104 [Proc. B.N.F.C., 



Muckamore, the sixteen towns of Connor, and the sixteen 

 towns of Antrim. We have in Antrim ecclesiastical divisions 

 of considerable antiquity, designated granges, which are ex- 

 parochial, but include townlands in their area the same as 

 parishes. , These lands were formerly annexed to religious 

 houses. Thus we have the Grange of Umgall (the place of the 

 stranger) ; the Grange of Moylusk (the plain of the Macluskey 

 family, a section of the O'Cahans), where there stood a religious 

 house of the knights of Saint John; the Grange of Ballyrobert ; 

 the Grange of Muckamore (Magh-comair, the plain of the 

 confluence of the rivers) ; and many others. 



Since the plantation a great number of new townlands have 

 been created, in many cases from the ancient names, but often 

 from English appellations : thus we find in the grant of the 

 Hertford estate in County Antrim, being the principal part of 

 ancient Killultagh, fifty-two denominations are recited ; whilst 

 at the present the same estate, which has been unaltered for 

 the last two centuries, and is encircled by a great ring fence, 

 contains about 15c townlands. The Government Census Book 

 only requires the addition of another column, namely, an 

 etymological one, to make it an invaluable store-house of 

 historical information unequalled by any previous publication. 

 The word bally, meaning a place or town or district, occurs in 

 6,400 townlands in Ireland. Cill, a church, occurs 2,890 times — 

 showing that in the ancient days there were more churches 

 than there are at the present time in Ireland. Drum, a ridge, 

 occurs 2,000 times. Cluan, a meadow, occurs 1,680 times. 

 Knock, a hill, 1,600 times. Lis, an enclosed abode now called 

 a fort, 1,380 times. Derry, an oak wood, occurs 1,310 times, 

 showing clearly what a rich wooded country Ireland was, and 

 how, doubtless, the " wooden walls" of England largely con- 

 sisted of Irish oak. This richness and wealth of verdure has 

 been beautifully expressed by Sir Samuel Ferguson. 



Mileacan dubh O ! 

 There is honey in the trees where her misty vales expand, 

 And her forest paths, in summer, are by falling waters fanned, 

 , . . . i' the yellow sand, 

 On the fair hills of holy Ireland. 



