LECTURES, LECTURES ON THE MANUSCRIPT MATERIALS OK ANCIENT IRISH HISTORY DELIVERED AT THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DURING THE SESSIONS OP 1855 AND 1856. EUGENE O'CURRY, M.R.I.A., » PROFESSOR OF IRISH HISTORY AND AHCH^OLOGy IN THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND ; 'CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES OP SCOTLAND, ETC. ^e-issur. DUBLIN: WILLIAM A. HINCH, PATRICK TRAYNOE, 29 Essex Quay. /I fc£E£jiErQH:2QE23:. 1878. (All rights reserved.) [ BOSTON C0LLE6K tfBRART i34yoy PREFACE. If I have any regret for tlie shortcomings of the following analysis of the existing remains of our ancient literature, and the eA'idences of the literary attainments and cultivated tastes of our far removed ancestors, of the Milesian and other races, I must sincerely declare that my regret arises much more from the consciousness of my incapacity to do merited justice to my subject, than from any concern for what my own reputation must suffer, in coming before the world in so prominent a character, and with such very incommensurate c|ualifications. When the Catholic University of Ireland was established, and its staff of Professors from day to day announced in the public papers, I felt the deepest anxiety as to who the Pro- fessor of Irish History should be (if there should be one), well knowing that the only man living who could fill that im- portant office with becoming efficiency as a scholar was already engaged in one of the Queen's Colleges. At this time, hoAV- ever, I can honestly declare that it never entered into my mind that / should or ought to be called to fill this important situation, simply because the course of my studies in Irish History and Antiquities had always been of a silent kind ; — I was engaged, if I may so speak, only in underground work, and the labours in which I had spent my life were such that their results were never intended to be brought separately before the public on my own individiTal responsibility. No person knows my bitterly felt deficiences better than myself. Having been self-taught in all the little J know of general letters, and reared to mature years among an uneducated people (though a people both intelligent, and fond of learning Tl PREFACE. when opportunity permits them to apply themselves to it), I always felt the want of early mental training and of early admission to those great fountains of knowledge which can be approached only through the medium of languages which, though once generally cultivated in my native province, had, under sinister influences, ceased to exist in the remote part of the country from which I come, not very long before I was born. And it never occurred to me that I should have been deemed worthy of an honour which, for these reasons, I should not have presumed to seek. To say so much I feel due, not only to myself, but to the exalted and learned personages who, without any solicitation whatever on my part, overlooked my many deficiencies so far as to appoint me to the newly created Chair of Irish History and Archaeology in this National Uni- versity. The definite idea of such a Professorship is due to the dis- tinguished scholar to whom the first organization of the Uni- versity was committed. It was that idea which suggested the necessity for this first course of Lectures, "On the,MS,Materials of Ancient Irish History", as well as for that which immediately followed it, and in which I am still engaged, " On the Social Customs, Manners, and Life of the People of Ancient Erinn"; — two preliminary or introductory courses, namely, on the two subjects to which this professorship is dedicated : on the exist- ing remains of our History, and the existing monuments of our Archaeology. For, without meaning the smallest disparage- ment to previous labourers in these fields, I found, on exa- mining their works, that, although much had been done in particular directions, and by successive writers, who more or less followed and improved upon, or corrected, each other, still the great sources of genuine historical and antiquarian knowledge lay buried in those vast but yet almost entirely unexplored compilations, which to my predecessors were inac- cessibly sealed up in the keeping of the ancient Gaedhelic, the venerable language of our country. To point out the only way to remedy this state of things, then, and if possible, by a critical analysis of the great mass of documents which still remains to , us in the ancient tongue, to open the way, — as far as lay in my PREFACE. Vll power, — to the necessary examination of these precious records and materials, was the scope and aim of my first course of Lectures ; those now collected in the present volume. That I have not succeeded in placing this interesting subject before the reader in as clear and attractive a form as it deserves, is but too painfully apparent to myself; but if I shall have suc- ceeded in drawing the attention of the student to the necessity of making an independent examination of it for himself, I shall have attained one of the dearest objects of my life, and I shall feel that I have not struggled wholly without success in endeavouring to do my duty to my country so far as it lies in my power to do at all. As to the work itself, its literary defects apart, I may claim for it at least the poor merit of being the first effort ever made to brino- within the view of the student of Irish History and Archaiology an honest, if not a complete, analysis of all the materials of that yet unwritten story which lies accessible, indeed, in our native language, but the great body of which, the flesh and blood of all the true History of Ireland, remains to this day unexamined and un- known to the world. Under the existing circumstances of this jjoor dependent country, no work of this kind could well be undertaken at the expense of the time and at the risk of a private individual. This difiiculty, however, so far as concerns remuneration for labour, and expense of publication of its result, has been happily obviated in a way that even a few years ago could hardly have occurred to the mind of the most hopeful among us. It reflects, surely, no small credit on the infant Catholic University of Ireland, and conveys no light assurance of the national feeling Avhich animated its founders from the begin- ning, not only that it was the first public establishment in the country spontaneously to erect a Chair of Irish History and Archaeology, but that it has provided with unhesitating libe- rality for the heavy expense of placing this volume — the first fruits of that Chair, and the first publication undertaken under such auspices — before the public. Little indeed did it occur to me on the occasion of my first timid appearance in that chair, that the efforts of my feeble Vm PREFACE. pen Tvould pass beyond tlie walls within which these Lectures were delivered. There was, however, among my varying audience one constant attendant, whose presence was both em- barrassing and encouraging to me, — whose polite expressions at the conclusion of each Lecture I scarcely dared to receive as those of approbation, — but whose kindly sympathy practically exhibited itself, not in mere words alone, but in the active encouragement he never ceased to afford me as I went along ; often, for example, reminding me that I was not to be uneasy at the apparent shortness of a course of Lectures, the prepara- tion of which required so much of labour in a new field ; and assuring me that in his eyes, and in the eyes of those who had committed the University to his charge, quantity was of far less importance than accuracy in careful examination of the wide range of subjects which it was my object to digest and arrange. At the conclusion of the course, however, this great scholar and pious priest (for to whom can I allude but to our late illustrious Eector, the Eev. Dr. Newman), — whose warmly felt and oft expressed sympathy with Erinn, her wrongs and her hopes, as well as her history, I am rejoiced to have an op- portunity thus publicly to acknowledge, — astonished me by announcing to me on the part of the University, that my poor Lectures were deemed worthy to be published at its expense. Nor can I ever forget the warmth with which Dr. Newman congratulated me on this termination of my first course, any more than the thoughtfulness of a dear friend with which he encouraged and advised me, diiring the progress of what was to •me so difiicult a task, that, left to myself, I believe I should soon have surrendered it in desj)air. With respect to the subjects treated in the following pages, a glance at the Table of Contents of the Chapters formed by these Lectures (see page xiii), will best explain the plan followed in this attempt to analyse the contents of the whole body of MSS. in the Gaedhelic language, the investigation of which must form an indispensable preliminary to the accurate study of the History of the country. I need not recapitulate here ; nor need I again refer to the importance of every separate PREFACE. IX section into wliicli such an analysis divides itself. It will be found, however, that of all the writers who have published books on the subject, up to the time of delivering these Lectures, — books, some of them large and elaborate, — not one ever wrote who had previously acquired the necessary qualifications, or even applied himself at all to the necessary study, without which, as I think I have established beyond a doubt, the History of Ireland could not possibly have been written. All were ignorant, almost totally ignorant, of the greater part of the records and remains of which I have here, for the first time, endeavoured to present a comprehensive and in some sort a connected account. And even though this volume will not, I know, be found as satisfactory to the student as it might be made in other hands ; yet such, nevertheless, appears to me to be the want of some guide to so vast a mass of materials as that which still lies buried in our Irish jMS. Libraries, that I trust it will be foiind in this respect at least to fulfil the intention of the University Ai;thorities when they determined to undertake the publication. This first volume, this first course of Lectures, has been ex- clusively devoted to an account of the available materials actu- ally existing in MS. for the preparation of a General History of Erinn. The succeeding course, already alluded to, will necessarily be considerably greater in extent ; and if I am enabled to realize the hope of placing that course also before the public in a future volume (or rather volumes, for it will demand, I fear, at least two such as this), it will be found to be ' ^ the complement of the present. It embraces the detailed ex- \^' amination of: — 1° the system of Legislation, and Government, ^J in ancient Erinn; 2° the system of ranks and classes in\ a- Society; 3° the Religious system (if that of Druidism can be >^ so called) ; 4° the Education of the people, with some account of their Learning in ancient times ; 5° the Military system, including the system of Military Education, and some account of the Gaedhelic Chivalry, or Orders of Champioais ; 6° the nature, use, and manufacture of Arms used in ancient times ; 7° the Buildings of ancient times, both public, military, and domestic, and the Furniture of the latter ; 8° the materials X rREFACE. ^nd forms of Dress, as well as its manufacture and ornamenta- tion ; 9° tlie Ornaments (including those of gold and other metals) used by all classes, and their manufacture ; 10° the Musical Instruments of the Gaedhelic people, with some account of their cultivation of Music itself; 11° the Agriculture of ancient times, and the implements of all sorts employed in it ; 12° the Commerce of the ancient Gaedhil, including some account of the Arts and Manufactures of very early times, as well as of the nature and extent of the intercourse of the people with traders of other nations ; and 13° their Funeral Rites, and places of Sepulture. Of these great divisions of my present general course, I am happy to say that all but the last three have been completed, and that the Lectures forming these are now nearly ready for the press, — should the public reception of this first volume be so indulgent as to permit me to hope that the remainder may be allowed to appear in turn. I cannot conclude these prefatory remarks without bespeak- ing the attention of my readers to two important features in the present volume which I trust will be found to possess no little value. I allude to the very extensive Appendix ; and to the interesting series of Fac-Si3IILES, which will be found at the end. In the Appendix I have not only given in full the original text of every one of the very numerous quotations from the ancient Gaedhelic ]\ISS. referred to and translated in the text, — (extracts which will, I hope, be found useful and convenient to the student at a distance from our libraries, both as authorities and as examples also of the language, the records quoted being compositions of almost every age duringmany centuriesback), — but also many original pieces of great importance, not hitherto published, which I have endeavoured to edit fully with trans- lation and notes/*^^ Besides these, I have there collected also se- veral separate notes andmemoranda upon various subjects, which . Ca) The end of the Appendix (p. 644,— App. No. CLVII.), I have thought it right to insert a statement respecting the Irish MSS. at St. Isidore's, in Rome, drawn up, since tliese Lectures were delivered, for the Senate of the University. It will be found to contain some interesting matter in connection with tlic subject of this volume. PREFACE. XI could not properly have been introduced in the course of the Lectures themselves. The preparation of this Appendix has cost me, I may almost say, as much labour as that of the entire text ; and it has been a chief cause of the great delay which has taken place in the publication of the book. In the series of Fac-Similes (the addition of which was adopted on the suggestion of my learned colleague and friend, Dr. W. K^ O'Sullivan), I have taken advantage of the oppor- tunity presented by the publication of a general work on our early MSS. to lay before the learned in other countries a com- plete set of examples of the handwriting of the best Gaedhelic scribes, from the very earliest period down to the century before the last. For this purpose I have for the most part selected my examples from those passages which have been quoted in the text, and of which the original Gaedhelic will be found in the Appendix, in order that scholars may be able to compare the contracted writing with the full sentences as I have expanded them. But I have also inserted several examples (as in the instances of the earliest Latin ecclesiastical MSS., one of which is, I believe, contemporary with St. Patrick, and three of which are attributed to the very hand of St. Colum Cille), from writings which are mentioned indeed, but which there was no occasion to quote in the course of the Lectures. These fac-simi!es have been executed with admirable correct- ness in the establishment of Messrs. Forster, lithographers, of this city. I can confidently recommend them to Continental scholars as perfect representations of the handwriting of various ages ; and I hope they may be found of some practical use, not only in the identification of Gaedhelic MSS. yet hidden in foreign libraries, but also in the determination of the ages of the MSS. with which they may be compared. They will be found to be arranged in chronological order. I have to apologize for the length of time which has elapsed from the first annoixncement of this book to its publication, as well as for the many errors, of print and others, which will be detected in it, but most of which will be found corrected at the end of the volume. Those, however, who are aware of the Xn PREFACE. crushing succession of domestic afflictions and of bodily infir- mities with which it has pleased Providence to visit me during the last three years, will, I am sure, look with indulgent eyes on these defects, as well as on those concerning which I have already confessed and asked pardon beforehand. In conclusion, I have only to acknowledge the deep obliga- tions under which I am placed by the kindness of many emi- ment literary friends in the preparation of this volume. Among these I cannot but warmly thank, in particular, the learned Secretary of the Brehon Law Commission, the Very Rev. Charles Graves, F.T.C.D., Dean of the Chapel Royal, for much of kind consideration and many valuable suggestions ; the Rev. James H. Todd, S.F.T.C.D., President of the Royal Irish Academy, to whom, with my last named friend, the revival of Irish literature owes so much, and whose countenance and cordial assistance to me have been for so many years of inestimable value ; my dear friends, John Edward Pigot, M.R.I.A., and Dr. Robert D. Lyons, M.R.I A., from whom I received most valuable assistance in the plan and original pre- paration of these Lectures ; and to the former of whom I owe, in addition, the untiring devotion of the vast amount of time and trouble involved in the task his friendship undertook for me of correcting the text, and preparing for, and passing through the press, the whole of this volume ; and my able and truly learned friend, Mr. Whitley Stokes, who prepared for me the references to the MSS. quoted by Zeuss (pp. 27, 28 of this volume), the only new passage, I believe, which has been introduced into the text of the following Lectures since their . delivery. Eugene O'Cuert. Dublin, December 15, ISfO. CONTENT S. LECTUKE I. Introduction. Of the Lost Books, etc., . . 1 — 28 Natural reverence for ancient monuments and records, 1 .— Neo:lect of Antiquarian inquiry in Ireland, 2. — Elevated rank of men of learning under the ancient Irish law, 2. — Great antiquity of literature in Erinn, 3. — Of literature in ancient Erinn before the time of St. Patrick, 4. — Loss of the earlier -writings, and its causes, 5. — Neglect of the language in more modern times, 6. — Literature, nevertheless, encouraged by the native chieftains, even after the loss of national independence, 6, 7. — Of the Lost Books of Ancient Erinn, 7. — The Cuilmenv, 8. — The Saltair of Tara, 9. — Poem by Cuan O'Lochain, 10. — The Book of the Ua Chong- bhaiJ, 13. — The Cin Droma Snechta, 13. — Its author, 13, 14 The Senchus Mdr, or Great Book of Laws, 16. — Account of a private library (that of St. Longarad, of Ossory) in tlie 6th century, 17. — The Book of St. Mochta, 19. — The Book of Cuana, 19. — The Book of DiM dd Leithe, 19. — The Saltair of Cashel, 19. — List of the Lost Books recorded, 20 — Lost Books extant in Keating's time, 21. — Lost Books knoAvn totheO'Clerys, 21, 22.— The Irish MSS. in the library of Trin. Coll., Dublin, 23.— MSS. in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, 24.— Irish MSS. in the Library of the British Museum, and in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, 25.— Other Collections of Irish MSS. in England, 25.— Irish MSS on the Continent — Brussels, Paris, Rome, etc., 20. — Irish MSS. referred to in the Gram- matica Cellica of Zeuss, 27. LECTUKE II. Op the Earliest Existing MSS., . . . 29—51 Account of the Cuilmenn, 29 and 41. — Of tlie recovery of the Tale of the 2'din Bo Chuailgn^, 29. — Account of the Tain Bo Chiailgne, 30. — Personal descriptions in this ancient tale, 37, 38. — Mythical and legendary inventions introduced into it, 39. — Historical value of this tale, 40. — Authorship of the Saltair of Tara, 42. — Account of King Cormac Mac Airt, 42. — Personal description of King Cormac, 44, 45. — Laws and legal writings of the reign of Cormac, 46.— Of the Book of Acaill, 47. — Cennfalad " the Learned", 48. LECTURE III. Of the Early Historic Writers. The Ancient Annals, 52—73 List of the principal Annals, 52.— Of the earlier Chronologists and Historians, 53.— The Synchronisms of Flann of Monasterboice (11th century), 53. — The Chronological Poem of Gilla Caemhain, 55.— Of Tighernach, the Annalist, 57 and Gl. — Account of the Monastery of Clonmacnoise, and of its foundation by St. Ciaran (6th century), 58. — Of the Annals of Tighernach, 62. — The Chro- nological Poem of Eochaidh O'Flinn, 69. — Account of the foundation of Emania, B.C. 405 (taken by Tighernach as the starting point of credible Irish History), 70. — The Destruction of Emania by " the Three CoHas" (a.d. 331), 72. XIV CONTENTS. LECTUEE IV. The Ancient Annals (continued), . . , 74—92 Continuation of the Annals of Tighemach, 74. — Of the Annals of Innisfallen, 75 and 79. — Of the monastery of Inis Faithlenn, in Loch Lein (Killarney), 75. — Of MaelsuthaiH 0' Cearbhd'dle (secretary and counsellor of Brian Borumha), 76. — Legend concerning him, 76. — Of the so-called Annals of Boyle, 81 (and see 105). — Historical writers of the 12th, 13tli, and 14th centuries, 82. — Of the Annals of Ulster, 83. LECTURE V. The Ancient Annals (continued), . . . 93—119 Of the Annals of Loch Ce (improperly called the " Annals of Kilronan"), 93. — Account of them, 100. — Extracts and examples, 101. — Account of the Battle of Magh Shcht (a.d. 1256), 101.— Of the Annals of Connacht, 104 and 113.— Of the Annals of Botle, 105. — Of the use of the Annals as materials for his- tory, 119. LECTURE VI. The Ancient Annals (continued), . . . 120—139 Of the Chronicum Scotorum, 120 and 126. — Of the life and death of Dubhaltach Mac Firbisigh of Lecain (Duald Mac Firbis), and of his Book of Pedigrees, 120-122. — His various works, 123. — Of the Books of Lecain, and the Mac Firbis family, 125. — Title and Preface of the Chronicum Scotorum, 127. — Of the Annals of Clonmacnois, 130. — The Story of Queen Gormlaith, 132. — Address and Dedication of the Annals of Clonmacnois, 135-6. — Authorities quoted by the translator, 137. LECTURE VII. The Ancient Annals (continued), . . 140—161 Of the Annals of the Four Masters, 140, and 145, and 155. — Of the " Con- tention of the Bards", 141. — Account of the O'Clerys, 142. — Colgan's account of the " Four Masters", and particularly of Michael O'Clery, 143. — Dedication of the Annals of the Four Masters, 146. — The " Testimonium", 147. — Of the Chro- nology adopted by the Four Masters, 151. — Mistake of Moore in his " History of Ireland", 153. — Anecdote of Moore, 154. — Of the race of Fergal O'Gara (to whom the Annals are dedicated), 157 Of the published editions of these Annals,^159. — Of the splendid edition by Dr. John O'Donovan, published by Mr. George Smith, 160-1. LECTURE VIII. The Works of the " Four Masters", . - 162—180 Of O'Clery's Succession of the Kings, (^Rp.im Rioghraidh^), 162. — Preface to this work, 163. — Dedication and Address to the Reader, 164, 165. — Of O'Clery's Book of Invasions (Zeo6Aar Gahhdla), 168. — Dedication to it, 168. — Preface, or Address to the Reader, 169 Of the other works of Michael O'Clery, 173.— The O'Clery MSS. in Belgium, 174.— Of Michael O'Clery's Glossary, 175.— Dedication to it, 175.— Preface or Address to the Reader, 176. — Of the writings of Cucoig- chriche (called " Peregrine") O'Clery, 178. LECTURE IX. Of THE CHIEF existing Ancient Books, . . 181—202 Of the old MSS. still existing, 181-2. — Of the Leabhar na h-Uidhre (Book of the Dun Cow, of St. Ciaran), 182. — Of the Book of Leinster, 186. — Of the Book of Balltmote, 188. — The Leabhar Mor Duna Doighre, called Leabhar Breac), 190, (and see also p. 352). — Of the Yellow Book of Lecain, 190. — The Book of Lecain, 192.— Of the principal vellum MSS. in T.C.D., 192.— Of the MSS. in the Library of the R.I.A., 195.— Of the Book of Lismore, 196.— Of the MS. books of Laws (called in English the "Brehon Laws'', 200-201. CONTENTS. XV LECTURE X. Or the Books of Genealogies and Pedigrees, 203—228 Of the system of official record of the Genealogies, etc., in ancient Erinn, 203-4. — Credibility of the antiquity of our Genealogies, 205. — Actual historical account of them, 205-6.— Of the IMilesian Genealogies, 206-7.— The Lines of Eber and Ere- mon, 207 The Iriah and Ithian races, 207. — Of the Eremonian Pedigrees, and of Ugaine Mnr, 207-8. — Of the Dalcassians, and the Eoghanachts of Munster, 208. — Genealogy of the O'Briens, and other Munster clanns, from Oilioll Oilum, 208-0, — Genealogy of the Dalcassians, from Cormac Cas, 213. — Of the importance of the recorded Genealogies under the ancient law, 213-14. — Family names first intro- duced (circa a.d. 1000), 214.— Distinction between a " Genealogy" and a " Pedi- ' gree", 214. — Form of the old Genealogical Books, 215. — Mac Firbis' Book of Genealogies, 215. — Title and Preface of it, 216. — Ancient Poem on the charac- teristics of different races, 224. LECTURE XI. On the Existing Ancient Histories. The Historic Tales, 229-250 Of the existing pieces of detailed History in the GaedheUc language, 229. — The History of the Origin of the Boromean Tribute, 230.— The History of the Wars of the Danes with the Gaedhil, 232. — The History of the Wars of Thomond, 233.— The Book of Munster, 237.— Of THE HISTORIC TALES, 238. — Nature of the compositions, 239. — Of the education and duties of an Ollamh, 239. — Of the authority of the " Historic Tales" as pieces of authentic history, 241. — Of the classes into which they are divided, 243. — 1° of the Catha (or Battles), 243.— Tale of the " Battle of Ma. 400), 469. — O'FIaherty on the Use of Letters in ancient Erinn, 409. — Of Cuchorb, 480, 2* XVlll CONTENTS. Tale of BaiU Mac Buain (original, with translation and notes) . 472 Poem by Ailbhe, daughter of Cormac Mac Airt (circa a.d. 260), original, with translation and notes), ..... 476 Poem on the Death of Cuchorb, by Mead/M, daughter of Conn " of the Hundred Battles" (B.C. 1) (original, with translation, and notes), . . 480 APP. No. III. (P. 5). T/a-ee Poems by Dubhthach Ua Lugaiu {Chief Poet of the Monarch Laeghaire, a.d. 432), on the Triumplis of Enna Censelach, and his son Crimthann, Kings of Leinster (original, with translation and notes), 482 APP. No. IV. (P. 8). Original of Passage concerning the Cuilmenn, from the Book of Leinster, ...... 494 APP. No. V. (P. 9, and 31). Original (unth translation') of Passage in an ancient Law Glossary explaining the " Seven Orders of Wisdom^' {under the title Caog- DAcn), ....... 494 APP. No. VI. (P. 10). Original of Passage in Poem of Cuan Ua Lochain, on Tara, referring to the Saltair, ..... 496 APP. No. VII. (P. 11). Original of passage from the "Booh of the Ua Cong- bhail", referring to the Saltair, ..... 496 APP. No. VIII. (P. 12). Original of Passage from Keating, referring to the Saltair, ....... 497 APP. No. IX. (P. 13). Original of reference to the Cinn Droma Snechta in the Books of Ballymote and Lecain, ... - 497 APP. No. X. (P. 13). Original of second reference to the same in the Book of Lecain, ....... 497 APP. No. XI. (P. 14). Original of third reference to the same in the Book of Lecain, ....... 497 APP. No. XII. (P. 14). Original of reference to the same, in Keating, . 498 APP. No. XIII. (P. 14). Original of j^assage in the Book of Leinster concerning the CiN Droma Snechta, ..... 498 APP. No. XIV. (P. 15,16). Pedigree of DvAcn Ga-lxcu, King of Contiacht {in the early part of the 5th century'), ..... 498 APP. No. XV. (P. 15). Original of second re/e?-eHce ^o ?Ae Cin Droma Snechta, in Keating ; and original (ivith translation) of corresponding passage in the Uraich- echt, in the Books of Ballymote and 'Lecain, . . . 501 APP. No XVI. (P. 15). Original of second i^dssage in the Book of Leinster, con- cerning the same, ...... 501 APP. No. XVII. (P. 17). Original of T'^erse (and Gloss) from the Felire Aengusa, referring to the Library o/Longarad (temp. St. Colum Cille), . . 501 APP. No. XVIII. (P. 29.) OJ Letha, the ancient name for Italy in the Gaedhelic, ....... 502 APP. No. XIX. (P. 32). Original of jxissage concerning the Cuilmenn, in the Leabhar Mor Duna Doighre, ..... 504 APP. No. XX. (P. 32). Original of passages concerning the same in two ancient Glossaries (74, R.I.A. ; and H. 3, 18, T.C.D.), . . .504 APP. No XXL (P. 36). Of the Ben Sidhe ("Banshee"), \_Sidh.—Fersidhe.— Bensidhe'], ....... 504 APP. No. XXII. (P. 38). Original of Description of the Champion, Eeochaid Mac Fathemain, /ro??i the ancient Tale of the Tain Bo Chuailgne, . . 506 CONTENTS. XIX APP. No. XXIII. (P. 38). Oriyinal of Description of the Champion Fergna,, from the same, . . . . . . . 50G APP. No. XXIV. (P. 38). Origi7ialqf Description of Prince 'Etc, from the same, 506 APP. No. XXV. (P. 41), Of the date of the Tain Bo Chuailgne (iviih extracts, in orifinal, ivith translation of passages from the MS. H. 3. 17., T.C.D., and the Book of BaUijmote), ...... 507 APP. No. XXVI. (P. 44). Original of Description of Cormac Mac Airt at the Assembly of Tara ; from the Booh of Ballymote, . . . 510 APP. No. XXVII. (P. 47). Original of commencement of Preface to (lie Book of AcAiLL (in the MS. E. 5, T. C.D.J, attributed to King Cormac Mac iVirt, . 511 APP. No. XXVIII. (P. 49, and 51). Original of remainder of same, . 512 Original of another version of the latter portion of this passage (from the MS. H. 3. 18., T.C.D.), 513.— Poem, by Cinaeth O'Hartigaiu (a.d. 973), from the Book of Ballymote (original, and translation), 513-14. APP. No. XXIX. (P. 56, 57). Original of two passages concerning Flann ofMonas- terboice (fro7n TigheiURch, and from 0' CTer^'s Leabhar Gabhala), . 516 APP. No. XXX. (P. 58). Original of entries in the Chronicum Scotorum, and in the Annals of Ulster, of the death o/TiGnERNACH (a.d. 1088), . r 517 APP. No. XXXI. (P. 58 to 60). Of the Foundation oj Clonmacnoise, . 517 APP. No. XXXII. (£. 63, and 67). Of the Fragment of an ancient vellum copy of the Annals of Tighernach, bound up with the Annals of Ulster, in the Library of Trin. Coll. Dublin, ...... 517 Letter from Eev. J. H. Todd, P.R.I.A., to Mr. Curry, upon this Fragment, 517. Original of the entire passage containing the sentence " Omnia Monumenta Sco- torum", etc., from the copy of tlie Annals of Tighernach in T.C.D. (H. 1. 18.), 519. — Original of version of same in the R. I. Academy MS. (33. 6.) 519 note. — Original of version of same passage as given by Dr. O'Conor, 519 note. — Original of Ballymote, 520. — Of the second tract of Synchronisms in same Book, attributed to Flann, by the Venerable Charles O'Conor of Ballynagar (with translation of parallel passage in an ancient tract of Synchronism in the Book), 520-21. — Of Ti- ghernach's authority for the sentence in question, 521. — Euchaidh O'Flinn, 521- 22. — Of the Synchi'onisms in the Book of Lecain, 522. — Flann's Poems, 522-23. — Quatrain identifying the author of the Poems (original and translation), 523. APP. No. XXXm. (P. 64). Original of stanza of Maelmura, quoted by Tigher- nach, ....... 524 APP. No. XXXIV. (P. 64). Original of another ancient stanza quoted by Tigher- nach, and Extract from Dr. 0' Conor's account of the T.C.D. copy o/ Tigher- nach, •••.... 524 APP. No. XXXV. (P. 68). Of King Eochaidh Bdadhach, . . 526 APP. No. XXXVI. (P. 68). Original of an Entry in Tighernach, as to the Kings of Leinster, ••..... 526 APP. No. XXXVII. (P. 70). Original of commencement of Poem (ascribed to Gilla an Chomdedh Ua Cormaic) in the Book of Leinster, . . 526 APP. No. XXXVIII. (P. 70). Original {ivith Translation) of the account of the Foundation of the Palace o/Emain Macha, or Emania (from the Book of Leinster), 520 APP. No. XXXIX. (P. 75). Original of Entry in the Annals of Tighernach (at A.D. 1405), concerning the Continuator of these Annals, . . 529 XX CONTENTS. APP. No. XL. (P. 70). OriyinaloJ legendary account o/Maelsuthain O'Cearbhaill, o/Inis Faithleun, in Loch Lein {Innisfalkn, Loioer Lake of Killarney), from the LiBEu Flavds Fergusiordm, ..... 529 APP. No. XLI. (P. 7(i). Contents of the Liber Flavus Fergusiorom (a.d. 1437), 531 APP. No. XLII. (P. 84). Original of entry in the Atasxus of Ulster, concerning the Death of the original compiler, 'Mac Mixghnusa (a.d 1498), . . 533 APP. No. XLIII. (P. 85). Orig'nal oj two Memoranda in T.C.D. copy of the Annals OF Ulster (H. 1. 8), . . . . • • 533 APP. No. XLIV. (P. 90, 92). Of the commencement of the MS. called the Annals of Ulster, in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin (H. 1. 8), . . 534 APP. No. XLV. (P. 94). Original of Memorandum inserted in the T.C.D. copy of the Annals of Loch Ce (a.d. 1061), .... 534 APP. No. XLVI. (P. 94j. Original of second Memorandum in same (a d. 1515), 534 APP. No. XLVII. (P. 94). Original of third Memorandum in same (ad. 1581), 534 APP. No. XLVIII. (P. 94). Original of fourth Memorandum in same (a d. 1462), 534 APP. No. XLIX. (P. 95). Original of entry (at a.d. 1581) in Fragment of Continua- tion of the Annals of Loch Ce, in the Brit. Museum i and of Note ctppended thereto, by Brian j\[uc Dermot, Chief of Magh Luirg, . . . 534 APP. No. L. (P. 96). Original of entry of Death of Brian Mac Dermot (a.d. 1592), in the Annals of the Four Masters, .... 535 APP. No. LI. (P. 102). Original of entry in Annals of Loch Ce, at a.d. 1087, 535 APP. No. LIL (P. 101). Original of eiitryuisanie, at A.T). [087, . ■ 535 APP. No. LIIL (P. 101). Original of account of the Battle of Magh Slecht (a.d. \25^), from the Annals of Loch Ce, .... 536 APP. No. LIV. (P. 102). Original (and translation') of passage in the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick concerning the Idol called Cenn Cruaich, or Crom Cruach, and the Plain of Magh Slecht, ..... 538 APP. No. LV. (P. 102). Original of Memorandum at the end of the T CD. copy of the Annals of Connacht (H. 1. 2.), . . . . . 539 APP. No. LVI. (P. 109). Original of Memorandum in the Brit. Museum copy of the so- ca//ef/ Annals OF Boyle, (under year 1594), . . . 639 APP. No. LVII. (P. 111). Oiiginal of Second Memorandum in same, . 536 APP. No. LVIII. (P. 111). Original of third Memoratidum in same, . 540 APP. No. LIX. (P. 112). Original of passage in O'Donnel's Life of Saint Colum C///e(2. 52. R.L A.), ...... 540 APP. No. LX. (P. 115). Original of entry in the Annals of Connacht, at a.d. 1464; and Original of abstract of same in the handwriting of the Venerable Charles 0'' Conor of Ballynagar, ...... 540-1 APP. No. LXI. (P. 1 1 5). Original of Corresponding entry in the Annals of Loch Ce (H. 1. 19., T.C.D.), ...... 541 APP. No. LXII. (P. 121). Original of Title of Mac Firbis Book of Pedigrees and Genealogies, . . . . . . .541 APP. No LXIII. (P. 126). Original of description oftheLiauguration of the O'Dowda, in the Book (f Lecain. ...... 542 APP. No. LXIV. (P. 127). Original of Title, and conunencement of Preface, of the CuRONicoM Scotoruji, ..... 542 APP. No. LXV. (P. 127). Original of a Note, by Mac Firbis, in the Chronicum Scotorum, . . . . . . .113 CONTENTS. XXI APP. No. LXVI. (P. 12;'). Original of Memotandum in the Chronicum Scotordm (a.d. 722), explaining a deficiencg thare, . . ; .643 APP. Ko LXVII. (P. 146). Original of Dedication of the Annals of the Four Masters, ....... 543 APP. No LXVIII. (P. 147). Original of Testimonium of the Annals of the Four Masters, .....•• 543 APP. No. LXIX. (P. 15S). Of the succession of the Chiefs of the O'Gara Family, from A D. 932 to 1537 ; from the Annals of the Four Masters, . , 5i6 APP. No. LXX. (P. 163). Original of O'Clerfs Preface to the Eeim Riograidhe, (^succession of the Kings), from the R I.A. MS. (40, 4), . . 548 APP. No. LXXI. (P. 164). Original of O'Clery's Dedication to the same, . 550 APP. No. LXXII. (P. 165). Original of 0''Clerys Address to the Reader, prefixed tothesameU'-omtheT.C.'D.'M^.; Yl. i.Q), . . .551 APP, No. LXXIII. (P. J 63). Original of O'Clery^s Dedication to the Leabhar Gabhala (Boot of Invasions), from the T.CD. MS. (H. 1. 12), . . 552 APP. No. LXXIV. (P. 169). Original of O'Clerfs Address to the Header, prefixed to the same (from a copy in the Library of the R.I. A., made in 1685), . 554 APP. No. LXXV. (P. 175). Original of Title and Dedication of O'Clerx's Glos- sary, ....... 557 APP. No. LXXVI. (P. 1 76). Original of Address to the Header, prefixed to the same, 558 APP. No. LXXVII. (P. 178). [Erroneous reference as to List of Contractions, etc.] 560 APP. No. LXXVIII. (P. 178). Original (and Translation) of the Last Will of Cuchoighcriche O'Clery (^called Cucogry, or Peregrine O'Clej-y), . 560 APP. No. LXXIX. (P. 179). Original (and Translation) of Two Poems by Cu- coighcriche O'Clery, ..... 562 APP. No. LXXX. (P. 182). Origiwd of Two Memoranda in the Leabhar na H-UiDHRE (concerning the history of that celebrated MS.), . . 570 Note concerning Conchobhar, the son of Aedh O'Donnell (ob. a.d. 1367), 570, note. APP. No. LXXXI. (P. 183). Original of entry in the Annals of the Foitr Masters (a< A.D. 1470), ... . . 570 APP. No. LXXXII. (P. 184.) Original of entry in same Annals (at a.d. 1106), 571 APP. No. LXXXIII. (P. 1S4). Original of a Memorandum in the Leabhar na H-UlDHRE, ....... 571 APP. No. LXXXIV. (P. 186) Original of a Memorandum in the Book of Leinster, 571 APP. No. LXXXV. (P. 187). Original of a second Memorandum in the same, 571 Al'P. No. LXXXVI. (P. 1 95). [Apology for not giving a complete List of the MSS. in the Libraries of the R I A. and of Trin. Coll. Dublin], . . 571 APP. No. LXXXVII. (P. 216). Original of Title and Introduction to Mac Firbis' Book of Genealogies, ..... 572 Original (and Translation) of ancient Poem on the celebrated Builders of ancient times, 577. Original (and Translation) of ancient Poem on the Characteristics of the various Races in Erinn, 580. Original (with Translation) of ancient Toem on the Characteristics of various Nations, 580. APP. No. LXXXVIII. (P. 243). Original (and Translation) of passage, concerning the Historic Tales, m the Book of Leinster, . . . 583 APP. No. LXXXIX. (P. 243). Original (and Translation, with Notes), of the List of the Historic Tales, in the Book of Leinster, . . 584 XXn CONTENTS. APP. No. XC. (P. 276). Of the Place of the Death- Wound of Conchobbar Mac Nessa, ....... 593 Original Cancl Translation) of Note, by Michael O'Clery on this subject, 593. APP. No. XCI. (P. 293). Original oj Stanza of a Poem by Saint Mocliolinog, about the Ua Corra ; from the Book of Fermoy, . . . 593 APP. No. XCII. (P. 302, 303). Original of the first lines of Six Poems attributed to Finn Mac Cumhaill, ..... 594 APP. No. XCIII. (P. 306, 307). Original of the first line of Poem attributed to Fergus FiNNBHEOiL; and of first line of Poem attributed to Caeilte Mac Konain (^from the UlNNSEANCHUS), ...... 591 APP. No. XCIV. (P. 308, 311). Original of passage (poem) from the Agallamh na Sean&rach, concerning Gael Ua Neamnainn and the Lady Credhi (from the Book OF Lismore), ...... 594 Original (and Translation) of Prose passage from the same, 597. APP. No. XCV. (P. 315). Of the ancient Monuments called Cromlech, . 598 APP. No. XCVI. (P. 325). Original of passage in the " Tripartite Life" oJ Saii.t Patrick, concerning the Domhnach Airgid, . - . 598 APP. No. XCVII. (P. 329, 330). Original of first stanza of the Prayer of Saint Cohan Cille (from the Yelloiu Book of Lecain) ; and Original (and Translation) of passage concerning the Cathachfrom 0''DonnelVs Life of Saint Colum Cille. 599 APP. No. XCVIII. (P. 331.) Original of Inscription on the Shrine of the Cuthach, 599 APP. No. XCIX. (P. 334). Original oj entry in the Annals of Tighernach (a.d. 1090), as to the Cdilefadh, ..... 599 APP. No. C. (P. 335). Original (and Translation) of reference to a Cuilefadh of Saint Emhin, in a MS. of a.d, 1463, in the R.I.A. (43. 6.), . . 599 APP. No. CI. (P. 33G). Oiiginal (and Translation) of passage concerning the Mios- ach, from the Yellow Book o/Lecain, .... 600 APP. No. CII. (P. 338). Of the Belie called the Bachall Isu, or •' Staff of Jesus," 601 Original (and Translation) of the account of the ancient tradition respecting this relic in the " Tripartite Life" of St. Patrick, Gal. — Remarks of the Rev. Dr. Todd, P.R.I.A , upon the accounts of this Relic, 602. — Original (and Translation) of passage concerning it in the Annals of Loch Ce', 604. — Original (and Translation) of passage concerning it in the Annals of the Four Masters, 605. APP. No. cm. (P. 343). Original (and Translation) of Stanza in Poem by Saint Fiacc (alluding to the desertio?i of Tara), .... 606 APP. No. civ. (P. 344.). Original (and Translation) of passage in the " Tripar- tite Life" of Saint Patrick (concerning the chariot of Saint Patrick), . 606 Original (and Translation) of passage concernuig the same in the Book of Armagh, 607. APP. No. CV. (P. 346). Oviginal of entry at the end of the "Tripartite Life", 608 APP. No. CVI. (P. 347). Original (and Translation) of passage alluding to Saint Ultan in the " Tripartite Life", .... 608 Original of passage from Tierchan's Annotations, in the Book of Armagh, 608. APP. No. CVII. (P. 350). Origimd of concluding words of First Part of the Tri- . partite Life, ...... 609 APP. No. CVIII. (P. 350). Original (and Translation) of observations, by the original writer, on the opening passage of the Third Part of the " Tripartite Life" of St. Patrick, ...... 609 CONTENTS. XXlll APP. No. CIX. (P. 360). 0)-i(jinal of Two Lines of the spurious Sai,taiu tixUANti; and of the First Line of same Poem ("Brit. Mus. ; MS. Eg. 185.), . 009 APP. No. ex. (P. 362). Original of the Tivo First Lines of the Martyrolocjij of Maelmuire Ua Gormain (MS. vol. xvii., Bury. Lib., Brussels), . 609 APP. No. CXI. (P. 363). The Pedigree o/ Aengus Ceile De (from the Leabhar Mor Duna Doighre, c«//ec? //ie LeabharBreac), . . . 610 APP. No. CXII. (P. 364). On^riHw/ o/ /Ac " Canon" o/ Fothadh, . 010 APP. No. CXIII. (P. 365). Original of the Livocation from the Fe-liris A-EifiGUSX, 610 APP. No. CXIV. (P. 367). Original of First Stanza (Jan. 1) of the Felire Aengusa, . . . . . . .611 APP. No. CXV. (P. 368), Original of Stanza of the Felire Aengusa at March 17, . . . . • • .611 APP. No. CXVL (P. 308). Original of Stanza of same at April 13 (Festival of Bishop Tassach), . . . . . .611 APP. No. CXVII. (P. 373). Original (and Translation) of the " Canon of Saint P«g (pron : nearly as "Layry"), who was uncle, on the mother's side, and preceptor of the Fiacc just mentioned."^^ It is to be remarked here that, in dealing with these early periods of Irish history, the inquirer of the present day has to contend with difficulties of a more than ordinary kind. Our isolated position prevented the contemjDorary chroniclers of other countries from oivinof to the affairs of ancient Erinn anything more than a passmg notice; while many causes have combined to deprive us of much of the light which the works of our own annalists would have thrown on the passing events of their day in the rest of Europe. The first and chief of these causes was the destruction and mutilation of so many ancient writings during the Danish occu- pation of Erinn; for we have it on trustworthy record, that those hardy and imscrupulous adventurers made it a special part of their savage warfare to tear, burn, and drown (as it is expressed) all books and records that came to their hands, in the sacking of churches and monasteries, and the plundering of the habitations of the chiefs and nobles. And that they des- troyed them, and did not take them away, as some have thought (contrary to the evidence of our records), is confirmed by the fact that not a fragment of any such manuscripts has as yet been found among the collections of ancient records in Copen- hagen, Stockholm, or any of the other great northern reposi- tories of antiquities that we are acquainted with. Another, and, we may beheve, the chief cause, was the oc- f65 It has been thought proper to _insert in the Appendix (No. III.) the text (with translation) of tliree of these curious poems, as specimens of the style and composition of so very early a writer. They are all on the subject of the battles and triumphs of King Crimtkan, son of Enna Ceinnselacli (King of l.einster in the time of the poet, i.e., the fifth century), and on those of Enna himseU". 6 OF THE LOST BOOKS OF ANCIENT ERINX. LECT . I. currence of tlie Anglo-Nonuan invasion so soon after the expul- Nciect f ^^^^^ °^ ^^^® Danes, and tlie sinister results which it produced thc'iangurtge upou thc literary as well as upon all the other interests of the dern'times."" country. The protracted conflicts between the natives and their invaders were fatal not only to the vigorous resumption of the study of our language, but also to the very existence of a great part of our ancient literature. The old practice of repro- ducing our ancient books, and adding to them a record of such events as had occurred from the period of their first compila- tion, as well as the composition of new and independent works, was almost altogether suspended. And thus our national litera- ture received a fatal check at the most important period of its development, and at a time when the mind of Europe was be- ginning to expand under the influence of new impulses. Again, the discovery of printiug at a subsequent period made works in other languages so miich more easy of access than those transcribed by hand in the Irish tongue, that this also may have contributed to the farther neglect of native composi- tions. Aided by the new political mle under which the coimtry, after a long and gallant resistance, was at length brought, these and similar influences banished, at last, almost the possibility of cultivating the Gaedhlic literature and learning. The long- continuing insecurity of life and property drove out the native chiefs and gentry. Or gradually changed their minds and feel- ings — the class which had ever before supplied liberal patrons of the national hterature. Not only were the old Irish nobility, gentry, and people in general, lovers of their native language and literature, and patrons of literary men, but even the great Anglo-Norman nobles themselves who eflected a permanent settlement among us, appear from the first to have adopted what doubtless must have seemed to them the better manners, customs, language, and literature of the natives ; and not only did they miuiificently patronize their professors, but became themselves proficients in these studies ; so that the Geraldines, the Butlers, the Burkes, the Keatings, and others, thought, spoke, and wrote in the Gaedhlic, and stored their libraries with choice and expensive volumes in that language ; and they were reproached by their own compatriots with having become " ipsis Hibernis Hiber- niores", — " more Irish than the Irish themselves". So great indeed was the value in those days set on literary and historical documents by chiefs and princes, that it has more than once happened that a much-prized MS. was the stipulated ransom of a captive noble, and became the object of a tedious warfare ; OF THE LOST BOOKS OF ANCIENT ERINN. / and tliis state of tilings continued to exist for several centuries, lect. i . even after the whole framework of Irish society was shaken to ^., ^ 11 • • • r 1 -r\ 1 TVT Literature pieces by the successive invasions or the Danes, the JNorsemen, encouraged and the Anglo-Normans, followed by the Elizabethan, Crom- cMct^lins,''" wellian, and WilHamite wars and confiscations, and accompanied "f^'^ti^e^r na' by the e"\'er-increasing dissensions of the native princes among f'onai miie- themselves, disunited as they were ever after the fall of the supreme monarchy at the close of the twelfth century. With the dispersion of the native chiefs, not a few of the great books that had escaped the wreck of time were altogether lost to us ; many followed the exiled fortunes of their owners ; and not a few were placed in inaccessible security at home. Indeed, it may be said that after the termination of the great wars of the seventeenth centmy, so few and inaccessible were the exam- ples of the old Gaedhlic literature, that it was almost impos- sible to acquire a perfect knowledge of the language in its purity. With such various causes, active and long-continued, in ope- ration to effect its destruction, there is reason for wonder that we should still be in possession of any fragments of the ancient literature of oiu- country, however extensive it may once have been. And that it was extensive, and comprehended a wide range of subjects — justifying the expressions of the old writers who spoke of " the hosts of the books of Erinn" — may be judged from those wliich have survived the destructive ravages of in- vasion, the accidents of time, and the other causes just enume- rated. When we come to inqmre concerning the fragments which exist in England and elsewhere, they will be found to be still of very large extent; and if we judge the value and pro- portions of the original literatiu'e of our Gaedhlic ancestors, as we may fairly do, l^y what remains of it, we may be justly ex- cused the indulgence of no small feeling of national j)ride. Amongst the collections of Irish MSS. now accessible, many of the most remarkable can be sho^vn to possess a high degree of antiquity ; and not only do they in many instances exhibit internal evidence of having been compiled from still more ancient dociunents, but this is distinctly so stated in reference to several of the most valuable tracts contained in them. We also find numerous references to books, of which we now unfortimately possess no copies ; and these invaluable records, it is to be feared, are now irrecoverably lost. Of the works the originals of which have not come down to us, but with whose contents we are made more or less familiar by references, cita- tions, or transcripts in still existing MSS., I shall now proceed to give you a brief general outline ; reserving for another lecture LECT. I. 8 OF THE LOST BOOKS OF ANCIENT ERINN. tlie more detailed discussion of tlie subjects wliicli they treat of, tlieir historic value, and the place whicli tliey are entitled to occupy in tlie reconstruction of our ancient literature. Of the I. The first ancient book that I shall mention is one to which I have found but one or two references, and which I must in- troduce by a rather circuitous train of evidence. In the time of Senchan (pron. " Shencan"), then Chief Poet of Erinn, and of Saint Ciaran (pronounced in English as if written "Kieran"), of Cluain mic JVois, or Clonmacnoise, — ^that is about A.D. 580, — Senchan is stated to have called a meeting of the poets and learned men of Erinn, to discover if any of them remembered the entire of the ancient Tale of the Tain bo Chuailgne, or the Cattle Spoil or Cattle plunder of Cuailgne,^^^ a romantic tale founded upon an occurrence which is referred to the beginning of the Christian Era. The assembled poets all answered that they remembered but fragments of the Tale ; whereupon Senchan commissioned two of his own pupils to travel into the country of Letha to learn the Tale of the Tain, loliich tlie Saoi, or Professor, liad taken to the East after the Cuilmenn [or the great book written on Skins] . The passage is as follows (see original in Appendix, No. IV.) : " The Files of Erinn were now called together by Senchan Torpeist, to know if they remembered the Tain ho Chuailgne in full ; and they said that they knew of it but fragments only. Senchan then spoke to his pupils to know wliich of them would go into the countries of Letha to learn the Tdiii, which the Sai had taken 'eastwards' after the Cuilmenn. Emine, the grandson of Ninine, and Muirgen, Senchan's own son, set out to go to the East". [Book of "Leinster (H. 2. 