Ordnance Survey Letters of Galway

[Hand of J. O'Donovan:]

Dear Sir,

I want some square paper as this county will devour a good deal of it. [In pencil in left-hand margin: sent] The pain of which I complained a few days since is lessening but I cannot venture out yet.

OF THE PARISH OF KILCONNELL

This parish lying between the parishes of Kilgerrill and Ballymacward and Killaan and Fohanagh, is called in Irish Cill Chonaill, which means the church of St. Conall. Of the ancient church, which originally bore this name no remains are now visible. It stood on a hill about twelve perches to the East of the great Abbey near a standing stone called the Liagan of Kilconnell ({which is also now destroyed}), and its site should be shewn on the map as being the original parish church.

It would appear from a life of St. Conall published by Colgan in Acta Sanctorum p. 632

that the church of St. Conall was never of any importance, as it laboured under the curses of Sts. Patrick and Ita. It appears from the lives of many Irish Saints that, whenever an ecclesiastical establishment remained poor and undistinguished, it was fabled that they were under the curse of Patrick, or some other distinguished Thaumaturg, while in reality it was owing to want of talent or exertion in the Coarb.

Colgan" has not decided whether the church of Kilconnell or that of Aughrim was the establishment of St. Conall, who was cursed by St. Patrick, but it is probable that it was Aughrim, as that church was first a bishop's see and afterwards dwindled into a mere parish church, which would at an early period be sufficient to give rise to a fable, as every misfortune was then attributed to the curse of some great Erlam. I shall here insert what Colgan has scraped together about St. Conall.

[Hand of Patrick O'Keeffe:]

AASS. 632, (Col. a).
KILCONNELL (Kilconnell Barony).
OF S. CONALLUS
XVIIIth Day of March. OF S. CONALLUS

Conallus flourished about the end of the (1) fifth century in that territory of Southern Connaught, called Himaine, alias Tir-maine. He was raised to the Episcopal dignity, the offices of which he discharged in that territory at the time that S. Patrick held the supreme jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical affairs of Ireland. In a certain canon extracted from the acts of S. Patrick among the canons of the Synod of S. Patrick extant in the (3) Cottonian Library, we read as follows:

Ethianus and Conallus ordained unworthy Bishops in the plain of Hai (4); whom Patrick rebuked saying: Why have you ordained Bishops without our counsel? how unworthy to be ordained are they in the sight of God? Therefore may your Churches always be most insignificant (minimiae). And the monks {to wit those then ordained} were brought (adducte) to penance. Nor did this oracle want the event {which was} truly foretold. For the Church of Cluain-foda in Meath, over which Bishop Etchienus then presided; and the Church of Kill-chonaill, or the Church of Ech-drum, In Himania, over which Bishop Conall presided, {which were} both then Bishops sees, were afterwards

stripped of that honour, and {are} now as well' see with our eyes, sufficiently low and contracted. *** (obscure qu, ut ad oculam concupis cimus qu. conspcimus?).

It is mentioned in the Life of S. Attracta {9 February} who was his step-sister, that she came to B. Conallus Droma, the son of her mother, wishing to erect a nunnery in the confines (vicinity) of his Church, but Conallus induced S. Dachonna to request the holy virgin not to build near his Church. {col: b} S. Attracta complied, but poured forth severe maledictions against the Church of S. Conallus.

Since in this place this wonderful man is called Conallus Droma, or of Druim, and the Irish word Druim denotes a rather elevated place raised into a hill or a mountain, it can here seem dubious, whether that Church, against which the Holy Virgin made such evil imprecations, be the Church dedicated to this saint, and situated on a certain hill, which {Church} is even at the present day called from his name Killchonill .i. the Church of Conall; or rather another distant one mile from it, and lying on another hill, which {Church} even more (better) represents that name. For it is commonly called Each-Druim .i. the mount or hill of the horse. Let those who have a greater knowledge of

those places see, with which {of them} the conditions and event of the imprecation made here, more agree; but I fear lest {they agree} with both.

But more does not occur to be observed about this saint, than that the different Martyrologies relate that his birth-day is celebrated on this 18th of March with the honour due to the Saints.

NOTES

1. Floruit circa saculi quinti finem. This is collected partly from what is said here, from which it appears that he was a Bishop, in the life-time of S. Patrick, who died about the end of the 5th age; {&} partly from what is said above in the life of S. Etchien at the 11th of February, where we have show[n] that saint Etchien, who was also then a Bishop, was born after the middle of the fifth century. 2.***

3. In Bibliotheca Cottoniana extantes. Thus Usher de primord. Eccl. Brittannic pag. 1049, where he has produced the cited words, extracted from those canons.

4. In campo Hai. It is a spatious and specious plain of Connaught in the County of Roscommon, formerly called Magaoi, now commonly Machare Connacht .i. the plain of Connaught.

