190 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Munster Eoghanachts' called " Ninuis." Its chief, Corhaiuis, was in Aran (if 

 we may trust the 13S0 "Life") when St.Enila landed about 480; he thenretired 

 to his possessions on the mainland. The story is not inilikely, for the feeling 

 that prompted the natives of a Pacific Island to erect " ghost-scarers " against 

 an expected missionary was strong in early Ireland ; a priest of a strange faith 

 claiming to work mh-acles was a suspect of the darkest dye ; and others, hesido 

 Mochnlla, were described as " nigromancei-s " by native chiefs in westei'n 

 Ireland.' However, the " Eoghanacht " of Aran maintains its name to the 

 pre.sent day, as Oonacht, or Onixght. The "Dun" lias sufl'ered little by the 

 1884 restoration ; but, in accordance with our plan, we must note the earlier 

 descriptions, and then the remams as they stand at present. 



Plan of Dun EoghanachtA. 



O'Donovan,' the first to note ita existence, describes it as nearly circular 

 90 feet to 91 feet across ; the wall was of three divisions witii a regular facing 



' DcsrcndanU of Eoghon Mi5r (" Mogh Xiiadat"), who divided Ireland with King Conn, and 

 gave his by-name to Lcith Mogha, " the southern half" of Ireland in the scrond tenturj-, and with 

 his son, Oillill Olom, King of Munster, is ancestor of the chief Munster tribes according to the 

 mythical pedigrees. 



' So also St. Patrick and his companions were supposed to be fairies (" viros sidhc"), and 

 Si. Enda, an aerial spirit, or magician: one recalls the supposed theophany at Lystra at an earlier 

 mission. 



' 0. S. Letters, Galway, p. 222. He told the British Assodation that the fort was "2000 years 

 old," and repeated the theory of the wall being built in sections ns a prccaulion againtt sapping 