18. T.C.D.), fol. 183, a.] This, to be sure, is but a vague reference, but it is sufficient to show that in Senchan's time there was at least a tradition that some such book had existed, and had been carried into Letha, the name by which Italy in general, and particularly that part of it in which Rome is situated, was designated by ancient Irish writers. Now the carrying away of this book is a circumstance which may possibly have occurred during or shortly subsequent to St. Patrick's time. And so, finding this reference in a MS. of such authority as the Book of Leinster (a well-known and most valuable compilation of the middle of the twelfth century), I could not pass it over here. <7^ CuAiijne (Cuailgne), a district now called Cooley, in the modern county of Louth. OF THE LOST BOOKS OF ANCIENT ERINN. 9 I remember but one other reference to a Book known by the lect i . name of Cuihnenn: it occm's in the " Brehon Laws", and in an qj. j,^g ancient Irish Law Glossary, compiled by the learned Duhhal- saltaik of tach Mac Firhlsigh (Duald Mac Firbis), and preserved in the Library of T.C.D. (classed H. 5. 30.), in wdiich the Seven Orders (or degrees) of " Wisdom" are distinguished and explained, (Wisdom, I should tell you, here technically signifies history and antiquity, sacred and profane, as well as the whole range of what we should now call a collegiate education.) It is in these words : — " Druiracli^*^ is a man who has a perfect knowledge of wis- dom, from the greatest Book, which is called Cuihnenn, to the smallest Book, which is called ' Ten Words' \_I)eich m-Breithir, that is ' the Ten Commandments' ; a name given to the Penta- teuch], in which is well arranged the good testament which God made unto Moses". — [See Appendix, No. V.] The Cuihnenn here spoken of is placed in opposition to the Books of Moses, as if it were a repertory of history or other matter concerning events entirely apart from those contained in the sacred volume, II, The next ancient record which we shall consider is one about the authenticity of which much doubt and imcertainty have existed in modern times ; I allude to the Saltair of Tara, the composition of which is referred to the third century. The oldest reference to this book that I have met with is to be formd in a poem on the map or site of ancient Tara, written by a very distinguished scholar, Cuan O'Lochain, a native of Westmeath, who died in the year 1024, The oldest copy of O'Lochain's verses that I have seen is preserved in the ancient and very curious topographical tract so well known as the Dlnnsenchas (pron: nearly "Dinnshanacus"), of which several ancient IMS. editions have been made from time to time. The one from which I am about to quote is to be found in the Book of Ballymote, a magnificent vohune compiled in the year 1391, and now deposited among the rich treasures of the Royal (8' ■0|\tiinicVi, i.e., he who has (or knows) the top ridge (or highest range) of learning; a word compounded of "oivuini, the ridge of a iiill, or the back of a person, or the ridge of tlie roof of a liouse ; and cti, a form of cieic, the column, or tree, which in ancient times supported the house ; and the man who was a -oiAiiinicti was supposed to have cUmbed up tlie pillar or tree of learning to its very ridge or top, and was thus qualified to be a Vepl-eijinn — a Professor, or man qualified to teach or superintend the teaching of the whole course of a college education, [The entire passage, in which the "Seven Orders of Wisdom" are separately explained, will be found, with translation, in the Appenuix, No. V.] 10 OF THE LOST BOOKS OF ANCIENT ERINN. LECT. I. Irish Academy. Tlie following extract (the original of wliich ~ T~ will be found in the Appendix, No. VI.) from the opening of Poem on O'Lochain's most valuable jjoem contains somewhat more than ^^™' an allusion to the Saltair of Tara: — Temair,'^®-' choicest of hills, For [possession of] which Erinn is now devastated, The noble city of Cormac Son of Art, Who was the son of great Conn of the hundred battles : Cormac, the prudent and good, Was a sage, Sijlle (or poet), a prince: Was a righteous judge of the Fene-men,^'°^ Was a good friend and companion. Cormac gained fifty battles : He compiled the Saltair of Temur. In that Saltair is contained The best smnmary of history ; It is that Saltair which assigns Seven chief kings to Erinn of harbours ; They consisted of the five kings of the provinces, — The monarch of Erinn and his Deputy. In it are (written) on either side, What each provincial king is entitled to. What the king of Temur in the east is entitled to. From the king of each great musical province. The synchronisms and chronology of all. The kings, with each other [one with another] all ; The boundaries of each brave province,^"-' From a cantred up to a great chieftaincy. This important poem, which consists altogether of thirty -two quatrains, has been given (from the MS. H. 3. 3 in the Library (•') Ceiiu\i]\ i.e. CeAiimi^, is the nominative : CeAiiiyvAc, the genitive, which is in'onounced very nearly Tara, as the place is now called in English. This celebrated hill is situated in the present county of INIeath, but a few miles to the west of Dublin. The remains of the ancient i>alace of the Kings of Erinn are still visible upon it. (See the admirable Memoir upon these remains pub- lished by Dr. Petrie in the eighteenth vol. of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy, in which a detailed map of the ruins is given.) It is more than probable that this poem was written in the year 1001, when Brian Boroimhe showed the first symptoms of a design to dethrone King Maelseachlaimi or Malachy. (10) "Eene-men". — These were the fiirmers; and what is meant therefore is that Cormac was a rigliteous Judge of the " Agraria Lex" of the Gaels. Seanchuach in Tir Oililla, or Tirerrill, in the county of Sligo, and which was called the Leahhar Glilinn da Locha, or Book of Glenndaloch ; and Leabhar' na h~ Uacliongbhala, or the Book of the Uachongbhail ; with many other histories, or historical books besides. Of this list of Books not one is known to me to be now extant. The ever to be remembered Michael O'Clery, and his fel- low-labourers (who together with him are familiarly known as the Four Masters), insert in their Annals a list of the ancient books from which that noble work was compiled. They were the following: — The Book of Chiain Mic Nois, or Clonmac- noise ; the Book of the Island of the Saints in Loch Ribh (or Loch Bee), in the Shannon; the Book of Secmadh MMc Magh- nusa, in Loch Eirne, or Loch Erne ; the Book of Muintir Mhaoilchonaire, or the O'Mulconroys ; the Book of Muintir Duibhghenan7i, or of the O'Duigenans, of Cill Ronain ; and the Historical Book of Leacain Mic Fhirbhisigh, or Lecan Mac Fn'bis. The Books of Cluain Mic Nois and of the Island of the Saints come down but to the year 1225. The Book of the O'Mulconroys came down to the year 1505. The Book of the O'Duigenans contained entries extending only from the year 1)00 to the year 1563. The Annals of Seanadh Mic Magh- nusa (now called the Annals of Ulster) came down to the year 1632, The Foiir Masters had also a fragment of Cucoi- griche (a name sometimes Englished Peregrine), O'Clery 's Book, containing Annals from the year 1281 to the year 1537, The Book of Maoilin 6g Mac Bruaideadha, or Maoilin the younger Mac Brody, of Thomond, containing Annals from the year 1588 to the year 1602, was also in their possession, as well as Lughaidh O'Clery's Book, containing Annals from the year 1586 to 1603. This last book was probably that known at the present day as the Life of Aedh Muadh, or Hugh Hoe O'Donnell ; which was written by this same Lughaidh O'Clery, and from which the Four Masters have evidently taken all the details given in their Annals relating to that brave and vmfor- tunate Prince.^'^^ (16) A MS. copy of this work, in the handwriting of Cucogry O'Clery, the son of the origmal compiler, has been lately [1858] purchased by the Rev. Dr. OF THE EXISTING COLLECTIONS OF MSS. 23 Of this list of Books (witli the exception of the last men- lect. i tioned) not one is known to me to be now in existence except- ^^^^g .^ ^.^^^ ing the Annals of Ulster, the copy of Lugaidh O'Clery's Book, LiWary of made by his son Cucogry, and the book which is now known Duwin as the Book of Lecain, m the Royal Irish Academy, but which at present contains nothing that could be properly called Annals, though there are in it some pages of occurrences with no dates attached. The language in which such a number of books was written must have been highly cultivated, and found fully adapted to the pm-poses of the historian, the poet, the lawyer, the physi- cian, and the ecclesiastic, and extensively so used; else it may be fairly assumed that Aengus Ceile De, Cormac Mac Cullinan, Eocliaidh O'Flannagan, Cuan O'Lochain, Flann of Saint Buithes Monastery, and all the other great Irish writers from the seventh to the twelfth century, who were so well acquainted with Latin, then the imiversal medium, would not have employed the Gaeclh- lic for their compositions. Notwithstanding, however, the irreparable loss of the before- named books, there still exists an immense quantity of Gaedhlic waiting of great purity, and of the highest value as regards the history of this country. And these MSS. comprise general and national history ; civil and ecclesiastical records ; and abun- dant materials of genealogy ; besides poetry, romance, law, and medicine ; and some fragments of tracts on mathematics and astronomy. The collection in Trinity College consists of over 140 volumes, several of them on vellum, dating from the early part of the twelfth down to the middle of the last century. There are also in this fine collection beautiful copies of the Gospels, known as the Books of Kells, and Durrow, and Dimma's Book, attributable to the sixth and seventh centuries ; the Saltair of St. Ricemarch, bishop of St. David's, in the eleventh century, con- taining also an exquisite copy of the Roman Martyrology ; and a very ancient ante-Hieronymian version of the Gospels, the history of which is unknown, but which is evidently an Irish MS. of not later than the ninth century ; also the Evangelistarium of St. Moling, bishop of Ferns in the seventh centmy, with its an- cient box ; and the fragment of another copy of the Gospels, of the same period, evidently Irish. In the same hbrary will be found, too, the chief body of our more ancient laws and Todd, S.F.T.C.D., at the sale of the books of Mr. W. Monck Mason, in London, and is destined soon (if funds to secure it can be raised) to enrich still farther the splendid collection of the Royal Irish Academy. 24 OF THE EXISTING COLLECTIONS OF MSS. LECT. I. ^nnals: all, witli tlie exception of two tracts, written on vel- lum ; and, in addition to these invaluable volumes, many liis- MSS. in the ,','-,„ ., p , . . .,, • "^ n ^ Library of toricai and lamily poems oi great antiquity, illustrative oi the I'i'fsh "^ '""^ battles, the personal achievements, and the social habits of the Academy. wamoi'S, chicfs, Biid otlicr distingviished personages of our early history. There is also a large number of ancient historical and romantic tales, in which all the incidents of war, of love, and of social life in general, are portrayed, often with considerable power of description and great brilliancy of language ; and there are besides several sacred tracts and poems, amongst the most remarkable of which is the Liber Hyinnorum, believed to be more than a thousand years old.^"-' The Trinity College col- lection is also rich in'Lives of Irish Saints, and in ancient forms of prayer ; and it contains, in addition to all these, many curious treatises on medicine, beautifully written on vellum. Lastly, amongst these ancient MSS. are preserved numerous Ossianic poems relating to the Fenian heroes, some of them of very great antiquity. The next great collection is that of the Hoj^al Irish Aca- demy, which, though formed at a later period than that of Tri- nity College, is far more extensive, and taken in connection with the unrivalled collection of antiquities secured to this coiuitry by the liberality of this body, forms a national monu- ment of which we may well be proud. It includes some noble old volumes written on vellum, abounding in history as well as poetry ; ancient laws, and genealogy ; science (for it embraces several curious medical treatises, as well as an ancient astrono- mical tract) ; grammar ; and romance. There is there also a great body of most important theological and ecclesiastical com- positions, of the highest antiquity, and in the purest style per- haps that the ancient Gaedhlic language ever attained. The most valuable of these are original Gaedhlic composi- tions, but there is also a large amount of translations from the Latin, Greek, and other languages. A great part of these translations is, indeed, of a religious character, but there are others from various Latin authors, of the greatest possible im- portance to the Gaedhhc student of the present day, as they enable liim by reference to the originals to determine the value of many now obsolete or obscm-e Gaedhlic words and phrases. Among these latter translations into Irish, we find an exten- sive range of subjects in ancient Mythology, Poetry, and His- (i7> This iiiTahiable MS. is in course of publicatioii (a portion haying been issued since the above lecture was deHvered), by the Irish Archa?ologi- cal and Celtic Society, undei- the able superintendence of the Rev. Dr. Todd. OF THE EXISTING COLLECTIONS OF MSS. 25 tory, and the Classical Literature of tire Greeks and Romania lect. i as well as many copious illustrations of tlie most remarkable ^j^^ .^ events of tlie IMiddle Ages. So that any one well read in the ^""io"^ li comparatively few existing fragments of oiu' Gaedlilic Litera- England. ture, and whose education had been confined solely to this source, woidd find that there are but very few, indeed, of the great events in the history of the world, the knowledge of which is usually attained through the Classic Languages, or tliose of the middle ages, with which he was not acquainted. I may mention by way of illustration, the Irish versions of the Argonautic Expedition ; the Destruction of Troy ; the Life of Alexander the Great ; the Destruction of Jenisalem ; the Wars of Charlemagne, including the History of Roland the Brave ; the History of the Lombards ; the almost contem- porary translation into Gaedhlic of the Travels of Marco Polo, etc., etc It is quite evident that a Language which has embraced so wide a field of historic and other important subjects, must have undergone a considerable amount of development, and must liave T3een at once copious and flexible ; and it may be ob- served, in passing, that the very fact of so much of translation into Irish having taken place, shows that there must have been a considerable number of readers ; since men of learning would not have translated for themselves what they could so easily un- derstand in the original. Passing over some collections of MSS. in private hands at home, I may next notice that of the British INIuseum in London, which is very considerable, and contains much valuable matter ; that of the Bodleian Library at Oxford, which, though consisting of but about sixteen volumes, is enriched by some most precious books, among which is the copy already alluded to of the remains of the Saltair of Cashel, made m the year 1454 ; and some two or three works of an older date. Next comes the Stowe collection, now in the possession of Lord Ash- burnham, and which is tolerably well described in the Stowe Catalogue by the late Rev. Charles O'Conor. There are also in England some other collections in the hands of private indi- viduals, as that of Mr. Joseph Monck Mason"*^ in the neigh- (18) This collection has been lately sold (1S58) — since the preparation of thig lecture; and through the exertions of the Rev. Dr. Todd, F.T.C.D., two of the most valuable MSS. contained in it haA-e been secured for Ireland, and, ii funds can be procured, will probably be added to the collection of the Koyal Irish Academy; the ie>.\'b>.\i\ Ve^^P^^i^i<^i5e, or Book of Fermoy, on vellum, and the copy before mentioned of Luphaidh O'Clery's Life of Red Ilvigb O'Donnell in the handwriting of Cucogry O'Clery. 26 OF THE EXISTING COLLECTIONS OF MSS. LECT. I. bourhood of London, and that of Sir Thomas Phillipps in Wor- cestershire. The Advocates' Library in Edinburgh contains a Continent, few important vohimes, some of which are shortly described in the Highland Society's Report on MacPherson's Poems of Oisin, published in 1794. And passing over to the Continent, in the National or Im- perial Library of Paris (which, however, has not yet been thoroughly examined), there will be found a few Gaedhlic volumes; and in Belgium (between which and Ireland such in- timate relations existed in past times), — and particularly in the Burgundian Library at Brussels, — there is a very important collection, consisting of a part of the treasures formerly in the possession of the Franciscan College of Lou vain, for which our justly celebrated Friar, Michael O'Clery, collected, by transcript and otherwise, all that he could bring together at home of matters relating to the ancient ecclesiastical history of his country. MSS. in the The Louvaiu collection, formed chiefly, if not wholly, by sfc'itlLre's, Fathers Hugh Ward, John Colgan, and Michael O'Clery, be- inRome. twccn the years 1G20 and 1640, appears to have been widely scattered at the French Revolution. For there are in the Col- lege of St. Isidore, in Rome, about twenty volumes of GaedhHc MSS., which we know at one time to have formed part of the Louvain collection. Among these manuscripts now at Rome are some of the most valuable materials for the study of our language and history — the chief of which is an ancient cojjy of the Felire Aengusa, the Martyrology, or Festology of Aengus Cede De, (pron: " KJli DJ"), incorrectly called Aengus the Culdee, who composed the original of this extraordinary work, partly at Tamhlacht^ now Tallaght, in the county of DubKn, and partly at Cliiain Eidhnech in the present Queen's County, in the year 798. The collection contains, besides, the Festology of Cathal M'Guire,^'^^ a work only known by name to the Irish scholars of the present day ; and it includes the autograph of the first volume of the Annals of the Four Masters. There is also a copy, or fragment, of the Liber Hymnorum already spoken of, and which is a work of great importance to the Ecclesiastical History of Ireland; and besides these the collection contains several important pieces relating to Irish History, of which no copies are known to exist elsewhere. It may be hoped, there- fore, that ovxr Holy Father the Pope — who feels such a deep interest in the success of this National Institution — will at no distant day be pleased to take steps to make these invaluable 09) This is probably a copy of Aengus's Festology, with additional Notes by MacGuire, ayIio died a.d. 1499. OF THE EXISTING COLLECTIONS OF MSS 27 works accessible to tlie Irish student, by placing them within the lkct. i walls of the Catholic University of Ireland, where only they can be made available to the illustration of the early History of the Catholic Faith in this country. Lastly should be noticed the Latin MSS. from which Zcuss mps. dcscri di-ew the materials for the Irish portion of his celebrated ^'^'^'^y^''^"ss. Grammatica Celtica (Lipsias, 1853). The language of the Irish glosses in these codices is probably older, in point of transcription, than any specimens of Irish now left in Ire- land, excepting the few passages and glosses contained in the Books of Armagh and Dimma, with the orthography and grammatical forms of which the Zeussian glosses correspond admirably. The following is a list of the Zeussian Codices Hibernici, which, as Zeuss himself observes, are all of the eighth or the ninth century, and were either brought from Ireland, or written by Irish monks in continental monasteries. I. A codex of Priscian, preserved in the hbrary [at St. Gall in Switzerland, and crowded Avith Irish glosses, interhnear or marcrinal, from the bewinninor down to page 222. A mar- ginal gloss at p. 194, shows that the scribe was connected with Inis Madoc, an islet in the lake of Templeport, coimty Leitrim. II. A codex of St. Paxil's Epistles, preserved in the library of the university of Wiirzburg, and containing a still greater nimiber of glosses than the St. Gall Priscian. III. A Latin commentary on the Psalms, formerly attributed to St. Jerome, but which Muratori, Peyi'on, and Zeuss concvu' in ascribing to St. Columbamis. This codex, which is now preserved in the Ambrosian Hbrary at Milan, was brought thither from Bobbio. It contains a vast amount of Irish glosses, and will probably, when properly investigated,*^"^ throw more hght on the ancient Irish language than any other MS. IV. A codex containing some of the venerable Bede's works, preserved at Carlsruhe, and formerly belonging to the Irish monastery of Reichenau. This MS. contains, besides many Irish glosses, two entries which may tend to fix its date : one is a notice of the death of Aed, king of Ireland, in the year 817; the other a notice of the death oi Muirchad mac Maileddin at Clonmacnois, in St. Ciaran's hnda or bed. V. A second codex of Priscian, also preserved at Caiisrulie, (20^ Zeuss (Praef., xxxi.) mentions that he was unable to devote the neces- sary time either to this MS. or to the fragment of an Irish codex preserved at Turin, wliich, I believe, is a copiously glossed portion of St. Mark's Gosiiel. 28 OF THE EXISTING COLLECTIONS OF MS3. L ECT. I. and brought thither from Reichenan. It contains fewer Irish d cri glosses than the St. Gall Priscian. bedbyzeuss. VI. A miscellaneous codex, preserved at St. Gall (No. 1395), and containing some curious charms against strangiuy, headache, etc., which have been printed by Zeuss. Goihnenn the smith, and Diancecht the leech, of the Taatlia De Danann, are mentioned in these incantations. VII. A codex preserved at Cambray, and containing, besides the canons of an Irish council held a.d. 684, a fragment of an Irish sermon intermixed with Latin sentences. This MS. was written between the years 763 and 790. A facsimile, but inaccurate, of this Irish fragment may be found in Appen- dix A (unpublished) to the Report of the Enghsh Record Com- mission.*^^^^ It is, I may observe in conclusion, a circumstance of great importance, that so much of our ancient tongue should have been preserved in the form of glosses on the words of a lan- guage so thoroughly knoA\n.i as Latin. Let us avail ourselves of our advantages in this respect by collecting and aiTanging the whole of these glosses, before time or accident shall have rendered it difficult or impossible to do so. I have thus endeavoured to place before you some evidences of an early cultivation of the language and literature of Ire- land. The subject would require much more extensive illus- tration and much more minute discussion than can be given to it in a public Lecture; and time did not allow more than a rapid enumeration of the more ancient works, and a brief glance at their contents, such as you have heard. Sufficient, however, has been said in opening to you the consideration of the subject, to show what an immense field lies before us, and what abundant materials still exist for the illustration of the History and Antiquities of our country, and, above all, of that most glorious period in our Annals, the early ages of Catholi- cism in Ireland. The materials are, I say, still abundant : we want but men able to use them as they deserve. (21) This Sermon is printed entire, together with corrections and a translation furnished by me some years ago (through the Kev. J. Miley, then President of tlie Irish College in Paris), in the Bibliothvque de I'Ecole des Charles, 3""= serie, tome S'"*^'- Janv.-Fevr., 1852, 3'"'' livraison, p 193. [Paris: Dumoulin, 1852.] LECTURE II. [Delivered 15th JIarch, 1855.] Of the Cuilmenn. Of the Tain bo Chuailgne. Of Cormac Mac Airt. Of the Book of Acaill. In speaking of the earliest written documents of ancient Erinn, ofthe of which any account has come down to us, I mentioned that Cuilmenn. we had incidental notices of the existence, at a very remote period, of a Book called the Cuilmenn^ It is brought under consideration by references made to a very ancient tale, of which copies still exist. The first notices of the Cuilmenn have been already partly alluded to in the first lecture, but we shall now consider them at greater length ; and in doing so, we shall avail ourselves ofthe opportiuiity thus afforded, to illustrate, in passing, a period of our history, remote indeed, and but little known, yet filled with stirring incidents, and distinguished by the presence of very remarkable characters. According to the accovuits given in the Book of Leinster, to which I shall presently refer, Dalian ForgaiU, the chief poet and File of Erinn, [see ante, note (2)] (author of the celebrated Amhra or post mortem Panegyric on St. Colum Cille), having died about the year 598, Senclian Torpeist, then a File of dis- tinction, was called upon to pronounce the funeral elegy or oration on the deceased bard. The young File acquitted him- self of this so much to the satisfaction of his assembled brethren, that they immediately elected him Ard Ollamh in Filedecht, that is chief File of Erinn. Some time after this, Senchan called a meeting ofthe Files of of the i-eoo- Erinn, to ascertain whether any of them remembered the Avhole xfue of the of the celebrated tale of the Tain Bo Chuailgne, or " Cattle J!'/"' .f*^ . spod of Cuailgne" (a place now called Cooley, m the modern county of Louth). All the Files said that they remembered only fragments of it. On recei\dng this answer, Senchan ad- di-essed himself to his pupils, and asked if any of them would take his blessing and go into the country of Letlia to learn the Tain, which a certain Saoi or professor had taken to the east after the Cuilmenn (that is, the Book called Cuilmenn), had been • carried away. (Letha was the ancient name, in the Gaedhilg, for Italy, particularly that region of it in which the city of Rome is situated). — [See Appendix, No. Xyill.] 30 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS LECT. II. Emine, tlie grandson of Ninene, and Murgen, Senchan's own son, volunteered to go to the east for tliat purpose. The Tcfin Bo • • • • -i Cuaiign^re- Having Set out on tlieir journey, it happened that the first ^guf^Mac^^^' place to which they came was the grave ol' the renowned chief Edigh. Fcrgus Mac E,6igh, in Connacht ; and Murgen sat at the grave while Emine went in search of a house of hospitahty. While Murgen was thus seated he composed and spoke a laidh, or lay, for the gravestone of Fergus, as if it had been Fergus himself he was addressing. Suddenly, as the story runs, there came a great mist which enveloped him so that he coidd not be discovered for three days ; and during that time Fergus himself appeared to him in a beautiful form, — for he is described as adorned with brown hair, clad in a green cloak, and wearing a collared gold-ribbed shirt, a gold-hilted sword, and sandals of bronze : and it is said that this apparition related to Murgen the whole tale of the Tdhi, from beginning to end, — the tale which he was sent to seek in a foreign land. This Fergus Mac Roigh was a great Ulster prince, who had gone into voluntary exile, into Connacht, through feelings of disHke and hostility to Conor Mac Nessa, the king of Ulster, for his treacherously putting to death the sous of Uisnech, for whose safety Fergus had pledged his faith according to the knightly customs of the time. And afterwards when the Tain Bo Chuailgne occurred, Fergus was the great giude and director of the expedition on the side of the Connacht men against that of Conor Mac Nessa, and, as it would appear, he was hunself also the historian of the war. This version of the story is from the Book of Leinster. However, according to another account, it was at a meeting of the Files, and some of the saints of Erinn, which was held near the Carn, or grave that Fergus appeared to them and related the tale ; and St. Ciaran thereupon wrote down the tale at his dic- tation, in a book which he had made from the hide of his pet cow. This cow from its colour was called the Odliar, or dark gray ; and from this circumstance the book was ever after known as Leabhar na h-Uidhre (^^ron: nearly " Lewar, or Lowr na heer-a"), or "The Book of the dark gray [Cow]", — the form Uidhre being the genitive case of the word Odhm'. According to this account (which is that given in the ancient tale called Imtlieclit na troni ddimlie, or the Adventures of the I Great Company, i.e., the company or following of Senchan), after the election of Senchan to the position of Chief File, he paid a visit to Guaire the Hospitable, King of Connacht, at his palace of Durlus, accompanied by a large retinue of atten- OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 31 dants, or subordinate files, aud piipils, as well as women, and lect. ii. servants, and dogs; so tliat tlieir sojovirn there was so oppres- sive, that at their going away, Marhhan, King Guaire's wise to the lost brother, imposed it as an obligation on Senchan to recover the '"'"'*'"'• Tale of the Tain Bo Chuailgne. Senchan accordingly went into Scotland to search for it, but having foimd no trace of it there, he retiu-ned home again ; and then Marhlian advised him to invite the saints of Ireland to meet him at the grave of Fergus, where they were to fast three days and three nights to God, praying that he would send them Fergus to relate to them the history of the Tain. The story goes on to say that St. Caillin of Fiodhnacha (m the present county of Leitrim), who was Senchan's brother by his mother, undertook to invite the saints ; and that the following distinguished saints came to the meeting, namely, St. Colum Cille, St. Caillin himself, St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois, St. Brendan of Birra, and St. Brendan the son of Finnlogha; and that after their fast and prayer, Fergus did appear to them, and related the story, and that St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois, and St. Caillin of Fiodluiacha, wrote it down. This ancient tale is referred to in the Book of Leinster, a MS. of the earlier half of the twelfth century, though it re- mains to us only in the form preserved in copies of a much . more modern date, one of which is in my possession. The next notice of a Cuihnenn, as 1 have already shortly stated, is to be found in an ancient glossary, where the " seven Orders of Wisdom", — that is, the seven degrees in a Hterary college, including the student on his first entrance, — are distin- guished by name and qualifications. The highest degree was the Druimcli, who, as it is stated, had knowledge " of all wis- dom, from the greatest book which is called Cuilmenn to the smallest book which is called Deich m-Breithir, in which is well arranged the good Testament which God made unto Moses". — [See Appendix, No. V.] What the Cuilmenn mentioned here was, we have no positive means of knomng ; but as an acquaintance with both profane and sacred writings is set down amongst the qualification of each degree of the order of Wisdom, it may be assumed that the Cuilmenn embraced profane, as the Deich m-Breitliir did sacred learning ; since it appears that the Drumcli was versed in all profane and sacred knowledge. Another instance of the occm'rence of the word Cuilmenn is found in the lower margin of a page of the book now called the Leabhar Breac, the proper name of which was Leahhar Mor Duna Doighre, that is, the Great Book of Dun Doighre (a 32 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. LECT. II. place on tlie Connaclit side of tlie Shannon, some miles below \ccountof ^^® town of Atlilone). In this book, which is preserved in the the Tain Bo Library of the Royal Irish Academy, the following words appear tia^'jn ■ ^^ ^ hand three hundi'ed years old: — "A trymg of his pen by Fergal, son of William, on the great Cuilmend". — [See Appen- dix, No. XIX.] This " great Cuilmend" was of course the book on which he wrote these words, viz., the Leabhar Duna Doighre jnst mentioned; and this passage establishes the use of the word to designate a book, generally. It may be also ob- served that the word (Cuilmenn) in its original meaning lite- rally signifies the skin of a covv.*^^^-* To retm'n to the Tciin B6 Chuailgne. This tale belongs to a period of considerable antiquity, and in it we find introduced in the course of the narration the names of several personages who acted a very important part in our history, and whose deeds are recorded by most of our annalists. As the tale is itself curious and interesting, and be- sides supplies a pretty good view of the customs and manners of the times, it will be interesting to give you here a brief sketch of it. When the Argonautic Expedition, the Siege of Troy, or any others of the notable occurrences of the very old pei-iods of the world's history, are brought under consideration, not the least interesting and valuable features which they present are the illustrations they furnish us of the habits and life of the various people to whom they relate, and it is of little moment to attempt to fix the precise year of the world's age in which they actually happened. Some persons complain that our Irish Annals are too precise in the time and place assigned to remote events, to be altoge- ther true; but this is a subject not to be disposed of in a cur- sory review like the present. At present my intention is only to draw briefly, for the purpose of illustration, from one of the oldest and most remarkable of our national historic tales. I do (22) That the word Cvnbnent-i signified, in the first instance, a Cow-skin, appears from the following passage in an ancient Glossary hi the Library of the Royal Irish Academy (MS. No. 74 of the collection, purchased from Messrs. Hodges and Smith): ColAi-nnA -peA^xb, .i. Ctiibneniux -peA-tAb; "the skins of cows", — from ctiilme-nn a skin, and i:eA|\b a cow. That the word Cuibmenii Avas applied to a Book, is proved not only by the passage above quoted, in wliich the leAbAiA in6|\ 'Ouiia •Ooij^Ne is so called, but still more di- rectly by an explanation of it which is to be found in another ancient Glos- sary, preserved in a IMS. in the Library of Trin. Coll., Dublin (classed H. 3. 18.). In this Glossary the word occurs in reference to the lost book above mentioned, and to the quotation from it alluded to in the text: — " Cuiimenn, i e., a Book ; ut est: ' Which the Professor carried to the East after the Cuil- menw'".— [See original in Appendix, No. XX.] OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 3*3 not propose here to enter into any critical discussion as to the lect. n. historic accuracy of its details ; but I may observe that, though often exhibiting liigh poetic colouring in the description of par- the Tain no ticular circumstances, it unquestionably embraces and is all ""*^^" • through founded upon authentic historic facts. The Tain Bo Chuailgnc is to Irish, what the Argonautic Expedition, or the ScA^en against Thebes, is to Grecian history. Many copies of the tale still exist. As has been seen, we have traced it back to one of perhaps the oldest written records, one of which we now retain little more than the name.. We know unfortunately nothing of the other contents of the Cuihnenn; but if we may judge from the character of the events detailed in the Tidn, we may fairly suppose this Great Book to have been a depository of the most remarkable occurrences which had taken place in Ancient Erinn up to the time of its composition. We are told in om- Annals and other ancient writings, that Eochaidh Feidlech closed a reign of twelve years as Monarch of Erinn in Anno Mundi 5069, or a little above a hundred years before the Incarnation, according to the chronology of the Annals of the Four Masters. This prince was directly descended from Eremon (one of the surviving leaders of the Milesian colo- nists), and succeeded to the monarchy by right of descent. Eochaidh had three sons and several daughters, and among his daughters one named Meadhhh (pron: "Meav"), who, from her early youth, exhibited remarkable traits of strength of mind and ^agour of character Meav, in the full bloom of life and beau.ty, was married to Conor, the celebrated provincial King of Ulster ; but the marriage was not a happy one, and she soon left her husband and returned to her father's court. The reign of the monarch, her father, had at this time been embittered by the rebellion of his three sons, which was carried so far that he was at last compelled to give them battle ; and a final engage- ment took place between the two parties at Ath Cumair (the ancient name of a ford near MuUingar), in which the king's arms triumphed, and his three sons were slain. The victory over his sons brought but little peace to Eoch- aidh; for the men of Connacht, taking advantage of his weak- ened condition after it, revolted against him ; and to overcome their opposition he set up his daughter Meav as Queen of Con- nacht, and gave her in marriage to Ailill, a powerful chief of that province, and son of Conrach, a former king — the same Conrach who built the royal residence of Rath CruachanP^^ Ailill died soon after, and Meav finding herself a young widow, (-3) The remains of tlie Eatb of Cruachan are still to be seen, near Carrick- on-Sliannou, in the modern county of Roscommon. 3 34 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. LECT. II. and an independent queen, proceeded to exercise her own riglit and taste in tlie selection of a new husband; and with this view the Tdin Bo shc made a royal progress into Leinster, where Ross Ruadli was Chiiaiign . ^^q-^ king, residing at the residence of the Leinster kings, at Naas. Meav there selected, from the princes of the com"t, the king's younger son, \f\\o bore the same name as her previous husband, Ailill, and whom she married and made king-consoit of her province. Their union was happy, and Meav became the mother of many sons, and of one daughter. One day, however (as tlie story runs), a dispute arose between Queen Meav and her husband about their respective wealth and treasures, — for all women at this time had their private fortunes and dowries secured to them in marriage. This dis- pute led them to an actual comparison of their various kinds of property, to determine which of them had the most and the best. There were compared before them then (says the tale) all their wooden and their metal vessels of value; and they were found to be equal. There were brought to them their finger rings, their clasps, their bracelets, their thumb rings, their diadems, and their gorgets of gold ; and they were found to be equal. There were brought to them their gar- ments of crimson, and blue, and black, and green, and yellow, and mottled, and white, and streaked ; and they were found to be equal. There were brought before them their great flocks of sheep, from greens and lawns and plains ; and they were found to be equ.al. There were broiight before them their steeds, and their studs, from pastures and from fields ; and they were found to be equal. There were brought before them their great herds of swine, from forests, from deep glens, and from solitudes ; their herds and their droves of cows were brought before them from the forests and most remote solitudes of the province ; and on counting and comparing them they were found to be equal in niunber and in excellence. But there was found among Ailill's herds a young bull, which had been calved by one of Meav's cows, and which, "not deeming it honourable to be under a woman's control", went over and attached himself to Aihll's herds. The name of tliis fine animal was Finnhlieannach or the Wliite-horned ; and it was formd that the queen had not among her herds one to match him. This was a matter of deep disappointment to her. She immediately ordered Mac Roth, her chief courier, to her jDresence, and asked him if he knew where a young bull to match the Finnbheannacli, or White-horned, could be found among the five provinces of Erinn. Mac Roth answered that he knew where there was a OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 35 better and a finer bull, namely in the possession of Dare, son of lect . n. Fachtna, in tlie Cantred of Cuailgne and province of Ulster, and that his name was the Donn Chuailgne, or Brown [Bull] of the T&in no Cuailgne. Go thou, then, said JMeav, with a request to Dare '"'"'''""^• from me, for the loan of the Donn Chuailgne for my herds for one year, and tell him that he shall be well repaid for his loan ; that he shall receive fifty heifers and the Donn Chuailgne back at the expiration of that time. And you may make another proposition to him, said the queen, namely, that should the people of the district object to his lending us the Donn Chuailgne, he may come himself with his bull, and that he shall have the full extent of his ovn\ territory given him of the best lands in Hagh Ai [Flams of Roscommon], a chariot worth thrice seven cumals (or sixty -three cows), and my future friendship. The courier set out with a company of nine subordinates, and in due time arrived in Cuailgne and delivered his message to Dare Mac Fachtna. Dare received hnn in a true spirit of hospitality, and on learn- ing his errand, consented at once to accept the terms. He then sent the covmer and his company into a separate part of his establishment, furnishing them abundantly with the best of food and drink that liis stores could supply. In the course of the night, and when deep in their cups, one of the Connacht couriers said to another : It is a truth that the man of this house is a good man, and it is very good of him to grant to us, nine messengers, what it wordd be a great work for the other four great provinces of Erinn to take by force out of Ulster, namely the Donn Chnailgne. Then a third courier in- terposed and said that httle thanks were due to Dare, because if he had not consented fi,xely to give the Donn Chuailgne, he should be compelled to do so. At this moment Dare's chief steward, accompanied by a man laden with food and another with drink, entered ; and overhear- ing the vaunt of the third courier, flew into a passion and cast down their meat and drmk before them without inviting them to partake of it ; after which he repaired to his master and re- ported to him what he had heard. Dare swore by his gods that they should not have the Donn Chuailgne, either by con- sent or by force. The couriers appeared before Dare early on the following morning and requested the fulfihnent of his promise ; but he made answer that if it had been a practice of his to punish cou- riers for their impertinence, not one of them should depart alive from him. The couriers returned to their mistress to Rath Cruachan, the royal palace of the kings of Connacht. On his 3b 36 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. LECT. II. arrival Mac Roth related to Meav tlie issue of his embassy and the cause of its failure ; iipon which Meav took up the words the Tcim Bo of licr boastful messengor, and said that as Dare had not granted maiipi , ^1^^ request freely, he should be compelled to do so by force. Meav accordingly immediately summoned her sons to her presence, as well as the seven sons of Ilagach, her relatives, with all their forces and followers. She also invited the men of Muns- ter and Leinster to join her cause, and take vengeance on the Ulstermen for the many wrongs which they had of old inflicted on them. There was besides at this time a large body of exiled Ulstermen in Meav's ser\ace, namely, those who had abandoned Conor after his treachery to the sons of Uisneach. This body of brave men, amounting to fifteen hundi'ed, was under the lea- dership of Fergus Mac Roigh and Conor's own son, Cormac Conloingeas, or the Exile. All these forces met at Cruachain; and after consulting her Druid, and a. Bean sidhe (pron: nearly " banshee"), ^^^^ who ap- peared to her, Meav set out at the head of her troops, crossed the Shannon at Athlone, and marched through ancient Meath, till she had arrived at the place now called Kells (within a fcAV miles of the borders of the modern county of Louth, in Ulster), where she encamped her army. Meav's consort, Ailill, and their daughter, Finnahhair (the Fairbrowed), accompanied the expedition. When they had encamped for the night, the queen invited all the leaders of the army to feast with her, and in the course of the evening contrived to enter into a private conversation with each of the most brave and powerful amongst them, exhortig them to valoiu" and fidelity in her cause, and secretly promising to each the hand of her beautiful daugliter in marriage. So far the plot of the tale as regards Queen Meav's movements. (21^ The word beAn -p-oe (literally, " woman of the fairy mansions"), meant a Woman from the fairy mansions of the Hills, or the land Immortality. In other words, it meant, according to the ancient legendary belief, a Woman of that Tiiath De Dunann race Avhicli preceded the Milesians, and which, on their con- quest by the latter, were believed to have retired from this life to enjoy an in- visible inmiortaUty in the hills, fountains, lakes, and islands of Eiinn, where it M-as reported they are to remain till the last Judgment. From this state of existence they were of old believed to be able to reappear at pleasiu-e in the ordinary forms of men and women; and this ancient belief respecting the Titath De Danann (whose sudden disappeai'ance from our ancient history seems to have been only accounted for in this manner) still hngers among the people of modern Ireland, in the form of the superstitious reverence for what they now call the "Pairies" or " Good People". Some account of M'hat they were anciently believed to be will be found in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. A cmrious example of their api^carance, as introduced in our ancient literature, occurs also in the tale of " The Sick-bed of CuchuUainn", printed in the second number of the Atlantis, for July, 1858. — [See also Appendix, No. XXL] OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS 37 Although the Ulstermen had sufficient notice of the approach lect. ir. of such a formidable invasion, they exhibited no sims of de- , ^ ^ rm • • 1 • • 1 • • Account of tensive preparation. Ihis singular inaction on their part is ac- the Tain bo counted for in another talc so often spoken of as the Ceasnaidh- ""' ^" ' ean Uladh, or Child-birth-debility of the Ultonians. It happened that Meav's expedition into Louth occurred at the very time that Conor and all the warriors of Emania were suffering imder the effects of the curse described in that tale, so that the border lay quite unguarded except by one youth. This youth was the renowned Cuclmlainn, whose patrimony was the first part of Ulster that the hostile forces entered upon, and within it the owner of the Donn Chuailgne resided. This part of the tale relates many wonderful and various stories of Cuchulainn's youthful achievements, which compli- cate it to no small extent, but on the other hand, make no small addition to its interest. Cuchulainn confronts the invaders of liis province, demands single combat, and conjures his opponents by the laws of Irish chivah-y (the Fir comhlairm) not to advance farther until they conquered him. This demand, in accordance with the Irish laws of warfare, is granted ; and then the whole contest is re- solved into a succession of single combats, in each of which Cuchulainn was victorious. Soon, however, Meav, impatient of this slow mode of pro- ceeding, broke through the compact with Cuchulainn, marched forward herself at the head of a section of her army, and biuiied and ravaged the province up to the very precincts of Conor's palace at Emania. She had by this time secvu'ed the Donn Chuailgne ; and she now marched her forces back into Meath and encamped at Clartha (pron : " Clarha", — now Clare Castle m the modern comity of Westmeath). In the meantime the Ulstermen having recovered from the temporary state of debility to which the curse above alluded to had subjected them, Conor summoned all the chiefs of his pro- vince to muster their forces and join his standard in the pursuit of the army of Connacht. This done, they marched in separate bodies, under their respective chiefs, and took up a position in the immediate neighbourhood of Meav's camp. The march and array of these troops, including Cuchulainn's, — the distin- giiishing descriptions of their horses, chariots, arms, ornaments, and vesture, — even their size, and complexion, and the colour of their hair, — are described with great vividness and power. In the story the description of all these details is delivered by Meav's courier, Mac Roth, to her and her husband ; and the recognition of the various chiefs of Ulster as they arrived at 38 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. LECT. II. Conor's camp is ascribed to Fergus Mac Roigh, the exiled p r- nai Ulstcr princc already spoken of. I may quote tlie following description sliort passages, merely as specimens of the kind of description ciiiettin\iie tlius givcu by Mac Roth to Meav and AiHll: Tdiii^Bo^^ "There came another company there, said Mac Roth; no chuaiigni. cliampiou could bc found more comely than he who leads them. His hair is of a deep red yellow, and bushy ; liis forehead broad and his face tapering ; he has sparkling blue laughing eyes ; — a man regularly formed, tall and tapering ; thin red lips ; pearly, shiny teeth ; a white, smooth body. A red and white cloak flutters about him ; a golden brooch in that cloak, at his breast ; a shirt of white, kingly linen, with gold embroidery at his skin ; a white shield, with gold fastenings at his shoulder ; a gold-hilted long sword at his left side ; a long, sharp, dark green spear, together "with a short, sharp spear, with a rich band and carved silver rivets in his hand. Who is he, O Fergus, said AiKU? The man who has come there is in himself half a battle, the valour of combat, the fury of the slaughter- hoimd. His is Reochaid Mac Fatlieman (pron: " Faheman"), from Rigdonn [or Rachlainn], in the north [said Fergus".] — [See original in Appendix, No. XXII.] And again: — " Another company have come to the same hill, at Slemain of Meath, said Mac Roth, with a long-faced, dark complexioned champion at their head ; [a champion] with black hair and long limbs, i.e., long legs; wearing a red shaggy cloak wrapped round him, and a white silver brooch in the cloak over his heart ; a linen shirt to his skin ; a blood-red shield with devices at his shoulder ; a silver-hilted sword at his left side ; an elbowed gold-socketed spear to his shoulder. Who is he, O Fergus ? said AiHll to Fergus. We know him well indeed, said Fergus ; he is Fergna, the son of Finncona, chief of Burach, in Ulster".'