5. Ecclesia de Cluain-foda in Media &c. Vide dicta in notis ad citatan vitam sancti Etchieni; ubi ostendimus ex pluribus autho - {a strange sort of Typographical error occurs here in the AASS, for though the last sentence here be unfinished, and even part of the following catch-word {autho-} is given, being in the original, as here, at the bottom of the page - yet on the following page commences uahe Life of anouaher saint - the pagination being at the same time consecutively correct. Nor can we find the continuation of these notes elsewhere.}

[Hand of J. O'Donovan resumed:]

A magnificent abbey was founded here for Franciscan friars in the year 1353 by William O'Kelly, lord of Hy-Many, whose death is thus recorded in the obituary of this abbey according to Ware:

1420, 3. Cal: Nov: Obitus Willielmi Magni O'Kelly omnium Hibernorum suo tempore nominatissimi ac principalis, istuis conventûs fundatoris, reformatum anno 1460 per Malachiam filium Williehni O'Kelly, qui obiit 13. Cal: Maij 1464.

According to tradition O'Kelly (of Callow), who was nicknamed the Gamhain Ruadh, chief of Hy- Many (and his daughter), built the steeple and the principal part of the abbey, the O'Donnellan's of Ballydonnellan built the apartment called the Donnellan's room, and lord Trimblestown built the apartment called the Stranger's

Room.

This abbey is still in good preservation and contains the tombs of several distinguished families of Hy-Many (and other territories) as of the O'Dalys, O'Kellys, O'Donnellans, &c. Of these I have copied the following:

In the Stranger's room

HERE LYETH THE BODY OF MATHYAS BARNEWALL THE 12TH LORD BARON OF TRIMBLESTOWNE WHO BEING TRANSPLANTED INTO CONNAGHT WITH OTHERS, BY ORDERS OF THE USURPER CROMWELL, DYED AT MOINIVAE, THE 17TH OF SEPTEMBER 1667 FOR WHOME THIS MONUMENT WAS MADE BY HIS SONNE ROBERT BARNEWALL THE 13TH LORD OF TRIMBLESTOWNE. HERE LYETH ALSO HIS UNCKLE RICHARD BARNEWALL, JAMES BARNEWALL WHO DYED (ATT) CREGGAN THE 2ND OCTOBER 1672, AND JAMES BARNEWALL OF AUGHRIM. GOD HAE MERCY ON THEIRE SOULES.

The monument of the Dalys of Dunsandle lies in the aisle, but it is much injured and uninscribed. Not far from it on a stone is the following monument (inscription) to another family of the Dalys now extinct, or supposed to be extinct.

PRAY FOR THE SOULE OF LIEFTENA(N)T COLONELL DEARMOTT DALY OF KILLIMUR WHO ERECTED THIS MONUMENT FOR THE USE OF HIMSELF AND HIS BROTHER MAJOR TEIGE O'DALY AND ALL THERE POSTERITY.

There is another monument (to the Betaghs) inserted in the same wall. It is probable that they also were transplanted (from Meath) to Connaught by the great Usurper,

THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED BY CHRISTOPHER, ALEXANDER AND EDWARD BYTAGH FOR THE USE OF THEMSELVES AND THERE POSTERITIE. ANNO DOMINI 1685.

In another apartment near the stranger's room is this inscription in modern letters

0 LORD! HAVE MERCY ON THE SOULS OF THAT ANCIENT FAMILY, THE KELLYS OF KILTORMOR, WHOS (whose?) ANCESTORS WERE THE FOUNDERS OF THIS AND OTHER ABBEYS. W.K.

In the apartment called the Donnellan's room there is a Latin inscription on a stone inserted in the wall which is so covered with moss that I could not read it.

There is a very grand monument near the north east corner of the aisle exhibiting the figures of six Saints, and an inscription

in the Gothic style which is so defaced that I could not spare (time) on the rainy day I visited this abbey, to study it.

Cox tells us that the Roman Catholics repaired this abbey in the year 1604, and tradition says that the friars remained in it until a few weeks before the battle of Aughrim when they were driven out by one of King William's Officers after which they fled to Moin na m-brathar (Bog of the friars), a bog in the townland (of Ellagh) where they built Cottages, - in which they remained until 54 years ago.

Mr. Page of Moin na mbrathar found the bell of this abbey in the bog a few years ago, but it is not now in existence. It weighed 12 stones and tradition says that it was the loudest bell in Connaught. The name Kilconnell and the date at which it was founded appeared on its side.

Joe Page of Moin na mbrathar, has in his possession a wooden figure of St. Francis which belonged to this abbey.

Inquisition taken on the 20th of February in the 14th year of the reign of James 1, finds

that the site of this abbey (!) contained three acres, on which were built the friary containing a chapel called Towhell Donnellane's chapel, a chamber called the Council house, a library, hall, store house, four chambers with chimnies, and twenty eight small chambers called dormitories, and sundry houses and buildings necessary for the farm; also four gardens, three orchards and a cemetery and sixty ash trees, a mill and a water course, and four acres of arable land adjacent to the house.

