Xlll 



gan, the Academy's Irish Scribe, is now engaged in compiling an elabo- 

 rate and copious Index of Persons, Places, and Matters, in all the Irish 

 MSS. described in Mr. O'Curry's Catalogues. It is in the highest de- 

 gree desirable that special funds should be placed by the Government 

 at the disposal of the Council, to enable them to give to the world the 

 contents of the chief Irish MSS. in the collection of the Academy, the 

 editing of which might now be executed in a satisfactory manner. 



The collection of Antiquities has received considerable accessions 

 during the last year. We have obtained under the Treasure-trove regu- 

 lations 221 articles, and 407 coins and medals; by purchase, 43 articles 

 and 1 8 coins ; and by presentation, 6 articles. A most valuable collection 

 of Scandinavian Antiquities, recently discovered at Islandbridge, in 

 the vicinity of the Metropolis, has, owing to the exertions of indivi- 

 dual members of the Council and the good feeling on the part of 

 the finders, been procured as a whole ; and now, with kindred objects 

 discovered at Kilmainham and in the street- cuttings in Dublin, forms 

 one of the finest collections of so-called " Danish" iron weapons in 

 Europe, containing also many valuable bronze specimens. 



A very large amount of work has been done in regard to the re- 

 gistration. All the Ecclesiastical Antiquities, the medals, and the hu- 

 man remains, collected since the formation of the Museum, have been 

 numbered and registered, as also all the articles of every description 

 received during the last two years. In addition, the articles entered in 

 the MS. Registry from 1st January, 1859, to 25th April, 1864, and 

 irrespective of coins, &c, amounting to 1043, have been identified and 

 numbered, so that every article at present in the possession of the 

 Academy is susceptible of identification. 



The Museum is at present so full, and the cases so scanty, that some 

 hundred specimens are stored in old cases in a lumber room. 



The application made for the removal of the Museum to the Tea 

 Room and Council Chamber is still under the consideration of the Go- 

 vernment. 



The sale of the three published Parts of the Catalogue still con- 

 tinues, both in England and Ireland, and has produced the sum of 

 £5 19s. 8^., in addition to the former amount. But, although the illus- 

 trations for a Part descriptive of the silver articles have long since been 

 procured and the manuscript prepared, it has not been considered advi- 

 sable to produce a Eourth Part pending the rearrangement of the 

 Museum. 



The Academy, on the recommendation of the Council, has complied 

 with the request of the Government for the loan of certain articles in 

 our Museum for the Paris Universal Exhibition ; and we hope that ad- 

 vantage will be derived to Archaeological Science from the opportunity 

 thus afforded of comparing the early Antiquities of Ireland with those of 

 Continental Europe. 



The Treasurer reports that all accounts furnished have been dis- 

 charged up to the present date, and that a small balance remains to the 

 credit of the Academy. 



