114 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the Algerines under the flemish renegade Murad Reis, led by the execrated 

 Hackett in 1631, the authorities (whose slackness in not sending two 

 warships on the coast, to defend the western hays, led to the tragedy) 

 took belated precautions by establishing beacons at Dundeady and Dun- 

 worley ; but the Jloors after that only snapped up vessels along the coast, 

 and did not land. 1 I find Daniel O'Driscoll, a member of the tribe 

 that held Dundeady from prehistoric times, holding it so late as 1765. 2 I 

 question whether any remains at Galley Head are of the thirteenth century. 

 The probability is great (seeing that nearly every prominent headland 3 with 

 a sufficiently narrow neck, from Sligo to Mourne round by the south coast, 

 has been fortified) that the name Dundeady denotes a fortified headland, but 

 it may have been one of the long, narrow wrecks of headlands near the 

 lighthouse, now swept away. Of course the present fortification may easily 

 have replaced and absorbed a long drystone wall, such as we find at Coosderga- 

 doona, in sight of Dundeady, westward. The rocky ledge revetted by the 

 present rampart may have attracted an early fort-builder, and though part 

 of the shore of the east creek was sloping and low, still it formed no mean 

 fosse, while the west creek was an absolute defence. I will notice a possible 

 trace of an older wall later on. Though the headland is bold and bluff to 

 the seaward, and with broken cliffs to the west, the neck is very low. Two 

 creeks, one to the east, bending at right angles, with low shores, the other 

 straight, with perpendicular sides, nearly isolate the headland, most of which 

 is cultivated, yielding good crops. A grassy depression crosses it just behind 

 the castle ; and between it and the bays a long, steep-sided (or in parts 

 precipitous) rock platform rises, the peel-tower standing on the western 

 knoll The rock ledges were revetted; that towards the land with an 

 irregular rampart, 10 to 20 feet high, outside, but rarely 7 feet high inside. 

 It abuts on the low cliff of the western creek. At 11 feet from it is a closed 

 gateway 7 feet 2 inches wide. At 30 feet 8 inches is the next ope, a closed 

 doorway 5 feet wide with a fiat arch. At 46 feet 6 inches is the main gate, 

 jet 4 inches wide : the arch has been removed. About 80 feet from the 

 creek the wall bends, and its lower part consists of large slabs of dry masonry, 

 bonded with the natural rock, and perhaps the remains of the older pro- 

 montory-fort. At 106 feet is a very unusual feature — projecting slabs like 



1 Smith's " Cork," vol. i, p. 279. " Council Book, Kinsale," p. 276 ; also compare 

 Lane Poole's " Barbary Corsairs." Cork Hist, and Arehaeol. Soc, vol. i, ser. ii, p. 18. 



2 Wills, Cork Registry, P.R.O.I. . 



3 The exceptions are Xalhea in Aranmore, Iokane, Co. Cork and lllaunaglas in 

 Trusklieve, Co. Clare ; but the latter though denuded of its earthcap has a natural fosse 

 in the rock — so very probably it was once fortified. 



