56 The Forts of Erin. 



the latter there were numerous exceptions, as dying in one's bed 

 in these old times was probably the exception. I shall proceed 

 to place before you some gleanings and researches of mine 

 concerning some of these ancient forts, together with a short 

 sketch of some of the more important castles that have held a 

 prominent place in the history of the country. In order more 

 clearly to understand the subject, I shall briefly refer to the 

 early colonisation of the country, and the people who built 

 these forts. When the ancient laws of Ireland are fully trans- 

 lated and published we shall be in a position to form a clearer 

 conception of the people, and the motives which influenced 

 them in many of their social and national customs, as recorded 

 in the annals. 



The lecturer proceeded to recapitulate the various colonies 

 who landed on these shores. There were three colonies before 

 the Firbolgs, none of which succeeded. The Firbolgs made 

 their mark in the country. They were a dark-haired race, with 

 long-shaped head and rather small stature. Their descendants 

 still live in the Counties of Mayo, Galway, and Kerry. The 

 Tuatha De Danaans, who next arrived, were a Celtic race, fair- 

 haired, with globular-shaped heads, and of large stature. The 

 Milesians or Scots were the next to arrive, and conquered the 

 two former. The descendants of these various tribes, together 

 with Danes, Normans, and the settlers of the Plantation, go to form 

 the present population of this country. The various kinds of 

 forts were next explained. The dun was an earthen fort, with 

 one or more concentric moats and intervening fosse filled with 

 water ; it was of a military character, and was generally owned 

 by a righ or king, or a chieftain of a district. The rath and lis 

 were also earthen forts like the dun, with the exception that 

 the fosse was not filled with water. The cahir, or cashel, was 

 a stone rath, built of huge stones, without mortar, and had 

 frequently ramparts of earth surrounding them as an outwork. 

 Views, specially taken to illustrate this subject, were shown of 

 earthen forts and cashels. Amongst these were several views 

 of the Grianan of Aileach, near Derry, the ancient seat of the 

 O'Neills. This structure was built more than 3,000 years ago, 



