Punann Arsa:  The Story of Athenry (Part 3)

Author: Martin Finnerty

Source: Galway Observer, December 16, 1950

There is food for thought when one reflects that where today the quays of Dublin affords accommodation for the moving busy throngs, as compared with the time when Tadg acquired the territory; when the oak and ash, and elm, shed their “showers of sparkling spray” on the smooth waters of the Liffey: when no church bells rang to call the faithful to prayer. To condense reflections what a change today and the numberless innovations that have given ways to others before the seige guns of time.

To come back to Collaibh Vige (Colla Wagga) and the athnubh mor (great change) too. On the sites of the woods where men, women and children took shelter nearly 18 hundred years ago and struggled for an existence. Bord na Mona excavators would turn up what would supplement a harvest for the archaeologists.

Tadg’s descendants were called Cianachta (O Dugan) i.e. the race of Cian from his father Cian and the territory was afterwards so called in commemoration. It will be observed that the name is now forgotten but the name is still in existence in the barony of Cianachta (Keenachta) in Derry. This barony is very distinct in the ancient maps, by the shore of Lough Foyle and bounded on the north by the sea. The rulers were the O’Connors of Drumgiven who were a branch of the tribe or Ciannachta, having been descended from Connla, the son of Tadge.

The name is also preserved in Cuaime Ciannachta (four masters in the parish of Faughanvale in Derry— they have three of the Ciannachta. There is also a district in Louth called Ard Ciannachta (four masters) Ard Ciannachta (Adamnan) the height of the territory of Ciannachta, and the inhabitants were called Feara Arda Ciannachta (four masters) the men of the height from which the modern name of the barony Ferrardh has been formed.

Dishonoured Spear

Tadg, the son of Cian, had a son named Cormac Gaeling Cormac of the dishonored spear, who had fallen under the displeasure of his father because of having used the latter’s spear without permission and was banished from father’s territory. There is a legend as to how this occurred but this would not be credited nearly two thousand years after the supposed occurrence. Meantime Cormac Gaeling obtained from Cormac Mac Art, King of Ireland, a territory in Galway occupied at the time by his own near cousins, the Clann Cian’s some of the members of who may even have been as near as first cousins. Under the jurisdiction and guidance of Cormac Gaeling, this clann pursued the policy of expansion by clearing the great forests and reducing the lands so cleared to productivity.

It will be observed in this county of Galway what constitutes four of the baronies was acquired and held for centuries by the Clann Cian. It will be borne in mind that Cian who fell at the battle of Ma na Cruimhe was the starting point in tracing the genealogies of this tribe. It will also be borne in mind that both Clann Cian and the Cinnachta were the immediate successors of the illustrious Cian, third son of Ollill Ollum, King of Munster and the explanation is obvious that the clann divided into different territories. One branch adopted the surfix and the other the prefix, the signification of Clann Cian and Ciannachta being the same as archta and clann are different forms with the same meaning. Cormac Gaeling appears to have cut his way north and finally settled in north Sligo whose territory is clearly set out in the ancient maps adjoining which is also set out the territory of his son, Luigh, were known by the two names Gaelenga (O Dugan) or the race of Gaelenga and Luighne (Leyny O Dugan) the descendants (i.e.) of Luigh. These were originally only various names of the same tribe. A branch of the same tribe settled in Leinster where there were two territories called respectively Mor Gaelinga, and Gaeliga Beag (O Dugan) or the great and little Gaelinga. One of these names is still retained in the modern barony of Morgallen in County Meath.

Fought at Clontarf

Eile, the seventh in descent from Cian was the ancestor of the tribes called Eile. For about six centuries these tribes were called Clann Cian Eile. and it was only after the battle of Clontarf that a member of the Clan had adopted the name of Cearbhaile and fought with Brian Borugh. After returning to his native Ely he adopted the name of O’Carrol and his posterity were known as Ely O Carrol. and the former Cearhail became Lord of Ely O’Carrol and he was twenty fourth in descent from Cian.

A feature of this race is not to be wondered at the transmission of the clann name to the territories occupied by the clann on the numerous offshoots of that clann. That the cradle land of an oige or Clan Cian is not exception will be discerned from a narration of simple facts. The name of Collaibh Oige is now forgotten in the area, and when mentioned by the people of the last generation its meaning was distinctly misunderstood This is no surprise because for reasons I will explain later the name of this territory underwent a change some fifteen hundred years ago. But in the four territories owned by the clann Cian in the county the townlands named by them still hold their own

Fourteen Townlands

In the ancient territory of Collaibh Oige, now the barony of Tyaquinn, there are fourteen townlands, the names which were originally Clan Cian. The fact that these names were altered to Cloonkeen does not detract from the significance of the original designation and the fact that authorities- even the best—give the anglicised formers “beautiful meadow” does not shake my belief in my own interpretation of the term and I give historical facts to bear out my contentions. From time immemorial tribes and clans have been commemorated in the only way that was possible on the territory of their great ancestors, Clan Cian could be no exception and there is proof in abundance that such was not so. Why should the most immediate descendants of Clan forget or neglect to do justice to the memory of their heroes. Some of these in the woods of An Oige knew him in his life time, his son Tadg would probably be one of them. This surely accounts for such a chain of townlands of the Clan Cian in the barony of Tyaquin. There are also eight electoral divisions of the same name in these four baronies.

It will be noted that in the rest of the County of Galway there is neither townland nor electoral divisions of the name. On the Roscommon side of the Suck and convenient to the latter river there are a number of townlands here and there from Castlerea to Taughmaconnell of this name. As the Clan Cian owned the territory from near Shannon Bridge to Ballymore, it is obvious that the River Suck had been utilized by the fisher folk of the clann and in time got a hold on some areas on the Roscommon side. In the situation of these townlands a remarkable feature is revealed and this is the scene of exploration of this ancient race. In clearing the great forests, they were able to locate the most fertile soil. This they reclaimed, and proceeded to the next most fertile area.

Today, if you stand on a townland of the name you will find that it contains the msot fertile lands in that district, and probably until you arrive at the next townland of the name and the same will be the result until he last of these townlands in the county is surveyed

Whole Job Performed by One Clann

If a shrewd observer would confirm this statement, as do he must, and suppose he never heard of Clan Cian, or Ciannachta, would he not conclude on a minute examination of facts that whomsoever they were the ancient forests were reclaimed by some pobal race, or clann, but that the whole job was performed by the one clann and not the work of several tribes. When we concluded that in those days the Clan Cian and Ciannachta, were the chosen people of King Cormac Mac Art such expansion as they got were not a matter for surprise.

That they were the chosen people of the King is an historic fact and if it were not so, it would be matter for surprise, as the Kings father, Art Mac Con and their hero fell side by side in the battle on the same day. It is these green and fertile fields that comprise the towlands of Clan Cian deserve their original names and still further inherit a lasting claim to same that will endure to the uttermost bounds of posterity. Alongside of Tiaquinn we find four townlands named Cloonkeen or anglicized so which is of course a corruption of Clan Cian and these are situated in the barony of Killian.

In the barony of Kilmachowen there are two; barony of Kilconnell one; barony of Dunmore one: barony of Clare two. It is my firm conviction that these are merely a survival of a much larger number of townlands of the name. It will be taken into account that at all events in this county, outside of the territories. or baronies named. there is not a single townland of the name. Thus we track this ancient tribe of the northern boundary of the County of Galway.