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THE GENEALOGIES, TRIBES, AND CUSTOMS 

HY-FIACHRACH, 

O'D W D A'S COUNTRY. . 



HAMirSCRIPr OF DDALD MAC FIBBIB. IN THE LIBRAST OF LORD Bl 

WITH A TBANSLATION AND NOTES, 



Bt JOHN O'DONOVAN. 



DUBLIN: 
FOR THE IRISH ARCIL^OLOGICAL SOCIETY. 

KDCCCXLIY. 



THIS COPT WAS PBIIITXD rOS 



J A 



M K S H A M 1 L T X J K ^ Q , j Y^, Cc A c< "- r " « . J 



MEMBEB OF THE SOCISTT. 



• 7 MAR. 19/0 i 



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: t 



DVBLiir: 

PBIIfTED AT TBB mrrVEBSITT PBESS, 
BT M. H. GILL. 



IRISH ARCHiEOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



FOUNDED MDCCCXL. 



I 



yatton: 

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE ALBERT. 

His Grace the Duke of Leinster. 

(EDouncfl : 

Elected July lo, 1844. 

The Marquis of Kildare, M. R. I. A. 

The Eabl of Lsiteim, M. R. I. A. 

The Viscount Adaee, M. P., M. R. I. A. 

Rev. Richard Butler, A. B., M. R. I. A. 

John Smith Furlong, Esq.^ Q. C, Treasurer, 

James Hardiman, Esq., M. R. I. A. 

Captain Larcom, R. E., M. R. I. A. 

James Mac Cullagh, Esq., LL. D., M. R. I. A. 

George Petrie, Esq., R. H. A., V. P. R. I. A. 

Aquilla Smith, M. D., M. R. I. A. 

Joseph Huband Smith, Esq., A. M., M. R. I. A. ^ 

Rev. J. H. Todd, D. D., V. P. R. L A., Secretary. 






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VIU 

He commenced his genealogical compilation in the College of St. 
Nicholas, at Galway, in the year 1650, and seems to have been adding 
to it and correcting and amending it tQl the year 1 664, when he in- 
serted the curious entry about the ancient celebrity of the Hy-Fiach- 
rach race, which will be found at full length in this volume, p. 3 1 6-32 1 . 

Of this work and its author the venerable Charles O'Conor, of 
Belanagare, writes the following notice in his Preface to " Ogygia 
Vindicated, pp. ix, x :" 

** DuALD Mac Firbis closed the line of the hereditary antiquaries oiLecariy 
in Tirfiacray on the Moy^ a family whose law reports and historical collections 
have derived great credit to their country (many of which lye now dispersed in 
England and France). TI^s last of the Firbisses was imfortunately murdered 
at DunfUn^ in the county of Stiff Oy A. D. 1670, and by his death oiir antiquities 
received an irreparable blow. His historical, topographical, and genealogical 
collections (written by his own hand) are now in the possession of a worthy 
nobleman, the Earl of Roden, who added this to the other collections of Irish 
history made by his father, our late Lord Chancellor Jocelyn. Of that work 
Mac Firbis intended a second draught (as he intimates) with amendments and 
corrections, but whether he executed his design we cannot learn. As the work 
stands it is valuable, by preserving the descents and pointing out the posses- 
sions of our Irish families of latter times, very accurately ; but it is particu- 
larly valuable, by rescuing from oblivion the names of districts and tribes in 
Ireland, antecedently to the second century ; since which, the Scots have gra- 
dually imposed new names of their own, as they were enabled, from time to 
time, to expel the old Belffic inhabitants. It is a most curious chart of an- 
tient topography, and vastly preferable to that given by the Alexandrian 
Geographer Ptolemy y who must know [have known] but little of Ireland, 
wherein the Romans never made a descent. 

" The last years of Firbis's life were employed in drawing up a glossary for 
the explanation of our old law terms, the great desideratum of the present age. 
Of the fate of this last performance we know nothing, but we may well suppose 
it lost, as the author lived without a single patron, in days unfavourable to the 
arts of which he was master." 

In 1666 he drew up an abstract of his larger work, containing 

some 



IX 



some additional pedigrees ; of this abridgement there is a good copy 
in the Library of the Marquis of Drogheda, and another in the collec- 
tion of Messrs. Hodges and Smith, but the Editor has never seen the 
original. In this tract Mac Firbis mentions his having been acquainted 
with Irish chieftains who governed their septs according to the words 
of Fithel*^ and the Royal Precepts — (Oo leanap do bpiarpaib piril 
ajup oo'n Ceajaps Riojoa); and he also speaks of several Irish Bre- 
hons then or lately in existence, and of one in particular who was his 
own relative and acquaintance. He informs us himself, in the Preface 
to his larger genealogical work, that he wrote a copious Glossary of the 
BrehonLaws (which is referred to by O'Conor in the extract above 
given), and an account of Irish writers, but neither of these works is 
now known to the Editor, except a fragment or rough draft of the for- 
mer, which is preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. If 
the Earl of Roden has either of them in his Library, his Lordship 
might render an essential service to Irish literature, by depositing it 
in some public Library, or permitting it to be copied, as he has already 
very kindly done with respect to MacFirbis's larger genealogical work. 
The Glossary would most undoubtedly save the translator of the old 
Irish Brehon laws much time and labour, although we may hope that 
their meaning is still recoverable by the aid of the copious glosses 
which accompany them in most of the copies. 

From Harris's edition of Ware's Bishops'* we learn that Mac Firbis, 



a 



^ Fithel was chief Brehon of Ireland in 
the reign of Cormac Mac Art, who became 
monarch of Irehmd in the middle of the 
third century. Some law tracts ascribed 
to him are still extant. The Teagcag 
Rioghdha^ or Bojal Precepts, are said to 
have been written by King Cormac him- 
self, in his old age, for the instruction of 



his son Cairbre Liffeachair. Many copies 
of the Teagasg Biogkdha are still preserved, 
and translated specimens of it were pub- 
lished by the Editor in the Dublin Penny 
Journal, 1832, 1833, pp. 213, 231. 

^ Archbishops of Tuam, under John De 
Burgo, who died 1450. 



a short time before his death, had been employed by Sir James Ware 
to collect and translate Irish documents for him. Harris writes : 

"One John was consecrated about the close of the year 1441 (Sir James 
Ware declares he could not discover when he died, and adds, that some called 
him John De Burgo, but that he could not answer for the truth of that name). 
But both these particulars are cleared up, and his immediate successor named 
by Dudley Firbisse, an Amanuensis whom Sir James Ware employed in his 
house to translate and collect for him firom the Irish MSS., one of whose pieces 
begins thus : 

" * This translation beginned was by Dudley Firbisse, in the House of Sir 
James Ware, in Castle-street, Dublin, 6th November, i666,' — which was twenty- 
four days before the death of the said Knight. The Annals, or Translation, 
which he left behind him begin in the year 1443, and end in 1468. I suppose 
the death of his patron put a stop to his further progress. Not knowing from 
whence he translated these Annals, wherever I have occasion to quote them I 
mention them under the name of Annals of Dudley Firbisse." 

He also translated, during the short time he was employed by 
Sir James Ware, the Re^stry of Clonmacnoise, which translation is 
now preserved in the British Museum, No. LI. of the Clarendon 
collection. We learn from Charles O'Conor of Belanagare, in his 
Preface to "Ogygia Vindicated," p viii, that he was the Irish in- 
structor of Roderic OTlaherty, the author of " Ogygia" and " Ogygia 
Vindicated," and it would appear from a list of tracts of Brehon laws 
which he furnished to Dr. Lynch, the author of Cambrensis Eversus, 
that he was intimate with that distinguished scholar^, but towards the 
latter end of his life he seems to have been in great distress, and we 
are informed by Charles O'Conor, in the passage already quoted, that 
he met a tragical death at Dimflin, in the county of Sligo, in the year 
1670! 

On the fate and general character of this remarkable man the 

same 

* See Cambrensis Eversus, pp. 157, 158, 159. 



same writer speaks as follows in his " Dissertations on the History of 
Ireland," Dublin, 1766, pp. 124, 125. — (See also first edit., Dublin, 

*' Duald Mac Firbis, the most eminent antiquarian of the latter times, was 
possessed of a considerable number of the Brethe Nimhe. He alone could 
explain them, as he alone, without patronage or assistance, entered into the 
depths of this part of Scottish learning, so extremely obscure to us of the pre- 
sent age. When we mention Mac Firbis we are equally grieved and ashamed ; 
his neglected abilities ignominious to his ungrateful country I his end tragical ! 
his loss irreparable I" 

The learned Roderic O'Flaherty, the pupil of Mac Firbis, thus 
speaks of his learned tutor, in the Ogygia, p. 233 : 

" Scoticis Uteris quinque accidunt, in quorum dngulis ab aliarum gentium 
Uteris discrepant ; nimirum, Nomen, Ordo, Numerus, Character et Fotestas. £t 
qm&imperiti literarum in chartd^aliave ulla materia ad memoriam pingindarum 
harum rerum ignarus incaute efEutut BoUandus, de materia aUquid prssfabor. 
£a ante pergamenae usum tabulse erant e betuUa arbore complanatas, quas 
Oraiun et Taibhle Fileadh^ .i. Tabulas Fhilosophicas dicebant. Ex his aUquas 
inter antiquitatum monumenta apud se superfuisse, ut et diversas characterum 
formulas, quas ter quinquagenas a Fenisu usque aetate numero, et Cbaobh- 
OoHAM, .i. virgeos characteres nomine recenset, non ita pridem ad me scripsit 
Dualdufi Firbissiufl rei antiquaries Hibemorum unicum, dum vixit, columen, et 
extinctus, detrimentum." 

Some particulars of the history of Duald Mac Firbis have been 
given in a small periodical called " The True Comet," and other ob- 
scure publications in Dublin, in which it is stated that his remains 
were interred at the old church of Kilglass, near the castle of Lecan, 
and that a stone there, measuring six feet in length by three in 
width, exhibits on its head end, a device, representing a chisel, which 
was probably intended as the crest of the Mac Firbis family, and 
containing an Irish inscription, which states that Duald Mac Firbis 
died in the eightieth year of his age, and that he had spent thirty years 

of 



xu 



of his life in the castle of Lecan compiling the History of Ireland. But 
the Editor is sorry to be compelled to say, that no such inscription 
exists, nor ever existed at Kilglass. From a recent examination of 
Kilglass and an investigation of the local tradition connected with 
Duald Mac Firbis, and particularly from a copy of the real inscription 
and crest on the stone above alluded to, made by Dr. James Vippler 
O'Dowda, it appears that this stone, — exhibiting a chisel^ as the coun- 
try people call it, — under which, they say, many of the Mac Firbises 
lie interred, contains not an Irish inscription, but an English one, in 
the raised letter, to the memory of George Wood of Lacken, Esq. ; and 
that what the country people take to be a representation of a naked 
child holding a chisel, is the crest of the family of Wood, namely, 
" a naked savage with a club resting on his shoulder." The inscrip- 
tion is now much defaced, and a great part of it illegible, but there 
never was any reason for supposing it to mark the tomb of the 
Mac Firbises except its exhibiting the name Lacken. 

The Editor has to acknowledge the great assistance he has re- 
ceived from his friends in illustrating and editing the present volume. 
He is particularly indebted to James Hardiman, Esq., author of the 
History of Galway, and to Dr. James Vippler O'Dowda, the son and 
heir of the O'Dowda of Bimnyconnellan, for the use of many docu- 
ments indispensably necessary to the illustration of the pedigrees of 
the O'Dowdas and other families of the Hy-Fiachrach race ; and he 
has further to acknowledge his obUgations to Dr. Todd of Trinity 
College, Mr. Petrie, and Mr. E. Curry, for much valuable assistance 
in translating and editing this work, which has been attended with 
much delay and difficulty, as it relates to a portion of Irish history 
and topography hitherto unexplored. 

J. O'D. 



geiNeatach 



seiNeatach ua 6h-piachRach. 



nuBH A«cH. 80C. la. B ^eiHeatach 



^eiNeaiach uabh-piachRach. 



01 phiacpac, mic 6acac muigmeadoin, [.i. Ui piacpac 
TTluaibe, (i t»-caniait)-ne aniu, 1666,) Ui QmalgaiD 
lopiinip, pipCheapa, Ui piacpac Qibne, o'd n-5oipreap 
anoip Ceneal ^uaipe, Ceneal Qodo na h-Gcc^e, Coill 
Ua b-piacpac, maiUe le npib eile ndc ainmmjceap 
DO Vo phiacpac aniu]. 

C0.5 

The initial letters SI have beea copied <K>llcge of St. Nicholas, in Galway, in the 

from the Book of Kella, fol. 97. jrear 1645. 

' Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin He was ' Hy-Fiackrach, oftkeMuaidh, L e. the 

King of Connaught, and was raised to the inhabitants of Tir Fhiacfarach, now Tire- 
throne of Ireland in the year 3;8, — See ragh, on theesst aide of the Kiver M07, in 
©'Flaherty's Ogygia, Part IIL c 79, the county of Sligo. The reader is to take 

** Theie are the. — This pass^e, enclosed notice thatpiacjiach,vhichoccnrsBODften 

in brackets, is taken from Duald Mao throughout this Tolume, ia the genitive 

Firbb's smaller Genealogictd compilation, form of piaqict, a. man's name. The River 

made in 1666, of which a good copy Moy is famous in ancient Irish hiatory (see 

is preserved in the Marquis of Droghe- LifeofSt.Cormac.byColgan), andnowre- 

da's Library, and another in the collec- m&rkable for its salmon fishery. It is called 

tion of Messrs. Hodges and Smith, Dublin. Modaby Adamnan(VitsColumb«, Lib. i. 

His larger work was commenced in the c. 6), Moodus by Giraldus Cambrensis, 



GENEALOGY OF THE HY-FIACHRACH. 



y HE Race of Fiachka, Son of Eochaidh Muigh- 
I MHEADHOiN". — [These are the'' Hy-Fiachrach of the 
E Muaidh* (where we are this day, 1666), the Hy- 
3 Amhalgaidh of lomis'", the men of Ceara', the 
I Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne^ now called Cineal Guaire', 
^ Cineal Aodha na h-Echtghe\ Colli Ua bh-Fiach- 
rach', together with other territories not considered as of the Hy- 
Fiachrach at the present day]. 

Fiachra, 

MusdioB by Colgan, and Moyus by Ware, west of the county of Mayo, 

and at present Mvaxdh, in Irish, by the na- • The Men ofOsara, L e. the inhabitants 

fives. It rises in the barony of Leyny, in of the barony of Cara, in the county of 

the county of Sligo, flows, by a circuitous Mayo. 

course, through the barony of Gallen, in ' Hy-FiaehraeA Aidltne, i. e. the inhabi- 

Mayo, and, passing through Foxford and tants ofthe diocese of Kilmacduagh, which 

Ballina, dtschai^ea itself into the bay of comprises the entire of the territory an- 

Killala, forming for some miles the boun- ciently called Aidhne — See Map of the 

dary between the counties of Mayo and Tract on Hy-Many. 

Sligo. * Cineal Guaire, i. e. the descendants of 

^ Tie Ny-AmAa^idh of Tomi», i. e. the the celebrated Guaire Aidhne, King of 

descendants of Amhalgaidh, who dwelt in Connaught, in the seventh century. 

the present barony of Erris, in the north- " Cineai AodAa, na h-Eehlghe. — This 



Coi5 mcc piacpac, mcc Gacac TTl uijmcabofn, .i.GapcCuilbuibc, 
o D-cdiD pip Chccrpa (ap aipc aD beapca Gape Cfilbufbe ohe, uaip 
nfp bufoc an c-6p ap na bpuinDeab map a pole. Qjup po ba mop 
cpfoc a clomne 50 pujpaD claim bhpiam 1 n-cpic a n-arap uaibib). 
Qjup 6pcapal,Dfoba6 a claim; agup Conaipc, a quo Scacnall naom. 

Qmal^am, mac piacpac, umoppo, ap uaii> Uf Qrhaljaib la 
TTluaib, ocup Ui bccon. Qihaljaio, imoppo, clann mop laip, .1. 
peblim, Gocaib odmaj, .1. TTldj TTluipipgc mjenc Liojam, agup 
TTlaj TTlufoe, no TTluaibc, ajup GunDa, a^up Conall, ojup Qongup, 
ajup Gojan, ajup Copmac, ajup Coppoub. Occ mec anopin 
Cpepi, injmc Nacppaoic, .1. oepbpeacaip Qon5upa,mic NaDppaoic, 
pfj TTluman. 

peblimio, mac Qmaljaib, t>ia D-cd Ccncul peblimio la h-Uib 
Qmaljaib, .1. Ui Ccallacdm, Ui Caicniab, TTlcc Comfn, Ui TTluim- 

neacam, 



was the tribe name of the O'Shaughnessys 
of Grort Inse Guaire, in the south-west of 
the county of Gralway, who were called 
na h'EdUghe^ because their country com- 
prised a portion of the mountainous dis- 
trict of Sliabh Echtghe, now called Slieve 
Aughty, and sometimes corruptly Slieve 
Baughta. 

> CMU Ua bhrFiaehrach. — This name, 
which is anglicised Killovyeragh, is still 
well known in the county of Gralway, and 
applied to the north-western portion of 
the barony of Kiltartan. It appears by 
an inquisition taken at Galway in 1608, 
that " Killovyeragh, O'Heyne's contry, 
being estimated only as forty-five quarters 
of land, doth consist of 8640 acres, which 
maketh [in reality] three skore and twelve 
quarters." — See Map prefixed to the tract 



on Hy-Many, for the situation of this ter- 
ritory. 

" Five 8<ms, — Only four of the sons of 
Fiachra are here named. His fifth son 
was Dathi, who became monarch of Ire- 
land, and is mentioned p. 17. 

i BriCy L e. mulct, fine, or reparation. 

^ SeeknaU the Saint — The pedigree of 
St Sechnall, or Secundinus, the son of 
Darerca, the sister of St Patrick, is given 
differently by Colgan. 

> The Ui Amhalgaidh, on the Muaidh, 
L e. the inhabitants of the present barony 
of Tirawley, which is bounded on the east 
by the River Muaidh, now the Moy. 

"* The plain ofMuirise^ daughter ofLuh 
^n, that is, the plain called after Muirisc, 
the daughter of Liogan, for some account 
of whom see Dinnsenchus, Lib. Lecan, fol. 



Fiachra, son of Eochaidh MuighmheacQioiii,had five sons"; namely, 
Earc Culbhuidhe from whom are descended the men of Ceara. 
(He was called Earc Culbhtddhe, because the smelted gold was not 
yellower than his hair. The territory of his descendants was great 
mitil the descendants of his leather Brian took it from them as 
eric^ for their father). Breasal, whose race became extinct; and 
Conaire, from whom sprung Sechnall*, the Saint. 

From Amhalgaidh, \hQ fourth son of Fiachra, are sprung the Hy- 
Amhalgaidh on the Muaidh', and the Hy-Becon. This Amhalgaidh 
had a large family, namely, FedhUm ; Eochaidh of the two plains, 
L e. of the plain of Muirisc, daughter of Liogan"^, and of the plain 
of Muidh, or Muaidh"; Eunda; Conall; Aongus; Eoghan; Cormac; 
and Corrdubh. These were the eight sons of Tresi, the daughter of 
Natfraoch, and sister of Aongus, son of Nadfraoch, king of Munster**. 

From Fedhlim, the son of Amhalgaidh, are descended the Cineal 
Fedhlimidh, in Hy- Amhalgaidh ; that is, the families of O'Ceal- 
lachain^, O'Caithniadh*", Mac Coinin', O'Muimhneachain*, Mag-Fhio- 

nain. 



347. It is the name of a narrow piece of 
level land stretching from the foot of 
Croaghpatrick, in the county of Mayo, to 
the margin of Clew Bay. From the mo- 
nastery of Muirisc in this place the barony 
of Murresk, anciently called Upper Umhall, 
was named in 1585. 

^ The plain of Muidh or Muaidh^ L e. 
the plain through which the Biver Moy 
flows. It does not appear to have been 
the name of any distinct principality or 
territory, but a natural appellation given 
to the r^on traversed by this river. 

^ Aenpus^ tan of Nadfiraoek, King of 
MuMter^ was slain in the battle of Cell 



Osnata, in the plain of Magh Fea, now 
Kellistown, in the barony of Forth and 
county of Carlo w, in the year 439. 

P O^CeaUachain^ now O'Callaghan ; but 
O'Callaghan of Erris is not to be con- 
founded with O'Callaghan of Munster, 
who is of a different race and a far more 
distinguished family. 

4 O^Caithniadh, — There is not one of 
this name in Erris at present, and it is 
believed that the family is extinct. 

'' Mac Coinin. — This name stiU exists, 
but is variously anglicised Cunnion, Cun- 
niam. Canning, &c 

* O^Muimhneaehain, — This name is still 



ncacain, TTlej phionnam, Ui 5^^P^^^^"> ^' Conboipne. Ceneal 
pcblimiD pin la h-loppuy>. 

Qont.up, mac Qmaljaib, Dia o-rd Cmeul n-Qonjupa, la h-Uib 
QThaljaib, .1. Ui TTluipeaboij, caoipij an Lajdin, ajup ap 00 cloinn 
Qonjupa po bai Oiucaill odpaccac d Sfc buba mjene bhuiob 
Dep5; ajup ap 00 cloinn Qonjupa luce Ouna pmne, .i. Ui Cuino, 
ajup TTlej Oopdm, ajup Ui Corhbdn, ajup Ui Ouibleapja, ajup 
Ui beapja, ajup Ui blije, ajup Ui Ouanma, no Duamnaij; agup 
ap 00 cloinn Qonjupa Ui Raoubdn ^^^^i^^^ ^^ Caipn, .1. Ranuban, 
mac TTluipeaboij, mic 6arac, mic Qonjupa, mic Qmal^am. 

Do cloinn Qonjupa beop TTlacConlecpeac, 6 Liop tecpeac, .1. 
Culecpeac, mac Qoba, mic TTluipeaboij, mic 6arac, mic Qonjupa; 
ajup ap 00 lb Uluipeaboi j Ui phionnacam na pionncailme. Qp 
t)o lb TTluipeaboi 5, umoppo, po pagaib Copmac naorh pon 5-ceafpa, 
ajup par n-uplabpa, agup buab n-aileamna, agup pon comaiple, 
ajup ceannup pfoba agup comaipcc la h-Uib Qmaljaib; agup 
cappab pij Ua n-Qmalgaib oo'n piop bup Deac D' lb TTIuipeaboij. 

Gocaib 



numerous in Erris, but anglicised Mina- 
han, or Mynahan. See notes to the Topo- 
graphical Poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac 
Firbis, towards the end of this volume. 

' Ma^ Fhionainy now always anglicised 
Gannon. 

" O^Gearadhaifiy now Gearan, but the 
name is scarce in Erris. 

^ G*C<mboirne^ now always anglicised 
Burns, but the name is more common on 
the east side of the Moy than in Erris. 

^ G^Muireadhaigk, now Murray. 

' LagaUy a district in the north of the 
barony of Tirawley, in the county of Mayo, 
for the extent of which see notes to Gilla 



losa Mor Mac Firbis's poem. 

y The hill ofBudh This was the name 

of a celebrated hill not far from Rath- 
croghan, in the county of Roscommon. 
There is another hill of the name near the 
town of Strabane, in Tyrone. Bodhbh 
Dearg was a Tuatha De Danann chieftain, 
and the son of Daghda, monarch of Ireland. 

■ Dun Finne, now Dunfeeny, or Dun- 
finny, the name of an old church and 
parish in the north of the barony of Ti- 
rawley, and county of Mayo, about nine 
miles north-west from Killalla. The old 
church of this parish was built within the 
earthen fort, or dun, from which the place 



^ / 

/ 



nain*, O'Gearadhaiii", O'Conboirne''. These are the Cineal Fedhli- 
midh of lorrus. 

From Aongus, the son of Amhalgaidh, are descended the Cineal 
Aongusa, in Hy- Amhalgaidh ; namely, the O'Mnireadhaighs'', chief- 
tains of the Lagan* ; and of the descendants of tJiis Aongus was Diu- 
caill the Fierce, of the hill of Budh^, daughter of Bodhbh Dearg ; 
and of the descendants of Aongus are the people of Dun Finne* ; 
namely, the families o/'O'Cuinn, Mag Odhrain, O'Comhdhan, O'Duibh- 
learga, O'Bearga, O'Blighe, O'Duanma, or Duanmaigh ; and of the 
race of Aongus is the family of O'Badubhan of Gleann an chaim*, 
voho descend from Badubhan, son of Muireadhach, son of Eochaidh^ 
son of Aongus, son of Amhalgaidh. 

Of the race of Aongus also is the family oflAAc Conletreach, of 
Lios Leitreach^, who descend from Culetreach, son of Aodh, son of 
Muireadhach, son of Eochaidh, son of Aongus ; and of the Hy-Muir- 
eadhaigh is the family o/* OTionnacains*^, of Fionnchalamh**. It was 
to these Hy-Muireadhaigh that St. Cormac* left prosperity of cattle 
and the gift of eloquence, success of fosterage, the gift of good coun- 
sel, and the headship of peace and protection among the Hy- Amh- 
algaidh; and the battle dress of the King of Hy- Amhalgaidh was 
given to the best man of the Hy-Muireadhaigh. 

Eochaidh 

originally received its name. ^ O^Fiannacain, now Finnagan, but the 

^ Gleann an ehairn, now Baile an ghle- name, though common in other parts of 

anna, or Gljim, a townland in the parish Ireland, is scarce in this district 
of Dunfeen j« The family names here ^ Fumnchalamki now obsolete. — See 

mentioned are all obsolete at present in Notes farther on, and Index. 

the barony of Tirawley. • St Cormac For some account of this 

^ LioB Leitreach. — This was the name of saint's visit to Tirawley, see his life as 

a fort in the townland of Bally kinlettragh, translated by Colgan, Acta Sanctorum, 

in the parish of Kilfian, in the barony of p. 752, and also the Irish life preserved in 

Tirawley* The name Mac Conleitreach the Book of Lecan, from a copy of which 

b now obsolete. Colgan made his Latin version. 



8 

6occn6 Oa 11105, mac Qihal^aio, mac 00 piacpa pionn, 6 n-cdit> 
Uf phiacpa phimi la h-UiB amalgam, .1. Ua Con^aile o Cill 
acai6 t)aiB, ojiip Ui Cacuroij o Cill acai6 OuiB bcop. 

605011, Copmac ocuf CoppooB, ni h-aipmitreap a ^-clann ma 
po parrot). 

Gunoa Cpom, mac Qthal^aib, o o-caiD Ui Ganoa Chpaim la 
h-Ui5 Qmal^amh. 

Conall, mac Qmal^aib, o D-cdiD Ui Comiill Dcnle, co n-a 5-conH 
pojup. TTlec Cpepi pm. 

Scacc mcc la h-6apca, in^en Gacac, pij Laijcan, bean elc Do 

Qmal^am, .1. peap^up, Copmac Ceann-pooa, Colom, Seaona, 

Gocaib, Qoloobop, ajup Gmcac, 6 t>-rdm Ui Gmcacdm. pcapjup, 

mac Qmal^aib, amoppo, oa mac laip, .1. Conain^, ocap TTluipeaboc, 

.1. P15 Ua ivQmal5ai6. Conainj, umoppo, ap uaba ardio Ui 

Qiprheaooi^, .1. lucrChaille Conaill a cuai^, .1. o Uhpdi^ TTlupbai^ 

50 peappaio Cpcpi, die ap bdiceao Cpepi, injcan Naoppaoic, 

bean Qmal^aib, mic piacpac. Qpiao po cinneaba an Chaillc, .1. Ui 

^^P5. opT ^' C[<Hi)a Qipo 6 n-Qo6a, ajupUi TTlaoilconoipe, agup 

Ui piannabpa, ajup Ui Ceja. CIjup ap 00 cloinn Conam^, mic 

peapgupa, Cumain pooa, Dia o-ca Ceall Cumaoin, la Caille 

Conainj. 

TTIuipeaboc 

' CittAehaidh duibk, called Cill Ardubh flowing through the centre of the parish, 

in other authoritiefl. The place is now and through the little town of Crossmolina, 

called Killarduff, and is a townland con- discharges itself into Lough Con, at its 

tuning the ruins of an ancient church, northern extremity. Our author, in his 

situated in the parish of Dunfeenj, in the pedigree of the family of Walsh, describes 

barony of Tirawley, and about a mile be- this river as flowing by the country of 

low the village of Ballycastle. the Clann Robert, in Tirawley. 

( Dad^ now the Deel, a river which ^ Traigh MurhhaigK — This, as our au- 

rises to the south of the townland of thor informs us elsewhere, was the ancient 

Glendavualagh, in the parish of Cross- name of the strand called Traigh Ceall in 

molina, in the barony of Tirawley, and his own time. This strand is situated at 



Eochaidh of the two plains, the son of Amhalgaidh, had a son 
Fiachra Fionn, from whom are descended the Hy-Fiachrach Finn, in 
Hy-Amhalgaidh, viz., the families of O'Congaile of Cill achaidh 
duibh^ and O'Cathasaigh of Cill achaidh duibh also. 

The descendants of Eoghan, Cormac, and Corrdubh, if they left 
any, are not mentioned. 

From Eunda Crom, son of Amhalgaidh, are the Hy-Eunda Cruim 
among the Hy-Amhalgaidh. 

From Conall, son of Amhalgaidh, are descended the Hy-ConaUl, of 
the Kiver DaeP, with their correlatives. These were the sons of Tresi. 

Earca, daughter of Eochaidh, King of Leinster, another wife of 
Amhalgaidh, had seven sons ; namely, Fergus; Cormac Ceannfoda; 
Colom; Seudna; Eochaidh; Aoldobhar; and Emeach, from whom are 
sprung the family o/'O'h-Emeachain. Fergus, son of Amhalgaidh, had 
two sons, namely, Conaing and Muireadhach, King of Hy-Amhalgaidh. 
From Conaing are sprung the Hy-Ainneadhaigh, who are the inhabi- 
tants of Caille Conaill, in the north, that is the tract extending from 
Traigh Murbhaigh* to Fearsad Tresi*, where Tresi, the daughter of Nad- 
fraoch, and wife of Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra, was drowned. These 
are the tribes of Caille, viz., the families o/'O'Derg; O'h-Aodha, of Ard 
O'n-Aodha^; O'Maoilconaire; OTlannabhra; and OTegha. And of 
the race of tJiis Conaing, the son of Fergus, was Cumain Foda, from 

whom Cill Cimiaoin^ in Caille Conaing has derived its name. 

The 

the viUage of RatUacken, near Killala, in parish of Killala, and barony of Tirawley. 

the barony of Tirawley. The Roman Car There are two round stones on each side 

tholic chapel of Lacken stands at its of the fearsad, or channel, to point out its 

western extremity. position. 

* Fearead Tresis L e. the passage or tra- J Ard O^n-Aodha, t, e, altitude nepotum 

jeetits of Tresi. It is now, and has been AidL — This name is now forgotten in the 

for centuries, called Fearsad Raith Bhrain, country. 

i e- the passage or trajectus of Rafran. It ^ CUl Cumaoin, more correctly called 

lies just under the abbey of Rafran, in the Cill Chuimin in the Book of Lecan, and 

IBI8H ARCH. 800. 12. C 



lO 



TTluipcaooc, mac peapju^a, ic6 a claim, .i. cpioca ceuD an 
bhaic, ajup ^5^^^^^^ Nerhuinoc, ajup lecpioca ceuo na bpcuDca. 
Qp lao po pmeaboij DuDcupa an bhaic, .1. OXaccna, caoipioc an 
Da bhac ajup an ^^l^^^^^ct, ajup ap Dib Ui Dubccjam, ajup Clann 
phipbipij, .1. pilca6a Ua n-Qmaljaio ajup Clomne piacpac 
(Laccna TTlac phipbipig aDcp Leabap balb Shcmuip TTlic phipbi- 
pij), Ui TTlaoilpuaib 6 Qpo-aca6, ajup Ui Cuimin Leapa Cuimin 
la TTluam. 

Qp lao po pinea6a na bpeuDca, .1. 0'Cojba caoipioc na bpeuo- 
ca, ajup Ua 5^^^^» ^^r ^^ Luacaib, ajup Ua '^ilm. Qp 
Do piol TTluipeaDoij, mic pcapjupa, Ua Leap^upa la h-lapcap 
Connachc. 

Clann TTluipmne (injene Dubcaij, pij Ua TTlainc), riina ele Do 
Qmal^aiD, .1. Caipbpe, Dia D-ca Uijjeapnan OipiD Loca Con; Qon- 



elsewhere bj our Author. The name is 
now anglicised Kilcummin, and is that of 
a parish in the barony of Tirawley, about 
four miles and a half north of Eallala, on 
the west side of Killala Bay. The ancient 
church of this parish is one of great anti- 
quity, built of very large stones in the pri- 
mitive Irish style. At this church was pre- 
served some years since a flat stone called 
Leac Chuimin, to which the peasantry re- 
sorted for many superstitious purposes, but 
it was removed by Dr. Lyons, now parish 
priest of Eilmore-Enis, who caused it to 
be built up in the wall of the new Roman 
Catholic Cathedral, at Ballina, for "certain 
weighty reasons." 

This pedigree of St. Cuimin is not 
given by the O'Clerys in their Grenealogies 
of the Irish Saints. 



' Cantred o/Bac^ is still well known in 
the country by the name of the Two 
Backs, and lies between Lough Con and 
the River Moy, in the barony of Tirawley ; 
for a more definite description of which 
see Notes to the Topographical Poem of 
Gilla losa Mor Mac Firbis further on. 

^ Cfleann Nemhihinne^ now anglicised 
Glen Nephin, for the extent of which see 
Notes to Gilla losa Mor Mac Firbis's To- 
pographical Poem. 

° The half cantred o/Breudach, — This 
territory was nearly co-extensive with the 
parish of Moygawnagh, in the west of the 
barony of Tirawley. 

^ O^Lachtruiy now always O'Lachtnain 
in Irish, and anglicised Loughnane and 
Loftus. Dr. Martin Loftus, formerly pro- 
fessor of the Irish language in the College 



II 

The following are the descendants of Muireadhach, the son of 
Fergus, namely, the inhabitants of the cantred of Bac', and of Gleann 
Nemhthinne", and of the half cantred of Breudach". These are the 
hereditary tribes of Bac, viz., O'Lachtna^ chief of the two Bacs and 
of the Glenn**, and of them are the families o/" O'Dubhagain, and the 
Clann Firbisigh, the poets of Hy- Amhalgaidh and of Hy-Fiachrach ; — 
(the Leabhar Balbh*" of James Mac Firbis, says, that Lachtna was 
Mac Firbis'); — O'Maoilruaidh' ; of Ard achadhS and O'Cuimin, of 
Lios Cuimin^ on the Muaidh. 

These are the families of Breudach, viz., O'Toghdha^, chief of 
Breudach, O'Glaimin^, OXuachaibh^ and 0'Gilin^ Of the race of 
this Muireadhach, the son of Fergus, is the family of O'Learghusa*, 
of the west of Connaught 

The sonsof Muirenn (daughter of Dubhthach, King of fly-Many), 
another wife of Amhalgaidh, were the following, viz., Cairbre, from 

whom 

of Maynooth, is of this family. town of Ballina. 

P Of the Glenny i. e. of Glen Nephin. u Lios Ckuimin, L e. Cuimin's fort The 

*■ The Leabhar BaJhhj i. e. the Dumb name is now unknown, though it is highly 

Book. This book, which is now unknown, probable that the fort remains, 

would appear to have been called the ^ G^Toghdha. — This name is now un- 

Dumb^ because it chronicled events which known in the district, 

many of the chieftains in power did not ^ (yOlaimin^ now obsolete, 

wish to be known. But of this more dia- ' &Luaehaibh^ is written O'Luachaim 

tinctly hereafter. in the Book of Lecan, but the m is evi- 

' Lachtna woe Mae Firlns, that is, the dently intended to be pronounced as if 

Lachtna, after whom the family of aspirated. The name is now obsolete. 

O^Lachtna was called, was of the Mac ^ O^GUin. — This name not extant in 

ilrbis tribe. the district, though common in other parts 

' OPMaoUniaidhy now Mulroy, but the of Ireland* 

name is not in the district. > O^Ztfat^AuM*.*— This name is now an- 

Ard achaidh^ now Ardagh, a parish glicised, correctly enough, Larissy, and is 

in the barony of Tirawley, about two miles found in various parts of Ireland. 
snd three quarters west south west of the 



12 



jup pionn mac Qrhaljaib, Dia D-cdiO Ui ^cn^trcacan, Uf phlamn, 
ajup Ui TTlaoilpiona, plaice Calpaije TTluijje h-Gleaj; Duibion- 
Opacc mac QrhalgaiD, 6 o-caio TTluincip pocaij, TTIumcip Culacan, 
ajup TTluincip Ouinncuan; Cu-comjclc mac Qmalgaib, 6 D-caD 
TTluincip Chomalcaij; Concabap mac Qmaljaio, 6 o-cao TTIuin- 
cip Ubam co n-a s-compoijpib. 

Copmac Ceann-paoa, Colom, agup Seuona, a^up Qoloobap, r\i 
h-oip6cpc a 5-clann. 

piacpa mac Qmalgaib, 6 D-caio 1 bcccon i TTliDc. 

6econ, 

mac Comam, mic Qmalgaib, pij Chonnacc, 

mic Seanaij, mic piacpac, 

mic Qo6a, mic 6acac TTluijirhcaboin, pij 
mic piacpac, 6ipionn. 

ceNeuc aiRmheoDhaj^h awD so. 



Oumionoac, 
mac Qipmcaooij;, 
mic baooain, 
mic piacpac, 
mic Conaing, 

^ St. Tigheaman^ of Oireadh Loeha Couy 
i. e. St Tieman, tHe patron of the church 
or abbej of Errew, on Lough Con. A 
celebrated relic of this saint, called TTIiaf 
d^eapndm, L e. St. Tieman's dish, is 
still preserved at Bappa Castle, in the ba- 
rony of Tirawlej. In the Book of Lecan, 
fol. 46, the pedigree of this St Tigheman, 
or Tieman, is given as follows : — Tigher- 
nan, son of Ninnidh, son of Cairpri, son 
of Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra, son of 



mic pcapjupa, 
mic QmalgaiD, 
mic piacpac. 



ceweuc 



Eochaidh, monarch of Ireland ; so that he 
must have flourished in the latter end of 
the fifth. century. 

^ O'Gaibktheachain. — This name is now 
correctly anglicised Gaughan, and is still 
common in the district 

« GPFUinn, now O'Flynn. 

^ O^MaoUfhiona. — There is scarcely one 
of this name now in Tirawley, though 
they were formerly very powerfuL The 
little town of Crossmolina, in Irish called 



13 

whom sprung St. Tigheaman, of Oireadh Locha Con* ; Aongus Fionn 
Mac Amhalgaidh, from whom are the families of O'Graibhtheachain*', 
0'Flamn^ and O'Maoilfhiona*, chiefs of Cabraighe Muighe h-Eleag^ ; 
Duibhindracht Mac Amhalgaidh, from whom axe the Mnintir 
Fothaigh*^, Muintir Culachan, and Mnintir Duinncuan; Cucoingelt 
Mac Amhalgaidh, from whom are the Mnintir Tomaltaigh; and 
Conchobhar Mac Amhalgaidh, from whom are the Muintir Ubain, 
with their correlatives. 

The descendants of Cormac Ceannfada, L e. of the long head, 
Colom, Seudna, and Aoldobhar, are not illustrious. 

From Fiachra, the son of Amhalgaidh, are descended the Hy- 
Becon of Meath, thtis : 



Becon, 
son of Coman, 
son of Seanach, 
son of Aodh, 
son of Fiachra, 



son of Amhalgaidh, King of Con- 
naught, 

son of Fiachra, 

son of Eochaidh Muighmheadh- 
oin. King of Ireland. 



CINEAL AIRMHEADHAI6H HEBE. 



Duiniondach, 
son of Alrmeadhach, 
son of Baodan, 
son of Fiachra, 
son of Conaing, 

Cpop Hi TTIhaoilpiona, L e. O'Molina's 
Cross, took its name from them. 

* Calraiffke Muighe h-Eleag. — This ter- 
ritory was nearly oo-eztensive with the 
parish of Crossmolina, in the barony of 



son of Fergus, 
son of Amhalgaidh, 
son of Fiachra. 



THE 



Tirawley. See Notes to the Topographi- 
cal Poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis. 
f Muinter Fothaigh^ 4^. 4^. — These, 
which were probably tribe names, are now 
,iUiknowp ia Tirawley^ 



14 



ceHeu6 N-euHDo, mic amhac^aiOh. 

Tnaolbpi^Dc, 



mac Cnairhjiolla, 
mtc Comalcaij;, 
mic Rcaccabpa, 
mic Clocpa, 
mic Duiblaca, 
mic Diapmaoa, 
mic Cijcapnain, 

[Rcaccabpa, 
mac Qeloobaip, 
mic Caiccino, 
mic puilim, 



mic Gpc, 
mic TTlaine, 
mic Conaill, 
mic Gunoa, 
mic Qmaljaib, 
mic piacpac. 



mic Ropa, 
mic peiolimij, 
mic QmaljaiD, 
mic piacpa.] 



mic Copmaic, 
mic Qonjupa, 
mic Qmal^aib, 
mic Piacpac. 



mic Dima, 

peapjur, ajup aonj^r, 
. Da TTlac Chonaill, 
mic pionam, 
mic Conaill, 
mic peapaooi^, 

geHeacach f^qr ceawa 

Cucocaij, 
mac TTlaonaij Cheapa, 
mic Duncaba, 
mic pioinn R66ba, 
mic TTlaoilofiin, 
mic pailbe, 
mic TTIaoilumai 



mic peapaooi^, 

mic RoyHi Doimrij, 

mic TTlaine TTluinbpic, 

mic Gpc Culbuibe, 

mic piacpach polcfnacaij, 

mic Gacac TTluijmeaboin. 



[Donocataig, 

> BeadiUMra. — This line is supplied ool. a. It does not belong to the heading 
from the Book of Leoan, foL 79, page a* Cineal Eunda, 



/ 



15 



THE CINEAL EUKDA, 

Maolbrighde, 
son of Cnaimhghiollan, 
son of Tomaltach, 
son of Beachtabhra, 
son of Clothra, 
son of Dubhlacha, 
son of Diarmaid, 
son of Tigheaman, 

[Reachtabhra*, 
son of Aeldobhar, 
son of Laitcenn, 
son of Fuilim, 
son of Dima, 

Fergus** and Aongns, 
two sons of Conall, 
son of Fionan, 
son of Conall, 
son of Fearadhach, 



SON OF AMHALGAIDH. 

son of Ere, 
son of Maine, 
son of Conall, 
son of Eunda, 
son of Amhalgaidh, 
son of Fiachra. 



son of Bos, 
son of Feidhlimidh, 
son of Amhalgaidli, 
son of Fiachra]. 

son of Cormac, 
son of Aongus, 
son of Amhalgaidli, 
son of Fiachra. 



GENEALOGY OF THE MEN OF GEABA. 



Cucothaigh, 
son of Maonach, of Ceara, 
son of Dunchadh, 
son of Flann Rodhba, i. e. Flann 

of the River Robe, 
son of Maolduin, 
son of Failbhe, 
son of Maolnmha, 

** Fergus, — This line is given by our 
Author without any heading ; for it does 



son of Fearadhach, 

son of Ros Doimthigh, 

son of Maine Muinbreac, 

son of Earc Culbhuidhe, 

son of Fiachra Foltsnathach, 

son ofEochaidhMuighmheadhoin. 

Donncathaigh, 

not belong to Cineal Eunda, under which 
he places it. 



'i*- 



i6 



[DonDcacaij, 
mac TTlailiiTnai, 
mic peapaoaij, 
mic Ropa Ooimoi^iu, 



mic niainc llluinbpicc, 
mic 6ipc CulbuiDi.] 



Cuig mec lap an Coincocaij; pn, .1. Cijeapnac, 6 o-caiD Ui 
Cijeapnaij, .i. Rioja Ceapa; Uarmapan, 6 o-cctiD Ui Uacma- 
pdin; Niall, a quo TTlec Nell; Uaoa, 6 D-caiD Ui Uaoach; agup 
Pajapcac, 6 o-cdiD Ui pagapraij, amail appepc : 

Cuigeap mac pa mop f ojan, 

Niall, ip Uaoa, ip Uarmapan, 

pajapcac po bpip bedpnaij, 

Cam rabapcac Cijeapnaij. 

[Cuan, 6 D-cdiD Clann Guam, 

mac Gacac, mic Ropa Doimtnj, 

mic piomn, mic TTlame TTluinbpic, 

mic peapa&aij, mic Gpc Culbuibe.] 

S106 Dachi siosawa 

Daci, mac piacpac, pij Gpeann, Qlban, bpeacan, ajup 50 Sliab 
n-Galpa, uaip ap 6 00 gab capep Nell an pije ; .uii. m-bliabna 
piceao 00 ipije n-Gpeann. 

Ice 



* Donneathaiffh. — This line is supplied 
from the Book of Lecan, foL 79, page a, 
col. b. 

J G^Tigheamaigh, now anglicised Tier- 
ney, without the 0\ 

^ Kings of Ceara, i e. chiefs of the ter- 
ritory of Ceara, now the barony of Cara, 
in the present county of Mayo. 

* 0^ Uathmkarainy now obsolete. 



^ Mac NeiU, — Duald Mac Firbis spells 
this name Mac NeU^ but the Editor does 
not think it necessary to follow him, in 
this innoyation, in the translation, as he 
has the authority of the Book of Lecan 
for making H^ill the genitiye form of 
'Niall in almost every instance ; but 
the original text of Duald Mac Firbis 
shall not be altered in any instance, al- 



17 



Son of Maine Muinbrec, 
Son of Ere Culbhuidlii]. 



[DonncathaigW, 
Son of Maelumhai, 
Son of Fearadhach, 
Son of Eos Doimdigiu, 

This Cucothaigh had five sons, namely, Tigheamach, from whom 
is <A«yam^7^ q/'O'Tigheamaigh^, Kings of Ceara"", Uathmharan, from 
whom is the family of OTi-Uathmharain* ; Niall, a quo the family of 
Mac Neill"* ; Uada, from whom is the family o/'O'h-Uadach; and Fagh- 
artach, from whom is the family of OTaghartaigh, as the poet said: 

" Five sons of great prosperity, 
Niall and Uada, and Uathmharan, 
Faghartach, who forced the gap, 
And Tighearnach of the bounteous hand." 

[Cuan", from whom are descended the Clann Cuain, was, 

Son of Eochaidh, Son of Ros Doimtheach, 

Son of Flann, Son of Maine Muinbreac, 

Son of Fearadhach, Son of Earc Culbhuidhe.] 

THE RACE OF DATHI, DOWN HEBE. 

Dathi, son of Fiachra, was Bang of Erin, Alba, Britain, and as 

far as the mountain of the Alps; for he succeeded Niall** in the 

government, and reigned twenty seven years as King of Erin. 

The 



though it has been deemed necessary to 
preserve a uniform orthography of the 
names of men and places in the translation 
throughout This family is now extinct 
" [Cttan. — This pedigree of Cuan, en- 
closed in brackets, is supplied from a copy 
of Mac Firbis's smaUer work, compiled in 
1666, in the collection of Messrs. Hodges 
and Smith, p. 173. For the situation of 

IBISH ARCH. see. 12. D 



the tribe called Clann Chuain see Notes 
to Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis's poem. 

° Stieeeeded Niall. — Dathi succeeded 
his uncle Niall of the Nine Hostages in 
the year 405, according to O'Flaherty and 
the Irish Annalists, and was the last of the 
line of the Pagan kings of Ireland.— See 
additional remarks on this subject in the 
Addenda to this volume. 



i8 

Ice ano po na cara t)o cuip 05 copnarh Gpiont) 1 n-oiaij Nell, 
mic 6acac, .1. cac Qca Calmame, cac booaije, cac Raca Cpua- 
con, cac TTluijje h-Qilbe, aj^p caca lomba 1 n-Qlbain, ajup Cac 
TTluije Cipcain, ajup Cac Spaca. 

CuiD Daci lap pm 50 b-peapaib Gpeann lep Dap muip n-lchc 
Docum Ceaca 50 m-baoi aj Sleb Galpa t)o biojail Nell Naoi- 
jiallaij. Qpi pin aimpip po jabapoaip popmeniup (no papme- 
mup) pi Cpatjia a Sliab Galpa ap D-coi6eacc t)o ap ceceao a 
P^5^ ^^r ^P Sr^^ ^^ 5^ piece Sliab Galpa 1 n-ailicpe. Do pineab 
lep cop cacpac, ajup peapja cpaijiD a aipDe, Do pooaib ocup Do 
clocaib, agnp aon cpoi^iD Deng uaD-pom 50 poillpe, agup po 

baoi 



^ Ath Talmaide, — This plaoe is now un- 
known, at least to the Editor. 

^ BodaigJie, — ^Unknown. 

^Rath Crtiachan, now Rath Croghan, near 
Belanagare, in the county of Roscommon. 

^MaghAHbhe This, which is Latinised 

CamptLB AUms^ was the ancient name of an 
extensive plain in Leinster, extending 
from Slewmargy, in the Queen's County, 
in an eastern direction, and comprising 
portions of the barony of Idrone, in the 
county of Carlow, and of the baronies of 
Kilkea and Moone, in the county of Kil- 
dare. Bealach Mughna, now Ballagh- 
moone, to the north of Carlow, is de- 
scribed in all the Irish authorities as in 
Magh Ailbhe. Ussher, in his Primordial 
pp. 956, 937, thus describes this plaia^ 
on the authority of an ancient Life of 
St. Munnu : — " Campus ad ripam fluvii 
quem Ptolemeus Birgum, nos Barrow vo* 
camus, non procul a monte Margeo posi- 



tus." In a curious ancient poem, de- 
scribing the monuments of Leinster, it is 
called the finest plain in Ireland. 

^ Ma^h Circarij now unknown. 

" Srath There are many places of this 

name, signifying hdnij or strath^ in Ireland 
and Scotland, but the situation of the site 
of this battle is not defined. 

^ Muirn-Icht — This is the name by 
which the ancient Irish writers always 
call the British sea which divides England 
from France, and some have supposed it 
to be derived from the Iccian harbour, 
which Cesar states that he sailed by to 
Britain. However this- be, there can be 
no doubt what sea the Muir n-Icht is» from 
the many references to it in old Irish 
MSS. ; Ussher, Primordia, p. 823, s&ys, 
'* Est autem mare Icht (ut ex Albei etiam 
et DeclaniVitis didicimus) illud quod Gal- 
Uam et Britanniam interfluit." 

^ Leatha, — Duald Mac Firbis, in his 



19 

The following were the battles which he fought in defence of 
Erin after the death of Niall, the son of Eochaidh, viz., the battle 
of Ath Talmaide^, the battle of Bodaighe**, the battle of Rath Crua- 
chan', and the battle of Magh Ailbhe* ; and many battles in Alba 
i.e. Scotland; the battle of Magh Circain^ and the battle of Srath". 

Dathi went afterwards with the men of Erin across Muir n-Icht^ 
towards Leatha'', until he reached the Alps*, to revenge the death of 
Niall of the Nine Hostages^. This was the time that Formenius 
(or Parmenius), King of Thrace*, took up his residence in the Alps, 
having fled from his kingdom and retired thither for the love of 
God as a pilgrim. He erected there a circular tower of sods and 
stones sixty feet in height', and he lived in the middle of the tower, 

eleven 



annotations on the Life of St Patrick, 
says, that Leatha was the ancient Irish 
name of Italy ; but Mr. Patrick Lynch, 
in his Life of Saint Patrick, page 77, 
says, that it was the Hibernicised form 
of Letavia, a name by which a part, and 
sometimes the whole, of Armoric Gaul 
was called by the writers of the middle 
ages ; and he has been followed by Lanigan 
and others. See Addenda to this volume, 
where the subject will be further dis- 
cussed. 

* The Alps. — Sliahh Ealpa is the name 
by which the ancient Irish writers desig- 
nate the Alps. 

y To revenue, ^c, — This would appear 
to be a mistake, for the monarch Niall of 
the Nine Hostages was not slain by a fo- 
reigner, but, according to all the authori- 
ties, by Eochaidh, son of Enna Ceinseallach, 
King of Leinster, who discharged a poi- 

D 



soned arrow at him on the banks of the 
Loire. But it may have happened that 
Eochaidh remained abroad, and that Dathi 
went to Gaul in pursuit of him. See Ad- 
denda to this volume. 

■ Formenius, 4^. — He is called Popme- 
nup pi Cpacia in Leabhar na h-Uidhri, 
fol. 35, p. 6, col. a. No account of this 
king is to be found in any foreign writer, 
as far as the Editor has been able to disco- 
ver. Keating calls him Parmenius, a holy 
hermit, and O'Flaherty, in Ogygia, Part 
III. c 87, p. 416, calls him "quidamEre- 
mita S. Firminus" who, according to the 
Book of Lecan (fol. 302, h\ was a king ; 
but he does not call him King of Thrace. 

* A circular tower, S^c, — Cop carpac. 
O'Flaherty, in Ogygia (loco cit.), trans- 
lates this turrisy and describes it as seven- 
teen cubits high. Keating calls it a ouip- 
reach, or hermit's cell. 
2 



20 



baoi pom 1 meabon an ruip, a^up ni paiceab leup gpene na poillpi 
ano. 

Cainij cpa Daci gnp an cop. Qp oe ao beapca Dan ppip, 
.1. ap 6aire a jabalcaip agup a lamaij, uaip t)d m-bec ceao aj a 
biubpagao po amceao oppa e, ap baice a larhuij, conab uinie pin 
po lean Oaci fQ^J\, ccjup pepabac a ainm ac Dulpoipoo, ajupcoip 
po baipoeb Oaici paip. O Do conocaccup muincip an pij an rop 
uabib, cangaoap Oia cojail, ajup po pjaoilpioo 6, agup po aipj- 
pioD. Qjup po aipij popmeniup an jaoc cuije, Do rojbapoaip Oia 
in n-oluirh ceneab 50 n-Deacaib mile cemionn o'n cop poobuij 00 
pijne, c(5up po guioeapoaip Oo'n pij, do Ohaci, co na bia a plaiceap 
ni bub pia ina pin ; agup po juibeapbaip Dia p6p co nd bub oipbepc 
a leacc nd a lije. Ni paibe cpa lapom do paojal aj an pij Oan, 
ace aipeaD po bap aj caicriieac an cuip, an can camij paijeaD 
jealdm Do nirh cuige 50 b-puaip bdp obann, aon uaipe be. 

rriup 

^ Eleven feet from the light, — The reading 
in Leabhar na h-Uidhri is, ocuf oen cpaij 
Dec uao-pom co polpi. From this it 
would appear that the diameter of the cop, 
including the thickness of the wall, was 
twenty-two feet. 

^ Expertness, — This derivation of the 
name of King Dathi is also given in Leabhar 
na h-Uidhri^ fol. 35, p. by col. a, but in the 
margin, and in a hand somewhat more mo- 
dem than the originaL Keating too gives 
the same derivation of the name, explain- 
ing oaici by the modern word capo, ex- 
pert, active, dexterous. 

^ Feradhach, — Keating also says that 
Fearadhach was his first name, and he 
calls Oaici his popainm, L e. his cognomen. 

^Ina blaze of fire. — ^The reading is nearly 



the same in Leabhar na h-Uidhri, fol. 35, 
p. bi col. a. Rue cpa Dia uaioib pop- 
menu p, 1 n-a oluim ceneo, mile cemeno 
6'n cup. This reading 1 n-a oluim ceneo, 
means that Formenius's body was con- 
verted into a blaze of fire, and in this 
subtle form removed from the tower, and 
from the impious assault of King Dathi 
and his Pagan plunderers. But in n-oluiih 
ceneao, as the text is given by our author, 
means that his body was raised up in, i. e. 
within a mass of flame, which is a more 
correct idea, and seems to have been de- 
rived by the original writer from the fiery 
chariot of £lias. 

^ And he pratfedy Sfc. — The original runs 
in Leabhar na h-Uidhri (loco cit) as fol- 
lows : Ocup po 5UID Popmenup in com- 



21 

eleven feet fix)m the light^ and he saw not a ray of the sun or other 
light 

Dathi came to the tower. (He was called Dathi from his expert- 
ness^ [oaice] at invading and shooting, for if there were one hundred 
persons shooting, i. e. discharging arrows or javelins at him, he 
would be protected against them by the activity of his hands in 
guarding, wherefore the name of Dathi clung unto him. Feradhach"* 
was his name when he went to the east, and it was on his expedition 
in the east he was called Dathi). When the king's (t. e. Dathi! s) peo- 
ple saw the tower, they went to demolish it, and they tore it down 
and plundered it Formenius felt the wind coming to him, and Grod 
raised him up in a blaze of fire'' one thousand paces from the tower 
of sods which he had built, and he prayed for King Dathi that his 
reign might continue no longer; and he also prayed God that his 
monument or tomb might not be remarkable. The life of Dathi en- 
dured no longer than until he had the tower destroyed, when there 
came a flash of lightning from heaven which struck him dead on the 
spot^. 

When 

010 na biuo ploiriup Dari ni bao pia Dathi as follows : — ^Oo 306 Dari, mac 

inna pin, ocup po ^uio nd boo apoaipc a piacpac, inic Gocaoa niui^iheaDoin, 00 

I151. Nf pa bi cpa do pae^al oc ono pfol Gipeaiiioin, pi05acr 6ipeann qii 

pf^ ace aipec po bdp oc cairmec na car- bliaona piceoo. pial, m^ean Gacach, 

pac, in con came pai^ec ^eldn 00 mm 6 pdioreap Cpuacdn pdile, an cdo bean 

cuci CO puaip bdp. bf ai^e. Qn oapa bean, Girne, in jean 

" And Formenns prayed God that the Opach, mdraip Oiliolla TTIuilc. Qn 

reign of Dathi might endure no longer, cpeap Bean lomoppo, bi ai^e o'd n-^ipri 

and he also prayed that his monument Ruao, mjean Qipnj Uicc-leacain, mic 

might not be remarkable. The king en- pipcon^, maraip Piacpach Gal^aij;, 

joyed life only while he was destroying ajup ip o'd Bpeic puaip bdp. Qip 

the tower, when a flash of lightning came pliocc an Dari pi a cd O'Seacnapaij, 

from heaven upon him, so that he died." O'DuBoa, ayup 0'h-6iDin. Pcapaoac 

Keating gives the story of the death of pa c6ao ainm oileap 00, a^up ip uime 00 



22 



TTlup Do conncax>a]i pip Gpecmn pm, Do cuippioD Sbonjc pe 
lapaD 1 m-beol an pig, lonnup 50 paoilpeaD gac aon 50 m-bec 'n-a 
bearaiD, ajup gup ob f a andil Do bee aj reacr rap a beul. Q 
DepiD c6lui5 gup ob f an paijeaD pin D'ap mapbab Niall Naoi- 
jiallaij, DO Deonai^ Dia Do popmeniup Do cup, 'n a piocbaic, gup ob 
Di DO mapbaD Dari. 

Do cuaiD Dna popmeniup mile c6menD o'n c-Sliab pm pfop, conaD 
anD po an 1 n-aicpep oile. 

^abcfp cpa Qmal^aiD, mac Daci, ceanDup peap n-Gpeann, ajup 
aDnaiD a acaip lep ap lomcap, jjup po bpip naoi 5-caca pip pop 
muip, agup Dech j-caca pop cfp, ajup pe mapb, amuil do caippen- 
Dip a muincip pen copp an pij;, po mui^eab p6mpa p6p na pluajaib 
cea^mab piu. Qc6 anD po anmana na 5-cac po meabuiD poime, 
.1. cac Coppaip, car Cinje, no cac Cime, cac Coloim, cac paile, 
cac TTlipcail, cac CunDumn, cac Coipce, cac TTloile, cac ^P^^^^F' 

ajup 



^ipri Dari oe op rapace do ^abao a 
aipm aip ; lonann lomoppo oairi aj^up 
capo, ayup do lean an popainm pin oe. 
Q^up ip aihlaiD do mapbao Daci, .1. 
poijinean ceincioe do ruicim 1 n>a ihul- 
la6 6 neoih, aip m-beir 60 aj^ o^anam 
conjcuipaip an B-Ppamjc; ajupiplAiih 
le 8liab Galpa do mapbao 6, qi6 ofo^- 
alcap Dd, map j^up h-aipj^ea6 leipo6ip- 
eeac oirpeaBai^ naomra, o'dp B'ainm 
papmeniup, le p' mallui^eab 6 ; ayup 
lap n-a ThapBao amlaio pin, cuj^aoap a 
ihuincep a copp le6 a n-Gip mn j^up 
h-aolacao a l^oili^ na Rto^ a g-Cpua- 
chain 6. 

Thus translated by Dr. Ljnch, the au- 
thor of Cambrensis Eyersus, in his Latin 



translation of Eeating's History of Ire- 
land : 

" Post Niellum Anno Domini 405 ex- 
tinctom, Nepos ejus, ex fratre Fiachro, 
Dathius Bex salutatur, et in ea dignitate 
viginti tres annos perstitit, ter matrimo- 
nio junctus, primmn Feil» Echachi filiie, 
a qua Cruachan Fheile traxit denominar 
tionem ; Deinde Ethns, Orachi fili®, OliUi 
Molti matri; demum Buadhad, Arti Ucht- 
leahoni, id est, Latipectoris, filiie, quse 
Fiachum Elghodium pariens interiit. Ab 
hoc Dathio genus suum O'Sachnesi, 
O'Douhda, et O'Hein deducunt. Propri- 
um ejus nomen Faradhachus, agnomen 
Dathius erat, hoc ideo ipsi addito, quod 
arma sibi qukn oelerimd induere solitus 



23 

When the men of Erin perceived this, they put a lighted Sbongc 
[Spongiaf] in the king's mouth, in order that all might suppose that he 
was living, and that it was his breath that was coming out of his mouth. 
But the learned say that it was the same arrow with which Niall of 
the Nine Hostages was slain, that God permitted Formenius to dis- 
charge from his bow that by it Dathi might be killed*. 

Formenius then went one thousand paces down from that moun- 
tain, and there dwelt in another habitation*". 

Amhalgaidh, the son of Dathi*, then took the command of the 
men of Erin, and he carried^ the dead body of his father with him, 
and he gained nine battles by sea, and ten battles by land by means of 
the corpse : for when his people exhibited the body of the king, they 
used to rout the forces that oj^sed them. These are the names of 
the battles thus gained b^ land, viz., the battle of Corpar, the battle of 
Cinge, or Cime, the battle of Colom, the battle of Faile, the battle of 
Miscal, the battle of Lundmm, the battle of Coirte, the battle of Moile, 

the 



fuent, vox enim daitki celeritatem signi- 
ficat. Hie GttUiam infestavit armis, et 
non procul ab Alpium finibus turn ver- 
aabatiir, cum tactus de coelo animam 
eflflavit, Dmno Numine pcenas ab illo re- 
poscente, illati Parmenio cuidam viro 
memorabili sanctimoni^ pr»dito, detri-^ 
menti, qui eccelestum caput ob se yiolatum 
diri impnecatione defixearat. Sed cadaver 
a suis in Hibemiam asportatum in Begum 
sepulcbro apud Cruacbanum teme man- 
datum est" 

* The learned eay, ^e — This passage, 
which differs so materially from the pre- 
vious story, is not given in Leabhar na 
h-Uidhri, but it is in the Book of Lecan, 
and in another MS. in the Library of 



Trinity College, Dublin, H. 3, 17. 

^ Formenius then went, Sfc* — This pas- 
sage is in Leabhar na h-Uidhri, but in a 
more modem hand inter lineae. 

' Amhalgaidh, the eon of Dathi — Leabhar 
na h-Uidhri has the following observation 
interlined here :— Da Qmal^aio po b6- 
zo}} ano, .1. Qmal^aio, mac Piacpac, 
ocup Qmaljaio, mac Noci, L e. '* there 
were two Amhalgaidhs, viz., Amhalgaidh, 
the son of Fiachra, and Amhalgaidh, the 
son of Nathi." From the former the pre- 
sent barony of Tir- Amhalgaidh, now An- 
glicised Tirawley, has derived its name. 

iHe carried, ^ Qcnaij a araip leip. 

— ^Leabhar na h-UidhrL Qcnai^ is an an- 
cient verb signifying cuy, i e. he brought. 



I 



24 

ajuf cac pepmip. Ip mo pn cpa na caca po mumpoccap pc Dan 
cpe n-a copp 00 raippeunao Do na pluajaib ajup pe mapb. 

Cujao cpct copp Dhaci 50 h-Gpinn, 50 po h-a6naicea6 e 1 Relej 
na R105 1 5-Cpuacain, 1 bpail a pabaccap piogpam pi Gpemoin 00 
uprhop. TTlapb, umoppo, Qmalgaib, mac Daci, ip na Oepib bpeaj, 
00 ^aoil) cpo na n-apD-jon puaip ip na cacaib pin. Conab 1 
m-bpeajaib, no 1 m-bpeaj-rhaij, acdio a clann ajup a ceneul, .1. 
Ceneul m-beccon. 

Dunjal, plannjup, Cuacal, agup Comalcac, ap lao pin an 
ceacpap o'a aop ^aba cuj leo copp an pij Dan. [Cugab copp 
Dhan 50 Cpuacam, jup h-abnaiceab e i Relj na R105 1 5-Cpuac- 
ain, 1 b-pail a pabaoap pio^paib Sfol Gpearhom Do upmop, aic a 
b-puil gup aniu an chaippre beapg mup liaj; op a lije 'n-a leacc, laim 
pe Raic Cpuacan gup anopa 1666]. '^o b-puil pop lap Qonaij na 
Cpuacna, amail po poillpij Copna Gjeap aj Deapbab aDlaice 
piojpaibe pi 6peaTh6in d' peapaib GpenD : 

Celip [ap] cac a Chpuaca cpoibeapj, caoirh-pij; GpenD, Dan, 
mac piacpac pial-pi ap muip, ap np, ceapgupcrap cac copa pij 
mch po ope; ap cac ni eel. Celip ^c. 

Do Chopna Ggeap Do poillpijeab pm cpe pipijeacc ap J-cup 

ailjeapa 

^ These are the nameSy S^e. — The names Cairrthe dhearg is still to be seen at Roilig 

of these battles, with some slight difference na Riogh, near Rathcrpghan. It is a pillar 

of orthography, are given in Leabhar na stone of red grit, about nine feet in height* 

h-Uidhri, but in the margin, and in a on a small mound, now called Cnocan na 

hand somewhat more modem than the ^-co^t?, about 200 paces to the north of the 

original text of the book. Pagan cemetery called Roilig na Riogh; 

' Dufiffol, Sfc- — The names of these ser- but tradition at present has no recollec- 

yants who carried home the body of Dathi tion of its marking the sepulchre of Dathi, 

are also given in Leabhar na h-Uidhri. so that the imprecation of Formenius seems 

^ Cairrthe dhearg. — This passage en- to have had its effect, when he prayed that 

closed in brackets is taken from our au- his monument might not be honourable 

thor's smaller work, compiled in 1 666. The or conspicuous. No authority has been 



25 

the battle of Grenius, and the battle of Fermir''. These were the 
battles gained by Dathi by exhibiting his dead body to the hosts. 

The body of Dathi was carried to Erin, and interred in Releg na 
Riogh the cemetery of the kings ^ at Cruachan, where the kings of 
the race of Heremon were, for the most part, interred ; and Amhal- 
gaidh, the son of Dathi, died in Deisi Breagh of the venom of the 
deep womids which he received in the above mentioned battles, and 
his tribe and progeny are in Bregia, or Breaghmhagh, i. e. the Cineal 
Becon. 

DungaP, Flannghus, Tuathal, and Tomaltach were the four ser- 
vants of trust who carried with them the body of the king. [The 
body of Dathi was brought to Cruachan, where the kings of the race 
of Heremon were, for the most part, interred, where, to this day, 
1666, the cairrthe dhearg", red pillar stone y remains as a monument 
over his grave, near Rath Cruachan.] That the body of Dathi is in- 
terred in the middle of Aonach na Cruachna is attested by Toma 
Eigeas, in his poem pointing out the burial place of the kings of the 
race of Heremon to the men of Erin. 

" Thou hast concealed from all, Cruacha Croidhearg, the fair 
king of Erin, Dathi, son of Fiachra, a generous king by sea and land; 
all have been informed that he was killed in royal land ; from all I 
will not conceal it. Thou hast, &c." 

This was revealed to Toma Eigeas through poetical inspiration", 

after 

diflooTered for making tbis red pillar stone vivid. The Editor saw this stone in the 

the monument of this monarch, except the year 1837, when it was standing on the 

smaller work, compiled in 1666, by Dnald small mound already mentioned ; but it 

Mac Firbis. Whether he had any written has since been thrown down by the cattle, 

authority for the fact, it is now, perhaps, and is now lying prostrate, to the disgrace 

impossible to determine, but the Editor of the neighbouring gentry; the 0'Ck>nors, 

is of opinion that he had no authority it must be hoped, will restore it 
for it but the tradition of the country, " Poetical inspiration, — It was the belief 

which was, no doubt, in his time very in Ireland in Pagan times that a poet's 

IBI8H ABCH. 80C. 12. E 



26 

ailjeajHi o' peapaib Gpeano F^'P» i^ ^ Fi<>r ^'^^^ ^P h-€i6naicea6 
Darn, mac piacpac, pi Gpeant). Cona ann Do pijne Copna Gjeap 
an pirleap5 |>a aja bcapbab fin, ojup po can na pannu pa : 

Qca puD-pa pi pionn b-peap b-pdil, 
Datn, mac piacpac, pcap jpaib, 
Q Chpuaca, po celip pin 

Qca pno Ounjalac Dian, 
Cuj na gell cap muip aniap, 
Qca puD, poillpij a n-nar, 
Cono, Cuaral, ip Comalcac. 

Cpi mec Garac peblij pino, 
Qcait) ao mfip, map maoi&im, 
Qcd 6ocai6 Qipeam paon 
Qp na rhapbao oo mop-TTlhaol. 

Qca Gocaib pe&leac plaic 

Pud, agup Dcpbpe bpeac-maic, 

Qgup 

mind was capable of being rendered pro- or angry, and in Leabhar na h-Uidhri it 

phetic by the aid of certain charms or isinDai3,i.e. of valour. These differences 

incantations called Imbas for Osnae, and are traceable to the carelessness of tran- 

Teinm Loegkdha ; for some account of scribers, and sometimes to the obliterated 

which see Battle of Magh Rath, pp. 46, 47, state of the original MSS. from which the 

Note ^. Torna Eigeas is said to have been copies were made ; for when the original 

chief poet of Ireland, and the tutor of the was effaced or defectiye in some words the 

monarch Niall of the Nine Hostages, who transcribers often filled up the blanks 

was slain in the year 406. according to their own judgment. 

^ RWdearg — Pecaipic, in Leabhar na ^ Who brought the hostages, ^, — In the 

h-Uidhri. It is the name of a kind of copy of this poem in Leabhar na h-Uidhri 

metrical prose put into the mouths of this line reads, cue in pij; oap muip na 

Druids and poets while under the influ- pian, L e. who brought the king over the 

ence of the Teinm Loeghdha. sea of roads, and this is obviously the true 

P Man of dignity. — In the Book of Le- reading, 

can the reading is peapjaio, i. e, the fierce ^ Reveal their appearance. — In Leabhar 



27 



after he had been requested by the men of Erin to discover where 
Dathi, son of Fiachra, king of Erin, was interred ; so that it was on 
this occasion Toma Eigeas composed this rithlearg° above given to 
prove it ; and he composed also the following quatrains : 

" Under thee lies the fair king of the men of Fail, 
Dathi, son of Fiachra, man of dignity** ; 
O Cruacha, thou hast concealed this 
From the strangers, from the Gaels. 

Under thee is Dungalach the vehement, 
Who brought the hostages*" over the boisterous sea ; 
Under thee are, reveal their appearance', 
Conn, Tuathal, and Tomaltach. 

The three sons of Eochaidh Feidhleach*, the fair, 
Are in thy mound, as I boast. 
As also is Eochaidh Aireamh* feeble. 
Having been slain by the great Maol. 

The prince Eochaidh Feidhleach is 

Beneath thee, and Derbhre** of goodly aspect, 

And 



na h-Uidhii, pallpi^ce pcR;,of weU-known 
prosperity. 

* The three eons of Eochaidh Feidhleach.— 
Eochaidh Feidhleach was monarch of Ire- 
land, according to O'Flaherty's Chrono- 
logy, A. M. 3922, and had three sons, 
Breas, Nar, and Lothar, and six daugh- 
ters, Mughain, Eile, Meadhbh, Deirbhre, 
Clothra, and Eithne, who are all much 
celebrated in Irish romance. 

^ Eochaidh Aireamh, — He was brother 
of Eochaidh Feidhleach, and succeeded him 
as monarch of Ireland, A. M. 3934, accord- 
ing to O'Flaherty's Chronology; (Ogygia, 



Part IIL c. 44, p. 271), who states that 
he was killed by lightning atFremoinn, a 
hill in Teffia, in Westmeath (now Frawin 
Hill, to the north of Mullingar); but, ac^ 
cording to Keating, he was slain at the 
same place, by a warrior called Siodhmhall, 
which perhaps should be written Sidhmaol, 
as in this yery ancient poem the slayer of 
this monarch is called the great Mad. 

^ Derbhre is written Dpebpiu in Leabhar 
na h-Uidhri, and incorrectly called Deir- 
dria by 0*Flaherty (Ogyg. p. 267). 8he 
was one of the six daughters of the mo- 
narch Eochaidh Feidhleach._See Note '• 



E2 



28 

Qjuf Clocpa, ni cem aipj, 
Cljuf TTleabb, ajuf TTluipeapj. 

6pe, pobla, ajuf banba, 
Cpi h-65-Thna ailne, arhpa, 
Qcait) 1 5-Cpuacain na 5-clann, 
Cpi piojna Chuac Oe Danann. 

Cpi mec CeapmaOa a Sic Cpuim, 
Cljuf Lujam a Ciacpuim, 
Clant) QoDa, mic an Da^ba, 
Qguf TTliDip Tnop-calma. 

Qca p6o I15 na luibe 
Cobcac Caol ip Ugoine, 
Qjuf 6a&bca6, pem 50 par, 
bpacaip 00 Ujoine uallac. 

Clant) peblimit) Reccmaip pdin, 



^ Clothra She was another of the 

daughters of Eochaidh Feidhleach, and 
gave name to the island of Inis Clothrann, 
in Lough Ree, an expansion of the Shan- 
non between Athlone and Lanesborough. 

^ Meadkbkt Latinized Mauda by O'Fla- 
lierty, and pronounced Meave. She was 
another daughter of Eochaidh Feidhleach, 
and a most celebrated character in Pagan 
Irish history, who is still vividly remem- 
bered in the traditions of the country. 

* Muireasg, — She was a daughter of 
Ilugony Mor, monarch of Ireland, A. M. 
3619. Book of Lecan, fol. 16,6, b, 

"f Eire, Fodhla, and Banbuy Sfc, — Ac- 
cording to all the accounts of the Tuatha 
l)e Dananns, these were the three Queens 
of the Tuatha De Dananns at the arrival 



of the Milesian or Scotic colony from 
Spain. — See Keating's History of Ireland, 
where almost all the bardic accounts of 
them are collected. 

* The three sons ofCearmod. — These 
were the three Tuatha De Danann kings 
who ruled Ireland at the period of the 
arrival of the Milesian or Scotic colony. 
They were the husbands of the three 
queens above mentioned. 

^Sith Truim, or Sith druim. — This, ac- 
cording to Keating, was the ancient name 
of the rock of Cashel. 

^ Lughaidhy L e. Lughaidh Lamhfhada, 
or Lughaidh the Long-handed, king of 
the Tuatha De Dananns, a character much 
celebrated in ancient Irish stories (see 
Ogygia, Part III.c. 13), and still the hero 



29 

And Clothra'', no small honour to thee. 
And Meadhbh"', and Muireasg*. 

Eire, Fodhla, and Banba^, 
Three beauteous, famous young women. 
Are in Cruachan of clans, 
Three queens of the Tuatha De Dananns. 

The three sons of Cearmad^ of Sith Truim", 
And Lughaidh*" of Liatruim'', 
The sons of Aodh, son of the Daghda**, 
And Midir*, the great and brave. 

Beneath thy stone are lying 
Cobhthach Cao^ and Ugaine*, 
And Badhbhchadh of prosperous career, 
Brother of the haughty Ugaine. 

The sons of the noble Feidhlimidh Keachtmhar**, 



And 



of many traditions. 

^ Ltatruim This was one of the an- 
cient names of Tara HiU, in Meath. — See 
Dinnseanchus and O'Flaherty's Ogygia, 
Part III. c. $$. 

* Daghda, — He was King of the Tuatha 
De Dananns for forty years, and is much 
celebrated in Irish stories. 

* Midir. — He was the son of Daghda, 
and is much celebrated in Irish stories as 
Midir of Bri Leith, a hiU near Ardagh, in 
the present county of Longford, where it 
was believed his spirit continued to reside 
long after his death. There is a very cu- 
rious romance about this personage in 
Leabhar na h-Uidhri, which preserves one 
of the oldest poems in the Irish language. 



^ Cobhthach Cad. He is generally called 

Cobhthach Gaol m-Breagh, i. e. Cobhthach 
the Slender, of Bregia. He was the son of 
Ugaine, or Hugony the Great, and monarch 
of Ireland in the year of the World 3665. 

8 Ugaine* — He was a celebrated monarch 
of Ireland of the Scotic or Milesian colony, 
and ascended the throne in the year of the 
World 3619, according to O'Flaherty's 
Chronology. 

^ Feidhlimidh Reachtmhar, or Felimy 
the Lawgiver. He was monarch of Ire- 
land early in the second century. For 
some account of him see Keating's History 
of Ireland, O'Flaherty's Ogygia, p. 306, 
and Colgan's Trias Thaum. p. 447. 



30 



Ip clano ChuifiD ip m j-comoail, 
Qcc Qpc ip Cop mac na 5-cac ; 
Deapb gup celip a Chpuaca. 
Qn naorh, ap rojail a ihiiip, 
Q oubaipc ppip 1 n-a puin, 
Q lije an laoic-pi ana 
Na ba6 oipocpc a Chpuaca. 



* The descendantM qfConn^ L e. Conn 
of the Hundred Battles, who became mo- 
narch of Ireland in the year of our Lord, 
177. — See Keating and O'Flaherty's Ogy- 
gia. Part IIL c. 60, p. 313. 

J Art, — He was the son of Conn of the 
Hundred Battles, and monarch of Ireland 
in the early part of the third century. It 
is stated in Leabhar na h-Uidhri that this 
monarch was converted to Christianity 
and interred at Trevet in Meath. 

* Cormac He was the son of Art, and 

is generally styled O'Cuinn, as being the 
grandson of Conn of the Hundred Battles. 
He was one of the most celebrated of the 
Irish monarchs, and, according to Leabhar 
na h-Uidhri, embraced the Christian faith 
to the great annoyance of his druids, and 
was interred at Ros na riogh (now Bosna- 
ree, near Slane, in the county of East 
Meath). Keating adds that St. Columb- 
kille afterwards came to this place, and 
said three masses over the grave of his 
royal ancestor. 

* The saint after the destruction of hie 
waUa, — In Leabhar na h-Uidhri the last 
line of this quatrain reads better thus : 



Qca. 

Dan, 

Ml boD apixji|ic, a Chpuaco. This qua- 
train is evidently misplaced, for it relates 
to Formenius the Eremite and the monarch 
DathL It should be introduced after the 
first quatrain ; but as it is given last in 
all the copies, even in Leabhar na h-Uidhri, 
a manuscript of the twelfth century, the 
Editor does not feel himself at liberty to 
alter its position. Keating, in his History 
of Ireland (reign of Cormac O'Cuinn), 
quotes a considerable portion of this poem, 
which shall be here given, that the reader 
may have the advantage of Dr. Lynch's 
Latin translation of it 

t)6 pptoih-potlij, lomoppa, 00 Bt a 
n-6ipinn a nalloo, a n-aimp ip na p6j6n- 
caeca, 1 n-a^-cuipcf upihdp pfo^Gipeann, 
map aca b\\u^ na 56inne, a^up Roili^ 
na pfo^, I6am pe Cpuacain. 1p pollup 
^p b'lonao aolaicce 00 pfo^tB Sipeonn 
6pu5 na 66inne ap an peancap cuap ; 
a^up ip oeapB ^up B^onao coicceann 
aolaicce 00 piojaiB Gipeann I^oili^ na 
P^oj, a j-Cpuacain, do p^ip Chopna 
Sijeap \cm laoio po ptop am' oiaio : 
Qca puc-pa pfj pionn p6il, 
t>aci mac piacpac peapjuio ; 



31 



And the descendants of Conn* are in the assembly, 

(Excepting Art^ and Cormac^ of battles) ; 

It is certain that thou hast concealed them, O Cruacha. 

The saint [i. e. Formenius\ after the destruction of his walls*, 

Said to him [i. e. to Datht], with prophetic spirit, 

* May not this hero's monument 

Be conspicuous ;' Cruacha ! 

Under," &c. 



Q Cfipuaca, po ceilip poin 
Qp J^^allaiB, ap ^haobaloiB. 
Q06 pur, t)un3alac oian, 
Cu^ na ^eill rap muip aiiiap ; 
Qcd puc, poillpij a n-oac, 
Conn, Cuaral ip Comalcac. 
Cpi mic 6acac peiolij pinn 
CXc6iD fdm!* m^p, map maoioim ; 
Qc& 6ocai6 Qipeaiii paon, 
lap n-a ihapBao le Tn6p TTlhaol. 
CXc6 Gocaio peioleac plaic 
p6c, ip t)eipbpi^ oea^-ihair, 
^5^r Clocpa, nt c^im apy, 
Qjup IDeaoB, ajup ITlupapj. 
Gipe, Poola ajup 5anba, 
Cpi h-oj-mnd dilne, anipa, 
QcaiD a ^-Cpuacain na ^-clann, 
Cpiap ban do Chuaraib t)e Oanann. 
Cpi mic Ceapmaoa 6 Sfropuim, 
Q^up Cu^aio 6 Ciacpuim 
Clann Qooa, mic an Oa^oa, 
Qjup TTliDip mop-calma. 
Qca p66 I15 'n-a luioe 
Cobrac Caol ip U^uine, 
Qjup &a6bca6, p6iin 50 par, 
Q^p OUam apo, uallac. 

Thus translated by Lynch, the. author 



Dathi 

of Cambrensis Eversua : 

*' Duo quondam prsecipuse notae sepul- 
chra in Hibemia extitere, dum ei adhuc 
Paganism! tenebrs ofiunderentur, in qui- 
bus plerique Hibemise reges terree man- 
dabantur, Bruigum, scilicet, prope Boinum 
amnem, et Csemiterium Regum prope 
Cruachanum : in illo Teamoriee rcges se- 
peliri soliti sunt. Hoc autem omnibus 
Hiberniae Regibus inhumandis vulgo 
prostitutum fuisse Turnus Egius fidem 
his carminibus facit : 
'* O Cruachana, tua super tellare recondis 
Indigenaram oculis peregrinorumque remotum 
Insignem heroem, candentemque ora Dahihum, 
Progenitam Fiachro Regem glocialis lemai, 
Et DoDgalacham prnstantem viribus, hostia 
Trans mare qai prsBdas duxit, formaque decoros 
Tumultacb, Conum, Tuathaliim tres et Eochi 
Feidalochi niTei natos, sub colle repostos, 
QuoB oognosco, tuo, qaibus est a4juncta8 Eochus 
Araimus dextr4 Mormoli csesus, Eochus 
PrsBterea Fedlach, necnon Derbrecha decora 
Clothraque, Mebha simul cum Mursca cedit honor! 
Non modico, Cruachana, tibi resista, sepulchro. 
Tu quoque condia Eram^FoIIam Banbamque venustd 
Oris conspicuas specie, tres natio misit 
Qu» Tuadedonan, Carmodi et pignora trina, 
Qui coluit TilUun Sithrum ac ossa Lugadi, 



32 



Daci, umoppo, cerpe mec piceao aijc, .i. Oilioll TTlolc, Ri 
Gpeann, ajup Qlban, peap Do rabaij an bhopoma pa rpf jan cac; 
agup piacpa ealgac, 6 D-caiD Ui piacpac TTluaiDe, a^up il-ceneula 
ele ; Gocaib 6peac 6 o-cdio Ui Gachui6 TTluame a^up Ui phiac- 
pac Qibne ; agup GocaiD meano, ajup piacpa mac Darn ap 6 po 
baoi 1 n-gellpine ag Niall Naoijiallac, a^up ap ua&a Ui phiacha, 
no phiacpac, Cuile pabaip, i TTliDe. 6apc, Cope, Onbecc, 
6eccon, TTlac Uaip, Qongup Cam-paoa, Carol, paolchu, o D-caio 
Ui paolcon; Dungal, Conpac, Neapa, QThalgaiD mac Dan, 6 
n-cdt) Cmeul m-6eccon, i m-bpeagaib bcop, no i m-bpeajmui^. 
[beprep beop jenelac Clomnc pipbipij gup an Qmaljaib pm.] 
6laca6 no 6la6ca6, Cugarhna, 6 o-caio TTlec Conjamna, la Cmeul 
pecm ; agup Clob 6 t)-raio Ui Clo6a la boipmo. 

Oilioll TTlolc, mac Dan, mac ooipcn Ceallac, acaip 605am 
6cul, ajup Oilealla lonbanoa, od pi^ Chonnachc. 

Gojan 6eul, umoppo, oa mac lai)% .1. Ceallac, ap a n-Deapna6 
an mapcpa mop, .1. a ceacpa combalcaba pen b'a mapbao a pill 1 

n-Qpo 



Qui Liatrim colult : Decnon quos gignlt Aldus 
ProgenituB Dagao, cum bellatore Midlro, 
Cobthaehum Tenuem tegis Ugonemque sub herba, 
Heroesque alios Badbacbum, copia rerum 
Cui talif OUamumque animiB ingentibus altum/' 



m 



Twenty-four sons. — It is strange, how- 
ever, that only twenty are given by name. 

'^ Oilioll Molt, — lie succeeded Laoghaire, 
the son of Niall, and was monarch of Ire- 
land for twenty years, and died A. D. 483. 

® The Borumean tribute — This was a 
very exorbitant mulct on the people of 
Lcinstcr, said to have been first imposed 
by the monarcli Tuathal Teach tmhar, A. D. 
1 44. It was paid with great reluctance till 



the latter part of the reign of Finnachta 
Fleadhach, and was the cause of much 
bloodshed, as the Lagenians seldom con- 
sented to the payment without a battle. 
It was finally remitted in the year 693, by 
Finnachta, at the request of St. Moling, 
to the great annoyance of the magnates of 
the Hy-Niall race. The monarch Brian, 
the ancestor of the O'Briens of Thomond, 
afterwards renewed this impost, for which 
he received his well known appellation 
of Brian Borumha. A historical tract on 
the Origin and History of the Borumean 
Tribute is preparing for publication by 
the Irish Archaeological Society. 



33 

Dathi had twenty-four sons", namely, OilioU Molt", King of Erin 
and Alba, and a man who exacted the Borumean tribute^ thrice with- 
out a battle ; Fiachra Ealgach, from whom the Hy-Fiachrach of the 
Moy, and various other tribes are descended; Eochaidh Breac, from 
whom are sprung the Hy-Eachach of the Moy, and the Hy-Fiachrach 
Aidhne; Eochaidh Meann; Fiachra Mac Dathi, who was detained 
as a hostage by Niall of the Nine Hostages, and from whom the Hy- 
Fiacha, or Hy-Fiachrach, of Cuil Fabhair**, in Meath, are descended ; 
Earc; Core; Onbecc; Beccon; Mac Uais; Aongus the Long-handed; 
Cathal ; Faolchu, from whom are the Ui Faolchon ; Dunghal ; Con- 
rach ; Neara ; Amhalgaidh Mac Dathi, from whom are the Cineal 
m-Beccon, in Bregia, or Breagh-mhuigh"*. [The pedigree of the 
Clann-Firbis' is also traced to this Amhalgaidh.] Blachadh, or 
Bladhcadh; Cugamhna, from whom are the Mac Congamhnas, in 
Cineal Fechin* ; and Aodh, from whom are sprung the Hy-Aodha, 
in Boirinn^ 

OilioU Molt, the son of Dathi, had a son Ceallach, the father of 
Eoghan Beul, and of OilioU lonbhanda, two kings of Connaught". 

Eoghan Beid had two sons, namely, Ceallach, on whom the atro- 
cious murder was committed, that is, his own four foster-brothers 
kiUed him treacherously at Ard an fhenneadha, at the instigation of 

Guaire 

P CuU Fabkair. — This place was near of the present county of Galway, compri- 



Fore, in the county of Westmeath, 

^ Breaghmkuigkt a rich plain comprising 

the greater portion of the present county 

of East Meath. 

' [The pedigree of the Clann FirhiB. — 

This passage is supplied from Duald Mac 

Eirbis's smaller work compiled in the year 

1666. 
* Cineal Fechin^ a territory in the south 

IBISH ABCH. SOC. 12. 



sing a considerable portion of the barony 
of Leitrim. — See Map in the Tract on 
Hy-Many. 

^ Boirifiny now Burren, a rocky barony 
in the north-west of the county of Clare. 

^ Kings of Connaught, — For the periods 
at which these kings reigned, see list of 
the Kings of Connaught towards the end 
of this Yolume. 



34 

n-Qpt) an phenneaba, cpe pupail 5^^^^P^> ^^^ Colmam, cpe 
popmat) im ceann na pi^e, ajup Cucoinjelc, mac Gojain, an mac 
ele, ay e pop mapb combalraba Ceallai^, cpep an pionjail, ^. 
TTlaolcpoin, TTlaolpeanaij, Hlaoloalua, ajup TTlac (no TTlaol) 
Deopui6. No, ap e a pia^ab Do ponab aj Sal Spora ocpj, ppip 
a n-abapcap TDuam, ajup ap uaoaib acd QpD na piaj ap an 
cului5 op TTluaib, a^up Qpo na ITlaol ainm na tnilca, i n-ap h-a6- 
laiceab lao, Icac call oo'n c-ppuic. 



CCawt) eoChaiDh 6hRlC, miC DOChl, QHt) SO 818. 

GocaiD 6peac, mac Darn, cerpe mec lep, .1. Caogaipe, bpece, 
Qilgile, ajup Gojan Qi&ne. 

6pece, mac Gacac 6pic, clann laip, .1. TTluolpaicce, 6 o-cdm 
Uf TTlaoilaicen ; bpooub, 6 o-cdm Ui bpoouib; bpeanaino 6 o-cdio 
Uf TTlaoilbpenuinn, ajup Ui Chpeacain. dp t)o cloinn bpeunumo, 
mic 6pere, na cpi Ui Suanaijj, .1. pi&muine, piobaiple, ajup pi6- 
gupa, no PioOjup, cpi mec 

pio&bat)oi5, 



" Sal Srotha Derg^ an ancient name of 
the River Moy. 

^ Ard na riagk, now Ardnarea, a village 
on the east side of the River Moy, in the 
barony of Tireragh and county of Sligo. 
This village, which may be now considered 
as a suburb to the town of Ballina, is con- 
nected with it by a bridge over the River 
Moy ; but the locality originally called 
Ard na riagh, L e. the hill of executions, 
immediately adjoins the viUage to the 
south, and is now generally called the 
Castle Hill, from a castle which formerly 
stood upon it. 



^ Ard na Mad, i. e. height or hill of the 
MacU, L e. where the four youths whose 
names began with the word Maol were 
interred. For a more circumstantial ac- 
count of the execution and interment of 
the four Maols, see Dinnseanchus in the 
Book of Lecan, fol. 246. The monument 
raised over these youths is still in existence, 
and situated on a hill on the west side of 
the River Moy, nearly opposite the hill of 
Ard na riagh, in the parish of Kilmore- 
Moy and barony of Tirawley, a short dis- 
tance to the south of the town of Ballina. 
It is a remarkable Cromlech supported by 



35 

Guaire Aidhne, son of Colman, through envy about the sovereignty ; 
and Cuchongelt Mac Eoghain, the other son, was he who slew the 
foster-brothers of Ceallach in revenge for their firatricide ; they were 
Maolcroin, Maolseanaigh, Maoldalua, and Mac (or Maol) deoraidh. 
Or, according to others^ these were hanged at the river of Sal Srotha 
Derg^, which is called the Muaidh, and it was from them the hill 
over the Muaidh was called Ard na riogh''; and Ard na Maol"" is 
the name of the hill on the other side of the stream, where they were 
interred. 



THE DESCENDANTS OF EOCHAIDH BREAC, THE SON OF DATHI, DOWN HERE. 

Eochaidh Breac, the son of Dathi, had four sons, namely, Laogh- 
aire, Brethe, Ailghile, and Eoghan Aidhne. 

Brethe, the son of Eochaidh Breac, had issue, viz., Maolfaithche, 
from whom are the family q/'O'Maoilaichen^ ; Brodubh, from whom 
are theya?»% o/'O'Broduibh' ; Breanainn, from whom are the familt/ 
of O'Maoilbreanainn", and ihe family o/" O'Creachain*". Of the de- 
scendants of Breanainn, the son of Brethe, were the three O'Sua- 
naighs, namely, Fidhmuine, Fiodhairle, and Fidhgusa, or Fiodhgus; 
who were the three sons of 

Fiodhbhadach, 



three pillar stones, and fixed as level as a 
horizontal dial It is now popularly called 
the Table of the Giants by the natives 
when speaking English, and Clock an 
to^aia^ L e. the raised stone, in Irish. 
This is the only Cromlech in Ireland 
which can be satisfactorily connected with 
history. In the Dinnseanchus this monu- 
ment is called Leacht na Maol, and said to 
occupy a lofty ntuaiion^ which, coupled with 
the description of its situation on the other 



side of the Moy opposite Ard na riagh, 
leaves no doubt of its identity. 

y O^Maoilaichen^ now unknown. 

■ G*Broduibhy not known. 

* O^Maailbhreanainnj now always angli- 
cised Mulrenin ; the name is numerous 
in many parts of the province of Con- 
naught. 

^ (/Creachain is probably the name now 
anglicised Creaghan and Greahan. 



F2 



36 



pioDbaooij, 
Tnic Conouilij, 
mic Comain, 
mic Suanaij, 
mic Cpeacain TTluaibe, 



mic bpenuinn, 

mic 6pere, 

mic Gacac 6pic, 

mic Daci, pig Gpeann. 



mic bpuibe, 

peapamla, mjean Dioma Duib, mic Diapmaoa, mic Seanaij, 
mic Caojaipe, mic Gacac 6pic, mic Daci, maraip na D-cpf Ua 
Suanaijj. Qjup ap f mdcaip Qobain Chluana Gocaille, 'pa 
Chopann, ajup ap f maraip DiclereUf Chpiallaijpa h-dicpeb pil 
1 5-cpic Ciappaige Luacpa, ajup ap f macaip Colmain, mic Gacac, 
pil 1 Seanbocac, i n-lb Cenpiolui^. Coni6 laD pin naoim Ua n-Gar- 
ach TTluaiDe. Qp pliocc Gacac 6hpic, mic Daci, acd Colman ajup 
Qoban. Naoim imoppo pil Gacac 6pic, .i. 

Colman, 



mac Duac, 6 o-ca Ceall TTlhic 

Duac, 
mic Qinmipeac, 
mic Conaill, 
mic Cobcaij, 



mic 5^i^^^^^» 
mic Conaill, 

mic Gojjam C[i6ne, 

mic Gacac 6pic, 

mic Daci. 



Cl^up na cpi Ui Suanaij ace ant) po a n-^abdla, .i. pibmume i 
Racum, pmaiple i j-Cionu c-8dile, cigup pio&jup i n-^^af'^cippu^S. 

ar 



^ Hie Three 0*8uanaighi, — These were 
three samts of some celebrity in Irish 
history. 

^ Cluain EoehaiUe^ now Cloonoghill, in 
a parish of the same name, barony of Cor- 
ran and county of Sligo. 

^ Sean bhothach^ called Sean boithe Sine 
in the Annals of the Four Masters, ad ann. 
6oi, now Templeshanbo, L e. the church 
of Sean boithe ; it is situated at the foot of 



Mount Leinster, in the barony of Scara- 
walsh and county of Wexford, The country 
anciently called Hy-Cinsellaigh comprised 
the entireof thepresentcountyofWexford, 
and parts of those of Carlow and Wicklow. 

^ CeaB mhic Ihutehj L e. the church of 
the son of Duach, now Kilmacduagh, in 
the barony of Kiltartan, in the south-west 
of the county of Gralway. 

8 Bathain^ generally called Hathain Ui 



37 



son of Brenainn, 

son of Brethe, 

son of Eochaidh Breac, 

son of Dathi, King of Erin. 



Fiodhbhadach, 
son of Cuduiligh, 
son of Coman, 
son of Suanach, 
son of Creachan of the Moy, 
son of Bniidhe, 

Fearamhla, the daughter of Dioma Dubh, son of Diarmaid, son 
of Seanach, son of Laoghaire, son of Eochaidh Breac, son of Dathi, 
was the mother of the three O'Suanaighs*^. She was also the mother 
of Aodhan, of Clnain EochaHle**, in Corann, and of St. Dichlethe 
O'Triallaigh, whose habitation is in the country of Ciarraighe Luachra. 
And she was the mother of St. Cohnan, the son of Eochaidh, who 
is, i. e. lies interred at Sean bhothach*, in Hy-Censiolaigh ; and 
these are the saints of the Hy-Eathach, of the Moy. Of the race of 
Eochaidh Breac, son of Dathi, are the Saints Cohnan and Aodhan. 
The following are the saints of the race of Eochaidh Breac, viz. ; 

Colman, 



son of Duach, from whom Ceall 

mhic Duach^ 
son of Ainmire, 
son of Conall, 
son of Cobhthach, 



son of Goibhnenn, 
son of Conall, 
son of Eoghain Aidhne, 
son of Eochaidh, 
son of Dathi. 



Also the three O'Suanaighs, already mentioned^ who were es- 
tablished at the following places, viz., Fidhmuine, at Rathain*; 

FidhaLrle, at Cionn Saile** ; and Fiodhgus, at Glas-charraig*. 

It 



Shnazudgh in the Irish Annals, now Rahen, 
in the barony of Balljcowan and King's 
CoTinly, and about five miles to the west 
of the town of Tullamore. There are re- 
mains of two very ancient churches at this 
place, of which a minute description is 
given in Mr. Petrie's Essay on the Round 



Towers of Ireland. The death of Fidh- 
muine, who is called anchorite of Rathain, 
is recorded in the Annals of the Four 
Masters at the year 750. 

^ Cionn Saile^ now Kinsale, a well-known 
town in the south of the county of Cork. 

* GUucharraig^ L e. the green rock, now 



38 



Qp e umoppo Diclere Ua Cpiallaig, o'd Thjoipreap Cpiatlac, 
po eulom 6 Chip Qrhalgaib 50 Dfpiopr Ui Cpmllaij, ap bpii 
Capdin Ciappaige ; ajup ap aip Do ponab an rhiopbuile ihop ; Dia 
paibe aj cpiall imcecca 6 rhacaiba mdrap pop eaccpa o'lappaib m 
ChoThbcab, gup ^abaoap e, a^up gup cuibpi^pioo aj cop jlaip 
lapomn eoip a ceann ajup a copa, ajup 00 cuipeab eocaip an 
jlaip ip in paipp^e. Qjup jabap bpaodn an eocaip ina beol, 
jup pluij f. 6ulaip Cpiallac pop an eachrpa 1 5-cupac jan cobail, 
.1. jan cpoicionn, ap an p^ipp^e cimcioll 6peann piap, agup an 
jlap eDip a ceann agup a copa, 50 pdinij ap bpu Ciappaije Luacpa, 
ajup bpaoan na h-eocpac i j-coiihoeacc an clepij, jup jab pope 
(rpe pupcacc n-De), 1 n-Dipiopc Uf Cpiallaij, ap bpu Capdin 
Ciappaige, co na peoaoap a bpdicpeca nd a chineab ca leac 00 
cuaiD. 

Do cuaib lapam Ua Suanai^ ajup Qoban Do mppaib liiic a 
macap, uaip nfp peaDaDap a biol na a bmc, 550 b-puaippioD 6 aj an 
Dipiopc, ajup a jlap paip, eDip a ceann ajup a copa, ajup pe D'd 
biclec ap na clepcib bdDap D'a lappaib. Nip cian Doib ann 50 
b-pacaccap lapjaipe cuca, .i. peap na h-aicpebe, ajup piabaijip 
piap na clepcib, agup Do pona urhaloiD Doib, uaip Do aicin jup do 

Thumcip 



Glascarrick, a well-known place on the 
coast near Gorey, in the north-east of the 
county of Wexford ; but no tradition of 
the saint is now preserved there. Fidh- 
airle Ua Suanaigh is called of Rathain by 
Tighemach and the Four Masters, but 
they differ about the year of his death, 
the former placing it in the year 763, 
which is no doubt the true year, and the 
latter in 758. 

i Disert Ui TriaUaigh^ on the brink of 
the Casan Ciarraighe, — This place is still 



well known, and is the name of an old 
church near the south bank of the River 
Feal, to the west of Listowell, in the ba- 
rony of Clanmaurice, and county of Kerry. 
The name Casan Ciarraighe, i. e. the path 
of Kerry (it being the high road into the 
country), anglicised Cashen River, is now 
applied to that part of the River Feal ex- 
tending from the point where it receives 
the River Brick to the sea; but it is 
highly probable that the appellation of 
Casan Ciarraighe was originaUy applied to 



39 

It was Dichlethe O'Triallaigh, commonly called Triallach, that 
absconded from Tir Amhalgaidh, and went to Disert Ui Triallagh^ 
on the brink of the river Casan Ciarraighe ; and it was upon him the 
following great miracle was performed. One time, as he attempted 
to go away from the sons of his mother on an expedition to seek for 
God, they took him and fettered him, placing a lock of iron between 
his head and feet ; and the key of the lock was cast into the sea, 
and a salmon took it in its mouth and swallowed it. Triallach soon 
after stole away on his expedition, and put to sea in a currach which 
was not covered with leather, and went round Ireland westwards, with 
the fetter between his head and feet, until he arrived on the coast of 
Ciarraighe Luachra^, whither the salmon which had swallowed the 
key accompanied him, and by the assistance of God he landed there 
at Disert Ui Triallaigh, on the brink of the river Casan Ciarraighe, 
so that neither his brothers nor tribe knew in what direction he 
had gone. 

O'Suanaigh and Aodhan afterwards went in search of their 
mother's son, and they knew not his fete or destiny until they found 
him at the Disert with his lock on between his head and feet, and 
he hiding himself from those clerics who were in search of him. 
They were not long there when they saw a fisherman* coming towards 
them, the man to whom the habitation belonged, who bade the clerics 
welcdme, and made obeisance to them, for he perceived that they 

were 

the riyer as far as it is navigable for a poem, and many other authorities, 
cnrrach, or ancient Irish leather boat ; * Fisherman, — Salmons still much 

and the &ct that this church of Disert is abound in this river; and when the Editor 

described as on the margin of the CcLsan is visited the church of Disert Triallaigh, in 

no weak corroboration of this opinion. the summer of the je^ 1841, he was fer- 

^ Ciarraighe Luaekra was the ancient ried across the river to the church, which 

name of a territory comprising the greater is on the south side, by a fisherman, in a 

part of the present county of Kerry, as fishing cot, or small flat-bottomed boat, 
appears from O'Heerin's Topographical 



40 

mumcip Oe Ooib, ajuy* gup ob aj iappai6 an naoim baoi pa rrjlap 
bdccup pop an eaccpa pan, agup at)bepc Cpmllac na cleipig Do 
piapujab 50 maic, uaip oleajaio aijib a piap. Ceo lapum an 
c-iapgaipe 00 cup a Ifn Doib, 350 n-oebcpc Ua Suanaijj pip, do 
jeabra Ian Do Ifn, .1. bpaDon jaca Tnojuill aD Ifon, a^up na cuj 
leac ace dp n-Dafcm, .i. bpaDan gac pip. Do pme an c-iapjaipe 
ariilaiD, a^up Do paD bpaDan Do gac clepeac Dfob, agup ppfc an 
eocaip an inDib an bpaDain ruj Do Chpiallac, jup h-opjlab an 
jlap Di ; agup acd an cuibpioc pan *n a rhionD rhiopbaileac, ajup 
^lapan Ua Cpiallaijli a corhainm. 

Qp aipe paiceap Diclere Ua Cpiallaij, .1. ap an 5-clec Do pona 
ap pen ag euloD 6 a bpdicpib, agup 1 D-cij an lapgaipe. Qp aipe 
a Deapap Cpiallac ppip, 6'r\ cpmll Do pona ap paippje Do airhDeom 
a bpdirpeac. 

Qiljile, mac 6acac 6pic, Dia D-cdiD TTluincip Qiljeanam, no 
Qiljile, ajup Dia m-baoi an pdiD oipbepc, .1. Cu-cerhin mac Qil- 
jile. 

Cuboipne, umoppo, an cuijeaD mac Gacac 6pic, ap uaDa, pibe 
acdiD TTlumcip TTlocam Chille h-Qrpacc, .1. maoip na Cpoipi 
Qrpacc. 

Seweacach 



m 



Glasan O'TVtofla^A.— The Editor could 
find no account or tradition of this relic 
in the neighbourhood of the old church of 
Disert Triallaigh, so that it has probably 
been for some time lost, or carried away 
from the locality. 

° TriaUctch If this be true it looks 

very strange that Ua^ or O* should be 
prefixed to this name. It is probably a 
mistake, for, if true, it would go to prove 
that Triallach was the name of his grand- 



father, and not of himself. No account of 
this Triallach has been as yet found in any 
other authority. His name is not entered 
in any of the Irish calendars, nor is his 
festival day now remembered at his church 
of Dysart, in Kerry. 

° The celebrated prophet Cutemhen. — In 
the Book of Lecan, foL 80, page a, col. i, 
he is called Cutemnen. The Editor has 
not yet been able to find any other notice 
of this Cutemhen or his prophecies. 



4^ 

were of the people of God, i. e. ecclesiastics ^ and that they had set 
out on their journey to search for the saint who was bound by the 
fetter. Triallach ordered that the clerics should be well entertained, 
"that strangers were entitled to attention." The fisherman then 
went to set his net for them, and O'Suanaigh said to him, " thou wilt 
take the full of thy net, that is a salmon in each mesh, but do not 
bring with thee more than a suflGlciency for us, that is, a salmon for 
each man." The fisherman did accordingly, and he presented a salmon 
to each cleric ; and the key was found in the belly of the salmon 
given to Triallach, and the lock was opened with it. That fetter is 
now a miracidous relic, and known by the name of Glasano Triallaigh"*, 
i. e. Triallach^ s little lock or fetter, 

Triallach was called Diclethe, from the cleth, or concealment, 
which he made of himself in escaping from his brothers, and in the 
house of the fisherman. And he was called Triallach^ from the triall, 
or voyage, which he made on the sea in despite of his brothers. 

From Ailghile, son of Eochaidh Breac, are descended Muinter 
Ailgheanain, or Ailghile, and of whom was the celebrated prophet 
Cutemen° Mac Ailghile. 

From Cuboime, the fifth son of Eochaidh, are descended Muinter 
Mochain**, of Gill Athracht**, i. e. the keepers of the Cross of St. 
Athracht. 

PEDIGREE 
P Muinter Mochain^ now anglicised Mo- ^ CiU Athrachiy i. e. the church of St. 

han or Moghan, and the name is still Athrachta, now Killaraght, a parish in 

common in the north of the county of the barony of Coolavin, in the county of 

Roscommon. The O'Clerys give also the Sligo. Athrachta was cotemporary with 

pedigree of Domhnall O'Mochain, abbot St. Patrick, from whom she is said to have 

of Boyle, who died in the year 1441 ; it received the veil in the year 470. Her 

runs thus : — " Domhnall, abbot of Boyle, holy well in this parish is still held in 

son of Diarmaid, son of Muirgheas, son of the highest veneration, and visited by 

Simon, son of Nichol, son of Domhnall, pilgrims, but the Editor has not been 

son of Donnchadh, son of Muircheartach.^' able to determine whether her cross is still 

IRISH ASCH. 80C. 12. 6 



42 



SeNeacach ua mochaiN. 

^pea^oip Qipo-eappoc Chuama, 



mac Siomoin, 
mic Niac6il, 
mic DoniTiuill, 
mic Donncaib, 
inic TTluipceapcai j, 
mic TTluipeaDai j, 
mic Pint), 
mic rrieanman, 
mic Donncuib, 
mic Qiceapaij, 
mic TTluipccapcaijj, 
mic TTlupcuib, 



mic TTlocan a quo Ui TTlocam, 

mic Qongura, 

mic Cpeapuij, 

mic Cijcapnaij, 

mic "CaiDj, 

mic Qiljeanaijj, 

mic Concabaip, 

mic pioinn, 

mic Cacail, 

mic Con-boipne, 

mic 6acac 6pic, 

mic Daci pij; Gpeann. 



No gomab mac o' Gojan Qione, mac Gocam 6pic, Cuboipne, 
6 o-cdiD Ui TTlocan; ajup ap pfop pm. 

Clant) Laojaipe, mic Gacac 6pic, .1. TTluincip TTIuipean 'J^lt- 
anna TTIaoilouin la h-Gibni^, agup TTlumcip TTIuipean ele la 
h-Urhall, a^up ap aon aicme lao apaon lap n-jaol jenealaijj, .i. 

TTlaolDuin, 

in existence. The present head of the 
Mac Dermotts, who styles himself the 
prince of Coolavin, incorrectly, his real 
title being the chief of Moylurg, holds this 
saint in such veneration that he has given 
her name to one of his daughters. 

' Gregory y Archbishop of Tuam. — Gre- 
gory O'Moghan was promoted to the see 
of Tuam in the year 1 385, but deprived in 
1 386. His death is recorded in the Annals 
of the Four Masters at the year 1392, in 



these words : — " A. D. 1 392. Gregory 
O'Mochain, Archbishop of Tuam, a pious 
and charitable man, died." — See also 
Ware's Bishops. The O'Clerys carry the 
pedigree three generations later, thus : — 
Maghnus and Diarmaid, sons of John, son 
of Gregory, son of Simon, &c., so that it 
would appear that this bishop had been 
married before he received holy orders. 

* Gleann Maoilduin, at the Eidhneach, — 
The situation of this valley is unknown to 






43 



PEDIGKEE OF O MOCHAIN. 



Gregory, Archbishop of Tuam', 
son of Simon, son of Mochan, a quo the O'Mo- 



son of Nicholas, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Donnchadh, 
son of Muircheartach, 
son of Mnireadhach, 
son of Finn, 
son of Meanman, 
son of Donnchadh, 
son of Aitheasach, 
son of Muircheartach, 
son of Murchadh, 



chains, 
son of Aongus, 
son of Treasach, 
son of Tigheamach, 
son of Tadhg, 
son of Ailgheanach, 
son of Conchobhar, 
son of Flann, 
son of Cathal, 
son of Cuboime, 



son of Eochaidh Breac, 

son of Dathi, King of Ireland. 

Others say that the Cuboime from whom the O'Mochains are 
descended, was son to Eoghan Aidhne, the son of Eochaidh Breac ; 
and this is true. 

The descendants of Laoghaire, son of Eochaidh Breac, are the 
Muinter Muiren, of Gleann Maoilduin, at the Eidhneach*, and ano- 
ther fiunily called Muinter Muiren, in Umhall^ and they are both 
the same family with respect to their descent, viz. : 

Maolduin, 



the Editor. But it is highly probable 
that it was the ancient name of the valley 
through which the River Innj, in the west 
of the barony of Tirawley, flows. 

^ UmhaU. — This territory, which is very 
celebrated in ancient Irish history, and of 
which, since the establishment of sur- 
names in Ireland, in the tenth century, the 



O'Malleys have been hereditary lords or 
toparchs, comprised the present baronies 
of Burrishool and Murresk, verging on the 
Atlantic, in the west of the present county 
of Mayo. Sir Samuel O'Malley is believed 
to be the present senior representative of 
the chiefs of UmhaU. 



G2 



44 



TTlaolouin, 
mac TTluipen, a quo Ui TTluipen 

1 n-Urhall, 
mic Diapmaoa, 
inic Seanaij, 
mic Laojaipe, 
inic Gacac bpic, 
Qjup TTlaol-bpijOe, 
mac TTluipen, 

Cuimm, 
mac Dioma, 
mic Oiapmaoa, 



mic TTIaoiloiiin, o pdiceap 

^leciTin TTlaoiloiiin, 
mic Cpiorhcamn, 
mic Dioma, 
mic Diapmaoa, 
mic Seanaij, 
mic Laojaipe, 
mic Gacac bpic 

mic Seanaij, 
mic Laogaipe, qc. 



Qpa f lol pil 1 5-Cill Cuimm, .i. Uf Cuimm ; ajup ni h-c an 
Cuimm pm pop beannaij an baile ap cup, ace 

Cuimm pooa, 
mac Conamj (no Conaill), mic QrhalsaiD, 

mic peapjupa, mic piacpac. 

Qn can po h-a6nacc Cuimm, mac Dioma, ap ann po h-a6nai- 
cea6 ip m Ulaib rfioip po copaib Ui Suanaij, ajup ip lao a pfol pil 
ip in Cill o pm anuap. 

Ua 



" CiU Cuimin, now Kilcummin, a very 
ancient church which gave its name to a 
parish in the barony of Tirawley, and 
county of Mayo, lying on the western side 
of the Bay of Killala. The name O'Cui- 
min is now anglicised Comyn, or Cum- 
mins. 

" In the church, ijfc» — This passage is 
yery obscure and unsatisfactory, as it does 
not inform us which of the three saints 



who bore the surname of O'Suanaigh is 
referred to; and as we are given elsewhere 
to understand that one of these brothers 
was at Rathain, another at Cionn Saile, 
and the third at Glas-charraig, it is not 
easy to comprehend what is meant by this 
passage at all. The probability, however, 
is, that one of these brothers returned to 
his native country in his old age, and was 
interred at Cill Cuimin, and that his tomb 



45 



Maolduin, 
son of Muiren, a quo Ui Muiren 

in Umhal, 
son of Diarmaid, 
son of Seanach, 
son of Laoghaire, 
son of Eochaidh Breac, 
and Maolbrighde, 
son of Muiren, 

Cuimin, 
son of Dioma, 
son of Diarmaid, 



son of Maolduin, from whom is 

called Gleann Maoilduin, 
son of Criomhthann, 
son of Dioma, 
son of Diarmaid, 
son of Seanach, 
son of Laoghaire, 
son of Eochaidh Breac. 

son of Seanach, 

son of Laoghaire, &c. 



Whose descendants are at Cill Cuimin", that is the family of 
O'Cuimin. But he is not the Saint Cuimin by whom the place was 
first blest ; for he was 

Cuimin Foda, 
son of Conaing or Conall, son of Amhalgaidh, 

son of Fergus, son of Fiachra. 

When Cuimin, the son of Dioma, was buried he was interred in 
the large iduidh, or altar-tomb, at the feet of O'Suanaigh, and it is 
his descendants that have been as comharba^ in the church'' ever 

since. 

O'Dorchaidhe 



was well known there for ages after. The 
old church of St. Cuimin Fada is one of 
extreme antiquity, and there arc several 
old tombstones in the churchyard, but 
none at present bearing the name of 
O'Suanaigh, nor is the Uluidh mhor, or 
great cairn or tomb, in which was interred 



Cuimin, the ancestor of the family of 
O'Cuimin, who were comharbas, airchin- 
nechs, or wardens of this church, now 
identifiable or traceable. For the meaning 
of the word Uluidh see Battle of Magh 
Rath, p. 298, Note °, where it is shown 
^hat ulum is still a living word. 



46 

Ua Dopcaibe, ajup Ua ^^ipi^^i^^^^^B (^« caoipoch papc- 
P^^5®)> ^o cloinn Laojaipe, mic Gacac bpic, no Tfluaibe. Go 
lomba na paprpaije. pec Sliocc bhpiam, rhic Gacach TTluijineaD- 
om, cuille Dfob. 

O Dopcai6e caoipioc papcpaije, map ao bepc ITlac pipbipi j 
(^lolla lopa TTlop), m bliabaim p oo aoip Chpioy»o 1417. pec 
leacanac poo. 

TTIaic 00 copain ponn na b-peap 
O Dopcame ap apo aijneab, 
Cpfoch papcpaije na 5-call 5-cuip, 
Le cpann alc-bui&e 1 n-iomjum. 
Dopchai&e, 
mac Dlurai j, mic Laojaipe, 

mic Dioma Cpoin, mic Gocni6 bpic, 

mic Diapmaoa, mic Dacn. 

mic Seanaig, 

ui DORChaiDhe ^aittmhe. 

Seamup Riabach, ajup Dominig, 
mec Nioclaip, mic Comaip, 

mic Seamuip Riabaij, mic bhaicep Riabaij, an ceo 

mic Nioclaip, peap o' lb Dopcai6e cdimj 50 

mic Concabaip, 5^^^^^"^> ^^ V^V ^"^^^r ^aill- 

mic pdopaig, me pen. 

niaipcin, 

^ ffDorchaidhe, — This name is still com- race, and a far more distinguished family, 
mon in the county of Mayo, and angli- > Partraighe^ now anglicised Partly, 

cised Dorcey, Darcey, and sometimes even For the situation and exact extent of this 

D'Arcy. territory, which still retains its ancient 

^ 0*GoirmiaUaigh, now Gormley, but name, see notes to the Topographical 

this family is to be distinguished from that Poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, 

of O'Gairmleadhaigh, or O'Gormley of the which will be given further on. 
province of Ulster, who are of a different ■ Well has he defended^ — The language 



47 

O'Dorchaidhe'' and O'Goirmiallaigh* (the two chiefs of Partraighe^ ) 
are of the race of Laoghaire, the son of Eochaidh Breac {orEochaidh 
of the Moy). There are many Partraighes. — See the Genealogies 
of the Race of Brian, son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin for more of 
them. 

O'Dorchaidhe was chief of Partraighe according to Mac Firbis 
(Giolla losa Mor), in the year of Christ 141 7. — See page further on. 

Well has he defended* the land of the men, 
O'Dorchaidhe of the high mind, 
The country of Partraighe of fine hazel trees, 
With a yellow-knotted ^pear-shaft in the battle. 

Dorchaidhe, 
Son of Dluthach, Son of Laoghaire, 

Son of Dioma Cron, Son of Eochaidh Breac, 

Son of Diarmaid, Son of Dathi. 

Son of Seanach, 

o'dorchaidhe of gaillimh*. 

James Riabhach, and Dominic, 

Sons of Nicholas, Son of Walter Riabhach, the first 

Son of James Riabhach, man of the family of O'Dor- 

Son of Nicholas, chaidhe who came to Gaillimh, 

Son of Conchobhar, according to the people of 

Son of Patrick, Gaillimh themselves. 

Son of Thomas, 

Martin, 

of this quatrain is very much transposed ; * O* Dorchaidhe of GaiUimk, i. e. the 
thenatural order would be the following: O'Dorceys or Darcys, of Gal way. This 

W.n h.. O-Dorchldhe of the lofty mfad ^^^^ ^*^« ^^^'^ ^^ """^ ""^ "™« »'' 

Defenaed tbM Und of heroes <^« D' Arcys, and are now considered an 

The eountrj of Partraighe of fine hwel tree*. offset of the D' Arcys of Meath ; but this 

With a yeUow-knotted spear-ihaft in the battle. is a perversion of history which the Editor 



48 



ITlaipcin, 
mac Ripoepo, 
Tmc TTlaipcfn, 

TTlainii, 

TYiac Searmiip O15, 

feels himself called upon to notice and 
correct. It is clear from Mac Firbis, who 
wrote in the College of St Nicholas, at 
Galway, in 1645, while the celebrated 
lawyer Patrick Darcy was living, that they 
then considered themselves to be of the 
ancient Irish race, though they were not 
able to supply him with more than eight 
generations of their pedigree (and there 
can be little doubt that these were sup- 
plied by Patrick the lawyer), viz., from 
James Riabhach, the head of the family in 
Mac Firbis's time, up to Walter Riabhach, 
the first of the family who, " according to 
the people of Galway themselves," settled 
in the town of Galway. In the last edition of 
Lodge's Peerage was published a pedigree, 
patched up by one of the family, who very 
ingeniously engrafted this family on that of 
the D'Arcys of Meath, and accounts, by a 
bold assertion, which is not proved, and 
which cannot be true, for the manner in 
which they obtained possession of the es- 
tate of O'Dorcey of Partry, in the county 
of Mayo. This pedigree, which is most 
ingeniously put together, deduces the de- 
scent of the Darcys of Galway from Sir 
John D'Arcy, who was Chief Justice of 
Ireland in 1 3 2 3. But that the reader may 
clearly see where the forgery begins, this 



mic Seumuip RiaBaij, 
mic Niocolaip. 



mic SeaTYiuip Riabaij. 

Ppompiap, 

fabricated line is here annexed : 

1. Sir John D'Arcy, Chief Juitice of Ireland in 1S93. 



2. Wi 



ilimm. 



I 



bora 1330. 



3. John. 

4. WUliam. 

5. John. 

6. Nicholas, captain of hone, who married Jane, daughter 

I and heir of O'Dorcey, of Partry. 

7. Thomaa. 

8. ConyerB. 

9. Nicholaa. 
10. Jamea Rireagh I., of Galway, who died in 1603. 



ich 



11. Nicholaa. 

I 



11. Patrick, the lawyer. 



12. James Riveagh 11. 

This forgery could never, in all probabili- 
ty, have been detected, were it not that the 
honest and laborious Mac Firbis had com- 
mitted the real descent of the Darcys of Gral- 
way to writing, before the family attempted 
to conceal their Milesian origin. It is cu- 
rious to observe in this memoir, published 
in Lodge's Peerage^ a perfect agreement 
with the line given by Mac Firbis up to 
Conchobhar (the grandfather of James 
Riabhach the elder), which the fabricator 
anglicises Conyers ; but here the forgery 
commences, for this Conyers was the son 
of a Patrick O'Dorcey, not of a Thomas 
D'Arcy, as the fabricator would have us 
believe. The name Thomas, however, is 
given by Mac Firbis in the next genera- 



49 



Martin, 
son of Richard, 
son of Martin, 

Matthew, 
son of James Og, 

tion, and it is evident tbat both had the 
same Thomas in view ; but instead of 
making this Thomas the son of Walter 
Riabhach, the first of the family who set- 
tled in the town of Galwaj, as Mac Firbis 
was informed by the family themselves in 
1645, ^^^ fabricator makes him the son of 
a Nicholas Darcy, captain of horse (and 
uncle of Sir William D' Arcy, of Flatten, 
in the county of Meath), who, "being 
stationed in the county of Mayo, married 
Jane, daughter and heir to O'Duraghy'^ 
[0*Dorcey], " of Partry, in that county, 
who brought him the large estate of that 
family." Where is his authority to prove 
this marriage, or that O'Duraghy had large 
estates in Partry at the time in which he 
makes this Capt. Nicholas flourish ? Here 
he undoubtedly engrafts the pedigree on a 
false stem, and then easily mounts up to 
Sir John D'Arcy, Chief Justice of Ireland, 
by the true generations of the Meath fa- 
mily. This was a poor shift to erect a re- 
spectability for a family who were already 
respectable enough by allowing them their 
true descent. The wish to be considered 
English also prevailed among the Kir- 
wans of Gralway, but the Editor never heard 
that they went so far as to fabricate a pe- 
digree to that effect ; he has been told, how- 

IBIBH ABCH. see. 12. 



son of James Riabhach, 
son of Nicholas. 

son of James Riabhach. 

Francis, 

ever, that the lateMajor Kirwan, ofDalgan, 
was constantly in the habit of stating that 
his own name was originally Whitecombe, 
of which Cfop bdn was but an Irish trans- 
lation ; the name Eorwan is, however, in 
Irish O'Ciapoubain, not Ctop h6ir\^ but 
the family was never of any celebrity in 
Ireland until they made fortunes in Gral- 
way as merchants and shopkeepers. Not 
so, however, the O'Dorceys, they were 
chiefs of the territory of Partry in the 
year 141 7, when Giolla losa Mor Mac 
Firbis wrote his topographical poem. 

Should it be objected that the Christian 
names occurring in the line of pedigree 
given by Mac Firbis are English, such as 
Nicholas, Walter, James, &c., and that 
these names suggest a strong argument in 
favour of the fabricator of the pedigree 
published in Lodge's Peerage; to such 
objection may be replied, that English 
names are also found among other families 
of undoubted Irish origin, which names 
were derived from their intermarriages 
with English families ; that this surname 
was O'Dorcey in Mac Firbis's time, not 
D'Arcy, and that the Christian-name 
Nicholl was in use among the O'Dorceys, 
of Partry, as early as the year 1 306. — See 
Mageoghegan's Translation of the Annals 



H 



50 



Ppompar, 
mac Qncom, 



TTiic Seamuip Riabai j. 



QinDpiu ajuf paDpaig an peap Dlijib, 6d mhac ele o'on 
r-SeuTTiup Riabac ap yine. 

Laojaipe beop ono, ap Oia cloinn Uib 6acac TTluaibe co n-a 
j-corhpoijpb, ajup Ui Rlaoilpajrhaip, corhapbaba Cille h-6alai6, 
1 o-Cip, no 1 n-lb Gacac ITluaibe, oia m-bdoap na peace n-eappoij 
naoThra, ITlo-Celc Ua TTlaoilpajThaip, Oia o-cdio TTlec Cele Cille 
h-6alai6, agup po ba ofob pop Qongup Gappoc, TTluipeaDoc 6ap- 
poc, Qo6 Gappoc, Qinmceac Gappoc, ITlaoldn Gappoc, ajup 
piann, .i. an peap leijemn, .i. Gappoc Diaoa oo Chlomn Chele. 

dp 00 clomn Caojaipe, i n-lb Gacach ITluai&e, Ui Cpiai&cen, 
Ui Leandin agup Ui piaicile, no JLainle. 

Cpfoc Ua n-Gacac TTIuaibe, .i. 6 Rop Sepce 50 pionocaluim, 
ajup 50 peappaio Cpepi. dp aipe ao beapap Rop Sepce pip, .1. 
Sepc, mjean CaipbpQ, mic Qrhaljaib, 00 beannaij an baile, ajup an 

pop 



of Clonmacnoise, at the year 1306 See 

also the pedigree of O'Mochain above, in 
p. 42, from which it appears that the names 
Gregory, Simon, and Nichol, were in use 
among that family even in the fourteenth 
century. 

* Patrick the lawyer. — This was the ce- 
lebrated lawyer Patrick Darcy, of Gal way : 
he was the second son of James Riabhach 
the elder, was bom in Galway in the year 
1598, died in Dublin in 1668, and was 
interred in the abbey of Kilconnell, in the 
coimty of Galway. For some notices of 
this remarkable man the reader is referred 
to Ware's Writers and Hardiman's His- 



tory of Galway, p. 1 1, &c 

^ The Htf'Eachach, of the Moy. — The 
situation of this tribe will be pointed out 
more distinctly in the Notes to the Topo- 
graphical Poem of GioUa losa Mor Mac 
Firbis. 

^ G'MaMfaghrnhair This name still ex- 
ists in the district, but is anglicised Mil- 
ford, which is calculated to disguise the 
Irish origin of the family. 

d CiUEalaidhy now KDlala, in Tirawley. 

« Mac Cdes, ofCiU Ealaidh, — T\i\& is 
probably the family now called Mac Hale. 

^ Clann Cele — These seven bishops of 
the Clann Cele are not given in Ware's 



5^ 

Francis, 
son of Anthony, son of James Riabhach. 

Andrew, and Patrick the lawyer*, two other sons of James 
Riabhach, the elder. 

Of the race of Laoghaire also are the Hy-Eachach of the Moy^, 
with their correlatives, and \he family o/'O^Maoilfaghmhair*^, comhar- 
bas of Cill Ealaidh"*, in Tir Eachach, or Hy-Eachach of the Moy, of 
whom were these seven holy bishops, viz., Mo Cele O^Maoilfaghmhair, 
from whom are descended the Mac Celes, of Cill Ealaidh* ; Aongus 
the Bishop, Muireadhach the Bishop, Aodh the Bishop, Ainmtheach 
the Bishop, Maolan the Bishop, and Flann the Lecturer, i. e. a pious 
Bishop of the Clann Cele^ 

Of the race of Laoghaire, in Hy-Eachach, of the Moy, are the 
O'Criadhchens^, the O'Leanains^, and the OTlaitiles*, or OXaitiles. 

The country of Hy-Eachach, of the Moy, extends from Ros Serce^ 
to Fionnchaluim, and to Fearsad Tresi. Ros Serce is so called from 
Searc, the daughter of Cairbre, son of Amhalgaidh, who blessed 
the village and the wood which is at the mouth of the River 

Moy. 

list of the bishops of Eillala, nor has the ^ O^Leanatn, now Lennon. 
Editor been able to find anj notices of ' OPFlaitile^ now anglicised Flatly and 
them in the Irish Annals. The earliest Flatilly; and in some parts of Ireland it 
notice of the see of Killala collected has assumed the strange form of Flat- 
by the Four Masters is at the year 1235. tery I 

At the year 1257 they record the death J Rob Serce^ now called Rosserk, a town- 

of Maelpatrick Mac Cele, archinneach or land containing the ruins of a small but 

herenach of Killala, and this is the earliest very beautiful abbey, in the parish of 

notice of the name of Mac Cele to be found Ballysokeery, and barony of Tirawley, 

in their work. about four miles due north of Ballina. 

« CPCriadhchen. — This is probably the The abbey is about ^vq centuries old, and 

name now anglicised Crean, which is still there is no portion of the original church 

numerous and respectable in the county of the Virgin Searc now to be seen. 
of Mayo. 

H2 



5^ 

pop a ca aj bun na TTluaibe. ban-naorh niiopbuileac an c-8eapc 
pn, agup ay oi Do pineab an pejleuy*, a^up an Duipreac pil aj an 
pop (no ip m pop), pom, i Ropepc. 

c6aHt> eogham aiDbwe, mic eachacb 6Ric. 

Gojan Qmne, mac Gacac bpic, mic Daci, ap aipe a oeapcaoi 
Gojan Qi6ne ppip, uaip ap m Qi&ne po h-oileab 6 ag Ojuib 
beacpa, an cpeap cmeul po baoi m Qi6ne, uaip rpi cineula po 
ba&ap in Qi&ne pe n-Uib phiacpac, .1. Ciappai^e, Oja bearpa, 
a^up Cpaopai^e Dubpoip, ajup Caonpaije Qtpo Qibne. Oig 
bearpa, umoppo, d Cpic Galla 00 looap, agnp 00 pfol Gojam 
Uaiblij lat), ajup po jab-pao cuaipjeapc Qibne, agup ap lao po 
n-alc Gojan Qi&ne, mac Gacac bpic, agup ap oe ba h-Gojan 
Qibne. O15 beacpa beop po n-alc Gojan beul, mac Ceallai5, 
mic Oiliolla TTluilc, mic Daci, ajup ap mo pa ceut> oipeacc 00 
aj jabctil pije Conoachc. Upaopaije ono ap 00 cloinn ^^^inainn, 
mic Deala ooib. Caonpaije ono 00 clannaib Cumo ooib. Gojan 

Qibne 

^ Duirtheach This word, which very now Duros, or Dooross, near the little 

frequently occurs in the Irish lives of the town of Kinvara, in the barony of Kiltar- 

primitive Irish saints, is generally applied tan, and county of Galway. The word 

to a small oratory or a hermit's cell. — See Ros, when topographically applied, has 

Fleadh Duin na n-Gredh, p. 16, Note °, for two distinct meanings, namely; 1, a point 

a fuller explanation of it. of land extending into the sea, or a large 

* Aidhne, — This territory was co-exten- lake ; and, 2, a wood. Its diminutive form 

sive with the diocese of Kihnacduagh, pofdn or paf 6n is still used in the spoken 

forming the south-west portion of the Irish to denote a shrubbery or underwood, 

county of Gralway. It was bounded on " The country of Ealla. — This is still 

the north by O'Flaherty's country, on the the name of a well known district and now 

east by Moenmoy, on the south and south- a barony, in the county of Cork, and takes its 

west by the territory of Cineal Fearmaic, name from the River EaUa^ or Alloe, which 

in Thomond, and on the west by Burren flows through it. The name is always an- 

and the Bay of Galway — See Map prefixed glicised Duhallow from the Irish Duraio 

to the tract on Hy-Many. Balla, i. e. the district or country of 



m 



Dtibh-ros, L e. the black promontory, Ealla. 



53 

Moy. This Searc was a miraculous female saint, and it was for her the 
church and duirtheach^, which are at that Eos (or in that Ros), at 
Roserc, were erected. 

OF THE DESCENDANTS OF EOGHAN AIDHNE, THE SON OF EOCHAIDH BREAC. 

Eoghan Aidhne, son of Eochaidh Breac, who was son of Dathi, 
was called Eoghan Aidhne, because it was in the territory of 
Aidhne' he was fostered by the tribe called Oga Beathra, the third 
tribe who then inhabited Aidhne, for there were three tribes in 
Aidhne before the Hy-Fiachrach, namely, the Ciarraighe, Oga 
Beathra, the Tradraighe, of Dubh-ros"", and the Caonraighe, of Ard 
Aidhne. The Oig Beathra came from the country of Ealla", and 
were of the race of Eoghan Taidhleach° ; they took possession of the 
northern part of Aidhne, and it was they that fostered Eoghan 
Aidhne, the son of Eochaidh Breac, for which he was called Eoghan 
Aidhne. The Oig Beathra also fostered Eoghan Beul, the son of 
CeaUach, son of Oiholl Molt, son of Dathi, and they were his first 
faction when he was assuming the government of Connaught. The 
Tradraighe are of the race of Geanann, the son of Deala*", and the 
Caenraighe are of the race of Conn**. Eoghan Aidhne was the fos- 
ter-son 

^Eoghan Taidhleach^ L e. Eoghan the or Lower Shannon, to the River Drobhaois, 

splendid. He was otherwise called Mogha now the River Drowis, the boundary be- 

Nuadhat, and was the father of Olioll tween Connaught and Ulster. There was 

Oliim, and the ancestor of the most dis- another tribe ofthe name Tradraighe seated 

tinguished families of Munster. He was in the territory of Tradry, or Tradree, in the 

contemporary with Conn of the Hundred barony of Bunratty, and county of Clare. 

Battles, whom he compelled to . divide ** Race of Conn, i. e. of Conn of the 

Ireland with him into two equal parts. Hundred Battles, monarch of Ireland. 

P Eace of Geanann^ 8on ofDeah, — He There was another tribe of the name Caen- 
was a Firbolgic King of Connaught, and raighe seated along the Shannon, on the 
ruled, according to Keating and the an- south side, who gave name to the barony 
cient MS. accounts of this colony, over of Caenraighe, now Kenry, in the county 
the district extending from the Luimneach, of Limerick. 



54 

Qi&ne umoppo Dalca na n-aicmeaba poin, cqjup Oga m-beacpa 
(map a oubpamap), Do copaiu cpfoc Qi6nc t)o f€r\ agup o'a clomn 
Va biaij. 

Gojan Qibne cecpe mec lep, .1. Conall, Copmac, Seuona, agup 
Seacnupac, .1. Ceannjarhna, ajup ap pip a Deapraoi Seanac Ceann- 
Samna, ajup ap ua6a Ceneul CmDsarhna, .i. Ui Duibjiolla caoipij 
Cmeil Cinnsariina, ajup ap Do Cineul CinDgorhna Sapnaic, mjean 
QoDa ^cibal-paDa, mac Seanaij, rrnc Gojam QiDne, mic Gacac 
6pic. 

Conall, mac Gojain Qibne, ap uaba Ceneul n-^uaipe, .i. 

QoD ajup colman Da 

mac Cobcaij, mic Gojam QiDne, 

mic ^oi^'ici^^j T^'c 6aca6a 6pic, 

mic Conaill, mic Daci, pij Gpeann. 

QoD, mac Cobraij umoppo, ap uaDa Ceneul QoDa, .1. O' Seac- 
napui^, ajup O' Carail, dol pij Ceneoil Qo6a. Colman ap uaba 
Cenel n-^uaipe. 

SeuDna, mac Gojam Qibne, ap 1 a clanD, .i. Ceneul SeuDna. 

