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SCANDINAVIAN ANTIQUITIES OF DUBLIN. 211
foundations indispensable for the brick and stone, or high
cagework, houses of the period when these histories of
Dublin were compiled, is it not doubtful that previously to
the sixth century the city should have been named from
the use of hurdles in the foundation of houses ? Is it not
much more probable that the statements of Stanihurst and
Ware originated in the very common practice of deriving
ancient names from modern facts ? The suburbs of the
city furnish a remarkable instance of this mode of proceed-
ing. Ringsend is alleged to be so called because the of Ringsend.
1
the
mooring rings for shipping in the Liffey ended there j
more probable derivation being from the Irish word (Bin)
Rinn, a point or tongue of land, corrupted into ring, as in
Ringrone, Ringagonal, Ringhaddy, or other points of land
jutting into rivers or into the sea. Another instance may
be found in the alleged origin of the name Pill-lane, which of Pffl-iane.
is stated by De Burgho (in his " Hibernia Dominicana") to
be from some fancied connexion with the English Pale, 8
instead of being from a way leading to the " Pill " or little
which is a transverse pole to support which inconvenience might be
rows of sloping stakes, on the two avoided if there were an house built
sides, which are covered with straw for an officer ... at the place
'
"
and leaves. They are without called the Ringsend.' Letter of
chimneys. . . ." Travels of the King James I., under Privy Seal,
Sicur De La Boullaye le Gouz, 29th 1 October, 620. Printed Patent
' Gentilhomme Angevin,' in Italy, Rolls of King James I. Art. i., p.
Greece, Anatolia, Syria, East Indies, 506. Ibid., 1 2th Oct., Ait. cxxx-
Great Britain, and Ireland, &c., ii., p. 512.
&c. 4to, Paris, 1657. Edited by * u On the north side (of the river)
Crofton Croker for Camden Soc.,
1837, p. 40.]
{s p^.^ (Viculus Pali)> com .
monly ^^ tpiu.] anet .
'"And whereas . . .the corruption ofthe word Pale, meaning
place where ships do ride at anchor enclosure, as I have already ex-
being a
. . . is so far from our Custom plained when treating of the English
House that many goods . . . Pale in Ireland." Hibernia Domi-
may be conveyed from said ships nicana, Thomas De Burgo, Colon ia
at night without the knowledge of Agrippina, p. 189, 4to, 1762.
our Officers of Customs, . . .
P2