Parish of Clooney [Bunratty Upper]

1. Situation & Name; Old Church; Holy well dedicated to St. Patrick to north of Church, much frequented by pilgrims; Ricin, said traditionally to have been the original patron of the Ph.; Cluaine old Castle mentioned in College list of Castles of Thomond as belonging to Donagh O’Grady and in the Irish list compiled by Wm. O’Lionain as built by Donagh son of Donnell O’Grady; Toonagh old Castle (site of).

2. Magh Adhair (field of) now anglicised Moyar Park where the Dalcassian Princes were inaugurated; Notice of it from Dr. O’Brien’s Dictionary; Mr. O’Donovan’s comments thereon; His description and plan of Magh Adhair; Liagaun or standing stone, west of Hell River Stream in do.; Was inhabited by and received its name from Adhar (Eyre) son of Huamor and brother of Aengus of Dun Aengus in Aran; And who was probably also buried in the mound; Its resemblance to Carn Amhalgadha on which the O’Dowd was made and to Carn Fraeich at Dumha-Sealga in Magh Aei on which the O’Conor was inaugurated; References to Magh Adhair from Annals of IV. Masters; The Bile (aged tree) of Magh Adhair prostrated in 981 by Maelseachlainn, son of Domhnall and in 1051 by Hugh O’Conor; Magh Adhair formerly, not the name of a small field as is now generally supposed by the natives, but of a plain of very considerable extent; Was the Lordship of the Belgic Chieftain Eyre which in 11th century became the Principality of O’Hehir; The O’Brien sometimes called Lord of Magh Adhair as being the place at which he was inaugurated, and his territory, the Land of Magh Adhair; Reference to do. in extract from Maolin Oge Mac Bruodan’s address to Red Hugh O’Donnell given by the IV. Masters, ad. ann. 1599; The plain noticed in Book of Lismore and in Annals of Inishfallen, a.a. 982 and 1051; References to it from Wars of Torlogh.

3. Cuil Ua Sluaisti in this Parish mentioned in Leabhar Breac as the habitation of O’Sluaisti who, in conjunction with O’Hanoc and O’Kelchin of Kilmore (in Parish of Killokennedy) stole his mules, asses and horses from a Cardinal sent to Ireland in time of Donnel Mor O’Brien, King of Munster; Copy of part of the original passage; The Robbery stated in Leabhar Breac to have been the cause of the English Invasion;
   Moreaste (Magh Riasg) which continued in possession of the head of the Mac Namaras until a few years ago when it passed into the possession of Lord Fitz Gerald; Corbally Castle (site of) mentioned in College list of castles as belonging to Shane Mac Mahown; Urchaill of Furachoill Hill, mentioned in Wars of Torlogh, ad. ann. 1318 and in Annals of IV. Masters, ad. ann. 1559 as the site of a dreadful battle between the O’Briens and Geraldines.

Other references to the Parish of Clooney [Bunratty Upper] in the Ordnance Survey Letters:

• The Battle of Urchaill