Westropp — Forests of the Counties of the Lov)er Shannon Valley. 291 



and this despite there being in 1655 some 1,300 acres of wood, shrubs, and 

 woody bog between Kildimo, Curragh, and Adare, while some large trees 

 grew round Castletown Castle. We notice another trace of thickets in the 

 name " Scart"; non-apparent in Co. Clare, it names townlands in Clanwilliam 

 near Cahernarry and Derrygalvan, and others at ISTantinan in Connello, and 

 Kilteely in Coonagh. There is a Scarteen (little thicket) in Coshlea. 



(19) Connello. — It is only when we reach the four baronies into which 

 the ancient Connello is now divided, that we realize to the full the disap- 

 pointing scarcity of forest- and tree-names in the county. Perhaps from the 

 great abundance of the woods, the wild mass was not apportioned or in- 

 habited ; and the general wood-names, like Coillmor, were too extensive for 

 use among those who cleared and settled on the destroyed forest of Slieve 

 Luachra. The blackthorn bush (sloe) gave its name to Dreenagh in Connello 

 Upper, the whitethorn to Skehanagh in the lower barony, while a thicket at 

 Kyletaun near Eathkeale, and perhaps one at Garranboy,^ an ancient tree at 

 Altavilla, an elm grove- at Loghill (corrupt form for Leamcoill, Laemchaill 

 in the Visitation of Meyler fitz Henry in 1201), the birch at Kilbehy and a 

 lost wood at the earth fort that preceded Lisnacullia Castle, where 86 acres of 

 shrubs alone remained in 1655, have impressed their memory on the place- 

 names : Kerrykyle, Killaculleen (of holly), Moneymohill, and perhaps Bally- 

 nakill, Garryduff on Barna Hill, and another Loghill near Grange carry on 

 the names of vanished plantations round Newcastle West. In 1655 there 

 were nearly 3,700 acres forested in all Connello. Woods most abounded in 

 Clonelty and round Eathkeale ; the large timber had been cleared off Mahoo- 

 nagh, Corcomohide, Killagholegan, and Abbeyfeale; but shrubberies abounded 

 in the first three parishes and in those extending to Foynes, Eemarkable 

 advance had certainly been made in clearing the woods extant in 1580 ; in 

 some cases the ironstone quarries enable us to account for the destruction. 



In Glenquin barony we find the last traces of the great oak-woods, 

 alluded to in the MescaUlad, at Darrery, Knockaderry, and Glendarragh^; in 

 Shanid barony we find Durnish (oak island) near Foynes. Killcoorha, seems 

 to mean "fragrant wood"; but it really is a map-corruption of the old name 

 Oilcouroe still in use on the spot. We have, however, a Clooncooravane and 

 Gortnaskeehy in Killeedy. 



Shanid barony yields Tinnakilla, if it be not derived from the kyle or 

 graveyard near the dolmen and pillar. The Plea Eolls give a few early names 



' Locally, however, rendered "yellow garden," but possibly " Garran," a shrubbery. 

 - Leamh also means a marsh mallow, but the "eoill" practically decides the question. 

 ^^ The Daar River is "Abhainn na Darach" (of the oaks). Dr. Joyce's "Irish Names of 

 Places," series i., p. 484. 



