APHOf The Parish of Athenry
This Parish, lying between those of Moneyvea and Killeeneen, derives its name from the town in which the Parish Church is situated. The name is not of ecclesiastical origin and before the year 1211 when, it is said, King John built a city here, Athenry was only a ford on the western boundary of Hy-Many and the point at which the principalities of Aidhne, Hy-Briuin and Hy-Many met.
This ford was called Ath na Riogh, the Ford of the Kings, probably from its being so situated. (It is now called by the peasantry Bleath an Righ, which is a contraction of Baile Atha an Righ, the Town of the Ford of the King, and it is believed that it took its name from King John). Camden, however, and other commentators in Ptolemy’s Map of Ireland conjectured that Athenri was the Auteri of the Geographer, but as Auteri was the name of a people it is not even likely that it would be preserve in that of a ford, which Ath na Riogh certainly was, and we need not wonder that the learned O’Flaherty scoffs at such a mode of deriving words in his Ogygia (Vol. 1, p.24, Translat). Besides it will be seen that the Auteri of Ptolemy could not be in Connaught at all and that we should rather look for their name among those of the primitive Irish tribes or territories rather than among those of fords or modern towns. Indeed, I have often laid down it to myself as a true antiquarian rule that if we can ever reconcile Ptolemy’s tribes and cities with the old Irish topographers, we must apply ourselves to compare our Atticoti and other Belgic tribes conquered by Tuathal, who were certainly here in Ptolemy’s time, and our old hill fortresses, which were undoubtedly the Irish cities at the time with his tribes and cities.
To attempt to give any sketch of the history of Athenry in this letter would be complete waste of my time for it would take months to consider the materials before one could begin. It seems to have been built by King John in the year 1211 to put down the Hy-Briuin, Hy-Many and Hy-Fiachrach Aidhne, three most ferocious Conacian tribes. It (Athenry) was surrounded with a wall of considerable strength enclosing an area of twenty-five Irish acres (three acres, it is said, more than Galway) and this wall was originally surrounded with a ditch into watch the river was conducted. This ditch is still traceable on the east and south sides where water still flows through it. The wall was defended with towers and six gates which are callad Sparra’s viz., (1) Briton’s Gate; (2) Castle Gate (called in Irish Sparra an Chaisleain); (3) Spiddle Gate, Sparra an Spideil, the Gate of the Hospital; (4) Lara Gate; (5) Nicholroe Gate, Sparra Niocoil Ruaidh and (6) Templegate, Sparra an Teampuill. All these gates are now destroyed excepting the north (1.e., Briton’s) Gate and a part of Sparra an Chaisleain, which are much injured. It does not appear that they ever had any ornamental work like the Gates of Derry. One tower remains in tolerable preservation on the southeast side.
The “Noble Abbey” which was erected here in 1241 by Meyler de Bermingham at the request of St. Dominic, is still standing in good preservation and should be shewn on the Map.
The Castle of Athenry, called ty some King John’s Castle and by others Bermingham’s Court, is also in good preservation and a very conspicuous object in the town.
The site of the Franciscan Monastery which was founded here in the year 1464 by the Earl of Kildare, is said to be occupied by the Church of Athenry.
For the history of Athenry see Cambrensis on the Fortresses erected by King John in Ireland; De Burgo’s Account of the Dominican Abbeys; Archdall’s Monaaticon and the Annals .of the Four Masters at the years 1249 1266 1316 1322 1375 1473 1504 1544 1572 1583 1596 1599 and 1601.
In the Parish of Athenry are situated, according to the natives, six castles, but I saw only some of them, viz:- 1. Derrydonnell; 2. Moyweela; 6. Carnan; 4. Ballydavid; 5. Castle Ellen; 6. Castle Lambert (not ancient). Derrydonnell is mentioned hy the Four Masters at the years 1213-14 as having derived its name from the circumstance of O’Donnell having encamped at it for a night when he persecuted the poet Muireadhach O’Daly of Lissadill, and at the year 1598 as the residence of the son of Tibbot Mac Davock Burke and in an Inquisition taken at Galway in the year 1608 (?) as one of the Castles of Clanrickard.
Moyweela (Moyvaela) is mentioned by O’Flaherty (Ogygia part 3, C.11) as near a brook called Turlach Airt in Aidhne, where the Monarch Art, the son of Con of the Hundred battles, was killed after the Battle of Moy-Mucroimhe.