-^^^ — [See original in Appendix, No. XXIII.]' And again : "Another company have come to the same hill m Sleamain of Meath, said Mac Roth. It is wild, and miHke the other companies. Some are with red cloaks; others with light blue cloaks ; others with deep blue cloaks ; others with green, or blay, or white, or yellow cloaks, bright and flut- tering about them. There is a young red-freckled lad, with (2a) And here, lest it may be thought that these gorgeous descriptions of arms and ornaments are but idle creations of the poet or the Seanchaidhe, drawn from his imagination alone, I may recommend such of my hearers as are doubtful or sceptical on these points to visit and inspect for themselves the rich and beau- tiful collection of the Royal Irish Academy ; when they will find that no pen could do justice to the exquisite workmanship, the graceful design, and dehcate finish of those mirivalled relics of Ancient Irish Art, of which the best modern imitations fall so immeasurably short. OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 39 a crimson cloak, in tlieii' midst; a golden broocli in tliat lect. ii. cloak at his breast ; a shirt of kingly linen, -with fastenings ^^ ^^^.^^^ ^^ of red gold at liis skin ; a white shield with hooks of red gold legendary at his shoulder, faced with gold, and with a golden rim ; "he xliiTof'" a small gold-hilted sword at liis side ; a light, sharp, shining ^^^^Jif,'X^° spear to his shoulder. Who is he, my dear Fergus ? said AiliU. I don't remember, indeed, said Fergus, having left any such per- sonages as these in Ulster, when leaving it, — and I can only guess that they are the young princes and nobles of Tara, led by Ere, the son of Conor's daughter Feidilim Nuachriithach^ [or ' of the ever-new form'], and of Carbry Niafear [the king of Tara"]. — [See original in Appendix, No. XXIV.] With descriptions like these, more or less picturesque, the whole tale abounds. The most remarkable of these, but it is too long for insertion here, is that of Cuchulainn, liis chariot, his horses, and his charioteer, at the battle of Atli Firdiadh, where he killed Ferdiadh in single combat ; a circumstance from which the place has derived its name oi Ath Firdiadh, or Fer- diad's Ford (pronoimced Ardee), in the modern county of Louth. The armies of Queen Meav and Conor, her former husband, at length met in battle at the hill of Gairech, some distance south- east of Athlone, where the Ulstermen routed their enemies, and drove them in disorder over the Shannon into Connacht. Meav, however, had taken care to secure her prize, the Donn Chu- aihjne, by despatching him to her palace, at Cruachaiu, before the final battle ; and thus, notwithstanding the loss of umnbers of her best champions and warriors, she congratulated herself on having gained the two greatest objects of her expedition, namely, the possession of the Donn Chuailgne, and the chas- tisement of Conor, her former husband, and his proud Ulster- men, at the very gates of his palace at Emania. This wild tale does not, however, end here ; for it gravely informs us that when the Donn Chuailgne found himself in a strange country, and among strange herds, he raised such a loud bellowing as had never before been heard in the province of Connacht ; that on hearing those unusual sounds, AiHll's bull, the Finnbheannach or White-horned, knew that some strange and formidable foe had entered his territory ; and that he immediately advanced at full speed to the point from which they issued, where he soon arrived in the presence of his noble enemy. The sight of each other was the signal of battle. In the poetic language of the tale, the province rang with the echoes of their roaring, the sky was darkened by the sods of earth they threw up with their feet and the foam that flew from their mouths; faint- hearted men, women, and children hid themselves in caves, 40 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. LECT. ir. caverns, and clefts of tlie rocks ; whilst even tlie most veteran Histo • "warriors but dared to view the combat from the neighbouring value of the liills and eminences. The Finnhheannach, or White-horned, oit\\l Tdin ^^ length gavc way, and retreated towards a certain pass which aiianT" opcncd into the plain in which the battle raged, and where six- teen warriors bolder than the rest had planted themselves ; but so rapid was the retreat, and the pursuit, that not only were all these trampled to the ground, but they were buried several feet in it. The Donn Chuailgne, at last, coming up with his opponent, raised him on his horns, ran off with him, passed the gates of Meav's palace, tossing and shaking him as he went, until at last he shattered him to pieces, dropping his disjointed members as he went along. And wherever a part fell, that place retained the name of that joint ever after. And thus it was (we are told) that Ath Luahi, now Athlone, which was before called Ath Mar, or the Great Ford, received its present name from the Finnhlieannacli s Luan, or loin, having been dropped there. The Donn Chuaihjne, after having shaken his enemy in this m.anner from his horns, returned into his OAvn country, but in such a frenzied state of excitement and fury, that all fled every- where at his approach. He faced directly to his old home ; but the people of the haile or hamlet fled, and hid themselves behind a huge mass of rock, which his madmess transformed into the shape of another bull ; so that coming with all his force against it he dashed out his brains, and was killed. I have dwelt, perhaps rather tediously, on the history of this strange tale ; but one of the objects of this course of Lectures is to give to the student of the Gaedhlic language an idea of the nature of some of the countless ancient compositions con- tained in it ; and notwithstanding the extreme wildness of the legend of the Bull, I am not acquainted mth any tale in the whole range of our literature, in which he will find more of valuable details concerning general and local liistory ; more of description of the manners and customs of the people; of the druidical and fairy influence supposed to be exercised in the affairs of men ; of the laws of Irish chivalry and honour ; of the standards of beauty, morality, valour, truth, and fidelity, recognized by the people of old ; of the regal power and dig- nity of the monarch and the provincial kings, as well as much concerning the division of the country into its local dependencies ; lists of its chieftains and chieftaincies ; many valuable topogra- phical names ; the names and kinds of articles of dress and or- nament ; of military weajDons ; of horses, chariots, and trap- pings ; of leechcraft, and of medicinal plants and springs ; as well OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 41 as instances of, perhaps, every occnrrence that could be supposed lect. ii. to happen in ancient Irish Hfe : all of these details of the utmost ~ value to the student of history, even though mixed up with any quity ofthe amount of the marvellous or incredible in poetical traditions. <^'t"''"enn. The chief actors in this "svarfare are all "well-known and un- doubted historical characters, and are to be met with not only in our ancient tales, but in our authentic annals also. Tighernach (the most credited in our days of all our an- nalists) mentions the Tain Bo Chuailgnh, and gives the age of Cuchulainn as scA^enteen at the time he followed the Tain, which IS calculated by OTlaherty to have taken place about a.d. 39. — [See Appendix, No. XX V.J As I have already stated, this tale may be traced back to the first record to which we find the name of Cuilmenn attached, but of which we have now no means of fixing the precise date, any more than the nature and character of its other contents. I have ventm-ed to assign the compilation of the Cuihnenn, or Great Book of Skins, to an earlier date than that of the Saltair of Tara, which was compiled about the middle of the third, and the Gin Droma Snechta, which has been traced to the close of the fourth or beginning of the fifth century ; and for two rea- sons, among many others. The first is, that the manner in which the Cuilmenn is spoken of, in the time of Senchann and Saint Cohun Cille, implies a belief on their part that the tale of the Tain had been written, in an authentic form, either in a separate volume, or into this book, at or immediately after the occurrence of the events so graphically narrated in it ; and the fact, as related, of Saint Ciaran writing the recovered version of it, no matter from what source it was obtained at the time, on the skin of his pet cow, shows that this was done with the clear intention of handing it down to posterity as nearly as possible in the same form as that in which tradition had taught them to believe it had existed in the Cuilmenn. The second reason is, that, from the part which is ascribed to Fergus in the conduct of the expedition, the frequent mention in the tale of liis reading the Ogham writings, and using their characters liimself, and the jDretended revelation of it at his grave, to Seanchan's pupil, in the one version, as well as the recovery of it, according to another account, at a great meeting of poets and ecclesiastics, said to have taken place at his grave, it appears, to me at least, that there is sufiicient ground to warrant the con- jecture, that in the times of Seanchan and Saint Colum Cille, it was generally believed that Fergus was the original writer of the tale, that it had been written by him, or by some person of his time, into a great book, and that this book was at some sub- 42 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. Of the Saltair of Taba. Of King Cormac Mac Airt. sequent period carried out of the country ; and this, as we have said before, jDrobably may have taken place in the early Chris- tian times. It is also not impossible that it was followed by the owner or keeper of it, who, from his being called a Saoi, that is, a Doctor or Professor in learning, was probably, it may be sup- posed, converted to Christianity, and went into Italy, as many certainly did in those times, carrying with him the only copy or copies then in existence. It would be curious to find this ancient book still existing in some neglected corner of the Vatican, or of one of the other great Libraries of Italy. In the first lectvu'e (to pass to the next of our oldest lost books), we partly considered the history of that very ancient record, now lost, known as the Saltair of Tara. It was stated that its composition is referred to the period of the reign of Cormac Mac Art (^Cormac Mac Airt, or son of Art), and that by some this king was actually supposed to have been its author. To give full value to all the evidence we possess as to the nature of this record, the time at which it was said to have been composed, and its reputed author, it will be necessary for us to enter into a brief historical account of the period, and to give some particulars about this celebrated prince ; from which I con- ceive it will be fully evident, that to attribute the composition of the Saltair to the time of Cormac, or even to state that he was its author, would be to make no extravagant assumption. The character and career of Cormac Mac Art, as a governor, a warrior, a philosopher, and a judge deeply versed in the laws which he was called on to administer, have, if not from his own time, at least from a very remote period, formed a fruitful subject for panegyric to the poet, the historian, and the legislator. Om' oldest and most accredited annals record his victories and military glories ; our historians dwell with rapture on his honour, his justice, and the native dignity of his character; our writers of historical romance make him the hero of many a tale of curious adventure ; and our poets find in his personal accom- plishments, and in the regal splendom* of his reign, inexhaus- tible themes for their choicest numbers. The poet Maelmura, of Othna, who died a.d. 844, styles him Cormac Ceolach, or the Musical, in allusion to his refined and happy mind and disposition. Cinaeth (or Kenneth) O'Harti- gan (who died a.d. 973) gives a glowing description of the magnificence of Cormac and of his palace at Tara. And Cuan O'Lochain, quoted in the former lecture, and who died a.d. 1024, is no less eloquent on the subject of Cormac's mental and personal qualities and the glories of his reign. He also, in the poem which has been already quoted, describes the con- OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 43 dition aud dispc \ion of the rulus of the principal edifices at lect. i i. Tara, as they e' ated in his time ; for, even at this early period ^^.^^^^ ^^ (1024), the x^ ,- dl Tara was but a ruin. Flann, of Saint Buithes KingCormaG Monastery, who died a.d. 1056 (the greatest, perhaps, of the ' ""^ scholars, historians, and poets of his time), is equally fluent in praise of Cormac as a king, a warrior, a scholar, and a judge. Cormac's father. Art, chief monarch of Erinn, was killed in the Battle of Jfar/h Jlucruimhe that is, the Plain of MucruimM (pron: " Mucrivy") about a.d. 195, by Mac Con, who was the son of his sister. Tliis Mac Con was a Munster prince, who had been banished out of Erinn by OiHll Oluim, King of Mun- ster; after which, passing into Britain and Scotland, he returned in a few years at the head of a large army of foreign adven- tiu'ers, commanded chiefly by Benne Brit, son of the King of Britain. They sailed round by the south coast of Ireland, and lauded in the Bay of Gal way ; and, being joined there by some of Mac Con's Irish adherents, they overran and ravaged the country of West Connacht. Art, the monarch, immediately mustered all the forces that he could command, and marched into Connacht, where he was joined by Mac Con's seven (or six) step-brothers, the sons of Oilill Olum, with the forces of Munster. A battle ensued, as stated above, on the Plain of ]\Iucruimlie (between Athenree and Galway), in which Art was killed, leaving behind him an only son, Cormac, usually dis- tinguished as Cormac Mac Airt, that is, Cormac the son of Art. On the death of his tmcle Art, Mac Con assumed the monarchy of Erinn, to the prejudice of the young prince Cor- mac, who was still in liis boyhood, and who was forced to lie con- cealed for the time among his mother's friends in Connacht. Mac Con's usm-pation, and his severe rule, disposed his svibjects after some time to wish for his removal ; and to that end young Cormac, at the solicitation of some powerful friends of his father, appeared suddenly at Tara, where his j)erson had by this time ceased to be known. One day, we are told, he entered the judgment hall of the palace at the moment that a case of royal privilege was brought before the king, Mac Con, for adjudication. For the king in ancient Erinn was, in eastern fashion, behoved to be gifted with pecuHar wisdom as a judge among liis people ; and it was a part of his duty, as well as one of the chief privileges of his prerogative, to give judgment in any cases of difficulty brought before him, even though the litigants might be among the meanest of his subjects, and the subject of litigation of the smallest value. The case is thus related : Certain sheep, the pro- perty of a certain widow residing near Tara, had strayed into the queen's private lawn, and eaten of its grass; they were captured LECT. II. of Coi-mac Mac Airt. 44 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. by some of tlie houseliolcl officers, and tlie case was brought be- fore the king for judgment. The king, on hearing the case, con- deJcHpUon dcmucd the sheep to be forfeited. Young Cormac, hoAvever, hearmg this sentence, exclaimed that it was unjust ; and declared that as the sheep had eaten but the fleece of the land, the most that they ought to forfeit should be their own fleeces. This view of the law appeared so wise and reasonable to the people around, that a murmur of approbation ran through the hall. Mac Con started from his seat and exclaimed : " That is the judgment of a king" ; and, immediately recognizing the youthful prince, ordered him to be seized; but Cormac succeeded in effecting his escape. The people, then, having recognized their rightful chief, soon revolted against the monarch ; upon which Mac Con was driven into Munster, and Cormac assumed the government at Tara. And thus commenced one of the most brilliant and important reigns in Irish history. The following description of Cormac, from the Book of Bal- lymote (142, b.b.), gives a very vivid picture of the person, man- ners, and acts of this monarch, which it gives however on the authority of the older Book of Uaclionghhail; and, even though the language is often high-coloured, it is but a picturesque clothing for actual facts, as we know from other sources, — [See original in Appendix, No. XXVL] " A noble and illustrious king assmned the sovereignty and rule of Erinn, namely, Cormac, the grandson of Conn of the Hundred Battles. The world was full of all goodness in his time ; there were fruit and fatness of the land, and abundant pro- duce of the sea, with peace, and ease, and happiness, in his time, There were no killings nor plunderings in his time, but every one occupied his lands in happiness. " The nobles of Erinn assembled to drink the banquet of Tara, with Cormac, at a certain time. These were the kings who were assembled at that feast, namely, Fergus Dubhdeadach (of the black teeth), and Eocliaidh Gunnat, the two kings of Ulster ; Dunlang, son of Enna Nia, king of Leinster ; Cormac Cas, son of AiHU Oluim, — and Fiacha Muilleatlian, son of Eoghan 3l6r, the two kings of Munster ; Nia Mar, the son of Lugaidh Firtri, Cormac's brother by his mother, and Eocliaidh, son of Conall, the two kings of Connacht ; Oengus of the poisoned spear, king of Bregia (East Meath) ; and Feradhach the son of Asal, son of Conor the champion, king of Meath. " The manner in which fairs and great assemblies were at- tended by the men of Erinn, at this time, was : each king wore his kingly robe upon him, and his golden helmet on his head ; for, they never put their kingly diadems on, but in the field of battle only. OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 45 " ^Magnificently did Connac come to this great assembly; for lect. ii. no man, his equal in beauty, had preceded him, excepting Co- naive JJor, son of Edersgel, or Conor, son of Cathhadh (pron: ^tv^atiaia. nearly " Caa-fah"), or Aengus, son of the Daghda. Splendid, indeed, was Cormac's appearance in that assembly. His hair was slightly curled, and of golden colour : a scarlet shield with engraved devices, and golden hooks, and clasps of silver: a wide-folding purple cloak on him, with a gem-set gold brooch over his breast ; a gold torque around his neck ; a white-collared shirt, embroidered Avith gold, upon him ; a girdle with golden buckles, and studded with precious stones, aroimd him; two golden net-work sandals with golden buckles upon him ; two spears with golden sockets, and many red bronze rivets, in his hand; while he stood in the full glow of beauty, withou.t defect or blemish. You would think it was a shower of pearls that were set in his mouth ; his lips were rubies ; his symme- trical body was as white as snow; his cheek was like the mountain-ash berry ; his eyes were like the sloe ; his brows and eye lashes were like the sheen of a blue-black lance. " This, then, was the shape and form in which Cormac went to this great assembly of the men of Erinn. And authors say that this was the noblest convocation ever held in Erinn before the Christian Faith ; for, the laws and enactments instituted in that meeting were those which shall prevail in Erinn for ever. " The nobles of Erinn proposed to make a new classification of the people, according to their various mental and material quaHfi- cations; both kings and ollamhs (or chiefs of professions), and druids, and farmers, and soldiers, and all difierent classes like- wise ; because they were certain, that, whatever regulations should be ordered for Erinn in that assembly, by the men of Eiinn, would be those which would live in it for ever. For, from the time that Amergen Gluingeal (or of the White Knee), the File (or Poet) and one of the chiefs of the Milesian colonists, deli- vered the first judgment in Erinn, it was to the Files alone that belonged the right of pronouncing judgments, until the dispu- tation of the Two Sages, Ferceirtne the File, and Neidhe, son of Adhna, at Emauia, about the beautiful mantle of the chief File, Adhna, who had lately died. More and more obscure to the people, were the words in which these two Files discussed and decided their dispute ; nor could the kings or the other Files understand them. Concobar (or Conor), and the other princes, at that time present at Emania, said that the disputation and deci- sion could be understood only by the two parties themselves, for that thei/ did not imderstand them. It is manifest, said Concobar: all men shall have share in it from this day out for ever, but they 46 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. LECT. II. [the Files] sliall have tlieir liereditary judgment out of it; ol what all others require, every man may take his share of it. cormac Mac Judgment was then taken from the Files, except their inheritance ^*'''" of it, and several of the men of Erinn took their part of the judg- ment; such as the judgments of ^oc/ia^c?/i, the son oi Luchta; and the judgments of Fachtna, the son of Senchadh; and the (aj)parently) false judgments of Caradniadh Teisctlie; and the judgments of Morann, the son of Maen ; and the judgments of Eoghan, the son of Durrthaclit [king of Farney] ; and the judgments of Doet of JVeimthenn, and the judgments of Brigh Anibui [daughter of Senchadli] ; and the judgments of Dian- cecht [the Tuath De Dandnn Doctor] in matters relating to medical doctors. Although these were thus first ordered at this time, the nobles of the men of Erinn (subsequently) insis- ted on judgment and eloquence (advocacy) being allowed to persons according to rank in the Bretha Nemlieadh (laws of ranks) ; and so each man usurped the profession of another again, until this great meeting assembled around Cormac. They then again separated the professors of every art from each other in that great meeting, and each of them was or- dained to liis legitimate profession". And thus when Cormac came to the sovereignty of Erinn, he found that Conor's regulations had been disregarded ; and this was what induced the nobles to propose to him a new organization, in accordance with the advancement and progress of the people, from the former period. And this Cormac did ; for he ordered a new code of laws and regulations to be drawn up, extending to all classes and professions. He also put the state or court regulations of the Teach Midhchuarta, or Great Banqueting House of Tara, on a new and permanent footing; and revived obsolete tests and ordeals, and instituted some important new ones ; thus making the law of Testimony and Evidence as perfect and safe as it could be in such times. If we take this, and various other descriptions of Cormac's character as a man, a king, a scholar, a judge, and a warrior, into account, we shall see that he was no ordinary prince ; and that if he had not impressed the nation with a full sense of his great superiority over his predecessors and those who came after him, there is no reason why he should have been specially selected from all the rest of the line of monarchs, to be made above all the possessor of such excellences. Such a man could scarcely have carried out his various be- hests, and the numerous provisions of his comprehensive enact- ments, without some written medium. And it is no unwar- rantable presumption to suppose that, either by his own hand, OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 47 or, at least, in his own time, by liis command, liis laws were lect. it. committed to writing ; and wlien we possess very ancient tes- ^j^^ j^^^^ timony to tliis effect, I can see no reason for reiectinff it, or andiegai % . Kf o * writiiitrs of even for casting a doubt upon the statement. King cormac It is not probable that any laws or enactments forged at a ^^"''^ '^"''" later period, could be imposed on a people who possessed in such abundance the means of testing the genuineness of their origin, by recourse to other sources of information; and the same arguments which apply in the case of the Saltair of Tara, may be used in regard to another work assigned to Cormac, of which mention will be presently made. Nor is this all, but there is no reason whatever to deny that a book, such as the Saltair of Tara is represented to have been, was in existence at Tara a long time before Cormac's reign ; and that Cormac only altered and enlarged it to meet the circiuiistances of his own times. These bards and druids, of which our ancient records make such frequent mention, must have had some mode of perpetuating their arts, else it would have been impossible for those arts to have been transmitted so faithfully and fully as we know they were. It is true that the student in the learning of the File is said to have spent some twelve years in study, before he was pro- noiniced an adept ; and this may be supposed to imply that the instruction was verbal ; but we have it from various writers, even as late as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, that it was customary with the medical, law, and civil students of these times, to read the classics and study their professions for twenty years. All this is indeed but presumptive evidence of the possession of writing by the Irish in the time of Cormac ; but, from other sources we have reason to believe that the art existed here long antecedent to his reign: this subject is, however, of too great extent and importance to admit of its full discussion at present. There still exists, I should state to you, a Law Tract, attri- buted to Cormac. It is called the Book of Acaill ; and is always found annexed to a Law Treatise by Cennfaelad the learned, who died in a.d. 677. The following preface always prefixed to this first work gives its history. — [See original in Appendix, No. XXVIL] "The locus^'^^ of the Book was Aicill (or Acaill, pron: (26) It was always the habit of the old Irish -writers to state four circum- stances concerning the comjDosition of their works : the j^Iace at which they were written (or the locus of the work, according to tlie form here used),— the date, — the name of the author, — and the occasion or circumstances which sug- gested the undertaking. Tiiese forms were adhered to by writers using the native language down even to the time of the Four Masters, as will be seen in a subsequent Lecture (VIII.), on the various works of the O'Clerys. 48 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. Of the Book of Acaill. Of Cenn/ae - lad. Akill'), near Teamair [Tara] ; and the time of it was tlie time of Cairbre Lifeachair (Cairbre of tlie Liffey), son of Cormac, and the person [author] of it was Cormac; and the cause of making it was, the bhnding of Cormac's eye by Aengus Gabuaideeh (Aengus of the poisoned spear), after the abduction of the daughter of Sorar, son of Art Corb, by Cellach, the son of Cormac. This Aengus Gabuaideeh was an Aire Eclita (an avenging chief) at this time, avenging the wrongs of his tribe in the territories of Luigline (Leyney) ; and he went into the house of a woman there, and forcibly drank milk there. " It would be fitter for you", said the wo- man, " to avenge your brother's daughter on Cellach, the son of Cormac, than to consume my food forcibly". And books do not record that he committed any evil upon the woman's person ; but he went forward to Teamair; and it was after sunset he reached Teamair; and it was prohibited at Tecnnair to take a champion's arms into it after sunset ; but only the arms that happened to be in it ; and Aengus took Cormac's Crimall (bloody spear) down off its rack (as he was passing in) and gave a thrust of it into Ceallach, son of Cormac, which killed him ; and its angle struck Cormac's eye, so that he remamed hah'blmd ; and its heel struck in the back of the steward of Teamair, when drawing it out of Cellach, and killed him ; and it was prohibited to a kmg with a blemish to be in Teamair; and Cormac was sent out to be cured to Aicill, near Teamair; and Teamar could be seen from Aicill, and Aicill could not be seen from Teamar ; and the sovereignty of Erinn was (then) given to Cairbre Lifea- chair, the son of Cormac ; and it was then this book was com- piled ; and that which is Cormac's share in it is every place where "jB^ai" (immunity) occurs, and ^^Ameic arafeiser'^ (my son would you know) ; and Ceimdfaelad's share is, everything from that out". Such is the account of this curious tract, as found prefixed to all the copies of it that we now know ; and, though the compo- sition of this preface must be of a much later date than Cor- mac's time, still it bears internal evidence of great antiquity. Cormac's book is, as I have observed, always found prefixed to the laws compiled by Cennfaelad just mentioned. Tliis Cennfaelad had been an Ulster warrior, but, happening to re- ceive a fracture of the skull, at the battle of Magh Rath, fought A.D. 634, he was carried to be cured, to the house of Bricin'^^^^ of (2'') The reader will please to observe, once for all, that the letter c is in the Gaedhlic always ijronounced hard, or like the English k; it never has the soft sound of au s, even before an e or an i. OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 49 Tuaim Drecain, wliere tliere were tliree schools, iiamelj- : a Lite- lect. ii. rary (or Classical) school; a Fenechas, or Law school; and a school of Poetry. And, whilst there, and listening to the instruc- of Acaui. tions given to the pupils, and the subtle discussions of the schools, his memory, which, before, was not very good, became clear and retentive, so that whatever he heard in the day (it is re- corded) he remembered at night ; and thus, he finally came to be a master in the arts of the three schools, reducing what he had heard in each to order, and committing it to verse, which he first wrote upon slates and tablets, and afterwards in a White Book, in verse. The Fenechas, or law part only, of this book, is that now found annexed to Cormac's treatise. These laws, however, are not in verse noAv. And, whether the laws at present known, in connection with Cennfaeladlis name, are of his own composition, or those he learned in the schools here mentioned, is not certain. The explanation of the word Aicill, as well as the circumstances just mentioned respecting Cennfaeladli, occurs in the following passage, in continuation of that last quoted. — [See original in Appendix, JSTo. XXVIIL] ^''Aicill [is derived] from Uch Oil [the Great Lamenta- tion], which A (cell, the daughter of Cairbre [_Cairhre Niafear, monarch of Erinn], made there, lamenting Ere, the son of Cairbre, her brother ; and here is a proof of it : — " The daughter of Cairbre, that died,^^®' And of Feidelm, the ever-blooming. Of grief for Ere, beautiful her part. Who was slain in revenge of Cuchulainn". " Or, it was Aicell, the wife of Ere, son of Cairbre, that died of grief for her husband there, when he was killed by Conall Cear- nach (in revenge of Cucludainn) ; and this is a proof of it : — " Conall Cearnach, that brought Erc's head To the side of Temair, at the third hour ; Sad the deed that of it came. The breaking of AcailFs noble heart". *' If there was established law at the time the eric (reparation) which was paid for this crime (against Cormac, etc.) — provided it was on free wages'^-^^ Magh Bregh (Bregia) was held — was the (28) These t\vo verses are taken from the ancient Dinnsexchus, but there is no authority for the second version to be found in tlie copy of tliat tract, pre- served in the Book of Ball^Tnote. The poem from wliicli tliey are taken, and which gives the origin of the place called Acaill, was written by Cinaeth or Kenneth O'Hartigan, who died a.d. 973, and, consequently, this account, in its present state, of the Book of Acaill, was written after the writing of the poem. (29) Pfgg wages. — That is, if they had only held their lands and original stock, 4 50 OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. Of the Book of Acaill. same as if free wages had been given to half of them, and base wages to the other half, so that one half of them would be in free service, and the other half in base service. "If free wages were not on them at all, the eric which should be paid there was the same as if free wages had been given to the half of them and base wages to the other half, so that half of them would be in free service, and the other half in base service. " If there was not established law there, every one's right would be according to his strength. ^^°^ " And they (Aengus's tribe) left the tenitory, and they went to the south. They are the Deise (Decies or Deasys) of Poi't Laegliaire or Port Lairge (Waterford) from that time down. " Its (the book's) locus and time, as regards Cormac, so far. "In regard to Cennfaelad, however, the locus of [his part of] it was Doire Lurain, and the time of it was the time of [the Monarch] Aeclh Mac Ainmerech, and its person [i.e. author] was Cennfaelad, and the cause of compiling it, his brain of for- getfulncss having been extracted from Cennfaelad's head after having been cloven in the battle of Magh Rath'^^'-' [a.d. 634]. " The three victories of that battle were : the defeat of Congal Claen, in his falsehood, by Domnall, in his truthfulness ; and Suihhnk, the maniac, to become a maniac ; and it is not Siiihh- nes becoming a maniac that is (considered) a victory, but all the stories and all the poems which he left after him in Erinn ; and it was not a victory that his brain of forgetfuhiess was ex- tracted from Cennfaelad's head, but what he left of noble book works after him in Erinn. He had been carried to be ciu'ed to the house of [St.] Bricin, of Tuaim D7'ecain, and there were three schools in the toAvn, a school of classics, and a school of which -was the wages, or rath, on the condition of certain personal services, and the payment of a certain rent every third year, — which was called saer-rath, or free wages, — they should be now reduced, one half the tribe, to base wages, which amounted to a species of slavery, under which they were forced to pay every year what the parties on free wages paid but every third year. And even though according to the second clause the lands were not held by them on wages at all, but as independent inheritors (that is, owners owing only an acknow- ledgment to the king, with such contributions only as they pleased), which they were, being the descendants of Fiacha Sidd/ie, the brother of Conn of the Hundred Battles, and consequently cousins to Cormac himself. — even then they were reduced to the state of one half of them becoming free vassals, and the other half base vassals, their hereditary title to their lands having become for ever forfeited. (30) There is a most curious and important account of the trial and decision in this ancient case, preserved in the ancient Irish Manuscript lately purchased in London for the Eoyal Irish Academy, through the liberahty and fine na- tional spirit of the Rev. Dr. Todd, of T.C.D. (31) See The Battle of Mayh Rath, edited by John O'Donovan, LL.D., for the Irish Archaeological Society ; 1842. OF THE EARLIEST EXISTING MSS. 51 Fenechas (laws), and a school of Filidhecht (pKilosophy, poetry, lect. h. etc.); and eveiy thing that he used to hear of what the three Qf^j^gg^^^ schools spoke every day he used to have of clear memory [i.e., ofAcani. perfectly by rote] every night ; and he put a clear thread of poetry to them [i.e., put them mto verse] ; and he wrote them on stones and on tables, and he put them into a vellum-book" /^^^ The whole of this volume, comprising the parts ascribed to the King Cormac, and those said to be Cennfaelad's, form a very important section of oiu' ancient national institutes, known as the Brehon Laws ; but it does not, for the reason I before alluded to, fall within my province to deal with those laws farther on the present occasion. (32) The latter portion of this passage is somewhat more minutely given in another MS. version (T.C.D. Library, H. 3. 18. p. 399), as follows :— " And where he was cured was at Tuaim Drecain, at the meeting of the tlu*ee streets, between the houses of the three professors (Sai), namely, a pro- fessor of Fenechas, a professor of Filidhecht, and a professor of Leighenn (classics). And all that the tlu-ee schools taught (or spoke) each day, he had, through the shai-pness of his intellect, each night ; and so much of it as he wished to show, he put into poetical arrangement, and it was written by him into wliite books". [See original in Appendix, No. XXVIII.] 4b LECTURE III. [Delivered March 20, 1835.] Of the sjnQchronisms of Flann of Monasterboice. Of the Chronological Poem of Gilla Caemhain. Of Tighernach the Annalist. Of the foundation of Clonmacnois. The Annals. — I. The Annals of Tighernach. Of the Foundation of Emania, and of the Ultonian dynasty. In shortly sketching for you some account of our lost books of history, and in endeavouring to suggest to you. Avhat must have been the general state of learninof at and before the introduction of Christianity by our national Aj)ostle, I have, in fact, opened the whole subject of these lectures: the MS. materials existing in our ancient language for a real history of Erinn. Let us now proceed at once to the consideration of the more important branches of those materials ; and, first, of the extent and charac- ter of our national annals, and their importance in the study of oiu' history. Of the anci- The principal Annals now remaining in the Gaedlilic lan- ent Annals, guagc, and of wlucli wc liavc any accvirate knowledge, are known as: — the Annals of Tighernach (pron: nearly " Teer- nagh") ; — the Annals of Senait Mac Manus (a compilation now better known as the Annals of Ulster) ; — the Annals of hits Mac Nerinn in Loch Ce (erroneously called the Annals of Kiho- nan) ; — the Annals of Innisfallen ; — the Annals now known as the Annals of Boyle ; — the Annals now known as the Annals of Connacht ; — the Annals of Dun na n-Gall (Donegall), or those of the Four Masters ; — and lastly, the Chronicum Scotorum. Besides these we have also the Annals of Clonmacnois, a compilation of the same class, which was translated into English in 1627, but of which the original is unfortunately not now accessible or known to exist. With regard to annals in other languages relating to Ireland, I need only allude to the Latin Annals of Multifernan, of Grace, of Pembridge, Clyn, etc., pubhshed by the Irish Archseo- logical Society. At the head of our list I have placed the Annals of Tigher- nach, a composition, as we shall presently see, of a very re- markable character, whether we take into account the early period at which these annals were written, namely, the close of the eleventh century, or the amount of historical research, the OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. 53 judicious care, and tlie sclaolarlilce discrimination, which distin- lect. ni. ffuish the compiler. These annals have accordino-ly been con- „„,, ,. c r . ID J Of the earlier sidered by many to constitute, ii not our earliest, at least one oi cinonoio- the most important of ovu" historical records now extant. Historians. How far the arrangement of events and the chronology ob- served in most of our annals are to be ascribed to Tighernach, is a matter that cannot now be clearly determined. It is certain, however, that there were careful and industrious chroniclers and chronologists before liis time, with whose works he was doubtless well acquainted. From a very early period, we find notices of chroniclers and historical comj)ilers. I have already mentioned the royal his- torian, Cormac INIac Art, and also the author of the Cin Dromd Sneachta. From the sixth to the eighth century we meet, amongst many others, the names of Amergin Mac AmalgaidJi, author of the Dinn Seanchas ; Cennfaeladh; and Aengus CeiU De. From the year 800 to the year 1000, we find Maolmura of Othan ; Cormac Mac Cidleannain; Flann Mac Lonan ; Eochaidh O'Flinn ; and Cinaeth or Kennett O'Hartigan. In the eleventh century the historical compilers are still more frequent : the chief names in this period are, those of Cuan O'Locliain; Colman 0' Seasnan ; Flann Mainistrech, or of the Monastery, and Gilla Caemhain. The two latter lived in the same cen- tury with Tighernach ; Flann, the professor of St. Bidthes Monastery (or Monasterboice), who died a.d. 1056 ; and Gilla Caemhain, a writer wdio died a.d. 1072, the translater into Gaedhlic of Nennius' history of the Britons. Of these, as they were contemporaries of Tighernach, it will be necessary to give some account, before we proceed to consider more particularly the Annals of that author. Flann compiled very extensive liistorical synchronisms, which of the Syn- have been much respected by some of the most able modern Fia,°n'o™Mo- writers on early Irish historv, such as Ussher, Ware, Father John na.'^teiboice Lynch (better known as Gratianus Lucius, the well known author tm-y). of Cambrensis E versus), O'Flaherty, and Charles O'Conor. The synchronisms of Flann go back to the most remote periods, and form an excellent abridgment of universal history. After synchronizing the chiefs of various lines of the children of Adam in the east, the author points out what monarchs of the Assyrians, IVIedes, Persians, and Greeks, and what em- perors of the Romans, were contemporary with the kings of Erinn and the leaders of its various early colonists, beginning wdth Ninus, the son of Belus, and coming down to the first of the Roman emperors, Julius Ceesar, who was contemporary with 54 OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. LECT. m. Eochaidh Feidhlech, a monarcli of Erinn wlio died more than half a century before the Incarnation of our Lord. The parallel chronisms of lincs are then continued from Julius Caesar and his Irish con- nas'tertoice'' temporary Eochaidh Feidhlech, down to the Emperors Theo- ^•\?^^' dosius the Third, and Leo the Third, and their contemporary Ferghal, son of Maelduin, monarch of Erinn, who was killed A.D. 718. Flann makes use of the length and periods of the reigns of the emperors to illustrate and show the consistency of the chronology of the Irish reigns, throughout this long list. After this he throws the whole series, from Julius Cassar down, into periods of 100 years each, grouping the emperors of Rome and the kings of Erinn in each centmy in the fol- lowing manner. Thus, he takes one hundred years, from the first year of Julius Cassar to the twelfth year of Claudius. Five emperors will be found to have reigned within this time, namely, Julius, Octavius, Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. The Irish parallel period to this will be found in the one hun- dred years from the eighth year of Eochaidh Feidhlech to the fifth year of the reign of Lughaidh Riabh Derg. Six mo- narchs ruled in Erinn during that term, namely, Eochaidh Feidhlech, Eochaidh Ah^emh, his brother; Edersgel Mac lar, NuadJia Necht, Conaire Mor, and Lughaidh Riahh Derg. A second period of one hundred years, in Flann's computa- tions, extends from the second last year of Claudius to the eighteenth year of Antoninus Pius. Thirteen emperors reigned within that time. There were also one hundred years from the fifth year of Lughaidh Riahh Derg, monarch of Erinn, to the end of the reign of Elim Mac Conrach, and seven monarchs governed in that space of time, namely, Conchohhar or Conor, Crimthann, Cairbre, Eearadhach, Fiatach, Fiacha, and Elim MacConrach himself. And so Flann continues down to the time of the Emperor Leo, and Ferghal Mac Maelduin, King of Erinn, who was killed A.D. 718, That portion of the work wliich carries down the synchronisms to JuKus C^sar is next summed up in a poem of which there are two copies, one of 1096, and the other of 1220 lines, intended no doubt to assist the student in committing to memory the substance of the synchronisms (Lecain; fol. 20. 