One Catholic family, into whose care it passed at a later period, refused the most tempting offers for it, though pressed by poverty, lest it should fall into the hands of those who might value it rather as a curiosity than as an object of devotion.
This beautiful reliquary consists of a silver case in the shape of the hand and arm, cut off a little below the elbow.

It is considerably thicker than the hand and arm of an ordinary man, as if it were intended to enclose these members without pressing upon them too closely.

The fingers are bent, so as to represent the hand in the attitude of benediction.
But there is another relic of St.Patrick and his times of scarcely less interest.

The _Domhnach Airgid_[142] contains a copy of the Four Gospels, which, there is every reason to believe, were used by the great apostle of Ireland.

The relic consists of two parts--the shrine or case and the manuscript.