268 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Let me first state tliat I "was (necessarily) fully aware of the trend 

 of antiquarian opinion as to the exclusively (or at least usually) 

 K'orman origin of the English motes. I had read the essay alluded to^ 

 hefore my paper even went to press ; but I decided not to alter or 

 add notes in press, nor to modify my statement as regarded Irish motes, 

 for the following reasons. These, so far as I can see, prevent the 

 English theory from being as sweepingly applied to Ireland as has 

 been done on very slight authority in the aforesaid essay. My reasons 

 are, first, the term "English pale" is most variant, vague, and mis- 

 leading ; but even allowing it to include all districts (even when 

 occupied for the shortest time by the JS'ormans, from 1170 to 1250) 

 the motes exist outside it , and are non-existent in very important 

 districts colonised by the ISTormans. It is only by ignoring all Irish 

 field-work and history that this base of the theory as applied to Ireland 

 could be maintained. Turning from more general objections to 

 details, let us note^ : — 



1. Motes do not occur at the recorded sites of many important 

 early l!^onnan castles, e.g. Kells, Killare, Ardfinnan, Limerick, Tris- 

 tledermot, Imleach, Karkinliss, Iniskefti, Castro-Iconiug, Kilmallock, 

 Bii'r, Rindown, Athlone, Carrickfergus, Caoluisge, Carlingford,Thurles, 

 Croom, Dungarvan — all earlier than 1217. Motes are not found on the 

 chief manors, and " vills " of the great colonies in Eastern Limerick,^ 

 Central Connaught,* and Cork, or in the important settlements in 

 Thomond. 



2. While they occur in places never held by the Normans or not 

 occupied by any castle during the earlier generations alter the invasion, 

 i.e. before 1250. Several of these are noted in sections 128 and 134. 



3. Several motes, and those of the first importance, occurring at the 

 site of !N'orman castles, represent forts recorded as at those places long 

 before the Norman invasion. For example : the sheet-anchor of the 



1 Mrs. Armitage, in Joum. Soc. Ant. Scotland, xxxiv (1899-1900), p. 276. 



-I use the short forms as usual — C. S. P. I., Calendar of Documents (or State 

 Papers) relating to Ireland ; R. S. A. I., Roy. Soc. Antiqq., Ireland. 



2 Castles of Escluen, Castleconnell, TVethney, Croom, Askeaton, Castle Robert 

 Goer, Castle Robert DoondonneU, Jfewcastle, Caherconlish, Adare, and Kil- 

 mallock ; or the viUs of Aney, Bruree, Rathkeale, Mahoonagh, Athlacca, and 

 Corcomohide. In this large district there are only t^ro small and probably 

 sepulchral tumuli near Aney. Neither Shanid nor Kilfinnane figures among the 

 early castles ; but motes are found there alone. 



*See for this colony the important papers by Mr. H. T. Knox, in Joum. 

 R. S. A. I., xxxi., p. 179, &c. ; and xxxiii., p. 58, &c. 



