 According to tradition, the English name - Horseleap - originated in an incident in which a member of the De Lacy family was forced to flee on horseback from the Mac Geoghegans.On approaching his castle and discovering that the drawbridge was raised, he jumped the castle's moat on horseback.The battle of Ardnocher took place here in 1329 between the forces of Thomas Butler and William Mac Geoghegan.