And be it known to you, that the person who
now addresses you^ is yournear kinsman and first
cousin, once removed, the son of your first cousin,
Onor ny Fflaherty,of the Fflaherties of Ballinsor-
bea^ha, county Mayo, and Rory Oge O'Brien,
the descendant and representative of the
O'Briens, Clan Tiegs, princes of the isles of
Arran, and lineal descendant of Brian Bomi :



THE oVlaHERTYS, 11

which royal race of the O'Briens of Arran were
by the OTflaherties in the reign of Queen

Slizabeth expelled from ; but of these

more hereafter. To take up the thread of my
narration, I say, there are them, who would
purchase the abbey lands of MoycuUen at any
price, from their present supposed proprietor.
Archdeacon Hunks of St. Grellan, son of the
discoverer ; which lands, though let below their
value, and at a short lease, to a Midhain,^
who again parcels them off at rack rents
to poor scullogst and beggarly tenants, who
ruin all, the archdeacon refuses to dispose
of — assigning no reason but that he fears
them would take them at so great a price,
came not well by their means; and would fain
turn the fine old ruins of the abbey, tower, chaun-
try, and castle, to some popish and superstitious
uses ; some saying that the talk was, and is, of
the nuns of St. Bridget, now lodged over Paddy
Blake's shop in the Claddagh of St. Grellan,
that they were to be restored to their andent
premises; and others, having it that the old

* Middle'-man. -f- The lowest description of Irish fiurmen.