36). There is another chronological piece of cm-ious interest and of very considerable value, which was also probably composed by Flann, or at least that portion of it which precedes A.D. 1056, the year of Flann's death. It comprises a list of the reigns of the monarchs of Ireland, with those of the contemporary j^ro- vincial kings, and also of the kings of Scotland. This synchro- OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. 55 nolo^ical list commences with LaeghairS, who succeeded to the lect. m. sovereignty in the year of om' Lord 429, and it is carried down oftheSyn- to the death of MuircJieartach O'Brien, in 1119, sixty-five years curonismsof after Flann's death. Wlio the continuator of Flann may have na^terboice " been we do not now know. twy)?^"' It may be interesting to give the following abstract as a spe- cimen of Flann's synchronisms of the kings of Scotland, as it shows their connection with the royal lines of Erinn. It was, he says, in the year 498 that Fergus Mor and liis brothers went into Scotland. They were the sons of Ere, the son o^ Eochaidh Muinreamhar, whose father was the renowned CoUa Uais, who, with his brothers, overthrew the Ulster dynasty and destroyed the palace of Emania. Muirchertach Mao Eire, one of the brothers, was the ancestor of the MacDonnells, Lords of the Isles, and of other great families in Scotland. Our tract says that from the Battle of Ocha, a.d. 478, to the death of the monarch, Diarmaid, son of Fergus Cerrbeoil, there was a space of eighty years. There were four monarchs of Erinn within that time, namely, Lnghaidh, son of Laegliaire; Mzcircheo'tach, son of Ere; Tuathal Mael Garhh; and Diarmaid. There were five kings of Scotland to correspond with these four of Erinn, namely, the above Fergus Mor; his brother, Aengus Mor; Domangort, the son of Fergus ; Comgall, the son of Domangort ; and Gabran, the son of Domangort. The parallel provincial kings of Erinn follow, but it is not necessary to enumerate them here. The first part of the synchronisms ascribed to Flann is lost from the Book of Lecan, but it is preserved in the Book of Bally- mote (fol. 6, a.) ; and as far as can be judged from their tenor in the latter book, they must have been those used by Tighernach, or they may possibly have been taken from an earher work which was common both to Tighernach and to the compiler of this tract. It is, in fact, the synchronism of Flann, now imper- fect, which we find at the commencement of Tighernach, but inserted there after having been first subjected to the critical examination and carefid balancing of authorities which gene- rally distinguish that learned annalist. There is yet another important chronological composition in of the cbro- existence, to which I must here allude: I mean the Poem ofp°g°^'of^ Gilla CaemJiain, who died a.d. 1072. ^'*""«. . This wTiter begins by stating that he will give the annals oi all time, from the beginning of the world to his own period. He computes the several periods from the Creation to the De- luge, from the Deluge to Abraham, from Abraham to David, and from David to the Babylonian Captivity, etc. From the 56 OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. LECT. m. Creation to the Incarnation lie counts 3952 years. (This is Of the wit- obviously the common Hebrew computation.) He then goes ings of Fiaun on to Synchronize the Eastern sovereigns with each other, and caemhain afterwarcls with the Firbolgs and Tuatha De Danaiui of Erinn, tury)?'^"' and subsequently with the Milesians. He carries down the computation through several Eastern and Irish dynasties, giving the deaths of all the monarchs, and of several of the provincial kings of Erinn, as well as of many remarkable persons : such as the death of Finn Mac Cumhaill, of Saint Patrick, and of Saint Brigicl. He also notices the great mortality of the seventh century, the drowning of the Danish tyrant Turgesius, by King Maelsechlainn (or Malachy), etc. ; continuing still to give the intervening years, down to the death of Brian Boroinihe, in 1014, and so on to the "Saxon" battle in which the king of the Danes was killed, five years before the date of the composition of his poem. The names of many other early writers on Irish history, and even, in some instances, fragments of their works, have come down to us ; but the two of whose compositions I have given the foregoing brief sketch, are in many respects the most re- markable. The short notices we have given of the writings of Flann and Gilla Caemhain are quite sufficient to show that they were famihar with a large and extensive range of general history ; and their chronological computations, parallels, and synchro- nisms, prove that they must have industriously examined every possible available source of the chief great nations of anti- quity. Such learning will probably seem to you remarkable at so early a period (a.d. 1050) in Ireland ; and even were it confined to churchmen, it must be admitted to be evidence of very considerable cultivation. But in the instance of Flann of the Monastery we have proof that this learning and cultivation were not confined to the Irish ecclesiastics ; for though we always find the name of Flann associated with the ]\lonastery of Saint JBuithS, it is well known that he was not in orders. He is never mentioned as an ecclesiastic ; and we know that he was married and left issue, as I have shown in the genealogical table pub- lished in the Celtic Society's edition of the Battle of Magh Lena. In fact, his employment was that simply of a lay teacher in a great school ; and he filled the office of Fer Leghinn, or chief professor in the great College of Saint Buithe (a college as well lay as ecclesiastical), the ruins of which may still perhaps be seen at Monasterboice, in the modern coimty of Louth. Flann's death is noticed by Tighernach, under the year 1056, thus: — " Flann, of the monastery, a Gadelian [i.e., Gaedhlic, OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. 57 or Irish] author in history, in genealogy, in poetry, and in elo- lect. hi quence, on the 7th of the kalends of December, the 16th day of the moon, happily finished his life in Christ". — [See original nach. (xr. in Appendix, No. XXIX.] The O'Clerys, in the Book of In- ^"•'*^'^^- vasions (page 52), speak of him in the following terms: — " Flami, a Saoi of the wisdom, chronicles, and poetry of the Gaels, made this poem on the Christian kings of Erinn, from Laeghaire to Maelseacldainn Mor, beginning, ' The Kings of faithful Temar afterwards'", etc. — [See original in Appendix, No. XXIX] It is to be observed- that Flann was the predecessor of Tigher- nach ; and without in the least degree derogating from the well- earned reputation of that distinguished annahst, enough of the works of Flann remain to show that he was a scholar of fully equal learning, and a historic investigator of the greatest merit. Let us now return to Tighernach, whose name stands among the first of Irish annalists ; and, as we shall see in investigating the portions of his works whicli remain to us, this position has been not unjustly assigned him. If we take into account the early period at whicli he wrote, the variety and extent of his know- ledge, the accuracy of his details, and the scholarly ciiticism and excellent judgment he displays, we must agree with the opinion expressed by the Rev. Charles O'Conor, that not one of the countries of northern Europe can exhibit a historian of equal antiquity, learning, and judgment with Tighernach. " No chronicler", says this author, " more ancient than Tighernach can be produced by the northern nations. Nestor, the father of Russian history, died in 1113; Snorro, the father of Icelandic history, did not appear until a century after Nestor ; Kadlubeck, the first historian of Poland, died in 1223; and Stierman could not discover a scrap of writing in all Sweden older than 1159". — [Stowe Catalogue, vol. i., p. 35.] In this statement, I may however observe, the learned author makes no mention of Bede, Gildas, or Nennius. With the great ecclesiastical historian of the Saxons, the Irish annahst does not come into comparison, as he did not treat exclusively of Church history ; but with the historians of the Britons, Tighernach may be most favourably compared. As to Tighernach's personal history, but Httle, unfortunately, is known. Little more can be said of him than that he was of the Siol Muireadhaigh, or Murray-race of Connacht, of which the O'Conors were the chief sept; his own name was Tigher- nach CBraoin. He appears to have risen to high consideration and ecclesiastical rank, for we find that he was Abbot of the 58 OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. Of Ticjher- nach (XI. Century). Monasteries of Clonmacnois and Roscommon, being styled the Comharba or " Successor" of Saint Ciaran and Saint Coman. The obituary notice in the Chronicimi Scotorum runs thus : — " A.D. 1088, Tifjhernach Ua Braoin, of the Siol Muireadhaigh [the race of the O'Conors of Connacht,] Comarba of Ciaran of Cluain-mic-nois and of Coman, died". — [See original in Ap- pendix, No. XXX.] The Annals of Innisfallen describe him as a Saoi, or Doctor in " Wisdom", Learning, and Oratory; and they record his death at the year 1088, stating that he was buried at Clonmacnois. These statements are confirmed by the Annals of Ulster. Of the Mo- nastery of Clonmac- nois. In speaking of Tighernach, I cannot pass without some notice the monastery over which he presided : an institution of great antiquity. It was one of those remarkable establishments, eccle- siastical and educational, which seem to have existed in great numbers, and to have attained a high degree of excellence in learning in ancient Erinn. Clonmacnois would appear to have been amply endowed, and to have enjoyed a large share of royal jDatronagc, several of the Kings and nobles of Meath and Con- nacht having chosen it as their place of sepulture. And we find it mentioned, that in many of the great establishments such as this, a very extensive staff of professors was maintained, repre- senting all branches of learning. We have already seen, in the case of Flann of the Monastery, that it was by no means neces- sary that those professors should be always ecclesiastics. Saint Ciaran was the founder of Clonmacnois. He was of Ulster extraction ; but his father (who was a carpenter) emi- grated into Connacht, and settled in Magh Ai (a plain, of which the present county of Roscommon forms the chief part) ; and here it was that young Ciaran was born, in the year 516. He studied at the great College of Clonard, in Westmeath, under the celebrated Saint Finnen ; and after finishing his education there, he went into the Island of Arann, on the coast of Clare, to perfect himself in religious discipline under the austere rule of Saint Enna. He returned again to Westmeath, where he received from a friendly chief a piece of ground upon which to erect a church. The situation of this church was low, and hence the church and locality obtained the name of Iseal Chiarain, or Ciaran's low place. Saint Ciaran, after some time, left one of his disciples to rule in this church, and, apparently for the purpose of greater soli- tude, retired into the island called Inis Ainghin, in the Shannon, now included in the barony of Kilkenny West, in the modern county of Westmeath. Here he founded another church, the OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. 59 ruins (or site) of wliicli bear liis name to tliis clay. But the fame lect. m. of his wisdom, learning, and sanctity, soon brought round him Q^^j^gj^^ such a number of disciples and followers, that the limits of the nastery of island were insufficient for them, and he therefore resolved once nois!™*"" more to return to the main land of Westnicath. This was in the year 538, the last year of the reign of Tuathal Maelgarbh, mo- narch of Erinu. This Tuathal (pron: "Toohal") was the third in descent from the celebrated monarch Niall, known in history as Niall of the Nine Hostages ; and at the time that he came to the throne there was another young prince of the same race and of equal claims to the succession of Tara, namely, Diarmaid, the son of Fergus Cerrhheoil. The new king, Tuathal, feeling uneasy at the presence of a rival prince, banished Diarmaid from Tara, and ordered him to depart out of the territory of Meath. Diarmaid, attended by a few followers, betook himself in boats to the broad expansion of the Upper Shannon, living on the bounty of his friends at both sides of the river ; and in this manner did he spend the nine years that his opponent reigned. It was about this time that Saint Ciaran retiu-ned with his large establishment from Inis Ainghin to the main land, and Diarmaid, happening to be on the river in the neighbourhood of the place where they landed, went on shore and followed them to Druim Tihrait (Hill of the Well), now called Cluain-mic-nois, or Clonmacnois, where they stopped. As he approached them, he found Saint Ciaran planting the first pole of a church. " Wliat work is about being done here ?" said Diarmaid. " The erecting of a small church", said Saint Ciaran. " Well luay that indeed be its name", said Diarmaid, ^'■Eglais Beg, or The Little Church". " Plant the pole with me", said Saint Ciaran, "and let my hand be above your hand on it, and your hand and your sovereign sway shall be over the men of Erinn before long". " How can this be", said Diarmaid, "since Tuathal is monarch of Erinn, and I am exiled by him?" "God is powerful for that", said Ciaran. They then set up the pole, and Diarmaid made an offering of the place to God and Saint Ciaran. Diarmaid had a foster-brother in his train. This man's name was Maelmora. When he heard the prophetic words of the samt, he formed a resolution to verify them. With tliis purpose he set out, on horseback, to a place called Grellach Eillti (in the north part of the modern coimty of Westmeath), where he had learned that the monarch Tuathal then was : and havinfj by stratagem gained access to his presence, he struck him in the breast with his spear, and killed him. It is scarcely necessary 60 OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. LECT. HI. to say tlaat Maelmora liimself was killed on the spot. However, no sooner was Tuatlial dead than Diarmaid's friends sought him nastery of out and brouglit him to Tara ; and the very next day he was aomnac- j^i-Qclaimed monarch of Erinn. [See Appendix, No. XXXI.] Diarmaid continued to be a bountiful benefactor to Clonmac- nois; and rmder his munificent patronage the Eglais heg, or Little Church, soon became the centre around which were grouped no less than seven churches, two Cloictechs, or Round Towers, and a large and important town, the lone ruins of which now form so picturesque an object on the east bank of the Shannon, about seven miles below Athlone. Clonmacnois continued to be the seat of learning and sanctity, the retreat of devotion and solitude, and the favourite place of interment for the kings, chiefs, and nobles of both sides of the Shannon, for a thousand years after the founder's time, till the rude hand of the despoiler plundered its shrines, profaned its sanctuaries, murdered or exiled its peaceful occupants, and seized on its sacred property. Fanciful as this account of the orioin of the far-famed Clon- macnois may at first sight appear, there still exists on the sj)ot evidence of its veracity, which the greatest sceptic would find it difficult to explain away. There stands within the ruined pre- cincts of this ancient monastery, a stone cross, on which, amongst many other subjects, are sculptured the figures of two men, holding an erect staff or pole between them ; and although the erection of this cross may belong (as I believe it does) to the beginning of the tenth century, and although it was then set up, no doubt, to commemorate the building of the Great Church by the monarch Flann and the Abbot Colman, there can be but little doubt, if any, that the two figures of men holding the pole were intended to perpetuate the memory of the manner of found- ing of the primitive Eglais beg, or Little Chm'ch, the liistory of which was then at least implicitly believed. Many abbots and scholars of distinction will be found amongst the inmates of this retreat of piety and learning at various periods. I shall mention here the names of but a few : A.D. 791. Saint Colchu Ua Dicinechda, surnamed The Wise, died on the 20tli February this year. He was supreme moderator or prelector, and master of the celebrated school of this abbey ; he was also a reader of divinity, and wrote a work, to which he gave the name of Scuap Crabhaigh, or the Besom of Devotion; he obtained the appellation of chief scribe, and was master of all the Scots of Ireland. Albin, or Alcuin, bishop of Tritzlar, in Germany, and one of Charlemagne's tutors, in a letter to Saint Colchu, informs him that he had sent fifty shekels OF THE EARLY HISTORICAL WRITERS. 61 (a piece of money of the value of Is. 4d.) to tlie friars of his lect. iit. house, out of the alms of Charlemagne, and fifty shekels from q^^. ^^^. himself. nacfi. A.D. 887 died Suibhne, the son of Maehimha, a learned scribe and anchorite. Florence of Worcester calls him Suifneh, the most esteemed writer of the Scots, and says that he died in 892. A.D. 924. On the 7th February, the Sage, Doctor, and Abbot, Colman Mac Ailill, died full of years and honour ; he erected the Groat Chiu'ch where the patron saint lies interred. A.D. 981. On the IGth of January died Donncliadh OJBraoin^ liaAnng obtained a great repiitation for learning and piety; to avoid the appearance of vain glory, he resigned the govern- ment of his abbey in the year 974, and returned to Armagh, where he shut himself up in a small enclosure, and lived a lonely anchorite till his death. A.D. 1024. Fachtna, a learned professor and priest of Clon- macnois, Abbot of lona, and chief Abbot of Ireland, died this year in Rome, whither he had gone on a pilgrimage, etc. These are but a few of the distinguished childi'en of Clon- macnois previous to the time of Tighernach. Tighemach himself was undoubtedly one of the most remark- able of all the scholars of Clonmacnois. His learning appears to have been very varied and extensive. He quotes Eusebius, Orosius, Africanus, Bede, Josephus, Saint Jerome, and many other historic writers, and sometimes compares their statements on points in which they exhibit discrepancies, and afterwards endeavours to reconcile their conflicting testimony, and to cor- rect the chronological errors of one writer by comparison with the dates given by others. He also collates the Hebrew text with the Septuagint version of the Scriptures. These statements, which you will find amply verified when you come to examine the Annals of Tighernach in detail, will be sufiicient to show the extent of his general scholarship. It is to be presumed that he was perfectly acquainted with the seve- ral historical compositions which had been written previous to his time. The common era, or that computed from the Incarnation of our Lord, is used by Tighernach, though we have no reason to believe that it was so by the great Irish historical compilers who immediately preceded him. Tighernach also appears to have been familiar with some of the modes of correcting the calendar. He mentions the Lunar Cycle, and uses the Dominical letter with the kalends of several years ; but he makes no direct mention of the Solar Cycle or Golden Number. 62 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. III. Of the An- KALS OF TlGHEK- NACH. I shall now proceed to consider tlie several copies of the Annals of Tighcrnach which have come down to us, all of which are nnfortiinately in a very imperfect state. Seven copies of these annals are now known to exist, besides the vellum fragment which I shall mention presently. Two of them in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, are described by Dr. O'Conor in his Stowe Catalogue ; and one of these he has pubhshed, without the continuation, in the second volume of his " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores", a work which cannot be mentioned without a tribute of respect to the industry, learning, and patriotism of the author, and the spirited Hberality of the English nobleman (the late Marquis of Buckingham), at whose personal expense this work, in four volumes 4to, was printed. Two copies of Tighernach, one of them in English charac- ters, are to be found in the collection of the Royal Irish Aca- demy ; and one in the Hbrary of Trinity College. The last, although on paper, is the most perfect, the oldest, and the most original, of those now in Ireland. In the Trinity College Library there is however also preserved a fragment, consisting of three leaves of an ancient vellmn MS., apparently of Tig- hernach, though it is now bound up with the vellmn copy of the Annals of Ulster.^^^^ Two other but very inferior copies are to be found in the British Museum. The first of these (Egerton, 104, — Hardi- man MS.) is in small folio on paper, and has evidently been made either from one of the Stowe copies or from that in Trin. Coll. Dublin. It is a bad copy in every way. The handwrit- ing, both of the Gaedlilic text and of the inaccurate transla- tion which accompanies it, are (as well as my memory serves me) identical with that of the bad translation mixed with Gaedlilic words in the first volume of the MS. Annals of the Four Masters in the Library of the R.I. A., — the first of the two volumes in small folio. This copy of Tighernach commences at the same date as the T.C.D. copy, and comes down to 1163. The second in the British Museum (Egerton, 94, — Hardiman MS.) is but a bad copy of the last mentioned, made by a very inferior scribe. It is beheved that an eighth copy of these annals exists in the collection of Lord Ashburnham; but as that nobleman does not allow any access to his valuable Library of MSS., I am imable to say whether tliis is so or not. (33) See Appendix, No. XXXII., in which will be found some valuable re- marks xiiion this remarkable fragment kindly communicated to me by the Kev. Dr. Todd, S.F.T.C.D., while these sheets were passing through the press. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 63 These annals are of sucli importance to tlie illustration of lect. m. Irish History, that I shall offer no apology for introducing here q^^^^^ ^j,. some particular account of the copies which still remain. nals of Dr. O'Conor has carefully examined those in the Bodleian nach. Library, and from his account of them, the following extracts are taken (Stowe Catalogue, Vol. I. p. 191, etc.). " It has not been liitherto observed", says this writer, " that Dr.oconors there are two Oxford cojDies, both imperfect : the first escaped '^'"'^o'^^"'- Sir J. Ware, though he had the use of it, and entered it in his catalogue as another work. It is marked ' Rawlinson', No. 502. In a label prefixed to it, in Ware's hand, it is described thus : — ' Annales ab Urbe condita usque ad initium Imperii An- tonini Pii ' (Annals from the building of the city to the reign of Antoninus Pius). " This MS. begins, in Its present mutilated condition, with that part of Tighernach's chronicle, where he mentions the foundation of Rome, and consists only of a few leaves ending with the reign of Antoninus ; but it is valuable as a fragment of the twelfth centmy. Very brief are the notices of Ireland, which are mixed up with the early parts of Tighernach. He questions the veracity of all the most ancient docmnents rela- ting to Ireland; and makes the historical epoch begin from Cimhaoth, and the founding of Emania, about the eighteenth year of Ptolemy Lagus, before Cluist 289. ' Omnia Monu- menta Scotorum', says he, ' usque Cimboeth incerta erant'. (All the monuments of the Scots to the time of Cimboeth were uncertain.) " But yet he gives the ancient lists of the kings as he found them in the ' Vetera Monumenta'. " In the fragment, RawHnson, 502, fol. 1 b., col. 1, line 33, the end of the reign of Cobthach, the son of Ugaine, he syn- chronizes Avith the Prophet Ezechias, thus given : — Cobtach the Slender, of Bregia, the son of Ugan the Great, was burned with thirty royal Princes about him in Dun Riga, of the plain of Ailb, in the royal palace of the hill of Tin-bath (^Tin is fire, hath is to slay), as the ancients relate, by Labrad, of ships, the beloved son of Ailill, the illustrious son of Laogare the Fierce, son of Ugan the Great, in revenge for the murder of his father and grandfather, killed by Cobtach the Slender. A war arose fi'om this between Leinster and the Northern half of Ireland. " The second copy of Tighernach in the Bodleian, ' Raw- linson', 488, has not tliis passage, neither has it any part of this MS. preceding the time of Alexander. But from thence both agree, to where the fu'st ceases, in the reign of Anto- ninus; the loss of the remainder of that MS. is the more 64 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. iir. Of tlie An- nals OF TlGHER- NACH. lamentable, as the MS., No. 488, is imperfect and very ill transcribed. ' The quotations from I^atin and Greek authors in Tighernach are very numerous ; and his balancing their autho- rities against each other, manifests a degree of criticism uncom- mon m the iron age in which he Hved. He quotes Maehnura's poem, thus: " Finit quarta setas, incipit quinta, quae continet annos 589, ut Poeta ait: — The foiu'th age of the world finishes, the fifth commences, which contains 589 years as the poet says". — [See original in Appendix, No. XXXIIL] [From the bondage of the people to the birth of the Lord, Five hundred and eighty nine years of a truth ; From Adam to the birth of Mary's glorious Son, Was three thousand nine himdred and fifty -two years.] " This is a quotation from the Irish poem of Maelmura already mentioned ; from which it appears that both followed the chronology of the Hebrew text, rejecting that of the Seventy. " Several leaves of this MS. are missinof at the bcffinnino-. In its present state, the first words are, ' regnare inchoans', and then follows the reign of Ptolemy Lagus, king of Egypt, the successor of Alexander, from whose eighteenth year he dates the founding of Eomania. The leaf paged 4 by Ware, is really the third leaf of the book ; so that in Ware's time it ap • pears to have had one leaf more than at present. The leaf marked 5, is the 4th — that marked 6, is the 5th — that marked 7, is the 6th. The next leaf is numbered 8 ; but this is an ad- ditional error, for one folio is missing between it and the pre- ceding ; so that it is neither the 8th in its present state (but the 7th), nor was it the 8th in Ware's time, or at any time. Its preceding leaf ends with an account of St. Patrick's captivity, and the reign of Julian ; whereas the first fine of the leaf paged 8, relates the death of St. Cianan, of Duleek, to whom St. Patrick committed his copy of the Gospels ; so that there is a whole century missing, from St. Patiick's captivity, A.D. 388, to Ciaran's death in 490. " In the MS., Rawlinson, 488, the years are frequently marked on the margins in Arabic numerals, opposite to leading facts — thus, at fol. 7, col. 3, of the MS., counting the leaves as they now are, opposite to the words ' Patricius nunc natus est', the margin bears the date 372 ; and opposite the words, ' Pa- tricius captivus in Hiberniam ductus est ' (col. 4), the margin bears the date 388 ; and opposite to the words kal. iii. Aiias- tasius Regnat, annis xxviii. ' Patricius Archiepiscopus et Apos- NACH. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 65 tolus Hiberniensium anno oetatis siice, cxx. die. xvi. kal. April, lect. hi. quievit, folio, paged 8, col. 1, tlie margin bears tlie date 491. ^ ^^^^^ " The two former of these dates are accurate ; but the latter is annals of repugnant to the mind of Tighernach, who quotes a very ancient Irish Poem on St. Patrick's death, to prove that he died in 493, thus [see original in Appendix, No. XXXIV.] : " From the birth of Christ — happy event, Four hundred and fair ninety. Three noble years along with that. Till the death of Patrick, Chief Apostle. " The next year is erroneously marked on the margin 492 ; it ought to be 494. " The marginal annotator has marked the years in Arabics, opposite to all the subsequent initials of years, in conformity with his calculation of 491 for the death of St. Patrick, and he errs also by omitting some of Tighernach's dates in that very page. Tighernach's work ends at page 20, col. 1, of this MS. The remainder, to folio pagM3d 29 inclusive, is the Continuation of Tighernach's Annals, from his death in 1088, to 1178 inclu- sive. The whole is in one hand. " It is also to be observed that one leaf is missing after that marked 14 ; the next is marked 16 ; and the hiatus is to be la- mented, extending from 765 inclusive, to 973 — a period of 228 years. " From tliis account", says Dr. O'Conor, " it is clear that no good edition of Tighernach can be founded on any copy in the British Islands ; for that of Dublin, and all those hitherto discovered, are foimded on the Oxford MS., which is imperfect and corrupted by the ignorance of its transcriber. Lines, speaking of this MS., says — ' The Chronicle of Tighernach, which Sir J. Ware possessed, and is now in the Duke of Chandos' Library, is a very ancient MS., but seems not so entire as one that is often quoted by O'Flaherty' — Critical Essay^ vol. ii. p. 504. " O'Flaherty 's copy is quoted in the Journal des Scavans, tom. iv. p. 64, and tom. vi. p. 51, year 1764, in these words: — ' Many learned strangers, in acknowledging the history of Ire- land, give her annals as of an antiquity very considerable and an universally approved authenticity. This is the judgment given by Stillingileet in the preface to his Antiquities, where he appears, on the contrary, to make of very little consequence all the moniunents of the Scotch. Mr. Innes, who never flat- ters the Irish, acknowledges the antiquity as well as the au- thenticity of their Annals, particularly those of Tighernach, 5 66 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. Ill Oftlie Annaxs op Tl'iHEE- KACH. . Inisfallen, and of several others. He remarks tliat tlie copy of tlie Annals of Tigliernacli, wliicli belonged to Mr. O'Fla- liertj, author of the Ogjgia, appears more perfect than that fomid in the library of the Duke of Chandos. I believe it my duty to declare here, continues this writer, that I pos- sess actually this same copy of the Annals of Tighernach, which was possessed by Mr. O'Flaherty, with an ancient Apograph of the Chronicle of Clonmacnois, which is well kno^vn under the title of Chronicon Scotorum Cluanense, and which belonged also to the same Mr. O'Flaherty, who cites it very often in Iris Ogygia. I possess also a perfect and authentic copy of the Aimals of Inisfallen". The copy of Tighcrnach's Annals here last alluded to, there is every reason to beheve, is that now in the library of Trinity Col- lege, DubUn [H. 1. 18]. The saionjmous writer in the Journal des Sgavans was, I have scarcely any doubt, the Abbe Connery ; though he may possibly have been the Rev., afterwards the Right Rev., Dr. J. O'Brien, Bishop of Cluain Uamha (Cloyne). How the MS. passed from the hands of R. O'Flaherty into those of the Abbe, we know not, nor is it certain what their destination was after his decease. I believe it Ukely that they were for some time the property of the Chevalier O'Gor- man, though at what period they came into Ireland is not clear ; but they appear to have been at one time in the possession of the above-mentioned Dr. O'Brien (the author of an Irish-English Dictionary, printed at Paris in 1768), who probably brought them to Ireland about that time. The copy in the hbrary of Trinity College, Dublin, under- went a pretty careful and accurate examination at the hands of the Rev. Dr. O'Conor, and he has left an autograph account of his investigation of it, which is now prefixed to the volume. This critical examination is the more important as having been made by one so familiar with the other copies of this codex in the Bodleian Library, and as it well shows the actual state and comparative value of the Trinity College MS., it is well worthy the attention of the student. ^^^^ The Trinity College MS. appears to have almost exactly the same defects as those in the RawHnson MS., No. 488 in the Bodleian Library. Both, Dr. O'Conor says, begin with the same words ; but this we do not find to be accurately and literally the case, comparing the Trinity College MS. with the version of the Rawlinson MS., 488, printed in the second volume of the Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores. Doctor O'Conor enters (34) The greater part of this MS, account by Dr. O'Couor of the MS. in T.C.D. will be found in the Appendix, No. XXXIV. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 67 with mucli detail into an argument to show that the T.C.D. lect. m. MS. was copied, and, as he tliinks, by a very illiterate scribe, from the Bodleian MS. (Rawlinson, 488). He points outA^^-ALsoy various faults in the Irish and Latin orthography and grammar nIcu!'^" peculiar to both, and indeed identical in the two copies. We have already mentioned that there are two copies of the Annals in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, but both, it is much to be regretted, are exceedingly imj^erfect. One, that in the Irish character, is probably from the hand of the Abbe Connery already alluded to. From all that has been said, it will appear that not any one, nor even a collation and combination of all the copies of these an- nals now known to be extant, afford us any possibihty of forming even a tolerably complete text. In their present state, all the copies want some of the most important parts relating to our early history, and many chasms exist at several of our most me- morable epochs. The authority of Tighernach is commonly appealed to by modern writers on Irish affairs, m fixing the date at which our national records should be deemed to fall within the domain of credible and authentic history. His well-known statement that the monuments of the Scoti before the time of Cimhaoth and the founding of Emania (about 300 years before the birth of our Lord) were uncertain, has been almost universally ac- cepted and ser^alely copied without examination. And yet, on examining the remains of his Amials which we now possess, we shall find it extremely difficult to decide how he was led to this conclusion, as to the value of our records previous to this period, records which we know to have existed in abundance in his time. [See Appendix, No. XXXIL] We have now no means of knowing why he was induced to adopt this opinion, or what may have been the grounds of it ; or why, again, he fixed on this particular event — one remarkable not in the general national annals, but in those of a single province — as that from wliich alone to date all the true history of the whole country. It is, at all events, exceedingly remarkable that he should have assumed a provincial era instead of a general national one, and that he should have chosen the buildhig of the palace of Emania, in the province of Ulster, near Ardmagh, instead of some event connected with the great national palace of Tara, the existence and preeminence of which he himself admits in the first passage of the fragments which remain to us. In the Rawhnson MS., 488, a,s printed by Dr. O'Conor, we find the passage rims thus : " In anno x"sdii. Ptolemsei, iuitiatus est reguare in Eamain 5b 68 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the ASNALS OP TiGHEK- NACH. LECT. III. (i.e., in Eraania Ultoni^ Regia), Cimbaeth, filius Fintain, qui resnavit annis xviii. Tvmc in Temair, Eachach-buadhach ATHAiR Ugaine (i.e., Tunc in Temoria totius Hiberniae Regia regnabat Eocliaclius Victor, pater Ugaini)". That is (for the explanatory words in tlie parentlieses are O'Conor's) : "In tlie 18tli year of Ptolemy, Cinibaotli, son of Fintan, began to reign in Emania, who reigned eighteen years. Then Eochaidh, the Victorious, the father of Ugaine, reigned in Tara". [But see Appendix, No. XXXV.] But he immediately after says, "all the monuments of the Scoti to the time of Cimbaoth were un- certain": (" Omnia monumenta Scotorum usque Cimbaoth in- certa erant"). Of this singular preference of the provincial to the national monarch as the one from whose reign to date the commence- ment of credible Irish history, we can offer no solution. It is, moreover, to be remarked that, at least in the copies of his An- nals now extant, Tighernach continues to give the succession of the Emanian monarchs in regular order through ten successive generations, without noticing the contemporary rulers at Tara, of whom no mention is again made until we come to the reign of Duach Dalta Deadhgha, whom he makes king of Erinn about 48 years before the birth of our Lord, when Cormac Mac Lagh- tegJii, or Loitigh, reigned in Emania. This period he synchro- nizes with the battle between Julius Caesar and Pompey. The next kings of Erinn he mentions are the two Eochaidhs, whom he makes contemporary with Eochaidh Mac Daire, twelfth king of Emania. But throughout it is to be remarked, and not without great cause for surjarise, that the Emanian dy- nasty is given the place of precedence, which, as far as we know, is not to be found assigned to it in the works of any other historian of an earlier or later period. It is also to be observed, that this preference for the Emanian dynasty is quite inconsistent with his own statement as given under the reign of Findchadh mac Baicheda, eighth king of Emania, about 89 years before the Christian era, when he says : " Thirty kings there were of the Leinster men over Erinn from Labhraidh Loingsech to Caihair M6r\ — [See original in Appendix, No. XXXVL] Now accord- ing to the best Irish chronologists, Lahhraidh Loingseach reigned a.m. 4677 (B.C. 522), and (7a^/ua> il/o> died a.d. 166. By this it is evident, that Tighernach here recognizes the existence of a su- preme dynasty at Tara, ruling over Erinn at least 200 years before the founding of Emania, or the period at which he in a former statement says that the credible history of Erinn commences. It is also to be noticed, that while the details of foreign his- tory given by Tighernach relating to remarkable occurrences OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 69 at and preceding' the Christian era are very ample, his accomits l ect. hi. of Irish events down to the third or fomth century, are ex- ^^ ceedingly meagre and scanty. annals of Thus, he only mentions by name many of the kings whose kIch^''" reigns, from other som'ccs, we know to have been filled with remarkable and important acts. He barely notices the birth and death of Cuclndainn, and gives but a few passing words to the Tain ho Chuailgne, a national event, as we have already shown, of such interest and importance ; and all these events, be it remarked, falling within the historic period as Hmited by himself. We may also observe that there is reason to think, from some few facts exclusively mentioned by him, that he had be- fore him at the time of compiling his annals, ancient records not available to subsequent writers, as is shown by his accomit of the manner of Conor Mac Nessa's death, and liis notice of the battle of "Craunagh" (vide O'Conor's Annals of Tigher- nach. Anno Domini 33). Tighernach undoubtedly takes the succession of the kings xhe chrono- of Emania from Eochaidh O'Flinn's poem, which enumerates ^of^Eolhai^dh them from Cimbaoth to Fergus Foglia. A fine copy of this 2. Died Tiprcdte CBraoin [or O'Breen], a man deeply learned in theology and in law. He was successor of Saint Conian of Roscommon, and died in Inis Clothrann on his pilgrimage. A.D. 1279. Giolla losa 3f6r Mac Firbis, one of the chief historians of Tir Fiachra, or North-western Connacht, died. [This author, we are well aware, was succeeded by a line of historians and chroniclers of his own family, ending with the learned Duhhcdtach (or Duald) Mac Firbis, in the year 1668.] A.D. 1372. Died Shane O'Dugan, a distinguished poet and historian of Connacht, whose poems on the Cycles, Calendar, Epact, Dominical Letter, Golden Number, etc., are so well known. A.D. 1376. Conor O'Bcaghan and Ceallach Mac Curtiii, the two chief historians of Thomond, died. John ORuanaidli [or O'Rooney], chief poet to Magenis, died. Melaghlin O'Mul- vany, chief poet and historian to O'Caiie, died. Donogh Mac Firbis, a good historian of Connacht, died. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 83 A.D. 1390. Daihhgenn O'Duigenan, chief historian of East lect. iv. Connaught, died. of^v/a A.D. 1398. David O'Duigonan, chief historian to the MacnojVaem/j Dermots, etc., a man of all science and knowledge, and a wealthy Brugaidh [or farmer], died. A.D. 1400. Gregory, the son of Tanaidhe O'Mulconry, chief chronicler to the Siol Muiredhaidh [or O'Conors of Connacht] , and a master in various kinds of knowledge, was accidentally killed by William Mac Da\ad, who was condemned to pay a fine of 126 cows for the act. A.D. 1405. [We have already noticed the death of Augus- tin M' Grady, the continnator of Tighernach at this date.] Giolla na Naemli O'Huidhrin, a native of Leinster, who died A.D. 1420, was the author of several valuable historical poems and tracts. The most remarkable of them is his well known Irish topographical poem. Among his other compositions are, first, a tract and poem on the names, reigns, and deaths of the Assyi'ian emperors, from Ninus to Sardanapalus, synchronizing them with the monarchs of Erinn, from its earhest reported colonization down to the death of the monarch Muineaman, in the year of the world 3872. Second, a tract on the names and length of the reigns of the kings of the Medes, from Arbactus to Astyages, and of the corresponding monarchs of Erinn, from the abovementioned Muineaman to Nuada Finnfdil, in the year of the world 4238. Third, a tract or poem on the length of the reigns of the Chal- dean kings, from Nebuchadnezzar to Baltazar, and the corres- ponding monarchs of Erinn, from the abovementioned Nuada to Lughaidh larrdonn, in the year of the world 4320, etc. And thus he goes on Avith the Persian, Greek, and Roman emperors in succession, and the succession of the contemporary monarchs of Erinn, down to Theodosius and Laoghaire Mac Neill, who was monarch of Erinn when Saint Patrick came in a.d. 432. The Annals of Senait (pron: " Shanaf) Mac Manus, com- ofthe monly called the Annals of Ulster, form the next P-reat annals op *' ' o Ulster body of national records which we have to consider ; and from the preceding list of writers, subsequent to the time of Tigher- nach, it will be apparent, that abundant materials must have been accumulated in tliis long interval, which lay ready to the hand of the compiler. Of these annals there are five copies known to exist at pre- sent — one in the Bodleian Library, at Oxford, wiitten on vel- lum, and classed as E.awHnson, 489 ; a second (only a small fragment), in the British Museum, classed Clarendon, 36 ; a 6b Ulster. 84 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. IV. tlilrd (also but a small fragment), in the same museum, written Of the ^^^ paper, and classed Ayscougli, 49 — 4795 ; a fovu-th, in tlie Li- annalsop brary of Trinity College, Dublin, written on vellum, and classed II. 1. 8; and a liftli copy, on paper, in tlie Library of Trinity College (E. 3. 20), wliicli, however, extends only to A.D. 665.=*^ The reason why these annals are called the Annals of Sennit Mac Maglinusa is, because they were originally com- piled by Catlial Mac Guire, whose Clann or Chieftain title was Mac Maghnusa, and whose residence and property lay chiefly in the Island of Senait (pron: " Shanat"), in Loch Erne, be- tween the modern Counties of Donegall and Fermanagh ; and it was in this island that the annals were written. They have received the arbitrary name of Annals of Ulster, merely be- cause they were compiled in Ulster, and relate more to the affairs of Ulster than to those of any of the other provinces. The death of the original compiler is recorded by his con- tinuator in these annals, at the year 1498, in a passage of which the following is a strict translation. [See original in Appendix, No. XLIL] " Anno Domini 1498. A great mournful news throucfhout all Ireland this year, namely the following: Mac Manus Ma- guire died this year, t.e., Catlial 6g (^Cathal, — pron: " Cahal", — the younger), the son of Catlial, son of Catlial, son of Giolla- Patrick, son of Matthew, etc. He was a Biatach (or Hospi- taller), at Seanadh, a canon chorister at Armagh, and dean in the bishopric of Clogher; Dean of Lough Erne, and Rector of Inis Caein, in Lough Erne; and the representative of a bishop for fifteen years before his death. He was a precious stone, a bright gem, a luminous star, a casket of wisdom; a fruitful branch of the canons, and a fountain of charity, meek- ness, and mildness, a dove in purity of heart, and a turtledove in chastity ; the person to whom the learned, and the poor, and the destitute of Ireland were most thankful ; one who was full of grace and of wisdom in every science to the time of his death, m law, divinity, physic, and philosophy, and in all the Gaedhlic sciences ; and one who made, gathered, and collected this book from many other books. He died of the Galar Breac [the small pox] on the tenth of the calends of the month of April, being Friday, in the sixtieth year of his age. And let every person who shall read and profit by this book, pray for a blessing on that soul of Mac Manus". (37) I may mention that a sixth copy was made by myself in 1841, for the Kev. Dr. Todrl, from the vellum copy in T.C.D., with all the contractions expanded in full. