198 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



the strong Cenncoradh," " a night at Flannan's Gel da lua." He '• laid aside 

 his anxiety " after crossing the Shannon, and went at his leisure round the 

 Cratloe hills, resting a night on the plahi of Magh Adhair, but he took no 

 hostages, and whatever may have been his relations with Cenedid, he did 

 not add him to his coUection of captive princes. I do not think his capture 

 of CeUachan argues either wealcaess or slackness in the Eoghanachts, but 

 merely that no one expected such a raid in the depth of winter. The de 

 Clares' wars in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth century are full of 

 such surprises. Muircheartach's attempt to take hostages shows that he 

 regarded Thomond as an " overMngdom," 



BElAis BOKU ASD THE FOETS.— Brian Boroimhe took a leading place among 

 the recorded fort-builders of Ireland, and seems also to have resided at the 

 Grianan, as he certaioly did at the other two forts of Killaloe. During the 

 reign of his brother Mahon (Mathgamhan) he won a hard victory over the 

 Norse, at or near the Grianan. Asked by Mahon, when they met, where his 

 soldiers were, he sadly repUed — " I have left them on Craghath' in the breach 

 where shields were cleft. Birm — it was difficult to cut off the man — fell there 

 with his people." This was before 976. Diuing the terrible guerilla warfare, 

 which ultimately raised the wave of courage that swept away the power of 

 the Danes, Brian "used to set up huts instead of longports^ in the woods, 

 solitudes, deserts, and caves of Ui Blait," in the mountains behind Craglea. 

 He had no time for fort-making till after 1000, when all his foes were 

 subdued and his strong rule established in comparative peace. He "restored" 

 churches and towers, made bridges, causeways, and roads, and strengthened 

 the royal forts Q-igh port) of Munster. These were Cashel, Cenn-Abhrat, the 

 " Islands " (crannogs and fortified islets) of Loch Cend and Loch Gair (Gur, 

 Co. Limerick) ; the forts of Dim Eochair Maige (Broree), Dim Claith 

 (probably Aine Cliach, or Elnockaney), Dun Crot (Dimgi-ot in Aherlow) ; the 

 " Islands of Loch Saiglend and Inis-an-ghaill-dubh ; Eosaeh fort, and, chief 

 of all, Cenn Coradh and Borumha."' 



It was needful. " Never was there a dun, a dangan, or a diongna, but 



' •' TVars of the Gaedhil," p. 63 ; one recalls Harold Haarfagr's battle ("Heimskringla," ed. Morris 

 and llagnnsson, p. 99). " TTie King for ever wrathful had battle high on the heathland." 



- " Wars," pp. .51-61. Eeating's "History of Ireland "' (ed Dinneen, Irish Tests Soc), vol. iii, 

 lib. ii, sec. iT. " Zoiig means a house ; hence a village where people dwell b called longport.^' 

 In Annals of Ulster, 840 and 850, the Dnbh-Gail stronghold at Linn Duaehail, and the Finn 

 Gall one at Dublin, are each called hngport. There were at least two "Long-port" names in 

 S.-W. Clare — Derryanlongfort, probably near Trough, held by Donough MacXamara in 1633, and 

 Athlunkard near Limerick. 



2 " Wars," p. 141. Ann. of TTlster, 1012, gives the list of dangam as Cathair Cinn Coradli, Inis 

 Gaill dubh, and Inis Locha Sainglenn. Keating adds to the list in the " Wars " Dun lasg and 

 Duntriliag. One ms. (see " Wars," 140 « 3) says, " By bim were fortified duns and dangans, 

 rioghports and celebrated islands." 



