pronounced as altogether incredible. The lofty walls, castles, edifices and towers, once its pride and ornament, are long since crumbled into dust, the much boasted spirit of enterprize and independence of its former inhabitants, lie dead or dormant in their descendants, and nothing now remains to mark their former grandeur, but the spacious ruins and remnants of a few splendid mansions, which serve but to keep alive the melancholy remembrance of what their founders once had been. The causes of these revolutions and decay will be more properly explained in another place, the reader will therefore, for the present, have to return to an earlier era, in order to trace the gradual progress of the town, from its commencement, to the period and state in which it has been already displayed; and to follow it from thence, through all its various vicissitudes and changes, to the present day.

46. The west suburbs, called Fahei-beg.

47. Part of the road which leads to St. James's chapel at newcastle, and the strong castle, called in Dangein.

48. The foundation of the west fortifications, where formerly commenced.

49. Part of the road which leads to the castle of Rahune.

On the East.

1. The title of the city of Galway.

2. The monastery of St. Augustin, surrounded by the fort.

3. Saint Augustin's well, on the south side of the hill. 4. Saint Augustin's hill.

4 The king's fort, surrounding the monastery.

31. Several mills, viz. St. Francis' mill. 34. St. Michael's mill. 35. The bridge mill. 35. The little gate mill.

32. The Friar's stream, by which wood, &c. was formerly brought to the abbey, called Srucainna b'mraher.

5. Saint Bridgets's hill, on the right and left of the high 33. The abbey of Saint Francis, or of the Friars' minors.

way.

6. Saint Bridget's chapel.

7. The house of lepers, under the title of St. Bridget.

8. The house of the Capuchins.

9. The arms of Great Britain.

10. The arms of the kingdom of Ireland.

11. The arms of the kingdom of Scotland. 12. The most ancient arms of Galway. The old arms of ditto.

The modern arms of ditto.

34. The abbey church yard.

35. The gate of the inner inclosure of the abbey, and

39. The north suburbs, and 45, the east.

40. The gallows, where criminals are executed.

46. The new market, with the cross.

41. The second lake, on the way, before the gallows. 42. The old pidgeon-house.

43. Green plots, where the gentlemen of the city usually play and amuse themselves, commonly called The Green.

44. The scite, where it is said formerly stood the hospital
of the knights templars.

45. The garden angle, called Cluid na Garriha.
45. Playing at bowls.

46. The promontory of Morloint. 46.a Ruinmor. 46.
Ruismor.

47. The Pool.

48. The salt lake, called Lough-an Stale.

49. Part of the stream by which the citizens formerly intended to bring round the north river, and join it to the south, by Lough an Stale.

50. Arms of some of the many noble families of Ireland, connected with those of Galway.

UNI

OF

MIC

CHAP. II.

FROM THE EARLIEST ACCOUNTS TO THE INVASION OF HENRY II.

Early History and Antiquities of Ireland disputed-Intemperate feelings of writers on the subject-Come but little within the scope of this work-The ancient town of Galway made a chief point of division in the various partitions of Ireland—In that by Heber and Heremon―By Eogan More and Con-céad-Chathach in the second century-War between these princes, for an equal dividend of the revenues of Dublin and Galway-The latter then a place of note-Destruction of Irish records -Accounts of Ireland by Tacitus and Ptolemy-Those of the latter doubted— Opinions of Camden, Ware, Baxter and others—That Galway was the Nagnata of Ptolemy-Its origin uncertain-Destruction of the Town by the Danes-Rebuilt by the Conacians-Ravaged by the Momonians-Burned, and again revived in 1170. THE early history and antiquities of Ireland have been subjects of doubt and controversy, for a longer time, and perhaps in a greater degree, than generally occurs of any other country; and, though it stands admitted, that, like those of most other nations, the origin and primitive state of this Island are considerably involved in darkness and fable, yet, it seems also agreed, that few countries have a higher claim to antiquity, or have advanced better proofs in support of that distinction, than this, the most westerly and secluded kingdom of Europe. However, on this latter point, as on many others connected with the subject, much has been said and written on both sides; writers stand in hostile array against each other, and throughout a discussion, wherein the spirit of calm investigation after truth should alone predominate, those angry disputants have generally indulged in the most acrimonious feelings, and not unfrequently in the most puerile reflections. Those who decried, as well as they who supported, the claim to antiquity, were, though from different causes, in this respect equally reprehensible. The former, in general unacquainted with the language, and consequently with the written memorials of the country, could not patiently brook the imputations of ignorance and misconception, which were most liberally bestowed on them by their antagonists; and therefore, after frequently supplying the place of knowledge by supposition, and of argument by angry declamation,

g

Spencer, who was never charged with partiality to the Irish, declared near 250 years ago, that they were the most ancient people he knew of in this end of the world;

and, to the same fact, numberless other foreign testimonies. could be adduced, without at all resorting to our native historians, or to the ancient records of the kingdom.

they seldom failed to complete their labours by recriminating charges of national prejudice, and gross misrepresentation, against their more confident opposers.

Such being the state of this literary warfare, it is evident that much must have been left undetermined, and that a good deal still remains to be atchieved, and many cool dispassionate efforts made, before criticism can have that "secure anchorage" so much to be wished for; and until this desirable event shall take place, those points which have been so long supported on one side, and so strenuously contested on the other, can never be brought to a positive or satisfactory conclusion. The nature of these pages precludes the possibility of more than glancing at the question, and that merely in a local point of view, and even then, only so far as it bears upon the early existence and former Feeling that the celebrity of the place which is the subject of this work. principal duty of a topographer is to state facts, the little that could be gleaned relating to a period so distant, dark, and doubtful, shall be faithfully exhibited, and whatever may be the application made, or conclusion drawn from those statements, it is by no means intended to supersede, or interfere with, the judgment or opinion of the reader.

That the western coast of Ireland was peopled as early as any other part of the Island, appears from all the annals which purport to record the events of those distant times; and, that the particular district, now comprehending the town of Galway and its vicinity, was one of the first positions which was chosen for the purpose of habitation, by the original settlers, is incontestibly proved from the same sources of information. By them it also appears that Galway, or the place on or near which it it is situate, was frequently made a chief point of division in the most ancient and celebrated partitions of Ireland; and for this supposed reason, that, as it lay almost due west of Dublin, a line drawn from one place to the other, would nearly divide the kingdom into two equal parts, The first division of Ireland is attributed to Partholanus, a Scythian, who is stated to have effected a settlement here, some centuries after the flood, and to have divided the kingdom into four equal parts, which he distributed amongst his four sons. Of these, Fearon, the third son, received the territory extending from a place in Munster, afterwards called the Island of Barrymore, to Athcliath na mearuidhe, now Clarins bridge, near Galway; and the district from thence to Oileachneid in the north, was assigned to the fourth son Feargna. The second; or Firbolgian partition of Ireland, is stated to have taken place A. M. 2500, when it was divided into five provinces, of which Connaught, (so called, according to Keating, from Con and Oict, the posterity of Con, a druid of the Tuatha de danans, who afterwards inhabited that part of the country,) fell to the share of Geanann, one of their five principal commanders; and extended from Lumneach, afterwards Limerick, including the place where Galway is situate, to Drobhaois, the present bay of Donegal.