PLACES REMARKABLE FOR ANY HISTORICAL EVENT. "Lugad-Mac-Con, of the Ithian descent, being vanquished in the battle of Kenfebrat by his father-inlaw and his forces, having spent some time in exile, put into Galway with a great number of foreign auxilliaries; and seven days after his arrival, on a Thursday (as Tigernach has accurately remarked), he obtained a signal victory over king Arthur at Moy Mucroimhe, near Athenry, eight miles from Galway. Forga, king of Connaught, amongst others, fell on the side of Arthur; also on the same side seven nephews of king Arthur. Lugadlaga, the brother of Olill, but related to Lugad-Mac-Con by his mother, and Ligum of the Fotharts (whom Arthur banished) Lugad's companion in his exile, pursuing Arthur after the battle, stood at a brook in Aidhnia, and attacking him there, tumbled him to the earth, and as he lay almost breathless, cut off his head, and brought it to the conqueror. The brook has got the name of Turloch Airt in commemoration of this action, which it retains to this day, and is situate between Moyvaela and Kil cornan." "Gno-more and Gno-beg, the two sons of Lugad, fixed Delvin Feadha amongst the Cunmacnians, to the west of Galway, (Cunnamara) between Lough Orbsin (Lough Corrib) on the north, and Lough Lurgan (the bay of Galway) on the south, nine iniles from Thomond; their posterity have divided it into Gnonone and Gnobeg, which are at this day comprehended within the barony of Maycullen. The M'Conrys (sons of the king), who are descended from Gno-beg, within my recollection held lands in Gno-beg, under the O'Flahertys, who for a series of 800 years past have held the sovereignty of the Conmacnians and Delvinians there." About the centre of Lough Corrib is an island called Innishgoile, about a mile in circumference, and thickly inhabited. In the middle of this isle there is a very ancient church yard, and the ruins of an old dwelling house, which oral tradition and many corroborating circumstances represent as the retired abode of the heads of some monastic order in ages past. The island contains also an old chapel, dedicated to the memory of St. Patrick. The different arches and entrances into these buildings were of the common Saxon order, and the stones of which they are composed are carved into human features, and one of a red gritty substance, although there does not appear in the neighbourhood a single vestige of any quarries of that description.* Such parts of these decayed edifices as now remain are supported by woodbine and ivy, which entwine together, and forming a complete roof, present an uncommon picturesque appearance. The head stone of a grave in the south west part of the island, having lately attracted the attention of a military gentleman of much information and research quartered near the spot, he was induced to show it to an intelligent soldier of the Tipperary militia, well acquainted with the Irish language. The soldier, whose name is James O'Farrel, has ingeniously decyphered and translated the inscription upon it. It is written, he says, in the hard Irish, or virgin characters (the Ogham), and is in English "underneath this stone lye Goill, Ardan, and Sionan." These three are supposed to have been brothers, and • I think I have seen the same kind of stone in the door of Tuam cathedral, in Dunbrody Abbey, in the county of Wexford, and many other similar places. H. D. the island it is believed was called after Goill, the eldest of them, who was the chief in the religious order on it, and esteemed for exemplary piety and devotion. There is no mention made of Innishgoile in Sir James Ware's Antiquities of Ireland, nor do we remember to have seen any notice taken of it by Dr. Ledwich, or any other writer upon the subject, although many extraordinary traditions respecting this island are afloat, the truth of which is in many instances strengthened by strong corroborative testimonies: amongst others, the following is rather singular (if true). The noise of beasts and birds upon the island is said to have been so loud and so often repeated, as frequently to have interrupted the devotional exercises; in consequence of which an earnest appeal was made to heaven, and although the place still contains many of the quadruped and winged species, the former is not heard to bellow, nor the latter to warble. How unlucky that this exemption was not extended further; what a demand there would have been for wives from this island!-The above was extracted from a Galway paper. |