Conmhaicne-mara, i. e. the Sea Conmacny, to distinguish from Conmacny-rein), containing Angaly in the county of Longford, and Munter south (called also the two Connamaras), which were separated by the Owinglin river, that falls into the harbour of Ardbear. The record in the British Museum, dated A. D. 1586, before referred to, p. 44, note, describes this barony as follows: "The barony of Ballenehence, conteyning the ii Conymares, VIII myles long and vi broad; and is, after like rate, plowlands five. Murrogh ne doo O'flarty chief in the same.-Parishes (4) Vicar. of Ballinekilly-Vicar. of Ballindoyne-Vicar. of Omeya-Vicar. of Maierus.-Gentlemen and their castles, viz. Donell Ecowga, Ballenehense; Edmund Oflairte, Kyllindowne; Edmund Mc. Hugh, A new Castle; Ochaghy of Lettermellan; Donell Ecowga, Bonowyn; Tege ne Buly of Arddearee; Miles Mc.Tibbot, Reynivylie.-Castles 7." -Titus, B. xiii. For the other ancient territories called Conmhaicne, mentioned above by our author, see his Ogyg. p. 275. Antiquaries further relate, that " Fionnchaomh, son of Cosgrach, descended from Conmac, had for his inheritance the territories of Conmaicne Cuile-tola, and Conmaicne-mara; that his son Caireach was the first of his line who embraced the Christian faith, and that he was baptized, with all his retinue, at Tarach, by St. Patrick, whom he invited into his country to propagate the faith there." For this, see O'Ferall's Linea Antiqua, or Book of Irish Genealogies, preserved in the Office of Arms, Dublin. O'Cadhla (O'Kealy) was afterwards chief of Conmhaicne-mara. It is written, that from hence, a body of troops, under Carnen their chief, joined the standard of Brien Borumha, and fought at Clontarf, A. D. 1014. The Four Masters relate, that in A. D. 1139, Aodh (Hugh) O'Cadhla was lord of Conmacne-mara ; and O'Dugan records, in his Metrical Topography, compiled about A. D. 1350, that O'Cadhla was the chieftain at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion: 66 "Ap Conmaicne mara móir Was O'Cadhla, friend of banquets." From O'Dugan, Lynch, in Cambrensis Eversus, p. 27, has, "O'Cadhla sive Qually in Conmacniamara." Colgan latinizes the name Qualeus. Doctor O'Kealy, R. C. Archb. of Tuam, who, about A. D. 1645, furnished Colgan with the account of the ecclesiastical remains of Aran, before referred to, p. 74, note x, was of this old family. See the eulogy on that prelate by Lynch in Vita Kirovani, p. 47. The Muintir Murchadha, or O'Flaherties of Ui Briuin Seola, being driven from the plain of Ui Briuin Seola by the AngloNorman settlers in 1238, proceeded across Lough Orbsen, and possessed themselves Munter-Eolais in the county of Leitrim; Conmacny Dunmore, now the barony of Dunmore, in the county of Galway; and Conmacnyculy, now Killmayn barony, in the county of Mayo, is divided into the south and north half baronys, and, on the east side, lyes adjacent to the barony of Moycullin; washed by the Western Ocean on the south-west and north coasts of it, till it mears with the mountaines of Joyce Countrey on the north-east. On these coasts ambergreese' of Conmaicne-mara. The O'Cadhlas then lost their authority, and disappear from history; but the name is still to be found among the peasantry in the mountainous district of Ross barony; and some respectable gentlemen of the name, though not of this race, reside in other parts of the country. The name Kyley, in the county of Waterford, is of another race, and is spelt in Irish O'Caella. * Dunmore.—In Irish, Oún Món, the great fort or dun, which gives name to the barony of Dunmore, in the county of Galway. Here there was a strong fortress of the kings of Connaught; and there still remain the ruins of an extensive castle, said traditionally to have been built by Hosdech (Hosty) Mac Membric, or Mebric (now Merrick), one of the Welch adventurers mentioned in the sequel. This castle was possessed by the Anglo-Norman Berminghams, barons of Athenry. In A. D. 1249, it was burned by the army of the king of Connaught. In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the Berminghams being in arms against the Queen, Sir Henry Sidney, A. D. 1569, besieged and took the is castle of Dunmore. It was finally dismantled in the time of Cromwell. Ambergreese. (Ambra