John O'Donovan has better details here on Kinnitty district and its placenames. He goes on to discuss Seir Kieran and Killyon.

ORDNANCE SURVEY LETTERS KING'S COUNTY

[ Letter no. 39 from John O'Donovan ]

Birr,
February 3rd 1838.

Dear Sir,

I travelled yesterday to discover the ancient Church called Liath Mor or Liath Mochoemog, the Church of St. Mochoevoge or Pulcherius, but found that both the Church and the name are blotted off the earth. But notwithstanding the disappearance of the name and the object, its locality can still be pointed out with considerable accuracy.

The Life of St. Pulcherius published by Colgan states that the Chief of Ely gave the Saint a place for building a Church in a thick forest near the Grunna (bog) of Astagui Lurgan, where he erected a Church which he called Liath (grey) from a large grey boar which he met at the place and which on seeing the Saint, laid aside his native ferocity and stood before him as mild as a lamb! - Cap. XV.

The Leagh shewn on the Engraved County Map of the Down Survey will exactly correspond with the distance between Liathmore and Doire Mor, now Kilcolman, for the Life of Pulcherius states that the distance between them was four miles and not more.

In Cap. XVI of the same Life it is added that the distance between Liath Mor and Bishop Colman's Church of Doire Mor (now Kilcolman) was four miles and not more.

"Insunt enim quatuor milliaria inter ista loca et non plus."

Now the Down Survey Engraved County Map shews a Church of Leagh on the northern boundary of the Townland of Derrykeil (in Kinnitty Parish) about 5 miles to the east of Birr and midway between Sherkyran and Kinnitty.

I walked to the very spot where the Down Survey shews this Church of Leagh and found nothing but a flat square mound of earth resembling the site of the Nunnery of Kinary near Street in the County of Westmeath, but it is strange that the natives have no recollection of the name Leagh or of a Church or Churchyard ever having existed there or anywhere between Seirkieran and Kinnity! I am satisfied, however, that the square mound of earth already referred to is the site of a Churchyard from the appearance it presents. (Colgan describes Liath Mochoemog as in the vicinity of Kinitty - Cap. 18; Note 23). But I wish to have the matter further investigated.

Does the Down Survey Townland Map of the Parish of Kinnitty exist? I believe that it is partly burned, but does that part of it remaining shew the Townlands of Derrykyle, Kilconcoase and Ballyshane? If so, look at the northern part of the Townland of Derrykyle and see if it shews a Church on or near its boundary.

If the Townland Map of the Parish of Kinnitty should be altogether burned, send me a trace of the Parish of Kinnitty from Vallancey's copy of the Baronial Maps of the Down Survey compared as much as it can be done with the fragments of the original that have escaped the fire.

Does the name Comcor or Avon Cor occur in any of the original Townland Maps, as the name of the River of Birr. I want the account given by Mac Firbisse of the building of the wall around the Church of Saigher Chiarain and the Ravens. The present wall is exceedingly ancient.

There are two round towers on a small scale standing in the Churchyards of Seirkieran and Killyon, the establishments of St. Kieran and his mother Liedania. They seem to have been attached to the other buildings and to have been used as Sacristys (Sacristies) or Dearthachs. Has Mr. Petrie seen any towers of this description attached to any Churches in the west or south of Ireland? They are about 17 feet high and rather of rude masonry.

Bell Hill, opposite the Church of Seirkieran to the north, is said to be the hill on which St. Kieran's bell rang divino nutu to point out unto him where the fountain was, at which St. Patrick told him to erect his Church.

Saigh Uair - Cumhdaigh cathair for a bru.

There is a bush on the top of this hill which is believed to have vegetated since the time of St. Kieran! The legend about the bell is told by the author of the Life of Kieran as published by Colgan thus, which is not very different from the one preserved by oral tradition. SS. Patrick and Kieran are represented as having met in Italy:-

"And St. Patrick said unto St. Kieran, go to Ireland before me and approach the fountain which is situated in the middle of Ireland on the confines of the northern and southern Irish, and called Fuaran, and there erect a monastery, because it is there thy honor and thy resurrection shall be. To whom St. Kieran said: The place where that fountain lies is unknown to me. St. Patrick replied: Dearest brother, thou wilt go secure and the Lord shall be with thee; take this bell as the companion of thy journey; it will remain mute until thou arrivest at the aforesaid fountain, but when thou shalt have arrived there, the bell then shall emit a clear sound and it will (shall) sound sweetly. After (at) the expiration of thirty years I shall go to thee thither. And the servants of God mutually kissing and blessing each other, St. Kieran directed his course to Ireland. But St. Patrick remained in Italy. From that day the Bell of St. Kieran was mute without any sound until he came to the fountain Fuaran, as Patrick had predicted. St. Kieran coming into Ireland, the Lord directed him to the fountain Fuaran and there the Bell of the Man of God (the bell rang in his pocket- tradition) sounded with a clear and sweet sound. This Bell is called Bardan (Bodhran) Ciarain and is held in great honor in the city (Saighir) and throughout the whole province of St. Kieran. For it is carried through the districts (regiones) to be sworn upon by princes for the defence of the poor and for the exaction of the tributes of the Monastery of St. Kieran. This bell was made for St. Germanus, the Bishop and Master of St. Patrick and the fountain, as has been said above, lies on the southern part in the region (province) of Mumonia and in the Territory (Plebe) of Hele. And the blessed Pontifex, Kieran, began to dwell there as an Eremite, for there was a wide forest there of thick woods in every direction and he commenced the erection of a cell with rude materials, and afterwards a monastery and a city sprang up there by the gift of God through the favour of St. Kieran, all which are called Sayghir." - AA. SS. p. 458.

I think Saighir means Saigh Uar, approach the fountain, if not, Saighe - Suighe - Uair, the Seat of the Fountain.

I am anxious to have the trace from the Down Survey about Leagh Church, Avon Cor, etc., as soon as possible.

We move to Roscrea on Monday.

Your obedient servant,
John O'Donovan.