JOURNAL OF THE COUNTY DONEGAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY On another aspect of the problem, Dr. Maguire can hardly be correct in.inferring from the testimony of the jurors in the Lifford Inquisition of 1609 that Manus O'Donnell had imposed unlawful exactions on the "church lands" for the support ot the schismatic Bishop. Would the true explanation be that Q'Donnell exacted .· these rents to replenish the warcoffers of the Geraldine League, just as Shane O'Nem later exacted cuttings "for the mayntenance of his reibellion" <iBI>. Montgomery, quoted in "Ordnance Memoir of Templemore")? How, by the way, did Manus earn the appellation, "Rees Coytemore"? Was it :because of the magnificent crimson velvet cloak which St. Leger (State Papers, Henry VIII, vol. III, pt. III, p, 3l8) descrilbes? HISTORIOUS. STONE AXE·HEAD with saucer-shaped depressions found at Lisnamulligan, Castlefin, March, 1949. "Axeheads of this type, that is, ground and polished, were in use from Neolithic (New Stone Age) times onwards. In round figures the date Would be any time from 2500 B.C.· Even though from 1800 B.C. copper and (later) bronze were known and in use, stone still continued ·to he used for making axes and other weapons. How far this was due to economic reasons, or conservatism, cannot be shown, but that stone and flint continued in use side by side with metal is shown by the finding of stone axes and flint weapons in sites as late as Early Christian times. The earliest type of stone axehead was chipped. Later on the edge portion was ground and perhaps polished, and eventually grinding and polishing over the whole surface .was carried out. In the Museum we have numerous examples of aH types, but only very few examples (and these not closely localised) of axeheads such as yours, i.e., with saucer-shaped depressions on opposite faces. Stone axeheads were in ordinary domestic use, for woodworking. They were mounted on a wooden handle in the ma~ner shown on accompanying sketch. A dub-like stick was chosen, the broad end perforated or split, and the stone axehead was inserted therein and further secured by a binding of hide thongs or thin wedges. We have in the Museum a stone axehead with it~ original wooden handle, found in a bog at Maguire's Bridge, Co. Fermanagh. No doubt, the dep~essions in your example were intended io take packing wedges to assist in steadying the head in its handle." __JNaitionai !Mlu1s.eum of Irela1ndi Report , :P. 9/49, to the filnide:r 212
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