was killed by Madudan Madden O'Cuana, in revenge for his foster-child2 Roderick O Conor, i. e. Roderick of the yellow hound, King of Connaught. Of the year of his death the poet sung as follows: "Oct mbliaóna noċat ap mile, O jein mic de daiż-nervaiz, Hi szél far oct is derb deimin, Eight years, ninety and one thousand, From the birth of the son of God, all strengthening, It is no vain story, but is truly certain, 'Till the death of the faithful Flahertach. This chieftain appears to have acquired considerable power and influence, and to have taken a leading part in the affairs of Connaught. He effectually resisted the O'Conors, and put an end to their incursions on his territory. To his time has bee assigned the following description of Hy-Briuin Seola, which contains an account of the chiefs subordinate to O'Flaherty, and their possessions, with the principal officers of his establishment, and the lands which they held for the performance of their several duties. This historical fragment is preserved in a manuscript of ancient vellum, in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, H. 2. 17, p. 188. fein fuizib sein. O Dażlaeic tareaċ ceirri mbaile n-deg hua m-Ŏriúin raża ; 7 difein hi Cendetig, 7 hi Duind, 7 hi Indog Cnuic Tuaga, 7 hi Laiġin Leaccaig, 7 hi Callanain comapba Cilli Cazail. hua Cendubain ollam leiġis i flaiżbertaiż, a tuaiż na zoibrineao; arberat araile hua Taizid. Flaithi hua m-briúin eola, cona fremaib.1. hi Feiċin, hi balbain, 7 hi Duib, 7 hi Madudain. 7 mac Gilligannain o maigleaflaind taisi scuip hi Flaiżberraig, 7 hi Colgon o baili hi Colgon go m-brazaiġ hi Flaiżbentang. & O'Dathlaoich, “O’Dalaız.”. lymote, fo. 54. e -Book of Bal Cnoc tuadh, now Knockdoe, see page 147 supra. f Ui Laidhenain, pronounced O'Lynan. Lackagh, Leacaig, now Lackagh, a town land containing the ruins of a castle in a parish of the same name in the barony of Clare, and a short distance south-east of the conspicious hill of Knockdoe. See Ordnance map of Galway, sheet 70. h Kilcahil, Cill Cażail, i. e. the church of St. Cathal. This is the name of an old church in a townland of the same name in the parish of Annaghdown, in the same barony, situated immediately to the left of the road as you go from Galway to Tuam. The ruins of the church shew that it was very small. See Ordnance map of the County of Galway, sheet 57, where the position of the ruins of this church is shewn, under the name "St. Cathaldus' church." O'Canavan, &c. According to the tradition in the country, the families of O'Canavan and O'Lee were hereditary physicians to O'Flaherty. There IRISH ARCH. SOC. 15. 3 B having their own tribe subject to them. O'Dathlaoich is the taiseach of the fourteen ballys of the Hy-Briuin ratha; and of these are the O'Kennedies, and the O'Duinns, and the O'Innogs of Cnoctuadh, and O'Laighin' of Lackagh, and O'Callanan, comharba of Killcahill". O'Canavan', medical ollamh of O'Flaherty, in Tuath na d-Toibrineadh, but others say that O'Laighidh [ O'Lee]. The chiefs of HyBriuin-Seola, with their correlatives, are O'Fechin, O'Balbhain, O'Duff, and O'Madudhain, MacGilla Gannain of Moyleaslainn is master of the horse of O'Flaherty. The O'Colgans of Bally-Colgan* are the standard-bearers of O'Flaherty. Mac Ginnain is the was a Dr. Canavan, the lineal descendant of O'Flaherty's physicians, in constant attendance on the house of Lemonfield about sixty years ago. 3 O'Lee. For an eccentric physician of this name, see p. 78, supra. In Duald Mac Firbis's copy of this tract the reading is, Hua ceandubain 7 hua Laigió leaga Muintire Murcada 7 Ua Ailella, 7 do Tuaie na drobrinead had; adeir leabap ele Ui Flairbeartag, i. e. "O'Canavan and O'Lee are the physicians of Muintir Murchadha and of Hy-Ailella, and they are of the tribe of Tuath-na-d-Toibrineadh. Another book says of O'Flaherty"-[i. e. another book calls O'Canavan and O'Lee the physicians of O'Flaherty, instead of calling them physicians of Muintir-Murchadha, &c.] * Bally-Colgan, baile Uí Cholgáin, i. e. O'Colgan's town. This place retains its name to the present day, and is a townland now divided into two parts, called Ballycolgan Upper and Ballycolgan Lower, situated in the parish of Kilkilvery, near Headford, in the barony of Clare. benraig. Meic Cinnain comarba Cilli Cuana, 7 hi Maelampaill Domnaig Patraic breżemain hi Flaitbertaiż. hi Cleipcean o pair buibb, cona m-baili. hi Zaebucain, 7 hi Maelin oircinnió Cilli ceilbili. Hi Dubain o cluain ai, luce comideaċta hi Flaiżberzaiz