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 85 Harris, in liis edition of Ware's Irisli Writers, p. 90, has lect. iv. the followinof notice of this remarkable man. o Qf the " Charles [the Gaedhlic name Cathal is often so translated annals of in English] Slaguire, a native of the county of Fermanagh, Canon of the Chm'ch of Armagh (and Dean of Clogher), was an eminent divine, philosopher, and historian, and writ Annales Hihcrnica2 to -his time. They are often called Annales Sena- tenses, from a place called Senat-Mac -Magnus, in the County of Fermanagh, where the author writ them, and oftener Annales Ultonienses, the Annals of Ulster, because they are chiefly taken up in relating the affairs of that province. They begin anno 444, and are carried down by the author to his death, in 1498 ; but they were afterwards continued by Roderic Cassidy to the year 1541. Our author wi'it also a book, intitled, Aen- gusius Auctus, or the jMartyrology of Aengus enlarged ; wherein from Marian Gorman, and other writers, he adds such saints as are not to be met with in the composition of Aengus. He died on the 23rd of March, 1498, in the sixtieth year of his age". Seanadh, or Senait, where these annals were compiled, and from which, as we have said, they are often called Annales Senatenses, was the ancient name of an island situated in the Upper Lough Erne, between the modern baronies of Maghera- stephana and Clonawley, in the Coimty of Fermanagh. It is called Ballymacmanus Island in various deeds and leases, and by the natives of Clonawley, who speak the Irish language ; but it has lately received the fancy name of Belle Isle. [See Note in O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1498.] After the death of 3Iac Magh.nusa, the annals were continued by Ruaidhridhe O'Caiside, or Rory O'Cassidy, down to the year 1537, or 1541, according to Ware. They were continued after this (I mean the Dubhn copy) by some other persons, probably the O'Luinins, down to the year 1604, where they now end. I say probably by the O'Luinins, because the Dublin copy was transcribed by Rnaidkriglie, or Rory O'Luinin, as appears from two insertions which occur in that volume in a blank space, at the end of the year 1373. The first is written in a good hand, as old at least as the year 1600, in the following words : " Let every one who reads this httle bit, bestow a bles- sing on the sovd of the man that wrote it". And this is im- mediately followed by these words : " It is fitter to bestow it on the soul of Rory OLuinin, who wrote the book well". [See original in Appendix, No. XLIIL] From another note which is written in this copy, in the lower margin of folio 35, col. a, it is evident that the writer of this latter note was engaged in making a transcript of the volume at the time, but we have no means of knowing who he was. 86 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of Ulstek. The O'Luinins [tlie name is now sometimes Anglicised Lyne- gar] were physicians, historians, and genealogists, chiefly to the MacGuires of Fermanagh, from the fom-teenth to the seven- teenth century. One of that family, named Gillapatrick OLui- nin^ of Ard Oljuimn, in the County of Fermanagh, chief chronicler to MacGuire, assisted the friar Michael O'Clery, the chief of the " Four Masters", in the compilation of the Leabhar Gabhala (or Book of Invasions and Monarchical Successions of Erinn), for Brian Ruadh MacGuire, first Baron of Liiskillen, in the year 1630 or 1631. " The Bodleian MS. (Rawlinson, 489) is called the original copy of those annals", says Dr. O'Conor, " because, it is the matrix of all the copies now known to exist. But it is not meant that there were not older manuscripts, from which Cathal Maguire collected and transcribed, before the year 1498. " Nicolson says that the Ulster Amials begin at 444, and end, not at 1041, as the printed catalogues of our MSS. assert, but at 1541. Mr. Edward Llhwyd [the celebrated Welch antiqua- rian] mentions a copy of these annals which he calls Senatenses, which he had from Mr. John Conry, written on vellum in a fair character, but imperfect at the beginning and end, for it begins, says he, at the yeai- 454, ten years later than the Duke of Chan- dos', and ends several years sooner, at 1492. " The truth is, as stated in the Rermn Hibernicarmn, vol. 1., that neither Maguire nor Cassidi was the author of these annals, but only the collector. Augustin Magriadan had preceded both in the same task, and continued to his own time, says Ware, the chronicle, which the monks of his monastery in the island of All Saints, in the Shannon, had commenced ; and he died in 1405. " We have seen that MacGraidagh was in all probability the continuator of Tighernach ; biit I know of no reason for assign- ing to him any part in the compilation of the Annals of Ulster. " In the Bodleian MS. (Rawhnson, 489), better known by the name of the Chandos MS., fovu- folios are missing after the leaf paged 50. That leaf concludes with the seventh line of the year 1131, and the next leaf (nmnbered 55) begins Avith the conclusion of 1155, so that there is an hiatus of 24 years. The copy now before us concludes Avith the year 1131, where that hiatus occurs. " The first page of the Oxford MS. is nearly obliterated. By some vmaccountable barbarity the engraved seal of the Univer- sity is pasted over the written page, so as to efface all the writ- ing underneath: the words which are illegible there have been restored in tliis Stov/e transcript, by the aid of the copy in OF THE AXCIEiiT ANNALS 87 the British Museum, wliicli is imperfect and interpolated, lect. iv. The folios of the original Bodleian are paged from 1 to 134, ^^ ^^^^ in modern Arabics, and they are rightly paged down to the ankals of vear 1131, after which four leaves are missino^ down to the year 1156. The leaf containing the first part of 1131, is rightly paged 51, and the next is rightly paged 55. How the four in- termediate leaves have been lost, it is impossible now to ascer- tain. Folio ijij is erroneously paged 67, as if one leaf were missing there, which is not the case. Folio 70 is paged 80, as if ten leaves were missing, whereas not one is lost. One foho is missing from the year 1303 to 1315 inclusive, and the pag- ing is then incorrect to the end. In its present state the folios of this MS. are precisely 126. " We must be cautious", continues Dr. O'Conor, " in assert- ing that the whole of this MS. was written by one person, or at one time. Down to 952, the ink and characters are uniform, but then a finer style of writing follows down to 1001. "When the transcriber comes to 999, he states on the op- posite margin, that really this was the year of our sera 1000 ; for that the Ulster Annals precede the common cera by one year, — a clear proof that the transcriber was not the compiler or author ; for this note is in the same ink and characters Avith the text. He annexes the same remark frequently to the subse- quent years; as at 1000, where he says, alias 1001. "It is remarkable that these are uniform in antedating the Christian JEra by one year only, down to the folio numbered QS, year 1263, and that there, instead of preceding our ajra by only one year, they precede by two; so that the year 1265 is really 1264, as stated on the margin in Ware's hand: this precedence of two years is regular to 1270. From thence to 1284, the advance is of three years; from 1284, the advance is of foiu- years, down to 1303, wliich is really 1307. Then a folio is missing which has been evidently cut out, and we j)as3 on to 1313, which is marked by Wai*e on the margin 1316, an advance only of three years. This advance of three years continues from that to 1366, which is marked on the margin by Ware 1370, an advance of four years again, which continues to 1379, where the following note is in Ware's hand: — ' From this year 1379, the computation of years is well collected'. "It is pretty clear that the writer of this latter part of the Ulster Annals, who thus antedates even the latter ages of the Christian gera, must be very different from the writer of the first part down to the year 1263. " Johnston has published Extracts from a Version, part Eng- lish and part Latin, in the British Museum, which he has in- 88 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals op Ulster. serted in his ' Antiquitates Celto-Normannic^e', Copenhagen, 4to, 1786, p. 57. Of" this version he says very truly, that the lan- guage is extremely barbarous ; that it is often hard to discover whether the transcriber means the Scots, Mc Ercs, Dalriad, Cruachne, Athacliath of Ireland, or the Scots, Mc Ercs, Dal- riedge, Cruithne, and Alacluoith of Britain; that it is with great difSdence that he ventures to print these extracts, and that his prmcipal inducement was a hope that such a specimen might suggest to some Irish gentleman the idea of publishing, at least, the more material parts of these valuable records, in the original. " After such a modest avowal, no man can find pleasure in noticing the many errors in Mr. Johnston's work. But histo- rical truth demands that those errors which affect the very foundations of history, should be rectified. "At 471, Mr. Johnston's edition states, 'The Irish plun- dered the Saxons. Matthew, in the book of the Cuanac, says it was ha 472'. " Now", continues Dr. O'Conor, " the very words of the original are : ' Preda secunda Saxonum de Hibernia, ut alii dicunt, in isto anno deducta est, ut Mocteus dicit. Sic in Libro Cuanac inveni'. That is, 'In 471, Ireland was plun- dered a second time by the Saxons this year, as some say, as Mocteus says. I found it so in the Annals of Cuanac' [sic] — In Johnston's two short lines there are four material errors. — First, he makes the Irish plunder the Saxons ; whereas the truth is, that the Saxons a second time plundered them. — Secondly, he inakes the annals quote Matthew ; whereas even the interpo- lated copy in the museima has Mactenus: the original is pro- perly Mocteus, who was an Irish writer of the fifth century. Thirdly, he makes this Matthew a writer in the book of Cuanac. — Fourthly, he makes the book of Cuanac refer these transactions to 472 ! " At 473, Johnston's edition gives only ' The Skirmish of Bui' ; whereas the original has some foreign history under that year, and then adds : ' Quies Docci Episcopi Sancti, Brittonum Abbatis. [The death of Docci, a holy bishop, Abbot of the Britons] Dorngal Bri-Eile f. Laigniu ria n Alill Molt. [The Battle of Bri Eile was gained over the Leinster men by AHll Molt.]' "At 482, Johnston's edition has "The Battle of Ochc. From the time of Cormac to this battle, a period intervened of 206 years'. " Now here the original is strangely perverted and falsified. "The words of the original are — ' a.d. 482 — Bellum Oche OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 89 la Lug. mac Laegaire agus le Mmrcearta mac Erca, in quo lect. iv. cecidit Alill Moll [recte, Molt]. A Concobaro iilio Nesse usque ^^^^^^ ad Cormacum filium Airt amii cccviii., a Cormaco usqu.e ad hoc annais op bellum cxvi., ut Cuana scripsit'. [That is, a.d. 482 — The ^''^'^^■ Battle of Ocha by Lughaidh, the son of Laegaire, and Muir- ceartach, son of Earc, in which AHU Molt fell. From Concobar, son of Nesse, to Cormac, son of Airt, 308 years. From Cor- niac to this battle 116 years, as Cuana has written.] " It would require", says Dr. O'Conor, " a quarto volume as large as Mr. Johnston's whole work, to point out the errors of his edition, with such illustrations as these unexplored re- gions of Irish history seem to require. — The Ulster Annals", he continues, " are written part in Latin, and part in Irish, and both languages are so mixed up, that one sentence is often in words of both ; a circumstance which renders a faithful edition of the original difficult. In some instances the Irish words are few, in others numerous, — in both, the version must be included in hyphens, to separate it from the text. The author of this Catalogue has most faithfully adliered to the original — tran- scribing the whole of this, and of the preceding MS. from the Bodleian MS., RawHnson 489, and inserting literal versions of the Irish words in each sentence, so as to preserve not only the meaning, but the manner of the author, from the year 431 to 1131". — Stowe Catalogue, vol. i., p. 174. Another copy of these annals noticed by Dr. O'Conor, " con- tains", he says, "117 written folios. This volume has copious extracts from the Bodleian original, from 1156 to 1303, in- clusive ; and it has the merit, also, of marginal collations with the copy in the British Museum, Clarendon, tom. 36, in Ays- cough's Catalogue, No. 4787 ; which appears from this collation to be in many places interpolated. It has been collated, also, with a copy in the British Musemn, written by one O'Connel^ who was still more ignorant than the former transcriber, as may be seen by inspecting the MS. — Ayscough, tom. xlix., 4795". —Ibid., p. 176. [There is an English translation of the Annals of Ulster in the British Museum — Clarendon MS., vol. xlix., Ayscough's Catalogue, No. 4795 ; commencing with the coming of Palla- cUus into Ireland, a.d. 431, and coming down to a.d. 1303 (or 1307), as thus w^ritten; but there is a defect from 1131 to 1156, at page 65. The writing appears to be of Sir James Ware's time (XVII. Century), and the Latin of the original is not translated. This is the volume with which Doctor O'Conor says that he made marginal collations of the above manuscript ; but it will be seen that 1 is library reference is wrong, as well as that to the number in Ayscough's Catalogue. 90 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of Ulstek. I examined tliis translation witli great care, and I could not find any translator's name to it; no " one O'Connel". 1 think it possible that the reverend doctor never saw it. The Clarendon MS., xxxvi., British Museum, with which Dr. O'Conor says the Stowe copy of the Annals of Ulster was collated, is only a collection of short liistorical pieces, and extracts from unac- knowledged Annals. The writing is Hke Ware's, as may be seen from the volume i., No. 4787. The reverend doctor does not appear to have seen this volume any more than the other ; or if he did really see them, it is very strange that he should leave his readers to believe that they were both full copies, and written in the original Irish hand.] That the reverend doctor is quite correct in these strictures on Johnston's publication, he has given ample proof here; but his own inaccurate readings of the original text are full of con- tradictions, and are often as erroneous as those of Johnston; and his translations and deductions are as incorrect and unjusti- fiable. And, notwithstanding the respect in which his name and that of his more accurate grandfather, the venerable Charles O'Conor of Belanagare, are held by every investigator of the history and antiquities of Ireland, still it must be admitted, that his own writino-s — as regards matters in the Irish lan- guage, in his Stowe Catalogue, and in his Rerum Hibernicanmi Scrip tores, — would require very copious corrections of the inac- curacies of text, as well as of the many erroneous translations, imauthorized deductions, and unfounded assumptions which they contain. To retmii to the Annals of Senait Mac Manus. The volume in vellum containing the beautifvd copy of these annals now in the library of Trinity College, commences with three leaves which appear to be a fragment of a fine copy of Tighernach [see Appendix, No. XLIV.] After this the Annals of Senait Mac Manus, which begin with a long line of calends or initials of years, some of which are very briefly filled up, but without dates, except occasionally the years of the world's age, while others remain totally blank. These Annals begin thus — "Anno ab Incarnatione Domini ccccxxxi., Palladius ad Scotos a Celestino urbis Rome Epis- copo, ordinatur Episcopus, Actio et Valeriano Coss. Primus mittitur in Hiberniam, ut Christum credere potuissent, anno Theodosii viii." That is: "In the year from the Incarnation of our Lord four hundred and thhty-one, Palladius is ordained bishop to the Scoti by Celestine, Bishop of the City of Rome, in the consulship of Aetivis and Valerianus. He was the first who was sent to Ireland, that they might believe in Christ, in the eighth year of Theodosius". Of THE AKCIENT ANNALS. 1)1 " Anno ccccxxxii. — Patricius pervenit ad Hiberniam in anno lect. iv. Theodosii jimioris, primo anno Episcopatus Sixti xlii., Rom. EccL, sic enunierant Beda, et Marcellinus, et Isidorus in annals or Clironicis suis. in xii. an. Leaghaire mic NeilV\ " Anno 432 — i-^'Tek- Patrick came to Ireland in the ninth year of Theodosius the Yoimger, and first of the episcopacy of Sixtus, the forty- second Bishop of Rome, so Bede and MarceUinus and Isidore enumerate them in their Chronicles, in the twelfth year of Laeghaire Mac Neilf. " Anno ccccxxxiv. Prima preda Saxonmn in Hibernia. " Anno ccccxxxv. Mors Breasail regis Lagenise. " Anno ccccxxxvi. Vel hie mors Breasail". " Vels", or aliases, occur very frequently in the early part of these amials, but they are generally written in a later and in- ferior hand. Doctor O'Conor notices them in the Bodleian copy, but has not observed whether they are written in the ori- ginal hand or not. The following additional early notices are interesting. " Anno 437. Finbar Mac Hui Bardene [a Saint] died. "Anno ccccxxxviii. Chronicon Magnum Scriptum est". This was the Seanchas Mor, or great law compilation, re- ferred to in my former lecture. " Anno ccccxxxix. Secundinus, Auxilius, et Iseminus mit- tuntur Episcopi ipsi in Hiberniam, in auxilium Patricii ". It is not until the middle of the sixth century that these an- nals begin to notice more than two or three events, often merely of an ecclesiastical character. Not even the early battles with the Danes are given with anytliing more than the simple record of the fact, and the chief persons concerned, or the names of those who fell on such occasions. Nor is it imtil the beginning of the ninth century that they commence to group events, and nai-rate them to any considerable extent; but after the year 1000, they become diffuse enough, if not in narrative, at least in the mention of distinct events, and sometimes in both, par- ticularly as we approach the fifteenth centiuy. The book is written on fine strong vellum, large folio size, and in a very fine style of penmanship. There is a loss of forty-eight years between the years 1115 and 1163, the beginning of the former and conclusion of the latter only remaining. There is another defect between the years 1373 and 1379 ; and the volmne ends imperfectly v.dth the year 1504. The whole manuscript vohmie, in its present condition, consists of 121 folios or 242 pages ; the fii'st folio being paged 12, and the last 144, from which it appears that there are 11 folios, or twenty-two pages, lost at the beginning, and 12 folios. 92 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Anxals of Ulstek. LECT. IV. or 24 pages more, deficient between the years 1115 and 1163. The missing years between 1373 and 1379 do not interrupt the pagination, from which it may be inferred that they were lost from the original MS. of the Annals of Ulster, of which this part of the MS. is but a transcript. The first tliree fohos are, I believe, a portion of the Annals of Tighernach. The third leaf belongs to neither compilation. The foui'th leaf begins the MS. of the Annals of Ulster. [See Appendix, No. XLIV.] Throughout this MS. the annals have the year of our Lord prefixed to them, but they are antedated by one year. This error is, however, generally corrected in a later hand throughout the volume. Throughout the earlier portion especially of these Annals of Ulster, the text is a mixture of Gaedhlic and Latm, sometunes being written partly in the one language and partly in the other. It may be remarked also, that throughout the entire MS. blank spaces had been left by the original scribe at the end of each year, and that in these spaces there have been added by a later hand several events, and aliases or corrections of dates. It will have been seen from Dr. O'Conor's remarks in the Stowe Catalogue, that the copy which Bishop Nicholson des- cribed, in his work called " Nicholson's Irish Library", was carried down to the year 1541 , whilst the Dublin cojDy in its present state ends with 1504. [See Nicholson's Irish Library, p. 37.] There is, however, every reason to be certain that this is the identical volume or copy of the same Annals men- tioned by him in his Appendix (6 ; p. 243). [See discussion on the Annals of Loch Ce; infra.] It may seem that I have dwelt with too much prolixity on the technical details of the Annals hitherto considered; but I believe their importance fully warrants this. They form the great framework around which the fabric of our history is yet to be built up. The copies of them which now remain are un- fortunately all imperfect and widely separated, in different libra- ries and MSS. collections ; and in the critical examination of them (short as such an examination must be in lectures such as the present), and the collation of all the evidences we can bring together about them, I believe that I am doing good service to the future historian of Ireland. LECTURE V. [Delivered June 19, 1856.] The Annals (continued). 5. The Annals of Loch Ce, liitherto sometimes caUed The Annals of Kilronan. Of the Plain of Magh Slecht. 6. The Annals of Connacht. Remarks on the so-called Annals of Boyle. In my last Lecture I gave yon some account of the Annals of Innisfallen, and those of Senait MacManus, commonly called the Annals of Ulster: havmg on the previous day commenced with the earlier compilation of Tighcrnach. Thus we have disposed of the most of the earlier compilations in that list of the more important annals, which I named to you as the sources of our history, which it was my intention, in accordance with the plan of these Lectures, to bring under your notice. Before, however, we reach the last and greatest monument of the learning of the Gaedliils, called the Annals of the Four Masters, there remain at least four other remarkable collections for your consideration : the Annals of Kilronan,^^*' or rather of Inis Mac Nerinn in Loch Ce, as they ought to be called ; the Annals of Boyle ; those called the Annals of Connacht ; and Mac Firbis' Chronicum Scotorum ; and it is to these works that, proceeding in regular order, I shall have this evening to direct your attention. And first, of the Annals which have been knowni for some oftiie time mider the name of the Annals of Kilronan, but which, loch^ck^ I think, it will presently be seen should be called the Annals of Inis Mac Nerinn in Loch Ce. The only copy of these Annals known to exist at present is that in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, Class H. 1, 19. It is on vellmn, of small foHo size ; the original writing in va- rious hands, but all of them fine and accurate. Several leaves having, however, been lost from the original volume in various parts of it, the chasms are filled up, sometimes with paper and sometimes with vellum, and some of the missing annals re- (38) It is only within the last few years that this name "Annals of Kilronan" ■was aijplied to these Annals, which are referred to by tlie Four Masters (see Ann. IV. Masters, Preface, p. xxviii.) as the ' Book of the O'Duigenans of Kilronan'. [They are so referred to by Dr. O'Douovan at p. 778 of the Annals, note (6) to a.d. 1013.] lOlronan was in the country of the Mac Dermotts, in the present County of Roscommon. 94 OF THE AXCIENT ANNALi?. Of the Annals op Loch Ce. _ stored, altliougli in an inferior style of penmansliip. These restorations are principally in tlie handwriting of Brian Mac Dermot. The chief defects in the body of the book are obser- vable from the year 1138 to 1170, where thirty -two years are missing; and from the year 1316 to 1462, where 142 years are missing. The year 1468 is also omitted. The following notices will sufficiently show the names of the chief transcriber, of the owner, and the time of transcribing the volume. At the end of the year 1061 we find this notice: — "I am fatigued from Brian Mac Dermot's book ; Anno Domini 1580. I am Philip Badley". — [See original in Appendix, No. XLV.] The Christian name of the scribe appears in several places from this to the end of the year 1588 ; but a memorandum at the end of the year 1515 is conclusive in identifying not only the chief transci'lber, but the date of the original transcipt, as well as the place in which, and the person for whom, the volume was transcribed or compiled : — " I rest from this work. May God grant to the man [that is, the owner] of this book, to return safely from Athlone ; that is Brian, the son oi Rnaidln'igh Mac Dermot. I am Philip who wrote this, 1588, on the day of tlie festival of Saint Brendan in particular. And Cluain Hi Bhraoin is my place". — [See original in Appendix, No. XLVL] Of this Badley, if that be his real name, I have never been able to learn anything more than what he has written of himself in this volume. I may observe, however, that the name of Philip was not uncommon in the learned family of O'Diiibh- ghenainn or Duigenan; and Cluain I Bhraoin, where Philip wrote this book, was at this time the residence of a branch of the ODuihhghenainn or O'Duigenans, as will appear from the fol- lowing entry in these Annals, in the handwriting of the owner of the book, Brian Mac Dermot, at the year 1581 : — " Fear- caogadh O'Duigenan, the son of Fergal, son of Philip, died at Cluain I Bhraoin\ — [See original in Appendix, No. XLVIL] We find, too, the name of Duhhthach O'Duigenain, set down as a scribe in the book at the end of the year 1224. The following memorandum at the end of the page at which the year 1462 commences (the book is not paged), gives us fur- ther reason still for supposing that the O'Duigenans had some connection with this book. It runs thus: — " Three leaves and five scores of vellum that are contained in this book, per me, Daniel Duignan". — [See original in Appendix, No. XLVIIL] This memorandum is withovit date ; and I may observe that, as the book contains at present but ninety-nine of the original OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 95 leaves, four leaves must have been lost since this memorandum lec t. y. was wiitten. ^^^^^ I have not, however, quoted these memoranda merely m a\-sals op order to show by what particular scribe the Annals in question were written. A mistake has, it appears to me, been long cur- rent with regard to the identity of the MS., and I believe I am in a position to correct it. It is my opinion that the notices just referred to are sufficient to show that these are not those Annals, or that ' Book of the O Duihligenainns of Kilronan', which was one of the books men- tioned by the Four Masters as having been used by them in their compilation, and wliich extended from the year 900 to the year 1563. The present volume begins with the year 1014, and in its original form ends (imperfectly) with the year 1571 ; and we find that one of the O'Duigenan family was a transcriber in the early part of it, and that it was transcribed at Clucdn I Bhraoin. But it is, I think, more than probable that the volume is but a transcript of the original Book of the O'Dui- genans of Kih'onan, made, as far as it went, for Brian Mac Dermot ; and that to the text of this transcript that noble chief himself, and other scribes, made several additions, carrying the annals down to the year 1590, or two years before his death in 1592. Such is the opinion at which I have arrived as to this manuscript. That the present volume was carried down to the year 1590, I am rather fortunately in a position to prove beyond any doubt, haA^ng myself discovered a part of the continuation in the British Museum in the year 1849. This part contains sixteen consecutive years, and part of a dislocated year, extending from the latter part of 1568 to 1590, but still leaving a chasm in the volume from 1561 to 1568. This continuation is written partly on vellum and partly on paper, in various hands, among which that of Brian JNlac Dermot is still very plainly distin- guishable ; and the following translation of an entry, at the year 1581, with Brian's note on it, seems to complete the identifica- tion of the volume : — " Calvagh {Calbhach), the son of Donnell, son of Teige (Tadhg), son of Cathal O'Conor, the heir of Sligo and of Lower Connacht, without dispute, died on the Friday between the two Easters [that is, between Easter Sunday and Low Sun- day] in this year". — [See original in Appendix, No. XLIX.] To this article Brian ]\Xac Dermot adds the following note : — " And the death of this only son of Donnell O'Conor and Mor Ai Rucdrc is one of the most lamentable events of Erinn. And there never came, of the descendants of Brian Luighneacli 96 OF THE AKCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of Loch Ce. O'Conor] a man of his years a greater loss than him, nor is it ikely that there will come. And this loss has pained the learts of all Connacht, and especially it has pained the scholars and poets of the province of Connacht. And it has divided my own heart into two parts. Uch ! Uch ! how pitiable my condition after my comrade and companion, and the man most dear and truthful to me in the world ! " I am Brian Mac Dermot, who wrote this, upon Mac Der- mot's Rock ; and I am now like Olioll Oluim after his sons, when they were slain, together with Art Aenfhir, the son of Conn of the Hundi'ed Battles, in the battle of Ifagh MucruimhS by Mac Con, the son of Mac JViadh, son oi Lughaidh; or like Deirdre after the sons of Uistieach had been treacherously slain in Eamhain Mhaclia [Emania] by Co7ichohha7' the son of Fachtna, son of Ruadli, son of Rudhraidhe [Conor Mac Nessa] ; for I am melancholy, sorrowful, distressed, and dis- pirited, in grief and in woe. And it cannot be described or related how I feel after the departure of my companion from me, that is the Calvach. And it was on the last day of the month of March that he was interred in Sligecli (Sligo)". — [See original in Appendix, No. XLIX.] Mac Dermot's Rock (Carraig Mhic-Diarmada), and the Rock of Loch Ce {Carraig Locha Ce) were the popular names of a castle built on an Island in Loch Ce, near Boyle, in the pre- sent County of Roscommon. This castle was the chief resi- dence and stronghold of Mac Dermot, the native chief and prince of Ifagh Luirg (or Moylorg), an extensive territory in the same County of Roscommon. The above Brian Mac Dermot, the owner, restorer, and conti- nuator of these Annals, was cliief of Magh Luirg between the years 1585 and 1592, though in what year he succeeded his father, Rory (Ruaidhri), the son of Teige {Tadhg), I am not able to say. The father was chief in 1540 and 1542. Of Brian Mac Dermot himself, we find in the Annals of the Four Masters, — under the year 1585 (in which year all the native chiefs of Erinn were called by proclamation to a parlia- ment in Dublin), — that Tadhg the son of JEoghan Mac Dermot attended this Parliament as deputy froin Mac Dermot of Magh Luirg ; that is, Brian the son of liuaidhri, son of Tadhg, son of Ruaidhri Og, which Brian was then a very old man. And at the year 1592 the same Annals record the death of this Brian Mac Dermot in the following words : "Mac Dermot of Magh Luirg, — Brian the son of Ruaidhri, son of Tadhg Mac Dermot, died in the month of November; and the death of tliis man was the more to be lamented, be- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 97 cause tliere was no other like him of the claim Maolrua- lect. v. naidli ['Maelrimy', the tribe name of the Mac Dermots,] to ^^.^j^^ succeed liim in the chieftainship". — [See original in Appendix, annals of No. L.] It -would then appear, I think, that these cannot be the so- called Annals of Kilronan ; but that they are those called the Annals of Loch Ce, quoted by Sir James Ware in his work on the Bishops of Erinn, is by no means certain. Dr. Nicholson (Protestant Bishop of Derry, and afterwards Archbishop of Cashel), in his valuable " Irish Historical Li- brary", published in Dubhn in 1724, p. 36, thus speaks of the Annals of Loch Ce, quoted by Sir James Ware : " The Annals of this monastery are frequently quoted by Sir James Ware ; but all that he ever saw was a Fragment of them (part in Latin and part in Irish) beginning at 1249 and ending at 1408. He supposes the author to have been a Canon- Reojular of the said Abbey, and to have lived about the middle • Till of the Fifteenth Century. His copy, perhaps, has had some farther loss since it fell into other hands ; seeing all that can be now said of it is ' Pars Annalium Ccenohii S. Trin. de Logh- kcea, incipiens ah An. 1249. et desinens An. 1381. ex Hiher- nico Idiomate in Angltcum versa ". The same writer (Appendix No. 6, page 243) says: " The most valuable collection of Irish MSS. that I have met with, in any private hand, here in Dublin, next to that of the Lord Bishop of Clogher, was communicated to me by Mr. John Conry ; who has great numbers of our Historico-Poetical Composures, and (being a perfect master of their language and prosodia) knows how to make the best use of them. Amongst these, there's " 1. An ancient copy of the Annales Senatenses (Annals of Ulster), written on Vellum and in a fair character; but imper- fect at the beginning and end: for it begins at the Year 454, ten Years later than the Duke of Chaudois's, and ends (about 50 years sooner) at 1492. " 2. There is also, in the same Letter and Parchment, and the same folio Volmne, a copy of the Annals of the Old Abbey of Inch-Maccreen, an island in the Lake oi Loghkea, very diffe- rent from those of the Holy Trinity, an abbey (in the same Loch) of a much later foundation. This book commences at the year 1013, and ends with 1571. " 3. He has likewise the original Annals of Donegal (or the Quatuor Magistri), signed by the proper hands of the four Masters themselves, who were the Compilers of that Chronicle", etc., etc., etc. 98 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals op Loch Ce. This, indeed, is a most valuable notice from the very candid Bishop Nicholson. The Annals of the Old Abbey of Inis Maccreen, properly Inis Mac Nerinn, an island in Loch Ce, which he mentions, are beyond any doubt those which I have already identified as such. According to Conry's report to the bishop, these Annals commenced with the year 1013, and ended with 1571 ; but it is quite clear that the year 1013 is a mere mistake for 1014, with which the book commences in its present, and I am siu-e in its then condition. For it commences with an account of the battle of Clontarf ; and as the original page is much de- faced and the date totally illegible, and as the date of that great event is given by the Four Masters under the year 1013, it seems probable that, without looking to the copy of the whole annal, and the date mentioned below, Conry gave that year as the commencement of the book to the bishop. The last page of the year 1571, with which the volume (without the British Museum addition) ends, is also illegible, showing plainly that the book had been a long time lying without a cover, probably in the ruined residence of some departed mem- ber of the Mac Dermot family, before it passed into Conry's hands. Still, notwithstanding that Conry gave this book the name of the Annals of the Abbey of Inis Mac Nerinn of Loch CS, it is quite clear from the circumstances under wliich they were written, that they were not the annals of that abbey, if any such annals ever existed. There is some mystery as to the way this volume passed from the hands of John Conry. It was, however, purchased at the sale of the books of Dr. John O'Fergus, in 1766, by Dr. Leland, the historian, along with the Annals of Ulster, — a transcrijDt made for the doctor of the first volume of the An- nals of the Four Masters, — and the imjDcrfect autograph of the second volume, described above by Dr. Nicholson, — and placed by him (Dr. Leland) in the College Library, where the group may now be seen together. It is fortunate that we actually have still in existence a copy of the printed catalogue of the books of the patriotic Doctor OTergus, which is preserved along with several other memorials of him, by his worthy great- grandson, my esteemed friend, James Marinus Kennedy, Esq. (of 47 Lower Gloucester Street, in this city), who has kindly permitted me to consult this interesting catalogue. On exa- mining it, I found included in it the Annals of Ulster, — a tran- script of the first volume of the Annals of the Four Masters, by Hugh O'Mulloy, an excellent scribe, in two volmnes, — and the imperfect autograph copy of the second volume, — among OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 99 several other M'SS. of less value, set down for sale ; but no i.ect. v. account of the Annals of the Abbey of Inis Mac Nerinn, men- ^^ ^^^ tloned by John Conry in his communication to Dr. Nicholson, anxais op So far indeed we have lost the direct evidence of the volume being that which Conry had mentioned to the bishop ; but the fact of its having- been pm-cliased by the College along with the other books and transcripts belonging to Conry 's collection, the identity in the years of its beginning and ending, and the original locahty to which it was referred, wliich, though erro- neous, was approximately correct, can leave no rational doubt of its being the reputed Annals of the Abbey of Inis Mac Keriim in Loch Ce, though the internal evidences clearly prove it to be the Annals of the Rock of Loch Ce, or Mac Dermot's Rock, the residence of the owner and part-compiler, Brian Mac Dermot, in 1590. Indeed even the wanting link above alluded to is sujDplied in a contemporary list or catalogue of the Irish books sold at Dr. O'Fergus's sale, which is preserved in (pasted into) a MS. volume in the Library of the Royal Irish Aca- demy (commonly known by the name of " Vallancey's Green Book"), and contains the names of the persons to whom and the prices at which the various Irish MSS. there were sold. For in that list I find it mentioned tliat Dr. Leland bought " No. 2427, Annals of the 4 Masters, 3 vols, [the two volumes of tran- scrijition and one of aiitograph before mentioned], a fine MS., £7 19s."; and also, " 2410, Annals of Ulster, by the 4 Masters [sic], a very ancient MS. on vellum"; and "2411, Continu- ation of the Annals of Tighernach, very ancient, on vellum", both together for £18. The last mentioned MS. was, I have no doubt, the one of which we have been speaking, mistaken by the maker of the catalogiie for a "Continuation of Tighernach", probably only because he could make no better guess at what it really was. And it is singular that this volume is now lettered " Tighernaci Continuatio" on the back (H. 1. 19, T.C.D.) I have thus, I think, conclusively identified the MS. spoken of by Dr. O'Donovan as the " Amials of Kilronan", and I have identified it as one different from the original Book of the O'Duigenans of Kilronan, referred to by the Four Masters. Wliether that IMS. is or is not the same as the Annals of Loch Ce, referred to by Sir James Ware, does not, however, appear to me to be by any means clearly settled by Nicholson, the ac- curacy of whose descriptions of Irish MSS. is not always im- plicitly to be depended on. Certainly Sir James Ware does quote from what he calls the Annals of Loch Ce at the year 1217, as we shall presently see, though in the passage before quoted from Nicholson, that writer positively says that " all he 7 B Loch Ce. 100 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. V. (Ware) ever saw was a fragment of them, beginning at 1249 Qj ^jj and ending at 1408". annat-s of The references by Ware to these Annals are in his " History of the Bishops". In the fii'st vohime of this important work (as edited by Walter Harris, pp. 84, 250, 252, 271), we find it stated on the authority of the Annals of "Lough Kee" (Loch Ce), that Adam O'Muirg {Annadh 0'3fuireadhaigh),J^isho-p of Ardagh (Ardachadh), died in the year 1217; Cait'bre O'Scoba, Bishop of Raphoe (Rath BhothaJ, in the year 1275; William Mac Casac, Bishop of Ardagh, in the year 1373; and John Colton, Archbishop of Armagh, in the year 1404. On refer- ence to our volume of Annals, we find the death of AnnadJi O Muireadhaigli and Cah^hre O'Scoba mider the respective years of 1217 and 1275. The other years, 1373 and 1404, are now lost, though these lost sheets were probably in existence in Ware's time. The following little note, written in the lower margin of the eleventh page of the fragment in the British Museum, is not without interest in tracing this very volume of Annals to the possession of the family of Sir James Ware. " Honest, good, hospitable Robert Ware, Esq., of Stephen's Green; James Magrath is his servant for ever to command". This Robert was the son of the very candid writer on Irish history just mentioned. Sir James Ware ; and it is pretty clear that this entry was made in the book, of which the fragment in the British Museum formed a part, wliile it was in the hands of either the father or the son. Ha^dng thus endeavoured, and I trust successfully, to identify for the first time tliis valuable book of Irish Annals, I now pro- ceed to consider the character of its contents, so as to form a just estimate of its value, as a large item in the mass of materials which still exist for an ample and authentic History of Ireland. These Annals of Loch CS, as I shall henceforth call them, commence with the year of our Lord 1014, containing a very good account of the Battle of Clontarf ; the death of the ever memorable Brian Boroimhe; the final overthrow of the whole force of the Danes, assisted as they were by a numerous army of auxiliaries and mercenaries; and the total destruction of their cruel and barbarous sway within the 'Island of Saints'. The first page of the book is nearly illegible, but it was restored on inserted paper in a very good hand, at Cam Oilltriallaigh in Connacht, on the 1st of November 1698, by S. Mac Conmidhe. The account of the Battle of Clontarf just alluded to, is es- pecially interesting because it contains many details not to be found in any of the other annals now remaining to us. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS 101 In clironology as well as the general cliaracter, the Annals of lect. v. Loch Ce resemble the Annals of Tighernach, the Annals of Ul- ster, and the Chroniciun Scotoruni ; but they are much more annals ov copious in details of the affairs of Connacht than any of our °*^" other annals, not excepting even, perhaps, the Clironicle now known as the Annals of Connacht, — a collection which will presently engage our attention. And as all these additional de- tails involve much of family history and topography, every item of them will be deemed valuable by the diligent investigator of our history and antiquities. The dates are always written in the original hand, and in Roman numerals, represented by Irish letters. The text is all in the ancient Gaedhhc characters, and mainly in the Gaedhlic language, but mixed occasionally with Latin, particularly in recording births and deaths, when sometimes a sentence is given partly in both languages, as at a.d. 1087, which runs thus : " The Battle of Connchail in the territory of Corann (in Sligo), was gained by Rory O'Connor of the yellow hoimd, son of Hugh of the gapped spear, over Hugh the son of Art O'Ruairc ; and the best men of the Cojimaicne were slaughtered and slain. — [See original in Appendix, No. LL] " In tliis year was born Torloch O'Conor". — [See Appendix, No. LIL] The following specimen of the style and copiousness of the Annals of Loch Ce, may be appropriately introduced. The same events are given in but a few lines in the Annals of the Four Masters, a.d. 1256 It is the accoimt of the cele- brated Battle of Magh Slecht (or Plain of Genuflexions). — [See original in Appendix, No. LIH.] "A great army was raised by Walter INIac Rickard Mac William Burke, against Fedhlim, the son of Cathal Crohlidhearg [or Cathal O'Connor of the red hand], and against Aedh [or Hugh] the son of Feidlilim; and against the son of Tighernan O'Ruairc. And it was a long time before this period since a host so numerous as this was collected in Erinn, for their num- ber was counted as twenty thousand to a man. And these great hosts marched to Magh-Eo [jNIayo] of the Saxons, and from that to Balla, and from that all over Luighne [Leyney], and they ravaged Luighne in all directions around them. And they came to Achadh Conaire [Achonry], and sent messengers thence to the 0' Haghallaigli [O'Reillys), calHng upon them to come to meet them at Cros-Doire-Chaoin, upon the south end oi Bvat- Shliabh in Tir-Tiiathal. And the O'Reillys came to Clachan Mucadlia on Sliabh-an-Iarainn, but they turned back without ha^dng obtained a meeting from the English. 102 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of Loch Ce. "It was on tlaat very day, Friday precisely, and the day of tlie festival of the Cross, above all days, that Conchobhar the son of Tighernan O'Riiairc, assembled the men of BreifnS and Conmaicne, and all others whom he could, under the command of Aedh O'Conor, as were also the best men of Connacht, and of the Siol Muireadhaigh [the O'Conors]. And the best (or noblest) that were of that host were Conor the son of Tigher- nan O'Ruairc, King of the Ui Briuin and Conmaicne; Cathal O Flaitlibheartaigh [O'Flaherty] , and Murchadh Finn OFergh- ail; and Ruaidhri OFloinn of the wood ; and Flann Mac Oireach- taigh; aiidBonn 6g Mac Oireachtaigh ; and a great body of the Olvellys ; and Mac Dermot's three sons ; and Dermot OTlan- nagan; 2ii\d Cathal the son of Duarcan OHeaghra (O'Hara) ; and the two sons of Tighernan O'Conor, and Giolla-na- Nao7nh CTaidhg [O'Teige.] And numerous indeed were the warriors of Connacht there. And where the van of that host overtook the O'Reillys was at Soiltean-na-nGasan; and they pursued them to Alt Tighe Mhic Cuirin. Here the new recruits of the O'Reillys turned upon the united hosts, and three times drove them back. The main body of the hosts then came up, but not till some of their people had been killed, and among them Dermot O'Flannagan, and Mac 3faonaigh, and Coicle CCoicU [Cokely O'Cokely], and many more. "Both armies now marched to Alt~na-h-Filti, and to Doirin Cranncha, between Ath-na-Beithighe and Bel an Bheallaigh, and Coill Fassa, and Coill Airthir, upon Sliabh an larainn. Here the O'Reillys turned firmly, ardently, furiously, wildly, ungovernably, against the son of Feidhlim [O'Conor], and all the men of Connacht who were with him, to avenge upon them their wrongs and oppression. And each party then urged their people against the other, that is the Ui Briuin and the Con- nacht forces. Then arose the Connacht men on the one side of the battle, bold, expert, precipitate, ever moving. And they drew up in a bright-flaming, quick-handed phalanx, valiant, firm, imited in their ranks, under the command of their brave, strong-armed, youthful prince, Aedh [Hugh] the son of Feidh- lim, son of Cathal the red-handed. And, certainly, the son of the high king had in him the fury of an inflamed chief, the valour of a champion, and the bravery of a hero upon that day. " And a bloody, heroic, and triumphant battle then was fought between them. Numbers were killed and wounded on both sides. And Conor, the son of Tighernan (O'Ruairc), King of Breifne, and Murchadh Finn OFerghaill [Murrogh Finn O'Ferail], and Aedh [Hugh] O'Ferall, and Maolrua- naidh [Maelroney] Mac Donnogh, with many more, were left OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 103 ■wounded on the field. And some of tliese died of accumu- lect. v. lated wounds in tlicir own houses ; amonsf whom were Morroo'h ^, , . ^ . ■ Of tilG Finn O'Ferall ; and Flann Mac Oireachtaigh was killed in the annals op deadly strife of the battle, with many others. And now what ^"^" ^' those who had knowledge of this battle [who witnessed this battle] say, is, that neither the warriors on either side, nor the champions of the great battle themselves, could gaze at the face of the chief king; for thca-e were two great royal, torch-like, bi'oad eyes, flaming and rolling in his forehead ; and every one feared to address him at that time, for he was beyond speaking distance in advance of the hosts, going to attack the battalions of the Ui Briuin. And he raised his battle-cry of a chief king and his champion shout aloud in the middle of the great battle ; and he halted not from his career until the force of the Ui Briuin utterly gave Avay. " There were killed on this spot Cathal O'Reilly, King of the Muintir Maoilmoixlha, and of the clan of Aedh Finn, and his two sons along with him, namely — Donnell Roe and Niall ; and his brother CucJionnacht ; and Cathal Bubh O'Reilly's three sons, Geoffiy, Fergal, and Donnell. And Annadh, the son of Donnell O'Reilly, was killed by Conor, the son of Tighernan (O'Ruairc), and the Blind O'Reilly, that is, Niall; and Tigher- nan IMac Brady, and Gilla- Michael Mac Taichly, and Donogh 0' Bibsaigh, and Manus Mac Gilla-JDuibh, and over three score of the best of then* _ people along with them. And there were sixteen men of the O'Reilly family killed there also, " This was the Battle o£ Magh Slecht, on the brink o£ Ath Dearg [the Red Ford] at Alt na hElllti [the Hill of the Doe] over Bealach na Beithighe [the Road of the Birch]". The precision with which the scene of this domestic battle (which took place in the modern county of Cavan) is laid down in this article, is a matter of singular interest, indeed of singular importance, to the Irish liistoriau. Magh Slecht [that is, the Plain of Adoration, or Genuflexions], the situation and bearings of which are so minutely set down here, was no other than that same plain of Magli Slecht in which stood Crom Criiach (called Ceann C^niach in the Tripartite Life), the great Idol of Milesian pagan worship, the Delphos of our Gadelian ancestors, from the time of their first coming into Erinn vmtil the destruction of the idol by Saint Patrick, in the early part of his apostleship among them. The precise situation of this historical locality has not been hitherto authoritatively ascertained by any of our antiqua- rian investigators ; but it is pretty clear, that, if any man fairly acquainted with our ancient native documents, and practised in the examination of the ruined monuments of antiquity, so thickly 7 * 104 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals op Loch Ce. scattered over the face of our country, — if, I say, such a man, with this article in his hand, and an extract from the Life of St. Patrick,^^^^ should go to any of the points here described in the route of the belligerent forces, he will have but little difficulty in reaching the actual scene of the battle, and will there stand, with certainty, in the veritable Magh Slecht ; nay, even may, perhaps, discover the identical Civm Cruach himself, with his twelve biu'ied satellites, where they fell and were interred when struck down by St. Patrick with his crozier, the Bachall losa, or Sacred Staff of Jesus ! Of the Annals of connacht. Much could be said on the value of these and of others of our local and independent chronicles, concerning the vast amount they contain of cumulative additions to what is recorded in other books, and of minor details, such as could never be found in any general compilation of national annals. Space will not, however, in lectures such as these, permit us to dwell longer on the subject at present, and we shall, therefore, pass on at once from the Annals of Loch Ce to the consideration of those com- monly called by the name of the Annals of Connacht. The only copies of the chronicle which bears tliis title now known to exist in Ireland are, a large folio paper copy, in two volumes, in the library of T.C.D. [class H. 1. 