The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-12-11
THE Old IRISH CITY Of 1AURLES
Its Importance in the History Of Tipperary.

The town of Thurles Is situated in
The barony of Eliogarty, that is, Ellie
vi Fhogartaigh, or O'F'ogarty's Ellie.
The name of Thurles is pronounced
In Irish Drulas, which signifies a
fortress. This pronunciation preserves
the photography of the name as writ
ten by the Four Masters, and also
that in the Annals of Innisfallen. Giol-
la ma Namh O'Huidhrin thus describes
the country around Thurles, in his
Typographical poems on Ireland:
"The southern Ellie, mild to the poets |
OF the race of the generous Eochaidh |
Bailderg,
Populous tribes. and its purple hazels,
The land which O'Fogarty has got"
It may be noted that Eochaidh Ball
derg was the son of Caerthann Ffonn,
King of Thomond in the time of st.
Patrick.
In liza, Strongbow marched at the
head of huge army to plumber Mum
ster, and Roderic O'Connor. hearing of
their approach, intercepted them at
Thurles. Donnall O'Brien, who was
left in command of the Irish army,
gave battle, and the invaders were
routed, with great slaughter. The
annals of 1nnisfallen" states that in
1871 a great battle was fought between
the Calls of Thurles and the Irish, un.
der Donal More O'Brien, in which the
former were defeated. In 1897, the
English of Dublin made a foray to
Thurles, where they destroyed many
churches and shrines. From valu-
able manuscript which is preserved in
Marsh's Library, Dublin, we learn that
in 1908 Geoffry Morice, Mayor of
Thurles, obtained a victory over the
Viceroy's forces, (which cast a blem-
ish upon the Government of Ireland"
In 1900, the Buffers of Ormond found
ed Friary at Thurles for the Carmel
ties, or White Friars. Donagh O'How-
leyan was the last Prior, who. accord
ing to an 1nquisition taken in the thir-
ty-sixth year of Henry VIII, refused to
surrender the monastery to the Kings
Commissioners, and, in consequence,
was imprisoned in Dublin Castle for a
considerable period. The 1nquisition
referred to gives some very interesting
details of this monastery, which con-
sisted of a church, chapter-house, dor
mitory, hall, three apartments, a sta
BILE, two gardens containing one acre,
also ten acres of arabic land, with four
acres Of pasture land. The annual
value was estimated at thirteen shill-
ings and fourpence. The Friary and
lands were granted to the Earl of Or
mond, by Letters Patent, in the reign
Of Edward vi. A Catholic church was
in 1908. Tradition says that the
knights Templars had a castle in
Thurles, and ruin was pointed out
as the original building. This has
been described in the unpublished Ord.
nance Survey Letters for Co. Upper.
airy. ut was" says the writer, IAN
oblong building, measuring on the out.
side twenty mine feet by twenty feet
nine inches. The walls were built of
limestone and were about fifty-eight
feet in height, being four feet six
in I'm hn nj
the east wall is seen an opening to a
flue which runs in the thickness of
the walls, having fireplace under it.
At the northeast corner are four quad
rangular, narrow openings, the second
upper one of which is constructed OF
chiselled limestone. In the center OF
the wall is an opening which has a
stone mullion dividing it into two com
partments. each having point at top
1t is constructed of chiselled lime
stone. On the south wall are three
openings. the lowest of which does
not retain the original form, and has
now some stonework and a glass win
dow fixed in it. The second upper
opening has also glass window. The
third, and highest, is constructed OF
chiselled limestone, and had null.
lion in it, which has been removed
In the west wall is placed a quadran
! gular doorway. The staircase is to the
/ right as one enters, and begins at the
west corner and ascends a circular
tower to top. The steps of the stairs,
which are constructed of limestone
measure two feet ten inches in length,
( one foot seven inches in breadth to
Z left next the wall, and become grad
ually diminished to one inch at ex.
tremity to right. The height of the
step is eight inches. The stairs are
lighted by long, narrow openings. The
& floor remains, resting on an arch Of
1 stonework, seen over the ground floor
\ below. On the second floor is a long
Il and narrow apartment, running east
ward along the north wall. A quad
h rangular doorway leads to it from the
stairs. Near the top is long, narrow
apartment running along the north
y wall"
This castle of the Knights Templars
& 70 mentioned in Coughs Camden"
4 but, so far as can be ascertained, there
Is no documentary proof that the