Westropp — On the Churches of County Clare. lO-S 



Tlie eighth, century saw the rise of one more church of note — 

 Dysert O'Dea. It was founded by St. Tola, who died in 735, but his 

 life-work is rather identified with central Ireland. The Danish wars 

 during the two following centuries seem to have blighted further 

 adyance. 



Danish "Wahs. 



Early in the ninth century, we hear of a great slaughter of the 

 " Gentiles," by the men of Munster (813) ; and Core, chief of Thomond 

 at that time, is described by Brians as " the man who fijst routed the 

 foreigners in eight great battles." In 834, the Danish fleet came up 

 the Shannon, and ravaged Corcovaskin and Tradree.^ Three years 

 later, Iniscaltra was plundered, but the Dalcais^ defeated the foe in a 

 naval battle on Lough Derg. For a generation we have no further 

 record of raids on Clare, and there was evidently a lull after the death 

 of Turgeis (843) ; but in 866, Baraid and Amlaflson, with the Dublin 

 fleet ravaged all Mumhan (perhaps Thomond), to Corcomroe and Loop 

 Head,* and slew Cermad, chief of Corcovaskin. Twenty years later, 

 Tomgraney was ravaged by the Danes. In 908, Tomrar Mac 

 Elge,^ the Danish King of Limerick, attacked Iniscaltra and Muck- 

 inish on a raid to Clonmacnoise. In 916, there was another great 

 raid, but the men of Corcovaskin Joined the men of Kerry, routed 

 the foreigners, and slew " Eot, Pudarall, and Smuralt," their leaders. 

 Despite their severe defeat at Singland (close to theircity of Limerick), 

 by Callaghan, King of Cashel, the foreigners attacked Iniscaltra, in 

 922, and " drowned " its relics and shrines — let us hope these may 

 some day be recovered from the safe keeping of Lough Derg — they 

 also plundered the other chiu'ches on the lake ; and in 969, Tomgraney 

 was again destroyed.^ In 964, the men of Thomond sufiered defeat 

 and great slaughter in a naval fight on the Shannon ; though Brian 

 ravaged the Danes from Lough Derg to the Fergus, and all Tradree. 

 At last fortune turned in the year after the death of Cormac Ua 

 Guillen, the restorer of Tomgraney Abbey (964). Mahon, King of 

 Thomond, and his brother Brian, gained the victory of Sulloghod, and 

 took Limerick ; and in 977, Brian reduced the Danish settlements 

 along the Shannon in Tradree, Inismore, and Inisdadi'um. 



Cormac Ua Cuillen, the Abbot of Tomgraney (950-963), King 

 Brian Boru (980-1014) and his descendants, Murchad (1080-1100), 



1 " Wars of the G. and G.," p. 67. ^ jn^. ^ " Chron. Scotorum." 



* Ibid. 5 "Annal3 Inisfallen." ^ <' Wars of the G. and G.," p. 39. 



