174 



Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Jephson in 1642, and the effect on the blockade of Cork city, which- 

 was then beset by the Confederates, are well known. 



SMALL COrNTY. 



Tradition states that in the middle of the third century a branch 

 of the Deisi settled in this district after their expulsion by Cormac 

 mac Airt. From it was derived the name " Deisbeag," in contrast to 

 the Decies in Waterford, hence the I^'orman Desbeg," and the 

 strange term " Small County," which dates at least from Tudor times. 

 The barony contains the important early centres of Aine and Lough 

 Gur. The former was tbe centre of a group of tribes, believed to be 

 of Firbolg origin, and branches of the Martini of Emly, the Dilraighe, 

 Margraighe, Sibenraighe, and Calraighe. Their territory met in the 

 hill of the Banshee (possibly their goddess) Aine (Egerton MS., 92, 

 f. 37b). It is probable that the river Commoge formed the ancient 

 northern limit of Deisbeg, and the Saimer or Morning Star Eiver the 

 southern,^ thus excluding the ragged fragments of Kilpeacon, 

 Fedamore, and Croom, now in the barony, and including those of 

 Bruff and Tullabracky. The portion between the Maigue and 

 Commoge is probably the old tribal land. The great early fair " of 

 Enach-clochaii', -beag or -cuilin, was held on the Commoge near 

 Monasteranenagh Abbey. 



KiLPEACON. 



197. KiLPEACON (22). IS'ot marked. It lay between the church 

 and the modern house. 1300 Suit whether J. de Burgo disseised J. le 

 !N'otour of the freehold of Kilpeghan (Justic. K. Cal., p. 341). The 

 place does not appear as a parish till 1302. In an undated inquisi- 

 tion of about 1330, J. Lysnekylle held Kylpychan, then waste 

 (B.L.L., 1) ; he also appears in Eupefort's Eental, 1336. The church 

 is often mentioned during the next two centuries. 1592 Alderman 

 Oliver Boorcke, at his death, owned Kilpeacon (Inq. Exch., Jac. I. 

 'No. 24). 1652 Sir David Bourke was transplanted. The ruinous 



1 Even in 1655 (C.S., xxxi., p. 1) the rivers Camoge and " Cavoj-er " ar 

 meares. The Saimer is named in the charter of Magio, 1186. For its English 

 rendering, " Morning Star," see Dr Joyce's "Irish Names of Places," vol. i 

 (ed. 1893), p. 486. '* Samhair" he equates with the ancient river-names Samara 

 and Shamar. " Cavoyer " shows that the later " Camhair " has at least an 

 antiquity of several centuries. 



