Westropp — T 1)^68 of the Ring-Forts and similar Structures. 233 



west," near Corcomroe Abbey, which sealed the fate of Clan Brian, the 

 Irish allies of de Clare, and paved the way for the latter's death and the 

 destruction of the English settlement in the " crowning mercy " of the 

 battle of Dysert ODea in the next year. 



All these places described in this paper formed parts of the Manor of 

 Bunratty in 1287, under the De Clares. Gilbert Pippard held Carrigdir 

 (Carrigerry) ; Walter Kussell, Urlyn ; Walter Flemyng, Clevenagh 

 (Cleenagh) ; W. de St. Alban, Angys (Ing), and Ballygirthirn (Ballygirreen) ; 

 John de Hiwys, Carthirth (Ballycarr, Baile Carthach) ; Patrick de 

 Layndperun, Ptathmolan (Eathf olan), Lisduff and Carrigodran (Carrigoran i ; 

 Nic. de Interby and Henry White, Ballysallach ; Henry Puke, Clonlochan 

 and Le Craggigg (Ballynecraggagh) ; Eichard de Aftbun, Cathyrnachyne 

 (Caherkine), and the heirs of Gerald PitzMaurice, Eathlathyn (Eahlahine).' 



Where the battle of Tradree took place, in which Thomas de Clare fell in 

 1287, no tradition or definite record preserves the name. The gravel-pit to 

 the south of the road, near Ballycarr House and the Eailway Station, 

 yielded, in 1903, quantities of bones ; and Mr. Gilligan, of Newmarket, then 

 told me that there was an old legend that there " the English soldiers killed 

 at Ballycarr " had been buried. No battle (save those during the siege of 

 Bunratty, in 1642, many miles away) is recorded in Tradree in later times; 

 so as a genuine legend, with some corroboration, I leave the record of this 

 fact. 



Another question might arise : the peel-towers date chiefly from the 

 fifteenth century, and most of those in Tradree are recorded in the 

 " Pounders' List"; then what were the dwellings of the de Clares' Welsh and 

 English tenants (not to speak of the Irish partisans, such as the O'Gradys, 

 settled in Kilnasoola), and how were they defended ? So far as we can 

 judge, the earthworks of the Normans differed but little from those of the 

 native Irish,* and the colonists dug fosses, with earth-mounds and palisadings, 

 or adopted those deserted by the Irish, as seemed most convenient. We 

 know that at least one " rath of beauteous circles " was dug in this county 

 late in the thirteenth century, and that the cahers and lisses were inhabited 

 in the fourteenth century. It is not improbable that the construction of 

 these convenient enclosures continued even later, while existing structures 

 could always be palisaded and new houses built in them out of the abundant 

 forests of Clare. 



1 Gal. Documents relating to Ireland, vol. iii., No. 459. 



- The Bunratty earthwork is oblong, 8 feet to 10 feet high, and without a fosse, measuring 

 46 feet x 70 feet. 



K. I. A. PROO., VOL. XXVII., SECT. C. [35] 



