ENNIS NA SHIA. 91 



" What ! in real earnest?" said the Squire. 



" In real fairy earnest," said the Parson. 

 " It was in days long past, when the whole 

 of Fermanagh and the northern part of 

 Sligo was possessed by the Maguires, that 

 a strong castle stood on that rising ground 

 in the middle of the bog opposite to us, on 

 the northern shore. The castle was called 

 Annagh Buie, which, however grand it may 

 sound in Celtic, signifies, in plain English, 

 nothing more than the Yellow Bog. But 

 hogs in those days had other value besides 

 that of furnishing fuel. They added, more 

 than any other natural feature, to the 

 strength of the houses, because it was im- 

 possible to bring any great number of men 

 against them for want of standing room. 

 The castle of Annagh Buie was deemed 

 impregnable, and had for years effectually 

 restrained the power of the O'Rourkes, who 

 possessed the country about Lough Gilly, 

 whenever the Maguires happened to be at 

 war with them. This, as there was no 

 particular cause of dispute, did not occur 

 oftener than three or four times a-year at 

 the most. The Maguire of Annagh Buie, 

 though a chief or petty king in his own 



