Thos. A. Larcom Esq.
Dear Sir,
I wish you would let me have Dutton's Statistical Survey of the County of Galway, as it may give me some hints about places which I might otherwise omit making any enquiry about. Dutton lives near Ballinasloe; he was first a land Surveyor, but is now an extensive farmer. Paul Mannion (of Tuam) tells me that he has written a good deal about the Lallys of Tulnadal.
OF THE PARISH OF CLOONBERN
This parish, which lies to the east of the parish of Tuam is called in Irish Cluain Beirn, which signifies the Cloon or Bog island of Bern, nom: vir: No patron saint is now venerated or remembered, as far (as) I have been
able to ascertain. There is a holy well at the old church of Cloonbern, but I could get no name for it.
There are three Castles in the parish: one in Claddagh townland, another in Lerhin and the third in Park.
The Castle of Park is said to have been erected by a (one) Cormac Mac Egan as was discovered by a stone in one of its walls exhibiting, according to tradition, the following inscription
Is é Cormac Mac Aédhagáin a rinne an caisleán so.
This stone is not, however, now at the Castle but it is said to be preserved in the house of a neighbouring Country Squire. The Mac Egans were Brehons of Hy-Many, and of the tribe of Hy-Many.
The Castle of Lerhin belonged to a branch of the Mac Davids Burke of Glinsk
and [is said] to have been built by Nuala na meadoige Ny Fionachtaigh, the mother of Mac David Burke.
The Castle of Claddagh, of which only one Corner is now standing is said to have belonged to the O'Kellys of Hy-Many, on (the verge of) whose country it is said to be situated, but tradition remembers nothing of the last occupant, or any particulars whatever about its history.
There is nothing else of antiquarian interest in this parish but two little grave yards which contained small churches or more properly chapels of ease; (the) one called Kilmurry, the church of the Virgin and the other Cloch Mhic Ciarain, the stone of the son of Ciaran; but there is nothing
remarkable or worth attention about any (either) of them.
Tuaith mhic Bhaiteir, (i.e.) the Estate of Mac Walter, or of the son of Walter, is the name of a district in this neighbourhood comprizing a great part of the south of the parish of Cloonbern, and the townlands of Derreen, Kiltullagh and Creggane in the parish of Kilkerrin.
This Mac Walter was one of the Burkes of Glinsk, who were called Mac Davids as John Burke, the Surveyor, who lives in Lerhin townland informed me. He says that it is the constant tradition that the district originally belonged to O'Finaghty.
I shall move to Headford tomorrow, and O'Conor returns to Tuam.
John O'Donovan