The Ancient Territory of Fermoy
The Irish topographical document which follows is taken from two manuscripts:
- L. Book of Lismore, Fo. 140a, 2.
- E. Egerton 92, Fo. 13b.
In the case of L, I transcribed the text from the partial copy of the Book of Lismore in the Royal Irish Academy, and afterwards collated it with the original manuscript in Lismore Castle. The text here printed is, with one or two exceptions indicated in the footnotes, that of L. In the case of E, I have given only the more important variants. The text throughout in E is very difficult to decipher (it is quite illegible in parts) and I am therefore all the more indebted to Mr. Robin Flower for the careful collation which he has been kind enough to make for me.
Both MSS. date from the second half of the fifteenth century, but in my judgement are immediately independent of each other. The evidence afforded by the personal and place names indicates that the text could not have been written before the twelfth century. The surname (which began to appear in the ninth and was well established by the twelfth century) is found throughout. In connection with place names, I think it will be found on examination of early Irish documents that the word baile as the first element in place names does not occur with any frequency before the close of the twelfth century. 1
p.171Documents of this kind are not common in Irish. It is quite a matter-of-fact record, and, judged from the personal and place names that survive in the district to the present day, it must have been a fairly exact one. The occasion for the record may have been some fundamental change in the political organization of the district. (The character of the “survey” does not point to change in the ecclesiastical organization, in as much church matters are only touched upon from the civil standpoint). There must have been some good reason for placing on record the hereditary owners and, with as much precision as possible, the limits of their several ownerships. Soon after the Anglo-Norman invasion the power of the native chieftains began to wane. The Fermoy territory came under the dominion of the Roches and Flemings in the thirteenth century. The Roches appear to have been firmly planted at Castletown Roche by the close of that century. It is possible that the “survey” was put on record in consequence of the new overlordship.
From the foregoing indications I conclude that the family organization outlined in this document was in existence in the thirteenth century, if not earlier. It is possible indeed that it reflects pretty accurately the family organization of the particular district during the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.
The territory described forms a rough parallelogram some 22 miles long (east and west) and 12 wide. Glanworth is near the centre, and Mallow, Doneraile, Mitchelstown and Clondulane are a little within the angles. It is hemmed in on the north by the Ballyhowra and Galtee mountains, and on the south by the Nagles mountains, extending eastward to Corrin. In the whole territory of some 260 square miles there are 163 places mentioned and 135 families. Of the 163 places some were probably full townlands, the others portions, of varying size, of townlands. More than half of both sets of names are found in three of the fourteen tuatha, Eoghanacht of Glennomain, Hí Chuáin and Magh Finne.
The dividing line between the two original cantreds was not quite the line which to-day separates the Barony of Condons and Clangibbon on the east from that of Fermoy on the west. The early boundary, following the indications in the document, ran due north from a point on the Blackwater a little to the west of Convamore to the vicinity of rockmills, that is, parallel to the Awbeg, and a little to the east of it; then either north along the Funshion p.172 and Sheep rivers, or north-west along the Farahy river. (In view of the position of Ahacross, that is, in the first cantred, and therefore east of the dividing line, I incline to the latter). The present baronial boundary lies for the most part some miles to the east.
unknown
Edited by J.G. O'Keeffe
p.172The Ancient Territory of Fermoy
140a2
- Crichad an caoilli gu cruaidh
in fuil uaibh nech noimluaidh ?
tucad do mac Sonaisc sin
ar an forbhais d'fhoirdhin et cetera
[2] Na da triucha roboi an tir sin suil tucadh hi do Mhogh Ruith & ocht tuatha a ngach triucha , et as i so roinn in da triucha sin .i. mar ghabus glaisi Muillinn Mairteil i Sleibh Cain & Loch Luingi ar an Machaire & Gleann na nDibergach ar Monaidh mhoir. Et ar na tabhairt do Mogh Ruith doronadh aentriucha dhibh do loigdiugud a cis cana do sil Mogha Ruith 'na dhaigh. Et as e ba cor re a connmhail isin tsaeirsi sin .i. Mogh Corb mac Cormaic Cais ⁊ a sil 'na dhiagh. Et rocoimsig hi iarsin a ndeich tuathaibh, ocht tuatha ag freagra do thir &da thuaith d'fonn timchill.
