Westropp — Ancient Castles of the County of Limerick, 61 



its spires; Rathbroccan and Eathcoirbre, near Cella-rath, and Dun 

 nOacfene, near Donaghmore, are also named. ^ Many early forts are 

 recorded in undoubtedly ancient works. Grian was of importance 

 about 450. The ancient fort of Dun Eleisc, or Doon, in Coonagb, is 

 named about 580,- Eath ui druaid in 596,^ Cathair chirm chonn (in 

 Eockbarton) and Aine were scenes of battle in 637 and 666.^ The 

 latter figures as Sid Eoghabhaile in "The Colloquy," and as ''Drom 

 Collchailli" in the " Mesca "Clad." Shanid must have been of hoar 

 antiquity even in 834, for its name means " ancient residence." The 

 numerous records of the Ui Chonaill and Ui Fidgeinti do not mention 

 their forts in the earlier centuries. If the ''Eook of Eights "° dates 

 substantially from the very end of the ninth century, we have a long 

 list of the forts claimed by the king of Cashel, 870 to 900. We find 

 among them Dun-Eochair-Maige, at Bruree'^ (Brughrigh) ; Dun Gair, 

 at Lough Gur;' Geibthine, at Askeaton; Aine, at Knockaine ; Eath 

 arda Suii'd or Eath suird, at Eathurd Muilchead, on the Mulkearne 

 river ; Cathair- chinn- chonn ; Cathair meathais ; Aenach Cairpre, at 

 Monasteranenagh^ ; Drumchaein, perhaps Drumkeen ; Asal or Magh 

 n Asail, at Dromassell or Tory Hill ; Cuilleann or Cullen ; Claire, or 

 Dunglare ; Drum Finghin and Treada na riogh, at Kilfinnane ; a 

 second Drumchaein, apparently on the border of Tipperary ; Seanchua 

 Chaein and Eathfaelad.^^ 



An unknown fort of the Ui Fidgeinte called Cathair-cuan was 



1 Tripartite Life (ed. "Whitley Stokes), pp. 201-207. 



• Cal. Oenghus, Jan. 3. 

 Annals of Inisf alien. 



* Maelduin, king of Munster, defeated at Cathair cinn con, 637 ; see also notes 

 on "The Battle of Dun na Gedh" (ed. O'Donovan). 



^ (Ed. O'Donovan), pp. 87-91. 



6 Dun Gaifi, the house of O'Donovan, where king Mahon was betrayed, is 

 usually taken to be Bruree. 



"For these crannogs and forts, see Rev. James Dowd, "Round about Co. 

 Limerick," pp. 65-75. 



^ The Four Masters attribute it to one of Heber's chieftains and the respectable 

 antiquity of a.m. 3501. 



3 Mr. Goddard Orpen has a most suggestive note, R.S.A.I., xxxri., p. 34, in 

 which he identifies Aenach beag, or Aenach Cairpre, at Monasteranenagh, with 

 the ancient Aenach Culi— Enach CuH, in Corbaly, in prince John's charter to 

 Magio, 1185— and suggests that the fort of the Book of Rights is Rathmore, near 

 that Abbey. 



1° Identified, though improbably, with Rathkeale, which place is Rathguala and 

 Rathkel in the earliest records, M'hether Irish or ]Sorman, known to us. 



