Clare Island Survey — History and Archaeology. 2 77 



gives "Brazir " off Spain. In 1492 the great Behaini globe, without America, 

 shows " Brasil " to the west of Donegal and two unnamed islands below it. 



In the two centuries after the discoveries of Columbus it was to be expected 

 that the constant voyages in the outer ocean would soon undermine all belief 

 in the mythical islands of " Brazil," " the seven Bishops," " St. Brandan," 

 " Buss," and " Mam," but such was not the case. Even such a cartographer 

 as Abraham Ortelius, in the "Theatrum orbis terrarum," in 1589, shows 

 " Demar " and " Brasil " to the west of Ireland in his map of Europe, and 

 " Bund " to the west of " Brasil " in the map of the world. 



In the middle of the following century a Dutch map (made during the 

 wars of the Bepublie with Cromwell) shows Brasil in about the position of the 

 Porcupine Bank ; while, in 1680, the " English Atlas, printed for Moses Pitt 

 in London, marks " Brazil " and " Maida " — the former a large island due west 

 from the Land's End and to the south-west of Ireland. 



The last notable retention of O'Brasil, foreshadowing its relegation to folk- 

 lore, is that of Guillaume Delisle. He retains " Bus," " Frislande," and the 

 " Eoche de Bresil " in the map of Europe. 1724, while in that of the British 

 Isles, in 1702, he has a pregnant note : " Dans ce parallele, 51° latitude, et un 

 degre de longitude, quelques Cartes Marines representent une Isle a laquelle 

 elles donnent le nom de Brasil ; et a 46 degrez et demi de latitude et 356 degrez 

 de longitude, ou environ, ime autre quelles appellent Asmanda. Je ne Scay Sur 

 quel fondement ces deux Isles ont ete placees, mais j'ay de la peine a me 

 persuader qu'il y ait des Isles, si peu eloignees de nos Cotes, qui nous ayent ete 

 inconnues jusqu'icy." But the Eock of Brasil is marked on charts till 1865. 



The whole subject deserves far wider investigation and elucidation than 

 it has received in this paper ; but it is of sufficient interest (and, by its effect 

 in encouraging Columbus, of world-importance) to call for some notice in 

 treating of some of the Irish islands in which it formed an unshaken article of 

 belief from time immemorial. 



The legendary islands of the coast correspond to shoals — the Cantillons' 

 Island to rocks in Ballyheige Bay, Kilstapheen to a shoal in the Shannon 

 Estuary, Kilstuithin to sunken rocks in Liscannor Bay, County Clare, and 

 Monaster Ladra to a dangerous reef opposite Annagh Point in County Mayo. 

 This seems to imply that Tir Tairngire and Magh Mell originated in the 

 same way. 



Legend in Aran says that Hy Brazil appears once in seven years (like the 

 land off North Mayo) ; that in County Clare asserts that Kilstuithin does the 

 same, and that whoever sees its golden-roofed towers rising over the sea or 

 glinting deep beneath the waves dies before its next appearance. 



R.I.A. PKOC, VOL. XXXI. L 2 



