H 12 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



and Doon-Ooghaniska in Clare Island, Dungrania and Dunnahineena in 

 Bonn, and Duneenapisha in Inishark. Of the more ordinary type are 

 Dunmore on Inishbofin, Dunnagappul in Clare Island, Dtinaeurrogh and 

 Dunnaglass in Achill ; Dun Kilmore stands apart, one of the exceptional cliff- 

 forts of Ireland, and indeed of Europe. 1 



So with medieval buildings ; nothing like those on Inismurray, Inisglora, 

 Inishkea, or Ardoilean, is to be found; none of the existing churches is of 

 great age, the bulk are of the late fifteenth century, or even later. The beehive 

 hut is found in Achill, at Dunnaglass, in a fort ; how far the foundation of the 

 rude and primitive cell at Toberfelabreed in Clare Island is old I am unable 

 to say. No early crosses or inscribed stones of early age occur in the group 

 of islands save on Caher Island, and with one exception of Templepatrick 

 church and one of a religious house on Cliara, the only remains are the rather 

 late and most disappointing "Abbey" of St. Colman on Inishbofin, the 

 restored church of St. Leo on Inishark, and a graveyard on Inishturk. 



Histoky OF the Islands. — The history of the whole district down to the 

 twelfth century is nearly a blank. Of places round Clew Bay we only hear 

 that in 848 a lake in Umaile in Connacht suddenly "ran off into the sea," and 

 that in 1113 a thunderbolt fell on Cruachan Aigle on the night of the festival 

 of Patrick, and destroyed thirty of the fasting people. The Chronicon 

 Scotorum adds that Ua Longain, Erenagh of Ardpatrick, was then struck by 

 lightning. After the Norman Invasion " Achill " seems again to take the 

 lead, but the records only begin in the thirteenth century (1235), and it 

 remains a very grave uncertainty whether the Eccuil, or Acuill, is not the 

 district on both sides of Clew Bay called by these names, and the apparently 

 kindred Aigle or Oigle, which gave its name to Cruachan Oigle. 2 This was 

 apparently a place near the foot of Croaghpatrick rather than that great 

 natural pyramid the dwelling-place of Corgen, who slew the Dagda's divine 

 younger son. It is possible that, as in Erris, so here a Damnonian race 

 prevailed ; 3 of it (or classed under the very vague name of " Firbolg ") 

 a strong tribe called Uathmor or Umoir existed. A Minister bard, 

 Muircheartach Mac Liac, before 1016, represents them as a weak group of 



1 Described supra, vol. xxix, pp. 29-33, with a plan, sections, and view, plate vi. 



- Cruach Aigle is rendered " Jlons Aquilae " by Colgan, but O'Donovan will not bind himself to 

 the similar translation of "Achill," and certainly the place-name for " eagle" in Clare Island and 

 farther north in the County is Illar. Kenilra on the seventeenth- century maps, 1620-1683, 

 Glenuilra in Tirawly, &c. (Compare 0. S. Letters, vol ii, on Croagh Patrick, and vol. i, on Achill.) 



3 I have condensed our present slight knowledge of the races above in vol. xxix, p. 12; for 

 present-day ethnology and notes on the tolk-lore see Dr. Charles K. Browne's paper, supra, vol v, 

 ser. iii, p. 40. This, the works of Maxwell, Caesar Otway, Knight, and the Handbooks ii & vi of 

 the Royal Soc. Antiq. Ir. almost exhaust the bibliography of these coasts. 



