Westropp — Ancient Castles of the Count// of Limerick. 163 



adjoining barony " Coshlea," " Foot of the Hills." It mainly coin- 

 cides with the ancient TJi Cairbre Aobhdha, and contains Bruree, the 

 oldest "royal centre " of the Dalcassians. O'Huidhrin, about 1420, 

 thus alludes to it : — 



Hereditary to O'Donovan of Dun Cuirc 

 Is this country as a land of entrenchment : 

 He owned without tribute the lands 

 Along the slow -flowing Maigue, 

 And the plains down to the Shannon." 



In ^^'orman times it included the cantred of Adai'^ (or Cromoth), 

 Ocarbry, loregar, and Fontemel. The present name seems to have got 

 established in the two centuries between 1377 and 1586 ; but we fail 

 to find its early usage. The portion at ^onasteranenagh was known as 

 Kenelmekin in 1186. In 1655 a large union of parishes named 

 Ballingaddy covered all Coshmagh from Drehidtarsna to Tankards- 

 town, except Effin and Hackmys, which then belonged to Coshlea. 



166. Adare(21). Desmond Castle." Marked. In 1226 G. de 

 Mariscowas granted the manor and fairs. Agnes de Valence enfeoffed 

 J. de Verdon, who was confirmed in the manors of Crommeth, Adar, 

 Castro Eoberti, Atletageth, Grene, or Estgrene, and Wrigedy by 

 Hen. III. and Prince Edward, 1266. This group often recurs.^ 1302 

 Held by T. f. Thomas, and 1317 by the Earl of Kildare. His son 

 Richard had livery, 1328. In 1331 is named the " C. in which there 

 is a hall ; a C. with stone walls, covered with thatch ; a tower, 

 covered with j)lanks ; a kitchen, covered with slates, and a chamber 

 near the stone part covered with thatch," the manor being " waste 

 from the war." 1334 J. Darcy got a grant for repairing C. 1478 

 T. Earl of Kildare died there. 1536 Forfeited on the attainder of 

 Silken Thomas. 1541 It was granted with Crome to James, son of 

 Sir John, Earl of Desmond. 1559 Described as *' an old broken C." 

 1570 Leverous, Dean of St. Patrick's, found refuge here. 1578 

 Taken after a siege of eleven days ; Stanley, with Peter and Geo. Carew, 

 repelled all attempts of John of Desmond to retake it. 1579 Lord 

 Ormond held it. 1582 Taken by the Irish ; recovered by Zouche and 

 Dowdall. 1599 Essex seems to have neglected it, and garrisoned 



• See Hist. MSS. Com. App. Ninth Eeport, Dep. Keeper Records (MSS. of Duke 

 of Leinster). Grant of Ed. I. to J. fitz Thomas, p. 266a, and other deeds, pp. 266b, 

 267b, 268, with the manors of Carnekittel (extant in 1331), Corkmoyght, and 

 Tobornea, and also Ballycathelan in Kyenry. 



