Introduction
literature by the offer of handsome prizes for essays upon Irish subjects. Further, it may claim a part in establishing the valuable series of books known as the New Irish Library, since the venture was suggested and floated by the late Sir Gavan Duffy, first President of the Society, and other members, officials of the Society, co-operated in the work, The Society also, by organising the subscription list, enabled the invaluable Petrie Collection of Irish Airs to be printed in full. But, owing to lack of funds, it has never, up to this, published any of its transactions, except in such brief record as was found in the Gazette issued for some years to the Society's members.
This year, however, the Society decided, for the first time, to undertake a publication on its own account, and selected, from the many papers which have been read before it, five historical studies dealing with the period from 1649 to 1775. Fortunately the general interest and value of the work seemed sufficient to induce a publisher to relieve the Society of a
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