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The Aran Isles: or, A report of the excursion of the Ethnological section of the British association from Dublin to the western islands of Aran, in September, 1857 (Author: Martin Haverty)

chapter 9

INISHEER

As the Vestal passed through the Foul Sound, which separates Inish Maan from Inisheer, the excursionists had an opportunity of seeing on the latter the old castle of the Clann Teige O'Brien, of Aran. It is remarkable that a regular contract was once entered into between this clan and the merchants of Galway, by which the former bound themselves to protect the commerce of the latter from pirates for a certain stipulated number of butts of wine, &c.; and we understand that the original of this singular document is still in the possession of S. Roche, Esq., of Ryehill, county of Galway, the direct descendant of the O'Briens of Aran. This island, on which we had not time to land, contains several very precious remains of antiquity, the principal of them being the beautiful Abbey of St. Kevin of Aran, and his bed or grave.


p.38

But in this sketch of our proceedings we have not attempted to describe any of the objects of interest which the Section under Mr. Wilde's guidance did not actually explore; and among the things thus passed over, merely from want of time to visit them, were some other Firbolgic Cahers or Cashels, some dilapidated cloghauns, some cromleacs and pillar-stones, and some monastic remains of very great antiquity.