a contraction over the last letter. It is recorded in the " Annals 

 of the Four Masters," that Maelcaeimhghin, son of Scannlan, abbot of 

 Teach Mochua (Timahoe), died A. D. 928, and was buried at Clonmac- 

 noise : this is doubtless his tombstone. 



No. 76. Tombstone, with the inscription, Op t>o bonuic. 



No. 77. Tombstone, with the inscription, Op bo TTIapccman, or 



