Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 24, 1913.djvu/402

 3/6 Collectanea.

gave me two tales to the same effect. Mr. Whelan of Kilconnell, and an old labourer at Ballinahinch, gave a version like that of 1639, but added that the English first drove back the Irish into the swamp at Lough Anilloon below the hill, where many were lost. No period was fixed by the tale, but it tallies only with an event in 13 15. Richard De Clare set out to fight with Edward Bruce, possibly intending to march by Scarift", Portumna, and Athlone. He entered Hy Ronghaile, camped in the very middle of it, and sent his Irish allies past Tomgraney to drive prince Murchad O'Brien from the ford of Scariff ; but they got the worst of it, and were driven back in great confusion upon De Clare's army, which fell into panic and retreated hastily to Bunratty. Kilconnell is " in the very middle of Hy Ronghaile."

8. Period 13 18-1500.

Popular guide-books always follow the Four Masters'^^ in at- tributing the Franciscan convent of Quin to Sioda MacNamara in 1402. It was certainly largely rebuilt and ornamented at that time, but the many earlier features show that Wadding is right in placing its foundation before 1350. The fact that it was built on and out of the ruins of a great castle was noted by Sir Thomas Deanein 1884.^'' I first identified the castle, — which he attributed to Brian Boru, but which is an unmistakably Norman, court, with great circular turrets at three angles, — with the "round-towery, strong castle" built by Thomas De Clare in 1280 at Cuinche. It is likely that the MacNamaras, after the fall of Bunratty in 1334 and before 1350, gave its site, as a thankoffering for their victory, to God and the monks of St. Francis, so I shall place the legends of the " Abbey " in this period. Tradition near TuUa points to some enclosures, a little over a mile from the village and in low ground at the foot of " Abbey Hill," as the place where "the MacNamaras began to build Quin Abbey." The quarry from which its stones were drawn is shown on the hillside.

^ O'Donovan's enthusiastic belief in this late history has affected all Irish archeology. " No other authority is heard, once the Four Masters have spoken ! " seems still operative.

'^Proceedings of tht Royal Irish Academy, vol. ii., Ser. II. (P.L.A.), p. 201.