Westropp — The Earthworks, Sfc, of S. E. Co. Limerick. 171 



testing the reasons for so doing, or rejecting where necessary, and seldom 

 trouble to bring their reading up to a date much below 1840. 



I shall reserve the traditions relating to Knocklong and Dungrot, and 

 confine myself to the earthworks near the first-named place, which complete 

 the principal remains of the group from Kilfiniian to Kilmallock, Knockaiuey 

 and Knocklong. I hope to deal later with the important remains of forts and 

 mounds from Cromwell HU1 to Dungrot. The first was the site of a Sid 

 (though its god is, so far, undiscovered) in 1826. FitzGerald first noted "an 

 inverted basin-like mound called Svjhchann na Fionii" [Sidcan 1 of the Fiana). 

 The fine dolmen there has been already described, planned, and illustrated 

 by Mr. 1'. J. Lynch and Dr. G. J. Fogerty. 



Fokts. — I have to use this unsatisfactory term for ring-walls and ring- 

 ruounds, often residential, sometimes sepulchral, and never military ; but the 

 usage implies no dogmatic theory in Ireland. 



(1) Bing-walls of earth and stone, with (or without) a fosse and outer 

 ring. (2) The D-shaped fort. (3) Boughly square forts. (4) The crescent 

 fort, abutting on a scarp of cliff, like Dunganville. (5) Fortified spur, a mere 

 variant of the last; e.g., one near Templenalaw. (6) The low platform fort, 

 oval or round, with a fosse, and sometimes a ring. (7) The high mote, like 

 Shauid Castle and Kilnnnan; the last with three rings and fosses, but no 

 baily; the former with a Norman keep and baily. 



Eaths. — The great ring-forts, like Dun Claire, Ballingaddy, and Ballinas- 

 caula, are evidently residential. So, probably, are most of the platform forts, 

 with the vast majority of the lesser raths. The platform forts of Magh 

 Adhair, in Co. Clare, and Cush and Ballinvreena, in Co. Limerick, may have 

 been originally sepulchral, or at least ceremonial. The first was, however, 

 "besieged" in a.d. 877. The lesser house-rings may date down to (or after) 

 the Norman settlement. One rath made about 1240 in Co. Clare. The 

 " square " are probably late ; but some in Europe date from the Bronze Age, 

 and the making by the god Nuada of an earthwork with corners is mentioned 

 in the " Battle of Magh Leaua." 2 



Conjoined Eings. — These very interesting remains I hope to treat at 

 some length hereafter. The occurrence of such at Knockainey, Clogher, 

 Cooloughtragh (Temair Erann), and the 'Oenach, near Monasteranenagh, mark 

 them as for ceremony, and perhaps for sepulture. They have counterparts. 

 Two, of different periods, conjoin at Tara, 3 and others occur at Uisnech, and 



1 Limerick, i, p. 406. 



2 Loc. cit.. pp. 1-4. 



J The eastern, the so-called Teach Chormaic, 1 regard as the earlier, as the rings of the 

 other join on to its perfect rings. L^luce drawing this conclusion Professor Macalister's 

 monograph on Tara has been read.] 