grisea.) This substance affords another proof of the resort of whales to that part of the Atlantic Ocean off the western shores of Iar-Connaught. See p. 12, note. It is now well ascertained, that "Ambergris is indurated fæcal matter, discharged by the spermaceti whale, a species of physeter (Physeter macrocephalus). It has been found in that species of whale, but usually is found floating on the surface of the ocean, in regions frequented by whales; sometimes in masses of from 60 to 225lbs. weight. In this substance are found the beaks of the cuttle-fish (Sepia moschata), on which that whale is known to feed. It is highly valued as a material in perfumery.". Encyc. See Boate's Natural History, 4to. Dublin, 1726, p. 146, for an account of Ambergreese found near Sligo, A. D. 1691; and Beale, Nat. Hist. of the Sperm Whale, 1839. It is not to be wondered at, that in the time of our author, the poor uninformed natives of Iar-Connaught should be unacquainted with the value of amber is frequently found. In the year 1666, there was a great deal of black amber cast ashore every where, and the people, not used to the like, knew it not at first, yet they could get ten shillings an ounce for it, when people understood what it was. The best is of the colour of Castile soap, and worth seventy shillings an ounce. Here are some spots of fine arable land, by the sea side, almost everywhere; and where that is wanting they work with the spade. The countrey is generally commendable for fishing, fowling, and hunting. No river there towards the sea, and scarce any small brook, without salmons, white trouts, and eels. Many wast islands here, during the summer season, are all covered over with bird eggs, far more delicate than those laid by poultry. Here is yearly great slaughter made of seales, about Michaelmas, on wild rocks and gris, as above related; when we know, that at a later period they were ignorant of matters in much more general use. The Editor remembers an old gentleman who knew the district well, and who used to relate a pleasant occurrence which took place in it within his own memory. Several chests of tea were washed in on the western shore, and the inhabitants, not knowing "what it was," tried in various ways to ascertain it's use. One of these was by boiling it, then pouring away the fragrant liquid, and cooking the leaves for food; but finding them in that way rather unpalatable, they gave up all further experiments, and converted the rich cargo into manure. Several other stories are told of the simple manners of that primitive people'; but I have never heard that they mistook the use of the French wines, the rum, brandy, wast and other cupċurża mara, ejectamenta z Slaughter made of seales.-This practice has been since discontinued. See ante, p. 27, note. That the seal (Phoca vitulina) was formerly used for food along the coasts of Ireland, appears from several ancient authorities; among others, from the old "Book of Lismore," in the possession of His Grace the Duke of Devonshire. For the following extract on the subject, I am indebted to that excellent Irish scholar, Mr. Eugene Curry, of Dublin, who has lately transcribed that venerable record for the library of the Royal Irish Academy: "Feacht ann tancataraidió co brigit, wast islands of the sea. Many lands here invironed for the most part by the sea, are called Irros, with an adjection to distinguish them one from another. aviat uaisli craibdeca, .1. na seċt n-espuic filet a rulaig ind airrrear Taiżean. Is ann sin forcongair Ŏriġit for apaili fear dia muinntir teċt do ćum in mapa, co n-dearnad iaszać do na h-aigeaouib. Téit in fear 7 a ṁur-ja lais, 7 tecṁaiż ron do. Saidid inn in rongai, 7 ceanglaid a réit dia laiṁ. Taiprngiò in ron leis in fear tar in b-Fairpce co traiż mara Breatan, cu b-farcuib annisin h-é for carraic, iap m-briseaó na réza, Ro cuiread dan in pon for culai 7 a gai ann, cu po laa in muir h-e for sin traiż ba comfocraib do Brigit. Do ratsat, umorro, jascaipeda Ŏreatan curać do iascaire Brigte, ó so indis a scela doib; tainic i appin tar muir, co b-fuair a pon i traig ṁara Taizean ibus, co puc leir co h-aideaòuib Briġte.”