WKsriinpp — Earthworks and Ring-walls in Counti/ Limerick. 471 



necessary boates (bordes ?) from the woods which those Moun tames aflbrds." 

 Eev. Canon J. O'Hanlon^ derives its terminal from Fintan of Dun Bleisc, who, 

 he notes, died at the age of 260 (!), and was a disciple of Congall, a.d. 550 ; but 

 the constituent is Finghiu, not Fintan, and the derivation as reliable as the 

 " record " on which it depends. There was an obscure saint Finghin, patron 

 of Quin, in the more northern Daleassiau territory ; but nothing connects 

 Quin with Kilfinnan. The English records help us little ; we hear of a certain 

 Richard Tancard [cf. Tankardstown, near Kilmallock), and the free tenants of 

 Kylfynan in 1252. In 1350, Walter Purcell held it from John fitzPeter 

 Le Peer, Baron of Donuyll (the picturesque rock-fort and castle in Co. Water- 

 ford) ; his heirs were under age. Its castle is first named in 1657, but may 

 date from the late fifteenth century. In 1588, after the Desmond Eebellion, 

 Kylfyneu belonged to Garrett mac Thomas, who granted it to Henry Billingsley. 

 Two years later its head-rent was given to Edmund FitzG-ibbou, " the White 

 Knight," who figures in the tragic capture of the Sugan Earl. Capt. Aylmer 

 left Kilfinien without garrison or provision in the rebellion of that hapless 

 nobleman." In 1600 Essex marched past " Cenn Feabrat Slebhe Caoin mic 

 Deirccdualagh " on his way from Kilmallock to Fermoy. The church appears 

 as Kylfynan and Kilfennan in the Papal Taxations, 1291-1302, " Keilfinny 

 or Keilfinnan, dedicated to St. Andrew," 1410 ; its rectory was held by the 

 Abbot of Insula Molanfyd, 1418. 



The Civil Survey,' 1655-7, mentions there " a castle with an iron grate 

 thereunto, 50 tatch houses and cabins, a grist mill, a tucking mill, a millseate, 

 Court Leet and Court Baron, a faire twice a yeare, and a market once a week." 

 The Down Survey adds, " It is accommodated with good trouts and eeles by ye 

 River Garath . . it hath also the convenience of a markett at Kilfinane, where 

 is a good castle, and the walls of a church, and an Irish Dou-ne."* The last 

 word, having an important bearing, in view of the " Down " of Ballingarry, 

 has unfortunately been touched by a pen- stroke, so it may be taken as " town." 

 In favour of the last form we have Downmoone in the same survey (where is 

 also a fort) " with an Irish town " (D. S. map 55). On the other hand, the 

 phrase " Irish town " only occurs here ; the more usual form is "Irish cabins" 

 (D S. maps, 54,56, and 59); and we have "a castle a.nd rath" at Bulgadin 

 nan doe (map 34), and in the Civil Survey (xxxi, p. 7) and Glynogrey, " where 

 stand two castles and a kearrie." Evidently the English copyist hesitated over 



' " Lives of the Irish Saints," vol. i, p. 45. 



- Pipe RolLs ; Plea Roll, 1252, m. 5. 75 ; Carew Calendar, vol. i, p. 450 ; Fiants Eliz 

 No. 517], 5537 ; Cal. Doc. Ir. and Cal. State Papers Ir., under dates. 

 ^ Civil Survey, Aug. 2nd, 1655, vol. xxv (IB 11), p. 21, p. 25. 

 ■> P. Rec. OS. Ir. (A series), No. 59. 



