WESTnoFf—Lurffer Cliff For ta of West Coast of Co. Mayo. 33 



The name " Kildanat" is shown at this place in Petty's map of Mayo, 1653 ; 

 in 1683, in " Hibernia Delineata," and Kildanai on Watson's map, 1786 ; 

 There is another Kildawnet near the castle, not far up the Sound from 

 Achillbeg. The defacement of the defences of the Dun, by an evidently early 

 hut, shows that the imier fort was regarded as of no importance by the 

 later occupants of the headland. 



The number of legends of giants attached to the cliff-forts of Mayo is 

 noteworthy, and evidently implies that, to the natives, the structures lay in 

 an unremembered past. Dunbrista was the abode of the giant " Geodruisge," 

 Duncartan of " Kirtaan," Dundownall of " Donnell Doolwee." Fiachra, 

 "Eanir," and "Darrig" seem to have been of superhuman size— Fiachra's 

 horse having been able to leap into Dun Fiachra ; " Eanir's " grave being 

 12 feet long ; and " Darrig " having been perhaps able to leap over the chasm 

 into his fort. Otway, however, was told that " Darrig " was a recent outlaw. 

 The red, rocks of the/or/f of Doonadearg and the ring entrenchment at the 

 point near the single grave show that both persons were made from the 

 names, simple though these were. All these gave their names to fortified 

 headlands, whence Dun Fiachra, Dunaneanir, and Dunadearg. The alloca- 

 tion of a residence to each giant brother at the Dun and the Dangan at 

 Kilmore, and the accounting for the ringwork as the burial-place, are more 

 interesting as a piece of folklore. 



Dunnamo and Dunanierin, on the other hand, were the work of mere 

 men in local tradition in Mayo. On the Clare and Kerry coasts, and those of 

 Aran, Waterford, Wexford, and Dublin, I never found any supernatural 

 being regarded as a fort-builder on the headlands, nor any supernatural 

 occupants but the " Grey man " of Dunlecky and the " Maelchu " (or earless 

 dog) of Browne's castle.' 



In selecting these typical forts I was tempted to include others like 

 Dunnaglas ; but I think the cases described above are sufficient to clear the 

 ground and form a preface to the account of the antiquities of the more 

 southern islands, whenever, and by whomsoever, laid before the Academy. 



proves nothing, as there is abundant evidence in names and documents that many regions were 

 thickly forested even in the early seventeenth century. 



^ Specially confected out of the personal name Maelchu, to account for the place-name Clash- 

 melchon. Journal Roy. Soc. Antiqq. Ir., vol. xl., p. 108. 



E.I.A. PROC, VOL, XXI.X.,, SECT, C. [6] 