[3] As i cet tuath airimhther dibh sin .i. Eoghanacht Glennomnach, ar as i as uaisle dhibh, daig do soertuathaibh Caisil hi guna forthuaith, et Hi Ingair frisan abar Magh bFhece baili as uaisli don tuaith sin, Gleannamhu 2 & Ceapach ingen Ferchair ar a comhair anunn, Gleann Cainntin, & as asta sin atait Hi Chaimh p.173& Hi Dhighi, & Corr Tuaidhi asa fuilet Hi Fhinghinne & Lis Leitisil & Doire Hi Thnuthgaili asa fuilet Hi Thnuthghaili, Cathair Droinne asa fuilet Hi Annrathain, Dun Maelclaigh (.i. daingin Eoghanachta) 3 & Achadh Loiscthi asa fuilit Hi Lachtnain & Hi Dubhthaigh & Hi Leannain & Hi Draignein; Seanchua (.i. Ceal Ghallain & Moin Banba ) 4 asa fuilit Hi Dhoronaigh & Lis na Caille asa fuilit Hi Dhubhghaill & Hi Cleirigh & Raith Mor asa fuilet Hi Dhornain. Leathbaile Hi Chonchubhair ar as e O Conchubhair ba tuiseach ar Ibh Ingair .i. ar Magh Feigi . Et as iat a hanmunna sin: Dun Loibin & Cluain Dallain & Moin Luachra & Ceall Garbain & as é coiccrichus amail gabus an bothar theit o Airgetlaind cu Cnocan Duin Martan & trít sis co hAbhuind Mhoir & an clagh allaniar do Ghurt an Ghrain co Gort Droma hAirrtri & o sin siar co Seiscen mar a teit a nAbhuind Moir & as iat Hi Dhallain duthaidh Cluana Dallain & Mona Luachra & Guirt an Grain. As i ceall Eoghanachta Gleannomnach Ceall Aenamhna, & train ferainn Brighi Gobhunn les in tuaith sin .i. Carrac Cormaic & Ceall Danain, Cul Domnann, Cluain Locha, Cluain Lena, Cluain Cairbreach, Ceall Bracain Coirrlis da Conall craescru, Tipra Grugain, Tulach Aedha, Ard Catha, Caim innsi, Dun Droignein don leth sair d'Aithlis Cindfhaeladh.
[4] O doronadh entuath do dha tuathaibh O Cuain .i. d'Ibh Miale Machaire & d'Ibh Ingarduil an cet baili d'Hibh Ingardail .i. Conbaidh .i. coin X Fhinn do baidhthi ann & as sin atait Hi Buadhaigh , In Mhartra —.i. Ath Unbla —as atait Hi Aichir, Ceall Aicheadh as atait Hi Lomthuile, In Creg as atait Hi Riagain Leitir as atait Hi Corcrain, In Recles as atait Hi Mhaeil Luaig. Cill Conain cill na tuathi sin. O Conbaidhi as tuisech ar Ib Cain, & suil doronad entuath dibh sin fa tuiseach O Riagain ar Ibh Ingarduil.