Copmac mac Gosain ap uaDha Ceneul Ceapnaij. 

Ceceapnac, 



' O^DuibhgkioUa, — This name is now 
obsolete in the territory of Aidhne, or 
lurks under some disguised form. 

• St, Sarnait, — This is evidently the 
female saint now corruptly called St. 
Soumey, to whom there are wells dedi- 
cated in the district of Aidhne, and whose 
church still stands in ruins on the great 
island of Aran, in the bay of Galway. 
There is no mention of this Samait in the 
Book of Lecan. 



^ Aodh, tan o/Cohhthach If this be 

true, O'Shaughnessy does not descend from 
Guaire Aidhne, King of Connaught, which 
was the boast of the Irish poets of the three 
last centuries, for Guaire was the son of 
Colman, the brother of the Aodh, who b 
here stated to have been the ancestor of 
O'Shaughnessy. Notwithstanding this 
statement, our author himself, in giving the 
pedigree of Sir Diarmaid O'Shaughnessy, 
deduces his descent not from Aodh, but 



55 

ter-son of these tribes, and it was the Oga Beathra (as we have 
already stated) that maintained the territory of Aidhne for him and 
his descendants after him. 

Eoghan Aidhne had four sons, namely, Conall, Cormac, Seudna, 
and Seachnasach, who was called Ceanngamhna and Seanach Ceann- 
gamhna, and from him are descended the Cineal Cinngamhna, i. e. 
the family of 0'D^libhghiolla^ chiefs of Cineal Cinngamhna. Of this 
tribe of Cineal Cinngamhna was Saint Sarnait*, the daughter of Aodh 
Gabhalfhada, son of Seanach, son of Eoghan Aidhne, son of Eoohaidh 
Breac. 

Prom Conall, son of Eoghan Aidhne are sprung the Cineal 
Guaire, thus : 

Aodh and Colman, 

two sons of Cobhthach, son of Eoghan Aidhne, 

son of Goibhnenn, son of Eochaidh Breac, 

son of Conall, son of Dathi, King of Ireland. 

From Aodh, son of Cobhthach\ are sprung the Cineal Aodha, i. e. 
O'Seachnasaigh and O'Cathail, two kings of Cineal Aodha; and from 
Colman are the Cineal Guaire. 

Seudna, son of Eoghan Aidhne, was the progenitor of the Cineal 
Seudna. 

From Cormac, Son of Eoghan [Aidhne], are the Cineal Cear- 

naigh. 

The 

from his brother Colman, through Guaire, duced from Guaire Aidhne. This error 

King of Connaught, but it is highly pro- seems to have arisen from mistaking Aodh, 

bable that O'Shaughnessy is of the race son of Cobhthach, the real ancestor of the 

of Aodh, as he is always mentioned in the Cinel Aodha, for Aodh, the grandson of 

Irish Annals as chief of the Cineal Aodha. Guaire Aidhne. This subject will be 

In the Book of Lecan, the genealogical MS. further considered in the pedigpree of 

oftheO'Clerys, and in aU the copies of Eeair O'Shaughnessy, at the end of this yo- 

ing, the pedigree of O'Shaughnessy is de- lume. 



56 

Cereapnac, mac Cuaice, Dm o-ca Ceneul Cuaice, mac Cpiorh- 
ramn Caom, mic Gojain phuilij, mic Qoba ^^^^^-F^^ci- 

ua cachait, 6a ceneut aot>ha. 



Caral, 

mac Ogam, 
mic bpacain, 
mic Cionaora, 
mic Coppa, 
mic Concabaip, 
mic Comufjaij;, 

Cian, 
mac Concabaip, 
mic Ubam, 
mic Ojain, 



mic 6ece, 

mic QoDa, 

mic Cobraij, 

mic ^oibnenn, 

mic Conaill, 

mic Gojain Qi&ne. 

mic bpuacain, tio bpacain, 
mic Cionaoca. 



geneatach ui sheachnusaish. 



Sip Diapmait) (maipeap anoiy, 1666), 

mac Sip Ruampij, .1. ^^^^^^ ^^^ Uilliam, 

oub O' Seacnupaij o'an Deap- 

bpdirpe Daci ajiip Uilliam, 
mec Oiapmaoa O' Seacnupaijj, 
mic an ^hiolla Duib, 
mic Diapmaoa, 
mic Uilliam, 
mic Seaam, 
mic Gojam, 



mic 5^^^^^ ^^ naorh, 

mic RuaiDpij;, 

mic ^lolla na naom, 

mic Rajnaill, 

mic Sealbaij, no ^ailbije, 

mic Seacnapaij, 6 b-puilio Ui 

Seacnapaij, 
mic Donncaib, 

mic 



^ Bee, ion ofAodk, wn ofCobhthaeh, — correct, as it agrees with what is stated 
This descent of O'Cathail, now Cahill, is about the descent of the Cineal Aodha, of 



57 

The Cineal Cuaiche axe sprung from Cethemach, son of Cuach, 
son of Criomlithann Caoin, son of Eoghan Fnileach, son of Aodh 
Gabhalfhada. 

O'CATHAIL, IN CINEAL AODHA. 

Cathal, 
son of Ogan, 
son of Bracan, 
son of Cionaoth, 
son of Torpa, 
son of Conchobhar, 
son of Comuscach, 

Cian, 
son of Conchobhar, 
son of Uban, 
son of Ogan, 



son of Bee, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Cobhthach", 

son of Goibhnenn, 

son of Conall, 

son of Eoghan Aidhne. 

son of Bruachan, or Bracan, 
son of Cionaoth. 



PEDIGREE OF SEACHNASAIGH. 

Sir Diarmaid (now living, 1666), . 

son of Sir Ruaidhri, i. e. Giolla son of Eoghan, 
dubh O'Seachnasaigh, whose 
brothers were Dathi and Wil- 
liam, 

son of Diarmaid O'Seachnasaigh, 

son of Giolla dubh, 

son of Diarmaid, 

son of William, 

son of John, 



whom be was a branch. One of this family 
was chief of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne in 
the year 1 147. — See Annals of the Four 
Masters at that year. 

IRISH ARCU. see. 1 2. 



son of William, 
son of Giolla na naomh, 
son of Ruaidhri, 
son of Giolla na naomh, 
son of Baghnall, 

son of Sealbhach or Gailbhighe^, 
son of Seachnasach, from whom 
ih^ family ©/"O'Seachnasaigh, 

son 

^ Gailbhighe, — His real name was Geal- 
bhuidhe. He was slain in the battle of 
Ardee, in the year 1 159, according to the 
Annals of the Four Masters. 



58 



TTiic Conmaijne (no Conmuije), 

mic peapjaile, 

mic TTIaoilciapain, 

TTiic Caipine, no Caip, 

rrnc niupsaile, 

mic niaoilcuile, 

mic Smnle (no Siojmuile, no 

SiojTniiine, no Siocmume), 
mic Noibile (no Nocba no Ojba), 
mic Cana (no Gajna no Cljna), 
mic NaOfeuona, 

mic ^op^^^ii^ (P^ 5^^P^'^)» 
mic So5ain (no Cobam no Co- 

baij, no Co5ba), 

mic bpanain (no bponain), 



mic bpoin, no bpiain Lebepj, 
mic TTIupcaib, 
mic C(o6a, 
[mic Cliicjail, 

mic 5"ciip^ CliDne, 
mic Colmain], 
mic Cobcaij, 

mic 5oi^i^^i^i^» 
mic Conaill, 
mic Gojain Clibne, 
mic Gocac bpic, 
mic Daci, pij Gpeann, 
mic piacpac, 

mic Goca&a TTluijmeaooin, pij 
Gpeann. 



Ceweacacb muiNcme s^aNDtaiR 



Gojan, 
mac Qipc buioe, 

mic bpiam J^^P^i 
mic niasnupa, 
mic Concabaip, 
mic TTIuipjeafa, 



^ Colman, son of Cobthach This line 

of pedigree contradicts what is already 
stated, namely, that O'Shaughnessy is of 
the Cineal Aodha, and descended from 
Aodh, son of Cobhthach, not from his 
brother Colman, the father of Guaire 
Aidhne, and the ancestor of the Cineal 
Guaire. It is, therefore, highly probable, 



mic Caibj, 

mic Clo&a, 

mic Coipbealbaig, 

mic Cloba, 

mic Concabaip, 



mic 



if not absolutely certain, that the three 
generations here enclosed in brackets were 
thrown in by the modem genealogists to 
make it appear that O'Shaughnessy was the 
senior representative of Guaire Aidhne, 
King of Connaught, so celebrated by the 
Irish bards as the very personification of 
hospitality (for the name Guaire Aidhne 



59 



son of Donnchadli, 

son of Cmnaigline, or Cumaiglie, 

son of Feargal, 

son of Maolciarain, 

son of Caisin, or Cas, 

son of Murgal, 

son of Maoltuile, 

son of Simil (or Sioghmal, or Si- 

oghmuine, or Siothmuine), 
son of Nobile (or Nocba, or Ogba), 
son of Cana (or Eagna, or Aghna), 
son of Nadseudna, 
son of Garbhan (or Gabhran), 
son of Soghan (or Toban, or To- 

bach, or Toghbha), 
son of Branan (or Bronan), 



son of Bran, or Brian Lethdherg, 
son of Murchadh, 
son of Aodh, 
[son of Artghal, 
son of Guaire Aidhne, 
son of Colman"*], 
son of Cobhthach, 
son of Goiblinenn, 
son of Conall, 
son of Eoghan Aidhne, . 
son of Eochaidh Breac, 
son of Dathi, King of Ireland, 
son of Fiachra, 

son of Eochaidli Muighmheadh- 
oin, King of Ireland. 



PEDIGREE OF MUINTER SCANNLAIN*. 



Eoghan, 
son of Art Buidhe, 
son of Brian Garbh, 
son of Maghnus, 
son of Conchobhar, 
son of Muirgheas. 



and generosity are nearly synonimous 
terms with the Irish bards). It will, how- 
erer, appear from the descent of the Cinel 
Aodha above given, p. ggy that O'Shaugh- 
nessy is not of the race of Guaire. — See 
this subject further discussed, in the Pedi- 

I 



son of Tadhg, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Toirdhealbhach, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Conchobhar, 



son 



gree of O'Shaughnessy, in the Addenda at 
the end of this volume. 

' Muinter Scannlain, now anglicised 
Scanlan. This family sunk at an early 
period, under the O'Shaughnessys and 
O'Heynes. 



6o 



imc peap jail, 

TTiic TTlaoilciapa]!!, 

Tn]c Cmpine, 

mic niuipjile, 

mic TTIaoilcuile, 

imc Cimile, 

mic Noibile uc puppa. 



TTiic ^'o^l'^J i^ci n-eac, 

TTiic Qoba, 

mic Sjanolain O15, 

mic Ceallaij, 

mic ^lolla beapuij;, 

mic Dorhnaill, 

mic Clo&a, 

mic Sganolain, 

Cpi mec Seanaij Cinnsamna, .1. Q06 Ja^^cl'-F^^^* ^S^F ^^^ 
bailloep5, a^up peapabac, 6 o-caio na caipij, .^. Ui Duibjiolla 
CO n-a b-pinea6aib, od'p labpap beajan ceana poime po. 

[Juaipi, mac Colmam, mic Cobraij, mic J^il^i^^i^^* ^^^ Conaill, 
mic 6050111 Clism, mic Gacac bpic, mic Dachi, cpi meic laip, .1. 
Qpcgal, ajup Qeo, ajup Nap. TTlac oo'n Qeo pin Pepgal; Da 

mac 

CuaiDeam Qibne ap peiom jan ace, 
Fdjbam pineaoa Connacc, 
6iono-p6iDiin a maire amac, 
lonpaibeam plaire O' B-Piacpac. 

Clann TTlhic ^'o^^^ Cheallai^ caio, 
Uf GiDin na n-eac peanj-bldic, 
Dfon a n-uaiUe ap a n-apmaib, 
t)o piol ^uaipe ylan-abpaiD. 

ITIair an peinoi6 'p ap pleaouc, 
Ua cUipi^ 'p o'd n-^einealac. 
Qp Chinel Chino2;aiTina ^loin, 
Ui Duib^olla ip n'd n-ouroij, 
Capba a o-qiai^ 'p a o-cuile 
O' magna ap cl6p Caonpuioe. 

t)6 ptg Ceneoil Qooa ann, 
O' Seacnapai^ n6 peachnam 



y Guaire, the son ofCdman — This pas- 
sage, treating of the descendants of Guaire 
Aidhne, and here enclosed in brackets, is 
taken from the Book of Lecan, fol. 80, p. 
by col. 3. 

That O'Shaughnessy is not of the Cinel 
Guaire, or race of Guaire, is further cor- 
roborated by the Topographical Poem of 
O'Dugan, in which he mentions Mac 
Giolla Ceallaigh [Kilkelly] O'Heidhin 
[O'Heyne], and O'Clery, as of the race of 
Guaire, but O'Shaughnessy and O'Cathail 
he mentions as of the Cineal Aodha. The 
following are his words : 

t)puioeam le h-Qione na n-eac h, 
6e a n-uaiple 'p le n-eineach, 
Ceanoin a pto^a nac yann 
&eanoTn pe ptol na paop-clann. 



6i 



son of Giolla na n-each, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Scannlan Og, 

son of Ceallach, 

son of Giolla-Bearaigh, 

son of Domhnall, 

son of Aodh, 



son of Feargal, 

son of Maoilciarain, 

son of Caisin, 

son of Muirgeal, 

son of Maoiltnile, 

son of Timile, 

son of Nobile, ut suprk. 



son of Scannlan, 

Seanach Ceann Gramhna, had three sons, namely, Aodh Gabhal- 
fhada, Baill-derg, and Fearadhach, from whom are the chieftains, 
namely, the O'Duibhghiollas, with their correlatives, of whom I have 
akeady briefly spoken. 

[Gnaire, the son of Colman^, son of Cobhthach, son of Goibhnenn, 

son of Conall, son of Eoghan Aidhne, son of Eochaidh Breac, son of 

Dathi, had three sons, viz., Artgal, Aedh, and Nar. This Aedh had 

a 

Qf d(B O'Carail na 5-cliap 
mtn a acaio 'f a uip-fliaB. 



" Let OS approach Aidhne of steeds. 
Their nobilitj and hospitality ; 
I«et us follow their kings who are not few, 
L«et OS touch upon the race of the nobles. 

L«et us treat of Aidhne, it is a dutj without con- 
dition ; 
I^ct us leare the tribes of Connaught ; 
Let us sweetly sing their chieftains out ; 
Let us celebrate the chiefs of Hy-Fiachrach. 

The race of the noble Mac Giolla CealUdgh, 
The O'Hejnes of the slender -sleek steeds, 
The defence of whose pride depends on their arms 
Of the race of the fair-browed Guaire. 

Good is the hero and hospitable 
O'Clerj, who is of their lineage. 
Of er the fair Cinel Cinngamhna 



Rulea O'DttibhghiolIa, in whom it is hereditary, 
Profitable their strand and flood ; 
O'Maghna is OTer the plain of Caenraighe, 

Two kings of Cinel Aodha there are, 
O'Shaughnessy, whom I will not shun ; 
Of them is O'Cathail of learned men : 
Smooth his fields and his fertile mountain." 

In this extract from O'Dugan's poem an 
obvious distinction is made between the 
race of Guaire, and the tribe called Cinel 
Aodha, of whom O'Shaughnessy was the 
chief, so that if he was of the race of King 
Guaire Aidhne, as all the modern writers 
have asserted, he was not of the Cinel 
Aodha, for we have seen above, p. 55, that 
they descended from Aodh, son of Cobh- 
thach, not from Aodh, the grandson of 
King Guaire. 



62 

mac la Pepgal, .i. Copmac, ajup Gnoa, a quo Cmel Gnoa. Dibam 
Copmac ace aen mjen, .i. Rijnach, mdcaip Colmain, mic Duach, 
6 cd Ceall meic Duach. 

Ndp, mac 5"^^^^ finoyep clomm ^^^^P^* ^ 9"^ Cinel^uaipe; 
Clp a uaifli pm ainmnijcep uao Cmel n-^u^^'pi peach na macaib 
ele, .1. Cleo ajup Clpqjal. Gn mac la Nap, .i. Cobcach; mac oo'n 
Chobcach pm piann, a quo Cinel n-^uaip^- OTTlajna caipic 
Chmel n-^uaipi ajup Chaenpaioi, cop gab lilac ^i^l'^ Cheallaig 
h-f lapoam, lap n-oich a ourcaip. O'DuibjiUa caipech Cinel ChmD 
jamna. TTIac ^ill'^Cheallaij caipech Cmel n-^uaipe ; O Cachan 
caipech Cmel lanna ajup ip D'd Dficcupacaib 6 TTlocan ajup 6 
h-oipeccaij ajup h-i TTIapcacan. Cmel Qeoa meic ^^ciipi ^^^ V^^- 

TTlaj phiacpa caipec O151 bechpa, a^up a ouchupaij 6 Caem- 
ajan, ajup 6 Dubajan, agup TTlej phlannajan]. 

TTlaolpabaill ba mac laip, .1. Cugaola ajup TTlaolculaipD 
acai]i 5'^^^Q ^^ naom ajup piaicbeapcuij, acap Ji^lla lopa, Con- 
jaola (o o-caiD TTlec Conjaola) TTluipeaboij a^up ^^^^^^^ 
phuppa. 

^lolla na naom, mac Conjaola aon mac laip, .1. Qoo, acaip 
^hiolla na naom agup ^^'^lla Cheallaij acap Qoba (pipi paici 

TTlaol 



^O'Maghna, — This is probably the name 
now anglicised Moonej, of which there 
are some respectable families in West- 
meath. 

* Mac GrioBa CeaUaighy now sometimes 
anglicised Kilkellj, and sometimes Killi- 
kelly, and the name is still very respect- 
able in the county of Galway. 

** QCathan^ now Kane ; but this family 
is to be distinguished from the O'Cathains 
or Kanes, of the county of Derry, who are 



of the race of Eoghan, son of Niall of the 
Nine Hostages. 

^ 0*Mochan, now Mohan. 

** C^h'Oirecktaighy now Heraghty, and 
some have corrupted the name to Geraghty, 
which is the name of a family of different 
descent and more celebrity in Irish his 
tory. 

^ O^Marcachain, — This name is still 
numerous in the county of Clare, where it 
is anglicised Markham, and sometimes 



63 

a son Fergal ; Fergal had two sons, viz., Cormac, and Enda a quo 
Cinel Enda. The issue of Cormac became extinct except one 
daughter, Righnach, the mother of St. Cohnan Mac Duach, a quo 
Ceall mic Duach, i. e. Kilmacduagh. 

Nar, the son of Guaire, was the eldest of his sons, a quo Cinel 
Guaire. The Cinel Guaire are called after him for his nobleness 
beyond the other sons, Aedh and Artgal. Nar had one son, namely, 
Cobhthach; Cobhthach had a son Flann, a quo Cinel Guaire. 
O'Maghna* was chief of the Cinel Guaire and of the Caenraighe until 
Mac GioUa Ceallaigh* deprived him of his patrimonial inheritance. 
ODuibhghioUa is the chief of Cinel Cinngamhna ; Mac Gilla Cheal- 
laigh is chief of Cinel Guaire ; O'Cathan** is chief of Cinel lanna, 
and of his followers are O'Mochan*", O'h-Oirechtaigh**, and the O'Mar- 
cachans*. So far the Cinel Guaire. 

Mag Fhiachra*^ is the chief of Gig Bethra, and his retainers are 
O'Caemhagan*, O'Dubhagan**, and the Mag Flannagans^]. 

Maolfabhaill had two sons, namely, Maolchulaird and Cugaola, 
the father of Giolla na naomh and Flaithbheartach, who was the 
father of Giolla losa, and Cugaola, from whom is the family of Mac 
ConghaoW, as also of Muireadhach and Giolla Fursa. 

GioUa na naomh, the son of Cugaola, had one son, namely, Aodh, 
the father of Giolla na naomh and Giolla Ceallaigh, who was the 

father 

translated Ryder, because the Irish Word ^ O'Dubhoffan, now Dugan and Duggan, 

mapcac signifies a horseman. but this family is to be distinguished from 

^ Moff Fhiadira, — This name is still to the O'Dubhagains of Hj-Many. 

be found in Aidhne, anglicised M'Keighry, ^ Mag FUtnnagan^ unknown to the 

and by some metamorphosed to Keary, Editor, 

and even Carey. J Mac Conghada^ now probably Con- 

* CPCaemhagan^ unknown to the Editor, neely. 
It would be anglicised Kevigan. 



64 



TTlaol na m-bo) ^hiolla na naorh ajup Chonjaola. TTlaol na m-bo 
aon mac lep, .1. Qo&. 



CGNeatach ui 

Gojan, a^up TTluipceapcac, &a 

mac Donncuib, niic 

mic C(o6a, mic 

mic Gojain, mic 

mic ^i^l'^Q ^^ naom, tnic 

mic ^lo^l'Ci Ceallaij, mic 

mic Qo6a, inic 

mic 5'^^^ ^^ naom na p^j^^* ^^^ 

mic Congaola, mic 

mic TTIaoilpabuill, mic 
mic pioinn, 

Q06 bui6e, 

mac TTluipceapcaij, mic 

mic Donncuib, mic 



et)blN. 

G6in, 

Clepij, 

Ceuoaboij, 

Cumapjaij, 

Cacmoga, 

Cop pa, 

peapjaile, 

Qpcjaile, 

^uaipe Clibne. 



Qo6a, 
Gojain, ic 



Gojan, 
mac C(o6a bui6e, 
mic Qo&a, 



O'N caishDiosaR 

mic Gojain, 
mic Gmoinn, 



mic 



^ G*Hedhin, now O'Heyne and Hynes. 
It is curious that Mac Firbis dropped the 
i in the first syllable of 6iDin, for in their 
oMrn country it is pronounced diphthong- 
ally like the German et or the English 
eye; but this was to conform with his 
own system of orthography alluded to in 
the Preface to this volume. The pedigree 



of this family shall be fully discussed in 
the Addenda to this volume. The O'Clerys 
give the line as follows : — ^Muircheartach 
and Eoghan, two sons of Donnchadh, son 
of Aedh, son of John, son of Eoghan, son 
of Giolla na naomh, son of Giolla Ceallaigh, 
son of Aedh, son of Conchobhar, son of 
Flann, son of Giolla na naomh, son of 



65 



father of Aodh (who was usually called Maol na m-bo), and also of 
GioUa na naomh and Cugaola. Maol na m-bo had one son, namely 
Aodh. 



PEDIGREE OF o'h-EDHIN^. 



Eoghan and Muircheartach, 
two sons of Donnchadli, 
son of Aodh, 
son of Eoghan, 
son of GioUa na naomh, 
son of Giolla Cheallaigh, 
son of Aodh, 
son of Giolla na naomh of the 

plimder, 
son of Cugaola, 
son of Maolfabhuill, 

Aodh Buidhe [Oli-Edhin], 
son of Muircheartach, 
son of Donnchadh, 



son of Flann, 
son of Edhin, 
son of Clereach, 
son of Ceadadhach, 
son of Cumascach, 
son of Cathmogha, 
son of Torpa, 
son of Feargal, 
son of Artghal, 
son of Guaire Aidhne. 

son of Aodh, 

son of Eoghan, &c. 



THE FAMILY OF LAIGHDIAGAN*. 



Eoghan [O'h-Edhin], 
son of Aodh Buidhe, 
son of Aodh, 



Aidhin from whom the surname, son of 
Cngaela, son of Giolla Cheallaigh, son of 
Comaltan, son of Maolceararda, or Flann, 
son of Maolfabhaill, son of Cleireach, from 
whom are the O'Clerys, son of Ceada- 
dhach, &a, as in Mac Firbis. 



son of Eoghan, 
son of Edmond, 



son 



^ Laighdiagan^ now anglicised Ljdican : 
it is the name of a townland containing 
the niins of an old castle, situated in the 
parish of Ardrahan, about four miles south- 
east of the little town of Kinvara, in the 
barony of Kiltartan, and county of Galway. 



IBISU ABCH. 80C. 1 2. 



K 



66 

mic pioinn, imc bpiain, 

mic Concabaip, mic Qo6a 6ui&e. 

Concabap Cpon, 
mac piomn, 
imc Concabaip Chpoin canaipDe Ui 66in. 

Gojan TTIancac, 
mac Coipbealbaij, mic Concabaip, 

mic Gojam, mic 6piain, 

mic Gmomn, mic Qo6a 6ui6e. 

mic pioinn, 

Gumonn, aipcinneac Chille TTlhec Duac, 
mac Ruaiopi, mic Concabaip, 

mic Gojain, mic bpiain, 

mic Ruai&pi, mic Qo6a &iii6e peampaice. 

mic pioinn, 

DUN eoshaiN. 

Qo6 TTleipseac, 
mac 6piain, mic C(o6a buibe, 

mic Cloba 6ui6e, mic pioinn. 

mic 6piain na caopaoigeacca, 

a DUH suaiRB. 
Qo6 6ui6e, 

mac piomn, mic pioinn 6ui6e. 

mic pioinn, 

O'N 

^Eoghan Mantac/i, i. e. Owen the tooth- Kiltartan], in the county of Gal way, was 

less. It appears by an order of the Conn- the chief of his name.>^ee Pedigree of 

cil of Connaught, dated Dublin, 13 th May, O'Heyne in the Addenda to this volume. 

1 586, that Owen Mantach O'Hein, of Ly- ° Airchinneack^ ofCill Mhic Duachy i. e. 

degane, in the barony of Kiltaraght [now herenach of the lands belonging to 



67 

son of Flann, son of Brian, 

son of Conchobhar, son of Aodh Buidhe, &c. 

Conchobhar Cron, 
son of Flann, 
son of Conchobhar Cron, Tanist of O'h-Edhin. 

Eoghan Mantach", 
son of Toirdhealbhach, son of Conchobhar, 

son of Eoghan, son of Brian, 

son of Edmond, son of Aodh Buidhe. 

son of Flann, 

Edmond, airchinneach of Cill Mhic Duach", 
son of Ruaidhri, son of Conchobhar, 

son of Eoghan, son of Brian, 

son of Ruaidhri, son of Aodh Buidhe aforesaid- 

son of Flann, 

THE FAMILY OF DUN EOGHAIN^ 

Aodh Meirgeach, 
son of Brian, son of Aodh Buidhe, 

son of Aodh Buidhe, son of Flann. 

son of Brian na caoraoigheachta, 

THE FAMILY OF DUN GUAIREP. 

Aodh Buidhe, 
son of Flann, son of Flann Buidhe. 

son of Flann, 

THE 
0'Heyne*8 Monastery, at Kilmacduagh. p Dun Guaire, L e. Guaire's fort, or 

^Dun Eoghain, now Donowen, the name fortified residence, now Dungorey, a castle 
of a townland containing the ruins of a in good preservation, situated immediately 
fort in which stood a castle in the parish to the east of the little seaport town of 
and barony of Kiltartan. Kinvara, in the barony of Kiltartan* This 

K2 



68 



O'H tuachaRNUich. 

^eapalc ojup 6pian, Da 
mac pioinn, mic Qoba 6ui6e, 

mic Concabaip, rmc pioinn. 

mic bpiain na Caopaoigeacca, 

Seweatach mec 51066a Chea66ai5h. 

^lolla Cheallaig, 
mac Comalcam, a quo Ui Co- 

malcdin, 
mic TTIaoilculaipo, 
mic TTIaoilpabaill, 
mic pioinn, 

mic 66in, 6 t)-cdD Ui 66in, 
mic Clepij, a quo Ui Cl6pi5, 



mic CeuDajaij, a quo Ui Ceu- 

oajaij, 
mic Cumafjaij, 
mic Carmoja, a quo Ui Cac- 

moja, 
mic Coppa, -|c. 



5eHea6ach meic 51066a cbea66ai5h. 

^lolla na naorh, 
mac 5^0^^^ Cheallaij, mic Concobaip, 

mic CCeoha, mic pioinn, 



mic 



castle was erected on the site of the palace 
of Guaire Aidhne, King of Connaught, 
the ancestor of the O'Heynes, who erected 
this and several other castles in its vici- 
nity. It is stated in Lewis's Topographi- 
cal Dictionary that " the castle of Doon 
belonged to Flann Killikelly, but that 
about the reign of Henry VIIL Rory More 
Darag O'Shaughnessy took it from him, 
totally demolished it, and erected one near 
its site, which he named Doongorey.^' But 



this is a vague tradition not supported by 
any historical authority, as will be shown 
in the pedigree of O'Heyne at the end of 
this volume. 

^ Luackamack^ L e. rtuh^ landj now 
Loughamagh, a townland in the district 
of Coin O'bh-Fiachrach, in the barony of 
Kiltartan. 

'' Mac GicUa CheaUaigh^ now anglicised 
Kilkelly and Killikelly. The chief seat 
of this family was the castle of Cloghbally- 



69 



THE FAMILY OF LUACHARNACH''. 

Gerald and Brian, 
two sons of Flann, son of Aodh Buidhe, 

son of Conchobhar, son of Flann. 

son of Brian na caoraoigheachta, 

PEDIGREE OF MAC GIOLLA CHEALLAIGH^ 



GioUa CheaUaigh, 
son of Comaltan, from whom are 

the O'Comaltains, 
son of Maolchulaird, 
son of Maolf habhaill, 
son of Flann, 

son of Edhin, a quo the O'h-Edhins, 
son of Clereach, a quo the O'Cle- 

righs, 



son of Ceudadhachh, a quo Ui 

Ceudaghaigh, 
son of Cumasgach, 
son of Cathmogh, a quo the 

O'Cathmoghas, 
son of Torpa, &c. 



[pedigree OF MAC GIOLLA CHEALLAIGH*. 

Giolla na naomh, 
son of Giolla CheaUaigh, son of Conchobhar, 

son of Aedh, son of Flann, 



son 



more, still standing in ruins in the parish 
of Kileenavarra, baronj of Dunkellin, and 
county of Gal way. 

* Mae Giolla CheaUaigh This line of 

Mac Giolla Cheallaigh^s pedigree is inserted 
from the genealogical MS. in the hand- 
writing of Peregrine O'Clery, now pre- 
served in the Library of the Royal Irish 
Academy; it comes down seven genera- 



tions later than the line given by Mac Fir- 
bis. In the same MS. is given another line 
of pedigree of this family, which cannot be 
considered correct, but it is addedherethat 
nothing relating to this family may be omit- 
ted. '' Flann, son of Murchadh, son of Gi- 
olla CheaUaigh, from whom is Mac Giolla 
Cheallaigh, son of Aodh Cleireach, from 
whom are descended the Clann Clery of 



70 



inic ^lo^l^ci ^^ naom, 

mic Conjaela, 

mic 5^olla Cheallai5, 6 paiceap 

an plonoab, 
mic Comalcain, 
mic pioinn, .1. TTlaelceapapo, 
mic ITlaoilpabaill, 
mic Clepig 6 cdc Uf Cleipij, 

piann, 
mac Lonain, 
mic Connmaij;, 
mic Caicniab, 
mic Qoba, 

Qpcgal, 
mac piaicniab, 
mic peapjail, 



mic CeOa&aij, 
mic Cumufgaij, 
mic Cacmaja, 
mic Cop pea, 
mic peapjaile, 
mic Qpcjaile, 
mic ^uciip^ Qi6ne]. 



mic Uoppa, 
mic peapgaile, 
mic CCpcjaile, 
mic 5^ipe Qi&ne. 

mic Qpcgail, 

mic 5"ciip^ Qi6ne. 



[O pop popcamlaij; cpa jabdlcup 5"^^ (-i- b^pcaig Do piol 
Uilliam quonquep), pop an pliocc pin 6ach6ac 6pic, mic Dachi, 

mic 



Breifny-O'Reilly, being of the tribe of 
Diarmaid Ruadh, — ^from whom is called 
O'Ruaidhin, — son of Aedh, son of Colman, 
son of Cobhthach, son of Gaibhnenn, son 
of Conall, son of Eoghan, son of Eochaidh 
Breac, son of Dathi, son of Fiachra, son of 
Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin." 

' Flann^ son of Lonan, — He was a cele- 
brated poet of Connaught, and flourished 
towards the close of the ninth century. 
He is styled the Virgil of the Race of 
Scota by the Four Masters at the year 



918.— See O'Reilly's Irish Writers, pp. 

5^* 59- 

" [ When the English invasion^ &c. — ^All 

this matter enclosed in brackets, down to 
the end of the pedigree of the O'Clerys, 
has been inserted from Per^rine O'Cleiy's 
genealogical MS. now deposited in the 
Library of the Royal Irish Academy. 
Mac Firbis has omitted this family alto- 
gether, but, as it appears from the authen- 
tic Irish Annals that they had supplied 
many distinguished chiefs to the territory 



71 



son of Giolla na naomh, 

son of Cugaela, 

son of Giolla Cheallaigh, from 

whom the surname is called, 
son of Comaltan, 
son of Flann, i. e. Maelcearard, 
son of Maelfabhaill, 
son of Cleireach, from whom the 

Flann, 
son of Lonan\ 
son of Conmach, 
son of Caithniadh, 
son of Aodh, 

Artgal, 
son of Flaithniadh, 
son of Feargal, 



O'Clerys, 
son of Ceadadhach, 
son of Cimiasgach, 
son of Cathmogh, 
son of Torptha, 
son of Feargal, 
son of Artgal, 
son of Guaire Aidhne] 

son of Torpa, 

son of Feargal, 

son of Artgal, 

son of Gnaire Aidhne. 



son of Artgal, 

son of Guaire Aidhne. 



[When the English invasion" [recte invaders], namely, the 
Burkes of the race of William the Conqueror'', prevailed over the race 

of 



of Hj-Fiachrach Aidhne, the Editor, deem- 
ing it a pity that they should not have 
their place among the families of the race 
of Guaire Aidhne here treated of^ has taken 
the liberty to lay before the reader the 
account which this family have written of 
themselves. And as a branch of them be- 
came poets and historians to the chiefs of 
Tirconnell, their genealogical compilation 
is as much entitled to respect and historical 
credence as that of Mac Firbis, or any 
other Irish compiler of their time. 



^ William the Conqueror This is not 

William the Conquerer of England, but 
William Fitz Adelm De Burgo, who is 
generally styled the Conqueror by Irish 
writers, because he qonquered the province 
of Ck)nnaught. This celebrated man, the 
ancestor of all the Burkes of Ireland, died 
in the year 1 204, according to the Annals 
of Clonmacnoise and the Four Masters, 
in both which his character is described 
in such words as show that he was no 
greater favourite with the Irish, than with 



mic piachpac, po poblam, agup po h-eippei6ic apaill t>iob ino 
aile chpiochaib, .1. TTlac ^^^^'^^ Cheallaij co h-loppup laprhaip, 
a^up Dponj o'Uib Cleipij h-i Cfp Qrhaljaba mic piacpach, ajup 
Dpeam aile oo'n TTlhurhain, co pon aiccpeabpac h-i compogup 
Chille CainDig, ajup apoile 6i6b 50 bpeipne Uf Rajalla] 5, 01a 
n-japap Clann Cleipij. Do caoc Dno, lap o-rpioll, peap eajnaib 
t)o UibCleipigh d dp Qrhaljaib mic piacpach 50 Cenel 5-Conaill 



his own countr3rman, Giraldus Cambren- 
sis, who in his Hihemia Expugnota (lib. 
ii. c. 16, Camden's Edition, p. 793), draws 
his character in very black colours. The 
Irish writers of the seventeenth century, 
however, attempted to break down the 
testimony of Giraldus, and of the older na- 
tive writers, but with little success, as they 
have not been able to find any one good trait 
in his character on record. Connell Ma- 
geoghegan, who was probably related to 
the Burkes, has the following very curious 
note on the horrid account of his death in 
the Annals of Clonmacnoise : ^' These and 
many other reproachfuU words my author 
layeth down in the old book, which I was 
loath to translate, because they were ut- 
tered by him for the disgrace of so worthy 
and noble a man as William Burk was, and 
left out other his reproachfuU words, which 
he (as I conceive) rather declared of an 
evil will, which he did bear towards the 
said William, then any other just cause." 
Duald Mac Firbis also attempts, in his 
pedigree of the Earl of Clanrickard, to de- 
fend the character of Fitz Adelm by stat- 
ing that Giraldus was prejudiced against 



mic 

him ; and it must be admitted on comparing 
the character which Giraldus gives of Fitz 
Adelm, with that of his (Giraldus's) own 
uncle Fitz-Stephen, that there was more 
or less of prejudice in the way ; but still 
when it is considered that William Fitz 
Adelm De Burgo's character, as drawn by 
Giraldus, does not much differ from that 
given of him in the Annals of Clanmac- 
noise, it is clearly unfair to conclude that 
both are false, though it may be allowed 
that both are overdrawn, as Giraldus was 
undoubtedly prejudiced, and as the Irish 
ecclesiastic, who compiled the Annals of 
Clonmacnoise, could not be expected to 
give a perfectly impartial account of an in- 
vader and conqueror, who had plundered 
the church of Clonmacnoise and all the 
most sacred churches of Connaught. 

^ lorms larihair^ i. e. the western lorrus. 
This is evidently the barony of Erris, in 
the west of the present county of Mayo. 
There are other smaller districts called 
lorrus verging on the ocean, in the west 
of the county of Gal way, as lorrus Ain- 
theach, lorrus Mor, and lorrus Beag. 



73 

of Eochaidh Breac, the son of Dathi, son of Fiachra, some of the 
latter scattered and dispersed themselves in various territories : 
Mac GioUa Cheallaigh went to lorrus larthair", and some of the 
O'Clerys into Tir Amhalgaidh mhic Fiachrach*, and others into 
Munster, where they dwelt in the vicinity of Kilkenny^ ; and others 
of them called Clann Cleirigh, went to Breifne Ui Eaghallaigh*. 
There passed also, after some time, from Tir Amhalgaidh mhic Fiach- 
rach into Cinel Conaill mhic Neill*, a wise man of the O'Clerys, whose 

name 



' Tir Amhalgaidh mhic Fiachrack, i. e. 
the country of Awley, the 8on of Fiachra 
(brother of the monarch Dathi) ; now con- 
tracted to Tirawley, a barony in the north- 
east of the county of Maya 

' To Munster, where they dwelt in the 
mdniiy of Kilkenny, — Thb is in accord- 
ance with the ancient division of the pro- 
vinces, not with that in the time of the 
writer, for then Kilkenny was in the pro- 
vince of Leinster. But, according to the 

ancient division of the provinces, which 

the O'Clerys knew far better than the 
modem — ^Urmhumhain, Ormond, or East 
Munster, extended from (^abhran, now 
Gowran, in the east of the present county 
of Kilkenny* westwards to Cnamh-choill, 
now corruptly C^eathrchoill, near the town 
of Tipperary — (not Knawhill, as Haliday 
states in his translation of the first part of 
Keating's History of Ireland), — and from 
Beaman Eile, now the Devil's Bit Moun- 
tain, on the frontiers of the baronies of 
Ikerrin and Eliogarty, in the county of 
Upperary, southwards to Oilean Ui Bhric, 
or O'Brick's island, near Bunmahon, in the 

nUSH ABGH. 80C. 12. L 



present county of Waterford. 

' Breifne Ui BaghaUaigh (anglicised 
Brennie, and Breffny O'Eeilly), was the an- 
cient territory of the O'Reillys, and com- 
prised the entire of the county of Cavan, 
except the baronies of Tullyhunco (Cealac 
t>hunca6a) and Tullyhaw (Cealac Gao- 
oac), which were separated from Breffny 
O'Rourke, when the county of Cavan was 
formed. 

* Cinel ConaiU mhic NeUL, L e. the race 
of Conall, son of NialL Here the name of 
the people is put for that of the territory, 
which is very usual with Irish writers ; 
but when they wish to distinguish the 
country from the people they prefix TYr, 
as Tir Conaill instead of Cinel ConailL 
This territory comprised originally the 
entire of the present county of Donegal, ex- 
cept the territories of Inishowen and Magh 
Itha, now the barony of Raphoe, which 
belonged to the Cinel Eoghain, or race of 
Eoghan, who was the brother of Conall ; 
but in later ages these territories were 
ceded to O'Donnell, and were considered 
a part of his country of TirconnelL 



74 



rhic Neill, Coppmac mac Diapmaoa Ui Cleipig a com-amm, ajiif 
ba paoi poipcce ip in od blijeab, .i. ciuil ajup can6in. Ro cappac 

manaij 



^ Tke twolawa, civil and canon, — ^Connell 
Mageoghegan says, in a note in his trans- 
lation of the Annals of Clonmacnoise, at 
the year 13 17, that the old Irish " Fene- 
chus or Brehon Lawe was none other but 
the Civil Law which the Brehons had to 
themselves in an obscure and unknown 
language, which none cou'd understand 
except those that studied in the open 
schools they had." But this assertion, 
made in 1627 by a man who evidently 
was not acquainted with the Brehon Laws 
of Ireland, written " in an obscure and un- 
known tongue," or with the civil law con- 
tained in the Pandects of Justinian, can- 
not be considered true, unless we are to 
suppose that by the word civU he meant 
merely the municipal common law of the 
Irish. Nothing is more certain than that 
the Brehon or Fenechus Laws of the Irish 
had been in use among them for ages be- 
fore they became acquainted with the 
Civil Law or Pandects of Justinian ; for 
it does not appear that the Irish had any 
acquaintance with this law until about 
the beginning of the thirteenth century, 
when it was established all over the west 
of Europe. About the year 1 1 30, a copy 
of Justinian's Pandects being discovered 
at Amalfi, soon brought the civil law into 
vogue all over the west of Europe, where, 
before that period, it had been quite laid 
aside and almost forgotten, though some 



traces of its authority remained in Italy, 
and the eastern provinces of the empire. 
This now became in a particular manner 
the favourite law of the clergy, who bor- 
rowed the method of many of the maxims 
of the canon law from it. The study of 
it was introduced into several Universities 
abroad, particxdarly that of Bologna, where 
exercises were performed, lectures read, 
and degrees conferred as well in this faculty 
as in other branches of science : and many 
nations on the continent, just then re- 
covering from the convulsions consequent 
upon the overthrow of the Roman empire, 
and settling by degrees into peaceable 
forms of government, adopted the civil 
law, being the best written code then ex- 
tant, as the basis of their several consti- 
stitutions, blending and interweaving it 
among their own customs, in some places 
with an extensive, in others a confined 
authority. — See Domat's Treatise of Law, 
G. 18, sect 9, and Epistle of Innocent IV. 
in M. Paris, at the year 1254. 

It appears to have been first introduced 
into England by Theobald, a Norman 
abbot, who was elected to the See of Can- 
terbury in the year 1 1 38 : he was much 
attached to this new study, and brought 
over with him in his retinue many learned 
proficients in it, and among others Boger, 
sumamed Vacarius, whom he placed in 
the University of Oxford to teach it thera 



IS 



name was Cormac Mac Diannaid O'Clery, and who was a learned 
proficient in the two laws, civil and canon^. The monks and eccle- 
siastics 



How soon after it found its way into Ire- 
land cannot be easily determined. No 
mention is made of the civil law in the 
bifih Annals before the thirteenth cen- 
tury, and it is quite evident that bpeir- 
eorhnap so often mentioned meant the 
Brehon and Canon Laws. 

At the year 1126 the Four Masters 
record the death of Maoiliosa Ua Coinne, 
the most learned of the Irish, in history, 
in judicature (bpeireamnup), and in the 
Urd Padndg; but it will appear from 
many entries in the Irish Annals that 
there were professors of the civil and 
canon laws in Ireland in the thirteenth 
century, and very many in the beginning 
of the fourteenth. The following entry, 
in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, as trans- 
lated by Connell Mageoghegan, is curious 
as throwing some light upon this subject: 

** A. D. 132S. — Morish O'Gibelan, mas- 
ter of art, one exceeding well learned in 
the new and old laws, civille and cannon, 
a cunning and skillfull philosopher, an 
excellent poet in Irish, an eloquent and 
exact speaker of the speech, which in Irish 
is called Ogham, and one that was well 
seen in many other good sciences. He 
was a cannon and singer at Twajrme, 01- 
fyn, Aghaconary, Killalye, £naghdown, 
and Clonfert. He was official and common 
judge of these dioceses, ended his life this 
year." 



This passage is given by the Four Mas- 
ters thus : 

" A. D. 1 328, Maurice O'GibeUain, chief 
professor of the new Law, the dd Xaw, 
and the canon Law, a truly learned phi- 
losopher and a Cananach coradh of Tuam, 
Elphin, and Achonry, ELillala, Annadown 
and Clonfert, the official and the general 
Brehon of the archbishoprick, died." 

Now it is quite evident that by the dd 
law is here meant the old Brehon law of 
Ireland, which had been modified by the 
ancient Irish ecclesiastics at various pe- 
riods, and that by the new law is meant the 
Justinian Code, or civil law, then lately 
introduced. That the ancient Irish eccle- 
siastics had adopted the Brehon law as 
modified by the early saints of the Irish 
Church, is dear from the laws themselves, 
which contain several ecclesiastical and 
monastic rules and regulations ; but how 
far the Justinian Code, or civil law, mo- 
dified these in the thirteenth or fourteenth 
centuries is unknown. Various laws of 
the primitive Irish saints are referred to 
in the Irish Annals, but whether these 
were monastic rules or municipal rules 
or r^ulations for the people in general, 
is not yet ascertained. The following 
laws are mentioned in the Annals of 
Clonmacnoise as translated by Connell 
Mageoghegan : — the laws of St Kieran, at 
the year 740 ; the laws of St. Patrick, at 

2 



76 

manaij o^uf f puice mainifrpe 8. beapnapD, Oia n-japap TTlainip- 
cip Gap a RuaiD, eipibe ap a caoriiaipilleab, ajup ap a oeij-bepaip, 
ap a ea^na, ajup ap a innclecc, a^up pop poccpac i n-a n-aoncai& 
ppi pe. 6a h-65 aoibeaohach an lonbaib pm eipiorii. Ua 851115111 
ba h-ollarh peanchupa po ciseapna Ceneoil Conaill, .1, o' Ua Dorii- 
iiaill achaib imchian piap an can pm, a5up d h-QpO Chapna, a 
Ttlui^ Liiip5 an Da56a, Oup pdnaicc cecup 50 Cenel Conaill. 
Niall S^P^i ^^^ Cleba, mic Domnaill O15 ba ci5eapna pop an 
5-cpic an can 00 n-dnaic an Copbmac ac pubpamop, a5iip ba h-e 
Ua 85in5in, .1. TTlaca, ba h-ollam oo'n Nfall pempaice ip in lonamm 
[»in, a5iip ni po rhaip 00 clomo a5 Ua 85in5in ma beop oia cenel ip 
m cpich cen moca aem in5ean ciichcach po baoi laip, a5up po 
neanaipc Do peici5 ppip m ci Copbmac, a5up ba pea& po chumoij; 
1 n-a cmnpcpa, cecib peappcal no seinpi&e uai&ib oiblinib 00 cop 
ppi cepcclim, a5up ppi po5loim peanchupa, 6 po [»caic, a5up 6 po 
oioboaic an cenel oia m-baoipiorh ip m 5-cpfcli, ace mab eipioih, 
a5up an aom msean po eapnai&m ppipiorh Oo'n cup pm. Do pm- 
5eall pom n-06 m po cuinoi5 paip, a5up po coriiaill ei5m. Ro 
jeanaip mac o'n Coppmac pin, a5up 6 in5in Ui S5in5in, 5^^'''^ 
6pi5t)e a comamm, a5up ba h-i popaicmeac, a5up h-i 5-cuimne 
^hiolla bpfsoe Uf 85in5in, oeapbpacaip a macap (abbap ollaman 

Cenel 



761 ; the laws of St. Goman, 790 ; the 
laws of St Brandon, 740 ; the laws of St. 
Ailbe, 790; the laws of O'Swayne of 
Rahyne, 740. 

^ Eos Ruaidh. — .This abbey which took 
its name from the celebrated cataract of 
Eos Ruaidh^ or Eos Aodha Ruaidh^ on the 
River Erne, was erected for monks of the 
order of St Bernard by Flaithbheartach 
O'Muldory, in the year 11 84. Its ruins 



are still to be seen close to the shore, a 
short distance to the north-west of the 
town of Ballyshannon. 

^ OSamkj pronounced OUii% means a 
chief professor of any art or science. 

* Ard cama^ now Ardcame, in the ba- 
rony of Boyle, and county of Roscommon, 
and about four miles due east of the town 
of Boyle, where there are the ruins of 
a church and village. Maolcaoimhghin 



77 

siastics of the abbey of St Bernard, called the abbey of Eas Ruaidh*^, 
loved him for his education and good morals, for his wisdom and intel- 
lect, and detained him among them for some time. He was at this time 
a young guest O'Sgingin had been, for a long time before this period, 
the historical Ollamh** to O'Donnell, the lord of Cinel Conaill, and 
he had first come into Cinell Conaill from Ard cama*, in Magh luirg 
an Daghda^. Niall Garbh*, son of Aodh, son of Domhnall Og, was 
lord of the country when the Cormac we have mentioned came 
thither, and O'Sgingin, viz., Matthew, was at the time OUamh to the 
Niall aforesaid. And there lived not of O'Sgingin's children, nor 
yet of his tribe in the country, but one fair daughter, and he joined 
her as wife to this Cormac, and what he asked as her dower** was, 
that whatever male child should be first bom to them should be sent 
to study and learn history, as all his race had become extinct in the 
territory except the daughter whom he wedded to him on that occa- 
sion. The other promised to comply with his request, and kept his 
promise indeed. A son was bom of this Cormac and the daughter 
of O'Sgingin, named Giolla Bhrighde ; and it was in commemoration 
and remembrance of Giolla Bhrighde O'Sgingin, the brother of his 

mother 

O'Sgingin, who was herenach of the church father, Domhnall Og, in 1 2 64. 

of Ardcame, died in the year 1224, accord- ** As her dower. — ^Cinnpcpa means a re- 

ing to the Annals of the Four Masters. ward, portion, or dower. It was the cus- 

^ Ma^h luirg an Daghda^ L e. the plain torn among the ancient Irish, as among 

of Daghda's track, generally anglicised the Eastern nations, that the husband 

Moylurg. It was the name of the plains should make a present to his wife's father, 

of Boyle, that is,, of the leyel part of the or to herself upon his marriage. This 

present barony of Boyle, lying south of custom is still in use among the Turks, 

the River Boyle. The meaning of the word cinnpcpa is es- 

s NiaU Garbhy son of Aodh^ S^c — His tablished beyond dispute by a passage in 

death is recorded in the Annals of the the Leabhar Breac, which states that Ra- 

Four Masters at the year 1348. His becca was the first who received the cinn- 

father Aodh died in 1333, and his grand- fcpa from her husband. 



78 

Cenel ConaiU, ac bac pfaf an can fin, an bliabam pi o'aoip ap 
D-Cijeapna, 1382) 00 paoab an anmain ap ^^^^^^ bpijoe pop 
an mac pm. TTlac Do'n ^i^ll'^ bpijoe pm Ua Cleipig ^'^^^^ 
piabac, TTlac Do ^^i^^l*^ piabac Diapmaic na 0-cpf pjol, .1. pcol 
ppi leijeann, pcol ppi peanchup ajnp pcol ppi Dan. Qp Do paD 
O'Domnaill, Niall, mac Coipp&ealbaij an pfona, an peaponn Dia 
n-japap an Chpaoibeach, ajup po baoi a aicpeab a^up a lonacachc 
acaiD ip in b-peaponn pin, la caob na b-peaponn n-aile Do paDpac 
a pmnpip piom d' Ua Sjinjin peachc piam, o pop a6ma pom ip m 
ealaDam po pa&coich Do, .1. h-i peanchup. TTlac Do Dhiapmaicc 
na D-cpi P50I Cabj Camm, aj a m-baoi an cpiup mac oippbepc, 
Cuacal, ^i^^'^^o piabac, ajup Diapmaicc ; ap leo-pibe Do ponab 
na cije cloch 1 5-C1II bappainn, Doij ba h-iaDpibe co n-a pinn- 
peapaib popcap ponDuipe h-i 5-C1II bappamn 6 aimpip an Copbmaic 

ac 

' In the year of our Lord 1382. — The that the first of the O'Clerys settled in 

death of Giolla Brighde O'Sgingin, "in- the territory about the year 1382, imme- 

tended Ollamh of Tirconnell," is recorded diately after the death of Giolla Bhrighde 

in the Annals of the Four Masters at this O'Sgingin. 

year. This, however, contradicts the as- J Niall^ the son of Toirdheodbhadi an 

sertion that Niall Garbh, the son of Aodh, fkiona, — This Niall died in the Isle of 

son of Domhnall Og O'Donnell, was the Mann in the year 1439, a hostage in the 

chief of Tirconnell when Cormac O'Clery hands of the English. His death is thus 

first went to that country, for this Niall recorded in the Annals of the Four Mas- 

Garbh O'Donnell, as we have already seen, ters : — "A. D. 1439, O'Donnell (Niall 

was slain in the year 1 348, and if Giolla Garbh) died in the Isle of Mann in capti- 

Bhrighde O'Sgingin was dead before Cor- vity. He was the select hostage of Tir- 

mac O'Clery's marriage with his sister, connell and Tirone and all the north of 

Cormac O'Clery must have been in Tir- Ireland, and the chief subject of conver- 

connell at least thirty-four years before sation in Leath Chuinn during his time; — 

his marriage. But the fact undoubtedly harasser and destroyer of the English 

was, that Niall Garbh O'Donnell was not (until they took revenge for all) and pro- 

the chief of Tirconnell at the time, but tector and defender of his tribe, against 

his son Toirdhealbhach an fhiona, and such English and Irish as were his ad- 



79 



mother (the intended ollamh of Cinel Conaill, who had died before 
this period, in the year of the age of our Lord 1382*), that the name 
GioUa Bhrighde was given to him. Son to this Giolla Bhrighde 
(yClery was Giolla riabhach ; son to Giolla riabhach was Diarmaid 
of the three schools, so called because he kept a school of literature, 
a school of history, and a school of poetry. It was to him that 
O'Doimell Niall^ the son of Toirdhealbhach an fhiona, granted the 
lands called Craoibheaxjh^ (on which he had his dwelUng and resi- 
dence for some time), in addition to the other lands which his (i. e, 
O'DonnelFs) ancestors had previously granted to O'Sgingin, — as he 
was a proficient' in the science, which was hereditary to him, namely, 
history. Son to Diarmaid of the three schools was Tadhg Cam, 
who had the three celebrated sons, Tuathal, Giolla riabhach, and 
Diarmaid, by whom the stone-houses were erected at Gill Barrainn"', 
for they and their ancestors were freeholders in Gill Barrainn from 

the 



versaries, both before and after he became 
chief of his tribe." 

^ Craaibheack, pronounced Creevagh, a 
district in the parish of Kilbarron, barony 
of Tirhugh, in the south of the county of 
Donegal. 

^ As he was a proficient^ S^. — This sen- 
tence is very confused in the original, but 
there can be no doubt that the meaning in- 
tended to be conveyed by the writer is the 
following: — '^This Diarmaid of the three 
schools, being a great proficient in his he- 
reditary science of history, received from 
CPDonnell a new grant of lands, called 
Craoibheach (on which he had his resi- 
dence for some time), and which he en- 
joyed, together with the lands which he 
inherited from the O^Sgingins, to whom 
O^Donnell's ancestors had made grants of 



several townlands." The sentence should 
be thus constructed in the original: — 
"O pop aoma an t>iapniaic p if in 
ealaoain po pao roich 00, .1. h-i pean- 
chup, 00 pao 0't)oriinaill (Hi all, mac 
Coip6eal6ai5 an p(ona), 00 on peaponn 
Dia n-^apap an Chpaoi6eac, — i n-a 
m-baoi a 6iqieab a^up a lonacacc 
araio, — ^la cao5 na 5- peaponn n-cile 00 
pao-pac a pinpip-pioiii o' Ua S^m^in 
peachc piaih." 

«■ CiU Barrainn (L e. the church of St. 
Barrfhionn), now ELilbarron, a townland 
giving name to a parish in the barony of 
Tirhugh, in the coimty of Donegal. For 
a view of some fragments of these stone 
houses, situated on a precipitous cliff, see 
the Irish Penny Journal, January i6th, 
1 841, p. 225. 



8o 

ac pubpamap canac cecup co Cenel Conaill; ctjup ap lao p6p ap 
ponouipe h-i Ceacpamain na Cuchrpach, agup h-i 5-Cearparhain 
an cije cloiche o' peaponn mamipcpe Gappa Ruai6. Ro bab leo 
oan 6 Ua n-Domnaill ceacpaime Cille Dorhnaij, 05 up cearpairhe 
Chuile pemuip, ajup cearpoirhe Dpoma an cpomn, pop Ttluij Gne. 

Clann Cuacail, mic CaiDg Caimm, mic Diapmaca na o-cpi 
pcol, .1. Ca&5 Camni, ^i^^''^ RiaBach, TTlachjaTham, Uillmm. 
Caoj Camm oiobaij, ace aom mjean pop pdgaib, .1. Sile. ^^^^^^ 
piabac, an Dapa mac Cuacail, aciacc a clann, .i. Cuacal, ITlac- 
^amam, Cu-TTluThan. TTlarjaTham, mac Cuarail, mac Do Diap- 
maic. Ttlac oo'n Diapmaic pin an TTlaolmnipe baoi a^ Ua Neill, 
Coippbealbac Lwmeach. Uilliam, mac Cuacail, mic Caibj 
Caimm, aciacc a clann, Donnchab, Conaipe, Domnall, Concobap. 

Clann ^^^l'^^ p^ctbaij, mic Cai&j Caim, mic Diapmaca, na 
t)-cpf Scol, Domnall ajjup THuipip. 

Diapmaic, mac Caib^ Caimm, mic Diapmaca na D-cpf pcol, 

aciacc 

° Ceatkramh na Cuchtraeh^ i e. the ' Druim an ckroinn. There is a town- 
kitchen quarter. This name is now obso- land of this name in the parish of Tern- 
lete in the parish of Kilbarron. plecarne, in the Barony of Tirhugh. 

° Ceatkramh an tigke doicke^ i. e. the • Magh Ene This is called g-Cedne by 

quarter of the stone house; but the name Keating and O'Flaherty, Moy-Genne in 

is now obsolete. the Ulster Inquisitions, and Magh Ene 

P CM Z>omAwa«^A, now Kildoney, a glebe by Colgan, Trias Thaum. p. 180, coL d, 

in the parish of Kilbarron, lying to the where he thus points out its situation : — 

south of the River Erne. In an inquisi- " Magh ene estT campus TirconnalliaB ad 

tion held at Lifibrd on the 12 th of Sep- australem ripam fluminis Emei inter ip- 

tember, 1609, this townland is called Kil- sum et Drobhaois fluvium protensum.'* 

doned, and it is stated to be in the tenure This plain extends from Belleek to Bun- 

of the sept of the O'Cleries. drowes, and from the mouth of the Biver 

^ Cuil remuir^ was the ancient name of Erne to Lough Melvin. 

a quarter of land near the sea, in the same ^ Who was with O^NeiU, that is, who 

parish ; but the name is now obsolete. was poet to O'Neill. He was slain by 



8i 



the time of the Cormac we have above mentioned, the first who 
came to Cinel Conaill. They were also the freeholders of Ceath- 
ramh na cuchtrach", and of Ceathramh an tighe cloiche®, a part of 
the lands of the abbey of Eas Ruaidh. They had also, as a gift 
from O'Donnell, the quarter of Gill Domhnaigh** and the quarter of 
Cuil remuir*", and the quarter of Druim an chroinn', in the plain of 
Magh Ene'. 

The sons of Tuathal, son of Tadhg Cam, son of Diarmaid of the 
three schools, were Tadhg Cam, GioUa riabhach, Mathghamhain, and 
William. Tadhg Cam left no issue, except one daughter named 
Celia. GioUa riabhach, the second son of Tuathal, had issue, Tuathal, 
Mathghamhain, and Cu-Mumhan. Mathghamhain, the son of Tuathal, 
had a son Diarmaid. This Diaxmaid had a son Maolmuire, who was 
with O'Neill' (Toirdhealbhach Luineach). William, son of Tuathal, 
son of Tadhg Cam, had three sons, Donnchadh, Conaire, Domhnall, 
and Conchobhar. 

The sons of GioUa riabhach, son of Tadhg Cam, son of Diarmaid 
of the three schools, were Domhnall and Maurice. 

Diarmaid, son of Tadhg Cam, son of Diarmaid of the three schools, 

had 



O'Donnell's people in the year 1583, un- 
der which year the Four Masters have 
preserved the following very curious 
notice. After giving an account of a 
fierce battle fought between 0*Donnell 
and O'Neill near the river Finn, in which 
the latter was defeated, they proceed as 
follows to record the fate of their own 
distinguished relative : — ^^ On this occa- 
sion numbers of O'Neill's people were 
slain and drowned, and among others 
O'Gormley (Cormac, son of Hugh) and 
Maelmuire, son of Diarmaid, son of Math- 
IBI8H ABCH. BOC. 12. M 



ghamhain, who was son of Tuathal O'Clery, 
the only hostage of O'Neill and the Cinel 
Eoghain ; for his father and O'Neill him- 
self had been bom of the same mother, and 
Maelmuire, on account of his relationship 
to O'Neill, had been in possession of all 
O'Neill's wealth, and O'Neill would have 
given three times the usual price for his 
ransom, if ransomed he could be, but he 
was first mortally wotinded and after- 
wards drowned by O'Donnell's people, 
who were in high spirits and rejoiced 
greatly at seeing him thus cut off." 



82 



anarc a clann^Cocoi^qiYce, ^lolla bpij;De, Coppmac, cm bpoccnp 
o'apo S. Ppancip, ajup TTIuip^eap. 

CUinn CofKoijcpicc, mic Diapmarci, mic Coibj Ccnm, ITIac- 
con, Coframac, Dnbrac, 'Caiy^ Copbmac, C1511P THoipip balloch. 
Clann ^^^^-^ 6pi^;T)c, mic Diapmaca, mic Caibj Caimra mic 
Diapmaca na r>-rpi pcol, peappcapa, Qimip^in, apip TTIaelmaipe. 
Clarjn TTluipjcapo, mic Diapmaca, mic UaiO^Caimm, Dicq[imaicx 
ajup Co-Connacc. 

00 shciochc oioRmatKi, mic caiDhj caimni 

Cu^ai6, 5ioll<> t>pi'5^>c> TTlaccon TUcipjeac, Ciicoijcpice, ajup 
Doibjcann, 

mic 5^oUa piaBoi^, 

mic ^lollo bpi5^>c» 
mic Copbmcnc, .1. an ccit) peap 
rdnaic Dfo5 co Cenel ConailL 

mic Diapmaoa, 

mic 

northern bards in the contest with those 
of the south of Ireland, which took place 
about the b^;inning of the seventeenth 
century, respecting the claims of the riyal 
dynasties of the northern and southern 
divisions of Ireland to supremacy and re- 
nown. The poems written on the occa- 
sion, styled the lomarbadk, or Contention 
deed gave birth to the composition of of the Bards, are preserved in several 



claim TTlciccon, 

mic Concoijcpicc, 

mic Diapmaoa, 

mic Uaii>5 Caim, 

mic Diapmaoa na o-cpf pcol, 

^ Maurice BaUack, L e. Maurice the 
freckled. He was a learned historian and 
(xjet, and was hanged in the year 1572, 
UffiathHT with others of the Irish literati, 
by the Earl of Thomond, who wished to 
ext45nninate that class in Ireland. The 
Four Masters have the following remark 
on this cruel act * — '^ This abominable 



m.'veral satirical and denunciatory poems 
againnt the Earl.*' 

^ Ltighaidh^ son of Maccon. — He was the 
h<!a(l of the Tirconnell branch of the 
O'Clerys, and the most distinguished of 
the Irish literati of the north of Ire- 
land in his time. He was the principal 
]K)etical combatant on the part of the 



Irish MSS., the most ancient of which 
is the O'Grara MS., now preserved in the 
Library of the Boyal Irish Academy. 
Besides these poems Lughaidh vrrote An- 
nals of his own time, which the Four 
Masters state were used by them in their 
Annals. He held all his lands till the 
year 1609, and was selected as one of the 



83 

had these sons, namely, Cucoigcriche, GioUa Brighde, Cormac, the 
friar of the order of St. Francis, and Muirgheas. 

The sons of Cucoigcriche, son of Diarmaid, son of Tadhg Cam, 
were Maccon, Cosnamhach, Dubhthach, Tadhg, Cormac, and Maurice 
Ballacli". The sons of GioUa Brighde, son of Diarmaid, son of Tadhg 
Cam, son of Diarmaid of the three schools, were Fearfeasa, Aimirgin, 
and Maehnuire. The sons of Muirgheas, son of Diarmaid, son of 
Tadhg Cam, were Diarmaid and Cuchonnacht. 

OF THE RACE OF DIARMAID, SON OF TADHG CAM. 

Lughaidh^, GioUa-Brighde, Maccon Meirgeach, Cucoigcriche, and 
Duibhgeann, 



sons of Maccon, 
son of Cucoigcriche, 
son of Diarmaid, 
son of Tadhg Cam, 
son of Diarmaid of the three 
schools. 



son of GioUa riabhach, 
son of GioUa Brighde, 
son of Cormac, the first man of 

this family who came to Cinel 

ConaiU, 



" good and lawful men" of the county of 
Donegal, appointed to inquire into the 
king^s title to the several escheated and 
forfeited lands in Ulster. An inquisition 
was held by these commissioners at Lifford 
on the 1 2 th of September, 1609, in which 
it is stated that ^' the parish of ELilbarron 
contains five quarters in all, whereof one 
quarter is Herenach land possessed by the 
sept of the Clerics as Herenaches, paying 
thereout yearlie to the lord busshopp of 
Raphoe thirteen shillings, four-pence Irish 
per annum, six meathers of butter, and 
thirty-four meathers of meale ; and that 
there is one quarter named Kildoned" 
[now Kildoney Glebe], " in the tenure of 

M2 



son 

the said sept of the Clerics, free from 
any tithes to the busshop." And again, 
**that there are in the said parishe 
three quarters of CollumbkiUe's land, 
every quarter conteyning sixe balliboes, in 
the tenure of Lewe O'Cleerie, to whom 
the said lands were sithence mortgaged 
for fortie pounds by the late Earle of Tir- 
connell, and that the said Lewe hath paid 
thereout yearly unto his Majestic, sithence 
the late £arle's departure, four poundes, 
two muttons, and a, pair of gloves, but 
nothing to the said busshopp." For some 
account of the lineal descendants of this 
Lughaidh see the Pedigree of O'Clery in 
the Addenda to this volume. 



' 



84 



inic Seaain Sjiamaij, 
rmc Doriinaill, 
mic Siolla lopa, 
mic Caioh^, 
mic Ttluipeabaij, 
mic Cijeapnaij, 

mic 5^^^^^ ^^ naorii, 

mic Dorhnaill, 

mic Gotham, 

mic bpaoin, 0*65 1033, 

mic Conjaela, 1025, 

mic ^lollci Cheallaij, 1003, 

mic Comalcain, 976, 

mic TTlaoilcepapoa, .1. piann, 

950, 
mic TTlailpabaill, 887, 

mic Cleipij 6 car Ui Cleipij, 



mic Ceoabaij, 
mic Cumupgai^, 
mic Cacmoja, 
mic Coppar, 
mic peap^ailc, 
mic Qpcgailc, 
mic 5^^'P^ Qibnc, 
mic Colmam, 
mic Cobcaij, 

mic 5^i^i^^^^» 

mic Conaill, 

mic Gojain, 

mic 6ac6ac 6pic, 

mic Daci, 

mic piacpac, 

mic Gac&ac TTluigmeaDoin. 



Diapmaicc agup Scaan, 
clann an Chopnamaij, 
mac Concoigcpiche, 
mic Diapmaoa, 



mic Caibj Caim, 

mic Diapmaoa na o-cpf pjol. 



Cabj Cam, piann, ajup Concobap, 
clann Dubraij;, mic Diapmaoa, 

mic Concoijcpice, mic CaiOj Caimm. 



TTlaolmuipc, 
mac pipF^apa, 
mic 5'^^^^ bpijoc, 
mic Diapmaca, 



mic Caibj Caimm, 

mic Diapmaca na 0-cpi pgol. 



DO 



85 



son of Diannaid, 

son of John Sgiamhach, 

son of Domhnall, 

son of Giolla losa, 

son of Tadhg, 

son of Mnireadhach, 

son of Tigheamach, 

son of Giolla na naomh, 

son of Domlinall, 

son of Eoghan, 

son of Braon, who died in 1033, 

son of Cugaela, 1025, 

son of Giolla Cheallaigli, 1003, 

son of Comhaltan, 976, 

son of Maelcerarda, i. e. Flann, 

son of Maolfabhaill, 887. 

son of Cleireach, from whom the 

Diannaid and John, 
sons of Cosnamhach, 
son of Cu-coigcriche, 
son of Diarmaid, 



family o/'O'Clery, 
son of Ceadadhach, 
son of Cumusgach, 
son of Cathmogh, 
son of Torpa, 
son of Feargal, 
son of Artgal, 
son of Gnaire Aidhne, 
son of Colman, 
son of Cobhthach, 
son of Goibhnenn, 
son of Oonall, 
son of Eoghan, 
son of Eochaidh Breac, 
son of Dathi, 
son of Fiachra, 
son of Eochaidh Muighmheadh- 

oin. 



son of Tadhg Cam, 
son of Diarmaid of the three 
schools. 



Tadhg Cam, Flann, and Conchobhar, 
sons of Dubhthach, son of Diarmaid, 

son of Cucoigcriche, son of Tadhg Cam. 



Maolmuire, 
son of Fearfeasa, 
son of Giolla Brighde, 
son of Diannaid, 



son of Tadhg Cam, 
son of Diannaid of the 
schools. 



three 



OF 



86 



DO shciochc cuachaic. 



Cu TTluThan, 
mac Cuacail, 

inic Cuachail, 

TTlaolTnuipc, 
mac Ttlacjariina, 

inic ^lo^l*^ liia^QiS* 



mic Caibg Caim, 

TTiic Diapmaca na o-upf pcol. 



Tnic Cuatoil, 

TTiic Cai&5 Caimm. 



Uilliam, Conaipe, TTIaolTnuipe, x bepnapofn, "Cab's ^^ c-8leibe, 
.1. TTlichel, t)d bpdraip o' 6pD Obpcpuancia, 
clann Donncaio, mic Caibj Caim, 

mic Uilliam, mic Diapmaca na D-cpf pool, 

mic Cuacail, 

DO ShClOChC 51066a I?ia6hai5h, 
TTluipif, 
mac Concoijcpfcc, mic CaiDj Caim, 

mic Ttluipip, mic Diapmaca na D-cpf pcol. 

mic 5'o^''Q pic[^Qi5» 



Cuacal, 
mac Golupa, 
mic TTluipip, 

' Conairi. — He was one of the com- 
pilers of the Annals of the Four Masters, 
and the transcriber of the greater portion 
of the copy of the second part of that 
work, preserved in the Library of the 
Royal Irish Academy. 

* Madmuirey i. e. Bemardin. — He was 



mic ^lo^lci pici^aij* 
mic Caibj Caim. 

niaolmuipe 

guardian of the convent of Donegal in the 
year 1632, when the Four Masters com- 
menced the compilation of their Annals, 
and again in 1636, when the same work 
was completed, as appears from the testi- 
monium prefixed to the second volume of 
the work, now in the Library of the Royal 



87 



OP THE BACE OP TUATHAL. 

Cu-Mumhan, 

son of Tuathal, son of Tadg Cam, 

son of GioUa riabhach, son of Diarmaid of the three 

son of Tuathal, schools. 



Maohnuire, 
son of Mathghamhain, 
son of Giolla riabhach, 



son of Tuathal, 
son of Tadhg Cam. 

William, Conaire'', Maolmuire, i e. Bemardin", Tadhg of the 
mountain, i. e. Michael* ; the two UUter were friars of the order de 
Observantia, 

sons of Donnchadh, son of Tadhg Cam, 

son of William, son of Diarmaid of the three 

son of Tuathal, schools. 



OF THE BACE OF GIOLLA RIABHACH. 



Maiirice, 
son of Cu-coigcriche, 
son of Maurice, 
son of Giolla riabhach, 

Tuathal, 
son of Eolus, 
son of Maurice, 

Irish Academy. 

' Tadhg of the mountain^ i e. Michael. — 
He was the chief of the Four Masters, and 
the author of an Irish Glossarj, published at 
Louvain in 1643, which has been of great 
use to Lhwyd and aU subsequent Irish lexi- 



son of Tadhg Cam, 
son of Diarmaid of the three 
schools. 

son of Giolla riabhach, 

son of Tadhg Cam. 

Maolmuire 

cographers. He spent ten years trayeUing 
through Ireland to collect manuscripts 
for the use of Colgan in compiling his 
Acta Sanctorum; in the Preface to which 
work Colgan gives a high character of 
him. 



88 

maolmuipe, 
mac Dorhnaill, rrnc ^^^^^^c piabai j, 

Ttiic Cams, Ttiic Uamj Caim. 

mic iriaoilmuipe, 

t)o mhuiNciR chceiRigh chme h-amhatsaoha. 

Seaan Sgiarhac, Daniel, Uomap, ajup Copbmac, ceirpe, 
meic Dorhnaill, mic ^^^^^ci na naom, 

mic ^lolla lopa, mic Dorhnaill, 

mic Caibj, mic Go^ain, 

mic TTluipeanai^, mic 6paein, 

mic Ui^eapnai^, mic Congaela, ^c. 

Seaan Sgiamac 6 D-cdc mumcip Cleipi^ Uipe Conaill; Daniel 
6 D-cdc mumnp Cleipij Uhipe h-Qrhaljaba; Uomap 6 D-cdc 
clann Cleipi^ bpeipne Ui Rajallai^, Coppmac 6 o-cdc mumcip 
Cleipi5 Cille Cainoij;. 

t)0 ShtlOChC DQNiet. 
TTlaolmuipe, 
mac Copbmaic, mic Dorhnaill, 

mic Diapmaca, mic ^i^^l'Ci lopa, 

mic T?uai6pi, mic Cam^, 

mic Seaam, mic TTluipeaoai^, 

mic Uomaip, mic Uigeapnaigh, 

mic Domnaill, mic ^i^^^^^^ ^^ naorh, tc. 

mic Daniel, 

Comap 

y The Muintir Cleirigh of Tir-Amhal' O'Cleri, a member of this branch of the 

gadha^ i. e. the O'Clerys of Tirawley, in family, made in 1452, concerning the de- 

the county of Mayo. The reader is re- scent and former possessions in Tireragh, 

ferred to a note on the pedigree of O'Dowd, of Hugh O^Dowde, of Stalinge in Meath. 

where he will find the affidavit of John ' CiU Cainnigh^ i, e. Cella Sancti Can- 



89 

Maolmuire, 
son of Domhnall, son of GioUa riabhach, 

son of Tadhg, son of Tadhg Cam. 

son of Maolmuire, 

OF THE MUINTIR CLEIRIGH OF TIR-AMHALGADHA'. 

John Sgiamhach, Daniel, Thomas, and Cormac, 
four sons of Domhnall, son of Giolla na naomh, 

son of Giolla losa, son of Domhnall, 

son of Tadhg, son of Eoghan, 

son of Muireadhach, son of Braen, 

son of Tighearnach, son of Cugaela, &c. 

From John Sgiamhach are descended the family of O'Clery of Tir 
Conaill ; from Daniel are the family of O'Clery of Tir Amhalgadha ; 
from Thomas are the Clann Clery of Breifny O'Reilly ; and jfrom 
Cormac are the Muinter Clery of Cill Cainnigh*. 

OF THE RACE OF DANIEL. 

Maolmuire, 

son of Cormac, son of Domhnall, 

son of Diarmaid, son of Giolla losa, 

son of Ruaidhri, son of Tadhg, 

son of John, son of Muireadhach, 

son of Thomas, son of Tighearnach, 

son of Domhnall, son of Giolla na naomh, &c. 
son of Daniel, 

Thomas 

niei, now Kilkenny. Several of the name Cleaiys of Leinster, who knew any thing of 

Clearyare now to be found throughout their pedigree or origin, nor does he believe 

Leinster, but the name has been in many that the pedigree of any branch has been 

instances anglicised to Clarke. The £di- preserved, except that of the literary 

tor never met any member of the Leinster Tirconnell family. 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. 12. N 



90 



Comar ajup bpian O5, 
clann bjiiain na bpoige, 
mac Daui6 &ui6e, 
mic Donncaib, 

DuibjenD, 
mac Gmainn Cpom, 
mic Gmamn Cpom, 
mic Copbmaic, 

TTlaolmuipe, 
mac pipDopcha, 
mic Cuarail, 
mic Donncaib, 

Dubalcac, 
mac TTluipceapcaij, 
mic Seaam an Chlaoai^, 
mic 6piain, 

Daui6 bui&e, 
mac Uomaip, 
mic Daui6 6ui&e, 
mic Diapmaca 5^M^ 



mic Comaip, 
mic Domnaill, 
mic Daniel. 



mic Uomaip, 
mic Domnaill, 
mic Danieil. 



mic Uomaip, 
mic Domnaill, 
mic Danieil. 



mic niuipceapcaij, 
mic Domnaill, 
mic Danieil. 



mic TTluipceapraijj, 
mac Domnaill, 
mic Danieil]. 



Qce ant) po na pio^a po jabpaD Connacca ajup 6pe Do cloinn 
piacpach pholcpnacaij, .1. Dari, mac piacpac, 00 gab pen pige 50 
Sliab Qlpa, ajup po cabaij an bhopoma po rpi jan cac. 

OiliollTTlolc, mac Darn: 00 jab pen pije n-Gpeann, gup cabaij 
an bhopoma po rpi jan cac. QipmiD leabaip jup jab Gape mac 
Oiliolla niuilc pige n-Gpeann, ajup ^up cabaij an bhopoma jan 
cac. 

Qmaljaib 



91 



Thomas and Brian Og, 
sons of Brian na broige, 
son of David Buidhe [the t/ellotv], 
son of Donnchadh, 

Duibhgenn, 
son of Edmond Cron, 
son of Edmond Cron, 
son of Cormac, 

Maolmuire, 
son of Fear dorcha, 
son of Tuathal, 
son of Donnchadh, 

Dubhaltach, 
son of MuircEeartach, 
son of John of Cladagh, 
son of Brian, 

David Buidhe, 
son of Thomas, 
son of David Buidhe, 
son of Diarmaid Glas, 



son of Thomas, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Daniel. 



son of Thomas, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Daniel, 

son of Thomas, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Daniel 



son of Muircheartach, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Daniel. 

son of Muircheartach, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Daniel]. 



The following are the kings of the race of Fiachra Foltsnathach, 
who ruled Connaught and Ireland, viz., Dathi, son of Fiachra : he 
ruled the countries as far as the Alps, and he exacted the Borumean 
tribute thrice without a battle. 

OlioU Molt, son of Dathi : he assumed the monarchy of Ireland, 

and exacted the Borumean tribute thrice without a battle. Some 

books state that Earc, the son of OilioU Molt, assumed the monarchy 

of Ireland, and exacted the Borumha without a battle. 

N 2 Amhalgaidh, 



92 

QrhalsaiD, mac piacpac: t)o jab r^n pije Chonnacr. Sojan 
6eul, Qilill lonbamia, Qo6 ajup Cpunrhaol oo jaBpao pije Con- 
nacc a Ceapa. 

Colman, ^^^^P^ Qi&nc, TTluipccapcac ajup Laii^n, cccpe 
pij Connacr a h-Qi6ne. 

Oilill, Cacal, lonopaccac, ajuf Duncab, ccrpe pig a muije 
TTluaibe ano pm. Cona6 Do cuirhniu^ab na pioj pm appcpc an 
pile, 

Cecpe pi]5 Deuj oo clainn piacpac, 
beoDa, pacmapa na pij, 
6oip reap ip cuaig jac cipe, 
Sluai j aj leap jac ome oib. 

Cerpe pij ap Chuijeab Chonnacc 
Q epic Qi&ne aipo na naorh, 
TTluipceapcac Oo'n cuaine c6rhlan, 
Caijnen, ^^cc^P^* Colman Caom. 

Cerpe pij Connacc a Ceapa, 
Cpunmaol ip Qo& na n-apm 5-copp, 
'8 a Oiap paop, Qilill ip Gojan 
Q poipmn na Leorhan ConO. 

Cecpe pij Ua b-piacpac TTIuaibe 
Duncab Cpuacna, na 5-ceapD |»aop 
lonDpaccac ndp coipinn racop, 
Oilill ajup Cacal Caom. 

Ceacpap aipo-pij jab-pooGpinn; 
6pe po m6p-pao gan miiich, 
Daci ip Oilill pop Gpino, 
Gmaljait), Gape oe'n emj iiip. 

Leabap pocaip placa O b-piacpac 

Qca liom punna pd peac. 

Ni 



93 

Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra : lie assumed the government of 
Connaught Eoghan Beul, Ailill lonbhanna, Aodh, and Crunmhaol 
assimied the kingship of Connaught and were resident in Ceara. 

Coknan, Guaire Aidhne, Muircheartach, and Laighnen, were four 
kings of Connaught who dwelt in Aidhne. 

OilioU, Cathal, lonnrachtach, and Dunchadh were four kings of 
(Connaught who dwelt in the plain of Muaidhe \the Moy\. To com- 
memorate these kings the poet said : 

Fourteen kings of the race of Fiachra, 
Vigorous, successful were these kings, 
Both south and north of each country, 
Each tribe of them was with prosperity. 

Four kings of the province of Connaught 
Dwelt in great Aidhne, land of saints, 
Muircheartach, one of the perfect breed, 
Laighnen, Guaire, and Colman Caomh. 

Four Connaught kings dwelt in Ceara, 
Crunmaol and Aodh of weapons bright. 
And the noble pair Ailill and Eoghan, 
Of the tribe of mighty lions. 

Four kings of the Hy-Fiachrach Muaidhe, 
Dunchadh of Cruachan, of noble feats, 
londrachtach, who shunned not the battle, 
Oilill and Cathal Caomh. 

Of them four monarchs governed Erin ; — 
Erin they exalted without a cloud, — 
Dathi and Oilill over Erin, 
Amhalgaidh and Earc of the noble lineage. 

The Book of the Tributes of the chiefs of Hy-Fiachrach, 
Are with me here one and all ; 

I 



94 

Ni cluinim map pn a parhla 
Na pip ap calma do ceac. 

Cccpc. 

Sam pip pm a Dep Duain peancaip Oa'n copac, pionnaD Scancai&e 
peap b-pdil. 

Cpi pig 6eu5 ba piojoa pac, 
Do clannaib piala piacpac, 
Deuola ap a cuaraib jan cape, 
'Sa Chpuacam ceuona Connacc. 

Da phlairpi, peap^al pop peap, 
55uaipe, Colman 50 g-cuibbeap, 
TTlap leoriian gac pi 50 pmn, 
Daci, Gojan, ip Oilill. 

Qrhal^aib, lonopaccac an, 
DonDcacab, Oilill lonmap 
Dunca6 jan rhenj, gan rheabuil, 
Noca leam nac Idm-rheabuip. 

Do jeuboe laD po ni ap poilepe poD ip m Icacanac 298. 

Dari, mac piacpac umoppo, 'pa bpairpe, leo copcaip bpian, 
mac Gacac Tnui^meabom, 1 5-car Dam-cluana, ajup ap 'n-a epic 
Do ruic peaponn clomne TTlec n-6apca ache beajan ; ajup 1 
D-Uulchai& Domnann Do h-a6naicea6, Do cloinn bhpiain, mup ca ip 
in leacanac 247. 

Seweatach 

> Historical poem This poem is not is not recorded in the Annals of Clonmac- 

quoted in the Book of Lecan. noise, the Four Masters, nor in any other 

* Page 298. — This reference, and that to authority that the Editor could find, ex- 
page 247, at the end of the next paragraph, cept the Book of Ballymote, fol. 145, 6, a. 
are to the pages of our author's MS. writ- Damh-ckltiain signifies the insulated pas- 
ten in 1645. turage or meadow of the oxen. There 

^Battle of Damh-chluain — This battle are many places of the name in Ireland, 



95 

I hear not so of any others like them, 
They are the bravest men that I have seen. 

Fourteen," &c. 

Differently from this, however, speaks the historical poem* be- 
ginning " Be it known to the historians of the men of Fail." 

" Thirteen kings of kingly prosperity, 
Of the generous race of Fiachra, 
Potent in their coxmtries without thirst. 
Reigned in the same Cruachan in Connaught 

Two Flaithri's, Feargal, it is known, 
Guaire, Colman with worthiness; 
As a lion was each king with his spear, 
Dathi, Eoghan, and Oilill. 

Amhalgaidh, londraxjhtach the noble, 
Donncathadh, Oilill lonmar, 
Dimchadh without treachery, without guile. 
It is not by me they are not fully remembered." 

These kings will be more distinctly foxmd in p. 298*. 

It was by Dathi, the son of Fiachra and his brothers, that Brian, 
thB son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, was slain in the battle of 
Damh-chluain*' ; and it was in eric \Te'paTation\ for it that the land 
of Clann Mec n-Earca was forfeited, except a small portion ; and it 
was in Tulach Domhnann*^ he was interred, as stated in page 247. 

GENEALOGY 

now anglicised Dougblone ; but theDamh- ^ Tulach Domhnann, This place is called 

chltiam here referred to, is stated to be si- Tulcha Domhnaill in the Book of BaUy- 

tuated in the territory of Hy-Briuin Eola mote, but it is difficult now to determine 

(now the barony of Clare, in the county which is the more correct name, or where 

of Galway), on the frontiers of Conmaicne the place is situated. See further remarks 

Guile, now the barony of ELilmaine, in the on this battle in the Addenda to this vo- 

comity of Mayo. lume. 



96 



Seweacach ua 6h-FiachRach muaiDhe. 

piacpa Galeae mac Dachi, Rua6, m^ean Qipcij Uichc- 
leatain, a rhacaiji, DoneochaDbac oia bpec. Uaice paiceap TTlul- 
lac T?ua6a i o-Cfp piacpac TTluai&c, ap a h-aDhlacaoh i mullac 
na culca pin ; ajup ap uippe aca an capn cloc pil pop mullac 
na cealca. Qjup Uulac na mole a h-amm poime pm, uaip micm 
mole-cap na Do paoa6 o'd maraip pop Oilill TTlolc an 5-ccn po 
baoi-n'a bpoinn, ajupjac mole Do jebri 00 cum na piojjna ap 00 lon- 
poijmna culca pin Do cionoilci; conaD De pin paiceap Culacna mole. 
Culacna ITlaoile a h-amm poime pin, cpe popDo jab an TTlaol-pliDipi 
ince ap Cam bo piibipi [an comaip do bai pepgup ocup Domnall 
Dual-buiDi a compag, cop mapbaD Domnall ip mcompaj ym^ ocup 
an ^aiTTicinpciit) aj copai jeacc ap pepaib Gpeann anD, a n-DiaiD na 
Uana, conaD De pm a Depap Uulac na TTlaili pip in cnocc; ocup ip 



o'n 



^MuUach Ruadha^ now Mullaroe, or Red 
hill, in the parish of Skreen, barony of 
Tirerach, and county of Sligo. 

• HiU of the weatker8.^The Rev. Patrick 
Mac Loughlin, in his abstract of the Book 
of Lecan, translates this passage thus : 
'^ 'Tis said that Ruad, daughter of Artach 
Uchtleathan, was wife to Dathi, and mother 
of Fiachra £algach and Oilill Molt. 'Tis 
said that Ruad being buried in the hill 
called after her Mullach Rut®, a cam 
dock was raised over her, and that she 
died by the breathy or sentence" [recte 
birth] " of her Fiachra. Before, it was 
called Tealach na molt, because it was a 
place near which her sheep were usually 



<^om"[rMfe slaughtered]. But that this is 
a garbling of the original text will at onoe 
be seen by the intelligent Irish scholar. 
The reader is referred to O'Flaherty's 
Ogygia, part lU. c. 87, and also to Keat- 
ing's History of Ireland (reign of Oilioll 
Molt), in which the story is told in such 
plain Irish that the drift of it cannot be 
mistaken. Keating's words are thus trans- 
lated by Dr. John Lynch : *'^MoUi agnomine 
ideo afifectus, quod matrem ejus Orachi 
filiam ilium utero gestantem oviUse camis 
manducandse cupido incesserit ; adstiterat 
nimirum ovillam expetenti Fiala Eochi 
Siadi filia, tenuis fortuna foemina, que 
infantulo statim ac e materno alvo emersit 



97 



GENEALOGY OF THE HY-FIACHRACH OF THE MOT. 

The mother of Fiachra Ealgach, the son of Dathi, was Ruadh, 
the daughter of Airtech Uichtleathan, who died at his birth. From 
her is named Mullach Rnadha*^, in Tir Fiachrach of the Moy,- from 
her being buried in the top of that hill ; and over her is the cam of 
stones which is on the top of the hill. Tulach na molt was its 
name before that time, from the circumstance that the mother of 
Oilioll Molt, while he was in her womb, took a desire for wether* 
mutton, and all the wethers procured for the queen were brought 
to this hill, whence it was called Tulach na molt [i. e. the hill of 
the wethers^]. Tulach na Maoile [i. e. the hill ofMaol] had been 
its previous name, from the rest which Maol-Flidhisi took upon 
it during the excursion of Tain Bo Flidhisi [while Fergus*^ and 
Domhnall Dual-bhuidhe^ were engaged at single combat, — in which 
combat Domhnall was slain, — while the Gamanradii were in pur- 
suit of the men of Erin here after the cattle spoil. Whence the 
hill was called Tulach na Maili ; and it was from this Fiachra, the 

son 

Molti agnomen, quod ovem significat, indi- Nessa. 



dit, utpoteqnimatemi uteri claustrisadhuc 
inclosus, OTUue carnis comedendae desideria 
flagraase yidebatur." See also p. 2 2, note ^. 
^ WhUe Fergus. — The passage here en- 
doeed in brackets is supplied from the 
Book of Lecan. The story of Tain Bo 
Flidhisi is still preserved in a vellum MS. 
H. 2. 16. in the Library of Trinity College, 
Dublin. The Fergus here mentioned was 
the celebrated Fergus Mac Roigh, King of 
Ulster in the first century, who was de- 
throned by his successor Conchobhar Mac 

IBI8H ABCH. 80C. 12. O 



s DomhnaU Dual-hhuidhey i. e. Donnell 
of the yellow locks. — There are many wild 
legends still told of this Domhnall in Er- 
ris, one of which was published by Mr. 
Patrick Knight in his account of the Irish 
Highlands. The fort and grave of Domh- 
nall Dual-bhuidhe are to this day pointed 
out at Dundonnell in the vaUey of Glen 
Castle, in Erris. He was one of the chiefs 
of the fierce and warlike Gamanradii of 
£rris, who were a tribe of the Firbolgs 
much celebrated in Irish historical stories. 



98 

6'n piacpa pin mac Dachi a oepap dp piacpach]. Cnoc na 
n-Dpua6 ainm ele oo'n culaij pin, cpe beic Do 6paoirib Dhari pij 

Gpeann mnce ag p^S^^^ F^^P^* S^P ^^ ^^^ ^^ caippnjip-pioo Do 
Dhaci 50 n-jeubab plaiceap Gpeann agup Qlban -|pa. 

Q Oep an pliocc pa gup ob f an Rua6 ceaona macaip Oililla 
TTluilc mac Dan. 5'^^^^ ^^P Doccup Cecm gup ob f etrne 
inj;ean Opach, bean Darn, macaip Oililla TTluilc; ajup ceao bean 
Darn Dno, .1. pial, mjean Gacac, 6 pdiceap Cpuacdn pele ; ajup 
rpeap bean Daci cpa, .1. Ruab, mjean Qipcij Uicc-leaniin, mic 
pipconja, mdcaip piacpac Galgaij, 6 pdireap dp piacpac 
TTluaibe. 

piacpa Galeae, mac Dan Ono, (ap uaba Ui phiacpac TTluaibe) 
od mac laip, .1. Qrhaljaib, oia D-cd Imp Qmaljaib, pop Coc Con, 
uaip ap mce pujab, o^up TTlaolDub, Did o-ca Dun TTlaolouib ag 
lapjaij, m baile 1 pu^ab ajup ap h-oileab e. 

Qmalgaib, mac piacpac Gal^aij clann mop laip, .i. Caipppe, 
Leapjup, peapjjup, Gocaib, peblimib, Gunoa, Gojan piono, Cpea, 

Qonjup 

hTVr-^toMroc^ now Tireragh, a barony Bail f^ojxx ocuf eoluip, i, e. obtaining 

in the north-west of the county of Sligo, knowledge and information. It is to be 

on the east side of the Moy. This formed regretted that the mode of obtaining their 

but a small portion of the country of the information is not mentioned. Perhaps the 

Hy-Fiachrach, which extended from the Druids obtained whatever knowledge they 

river Robe to the river ofDrumcliff, be- possessed of future events by observing the 

low the town of Sligo. The name Hy- aspects of the planets and the indications of 

Fiachrach, i. e. Nepotes Fiachriy was de- the heavens from the summit of this conspi- 

rived from a different Fiachra, namely, cuous hill? No other meaning can be re- 

from Fiachra, the father of King Dathi, oonciled to the situation of the place. The 

and the grandfather of the Fiachra from Bev. P. Mac Loughlin translates it, " It 

whom the country or barony of Tireragh was called also Cnoc na n-Druadh, where 

took its appellation. Dathi kept his Druithi;" but this is not 

' Obtaining knowledge. — In the Book of the correct translation of the original. 

Lecan, fol. 80, 6, the reading is 03 jm- i Dr. Keating. — Dr. Jeffrey Keating 



99 



son of Dathi, that Tir-Fiachrach* was named] . Cnoc na n-Druadh was 
another name for this hill, because the Druids of Dathi, King of Erin 
were used to be on it obtaining knowledge^ for it was here they pre- 
dicted to Dathi that he would attain to the kingdom of Erin, Alba, &c. 

This authority states that the same Ruadh was the mother of 
Oilioll Molt, the son of Dathi ; but Doctor Keating^ says that Eithne, 
the daughter of Orach, the \second\ wife of Dathi, was the mother of 
Oilioll Molt ; that the first wife of Dathi was Fial, daughter of Eoch- 
aidh, from whom Cruachan Fele is called ; and that Dathi's third wife, 
Buadh, the daughter of Airtheach Uichtleathan, son of Ferconga, was 
the mother of Fiachra Ealgach, from whom Tir Fiachrach of the Moy 
is named. 

Fiachra Ealgach, the son of Dathi (from whom are the Hy-Fiach- 
rach of the Moy), had two sons, namely, Amhalgaidh, from whom Inis 
Amhalgaidh, an island in Loch Con*", is named, for it was on it he 
was bom ; and Maoldubh, from whom is called Dun MaoilduibhS at 
lasgach [Easkey], the place where he was bom and bred. 

Amhalgaidh, the son of Fiachra Ealgach, had a large family, namel}', 
Cairpre, Learghus, Fergus, Eochaidh, Fedhlimidh, Eunda, Eoghan 
Fionn, Trea, Aongus, a quo the Ui Aonghusa, Ronan, from whom are 

the 

had finished his History of Ireland in the district, corrupted to Inishlee, the present 



year 1629, as appears from memoranda in 
sereral of the copies, that is, sixteen years 
before Duald Mac Firbis commenced the 
compilation of his larger work in Galway. 
The authority here referred to by our au- 
thor is evidently the Book of Lecan, but 
that from which Keating drew his account 
of Dathi is unknown to the £ditor. 

^ InU Amhalgaidh^ in Loch Con, now, 
according to the oldest of the natives of the 



name of a small island in Lough Conn. — 
See notes farther on, and Book of Lecan, 
foL 247, a, a, where it is stated that the 
island was a holy habitation, that is, had a 
church or chapel upon it. 

^ Dun Maailduibh, atla^ach This was 

the name of an earthen fort near the river 
Easkey, in the barony of Tireragh, and 
county of Sligo, about eleven miles and a 
half north north-east of Ballina. 



O2 



100 



Qon^ur a quo Ui Qonsupa, Ronan 6 o-cdiD Ui R6nain, .i. Caoirij 
TTluije bpon, Cuilen 6 o-cdio Ui Cuilen Qca pen. 

Qp e Qrhal^aib, mac piacpach Gal^aij;, oo pine Capn Qmal- 
5ai6 DO rocailc do cum aonaij, ajup apD-oipeaccaip, agup ap ann 
po h-a&lacab Qmal^aiD, conao uab ammnijceap an capn, .i. Capn 
Qmal^aib. Comb ap cm j-capn pom piojcap ^ac peap jabap pije 
DO clomn phiacpac Galjai j. 

QmalgaiD, mac piacpaich Galjaij, mic Darn, Da labpam a 
ppeacnapcup, ajup Qmal^aiD mac Dan pepm Doneoc D'pct^baib- 
piom 1 m-bpeajaib, noca n-pajam jenealac ace Clann phipBipij 
50 ceaccap Diob, amail cuippeam piopana d lebpaib Clomne pip- 
bipi5 pepm. 

geweatach chcoiNwe FhiRfihisiS^ ceacaw. 

Dubalcac O5, (.1. me pen, peap ceajap a^up pjpiobca an lea- 
baip pi ip m m-bhabam D'aoip CpiopD, 1666), paDpai5, OiapmaiD, 
a^up Seumap, 



mec ^i^^l'Q }o\Ki TTlhoip, 

mic an Dubalcaij TTlic phip- 

mic OiapmaDa Caoic, 
mic SeumoipTTlic pipbipij, 

^ Magh Bron. — This was the name of a 
small district in the present barony of 
Tirawley See notes to the Topographi- 
cal Poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis. 

" Athfen^ L e. the ford of the chariot, 
now unknown in Tirawley. 

o Cam Amhalgaidh. — For the situation 
of this cam see Note on the inauguration 
of O'Dowd, further on. 

p Lecan, now generally anglicised Lack- 



mic Donncaib TTlhofp, 
mic pipbipij;, 
mic Seaain O15, 
mic Seaain Cappaij, 
mic pipbipij, 

mic 

an, on modem maps, though the name is 
better known to antiquaries by the form 
Lecan, in consequence of the book com- 
piled by the Mac Firbis at the place 
having been so called by Irish writers. 
Lackan is a townland in the parish of Kil- 
glass, barony of Tireragh, and county of 
Sligo, where are the ruins of a castle built 
by the family of Mac Firbis, who were 
hereditary historians to the O'Dowds 



lOI 



the Ui Ronain, i e. the chiefs of Magh Bron"", and Cuilen, from whom 
are the Ui Cuilen of Ath Fen". 

It was Amhalgaidh, the son of Fiachra Ealgach, that raised Cam 
Amhalgaidh® to serve as a place of fairs and great meetings ; and it 
was in it Amhalgaidh himself was interred, and from him the Carn 
was called Cam Amhalgaidh, so that it is on that Cam every man of 
the race of Fiachra Ealgach, that assimies the chieftainship, is in- 
augurated. 

From Amhalgaidh, the son of Fiachra Ealgach, the son of Dathi, 
of whom we have just spoken, or Amhalgaidh, the son of Dathi 
himself, whom we left in Bregia, I find no descendants except the 
Clann-Firbis, who descend from either of them, as I shall set down 
here from the Books of the Clann Firbis themselves. 

PEDIGREE OF THE CLANN FIRBIS OF LECAN**. 

Dubhaltach Og (i. e. myself*, the compiler and writer of this 
book in this year of the age of Christ, 1666), Patrick, Diarmaid, and 
James, 



sons of Giolla losa Mor, 
son of Dubhaltach Mac Firbis, 
son of Diarmaid Caoch, 
son of James Mac Firbis, 
son of Donnchadh Mor, 

See Notes farther on. 

^ Dubhaltach Op, I e. myself — This pe- 
digree is marked as defective in the smaller 
oompilation made in 1666, though given 
oonsecutivelj, and as if perfect, in the 
larger work, compiled at Galway; and 
certain it is, that twenty-nine generations 
are not enough to answer the period of 



son of Ferbisigh, 
son of John Og, 
son of John Carrach, 
son of Ferbisigh, 
son of Giolla na naomh. 



son 



time from Dubhaltach, who commenced 
this compilation in 1645, up to Dathi, who 
became monarch of Ireland in 405. One 
fact, however, must be acknowledged, that 
it appears from all the authentic Irish pe- 
digrees that more than thirty years, the 
average standard laid down by Newton, 
must be allowed to each generation. 



I02 



mic 551^11^ 1^ naorh, niic Qonjuixi, 

mic Dothnaill na fjoile, mic Locloinn Coca Con, 

mic Qmlaoib, mic Goin, 

niic Seaain, mic ConcaBaip na conaipce, 

mic Oonncuib, mic 6una, 

mic 5^olla phaOpai^ Cjap niic Conainj, 

h-oilcab Cijeapncin Oipij), mic ITluipea&oij, 
mic pipbipij, a quo clann pip- mic peapjuy^a, 

Bifij, mic Qmalgaib, 

mic Domnaill O15, mic Daci. 

mic Domnaill TTlhoip, 

Ni peaoap nap coip piacpa Galgach eDip Dari ajup amaljaib, 
DO bpij; jiip ob e ceo Ofircup Clomne Pipbipij an calam 1 pujab, 
ajup a paibe Qmaljaib, mac piacpac ealgaij, map a oubpamap 
ceana, ajup map a oeapom ap na oiircupacuib. 

55pea5oip, a^uf Qmopiap, ajup Uomap O5. 
mec Comaip Chaim, mic Seumaip, 

mic an Dubalcai^, mic Diapmaoa Caoic. 

TTlaicfu, 
mac Semuip Oij, ttiic Seumaip. 

mic an Dubalcai^, 

piceal ofobaib Copna ofobaij Hlaolmuipe oiobaij cpi mec ba 
|»ine aj an Dubalcac, mac Seamuip. 

bpian Dopca Dfobaij paoi peancaibe, t)apa mac Seamuip, mic 

Diapmaoa Chaoic. 

peappeapa, Qob, Hlaolmuipe, ajup DiapmuiD, 
mec Ciocpuai6 Oij, o'dp 6eapb- buiDe, 

pacaip peapbipij, mec Ciocpuaib, 

mic pippeapa, o'dp beapbpdirpe mic Diapmaoa Chaoic, 
DiapmaiD Caoc, ajup Qob mic Donncaba TTlhoip. 

Seamup 



I03 



son of Domlmall of the school, 

son of Amhlaoibh, 

son of John, 

son of Donnchadh, 

son of Giolla Phadraig, by whom 

SL Tighearnan of Errew was 

fostered, 
son of Ferbisigh, a quo Clann 

Firbisigh, 
son of Domhnall Og, 
son of Domhnall Mor, 



son of Aongus, 

son of Lochlainn of Loch Con, 

son of John, 

son of Conchobhar na Conairte 

[i. e. of the pack of hounds'], 
son of Enna, 
son of Conaing, 
son of Muireadhach, 
son of Feargus, 
son of Amhalgaidh, 
son of Dathi. 



I know not but Fiachra Ealgach should come between Dathi and 
Amhalgaidh, because the land in which Amhalgaidh, the son of 
Fiachra Ealgach was bom, and in which he dwelt, was the first patri- 
monial inheritance of the Clann Firbis, as we have already mentioned, 
and as we shall mention again when treating of the inheritors. 

Gregory, Andreas, and Thomas Og, 
sons of Thomas Cam, son of James, 

son of Dubhaltach, son of Diarmaid Caoch. 

Mathew, 
son of James Og, son of James, 

son of Dubhaltach, 

Fitheal, Toma, and Maolmuire, who all died without issue, were 
the three elder sons of Dubhaltach, son of James. 

Brian Dorcha, a learned historian, who died without issue, was 
the second of James, the son of Diarmaid Caoch. 

Fearfeasa, Aodh, Maolmuire, and Diarmaid, 
sons of Ciothruadh Og, who had Aodh Buidhe, 
a brother Fear-bisigh, son of Ciothruadh, 



son of Fearfeasa, whose brothers 
were Diarmaid, Caoch, and 



son of Diarmaid Caoch, 
son of Donnchadh Mor. 



James 



I04 



Seamup a^up Copna, 
mec an phipbopca, mic DiapmaOa Cpoic, 

mic Copna oeapbpacaip Cu- mic Doncam TTlhoip, 

conn ♦ ♦ ♦, 



sciochc ui&tiam, mic t>ONNChait)h mhom mhic p'l'feh'siS^. 

DonncaD, TTlaolmuipe, a^up LujaiD, 

cpi mec 5^cciic[iiiTi (oeapbpacaip mec Seaam O15 (o'dp oeapb- 
phopanoam), paicpe 5^^^^^ l^r^i ^E^V 

mec phepcepcne (o'ap Deapb- Donncab O5 ofobaij), 
pdicpe TTlaolmuipe, ajup mec Uilliam, 
peapbifij), mic Donncaib TTloip. 

pionoume O5, j 

mac Pionoume, mic Uilliam, 

mic ^lol'^ci l^r^i ^ic Dunncum TTloip. ^ 

Uilliam O5, no bea^, a^uf Seaan O5, 
mec Seaam O15, mic Uilliam, 

mic ^lol'l'Q lop^j Tnic Donncaoa TT16ip. 

Donncab O5 ofobaib, 
mac Uilliam, mic Ooncaib TTlhoip. 

bpian Oopca, Seaan O5, Seumuf, Qob, "Cabj Ruab, Gumonn 
buibe, agup TTlaolmuipe, 

mec Qoba O15, mic Oonncaba, 

mic Ciocpuaib, mic ^^olla lopa TTlh6ip, baoi 60 

mic feaibj Ruaib, bliabana a pgolaigeacc, 

mic Pipbipij, mic Pipbipij, 

mic Comaip Chaim, mic TTluipceapcaij, 

mic ^i^l'^^ ^^r^ TTloip, mic Seaam, 

[Q oepceap 



^05 

James and Toma, 
sons of Feardorcha, son of Diarmaid Caoch, 

son of Toma, brother of Cu- son of Donnchadh Mor. 
chon*", * * *, 

THE BACE OF WILLIAM, SON OF DONNCHADH MOB MAC FIBBIS. 

Donnchadh, Maolmuire, and Lughaidh, 

three sons of Greanann, whose bro- son of John Og (whose brother 
ther was Forannan, was GioUa losa and Donnchadh 

son of Fercertne, whose brothers Og, who died issueless), 
were Maolmuire and Fearbi- son of William, 
sigh, son of Donnchadh Mor. 

Fionduine Og, 
son of Fionduine, son of William, 

son of Giolla losa, son of Donnchadh Mor. 

William Og, or Beg, and John Og, 
sons of John Og, son of William, 

son of Giolla losa, son of Donnchadh Mor. 

Donnchadh Og, who died without issue, 
son of William, son of Donnchadh Mor. 

Brian Dorcha, John Og, James, Aodh, Tadhg Ruadh, Edmond 
Buidhe, and Maolmuire, 

sons of Aodh Og, son of Donnchadh, 

son of Ciothruadh, son of Giolla losa Mor, who was 
son of Tadhg Ruadh, sixty years teaching school, 

son of Fearbisigh, son of Fearbisigh, 

son of Thomas Cam, son of Muircheartach, 

son of Giolla losa Mor, son of John. 

[It 

^ Cuckonn The original is l\ere effaced, but there is very little wanting. 

IRISH ABCH. SOC. 1 2. P 



I 

J 



io6 



[Q oepceap gup lonann flomeab Do Chlomn phipBiy^ij Leacam 
TTlic pipbipij, m-lB piacpac iy» Qmaljaib, agup oo'n t)a cmeab 
dpo-nopaij ele f i, .1. poipbipj Dpoimmoip m n-Qlbam, ajuf m 
5ac die ele a b-puilio 'na n-Qlbanaca, ip na rpf pfojaccaib pi, ajup 
Cpuibpij a n-allana 1 b-pme ^^cill'j cip TJ-t)ul, rpe capTn-clannujab 
a^up eaccpajab na n-^^^^^^o^ ^'^ 5-cpfc 50 cele, 1 n-galloacc, mup 
00 cuaoap cmeaba lomba ele, 00 pep na b-pab 00 caipngaip 50 
m-beofp ^ciill' ^^ n-5«oi6eala, agup ^ci^ibil na n-^ctUa]- 

TTlaoloub, mac piacpach Galjaij, rpf mec lep, .1. Cobcac, 
Cemean, agup Ciobpaioe. 

Cobcac, mac TTlaoilouib, aon rhac laip, .1. TTlaolo^m 6 o-raio 
Ui TTlaoiloum, co n-a j-coibneapaib, .1. TTlec ^^^^^^ ^^ n-eac, 
ajnp TTlec ^lo^'l'^i 6uib na Copcaije, a^up Ui Duibpjjuile, ajup Ui 
Qilrhec. 

Cemm, mac TTlaoilouib, o o-cdio Clanna Cemin, .1. Ui TTluip- 
jeapa, agup Ui TTlaonaij, ajup TTlec ^i^^l^^ pio^lo^^Si Ui Qoba, 
ajup Ui Donncaba. 

Caorhan agup Duboa, 
mec Connmaij, 
mic Dumncaca, 
mic Carail, 
mic Qilella, 



mic Duncaba, 
mic Ciobpaioe, 
mic TTlaoilouib. 



ba 



*^ It is said, Sfc, — This passage enclosed 
in brackets is taken from our author's 
smaller work compiled in 1666. 

^ G^MaoHduifiy now Muldoon, but the 
name, though common in other. parts of 
Ireland, does not exist in this district. 

* Mac GiUa na n-each, now obsolete. 
Giolla na n-each me&DS juvenis eqnorum, 

^ Mac GioUa duibhy now Gilduff, and cor- 



ruptly Kilduflf. It is strange that modem 
usage has almost invariably changed the 
Gilla of the original Irish into Kill in the 
Anglicised form, as Kilroy for Gilroy, Kil- 
kenny for Gilkenny or GioUa Cainnigh. 

" G^Duhh^cuile, now obsolete. 

^ G*h'AilmheCy now obsolete. It was an- 
glicised Helwick. 

^ (fMuirgheasa, now Morissy, without 



[It is said** the Clann Firbis of Lecan Mac Firbis in Hy-Fiachrach 
and Hy-Amhalgaidh, have the same surname with the two aristocra- 
tic families of Forbes of Drominoir, in Scotland, or wherever else 
they are to be found as Scotchmen, in the three kingdoms ; as also with 
the Cruces, formerly of Fingal, having, in the course of the intermix- 
tures and migrations of the Gaels from one country to another, become 
English, as many other tribes have become, according to the pro- 
phets, who foretold that the Galls would be Gaels, and the Gaels 
would be Galls]. 

Maoldubh, son of Fiachra Ealgach, had three sons, namely, 
Cobhthach, Temen, and Tiobraide. 

Cobhthach, the son of Maoldubh, had one son, namely, Maolduin, 
from whom are descended the families of O'Maoilduin'^, with their 
correlatives, namely, Mac Giolla na n-each*, Mac GioUa-duibh^ of 
Corcach, O'Duibhscmle", and O'h-Almhec''. 

From Temen, the son of Maoldubh, are descended the Clanna 
Temin, namely, the families of O'Muirgheasa"', O'Maonaigh*, Mac 
Giolla riabhach^, O'h-Aodha*, and O'Donnchadha*. 

Caomhan and Dubhda, 
sons of Conmhach, son of Dimchadh, 

son of Donncatha, son of Tiobraide, 

son of Cathal, son of Maoldubh. 

son of Ailell, 

Caomhan 

the prefix O'. who write Mac II wane for Mac Giolla bhain, 

' 0*Maonai^h, now Meeny. This name Mac Ilduff for Mac Giolla duibh, &c. 

is stiU found in Tireragh. In other parts * (Pk-Aodha. — This name is still in Ti- 

of Ireland it is anglicised Mainj, and some- reragh, and always anglicised Hughes. The 

times Mooney. same name, but borne by a family of a 

' Mac Giolla riabkach^ now Mac Gilrea, different race, is rendered O'Hea and 

and in the north of Ireland barbarously ren- Hayes in Munster. 

dered Mac Urea, in imitation of the Scotch, ^ G^ Donnchadha. — This name is now ob- 

P2 



io8 



6a pine Caoman ind Duboa, jup paoil Caorhan 50 mab Icp 
pen an plaiceap; conap beonaij Dia 00 pioja pop a pliocc; 50 
n-oeapnpao Dail im ceant) na pige, .1. a poja cuaire Dia buccap, 
ajup leacjuala pij Ua b-piacpac aj peap lonaio Chaorham 00 
jpeap. Q eac ajup a eappab an ran pijpiceap, ajup reacr po 
cpi 'na cimceall lap n-a pfojab. Cljup ap f cuac pug lona pojain, 
.1. 6 Chuaim Da bobap 50 ^l-^oip- 6«c, eappab, ajnp euoac Ui 
Chaorham 00 TTlhac pinpbipij, an Id joippeap TTlac F^P^T^S ^^^^ 
cijeapna o' O'DubDa. 

Caorhdn umoppo, 6 o-caio Ui Caorham, aon rhac lep; .i. Caral. 

Seneacach 



solete in Lower Connaught. In Munster 
it is anglicised O'Donoghoe, in Ulster 
Donaghj, but the families whose names 
are so anglicised are of a different race 
from that in question. 

** ThefoUowing agreement. — Similar pri- 
vileges were ceded by the O'Conors of 
Connaught to the O'Finaghtys of Duna- 
mon, chiefs of Clann Conway, in acknow- 
ledgment of the seniority of the latter. 
These privileges are described by our 
author in the Pedigree of O'Finaghty, and 
his words are here translated for the satis- 
faction of the reader : 

" Connmhach" [the ancestor of O'Fin- 
aghty] *'*' was the eldest son of Muireadh- 
ach" [the ancestor of the royal family of 
Connaught], " and in consequence of this 
seniority, the descendaDts of Connmhach 
[though inferior in power] are entitled to 
great privileges from the descendants of 
the other sons of Muireadhach, viz., to 
drink the first cup at every royal feast 



and banquet ; and all the descendants of 
the other sons must rise up before the re- 
presentative of Connmhach. O'Finaghty 
was the royal chieftain of Clann Conn- 
mhaigh, and had, before the £nglish inva- 
sion, forty-eight ballys" [L e. large ancient 
Irish townlands] '^ lying on both sides of 
the River Suck ; but the Burkes drove him 
from his patrimonial inheritance, and there 
lives not at the time of writing this book" 
[1645] "any of the family of O'Finaghty 
more distinguished than the good and 
pious priest James O'Finaghty, whose 
brothers are William and Redmond." 

^ Caomhan*8 representative^ L e. the chief 
of the O'Caomhain family. This name is 
still numerous in Lower Connaught, but 
has been most generally, though corruptly, 
anglicised Cavanagh, to assimilate it with 
that of the more celebrated family of Lein- 
ster. In some parts of Lower Connaught, 
however, it is correctly anglicised Keewan 
and Keevan. This family sunk into compa- 



IC9 

Caoinlian was older than Dubhda, and Caomhan thought that 
the chieftainship was his own ; but God did not permit that kings 
should be of his posterity ; and they came to the following agree- 
ment*" about the chieftainship, namely, that Caomhan's*^ representative 
should always possess his choice territory in the principahty, and the 
privilege of being at the right side of the king of Hy-Fiachrach ; 
that he should get the king's steed and battle-dress at the time of his 
inauguration, and should walk round him thrice after his instalment. 
And the territory he selected was that extending from Tuaim da 
bhodhar** to the River Gleoir^. The steed, battle-dress, and raiment 
of O'Caomhain to be given to Mac Firbis, the day that Mac Firbis 
shall give the name of lord to O'Dubhda. 

Caomhan, from whom the family of O'Caomhain is descended, 
had one son, namely, Cathal. 

PEDIGREE 



ratiye insignificance in the fourteenth cen- 
tury, and though they seem to have held 
their little principality till the beginning 
of the fifteenth century, the Irish annalists 
have preserved but few notices of them. 
Under the year 1294 the Four Masters 
enter the death of Diarmaid O'Caomhain, 
and under 1 306 that of David 0*Caomh- 
ain, who was lord of the territory extend- 
ing from Tuaim da bhodhar to the River 
Gleoir. But shortly after this period 
they disappear from history, and they are 
aU at present reduced to obscurity and 
indigence. 

^ Tuaim da bhodhar^ L e. the tumulus 
of the two deaf persons. This place is still 
well known, and the name is anglicised 
Toomore. It is the name of a townland 



and parish in the north of the barony of 
Gallen and county of Mayo, containing 
the little town of Beal easa, now called in 
English Foxford. 

® Gleoir. — According to a local anti- 
quary, who was a very good Irish scholar 
and a living library of Irish traditions, 
the late Shane Bane Tympany (TTlac Qn 
dompdnai^), this was the ancient name 
of a small river, now commonly called the 
river of Coillin, or Liathmhuine, anglice 
Leaffony, which rises to the south of the 
townland of Townalaghta in the parish of 
Kilglass, barony of Tireragh and coimty 
of Sligo, and flowing nearly in a northern 
direction, empties itself into the bay of 
Killala at Poll an chaonaigh, anglice Pol- 
lacheeny, in the townland of Cabrakeel. 



no 



geweatach ui chaomhain. 

DaibiD, a^up Domnall, 
mec Qooa, 



rrnc Daibib, 
mic Comaiys 
mic ^lolla na naorh, 
rrnc DomnaiU, 
mic Daibi6, 
mic Diapmaoa, 
mic Comaif , 
mic DorhnaiU, 
mic Comaiy*, 



mic Diapmaoa, 

mic DorhnaiU, 

mic Cacail, 

mic ^^^^I'l^ ^ci naerh, 

mic Diapmaoa, 

mic Cacail, 

mic Caorhain, 6 o-cdo Ui Cao- 

maiTJ, 
mic Connmaij, 
mic Domncaca, ^c. 



mic ^lolla na naerh, 

Comalcac, TTlajnup, Donncab, Qoo pionn, agup Seaan, coij 
mec Daibio, mic Qoba fin. 

Comap O5, Comalcac, Niall, agup Cacal Riabac, clann 
Comaip TTlhoip, rhic Daibib, mic ^^olla na naorh TTloip annpin. 

UI t)U6ht)a siosana 

Duboa (mac Connmaij), mac lep .1. Ceallac, acaip Qoba, acap 
TTlaoilpuanaib, acap TTlaoileaclomn, acap Nell, acap Chaiclij, 

ajup 



f Datidj son ofAodh. — ^This Da^id be- 
ing the twenty-seventh in descent from 
Dathi, the last pagan monarch of Ireland, 
seems to have flourished about the year 
1447, for the celebrated Maolruanaidh 
O'Dowd, chief of his name, who was the 
same number of generations removed from 
King Dathi, died in that year. It is evi- 



dent that the O'Caomhains, or Kavanaghs 
of Lower Connaught, sunk into insignifi- 
cance about this period, as Mac Firbis 
carries down their pedigree no later. The 
last of this family mentioned in the Annals 
of the Four Masters is David O'Caomhain, 
who is styled lord of that tract of country 
extending from Tuaim da bhodhar to the 



Ill 



PEDIGREE OF o'CAOMHAIN. 

David^ and Domhnall, 
sons of Aodh, 
son of David, 
son of Thomas, 
son of Giolla na naomh, 
son of Domlinall, 
son of David, 
son of Diarmaid, 
son of Thomas, 
son of Domhnall, 
son of Thomas, 
son of Giolla na naomh, 

Tomaltach, Maghnus, Donnchadh, Aodh Fionn, and John, five 
sons of David, son of that Aodh. 

Thomas Og, Tomaltach, Niall, and Cathal Riabhach, were the sons 
of Thomas Mor, son of David, son of Giolla na naomh Mor. 



son of Diarmaid, 

son of Domhnall, 

son of Cathal, 

son of Giolla na naomh, 

son of Diannaid, 

son of Cathal. 

son of Caomhan, from whom the 

family of O'Caomhain, 
son of Connmhach, 
son of Donncatha. 



THE FAMILY OF 0'DUBHDA« DOWN HEBE. 

Dubhda (son of Connmhach) had a son, Ceallach, the father of 
dh, who was father of Maolruanaidh, the father of Maoileaohlainn, 

father 



River Gleoir, and who was slain in the 
year 1 306. He was evidently the David 
givep in the above line of pedigree as the 
twelfth in descent from Caomhan. 

> C^Dubhda, — This name is variously 
anglicised, bat the form O'Dowd seems to 
be that most generally adopted, though 
the present head of the name, Tadhg or 
ThaddarasO'Dubhda ofMuineChonallain, 



now corruptly Bunnyconnellan, always 
writes it O'Dowda, following the autho- 
rity of the more ancient of his family deeds, 
in which the name is generally 86 written. 
In the old English Inquisitions, and other 
documents relating to Lower Connaught, it 
is generally written O'Dowde, though the 
native Irish pronunciation is O'Dooda (the 
^6 pronoimced thick as in the Spanish and 



112 



ajnp Nell, o o-rdib Clann Nell ; ajup ap lao pin po jab popldmup 
ap 6u6hchup muinnpe Caorham, jup rhapbpao a cele uime, .i. 
Daibib ajup Domiiall O'Caomain oo rhapbab oo Niall, mac Qo6a, 
mic Nell; agup Niall oo rhapbab Do TTlhuipceaprac pionn O'Caorh- 
am 1 n-Oiojal a bpairpeac, gup gab pen an caoipiojacc. 

Caicleac umoppo, an Oapa mac Nell, mic TTlaoileaclomn, ap 
uaba an piojpaib, .1. TTliiipceapcac (mac Qoba, mic Cairlij), acaip 
Qoba, acaip Chaiclij, bhpiain DTiepg (o o-cdio Clann Caiclij 
O15), ajup TTlhuipceapcaij. 

TTlaolpuanaib (mac Qoba, mic Cealluij, mic Duboa), t)d mac 
laip, .1. Domnall oia pabaoap Clann n-Domnaill Loca Con. Qp 
e an Domnall pin 00 cuic le h-Uib ^^'^^^^^^^^ ^5 beapnaij 
Domnaill, 1 TTlui j Gleog. 

TTlaoileaclomn umoppo, an oapa mac ITlaoilpuanaib, ap uaba 
an piojpaib. 

Domnall mac TTlaoilpuanaib Ono, ap 01a Chlomn Cacbapp, 

acaip 



Italian langtiages). Ck)imell Magepghegan 
in his translation of the Annals of Clon- 
macnoise, made in 1627, always renders 
this name CyDowdie, which is not very 
far from the Irish prononoiation. In the 
south of Ireland, where there are many of 
this name, and probably of this race, it is 
anglicised among the peasantry Doody, and 
in the county of Derry, where there are 
several of the name, but of a different race, 
it is anglicised Buddy or Duddie, a form 
not to be approved of. 

^ Who assumed the chieftainship himself. 
— ^No account of these slaughters, mutu- 
ally committed by these families on each 
other, is to be found in the Annals of the 



Four Masters, nor does Duald Mac Firbis 
himself give any date for them in his An- 
nals of the O'Dowd family. If we calcu- 
late by generations we must come to the 
conclusion that these occurrences took 
place before the English invasion, for 
Niall, son of Aodh, son of Niall O'Dowd, 
who slew David and Domhnall O'Caomh- 
ain, was the seventeenth in descent from 
King Dathi, and Taithleach O'Dowd, lord 
of Tireragh and Tirawley, who was slain 
in the year 1 192, was the nineteenth ge- 
neration from the same monarch, so that 
Niall would appear to have lived about 
sixty years earlier. 

'^ Madntanaidh^ son of Aodh, — The death 



"3 

father of Niall, father of Taithleach and Niall, from whom the Clami 
Neill; and these were they who usurped the inheritance of the 
O'Caomhains, on account of which mutual slaughters were committed, 
viz., David and Domhnall O'Caomhain were slain by Niall, son of 
Aodh, son of Niall; and Niall himself was slain to avenge his 
brother by Muircheartach Fionn O'Caomhain, who assumed the 
chieftainship himself**. 

From Taithleach, the second son of Niall, son of Maoileachlainn, 
the chiefs of the O^Dowd family are descended, viz., Muircheartach 
(son of Aodh, son of Taithleach), father of Aodh, father of Taith- 
leach, of Brian Dearg (from whom are the Clann Taithligh Oig), 
and of Muircheartach. 

Maolruanaidh* (son of Aodh, son of Ceallach, son of Dubhda) 
had two sons, namely, Domhnall, from whom sprang the Clann 
Domhnaill, of Loch Con. This is the DomhnalP who was slain by 
the O'Graibhtheachains [ 0' Oaug harts], at Beama Domhnaill, in Magh 
Eleog*. 

From Maoileachlainn*, the second son of Maolruanaidh, the chiefs 
are descended. 

Of the sons of Domhnall, son of Maolruanaidh, was Cathbharr, 

the 



of this Maolruanaidh is entered in the 
Annals of the Four Masters at the year 
1005, "where he is called lord of Hy-Fiach- 
rach Muirisce. His father, Aodh, who is 
called by Mac Firbis, in his Annals of the 
O'Dowd family, Eang of North Connaught, 
died in the year 983. 

i This is the DomhnaU. — The date of 
this occurrence is not given in the Annals 
of the Four Masters ; but, as Domhnall's 
fiather died in 1005, we may suppose it to 

ISI8H ABCH. SOC. 12. Q 



have taken place a few years later. 

^ Magh Eleog is the ancient name of the 
level part of the parish of Crossmolina, 
in the barony of Tirawley, through which 
the River Deel flows. 

' Maoikachlainn, — This Maoileachlainn, 
Melaghlin, or Malachy, from whom almost 
all the subsequent chiefs of the O'Dowd 
family descended, died in 1005, the same 
year in which his father also died. 



114 



acaip Dhomnaill phmo, (oiobaij ace mjean), ajuy* Qoba, acaip 
Chaiclij (pij Ua n-Qrhalgaio ajnp Ua n-piacpac), ajuy* an 
Choj^narhaij TTlhoip, ap e peap corhlamn ceo cafnig pa 6epea6 e, 
agup O'^l'Oi^i^ ^o mapb e im ceann cuilen con, i b-pill, 'na rn^ pen 
1 n-lnip Cua. 

Caicleac, mac Qo6a, Da mac lep, .1. Q06 ajup Qrhlaoib. 

Donncab TTlop, mac Qo6a (mic Cairlij, mic Qo6a, mic TTluip- 
ceapcaijj, mic Qo6a, mic Caiclij, mic Nell), rpf mec lep, .1. bpian, 
ITlaolpuanaiD, agup Tfluipceapcac, 6 o-raio Clann Concabaip. 

TTlaolpua ni6, mac Donncuib TTlhoip, t)d mac lep, .1. Cairleac 
ajup an Copnamuij;, .1. Qipcioeocam Cuama oa ^^"^^^^'^j *^r 
abbap dipt)-6ppuic. 

Cairleac, mac TTlaoilpuanaib, cpi mec lep, .i. bpian O'Duboa, pi 
Ua b-piacpac ajnp Ua n-Qmaljaib, ajnp Donncab TT16p O'Oubba, 

piojbarhna 



™ Domknall Fionn, — The death of 
Domhnall Fionn O'Dowd, lord of Hy- 
Amhalgadha, now Tirawley, is entered in 
the Annals of the Four Masters at the 
year 1 1 26, but whether he was this Domh- 
nall Fionn or not, cannot be clearly deter- 
mined, as the name of his father is omitted 
by the annalists, a thing very unusual 
with them. It is, however, highly pro- 
bable that they were the same. 

° Taithieachy King of Hy-Amhalgaidk 
and Hy-Ficu^rach^ i. e. of Tirawley and 
Tireragh. He was slain in the year 1 128, 
in a battle fought at Ardee, between the 
cavalries of O'Conor, King of Connaught, 
and Mac Loughlin, Prince of Aileach. 

^ Cosnanikach Mor. — The murder of 
this great warrior is mentioned in the 



Annals of the Four Masters at the year 
1 1 62, but the trifling cause is not added. 
The fighter of an hundred men is a usual 
expression in Irish stories to denote a man 
of extraordinary puissance and valour. 

^ Inis Cua, now Inishcoe, a townland 
extending into Lough Con, in the south- 
east of the parish of Crossmolina, in the 
barony of Tirawley. 

^ Donnchadk Mor^ son ofAod/i^ ^ — He 
was a very famous chieftain of the O'Dowds, 
and flourished about the years 1 207, 1 2 1 3. 
In 1213, according to our author, in his 
brief Annals of the O'Dowd family, he 
sailed with a fleet of fifty-six ships from 
the Hebrides into Cuan Modh, now Clew 
Bay, landed on the Island of Inis Raithin 
there, and compelled Cathal Croibhdhearg, 



1*5 



the fether of Domhnall™ Fionn (who had no issue except a daughter), 
and of Aodh, father of Taithleach" (King of Hy-Amhalgaidh and 
Hy-Fiachrach), and of Cosnamhach Mor°, the only fighter of an 
hundred that came in latter times, and who was treacherously slain 
by O'Gloinin in his own house at Inis Cua*", on account of a dispute 
about a greyhound whelp. 

Taithleach, son of Aodh, had two sons, namely, Aodh and Amh- 
laoibh. 

Donnchadh Mor**, son of Aodh (son of Taithleach, son of Aodh, 
son of Muircheartach, son of Aodh, son of Taithleach, son of Niall), 
had three sons, namely, Brian'', Maolruanaidh', and Muircheartach\ 
from whom the Clann Conchobhar are sprung. 

Maolruanaidh, the son of Donnchadh Mor, had two sons, namely, 
Taithleach" and Cosnamhuigh, i. e. Archdeacon of Tuaim da ghu- 
alann, and presumptive Archbishop. 

Taithleach, the son of Maolruanaidh, had three sons, namely, 
Brian O'Dubhda^, King of the Hy-Fiachrach and the Hy- Amhalgaidh, 

and 



or Charles the Bedhanded O'Conor, King 
of Coimaught, to give him his own prin- 
dpalitj free of tribute. 

^ Brian — This Brian was chief of the 
territories Tireragh, Tirawley, and Erris, 
and was killed in the year 1 242, while on 
his pilgrimage to the abbey of Boyle. 

» MadruanaidL — He was slain by the 
CConors in the year 1238, according to 
the Annals of the Four Masters. 

' Muircheartach, — He seems to have 
succeeded his brother Brian in the chief- 
tainship, for in the year 1 246 he is called 
the O'Dowd in the Annals of the Four 
Masters. He was slain in the year 1248 



by the son of Felim O'Conor, under which , 
year he is called by the Four Masters lord 
of that tract of country extending from 
Cill Dairbhile [now St Dervila's church, 
in the west of Erris] to the strand of 
Traigh Eothaile. 

" Taithleach This was the celebrated 

Taithleach O'Dowd, snmamed Muaidhe, 
i. e. of the Moy, who was slain by Adam 
Cusack, on the strand of Traigh Eothuile, 
in the year 1282. 

^ Brian QDvhhda, — He was the cele- 
brated chief of the O'Dowds, generally 
called Sean Bhrian, i. e. Old Brian, in the 
pedigrees. He was chief of the O'Dowds 



Q2 



ii6 



piojDamna O b-piacpac : Sldme, mjean TTlhec ITla^nufa Chipe 
Cuacail, a macaip apaon. TTlaoleacloinn Cappac, an mac elc, 
araip Concabaip, acap TTluipceapcaij, acap Dhiapmaoa ajup 
TTlaoilpuanaiD. 

Donncao TTlop mac Cairlij Uf Dub6a, cpi mec lep, .1. Donn- 
ca6 O5, aobap pij Ua b-piacpac, Concabap, ajup Uilliam, eppoc 
Cille h-Qlai6. Injean Ui phlomn maraip na mac pom Donncaib 
TTlhoip. 

Concabap, mac Donncaib, oiobaij pi6e, acr mjeana. 

Uilliam 6ppuc od mac lep, .1. an Copnamaij, 00 mapbab ap 
maiom na Cpdja, ajup Uilliam O5 ; Oiobaio lao apaon. 

DonncaD O5, mac Donncaib TTlhoip, clann mop laip, .1. TTluip- 
ceapcac Clepeac, aobap pij agup eppuic, ap eneac agup ap enj- 

nam. 



in the yeax 13 16, when he fought at the 
famous battle of Athenry, and died in the 
year 1354. Our author says, in his short 
Annals of the O'Dowd family, that this 
Brian was chief of his name for eighty- 
four years, but this cannot be considered 
true, as his father was living in the year 
1282, and Conchobhar Conallach O'Dowd, 
who died in 1291, was lord of Tireragh, 
according to the annalists, 

^ Donndtadh Mot O^Dvhhda. — He was 
the ancestor of a powerful sept of the 
O'Dowds seated in the territory of Cuil 
Cearnadha (Coolcamey), and called the 
Clann Donnchadha O^Dowd. He died in 
the year 1337, under which year he is styled 
by the Four Masters Tanist of Tireragh. 
For some curious account of the territory of 
this sept, inserted in a more modern hand 
on fol. 85, p. ^, of the Book of Lecan, see 



the Addenda to this volume. In this ac- 
coimt Donnchadh Mor, the ancestor of the 
Clann Donnchadha O'Dowd, is said to 
have been the elder brother of Taithleach 
Muaidhe, who deprived him of his birth- 
right, but this genealogy being in oppo- 
sition to the original text of the Book of 
Lecan, and to the pedigree compiled by 
our author, cannot be considered authen- 
tic ; but the whole notice is well worth 
preserving for the topography and histo- 
rical facts which it preserves. 

* Mac Maghnus^ of Tir TtuUhaU, — This 
Mac Manus was a branch of the Maguires 
of Fermanagh, and resided at Seanad Mic 
Maghnusa, now called Ballymacmanus and 
BeUisle, an island in the upper Lough 
Erne, to the south of Fnniskillen. 

y Maoileachlainn Carrach^ i.e. Melaghlin, 
or Malachy the Scabbed, was slain in the 



117 

and Donnchadh Mor O'Dubhda'', heir apparent of Hy-Fiachrach. 
Slaine, daughter of Mac Maghnus, of Tir TuathaU"", was the mother 
of both. Maoileachlainn Carrach^, the other son, was the father of 
Conchobhar, who was father of Muircheartach, the father of Diar- 
maid and Maohxianaidh. 

Donnchadh Mor, son of Taithleach O'Dubhda, had three sons, 
namely, Donnchadh Og*, heir apparent to the chieftainship of the Hy- 
Kachrach; Conchobhar,^ and William, Bishop of Killala**. The daugh- 
ter of OTlynn was the mother of these sons of Donnchadh Mor. 

Connchobhar, the son of Donnchadh, left no issue, except daugh- 
ters. 

William, the bishop, had two sons, namely, Cosnamhaigh^, who 
was slain in the battle of the Strand, and William Og ; both died 
without issue. 

Donnchadh Og, the son of Donnchadh Mor, had a large family, 
namely, Muircheartach Cleireach**, designated king and bishop, for 

his 



famous battle of Athenrjr, in the year 
1316. 

' Donnchadh Og^ L e. Donogh, or Denis 
Junior. He was head of the Clann Bonn- 
chadha, or Clandonogh O'Dowd, and died 
in the jear 1384. 

* Conchobhary i. e. Conor, or Cornelius. 
He was slain in the year 1363 by his own 
people. 

»» Wmiam, Bishop o/KUlala^Ue died 
in the year 1350, and the notice of his 
death is entered in the Annals of the Four 
Masters :— " A. D. 1 35a William O'Dowd, 
Bishop of Killala, founder of many churches 
and sanctuaries, a pious, charitable, and 
humane prelate, died." 



^ Cotnamhaighy more correctly Cosnamh- 
ach. He was slain in the year 1 367, in a 
battle fought on the famous strand of 
Tndgh Eothuile, between two chieftains 
of the house of O'Conor. Traigh Eothuile, 
which is a very famous locality in Irish 
history, is a large and beautiful strand at 
the mouth of the Bellasadare river, in the 
barony of Tireragh, and coimty of Sligo. 
It is about one mile square, extending 
from the strand road to Beltraw. 

* Muircheartach Cleireach, — He became 
chief of the sept called Clann Donnchadha, 
or Clandonogh O'Dowd, on the death of 
his father in 1384, and died in 1402. His 
death is thus noticed in the Annals of the 



ii8 



nam. Caicleac, Qob an Chopomn, Coclaino, bpian Clepeac, 
aguf Copniac, Onopa, Injean Ricin baipeuo, a maraip pn uile. 

