Celtic Scotland : $b A history of ancient Alban. Volume 3 (of 3), Land and peopleSkene, W. F. (William Forbes)
History
Celtic Scotland : $b A history of ancient Alban. Volume 3 (of 3), Land and people
Skene, W. F. (William Forbes)
Celts -- Scotland; Civilization, Celtic; Scotland -- Antiquities, Celtic; Scotland -- History -- To 1603
The names of the tribes which were connected with these _Tuoghs_ or
_Tuaths_ have not been preserved, but they are still retained in the
district of North Clandeboy, which with South Clandeboy represented the
ancient Dalnaraighe or territory of the Picts of Ulster. We find from an
inquisition in 1605 that North Clandeboy consisted of twenty
subdivisions, thirteen larger and seven smaller; the former are termed
_Tuoghs_ or _Tuaths_, and are named after the tribes occupying them.
These are the _Tuogh_ of Clanaghartie, containing the entire parish of
Kilconriola and part of Ahoghill, and the _Tuogh_ of Muntir Callie
(_Muintir Ceallaigh_), or the tribe of Kelly, containing the rest of
Ahoghill parish. These two together formed the barony of Lower Toome,
and contained 36,000 acres. The _Tuogh_ of Muntir Rividy, and the _Tuogh
na Fuigh_. These two formed the barony of Upper Toome, and contained
64,000 acres. The _Tuogh_ of Muntir Murigan (_Muintir Mhuireagan_), or
the tribe of Murrigan. The _Tuogh na Keart_. The _Tuogh_ of Moylinny,
which is co-extensive with the barony of Upper Antrim, and contained
36,000 acres. The _Tuogh_ of Killelagh. The _Tuogh_ of Maghery-morne,
the _Tuogh_ of Braden Iland, and the _Tuogh_ of Ballinlyny. These three
formed the barony of Lower Belfast, and contain 56,000 acres. The _Tuogh
Cinament_, containing part of the parish of Shankill, and the _Tuogh_ of
the Fall, containing the rest of Shankill and the parish of
Drumbeg.[190]
We have then a very instructive account of the counties of Monaghan and
Fermanagh in a letter addressed by Sir John Davis, Attorney-General of
Ireland, to the Earl of Salisbury in the year 1606. He states that
Monaghan, otherwise called M‘Mahon’s country, ‘was divided into five
baronies, viz., Dartry, Monaghan, Cremorne, Trough, and Donamayne; that
these five baronies contain an hundred Ballybetaghs, viz., Dartrey 21,
Monaghan 21, Cremorne 22, Trough 15, and Donamayne 21.’ These obviously
represent _Tuaths_, four being about two-thirds, and the fifth the half
of a _Triocha Ceud_. He then proceeds to tell us ‘that every
_Ballibetagh_ (which signifieth in the Irish tongue a town able to
maintain hospitality) containeth 16 _taths_, each _tath_ containeth 60
English acres or thereabout; so as every _Ballibetagh_ containeth 960
acres, the extent of the whole containing 100 _Ballibetaghs_ is 96,000
acres, besides the church lands.’ This territory having been forfeited
to the Crown, four of the baronies were thus regranted to the M‘Mahons.
‘In the Dartrey five _Ballibetaghs_ were granted in demesne to Bryan
McHugh Oge McMahon, then reputed chief of his name, and the heirs-male
of his body, rendering £30 rent, viz., £6 for each _Ballibetagh_; the
other 16 _Ballibetaghs_ were divided among the ancient inhabitants of
that barony, some having a greater portion allotted and some a less;
howbeit every one did render a yearly rent of 20s. out of every _tath_,
whereof 12s. 6d.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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