O'Donovan sets out to prove that the territory of Mac Coughlan was coterminous with the barony of Garrycastle incorporated in the King's County together with that of the O'Molloy c. 1570.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY.

[Letter no. 26 unsigned ]

Triallam timcheall na fodhla.

Banagher,
January 18th 1838.

Dear Sir,

My next task is to prove the extent of Dealbhna Eathra, Mac Coghlan's Country, which I trust I can do with considerable facility because, as the Mac Coghlains retained a great portion of it till so late as thirty years back, tradition is vivid and distinct as to the castles which belonged to them. But I shall first collect all the written evidences which bear upon the subject.

(1). Shane O'Dugan, who died in 1372, informs us that Mac Coghlan was Chief of Dealbhna Eathra.

Mag Cochlain breaghdha at chi a chloinn
Ri Dealbhna Eathra aloinn.

(2). The commentary on the Festilogy of Aengus Ceile De places Rathain Mochuda (now Rahen) in Dealbhna Eathra (p.51) but this is an error, as I shall shew presently.

(3). The Annals of the Four Masters at the year 1548 place the Castles of Ceann Coradh and Feadan and the Monastery of Gaillinn in this territory and state that the English plundered that part of it extending from Bealach an Fhothair to the Togher of Ceann Mona, from which it appears at once that the territory comprised at least the tract from the Townland of Ballghanoher in the Parish of Reynagh to that of Togher in the Parish of Lemanaghan.

(4). Connell Mageoghegan places Lomcolne (clone) O'fFlathrie, now Lom Chluain, Lumpcloone, in the Parish of Gallen in this territory. He also places septs of the Mac Coghlans at Leackagh (in the Parish of Lemanaghan) Clondownie (now Clonowney) and Boynean.

(5). Inquisition taken at Castle-Geshill, 23rd October 1612, places Esker Castle in the Country or Territory of Delvin Mac Coghlane.

(6). Inquisition taken at Kilcormuck in 1617 finds that the Townland of Clongawny (now in the Parish of Reynagh) lies in the Territory of Delvin Mac Coghlan.

(7). Colgan, in Actis SS., p. 362, places Kill-Colgain (now a Townland in the Parish of Wheery) in the Territory of Dealbhna Mac Cochlain, and in the Life of St. Canocus he places the Monastery of Gailline in the District called Dealbhna Eathra by the ancients; now commonly Dealbhna Mhic Cochlain. See Acta SS., p. 311 and sequen.

The tradition in the country states that the following castles etc., belonged to the great Maw Coghlans:-

1 & 2. The Castles of Clonlyon and Clonmacnoise in the Parish of Clonmacnoise.
3. The Castle of Lackaghmore in the Parish of Lemanaghan.
4. The Castle of Lemanaghan, ibid.
5. The Castle of Clonowny in the Parish of Gallen.
6. The house of Kilcolganmore in Wheery Parish.
7. Liscloony Castle in Tisaran Parish.
8. Coole Castle near Ferbane Village. Sir John Coghlan lived here in 1590.
9. Garrycastle in Reynagh Parish, near Banagher.
10. Streamstown Castle in the same. The last Maw kept his mistresses here.
11. Fadden Castle in Lusmagh Parish.

From the situation of those castles and many other evidences, it will be seen that Delvin-Eathra or Maw Coghlan's Country comprised the entire Barony of Garrycastle, but its exact extent will appear more clearly when I shew where it met Feara Ceall or O'Molloy's Country.