Ordnance Survey Letters by John O'Donovan and Eugene Curry, 1839: Part II. Assorted Letters

Assorted Letters

Dear Sir,
I have the ancient Map of Thomond now nearly finished, but I find that two Parishes now included in the County of Galway originally belonged to Thomond, and these I cannot add until the Ordnance Map is accessible to me. The Parishes I allude to are those of Inishcaltra and Clonrush; they both still belong to the Diocese of Killaloe, and one of them, namely Inishcaltra, is in dispute between the two Counties. If I had a good Map of these Parishes I could easily add them to the ancient Map of Thomond for I have room for them on the Map which I have used. Perhaps you could let me have some kind of a Map of them.

When I have done with Thomond, which I will in a few days, I will return you all the Clare Extracts in the Box which contains them, and I intend next to lay down the ancient localities and Territories of Mayo.

Your obedient servant,

John O’Donovan.

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My dear Sir,
Send me back the Map you have and these Parishes shall be added to it.

Always yours,
T.A. Larcom.
30th December 1840.

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I send it herewith. Please to have all the features of antiquity in these two Parishes marked on it in pencil.

Add also the Parish of Stradbally or Castleconnel, in the present County of Limerick, which anciently formed part of the Territory of O’mBloid - now Omullod, in the ecclesiastical division.

J. O’Donovan

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Inishcaltra and Clonrush have been added. Castleconnel I have sent for, none of the documents of Limerick being here. When we receive it this Map can be sent out again for a day.

T.A. Larcom
2nd January 1841.

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Feb. 18th 1841.

Dear Sir,
I quote Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary for a fact which I cannot find in any other authority, viz., that the Castle of Croom belonged to Dermot O’Donovan in the reign of King John. I have every reason to believe this to be true, but I cannot prove it by the evidence of any cotemporaneous document.

Lewis quotes no authorities, thinking I suppose, that he is authority enough himself; but I am convinced that this fact about the Castle of Croom was furnished by the Revd. Mr. Groves, who was employed to edit the work of Lewis and who has an intimate acquaintance with the early English documents treating of the History of Ireland, as he was one of the Irish Record Commissioners for many years. I am making every effort to get at the family papers of the late General Richard O’Donovan of Bawnlahan in the County of Cork, and I think you could assist me, but of this hereafter. I wrote to O’Donovan of O’Donovan’s Cove, to see if he has any ancient documents relating to the South, and he replied that all his family papers are in the possession of his uncle, but says that he will make every effort to get them.

With respect to the origin of the name Clare you will find a dissertation on the subject in Mr. Curry’s letter on the Parish of Clare, in which he comes to the conclusion that Clare was the name of the locality long before the time of Sir Richard De Clare.

When will you send for the box?

Your obedient servant,
John O’Donovan.