In the two letters here O'Donovan speculates on the placenames of Fear Ceall and the completion of the Namebooks which form part of O'Donovan's work and are associated with the first Ordnance Survey of Offlay or King's County in 1838. Ballyboy and district is surveyed by O'Conor.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[ Letter no.40 from John O'Donovan ]

Birr,
February 4th 1838.

Dear Sir,

I now send you the Name Books of the Parishes which were comprised in the ancient Territory of Feara Ceall, O'Molloy's Principality, viz:-

Durrow, Rahan, Lynally, Killoughy, 1 Book each; Kilbride or Moylena, Ballyboy, 2 Books each; and Eglish and Drumcullen, 3 Books each.

Also the Books of all the Parishes comprised in the ancient Territory of Dealbhna Eathra in latter ages called Delvin Maw Coghlan, viz:-

Lemanaghan, Clonmcnoise, Wheery, 1 Book each; Tissaran, Lusmagh, 2 Books each; and Gallen and Reynagh, 3 Books each.

Is there any reference to Clonlyon Castle in the Annals of the 4 Masters. Qu? Cluain Lighean - Libhthean? It is one of the Coghlan's Castles, situated in a townland of the same name in the southern extremity of the Parish of Clonmacnoise.

There is a river in the Barony of Garrycastle called in the Name Book of Clonmacnoise, Back River, which I think should be Black River. The 4 Masters mention the River Dubh Abhainn - Black River, in Delvin Mac Coghlan at the year 1548 and I do not see what river it could be but this (1). I wish you would ask Lieut. Lancey what authority he has for calling this Black River. It rises in the Bog of Allen a short distance to the north of the Townland of Clongowny and falls into the Shannon at Timolin. Perhaps the Back River is but a tributary stream to the Duvowen or Black Water.

(1). I have ascertained this since; the Dubh Abhainn is the Blackwater and the Back River is but a stream tributary to the Blackwater. The Name Book is correct.

Your obedient servant,
John O'Donovan.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[Letter no. 41 from Thomas O'Conor ]

Birr,
February 4th 1838.

Sir,

Ballyboy, now the name of a Town, Parish and Barony, is written Baile Atha Buidhe in Mac Eochaidh's poem celebrating the victories of Hugh O'Byrne, and signifies "the Town of the Yellow Ford", villa vadi fulvi. We learn from the passage in which it occurs that it was situated in Fearaceall:- ...

"Of Fearaceall, the great Town of Atha Buidhe did not escape him."

In Mageoghegan's Annals it is written Athboys at the years 1260, 1268:-

"A.D. 1260. Carbrey O'Melaghlyn worthy prince for manhood, bounty and many other good parts, was treacherously killed by David Roche in Athboye in the Territory of Fearkeall."

"A.D. 1268. fFercall O'Molloye, Prince of Ferkeall, was deceitfully and treacherously alain by the English of Athboye."

The Down Survey in the description of the Parish of Ballyboy, says:-

"In it are acituate one ruined Church at Balliboy, one ruined Abbey at Kilharmicke, one ruined Castle at Broholloe, another castle on a mounte at Balliboy with a dwelling house and some Irish Cabbins; another house there is at Ballicollane and a mill at Ballinecargie."

There are no ruins of a Church now at Balliboy; the tradition is that the Parish Church is built on the site of a Roman Catholic Chapel, nor is it remembered in the country that there was ever a castle at it. The Abbey of Kilharmicke was situated at Frankford; the references to it in our documents will be given immediately.

Broholloe is now written Broughal, which is a townland containing a castle, the residence of Nicholas Fitzzimon, Esq., M.P. Tradition says this castle is old, that it originally belonged to O'Molloy.

Ballicollane is now Ballicollin Townland in this Parish, and Ballinecargie is Ballinacarrig Townland, also in this Parish.