TTluipceaprac, mac Donncuib, clann mop lep, .1. Domnall, 
Cacal, Concabap aguf* an Copnarhaij. Deapbail, mjean piaic- 
beapcaij Uf Ruaipc, a maraip pin ; a^up Donncab mac ele 00, 
Deapbail, mjean Caibj ITlic Donnchaba, a rhacaip. Uilliam mac 
TTluipceapcaij mac ele 60. 

bpian, mac Caiclij Ui Dhiiboa, clann mop lep, .1. Oomnall 
Clepeac, pi Ua b-piacpac, TTlaolpuanaib, ITlajnup Clepeac. 
bappDub, in5ean Oomnaill Ui Concabaip a mdcaip. ITlec ele 60 
Oiapmuio ajup Q06, injean TTlic Roibin Caisleip a macaip; an 
Copnarhaij, Niall, Caicleac, ajup bpian O5, Onopa, injean TTlic 
bhaicin baipe o, a mdraip. 

TTlaolpuanaib, mac bpiain, aon mac laip, .i. Caicleac, acaip 
Uilliam, a^up bhpiam. 

Qob, mac bpiain, clann maic lep, .i. bpian, DiapmaiD, (TTleobb 

mjean 



Four Masters : — " A.D. 1402. Muirchear- 
tach, son of Donnchadh O'Dowd, a noble 
and hospitable man, died and was interred 
at Ard na riagb [Ardnarea abbey]." 

® TaitMeach He died in the year 1404, 

according to the Annals of the Four Mas- 
ters. 

f Conchobhar. — He was chief of the Clan- 
donogh O'Dowd, and was slain in the year 
1438, under which the Four Masters have 
the following notice of him : — " A. D. 
1438. Conchobhar, the son of Muirchear- 
tach O'Dowd, lord of the Clann Donn- 
chadha [Clandonogh] O'Dowd, was trea- 
cherously slain by his own kinsmen, 
namely, Taichleach, the son of Cormac, 



who was the son of Donnchadh O'Dowd 
Ruaidhri, the son of Taichleach, andLoch- 
lainn, the grandson of Lochlainn O'Dowd, 
assisted by Henry Barrett, and three of 
his sons." 

B Donnchadh*.— 'Q.Q was living in 1439* 
at which year the Four Masters have the 
following notice of his doings : — *' A. D. 
1439. Domhnall, son of Ruaidhri, who 
was son of Taichleach O'Dowd, was de- 
prived of his eyes, and afterwards hanged 
by Donnchadh, son of Muircheartach 
O'Dowd ; and Cathal, son of Cormac 
O'Dowd, and his son, were killed by 
Tadhg Ruadh, the son of Muircheartach 
O'Dowd, at the instigation of the same 



119 

his hospitality and valour ; Taithleach* ; Aodh, of Corran ; Loch- 
lainn ; Brian Cleireach, and Cormac. Honora, the daughter of Rickin 
Barrett, was the mother of aU these. 

Muircheartach, the son of Donnchadh Mor, had a large family, 
namely, Domhnall, Cathal, Conchobhar^ and Cosnamhaigh, whose 
mother was Dearbhail, the daughter of Flaithbheartach O'Rourke ; 
and Donnchadh^, another son of his, whose mother was Dearbhail, 
the daughter of Tadhg Mac Donogh. William Mac Muircheartaigh 
was another son of his. 

Brian, the son of Taithleach^ O'Dowd, had a large family, namely, 
Domhnall Cleireach*, King of Hy-Fiachrach ; Maolruanaidh^ ; Magh- 
nus Cleireach^. Barrdubh, the daughter of Domhnall O'Conor, was 
their mother. His other sons were Diarmaid and Aodh, whose 
mother was the daughter of Roibin Laighleis [Robin Lawless], and 
Cosnamhaigh, Niall, Taithleach, and Brian Og\ whose mother was 
Honora, the daughter of Mac Wattin Barrett. 

Maolruanaidh, son of Brian, had one son, namely, Taithleach, 
father of William and of Brian. 

Aodh, son of Brian, had good sons, namely, Brian and Diarmaid 

(Meadhbh 

Donnchadh.^' » DomknaU Clereach He succeeded his 

The names of some of these worthies father in the chieftainship in 1354, and 

are not to be found in the pedigrees ; so died in 1380. 

that copious as these pedigrees appear to J Madruanaidh He and his wife, the 

be, they are, nevertheless, clearly imper- daughter of Mac Donogh, of Tirerrill, died 

feet in the year 1362. 

■* Brian^ the son of Taithleach, — This is ^ Maghnus Cleireach died in the year 

the celebrated Sen Bhrian, who died in 1359. 

1354, after having been more than fifty ' Brian Og. — He was slain by the Bar- 
years chief of his name. After completing retts in the year 1373. No notice of the 
the genealogy of the Clann Donnchadha, other sons of Sen Bhrian is preserved in 
our author here returns to that of the the Irish Annals, 
chiefs. 



I2C 



injean Dorhnaill Ruaio Ui TTlhdile a mdcaip apaon). TTluipceap- 
cac, Loclainn, agup Cairleac mec ele 60. O'n Loclomn pin acd 
pliocc Locluinn buna pinne, ajup occ j-ceacpamna peapumn a 
j-cuit) Ouibce. Qp lao ap oipbepca Do'n r-pliocc pin, .i. bpian, 
peDlim, Uilliam, agup Gojan, mec Ruaibpij, mic 6o5ain, 6 Chear- 
parhain locdin. 

Dorhnall Clepeac, mac bpian Ui Dhuboa, clann rhop lep, .1. 
Ruaibpi, pi Ua b-piacpac, Gojan, TTlajnup, TTlaoleacloinn, pfej- 
barhna Ua b-piacpac, Cabj Riabac (pionnjuala, mjean Oorhnuill 
Ruaib Ui TTlhaille, mdcaip na mac pom), Seaan, ajup Dorhnall 
(Cearhaip, injean Ui ITlhuipjeapa, a maraip), Donncao, DiapmaiO, 
Dorhnall, aju]^ Qob (pionnjiiala, mjean TTlajnupa, mic Caruil 
Ui Concabaip, a maraip). TTlac ele bo Gojan (injean Ui Cha- 
rdm a maraip). 

Cab^ Riabac, imoppo, mec maire laip, .i. bpian, Donncab 
Ullrac (GuDom, injean Dorhnaill, mic TTluipceapraij Ui Chon- 
cabaip, a maraip); Cabj buibe, Seaan, (TTlaipspej, m^ean Uilliam, 

mic 

^ Bunfinne, i. e. moutb of the Hiver 1687, it is called Bonin. 

Finn, now pronounced Bun fkinne, and ^ Ceathramha lochain, i. e. the quarter of 

anglicised Buninna. It is the name of a the small lake, now Carrowloughaun, situ- 

townland in the parish of Drumard, barony ated on the coast in the north of the parish 

of Tireragh, and county of Sligo. On an of Screen. 

old map showing part of the coast of Done- ® Ruaidhri, L e. Bory, Boderic, or Boger. 

gal. Lei trim, and Sligo, preserved in the He succeeded his father in the year 1380, 

State Paper Office, London, a castle under and died 141 7, at which year the Annab 

the name of *' Ca. Bonin," is noted imme- of the Four Masters contain the following 

diately to the north of Tonerigowe [Ton- notice of his death ; — "A. D. 141 7. 

rego], and near the brink of Ballysadare O'Dowd (Buaidhri, son of Domhnall, son 

bay, in the parallel of Knocknaree. In of Brian, son of Taichleach), fountain of 

the Down Survey this townland is called the prosperity and wealth of Tireragh, 

Carrowcaslane [L e. Ccade quarter]^ alias died in his own house after the festival of 

Bonanne ; and in the deed of partition of St Bridget, and his brother, Tadhg Biabh- 

O'Conor Sligo's estate, dated 21st July, ach, assumed his place." 



121 

(Meadhbh, the daughter of Domhnall Ruadh O'Maille, was the mother 
of both). Muircheartach, Lochlainn, and Taithleach were his other 
sons. From this Lochlainn are the Sliocht Lochlainn of Bun Finne"", 
whose inheritance consists of eight quarters of land. The most dis- 
tinguished of this sept are Brian, Fedhlim, William, and Eoghan, the 
sons of Ruaidhri, son of Eoghan of Ceathramha lochain". 

Domhnall Cleireach, the son of Brian O'Dubhda, had a large family, 
namely, Ruaidhri", King of Hy-Fiachrach, Eoghan, Maghnus, Maoil- 
eachlainn, heir apparent of Hy-Fiachrach, Tadhg Riabhach** (Fionn- 
ghuala, the daughter of Domhnall Ruadh O'Maille, was the mother 
of these sons) ; John and Domhnall (Teamhair, the daughter of 
O'Muirgheasa, was their mother) ; Donnchadh, Diarmaid'', Domhnall, 
and Aodh (Fionnghuala, daughter of Maghnus, son of Cathal O'Conor, 
was their mother). He had another son, Eoghan' (the daughter of 
O'Cathain was his mother). 

Tadhg Riabhach had good sons, namely, Brian, Donnchadh 
Ulltach* (Eudoin, daughter of Domhnall, son of Muircheartach 
O'Conor, was their mother) ; Tadhg Buidhe^ John (Margaret, 

daughter 

P Tadhg Riahhacky L e. Teige, Thadaeus, in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, 

or Timothy the Swarthy. — He succeeded that the Book of Lecan was compiled in 

his brother, Ruaidhri, in the year 141 7, the time of thb chieftain, 

and died in 1432, as we learn from the ^ Diarmaid. — He died in the year 1439, 

following notice of him in the Annals of under which year he is styled in the An- 

the Four Masters: — '^ A.D. 1432. Tadhg, nals of the Four Masters ''heir apparent 

the son of Domhnall, who was the son of to the chieftainship of Tireragh." 

Brian O'Dowd, lord of Tireragh, a man ' Eoghan, — He was slain by O'Donnell's 

who had restored the hereditary proper- cavalry in the year 1420. The other sons 

ties in his territory to the lawful pro- of Domhnall Cleireach are not noticed in 

prietors, both lay and ecclesiastical, and a the Annals. 

respecter of learned men and poets, died * Donnchadh UBtach, L e. Donogh, or 

on the 1 6th of January." It is stated in Denis the Ultonian. He died of the plague 

the margin of the autograph original of which raged in Ireland in the year 1439. 

the Annals of the Four Masters, preserved ^ Tadhg Buidhe. — He was chief of the 

IRISH ABCH. SOC. 12. R 



122 



mic Sip ReTnumn a bupc, a macaip). TTlec cle 60 Seaan cle, Niall, 
Dorhnall, Q06, ajup Caicleac. ^'^ ^^P ^^ clann pn if ap gab- 
lai 5 uaca, 1 n-QpD na Riaj, m Gf gip Qbano, 1 m-baile Ui TTlhocaine, 
1 m-baile an Chaiplen, ajup 1 Conspopc Ui Ohuboa, ni niaipean 
neac o'd pliocc i O-Cfp phiacpac. 

Na bailee peampdice Ono, bailee caiplen pleacca Uhaibj 
6hui6e, Tnic Caibj Riabaij. 5®^^^ ^^ cosaib babbbun an lonj- 
puipc, ace Leaba an 61c bhiime 00 rog Sean bbpian. Oonncab, 
mac Cai65 Riabaij, 00 cogaib baile an Chaiplen. Gpjip Qbann 
DO c65ba6 lep m Qlbanac TTlop, oioe CaiD^ bhui6e, mic Caibj 
Riabai^. baile Ui mocume pop co^bab Cabg Riabac pen. 

baile 



O'Dowds for three years, and was slam 
by his own cousins, the sons of his nncle, 
liuaidhri, in 1443. In our author's smaller 
work, compiled in 1666, he deduces the 
descent of Captain Dominic Barrett from 
this Tadhg Buidhe O'Dowd, as follows : — 
*' Captain Dominic Barrett, son of John 
Roe Barrett, by Elis, daughter of Tadhg 
Riabhach, son of Tadhg Buidhe (half 
brother by the mother of Randal Mor Mac 
Donnell, who was slain in the battle of 
Sruthair), son of Cosnamhach, of Ardna- 
rea, son of Maghnus, son of Tadhg Buidhe, 
&c." And he adds, ''I have heard that 
Tadhg Riabhach, the grandfather of Cap- 
tain Dominic, obtained possession, and re- 
ceived the rents of Longphort Ui Dhubh- 
da, in Tireragh ; but he was afterwards 
hanged by Domhnall O'Conor, at Bel an 
chlair, in Leyny, O'Hara Reagh's coun- 
try." 

^ Ardna riagh^ now Ardnarea, on the 



east side of the River Moy, and forming a 
suburb to the town of Ballina. 

▼ Eisgir ahhann^ i. e. the esker^ or low 
ridge at or near the river. This place is 
mentioned in the Annals of the Four 
Masters at the year 151 2, when the castle 
was besieged and taken by O'Donnell from 
XJlick, the son of the Lower Mac William 
Burke, who had taken it from the lawful 
proprietor. On an old map preserved in 
the State Paper Office, London, this castle 
is shown on the east side of Killala bay, 
imder the name of Uskarowen, which is a 
tolerable attempt at representing the Irish 
sound in English letters, but Eskerowen 
would be more correct. That this is the 
place now called Iniscrone will be proved 
in the notes to the poem of Giolla losa 
Mor Mac Firbis, who calls it by the strange 
name of Sais Sgrebainn. 

^ Baile Ui Mochaine^ i. e. O'Moghany's 
town. It is still so called by those who 



123 

daughter of William, son of Sir Redmond Burke, was their mother). 
His other sons were another John, Niall, Domhnall, Aodh, and 
Taithleach. Though this family, and those who branched off from 
them, were once great at Ard na riagh", Esgir Abhann^, Baile Ui 
Mhochaine"', Baile an Chaislen*, and Longphort Ui Dhubhda^, not 
one of their descendants are now living in Tir Fhiachrach [ Tire- 
ragK\. 

The aforesaid towns were the castle-towns of the race of Tadhg 
Buidhe, son of Tadhg Riabhach. It was the English that erected 
all the bawn of the Longphort [Longfordl^ except Leabha an Eich 
Bhuidhe" which was erected by Sen Bhrian [^O'Dowd^ Donnchadh, 
the son of Tadhg Riabhach, erected Baile an chaislen \^Castletown\ 
Esgir Abhann was erected by the Albanach Mor* {Big Scotchman^ 
the foster-father of Tadhg Buidhe, son of Tadhg Riabhach. Baile Ui 
Mhochaine [Ballymoghany] was erected by Tadhg Riabhach himself. 

Baile 



speak Irisb, and correctlj anglicised Bal- 
lymoghanj. It is a townland in the parish 
of Castleconor, east of the River Moy, in 
the barony of Tireragh. 

^ BaiU an chaitien^ i. e. the town of the 
castle. It is still so called in Irish, and 
properly translated Castletown, which is 
the name adopted on all modem maps. It 
is situated in the parish of Easkey, on the 
west side of the River Easkey, near its 
month. — See Ordnance Map of the County 
of Sligo, sheet ii. 

y Longphort Ui Dhtibhda, now Longford, 
in the parish of Dromard, which lies on 
the west side of Ballysadare Bay. In the 
reign of William III. the castle of Long- 
ford saocessfully resisted two attacks of a 



R 



detachment of troops under Major Yaughan. 
In the demesne of Longford, now the pro- 
perty of the Crofton family, are the ruins 
of an old chapel said to have been built by 
the O'Dowds. 

' Leaha an eich bhuidhe, i« e. the bed of 
the yellow steed, would be anglicised Lab- 
banehwee, and was undoubtedly the name 
of some building attached to the bawn of 
the castle of Longford, but the Editor 
does not know whether this name is still 
preserved. 

* Albanach Mor. — He was evidently 
Randal Mor Mac Donnell, mentioned in 
Note S and who was slain, in the year 
1570, in the battle of Sruthair, now the 
village of Shruile, in the county of Mayo. 
2 



\ 



124 

baile Ctipo na Riaj 00 pona6 Ic ^^^l^"^^- Go cuio ponna Uamj 
buibe na bailee pm lapam, agup lomao ele. 

Ca&5 Ono ap lao a rhec, .1. TTlajnup, peblim, Seaan 5^r» 
605011, Q06, Concabap, ajup Donncab. Cuicib Seaan S^^Fi 
6o5an, Concabap ajup Donnca6 cap ceann a n-Dui6ce; ceo 
ma^nup ajup peblim 1 n-ucc Clomne Uilliam ; ceo Q06 ap jaol 
a peanriiacap 50 h-Umall Ui mhaille, 50 m-baoi cpi pdice ann, ag 
oenarii oibepje, 00 cip agup 00 muip, ap pliocc Ruaiopi, rhic 
Doihnaill Clepi5 ; jup b'aicpeac lep a n-Oeapna i n-aijio De, 
conao aipe pm, agup cpe aiple apaile ancoipe ipipij, ceo i 5-clec 
5ciU, t>o lappaio puaimmp, ajup cola n-Oe ; ajup ap ann 00 dicij 
cpi rhile alia anoip 00 Ohpoiceac Qca, baile 1 pugao mac 00 o'dp 

b'ainm 



* Droichead Aihay i. e. the bridge of the 
ford, now Drogheda. The truth of this 
account of the flight of Aodh or Hugh, 
the son of Tadhg Buidhe, is proved by 
two affidavits, which he himself caused to 
be enrolled in Dublin in the year 1452, 
that is, eight years after the killing of his 
father by the sept of BuaidhrL These 
affidavits are in Latin, and preserved on a 
Plea Roll, No. 406, preserved in the Ber- 
mingham Tower, Dublin, a**. 36. Hen. VL 
1 458, and the following translated extracts 
from them will not be out of place here, 
as confirming our author's accotmt of the 
flight of this individual : 

" A. D. 1452.— Hugh O'Dowde, of Sta- 
ling, gentleman, required the following 
depositions, taken before Nicholas Younge, 
Notary, in the Tavemer's Street, Dublin, 
to be enrolled 

*^ In Dei nomine, Amen. Remond Burke, 



of Inisooe, in Connaught, gentleman, being 
required by Hugh O'Dowda, son of Teige, 
to declare the truth, and examined on 
oath says, — ^that he knows the said Hugh ; 
that the sept of Roger, son of Donell 
O'Dowda, three years since slew the bro- 
thers of the said Hugh, and expeUed him- 
self by force from his towns and lands in 
Tireragh, in Connaught, left to the said 
Hugh and his brothers by their father 
Teige; that there were fifty-eight quarters 
of land ; that when the deponent came to 
Dublin he inquired from the said Hugh 
why he was in Dublin, and if he was nuuv 
ried ; Hugh answered that he was glad to 
see him ; that he (Hugh) came to Dublin 
to see if he could meet with any of his 
friends; that he dwelt at Staling; that 
he was married there, and had a son Hugh. 
Deponent asked him did he wish to return 
to Connaught? to which he answered, 



Baile Aird na riagh [Ardnarea] was built by the English. These 
towns, and many others, were on the territorial division of Tadhg 
Buidhe. 

This Tadhg had these sons, following, viz., Maghnus, Fedhlim, 
John Glas, Eoghan, Aodh, Conchobhar, and Donnchadh. John 
Glas, Eoghan, Conchobhar, and Donnchadh fell in defending their 
native territory. Maghnus and Fedhlim went to the Clann- William 
[Burkes] ; and Aodh, from the relationship of his grandmother to the 
family of O'Mailley repaired to Umhall Ui Mhaille, and remained 
there for three quarters of a year, committing vengeful aggressions by 
land and sea upon the race of Ruaidhri, sou of Domhnall Cleireach, 
until at length it repented him of what he had committed against 
God ; for which reason, and by the advice oif a certain pious ancho- 
rite, he betook himself to the protection of the English, to seek repose 
and the will of God ; and where he dwelt was at a place three miles 
to the east of Droichead Atha', where a son was bom to him whose 

name 



that his posterity might ; but for himself 
that if he got the whole of Tireragh, he 
would not think his life safe, and would 
not live there ; that the said Hugh asked 
the dqwnent to attend before a notary 
and testify the truth, which he has now 
done accordingly.^' 

^* John O'Cleri, of Lacan, in Connaught, 
gentleman, aged sixty years, sworn, says 
that he was bom in Tireragh ; that he 
knew the said Hugh, the son of Teige ; 
and that the sept of Boger, the son of 
Donell O'Dowda, through envy and ava- 
rice, slew the brothers of the said Hugh 
in defence of their possessions, and expelled 
he said Hugh out of all his possessions in 



Tireragh. That the deponent received 
for three years the rents of the lands of 
the said Teige, and knows that the said 
Teige was seized before his death of the 
following lands, which he divided among 
his sons, viz., the towns and lands of Ard- 
naree, Clounte, Choillin, Clounslegan, 
Ragibock, Scurmore, Urlare, Caraghmore, 
Bellacastlan, Boreagh, Castlanlaragh, 
Cnocan - Mac - Murtagh - Riogh, Tobberbo- 
nac, Mulliroo, Choillin, Floughmoioin, 
Ballaluiog, Lisnarge, &c. That the said 
Teige died in the peaceable possession of 
all the said lands, and that the said Hugh 
is the right heir of all and singular the 



same. 



>» 



126 



b'ainm Qoo O5. Cpi bliabna lapam acbac C(o6 TTlop, ct5Uf pctg- 

Baip a TYiac 05 rsoloij paibbip 00 riiuinncip Cuinn, Doneoc pop ail 

50 h-onopac, aguy cuj a bepbpup map ninaoi 00, 50 pug p cpi mec 

60, .1. Seon, Comap, ajuf* hanpaoi, a5Uf» clann mjean. lap n-ej 

na mnd pin, rug pe mjean an bhailipi^ 6'n SeanOpoiceacc, apip 

puj pi mac Do, .1. Seoippi, araip Uilliam, ^^^^^-^^ phaopaij, Sheom, 

Guobaipo, Chomaip, Ripoepo, agup Ppainpa, cona6 lao fin cpaoba 

coibneapa Ua n-Duboa pilio m Qch cliac Duiblinne. 

Qcd umoppo, ap jnarcuirhne coircmn, ajup pjpiobca 1 leab- 

paib Clomne pbipbipij, jup ob 00 lb Duboa an Duboalac co n-a 

jablaib jaoil, ajup gup ob ann oeajlumpe dp piacpac 1 n-aimpip 

Thapbra Cailcij TTluame Ui Duboa pe ^^^l^^^^i Qnno Domini 

[1282] ; gup 5aipmio6 Oubndluij oiob ag 5^1'1'"^^> ^^P i^^P'^F ^ 

poaip pen, bub emilc pe a h-aipnep punna. 

Domnall 

may probably have intended to express by 
Inj^ean an 5hailipi5 o*n Seanopoich- 
eacc, the daughter of Walsh of Old Bridge. 
But this is far from being certain. 

* John — It appears from a Chancery 
Decree preserved in the Rolls Office, Dub- 
lin, dated 2nd May, 1557, that "John 
Dowde, of Stalinge, as administrator of 
his father, Hugh Dowde, complained 
agaynste one Peter Russell, of the Shep- 
house, husbandman, who married Joan 
Dowde, daughter of the said Hugh, and 
who got with her in marriage from the 
said Hughe, one-third of the land of Sta- 
linge, called Baggots fearme." 

^ Whoare now inAth Cliatk — Some of the 
O'Dowds, of Stalinge, on the Boyne, near 
Drogheda, afterwards removed to Dublin, 
where they became very wealthy. On the 
Patent Roll of the fifteenth year of King 



** Bhailiaeach, — It is doubtful whether 
our author intended this to represent the 
name Walsh or Wellesley ? Both families 
were in this district. The Editor knows 
several of the name Do Bhailisi in the county 
of Kilkenny, where it is always anglicised 
Wallace ; but this is probably not the true 
form, as in the Irish the preposition Do^ 
which indicates a Norman origin, is always 
prefixed. The family name Do Bhailisi, 
which, if analogically rendered, would 
make in English De Wallisi, also assumes 
the form Bhailiseach, to denote one of the 
family. In Kilkenny the family name 
Walsh is called in Irish Breathnach, i. e. 
Britannus, never Bhailis, and is considered 
to be a totally different name from Do Bhai- 
lisi ; but our author, in his pedigree of the 
family of Walsh, p. 839, writes the name 
both Bhailis and Breathnach ; so that he 



127 



name was Aodh Og. Three years after this Aodh Mor died, and left 
his son with a rich farmer of the family of O'Qnin, who reared him 
honourably, and gave him his sister in marriage, and she brought 
forth for him three sons, namely, John, Thomas, and Henry, besides 
daughters. After the death of this wife he married the daughter of 
Bhaliseach** of Oldbridge, and she brought forth a son for him, namely, 
George, the father of WilHam,Giolla-Patrick, John*^, Edward, Thomas, 
Richard, and Francis. These are the genealogical ramifications of the 
family q/'O'Dubhda, who are now in AthCliatV Duibhlinne \I)uhliifi\, 
It is the general tradition, and it is written in the Books of the 
ClannFirbis, that Dowdall, with his correlative kindred, is of the family 
of OThibhda, and that the period at which he left Tir Fiachrach was 
the time of the killing of Taithleach of the Moy O'Dubhda, by the 
English, Anno Domini [1282] ; so that they were called Dowdalls 
by the English, as their own history relates*, which would be tedious 
to be given here. 



James the First, are two deeds relatmg to 
the O'Dowds of Dublin, one dated 8th 
Jnne, 1614, whereby Nicholas Weston, of 
Dublin city, grants to Francis Dowde and 
Charles Dowde, of Dublin city, merchants, 
the pools of Lanagh and Bealagaly, in the 
River Gadcon, otherwise Kilcomon, in the 
county of Mayo. 

The other is dated 30th June, 161 2, 
whereby Sir Richard Nugent, Baron of 
Delvin, granted to John Dowde, of Dub- 
lin city, alderman, the fishing of Rabran 
river from the sea to Ballanefanny ; the 
fishings of salmon and other fish within the 
How and ebb of the tide in the river or bay 
of Bonitrahan, and the fishings of salmon 
and other fish within the fiaw and ebb of 



Domhnall 

the tide of the waters of Gadcon, otherwise 
Killcomayne, from the main sea to Far- 
sindvinegemine, in the county of Mayo. 
In the will of Lysagh O'Connor (Faly), 
Esq., dated 5th September, 1626, this al- 
derman John Dowde, of the city of Dub- 
lin, is also mentioned ; and the testator, 
who was a gentleman of high rank in the 
country, appoints him one of the overseers 
of his will, and bequeaths to him '' my 
blacke Phillippe and cheney cloake lyned 
with bayse." This will, which is a very 
curious document, is preserved in the 
Prerogative Court, Dublin. 

* Their own history rdatea, — This shows 
that our author had seen a history of the 
Dowdalls, which traced them to an Irish 



128 



Dorhnall O5, mac Domnaill Clepij, clann lep, .i. Ruampi, 
OiapmuiD, ajup Gumonn. 

RuaiDpi, mac Oomnaill Clepij, clann laip, .1. TTlaolpucmaib, 
Concabap, TTlajnuy Clepeac (Gileoj, mjean Sheaam TTlhic ^^^F" 
Delb, a macaip), TTluipceapcac, Gosan, ojup Uilliam (Qnabla, 
injean Sip Peumuinn a bupc, a mdraip). 

Copnarhaij, mac bpiain, mic Uaiclij Ui DubDa, clann Icp, .1. 
bpian, Qob, TTluipceapcac, Seaan, ajup Gmonn. 

TTlaolpuanaib mac Ruampij, clann laip, .1. Oiapmaio, Domnall 
ballac, TTlaoilcaclomn, a^up TTluipceapcac Caoc, Diobaij;, ajup 
TTlaoileaclomn. 

Gojan, peapaboc, Ruai6pi, Copmac bpacaip, Cacal Dub, 
Dan, Seaan 5^ap, a^up bpian, mec Concabaip, mic Diapmaoa, 
mic TTlaoilpuanaib. 

Peapabac mac laip, .1. Domnall, acaip Gojain, ofobaij. 

RuaiDpi mac Concabaip, mac laip, .1. Diapmuio, acaip Ruai6pi, 
peapaboij, Domnaill, Concabaip, Sheaam ^^^^T* 

Dan, mac Concabaip, clann laip, .1. peapa&ac, Donncaca, 

Cacaoip, Copmac, piacpa, ajup Qrhaljaib Daile. 

Seaan 



origin. The general opinion is, that the 
Dowdalls, who were a very distinguished 
family in the county of Louth in the four- 
teenth and fifteenth centuries, are one of 
the old Anglo-Norman families of the 
pale ; but the name is not found in any 
of the lists of the chieftains who came over 
with Strongbow, or any of the subsequent 
English leaders, nor is there any mention 
of them in the Anglo-Irish records as 
early as the period of the killing of Taith- 
leach Muaidhe O'Dowd (1282); so that 
our author's assertion, that they are of the 



O'Dowd race, is not to be rejected without 
the most direct evidence to prove the con- 
trary. 

^ Afaolruanaidh. — He became chief of 
the O'Dowds in the year 1432, and en- 
joyed that dignity for eighteen years, ac- 
cording to our author in his Brief Annals 
of the O'Dowd family. 

8 WiUiam The death of William, son 

of Ruaidhri O'Dowd, is entered in the An- 
nals of the Four Masters at the year 1438. 

** Brian. — He was chiefof the O'Dowds 
for. two years. 



129 



Domhnall Og, son of Domhnall Cleireach, had issue, namely, 
Ruaidkri, Diannaid, and Edmond. 

Buaidhri, son of Domlinall Cleireach, had issue, namely, Maol- 
ruanaidh^ Conchobhar, Maghnus Cleireach (Eileog, daughter of 
John Mac Costello, was their mother), Muircheartach, Eoghan, and 
William*, (Anabla, daughter of Sir Redmond Burke, was their 
mother). 

Cosnamhaigh, son of Brian, son of Taithleach O'Dowd, had issue, 
namely, Brian', Aodh, Muircheartach, John, and Edmond*. 

Maolruanaidh, son of Ruaidhri, had issue, namely, Diannaid, 
Domhnall Ballach^ Maoileachlainn, an& Muircheartach Caoch, who, 
died without issue ; and a second, Maoileachlainn. 

Eoghan^, Fearadhach, Ruaidhri, Cormac the friar, Cathal Dubh*, 
Dathi, John Glas, and Brian, were the sons of Conchobhar, son of 
Diannaid, son of Maolruanaidh. 

Fearadhach had a son Domhnall, father of Eoghan who died 
issueless. 

Ruaidhri, son of Conchobhar, had a son Diarmaid, the father of 
Ruaidhri, Fearadhach, Domhnall, Conchobhar, and John Glas. 

Dathi, son of Conchobhar, had issue, namely, Fearadhach, Donn- 
catha, Cathaoir, Cormac, Fiachra, and Amhalgaidh of the River 
DaoiL 

John 



' Edmond, — He was cbief of the name 
for half a year and fire weeks. 

J DomknaU BaBach, — He succeeded Ed* 
mond, son of Cosnamliach, and was the 
chief O'Dowd for one year. 

^Eoghan. — He was chief of the O'Dowds, 
according to our author, for seven years, 
and is mentioned in the Annals of the 
Four Masters at the year 1536, when his 

IRISH ARCH. SOC. 12. 



wife, the daughter of Walter Burke, was 
taken prisoner by O'Donnell. 

^ Cathal Dubh, i e. CahUl, or Charles 
the Black. He succeeded his brother 
Eoghan as chief of the O'Dowds, but the 
length of his reign is not mentioned by 
our author in his short Annals of the 
O'Dowd family. 



MO 

Seaan 5^r» ^^^ ConcaBaip, od mac lep, .1. Copmac djup 
bpian. 

Gojaii, mac Concabaip, clanr) lep, ,!• t^abj Riabac, Cumonn, 
Ceallac, ajup Concabap, araip Camj Riabaij, acap Gojam ajup 
6umomn. 

Ca65 Rialictc, mac eojam, clann laip, .1. Ddci, UaDj 6ui6e, 
peapaboc (acaip Chacail Duib, bpacap), Domnall, TTlaolpuanaiD, 
ofobaij, Gojan, ajiip Seaan O5, acaip Chaibj Riabai^ ajup 
Oonncaib. 

[Oatn O5 Ua Ouboa, maipeap anoip, 1666, 



mac 86miiip, 

mic Oarn, 

mic Daci, 

mic Cai&5 Riabaij, 

mic 6o5ain 1 Ouboa, 

mic Concabaip, 

mic Oiapmaoa, 

mic niaoilpuanaib, 

mic Ruampij 1 Duboa, 

mic Domnaill Clepij 1 Ouboa, 

mic Sen-6hpiain 1 Ouboa, 

mic Caiclij niuaioe, 

mic TTlaoilpuanaiO, 

mic OonncaiO, 

^ Tadhg Biabkaeh. — He died, aooording 
to the Four Masters, in the jear 1580, but 
thej give his pedigree wrong, thus : " Tadhg 
Riabhach, son of Eoghan, son of Concho- 
bhar, son of Teige." The last generation 
should be Diarmaid. 

° Dathi. — He became chief of the name. 



mic Qo6a, 

mic Caiclij;, 

mic Qooa, 

mic niuipceapcaij;, 

mic Qo6a, 

mic Caicli5, 

mic Nell, 

mic maoileacloinn, 

mic maoilpuanaib, 

mic Qooa, 

mic Ceallaij, 

mic Ouboa, a quo an pme, 

mic Connmui^, 

mic Oumncaca, 



mic 



and was slain in the year 1594. His death 
is thus entered in the Annals of the Four 
Masters :— " A. D. 1594, O'Dowd, of Tir- 
eragh, Dathi, son of Tadhg Riabhach, son 
of Eoghan, was slain by one of the queen's 
soldiers in one of his own castles, in Tire- 
ragh, on the M07." 



John Glas, son of Corichobhar, had two sons, namely, Connac 
and Brian. 

Eoghan, son of Conchobhar, had issue, Tadhg Riabhach"", Edmond, 
Ceallach, and Conchobhar, the father of Tadhg Riabhach, who was 
the father of Eoghan and Edmond. 

Tadhg Riabhach, the son of Eoghan, had issue, namely, Dathi", 
Tadhg Buidhe'', Fearadhach (father of Cathal Dubh, a friar), 
DomhnaU, Maolruanaidh, who died without issue, Eoghan, and John 
Og, father of Tadhg Riabhach and Donnchadh. 
[Dathi OgP O'Dubhda, now living, 1666, 

son of Taithleach, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Taithleach, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Muirchertach, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Taithleach, 

son of NiaU, 

son of Maoileachlainn, 

son of Maolruanaidh, 

son of Aodh, 

son of Ceallach, 

son of Dubhda, from whom the 

tribe, 
son of Connmhach, 
son of Donncatha, 

son 



son of James, 

son of Dathi, 

son of Dathi, 

son of Tadhg Riabhach, 

son of Eoghan, i. e. the O'Dubhda, 

son of Conchobhar, 

son of Diarmaid, 

son of Maolruanaidh, 

son ofRuaidhri, i. e. the O'Dubhda, 

son of Domhnall Clereach, i. e. 

the O'Dubhda, 
son of Sen Brian, L e. theO'Dubhda, 
son of Taithleach of the Moy, 
son of Maolruanaidh, 
son of Donnchadh, 
son of Aodh, 



^ Teuihg Buidhe, — He was set up as brackets, is given from our author's smaller 
chief of the O'Dowds bj O'Domiell in the compilation, made in 1 666, — See this pedi- 
jear 1595, as stated by the Four Masters, gree carried down to the present day in 

P Dathi Og. — This pedigree, enclosed in the Addenda to this volume. 

S2 



132 

mic Cacail, mic pfacpac Galjai 5, 

mic Oilella, mic Daci, pij 6peann, 

mic Dunchaoa, mic piacpac, 

mic CiobpaiDe, mic Gacac mui^meabom, pi j 

mic TTlaoilouin, .i. maoloub, 6peann]. 

Uilliam O5, Cpiopooip, Daci, agup piacpa, 
mec Uilliam, mic Cai&g Riabai^. 

mic Daci, 

TTlaolpuanai6, ajup Cabj &ui6e, bpacaip, 
mec Cams bui6e, .1. mac CaiD^ Riabai^. 

Cabj Riabac, peapboc, agup Ruaibpi, 
mec Oomnaill, mic Gojam. 

mic Cai65 Riccbaij, 

Domnall bpacaip, apip Gumonn, 
mec Gogain, mic Gojam. 

mic Cai65 Riabai^, 

Cacal Dub, .i. O'Duboa, 
mac Gumumn, mic Concabaip. 

mic Gojain, 

Ceallac, 
mac bpiain, Tnic Gojam, 

mic Ceallai j, mic Concabaip. 

COR5 RUaiDhRl, miC C0NCha6haiR. 

Ruai6pi, 

mac Oaci, mic Oiapmaoa, 

mic RuaiDpi, mic TTlaoilpuanaib, 

mic Oiapmaoa, mic Ruaibpi, 

mic Ruaibpi, mic Oomnaill Clepij. 
mic Concabaip, 



133 



son of Fiachra Ealgach, 
son of Dathi, King of Ireland, 
son of Fiachra, 

son of EochaidhMuighmheadhoin, 
King of Ireland]. 



son of Cathal, 

son of Oilioll, 

son of Dunchadh, 

son of Tiobraide, 

son of Maolduin, i. e. Maoldubh, 

William Og, Christopher, Dathi, and Fiachra, are the 
sons of William, son of Tadhg Eiabhach, &c. 

son of Dathi, 

Maolruanaidh and Tadhg Buidhe, a Mar, 
sons of Tadhg Buidhe, son of Tadhg Riabhach, &c. 

Tadhg Riabhach, Fearadhach, and Ruaidhri, 
sons of Domhnall, son of Eoghan. 

son of Tadhg Kiabhach, 

Domhnall, a £dar, and Edmond, 
sons of Eoghan, son of Eoghan. 

son of Tadhg Riabhach, 

Cathal Dubh, i. e. the O'Dubhda, 
son of Edmond, son of Conchobhar. 

son of Eoghan, 

Ceallach, 
son of Brian, son of Eoghan, 

son of Ceallach, son of Conchobhar. 

THE BACE OF BUAIDHRI, SON OF CONCHOBHAR. 

Ruaidhri, 

son of Dathi, son of Diarmaid, 

son of Ruaidhri, son of Maolruanaidh, 

son of Diarmaid, son of Ruaidhri, 

son of Ruaidhri, son of Domhnall Clereach. 
son of Conchobhar, 



Brian, 



J 



134 

bpian, 
mac Cacaoip, mic Ruai&pi, 

mic peapa&aig, mic Concabaip. 

mic Diapmaoa, 

Domnall O5, aguf Gojan, Da 
riiac Domnaill 1 Dhuboa, mic Ruampij, 

mic Diapmaoa, mic Concabaip. 

6OR5 sheaaiN jhtais, mic coNChadhaiR. 

Seaan 5W' Dan, Diapmum (araip Cai&g), TTlaoleacloinn 
Caoc, eojan, Seplup (acaip phaopaig ajuf Dhonncaib bparap), 
piacpa (acaip Chomaip), Seon (araip Diapmaoa), 
mec bpiain, mic Concabaip, 

mic Seaain 5^^T» ^^^ Diapmaoa. 

bpian, Gogan, 

mec Seaain ^^Ictif* ^^^ Seaain ^^^'^T* 

mic bpiain, 

Copmac, Gojan, oguf Domnall O5, 
mec Domnuill, mic Seaain ^^''^^r* 

mic Copmaic, mic Conbabaip. 

Uilliam O5, Gojan Cappac, Do mapbao 1 5-Cnoc na n-op, agup 

Domnall ballac, cpi 

mec peblim, mic Uilliam O15, 

mic Gmuinn 6ui6e, mic Domnaill bhallai j, 

mic 

^ Dun NeiU, L e. the dun or fort of ragli, and county of Sligo. 
Niall, now Duneal or Dunneill, otherwise "" Cnoc na n-os^ L e. hill of the fawns, 

called Castlequarter, a townland in the There is a well known hill of the name near 

parish of Elilmacshalgan, baronj of Tire- Buttevant, in the county of Cork, where 



»3S 

Brian, 
son of Cathaoir, son of Ruaidhri, 

son of Fearadhach, son of Conchobhar. 

son of Diarmaid, 

Domhnall Og and Eoghan, two 
sons of Domhnall, i. e. the son of Ruaidhri, 

O'Dubhda, son of Conchobhar. 

sonofDiannaid, 

THE RACE OF JOHN GLAS, SON OF CONCHOBHAR. 

John Glas, Dathi, Diarmaid (the father of Tadhg) ; Maoileach- 
lainn Caoch, Eoghan, Charles (father of Patrick, and of Donnchadh a 
friar) ; Fiachra (father of Thomas) ; and John (fether of Diarmaid), 
were 

sons of Brian, son of Conchobhar, 

son of John Glas, son of Diarmaid. 

Brian and Eoghan, 
sons of John Glas, son of John Glas. 

son of Brian, 

Cormac, Eoghan, and Domhnall Og, 
sons of Domhnall, son of John Glas, 

son of Cormac, son of Conchobhar. 

OF DUN neill". 

William Og, Eoghan Carrach, who was slain at Cnoc na n-os^ 
and Domhnall Ballach, three 

sons of Fedhlim, son of William Og, 

son of Edmond Buidhe, son of Domhnall Ballach, 

son 

the celebrated Alexander Mac Donnell was here referred to it is difficult at present to 
skin in 1647, but whether it is the place decide. 



I 



mic TTlaoilpuanaib, 
mic Ruai&pij, 

Calbac, 
mac Uilliam Chaoic, 
mic an Chalbai^, 
mic Uai&5, 
mic bpmin, 



136 



mic Oomnaill Clepi^. 



mic Ompmaoa, 
mic TTlaoilpuanaib, 
mic Ruaiopij, 
mic Domnuill Clepij. 



SCIOChC QN ChOSNamhaiSh QNN 80. 

Ruai6pi, Uilliam ballac, ajuf pelim, 
mec an Chopnamai j, mic Qoba, 

mic Seaain, mic an Chopnamaij, 

mic pdim, mic Sen-bhpiam. 



CtQNN CaiCh615h QNN SO, 



Cope, Uairleac, ajup Seaan, cpi 
mec Ruaibpig, mic TTlaoileacloinn, 

mic Concabaip, 
mic Uaiclij O15, 
mic TTluipceapcaij na puinn- 

eoige, 
mic Caiclij;, 
mic Qooa Qlamn, 



mic bpiain Oepg, 

mic Qo&a, ag a g-compaicit) 

ajuf an piojpuib, 
mic Nell, 
mic TTlaoileacloinn. 



TTluipceapcac Cejinn, * 
mac TTlaoilpuanaib, 
mic Concabaip Ohepij, 
mic Qot)a Qlainn, 
mic TTlaoileacloinn, 



mic bpiain Depj, 00 bairea6 ap 
pli^ib na T?6ma, cap ep a 
oilicpe. 

TnipDel, 



^37 



son of Maolruanaidh, 
son of Rnaidhri, 

Calbhach, 
son of William Caoch, 
son of Calbhach, 
son of Tadhg, 
son of Brian, 



son of Domhnall Clereach. 



son of Diarmaid, 

son of Maolruanaidh, 

son of Ruaidhri, 

son of Domhnall Clereach. 



THE RACE OF COSNAMHACH HERE. 



Ruaidhri, William Ballach, and Felim, 
sons of Cosnamhach, son of Aodh, 

son of John, son of Cosnamhach, 

son of Felim, son of Sen Brian. 



THE CLANN TAITHLIGH HERE. 



Core, Taithleach, and John, three 



sons of Ruaidhri, 

son of Conchobhar, 

son of Taithleach Og, 

son of Muircheartach naFuineoige, 

son of Taithleach, 

son of Aodh Alainn, 

Muircheartach Leghinn, 
son of Maolruanaidh, 
son of Conchobhar D^seach, 
son of Aodh Alainn, 
son of Maoileachlainn, 

IBI8H ABCH. 80C. 1 2. 



son of Maoileachlainn, 

son of Brian Dearg, 

son of Aodh, in whom they and 

the chiefs meet, 
son of Niall, 
son of Maoileachlainn. 



son of Brian Dearg, who was 
drowned on his way from Rome 
after his pilgrimage. 

Misdel 



138 

TTlipoel, a quo clann Tni[*t>el, ajup Tflec pmn Uf Dubt>a, co 
n-a 5-coTtipoi5yib, 

mac TTlaoilpuanui6, mic Qoba Qlamn. 

mic Concabaip Dh6p5, 

Domnall, Ppioi]i 6acpoif, 
mac Uaibg, mic TTliiipceapcaij na pumn- 

mic Oorhnuill, eoige. 

mic Qo&a, 

dob Rua6, Oiapmuit), agup Uaicleach, rpi 
mec Concabaip, mic QoDa, 

mic Caiclij;, mic Uaiclij, 

mic Concabaip Conallaij, mic Qoba, 

mic Uaiclij, mic TTluipceapcaij. 

mic Oonncai6 TTlhoip, 

Uomap, ajup TTlaoileacloinn TTlop, 
mec Qoba, mic Concabaip Conalluig. 

Ruaibpi TT16p, 
mic Uaiclij;, mic Concabaip Conalluij. 

Socap cloinne Caomam, mic Connmuije, annpo, 00 pep na 
n-eolac n-appanca, lap n-a pajbail t>o dob, mac Cacail Ui Chao- 
main, 6 Cheallac, mac Ouboa, a^up 6 dob, mac Ceallaij, Do 

comaib 

^ Eachros, now Aughris, a townland " Aodhj son qfCeaUach. — AocordiDg to 

containing the ruins of an abbey, in the our author, in his short Annals of the 

parish of Templeboy, in the barony of O'Dowd family, this Ceallach was king of 

Tireragh, and county of Sligo. north Connaught, and died in the year 

^ O^Caomkan, should be Mac Caomhain, 983, and it is therefore a great anachron- 

i. e. son of Caomhan, for Cathal was the ism to make this prince cotemporary with 

son, not the 0', or grandson of Caomhan. — one who had been cursed by the Saxon St. 

See pedigree. Gerald, who died, according to the accurate 



139 

-Misdel [Mitchel], from whom the Clami Misdel and the famili/ 
o/M^sc Pimi O'Dubhda, with their correlatives, 
son of Maobnianaidh, son of Aodh Alainn. 

son of Conchobhar Deseach, 

II>omhnaIl, prior of Eachros*, 
son of Tadhg, son of Aodh, 

son of Domhnall, son of Muircheartach naFuinneoige. 

-A^odh Ruadh, Diarmaid, and Taithleach, three 
^^ of Conchobhar, son of Aodh, 

^^ of Taithleach, son of Taithleach, 

son of Conchobhar Conallach, son of Aodh, 
^D of Taithleach, son of Muircheartach. 

^^ of Donnchadh Mor, 

I'lomas and Maoileachlaiim Mor, 
^^s of Aodh, son of Conchobhar Conallach. 

^naidhri Mor, 
^^ of Taithleach, 

Xhe privileges of the race of Caomhan, the son of Connmhach, 
^^^ording to the ancient literati, which were obtained by Aodh, son 
^^ Cathal O'Caomhain*, from Ceallach, the son of Dubhda, and from 
^odh, son of Ceallach", as a compensation and consideration of kin- 
dred, 



son of Conchobhar Conallach. 



/^^'^^Is of Tighemacli,in theyear732, that 
!J ^S « years before thedeath of this Aodh 
"^ifcida. This story, therefore, is clearly 
^•^ ^or Dubhda, the grandfather of Aodh 
^^'^^^l>lida, or O'Dowd, who died in 983, 
^^^ Tiot, according to the laws of nature, 
^^^ l>eeii bom before the year 823, so 
"^^ i't cannot for a moment be assumed 



that his brother Caomhan could have been 
cotemporary with St Gerald of Mayo. 
The truth is, that this account of the 
cursing of Caomhan by St Grerald is a 
mere legend, written centuries after the 
time, to sanctify the succession of the 
O'Dowds, and to accoimt for the laying 
aside of the O'Caomhains, who are senior 



T2 • 



i 



I40 

corhaiD ajur t)o combpairpeap, ictp na eapjume t>o ^^^^ctilc, Do 
naoTh Soionac (do pep Leaboip bailb Shemuip TTlhic pipbipij), 50 
n-a cpi ceD naom, cpe niiiaoi Ui Chaomam D'd Diulrab 6 Dopup 
carpac Caoniain (D'd n-goipceap Caraip mop), DepeaD laoi; gup 
eapgum ^^fpal^ Caonian co n-<i pfol, .1. jan pfo^a pop a n-DUDcap 
50 bpac. Od cuala dob pin, Do ^ab airpeacap e, im eapjuine a 
pean-arap do Deunam Do'n naorh peopjac, ajup Do Thi;^Tnorii na 
mna ain^fbe, pop a paib pliocc; 50 n-Deacaib map a paib ^^P^^l'^ 
Dia pfobujab ; ajup 56 p6 pfobaij, nip rapba Do Qob, uaip nip 
beonai^ ^^P^^^^ P^ ^^ "^^^ ^'^ m-biab ap pliocc na mnd po 
biulca ppip, ace Do beonaij plaireap Ua 5-Caomain Do ber ap 
pliocc DiapmaDa, mic Carail, mic Caomam, .1. mac cumuile na 

mna 



to them. A legend exactly similar to this 
has found its waj into the Book of Fenagh 
from the Book of Kilmacrenan, to account 
for the elevation of the family of O'Don- 
nell to the chieftainship of Tirconnell, and 
the downfall of the senior branches of the 
Cinel Conaill race ; and various fables of 
a like nature have been foisted into the 
Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, originally 
written by St Evin, but afterwards inter- 
polated by various writers, to account for 
the extinction or obscurity of the races 
of chieftains, who opposed the saint in his 
pious intentions. The true account of the 
laying aside of the family of O'Caomhain 
is above given by our author, in page 109, 
and the present fable is not worth atten- 
tion, except as a specimen of the sort of 
fabrications resorted to by the bards to 
flatter the vanity of the families in power. 
^ The wife of O^Caomhain^ should be 



either the} wife of Caomhan, or the wife of 
Cathal, son of Caomhan. 

* Race of Diarmaid^ 9on ofCathcdy son 
of Caomhan. — Besides the anachronisms 
of this story, it involves a contradiction, 
for Diarmaid, son of Cathal, son of Cao- 
mhan, would have carried as much of the 
blood of the offending woman as his bro- 
ther Aodh, if this wicked woman was the 
wife of the grandfather, Caomhan, which 
she would appear to have been, as Cao- 
mhan was the person cursed on her ac- 
count. If she was the wife of Cathal, son 
of Caomhan, then indeed Diarmaid, who 
was liberated from the curse, may have 
had none of her blood, as he was the son 
of her Cujnhal, or handmaid, but then this 
Cathal could not have been called O'Cao- 
mhain, as in the text, but Mac Caomhain. 
And again, if the wicked woman was really 
the wife of Cathal, there appears no reason 



141 

dred, after he [*. e. Aodh O^Caomhain] had been cursed by Gerald, 
the Saxon saint (according to the Dumb Book of James Mac Firbis), 
with his three hundred saints, in consequence of the wife of 
O'Caomhain"^, who turned him, late in the evening, out of the door 
of Caomhan's fort (which is called Cathair mhor) ; so that St. Gerald 
cursed Caomhan and his seed, and prayed that there should not be 
a king of his race for ever. When Aodh heard this, he became 
sorrowful for the curse pronounced against his grandfather by the 
angry saint, in consequence of the misconduct of the malicious 
woman, who had issue ; so that he went to where St. Gerald was to 
appease him ; and though he did appease him, it was of no avail to 
Aodh, for Gerald did not consent to make peace with any one de- 
scended from the woman who had insulted him, but he consented 
that the chieftainship of the O'Caomhains should be transferred to 
the race of Diarmaid, son of Cathal, son of Caomhan"*, that is, to the 

son 



for the saint's curse against Caomhan, his 
father, for the crime of his son's wife, and 
should he happen to have had more sons 
than Cathal, it would have been very im- 
saintly indeed to curse the descendants of 
them aU for the bad temper of the wife of 
one of them. The story should be told thus 
by our author : — " According to ancient 
writers the following are the privileges of 
the race of Caomhan, son of Connmhach, 
which were obtained by Diarmaid, son of 
Cathal, son of Caomhan, from Ceallach, 
son of Dubhda, and from his son Aodh, as 
a compensation for the loss of the chief- 
tainship, and in consideration of kindred. 
According to the Dumb Book of James 
Mac Firbis, Gerald, the Saxon saint of 



Mayo, with his three hundred monks, had 
pronounced a curse against the race of 
Caomhan, in consequence of the conduct 
of the wife of Cathal, the only son of Cao- 
mhan, for she had turned him, late in 
the evening, out of the door of Caomhan's 
fort, called Cathair Mhor ; and the saint 
prayed, and while praying foresaw, that 
there should never be a king of the race 
of Caomhan, from whom the family were 
about to be named. When Aodh O'Cao- 
mhain, the legitimate son of Cathal, by 
his wicked wife already mentioned, heard 
this, he became sorrowful for the curse 
pronounced against the race of his grand- 
father, in consequence of the insidt offered 
to the angry saint by his own ill-tem- 



14^ 



Tuna oibije, ajup ^an f 61I 05 neac o'a cloinn ppi pije. ^^P ^'^ ^ 
coma po jabpat) ay cuio ci jeapnuip, .1. cuac jaca cfpe baoi la a 
in-bpdcaip 6 Ro&ba 50 Cobnai^, aguf copac p uibijce 1 D-cfj oil, 
ajup opt)i];^at> caca laip, ojup cpjje poiriie jac uaip C15 'n-a ceann 
1 cac mat) a m-bia, ajuf ciip 01 je 00 agup pocpuisre, ojup jac 
neac ceuD-gabop apm 'na np,5oma& 6 pfol Diapmaoa, mic Cacail, 
mic Caomam jeabup ; ajnp luaj leapa ^aca h-mjene pij, eac 

ajup 



pered mother, from whom all the legiti- 
mate descendants of Caomhan were likely 
to descend ; he therefore visited the saint 
to remonstrate with him about the nature 
of the curse, in the hope of inducing him to 
revoke it. But though the saint listened 
to the remonstrations of this only legiti- 
mate representative of the house of Cao- 
mhan, and felt that it was rather a cruel 
case that a whole tribe shoidd labour un- 
der a curse for ever, still would he not 
consent to revoke the denunciation against 
Aodh, the remonstrant, or any of the de- 
scendants of the wicked woman ; but he 
consented to avert the effect of his ma- 
lediction from Diarmaid O'Caomhain, the 
illegitimate son of Cathal by the handmaid 
of the wicked woman, because he had none 
of the blood of her who had insulted him. 
To him and his race St. Gerald wished 
the chieftainship of the tribe of the 
O'Caomhains only to be transferred, but 
not that any of his descendants should ever 
aspire to the chieftainship of all the Hy- 
Fiachrach. The chieftainship of the Hy- 
Fiachrach was then vested in the race of 
Dubhda, but the following compensations 



and privileges were ceded to the race of 
Diarmaid 0*Caomhain, the illegitimate son 
of Cathal, son of Caomhan, in token of the 
seniority of his family, viz., that their 
chief should possess a tuath in each terri- 
tory belonging to the O'Dowd, in the re- 
gion extending from the River Robe to 
the River Cowney ; that he should have 
the privilege of first entering the bath, 
and of first sitting down at the feast, and 
of taking the first drink ; that he should 
be O'Dowd's chief marshal, pursuivant, 
and the commander of his forces ; that 
O'Dowd should stand up before him 
wherever he should meet him on every 
occasion whatever ; that all those who 
should take arms, that is, military wea- 
pons, for the first time in O'Dowd's coun- 
try, should take them from the hand of the 
representative of Diarmaid, son of Cathal, 
son of Caomhan, and from no other person ; 
that O'Caomhain shoidd get the fine called 
the Luach leaea from every chieftain's 
daughter upon her marriage; that the 
CDowd should never be nominated with- 
out the presence and consent of O'Caomh- 
ain, who should first pronounce his name 



H3 



son of the handmaid of the denounced womanj but that none of his 
race should ever expect to be kings of all the Hy-Fiachrach. And 
the compensations they obtained for this transfer of the lordship were 
the following, viz., a tuath of every territory which their reigning 
relative possessed from the river Rodhba*, to the river Codhnach^, 
and the privilege of first sitting in the drinking house, and of arrajdng 
the battle; thai O'Dubhda is to stand up before him whenever he meets 
him, or wherever he may be ; that O' Caomhain is to take the first 
drink and bath ; and that whoever takes his first arms* in his territory, 
he should take them from the descendants of Diarmaid, son of Cathal, 
son of Caomhan ; also that they should get the Luach leasa of every 

king's 



and walk thrice round him after his nomi- 
nation ; that afler O'Dowd's inauguration 
CCaomhain should receive his steed and 
battle dress, and that Mac Firbis, the poet 
of the principality, should receive the 
like from O'Caomhain. These customs to 
last for ever.'' For some account of the 
inauguration of the ancient Irish chiefs 
see Addenda. 

' River Bodhbaj now the River Robe, 
which flows hj a very circuitous course 
through the south of the coimty of Majo, 
passing through the demesne of Castlema- 
garret and through the town of Ballinrobe, 
to which it gives name, and discharging 
itself into Lough Mask opposite the island 
of Inis Rodhba, which also derives its 
name from it. 

' Codhnaek, — This, as will be hereafter 
shown, was the ancient name of a small 
river which flows into the bay of Sligo, 
at the village of Drumclifi', in the barony 



of Carbury, and county of Sligo. The 
distance between these rivers shows the 
great power of the O'Dowd's in Ireland 
before they were encroached upon by the 
O'Conors of Sligo, Barretts, Burkes, and 
other families. 

> And that whoever takes his first arms^ S^c. 
— This passage reads in the Book of Lecan 
thus: Cach nech ^ebup apm, coma 6 pil 
Diapmaoa, mic Cacail, mic Caeman, 
^ebupa cheo-^abail aipm ap cup, ocup 
luach impioi cac inline pi^oia pi^aio, 
ocup each ocup eppao each pi^ Leo do 
^ep, ap n-oul paoioean^cxpailr. These 
words are thus paraphrased by the Rev. 
Patrick Mac Loughlin, in his abstract of 
the Book of Lecan, a manuscript in the 

Library of the Royal Irish Academy : 

"And all those who bore arms were to 
have their first arms from O'Caomhan, 
and every daughter bom of the chief re- 
presentative of the family was to have her 



144 

agup eappab gaca pi^ leo Do jjieap , ap n-a pfojab, ajuy^ a lonn- 
arhuil pin uaiDib pean t>o'n ollam, .1. 00 TTlhac pl^ipbipi^. 

No, 50Tnab e ^^P^i^^ ^o baipo Ouboa, 6 o-cdm an piojpaib, 
agup jomab e Caoman pen puaip na pocaip pin (amuil a oubpa- 
map ip in cpaobpgaoileao) 6 Dhuboa, cap ceano cijeapnaip, maile 
le mopan ele. 



request granted by the prince." But he has 
not here given the true meaning of luac 
impiDi, for we know from good authorities 
that it was the name of a fine paid on se- 
veral occasions. Distinct mention is made 
of this fine in the Annals of the Four 
Masters at the year 141 4, as paid by an 
Englishman to O'Conor Faly and Mageo- 
ghegan. "A. D. 141 4. A great victory 
was gained over the English of Meath by 
Murchadh O'Conor, Lord of Offaly, and 
Fergal Ruadh Mageoghegan, Lord of Cinel 
Fiachach mic NeilL The Baron of Skreen, 
and many of his adherent gentlemen and 
plebeians, were slain in the conflict, and 
the son of the Baron of Slane was taken 
prisoner, for whose ransom fourteen hun- 



dred marks were afterwards paid. Dardis 
the Lawless was also taken prisoner toge- 
ther with numbers of others, for whose 
ransom twelve hundred marks were ob- 
tained, besides the fines called Luach leasa 
and Luach impidhe." 

Luach leasa literally means reward, or 
price of welfare, andZuoc^ impidheTewiiid^ 
or price of intercession. Sir John Davis, 
in his letter to the Earl of Salisbury, makes 
mention of the latter fine in treating of the 
origin and duties of the Lrish ecclesiastical 
officer called herenach. His words are: 
"The herenach was to make a weekly com- 
memoration of the founder in the church; 
he had always primam tanmram^ but took 
no other orders. He had a voice in the 



145 

king's daughter and the steed and battle-dress of every king among 
them for ever, after his being inaugurated; and that the like should be 
given by them to the Ollamh, that is, to Mac Firbis. 

Or, if we believe others^ it was St. Grerald that baptized Dubhda*, 
from whom the chiefs are descended, and it was Caomhan himself 
that obtained these privileges, together with many others (as we have 
stated in the genealogy), from Dubhda, in consideration of the chief- 
tainship. 



chapter, when they consulted about their 
revenues, and paid a certain yearly rent to 
the bishop, besides a fine upon the mar- 
riage of every of his daughters, which they 
call a Louffhinipyy" &c 

The term Luadi leasa is frequently used 
by the Irish poets of the sixteenth cen- 
tury in the sense of omen of welfare. It 
is curious that our author has used the 
tamLuaeh leasa instead of theZuocA im- 
pidke of the Book of Lecan ; indeed it is 
likely that they are nearly synonimous, 
and the Editor is of opinion that the mo- 
dem Anglo-Irish term luck- penny is de- 
rived from the latter. 



^ItwasSu Gerald that baptized Dubhda. 
— This cannot be true, for it has been al- 
ready shown (Note ") that this Dubhda 
coidd not have been bom before the year 
823, whereas, we have the authority of 
the very accurate annalist, Tighemach, 
for the fact, that St. Gerald of Mayo died 
in 732. The truth is, that St. Gerald had 
nothing at all to do with this compact 
between the rival brothers Caomhan and 
Dubhda, but it is highly probable that 
his comharba, or successor at Mayo, may 
have interposed to settle their disputes. — 
See Addenda. 



IBISH ABCH. 80C. 12. 



u 



DUChChUSai^b CLOlNNe piaChRQCh. 



U 2 OUChChUSaiSh 



DUChChUSaiSh 

CLOINNe piaChRQCh. 



X)o FheaRai6h ceana aHH so 

>ca ceuD Ceapa, umoppo, cpf ^^050 puippe, .1 

Tluipeaboij, O'Jopnidj, agup OXijeapnaig. 

6 a peab agup a Ian, .1. 6 R66ba 50 Racain. 

aguf 6 phionnjlaip 50 lTlc(ice6i5 CXcai6 jabaip, arhuil appeapc 

an pann : 

O R6&ba 50 Racain puai6, 
Cpfoc Ceapa copnuiD na pluaij, 

O 

The initial letter T has been copied from living word, signifies a tract of country 

the Book of Keils, foL 38. The Society hereditary in some familj, as oucaii 

is indebted to Dr. Aquilla Smith for the Seoi^oc, L & Joyces' country, in the 

drawing from which the wood-cut was en- west of the county of Galway ; ouraio an 

graved. bhappaij TTIhoip, i. e. Barry Mote's 

■ Hertditary prvpritton^—Aa the words country, or patrimonial inheritance, in the 

Durai6, ouecap, and oficcorac occur ao county of Cork. t)flccaf, when applied 

fVequently in this topographical tract, it philosophically, means inherent nature, 

will be necessary to explain lliem here innate instinct, but when used topogra- 

once for all. Ddraio, which is still a phically it means a hereditary estate, or 



HEKEDITAEY PEOPEIETOES' 



THE CLANN FIACHRACH. 



OF THE MEN OF CEABA HERE. 

HE triocha cheud" of Ceara ; there were three kings 
over it, namely, O'Muireadhaigh, O'Gormog, and 
O'Tighernaigh. Its full extent' is from the Kodhba'' 
to Kathain*, and from Fionnghlais*^ to Maiteog* of 
Achadh gabhair^, as the rann states : 

From Rodhba to Kathain the red 

Is the country of Ceara, which the hosts defend. 



pitrimom&l inheritance. Duccap^d, which 
makes ouccarai^ in the nominative plural, 
i« a personal coun formed from Duroap, 
and signifies an inheritor, or hereditary 
proprietor. These three words seem to be 
cognate with the Latin dot, whence data- 
rinm, doarium, &&, in the medinval Latin, 
ue derived. 

** Tnocha cheud. — This was the ancient 
Irish name for a barony or hundred, and 



From 

it appears from various authorities that it 
comprised thirty Ballybetaghs, or one 
hundred and twenty quarters of land, each 
quartercontainingone hundred and twenty 
Irish acres. The Irish Triocha cheud 
would therefore appear to have been larger 
than the English hundred, or Wapentake, 
which consisted of ten towns or tithings, 
or one hundred families. 

' lU fuS ««KCT(.— The Rev. P. Mac 



I50 



O phionnjl<iip, 50 a D-caruij coin, 
50 maiceoi^ Qcaib jabaip. 

Caoip&cacc Ui Uaoa, ogup Ui Chmocnariia, 6 TTlhcncedij 50 
Callainn, ajuf o'bhunpeariiap 50 h-Qbuinn na mallaccan, 

Cuaca 



Loughlin, in his abstract of the Book of 
Lecan, translates this passage thus : — *' foL 
81, begins of the men of Ceara. This 
Tricha ceud had three lords (riga), viz., 
O'Muiredaig, O'Gormog, andO'Tigemaig, 
Its fnll extent in length and breadth, — 
afeadk agu» aUan — ^from Rodba to Bath- 
ain, and from Finglas to Maiteog Acha 
Gobhair.'' This description of the extent 
of Ceara is not given in the topographical 
poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, from 
which it is evident that the prose account 
of the territories of Hy-Fiachrach was not 
wholly derived from that authority. As, 
however, this poem is the oldest named 
authority for the topography of Hy-Fiach- 
rach, the topographical notes which might 
be here given, shall be reserved for the 
elucidation of that poem, and the Editor 
will only remark, in the notes to this 
prose list, such differences as appear be- 
tween it and the poem. 

^ Bodhba,^ now the Hiver Robe, which 
anciently formed the southern boundary 
of the territory of Ceara, though it does 
not bound the modem barony of Carra, 
which retains the old name. 

* Baihain^ the name of the northern 
boundary of Ceara, is now called Raithin ; 
it is a townland containing a gentleman's 
seat, on the boundary between the baro- 



nies of Carra and Burrishoole, a short dis- 
tance to the west of the townof Castlebar. 

^ Fiannghlau^ L e. the bright stream, 
was the ancient name of a stream forming 
the eastern boundary of the territory of 
Ceara, but it is now obsolete, and it would 
perhaps be idle to conjecture what stream 
it is, as the eastern boundary of the mo- 
dem barony of Carra may not be the same 
as that of the ancient territory, but if 
we .draw a line from Aghagower, which 
was on the western boundary of this ter- 
ritory, in an eastern direction, we shall 
find that it will meet a lake and small 
stream at Ballyglass, on the boundary 
of the baronies of Carra and Clanmonis ; 
which stream may have been anciently 
called Fionnghlais. 

8 Maiteog of Aehadh gabkair This is 

said to have been the ancient name of 
Maus, or Mace, a townland a short dis- 
tance to the east of the village of Agh- 
agower, and which is now a considerable 
distance west of the boundary of the mo- 
dem barony. 

^ Aehadh gabhair^ now Aghagower, a 
village containing the ruins of an an- 
cient church and round tower, in the ba- 
rony of Murresk, and county of Maya 
This, though it pretty fairly represents 
the present pronunciation, is certainly 



'5^ 



From Pionnglilais, which the hounds frequent, 
To Maiteog of Achadh gabhair. 

The chieftainship of OTi-Uada and O'Cinnchnamha from Maiteog 
to Callaum, and from Bunreamhai^ to Abhainn na mallachtan^ 

The 

thography, translated the name Agha- 
gower, fire of fires; and observed that 
though it was yulgarly believed to mean 
" ford of the goats," still he conld not alter 
his own opinion of its meaning as long as 
the round tower, or fire of fires was stand- 
ing at the place ; in which process of rea- 
soning he errs in both points of view, for 
ihQ name does not signify fire of fires, nor 
does it appear that the tower ever bore 
each a name, or was used for a purpose 
that would support such a name, for it is 
now, and has been from the period of its 
erecticm, called Cloigtheaeh Achaidh fhch- 
hair, i e. the belfry of Aghagower. 

^ Bunreamkar, now anglicised Bunraw- 
er, a well-known townland in the parish 
of Ballintober, in the barony of Carra, 
and joining the boundary of the parish 
of Aghagower. — See Ordnance Map of the 
county of Mayo, sheet 88. This name is 
not given in the poem of GioUa losa Mor 
Mac Firbis. 

i Abhainn na maUaehian, L e. the river 
of the curses. This is called Abhainn in- 
duar, i. e. the cold river, in the poem of 
Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, which affords 
an additional proof that the compiler of 
this prose Hst had other authorities besides 
that poem. — See note ', p. 152. 



not the true spelling of the name, for we 
have the authority of the most ancient 
lives of St. Patrick to show that the an- 
cient form of the name was Achadh 
Fobhair, and even now it is pronounced 
Q6a6 phoBaip. The author of the Tri- 
partite Life of St. Patrick speaks of this 
place as foUows : — '^Progressus Patricius 
perrenit usque in Umalliam, que est regio 
msritima occidentalis Connacise. Ibi ex- 
tractsd eodesiie deAchadh/obhuir prtefecit, 
et in episoopum oonsecravit, S. Senachum, 
vimm Tite innocentia et animi submis- 
sioneoelebrem.^ — ^Lib.ii.c.62. And again, 
a 68, ** His peractis descendit de monte 
[Croach Patraic] Patricius • • • . ac in 
ecclesia jam memorata de Aehadh/obhuir 
reliquam paschs oelebravit solemnitatem.'' 
Colgan, in a note, thus describes the situa- 
tion of this place : — ** Ecclesia de Achadh 
fobhuir est dioeoesis Tuamensis et comita- 
tus Mageonensisin ConnaciA. £t licet hodi^ 
sit taatum parrochialis, et caput ruralis 
deiaaiatus, fuit olim sedes Episoopalis." 

The name Achadh gabhair, as in the 
text, wofuld mean " field of the goat,'' but 
the correct ancient name, Achadh Jbbhuir^ 
ngnifiee field of the spring, and the place 
was so caUed from a celebrated spring 
there, now called Si Patrick's Well. Val- 
lanoey, without knowing the original or- 



152 

Cuaca papcpaije 6 Qc na mallaccan 50 5^T^ 5"^r^ '^ 
Lainoe, a5uf 6 Chaol 50 pal, a^uf O'^oipmiallaij a pf, ajuf 
O'Dopcai&e a caoipoc ; no, caoipjeacc Ui Dhopcai6e arhdin, Do 
pep lebuip Shemuip ajup 5^'^^^^ ^^T^ TTlhic pbipbipij. 

O'banan 6 bhaile Ui bhanan, ajup Tno^ilin 6'n TTluine, .1. od 
TTlhac Oglaoic. 

Uuac niuije na berije, .1. 6 Callainn 50 h-Ului6 Caolaino, .1. 
peace m-baile Lujopcain, ouuaib TTlec an bhainb. 

O 



^ Partraighe. — These boundaries of 
Partraighe are not given in the poem of 
Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, and it will be 
therefore necessary to point out their si- 
tuations in this place. The name of Par- 
traighe, though not recognized as a baro- 
nial or parochial division, is still known in 
the country, and has been recently applied 
by the Poor Law Commissioners to a dis- 
trict nearly co-extensive with the parish 
of Ballyovey, in which there is a range of 
mountains still called Slieve Partry. It 
should be farther remarked, that the pa- 
rish of Ballyovey, anciently called Odhbha 
Ceara, is always called the parish of Partry 
by the Roman Catholics, and that the seat 
of John Lynch, Esq., situated on Lough 
Carra, in this parish, is called Partry 
House, so that the name of this territory 
has not shared the fate of many others, 
which are locally lost. 

' Atk na maUdcktany L e. the ford of the 
curses or maledictions. This name is now 
lost, but the old natives of Partry believe 
that it was the name of a ford on a stream 
which rises in the moimtain of Formna- 



more, and discharges itself into Lough 
Mask. 

" GlaisiGuirt na lainne This name is 

now corrupted to Glais gort, or Glashgort, 
which is that of a townland in the parish 
of Ballintober. — See Ordnance Survey of 
the County of Mayo, sheet 99. 

° Cody now well known as the bridge 
of Keel, — opoiceao an Chaoil, — ^which 
stands over the narrow strait connecting 
Lough Carra and Lough Mask, to the 
north-west of the town of Ballinrobe. 

® Pal^ now Faul, and sometimes called 
Kilfaul, which is the name adopted on the 
Ordnance Map, a townland on the mearing 
of the parishes of Ballyovey and Ballinto- 
ber, and bordering on Lough Carra. 

P Baile Ui Bhanan. — Li Giolla losa Mor 
Mac Firbis's poem it is expressed 0'6anan 
6 Baili p^in, O'Banan of his own town, 
L e. of the townland called after him- 
self. It is still called 6aile Uf 6h6- 
n6in by the natives, who speak Irish very 
well, and anglicised Ballybannon or Bally- 
banaun. It is situated in the parish of Bal- 
lyov^, not far from the margin of Lough 



153 



The tuath of Partraighe*' extends from Ath na mallachtan' to 
Glaisi Guirt na lainne"*, and from Gaol" to Fal°. And O'Gairmial- 
laigh was its king and O'Dorchaidlie its toparch ; or, it was the lord- 
ship of O'Dorchaidhe alone, according to the book of James and 
Giolla losa Mac Firbis. 

O'Banan of Baile Ui Bhanan**, and Magilin of Muine**, i. e. two 
Mac Oglaoichs'. 

The tuath of Magh na bethighe* extends from Callainn* to Ulnidh 

Caolainn", that is, the seven ballys of Lughortan, the estate of Mac 

an Bhainbh. 

O'h-Aodha 

town in other parts of Ireland. The true 
Irish spelling, however, is Cubjopcan, 
but the orthography was corrupted at an 
early period, for we learn from Cormac, 
in his Glossary, that 6u^bopcan was the 
form of 6ub jopcan, i. e. an herb garden, 
in his own time. 

^ CaUainn This, which was undoubt- 

edly the name of a river, is now obsolete. 
It was probably the name of the Claureen 
river, which falls into Lough Garra. There 
is a river named Callan in the county of 
Armagh, another in Kerry, and the town 
of Callan, in Kilkenny, dexived its name 
from the river on which it is built 

" Uluidh Caolainn, L e. the earn, stone 
altar, or penitential station of the virgin 
St. Caolainn, the patron saint of Termon 
Caolainn, in the pari3h of Kilkeevin, near 
Castlerea, in the county of Roscommon. 
The £ditor made every search and inquiry 
for Uluidh Caolainn, in the neighbourhood 
of Luffertaun, in the year 1838, but was 
not able to identify it, and is satisfied that 



Mask, and contains a Roman Catholic cha- 
pel It is called Ballybanaan on Bald's 
Map of the County of Mayo. 

^ Magilin ofMuijie, — 0*Gillin in the 
poem. Muine, or Carrowmoney , is still the 
name of a hamlet and townland in the pa- 
rish of Ballyovey or Partry. 

^ Mae Oglaoichs. — This is not stated in 
the poenL The meaning of Mac Oglaoich is 
not given in any Irish Dictionary, but 
there can be little doubt that it was the 
same as the Gulloglach of later ages. 

' Magh na bethighe, L e. the plain of the 
birch. The extent of this dbtrict is not 
given in the poem. The name Magh na 
bethighe is now lost, but the alias name 
of Lughortan is well known, being that of 
a townland in the parish of Ballintober, 
containing the ruins of a castle said to 
have been erected by the family of Burke. 
It is anglicised Lnffertaun, which repre- 
sents the local pronunciation correctly 
enough, though the same name is rendered 
Lorton, and even Lowerton and Lower- 

IBISH ARCH. 800. 12. X 






154 

O' h-Qo&a o bhaile Cpaoibe, .1. 6aile an Cobaip. 

Ducaib 1 Uarrhapdm .1. 6aile Cogdil. 

Ducam 1 Leap^upa, .1. 6aile Chille buainoe. 

bailee puipr Ceapq, .1. peapc Louaip, ajup Loc m-6ua6oi5, 
ajup an c-Qonac. 

Cuac niuije phionOalba, C015 baile Dec, .1. Durai6 Ui Cheap- 
nai 5, 6 Chpannan Uopnaije 50 Caipiol Caipppe. 

Ducaib 1 G&neacain cpi baile THuije na Cnocai je, ajup cpi 
bhaile TJiagain, .1. baile an Chpiocain bui&e, ajiip baile an pnio- 
cdin, ajup baile na ^P^^^l^a, ajup cpi baile phiob Cpuaice, .1. 
baile Ui Ruaipc, ajup baile na Leapjan moipe. 

Ducaib Ui Chiapajain baile bel na lece. 

Ducaib Ui Choiglij, .i. baile Capnan copnaibe, no Ran cop- 
naibe. 

Ducaib niec 5'^^^^ phaolam, .1. baile mhuije Roipen. 

Ducaib 



the name is lost, though the monument to 
which it was applied may remain. 

» BaUe ChiUe Buaine. — This is called 
Baili Chilli Buanaindi in the Book of Le- 
can, foL 82, d, a. 

^ It extends. — This extent of Magh 
Fhiondalbha is not given in the Topogra- 
phical Poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Fir- 
bis, which shows that this prose accoimt 
of the estates and families of Hy-Fiachrach 
was not derived from that authority only. 

^ Ba^ Rioffain, — The three sub-divi* 
sions of the townland of Baile Riagain are 
not given in the poem. 

^ Baiie an Ckriachain bhuicthe, now 
Creaghaunboy, in the parish of Magh 
Fhionnalbha, or, as it is anglicised, Moy- 



nulla, or MaQulla.--See Ordnance Map of 
the county of Mayo, sheet 79. 

y Baile an emotainy now the townland 
of Smuttanagh, in the same parish. There 
is a townland called Gortnasmuttaun, in 
the parish of Ballyhean. — See Ordnance 
Map of the County of Mayo, sheets 79 
and 90. 

^ Baile na GreaUcka. — This name is 
now obsolete, but it must have been ap- 
plied to a denomination of land adjoining 
Creaghanboy or Smuttanagh, in the parish 
of Manulla. 

^ Fiodh eruaichey L e. the wood of the 
round hilL The subdivisions of this town- 
land are not given in the poem, and the 
third denomination is not added in the 



^55 



O'h-Aodlia of Baile Craoibhe, L e. Baile an Tobair. 

The estate of O'h-Uathmharain, i. e. Baile Cagail. 

The estate of O'Learghusa, i. e. Baile Cille Buainne". 

The chief seats of Ceara are Feart Lothair, Loch m-Buadhaigh, 
and Aonach. 

The tuath of Magh Fhiondalbha, containing jfifteen townlands, 
is the estate of O'Ceamaigh. It extends* from Crannan Tomaighe 
(or Ran Tomaighe) to Caisiol Cairpre. 

The estate of O'h-Edhneachain, i. e. the three townlands of Magh 
na enocaighe, and the three townlands of Baile Riagain'', viz., Baile 
an Chriochain bhuidhe*, Baile an smotain^, and Baile na Greallcha* ; 
and the three townlands of Fiodh Cruaiche*, viz., Baile Ui Ruairc** 
and Baile na Leargan moire. 

The estate of O'Ciaragain, the townland of Bel na lece*^. 

The estate of O'Coigligh, i e. Baile Caman tornaidhe**, or Ran 
tomaidh. 

The estate of Mac Giolla Fhaolain, i. e. the townland of Magh 

Roisen*. 

The 



proee list, eidier as given hj our author, 
or in the Book of Lecan. It should be 
also remarked, that neither the name of 
the large denomination nor any of those 
of its sub-divisions, are now retained in 
the barony of Carra. 

^ Baile Ui Ruairc, i e. O'Rourke's town, 
now Ballyrourke, a townland in the parish 
of Balla — See Ordnance Map of the County 
of Mayo, sheet 90. 

^ Bel na leice, L e. mouth of the ford of 
the flag stone. This, which is called by 
the alias name of Baile an Bhealaigh, i. e. 
road'town, in the poem, is most probably 



the present townland of Ballynalecka, in 
the parish of Ballintober, and barony of 
Carra. Th^e is a Baile Ui Chiaragain, 
i. e. town of O'Ciaragain, now anglicised 
Ballykerrigan, in the parish of Balla. — See 
Ordnance Map of the County of Mayo, 
sheet 90. 

^ Baile Caman Tomaighe, — This is 
caUed Baile Crannain in both copies of the 
poem. 

^ Magh Boisen, — This name is not given 
in the poem, for it is evidently not the same 
as Tuath Ruisen, melitioned in Note ®, p» 
156. It is evidently the present townland 



X2 



IS6 

Ducaib Ui Chuacam, 6aile lif aiche, ap pip a neapap 6aile 
an pejlep. 

Duraib 1 niaoilpaice an c-Oipearh, ajup an bpaonpop, an 
c-lomaipe, ajup Cul an oainjin. 

Duraib Ui phajapcaij, cpi baile Culca Spealain. 

Duraib Ui bhpojan, Culac Spealdn. 

Uaoipi jeacc Ui Cheapnaij pop, cerpe baile piceao Cheap- 
muinn 6alla. 

Do buraib 1 Chaoriiam i 5-Ceapa, peace m-baile Ropa Laoj, 
J. o Chluain Lip (no Leapa) Ncllin 50 6eul aca na lub; agup 6 
bhcul aca na 5-cdpp 50 TTluileann Uiopmam ; lap na pajbchl Co 
Chaorhan, mac Connrhai 5, 6 Dhuboa, 6 n-a beapbpdcaip, ajup 00 
Qob 6 Caorham, o Qob, mac Ceallaij Ui Dhuboa, o Rij Ua 
b-piacpac ; uaip ni ppfoc cuac jan oubcupac 00 clannuip 6pc 
Chulbuibe jan a ofon 00 bubcup aice, ace an cuac eolac aic- 

eacoa 



of Rusheen, lying between Clogber and 
Lisrobert — See Ordnance Map of the 
County of Mayo, sheet 100. 

^ Baile Lis aic/te. — Not in the poem. 

8 Baile an Regies, — This is called An 
Regies, L e. the church, in the poem, but 
it is mentioned as the property of Mac 
Gilla Fhaelain, and O'Cuachain is omitted 
altogether. The name O'Cuachain is, how- 
ever, still in the district, but disguised 
under the anglicised form of Gough. 

^ In Ceara 0*Caomhain had other 

estates elsewhere. 

* Bos laogk, now Rosslee, a parish in the 
barony of Carra, lying about six miles 
.south south-east firom the town of Castle- 
bar, on the road to Hollymount. This 



name is not given in the Topographical 
Poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, nor 
are the limits of O'Caomhain's estate, in 
Ceara, mentioned, except under the name 
of Tuath Ruisen. 

i Cluain Lis NeUin^ now obsolete. 

^ Betd atha na lub, — This name is still 
well known in Carra, it being the Irish 
name of Newbrook, the seat of Lord Clan- 
morris. 

' Betd atha na g-carr^ now the townland 
of Ballygarries, in the parish of Ballyhean, 
and barony of Carra. 

^ Muilen Tiormain. — This name is still 
retained, but somewhat corrupted, being 
anglicised Mullencromaun, which is a 
townland in the parish of Drum, in the 



^57 

The estate of O'Cuachain is Baile lis aiche^ which is called Baile 
an Eegles^. 

The estate of O'Maolraite is Oireamh, and Braonros, lomaire, 
and Cul an daingin. 

The estate of OTaghartaigh, the three townlands of Tulach 
Spealan. 

The estate of O'Brogain, Tulach Spealain. 

The lordship of O'Ceamaigh also comprised the twenty-four 
townlands of the Termon of Balla. 

The estate of O'Caomhain, in Ceara**, comprised the seven town- 
lands of Eos laogW , i. e. the tract extending from Cluain Lis NeUin^ 
to Beul atha na lub"", and from Beul atha na g-carr' to Muilenn Tior- 
main", which estate was obtained by Caomhan, son of Connmhach, 
from Dubhda, his own brother, and by Aodh O'Caomhain from 
Aodh, son of Ceallach O'Dubhda, King of Hy-Fiachrach, for there was 
found no district without its hereditary proprietor of the race of Earc 
Ciilbhuidhe, except this well known Attacottic district^ named Tuath 

Ruisen ; 



barony of Carra. 

■ Attacottic district — Uugr; Qireacoo, 
L e. territorium Attacotticum, or a district 
not in the possession of freemen of the Sco- 
tic or Milesian blood, bnt occupied by a 
tribe of the Firbolgs, the remnants of 
whom, wherever they were seated, were 
styled Aitheachs, i e. Attacotti or Ple- 
beians, by their conquerors. This district 
is not called Tuath Aitheachda in the 
poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, which 
shows that the compiler of this prose list 
had his information from other sources. 
It IS Tery curious to find that a part of 



the district here described still retains the 
name of Tuath Aitheachda, now anglicised 
Touaghty, for it is the name of a small 
parish near Beal atha na lub, or Newbrook, 
in the barony of Carra. The copy of this 
prose tract, in the Book of Lecan, adds, 
that this district was conferred on O'Cao- 
mhain by O'Dowd, in consequence of his 
nobility and relationship to the latter, 
and that it continued in the possession of 
that family from that to the time of the 
writer. t)o comapca uaipli ocup opo- 
bpaiqiip, conoD pooipli oucupa o'6 pil 
6 pin ille in cuar pin. 



158 

eacoa fin, .1. Cuac Ruif en a h-amm, conio pubilif Dtibcupa Do lb 
Caorhain f 6 pn alle, jenmoua lolcuaca ele ol ceana. 

Coipi jeacc Ui Ruai&in, 6 bheal dca na lub 50 C6cap ChilUn 
na n-jayij, ajuf ap D'd n-ou6cuf Ui Chulucdin* 

Caoipijeacc Ui 6hipn 6 cocap Chillfn na n-japs 50 6eul dca 
na pepib, ajup R6ib(n beaj Do'n leac coip, ajup o c-Sijfn Ciapdin 
50 Uobap Lfijna. 

Caoipijeacc Uf ^l^^'pnisiolla 6 Chobap Lujna 50 beul Chaoil 
Papcpaige, ojup 6 Ro&ba 50 Raicleann, .1. peace m-baile 50 lee. 

Upi baile an Chpiacpaij DiicaiD Ui TTlhaoilcana, a^np TTleic 
^lolla buibe, 6 Chillfn na Tn-6ui6ean 'p a' Chpmcpac. 

DuDcupaij Ceapa 50 nuici pin. 5^^^^^ ^" 5^^^^^ ^^^ Nell, 
pi D65eanac po gab Ceapa Do ^haomealuib; pe Ifn Caiclij TTlhoip, 
mic G[o6a 1 Dhuboa, po jab 6 T?66ba ^oCobnuij, ajup a a6nacal 
1 Tn-6aile Chobaip pdopaij. [Ip h-e pob' eapboc pe lino na pij 
pin, .1. TTlael Ipa TTlag TTlailin.] 

CtONN 



« Tuaith Ruisen. — This, which is the 
only name for O'Caomhain's estate, in 
Ceara, given in the poem, is evidently the 
true ancient name of the territory. Bos- 
laogh, the first name for it, given in this 
prose list, is evidently the ecclesiastical 
name of the district, or name of the pa- 
rish, which was derived from the situation 
of the parish church in the townland of 
Roslaogh, now Bosslee. 

P CilHn na n-garg^ is written Gill na 
n-gragal in the Book of Lecan, but in both 
copies of the poem it is Cillin na n-garg, 
as in the text, which seems to be the true 
reading. 

^ Baile Tobair Padraigy L e. the bally or 



townland of St Patrick's well, now Ballin- 
tober, in the barony of Carra, and county 
of Mayo, where there are the magnificent 
ruins of a monastery erected by Caihal 
Croibhdhearg, or Charles the Redhanded 
O'Conor, in the year 1216. 

** O^Culachain, — This name is to be dis- 
tinguished from Mac Uallachain of Hy- 
Many, though both are now anglicised 
Cuolahan. The name O'Culachain is still 
in Carra, and sometimes correctly angli- 
cised Coolalian. 

* And the person who was bishop, — The 
portion of this passage enclosed in brackets 
is taken from the copy of this prose list, 
preserved in the Book of Lecan. The Bev. 



159 



Ruisen** ; so that it has been the hereditary patrimony of the family 
q/* O'Caomhain ever since, besides many other districts. 

The lordship of O'Ruaidhin extends from Beul atha na lub to 
the causeway of Cillin na n-garg^, and of his tribe is the family of 
O'Culachain**. 

The lordship of O'Bim extends from the causeway of Cillin na 
n-garg to Beul atha na sesidh, Roibin beag being on the east side ; 
and from Sighin Ciarain to Tobar Lughna. 

The lordship of O'Goirmghiolla extends from Tobar Lughna to 
the ford of Caol Patraighe, and from the Rodhba to Raithleann. It 
contains seven townlands and a half. 

The three townlands of Criathach are the estate of O'Maoilcana, 
and of the family of Mac Giolla bhuidhe of Cillin na m-buidhean, in 
Criathrach. 

So far the hereditary proprietors of Ceara. Giolla an Ghoill 
Mac NeiU was the last King of the Gaels, who possessed Ceara : he 
was cotemporary with Taithleach Mor (son of Aodh O'Dubhda), who 
took possession of the country extending from the River Rodhba to 
the Codhnach, and was interred at Baile Tobair Padraig'. [And 
the person who was bishop* in the time of these kings was Mael Isa 
Mag Mailin]. 

CLANN 



Patrick Mac Longhlin, in his abstract of 
the Book of Lecan, thus renders this pas- 
sage : — *' Gilla an Ghoill Mac Neill was 
the last lord of Ceara, in the time of Taith- 
leach Mor, son of Aodh O'Dowde, and" 
[reete who\ "possessed firom Bodba to 
Codnach, and was biuied at Bally tobair 
Padraig. Their cotemporary bishop was 
Melisa Mac Mailin.'' The name of this 
laat lord or King of Ceara, of the ancient 



Irish race, is not given in the poem of 
Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, nor in the Irish 
annals. Taithleach Mor, the son of Ao^ 
O'Dubhda, or O'Dowda, who was cotem- 
porary with him, was killed in the year 
1 197, according to the Four Masters. The 
Bishop Mael Isa Mac Mailin would seem to 
have been Archbishop of Tuam, but no 
notice of him is found in the Annals of 
the Four Masters, or in Ware's Bishops. 



i6o 



ccQNN cuaiN siosana. 

Clann Cuain umoppo, aoa ncapam Do Cheapa lap n-gaol 
jenealaij, uaip ap oo clomn 6pc Culbui&e, mic piacpac, ooib 
apaon. 

O'Cuinn, O'TTlaoilpfona, agup TTlaj phlannojain, cpi caoipij 
Cloinne Cuain. Qjup pip Uhipe ainm ele t>i, ajup pip Siuipe a 
h-ainm ele, o'n abainn o'dn h-ainm Sifiip ceo Ictirh pe Caiplen cm 
bhappaij aniuj. 

Cuan (mac Gacac, mic piomn, mic peapa&oij, mic T?opa 
Doimnj, TY11C TTlaine TTlumbpic, mic 6pc Culbume, mic piacpac), 
ap oia cloinn Clann Cuain co n-a cineaooib, amuil appepc an 
pann : 

Cuan niop, mac Gacac pel, 

Ua6a Clann Cuain clai6-pe6, 

Qgup pip Ufpe na o-cpeab. 

Dine jan cion 6 cpeoeam. 

ar 

^ In point of genealogical relationship, — castle of Barry, or Barry's castle, and there 

Vide supret^ page 1 7, where the genealogy can be no doubt that it received that name 

of Cuan, the ancestor of the Clann Cuain, from a castle erected there shortly after 

is given. the English invasion by one of the family 

" A river of the name Siuir, — This river of De Barry, who was afterwards driven 

is not mentioned in the poem, and the out. Downing, who wrote a short descrip- 

name is now obsolete, unless Toormore tion of the county of Mayo, about the year 

river be a corruption of it 1680, for Sir William Petty's intended 

^ Caislen an Bkarraigh^ written Caislen Atlas, thus speaks of this town : 

an Bharraich in the Book of Lecan, fol. *' Next to Belcarra, four miles distant, 

82, b, b. This is the name by which the stands Castle-Barry, a corporation. It is 

town of Castlebar, in the barony of Carra, called in the king's writ the most western 

is called at the present day, and in the corporation, and a very fair, large bawn 

Annals of the Four Masters at the years and two round towers or castles therein, 

1 41 2, 1576, and 1582. It signifies the and a good large house in the possession 



i6i 



CLANN CUAIN DOWN HERE. 

The Clann Cuain are the next to the men of Ceara in point of 
geaealogical relationship\ for they are both of the race of Earc Cul- 
buidle, the son of Fiachra. 

OCuinn, O'Maoilfhiona, and Mag Fhlannagain were the three 
chiefs of Clann Cuain. They are otherwise called Fir Thire, and also 
Kr Siuire, from a river of the name Siuir", which flows by the town, 
at this day called Caislen an Bharraigh^. 

Cuan (son of Eochaidh, son of Flann, son of Fearadhach, son of 
Bos Doimtheach, son of Maine Muinbreac, son of Earc Culbhuidhe, 
sou of Fiachra) is the ancestor of the Clann Cuain with their corre- 
latives, as the rann says : 

Cuan Mor, son of the generous Eochaidh, 
From him are the Clann Cuain of smooth mounds, 
And the Fir Thire of tribes, 
A people without fault in &ith. 

The 

^ Sir John Bingbam, and his heir, the a fair hill over a small river. It is said to 

^"^^^^S^st; of the three knights Binghams have been, before the foundation thereof, 

7** ^*»xnianded since Queen Elizabeth's a manor-house belonging to the Lord 

*^5 tli4it is, he left it to Sir Henry Barry, about the beginning of the English 

^^^iaUi'g nephew, having no issue of his invasion. Certain it is, that upon the 

^*n bo^jy ^ jj^ cbaH^ did formerly belong beginning thereof, the Fitzgeralds, ances- 

^ the ^^tes ; first of all after the in- tors of the Earls of Desmond and Kildare, 

^on 1^^ j^ g^^ ^ hxve belonged to the the Lord Barons of Kerry, and the Barrys 

^^^ of whom it took its name." had large possessions in the counties of 

r^'^iii^ in speaking of the priory of Mayo and Sligoe, till they were driven 

. /^^"Ojiis, the same writer has the fol- thereout by one Burke." He might also 

, ^ ^oticeof the family of Barry having have added the family of Butler, for the 

P . ^**^3^s8ions in this country : — " It" abbey of Burrishoole was erected by one 

^^oxy of Bellahawnus] " stands on of them shortly after the English invasion. 

ABCK. 80C. 12. Y 



l62 

Qp f pocainn pjapcana Cloinne Cuain ajup pheap Chfpe pe 
Clannuib phiacpac, .1. Ruaibpi TTleap, inac Uaiclij, niic Nell 1 
Duboa, pi '5a paibe 6 Rooba 50 Coonaij, Do cuai6 ap cuaipc pij 
50 ceac Dhomnuill Ui Cumn, caoipij Cloinne Cuain; ajup ap 
amluiD DO pdla mjean dlumn aoncuriia aj O'Cumn an ran pm, 
ajup nip jab O'Duboa jan a bee aije a b-poipejean in oi&ce pin, 
jup po riiapb O'Cuinn 1 b-pill epion lap na rndpac, ajup 00 cuai6 
pen po bioean Cloinne TTlaoilpuanuib, .1. 50 Uomalcac TTlop TTlac 
Diapmaoa, ajup cugpao lao pen, ajup a n-t)fi6cup ooib 6 pin gup 

aniuj. 

Comb pip Chipe ruap, agup pip Siuipe abup lao pm &n 

abainn, amuil a oubpamap pomuinn. 



CRiochaiReachc ua w-anihacsaiDh, crjus ua 6h-Fiach- 

RQCh aNNSO, CO N-Q N-t)Ut)hChUSaChai6h. 

Q h-loppu]» ceuoamup epni^ceap an ceuo Dfibcap. 
O^Caicniab, umoppo, uippij loppaip, ajup O'Ceallacdm coipioc 

loppuip. 



^ BuaidAri Mear^ the son of Taithleach 
O^Dubhda, — See Notes to the poem of 
Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis. 

* TomaUcbch Mor Mcx Dermot, — This 
sentence should be written thus : *' So that 
O'Guinn slew him treacherously on the 
next day, and then fled and placed him- 
self under the protection of the Clann 
Maoilruanaidh, of whom Tomaltach Mor 
Mac Dermot was the chief," &c. The Rev. 
P. Mac Loughlin, in his abstract of the 
Book of Lecan, understands the above 
passage as follows : — " Thus were the 
Clan Cuain, or Fir Tire, separated from 
the Clan Fiachra^ viz., Boderick Mear, son 



of Taithleach, mac Neill O'Dowde being 
prince from Rodba to Codnach, and going 
on his cuaird rig to the house of Donal 
O'Quin, the dynast of Clan Cuain, whose 
beautiful daughter was forcibly disho- 
noured by that lord. In revenge the father 
killed him the following day, and fled for 
refuge to Clan Maelruana, to Tomultach 
Mor Mac Dermod, who protected him and 
gave him his duduu?'* This is well ex- 
plained, except the last ckuse, " and gave 
him his duchctSy^ which conveys a wrong 
idea, for the meaning of the original is, 
that O'Quin transferred his duchas^ or pa- 
trimonial inheritance, to Mac Dermott, 



1 63 

The cause of the separation of the Clann Cuain and the Fir Thire 
from the Clann Fiachrach, was this : Ruaidhri Mear'', the son of 
Taithleach, son of Niall O'Dubhda, a king who had possession oithe 
country extending from the Rodhba to the Codhnach, went on a 
regal visitation to the house of Domhnall O'Cuinn, chief of Clann 
Cuain ; and it happened that O'Cuinn had at that time a beautiful 
marriageable daughter, and O'Dubhda did not content himself without 
getting her by force that night, so that O'Cuinn slew him treache- 
rously on the next day, and went himself imder the protection of the 
Clann Maoilruanaidh, viz., of Tomaltach Mor Mac Dermot*, and they 
\the Clann Cuain"] gave themselves and their patrimonial inheritance 
up to them, which continues so from that to the present day. 

These are called Fir Thire upper, and Fir Siuire abhus {citra) 
from the river, as we have said before. 



THE TEBRITORIAL DISTRIBUTION OP HY-AMHALGAIDH^ AND HY-FIACH- 
BACH* HERE ; WITH THEIR HEREDITARY PROPRIETORS. 

In lorrus first the first estate is bestowed. 
O'Caithniadh was the chief of lorrus, and O'Ceallachain the 

toiseach. 



and acknowledged him as his chief lord in 
place of O'Dowd, to whom, in consequence 
of his barbarous conduct, he refused to 
acknowledge fealty for the future. 

"I Hy-Amhaigaidh^ now the barony of 
'Krawley, in the coimty of Mayo, still 
called in Irish Tir Amhalgaidh, L e. the 
land or territory of Amhalgaidh. It de- * 
ri^ed that name from Amhalgaidh, ELing 
of Connaught, the brother of the monarch 
Dathi_See list of the Kings of Con- 
naught further on, and Ussher's Primor- 



dia, p. 864, also O'Flaherty's Ogygia, 
Part IIL c 87. 

« Hy-Fiachracky must be here under- 
stood as applied to Tir Fhiachrach Mu- 
aidhe, or the barony of Tireragh, not to 
the entire territory of the Hy-Fiachrach, 
which extended from the River Robe to 
the River Codhnach at Drumcliff, below 
the town of Sligo. The people inhabiting 
this district derived the patronjrmic appel- 
lation of Hy-Fiachrach, i. e. Nepotes Fi- 
achrii, from Fiachra Foltsnathach, the 



Y 2 



164 

loppuip. bpfijaoa loppuip, .1. TTlec Comfn, a^up Ui Conboipnc 
ajup Ui TTtuiThneacain, ajup Ui ^^apabdin, ajup TTles phfondin. 

Dfi6cupaij5 Oiina pine, .1. Uf Cuinn, ajup TTlej Obpdin, ojup 
Ui Combdin, a^up Ui Ouibleap^a, ajupUi 6eap5a,a5upUi blije, 
a^up Uf Duanmaije; O'Raoubain 6 bhaile an ^leanoa. TTlec 
Conlecpeac 6 bhaile TTlec Conlecpeac, O'Conjfaile, ojup O'Cac- 
upai^, aipcinni^ Cille Qpoub. Uaoipioc an Co^din, .1. 0*TTluip- 
eaboi^ ; O'Pionnojain 6'n phionncalairh. 

piNeaDha na 6Reut)cha suhd. 

O'UojDa caoipioc na bpeiioca ; OXuacdm ip in lee ciap oo'n 
bhpeuoai;, agup Ua 5^^^"5 O'^lomfn 6 Rdic na n-^oipTnyall ; 
O'^^^^^^Q^din, ajup OTTlaoilpfona, od caoipioc Chalpaije; 
O'piamn, bpujaib TTliiije h-Gleaj; OXaccna, caoipioc an Da 
bhac, ajup ^I'^^^^^i Nerhcinne; CaccnaTTlac pipbipij; O'piann- 
jaile ap Loc ^linne co n-a peapann ; Oploinn 1 n-Oipearh Coca 
Con ; O'TTlaoilpuanaib d h-Qpoacab, agup 6 Chill bealao, no o 
Chill Galao ; 0'h-6neacdin o bhaile Ui 6ineacain ; OXeaccaile 
6 bhaile TTluije puapa; TTlec Conlena 6 Chill moip TTluaibe ; 
O'Duba^din, ajup Ui Qipmeaboi^, 6 Loc TTlui^e bp6n; Clann 
phipbipij, pileaba Ua n-Qmalgaib, 6 Rop Sepce. 

Ui Gacac TTluaibe, .1. 6 Rop Sepce 50 peappaio Cpepi, ap mo 
po a cineaboij, .1. Ui TTlaoilpajrhaip, comopbaba Cille h-Qllaib, 
a^up Ua Ceanodm, Ua Cpiaibcen, Ua Laicile, Ua TTlocdin, Ua 
TTlaoilaicjen, Ua bpoouib, ajup Ua TTlaoilbpenumn. 

father of King Dathi ; and the inhabitants the descendants of this latter Fiachra sub- 

of Tireragh received their name of Hy- dued the Hy-Amhalgaidh at an early pe- 

Fiachrach Muaidhe from Fiachra £al- riod. 

gach, the son of Ejng Dathi, and grand- * Fumtiefudamk, L e. the fair callow, 

son of the great ancestor of all the Hy- strath, or holm. This place is not men- 

Fiachrach. It should be remarked that tioned in the poem, and the name being 



1 65 

toiseach of lomis. The Brughaidhs of lomis were the families of 
Mac Coinin, O'Conboime, O'Muimhneachain, O'Gearadham, and 
Mag Fhionain. 

The hereditary proprietors of Dun Fine were the families of 
CCuinn, Mag Odhrain, O'Comhdhain, O'Duibhlearga, O'Bearga, 
O'Blighe, O'Duamriaighe, O'Badubhain of Baile an ghleanna, Mac 
Cbnletreach of Baile Mec Conletreach, O'Conghaile and O'Cathasaigh, 
airchinnechs of Gill Ardubh. The chief of the Lagan was O'Muireadh- 
aigh ; O'Fionnagain of Fionnchalamh'. 

THE TRIBES OF BBEUDACH** [eTc] HERE. 

O'Toghdhawew chief of Breadach; O'Luachain, in the western side 
of Breudach, and also O'Gilin ; O'Gloinin of Rath na n-goirmghiall; 
O'Gaibhtheachain and O'Maoilfhiona, were the two chiefs of Cakaighe ; 
O'Flainn, brughaidh of Magh h-Eleag; O'Lachtna was chief of the two 
Bacs, and of Gleann Nemhthinne; Lachtna wa^ a Mac Firbis; 
O'Flanngaile wa^ over Loch Glinne, with its land; OTloinn in Oireamh 
of Loch Con ; O'Maoilmaidh of Ard achadh and of Gill Bealad, or 
Cill Ealad; O'h-Eineachain of Baile Ui Eineachain; O'Leathcaile 
of the townland of Magh Fuara ; Mac Gonlena of GiU mor Muaidhe ; 
O'Dubhagain and O'Airmeadhaigh of Loch Muighe Broin, and the 
Clann Firbisigh, the poets of Hy-AmhaJgaidh of Eos Serce. 

Hy-Eachach Muaidhe extends from Ros Serce to Fearsad Tresi. 

These are its tribes, viz., CMaoilfaghmhair, comharbas of Cill 

Allaidh, O'Leannain, O'Criaidhchen, OXaitile, O'Mochain, O'Maoil- 

aithghen, O'Broduibh, and O'Maoilbhrenuinn. 

The 

lost, it cannot be now satisfactorily iden- Vide mprit^ P> 5i* 

tified. It appears from the poem that it ^ The tribes ofBreudhach here, — This 

was a part of the Lagan, and evidently section includes more than the tribes of 

the south-eastern part of it, adjoining the Breudach, and the Editor has therefore 

territory of the Hy-£athach Muaidhe. — taken the liberty to add "&c" in brackets. 



i66 

If laD po cinea6ai5 an Chaille (no Chaoile) Chonuill, ajuf 
ap eab pea6 an Chaille, 6 pheappaio Upepi 50 Cpaij TTlupbaij, 
.1. Cpaij; Ceall, ajup bo cuaij 50 Cill Cuimfn, .1. Ua Depij, Ua 
h-Qo6a Qipo 0'n-Qo6a, Ua TTlaolconaipe, Ua piannabpa, ojup 
Ua Sejjpa, ajup app ofb Ui Chongaodn, no Chonnagdin 6 TTlui^ 
jarhnac, O'h-Qpdin o Qpogabail. Duca6 an Chaeille ono baile 
na Ceacan 6 pheappaio^^ UpaijTTlupbaij, ic, a oep lebup ele. 

t)ut)hcusai5h ciRe p^ctchpach siosaNQ. 

Duraib Ui TTlhopafn, .1. Qpo na piaj, a^up a caoipigeacc, .i. 
an cuac ap pan 50 Ciiaim oa 06ap ; O'bpogdin 6 bbpecrhaigh. 

Cerpe caoipi^ pop Chiiil Cheapna6a, 6 bheul Qra na n-i6ea6 
50 bealac bpeucrhuije, .i. Ua pionnam, Ua Rocldm, Ua lopndm 
(no Ua Uuacalain), agup Ua Cumn, 0'h-6ana 1 n-lmleac Coipje. 
C^coldjan 6 Chill lochcaip, .1. an ^l^pci^i^'P^^J O'bpeplen o Chill 
phainole, no Qmole. 

Duraib Ui Chaorhain, 6 Chuaim od bhobap 50 5^^^^r» ^S^F 
ap lao a pinea6a Du&cupa, .1. mac Cailleacan, no Caoilleacan, no 
Celeacan &r\ Chdpn, agup O'Coicil, 6 bhaile Ui Choicil, O'piomn 
o'n bheapcpaij, ajup 6 TTlhiiicbuib, O'TTlocaine, 6 bhaile Ui TTloch- 
uine; O'h-loriiaip 6 Ceacan; Clann phipbipij 6 Leacan TTleic 
phipbipij lapam, baile ap leapaijiob lebaip aipipion, annalac, 
ouan, ajup pgol peancupa, ajup 1 n-ap cdgaib, eb cian laparh, 
Ciorpuaib, ajup Semup, od mac Diapmaoa Caoic TTleic phipbipij, 

ajup 

^ Tir Fhiachraeh^ pronotmoed Tiriach- daries of Cuil Ceamadha are differently 

rach, now the barony of Tireragh, in the described. Beal atha na n-idheadh is 

county of Sligo. still well known, and is the name of a 

^ Beid (Uha na n-idheadh, L e. mouth of ford on the Abhainn bhnidhe, or Yellow 

the ford of the washings. This name is river at Moorbrook, about a mile and a 

not given in the poem, in which the boun- half north from the little town of Fox- 



167 

The following are the tribes of Caille (or Caoille) Conaill, which 
extends from Fearsad Tresi to Traigh Murbhaigh, that is, Traigh 
Ceall, and northwards to CiQ Cuimin, viz., O'Derig, OTi-Aodha of 
Ard O'n Aodha, O'Maolchonaire, OTlannabhra, and O'Seaghsa. And 
of them cdso are the families of O'Congadan, or O'Connagain of 
Magh gamhuach, O'h-Arain of Ardgabhail. The district of CaeiQe 
is Baile na leacan, from the Fearsad, to Traigh Murbhaigh, &c., ac- 
cording to another book. 

THE HEREDITARY PROPRIETORS OF TIR FHIACHRACH'' DOWN HERE. 

The estate of O'Morain, i. e. Ard na riagh, and his chieftainship the 
district thence to Tuaim da Odhar. O'Brogain of Breachmhagh. 

There were four chiefs over CuilCheamadha, which extends from 
Beul Atha na n-idheadh** to the road of Breachmhagh, namely, 
OTionain, O'Eothlain, O'h-Iornain (or O'Tuathalain), and O'Cuinn. 
(Xh-Eana of Imleach loisge ; O'Gealagain of Cill lochtair, i. e. Grain- 
seach ; O'Breslen of Cill Fhaindle, or Cill Ainnle. 

The country of O'Caomhain extends from Tuaim da bhodhar to 
Gleoir, and his hereditary tribes or retainers were the families ofMac 
Cailleachan, or Caoilleachan, or Ceallachan of Cam; O'Coitil of 
Baile Ui Choitil; OTloinn of Beartrach and of Mucdhubh; 
O'Mochaine of Baile Ui Mhochaine ; O'h-Iomhair of Leacan ; — (the 
Clann Firbhisigh were of Leacan Mhic Fhirbhisigh afterwards, where 
they wrote books of history, annals, poetry, and kept a school of his- 
tory; and where, a long time after their original settlement there, 
Ciothruaidh and James, the two sons of Diarmaid Caoch Mac Firbis, 

and 

ford, in the barony of Gallen, and ooun- tended between them, forming a kind of 

ty of Maya Travellers going from Fox- rude bridge across it, which is frequently 

ford to Eallina cross this ford ; and there carried off by the heayy floods to which 

are four heaps of stones with sticks ex- the Abhainn bhuidhe is subject. 



i68 

aguy' Seaan O5, mac Uilliam, oeapbpdcaip a n-acap, caiflen 
Leacam TTlec phipbipij, an bliabain o'aoip Chpiopo, 1560; — 
O'Loinjpiocain 6 TTlhullac paca; O'Sbealam 6'n ChoilUn, ajup 
ap c 00 pinne an pdic mop. O'pualaipj 6 Raic beapcdin; 
O'Conoaccain ap in Cabpaij. 

baile puipc Ui Chaomam, .1. 8ai6in Uipge rap abamn, T>'a 
n-goipceap Imp Sjpeabainn. ^e dipmireap Clann Nell bo jjabail 
an peapuinn pm, nf rpe ceapc ou6cupa po jabpaD, ace ap egin, 
lap mapbab Oaibio Ui Chaomam, agup Domnaill Ui Chaomam, 
50 paibe Clann Nell cpeall 'p^ raoipijeacc, jup mapbab Niall, 
mac Nell la ITluipceapcac b-pionn Ua Caomain 1 n-oiojail a 
popba. 

O 5^^^®^P 5^ ^-^cipgaij;, O'lTlupcaba, no O'TTlaoilDiiin a 
caoipioch. Ducaib Ui Ruabpac Ciacon, agup loccap Rdca. 
O'penneaba 6 pinnjio, jup bean TTlumceap plannjaile ofb f, oep 
a 5-copa 6 n-oubcup 6 loc anuap 00 ^hallaib ; O'lTlaoilofim 
a h-lmleac fpioll ; 6 Cuacdin 6 T?op Laojj ; 6 Duibpsuile 6 Dun 

IDaoilouip 

^ In the year 1560. — This passage about 161 7, to the use of his wife Onora Ny 

the settlement of the Mac Firbises, at Connor, for their lives, and then to the 

Liecan, is added by our author. There is use of his own right heirs. This castle is 

no mention of the Mac Firbises being at still standing, and now known by the 

Lecan in the copy of this prose list pre- name of Castle Forbes. It is situated east 

served in the Book of Lecan, or in the of the Moy in the parish of Kilglass, ba- 

poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis. This rony of Tireragh, and county of Sligo. 

castle does not appear to have been a full ^ That erected the greai ratk, L e. that 

century in the possession of the Mac Fir- formed the great rath or earthen fort in 

bises, for it is stated in an Inquisition the townland of Coillin. This fact is not 

taken at Sligo on the 22nd of August, mentioned in the poem. The townland of 

1625, that Donnogh O'Dowde was seized CuUeen is situated in the parish of Kil- 

of the castle, town, and quarters of Lackan glass, in the barony of Tireragh ; it oon- 

M^Ffirbissy and other lands, which he tains several small raths or forts; that 

settled by deed, dated the 2Qth August, which is here called the Rathmor or the 



169 

and John Og, the son of William, their father's brother, erected the 
castle of Leacan Mac Firbis, in the year of the age of Christ 1560* ;) — 
OXoingseachain of MuUach Ratha; O'Sbealain of Coillin, and it 
was he that erected the great rath^ ; OTualairg of Rath Bearchain ; 
and O'Connachtain of Cabrach. 

The chief seat of O'Caomhain was Saidhin Uisge tar abhainn, 
which is otherwise called Inis Sgreabhainn*. Though it is said that 
the Clann Neill took these lands, it was not by hereditary right they 
took them, but by force, after having slain David O'Caomhain and 
Domhnall O'Caomhain, so that the Clann Neill were for a while in 
the chieftainship, until Niall, son of Niall, was slain by Muircheartach 
Fionn O'Caomhain, in revenge for the loss o/his land. 

Of the tract extending from the river Gleoir to the lasgach 
O'Murchadha, or O'Maolduin, wa^ the chieftain. The estate of 
O'Ruadhrach wa^ Lia Con, and lochtar ratha. OTenneadha was pro- 
prietor of Finnghid until the family of OTlannghaile^ took it from 
him, after they had been driven from their own estate from the 
lake downwards by the English. O'Maoilduin of Imleach iseal ; 
O'Luachain of Ros laogh ; O'Duibhscuile of Dun Maoilduibh. The 

estate 



great fort, was probably at the hamlet of Sligo, on which it is placed, near the mar- 



Rath macarkey, at the east side of the Cul- 
leen river, but it is now effaced. 

* Inis Sgreabkainn^ called Sais Sgrebh- 
aind in the poem, but probably by a mis- 
take of the transcriber. This place, which 
is now called in English Inishcrone, is 
styled Eiscir abhann, in the Annals of the 
Four Masters, at the year 15 12, and Us- 
karowen Castle, on an old Map in the 
State Paper Office, London, showing part 
of the coast of Donegal, Leitrim, and 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. 12. 



gin of the " Bay of the Moye" (now Kill- 
ala bay), opposite the Island of Bartragh, 
and in the parallel of Killala. 

^ G* Flannghaile^ now Flannelly. It is 
stated in the poem that the O'Flannellys 
took possession of this land after the extir- 
pation of the family of O'Feineadha, but 
no allusion is made to the expulsion of 
the O'Flannellys from the lake by the 
English. 



170 



TTIaoiloiiip. O'Roclam ap f a 66cai6 Cluain na 5-Cliabac, ajup 
Qlc phapannam, jup beanpao TTluincip TTlaonaij ofb cpe rheabuil 
nac p5pfobcap piino. O'beollan 6 Dhun Ullcam; 6 ConbiiiDe 
6 bhaile TTlec ^i^'^^cc^aip, ajup 6 Dh6n Nell mic Conbuibe, a^up 
Cuandn mac Conbui6e, 6 b-puil Raic Cuanam, ajup diprhiceap 
jup ob e O'ConbuiDe ap raoipioc 6 Dhun Nell 50 TTluippse; ajup 
a oep Leabap 6alb Shemuip TTlic phipbipij, jup ob e O'Conbuioc 
ba caoipioc 6 bheul Qra Cliac TTluippse 50 h-lapcaij. TTlec 
Gojam a^up Ui Cucmdn 6 Dhun m-becm; O^Dipgm 6 bhaile Ui 
Dhipcfn; 6 Dunjaile, ojup O'Suibleapja, ajup 6 Guam, 6 Dhiin 
Ui Chobcaijj; O'Colmain o'n n-^pdinpig TTlhdip ; O'puala o'n 
n-5rai"P5 bhij; O'Ceallaij 6 Qpo O's-Ceallaij ; OXomspig, 
ajup O'Caorham an Chuippij 6 TTlhume na b-pia6 [no TTlume 
6ia6 aniu]. 

O'plannjaile i n-6acpop • TTlac ^i^^^*^ ^^ n-eac, Ui phlann- 
jaile, agup TTlac ^'o^'l'^ ^^i^ V^^ Copcacaib; O'Sionna a Cdcpac. 
Colarhuin na Sjpfne, .i. TTlec Concarpac, ajup Ui Oilrhec, a5up 
TTle^ RoDdn, ajup Ui 8nea6apna, ajup O'Rabapcaij. Lebup 

balb 



i By a treachery which shaBnot be written 
here. — This is not in the copy of this prose 
list preserved in the Book of Lecan, and 
it seems to have been added by our author 
from the Dumb Book of James Mac Firbis, 
which seems to have recorded many cu- 
rious historical facts, which the families 
then in possession of tracts of land wished 
to suppress. 

J NiaUj son ofCtdmidhey L e. the Niall 
after whom Dun Neill, i e. Niall's fort, 
was called, was a son of Cubuidhe, the 
progenitor of the family of O'Conbuidhe, 
now Conway; and the Cuanan from whom 



the fort of Rath Cuanain derived that ap- 
pellation, was another son of the same 
Cubuidhe. It should be here remarked 
that the word Ci*, which enters so largely 
into the proper names of men in Ireland, 
makes Ctm in the genitive case, and Cain 
in the dative or ablative. It signifies 
literally a dog, and figuratively a hero or 
fierce warrior, and is translated caniM by 
the original compiler of the Annals of 
Ulster. 

^ From Ath diath ifwtVa^e.— This is not 
in the copy of this prose list preserved in 
the Book of Lecan, and has been added 



■ 

J 



171 

estate of O'Eothlain was Cluain na gcliabhacli and Alt Fharannain, 
until the family of O'Maonaigh deprived them of it by a treachery 
which shall not be written here* ; O'Beollan of Dim Ulltain ; O'Con- 
bhuidhe of Baile Mec Giollachais, and of Dun Neill, which is called 
from NicUU son of Cubuidhe\ and Cuanan, from whom Bath Cuanain, 
was another son of Cubuidhe ; and it is said that O'Conbhuidhe was 
once chief of the tract extending from Dun Neill to Muirisg ; and the 
Dumb Book of James Mac Firbis states that O'Conbhuidhe was chief 
of the tract extending from Ath chath Muirsge*^ to the river lascach. 
The families of Mac Eoghain and O'Cuanan of Dun m-Becin ; O'Dis- 
cin of Baile Ui Dhiscin ; O'Dunghaile, O'Suidhlearga and O'Cuain 
of Dun Ui Chobhthaigh ; O'Colmain of Grainseach Mor ; OTuala of 
Grainseach Beag ; O'Ceallaigh of Ard O'g-Ceallaigh ; O'Loingsigh 
and O'Caomhain an Chuirrigh of Muine na bh-fiadh [or Muine 
dhiadh^ at this day]. 

OTlannghaile in Eachros ; the families of Mhc Giolla na n-each, 
OTlannghaile, and Mac Giolla duibh, in the Corcachs ; O'Sionna, in 
Lathrach. The pillars of Sgrin were the families ofMBC Concath- 
rach, O'h-Oilmhec, Mag Bodan, O'Sneadhama and O'Babhartaigh. 

The 



bj our author from the Dumb Book of translation of their Irish name Ath diat/i. 



James Mac Firbis. There are many places 
in Ireland called Ath diath, L e. the ford 
of hurdles, which arose from a common 
practice among the ancient Irish, who 
were used to make shallow muddy rivers 
fordftble, bj means of hurdles or kishes 
laid down where they desired to pass. 
This was the ancient name of Dublin, and 
hence the habit of calling obscure places 
in remote parts of die country by the name 
of Dublin, it being considered a proper 



whereas there is not the slightest analogy 
between both names. For the situation 
of the district here called Muirisg, see 
notes to the topographical poem of Giolla 
losa Mor Mac Firbis. 

^ Muine dhiadh. — The words, enclosed in 
brackets, are in a hand more modern 
than our author's, and were inserted ifOer 
lineat in Lord Boden's copy of his larger 
work, compiled in 1645, evidently by one 
acquainted with the locality. 



Za 



172 

balb Shemuip TTlic phipbipij, Colarhum na Sjpine, .1. TTluincip 
Rabapcaij, TTlac Cappaom, Ui piannjjaile, agup O'Uappai^, 
Coloman na Sjpfne, ajup acaiD pij 6 b-phiacpac. TTlab um 
aimpip pen, ap lat) ap oiiDcupaije ao chonaipc aj leanrhum ip in 
Sjpfn, .1. TTlec Cappaoin, TTlec ^i^^^^ ^cc n-eac, ajiip baoi lappma 
t>1b Rabapcaij mnce, gen jup legpioo epicijib 5<*l'lr^^ Qlban a 
n-ou6cup Doib. 

O'baorjaile 6 Chluain Ui Chopjpaij; TTlec 5'^^^^ p^^^ (^^ 
TTlec pinn Ui phlannguile), 6'n Learhaij; TTlac ^lolla bpicin 6 
QpD na n-jlap; TTlec 5^^^^*^ ^^P ^ phionnabaip; TTlec ^lolla 
piabaij 6 Chpfochan ; O'Lmcan 6 TTluine (no bun) peoe; TTlec 
Conluain (no Qnluain) 6 Chuil Cille bhpicm; TTlec ^^^^^^^ bhdin 
6 Liop na peamup ; O'Oumcmn 6 Doipe na n-Qch ; O'h-Qo6a 6 
Uhoin pe 50 ; O'Ouncaba 6 Choillcib Luigne 50 beal oca TTliiice. 
Liop labjuiU baile puipc na cuaire pin. 

O'bhoppaij 50 Cpaij O'TTluipjeapa a o-caoipioc, ajup ap oib 
Ui TTlaonaij. (Sain) TTlec pipbipij, O'TTlaonaij, agup O'TTluip- 
jeapa cijeapna&a na cuaice 6 bhoppaij 50 Cpdij. O bhoppaij 50 
TTluippge, O'TTlaoiloum caoipioc na ruaice pm. 

6ai6ce pumc Righ ua 6h-FiachRach qnn so, .1. 

Ourha Caocam la h-loppup, Imp TTlochua ag Coc Con. 6anac 
Dubain; Rdir bpanouib 1 o-Uip Qrhalgaib; Caiplen (no Dun) mic 

Concabaip ; 

'^ Mac Carraainy now anglicised Currin. in 1672, was situated on this townland, 

° G^Tarpaighy now anglicised Torpy but Charles O'Conor states that he was 

and Tarpy. The townland possessed by murdered at Dunflin, which is in the same 

this family in the parish of Skreen is still neighbourhood. 

called in Irish Fearann Ui Tharpaigh, and ° Saxon heretics of Alba, — This passage, 

anglicised Farranyharpy. According to and the quotation from the Dumb Book 

the present tradition in the country the of James Mac Firbis, have been added by 

house in which our author was murdered our author. The Book of Lecan gives 



173 

The Dumb Book of James Mac Firbis enumerates the pillars of 
Sgrin as follows :— " The families of O'Babhartaigh, Mac Carraoin"', 
OTlaxinghaile, and O'Tarpaigh*', are the pillars of Sgrin, and the 
props of the Kings of Hy-Fiachrach." If / give them as they were 
in my own time, the hereditary proprietors which I saw remaining in 
Sgrin, were the families of Mac Carraoin and Mac Giolla na n-each, 
and there was a remnant of the O'Babhartaighs there, but the Saxon 
heretics of Alba** did not leave their inheritance to them. 

O'Baothghaile of Cluain Ui Chosgraigh ; Mac Giolla Finn (or 
Mac Finn OTlannghaile) of Leamhach ; Mac Giolla Bricin of Ard 
na n-glas ; Mac Giolla mhir of Fionnabhair ; Mac Giolla riabhach of 
Criochan ; O'Liathan of Muine Fede, or Bun Fede ; Mac Conluain 
(or Anluain) of Cuil Cille Bricin ; Mac Giolla bhain of Lios na 
reamhur ; O'Duinchinn of Doire na n-ath ; O'h-Aodha of Toin re go; 
OT)unchadha of the tract extending from Coillte Luighne to Beal 
atha na muice ; Lios Ladhghmll is the chief seat of that district. 

Of the people who inhabited the tract extending from Borrach to 
the Strand, O'Muirgheasa is chieftain, and of these O'Maonaigh is 
one. According to a different authority " the families ofMB,c Firbis, 
O'Maonaigh, and O'Muirgheasa were lords of the tract extending 
from Borrach to the Strand." From Borrach to Muirisg, O'Maoilduin 
is chief of that district 

THE CHIEF SEATS OF THE KINGS OF THE HY-FIACHRACH HERE, VIZ. : 

Dumha Caochain, in lorrus ; Inis Mochua**, at Loch Con ; Eanach 
Dubhain ; Bath Branduibh, in Tir Amhalgaidh ; Caislen mic Con- 

chobhair, 

onlj the one list of the pillars of Skreen, of Saxon, not Milesian or Scotic origin, 

namely, the first given in the text. By like many of the old chieftain families of 

Saxon heretics of Alba our author means the Highlands. 
the Scotch settlers in Tireragh, who are p Inis Moehua^ L e. the island of St. 



^74 

Concabaip; loccap Raca; DunCmt) Cpearam (no Oiin Concpea- 
cain), an oa Dhpaijnij [Qp liop na Dpaigni^e acd babun ceac- 
paman an Chaipill aniu], agup bun pinne, i D-Cip phiacpac, 

baile puipc Ui Chaomam, .1. Soijjen uipje cap abainn, t>'d 
n-goipccap Impjpebuinn. baile puipc 1 TTthupcaba Imlioc fpioll, 
baile puipc Ui Chonbuibe, Dun Nell. 

Ro ofbpeaDap ^oill cpa na caoipij pi o'd n-dicib bunaiD 
(noc 00 ruipn^eamap), no gup bean Sen-bhpian, mac Uaiclig 
TTluame Ui Dhuboa, an cfp (joh-aipijce Cip phiacpac) amac 00 
5^allaib. ^e Do bean, umoppo, paoilim nac in6p an ^em t>o 
jabpaD lomao 00 na caoipiocaib ceuona ap a D-cuacaib oubcuip 
o pm, 6ip t>o poinneaoap clanna, ui, ajup lapmui Shen-bhpiam an 
calarh eacoppa pen, ^en 50 pealbui 510 aniu, ci^up pop nf rhaipeann 
ace pfp-beagan 00 na caoipiocaib pearhpaice (od mab nf a plonnab 
Do bee beo, nf puil), ajup nf h-eab arhdin ace ap lon^nab aj aop na 
n-aimpiop pa a parhuil piarh Do bee 1 5-ceannap, epe a n-uaiec a^up 
a n-anbpamne aniu. ^^^^^^ ^F f^ccill Damna a n-Deacpa m aie- 
peujain bdl an Dorhum, ajup paobab na paojal, ajup epe ap cuip 
Do aipDeacap ap aicmeaboib na cpumne 1 5-coiccinne, ag cup 

coinipioc 



Mochua. In the poem of Giolla losa Mor 
Mac Firbis, and by the natives at the pre- 
sent day, who speak Irish remarkably 
well, it is called Iniscna. It is anglicised 
Inishcoe. 

^ The Bawn of Ceathramh an chaisil, — 
This passage, enclosed in parentheses, is 
not in the copy of this list preserved in 
the Book of Lecan, but was inserted into 
our author*8 text by some person who 
was acquainted with the locality. 

^ The En^ish drove theie diieftaimfrom 



their inheritances, — This passage is not in 
the copy of this list preserved in the Book 
of Lecan, but was added by our author 
from his own knowledge. It is written 
in a very ancient style of Irish, of which 
our author was perfect master. 

* Sen Bhrian, — He died in the year 
1354, after having ruled the Hy-Fiach- 
rach for more than half a century, bo that 
his great grandsons were grown up before 
his death. 

' Do not rematn.*— It is very curioos 



^75 

chobhair, or Dun mic Conchobhair ; lochtar Ratha, Dun Cinn tre- 
athain, or Dun Contreathain, the two Draigbneaclis [on Lios na 
Draigbnighe is the Bawn of Ceathramh an Chaisil** at this day], and 
Bun Finne, in Tir Fbiachrach. 

The chief seat of O'Caomhain was Soighen Uisge tar abhainn, 
which is called Inisgreabhuinn. The chief seat of O'Murchadha was 
Imlioch Iseal, and the chief seat of O'Conbhuidhe was Dun Neill. 

The English drove these chieftains' from their patrimonial inhe- 
ritances (which we have enumerated), but Sen Bhrian*, son of 
Taithleach Muaidhe O'Dubhda, took the country (particularly Tir 
Fhiachrach) from the English ; but though he did, I think that many 
of the same old chieftains did not get much hold of their hereditary 
districts from him, for it is certain that the sons, grandsons, and great 
grandsons of Sen Bhrian divided the land among themselves, though 
they do not possess it at this day. And moreover, but very few of 
theldescendants of the chieftains already mentioned now exist (even 
their very surnames, were they of any importance, do not remain*) ; 
and tMs is not all, but the people of these our own times wonder 
that such as they should have ever been in power, in consequence 
of their fewness and feebleness at this day. But the cause of their 
wonder is small" to one who compares the events of the world and 
the subversion of ages, which brought such vicissitudes on the tribes 
of the world in general, driving the potent from territories, as the 

chieftains 

that these ftmily names had become obso- O'Conor Sligo. 

lete so early as our author's time, when ^ Btit the cause of their wonder is tmalL — 

theBnglish language wasbut little used in 3'^^^^ T F"^*^^ oaiiina a n-oecpa, is 

the district. The fact would seem to be, in a very ancient style of Irish, and would 

that whole families were either entirely be thus expressed in the modem language : 

exterminated, or driven out of the terri- ^loeao ip bea^ 6bbap a n-ion^anixxip, 

toij during the struggles between the L e. but smaU is the cause of their won- 

families of O'Dowd, De Burgo, and der. 



176 

» 

coimpioc 6 cpfocaib, map 00 ciiipea6 na caoipig pi 6 n-a cpiocaib 
00 cuippiom pe anaip, map ap pollup ip m ouam oeappgnaio 
(lomba jablan t)o cloinn Chuinn) 'n-a b-puilio 231 pann, Do pme 
^lolla lopa TTlop TTlac pipbipi^, uc pequimp : 

macFiR6isi5h teacaiN ceciNic. 

Imoa jabldn Do cloino Chuino, 

a n-iach banba an puino pep-chuipp ; 
nepc na pono ap cent) cappaig 
Conn ip ceano o'd n-gablanaib. 



^ Celebrated poem — A very good copy 
of this poem is given by DualdMac Firbis, 
in his larger genealogical work, which 
was commenced at Galway, in 1 645 ; but 
as the entire of it is preserved in the 
Book of Lecan, which was compiled by 
the author of the poem himself, the Editor 
thinks it more judicious to print the text 
as in the Book of Lecan, into which it was 
transcribed by the author's amanuensis, 
about the year 141 7. The only difference 
between the copy in the Book of Lecan, 
and that given by Duald Mac Firbis, con- 
sists in the difference of orthography, for 
the latter has in almost every instance 
modernized the spelling and aspirated 
and eclipsed the proper consonants. In 
the ancient copy the grammatical aspira- 
tions and eclipses, usual in modem Irish, 
are scarcely at all adhered to, which ren- 
ders the text, in many places, so obscure, 
as wanting the grammatical links, that it 
would be now very difficult to understand 
many lines of it, were it not for the as- 



Clanna 

sistance to be derived from the transcript 
of it, made, as has been said, in conformity 
with more modern grammatical rules, by 
Duald Mac Firbis. The £ditor has com- 
pared every word and letter of both co- 
pies, and shaU, in the following edition 
of it, occasionally introduce such remarks 
on their variations, as will give the rea- 
der a tolerably correct idea of the diffe- 
rence between the ancient and modem 
Irish orthography. This poem begins in 
the Book of Lecan on fol. 83, p. a, coL 6, 
and ends on fol. 85, p. a, coL b. 

^ Many a branch of the race ofCann^ 
L e. Conn of the Hundred Battles, for 
whose period see page 30, Note K — This 
line is given by Duald Mac Firbis thus : 
lomoa ^abldn 00 cloinn Chuinn, which 
are exactly the same words with those of 
the copy in the Book of Lecan, from which 
the text is printed, the only difference being 
in the orthography. In thefirstword, imoa, 
an o was inserted by D. Mac Firbis, to agree 
with the modem canon of Irish orthogra* 



177 

chieftains we have undertaken to describe were driven, as is evi- 
dent from the celebrated poem^ beginning " Many a branch of the 
race of Conn," which contains 23 1 quatrains, which was composed 
by Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, ut sequitur : 



MAC FIRBIS OP LECAN CECINIT. 

Many a branch of the race of Conn'' 

Is in the land of Banba of smooth grass ; 

The sovereignty of the lands* was mightily seized 

By Conn, who is the head of their branches'^. 



The 



phj called Broad with a Broad, &c., which 
is strictly adhered to by the modem Irish, 
and the o, a consonant very rarely aspirated 
in ancient MSS., is marked with an aspi- 
ration to conform with the modem pro* 
nonciation. The b in the second word, 
^blan, a fork or branch, is also marked 
with an aspiration by Duald Mac Firbis. 
Whether the ancient Irish pronounced 
those consonants which they left without 
marks of aspiration, with their primary 
or aspirate sounds, it is not now easy to 
determine satisfactorily, but the Editor is 
of opinion that the pronunciation of the 
Irish language in Connaught, in the time 
of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, who com- 
piled the Book of Lecan about the year 
141 7, was very nearly the same as in 
the time of Duald Mac Firbis, who wrote 
in 1645, and that the omission of the 
aspirations and eclipses of consonants in 
the Book of Lecan is Yerj often owing 
to the whim of the transcriber. It must 
be acknowledged, however, that in ancient 

nUSH ABCH. 800. 12. 2 



MSS. we very seldom find the consonants 
b, D, ^, m, aspirated, but the omission is, 
perhaps, generally in those positions where 
the grammatical construction of the sen- 
tence, and the ear of the Irish scholar, could 
easily supply the deficiency. 

^ The 90vereiffnty of the lands. — Duald 
Mac Firbis writes it neapc na B-ponn ap 
ceann cappai^, using the diphthong ea 
for the ancient simple e in the words nepc 
and ceno, and eclipsing the initial p in 
ponn, which takes place in the genitive 
plural when the article is used, if the con 
sonant be capable of eclipsis. In the words 
pono and ceno also, instead of the no of 
the ancient copy he writes nn, to conform 
with the modern orthography and pro- 
nunciation. 

^ Conriy who ie the head of their branches, 
— Duald Mac Firbis has it Conn ap ceann 
o'a jalldnaib, L e. Conn of the Hundred 
Battles, who is the head of her branches, 
L e. of the branches or families of Banba, 
or Ireland. 



178 

Clcmna Neill, mcic 6acac uill, 
;sablan cuana Do'n cpobuin^, 
ni po maicni 'n-a mcaoaip ; 
aicini af mo 00 milcaoaib. 

Do cloinD Chumo rhoip, mic phcmlim, 
5af pait) Cpuacna, an clctip leibinn ; 
ni oilmam Dume o'n peabain, 
pi^paiD Tnui^^e TTliiipeabais. 

81I phcapjna, na pip a cuaiD, 

05 cpiall 50 Cpuacam clao-puaio, 



CO 



« The race ofNiaU, i. e. of NiaU of the 
Nine Hostages, who was the last pagan mo- 
narch of Ireland but one, and died in the 
year 405 or 406. He was the ancestor of 
the O'Neills, CTDonnells, O'Kanes, O'Do- 
hertys, O'Boyles, and of other powerftd 
families of Ulster, and also of the Southern 
Hj-Niall in Meath, who were the O'Me- 
laghlins, Mageoghegans, Foxes, O'MoUoys, 
&c. 