p.174[5] Hi Maile Machaire, .i. Leac Glas & Cul Baedain asa fuilit Hi Thaimhdinigh & Hi Fhogartaigh, Leathnocht ana fuilit da sloinntech dhec .i. O Conbaidhe o Chathair meic Maille, Hi Gormachain o Lis Donnchadha, Hi Uallachtain o Chuirr Hi Uallachain, Hi Lachtnain o Fidhrus, Mac Cuirc o Chill Fheichin , Hi Cheithernaig o Cnocan Tulaird, Hi Chaelbheannaigh o Chuirr Hi Caeilbheannuigh, Hi Cuicneachain o Grealla Hi Cuicneachain, Cill Cromglaisi asa fuilit Hi Chuain, Laiche Hi Fiach asa fuilit comment and so throughout> Hi Finnachta, Ard Fleadha asa fuilit Hi Chinnfhaela, Manann asa fuilit Hi Britain, Garran O Cianaigh asa fuilit Hi Chianaigh. Cill Cruimtir cill na tuaithi sin. Et ata train termuinn Brighi Gobunn le Hib Cain .i. an da Cennecain & Cul Lughdach, Moin Muicrindi, Ceall Droma, In Mairbhthir, Na Lianain, Cnocan Hi Criongella, Belach na Ros.
[6] Tuath O Cuscraidh .i. Liathmuine & Cul na nAracul asa fuilit Hi Lighda, Cluain mac Carthainn asa fuilit Hi Artuir, Lis an Cnuic asa fuilit Hi Dhonnchadha, Cill Mochuille asa fuilit Hi Bechagain & Hi Dhunadhuigh & Hi Riagain, Daire Faibleinn asa fuilit Hi Adhnachain, Loch Arda O Cillin asa fuilit Hi Chuind, Lethbhaili Hi Fhinn asa fuilit Hi Fhinn & a leathbhaili eli Na hArda a tearmonn Brighi Gobunn, Liagan Lig Uananch asa fuilit Hi Ithfearnain , Durmach asa fuilit Hi Dunadhuigh . Agus as i cill na tuathi sin Ath Cros Molaga asa fuilit Hi Corcrain & Hi Ceannsain, Hi Aenghusa & Hi Muirceartaigh & Hi Dhuibhedigh. Agus ata trian tearmuinn Brigi Gobunn leis in tuaith sin .i. Baili Brighi Gobhunn fein & Cluain Aei & Carrac in Furnaidhi & Garran Hi Adhnachain, Baili Hi Mhaeilmordha, Baile Hi Chuind, Cnocan Muigi Ginne, Cluain Garbhain, Cul Aithlis Cinnfhaelaidh, Gort na Fuinnsinn, Cill tSeanaigh, & as iat sloinntigh na cilli sin: O Maeilmorda a comharba & O Fingin a haisdre, O Brain & O Dergain & O Mulalaidh & O Flannagain & Meic in Brethnuigh, & as iat Hi Artuir tuisigh na tuathi sin.
[7] Tuath O Conail .i. o Glinn Cubra co Lebglaisi & as iat Hi Dubliadh tuisigh na tuaithi sin & Liattruim o Airgeadloinn sair co Lebglaise duthaidh O nDublaidh & O nAibilainn esein; Baile p.175 idir da Abuinn .i. Ard Mac Coilberd & Uamh Cróine & as sin sair co Dun O nGennti , enbaile sin, & is as sin atait Hi Aengusa, Magh Drisein leth anes d'abhuinn & leth atuaidh, enbaile sin & as sin atait Hi Mhannog, Feic Beag, lethbaili hí, as aisdi Hi Rainn & Hi Fherghusa, Raith Siadail & An Corran a lethbaili eli, & as aisdi atait Hi Chuain. Cill Uird cill na tuaithi sin & aisdi atait Hi Mongain & Hi Chuilinnain & Hi Brocain.
[8] As iat Hi Cuscraidh Shleibnhe fonn timchill na criche sin doraidheamar .i. Cill Meithne, Gort Aicde , Maelrach, Lurga, Daire Leith, Re Mac Meadha, Gleann Domhain, Ceapach na Fian , Gort Ruadh, Ceapach Hi Mheadra, Daire Lethan. Eidhen Molaga cona termann as cill don tuaith sin. Combarba na cilli sin Mac Fhloinn & maccleireach a bachla O Coscrain .
