Tuai Uj Rjagáji na ruag d-tais, Ag sud ćugarb an Calbaċ! Mam sil ar loraid bronn-áird, Dealbna cruaid, creat-lom, cnáṁaċ, Da b-fażajnn Dealbna go cruinn, 1 The Cantred of Iregan (Tuath Ur Riagain), i.e., the Country, Tuath, or District, of the Ui Riagain; now variously called Doohy Regan, Oregan, Iregan, O'Dunne's Country, or the barony of Tina. hinch. It is situated at the foot of Sliabh Bladhma, in the north-west of the Queen's County. The O'Dunnes had the tribe-name of UiRiagain, from Riagan the great-grandfather of Donn, from whom they took their hereditary surname in the tenth century. Colonel Francis Dunne of Brittas, M.P., is the present head of this family. 2 Of feeble incursions. This is to reverse the character of this sept as given by O'Heerin, in his Topographical Poems, in which he speaks as follows: Ar Usb Riagain na ruag d-trom,— O'Duinn taoiseaċ na toġla, Cuing na g-craojseaċ g-caż‐orda. Over the Ui-Riagain of the heavy incursions, A swift tribe who rout in the battle; Is O'Dunne, chief of the demolition, Hero of the golden battle spears. 3 Wild Garlic. See note 6, p. 35 supra. 4 The holly tree. See note 7, p. 35 supra. 5 Calbhach O'Conchabhair, i.e., Calvagh, or Charles O'Conor of Offaly, King's County. Brian O'Conor Faly (the son of Cathair, The cantred of Iregan' of the feeble incursions,2 Here comes to you the Calbhach, You would think him a sickly stripper, A handful of seed in a deep trough, The Dealbhna hard, meagre-faced, bony, I would drive them with my hand into the Shannon. son of Conn, son of Calbhach), lost Offaly by his attainder in the reign of Philip and Mary; but many of the family remained in the territory, and so late as 1626, Lysagh O'Conor, Esq., of this territory, was a gentleman of wealth and high rank, whose Will, which is a very curious document, is preserved in the Prerogative Court, Dublin. See Hy-Fiachrach, p. 127, note d. He was probably the son of the Calbhach here referred to. The last chief of this family was the late Maurice O'Conor of Mountpleasant, in the King's County, who became the heir of Lord Sunderlin, and whose sisters are still in the possession of Baronstown house, in the County of Westmeath. 6 The Dealbhna, i.e., the Delvins. There were seven septs of this name seated in different parts of Ireland, but the sept here referred to, were the Dealbhna-Eathra, seated along the Shannon, in the present barony of Garrycastle, King's County. The Dealbhna are of the race of Dal g-Cais, and derived their patronymic from their ancestor Lughaidh Dealbh-aodh, the third son of Cas. See O'Flaherty's Ogygia, part III. c, 82. After the establishment of surnames, the Dealbhna-Eathra took the hereditary name of Mac Cochlain, now Coghlan. For some account of the last head of this family, see Brewer's Beauties of Ireland. Mr. John Coghlan, P. L. G., who lives near Castlebar in the County of Mayo, is the head of one of the most respectable branches of this family. His ancestor removed to the County of Mayo, with O'More, about 1740. Feara Ceall ag déanaṁ nóss, Muintir Ghranaird ġajnn-ċille, Cujd Ullad. Do béarfainn 'sgan dul d'a toj, An teaċ djola naċ djol daṁ, Do ten-teach Wheg Mhażżaṁna. Feara Ceall, i.e., the men of the Churches. These were the O'Molloy's of Kinel Fiachach, whose territory comprised the baronies of Fircall, Ballycown, and Ballyboy, in the King's County. They took their hereditary surname of O'Maoilmhuaidh, from Maolmhuaidh, chief of Feara-Ceall, who was slain by O'Carraidh in the year 1019. See Annals of Kilronan; also Leabhar-na-g-Ceart p. 179. n. 2 Flaying, feannao, whether this may mean scolding. Some have understood this totally different, as follows: The Feara-Ceall churning newmilk (nós a nas, i.e., newmilk,] The Feara Ceall flay their cattle, On the banks of each river. Daniel Molloy, Esq., of Clonbela, near Birr, in the King's County, is locally believed, to be the head of this family. 3 The family of Granard, i.e., the Sheridans, who were Herenachs, The Feara-Ceall1 celebrating customs! The family of Granard,3 of the narrow church, THE PART WHICH RELATES TO ULSTER. I would rather than visit his house, Travel to the sea along Banbha [Ireland], The house of payment which paid not me, And the house that sustains without a burthen; If any one choose to have luck, He will shun the old house of Mac Mahon. or hereditary wardens of the Church of Granard, in the County of Longford, and Comharbas of St. Guasacht, who was bishop of the place in St. Patrick's time. His festival is celebrated on the twentyfourth of January. 4 Mac Mahon (Mac Mażżaṁna), i.e., Mahon of Oirghialla or Oriel, which at this period comprised the entire of the County of Monaghan. Aenghus O'Daly was not the only person employed to satirize this family in the reign of Elizabeth. Campion who wrote in 1567, says, that Mac Mahon signifies the Bear's son; and Spenser who wrote in 1596, says, that the Mac Mahons of the north were descended from the Fitz-Ursulas or De-Veres, who fled from England during the Barons' wars against Richard II. To which Sir Charles Coote adds, in his Statistical Account of the County of Monaghan, that their ancestor had murdered St. Thomas A Becket! For their true descent, viz. from Mathghamhain, Lord of Farney, who was slain at Clones, A.D. 1022, see Shirley's Account of the Dominion of Farney, p. 140. Sraideog Čluana tjorma tjobraid, Drurm sneaċta an bajle bog, Do fluigfead an ċuil d'aon-ġreim uarm, A 3-Cill U1 Dhunajn Doṁnujġ• Ċugajb! Ċugajb! díol na truajġe! Sjol Saṁradájn na m-buailtead beag, Seamar a m-beol gaċ dujne djob. 1 Cluain Tiobraid, i.e., the lawn or meadow of the spring; now Clontobred or Clontibret, in the barony of Cremorne, and County of Monaghan. This was one of the Herenach churches of Mac Mahon's Country. The patron Saint of the Church was Cruimhthear Àr, whose festival was kept on the thirteenth of June. 2 Behind a flag (ar čúl lejce). It was customary with the peasantry to use a flag-stone for a griddle, which they fixed behind the fire to bake their cake-bread upon. To this custom Aenghus here alludes. 3 Druim Sneachta, i.e., the ridge or long hill of the snow, now Drumsneaght or Drumsnat, in the same County. This was one of the poorest Churches of Mac Mahon's Country. Every rich Church had an Archinneach. The patron of the Church was the celebrated St. Molua, whose festival is celebrated on the fourth of August. The MS. called Cinn Droma Sneachta (the Book of Drumsnat), quoted by Keating and some older Irish writers, is supposed to have belonged to this Church. + O'Dunan's Church of Donagh. O'Dunan was Herenach of the Church of Donagh in the barony of Truogh, County of Monaghan. It is in the territory of the Mac Kennas, who were Urries to the Mac Mahons. St. Patrick is the patron. See Annals of the Four Masters, Ed. J. O'D., A. D. 1507. O'Reilly. He was Edmond O'Reilly of Kilnacrott, who died at a very advanced age in the year 1601. See Annals of the Four |