—“ On a certain time, there came visitors to St. Bridget, and they were noble and devout, viz., the seven bishops of Tulla in the east of Leinster. Then Bridget commanded a certain man of her people to go to the sea, and to fish for the visitors. The man went forth, carrying his sea-spear (mup-ga) and he met a seal. He struck the seal-spear (ɲon-ġui) into it, and tied the rope fast to his arm. The seal dragged the man after him over the sea to the shore of Britain, where it left him upon a rock, after having broken the Between rope. The seal was, however, sent back, with the spear sticking in him, until he was cast by the sea on the part of the shore nearest to Bridget. The British fishermen gave a curach [leathern canoe] to Bridget's fisherman, when he told them. his adventure; and he then came over the sea, and found his seal on the strand of Leinster on the return: and he carried it to Bridget's visitors."—Book of Lismore fol. 57, a. Transcript, in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, p. 30. Rejecting the marvellous part of this story, the remainder proves, that in Ireland seals were anciently used for food. In the west of Scotland, seals and whales were eaten, even to a much later period. See Martin's Description of the Western Islands, pp. 5, 64: " The Natives salt the Seals with the ashes of burned Sea-ware, and say they are good Food; the vulgar eat them commonly in the Spring time, with a long pointed Stick instead of a Fork, to prevent the strong smell which their hands would otherwise have for several Hours after." Amongst the betterfed people of England, seals and porpoises were frequently feasted upon in former days. See Henry's History, vol. v. Appendix vi.; but the historian adds, that "Porpoises and seals are seldom seen at modern entertainments." It is observed, that the people of Aran, who wear seal Between the capes of Golam-head and Mason-head, the ocean, breaking into the haven of Cassin, separates the barony of Balynahinsy from the barony of Moycullin. This coast hath severall banks of scollops and oysters, whereunto Inverglassan river, parting both barony's, falls. The next land on the west of it is Irrosainhagh, a small countrey; and therein the lands of St. Kieran's church and hill, named. likely from St Kieran of Cluain-M Nois, St. Ennas's disciple, worshipped 9th September. Over against Mason-head, southward in the same countrey, lies Cruagh mhic Daraa, a small high island and harbour skin pumps, or "pampooties," are never afflicted with gout. They affirm, that a piece of the skin worn on the person, cures and keeps away the cholic. See Keogh's Zoologia Medicinalis Hibernica, p. 77; and Martin's Western Islands of Scotland, p. 64, for various virtues attributed to the flesh, skin, and other parts of this animal. The several places named above, are within the parish of Moyrus, Mag Rup, i. e. the plain or field of the point or promontory. This parish forms the southern portion of Conamara, or Balinahinch barony. It is bounded on the north-west by the parish of Ballindoon; on the north by the parish of Ballynakill; on the northeast by the barony of Ross; on the east by that of Moycullen; and south and southwest by the Atlantic.-loppur, a border, brink, margin, promontory, or head-land. The extreme western point of the county of Clare is so called. So loppur Domnan, the present barony of Erris, county of Mayo.IRISH ARCH. SOC. 15. for See p. 73, note ". Mason-head, Ceann Mára, the head of the land called Maus or Mace.-Inverglassen River, now called Invermore. Inbeap, Inver, the mouth of a river. It divides most of that part of Moycullen barony, anciently called Gnomore, from the barony of Balinahinch.— Irrosainhagh, in Irish, Ippur Ambreaċ, the stormy Irros, as Mr. O'Donovan conjectures in his notes of this parish for the Ordnance Survey; and for which he quotes the following passage from an old poem in the Leabhar Gabhala, or Book of Invasions: "Suidem sonn fors an traċt, ambreać fuace." The lands of St. Kieran's church.-These lands are situate on the south-east of Moyrus parish, and are so called from an old church there, Cill Chiapáin, dedicated to St. Kieran; near which is a holy well, Tobap Chiaráin. a Cruach mhic Dara.-Literally the stack or rick (from its appearance in the ocean) of Mac Dara, who is the patron saint of Moyrus parish. It is now always |