ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[Letter no. 49 from Thomas O'Conor ]

Roscrea,
February 11th 1838.

Sir,

In the Townland of Litter in Litter Parish, are the ruins of a Church. The stones composing part of its walls are exactly similar to those in O'Rourke's Tower at Clonmacnoise. In the west end of the Church is an apartment, over which there is a floor of stone work to another apartment, over this floor there is an ascent by winding stairs of stone, in the northwest corner of the building. The entrance to both is on the west gable.

Litter is the local name for the place, without any additional postfix which would enable us to identify it with any of the Litters on record. There is, however, a well within a few yards of the old Church to the northwest, which is called Tobar Lughna, Fons S. Lugnae. This is a holy well and was formerly frequented, but on what day I could not learn. Nor is St. Lugna's Day remembered in the Parish. Finding the name of St. Lugna annexed to this well here, is sufficient to establish the fact that Litter was called Leitir Lughna, i.e., Latibulum S. Lugnae.

Let all our Records be searched for the history of Lugna and the locality of his Leitir.

Colgan must have given his Life and the circumstances connected with it. The name of this place probably occurs in the Annals of the Four Masters. We find it recorded at A.D. 1145 by these writers, that:-

"Torlogh O'Brien led an army to Leitir Cranca in Slieve Bloom for the purpose of going to meet O'Rourke in Meath." Torlogh O'Conor fixed his camp at Rubhon, and sent his son, Donnell the Meathian, and Maoilseachlin, the son of Murrogh O'Melaghlin, and Conor, the son of Donnell O'Brien, and Dermot, the son of Cormac Mac Carthy, at the head of a numerous force, to guard Feara Ceall, that the men of Munster should not come into it."

"On a certain day, the Momonians went to the north to scour the woods, where the other party met them, who defeated and slaughtered them. The Momonians after that, went to their own houses, without plunder or hostages, without peace or cessation."

Leitir Cranca might have been an alias name for Leitir Lughna, and if so, is the same with Litter, our present subject. No local information to decide this can be had. More of the history of both these ancient names must, therefore, be collected, and a careful investigation made as to whether they were names denoting two places, or one and the same place.

Cadamstown Townland in this Parish, is remembered to have been called Baile Mhic Adam - Baile-mhic-adam. The Four Masters make mention of the Castle of Baile Mhic Adam, from which the place called Castlefield, close by the west side of Cadamstown House, took its name. The spot on which the castle stood is pointed out yet by the inhabitants of the neighbourhood, who say that it belonged to O'Carroll.

The passage in the Annals relating to Baile Mhic Adam remains to be inserted when the Letters be in the progress of being arranged.

We have no reference whatever to Roscomroe, nor is there any local information to be had respecting it. The only feature to be remarked as connected with it is Roscomroe Church, in ruins, which is of no antiquity.

Your obedient humble servant,
T. O'Conor.