Wkstropp — Fortified Headlands and Castles, S. Coast Minister. 193 



who had commenced the quarrel. Faolan was the son of Cormac and chief 

 of the Desi, who died in 966, but he is called by some "Prince of Desmond," 

 there being constant confusion between the two tribes of the Desmonians 

 and Desi in southern Munster, and even, I think, between them and the 

 northern Desi or Dalcais of Thomond. The tribe were thenceforth subordinate 

 to Brian, and shared his crowning victory at Clontarf, just nine centuries ago. 

 On the death list of the fatal Good Friday of 1014 appears their king, Mothla, 

 son of Domhnall, son of Faolan, and, when the bodies of Brian and his son 

 Murchadh, were brought for burial_ to Armagh, the heads of Mothla and 

 Conaing were brought with them, and shared their new grave to the north of 

 the altar of St. Patrick's Church. 1 



We soon after see two families standing out in the royal line of the 

 Desi, the Ui Faolain and the Ui Brie ; the name of the last attaches to one 

 promontory fort and several other place-names down the coast, as we shall 

 see. The son of Mael nam bo, of the Ui Ceinnselagh, carried off prisoners 

 and cattle from the Desi in 1048 ; otherwise, so far as our records show, 

 they had a long breathing-space after the losses of Clontarf. In 1068 the 

 Chronicon Scotorum tells of the slaying of Muircertach Ua Brie, King of 

 the Desi. 



On 5th August, 1103, Domhnall Ua Lochlain, with the Cenel Eoghain and 

 the northern Irish, attacked Leinster. The Laighin were supported by many 

 southern tribes, the princes of Kerry and Corcaguiny, and the Desi; they 

 met the northern invader at Magh Cobha, and among others fell the two 

 Ui Brie, royal heirs of the Desi. The Cenel Eoghain carried off Ua Briain's 

 tent and banner with much treasure. In 1137, King Diarmaid mac Murchadha, 

 Conchobhar Ua Briain, King of the Dalcais, and the Danes of Dublin and 

 Wexford, with 200 ships, blockaded Waterford by land and water and took 

 hostages from it and the Desi. Donnchadh, son (or grandson) of Carthach, 

 in that entry, attacked but was captured by the Desi in 1142 ; he was sent to 

 Thoirdhealbhagh Ua Briain. Donchad Ua Feolain, the chief of the Desi, 

 attended the Synod of Athboy in 1167, and immediately afterwards came 

 the invasion of a new race, destined to rule the district and supersede the 

 Desian chiefs. 2 



Nokman Period. — After the landing of Baymund le Gros and his staggering 

 blow dealt at the Irish and Danes of Waterford at the promontory fort of 



1 Annals Loch Ce and Ulster. 



- For these notes on the Desi I rely on the Annals of Clonmaenoise, Loch Ce, Ulster, 

 Four Masters, Chronicon Scotorum, The Wars of the Gaedhill, and the Caithreim 

 Ceallachain Caisil, 



