72 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Little more need be said in this preface. "We hope at some future 

 time to collect into a general historic review the later story of the 

 castles. We have here led up from the days of the forts to those in 

 which nearly all the castles now extant stood completed. In 1536, 

 Lord Gray took (and, by an imprudent act, had to retake) the castles 

 of Carrigogunnell and Derryknockane. Little else of change occuiTed 

 till Desmond's rebellion laid waste the province, and his estates and 

 castles were given to strangers. The fine surveys of 1583-6, the 

 Desmond Eoll, Peyton's Survey, and the Inquisitions give us very 

 full information about the castles and their owners, from that time to 

 1641. Then the Depositions tell their sorrowful story, which is 

 closed by the second great confiscation, told by the Down and Civil 

 Surveys, the valuable Account Rolls, and endless public and private 

 records. The Act of Settlement grants tell, with abundant other 

 documents, of the restoration and settlement of the countiy under 

 Charles II. ; the IloUs and Surveys of 1688 to 1703 of the disturbance 

 of that period of promise by the imprudent James, and the ruin 

 which fell on him and his too loyal adherents.^ Thence there is 

 little to tell of the history of the castles of Limerick. 



Closing jS'otes. 



As to our method, a few words of explanation are necessary. 

 Xo castle is included save where unequivocal trace of the building 

 remains, or a specific statement of its existence is found in a reliable 

 record. AVe use much caution where there is only a single record, 

 such as a casual mention of " castle and land," at any place, and still 



appagh extorted coigne and livery, and rejected English Government before 1298. 

 This is opposed by the Eentals, Plea Polls, and other documents down to the 

 Eental of Oconyll in 1452. Much more probable is the allegation that the dues 

 were claimed by that later Thomas, Earl of Desmond, who lived in 1465 (see 

 Carew MSS., vol i. and ii.), or by James, Earl of Desmond. In June, 1588 

 (C. S.P.I. , p. 548), the rents, moneys, and victuals of the late Earl of Desmond 

 include these imposts : — Shraughe, Marte, Chiefry, Coiny, Livery, Kemety, Sorren, 

 Galloglas, Kerne, Bonnaugbt-beg and -bor, Musteroon, Tax, and Tallage (or 

 Southe refection), Coshery, Cuddy, Gillicree and Gillycon. Peyton notes numerous 

 lands subject to the " bonnybur," " Sorrohen," Sessy-malone," "chiefry," 

 &:c. Musteroon was for the repair of castles. In 1552 the Anglysh family complain 

 that they had once been free of all cess (save the " cynduff " for Galloglass, and 

 1 mark to the chief Lord Burke) from Cashel to Greane. Decree of James, Earl 

 of Desmond, and Sir G. Aylmer (Pat. P.). 



^Land worth £61,500 was confiscated in County Limerick alone, being 

 14,882 acres. 