[9] As i tuath as uaisli do leath eli na criche sin tuath Muighi Finne an afuil Cathair Dubhagain asa fuilit Hi Dhubhagain 5 & as e leithet na tuaithi sin o Leth Reilgi na mBainnleagh aniar co habhuind na Carcrach sair. Maistre meic Gamnaighi —.i. Hí Daerghala a duthaid 6 ; Daire Hi Dhiarmada .i. Hi Dhiarmada & Hi Cochlain a duthaid; Dun Tuilche, Cill Curnain, Croch asa fuilit Hi Dhathail Croich, Ard gCenannuis & Dun ar Aill; enbaile iat & is as atait Hi Fhaelain & Hi Uirisi. Cill Fhada uamh adhnaicthi na tuaithi sin & as e Mac Congairbh —.i. Mochaemoc 7 —robeannach an cill sin. Hi Mhaeilbili a comarbadha; Hi Amhradha & Hi Labhradha & Hi Eirc a duthaid & Hi Dhuibhtrochhaeil ba tuisigh orra .
[10] Trian ele O Coinganghairm Mad O Cathain —i Mis Signighi & Carrag Leime Laeghairi —is asda atait Hi Domnaill Ceannmhuighi, Cill Cuili asa fuilit Hi Fergala; Baili Hi Fhiachain asa fuilit Hi Fiachain; Cluain Caisil & Daire na Teidi, Ardbaili p.176 Hi Annadha asa fuilit Hi Annadha; Garran O nGnima asa fuilit Hi Gnima; Cul Baili Hi Fhinn asa fuilit Hi Fhinn. Claenuir an uam adhnacail sin; d'Ibh Annadha as dutcha comharbus na cilli sin & Hi Cennagain a meiccleirigh. Atait Hi Brain o'n Cleitig isin trian sin & Meic Coirtein o Baile meig Coirtein & do mhuinntir Rathan iat sein, & tuisidhecht bhunaidh Hi Domnaill an trian sin & as leis co gnathach an da trian eli gach uair na beath tuiseach orro fein.
[11] An treas trian d'Ibh Coingangairm .i. Magh nAla maille na chuid ronna asa fuilit Hi Gormain, An Brugh & Flaithneim asa fuilit Hi Ardgala; Tulach Finnlethid asa fuilit Hi Chuilein; Magh Lis an Ibair asa fuilit Hi Donnagain; Baili Hi Mhulghuala asa fuilit Hi Mhaeilghuala; Cill O nGeibinnain asa fuilit Hi Gheibennain & Hi Chailte. Claenuir uam adhnaicthi na deisi sin & O nGormain & Rathan uamh adnaicthi an trin osin amach ; & Meic Finain comarba Rathain. A sloinntigh osin amach: Hi Crainche, Hi Conaill, Hi Conaic, Hi Brain, Meic Coirtein , & as e tuisech an trian sin do bunad O hArdghala.
[12] Hi Bece Abha .i. Dun Cruadha asa fuilit I Laeghairi; Na Rindi imon abhuinn, is asdu Hi Cairbre & Hi Chathail; Cill Laisre thall 's abhus, is aisdi Hi Cleirigh ; Moin Ainmne thall 's abhus, is aisdi atait Hi Eoghain; Ath an Crainn thall 's abhus, is as atait Hi Buachalla ; Cill Chuain, is aisde Hi Fiadhain — no I Iain 8 — & as iat Hi Laegairi a tuisigh sin
[13] Leth eli na tuaithi sin Hi Bece Uachtarach .i. Sonnach Gobann & Cluain Lochluinn um abhuind mbic sair 's anair asa fuilit Hi Gobunn; Baili Hi Grigin imon abhuinn cetna asa fuilit I Grigin; Cleann Tuircinn sair 's annair 'mon abhuinn; Daire Hi Ceinneidigh asa fuilit Hi Ceinneidigh; Ceall Ossain, Luimnech Beg tar Taedan siar & osin sair co Loch Luingi guna sloinnteachaibh eli. O'Gobunn a tuisech bunadh sin & as dual do in leth eli fh'Ibh. Bece gach uair nach beth duine maith d'Ibh Laeghuire. p.177 Cill Commuir uamh adnaicti O mBece ar leth & Hi Dhathail comharbadha na cilli sin & Hi Cochlain a meiccleirigh.