1. and H. 1. 2.] ; and a large quarto paper copy, in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, No. 25.4; 25.5 ; both in the same handAvriting. The writing is tolerably good, but the orthography is often inaccurate, owing to the ignorance of the copyist, whose name appears at the end of the second volimie in T.C.D., in the following entry : " Written out of an ancient vellum book, and finished the 29th day of the month of October, in the year of the age of the Lord 1764, by Maurice O'Gorman". — [See original in Appen- dix, No. LV.] This IVIaurice O'Gorman, a well-known though a very incom- petent scribe, flourished in Dublin before and for some time after this year of 1764. The Trinity College copy was made by him for Dr. O'SuUivan, F.T.C.D., and Professor of Law in the University ; the two volumes in the Royal Irish Academy, for the Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman, of the county of Clare, in the year 1783, in the house of the Venerable Charles O'Conor, of Belanagare, in the county of Roscommon, as appears from a notice in English prefixed to the first volume. The scribe's name does not appear in this copy. These annals in their present condition begin with the yeajr of (39) The passage in the Life of St. Patrick M-ill be found, with translation, in the Appendix, No. LIV. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 105 our Lord 1224, and end witli the year 1562; but tlie years lect. v. 1394, 1395, 1396, 1397, are missing; and this is the more to be ^^.^j^^ regretted as the same years are also missing from the Annals of annals of Loch Ce. At what time, or by what authority this chronicle received the name of the Annals of Connacht, it is now, perhaps, impossible to ascertain. • Usher quotes both from the Annals of Connacht, and from those of Boyle (Primordia, pp. 895, 966) ; but it is to be feared that Usher was his own authority, as Ave shall see presently. Sir James Ware gives the name of Annals of Connacht to the chronicle now known as the Annals of Boyle, in these words : "An anonymous monk of the Coenobiiun Buelliensis, added an index to the Annals of the affairs of Connacht up to the year 1253, at which time he lived. The MS. book exists in the Cot- tonian Library, the gift of Oliver late Viscount Grandison, of Limerick". [Ware's Irish Writers, 4to, 1639, p. 60]. And in Ware's Catalogue of his own manuscripts (Dublin, 4to, 1648), p. 14, No. 44, he says, " A copy of the Annals of Connacht, or of the Coenobium Buelliensis, to the year 1253. The autograph exists in the Cottonian Library of Westminster". The book of which Ware makes mention in both these extracts, under the names of an index to the Annals of Connacht, and as the Annals of Connacht themselves, and the autograph of which, he says, was then in the Cottonian Library of Westminster, is certainly that now known as the Annals of Boyle. The auto- graph which w^as then in Westminster is now in the British Museum (under the library mark of Titus A. 25), and has been published by the Rev. Charles O'Conor, in his Rerum Hiber- nicarum Scriptores. When alluding to these Annals of Boyle in a former Lecture, I was reluctantly obliged to take the Rev. Charles O'Conor's very unsatisfactory account of them from the Stowe Catalogue ; but since that time, and during the summer of the last year (1855), I had an opportunity of examining the original book itself in the British Museum. As there is very much to correct in Dr. O'Conor's account, I am tempted shortly to state here the result of my own examination of the MS., but I shall do so only in the briefest manner. The book (the pages of which measure about eight inches in of the length, by five and a-half in breadth) contains, as I find, about botl^''." "" 130 leaves, or 260 pages; and of these the Annals form the 34 first leaves, or 68 pages, of good, strong, but somewhat disco- loured vellmn ; the remainder of the book is written in the En- glish language on paper, and has no concern with Ireland. It is written in a bold, but not elegant hand, chiefly in the old 106 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. V. black letter of (as I sliould tlimk) about tbe year 1300. The capital letters at tlie commencements of years and articles, and ansaIs op sometimes proper names, are generally of the Gaedhlic alphabet, Boi-LE. ^^^ gQ gracefully formed that it appears to me unaccountable how the same hand could have traced such chaste and graceful » Gaedhlic and such rude and heavy black letters, in one and the same word. The annals commence fourteen years before the birth of Lamech, the Father of Noah ; but those years are only marked by the letters " KL", which stand for the kalends or first day of January of the year. They then give the years from Adam to Lamech as 974. These blank kalends contain the dates (almost uninterruptedly) down to Noah ; then Abraham ; Isaac ; the In- carnation of our Lord ; and so to the coming of St. Patrick on his mission into Ireland, in the fourth year of the monarch Laeghaii^e, a.d. 432. Even from this time down to their pre- sent termination at the year 1257, the record of events is very meagre, seldom exceeding a line or two, generally of Latin and Irish mixed, until they reach the year 1100; indeed even from that year down to the end of the annals, the entries are still very poor, and without any attempt at description. The years throughout, to near the end, are distinguished by the initial kalends only, excepting at long intervals where the year of our Lord and the corresponding year of the world are inserted. In one instance the computation is from the Passion of our Lord, thus: "From the beginning of the world to the death of St. Martin, according to Dionisius, 5(511 years; from the Passion of the true Lord, 415". The year of the world is always given according to Dionisius, but in one instance the Hebrew computation is followed, and this is where the chrono- logy begins to agree with the common era ; as thus, at the year 939 : " Here begin the wars of Brian, the son of Kennedy, son of Lorcan, the noble and great monarch of all Erinn, and they extend as far as the year 1014 from the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. From the beginning of the world, according to Dioni- sius, 6000 years, but according to the Hebrew, 5218 years". There is so much irregularity and confusion in the chronolo- gical progress and arrangement of these annals (a confusion which the Rev. Doctor O'Conor appears to me to have made more confused), that it would have been hopeless to attempt to reduce and correct them, without an expenditure of time, and a facility of collation with other annals, which a visit to London for other and weightier purposes would not admit of Nor should I have deemed it necessary to revert to them a second time in the course of these Lectures, but that I feel bound to cor- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS- 107 rect, as far as I can, any small errors into which such distin- lect. v. giiished scholars as Ussher, Ware, Nicholson, and O'Conor, may ^^ ^^^^ have fallen for want of a closer examination of these annals. axsals of In the first place we have seen that Ussher, Sir James Ware, his editor Walter Harris, Bishop Nicholson, and Doctor O'Co- nor, call them the Annals of Boyle ; and it may, I think, be beheved that Ussher was the father of the name, and that his successors followed him implicitly. As far as the annals themselves can show, there is nothing whatever in them to indicate that they are annals of Boyle, ex- cept the words 'Annales Monasterii in Buellio in Hibernia", which are written on the original vellum fly-leaf at the begin- ning of the book, in a line bold English hand, apparently of the early part of the last century. In a note by Doctor O'Conor on the death of Saint Maeclhog of Ferns, at the year 600 of his published copy of these annals, he says, it is evident that Ussher must have had another copy of them in his possession, because he places the death of Saint Masdhog at the year 632 on their authority. Now it is singular enough that here the doctor is wrong and Ussher right, for the year of our Lord 605 aj^pears distinctly in the original text in correspondence with the year of the world 5805. The doc- tor gives this annal 605, which is in Latin, coiTectly, but, in accordance with his adopted system, places it under the year 573. The record runs thus: "In hoc anno Beatus Gregorius quievit. Scilicet in DCVto anno Dominice Incarnationis, ut Beda dicit in Historia sua. Beatus vero Gregorius XVI. annis, et mensibus VI. et diebus X. rexit Ecclesiam, Anni ab initio mundi VDCCCV". [i.e. " In this year the blessed Gregory rested. That is to say, in the 605th year of the Incarnation of our Lord, as Bede says in his History. Tndy the blessed Gregory ruled the Church 16 years, 6 months, and 10 days — Five thousand eight hundi'cd and five years from the beginning of the world".] As I had occasion to fix the date of a particidar occurrence in Irish history according to these annals, and as no other date ap- pears in them from 605 down to the record of that event, I wrote out the nvimber of blank kalends, with a few of their lead- ing records down to the occurrence in which I was interested. Among the items that I took dowm was the death of Saint Maed- hog of Ferns, and by counting the number of kalends between that event and the above date of 605, I find it to be 27 ; so that both numbers when added make 632, the precise year at which Ussher places it on the authority of these annals. This then, as far as Dr. O'Conor's observation goes, is the book that Ussher quotes from. 108 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of Boyle. It is only at the year 1234 tliat the regular insertion of the day of the week on which the kalends of January fell, and the year of our Lord in full, begin to be inserted in the text, and these Doctor O'Conor gives, down to 1238 ; after Avhich he passes with- out observation to the year 1240, and concludes with 1245. The learned doctor has fallen into a confusion of dates here, as the event which he places at the year 1251, and the three years that follow it in O'Conor, precede it in the original in re- gular order. The year 1251 is the last that can at present be read in these annals, but there are six distinct but illegible years after that, bringing down the records to the year 1257. There is but one occurrence recorded under the year 1251, and as it may be found, in connection with a few other facts, to throw some probable light on the original locality and history of the work, it may be well to give it in full. The record is in Latin, and rmis as follows : " Kl. enair for Domnach, m.cc.l°.i°. "Clarus, Arcloidiaconus Elphinensis vir prudens et discretus qui carnem suam jejimiis et orationibus macerabat, qui pauperes orfanos defendebat, qui patientia^ coronara observabat, qui perse- cutionem a multis propter justitiam patiebatur^ venerabilis fun- dator locorum Fraternitatis sanctce Trinitatis per totam Hiber- niam, et speciahter fundator monasterii sanctas Trinitatis apud Loch Che ubi locum sibi sepulturi elegit. Ibidem in Christo quievit Sabbato Dominice Pent, anno Domini M.CC.L°.I°. Cujus animal propitietur Deus omnipotens in coelo cui ipse ser- vivit in seculo. In cujus honorem Ecclesiam de Renduin et Monasterium Sanctas Trinitatis apud Loch Uachtair, Ecclesiam Sanctce Trinitatis apud Ath Mogi, Ecclesiam Sanctje Trinitatis apud Kkllras editicavit, pro cujus anima quilibet Hbrum le- gens, dicat Pater Noster". [The Calends of January on Sunday, m.cc.l°.i°. Clarus, Archdeacon of Elphin, a man prudent and discreet, who kept his flesh attenuated by lirajov and fasting, who de- fended the poor orphans, who waited for the crown of patience, who suffered persecution from many for the sake of justice ; the venerable founder of the places of the Confraternity of the Holy Trinity throughout all Ireland, especially the founder of the Monastery of the Holy Trinity of Loch Ce, where he selected his place of sepulture ; there he rested in Christ, on the Saturday before Pentecost Sunday, in the year of our Lord 1251. May the Almighty God in Heaven be propitious to his soul, whom he served in the world, in whose honour he built the Church of Renduin and the Monastery of the Hol}^ Trinity at Loch Uacli- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 109 tair (Upper Lake), also of tlie Holv Trinity at Cellrais, for lect. v. whose soul let whoever reads tliis book say a Pater Noster.] ^^ ^^^ It is quite apparent from this honourable and feehng tribute annals op paid to Clarus Mac Mailin, as he is called in the Annals of the Four Masters, a.d. 1235, — but who was a member of the learned family of O'Mulconry, — that the annalist, whoever he may have been, had a high A^eneration, if not a personal friend- ship, for him; and it is equally clear, or at least it is much more than probable, that an annalist of the Abbey of Boyle, with wliich he had no known coimexion whatever, would not speak so warmly and affectionately of one who perhaps was the light of a rival establishment. It is certain that he was a dignitary of the ancient church of Elfinn, which was founded by Saint Patrick, and the oldest foun- dation in that district, situate on the southern borders of Mac Dermot's country, though not in it ; that, among several others, he founded the Monastery of the Holy Trinity on an Island in Loch Ce; and that he was bru-ied in that monastery. It is evi- dent that the annals in which these events and personal memo- rials are so affectionately and religiously recorded, must have belonged to the immediate locality. It is also clear that they are not the annals of the Island of Saints in Loch Rihh [Ree], because the annals of that island, as recorded by the Four Masters, came down but to the year 1227, and because that island did not belong to Mac Dermot's country. It is equally clear, if we are to credit the venerable Charles O'Conor, of Belanagar, that they cannot be the Annals of Connacht, com- piled in the Cistercian Abbey of Boyle, since that chronicle commenced with the year 1224, and ended with the year 1546. We have no account of any annals of the Island of Saints in Loch Gamhna, and even if we had, we could not, mthout posi- tive evidence, believe that these could be they. Loch Gamhna be- ing in the County of Longford, a different district and province. Taking, then, all these circumstances into account, I cannot avoid coming to the conclusion that this ancient and curious chro-. nicle must have belonged to some church situated within Mac Dermot's coimtry, and that probably it belonged to the Island of Saints in Loch Ce, though we have no record of the time at which the church of that island became ruined and abandoned. I must confess that this idea would never probably have oc- curred to me, if it had not been suggested by what I found in the book itself; for at the lower margin of folio 14 b, I found this re- cord, in a good hand, of the period to which it refers — 1594. " Tomaltach, son of Owen, son of Hugh, son of Dermod, son of Rory Caech (the blind), died in the last month of this year, Boyle. 110 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. V. in Ills own liouse in Cluain FraoicK\ [See original in Ap- r~ PENDix, No. LVI.] Annals of Tliis is a remarkable entry to be found in this book. Cluain Fraoich, near Strokestown, in tlie County of Roscommon, was the name of the ancient palace of the O'Conor family, Kings of Connacht down to the sixteenth century; but the name of the man and the pedigree which are given in this obituary are not found among the O'Conor pedigrees, as far as I have been able to dis- cover, thousfh I have examined all the accessible old srenealo- gical tables of authority of that family ; and as there is no such Ime of pedigree as the present to be found among them, it na- turally follows that this Tomaltach, the son of Owen, must have been a member of some other important family situated in the same country, and in a residence of the same name. And such was the fact; for we find in Cucogry O'Clery's Book of Pe- digrees (R. I. Academy) the following curious line of a branch of the great Mac Dermot family, which must have struck off from the parent chieftain tree in the person of Dermod, the son of Rory Caech (or the blind) Mac Dermot, which Rory the bhnd must have flourished about the middle of the fifteentli cen- tury, as we find in the annals that his son Rory og, or junior, Lord of Moylurg, died in the year 1486. O'Clery says: "The Sliocht Diarmada are descended from Dermot, the son of Rory Caech (the blind), son of Hugh, etc., viz. — Tomaltach, the son of Owen, son of Hugh, son of Dermot, son of Rory (the blind), son of Hugh, son of Conor", etc. Now we find that the Tomaltach [or Thomas], the first, or rather the last, link in this line of pedigree preserved by O'Clery, is precisely the same Tomaltach whose death is so circumstantially recorded, in a post insertion, in what have been called the Annals of Boyle, at least since Ussher's time, that is for nearly 250 years. This record shows pretty clearly that at the time of making it. the book was in the possession of the Mac Dermot family ; and that it was so, there are still stronger proofs in the book itself to show ; for in several parts of it — towards the end, biit particularly at folios 10, 20, SO, 31, 33, — we find emendations and additions in the handwriting of Brian Mac Dermot, who made the addi- tions to the Annals of Loch Ce, which have already been no- ticed in speaking of that important chronicle These insertions are sufficient to show that the original book, now in the British Musemn, and known as the Annals of Boyle, was at the close of the sixteenth century in the possession of the chief, Brian Mao Dermot, lord of the territory in which Boyle is situated ; and this would and should be received as evidence enough for their OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Ill lieing tlie Annals of Boyle, if really any siicli annals had ever lect. v existed. There is, however, in the lower margin of folio 30, „ oo IT • I'l Of the page a, or oo, page b, — 1 am not certain at present wnich, — a annals of memorandum, in a few words, which is incontestably fatal to the ^°^^^- name of Annals of Boyle. The words, which are written in a bad but old hand, run thus: "The historical book of the Island of the Saints". — [See original in Appendix, No. LVII.] And to connect them still further with some Island of the Saints, we find the following words in a good hand of the lat- ter part of the sixteenth century, in the lower margin of folio 13, b, of the book: " Four score years from the death of Saint Patrick to the death of Dermot Mac Cerhhaill [monarch of Erinn], according to the Martyrology of the Island of the Saints". — [See original in Appendix, No. LVIIL] It must be confessed that, although these words prove clearly enough that this book of annals did not belong to the Abbey of Boyle, still they do not show with equal clearness to what place they really did belong, any more than that they must, according to these evidences, have belonged to some place in or about Loch Ce, in Mac Dermot's country. That they belonged to some island is plain enough, and that they are not the Annals of the Island of the Saints in Loch Ree in the Shannon, is evident, as the Four Masters say of that book of annals, that it came down but to the year 1227, whereas these came down to 1257; and if we may rely on the word of the venerable Charles O'Conor of Belanagar, they cannot be the Annals of Connacht ; for in a list of Irish manuscripts in his possession about the year 1774, and which list is in his own hand^vi-iting, I find — " The Annals of Connacht, compiled in the Cistercian Abbey of Boyle, beginning at the year 1224 and ending 1546". [M.S. in the Royal Irish Academy, No. 23.6; p. 126.] By the aid of my learned and esteemed friend, Denis H. Kelly, Esq., of Castle Kelly, in the county of Roscommon, I find that there really is an Oilean na Naemh, or Saints' Island, in Loch Ce, close to Mac Dermot's rock or castle, and about two miles from Boyle ; and that the local tradition is, that the ruined church which still remains on it, was founded by Saint Colum Cille, about the same time, probably, that he founded the church of Eas Mac nEirc, at the mouth of the river Boyle, in the same neighbourhood, and the church on Oilean na Naemh, or Saints' Island in Loch Gamhna, in the Comity of Longford. Tradition also has it that the church was occupied by "Culdees", or Ceilide De, down to the twelfth centmy. That Saint Colum Cille founded a church on some island in 112 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of BOTLE. Loch CS, some time about tlie year 550, will also clearly be seen from tlie following extract from O'Donnell's remarkable collection of ancient tracts, relating to the life and acts of that eminent saint. "On one occasion that Colum Cille was staying upon an is- land in Loch Ce in Connacht, and a poet and man of science came to visit him, and conversed with him for a while, and then went away from him. And the monks wondered that Colum Cille did not ask for a specimen of his composition from the poet, as he was wont to ask from every man of science who visited him. And they asked him why he had acted so. Co- lum Cille answered them, and said, that it would not be proper for him to ask for pleasant things from a man to whom sorrow was near at hand ; and that it should not be long before they should see a man coming unto him (Colum Cille) to tell him that that man had been killed. Scarcely had this conversation ended when they heard a shout at the port of that island (that is, the landing place on the main land opposite to it), and Colum Cille said that it was with an account of the killing of the poet the man came who raised that shout. And all was verified that Colmn Cille had said ; and the names of God and of Colum Cille were magnified on that account". — [See original in Appendix, No. LIX.] From this notice, as well as from several other references that could be adduced, it is certain that Saint Columba founded a monastery on the island in Loch Ce, which is now called the Island of the Saints. The Annals of the Four Masters, in the Testimonium, and again at the year 1005, mention and quote the Annals of the Island of Saints in Loch Rlbh [Ree]. (Loch Ree is an expan- sion of the river Shannon between Athlone and Lanesborough.) And the second continuation after the year 1405 of the chronicle now called the Annals of Tighernach, states in that work, that Augustin Mac Grady (the continuator probably, from 1088 to 1405), was a canon of the Island of the Saints, but he does not say where this island was situated. There can be no doubt, however, that this Island of the Saints was the one situated in Loch Hibh [Ree], to the north of Liis Clothrann, and belong- ing to the County of Longford, — an island which still contains venerable though riuned monuments of ancient Catholic piety and taste. It is stated by Colgan, Ware, and Doctor Lanigan, that Liis Ainc/hin, an island situated in the Upper Shannon, above Ath- lone, and belonging to Westmeath, was this Island of the Saints. This, however, is not correct, as that island continued OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 113 to bear its original name down to a recent period, — as it does lect. y. still with the Irish-speaking neighbours, though it is called ^^^^ Hare Island by English speakers. annals op Archdall, in his Monasticon, says that the Island of the Saints in Loch Gamhna in Longford, on which Saint Colum Cille founded his church, was anciently called Inis AingJiin; but I have shown in a former lectiu-e, from indispiitable authority, that the church of Liis Ainghin, the ruins of which remain still, was founded by the great Saint Ciaran, before the founding of his celebrated ecclesiastical city of Clonmacnois. To return to the Annals of Connacht. These annals, or of the rather the existing fragment of them, extend from the year Q^^m 1224 to the year 1562. It is unfortunate that neither the transcriber, nor the person for whom they were transcribed, has left vis any notice of the extent or history of the old vellum MS. from which they were copied. There is reason, however, to beheve that they are a fragment of the book of Annals of the O'Duio-enamis, of Kil- ronan, in the coimty of Roscommon, mentioned, as we have already said, by the Four Masters as having been used by them in their great compilation, and which extended from the year 900 to tiie year 1563. The original of this fragment, however, was in the late Stowe collection, and passed, by pvirchase, into the hands of Lord Ashbm-nham, an Enghsh nobleman, in whose custody they are as safe from the rude gaze of historical in"\'estigators as they were when in the hands of His Grace of Buckingham, who got pos- session of them by accident, and sold them as part of the ducal furniture, to the prejudice of the late Mathew O'Conor, Esq., of Dubhn, the true hereditary owner. The following observations on this ancient vellum fragment will be found in the Rev. Dr. O'Conor's catalogue of the Stowe manuscripts, vol. I., no. 9, p. 73. "Annals of Comiacht, folio, parchment. — The written pages are 174, beginnmg with the year 1223, and ending with 1562. Ireland produces no chronicle of the aiFairs of Connacht to be compared with this. The narrative is in many instances cir- cumstantial ; the occurrences of the different years in every part of the province are noticed ; as are the foimdations of castles and churches, and the chronology is every where minutely detailed. "There is no history of the pro\dnce of Connacht; neither is there of any town or district of that most populous part of Ireland, except this mipublished chronicle. 8 Of the 114 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. "This clironicle is, therefore, invaluable. 'Many are the in- ducements which it holds out to dwell upon some of its events ; Annals of many the notices which would inform and instruct the people CoNNACHT. ^^ -whose country they refer. But in the vast variety of matter hitherto unjniblished, the difficulty of making a selection, and the danger of exceeding the limits of a catalogue, forbid the attempt. "Those who have been misled by elaborate discussions on the antiquity of Irish castles and churches, will find the errors of ponderous volmnes corrected in this MS. with a brevity which leaves no room for doubt, and an accuracy which leaves none for conjecture. The pride and dogmatism of learning must bow before the 'barbarous' narrative which gives the following infor- mation". [Here follow the dates of the creation and destruction of cas- tles and monasteries from the year 1232 to 1507, with some particulars respecting them, after which the article concludes in the following words :] "It is to be lamented that the first part of the Annals of Con- nacht are missing in this collection ; they are quoted by Ussher in his Primordia, and confounded with the Annals of Boyle by Nicholson". [Nicholson, p. 34.] The same learned writer gives also the following extract, original and translation, in illustration of his observations on these annals, at page 76 of the above-mentioned volume : "a.d. 1464, Tadhg 0' Conor died, and was buried in Ros- common, the nobility of Connacht all witnessing that inter- ment ; so that not one of the Connacht kings, down from the reign of Cathal of the red hand, was more honourably interred ; and no wonder, since he was the best of the kings of Connacht, considering the gentleness of his reign. There was no king of Connacht after him — they afterwards obtained the title of O'Conor, and because they were not themselves steady to each other, they were crushed by lawless power and the usurpations of foreigners. May God forgive them their sins. Domine ne status nobis hoc peccatum. This extract is taken from the book of Kilronan, which has the approbation of the Four Mas- ters annexed to it, by me Cathal O'Conor (of Belanagare), 2 August, 1728". It is very plain from the style of this article, in the GaedhHc of Mr. O'Conor of Belanagare, that it was an abstract of the ori- ginal record of this event, made by himself, and this will a23pear more decidedly from the following translation of the entire article, made by me from the copy of the book which he had then before him, which he calls the Annals of Kilronan, and which we have now, under the name of the Annals of Connacht : OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 115 " A.D. 1464. Tadhg O'Conor, half-king of Connaght, mor- lect. v. tuus est on tlie Saturday after first Lady Day in autumn, et sepultus in Roscommon, so honourably and nobly by the Sil annals op Muiredhaigh, such as no king before him, of the race of Cathal ^''^^^°^'^- of the Red Hand, for a long time before had been. Where their cavalry and gallowglasses were in full armour around the corpse of the high king in the same state as if they were going to battle ; where their green levies were in battle array, and the men of learning and poetry, and the women of the Sil Miiired- haigh were in countless flocks following him. And countless were the alms of the church on that day for the [good of the] corpse [soul] of the high king, of cows, and horses, and money. And he had seen in a vision Michael [the Archangel] leading him to judgment". [See original in Appendix, No. LX.] The Annals of Loch Ce, which have been erroneously called the Annals of Kilronan, dispose of this article in three lines, re- cording merely the death, at this year, of " Tadhg the son of Torlogh Roe O'Conor, half-king of Connaght, a man the most intelligent and talented in Connaght, in his own time". [See original in Appendix, No. LXI.] It was from this man's mavisoleum that the stones with sculp- tured gallowglasses were procured for the Antiquarian Depart- ment of the late Great Irish Exhibition (1853). They have been again very properly restored to their original place ; but surely some individual or society ought to procure casts of them for our pubHc museums. And here, before Ave pass from this remarkable extract, can we fail to be struck by the feeUng terms in which the venerable Charles O'Conor sighs for the fallen fortimes of his house and family, and sighs the more, as their unfaitlifulness to each other was the cause of their decay and of their subjection, and that of their country, to a comparatively contemptible foreign foe ? This is a singular admission on the part of the best Irish his- torian of his time, — but it is a fact capable of positive historical demonstration, even from these very amials, — that the downfall of the Irish monarchy and of Irish independence was owing more to the barbarous selfishness of the house of O'Conor of Connaght, and their treachery towards each other, with all the disastrous consequences of that treachery to the country at large, than to any other cause either within or without the kingdom of Ireland. It must appear very clear, from the extract we have quoted from Mr. O'Conor, that the Annals of Kilronan, from which he made it, — the very book mentioned by the Four Masters, — was in existence in some condition, and in his possession, so late 8b 116 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. V. as the year 1728. And as Mr. O'Conor's books were not scat- Of the tered during his own long life, nor until the cloief part of them Annals of Were Carried to Stowe by his grandson, the late Rev. Charles ON ACHT. Q'Qonor, it can scarcely admit of doubt that the vellum book, which the latter writer describes as part of this collection in the Stowe catalogue, must be the book of I^alronan from which the former made the extract. Those Annals, according to the Testimonium to the Annals of the Four Masters, extended from the year 900 to the year 1563. How the first three hundred years of these annals could have disappeared, we have now no means of ascertaining ; but it is clear that tliey were missmg at the time that O'Gorman made his transcript, else he would have copied them with the remainder of the book. The following notices, in English, appear in the copy of these annals in the Royal Irish Academy, in the handwritmg, I think, of Theophilus O'Flannagan. On the fly-leaf of the first volume (there are two volumes), we find this entry : — " The Annals of Connacht, transcribed from the original in the possession of Charles O'Conor of Be- lanagar, Esq., of the house of O'Conor Dmi, at the expense of the Chevalier Thomas O'Gorman, Anno Domini 1783". Of the year 1378 there remains but the date and one fine, with the following notice, in the same English hand : " N.B. The remainder of this Annal, together with the years 1379, 1380, 1381, 1382, 1383, 1384, are wanting to the Annals of Con- nacht, all to the following fragment of the year 1384, but they may be filled from the Four Masters, who have transcribed the above Annals". Again, at what appears to be the end of the year 1393, the following notice is fomid in the same English hand: "N.B. The years 1394, 1395, 1396, 1397, are wanting in the original, but may be filled from the Four Masters". And, again, at the end of the year 1544, we find this notice in the same English hand : " N.B. Here end the Annals of Con- nacht, the following annal (1562) has been inserted by a dif- ferent hand". The first of these notices is sufficient to show that this was the same book from which Charles O'Conor made the extract at the year 1464, and he says that that was the Book of Kih-onan, with the approbation of the Four Masters appended to it ; and it ap- pears from the third or last notice, that not only had the first three hundred years disappeared from the book, but also the years from 1544 to 1563, the last year in it, according to the Four Masters. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 117 It may, however, be doubted wbetlier the Four Masters did lect. v. not count the years in this book, from the first to the last, with- ^^ ^^^^ out pausing to notice any defect, or number of defects, in it, and asnals of that the last year of it in their time was the year 1563. We beheve that the Annals of Senait Mac Manus, now known as the Amials of Ulster, had, when in their hands, two deficiencies, one of them greater than the defect here between 1544 and 1562, and that they take no notice whatever of it. At what time local annals came to receive provincial names — such as the Annals of Ulster, the Annals of Connacht, etc. — I cannot discover. Such names, as far as I recollect, are only found in the works of Ussher, Ware, and their followers ; the Fom- INlasters do not cUstinguish by provincial names any of the old chronicles from which they compiled, and indeed it would be absurd if they had done so, as it might happen that any or each of the provinces might have several books of annals, none of which woidd be exclusively devoted to the re- cords of provincial transactions. Finding tliis book, therefore, kno-wn as the Annals of Connacht, is no evidence whatever of its not being the Book of Kilronan, or any other of the old chronicles mentioned by the Four Masters, with which it may be found to agree in extent. The following passage from the Rev. Dr. O'Conor's Stowe catalogue will show, among a thousand others, how cautious we ought to be in receiving, as facts, opinions and observations on subjects of this difficult kind, written hurriedly, or without ex- amination. In describing volume No. 3 of the Stowe collection of Irish manuscripts, page 50 of the catalogue, the writer says : "Folio 50. An Irish chronicle of the kings of Comiaught, from the arrival of Saint Patrick, with marginal notes by Mr. O'Conor of Belanagar, written in 1727. This chronicle begins from the arrival of Saint Patrick, and ends with 1464. It was transcribed from the ancient manuscript of the Church of Kil- ronan, called ' The Book of Kilronan', to which the Four Mas- ters affixed their approbation in their respective hands, as stated in this copy, folio 28". Now it is plain that the reverend doctor has added to the words of his grandfather here, or that the latter, which is very impro- bable, wrote what was not the fact, — namely, that he drew this clironicle of Connacht kings, from the coming of Saint Patrick to the year 1464, from the Book of Kilronan, since we have it on the authority of the Four Masters, that this book, not of the church of Kibonan, but of the O'Duigenanns of Kilronan, went no further back than the year 900, or nearly 500 years after the coming of Saint Patrick. 118 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of connacht. To sum up, then, it would seem that this old manuscript in the Stowe collection, must be a fragment of one of two books which the Four Masters had in their possession, namely, the Book of the O'Mulconrys, which came from the earliest times down to the year 1505, and which was, probably, added to afterwards, like the Annals of Ulster, down to its present conclusion; or the Book of the O'Duigenanns, of Kilronan ; and if the elder O'Conor was correctly informed, and that he is correctly re- ported by his grandson, it was without any doubt the latter. We must observe, however, that the elder O^onor, in his list of his own MSS., where he calls this book the Annals of Connacht, speaks of it as compiled in the Cistercian Abbey of Boyle. It is remarkable too, that we find in this book, at the end of the year 1410, the following entry: "Marianus filius Tathei O'Beirne submersis est on the 14th of the kalends October. Patin qui scripsit". Now there is little doubt that this "Patin" was Padm [Padeen] O'Mulconry, the poet, who died in the year 1506. Again, we find the name of Nicholas O'Mulconry at the end of the year 1544, in such a position as to induce the belief that he was the writer of the preceding annal ; or at least, as in the preceding case, of the concluding part of it. So that if the elder O'Conor be correct in his own written words, this book really consists of the Annals of Boyle, or else a fragment of the Book of the O'Mulconrys : but that book came down but to the year 1505. Had we the original manuscript to examine, it could be easily seen whether these were strange insertions or not ; and I only desire to piit these facts on record here from O'Gor- man's transcript, hoping that they may be foimd hereafter useful to some more favoiu'ed and accomplished investigator. To some of my hearers, the minute examination I have thought it necessary to make before them, of the identity and authority of the several important manuscripts which have engaged our attention, may, perhaps, have seemed tedious. Yet it is not merely for the sake of thus recording in a permanent shape the information which I have collected on these subjects, that I have taken this course. It is chiefly because the earnest student in this now almost untrodden path of historical inquiry (and I hope there are many among my hearers who desire to become earnest students of their couritry's history), will find in the examples I am endeavouring to trace for him, of the mode in which alone our subject must be mvestigated, the best introduction to a seri- ous study of it. And it is only by such careful canvass of au- thorities, by such jealous search into the materials which have OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 119 been handed down to ns, that we can ever hope to separate the lect. v. true from the false, and to lay a truly sound and reliable founda- ^j^ ^^i^ tion for the superstructure of a complete History of Erinn. as materiuis For the present, you \vill remember, I am occupied in giving ° "^ "^^' you an account of the chief collections of annals or chronicles in which the skeleton of the events of Gaedlihc History is pre- served with greater or less completeness ; and that you. may vm- derstand the value and extent of the rehable records of this kind that remain to us, it is the more necessary that I should go into some details, because there is no published account of, or guide to, this immense mass of historical materials. But I shall not neglect to point out to you also, how these dry records may be nsed in the construction of a true history, as vivid in its pictures of Hfe, as accurate and trustworthy in its records of action. And before this short course terminates, I hope to satisfy you that collateral materials exist also in rich abundance, for the illustra- tion and completion of that history in a way fully as interest- ing to the general Irish reader as to the mere philologist or antiquarian. LECTURE yi. [Delivered June 23. 1856.] Existing The Annals (continued). 7. The Chronicum Scotorum of Duald Mac Firbis. Of Mac Firbis, his life and death, and liis works. 8. The Annals of Lecain. Of the Story of Queen Gormlaith. 9. The Annals of Clomnacnois. If we followed exactly a chronological order, the next great record which should claim our attention would be the Annals of the Fovu' Masters ; but the importance and extent of that im- mense work demand, at least, the space of an entire lectiu'e ; and I shall, accordingly, devote the greater part of the present to the consideration of an almost contemporary compilation, — the last but one of those I have already named to you, — the Chroni- cum Scotorum of the celebrated Duald Mac Firbis (Dublial- tach Mac FirbhisigJi). Of this chronicle there are three copies known to me to be in Mss. oAiie existence. One, the autograph, in the library of Trinity College, scoTOKUM. Dublin ; and two in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. Of the latter, one is in the handwriting of Jolm Conroy, whose name has been mentioned in a former lecture, in connection with this tract and the Annals of Tighemach ; the second is a copy lately made in Cork, by Paul O'Longan, from what source I am not able to say with certainty, but I believe it to have been from a copy made by his grandfather, IMichael O'Longan, in Dublin, about the year 1780; and if I am correct in this opinion, there are four copies in Ireland, besides any that the present O'Lon- gans may have made and sold in England. This chronicle has been aheady mentioned in our account of the Annals of Tighernach, and as nothing of its history is known to me but what can be gathered from the book itself, and the hand in wliich the autograph (or Trinity College copy) is ^vritten, I proceed without fmther delay to the consideration of that manuscript. The Trinity College MS. is written on paper of foolscap size, like that upon wliich the Annals of Tighernach in the same vo- lume are written, but apparently not so old. It is in the bold and most accurate hand of Dubhaltach (sometimes called Duvald, Duald, or Dudley) Mac Firbis, the last of a long line of histo- rians and chroniclers of Lecain Mic Fhirhhisigh, in the barony of Tir-Fhiacliradh, or Tireragh, in the county of Sligo. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 121 Duald ]Mac Firbis appears to have been intended for the he- lect. vi. reditary profession of an antiquarian and historian, or for that ^^ ^ „ . " j-f- J , K ^ n T • / .Of Duald oi the reneclias or ancient native laws or his coimtiy (now im- Mac Fiibis. properly called the Brehon Laws). To qualify him for either of these ancient and honoiu'able professions, and to improve and perfect his education, yoimg Mac Firbis appears at an early age to have passed into Mimster, and to have taken up his residence in the School of law and history, then kept by the Mac jEgans, of Lecain, in Ormond, in the present comity of Tipperary. He studied also for some time, either before or after this, but I be- hove after, in Burren, in the present county of Clare, at the not less distinguished literary and legal school of the O'Davoreus ; where we find him, with many other young Irish gentlemen, about the year 1595, under the presidency of Donnell O'Davoren. The next place in which we meet Mac Firbis is in the col- lege of Saint Nicholas, in the ancient town of Galway ; where he compiled his large and comprehensive volmne of Pedigrees of ancient Irish and Anglo-Norman families, in the year 1650. The autograph of this great compilation is now in the posses- xhe Book of sion of the Earl of Roden, and a fac-simile copy of it was made ?i':'^!?!^i'5 °^ by me for the Royal Irish Academy in the year 1836. Of this invaluable work, perhaps the best and shortest description that I could present you with, will be the simple translation of the Title prefixed to it by the author, which runs as follows [See original in Appendix, No. LXII.] : "The Branches of Relationship and the Genealogical Rami- fications of every Colony that took possession of Erinn, traced from this time up to Adam (excepting only those of the Fomo- rians, Lochlanns, and Saxon-Galls, of whom we, however, treat, as they have settled in oiu- cotmtry) ; together with a Sanctilo- gium, and a Catalogue of the Monarchs of Erinn ; and finally, an Index, which comprises, in alphabetical order, the surnames and the remarkable places mentioned in this book, which was compiled by Duhhaltacli Mac Firhhisigli of Lecain, 1650. "Although the above is the customary way of giving titles to books at the present time, we will not depart from the following of our ancestors, the ancient summaiy custom, because it is the plainest; thus: "The place, time, author, and cause of writing this book, are : — the place, the College of St. Nicholas, in Galway ; the time, the time of the religious war between the Catholics of Ireland and the Heretics of Ireland, Scotland, and England, particularly the year 1650; the person or author, Duhhaltacli, the son of Gilla Isa 3f6r Mac Firhhisigh, historian, etc., of Lecain Mac Firbis, in Tireragh, on the Moy ; and the cause of 122 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VI. writing tlie book is, to increase the glory of God, and for the in- The Book of fo^i^^^tion of tlio peoplo in general". Pedigrees of It was to Dr. Pctrio that the Council of the Royal Irish Aca- demy entrusted the care of having the copy of this hook made, which I have just alluded to ; and, afterwards, on the occasion of laying that copy before them, he read an able paper, which is published in the eighteenth volume of the Transactions of the Academy, on the character and historic value of the work, and on the little that was known of the learned author's Mstory. Of the death In the com'sc of liis remarks, this accomphshed writer says : Mac Rrbis. " ^o these meagre facts I can only add that of his death, which, as we learn from Charles O'Conor, was tragical, — for this last of the Mac Firbises was unfortunately murdered at Dunilin, in the county of Sligo, in the year 1670. The circumstances connected with this event were known to that gentleman, but a proper re- spect for the feehngs of the descendents of the murderer, who was a gentleman of the country, prevented him from detailing them. They are, however, still remembered in the district in which it occurred, but I will not depart from the example set me, by exposing them to public hght". It was quite becoming Dr. Petrie's characteristic dehcacy of feeling to follow the cautious silence of Mr. O'Conor in rela- tion to this fearful crime. Now, however, there can be no offence or impropriety towards any living person, in putting on record, in a few words, the brief and simple facts of the cause and manner of this mm'der, as preserved in the living local tradition of the country. Mac Firbis was, at that time, under the ban of the penal laws, and, consequently, a marked and almost defenceless man in the eye of the law, whilst the friends of the miurderer enjoyed the full protection of the constitution. He must have been then past his eightieth year, and he was, it is believed, on his way to Dub- lin, probably to visit Robert, the son of Sir James Ware. He took up his lodgings for the night at a small house in the little village of Dun Flin, in his native county. Wliile sitting and resting himself in a little room off the shop, a young gentleman, of the Crofton family, came in, and began to take some liberties with a young woman who had care of the shop. She, to check his freedom, told him that he would be seen by the old gentle- man in the next room ; upon which, in a sudden rage, he snatched up a knife from the counter, rushed furiously into the room, and plunged it into the heart of Mac Firbis. Thus it was that, at the hand of a wanton assassin, this great scholar closed his long career, — the last of the regularly educated and most accom- plished masters of the history, antiquities, and laws and lan- guage of ancient Erinn. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 123 But to return lect. \^. Besides his important genealogical work, Mac Firbis compiled ^^ ^^^^ ^,^ two others of even still greater value, which unfortunately are rious works not now known to exist : namely, a Glossary of the Ancient MacTirWs. Laws of Erinn ; and a Biographical Dictionary of her ancient writers and most distinguished literary men. Of the former of these, I have had the good fortune to discover a fragment in the library of the Dublin University (class H. 5. 30) ; but of the latter, I am not aware that any trace has been discovered. There are fi-s'e other copies of ancient glossaries in Mac Firbis's handwriting preserved in the Dublin University library (all in H. 2. 15). Of these, one is a copy of Cormac's Glossary, another a copy of his tutor Donnell O'Davoren's own Law Glos- sary, compiled by him about the year 1595 ; besides which, separate fragments of three Derivative Glossaries, as well as a fragment of an ancient Law Tract, with the text, gloss, and commentary properly arranged and explained. So that in all there are six glossaries, or fragments of glossaries, in his hand- ■wi'iting in T.C.D. It is in the introduction to his great book of Geneaologies that he states that he had written or compiled a Dictionary of the "Brehon Laws", in which he had explained them extensively; and also a catalogue of the wi'itings and writers of ancient Erinn ; but, with the exception of the frag- ments just referred to, these two important works are now un- known. [And I may here mention, that I have copied out these precious fragments of his own compilation in a more acces- sible form, for the DubHn University.] Besides these MSS. at home, I may mention that there is in the British Museum also a small quarto book, containing a rather modern Martyrology, or Litany of the Saints, in verse, chiefly in Mac Firbis's hand. Mac Firbis does not seem to have neglected the poetic art either, for I have in my own possession two poems, of no mean pretensions, written by him on the O Seachnasaigli (O'Shaugh- nessys) of Gort, about the year 1G50. Of Mac Firbis's translations from the earher Annals we have now no existing trace. That he did translate largely and gene- rally we can well imiderstand, from the folloAving remarks of Har- ris in his edition of Ware's Bishops, page 612, under the head of Tuam : — "One John was consecrated about the year 1441. [Sir James Ware declares he could not discover when he died ; and adds, that some called him John de Burgo, but that he could not answer for the truth of that name.] But both these parti- culars are cleared up, and his immediate successor, named by Dudley Firbisse, an amanuensis, whom Sir James Ware em- 124 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VI. ployed in his house, to translate and collect for him from the Irish ~~ ] MSS., one of whose pieces begins thus, viz.: 'This translation nous works beginncd was by Dudley Firbisse, in the house of Sir James jia^Hrbis. Ware, in Castle Street, Dublin, 6th of November, 1666', whi-ch was twenty-four days before the death of the said knight. The annals or translation which he left behind him, begin in the year 1443, and end in 1468. I suppose the death of his patron put a stop to lais fiu'ther progress. Not knowing from whence he translated these annals, wherever I have occasion to quote them, I mention them mider the name of Dudley Firbisse". Again under the head of Richard O'Fcrrall, bishop of Ar- dagh, page 253, Harris writes: "In MS. annals, intitled the Annals of Firbissy (not those of Gelasy [Gilla Isa\ Mac Firbissy, who died in 1301, but the collection or translation of one Dudley Firbissy), I find mention made of Richard, bishop of Ardagh, and that he was son to the Great Dean, Fitz Daniel Fitz John Golda O'Fergaill, and his death placed there under the year 1444". Of those Annals of Gilla Isa (or Gilhsa) Mac Firbis of Lecan, who died in 1301, we have no trace now ; it is probable that they were the Annals of Lecan mentioned by the Foiu' Masters as having come into their hands when theii- compilation from other sources was finished, and from which they added considerably to their text. Of Duald ]Mac Firbis's translation, extending from the year 1443 to 1468, there are three copies extant, one in the British Museum, classed as "Clarendon 68", which is, I believe, in the translator's own handwriting. The second copy is in the Hbrary of Trinity College, Dublin [class F. 1. 18]. The third copy is in Harris's collections in the library of the Royal Dublin Society ; it is in Harris's own hand, and appears to have been copied from the Trinity College copy, with corrections of some of the former transcriber's inaccuracies. The following memorandum, prefixed to a list of Irish bishops, made for Sir James Ware, and now preserved in the manuscript above referred to in the British Museum, will enable us to form some idea of the sources, the only true ones, from which this list has been drawn. "The ensuing bishops' names are collected out of several Irish ancient and modern manuscripts, viz. : of Gilla-isa Mac Fferbisy, written before the year 1397 (it is he that wi'ote the greate Booke of Lcackan Mac Fferbissy, now kept in DubHn), and out of others the Mac Fferbisy Annals, out of saints' calendars and ge- nealogies also, for the Right Worshipful and ever honoured Sir James Ware, knight, and one of his Majesties Privie Council, OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 125 and Auditor General of the Kingdom of Ireland. This collec- i.ect. yi. tion is made by Dudley Firbisse, 1655". — p. 17. oftueva- These translated annals have been edited by Dr. John O'Do- rious works novan, and published in the first volume of the Miscellany of Mac Fh-bis. the Archaeological Society, in the year 1846. Mac Firbis' was of no ordinary or ignoble race, being cer- tainly descended from Dathi, the last pagan monarch of Erinn, who was killed by lightning, at the foot of the Alps, in Anno Domini 428. At what time the Mac Firbises became professi- onal and hereditary historians, genealogists, and poets, to various princes m the province of Connacht, we now know not ; but we know that from some remote period down to the descent of Oliver Cromwell upon this country, they held a handsome patri- mony at Lecain Mac Firbis, on the banks of the River Muaidh, or Moy, in the county of Sligo, on which a castle was built by the brothers Ciothruadh, and James, and John oV/, their cousin, in 1560. So early as the year 1279, the Annals of the Four Masters record the death of Gilla Isa (or Gillisa) 3I6r Mac Firbis, " chief historian of Tir-Fiachrach''' [in the present county of Sligo.] Again, at the year 1376, they record the death of Donogh Mac Firbis, "an historian". And agam, at the year 1379, they record the death of Firbis Mac Firbis, "a learned historian". The great Book of Lecain, now in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, was compiled in the year 1416, by Gilla Isa [or Gillisa] Mor, the direct ancestor of Duald Mac Firbis ; and the latter quotes in his work (p. 6Q), not only the Annals of Mac Firbis, but also the Leahhar GahJiala, or Book of Invasions of Ire- land, of his grandfather, Duhhaltach [or Dudley], as an authority for the Battle oi Magh Tuireadh [Moytnra], and the situation of that place ; and at p. 248, the Dumb Book of James Mac Firbis for the genealogy of liis own race. There is in the hbrary of Trinity College, Dublin, a large and important volume of fragments of various ancient manuscripts (classed H. 2, 16), part of which professes to have been written by Donogh Mac Firbis in the year 1391 ; and in another place, in a more modern hand, it is written, that this is the Yellow Book of Lecain. Duhhaltach Mac Firbis, in his introduction to his great gene- alogical book, states that his family were poets, historians, and genealogists to the great families of the following ancient Con- nacht chieftaincies, viz. : Lower Connacht, Ui Fiachrach of the Moy, Ui Amhalgaidh, Cera, Ui Fiachrach of Aidhne, and Facht- gha, and to the Mac Donnells of Scotland. 126 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. of Duald Mac Firbis. LECT. VI. The Mac Firbis, in right of being the hereditary poet and Of the vcL- liistorian of his native territory of Ui Fiachrach of the Moy (in rious works the present county of Sligo), took an important part in the inau- guration oi the U Dowda, the hereditary chiel or that country. The following curious account of this ceremony will more clearly show the position of the Mac Firbis on these great occasions ; it is translated from a little tract in the Book of Lecan, in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. "The privilege of the first drink [at all assemblies] was given to O'Caomhain by O'Dowda, and 0' Caomhain w&s not to drink until he first presented it [the drink] to the poet, that is, to Mac Firbis ; also the arms and battle steed of O'Dowda, after his proclamation, were given to O'Caomhaiu, and the arms and dress of O'Caomhain to Mac Firbis ; and it is not competent ever to call him the O'Dowda until C Caomhain and Mac Firbis have first called the name, and until Mac Firbis carries the body of the wand over O'Dowda ; and every clergyman, and every representative of a church, and every bishop, and every chief of a territory present, all are to j)ronounce the name after G' Caomhain and Mac Firbis. And there is one circumstance, should O'Dowda happen to be in Tir Amhalghaidh [Tirawley], he is to go to Amhalghaidlis Cam to be proclaimed, so as that all the chiefs be abou.t him ; but should he happen to be at the Cam of the Daughter of Brian, he is not to go over [to Amlial- gaidfis Carn] to be proclaimed ; neither is he to come over from AmhalgaidJis Carn, for it was Amhalgaidh, the son of Fiaclira Ealgach, that raised that Carn for himself, in order that he him- self, and all those who should attain to the chieftainsliip after him, might be proclauned by the name of lord upon it. And it is in this Carn that Amhalgaidh himself is buried, and it is from him it is named. And every king of the race of Fiachra that shall not be thiis proclaimed, shall have shortness of life, and his seed and generation shall not be illustrious, and he shall never see the kingdom of God". — [See original in Appendix, No. LXIIL] This curious little tract, with topographical illustrations, will be found in the volume on the Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fi- achrach, among the important publications of the Irish Arch»- ological Society. So much, then, for the compiler of the chronicle which I am now about to describe, the value of which, as a historical docu- ment, has only, of late years, come to be properly understood. The Chronicum Scotorum, wliich, as I have already stated, is written on paper, begins with the following title and short preface, by the compiler. — [See original in Appendix, No. LXIV] Of the Chronicum scotordm. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS 127 " The Chronicle of the Scots (or Irish) begins here. — lect. vi. " Understand, O reader, that it is for a certain reason, and, ^^ ^j^^ particularly, to avoid tediousness, that our intention is to make chkonicum only a short abstract and compendium of the history of the Scots in this book, omitting the lengthened details of the his- torical books ; "wherefore it is that we beg of you not to criti- cize us on that account, as we know that it is an exceedingly great deficiency". The compiler then passes rapidly over the three first ages of the world, the earlier colonizations of Ireland, the death of the Partholanian colonists at Tallaght (in this county of Dublin) ; and the visit of Niul, the son of Fenius Farsaidh, to Egypt, to teach the langviages after the confusion of Babel; giving the years of the world according to the Hebrews and the Septuagint. This sketch extends to near the end of the first column of the third page, where the following curious note in the original hand occurs: — " Ye have heard from me, O readers, that I do not like to have the laboiu' of vsrriting this copy, and it is therefore that I beseech you, through true friendship, not to reproach me for it (if you imderstand what it is that causes me to be so) ; for it is certain that the Mac Firbises are not in fault". — [See original in Appendix, No. LXV.] What it was that caused Mac Firbis's reluctance to make this abridged copy of the old book or books before him, at this time, it is now difficult to imagine. The writing is identical with that in his book of genealogies, which was made by him in the year 1650; and this copy must have been made about the same disastrous period of our history, when the relentless rage of Oliver Cromwell spread ruin and desolation over all that was noble, honom'able, and virtuous in our land. It is very probable that it was about this time that Sir James Ware conceived the idea of availing himself of Mac Firbis's exten- sive and profomid antiquarian learning; and as that learned, and, I must say, well intentioned writer, was then concerned only with what related to the ecclesiastical liistory of Ireland, this was probably the reason that Mac Firbis offers those warm ,^ apologies for having been compelled to p_assj3ver the " long and tedious" account of the earlycoloiiizations of tKis^ country, and pass at one step to our Christian era. (We know that Ware quotes many of our old annals as sterling authorities in his work. As these were all in the Gaedlilic language, and as Ware had no acquaintance with that language, it follows clearly enough, that he mvist have had some competent person to assist him to read those annals, and whose business it was doubtless 128 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VI. to select and translate for liim sucli parts of them as were deemed by liim essential to liis design.) Excepting for some such chronicum purpose as tliis, I can see no reason whatever why Mac Firbis coTOEUM. gi-^Q^^^(j apply himself, and with such apparent reluctance, to make tlais compendium from some ancient booh or books of annals belonging to his family. It appears, indeed, from his own words, that it was poverty or distress that caused him to j2ass_over the record of what he deemed the ancient^glory of his country, and to draw up a mere utilitarian abstract for some ~ "person to whose patronage he was compelled to look for sup- port in his declining years ; and it is gratifying to observe the care he takes to record that his difficulties were not caused by any neglect on the part of his family, who were, as we know, totally ruined and despoiled of their ancestral pro- perty by the tide of robbers and murderers which the com- monwealth of England poured over defenceless Erinn at this period. To return to the Chronicum. Continuing his abstract, the compiler passes rapidly over the history of the early coloniza- tion of Ireland to the year of our Lord 375, that being the year in which St. Patrick was born. This date is written in the back margin in the hand of Mr. Charles O'Conor of Bela- nagar, and from that to the year 432 there is no date given. The date 432 is written in Roman numerals (in Gaedlilic characters, of course) in the original hand, and l^nder it the arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland from Rome, on his apostolic mission, by the direction of Pope Celestine. The arrival of the great apostle is given precisely in the same words as in the annals of Ulster. From this to the year of our Lord 1022, no date appears in the original hand, nor even after that, except occasionally the year of the world. The latter is set down at the end of the year of our Lord 1048, as 5,000 years, according to the Hebrew computation. The next dates that appear are 453, 454, 455, 456, 458, all in the margin ; and all these are, I believe, as well as the re- maining dates, all through to the end, in the handwriting of Roderick O'Flaherty, the author of the Ogygia. No date, however, is inserted from the year 458 to the year 605 ; but from this year forward the dates appear regularly in the margin. A large deficiency occurs at the year 722, where the com- piler has written the following memorandum : — " The breasts [or fronts] of two leaves of the old book, out of which I write this, are wanting here, and I leave what is OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 129 before me of this page for tliem. I am Dubhaltach FirhisigK\ lect . vi. — [See original in Appendix, No. LXVI.] p^ ^^^ Unfortunately, tliis defect occurs, by some unknown chance, chkonicum not only to the extent of the loss here noticed, but as far as from the year 722 to the year 805. It is remarkable that the defect in the annals of Tighernach should begin nearly with the same year (718) ; but it extends much fm-ther, to the year 1068. The order and arrangement of the events recorded, and the events themselves, often, though not always, agree with the annals of Tighernach. The details are brief and condensed, but they so often convey scraps of rare additional information, as to leave us reason to regret the unknown circumstances wliich caused the writer to leave out, as he said he did, the " tediousness" of the old historical books. The Clu'onicum comes down, in its present form, only to the year 1135; and, whether it was ever carried down with more ample details to the year 1443, when the compiler's translations for Ware commence, is a question which probably will never be cleared up. Such as it is, however, and as far as it goes, there can be no doubt of its being one of the most authentic existing copies of, or compilations from, more ancient annals. I have already stated that this manuscript is in the well-known hand of its compiler, Duald Mac Firbis, and that it was wi'itten, probably, about the year 1650 ; yet hear what the Rev. Charles O'Conor says of it, in the Stowe catalogue : " Some have confounded this chronicle with Tighernach's, be- cause it is frequently called Chronicon Cluanense, and was writ- ten in Tighernach's Monastery of Cluainmacnois". He then continues : " The Stowe copy now before us was carefully trans- cribed from the Dublin copy, by the compiler of this catalogue, from that Dubhn MS., wliich is quite a modern transcript, being the only copy he could find". — [Stowe Cat. vol. i. p. 201, No. 63.] How clearly do these words show that the reverend writer, though otherwise a sufficiently good scholar, was totally incom- petent to pronounce a correct opinion on the age of any Gaedlilic MS., from the character of the writing, or from an acquaintance with the pecuhar hands of the different writers who preceded him, excepting, indeed, that of liis own grandfather, Charles O'Conor, of Belanagar. Yet there is no man more dogmatic in liis decisions on the dates of manuscripts and compositions, — his two most favourite periods being, we may observe in passing, " the thirteenth or fourteenth centuries", and "the reign of James the First". Indeed, I am obliged to say, that his readings and renderings of text, as well as his translations of Irish, are as in- 9 130 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Chkonicum scotoeum. Of the Annals of Clonmac- KOIS. accurate, as liis historical deductions, and even positive state- ments, are often unfounded, however arrogantly advanced. In connexion with this fragment of the Lecain collection of annals, I may mention that there is a short tract of annals pre- served in the great Book of Lecain, now in the library of the Royal Irish Academy, the compilation of which was finished in the year 1416. These annals are without date, and some of the items are out of chronological order. They begin with the bat- tle of Uchbadh, which was fought in the year 733, at a place of that name in the county of Kildare, between Aedh Allan, the monarch of Ireland, and the kings and chiefs of Leinster,inwhich the latter were completely overthrown, and their whole country devastated and nearly depopulated. These chronicles come down to the treacherous death of the celebrated Tiernan O'Rourke, king o£ Breifne [Brefny], at the hands of the Anglo-Normans, in the year 1172. The events recorded, briefly of course, are the reigns, battles, and deaths of the monarchs and provincial kings of Ireland; the accessions and deaths of the bishops and abbots of Armagh ; and the more imusual atmospheric phenomena, such as remarkable seasons and other extraordinary occurrences, etc. There are several Httle additions, among the items of informa- tion recorded in these annals, which are not to be found in the Annals of the Fom' Masters ; as, for instance, in recordhig the death of the monarch MaelseacJdainn, or Malachy the Second (who died Anno Domini 1022), they give a list of five-and- twenty battles gained by him, of which the Fom' Masters men- tion but fom\ In connection with these battles also, many topographical names are preserved, not to be found in any of the other existing books of annals. And I may remark in con- clusion, that the annals contained in this short tract are, as regards date of transcription, the oldest annals that we have in Ireland. I shall close this lecture with some account of one other book of annals, to which I have already shortly referred, and which, though only remaining to us in the English language, is not without its interest and value. I allude to the book tolerably well known under the name of the Annals of Clonmacnois, the only copy or version of which known to be extant is an English translation made from the Irish in the year 1627, by Connla Mac Echagan, of Lismoyne, in the county of West- meath, for his friend and kinsman, Torlogh Mac Cochlan, Lord of Delvin, m that county. This translation is written in the quaint style of the Elizabe- than period, but by a man who seems to have well understood OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 131 tlie value of tlie original Gaedlilic plii'aseology, and rendered it lect. vi. every justice, as far as we can determine in the absence of the original. It was believed, — and, indeed, there is reason still to anxals op beheve it, — that the original book was preserved in the posses- Kofs!'^*'^' sion of the family of the late Sir Richard Nagle, who was de- scended from the translator by the mother's side ; however, on the death of the worthy baronet, a few years ago, no trace of it could be found among the family papers, though other ancient memorials of the house of Mac Echagan were preserved among them. It was rmnoured in the coimtry, that tliis old book con- tained, or might possibly contain, some records of events that it would be as well for the Mac Echagan family not to have brought before the world ; and that for tliis reason, the female representatives of the family had for some generations kept the vohmie out of sight. I had the honom' of a slight acquaintance with the late Sir Richard Nagle, which I improved so far as to mention this tradition to him. He did not deny the correctness of the rumoiu', as far as the keeping out of sight of the book went ; but he had no knowledge of any particular reason, more than a laudable care for what was looked upon as a remarkable national record, and a witness to the respectabihty and identity of the fa- mily. Indeed, the impression left on my mind by my conver- sations on this subject with Sir Richard was, that the book had been in the custody of liis mother, but that that respected lady cherished so closely this rehc of her ancient name as to be re- luctant even to show it, much less to part with it for any con- sideration whatever. There is nothing in tliis book (so far as we can judge in the absence of the original) to show why it should be called the An- nals of Clonmacnois. We have already seen, and we shall have occasion to touch on the same fact again, that the Annals of Clonmacnois used by the Four Masters, came down but to the year 1227, whereas this book comes down to the year 1408. The records contained in it are brief, but they sometimes pre- serve details of singular interest, not to be found in any of our other annals. As a specimen of these additions — the most in- teresting of them, perhaps — let me take the following passage, which occurs at the year 905, but which should be placed at the year 913; I give it in the exact phraseology of the original: — " Neal Ghmdviffe was king [of Ireland] three years, and was married to the Lady Gormphley, daughter of King Flann, who was a very fair, ^drtuous, and learned demosell ; was first married to Cormacke Mac Coulenan, King of Mmister; secondly to King Neal, by whom she had a son, called Prince Donnell, who was drowned ; upon whose death she made many pitiful and 9b 132 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VI. learned ditties in Irish ; and lastly, slie was married to Cearbliall Mac Morgan, King of Leinster. After all wliicli royal mar- riages, she begged from door to door, forsaken of all her friends and allies, and glad to be reheved by her inferiors". The story The Order of GormlaitJis marriages is not accurately given in Goj-mfaith. tliis entry. Let ns correct the entry from another and more re- Hable authority, that of the Book of Leinster. It is true that Gormlaith was first married, or rather betrothed, to the celebrated king, bishop, and scholar, Cormac Mac Cul- lemian. King of Munster ; but that marriage was never consmn- mated, as the young king changed his mind, and restored the princess to her father, with all her fortune and dowry, while he himself took holy orders. He (as you are aware) became subse- quently Archbishop of Cashel, and was, as you may remember, the author of the celebrated Saltair of Cashel, as well as of the learned compilation since known as Cormac's Glossary. After having been thus deserted by King Cormac, Gormlaith was married against her will to Cearbhall, King of Leinster. Shortly afterwards, in the year 908, — probably in reahty on account of the repudiation of the princess by the King of Mmister, though ostensibly to assert his right to the presenta- tion to the ancient church of Mainister EihMn, now Monas- tereven (in the present Queen's county), which down to this time belonged to Mimster, — Flann Siona, the father of Gormlaith, who was hereditary King of Meath, and then Monarch of Erinn, proceeded to make war on the southern prince ; and, accom- panied by his son-in-law, the King of Leinster, he marched with their imited forces to Bealach Mughna (now Ballymoon, in the south of the present county of Kildare), within two miles of the present town of Carlow. Here they were met by King Cormac at the head of the men of Munster, and a furious battle ensued between them, in which the Mmistermen were defeated, and Cor- mac, the king and bishop, killed and beheaded on the field. Cearhhall, King of Leinster, and husband of the princess Gormlaith, was badly wounded in the battle, and carried home to his palace at Naas, where he was assiduously attended to by liis queen, who was scarcely ever absent from his couch. It hap- pened that one day, when he was convalescent, but still confined to his bed, the battle oi Bealach Mughna hcca,m.e the subject of their conversation. Cea7'hhall described the fight with anima- tion, and dwelt with seemingly exuberant satisfaction on the de- feat of Cormac, and the dismemberment of his body in his pre- sence. The queen, however, who was sitting on the foot-rail of the bed, said that it was a great pity that the body of the good and holy bishop should have been unnecessarily mutilated and OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS 133 desecrated ; upon which the king, in a sudden fit of rage, struck lect. vi. her so rude a blow with his foot, as threw her headlong on the ^^ ^^^^ floor, by which her clothes were thrown into disorder, in the pre- of Queeu sence of all her ladies and attendants. Gormiait . The queen felt highly mortified and insulted at the indignity thus offered to her, and fled to her father for protection. Her father, however, in the presence of a powerful Danish enemy in Dubhn, did not choose to take any hostile steps to punish the rudeness of King Cearhhall, but sent his daughter back again to her husband. Not so her young kinsman, Niall Ghinduhli [" of the Black Knee"], the son of the brave Aedh Finnliath, King of Aileach [i.e. King of Ulster.] This brave prince, having heard of the indignity which had been put upon his relative, raised all the northern clans, and at their head marched to the borders of Leinster, with the intention of avenging the insult, as well as of taking the queen herself under the protection of the powerful forces of the north. Queen Gorinlaith, however, objected to any violent measures, and only insisted on a separation from her husband, and the restoration of her dowry. She had four-and- twenty residences given to her in Leinster by Cearhhall on her marriage, and these he consented to confirm to her, and to re- lease her legally from her vows as his wife. The queen being thus once more freed from conjugal ties, returned to her father's house for the third time. After this Niall Glundubh, deeming that the gross conduct of Cearhhall to his queen, and their final separation, had legally as well as virtually dissolved their mariiage, proposed for her hand to her father ; but boih father and daughter refused, and, for the time, she continued to reside in the court of Flann. In thecoiu'se of the following year (904), however, Cearhhall was killed in battle by the Danes of Dublin, under their leader Ulhh, and all impedhnents being now removed, Gormlaith be- came the wife of Niall Glunduhh. From this period to the year 917, we hear nothing more of Queen Gormlaith. Her father died in the mean time, in the year 914, and after liim the young Niall Glunduhh succeeded to the supreme throne as Monarch of Erinn. With the exception of the immortal Brian BoroimhS, no monarch ever wielded the sceptre, which was the sword, of Erinn with more vigour, than this tnily brave northern prince. His battles with the fierce and cruel Danes were incessant and bloody, and his victories many and glorious, and himself and his brave father Aedh were the only monarchs who ever attempted to relieve Munster of the presence of these cruel foes, before Brian. Having, in fine, hemmed in so closely the 134 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. The story of Queen Gormlaith. Danes of Meatli, Dublin, and all Lelnster, that tliey dared not move from the immediate vicinity of Dublin, he determined at last to attack them even there, in their very stronghold. With this resolve, therefore, on Wednesday, the 17th day of October, in the year 917, he marched on Dublin with a large force, and attended by several of the chiefs and princes of Meath and Oriell ; but the Danes went out and met him at Ciil Mosomog (a place not yet identified), in the neighbourhood of the city, and a furious battle ensued, in which, mrfortunately, the army of Erinn was defeated, and Niall himself was killed, with most of his attendant chiefs and an immense number of their men. And thus was the unfortunate queen Gormlaith for the third time left a widow. Her elder brother Conor was killed in the battle, and her younger brother Donnchadh succeeded her husband in the sovereignty, wliich he enjoyed till his death in the year 942. Of Queen GormlaitKs history, during the reign of her bro- ther, we know nothing ; but, on his death, the sceptre passed away from the houses of her father and of her husband; and it is possible, or rather we may say probable, that it was then that commenced that poverty and neglect, of which she so feeHngly speaks in her poems, as well as in various stray verses which have come do-wn to us. Her misfortimes conti- nued during the remaining five years of her life — namely, from the death of her brother, the monarch Doniichadh, in the year 942, to her own death in the year 947. I should not, perhaps, have dwelt so long on the short but eventful history of the unfortunate queen Gormlaith, but that the translator of these annals of Clonmacnois, as they are called, falls into several mistakes about her ; but, whether they be part of his original text, or only traditionary notes of his own, I cannot determine : I believe the latter to be the more probable explanation. He says, at the year 936 (which should be the year 943), that, after the death of Niall Glundubh, she was married to Cearhhall, king of Leinster ; but I have taken the proper order of her marriages, and the present sketch of her history, from the Book of Leinster (a MS. of the middle of the twelfth century), as well as from an ancient copy of a most curious poem, written during her long last ilhiess by Gormlaith herself, on her own life and misfortunes. In this poem she details the death of her son, who was accidentally drowned in the county Galway dming his fosterage, and the subsequent death of her husband ; and in it is also preserved an interesting account of her mode of living ; a sketch of the more fortunate or happy part of her life ; a character of Niall, of Cearbhall, OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 135 and of Cormac ; a description of tlie place and mode of sepul- lect. vi. tiu'e of Niall ; and, on the whole, a greater variety of references ~ 7^ to habits, customs, and manners, than I have found in any other of Queen piece of its kind. I have, besides this, which is a long poem, ^''"'>"■^"■^"^■ collected a few of those stray verses which Gormlaith composed under a variety of impulses and circumstances. The folloAving short, but very curious, account of the im- mediate cause of her death (the date of which is given by Mac Echagan, at the year 943, by mistake for the year 948), appears to have been taken from the poem just mentioned. I quote again from the same translation of the annals of Clon- macnois : — " Gormphly, daughter of King Flann Mac Mayleseachlyn, and queen of Ireland, died of a tedious and grievous wound, which happened in this manner: she ch-eamed that she saw King Niall Glimduife ; whereupon she got up and sate in her bed to behold him ; whom he for anger would forsake, and leave the chamber ; and as he was departing in that angry motion (as she thought), she gave a snatch after hun, thinking to have taken him by the mantle, to keep him with her, and fell upon the bed- stick of her bed, that it pierced her breast, even to her very heart, wliich received no cure until she died thereof". The queen did not, however, immediately die of the injury thus strangely received. Her last illness was long and tedious, and it was diuing its continuance that she composed the curious poems which are still preserved, in one of which she gives an account of the manner of the womid which soon after caused her death. I cannot do better than close my remarks on this curious volume by transcribing the translator's address and dedication to Mac Coghlan, for whom he translated it. These documents are, besides, not only very explanatory of the design and idea of the work, but in themselves so quaint, so interesting, and so suggestive, that I am persuaded you would be sorry to lose them, and they have not hitherto been published. " A book containing all the inhabitants of Ireland since the creation of the world, vmtil the conquest of the English, wherein is showed all the kings of Clana Neimed, Firbolg, Tuathy De danan, and the sons of Miletius of Spain : translated out of Irish into English, faithfully and well agreeing to the History de Captionibus Hibernias, Historia Magna, and other authentic authors. Partly discovering the year of the reigns of the said kings, with the manner of their governments, and also the deaths of divers saints of this kingdom, as died in those several reigns, with the tyrannical rule "and government of the Danes for 219 years. Clonmac- KUIS. 136 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VI. "A brief catalogue of all tlie kings of tlie several races, after the coming of Saint Patrick, imtil Donogli Mac Bryan carried ANN.vls OF the crown to Rome, and of the kings that reigned after, until the time of the conquest of the EngKsh, in the twentieth year of the reign of Roiy O'Connor, monarch of Ireland. "Also of certain things wliich happened in this kingdom after the conquest of the Enghsh, until the sixth year of the reign of King Henry the Fourth, in the year of our Lord God 1408. " To the worthy and of great expectation yomig gentleman, Mr. Terence Coghlan, his brother, Conell Ma; Geoghegan, wisheth long health, with good success in all his affairs. "Among all the worthy and memorable deeds of King Bryan Borowe, sometime king of this kingdom, this is not of the least account, that after that he had shaken off the intolerable yoke and bondage wherewith this land was cruelly tortured and har- ried by the Danes and Normans for the space of 219 years that they bore sway, and received tribute of the inhabitants in gene- ral, — and though they nor none of them ever had the name of king or monarch of the land, yet they had that power, as they executed what they pleased, and behaved themselves so cruel and pagan-like, as well towards the ecclesiasticals as temporals of the kingdom, that they broke down their churches, and razed them to their very foundations, and burned their books of chron- icles and prayers, to the end that there should be no memory left to their posterities, and all learning should be quite forgotten, — the said King Bryan seeing into what rudeness the kingdom was fallen, after setting himself in the quiet government thereof, and restored each one to his ancient patrimony, repaired their churches and houses of religion ; he caused open schools to be kept in the several parishes to instruct their youth, which by the said long wars were grown rude and altogether ilhterate ; he assem- bled together all the nobility of the kingdom, as well spiritual as temporal, to Cashel, in Minister, and caused them to compose a book containing all the inhabitants, events, and septs, that lived in this land from the first peopling, inhabitation, and discovery thereof, after the creation of the world, until that present, which book they caused to be called by the name of the Saltair of Cashel, signed it with his own hand, together with the hands of the kings of the five provinces, and also with the hands of all the bishops and prelates of the kingdom, caused several copies thereof to be given to the kings of the pro\dnces, with straight charge that there should be no credit given to any other chronicles thence- forth, but should be held as false, disannulled, and quite forbid- den for ever. Since which time there were many septs in the Of the NAL3 OP OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 137 kingdom tliat lived by it, and whose profession it was to cliron- icle and keep in memory tlie state of the kingdom, as well for the time past, present, and to come ; and now because they cannot an enjoy that respect and gain by their said profession as heretofore Clonmac- tliey and tlieir ancestors received, they set nought by the said knowledge, neglect their books, and choose rather to put their cliildren to learn English than their own native language, inso- much that some of them suffer tailors to cut the leaves of the said books (which their ancestors held in great accoimt), and sew them in long pieces to make their measiu-es of, that the pos- terities are like to fall into more ignorance of any things which happened before their time. In the reign of the said King Bryan, and before, Ireland was well stored with learned men and schools, and that people came from all parts of Christendom to learn therein, and among all other nations that came thither, there was none so much made of nor respected with the Irish, as were the English and Welshmen, to whom they gave several colleges to dwell and learn in ; [such] as to the English a col- lege in the town of Mayo, in Connacht, which to this day is called Mayo of the English ; and to the Welshmen, the town of Gallon, in the King's County, which is likewise called Gallon of the Welshmen or Wales ; from whence the said two nations have brought their characters, especially the English Saxons, as by comparing the old Saxon characters to the Irish (which the Irish never changed), you shall find little or no difference at all. " The earnest desire I miderstand you have, to know these things, made me to undertake the translation of the old Irish Book for you, wliich, by long lying shut and unused, I could hardly read, and left places that I could not read, because they were altogether grown illegible and put out ; and if this my simple labour shall any way pleasure you, I shall hold myself thoroughly recompensed, and my pains well employed, which for your own reading I have done, and not for the reading of any other curious fellow that would rather carp at my phraze, than take any de- light in the History ; and in the meantime I bid you heartily farewell, from Leijevanchan, 20th April, Anno Domini 1627. " Yom" very loving brother, CONELL MaGeOGHEGAN". The translator then gives the following list of his authorities, to which I would ask your particrdar attention : — " The names of the several authors whom I have taken for the book : Saint Colum Kill ; St. Bohine ; Calvagh O'More, Esq. ; Venerable Bedc; Eochye O'Flannagan, Archdean of Armagh and Clonfiachna ; Gillcrnen Mac Conn-ne-mbocht, Archpriest of Clonvickenos ; Keileachair Mac Con, alias Gorman; Eusebius; 138 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals 'of Clonmac- NOIS. i^ECT. VI. Marcellinus ; Moylen O'Mulclioniye ; and Tanaye O'Mulclion- rye ; two professed clironiclers". It is not easy to see what Mac Ecliagan means, wlien lie says tliat he had taken these authors for this book. We have only to beheve that he took from Eusebius, Marcellinus, and Bede, some items or additions, and some dates for the early part of his translations, and that he took the various readings and additions, to be found in it, from the Irish authorities to whom he refers. But, whatever his meaning may be, this is a curious list of au- thors to be consulted by an Irish comitry gentleman in the early part of the seventeenth century. Without going back to his very earher authorities, we may show the antiquity of the second class. Eochaidh OFlannagain, Archdean of Armagh and Clon- fiachna, cHed in the year 1003. If this learned man's books came down to Mac Echagan's times, he must have had a rich treat in them indeed. These books are referred to in the fol- lowing words, in the ancient book called Leabhar na h- Uidhre, written at Clonmacnois before the year 1106. At the end of a most curious and valuable tract on the ancient pagan cemeteries of Ireland, the writer says that it was Flaun, the learned pro- fessor of Monasterboice, who died in the year 1056, and Eoch- aidh,th.e learned, 0'Kerin,that compiled this tract from the books of Eochaidh O Flanyiagain at Armagh, and the books of Monas- terboice, and other books at both places, which had disappeared at the time of making this note. Of the books of Gillananaemh mac Conn-na-mBocht, Arch- priest of Clonmacnois, I have never heard anything more than Mac Echagan's reference to them. Of Ceileachair Mac Conn na-mBocht, I know nothing more than that the death of his son is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1106, in the following words : — " Maelmuire, son of the son of Conn- na-7nBocht, was killed at Cluainmicnois by a party of plun- derers". This Maelmuire was the compiler or transcriber of the above mentioned Leabhar na h- Uidhre, in which he is set down as Maelmuire, the son of Ceileachair, son of Conn-na- vnBocht. The two O'Mulconrys, of whom he speaks, belonged to the fourteenth century, and were poets and historians of Connacht ; but it is not easy to distinguish their works now from the com- positions of other members of that talented family, of the same Christian names, but of a later period. It is much to be regretted that the original of the curious book of which I am now speaking, and which certainly existed in the early part of the last century, should be lost to us ; and, conse- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS 139 quently, that we have no means of ascertaining to what extent lect. -^^. Mac Echagan's translation is a faithful one. He appears to have drawn a little on his imagination, in his address to Mac annals op Cochlan, where he states that it was Brian BoroimJie that ordered noiT"'^*^' the compilation of the Saltair of Cashel. This certainly cannot be the truth, for we have the Saltair of Cashel repeatedly quoted in the Books of Ballymote and Lecan, and its authorship as repeatedly ascribed to the Holy King, Cormac Mac Cullennan, who floiuished more than one hundred years before the time ascribed to that work by Mac Echagan. It is true that Brian Boroimhe, after the expulsion and sub- jugation of the Danes, did rebuild and repair the churches and other ecclesiastical edifices which had been ruined and desecrated by the Danes ; that he restored the native princes, chiefs, and peo23le, to their ancient inheritances; established schools and colleges ; caused all the ancient books that had survived the de- solation and desecration of the two preceding centuries to be transcribed and multiplied ; and that he fixed and estabfished permanent family names : but, although we have an account of all tliis from various soiu'ces, some of them nearly contemporary with himself, we have no mention whatever of his having di- rected the writing of the Saltair of Cashel, or any work of its kind. There are three copies of Mac Echagan's translation known to me to be in existence : one in the library "of Trinity College, Dublin (class F. 3, 19) ; one in the British Museum; and one in Sir Thomas PliilHps's large collection, in Worcestershire. They are all ^\aitten in the hand of Teige O'Daly, and they are dated (the Dublin one at least) in the year 1684. O'Daly has pre- fixed some strictures on the translator, charging him with parti- ality for the Heremonian or northern race of Ireland, one of whom he was himself, to the prejudice of the Heberian or southern race. But O'Daly's remarks are couched in language of such a character that I do not think it necessary to allude to them farther here. I have now completed for you a short examination of all the principal collections of Annals which may be depended on as forming the sohd foundation of Irish history, with the exception of the last and greatest work of this kind, the Annals of the Four Masters of the Monastery of Donegal. That magnificent compilation shall form the subject of our next meeting, after wliich I shall proceed to the consideration of the other classes of historical authorities to which I have so frequently alluded in the course of the lectures I have already addressed to you. LECTURE VII. [DeUvered July 3, 1856.] The Annals (continued), 10. The Annals of the Four Masters. The " Con- tention of the Bards". Of Michael O'Clery. Of the Chronology of the Four Masters. In tlie last lecture we examined the " Clironicum Scotorum", and the Annals of Clonmacnois. The next on the list, in point of compilation, and the most important of all in point of interest and historic value, are the Annals of the Four Masters. In whatever point of view we regard these annals, they must awaken feelings of deep interest and I'espect ; not only as the largest collection of national, civil, military, and family history ever brought together in this or perhaps any other comitry, but also as the final winding up of the affairs of a people who had preserved their nationality and independence for a space of over two thousand years, till their complete overthrow about the time at which this work was compiled. It is no easy matter for an Irishman to suj)press fcehngs of deep emotion when speaking of the compilers of this great work ; and especially when he con- siders the circumstances under which, and the objects for which, it was undertaken. It was no mercenary or ignoble sentiment that prompted one of the last of Erinn's native princes, while the utter destruc- tion of his property, the persecution and oppression of his creed and race, and even the general ruin of his country, were not only staring him in the face, but actually upon him, — those were not, I say, any mean or mercenary motives that induced this nobleman to determine, that, although liimself and his country might sink for ever under the impending tempest, the history of that country, at least, should not be altogether lost. In a former lecture I have observed that, after the termination of the Ehzabethan wars, all, or nearly all, the Irish nobles had sunk into poverty and obscurity, had found untimely graves in their native land, or had sought another