BLACKETT, W. R., Esq. BYRNE, MR. DANIEL. Corresponding Members. Piltown District. Timahoe District. DOWSLEY, JOHN W., Esq., M. D. Clonmel District. FERGUSON, JAMES F., ESQ. Dublin. MEASE, REV. JAMES. Freshford District. MOORE, REV. PHILIP, R. C. C. Rosbercon District. PEARSON, REV. J. M. Dunmore District. WHITE, JOHN DAVIS, ESQ. Cashel District. Honorary Foreign Corresponding Member. M. BOUCHER DE PERTHES, President de la Société Royal d'Emulation d'Abbeville, France. Societies in Connexion. THE ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND: G. Vul- THE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY OF THE ARCHDEACONRY OF NORTHAMPTON THE CAMBRIDGE ANTIQUARIAN SOCIETY: Charles C. Babington, Esq., Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, Treasurer. THE BURY AND WEST SUFFOLK ARCHEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE: Saml. Tymms, Esq., Bury St. Edmund's, Honorary Secretary. THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF DUBLIN: Rev. Samuel Haughton, F. T. C. D., and F. J. Sidney, LL. D., Honorary Secretaries. THE HISTORIC SOCIETY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE: Rev. A. Hume, LL. D., F. S. A., Liverpool, Honorary Secretary. THE NORFOLK AND NORWICH ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: Henry Harrod, Esq., Norwich, Honorary Secretary. THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY: Edward Clibborn, Esq., Assistant Librarian. THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF LONDON: John Y. Akerman, Esq., F. S. A., Somerset House, Secretary. THE SOCIETY Of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne: John Adamson, Esq., The Castle, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Secretary. THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND: John Alexander Smith, Esq., M.D., Edinburgh, Secretary. THE SURREY ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: G. B. Webb, Esq., 46, Addisonroad, North, Notting-hill, London, Honorary Secretary. THE SUSSEX ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY: Wm. Harvey Cliffe, Esq., Lewes, Local Secretary. PROCEEDINGS AND TRANSACTIONS OF THE KILKENNY AND SOUTH-EAST OF IRELAND ARCHEOLOGICAL SOCIETY, FOR THE YEAR 1854. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, held at the Society's Apartments, Patrick-street, Kilkenny, on Wednesday, January 18th (by adjournment from the 4th), 1854, PATRICK WATTERS, ESQ., A. M., Town Clerk of Kilkenny, in the Chair. Present, the following members :— The Marquis of Ormonde. Rev. James Graves, Hon. Sec. Thomas B. M'Creery, Esq. Rev. James Mease. J. R. Phayer, Esq. James G. Robertson, Esq. The following new members were elected : The Earl of Portarlington, Emo Park, Portarlington: proposed by Lord Clermont. The Right Hon. the Earl of Enniskillen ; the Hon. and Venerable Archdeacon Stopford, Clonmore, Hacketstown; the Rev. Richard MacDonnell, D. D., Provost of Trinity College, Dublin ; David William Nash, Esq., F. L. S., Barrister-at-Law, 9, Vyvyan Terrace, Clifton Park, Bristol; Denis Kelly, Esq., Castle Kelly, Mount Talbot; Edward Hoare, Esq., 5, Waterloo-place, Cork: proposed by the Rev. James Graves. Thomas Lalor, Esq., D. L., J. P., Cregg, Carrick-on-Suir; and John Wogan, Esq., Carrick-on-Suir: proposed by the Rev. Charles Harte, Whitechurch Glebe. The Rev. Constantine Cosgrave, P. P., Keash, Ballymote; and John Petheram, Esq., 94, High Holborn, London: proposed by R. Hitchcock, Esq. Mr. M. P. Riordan, Christian Schools, Richmond-street, Mountjoy-square, Dublin: proposed by Mr. J. A. Grace. Stephen Kelly, Esq., Galway: proposed by Mr. John O'Daly. Charles Arthur Walker, Esq., Tykillen House, Kyle, Enniscorthy proposed by Herbert F. Hore, Esq. Patrick Vincent Fitzpatrick, Esq., 29, Eccles-street, Dublin: proposed by Joseph Burke, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, P. L. I. Henry Malcomson, Esq., C.E., Union-square, Islington, London: proposed by Robert Malcomson, Esq., Carlow. James Furniss, Esq., Wexford: proposed by Mr. Robert W. Carlton, New Ross. Alexander Nesbitt, Esq., 9, Oxford-street, London: proposed by Augustus Wollaston Franks, Esq., British Museum. Robert A. Duncan, Esq., 4, Limes Grove, Lewisham, Kent: proposed by Mark S. O'Shaughnessy, Esq., Gray's Inn, London. The Honorary Secretary then read the following Annual Report for 1853:— Your Committee, in rendering their account at the close of the fifth year of the Society's existence, feel rejoiced that they are not required to abate one jot of the tone of congratulation used by their predecessors. The year 1853 has been to the Society one of marked and gratifying prosperity. The very large number of one hundred and thirteen new members have been elected during the past twelve months, whilst the loss of names from death and other causes has been, comparatively speaking, very small. The Society has, indeed, lost by death one of its warmest well-wishers, although not actually a member, the late Sir William Betham, Ulster King-at-Arms. Your Secretaries must bear testimony to the untiring and courteous urbanity with which every request for information was met by him, no less than to the kindness which threw open his extensive MS. collections on all occasions to their inspection. However widely many antiquaries of the present day may differ from the late Sir William Betham's views, all must agree in sincere