8 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



bore its name at least 900 years ago ; Dun Conor, possibly Dun " Concraidh " 

 at that time ; and Dun Farvagh. John Windele (on the uncertain evidence 

 of Comyn about 1750) states that " Fearbach " was a demon monster, and 

 the fort a " dracoutium" for its worship.' As to the name Aenghusa, it is 

 a most cui'ious coincidence, as William C. Borlase first pointed out, that a 

 place called " Enchusa," on the coast of Holland, is described in language 

 very suitable to the far different coast of Aran. "Natura loci munitum, 

 maris furore objectum, quem in extreme terrae niargine situm despicit." 

 A proper name " Ancheusauus " occurs in an inscription at Mayence.' Two 

 theories might be advanced with regard to the name of the Dun. One 

 that, like other great works, it was attributed to gods or heroes, " the far- 

 famed hold, piled by the hands of giants for godlike kings of old " ; for 

 Angus son of Dagda is said, in the " Agallamh,"' to have given " a fort [dun) and 

 stronghold dingna),a most excellent, spacious town ,with lofty stockades" 

 (sonnach). His father, as we noted, was also a fort-builder, having built the 

 stone fort of Grianan Aileach and the earthen Rath Brese with its " cladh."' 

 The second possible theory has been already advanced by Ledwich and 

 others, namely, that Dun Aengusa was named after Aenghus, King of 

 Cashel, about A.D. 460. It is true that " the three Aras of the sea " are 

 named among the forts of the King of Cashel in the " Book of Eights."* 

 Aenghus son of Natfraich gave the islands (or rather perhaps lands in 

 them) to St Enda ; and a " Cashel-builder " of King Natfraich, Goll of 

 Clochar, is named in a poem circa A.D. 1000, and stated to have built a fort 

 at Cashel for King Aenghus himself.* However, despite its plausibility, the 

 fact that the islands lay so far away from every interest of a king of Cashel, 

 and the name Aenghus being very common, takes away any great weight 

 from the theorj-. The " Life of St Enda " asserts that Aran, in about 480, 

 was the residence of Corbanus, the pagan king of Corcomodruad Xinuis (in 

 north-west county Clare), who fled in superstitious terror from St. Enda. 

 It also states that Aenghus King of Cashel knew nothing about the island. 

 This proves at least that about 1380 the writer attributed no Aran fort to 

 the latter prince.' 



■ Windel«'s m*. " lar linmhan*' (us*. R. I. Acad.', p. 709). 

 ' " Dolmens of Ireland," toI. iii., p. 1129. 



' Silr* Gideliia, toI. i., p. 103 : Tol. ii., p. 111. 



• •• Rcrae Celtique," toI. xii., p. 65 ; alio the long line* of the " Slicht Luirge an Dagdai-,"" 

 with hit club, and perhapt the mound of Xevgnnge. 



> •• Book of Righu " (ed. O'Donovan), p. 91. 



♦Poem on early muMot by Donnell wo of Flannacan («. 1000), O'Curry, "Manuscript 

 MateriaU of Ancient Irish HUtory," p. 222 ; Bouk of I.einrter. p. 27». A» to Gol! being of 

 Clochar, it most b« remembered that the wife of King Aengbiu (the sister of St. Ends) had come 

 from that place. 



■ ViU S. Endei, Colgan'. '•Acta SS.'" In iU prasent foini tl.e " Life" dale* as late as 1380, 



