288 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Cou^'TY Limerick. 



(16) This county differs from Clare in being a fairly level plain, inter- 

 sected by rivers ; of these the Mulkeare, j\Iaigue, Deel, and Feale run north- 

 ward to the Shannon. The Cammoge, the Morning Star, and the Lubagh run 

 westward to the Maigue. The second is the ancient Saimer, " the shining 

 one," corruptly " Caimer," the Morning Star.^ This corruption is found in the 

 Civil Survey of 1655 as Kuavier and Caumire ; the real name is akin to Samara 

 and other non-Irish rivers of the ancient world. 



Large masses of mountain lie at the eastern corners of the county ; the 

 Silvermine mountains or Slieve Felim lie to the north-east. They are 

 dominated by the Keeper, " Kimalta," 2,278 feet high, many of the other hills 

 being over 1,200 feet high. To the south-west lies the fine range of the 

 Galtees, many of the peaks over 2,500 feet high, and Galteemore rising on the 

 border of the county to a height of 3,015 feet. The western border has the 

 Slieve Luachra range, mostly low and tame, only reaching the height of 1,137 

 feet at Knockanimpaha, and rarely exceeding 1,000 feet above the sea. In 

 the middle of the county lies the long sandstone ridge of Knockfeirina and 

 its spurs. In contrast also to Clare, Limerick is rich in detailed records, and 

 comparatively poor in place-names. In both counties the Annals are nearly 

 devoid of helpful entries. 



The early romance of " Mesca L'^lad " presupposes dense forests in the 

 districts. The L^lidian charioteers pass Lough Gur on the right, ford the 

 Maigue, and reach Cliumailmacugaine and Deisebeg, the territory of 

 Curoi, son of Daire ; " the iron wheels of their chariots cut the roots of the 

 immense trees." Cuchullin ascends Drum Collchailli at Aine, and is then 

 able to say where they were, as if the view w^as hidden when on the plains, 

 from which nowadays the hills are visible in every direction. They then 

 advance to Temair, on the slopes of eastern Luchair, somewhere near Abbey- 

 feale.- Two druids on the rampart of the fort see strange objects through the 

 gloom and fog ; one supposes them to be " the gigantic oaks " they had passed 

 on the previous day ; but the other recognizes them as armed men, who come 

 " past the trees of Ir-Luchair from the east." " Oaks of dark woods o'er 

 forests thick," " trees of hill-tops with hardy strength," are all named as in 

 south-western Co. Limerick. The inserted poem, later on, names the black 

 bog and wood in " Luachair of many hills " ; and the Elizabethan Surveys 

 and Maps corroborate the local colour of the venerable myth by showing the 

 valleys of " Sle Logher " wooded even in 1586. 



^ Y>Y. Joyce, " Irish Names of Places," second series, p. 4-55, " Cillnarath as the Saimir runs 

 from it," John's Charter to Magio Ahbey (1185-1199). 



^ As we endeavoured to shoM' in these pages, vol. xxvi. (c), p. 62. 