[14] Tuath O Fiannadhuigh o Baili Hi Ghormain siar cus an rot a nDruim Raite & co hath na Ceall & o Abhuinn mhoir gu crich Muigi Finne & as e tuiseach na tuaithe sin Mag Fiannadhuigh & as iat a sloinntigh Hi Etromain & Hi Annrathain & Hi Fhir Eidhinn & Hi Brain Fhinn & Hi Dhubhain. Cill Cluaisi uam adhnaicti na tuaithi sin.
[15] Tuath O nDuinnin annso , & as e a fat o mhullach Sleibhi Cain co hEchlascaibh Mulaga & as e a leithet o glaisi Muillin Mharteil co Bearn mic Imhair . O Lannain tuiseach na tuaithi sin; Hi Chinaeda & Hi Sheasnain & Hi Dunghassa & Hi Dungaili a sloinntig. Cill Mainches a n-uamh annlaicthi .
[16] Fonn timchill leithi na crichi sin Rosach na Rigraidhi & Cathair Gobunn & Cluas Dubhoigi & an Carcuir, & as i uamh adhlaicthi na tuaithi sin Cill Colmain gerc , & a hainm dileas Hi Rosa, & as e a fad o mullach Sleibhe Cain gu hAbhuinn mbicc .
Document details
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Title statement
Title (uniform): Críchad an Chaoilli
Title (translation, English Translation): The ancient territory of Fermoy
Author: unknown
Editor: J.G. O'Keeffe
Responsibility statement
Electronic edition compiled by: Emer Purcell and Thesaurus Linguae Hibernicae, University College Dublin
Text donated by: and Thesaurus Linguae Hibernicae, University College Dublin
Funded by: University College, Cork via the Writers of Ireland Project.
Edition statement
3. Third draft, with introduction.
Extent: 3740 words
Publication statement
Publisher: CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts: a project of University College, Cork
Address: College Road, Cork, Ireland—http://www.ucc.ie/celt
Date: 2009
Date: 2012
Distributor: CELT online at University College, Cork, Ireland.
CELT document ID: G100063
Availability: Available with prior consent of the CELT programme for purposes of academic research and teaching only.
Source description
Manuscript Sources
- Derbyshire, Chatsworth House, Book of Lismore, fo. 140a, 2.
- London, British Library, Egerton 92, fo. 13b.
Editions
- J. G. O'Keeffe (ed.), 'The ancient territory of Fermoy', Ériu 10 (1926–28), 170–89.
- P. Power (ed.), Crichad an Chaoilli being the Topography of Ancient Fermoy (Dublin 1932).
Literature
- Eithne Donnelly, 'The Roches, Lords of Fermoy: the history of a Norman-Irish family'. J Cork Hist & Arch Soc, 39 (1934), 38–40, 57–68; 40 (1935), 37–42, 63–73; 41 (1936), 20–28, 78–84; 42 (1937), 40–52.
- T. F. O'Rahilly, 'Some Fermoy placenames', Ériu, 12 (1938), 254–256.
- Liam Ó Buachalla, 'Placenames of north-east Cork', J Cork Hist Archaeol Soc 54 (1949) 31–34.
- Liam Ó Buachalla, 'Contributions towards the political history of Munster', J Cork Hist Archaeol Soc 56 (1951) 87–90; 57 (1952) 67–86; 59 (1954) 111–26; 61 (1956) 89–102.
- Liam Ó Buachalla, 'Townland development in the Fermoy area, 12th century–19th century', Dinnseanchas 1 (1965) 87–92.