In this parish is situated the townland of Caladh {Callow} (which is) well known to Irish Genealogists and historians as a seat of a

branch of the O'Kellys of Hy-Many. The ruins of their Court (house) is yet visible (there), and tradition says that the manor and liberty of Callow were (was) coextensive with the barony of Kilconnell, but some say that the manor of Callow extends from Ballinamore to Portumna & to the Bridge of Kilmalaw and to Clogh. In the tract on Hy-Many referred to in former letters, Caladh is mentioned as a territory extending from Moin Inraideach to Cluain tuaiscirt of the Shannon (na Sionda); over which O'Logue reigned as chieftain. In latter times, however, the O'Logues sunk under the O'Kellys and we find the territory of Caladh frequently mentioned in the Annals and in the pedigrees of the Hy-Manians as belonging to a branch of the O'Kellys.

The foregoing are all the places of antiquarian interest I could find in this parish, but the weather was so very infavourable when I went into it that I think it possible I may have omitted some other objects. These however cannot be very important as I (have) conversed with very sensible (intelligent) old natives of Kilconnell about the parish generally, putting to lhem my usual questions respecting the ancient remains.

OF THE PARISH OF KILLAAN

This parish lying between those of Grange and Kilconnell is now called in Irish Cill Leádhain which is locally supposed to mean the church of St. Láán. This is probably the true interpretation

as there is a holy well near the old church called Tobar Leadhain at which a "pattern" was held on Garland Sunday {Domhnach na bh-fear or Domhnach Chroim Duibh} in honor of Saint Laan, the patron of the parish. He was probably the saint called Loebhan Mac Cechtus (of Domhnach Loebhain) who made the famous reliquary called the Finnfaidheach; it is (at) least certain that the Kill-Loebhain mentioned by Colgan as situated in the diocese of Clonfert, is the present Killáán. I have never met any authority to prove what the Fionnfaidheach was, whether bell, effigy, crozier, mitre, or patena. Mr. Petrie thinks it was a bell, but he has no evidence to prove that it was not an effigy. All the bells (of Patrick's age) were of brass or bronze, but as Mac Cectus was an iron Smith {faber ferrarius} the Finnfaidheach was an iron thing and consequently not a bell. I must therefore conclude that the Finnfáidheach Phadraig was not a bell until I discover that Mac Cectus was a brazier as well as a black smith.

[Hand of Patrick O'Keeffe:]

KILLOEBHAIN:
TRIPARTITE LIFE OF S. PATRICK BOOK 3, CH: LXLVIII
(Tr. Th., p.167 col.a)

Saint Maccectus {130 [recte 129]} of Domnach loebain, who made that famous reliquary called the Finnfaidheach, and Saint Fortchern of Rathaidne {were St. Patrick's} two artificers in iron-work.

NOTE

{p. 188, col: b} 129. S. Maccectus de Domnach-Loebain, c. 98. See abouua saint Moccectus below Ch. 100, and above Ch. 41, and the notes to the same n. 81. Aengus (also) in Op. 1, 1, c. 3, treat of him. But the Church which is called Domnach-Loebhain, seems to be the parish Church of the Diocese of Clonfert, which at the present day is called Kill-Loebhan. But Concerning Moccectus I find nothing under this name. But I think the cause is, that that was not his proper name, but {one} taken from his parent, an artificer, or {some} other accident. But (For?) if Cecht be taken appellatively it signifies at one time a plough {or plough-share}, at another, power. Since the Church, over which he presided, is called Domnach-Loebhain, or Kill-Loebhan, & Loebhain is the proper name of a saint; perhaps he is the person who is called S. Loebhain, or Loebhanus; and is venerated on the 1st of June in a place called Ath-egais, according to the Martyrology of Tallaght, the Martyrology of Donegal, Marian & Maguire.

MAGH CE, MAGHCLE, OR MAGH ELLE
LIFE OF S. ABBAN ABBOT OF MAGHARNUIDHE
{AASS. p. 615 col: b} From a vellum MS. of Kilkenny

XX. But after S. Abban with the disciples granted to him by God came to Ireland {from Rome} he built (erected) many places in honour of the Lord. In the district of the Connacians in the plain of Cé, that is, the plain of Trindi, he erected three monasteries (16). &c &c &c

NOTE

16. In campo Ce .i. in campo Trindi, tria monasteria construxit. C. 20. This plain, in the Irish life of S. Abban is called Mag ele, or Mag-elle; it is in the County of Galway.

[Hand of J. O'Donovan resumed:]

It is probably the Magh Elle in the Kings County near Westmeath.

All the features of the old church of Killaan are now destroyed and the fragments of it remaining are so insignificant that the antiquarian cannot pronounce any opinion on its age. The size of the stones however, and the quantity of mortar used smell of modern times.

In the townland of Castlebin in this parish there is an old castle which has given name to it. The name signifies the Castle of the Ben or steep faced hill, and is pronounced in Irish Caisleán na binné.

I am just sick of church yards, skulls and mouldering walls of churches and the misery of it is that I have not reaped the proper benefit from them as the great philosopher James Hervey [1714-58] has done. I have visited churches in order to ascertain their age by examining their characteristic features

and measured skulls to compare their animal and intellectual bumps, not to draw any moral lessons from them, but for this I will be sorry hereafter when cold old age comes upon me.

If, however, I spent all my time meditating like Hervey though I might make my soul, I would neglect my real business which would be a sin on the other hand. Men die off like so many flies and it matters very little who lives or dies, but while we are here we must busy ourselves about something.