386 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



levelled when the field was tilled. This partly terraced fort is a characteristic 

 of the TiiUa and Bodyke groups. 



CuTTEENBEG, the grant of which, about 1380, was noted, has a low ridge 

 near Lisoffin Castle. On this is another earth-work, greatly damaged in 

 recent years, the eastern side being much levelled. It has at the other sides 

 an inner ring, 3 to 4 feet high and 6 feet thick, a fosse 12 to 15 feet wide and 

 5 feet deep, and a slight out-ring 6 feet thick and 3 to 5 feet high. All is 

 much overgrown ; and it contains a pit 45 feet long north and south, 30 feet 

 wide, and 9 feet deep, planted with fine ash-trees, and with a small well or 

 pond at the bottom. 



12. — TuLLA. — The graveyard on the hill-top gives clear traces, showing 

 that the Church of St. MochuUa had been built inside a large terraced 

 fort. The medieval church and its successor, dating from about 1700,^ stand 

 on a level platform, semicircular to the south and east, and from 5 feet to 

 9 feet higher than the lower part of the older graveyard. Its trace runs into 

 the level of the hill at the summit ; but the graveyard is 3 feet or 4 feet higher 

 than the field : there is a terraced plot to the S.W., but of doubtful age. The 

 ring probably included the old castle, which stood near the north-west corner 

 of the graveyard down to about 1835, but was levelled before 1839. This had 

 vaulted rooms, and the door faced the east towards Garruragh.^ 



The existence of the semicircular terrace, which we first noted in 1883, 

 is of interest as being probably the fort alluded to in the ancient " Life of 

 St. Mochulla," the founder of the church,^ who is said to have cleared and 

 levelled the platform " with his own hands," finding a block with a basin in 

 it. St. Mochulla (still locally remembered for his miracle of turning seven 

 robbers, who attacked his tame bull, into the pillar-stones of Classagh) was 

 "pupil of St. Ailbe, of Emly," who died circa 540.* Clare, or at least its 

 northern or western portions, seem to have been still pagan in the early 

 seventh century.^ The saint, leaving the mountains, followed a doe (con- 

 stantly recurring in folk-lore) to a hill, " Dorsum riscarum,^' now called 

 "Episcoporum coUem" (Tulach na n-espoc), covered with trees, brambles, and 



^ The Molony tomb, built on the east end of the older church, dates 1702. 



^ Told me by Michael O'Loughlin, of Fortanne, who died last year, aged S3, and had reliable 

 traditions of other matters tested by me. 



^ The " Life," sought for in vain by Colgan about 1637, has recently been recovered in Austria, 

 but is in a fragmentary condition. It is published in " Analecta Bollandiniana," vol. xvii., p. 135. 

 It is of the year 1141, and confirms the local legend about the saint's tame bull — an interesting case 

 of survival by tradition alone for over 250 years. 



* In these early Lives a saint is often named long after his death, his ' ' coarb " (successor) being 

 intended; so also the term, " the saint is at" a place, refers to his body or relics. So we may 

 evidently discard the time-indication of Ailbe and cling to those of Guaire and Forannan. 



5 From the prayer in the Stowe Missal (late sixth century), folio 25. 