- Liam Ó Buachalla, 'An early fourteenth-century placenames list for Anglo-Norman Cork', Dinnseanchas 3/2 (1967) 39–50.
- F. X. Martin, 'The first Normans in Munster', J Cork Hist Archaeol Soc 76 (1971) 48–71.
- Niall Brunicardi, Fermoy to 1790: a local history (Fermoy: Eigse na Mainistreach, 1975).
- C. J. F. MacCarthy, 'Éigse Chaoille: an introduction to the literature of ancient Fermoy', Mallow Field Club Journal 6 (1988) 134–155.
- Kenneth Nicholls, 'The development of Lordship in County Cork, 1300–1600', in: P. O'Flanagan and C.G. Buttimer (eds), Cork History and Society. Interdisciplinary Essays on the history of an Irish County (Dublin 1993) 157–211.
- Donnchadh Ó Corráin, 'Corcu Loígde: land and families', in O'Flanagan and Buttimer, Cork History and Society, 63–81.
- Paul MacCotter & K. W. Nicholls, The pipe roll of Cloyne (Rotulus pipæ Clonensis) (Midleton [Co Cork] 1996).
- Diarmuid Ó Murchadha, 'Cenn Ebrat, Sliab Caín, Belach Ebrat, Belach Legtha/Lechta', Éigse 29 (1996) 153–71.
- M. A. Monk & John Sheehan (eds), Early Munster: archaeology, history and society (Cork 1998) 59–64.
- Denis Power et al., Archaeological inventory of county Cork (4 vols, Dublin 1992–2000).
- J. O'Meara, 'Mallow-Fermoy-Mitchelstown'. Journal of the Irish Railway Record Society 22 (2004) 17–33.
- Edel Bhreathnach, 'Críchad an Chaoilli: a medieval territory revealed', Journal of the Cork Historical & Archaeological Society, 110 (2005) 85–96.
- Paul MacCotter, Medieval Ireland: territorial, political and economic divisions (Dublin 2008).
- Whitley Stokes, Lives of the Saints from the Book of Lismore (Oxford 1890), xxxvi. [Gives incipit; his transcription differs slightly from O'Keeffe's.]
The edition used in the digital edition
‘The ancient territory of Fermoy’. In: Ériu 10. Ed. by J. G. O’Keeffe, pp. 170–189.
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@article{G100063, editor = {J. G. O'Keeffe}, title = {The ancient territory of Fermoy}, journal = {Ériu}, number = {10}, address = {Dublin}, publisher = {Royal Irish Academy}, date = {1926–28}, pages = {170–189} }
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Creation: by an unknown Irish monastic author. 1100–1300
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- The text is in Middle Irish. (ga)
- The supplied title and the Introduction are in English. (en)
Keywords: histor; prose; survey; medieval; topography; Fermoy
Revision description
(Most recent first)
- 2023-02-15: Typo in literature list corrected. The error was submitted by John Mullins. (ed. Beatrix Färber)
- 2012-05-02: Introduction proofed (2); structural and some content markup added; header modified, file parsed; new SGML and HTML files created. (ed. Beatrix Färber)
- 2012-05-01: Introduction proofed (1) and basic structural markup applied. (ed. Olan Daly, Ballincollig)
- 2011-07-09: Addition made to bibliographical details. (ed. Beatrix Färber)
- 2010-03-31: Minor update to header; new wordcount made. (ed. Beatrix Färber)
- 2009-06-17: Minor changes to header and file structure; file parsed; SGML and HTML versions created. (ed. Beatrix Färber)
- 2009-05-30: Header created with bibliographical detail. (ed. Emer Purcell)
- 2009-05-30: Structural and content mark-up applied; integration of variant readings. (ed. Emer Purcell)
- 2007: Structural and content mark-up applied. (ed. Niall Brady, TLH, UCD.)
- 2007: Text scanned and first proofing. (text capture/ed. Niall Brady, TLH, UCD.)