• Thetf are the greateti tribe ofheroee 

Duald Mac Firbis writes this line aicme 
ap mo 00 mileaoaib, introducing in the 
word aicme the final e of the modern or- 
thography for the 1 of the ancients, and 
aspirating the consonants m, o, and final 
b of mileaoaib, to conform with the mo- 
dern pronunciation. At the time that 
the Book of Lecan was compiled, as will 
be observed in this word mileaoaib and 
throughout this poem, the Irish writers 
were beginning to adopt the diphthong ea, 
which so very seldom appears in the more 



ancient MSS. unless, as some have thought, 
the character f was intended as a contrac- 
tion for it, an opinion which cannot be ad- 
mitted, as this character is found not only in 
Irish, but also in Latin MSS., to represent 
the simple vowel e. The towering supe- 
riority here alluded to of the Hy-Niall, or 
Bace of Niall of the Nine Hostages* called 
by Adamnan Nepotee NeiB^ is acknow- 
ledged by all the northern and western 
bards, but the southern bards never ad- 
mitted that the race of Mogh Nuadh- 
at, in Munster, were inferior to them. 
This subject was amply discussed in the 
poems written in the reign of James L, by 
the northern and southern bards, in a 
series of poems commonly called the Con- 
tention of the Bards, in noticing which, 
O'Flaherty, in 1685, says that it would 
be as consistent and proper to say that 
one pound is equal to an hundred pounds, 
as that any other Irish family should com- 
pare with the line of Heremon in the 



179 



The race of Niall*, son of the great Eochaidh, 

Is a fine branch of the cluster, 

No sept is great in comparison of them ; 

They are the greatest tribe of heroes*. 
Of the race of great Con, son of Feidhlim, 

Are the people of Cruachan of the level plain** ; 

No man of the tribe is fruitless {unmarried)^ 

The kings of the plain of Muireadhach*^. 
The seed of Feargna**, men of the north. 

Passing to Cruachan* of the red mounds, 



And 



number of its kings, the propagation of 
the different branches of its families, the 
multitude of its saints and illustrious men, 

or in the extent of its possessions O^y- 

^ Part IIL c. 86. 

^ The people of Cruachan of the levd 

plain Written by Duald Mao Firbis, 

^^fpa Chpuacna cl6ip Ubinn, where he 
omits the article before the substantive 
cldip, which weakens the language. The 
people of Cruachan were the O^Conors, 
Rings of Connaught, and their correlative 
tribes, of whom the most distinguished 
were the O'Finnaghtys, the Mageraghtjs, 
and the O'Flannagans, families who sunk 
into obscurity several centuries since. 

« The plain of Muireadhach, i. e. the 
plain of Magh Aoi, now generally called 
!Machaire Chonnacht, L e, the plain of 
Connaught, a beautiful and fertile plain 
in the county of Boscommon, extending 
from Cloonfree, near Strokestown, to the 
bridge of Castlerea, and from a hill a short 

2A 



distance to the north of the town of Bos- 
common, northwards to the Turloughs of 
Mantua, where it meets the plain of Moy- 
lurg. The Muireadhach here referred to 
was the ancestor of the O^Conors of Con- 
naught, and his death is mentioned in the 
Annals of the Four Masters at the year 
700, where he is called Muireadhach 
Muighe Aoi, alias Muireadhach Muil- 
leathan. 

* 17ie seed o/Fear^na These are the 

O'Bourkes, O'Beillys, Mac Graurans, Mac 
Tiemans, Mac Bradys, and their correla- 
tives, in the county of Leitrim. 

* Passing to Cruachan, — Feargal 
O'Bourke, who was the head of this race of 
Feargna, became King of Cruachan, or Con- 
naught, in the year 954, and Art O'Bourke, 
King of Connaught, is mentioned in the 
Annals of the Four Masters as slain by the 
CinelConaill in the year 1046. Much va- 
luable information on the history of this 
race of Feargna is preserved in the Book 

2 



1 8c 



CO Ccncmnuy* ponn na pep, 
pepannup Do Chonn cneip-geal. 

^ciblan uapal oo cloino Chuino 

clann 6acac Doimlen oeapc-cuipp 
pluoj; Oipjiall op cac pcabam 
'na pmual cpoim-jliaD coipceamail. 

beanjan aili Do clomo Chumo 
clann TTlailli, cpooa an cpobuinj, 
clumccp cac cfp 'ca ra^^a, 
ip THinncip mfn TTlupcaoa 



Clano 



of Fenagh, a good copy of which is in the 
collection of Messrs. Hodges and Smith, 
Dublin; and also in the Life of St. Maidoc 
of Ferns, who is the patron of Dromlane, 
in the connty of Cavan, and of Rossinver, 
in the county of Leitrim. 

^ To Cenanntis, land of the heroes. — 
Duald Mac Firbis writes this line thus : — 
5© Ceanannuf, ponn na B-peap, intro- 
ducing the modem ea for the simple e of 
the Book of Lecan, and eclipsing the ini- 
tial p in the word pep, which he writes 
B-peap, to show that it is in the genitive 
plural The transcriber of the Book of 
Lecan, we must presume, either omitted 
the eclipsing 5, through carelessness, or 
deemed it unnecessary to prefix it, as the 
plural article and the goveming noim 
ponn would inunediately suggest to the 
natLve reader that the word should be in 
the genitiTepluraL The Cenannus here re- 
ferred to is the town of Kells, in the county 
of East Meath, which is, to this day, called 



Cenannus (the C pron. as K) among those 
who speak the Lrish language. O'Bourke, 
the head of the race of Feargna, had ex- 
tended his dominion before the English 
invasion as far as this place, which is the 
fact referred to in the text. The name 
Cenannus signifies the head-seat or resi- 
dence, and is now translated Headfort in 
the name of the seat of the present noble 
proprietor. There is another Cenannus 
in the county of Kilkenny, which is also 
anglicised Kells. 

^ Which was the inheritance of the white- 
skinned Conn. — Conn of the Hundred Bat- 
tles, monarch of Lreland, dwelt at Tara, 
and possessed all Meath as the appanage 
of the monarchy. His grandson, Cormac 
O'Cuinn, held his residence for some time 
at Cenannus. 

^ The race of Eochaidh Doimhlen. — 
Eochaidh Doimhlen was the brother of 
Muireadhach Tireach, who became mo- 
narch of Ireland in the year 331 ; he had 



i8i 



And to Cenannus, land of the heroes', 

Which was the inheritance of the white-skinned Conn^. 
A noble branch of the race of Conn 

Is the tribe of Eochaidh Doimhlen', the bright-eyed, 

The host of Oirghiall, who^ above every tribe, 

Is a bulky blaze of heavy battle. 
Another shoot of the race of Conn 

Is the Clann MaiUi^ valiant the branch, 

(Every country is heard selecting them^). 

And the mild Muintir Murchadha*". 

The 



three sons called Colla Uais, Colla Meann, 
and Colla da chrioch, who wrested the 
territoiy of Oirghiall from the Ultonians 
in the year 332, and became the founders 
of serveral powerfxd families, who were 
seated in the present counties of Louth, 
Armagh, Monaghan, and Fermanagh, as 
MacMahon, O'Hanlon, Maguire, with other 
correlatiTe septs, who obtained settlements 
for themselves in various parts of Ireland. 

* CSann MaiUi, i. e. the family of O'Mal- 
ley, chiefs of Umhall, or, as it is Latinised, 
Umallia, a territory comprising the pre- 
sent baronies of Burrishoole and Murresk, 
in the county of Maya 

J Every country is heard selecting them. 
— ^The (yMalleys were celebrated in Lre- 
land for being expert sailors, as appears 
from various notices of them in the Irish 
Annala, particularly those of the Four 
liastera. O'Dugan, who *wrote about the 
middle of the fourteenth century (he died 
in 1 372), thus speaks of them in his topo- 
graphical poem : 



Duine mair piaih n( paiBe 
D' lb mdille ace 'n-a mdpaioe ; 
p6i6e na f fne r»^r'» 
Dtne bdioe ip Bpdichippi. 

** A good man neyer was there 
Of the O'Malleys, bat a mariner ; 
The prophets of the weather are ye, 
A tribe of affection and brotherly love." 

^ Muintir Murchadha^ anglicised Munter- 
murroghoe in the Connaught inquisitions 
of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. — This was 
the tribe name of the O'Flahertys, and be- 
came also that of the territory which they 
possessed, which was nearly co-extensive 
with the barony of Clare, in the county of 
Galway. About the year 1238, when the 
English Barons of Ireland castellated this 
territory, the O'Flahertys and their ad- 
herents were driven out of it, and they 
settled in that part of the county of Gal- 
way lying west of Lough Orbsen, or 
Lough Corrib, where they became as pow- 
erful as ever they had been in their ori- 
ginal territory of Muintir Murchadha. 



l82 



Clant) piacpa m6ip, meic 6acac, 
pcgan bmliD, bmo-bpechac, 
h-1 phiacpa ruaio ocup ccp 
pml-car oa chuaiD 6 coimcp. 

Clann piacpa uip ap m'aipi, 
lenam lopj na laecpaioe, 
na floij 6 UhcTnpais Chuarail, 
coip lenmam a laec-puacaip. 

Piacpa polcpnaichcac pleDac 
cuic mic 'con mop-niuipcpac, 
a n-aipem ap Ou Do*n opoinj, 
t)o odilet) clii o'on cpoboinj. 

Dachi, DO puaip cac aicmi, 
copancac cldip Gopaipi, 
oa gab CO h-Galpa n-enaig, 
blat) o'd eccpa a n-up-pcelaib. 



Qmalsaio 



^ A beauteous^ tweedy-judging tribe, — 
Duald Mac Firbis writes this Peaoam 
builio binn-bpearacy which is more cor- 
rect orthography. 

™ The Hff'Fiachrachy north and souths 
i. e. the Hj-Fiachrach of the north, or 
northern Hj-Fiachrach, who possessed the 
region extending from the river Bobe to 
Dromdiff, below the town of Sligo, and 
the southern Hy-Fiachrach, who possessed 
the territory of Aidhne, which comprised 
the entire of the present diocese of Kil- 
macduagh, in the south-west of the county 
of Galway. 

» The hosts frwn Twra ofTuaOiol, L e. 
who sprung from the royal house of Tara, 



the place of their great ancestor Tuathal 
Teachtmhar, monarch of Ireland in the 
second century. 

^ Fiachra Fobsnaihheach, — For some 
account of his descendants see pages 5 
and 15. 

^ Who were wont to distribute^ S^ — The 
meaning is, that it is the duty of the Mac 
Firbises, the hereditary poets and histo- 
riographers of the Hy-Fiachrach, who 
were used to spread the fiime .of that peo- 
ple by their poems and other compositions, 
to enumerate and presenre for posterity 
an account of the sons of their great an- 
cestor Fiachra Foltsnaitheach. 

^ Contender for the plain ofEwrope. — 



i83 

The race of the great Fiachra, son of Eochaidh, 
A beauteous, sweetly-judging tribe', 
The Hy-Fiachrach, north and south"*, 
A generous battalion, who have exceeded comparison. 

The race of the noble Fiachra are my care, 
Let us follow the track of the heroes, 
The hosts from Tara of Tuatha?, 
It is just to trape their noble career. 

Fiachra Foltsnaitheach®, the festive, 

Five were the sons of that great progenitor. 
To enumerate them is meet for the people. 
Who were wont to distribute fame to the family**. 

Dathi, who won each sept. 

Was contender for the plain of Europe*" ; 

He proceeded to the Alps of birds', 

It is B, part of his adventure celebrated in stories*. 

Amhalgaidh, 

^^prdy pp. 17 to 33, where the whole eun, a bird, not, as might be supposed, a 
^'y is given. The verb contain, which modification of eanacJi, a moor, the first 
|8 8tiu a living word, signifying to defend, syllable of which is always short. 
^ ^^^^ in the ancient manuscripts and in * Cdebrated in «ton69_Jhiald Mac Firbis 
^ Annals of the Four Masters in the writes this &laD o'd eacqia n-uippj^eu- 
*^^ of to contend for ; copancac is a Imj, which would mean, '* It is a portion 
pcfsonal noun formed from copain, and of his storied adventure.'^ Here it is ne- 
i&ans contending, or one who contends, cessary to remark, that in O'BeiUy's Die- 
It is carious that Dathi is here set down tionary the word uipfjeul is explained 
as if he were the first son of Fiachra. ** a fable, story, legend," but this is not 
'He proceeded to the Alps of birds. — the true explanation of the word, for it is 
Doald Mac Firbis has this t>o pxh 30 derived from up, noble, and [T^eul, a story, 
l>-6alpa n-eunai^, where, by inserting a and means a famous story or narrative, 
u into the first syllable of enaij^, he O'Brien, in his Dictionary, explains the 
shows that he took it to be long, and that word ^p as follows : '* Up, generous, noble- 
he understood the word to be derived from hearted ; it is also prefixed as a part of a 



Vide 



1 84 



Qmal^aiD pa cuinj caca, 
mac uapal an apo-placa, 
banba o clecci oo'n cuipi, 
bpepal calma ip Conaipi. 

Gape Culbuit)! cpaeb co par, 

mac o'phiacpa mop, mac Gacac, 
a maep ap Ceapa Oo cuip, 
raeb cac pcaoa Da aoaim. 

Da clannaib Gipc, nap paem pell, 
jappao calma nac ceilpcm, 
pip Chepa na caem cparm cuip, 
maech-bdpp mela ap a mojlaib. 



Na 



compound, and then signifies noble, com- 
mendable, as ijp-pliocr, a noble race.'' 
This is exactly the sense in which iip, in 
the compound up-rS^l, or uip-fjeul is 
to be here taken, for it is quite clear from 
the context that Giolla losa Mor Mac 
Firbis did not intend to insult his patron, 
the O'Dubhda, by telling him that the ac- 
count of his ancestor, Dathi's, grand expe- 
dition to the Alps, was a legend or fable, 
but, on the contrary, that he wished it to 
be firmly believed, as indeed it has been 
by every writer on the subject since his 
time, not excepting even Moore, the latest 
historian of Ireland, who despatches the 
subject of King Dathi's expedition to the 
Alps, in the following brief words, omit- 
ting every thing in the story that might 
savour of fabrication or fable: — " A, D. 
406. To Niall the Great succeeded Dathy, 
the last of the Pagan monarchs of Ireland, 



and not unworthy to follow, as a soldier 
and adventurer, in the path opened to him 
by his heroic predecessor. Not only, like 
Niall, did he venture to invade the coasts 
of Gaid, but allured by the prospects of 
plunder, which the state of the province, 
then falling fast into dismemberment, held 
forth, forced his way to the foot of the 
Alps, and was there killed, it is said, by 
a flash of lightning, leaving the throne of 
Ireland to be filled thenceforward by a 
line of Christian kings." — Hutory of Ire- 
land^ vol. L pp. 152, 153. 

< Banba was enjoyed by the hero ^Duald 

Mac Firbis writes this line, 6anba o 
cleacc pan jun cuipe. This seems to in- 
timate that he believed Amhalgaidh, the 
brother of Dathi, to have been monarch of 
Ireland, but he is not found in any au- 
thentic list of Irish monarchs. He was 
King of Connaught, and probably made 



i85 



i 

J 



i 



Amhalgaidh, a prop of battle, 

Was a noble son of the arch-chieftain, 

Banba was enjoyed by the hero* ; 

Bresal the brave and Conairi" were also his sons, 
Earc Culbhuidhe'', a prosperous branch. 

Was son of great Fiachra, son of Eochaidh, 

His steward over Ceara he placed'', 

Which the side of each tree confessed*. 
Of the descendants of Earc, who consented not to treachery, 

A brave tribe, whom I will not omit. 

Are the men of Ceara of beautiful fruit trees. 

With a mellow top of honey on their pods^. 



si'Dae exertion to gain the monarchy, but 
It appears from all the authentic annals 
™ Dathi succeeded his \mcle, Niall of 
^e Nine Hostages, and that Laoghaire, 
tbe son of that Niall, succeeded Dathi as 
Bwnarch of Ireland, and was succeeded by 
^^UMolt, the son of Dathi, who was suc- 
ceeded by Lughaidh, the son of Laoghaire. 
See list of the kings of Connaught of the 
Hj-Fiachrach race, given at the end of 
this poem. 

" Bresal the brave and Conairi. — Vide 
p. 5, line 6. 

^ Earc Culbhuidhe. — See p. 5, line 2, 
where this Earc is mentioned as if he were 
the eldest son of Fiachra. 

" Hie steward ODer Ceara he piaced. — 
See pp. 15, 16, 17, where it will be seen 
that the chiefs of Ceara are descended 
from this Earc Culbhuidhe. The boun- 
daries of the territory of Ceara have been 

IEI8H ARCH. SOC. 12. 2 



Let 

already noted in the list of the men of 
Hy-Fiachrach prefixed to this poem. 

* Which the side of each tret confessed. — 
By this is to be understood that the trees 
of Ceara produced abundance of fruit dur- 
ing his chieftainship, which was considered 
one of the indications of his worthiness as 
a prince. 

"f U^ith a mellow top of honey on t/ieir 
pods. — Duald Mac Firbis gives this line 
thus: — niaor-b6|ip meala cqi a mo;^luib, 
where, besides placing the proper aspira- 
tions on the consonants, he changes the 
ancient diphthong ae into the modem ao, 
in maor, and e into ea in meala. The 
word bdpp is still used in the living lan- 
guage to denote a top^ the cream that rises 
on new milk, and the crop produced by a 
tilled field, or any field. nio;^al, of which 
mo^luib is the ablative case plural, signi- 
fies the pod or husk of any fruit. 
B 



i86 



Nd pd^bam Ceapa na clao, 
can a Ddcuy do o^nam, 
can beich co peim 'cd fnaiDi, 
o'd bpeic 'pa pcim pi^paioi. 

Qp Ceapa na call copcpa 
cpi pf uaipli mmolca, 
pcona can cloo 6 cenaib, 
menma mop 'ca Tnileaoaib. 

O'Cijepnaij na cpeb pcio, 

O'^opTnjail ndp chuill cabcim, 
plo5 can Derail pe Debait>, 
mop meoaip O'Tnuipeaoaij. 



' iM tM wA leave Ceara of tke mounde^ 
Spe, — Duald Mac Firbis gives this qnatrun 
as follows : 

H6 pdgBain Ceapa na cclao 
^an a ouDcup do 6eunani, 
5cm a Bee 50 peril, 50 fnaioe, 
O'd m-bper 'pa p^m pio^poioe. 
Here it will be obseryed, that eclipsing 
consonants are introduced which render 
the text much clearer than that given in 
the Book of Lecan ; but it is strange to 
find so excellent a scholar introduce the 
diphthong eu, for which scarcely any au- 
thority is to be found in good MSS., and 
reject the diphthong ei, which is found 
in them alL 

• Of the brown nute. — Written na ccoll 

ccopcpa by Duald Mac Firbis, who, as 

usual with the Irish writers of his time, 

uses cc for 5-c, pp for B-p, cc for o-c. 

^0*Tigkeamaigh of ready tribes. — Duald 



'5 

Mac Firbis writes this O'Ci^apnoi^ na 
eqieaB ped, eclipsing the c in qieoB, to 
show that it is in the genitive case plaraL 
The name O'Tigheamaigh is found in 
many parts of Ireland anglicised Tiemey ; 
but in the barony of Carra it has been 
changed to O'Tigheamain in Irish, and 
anglicised Tieman. People of this latter 
name are spread throughout the barony 
of Carra, but they have a tradition among 
them that they were originally seated in 
that part of it called Partry. They are 
all at present very poor, not one of them 
holding the rank of even a farmer, but 
living on small holdings of land, of which 
they are choice tillers ; they are neverthe- 
less a stout race of men, and very proud 
of their descent, of which, however, they 
know nothing except that their anoestors, 
a long time ago, had estates in Carra, and 
were strong men and courageous fighters. 



1 87 

Let us not leave Ceara of the mounds' 

Without mentioning its inheritors, 

Without gently fitting them to our verse ^ 

To place them in the regal list. 
Over Ceara of the brown nuts* 

There are three noble, laudable kings, 

Over tribes who have not been subdued from times remote, 

Whose soldiers possess high minds. 
O'Tighemaigh of ready tribes'*, 

O'Gormghail*, who merited not reproach, 

A host who separate not from the battle, 

O'Muireadhaigh** of great mirth. 

To 



They look upon themselTes as superior to 
their neighbours of the same rank, and 
always use a style in their dress, particu- 
larly the great coat, by which they are 
at onoe disting^hable from others of the 
same neighbourhoodi This gave rise to 
an Irish saying in Carra, If jeall le 
mop^il liiumcipe Chi^eapndin il, *' It is 
hke the ostentation of the O'Tiemans." 
For the descent of O'Tigheamaigh vide 
iuprH, p. 17. 

' VQurmghML — This is the true form 
of the name, and is still retained in Carra 
with a very slight alteration, though in 
the prose list of the men of Ceara, and in 
the copy of O^Dugan^s topographical poem, 
transcribed by Peregrine O'Clery, it is 
written O'Gormog. It is now pronounced 
by the native Irish in Carra as if written 
O'Jopmpijil, but whenever it is written 
or spoken in English it is made Grorman. 

2B 



^ CPMuireadhaigh — This line is written 
by Duald Mac Firbis ITIop meaoaip 
O'lTluipeaooij, with the marks of aspi- 
ration on the proper consonants. This 
name is still to be found in Carra, exactly 
pronounced by the native Irish as written 
by Duald Mac Firbis, but anglicised Mur- 
ray, which is not incorrect, as it represents 
the sound sufficiently well in English let- 
ters. O'Dugan also, in his topographical 
poem, mentions these three families as 
the chiefs of Ceara, in the following qua- 
train: 

OTTluipeaDGij co meanmain, 
0'5opm6cc, O'Cijeapnaij, — 

t)6i^-m^in apoeala oo'n opuin;^, 

Qp Cheapa aimpeib, dlumn. 

'< O'Muireadhaigh with spiHt, 
O'Gormog, 0*Tighearnaigh, — 
A generouB mind is imiate in thif people,— 
RuU OTer the uneTen, splendid Ceara." 
2 



i88 



'5 o'Uq^<^ ^r F^^rr^^^ peao, 

'5 O'CinOchnama nap cdineab, 
6 TTlaireois co Callamo cpuaiD, 
ocup 50 h-abamo inDuaip. 

THaich 00 chopam pont> na pep 
O'DopcaiDi ip apt) aijncat), 
cpfc papcpaigi na call cuip, 
Ic cpann alc-bumi a n-imsuin. 

0*6anan 6 baili pem, 

bpu^am nac ap cuill cabcim, 



In the year 1238 the English Barons of 
Ireland castellated the territory of Ceara, 
when the power of those Irish chiefs was 
much crippled, if not nearly destroyed. 
In the year 1273, ^ we are informed by 
the Annals of the Four Masters, Flann 
O'Tigheamaigh was slain by the O'Muir- 
eadhaighs (Murrays) in a dispute about 
the lordship of Ceara. This is the last 
notice of these families in the Irish An- 
nals as lords of Ceara, and it is quite clear 
that their power was at an end soon after, 
for in the year 1300 the Annals of Clon- 
macnoise, as translated by Council Ma- 
geoghegan, record the death of Adam 
Staunton, lord of Kera, who is called a 
great baron in the Annals of the Four 
Masters; and there can be little doubt 
that there was no lord of Ceara of the 
above families ever since. The compiler 
of the Book of Lecan andDuald Mac Firbis 
state, that the last King of Ceara of the 
Gael or Milesian Irish race was Giolla an 
Ghoill Mac Neill, who was cotemporary 



Ogilin 

with Taithleach Mor O'Dowd (the son of 
Aodh), who was slain in the year 1 192. — 
See p. 1 7, where it will be seen that Niall, 
the progenitor of this Mac Neill, and 
Tigheamach, the progenitor of O'Tighear- 
naigh, were brothers. 

• O'h'Uada. — This name is still in Cea- 
ra, but pronounced in Irish O^Fuada, and 
fancifully translated Swift^ from the as- 
sumption that the name is derived from 
the verb puaoaij, carry away swiftly or 
violently. For the descent of this family 
see page 1 7. 

^ G^Cinnchnamha, — This name is still 
in the barony of Carra, and anglicised cor- 
rectly enough Kinnavy. There was a 
respectable man of this name living in the 
west of Partry about fifty years ago, but 
there is none of the name in the district 
at present that could be called even a 
farmer. For the situation of the tract of 
land belonging to these two families see 
notes to the prose list of the men of Ceara 
prefixed to this poem. 



189 



To O'h-Uada* of extensive woods, 

To O'Cinnchnamha^ who was not dispraised, 

Belongs the tract stretching from Maiteog to the hard Callainn, 

And to the cool river. 

Well has been defended the land of the men 
By O'Dorchaidhe of the lofty mind. 
The country of Partraighe^ of fine hazle trees, 
With the yellow-knotted *j»ear-shaft in the battle. 

O'Banan of his own town**, 

A brughaidh who merited not reproach, 

O^Gilin 



« The country of Portraighe For the 

limits of this territory see notes to the 
prose list of the men of Ceara, prefixed to 
this poem ; and for some account of the 
genealogy of the O'Dorchaidhe family see 
pp. 46-51. It should be added here that 
the name O'Dorchaidhe is still common in 
the mountainous districts of Partry and 
Connamara, where they are beginning to 
tnuQslate it Darkey, as being derived from 
the adjectiye dorcha^ dark. The more re- 
spectable portion of the tribe, however, 
render it Darcey, and will, no doubt, be con- 
sidered an offset of the D' Arcys of Meath, 
as soon as they remove firom their native 
mountains. It is not improbable that this 
is the name which is common in the United 
States of America, particularly in Virginia 
and Pennsylvania, as Dorsey, where some 
of the people who bear it assert that they 
are of Irish origin, while others contend 
that they are French. 

^ O^Banan of his own town, or as the 
Scotch say, of thcU Uk^ i. e. of the town, 



seat, or townland called after himself, viz. 
Baile Ui Bhanain, now Ballybanaun, a 
townland in the parish of Ballyovey, or 
Partry, to the west of Lough Mask ; but 
the maps differ as to its situation and ex- 
tent. Mr. James O'Flaherty of Gralway, 
who is intimately acquainted with the dis^ 
trict of Partry, has thus described its situ- 
ation in his reply to a number of queries 
proposed by the Editor : — *' Ballybanane 
is a townland on the side of the mountain 
of Partry, and is nearly in an angular po- 
sition, which leaves it west of the moun- 
tain lake, and due west of Lough Mask, 
which it borders. There is a chapel on 
this townland.^' — See also Ordnance Map 
of the County of Mayo, sheets 108, 109, 
and Balds^ Map of the same county. It is 
probable that Ballybanaun was originally 
a ballybetagh, or large Irish townland con- 
taining about 480 Irish acres, and that it 
comprised several of the present adjoining 
denominations. 



190 

O'^i^i^ 6'n TTImne mep, 

cuipi cmil nap caineao. 
Tllac a bainb na call copcpa 

puaip an pch-bpug ixiegalca, 

cuac TTluit)! beiciji bmo, 

cuipi ip peicrhiji aipmim. 
6aili na cpaibi can col, 

pif a oeapap cpa an Cobap, 

puaip 6 h-Qo6a Ic pe&am, 

cupaiD 'cap caemna ap ceo peapaib. 
O'puacrhapan na n-ec meap 

puaip Cacal le cup claiDcm, 



neapr 



^ (yOilin .... ofMuine The name of 

this familj is now obsolete, unless it be 
that anglicised E[illeen. The townland of 
Muine is well known. It is described by 
Mr. OTlahert J as *' a townland containing 
a large village, the flattest and best land in 
Partry, lying between the bridge of Keel 
and the house of Port Royal, and mearing 
the townland of Turin and the Tillage of 
Newtown Partry." It is evidently the 
townland called Carrowmoney (L e. the 
quarter of Muine), on the Ordnance Map. 

i Mine an Bhainbh. — This name has long 
since become obsolete, which indeed is not 
to be wondered at, as it signifies '* son of 
the sucking pig." It would be anglicised 
Macan-Banniff, and may have been trans- 
lated Hogge. 

^ The worUUif fairy paiace^ L e. the fairy 
palace in this world, the fairies not being 
considered as properly of this world. The 



district of Magh na beithighe (i e. the 
plain of the birch), here alluded to as the 
inheritance of Mac an BhainUi, is called 
by the alias name of Lughortan, in the 
prose list already given, and said to com- 
prise seven balljrs or townlands. It is ob- 
vious from the description of it, as '* a ter- 
restrial fairy palace," that it must have been 
the most beautiful district in the oountry. 
Mr. James O^Flaherty, who was bom in 
the neighbourhood, writes, '* the district 
extending from Muine to Luffertane must 
be that anciently called Magh na beithighe, 
or plain of the birch trees, being a long, 
plain valley, about five miles in length, 
now mostly in a high state of cultivation; 
but I think there is not an acre on the 
whole line on which the shrubs and roots 
of birch trees are not still to be found, 
which are as difficult to eradicate as those 
of the furze itself, whatever prooess of 



191 



O'Gilin the swift of Muine*, 

Chief of a tribe who were never dispraised. 

Mac an Bhainbh^ of scarlet hazles, 

Obtained the terrestrial fairy palace^, 
The sweet district of Magh na beithighe, 
The most vigorous chief I mention. 

Baile na craibhi' without stain, 
Which is also called the Tobar, 
O'Aodha", with his tribe, obtained, 
Heroes who protect us against puissant men. 

OTuathmharan** of the swift steeds 

Obtained Cacal** by plying the sword ; 



The 



cnltintion be adopted." 

^^ na eraibhij written by Duald 

'uc Kr|)]g Baile na craoibhe (i. e. the 

^"^ of the bnsh,) was an ancient alioi 

"^^c of Ballintober townland, and the 

^''^ 18 still retained in a disgtused fonn 

^ ^ idjoining townland of Creevagli, 

^ «• bushy land. This place was other- 

^ called Baile Tobair Phadruig, L e. 

^ Wly or townland of St. Patrick's 

^ from a holy well anciently called 

^^ Stingle, which was blessed by that 

^*» near which he erected a church, 

p where, in the year 1216, Cathal 

V^ibhdhearg O'Conor, Bang of Con- 

^H founded a nuignificent abbey, the 

j^^*^ of which still remain in good pre- 

^. ^krAodka,-.^ There are families of 

• ^mo, of different races, to be found 

^'^^ious parts of Ireland, but thev an- 



glicise it to O'Hea, Hayes, and more 
generally Hughes, from the belief that 
Aodh and Hugh are the same name. There 
are several families of the name O'h- Aodha 
still in the parish of Ballintober and all 
over the barony of Carra, where they 
have not yet acquired skill enough to ren- 
der it Hughes, but some of them are be- 
ginning to give it an English dress in the 
shape of Hay or Hayes. 

^ 0*Fuathfnharain, written in the prose 
list O'h-Uathmhandn. This name, which 
would sound so terribly to an English 
ear, and conveys no pleasing association 
to an Irish speaker (for it signifies hated, 
abhorred), has been corrupted to O'h- 
Eimhirin, which is Englished Heverine, 
and Hefferine, and in these forms it may 
be said still to exist in Carra. 

^ Caeal, now always called in Irish 
Cagala, and anglicised Caggaula. This 



192 



neapc a lann leabap 'pa lam, 
olijeab cac am a n-impao. 

Cill n-amoi if {ip peoac, 

'c OXeyiguya luar-jpeaoac, 
yloig na Cilli nip cameat), 
51II1 ap coip Do comaipem. 

Cuach TTluigi h-lnoalb na n-ec, 
cupi nac ap luaiD Icic-bpcc, 
'5 O'Ceapnaij nap cap cpa. 
blao a cejlaij coigeba. 

Cpf baili an Riajan jan point), 
cpf baili an Chnocdin canuim. 



T 



townland is still well known, and is situ- 
ated in the parish of Ballintober, a short 
distance to the north-east of the great 
abbey. It contains a small remnant of the 
ruins of an old church, said to be one 
of the threemost ancient in Ireland, as 
appears from the following rhymes current 
in this district : 
niaij eo, 6alla, 6p4acTha3, Co^dla 

aepac eioip 66 mom, 
Na c^ao reampuill a n-Gipmn, a bectn- 

nuijeao'pan P6iiii. 

" Mayo, Balla, Breaghwy, the airy Caggaula be* 

tween two bogs, 
H^ere the first churches in Ireland, which were 

blessed at Rome." 

This tradition, however, is not to be de- 
pended upon, as almost every county in 
the Irish parts of Ireland claims to itself 
the honour of having the three (not four, 
as in this rhyme) most ancient churches 



in Ireland. 

P CiUn-Aindi of the green v>oods — ^Du- 
ald Mac Firbis writes this line Cill Ua 
n-Qinoin 'p up peaoac; and in both 
copies of the prose list prefixed to this 
poem the place is called Cill Buainne, 
which might be taken to be the present 
Kilbojue, the seat of Sir Samuel O^Malley, 
were it not that the latter is called by the 
natives in Irish Cillin na buioeanac. 

^ G^Lerghvsa, — This name is well 
known in other parts of Ireland, but it is 
not to be found in Carra at present, un- 
less it be the name shortened to Leasy, 
which is very probable. 

^District ofMuighe h-Inda&k, i e. the 
tuath or lordship of Magh h-indalbh, called 
in the prose list Magh Fhiondalbha. It is 
now anglicised MoynuUa, and sometimes 
shortened to Manulla, and known only as 
the name of a parish in the barony of 



J 



193 



The strength of his large swords and hands 

Deserve renown at every time, 
cm n-Aindi of the green woods'^ 

Belongs to O'Lerghusa** of swift steeds ; 

The host of Cill was never dispraised, 

Youths who ought to be mentioned in this poem. 
The district of Magh h-Indalbh' of steeds, 

Belongs to a hero who has not pronounced false sentence, 

To O'Ceamaigh', who loved not refusal, 

The fame of his household I wiU extol. 
The three townlands of BaQe an Eiagan* without division, 

The three townlands of Cnocan", I say, 

And 



Cftrra. In the prose list already given this 
district is said to contain fifteen townlands 
(or about 7,2CX) Irish acres), and to ex- 
tend from Crannan Tomaighe to Caisel 
CairprL 

* (fCtamaighy now anglicised Kearney 
and Carney. The Kearneys are still a nu- 
merous race in this locality, and we are 
happy to say that a brandi of the tribe 
has risen from the ranks of the peasantry, 
among whom they were since the thir- 
teenth century, to that of the gentry. A 
gentleman of the name lives at present 
in the town of Castlebar, where he amass- 
ed considerable wealth by keeping a tan- 
yard, but he has lately retired from busi- 
ness, and has sufficient wealth to purchase 
the greater part of Manulla. The Kear- 
neys of this race are to be distinguished 
from those formerly seated at Cashel, in 
the county of Tipperary, and in different 
parts of the south of Ireland. 



' Baiie an Riagan, — According to the 
prose list prefixed to this poem Baile an 
Riagan was a generic name for a district 
of land comprising the townlands of Baile 
an Chriochain bhuidhe, Baile an smotain, 
and Baile na Greallcha. This generic name 
is now locally forgotten, but those of the 
subdivisions are still retained, with the ex- 
ception of one, and applied to townlands 
in the parish of Manulla. Baile an Smo- 
tain, the name of the first division, is now 
anglicised Smuttanagh ; Baile an Chri- 
ochain bhuidhe is now simply Creaghan- 
boy, but the name Baile na Greallcha is 
forgotten, or at least not recognized as a 
townland name. 

" The three townlands of Cnocan^ are 
called in the prose list the three townlands 
of Magh na Cnocaighe, but the names of the 
subdivisions are not added, which renders 
it impossible now to determine the exact 
situation or extent of this tract of land. 



IBI8HABCH. 80C. 12. 



aC 



194 



ip ponn piD cpuaici tkx pleo, 
pa'n cir-luaici coll cncip-jel, 
cabpam cac cpuac pa clec-pal, 
ruar appaiD h-1 6iDnccan. 

baili an bcloi^, ap beer Icm, 
'5 O'Ciopajan, nf cclpcm, 
noco c6ip ceilci a caoaip, 
bepri pp6ill cac pen opaip. 

Qp baili Cponndm can coll, 
bpii^am ap bupba comlann, 
na C015I1D pdola na peap, 
h-1 Choi^lm calma an cineab. 

niec 5i^l^ phaeldn can pell, 
bp^^aoa uaipli, dipmem, 
ocjlep ap a pl65 plejac, 
'pa Rejlep indp-muipepac. 



" Fidh cruaiekL — This generic name is 
now lost, but the prose list states that it 
comprised Baile Ui Ruairc and Baile na 
leargan moire, which enables us to fix its 
position ; for Baile Ui Ruairc, now cor- 
rectlj anglicised BaUjrourke, is the name 
of a townland in the parish of BaUa, ad- 
joining the east boundary of the parish of 
Manulla, and Baile na leargan moire is 
believed to be the neighbouring townland 
of Knockmore. 

^ O^k'Eidhneaekan. — This name is still 
to be found numerous enough in the parish 
of Manulla, where it is anglicised Heana- 
ghan, without the prefix O', which has 
been rejected for the last two centuries 
this part of Ireland, except among 



in 



Ciil 

the Milesian gentry, by whom it is now 
used as a mark of distinction between 
themselves and l^eir oorreUtives, the pea- 
santry of the same race. 

^ Batie an bkealaiigkt i. e. the town of 
the road or pass. This is called Bd na 
leice in the prose list, which renders it 
difficult to determine what place it is. 
There is a Ballynalecka in the parish of 
Ballintober, a short distance to the north 
of the townlands of Caggaula, already 
mentioned ; but it is highly probaUe, that 
as this townland belonged to the family of 
O'Ciaragain ; the place here mentioned is 
the same which is now called Baile Ui 
Chiaragain, L e. O'Ciaragain's to¥m, which 
lies immediately to the south of the village 



I 

J 



195 

And the land of Fidh cruaichi'' of banquets, — 

On which are shower-shaken hazles of white bark, 

And where each round hill is porotected by wattle hedges, — 

Constitute the ancient territory of O'h-Eidhnechan"'. 

Baile an bhelaigh*, it is certain to me, 

Is O'Ciaragan's^, — I will not conceal it, — 

Neither should his virtue be concealed, 

The satin-dressed ornament of each old habitation. 

Over Baile Crannain*, without blemish. 

Are brughaidhs {farmers) of fierce conflict, — 
Spare ye not the acquisitions of the men, — 
The O'Coiglidhs', a brave tribe. 

The Mac Gilli Fhaelains* without treachery. 

Noble brughaidhs (Jarmers), I reckon. 

Whose spear-armed host have good array, 

Are in Regies*" of the great family. 

Cul 

of Balk, in the parish of Balla. now obsolete, or changed in such a man- 

' 1$ OPCiaraffan^t, — This name is now ner that it cannot be identified. 
•nglicised Kenigao, and there are persons ^ Beglea, — It is strange, that in the 

of the name to be found in various parts prose list the estate of Mac Gilla Fhaelain 

of the baron J of Carra, and in the town of is called Magh Ruisen, while Regies, or 

Castlebar. Baile an Regies, i. e. the town of the 

* BaUi C^wmatn— -This name is now un- church, is made the estate of O'Cuachain, a 
known in Carra. It appears from the prose family name totally omitted in the poenv 
list, in which this place is called Crannan Magh Ruisen is undoubtedly the townland 
Tomaighe or RanTomaighe, that it formed now called Ruisin^ anglice Rusheen, situ- 
one of the boundaries of the territory of ated in the parish of Drum, and lying 
Magh Fhiondalbha, now Manulla parish. between Clogher and Lisrobert. Regies 

* C^Coiglidksy now always anglicised must have been the name of an old church 
Quigly. There are but very few of this in this vicinity. Some say that R^les 
name at present in Carra, though the was the name of an old church in the pa- 
name is common in other parts of Ireland, rish of Balla. 

^ Mae GiOa F%^ulains.'^Thi& name is 

2C2 



196 

C6l Dain^in, ip bpaenpop ban, 
Oipiih, Imaipi imlan, 
'c O'mailpaici, pial on pep, 
lep b'aici cliccp ip comoem. 

Cpi baile na Culca cep, 

'c O'bpdgan, Do puaip aibncp, 
'p 'c O'pajaprai^ ruai^ 'cd cij, 
pa molcaip a n-ucnp aencn^. 

Ccapmann balla pa'n bino clui^, 
ponn blaic Do bennai^ pdDpaij, 



plum5 



^ Old daingin^ L e. the back of the 
Dangan or fortress. The name is now 
unknown. 

* Braen-roa^ L e. the droppy wood, or 
wood of drops. Now unknown. 

^ Oireamhj now well known in Carra, 
and anglicised Errew on the Ordnance 
Map, and Errue bj Mi. Balds. It is situ- 
ated in the parish of Bally hean, and about 
two miles from the great abbey of Ballin- 
tober. It is now the fee simple property of 
James Hardiman, Esq., author of the His- 
tory of Gralway, who has granted ten acres 
of it for ever, in purd eleemosind^ to lay 
monks of the third order of St. Francis, 
under the condition stated in their char- 
ter, that they shall keep a school for the 
education of the children of the vicinity 
in the usual branches of English education, 
and also in the Irish language. This 
school has been open since the first of 
November, 1842, and the pupils, who had 
previously no opportunity of acquiring 



education of any kind, are making rapid 
progress in the acquirement of English 
learning, and also in the reading and 
writing of the native language, which is 
stni fluently spoken in the district. 

8 Imairi (L e. the ridge), now obsolete. 
All these townlands, whose names are now 
forgotten,, and which are set down here as 
belonging to O'MaoiLraite, lay in the im- 
mediate vicinity of Errew, in the paxish of 
Ballyhean ; it is highly probable that the 
place here called Imairi is the denominA- 
tion now called Cnoc an iomaire, L e. the 
hiU of the ridge. 

^ O^MaUraite This name, which, if 

analogically anglicised, would be O'Mul- 
ratty, is now unknown in this neighbour- 
hood under that form, but it is very pro- 
bable that it is the same which is now 
anglicised Batten. 

'^ The three Untmlands of Tulaehj etnUk, — 
In the prose this tract of land is called 
Tulach Spealain,.i e. Spellan's Hill; Spel- 



197 

Cul Daingin** and Braenros* ban [the white\ 
Oiremh'^ and the entire of Imairi*^ 
Belong to CMailraite**, hospitable the man, 
To whom the literati and the feast were pleasing. 

The three townlands of Tulach* the southern, 

Belong to O'Brogan^ who has enjoyed happiness, 
And the northern to O'Faghartaigh, who at his house 
Is praised at the time of the assembly. 

The Termon of Balla*, where sweetly sound the bells, 
A flowery land, which Patrick blest'. 



lao, which is now a surname, being the pro- 
per name of a man, formerly common in 
Ireland. It is now known bj the synoni- 
moos name of Cnoc Spealain, which is the 
name of a lofty hill lying between the vil- 
lage of Balla and Sliere Cama, in the ba- 
rony of Carra. 

i €^Brogan, — This name is now angli- 
cised Brogan, and there are persons of the 
name in the townland of Ringarrane and 
other townlands in the parish of Bally- 
hean, and throughout the barony of Carra. 
The name O'Faghartaigh is now unknown 
in this district, though it is common in 
the county of Cralway imder the anglicised 
form of Faherty. 

* Tke Temum of BaOa.—'ThJs Termon, 
according to the prose list, comprised 
twenty-four ballys or large townlands, 
each containing about 480 Irish acres, so 
that it must have comprised the greater 
part of the present parish of Balla, but 
the Editor has not been able to find any 



record in which these townlands are given 
by name. This Termon was probably 
held by O'Ceamaigh, as herenach, or he- 
reditary warden of the church of Balla, 
but he seems to have been dispossessed by 
a branch of the Burkes at an early period. 
These Burkes, styled *^an Tearmoinrij^^ 
i. e. of the Termon, cut a conspicuous 
figure in the Irish Annals, particularly in 
the reign of Elizabeth, when Shane an Tear- 
moinn Burke, was the head of that branch. 
* Which Patrick blest — There is no 
mention made of Balla in any of the lives 
of St. Patrick, not even in the Tripartite 
Life, published by Colgan, which mentions 
the saint's visit to Ceara, unless it be the 
place called Cuil Chorra. The places men- 
tioned in the Tripartite Life as visited by 
the saint during his stay in Ceara, are 
Cuil Corra, and Tobar Stingle, the latter 
of which is doubtless the present Ballin- 
tober. We may, however, receive the 
authority of the Mac Firbis, in 141 7, that 



198 



pluaij 6 Uempai5 'ca ro^a, 
puaip O'Ceapnaij ceo po^a. 

puaip O'Caeman na C0I5 pen 
ruauh Ruipin, ip pian po mep, 
ruac raipec pcapann na pcap, 
pcn-ponn cpcnpech i)^ claioem. 

puaip O'Ruaiom na puoj; mcp 
6 Qrh na lub, map luairep, 
CO ponn Cilli na n-japj n-jlan, 
pinne co h-apo 'cd n-dipem. 

O chacap Chillfn na n-japj 

CO h-Qch SepiD na paep bdpD, 



this spot wfts then believed to have been 
consecrated by St Patrick's visit thereto, 
when he was preaching the Gospel in the 
territory of Ceara, but the first chnrch 
seems to have been built at Balla by St 
Cronan, otherwise called Mochua, who 
died in the year 637, and whose memory 
was celebrated there, according to the 
Irish calendars, on the 30th of March. Its 
ancient ecdesiastical importance is suffi- 
ciently indicated by the remains of a Round 
Tower, of the height of which about forty 
feet remain. Near it are the ruins of a 
small ancient church, built of the same 
stone, and evidently of the same date and 
workmanship as the Tower. For some 
historical notices of this place see Colgan's 
Acta Sanctorum, p. 790, and the Annals 
of the Four Masters, at the years 637, 
1 1 79, 1226, 1236. 
"* A kosijrwn Tara, 4^., that is, others 



agup 

of the royal race of Tara contending for 
this Termon. Sluai; 6 Uhempai^ '^ 
ro^a is the reading given by Dnald Mac 
Firbis. 

° Tuath Euisen This tract of land is 

called, in the prose list prefixed to this 
poem, by the oIi'm name of Sos laogh, 
which is now the name of a parish in the 
barony of Carra, anglicised Bosslee, and 
described as containing seven ballys, and 
extending from Cluain Lis Nellin to Beul 
atha na lub, now Newbrook, and irom 
Beul athanag-carr to MuilleannTionnain. 
It appears also to have borne the name of 
Tuath Aitheachda, L e. terriiorium AttOr 
cotUcum^ irom its having been one of the 
last districts in Connaught held by a tribe 
of the Belgic race, who were universally 
called Aitheachs, or plebeians, by their 
Scotic conquerors. From these facts it 
appears pretty certain that the district of 



199 



A host from Tara selecting it", 

O'Ceamaigh obtamed, ds his first choice. 
O'Caomhan of the ancient swords obtained 

Tnath Rinsing vigorous his career, 

A princely district, soil of heroes. 

Old land of lances and swords. 
O'Euaidhin'' of the rapid onsets got 

The tract stretching from Ath na lub^ as is reported. 

To the land of fair Gill na n-garg"*. 

We are proudly counting them. 
From the causeway of Cillin na n-garg', 

To Ath Seisidh' of the noble bards, 



And 



ToAth fioisen comprised all the parish of 
T&aghU and the greater part, if not the 
entire, of that of Bosslee. 

^ (yRuaidhin. — This fiunily name has 
been changed to O'Buadhain, anglio^ Ku- 
ane, and there are still people of the name 
in the tract here described. 

P Aik na luby called in the prose tract 
Benl atha na lub, which is the name of 
the place at the present day in Irish ; it 
is now anglicised Newbrook, and is well 
known under both forms as the seat of 
Lord Clanmorria. 

^ cm na n^rgj called in the prose list 
Cillinn an-garg, which is the true name, but 
the poet was here obliged to shorten it bj 
a sjUable to fit his heptasyllabic measure. 
This place is now popularly called Cillin, 
anglio^ Killeen, and lies between Beal 
atha na lub, or Newbrook, and Brooms- 
town, in the parish of Robeen, which being 



outside the boundary of the present ba- 
rony of Carra, shows that the modem 
barony is not co-extensive with the an- 
cient territory whose name it bears. 

'' The causeway qf Cillin na n-garg, — 
Here the poet gives the true name, his 
measure admitting the additional syllable 
in Cillin. This Togher or causeway of 
Killeen, which is still a remarkable feature 
on the land, is well known to this day, 
and now gives name to a distinct town- 
land and gentleman's seat, adjoining Kil- 
leen to the east 

* Aik Seisidhy now corruptly called Beai 
atha na aiod&y Bealanadiee, and supposed 
to signify the ford of the &irie6 — Os vadi 
lemurum seu geniorum. It is in the pa- 
rish of Robeen, north of Ballinrobe, and 
popularly believed to be haunted by the 
fairies, which induces the country peo- 
ple to hurry home in the winter from the 



200 



agup Robfn pmo aiiaip, 
poiofn ip 5pinn le ^^^^^^'^^ 

O Shijin Chiapdm na cloj 
CO Cobap Lu^na Idn-boj, 
puaip O'bipn m ponn pleDach, 
Oa'p pill coll pa cem-pe&ac. 

O'n Uobap co Gael na each, 
Rooba ip Rachain pa Qcnac, 



0'5<>ip"^5i<^l^ci 



market of Ballinrobe to arrive by day light 
at this ford, which they must cross whe- 
ther they take the high road or the short 
cut through the fields. 

' Robin^ now Bobeen, the name of a 
townland bordering on the Robe, where 
that river winds in a remarkable manner, 
in the parish of Robeen, Ijring to the north- 
east of the town of Ballinrobe. 

» A littie spot which is ddightftd to the 

strangers This line clearly shows that 

Robeen was, in the time of the writer 
(141 7), in the possession of the Grails or 
strangers, the name by which the Irish 
then designated the English settlers. There 
are still to be seen at the place the ruins 
of a castle and church of considerable anti- 
quity, said to have been erected by the 
family of Burke. According to the An- 
nals of the Four Masters the territories of 
Muintir Murchadha, now the barony of 
Clare, in the county of Galway, Con- 
maicne Cuile Toladh, now the barony of 
Kilmaine, in the county of Mayo, and 
Ceara, now the barony of Carra, were 
castellated by the English Barons of Ire- 



land in the year 1238. 

^ Siffhin Chiarain of ike beOs. — This 
shows that there was a church at the place. 
It is supposed to be the place now called 
Sighean, lying a short distance to the 
south of Cloonagashel house, in the parish 
of Ballinrobe, and to the right of the road 
as you go from the town of Ballinrobe to 
CloonagasheL 

^ Tobar Lughna^ L e. the well of St. 
Lughna, or Lughnat, the nephew of St. 
Patrick, who is called in the Irish calen- 
dars Lughnat of Loch Measca, the luamaire, 
or pilot, of St. Patrick. — See Petrie's 
Essay on the Round Towers of Ireland, 
for further notices of this saint. Tobar 
Lughna, anglice Toberloona, is still well 
known in the country, and the name is 
still applied to the original object, namely, 
a holy well dedicated to St. Lughnat, near 
which are the ruins of an old church close 
to Cartoon Deer Park, in the parish of 
Robeen, which is south of the boundary 
of the modem barony of Carra, in the ba- 
rony of Kilmaine. 



20I 



And Bobin' being to the east of us, 

A little spot which is delightful to the strangers". 

And from Sighin Chiarain of the bells'" 

To Tobar Lughna^, the soft [i. e. hoggy], 

O'Bim* obtained that festive land, 

For whom the hazle^ waved in hundred tendrils. 

From the Tobar to Gaol' of the battles, 
Rodhba and Rathain imder Aenach% 

O'GoirmghioUa 



' €PBim. — This name is still in the 
Tery district here described, but it is an- 
glicised Byrne. In the county of Bos- 
common the same name is sometimes angli- 
cised Bruin by the peasantry, but O'Beime 
by the gentry, and in other parts of Ireland 
it has been metamorphosed into Byron. 

^ For whom the hazd^ ^c, — The frequent 
allusions made to this tree in this poem. 



waters into Lough Mask. " There is,'' he 
adds, '* a bridge over this Caol, or strait, 
called Keel Bridge, which is on the boun- 
dary between the baronies of Carra and 
Eilmaine ; and in the winter the waters 
of Lough Carra and Lough Mask meet to 
the south-west of this bridge." This Caol, 
or strait, may be described as the river by 
which Lough Carra discharges its super- 



and also in the topographical poem of abundant waters into Lough Mask. For 



CDngan, written nearly a century earlier, 
show that the Irish valued it highly. They 
probably used its fruit to feed their herds 
of swine, and there can be doubt that 
they used nuts and shamrocks in hard 
summers to feed themselves. 

* From the Tobar to Cad^ i e. from To- 
bar Lughna to the Caol, or narrow strait 
which connects Lough Carra with Lough 
Mask, and divides Partry from Kilmaine 
barony. Mr. J. O'Flaherty of Ckdway 
says in his reply to queries proposed by 
the Editor respecting localities in the 
ndghbourhood, that the name Caol, or 
Keel, is applied to the narrowest part of 
Lough Carra, where it discharges its 



the situation of the Bridge which retains 
the name, and the relative position of 
these lakes, see Ordnance Map of Mayo, 
sheet 109, and Balds' Map, sheet 19. 

* Rodhba and Eathain under Aenach, — 
The boxmdaries and extent of this district 
are better described in the prose list, 
thus, ^'The lordship of O'Croirmghiolla 
extends from Tobar Lughna to the ford 
of Caol Partraighe, and from the Bodhba 
to Raithleann." It contains seven ballys 
[toitmlands] and a half. The place here 
called Raithleann is now called Bealin, and 
is applied to a woody district on the brink 
of Lough Carra, between Brownstown 
house and the bridge of Keel. 



ZBI8H ABCH. SOG. 12. 



2D 



202 



0'5^ir^5^c[^l^ puaip a ponn, 
pluaij po cpom jialla eccpann. 
Upf baili an Cpiarpai j, can ccl, 
'c O'TTIailcdnd nap cdineo, 
ip niec 5^^^' bfiioi binO, 

cuipi na Cilli luamim. 

bailn-puipc 



^ CPCroirmghiaUa. — This name is still in 
Carra, and generallj anglicised Grormillj, 
though some render it Gormlej. This 
description shows that O'Goirmialla was 
not chief of Partrj, as stated in the prose 
list already given, for his district lay east 
of Keel, which is the eastern limit of the 
territory of Partry. 

^ Under the heavy thraldom of foreigners, 
— This affords an additional evidence that 
the territory of Ceara was in the posses- 
sion of the English settlers in the time of 
the writer. It is quite obvious, from the 
ruins of the castles and other edifices still 
remaining, and from the notices preserved 
in the Irish annals, of others which have 
been destroyed or modernized, that the 
English had fortified themselves against 
the assaults of the native Irish in this 
beautiful territory at a very early period 
These castles are, i, Caislean na Caillighe, 
or the Hag's castle, situated in Lough Mask, 
opposite the mouth of the river Robe ; it 
is a round building of vast circumference, 
and is mentioned in the Annals of the 
Four Masters as early as the year 1 195 ; 
2, Caislean na Caillighe, on Hag Island, 
in Lough Carra, opposite Annies ; 3, Cais- 
lean na Circe, in Lough Carra, on Castle 



Island; and, 4, Robeen Castle, already 
mentioned. The others now remaining 
are evidently of a later age. To these 
may be added the great castle of Bally- 
loughmask, which was rebuilt in the lat- 
ter end of the reign of Elizabeth, and 
another very remarkable monument of 
English power in this territory at an early 
period, namely, the Abbey of Burriscarra, 
supposed to have been erected by the 
Burkes in the thirteenth century for Car- 
melites or White Friars, but the exact 
year of its foundation is not on record, or 
at least is not yet discovered. It was 
granted by Pope John XXIH. in the year 
141 2, toEremites of the Augustinian order. 
Downing, who wrote a short account of 
the county of Mayo about the year 1685, 
for Sir William Petty's intended Atlas, 
thus describes this barony : — *' The barony 
of Scarra" [rccff Carra] " or Burriscarra, 
lyeth next to Kilmayne, which standeth 
upon the brinke of a great lough, called 
Lough Carra, by the ancients Fionnlough 
Carra, which is said to have been one of 
the three loughs of Ireland that first 
sprung. On it is a small abbey, or rather 
nunnery, called Annagh or Any. It was 
founded and given by Thomas Burke, the 



203 



O'Goirmghialla^ obtained that land 

Whose hosts are now under the heavy thraldom of foreigners*. 
The three townlands of Criathrach**, without concealment, 
Belong to O'Mailcana*, who was never dispraised, 
And to the melodious Mac Gilli buidhi's*^, 
The host of Cill* I recount. 



chief of the Burkes of Mayo, to the abbot 
of Cong, upon condition that if any wo- 
man of his posterity would vow chastity, 
the abbot of Cong should maintain her 
during her life, as appears by the several 
inquisitions after the dissolution of Cong. 
The next place of note in this barony is 
the abbey of Burriscarra, of the order of 
St Augustine, standing upon the side of 
the said lake or lougL'' 

' The three townlands of Criathrach. — 
As the river Robe formed the southern 
boundary of the territory of Ceara, it is 
quite clear that these three townlands 
could not have been on the south side of 
it. It will follow, therefore, that they 
were included in the estate of O'Gorm- 
ghialla, which extended from the Bobe to 
Raithleann, and from Toberloona to Keel 
Partry. Hence it must be inferred, that 
O'Mailcana and Mac Gillibhuidhi were 
Bmghaidhty or tenants to O'Croirmghialla, 
who, in comparison with them, was a 
petty chieftain. The name Criathrach is 
stUl well known in this district, but an- 
glicised to Creaghe, which is the name of 
a townland containing the seat of James 
Cuffe, Esq. 

Mr. James O'Flaherty of Galway, in 



The 

his letter to the £ditor, says, that Creagh, 
the seat of James Cuffe, £sq., as well as 
the townland on which it stands, is always 
called Criaharagh by the natives, in Irish, 
and that the term cpiacpac is applied in 
Carra to a flat piece of land intermixed 
with arable, bogs, sedgy quagmires and 
brushwood. 

* G*Mailcana. — There is no trace of this 
name now discoverable in the barony of 
Carra. 

^ Mac CHUi bhtddhi^s^ now anglicised Eil- 
boy in this district, but in other parts of 
Ireland more generally Mac Avoy, which 
is a strange corruption of the name. 

^ The host of cm I recount.— The poet 
has thrown this description into his verse 
in a very awkward and obscure manner ; 
but this is not to be wondered at, as it was 
difficult for him to insert every name into 
his heptasyllabio metre without lopping 
off some syllables. More skilful poets were 
obliged to omit topographical names alto- 
gether. 

" Quatttor hinc npimar Tiginti et milUa rhadia, 
Bfaosuri oppidnlo, quod Tersa dioere non «tt." 

HOBACB* 

It is much more intelligibly given in 
the prose list prefixed to this poem, thus: 



2D2 



204 



bailci-puipr cm cfpi ccp, 

pcapc Locaip ay lop o'afbncf , 
m c-Qemich, Coc buaoai^ bmO. 
ap pluojaib co moc mafoim. 

Do cloino Gipc ChulbuiDi, at) clop, 
pip Chfpi na f peb rol^r* 
ajup Clann Cuan can col, 
nap jann iipan ap ollarii. 

Qp Chloino Cuan na cpec cpom 
cpf caipi5 oo clccc comlonn, 



banba 



*' The three townlandB of Cnathrach are 
the estate of O'Maoilcana, and the family 
of Mac Giolla bhuidhe possess Cillin na 
m-buidhean, in Criathrach." There can 
be little doubt that the Cillin na m-bui- 
dhean here mentioned was the ancient 
name of the little church of Cillin or Eil- 
leen, Ijing a short distance, to the west 
of the town of Ballinrobe, for it is quite 
clear that the district of Criathrach, now 
Creaghe, which originaUj contained three 
ballys, or ancient Irish townlands, or about 
J 440 Irish acres, was situated on the north 
side of the river Bobe, and extended from 
Lough Mask eastwards to the point where 
the river winds southwards before it en- 
ters the town of Ballinrobe. It will be 
necessary here to observe that there are 
few, if any, townlands now so extensive 
as the ancient Irish ballybetaghs, thirty 
of which made a triocha chead, or 120 
quarters, and that the denominations of 
land in modem times called townlands are 
generally quarters of the ancient Irish 



ballybetaghs. In many instances the an- 
cient names of the ballybetaghs are lost, 
and the names of their subdivisions only 
are retained as townland names ; but in 
some instances the name of the ballybe- 
tagh remains, although it is not applied to 
as large a tract of land as it was originally, 
as exemplified in Criathrach, which is still 
the name of a townland, but not comprising 
the one-tenth of the area originally con- 
tained imder that appellation. — See Ad* 
denda for further remarks on the ancient 
division of territories in Ireland. 

** FeartLothair. — This name is now un- 
known in Carra. It was the seat of OlioU 
Inbanda, King of Connaught, who was 
slain in 544. — See Colgan, Acta SS, p. 752. 

^ Aenaeh, — This is probably the place 
called Annies, situated on Lough Carra, 
in the north-western extremity of the pa- 
rish of Eobeen. There were a nunnery 
and a castle at this place. There is no 
other place in the barony of Carra called 
by any name like Aenach, which signifies 



The chief seats of this southern territory [i. e. Ceara] 
Are Feart Lothair** of much happiness, 
Aenach*, and the sweet Loch BuadhaigW ; 
Before the multitudes I early boast of them. 

Of the race of Earc Culbhuidhi, it was heard, 
Are the Fir Thire of pellucid streams. 
And the Clann Cuain without stain. 
Who showed no small kindness to the bard. 

Over Clann Cuain* of heavy preys 

Were three chieftains accustomed to conflict, 



Who 



s £ur, or meetmg of the people, or a place 
where snch meetings are held. 

i Lough Buacttiaighy now probably 
Lough Boy, in the parish of Manulla ; but 
there ia another place of the name in the 
parish of Islandeady, also in Ceara. 

^ The (Xann Cuain. — The situation of 
the territory of this dann is distinctly 
pointed out in the prose tract prefixed to 
this poem, both as given by Duald Mac 
Firbis and in the Book of Lecan, thus : 
•* (y Cuinn, O'Maoilfhiona, and Mag Fhlan- 
nagain are the three chiefs of Clann Cuain. 
They are otherwise called Fir Thire, and 
also Fir Siuire, from a river of the name 
Sioir, which flows by the town at this 
day, called Caislen an Bharraigh." This 
is now called the Castlebar river. It issues 
from a lake lying a short distance to the 
west of the town of Castlebar, and flowing 
through the town it takes a north-eastern 
course xmtil it passes through the demesne 
of Turlough, and close by the round tower 



of Turlough. At the townland of Drum- 
daff it unites with a large stream which 
rises in the parish of ManuUa, and their 
waters flow in a circuitous northern course 
until they fall into a smaU lake at Curra- 
neard, out of the western side of which 
their united waters issue, and flow west- 
wards to receive the waters of the Clydagh, 
which carries with it the tributes of many 
smaller streams from the mountains. These 
united streams form a considerable river, 
which flows in a northern direction between 
the parishes pf Turlough and Templemore, 
and discharges itself into Lough Cullin, 
at its extreme southern point. — See Ord- 
nance Map of Mayo, sheets 60, 69, 70, 71^ 
78, and Balds' Map, sheets 13, 14. From 
the position of this river it is quite evident 
that the Fir Siuire, or Clann Cuain, were 
seated in the parishes of Islandeady, Tur- 
logh, and Breaghwy, or Breaffy, which 
form the northern portion of the present 
barony of Carra. 



2o6 



banba do cuill D*a coja, 
O'Cumo calma a ceo po^a. 

niaj Lannajan na clech copp, 
lep h-aipjeao oipep ecrpano, 
O'niailfna call 'na coij, 
pa cpann Dma oo Oamoib. 

Da jab O'Cuino uaip cli 
caipjecc dp cfpi-ne, 
pa cpuaio a comlano 'p^ ceim, 
Domnall, no co puaip oilbdim, 

'C O'Chuint) rdpla 'cd caja 
injean dlaino aencama, 
nocap jab pi coma cpuiD, 
ip f 'ca coja aj rpiacuib. 



^ Who deserved all Banba, 4^., i. e. who 
deserved to be monarch of Ireland for his 
taste and skill in selecting so fertile and 
beautifnl a district 

"* The brave O^Cuinfiy now anglicised 
Quin, a name still to be found in Carra, 
but there was more than one family of 
this name of a different sept even in the 
district of the Hy-Fiachrach. 

° Mag LannagaHj recth Mag Fhlanna- 
gain, i. e. filius FlannaganL It is to be 
remarked that the old Irish writers some- 
times omitted inserting the i to mark the 
genitive case ; and that when the initial 
p was aspirated they sometimes left it out 
altogether, as in the present instance. This 
name would be anglicised, according to 
analogy, Mac, or Mag Lanagan, but the 
Mac, or Mag has been long rejected, and 



Udpla 

the latter part of the name only retained. 
There are families of the name Lanagan 
and Flanagan still in Carra, but the O' and 
Mac are rejected in the anglicised form, 
though retained in the Irish pronunci- 
ation. 

^ CPMailina. — This was a different family 
from O'Mailina or O'Maoilfhiona, after 
whom the little town of Crossmolina, in the 
barony of Tirawley, took its name. For 
the descent of the latter see page 1 3. The 
former was descended from Earc Cul- 
bhuidhe, the progenitor of all the men of 
Ceara. 

P Of this our territofyj L e, of the terri- 
tory of which we are now treating. GTp, 
our, in this line, is used in the same sense 
as we commonly use " our author," ** our 
hero,'* &a, in English* 



207 



Who deserved all Banba [Ireland] for selecting it' [ Clann Cuain] , 

The brave O'Cuinn" was their first choice. 
Mag Lannagan'^ of the smooth shafts, 

By whom the districts of strangers were plundered, 

And O'Mailina**, who, yonder at his house, 

Was the sheltering tree of the learned. 
O'Cuinn one time obtained 

The chieftainship of this our territory**, 

Hardy were the conflict and career. 

Of DomhnaU', until he received disgrace. 
O'Cuinn happened to have 

A beautiful marriageable daughter who was wooed ; 

She did not receive a gift of cattle' 

Though she waa wooed by chieftains. 

There 



^ DamhnaUj i. e. Domhnall was the 
Dime of the O'Qoin, when this occurrence 
took place. 

' A gift of eatUe. — The reward given 
hj the husband to the wife was often 
called the coiEce, or cinnfCfKX, which may- 
be translated by the English word dower, 
though it rather means a present made to 
the wife than any fixed estate settled upon 
her. It appears from a vellom MS. pre- 
served in the Library of Trinity Collie, 
Dublin (H. 3. 18. p. 632), that presents 
of this kind were known by four distinct 
names, viz., slabhra, coibhche, tochra, and 
tinnscra. The dahhra was a present in 
live cattle and horse-bridles ; the coibhche 
in clothes and warriors; the tockra in 
sheep and swine ; and the tinnscra in gold, 
silver, and copper or brass. It is added. 



that the first eaibkehegiren to each daugh- 
ter belonged to the father, and that the 
word tinnscra originally meant a bar of 
gold weighing three oimces. The custom 
of making presents to the wife and her 
father also prevailed among the Jews ; — 
see Genesis, xxiv. 22, 53 ; — and is still ob- 
served among the Turks, on which a 
modem satirist remarks : 

** Though this SMms odd, 
'TU true : the roMon ii, that the Baahavr 
Must make a present to his sire-in-Iavr." 

Cuan O'Lochain, or whoever wrote the 
old poem on the origin of the name of Tara 
Hill, also alludes to this ancient Irish cus- 
tom where he says that Tea, the daughter 
of Lughaidh, asked this hill as her ellamh 
or dowry, when Heremon was wooing 
her. The custom is also very frequently 



2o8 



Udpla pc linD ip cip ccp 

pf O'phiacpac puaip aibncp, 
Ruampi, mac Uaiclig na cpeb, 
plac t)'ap aichnig cac inobep. 

Co cec h-1 ChuinD na cpeb ce, 

ceic O'Ouboa d Dun 5^^ciip^> 
TTienne mop pmD muige pdil, 
ap poD ipjaili D'pdobdil. 
Oa chf Ruampi na puaj meap 
an mjin cen-t)ub cnep 5el, 
a n-t)opup an gpiandin jlain, 
polup an ciab naip cobpaiD. 



Spdoafsip 



alluded to in the most ancient romantic 
stories about the famous warrior Finn 
Mac Cumhaill, who appears to have been 
very liberal in bestowing tinscras on all 
his wives and concubines. 

» The sotUhem district. — The territory of 
Ceara is so called as being the most south- 
ern portion of the territory of the northern 
Hy-Fiachrach. 

^ Buaidhri^ ton of Taithleach. — This 
chieftain is set down by Duald Mac Firbis, 
in his short annals of the O'Dowd family, 
as having succeeded Aodh, the son of 
Muircheartach O'Dowd, who died in the 
year 1 143, and as having preceded Cos- 
namhach, who was slain in the year 1 162. 
It is, therefore, quite evident that this 
Ruaidhri was the son of Taithleach, who 
was the son of Niall, who was son of Maoil- 
eachlainn, who died in 1005, who was son 
of Maolruanaidh, the son of Aodh, King of 



North Connaught, who died in 983. 

«* A fishing rod to whom every river was 
known. — The word inrUfher properly signi- 
fies the mouth of a river. This line con- 
veys, it is to be feared, an obscene compa- 
rison, which is beneath the dignity of a 
dry, historical poem of this nature. 

^ Dun Guaire, L e. the fort of Guaire. 
This, which is the real name of a place in 
the country of the Cinel Guaire, in South 
Hy-Fiachrach (see p. 67, Note p), is intro- 
duced here by a wild poetical licenae, of 
which the Irish bards were fond to an ex- 
travagance, and which creates a confusion 
and obscurity difficidt to be removed, and 
which, in some instances, cannot satisfac- 
torily be removed — See Battle of Magh 
Bath, where King Domhnall is called of 
Tailltenn, of Tara, of Ubneach, of Derry, 
of Dun Baloir, though he never resided at 
any of those places. 



J 



209 



There came at the time into the southern district* 

The King of Hy-Fiachrach, who had enjoyed happiness, 

Ruaidhri, son of Taithleach* of the tribes, 

A fishing rod to whom every river was known". 
To the house of O'Cuinn of fiery tribes 

Went O'Dubhda of Dun Guaire^ 

The great pillar of the fair plain of Fail", 

To get his warlike refection*. 
Euaidhri of the rapid onsets viewed 

The black-haired, fair-skinned daughter^, 

In the door of her beauteous Grianan* ; 

The steady, modest maiden was brightness'. 

Buaidhri 



• The plain ofFail^ L e. Ireland. 

* To get hU warlike refection, — When 
the chief set out on his r^al visitation his 
sub-chiefs were obliged to entertain him- 
self and his retinue for a certain time; 
and his demands were sometimes so ex- 
orbitant that he was often tmder the 
necessity of exacting them by force. Many 
instances are recorded in the Irish annals 
of chieftains having forced refection from 
their subjects by the sword ; but it must 
he acknowledged that in most of those in- 
stances the subjects had denied their claim 
on the grounds that they were not the 
rightful heirs. 

' Tlie Uaek-haired^ fair-skinned daugh- 
ter. — The Irish idea of female beauty is 
that the black hair is the most beautiful 
when the skin is fair, but if the skin be 
yellow it destroys the effect of the colour 
of the hair. Bed hair always accompanies 

IBI8H ABCH. 80C. 12. 2 



a fair skin, and, therefore, neither it nor 
its accompanying fair skin is admired by 
the Irish. It appears, however, that by 
far the greater part of the Milesian or 
Scotic people in Ireland were fair^haired, 
indeed they are so at the present day, and 
hence we find their bards admire the fair 
colour of the hair oftener than any other. 

z In the door of her beauteous Cfrianan. — 
For a full explanation of the meaning of 
the word grianan^ which here means a 
boudoir^ the reader is referred to the Battle 
of Magh Bath, p. 7, Note '. 

* The eteadg modest maiden was bright- 
ness^ written by Duald Mac Firbis, folup 
an ciab-naip cobpaio. It is impossible to 
render this line literally into £nglish : it 
would stand thus in Latin, preserving the 
order of the Irish words : *^ Lux Juit n 
crinita-modestd pladda." 



E 



2IO 



5pat>af5ir Rucnopi an puipc cuipp 
an injen aeboa, dluino ; 
ip cpen cdpla ap a aipi 
Damna oep oo'n De^-baili. 

Oa nf O'Ouboa d 06n ChumD 
amDeoin inline Oomnaill; 
le rpen 6 rdni^ apceac 
pdni5 an peel co pcailcec. 

TTlapbrap pf l?dca 6pant)uib 
le O'Cumo Do copp-lannaib, 
map Do bd a m-baejal bepna, 
'na aenap cpa an n^eapna. 

CeiD, CO moc ap na mdpac, 
O'CuinD na pluag pogpaDac, 



Dll 



^ Buaidhri of the bright eye loved, — ^It is 
impossible to translate this quatrain lite- 
rally into English, preserving the order 
of the Irish words. It would stand thus 
in Latin: 

" Araat Roderieoi ooidi ftouti 
r j|v pueUaoi iplendidam, formoMMn s 
Potentor oocurit ejiu attentioni [arripuit ani- 

mam], 
Cania lAchrymanxm rg bono domo." 

The word baile, which now means a 
village, town, and tovmland, is frequently 
used in the Irish annab to denote the re- 
sidence of a chieftain, a castle, or military 
station, as in the following example in the 
Annals of the Four Masters at the year 
1560 : — ^t>o c6iD ap bdpp an baile, ajup 
po puaccaip jo paiBe an caipl^ti ap a 
cumup, L e. '* he went up to the top of the 



baile,, and proclaimed that the castle was 
in his power." The word is explained 
inao, a place, in the Book of Lecan, foL 
164, p. d, col. 4 ; and in Cormac's Glos* 
sary, the word par, a fort, is explained 
by bcnle. It seems to be derived from 
the same source as the Greek «-«Ah, the 
Latin viUa^ and the French f>iUe. 

® Of the fort of Conn. — Dun Ouinn is 
here merely a poetical name for the resi- 
dence of O'Dowd, as b^g a descendant 
of Conn of the Hundred Battles ; but it 
leads to great confusion, as one might be 
apt to believe that Dun Cuinn was the 
real name of 0*Dowd's residence. The 
orthography of this quatrain is modern- 
ised by Duald Mac Firbis, as follows : 
t)o nf O'Duboa 6 Dun Cuinn 
Qinoe6in mgene t>oihnuill; 



J 



211 



Euaidhri of the bright eye loved^ 

The splendid comely daughter ; 

Mightily was his attention engaged 

In what became the cause of tears to the goodly mansion. 
O'Dubhda of the fort of Conn*^ efiected 

The violation of the daughter of Domhnall, 

-4nd as by force he entered in 

The report of the deed spread widely. 
The King of Rath Branduibh^ is slaLn 

By O'Cuinn with sharp swords, 

As this lord [ O'Dubhda] indeed was found 

Alone in the gap of danger^. 
Early on the morrow went 

O'Cuinn of affectionate hosts, 

His 



/ 



tt qieuTi 6 catnip ifceac^ 
Rdini^ an p^eul jo f^aoileeac. 

'* Eifccit CDonda de vce Conni 
Tiolationem filie Donaldi ; 
Bt per Tim quia Tenermt intrs [dJDmtuii], 
iTit If fkma diffiu^." 

* Jiatk Branduibh^ now Bafran, a town- 
land containing the ruins of an abbej in 
the pariah of KiUalla, barony of Tirawlej, 
and oountjT of Majo. It was one of the 
B«ilte pairt, or residences of the chieftains 
of Hy-Fiachrach, and therefore properly 
eaiocigh introduced here by the poet ; 
though it is to be feared that he would 
have introduced Tara, or any other re- 
nuffkable seat of any of O'Dowd's ances- 
tors in its place, if his measure required it 
• Gap of danger, — 6ae5al-Be6pna, or 
bea|ina boe^il^ literally means ** gap of 



danger ;*' it is generally used in the Irish 
annals to denote a perilous pass where the 
chief usually placed guards to prevent his 
enemies from making irruptions into his 
territory ; but it is sometimes used to de- 
note danger or forlorn hope. The Irish to 
this day use the saying if 6 on peap aip 
a' m-beapna ^, L e. he is the man on the 
gap, to denote a man of undoubted cou- 
rage, principle and integrity ; and also the 
saying c6 f^ a m-be6[pna an Bao^il, 
i e. **he is in the gap of danger,*' when 
they see a man in danger of being ruined 
in his property or character by his enemy. 
For a beautiM description of what the 
Irish and Highlanders of Scotland called 
a *^gap of danger" in the Highlands of 
Scotland, the reader is referred to Waver* 
ley by Sir Walter Scott, voL i. c 15. 



2E 



212 



Dil cac pcbna 'n-a peapaib, 
CO p(l meapoa TTluipeaDai;; ; 

Uomalcac \X\6\i na cpcab cc 

niac OiapmaDa, 6 6^65 66inDc, 
pd TTiaep 00 coiD in cineab. 
Do pacm t)6ib a n-ainolijcao. 

Q caic 6'n 16 pm ale 

Clann Cuan, pip cpen Cipi, 
can luat) caipci 'n-a cenaib 
ap fluaj maicne TTluipeaoai;;. 



Clann 



^ Sil Muireadkaigh This was the tribe 

name of the O'Conors and their correla- 
tives, the Mac Dermotts, and other fami- 
lies of Connaught, as already often re- 
marked. 

s TomaUach Mor. — According to the 
Annals of the Four Masters this Tomal- 
tach Mor Mac Diarmada, or Mac Der- 
mott, became chief of Mojlurg in the 
year 11 69, and his death is recorded in 
the same Annals at the year 1206, in 
the following words: — '^Tomaltach, son 
of Conchobhar, who was son of Diarmaid, 
who was son of Tadhg, lord of Magh luirg 
Airteach and Aicideachta, only prop of 
the Siol Maolruana, died." From this it 
would appear that Ruaidhri Mear O^Dowd 
flourished at a later period than that as- 
signed to him by Duald Mac Firbis in his 
short annals of the O'Dowd family, namely, 
between the years 1 143 and 1 162. There 
was no other Tomaltach Mac Dermott, 
chief of Moylurg about this period. His 



predecessor in the lordship of Moylurg 
was Conchobhar, who retired into the 
monastery of Boyle in the year 1 196, and 
died in 1198, and he was preceded by 
Maurice, son of Teige, who died in 11 87, 
who was preceded by Diarmaid, son of 
Tadhg, who died in the year 1159, who 
had succeeded his brother Maoilseachlainn 
(son of Tadhg), who was slain in the year 
1 124 ; so that if the transfer of the Claim 
Cuain from O'Dowd to Mac Dermott had 
really taken place in the time of Tomal- 
tach Mor Mac Dermott, Buaidhn Mear 
O'Dowd the cause of this transfer, would 
have flourished since the year 1 196, when 
Tomaltach Mor succeeded. But there can 
be no doubt that this is an anachronism 
of GioUa losa Mor Mac Firbis ; for it ap- 
pears from the Annals of the Four Masters 
that Mac Dermott had possession of the 
territory of Clann Cuain nine years be- 
fore Tomaltach Mor became chief of Magh 
Luirg, namely, in the year 1187, ^1^^ 



213 

His men worthy of any host, 

To the vigorous Sil Muireadhaigh^ ; 
To TomsJtach Mor* of fiery tribes, 

Mac Diarmada of Brugh Boinne', 

And\mA.ex\nB steward the tribe [o/<0'(7wmw] submitted <A^wwe/ve^, 

He [Ma€ Diarmada] consenting to their illegal act?. 
From that day down to this 

The Clann Cuain and mighty Fir Thire^ 

Are without mention of a charter for their tributes 

Among the host of the Sil Muireadhaigh*. 

But 



Maurice, son of Tadhg O^Mulrony, was 
chief of Magh Luirg, and had actuaUj 
erected a mansion for himself at Claonloch, 
in the territoiy of Clann Chuain. 

^ Bruffh Bainne This is the reading in 

both copies. Brugh Boinne was the an- 
cient name of a Pagan cemetery on the 
HTer Bojne, near Stackallan, in the county 
of East Meath ; but it looks very strange 
that Tomaltach Mor Mac Dermott, chief 
of Moylurg, in the county of Rosconmion, 
should be caUed of this place, as neither 
he, nor any of his ancestors, had ever lived 
at the place. The poet might have easily 
aTmded this incongruity by writing 6 Dpu 
6uille, L e. from or of the brink of the 
riTer Boyle, or 6 bpuj^ 6uiUe, i. e. from 
the fort on the Boyle ; and, were it not 
that we have the authority of the Book of 
Lecan, which was compiled by Giolla losa 
Mor himself for bpuj^ 6oinoe, we would 
be inclined to think that bpuj 6uille was 
the true original reading. 



^ He consenting to their illegal acL — The 
poet here vrishes his readers to belieye 
that the Clann Cuain had no right to 
segregate themselves from the chieftain 
who was of their blood, whatever his con- 
duct towards them might have been ; and, 
therefore, that it was unlawful for Mac 
Dermott to encourage them to do so. 

J The Clann Cuain and mighty Fir Thire, 
— From this it would appear that the 
Clann Cuain and Fir Thire were two dis- 
tinct tribes, though it is distinctly stated 
in the prose list that Fir Thire was but 
an alias name for the Clann Cuain. 

^ TheSUMuireadhaigh, — This, as already 
remarked, was the tribe name of the 
O'Conors and their correlatives in Con- 
naught. The Mac Dermotts of Moy lurg are 
in reality O'Conors, being descended from 
Maolruanaidh, son of Tadhg an £ich Ghil 
(or Teige of the White Steed), O'Conor, 
king of Connaught, who was slain in the 
year 1030. ^'Thadsus an eich ghil (i. e. 



214 



Clann TTlaelpuanait) na pua^ Tnea|i 
56 puaippeD uppi dipem, 
a lenmam ni Du Do'n Opoinj, 
^^Sl'^jcii CI cnu pe cpobumj. 

Cucup liTTi, ip luaD pepa, 

DO peip na cpacb coibnepa, 

6 Chlomt) TTlacilpuanait), can poinD, 

CO cpacib luapaiD, map labpuim. 

CpmllaiT), cupa pen popam, 
o'n cip paippinj cplamais 
CO h-lppup, 'nap h-oilea6 inD, 
cimiup na n-aipep n-aibino. 

O'Caichmao, nap C0151II cp66, 
uppi Ippaip nap h-aepat>; 



copao 



ab equo albo appellatns), gentdt Hugonem 
an gha bheamaigh (i e. ab obtuso jaculo 
nomen sortitum), et Molnianmn, a quo 
Mac DiarmodiLS de Muighluirgia originem 
traxit** — ZV. John Lynch in Trandatwn 
of Keating* s Historg oflrdand. 

' The Clann Maoilruanaidh. — This was 
the particular tribe name of the Mac Der- 
mott family, which they deriyed from 
Maohnanaidh, who was the son of Tadhg 
an eich ghil O'Conor, i e. Teige of the 
White Steed, and died in the year 1077. 
From his grandson, Diarmaid, who died 
in 1 165, the family took the name of Mac 
Diarmada, or Mac Dermott 

^ I have now brought theni with me. — 
Here the poet throws out no faint sng- 
gestion, that his own poem might induce 



the Clann Cuain to return from the Clann 
Maoilruanaidh back to their original chief- 
tain ; but it is more than probable that nei- 
ther Mac Dermott nor O'Dowd had any 
controul oyer the Clann Cxudn in 141 7« 
when this poem was written. It appears 
from the annals, however, that the O'Dowd 
to whom it was addressed had made great 
efforts to recoyer the possessions of kis 
ancestors, and it is very likely that this 
poem, enumerating all the districts in the 
principality of the O'Dowds, was no weak 
stimulus to rouse him to exertion. The 
descent of the Clann Cuain is given already 
in p. 17. 

°^ Of patron saints. — 6plaiii laeans a 
patron saint, and eplamac, of which ep- 
lamai j is the dative or ablative fono. 



215 



£ut though the clann Maoibnanaidh' of rapid onsets 

Have obtained of them possession, 

To cling to them is not meet for this people ; 

Its nut separates from the parent branch. 
I have now brought them with me"", by a reporting of knowledge 

According to the genealogical relationship 

From the Clann Maoilruanaidh, without division, 

To the native stem, as I speaL 
Let us pass, may our journey be felicitous, 

From the wide territory of patron saints" 

To Irrus®, where we were fostered, 

That border of delightful districts'*. 
O'Caithniadh**, who spared not cattle, 

fVots the chief of Irrus, who was not satirized ; 



means, abounding in patron saints. The 
patron saints of Ceara were Patrick of 
Ballintober, Mochua of Balla, Lughnat of 
Lough Mask, Ciaran of Partry, &G. 

* IrruSj now the baron j of Erris, form^ 
ing the north-west portion of the countj 
<^Majo. 

P Thai border of deUffhfftd dutrkts.— 
Written by Duald Mac Firbis, ciomap na 
n-oipecqi n-aoiBinn. The word oipea]!, 
of which na n-oipeap is here the genitive 
case plnral, is translated ySfie« by Colgan 
in his translation of a part of the Albanic 
Dnan, or poem relating to the Dalnadic 
kings of Scotland, thus : 

Deic mbliaona 6oapn, l^tp-blao 
Q S-plaireof oipip Qlban. 
'* Deotm aiinis LoamnB (res nou), 
Em in prinoipatajliitifjii Albanie.'* 



The 

The scenery of Erris is very wild and 
romantic, but the land is at present so 
void of trees that it looks awfully naked 
and desolate ; it is evident, however, from 
the trunks and roots of various kinds of 
trees found in the bogs, and even on the 
sea shore, in several places, that it once 
contained woods of considerable extent. 
For a curious account of the amenities of 
the delightful districts of Erris in our 
own times, the reader is referred to Trot- 
ter's Walks through Ireland, and Knight's 
Connaught Highlands. 

<i (PCaithniadk — This family is either 
now extinct in Erris, or the name has 
been changed into O'Cathain, or O'Kane. 
The following notices of this family are 
preserved in the Annals of the Four Mas- 
ters: 



2l6 



copao an cfpi 'na cuinD, 
TTiolaD t)o'n Ifne labpuim. 

Upf caf pij ap cfp f 1 h-piap, 
a n-lppu|» af up popniam, 
ploig ap TTiipi pd TTicDaib, 
pine ap c6ip oo cpeioeinain. 

O'Ceallacan, ceami an r-ploi^, 
O'niuimnecan in nifo-6il, 
nic Comfn mn ap cenn nd cuip, 
po mm an Dpem pe odmaib. 

h-1 Chommint), coip a cuma, 

niei5 phint)din 'pa n-dpD pulla, 
nice Conboipm, luam jap lep, 
poipni t)o chuaio 6 coimcap. 



h-1 



" A. D. 1 1 80. Aodh O'Caithniadh, lord 
of lorrus, was treacherouslj slain bj 
O'CeaUachain at Gill Cboinain [now Kil- 
common]. 

'' A. D. 1206. Caithniadli O'Caithniadh, 
lord of lorrus, died 

'*A. D. 1 274, Feargal O'Caithniadh, 
lord of lorrus, died in Hj-Mac Caechain 
[now Dumha Caechain, near Invermore 
bay, in the north of Erris]." 

This is the last notice of the family of 
O'Caithniadh to be found in the Annals of 
the Four Masters, and it is highly pro- 
bable that their power was crippled about 
this period by Domhnall lorruis O'Conor 
(the son of Maghnus, who was son of 
Muircheartach Muimhneach), and that 
they were soon after totally put down by the 



Barretts, who built several castles in this 
territory. The Editor made erery search 
for the name O'Caithniadh in Erris, in 
the summer of 1838, but could not find a 
single individual of the name in the barony, 
though the old natives have a tradition 
that such a family once existed. For the 
descent of O^Caithniadh see page 5, tuprd. 
Caithniadh, the name of the progenitor of 
this family, is derived from coM, a battle, 
and niadhy a hero. 

'' The produce of the oofwntry is infloodsn — 
Erris is now any thing but a fertile dis- 
trict, and it is more than probable that it 
was less fertile in 141 7. 

' Excited by methe^in, — ITIid, mead, or 
metheglin, is very frequently alluded to 
in the Old Irish poems and romantic tales 



21/ 



9 



The produce of the country is in floods 
Praise to the tribe I speak. 

There are three sub-chiefs in this western country, 
In Imis of splendid aspect, 
A host the most excited by metheglin*, 
A tribe who merited to be believed. 

0*Ceallachain\ head of the host, 

O'Muimhneachain", who drinks the mead, 
Mac Coinin"", remind us not of him", 
Very kind are those people to the learned. 

The O'Coinminns* of right condition, 

The Mag Fhionnainns^ in the high roll, 
The Mac Conboimes* of prosperous name, 
Tribes who have gone beyond comparison. 



The 



•8 an intoxicating drink used by the an* 
cient Irish at their feasts. 

' CPCeallachainy now Callaghan. — See 
p. 5 for the descent of this family ; see 
also Note ^, p. 216, where one of this fa- 
mily is mentioned as having slain O'Caith- 
niadh, lord of lorrus. 

" O'Muimhneachainf now Minahan, a 
name still common in £rris, and rising 
into respectability. For the descent of 
this fanoily see p. 5. 

^ M<ic Coinin. — ^For the descent of this 
family see p. 5, $upriu 

* Remind tu not ofhim^ L e. it is unne- 
cessary to remind us of him, as we can 
never forget his generosity. 

' (yCtnnnminns. — This name does not 
occur in the prose list, nor in the pedi- 
grees of the Cinel Feidhlimidh, already 

IRISH ABCH. 80C. 12. 2 



given in pages 5, 6 of this volume. It is 
now obsolete. 

7 Mag Fhionnains. — This name is now 
pronounced in Irish as if written Ma Gi- 
onnain^ and anglicised Grannon. — See p. 6 
for the descent of this family. 

' Mac Conboimes. — This family is called 
O'Conboime in the prose list prefixed to 
this poem, and also in the genealogical 
account of the Cinel Fedhlimidh of lorrus 
given in pages 5, 6 of this volume ; but 
Mac Conboime is the form still retained 
among the people, and is very probably 
the true one. This name is now always 
anglicised Burns, which is a very great 
corruption, and not to be recommended; 
the true form, Mac Conbomey, would 
sound well enough in an Fnglish ear. 



F 



2l8 



h-1 5^po^^^ ^^ n-5p^<ro P^i6, 
peoan ap cpooa cairhp6iTn, 
Oo'n gappaiD ap ni6p meoaip, 
cabpam ploij pa paep pleoaib. 

niap pin ap leip 'n dp leabap 
pluaj Ippaip can eleaoa;;, 
ap coip dipim na h-aicmi, 
ploij ndp cdmeab clannmaicni. 

pd^am Ippap an puinO jlain, 
cpiallam ^up an cfp Diiirhai^, 
Demim co puam ap pibal, 
pegarn uain cac ollaman. 

niap a Deip leabaip loma, 
poillpc6cao na peapanna, 
6 06n phfne co TTIuam moill, 
nip cpuaiD an line labpoim. 

Ceo ofjcup a oeapap ano, 
6 06n phfne na n-aball, 
O'Ouiblepga gan 5pdD n-^oi^lj 
ceapDa 'pan d6 Do po^loim. 



O'Cuint), 



■ CGearad/taifu, now Grearan. For the 
descent of this family see p. 6. 

^ Of the fine soil. — Extensive heathy 
and boggy mountains, snow-white plains 
of sand, with here and there a fertile spot, 
unsheltered against the blasts from the 
Atlantic, constitute the fine soil of Erris 
at present. 

^ The native territory^ L e. Tirawley, in 
which the ancient patrimonial inheritance 
of the Mac Firbises was situated. 



^ Bare books 6eabatp loma. The 

idea here intended to be conveyed by 
loma, the plural form of the adjective 
lom, bare, is not very obvious ; perhaps 
the poet may have intended to distinguish 
the genuine records, containing the simple 
naked truth only, from those embellished 
with romance and fiction. 

• Dun Fine^ now Dunfeeny, in the 
north-west of the barony of Tirawley — 
Vide eupray p. 6, Note ■. 



219 



\ 



The O'Geradhains* of sleek horses, 

A tribe of valorous career, 

A, race of great hilarity, 

Whose hosts are firm under their noble spears. 
Thus is obvious in our book set down 

The host of Irrus without exception. 

It is meet to enumerate this people, 

A host whose sons have not been dispraised. 
Let us leave Irrus of the fine soil^ 

Let us pass to the native territory*^. 

Let us quietly pursue our journey. 

Let us observe the opportunity of each ollamh. 
As bare books'* relate, 

I shall point out the lands 

From Dim Fine* to the sluggish Muaidh^ ; 

The race of whom I speak were not penurious. 
The first inheritor who shall be mentioned here, 

At Dun Fine of apple trees. 

Is O'Duibhlearga^, who loves not the Galls**, 

An artifex in learning prowess* 



.bh 



O'Cuinn 



\ 



^ 7%e duggMMuaidh^ i. e. the sluggish 
river Moy. — Vide supra, pp. 2, 3, for the 
situation of this river. The epithet diip- 
psk is applicable to it in its passage 
through the plains, but not in the moun- 
tains. It is the outlet of the waters of 
the great Lough Conn, and of all the 
streams from Slieve Carna and Castlebar 
lakes northwards to near Killala. 

K OPDuibhleargii. — This name is now ob- 
solete. For the descent of the family see 

2F 



p. 7 of this volume. 

b Who loves not the Galls. — The Galls 
(or foreigners) here alluded to were the 
English settlers in Tirawley, as the Bar- 
retts, L jnotts, Burks, &c. ; and O'Duibh- 
learga's want of love for them doubtlessly 
contributed in no small degree to bring 
about the extinction of his own family. 

^^An artifex in learning prowess, L e. an 
adept in learning military exercises and 
the use of arms. 
2 



220 



O'CuinD, fa calma a cineaD, 
Do'n aicTTii nap h-fplfjcao, 
ajup O'Comgan can coll, 
ij' TTleg Oopan pa'n pcapann. 

O'OuanmuiDi pa ofjaino pach, 
ajup O'bliji bdoach, 
O'bepja o'dp claen na cuill, 
pcpja na naem Do ncrh chuill. 

0'T?aouban, pdo can locc, 

6 6aili an ^^^"'^j ^ glan-popc, 
an bpu^^aiD nac bpe^ac blao, 
cupaio ceDac ap copnam. 

O m-baili pem, ap pfp pm, 

TTleic Conleicpech an laecpaiD, 



bpem 



^ (yOuinn, now always anglicised Quin, 
without the O'. For the descent of this 
family, which is different from that of 
O'Quin of Clann Cnain, in Ceara, vide 
suprStj p. 7. 

J OPComhgan^ called O'Comhdhan, in the 
genealogical account of Cinel Aongusa, 
given in page 7 of this volume, and also 
in the prose list prefixed to this poem. 
The name would be anglicised Cowgan, 
but the Editor could not find the name in 
Tirawley in 1838. 

^ Mag Odhrain — For his descent see 
p. 7. This name would be anglicised 
Magoran, but it is not to be found under 
any recognizable form in Tirawley at pre- 
sent. Magauran, or Magowran of Tully- 
haw, in the county of Cavan, is of a dif- 



ferent race, and called in native language 
Mag Shamhradhain. 

^ 0*Duanmuidhe — For his descent see 
p. 7. The name is now obsolete. 

^ O^Blighe. — For his descent see p. 7. 
This name is not to be found in Tirawley 
at present. The Editor met persons of 
the name Blighe in Ulster, but they do 
not look upon themselves to be of Irish 
descent. 

° O^Berga,— For his descent see p. 7 of 
this volume. This name is also obsolete. 

^ For whom the hades stoap^ L e. stoop 
under the weight of their nuts. 

P O^JRadubhain. — This name, which 
would be analogicaUy anglicised Radavan, 
is now obsolete. 

^ BaUe an ghkanna^ i e. the town, or 



221 

O'Cuinn^ of the brave tribe, 

One of the people who have not been lowered, 
And O'Comhgan^ without a stain, 
And Mag Odhrain^ is on that land. 

O'Dnanmuidhe* of happy success. 
And O'Blighe"' the warlike, 
O'Berga" for whom the hazles 8toop°, 
Who deserved not the anger of the saints. 

O'Radubhain*', — an assertion without fault, — 
Of Baile an ghleanna"^, his fine 8eat^ 
A brughaidh* of no false fame, 
A hundred-attended hero in defending. 

Of their own town\ it is true, 

Are the Mac Conleitrechs, the heroes, 



townland of the glen or vaUey. — See p. 7, 
IK/TO, where it vriU be seen that the real 
name of the glen in which O'Radubhain 
redded, was Gleann an chaim. The name 
is now anglicised Ballinglen, and is that 
of a townland in the parish of Diinfeenj, 
in Tirawley, near the little town of Bally- 
castle. 

' Hi9 fine seat — Q ^lan-popc. Port 
means a fort or fortified residence, and is 
evidently cognate with the English word 
fort. It is used throughout the latter part 
of the Annab of the Four Masters to de- 
note fort, or fortress, as Port Laoighise, 
the Irish name of the town of Marybo- 
rough, in the Queen's County ; Port Mor, a 
large fort erected in the reign of Elizabeth 
between Lough Key and Lough Arrow, in 
Connaught ; Port Mor, a fort erected by 



the English on the Blackwater, in O'Neill's 
country. — See also the same annals at the 
year 1595, where O'Farrell's chief castle, 
in the now county of Longford, is called 
Port Aireachais Ui Fhearghail, and at the 
year 1600, where the forts erected, do 
rpinpiDiB caiman, i.e. of earthen trenches, 
at Dunnalong, Culmore, and Derry, in Ul- 
ster, are called cpt puipc, i e. three ports 
orfirts, 

* A Brtighaidkt L e. a farmer. 

* Of their own town^ i. e. of Baile Mec 
Conleitreach, which is the name given in 
the prose list, and which was called after 
the family themselves. The place is so 
called to this day in Irish, and correctly 
anglicised Ballykinlettragh, which is a 
townland in the north of the parish of 
Kilfian, in the barony of Tirawley, not far 



222 



OpcTTi can ombbpif um ccnD cpui6, 
ap ynxmbpip ceall nip chfimsaiD. 

O Cill Qpoub, DiaDa an opon^, 
h-1 Charapai5 na comlano, 
a5 t)ul cap gac paen poime, 
'pel cup cdem O'Conjoile. 

Uaipigccc ap t)(jchai6 t)6ib, 

maicni mcnmnac an mop ploij, 
h-1 muipeaoaij, maepoa a mail, 
puineaoaij laemDa an Cajam. 

nieij phmndin ndp eirij pep, 
t>'lb muipeat)ai5 na meipjeD, 
Do'n maicni Do chino ap cac, 
Do'n aicmi pi no can anpach. 
na pip ag pabaD pa clomn, 
aj pin an Lcc^m labpuim. 



from Ballinglen, mentioned in Note *>. 
But though the land has retained the 
name, the family have either changed their 
name or have become extinct For the 
descent of this family see p. 7, supra. 

^ CiU Ardtibh, is so called at this day 
in Irish, and anglicised Killarduff. It is 
the name of an ancient church and town- 
land in the parish of Dunfeeny. — See 
page 8, Note \ 

^ O'Catliasaighs^ now anglicised O'Car 
seys. For their descent see p. 9 of this 
volume. 

^ 0*Conghaile^ now anglicised Connolly 
and Connedy. — See p. 9 for the descent 
of this family. 

^ G^Muireadhaighs^ now Murrays. For 



o 

their descent see page 7. They are of a 
different tribe from the O'Muireadhaighs 
of Ceara. This family were dispossessed 
by the Barretts, or Lynotts, about the lat- 
ter end of the thirteenth century. In the 
year 1 267, according to the Annals of the 
Four Masters, Aodh, or Hugh O'Murray, 
was chief of the Lagan, and was slain at 
Killala by O'Maolfoghmhair, comharba of 
the church ; and in 1 268 the O'Murrays 
slew Aongus O^Maolfoghmhair in revenge 
for the death of their chief. After this pe- 
riod the O'Murrays of the Lagan disappear 
from history, and were doubtlessly dis- 
possessed soon after. 

y The Lagan. — The name of this terri- 
tory is written across sheet 3 of Balds' 



lb 



223 



A people without poverty as to cattle, 

Who have not circumscribed the weal of the churches. 
Of cm Ardubh^— godly the tribe,— 

Are the O'Cathasaighs^ of conflicts, 

Groing beyond every road before them, 

And the fair champion O'Conghaile". 
But the chieftainship is due to those 

High-minded tribes of great hosts, 

The O'Muireadhaighs* of comely chiefs. 

The majestic pillars of the Lagan'. 
The Mag Fhinnains', who refused not a man, 

Is the Hy-Muireadhaigh of banners. 

Of the tribe who excelled all. 

Of the fair sept without irrationality. 

Men who are kindling vaUmr in their sons : 

Such is the Lagan" I say. 



From 



Mftp of the County of Majo, in such a po- 
sition that one would infer that he consi- 
dered it to be co-extensive with the parish 
of Kilbride^ in the north of the barony 
of Tirawlej ; but nothing is more certain 
than that the Lagan comprises the parish 
of Dunfeenj also. The name Lagan sig- 
nifies a hollow, or hollow district between 
hills or mountains, and, according to the 
most intelligent of the natives, the district 
naturailj so called is bounded on the east 
by the hills of Kilbride, on the south by 
Athleague hill, in the parish of Lackan, 
and thence by a range of hills as far as 
Ballinglen, and from Ballioglen it is bound- 
ed by the mountains of Dunfeeny, as far 



as the sea, which bounds it on the north. 
But it will appear from this poem that the 
territory of O'Muireadhaigh called the 
Lagan originally extended eastwards to 
the strand of Lacken, where it met the 
territory of Caeille ConailL 

* Ma^ Fkinnain. — This family is called 
O'Fionnagain in the genealogy of the Cinel 
Aongusa, given in page 7 of this volume, 
and in the prose Hst prefixed to this poem, 
in both which thb family is called of 
Fionnchalamh, which was the ancient 
name of a district adjoining the territory 
of Hy-Eathach Muaidhe on the north- 
west. 

* Such is the Lagan, — It is quite clear 



224 



O Rairh bpanouib ap bino cluij, 
CO Cpais cell, conaip tnasmaiD, 
cjifc an Chaflli nap bdiD blao, 
nf|) ca(me cldp na Cpuacan. 

Conall, mac peapjupa pmo, 

uaoa Clann Conaill ceoil-binO, 
ip ( a clann epic an Chaflli, 
ni ppich am D'd n-ejafne. 

O'h-QeDa nap ep ollam, 

Dpem ap buja buan Bponnab, 
6 QpD O'n-Qeoa na n-ec, 
na cpaeba pa h-dpD emeac. 

Inao cafpij ap rfp rhuam 

puaip O'h-QeDa an aipm inopuaip, 
ap lap an Chaflli D'd clomo, 
clap ap cafme D'd canoim. 



1 



from the whole context that the poet has 
been here treating of the tribes and subdi- 
visions of the Lagan since he left Irrus up 
to this line. After this he goes into Caeille 
Conaill, the next territory to the south, 
which was separated from the Lagan hj 
the strand of Traigh Ceall, now generally 
called Lacken strand. 

^ Rath Branduibk, L e. the rath or 
earthen fort of Brandubh, a man's name 
formerly common in Ireland. The name 
is now anglicised Rafran, and the place, 
which is situated near Palmerstown, in 
the parish of Killala, is well known for its 
abbey. According to a notice in the ge- 
nealogy of the Hy Airmeadhaigh, already 



given in page 9, the southern limit of this 
territory of Caeille Conaill, was called 
Fearsad Treisi, for the situation of which 
see page 9, Note ^ It is there stated that 
Fearsad Treisi is now, and has been for 
centuries, called Fearsad Rath Bhrain, but 
as no authority is there quoted, it is ne- 
cessary to add here that it is distinctly 
stated in the Dinnsennchus, as given in 
the Book of Lecan, foL 247, a, a, that 
Fearsad Treisi was called Fearsad Eatha 
Branduibh in the time of the writer. 
" Fearsad Treisi whence derived ? Not 
difficult : Treisi, daughter of Nadfraech, 
and wife of Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra, 
son of Eochaidh, was drowned in it ; so 



225 



From Rath Branduibh** of the sweet bells'' 

To Traigh Ceall'*, a road which we pass, 

Stretches the country of Caeilli of no extinguished fame, 

Not fairer was the plain of Cruachan*. 
From Conall, son of Fergus, the fair, 

Sprung the musical Clann Conaill^; 

His race are in the territory of Caeille ; 

No time is found complaining of them. 
0*h-Aodha^, who never rejected a man of learning, 

A people of constant liberal bestowing. 

Of Ard O'n-Aodha** of steeds. 

Branches of high hospitality. 
The place of a chieftain in the northern district 

O'h- Aodha of the cold-weapon has obtained ; 

His children are in the centre of Caeilli, 

The fairest plain of those I mention. 

The 

that it was called from her ; but it is mon, one of the most fertile districts in all 
called Fearsad Batha Branduibh at this Ireland. 



day." 

^ Of sweet beHt This shows that the 

abbej of Rafran was in existence in the 
time of the writer. 

^ Tra^A CeaU, — This name is retained 
to the present day, and is situated at the 
village of Rathlacken, near Killala. — Vide 
iupra^ pp. 8, 9, Note \ and Ordnance 
Map of Mayo, sheets 7, 8, 14, 15. This 
place was anciently called Traigh Mur- 
bhaigh, L e. the strand of the murbhach, 
or sea-plain. — See p. 8, Note K 

* The plain qfCruachan^ now the plains 
of Bathcrpghan, in the county of Roscom- 



f Clann ConaiS. — Vide supra, p. 9. 

8 GPh-Aodha. — This name is generally 
anglicised Hughes in the county of Mayo. 

^ Ard OPn-Aodha, would be anglicised 
Ardonea, but the name does not exist. 
The place was evidently situated near 
Mullaghnacross, in the parish of Temple- 
murray, which is about the centre of this 
beautiful territory, anciently called Caeille. 
— See Ordnance Map, sheet 15. That 
part of the parish of Kilcummin lying 
south and east of the strand of Lacken 
belonged to this district; and St. Cummin, 
the patron of that church, was of this race. 



IRISH ABCH. 80C. I 2. 



2G 



226 



1 TTlailconaipc can chol, 

h-1 pianoabjia can le6naD, 

h-1 Shejoa pa ceno ropao, 

Djicam can epa ollaman. 
Da luaiDif , ap luao F^r^» 

Clann Conaill 'pa coibnepa, 

map nac ndp D'on p6in uili, 

o'd pdo 'pa p6im pf5paiDi. 
h-1 Gacac TTluame na maj 

6 Rop Seipc na ppcb pulcap, 

CO peappaiD Cpcpi pd cuaiD, 

peappaD ap cpepi cpom-pluaij. 
1 TTlailaDmaip, puaip pleDa, 

h-1 Cendn, lafc Idn-mepa, 

nf cpanDa aenaiji an pumD, 

clanoa Lae^aipi labpuim. 

D'lb TTlailpoOmaip ndp cpdio cluij, 

na pecc n-Gppuic puipr pdopaij, 

ocup 

aidh Breac, son of King DathL The poet 
is proceeding southwards with his descrip- 
tion. He first describes the Lagan, the 
most northern district of Tirawlej ; he 
next crosses the strand of Traigh Ceall, at 
Lacken, to go into the territory of Caeille, 
and now he crosses the bay of Bafran, to 
go into the territory of the Hy-£athach 
of the Moy, extending from Fearsad Treisi, 
at Rafran, southwards to Boe Seiroe, in 
the parish of Ballysokeery.— See p. 51 for 
a curious notice of the extent of the ter- 
ritory of the Hy-£aihach Muaidhe. 
™ Eos Seirce, — See p. 5i> Note i, iuprd. 



'* CPMaUchonairi^ properly anglicised 
0*Mulconry, but now generally rendered 
Conry and Connery. 

J QFlannaJtikra^ now Fknnery, but the 
name, though common in other parts of 
Ireland, is not in the district of Caeille at 
present. 

^ CPSeghdhM, — This name is now an- 
glicised O'Shea, but the respectable fami- 
lies bearing that name are not of this race. 
For the descent of this race see page 9, 
where the name is spelled O'T^ha. 

^ Hy-Eathach Muaidhe^ i. e. Nepotes 
Eochodii de Moda, descended from Eoch- 



227 

The O'Maachonaires* without a blot, 

The O'Mannabhras^ without oppression, 

The O'Seghdhas^ of rich produce, 

Heroes who reject not men of learning. 
I have mentioned, it is a reporting of knowledge, 

The Clann ConaLU and their correlatives, 

As it is no shame to all the heroes 

To have them set down in the regal list. 
Hy-Eathach Muaidhe' of the plains 

Extends from Bos Seirce"* of the bright streams 

To Fearsad Treisi, north, 

A pass of most powerful hosts. 
The O'Mailfaghmhairs" who prepared the banquets. 

The O'Leanains®, full vigorous heroes. 

Not decrepid are the hosts of the soil ; 

Of the descendants of Laeghaire'' I speak. 
Of the O'Mailfoghmhairs, who violated not bells**. 

Were the seven bishops of Patrick's cily'. 

And 

" C^Maiffa^kmhairSy now anglicised Mil- the Clann La^haire vide mpr^ p. 51. 
ford For their descent see p. 50. The ^ Who tnolated not bdUy because they 

heads of this family were the herenachs or were a hereditary ecclesiastical family. 
Weditaiy wardens of the church of Eil- ' Pairiek^s eity^ L e. the ecdesiastiGal 

lala, and they supplied several bishops to city of Eillala, said to have been founded 

that see. For some curious notices of this between the years 434 and 441, by St 

fiunily, and of the church of Kilhda, the Patrick, who, during that period, was 

Rader ia referred to the Annals of the preaching the gospel and founding churches 

Four Masters at the years 1235, 1253, in the province of Connaught. Itisstatecl 

1357, 1260, 1267, ^^7 5 J 1280, 1306, that St Patrick placed one of his disciples 

'5'^* I543« ^35^ 1416, 1442. as bishop over the church of KUlala, where 

® C^Leanains, — This name is now an- his festival was celebrated on the 12th of 

glidsed Lennon, and by some Leonard. August ; but it would appear from the 

P Otmn La/tghairt. — ^For the descent of pedigree of Muireadhach that he could not 

2G2 






228 



ocuf f ecc coja co ceno 

'[HI copa aj cecc na nmceall. 

h-1 Cjiiaiocein pa maich mana, 
h-1 piaicili laemfcapa, 
h-1 TTlocan ndp cjieij pib cjieall^ 
pa clocdn o' eijpib Gpeann. 

h-1 ITlaeilairjem na n-jpuao n-jel^ 
h-1 maeilbpenamn na m-boipb-pleg, 
Djieam pe h-djaib banba aj bdm, 
h-1 bpooaib calma h-1 Cpecdin. 

Q5 pm h-1 Gacac na n-each, 

an Dpem ndp can ace cepc-bpeach, 
menma mdp 'can maicni pmD, 
an pldj ap aipci dipmim. 

Upiallam annp a' m-bpeoaij m-buij, 
Do clecc cara ip cpuap c6Tnpai5, 
na cpomn 6 b-pagbam peapa 
50 clomn apm-Dumn pheapjapa. 

O' Uojoa ap cenDpopc Do'n car, 
caipec na 6p6Dca ap buaoac, 



a 



have lived in St. Patrick's time, for he 
was the son of Eochaidh, who was the son 
of Oilioll, son of Guaire, son of Lnghaidh, 
monarch of Ireland, who died in the year 
508, who was the son of Laoghaire, who 
was monarch of Ireland for thirty years 
after the arrival of St Patrick — See Book 
of Lecan foL 306, a. Of the successors of 
Muireadhach, in the see of Killala, but 
very little is recorded in the Irish annals, 
and the incidental mention of these seven 
bishops here shows that there was once a 



record of the succession of the Bishops of 
ELillala, which is either lost, or not yet 
accessible to any of our ecclesiastical 
writers. 

* O^CriaidhchetM. — See p. 51, Note «. 

^ O'FlaUUies — See p. 51, Note '. 

" 0*Mochains, now Mohans. — See pp. 

4^ 42» 43- 

^ The causeway This looks an extra- 
ordinary figure, but it is quite intelligible 
to an Irish speaker. 

^ C^ Mailaithgkins, now unknown, at 



229 

And seven who were strongly elected 

In the choir (chapter) who came around them. 

The O'Criaidhcheins' of goodly plight, 
The lofty-proud OTlaitihesS 
The O'Mochains" who have not forsaken you, once. 
Who were the causeway^ of the learned of Erin. 

The O'Mailaithghins" of bright cheeks. 
The O'Mailbhrenainns* of terrific spears, 
Heroes who contended with the youths of Banba'^, 
The brave O'Broduibhs", and the O'Creachains*. 

These are the Hy-Eachach of the steeds, 

A people who have spoken only a just sentence. 

This fiair tribe have a lofty mind, 

They are the most expert host I mention. 

Let us pass into the soft Bredach**, 

Which is accustomed to battles and hardness of conflict, 
To the scions from whom we shall receive information, 
The Clann Fergus* of brown weapons. 

O'Toghdha** is head of the battle. 

Victorious chief of Bredach, 

To 

least to the Editor — See the descent of Graham — See p. 35, mprSt, 

this family in p. 35, 9uprd. ** Bredack. — This territory, which con- 

* O'Mailbkrenainns. — This family have tained fifteen ballys, or sixty quarters of 
anglicised their name to Mulrenin. land, comprised the parish of Moygawnagh, 

y Youths ofBanba^ L e. of Ireland. in the west of the barony of Tirawley, and 

* OPBroduibh, — This name would be an- a part of that of Kilfian. 

glicised Brodiff, but it does not exist in ^ Clann Fergus, — For the descent of 

the district. — See p. 35. this sept see pp. 9, 11. 

* OPCreachains. — The name of this fa- ^ 0*Toghdha. — The only notice of this 
mily is variously anglicised Crean, Greagh- family preserved in the Annals of the 
an, Grehan, and the Editor knows an in- Four Masters is at the year 1 206, under 
dividual of the name who has rendered it which the death of Ruaidhri O'Toghdha, 



230 

a luao noca Doilio ocnn, 
rjiua^ can oijip na n-cmpao. 

Cuio h-1 Luacouib oo'n leich c-f icqi 
Do'n bjieoaij ap bldir pojimarn, 
plaiti pa buaiD oo bunao 
pluaij 'pa maici aj mdoiijiio. 

O'^loinm ndp coijill cpoD, 
O'^i^^^ ^^ n-apm n-aomtip, 
Y d bpeoaij pa cenn cm c6ip 
an Dpem oo metKxi^ mfo-diL 

Qcdm 6 TTluij 5^^^^^ 5^^^ 

h-1 Deip5 na m-bpuj Tn-bldrmap, 

ip h-1 5^^^^ S^^pi Z^^^s 
paoao o'p6li agup 6 enjnam. 

pdjam bpcoac na n-jopr n-jlap, 

Do canpam Dpong o'd Diicap, 



Denam 



chief of Breadachf in Tirawlej, is recorded. 
Charles O'Conor of Belanagare anglicises 
it O'Toffej in a translation of a part of 
these Annals, but the Editor could not 
find the name in any shape or form in the 
district, and he is inclined to think that the 
family was nearly extinct even when this 
poem was written, as would appear from 
the words *' Pity that there is no heir of 
the champions." 

^ No heir of the (impious, — ^In Duald 
Mac Firbis's copy is given as an alias 
reading, qiucqj jcm oioip 'n-a ppapao, Le. 
**• Pity that there is no heir with them or 
of them." 

^ 0*Ltiachduibh, — This name is also ob- 



solete. — See p. II, Note ' ; though it 
would appear from the line, '^ The host 
and their chiefs are increasing," that they 
were in full bloom in 141 7, when this 
poem was written. 

f (yOloinin, — In the prose list prefixed 
to this poem it is stated that O^Gloinin 
was seated at Rath na n-goirmghialL The 
name is now either entirely lost or dis- 
guised under the anglicised forms of Glen- 
non, or Glynn. The chief of this fiunil j 
slew the famous warrior, Gosnamhach 
O'Dowd, in the year 11 62, in a dispute 
about a greyhound whelp. 

s O^Grilinj now obsolete — See p. 11, 
Note 7, suprd. 



231 



I 

I 



To mention him is not grievous to me, 

Pity that there is no heir of the champions'*. 
OXuachduibh's* part of the western side 

Of Bredach is of brilliant aspect, 

Chiefs accustomed to victory from their foimdation, 

The host and their chiefs are increasing. 
CyGloinin' who spared not cattle, 

O'Gilin* of the victorious arms, 

In Bredach powerM their pursuit, 

The people who have increased mede-drinking. 
Of the fine Magh gamhnach^ are 

The O'Deirgs' of flowery habitations 

And the O'Gkidans^ of pure honour. 

Glowing with hospitality and valour. 
Let us leave Bredach of the green corn fields, 

We have sung of some of its inheritors, 



Let 



^ Magh gamhmack — This name means 
the plain of the milch cows or strippers, and 
is rendered '* campus fetarum sive kcte- 
wentiimi vaocarum" by Colgan in his 
translation of the Life of St Cormac. — 
See Acta Sanctorum, pp. 752, 755. The 
name is retained to this day, and correctly 
Moygawnagh, and is that of a 
in the west of the barony of Tiraw- 
ley. Of the original church of this parish, 
which was dedicated to the virgin St. Da- 
riay no vestige now remains, but its grave- 
yard is still used for interment; it is situ- 
UAted in the townland of Knockacidleen, 
cloee to the river of Moygawnagh. — See 
Ordnance Map of the County of Mayo, 



sheet 29. This parish comprises the greater 
part of the territory of Bredach, which 
extended northwards as far as the terri- 
tory of the Lagan. It was bounded on the 
north by the Lagan, on the east by Caeille 
Conaill and Hy-£athach Muaidhe, on the 
south by Calraighe Muighe h-£leog, and 
on the west by Erris. 

^ O'Deirga, — There are several of this 
name in the counties of Mayo and Sligo, 
where it is anglicised Durrig, Derrig, and 
Derrick. 

J (yOadans. — This name is not in the 
district, though it exists, in other parts of 
Lreland, under the anglicised form of God- 
dan, Godwin, or Goodwin. 



! 



oenam puap ip a' m-6ac m-bmD, 
ap ppap a chnuap map cluinim. 
Uaiffgecr h-1 Laccna Idm, 
c6ip a mafoim ^a mop6dil, 

m od 6acc if a 5^^^ 5l^^» 
Dap lac i|» cenn a ropao. 
QpD Qcao ap aibino pfo, 
Cill 6elaD, bpuD na pilib, 



^ Up into sweet Bac — By puap, mjp, is to 
this day meant " to the south," in this 
part of the country. On examination of 
the topography of Tirawley it will be seen 
that the poet, afler describing the territo- 
ries of the Lagan, Caeille Conaill, and Hy- 
Eathach Muaidhe, next moves westwards 
into Bredach, and after describing which 
he moves uptmrdSy L e. in a southern di- 
rection, to visit the families of Bac, — in a 
district commonly called The Two Bacs 
in English, at the present day, which 
originally extended from Rosserk, in the 
parish of Ballysokeery, southwards, to 
the point where Lough Cullin discharges 
its superabundant waters into the river 
IVIoy. The territory of the Two Bacs 
(an t)6 6hac) was bounded on the north 
by the territory of the Hy-Eathach Mu- 
aidhe, from which it was separated by 
a small stream falling into the river Moy, 
near the abbey of Rosserk ; on the east by 
the river Moy, from the point where it 
receives the abovementioned stream at 
Rosserk, southwards, to where it receives 
the waters of Lough Cullin ; on the west 



by Lough Cullin and Lough Conn. But 
though such were the undoubted limits 
of the Two Bacs in ancient times, the 
name is now applied to a comparatively 
small district comprising the modem Ro- 
man Catholic parish of Bacs, which contains 
only the ancient parishes of Ballynahaglish 
and Kilbelfad ; and it is now generally 
believed that the Two Bacs never com- 
prised more than the district lying between 
Lough Conn and the river Moy. So it is 
shown on Balds' Map of the County of 
Mayo; and it was described for the Editor 
in 1838, by the most intelligent of the 
natives, as divided into two parts called 
Cul-Bhac and Beal-Bhac, and extending 
from Rathduff, northwards, to Rehins, 
near Ballina, and westwards to Cloghans 
and Shraheen hill, in the parish of Kil^ 
belfad. But it is clear from this poem 
that the territory of the Two Bacs was 
originally much more extensive, for Ar- 
dagh, Kilmore-Moy, and Rosserk, are said 
to be in it ; and Rosserk was on the boun^ 
dary between it and the coimtry of the 
Hy-£athach Muaidhe, which extended, 



233 



Let lis make wir way up into sweet Bac\ 

Quickgro«,.it8friasIheax. 
The full chieftainship of O'Lachtna', 

(Just his boast and ostentation), 

Comprises the two Bacs and the fair Glenn", 

Sich methinks its production. 

Ard achadh" of delightful woods, 

Cill Belad°, seat of the poets, 

Belongs 



aooording to all the authorities, from Bob 
Eire, or Ros Seirce, to Fearsad Treisi. 
There is a remarkable pillar stone about 
half a mile to the west of the abbey of 
Rosserk, which may well be supposed to 
have marked the boundary between it and 
the latter territory. 

' (fLadOna. — This name is still com- 
mon in many parts of the county of 
Mayo, and is now always O'Lachtnain 
in Irish, and anglicised Loughnane, and 
sometimes even Loftus, as already stated 
in pw ID, Note ^ In the Annals of the 
Four Masters, at the year 1217, the name 
is written O'Lachtna. '* A. D. 121 7. Ca- 
thal Fionn O'Lachtna, chief of the Two 
Baca, was treacherously slain in his own 
house by O'Flynn of Magh h-£leog.'' But 
at the year 1251, the same annalists write 
the name O'Lachtnain, exactly as it is 
pronounced at the present day, thus : — 
''A.D. 1251. Fknn O'Lachtnain, chief 
of the Two Bacs, died." 

* The fair Giennj L e. Glenn Nemthinne. 
In the prose list prefixed to this poem it 
is stated that O^Lachtna was chief of the 
Two Bacs and Gleann Nemthinne. This 



glen or valley district is situated on the 
west side of Lough Conn, comprising 
nearly all the parish of Addergoole, in 
the barony of Tirawley ; its boundary runs 
from Lough Conn in a south-western di- 
rection to Beama na gaoithe, or Windy 
Grap, thence westwards to the mountain 
called Birreencorragh, and thence north- 
wards to Tristia, thence to Ballybrenoge, 
and thence to Caerthannan, otherwise 
called Castle Hill, and back again to 
Lough Conn. It is named Glenn Nem- 
thinne, from a lofty mountain called Cnoc 
Nemthinne which towers over it to the 
height of 2646 feet. 

° Ard ackadkt L e. high-field, now Ar- 
dagh, a parish in the barony of Tirawley. — 
Seep. II, Note ^ 

^ cm belad, now Kilbelfad, a parish in- 
cluded in the district called the Two Bacs, 
and verging on the east side of Lough Conn, 
in the south of the barony of Tirawley. 
According to tradition Belfad was the 
name of the patron saint of this parish, 
and is supposed to have been a bishop, but 
no notice of him is to be found in the Irish 
calendars. 



IBISH ARCH. 80C. 12. 



2H 



234 



'c O'TTlaeilpuain ndp cicij peap, 
pe h-eirib fluaij aj f fneaD. 

O 6aili h-1 Gimeacan uill 
O'h-Gmcacan puaip oppuim, 
'na bpfijaio pa buaio can bpoio, 
pluaij ana rulaij cejaio. 

O'Caecailli, laec can I6n, 

bpfijaiD DO biarao bpamen, 
rpmc Tnuiji puapa na pleD, 
cuipe cuanna nap cdinea6. 

O Cip Cumfn na n-jopr n-jeal, 
h-1 Cumfn cp6Da an cmeaD, 
bpfijaio ndp peall ap cncmi, 
cubaio cenn na clannTnaicni. 

TTleic Conlena na lann pean, 
h-1 Ouba^dn na n-Deij-peap, 
6 Chill Tn6ip TTluaiD na maj, 
poip pa ba cpuaiDi cunjnam. 



h-1 



P 0*Maoilruain. — This name would be 
anglicised Mulroyne, but it does not ex- 
ist now in this district. 

^ Baile Ui Emeachain, — This name, 
which was undoubtedly applied to a large 
Ballybetagh, or ancient Irish townland, 
containing about 480 Irish acres, is now 
obsolete, and no clue has been discovered 
to ascertain what position in the terri- 
tory of the Bacs it occupied, unless that, 
as it is mentioned immediately after Cill 
Belad, we may asstmie that it was in the 
immediate neighbourhood of the place 
now called Kilbelfad. The family name, 



O'h-Emeachain, which would be analogi- 
cally anglicised Emaghan, is also obsolete. 

^ G'LctechaiUe^ now obsolete. 

* Magh Fuara^ is now obsolete, and its 
position in the territory of the Bacs can- 
not be determined. 

' L%8 Cumin. — From a notice of this 
place already given in page 1 1, it appears 
that it was situated on the river Moy, but 
the name is not in existence. 

" O^Cumins, now Cummin and Cum- 
mins ; but there are several fiunilies of 
the name in Ireland, and many of them of 
English origin. 



^35 

Belongs to O'Maoilruaiii'*, who refused not any one, 

Who marches with the wings of the army. 
Of Baile Ui Emeachain** the great 

Is O'h-Emeachain, who obtained respect, 

A victorious Brughaidh without oppression. 

Hosts to his mansion come. 
O'Laechaille', a hero without misfortune, 

A Brughaidh who was wont to feed the ravens, 

Is lord of Magh Fuara* of banquets, 

A comely hero who was never dispraised. 
Of Lis Cumin* of the white corn-fields 

Are the O'Cumins", a brave tribe ; 

Brughaidhs who acted treacherously to no people ; 

And worthy of his rank is the head of the family. 
Mac Conlena"" of ancient swords, 

The O'Dubhagains" of good men 

Were of Gill mor Muaidhe' of the plains, 

A troop hardy in giving succour. 

The 

Conknay now obsolete. the boronj of Tirawlej, and giving name 

^ ^^-l^ubkagaifu^ — This family now spell to a parish which is partly in the barony 

^^^^ iiatne Dnggan, which is a very ugly of Tirawley, on the west side of the Moy, 

^^ of the name. O'Flaherty anglicised and partly in that of Tireragh, on the east 

1 ^>Uv^aj2 in the latter end of the seven- side of the same river. This church is 

^^ century, and in 1758 a very re- much celebrated in the lives of St Patrick, 

^P^^^table man of the name, Dr. Michael and particularly in the Tripartite Life, 

Ap^atius Dugan, of Dublin, wrote it Du- under the name of Cill mor Uachtar Mu- 

0*^ 'With a single g. aidhe, as the reader will find by reference 

^^morif«aui!^,Le. the great church to Colgan's Trias Thaiun. pp. 137, 141. 

^ uie river Moy, now always anglicised The Editor examined the old church of 

^^OTe-Moy, and is the name of an an- this place in May, 1838, but found it so 

c^civt diurch situated a short distance to patched up with the repairs of various 

t^e north-west of the town of Ballina, m ages, that it would be difficult to determine 

2H2 



236 

h-1 Qipmeaoaij na n-ec mep, 
h-1 T?onan 00 puaip aipeam 
6 TTlag in-6p6in na call copcpa, 
nip jann an fX6^ |>omolca; 

Clann pipbipij nap luaij locc, 
ollomain cui^io Connacc; 
6 Ropeipc Doib na Dejaio ; 
nip c6ip ceilc a oneaoai^. 

Cap loc piap tra pe6la me 
nf pac ufji bup paioe, 



ient extent or chantcteristics, ex- 
a 4acient doorway. Near it is a 
•dl dedicated to St. Patrick, the 

and foonder, and on a tiill imme- 

to the south is an old church- 
a which is a rock ancientlj called 

manach, on which the Irish apos- 
sed a cross to be inscribed. — See 
ripartit lib. ii. c. 9a This cross 
3 seen at this day inscribed in incuo 

a circle, sixteen inches in diameter. 
Airmeadhaiffh, now either obsolete, 
uised under some strange anglicised 

Bonaini, anglicised Honan in Con- 
t, where there are sereral distinct 
fl of the name, and Sonayne in 

«jfA Brvin — This is one of the 
mentioned in the very early portion 
it history. In the Dinnsenchus, as 
red in the Book of Lecan, foL 247, 
t is called one of the r^narkable 



places of Tir Amhalgudh, or Tirawley, 
and said to have been named from one of 
the Tuatha De Dananns, a colony, who 
preceded the Scoti or Milesians in their 
occupation of Ireland, namely, from Bron 
(the eon of Allod, and brother of the na- 
Tigator, Manannan Mac Lir), who first 
cleared this plain of wood. Though this 
was brottght under coltivatioa at so early 
a period, and seems to have been cele- 
brated by the Irish bards for its beaaty 
and fertility, as well as for its antiquity 
and the hospitality of its proprietors, there 
is no person now living in Tirawley that 
ever heard of the name, much less any one 
who is able to point out its position in the 
territory of the Bacs : but it Is highly pro- 
bable that the name is retuned in Killy- 
brone — which may well be supposed a 
corruption of Cill Mhnighe Broin, — the 
name of a townland containing the ruins 
ofachiirchnearDeel Castle, in the poridi 
ofArdagh. The beauty, fertility, and lerel 



238 

ni jepp an lariiac linoe, 
CO 5^CTin napac Hcmchinoi. 

h-1 Tfiailpfna ndp cp peap, 

h-1 5<^i^^^^an na n-jcp plea^, 
05 Dail cpaipec Do'n cuipi, 
Oct cufpec dctip Challpaije. 

dp TTIU15 Glea5 ap dpo pach, 
'na bpii^aio calma ceoac, 
O'pioinD, an pcinncaj pcpoa, 
pap cpij Dpoinj D6i5-oelba. 



h-1 



^ O^Mailfkina, — This name, which was 
anglicised O'Mollina, is now scarcely ex- 
tant. At the year 1269 it is stated in the 
Annals of the Four Masters that Flaith- 
bheartach O'Maoilf hiona, chief of one half 
the territory of Calraighe Muighe h-£leog, 
was slain by O'Gaibhtheachain, chief of 
the other half; but no other entry rela- 
ting to them is found in that chronicle. 
For the descent of this family see p. 1 3. 

• The O'Gaibhtheackaifu.— This family 
have all anglicised their name Graughan, 
which is not incorrect The name is still 
common, and the family remarkable for 
their vigour and longevity. The Editor 
conversed with a man of this name in the 
town of Westport, who was working at 
his trade as a mason, in the eighty-ninth 
year of his age, when he was in vigorous 
health and in the full possession of his 
memory and other mental faculties. 

^ Calraighe. — This is called Calraighe 
Muighe h-Eleog in the Annals of the Four 



Masters, at the year 1269, as above seen 
in Note *. This territory, which con- 
tained Cros Ui Mhaoilfhiona, the seat of 
O'Maoilfhiona, now the little town of 
Crossmolina, was nearly co- extensive with 
the present parish of Crossmolina ; it was 
bounded on the north by the territory of 
Bredach, or the parish of Moygawnagh, 
on the east by the territory of the Two 
Bacs, Lough Conn forming, to a great 
extent, the boimdary between them ; on 
the south by Glenn Nephin, which it met 
at Caerthannan, now Castlehill, and on 
the west by Erris. 

s Moffk Eleag^ generally written Magh 
h-Eleog, was the plain, or the level part of 
Calraighe, through which the river Deel 
flows. 

^ Hundred'Catded hrughaidk, — The an- 
cient Irish brughaidh, or farmer, was 
called brughaidh ceadach, L e. the cen- 
turion brughaidh, because he was bound 
by the law to keep one hundred labourers 



^39 



It is not a short excursion on the water 

To reach the prosperous Glenn Nemthinne. 
The O'Mailf hinas"* who refused not any one, 

The O'Graibhtheachains* of the sharp spears, 

Distributing lances to the troop. 

Were the two chiefs of the plain of Calraighe^ 
Over Magh Eleag^ of high prosperity, 

As a brave and hundred-cattled^ Brughaidh 

Is OTloinn*, the manly champion. 

Under whom a fair-faced race have risen. 



The 



and one hundred of each kind of cattle of 
domestic animals, as cows, horses, pigs, 
flheep, goats, cats, hens, geese, bees, &c. 
This is distinctly stated in the Leabhar 
Boidhe of the Mac Firbises of Lecan, 
ooL 921, now in the Library of Trinity 
College, Dublin. 

' (yjFfoinn^ now O'Flynn. It is stated 
in the prose list prefixed to this poem that 
O'FIoinn was seated at Oireamh of Lough 
Conn, now Errew, a townland in the pa- 
riah of Crossmolina, on a point of which, 
stretching into Lough Conn, stand the 
ruins of an abbey of considerable extent, 
but now much decayed, said to have been 
erected by the Barretts on the site of a 
very ancient church dedicated to St Tigh- 
etman of Errew, to whom the more mo- 
dem monastery was also dedicated, as 
appears from the following passage in the 
Annals of the Four Masters at the year 
141 3 : — ^** Henry Barrett was taken pri- 
soner in the church of Airech Locha Con, 



by Robert Mac Wattin [Barrett], who led 
him captive, though he violated the church 
[by so doing]. But the patron saint of 
the place (Tigheaman Airigh) appeared 
every night to Mac Wattin in a vision, 
requesting him to restore the prisoner ; 
this request was finally agreed to, and 
Mac Wattin bestowed a quarter of land 
on St Tigheaman Airigh for ever, as an 
eric [reparation] for having profaned his 
church." A holy well, called Tobar Tigh- 
eamain, dedicated to this saint, is situated 
in the south of the townland of Killeen, 
and a relic, which belonged to him, called 
Mias Tighearnain, L e. St Tigheaman's 
dish, was preserved for ages in the family of 
0*Flynn, who are said to have been the he- 
renachs, or hereditary wardens of Errew ; 
but, though they held it in the highest 
veneration as a relic of the patron saint of 
their family, they were finally induced, in 
a hard summer, when provisions were 
very dear, to sell it to Mr. Knox of Bappa 



240 



h-l piannjaili nap luaio locc, 
openi If coiccinDi cpobacc, 

51II1 o'dp jiall an gaipccao. 
Da cumap, ap pach p^P^t 

00 peip na cpacb coibncpa, 

pincaoaij an cfpi rail, 

o'pileaoaib mfnc TTlanann ; 

map olejap Dom [no Do'n] cleip m chuing, 

Do peip gac lebuip labpuim. 
UiucpaD a h-afcli m'eccpa, 

be5an cpoja cuiDecca 

nf h-aimglic a n-uaip Idmai^, 

cap TTluaiD m-baill-bpic m-bpaodnaij. 



pea6 



Castle, in whose possession it now remains. 
This relic was seized upon by Dr. Lyons, 
who found it with the peasantry, when 
one of them was in the act of swearing 
upon it, by consent, it appears, of Mr. 
Knox, and while it was in his possession 
he published a curious description of it, 
with an account of the superstitious uses 
made of it by the peasantry. It was after- 
wards restored to Bappa Castle on condi- 
tion that it should never again be lent to 
the peasantry to be sworn upon, or used 
for any superstitious purposes, and this 
condition has been honourably observed 
by the proprietor of Bappa Castle, who 
sets a high value on the Mias Tigheamain, 
as being a monument of the primitive Irish 
Church, and the chief^ if not the only relic 



of Tirawley, which it is an honour to his 
family to preserve. For the pedigree of 
St Tigheaman, who is stated to have been 
fostered by an ancestor of the Mac Firbises, 
see p. 12, Note \ and the pedigree of 
Duald Mac Firbis, pp. 100-103, ^P^^' 

J The G^Flannghailes, — This family is 
still in the country, but more numerous 
in Tireragh. The name is now anglicised 
Flannelly. 

^ Lock GUinne — This would be angli- 
cised Lough Glynn, but there is now no 
lake, or place of the name, in the district 
which Callraighe Muighe h-£leog com- 
prised, and as there are so many small lakes 
in this district bearing names apparently 
modem, it is now impossible to determine 
which of them was originally known by 



241 



The O'Flannghailes^ who reported no fault, 

A people of most universal bravery, 

Dwell round Loch Glinne^ of hospitable men, 

Youths with whom valour is a hostage. 
I have composed, — ^it is cause of knowledge, — 

According to the genealogical ramifications. 

An account of the tribes of the country beyond the Moj/, 

For the poets of the plain of Manann\ 

Even as the yoke is due to [borne by] the clergy"* 

According to each book I speak. 
I shall advance after my journey thither j 

With a small brave company. 

Who are not inexpert at the time of shooting, 

Across the Muaidh** of speckled salmons. 

