however apparently trifling, has been sacrificed to brilliancy of sentiment or elegance of diction. The incipient efforts of an individual, but little versed in the art of elaborate composition, must betray defects; but the labor of investigating ancient records, decyphering the rude and mutilated remnants of former times, and the abstracting, arranging and connecting of events, collected with much toil, through the dark periods of antiquity, will, it is hoped, induce the reflecting reader to overlook such inaccuracies, and even entitle this work to a portion of that indulgence, which the most finished productions of human industry are often found to require.
To few only of the living does the author lie under any obligation ; but to those few he is largely indebted. The zeal and persevering industry with which his highly respected and valuable friend, Edmund Costello, esq. assisted in obtaining information, particularly concerning the modern state of Galway, can never be forgotten. John Lynch Alexander, esq. with the kind disposition with the kind disposition which always marks his character, obligingly communicated several curious documents concerning the ecclesiastical history of the town. From his lamented friend, the late William Nash, esq. of the Rolls Office, Dublin whose goodness of heart was only equalled by the extent of his knowledge, the author received much valuable information. The friendship of William Shaw Mason, esq. (to whom Ireland is much indebted for the measures taken to preserve its ancient legal records, and for the first pervasive effort to develope the actual state of the country,) has also aided his researches. To Charles Blake, esq. of Merlin Park, near Galway, he is obliged for the use of the old corporation-book, before alluded to, which contains many curious entries concerning the town for a period of nearly one hundred and seventy years. To the Provost, Vice Provost, and Senior Fellows of Trinity College, he returns his sincere thanks for the condescending attention which he has experienced from that learned body; and to the Reverend Doctors Nash and Wilson he is particularly indebted. To those friends, also, who kindly wished to provide against the heavy expenses attending this work, by promoting a subscription, he is likewise thankful; and, although he declined their offers, he feels grateful for the motives which dictated them. Finally, the author begs leave here to repeat, what he once before expressed at a most respectable meeting in Galway, "that he had voluntarily undertaken the task, without any other view than a hope that it might tend to the honor, and perhaps