166 



into them at night, when the herdsmen close the gateway, Irish 

 fashion, by placing across it one of the two wheeled cars of the 

 country.* 



There are also small earth-works forming chains of connexion for 

 miles, these are distinguished as moats ; this name is derived from 

 an Irish word of double meaning, expressing both a place of de- 

 fence and of communication by signal,-)- These are so well dis- 

 posed that a signal fire, lighted on any one, or the sound of the 

 famous Irish brazen trumpet, could be almost instantly repeated 

 forwards to the head rath ; this arrangement is obvious in many 

 places, as from the great Lis of Lismore to Dungarvon on the one 

 side, and to the mountains on the other.;}; From the sea coast south 

 east of the city of Cork, a distance of more than seven miles, the 

 chain of moats can be traced to the city ;§ while oh the other side 

 of the town, another chain readies from it to the high hill of Cashel, 

 near Bandon, which had probably been used as a head rath, as on 

 the top of it there are the remains of a small earth- work, and of 

 several lines of surrounding entrenchments. 



In Londonderry also, a connected chain of moats, extends on 

 either side of the river Roe, unlil it falls into the Owen Keugh.ll 



The King's County supplies a remarkable example of a liead 

 rath and its dependant moats ; the large rath of Ballykillen, which 

 is well defended with strong works, and very difficult of access, is at 

 the head of a chain of moats, which extend through all that coun- 

 try, each moat commanding a Togher, or bog-pass. Ballykillen 



* Klaproth's Travels in the Caucasus, pp. 323—330. 



f Parochial Surveys, I. p. 2.52. 



X Smith's History of Waterford, p. SSa. 



§ Parochial Surveys, III. p. 468. 



II Ibid. I. p. 302. 



