Museum, Dublin) it is one of the most treasures. I will next refer to two brThe bell of Cappagh is at present in the collection formed by the late Surgeon Young, of Monaghan, and which was purchased after his death by Sir John Leslie, Bart., of Glasslough House. I have frequently handled this bell, and have a photo of it taken by Mr. Young. The following inscription is on a label on the bell in the handwriting of Mr. Young :— "The old bell of Cappagh Abbey, County Tyrone, founded A.D. 792. This ancient bell was given by the Eev. Francis Quinn, P.P., to Mr. John Donnelly, merchant, Omagh, when he removed from Cappagh to another parish." Mr. Donnelly certified this, and that he sold it to J. F., 5th April, 1858.
The J. F. from whom Surgeon Young purchased this bell was an old man whom I last saw in the year 1890. He was an itinerant bell-hanger and collector of antiquities, whose circuit of operations extended over the provinces of Ulster and Connaught. Ho corresponded with me about antiquities he picked up in his travels; and I retain several of his letters, written with great intelligence and a thorough knowledge of the objects he collected. His name was John Ford. The last two letters I received from him were written from Ballina, Co. Mayo, dated October, 1890,
He informed me that he collected for several gentlemen in Dublin—amongst others, the late Sir AVilliam Wilde; and the method he adopted was rather novel, and worth repeating. In the course of his journeys, he attended fairs and markets, and usually retained a few typical specimens of bronze, stone, and flint implements. He would procure a hay-rake, and suspend the various articles from the pegs of the rake, and mount it over his shoulder. The country folk were attracted; and he then announced that he was a purchaser of such things. By this means he was most successful in getting implements at a time that they were very little valued. Mr. John Donnelly, of Omagh, from whom Ford purchased the Bell of Cappagh, was personally known to m& for very many years. Cappagh was an ancient ecclesiastical seat in existence for centuries before the town of Omagh—near to which it is situated—was heard of. It is referred to in Primate Colton's Tisitation of the See of Derry in the year 1397 (see Ulster Journal of Archeeology^ vol. i., page 184). The Primate passed through Cappagh on his way to Derry. It was too small to accommodate his retinue, so that they had to proceed to Ardstraw—another very ancient foundation—to lodge for the night.
The following are the dimensions of this ancient bronze bell:—from mouth to crown, 9 inches; to top of handle, 2 and 3/4 inches ; total height, 11 and 3/4 inches; breadth at mouth, 6 and 1/2 inches by 4 and 5/8 inches; breadth at crown, 1 and 1/4 inches by 3 and 1/4 inches.


Royal society of antiquaries of Ireland

He said: “my dear friend, you were an old scholar of mine; on one occasion of providing for its comforts. I am now going to die; I have no child of whom I may leave a little I possess, nor have I any near of kin who might prefer any claim to it. In either case the treasure I possess, and which I hold dear as life, should not have left the family of mulholland, in which it has been handed down for ages and generations ; but I am the last of my race, and you are the best friend I have. I therefore give it to you ; and when I am gone, dig in the garden in a certain spot, and you will find a box there ; take it up and preserve the contents for my sake. ’’ Mr. M’Clean did so, and come upon a box an oak box, on opening he found this bell and shrine, and beside them a worn copy of bedell’s quarto Irish bible. The bell and shrine passed from Mr.M’Clean   to Dr. Todd of trinity college, and afterwards the royal Irish Academy,   in whose collection (now in the National onze bells which have not been previously described; and some facts connected with them which I wish to record are probably known only to my self. Both bells belong to County Tyrone—one, the bell of the parish of cappagh, and the other bell of Drumragh, the parish in which omagh is situated.