regret at the loss which the science has sustained by his removal, and bear their willing testimony to his zeal in the cause of archæological progress. Sir William's acquaintance with those unpublished sources of Irish history, our national records, was very great; and his name will be handed down to posterity, not so much by his ingenious, though oftentimes wild, philological speculations, as by his able, but unfinished work-"The Dignities, Feudal and Parliamentary, and the Constitutional Legislature of the United Kingdom." The issue of the Transactions for 1851, which the Committee regret was delayed beyond its proper period by causes which it is hoped are now obviated, took place during the past year, thus completing the first volume of the Society's Transactions. The Part for 1851 extends to upwards of two hundred and fifty pages, illustrated by fourteen plates, and includes a full and accurate index to the Volume. It may be remarked that it nearly equals in bulk the united Transactions of 1849 and 1850, and it is believed does not sink below them in the interesting nature of its contents. The Transactions for 1852, being Part I. of Vol. II., are far advanced towards completion, as indicated by the sheets laid on the table. As soon as the latter are completed, no time will be lost in putting to press the Transactions for 1853. By a circular already in the hands of members, it will be seen that a change in the mode of publication is contemplated; those who wish for it, by paying the small additional sum of 3s. 6d. to cover postage, and other expenses, will receive the proceedings of each meeting as soon as they can be printed. This bi-monthly issue, although, perhaps, warranted by the present flourishing condition of the Society, could not prudently be undertaken ere now, as it was heretofore necessary to ascertain what balance, if any, of the small income of the Society was available for the purposes of publication. It is hoped by your Committee that the contemplated arrangement will keep up amongst distant members an interest in the Society's proceedings, and that, with an increasing list of members, now close on five hundred, the step may not be an imprudent one. Your Committee are happy to inform you that the list of subscribers towards the contemplated annual volume of Original Documents is rapidly filling up. This gratifying result is mainly owing to the generosity of our noble patron, the Marquis of Ormonde, who has presented to the first hundred subscribers whose subscriptions were paid, the "Life of St. Canice," ably edited by him, from an unpublished MS. in the Burgundian Library, and privately printed for his Lordship by Mr. Nicol of London, in a style of typography of first-rate excellence. Your Secretaries are informed that only one hundred and twenty-five copies issued from the press. This work forms a valuable supplement to Colgan's great but incomplete undertaking, the "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniæ." The Library of the Society has received several donations of books, MSS., and plates, during the last year. The Museum also has acquired several interesting additions both by donation and purchase. From the increase in both departments, your Committee felt that some place, other than that so long kindly granted by the Corporation of Kilkenny, was desirable for their deposit and display, and therefore, in conjunction with the Council of the Literary and Scientific Institution, they have taken the apartments in which we now meet, at a joint rent of £30 per annum, being £15 to each Society. It is hoped that in time the Museum thus commenced will prove a credit to Kilkenny. The important undertaking entered on by your Committee, viz., the repair and sustentation of Jerpoint Abbey, has been nearly brought to completion, and it is most desirable that those friends to the work, who have not as yet contributed, should at once send in their donations, as the funds in hands do not by any means as yet amount to the sum due to the contractors, and the general resources of the Society are not at all adequate to supply the deficiency. As one of the effects of the archæological movement in Kilkenny, your Committee would, with pleasure, refer to the first number of Mr. Henry O'Neill's magnificent work on the Ancient Crosses of Ireland. Mr. O'Neill is at present in London, engaged in bringing out the second number, which will complete the pictorial representation and description of all of that most interesting class of antiquities remaining in the county of Kilkenny and its immediate borders. It is hoped that the work will receive the support it so well deserves. In conclusion, your Committee desire to return thanks to those gentlemen who have exerted themselves so strenuously in enlisting new members, and spreading the knowledge of the Society's objects and acts. Where so many have been active, it would be invidious to name a few. Your Committee feel, that to the warm interest thus exhibited much of the prosperity of the Society is due; and they trust that the like exertions of its friends may not flag during the coming years of the Society's existence. The Report was unanimously adopted by the meeting. The Rev. James Graves, Acting Treasurer, then brought up the Accounts of the Society for the past year, as under : Dec. 31. By postage of books, circulars, and general cor £ 8. d. |