Wkstropp — Fortified Headlands and Castles, S. Coast Munster. 215 



Garearus, Oilean Choite (0. S. 26). — The townlancl name is derived 

 from the " rough point," Garbh Eoss, in which it ends. I have no record 

 relating to it in early days, but it was part of the Manor of Dunoill, and was 

 held by John Fitz Walter and his descendants under the charter, possibly 

 about 1250-60, of Henry Poherus, granting to him and his heirs Clunade, 

 Garvros, Arddrasten, and Ilanebrich. 1 It was held in 1558 2 by 

 William Power Fitz Walter, on whose death his son, Nicholas, succeeded 

 in 1582 ; Newtown was formerly Ardraston. His son, Edmond, held 

 Newtown and Garryris, and died 1602, being succeeded by his son, Walter, 

 aged eighteen, and already married. 3 The family still held it, and we find it 

 in possession of Walter Power, of Castletown ; he joined the Confederate 

 Catholics in 1641, and lived unmolested " in the rebels' quarters " at 

 Castletown (till his death in 1647) with his son, William Power, who was 

 one of the commissioners for raising and applotting money to carry on the 

 said rebellion. In later days it was remembered to his disadvantage that he 

 had contributed arms and stripped Anne, wife of Edward Wade, of Passage, 

 in 1641. 4 His lands were, of course, confiscated, among them Garrirus, 

 Islandbecke (Islandobrick), and Tramore, in Middlethird. Garrarusse, 

 along with Donhil and other property of the Poers, was confirmed to 

 Sir John Cole, under the Act of Settlement, in 1666. 5 



In 1841 John O'Donovan says that the fort was of stone and mortar ; he 

 probably meant clay mortar, but in any case the structure as it then stood 

 must have been built (or at least rebuilt) in comparatively late times. - It lies 

 between Island Ikane and Westtown forts, on a little headland called 

 Illanothy, Illaunacottia, or Oilean Choite. It has been greatly defaced, all 

 the stonework having been removed beyond present memory; the fosses were 

 probably filled at the same time to facilitate the work.' The northern, or 

 outer, fosse is straight, 12 feet wide and 90 feet long, but now barely 2 feet 

 deep. There are slight traces of the inner wall too defaced to be measured. 

 At 51 feet further out on the headland is a similar work, equally shallow, 

 10 feet wide and 72 feet long ; its inner wall is 13 feet thick. 



1 See above, p. 207. 



2 Inq. Exchr. No. 5 (1574), Garreris and Donore in 1558, and Inq. Exch. James I, 

 1606. 



3 lb. Jas. I, No. 8 and No. 10 ; part of Garreris was also held in 1574 by a 

 William fitz Nicholas Power. 



4 Inq. Chancery, Car. II, No. 5. 



5 Act of Settlement Confirmations, Roll xviii, Car. II, July 3. 



G " Ordnance Survey Letters," Co. Waterford mss., R. I. Acad. Forts of stone with 

 clay mortar are not uncommon from the Shannon southward. 

 7 See plan, Plate XXI, fig. 6. 



