CURRAGH, an open level stretch of ancient crown land, area over 4,800 acres, Co. Kildare, Ireland. The right of pas turage is possessed by the landowners of the district. The Liber Hymnorum (loth century) says the king of Leinster granted it to St. Bridget, who is credited with having made it a common. The downs of Kildare seem to have been a meeting place from time immemorial. Cuirrech (lat. cursus) means race course and it is said that races occurred here as early as the 1st century A.D. Aenach Colmain (Curragh fair) or Aenach Life (fair on the Liffey plain) is often mentioned in the Irish Annals. It has seen many fights and gatherings of troops and has long had a military train ing camp; it is the principal horse-racing ground in Ireland. At the camp, on March 20, 1914, Gen. Hubert Gough and other officers offered their resignations as a protest against being sent to enforce the acceptance of Home Rule by North-east Ulster.