Throughout 

of those families, with as scrupulous an 
adherence to the truth of history as the 
clergy should observe in attending to the 
duties imposed on them by the yoke of 
the Lord, which they have taken upon 
them. 

^ Across the MuatdL — The poet having 
finished his description of Tirawley, here 
gives notice of his passing out of it by 
crossing the river Moy, which formed the 
boundary between it and the territory of 
Tir Fhiachrach, the name of which is pre- 
served in that of the present barony of 
Tireragh, though it is quite clear that the 
barony is not as extensive as the territory 
whose name it preserves, for the whole of 
the district of Coolcamey, extending from 
the Yellow River to the river Brosnach, 
which is now a part of the barony of Gal- 



the appellation of Loch Glinne. 

' The plain ofManann, — By this the 
poet may mean Ireland, or perhaps the pro- 
vince of Connaught, in which Manann, or, 
more correctly, Manannan, was a famous 
chieftain and navigator in the time of the 
Toatha De Dananns. 

■ Even as the yoke^ 8^, — The poet 
here expresses himself in rather obscure 
words, but there can be little doubt that 
what he intends to say is this : — I have 
now composed, in the order of their gene- 
alogical relationship, an accoimt of the 
inhabitants of the country west of the 
river Moy, which will be the cause of 
spreading knowledge among the bards of 
Ireland ; and in this account I have ad- 
hered to the authority of the books be- 
fore me, in giving the descents and localities 

HUSH ASCH. 80C. 12. 2 



242 



pea6 na ruaichi a cdimg me 

ploinopeaD oafb, — ip pip pipi, — 
CO luac Do'n jcil-pebac jlan 
jcinealac na cuach cpebap. 

Uuaim Da booap ap bpeic 51II, 
ceann na cuaici pi cuipmim, 
Qch Cunja 'n a cenD oili ; 
uppa an Dpcam o'dp n-odmaib-ni 

Da bf rafpec uaip eli 

Ya cpfc pi ap cloinD Laejaipi, 
h-1 Gijni^ ap cenO ap cdc 
renn nfp eijnij an c-ojldc. 

h-1 ^cala^dn, pip na plcD, 

V^ Sr^^^PS T 5^^^ mobep, 
Cill iccaip ip peapanD Doib, 
jel-ponn 'na pilcaip pcnmdip. 
Imleac loipci ip oucaib Doib 
h-1 Gnoa pa cpom cin6il, 
6 m-bpuiDnib pa pcenmoa pcol, 
'na m-bufomb bpejoa bpiijao. 



1 



len, was originally a portion of Tir Fiach- 
rach, and belonged to families of the race 
of Fiachra, not to the descendants of Cor- 
mac Gaileng, from whom the baronj of 
Gallen derived its name. This shows that 
at the time of the formation of the baro- 
nies the ancient territories were dismem- 
bered, and that though the former retain 
the name of the latter in many instances, 
they do not always preserve their extent 
and boundaries.. 
^ Tuaim da bhodhar^ called Tuaim dha 



odhar in the prose list, now Toomore, the 
name of an old church and parish in the 
barony of Grallen, and county of Mayo. 
The little town of Foxford, on the Moy, 
is in the parish. There are two other 
places of this name in Connaught, one in 
the north-east of the barony of Costello, 
in the county of Mayo, and the other in 
the barony of Corran and county of Sligo. 
P Aih Cungay now called Beal Atha 
Cunga in Irish, and anglicised Ballycong. 
It is situated near Ballymore Lough, in 



243 

Throughout the region over which I have passed, 

I wiR name for you, — ^it is true knowledge, — 

Quickly from the fair bright branches. 

The genealogy of the discreet tribes. 
Tuaim da bodhar° which won the wagers, 

Is the limit of this country I describe, 

Ath Cunga** is its other limit ; 

The inhabitants are supporters of our bards. 
There was a chief at another time 

In this territory over the race of Laeghaire**, 

OTi-Eignigh'^, who was head over all. 

No power oppressed the hero. 
The O'Gealagans*, men of banquets, 

Dwelt in Grainseach* of bright rivers, 

Cill Ichtair" is their land. 

Bright soil in which sermons are sown. 
Imleach loisce^ is the inheritance 

Of the O'h-Endas'' of heavy crowds. 

From their forts did burst the shouts ; 

They were fine septs of brughaidhs. 

The 

the parish of Attjmas, and bftronj of Gal- now to be found in the district here de- 

lem—See Ordnance Map of the County of scribed. 

Majo, sheet 40. " CiU lehtair^ L e. the lower church. It 

^ Eaee ofLaeghairen — See p. 43, 6< «e- is stated in the prose account that this 

qvjenU was an oliM name for Gndnseach. 

■* CPh^Eignight now unknown. He ap- ^ Imkaeh loisce, — This name would be 

pears to have sunk even before the writer's anglicised Emlaghloskj, but it is now un> 

time^ known, unless it be the place called £m- 

* (yOealagain8j now GilUgans. laghmoran, which lies to the north-east 

' Grainseaek — This name is anglicised of the townland of Breaghwy, mentioned 

Grange, or Gransha, in every part of Ire- in Note ^ 

land, but there is no place of the name "^ 0*h-Enda^ now Heany. 

2 I 2 



244 



1 Tnonjctn Tiap cpuaiD pe cleip, 

h-1 bpogan nap cuill cabeim, 

CU1I5 pa ciibaio Do'n cuipi, 

od bpiijaiD buipD bpccmuiji. 
O 661 Qca Cun^a cpuaio 

na peapaino piap co pean-TTluaio, 

'c O'CuinD ip 'c O'TTlopdn meop, 

ap cuill mop-dn na mfleab. 
Cap eip h-1 Gigni^ na n-eac, 

ceio O'TTlopdn co maiomeac 

CO h-QpD na piao pial a' pcap 

Do piap cliap ocup coinDem. 
D' O'TTlopdn, Do cleacc cara, 

a n-inaD an dpD-placa, 

CtpD na piaD Do peiDi^ pinD, 

pion Icp epi5 ap n-inDcinD. 
pdjam pfl Caejaipe lumD, 

cpiallam 'pna p6Daib pomumD, 

cap Uuaim Dd boDap ; co binn, 

na pluaij 'ca molaD maiDim. 

CallpaiDi 

are sufficient to disprove this assertion. 

y Brogans. — lv-1 6po^an is still the 
form of the name used in both languages, 
except that in Irish the genitive case of 
the name of the progenitor is placed after 
the O', or its plural form 1 or Uu 

* Breachmhagh^ now anglicised Breagh- 
wy, and sometimes BreafTj. It is the 
name of a large townland situated in the 
southern extremity of that part of the 
parish of Kilmore-Moy, lying east of the 
river Moy. 



' QMongaiM, — This family is still in 
the district, and have all anglicised the 
name to Mangan, though Mongan, which 
is the form of the name adopted in other 
parts of Ireland, would be more analogicaL 
James Mangan of Ballina, merchant, is of 
this tribe, but James Mangan of Dublin, 
the poet, is of the southern O'Mongans. 
Spenser asserts that the name Mungan, 
and all those which terminate in an^ are 
of English origin; but the Irish annals 
and authentic genealogical manuscripts 



245 

The O'Mongans*, who were not penurious to the clergy, 

The O'Brogans^, who deserved no reproach, 

Swords were befitting their troops, 

Two /amilies q/'brughaidhs of the plain of Breachmhagh*. 
Prom Bel atha Cunga* the hard, 

The lands westwards to the old river Muaidh^, 

Belong to O'Cuinn*' and O'Moran^ the swift, 

Who deserved the great esteem of the soldiers. 
After O'h-Eignigh of the steeds 

OTtforan goes triumphantly 

To Ard na riagh*, hospitable the man. 

To tend the learned and the banquets. 
For O'Moran, who was accustomed to battles 

In the place of the other archK^hieftain, 

We have allotted Ard na riagh, 

A hero by whom our mind was raised. 
Let us leave the race of puissant Laeghaire, 

Let us traverse the roads before us. 

Over Tuaim da bhodhar ; sweetly 

Let us boast of the host by praising them. 



^Bel atka eun^ is so caUed at the pre- 
sent day. — See Note p, suprd. 

^ Muaidhj now the Moj. For the pre- 
sent names of the places, and the extent 
<^the tract lying between Ballycong and 
the river Moy, the reader is referred to 
the Ordnance Map of the county of Mayo, 
sheets 39 and 4a 

^ C^Ouinn^ now Qoin, but there are se- 
Teral fimiilies of the name of different 
noes even in the coimtry of the Hy-Fiach- 
rach, as already more than once observed. 



Into 

^(PMoran^ now Moran, a name still 
respectable in this district. It is stated in 
the Annals of the Four Masters, at the 
year 1208, that Amhlaoibh O'Bothlain, 
chief of Calruidhe Cuile Ceamadha, was 
slain by O'Moran. The O'Morans of this 
race are to be distinguished from the 
O'Morans of Clann Cathail, near Elphin, 
in the county of Boscommon. 

* Ard na riagkt now Ardnarea. — See 
p. 34, Note ^^ supra. 



246 



CallpaiDi Chuili na cneao 
pacao innci o'ct h-aipem, 
C61I Cepnoja na coll cap f 
nemoona an opong o'an Ducap p. 

Cearpa cafpij ap cfp chudp, 
a CallpaiDi na caem cnuap, 
coinDcm DO caiD pap caipc-ni, 
cdip plomocm na paep-maicni. 

nia Cuino ip O'Rorlan peio 

O'h-lapnan na n-apm n-aijmeil, 
05 Ofjbdil Do'n glepi jail, 
O'pfndin, mcni mop cpanD. 

O bhel Gapa na n-eap n-glan, 
pea6 na cuaice nap' cubab 
50 bpopnaij ap ceann cuile, 



pap 



^ Callraighe of Cuil, now always called 
Cuil Ceamadha, and anglicised Coolcar- 
ney ; it is shown on Balds' Map of the 
County of Mayo, and also on the Index to 
the Ordnance Map of the same county, as 
comprising the parishes of Eilgarvan and 
Attymas — See prose list. 

K Ma Cuinny now Mac Quin. 

^ (yRMain That O'Rothlain, who 

was chief of Calruidhe Guile Ceamadha, 
in the year 1208, we have already seen in 
Note <i, p. 345. The name is now angli- 
cised, very incorrectly, Rowley, and is still 
respectable in Maya RoUan, or Bollin, 
would represent it in English much bet- 
ter. 

^ O^h'Iamain^ imknown to the Editor. 



The name would be anglicised O'Heaman, 
or Hemon. 

i O'Finaifiy now O'Finan. Dr. O'Finan, 
formerly Roman Catholic Bishop of Kil- 
lala, is of this family, and a native of this 
very district. 

^ From Beal eata, — This quatrain is in- 
serted from Duald Mac Firbis's larger work 
compiled in 1645. It is probably not cor- 
rect, for it is stated in the prose account 
prefixed to this poem, that Cuil Ceamadha 
extends from Beal atha na n-idheadh to 
Bealach Breachmhaighe. Beal eaaa is the 
present Irish name of the little town of 
Foxford, on the river Moy, in the barony 
of Grallen, and county of Mayo ; it is not 
now considered to be in the territory of 



247 

Into Carllaidlie of Cuir na g-cneadh, 

I shall proceed to describe it, 

Cuil Cemogha of the knotty hazles, 

Not unhappy are those in whom it is hereditary. 
Four chieftains are in this upper country, 
• In CaUraidhe of beautiful firuit-trees, 

A festive party who have entered into our catalogue, 

It is proper to name the noble youths. 
Ma Cuinn* and O'Rothlainn** the ready, 

O'h-Iarmain* of dreadful arms, 

Who injures the choicest of the foreigners. 

And O'Finain^ a great sheltering tree. 
[From Bel easa^ of the clear cataracts, 

The extent of the country which was not oppressed. 

To the Brosnach* of impetuous current, 

Which 



Coolcarney, and it is more than probable 
that it never was, and that Coolcamej 
never extended farther to the south than 
Beal atha na n-idheadh, on the Yellow 
Birer, which lies about a mile north of 
Foxford. This quatrain is, however, also 
fofond in a more modem hand in the Book 
of Lecan, foL 85, as if quoted from a poem 
composed in the year 1302, and it has 
been, therefore, here inserted in the text ; 
bnt with this caution to the reader, that 
It seems to be most probably spurious, not 
onlj from the inaccuracies idreadj noticed, 
bat also because it is not to be found in 
the original text of the Book of Lecan, 
which was compiled bj the author of the 
poemhimselfl 



' The Brostiaeh ^impetuous current. — 
This river, which is remarkable for its 
moimtain torrents, rises in the townland 
of Cloonkeelaun, in the parish of Castle* 
conor, on the boundary between the bar 
rony of Tireragh, in the county of Sligo, 
and the barony of Gallen in that of Mayo, 
and after flowing for a short distance in a 
northern direction, it turns to the south- 
west, and takes a circuitous course through 
the parish of Castleconor and that part of 
Ealmore-Moy, which lies on the east side 
of the river Moy, and pays its tribute to 
the Moy at Bunree, a short distance to the 
north of the town of Ballina. — See Ord- 
nance Map of Sligo, sheet 29, &c* It may 
be remarked here, that in the prose account 



248 



pap cobpaib ceann Calpaije. 

piiaip O'Caeman, if ciiip 51II, 
6 Uhuaim od booap blair binO, 
o'a n-t)c6in ip pedpp an aicmi, 
CO 31^oip» ccTiD na Clann TTlaicni 

TTlac Cailleacan na clep n-di6, 
penmD ndp 50b o 3<ill-5<^ib, 
cpiac Cdipn Do copain a blaO, 
a lopain aipm ip ipjal. 

puaip O'Coicil na C0I5 nocr, 
baili h-1 Coicil le cpoDocc, 
bpu^aiD map h-e noco n-uil, 
cpe nfp ciibaiD 'na comaip. 

CI5 O'TTlocaine an beoil bino. 
6aili h-1 TTlocaine, maiDim, 
pocaiDi 00 caic a cpaO, 
maich h-1 TTlocaine mopcap. 



prefixed to this poem the northern limit 
of Cuil Ceamadha is stated to be Bealach 
Breachmhaighe ; but thongh there would 
appear to be a discrepancy here between 
the two accoimts, thej are not very diffe- 
rent in this particular, as the townland 
of Breachmhagh, an^iei Breaghwy, or 
Breafij, extends very dose to the river 
Brosnach. 

^ Which defends the head ofCalraighe, — 
In an extract from another poem, given in 
a modem hand in the Book of Lecan, this 
line reads t)o cofam ceann Callpai^i, 
i. e. which forms a (northern) boimdary 
and a natural defence to the territory. 

^ OPCaamhainj now Eavanagh. — See 



TTluc 

p. no. Note ^ 

^ Ikiaim da bhodhar, nowToomore, near 

Foxford See p. 242, Note ^, supra, and 

Ordnance Map of the Coimty of Mayo, 
sheet 61. 

P Gleoir, now the river Leafony, in the 
barony of Tireragh. — See p. 242, Note *». 

^ The head of the tribe — The language 
of this quatrain is very much transposed, 
and it is impossible to translate it into in- 
telligible English without inverting the 
order of the lines. The natural order is 
as follows : 

'* The head of the tribe of O'Caomhain 
(Whose sept are best when acting by their own 

win), 



249 

Which defends the head of Cakaighe"]. 
O'Caomhain", — it is cause of gain, — obtained 

The tract from Tuaim da bhodhar° of flowery hills 

(His tribe are best when acting by their own will), 

To Gleoir^, the head of the tribe^ 
Mac Cailleachain' of valorous feats, 

A hero who fled not from foreign javelins 

Is chief of Cam*, whose fame he defended 

By the valour of his arms and conflict. 
O'Coitil of the naked weapons got 

Baile Ui Choitil^ by his valour, 

A Brughaidh like him there exists not, 

Clay is not fit before him". 
To O'Mochaine of the sweet mouth 

Belongs Baile Ui Mhochaine"", I boast. 

Hosts have consumed his cattle, 

The goodness of O'Mochaine is exalted. 

Muc 

^ t»«d the tract from Tuaim da bhodhar of Bhaile Ui Choitil O'Dowd, who became 

to Ki^^'^ ^"^ chief of his name in the year 1447. — See 

t ji^ ^' I*"»«»«"o^«"°-" list of the chiefs of the O'Dowd family to- 

^^ Q» *** CaiUeaehain, obsolete, or changed wards the end of this volume, and the 

* ^V^^^""^' Ordnance Map of the County of Sligo, 



^- "^^'^ now Cams, a townland in the sheet 22, The name O'Coitil is now an- 

^^^ ^f ihe parish of Castleconor, in the glicised Cottle, and is stiU in the district. 

«« ^^ of Tii^ragh, and county of Sligo. ** Clay is not fit before him^ i. e. an inert 

*j '■*'Ver Broenach, already mentioned in man, without warlike fire, is not fit to 

9 p. 247, flows between it and the stand before him in battle; a very strange 

, ^*%Jid of Cloonkeelaun, which is on metaphor. 

^ ^^^^ of the county. ^ Baile Ui Mkochaine^ now Ballymogh- 

^^ile Ui ChoitUy i. e. the town or any, in the same parish of Castleconor 

^^^^^Wnd of O'Coitil, now Cottlestown, in See Ordnance Map of the County of Sligo, 

pviiish of Castleconor, in which are the sheet 16. The name O'Mochaine is now 

^^ of a castle, erected by Domhnall either extinct or changed to Mohan. 

IMSH ABCH. 80C. 12. 2 K 



2SO 

TTluc Dub If a beprpac bldich 
puaip O'pioino, ap cuip conaic, 
cupaio ndp claich pe cuibi 
bpii^aio blctir na bepcpaiji. 

O'h-lmaip, ndp cpnaiD pe cleip, 
6 Lecan an puino p6io peio, 
pcap binjmdla ^ac tiuine, 
an bino malla bdpp-buioi. 

TTlullac pdcha na poo caem 

puaip OXoingpeacdn lann cael, 
ponn map jel-ponn ITlfDi amach, 
peapann pine o'lb phiacpac. 

Puaip O'Spelan na ppop n-6ip 
Coillfn Qeoa, cpac cinoil, 
pluag nocap peD a paipe, 
beo a luao pe lec-baile. 



Rdich 



^ Afuc dyhh^ L e. the black pig, now an- 
glicised Muckduff, which is the name of a 
townland in the north of the parish of Cas- 
tleconor, adjoining Bartragh See Ord- 
nance Map of Sligo, sheet 16. In the south 
of this townland is shown the grave of the 
Black Pig, a wonderful magical animal, 
from which the townland is believed to 
have taken its name. 

* Beartracky called in the Book of Ar- 
magh Bertrigia, now Bartragh, a sandy 
island in the north-west of the parish of 
Castleconor, on the east side of the river 
Moy, at its mouth. The word beopirpac 
is understood all round the coasts of Con- 
naught, where the word largely enters 



into the topographical names, to designate 
an oyster bank, and the Editor is ac- 
quainted with a learned etymologist who 
is convinced that the word is compounded 
of biop, water, and coppac, fruitfuL 

y O'Fhinn, anglicised O'Flynn, There 
are various families of the name, of dif- 
ferent races, in Ireland. The name is 
made up of C, nepos, or descendant, and 
pioinn, the genitive form of plann, the 
name of their progenitor. 

■ O^h-Imkair. — This name is anglicised 
Ivers in some parts of Ireland, and some 
have changed it to Howard. It is formed 
of O', nepos, and Imhair, the genitive of 
Imhar, a man^s name, which the Irish 



251 



Muc dubh" and the flowery Beartrach* 

OTloinn^ obtained, it is cause of wealth, 

A hero not weak to be opposed, 

The flowery Brughaidh of Beartrach. 
O'h-Imhair*, who was not penurious to the clergy, 

Is of Leacan* of the smooth-sodded land, 

A man worthy of every man. 

The melodious yellow-haired chieftain. 
Mullach ratha** of the fair roads, 

O'Loingseachain*' of the slender swords obtained 

A soil like the fair soil of Meath throughout 

The land of a sept of the Hy-Fiachrach. 
O'Spelan"* of the golden spurs obtained 

Coillin* Aedha at the time of the meeting, 

His host cannot be watched. 

Pity to mention him as possessing only a half townland. 

Rath 



borrowed from the Danes, among whom 
it was written Ivor, Ifars. 

* Leacauy now Lackan or Lecan, a 
townland on the east side of EoUala baj, 
in the parish of Kilglass, in the barony of 
Tireragh, and county of Sligo. — See Ord- 
nance Map of Sligo, sheet i6. This place 
afterwards belonged to the Mac Firbises, 
the hereditary antiquaries of the district, 
as we have already seen p. i68. 

** Mullach Batha^ i. e. hill or summit of 
the rath or earthen fort. It is called 
lochtar ratha in the prose list. These 
names are now obsolete, but there can be 
little doubt that they were cdiaa names of 
the townland of Rathlee, situated in the 



parish of Easkey, and to the north of 
Lackan. — See Ordnance Map of the County 
of Sligo, sheets lo and 1 1. 

^ O^Loin^seac/iain^ now obsolete. In 
the north of Ireland this name is anglicised 
Lynch. 

^ O^Spelan, reete O'Spealain. This name 
is more common in other parts of Ireland 
than in this district. It is anglicised 
Spillaan and Spillaine. 

* Coillin Aedha^ now the large townland 
of Culleen, in the parish of Kilglass, and 
barony of Tireragh. The river anciently 
called Gleoir runs through the middle of 
this townland. — See Ordnance Map, sheet 
17- 



2K2 



252 



Rdich bepcan ap bldich peaoa, 
peapann a ppfch pin-pleaoa, 
puaip 0'pualaip5 pleoa an puino, 
lep cpuao aipc Cepa in comlumo. 

Cill painoli na m-bdpp m-boj 
05 O'bpeif len puaip popmao, 
t>pem can Dafpe, can DolaD 
'cap b-pepp afbi olloman. 

CuiO h-1 Conaccan cepna 

Don muio paippinj oipeoa, — 
f urac cac coll Do'n cupi, — 
ponn cpurac Cabpai^i. 

Da gabpao cent) uaip eli 
peoan oo'n peim pfjpoiDi, 
Clann Hcill ap peapann na pcap, 
nem-pann 6'n pein a n-dipeam. 

Uapla o'd cell can col 

Clanna Heill na plej pebrhap 
ocnp Clann Chaeman calma 
na cpann caelbdn cacap&a. 



niapbrap 



^ Rath Berchain^ i. e. arx Berchani. This 
name is now obsolete, and no clue has 
been discovered to determine the situation 
of the place. 

« O'Fualairp, now entirely obsolete. 

** cm FaincUe, now Killanley, a town- 
land containing the ruins of an old church, 
from which it received its name, situated 
on the east side of the river Moy, in the 

parish of Castleconor See Ordnance 

Map of Sligo, sheet 22. 



i O'Breslen. — The O'Breslens of this 
race are to be distinguished from those of 
Tirconnell, who were a far more distin- 
guished family. 

J O^Connachtan's, now Connaughtan, but 
the name is very scarce. 

^ Each hazel is rich/rom the hero, — The 
meaning is, not that he was a good gar- 
dener, but that his worthiness caused the 
fruit trees to be fertile. This affords 
another example of the value set by the 



253 






Rath Berchan' of flowery woods 

Is a land in which wine banquets are found, 
OTualairg* obtained the banquets of that soil, 
By whom warlike Cera was sore plundered. 

Cill Fainnle' of the soft crops 

Is O'Breslens* who experienced envy, 

His people are without oppression or detriment, 

With whom the happiness of the OUamhs was best. 

The victorious O'Connachtan's^ portion 
Of the wide famous plain, — 
Each hazel is rich from the hero"^, — 
Is the beautiful land of Cabrach'. 

At one time, by force, 

A sept of the regal lineage, 

The Clann Neill", seized upon the land of these men; 

Not feeble from the heroes was their reckoning". 

They met each other without blemish, 

The Clann Neill of expert lances 

And the brave Clann Caemhain 

Of the slender-white warlike spear-shafts. 

Muircheartach 

year 983. They are here called of the regal 

lineage, because the family of O'Dubhda 

^^^<^achy now Cabragh, a townland became the hereditary chiefs or princes of 

all north Hy-Fiachrach. The attempt of 
ihe Clann Neill O'Dnbhda to wrest this 
territory from the O'Keewans was contrary 
to a solemn compact entered into at an 
early period between the two families. 

" Not feeble^ Sfc. — Duald Mac Firbis 
gives this line thus ; — Neaiii-ponn o'n 
p^n a n-a n-Aipeam. 



^^^t Irish upon the fruit of the hazel 

f ^ oil the east side of Killala bay, in 
,p, P'lrish of Easkey, in the barony of 
^h ^^^^^ — S^ Ordnance Map of Sligo, 
*^ 10 and II. 

^fe Clann Neill. — These were a sept 
^ (^Dowds, who descended from Niall, 



^rNiaU, son of Maoileachlain, son of 
•r . ^^"tianaidg, son of Aodh O'Dubhda, 
8 of North Connaught, who died in the 



; 



[i 



254 

TTlapbcap TTluipceapcac, mac Neill, 
ocuf O'Caemdn cneip peiD 
pa ceann an cfpi pi cep, 
Oo'n Ifni pi ap pepji o'dipmep. 

CiajaiD CO cpen pa celaij 

Clanna Caeman copp-plejaij 

cap nepc na h-aicmi eli, 

cpe nepc caipci ip cacaijche. 

puaip O'Caemdn na C0I5 n-jlap, 
Saip Sjpebamo na p]ieb polap, 
ponn bldic caeb-polup map cumo, 
pdic na n-ael-Dopup n-dlainD, 
'na pope comnafoi o'd clomn, 
jopc ap coll-buiDi canuim. 

CO h-lapca an pumo aball bdin, 
'c O'TTlailiouin Daca m-blaD, 
placa 'pa n-ufo pe h-ollam. 
puaip O'Ruapac na puag mep 
Lia con mneoin na n-aijeao, 



DO 



® Muircheartach Mem NeiU. — See an ac- 
count of this already given in pp. 113,1 69. 

P By strength of charter, — Charter here 
alludes to the compact made between 
Dubhda and Caomhan, the progenitors of 
the families of O'Dowd and O'Keewan, by 
which Caomhan and his representative 
was to possess for ever the tract extending 
from Tuaim da bhodhar to the river Gle- 
oir. For an account of this compact the 
reader is referred back to pages 109, 139. 



** Sais Sgreahhainn This is the form 

of the name given in both copies of the 
poem, though in the prose account of the 
families and estates of Hj-Fiachrach, pre- 
fixed to this poem, it is called Saighin 
Uisge tar abhainn, otherwise Inis Sgreahh- 
ainn, and in the Annals of the Four Mas- 
ters and other authorities £iscir abhann I 
It is now anglicised Inishcrone, and is the 
name of a smaU village near which are the 
ruins of a castle on the east side of Killala 



^p 



^ss 



Muircheartach Mac Neill® is slain 

And O'Caemhain of the smooth skin, 

In a contest for this southern tract, 

By these tribes, the best I have mentioned. 
Then mightily entered on the land 

The Clann Caemhain of sharp spears, 

Beyond the strength of the other sept, 

By strength of charter^ and conflict. 
O'Caomhain of the green swords obtained 

Sais Sgrebhaann*" of the bright streams, 

A flowery land bright-sided as the wave, 

Fort of the splendid hme-doors'. 

As the mansion seat of his race 

The hazel-yellowest field I sing of. 
From Gleoir, which was not won by foreign javelins, 

To lasca' of the land of the white-blossomed apple trees. 

Belongs to the O'Mailduins' of high renown. 

Scions who respect the ollamh. 
CRuarach" of the rapid onsets got 

Lia Con^, the support of the strangers, 

For 



btj, in the psiisli of KilglawB, and barony 
of TueragL — See Ordnance Map, sheet 1 6. 

^ Lime-doors^ i. e white-washed with 
lime, or perhaps built of lime-stone. 

' laaoa^ now the riyer Easkey, which 
rises in Lough Easkej, on the confines of 
the baronies of Tireragh and Leyny, and, 
flowing in a norihem direction, discharges 
itadif into the sea a short distance to the 
north of the Tillage of Easkey, which has 
deriyed its name from it. 



^ O^Mailduifu. — This family is now 
nearly extinct in Tireragh. The name is 
anglicised Muldoon, but this family is to 
be distinguished from the O'Muldoons, 
chiefs of the territory of Lurg, in the 
north of Fermanagh, who are still nume- 
rous. 

" CPRuara^ now obsolete. 

^ Lia cofit written 6ia don, by Duald 
Mac Firbis. There is no townland or lo- 
cality in Tireragh at present bearing this 



256 



y 



J, 






\\l 



DO cdc pa cenD a copat), 
pac ap pedpp o'a aomolao. 

Cugup, pa calma an cupi 
O'PeinDeaOa, an pmnuioi, 
CO Pinjio CO clap na each, 
ap nach imjiD odm Dimoach. 

Qp n-ofc h-1 ph6inDeaoa ann, 
puaip O'piannjjaili in peapann, 
ponn mfn 'nac aimpeio pe dp, 
map np claiD-peiD na Cpuacan. 

Imlec fpill m peoip cuipp 

'c O'TTlailioum, map Deapbuim, 
pope meoac Do cfp 'p^^ cumn, 
mm an cealac co c65puim. 

Co TTluippci DfiinD 'n a DejaiD 
6 lapca an pumD eijneDaij, 
h-1 ConbuiDi ap cenD Do'n car 
cenn a cupi 'jdp cumcac. 



OXuacdn 



name, unless Leafonj be a corruption of 
it, which, however (as wiU be seen), is 
written Liathmhuine in Irish. 

^ CPFeinneadha^ now anglicised Feeny. 
There are a few poor families of this name 
still in the parish of Easkey, but none on 
their own original townland. 

* Finghid^ now Finned, a townland ex- 
tending northwards to the sea, in the 
parish of £askej, in Tireragh, and lying 
westwards of the river Finned. 

' 0*Flanngkailey now anglicised Flan- 
nelly, without the prefix O'. This family 
is very nimierous in Aughros and other 



places in the parish of Templeboy, in the 
barony of Tireragh, where they are called 
Flannellys of the Lough. There are a few 
of them in the parish of Easkey too, but 
they are all said to have come thither 
from the Lough, in the parish of Temble- 
boy. 

* Not rugged for tillage Written by 

Duald Mac Firbis, ponn mtn nac aiiii- 
p^D pe a dp, which is the better reading. 
The word 6p is still used in this part of 
Lreland to denote tillage. It seems cc^- 
nate with the Latin verb aro, to plough. 

^ Indeach Isil. — This was the ancient 



^57 

For all its produce is abundant, 
Which is the best cause for praising it. 
I have brought, — brave the hero, — 
OTeinneadha'^, the soldier, 
To Finghid"", the plain of the battles, 
From which the bards depart not displeased. 
After the extermination of OTeinneadha there, 
O'Flannghaile^ obtained the land, 
A smooth soil, not rugged for tillage'. 
Like the smooth-mounded land of Cruachan. 
Imleach Isil' of the smooth grass 

Belongs to O'Mailduin, as I certify, 
A mede-abounding seat by sea and land, 
So that I love the surface of the land- 
To Muirsce** let us go after it. 

From the lasca of the salmon-abounding soil 
The O'Conbhuidhes* are the head of the tribe. 
Powerful is the host protecting us. 

OXuachain 

°^^ of the townland of Castletown, in key, eastwards, to the stream which flows 

^ are the ruins of a castle, situated into the sea between the townlands of 

^^^ west of the river Easkey, near its BaUjeeskeen and Dunnacoj. — See Ord- 

^^ in the parish of Easkej. The nance Map of Sligo, sheet 12. The ex- 

^^^ tmleaeh Isil, i. e. the low imleach, tent of this district cannot be mistaken, 

^^ Wd verging on the water, is now lo- for it comprised, according to this poem, 

^7 forgotten, but the name is fortunately the townlands of Bosslee, Cloonnagleav- 

preserved on the Down Survey of the ragh, Alteman, Dunaltan, Ballykilcash, 

Countj of Sligo. This was the mansion Dunbeakin, Dunneill, and Ballyeeskeen, 

sett of O'Muldoon, petty chief of the tract all lying between the rivers above men- 

of Jand lying between the rivers Gleoir tioned, as will be seen by reference to the 

and Easkey. Ordnance Map of the barony of Tireragh. 

^ Muirace. — This name, which signifies ^ O^ConbhuidheSy now anglicised Con- 

"sea-plain,'* extended from the river Eas- ways, Conmys, and Conwys, are still nu- 

IBISH ABCH. SOC. 12. 2 L 



I 

J 



258 

OXuacdn na lann cana 

ap cdc 'na ceno compama, 

6 Ror Caeg na caem cpann cuijip, 

paep-clann Do paerii cac ip^uil. 
Cluain na cliabac na call cuipp, 

aic phapannam co pepcaib, 

'c O'Rochldn ndp cpuaiD am cpoD, 

05 moc-Ddil buaip a bfoboD. 
Qp D6n TTlaelDuib na m-bpfij m-blaic, 

'n a bpu^aio calma conaic, 

O'Duibpcuili, pciamoa a pcop, 

lapla na n-uili bpii^ao. 
Puaip 0'6eolldn, nap £p peap, 

X)<m 

18 in the parish of Easky, in Tire- day. It is anglicised Cloonagleamgh, 
and ia applied to a townland in the perish 

'LtuuAain. — This nsme is now lo- of Eaakej, extending along the river 

MiTupted to O'Loachair, and trans- Eoskey, on the eaat side. It fonos a por- 

Bush, which is the name the tamily tion of the demesne of Portland, the »e&t 

rish to be called by. It is so trans- of R. Jones, Esq., which extends on both 

from an erroneous belief that it is aides of the river Easkey. 

id from luacaip, rushes, for which ^ AU Fiarannain, L e. St. Fannnan's 

is not the slightest authority. alt, cliff, or height, now anglicised Alter- 

'ot laegh, now Rosslee, a townland in nan, the name of a townland containing a 

irish of Esskey, on the east side of holy well, called VabAaei Fhartmnain, i. e. 

ver Esskey, at its mouth, which se- St. Faraonau's vat or keeve (hence " the 

a it from Emlagheeshal, or Castle- miraculous" ia the text), in the eaat of 

It contains the ruins of a castle the parish of Easkey, and adjoinii^ the 

o have been built by the famOy of parish of Tempteboy. Duaid Mac Firbis 

vd. — See Ordnance Hap of Sligo, states, in the prose list already given, that 

13. O'Rothlain had possessed Cluain na g-clia- 

luain na g^iaMack, called in die bhoch and Alt Farannoin, until the iomily 

list Clnun na g-clial^irach, which of O'Uaouaigb, or O'Meeny, deprived tbem 

name it bears in Irish at the present of these lands by an act of treachery. 



259 

O'Luachain* of the thin sword-hlAdei 
Over all is the active head 
At Hos laegh"* of the fair smooth shafts, 
A noble clan who sustained each conflict. 

Cluain na g-cliabhach^ of the smooth hazles, 
Alt Fharannain^, the miraculous, 
Belong to O'Rothlain', not penurious of cattle, 
Who freely distributes the cattle of his enemier. 

Over Dun Mailduibh' of the flowery seats. 
As a brave and affluent Brughaidh, 
Is O'Duibhscuile*, beautiful his stud, 
The Earl of all the Brughaidhs" ! 

O'BeoUain^ who refused no man, obtained 



Dun 



which he was unwiUing to record, and it 
is remarkable that there are four town- 
iands called Baile Ui Mhaonaigh, anglice 
Ballymeenj, L e. O'Meeny's town, in the 
immediate vicinitj of Alteman. 

' CBathlainy now always anglicised 
Rowley, though Rollan, or even Rollin, 
wonld be a much more analogical form in 
English. There are persons of the name 
liying in the parish of Kilmacshalgan and 
Dromard, in the barony of Tireragh. 

^ Dun MaUduibh^ i. e. dun or fort of 

Maeldubh, who was the son of Fiachra 

Ealgach, the son of King Dathi, and the 

ancestor of the O'Dowds. This name is now 

obsolete, but it is supposed to have been 

the ancient name of the townland of Rath 

maol, — (said to have been anciently called 

Bathnudlduibh, which is synonimous with 

Don Mailduibh) — situated in the parish of 



Easkey, south-west of the village of £as- 
key, and west of the demesne of Portland, 
which this townland originally comprised, 
and which derived its name from it. 

1 O^Dvhhscuik. — This name, which 
might be anglicised Duscooley, or Dus- 
cully, is now either entirely obsolete or 
shortened to Scully. 

" The Earl of aU the Brughaidhs, L.e. 
the most distinguished of aU the farmers. 
Earl was the highest title in use among 
the English in Ireland when this poem 
was composed. 

J (/BeoBain, — This name is still very 
numerous in Tireragh, and always angli- 
cised Boland, which is not very incorrect, 
though the d must be considered foreign 
to the name. This family is to be distin^ 
guished from the O'Beollains of Thomond, 
who are of a different race. 



2 L 2 



\ 



\. 



\ < 



♦" 



M 



;i 



;• 



Mi 



I)' 

I 



260 

Dun Ullcdn ip dpo mbeap, 
an bpujaiD 'cd labpa ImD, 
cupaiD calnia o'd cpeiDinD. 
puoip a ainm o'n baili bldic 
bpfijaiD pa calma caem-pdic, 

can bano ap aip &n ipjail. 

O D6n Tn-6ecin na m-bp65 m-bdn 
niej Gogain, ip Clann Chuandn, 
od bpfijaiD 'pa pdic pebaij 
pa culaij bldich buain-pleoaij. 

puaip O'Dipcin, ndp oiulc odm, 
an baili uao co h-impldn, 
ponn 'cd ammneasao 6'n peap, 
o'dp caim leabap-coll cneip jeal. 

Puaip O'Conbuioi ap luD ImD, 
na relaij paippmj aibinb, 



* Dun Ultain^ i. e. Ultan's dun, or fort, 
now anglicised Doonaltan. It is the name 
of a townland containing the remains of a 
fort, situated on the coast in the north of 
the parish of Templeboy, in Tireragh. — 
See Ordnance Map of the County of Sligo, 
sheets 1 1 and 1 2. 

™ Deep river mouth, — The allusion here 
is to the mouth of the Ballymeeny river, 
which discharges itself into the sea be- 
tween the townlands of Alternan, which 
is on the west, and Doonaltan, which is on 
the east side. 

^ Mac GiUachais. — This name is now 
obsolete as applied to a family, but it is re- 
tained in that of the townland which they 



Dun 

anciently possessed, namely, Baile Mhic 
Giollachais, now anglicised correctly 
enough, Ballykilcash. It is situated in 
the north of the parish of Kilmacshalgan, 
in the barony of Tireragk— See Ordnance 
Map of Sligo, sheet 12. The fair and 
strong rath referred to in the text still 
remains, but it is not remarkable for its 
extent, it having been the enclosure round 
the house of a brughaidh, or farmer, not 
the residence of a chieftain. 

o Dun m-beciny i. e. Becin's dun or 
fort It is called Dunmekin in the old 
map already referred to, preserved in State 
Paper Office, London; and is now always 
written Dunbeakin. It is the name of a 



26l 



Dun Ultain* of the deep river mouth", 

The Brughaidh who is mentioned by us 

Is a brave hero, whom I trust. 
His name from the fair townland he has received 

A Brughaidh of fair and strong rath (fort), 

Mac Gillachais" of the smooth hazels, 

Who never slunk back from the conflict. 
Of Dun m-becin'' of the white edifices 

Are the Mag Eoghains'' and the Clann Cuanan, 

Two Brughaidhs in the happy rath" 

On the flowery, constantly festive hilL 
O'Discin^ who refused not the learned, got 

The townland from him called^ entirely 

The land is named from the man 

For whom the fair-skinned hazel grows fair and large. 
O'Conbhuidhe', who is dear to us, obtained 

A wide and beauteous land, 

Dun 



townland situated in the parish of Kil- 
macahalgan, in Tireragh. The ruins of the 
fort of Don Becm still remain, situated 
on the west bank of a river of the same 
name which flows through the townland — 
See Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheet i8. 

^ Mac Eoghains^ anglic^ Mackeon, but 
should be properly Mac Owen. There 
are a few of the name still in the district. 
This name is to be distinguished from 
Mac Eoin, of the Glynns, in the coimtj of 
Antrim, which is a dan name of the 
Byssets of Scotland, who took that name 
fitmi Eoin, or John Bysset, their ances- 
tor. 



^ Happy rath — This place, Rath Cua- 
nain, is still well known, and is a town- 
land in the parish of Kilmacshalgan, in the 
barony of Tireragh. — See Ordnance Map 
of the County of Sligo, sheets 17 and 18. 

^ G*Discin — This name is now obsolete 
as applied to a family, but is retained in 
the name of the townland which was called 
after the family, viz., Baile Ui Dhiscin, 
now anglicised BaUyeeskeen. It is a town- 
land in the north of the parish of Temple- 
boy, in Tireragh. — See Ordnance Map of 
Sligo, sheet 12. 

• G*ConbhuicUie^ now Conway See 

p. 170, Note J. 



262 



D6n Neill, if niam-slan an ponn, 
ap leip 'nap piaglaD pomam. 

Cpiallam 6 ITluippci meaoai^ 

CO boppaij m-bldich m-bileaoaij, 
can upcpaDa ap lach an pip, 
O'TTlupcaOa a cpmc caipij. 

O'Suiblepja, O'Cuan cafn, 
O Duncaoa puaip dpD-afb, 
D6n h-1 Chobcaic ponn na pep, 
aj ap pocpaiD ponn paep plej. 

puaip O'Colman, calma an chum, 

in 5p^i^r^^ ^^P» pope pdopaij, 
an ^pdinpec bee, buaoa an ball, 
ceo '5 O'puala Y^i^ peapann. 



puaip 



^ Dun NeiB, L e. the fort of Niall, who, 
according to the prose list already given, 
was the son of Cubnidhe, the progenitor 
of the family of O'Conbhnidhe. It is now 
correctly anglicised Dunneill, and is the 
name of a townland in the parish of Kil- 
macshalgan, in Tireragh, containing the 
remains of a dufij or earthen fort, situated 
on the east side of a river of the same 
name which flows through the townland. 
— See Ordnance Map of the County of 
Sligo, sheets 12 and 18. 

" MuirscL — The most eastern townland 
in this district is Ballyeeskeen, and it was 
divided from the adjoining territory of 
Borrach by Ath cliath Muirsci, a ford on 
the stream which falls into the sea be- 
tween the townlands of Carrowmacrory 



and Doonycoy, in the parish of Temple- 
boy, and barony of Tireragh. 

^ Borrach, — The situation of this dis- 
trict of Borrach, which derived its name 
from a river, cannot be mistaken, as the 
following tovmlands were in it, viz., Doo- 
nycoy, Grangemore, Grangebeg, Ard- 
okelly, Corcagh, and Dunflin, which retain 
their ancient names to this day, and the 
situations of which will go very far towards 
fixing, not only the position, but the ex- 
tent of the territory of Borrach here men- 
tioned. 

^ G^Murchadhii^ now anglicised Mur- 
phy. 

' O^LuidhUargOy now entirely obsolete. 

^ G^Cuain^ now anglicised Coyne and 
Cooney, but the name is very scarce in 



263 

Dun NeillS soil of bright aspect, 

It is plain in our rule before us. 
Let us pass from the mede-abounding Muirsci" 

To Borrach^ the flowery, arborous, 

There is no misfortune over the land of the man, 

O'Murchadha'' is its lordly chieftain. 
O'Suidhlearga*, O'Cuain^ the comely, 

O'Dunchadha*, who enjoyed delight. 

Dun Ui Chobhthaigh* is the land of the men 

With whom a stand of noble spears is placed. 
O'Cohnan^ has a brave share obtained, 

Grainseach mor*, the seat of Patrick, 

Of Grainseach beag**, victorious the spot, 

OTuala* has liberty in the land. 

O'CeaUaigh 



the district. 

O^Dannchadha would be anglicised 
Donoghoe, or Donagh j, but the name is 
not to be found in the district. 

* Dun Ui Chobhihaigh, L e. O'Coffej's 
fort, now anglicised Doon jcoj, a townland 
veiling on the coast in the north of the 
parish of Templeboj, in the baronj of 
Tireragh. It adjoins the territory of 
Muirsci, and still contains the remains of 
the ancient dun^ or fort, originally called 
Dun Ui Chobhthaigh, which is shown on 
the Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheet 12, as 
in the north of the townland, and thirty- 
eight feet above the level of the sea. 

^ O^Colman^ now Coleman. There are 
some persons of the name in the parish of 
Templeboj, in Tireragh, but none in 



Grainseach mor at present. 

^ Grainseach moTy L e. the large Grange, 
or farm, now Grangemore, a well known 
townland in the parish of Templeboy, in 
the barony of Tireragh — See Ordnance 
Map of Sligo, sheet 18. The old map in 
the State Paper Office, already referred 
to, shows a castle, or large dwelling-house, 
and a small village at " Grangemoor," 
nearly due east of Dunmekin. 

^ Grainseach beag^ i. e. the Little Grange, 
now Grangebeg, in the same parish. This 
is also shown as a castle, or residence, on 
the old map above referred to, but not 
exactly in its proper place. 

* O^Ffwla — This name is not in the 
district. It is not the name anglicised 
Foley in other parts of Ireland. 



264 



puaip O'Ceallaij na plej peim 
QpD O'Ceallaij pe caicjieim, 
CU5 do na pine o'd puil ; 
cldp map ITlfoi pd maepaib. 

O'Coingpij na lann leabuip 
6'n Copcaij can cuioeaoaij, 
na pl6i5 a coimoi an cuipi, 
oigpi coip na Copcaiji. 

D6n LoinD nap, lamao 00 lem 
puaip O'lTlupchaOa maij peio, 
bpuj plair-jeal ip paep pnaioi, 
dicpeb na cpaeb c6bpaiDi. 

O boppaij nap aj-loic aip 

cpiallam co Cpdij can cacafp 



x>a 



^ Ard O^g-CeaUaigk, L e, aUitudo nepo- 
turn CeUachi, now anglicised Ardogelly, 
or Ardokelly, which is the name of a 
townland in the north of the parish of 
Templeboy. There are persons of the 
name O'Ceallaigh, anglice O'Kelly, still 
in this neighbourhood. They are to be 
distinguished from the O'Kellys of Hy- 
Many, who are of a different race. 

* G^Loingiigh. — This name, which is 
made Lynchy and Lynch in most parts of 
Ireland, is not now to be found in this 
neighbourhood ; but it is highly probable 
that the name has been corrupted to Ma 
Gloinsg, which still remains. 

^ Corcach, — This townland has since 
been divided into two parts, of which the 
larger is called Corcachmor, and the 
smaller Corcachbeg, and is situated near 



the sea, in the north of the parish of 
Templeboy. — See Ordnance Map of the 
County of Sligo, sheets 1 2 and 1 3. 

* Dun Floinn^ L e. the dun or fort of 
Flann, now Dunflin, a townland in the 
parish of Skreen, in the barony of Tire- 

ragh See Ordnance Map, sheet 18. It 

is now divided into two parts, in the more 
northern of which the dun or fort is situ- 
ated on the west side of a little river flow- 
ing through this townland. This is the 
place where Duald Mac Firbis was mur- 
dered in the year 1670, four years after 
the death of his friend and patron Sir 
James Ware. 

J G*Murchadha^ now anglicised Murphy; 
but this family is to be distinguished from 
the O'Murphys, chiefs of Hy-Felimy, in 
the county of Carlow. 



265 



O'Ceallaigli of smooth lances obtained 

Ard O'g-Ceallaigh^ with triumph, 

He transmitted the valour of the tribe to his posterity, 

A plain like Meath is under his stewards. 
O'Loingsigh' of large blades 

Is at Corcach^ without a rival. 

Hosts protect the hero, 

The lawful heir of Corcach. 
Dun Floinn*, which none durst invade, 

O'Murchadha^ of the smooth plain obtained, 

A white-wattled edifice"^ of noble pohsh. 

Habitation of the sweet-scented branches. 

From Borrach*, which was not wounded by a satire", 

Let us proceed to the strand" without reproach, 

To 



•^^ ite-watded edifice. — This shows that 
^^'^^^Xihadha lived in a wooden housa 

**'"'***^ '^^^ ^^^ unquestionably 

i^ame of a river from which the dis- 
^ying to the west of it received its 
^^ 1 there can be little doubt that it was 
^8^^ally the name of the stream which 
718e8 in the townland of Farranyharpy, in 
iUg south-west of the parish of Skreen, 
^d flowing nearly in a due northern di- 
rection, falls into the sea at the south- 
east boundary of the townland of Aughris, 
in the north of the parish of Templeboy. 
The only objection that can be urged 
tgainst this conclusion is, that a portion 
of the lands of Corcach, which were in the 
district of Borrach, extends eastwards of 
this stream, but this is not enough to 
prove it false, as the greater portion of 



Corcaghmore is west of this river, as 
well as all the other lands mentioned as 
forming the district of Borrach. The re- 
maining part of the territory of Tire- 
ragh, lying between this stream and the 
strand of Traigh Eothaile, was called the 
district of the strand. The extent of this 
district cannot be mistaken, as the names 
of almost all the lands mentioned as situ- 
ated in it are still retained, as will appear 
from the notes next to be given. 

^ Which was not wounded by a satire. — 
It was believed by the ancient Irish that 
a satire would afflict men with disease, 
destroy the fertility of rivers, and wither 
the grass and green corn-fields. 

^ The strand, i e. the strand of Traigh 
Eothaile, near Tonrego, already often al- 
luded to. 



IRISH ASCH. 80C. 12. 



2M 



266 



t)a F^iPS^r^ ^5 uaim an puino 
puaip O'TTIuipjupa molaim. 

O'SinOa na plej pona 

puaip Lcirpac map Ian poja, 
paipe na pen-ponn Sooain, 
peapann naioi nua-ropam. 

Cpiallam, cop ab pen popaiD, 
cup an dicpeb n-eplamaiD 
Dpem o'dp Oiall caoup ip cam, 
cpiall CO h-dpup Qoomndm. 

Cpobuinj ap coip Do cuma 
'pa Scpfn acd a cpen pulla, 



nf 



® O^Muirgheasa This name is now an- 
glicised Morrissy, and is found in most 
parts of Ireland, the surest proof that 
there were many distinct septs of the 
name. 

P 0*Sinna, now anglicised Fox. The 
name is still in the district, but this fa- 
mily is not to be confounded with the 
Foxes of Teffia, who were a far more 
famous family. 

^ Lathrach, now Laragh, a well known 
townland near the sea, in the parish of 
Skreen, in Tireragh — See Ordnance Map 
of Sligo, sheets 1 2 and 1 3. The old map 
in the State Paper Office, already often 
referred to, calls this place Larras, and 
shows it as a castle situated near the coast, 
midway between "Ardnaglasse" and "Ca: 
Aghares," which is its true position, or, 
at least, correct enough for a rude sketch 
map such as the one alluded to, and almost 



every other map of Ireland constructed 
previously to the Down Survey of Ire- 
land, unquestionably were. It is said that 
the castle of Larragh stood on the division 
of land now called Carrowcaslan, which 
was originally but a subdivision of Laragh, 
though now considered a distinct town- 
land. 

' Sodhan, — This, as the Editor has al- 
ready shown in the Tract on the territory 
of Hy-Many (p. 159), was the ancient name 
of O'Mainnin's country, in the barony of 
Tiaquin, and county of Galway. The an- 
cient Irish poets were well acquainted 
with the fertile and beautiful districts of 
Ireland, and we find them constantly com- 
paring such places as they wished to cele- 
brate for their beauty or fertility with 
the plain of Croghan, in Connaught ; the 
plain of Meath ; the rich lands of Moin- 
moy, round Loughrea, in the county of 



To await them at the cave of the land, 

0*Muirgheasa°, whom I praise, obtained it. 
O'Sinna*" of the successful spears 

Obtained Lathrach** as his full choice, 

It is nobler than the old land of Sodhan^ 

A fresh land of fruitful produce. 
Let us pass, may it be a felicitous tour. 

To the habitation of the Patron, 

To a people to whom honour and tribute have submitted. 

Let us pass to the habitation of St. Adamnan*. 
A tribe which ought to be recorded 

In Serin' is their mighty roll [charter], 



Gidway ; the plain of the Liffey ; the 
plain of Magh Ailbhe, &c. 

* The habitation of St, Adamnan^ i. e. 
the church of Screen, which was originally 
erected by St. Adamnan, or, as they call 
him there at present, St. Awnan. At Ra- 
phoe, of which he is also the patron, he is 
called St Eunan, and at Erigal, in the 
county of Londonderry, he is styled St. 
Onan. He is the celebrated Adamnan, 
abbot of lona, who wrote the Life of St 
Columbkille, and is styled by his co- 
temporary Bede, "vir bonus et sapiens, 
et scientii Scripturarum nobilissime in- 
structus." 

^ Serin, called by Colgan Serin Adam- 
nain, i e. Scrinium Sancti Adamnani, now 
Skreen, an old church giving name to a 
townland and parish in the barony of Ti- 
reragh. This place was originally called 
Cnoc na Maoili, and was granted by Tip- 

2 



raide, chief of Hy-Fiachrach, to St 
Columbkille. It derived its present name 
from a shrine of St Adamnan, erected 
here some time afterwards. For the situ- 
ation of the old church of Skreen the 
reader is referred to Colgan's Acta Sanc- 
torum, p. 340, Note 42, where he has 
the following notice of the church: — 
" Est Ecclesia multorum reliquiis nobilis 
et veneranda Dioecesis Kil-aladen, in regi- 
one de Tir Fhiachrach, de qua vide plura 
in notis ad vitam S. Adamnani, ubi dabi- 
mus catalogum reliquiarum in illo scrinio 
reconditarum." But unfortunately he 
never published the life of this great saint. 
See also Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheet 19. 
Near it is a holy well dedicated to St. 
Adamnan, and not far to the south is the 
celebrated hill of Mullach Ruadha, more 
anciently called Cnoc na Maoile, which 
was the name of this place in St. Columb- 
M2 



i 



268 



ni puiceab Damna oo'n bpoinj, 
cuigeap calma Oo'n cpobuinj, 

meg Rooan, h-1 Oilmic ann, 
TTlec Concarpac na comann 
O'Sneoapna o'dp jiall jail, 
cpen Damna aj Oiall pe ouraij, 
pa molcaip a n-jnim ^ya n-jail 
Oib h-1 RabapcaiD pachmaip. 

Cluain h-1 Chopjpaio na call cuip, 
peapann ndp gab 6 ^ci^^^^ib, 
O'baerhgaili puaip a' ponn 
lep cpuaill aenaigi eccpann. 

TTlec ^i^l-iF^^^ ^^ n-apm n-gep, 
peban Do bmrao bpainen, 
ffr^ Lemais, a laib lebpa 
peoam c-pafp po-oealba. 



TTlec 



kille's time. — See Colgan, Vit. «, Faranni, 
c 8, aa, M. p. 337-) For the various names 
of this hill, and the historical recollections 
connected with it see pp. 96, 97, supra. 
For some notices of Serin Adamnain see 
Annals of the Foiir Masters at the years 
830, 1022, 1030, 1395. At the last year 
the death of O'Flannelly, vicar of Serin 
Adamnain, is recorded. 

" JUoff Rodan^ now obsolete. 

^ O^h-Oilmhic, pronounced O'Helwick, 
or O'Helvick. This name is not found in 
the district The townland of Altanelvick, 
in the parish of Drumard, to the south- 
east of Skreen, was called after this family. 
— See Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheet 19. 



^ Mcu; Concathrach There are persons 

of this name living in the parish of Tem- 
pleboy, in Tireragh, but they are begin- 
ning to anglicise the name to Mac Carrick. 
The name is formed by prefixing mac, 
filius, fitz, to Concathrach, the genitive of 
the name of the progenitor Cucathrach, 
L e. the hero of the cathair, or fort 

* O^Snedama^ now entirely obsolete. 

' O"* Bahhartaigha, — There are a few 
persons of this name (which is now 
spelt O^Kafferty) still in the parish of 
Skreen. Duald Mac Firbis states, in the 
prose list already given, p. 173, that there 
were a few of the O'Rabhartaighs in his own 
time, but entirely stripped of their posses- 



269 

I shall not omit a representative of the people ; 
Five brave men of the cluster are these that follow. 

Mag Rodan", Ch-OUmic^, are there, 
Mac Concathrach"^ of fiiends, 
O'Snedama*, to whom valour gave a hostage, 
A mighty representative clinging to an inheritance ; 
Their deed and their valour are praised, 
Of them are the prosperous O'Rabhartaighs'^. 

Cluain Ui Chosgraidh' of the smooth hazels, 
A land not won by the strangers, 
O'Baethghaile* obtained that land 
By whom the meetings of foreigners were stained. 

The Mac Gilli Finns** of sharp weapons, 

A sept who used to supply food to the ravens*^, 

Are in Leamhach"*, and in poetical books*, 

A noble comely-faced people. 

The 

dons by the Scotch settlers. There was ^ To supply food to the ravens, L e. bj 

another family of this name in Tirconnell, giving them human carcasses to feed upon, 

who built a castle on Tory Island, off the This is intended as a high compliment 

north coast of the county of Donegal, and to their warlike character, 
another in Meath, where the name is still ^ LeaniAach, now Lavagh, a townland 

numerous. in the parish of Dromard, lying to the 

' Cluain Ui Chosgraidh, — This name is south-west of Longford demesne, in Tire- 
now forgotten, and nothing remains to ragh See Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheet 

point out its situation in the parish. It 19. In some parts of Ireland this name is 

was eyidently the name of a Ballybetagh, imderstood to mean land of elms, in othiers, 

or large ancient Irish townland, and com- land abounding in the herb marsh mal- 

prised several of the modem denomina- lows, 
lions. ^ And in poetical books; L e. they, them- 

* G^BaethghaiUy would be anglicised selves, are to be found in the townland of 

Beahilly, but the name is not to be found Leamhach, and their deeds are to be found 

in the district at present. celebrated in poetical books. 

^ Mac CriUifinns. — ^Now obsolete. 



270 



TTlec ^i^^i bpicin can beim, 
peban pa cpoba cairpeim, 
6 Qpo na jlap, Delboa an bpem, 
pet)na oa clap co coiccheano. 

TTlec ^illimip nap biulc odm 
puaip pmnabaip na pinn-clap, 
bpugaio ap ceoaib t)o cuip, 
00 meoai^ rnlaig Uuachail. 

TTlec ^illi pmbaij co pach, 
O' Cpican na pat) puncac, 
mop a meoaip 'p^ menma 
pa relaij a n^eapna. 

TTlume na peoi na pleD 

'c OXiardn ap dpo ai^neo, 
peap pa calma pe cneaooib 
a rej aoba o'pileaoaib. 

Cuil Cilli bpicfn can bpoio, 
peapann nac pacaio namoio, 



TTlec 



f Mac GiUi Bricins^ obsolete. 

^ Ardna n-^lass, i,e.aItttu<io catenarum. 
This place is shown on the old map already 
referred to, preserved in the State Paper 
Office, London, as a large castle situated 
near the coast, and nearly midway between 
the castle of Larras and the castle of Bonin. 
The name is still well known in Tireragh, 
and is that of a large castle, situated in 
the townland of Ardnaglass, otherwise 
Ardabrone, in the parish of Skreen, and 

barony of Tireragh See Ordnance Map 

of the County of Sligo, sheet 13, on which 



the ruins of this great castle are shown, 
in the north-west of the townland of Ar- 
dabrone. 

^ Mac GiUimir — This name is still in 
the district, but anglicised Gilmer, or 
Gillmor, which is not an incorrect form 
of it in English. 

' Finnabkair This place is still well 

known in Tireragh, where it is now 
always anglicised Finnure. It is the name 
of a townland extending to the sea coast, 
in the north of the parish of Skreen. 

J The hill of Tuathal, i. e. Tara, the seat 



271 

The Mac GUli Bricins^ without reproach, 
A tribe of brave career 
At Ard na n-glass^, comely the race, 
Tribes have heard it universally. 

Mac Gillimir^, who refused not the learned, 
Obtained Finnabhair^ of the fair plains, 
A Brughaidh who opposed hundreds, 
Who exalted the hill of TuathaV. 

Mac Gilli riabhaigh'' with prosperity. 
Is of Crichan* of the swift hounds. 
Great his mirth and his mind 
On the lands of his lord. 

Muine na fede"" of banquets 

Belongs to O'Liathain" of high mind, 

A man who is brave in wounding conflicts. 

Whose house is a residence for poets. 

Of Cuil Cille Bricin'' without bondage, 
A land which enemies have not seen, 



Mac 



of the monarch Tuathal. By this ex- 
pression the poet means simply *•*• who is 
an honour to the royal ragged race of 
Tara." 

^ Mac CriUi riabkaigh^ now Kilrea ; and 
in some parts of Ireland it is anglicised 
Mac Drea. 

' CfCrichan^ now Creaghaun, a town- 
land in the parish of Skreen, in Tireragh. 

™ Muine nafede^ called Bun fede in the 
prose list already given, and Bun na fede 
at the present day by the native Irish. It 
is anglicised Bunnafeddia, and is the name 



of a townland in the parish of Dromard, 
in the east of the barony of Tireragh. — 
See Ordnance Map of SHgo, sheet 19. 

° G^IAathain. — This name, which is an- 
glicised Lyons in the county of Cork, is 
obsolete in this district. 

° Cuil CiUe Bricin This name is 

now shortened to Ceathramh Bricin, and 
anglicised Carrowbrickeen, which is the 
name of a townland in the parish of Dro- 
mard, in the north-east of the barony of 
Tireragh. — See Ordnance Map of Sligo, 
sheet 13. 



I 



l^Jl 



TTlec Conluain '5a labpa linn 
calma 00 chuaiD o coinDcino. 

Lip na pemup na poo ce, 
peapann ap dilli uipci, 
TTlec ^i^l^bdin puaip a' ponn, 
Do caio CO cpuait) h-i comlanD 

O'Dumchmo ip cepc cuma, 
bpugaiD t)o biar ecrpanna, 
Doipi na n-Qrh, ponn na pep, 
pa na gndrh cac coll cno-jel. 

Uon pe 56, pa'n coiprec conn, 
peapann dipneo ip uball, 
'c O'Qeoa nap eicij cleip, 
cpaeba nac ceilcep caichpeim. 

Qcdic pd'n cuaich 00 mol me 
od rafpech ip cenn rpepi, 
mop DO caemam a clepa, 
O'TTlaenaig 'p O'TTluipjepa. 



^ Mac Conluain This name still re- 
mains in the district, but is rather incor- 
rectly anglicised Mac Colwan. 

** LU na remhufy L e. arx crassorum. — 
This place is still well known by this very 
name, which is correctly anglicised Lisna- 
rawer. It is a townland containing the 
remains of several lUes or forts, in the 
parish of Dromard in Tireragh. It is 
shown on the Ordnance Map of the County 
of Sligo, sheet 19, as lying immediately 
to the west of Tonrego. 

^ Mac CriUi hhain, — This name is still 
in this neighbourhood, but always made 



White in English, that being considered 
a translation of GiUa ban^ which means a 
white youth. In Scotland the same name is 
anglicised Mac Ilwane, incorrectly for Mac 
Gilwane. 

• G* Duinckinny now unknown in Tire- 
ragh. 

^ Doire na n-ath, i e. the oak wood of 
the fords, roboretum vadorum. This name 
is now entirely lost ; it must have been 
applied to a Ballybetagh, or large Irish 
townland, near Tonrego. It is useless 
to speculate on its exact situation, as no 
trace of the name has been preserved by 



Mac Conluain'* is mentioned by us 

Who bravely went beyond emulation. 
Lis na remur' of hot roads, 

A land of beautiful water, 

Mac GUli bhain' obtained the land, 

Who vigorously entered the conflict. 
O'Duinchinn* of just condition, 

A brughaidh who feeds the strangers, 

Doire na n-ath* is the land of his men 

On which every fair-nutted hazel is constantly found. 
Ton re go", where the wave is finiitful, 

Land of sloes and apples. 

Belongs to Ch-Aodha"", who refused not the literati. 

Branches whose triumph is not concealed. 
There are upon the land which I have praised 

Two chiefs of powerful sway. 

Whose feats have protected many, 

O'Maenaigh"' and O'Muirgheasa*. 

o^i^ ^ on the Down Survey, or on any Tonr^ee, and Tonlegeeth ; but there ia 

M^^ ^fj map accessible to the Editor. no other Ton re go in Ireland except that 

^H8 c^ J* re go. — This strange name, which here mentioned, although there are many 

im^y ^^/^ ^Sinally that of a hill facing the sea, places whose situation would entitle them 

\l ^^^ K3orrectly translated/wete orf mare, to such a name. 

preserved, and correctly angli- ^ O^k-Aodka^ now made Hayes, Hughes, 

I'onrego. It is now the name of a &c., as already often remarked. 

_fjiand containing the house and de- ^ 0'*M<umaigh^ now anglicised Meeny 

^ne of Colonel Irwin, in the east of the in this neighbourhood, though in other 

parish of Dromard, in the barony of Tire- parts of Ireland it is rendered Mainy and 

ragh, and adjoining the celebrated strand even Mooney. 

of Traigh Eothaile. There are many town- ^ G* Muirgkeasa, — This name is angli- 

lands in Ireland called Ton re gamtk, i. e. cised Morissy in most parts of Ireland, but 

podex ad ventum^ anglicised Tandragee, the Editor is informed that it is rendered 

IBI8H ABCH. 80C. 12. 2 N 





f 



274 



Lip Labjaill j^a't) copcpa cpaeb, 

puaip O'lTluipsepa, an macaeni, 

baili puipc na cuaci clioip 

pdna luari guipc jemoip. 
puaip O'Duncaoa na n-odm 

CO jlaip builiD na m-bpaoan, 

cac leabap oa labpa linD 

map ole^ap capba a cuipmim. 
Upiallam a Caipppi na cac 

pogam an ponn pa O piacpach, 

labpam co luach ap each leach, 

cabpam cac cuach o'a cafpeach, 
Labpam co peio o'ct pijpaio, 

Dlb TTlaeilcluichi an caeim jnimpaio, 

na h-aipjni 6 lb Neill anoip 

le pem Chaipppi na comaio. 

Puaip O'Scanail an beoil bmo 

le cpepi an cfpe ciiipbim, 

ponn 

river, the mouth of which is the botrndaiy 
between the country of the Hy-Fiachrach 
and the territory of Carbury, which ori- 
ginally belonged to the 'descendants of 
Cairbre, the son of the monarch Niall of 
the Nine Hostages ; but as O'Dowd had 
extended his dominion, by conquest, over 
that tract of Carbury extending from the 
great strand of Traigh Eothaile to the 
river Codhnach, at Drumcliff, the poet 
feels it his duty to describe the people of 
this district also, though he acknowledges 
that they are not of the race of Fiachra. 
^ O^Mailduithiy written by Duald Mac 



Morrison in this part of Ireland. Such is 
the whim of custom I 

"f Lis LadhghuiU, — This name, which 
would be anglicised Lislyle, is now for- 
gotten, and the Editor, after the most 
patient research and correspondence, has 
not been able to fix its locality, which he 
regrets exceedingly. 

* O^Dunchadhay made Donaghy, Dun- 
phy, Donohoe, &c., in other parts of Ire- 
land, but the name is obsolete in Tire- 
ragh. 

* Beauteous stream of salmons. — The 
stream here alluded to is the Ballysadare 



Lis LadhghailP, where the branch is purple, 

The youth O'Muirghesa obtained 

The head seat of the eastern district, 

Where the corn-fields are quick of growth. 
O'Dunchadha* of the learned men obtained. 

As far as the beauteous stream of salmons'. 

Every book that speaks to us, 

As it behoveth advantage I mention, 
Let us pass into Cairbre of the battles. 

Let us leave this soil of the Hy-Fiachrach, 

Let us speak quickly of every side, 

Let us give each district to its chieftain. 
Let us speak quietly of their kings, 

Of the O'Mailcluithis^ of the becoming deeds, 

OfXhe plimders from the Hy-Niall in the east. 

To the heroes of Cairbre belong these acquisitions. 
O'Scannaill*" of the sweet mouth obtained. 

By sway of the land we mention. 



Firbis U i Ulaoilclu ice. This name is still 
common in Carbnry, but now metamor- 
phosed into Stone by a strange process of 
transformatioif. Maelcluithi signifies the 
youth of the game, juvenis ludi »eu certa- 
nUnUy and might have been correctly 
enough englished Gamble ; but the poor 
people of Carbury, who are, in those de- 
generate days, very bad gamblers and worse 
etymologists, are of opinion that cluithi, the 
latter part of this name, is an oblique form 
of cloc, a stone, not of cluiri, a game, and 
00, without any further investigation of 
the subject, they have translated the name 



of the family by the English word Stone, 
and this has been adopted by the whole 
sept as their name in EnglisL An island 
close to the land in the bay of Sligo, which 
is named after this family, is called, on 
the old map of these coasts, already often 
referred to, Enish O'Molcloigh, and on 
the Ordnance Map, sheet 14, Inishmul- 
clohy, which is intended to represent the 
Irish Imp Ui Hlhaoilcluice. 

^ O^Scannail, now anglicised Scanlan. 
The name exists in the parish of Calry, 
near the town of Sligo. 



2N2 



i 



276 



ponn mfn ap piiprmji ap 
t)o rfp glaip bemoi 5"^ban. 

Callpaioi Lairim na lann 

O'Nuaoan puaip a peapann, 
ponn bpaenac gamnifDi jlan, 
aenac ainjlioi, foan, 

puaip O'Ciapba copao cpom 
DO cpfc Chaipppi, ni celam, 
o' O'Ciappoa na m-bdpp m-buiDi 
nip namba cpann ciibpaioi. 

Da cuio pomoi 6 piacpac pein 
epic Caipppi na cldp coimpeiD, 



* Beinn Gtdban^ now Binbulbin, a con- 
spicuous mountain in the parish of Drum- 
cliff, to the north of the town of Sligo. 
The plain between it and the sea, called 
Machaire Eahba, is remarkable for its fer- 
tility. On the old map of these coasts, 
preserved in the State Paper Office, Lon- 
don, this mountain is called ''the high 
hills of Benbolbin, where yearlie timbereth 
a falcon esteemed the hardiest in Ireland.'' 

* Calraidhe Laithim. — This territory 
was nearly co-extensive with the present 
parish of Calry, near the town of Sligo, in 
the barony of Carbury. 

f GPNuadhain, — This name is not to be 
found in this parish at present. It would 
be anglicised Nuane, or Noone. 

« O^Ciardha It is very much to be 

suspected that GioUa losa Mor Mac Firbis 
is in error here, for it would appear from 
the whole stream of authentic Irish history, 
that O'Ciardha's Carbury was not in Con- 



D'lb 

naught. The authentic Irish Annals 
show clearly that it was in Leinster, and 
John Mor O'Dugan of Hy-Many, who wrote 
his celebrated topographical poem about 
half a century earlier than GioUa losa 
Mor Mac Firbis, gives us to understand 
that O'Ciardha, chief of Carbury, was the 
only chieftain of the blood of Niall of the 
Nine Hostages who was seated in the 
southern moiety of Ireland, and in the 
province of Leinster. His words are as 
follows : 

O'Ciapoa op Chaipppe cliapai^ 
t)'|?inea6aiB H61II Naoi^iallai^, 
Nf puil ace ler pein call coip 
t)o clannaib N61II ap ^ai^iB. 
" O'Ciardha OTer Carbury of banda. 
Of the race of Niall of the ^ne Hostages ; 
There is not but themselres yon in the east 
Of the race of Niall in Leinster." 

Again, O^Heerin, who wrote about the 
same period with Giolla losa Mor Mac 



277 



A small land of most extensive tillage, 
Of the green land of Beinn Gulban**. 

Of CaUraidhe Laithim*" of the swords 
O'Nuadhan^ obtained the land, 
A droppy, sandy, fine land. 
An angelic pure place of meetings. 

O'Ciardha* obtained heavy profit 

Of the land of Cairbre, I conceal it not. 

For O'Ciardha of the yellow crops 

The fragrant tree was not slow in bearing. 

Of the dividend of the Hy-Fiachrach themselves 
Is the land of Cairbre of the level plains. 



Firbifl, speaks of O'Ciardha as chief of 
Carbuiy, in Leinster. His words are : 

CIp Chaipbpe ^ai^eon na leap^ 
O'Ciapja na 5-C0I5 plip-oeapj ; 
Slac CHiiian jon caca caip 
6ep' h-aonao cara im Chpuachain. 

" Orer Carbnry of Leinster of the plains 
Rules 0*Ciardha of the red-bladed swords, 
The scion of Almhain, without scarcity in the 



Bj whom battles were kindled round Croghan." 

Here the designation Slat Almhan, scion 
of Allen, " by whom battles were kindled 
around Croghan," i. e. the conspicuous 
hill of Croghan, in the north of O'Conor 
Falj's country, in the present King's 
County, shows clearly that the Carbury, 
of which O'Ciardha was chieftain, was no 
other than the barony of Carbury, in the 
county of Kildare, in Leinster, which ex- 
tends southwards to near the hill of 



But 

Almhain, or Allen, and is situated in the 
southern half of Ireland, being south of 
the Eiscir Riada, which extends from 
Dublin to Clonard, leaving the barony of 
Carbury to the south. Whether there 
was another O'Ciardha who was chief of 
Carbury, in Sligo, it is but fair to inquire ; 
but the Editor has not been able to find 
any reference to a family of the name, as 
seated in Lower Connaught, in the au- 
thentic Irish annals, and is therefore satis- 
fied that there was none, and that GioUa 
losa Mor was here dreaming, as he was in 
making Tomaltach Mor Mac Dermott the 
chief of Moylurg, who first acquired the 
territory of Clann Cuain. The name 
O'Ciardha, which fell into obscurity 
centuries before the time of GioUa losa 
Mor, is still numerous in the counties of 
Kildare and Westmeath, where the name 
is generally anglicised Keary, but some- 
times Carey, which is incorrect 



278 



olb Neill pineaoaij na p^ap, 

pelt) t)' pileabaib a n-dipem. 
'^it) uapal pine na peap, 

clann Caipppi na m-bpfij m-bldit-seal, 

pa maep na maicni pi c-piap 

paep an aicmi pi o'n aipo-piap. 
O Roba, ap pacmap a peim, 

cu^up CO cpooa an cdichpeim, 

CO Coonai^ ap cam cuili 

poonaio 00 bdpp bopuime. 
Denam impo cap ap n-aip 

CO pfgpaiD Rdra Duplaip, 

00 oenoim eoil oo'n peoain, 

le cpeoip n-gle glom n-gemealaig. 
Inao cairmi m gac cuaic cpein 

plomopet) Oo'n peoam p6it)-peiD, 



ccnn 



^ Lineage of the men, L e. though the 
men of Carbury are tributary to the kmg 
of the Hy-Fiachrach, they are not of his 
race, but of the race of Cairbre, son of 
Niall of the Nine Hostages, from whom 
they derive their name as well as descent. 

^ Western people, i. e. the O'Dowds, 
whose country lies west of Carbury. 

i From the Rodhba, L e. I have now de- 
scribed all the tribes and districts in 
O'Dowd's country, extending from the 
river Robe to the river Codhnach, at 
Drumcliff. O'Dugan also, in his celebrated 
topographical poem, describing the tribes 
and territories of the northern moiety of 
Ireland, mentions these two rivers as the 



limits of O'Dowd's country, in the fol- 
lowing lines : 

O'Choonaij ap cuaipr ptche, 
Corhapra na coijcpice, 
Co copainn Rooba, p6 pao, 
Qp popba dlainn ioml6n ; 
Nf puil ni op ciinija na pom 
Qj 0'n-t)uBDa do oiicoio. 
Ceirpe pfoja 0^5 oo'n opuiny 
puaip an cui^eab jan coiiipomn, 
Cp6 jntoiii conTipeaoma ip car, 
l)o pfol oipeajoa piachpach. 

'* From the Codhnach of gentle flood, 
The mark of the boundary, 
To the bomidar J of the Rodba, to be mentioned. 
It b a beauteous perfect territorj ; 



279 



Ofth, 



Ul 




But of the Hy-Neill is the lineage of the men^ 

Easy for poets to enumerate them. 
Though noble the race of the men, 

The Clann Cairbre of the flowery white mansions, 

Are under the steward of the western people*'. 

Noble are their people from this high submission. 
From the Eodha^ of prosperous course 

I have bravely pursued my career. 

To the Codhnach of winding current, 

Which serves the bovine crop''. 
Let us now return back 

To the kings of the Rath DurlaisS 

To afford knowledge to the race 

By the bright clear guide of genealogy. 
The place of the banquet"" in each powerful territory 

I shall name for the tribes of the smooth sod, 

Prominent 

situated near Doonycoy, in the north of 
the parish of Templeboy, in Tireragh, 
where there are still to be seen the re- 
mains of a large fort ; but it is strange to 
find it mehtioned so conspicuously here, 
as it does not appear ever to have been a 
residence of any of the chiefs of the Hy- 
Fiachrach ; and it is to be suspected that 
the poet here, by an unpardonable poetical 
license, alludes to Dun Durlais, or Rath 
Durlais, the seat of Guaire Aidhne, king 
of Connaught in the seventh century, 
which is situated, as already observed, in 
the country of the southern Hy-Fiach- 
rach. 

" The place of the hanquety L e. the head 
seat or residence of the chief. 



Tb«m i^ 

jg Q-f^ ^^t B narrower region than this 

FoBrt^^l^^** inheritance. 
Ob(«i^^*^ ^n«8 of the family 
dj^T^** ^e chief sway of the prorince without 



^f puissance and battle, 
^^jtrious race of Fiachra.' 



ne crap, i e. out of which the 

4jYw|^**^^5ing on the adjoining fields may 

^1^ ,^^8h water. 6appbo|iuiiiie literally 

^^^ ^^ crop of cows, is here used to de- 

^*^e cattle with which the land was 

^^ The word bapp, however, is 

^^^t loosely used, as it is properly ap- 

^*^ to grass, com, or vegetables. 

"O^ Durlais. — This would seem to be 
ibe place called Rathurlish, or Rathurlisk, 



28o 



cenn a line cac lebaip 

an ofne ay pepp t)' aibeaoaib. 

Oileac na jifg c-piap 'con cuint), 
Duma Caecan, map canuim, 
aibpeac pcaili a n-gopc n-gemaip, 
t)d phopc ailli op innbepaib. 

Qp cecc Dam a h-lppup puap 
plomopet) dpup na n-dpo-pluaj;, 
Dun pfne na ploj plegach, 
'con Ome mop muipepach. 

Raic bpanOuib ip pian paca, 
fpoat) up mn apo-placa, 
'na pope comnaioi ag O'Chumo 
5opc pa'n monj-bumi mojuill. 

Loc Deala nac oelam cpaeb, 

Imp Cua na m-bpec m-ball-caem, 



" Oileach of the kings — The poet, after 
having described the tribes and territories 
in the country of O'Dowd, now returns to 
notice the chief residences in each district, 
and as he began his description of these 
districts with Erris, he now enumerates 
the seats in that district first of all. The 
seat here called Oileach, which would be 
pronounced Ellagh, most probably stood 
on Ard Oiligh, or Ardelly point, near 
Bingham's Castle, in the parish of Kil- 
more Erris, in the peninsula within the 
Mullet. There is a small hill immediately 
to the south of the castle called CXw car- 
aip, i. e. the caher, or stone fort, but there 
are no remains of a fort on it at present. 

® Dumha Cciechain. — This place is now 



Oa 

called Doonke^han. It was the name of 
an ancient fort on the site of which a cas- 
tle was erected by one of the Barrett 
family. It is situated in the townland of 
Killygalligan, in the parish of Kilcommon, 
and barony of Erris, about eight miles 
and a half north-east of the little town of 
Belmullet. This fort stood on a project- 
ing cliff, half a mile west of the coast- 
guard station of Rinroe, in the most 
northern division of Erris, which was 
called Dumha Caochain from the sand- 
banks which it contains in abundance, and 
Hy-Maccaochain from the tribe which in- 
habited it The reader is here to under- 
stand that Dun Caeehain^ L e. Keeghan's 
dun, or fort, was the true original name 



28l 



Prominent in the line of each book 
Is this tribe, the best to strangers. 

Oileach of the kings" west of the wave, 
Dumha Caechain'^, as I sing, 
Prodigious the shadow of their corn-fields, 
Two beautifiil forts over estuaries'*. 

After my return from the cold Irrus 

I shall name the habitation of the great hosts. 
Dun Fine** of the spear-armed troops 
Belongs to a tribe of numerous families. 

Raith Branduibh' of the track of prosperity, 
The noble mansion of the arch-chieftain, 
Is the mansion seat of Conn's descendant*, 
A field where the fruit pods are yellow-bearded. 

Loch Deala' not scarce of bushes, 
Inis Cua" of the fair-spotted trouts. 



Are 



of the residence, and that Dnmha Caoch- chief of Hy-Fiachrach, and descendant of 



ain was properly the name of the sand- 
banks in its vicinity. 

P Over estuaries ; Inbhers, estuaries, or 
the mouths of rivers. Dun Caochain stood 
over Invermore, now Broadhaven and Oi- 
leach, on the west side of Blacksod Bay. 

*i Dun Finey now Dunfeeny, in the 
north of the barony of Tirawley. For the 
situation of this dun, or fort, see p. 6, 
Note ', and Ordnance Map of the County 
of Mayo, sheet 6. 

' BaA Brandutbh^ now Rafran, in Ti- 
rawley. — See Ordnance Map of Mayo, 
sheets 14 and 15. 
• ' Cannes descendant^ i. e. 0*Dowd, arch- 



Conn of the Hundred Battles. 

' Loch Deala, — This place, which is also 
celebrated in the Tripartite Life of St. 
Patrick, as published by Colgan in his 
Trias Thaum. (p. 141, col. h\ still retains 
this name, which is applied to a lough, in 
the south-west of the parish of Ballyso- 
keery, in the barony of Tirawley. The 
townland in which this lough is situated 
is from it called Ballyloughdalla, but the 
Lough itself. Lough Dalla, in the angli- 
cised form. — See Ordnance Map of Mayo, 
sheets 21 and 22. 

" Inis CuOj now Inishcoe, situated on 
the west side of Lough Conn, in the south- 



IBI8H ABCH. SOC. 1 2. 



2 O 



282 



Da pope ell 'con peOam 
nap Docc epi o' aibegaib. 

6anac n-Duban na long luarh, 
mat) caichmi na caem-cuach, 
pope poijel 00 h-diperhat) ann 
oipep dipneo ip uball. 

Dun mic Concobaip na cpech 
fpcao nap luameD leic-bpech 
Iccap Rdca pa'n mfn muip 
ag 5pfb para oa pijjpaio. 

Diin Concpecain na conn n-jeal 
dpup ana ppich pm-pleO, 
inat) caichmi h-1 Chuino cpccaiD, 
ap paicchi an puino poio-lecain. 

Qn od Dpaisnig ap oepj oach, 
fpoat) paippinj O piacpach, 



bun 



east of the parish of Crossmolina, in the 
barony of Tirawley. — See Ordnance Map 
of the County of Mayo, sheet 38. This 
was the residence of the celebrated war- 
rior Cosnamhach O'Dowd in 1 162, and of 
Remond Burke in 1458. It is now the 
seat of M. Pratt, Esq. 

" Eanaeh Dubhain of the rapid ships, now 
called simply Eanaeh. This is an island 
in the east side of Lough Conn, lying 
nearly due east of Inishooe, above men- 
tioned. It is in the parish of Kilbelfad, 
and in that part of Tirawley called the 
Two Bacs. — See Ordnance Map of the 
County of Mayo, sheet 39. By ships in 
this line is meant the boats of Lough 



Conn. It is curious that the Irish writers, 
so late as the reign of Elizabeth, were 
wont to style the boats of Lough Mask, 
and other large lakes, by the name of 
lon^a, ships. 

^ Dun m/Uc Ccnchobhair. — ^In the prose 
list prefixed to this poem this place is 
called Caislen mhic Conchobhair, or Dun 
mic Conchobhair. It is now anglicised 
Castleconor, and is the name of a townland 
and parish lying on the east side of the 
river Moy, in the barony of Tireragh, and 
county of Sligo. — See Ordnance Map of 
that county, sheet 22. The townland 
contains the ruins of a castle standing on 
the site of an ancient dun, or earthen fort. 



a83 

Are two other mansions of the tribe 

Who gave not strait refusal to strangers. 
Eanach Dubhain of the rapid ships^ 

Is a banquetting place of the fair tribes, 

A very bright fort is mentioned here, 

District of sloes and apples. 
Dun mic Conchobhair"' of plunders, 

A mansion in which no false sentence was passed, 

Ichtar ratha* at which the sea is smooth, 

With a prosperous griflftn of the princes. 
Dun Contreathan^ of the frothy waves, 

A mansion in which winy banquets are found, 

Is the banqueting hall of the plundering descendant of Conn, 

On the green of the wide-sodded land. 
The two Draighneachs* of red colour. 

The wide mansion of the Hy-Fiachrach, 

Bun 

on a bill called Cnocan Ui DHubhda, situ- thain's fort, Cu-Treathain being the name 

ated on a point of land extending into the of a man, signifying the hero of the sea. 

river M07. The name of this place is still preserved, 

' hhtar ratha, L e. the lower district of but very much obscured under its angli- 

the fort. This is called Mullach ratha cised form Donaghintraine, which is applied 

elsewhere, and is undoubtedly the place to a townland situated on the coast, in the 

now called Rath laogh, or Rathlee, situated north of the parish of Templeboy, in the 

in the parish of Easkey, in Tireragh. — See barony of Tireragh. — See Ordnance Map 

Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheets 10 and 11. of the County of Sligo, sheet 12. On the 

' Dun Contreathain, — This is called in old map of these coasts, preserved in the 
the prose list Dun Cinntreathain, or Dun State Paper Office, London, often already 
Contreathain, and in the Annals of the referred to, this place is called Duncan- 
Four Masters, at the year 1249, ^^^ troghan, and shown as a castle situated 
Contreathain. The former form of the nearly midway between ^* Rosslee and 
name evidently means the dun or fort at Aughares.'* 

the head of the sea ; the latter, Cu-Trea^ * The two DraighneachB^ now called the 

2O2 



4 



284 

bun phinne a n-dicpeb oili, 
5pinne plaic-jel f ocoioe. 

Cpiallam, copa cpiall lepa, 
cap eip na cpaeb coibnepa 
CO plair Ouplaip, 'can mop me, 
o'n c-plog 00 upmaip oipne. 

Da ^eaba, map puaip cac pep, 
coipri, 00 ceo an coimoeD, 
Do molaD a puinO uili, 
copat) Cumt) ip Conaipi. 

Re linD CaiDj, nap eirig peap, 
O'Duboa 00 puaip aipem 
eirni chno cubpa na coll 
ni mo ubla na n-aball. 



Ret) 



two Draighneachans, anglice Drynaghans, 
namely, Drynaghanbeg and Drynaghan- 
more, two townlands in the parish of 
Kilglass, in the barony of Tireragh. — See 
Ordnance Map of Sligo, sheets 16 and 17. 
In the prose list prefixed to this poem in 
Duald Mac Firbis's Grenealogical Book, is 
the following observation in a different 
hand from his own, inter lineas : — ^* On 
Lios na draighnighe is the Bawn of Ceath- 
ramh an chaisill at this day." The Ord- 
nance Map shows two round forts on 
Drynaghanmore, but no trace of a bawn 
or castle is no^ to be seen on the land. 

* Bun Fhinnej L e. the mouth of the 
river Finn, now Buninna, in the parish of 
Dromard, in the barony of Tireragh. — 
See Ordnance Map of the County of Sligo, 



sheet 13. See also p. 120, Note ™, supra, 
^ The lord o/Durlas. — By this the poet 
means O'Dowd, but the introduction of 
Durlas here is very incorrect, or at least 
the result of very bad poetical taste. 
Durlas was the name of the palace of the 
celebrated Guaire Aidhne, King of Con- 
naught, who was of the Hy-Fiachrach race, 
but it is situated near Kinvara, in the 
south-west of the county of Galway, and 
O'Dowd, who was not descended from 
Guaire, never had any lordship over it 
Here the poet, after describing all the 
tribes and territories in the principality 
of Hy-Fiachrach, addresses Tadhg, orTeige 
O'Dowd, their head chieftain, from whom 
he demands the reward of his labours, 
which he was confident would be such gifts 



285 



i 



Bun Fhinne* is another habitation, 
A white wattled pile of hosts. 

Let us proceed, — ^may it be a prosperous journey, — 
After giving the genealogical ramifications. 
To the lord of Durlas^, with whom I am great. 
From the host who have ornamented us. 

I will obtain, as has each man. 
The fruits, by God's permission, 
Of having praised all his country. 
Fruits worthy of Conn and Conaire*^. 

In the time of Tadhg, who refused not a man, 
O'Dubhda, who received obeisance, 
Than the kernels of the fragrant hazel nuts. 
Not larger were the apples of the apple trees'*. 



In 



°^ S^«at ancestor, Conn of the Hundred 
_ '■'^^^ would not have been ashamed of 

ng. 

. Conn and Conaire, that is, we may 

./-^^^^lire, of Conn of the Hundred Bat- 

i^_^ ^-cfc^ great ancestor of O'Dowd, and 

®^*i^in-law Conaire the Second, who 

t/'^^^^ed him in the monarchy of Ireland 

,^ ^ the year of Christ 212. But the 

^^ou miiy }yQ to Conaire the First, who 

"J^ ^ far more celebrated monarch, and 

/^^sh^ early in the first century, whose 

*^ is celebrated by the Irish bards as 

^'^^ been blessed with peace and plenty, 

^ell 1^ with serenity of the seasons, 

^^ they ascribe to his own righteous- 

^^ and worthiness, and also to the pre- 

*^^ of the Redeemer of the world on 



earth in human form during thirty-three 
years of his reign. 

^ The apples of the apple trees^ i. a the 
nuts were as large as apples. — In the 
best and most ancient Irish MSS. the 
word aball, which is evidently cognate 
with the English word apple^ is used to 
denote the apple tree, and uball, its fruit, 
a distinction not at all observed in the 
modern language The value set by the 
ancient Irish upon the hazel nuts is here 
proved beyond a question, but nothing is 
said in any part of this poem to show why 
they were so valuable We know that 
they had large herds of swine which fed 
on masts in the woods, but it is to be sus- 
pected that the people used the hazel nuts 
as an article of food. 



/5 



.J^'^ 



286 



Ret) Imn t)o laijoij cuili, 

a cuip TTieip-jel TTlaenTnuije, 
each nee peo caeb ip rpom pach, 
pao maep ap ponn O piacpac. 

Cdini5 ropao a ralmain 

peD linD, a oeipj Donn-abpaiD, 
map pujaip eac pale plecaiD, 
cujaip lace o'dp loilgecaib. 

Q mic DomnaiU Duin 5"^ip^ 
mime Do poip d h-anbuaine 
cfp Cepa oumn 05 d odil 
peoa agup iiip 'jd aomdil. 

Ip minic bepap 6d' bpuj, 
pe eoip pileD ip eplum, 
epot) a oum laim pe Lemait), 
'con odim 6 buill bileagaio. • 



' The floods have decreased. — This sa- 
vours very strongly of Eastern notions. 

^ Maenmagh, — or *'^Maenmuine^^'* insert- 
ed inter lineas in the hand of the original 
scribe of the Book of Lecan. Here, by a 
vicious poetical taste, the name of a plain 
in Hy-Many is introduced merely for its 
being in Connaught, though neither 
O'Dowd, nor any of his ancestors, had any 
dominion over it from a very remote pe- 
riod, never, in fact, except when they be- 
came kings of Connaught, which was not 
the case since they took the surname 
O'Dowd. 

8 Thou hast brought down every moisten- 
ing shov>er See Battle of Magh Rath, 

p. 1 01, for a fuller account of this super- 



Co 

stition among the ancient Irish. 

^ Oson ofDomhnaU. — The Tadhg, or 
Teige O'Dowd, to whom this poem was 
addressed was Tadhg Riabhach, the son 
of Domhnall Cleireach O'Dowd. He suc- 
ceeded, as chief of his name, in 141 7, the 
very year in which this poem was composed, 
and died in 1432. He was one of the most 
celebrated chiefs of Hy-Fiachxach, being 
the founder of the Abbey of Ardxiarea, 
and the patron of the compiler of the Book 
of Lecan. 

^ Dun Gnaire. — Thb place is in the 
country of the O'Heynes, in the south- 
west of the county of Galway, and is in- 
troduced here by a wild poetical stretch 
of the imagination, as it was the palace of 



28; 



In thy time the floods have decreased*, 
O white-fingered tower of Maenmagh*^, 
Every person by thy side is of heavy prosperity, 
Under thy steward in the land of Hy-Fiachrach. 

Fertility has come in the land 

In thy time, ruddy face of brown eye-brows, 

As thou hast brought down every moistening shower*. 

Thou hast given milk to our milch-cows. 

son of DomhnaU** of Dun Guaire* 

Oft have we been relieved from distress 
By the rent of Ceara to us distributed. 
Which the trees and the soil confessed^ 

Oft is carried from thy palace. 

In the company of poets and saints. 
Cattle from the fort near Leamhach"". 
By the fraternity of arborous BuilP, 



Go&ire Aidhne, King of Connaught, who 
was of the Hy-Fiachrach race. 

i Wkkh the trees and the soil confessed^ 

i- e. by their fertility they exhibited the 

dearest signs of the righteousness of thy 

rdgn and of the justice with which thou 

disposest of the tributes rendered thee by 

the inhabitants. It is very much to be 

doubted, however, that the Tadhg O'Dowd 

to whom this poem was addressed, was in 

receipt of the tributes of Ceara, and it is 

greatly to be feared that the poet has here 

conTerted his ereacha^ or preys, into his 

lawful tributes peaceably rendered him. 

^ I%e fort near Leamhach, — We have 
already seen that Leamhach, now anglice 



To 

Lavagh, is the name of a townland in the 
parish of Dromard, in Tireragh, and it is 
quite obvious that the fort here alluded 
to is the celebrated castle of Longford, 
which was originally built by the English, 
but which was taken from them by the 
grandfather of the hero of this poem, who 
erected there an addition to the Bawn of 
Longford, which he called Leaba an eich 
bhuidhe, L e. the bed of the yellow steed. 
' The fraternity of the arborous BuiU, 
L e. the friars of the abbey of Boyle, in 
the county of Roscommon, to whom 
O'Dowd, the hero of this poem, appears 
to have been liberal in his presents of 
cattle. 




288 



Co Cpuacam ap copcpa pit), 
epij ap plicc na pmnpep, 
cair Do peal a mup TTIeaoba, 
ben oo'n Dun a oomennia. 

Da beip cac oam, nj a cuaiD, 
Oct rojpaip piap cap pen-TTIuait), 
jell 6 QpainD mfn TTIupbai^, 
Do Uhip dlamD QmalgaiD. 

Na cpei5 ^V Chpuacam clann ChumD 
TTla^ TTluaiDi na miip n-Df^ainD, 
ndp can a pinD-muigi D'dp 
a^ m^aipi claip Chpuacan. 

5^t) afbmD Cpuaca na cldp, 
ip Cepa na cpaeb comldn, 
pedpp comnafDi an cfpi r-piap, 
ponn muiji mine TTlaicniaD. 



Rdic 



^ Cruachan, i. e. Rathcroghan, near 
Belanagare, in the county of Roscommon, 
the ancient seat of the Kings of Con- 
naught. 

° The fori ofMeadhbL — ^ihcToghtiXi, 
so called from the celebrated heroine 
Meadhbh, L e. Meave, or Mauda, queen 
of Connaught, who dwelt in this fort in 
the first century, and who is more cele- 
brated in Irish stories than any other fe- 
male character of ancient times in Ireland. 

° Its dejection, L e. make it cheerful by 
thy presence. This is casting a slight 
slur on the O'Conors of Croghan, whose 
power at this period had been very much 
crippled by the Burkes and other families 



of English descent, in Connaught. The 
last of the O'Conors who was inaugurated 
king of the Irish of Connaught, was slain 
eleven years before this poem was com- 
posed, so that the poet had just reason 
to represent the fort of Meaire as gloomy 
and dejected, there being then no king of 
the hereditary race of Croghan to cheer it 
with his festivities. 

P Ara of the plain of Murbhach This 

is the great island of Aran, in the bay of 
Galway, which contains a small plain called 
Murbhach, i. e. sea-plain^ situated towards 
its north-west end, at a place called Cill 
Murbhaigh, anglic^ Kilmurvy. 

*> Tir Amhafyaidhy now Tirawley. 



289 



To Cruachan"* of the purple-berried trees 

Proceed in the track of thy ancestors, 

Pass thy time in the fort of Meadhbh", 

Remove from that fort its dejection". 
Every band of the literati that comes to the north, 

Whom thou invitest westwards across the old Muaidh, 

Brings a pledge from Ara of the plain of Murbhach** 

To the beauteous Tir Amhalgaidh**. 
Forsake not for Cruachan of the race of Conn, 

The plain of the Muaidh of the defensive forts, 

It would be a shame to neglect the cultivation of its fair plain 

While caring the plain of Cruachan. 
Though delightful is Cruachan of the plains. 

And Ceara' of the full-grown bushes, 

It is better to dwell in the western land, 

The level soil of Maicnia's plain*. 

The 



' And Ceara, — This clearly shows that 
the hero of the poem was not in possession 
of Ceara, as already hinted. 

* Maienid*8 jdain, an appellation given 
to all Ireland by the Irish bards, by a 
vicious poetical license which often ob- 
scures their writings. This Maicnia was 
the father of Lughaidh Mac Con, who 
usurped the throne of Tara in the third 

century See O'Flaherty's Ogygia, Part 

in. c. 67 ; and Keating in the reign of 
Lughaidh Mac Con ; but as Maicnia him- 
self was never monarch of all Ireland, it 
was very incorrect to call the whole 
country after his name. The learned 
OTlaherty, in treating of the different 



names by which Ireland was known to 
the ancients, says that the Irish poets 
frequently formed other appellations for 
her from the names of the more celebrated 
of her monarchs ; in corroboration of 
which he quotes a quatrain from a poem 
by Hugh, the son of CDonnell. His words 
are : — ^^ Denique non raro a Foetis pa- 
triis quorundam celebriorum Insuls re- 
gum adjectis nominibus, hujus, vel illius 
Regis (expresso nomine) regio, plaga, terra, 
campus, regia, curia, aut quod simile cog- 
nominatur ; ut in sequentibus ex Hugone 
O'Donnelli fiUo: 

"Jo'pcecip ceac Cuarail o' Gipinn, 
Cpo Cuinn ip ponn pinn-Pheiolim, 



IRISH ARCH. BOG. 12. 



2P 



290 



Raic D6plaif if oijaint) blao 
nd cpeij ap cldp na Cpuacan, 
pair bpaic-jel na m-bileab m-boj, 
dicpeab pileab if ef poj. 

Co Duplup t)a cogpaip cpiall, 
a meic Domnaill Dum ^^i^^^^i^i 
len aicpip na pfj poime, 
a 5pfb caic-lip Conaipe. 

biaio umao aj epgi amac 

caipij na ponn-pa O phiacpac, 

ip cpiar an rfpi pi call 

le pfni-pi a n-iarh eacrpano, 

bheic uaraD ni oficaio Duio 
a h-1 Duboa Diiin Copmaic, 
ppoll 'cot) maicm pdo meoaib, 
pl65 ip aipci o' phileoaib. 

Rf^paiO Cepa pdo opeic n-oumn, 
pluaj Ippuip Do cap comlumo, 
h-1 Qmaljait), ploij na plej, 
oo'n ^o^cti^P^i^ ^^ip TTIileaD. 



Sluai^ 



lor U^tne, ip acaio CIipc» 

Cpfoc Chobcaij ip cldp Chopmaic 

" Diota Tuathalii domus Eria, regia Quinti : 
Fedlimii fondus, plaga Cobthaca, et Hugonis 

arrum : 
Arturi regio, vestruin et Cormace, theatnim." 

Ogygia^ p. 19. 

^ The fort of DurloB This is a hint to 

the O'Dowd that he had a right to the 
country of the southern Hy-Fiachrach, 
that is, the country of Aidhne, co-exten- 



sive with the diocese of Kilmacduagh, in 
the county of Gal way, of which country 
Durlus, now called Dun Guaire, was the 
head residence. 

" FortofGailian, — It is hard to con- 
jecture what fort the poet has here in 
view. The country of the Gkdlians, a 
sept of the Firbolgs of Connaught, com- 
prised the present baronies of Gallen, 
Leyny, and other districts which bordered 
on O'Dowd's country ; and it is very pro- 



291 

The fort of Durlas* of lasting fame 

Forsake not for the plain of Cruachan, 

The white-sheeted fort of soft trees 

Habitation of poets and bishops. 
To Durlas shouldst thou desire to go 

son of Domhnall of the fort of Gailian", 

Pursue the example of the kings before thee, 

griffin of the battle-fort of Conaire^. 
There will be around thee rising out 

The chieftains of this land of Hy-Fiachrach, 

And the lord of this yonder country 

With whom thou mayest march into the land of strangers. 
To be alone is not hereditary to thee, 

O O'Dubhda of the fort of Cormac^! 

Thy people have satin tmder thy medes, 

A host the most ripe for poets. 
The chiefs of Ceara under thy bright aspect, 

The host of Irrus to urge the conflict, 

The Hy-Amhalgaidh, host of lances, 

Of the great Milesian Gamanradii*. 

Should 

bable that the place here mentioned was the j ust clainL 

ancient name of some one of O'Dowd's ^ Fort ofCormac. — This is a made name 

seats, the site of which might have been too, and by it the poet evidently means 

originally occupied by a Firbolgic fort ; Tara, the seat of Cormac O'Cuinn, the 

but the Editor has discovered nothing to great ancestor of the chieftain families of 

throw any light upon the subject. the north and west of Ireland, and of 

^ Batde-fort of Conaire O'Dowd had O'Dowd among the rest 

no residence of this name, and it is very ^ Milesian Gfamanradii, — The Gaman- 

likely that the poet is here going outside raidhi were a fierce and warlike tribe of 

the bounds of true chorography by styling the Firbolgs seated in Erris in the first 

his hero chief of forts to which he had no century ; and their character for bravery 

2P2 



292 



Sluai^ eccpann Da n-epji Dum, 
pa'n oilen pa puipc pdopaij, 
can luaD airhni ap apoili 
'con r-pluaj o'aicli ipjaili. 

Q meic Domnaill a Oun ChuinD, 
cu ip oijpi o' injm Domnaill, 
clu in oa Domnall ao DejaiD 
pdo cpu a comlann cumjeoais. 

Ni Duca Duio TTla^ TTluaiDi, 
'nd ponn Uempa raeb uame, 
ppfc aj am pcol na pgpeabrpa, 
'pa epic poip CO pein 6alpa. 

Clann piacpac a^ epji amac, 
pa'n pf pi ap pono O piacpac, 
pluaj puacca pe cac peoain 
buap Cpuacna 'ca ceiD pcpaib. 

^luaipit), copa pen popain, 

CO Cpuacain clann Concobaip, 
a nepr ap Chpuacam do cuip, 
rpe cepc h-1 Cuarail Ccccmaip. 



Nf 



and dexterity at arms was such that the 
poet here intends to compliment the de- 
scendants of their conquerors by styling 
them Milesian Gamanraidhi. Some very 
curious accounts of Ferdia Mac Damain, 
who was the principal champion of this 
sept in the first century, are preserved in 
the very ancient historical tales called 
Tain Bo Cuailgne, and Tain Bo Flidhisi, 
of which there are ancient copies on vel- 
lum preserved in the Library of Trinity 



College, Dublin. 

y The island 0/ Patrick's ci^^.— This is 
another shift to form a poetical name for 
Ireland I Patrick's city here denotes Ar- 
magh, and the Island of Patrick's city 
means Ireland, of which Armagh is the 
chief ecclesiastical city I 

■ Fort of Conn, L e. Tara, the fort of 
Conn of the Hundred Battles, who is 
O'Dowd's great ancestor. 

^ Daughter of DomhnaU, — According to 



^al^ 



^93 

Should a host of strangers meet thee 

To contend for this island of Patrick's city^, 

That host would not recognize each other 

After encountering thee in battle. 
son of Domhnall of the fort of Conn', 

Thou art the heir of the daughter of Domhnal? ; 

The fame of the two Domhnalls** follow thee, 

Which will sustain thy blood in the conflict. 
Not more hereditary to thee is the plain of Muaidh, 

Than the land of the green-sided Tara, 

As is found by my school in their writings, 

And the region east of the old Alps*^. 
The race of Fiachra when rising out 

Under this king of the land of Hy-Fiachrach, 

Are a host dreaded by every tribe, 

The kine of Cruachan are obtained by their chief men. 
Let them proceed, — may it be a felicitous journey, — 

To Cruachan of the Clann Conchobhair**, 

His sway over Cruachan to enforce, 

In right of the heir of Tuathal Teachtmhar^. 

He 



^ Mac Firbis, in his brief Annals of ** Clann Conchobhair^ L e. the O'Conors 

Q,^^ ^'Dowd family, the daughter of of Connaught, who held the sovereignty 

^l^^^ey was the mother of this Tadhg, of Connaught to a later period than the 

^^^^^ ^^ge O'Dowd, and of his brother and Hy-Fiachrach or O'Dowd line. 

^ ^^sessor, Ruaidhri, or Rory. • Heir of Tuathal TeadUmhar. — The 



(I, '^ ^ fame of the two DomhnaHs, L e. law of primogeniture being disregarded, 

j^ «^nie of his maternal grandfather, as it unquestionably was in Ireland, the 

nail, orDonnellO'Malley, and of his O'Dowds are as much the heirs of King 

^ther, Domhnall Cleireach O'Dowd. Tuathal Teachtmhar, as the O'Neills, 

gll^^^^^i^ region ecut to the old Alps This O'Conors, or any other family who claimed 

/^>^^^ ^^ to King Dathi's expedition to the the monarchy in right of descent from 

already often referred to. him. 



294 



Nf h-ancap pip d pmo jliat), 

mac mic bpiam, ay blaich popniam, 
ap in paiochi i n-uaip aja, 
pluaig '5a aicne ip eodna. 
Qp airpip na pfj poime, 

O'Ouboa a 06n Laejaipi, 

ceac Uiiarail ap aipi an pip, 

Y cac baili um Cpuacam coiH-^il. 

5^11 ap Oenam 'cd Dpeic n-Dumo 
ap enjnam ip ap oppuim 
Do uaip a h-aicll p^islci 
buaiD n-airhni ajup n-uplabpa. 

Qobap meoaijre menma 
Da cennaic Do n^epna 
eanj nuaiDi mfn Oo'n mall muip 
pd chip n-uaine n-QmalgaiD. 

Q Oeapaio Dama an Domain 
pe h-oijpi an pumn eplomaij, 
ap lop map cairip a cpaD 
mop cac maiciup 6 mopab. 
TTlac Domnaill 6 mup TTleaDba, 
p6imD mapclac m6p-Delba, 



pa 



^ The grandson of Brian Tadhg, or 

Teige O'Dowd, to whom this poem was 
addressed, was the grandson of the cele- 
brated Sen Bhrian O'Dowd, who drove 
all the Anglo-Norman settlers out of Ti- 
reragh, and died in the year 1354. 

8 Fort of Laeghaire. — Dun Cae^aipi. 
This is intended as a name for Tara, as 
having been the seat of Laeghaire, son of 



Niall of the Nine Hostages, who was mo- 
narch of Ireland when St Patrick arrived 
in 432. Dunlearj, near Dublin, is sup- 
posed to have taken its name from the 
same monarch, but no historical proof of 
the fact has yet been discovered. 

^ HouAe of Tuathal. — This is another 
name for Tara, from its having been the seat 
of the Irish monarch Tuathal Teachtmhar. 



295 

He does not shrink from the spear of battle, 
The grandson of Brian^ of splendid aspect, 
In the field at the hour of valour, 
The host who recognize him are timid. 

In imitation of the kings before him, 

O'Dubhda, hero of the fort of Laeghaire*^, 

Has his attention fixed on the house of Tuathal^, 

And on every town round Cruachan of fair hazels. 

The palm for beauty has his brunette-face won, 
And eke for valour and submission, 
He has got besides these acquirements 
The gift of recognition and eloquence. 

Cause of exaltation of mind 

For this lord, that he has stoutly contested 
A new smooth angle of the calm sea 
Along the green Tir Amhalgaidh*. 

The bards of the world will say 
To the heir of this land of saints, 
Sufliciently has he expended his wealth, 
It is great to exalt each goodness. 

The son of Domhnall of the fort of Meadhbh\ 

A manly great-faced hero. 

Has 

^ yf the green Tir Amhalgaidh From and that " he had restored the hereditary 

thu It would seem that the hero of this poem estates in his principality, both lay and 

had been contending with the Barretts, or ecclesiastical, to the lawful proprietors." 

JBories, for a section of the sea bordering But it does not appear that he ever pos- 

OD Timwley ; probably that part at the sessed any part of Tirawley. 

month of the river Moy, which was valu- ^ Fart of Meadhbk^ L e. Croghan, or 

ftble for the salmon fishery. In the record Bathcroghan, the seat of Meave, a cele- 

of this chieftain's death, given in the An- brated queen of Connaught, already often 

diIb of the Four Masters at the year 1432, referred to. 
it is stated that *^ he was lord of Tireragh," 



296 



pa uja 00 cair a cpaO 

ca maic ap buja bponncap. 

Cd h-uaipli cliapa clanD Cumo 
00 molao Deij-Tnic Domnaill 
nd copaD an cfpi nap 
00 molao 5pibi 5^i^i^^- 

TTluna canao peappeapa, 

00 canpauiD cpaeb coibnepa, 
o' O'Duboa o'ap cej Uemaip, 
'pa lupjcf jel ^einealaij. 

Da cuiYiup o'd cneap map cumo, 
oijpi oeij-bperac Domnaill, 
pip jnaic-oucaip cac oume 
CO pdich clum-raip Coonaip. 

Ri^dn uapal 00 clomo Chumo, 
mjean oeio-jeal h-1 Domnaill, 
nf ceapc buaio ap mnai TTlupbaij, 
oo'n gnai puaip 6 ollumnaib. 



Injen 



^ Gailian, — The ancient sept of the 
Firbolgs, called Galians, had certainlj 
possessed a part of Hy-Fiachrach before the 
descendants of Eochaidh Muighmheadh- 
oin, monarch of Ireland, had obtained 
settlements in Connaught ; and this is the 
reason that O'Dowd is called here Griffin 
of Gailian, and a few lines higher up (p. 29 1 ) 
" of the fort of Gailian." The Gailians of 
the Firbolgic race are to be distinguished 
from the people called Galenga, who were 
of the Milesian race, and the descendants 
of Cormac Gaileng, a Munster chieftain, 



who settled here. 

' Had not Ferfeasa sung. — This was not 
the Ferfeasa Mac Firbis whose pedigree has 
been given in page 103, supra. It is quite 
obvious from this allusion that this Fer* 
feasa had written a poem on the genealogy 
of the O'Dowds previously to the compo- 
sition of the present poem, but the Editor 
has not been able to find it. 

" Fort of Codknach This was the 

name of some fort near Drumcliff, in the 
barony of Carbury, below the town of 
Sligo, for the river here called Codhnach 



297 



Has in profusion spent his wealth ; 

That which is bestowed well is the most generously bestowed. 
Not more nobly do the learned of the race of Conn 

Panegyrize the good son of Domhnall, 

Than does the produce of the western country 

Praise that griffin of Gailian*^. 
Had not Fearfeasa^ sung 

I would now sing the family tree 

For O'Dubhda, whose house is Tara, 

And his fair genealogical lineage. 
I have composed for this skin like the wave, 

For the just-judging heir of Domhnall, 

An account, of the constant inheritance of each man 

As far as the soft-feathered fort of Codhnach"*. 
A noble queen of the race of Conn, 

The white-toothed daughter of O'Donnell", 

Not small is the victory of the woman of Murbhach® 

From the beauty she received from the OUamhs**. 

The 



(pronounced Cownagh) was the ancient 
name of the river which discharges itself 
into the bay of Sligo, near the Tillage of 
Dnuncliff. There are many celebrated 
forts in the vicinity of this river, but it is 
impossible to conjecture what fort in this 
▼idnity the poet had here in view. 

" The white-toothed daughter of (PDon- 
ndL — She was undoubtedly the wife of 
Tadhg O'Dowd. 

^ MurbhacL — There are many places of 
this name in Tirconnell, or the coimty of 
Donegal, where the word is imderstood to 
mean a flat spot of land verging on the sea, 



and such as the Murrow on the strand of 
Wicklow, &c., the Editor has not, however, 
found that Murbhach was the name of any 
celebrated seat of O'Donnell at this period ; 
but he is inclined to think that it is not 
a mere fancy name made by Mac Firbis 
to answer his rhyme, as the O'Donnells 
are called laocpaio HlupBaij^, or heroes 
of Murbhach, in several other poems. 

P From the beauty she received from the 
oUamhSy i. e. the celebrity which the oil- 
amhs, or chief poets, have given alike to 
her beauty and goodness in their panegy- 
rical poems. 



IBISH ABCH. see. 1 2. 



2Q 



298 

Injen h-1 Domnaill Doipi, 

beangcin oo'n pcim pfRpomi, 

jnai na m-ban f lap pap f laic-nf 

m jap 00 plan Rajnailci. 
Imoa mipbaib TTluipe 

mdchaip Ipa polc-buioi 

00 bac can bpon na baile ; 

mop a mac a mipbaili. 
O jem Cpipc Do copam blao 

cop a' Ouam pi 00 oeapbao, 

cecpa ceo ip mill meap, 

ni bpes an line luaicep, 

pecc m-bliaona 065 can oubi, 

ni namoa an rp6t> rojuioi. 

Qpaile Do placaib Ua n-Duboa, gup an jaipm Do bepio leabaip 
aipipm Ooib, .1. jaipm pioj, agup 5(6 coiriii jeac pm aniu, nip b'eaD 

'm an am pm aj 5^^^^^^"^^» ^^ P^P ^ n-olijib pen an uaip pm, 
ajup Do pep cmeaD ele p6p; peuc pepi6 cdnjjaccap Clann Ippael 
50 Ufp Caippnjipe 50 m-bdcap cpiocha pfoj i n-en pe ap an cfp 
pm, ajup jan nf ap m6 ma od ceuD mile ap paD ajup caojaD mflc 

ap 

^ C^DonmeU qflkrry. — Here O'Doxmell the Bleased Virgin Maiy. lliia is thrown 

is called of Derry merely because Deny in without any connexion whatever with 

was then within his prindpalit j, not be* the forgoing part of the poem. The an- 

cause he ever had a residence there, for it cient Irish poets thought it their duty to 

is absolutely certain that he never had ; end all long poons of this kind with some 

and it was not until the fifteenth century religious remarks, to show that they were 

that he had possession of Derry at all, for Christians, and humble believers in the 

it and the territory of Inishowen, in which intercession of saints ; and their pious eja- 

it was originally situated, belonged to dilations on sudi occasions often contrast 

O'Neill. strongly with the sentiments expressed 

^ Many are the mirades of Mary ^ i e. of in the previous part of their poems. 



299 



The daughter of O'Donnell of Deny"* 
Is a branch of the regal lineage ; 
The beauty of the women in the west under chieftains 
Approach not the mien of Raghnailt. 
Many are the miracles of Mary', 

Mother of Jesus of the yellow hair", 
Who brought forth, without sorrow in her town ; 
Great is her son in miracles. 
From the birth of Christ, who defended fame, i. e. character^ 
Until this poem was proved. 
Are four hundred and one thousand fleeting years^ 
Not &lse the age that is mentioned, 
And seventeen years' without obscurity ; 
Not obscure is the select flock*. 

Here follow some of the chieftains of the O'Dubhdas, with the 
title which historical books give them, namely, the title of king, and 
though strange this appears at this day", it was not so then among 
the Gaels according to their own laws at that time, and according 
to other nations also. Behold before the coming of the children 
of Israel to the land of promise, how there were thirty kings toge- 
ther in that country, and it not more than two hundred miles in 

length 



" Mather ofJenu of the ydkm hair. — 
In a short tract, preserved in the Book of 
Ballymote, foL 7, b, b. on the personal ap- 
pearance of Christ and his Apostles, Christ 
is described as having pole ouB-oono, L e. 
dark-brown hair, and long curling forked 
beard. 

* And seventeen tfean^ L e. 141 7, the very 
year in which, according to the Annals of 
the Four Masters, Tadhg, the son of 



Domhnall O'Dowd, became chief of Tire- 
ragh. 

' Not obteure is the select flock, — This is 
a religioTis observation added merely to fill 
up the quatrain and complete the poem. 

" ITumffh strange this appears at this day* 
— See more of this subject in O'Flaherty's 
Ogygia, pp. 31, 32, and the tract on the 
pedigrees and customs of Hy-Many, pp. 
63, 64, Note K 



2Q2 



300 

ap leacaD innce. Do'n cip pn Oo ^aipa Cfp Canaan, 6 Chandn, 
mac Caim, inic Naoi ; Ufp Caippnjipe lapam 6 Dhia o'd jeallab 
Do Qbpam ip o'd ffol; Ippael lap pr\ 6 Chlannuib Ippael ; luoaea 
6 1ut>ai6ib; paley^cma 6 na philipcimb, ajup an Calarh Naorhra 
6 obaip ap Sldnuijce oo Oeunarh mnce, ajup jin ip ceapab 
Chpiopc, -jc. 

Uuij Slip ob lao annala eacca na b-plac pa f fop pjpfobrap 
puo annpo. 
Qnno Chpipci, 

983. Qoo Ua Duboa, Ri cuaipjipc Connacc uile, o'eacc. 

1005. TTlaolpuanaiO Ua Duboa, Ri Ua piacpac TTIuippse. 

1096. TTluipceapcac Ua Duboa, Ri Ua n-Qrhaljaib, ajup Ua 
b-piacpac, ajup Ceapa occipup epc. 

1 126. DoThnall pionn Ua Dubba, Ri Ua n-Qrhaljaio, Ua piac- 
pac, ajup Ceapa, 00 bdoao a^ rabaipc cpece a Cfp Conaill. 

1 143. Qoo, mac TTluipceapcai^ Ui Duboa, Ri Ua n-Qmalgaio, 
ajup Ua b-piacpac an cuaipjepc. 

RuaiOpi TTIeap mac Cailcij, mec Nell 1 Duboa, pi 6 Roba 
50 Cobnuij. 

1 1 62. 

^ Aodh 0*Dubhda.— The Four Masters » Muircheartack 0'Dubkda..^The An- 

have collected no notices of this chieftain, nals of the Four Masters notice the death 

Our author obviously extracted this entry of this chieftain at the same year, but style 

from the Annals of Lecan, of which the him lord of Hy^Amhalgaidh, L e. Tirawley 

Four Masters had no copy when compiling only. '^ A. D. 1096. Muircheartach 

their work. O'Dowd, L e. the Cullach [the Boar], 

^ Madruanaidh O^Diibhda,^^The An- lord of Hy-Amhalgaidh, was slain by his 

nals of the Four Masters notice the death own tribe.'' 

of this chieftain under the same year, ^ DomhnaU Fwnn O^Dubhda The 

thus : — '^ I cx>5. Maolruanaidh, son of Aodh Four Masters qgree with this in every pai^ 

O'Dowd, lord of Hy-Fiachrach Muirisce, ticular, except that they style Domhnall 

and his son Maolseachlainn, and his bro- Fionn lord of Hy-Amhalgaidh, or Tirawley, 

ther Gebhennach, the son of Aodh, died." only. But it is much more likely that 



301 

length and fifty miles in breadth. This country was called the Land 
of Canaan from Canan, son of Cam, son of Noah, afterwards the Land 
of Promise, because God had promised it to Abraham and his seed ; 
Israel after that, from the children of Israel ; Judaea, from the Jews ; 
Palestine, from the Philistines ; and the Holy Land, from the work 
of our salvation having been effected in it, and the birth and cruci- 
fixion of Christ. 

Understand that it is the Annals of the deaths of the chiefs that 
are written down here, as follows : 
Anno Christi, 

983. Aodh O'Dubbda"", King of all North Connaught, died. 

1 005. Maolruanaidh"' O'Dubhda, King of Hy-Fiachrach of Muirsge 
[died]. 

1096. Muircheartach O'Dubhda*, King of Hy-Amhalgaidh, Hy- 
Fiachrach, and Ceara, was slain. 

1 1 26. Domhnall Fionn O'Dubhda^, King of Hy-Amhalgaidh, Hy- 
Fiachrach, and Ceara, was drowned as he was carrying off a prey 
from Tirconnell. 

1 143. Aodh, son of Muircheartach O'Dubhda*, King of Hy-Amh- 
algaidh, and the Northern Hy-Fiachrach [died]. 

Ruaidhri Mear*, son of Taithleach, son of Niall O'Dubhda, was 
King of the country extending from the Roba to the Codhnach. 

1162. 



Duald Biac Firbis is right 

' Aodh^ son of Muircheartctch O^Dvhhda. 
— The Four Masters agree with this word 
for word, and enter his death iinder the 
same year. 

* BtuUdkri Mear, L e. Rory or Roger 
the Swift O'Dowd. The Four Masters 
faftTe collected no notice of this chieftain, 



and it is quite evident that Duald Mac 
Firbis has inserted him here without a 
date on the authority of the poem of GioUa 
losa Mor Mac Firbis, already given. This 
was the Ruaidhri who violated the daugh- 
ter of O^Quin, chief of Clann Cuain, which 
caused the separation of that territory 
from his family. 



302 

1 1 62. Qn Copiiarhuij; Ua Duboa, cijeapna Ua n-Ctmaljaib, 

OCClfUf. 

1 1 80. If in blmbain fi cea^oa SabB, mjcan TTlhuipjcafa, nnc 
Caibj Ui TTlaoilpuanam, bean Caiclij Ui Duboa ; 'jd poibc 6 
Ro6ba 50 Cobnuij. 

1 1 8 1 . Qn Copnarhuij, mac an Chopnarhuij Ui 06bDa, pi^6amna 
Ua n-Qrhalsaib, occipup. 

1213. Donncab Ua Diiboa 50- 5-coblac 56 long a h-lnpib 5^^^» 
gup jab cuan i n-lmp Rainn ap Inpib ITI06, 1 n-UrhuU, gup bean 
a peaponn pen paop jan cam DoChacal Chpoib-bepj UaConcabcnp. 

1242. 6pian Deap5 Ua Duboa, mac Donncaio, Ri Ua b-piac- 
pac, Ua n-QrhaljaiO, agup loppuip, occipup. 

1282. Cairleac, mac TTlaoilpuanaib Ui Duboa, Ri Uab-piac- 
pac ajup Ua n-Qrhaljaio, occipup. 

1291. 



^ Comamhaigh O'Dowd. — The Four 
Masters style him lord of Hy-Amhalgaidh, 
or Tirawlej, under the same year, and add 
that he was slain by his own tribe. This 
was the great warrior already mentioned 
in the pedigree of the O'Dowds, as having 
been slain at his own house on Inis Cua, 
by O'Gloinin, in a dispute about a grey- 
hound whelp ! 

^ Sadhhh, i. e. Sabia. The Four Mas- 
ters have no notice of this lady, but at the 
year 1 1 92 they notice the murder of Taith- 
leach, or Taichleach O'Dowd, who was 
undoubtedly her husband, in these words: 
** A. D. 1 192. Taithleach O'Dowd, lord of 
Tirawley and Tireragh, on the Moy, was 
impiously slain by his own two grand- 
sons.'^ HerfatherdiediniSiy. See p. 2 12. 



^From the Rodhba to the CodhnacL — ^He 
was lord of the tract of coimtry extending 
from the river Robe to the river Cowney, 
which discharges itself into the bay of 
Sligo, at Drumcliff. This, as already often 
remarked, was the original extent of 
O'Dowd's country. 

* Comamhaigk, ton of CoBnan^^k, — 
There is no notice of him in the AnnAla 
of the Four Masters. 

^ Donnchadh (yDvbhda* — There is no 
memorial of this great exploit in the Annals 
of the Four Masters. It was evidently 
extracted by our' author, Duald Mae Fir- 
bis, from the Annals of Lecan, not now to 
be foiuid. The Four Masters have one 
notice of this Donnchadh at the year 1 207, 
where they style him lord of Tirawley 



303 

1 162. Cosnamhaigh" O'Dubhda, heir apparent of Hy-Amhalgaidh, 
was skin. 

1 180. In this year departed Sadhbh', daughter of Muirgheas, son 
of Tadhg O'Maoilmanaidh, and the wife of Taithleach O'Dubhda, who 
possessed the country extending fi:t>m the Robhba to the Codbnach". 

1 181. Cosnamhaigh, son of Cosnamhaigh' O'Dubhda, heir appa- 
rent of the Hy-Amhalgaidh, was slain. 

1213. Donnchadh O'Dubhda' sailed with a fleet of fifty^ix ships 
from the Insi Gall*, and landed on Inis Raithin", one of the Insi 
Modh', in UmhalV, and wrested his own land free of tribute from 
Cathal Croibhdhearg* O'Conor. 

1 242. Brian Dearg O'Dubhda', son of Donnchadh, King of Hy- 
Fiachrach, Hy-Amhalgaidh, and lorrus, was slain. 

1282. Taithleach, son of Maolruanaidh O'Dubhda", King of Hy- 
Fiachrach and Hy-Amhalgaidh, was slain. 

1291. 
and 'Hzen^ 

t/tui GaS, i. e. the Hebrides, or western 
isUnds of Scotltmd. — See O'FlAberty's 
Ogj^t, Put UL, c. 63 and 75. 

** Ini* Raiihin. — This iaUnd, which is 
also mentioned in the Annala of the Four 
Ussters at the year 1235, is now called 
Iniehraber, and is situated in the bajr of 
Westport, in the vest of the county of 
HajOL — See Ordnance Map of that county, 
sheet 87. 

■ /rut Modh. — This Is the ancient and 



k Ca&ci CrwbhdJietarg, i. e. Cahill, 
Charles the Bedhanded O'Conor, King of 
ConnaughL Hedied in 1254. The mean- 
ing of this passage is, that U'Dowd com- 
pelled the King of Connaught to give up 
evei]' claim to the tributes which the 
latter demsnded out of the principality of 
Hy-Fiachrach. 

' Brian Dearg, i. e. Brian the Bed. His 
death is thus entered in the Annals of the 
Four Masters at the same year : — "A.D. 
1241. Brian Deai^, the son of Donnchadh 
present Irish name of the islands in Clew O'Dowd, lord of Tireragh, Tirawley, and 
Bay, in the west of the county of Mayo. Irrus, was killed on the road, while on his 

i UmhaU. — This territoiy, which was pilgrimage to the abbey of Boyle." 
the patrimonial inheritance of the family " Tailhleaeh, ton of Maolmanatd/i 
at O'Malley, is now popularly called the O'Dubhda. — This is the celebrated Taith- 
Owles— See p. 181, Note '. leach O'Dowd, sumamed Muaidhe, or of 



3^4 

1291. Concobap Conallac Ua DuBoa, cijeapna Ua b-piacpac 
00 bd6a6 ap Sionuinn. 

1337. Donncao TTlop Ua Duboa, d6bap pfj Ua b-pmcpac, 
o'eacc. 

1350. Uilliam Ua Duboa, Gfpoc Cille h-Qlai6, 00 eacc. 

1354. 6pian 6 Duboa, Ri Ua b-pmcpac ajup Ua n-Qrhaljaib, 
o'ej 'na rij pen lap m-bec 84 bliabna i t)-ci jeapnup . 

1380. Dorhnall Clepeac,niac 6piain Ui Duboa, Ri Ua b-piac- 
pac ajup Ua n-Qrhalgaib, 0*65 lap b-plaiciup 36 bliaban. 

1 41 7. Ruaibpi, mac Dorhnaill Clepi^, Ri Ua b-piacpac, ajup 
Ua n-aThaljaib, o'ej 1 n-Dun Nell, lap b-placiup 37 bhabaa 

1432. Cabj Riabac Ua Duboa, mac Dorhnall Clepij, Ri Ua 
b-piacpac o'ej 1 n-6p5ip Qbann, lap b-plarup 15 bliaban. Injean 
Ui mhdille mdcaip Ruaibpi peampdice, ajup an Uaibj pin. 

1432. 



the river Moy. He was slain by Adam 
Cusack in 1282, and the Four Masters 
have the following notice of him : — " A. D. 
1282. Taithleach, the son of Maolruanaidh 
O'Dowd, lord of Tireragh, the most hos- 
pitable and warlike of his tribe in his time, 
was slain by Adam Cusack on the strand 
of Traigh Eothaile." His death is also 
noticed in the Historia FamiliaB De Burgo, 
preserved in the MS. Library of Trinity 
College, Dublin, in the following words : — 
" Bellum apud Mayn pVioyne] de Kilro 
per Adam Cjrmsog ex un4 parte et Wil- 
liam Bareth ex altera parte, ubi vulnerar 
tus et captus est idem William, et postea 
de hiis vuhieribus mortuus fiiit Adam 
Fleming, et multi aliL A. D, 1282. Occi- 
ditur Tailteach O'Dubda per Adam Cim- 



» 



sog." In a notice inserted in a more 
modem hand in the Book of Lecan, it is 
stated that this Taithleach O'Dowd was 
slain at Bel atha Tailtigh, in CoiUte 
Lughna, which seems correct, as the lands 
of Coillte Lughna, or Luighne, border on 
the great strand of Traigh Eothaile. 

^ Conchobhar ConaUaehy L e. Conor the 
Conallian, so called because he was fos- 
tered in Tirconnell. The Four Masters 
notice his death in the same words used 
by our author in the text. 

® Donnchadh Mor. — The Four Masters 
agree with this. 

P WiUiam O'Duhhda, Bishop of KiOala. 
— The Four Masters agree. 

' Brian G^Dubhda, — This was the cele- 
brated Sen Bhrian, or old Brian O'Dowd, 



305 



1 29 1. Conchobhar Conallach" O'Dubhda, lord of Hy-Fiachrach, 
was drowned in the Shannon. 

1337. Donnchadh Mor O'Dubhda*', heir apparent to the throne 
of Hy-Fiachrach, died. 

1350. William O'Dubhda, Bishop of Killala*", died. 

1534. Brian O'Dubhda"*, King of Hy-Fiachrach and Hy-Amhal- 
gaidh, .died in his own house after having been eighty-four [recte 
fifty-four] years in the lordship. 

1380. Domhnall Clereach', son of Brian O'Dubhda, King of Hy- 
Fiachrach and Hy-Amhalgaidh, died after a reign of thirty-six years. 

1417. Ruaidhri', son of Domhnall Clereach O'Dubhda, King of 
Hy-Fiachrach and Hy-Amhalgaidh, died at Dun Neill after a reign 
of thirty seven years. 

1432. Tadhg RiabhacV O'Dubhda, son of Domhnall Clereach 
King of Hy-Fiachrach, died at Esgir Abhann" after a reign of fifteen 
years. The daughter of O'Malley was the mother of the aforesaid 
Ruaidhri and Tadhg. 

Maolruanaidh, 



who drove tlie English entirely out of Tire- 
ngh. The Four Masters notice his death 
at 1354, but do not add the length of his 
reign, and we have already seen that he 
could not have reigned so long as eighty- 
four years. In a list of the chiefs of the 
(yDowd family, inserted in a modem hand 
in the Book of Lecan, it is stated that he 
waa Eling of Hy-Fiachrach for fifty-four 
years, which is no doubt the true length of 
his reign. 

' DomknaU Ckreack, — The Four Mas- 
ters agree in this date of his death, but 
the list in the Book of Lecan gives him a 
reigii of forty-nine years and a half, and 



adds that he died at Dun NeilL 

' Bttaidhri. — The Four Masters agree 
with this date. The list in the Book of 
Lecan gives him a reign of forty-two 
years, and adds that the daughter of 
O'MaUey was his mother. 

^ Tadhg Eiabhach, — This is the chief to 
whom Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis addressed 
his poem in 141 7, and for whom the Book 
of Lecan was compiled. 

" Etgir jiihkann Li the list in the 

Book of Lecan this place is called Ini$ 
Sgrebkoinn^ which, as we have already seen, 
was one of the ancient names of Inishcrone, 
an old castle near the river Moy in Tireragh. 



IBI8H ABCH. BOG. 12. 



2R 



3o6 



niaolpuanaib, mac Ruampi Ui Duboa, Rf Cfpe piacpac i8 
bliabna. Injean TTlec ^oipoelb a rhjcaip. Qnno 1432 00 pineaD 
Ua Dubba 6e f o. 

Doriinall 6aile Ui Choicil 'na Ua OubDa fcacc m-bliabna, 
a^uf a n-anno 1447 ^^ ptneab Ua Ouboa oe po. 

Cabj 6ui6e, mac Caibj Riabaij, 3 bliabna. 

Seaan 'i^lay^ a beapbparaip, 14 bliabna. 

Gumonn, mac an Chop narhuij, CU15 peaccihumc iplec-bliabam. 

Dorhnall 6allac, bliabam. 

bpian Cam, mac an Chopnarhuij, 2 bliabam. 

Gojan Caoc, mac Ruaibpi, 14. 

Uillmm, mac OomnuiU ballai^, ler-bliabain. 

6pian O5, lec-bliabain. 

Donncab Ulcac, bliabam. 

TTlajnup, mac Caibj buiohc, bliabam. 

p6lim, 



^ Madruanaidk, — The list in the Book 
of Lecan agrees with this, and adds that 
he died at Liathmhuine, now Leafonj, in 
the parish of Ealglass, and barony of Ti- 

reragh See Ordnance Map of Sligo, 

sheet II. 

^ DomhnaU of BaUe Ui Choitily L e. 
Donell, or Daniel O'Dowd, of Cottlestown. 
It is added in the list inserted in a modem 
hand in the Book of Lecan, that he died 
at Baile Ui Choitil, and that the daughter 
of Maghnus, son of Cathal Og O'Conor, 
was his mother. 

^ Tadk^ Buidhe. — It is added in the 
list in the Book of Lecan, that his mother 
was the daughter of Sir Bedmond Burke, 
and that he was slain by the posterity of 
Buaidhri O'Dowd. — See Depositions of 



Bedmond Burke, already given in p. 124. 

"f John GlaSy L e. John the Green. The 
list in the Book of Lecan adds that he died 
at Inis Sgreabhainn, now Inishorona 

* Ednumdy wn of Cotnamhach. — The 
list in the Book of Lecan adds that the 
daughter of Conchobhar Mac Donogh was 
his mother, and that he died at Ard na 
n-glass, now Ardnaglass, in the north of 
the parish of Skreen, in Tireragh, where 
the extensive ruins of his castle are still 
visible 

^ DomhnaU BaOach — The list in the 
Book of Lecan adds that the daughter of 
Mac Wattin [Barrett] was his mother, 
and that he died at Dim NeilL 

^ Brian Cam. — The Ust in the Book of 
Lecan adds that the daughter of Concho- 



ioj 



Maolruanaidh'', son of Ruaidhri O'Dubhda, was lord of Tir Fiach- 
rach for eighteen years. The daughter of Mac Costello was his 
mother. He was made O'Dubhda in the year 1432. 

Domhnall of Baile Ui Choitir, was O'Dubhda for seven years, 
and was made O'Dubhda in the year 1 447. 

Tadhg Buidhe*, son of Tadhg Riabhach, three years. 

John Glas', his brother, fourteen years. 

Edmond, son of Cosnamhach*, half a year and five weeks. 

Domhnall Ballach*, one year. 

Brian Cam, son of Cosnamhach, two years"*. 

Eoghan Caoch*, son of Ruaidhri, fourteen years. 

William, son of Domhnall Ballach*, half a year. 

Brian Og*, half a year. 

Donnchadh Ultach*^ one year. 

Maghnus, son of Tadhg Buidhe', one year. 

Felim, 



bhar Mac Donogh was liis mother, and 
that he died at Ard na n-glass. 

^ Eoghan Caoch. — The list in the Book 
of Lecan adds, that the daughter of John 
O'Conor was his mother, and that he was 
slain by O^DonnelL He was slain, ao- 
cording to the Annals of the Four Mas- 
ters, at Sligo, in the year 1495, when he 
marched his forces to the relief of that 
town, then besieged by Conn, the son of 
Hugh Boe O'DonnelL 

' WiiliafJh ion of DomhnaU BaUach 

He died, according to the Annals of the 
Four Masters, in the year 1496, and was 
succeeded by Brian Og, the son of Brian 
O'Dowd. 