Kilcormac was the name of a monastery, founded according to Archdall who refers to War. Mon. as authority, for Carmelites or White Friars, under the invocation of the Virgin Mary, by Odo, the son of Nellan O'Molloy, Head of his Sept. The same writer referring to Calendar cujusdam missal in Bibliotheca Coll. Dub., King p. 247, says that in 1454, Odo (the founder) died on the feast of St. Romigius; he was interre in the Abbey before the high altar.

Kilcormuck was situated at Frankford Town where the Roman Catholic Chapel now stands. When the Chapel was going to be built, all the bones in Kilcormuck old graveyard were dug up, and being collected into one heap, were enclosed with a circular wall. This is now called moat, and on its wall on the northwest side is a stone exhibiting in relief, a representative of the Crucifixion.

It is well remembered in the country that Frankford was formerly called Kilcormuck and the tradition is that Frank Magawley, who lived abroad for some time in a place called Frankford, substituted it for Kilcormuck as the name of the town after he returned home. It is said he was proprietor of the town, or at least of part of it.

In an Inquisition of the time of Elizabeth quoted by Archdall, we find Frankford, alias Kilcormuck.

There is a well called "St. Cormack's Well" which lies (according to the Name Book, 10 chains) northwest of the Brewery at Frankford and another well called after him in Scarry Townland.

Tradition says there were many wells called after him in the neighbourhood and accounts for the circumstance in this manner:-

The Saint prophesied that St. Cormack was to be killed by wolves. Cormack, in order to guard himself against so terrible a death, erected an edifice on which there was no entrance excepting one little opening near the top, through which the necessaries of life were handed unto him. He expected thus to evade the fatal death that awaited him. But on one evening as he sat in this tower of defence, meditating on something, he looked out from the opening of it and saw two black snails creeping up the wall towards where he was. They ascended, putting on another form as they approached him. Terrified at the sight, he threw himself out of the tower and ran through the country, pursued by two wolves, which from being apparently snails at first, grew up to such fierce animals. They followed the Saint with ferocity and finally tore him in pieces. In every place he fell during his flight there sprang up a fountain of clear water. All the fountains that issued forth at the time were called after the Saint. This tradition was suggested by the great number of springs in that part of the country and by the circumstance of more than one well being dedicated to St. Cormack.

The Patron Day of this Parish is Lady Day. St. Cormack's Day is not remembered. Is there any mention of him in the Calendar or in Colgan. The tradition above given makes him contemporary with St. Colman Elo of Lynally.

The Annals of the Four Masters record at A.D. 1548, that:-

"Saighir Chiarain and Kilchormaic were burned and destroyed by the English and O'Carroll."

Barnaboy, now a townland in this Parish, is written Bearna Buidhe, signifying "the Yellow Gap" in Mac Eochoidh's poem just referred to:- ...

Plunder from Pailis of O'Molloy*
Came with countless number of good hosts;
And also from Bearna Buidhe
Through the valor of our Hugh.

* Now Pallace, the name of a T.L. in the Parish of Killoughy.

And Knockhill in this Parish is probably the Cnoc Leath Chaoch occuring in the same poem:- ...
From Cnoc Leath Chaoch, he came off,
Having defeated his powerful enemies.

Tradition says there five O'Molloys who had castles in Fearaceall. One of them had Broughal Castle, the other Loughcoura Castle in Eglish Parish and now in ruins. The third Loughal Castle which is now totally destroyed. It stood on a square fort with a deep ditch drawn around it.

There is a townland named Loughal in Drumcullen Parish and a portion of land called North Loughill in Ballyboy Parish. I cannot determine in which the castle stood, though I was standing on the site of it, which lies opposite Hugh O'Malrony's house near Laughill Bridge, under which runs the river said to divide Ely O'Carroll from Feara Ceall in that part of the country.

The want of ascertaining the certainty of the locality is owing to the general idea of land divisions among the people, who are very seldom acquainted with the north, south, east and west divisions of the townlands, except such persons as have the opportunity of seeing a Parish list, etc., of townlands. The other two castles remain to be ascertained.

Your obedient humble servant,
T. O'Conor.