06. An Móta
The Moat
An Móta
Tá de cháil ar Bhaile Locha Riach nach bhfuil aon bhaile Normannach eile in Éirinn a bhfuil an móta slán ann ach é. Bhíodh an loch mar áis chosanta ag na Normannaigh an taobh ó dheas den bhaile mór agus bhí sruthán nádúrtha ag rith as an loch leis an gceann thoir. Rinne siad cainéal ansin sa talamh ar an taobh thiar agus ar an taobh ó thuaidh, á thabhairt le chéile leis an sruthán ionas go raibh móta timpeall an bealach uilig. D’fhág sin réimse dronuileogach talún agus air sin a rinneadh árais an bhaile. Tá an móta le feiceáil sa lá atá inniu ann ag déanamh ón loch ar an gcoirnéal thiar thuaidh den bhaile, áit a dtugtar an Droichead Thiar air i gcónaí. Casann an móta soir as sin agus tá bealach siúlóide leis go dtagann duine chomh fada leis an sruthán a ritheann ó thuaidh as an loch. Bheadh an móta ina chosaint mhaith ag an mbaile mór, go háirithe le balla taobh istigh de agus cosaint mhaith ar an mbeagán droichead a d’fhág bealach trasna agus isteach ar an mbaile.
The Moat
Loughrea is famous for being the only Norman town in Ireland that still has a completely intact moat. The Norman’s used the lake as a defence for the town on the south side and made use of the natural stream which runs from the lake on the east side of the town. They dug a channel to the west and north of the town joining the stream to complete the moat. This left a rectangular shape of land in which the town was built. You can see the moat today coming from the lake to the north west corner of town, which is still called the West Bridge. The moat then turns east and runs along the walk until it meets the stream, which runs north from the lake. The moat would have been a very good defence for the town especially with a wall inside it and only a few well-defended bridges across it.
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