Okpkn — Dun Gallon and the 'Dunum'' of Ptolemy. 55 



"With further reference to the name Eathgall it is not superfluous to 

 notice that at least one other well-known name involving gall survives 

 in the district to which we may suppose the G-alians to have at one time 

 extended. Just north of the hills which bound the County Wexford lies 

 Clonegall, which presumably represents Cluain na nGall, the 'mead or 

 meadow of the strangers.' Of course it is possible that Eathgall may 

 represent JRctthgeal, 1 'the white or bright rath.' I have heard the name 

 pronounced locally both ways, that is with a short, a.nd with a long a. But 

 I could find no Irish-speaking person there ; and, as I have elsewhere remarked, 

 the fort is usually called ' the King of the Ba.' It seems probable, however, 

 that the Ordnance Surveyors took the name to be Eathgall. 



It may, I think, be said for these conjectures that they harmonize well 

 together, afford each other a certain amount of support, bear out the broad 

 outlines of the tradition as to Labraid and the Galians, and account for 

 certain archaeological objects and certain topographical names. We can 

 imagine Labraid the Exile, like the historical Dermot, returning to his 

 country with an army of Galls, in Labraid's case, perhaps mainly Manapians. 

 They land at Inver Amergin, otherwise Inver Mor, now Arklow, where they 

 construct a cliff-castle, probably on the site occupied, centuries later, by the 

 Northmen, and still later by Tiebaut le Bottiler. This cliff-castle and the 

 port which it protected was called by the traders who informed Ptolemy, 

 ' Manapia,' meaning the town of the Manapians ; but the people themselves 

 became known in Ireland as Galidin or Galians, and their cliff-fort at a later 

 period as Eath Inver. To conquer Leinster they would inevitably pass up 

 the valley between the mountains of Wicklow and Wexford to the open 

 country in the neighbourhood of Eathgall. Here they build their great 

 dim or fortified ttoAic, called from them Dun Galion. According to the legend 

 they slay their master's rival and plant their master on the throne of Leinster. 

 They become known as "the best fighting-men in Ireland." A tricha ced, 

 three thousand of them, are engaged to assist Queen Medb in her Quest of 

 the Donn of Cuailgne, but their martial efficiency excites her jealous fears. 

 She is only prevented from having them treacherously massacred by the 

 chivalry of Fergus Mac Eoig, who protects them, and allays the Queen's fears 

 by causing them to be distributed among the battalions of her army. 3 They 

 fight at the battle of Eosnaree against the warriors of Ulster, and Conchobar 

 taunts his men with being less brave than the Galians. 3 They are intimately 

 connected with Finn son of Cumhall and the Fiana. Indeed, according to 



1 That is what we got from a workman on the day of our visit. 



2 Tain (Windisch), pp. 50-54, and see Proo. R.I. A., xxix (C), p. 103. 



3 Oath Ruis na Rig (Hogan), p. 51, 



