Westropp — Fortified Headlands and Castles, S. Coast Munster. 191 



but not least, the people of Deis Muinhan or Desmond, who are at times 

 confused with the Desi of Co. Waterford. Not content with the remote date 

 assigned to the tribe, the so-called Annals of Clonmacnoise (p. 42) tell how 

 " Owgany More," King of Ireland, circa. B.C. 460, gave " Fergus Knoy the 

 land of Desyes in Munster " in a still remoter part. An Irish verse attributed 

 to St. Benen by Ussher tells how St. Patrick when at Cashel in a.d. 449 

 gave Munster and all its raths to Ailbe the humble ; to Declan, the Deisi for 

 ever." It seems based on later conceptions, and is only valuable as showing 

 the two southern saints as well established in Munster before Patrick's visit 

 to their district. 



To this tribe fled St. Mochuda (Carthage), and their chief Cobthach 

 granted him the site of Lismore near Dunnasciath, before a.d. 638. Their 

 chiefs are frequently recorded' — Branfinn, son of Maelechtrach (mortally 

 wounded), 637-663 (664 Ann. Clon.) ; Connall, son of Suibhne, (695) 700 ; 

 Dathgus son of Baeth, killed 731, and perhaps confused with Niallgus, 

 son of Baeth, King of Desi Bregh, 757 ; Maelcrom, son of Muiredach, half- 

 Icing of Desi Mumhan, was " left " (i.e. lost) 858, if the southern tribe is 

 intended. 



Lying on the coast, they suffered from the Norsemen, who settled on 

 either flank at Waterford and Youghal. Every creek and bay must have 

 been an open door, and the two great rivers convenient lines of invasion. The 

 name of the bluff headland of Helviek outside Dungarvan is evidently Norse. 2 

 After the first shock, probably that in which the tribe was wasted in 836, the 

 Desi rallied, destroyed the foreigners' fleet, and levelled their fort at Youghal 

 in 850 (or the Four Masters give 865). Perhaps two victories are confused, 

 for we hear of an invasion by a Viking, Colphinn, in 869, with the fleet of Dun 

 Medhoin; he was checked at Carncurrane, whence the Desi andEechtabhrat, son 

 of Bran (who died in peace 874-876), pursued him with slaughter to Lismore, 

 near which, perhaps, his ships awaited him in the Blackwater. In 876 again 

 a victory was gained by Cearbhall, son of Doughal, and the Desi, over the men 

 of Munster, near Clonmel. Some time before 877, Barith, a Norseman, and 

 Amlaibh's son destroyed the churches of the Desi. The interesting fact is 

 also recorded that they explored every burial cave. Amlaibh and his allies 

 in 861 had done the same, opening the great tumuli at Br ugh of the Boyne, 



1 If O'Donovan, Hennessy, and MacCarthy be right in their classification — Ann. Four 

 Masters and Ann. Ulster. The Ann. Clonmacnoise gives Cormac McCuilleannann, Bishop 

 of Lismore and King of the Desies, killed by his own family in 915. I use the printed 

 Annals named above and the Chronicon Scotorum. 



2 The name Carraig Bhaltair near it may refer to a Norman Walter, not to Balder as I 

 have heard suggested. 



