Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 8.djvu/305

 ^rci^aeologtcnl Intclligcntc. A vi:uY interesting Fasciculus has just been produced, in pursuance of a plan which presents great advantages, by the permanent record and circulation of the transactions of several local societies. The present portion, to which wc hope to devote a more extended notice hereafter, comprises the Reports and papers read at the meetings of the Architectural Societies of the Archdeaconry of Northampton, the counties of York and Lincoln, and of the Architectural and Archaeological Societies of Bedford- shire and St. Albans, during the year 1850. A limited number of coi)ie3 are reserved for general sale. We cordially commend to our readers this highly useful publication, which brings within their reach the investigations of so many societies, established for a kindred purpose to our own. Kilkenny Arcii^ological Society. — May 7, 1851. The numerous communications received, with the variety of ancient relics presented to the society, or brouglit for inspection, afford gratifying evidence of the value of such local Institutions. The Proceedings are full of promise, as en- couraging sound and intelligent principles of Archaeological investigation, through occasions afforded for friendly discussion, and by drawing forth the stores of curious information, with which Ireland appears to abound. The classification and preservation of such evidences, which without tiie aid of such a society would be scattered and lost, must conduce to disperse the obscurity which still surrounds various questions of Irish Archaeology. On the present occasion. Dr. Graves, of Trinity College, Dublin, in presenting a copy of his valuable dissertation on the Ogham Inscriptions, gave a detailed and critical examination of one, found at Burnfort, near Mallow, and brought under the notice of the society by Mr. Windele. He discussed with friendly candour the views adopted by that antiquary. The question of the period to which these characters are to be assigned, is one of singular moment in regard to Irish antiquities, and it has become also of essential interest in our own country, since examples of the Ogham have been dis- covered in Wales, which are to be found in the " Archajologia Cambrensis," and similar characters have, we believe, been noticed in Cornwall. The question at issue is this, — Mr. Windele, with other Irish Archaeologists, insists upon the remote age of the Ogham Alphabet, that it was in use 1 amongst the Irish Druids, long previous to the Christian era ; and was related to the cuneiform characters of the East. Dr. Graves, on the other iband, has shown grounds for believing it to have been constructed, in I comparatively recent times, by persons acquainted with the Roman and [Runic alphabets. These conclusions are supported by the testimony of the Burnfort inscription, and Dr. Graves' argument has the strongest claims to consideration. His memoir will, doubtless, appear in the Transactions of jthe Kilkenny Society. The Rev. James Mease read a valuable paper on Military Arciiitecture, in Ireland, and the usual construction and arrangements lof castles, noticing in detail some characteristic examples. These remains lare very numerous in that country, and eleven ancient castles were pointed 'out within a circuit of twenty miles, to which Mr. Mease limited his present jnotices. The Dean of Waterford sent an account of the exploration of a