76 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



bear this out. Tradition regarded it both as a " fort " and a king's grave in 

 1891. Professor Macalister's excavations in the Long Stone Fort at Fore- 

 naughts 1 seem to show an apparently residential fort as a place of burial, 

 and subsequent observance ; the great motes in eastern central Europe fall 

 into a similar category. Ballydonohan, so far as Ireland is concerned, seems 

 to be unique ; a somewhat similar example has been recorded in France ; but 

 the French antiquaries could only affirm my comparison of it with Bally- 

 donohan. I strongly suspect that the latter was connected with some 

 observance, but the subject of " temple forts " in Ireland is completely in 

 nuhibus. Moghane is one of the rare examples of a great tribal fort or hill- 

 town ; they are very rare in Ireland, though some English antiquaries 

 imply that they, and not the small fort, are the ancient type, and that the 

 "private castle" (i.e., the small ring-fort, residence rather than castle) 

 represents the feudal stage of society. In Clare, at least, tribal conditions, so 

 far as hereditary residences are involved, subsisted till late in the fourteenth 

 century, the period of the great rentals ; the peel towers from 1430 onward 

 mark the change. Moghane, from the great gold find being so closely connected 

 with it, may be dated back to perhaps the fifth century or the seventh century 

 before Christ, if not earlier. Forts like the rude rings at Gorteen and else- 

 where may well have been built down to the close of the fourteenth century 

 of our era. Sepulchral ring-forts (like those of Creevagh, Cahernabihoonach, 

 and the " mote" near Ballinalacken, in North-West Clare) have not yet been 

 proved to exist in Eastern Clare. 



It may be but little use to call attention once more to the wholesale 

 destruction of the forts and dolmens. It is most unfortunate that so little 

 can be done. The powers given to the county councils have been largely lost 

 by local apathy and jealousies. Lawyers and agents cannot be blamed in 

 recent sales for returning "no early remains " for townlands abounding. in 

 such, or peasants be condemned for sweeping away every relic of their 

 country's past that stands in the way of a little gain. The county councils 

 of Galway and Westmeath set a good example. There may be slight signs of 

 awakening interest elsewhere. But what of the councils in those treasuries 

 of early remains — Kerry, Clare, Sligo, and Mayo? Even where attempts 

 were made to save some structure, they were usually frustrated by some 

 selfish occupant. Thus, wholesale destruction has commenced, and it must 

 brand our generation to all enlightened countries and periods as given over 

 to greed, ignorance, vandalism, and lack of patriotism in a true sense. 



It is nothing new in Irish history to find forts in ruins, for eleven 

 centuries ago Oengus, son of Oengoba, wrote : — " Temar's mighty brugh ha& 



1 Supra, vol. xxx, p. 351 ; also Borlase's "Dolmens of Ireland," vol. ii, p. 422. 