* Brian 6^. — The list in the Book of 
Lecan adds, that the daughter of Mf^; 



Wattin [Barrett] was his mother, that 
he was chief for one year, and that he died 
at the Longphort, now Longford castle, 
in the parish of Dromard. 

f Donnchadh UltacL — The list in the 
Book of Lecan adds that the daughter of 
Cormac O'Hara was his mother, and that 
he died at Inis Sgreabhainn, now Inish- 
crone, near the Moy. 

> MaghnuB^ son of Tadhg Buidh$. — The 
list in the Book of Lecan adds, that the 
daughter of Mac Jordan was his mother, 
and that he died at Ard na riagh. The 
date of his death is not given by the Four 
Masters, but calculating by the length of 
the reigns we must come to the conclusion 
that he died about the year 1500. The 
O'Dowds held the castle of Ardnarea till 



2R2 



3o8 

pelim, mac Uamj bui6e, 19, 

Concabap, mac Diapmaoa, mic TTlaoilpuanaib, 30. 

Gojjan, mac Concabaip, 7, 

Cacal Dub, mac Concabaip. 

Rioja Connacc 00 cloinn piacpac umoppo, ace 56 00 p^pfobup 
lao ceana, ap ail leam labaipc nfap poiplecnc oppa punna, d 
pleaccaib peancab oile. 

piacpa, mac 6acac TTluijmeaboin, 12 bliaoom 1 pige Connacc. 
lap mapbab bhpiam, a beapbpacap, la Lais^iib, ajiip lap m-bec 
o' piacpa 'n a cuaipjnm cara 1 n-ionab bhpiam aj a n-Dcapbpd- 
caip ele, .1. Niall Naoijiallac, Rf Gpeann ; 00 cuai6 piacpa Do 
cobac cfopa an pij Nell ip in TTlumam. Do cuippioo TTluiThnis 
car Caonpaije pe piacpa, ajup po bpipiob an cac pe b-piacpa 
oppo, ajup jabap gell TTluman. Qcc ceana 00 ^onab piacpa, ip 
m cac pin, pe Hlaije TTleapcopab, Do Gupnuib, ajup lompaip 50 
j-copjup ajup jialla Icp 50 Cearhpaij; agup 00 pellpao jell 

TTluman 



the year 1533, when it was assaulted by 
night and taken from them by the sons of 
Thomas Burke ; and it appears that the 
O'Dowds were never after able to recover 
it. They still, however, had an anxious 
expectation of regaining it, but so feeble 
did they become in comparison to the 
Burkes about this period, that their ex- 
pectation of Ardnarea* became a proverb, 
or by- word in the country. Thus, when 
any person is represented as expecting to 
obtain any thing of which he has not the 
slightest prospect, it is said that his look 
out is like the expectation of O'Dowd to 
regain Ardnarea. TTlap Suil Uf t>hul>Da 
le h-Qpo na piag. 



^ Fdim, son of Tadhg Buidhe.—The list 
in the Book of Lecan gives him but a 
reign of nine years, but adds that he and 
his predecessor, Maghnus, were bom of 
the same mother, and that he died at Ard 
na riagh. 

' Conchobhar^ son of Diarmaid, — The 
list in the Book of Lecan adds, that he 
died in Mainister na Maighne [the abbey 
of Moyne] in the habit of St. Francis. 

i Eoghan, son ofConchcbhar The writer 

of the list in the Book of Lecan adds, that 
Margaret, the daughter of Thomas Boe 
Burke, was his mother, and that he was 
married to Sadhbh, or Sabia, the daughter 
of Walter, the son of Richard Burke, and 



3^9 



Felim, son of Tadhg Buidhe**, nineteen years. 

Conchobhar, son of Diarmaid*, son of Maolruanaidh, thirty years. 

Eoghan, son of Conchobhar^, seven years. 

Cathal Dubh, son of Conchobhar^. 

Here follows a list o/^the Kings of Connaught of the Clann Fi- 
achrach ; for though I have given them ab:eady\ I wish to speak of 
them more fiilly here from the remains of other historians. 

Fiachra, son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin"*, was twelve years 
in the government of Connaught. After his brother Brian had been 
slain by the Lagenians, Fiachra had served in his place as general of 
battle to their other brother, namely, Niall of the Nine Hostages, 
King of Ireland ; Fiachra went to exact the rents of King Niall into 
Munster; and the Momonians fought the battle of Caonraighe" against 
Fiachra, in which battle he defeated them and took the hostages of 
Munster. Howbeit, Fiachra was wounded in that battle by Maighe 
Meascoradh, one of the Emaans*", and he returned with the hostages 
in triumph for Tara ; but the Munster hostages acted treacherously 

towards 



that they were buried together at Moyne; 
and the writer, who evidently knew them, 
** prays that God may have mercy on 
them.'' This Eoghan O'Dowd was living 
in the year 1536, in which year, according 
to the Annals of the Four Masters, his 
wife, the daughter of Walter Burke, was 
taken prisoner by O'Donnell. 

^ Cathal Dubhy 9on of Conchohhar, — He 
is the last chief given by the writer of the 
list in the Book of Lecan, and as he does 
not add the length of his reign, we may 
fairly assume that they were cotemporaries. 
It is stated in the Historia Families De 
Burgo that this Cathal Dubh O'Dowd 



consented to pay five marks a year to the 
Lower Mac William as a c(op co[Kxnca, 
L e. rent for protection. — See Addenda to 
this volume. 

' For though I have given them already » — 
The list here alluded to will be found from 
p. 93 to 95 of this volume. 

™ FiachrUy son of Eochaidh Muigh- 
mheadhoin. — See Pedigree of O'Dowd in 
the Addenda to this volume. 

^ Caenraighe^ now Kenry, a barony in 
the county of Limerick, on the south side 
of the Shannon. 

^ JBmaans, a celebrated Munster tribe 
seated in Desmond. 



310 



TTluThaii cnp i n-a ocaplije, lap na pajbail i m-baojal^jo po abnaic- 
pioD beo po ralrham 6, i n-Uib TTlec Uaip bpej, ^up h-ofof^ecrt) 6 
arhluib. 

Dari mac piacpac peampdice, ^abuip dipopije Connacc ctgup 
Gpeann a Connaccaib, pemeap 23 bliaona, co n^-eupbail 05 Sliab 
6alpa 00 paijnen cinci^e. 

Qrhaljaib, mac piacpac, mic Gacac TnuijmcaDoin, ceo pf do 
Connaccaib 00 cpeo 00 naorh paopaij. Uai6 ammnijceap Cfp 
Qrhaljaba. 32 blia&am Do 1 pi je Connacc jup 65 50 mai^. 

Oilill TTlolc, mac Daci, mic piacpac, 20 bliabam i pije Chon- 
nacc ceaDup, ajup pice bliabam ele a pfje Gpeann. lap pin 
copchaip 1 5-cac Ocha pe LnjaiD, mac Laojaipe, ajup pe TTluip- 
ceapcac mac 6apca, ajup pe peapjup Ceppbeul, mac Connuill 
Cpemcuinn, agup pe piacpa lonn, Ri Dail Qpaibc. 

Gojon 



P Hy-Mae tJaiSj in Bregia^ now the 
barony of Moygoish, in the north of the 
coxinty of Westmeath ; but our author 
must be wrong m placing it in Bregia, for 
Bregia, which comprised only five triocha 
oeads or baronies of East Meath, could not 
have extended so far to the west as to 
comprise the present barony of Ui Mac 
Uais, or Moygoish. 

^ Datht, son of the aforeaaid Fiackra, — 
For the history of Dathi see p. 17 to 33 
of this volume. 

^ Amhcdgaidht son of Fiackra, — He is 
mentioned by Jocelin in the Life of St. 
Patrick, c. 59, and also by the writer of 
the Tripartite Life of Patrick, as converted 
to Christianity by the Irish apostle, and 
all the ancient lives of this saint would 
indicate that his conversion took place in 



the year 434. — See Ussher's Primordia, 
p. 1 103. He is also mentioned in four 
ancient catalogues of the Kings of Con- 
naught, referred to by Colgan in his Trias 
Thaum., p. 180, Note 138. He died, ac- 
cording to the Annals of the Four Masters, 
in the year 449, that is, fifteen years after 
his conversion. 

* Tir-Amhalpaidh is named from him^ 
now Tirawley. Ussher, in treating of the 
conversion of the sons of Amhalgaidh, 
states the same. " Sed maxim^ memory- 
bile est, quod de septem filiis Amalgaidh^ 
sive Amklaich, regis Connaci89(^ quo trao- 
tus terrsB in e4dem provincia {!riR«BiiIo 
dictus nomen accepisse putatur) et zn. 
holninum millibus uno die ad fidem a Pa- 
tricio conversis et baptizatis refertor : cui 
voptdo noviter ad Chrietum canverao hmh 



3" 

towards him, having found him unprotected in his sickness, and 
they buried him alive in the earth in Hy-Mac Uais, in Bregia^, and 
thus did he fall a victim ! 

Dathi, son of the aforesaid Fiachra"*, assumed the chief govern- 
ment of Connaught and of Ireland, in Connaught, for a period of 
twenty-three years, when he was killed at the mountain of the Alps 
by a flash of lightning. 

Amhalgaidh, son of Fiachra', son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, 
the first of the Connaught kings who believed on the preaching of 
St Patrick. Tir Amhalgaidh is named from him*. He was thirty- 
two years in the government of Connaught when he died well. 

OilioU Molt\ son of Dathi, son of Fiachra, was first, for twenty 

years in the kingdom of Connaught, and afterwards, twenty years 

more in the monarchy of Ireland. After this he was slain in the 

battle of Ocha, by Lughaidh, son of Laoghaire", Muircheartach'' 

Mac Earca, Fergus Ceirrbheul, son of Conall Cremhthuinn^, and 

Fiachra Lonn, King of Dal Araidhe*. 

Eoghan 

ptirum Maneenum, virum rdigio9um el in the year 483, and died, according to 
optimk in icripturis tanctis exercitatum^ O'Flahertj, in 508. 
(JoceHn, c. 59) ille pnefecisse legitur." — ^ Muircheartach* — This was the cele- 
Primardia, p. 864. For some account of brated Muircheartach Mor Mac Earca, — 
the acts of St. Patrick in the country of the great grandson of Niall of the Nine 
Tirawlej and the neighbouring districts, Hostages, — who became monarch of Ire- 
see Addenda to this volume. land in the year 513, and reigned twenty- 

^ OiUoR Molt. — This monarch died in ty-one years. — See Annals of Tighernach, 

the year 483, and had been, therefore, and O'Flaherty's Ogygia, p. iiL c. 93. 
ndsed to the throne of Connaught in the ^ Fergus Ceirrbheul, son of Conati 

year 443 ; from which it would appear Cremhihuinn — He was the grandson of 

that Amhalgaidh must have resigned the Niall of the Nine Hostages, and the father 

soeptre of Connaught to him six years of the monarch Diarmaid, who succeeded 

before his death. in the year 544. 

" Lughaddh^ son ofLaoghaire* — ^He sue- * Fiachra Lonn, King of Dal Araidke, — 

ceeded OilioU Molt as monarch of Ireland He is mentioned in the Annals of the 



312 



Gogan beul, mac Ceallaij, mic Oililla TTluilc, 36 blmbna 1 
pije Connacc, 50 D-copcaip i 5-cac 8I151 je pc peapjup cxjup pe 
DoThnall od rhac TTlhuipceapcaij mic 6apca. 

Oilill lanbanna, no Qnbanna, mac TTIuipeaboij, mic Co^ain 
6el, mic Ceallaij, mic Oilella TTluilc, naoi m-bliabna, 50 D-cop- 
caip la h-Qo6, mac 6acac Ciopmcapna, 00 pol bhpiain, riiic 
Gacac TTluijmeaboin. 

Colman, mac Cobcaij, mic ^^^^'^i'^'^* ^^c Conuill, mic Gojam, 
mic Garac 6pic, mic Datn, 21 bliabain 1 pije, gup ruic i 5-cac 
Chinnbuja, pe T^ajallac, mac Uaoac, mic C(o6a. 

Laipgncun, mac Colmdin, mic Cobcaij, peace m-blia6na i pijc 
Connacc, jup cuic. 

^uaipe Qibne, mac Colmain, mic Cobcaij, 13 bliaona 1 pijc 

Connacc, 



Four Masters at the year 478, under 
which the following notice of the battle of 
Ochaisgiven:— "A.D.478. OiliollMolt, 
the son of Dathi, son of Fiachra, after 
having been twenty years on the throne 
of Ireland, was slain in the battle of Ocha 
by Lughaidh, the son of Laoghaire, Muir- 
cheartach Mac Earca, Fergus Cerbhel, son 
of Conall Cremthainne, Fiachra Lonn, son 
of Laoghaire, King of Dal n-Araidhe, 
and Cremhthann, son of Enna Cennsellach, 
Xing of Leinster. It was on this occasion 
that the territories of Lee and Cairloegh 
were given to Fiachra, as a territorial 
reward for [his services in] the battle." 
The reader is referred to the Rerum Hi- 
bemicarum Scriptores, vol. iii. pp. 126, 
1 27, for a strange translation of this plain 
passage, and for additional references to 
the battle of Ocha* The country of Dal 



Araidhe, of which Fiachra Lonn was king^ 
extended, according to the ancient Irish 
authorities, from Newry to the mountain 
Mis, now Slenmiish, in the county of An- 
trim, and the territory of Lee, which he 
got as a reward for his services in the 
battle, was situated on the west side of 
the river Bann, in the present county of 
Londonderry. 

y The battle of Sligeaeh, i. e. of Sligo 
This battle was fought, according to the 
Four Masters, in the year 537, at which 
year, they add, that Fergus and Domhnall 
were assisted in this battle by Ainmire, 
son of Sedna, and Ainnidh, son of Duach 
Gralach. 

■ Fergus and Domhnall. — They after- 
wards became joint monarchs oflreland, 
and reigned one year, A. D. ^6$, 

*' Oiliott lonbhanna, — According to the 



3^3 



Eoghan Beul, son of Ceallach, son of Oilioll Molt, was thirty 
years in the government of Connaught, when he fell in the battle of 
Sligeach^ by Fergus and Domhnall*, two sons of Muircheartach Mac 
Earca. 

Oilioll lanbhanna*, or Anbhanna, aon of Muireadhach, son of 
Eoghan Beul, son of Ceallach, son of Oilioll Molt, nine years, when 
he fell by Aodh, son of Eochaidh Tiormchama, of the race of Brian, 
son of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin. 

Colman, son of Cobhthach^, son of Goibhnenn, son of Conall, son 
of Eoghan, son of Eochaidh Breac, son of Dathi, was twenty-one 
years in the government of Connaught, when he fell in the battle of 
Ceann Bugha^, by Raghallach, son of Uadach, son of Aodh. 

Lairgneun, son of Colman**, son of Cobhthach, was seven years in 
the government of Connaught when he fell. 

Guaire Aidhne, son of Colman*, son of Cobhthach, was thirteen 

years 



Annals of the Four Masters he was slain 
in the battle of Cull Conaire, in the terri- 
tory of Ceara, in the year 544, by Fergus 
and Domhnall, the two sons of Muirchear- 
tach Mac Earca. Their words are:-~ 
** A. D. 544. The battle of Cuil Conaire, 
in Ceara, was fought by Fergus and Domh- 
nail, the two sons of Muircheartach Mac 
Earca, against AiliU Inbanda, King of 
Connaught, and Aodh Fortamhail, in which 
AiliU and Aodh were slain.^^ 

^ Colntan^ son of Cobhthach, — He was the 
&ther of the celebrated Guaire Aidhne, 
ELing of Connaught, and ancestor of the 
O'Heynes and other families in South 
Hy-Fiachrach ; but, strange to say, there 
is no notice of him in the Irish Annals. 

IBISH ASCH. see. 12. 2 



^ Ceann Bughay now Cambo, rede Can- 
boe, near Boscommon. The Editor has 
not been able to discover the date of this 
battle in the authentic annals. 

** Lairgneun^ son ofCdman, — The Four 
Masters have collected no notice of this 
king. 

* Guaire Aidhne, son of Colman, — This 
is the renowned Guaire, King of Con- 
naught, who is celebrated by the Irish 
poets as the very personification of hospi- 
tality and generosity. The reader will 
find several stories relating to him in 
Keating's History of Ireland, reign of 
Conall and Ceallach. He was defeated in 
the battle of Cam Conaill, in his own ter- 
ritory of Aidhne, in the year 645, by 
S 



Connacc, jup eu^ 50 h-aicpfjcac, asup po h-a6naicea6 i j-Clucnn 
nice Noip 50 n-on6ip o^uf aipmioin moip. 

Duncab TTluipfjc, mac Uiobpaioe, mic TTlaoiloum (no TTlaoil- 
t>uib), mic piacpac Gal^aij, mic Daci, mic piacpac, ccrpc blia6- 
na 1 pije Connacc, jup cuic 1 5-cac Copuinn pe peapjup, 
cijeapna Chincl Chaipbpe. 

peapjal Qibne, mac Qpcjailc, mic ^uipe Qibne, mic Colmdin, 
13 bliabna, jup euj. 

Inopeaccac, mac Dunca&a TTluippje, mic Uiobpaioe,oa bliob- 
am 00 1 pfjc, 5up cuic pe peapjal, mac Comjpij, cijjeapna 
Chincl Conuill, agup pe peapjal, mac TTlaoiloum, ci^eapna 
Chmeoil Gojain. 

Oilill, mac lonnpacrai^, mic Duncaba TTluippje, occ m-bliabna 
Do 1 pije Connacc, 50 n-eapbailc, lap n-Dea^-beacaib. 

Donncacaij, 



Diarmaid, son of King Aodh Slaine. 
Our authorities differ materially in the 
year of Guaire's death, but the true year 
seems to be 662, though Ck)lgan, in giving 
the life of his cotemporary, St. Colman 
Mac Duachy Acta Sanctorum, p. 2 1 9, n. 39, 
says Ihat he died in 642. Dr. O'Conor, 
in a note upon the entry of his death in 
the Annals of the Four Masters, at the 
year 662, gives a list of the Kings of Con- 
naught of the Hy-Fiachrach race down to 
Gtiaire, in which he omits Lairgneun, son 
of Colman, mentioned above in Note ^. 
Dr. O'Conor here says that Keating errs 
in calling St. Colman the brother of King 
Guaire Aidhne, but he should have known 
that Keating himself does not call him so, 
although his trazislator ignoiantly does ; 



for the word bpdraip, which he uses, 
meant in his time, and still means all over 
the south of Ireland, not brother, bat 
cousin or kinsman ; and whether this be 
its original meaning or not, we should not 
find fault with the honest Keating for 
using a word in the sense which was its 
ordinary signification in his own time. 

^ Dunchadh Muingty i e. Dunchadh of 
Muirisg, a district in the north of Tire- 
ragh, county of Sligo. The death of this 
prince is noticed by the Four Masters 
under the year 681, as follows : — *' A. D. 
681. Dunchadh Mxdrisoce, son of Maol- 
dubh. King of Connaught, was slain ia 
the battle of Corann, in which were also 
slain Colga, son of Blathmac, and Fergus, 
son of Maolduin, chief of Cinel Cairbre.'' 



3^5 



years in the government of Connaught when he died penitently, and 
was interred at Clonmacnoise with great honour and veneration. 

Dunchadh Muirsge*^, son of Tiobraidhe, son of Maolduin (or 
Maoldubh), son of Fiachra Ealgach, son of Dathi, son of Fiachra, was 
four years in the government of Connaught, when he fell in the bat- 
tle of Corann by Fergus, lord of Cinel Cairbre. 

Feargal of Aidhne^, son of Artghal, son of Guaire Aidhne, son of 
Colman, thirteen years, when he died. 

Innreachtach, son of Dunchadh Muirsge**, son of Tiobradhe, was 
two years in the government of Connaught, when he fell by Feargal, 
son of Loingseach, lord of Cinel Conaill, and by Feargal, son of 
Maolduin, lord of Cinel Eoghain. 

OilioU, son of Innreachtach*, son of Dunchadh Muirsge, was 
eight years in the government of Connaught when he died, after 
having spent a virtuous life. 

Donncathaigh, 



« Feargal of Aidhne. — The Pour Masters 
pkoe his death at the year 694, but they 
state incorrectly that he was the son of 
Guaire Aidhne. " A. D. 694. Feargal 
Aidhne, King of Connaught, died. He 
was the son'' [recti grandson] *^ of Guaire 
Aidhne.*' — See Book of Lecan, fol. 80, p. 6, 
and pp. 61, 62, 63 of this volume, where 
the true pedigree of this king will be 
found. 

^Innreacktack, son of Dunchadh Muirtge, 
According to a notice inserted in a modem 
hand into the Stowe copy of the Annals 
of the Four Masters, at the year 718, this 
king was slain in the battle of Almhuin, 
fought in that year between the monarch 
Feargal, son of MaolduiD, and Dunchadh, 

aS 



King of Leinster ; but this interpolation 
is not correct according to our text 

^ OilioU, mm of Innreachtach. — The date 
of his death is not given in the Annals of 
the Four Masters, nor in any other annab 
accessible to the £ditor. At the year 
719 the Four Masters enter the death of 
Innreachtach, son of Muireadhach, King 
of Connaught ; at 722 that of Domhnall, 
son of Ceallach, King of Connaught ; at 
730, that of Cathal, son of Muireadhach, 
King of Connaught ; at 737, that of Aodh 
Balbh, son of Innreachtach, King of Con- 
naught ; at 738, that of Ceallach, son of 
Rogallach, King of Connaught; at 751, 
that of Fergus, son pf Ceallach, King of 
Connaught, and the same entry is repeated 
2 



3i6 

Donncacaij, mac Cacail, mic Oililla, mic Duncaba TTluipfse, 
15 bliabna, jup euj. 

piaiqii, mac Domnuill, 00 pol ^uaipe, cetrpe blia6na 00 1 pijc 
Connacc, gup euj 50 h-aicpijcac. 

piaicpi ele Oct bliaoain 1 pije Connacc, 50 po cpe^ a pfje ap 
Dia, ajup DO com 50 h-1 Choluim Cillc, 00 beunam cpdbaib^^o po 
eiij mnce 1 n-a oilirpc, lap m-bpec buaba 6 6oman a5up 6 6eaman. 
Pec leacanac 259, 260. 

[Clanna piacpac pcampdice, cpd, anallana, bab mopa paca 
a Rfoj ajup a naom, map ap lep ip m leabap pa, jup lingeaoap 
eaccpainn agup Gpeannai j pen p^ppo, — ^oail oUjceac De bmjiop 
pfop ap a pijibe TJiojh na h-dpo-plaice uaibpi2;e impiD a n-ancu- 
macca; lapp an Sean-pocal pa, "Ceapc cdij a mail a neapc," rpep a 
n-jabaio gloip paojalca, ajup neam-jloip neamba. Sompla ap 
pin pinpiop na n-^cioibeal uile a 5-coincmn pe a j-coibneapaib a 
nallana. Dap beanpaD do bunab Qlba do Cpuirnib, ajup Do 

bhpeacnuib, 

under the year 759 ; and at 763 they en- ^ Another Flai^ri. — Hie death is entered 

ter the death of Dubhinrecht, son x>f in the Annals of the Four Masters under 

Gathal, King of Connaught These kings the year 774. 

were, however, all of the Hy-Briuin line, '^ Of the Clann Fiaehraeh qforeaaid. — 

and it is very much to be doubted that All this passage enclosed in brackets is an 

Oilioll, son of Innreachtach, of the race after insertion by our author into his 

of Fiachra, had room to step in between larger work in the year i664. 

them, and it is not improbable that he was ^ 8tranger» and the Irish themsdves. — 

King of Lower Connaught only. The O'Conors of Sligo, the Burkes, and 

J Donncathaigh^ son of Cathal. — His Barretts were the principal families that 

death is entered in the Annals of the crippled the power of the O'Dowds. In 

Four Masters at the year 768. the year 1581 O'Conor Sligo claimed juris- 

^ Fktitkri, son ofDcmhnaR, — The death diction over that tract of country extending 

of Flaithri mac Domhnaill, King of Con- from Magh g-Ceidne and the river Drowes, 

naught, is entered in the Annals of the which separates Connaught from Ulster, 

Four Masters under the year 768. to Ceis Corainn, in the county of Shgo, 



3^7 

Donncathaigh, son of CathaP, son of OilioU, son of Dunchadh 
Muirsge, fifteen years, when he died. 

Flaithri, son of DomhnaU", of the race of Guaire, was four years 
in the government of Connaught, when he died penitently. 

Another Flaithri" was two years in the government of Connaught, 
when he resigned his kingdom for God, and went to Hy-ColnmbkiUe 
to apply himself to devotion, where he died on his pilgrimage victo- 
rious over the world and the devil. — See pages 259, 260 [of Duald 
Mac Firbis's genealogical book]. 

[Of the Clann Fiachrach aforesaid", in ancient times, great was 
the prosperity of the kings and saints, as is obvious in this book, 
until strangers, and the Irish themselves", attacked them, according 
to the righteous decrees of Gk)d, who hurls down from their kingly 
thrones the proud monarchs, who exercise their tyrannical power ; 
according to the old saying, " the right of every one is according to 
his strength," by which they assume earthly glory and heavenly in- 
gloriousness. An example of this is afforded by the ancestors of 
the Gaels, who were in ancient times at strife with their neighbours, 
when they took Alba from the Cruithni and the Britons®, and who 

were 

and from the river Moy eastwards to the ^ Whe^i they took Albajrom the Cruithni 

bonndary of O'Ronrke's country, in the and Britons, — According to Irish history 

county of Leitrim. — See Annals of the an Irish colony was planted in Scotland, 

Four Masters, ad ann. 158 1. If thb be then called Alba, under Cairbre Riada, 

true he was lord of all O'Dowd's country about the middle of the third century ; 

in this year. But, according to the His- and in the year 504 a more numerous co- 

toria Familise De Burgo, preserved in the lony from Ireland migrated thither under 

MS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin, the conduct of the sons of Erck, whose 

Cathal Dubh O'Dowd, who was the chief descendants became, in course of time, so 

of the fJEunily about this period, paid a tri- powerful that in the reign of Kineth Mac 

bute of five marks a year to the Lower Alpin, in the ninth century, they totally 

Mae William, as a cfop cofxxnca, i. e. rent subdued and obtained dominion over the 

of defence, or protection. — See Addenda. Pictish nation. 



3i8 

bhpeacnuib, ndp lop leo pm jan piojacca lomba ele Do lonf aijib, 
map DO pme Niall Naoijiallac, ajuf apoile, ajuf pop Dan, mac 
piacpac peampaice, Do lonpai j Qlba, bpeacain, Uipe '^aXlj .u 
Ppainjc "|c. ajup 50 Sliab Qlpa, map ap lep Ifnn aniu y^jpfobca a 
cairpem, ip na cpiocaib pin, a bap agup a abnacal, amuil o'pdsuib 
Uopna Gjeap na biaij;, 00 maip 1 n-aimpip Dhatri, ajup Do cuip- 
pioD eoluij ele an 5-ceDna 1 5-cuimne i paojaluib paine lap pin. 
Uaip piann ajup Gocuib Golac Ua Cepfn, ap-iaO po cionoil na 
nece pm d leabap Gocaba Ui phlannajam 1 n-QpO TTlaca, ajup 
a liubap TTlaimpopeac, a^up ap na lebpaib cojaibe ele, ^. ap on 
Cebap m-biii6e, ceapoa ip m 5-capcaip Qpoa TTlaca, ajup ap on 
Ceabap 5^^PP ^^^ ^ TTlainipoip, ap e pug an mac lejmn lep cap 
muip 1 n-goiD, ajup ni ppic piam, ic. 



P Niail of the Nine Hostages All our 

wtiters agree that tliis monarch infested 
Britain and the coasts of Graul, following 
in the track of his predecessor, Criomthann 
Mor Mac Fidaigh, who planted a colony 
of Munstermen in Wales. The devasta- 
tions of Niall in Britain are thus referred 
to in a very ancient life of St. Patrick, 
formerly in the possession of Archbishop 
Ussher, who gave the following quotation 
from it in his Primordia, p. 587 : — ^^ScoH 
de Hibemid stib rege suo Neill Nseigiallach 
multum diversas provincias Britanniae 
contra Romanumlmperium, regnanteCon- 
stantio filio Constantini, devastabant : 
contendere incipientes Aquilonalem pla- 
gam Britannise. Et post tempus, bellis 
et classibus Hibernienses expulerunt ha- 
bitatores terra illius ; et habitaverunt 
ipsi ibi." 



TTlipi 

The devastations of Niall in Britain and 
Gaul are thus alluded to by Mr. Moore, who 
justly considers this within the authentic 
period of Irish history : — " The tottering 
state of the Roman dominion in Gaul, as 
well as in every other quarter, at this pe- 
riod, encouraged the hero of the Nine 
Hostages to extend his enterprises to the 
coast of Britany, where, after ravaging all 
the maritime districts of the north-west 
of Gfiul, he was at length assassinated, 
with a poisoned arrow, by one of his own 
followers, near the Portus Iccius, not far, 
it is supposed, from the site of the present 
Boulogne. It was in the course of this 
predatory expedition that, in one of their 
descents on the coast of Armoric Graul 
the soldiers of Niall carried off with them, 
among other captives, a youth then in his 
sixteenth year, whom Providence had des- 



3^9 



were not satisfied with this, without invading many other countries, 
as did Niall of the Nine Hostages'^ and others, and also Dathi, son of 
Fiachra above mentioned, who invaded Alba, Britain, the country of 
the Gauls, i. e. France, &;c., and as far as the mountain of the Alps'", 
for his triumphs are obvious to us at this day, as also his death and 
burial, as Toma Eigeas', who lived in the time of Dathi, left written 
after him, and other learned men have, in successive ages, transmit- 
ted a memorial of the same. For it was Flann* and Eochaidh 
Eolach O'Cerin* that collected these things from the book of Eoch- 
aidh OTlannagan**, at Armagh, and from the book of the Monastery^, 
and other choice books, such as the Yellow Book'', which was missed 
out of the prison at Armagh, and from the Leabhar Grearr*, which 
was at Mainister, and which the student carried with hin) by stealth 

over the sea, and was never discovered afterwards, &c. 

I 



lined to be the author of a great religious 
revolution in their country ; and whom 
the strangely fated land to which he was 
then borne, a stranger and a slave, has 
now, for fourteen hundred years, comme- 
morated as its great Christian apostle." — 
HkUny of Ireland^ voL i. p. 152. 

^ The Alps. — Vide suprity pp. 17-33. 

' Tarna Et^feoB^-^See pp. 25, 26, Note ^ 
above. 

* Ffann. — This is Flann, abbot of Mo- 
nasterboice, in the now county of Louth, 
who died in the year 1056. 

< Eochaidh Edacfi O'CeiHn, L e. Eochy 
the learned, O'Kerin. The Editor has not 
discovered any particulars of the history 
of this writer. 

** Eochaidh 0*Flannagan ^His history 

or period unknown to the Editor. 



" The Book of the Monastery, — By the 
monastery is here meant Mainistir Buite, 
now Monasterboice, in the county of 
Louth, in which a celebrated historical 
book was preserved for ages. 

•^ The Yellow Book The period at 

which this book was missed is imknown 
to the Editor. 

* The Leabharr Gearr — A book of this 
name is mentioned in the Annals of the 
Four Masters at the year 141 6, but it does 
not appear to be the same as that here 
referred to by our author. " A. D. 141 6. 
The church of Liis mor, in Loch Gile 
[now Lough GiQ, near Sligo] was burned, 
and Screaptra Ui Chuirnin [O'Curnin's 
manuscripts] and the Leabhar Gearr [L e. 
short book] of the O'Cuimins and many 
other precious articles were also burned." 



320 

TTlipi an Dubalcac TTlac pipbipj, do fjpfob na h-ugoopcair 
fin ap lop5 licpc Ciijbac Ui Chlepe na h-iomapbaibc, ace cib- 
lonnup jup peapmom paojalca map baoap 5^^^'^^'' ^" lonbuib ym 
aj jabdil na j-cpfoc i 5-cen ip a b-pojup, agup jan aic a abnacail 
o'd peaponn 05 an ceaorhab oume do uaiplib ^^^iDeal aniu, 56 
acd a pfiil lep anoip ip m m-bliabam pi, 1664, 

Nf h-f po locc aimpip an leabaip pi ace rea^lam do cuipeap 
lep araib laparii.] 



^ Lyghaidh 0*Clery of the Contention. — 
For some account of this Lughaidh see 
pp. 82, 83, Note ^, of this volume. He is 
styled "of the Contention," because he 
acted a conspicuous part in the contention 
which took place between the poets of the 
northern and southern parts of Ireland in 
the beginning of the seventeenth century. 
The account of the authorities above re- 
ferred to is given nearly the same as in 
our text in Leabhar na h-Uidhri, which 
must have been in the possession of Lugh- 
aidh O'Clery as O'Donnell's chief histo- 
rian, and it is not improbable that he had 
made a copy of that book, as our author 
quotes this passage from his handwriting. 

' Conquering the countries far and near, — 



This humiliating observation of our author 
shows the subdued tone of the Irish peo- 
ple at this period, and there can be little 
doubt that many of them were then in 
the habit of acknowledging that their 
downfall was caused by the just visitation 
of heaven, in consequence of the ambition 
and cruelty of their ancestors. The idea 
was taken hold of by Sir Richard Cox, 
who flourished not long after this period, 
to prove the just causes King Henry IL 
of England had for invading Ireland. This 
writer observes, " But however that were" 
[i. e. the granting of Ireland by the King 
of the Britons to the sons of Milesius], 
" yet the King had just Cause of War 
against the Irish^ because of the Pyracies 



321 

I am Dubhaltach Mac Firbisigh, who transcribed these authori- 
ties from the hand-writing of Lughaidh O'Clery of the Contention^. 
It is no doubt a worldly lesson to consider how the Gaels were at 
this time conquering the countries far and near*, and that not one in 
a hundred of the Irish nobles, at this day, possesses as much of his 
land as he could be buried in*, though they expect it in this year, 
l664^ 

This is not the time or place of compiling this book, but this 
extract I have added some time after.] 



tnd Outrages they daily committed against 
his BubjectB, and the barbarous cruelties 
they exercised on the English whensoever 
they fell in their Power, buying and selling 
them as slaves, and using Turkish Tyranny 
over their bodies, so that the IrUh them- 
selves afterwards acknowledged, That it 
was just their Land should be transferr'd 
to the Nation they had so cruelly handled. 
Wherefore the King, as weU to revenge 
those injuries, as to recover that Kingdom, 
put on a resolution to invade it." — Hiber^ 
nia Angticanay pp. i, 2. 

* A9 much of k%8 land aa he could be 
buried in, — This, and many other strong 



passages to the same effect, show that the 
Irish in our author's time were in an awful 
state of destitution, and it is highly pro- 
bable that he himself was begging from 
door to door at the time that he inserted 
this passage. 

^ They expect it in this year, 166^ — It 
appears from the marriage articles of 
David Oge O'Dowda, drawn up in the 
year 1656, to which our author was a 
subscribing witness, that the O'Dowds had 
then strong expectations of being restored 
to their estates. — See more on this subject 
in the pedigree of O'Dowda, in the Ad- 
denda to this volume. 



IRISH ABCH. see. 12. 



2T 



t>0 6hReaChNU16h 



1 N-i6h amhacsaiDh mic piachRach 



aTa OO 



DO bhReaChNUlbh 

1 Nibh amhaisaroii mic piachRach, 

Sliocc oile ann yo d leabpaiB Chloinnc phipBipij, 



epe pioim bpeacnac, Deapbpdcaip Uilliam pinn 
Chille Comdm, pe poiceap Uillmm itlop na 
TTlaignc; anLaijlcTfioc; Clann an phail je ; Sedaij 

caip CJionnacc ; Clann h£il, me^ Uijilin an Rlica; 

c bhaiUfioc; bap6ro»j na TTIurhan; ITlac bhaicin 

', 6 D-caiO baipfiaouij Cipe Omalgatb; Clann 
Coimin loppuip; Clann QinDpiu an bhaic; Clann Ricfn, x Rici'n 

05. 

Walsh, hy odt author ; bnt he waa an- 
qnestionably the liead of the Buretta, 
Bad it is therefore probable that Breftth- 
nach, aa applied to him, meana Welehmaa. 
' CiB Cotnain. — Theie are tro pluces of 
this name in the coun^ of Mayo, one in 
Erria, and the other in the baron; of Kil- 
maine, to the eaat of BaUlorobe, but it u 
not easy to conjecture wJdtsb of than ii 



The ornamented initial letter B is taken 
from the Book of Kella, fol. 92. 

* This portion of the work contains in- 
digested gleanings made bj our author 
from the manuscripts of bis ancestors. 

'^ 77ie White Kn^hL — The Irish annals 
preserve no notice of this personage. 

* WiUiam Ftonn, i. e. the Fair. He is 
elsewhere called William Breathnach, or 



OF THE WELSHMEN 

HY-AMHALGAIDH MIC FIACHRACH, 

AHOTHEB EXTBACT HEBE FBOU THE BOOKS OP THE CLANN PlBBts'. 



S^JE Welshmen of Ireland were the Welsh White 
^ Knight" ,who was the brother of William Fioim'' of 
? CiU Comain', who was called William Mor na 
5 Maighne''; Laighleisioch', Clann an Fhailghe'; the 
4 Seoaigh*, of Uie west of Connaught ; the Clami Heil'' ; 
* the Mac Uighilins' of the Ruta; the Mac Bhaill- 
seachs' ; the Baroideachs of Munster" ; Mac Bhaitin Baired', from 
whom are the Baireadachs of Tir Amhalgaidh ; the Clann ToimiD of 

lomis; 

h«re mlladed to. tribe preserved in M^eoghegon's Ttodb- 

" WiSiamMornaMa^Ane,'WiHiaja^e lation of the Annals of Clonmunoise at 

Great of Moyne — SeeNote', p. 3a6,wi/rA the jear 1316, bnt no evidence has been 

* iMigUeisbxh. — One of the &mily of discovered to prove vhere they were seated 

Lawless would be called Laighleiraoch by or what the surname was. 

the native Iriah at the present day. ' 77ie Seoaigk, i. e. the Joyces, who ia- 

f Gann an Fltailghe, onknown to the habited the barony of Boas, in the north- 

EdittM'. There ia one notice of this Welsh west of the county of Galway. 



1 



326 

Oj, mac T?icfn, 6 o-caio Clann Ricfn ; CoiniiUn 6 o-caio Clann 
CoiTnilfn ; hoipDej, mac TTlembpic, 6 o-cdo Clann hoipocj;. 

1 n-aimpip gall-Shoxon t)o ceacc i n-Gpmn le DiapmuiD TTlac 

mupcha6a, 



^ The Clann ffeil^ i e. the descendants 
of Hoel, or HowelL Quere, if this be 
not the name now anglicised Mac Hale, 
which is still numerous in Tirawlej ? 

^ The Mac UighilxMy L e. the Mac Quil- 
lins, who inhabited the Rout, in the north 
of the present county of Antrim. The 
name is supposed to be a corruption of 
Mac Lhlewellin. 

i The Mac BhailUiochs. — See p. 126, 
Note ^ of this volume. 

* Baroideachs ofMunster^ i. e. the Bar- 
retts of Munster. The district which they 
possessed still retains their name, and is 
situated in the county of Cork, to the 
north-west of the city. 

* Mac Bhaitin Bared, i. e. Mac Wattin 
Barrett The head of the Barretts of Tir- 
awley took that Irish appellation from 
an ancestor called Wattin, or little Walter. 
It is curious to remark that the name 
Barrett is, in Munster, called in Irish 
6dp6io, and in Connaught &aip^ao. 

"* The Clann Toimin of larrue, — This 
was the clan name of a branch of the 
Barretts who were seated in the barony 
of Erris, in Mayo. 

" Clann Aindriu, — This was the name 
of another branch of the Barretts of Tir- 
awley, who were seated in the district 
called the Two Bacs, lying between Lough 
Conn and the river Moy. The name is 



now anglicised Mac Andrew, and is very 
common in the district. 

® Clann Bicin, unknown to the Editor. 
It was probably the local name of a sept of 
the Barretts. 

P Clann Toimilin^ now Tomlyn. 

^ Clann Hostegh. — This name is still 
common in the counties of Mayo and Gal- 
way, where it is always anglicised Hos^. 
According to the tradition in the country, 
Hosty, the ancestor of this Welsh family, 
was the original builder of the castle of 
Dunmore, below Tuam, from which he 
was afterwards driven by the family of 
BerminghanL 

^ At Ike time of the arrival of the Eng- 
lish, — This, with a part of the succeeding 
paragraph, is very imperfectly written, as 
appears from the facts recorded in the suc- 
ceeding part of the narrative. It should 
have been stated thus : — "It was at the 
time of the arrival of the English into 
Ireland with Diarmaid Mac Murchadha, 
King of Leinster, that the families above 
enumerated came to Ireland. They land- 
ed in Tirawley, and attempted to wrest 
the territory by force from the race of 
Fiachra, and, accqrding to some writers, 
succeeded in doing so. About a century 
afterwards the four families following, 
namely, the Cusacks, Petits, Browns, and 
Moores landed in Tirawley, and essayed 



3^7 

lorrus" ; the Clann Aindriu of Bac° ; the Clann Eicin", who descend 
from Hicin Og, son of Ricin; Toimilin, from whom are the Clann 
Toimilin'^ ; Hosdegh, son of Membhric, from whom are the Clann 
Hosdegh''. 

It was at the time of the arrival of the English' in Ireland with 

Diarmaid 



to take that territory from these Welsh 
tribes. They fortified themselves at a 
place called Mileac an locha, where they 
erected a strong castle in which they kept 
a ward When the Welsh settlers of 
Tinawley had perceiyed their intentions 
of conquest, they sent word to William 
Fionn of Kilcommon, afterwards known 
as Wiltiam Mor na Maighne, who had 
been for a long time previously the presi- 
dent and defendejr of his kinsmen in Tir- 
awley, to remonstrate with him about 
the maraudings of the new invaders, and 
William sent letten to the invaders order- 
ing them to desist from their designs and 
quit the territory, or meet him in battle, 
and the result was,'' &c. &c., as in the 



Though it is stated here on the autho- 
rity of the books of theMacFirbises, that 
these Welsh tribes landed in Tirawley and 
wrested that territory from the Hy-Fiach- 
lach at the period of the English invasion ; 
it is, nevertheless, not true that they drove 
oat the Hy-Fiachrach so early, and it may 
be rationally suspected that they did not 
land in Tirawley for near a century later. 
To prove that the Hy-Fiachrach were not 
driven out we have the testimony of the 



authentic Irish annals, which show that 
the native chiefs of the Hy-Fiachrach race 
were in possession of Tirawley in the mid- 
dle of the thirteenth century, as will ap- 
pear from the following entries in the 
Annals of the Four Masters : 

"A.D. 12 1 7. Cathal Fionn O'Lachtna, 
chief of the Two Bacs, was treacherously 
slain in his own house by OTlynn of 
Magh h-£leog. 

" A. D. 1 25 1 . Flann O'Lachtnain, chief 
of the Two Bacs, died. 

"A. D. 1267. Aodh O'Muireadhaigh 
[O'Murray], chief of the Lagan, was slain 
at Killala by O'Maolfoghmhair, comharba 
of the church, on Sunday after hearing 
mass. 

*'A.D. 1268. Aongus O'Maolfoghmhair 
was slain by the O'Muireadhaighs [O'Mur- 
rays] in revenge for the death of their 
chief. 

'*A.D. 1269. Flaithbheartach O'Maoil- 
fhiona [Flaherty O'Molina], chief of half 
the territory of Calraighe Muighe h-£leog, 
was slain by O'Gkdbhtheachain [O'Gaugh- 
an], chief of the other half. 

" A.D. 1274. Fergal O'Caithniadh, lord 
of lorrus, died in Hy-Mac Caechain." 

From these passages it can be fairly in- 



328 



TTlupchaba, Rij Lai^ean, cdinij an Opon^ peampdire 50 h-Gpinn, 
ajuf ^abuio cuan i D-Cfp Ctrhal^aib rhic piacpac, ccjup map an 
5-ceut)na Do jabpat) Ciopojaij, pecicig, bpunui^, ajup TTlupuij;, 
cerpe pineabaca laOfiDe, ojup do caipjpioD na cecpe pineaDa pm 
an cfp DO jdbdil ap ejin ap Chlannuib piacpac, ajnp aDep pliocc 
ele gup ^abaDap na pineaba pin oppa f. 

baoi Uilliam pionn Chille Comam (.i.UilliaTn TTlop na ITlaijne), 
op cionn Cipe Grhalgaib peal paDa perhe pin, map uacrapdn t)'d 
curhDac. QcaoiniD luce an cfpe an poipneapc pm pe h-Uilliam, 

agup cuipip Uilliam licpeaca gup na 3^^^^"'^ P^ ^'^ P^'^ P^" ^^VS 
D'd n-olc, agup an rfp Do pdgbdil, n6 a ppeagpa im car; agup De pm 
cuipceap cac m6p na ITlaijne ecoppa, gup muib ap na 5<^lluib pm, 
gup ruic an Ciopogac ann go n-iomaD D'a mumcip, agup do na 
^allaib baDap apaon pip. Conab De pm pdireap Uilliam mop na 
TTlaigne pip m Uilliam pm. lonpaigip Uilliam lapum die a pab- 
aDap Dpong Do na ^^^^^^^ P^ ^5 bdpDacc, agup ag copnam an 

rfpe, 



ferred that the Barretts had made no con- 
quest in Tirawley or Erris till the time of 
William Mor of the battle of Moyne, and 
that he may have invaded Tirawley and 
Erris some fifteen years before his death 
in 1282. 

* Cissoffochs, L e. the Cusacks. 

^ Petit, now written Petty. 

^ Brunachs. — The Brownes are still so 
called in Irish, and the name was often 
Latinized Brunus. 

^ Muro/cha^ L e. the Moores. 

^ Baiile ofMaighin^ of Moyne, near the 
mouth of the river Moy, in the parish of 
Killala, where are the ruins of a beautiful 
abbey, built in the year 1460. According 



to the Historia Familis De Burgo this 
battle was fought in the year 1281. 
*' Bellum apud Mayn de Kilro per Adam 
Cymsog [Cusack] ex unA parte, et Wil* 
liam Bareth ex ultera parte, ubi vulnerar 
tus et captus est idem William. Et pos- 
tea de hiis vulneribus mortuus fuit. Adam 
Fleming et multi alii" [occim 9unt\. The 
place here called Kilro retains that name to 
this day, and is remarkable for the remains 
of an old church erected in the time of St. 
Patrick. Moyne adjoins it to the south* 
east. In Grace*s Annals this occurrence 
is entered under the year 1281, thus :-* 
*<Adam Cusacke Junior interfecit Gtili- 
elmum Baret et alios quamplures in Con* 



3^9 



Diarmaid Mac Murchadha, King of Leinster, that the people aforesaid 
came to Ireland; they landed in Tir Amhalgaidh Mic Fiachrach 
[now Tirawley], as did likewise [some time after] these four tribes, 
namely, Ciosogachs", Petits\ Brunachs", and Mnrachs'', and these 
four tribes assayed to wrest the territory by force from the race of 
Fiachra ; and another authority adds, that these tribes did wrest it 
from them. 

William Fionn of Cill Comain (L e. William Mor na Maighne) 
had been for a long time before this as a president over Tir Amhal- 
gaidh guarding it The natives of this territory remonstrated with 
this William about this oppression, and William sends letters to these 
strangers, telling them to desist from their evil deeds, and quit the 
country, or meet him in battle ; the result was, that the great battle 
of Maighin'' [now Moynel was fought between them, in which the 
strangers [i.e.new invaders] were defeated, and in which fell theCioso- 
gach with many of his people''. Hence this William was called Wil- 
liam Mor na Maighne. William afterwards attacks the place where a 
party of these strangers had a ward to defend the country, namely, 

the 



w 



nacuL" The Four Masters have the fol- 
lowing notice of this battle under the year 
1 28 1, but without naming the place: — 
^*A. D. 1 28 1. A battle was fought be- 
tween the Barretts and Cusack, in which 
the Barretts were defeated with the loss 
of William Barrett, Adam Fleming, and 
many others. Cusack was assisted in this 
contest by two of the Irish, viz., Taith- 
leach O'Boyle, and Taithleach 0*Dowd, 
both renowned for their bravery and va- 
lour in battle and their agility and dex- 
terity at arms.'' This passage is also 



given under the same year in Mageoghe- 
gan's translation of the Annals of Clon- 
macnoise. 

^ In which fell the CVom^ocA— This is 
undoubtedly incorrect, for the Ciosogach, 
or head of the Cusacks, was not slain in 
this battle. In the next year he turned 
his arms against his friend Taithleach 
O'Dowd, whom he slew at Bel atha Tail- 
tigh, on the margin of the great strand of 
Traigh Eothuile, and he fought Maghnus 
O'Conorin the year 1 285, and died, accord- 
ing to the Four Masters, in the year 1287. 



IRISH ARCH. 80C. 12. 



2U 



330 



cfpe, .1. Cuipc rhop TTIhfleac an loca. ^abuip an ciiipc oppa, 
agup lonapbuif mo uile epce, ajup pannuif an cip mpum eoip a 
bpdirpib pen, a^up cug oo TTlhac bhaicm baipeaoan cuipc, ajup an 
cfp uile [ajup cam aj a pliocc] 6 ca pin ^up amu. ^^^^^^ ^ TTIac 
baicfn acd 'n a rpiac ajup 'n a cigeapna op a 5-cionn gup ancanpo. 
Sliocc ele a Oep Uilliam TTlop bpeacnac pip m Uilliam peam- 
pdice, pep cuic an Ciopojac peampdice, a^up an can Do pona6 
Caiplen na cepci lap an Uilliam TTlop (bpeacnac) po na TTlaijne, 
t)o poinn pe an cfp eoip a bpaicpeaca bunuiD pen. Cuj ap c6p 
^Icann Oipoej 00 OipDec,Tnac ITIepic (no ITlembpic), ajup ^l^ct^i^ 

Nemcenne 



y MUeac of the Uike^ now Meelick, a 
townland in the parish of Killala, in the 
barony of Tirawley, a short distance to 
the north-west of Moyne, where this bat- 
tle was fought. The ruins of a castle are 
still to be seen here. — See Ordnance Map 
of the County of Mayo, sheet 22. 

■ He took the court from them, — This is 
evidently false history ; but it is very 
probable that William Mor of Moyne had 
made the distribution of the lands here 
mentioned several years before Adam 
Cusack had made any descent upon Tir- 
awley. . Indeed it is clear that this must 
have been the case, for Hosty Merrick, 
one of those who got a share of the lands 
mentioned, was slain, according to the Irish 
annals, in 1 272, ten years before the battle 
of Moyne was fought. This account of 
the conquest of Adam Cusack by William 
Mor Barrett, was evidently a vag^e tradi- 
tional story, penned by one of the Mac 
Firbises to flatter the pride of the Mac Wat- 
tin Barrett of the day ; but it cannot be 



received for true history, as all the authen- 
tic annals are in direct opposition to it. 

^ WiUiamMbrBreathnach — ^Breathnach 
is the usual name by which the Irish, even 
at the present day, call the family of 
Walsh ; but the William Mor of the bat- 
tle of Moyne, here referred to, was the 
head of the Barretts. Our author, in 
giving the pedigree of the family of Walsh, 
on the authority of Laurence Walsh, who 
wrote in 1588, states that Walynus, the 
progenitor of the family of Walsh, and 
Barrett, the progenitor of the Barretts, 
were brothers, and the sons of Guyndally, 
high steward of the lordship of the house 
of Camelot, and that Walynus came to 
Ireland with Maurice Fitzgerald, a lieu- 
tenant of fifty archers and fifty foot, in 
the year 1169, and that some of his de- 
scendants had adhered to the descendants 
of said Maurice to Laurence Walsh's 
time (1588). It is not, therefore, to be 
wondered at, that some old Irish writers 
should have styled William Mor Barrett 



33^ 

the great Court of Mileac of the lake^. He took the court from 
them*, drives them all from it, and then divides the territory between 
his own kinsmen ; he gave to Mac Bhaitin Baired the court, and all 
the territory which his family have retained from that day till this, 
80 that he, Mac Bhaitin, is chief and lord over them to this pre- 
sent time. 

Another authority gives the name of William Mor Breathnach* 
to the William aforesaid, by whom fell Cusack** aforesaid, and states 
that when Caislen na Circe"" was erected by this William Mor Breath- 
nach na Maighne he divided the country among kinsmen of his 
tribe. He gave, first, Gleann Oisdegh"* to Osdec Mac Meric*' (or 

Membric) ; 

of the battle of Moyne by the cognomen of 
Breathnach, which may have meant simply 
" The Welshman," for Breathnach in Irish 
means Brittanicus, and to the present day 
denotes Welsh, i. e. belonging to Wales, 
as well as a Welshman, and one of the 
fiunily called Walsh. 

^ Btf whom /eS Cusack This clause 

should be reversed, and written " who fell 
by Cusack ;" the error is possibly owing 
to the ignorance of some transcriber ; but 
it is extraordinary that our learned author 
did not correct so gross a blunder. " Miror 
doctum Dualdum Firbisium ita errasse 1" 
as Dr. O'Conor says in reference to ano- 
ther oversight of our author. 

^ When Caiden na Circe was erected by 
this William — This is not the Caislen na 
Circe in Lough Corrib — (which had been 
erected, according to the Annals of the 
Four Blasters, before 1 233, " by the power 
of the sons of King Roderic O* Conor and 
Mac William Burke")— but Castle-Kirk, 



in Lough Carra, not many miles from Kil- 
common, where this William Mor Barrett 
of the battle of Moyne seems to have re- 
sided. The erection of this castle then 
may fairly be attributed to about the year 
1 266, which is therefore the true period 
of the descent of the Welsh families upon 
the territory of Tirawley, not, as stated 
by our author, 11 69 or 1172, when the 
English first came over to assist the King 
of Leinster. 

^ Gleann Oisdegk, — This place is still 
well known, and is anglicised Grlenhest. 
It is a valley district, west of Glen Nephin, 
partly in the barony of Burrishoole and 
partly in that of Tirawley, in the county 
of Mayo. It is divided from Glen Nephin 
by the Boghadoon river, and lies between 
Lough Feeagh, which bounds it on the 
west, and Beltraw lough, which boimds it 

on the south-east See Balds* Map of 

Mayo, and Ordnance Map. 

® Osdec Mac Meric. — He is still vividly 



2U2 



332 



Nemcenne Do Ricfn, ctjuy an od 6hac Do Ship TTlai^u an bhaic, 
6 b-puil Clann Qinopiu baipeo. Cuj 6 pheappaiD Cpepi 50 
Cpaij niupbaig DO Ship Uillmm Laijlcp, ^. an Caijlepioc, ajup 
coimeaD a^uf coynarii cpiocaiD c6d loppuip aj Coimfn, ajup a^ 
philip, no philpin, .1. mac mcc Deapbpdrap DoChoimfn an philip, 
no an pilpin pm, ajup ap a pliocc acd TTlac philib, no philbin,a5up 
ap uaD cdngaDap clann philib, no philbm ; nf meapca jnp ob e an 
philpin ceD 50 bupcactiib. Sip Uilliam Caijlep, mac RoibepD, mic 
Uilliam, mic Niocldip, ainm an Laiglcpij D'ct D-cuj Uilliam TTlop 
naTTlaijne an peapann pa,.i. ophcappaioCpepi joCpaijTTlupbaij. 
Clann TTlec RoibepD a DubpaDap luce an popmaiD ajup an 
ameoluip cacoppa pen jup do pliocc Domntiill lopptnp Ui Chon- 
cabaip 661b, ace aoep TTlac phipbipij, .1, S6mup, mac DiapmaDa, 

nac 



remembered in the tradition of the coun- 
try, according to which the Hoiste, after 
whom Gleann Hoiste was called, was shun 
and beheaded bj one of the O'Malleys 
after he had nearly exterminated the 
whole of that family ; but, strange to say, 
this tradition states that he was one of the 
Danes, and flourished during the tyran- 
nical sway of that people in Ireland be- 
fore the period of the battle of Clontarf I 
This affords a striking instance of the fal- 
lacy of oral tradition as a chronicler of 
events, for, according to the Annab of the 
Four Masters, Hoitsi Mebric (Hosty Mer- 
rick) and his neighbour, Henry Butler, 
lord of Umhall [CXMalley's country] were 
slain by Cathal, son of Conor Boe O'Conor, 
and the sons of Muircheartach 0'C!onor, 
in the year 1272. In Mageoghegan's trans- 
lation of the Annals of Clonmacnoise this 



passage is g^ven as follows : — '* A. D. 1 272. 
Henry Butler, lord of the territory of 
OmaiUe and Hodge Mebric, were killed 
by Cahall Mac Connor Boe and some of 
the Irish Nobilitie of Connaught" The 
family name Merrick is still in this neigh- 
bourhood, and a sobriquet added which 
cannot be mentioned here. The name 
Hosty is also common, of which see more 
abore, p. 326, Note *>. 

^ Qkann Nemhthenne, — ^For the extent 
of this valley district see p. 233, Note ". 

s I%e Two Baa, — ^For the original ex- 
tent of this district, lying principally be- 
tween Lough Conn and the River Moy, in 
Tirawley, see p. 232, Note K 

^ Sir Maigiu^ L e. Sir Maigiu Barrett, 
ancestor of Mac Andrew, chief of the Two 
Baca, in Tirawley. This Sir Maigiu is 
still vividly remembered in the traditions 



333 



Membric) ; Gleann Nemhthenne^ to Eicin, and the Two Bacs* 
to Sir Maigiu*^ of Bac, from whom are the Clann Andrew Barrett. 
He gave the tract extending from Fearsad Tresi to Traigh Mur- 
bhaigh' to Sir William Lawless, i. e. the Lawless^ ; and he commit- 
ted the keeping and defence of the barony of lomis [Erris] to 
Toimin and to Philip, or Philpin, tKe grandson of Toimin's brother, 
and of his race is Mac Philip, or Mac Philbin^ and from him the 
Clann Philip, or Philbin, are descended ; and it is not to be supposed 
that he is the Philbin who is traced to the Burkes. Sir William 
Lawless, son of Robert, son of William, son of Nicholas, was the 
name of the Lawless to whom William Mor na Maighne' gave this 
tract of land extending from Fearsad Tresi to Traigh Murbhaigh"^. 

Envious and ignorant people have said between themselves that 
the Clann Mac Robert are of the race of Domhnall lorruis O'Conor", 
but Mac Firbis, namely, James, son of Diarmaid^ says that they are 

not 



of the cotintiy. 

^ Prom Fearmd Tren 1o Trai^k Mur- 
bkaipkj L e. the country of the Hj-Eath- 
ach Mnaidhe. — See p. 232, Note ^. 

i TkeLawlesSj L e. the head of the fanuly 
of that name. 

k Mae PkUbin He lired in ihe castle 

of Dan Mngdord, now Doon castle, about 
£>ur miles to the east of Westport, in the 
county of Maya 

> To whom WiUiam Mor na Maigkne 
gaoe this tract of land, — The probability is, 
that William Mor na Maighne had really 
made this distribution of the lands of 
Erris and Tirawley, and that the only 
error in this story is in stating that he 
made his distribution of these lands after 



the battle of Moyne. 

■» From FearBod Tresi to Traigh Mur- 
bhaiffhy i a the territory of Caeilli — See 
pp. 8, 9, 224, 225, where the situation of 
this district is distinctly pointed out. 

» DomhnaU lorruie &Conor. — He was 
the son of Maghnus, who was the son of 
the celebratedMuircheartach Muimhneach 
O'Conor. He made great efforts to con- 
quer Erris, and dwelt in that territory for 
some time,but was driven thence in the year 
1273, according to the Annals of the Four 
Masters, which do not mention by whom, 
but we may well conjecture it was by Wil- 
liam Mor Barrett of Kilcommon, who was 
very powerful in this district at the time. 

• Mac FvrhiBy namdy^ Jamee, son o/Di- 



334 

nac h-eao ceana, ace mac mec Do Uilliam, mic Uilliam TTlhoi|i, 
na rriaijne, agup af f a n-Ducaij coip Daoile i D-cfp Qrhaljaib. 

Q oepiD apoile gup Do hepbeapDacuib (pe paiceap hepbeap- 
Daij) .1. hepbepcaij a 5-ConDae Luinini^ an clann Hlec RoibcpD, 
no ITIec hepbeapD y^om. 

Sleacca fame. Cappfinuij do ccacc 1 n-Gpmn le pliocc Uil- 
liam Congcep (cuig bupc) Cion6iDi5 do ceacc i n-Gpinn le pliocc 
an lapla RuaiD. Sliocc pam. Ce pliocc Uilliam Congcep caini^ 
Cappunaij agup Do bunab Soxonaij laD, ace a DepiD apoile jup 
DO pliocc Chacaoip ITIhoip Doib ; aguf pip in lapla Ruaib cdn- 
^aDap. 

Sliocc fain. Do na h-uaiplib cdinij anaip le pliocc Uilliam 
Conjcep, .1. philib TTlop, mac Sip beapnaipD SDonDun, a quo TTlac 
a'TnhfliD Cheapa, Uaicep, mac RoibeapD, Sip DaibiD Duilpmeac, 
RoibeapD bapoiD, Sip Uilliam Cappun; coip em map acdiD bupc, 
baipeD, ajuf Cappun 1 5-Connaccaib, acd b6pc, bapoiD, ajup 
Cappiin i TTlumain. 

pocann ceacca bupcac 1 b-peapannup 1 D-Cip Qmal^aib. 

Peace 

armaid, — See pedigree of the Mac Firbises ^ William the Conqueror, i. e. William 

in p. 1 02. This James was evidently the Fitz Adelm De Burgo. — Seep. 71, Note ^. 
compiler of the Leabhar Balbh, or Dumb * LionoideachM, i. e. the Lynotts of Ti- 

Book, which is so often referred to as au- rawley. 
thority by our author. * The Red Earl — The celebrated Rich- 

P Doot/, now anglice Deel, a well known ard De Burgo, Earl of Ulster, who died 

river in Tirawley. — Vide suprd, p. 8, in the year 1326. 
Note *. ** Cathaoir Mor. — He was monarch of 

' Carrunaclis. — This is the name by Ireland in the latter part of the second 

which the Irish still call the Carews of century, and the ancestor of almost all 

Munster. For some accoimt of this family the chieftain families of Leinster. There 

see Smith's History of the County of Cork, seems to be no truth in the assertion that 

vol. i. pp. 51 and 93, and vol. ii. pp. 45 the Carews are descended from him. 
and 68. ^ Sdondun, now written Staunton. 



335 

not, but that Robert^ their ancestor, was the grandson of William, 
the son of William Mor na Maighne, and their inheritance lies along 
the Daoil^, in Tir Amhalgaidh. 

Others say that this Clann Mac Robert, or Mac Herbert, is of 
the Herbeardachs (who are called Hearbardaigh), i. e. the Herberts 
of the county of Limerick. 

From different fragments. The Carrunachs"* came to Ireland 
with the descendants of William the Conqueror' (understand Burk). 
The Lionoideachs" came to Ireland with the descendants of the Red 
Earr. Another authority says that the Cammachs came with the 
descendants of William the Conqueror, and that they are of Saxon 
origin, while others say that they are of the race of Cathaoir Mor", 
and that they came with the Red Earl. 

Another authority. Of the nobles who came from the East 
[England] with the descendants of William the Conqueror were the 
following, viz., Philip Mor, the son of Sir Bernard Sdondun"" a quo 
Mac a Mhilidh'' of Ceara, Walter Fitz Robert, Sir David Dulpin"", 
Robert Baroid^, Sir William Carrun. It is right to observe, that as 
there are Burc, Baired, and Carrim, in Connaught ; there are Burc, 
Baroid, and Carrun, in Munster. 

The cause of the coming of the Burkes to take possession of 

lands 

^ Mae a Mhilidh, L e. son of the Knight naught From this it would appear that 

This name is stiU common in the barony they are not the same family, and that the 

of Carra, in the coimty of Mayo, and an- name of the Munster family should be 

glicised Mac Aveely, but many of the properly written Barrott in English, 

family have resumed the original name of * Sgomach hhuid hhearrtha, — This so- 

Staunton. briquet, indicating that the steward was a 

' Dtdpin. — QuerBy Dolphin ? glutton and a libertine, must remain con- 

' BaroicL — The family of Barrett, as cealed under the yell of the original lan- 

already remarked, is called in Irish, Bar&id, guage. 

the being pronounced long, in Munster, * Tobar na Sgomai^he, i e,/an€ Gtdce, 

but Bairiady the e being long, in Con- This well has since run dry, but the old 



336 

peace oia m-barcaji baip6ai>ui^ a o-cpep Chfpe Qrhal^aba (niap 
a Dubapniiip), gup cuippioo a maop o'd n-jaipri S^opnach buio 
bedppca, Do cogbdil ciopa ap Cionoioeacuib; Tiiapbuio Cfondioig 
an maop pin, o^uf cuipiD e lapan) i D-cobap o'd n-^aipceap Cobap 
na Sjopnaije, Idirh pip m ^^^PP^^ ^P^> caob ciap Do caiplen 
Capna, i o-Cfp Ctmal^aiD ; ap b-pdgail an pgeoil pin Do bhaipe- 
t>acuib, cionoilio 50 h-apmca ap amup na Lion6ioeac1i, 50 pu^ 
neapc oppa, jup ob 1 poja cugpat) baipeaoui^ 00 Cionooeacuib, a 
b-pip 00 6alla6 no 00 ppocab ; conab f poja pu^pao CfonoiOigh, 
cpe aiple apoile peanoipe boib pen, a n-oallab, Do bpfj 50 n-jinpf&e 
6 balluib, agup nac ginpfbe 6 peapuib ppocoa. ^^^^^^ bdipeDaig 
DO pndcaDuib 1 pinlib LionoiDeac, agup jac peap map Do ballDip 
Dfob, DO cuipDfp DO imceacc Chlocam na n-Dall Idim le Capna 
laD, D'piop an m-bec a bea^ do pabapc aca, ajup jibe Dfob Do im- 
jeaD an clocdn 50 ceapc, Do h-ac-Dallca e ! CtraiD lapom pmuai- 
niD Cfon6iDi5 cionnup Do DijeolDaoip a n-anbpolca ap bbdipeao- 
cuib, jonab f aipeag meanman puaippioD 6 a pmpiop, Dalca Do 
jlacaD o'n apoile cumaccac Do Chlomn Uilliam bupc, baDap pia 
pin 6 Shlmb puap, conab cuije pin Do beacaijj an CfonoiDec eac 
uaibpeac, noc pugpaD CfondiDij led do glacab an Dalca, lonnup 

jomab 

natives of the place point out its situation Clochan, or row of stepping-stones, is still 

to the north of an old road leading through pointed out near Cam Castle, in the town- 

the townland of Carn, within twenty land of Garranard, parish of Moygawnagh, 

perches of the townland of Grarranard, in and barony of Tirawlej. 

the parish of Mojgawnagh, and barony of ^ One derived firom their aneeslort^ that 

Tirawley. is, the ancestors of the Lynotts had seen 

^ The eadU of Cams, — ^For the situation that their tribe were fast sinking under 

of this castle, and the townland of Gar- the Barretts, and they instilled into the 

ranard, in Tirawley, see Ordnance Map of minds of their descendants that the only 

Mayo, sheet 21. way in which they could check their ty- 

^ Clochan na n-daU, i. e. the causeway ranny was by adopting one of the Burkes 

or stepping-stones of the blind men. This as their leader, by means, of whom th^ 



337 

lands in Tir Amhalgaidh. At one time when the Barretts had 
supremacy over Tir Amhalgaidh (as we have said), they sent their 
steward, who was called Sgomach bhuid bhearrtha*, to exact rents 
from the Lynotts. The Lynotts killed this steward, and cast his 
body into a well called Tobar na Sgomaighe*, near Grarranard, to 
the west of the castle of Cams^ in Tir Amhalgaidh. When the Bar- 
retts had received intelligence of this, they assembled their armed 
forces and attacked the Lynotts, and subdued them. And the 
Barretts gave the Lynotts their choice of two modes of punish- 
ment, namely, to have their men either blinded or emasculated ; and 
the Lynotts, by advice of some of the elders among them, took the 
choice of being blinded, because blind men could propagate their 
species, whereas emasculated men could not. The Barretts then 
thrust needles into the eyes of the Lynotts, and accordingly as each 
man of them was blinded, they compelled him to cross over the 
stepping-stones of Clochan na n-dall, near Cams*^, to see if more or 
less of sight remained with them, and if any of them crossed the 
Clochan without stumbling he was taken back and re-blinded ! Some 
time after this the Lynotts meditated how they could revenge their 
animosities on the Barretts, and the contrivance which occurred to 
their minds, — one derived from their ancestors**, — was to procure a 
dalta^, [le.an adopted soiij^ from some powerful man of the Clann Wil- 
liam Burke, who, previously to this period, had inhabited the south 
of the anountain [Nephin] ; and to this end Lynott fed a spirited horse 
which the Lynotts took with them to receive the adopted son, in order 

that 

might not only shake off the yoke of their nus, a foster-son, a ward; but in this 

oppressors, but perhaps finally subdue passage it cannot be understood as applied 

them. to a thild to be nursed or fostered, but 

* A dalta. — This word is generally used must be translated a ward or adopted 

by Irish writers in the sense of an alum- son. 

IRISH ARCH. SOC. 12. 2 X 



338 

^omab c bu6 Oalca boib an bupcac do impiabpao an c-cac pm ; 50 
pdinig leo map pm Ceapoio TTlaoil biipc Do balra, noc 00 mapbob 
le bdipeoacuib laporh. Conab 1 n-a epic pin cugarcup baip6Dai;^ 
occ s-ceacparhna Oeuj peapoinn no bhupcacuib ; como cum Do lapp 
an CfonoiDcac, oiDc CeapoiD, Do'n epic, .1. pomn na h-eapca, a35up 
f poinn CU5 uippe, a pdjbail na poibeabla ap peab Cipe Ctrhal^aba 
uile, 50 m-beDfp biipcai^ in ^ac die fnnce, Do boipb ap bhdipea- 
Dacuib 1 D-Uip Qrhal^aib, jup beanpaD a b-peaponna Dfob 
D'upmop; ajupjup beanpaD pa beoij, anno Domini. 1652, 6pipi5 
Saxonca Oilibep Cpomuell bfob uile e, map ap lep cmoip jan 
bdipeaDac na biipcach, nf dipbim Clanna piacpac, 1 b-peaponnup 
b6ib. 



^ Killed bff the BarretU. — This is still 
viyidly remembered in the traditions of 
the country, and the spot is pointed out 
where Teaboid Maol (L e. the Bald) Burke 
was killed bj the Barretts. The recollection 
of it has been kept alive in certain verses 
which were composed on the occasion, of 
which the following quatrain is often re- 
peated in the baronj of Tyrawley. 



Udn^ooap 6dip6aDai^ na cfpe, 
Pinneaoap ^ntoih nac paiB ceapc, 
Dhoipeeonxxp puil do b* uaiple in6 on 

pton, 
Qj; peaodn caol Chuipp na pac. 

" The Barretto of the county came, 
Tbej perpetrated a deed, which was not jnit, 
Thej Bhed blood which was nobler than wine 
At the narrow brook of Comasack.** 



339 

that the Burke who should break that steed might be their adopted 
son. And thus they obtained Teaboid Maol Burke as an adopted son, 
who was afterwards killed by the Barretts^. So that it was in eric for 
him that the Barretts gave up to the Burkes eighteen quarters of land^ ; 
and the share which Ljniott, the adopted father of Teaboid, asked of 
this eric was the distribution of the mulct, and the distribution he 
made of it was, that it should be divided throughout all Tir Amhal- 
gaidh, in order that the Burkes might be stationed in every part of 
it as plagues to the Barretts, and to draw the country from them. 
And thus the Burkes came over the Barretts in Tir Amhalgaidh, 
and took nearly the whole of their lands from them ; but at length 
the Saxon heretics of Oliver Cromwell took it from them all, in the 
year of our Lord 165a; so that now there is neither Barrett nor 
Burke, not to mention the Clann Fiachrach, in possession of any 
lands there. 



> Eighteen quarters of land, — A quarter 
of land, generally containing one hundred 
and twenty acres, is the fourth part of a 
Ballybetagh, which was the thirtieth part 
of a triocha ched^ or barony. The exact 
period at which the Burkes, or Lower 



Clann William, first settled in Tirawley 
has not yet been exactly determined, but 
it must have been before the year 1458, 
as we have already seen that a Bemond 
Burke was then living at Iniscoe. — See p. 
124, and Addenda. 



2X2 



ADDENDA. 



343 



ADDENDA. 



A. 

Pedigree of O'Dowd, or O'Dowda^ 

r[£ large Genealogical Table, which will be found at the end of this volume, exhibits 
the descent of the principal families of the Hy-Fiachrach race in the order of their 
seoioritj, as far as that has been discovered, from their great ancestor Fiachra, the son 
of Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, who was the sixth from Conn of the Hundred Battles, 
to as late a period as the Editor has been able to trace them by the evidence of authentic 
genealogical manuscripts, the Irish Annals, the English-Irish records, and family 
documents. As in the pedigrees of the Hy-Many race, it has been thought advisable 
to place all the principal lines in one view, on a single sheet, that it might be after- 
wards referred to in the account which will be given of each line separately. 

I. Eochaidh Muigkmheadhoin (pronounced Eochy Moyvane), King of Connaught, 

was proclaimed monarch of Ireland in the year 358, and, after a reign of eight years, 

died at Tara. He married Mongfinn, daughter of Fidach, of the royal family of 

Monster, and sister of Crimhthann Mor Mac Fidaigh, who succeeded Eochaidh as 

monarch of Ireland, according to the Four Masters, in the year 366. — (See Battle of 

Magh Bath, Additional Notes L) By Mongfinn this monarch had four sons, namely, 

I, Brian, the ancestor of the Hy-Briuin tribes, of whom the O'Conors of Connaught 

were the most distinguished ; 2, Fiachra, the ancestor of the Hy-Fiachrach tribes, of 

whom the O'Dowds, O'Heynes, and O'Shaughnessys were, at least in later ages, by 

fiur the most distinguished families ; 3, Fergus ; and, 4, Oilioll, from whom Tir Oiliolla, 

now the barony of Tirerill, in the county of Sligo, received its name. Queen 

Mongfinn, like the Empress Agrippina, actuated by motives of ambition, for the ag* 

grandizement of her offspring, poisoned her brother, the monarch Crimthann, on Inis 

Domglas, a small island in the river Moy, in the hope that her eldest son, Brian, might 

be immediately seated on the throne of Ireland ; and in order the more effectually to 

deceiye her brother as to the contents of the proffered cup, she drank of it herself first, 

and 



344 

and died of the poison soon after; her brother, on his way home to Monster, died 
at a place in the south of the present county of Clare, which, from that memorable 
event, received the appellation of Sliabh Oighidh an righ, or the mountain of the death 
of the king. It has been, however, remarked by ancient and modem Irish writers 
that this execrable act of Mongfinn had not the desired effect, for that neither her son 
Brian, nor any of her posterity, was ever monarch of Ireland, except Turlogh O'CJonor 
and his son Roderic. According to all our ancient authorities King Eochaidh had a 
second wife, Carinna, who is said to have been of old Saxon descent, and who was the 
mother of the youngest, though by far the most celebrated, of his sons, namely, Niall 
of the Nine Hostages, the ancestor of O'Neill of Ulster, and all the other families of the 
Hy-Niall race. It is stated in the Book of Ballymote, foL 145, 6, a, that the poison- 
ing of her brother Crimthann was of no avail to Queen Mongfinn, for that Niall of the 
Nine Hostages, the son of King Eochaidh by his second wife, and who had been the 
general of King Crimthann's forces, succeeded as monarch of Ireland immediately afW 
the poisoning of Crimthann. This clearly shows either that Carinna was Eochaidh's 
first wife, or that he had the two together, for Mongfinn survived him thirteen years, 
and Niall of the Nine Hostages, the son, as we are told, of the second wife, was of age 
to succeed as monarch immediately after Mongfinn had poboned her brother and her- 
self. However this may have been, we read that in the life-time of Niall of the 
Nine Hostages, Brian, his brother of the half blood, became King of Connaught, and 
his second eldest brother of the half blood, Fiachra, the ancestor of the O'Dowds and of 
all the Hy-Fiachrach tribes, became chief of the district extending from Cam Fearadh- 
aigh, near Limerick, to Magh Mucroimhe, near Athenry. But dissensions soon arose 
between Brian and his brother Fiachra, and the result was that a battle was fought 
between them, in which the latter was defeated, captured, and delivered as a hostage 
into the hands of his half brother, Niall of the Nine Hostages. After this, however, 
Dathi, the son of Fiachra, a very warlike youth, waged war on his uncle Brian, and 
challenged him to a pitched battle, at a place called Damh-chluain, situated not 
far from Knockmaa hill, near Tuam, in the now county of Galway. In this battle, in 
which Dathi was assisted by Crimthann, son of Enna Cennselach, King of Leinster, 
Brian and his forces were routed, and pursued from the field of battle to Tulcba 
Domhnaill, where he was overtaken and slain by Crimthann, son of Enna Cennselach* 
The body of Brian was buried at the place where he fell, but after a long lapse of 
years St. Beo Aedh, or Aidus vivax, of Boscam, near Galway, removed his bones from 
that place, and bt^ed them at Roscam ; and the ^iter of the tract on the battle 
of Damh-cluain, preserved in the Book of Ballymfcte, adds, " the burial-place of Brian 
is to be seen there at this day." 

2. FiacAra 



f 



345 

2. Fiachra Foksnathaeh, i. e. of the flowing hair, son of King Eochaidh. — After the fall 
of Brian, the eldest son of King Eochaidh, as before recited, Fiachra, the second son, 
was set at liberty, and installed King of Connaught, and enjoyed that dignity for 
twelve years, during which period he was general of the forces of his brother NialL 

His death happened in the following manner, according to the Lecan records : He 

went on one occasion with the king's forces to raise tribute in Munster, but the inha- 
bitants of that province, who detested him and his race, on account of the conduct of 
his mother in having poisoned the preceding monarch, who was of their own province 
and blood, refused to pay the tributes to King Niall, and defied him to battle. They 
met the .king's forces in the territory of Caenraighe, now the barony of Kenry, situAted 
in the county of Limerick, on the south side of the Shannon, where they were defeated, 
and obliged to give up hostages for their future allegiance. In this battle, however, 
Fiachra was severely wounded by Maighe Mescora, one of the warlike tribe of the 
£maans of Munster, and he set out in triumph for Tara ; but when they had arrived 
in the tersitory of Hy-Mac Uais, in Meath, the Munster hostages found Brian unpro- 
tected and in a very feeble state from his wounds, and being suddenly actuated by 
motives of revenge, they seized upon his person and buried him alive in the earth I 
Thus fell Fiachra a victim to his own incautiousness, according to the Lecan records, 
which do not tell us a word about what his own chieftains were doing, when he was 
left thus barbarously unprotected. According to the Book of Lecan this Fiachra had 
five sons, and if we can rely upon the order in which they are mentioned we should 
feel inclined to think that the monarch Dathi was the youngest They are mentioned 
in the following order : — i. Fare Culbhuidhe, i. e. of the yellow hair, so called because 
his hair was of the colour of pure gold, who was the ancestor of the men of Ceara ; 
2, Breasal, whose race became extinct ; 3, Conaire, from whom a St. Sechnall is said 
to have sprung ; 4, Amhalgaidh, or Awley, King of Connaught (and ancestor of seve- 
ral ancient families in Tirawley and Erris, in the county of Mayo), who died in the year 
449; for some account of whom the reader is referred back to pp. 5-1 3 of this volume. 
The seven sons of this Amhalgaidh, together with twelve thousand men, are said to 
have been baptized in one day by St. Patrick, at Forrach Mac n- Amhalgaidh, near 
Killala. — (See Jocelin's Life of St. Patrick, c 59, and Colgan, Trias Thaum. p. 141, 
coL 2) ; and, 5, Dathi, the youngest, but most illustrious, of the sons of Fiachra, and 
the ancestor of all the chiefs of the Hy-Fiachrach race. 

3. Dalhi^ 9on of Fiachra FoUsnathach — On the death of his father, Fiachra, this 
warlike chieftain became King of Connaught, and on the death of his uncle, Niall of 
the Nine Hostages, in the year 405 or 406, he became monarch of Ireland, leaving the 
government of Connaught to his less warlike brother Amhalgaidh, or Awley, who 

IRISH ABCH. SOC. 12. 2 Y lived 



346 

lived to receive the doctrines of Christianity from the lips of the Irish apostle, Patrick, 
and who is set down in all the lists of the kings of Connaught, as the first Christian 
king of that province. King Dathi, following the example of his predecessor, Niall, 
not only ventured to invade the coasts of Gaul, but forced his way to the very foot of 
the Alps, where he was killed, it is said, by a flash of lightning, leaving the throne of 
Ireland to be filled by a line of Christian kings. His body was carried home by his 
son Amhalgaidh, who took the command of the Irish forces after the death of his 
father, and by his four servants of trust, Dungal, Flanngus, Tuathal, and To m a l tac h , 
who carried it to the royal cemetery at Cruachan, called Beilig na riogh, where it was 
interred, and where, to this day, the spot is marked by a red pillar stone. — Vide supra^ 
p. 24, Note ". 

After the death of King Dathi, Laoghaire, or Leary, the son of Niall of the Nine 
Hostages, became monarch of Ireland, and enjoyed that dignity, as the Book of Lecan 
states, for thirty years after the arrival of St. Patrick. 

The monarch Dathi married three wives, but the Irish authorities differ much 
about their order ; the fact therefore probably was that he had the three together ; 
be this, however, as it may, the Book of Lecan states that he married Ruadh, or 
Rufina, the daughter of Airti Uichtleathan, by whom he had Oilioll Molt, monarch 
of Ireland, and Fiachra Ealgach, the ancestor of O'Dowd; he married, secondly, 
Fial, the daughter of Eochaidh, by whom he had Eochaidh Breac, the ancestor of 
O'Heyne and O'Shaughnessy ; and, thirdly, Eithne, the daughter of Orach, or Con- 
rach Cas, who, according to some authorities, was the mother of his son Eong OilioU 
Molt But as it would be now idle to speculate on which of Dathi's sons were 
youngest or eldest, the Editor will here follow the authority of the Book of Lecan, 
which states that Dathi had twenty-four sons, of whom, however, only twenty are 
given by name, and set down in the following order : — i, OilioU Molt : he succeeded 
as king of Connaught in the year 449, and after the death of the monarch Laoghaire, 
in 463, became monarch of all Ireland, and reigned twenty years. His two grand- 
sons, Eoghan Bel and Oilioll Inbanna, became Kings of Connaught, but hia race 
became extinct in his great grandsons ; 2, Fiachra Ealgach, the ancestor of O'Dowd, 
and several other families ; 3, Eochaidh Breac, L e. Eochy the Freckled, the ancestor 
of p*Heyne, O'Shaughnessy, and many other families ; 4, Eochaidh Meann ; 5, Fiachra, 
who is said to have been detained as a hostage in the hands of King NiaU of the Nine 
Hostages, and who is said to have left a family called Hy-Fiachrach, at a place called 
Cuil Fabhair, in Meath ; 6, Earc ; 7, Core ; 8, Onbecc ; 9, Beccon ; 10, Mac Uaia ; 
1 1, Aengus the Longhanded ; 1 2, Cathal ; 1 3, Faelchu, from whom are descended the 
tribe of Hy-Faelchon ; 14, Dunghal ; 15, Conrach ; 16, Neara ; 17, Amhalgaidh, the 

son 



347. 

son of Bnfina, the daughter of Airtigh Uichtleathan, who was bom on Inis Awley, in 
Lough Conn (Lib. Lee. fol. 247), from whom descended the tribe called Cinel Becon, in 
Meath, and the Mac Firbises of Lecan; 18, Blachadh; 19, Cugamhna, from whom 
descended the family called Mac Congamhna, who were located in Cinel Fechin, in the 
south of the now county of Gal way : and, 20, Aedh, the ancestor of the Hy-Aedha, 
who were seated in Burren, in Thomond. 

If the sons of Dathi be here set down according to their ages it will follow that 
Fiachra Ealgach was his second son, and that upon the failure of issue in the line of 
Oilioll Molt, the representative of Dathi is to be sought for in the line of Fiachra Falgach. 
O'Flaherty, however, though he had the Book of Lecan before him, says that Eochaidh 
Breac, the ancestor of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, was the eldest son of Dathi, that 
Oilioll Molt, monarch of Ireland, was the second, and Fiachra Ealgach, the ancestor of 
the Hy-Fiachrach of the Moy, the third son. But, as already observed, it would be 
now idle to conjecture which is right, and the Editor has followed the Book of Lecan, 
which, as being the local authority, is more likely to be correct in the genealogy of 
this race than any other manuscript 

4. Fiachra Ealgckck^ ton of Dathi, — The Irish annals have preserved no memorial 
of this Fiachra, as the descendants of the monarch Oilioll Molt, the eldest son of Dathi, 
were dominant in Connaught in his reign, but the Lecan genealogical books inform us 
that he was detained as a hostage in the hands of the monarch Niall of the Nine Hos- 
tages, — ^which however is scarcely credible, — and that the territory of Tir Fiachrach 
Muaidhe, now the barony of Tireragh, on the east side of the river Moy, took its name 
from him. He had, according to these records, two sons, namely, i, Amhalgaidh, or 
Awley, from whom descended several families formerly seated in the barony of Tirawley, 
among whom, according to some authorities, are to be reckoned the family of Mac 
Firbis, but this is very uncertain, as is every thing connected with the early history 
of that family. By this Amhalgaidh was erected the celebrated Cam Amhalgaidh, on 
which the chiefs of the northern Hy-Fiachrach were afterwards for ages inaugurated, 
concerning which see more in the article on the inauguration of the O'Dowds. Fiachra 
had, 2, Maoldubh, or Maolduin, the ancestor of the subsequent chiefs. 

5. Maoidubhj or Maolduin, 9on of Fiachra EaJgach, — ^No memorial of this personage 
ia preserved in the authentic Irish annals, nor in the genealogical books of the Mac 
Firbises, except that he is said to have given name to a fort called Dun Maolduibh, 
near the River Easkey, where he was bom and fostered. 

6. Tiobraide. — He was chief of Hy-Fiachrach in the time of St. Columbkille, to 
whom he granted a tract of land around the hill of Cnoc na Maili, now the Red Hill 

2 Ya of 



348 

of Skreen, and on which the church of Skreen was afterwards erected by St Adamnan. 
He was the father of 

7. Donnchadh Muirwe, L e. Donogh of Muirisc, a district in the territory of Tir 
Fiachrach of the Moy. He was King of Connaught for four years, and was slain, 
according to the Four Masters, in the battle of Corann, in the year 681. ^' A. D. 681. 
Donnchadh Muirsce [son of Tiobraide]^ son of Maoldubh, King of Connaught, was 
slain in the battle of Corann, in which were also slain Colga, the son of Blathmac, and 
Fergus, the son of Maolduin, chief of the Cinel Cairbre." 

In this entry the Four Masters state that Donnchadh Muirsce was the son of 
Maoldubh, but we know from the most ancient and authentic lists of the Kings of 
Connaught, that he was the grandson of Maolduin, and the son of Tiobraide. He had 
two sons, Innreachtach, King of Connaught for two years, who had a son OilioU, Eling 
of Connaught for eight years, who had a son Cathal mac Oiliolla, who became chief of 
Hy-Fiachrach, and died in the year 812, but of whose race no further account is pre- 
served. The second son of Donnchadh Muirsce was Oilioll, the ancestor of O'Dowd, 
through whom the line of chiefs was continued. 

8. OUioU son of Donnchadh Muirsce No memorial of him is preserved in any of 

our records except the mere statement that he was the son of Donnchadh Muirsce, 
King of Connaught, and the brother of Innreachtach, King of Connaught, who was 
slain in the year 718. 

9. CcUhal, son of OilioU, — No account of him is found in history, except that be is 
mentioned as the grandson of a King of Connaught, and the father of another, namely, of 

10. Donncatha Mac CathaiL — In the authentic lists of the Kings of Connaught 
this Donncatha, who is called son of Cathal, son of Oilioll, son of Donnchadh Muirsoey 
is said to have governed Connaught for eighteen years ; and his death is entered in the 
Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 768. 

1 1 . Oonnmhach, — In the time of this Connmhach the government of the kingdom 
of Connaught was transferred to the race of Guaire Aidhne, who resided in the south 
of the province, and soon after wholly to the Hy-Briuin, of whom the O'Conors of 
Connaught were the principal family ; so that Connmhach did not figure among the 
conspicuous characters of his age, and the Irish annalists have therefore preserved no 
notice of him. The genealogical books of the Mac Firbises, however, inform us that 
he was the ancestor of all the succeeding chiefs of the Northern Hy-Fiachrach race, 
whose country, before tbe Anglo-Norman invasion, extended from the River Robe to 
the River Cowney, at Drumcliff, and from the coasts of Erris, eastwards, to the 
boundary of O'Rourke's coiintry. He had two sons, Caomhan, the ancestor of the 

O'Caondian 



349 

O'Caomhan family, who sunk into obscurity in the fifteenth century, and Dubhda, 
or Dowda, the ancestor of the O'Dowd, or O'Dowda family. 

The genealogical books of the Mac Firbises contain some amusing stories, pur- 
porting to give a reason why the race of Caomhan, the eldest son of Connmhach, was 
set aside and the race of Dubhda put in their place as chiefs of the Northern Hy-Fiach- 
rach, but as these have been already given from the text of Duald Mac Firbis, it is 
only necessary to remark here that whatever truth there may be in the seniority of 
Caomhan, his race was considered in later times the senior branch of the descendants of 
the monarch Dathi, and therefore their chief enjoyed many privileges which no other 
£umly of the race were entitled to; such as to take the first place at the banquet, to be 
the chief man at the inauguration of the O'Dowd, and to give out their first arms, or 
military weapons, to the youth of Hy-Fiachrach. How they first lost the chieftainship 
of the Hy-Fiachrach it would be now useless to inquire, but it may be remarked that 
they are not the only senior branch of a great race in Ireland who have been laid aside 
by more powerful jimior rivals, and we cannot now admit any reason for O'Dowd's 
superiority to them than that his tribe became more numerous and more warlike, and 
compelled them to surrender all claims to the chieftainship of the Northern Hy- 
Fiachrach by force of arms. 

12. Dubhda^ the second son of Connmhach. He is the ancestor after whom the 
family of O'Dubhda, anglice O'Dowda, or O'Dowd, have taken their surname. The 
name Dubhda signifies a black complexioned or black-haired man, and the prefix O' 
denotes grandson, and, in a wider sense, a descendant in any degree, and is translated 
nepos by Adamnan in his life of St. ColumbkiUe ; so that O'Dubhda signifies nepos 
Daudai, or descendant of Dubhda, or Dowda, and the O' should be prefixed, not only 
to the name of the chieftain of the race, but also to that of each individual of the 
fiunily, as well in all the collateral branches as in the direct line. The exact period at 
which this Dubhda, or Dowda lived, cannot now be satisfactorily ascertained, as the 
Irish annals preserve no memorial of him, but we have two periods fixed by the au- 
thentic annalists, between which he must have flourished, namely, that of his grand- 
father Donncatha, King of Connaught, who died in 768, and that of his own grandson 
Aodh, King of North Connaught, who died in the year 983, and by striking a mean 
between these two dates we shall have the year 876, which may therefore be consi- 
dered the year about which this Dowda died. The genealogical books of the Mac 
Firbises do not give us the name of his wife, and the sum of what they have handed 
down respecting him is, that he had one son, namely, 

13. CeaJQa/ch Mac Dubhda^ of whom nothing is recorded, except that he was the 
father of 

14. Aodkt 



350 

14- Aodh, or Hugh O'Dubhda, or O'Dowda, King of Lovrer Connaught, who died in 
the year 983, according to the Annals of Lecan, as quoted bj Dnald Mac Firbis. This 
Aodh, or Hugh, was the first who could have added the prefix O' to his surname, as 
being the O', nepos^ or grandson of Dubhda, for his father would have been called Mac 
Dubhda. He seems also to have been the first who obtained sway over the descendants 
of Caomhan, his grandfather's eldest brother ; for the Lecan records inform us that 
he granted to Aodh, or Hugh, the grandson of Caomhan, the district extending from 
Tuaim da bhodhar to Gleoir, and also the tract of land in Carra, called Tuath Ruisen, 
which till then had been in the possession of a sept of the Firbolgs, besides other 
tracts in the principality of Hy-Fiachrach, in consideration of Aodh, the grandson of 
Caomhan, having resigned to him and his race all claims to the chieftainship of the 
Hy-Fiachrach. The genealogical books of the Mac Firbises give him but one son, 
Maolruanaidh, the ancestor of all the branches of the O'Dowd family ; but we learn 
from the Annals of the Four Masters that he had another son, Gebhennach, who died 
in 1005. 

15. Madruanaidh^ or Mvlnmy^ wn of Aodhj or Hugh C Dubhda, — ^According to 
Duald Mac Firbis this Mulrony, who was chief of Hy-Fiachrach Muirisce, died in the 
year 1005, and the Four Masters have the following notice of his death under the same 
year: — *^A. D. 1005. Maolruanaidh, son of Aodh O'Dubhda, lord of Hy-Fiachrach 
Muirisce, and his son Maolseachlainn, and his brother Gebhennach Mac Aodha, died.^' 

This Maolruanaidh, or Mulrony, had, according to the Mac Firbises, two sons, 
namely, i, Maoileachlainn, or Maolseachlainn, the ancestor of the greater number of the 
succeeding chieftains, and, 2, Domhnall, or Donnell, the ancestor of a celebrated sept 
of the O'Dowds, called the Clann Domhnaill, or Clandonnell of Lough Conn, of whom 
were many distinguished warriors, chiefs of Tirawley, and among others Cosnamhach 
Mor, anglic^ Cosney More, who, according to the Mac Firbises, was the last of the Irish 
race who was called the fighter of an hundred men, but who was killed in his own 
house at Inishcoe, on Lough Conn, by O'Gloinin, one of his own sub-chieftains, in 1 162. 

16. Maoilseachimnn, L e. Melaghlin, or Malachg G* Dubhda, — He died in 1005, the 
same year in which his father and uncle also died. The Mac Firbises mention but 
one of his sons, namely, NialL 

17. Nially wm ofMaoiiseachlainn O* Dubhda. — He had three sons ; i, Niall, ancestor 
of the Clann NeiU O'Dowd, who made strong efibrts to wrest their little territory 
from the family of O'Caomhain, but without success ; 2, Taithleach, the ancestor of 
nearly all the subsequent chiefs, and 3, Aodh, the ancestor of several septs, but whose 
pedigrees are not carried down. 

18. Taithkadiy son of NiaUG* Dubhda — He had two sons, namely, i, Ruaidhri Mear, 

or 



351 

or Rorj the Swift O'Dubhda, who was lord of the country extending from the river 
Robe to DrmnclifT, and who was murdered by Domhnall, or Donnell O'Quin, chief of 
Clann Cuain, whose daughter he had violated, and who renounced his allegiance to 
O'Dowd, and placed himself under the protection of Mac Dermot, chief of Moylurg. 
This must have occurred early in the twelfth century. He had, 2, Aodh, or Hugh 
O'Dowd, the ancestor of the subsequent chiefs. 

19. Aodk, or HugK 9on ofTaithleach G^Dubhda, father of 

2a Muircheartach G^Dubhda^ who was the father of 

21. Aodhy or Hugh 0*Dtihhda. — He had three sons ; i, Taithleach, ancestor of the 
subsequent chiefs; 2, Brian Dearg, from whom the Clann Taithligh Oig [Clan- 
tahilly Og] O'Dowd are descended ; and, 3, Muircheartach. He was probably the 
Aodh, son of Muircheartach O'Dubdha, lord of Tireragh and Tirawley, who died in 

22. Taithleaekt or TahiUy, son o/Aodhy or Hugh O^Dubkda, — He seems to be the 
Taithleach O'Dubdha, lord of Tirawley and Tireragh, who was killed by his own two 
wicked grandsons in the year 1 192. He had one son. 

23. Aodhj or Hugh^ son of Taithleachy who was father of the celebrated 

24. Donnehadh Mor^ orDonogh More OPDubhda. — He appears first in the Irish annals 
at the year 1207, under which he is called by the Four Masters lord of Tirawley and 
Tireragh. In this year he joined Diarmaid, son of Maghnus O'Conor, Cormac Mac 
Dermot, and O'Hara, lord of Leyny, to oppose Cathal Carrach O'Conor, who had in- 
vaded and plundered Mac Dermott's country. A battle ensued between them, in 
which Cathal Carrach was defeated, taken prisoner, and deprived of his eyes, in order 
that by being maimed, he might have no further pretensions to chieftainship. 

In the year 121 3 he hired a fleet of fifty-six ships at the Hebrides, which he joined 
with his own, and sailed into the bay of Cuan Modh, now Clew Bay, where he landed 
on Inis Baithin, and compelled Cathal Croibhdhearg, or Charles the Bedhanded 
CConor, King of Connaught, to give up to him his territory, extending from the river 
Bobe to Drumcliff, free of tribute. 

Having now carried the pedigree of this family down to a period at which their 
history becomes very certain, and pregnant with facts, the Editor will next glance back 
at the line of descent, to show that the genealogical books of the Mac Firbises have not 
preserved to us all the branches that sprang from the main trunk of the genealogical 
tree of this great race. This will be sufiELciently obvious from the following passages 
in the Annals of the Four Masters : 

** A. D. 899. Joseph of Loch Con, abbot of Clonmacnoise, died. He was of the 
sept of the northern Hy-Fiachrach." 

"AD. 



35* 

" A. D. 905. Aodh, son of Maolpatndg, lord of Hj-Fiacbrach, was slain by Niall, 
SOD of Aodh. 

'* A. D. 1059. Aedhuar O'Dubhda, lord of Hj- Amhalgaidh, was slain by his own 
tribe.»» 

** A. D. 1096. Muircheartacb O'Dubhda, sumamed an Cnllach, i,e.the Boar^ lord 
of Hy-Amhalgaidb, was slain by his own tribe." 

"A. D. 1 1 26. Domhnall Fionn O'Dubhda, lord of Hy- Amhalgaidh, was drowned 
after having taken a prey in Tirconnell." 

'* AD. 1 1 28. The son of Aodh O'Dubhda, lord of Hy-Amhalgaidh, was slain at 
Ardee in a battle fought between the cavalries of Conchobhar, the son of Mac Lough- 
lin, prince of Aileach, and of Tieman O'Rourke, chief of Breifny." 

"AD. 1 132. Conchobhar, son of Maoileachlainn O'Dubhda, was shun by his kins- 
man, i. e. by the son of Niall O'Dubhda." 

** A.D. 1 135. O'Maille was slain by the son of Domhnall O'Dubhda, in the Domh- 
liag, or stone-church of NuachongbhaiL" — Chron* Scot, 

" A. D. 1 135. Amhlaoibh, son of Domhnall Fionn O'Dubhda, lord of Hy-Ambal- 
gaidh, was slain by the northern Hy-Fiachrach." 

" A. D. 1 136. The son of Domhnall O'Dubhda, lord of Hy- Amhalgaidh, was slain." 

In 1 139 Mathghamhain, or Mahon O'Dubhda, chief of the race of Flaithbheartach, 
is mentioned, but he was of the O'Dubhdas or Duddies of Ulster. See p. 1 12, Note ^. 

"A. D. 1 143. Aodh, son of Muircheartacb O'Dubhda, lord of the northern Hy- 
Fiachrach and Hy-Amhalgaidh, died." This Aodh may have been Aodh, No. 21, in 
the above pedigree, but this is far from certain, as the number of generations from 
him to Maoileachlainn, No. 16, who died in 1005, would be too many. 

** A. D. 1 153. Brian O'Dubhda, lord of the northern Hy-Fiachrach, was slain in 
the battle of Craebb tinne." 

'* A. D. 1 154. A fleet was sent out by King ToirdUi^lbhacb, or Turlogh O'Conor, 
to coast Ireland towards the north, consisting of the fleets of Dun Graillmhe [Galway 
fort], Connmhaicne mara [now Connamara], Hy-Amhalgaidh, and Hy-Fiachrach, over 
all which Cosnambach O'Dubhda was placed as chief commander. These plundered 
Tirconnell and Inishowen. The Cinel Eogbain, with their chief Muircheartacb, son 
of Niall, observing their designs, went over the sea to hire the fleets of the Grall-Grade- 
lians of Arann, Can tire, the Isle of Mann, and of other parts of Scotland, over all which 
Mac Scellig was chosen as commander. When they came near Inishowen the Conn^- 
cian fleet met them, and a fierce and obstinate sea fight ensued between them which 
continued from morning till evening, during which many of the Connacians were slain 
by the strangers, and among the rest their chief commander Cosnambach O'Dubhda, 

The 



353 

The strangers were however defeated and slaughtered, and deprived of their ships, 
and Mac Scellig, their leader, lost his teeth.'' 

*' A. D. 1 162. Cosnamhach O'Dubhda, lord of Tirawley, was slain by his own tribe." 
This was the celebrated Cosnamhach (son of Aodh, son of Cathbharr, son of Domhnall, 
son of Maolmanaidh), who was killed by O'Gloinin at Inishcoe. • He had a son Cos- 
namhach, who was slain in 1 181. 

^* A. D. 1 182. Murchadh, the son of Taithleach O'Dubhda, was slain by Maolseach- 
lainn O'Mulrony." 

By a comparison of these entries in the Annals with the line of the pedigree of the 
O'Dowds as preserved by the Mac Firbises, and as fully displayed in the large Grene- 
alogical Table, it will be seen that there were several distinguished members of the 
family whose names have not been entered in the pedigree. The truth evidently is, 
that the Mac Firbises have preserved no more than the direct line of this pedigree, 
' from the progenitor Dubhda, or Dowda, down to Donnchadh Mor, No. 24, excepting 
the names of a few of the senior or junior branches, such as they knew had become 
the founders of distinct septs. To return to the pedigree, Donnchadh Mor, No. 24, 
wprOy bad four sons, namely, Brian Dearg O^Dubhda, lord of Tireragh, Tirawley, and 
Erris, who, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, was killed on the road while 
on his pilgrimage to the abbey of Boyle ; 2, Maolruanaidh, the ancestor of the subse- 
quent chiefs ; 3, Muircheartach, or Murtogh, ancestor of the Clann Conchobhair, 
who, on the death of his brother, Brian Dearg, in 1 242, became chief of Hy-Fiachrach, 
and was, during his short career, a powerful chieftain, and at constant strife with the 
O'Conors. In the year 1246 he slew Maelseachlaiim, the son of Conchobhar Ruadh, 
who was son of Muircheartach Muimhneach, or Murtogh, the Momonian O'Conor, for 
which he was banished over sea; but in the year following, 1247, he returned, accom- 
panied by his friend O'Boyle, with a fleet, and made a descent upon the coast of Car- 
burjr, to be revenged on the O'Conors by plundering that territory, but on this 
occafiion the crew of one of his ships, who were under the command of Maghnus 
O'Boyle, were drowned at the island of Inis tuathrass, on the coast of Carbury. But 
his career of glory was short ; he was slain in the year 1248 by the son of Felim 
O'Conor, as thus recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters : — ** A. D. 1248. Muir- 
cheartach O'Dubhda, sumamed the Aithchleireach, lord of thai tract of country ex- 
tending from CiU Dairbhile [now Termon Dervilla], in Erris, to the strand [i. e. the 
strand of Traigh Eothuile], was slain by the son of Felim O'Conor," The fourth son 
of Donnchadh Mor was Taithleach, who was the father of Conchobhar, or Conor 
Conallach O'Dubhda, who became chief of Tireragh and was drowned in the Shanqon in 
the year 1291, but his race seems to have become extinct in a few generations. Donn- 

IRISH ABCH. 80C. 12. 2 Z chadh 



354 

chadh Mor had a daugliter Mor, who became the wife of O'BojIe, the chief of the 
opposite coast, and who died in the year 1 249. 

One of the sons of this Donnchadh Mor O'Dubhda is charged with a very atrocious 
crime by the Irish annalists, who fortunately do not afford us the clue to discoyer 
which of the sons to brand with it. The Four Masters speak of it as follows in their 
Annals: — ''A. D. 1244. Maoliosa Mac an Easpuig O'Maoilfoghmhair [Malisa Mao- 
anespie O'Mulfover], parson of Tireragh and Tirawley, who, from his wisdom, was 
intended for the episcopal dignity, was killed by the son of Donnchadh O'Dubhda, a 
deed strange to his family, for none of the O'Dubhdas had ever before that time 
killed an ecclesiastic.'' 

25. Maolrtianaidhy or Mtdrontf^ son of Donnchadh Mor (yDiMda, — Though this 
Mulroney was the progenitor of the subsequent chiefs he does not appear to have ever 
been chief himself, for, in the record of his death given in the Annals of the Four 
Masters at the year 1238, he is styled Maolruanaidh, son of Donnchadh O'Dubhda : — 
*' AD. 1238. Maolruanaidh, the son of Donnchadh O'Dubhda, was slain by Maoilseach- 
lainn, son of Conchobhar Ruadh, who was the son of Muircheartach Muimhneach 
O'Conor, assisted by the son of Tighearnan, who was the son of Cathal Mac Amain 
O'Conor." 

According to a modem account of the descendants of this Mulrony O'Dubhda, 
inserted in a modem hand in the Book of Lecan, and which shall be given in these 
Addenda, he had three sons, viz., Taithleach, Muaidhe, Donnchadh Mor, ancestor of 
the Clann Donogh O'Dubhda, formerly seated in the district of Coolcamey, and Ck>a- 
namhach, archbishop of Tuam ; but that this genealogy is spurious is obvious from 
the fact that it totally differs from the original text of the Book of Lecan, as well as 
from the account given by Duald Mac Firbis ; and that it appears from the Irish an- 
nals that Donnchadh Mor O'Dubhda, the ancestor of the Clann Donogh, could not have 
been the son of Mulrony who was slain in 1238, for Donnchadh died Tanist of Hy- 
Fiachrach in the year 1337, that is, ninety-nine years after the death of his supposed 
father. But the truth clearly is, that Donnchadh Mor was, as the original text of the 
Book of Lecan makes him, the grandson of Maolruanaidh, or Mulroney, and the son, 
not the brother, of Taithleach Muaidhe, who was slain in 1282. According to the 
Book of Lecan and Duald Mac Firbis this Maolruanaidh, or Mulroney, had two sons, 
namely, Taithleach Muaidhe, or Tahilly of the Moy, of whom presently, and Cos- 
namhach, archdeacon [not archbishop] of Tuam, and a daughter Dervorgilla, who was 
the mother of Tomalltach O'Conor, archbishop of Tuam, and died in 1265. 

26. Taithleach Muaidhe^ or Tahilly of tlie Mo^y son of Mulrony G*Dubhda, — This 
warlike chieftain, in order to be revenged of William Mor Barrett, who had wrested 

from 



355 

from him the entire of the territory of Tirawley, joined Adam Cusack, — ^who was then 
making strong efforts to conquer this part of Connaught, — against the Barretts, and a 
fierce battle was fought between them at Mojne, near Killala (where a great monas- 
tery was a long time after erected). In this battle, wherein O'Dubhda was assisted 
by his neighbour O'Boyle, William Mor Barrett was defeated, mortally wounded, and 
taken prisoner. But Adam Cusack, notwithstanding the assistance received from 
O'Dubhda in this battle, turned his arms against him the year following, and slew him 
at a place called, from that circumstance, Bel atha Tailtigh^ L e. the mouth of Tahilly's 
ford, situated near the margin of Traigh Eothuile, on the lands of Coillte Luighne, 
near Ballysadare. These facts are stated by the Four Masters in their Annals, and 
are also given in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, as we learn from the following quaint 
translation of the two passages by Connell Mageoghegan : 

*^ A. D. 1 281. There was a feild fought between the Barretts of the one side and 
the Cusackes of the other side, where the Barretts were vanquished ; William Barrett 
and Adam Fflemyng, with many others, were slain. There were two Irishmen of 
Cusack's side that surpassed the companys of both sides for prowes, manhood, dex- 
teritie of handling of arms, hardiness, and all other parts of activity, named Taih- 
leagh O'Dowdie and Taihleagh O'Boyle." 

'* A. D. 1282. Taihleagh mac Moyleronie O'Dowdie (before spoken of), prince of the 
contrey of Offiaghrach Moye, one of great prowes and bounty, and of great and con- 
tiniiall dissention with the English, and all foreigners, in defence of his contry, was 
killed by Adam Cusack at Beerhaven." 

Here Mageoghegan renders Traigh Eothuile by Beerhaven, an error equalled only 
by that of Haliday, who, in his translation of the first part of Keating's History of 
Ireland, renders it Toughal, and evidently takes it to be the strand of Youghal, in the 
8oath*east of the county of Cork. 

This Adam Cusack was defeated by Maghnus O'Conor at Ballysadare in the year 
1285, on which occasion Collin Cusack, his brother, and many others, were slain. He 
died in the year 1287, after which we hear of no more triumphs of the Cusacks in 
Connaught, and the Barretts appear to have recovered all their possessions in Tirawley, 
of which he seems for a time to have deprived them. 

Taithleach Muaidhe O'Dubhda had three sons, viz., Sen Bhrian, of whom presently, 
Donnchadh Mor, ancestor of the Clann Donogh O'Dubhda, who died in 1337, and 
Maoileachlainn Carrach, who was slain in 13 16. There were many distinguished men 
among this sept of the family, as William, Bishop of Killala, who died in 1350; Muir- 
cbeartach Cleireach, chief of the Clann Donogh, who died in 1402, but they disap- 
pear from history about the middle of the fifteenth century. 

2 Z 2 27. ^en 



35^ 

>7- sSenBkriait, or old Brian, the tort o/TaitMeaehMuaidheG'Dvbhda — DooldHac 
Firbia states in liis short annals of this familj', that this Brian was eighty-four years chief 
of his name ; but we must conclude from the authentic Irish amiBls that he could not 
have reigned so long, and we may well believe that fifty-four years, as given ia a more 
modem hand in the Book of Lecan, was the true period. The first notice of this 
chieftain tn be found in the Annals of the Four Masters is at the year 1278, in which 
he and Art na g-Capall [of the horses] O'Hara, lord of Leyny, gave battle to the Ber- 
minghama, and defeated them, killing the two sons of Meyler Mor, Conor Roe Ber- 
mingham and others. This was in the life-time of his father, and stiU be does not 
appear to have succeeded his father, for the Annals record the death, by drowning, of 
Conchobhor, or Conor Conallach O'Dubhds, lord of Tir Fiochrach, in the year 1 191. 
In the year 1 308, as we learn from the Annals of Clonmocnoise, he joined the English 
of Leyny and Tireragh to plunder the O'Conors of Carbury. But ia 1316 be joined 
Felim O'Conor and the Irish in the memorable battle of Athenry, where the English 
hod mustered the best appointed and most formidable army that they had ever before 
sent against the native Ihsh. In this battle, in which the English were well anned, 
and drawn up in r^ular military array, and the Irish without armour\ eleven thou- 
sand of the Irish were slain, and tradition says that the O'Conora were so completely 
defeated that throughout all Connaught not one man of the name, Felim's brother 
excepted, could be found who was able to bear arms. 

According to the Annals of the Four Masters Brian O'Dubhda, lord of Tireragh, 
commanded hia people in this battle, and lost therein his brother Maoileochlunn Cor- 
rach and two of the principal men of bis name. The following account of this battle 
is given in the Annab of Clonmacnoise as translated, in the year 1617, by CoDneJl 
Mageoghegan : 

" A. D. 1316. Felym O'Connor [after having slain Rory O'Connor, who had usarped 
the throne of Connaught] took all the pr^s and spoylea of all that belonged to Bowry 
O'Connor, or that partaked with him before, and took himself the government and 
name of King of Connought, as before he had, which extends from Easroe, in Ulster, 
to Eaghtge ; took hostages, for the preservation of allegeance, of the Breniemen, and 
constituted Ualargge O'Roirke as their king ; alsoe he took the hostages of the 

O'Kellys, 

' PoljilDrs Virgil ■«;■ that at the battle of tra Biberni etal pneUmn nugoii aoimli mdebaot, 

Nsmrk, In the reign of Qenrj Til. the Irish Kttamen aum pstrlo mors nuilie irmli corpora 

fought with aitoniihiag braTerj, but that haring teeta habsrant, ante omnH panim oadebant, eo- 

thrir bodies uncoTered, according to the ciutom Tumqua ciedea aliii multo niaiim^ formidlni erat." 

ot their cauntrj, thej were cut to plwei. " Cob- Hitt. Aug. p, T29. 



357 

O'Kellys, O'Maddens, O'Dermodaes, O'Haras, O'Dowdies ; and after setting himself [up] 
he prepared an army with whom he went to banish the English [out] of Connaught; 
immediately burnt the towne of Athleathan, killed Stephen D'Exeter therein. Miles 
Cogan, William Prendergrass, and John Stanton, Knights, and also William Lawless, 
with a great slaughter of their people. He burnt all the contrey from the place called 
Castle Corran to Boba, took all their preys and spoyles ; returned to hb house with a 
ritch booty of his enemies, and a fortunate success in his affairs. 

" King Felym having thus returned to his house made no long stay, but went to 
Milick to meet with those of Munster and Leathmoye, where he burnt and fell down 
the castle at first. Mortagh O'Bryen, prince of Thomond, came to his house, and all 
the families of the O'Briens face to &ce, with whom he returned to Roscomon to fall 
the Castle thereof to the Earth. 

"Felym O'Conor hearing of the retume of William Burke to Connought from 
Scotland, he proclaimed that all his people from all parts where they were, with such 
as wouM joyn with them, wou'd gather together to banish William Burke from out 
of Connought, at whose command all the Irishrie of Connought from Easroe to Eghtge 
were obedient and came to that place of meeting. Donnogh O'Bryen, prince of Tho- 
mond, O'Melaughlyn, king of Meath, O'Royrck of the Brefl^e, O'Ferall, chieftain of 
the Analie, called the Convackne, Teig O'Kelly, king of Imaine, with many others of 
the nobilitie of Ireland, came to this assembly, and marched towards Athenrie to meet 
with William Burke, the Lord Bremyngham and others, the English of the province 
of Connought, where they met and gave battle in a place neer the said towne, the 
Irishmen in which battle were discomfitted and quite overthrowen. 

** Felym O'Connor, King of Connaught, was therein killed, also Teig O'Kelly, King 
of Imaine, and eight and twenty of the chiefest of that family. Magnus mac Dermott 
O'Connor, Tanist of all Connaught, Art O'Hara, prince of Lwyne ; Melaghlyn Car- 
ragh O'Dowdie ; Connor Oge O'Dowdie ; Mortagh mac Connor O'Dowdie ; Dermott 
Mac Dermott, Tanist of Moylorge ; Mortagh mac Taithleagh Mac Dermoda ; Mortagh 
mac Dermoda O'Fferall ; Mullronie Oge Mac Magnosa ; John mac Morrogh O'Mad- 
den ; Donnell O'Boylle ; Donnogh O'Molloye of Fearkeal, with his people ; the son of 
Murrogh Mac Mahon with a hundred of his people ; Neal Ffox, prince of Teaffie-men, 
with his people; Ferrall mac John Gallda O'Ferall; William mac Hugh Oge 
OTeraUe ; Thomas Mac Awley O'Fferall ; Tomaltagh, Morragh, Connor, Mortagh, 
and Melaughlyn Mac Donnough ; John Mackeigan, O'Connor's chief Judge ; Connor 
and Gillemew, the sons of Dalredocker O'Dovelen, the man caUed Fear imchar na 
b-onchon [L e. O'Connor's standard bearer], Thomas O'Connolan of the king's guard ; 
all which persons, with many others of Munster, Meath, and Connaught (which were 

tedious 



358 

tedious to recite) were slain in that battle, as a certain Irish poet pitifully in an Irish 
verse said : 

m6p mac p(^ ^^^ abpaim amm 

t>o mapBoD if an in6p-iiiaiDin, 

t>o pluaj TTIiDe ip TTluman, 

Cpuo^ lem cpioi in carujao'**. 

" This battle was given [fought] upon the day of St. Lawrence the Martyre. 
Felym then being but of the age of twenty-three years, in the fifth year of whose reign 
Rowrye mac Cahall Roe O'Connor (before mentioned) deposed him for one half year, 
who being killed, as before is described, Felym succeeded for another half year, vmtill 
he was slain at Athenrie aforesaid. 

" Rowry, sumamed Rowry na ffidh, mac Donnogh, mac Owen, mac Rowrie, suc- 
ceeded next as King of Connaught" 

Sir Richard Cox states (Hist, of Ireland, p. 97) that after this battle the Berming- 
hams took a prey of two thousand cows from the O'Conors, and tliat eight thousand 
of the Irish were slain ; and that the King of England, on receiving the news of this 
victory, granted to Sir Richard De Bermingham the title of Baron of Athenree, which 
his descendants have enjoyed ever since. 

This Brian O'Dubhda died, according to the Irish annals, in the year 1354, when he 
must have been at least a century old, for he was in active service in the field as early 
as 1278. Duald Mac Firbis says that he recovered a great portion of the original ter- 
ritory, particularly Tireragh, from the English, and divided it among his own sons, 
grandsons, and great grandsons. He married Una, the daughter of Felim, who was 
the son of Cathal Croibhdhearg O'Conor, King of Connaught, and had by her eight 
sons, viz., Domhnall Cleireach, his successor, of whom presently ; 2, Maolruanaidh, or 
Mulroney, who died in 1362 ; 3, Maghnus Cleireach, who died in 1359 ; 4, Diannaid; 
5, Aodh, the father of Brian Cam, and Edmond, chiefs of Tireragh ; 6, Cosnamhach ; 
7, Niall ; 8, Brian Og, who was slain by the Barretts in 1373. 

28. Ihmknall Cleireach^ or DonneU the Cleric^ eon of Old Brian G^Duhkda — ^He suc- 
ceeded his father in 1354, and died in 1380. In his time the English made strong 
efforts to get possession of his territory of Tireragh, which was all that remained with 
the O'Dowds at this period, though they still laid claim to Tirawley ; but in the year 

i37» 

^ Mageoghegan does not tnsabite these Uoes, I do not mention, 

ivhich is contrary to his usual mode : they sound Were slain in the great conflict, 

thus in English ; Of the host of Meath and Munster ; 

A great number of the sons of kings, whose names Pity to my heart is the battling. 



359 

1 37 1 ^6 drove the English out of His territorj and took possession of the castles of 
Ardnarea and Castleconor, in which they had strengthened themselves, and then di- 
vided the lands among his brothers and followers. The Four Masters have the following 
notice of his death: — ''A. D. 1380. Domhnall, the son of Brian O'Dubhda, lord of 
Tireragh and Tirawlej, defender of his principality against his English and Irish 
enemies, died at his own mansion seat [Dun Neill] on the third of May, and his son 
Ruaidhri assumed his place." 

According to a list of the chiefs of the O'Dubhda family, inserted in a modern hand 
in the Book of Lecan, he was chief for forty-nine years and a half, but, according to 
Duald Mac Firbis, he reigned but thirty-six years, and if we date the commencement 
of his reign in 1354, when his father died, we cannot allow him a longer period than 
twenty-six years, but it is highly probable that his father had resigned the chieftain- 
ship to him several years before his death. 

Domhnall Cleireach O'Dubhda married the daughter of O'Malley, chief of Umhall, 
and had by her ten sons, viz., i, Ruaidhri, his successor, of whom presently; 2, Magh- 
nus, who, in 1461, according to Ware, slew Connor O'Connell, Bishop of Killala ; 
3, Maoileachlainn ; 4, Tadhg Riabhach, or Teige Reagh, who succeeded as chief of 
Tireragh in 141 7, and died in 1432. It was in the time of this Teige Reagh that the 
abbey of Ardnarea, the ruins of which still remain in good preservation, was founded 
for monks of the order of St Augustin, A. D. 1427. — See De Burgo Hibernia Domi- 
nicana and Archdall's Monasticon. It was in his time also the Book of Lecan was 
compiled by Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, who, in 141 7, addressed to him the topo- 
graphical poem, published in this volume : though it would appear from a memoran- 
dum at the bottom of folio 40, that the work had been commenced in the time of his 
brother Ruaidhri, who died in that year. This Teige Reagh was the ancestor of several 
chiefs of Tireragh, and of the famous family of the Dowds of Dublin, but the Editor 
being of opinion that this family is now extinct, deems it unnecessary to give their 
pedigree in this place, as it has been already given, though without dates, in the text 
of Duald Mac Firbis. But should the Dowds of Dublin be extant they will see the 
line of their descent, traced for thirty-four generations, in the large Genealogical 
Table hereunto prefixed. Domhnall Cleireach had, 5, John ; 6, Domhnall Og ; 7, 
Donnchadh ; 8, Diarmaid, who died in 1439 ; 9, Aodh ; and, 10, Eoghan, who was 
living in 1420. 

29. Buaidkri^ Bory, or Roger ^ sen of Damhnall Cleireach O^Dubhda. — He succeeded 
his father in the year 1380, and died in the year 141 7, under which the Four Masters 
have the following notice of his death : — " A. D. 1417. O'Dubhda (Ruaidhri, son of 
Domhnall, who was son of Brian, son of Taithleach), fountain of the prosperity and 

wealth 



360 

wealth of Tireragh, died at his own mansion seat [Dun Neill] af^r the festival of St. 
Bridget, and his brother Tadhg Riabhach assumed his place." 

This Ruaidhri married the daughter of Mac Costello, and had by her, i, Maol- 
ruanaidh, his successor, of whom presently ; 2, Conchobhar, or Conor ; 3, Maghnus 
Cleireach ; 4, Muircheartach ; 5, Eoghan Caoch ; 6, William, who died in 1438. 

30. Maolruanaidhy orMtdrony^ ton of Ruaidhri O'Dubhda, — He was elected chief of 
his name in 1432, according to Duald Mac Firbis, and died at Liathmhuine, now Lea- 
fony, in 1447. He married the daughter of Mac Wattin Barrett, and had, i, Diannaid; 
2, Domhnall Ballach, who was chief of the name for one year, and who was the father 
of William, chief of his name, who died in 1496 ; 3, Maoileachlainn ; 4, Muircheartach 
Caoch. 

31. Diarmaidy son of Madruanaidh (/Dubhda, — He never attained to the chieftain- 
ship, though he was the senior of the race, and the ancestor of almost all the subse- 
quent heads of the family. The name of his wife is not given, but it is stated that he 
had two sons, namely, i, Conchobhar, or Conor O'Dubhda, of whom presently; 2, Brian. 

32. Conchobhar^ or Conor ^ son of Diarmaid O* Duhfida, — He succeeded Felim, the son 
of Tadhg Buidhe, or Teige Boy O'Dubhda, in the year 1508, and died in the abbey of 
Moyne about the year 1538, after having been thirty years chief of his name. In the 
year 1527 he took Mac Donogh prisoner. In 1532 his sons took the castle of Ardnarea 
from the sons of John Burke, in consequence of which great dissensions arose between 
them and the descendants of Richard Burke, and many depredations and slaughters 
were committed on both sides, and in the next year the Burkes got possession of Ard- 
narea, since which the O'Dubhdas, or O'Dowds, never recovered it. He married Mar- 
garet, daughter of Thomas Roe Burke, and had by her, i, Eoghan, his successor, of 
whom presently ; 2, Fearadhach ; 3, Ruaidhri ; 4, Cormac, a friar ; 5, Cathal Dubh, 
who became chief of his name, and consented to pay tribute to the Lower Mac William 
Burke ; 6, Dathi ; 7, John Glas ; and, 8, Brian. 

33. Eoghan^ or Owen, son of Conchobhar G*Dubhda, — He succeeded his father about 
the year 1538, and was chief of his name for seven years. He married Sabia (the 
daughter of Walter, son of Richard) Burke, who was taken prisoner by O'Donnell in 
1536. He was himself taken prisoner by Mac William of Clanrickard in 1542, as we 
are informed by the Four Masters, but we know no more of his history, except that 
he and his wife were interred in the same tomb in the abbey of Moyne. He had four 
sons, viz., I, Tadhg Riabhach, or Teige Reagh, his successor ; 2, Edmond ; 3, Ceal- 
lach ; and, 4, Conchobhar, or Conor. 

34. Tadhg, or Teige Reagh, son of Eoghan G^Dubhda. — He seems to have succeeded 
his father about the year 1545, and we learn from the Four Masters that he died in 

the 



36i 

the year 1580. *'A.D. 1580. Tadhg Riabhacb, son of Eoghan, son of Conchobhar 
CDowd, died." The name of his wife is not given by Mac Firbis, who informs us that 
he had seven sons : i, Dathi, of whom presently ; 2, Tadhg Buidhe, or Teige Boy, who 
was made O'Dubhda by O'Donnell in 1595 ; 3, Fearadhach ; 4, Domhnall, or Donnell, 
the father of Teige Reagh, mentioned in the settlement of 1656, to be presently given; 
5, Maolruanaidh; 6, Eoghan ; 7, John Og. 

35. Dathiy or Davidy son of Tadhg Biabhach O^Dubhda. — He was slain in the year 
1594, under which he is styled chief of his name by the Four Masters. '' A. D. 1544* 
O'Dubhda of Tireragh (Dathi, son of Tadhg Biabhach, son of Eoghan) was slain by one 
of the queen's soldiers in one of his own castles in Tireragh of the Moy." 

He married Miss EUenor Lyens, afterwards Lady Ellenor Ghest, by whom he 
had two sons, viz., Dathi, or David O'Dubhda, his heir, and William O'Dubhda. 
This appears from an inquisition taken at Sligo on the third of April, 1623, preserved, 
in the Bolls Office, Dublin, which finds '' that David O'Dowde, late of Castleconnor, 
Esq., deceased, was seised of that castle and several other lands ; that he died, leaving 
David O'Dowde, junior, his son and heir ; that Ellenor Lyens, edias Dowde (now Lady 
Ellenor Ghest), was the lawful wife of the said David O'Dowde, senior, and that she 
is dowable of the one- third of all his lands ; that after the death of the said David 
O'Dowde she married three several husbands, viz., Sir Lionell Ghest, Knight, who 
died ; then William May, Esq., who also died ; and after his death, and in the reign 
of our present sovereign Lord [Charles L] she married Grerald Fitz-Morrice Fitzgerald, 
who is now [1633] living." 

36. Dathiy or David^ junior^ 9on of David, Clhibkda. — On the third Patent Boll 
of the first year of the reign of King James I., there is enrolled '* A Grant to Lionel 
Geste, or Ghest, of the wardship of David O'Dowde, son and heir of David O'Dowde, 
late of Killinglass, in the county of Sligo, Gent, deceased, for the fine often pounds 
Irish, and an annual rent of seven pounds, retaining five pounds thereof for his (the 
ward's) maintenance and education in the English religion and habits, and in Trinity 

College, Dublin, from the twelfth to the eighteenth year of his age Dated ist Nov., 

1603." 

It appears that when this David, junior, came of age, in 161 2, he entered upon 
and took possession of his father's lands without suing out livery of seisin from His 
Majesty, which the law then required to make his title good ; upon which William 
Chapman of Bossleagh made a discovery of same unto His Majesty, upon which His 
Majesty, in consideration of such service, as was then the custom, by his letters patent 
under the great seal of England, dated the first day of December, in the eleventh year 
of bis reign, granted unto the said William Chapman *^ the benefitt and profitt of three 

ISI8H ABCH. SOC. 12. 3 A fourth 



362 

fourth partes of all Intrusions, fynes for alienations, mesne profitts, and other emolu- 
ments and profitts whatsoever due unto His Majestic by reason of any warship and 
primer seisin, ousterlemayne, or any cause whatsoever uppon any mannors, castles, 
lands, and tenements of David O'Dowde of Killglasse, in the coontee of Sligo, Gent, 
by reason of the death of his ffather, or any other of his ancestors, or of any lands that 
is found by office that David O'Dowde, father unto the said David, died seised of." 

The original letters patent to William Chapman, Esq., are now in very good pre- 
servation, and in the possession of the O'Dowda of Bunnyconnellan. On the third day 
of December, 161 3, this William Chapman sold his right to these fines to William 
May, of Castleconnor, Esq., who was young David O'Dowda's step-father, being, ass ap- 
pears from the inquisition already quoted, the third husband of his mother. Lady 
Ellenor Ghest. 

From an original deed in the possession of the present O'Dowda, it appears that 
this David O'Dowda, of Castleconnor, Esq., was married to Joan Burke, by whom he 
had, 

37. Jame6 G^Doreda ^He married on the 23rd [effaced] 1632, Evelyn Burke, 

daughter of Walter Burke, of Turlough, Esq., as appears by his marriage settlement, 
now in very bad preservation, in the possession of the present O'Dowda. This James 
died many years before his father. He was living in 1 639, as appears by a deed in 
the possession of the present O'Dowda, dated loth April, 1639, ^^ which he is called 
James Dowde, of Castleconnor, Gentleman ; but he was dead in 1641, as appears by 
another deed, dated last day of October, 1641, whereby his father, David O'Dowda, of 
Castleconnor, Esq., enfeoffs unto Fearil O'Garae of Moyh [Moy O'Gara, in Coolavin] 
and Walter Burke of Ardagh, in the county of Mayo, Grentleman, of the castle of Cas- 
tleconnor, and three quarters of land thereunto adjoining, viz., the quarter of Slievna- 
mesgiry, the quarter of Cloonalangy, and the quarter of Ballinaleynagh, in the barony 
of Tireragh, to the use of said David and Jewane Burke, his wife, during their lives, 
and after the death of the said David, the heirs or assigns of James O'Dowda (son and 
heir of the said David,) shall pass an assurance unto the said Jewane of lands to the 
clear yearly value of forty pounds of good, fine, pure silver, every year during her life. 
By this Evelyn Burke, James O'Dowda had one son, namely, 
38. Datki Og^ or David, junior, G^Dowda, — He is the last generation given by Duald 
Mac Firbis, who states in his smaller genealogical compilation that he was living in 
the year 1666, and we shall see presently that they were acquaintances. He mar- 
ried in 1656 Dorothy, daughter of Teige Reagh O'Dowda (son of Donnell, son of Teige 
Reagh, Na 34, supra), by whom he got a considerable fortune, though he had lost all 
his estate during the civil wars. His marriage articles, which are signed by the Iiiak 

antiquary 



3^3 

aatiqnaiy Dnald Mac Firbis, are dated the 17th of April, 1656, and as they throw a 
carious light upon the history of the times, they are given here word for word. 



^^ Indent Articles of Agreement concluded, covenanted, and agreed upon this seventeenth 
Day of April, Anno Domini One Thousand Six Hundred Fifty and Six, by and be- 
tveert David Dowda the younger, of Castleconnor, in the County qfSligo, Gentleman, 
of the one part, and TeigBeagh O^Dorad of Castletown, of Vie said County, Gentleman, 
of the other parte, for and concerning a Marriage to be Itad and solemnized between 
the said David and Dorothy Dowda, Daughter to the said Teig. 

** First, it is agreed, covenanted, and graunted by and between the said parties that 
the said David shall, at or before the last day of May next ensuing the date hereof, 
wedd, marry, and take to wife the said Dorothy, according to the rites, laws, and cus- 
toms of the Holy Catholic Church, and that the said Dorothy shall accordingly wedd, 
marry, and take to husband the said David. 

** Item, it is covenanted and agreed upon by and between the said parties that the 
said Teige shall, in consideration of the said marriage, give and satisfie unto the said 
David, as marriage portion to and with the said Dorothy, the number of cows^ 
sheep, cattle following, viz., fourty great cows, to be milch cows next simimer, 
fifteen hefiers of two years old, fifteen yearling heffers, one hundred sheep, one horse, 
and one plough. Item, it is covenanted and agreed upon by and between the said 
parties, and the said David for himself, his heirs and assigns, to and with the said 
Teig, his executors and assigns, in consideration of the said marriage and marriage 
portion, doth covenant, grant, and agree to be and stand seised and possessed of 
and in one moyety of such proportion of lands and tenements as he the said David 
shall recover, and that shall be recovered, in the right, title, and interest of David 
O'Dowda, grandfather of the said David the younger, to the use and behoof of the said 
David the younger, and of the said Dorothy and the longer liver of them, for and 
dming their or either of their natural lives, and after their decease to the use of the 
heirs males to be begotten on the body of the said Dorothy by the said David the 
younger ; and for the securing, making, and confirming of the premises, according to 
the true meaning, purport, and intent of these presents, the said David Dowda the 
jonnger and David O'Dowda the elder, and either of them, shall, at the due request 
of the said Teig, his executors or assigns, make such assurance and assurances, by 
conveyance or otherwise, in writing, as by the said Teig, his heirs, executors, or 
assigns, or his and their cotmcil learned in the law shall be devised and advised. And 
the said David the younger, for himself, his heirs and assigns, for the considerations 

Q A 2 aforesaid. 



3^4 

aforesaid, to and with the said Teig, his heirs, executors, and assigns, doth covenant, 
grant, and agree that if in case the said David the younger shall dye having issue 
female by the said Dorothy, the estate whereof the said David shall dye seised and 
possessed shall be charged with a sum of money for the preferment and livelyhood of 
such issue female as by the said Teig Reagh Dowd, Teibot Btirk fitz Walter of Tur- 
logh, in the county of Mayo, Esq., and Henry Albonogh of Rathlee, in the said county 
of Sligoe, Gent, or by any two of them, or by the heirs of any two of them, shall be 
thought fit and sett down. 

^* And that the said David the younger shall, at the request of the said Teig, his 
heirs, executors, or assigns, give such power and writing to the said Teig, Tibott, 
and* Henery, and to any two of them, and the heirs of any two of them, to that pur- 
pose, as by the said Teige, his heirs, executors, or assigns, or his or their counsil 
learned in the law shall be devised and advised. Provided there be no issue male sur- 
viving the said David the younger of the body of the said Dorothy. 

'' Item, it is covenanted and agreed upon by and between the said parties, and the 
said David the younger doth covenant and graunt for himself, his executors and admi- 
nistrators, to and with the said Teig, his executors and assigns, for the considerations 
aforesaid, that if in case the estate in these presents mentioned shall not be recovered 
in manner as is above expressed, whereby a jointure may not be secured for the said 
Dorothy as is hereby intended, and if in case the said David the younger shall happen 
to dye, the said Dorothy surviving him, that then, and in such cases the said Dorothy 
shall be satisfied in quantity and quality the said marriage portion, and a moiety of 
what goods over and above the said marriage portion as shall be then in the possession 
of the said David the younger at the time of his death. And it is further covenanted 
and agreed upon by and between the said parties, and the said David the younger, for 
himself, his heirs, executors, and administrators, to and with the said Teig, his execu- 
tors and assigns, doth covenant and graunt for the considerations aforesaid, that 
whereas the said Teig, his executors and assigns, are by these presents graunted to have 
a moiety of such goods as should be in the possession of the said David the younger 
at the time of his death, in case he shall happen to survive the said Dorothy, having no 
issue by her, if in case any part of the said marriage portion shall be employed or dis- 
posed by the said David the younger in recovering his estate, whereby the marriage 
portion, or the value thereof in goods shall not be extant at the time of the death of 
the said Dorothy, as is last mentioned, without issue, that then and in such case the 
said David the younger shall, out of such parte of his estate as shall be recovered as 
aforesaid, make up such parte of the said moiety as shall be in that case wanting, and 
which estate shall be recovered by the help of the said marriage portion. 

"Item, 



3^5 

*' Item, it is coTenanted and graunted by and between the said parties that in case 
the whole real estate of the said David O'Dowda the elder, and of the said David 
Dowd the younger, shall be left unto them or some of them, their heirs or assigns, or 
other lands in Heu of them, without disallowance in respect of qualification, that then 
the said Dorothy shall have for her jointure but the third parte of the same, any thing 
in these presents contamed to the contrary notwithstanding. In witness of all and sin- 
gular the premises the said parties have to these presents interchangeably put their 
hands and seals the day and year above written. 

Thadt Dowoa. 
** Being present at the signing, sealing, and delivery 
of the abovewritten articles, and at the inter- 
lineing of the words as is hereby intended, &c, 
twixt the 59 and 60 lines, we whose names 
duely ensure. 
'* DuDLT Ferbisst. Mtles Ferbisst. 

Francis Dowda. James Ferbisst.'' 

Daniel Dowde. 

This Dorothy, who became the wife of this Dathi, was the daughter of Teige 
O'Dowd by Margery Bermingham, daughter of John, a younger son of the Lord Baron 
of Athenry, and this Margery being an heiress, the O^Dowds became, as would appear 
from the family papers, entitled to quarter the Bermingham or Athenry arms with 
their own, but this they have not done. 