cum a ligi coitcinn. hi Meallaig o Cill manać agus o Cill na cailán taisaiz bogogi, cona freamaib ducusa. H-1 Dorizean, 7 hi Caizearaig on beiżiż, cona freamaib duċusa. O h-Aingli o daire i Aingli cona baili. Mac Beólam o Cill leabair oircineać cluig duib Pa Donaghpatrick, Domnaig Parraig, i.e. of St. Patrick's church. This is the name of a parish in the north of the barony of Clare. Its original church stands in ruins near the margin of Lough Hackett, which is the Loch Cime of the old Irish writers. • Rath-Buidhbh, pronounced Rá-weev, now Rafwee, a townland in the parish of Killeany, in the barony of Clare. See Ordnance map, sheet 56. P Cill-Cillbile, now Kilkilvery, a well-known parish in the barony of Clare, containing the town of Ath-mic-Cing, or Headford. a Cluain-ai, q. Cloneen?, in the parish of Killeany. Kilnamanagh, Cill na manac, i. e. church the comharba of Kilcoona'. O'Maelampaillm of Donaghpatrick" is the brehon [judge] of O'Flaherty. O'Cleircin of Rathbuidhbh, O'Lacbacain and O'Maoilin are the Erenachs of Cill-Cillbile". The O'Dubhans [O'Duanes] of Cluain-ai are the attendants of O'Flaherty at his ammon house. The O'Meallaighs of Kiinamanagh and of Kill na Cailan3 are the chitts of Bogogi, with their correlatives. O'Doregan, and O'Caitheasaigh, from Beitheach [Beagh], with their correlatives. O'Haingli" of Derry Aingli with his bally. Mac Beolan, of Killower', is the keeper of the black of the monks, a townland containing the ruins of a small abbey, situated to the north of Lough Hackett, in the parish of Donaghpatrick, in the north of the same barony. See Ordnance map, sheet 42. • Kill na Cailan, now obsolete. Beitheach, i. e. land abounding in birch; w Beagh, in the parish of Kilcoona, in the same barony There is also a baile Ua Chavasang, i. e. O'Casey's town, in the same parish. "O'Haingli. This is probably the name now anglicised O'Hanly. A family of the name still resides at Kilroe, in this vicinity, and is opulent and respectable. There is a more celebrated family of O'Hainlidhe, or O'Hanly, who were chiefs of Kinel Dofa, situated between Slieve Bawn and the Shannon, in the county of Roscommon. ▾ Killower, Cill Teabair, i. e. the church of the Book, a parish situated in the north-east of the barony of Clare. The black bell of St. Patrick after wards passed into the family of Geraghty, and was for ages exhibited to the pilgrims by that family Domhnach Cruim Duibh, or Garland Sunday, on the mountain of Croaghpatrick, where it was held in the highest veneration. It was in the possession of a branch of this family who lived at Lecarrow, 1 epaic, cona baili. Hi Doigin 7 1 Dubain oireinig Cilli huppa, cona mbaili leo, 7 do aircin Furra i Dubain. Meic Cıllı cellaiġ ollamáin hi Flaiżberta a senčus 7 a filideċt, co tri leazbailtib leo don leitsin .1. Ceannopoma, 7 Ɑż cind, 7 Cazair na hailigi a ceneal mbuitin. O Domnall na h-Arorata taireać comoil hi Flaiżberraig, cona reim duċusa fein fai 1. o Daizean arda fintainn raċtairi i Domnaill, 7 hi Chiċirain o lis Ciċarain, 7 hi Conlaċzna obaili hi Conlaċtna. Beaċadoir hi Flairberzaiz.... in-Eocaill 7 bailii Conlaczna. 7 hi Chodil o baili i Chodil, hi Maelmuini o baili i Maelmuini, 7 o aż mic cind go loc a n-dużaig sin. Hircinec Raza hindile .1. o Teażcargais con deacmaid black bell of St. Patrick, with his bally. O'Dubhain" are the Erenachs of Killursa*, with their bally (and St. Fursa cursed O'Dubhain). The Mac Kilkellys are the ollamhs of O'Flaherty in history and poetry; and for this they have three half ballys, which are Ceann-droma', Athacind", and Cathair-na-hailighi in Ceneal m-buithin. O'Domhnaill of Ardratha is the master of the feast of O'Flaherty, with his own correlatives under him, viz., O'Daigean of Ard-Fintain", who was O'Domhnaill's reachtaire [steward], and O'Chichearan of Lis-chicheran, and O'Conlachtna of Bally-conlachtna are the keepers of the bees of O'Flaherty..... in Eochaill and Bally-conlachtna. O'Chodil of Ballycodil, O'Maelmuine of Ballymaelmuine; and from Ath mic Cinn to the laked their country extends. O'Leathcargais is the Erenach near Ballinrobe, in the county of Mayo, in the year 1837, but it is said to be now in the possession of one of this family who removed to the town of Castlebar. It is generally believed that this bell was originally of pure silver, but that it was rendered black by its contact with the demons on Croaghpatrick, when the apostle of Ireland was expelling them thence. "O'Dubhain, now O'Duane. The O'Duanes and