Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 21, 1910.djvu/221

 Collectanea. 185

curious legend which I reserve. Banola or Manawla is really the historic Tola, living about a.d. 637. Drehidnavaddaroe Bridge may commemorate a ghostly " red dog," like the dogs of Cratloe and Ennistymon in this county, and the Maelchu of Kerry.

Islands. — This small district, although containing the " capital " of Thomond from about 1220, is of little note in names. Poulna- clug contains the hidden bells of Dromcliff Round Tower. Knocknabohilleen probably had a "Boughil" or "Farbreag" (see Corcomroe supra). Fairyhill Fort in Kilmaley, and Music Hill, are connected with the "good people." Knockananima near Clare Castle, though superficially a ghost name, is said to be Cnoc (or Cnock an) na h iomdna or " Hurling-field Hill."

Bnnratty. — Taking the Upper and Lower Baronies together, both here and in TuUa, we find an oblique allusion to the fairies in Gortnamearacaun ("foxglove field"), called also "Thimble- town," — the foxglove being the fairies' thimble. Caheraphuca has a fine dolmen and haunted fort. Knocknafearbreaga derives its name and legend from the " seven " {rede five) pillar stones, once the seven robbers who ill-treated St. Mochulla's tame bull. It is noteworthy that the life of St. MochuUeus, (sought for vainly by Colgan about 1637 and only recently found in Austria and published), gives the seven soldiers and the slaying of the tame bull that ran errands for the saint. ^'' In the Lower Barony the fairies are connected with Lissnarinka ("fort of the dance") in Clonloghan, and perhaps Caherfirogue ("young man's fort," 16 1 7), which is now forgotten. Moyeir, Moyross Parks, and Moyri are variants representing the ancient Magh Adhair, the settlement of another Firbolg chief and place of the inauguration of the kings of Thomond from at least a.d. 847 to Tudor times. Slieve suidhe an righ or Slieve oided an righ ("king's seat" or "king's death hill"), in Glennagross, was connected with a legend, probably historical, that King Criomthann died there in A.D. 377 poisoned by his sister, who drank before him to disarm his suspicion and secure the kingship for her son.^^

Tiilla. — In the mass of hills near the Shannon, Carrickeevul, Tobereevul, and Glennagalliach (" hag's glen ") commemorate

^"^ Anakcta Bollandiana, xvii., p. 135. ^^S. H. O'Grady, Silva Gadelica, vol. ii.