Browne — Ethnography of the Mullet, Inishhea, 8^ Portacloy. 645 



" A.D. 1274. — Feargal O'Caitlmiadh, lord of lorris, died in Hy- 

 Mac Caichaim (near Invermore, in the north of Erris)." 



These O'Caithniadhs were thus in power up to the end of the 

 thirteenth century, after which there is no more mention made of them. 

 They were a branch of the descendants of Fiachra, a Milesian chieftain, 

 and Erris, during their sway, formed part of the region known as Hy 

 Fiachrach or the O'Dowda's country. The chief seats of the O'Dowd's 

 in Erris were Oileach of the King's, a fort built nearly on the spot 

 where Bingham's Castle now stands, and Dun Caechain (now Dun 

 Keeghan, on Broad Haven), but there is another smaller fort, Dun 

 Eiachra in Aughadoon, north of the Mullet, traditionally said to 

 have been another of their seats. The O'Dowda's reign came to an 

 end, and the Barrets, Burkes, Lynnots, and other Welsh and Anglo- 

 ]S"orman families began to obtaia a footing in the country about the 

 beginning of the fourteenth century, and by 1386 seem to have got 

 the sovereignty. They built several castles in the Mullet, of which 

 the remains of only one can now be traced. Their rule was wide- 

 spread, and many of their descendants are to be met with who still 

 nourish the memory of their ancestors glory. The keeping and defence 

 of Erris was given after the battle of Moyne by William Mor na 

 Maighare (William the Great of Moyne)^ the liead of the Barrets, to 

 Toimin and to Philpin, the grandson of Toimin (Duald MTirbis). 

 The Barrets ruled until the reign of Elizabeth, when some of their 

 property was forfeited, as is thought by O'Donovan, who, however, 

 states that he has no documentary proof. 



In the reign of James I. one Darby Cormick bought a large part 

 of this territory, and his descendants ruled until the reign of Charles 

 II., when the land was forfeited. It was somewhere at or before 

 this time that an influx of Ulster Celts into the district took place. 

 These were mainly O'Donnels, O'Beillys, and a few others. Other 

 parts of the district were forfeited during the commonwealth, so that 

 when M'Eirbis wrote there was neither Bourke, Barret, nor O'Dowd 

 holding property in Erris. In the reign of Charles II. a grant was 

 made of the whole half barony of Erris, the parish of Doonfeeny, in 

 Tyrawley, and the parish of Tarmonbarry in the county of Eoscommon 

 to certain London citizens in charge for Sir James Shaen, Knight and 

 Baronet. Sii' Arthur Shaen, son of Sir James, introduced into Erris 

 a Protestant colony who were mainly settled in the Mullet ; they were 



^ This battle was fought in 1281, between the Barrets and Cusack who was 

 assisted in the fight by two of the native Irish, Faithleach O'Boyle and 

 Faithleach O'Dowd ; it resulted in the defeat of the Barrets. 