O'Lees, in the thirteenth century, crossed lough Orbsen with the O'Flaherties. Some respectable descen dants of these old families still reside in Iar-Connaught. * Killursa, Cill Fhupra, i. e. St. Fursey's church, a parish forming the north-western portion of the barony of Clare. The western portion of the old church of this parish is of extreme antiquity. This name is now obsolete. Athacind, now Headford, a well-known town in the parish of Kilkilvery, in the barony of Clare. a Cathair-na-hailighi, now Cahernally, situated to the south-west of the town of Headford, in the parish of Killursa. The original cathair, or Cyclopean stone fort, from which this townland derived its name, is still in existence, in tolerable preservation. ↳ Ard-Finntain, i. e. Finntan's eminence, or hill, now Ardfintan, a townland in the west of the said parish of Killursa. c Bally-conlachtna, baile Hi Conlaċtna, i. e. O'Conlachtna's town, now Ballyconlaght, in the parish of Cargins, in the barony of Clare. See Ordnance map, sheet 55. d From Ath mic Cinn to the lake, i. e. from Headford westwards to Lough Corrib. This district, which was, at the period of the writer of this tract, y Ceann-droma, i. e. head of the long hill, or ridge. deaċmaid hi Fhlaiżberraig leis. Hua Mungile o Muine-inpadain, ardraċtaipe hi Fhlairbentaiż. O Maelbindi on termand .i. baili colu leis. Hi Duaċ 7 hi $7 Dagda ona dromaib. Hi Fadarraiġ taisig ceiżri maili dec muinntiri Faraig, cona fodaltaib, 7 cona freamaib firducara fein fuitib." Erenach of Rathhindile, and he has the tithes of O'Flaherty. O'Murgaile of Muinne-in-radain is the Ardrachtaire of O'Flaherty. O'Maelbindi of the termon has Bally-Colu'. O'Duach and O'Dagda of the Drums. O'Faharty is chief of the fourteen townlands of Muintir-Fahy, with their correlatives under them". The foregoing curious and, perhaps at the present day, unique description of the establishment and dependencies of an Irish chieftain, previously to the twelfth century, developes a state of society, as then existing in Ireland, very different from the feudal system, which, at the time, prevailed over the greatest part of Europe. The evils of that system, which are described by all the writers on those times as insupportable, were never felt in Ireland. Almost the whole of Europe was divided into small societies; a few towns formed a petty state, and these states were continually at war with each other. There were no high roads, nor any security for merchants, who were plundered, and often murdered, by the lords and chatellains; whose castles and towers, on the banks of rivers, and in mountain passes, were little better than dens of robbers. Murders, rapines, and disorders of every kind, prevailed to such a degree, divided into ballybetaghs, called after the families of O'Codel and O'Maelmuine, is now divided into minute denominations, and the names of the large ballybetaghs are forgotten. e Ardrachtaire, i. e. head steward 'Baile-Colu.--There is a townland of this name close to the southern boundary of the barony of Clare. Muintir-Fahy. These names are still found widely interspersed over the country, but, like the generality of the old Irish families, they are mostly reduced to a state of poverty. See ante, p. 130, for the regal establishment of the Kings of Connaught, which subsisted at the same time with that of their subordinate chieftain O'Flaherty. We find in Scotland the same clan system, derived from the Irish; but there it continued to a later period than even in the parent country. Martin, in his Description of the Western Islands, already quoted, has preserved some of the characteristics of this very ancient state of society. Describing the old and modern customs of the islanders, he tells us (p. 124, &c.): "At the first plantation of the isles, all matters were managed by the sole authority of heads of tribes, called in Irish Thiarna. The chieftain was usually attended with a retinue of young men of quality, with whom it was usual to make a desperate incursion upon some neighbour that they were in feud with, and to force his cattle, or die in the attempt. This, he adds, was not considered robbery; for it was usually followed by retaliation. When the chief entered on the government of the clan, he was placed on a pyramid of stones, a white rod was delivered to him, and the chief Druid or orator pronounced a stimulating panegyric, on the ancient pedigree, valour, and liberality of the family; all which he proposed to the young chief |