O'Donovan wrote his sixth letter from Tullamore on the 29th December 1837. The inclement time of year did not prevent him from covering the old O'Connor kingdom of Offaly in a record ten days at a time when travel was difficult. His sixth letter is short while his seventh written the following day discusses O'Molloys country of Fear Ceall.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[ Letter no.6 from John O'Donovan ]

Tullamore,
December 29th 1837.

Dear Sir,

I have now got over a great part of my labours here, having finished that part of Ofalia lying in the King's County. I send you an account of the extent and subdivisions of Ofalia, which cost me much thought and serious investigation; please to read it through and say how far you think I am right. I am positively certain of the entire extent of Ofalia, but I have not decided the exact limits of two of its seven cantreds which were anciently celebrated for their beauty.

The Geraldines of Kildare, shortly after their arrival, wrested from O'Conor that portion of Ofalia lying in the present County of Kildare and now called the Barony of Ophaly. This dismembered the two territories in question, as the Geraldines erected the part of Ofalia containing these two cantreds into the Barony of Ophaly after the formation of the County of Kildare.

There were then two Offalys formed out of the ancient Principality of O'Conor Faly viz., the English Offaly in the Co. of Kildare, giving the title of Baron of Offaly to a branch of the Fitz-Geralds, and the Irish Offaly, extending into the present King's and Queen's Counties and giving the Irish title of King of Offaly to O'Conor, the senior representative of Rossa Failghe.

I will now attack O'Molloy's Country of Feara-Ceall and hope to get finished in a short time. O'Conor is at present at Edenderry but he will join me, perhaps, tomorrow.

I want from the Tripartite St. Patrick's travels through Ely, Dealghna Eathra and Feara Ceall.

Your obedient servant,
John O'Donovan.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[ Letter no. 7 from John O'Donovan ]

Tullamore,
December 30th 1837.

Dear Sir,

Please to send me some square paper and vouchers.

I have discovered the situation and limits of Moylena, which Mac Pherson attempted to waft over to Scotland and which the proprietor of Moylinny in the Co. of Antrim attempted to fix in his own neighbourhood; but such fooleries can be received no longer, as ancient Irish topography will now be placed on such a basis that no fabricator can disturb it. I remember that the proprietor of Moylinny was much displeased because we would not engrave that name on the Ordnance Map as Moilena to agree with Mac Pherson's fabrication and his own most learned commentary on it.

I have known these ten years that Moylena is situated in O'Mulloy's Country of Feara Ceall, but I never could find it the exact place until I visited the neighbourhood. Now to prove its situation:-

1. Colgan informs us that Durrow is in the Plain Moyleana.
2. Tigernach informs us that *** was taken prisoner in the Daimhliag of Durrow and conveyed to Moylena, where he was killed. This passage is not to be found among the Extracts sent me, but it certainly occurs.
3. In the year 902 Cormac Mac Cullennan and Flahertach, the warlike Abbot of Inis Cathy, defeated the Monarch on Moyleana.
4. In the year 1090 a dreadful battle was fought in Moyleana between Murtagh O'Brien, King of the South and Donnell, King of Meath, in which O'Brien was defeated with great slaughter.

The struggle for power between the chiefs of the north and south of Ireland generally took place on this plain, because it was the scene of the memorable struggle between their great ancestors, Con of the Hundred Battles and Mogha Nuadhat, after they had divided Ireland between them into two equal parts, which were separated by a line of hills called Esker Riada, extending from Dublin to Galway and passing through Moy-Leana. O'Flaherty speaks on this subject, as follows:-

"This division into two parts was observed no more than one year when Eugenius (surnamed Mogha Nuadhat) began to concert new measures. The only pretext for this rupture was : he represented to them that the northern Bay of Dublin and the harbor, that belonged to Conn, was infinitely more advantageous with regard to the profits arising from ship duties, fisheries and other commercial emoluments, in consequence of which he demanded half the revenue. Their pristine animosities are renewed; they are determined to decide the controversy by the more powerful argument of the sword, and, accordingly, both armies encamp in the Plain of Moylena in Ferakell in the King's County. Conn, being inferior in point of forces, had recourse to stratagem; having attacked the improvident enemy very early in the morning, he obtained a signal victory. Goll, the son of Morna, of the race of Sanbh (Belgie, King of Connaught) a distinguished champion, killed Eugenius on his bed, who, not apprehending any attack from the enemy, was asleep. There are yet to be seen at this place two hills, in one of which we are informed the body of Eugenius was interred and in the other the body of Froech, who was also slain in this battle." - Ogyia, Trans., Vol. II, p. 211-212.