Westkopp — Earthworks and Ring- Walls in Co. Limerick. 15 



tribes, kindred perhaps to the Mairtinigh, who were reputedly "Firbolgian," 

 and, at another time, were under the tutelage and apparently connected with 

 the TJi Cairbe Aobhdha. Like the Tradraighe, across the Shannon, opposite 

 to the Caenraighe, but in the present Co. Clare, they probably claimed 

 relationship with different tribes in order to secure protection. They were 

 probably weakened by the raid of King Fiachra of Connaeht at the close of 

 the fourth century, and that formidable monarch got what proved to be his 

 death-wound in their territory. The most prominent of their families were 

 the TJi Maolchallain (now MulhoUand) and the Ui Eosa or Ui Beagha, whose 

 name appears at Beagh Castle and Iveross parish, where the Deel meets the 

 Shannon. The intrusive and traditionally fugitive Deisi occupied Deisbeg or 

 Small County. The later baronies arose (besides the ancient tribal districts 

 represented by Owneybeg, Coonagh, Kenry, and the Connello group), 

 Pubblebrian and ClanwiLliam out of the Tuath Luimneach (0 gConaing 

 territory). Small County out of Deisbeg, Coshlea out of Foutymehyll, and 

 Atharlach. Coshmagh is a patchwork formed out of portions of several of 

 the divisions. Pubblebrian and Clanwilliam recall the fourteenth and 

 twelfth century settlements of the O'Briens and Burkes. I need say no 

 more of the Dal gCais princes, or those of the O'Donovans, tiU I describe the 

 fort groups at Bruree and in Coshlea. It is only important to recall that the 

 first under the successive princes, Lughaidh Meann, Connall Eachluath 

 (A.D. 377), and Eanna Airigthech (after 400), conquered the central part 

 of the present Co. Clare from the I.uimneach (or Shannon Estuary) up to 

 Inchiquin Lake and along the hills of Burren to Luchid heath. This battle, 

 the site of the decisive victory gained by the first king, extended his realm from 

 Cahernarry (Carn Fearadhaig) to the present border of Clare and Galway. 



Eaely Histoet of the Forts. 



When we bring together everything definite from the Annals, and even 

 from later works, like the early ninth-century Dalcassian tracts and the 

 Lives of the Saints, we feel that a deep gloom broods over the early history 

 of Limerick down to the ninth century. 1 n this period numbers of the forts 

 were made and repaired without, apparently, any record being kept. It is, of 

 course, more than probable that the Norse and Danish raids destroyed 

 valuable monastic annals at Killeedy, Mungret, Iniscatha, Cloncoraha, 

 Knockpatrick, and possibly other monasteries; but there must be other 

 reasons, as scattered entries occur from the middle of the seventh century. 

 Let us note a few of these stretches of light and darkness. The Tripartite 

 Life of St. Patrick, telling of his journey in east and north Co. Limerick in 



