XV. Hy-Donghaile
This is the tribe name of the O’Gradys and became, as usual, attached to their Country. It appears from the Wars of Torlogh that they were originally located in the Parish of Killonasoolagh, but after the Hy-Bloid, viz., the O’Shanahans, O’Kennedys, O’Duracks, etc., had been driven out by the descendants of Torlogh O’Brien, aided by the Mac Namaras, the O’Gradys were fixed at Toomgraney, and their tribe name of Hy Donghalie transferred to the district of which they got possession. This district comprised the Parishes of Tomgraney, Moyno, Inishcaltra and Clonrush, of which the two latter are now included in the County of Galway, though fifty years ago the Parish of Inishcaltra was accounted a part of the County of Clare. Both however belong to the Diocese of Killaloe, been in the Deanery of O’mBloid. |
 Map of Hy-Donghaile and Hy-Conghaile Click on the map for larger version |
On one occasion, as the troops of Sheeda Mac Namara went into the streets of the Burgage of Kilsarnatal, a furious skirmish ensued between themselves and the Constable of the Castle, who was killed in the action; after which the victors drove off a vast prey of the Earl’s (Clanrickard’s) oxen outside the marches of his Territory, and they proceeded to Moyno, a very noble and celebrated Church, where a part of their people remained in the Great Church, and not having been attended there as they expected, they committed heinous outrages, but the hue and cry was quickly raised about them; and the sons of Malrony O’Cormacan came to the assistance of the distressed and slew O’Kinnergan, Sheeda’s own fosterbrother. As soon as Sheeda had received intelligence of this he was seized with a fit of boiling anger for the loss of his foster brother and accompanied by Mac Con and his nephew Hugh, the son of Donogh, he proceeded to the Termon Lands of Moyno and set on fire the habitations of all the Termon except the noble Church itself, and were it not for Mac Con even this would not have been spared. They totally plundered the extensive Plain of the Termon of its herds and flocks, and then returned home to their own Territories. The report of these disasters spread far and near through the Territory of Thomond, and the Hy-Bloid were roused to a furious and unabated spirit of revenge for the burning and plundering of their hereditary Termon and the following nobles combined to plunder and drive the Clann Chulein from their Territories, viz., the race of Torlogh, and the race of Dermot Finn with their adherents, who were of the race of Brian Boru, the O’Kennedys, the O’Conangs, the O’Kedfays, the O’Shanahans, the O’Hogans, the O’Aherns, the O’Muldoons and the spirited O’Duracks.
This passage shews that the Parish of Moyno, verging on Lough Derg, was originally a part of the Country of the Hy-Bloid, a fact which is corroborated by the Liber Regalis Visitationis which places this Parish in the Deanery of O’Mulled (O’mBloid). This is further corroborated by a passage in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 1598 (1564) where it is stated that Sgairbh, now the Little Town of Scariff in the east of the Barony of Upper Tulla and near that arm of Lough Derg containing Inis Cealtra, is in the east end of the Territory of Hy-Bloid.
