552 Proceedings of the Roj/al Irish Academy. 



(also called Terrygayshus by the people there, w}iich probably is a corruption 

 of Turgesius, the Dane, who is said to have occupied it). At the eastern end 

 of the lake, where a small stream runs out, I noticed what appears to have 

 been a considerable rampart running north-east. A recent deepening of the 

 bed of the stream has, however, interfered somewhat with the apparent 

 height of the rampart, the spoil ha^dng been thrown up against its base. If 

 I am correct in my conclusions, therefore, it would appear that from Coolure 

 the Une ran east through Lord Longford's extensive demesne of Packenham 

 Hall, where doubtless its traces have been obliterated, to Kinturk, &c., and 

 from the end of Lough Lene it was continuous towards Clonmellon^ (or 

 perhaps Kilallon , and there formed a junction with the main line to 

 Donaghpatrick Bridge on the Blaekwater. 



Xow, if the above continuation of the Telltown-Clonmellon route via 

 CastlepoUard to Coolure be found cori-ect on further local research, it must 

 have been part of the original and oldest line of frontier. And, fortunately, 

 from Lough Derravaragh south to Lough Owel there is no difficulty in tracing 

 the ramparts and trenches. "We therefore must come to the conclusion that 

 the remarkable remains above referred to at Granard and Lough Kinale and 

 thence east by the border of the county of Meath, formed a subsidiary branch 

 line, the object of which is a problem calling for examination. 



Its existence at Cxranard seemed out of sequence with the alignment of 

 No. 3 frontier, dealt with in my former paper, and seemed equally incompatible 

 with that of either Xo. 2 or the present one. 'So doubt if the early history 

 of tills part of Ireland was more reliable and definite, the explanation might 

 be more easily reached. But the problem before us is to draw historical 

 conclusions from archaeological data — a more difficult task. It wUl scarcely 

 be denied that at some early period the kingdom of Uladh claimed the 

 sovereignty over all the county of Meath north of the Boyne and Blaekwater 

 as far as Kells. And, also, I hope to show from early soiu'ces that lier sway 

 once extended over at least the western half of the county of Westmeath so far 

 south and west as Athlone. In the epic of the Tainquest the hosts of Queen 

 Meave retreated to Connaught by way of Atldoue, on approaching which she 

 asked Cuchulain to take her army under his protection there, " that they so 

 may reach across the ford to westward." ..." And in that way, they which 

 were left of all those hosts of Erin . . . passed the great ford and came once 



' I may here rem-irk as -a digression, that near this p)ace, on the estate of the late 

 Sir .Montagu Chapman, I am credibly informed that there exists a long, straight ridge 

 of nonsiderable size, which should be investigated to find if it is artificial or a natural 

 esker. 



