O'Donovan here addresses some general issues in the area of Birr. Perhaps most interesting are his remarks about Thomas Cooke the historian who had published his history of Birr in 1826. He also tells the story of St. Odron sometimes associated with the history of Killurin.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[ Letter no.29 from John O'Donovan ]


Birr,
January 23rd 1838.

Dear Sir,

I find that the Village of Frankfort was anciently called Cill Chormaic and I recollect that that name occurs in the Annals of the Four Masters under two or three years. Let the Annals be searched and all the references to Cill Chormaic be sent me.

Does Seward, Beaufort or Carlisle give the situation of Clonfertmulloe? I think it must now go under another name, as we can meet no one that ever heard of it.

I find that Bridamh, near which the field of the tumuli lay, is a mountain or rather hill, in Offaly near Geshill. I inclined to think it the name of a river for reasons which I have mentioned in a former letter, but I am now convinced that it is the name of a hill (Bri, i.e., Brae) in Offaly near Geashill.

The following story is told in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick about that Apostle and the brother of the great ancestor of O'Conor Faly:-

"He (St. Patrick) betook himself to that region of Leinster called Hi Failgi. At that time two powerful men governed that district, of whom one was Failge Berraide and the other Failge Ros. These had been for a long time differently minded towards the man of God, the former hating him with an implacable hatred and the latter treating him with affection and honour. For Failge Berraide from the day that St. Patrick had destroyed the Idol called Crom Cruach, which that man of Belial had worshipped with the highest veneration due to a God, did not only detest the man of God and persecute him on every occasion, but also swore that he would kill him. This malignant intention reached the ears of Patrick's disciples and particularly of St. Odranus, who was the man of God's charioteer. Therefore when they were passing through the region in which that tyrant reigned, fearing for the life of the holy prelate and that if so great a lamp were extinguished, all Ireland would suffer an irreparable loss, he resolved to expose his own life to danger for his sake. Wherefore, imposing on the holy father with holy guile (stratagem) he obtained from him by entreatry, that he as being wearied might sit in the principal part of the chariot, which the holy prelate, ignorant of the intention, willingly granted him. When, therefore, they were passing on in this manner, the aforesaid satillite of Satan meeting him and coming forward to them, he pierced St. Odranus, whom he took to be Patrick, through with a lance. And when St. Patrick observing this, wished to pronounce a malediction against the tyrant and when he had commenced the words of his imprecation in this manner: "May a curse descend" St. Odranus (gasping in death) an example of true charity, anticipated the remainder of the sentence which, by piously interceding, he wished to avert from his enemy and slayer, humbly seeking and imploring that the curse might not fall on Failge and his descendants, but upon a certain large tree on the neighbouring mount (hill) of Brigh Damh. To which pious request, although the holy father assented, the nefarious Failge, however, received a present and sudden death as a just punishment of the sacrilege which he had committed and his seed and government perished in a bad radix. But Patrick blessed the offspring of Failge Ross, who to this very day hold the government of that region."

This is a curious piece of forgery to flatter and terrify O'Conor Faly, but tho' we do not believe it, we may safely conclude that the writer knew Bridamh to be a conspicuous hill in O'Conor Faly's country.

Your obedient servant,
John O'Donovan.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[ Letter no. 30 from John O'Donovan ]

Birr,
January 24th 1838.

Dear Sir,

I will find it very difficult to determine the limits of Ely O'Carroll without the assistance of more English-Irish documents than I have at present. There are several documents extant from which its exact extent could be easily determined, but I do not know where they could be found. Sir William Betham has written a good deal about this territory which I ought to have.

Have you got Cooke's History of the Town of Birr? I am told it is curious and that it defines the limits of Ely O'Carroll. Mr. Cooke is an attorney, at present living at Birr but I do not like to call upon him, as I was told that he is one of those self sufficient people who wishes to be considered the only antiquarian oracle now living. A friend of mine called upon him to see if he could or would give me any information, but he said that he has already communicated to Lieut. Wilkinson all he knows about the neighbourhood. I should like to see his book if you could spare me a copy of it. Mr. Cooke wrote some articles for the Penny Journal under the signature B. He seems to be of the Parsons and Vallancey School and would be apt to laugh at my common place ideas of Irish topography and history. I'll not trouble him!

O'Conor is working very hard, but I unfortunately am in the hands of the Doctor and not able to venture out. I have absorbed too much moisture.

I am anxious to hear how I stand with respect to car hire; the expenses of this town are more than we can bear.

Your obedient servant,
John O'Donovan.