NOBBER, Meath (_Cal._, i., 104).--A castle of Hugh de Lacy. A motte, with traces of a breastwork round the top, and wing banks running down to what remains of the bailey on the S. Two curious little terraces on the N. side of the motte. No masonry. [B. T. S.] RATH' (_Cal._, i., 95).--This castle, evidently one of the most important in Ulster, but hitherto unidentified, has been shown by Mr Orpen to be the famous castle of Dundrum, Down.[1095] This castle is situated on a natural motte of rock, no doubt scarped by art, with a deep ditch cut through the rock, and a bailey attached. The top of the motte contains a small ward fortified in stone, and a round keep. It is very doubtful whether this keep is as old as the time of John de Courcy, to whom the castle is popularly attributed; for the round keep without buttresses hardly appears in England before the reign of Henry III. [E. S. A.] RATHWIRE, Meath.--Rathwire was the portion of Robert de Lacy (_Song_, 3150), and a castle was built here by Hugh de Lacy.[1096] There is a motte and bailey, with considerable remains of foundations in the bailey, and one wing bank going up the motte. [B. T. S.] *RATOUTH, Meath, now RATOATH (_Cal._, i., 110).--A castle of Hugh de Lacy. There is "a conspicuous mount" near the church, about which there is a legend that Malachy, first king of all Ireland, held a convention of states (Lewis). It is marked in the map. *ROKEREL (_Cal._, i., 81).--Unidentified. ROSCREA, Tipperary (_Cal._, i., 81).--A motte and bretasche were built here in King John's reign, as is recorded in an inquisition of 29 Henry III. (_Cal._, i., 412). There is no motte now at Roscrea, but an Edwardian castle with mural towers and no keep; a 14th-century gatehouse tower. Here we have a proved instance of a motte completely swept away by an Edwardian transformation.[1097] [E. S. A.] SKREEN, Meath.--Giraldus mentions the castle of Adam de Futepoi, and as Skreen was his barony, his castle must have been at Skreen. In the grounds of the modern castellated house at Skreen there is a motte, 11 feet high (probably lowered), with a terrace round its flank; some slight traces of a bailey. [B. T. S.] SLANE, Meath.--The _Song_ relates the erection of a motte by Richard the Fleming: "un mot fist cil jeter pur ses enemis grever."[1098] It also tells of its destruction by the Irish, but does not give its name, which is supplied by the _Annals of Ulster_. Probably Richard the Fleming restored his motte after its destruction, for there is still a motte on the hill of Slane, with a large annular bailey,[1099] quite large enough for the "100 foreigners, besides women and children and horses," who were in it when it was taken. The motte has still a slight breastwork round the top. The modern castle of the Marquis of Conyngham, below, incorporates half a round tower of 13th-century work, belonging no doubt to the stone castle which succeeded the motte.[1100] [B. T. S.]