It appears from the foregoing marriage articles that David Dowda, jimior, was left 
without any estate, but that he had a strong expectation of being soon restored, and 
in this he was not disappointed, for the Ck)mmi8sioners appointed for the setting out 
of Lands to the Irish in Connaught and the County of Clare, restored him in August, 
1656, to a small estate in the parish of Eilgarvan, barony of Grallen, and covmty of 
Mayo, the ancient patrimony of the Clann Donogh O'Dubhda. This appears from the 
original grant in the possession of the present O'Dowda, which is as follows : 

'^ By the Commissioners for setting out lands to the Irish in the province of Con- 
naught and county of Clare. 

'* In consequence of the Decree of the Commissioners for adjudication of the Claimes 
and qualifications of the Irish, graunted on behalfe of David O'Dowda, of Leafonye, in 
the county of Sligoe, whereby hee is adjudged to have two third partes of his estates 
by virtue of the right qualification wherein he is compressed, sett out to him in the 
province of Connaght, or county of Clare ; it is ordered and heerby impowered to enter 

into 



366 

into, and take possession of one tHonsandfive hundred and forty-six acres in the hind here- 
after specified, viz., in the two quarters of Carowcrum and Carcacrum, one hundred 
and thirty-two acres ; in the two quarters of Boneconelan two hundred and seventj-six 
acres ; Carrowlaban, one quarter, one hundred and fifty-three acres ; Carrowreagh, 
one quarter, one hundred and twenty-nine acres ; Kilnegarvan one hundred and fifty 
acres ; Raredane, two quarters, two hundred and ninety-seven acres ; Carrownegloon- 
tagh, one quarter, one hundred and fifteen acres ; Carrownecarra, one quarter, one 
hundred and ninety- nine acres ; and in Carrown^loch, one quarter, ninety-five acres ; 
all lying in the parish of Kilnegarvan, barony of Galleng, and county of Mayo, to have 
and to hould all and singular the said lands, with all the houses, buildings, mills, 
fishing weyres, water courses, and other improvements and appurtenances, to him, the 
said David O'Dowda, his hcyres and assignes for ever, in full satisfaction of his estate, 
according to the tenor of the said Decree ; and the High Sheriff of the said county, or 
his Deputye, is hereby required and authorized to put him in full and quiet possession 
of the premises, takinge for his paynes five shillings, and no more. Dated at Logh- 
reagh, this 4th of August, 1656. 

*' Henrt Grenewat. 

Charles Holcroft. 

Ja. Cuffe. 
'* Entered and examined, 
Edw. IIurd." 

This David had by Dorothy, his wife, four sons, namely, i, David, who was more 
than seven feet tall, was an ofiicer in the service of King James IL, and was slain at 
the battle of the Boyne ; 2, James, who was also an officer in King James IL's service, 
and fought at the Boyne, which he survived, and distinguished himself at the si^e of 
Athlone and battle of Aughrim, in which latter engagement he was slain; when his 
body was discovered his sword was found in his hand, which was so swollen from exer* 
tion that the guard of his sword had to be filed off before the hand could be disengaged 
from it ; 3, Thady, or Teige, who was an ofiicer in the service of the King of France, and 
subsequently admitted to the honour of nobility in Venice, and who died of a fever in 
France, without issue; 4, Dominic O'Dowda, No. 39, by whom the line was continued; 
and 5, Francis Dowd, who left no issue. See Will of 173 1, next page. 

39. Dominic O^Dowda, fourth 9on of David, — He married, in 1703, Ellice Dillon, 
daughter of Theobald Dillon, Esq., whose brother was a colonel in the service of James 
IL, and died in 1737, leaving by her David O'Dowda, his eldest son (see Lodge's 
Peerage by Archdall, voL iL p. 182), who married Letitia Browne, daughter of James 

Browne 



3^7 

Browne of Kilticolla, afterwards Brownehall, in the county of Mayo, Esq., and died 
without issue. This is the David mentioned by the venerable Charles O' Conor, in his 
dissertations on the History of Ireland, in 1753, as the head of the O'Dowds. On the 
6th of August, 1776, he and his wife Letitia O'Dowda, otherwise Browne, obtained a 
decree in Chancery against Greorge Fitzgerald, Esq., of Turlough, in the county of 
Mayo ; 2, James, an officer in the French service, who died without issue ; and, 
3, Thady O'Dowda, a colonel in the army of the Emperor Joseph. 

His Will is dated i8th September, 1731, and is as follows : 

*' In nomine DeL Amen. 

" I, Dominic O'Dowd, of Bunicunilane, weak and feeble of body, and troubled by 
many distempers, yet of sound memorie, sence, and reason, the Lord be praised, un- 
derstanding my later days to approach, and fearing lest I should be surprised by 
death, do order and settle my last Will and Testament as followeth : 

*• Imprimis, I bequeath my soul and body upon my Redeemer, and my body to be 
buried in my ancestors' Tomb, in Moyne, if allowed, otherwise where my relations 
will think fit. 

** 2ndly. I order for my married wife, pursuant to the articles of intermarriage, the 
same forty pounds sterling per annum mentioned in said articles. 

** 3rdly. I order for my eldest daughter MoUy Dowd three hundred pounds ster- 
ling. 

4thly. I order for my son James Dowd two hundred pounds sterling. 

5thly. I order for my daughter Evelin Dowd hundred and fifty pounds sterling. 

6thly. I order for my son Thady Dowd hundred and fifty pounds sterling. 

*' These sums I order to be paid out of my real estate. 

*' 7thly. I order for the convent of Moyne five pounds sterling, and also for the 
convent of Ardnaree five pounds more, and lastly, for the convent of Strade two 
pounds ten shillings sterling. Further, I order for my parish priest, father David 
Henry, the sum of two pounds sterling, and to f r. Francis Beolan twenty shillings. 

" Sthly. I order for my niece Molly Dillon ten big cows. All these aforesaid lega- 
cies I order to be deducted, or paid out of the personal estate. 

9thly. I order twenty pounds sterling to be paid towards my funeral expenses. 
Lastly. I do nominate and appoint Coll^ Morgan Yaughan, Counsellor Bichard 
Cormick, and Mr. Toby Burk my true and lawful executors, to oversee my wife and 
children, and this my last will and testament executed. In witness, and for the true 
performance of all and singular the premises, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this 
the eighteenth of September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and thirty-one. 

^' MemoranduuL — I do order and bequeath to my brother Francis Dowd the sum 

of 






ii 



368 

of two htindred pounds sterling, together with three years' interest, ending the first 
of November next, which sum was ordered by my father, David O'Dowd, and by 
myself as child's portion for him ; and I do appoint that it should be paid out of my 
real estate. In witness and for the true performance of all and singular the premises, 
I do hereunto set my hand and seal, this the eighteenth day of September, 1731, 
thirty-one. 

" Dominic O'Dowd. 
'* Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of us, 
" Henrt Jordan. 
Hugh O'Donnell. 
Francis Moore. 

" A true copy." 

Of David, his eldest son, the venerable Charles O'Conor of Belanagare wrote the 
following notice in the first edition of his Dissertations on the History of Ireland, pub- 
lished in 1753, PP- ^3+» 235 : 

" The Hy-Fiachrcts^ whose great ancestor Dathy^ carried the Terror of the Seotk 
Name to the Foot of the AlpSy possessed the Countries of Tir Fiachra and Tir Awly, 
from the fifth Century to the fifteenth. Our old Annals pay a large Tribute of Praise 
to this family, and it is represented at present by a Gentleman of the strictest Probity, 
Davidj or properly Dathy O^Dowdcky of Ballycollanan [rectius Bunnyconnellan], in the 
County of Mayo, Esquire." 

40. Thady, Teige^ or Thaddaetis O^Dowda, third wn of Dominie O'Dcwda, — Sir 
Richard Musgrave states, in his Memoirs of the different Rebellions in Ireland, that 
this *•*" Thady being a younger brother, and having neither property nor employment 
at home, went out a volunteer to Grermany at the age of twenty-five years, and in the 
course of time was promoted, in the Hungarian service, to the rank of captain [recti 
colonel], having previously married a Grennan lady, sister to the Baron Wipler [recte 
Vippler], of whom James O'Doude was the issue." 

According to the tradition in the family this Thaddseus O'Dowda, who was called 
at home Tadhg Riabhach O'Dubhda, went out to Germany and entered the Austrian 
service, accompanied by Manus O'Donnell, who was promoted to the rank of general, 
and also by George Fitzgerald of Turlough, the father of the celebrated Greorge Robert 
Fitzgerald. That he was promoted to the rank of colonel, and was one of the largest 
and bravest men in Germany, and that Antonia Vippler, the sister of Baron Yippler, 
residing in Silesia, fell in love with him, to whom, after much opposition on the part of 
her family, who threw many difiiculties in his way, and even procured his imprisonment, 

he 



3^9 

he was finally married, and through whom he was introduced to the highest circles in 
Germany. By her he had issue James O'Dowda, who was commonly called the Baron 
O'Dowda, of whom presently, and another son, who died young in Grermany. 

41. Captain James 0*Dowda^ commonly called Baron O'Dowda. Sir Richard 
Musgrave states, in his Memoirs of the different Rebellions in Ireland, that this James 
O'Dowda was bom and educated in the Himgarian service, and that he had only 
arrived at the rank of lieutenant, '' in which station," he adds, '* he served, when the 
death of his uncle, David O'Doude, who possessed the family estate, and died without 
issue, was announced to him. In consequence of this event," adds this historian, "he 
left the army, came to Ireland, and took possession of the paternal property, which 
proved to be worth about £^00 a year, and which he applied himself to the cultivation 
of with great attention." 

It appears from the family papers, and particularly from a letter in the hand- 
writing of his uncle, the Baron Vippler, that this James returned to Ireland shortly 
before the year 1788. In the will of Letitia Browne, alias O'Dowda, the widow of 
his uncle David O'Dowda, dated loth February, 1798, she states ''that her late hus* 
bond, David O'Dowda, lived in the Isle of Man," and she orders '' that all the papers 
and the deeds of mortgage respecting Mac Donnell of Elaghmore shall be given to 
Captain O'Dowda, . whose property it is, together with the copy of the map of his 
estate, and all other papers belonging to him." Her nephew, James Browne, of 
Browne Hall, Esq., administered to this will 

In the statistical account of the parish of Kilmactige, in the diocese of Achonry, 
and county of Sligo, written by the Rev. James Nelligan, Rector and Vicar, and pub- 
lished in Mason's Parochial Survey, vol. iL pp. 349-398, the following curious account 
is given of the improvements made by this Captain James O'Dowda : 

" A valuable improvement was made in this place about twenty years ago, through 
the exertions of a Captain O'Dowdd [a misprint for O'Dowda], who possessed an estate of 
many thousand acres of these mountains, which were without inhabitants, except those 
* fene naturse,' and which were nearly impassable to the active and barefooted native. 
The immense rocks, steep hills, and deep caverns, which everywhere presented them- 
selves, formed as many insuperable difficulties as the passage of the Alps did in former 
days ; but this Hannibal by labour and perseverance overcame them all, and has now 
formed a road, where a coach passes six times a week, conveying passengers to and 
from BaUina and Castlerea, and has shortened the line from Ballina to Banada from 
twenty to twelve miles." 

This Captain James O'Dowda, who is said to have been the godchild of the Emperor 

Joseph, was implicated in the rebellion of 1798, and executed at Killala in Septem- 

IBISH ABCH. 80C. 12. 3 B ber. 



370 

ber, 1798. A very curious sketch of his character is given by Sir Richard Musgraye, in 
his Memoirs of the different Rebellions in Ireland, voL ii. pp. 622, 623, 624, where he 
says that *' considering himself the head of the Clan or family, he despised taking a 
• Christian name, and always subscribed himself O'Doude, Captain, and latterly he had 
the vanity to assume the title of Baron, perhaps from his uncle Baron Wipler in Ger- 
many." Sir Richard says that this family counted twenty-five castles on their extensive 
estate, many of which are still in existence, and that they " have a burying place ap- 
propriated to them in the abbey of Moyne, where may be seen the gigantick bones 
of some of them, who have been very remarkable for their great stature, as one of them 
exceeded seven feet in height" — ^Vol. ii. p. 624. 

This Captain James O'Dowda, who was popularly called the Baron O'Dowda, mar- 
ried Temperance Fitz Gerald, daughter of Robert Fitz Gerald, Esq., of Mount Tallant 
This marriage took place in the year 1788 or early in 1789, when he was very young, 
as appears from a German letter in the handvnriting of his uncle, the Baron Vippler, 
dated WigstSldt, the 2 ist November, 1788, of which the following translation, made 
for the Editor by that accomplished scholar, George Downes, Esq., author of Letters 
from Continental Countries, &c &c, is worth preserving : 

*^ Mt dear Nephew, 

'' I was infinitely delighted to hear that of six letters written to you 
one had come to hand, and no less that you will be so kind as to admit the sincerity 
of my letter : you may now quite confidently believe that no one can have more sincere 
intentions towards you than I. Tou are then already quite determined to marry ? 
To tell the truth, I would witness it with more pleasure if it were to happen 
a couple of years later ; however, you are not to be checked ; and I therefore wish 
you much joy. May you propitiously take this so great step, which is truly of the 
last importance 1 for every thing which is eternal ought to be undertaken with 
caution ; and you, my good nephew, have not yet had the opportunity of acquiring 
sufficient experience of the world. Your future lot will therefore so much the more 
depend on fortune. And, dear O'Dowda, only keep religion and God constantly be- 
fore yotir eyes ; for such must be always kept in view by an honourable man. That 
you have become so good a manager, I am infinitely delighted to hear. Grod grant 
that you may continue in this course, and believe that the best enjoyment is one's own 
approbation ! Tou can take myself as an example. How much have good friends cost 
me, and how little has been purchased ! 

'^ That you have received no letter from my brother must not surprise you : you 
know already With what reluctance he writes. Now concerning your money. To 

speak 



371 

spetk candidly, it is better for you not to be informed. If you did not get the money 
.... and then you must [appear] at our court about permission. 

** Mac Keman is gone on an expedition against the Turks : it is about two months 
since he left me, but I have not yet received a letter from him. Do not forget to • 
assure your worthy aunt of the very devoted respect I entertain for her. I am de- 
lighted that you ride indefatigably : but be on your guard to avoid meeting with an 
accident To conclude, 

" Your sincere uncle, 

" Yours from his heart, 

" Wm. Vipplbr." 

This letter proves beyond a question the connexion of Captain O'Dowda with the 
&mily of Vippler; but nothing has been yet discovered to prove that he became the 
heir of that family, or that he had any right to the title of Baron. The following 
letter, written by the Honourable Thomas Dillon to him, on the 1 7th of January, 
1795, shows that a relative in Germany had left him a handsome sum of money. This 
relative was probably his unde, the Baron Vippler : 

" My dear Friend, 

" It gives me very great Pleasure to inform you that I had a Letter 
last Post from Lord Dillon, desiring I would send to you to give you the pleasing In- 
telligence of the following matter, which I give you down in his Lordship's Words. 

*•* ' Inform O'Dowda directly that there is a handsome Sum of Money left to him 
by a Relation in Germany ; tell him to write immediately to Baron Reiyensfield, Se- 
cretary to the Imperial Minister, No. 6, Bryanton-street, Portman-square, London, or 
to Coimt Starhemberg, the Imperial Minister, Portland-place, London ; but if he will 
take my Advice he will set out directly for London. Let him call upon me ; I will 
give him a letter to Count Starhemberg, and that will shorten all proceedings ; he 
may otherwise meet with great delay.' 

Wishing you every prosperity, I remain, My Dear O'Dowda, 

Your very affectionate 

Humble Servant, 

" Thos. Dillon. 
^^ Lov^hglin House^ 17 Jan, 1795. 

'^ I send this in the care of our friend Mr. Hughes, who will lose no time in for- 
warding it. 

** G*Dowda^ Bunniconilan.'*^ 

He had issue, i, Thaddeus O'Dowda of Bunnyconnellan, now the O'Dowda, of 

3 B 2 whom 



TT X9U.XUK JKJXA C WA. JT LI 

X\JCU VCAjr 



37* 

whom presently ; 2, James Fiachra O'Dowda of Dublin, solicitor, who married, first, 
Anne, daughter of William Walker, Recorder of Dublin, and, secondly, Mary, daughter 
of Joseph Burke of Carrowkeel, county of Mayo, Esq., but had no issue by either, and 
died in 1843, leaving his property to the family of his eldest brother the O'Dowda; 
3, Robert O'Dowda, now an advocate in the supreme court of Calcutta, who married, 
in 1828, Catherine Wilhelmina Fulcher of the city of London, by whom he has issue 
four sons, viz., Robert Charles, James William, William Hickey, Henry Cubitt, and 
two daughters, Kate Ellen, and Louisa Kenny. 

Captain O'Dowda (No. 41) had also two daughters, viz., Antonia Letitia, and Tem- 
perance, spinsters, now living. — See Exshaw's Magazine, January, 1 790, in which is 
the following entry under births : — '^ At Mount Tallant, near Dublin, the Lady of 
Baron O'Dowda, of a daughter." 

42. Thaddceus O^Dowday Esq.^ son of Captain James O'Dowda. He married, in 
181 2, Ellen White, daughter of Charles White of Dublin, merchant, and has the 
following issue, all living at present : Dr. James Vippler O'Dowda, a practising sur- 
geon in Dublin; 2, Thaddieus O'Dowda, Junior, who is six feet seven inches in 
height ; 3, John Taaffe O'Dowda; 4, David ; 5, Robert Francis O'Dowda, and four 
daughters, namely, Ellen, now Mrs. Kelly, Caroline Victoria, Catherine Wilhelmina, 
and Elizabeth. He had also another son Francis, and two daughters, Harriet and 
Louisa, who died young. 

Arms: Or, a saltier sable ; in chief two swords in saltier; in base an oak leaf, vert. 

Crest : Over a coronet, a hand in armour holding a dart, ppr. 

Supporters : Two lions rampant. 

Motto : Virtus ipsa suis firbhssima nititur armis. 

In a MS. about one hundred and fifty years old, the arms of 0*Dowde are described 
thus : " or, a saltier sable, in chief two swords saltierways, garnished of the first." No 
supporters are mentioned. 

The oldest seal of arms in the possession of the present O'Dowda belonged to the 
David O'Dowda mentioned by Charles O'Conor, in 1753, as the head of the family. It 
exhibits the supporters and the coronet in the crest. 

B. 
Pbdiorbe of O'Shaughnbsst. 

Of the ancient history of the O'Shaughnessys— -who have been so celebrated in 
Ireland since the reign of Henry VIII. — the Irish annals have preserved but very slight 
memorials. Since the period alluded to they have been much praised, not only by the 
Irish bards, but by the more respectable writers of the country, and they had un- 
doubtedly 



373 

doabtedly held high rank in Connaught, and have intermarried with the best fa- 
milies of English descent, as the Burkes, Berminghams, Butlers, &c It appears 
from a by-law of the Corporation of Gal way, passed in 1648, that " Lieutenant Colonel 
William O^Shaugnessie (in consideration of his alliance in bloode to the whole towne, 
and for good nature and affection that he and his whole family doe bear to it) and his 
posterity, shall be hereafter freemen of this corporation." — History ofGalway^ p. 216. 
From their celebrity, high bearing, and character for integrity and honour in 
Ireland, De Burgo was induced, in his Hibernia Dominicana, to write of this family, 
"cojus nobilitatem, antiquitatem, et integritatem qui non novit, Hibemiam iion 
novit." Notwithstanding all these testimonies, however, the truth of history obliges 
08 to state that the O'Shaughnessys are but rarely mentioned in ancient Irish history, 
and that no person of the name ever became full chief of Aidhne or the south Hy- 
Fiachrach, the 0'He)mes, O'Clerys, or Mac Gillikellys being in turn the chiefs of that 
territory ; but upon the decay of the family of O'Cathail, or O'CahiU, shortly after 
the period of the English invasion, the O'Shaughnessys became chiefs of the territory 
of Cinel Aodha, or Kinelea, which comprised the south-eastern half of the territory of 
Aidhne, and this was the highest rank they ever attained to. 

In a *' Description of the Province of Connaught," dated in the month of " Janu- 
ary, 1 61 2," published in the twenty- seventh volume of the Archsologia, it is stated 
that the O'Heynes were then utterly banished ; but that " the O'Shaughnesses re- 
mayned a rich and hable family." — p. 126. 

4. Eochaidh Breac, — He was the third son of the monarch Dathi, according to the 
Book of Lecan, but we are told no more about him, except that he was the ancestor 
of the southern Hy-Fiachrach, or the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and of the tribe called 
Hy-Eathach of the Moy, seated to the west of that river, in the barony of Tirawley, 
in the county of Mayo, and that he was the father of, 

5. Eoghan Aidhne^ i. e. Owen, or Eugenius of the territory of Aidhne, now com- 
prised in the diocese of Kilmacduagh, in the south-west of the county of Gal way ; he 
was so called from his having been fostered in that territory by a tribe called Oga 
Beathra, who afterwards adopted him as their chief. — Vide supra, p. 53> He had 
four sons, namely, i, Conall ; 2, Cormac ; 3, Sedna ; 4, Seanach Ceanngamhna, from 
whom sprung a sept called Cinel Cinngamhna, of whom the O'Duibhghiollas were the 
chiefs after the establishment of surnames in the eleventh century. 

6. Cbno/Z, ton of Eoghan Aidhne, — We are told nothing about him, except that he 
had one son, namely, 

7. Goibhnenn. — He was chief of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and in the year 531 fought 
the battle of Claonloch, in the territory of Kinelea, in which was slain Maine, son of 

Cerbhall, 



374 

» 

CerbHall, while defending the hostages of the Hy-Maine of Connaught. — {Ann, Four 
Mast) He had one son, 

8. Cobhthac/t. — He had three sons, namely, i, Aodh, the ancestor of the tribe called 
Cinel Aodha na h-Echtghe, of whom the O'Cahills and O'Shaughnessjs were the 
chiefs after the establishment of surnames ; 2, Colman, the father of the celebrated 
Guaire Aidhne, King of Connaught, and ancestor of the families of O'Clery, O'Hejme, 
Mac GioUa Cheallaigh, now Kilkelly, and others ; 3, Conall, the great grandfather of 
St Colman, patron saint of Kilmacduagh, whose crozier and belt, ornamented with gold 
and gems, was in the possession of the O'Shaughnessy family in Colgan's time (1645). 

9. Aodh, aon ofCobhthach Of the generations from this Aodh down to Gealbhoide 

(No. 27 in the Grenealogical Table) our annalists have preserved no notice. 

The first notice of this family which occurs in the Irish annals is at the year 11 59, 
in which it is recorded that Grealbhuidhe, the son of Seachnasach, was slain in the 
memorable battle of Ardee, fought between Muircheartach Mac Loughlin. head of the 
northern Hy-Niall, and Roderic O'Conor, King of Connaught. The following are all 
the notices of the O'Shaughnessys, O'Cahills, and their territory of Cinel Aodha, or 
Kinelea, preserved in the Annals of the Four Masters and Clonmacnoise, down to the 
year 1408. 

"A. D. 1 1 54. Toirdhealbhach O'Conor [King of Ireland] set out on a predatory 
excursion into Meath, but returned without a single cow, his son Maelseachlainn and 
Donnchadh O'Cathail [Donogh O'Cahill], lord of Cinel Aodha na h-Echtghe [Kine- 
lea of Slieve Aughty], being killed." — Four Masters, 

^' A. D. 1 159. Gealbhuidlie O'Shaughnessy [rede Mac Shaughnessy] was slain in 
the battle of Ath Fhirdia." — Four Masters. 

" A. D. II 70. Diarmaid O'Cuinn [Dermot O'Quin], chief of Clann Iffemain [in 
Thomond], was slain by the Cinel Aodha of Echtghe." — Four Masters, 

" A. D. 119 1. Cinel Aodha na h-Echtghe was given to King Roderic O'Conor." — 
Four Masters, 

*'A. D. 1197* Maoileachlainn Riabhach O'Shaughnessy, lord of half the territory 
of Cinel Aodha, was slain by the son of Donnchadh O'Cathail [O'CahiU]." — Four 
Masters, 

'*A. D. 1221. The sons of Gillenenewe macconn [recte Cromm] O'Seaghnossa^ 
took house upon Gille Mocho3mne O'Cahall, prince of Kynelhagh, who killed him after 
his coming foorth." — Ann. Clonmacnoise^ translated by Connell Mageoghegan. 

*'A. D. 1222. GioUa Mochoine O'Cathail, lord of Cinel Aodha, East and West, 
was slain by Seachnasach, the son of Giolla na Naomh O'Shaughnessy, at the instiga- 
tion of his own people." — Four Masters. 

"A.D. 



375 

*' A. D. 1224. Seachnasach, the son of Giolla na naomH O'Shaughnessj, was slain 
bj the Clann Cuilen [the Mac Namaras] and the bachall mor [large crozier] of St. 
Colman of EilmacdUagh, was profaned by this deed.'' — Four Masters, 

*' A. D. 1224. Giolla na naomh Crom O'Shaughnessy, lord of the western half of 
Cinel Aodha na h-£chtghe, died" — Four Masters. 

** A. D. 1240. Hugh, the son of Giolla na naomh Crom 0*Shanghne8sy, was skin 
by Conchobhar, son of Aodh, son of Cathal Croibhdhearg O'Conor and Fiachra 
(yFljnn.''—Four Masters. 

"A. D. 1248. Opichen Guer [Hopkin Poer] was slain by Giolla Mochoinne 
O'Cahill."— J^owr Masters. 

** A. D. 1 25 1. Giolla Mochainne, the son of Giolla Mochainne 0*Cahill, was slain 
by Conchobhar, the son of Cathal Croibhdhearg O'Conor.'' — Four Masters. 

" A. D. 1403. Mortagh Grarve O'Seaghnosy, tanist of Tyre-Fiaghragh A)me, was 
killed by those of Imaina" — Annals ofChnmacnoise, translated by Mageoghegan. 

*'*' A.ID. 1408. John Cam O'Shaughnessy was slain by the son of O'Loughlin, in a 
game on the green of Clonrode." — Four Masters. 

Seeing from these extracts (and we have no more), that it is now impossible to add 
dates to the pedigree of O'Shaughnessy given in the Genealogical Table, from Aodh, 
the ancestor of the Cinel Aodha, down to Sir Dermot, who was knighted in 1533 (No. 
36 in the Genealogical Table), we must be content with illustrating this pedigree from 
this Sir Dermot down to the last acknowledged representative of the name, and adding 
a few observations to identify the present senior of the name. 

36. Sir Dermot O* Shaughnessy was the son of William, who was the son of John 
Buidhe, son of Eoghan, son of William, son of Giolla na naomh, son of Ruaidhri, son of 
Giolla na naomh Crom, lord of the western half of Kinelea, who died in 1224, son of 
fiaghnall, or Randal, son of Gealbhuidhe, who was slain at the battle of Ardee in 1 159, 
son of Seachnasach, the progenitor after whom this family took the name of Ui Seachna- 
saigb, i. e. descendants of Seachnasach, now generally anglicised O'Shaughnessy, and pro- 
nounced in the original territory O'Shannessy, and by some corruptly anglicised Sandys. 

The first notice of this chieftain is found on Patent Eoll, 33-35, Henry VIIL, 
from which it appears that the king, on the 9th of July, 1533, wrote to the Lord De- 
puty and Council of Ireland, saying, " We have made the Lord of Upper Ossory, 

M*^Nemarrowe, O'Shaftnes, Denys Grady and Wise, Knyghtes ; and woll that 

by virtue and warraunt hereof youe shall make out unto M'^Nemarrowe, O'Shaftnes 
and Denys Grady, several patentes of all soche lands as they nowe have." 

By Letters Patent, dated 3rd December, 35 Henry VHI., A. D. 1543, the king 
granted to Sir Dermot Sheaghyn [Sheaghynes], knight, captain of his nation, in con- 
sideration 



376 

sideration of his submission, and pursuant to the king's letter, dated the 9th of June 
preceding, "All the manors, lordshipps, towns and town-lands of Gortjrnchegory, 
Dromneyll, Dellyncallan, Ballyhide, Monynean, Ardgossan, Bally^jm, Kapparell, 
Clonehaghe, ToUenegan, Lycknegarishe, Crege, Karrynges, Tirrelagh, Rathvilledowne, 
Ardmylowan, one- third part of Droneskenan and Rath ; the moiety of Flyngeston, 
Ardvillegoghe, Dromleballehue, Cowle, and Beke,'' which lands, it is recited, the said 
Sir Dermot and his ancestors had unjustly possessed against the Crown, to hold to him 
and his heirs male in capite, by the service of one Knight's fee, with a clause of for- 
feiture in case of confederacy against, or disturbance to the Crown. InroUed on the 
Patent Roll of the thirty-fifth year of Henry VIII. Dorso, 

This Sir Dermot married Mor Pheacach, i. e. More the Gaudy, O'Brien, who died 
in 1569, at an advanced age. Her death is thus recorded in the Annals of the Four 
Masters: — "A. D. 1569. Mor Pheacach (daughter of Brian, son of Tadhg, son of 
Toirdhealbhach, son of Brian of the Battle of Nenagh O'Brian) and wife ofO'Shaugh- 
nessy (Diarmaid, son of WUliam, son of John Buidhe), a woman celebrated for her 
beauty and munificence, died. By Mor Pheacach he had two sons, namely, Sir 
Roger, his successor, and Diarmaid, or Dermot Reagh, who went to England in his 
youth, and became servant or companion to the Earl of Leicester, as will presently be 
made appear from original documents. 

37. Sir Roper, son of Sir Dermot, — This Sir Roger was generally called Giolla 
dubh, anglice Gilduff, or GillidufT, i. Qjuvenis niger, by the Irish, from his black com- 
plexion and the colour of his hair. He married the Lady Honora (daughter of Murrogh, 
first Earl of Thomond) who had been a professed nun and an abbess, by whom he had four 
sons, namely, i, John, born four or five years before marriage, as were also two daugh- 
ters, Joan and Margaret ; and, 2, William ; 3, Fergananim ; and, 4, Dermot, who were 
all bom in marriage. Sir Roger, who was called by the Irish Giolla dubh, died in the 
year 1569, as we learn from the Annals of the Four Masters, in which the following 
notice of his death is given : — " A. D. 1569. O'Shaughnessy (Giolla dubh, son of Diar- 
maid, who w^as son of William, who was son of John Buidhe), pillar of support to 
the English and Irish who had sought his assistance, and a man who, though not 
skilled in Latin or English, had been greatly valued and esteemed by the English, 
died. His son John assumed his place." 

After the death of Sir Roger, his brother, Diarmaid Riabhach, anglice Dermot 
Reagh, or Darby the Swarthy, O'Shaughnessy, who had been servant or companion to 
the Earl of Leicester, returned to Ireland, having first procured a letter from Queen 
Elizabeth to her Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney, of which the following is a faithful copy 
although, by some unaccountable mistake, he is in it called the son of William. 

By 



377 

'^ Bt/ the Qtteene. 
'' Elizabeth R. 
" Right trusty and welbeloved we grete you well. Wlier one Derby O'Shaghnes 
the youngest sonne, as he saith, of William O'Shaghnes, Lord of Kynally, in that o**. 
Realme of Ireland, hath by the meanes of his Lord and Master, o^. Coosen, the Erie of 
Leicester, humbly required us not onely to geve him leave to retume into his contry, 
but also to recomend his peticion unto yow for some order to be taken with hym upon 
the death of his brother named Roger O'Shaghnes as being next heire unto him, we 
being duely inforemed of his honest demeaner here and of his earnest desire to Serve 
us, have been content to acoompt him to o' Service, and do require yow to have favor- 
able consideracion of his sute, and as you shall fynd it mete to place and settle him in 
the foresaid Contry, so the rather to incurrage him to persever in his fidelitie, to shewe 
him as muche favor as may accord with the good goverment of the same Contry — 
Given under our Signet at o' Mannor of Otelands, the xxiii"* of June, 1570, in the 
xii**" yere of our Reigne. 

" To c^ right trusty and welbeloved S*" Henry Sidney, 
Knight, of 0^ order of the Garter, and Deputy of 
our JRealme qflrlandJ*^ 

It is very extraordinary, that in this letter Dermot Reagh is supposed to have been 
the son of William O'Shaughnessy, which he most imquestionably was not, for we 
have the testimony of the Irish Annals, and of his cotemporaries, that he was the 
brother of Sir Roger, as he states himself, and as such he was not the son but the 
grandson of a William O'Shaughnessy, for Sir Roger was the son of Sir Dermot, and 
grandson of William. It would appear from the following entry in the Annals of the 
Four Masters that this Derby or Dermot was made chief of his name in 157 1 : 

*' A. D. 157 1. John^ son of Gilla dubh, who was son of Diarmaid O'Shaughnessy, 
who had been the O'Shaughnessy from the time of the death of his father until this 
year, was deprived of that title, and also of Grort Insi Guaire, by his paternal uncle 
Diarmaid Riabhach, the son of Diarmaid, for he was virtually the senior." 

This Dermot Riabhach, or Reagh, as we are informed by the Four Masters, continued 
to be the chief of the O'Shaughnessys until the year 1573, when he and Ulick, the son of 
Richard Burke, slew Morogh O'Brien (the son of Dermot, who was son of Morogh), in 
revenge for which John Burke deprived O'Shaughnessy of Grort Inse Guaire. But he 
held considerable sway in the territory till the year 1579, when he laid a snare for his 
nephew William, the second son of Sir Roger, near Ard Maoldubhain, on which occa- 
sion a fierce combat took place between them, in which he slew his nephew, but though 

IBI8H ABCH. 80G. 12. 3 C he 



38o 

I, Elis, daughter of Lynch, by whom he had Sir Dermot, his son and heir, of 

whom presently, and one daughter, who married Daniel O'Donovan of Castle Donovan, 
chief of Clancahill in the county of Cork. This daughter of Sir Roger is not mentioned 
in any pedigree of O'Shaughnessy that the Editor ever saw, but she is mentioned in 
Mons^ Laine's Pedigree of the Count Mac Carthy, and in the family papers of the late 
General Richard O'Donovan of Bawnlahan, near Castletownshend, in the county of Cork, 
as the daughter of Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy, Knight, and also in an ode addressed, 
in 1639, to her husband Daniel O'Donovan, by Muldo¥rny O'Morrison, in which he 
thus praises him and his wife : 

" Ua DonnaBdin na n-o^ij-Beapr, cuiUiom ^apma a jndr-oi^peacc, 
Cuinje ceapc o'd pp^irii poiihe, a reacc 'pan pcim pio^poioe ; 
U jccapan lapraip TTluihan, uppa on cipc 00 coru^b, 
plair ampa o'dp j-cpfi Cui|K:-ne, oopla an clu pd a comuipce. 
6uaD n-oealBa o'a opeic popai^, puaip in^ion 1 Sheacnopaij, 
R^ioe jan cum^ j-cpoioe, iiihla, p^ile, ip poipcine. 
Pailm ropuio 00 rpeiB Ddiri, in^on p^io-cpoioeac "RuaiDpi, 
puaip aipje na n-jWn op' cm, 05 cnur le h-oioBle an oinij. 
Ceipr Buan na pfo^aioe poimpe, ni l^i^ uaire ap imipce, 
Cuj ap amm Jbuaipc op 6m, an ^aipm ip buame bpairpiD. 
piu an qieaB op cuiprheao Slle, buaio peile ap a ppiiii Ifne, 
Da coiihoe ay maicne an ihfo6-6il: poiyne aicme 6ipeaih6m." 

" The offspring of Donovan of the good deeds, hereditary deserver of dignity, 

A worthy representative of the stock he sprung from, has come into the r^al suc- 
cession. 
Superintendent of the west of Munster, prop for supporting justice. 
Illustrious chieftain of our Corcnian blood, under whose protection our fame is placed. 
The palm for beauty of her sedate aspect O'Shaughnessy's daughter has obtained, 
Meekness without narrowness of heart, humility, generosity, firnmess. 
A fruitful palm-tree of the race of Dathi, the kind-hearted daxighter of Rory, 
Who inherits the attributes of the sires she sprung from, in longing to indulge the 

flame of hospitality. 
The undying character of the kings before her she has not suffered to pass away. 
But has reflected on the name of Guaire that lasting lustre she had derived from him. 
The race from whom Sheela has descended deserved the palm for hospitality. 
Of which the drinkers of metheglin boast : they are the choice of Heremon's race.'* 

Sir Roger married, 2, Julia, the daughter of Cormac Mac Carthy, lord of Mus- 

kerry, 



38i 

keny, but bad no issue by her. He was living in the year 1647, as appears by a 
carious letter written by him to his daughter Gylles in that year, and now preserved 
at Bawnlahan, in the possession of Major Powell, who succeeded to the property of the 
late Greneral O'Donovan in 1832. It is as follows : 

"For my verie loveinge Daughter Mrs. Gyles Donovane, at Castledonovane, 
theiae. 

** Daughter, 

^' I have received yours of the eighteenth of ffebruarie last, and as for 

your troubles you must be patient as well as others, and for my parte I taste enough 

of that fruite ; Grod mend it amongst all, and send us a more happie tyme. As for 

the partie lately comaunded to the countree of Kiery, who may be expected to return 

that way, they are conducted by my Nephew (your Cuossen) Lieut. Collonell William 

Bourke, to whom I have written by the bearer in your behalfe. I am most Confident 

he will not suffer any wrong to be don unto your Dependants, Tenants, or yourself. 

And If in gase [in case] you should expect the whole Armey, you may certifie me soe 

much with speed, and I shall take that Course that shal be befittinge. In the meane 

tyme beseeching God to bless and keepe you and yours, 

" I am, 

" Youre assured loveing ffather, 

" R. O'Shaohnibbte. 
"/^«/tf«, 14. Matiii, 1647." 

The arms on the seal of this letter are *' a tower crenelled in pale between two 
lions combatant." The crest, '* an arm embowed holding a spear." 

This Gylles, who was living in May, 1676, had four sons, as appears from the O'Do- 
novan records, namely; i, Daniel, who was a colonel in the service of James II. and who 
was the great grandfather of the late Greneral O'Donovan of Bawnlahan; 2, Cornelius; 
3, Morogh; and 4, Richard, all living in 1655, but of whose descendants the Editor 
has not as yet discovered any satisfactory account, but believes that they are all extinct. 

According to the pedigree of O'Shaughnessy given in the O'Clery MS. in the 
Library of the Royal Irish Academy, this Sir Roger, or Gilla-dubh O'Shaughnessy, 
died in the year 1 650. There is a portrait of him dressed in armour preserved among 
the muniments of Ormond Castle, Kilkenny. 

40. Sir Dermot G'Shaugknessy, — He married Joan, daughter of Lord Barrymore, 
and had by her two sons, Roger, his successor, and Cormac, or Charles. He died in 
1673. 

The following abstract of his Will, which is preserved in the Prerogative Court, 
Dublin, is well worthy of a place here, as throwing light not only on this pedigree, 
but upon the manners and customs of the times : 

Abitract 



(( 



382 



Abstract of WUl of Sir Dermot Q^Shaughness^ of Gort-Inekigorey. 

I order my bodie to be buryed in the Cathedral Church of Kill M^Duagh, in the 
tomb where my ancestors were buryed — I doe order, that my son and heir shall cause 
{jYQ hundred and fower skore Masses to be said or celebrated for my soule immediately 
after my death ; and I bequeath £29 to be given to those who shall without delay 
celebrate those Masses, allowing is, for every Masse al*, and that each of the abbye's 
and convents menf*. hereafter do say the office of the dead for my soul and 15 masses 
besides, — I order 100 of my Ewes for my son Cha'. O'Shaughnessy, and bequeath to 
my eldest son and heir Roger O'Shaughnessy all my plate and household stuff, and I 
do charge my said sonnes to live during their lives in brotherly affection amongst 
themselves without animosity or contention — I bequeath to my son Charles the £20 
mortgage I have from /. Prendergaat^ of the 60 acres he had in Ballinekelly, provided 
he shall cause 200 masses to be said for my soule — ^I order and leave my stuffe suite with 
gold buttons and my rapier for my son Charles — I leave the piece of grey frize to Edmond 
O'Heyne. I leave the piece of grey broad-cloth to father John Mullowny, he sayinge 
as many masses, for my soule, as the said cloth is worth — I leave one of my shirts to 
John Butler, one more to Edmond Heyne, one more to my servant Lawrence Dono- 
vane, and another to Edmond M'Hugh — I leave one of my best halfe shirts and my 
Scarlett wastcoate to Dermott Clorane — I order the gold diamond ring I have in pawne 

from James Devenisse, for himselfe, he saying one hundred rosaryes for my soule ^I 

leave my white gowne to Lawrence Donovan, and the rest of all my clothes to my son 
and heir Roger — I leave my white horse to my daughter in law Hellean Shaughnessy, 
I leave three young cowes and three great cowes, with four garrans, to my daughter 
Gyh*s Salean, and my hatt to John Buttler — I order my son Roger to pay Eight pieces 
of Eight towards James Dowley his ransome — I leave two cowes and a mare to my 
neice Nell Donovan — In Witness of all which I have hereunto subscribed my hand and 
fixed my seal the 29th of January, 1671. 

" Dee. O'Shaughnusst. 

" The Legacies I leave for my soule with some of the clergy, viz To the Domi- 
nicans of Gallway 208, To the Augustines of Galway 20a. To the Convent of Inish 
20«. To the Vicar General, ffa. Michael Lynch, 20B. To ffa. Teige O'Meere 20». To 
ffa. John MuUownee 30*. To ffa. Donogh Nelly icw. To ffa. Thomas Kenny lOfc 
To ffa. John Nelly \ob. To ffa. Teige Mac Rory icw. To ffa. Daniel Conegan io«. 
To ffa. Thomas Grady io«. To ffa. Breen Donnellan 10*. To flu. Donogh Fahy io». 
To ffa. Daniel Broder 5*. To John Mac Glynn, lay-friar, 3*. To Thomas Burke, 

lay-frier, 



383 

lay-frier, 5*. Memorandum, that I do bequeath to my son and heire, Roger 

O'Shaughnessy and his heirs, the £500 due unto me from my lo. Viscount of Clare. 

"D. O'S. 
^* Being present at the signing and sealing hereof, 

" Fpb. Jo. Molouny. 

Lawrence Donovane. 

Der. Clorane. 

" Proved — 8 Jtdy 1673, ^7 ^^^ son Roger." 

41. Roger G^Shaughneuy^ Esq,, the son of Sir Dermot — He married, in 1688, 
Helena, the daughter of Conor Mac Donogh O'Brien of Ballynue, by whom he had 
one son. Colonel William O'Shaughnessy, and one daughter, Helena, who married Theo- 
bald Butler, and was the mother of Francis, John, and Theobald Butler, living in 1784. 
Roger joined King James's forces, and was engaged at the battle of the Boyne, from 
which he returned home sick, though not wounded, and died in the castle of Grort on 
the nth of July, 1690. His property was declared forfeited on the nth of May, 
1697, and King William granted all his estates, in custodiamy to Gustavus, the first 
Baron Hamilton ; but he having soon after obtained a grant of other lands, the king, 
by letters patent, dated 19th June, 1697, granted to Thomas (afterwards Sir Thomas) 
Prendergast, in consideration of his good and acceptable services (the discovery of the 
assassination plot, &c.), all the estate, real and personal, of Roger O'Shaughnessy, Esq., 
deceased, in Gort-Inchigorie, and several other lands in the barony of Kiltartan and 
coimty of Galway. By a subsequent patent, dated 20th September, 1698, reciting 
the forgoing grant, and also that his Majesty was informed that the estates were then 
annually worth five hundred pounds, but that they had since proved very deficient of 
that sum ; and it being the real intention that five hundred pounds a year should have 
been granted, several other lands of the clear yearly value of £334 os. 2 id., situate in 
the several counties of Tipperary, Galway, Roscommon, and Westmeath, were granted 
accordingly. — Bot. Pat. 10 William III. 

42. Colonel William OPShaughnessg — He died in exile in France in 1 744, without 
issue. 

41. CcrmaCy or Charles (ySkaughnessy, the second son of Sir Dermot. — The Editor 
has not been able to discover the name of his wife, but it appears from De Burgo's 
Hibemia Dominicana, p. 505, and a pedigree compiled by Peter Connell in 1 784, for 
a Comet Butler, that he had three sons, namely, Colman O'Shaughnessy, Titular Bishop 
of Ossory; Bobuck, or Robert O'Shaughnessy, Esq., and Joseph, who had a daughter 
Mary, the mother of a Comet Butler, who was living in 1 784. He had also a daughter 
Mary, who, according to Peter Connell, became the wife of Mortogh Cam Mac Mahon, Esq. 

After 



384 

After the death of his cousin german, Colonel William O'Shaughncssy, in France, in 
1744, Bishop Colman instituted proceedings at law against Sir Thomas Prendergast, 
the son of the patentee, for the recovery of the estate of Gort, and these proceedings 
were continued after his decease in September," 1748, by his brother Robuck (yShaugh- 
nessy, Esq. and after his death by his (Sobuck's) son, Joseph O'Shaughnessy, Esq. 
living in the time of De Burgo, 1 762, who has the following curious notice of this 
family : 

^' F. CoLMANUB O'Shaughnesst, S. Theologiae Magister, Alumnus Atkennensis 
Csenobii, oriundus e prasclarissima Familia de Gort, in Galviensi Agro Conacice, cujus 
Nobilitatem, Antiquitatem, et Integritatem, qui non novit, Hibemiam non novit. Lo- 
vanii in Ordinem Fratrum Praedicatorum ex Officiali Militari Cooptatus, ibidem 
Studia confecit, atque docere incepit Anno 1 706. Missionibus Apostolicis Hibemue 
maturus, e6que profectus, laudabiliter se gessit, Sermone, et peculiari Morum Candore, 
in plurimis Conacice Regionibus, ingenti cum Animarum Fructu prs^icans. Die 30 
Aprilis 1726 in Comitiis />uA/mtt celebratis electus fuit Provincialis in locum Stepkani 
nostri Mac-Egan, Episcopi tunc Clonmacnoisensia, nuperrime laudati. Anno 1736 k 
ClementeXII., Pontifice Maximo, renunciatus fuit. Episcopus Os8oriensis, vulgoOssory, 
iu Lagenia, sub Metropoli Dublinienai atque Dublinii in Monialium nostrarum Aedibus 
Sacris consecratus k D. Joanne Linegar, ejusdem Urbis Archiprsesule, assistentibus 
F. Stephano Mac-Egan, mox laudato, Midenti, et F* Mickad Mac-Donogh Eilmorensi 
Episcopis, ex ordine nostro, ut ex nuper dictis liquet, assumptis. Anno 1 744 deiiincto 
Patruele suo, Tribuno Gididmo Shaghnussy, in Galliarum Partibus, quo pater ipsius 
Rogeriu^ Regem Jctcobum secutus fuerat Anno 1691, earn ob Causam Castro suo Allo- 
diali Gortensi, amplissimisque circumjacentibus Prsdiis, ultrk Summam bis Mille, et 
quinquies centum Librarum Sterlingarum, id est, decies Mille Scutorum Bomanorum, 
annuatim valentibus, privatus a Principe AraiLsicano, nuncupato Gulielmo III^ qui 
eadem concessit Equiti Tkomce Prendergast, durante duntaxat Vitd laudatorum Rogerii, 
et Gtdielmi O-Shaghnussy ; isto, inquam, Gtdidmo defuncto, Colmanus noster O-Shagk- 
neMy, etsi jam Episcopus, Litem inchoavit, qua Familise sute Primipilus, DubUnii^ in 
Curia Communium Placitorum, contrk tunc, et adhuc existentem Equitem Thomatn pa- 
ri ter Prendergast, primo dicti filium, ad Bona ilia hsereditaria recuperanda; atque Pras- 
sule nostro e vivis sublato, injure successit Germanus ipsius Frater, Robocus O^Shagk" 
nussy, Armiger, huj usque nunc succedit Filius JosephiLS O'Skaghnussy, Armiger. Eques 
autem Thonuu Prendergast acriter se defendit, non quidem Justitia Causie sus, sed 
Pecuni^ et Potenti^ unus quippe est e Senatoribus Regni in Parlamento sedens, in- 
superque Regi h Sanctioribus Consiliis, ad Differentiam Domini G*iShaghnuuy^ qui 
Fidei Catholic® est Cultor, suisque hsereditariis Bonis exutus." — ^pp. 505, 506. 

42- 



385 

42. Boebuck, or Robert, son of Charles 0*Shauffhnessy He had two sons, Joseph, 

who died in 1783, and William, and four daughters, Mary, Catherine, Ellice, and 
Eleanor, who were liying in 1784, when Peter Connell wrote the pedigree for a Cornet 
Butler. Tradition states that this Joseph O'Shaughnessy, assisted bjhis relatives, the 
gentry of the county of Galway, took forcible possession of the mansion house of Grort, 
on which occasion they caused the bells of Athenry and Gralway to be rung for joy. 
But O'Shaughnessy was finally defeated. 

In Howard's Treatise on the Rules and Practice of the Equity side of the Ex- 
chequer in Ireland, second edition. Appendix, p. 903, the case of Smyth against 
O'Shaughnessy is mentioned as one of great importance. Howard says : 

^' In the case of Smyth, guardian of Prendergast and others, against QShaghnessy 
and others, in the court of Chancery here, in October, 1760, on a petition to the lords 
commissioners (the Lord Chancellor being then in England) on a possessory bill and 
affidavits, an injunction was granted to the sheriff to restore the plaintiff, as devisee 
of the estate in question, to the possession of the mansion-house, out of which, it had 
been sworn, he had been forced by the defendant G^Shaghnessy, who claimed under 
some old dormant title, not as heir at law ; and an injunction was also granted to the 
party, as to the demesne, unless cause shouM be shewn to the contrary, in the time 
prescribed by the order ; afterwards, in Michaelmas term following, the defendant came 
to shew cause Bgainst the injunction to the party, and to set aside the injunction to 
the sheriff upon a notice for that purpose ; but as to the first point, the court disal- 
lowed the cause ; and as to the second point, the court refused to set aside the injunc- 
tion, for that it is an order of course, and usually granted at the first instance, as the 
party tujrned out of his place of residence, and may not have a place to go to ; and on 
these motions the following points were determined : 

*^ That the defendant should not read any afiidavits to contradict the facts in the 
plaintiff's affidavits, or shew any other cause than appeared on the face of the plain- 
tiff's afi&davits," &c. &c. 

On this occasion it is said that the Lord Chancellor, Mansfield, lent Sir Thomas 
Proidergast Smyth eight thousand pounds to sustain him against O'Shaughnessy, which 
sum was charged on the Grort estate, and which has since been paid to the heirs of Lord 
Mansfield. 

When Joseph O'Shaughnessy had taken forcible possession of the mansion-house 
of Gort, the whole tribe of the O'Shaughnessys believed that he had defeated Pren- 
dergast in the law suit, and a very curious song of exultation was composed on the 
occasion by a poor man of the family, named James O'Shaughnessy, the first quatrain 
of which runs as follows : 

nUSH ABCH. SOC. 12. 3D " 5"°T 



386 

" 5"°T ^^ jaBaiD nap pajaip-pe, a Bile jan locc, 
O Buaio cu an Baipe, ip peappoe an cine c6 bocc, 
6eiD luao aj oaim, a'p cp6cc aj ollarhnaiB ope, 
'S 6 uaiplib Pdil jeabaip b6pp clu p^ile 'pa n-Jopc." 
*' Mayest thou meet neither peril nor danger, O hero without fault, 
As thou hast won the goal, the tribe that is poor will be the better of it. 
The poets shall spread thy fame, and the ollaves shall speak of thee. 
And from the nobles of Inisfail thou wilt receive at Gort the palm for hospitality." 

This Joseph, the last claimant of the Gort estate, died without issue in 1783, and 
there is no one now living that has yet traced his pedigree with certainty to the first 
Sir Dermot, who was knighted by Henry VIIL ; some think that his race is totally 
extinct in the male line ; but Captain Tyrrell of Kinvara has attempted to show that 
Mr. Bartholomew O'Shaughnessy of Gal way is now the head of the name. 

Captain Edward Tyrrell has compiled a pedigree of the O'Shaughnessys, from old 
documents which he had from Martin Colman O'Shaughnessy of Galway, in which he 
states that Colman, Titular Bishop of Ossory, already mentioned, but whom he in- 
correctly styles Lord Abbot of Cong, had several brothers ; namely, Charles, Darby, 
ancestor of the O'Shaughnessys of the fcunty of Limerick, where he settled, and 
Roger, ancestor of Dean O'Shaughnessy of Ennis, and of Dr. William O'Shaughnessy 
of Calcutta, F. R. S. Although this pedigree is, in the early part, full of errors in 
dates and genealogical facts, still there appears to be much truth contained in it for 
the last five generations, and the Editor is tempted to give that portion of it in this 
place, as containing the researches of a very intelligent old gentleman who was born 
in OShaughnessy's country, and who is now nearly a century old. He is, however, 
entirely wrong in making Dr. Colman the son of Sir Eoger IL O'Shaughnessy, for 
we know from his contemporary De Burgo, already quoted, that he was the cousin 
german of Colonel William O'Shaughnessy (son of Roger, son of Sir Dermot III.), who 
died in France in 1 744 ; that is, he was the eldest son of Cormac, or Charles, the 
second son of Sir Dermot, mentioned in the Will of 167 1. 

The Editor is of opinion that all the descendants of Sir Roger IL O'Shaughnessy 
are extinct in the male line, and that the O'Shaughnessys of Galway, Limerick, and 
Clare are descended from Lieut-Colonel William O'Shaughnessy, who was made free 
of the corporation of Galway in 1648, and who was the third son of Sir Dermot IL 
This William had four sons, namely, William, Edmond, Dermot, and Ruaidhri, or Roger ; 
and it is highly probable, though not yet proved, that his son Dermot is the ancestor of 
the O'Shaughnessys of the county of Limerick, and Ruaidhri, or Roger, the ancestor of 
the O'Shaughnessys of the county of Clare. 

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388 



Pedigree of Mr. Bartholomew O'Shaughnessy op Galwat, as compiled by 

Captain Tyrrell of Kinvara. 

According to tiiis pedigree, which is beautifuUy drawn out on veUum (and in the 
possession of Dr. Terence O'Shaughnessy, R. C. Dean of Killaloe, who resides at Ennis, 
in the county of Clare), Cohnan O'Shaughnessy, Abbot of Cong, was the son of Sir 
Eoger 11. ; but this is not true, for we learn from Dr. Colman's cotemporary, De 
Burgo, and from Peter Connell of Kilrush, who drew up a pedigree of O'Shaughnessy 
for a Comet Butler, in 1784, that this Colman was the cousin-german of Colonel 
William O'Shaughnessy, who died in France in 1744, without issue. Captain Tyrrell 
writes that this Colman had five brothers, namely, Joseph, the head of the family, 
Charles, Darby, Roger, and James, the two last being twin brothers; but Captain Tyr- 
rell is here totally mistaken, as we learn from De Burgo that on the death of Colonel 
William O'Shaughnessy in France, in 1 744, Bishop Colman became the head of the 
O'Shaughnessys, and went to law with Sir Thomas Prendergast for the family estates, 
and that on the death of Colman, in 1749, his next brother, Roebuck, renewed the suit, 
as being the next senior representative of the family ; and that after his death Joseph, 
his son, carried it on, and that it remained undecided in his (De Burgo's) time. 
Peter Connell also, who was born about the year 1740, and who knew all about this 
law suit between the O'Shaughnessys and Sir Thomas Prendergast, gives Colman but 
two brothers, namely, Robert (L e. the Roebuck of De Burgo) and Joseph. From the 
total omission of Roebuck in Captain Tyrrell's pedigree of the O'Shaughnessys, it is quite 
clear that he has committed some mistake in enumerating the brothers of Dr. Colman 
O'Shaughnessy, as well as in making him the son of Sir Roger II. ; and although he 
states that he drew this pedigree from the O'Shaughnessy papers, some of which are 
still, as he says, in his possession, we cannot receive his compilation as correct while in 
opposition to the registered records of the country, and to printed books of the highest 
authority. We must, however, receive this gentleman's testimony as far as it r^ards 
those genealogical facts which have come under his own immediate cognizance ; and as 
he is now nearly a century old he must have heard and seen much of this family. The 
Editor, therefore, feels it his duty to lay before the reader that part of Captain Tyrrell's 
pedigree of the O'Shaughnessys which may be true in itself, though engrafted on a 
false stem. 

2. Charles G^Shaughnessy. — He was the brother of Colman, Abbot of Cong. His 
other brothers were, i, Joseph, the head of the Gort family [?] ; 2, Darby, who 
settled in the county of Limerick and had numerous issue, whose descendants are still 
in that county ; and, 3, Roger, who settled in the county of Clare, and is the ancestor 

of 



389 

of all the O'Sfaanghnessys of that county ; and, 4, James, of whose descendants no 
aoconnt is preserved. This Charles married Anne, daughter of Major Walcott of 
Doross, in the county of Galway, and had issue by her three sons, namely, i, Charles, 
of whom presently ; 2, Boger, who lived at Russane, which he sold to Oliver Martin, 
Esq., and died without issue male ; and, 3, Darby, who married Elizabeth, daughter 
of Thomas Taylor, Esq., of Dungorey, and died s. p. aged thirty-one. He had also four 
daughters, of whom the eldest married Burke of Meelick, and the second O'Flaherty 
ofComiemara. 

3. CharleM G^Skaughneuy^ the aon of Charles — He was bom in 1660, and married 
Isabella French of Galway, called the Phoenix from her beauty, and had three sons, 
namely, i, Darby, of whom presently ; 2, John, who was bom in 1692, and who re- 
aided at Kilmaine, in the county of Mayo, where he married Margery Kirwan, by 
whom he had issue male and female; 3, James, bom in 1694, who went, it is supposed, 
to Jamaica, and was never heard of by any of his family. He had also six daughters, 
of whom the first married Michael French of Abbert ; the second Geofiry Martin of 
Ross ; the third Thomas French of Moycullen ; the fourth R. Eyre; and two became 
nuns. He was an improvident man, and gave large portions to his daughters. 

4. Darby QShaughrienyy the son of Charles — He was bom in the year 1690. He 
married, first, Cicily O'Brien, by whom he had two sons, William and John, and three 
daughters ; and, secondly, Anne Gilmore of the county of Mayo, by whom he had 
Martin and James. He was reared for the Church by the Abbot of Cong, but was 
reduced to keep an academy in Dublin. He gave fifty pounds towards Joseph's suit 
with T. Prendergast Smyth, and was buried in the abbey of Galway, where he died. 
His son William, who was bom in 1724, married Honor Lynch, by whom he had no 
male issue. He had three daughters. This William was barrack-master of Headford, 
and died at Gralway [in 1781], aged fifty-seven. Thus ends the male line in the 
second branch in the fourth generation from Roger. His second son John, who was 
bom in 1728, married Mary Bodkin, and died in 1779, leaving one daughter. His 
son James died unmarried. 

5. Martin Cdman O^Shaughnessy^ the third son of Darby — He was bom in 1747, 
and married Mary Mac Donough, by whom he had two sons, Bartholomew and Andrew. 
Finding little property descend to him, it having gone to the female line, he thought 
a trade better than be a burden on his friends, or the many relations he might boast 
of, and was bound to a wig-maker. He died in 1829, aged 82. Thus ends the gran- 
deur of this ancient family I 

6. Bartholomew CShaughnessy^ son of Martin Cdman. — He was bom in the year 
1789. He married Deborah Morris of Spiddle, by whom he got £900 fortune. He 

has 



39° 

has issue male and female, as has also his brother Andrew, who was bom in the year 
1796. 

Captain Tyrrell, in a letter to the Editor, dated September 15th, 1843, writes the 
following account of the manner in which he obtained the evidences for compiling this 
pedigree : 

" In respect to the Gralway barber, it is rather a long story, yet I will strive to get 
through it as distinctly as I can, for he is certainly the elder branch of that once great 
and ancient family, now totally gone to decay. About thirty-five or thirty-six years 
ago, when I lived in Galway, I had occasion to get my razors set to rights, and went 
to the father of the present barber, O'Shaughnessy, also a barber, and sitting in his 
shop ; while he was so employed, his daughter came in, opened a good sized box near 
where I was sitting, and took out a bundle, or rather an handful of papers, on which 
I saw indistinct writing. I asked what she was going to do with them. She said to 
kindle the fire. I asked the father of the young woman what the papers related to ; 
he replied he did not know, nor could he learn from persons who had examined them, 
as time had totally obliterated them. The box, he informed me, belonged to his 
grand-uncle, who was Abbot of Cong. This poor barber was then near seventy years 
of age, and spelled the name ' O'Shoughnessy' on his sign board, and often said it was 
the ancient mode of spelling the name. In short, I purchased the box, which I have 
to this day, and its contents, from the poor barber, and on my going to Dublin, I 
waited on my friend Mr. Kirwan, the highly celebrated chemist of his day, who showed 
me a way to enable me to read the whole of the papers.'' 

In another letter, dated Kinvara, November 30th, 1843, Captain Tyrrell writes con- 
cerning the law suit between Joseph O'Shaughnessy and Sir Thomas Prendergast : 

*' This law suit was not finally closed in my memory, as it went before the Lords 
and Commons of England ; and I remember having seen this Mr. Joseph O'Shaugh- 
nessy and his sister often, in the years 1768, 1769, and 1770, in a state nearly allied 
to beggary, at Gort ; from thence they removed to Dublin, and before 1775 [rede 
1783] both were dead without issue, by which the present barber's grandfather was, 
without dispute, the next heir to Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy." 

Arms. — A castle triple-towered az. 

Supporters. — Two lions or. 

Crest, — Over a side helmet a hand in armour holding a spear. 

Motto, FORTIS £T 8TABILI8. 

The arms of O'Shaughnessy are given in a MS. in the British Museum, Clarendon 
4815, entitled " Copies of Grants of Arms collected for a Peerage by Aaron Crossley." 
The crest, however, is not given in this collection, but it is added here from an im- 
pression 



391 

presdon of the seal of Sir Roger O'Shaughnessj, on a letter to his daughter Gylles, 
the wife of Daniel O'Donovan of Castle Donovan, written in 1647. 

c. 

Pedigree op O'Clehy. 

9. Colman, son of Cobhthach, — This Colman was King of Connaught for twenty-one 
years. He married the mother of St. Caimin of Inis Cealltra, and was the father of 
Guaire Aidhne, King of Connaught, and Lairgneun, who was also King of Connaught 
seven years. 

10. Guaire Aidhne He was King of Connaught for thirteen years, during which 

period he distinguished himself so much for hospitality and bounty that he became 
almost the god or personification of generosity among the Irish poets, and those of 
modem times boasted that O'Shaughnessy was his lineal descendant Thus Muldowny 
O'Morrison, in an ode, addressed, in 1639, ^ Daniel O'Donovan of Castle Donovan, 
who was married to O'Shaughnessy's daughter,, boasts that his wife Sheela reflected 
honour on the name of her illustrious ancestor Guaire ; but we have already seen that 
the Cinel Aodha, of whom O'Shaughnessy was chief, were not of the race of Guaire ; 
but the poet was perfectly pardonable, as he had the authority of MSS. of conside- 
rable antiquity for deducing the Pedigree of O'Shaughnessy from Guaire Aidhne, King 
of Connaught. — See p. 54, Note ^ 

In the year 645 Guaire fought the battle of Cam Conaill against King Diarmaid, 
the son of Aodh Slaine, in which he was defeated. He died in the year 662, and was 
buried at Clonmacnoise. According to the Book of Lecan, Guaire had three sons, 
namely, i, Nar, who had a son Cobhthach, who had a son Flann, the ancestor of the 
family of O'Maghna, chiefs of the territory of Caenraighe, in Aidhne, and who was the 
senior of the race of Guaire — see p. 61, suprd; 2, Artghal, the ancestor of O'Clery, 
O'Heyne, and Mac Gilla Kelly ; and, 3, Aodh, the ancestor of the tribe called Cinel 
Enda. It would appear from the Annals of the Four Masters that he had another 
son, Ceallach, who died in the year 66 s. 

1 1. Artghal, — He was the second son of Guaire, but our annalists or genealogists 
have preserved no partictdars about him, except that he was the father of, 

12. Fearghal Aidhne He was King of Connaught for thirteen years, and died in 

694, imder which year the Four Masters, in their Annals, erroneously call him the 
son instead of the grandson of Guaire Aidhne. He had two sons, i, Torpa, the an- 
cestor of O'Clery, and, 2, Flaithniadh, the father of Art, or Artghal, chief of Aidhne, 
who was slain, according to the Four Masters, in the year 767. 

13- 



392 

13* Torpa^ eon of King Feargal Aidhne, — He had two sons, Cathmogli, ancestor of 
the subsequent chiefs, and Aodh, from whom the celebrated poet Flann Mac Lonain 
was the fourth in descent. 

14. CcUkmogh^ son o/Torpa — He had two sons, i, Tighemach, lord of Aidhne, 
who died, according to the Four Masters, in the year 822, and Comuscach, the ances- 
tor of the subsequent chieftains. 

15. Comttscachy son of Cathmoff/u 

16. Ceadadhcichy son of ComtLscach, 

17. Cleireacfiy son of Ceadadhach, — He is the progenitor after whom the family of 
O'Cleirigh, or O'Clery, have taken their surname. He had two sons, Maolfabhaill, of 
whom presently, and Eidhin, the progenitor of the family of O'Heyne. 

18. Maolfabkailly son ofCkireaeh He was lord of Aidhne, and died, according to 

the Annals of the Four Masters, in the year 887. He was father of Tigheamach 
O'Clery, lord of Aidhne, who died in 916, and of, 

19. Flann^ otherwise called Maolcerarda O'Clery — He was slain by the men of Mun- 
ster in the year 950, under which he is styled, in the Annab of the Four Masters, 
lord of South Connaught, and rioghdamhna, or heir presumptive, of all Connaught 
He was father of, 

20. Comkakan G^Clery. — He was lord of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, according to the 
Annals of the Four Masters. This very powerful chieftain, assisted by Maelseachlainn 
Mac Arcdai, in the year 964, defeated the celebrated Sen Fergal O'Bourke, King of 
Connaught, and slew seven hundred of his people, and among the rest Taichleach 
O'Gara, lord of South Leyny. He died in the year 976. 

2 1 . GiiMa ChedUaighy son of ComhaUan O'Clery. — Gomhaltan O'Cleiy was succeeded 
in the lordship of Aidhne by Muireadhach O'Clery, who was probably his son, and 
who died, according to the Four Masters, in the year 988, after which GioUa Cheallaigh, 
or Kilkelly O'Clery, succeeded to the lordship. In the year 998 he slew Diamudd 
Mac Dunadhaigh, lord of Siol Anmchadha, but in 1003 he was himself slain by the cele- 
brated Tadhg O'KeDy, chief of Hy-Many, as we are informed by the Four Masters : — 
"A. D. 1003. A battle was fought between Tadhg O'Kelly with the Hy-Many, and 
the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne with the men of West Connaught, in which were slain Giolla 
Cheallaigh mac Comhaltain O'Clery, lord of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, Conchobhar 
Mac Ubbain, and Cennfaoladh Mac Ruaidhri, and many others. Finn, the son of Mar- 
can, Tanist of Hy-Many, was also slain in the heat of the conflict." This Giolla Cheal- 
laigh is the progenitor after whom the family of Mac Giolla Cheallaigh, Kilkelly, 
or Killikelly, have taken their surname, so that .that family are virtually O'Clerys. 
He had one son, 

22. 



393 

22. Cugctdoy son ofGicUa CheaUaigh O^dery. After the death of GioUa Cheallaigh 

0*Clery, in 1003, it would appear that Maolruanaidh, or Mulrony na paidre \of ike 
prayer] O^Hejne succeeded to the lordship of Aidhne, for he commanded the South 
Hy-Fiachrach in the battle of Clontarf, A. D. 1014, in which he fell. To whom suc- 
ceeded Cugaela, the grandson of Comhaltan O'Clery, who seems to have ruled the ter- 
ritory for a period of eleven years, for he died, according to the Four Masters, in the 
year 1025. According to the genealogical MS. of Peregrine O'Clery, now preserved in 
the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, this Cugaela O'Clery had three sons, namely, 
I, Braon, the ancestor of all the septs who retained the name of O'Clery ; 2, GioUa na 
naomh, or Sanctius, the ancestor of the family who took the name of Mac Giolla Cheal- 
laigh, now KUlikelly, a family which was very respectable in the territory of Aidhne 
in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and then seated in the castle of Cloghballymore, near 
Einvara — see p. 68, Note ^ ; but, strange to say, the pedigree of this family is not 
carried down lower than the twelfth century in any Irish MS. accessible in Dublin ; 
3, Eidhin, the progenitor, after whom the family of the O'Heynes took their surname ; 
but this Eidhin could not have been a son of Cugaela, who died in 1025, for his grand- 
son Mulrony na paidre O'Heyne was chief of Aidhne, and was slain in the battle of Clon- 
tarf in 1 01 4; and we must therefore agree with Duald Mac Firbis, who makes this 
Eidhin the son of Cleireach, No. 1 7 in the Genealogical Table. 

23. Braon, 9on of Cugaela CPCUry. — He was slain, in the year 1033, ^^ we learn from 
the Annals of the Four Masters at that year.^'* A. D. 1033. A battle was fought be- 
tween the men of Eile and the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, in which fell Braon O'Clery and 
Muireadhach, the son of Giolla Padraig, and many others." 

24. Eoghan, ton ofBra<m G^Clery In the time of this Eoghan the family of 

O'Heyne became chiefs of Aidhne, but it does not appear that any member of the 
family who retained the name O'Clery ever after obtained chief sway in the territory; 
and they were finally driven out by the Burkes. From this Eoghan, who must have 
died about the year 1063, we are presented with the following generations, of which no 
dates or other particulars are preserved in the Irish annals. 

25. Domhnaa OClery. 

26. GiiMa na naamh G'CUry. 

27. Tighemach dPCkry. 

28. Muireadhach O'Clery. 

29. Tadhg CPClery. 
3a ChoUa losa 0*Clery, 
31. DomhnaU 0*CUry. 

IRISH ARCH. 80C. 12. 3 E By 



394 

By allowing thirty years to each of these generations we will find that this D(xnh- 
nail may have flourished towards the close of the thirteenth century, and this seems to 
have been the period at which the O'Clerys were driven out of the territory of Aidhne 
by the Burkes. He had four sons, namely ; i, John Sgiamhach, L e. the comely, the 
ancestor of the O'Clerys of Tirconnell; 2, Daniel, from whom are descended the O'Clerys 
of Tirawley ; 3, Thomas, from whom are the O'Clerys of Briefny O'Reilly ; and, 4., 
Cormac, from whom are the O'Clerys of Kilkenny — See Genealogical Table. 

32. John Sgiamhach (i. e. the Gomdy) G^Clery^ fl. circ. 1303. 

33. Diarmaid G^Clery^ fl. circ. 1333. 

34. Cormac O^Clery — He was the first of the family who removed to Tirconnell, 
which he did shortly after the year 1382, when Toirdhealbhach an fhiona O'Donnell 
was chief of Tirconnell. He married the only daughter and heiress of Matthew 
O'Sgingin, who was at the time chief historian to O'Donnell, and had by her, 

35. Gidla BrigMe G*Clery He was so called after his maternal unde, Giolla 

Brighde O'Sgingin, who had died in 1382, a short time before the birth of O'Clery. 
This Giolla Brighde O'Clery was educated in the profession of his maternal grand- 
father, whom he succeeded in the capacity of historical oUav or chief historian to 
O'Donnell. He had one son, who succeeded him, viz. 

36. Giolla riabhach O'Clery The Four Masters have the following notice of his 

death : — " A. D. 1421. Giolla riabhach O'Clery, a learned historian, died after having 
spent a life of virtue." There must be some error, however, in this date, for his 
father, Giolla Brighde, having been bom after 1382, was only 39 years old in 142 1, 
when the death of his son is mentioned as that of a learned historian I The truth 
would appear to be that Giolla riabhach is here a mistake for Giolla Brighde. 

37. DiarmMid of the three Schools, the son of Giolla riabhach^ — The year of the death 
of this Diarmaid, strange to say, is not recorded by his descendants, the Four Masters, 
in their Annals. 

38. Tadhg, or Teige Cam OPClery. — ^His death is thus recorded in the Annals of 
the Four Masters at the year 1492 : — " A. D. 1492. O'Clery (Tadhg Cam), ollav to 
O'Donnell in science, poetry, and history, a man who had maintained a house of uni- 
versal hospitality, for the mighty and the needy, died, after having subdued the world 
and the deviL" This Tadhg Cam had three sons, i, Diarmaid, of whom presently ; 
2, Tuathal, who died in 151 2, and who was the great grandfather of Michael O'Clery 
and Conary O'Clery, two of the Four Masters, and of Bernardinus O'Clery, the supe- 
rior of the convent of Donegal in 1632 and 1636 ; 3, Giolla riabhach, chief of this 
family, who died in 1527. 

39. Diarmaid, son of Tadhg Cam OClery, — He had four sons, namely, Cucoigcriche, 

or 



395 

or Peregrine, Giolla Bhrighde, Cormac, a friar of the order of St Francis, and Muir- 
ghe&& 

40. Cucoigcriche^ or Peregrine O'Clery, — He was living in the year 1546, as we 
learn from a passage in the Annals of the Four Masters under that year. He had six 
sons, namely, i, Maccon, of whom presently ; 2, Cosnamhach ; 3, Dubhthach ; 
4, Tadhg ; 5, Cormac ; and, 6, Maurice Ballach, who was hanged in the year 1572 by 
the Earl of Thomond, who wished to exterminate the Irish poets. 

41. Maccon^ son of Cticoigcriche O^Clery. — He was the chief of the Tirconnell, or 
literary sept of the O'Clerys, and died in the year 1595, under which year the Four 
Masters have preserved the following record of him: — "A. D. 1595. Maccon, son of 
Cucoigcriche, son of Diarmaid, son of Tadhg Cam O'Clery, chief historian to O'Don- 
nell, died at Leitir Maolain, in Thomond [now Lettermoylan, in the parish of Dysart 
O'Dea, in the barony of Inchiquin]. He was a learned and erudite man, profoundly 
versed in history and poetry, fluent, eloquent, and gifted with the harmony and splen- 
dour of oratory, and withal, pious, devout, religious, and charitable." He had five 
sons, namely, i, Lughaidh of the Contention of the Bards, of whom presently ; 
2, Giolla Brighde ; 3, Maccon Meirgeach ; 4, Cucoigcriche ; and, 5, Duibhgeann, who 
was slain at Clare in the year 1 600. 

42. Lughaidh^ or Lewy G^Clery^ son of Maccon O^Clery, — He was the head of the 
Tirconnell branch of the O'Clerys, and was in possession of all his lands in the year 
1609, when he was selected as one of the " good and lawful" men of the county of Do- 
n^al, appointed to inquire into the King's title to the several escheated and forfeited 
lands in Ulster. He was the principal disputant on the part of the northern bards in the 
contest with Teige Mac Dary and those of the south of Ireland, respecting the claims of 
the rival dynasties of the northern and southern divisions of Ireland to supremacy and 
renown, and his poems written during this controversy are very curious, as preserving 
many historical facts, and for the purity and correctness of their diction. The year of his 
death is not recorded by the Four Masters, and the probability is that he lived to a later 
period than that to which their Annals extended, for they have no entry later than the 
year 161 6. He had two sons, Cucoigcriche, or Peregrine, of whom presently, and 
Cairbre. 

43. Cucoigcriche^ or Peregrine O^Clery^ ike eldest son of Lughaidh — He married one 
of the Mac Sweenys of the county of Donegal, by whom he had two sons, Diarmaid 
and John. It appears from an inquisition taken at Lifford on the 25th of May, 1632, 
that he held the half quarter of the lands of Coobeg and Doughill, in the proportion of 
Monargane, in the barony of Boylagh and Bannagh, in the county of Donegal, from 
Hollantide, 1631, until May, 1632, for which he paid eight pounds sterling per annum 

3 E 2 to 



396 

to William Farrell, Esq., assignee to the Earl of AuDandale, but, as the document states, 
being " a meere Irishman, and not of English, or British discent or simame," he was 
dispossessed, and the lands became forfeited to the king. Shortly after this period he 
removed, with many other families of Tirconnell, to Ballycroy, in the south of the barony 
of Erris, in the county of Mayo, under the guidance of Rory or Roger O'Donnell, the son 
of Colonel Manus, who was slain at Benburb in 1646, and the ancestor of the present Sir 
Richard Annesley O'Donnell of Newport. He carried with him his books, which were 
his chief treasure, which he bequeathed to his two sons, Diarmaid and John, as we learn 
from his autograph Will, which was written in Irish at Curr-na-heillte, near Burri»- 
hoole, and which is extant, in rather bad preservation, in his genealogical MS. now in 
the Library of the Royal Irish Academy In this Will, which was made shortly before 
his death in 1664, he writes : — ** I bequeath the property most dear to me that ever I 
possessed in this world, namely, my books, to my two sons Diarmaid and John. Let 
them copy from them, without injuring them, whatever may be necessary for their 
purpose, and let them be equaUy seen and used by the children of my brother Cairbre 
as by themselves ; and let them instruct them according to the .... And I request 
the children of Cairbre to teach and instruct their children." The injunctions here 
solemnly laid by him on his posterity were faithfully fulfilled, and a knowledge of the 
Irish language, as well as his own honesty of character, has been transmitted in the 
family to the present day. 

44. Diarmaidy son of Cucoi^cncke^ or Peregrine O'Clery. — ^No memorial of him re- 
mains in the MSS. except that he was the son of Peregrine and the father of, 

45. Cairln-e 0*Clery. — He married, about the year 1692, Maguire of Amey 

Bridge, in the county of Fermanagh, by whom he had two sons, namely, Cosnamhach, 
or Cosney, and Philip, who died without issue male, and one daughter Alice. He re- 
moved with his children to the parish of Drung, in the county of Cavan, and was in- 
terred in the churchyard of Drung. 

46. Cosnamliochy or Cosney G^Clery^ eon of Cairbre. — He was bom in the year 1693 
at the foot of Nephin mountain, in the county of Mayo. He removed from thence to 
a place called Knockbinish, in the county of Leitrim, whence he removed accompa- 
nied by his father, to the parish of Drung, in the county of Cavan, where he mar- 
ried Mable, daughter of Donnell Ultagh [Donlevy], by whom he had one son, Patrick, 
and four daughters. He died in the year 1759, ^ ^^ sixty-sixth year of his age, and 
was buried in the churchyard of Drung. 

47. Patrick^ eon of Cosnamhach O^Clerjf, — He was bom in the year 1738, and in 
1759 he married Anne, daughter of Bernard 0*Growan, or Smith, of Lara, in the 
county of Cavan, and had by her twelve children, six sons and six daughters. He died 

in 



397 

in the year 1816, aged seventy-eight years, and was interred in the churchyard of 
Drung. 

48. John^ eldest son 0/ Patrick O^Clery, now living. He was bom in the year 1778, 
and in 181 2 married Alice, daughter of Patrick Smith of Ashfield, in the county of 
Cavan, and had by her five children, of whom only two are now living, namely, John 
and Anne. 

This John, No. 48, removed to the city of Dublin in 18 17, where he still lives, 
like his ancestors, a strictly honest and worthy man, and a good Irish scribe and 
scholar. His son, John O'Clery, Jun., has written the foUovring remarks on the 
family manuscripts, in a letter to the Editor, dated 37, Nassau-street, 12th February, 
1842, which shotdd not be omitted here : 

'* Cucogry left his books to his sons Dermod and Shane. Cairbre, son of Dermod, 
had them in his possession, and left them to his son Cosnamha, who left them to his 
son Patrick, through whom they came into the possession of his son John, my father. 
By an accidental fire, which occurred in the house of my grandfather, a great part of 
Cucogry 's manuscripts was materially injured. The only ones which escaped damage 
were the following : — The Book of Pedigrees, the Book of Invasions, the Life of Red 
Hugh O'Donnell, the Amhra Choluim Chille, and TriaUam timcheall na Fodhla, which 
were brought to Dublin by my father in 181 7. He lent these books to the late Mr. 
Edward 0*Keilly, but did not bargain for or sell them to him. He never got them back, 
however, as he did not know of Mr. O'Reilly's illness until he heard of his death, 
and saw that he had included these very books in his catalogue, except the Life of 
Hugh Roe, which, it appears, he had disposed of to Mr. Monck Mason, who resided at 
that time in Harcourt-street, and this he had done without letting my father know 
any thing about it. My father, on hearing of his books being thus advertised for sale, 
made an affidavit that he merely lent, but did not sell them to Mr. O'Reilly. Not- 
withstanding this, however, his executor, the Rev. Eugene O'Reilly of Navan pro- 
ceeded with the sale of them, and it was under these circumstances that they came by 
purchase, at O'Reilly's auction, into the possession of the Royal Irish Academy. But 
although they cotdd not perhaps be placed in better hands, or any where that they 
would be taken better care of, as far as their preservation is concerned, yet by -all the 
laws of strict justice, they are as much my father's property, even at this moment, 
as if the Royal Irish Academy had never paid one farthing for them. Little did 
Cuoogry think that these very books, on which he set so high a value, as is seen by 
his own Will, would ever, by such means, pass out of the hands of his descendants. 
My father has still a copy, which he made himself, of the Book of Pedigrees, and he 
has also some of the very books which belonged to Cucogry." 

Mr. 



\ 



398 

Mr. Martin Clery of Ballycroy, in the county of Mayo, also descends from this 
Cucogry, or Peregrine, who died in 1664, and Mrs. Conway of Doonah castle, in Bal- 
lycroy, descends from his brother ; but they are unable to add dates to the different 
generations, having retained no manuscript memoranda. 

It does not appear that this family had ever obtained any grant of arms from the 
Irish College of Heralds, and the Editor has not been able to find that they ever used 
any armorial bearings in ancient Irish times. 

D. 

Pedigree of O'Heyne. 

18. Eidhin^ the son of Cleireach, — We have already seen in the pedigree of O'Clery, 
No. 22, that Peregrine O'Clery errs in making this Eidhin the son of Cugaela, chief 
of Aidhne, who died in 1025, and we must therefore follow the authority of Duald 
Mac Firbis and of the O'Mulconrys in the Leabhar Irse, who make him the second 
son of Cleireach, the ancestor of the family of O'Clery. He had one son, Fknn, of 
whom presently, and one daughter, Mor, the first wife of the monarch Brian Borumha, 
and the mother of his sons Murchadh, Conchobhar, and Flann, who were slain in the 
battle of Clontarf. 

19. Flann, of whom we know nothing, except that from the pedigrees and the 
Irish annals we must come to the conclusion that he had two sons, namely, i, M&ol- 
ruanaidh na Paidre (or Mulrony of the Prayer) O'Heyne, chief of Aidhne, who was 
slain in the battle of Clontarf in the year 10 14, of whose issue, if he left any, no ac- 
count is preserved ; and, 2, Maolfabhaill, or Mulfavill O'Heyne, by whom the line was 
continued. 

20. MadfahkaiU^ son of Flann O^Heyne, — He became chief of the Hy-Fiachrach 
Aidhne, or South Hy-Fiachrach, probably after the death of Cugaela O'Clery, in the 
year 1025, and if so, he was chief for twenty-three years, for his death is recorded 

in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 1048 " A. D. 1048. Maolfabhaill 

O'Heyne, lord of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, died." 

21. Cugaxla, son of Afaolfabhaill, — ^No notice of him is preserved in the Irish annals 
unless he be the O'Hejme, lord of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, mentioned in the Annak 
of the Four Masters as having slain Domhnall Ruadh O'Brien in the year 1055, which 
he probably was. 

22. GioUa na naomh, sumamed of the Plunder, son of Cvgada O^Heyne, 

23. Flann, son ofGioUa na naomh O^Heyne. 

24. Conchobhar, or Conor, son of Flann G^Heyne. 

35- 



i 



399 

2§. Aodkj or Hugh^ son qfConchobhar 0*Heyne — He was probably the Aodh 
O'Heyne, lord of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, mentioned by the Four Masters at the year 
1 121, as having been slain in Munster, whither he had gone on a predatory excursion 
with Turlogh O'Conor, who was then King of Connaught, and presumptive monarch 
of Ireland. 

26. GioUa CheaUaigh, or GiUikeUy^ 9on of Aodh O'Heyne He had two sons, Aodh 

and GioUa na naomh, and was slain, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, in 
the year 1 153, together with his son Aodh. 

27. GioUa na naomh^ son of GioUa CheaUaigh, — The Irish annals have preserved no 
memorial of this GioUa na naomh. In his time Boderic O'Conor, monarch of Ireland, 
was resident in the O'Heyne territory. At the year 1 1 80 the Four Masters mention 
the death of a Maurice O'Heyne, lord of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and at 1 187, the death 
of Duvesa, daughter of O'Heyne, and wife of Conor Mac Dermot, lord of Moylurg, but 
nothing remains to show how this Maurice, or Duvesa, stood related to the Giolla na 
naomh in question ; but it is highly probable that the one was the son and the other 
the daughter of his brother Aodh, who was slain in 1153. 

28. Eoghan^ or Owen, son of GioUa na naomh G^Ueyne, — ^At the year 1201 the Four 
Masters enter the death of Conchobhar, or Conor 0'He3me, the son of Maurice ; at 
12 1 1 that of Cugaola O'Heyne, and at 12 12 they have the following entry: — 
** A. D. 121 2. Donnchadh O'Heyne had his eyes put out by Aodh, the son of Cathal 
Croibhdhearg O'Conor, without the permission of O'Conor himself." These were 
evidently the grandsons of Aodh, or Hugh O'Hejme, who was slain in 1 153, and whose 
race was now laid aside, when Donnchadh was deprived of his eyes and rendered unfit 
for the chieftainship. After this Eoghan, the son of Giolla na naomh O'Heyne, became 
chief of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and one of the most conspicuous chieftains that ever 
ruled that territory. In the year 1225 he was one of the chiefs of Connaught who 
joined the sons of King Boderic O'Conor against Hugh, the son of Charles the Eed- 
handed O'Conor, King of Connaught, who was assisted by the English ; on which 
occasion Hugh O'Conor despatched his brother Felim and others of the chiefs of his 
people, and a large body of English soldiers, into Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne to plunder 
Eoghan O'Heyne, and they encamped one night at Ardrahin, for the purpose of plun- 
dering the country early the next morning ; but when O'Flaherty of lar-Connaught, 
and the other enemies of Hugh O'Conor, had heard that the English were here stationed 
with the intention of plundering Eoghan O'Heyne, they did not neglect their friend, 
but marched, as the Four Masters state, *' with one mind and one accord," until they 
came to a place near Ardrahin, where they halted, and having held a constdtation, they 
came to the resolution of of sending Tuathal, the son of Muircheartach, and Taithleach 

O'Dowd, 



400 

O'Dowd, with a strong force, to Ardrahin, while O'Flaherty and the son of Mnir- 
cheartach O'Conor were to remain with their forces outside. The two O'Dowda, with 
their soldiers, marched courageously and boldly into the town of Ardrahin, and made 
a vigorous and desperate attack upon the English, whom they put to flight east and 
west. The party who fled eastwards were pursued by the O'Dowds, and the constable, 
or captain o^ the English received two wotmds, one from the javelin of Tuathal 
CyDowd and the other from that of Taithleach, which left him lifeless ; but the party 
who fled westwards met O'Flaherty and the son of Muircheartach O'Conor, and routed 
them to their misfortune. After this the sons of Roderic and their supporters made 
peace with Hugh O'Conor and his friends, which the annalists remark was an unsea- 
sonable peace, as there was no church or territory in Connaught at the time that had 
not been plundered or laid waste I 

In ten years after this we find this Eoghan on the warmest terms of friendship with 
the English. In the year 1235 he joined Richard, the son of William Burke, in his 
famous expedition into Connaught, on which occasion he rendered the English great 
services both by his deeds and counsel, as will appear from the following simple narra- 
tive, extracted by the Four Masters from the older annals : 

^' A. D. 1 235. Richard, the son of William Burke, assembled the English of Ireland, 
the most illustrious of whom were the following, viz. — ^Fitz-Maurice, Lord Deputy 
of Ireland ; Hugo De Lacy, Earl of Ulster ; Walter Rittabard [Riddlesford], Chief 
Baron of Leinster, who commanded the English of Leinster ; and the Lord John Cogaa« 
with the English of Munster, together with all the Roothes of Ireland. They crossed 
the ford of Athlone, and set fire to the town ; then going to Elphin they burned the 
great church there, and proceeded from thence to the monastery of Ath Dalaarg 
[Boyle], on the River Boyle, on the eve of Trinity Sunday. Parties of their soldiers 
entered the monastery, broke into the sacristy, and carried away chalices, vestments, 
and other treasures. But the English nobles were highly incensed at this conduct 
[of the soldiery^ and sent back as many of those articles as they found, and made resti- 
tution for such as they could not find« On the next day they sent forth parties to Creit, 
to Cairthe Muilchenn [now Glencar], and to the tower of Glenfame, marauding, who 
carried off great spoils from those places to the Lord Deputy's camp at Ardcame. 
Here the English held a private consultation at the request of Eoghan O'Heyne (who 
wished to be revenged on the Momonians, and particularly Donnchadh Cairbreach 
O'Brien), and determined on returning back through Hy-Many and Moinmoy, and pass* 
ing thence into Thomond, without giving the Momonians any notice of their intentions. 
This they accordingly did, and committed great depredations. When Felim, the son 
of Cathal Croibhdhearg O'Conor, saw that the English had passed out of his territories, 

he 



401 

lie held a council, and it was resolved that he should march with his troops in aid of 
the Momonians. On their arrival in Munster they had daily skirmishes with the 
English. At length a pitched battle took place, in which the united forces of the 
Connacians and Momonians fought bravely against the English, but the English troops, 
consisting of infantry and cavalry, who were all clad in armour, at length vanquished 
them, and killed numbers both of the Connacians and Momonians, but especially of 
the latter, in consequence of the imprudence of Donnchadh Cairbreach O'Brien. The 
Connacians then returned home, and on the day following O'Brien made peace with 
the English and gave them hostages. The English then returned to Connaught, and 
went first to Aodh O'Flaherty, who made peace with them rather than that they should 
plunder his people and carry off his cattle. 

'' Felim, the son of Cathal Croibhdhearg, finding himself beset with dangers, then 
resolved on taking with him to O'Donnell [Domhnall Mor] all the cows belonging to 
those who should be willing to take his advice in the territories of Conmaicne Mara 
and Conmaicne Cuile, together with the son of Maghnus and Conchobhar Buadh, the 
son of Muircheartach Muimhneach O'Conor, and leaving the whole country desolate 
to the English. The English, on discovering what he had done, advanced to Dun- 
Mugdord, whence they despatched messengers to Maghnus, the son of Muircheartach 
Muimhneach, to demand hostages from him, but Maghnus refused to give them either 
peace or hostages. The English then sent forth from Dun Mugdord a numerous army 
against the sons of Roderic O'Conor, which plundered Achill and carried great spoils 
to Druimni. In the mean time Aodh O'Flaherty and Eoghan O'Heyne came round 
with their numerous forces, who carried boats with them as far as Lionan Cinn mhara 
[now Leenaun], and thence to Druimni, to meet the Lord Deputy at the Callow of 
Inis Aonaigh [Inisheany]. Maghnus at this time was with his ships on the water 
dose to the island, where he and the English had frequent engagements. But the 
English gave. him rest for awhile : they repaired to their camp, where they found 
the boats which had been carried roimd by O'Flaherty and O'Heyne*, and carried 

them 

• Roderic O'Flaherty, in his unpublished ac- a long green spot of land by the sea of Coelsha- 

eouot of West Connaught, written for Sir William Wroe [now Killary], whither the boats of Lough 

Pettj*8 Intended Atlas, says that the boats of Lough Orbsen were drawn by the forces of West Con- 

Orbsen (now Lough Corrib), were carried by naught and Hy-Fiachry Aidhne from Bonbona to 

land on this occasion from Bunbonan, on Lough the sea for fire miles, anno 1235, to inrade the 

Orbeen, to lomaire, on Lionain, a distance of fire sea islands there, upon an eipeditlon into the 

miles \recte six miles and a half]. His words are, Owles by Maurice Fits-Gerald, Lord Justice of 

■* Imaire an linain, anciently Linan Rinn mara, is Ireland ; Richard De Burgo, Lord of Connaught; 

IBI8H ARCH. SOC. 12. 3 F 



402 

them to a large strand near the place where Maghnus was. When Maghnns had 
perceived the boats, he landed on Inis raithin, and sent a party of his people to the 
island of Inis AonaigL But when the English perceived Maghnus and his people 
^dii}g 6n' these islands, they lannohed their boats, and troops of well*armed mail-dad 
soldiers, and landing on the island on which Maghnus's people were, and also upon 
Inis raithin, on which Maghnus himself was, they killed all the people they found 
on them. Maghnus and those who were with him on Inis raithin went into their 
ships and fled from the island ; but had Maghnus been on friendly terms with the 
O'Malleys they wotdd have sent their fleet against that of the English. There was 
not a cow upon one of the Insi Modha islands [the islands of Clew Bay] which the 
English did not carry off to the main land in one day, and those from whom th^ 
had been taken wotdd have been obliged to come off their islands in consequence of 
thirst and hunger had they not been taken prisoners. 

** Many of the common people were put to death on that night by the English, 
who, on the next day, being Friday, landed on the islands north of UmhaU, and the 
chiefs of the army issued orders that no people should be put to death on that day in 
honour of the cruciflzion of Christ After they had plundered and devastated Umhall, 
both by sea and land, they marched on with their spoils to Luffertane, thence they 
advanced to Ballysadare, where they plundered O'Donnell for having afforded refuge 
to Felim O'Conor after his expulsion. From thence they moved to the Curlieus and 
to Caladh Puirt na Cairge, on Lough Key, to attack a party of the people of Felim 
0*Conor, who were defending that place. On this occasion the English of Ireland and 
the Lord Deputy spared and protected Clarus Mac Mailin, herenach of Elphin, and 
the canons of the island of the Blessed Trinity, and the Lord Deputy himself and the 
chiefs of the English went to see that place, and to kneel and pray there. The 
English afterwards, with great art and ingenuity, constructed wonderful engines by 
means of which they took the fortress called the Rock of Lough Key from the people 
of Felim and Cormac Mac Dermot, and the Lord Deputy left guards in it with plenty 
of provisions and beer. On this expedition the English left the Connadans bereft of 
food, raiment, and cattle, and the country of peace and tranquillity ; the Irish them- 
selves plundeiing and destroying each other. The English, however, did not receive 
hostages or pledges of submission on this occasion. Felim made peace with the Lord 
Deputy, and the English gave him the five cantreds belonging to the king, without 

cattle, but free from tribute." 

In 
Hugh De Lacy, Earl of Ulster ; the Lord Walter of Munster, in puriuit of a party of O'Connon, 
Riddlesford, with the English forces of Leinster, belonging to Felim O'Connor, King of Con- 
and the Lord John Cogan, with the English forces naught." 



403 

In the year following, 1236, we find this £oghan O'Heyne in opposition to Felim 
(VConor, and assisting Brian, the son of Turlogh O'Conor, who had been set up as 
king of the Irish of Connaught by the English. He died, according to the Four Mas- 
ters, in 1253, 

29. John^ 9on o/Eoghan G*Heyne. 

30. Aodk^ cr Hugh, 9on of John G*Heyne. 

31. Donnchadk, w Donogh, wn of Hugh 0*Heyne — ^The Irish annalists preserve no 
historical notice of the three last generations. At the year 1261 the Four Masters state 
that Maelfabhaill, or Mulfavill O'Heyne, slew Hugh, the son of Maolseachlainn 
O'Conor; and at 1263, that he was himself slain by the English; and at 1326 they 
notice the death of Nicholas O'Heyne ; but nothing remains to show how these stood 
related to the generations above given. This Donnchadh had two sons, namely, 
Eoghan, who became lord of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and was slain, according to the 
Annals of the Four Masters, in the year 1340 by his own kinsmen, and Muircheartach 
O'Heyne, by whom the line was continued. 

The Irish annalists preserve but very few notices of this family from the year 1 340 
to 1578. At the year 1377 Mac Namara and his people of Clann Coilen defeated the 
people of Clanrickard, and slew Theobald, son of Ulick Burke, the commander of a great 
body of Kerns, and O'Heyne's three sons, with many others of the chiefs of Clanrick- 
ard. — Ann, Clonmaenoise, 

In the year 1407 O'Heyne joined Mac William Burke of Clanrickard, and Cathal, 
son of Eory O'Conor, Eling of Connaught, and fought the battle of Killaghy against 
O'Conor Roe, but they were defeated and taken prisoners. The annalists do not give 
us the Christian-name of the O'Heyne here mentioned, but we may conjecture that he 
was No. 33 in the pedigree, namely, Aodh Buidhe, the son of Muircheartach. 

32. Muircheartach^ or Murtoghy son ofDoncgh O^Hegne, 

33. Aodh Buidhey or Hugh the YeSow, son of Muircheartach (fHegne, 

34. Brian, son of Hugh the Ydlow, O^Hegne, 

35. Conchobhar, or Conor, son of Brian O^Hegne, 

36. Flann, son of Conor CHegne. — He had four sons, who became the founders of 
four distinct septs, namely, i, Edmond, the ancestor of the succeeding chiefs, except 
two ; 2, Ruaidhri na Coille, i. e. Rorg or Roger of the Wood, who became chief of the 
Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, and died in the year 1578, as we learn from the Four Masters: — 
*' A. D. 1578. O'Heyne (Ruaidhri na Coille, son of Flann, son of Conchobhar) died. 
He had been distinguished for his hospitality and activity in the use of arms from the 
beginning of his career until he was summoned from this world. His fraternal nephew, 
Eoghan Mantach, son of Edmond, was elected to his place." 3. His third son was 

3 F 2 Aodh 



404 

Aodh Buidhe, the anceator of O'Heyne of the castle of Dtmowen ; and, 4, Flann 
O'Heyne, the ancestor of O'Heyne of the castle of Dun Guaire. 

37. Edmond, son 0/ Flann 0*Heyne. — ^Nothing is recorded of this O'Heyne except 
that he was the father of, 

38. Eoghan Mantach O^Heyne He succeeded his uncle, Ruaidhri na CoiUe, as 

chief of the Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, in 1578. The following order of the Council of 
Connaught in his favour is worth inserting here, as throwing curious light upon the^ 
history of property at this period. 



(( 



Order of Council of Connaught — 1586. 



" Whereas, it is given us to understand that Owen Mantagh O'Hein of Lyd^ane, 
in the barony of Kiltaraght, within the co^ of Galway, chiefe of his name, is seized 
amongst other lands of the q*". of land called Caherkeamey, & the q"". of Cratnagh, w***. 
2 q'*. by a reason they were not presented unto us, are not comprised within the In- 
dentures of her Majt'. Composition, & for as much as by the said Indentures there was 
no freedom provided for the said Owen, and that by his own confession & presentment 
yt is found owte the s^. twoe q*^'. of land to be concealed and not presented as aSbresaid, 
whereby he is the better worthie to engage the same. It is therefore condecended, 
granted k agreed in consid". of the premises that the s**. Owen Mantagh O'Hein shall 
possess 8^. lands discharged of her Mat'**. Composition Rent. Given at Dublin the 
i3'»»ofMay, 1586. 

** Rich". Bingham. Thomas Dillon. 

Tho'. C. Strange. George Combrford.'* 
NiCHo. White. 

This Eoghan Mantach, or Owen the Toothless O'Heyne, died in the year 1588, as 
we learn from the Four Masters. "A. D. 1588. Eoghan Mantach, son of Edmond, 
son of Flann, son of Conchobhar O'Heyne, lord of Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, died, and his 
son Aodh Buidhe [Hugh the Yellow] was elected to his place." 

39. Aodh Buidhe^ or Hugh Boy^ the son of Eoghan Mantach 0*Hepie, — ^Upon the 
surrender of his property he received a grant of an extensive estate in the original 
territory, as will appear from the following curious document extracted from the fourth 
file of Fiants : 

" A Graunte unto Hughe Boy O'Heine, sonne and heire of One [Owen] O'Heyne 
of Ledigan, in the coy. of Grallway, within the province of Conaght, upon his Surrender, 
bearing date the 22°<* of July, in the xxx«*» yeare of her Ma«»««. raigne, of 33«. 4*. 
Sterlinge yerely, chief rent going out of three q". of lande in Crannaghe, of one q^ of 

Unde 



405 

lande in Cloncliie, of one q'. of lande in Cahem, one q^ of londe in Cahircame, one q"". 
of lande in Crossje, and two q". of lande in Habassane ; and also 33'. 4^ Ster. chiefe 
rent yerely goinge out of one q'. of lande in Sisselleidigan, one q'. of lande in Tuelgon, 
one q'. of lande in Corveighe, one q'. of lande in Kantierleveigh, and one quarter of 
lande in Dunguoire in th' aforesaid Countie: also 33'. 4*^. cliiefe rent yerely goinge 
out of one q'. lande of Cahirkillen, one q'. of lande in Caherglassane, one q^ of lande 
in Keppaghbeg, one q'. of lande in Cabermadorishe, one q'. of lande in Powleneveigh, 
and one q'. of lande in Rahalben in th' aforesaid Countie ; also 33*. 4*^. Ster. chiefe rent 
yerely goinge out of one q'. of lande in Ballibuige, one q'. of lande in Lawghcoure, one 
q'. of lande in Kiltwyne, and one q^ of lande in Caherscarlie in th^ aforesaid countie ; 
also fortie one shillings foure pence Ster. chiefe rent yerely goinge out of one q'. of 
lande in Ballevanegrane, one q^ of lande in Monescrib, one q'. of lande in le Mey, one 
q'. of lande in Fonchenbeg, one q'. of lande in Keapaghmore, and one q^ of lande in 
Clogher in th' aforesaid countie : also 35". 8*. Ster. chiefe rent yerely going out of one 
q'. of lande in ELnocklegan, one q'. of lande in Gortevallaile, one q'. of lande in Dro- 
myn, one q'. of lande in Trelick, one q'. of lande in Fonshenmore, one q'. of lande iu 
Rewe, one q'. of lande in Dowres, one q'. of lande in Townaght, one q'. of lande in 
Agard, one q'. of lande in Balliglara, one q'. of lande in Killily, and one q'. of lande in 
Cloneste in th' aforesaid countie — Sununa total, x". Ster. to the said Hughe O'Heine 
and his heires and assignes for ever per servicium Militare, viz. per servicium xx"*. 
partis unius feodi Militis. — Solvo jure cujuslibet. Deliberat in Cane. Hibernie xxiiii 
JuliL an. r. B. Eliz. X3cx", — tempore WiL Fitzwilliams." 

This Aodh Buidhe, or Hugh Boy O'Heyne, died in the year 1594, as we learn 
from the Four Masters : — " A. D. 1594- O'Heyne (Aodh Buidhe, son of Eoghan Man- 
tach, son of Edmond, son of Flann) died." This is the last notice of the O'Heyne 
family given in the Annals of the Four Masters ; but Duald Mac Firbis gives two 
generations more of the pedigree of the family of Lydigane, which carry the line down 
to his own time, A. D. 1 645-1 666. These generations are, 

4a Aodh Buidhe, son of Aodh Buidhe O^Heyne. 

41. Eoghan, son of Aodh Buidhe OHetfne, of Lydigane, 

From the Civil Survey, preserved in the Custom- House, Dublin, it appears that 
the following persons of the name of O'Heyne were living in the barony of Kiltartan 
in 1 641, principally in the parish of Dawros Kinvara : 

Edmond Owen O'Heyne, in Corboy. 
Conor O'Heyne, in Kinturly. 
Flan Boy O'Heyne, in Kinturly. 

Car. 



4o6 

Car. Turlogh and Farro O'Heine, Ibidem. 

Flan B07 0'Hene» in Lissurduffe and Tomareagk. 

Teige and Edmond O'Hene, in Moinskaebo and MoiglL 

Owen O'Hene, in Funchinmore. 

Hugh O^Hene, in Corcamey. 

Flan mac Edmond O'Hene, in Lougbcurro. 

Farro CyHine, in Balligilligagb and Corconnogh. 

Turlo O'Hine, in Cappamore. 

Edmond O'Hine, in Dmmon. 

Teige Beagb O'Haine, in BallimacbakilL 

Car. Henry O'Hene, 

Donogb O'Heyne, 

Owen mac Teige Moyle O'Heine, 

Lawybevrre O'Heine, 

Hugb Boy O'Heine, in Carrocurra and Crannan. 



in Sbragb and 
Ballinaghan. 



Dominick Darcy of Clonuane, Gent, by bis Will (now preserved in tbe Prerogative 
Court, Dublin), dated ist August, 1666, bequeathe to bis brother [half brother ?] 
Farragh 0*Heyne, during his life, the cartron of Kilboren, and five pounds ster- 
ling ; to his brother Flan O'Heyne three pounds, and the like to his brother Owen 
O'Heyne. 

John Hynes, Esq., of the New Quay, in the barony of Burren, in the north of the 
county of Clare, who has acquired a handsome property by honest industry, is de- 
scended from Flan Boy O'Heyne of Kinturly, now Kinturlough, mentioned in the 
above list, from whom the generations to the present day will be seen in the following 
line : 
1. FUs Boy O'Heyne of Kinturlough, living in 1641. 

I 

9. Peter O'H. 

I . 

3. Brian OH. 

I 

4. John HTnes, died 1746. 

I 

5. JameB Hjnes, died 1802. 

6. John Hynes, now Unng, bom 1786. 



I I i I 

7. James. 7. Dr. Patrick of London. 7« Thomas, died 1841. 7. Michael of KluTara, 7. John. 

merchant. 

Pediqrsk 



407 



E. 
Pedigree of Mac Firbis. 



This family were originally seated in Magh Broin, in Tirawley. They were after- 
wards removed to Rosserk, on the west side of the Moy, in the same territory, but 
when the Barretts drove the O'Dowds out of Tirawley, Mac Firbis was fixed at Lecan 
in Tireragh. They had the privilege of holding the rod over O'Dowd at his inaugu- 
ration, and of drinking at the banquet even before the acknowledged senior of the race, 
(yCaomhain. — See pp. 140, 141, 142. The pedigree of this family, as given by Duald 
Mac Firbis in 1666, is many generations defective, and cannot be depended upon ex- 
cept for about the last twelve generations. Strange ! that this family, who were 
the hereditary historians to the O'Dowds, while they preserved so much of the history 
of other families, should have left us so imperfect and uncertain an account of them- 
selves. The following is the part of this pedigree which the Editor believes to be 
trustworthy : — 

1. John Mac Firbis. 



2. Amhlaoibh MT. 

I 

3. Domhnall M<F. 

I 

4. GioUa aa naomh M*F. 

I 

5. Ferbisigh M'F. 

I 

6. John Carrach M'F. 

I 

7. John Og M'F. 

1 

8. Ferbisigh M<F. 

1 

9. DoDnohadh Mor M*F. 

I 



I 

10. Diarmaid Caoch. 



1 1 . dothmadh, 1 1 . James, 
who built 
the castle 
of Lecan, 
1560. 

12. Ferfeasa. 

I 

13. Ciothmadh Og. 

I 

14. Ferfeasa. 



I 

10. James M'F. 

I 

11. Diarmaid Caoch M<F. 

I 

12. DubhalUch M'F. 

I 

13. GioUa loaa Mor M'F. 12. Ferceirtne. 



I 

10. William. 

I 

11. John Og of 

the castle 
of Lecan. 

I 



1 

2. Muircheartach. 

I 

3. Ferbisigh. 

I 

4. GioUa loaa Mor. 

I 
6. Doonchadh. 

I 

6. Giolla loaa Mor, 

I 1417. 

7. Thomas Cam. 

I 

8. Ferbisigh. 

I 

9. Tadhg Ruadh. 

I 

10. Ciothrnadh. 

I 

11. Aodh Og. 

I 

12. Brian Dorcha. 



I 
14. Dabhaltach M'F., 

liTing in 1666. 



I 

13. Geanann. 

I 

14. Donnchadh. 



Our 



ii 
(( 



408 

Our writers have preserved but few notices of this family. The following are all 
that the Editor has been able to collect : 

"A. D. 1279. Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis, OUav of Tireragh, died."— Fowr Mtu- 

" A. D. 1 301. Gille Issa Mac Firvissie, chief chronicler of Tyrefiaghrach, wonderful 
well-skilled in histories, poetry, computation, and many other sciences, died." — Ann, 
Clonmacnoise, 

A. D. 1376. Donnchadh Mac Firbis, a good historian, died." — Four Masters. 
A. D. 1379. Firbis Mac Firbis, a learned historian, died." — Four Matters. 
A. D. 141 7. Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis was chief historian to O'Dowd of Tire- 
ragh, and composed a long topographical poem on the tribes and districts in the ancient 
territory of his ancestors." — Dtudd Mac Firbis, 

" A D. 1450. Eugene O'Cormyn and Thady Mac Firbis, Eremites of the order of 
St. Augustine, received a grant of the lands of Stormor, in Tirawley, from Thady 
O'Dowd, to erect thereon a monastery under the invocation of the Holy Trinity, and 
Pope Nicholas the Fifth confirmed the same by a Bull dated 12th December, 1454" — 
ArchdoU^ from Meagher, 

" A. D. 1560. Ciothruadh and James, the two sons of Diarmaid Caoch Mac Firbis, 
and their cousin-german John Og, the son of William Mac Firbis, built the castle of 
Lecan in Tireragh." — Duald Mac Firbis, Vide supra, pp. 168, 169. 

" A. D. 1672. Duald Mac Firbis, the last of the hereditary antiquaries of Lecan, 
was murdered at Dunflin." — Ch, O^Conw of Bdanagare, 

The present representative of this family is supposed to be John Forbes, a small 
farmer living in the parish of Lacken, near Killala, and barony of Tirawley. He de- 
scends from one of the brothers of Duald, the last of the antiquaries, and he has 
lately addressed the following letter to the Royal Irish Academy, which is inserted 
here for the sake of the particulars it contains of the writer's family, and as a curious 
assertion of his claim to be the representative of the ancient antiquaries : 

" To ike Honourable the President and Associates of the Royal Irish Academy, 

" The Memorial of John Mac Firbis of the parish of Lacken, in the county of Mayo, 
farmer, 

" Respectfully showeth, 
" That Memorialist is descended from the family of Mac Firbis of Lecan — ^Mac 
Firbis, in the county of Sligo, hereditary antiquaries of Connaught, being the fifth in 
descent from the younger and only brother of Duald Mac Firbis, the last of the anti- 
quaries of the family, who was brutally murdered in the county of Sligo. 

"That 



409 

" That the sisters of said Duald retired into Spain, where they ended their lives in 
a conyent, whilst his younger brother, the ancestor of memorialist, was dispossessed of 
the property of Lecan Mac Firbis, since which period memorialist's family have lived 
in poverty and indigence. 

" That memorialist has been informed that a work on Irish antiquities called the Book 
of Lecan, written by one of memorialist's ancestors, is now in the Library of your honour- 
able Society, together with the copy of another work of like nature, composed by the 
aforesaid Duald Mac Firbis, of which his family was deprived at the period of his murder. 

'•*• Although the lands of Lecan Mac Firbis have passed away for ever from memorial- 
ist's family, yet he humbly hopes, from the honour and himianity of the Noblemen 
and Gentlemen composing the Royal Irish Academy, that he will be allowed some 
consideration for these works of his ancestors, which now, as memorialist believes, form 
a prominent portion of ancient Irish history. 

" Memorialist is in a state of humble poverty, and respectfully submits his case, 

my Lords and Gentlemen, to your humane consideration. 

" And will for ever pray. 
"Z>wA/tn, 15 Atiff., 1842." 

F. 

St. Fiache. — The Muaidh. 
Pa^e 2, Note ^. — The proper name Fiachra, making Fiachrach in the genitive case, 
which occurs so often throughout this volume, is well known on the Continent as that 
of a celebrated Irish saint, the site of whose hermitage near Meaux was deemed so 
sacred that to go on a pilgrimage thither was, to a late period, a frequent practice ; 
and we are told of the pious queen Anne of Austria, that when she visited the shrine 
of this saint in 1641, so great was the humility of her devotion that she went the 
whole of the way from Monceau to the town of Fiacre on foot. 

'^L'ermitage de Saint Fiacre est devenu un bourg de la Brie, fameux par les 
pelerinages que I'on y faisait ; I'eglise ou chapelle etoit desservie par les Benedictins ; 
les femmes m'entroient point dans le sanctuarie, et I'on remarque que la Reine Anne 
d'Austriche, y venant en pelerinage en 1641, se conforma h. cet usage, et qu'elle fit 
meme k pied le chemin depuis Monceau jusqu'a Saint-Fiacre" — fftst. de Meaux — 
quoted by Moore in his History of Ireland, vol. i. p. 278, who also quotes from " ano- 
ther work," which he does not name, relating to this saint : — *' On a pretendu que le 
nom de Fiacres avait ete donne aux carosses de place, parcequ'ils furent d'abord des- 
tines k voiturer jusqu'a St. Fiacre (en Brie) les Parisiens qui y allerent en peleri- 
nage." — See Butler's Lives of the Saints, in Aug. 30. Mabillon Acta SS. Ord. S. 
Bened. torn. iL and the Bollandists. 

lEISH ABCH. 80C. 12. 3 G Ibid. 



410 

Ibid, — The Muaidh^ called Moda by Adamnan, — The learned Dr. Prichard, in his 
Ethnography of the Celtic race, being misled by the inaccurate work on Ireland by 
Dr. Wood, states that the Moda of Adamnan is Wexford harbour, and concludes that 
the Milesian story was written after the seventh century. The following are his 
words: — ** The Milesians arrived in Ireland I3CX>, B. C, at Inmhear Slainge, or 
Wexford harbour, the name of which is a proof \hdX the Milesian story was written 
after the seventh century, since in the second that place was called * Modoni ostia' by 
Ptolemy, and in the seventh Moda by St. Adamnan." — Sect. XII. Par. 2. 

Whatever truth or falsehood there may be in the Milesian story, this argument is 
too weak and unfounded to destroy it The words of Adamnan are as follows, and they 
clearly show that he meant no other than the present River Moadh, or Moy : — " Alio 
quoque in tempore de Cormaco nepote Lethani, viro utique sancto, qui tribus non minus 
vicibus eremum in Oceano laboriose quaesiuit, nee tamen inuenit, Sanctus Columba 
ita prophetizans ait : hodie iterum Cormac desertum reperire cupiens, enauigare incipit 
ab ilia regione quae ultra Modam fluvium sita, Eirros domnonn dicitur : nee tamen 
etiam hac vice quod quserit inveniet ; et non ob aliam eius culpam, nisi quod aUcuius 
religiosi Abbatis Monachum, ipso non permittente, discessorem secum non recte 
comitari, navigio susceperit." — Vit, S. ColumbcBy Cap. VL De Sancto Comuico. {ap, 
Cdgan. Tr. Thaum. p. 340.) 

On the situation of the River Moda Colgan adds the following note, which is an 
additional authority against the opinion that the Moda of Adamnan was the har- 
bour of Wexford : — " Fluvius est Connacise Celebris, vulgo Muaidhy et nobis latine 
Moadus, sive Muadus appellatus." 

On the situation of Eirros domnon^ which lies beyond the River Moda, Colgan says : — 
" Eirros — Est regio Occidentalis Connacise vulgo Irros chlann Domtiann appellata." 

Now, as the River Moda of Adamnan is not the harbour of Wexford, where is the 
argument to prove that Inbher Slainge, the name of the mouth of the River Slaney, 
is not older than Ptolemy's time ? Where is the proof that the Modoni ostia of 
Ptolemy is the mouth of the Slaney ? — See Ogygia^ p. 17, where O'Flaherty writes : — 
" Nee qui nunc Slanius Modono, aut alio quiLm Slanio nomine cognitus ^ Belgarum 
ingressu multis seculis ante Ptolemsei natales." It is much more likely that the 
Modonus of Ptolemy is the bay of Bannow, which is said to have been anciently a 
safer harbour than that of Wexford. 

G. 

SiTH BUDHA. 

Page 6, Note ' Sith Bvdha^ i e. the hill of Budh. There were three or four 

celebrated hills of this name in Ireland, which were believed to have been haunted by 

fairies 



411 

fairies or demons ; but it would appear from the Life of St. Cormac, as given in the 
Book of Lecan, and published in a Latin translation, by Colgan in Acta SS. that the 
Sith budha here referred to was in Tirawlej. Speaking of Muireadhach, from whom 
sprung the O'Muireadhaigh of Tirawley, this life has the following words : — " ex cujus 
semine nobilis familia Muredaciorum in eadem regione olim potens." We find in it also 
the following curious reference to this hill: — ** Ad ejus [sc. Cormaci] etiam Ecclesiam, 
tanquam ad tutum refugium [seu] asylum, uxor prsedicti Aengussii, nomine Saba filii 
Fiachrii Finni, a quo Fiachrorum familia in regione Amalgadise, duxit suum filium 
Muredacium nomine, Isethali contagione percussum, quam contraxit ex quadam pes- 
tilenti exhalationi, qu® promanabat ex monte quodam Sith Badha [recte Sith Budha] 
Tulgo nuncupato, et dsmonum infestationibus infecto." — Colgan^ Acta SS. p. 754. 

H. 
The ancient Leatha. 

LeoUha, — See pages 18, 19, Note ^. — It has been much disputed by modem antiqua- 
ries what district the ancient Lrish writers designated by the name Lethu, or Leatha. 
The translator of Fiech's Hymn on the life of St. Patrick has rendered it Latium in the 
fifth, sixth, and ninth quatrains, but Mr. Patrick L3mch, in his Life of St. Patrick, 
and after him Lanigan and Declan, have laboured to prove that Leatha was never ap- 
plied to Latium, but was a hibernicised form of Letavia, the name by which a part, 
and sometimes the whole of Armoric Gaul was called by the writers of the middle 
ages. Lynch, after stating that the translator of Fiech's Hymn was in error in under- 
standing Letha as designating Latium, or Italy, writes as follows, pp. 77, 78 : 

" The truth is, that the word Lethu, in all parts of the Irish hymn where it occurs, 
should have been translated into Letayia, the name by which a part, and sometimes 
the whole country of Armoric Gaul was called by the writers of the middle ages. 

*^ In according to that, the old scholiast on this hymn says, that ' all St. Patrick's 
family went on commercial business beyond the Iccian sea towards the south to Le- 
thftTiUn Aremorica, or Letheacensian Britain ; but at that time the seven sons of 
Fechtmimd being banished from Britain (Albion) were committing depredations in 
Letha, a district of Aremoric Gaul^ 

" In the life of St Ailve, Bishop of Emly, in Momonia, or Munster, and not in 

Menavia^ 
* ** Omnes (nempe aaneti Patrieii eonsanguinn) Fechtmudii regis firitonum erant relegati a Bri- 
dnral ex Britannia Alcluidensi trans mare Ic- tannis : et fecerunt prsdas in Britanni Armoric 
einm Tenas austrum negotii causa contulerunt se a regione Letha, ubi Patricias cum familia fuit." 
ad Armoricam Lethanam sire Britanniam Lethea- — Scholiast on St. Fiech, No. 5. 
ceosem. £0 autem tempore septem filii 

2G2 



412 

Menaeia, or St David's, as Cambrensis would have it, it is recorded that ' Sampson 
was Bishop of Dal Omhoir, in the remotest frontiers of Letha,' that is, says Doctor 
Langhome, ' the city of Dol, in Bretayne, or Lethania Aremorica, for,' continues he, 
' Aremorica was also denominated Letha, or LethaniaV 

" To the above we shall only add the testimony of Camden, who states that * this 
district, previously to the arrival of our countrymen from Britain, was originally called 
Aremorica, that is, near the sea, in the British dialect Lhydaw, importing also its ma- 
ritime situation, fyinp on the coast; and in Latin Letavia, among the writers of the 
middle age ; whence its inhabitants, I suppose to be the Leti, a people of Gaul men- 
tioned by Zosimus ; and, lastly, it was denominated Britannia Minor, or Little Britain, 
from our British compatriots who settled there*." 

This reasoning would seem to be borne out by the Irish translation of Nennius, in 
which " Brittones Armorici" is rendered by the Irish " 6peacain 6ea?ra," i. e. the 
Britons of Leatha, as in the following passage : 

*' Septimus imperator regnavit in Britannia Maximianus. Ipse perrexit cum om- 
nibus militibus Brittonum a Brittannia, et occidit Gratianum r^em Bomanorum, et 
imperium tenuit totius Europee, et noluit dimittere milites, qui perexerunt cum eo, 
ad Brittaniam ad uxores suas, et ad filios suos, et ad possessiones suas ; sed dedit illis 
niultas regiones, a stagno quod est super verticem Montis Jovis usque ad civitatem 
quffi vocatur Cantguic, et usque ad Cumulum occidentalem, id est, Cruc Ochidient. 
Hi sunt Brittones Armorici, et nimquam reversi sunt hue, usque in hodiemum diem." 
— ffistoria Britonumy Stephenson's edit., pp. 20, 21. 

Thus rendered by the Irish translator in the Book of Ballymote and H. 3. 17. 

^^ niaiximain po ^b pi^i 6peacain, *' Maximian succeeded to the govem- 
ocup puj ployu 6peacain a l^omdncaib, ment of Britain ; and he led the forces of 
CO copoaip laip 5p°^'°" '" c-impep, Britain into the country of the Romans, 

and 



I"* Ex hoc tempore, ut obiter id notemus. Samp- 
sonem, ciyus aotea meminimus («x vita Ailbet) 
ftxiflse Episcopum ciTitatis que rocatur Dol om- 
hoir in extremis finibus Letha, id est, Dolensis 
CiTitatis in Britannia Armorica Lethana, in ejus- 
dem Ailbei rita legimus ; nam Aremorica etiam 
Letha et LetaTia nimcupata est." — Chronica Reg, 
Angl, p. 22, a Dan Langhornio, Lond, ed. 1679. 

^ '* Ante Bri tanner um nostrorum adventum, 
hec regio primum Armorica dicta erat .i. ad mare 



sita; deinde Britannic^ Lfydaw .i. Litoralia, 
latine Letavia apud nostros medie etatia scrip- 
tores, unde Letoe fuisse suspicor qaos in QalliA 
nominat Zosimos, postremo Britannia Minor a 
3ritanni8 nostris, qui, ut est apod Nennium, te- 
nuerunt regiones a stagno quod est super montem 
Jovis usque ad civitatem qusB Tocator Cantguie, 
et ad cumulum occidentalem .i. Cm Occfaidieot, 
ut ex Rutilio CUudio et iEgidio Bfasserio ooUigi 
pos8it"^Cam6cf. Brit. 66. 



413 



ocup po jab p^in piji na h-6oppa ; ocup 
nf po W15 uao na pluaij puj leip do cum 
Q m-bariy ocup a mac, naclia peapann, 
Qcc DO pao peopanna imoa Doib 6 cha 
m loch pil immullach Sleibi loib co 
Canacuic bu oeap, ocup piap co Duma 
Oichioen, aic a puil m Chpop eapjna. 
Ocup ip lOD pm 6peacam 6eaco, ocup 
capapeaip reap do 5peap." 



and Gratian, the Emperor, was slain by 
him, and he himself assumed the govem- 
ment of Europe, and he did not permit 
the forces which he had brought with 
him to return to their wives, sons, or 
lands, but he gave them many lands 
[in the region extending'] from the lake 
which is on the summit of Mount Jove, 
southwards, to Canacuic, and westwards 
to the mound of Oichiden, where the 
grand cross is situated. And these are 
the Britons of Leatha, and they remained 
always in the south." 

It looks strange that the Irish translator here seems to take the Welsh word cruc^ 
a hill or mound, for the Latin word crux^ a cross, and tmderstands Cruc Ochidient, 
which Nennius intended as a Welsh translation of cumulum occidentalem, to signify 
" where the grand cross is situated !" 

But it must nevertheless be confessed that in the Felire Aenguis, at the 27 th of 
Jane, the city of Rome is styled " Ruaim tera" in the original text, and 6eaca is 
explained in the Gloss by the Latin Latium^ " 6eara, a nomine &acium." Also in 
a very ancient Irish stanza quoted in the same work. Pope Gregory the Great is styled 
" Qbb R6ma Cecha," L e. Abbot of Rome of Letha. These authorities are sufficient to 
defend the translator of FiecVs Hymn against the criticism of Lynch and his followers 
Lanigan and Declan. The following authorities are also submitted to the reader on 
this very curious question : 



" Ip ann pm do cuaiD Parpuic do 
poj^luim eacna ajup cpabuio 1 n-oip- 
cheap oepcepc Bcaile co ^epmon 

eppcop lap pm po puce m 

c-ainjeal e 1 n-Qpbopic &echa cup m 
corpaij; DianoD ainim Capua 1 Sleib 
Qpmom, pupep pipam mapip Ceppeni.'* 
— Vit. Patricii, in LeabharBreac, foL 1 3, b. 



" Then Patrick went to learn wisdom 
and religion in the south-east of Italy, to 

German the Bishop Afterwards 

an angel conducted him to Armoric Letha 
to the city named Capua, at the mountain 
of Armoin super ripam nutris Tjfrrkeni,^^ 



Duald Mac Firbis has the following notices of this name : 



(4 



Pocan oaoipe phaqiai^, .1. pacpoi^ 



(C 



The cause of Patrick^s slavery was 

this. 



414 



ajup a araip, ajup a ihdraip, ajup a cuij 
peacpa, j. Cupaic, Cijpip, l^aic^ll, t>e- 
pepca, Cinnenuin, ajup a bpacaip, .1. 
oeocuin Samian, do cuaoop uile a 
6pearnuib CTil Cluaioe cap fPuip n-lcc 
po oep pop cupup 50 6pearnuib Qp- 
muipc Ceara, .1. 50 6peacnuib Ceceoc, 
dp po bdoap bpdicpe odib ann an can 
pin. CI^up pa DO ppanjcoib mdroip 
na clapme, .1. Coincep, ajup ba piuppioe 
coibneapoa do mapcain. Qjup ap 1 pin 
aimptp po bdcap pecc meic Seccmaioe, 
.1. ptj 6pecan pop lonjj 6 6hpeacnaib. 
Oo ponpoD cpa cpec moip 1 m-6peac- 
nuib Qpmuipc &eaca, baile a m-boi 
Pacpaij CO n-a ifiuinncip, 7c." 

" Ceic phacpaic lapum 50 paibe la 
Jecipnian ab, a n-oeap 1 n-oepjepc 
Ceaca (in aupcpali papce J^llopum 
luxca TTlape Ceppenum). 6eaca, .1. 
Icalia, Ceaca a lacicuome. J^pmon, 
abb na cacpoc oap ab ainm Qlci- 
ooopup, ap aije po lej pdcpaij, ajup 
6up^\]nia ainm na ceannaicce p D-cd in 
oacaip pm m sallip ; ^omab 1 n-lnnpib 
rPapa Coippen pin map appepc F'^iJ 
Slebce, 

" In-innpib mapa coippion, 
Qinip innib ao pime, 
Ceujaip canoin la ^^pnidn, 
Qpea6 ao piaoao line. 

" Ocup Qlanenpip ainm na cacpoc no 
na hinnpi pin ap TTluip Coippen." 



this. Patrick, with his father, mother, 
and five sisters, Lupait, Tigris, Raichell, 
Dererca, and Cinnenum, and his brother 
Deochnin Samian, all went from Britain 
of AilCluath, southwards, across the Iccian 
sea, to the Britons of Armuiric Leatha, 
that is, to the Britons of Letheoc, who 
were their kinsmen at that time, and the 
mother of these children was of the Franks, 
namely, Coinces, a near relative to St. 
Martin. This was the time that the seven 
sons of Sechtmad, King of Britain, were 
in exile from Britain. They committed 
a great depredation on the Britons of Ar- 
muiric Leatha, where Patrick and his 
people were, &c." — Duold Mac Firbis^ 
MS. Gene(d,y p. 692. 

*' Patrick afterwards went southwards 
to German, in the south of Leatha (in 
australi parte Gallorum juxta Mare Ter- 
renum). Leatha, i. e. Italia ; leatha a la- 
titudine. German was abbot of the city 
named Altiodorus ; it is with him St. 
Patrick read ; and Burgunia is the name 
of the principality in Gaul, in which this 
city is situated ; and this is in the islands 
of the Tyrrhenian sea, as Fiag of Sletty 
says, 

'* In the islands of the Tyrrhenian sea 
He resided, as is related, 
He reads his canons with German, 
As is certified by us. 

" And Alanensis is the name of the city or 
island in the Tyrrhenian sea." — Id. p. 693. 



It should be also remarked that in the Book of Lismore, and in the Book of Fenagh 
the city of Rome is called Poiih 6eaca, i. e. Bome of Leatha, from which it is quite 

clear 



415 

clear that by Lea4ha the writers of these works meant Latiuniy which was the ancient 
name of that district of Italj, in which the city of Borne is situated. 

I. 

Saint Ceallach. 

Poges 33-35. — This Ceallach, who was the eldest son of Eoghan Bel, King of Con- 
ziaught, was educated by St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise, and became a bishop at Kilmore- 
Moy, in Tirawley ; but he afterwards resigned his bishopric and retired as a hermit 
to Oilen EdghaWy in Loch Con, from fear of Guaire Aidhne, King of Connaught, who 
had conceiyed a mortal hatred towards him, as he was the true heir to the kingdom of 
Connaught Guaire bribed four ecclesiastical students who were under Cellach's tui- 
tion in the hermitage, to murder him, namely, Mac Deoraidh, Maelcroin, Maeldalua, 
and Maelseanaigh. According to the life of Bishop Ceallach, of which there is a copy in 
the collection of Messrs. Hodges and Smith, this murder was committed in a wood 
situated between Loch Con and Loch Cuillinn, in the south of the territory of Tirawley, 
and after its perpetration King Guaire granted the territory of Tirawley to these four 
students as a reward for their services in despatching Ceallach, who thereupon erected 
a fort for themselves at Dun Fina Soon after this occurrence Muireadhach, who was 
otherwise called Cucoingilt, the second son of King Eoghan Bel, came to visit his 
brother Oilen Edghair, but not finding him there, and learning that certain negoci- 
ations had passed between his pupils and King Guaire, he at once suspected that the 
bishop, his brother, had been murdered ; after some inquiries and searches he found 
the body in the hollow trunk of an oak tree, torn by the ravens, scald crows, and 
wolves. Cucoingilt carried the mangled body to the church of Turloch for interment, 
but the clergy of that establishment, dreading the vengeance of King Guaire, would not 
permit it to be buried there ; upon which he carried it to the church of Lis Callain, 
but the clergy refused to admit it ; it was next brought to the church of Eincreachay 
where it was interred with due honours. Cucoingilt, after having chanted a short dirge 
over the grave of his brother, in which he vowed vengeance against the murderers, assem- 
bled an armed band of three hundred of his relatives and adherents, with whom, after 
having lived one year in Hy-Many, and some time in Meath, where he married Aifi, 
the daughter of Blathmac, King of Ireland, he at length returned to Tirawley, his own 
Fleoic lavfUiOy or patrimonial inheritance, where, by the assistance of a swine-herd, he 
procured admittance to the fort of Dun Fine, in which the murderers of his brother 
were banquetting. Here he remained at the banquet in the disguise of a swine-herd 
imtil he observed that the four murderers, and all their guests and attendants, were 

stupid 



4i6 

stupid with intoxication, upon which he sent his friend, the swine-herd, for his armed 
band, who were concealed in the neighbourhood, who, rushing into the fort, slew all 
the guards and attendants, and seized upon the four murderers of Bishop Ceallach. 
The guests in general, on learning that it was Cucoingilt, the second son of King 
Eoghan Bel, and the brother of the murdered bishop, that had thus disturbed their 
festivities, were more pleased than grieved at the occurrence, and finished their pota- 
tions in honour of the rightful heir. 

On the next day Cuncoingilt carried the four murderers, in chains, southwards, 
through the territory from Dun Fine to a place called Durlus Muaidhe, and across 
Lee Durluis, until he arrived at a place near the Biver Moy, since called Ard na riadh 
[now Ardnarea], i & the hill of executions, where he executed the four, cutting off 
all their limbs while they were living. 

After this Cucoingilt obtained the hostages of Tir Fiachrach and Tir Amhalgaidh, 
and compelled Guaire to live in Tir Fiachrach Aidhne, in the south of the province. 

J. 
Cnoc na Maill 

Page 96, Note \ and page 267, Note ^ — ^It should be here added that the district 
lying round the Bed Hill of Skreen was originally called Cnoc na Maili, and afterwards 
Mullach Buadha, which is now, strange to say, applied not to the hill itself, but to a 
small townland lying to the east of it. But the name was never so applied until the 
original Ballybetagh was subdivided into half quarters, which constitute the present 
townlands, when the names were very strangely confounded. Thus the half quarter 
on which the church stands received the appellation of Skreen from the church, the 
division to the south of it was called Lecarrow, i a Ceic-cearpaiha, the half quarter, 
from its quantity ; the hill itself, which originally gave name to the whole district, or 
Ballybetagh, was called Cnoc Euadha, L e. Bufina's hill, now incorrectly translated 
Bed Hill, while Midlack Riundha^ the more ancient appellation, was transferred to a 
subdivision to which it is by no means applicable, inasmuch as it is not a muUachy or 
summit, in relation to the other subdivisions, and contains no monument of the Lady 
Bufina with whose name it is compounded. In this manner, however, have ancient 
names, in many instances, been transferred and corrupted. The cam erected over the 
body of Btiadh, or Bufina, the wife of Dathi, still remains on this hill, but it is not on 
its very summit, as Duald Mac Firbis writes. It is thus described by Bobert Jones, 
Esq., in a letter to B. C. Walker, Esq., of Bathcarrick, barrister-at-law, who has kindly 
forwarded it to the Editor : 

'^ Being here for the Christmas holidays I made a search for the cairn of Knockroe, 

or 



417 

or MuUaghroe, and have discovered it I enclose a sketch from the Ordnance Map, 
sheet 19. On the townland of Mullaroe there is nothing of the sort, but the district 
up the hill is all called Crockroe, or the Red Hill, and there is a large stone fort shown 
in the Ordnance Survey, called the Red HilL This, however, is not the cairn, but 
lower down the hill I discovered the cairn, which had been opened, and contained 
several small chambers ; the principal one has still the covering stones on it, but filled 
with smaller stones underneath. The earn is of an oval form, ninety-six paces round. 
The entire hill is a light soil on lime-stone rock, which every where protrudes. The 
cairn is formed of these stones ; the first chamber has a double covering of large lime- 
stone flags, the sides being formed of upright fiags of the same material, like a small 
cromlech, and is about six feet square. There appear to be several other smaller ones 
which have been opened and the rubbish thrown back again. From the stone fort 
higher up the hill there is a magnificent view : it stands just over the dark lake under 
Knockacrea, from whence the moimtain rises at once, and the view of Knocknarea, 
Glencarr, and the mountains beyond the Union wood is splendid. It is a very con- 
siderable fort and has chambers underneath it. 

" Robert Jones. 
^^Skreen^ 2yth December, 1843." 

K. 

Pedigree op the Clann Donnchadha O'Dowd. 

Pa^ 116, Note ^. — The following document is taken from the Book of Lecan, 
foL 85, 6, where it has been inserted in a more recent hand : 

« Clann oobal mop la fVlaolpuanai^, " Maolruanaidh, son of Donnchadh, son 
mac Oonnchaij, meic Qooha, meic of Aodh, son of Taithleach, son of Aodh, 
Cailcij, mete Qooha, meic TTluipcheap- son of Muircheartach, had a very great 
coij, .1. Cailcech TTluaioi, ajup t)onn- family, namely, Taithleach Muaidhe [of 
cha6 ajup in Copnamoi^, .1. Qipo 6p- the Moy], Donnchadh* and Cosnamhach^ 

Archbishop 



* Donnchadh, — This materiallj differs from Taithleach Muaidhe, for we have the aathoritj 

the text of the Book of Lecan and from the pe- of the original text of the Book of Lecan and of 

digree of the O'Dowds giren by Duald Mac Fir- Duald Mac Firbis to proTe that Donnchadh Mor, 

bis, as already printed at p. 116, and no doubt the ancestor of the Clandonogh 0*Dowd, was the 

can be entertained that the present notices are second son and not the brother of this Taithleach. 
incorrect, and were inserted into the Book of ** Cosnamhaeh, — He was the only brother of 

Lecan from the memory of some local romancer, Taithleach Muaidhe, according to the original 

who had but a confused knowledge of the pedi- text of the Book of Lecan, in which he is called 

gree of the ODowd at this period. This Donn- Archdeacon of Tuam, and intended archbishop, 
ehadh was certainly not the elder brother of 

IRISH ARCH. 80C. 12. 3 H 



4i8 



poc Cuama, ajup op ^ in Cailcec 
TTIuaioi pin do mapbao a in-6el Qcha 
Cailcij op CoiUcib tujhna ITIeic pip- 
cp'i pc 5°Uaib. CTjup po eip^eooap 
clann imoa cr^ Oonnchao Rlop O'OuBoa 
pe h-Onoputnn, in^en TTleic 6aicin 6ai- 
p^D, .1. Oonnchao O5, ajup niuipceap- 
cac, o^up CaicleCy .1. cnam-piac na 
clainni ap a m^o, a^up op a milioeacc 
ayup opon^ eli d'6 paoa jup ab mac 
cabapcaip 6, ctyup 50 b-ppic o'd iche 
pa piachaib ^, no 50 o-cuc OXuachan 
o'd C15 p^m o'a oileamom 6; ajup 
^^ochlamn a^up Q06 m Chopainn, ojup 
Copmac, .1. 8ppoc Cilli h-6oloo, ajup 
Q06 RuaOy ajup Concabap na Ceic- 
epne. 

