Westropp — Lesser Castles or Peel Toivers of Clare. 361 



that time : ' — Ballyalla, Ealahine, Cloghenaghbeg, Danganbrack, 

 Brian's Castle, Inchicronan, Inchiquin, Dysert, Smitlistown, Moghane, 

 and probably Carrigaholt and Ballycarr. 



After the restoration many were used as dwellings, both by tbe 

 native gentry and the new settlers; but the darkness and incon- 

 venience led to the erection of lowlier but more habitable addi- 

 tions, or the plain but very comfortable houses now occupied by the 

 county families. At the beginning of the century seven towers were 

 inhabited ; I can only recall less than half a dozen now in occupation, 

 such as Knappogue and Creggane. A few veiy poor families inhabit 

 Dunbeg. A cottager dwells in Dysert. A game-keeper lived in 

 Moghane not many years ago ; and Ballyportry is occasionally 

 occupied by travelling tinkers. 



Legends. 



Legends are rare and seldom tally with history. Omitting the 

 purely supernatural ghost and banshee tales — legends of the violence 

 and cruelty of Maureen Rhue (Mary MacMahon, wife of Conor O'Brien, 

 1641-51), hang about Lemeneagh, and corbels are shown on which she 

 hanged her retainers, the men by their necks, the women by their hair. 

 The weird and beautiful legend of the swan maiden of Inchiquin, and 

 her marriage with the owner of its castle can only be alluded to here. 

 Moyree has a tradition of a fratricide O'Brien, who there defended 

 himself against bis avenging kinsman. Sir Donat O'Brien (1660-80). 

 Dunlecky and Carrigaholt have legends of ill-starred chiefs and ladies ; 

 the " Seven " (recte four) castles of Clonlara, of seven hostile brothers. 



It only remains for me to thank a few of the many kind friends 

 who have helped me in this subject — Dr. George Macnamara, whose 

 notes on the " founders," and help on the ruins themselves were of the 

 greatest assistance ; the late Dr. W. Frazer, whose helpfulness and 

 sympathy with all archaeological field work (now, alas, at an end) 

 deserve the fullest recognition; my sisters, Mrs. O'Callaghan and 

 Mrs. Stacpoole ; Mr. Standish Hayes O'Grady, who freely gave me 

 extracts from his still unpublished "Wars of Torlough"; Mr. James 

 Mills, and Mr. Robert Cochrane, Secretary of the Royal Society of 

 Antiquaries of Ireland. 



List of Towees.'' 



BuREEN. — Ballymurphy, Ballyvaughan, Ballyganner (in a caher), 



1 Diocese of Killaloe, pp. 300-313. 



* Mere sites and foundations given in italics — p means nearly perfect ; /, frag- 

 ment. 



K.I. A.. PROC, SEE. III., VOL. V. 2 £> 