" Do jab Caiclec Hluaioi m ci jeap- 
nup D'aimoeoin Oonnchaoa ajup na 
pinnpipecc. 1\0 jab Oonncao ITlop ajup 



Archbishop of Tuam. This is the Taith- 
leach Muaidhe who was slaiii at Bel Atha 
Tailtigh, in Coillte Lughna Mac Eirtri, 
by the English^. And Donnchadh Mor 
O'Dubhdahad nmneroTis issue by Honora, 
the daughter of Mac Wattin Barrett^, 
namely, Donnchadh Og, Muircheartach*, 
and Taithleach {called the cnaim-fhiach of 
his children, for his size and warlike cha- 
racter, though others say he was a natural 
son^, and that he was found under the 
ravens, which were devouring him, until 
O'Luachain took him into his house to 
nurse him) ; Lochlainn, Aodh an Cho- 
rainn, CormacS, Bishop of Killala, Aodh 
Buadh^, and Conchobhar na CeithemeL 

Taithleach Muaidhe took the chieftain- 
ship in despite of Donnchadh and his se- 
niorityJ. Donnchadh Mor and his sons 

proceeded 



•^ By the English, — See p. 116, Note », and pp. 
303, 304, Note ", and also Addenda, pp. 354, 
356. 

<* Honora, the daughter of Mae IFattin Barrett, 

This is utterly false, for she was the wife of 

Donnchadh Og, his son. — See p. 116. This 
Donnchadh Mor had only three sons, namely, 
Donnchadh Og, Conchobhar, and William, Bi- 
shop of Killala. — See p. 116. 

' Muircheartaeh, — He was the grandson, not 
the son of Donnchadh Mor. 

^ Natural ton, — Cnamhfhiaoh na clainni, i. e. 
the bony-raTon of the children. The Rer. P. 
Mae LoQghlin, in his abstract of the Book of 
Lecan, gives an absurdly false translation of this 
passage as follows : — " This Donogh Mor bad by 
Onora Barrett Donogh Og and Mortogh, and 
Taithleach, otherwise called Cnamfiach, whom 



some say was a natural son, and got by the father 
at a hunt, or, as others say, was edaoated in his 
own house." 

f Taithleach, Lochlainm, Aodh an Chorainn, 
and Cormae were all the grandsons, not the sons 
of Donnchadh Mor. 

^ Aodh Ruadh. — He is not given in the originsl 
text of the Book of Lecan, nor by Duald Mse 
Firbis. 

' Conchobhar na Ceitheme, — ^He was actually 
the son of Donnchadh Mor and the brother of 
William, Bishop of Killala, who is not set down 
in this corrupt pedigree at all. 

i In despite of Donnchadh and his seniority. — 
This is utterly false, and a barefaced fabrication 
by some local romancer, for Taithleach Muaidhe 
was the father not the brother of Donnchadh. 



419 



a clann oj po^il, ajup aj oibeap^, 
cijuf C15 f ip-miUe6 ponn O b-Piachpac 
ajup O n-Qmal^aiD, no 50 n-oechai6 
Die op oafnib, a^up eapbaio ap aic- 
meoDOib ecoppa, no j^o n-oechaio luce 
lecDKnhna na n-aon comaipli ecoppa 
p^m in cfp DO poinn, oyup comacha 
comopa aj^uf peaponn faippin^ do «xi- 
baipc DO na clannoib pin Oonnchaio 
nioipy ajup in Cijeapnup do bee 05 
Cailcec TTIuaiDi a^up a^ a c-plicc ina 
oea^iD. CC^p ap f po in poinn, .1. Sin- 
ecqp^lachc ajup peipbip in pecca pij 
DO cabaipc do Oonncao O^, mac Oonn- 
chaio FHoip, ajup ceannup ceicepn ajup 
conj^bal do Concabap na ceirepni, a^up 
ciyeapnup ceall do Uilliam Bppoc,a5up 
cfp o^p olij^eao ap in ^-ceacpaiiiaD 
cuiD Do'n cip DO Oonnchao fPop p^m, 
a^up mip muppa ap a cinn puap do 
Oonnchao TTlop, .1. pechc in-baile 
Cuile Ceapnaoa, peara ajup caich- 
ijce ajup copnam in cipi d' piachaib ap 
Oonncao a^up ap a clann maicni 1 n-a 



proceeded to plunder, rebel, and destroy 
the land of Hj-Fiachrach and Hy-Amhal- 
gaidh, so that destruction was brought on 
men and want on tribes [during ike con- 
tentum] between them, until their follow- 
ers consulted together and agreed to di- 
vide the country, and to give those sons 
of Donnchadh Mor large considerations 
and extensive territory, and to cede the 
chieftainship to Taithleach Muaidhe and 
his descendants after him. This wob the di- 
vision : To cede the seneschalship and the 
service [administration] of the regal law 
to Donnchadh Og*^, the son of Donnchadh 
Mor, and the superintendence of the kerns 
and the houses to Conchobhar na Ceithirne, 
and the lordship of the churches to Wil- 
liam the Bishop^ and the rent and law of 
the fourth part of the territory were ceded 
to Donnchadh Mor himself, and a mir 
murra™ was also ceded to him (Donnchadh 
Mor) for his seniority, viz., the seven 
townlands of Cuil Cearnadha'^ ; and 
Donnchadh Mor, and his sons after him, 

were 



k Donnchadh Off, the ton of Donnchadh Mor, — 
Be died in the year 1384, that is, 102 years after 
the death of Taithleach Muaidhe — see p. 117 — 
•o that it is very clear this compact was not made 
in the time of the latter. It is quite erident from 
all the circumstances, that if this compact were 
ever made, it was made between Sen Brian O'Dowd 
and his brother Donnchadh Mor. 

1 William the Buhop He was Bishop of Kil- 

lala, and died in 13d0 See p. 117, Note ^ It 

is strange that the author of this interpolation 

3 



does not tell us who he was. According to the 
original text of the Book of Lecau and the work 
of Duald Mac Firbis, he was the third son of 
Donnchadh Mor. 

B Mir murra, — The meaning of this term is 
not giTon in any Irish dictionary. It seems clear 
Arom the context that it is used here to denote 
a freehold property, which was to descend to 
the posterity of Donnchadh Mor for erer. 

n Cuil Ceamadha For the exact extent of 

this district see pp. 166, 167, and 246, 257. 

H2 



420 



oecx^iD ace noma in mip muppa o'peap- 
ann c-paop puaip Donnchao TTlop. 



** Do Deanam eolup op jac ceaqia- 
moin Dibh poleir ap ej^la m ouchcoip 
DO ool 1 m-bachao, .1. &aile caipchi in 
cuile,map aca,cearpaimi inCaipci pein, 
ajup cearpaifni Qingiltn, ajup Cear- 
paimi na 5-cloc, ajup ceaqiaimi Cilli 
6pi^i, oip 1 pi cuiD ponna pleacca Qooa 
RuaiD, mic Donne haiD O15, in baile 
pin. CecR^aimi bee ITluini Conalldin, 
Cearpaimi mop TTluini ConallAin, ajup 
Cearpaimi in labdin, aj pin baile 
peapainn pleacca muipcecipcai^, mie 
DonnehaiD O15, mie Donnehaio ITloip. 
Cearpaimi Cilli na n-Japban, in Ceac- 



were obliged to sustain the battles and 
defence of the territory, though they have 
nothing for it but the mir murra of free 
land, which Donnchadh Mor had obtained. 
** To preserve a knowledge of every 
qtiarter of these separately lest their pa- 
trimony might be consigned to obUvion. 
They are asfoUows^ viz., Baile Cairthi in 
chuile®, viz., the quarter of the chairthi 
itself P, and Ceathramh Aingilin*>, Ceath- 
ramh na g-cloch^ the quarter of Cill- 
Brighde*, for this townland was the divi- 
dend of Aodh Ruadh, the son of Donnchadh 
Og. The quarter of Rath Raodain', the 
small quarter of Muine Conallain, the 
large quarter of Muine Conallain" and 
Ceathramha an labain^ ; this was the town- 
land of the posterity of Muircheartach, 

the 



o BaUe Cairthi in chuUe was the ancient 
name of a large townland or balljbetagh, com- 
prising the present townland of Corha and other 
subdirisions in the north-west of the parish of 
Kilgarran, in the district of Goolcamey, baronj 
of Gallen, and county of Mayo. 

P Cairthi, now the townland of Carha, or Car- 
rownacarha, in the same parish. It is but a sub- 
division of Baile Cairthi an Chuile. 

t Ceathramha Aingilin, now unknown. 

^ Ceathramha na g-cloeh, i. e. the quarter of 
the stones, now well known, and anglicised Car- 
rownaglogh, a townland in the north of the parish 
of Kilgarran. 

' cm Brighde, now the townland of Kilbride, 
otherwise called Carrowcleagh, in the north of 
the same parish. It derives the name of Cill 
Brighde from an ancient church dedicated to St. 
Bridget, the ruins of which are still yisible. — See 



Map. 

< Rath Raodain, now anglice Rathreedaun, a 
townland in the west of the same parish, the pro- 
perty of ThaddsBus O'Dowda of Bunnyconnellao, 
Esq. , the present chief of his name. There is in 
this townland a holy well dedicated to St. Fechin, 
the patron saint of this parish. 

" Muine Chonallain, L e. the hill or shrubberj 
of Conallan, the proper name of a man, not of a 
family, as some suppose. The name of this place 
is now corrupted to Bunnyconnellan, but it is 
correctly written Moneyconnilane in some of the 
more ancient of the 0*Dowd records, and ereo 
in one document of so late a date as 1 705. Both 
divisions of this townland are the property of the 
present O'Dowda, whose house stands upon the 
western division. 

^Ceathramha an labain, now anglicised Carrow> 
labaun, a townland in the west of the same pariah. 



421 



pcnmi Piabac, Cearpaimi mic Confn 
Cectrpaimi na h-Oili^i, 6aile peapainn 
pleacca Qooa in Chopamo. Cearpaimi 
6ip apD mop, Cearpaimi TTleic Cappa, 
Cearpaimi na 5p®^^'5'» Ceacpaimi 1 
t)uba5atn, aj pm baile Concobaip na 
Ceichepni .1. 6aile na 6porlai^i Cear- 
paimi mop Caiplein, Cearpaimi 6eac 
Caiplein, ajup leir 6aili Jleanna oa 
jub, aypm 6aile Cailnj ITloip .1. cnaim 
Fhiac na cloinni ; 6eir 6aili RupjaJJij 
.1. Cearpaimi na Caip^i, Cearpaimi na 
Coppa Opipiji, Cearpaimi Opoma Sju- 
obai^, Cearpaimi ITleic Jeipbli ajup 
oa cearpoime ele nach aipmioeo ponn ; 
ajup apiao plicr Cairlij do ben pin 



* cm na H-garbhan, now Kilgaryan, a town- 
Uod in the east of the parish of the tamo name, 
eontaining the graye-jard and some slight ruins of 
the ancient church, erected bj St. Fechin in the 
serenth century. — See Colgan*s Acta Sanctorum, 
p. 134, c. 8. 

' C^athramha riabhach, i. e. grey quarter, now 
anglicised Carrowreagh, a townland in the west 
of the same parish. 

' Ceathr<imha Athie Coinin, i. e. Mac Coinin*s 
quarter, now Carrowconeen, in the west of the 
ame parish. 

' Oileaehy now the townland of EUagh, in the 
south of the same parish : it is now divided into 
two parts, of which the larger is called EUagh- 
more, and the smaller EUaghbeg. — See p. 369, 
where EUaghmore is mentioned as the property 
of Captain 0*Dowda. 

* LiM ard mor, i. e. the fort of Ardmor, or the 
great height, now anglicised Lissardmore, and 
sometimes corruptly Lissermore. It is situated 
in the west of the same parish. 



the son of Donncbadh Og, who was the 
son of Donnchadh Mor. The quarter of Cill 
na n-garbhan^, Ceathramha riabhach^, 
Ceathramha Mic Coinin^, the quarter of 
Oileach', constituting the townland of the 
posterity of Aodh an Chorainn. The 
quarter of Lis ard mor% Ceathramha Meic 
Carra**, the quarter of Grellach*^, Ceath- 
ramha Ui Dhubhagain*^, that is, the town- 
land of Conchobhar na Ceithirne. Baile 
na Brothlaighe^, the great Castlequarter 
and the less Castlequarter^, and the half 
townland of Gleann da ghubh<^, this is 
the townland of Taithleach Mor, Cnaimh- 
fhiach na Cloinne. The half townland of 
Rusgach*', the quarter of CarraigS the 

quarter 



^ Ceathramha Mhie Carra, i. e. Mac Cam's 
quarter. This name is now obsolete and cannot 
be identified. 

^ Grellach, now Grallach, near Graffy, in the 
same parish. 

^ Centramha Ui Dhuhhagain, i. e. O'Dugan's 
quarter, now Carrowmagooaun, in the north-east 
of the parish of Attymas, in the district of Cool- 
camey, and barony of Gallen. 

' Baile na Brothlaighx, — This name is not in 
use at present, but it was the original name of 
the denomination of land on which is situated the 
small lough called Lough Brohly, lying westwards 
of Ellagh, in the parish of Kilgarvan. 

^ The great Castlequarter and the lets Cattle- 
quarter. — These subdiyisions are now called Car- 
rowcastle, and are situated in the west of the 
parish of Kilgaryan. 

f Gleann da ghubh, now Glendawoo, a town- 
land in the east of the parish of Attymass. 

^ Rutgaeh, now anglicised Roosky, a townland 
in the east of the parish of Attymass. 



422 



amac d' aimoeoin na cloinm oili a^p 
oa cearpomom oile map aon piu .1. 
Ceaqioimi 1 Sjoppa ajup a Cearpoimi 
Caol. 



" Qjpo cop a^uf cunnpao Cailcij 
muaiDi, .1. pf O B-Piachpac pe Donn- 
chao niop, .1. ber umal uppamach do 
Cairlec TTluaioi ap pon m cearpoimi 
pann oo'n rfp do chabaipc 00 OonnchoD 
ajup D'd plicc; Bipji 1 mach umal, 
uppamach do cabaipc do Uairlec TTlu- 
aiDi, ap pon in cearpoimi pann oo'n cip 
DO cabaipc do Oonnchao ajup o'a plicc 
Gipji imac umal innpuic do chabaipc 
DO Caiclec ITluaiDi ap uaipli a anma 
ajup a iniiii, ajup jac uaip od m-beio 
^i^ean.DG[il ap O'li-Ouboa, Oonnchao 
ajup a clann o'd ppeapoal pa n-oich- 
cell. QcuiD cuain ajup calao ajDonn- 
chao mop p^in ajup aja plicc. Dd 
m-beao ^oiil no ^^oidiI a n-Dubchaij 
1 Duboa Donnchao TTlop ajup a cUmn 



quarter of Corra drisighiJ, the qnarter of 
Drom Sguabacb^, Ceathramba Meic Geir- 
bli^ and two other quarters not mentioned 
here ; and the posterity of Taithleach got 
possession of these in despite of the other 
children, besides two other quarters, 
namely, Ceathramha Ui Sgorra'' and Ceath- 
ramh Caol°. 

" The following is the compact and cove- 
nant of Taithleach Muaidhe, King of Hy- 
Fiachrach, with Donnchadh Mor, viz., that 
Donnchadh and his descendants should be 
obedient and submissive to Taithleach 
Muaidhe, in consideration of their having 
received the fourth part of the territory, 
also to furnish an obedient, submissive, 
and sincere Rising-out to Taithleach Mu- 
aidhe for the same consideration, and also 
for the nobility of his name and wealth ; 
and whensoever the O'Dubhda should 
happen to be in jeopardy that they should 
assist him to the best of their ability. That 
Donnchadh Mor himself and his descen- 
dants should have their own portion of the 
harbours*^. If the English or Irish should 
be in the country of O'Dubhda, Donn- 
chadh 



> Carraig, now anglicised Carrick, a townland 
in the east side of the same parish. 

J Corro Drisighi, now Corradrishj, a townland 
in the centre of the same parish. 

k Drom Sgmahhach, now anglicised Dmmsooba, 
a townland in the south of the same parish. 

* Ceathramha Meie Geirbli, i. e. Blao Geirbli*s 
quarter, now Carrowkeribla, a townland in the 
west of the same parish. 

■" Ceathramha ISfforra, i. e. O'Sgorra's quarter. 



This name is now obsolete. 

° Ceathramh Chaol, i. e. the narrow quarter* 
There is no division of land in the district of 
Coolcamej at present bearing this name, though 
the name is common in other districts. 

^ Their own portion of the harbomre, that is to 
say, that thej should have the profits of such 
harbours and fisheries as were in their own por- 
tion of the territory, without paying any royalty 
to the chief in condderatioa of them. 



423 



DO chabaipc uipecco piu pein do Caiclec 
TnuaiDi ajup D'd cloinn ajup a leiceio 
Gill pin uaoha-pan ayup aobepc m 
Seancha annpo : 

" Callpaiji Cuili na j-cneoD 
pachac innci d'6 h-aipem, 
Cml Checqinuja na j-call 5-cap, 
neam-Dona in opon^ oan du cheap. 

Ceirpi caipij op cip c-puap 

05 Callpaiji na 5-caom cnuap, 
coinnmi oocaio pap 5-caipc-ni, 
caip ploinoi na paop-maicni. 

O'Cuinn ip O'Rochlan peio, 

6 h-lapnan na n-apm n-aijmeil, 
jon Di^bail Do'n jlepi ^all, 
O'Pinain in meine fHop Clann. 

O 6cl 6apa na n-eap n-jlan, 
peaD na ruaichi pi n6p cubao 
50 6popnaiD pa ceno ceni 
DO chopain ceann Callpaiji. 



p Should give aa many as tkenuehet, — This is 
Tory lamely expressed by the writer, but his 
metning is this : — " Should the country of the 
O'Dowd happen to be iuraded by English or 
Irish enemies, the Clann Bonogh O'Dowd are 
bound by this compact to furnish as many men 
and arms to oppose them as the O'Dowd himself; 
and, on the other hand, in case the country of 
the Clann Bonogh O'Dowd only were attacked 
the O'Dowd is bound by this compact to supply 
as many men, arms, &c., to check the inraders as 
the Clann Donogh O'Dowd had themselres, be 



cbadh Mor and his descendants should 
give as many as themselyes^ to Taith- 
leach Muaidhe and his descendants, and 
the like from them to him. On which sub- 
ject the historian has the following lines : 

^^ Into Callraighi Cuile*i na g-cneadh 
I shall proceed to describe it, 
Cuil Ceamadha of the knotty hazles, 
Not unhappy the tribe in whom it is 
hereditary. 
Four chieftains are in the upper country, 
In Callraighi of beautiful fruit trees, 
A festiye party who hare entered into 

our catalogue, 
It is proper to name the noble party. 
O'Cuinn and O'Rothlainn the ready, 
O'h-Iaman of dreadful arms. 
Without injury to the choice of the 

foreigners, 
^n^O'Finain a prop of great descendants. 
From Bel easa of the clear cataracts, 
The extent of the country which was 

not oppressed 
To the Brosnach of impetuous current, 
Which defends the head of CalraighL 

From 

that number great or smalL 

1 Into Caliraighe Cuile, &c. — The four first 
quatrains of this poem are quoted from the large 
poem of Giolla losa Mor Mac Firbis already 
printed. — See pp. 244, 245. The remaining 
part is from a different source, but the whole 
is garbled by the interpolator, who evidently 
wished to uphold the dignity of the Clann Donogh 
O'Dowd by making them descend from the elder 
brother of Taithleach Muaidhe, contrary to the 
OTidenoe furnished by the original text of the 
Book of Lecan. 



424 



O 6^1 Qca in pheaoa anall 
ap e paipfinj na b-penpann 
map cam oa o-capoiU uile, 
50 Cpaij alamo Gochailli. 

Donnchao TTlop puj map po^ 
Cuil Cnama Cuil cheopnuiha 
amapc pul ip p6ime Imo 
in cuil ip dille o' 6ipmo. 

O 6oppai^ na ppeaB polap, — 
na bfo aon 'na amopap, — 
Cuil cndma m peaponn ap pao 
CO rp6i3 nac olea^m 00 oeapmao. 

Do X}in Do'n poipmo ^olup 
m oa cuil a j-comopcup 
cuil ap yac ceann oo'n cfp 
an ^eall 6 jac cuil cluincf. 



Cailcec niuaioi, pa m6p pac, 
cijeapna ap ponn O 5-piacpac, 
cc6io a clann 6 pom alle 
a 5-ceann Donnchaio 'pa cloinni. 



From Bel atba an fbeadba**, tbitber 
Is tbe breadtb of tbe lands, 
As I am describing tbem all 
To tbe beautiful strand of Eotbuili*. 
Donncbadb Mor took as cboice 
Cuil Cnamba, Cuil Cearnadba, 
A prospect to tbe eye tbe most deligbt- 

ful we deem 
Tbe most beautiful cuil [angle] of Erin. 
From Borracb^ of tbe brigbt streams, — 
Let no one be in doubt of it, — 
Cuil Cnamba embraces all tbe land. 
As far as tbe strand, wbicb we sbould 
not forget. 
I sball afford intelligence to tbe tribe 
Respecting tbe two cuils wbicb are in 

competition, 
A cuil at eacb extremity of tbe territory, 
Tbe palm wager being won by eacb cuil 
was beard of". 
Taitbleacb Muaidbe^ of great success 
Became lord of tbe land of Hy-Fiacb- 

racb, 
ii n^bis descendants bave been ever since 
Over Donncbadb and bis lineage. 

The 



■' Beal atha an fkeadha, i. e. Ot vadi iyltWi 
now BaUina, a well known market-town on the 
Rirer Moy, in the barony of Tirawley. 

■ Eothuiii^ the name of a great strand near 
Ballysadare, often already referred to. 

' From Borraehf &c. — From this It appears 
that Citt7 Cnamha was co-extensiye with the dis- 
trict of the Strand, already described at p. 265. 
The name Coil Cnamha is still remembered in 
the country, but supposed to comprise only the 
parish of Dromard, where there is a small lough 



called Loehan Chuile Cnamha, 

" Each Cuil was heard of, — The meaning of 
this quatrain, which is couched in such obscure 
words, is, that the two districts, Cuil Cnamha 
and Cuil Ceamadha, situated, the one at the east 
and the other at the western extremity of Tire- 
ragh, riyalled each other in romantic beauty and 
fertility, and that each claimed the palm in turns. 

* Taithleach Muaidhe, &c. — This quatrain is 
undoubtedly a fabrication, for Taithleach Muatdhe 
was many years dead at the time. 



425 



Cearpoimi cuio oo'n cfp caip 
puaip Donne hao 6 Dun Duplaip, 
gac laoi a ^-ceill oa ^-cuipi 
map caoi pa peim pi^paioi. 

niile bliooan, nocha bp^^, 
ann6la Cpfpc pe coim^o 
epf c^D oo bliaonaib bpapa, 
map oo piloD in peancapa, 
ayup a 06 pe oeapbao oam, 
pa lo pop ceon^lab cunnpao." 



The fourtb part of the irriguous land 
Donnchadb of Dun Durlais obtained. 
Which every poem makes known. 
As he is in the regal catalogue. 

A thousand years^, it is no falsehood, 
The era of Christ to be preserved 
Three hundred of fleeting years, 
As the history sets forth. 
And two to be certified by me. 
On the day the treaty was ratified." 



L. 

Inauguration of Irish Chiefs. 

See page 143. — The inauguration of the ancient Irish kings and chieflains, has been 
80 imperfectly described by modem Irish writers that the Editor is for this reason 
tempted to treat of it more fully in this place, in the hope that some readers may feel 
interested in the subject We have unfortunately no minute or authentic account of 
the maimer in which the pagan monarchs or chieftains were inaugurated or installed, 
the sum of what we are told on the subject being that the pagan Irish monarchs were 
made at Tara on a certain magical stone called the Lia Fail, which was wont to emit 
a sound when the person about to be elected was legitimate. For some account of this 
stone, and the inauguration of Conaire Mor, at Tara, the reader is referred to Petrie^s 
Hietory and Antiquities of Tara HiU^ pp. 154, 155. [Trans. B. Irish Acad, vol xviiL) 

The oldest account of the inauguration of a king of the Irish race is that given by 
Cninin, who became Abbot of lona in the year 657, who says (Yit. S. Columbs ; 
apnd Colgan, Tr. Th. p. 321,) that St. Columba ordained Aidan King of Scotland, by 
imposition of hands. Adamnan also has the same statement (Yit. S. Col. lib. iiL c. 5). 
*^ Ibidemque Aidanum iisdem adventantem diebus, in regem, sicut erat jussus, ordi- 

navit, 



* Ome thousand years, jfc. — The whole qua- 
train telli OB that this oompact was made between 
Taithleach Muaidhe and Donnchadh Mor, in the 
year 1302, that is, twenty years after the death 
of Tuthleach Muaidhe ! Etery fabrication re- 
ooils on itself, and nothing but the truth will 
stand the test of true criticism. As already re- 

IRISH ARCH. SOC. 12. 3 



marked, it is highly probable, however, that a 
compact of this nature was entered into in this 
year, 1302, between Sen Bhrian 0*Dowd, who 
succeeded to the chieftainship about this year 
(see p. 356), and his next brother, Donnchadh 
Mor O'Dowd, who died in the year 1337. — See 
p. 116. 



426 

navit, et inter ordinationis verba, de filiis et nepotibus, pronepotibnsque ejus futnra 
prophetizavit, imponensque manum super caput ejus, ordinans benedixit." 

From a notice in an ancient Life of St Patrick, quoted by Keating, it would ap- 
pear that twelve coarbs and twelve chieftains were always present at the inauguration 
of the King of Connaught, on Cam Fraoigh, near Tulsk ; and this notice is corrobo- 
rated by a passage in the Annals of Clonmacnoise, as translated by Connell Mageoghe- 
gan, which states that in the year 1316 Rory O'Conor, who attempted to wrest the 
kingdom of Connaught from Felim O'Conor, the rightful heir, " went to Came 
Fraoigh, where he was invested King of Connaught by the twelve chieftaxhs of 
Silemorrie, twelve coworbs, and other spiritualls that were accustomed to use the cere- 
monies usual at the time of the investiture of the king." 

From such respectable authorities, it is manifest, that since the introduction of 
Christianity into the country, the Irish kings and chieftains were inaugurated by the 
clergy, and that the ceremony was strongly marked with a religious character. But 
Giraldus Cambrensis, who came to Ireland about the year 1202, as tutor to prince John, 
has left on record the following very opposite account of the matter : — ''Est in Boreali 
ac ulteriori Ultonis parte apud Kenelconil gens quedam que barbaro nimis et abomi- 
nabili ritu sic sibi regem creare solet. Collecto in unum universo populo terrs ilUus, 
in medium producitur jumentum candidum, ad quod sublimandus ille non in princi- 
pem sed in belluam, non in Regem, sed exlegem, coram omnibus bestialiter acced^is, 
non minus impudenter quam imprudenter se quoque bestiam profitetur, et statim ju- 
mento interfecto, et frustratim in aqua decocto, in eadem aqua balneum ei paratur, 
cui insidens, de camibus illis sibi allatis, circumstante populo suo, et vescente, comedit 
ipse. De jure quo lavatur, non vase aliquo, non manu, sed ore tantum circumquaque 
haurit, et bibit. Quibus ita rite non recte completis, regnum iUius et Dominum est 
confirmatum." — Top. Hib. DisL 3, c. 25. 

This account of the mode of inaugurating the chief, or prince of Tirconnell, was 
probably never heard of in Ireland until after the publication of the works of Giraldus. 
The first who refuted it was Keating, who vrrites as follows in the Preface to his His- 
tory:* 

« Q oeip apfp ip in 25 caibioil oo'n '^ Ab eodem pingitur, seu potius fingi- 
leabop cuapuf^lSala ru^ ap 6ipinn, ^p tur, O^Donnelli KinelconeUis Reguli in- 
ab aihlaio 00 pfrS Rf Chineil ^-Conaill, augurandi ritus. Onmes (inquit) B^- 

onis 



' The original is here giren from O'Molconrj'fl Trinity College, DubUn, together with the Latin 
MS. copj of Keating's History, in the Library of translation of Dr. Lynch. 



427 



•!• O^Ooihnaill : Cpuininu^o oo cop op 
luce a cfpe op cnoc dpo 'na 66rai^; 
Idip B6n oo mopBoo ; a cup o'd bpuir 
a ^-coipe ih6p op I6p an ihacaipe ; a^up 
Kip n-a bpuie, a Beir a^ 61 a h-anBpuir 
oihail J^oroap no coin le n-a B^l, ci^p 
6eir ag ire na f eola ap a l6ihaiB ^on 
fjin, jon apm d*6 ^eoppao ai^e ; a^p 
^ pannao on cuio oile oo'n peoil op an 
^-com6dil, a^p ^ B-porpuijio6 6 p^m 
'pan onBpuir. 

dj^ poUup jup bpeu^c an nf pi a 
oeip Cambpenp oo p^ip peancapa na 
h-Bipionn, 6ip ap aihUxio foiUpij^eap 
^p ab aihlaio oo ^ipr( O'Domnaill, 
maille pe puioe to ameap^ uapol a^up 
oipiocca a cpfce p^in, a^p caoipoc 
o'uaipliB a cpice oo peapaih 'na piao- 
noipi, 50 plaic n-ofpij, m-bdin 'n-a I6iih, 
a^p an van 00 odilioo 00 pi^ Chin^il 
5-ConaiU 1, apeao a oeipioo, ceannup 
a cpfce f4m 00 j^Bail, ceapc ajup 
coihrpom 00 conjihdil loip ^c oa pann 
o'a oiiroi^; a^up ^p ab uime 00 h-6p- 
out^^eao on c-pUxc 00 Beir ofpioc, b6n, 
00 cop a ^-cuiihne 60, ^up ab eoo 00 
6li^pio6 Beir ofpioc 'n-a Bpeirioihnup, 
a^p ^lon, lonpaic *n.a ^(oihoiB* 



Qp lon^nao liom Cambpenp 00 luoo 
na bp^ije pi, ayup meopaim jop ab le 

3 



onis Incolae in edittun qnemdam oollmn 
prime convocabantur, turn equd candid& 
mactat^ amplissimseque oUse in lat^ pa- 
tente campo collocats injectd, et luculento 
sabjecto igne assatd, Regulus denunciatus, 
admotis oUse labris jusculum instar canis 
absorbebat; cames nullo addito cultro 
dente discerpebat, et tandem devorabat, et 
reliqiiiis ad adstantes projectis, ipse jus- 
culo instar babiei usus, totom corpus eo 
perftindebat, et proluebat. 

Sed quis hoc splendidum esse menda- 
dam inficiabitur, cum non solum nullus 
ejusmodi ritus ab accuratis rerum enarra- 
tionibus Uteris traditus deprehendatur, 
verum etiam disertis verbis renunciandi 
O'Donnelli Kineiconelliae Reguli ab iis me- 
morise prodatur in bunc modum : Quando 
quis O'Donnelli titulum insigniendus erat 
Kineiconelliae Nobiles et aliorum ordinum 
homines ad statum collum confluebant; 
tum e proceribus unus assurgens, peractis 
reverentiae debitae officiis, candidam vir- 
gam omnin6 directam, ac detorsionis omnis 
expertem, quam manu gestabat, denunci- 
ato Regulo porrigens, * aocipe, ait, auspi- 
catum dignitatis insigne; hujusce yirgas 
candorem, rectitudinemque, moribus re- 
ferre memento, nt nulla maledicendi libido 
factorum candorem notd ull4 maculare, 
aut studium in amicos animum a justitiao 
rectitudine cuique praestandae flectere po»- 
sit : Imperium tibi debitum bonis avibus 
ini, et hujus Reipublicse fasces, secures- 
que capesoe.' 

Haec cum ita se habeant facile adduci pos- 
sum ut credam rumusculum hunc ab aliquo 
I 2 Hibemis 



428 



meaBail do cuip pfop 'n-a qioinic f ; 6ip 
ap poUup jup oaoine cpdiBrioca, caon- 
ourpaccada lao, 6 aimpip 50 h-aimpip, 
^5"r 5^P 'Pp^iJioDop mopdn otoB an 
paojol, ajup jup cpiocnui^pioo a 
m-beaca 50 parihop, pia^alcu; ayup 
pop 50 o-cdini^ lomoo 00 naoriiaiB 
6to5, map ac6 Colam Cille, 6aoir(ii 
ajup QDorhndn, ec peliqui. Nf h-m- 
cpeicce pop 50 D-cioBpaiofp uaiple 61- 
peann pulon^ do piy Chin^il 5-Conaill 
ap an ndp m-bapbapoa uo luaioiop 
Cambpenp do Beir ap arai^ ^^"S^s "S^F 
an cpeiDiofh cacoilioca ap mapcain aca 
6 aimpip phdopui^ 50 jabalcup ^all. 



Hibernis infenso leviter enarratom a Cam- 
brensi, homine nimirum ab Hibernis alieni* 
ore, avide captatom, et posteritati commea- 
datum ad majorem infamiam Genti conci- 
landamiiiisse. Certe compertuni est Nation 
nem plagam illazn incolentem, humanitate, 
benignitate, atque adeo pietate, per singn- 
lorum vicissitudines saoculoriim sic splen- 
duisse, ut illinc quam plurimi prodierint, 
qui fluxis teme rebus desertis vitam con- 
tinuato per asperiora pietatis exerdtia 
cursu ductam fsBlici exitu terminaTerunt; 
ejusmodi fuere SS. Ck>lumba, seu Columb- 
kille, Baitinus, Adamnanus, compluresque 
alii ; quorum a texend& hie nomenclature 
modo supersedemus. Hue accedit quod 
nuUus aequus rerum eestimator judicabit 
cceteros Hibernis proceres fidei prssertim 
Catholic8B apprime colentes, tarn barbarum 
morem ullo pacto tolleraturos." 

And again, in the reign of Brian Borumha, he has the following more circumstan- 
tial account of the inauguration of the Irish chieftains (p. 223 of 0*Mulconry's MS.) : 



" Q5 po ptop ay in Sencup in moo ap 
a n.Deincf pio^a o'dpou^ab a n-6ipinn, 
ajup cpdo pd n-6pDuijcf lao, iDip 6ipD- 
pij ajup pij coi^iD, ajup phpfomplaic 
peapainn. Cui^ nac bfoD do jaipm a 
n-6ipinn analUSo ace jaipm pioj aj na 
plaraiB peapumn, amuil p6 n6p Do'n 
cineao Iuduidioc, ace cnhdin ^ m-bfoip 
Diuicfoe a^ in ^-cinne Iuduidioc, ajup 
00 fhdpdn do aneaoaiB oile, athuil do 
bfoD caoipioc a n-Qlbain a^ t>al Ricroa, 
no jup pfo^aD Peapjup TT16p ihac 6apca 
oppo. Qp 6 p6c lOTHoppa pd pfojcop 
aon Dume aihdin 6pcionn na b-puiblioc, 



'^ Ex vetustis historiurum monmnen- 
tis excerpsi, quos hie subjicio, ritus in 
Regum inaugurationibus adhiberi consue- 
tos, sive ii totius Hibernis Monarchy 
fiierint, sive provinciarum R^es, aut di- 
tionum Toparchs. Nee alio quam Regum 
Titulo, quandam apud Hibemos pro- 
vinciarum et minorum regionum do- 
mini insigniebantur ; de aliarum gen- 
tium, et prssertim Judeorum more, qui 
primo ducibus, deinde r^bus, ute- 
bantur, sicut in Albania Dalriadi ante 
Fergusium, £rc» fiHum, Regem renund- 
atum Djnastis parebant. Causa Yer6 cur 

unos 



429 



ajup na ^-cpioc^ lonnup 50 ni^bioo jac 
aon 'na plairiop p^in uihal 06, ajup jan 
ap Bpeir 00 neac oio5 ppeapaBpa, na 
cop 'na o^iD peao a plairip p^in, ajup 
a cuijpin jup 'b 6 t)hia, op coonac, ajup 
op cuihaccac 6p cionn cdi^, 00 hopoui- 
^oo 'na pi;^ op cionn na b-puiblioc ^, 
o'd B-pollaihnu^aD, ajup o'd p^ip pm 
^o n-oleajaip doiB uihla do raBaipc 
^> ^S^r ° ^uijpin jup h*6 an c-aoin Dia 
c^ona, ap coonac ap neaih, ap caliiiam, 
a^up op ipppionn, cu^ in cuihacc pom 
DO, a^up ^p'b uaio puaip plairiop. 
Q^up Of meinic ^up ab lao na oaoine 
op ^lioco^ a^up ap poj^Uxmro do 6(06 u 
n-6ipinn, do cojraoi a B-plaieiop do 
pinaccujaD in uilc, a^up do coiihcean- 
^ol na copa, a^up do c-pnaomaD na 
p6rc6na, map a ca Slain^e mac Deala, 
mic 601c, pa h-6ipD-6peiciom a n-Gipmn 
'na aimpip p^m; Ollam Poola, do Bf 
pojlamra, ajup Cigeapnmup, a mac, 
DO Bi peappac map in j-ceono, ajup 
Copmac mac ' Qipc do Bt eolac 'pan 
Bpeiriomnup cuaice, a^up po p^foB an 
Ceo^pc piog, ajup map pm a cup na 
n-aimpiop, ap kid luce in peapa, ajup 
m Dpeam ba mo ponn oo'n maiciop 
puibli^ DO meuDu^o do coj^caoi le 
peopuiB Gpeann op cionn na ^-cpioc, 50 
D-cdini^ pdopui^, ajup neapc na h-ea- 
^ilpi, ajup 6 cdmij pdopui^ ajup 
necqie na h-ea^ailpe ap 05 na h-eappo- 
^iB, aj na h-uaipliB, ajup aj na cpoi- 
niciB, DO BfOD coja na pio^, a^up na 
D-ci^eapnao 50 jaBdlcap Jail : ajup na 
jopma cledccop anoip, map acd 6aptjn, 



unus Regid dignitate insignitus populis 
et regionibus prseficitur, est, ut quilibet 
in ejus Ditione constitutus illius jussa 
audiat, et impugnare non audeat. Nemi- 
nem enim fugere debet supremam illam 
potestatem populum gubemandi R^bus 
a Deo, Regum Rege et Domino dominan- 
tium, conferri ; ac proinde mandatis regis 
morem non gerere, perinde esse ac divinie 
ordinationi resistere. Hibemi olim quos 
prudentid et eruditione pr® csteris in- 
structiores deprsehendebant, eos plenimque 
ad dignitatem Regiam evehebant, ut gra- 
vioribus suppliciis scelera plecterentur, 
legum observatio securius vigeret, et pax 
firmius effloraret Quibus pr»cipue de 
causis, Slangius Delae filius, Luighi nepos, 
supremi judicii officio per ea tempora 
functus; Ollamus FoUus, vir etiam erudi- 
ditione darus ; et Ck>rmacu8 Arturi filius 
jurium scientissimus, qui et opus ^r^- 
um de principis institutione scriptum re- 
liquit, Reges salutati sunt. Consuetude 
itaque optima ilia erat quse apud Hibernos 
primitils inraluit, ut quo quisque litera- 
tior et ad prorehendam Rempublicam ap- 
tior et propensior videbatur, eo expeditius 
Regni gubemaculis admoveretur. Post 
autem Hiberniam fidei splendore Divi Pa- 
tricii operd Ulustratam, et Ecclesiam suum 
fulgorem adeptam, ad Anglos Hibemia 
potitos, penes episcopos et antiquaries 
Regum et Djnastarum electio fiiit ; nee 
usurpati nunc honorum tituli Baronum, 
Vicecomitum, Comitum, Marchionum et 
Ducum turn erant in usu : sed similes 
honores adepti appellabantur triaih, id est 

Dynaste 



43© 



6hiocoric, loplo, TTIapqu^if, no Diuice, 
mop cleaccao a ivGipmn icn>, occ cpior, 
eij^eapna, plaic no Rf, a^p a plonnao 
6 na cpfocuib oo bfoo 'n-a peilB. 

Re linn lomoppa ^optna oo ^lacao 
D6ib CIJ106 in cpomice, o^up an leaBcqi 
o'6 njoipreop in Ceajupc pioj leip, map 
a m*bio6 puim cumaip n6p ajup peace 
na cpice, a^up map a m.bioo poiUpiu jao 
in luaioiocc biop 6 Dhia, ajup o'n pobal 
cpd maie 00 66anam, a^up an ofo^lcup 
bfop 6p a cionn p^m, a^j^ op cionn a 
c-pleacco cp^ neamcomall ceipc, a^p 
cdpac, amuil opouijiop6eabap na pioy, 
a^up an Cea^upc Rio j 00 oeunam. 

" Qp meinic p6p oo beancaoi uppuioe 
D*a ^-cdipoib DO opuinj oiob, pa coiiii- 
lionao peacca na cpfce do p^ip anCeaj- 
uipc pioj, no in pl^e do l^i^ion ofob, 
jan impiop6n, amuil do beanpao Uuoea 
Oe Dhanonn do 6hpeap Hlop mac 
Galacan, a natmpip pfojacca Gipionn 
DO cabaipc DO. 

'* Qp e an cpoinice do beipioD plae a 
I6im jac ci^eapna pe linn japma do 
^b6il, ajup o'^ip na plaice do d6iI d6, 
DO cuipioo a ^-c^ill DO na cuaraib nac 
pijioD in ci^eapna, no in Rf, a leap 
apm DO ^lacao 6 pom amac do pmaccu- 
^6 a efpe, ace beir umol x>6. cplaie, 
amuil p5ol6ipe o'd maijipcip. Oip 
amuil DO beip an p^oldipe cpionna ^do, 
ayup umlacc, ayup buiDiocup d'6 mai- 
^ipcip, ap map pin oli^riop do na h-ioc- 
copdnuib beic d'6 pfo^uib, qi^ map ap 
le plaic c6pa, ajup ceipc pciupup na 



Dynastfle sea Toparcbs? ; ti^keamOj id est 
Domini ; Jlaithj id est Satraps ; aut ri^hj 
id est Reges ; adjecto loc6 nomine cni do- 
minabantur. 

** Cum autem qoispiam Begis aut To- 
parchn dignitatem inibat, Antiquarius 
aderat libnun gestans Institutionem Begis 
inscriptum; Leges et Instituta Regionis 
illius, quam candidatos iUe Regni vel To- 
parcbisB administraturus erat, et pnemia 
illi a Deo et populo conferenda, si Bem- 
publicam bene gesserit, sin autem male 
supplicia ilium et posteros manentia, com- 
plexum. In his enim rebus tractandis 
Liber Begum et Institutio Begis versantur. 

" Sepius etiam ejus amid, praedes effecti, 
obstringebantur ilium vel instituta Begi- 
onis, ex prescripto Institutionis B^um 
ad amussim impleturum, vel B^^no se 
ultr6, citra litem, abdicatumm. Nee Tu* 
adedanani Bresstun Magnum, Eleathani 
filium, Begio titulo potiri ante passi sunt, 
quam ejus amici simili se pacto derind- 
erint. 

" Begi designato virgam antiquarius 
porrigebat, ac deinde conversus ad adstan- 
tes, arma Begi ad suos in offido continen- 
dos in posterum minime neoessaria pro- 
nuntiat : populum enim d non secus ac 
discipulorum magistro morem gerere de- 
bere adultiores disdpulos et sui conmiodi 
intelligentes, semper pneoeptoribus suis 
amorem, obsequimn, et gratias deferre 
solere, et subditos ad similia offida B^ 
suo prsestanda obligari, utpote qui jus iis 
justitise virg&, non fern ade administrat 
Yirga Begi per antiquarium tradita tota 

erat 



43^ 



h-ioccop6in Bfof ccije, ctjup nac 16 
paoBop aipm na h-^o^copa. Qpaihluio 
5(op cm oplac oo Beip on collani a Idim 
m pio^ S^cil ^o h-ionil6n, oo comapra 
na pfpinne H o-cuijciop m jile Bfop 'pan 
plaiCy oo Bpfo^ ^o pamlui^iop in ;eal 
pip in 5-pipinne, ajup an ouB pip in 
in-bp6i^. Qp I cijip pa m-bf in c-plac 
ofpioc o'd cop a j-c6iU oo na puiblioc- 
uiBy a^uy oo na cuaeuiB, jup ab ofpioc, 
^lan, oli^iup an ci^eapnaBeir 'n-a ^(oih- 
uiB, *n-a BpiacpuiB, ajup *na BpeoraiB, 
loip ODipuio a^up ndiiiuio, aihuil oo Beir 
impiopdn loip a 6d Idnh. Qp uime 
DO opoui^iooop in c-plac pom ^an paob 
^on cnop6n uippe, ace coiiinpdio uile, 
d'6 cop a 5-C61U 00 na cuacuiB, ^p ab 
aihluio oil jic na ci^eapnuioe Beir ^n 
onpocpacc, ^an ^aipBrion, acc coinip6i6 
uile. 

*' Q o-Ceariipuij 00 jaipcf jac Rf oo 
pio^iB Bipionn pioih, a^ a mbtoo pio^- 
acc Gipionn uile, 00 coil na n-uapol, 
a^p na n-ollaih p6 5-cpeioiorii, ajup 
DO roil ea^alpi, uaiple, a^p Ollanian 
6 pom onuap. 

Qp Uic na pfo; a o-Culaij O5 00 



erat Candida, ut veritatem et candorem 
illi mordicus observandum esse in regi- 
mine indicaret ; uti enim nigredo menda- 
cium, ita candor denotat yeritatem. Dla 
etiam virga recta fuit, at omnibus inno- 
tesceret Begem semper aequum et rectum 
spectare debere, nee verbam ullum aut ju- 
dicium prceferre, quod injuriam sapere pos- 
sit. Eum nimirum teneri amicis et inimi- 
cis, siunmis et infimis, equitatem juxta 
exhibere, non secus ac si lite inter ambas 
manus orta, aequalem se utrique prasstaret. 
Eadem etiam teres erat et nodi omnis 
expers, at meminerit Rex iree se tubere 
[aut] asperie subditis minime pnebere, 
sed composite sedatoque animo ac vultu, 
l^bus sancita suis pariter et alienis prout 
jus postulat, administrare. 



''Totius Hiberniad Reges Teamoriss^ 
inaugurabantur, primoribus et antiqua- 
riis ante Christianismum hue illatum, as- 
sensum prsebentibus : sed post Hibemos 
Christianismo imbutos Episcopis, proceri- 
bus et antiquariis suffragia ferentibus. 

'* Super lapidem Regium in Tulchoga^ 

O'NelU 



> Teamorut, at Tara, in Meath. The stone 
oo which the pagan kings were inaugurated at 
Tara was called the Lia Fail, and Mr. Petrie 
has shown that it is still preserved there, though 
It was fshled bj Hector Boeoe, and believed bj 
the credulous Keating to have been carried to 
Scotland, and thence to Westminster. 

' Tulekoga, now Tullaghoge, a small Tillage in 



the parish of Desertcreaght, barony of Dungan- 
non, and oountjr of Tyrone. The Lord Deputy 
Moun^oy remained here for some time in 1 602, 
and broke in pieces the stone on which the 
" 0*Neale was made," but it is said that pieces 
of it were to be seen in the oroliard belonging to 
the glebe house till the year 1776, when the hut 
fragment of it was carried away. 



43 2 



yaiprf O'Neill, o^p O'Cocdin, ajup 
O'h-Qjdm DO ^ipea6 ^, O'Donnjoile a 
ihopup^al pluaij, ajupfnuinciop 6hpip- 
lefn, ayup Clann 6hiopca^o bpeirio- 
ihuin peiniocuip Ulao uile. 

" Q 5-C1II TTliccpenam do jaipci 
O'Doiiinaill, ajup O'piopj^ail do jaip- 
106 ^, o^^p O'^allcuBaip a ihapup^al 
plucnj. 

" Qp mho^ n-Qoaip do ^aipci 
O'&piam; ITlac Conmapa do joipioo ^. 
0't>uiB(6ip ChoiUe na manac a ihapup- 



O'Nelli nunciabantur ab O'Catbano* et 
O'Hagano', O'Dongbolius^ autem militie 
ab O'Nello; BresUni^ vero, et Clanbir- 
tkagri^ rei judiciaris prsficiebantur. 

"O'Donnelli, Kilmacnenanae*, ab O'Far- 
gbil^ inaagurabantiir, et O^GralchurumB 
militis prsfectum habebat 

**In Magb Adhor*' O'Briano dignitas 
conferebatur a Macconmara^ : O'Duibhir 
de CoilnamanagbJ et O'Gorman^ erant 

O'Briano 



* 0*Cathano, bj O'Cohan, or O'Kane, chief of 
Oireaobt Ui GhAthari, comprising the baroniea 
Tirlceerin, Keenaght, and Coleraine. in the conntj 
of Londonderry. 

■ O'Hagano, now O'Hagaa. The site of the 
ancient residence of 0*Hagan is to be seen on 
a gentle eminence a short distance to the east of 
the Tillage of Tullaghoge. It is a large circular 
encampment surrounded bj deep trenches and 
earthen work. Within these stood the residence 
of O'Hagan the Rechtaire, or lawgiter of Tul- 
l*ghog, and here too was placed the stone on 
which the *' O'Neale was made," till it was de- 
stroyed as aboTC mentioned. — See Annals of the 
Four Masters at the year 1456. According to 
the tradition in the country, 0*Hagan inaugurated 
O'Neill by putting on his golden slipper or sandal, 
and hence the sandal always appears in the armo- 
rial bearings of the O'Hagana. 

b 0*D<mghoH%9j now O* Donnelly. The chief 
of this name liyed at Ballydonnelly, now called 
Castle Caulfield, in the parish of Donaghmore 
and barony of Dungannon, and about three miles 
west of the town of Dungannon, in the county of 
Tyrone. 

^ Bretlanit i. e. the O'Bresleni. 

^ Claubirthaffri, — This name is unknown to 



the Editor. 

* KUmaenenantt, now Kilmacrenan, in the 
county of DonegaL It is said that the chief of 
Tiroonnell was originally inaugurated on the hill 
of Doon, near the Tillage of Kilmacrenan, bat 
afterwards at the church. It is also said that 
the stone on which O'Donnell was installed King 
of TirconneU was preserTed in the old church at 
this Tillage, but the Editor could not find it in 
the year 1836. 

t O'FarghUy caUed O'Firghil by the Four Mas- 
ters, who state that he was the comharba, or he- 
reditary warden of the church of Kllmacrenao. 
The name is now corrupted to Freele. 

ff OGalchurwaa^ now O 'Gallagher, or Gal- 
lagher. 

^ Magk Adkor, so called at this day, and ritu- 
ated In the townland of Tooaagh, parish of Clo- 
ney, and barony of Upper TuUa, and county of 
Glare. — See Circuit of Muireheartaeh Mae Neitt, 
p. 47. 

I Mae Conmara, now Mac Namara. 

J O'Duihhir de Coilnanutnaeh^ i. e. Dwyre of 
Kilnamannagh, in the now county of Tipperaiy. 

k O* Gorman^ reete Mac Gorman, chief of the 
territory of Ibricken, in the west of the coooty 
of Glare. 



433 



gcnl fluai^; Siol planncaoa a Bpeic- 
loihain pemtocaip, Clann Cpair a oUa- 
ihuin pe Dan, ajup Clann 6puaioea6a, 
no Clann Cpuicfn a ollarhu in p^ peancu]\ 
" Qp 6iop 6eanncaip do jaiprf TTIaj 
Coppchaij; O'SuiUioBain TTlop, ajup 
O'Donnchaoa TTlop do ^aipiOD i; TTTuin- 
cip T^uaipc a ihapupjail pluaij ; Clann 
Qooa^din a Bpeirioihuin, TTluincip Dd- 
luij a ollaihum p^ odn, ajup mumap 
t)uinin a ollaihuin p^ peancup. 



O'Briano a militueprsefectttdi; Mac Glan- 

chius* a jure dicendo ; Clanchraith™ a 

Poesi; et Clanchnitin" et Clanbmadein® a 

re antiquaria. 

"Mac Cartho Magno^ in Lisbanchori 

insignia dignitatis porrigebat O^Sulevanus 

Magnus*", et O'Donnchus Magnus* mili- 

taribus ejus copiis, et Ruarkus^ suae diti- 

onis imperabant ; ad judicia exercenda 

Clanegani" ; ad carmina pangenda Muin- 

tir Dhali'' ; Historias scribendas Muntir 

Dhunnin^, ab eodem designabantur. 

"In 



* Mae Glanchiutf now Clancj. Tbej were 
leated at Tulach Finn, near Sliabh Eilbhe, in the 
Dorth-west of the county of Clare; Boethius Clan- 
ej, oae of this family, waa high sherifFof the county 
of Clare in the reign of Elizabeth. His death is 
thus entered in the Annals of the Four Masters : 
" A. D. 1698. Baothghalach, son of Aodh, who 
was son of Baothghalach, son of Muirchertach 
Bfao Flanncbadha of Cnoc Fionn, in the county 
of Clare, died in the month of April this year. 
He was well skilled in the Latin, Irish, and Eng- 
lish languages." According to the tradition in 
the country he murdered a number of Spaniards 
belonging to the great Armada, who were ship- 
wrecked on the coast of Clare, and is cursed 
eTery setenth year in a church in Spain. 

* Clancraith, i. e. the f^ily of Magrath. The 
celebrated Irish work called Caithreim Thoir- 
dhealbhaigh, or Wars of Turlogh O'Brien, was 

written by the head of this family See Battle 

of Magh Ruth, introductory RemarkB, 

* Clanehrvtin, i. e. the Mac Cruitins, or Mao 
Cnrtins, the last literary man of whom was Hugh 
Boy Mac Curtin, author of the Irish Grammar, 
English Irish Dictionary, and the Short Discourse 
on the Antiquities of Ireland. 

* Clanbruodein, i. e. the family of Mac Brody, 
IBI8H ABCH. 80C. 12. 'S K 



who were otherwise called Mao Dary. The last 
poet of this family was Tadhg, or Teige Mac 
Brody, who commenced the Contention of the 
Bards, already referred to. — See p. 82, Note % 
and p. 320, Note r. 

P Afac Cartho Magno, i. e. the Mac Carthy 
More. 

1 LUhanehor, now Lisbanagher, in Kerry. 

' 0*Sulevanut Magntu, i. e. O'SuUiran Mor of 
Dunkerrio, in the south of the county of Kerry. 

* 0*Donnchu9 Magnus, i. e. O'Donohoe More 
of Ross, near Killamey, chief of Eoghanaoht 
Locha Lein. 

' EuarkuM, i. e. O'Rourke, or Mag Ruairc. — 
See Hardiman's Irish Deeds, published in the 
fifteenth volume of the Transactions of the Roval 
Irish Academy. 

" Clanegani, i. e. the family of Mac Egan. — 
See the notices of this family in the volume on 
Hy-Many. 

▼ MuinHr DKali, i. e. the family of O'Daly. 
There were various distinct branches of this fa- 
mily in Ireland, all following the poetical profes- 
sion. 

* Muintir Dhuinnin, 1. e. the family of 0*Duin- 
nin. The name is still numerous in the county 
of Cork, where it is now anglicised Dinpeen. 



434 



" Qp Chnoc an Boja oo ^aiprf TTkic 
niupchaoo, a^up O'Hualldin oo ^ipioo 
^ ; a each, ajupa eppao o'O'Huallain ; 
0't>eopa6din a Bpeirioih, ajup FTlac 
Gochooo a olloiii p6 o6n. 



'* In oolle Anbhogaidh Mac MorchuuB^ 
honoris eui titulum inibat; O'Nuelano^ 
dignitatis eum ornamentis insigniente, et 
equiun ejus atqae paludamentom pro 
prsstiti officii salario referente : O'Doran' 
Mac Murchao fuit ab Histonis." — Z>r. 
LffndCg trantiatum^ pp. 252, 253, 254. 

[^* Apud Lee Mic Eochadho nominaba- 
tur Dominns de Hy-Einselaigh, et Mac 
Keogh nominabat eum. 

" Apud Dun Caillighe Beirre O^Byme 
nominabatur et Mac Keogh nominabat 
eum.''] 



Qp Ceic ihic 6ocha6o 00 ^onpcl ci^- 
eapna Cinnpiolac, o^up mac Gooaoo 
00 JQipioo ^. 

** Q n-t>un CaiUige 66ippe 00 jaipcS 
0*6poin o^p niac Gochaoa 00 ^aipi- 
ooe." 

The next of the Irish writers who replied to Cambrensis, and attempted formallj 
to refute him, was the celebrated Dr. Lynch, author of the translation of Keating's 
History of Ireland, which has just been quoted ; his observations on Giraldus's ac- 
count of the inauguration of the prince of Tiroonnell in his Cambremu EverstUj are as 
follows: „yjj^ 

some measure, aoconot for the difference of the 
oopiei. The two pasnges left ontranslated bj 
Dr. Lynch aoand thus in English : 

" On Leac Mhio Eochadha, the Lord of Hy- 
Kinsellagh, was nominated, and Mac Eochadba 
[now Keogh, or Kehoe] used to nominate him. 

'* At Don CaiUighe Beirre 0*Broin [O'Byme] 
was nominated, and Mac Eochadha used to nomi- 
nate him.'* 

To this list Keating might hare added sevenJ 
other localities, as Camfraoigh, near Tulsk, where 
the poet O'Moloonry, Mac Dermot, and others 
inaogurated the O'Conor ; the Bock of Cashel, 
where the King of Munster was inaugurated; 
Sgiath Ghabhra, now Lisnaskea, near EnniskiUen, 
in the county of Fermanagh, where Maguire was 
installed ; Cruachan O'Cuproin, in the county of 
Leitrim, where O'Bonrke was inaugurated prince 
of Breifhy TullyTca, where the Mao Mahon was 
made, Cam Amhalgaidh, where the Ol>owd was 
made, &c. 



* Mac Murehuut, i. e. Mac Murrogh, now 
Kayanagh, of whom Kayanagh of Borris, in Carlow, 
is the chief, and next to him was the family repre- 
sented in 1691 by Brian na Stroice, and in 1760 
by Morgan Mor, a oi^tain in the French seryice. 

V O^Nudano, now 0*Nolan. He was chief of 
Fotharta Fea, now the barony of Forth, in the 
county of Carlow, where the family is still re- 
spectable. 

* 0*Doran^ now Doran, a name very numerous 
in Leinster. According to the Irish annals the 
heads of this family were Brehons of Leinster, 
whence one of the name, emigrating to the United 
States of America, became a brehon or judge in 
our own time. 

It is strange that the two last items are left 
untranslated by Dr. Lynch. The copies of Keating 
differ materially, and it is highly probable that 
Keating himself had inserted many passages into 
his work from the year 1629, when he finished 
it, till 1650, when he died, and that this may, in 



435 

*' Yides Yt in buius tamfaedi ritus delineatione omnes eloqaentdas suae, non biBto- 
ricaB, sed oratoris tbesauros non segniter effundit. Sicut enim oratores quem laudibus 
exomandum susceperunt, eulogijs ultr^ veri metas attollunt ; sic Giraldus limites veri 
transiliens, onmes eloquentise caninse macbinas adbibet, vt istanim sordium infamia 
legentium animia altius infigatur. Nam historim seueritas (iniquit) nee veritaH pareere 
nooiif nee vereeundicB, Nimirum bomo (si Diis placet) fidissimus yerecundiae potins 
quam fidei jacturam facere maluit. Yt ille quem sspius infidum deprebendimus, in- 
uerecnndam etiam se bic agnoecat. Qui proinde illam Ciceronis objurgationem 
dedinare non potest dicentis, Qui semel vereeundice fines transient^ eum bene et ^auiter 
aportet esse impudentem. Itaque cuius impudentiam vidimus, jactantiam etiam eiusdem 
Tideamus, Rem hanc inhoneetam ventuta verborum vermiliUUe (vt ipse loquitur) depro- 
mere pollicentis. Promissam quidem orationis vermUitatem, sine venustatem in supe- 
rioii spurctt inaugxirationis delineatione iam exeruit. Yt ex bac Giraldi ostentatione 
illam Stanibursti censuram prodiisse oenseam dicentis : Giraldum icriptorem meo aani 
indieio nonferreum wo piani aureumjuisse. 

** Sed qua veritate prolatce inaugurationis narratio fulciatur dispiciamus. Domea- 
tud certe scriptores eam disertis verbis funditus evertunt. Hac enim quam subjicio 
ratione TirconeUis R^ulos initiatos fuisse tradunt. Quando quia Odonelli titulo 
inaigniendus erat, Tirconellise proceres et aliorum ordinum bomines ad statum collem 
confluebant. Tum h proceribus vnus assurgens, peractis reverentiae consuetae officijs, 
candidam vxrgam, et omnino rectam, distortionisque omnis expertem quam manu 
gestabat, denunciato Kegulo porrigens: accipe (ait) auspicatum dignitatis insigne, 
buius virgse candorem, rectitudinemque moribus referre memento, vt nulla maledicendi 
libido factomm candorem nota ill& maculare, aut studium in amicos animum k justitiee 
lectitudine cuique pnestanda flectere possit. Imperitun igitur tibi debitum bonis 
auibua ini, et buius Reipublictt fasces securesque secure capesse. Nunc igitur in eo 
oontroversiiB cardo vertitur vnine neganti, an pluribus affirmantibus ill! rem auditione 
tantum, bis aspectu comperientibus fides adbibenda sit ? dispiciendum etiam si a do- 
mesticis scriptoribus veriora, quam ab vno adueni producantur, et ab ijs qui pro suo 
munere res gestas scriptis tradunt, quam peregrine falcem in alienam messem immit- 
tenti tabulis, et monumentis publicis, quam privati cuiusuis narration!, qute non magis 
temere agyrte alicui excidit, quam auide k scriptore inuido excepta, et posteritati 
commissa est. Certe Scriptores patrii non studio, sed officij sui adimplendi causfi 
scriptis ista consignarunt, Giraldus res Hibemicas magis ex libidine, quam ex vero 
oelebraty obscuratque. 

^^ Quis credat Diuum Patricium, qui ditionem banc accurate perlustrans, illius 
inoolaa in fidei documentis apprime instruxit, terras principem Ck>nallum Gulbanum 

3 K 2 virtute 



43^ 

virtute sic informamt, vt laicum habita, monacliuitt vita egerit commissurum vt reli- 
quorum scelerum surculis penitus euulsis, banc ynam spurcitiam tanquam pristinie 
superstitionis foecem non in obscuris aliquibus bominibus, sed in ipsis patrias luminibus 
inbasrere pateretur ? Quod si S. Patricij vel notitiam, vel sollicitudinem tarn obvia, 
et in tarn clard luce coUocata foeditas (quod credibile non est) subterfugeret ; cognitio- 
nem profecto et reprebensionem plurimorum sanctorum in Tirconallia longo post tern* 
porum decursu commorantium declinare non potuit. Amplius quam qumquaginta 
sancti ex uno Conallo Gulbano prodiisse memorantur, quorum plurimi sedes in Tirco- 
nallia fixenint, et casnobia plusquam viginti oondiderunt. Dus prceterea sedes £pis- 
copales Rapotbensis, et Dorensis in eadem ditione constitutSB sunt ; in quibus quot 
Episcopi et monacbi morabantur, tot in ijs tanquam in speculis erant vigiles longe 
lateque prospicientes coUocati, quos adeo perspicua macula tam diutumo temporis 
curriculo latere non potuit, Nee enim in latebris, sed in propatulo, nee inter plebe- 
jorum yltimos, sed in optimatum coetu sordes iste frequentabantur. Vt tam perspi- 
cacium virorum cognitionem, et purioris yite sectatorem animadversionem effugere 
non potuerint. 

" Pluribus e Dorensium Bapothensiumque Episcoporum, Abbatumque serie non 
solum summa consuetude ac familiaritas cum TirconaUies Begulis, sed etiam cognatio- 
nis contiguitas intercessit. Ita vt si Principum reverentia prsesules ab ijs objurgandis 
deterrebat ; certe pnesulum erg^ cognatis studium ad eos d feritate tanta eruendos 
attraberet. Putabimus ne SS. Columbam, Baitbenum, Laarenum, Fergnaum, Suibh- 
neum, Adamnanum, aliosque viros sanctissimos, in bis partibus natos et pietatis infor- 
mationem nactos, et impertitos acerrimos vitiorum proculcatores bos sentes, et tri- 
bulos increpationis falce non demessuisse ? Quos si potestas istius mali abigendi 
defecisset, cert^ SS. Moelbridius et Malacbias Hibemise Primates bine oriundi ritum 
adeo peruersum latius serpere non paterentur. Nee ipsi principes crebra in alios 
liberalitate, in Deimi pietate insignes, qui se multis bumanissimos pluries exbibuerunt, 
Principatus initium ab inbumanitate tam execrabili ducerent. Qui si banc impuden- 
tiam non Yltr6 ponerent, eam supremi Reges Hibemis^ seueris l^bus proculdubio 
coercerent. 

" Nullibi certe tam fadd& alibi ludicr& initiatione aliqui principatum auspicantur. 
Jn Carinthia quctiet nouus princeps BeijmblkaB gubemaiionem inity soiemnitatem nutquam 
alibi auditam obseruant Jn patentibus pratis erectis lapus mannoreus est, qtiem cum 
dux ereandits est rvuiiem quidem^ cui per stirpis euce successionem hcereditatio id (jfidum 
dehetuTy aecendity ad dextram bouem hahensfoeiam nigri cohris^ ad leuam equa iUi siitiiur 
strigosa macieque insigni, /requens drcapoptdtu agresHumque turba ingens. Dux inde 
futurus ex adtierso mouet purpur<Uorum muUitudine sceptus preeedunt PrindptUus tigna, 

omnesque 



^ 



437 

amneigue in Mo comitatu egregi^ euki prcBter futurum ducem. h agretti habitu^ pileo 
(ectua, caleeos et pastoralem baculum gerens ptutorem agit^ magis quam principem. Hunc 
venieniem inluitua qui lapidem obtinet lUiriea voce quis est hie exdamatj qui tarn superbe 
incedit? Bespondet circumfusa tnuliitudo Prindpem r^/ionis adventare. Turn tile 
iuitusne tudexf Saluiem patrice qucerens? liberoe cofiditionis ? Dignume honore est? 
CkristianoepieUUis ctdtor^ cu; defensor? Clamatur: est quidem et erit Bursus idem^ 
queero quo me Jure hoc a sede dimouebit ? Bespondet Ducalis aides magistery sexaginia 
denariis hie d te locus emitur^ iumenta hcec tua erunt^ ad bouem et equam manum inten- 
denSj vestimenta quae Dux exuet kabebis ; erisque tu cum domo tud tota liber d tributo, 
Quibus dictis rusticus malam percutit alapd leuiter ineussd^ iubetque cequum iudicem esse, 
prcemioque abdueta loco cediL Tum lapidem Dux occupat^ nudum gladium vibrans ad 
omnem se partem vertit^ popidum affaJtur^ polliceturque se cequum iudicem Juturum, 
FerutU et aquam agresti pileo oblatam potare^ in /uturce sobrietatis argumentum^ ^c, 
imperium Austrice Principes obtinent^ et Archiducem appdlanU {Joannes Auban de 
Moribus gent. I. 3, c. 18). 

''Nee minim est in Principum inferioris ordinis inauguratione ludicros gestus 
adhiberi ; quando Imperator ipse Romanus post coronam auream a Pontifice receptam 
in montis Martij bis mille passns £om& dissiti vertice manu elata se gjrat dicens : 
Omnia qtuB videmus nostra sunt,^^ &c. — Cambrensis Eversus, pp. 315, 316, 317. 

To the foregoing observations of Keating and Lynch the Editor has to add, that 
most probably Giraldus never himself saw the ceremony of the inauguration of the 
prince of Tirconnell ; and that he, therefore, repeated it from the report given him 
by some enemy of the Irish, as he did many other silly stories, such as the legend 
of the eruption of Lough Neagh, the legend of the speaking wolf, which predicted that 
the English would subdue the Lrish, the story of the men who were wont to turn 
stones into red pigs and sell them at fairs, &c. &c. That he was never in Tirconnell, 
and therefore could not have been an eye-witness to the ceremony of the inauguration 
of the prince of Tirconnell, is pretty clear from his own words, in his Hibemia Expug- 
naia, from which it can be inferred that he never dared to travel beyond the limits of 
the English power in Ireland, for, speaking of the English who had ventured into the 
territories of the Irish, he says, '' Ubi capti decapitati^ non redempti sed interrempti^ 

That Giraldus's account of the inauguration of the prince of Tirconnell is a fabri- 
cated falsehood, and of a similar character with many others of his stories, is clear from 
the fact, that the Irish writers themselves, who often allude to Irish customs barbarous 
enough to modem ideas, never make any allusion to such a form of inauguration, and 
it is not for a moment to be supposed that the form used in inaugurating the prince 
of the Cinel Conaill tribe was different in any material point from that adopted by the 

prince 



J 



438 

prince of the Cinel Eogbain, or any other of the ancient Irish septs. But happily for 
the character of the ancient Irish, the form of inaugurating their chieftains continued 
in full force, to its utmost acme of barbarity, till the reign of James L of England, 
and we have on this subject the testimony of Spenser, who does not appear to have 
read a word of Cambrensis's great work on Ireland, and who, though pretty well primed 
with prejudices against the native Irish, still lived so near the age of historical vera- 
city that we may safely believe him, particularly on this point, whereon he does not 
materially differ from the account left us by the native Irish writers of the usual 
form of the inauguration of their chieftains. Spenser lived many years in Ireland in 
the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and in his curious work, entitled *' View of the State of 
Ireland" (which is written in the shape of a dialogue between Irenaeus and Eudoxus), 
he gives the following account of the inauguration of the Irish chieftains : 

^* Eudox. What is this which you call Tanist and Tanistry ? they be names and 
terms never heard of nor known to us. 

'* Iren, It is a custome amongst all the Irish, that presently after the death of one 
of their chief lords or captaines, they doe presently assemble themselves to a place 
generally appointed and knowne unto them, to choose another in his steed, where ^ey 
do nominate and elect, for the most part, not the eldest sonne, nor any of the children of 
the lord deceased, but the next to him of blood, that is, the eldest and worthiest, as com^ 
monly the next brother unto him, if he have any, or the next cousin, or so forth, as any 
is elder in that kindred or sept ; and then next to him do they choose the next of the 
blood to be Tanist, who shall next succeed him in the said captainry, if he live thereunta 

" Euidox, Do they not use any ceremony in this election ? for all barbarous nations 
are commonly great observers of ceremonies and superstitious rites ? 

'^ Iren. They use to place him that shalbe their Captaine upon a stone, alwayes re* 
served for that purpose, and placed commonly ux)on a hill ; in some of which I have 
seen formed and ingraven a foot, which they say was the measure of their first captaine't 
foot, whereon hee standing receives an oath to preserve all the auncient former customes 
of the countrey inviolable, and to deliver up the succession peaceably to his Tanist, and 
then hath a wand delivered unto him by some whose proper office that is ; after which, 
descending from the stone, he tumeth himself round, thrice forward and thrioe back- 
ward* 

*' Eudox, But how is the Tanist chosen ? 

" Iren, They say he setteth but one foot upon the stone, and receiveth the like 
oath that the captaine did.'' — Dub. edit p. ii, printed from the first edition, 1596. 

Another writer who appears to have seen the ceremony of inaugurating an Irish 
chief with his own eyes, Philip O'Sullevan Beare, being bom about the year 1588, and 

who 



439 

who had nerer read a word of Cambrensis's work, thus describes the ceremony in 
hifi HiMtmioB CatkolieoB IbemioB Compendiumy torn. i. lib. 3, foL 33, p. 6. 



" Caput IIII. 
'' Ibemorum tnagnatum inau^ratio, et apud eo8 esse novos aliarum gentium titulos. 

*' Inaugurantur yer6 Ibemi optimates, vel alij ab aliis, vel ab illis, quibns more 
maiorom est consecrandi facultas data. Ad quod in locum inaugurationi constitutum 
oonveniunt, longis hominum agminibus, et aolemni pompa comitati. Ibi intersunt 
iudioes, qui, cui candidatorum prindpatus debeatur, ex jure, legibusq; pronuncient. 
MoK coDBecrandi jurare ooguntur, nunquam se contra fidem Catholicam aliquid machi- 
naturos, aut permissuros, ut clientes, ob»rati et suse dictioni subjecti moliantur. Quin 
etiam, si neoesse habeant, sangiiinem pro ea effiisuros, et mortem oppetituros : subjec- 
ton sibi in officio contenturos, et inter eos justitiam exercituros. Inde a sacerdote 
sacrum Misse peragitur, et virga consecratur, quae in sceptrum novo principi traditur, 
qui oertis et conceptis verbis, ab eo, qtii inaugurat, prolatis, vel Osullevanus, vel 
Orellus, Tel alius creatur et appellatur, et a circumstantibus renunciatur, nee amplius 
proprio baptismatis nomine solet vocarL Sic vetustati placuit nee hodie etiam displi- 
oet, etsi Marchionis, Ck>miti8, Yicecomitis et Baronis dignitates quas Ibemia diu 
respuit, his antiquissimis titulis posthabitis, jam sint in magno usu et honore." 

This account of the inauguration of the Irish chieftains, bj Philip O'SuUevan Beare, 
may be objected to, on the grounds that as there was no difference of religion among 
the Irish until shortly before the discontinuance of the custom of electing Irish chief- 
tains, so there could have been no necessity of swearing to defend the Catholic faith. 
But it is highly probable that such Irish chieftains as were inaugurated in Munster 
during the rebellion of the Earl of Desmond, were obliged to swear that they would 
defend the Catholic faith to the utmost of their ability. In this view O'Sullevan's 
account may be regarded as correct, but it seems improbable that before the reign of 
Elizabeth, the chief to be elected was required to swear that he would defend the 
Catholic faith. This was a notion that sprang up in O'Sullevan's time, which then 
told very well among the Spaniards, who patronized the Irish ; and it will be remem- 
bered that O'Sullevan's book was chiefly intended to rouse the Spaniards to sympathy 
with the Irish. It is highly probable, however, that the chief to be inaugurated was 
made to swear to the coarbs of the Church in his territory that he would preserve the 
rights and immunities of their churches, and to the utmost of his ability prevent the 
neighbouring chieftains from plundering their sanctuaries and termon lands. The next 
point which looks suspicious in P. O'Sullevan Beare's account is the consecration of 
the rod by a priest. No mention is made of such a consecration by Keating, who was 

coeval 



440 

coeval with Philip O'Sullevan Beare, and who must have seen the ceremony as well as 
he, and no reference to such is found in any native Irish account ; and indeed it looks 
very strange that if the wand were consecrated by a priest, it should not have been 
presented to the chief by the bishop, or one of the coarbs of the churches, rather than 
by the bard or lay chieftain. The fact seems to be, that the rod was not consecrated by 
any religious ceremony, but it is highly probable that when Dr. Sanders was sent to 
Ireland to instruct the Geraldines, he suggested to the Earl of Desmond that such Irish 
chieftains as were to be inaugurated in Desmond should be called upon to swear to 
defend the Catholic faith, and that the wand should be consecrated to render the ce- 
remony more solemn and sacred. That the rod, however, was handed to the chief by 
the ollamh or chief poet, or by the historian or chronicler of the district, or by 
another chieftain, will be sufficiently obvious from the following authorities : 

1. In a tract entitled Teagiuc Righ^ preserved in the Library of Trinity Ck>ll^e 
Dublin, H. I, 17, it is stated, that the Bard read the heads of this work to the chief to 
be inaugurated, and asked him if he were willing to preserve inviolable the laws writ- 
ten in this book, which when the chieftain had answered in the affirmative, he was 
presented by the bard with a rod. 

2. The following account of the inauguration of the O'Dowd, inserted in the Book 
of Lecan in a beautiful hand, very nearly as ancient as the original, and which is 
undoubtedly authentic, will show that although bishops and the coarbs of churches 
were present at the ceremony, still the rod was handed to the O'Dowd by Mac Firbis, 
the chief poet and historian of the district, which would hardly have been the case if 
the rod had been consecrated. 

" Qjup rup otji D'O'Caomam 6 Ua " And the privilege of first drinking 

n-Duboa ; a^up ^an O'Caomain o^a \at the banquet^ was given to O'Caomhain 

h-ibi no 50 ciija p^ oo'n pilio h-f, .1. oo by O'Dubhda, and O'Caomhain was not 

TTIac F'r^T5> ci^ur ^V^ °5"r cctppci^, to drink until he first presented it* [the 

ajup eich h-1 DuBoa cap eip anma 00 drink] to the poet, that is, to Mac Firbis; 

jiaipm 6e xj!* O'Caemain, a^up cqim o^up also the weapons, battle dress, and steed 

eoqipao h-1 Chaomain aj TTlac pipbipij; of O'Dubhda, after his nomination, were 

ajup nf oinyiiiAla O'OuBoa 00 jaipm given to O'Caomhain, and the weapons 

CO bpar, no 30 n-^oipi6 O'Caomam and battle-dress of O'Caomhain, to Mac 

Firbis; 

* Firgt pretenied it, ffe, — ^From this preroga- Fiachra Ealgaidh, who conitructed Carn Amhal- 

tive it would appear that Mac Firbis was the gaidh. For an account of a similar honour shown 

senior of the race of Fiachra, and that he was bj O'Conor of Connaught to O'Finaghty, in token 

reallj descended from Amhalgaidh, the son of of seniority, seepage 108, Note ^ 



441 



ayup rnac pipbipij^ an c-ainm, ajup n6 
50 n-abpa ITIac pipbip 15 copp na plaici 
op cmn h-l Oubba; ajup jac cl^ipech, 
opjf ^ac coihcqiba cilli, a^up ^ac 
Gpboc, ajup jac caoipec pepoino 00 
paoa cm anma a n.oiai^ h-1 Chaomain 
oyup nieic pipbipi 5 ; oyup aca nf cena, 
Da ce^moo a Cip Qmal^aio O'Ouboa 



Firbis, and it is not lawfiil ever to nomi- 
nate the O'Dubhda until O'Caomhain and 
Mac Firbis [first] pronounce the name, 
and until Mac Firbis brings the body of 
the rod over the head of O'Dubhda ; and 
after O'Caomhain and Mac Firbis every 
clergyman and comharba of a church, and 
every bishop**, and every chief of a district 

pronounce 



^ Every hithop. — This aocoant of the inaugu- 
ntion of O'Dowd was oertaiolj written while 
the custom was in Alii force, and there can be no 
doubt that it is perfectly correct. It will be cu- 
rious here to notice, and compare with it the 
fludem traditional account of the ceremony, in 
order to show how facts are obscured and exag- 
gerated by oral tradition. The modem tradi- 
tional account of this ceremony, which was pub- 
lished in the Bainbow, or We$tem Magazine^ 
No. III.» July, 1840, pp. 144, 145, erroneously 
states that the O'Dowda was inaugurated on the 
hm of Ardnarea, which is incorrectly interpreted 
as denoting Eminence of Kingt, — See p. 34, 
Note * of this volume. It runs as follows, being 
given in the shape of a traditional story told to 
the writer by a native of the district: — '* After 
having directed my attention to the various 
places, he at length said, ' The mound on which 
you stand is the most interesting spot in the ex- 
tensive district now before you. It is connected 
with the ancient history of this country, and as- 
•oeiated with many of those wild and beautiful 
legends which are handed down by tradition 
among the people. This hill is called Ardnaree, 
which means the Eminence of Kinge, and the 
name was given to it from the fact that it was 
the place on which the ancient rulers of this 
eonntry were inaugurated. Before the introduc- 
tion of Christianity the ceremony was performed 

IBX8H ABGH. 80C. 12. 3 



by the archdruid, whose altar you may perceive 
to be still standing on the hill to the west (and 
he pointed out the spot)" [but all false, for that 
is the monument of the murderers of Bishop Cel- 

lach. — See p. 34, Note ^ Ed.] " But when the 

light of the Gospel succeeded to the superstitions 
of the ancient Irish, a Christian bishop presided 
at the coronation of the ruler of the district. He 
was assisted by a numerous assembly of inferior 
clergy, and by all the chiefs of the surrounding 
country, who had a voice in the selection of the 
prince who was to govern them : for though the 
sovereignty was hereditary in the family of the 
O'Dowda, the eldest son did not always succeed — 
but that prince was chosen, whose physical pow- 
ers and mental qualificaiions were best adapted 
to command respect and maintain the dignity of 
his high station. On the day of election the bards 
and heralds toolc possession of the summit of this 
mound, and prepared the seats for the ceremony. 
The multitude remained below, but sufficiently 
near to taki such part as their leaders would di- 
rect them, and it sometimes happened that violent 
contests arose between the followers of the re- 
spective candidates, and that blood was spilt to 
maintain their pretensions to the crown. In ge- 
neral, however, the bishop and his clergy suc- 
ceeded in allaying the animosity of the contending 
parties, and the election concluded in peace, and 
with all the rude festivity of the times. On this 

L 



442 



oo bu oolca DO co Capnn Qmal^aio oo 
^aipm anma 6e, ach ^o m-beir na caoi- 
fij pap If : ajup no oa ce^mao a Capnn 



pronounce the name. And there is one 
thing, should O'Dubhda happen to be in 
Tir Amhalgaidh [Tirawley] he may re- 
pair 



spot the bishop's throne was placed, and on either 
side there were seats for the clergy, according to 
their dignity and gradations ; and on that other 
spot directly opposite the prelate was placed a 
low stool for the candidates for soTereignty. The 
lay chiefs formed a circle on the outside, and be- 
hind each were his bard, herald, and guards to 
preserve order and direct the movement of the 
multitude below. Previous to the ceremonies on 
the mount high mass was celebrated in the church 
with all the pomp and splendour of the Catholic 
ritual. The prelate addressed the assembly, and 
pointed out to all the parties concerned their re- 
spective duties, and he seldom failed to have such 
an understanding with the candidates and their 
adherents as to prevent confusion afterwards. 
The order of procession was as follows : — First, 
a clergyman in his surplice, bearing aloft the cross 
with an image of the crucified Bedeemer, and on 
each side of him a trumpeter, who announced the 
approach of the procession. Then came the can- 
didates, each attended by a bard and aged coun- 
sellor — those were followed by the chiefo, bearing 
wands, according to their seniority, the youngest 
being foremost, and after each his train of bards, 
counsellors, and body-guards. To those succeeded 
the inferior clergy, followed by the dignitaries, 
and last of all, by the bishop himself, crowned 
vrith a mitre, and bearing in his hand a crosier, 
or pastoral staff, to indicate his ofSce. The re- 
spective parties on their arrival took up the posi- 
tions assigned to them ; and, after a brief prayer 
by the bishop, he called each of the electors by 
name, beginning with the youngest, and asked 
whom he would have as his ruler ; and if two- 



thirds of the electors were found to agree upon 
any one of the candidates he was proclaimed 
forthwith. The bishop administered the usual 
oaths to him, anointed him vrith oil, and, having 
set the crown on his head, led him to the throne 
which himself had occupied before, and then did 
him homage as his subject. The chiefs followed, 
and, as each did homage, he broke his wand, to 
indicate that the sovereign authority was now 
vested in the prince they had chosen. After this 
ceremony was concluded the procession returned 
to the church in the same order as it had gone 
out, except that the sovereign came in the last 
place as most entitled to honour. Here another 
exhortation was made by the bishop, the object 
of which was chiefly to impress on the new king 
the necessity of governing with justice and mercy, 
and of promoting to the utmost of his power the 
happiness of his subjects. The multitudes then 
dispersed, and the evening concluded with festivi- 
ties and rejoicings. Three centuries at least have 
passed away" [the last election of an O'Bowda 
was in 1595. — Ed.] "since the last election took 
place on this mount, and though there is still an 
O'Dowda, the lineal descendant of the last sove- 
reign of this territory, his present title to any 
preeminence consists in a large tract of hereditary 
estate, and the many virtues which adorn his 
amiable character. He hopes not for any other 
sovereignty, for it has been decreed by unerring 
fate that no O'Dowda will be ever inaugurated 
on the hill of Ardnaree. The hopelessneaa of 
their case has passed into a proverb, which is 
continually quoted to express a forlorn hope that 
can never be realized. The proverb is Suil ee 



443 



inline 6piain h-^, nip oolca do cmonn do 
^aipm on anma, ajup nip cijri do anall 
6 Capnn Qmal^aio, 6ip ip 6 Qmal^aiD 
mac piacpa Ql^aiD, do cocuil an capnn 



pair to Cam Amhalgaidh^ to be nominated, 
so as that all the chiefs are about him : 
but should he happen to be at Cam in- 
ghine Bhriain* [in Tireragh] it is not ne- 
cessary 



Ghooda IDhooda'] le Ardnaria,* "—See pp. 307, 
308, Note 4. 

This account is curious, as containing some 
glimmerings of truth, but the writer has added so 
much from his own imagination to the simple 
tradition, that he has rendered it of little or no 
historical ralue. 

e Can Amhalgaidh The situation of this 

place has not been pointed out by any of our to- 
pographical writers, nor is there any monument 
in the barony of Tirawley now bearing the name. 
But from the description of the place given in the 
Dionsenchus, Lib. Lee. fol. 247, a, a, it would 
appear that it was situated on the summit of Mul- 
laghcam, i. e. hill of the earn, situated about half 
a mile from the town of Killala. The earn itself, 
which gave name to this hill, has been nearly 
destroyed, but there is still a very curious monu- 
ment on the hill a short distance to the north of 
the road. It resembles an earthen fort with 
round stones of great size placed in a circle on 
its border. The internal diameter of this circle 
is about setenty-eight feet, and its external di- 
ameter is two hundred and forty feet. Some of 
the large stones, which were removed from this, 
and also from an adjacent monument, are still to 
be seen in a field not far distant. Mullaghcam 
stone circle commands a most eztensiTe new of 
the country in every direction, also of Killala 
bay and of a great extent of the sea, and cor- 
respond* in every particular with the references 
to Cam Amhalgaidh, which is said to have been 
constructed by Amhalgaidh, the son of Fiachra 
Ealgaidh, the ancestor of the Mao Firbises, 
among other things, to command a view of his 

3 



fleet going out and coming in. 

* Cam inghine Bhriain^ i. e. the cam of the 
daughter of Brian. This earn has not yet been 
identified with any satisfaction. It is not the 
cam on the red hill of Skreen already described, 
for that was the cam of Rufina, the daughter of 
Airtri Uchtleathan. The Editor is of opinion that 
the Cam inghine Bhriain was the grand one called 
Miosgan Meidhbhe, situated on the conspicuous 
hill of Ardnarea in Cuil Irra ; for Meadhbh, after 
whom that cam was called, might have been the 
daughter of Brian, the eldest son of King Eochaidh 
Muighmheadhoin, and thus it might be appro- 
priately called Cam inghine Bhriain, or the cam 
of the daughter of Brian. But the Venerable 
Charles O'Conor was of opinion that this cam on 
Knocknarea was called from Meava, the daughter 
of Eochy Feylogh, King of Ireland, and the cele- 
brated Queen of Connaught, who raised so much 
disturbance in the kingdom during the times of 
Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, and Claudius. — Letter 
to Dr. Curry, Aug. 27th, 1761. But we have 
the direct evidence of the most authentic Irish 
MSS. that Meadhbh, or Meave, the daughter 
of King Eochy Feylogh, was killed on the 
island of Inis Clothrann, in Lough Bee, in the 
Shannon, and buried at Cruachan (see p. 28, 
Note *) ; so that we cannot for a moment believe 
that the cam on Knocknarea, called Miosgan 
Meidhbhe, was called after Meadhbh, the daugh- 
ter of Eochy Feylogh, as O'Conor asserts, evi- 
dently without having sufficiently considered the 
subject. But it may be objected to this conjec- 
ture that Ardnarea lies to the east of the strand 
of Traigh Eothuile, and that, therefore, it is out« 

La 



\ 






444 



oo p^in oo cum amm a^cqina oo ^ipm 
oe pein aguf oa ^c ouine 06 n-^eboo 
plairep na oiai^ ojuf if cmn ac6 Qmal- 
^aiD pein aoluici, a^up ip uaoa ainm- 
nijcep an capnii ; ajup jac pij do 
clanoaib piacpac nac ^oippeao uinm 
map pin biaio ^aip peicle 00, a^p nf 
ba h-oippopic a pil ndp a peimeao cxg^f 
ni paicpe plaichiup Oe co bpoc. pinic 
Qmen.*' 



oessary for him to go OTer [tbe M07] to 
have the title given to him, and it is not 
necessary for him to come across [to Cam 
inghine Bhriain] from Cam Amhalgaidh, 
for it was Amhalgaidh, the son of Fiachra 
Ealgach, that raised that cam for himself, 
in order that he himself, and all those 
who should obtain the lordship afW him, 
might receive the style of lord upon it. 
And it is in this cam that Amhalgaidh 
himself is interred, and it is from him it 
is named. And every king of the race of 
Fiachra that shall not be thus nominated, 
he shall have shortness of life, and his 
race or generations shall not be illustrious, 
and he shall never see the kingdom of 
God«. Finit. Amen." 

3. We are informed by Philip O'Sullevan Beare that one chief was often inau- 
gurated by another. Of this we have a good example on record in the Court of Chan- 
cery in Ireland, namely, an abstract of a law suit which took place in 1592, before the 
Lord Chancellor, Adam Loftus, between Donell O'Donovan of Castle Donovan, chief 
of his name, and his brother Teige CDonovan, whq attempted to depose him, but failed. 
This docimient is of great importance to this inquiry, as the case was decided according 
to the Irish custom of Tanistry, and as it is perhaps the only registered law document 
in which the custom of inauguration of the Irish chieftains is distinctly recognized. 
The Editor is therefore tempted to present the reader with extracts from it. 



" To His Honorable Lordahipp the Lord Chancellob, 

*' Shewsth, 

'* Tour poore Supplicant Teige O'Donovane of Castledonovane, in the county of 
Corke, Grente. — That whereas he was seised in his demesne as of fee of the Manors, 

Castells, 



side the limit of O'Dowd's legitimate territory, 
and the Editor is willing to grant the weight of 
this objection to its fullest extent, though it will 
appear fh>m the poem of Giolla losa Mor Mao 
Firbis, written in 1417, that O'Dowd claimed 



jurisdiction OTor the entire country as far as the 
River Cowney, which fisUa into the sea at Dram-* 
cliiT. 

* The kingdom of God. — This shows clearly 
that the ceremony was considered a religious one. 



445 



Castells, Towneshipps, Lands, &&, of the Lordsbipp of Clancahell, was wrongfullie 
disseised bj Donell O'Donovane, comonlie called O'Donovane of Castle Donovan ; and 
as the said Donell is a man of greater wealth and alliance in those parts your Suppli- 
cant may not have indifferent tryaU at common lawe, and that the premises doe alsoe 
lie in a remote countrey, that therefore it may please your Lordshipp to cause the 
said Donell to appeare before your Lordshipp to answer to the premises. 

** Donell O'Donovane in answer saith, that the O'Donovan for the time being hath 
bene tyme beyonde the Memorie of Man seised of the said Lordshipp and hereditaments 
of Clancahell, and that the Custom of Carebry, where the said Lordshipp lies, is, and 
hath bene tpne beyond Memory, that the chieftaine of the said contrie of Cairbrie, 
called Mac Cartie Beough, and the moste parte of the gentlemen of the said contrie 
have and had the ellection, nomynatinge, and appointinge of the O'Donovan, for the 
tyme beinge, of one of the best and worthiest of the said Name, and whosoever the 
said Mac Cartie Reough and the greatest part of the said Grentlemen should nominate, 
appoint, and ellect for O'Donovan, and signlfie the same by delivering a Rodd to the 
person so chosen, by the hands of the said Mac Cartie Reoughe, he should have and 
enjoye, during his lyfe, the said Castells, Lordshipps, and other hereditaments. — By 
virtue whereof one Dermot O'Donovan^, Great Grandfather to this defendant, being 
ellected and having received a Rodd of the said Mac Carthie Reough, enjoied the same, 
and after his decease one Dermond mac Conogher O'Donovan^ beinge ellected, enjoied 

the 



' One Denmot O'Donovan, — The pedigree of 
this Dermot, who flourished about the year I492» 
it glyen m follows by Duald Mae Firbis, in his 
smaller compilation of 1666: — "Diarmaid, son 
of Baghnall, son of Conchobhar, son of Murchadh, 
son of Tadhg, son of Cathal, son of Crom, son of 
Maolmanaidb, son of Raghnall, son of Aneslis, 
son of Murchadh, son of Amhlaoibh, son of Ca- 
thal, SOD of Donnabhan, the progenitor of the 
0*DonoTans." In the margin of p. 632 of his 
larger work, begun in 1645, and continued, with 
Tarious interruptions, till the year 1664, he has 
inserted, efidently long after the original com- 
pilatioD, from some Mnnster genealogical work, 
the pedigree of Donell O'Donovan, the defendant, 
as follows : — " Domhnall, son of Domhnall, son 
of Tadhg, son of Diarmaid, son of Raghnall," 
l(c, which perfectly agrees with this law docu- 



ment, which was registered in the year 1592, 
and which has scarcely been opened ever since, 
for, according to this document, Donell, the de- 
fendant, who was inaugurated in 1584, was the 
son of another Donell, who was Mac Teige, or 
son of Teige, and a Dermot Ol>onoyan, chief of 
Clancahell, was the great grandfather of Donell, 
the defendant. This confirmation of the correct- 
ness and trustworthiness of Mac Firbis*s compila- 
tion is highly worthy of notice in this place. 

f Dermond mae Conogher O* Donovan, — He is 
not mentioned in the pedigree of O'Donovan 
given by Mao Firbis, nor even in the elaborate 
one compiled by John Collins of Myross. He 
was probably the uncle of his predecessor, that 
is, Diarmaid, son of Conchobhar, son of Mur- 
chadh, son of Tadhg, son of Cathal, son of Crom, 
son of Maolruanaidh, &c. 



446 



the same during his life, and after his death one Donell Mac Dermott'* being ellected, 
O'Donovan was also seised during his life, and after his death one Teige mac Dermond^ 
O'Donovan being ellected was likewise seised of the said Contrie, and after his death 
one Daniel Mac TeigeJ O'Donovan, father to the Defendant, being elected, was likewise 
seised of the said Lordship during his life. And after his said Father's death. Sir 
Owen Mac Cartie, Knight, being Mac Cartie Reough, and chieftain of Carebrie, and 
the greatest part of the gentlemen of the said Countrie of Carebrie, have ellected, 
chosen, and nominated the defendant [as] O'Donovan, as best and worthiest of the said 
seapt of O'Donovans, and Mac Cartie delivered him a Rodd wherefore he entered to 
all the Lordshipp and Lands, and was seised without interruption these eight years 
past, as was and is for him lawful. 

" Wliereto Teige O'Donovan replied, that he admitted that Mac Cartie Reough 
being lawfullie Mac Cartie, and no intruder, bj assent of most of the freeholders, did 
use to invest and instal the worthiest of the O'Donovans in the chieftainrie, before 
which installacion the right of the chieftainrie, with the freehold and inheritance, was 
cast upon the said Worthiest of the O'Donovans, so as the investinge or installment 
did yield unto him but the name of Chieftane having the freehold and inheritance cast 
upon him theretofore ; and, therewithall, by the usage and custom of the said contrie, 
an illegitimate, or base sonne, was to be secluded and put besides the Chieftainrie, 
Signorie, and inheritance, so that he that was lawfullie borne was ever interested by 
Custome in them and no bastard : and Donell mac Teige O'Donovan, father to this 
complainant, and supposed father to Donell, was seised of all those lands, and so died, 
having yssue this Complainant lawfullie borne, and after espousalls with Ellen Ny- 
Learie, and the Defendant Donell was borne by the said Ellen before the said inter- 
marriadge, so as the said Donell is base borne, and by the said Custome to be secluded. 
And howbeit Sir Owen Mac Cartie hath invested DoneU in the said Chieftainrie, yet 
as this Complainant at that tyme was, and is yet within twenty-one years of adge, 

therefore 



^ Donell mac Dermott. — He was the son of 
the Dermott, the first chief mentioned in this 
document. 

* Teige mac Dermond. — He was the brother of 
the last mentioned, notwithstanding the difference 
of spelling of the name of their father, Der- 
mond, Dermott. Collins says that this Teige was 
murdered by one of his freeholders, Denis Dono- 
van of Meeny, or Moyny, while his son Donell 
was an infant, but we cannot believe this to be 



true, as we have the authority of this document 
to prove that his son succeeded him, which he 
could not have done if he were an infant at the 
time of his father's death. 

J Daniell mac Teige, — This was the celebrated 
character called Domhnall na g- Croieeann, i. e. 
Danielit pellium, in the traditions of the country. 
He died in the year 1584, when his son DoneU, 
the defendant, was elected to his place by Sir 
Owen Mac Carthy Reagh. 



447 

therefore Donell being base-bom, was not nor is jet capable. Besides that one Donell 
Mac Cartie is intituled to be Mac Cartie Reough, whereunto he had right by Her 
Highnes' Pattents, so as Sir Owen is an intruder, and the installment of Donell 
OT>onovan by said Sir Owen, who is an intruder, is avoyded, who is mightilie sup- 
ported by Sir Owen by his potency and greatnes, for that Donell O'Donovane 
matched in marriage with a daughter of said Sir Owen : Werefore the Complainant 
prayeth humblie release from your Honorable Lordship. 

" Whereto Donell O'Donovane rejoineth — that Sir Owen Mac Cartie, now Mac 
Cartie Beough, was lavrfullie intituled to the Chieftainrie of the Contrie of Carbrie, 
and lawftdly seised as best and worthieste of the Mac Carties of Carbrie at the tyme of 
delivering the Rodd to this rejoinant, whoe mainteyneth himself to be best and wor- 
thiest of the blood of the O'Donovans, and saith he was borne after espousalls be- 
twixt Donell mac Teige, his father, and father to the Complainant, and the said 
EUen Ny-Learie, their mother, and not before. He also saith that the custom 
of the Countrie warranteth that Bastards, especiallie Muliers, by the Civill Law, 
might be O'Donovans : that the last Chieftain claymed the said Contrie but durynge 
his lyfe by the said custome, and not as his inheritance, so as nothinge could descend 
from him ; and therefore forasmoche as this defendant is lawiullie intituled and seised 
of the said contre as * O'Donovan,' being best and worthiest of the bloud of the 
O'Donovans, and lawfullie is vested ' O'Donovan,' according the Custome tyme beyond 
the Memorie of Man, all which he is readie to averr. 

" Teige O'Donovan to this further replies, that Sir Owen Mac Cartie is an intrudor 
and the Ceremony of giving a Rodd by him is not by the usadge of the said Lordshipp 
warrantable ; further, if it fall out that Donell is illegitimate, as indeed he is, then is 
the avemnent untrue, alledging him to be beste and worthiest of the O'Donovans, 
&c. &c. 

'* Uppon all which matters Commissioners were chosen of both parties to examine 
their wytnesses — whereupon it was directlie proved by diverse good witnesses, and 
especiallie by Sir Ffynen O'Driscoill, Knight, and diverse good gentlemen, that Donell 
was bom many years after the marriadge solempnised at Dromale, in the county of 
Corke, betwixt Donell mac Teige and the said Ellen Ny-Learie, his mother, who had 
other sons elder than Donell^, the Defendant, by reason whereof the complainant being 

his 

^ Who had other 9on$ eider than 2>onel2.— One was hanged by O'Sulleyan, is still called Dairi- 

of these was Diarmaid O'Donoran, who was slain heen DiarnuMla. The ancient Irish did not re- 

by Daniel O'Sollevan Beare in 1581, and the oak gard children thus bom as illegitimate, for, ac- 

tree, cujut tt%pe$ adhue manet, out of which he cording to the cItU and canon law then used by 



448 



his younger brother, he had no title against the said Donell, the said Lordshipe being 

customarie, and Donell having proved the custome and his ellection as O'Donovan; — 

and for that it was proved that the father of both was made O'Donovan, and died 

seised of the Lordship and hereditaments of Clancahell, and the said Sir Owen Mac 

Cartie was Chieftain of Carbrie, by right, and not by usurpation, when he delivered a 

Bodd to Donell, now ^O'Donovan;' and Donell being the elder brother of Teige, 

the Complainant, being bothe bom of one father and mother after marriadge dolie 

celebrated betwixte them accordinge to the rites and ceremonies of the holie church, 

he had beste right to inherit or succeede their said father, and to be O'Donovam, and 

to have and enioie the Lordship, lands, tenements, and hereditaments of Clancahell — 

And it is soe adjudged and Decreed, and the said Donell shall recover his charges and 

costs sustayned in this cause against the said Teige. — Teoven at Dublin the 12th dale 

of Ffebruarie Anno Domini, 1592. 

Ad. L0FTU8, Cane." 

The form of the inauguration of the 0*Donovan is more circimistantially describ- 
ed by John Collins of Myross, in his pedigree of the late Greneral Richard O^Donovan 
of Bawnlahan. It is to be feared that he has supplied some things from his own ima- 
gination, which we know was sufficiently creative, for he was a poet, and though but 
a rude £nglish scholar, he was the author of the beautiful Irish poem entitled ** So- 
liloquy in Timoleague Abbey," published, with an admirable translation by Fur- 
long, in Hardiman's Irish Minstrelsy, vol. ii. p. 235. But he is entitled to some 
credit, as he was well acquainted with Irish history, and knew the traditions of 
the mountains of Carbery better than any person living in his time. The follow- 
ing is the account which he has given of the inauguration of Donell mac Teige 
0*Donovan, the father of Donell and Teige mentioned in the forgoing docu- 
ment; an account which, if true, presents a dreadful picture of the lawless ferocity of the 
times. After giving an account of the escape of Donell mac Teige in his infancy from 

being 



the Irish, the after marriage of the parents ren- 
dered them legitimate. But Sir Owen Mac Carthy 
Reagh, fearing the interference of the English law, 
then fast encroaching upon the ancient Irish cus- 
toms, in this cue took care to inaugurate as 
O'Donovan the eldest son of Ellen Ny-Learie, 
bom after the celebration of her marriage with 
Donell mac Teige. Collins, who giyes this part of 
the history of the O'DonoTans from oral tradition 
and, as he says, from Irish MSS., suppresses the 



fact of Ellen Ny-Learie having had children by 
Donell na g-Croiceann before their marriage. 
This he did from fear of the Tengeance of the late 
General O'Donoran, who was Tery proud of bis 
pedigree, though he never did anything to ilhis- 
trate it, or reflect honour on his ancestors, except 
by running away from a battle in the Netherlands, 
accompanied by His Royal Highness the late Duke 
of York, whom he is said to have carried across a 
river in their flight. 



449 

being murdered by his relatives, the friends of his father and enemies of his mother, 
he proceeds as follows : 

" Immediately after this had happened, his mother [Helena Ny-Donovan] took him 
away privately out of the reach of his enemies, and with him took refuge in Ibh Leary, 
at O'Leary's mansion castle Carrignacurra, where they remained in a state of con- 
cealment under borrowed names, until he came to a proper age and was well educated, 
as Denis na Meeny always supplied his daughter and grandson privately with money 
and every other necessary wanting to them. When he came to the age of twenty-one 
years his mother divulged his name and parentage, and consequently that he was the 
lawful heir to the title and lordship of O'Donovan. O'Leary gave him his daughter 
Helena O'Leary in marriage with a great fortune, and soon after a splendid retinue 
and well appointed body of his friends attended him to Carbery, there to take pos- 
session of his ancient lands and royalties. He was received with joy and congratida- 
tion by his grandfather Denis na Meeny the elder and his son Denis na Meeny the 
younger, and by their party, as also by Mac Conolly, who had served as captain under 
his father and grandfather, and whose ancestors, for a long time prior to that period, 
had been a kind of hereditary life guard to the O'Donovan famDy, and on that account 
had seven ploughlands assigned to them by O'Donovan in the parish of Drinagh. At 
the same time a Jeremiah Donovan of a collateral branch was laying in a claim for the 
property, and was candidate for the name. This Jeremiah, who was called Diarmuid 
a Bhairc^ or of the Bark, from having been bred at sea, had a large party to espouse his 
chum, and amongst which was Ire Donovan of Castle Ire," \recte^ Castle Ivor] "with his 
relations and followers, and the Sliocht Tioboit, or posterity of Tioboid, of which we 
have spoken before. 

" The election was to be held in the town of Ross Carbery, under the superinten- 
dance of Mac Carthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery, who then dwelt at Binduff Castle, 
now Castle Salem, and who had the hereditary power of inaugurating the O'Donovan. 
The form of the inauguration was to give the chosen candidate a straight white wand 
in his right hand, as an emblem of unbiassed rectitude, and to cause him to swear 
solemnly to rule with strict justice and equity, as in those times every representative, 
or head of a family, was absolute in his own principality, and had a gallows and fosse, 
the former for the punishment of male criminals and the latter for that of the female 
ones. 

" When the appointed day for the election came, Denis na Meeny and his party fell 
off to the south and met Ire with a division of his party at Ballaghalow, in the parish of 
Kilmackabea, to the west of Ross, slew himself, and cut off his party to a man. Captain 
Conolly, in company with Donell na g-Croiceann O'Donovan, O'Leary, and their party, 

IBISH ARCH. 80C. 12. 3 M took 



450 



took the near way from Dromaleague to Boss, through the parish of Drinagh, and on 
his arriyal found Diarmuid a Bhairc inaugurated, with the rod of justice in his hand, in 
the presence of Mac Carthy ; wherefore he sternly demanded of Mac Carthy the reason, 
and, without waiting for a reply of any kind, ran Diarmaid a Bhairc through the body, 
who instantly expired. On which Donell na g-Croiceann was inaugurated and saluted 
O'Donovan I As many of the party and supporters of Diarmuid a Bhairc as were 
found in the streets of Koss were slaughtered and slain. The castle of Ire" [Ivor], 
'* in the parish of Myross, was partly broken down and his lands taken and possessed 
by O'Donovan, and what survived of that branch were forced to quit that part of the 
country. The castle of Grortnaclough was also stormed, taken, and partly destroyed, 
and its lands taken by O'Donovan," &c &c 

This, however, cannot have been the original form of the inauguration of O'Dono- 
van, neither was Koss Carbery the original locality at which the ceremony was per- 
formed, for, previously to the beginning of the thirteenth century, the sept were seated 
along the River Maigue, in the present county of Limerick, and the chief resided at 
Groom, or Bruree, and the probability is, that he was inaugurated on the moat at Bruree, 
not by Mac Carthy, but by his own people of Hy-Figinte. When the O'Donovans were 
driven out of the plains of Hy-Figinte, they encroached on O'Driscol and others, and 
taking their tribe name with them, transferred it to the territory over which they 
had acquired dominion, and which had been previously called Corca Luighe' ; and we 
find that in the year 1 2CX) Auliff, or Amlaff, More O'Donovan, who was slain at Kinneigh 
in that year, is mentioned in the Annals of Innisfallen as chief of the territory of Car- 
bry, a name then recently transferred to Corca Luighe. But the descendants of Donell 
God [the stammering], the son of Donell More na Curra Mac Carthy, who died in 
1 185, increasing mightily in numbers and power, elected a chieftain for themselves 

distinct 



' Corca Luighe. — ^Nothing is more certain than 
that the exteniiye district in the county of Cork 
now called Carbery, and anbdiyided into Tarions 
parts, was originally called Corca Luighe, and be- 
longed to O'Briscol and his corre]ati?es. None of 
our writers hare pointed out when or why this 
celebrated district was called Cairbre, or Carbery. 
But the Editor hopes to prove in a future work 
that this whole district was called Corca Luighe, 
at least until the year 1178, when the Cairbre 
Aobhdha were first driven out of the plains along 
the Maigue in the now county of Limerick, and 



that shortly after this period the tribe of Cairbre 
Aobhdha, namely, the ODonoTans, 0*Coileans, 
or Collins, and other fiunilies, being forcibly 
driven out of their own territory by the Fits 
Geralds, fled into Corca Luighe, which they sub- 
dued, and to which they transferred their own 
tribe name, which, in course of a few centuries, 
became so firmly established that when the ter- 
ritory was re-conquered by the Mac Carthys 
they did not attempt to sink the tribe name of 
those who had sunk its more original appella- 
tion. 



45 » 

distinct from Mac Carthy More, and triumphantlj obtained dominion over the whole 
barony of Carbery, in the county of Cork, and compelled O'Driscol, O'Donovan, 
(yMahony the Western, and other septs, to pay them tribute as conquerors of the ter- 
ritory. 

Another part of the ceremony of inauguration not mentioned by any of the writers 
already quoted, is noticed in the Annals of the Four Masters, namely, that in many 
cases when a superior chief was inaugurated by an inferior chief, the latter put on his 
shoe or slipper. — See these Annals at the years 1461 and 1488, where it is stated that 
at the inauguration of the chiefs of the O' Conors, Mac Dermot, chief of Moylurg, put 
on his shoe. It is also stated that in inaugurating the chief of the O'Neill family, 
O'Kane threw a shoe or slipper over the head of the prince. It is rather strange that 
Keating should not have noticed this ceremony. 

From the foregoing authorities we may infer that the following conditions were 
generally requisite to constitute a legitimate instalment or inauguration of an Irish 
chieftain: 

1. That he should be of the blood of the original conqueror or acquirer of the ter- 
ritory, and free from all personal blemishes, deformities, and defects, and be of fit age 
to lead the clan to the field. 

2. That the greater part of his sub-chiefs and freeholders should declare in his 
favour. 

3. That the inauguration should be celebrated at a remarkable place in the terri- 
tory appointed of old for the purpose, where there was a stone with the impression of 
two feet, believed to be the size of the feet of the first captain, chieftain, or acquirer 
of the territory. 

4. That the hereditary historian or chronicler of the territory should be present 
to read to the chief about to be installed the heads of the law relating to the conduct 
of the chieftain, and that the latter should swear to observe those laws and to maintain 
the customs of the territory inviolable. 

5. That after taking this oath, the chief laid aside his sword and other weapons, 
upon which the historian of the district, or some other person whose proper ofiice it 
was, handed him a straight white wand as a sceptre and an emblem of purity and 
rectitude, to indicate that his people were to be so obedient to him that he required 
no other weapon to command them. 

6. That after receiving this straight white wand, one of his sub-chiefs put on his 
shoe or sandal in token of obedience, or threw a slipper over his head in token of good 
luck and prosperity. 

7. That after the foregoing ceremonies were performed, one of his sub-chiefs pro- 

3 M 2 nounced 



45 2 

nounced his surname without the christian-name in a loud voice, after whom it was 
pronounced in succession by the clergy according to their dignity, and by his sub- 
chiefs and freeholders according to their respective ranks. After this the chieftain 
turned round thrice forwards and thrice backwards, in honour of the most holy 
Trinity, as the Irish still do all good things, and to view his people and his territory 
in every direction ; which being done he was the legitimate chief of his name. 

On the subject of the inauguration of Christian kings, the evidence given by Cu- 
min and Adamnan, as above noticed, is the oldest on record. The most ancient 
authorities given by Selden for the coronation of Christian emperors, and for that of 
the Kings of France and England, are subsequent to the time of Adamnan, who died 
on the list of September, 704, in the seventy-seventh year of his age. The sacred 
cruet of Rheims, used in anointing the Kings of France, is not mentioned previously 
to the ninth century. In the Notitia Epwx)patuum, printed at Rome in 1533, we are 
told that the ancient kings usually consecrated, according to the ceremony of the 
Roman Ritual, were those of Castile, Arragon, Ireland, Scotland, Poland, and Hun- 
gary. It is highly probable that the monarchs of Ireland, since the introduction of 
Christianity, were inaugurated by the Archbishop of Armagh, attended by the four 
provincial kings, who took a conspicuous part in the ceremony, and there is every 
reason to believe that the clergy were employed in the inauguration of the chiefs of 
large districts, such as were called ri^ha, or kings by the ancient Irish, but that the 
lords of single baronies, or Triucha cheds, were appointed by the head chieftain, by 
consent of his tribe, with the simple ceremony of delivering him a rod* This is evident 
from various passages throughout the Annals of the Four Masters, which it would be 
too tedious to quote in the present work. 

L. 
Death of St. Gerald of Mato. 

See page 145, Note *. — ^Dr. O'Conor, in \i\%Berum Hihemicarum ScriptoreSy denies 
that the Annals of Ulster and Tighernach record the death of St. Gerald at 732 ; he 
says that at this year they record the death of Muireadhach, one of his successors, and 
that St Gerald himself died long before. See his notes on the Annals of Ulster at the 
year 731, of Tighernach at 732, and of the Four Masters at 726. It is true that Dr. 
O^Conor is borne out in this opinion by the Annab of the Four Masters, in which it is 
expressly stated that Muireadhach was Bishop of Mayo ; but the Editor is of opinion 
that the Four Masters have mistaken the original Annals of Tighernach, in which the 
passage stands as follows, without any punctuation : — '' A. D. 732. Carh Connachc 

in 



453 

in quo cecioie Uluipeoach TTIac Inopachcai^ poncipex ITIuiye h-Go Saxonum 
^apailr obic." 

Now it is quite dear from the two verbs cecidit and obit^ that two distinct persons 
are referred to in the entry, and that the passage should be thus punctuated: — 
** A.D. 732. Cach Connachc, in quo cecioic TTluipeDach TTlac Inopachcai^. pon- 
ciperTTluije h-Go Saxonum, 5cipailc,obic," i.e. "A.D.732. The battle of Connaught, 
in which fell Muiredhach, son of Indrachtach. The PontifiP of Majo of the Saxons, 
Grerald, dies," i. e. " Gerald, Pontiff of Mayo of the Saxons, dies." It is quite clear 
that Muiredhach was a chieftain, not a bishop, and it is more than probable that he 
was the son of the Indrachtach, King of Connaught, who is said to have been slain 
in the year 718 Vide supra^ p. 315, Note **. 

Colgan also, at Mart xiii. seems to think that St Gerald of Mayo died earlier than 
732 ; and Ussher thinks that he must have died before the year 697 ; but Dr. Lanigan 
clearly proves that both these opinions are groundless. The Four Masters enter the 
death of St Gerald under the year 726, and in Mageoghegan's translation of the Annals 
of Clonmacnoise it is entered under the year 729 ; but as these Annals are antedated 
by a few years it is obvious that the same date is intended as in Tighemach. But it 
should be confessed here that even Mageoghegan has mistaken the construction of his 
original, which he renders thus : — '* A. D. 729. The battle of Connaught was fought, 
wherein Moriegh Mac Inreaghty, Bushop of Moyoe of the English, was slain. Garalt 
died." It should be^ " The battle of Connaught was fought, wherein Moriegh Mac 
Inreaghty was slain. The Bushop of Moyoe of the English, Graralt, died." 

M. 
Of the anciemt Divisiomb of Lands called Ballybetaohs. 

See page 20^ — The following notices of the ancient Irish townlands, given by the 
Rev. John Keogh, author of the Irish Herbal, in a short account of the county of Ros- 
common, written by him for Sir William Petty's intended Atlas, are here presented 
to the reader in confirmation of what has been advanced by the Editor at p. 204, on 
the difference between the ancient and modem Irish townlands. This tract is pre- 
served in MS. in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, and is dated Strokestown, 
March 14th, 1683 : 

" Connaught (and, I suppose, other provinces) was anciently distingtiished into 
countries called Doohie, or Tyre, named from such and such families, or nations in- 
habiting them, as in the barony of Athlone, Doohie Keogh, the country or nation of 
the Keoghs. In the barony of Ballintobber, Doohie Hanly, the country of the Han- 
leys, 



454 

leys, and betwixt Elphin and Jamestown, that sweet country Teer O'Ruin [Tir Briuin] 
and Teer O'Byme, the country of the Helms. 

'' These countries were subdivided into townlands (in some other parts of Ireland 
known by the denomination of plough-lands) which were called Ballys, as in Doohie 
Hanly, Bally nengulluh, [or] Gyllstown, Ballygilleclinne, the town of the Chlinnes, 
Ballyfeeny, &c., and each townland was divided again into quarters, which are gene- 
rally known and distinguished by certain meares and bounds, and for that reason the 
name of quarter is used as though it signified a certain measure ; and now the lands 
here are generally set and let, not by the measure of acres, but by the name of quar- 
ters, cartrons, and gnieves, a quarter being the fourth part of a townland, and a gnieve 
the sixth part of a quarter, and a cartron also the fourth part of a quarter (although 
in other parts of Ireland a quarter is the same part that a cartron is here, and a gnieve 
the fourth part of a cartron). I have been sometimes perplexed to know how many 
acres a quarter contains, but I have learned it is an uncertain measure, and anciently 
proportioned only by guess, or according to the bigness of the townland whereof it was 
a parcel. I have also busied myself with my own concerns to inquire what town, or 
general denomination of townland, each quarter belonged to, for the more convenient 
setting of tithes in main parcels by those general names of ballys, but therein I could 
not meet with satisfaction, it being a thing forgotten since the days of yore, and im- 
known to the most who yet still retain the names of quarters. And these ancient 
names of townlands have lost part of their general signification, being now applied 
only to some small parcells, as quarters or less pieces, and each other parcell of the 
ancient townland hath another name, according as the inhabitants were pleased to settle 
their habitations and little villages here and there sparsedly fix ed and variously named. 
I have observed that most names of dwelling places in the beginning of them (before 
what other addition or surname they are distinguished by) have the following words : 
Bally, the town ; Leghbally, the half town ; Carhu, the quarter ; Kill, the church ; 
Liss, or Rath, the fort of earth ; Cassel, the fort of stone ; Carrig, the rock ; Ath, the 
ford ; Bealawh, the ford^s mouth ; Gleann, the valley ; Knock, the hill ; Ross, Cluain. 
What Ross and Cluain signify I have not yet learned, they being words not commonly 
used (but as parts of the proper names of towns) except in ancient times, only I take 
U Cluain is applied generally to a place enclosed with bog and river or the like, which 
is commonly the pleasantest and most commodious for habitations, but Ross, being of 
affinity to the Latin Rus, is app lied to places of ydder extent, as wildernesses and 
forests, places overspread with imderwood, &c" 



N. 



455 

N. 

Cathal Dubh O'Dubhda. 

See page 309, Note ^ and pagee 316, 317, Note °. — It is stated in the Hietoria 
/amiUcBDe Burgo, a curious MS. preserved in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin 
(F. 4. 1 3.), that every Mao William is entitled to a tribute of five marks yearly out of the 
country of O'Dowd, and that the then O'Dowd, namely, Cathal Dubh, consented to the 
payment of this tribute, which is called a cios coaanta^ L e. tribute for protection. No 
date appears to this document, but it states that O'Dowd was present at the writing of 
it, who subscribes his name to it, and it is also attested by Cosny Oge Mac an Brehon, 
who was Brehon to Mac Maurice of Clanmorris. It is probable, however, that this 
tribute was not of long standing ; but the power of the O'Dowds was very much crip- 
pled at this period by the O'Conors and others, so that Cathal Dubh found it his interest 
to pay the lower Mac William five marks a year for assisting him against them. Not- 
withstanding this security of the protection of O^Dowd by the lower Mac William 
De Burgo, the power of O'Conor Sligo continued to increase, for in the year 1581 he 
was lord of that tract of country extending from the River Drowes to Ceis Corainn, 
and from the River Moy, eastwards, to Lough Gill. 

O. 

The Lower Mac William De Burgo^s Possessions in Tirawley. 

Seepages 338, 339, Notes ^ and 8. — The following list of the Lower Mac William's 
townlands, tributes, &c., in Tirawley, is taken from the Historia/amilice De Burgoy 
already quoted : 

*' ^5 r® bapuncacc Cipe Qiiial^aiD : " This is the barony of Tirawley : the 

locum comicif an cip f ^m .1. inao an territory itself is a loctu comitis, i. e. the 

icqila; a^p do puaip VTlac UiUiam po place of the Earl. And Mac William ob- 

mnoe, occ picio o^^ o'^ip^e amac innce, tained in it eighteen score of a rising-out 

map acd qif picio mapcac jUpca, agup [L e. forces], to wit, three score accoutred 

l^ piciD cecepnac, agup naoi b-picio horse and six score kerns, and nine score 

giolla capoll, pa n-a loncuib p^in, ayup horse gillys [horseboys], all to euhsist on 

qii piciD ma|i3 cfopa agup coiha. their own provisions, and three score 

marks as rent and reward. 

** Qg po na peopomn a B-puil pin ; ap ^^ The following are the lands on which 

cijp ann pa 6hacc choip, pe baile coihra; these are paid : — ^first in the eastern Bac, 

a^p annp a 6hucc ciap cuig baile six townlands of reward, and in the west- 

coihra; ceacpaiha agup cuij; baile em Bac five townlands of reward; a 

* quarter 



456 



coihra a n-^eann Neinichino, ayup aj 
po a n-onmanoa pin, .1. 6aile in chop- 
p6in, ajup 6aile na Cpaoibioe, ajup 
lecar-baile TTlaiDeaj, ayup leac-baile 
mora, ajup leac-baile Caopcann6in, 
ayup cearporha DaipBin, ayup ccar- 
paiha 5haile ihic "R^moj, ajup cear- 
paiha 6haile na Cai^neach, ajup cearpa- 
ihd 6haile an 6hpuicneo5Ui5, ajup leac- 
baile mhaol-aca, ajup in Cheocpaiiia 
clocac, ajup leac-baile Cpincach, ajup 
lear-baile "Rdca "RuaiDin, a^up 6aile 
6apa Caoipij;, ayup an Cheocpaiha 
piabac, ayup an Chearpaiha cui^ea- 
oac, agup lear-baile "Rara Coma, ajup 
Cearpaiha an capbuio, agup ceacpaiha 
Chille h-QchaiD, ajup an Cearparha 
mop. a5upcearpariia5aile hopcin, ajup 
CU15 leic-cearpamna annp a "Rop 6 
c-Sailin apceachjajuplearbaile na Caj. 
buaile ; oa uinge ceapoaoo cuij^ nicipg ^ 
n-lnip Cuao, do ctop ajup do coma ; d6 
liiapg 6^5 DO cfop ajup do coihaD a od 
baile Cpoip TTlhuiDeltna ; Occ pmjmne 
cJJ^r T^^^ pgiUinn a m-baile an Chopp- 
baile; occ pmjmne ajup pice pjiUinn 
annp a 5haile meaoonac ; occ pmjmne 
ajup pice pjiUinn a m-baile 60c ha 
5pon ; occ pinjinne ajup pice pjiUinn 
a m-baile Chille h-QoDain ; occ pin- 
yinne agup pice pjillinn a m-5aile na 
Cobpuioe ; bonn ajup uinge D'6p a 
5-ceachpamain an Chdipn; d6 phin- 
jinn ayup cpl h-uinje annp a Cheac- 
pamain m6ip ; d6 phinjinn ajup cpi 
h-uinge a j-cectcpamain 6aile na leice ; 
oa phinjinn ayup cpi h-uinye annp a' 
ceorpaihain Soiallai^; occ pinginne 



quarter and five townlands of reward in 
Gleann Nemhthinn, named as follows, viz., 
Baile an Chorrain, Baile na Craoibhidhe, 
the half townland of Maidheag, the half 
townland of Hatha, the half townland of 
Caorthannan, the quarter of Dairbhin, the 
quarter of Baile mhic Kemag, the quarter 
of Baile na Laighneach, the quarter of 
Baile an Bhruithneoguigh, the half town- 
land of Maol-atha, Ceathramha chlochach 
[L e. the stony quarter], the half townland 
of Trintach, the half townland of Bath 
Ruaidhin, Baile Easa Caoirigh, Ceath- 
ramha riabhach, Ceathramha ehuigeadh- 
ach, the half townland of Rath Toma, 
Ceathramha an charbuid, the quarter of 
Cill Achaidh, Ceathramha mhor, the quar- 
ter of Baile Hostin ; five half quarters in 
Ros from Sailin inwards, the half townland 
of Lagbhuaile; two ounces wanting of five 
marks in Inis Cuadh, as rent and reward; 
twelve marks as rent and reward in the 
two townlands of CrosMuidhelina; twenty 
shillings and eight-pence in the townland 
of Corrbhaile ; twenty shillings and eight- 
pence in Baile meadhonach ; twenty shillings 
and eight-pence in the townland of Loch 
Bron ; twenty shillings and eight-pence 
in the townland of Cill Aodhain ; twenty 
shillings and eight-pence in the town- 
land of Cobhruidhe ; a groat and an 
ounce of gold in the quarter of Cam ; 
two-pence and three ounces in Ceathramha 
mhor; two-pence and three ounces in the 
quarter of Baile na leice ; two-pence and 
three ounces in Ceathramha Sdiallach ; 
twenty shillings and eight-pence in Baile 
anOireacht; twenty shillings and eight- 
pence 



457 



o^ppice fjiUmja m-63ile anOipeacc; 
occ pin^inne ctjup pice pjillinn a 
in-6aile T^dra 6eacam ; uin^e o'dp 
a n^ouraio Chlomne philip ; occ b-pin- 
^inne a^up naoi n-umje a in-5aile 
Chille 6pi^e ; occ b-pin^inne a^up 
pice pyiUinn a in-6aile an Chaipill ; 
ceacpa h-uin^e 6^^ a in-&aile Qca 
lioj; bonn ajup uinj^e o'op a Tn-6aile 
an ^leanna; cpi h-uin^e a ni.6aile 
Chapna; bonn a^up uin^e o'op a leor- 
baile in Cobaip; ceacpa h-uinje 665 
ain-6aile papaio; bonoa^upcui^uin^e 
a leacbaile 6ocha t>eala; d6 phin^inn 
a^p cpf h-uinje a jj-ceacpaihain 
Chaiple ; pjiUinn ayup uinje a m-5aile 
1 OuBcai^ ; naoi ni-bomn a j-ceacpa- 
mam 5hpecmuiDe ; oa map^ am-5aile 
O'j-Coihain ; d6 phmjinn ajup cpi 
h-umje a y-ceacparhain t>aip(n ; oA 
phin^ino a^up cpi h-uinje a j-Ceac- 
paiham Chuain Y^6ill ; uin^e a ni-6aile 
niic Cichol. Qcdio na maoip o'd 66- 
nani o'piajnuipi ann po do p6ip map 
puopoDop 6 na pinnpeapuib c6inicc 
pompa, yac peapann nac ciucpa o'd 
oi^pe p^in a oiol, an peapann o'puaypa 
00 nihac Uilliam ; ajup pop oamao luja 
clop mhic UiUiam annp a E- peapann 
in6 cfop na o-cijeapnaij eile jan ap 
bpeich DO na ci^eapnui^ib pm a 5-ctop 
fim o'pdjAil no 50 b-pajaiD TTlac Uil- 
liam a ciop ap cup. Qjup ni eile pop 
gup ab aip an b- peapann aca cion fllhic 
Uilliam, a^up nf b-puil lua^ aip an cup 
DO cajpa leip." 

The two documents which follow, taken from the HistoriafamUice De BurgOy wiU 

IRISH ARCH. SOC. 12. 3 N show 



pence in the townland of Rath leacain \ 
an ounce of gold in the territory of the 
Clann-Philip ; eight-pence and nine ounces 
in the townland of Cill Bhrighde; twenty 
shillings and eight-pence in Baile an 
Chaisill ; fourteen ounces in the townland 
of Acha Hag ; a groat and an ounce of gold 
in Baile an Ghleanna; three ounces in 
Baile Charna ; a groat and an ounce of gold 
in the half townland of Tobar ; fourteen 
ounces in Baile Faraidh ; a groat and five 
ounces in the half townland of Loch Deala; 
two-pence and three ounces in the quarter 
of Caisle ; a shilling and an ounce in Baile 
I Dhubhthaigh ; nine groats in the quarter 
of Breachmhaidh ; two marks in Baile 
O'g-Comain ; two-pence and three ounces 
in the quarter of Cuan Neill ; an ounce 
in Baile Mic CithoL The stewards bear 
testimony to this accordingly as they re- 
ceived it from their ancestors, that every 
land of which its own inheritor cannot pay 
this tribute is to be declared escheated to 
Mac William ; and shoidd Mac William's 
rent be less than that of the other lords, 
these lords cannot raise their rents until 
Mac William shall first receive his own 
rent And moreover that Mac William's 
tribute is due of the land, and that there 
is no power of disputing it with him." 



458 



show bow the Barretts and Burkes stood in the years 1580 and 1584. The first is 
given in Irish, with an original Latin translation, and the second is in Latin only." 



" In Dei Nomine Amen. 

" Qp 6 doBap m pyplBinn p, oa poill- 
piuJQD ^o o-cdpla baile 5^1 leice 00 
Shean mac Otlb^pup, a^up o'a mac na 
Diai^, .1. 6h6ic:£p a &upc, 6 6haip6oa- 
chaib, map ar6 ComApna jeimli oyupa 
chlann, ajup a 6pairepoca, .1. Seann 
6aip^o ajup a mac, ajup Gmam mac 
niaia, a^upUiUea^, mac Hlaia l^uaio; 
DO baoap pm peal paoa a n-oiai 5 an oiic- 
caip DO raob cuipci, ajup peal oile do 
xxxoh a ^capoD ^aeoeal amui;i;, ajup ni 
puapaoap ropoD ap ceachcop ofoB y\n ; 
ayuppujoDopDO pojum jupB-peapp led 
maic 6haicep a 6i]pc ayup a pocap aca, 
ind beir a n-Diaig a n-ourcaip ayup an 
caiplein, ajup nap oepEca leo a pho^ail 
oa m^D d6 j-cairpiofp pip. Qp an dobap 
pin DO pinneaoap conpao pe c^ile leac 
ap lear, map ac6, cuio pinnpip aj 5aicep 
uaca-pon, .1. boixi 6el leice op cijp, ajup 
lear poileip ajup cije meaooin aca- 
pon 6 5haicep, ajup leac baouin ajup 
Duccaip, ajup inmip, ayup 6ip5, ajup 
coic^iD map an j-cdona. CuiUeao etle 
jac caob a o-Op Qmaljuio 'n-a bpuil 
DuchaiD na m-6aip^Dac ym^ a leac ay 
5haicep, ajup a leac aca-pon, ajup 
o'piachaib ap 6h6icep a cumacca pern 
DO caiceam pe n-a buam amac annpa 
copui^ map a cuio p^in, ajup an conn- 
pao pm aja o-ciucpai6 n-Diaij 50 bpdc 
op a c6ile do nop a 5-connupca pern, 
ajup D'piachaib oppa ami po beic ay 



'' Universis et Singulis pateat per pre- 
sentes, quod Manerium de Bel leoce per- 
venit ad Johannem [filium] Oliveri De 
Burgo ejusque filium Vaterum De Burgo, 
sed vere heredes ipsius manerii seu Castri, 
viz., Thomas Cathenarum Bared et ejus 
filii et fratres, viz., Johannes Bared ejus- 
que filius Edmundus fitz Majw Gullial- 
muB fitz Majw ruffi longo tempore in 
judido et extra judicium convocato aux- 
iliis tam Anglorum quam Hibemicorum 
contendebant de recuperatione ejusdem 
manerii; sel non obtinebant, tandem pa> 
cem Gonoordiam et favorem prefati Vateri 
eligentes amicabiliter concordarunt sub 
forma qua? sequitur, viz., quod ipse habeat 
supremam partem dicti manerii et dime- 
diam partem solerii et domus medie ad 
eorum usum et dimediam partem Muni- 
miniR seu propugnaculi et terrarumpisca- 
riorum vectigaliumque. Item dimediam 
partem omnium tenementorum terrarum 
ubicunque in baronia de Tyramhalay jacent 
seu situantur ad eos de jure pertinentium 
prefato Vatero concesserunt, sub condici- 
one quod eos in judicio et extra judicium 
legittime defenderet, et ipsi similiter se- 
prefato Vatero in omnibus consilio auxilio 
et favore contra omnes assistant et hoc 
fedus et hunc contractum ad suoa heredes 
assignatosque extendi voluerunt. Hee 
sunt terre et tenementa de quibus supra- 
dictum contractum inierunt secundum 

ultimam 



459 



66icep map in j-c^ona do nop map ip 
c6ip Doib B^ic aije an-ajhaio jac aoin. 
Ciy f an ouchaiD up a n-oepnaoap 6ai- 
p^DUi^ oyup 5haic;ep a 56pc an conpao 
pn, DO p^ip uihacca Chomaip na ^eimle, 
map puopamap pjpiobra f, .1. leac baile 
5el leice ap cup, ajup a pocap 6ip5 
ajup inbip ayup coiceio, ajup naoi 
b-pmyinne a^up naoi n-umje ap leac 
6aile na cuipce, ayup cearpama Culaij 
cl^iB, a^upleic cearpama na n-^uip- 
nne, ajup do pajuib Comdp na ^eimli le 
h-ufhacca nac paibe acr oa cnoc pa ^eall 
oo'n lear cearpamum pin, .1. m P^ipi, 
ayupan Cnoc leiceac a n-^eall pe x 
Fv-umje, ajup nac paibe ace leiccear- 
pama anny na ^uipcfnib ayup annp a' 
R6ip oyup annpa Cnoc leiceac. Q^up 
leac Baile 6oca Hluije 5pon, .1. Cpian 
na f5ol65, ajup Cpian na p6ipce, ajup 
Cpian an oilean, a^up leac ceacpama 
Chluana Qlcum ajup leac ceacpama 
6haile na leice, ajup leac Ceacpama 
mCuaipin, ajup pe bum 0^5 actop'pan 
m-bliaDum,a5up an ceacpama Soiallac, 
oyup leac an Chapbuio bij, ajup leac 
peapumn an ci^e moip, a2;up Cnocdn 
niuipip, aj^up Cobap Cij;eapndm, ajup 
t>poi6neacdn ajup ^apja Contain, a5up 
leac coiceiD Paca 6pannuim, ace a 
cpian pin aj pliocc Roibeapo 5aipeDy 
oyup peace n-jaluin do phfopa na poil- 
eoy ap coiceo Innpi na n-^all ajup x 
n-^alum eili do bean T^iocapomac Co- 
maip Cliaoic amac 00 p6in ajup d'6 
pliocc, ajup leac Baile na "Ricnije, ajup 
ceacpama mop 6hel cpaja ajup 6aile 

3 



ultimam voluntatem predicti Thome Ba- 
red et antiquas Scripturas, viz., dimedium 
villate de Bellecce cum omnibus supra- 
dictis emolumentis Piscariorum et Vecti- 
galium, et ix unxie cum ix denariis pro 
dimedio villate na Cuirte. Item quarta 
nuncupata twla cleyw, dimedia quarta na 
ngwrtjne. Sed predictus Thomas in su- 
prema voluntate attestatus est quod solum 
duo colles predicte quarte, viz., an Kesy et 
Cnoc Leytheach erant in pignore x unx- 
iorum, et quod non erat in predictis parti- 
culis de Gurtyn, Eesy, Cnocley theagh nisi 
dimedia quarta. Item dimedia villata 
Loghabron, viz., Tryan na Scolog et Tryan 
na Parke, et Tryan anoylen et dimediam 
quarte Clwyn Alchwyn. Item dimediam 
Bayle na lecce, dimedium quarte in Two- 
ryn et xvL grotti annui census. Item 
quarta quod vocatur Styallagh, dimediam 
Carbayd byg. Dimidium predii in Tyghe 
mor, et Cnocan Murys, Tobar Tyarnayn, 
Droynedban, Ortus Longayn, dimedium 
vectigalis in Rathbranna, preter terciam 
partem que debetur genelogie Koberti 
Bared, et septem galones ex Pipa na Soleog 
ex vectigali Insule na ngall, et x galones 
quos Bichardus filius Thome Ceci sibi no- 
mine vectigalis exegit ac sue posteritati.