home far over the seas. It has been shown that, with the decHne of these nobles and chiefs, our national literature had become paralysed, and even all but totally dead. And this was absolutely the case during more than the first quarter of the seventeenth century, and even for some time afterwards ; for, although the Rev. Father Geof- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 141 fry Keting compiled in the native language his History of lect. vn. Erinn, his " Three Shafts of Death", and his " Key and Shield . ^ of the Mass", between 1628 and 1640, yet so far was he from tention receiving countenance or patronage, that it was among the in- Bai-as". accessible crags and caverns of the Gailte, or Galtee, mountains, and among the fastnesses of his native county of Tipperary, that he wrote these works, while in close concealment to escape the wanton vengeance of a local tyrant. Still, though the fostering care of the chief or the noble had disappeared, the native bardic spirit did not altogether die out ; and about the year 1604 (apparently by some preconcerted arrangement), a discussion sprang up between Tadhg Mac Brody, a distinguished Irish scholar and bard of the county of Clare, and the no less distinguished poet and scholar, Lughaidli O'Clery of Donegall, of whom mention was made in a former lecture. The subject of this discussion, which was carried on in verse, was the relative merits and importance of the two great clan- divisions of Erinn, as represented by the Heberians in the south (that is, the O'Briens and Mac Carthys, and the other in- dependent chiefs of Munster, the descendants of Eber), and the Heremonians of Ulster, Connacht, and Leinster (embracing the O'Neills, O'Donnells, O'Conors, Mac Murachs, etc.), who were descended from Eremon. It is quite evident that the real object of this discussion was simply to rouse and keep alive the national feehng and family pride of such of the native nobility and gentry as still continued to hold any station of rank or fortune in the country ; and, as the war of words progressed, several auxiliaries came up on both sides, and took an active part in the controversy, which thus assumed considerable importance. This discussion, which is popularly called "The Contention of the Bards", brought into prominent review all the great events and heroic characters of Irish history from the remotest ages, and inspired the livihest interest at the time. Indeed one of the northern auxiliaries in the controversy, Annluan Mac ^gan, seriously charges O'Clery with treachery, and with allowing himself to be worsted in the contest by Mac Brody, from par- tiahty to the south, where he had received his education. The scheme of the "Contention", hoAvever, seems to have pro- duced httle effect on the native gentry; for shortly after we find Mac Brody coming out with a very curious poem, addressed to the southern chiefs, demanding from them remuneration, according to ancient usage, for his defence of their claims to superior dignity and rank. Wliether this controversy had the desired effect of stimulat- 142 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LKCT. Yii. Ing to any extent tlie liberality of the remaining native Irish Of the chiefs or not, is an inquiiy beyond tlie scope of our present pur- O'cierys. posc ; btit that it tended greatly to the renewed study of our native literature, may be fairly inferred from the important Irish works which soon followed it, such as those of Keting and the O'Clerys, and of Mac Firbis. Of Keting we shall again have to speak, and we shall now turn to a cotemporary of his, who, like himself, found the deep study of the language and liistory of his native land quite con- sistent with the strict observance and efficient discharge of the onerous duties of a Catholic priest. I allude to the celebrated friar, Michael O'Clery, the chief of the Four Masters, and the pro- jector of the great national literary work which bears their name. Michael O'Clery appears to have been born in Kilbarron, near Ballyshannon, in the county of Donegall, some time abovit the year 1580. He was descended of a family of hereditary scholars, lay and ecclesiastical, and received, we may presume, the rudiments of his education at the place of his birth. It appears from various circumstances that in the latter part of the sixteenth and early part of the seventeenth century, the south of Ireland afforded a higher order of education, and greater facilities for its attainment, than the north; and we learn, therefore (from Michael O'Clery's Gaedlilic Glossary, published by him in Louvain in 1643), that he, as well as his cousin, Lvghaidh O'Clery, already mentioned, had received, if not their classical, at least their Gaedhhg education, in the south, from Baothghalach Ruadh Mac ^Egan. Of the early Hfe of Michael O'Clery, or at what time he entered the Franciscan order, we know, unfortunately, nothing ; but in the year 1627 we find hmi engaged in visiting the va- rious monasteries of his order in Ireland, as well as other eccle- siastical and lay repositories of ancient Irish Manuscrij)ts, and laboriously transcribing from them with his OTvai most accurate hand all that they contained of the history of the Irish Catholic Church and the lives of the Irish Saints, as well as important tracts relating to the civil liistory of the coimtry. Among the latter is the detailed history of the great Danish invasion and occupation of Ireland, now in the Burgundian Library at Brus- sels. [I may add that this valuable book was lately borrowed by the Rev. Dr. Todd, for whom I made an accm-ate copy of it.] O'Clery's ecclesiastical collection was intended for the use of Father Aedli Mac a7i Bhaird (commonly called in English, Hugh Ward), a native of Donegal, a Franciscan friar, and, at this time, guardian of Saint Anthony's in Louvain, who contem- plated the pubhcation of the Lives of the Irish Saints ; but hav- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 143 ing died before lie had entered fully upon tliis great work, the lect. vii. materials supplied by O'Clery -were taken up by anotlier equally '^^^^ competent Franciscan, Father John Colgan. Tliis distinguished ccierys. writer accordingly produced, in 1645, two noble volumes in the Latin language. One of these, called the Trias Thaumaturgus, is devoted exclusively to the Lives of Saint Patrick, Saint Bridget, and Saint Colum Cillo, or Columba; the other vo- Imne contains as many as could be found of the Lives of the Irish Saints whose festival days occur from the 1st of January to the 3 1st of March, where the work stops. Whether it was the death of Father Michael O'Clery (who must have been the translator of the Irish Lives), which happened about this time, 1643, that discouraged or incapacitated Father Colgan from proceeding with his work, we do not know ; but although he pubhshed other works relating to Ireland after this time, he never resumed the publication of the lives of her saints. The collection made by the noble-hearted Father O'Clery at that time, is that wliich is now divided between the Burgundian Library at Brussels, and the Library of the College of St. Isidore at Rome. Father John Colgan, in the preface to his Acta Sanctorum Hibernice, published at Louvain in 1645, after speaking of the labom-s of Fathers Fleming and Ward, in collecting and eluci- dating the Lives of the Irish Saints, and their subsequent mar- tyrdom in 1632, writes as follows of their religious Brother Michael O'Clery. " That those whose pious piu-suits he imitated, our third asso- ciate. Brother Michael O'Clery, also followed to the rewards of their merits, having died a few months ago, a man eminently versed in the antiquities of his country, to whose pious labours, through many years, both this and the other works which we labom' at are in a great measure owing. For, when he Avas a layman, he was by profession an Antiquarian, and in that faculty esteemed amongst the first of his time ; after he embraced our Seraphic Order, in this convent of Louvain, he was employed as coadjutor, and to this end, by obedience and with the per- mission of the superiors, he was sent back to his country to search out and obtain the lives of the saints and other sacred an- tiqviities of his country, which are, for the greater part, written in the language of his country, and very ancient. "But, in the province entrusted to him, he labom'ed with in- defatigable industry about fifteen years ; and in the meantime he copied many Hves of saints from many very ancient docu- ments in the language of the country, genealogies, three or four diiferent and ancient martyrologies, and many other monuments 144 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. vn. of great antiqixitj, wliicli, copied anew, lie transmitted liither to Of Friar ^- hardens. At length, bytlie charge of the superiors, deputed Michael to tliis, he dovotod his mind to clearing and arranging, in a '^^^' better method and order, the other sacred as well as j)rofane his- tories of his country, from which, with the assistance of three other distinguished antiquarians (whom, from the opportunity of the time and place, he employed as colleagues, as seeming more fit to that duty), he compiled, or, \vith more truth, since they had been composed by ancient authors, he cleared up, digested, and composed, three tracts of remote antiquity, by comparing many ancient documents. The first is of the Kings of Erinn, succinctly recording the kind of death of each, the years of their reign, the order of succession, the genealogy, and the year of the world, or of Christ, in which each departed, which tract, on account of its brevity, ought more properly to be called a cata- logue of those kings, than a history. The second, of the Genea- logy of the Saints of Erinn, which he has divided into thirty- seven classes or chapters, bringing back each saint, in a long series, to the first author and progenitor of the family from which he descends, which, therefore, some have been pleased to call Sanctilogium Genealogictim (the genealogies of the saints), and others Sancto- Genesis. The third treats of the first Inhabi- tants of Erinn, of their successive conquests from the Flood, tlirough the diiFerent races, of their battles, of the kings reign- ing amongst them, of the wars and battles arising between those, and the other notable accidents and events of the island, from the year 278 after the Flood, up to the year of Christ 1171. "Also, when in the same college, to which subsequently, at one time, he added two other works from the more ancient and approved chronicles and annals of the country, and particularly from those of Cluane, Insula, and Senat, he collected the sacred and profane Annals of Ireland, a work thoroughly noble, useful, and honourable to the country, and far surpassing in import- ance its own proper extent, by the fruitful variety of ancient affairs and the minute relation of them. For, he places before his eyes, not only the state of society and the various changes during upwards of three thousand years, for which that most ancient kingdom stood, by recording the exploits, the dissen- sions, conflicts, battles, and the year of the death of each of the kings, princes, and heroes ; but also (what is more pleasing and desirable for pious minds) the condition of Catholicity and eccle- siastical affairs, from the first introduction of the faith, twelve hundred years before, up to modern times, most flourishing at many periods, distm-bed at others, and subsequently mournful, wliilst hardly any year occurs, in the mean time, in which he OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 145 does not record the death of one or many saints, bishops, abbots, lect. vn. and other men, iUustrious through piety and learning ; and also ^^^ p^,,^^. the building of churches, and their burnings, pillage, and de- Mu-haei vastation, in great part committed by the pagans, and after- wards by the heretical soldiers. His colleagues were pious men. As in the three before mentioned, so also in this fourth work, which far surpasses the others, three are eminently to be praised, namely, Ferfessius O" Maelchonaire, Peregrine (Cu- cogry) O'Clery, and Peregrine (Cucogry) ODuhhghennain, men of consummate learning in the antiquities of the country, and of approved faith. And to these subsequently was added the cooperation of other distinguished antiquarians. Maiu'itius G'Maelclionaire, who, for one month, as Conary Clery during many months, laboured in its promotion. But, since those an- nals which we in tliis volume, and in others following, very frequently quote, have been collected and compiled by the as- sistance and separate study of so many authors, neither the desire of brevity would permit us always to cite them indivi- dually by expressing the name, nor would justice allow us to attribute the labour of many to one ; hence, it sometimes seemed proper that those were called from the place the Annals of Donegal, for they were commenced and completed in our con- vent of Donegal. But, afterwards, on account of other reasons, chiefly from the compilers themselves, who were four most emi- nent masters in antiquarian lore, we have been led to call them the Annals of the Four Masters. Yet it is also said even now that more than four assisted in their preparation ; however, as their meeting was irregular, and but two of them, during a short time, laboured in the miimportant and latter part of the work, but the other four were engaged in the entire production, at least, up to the year 1267 (from which the first, and most im- portant and necessary part for us is closed), hence we quote it under their name ; since, hardly ever, or very rarely, anything which happened after that year comes to be related by us". We know not whether it was while engaged in collecting Of the the materials for the publication of the Lives of the Irish Saints, the vovr that Father O'Clery conceived the idea of collecting, digest- i^i^teks. ing, and compiling the Annals of the ancient Kingdom of Erinn ; and what fruitless essays for a patron he may have made among the broken-spirited representatives of the old native chiefs, we are not in a condition to say ; but that he succeeded in obtaining distinguished patronage from Fearghal [Ferral] O'Gara, hereditary Lord of Magh Ui Gadhra (Magh O'Gara), and Cull O-hh-Finn (Cuil O'Finn, or " Coolavin") (better known as the Prince of Coolovinn, in the County of Sligo), is testified 10 146 OF THE ANCIKNT ANNALS. Of the Annals of THE Four Masters. LECT. VTT. in Father O'Clcry's simple and beautiful Dedication of the work to that nobleman, of which address the follo^ving is a literal translation [see original in Appendix, No. LXVII.] : — " I beseech God to bestow every happiness that may conduce to the welfare of his body and soul upon Fearghal 0' Gadhra, Lord of 3fagh Ui-Gadlira, and Cuil-0-hh-Finn, one of the two knights of Parliament who were elected (and sent) from the County of Sliijeach [Shgo] to Aili-cliath [Dublin], this year of the age of Christ 1634. " It is a thing general and plain throughout the whole world, in every place where nobihty or honour has prevailed, in each successive period, that nothing is more glorious, more respect- able, or more honourable (for many reasons), than to bring to light the knowledge of the antiquity of ancient authors, and a knowledge of the chieftains and nobles that existed in former times, in order that each successive generation might know how their ancestors spent their time and their hves, how long they lived in succession in the lordship of their countries, in dignity or in honour, and what sort of death they met. " I, Michael OClerigli, a poor friar of the Order of St. Francis (after having been for ten years transcribing every old material which I found concerning the saints of Ireland, observ- ing obedience to each provincial that was in Ireland succes- sively), have come before you, O noble Fearghal O'Gara. I have calculated on your honour that it seemed to you a cause of pity and regret, grief and sorrow (for the glory of God and the ho- nour of Ireland), how much the race of Gaedhil the son of Niul have passed under a cloud and darkness, without a knowledge or record of the death or obit of saint or virgin, archbishop, bishop, abbot, or other noble dignitary of the Chm'ch, of king or of prince, of lord or of chieftain, [or] of the synchronism or connexion of the one with the other. I explained to you that I thought I could get the assistance of the chroniclers for whom I had most esteem, in writing a book of Annals in which these matters might be put on record ; and that, should the writing of them be neglected at present, they would not again be found to be put on record or commemorated, even to the end of the world. There were collected by me all the best and most co- pious books of annals that I could find throughout all Ireland (though it was difficult for me to collect them to one place), to write this book in your name, and to your honour, for it was you that gave the reward of their laboiu* to the chroniclers, by whom it was written ; and it was the friars of the convent of Donegal that supplied them with food and attendance, in like manner. For every good that will result from this book, in \ ! t OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 147 giving liglit to all in. general, it is to you tliat tlianks should be lect. vii . given, and tliere should exist jio wonder or surprise, jealousy or ^^ ^^^ envy, at [any] good that yoi do; for you are of the race of annals op Eiher Mac Mileadh [Heber the son of jNIilesius] , from whom >lSteiw" descended thirty of the kings 6f Ireland, and sixty-one saints ; and to Teadgh mac Cein mic Qili Ua Oluiin , from whom eigh- teen of these saints are sprung, you can be traced, generation by generation. The descendants of this Tadhg [Teige] branched out, and inhabited various parts tlu'oughout Ireland, namely : the race of Cormac Gaileng in huighne Connacht, from whom ye, the Muintir-Gadhra, the two Ui Eaghra in Connacht, and Oli-Eaghra of the Ruta, O'Carroll of Ely, GMeachair in Ui-Camn, and O'Conor o^ Cianachta-Glinne-Geimhin. " As a proof of your coming from this noble blood we have mentioned, here is your pedigree : [Here follows the pedigree of O'Gara]. " On the twenty-second day of the month of January, a.d. 1632, this book was commenced in the convent of Dun-na-ngall, and it was finished in the same convent on the tenth day of August, 1636, the eleventh year of the reign of our king Charles over England, France, Alba, and over EirS. " Your affectionate friend, " Brother Michael O'Clery". Wliat a simple unostentatious address and dedication to so important a work ! - O'Clery having thus collected his materials, and having fomid a patron willing both to identify himself with the undertaking, and to defray its expenses, he betook himself to the quiet solitude of the monastery of Donegall, then presided over by his bro- ther, Father Bemardine O'Clery, where he arranged his collec- tion of ancient books, and gathered about him such assistants as he had known by experience to be well qualified to carry out his intentions in the selection and treatment of his vast materials. The result of his exertions, and the nature of the great work thus to be produced, will perhaps appear in the most charac- teristic as well as complete form if I here quote the Testvmordum signed by the fathers of the monastery of Donegall, and inserted in the copy of the work presented to Fergal O'Gara. The following, then, is a literal translation of it [Appendix, No. LXVIIL] [Testimonium] . " The fathers of the Franciscan Order who shall put their hands on this, do bear witness that it was Fearghal O'Gadhra that prevailed on Brother Michael GClerigh to bring together 10 B 148 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals op THE Four Masters. LECT. VII. tlie clironiclers and learned men, by wliom were transcribed the books of history and Annals of Ireland (as much of them as it was possible to find to be transcribed), and that it was the same Fearghal OGara that gave them a reward for their writing. " The book is divided into two parts. The place at which it was transcribed from begiiming to end, was the convent of the friars of Dun-na-ngall, they supplying food and attendance. " The first book was begun and transcribed in the same con- vent this year, 1632, when Father Bernardine O'Clery was a guardian. " The chroniclers and learned men who were engaged in ex- tracting and transcribing this book from various books were, Brother Michael OClerigh ; Maurice, the son of Torna O'Mael- chonaire, for one month; Ferfeasa, the son o£ Lochlaimi OMael- chonaire, both of the County of Roscommon ; Cucoigcriche (Cu- cogry) O'Clerigh, of the County of Donegall ; Cucoigcriclie (Cu- cogry) O'Duiblighennain, of the County of Leitrim; and ConairS O'CIerigh, of the County of Donegall. " These are the old books they had: the book o£ Cluain mac Nois [a church], blessed by Saint Ciaran, son of the carpenter; the book of the Island of Saints, in Loch Mibh; the book of Seanadh Mic 3Iaghmisa, in Loch Erne ; the book of Clann Ua Maelchonaire ; the book of the O'Duigenans, of Kilronan ; the historical book of Lecan Mic Firbisigh, -which vras procured for them after the transcription of the greater part of the [work], and from which they transcribed all the important matter they found which they deemed necessary, and which was not in the first books they had ; for neither the book of Cluain nor the book of the Island were [carried] beyond the year of the age of our Lord 1227. " The second, which begins with the year 1208, was com- menced this year of the age of Christ 1635, in which Father Christopher Ulltach [O'Donlevy] was guardian. " These are the books from which was transcribed the greatest part of this work ; — the same book of the O'Mulconrys, as far as the year 1505, and this was the last year which it contained; the book of the O'Duigenans, of which we have sjaoken, from [the year] 900 to 1563; the book of Seanadh Mic Maghnusa, which extended to 1532 ; a portion of the book of Cucogry, the son of Dermot, son of Tadhg Cam OClerigh, from the year 1281 to 1537; the book of Mac Bruaideadha (Maoilin dg), from the year 1588 to 1602. " We have seen all these books with the learned men of whom we have spoken before, and other historical books besides them. In proof of everything which has been written above, the fol- OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 149 lowing persons put their hands to this in the convent of Donegal, lect. vii . the tenth day of August, the age of Christ being one thousand six hundred and thirty-six. annals of " Brother Bernardine O'Clery, m^tee's!' " Guardian of Donegal. " Brother Maurice Ulltach. " Brother Maurice Ulltach. " Brother Bonaventura O'Donnell, " Jubilate Lector", You will have noticed that the last signature to this testi- monium is that of Brother Bonaventura O'Donnell. Up to the year 1843, this signature was read as " O'Donnell" only, and it is curioiis that the learned and acute Charles O'Conor of Belanagar, should not only have so read it, but also written that this was the counter-signature of the O'Donnell, Prince of Donegall. The Rev. Charles O'Conor followed his grand- father in reading it the same way in 1825. It was Dr. Petrie that first identified (and purchased, at the sale of the library of Mr. Austin Cooper), the original volume of the second part of these Annals, which contains this testi- monium, and placed it in the libraiy of the Royal Irish Aca- demy. He immediately afterwards wrote a paper, which was read before the Academy on the 16th of March, 1831, entitled " Remarks on the History and Authenticity of the Autograph original of the Annals of the Four Masters, now deposited in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy". This profomid and accomplished antiquary followed the O'Conors unsuspectingly, in reading these signatures, and his and their reading was received and adopted by all the Irish scholars in Dublin at the tmie, and for some seventeen years after. However, in the year 1843, the Royal Irish Academy did me the honour to employ me to draw up a descriptive cata- logue of their fine collection of Irish manuscripts. For some considerable time before this I had entertained a suspicion that O'Donnell, Prince of Donegall, was a false reading of the sig- nature, for this, among other reasons, that there was no " O'Don- nell", Prince of Donegall, in existence at the time, namely, in the year 1636, nor for more than sixteen years before that pe- riod, those titles having become extinct when Hugh Roe O'Don- nell, and after him, his brother Rory, had received and adopted the English title of Earl of Tirconnell at the beginning of that century. The first of these brothers having died in Spain in 1602, and the second having fled from Ireland in 1607, and died in Rome in 1608, and no chief having been lawfully elected in his place, consequently there was no man living in 150 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Annals of THE Four Mastkes. LECT.vii. 1636 wlio could with propriety sign tlie name " O'Donnell" to tliis testimonium. And, even if there had been, it would be an act totally unbecoming his name and house to extend the dig- nity of his name only to a great national hterary work, which had been compiled within his own ancient principality, yet at the expense of one of the chiefs of a different race and province. Satisfied with this argument, and seeing that there was room for a Christian name before the surname, when I came to de- scribe this volume in my catalogue I applied to the Council of the Academy, through the then secretary, the Rev, Dr. Todd (now President of the Academy), for Hberty to apply a proper preparation to the part of the vellmn which appeared blank before the name O'Donnell, and between it and the margin of the page. The academy complied with my request. I took the necessary means of reviving the ink, and in a little time I was rewarded by the plain and clear reappearance of what had not been before dieamt of There, surely enough, were the name and the title of " Bonaventura O'Donnell", with the words added, "Jubilate Lector". Mr. Owen Connellan was ignorant of this reading when his translation of this volume of the Annals was published in the year 1846. Dr. O'Donovan, the able editor of the more elabo- I'ute, learned, and perfect edition of this volume, in the introduc- tion published by him to that work in 1848, acknowledged with satisfaction the discovery I had made, justly important as it seemed to him at the time. In the recast of his introduction to the first division of the work, as corrected for publication in 1851, he has, however, only retained the reading, omitting to refer to what I had done, and thus leaving it uncertain at what time, under what circumstances, and by whom, the true read- ing was discovered, and these circumstances I have thought it but fair to myself here again to place on record. In making use of the rich materials thus collected, O'Clery, as might be expected from his education and position, took special care to collect from every available source, and to put on imperishable record, among the gi'eat monuments of the nation, not only the succession and obits of all the monarchs, provincial kings, chiefs, and heads or distinguished members of famihes, but also, as far as he could find them, the succession and deaths of the bishops, abbots, superiors, superioresses, and other distinguished ecclesiastics and religious of the countless churches, abbeys, and convents of Ireland, from the first founding of its civil and of its religious systems, down to the year 1611. The work of selection and compilation having been finished, OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 151 as we have seen, in the year 1636, Father O'Clery, to stamp lect. vii. on it a character of truthfuhiess and importance, carried it for inspection to two of the most distinguished Irish scholars then annals op living, whose written approbation and signature he obtained masters!' for it ; these were Flann Mao Aedhagan of Bally Mac Aedh- again, in the County of Tipperary, and Conor Mac Bruaideadlia (or Brody) of Cill-Chaidhe and Leitir Maelain in the Coimty of Clare. And, along with these, he procured for his work the approbations and signatures of Malachy O'Kelly, Archbishop of Tuam; Baothghalach or Boetius Mac Aegan, Bishop of Elfinn ; Thomas Fleming, Archbishop of DubHn, Primate of Ireland; and Fr. Roche, Bishop of Kildare; and thus forti- fied with the only approbation which he deemed necessary to give general currency and a permanent character to his work, he committed it (in manuscript only) to the care of time and to the affection and veneration of his countrymen. Upon the chronology of the Annals Dr. O'Conor has made the following remarks in his Catalogue of the Stowe MSS. (among Avhich is one of the original copies of this work), " This volimie begins, hke most chronicles of the middle ages, from the Deluge, which it dates with the Septuagint, Anno ]\Iundi 2242 ; and ends with the Anglo Norman inva- sion of Ireland, a.d. 1171. * * * * * * " Notwithstanding these approbations, there are some glaring faults in these annals, which no partiality can disguise. The first, and greatest of all faults, relates to their system of chrono- logy. We quarrel not with their preferring the chronology of the Septuagint to that of the Hebrew text : great men have adopted the same system ; making the first year of om' era agree with the year of the world 5199. But in applying it to chrono- logy, they commit two faults. Dating by the Christian era, they generally place the events four years, and sometimes five, before the proper year of that era, down to the year 800, when they approach nearer to the true time; tliis is their greatest fault; and it is evident, from the eclipses and corresponding events occasionally mentioned by themselves. From the year 800 to 1000, they differ sometimes by three years, sometimes by two. From the year 1000, their chronology is perfectly accu- rate. Their second fault is more excusable, because it is com- mon to all the annalists of the middle ages ; they advance the antiquities of their coimtry several centuries higher than their own successions of kings and generations by eldest sons will permit. " Following the technical chronology of Coeman, they ought LECT. VII Of the 152 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. to have stated, in notes, the chronology of Flann, who preceded Coeman, and given the Christian era accurately, as it agrees Annals of with the ycars of the Julian period, and of the Roman Consvils mTsteks.' and Emperors, whom they synchronise. This is Bede's method, and has been that of all the best chronologers, who, by adliering to it, have successfully determined the chronology of Europe. " ' We see no reason for denjang to Ireland a series of kings older than any in Europe', says Mr. Pinkerton. " The oldest Greek writers mention Albion and lerne as in- habited ; and Pliny says, no doubt from the Pha?nician annals, which are quoted by Festus, that the Phoenicians traded with those islands in the days of Midacritus, a thousand years before the Christian era. But to begin the pagan history of Ireland nearly 3000 years before that era, is absurd ; and to make the events of the Christian period diiFer, by four years, from the re- gular course of that reckoning, is not excusable. This difference, hovv'ever, is easily adjusted, because it is uniform down to the year 900, except in a very few instances, which are corrected and restored to their true places in the notes. " The grand object of the Four Masters is to give chronological dates, and, with the exceptions above, nothing can be more ac- curate. The years of foundations and destructions of churches and castles, the obituaries of remarkable persons, the inaugura- tions of kings, the battles of chiefs, the contests of clans, the ages of bards, abbots, bishops, etc., are given with a meagre fidelity, which leaves nothing to be wished for but some details of man- ners, which are the grand desideratum in the Chronicles of the British Islands" [p. 133]. With all that Doctor O'Conor has so judiciously said here, I fully agree. A book, consisting of 1100 quarto pages, begin- ning with the year of the world 2242, and ending with the year of our Lord's Incarnation 1616, thus covering the immense space of 4500 years of a nation's history, must be dry and meagre of de- tails in some, if not in all, parts of it. And although the learned compilers had at their disposal, or within their reach, an immense mass of historic details, still the circumstances rmder which they wrote were so unfavourable, that they appear to have exer- cised a sound discretion, and one consistent with the economy of tune and of their resources, when they left the details of our very early history in the. safe keeping of such ancient original records as from remote ages preserved them, and collected as much as they could make room for of the events of more modern times, and particularly of the eventful times in which they lived them- selves. This was natural ; and it must have appeared to them that the national history, as written of old, and then still amply OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 153 preserved, was in less danger of being quite lost or questioned lect. vii. than that more modern history wliicli approached more nearly to their own era, till at last it became conversant with facts of annals of which they were themselves witnesses, and many of the actors MrsTEi^s!' in which were personally known to them ; and so they thickened the records as much, I believe, as they possibly could, in the twelfth, thirteenth, foiu^teenth, and fifteenth, and particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This last part of the Annals was evidently intended to be a history ; but it is clear that the first, perhaps for the reason I have just stated, was not intended to be anything more than a skeleton, to be at some future time clothed with flesh and blood from the large stock of materials which might still remain, and which in fact has remained to the successors of the Four Mas- ters ; and the exact value of these materials in reference to a complete history will be seen when, in a future lecture, we come to deal with the historical tales and other detailed compositions containing the minute occurrences of life, and the lesser and more unimportant but still most interesting facts of history in the early ages of the coimtry. You have already heard, in the quotations from Dr. O'Conor, the opinions of the learned but sceptical Pinkerton on the an- tiquity of our monarchy and the general authenticity of our history ; let me now read for you the opinion of another Scotch- man, in no way inferior to him in general literary knowledge, profound research, and accurate discrimination. I mean Sir James Mackintosh, who, having become acquainted with the character of these Annals from Dr. O'Conor s very inaccurate Latin translation of the early part of them down to 1170, ac- cords his favourable opinion of them in the following words : — " The Chronicles of Ireland, written in the Irish language, from the second century to the landing of Henry Plantagenet, have been recently published with the fullest evidence of their genuineness. The Irish nation, thoixgh they are robbed of their legends by this authentic publication, are yet by it enabled to boast that they possess genuine history several centuries more ancient than any other European nation possesses in its present spoken language. They have exchanged their legen- dary antiquity for historical fame. Indeed no other nation possesses any monument of literature in its present spoken lan- guage, which goes back within several centuries of these chi'o- nicles". — History of England, vol. i., chap. 2. Moore, who was less profound as an historian, and, conse- quently, more sceptical, remarks on this passage: "With the exception of the mistake into which Sir James Mackintosh lias 154 \ OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. \ LECT. VII . liere, rather unaccountably, been led, in supposing tbat, among Q^ ^,^ tlie written Irish chronicles which have come down to us, there Annals of are any so early as the second century, the tribute paid by him mj^ters!' to the authenticity and historical importance of these docu- ments appears to me in the highest degree deserved, and comes with more authority from a writer, whose command over the wide domain of history enabled him fully to appreciate any genuine addition to it". — History of Ireland, vol. i., p. 168. The poet, however, lived to doubt his own competence to offer such a criticism on the chronicles of his native country. The first volume of his history was published in the year 1835, and in the year 1839, dm'ing one of his last visits to the land of his birth, he, in company with his old and attached friend, Dr. Petrie, favoured me with quite an unexpected visit at the Royal Irish Academy, then in Grafton Street. I was at that period employed on the ordnance survey of Ireland ; and, at the time of his visit, happened to have before me, on my desk, the Books of Ballymote and Lecain, the Leabhar Breac, the An- nals of the Four Masters, and many other ancient books, for his- torical research and reference, I had never before seen Moore, and after a brief introduction and explanation of the nature of my occupation by Dr. Petrie, and seeing the formidable array of so many dark and time-worn volumes by which I was sur- rounded, he looked a little disconcerted, but after a while plucked up courage to open the Book of Ballymote, and ask what it was. Dr. Petrie and myself then entered into a short explanation of the history and character of the books then pre- sent, as well as of ancient Gaedlilic documents in general. Moore listened with great attention, alternately scanning the books and myself; and then asked me, in a serious tone, if I understood '' them, and how I had learned to do so. Having satisfied him upon these points, he turned to Dr. Petrie, and said: " Petrie, these huge tomes could not have been written by fools or for any foolish purpose. I never knew anything about them before, and I had no right to have undertaken the History of Ireland". Three volumes of his history had been before this time pub- lished, and it is quite possible that it was the new light which appeared to have broken in upon hun on this occasion, that deterred him from putting his fourth and last volume to press until after several years ; it is believed he was only compelled to do so at last by his publishers in 1846. I may be permitted here to observe, that what Sir James Mackintosh and other great writers speak of so lightly, as the " le- gendary" history of Ireland, is capable of authentic elucidation to an extent so far beyond what they believed or supposed them OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 155 to be, as would both please and satisfy tluit distingixislied lect. vii. writer and philosopher himself, as well as all other candid ^^.^^^^^ investigators. annals of ° THE FoUU JLVSTEKS. Of the Annals of the Four Masters, no perfect copy of the autograph is now known to exist, though the parts of them, so strangely scattered in difierent localities throughout Europe, would make one perfect copy, and another nearly perfect. To begin at home, the Royal Irish Academy holds, among its other treasures of ancient Irish hteratvu*e, a perfect original — I might say, the original — autograph copy of the Second Part of these Annals, from the year 1170, imperfect, to the year 1(516. The Ubrary of Trinity College, Dublin, also contains a part of an autograph copy, beginning with the year 1335, and end- ing with the year 1603. Of the part preceding the year 1171, there are also two difFe- Tent copies in existence, but unfortunately beyond the reach of collation or useful examination. Of these, one — which, a few years ago, and for some years previously, belonged to the great library of the Duke of Buckingham at Stowe — has passed by sale into the collection of Lord Ashburnham, where, with the other Irish manuscripts that accompanied it, it is very safely preserved from examination, lest an actual acquaintance with their contents should, in the opinion of the very noble-minded owner, decrease their value as mere matters of cmiosity at some future transfer or sale. How unfortunate and fatal that this vohmie, as well as the other Irish manuscripts v.hich accompany it, and the most part of which were but lent to the Stowe library, should have passed from the inaccessible shelves of that once princely establishment into another asylum equally secure and unapproachable to any sdiolar of the " mere Irish" ! At the time of the advertised sale of the Stowe hbrary, in 1849, the British Museum made every effort to become the pur- chasers, with the consent and support of the Treasury, through Sir Robert Peel ; but the trustees delayed so long in determining on what should be done, that the sale took place privately, and the whole collection was carried off and incarcerated in a man- sion some seventy miles from London. The late Sir Robert Inglis and Lord Brougham were, I be- lieve, most anxious to have this great collection deposited in the British Museum ; but Mr. (now Lord) jMacaulay, the Essayist, having been among the Museum Trustees who examined it, de- clared that he saw nothing in the whole worth purchasing for the Museum, but the correspondence of Lord Melville, a Scotch nobleman, on the American war ! 156 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VII. Of the Anmals of THE Four Masteks. Tlie second original copy of this first part is, but owing only to its distance from us, as inaccessible as tlie one in Asbburnliam House. It is in tlie Irisli College of St. Isidore in Rome. The discovery of this volmne there, and of the important collection of manuscripts, Gaedlilic and Latin, of which it forms a part, was made by the late learned and lamented Dean Lyons, of Bel- mullet, in the County of Mayo, in the years 1842 and 1843. This learned priest, having occasion to spend some considerable part of those years in Rome, was requested at his departure, by some friends of Irish literatiue in Dublin, to examine, should time permit him, the great literary repositories of the Eternal City, and to bring, or send home, tracings of any ancient Gaedhhc ma- nuscripts wliich he might have the good fortune to light upon. He accordingly, on the 1st of Jmie, 1842, wrote home a letter to the Rev Dr. Todd and to Dr. O'Donovan, apprising them that he had discovered, in the College of St. Isidore, several an- cient Gaedlilic and Latin manuscripts, which formerly belonged to Ireland and to Irishmen ; and on the 1st of July in the ensuing year of 1843, he addressed another letter to the same parties on the same subject. These letters contained accurate descriptions of the condition and extent of the Gaedhhc ]\ISS., together with tracings from their contents, sufficient to enable me to identify the chief part of them. Among these JNISS. at St. Isidore's, there was found an auto- graph of the first part of the Annals of the Four Masters, com- ing doAvn to the year 1169, with the "Approbations" and all the prefatory matter. This is the only autograph of the first part now known, save that formerly at Stowe ; and both being inaccessible at the time of the publication of the whole work a few years ago, the learned and able editor, Dr. O'Donovan, was obhged to use Dr. O'Conor's inaccurate version, only correcting it by modern copies here, as may be seen in his introduction. The novel and important discovery of this collection excited so great a degree of interest in Dublin at the time, that a sub- scription for their purchase, should it be found practicable, was freely and warmly talked of Upon the return of Dr. Lyons to Ireland, Dr. Todd opened a correspondence with him as to his views of the possibility of the authorities in Rome consenting to the sale of these MSS. Dr. Lyons's answer was encouraging, and in order to prepare him for bringing the matter before the proper parties, he re- quested that I should di'aw up a short paper upon their contents, the importance of having them here at home, and the intrinsic value of the whole according to the rate at which Gaedlilic ma- nuscripts were estimated and sold in Dubhn at the time. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 157 This paper, or letter, was transmitted to Rome at the time by lect. yii. Of the Dr. Lyons ; but his own lamented death occurring shortly afte the correspondence through that channel was interrupted, and annals o^ the famine having set in about the same time, the spirit of the m^tei"' country was checked, objects of more immediate importance pressed themselves on the minds of men, and the subject was forgotten for a time. There are, however, in Dublin a few spi- rited men, who, within the last two years, have offered a hand- some sum of money from their private purses for those manu- scripts for public pm'poses ; but they seem not to have been able to convey their proposal through an eligible channel, and so no satisfactory result has followed their laudable endeavours. I may perhaps be pardoned for adding here, that the short ca- talogue of the St. Isidore manuscripts which I di'ew up for Dean Lyons, and Avhich he transmitted to Rome, was subsequently pubHshed without acknowledgment, by the Rev. J. Donovan, in the third volume of his "Ancient and Modern Rome". To resume. It will be remembered that in Michael O'Clery's address to Fergal O'Gara he pays him, along with many others, the following compliment : — " For every good that will result from this book, in giving light to the people in general, it is to you that thanks should be given, and there should exist no wonder or surprise, jealousy, or envy at any good that you do, for you are of the race of Ebe7' Mac Mileadli]\ etc., etc. On this passage the editor, Dr. Donovan, comments some- what unnecessarily, I think, in the following words : — " If O'Donnell were iu the country at the time, he ought to have felt great envy and jealousy that the Four Masters should have committed this work, which treats of the O'Donnells more than of any other family, to the world under the name and patronage of any of the rival race of Oilioll Ohiim, much less to so petty a chieftain of that race as O'Gara. This ■will appear ob^aous from the Contention of the Bards". Nothing, however, appears more obvious from the Conten- tion of the Bards, than (as I have already shown and as is proved by Annluan Mac jEgan's acknowledgment) that the northern Bards were worsted in the contest ; and notliing has been put forward to show O'Donnell's superior claims to the patronage of a historical work, but that his own family figures more conspicuously in it than any other of the nation. This argument, however, on inquiry, will scarcely be foimd to hold good, and before I pass on it may perhaps be worth while to answer it at once by referring to some few statistics of family names occurrinof in these Annals. 158 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. LECT. VII. Of the Annals nr THE Four Masters. The name of O'Donnell of Donegall, I find, appears Avith Christian names 210 times, and under the general name of O'Donnell only 78 times, making an aggregate of 288 times. Now the O'Briens (the rival race of Oilioll Oluini), appear with Cliristian names 233 times, and under the general name of O'Briens 21 times, making an aggregate of 254 times in every way; so that, even as the annals stand, there is no great diiference in this respect. And it is certain that if the O'Clerys had swelled their Annals with entries from Mac Grath's Wars of Thomond, from the year 1272 to the year 1320, as they have filled them, from the local history, with the achievements of the O'Donnells from the year 1472 to the year 1600, the names of the O'Briens would be found far to outnumber those of the O'Donnells. Besides this, the O'Donnells had no pre- tension to extreme jealousy with the race of Oilioll Oluim, as the former only became known as chiefs of Tirconnell, on the de- cay or extinction of the more direct lines of Conall Gulban in they year 1200, whereas the Mac Carthys represented the line of Eoghan Mor, the eldest son of Oilioll Olicim, from the year 1043 ; and the O'Briens represented Cormac Cas, the second son of Oilioll Oluim, from the battle of Clontarf, in the year 1014. But what is somewhat singular, in reference to Dr. O'Donovan's remark, and as shown by these statistics, is, that the O'Gara represents Cian, another son of Oilioll Oluim, in their ancient principality of Luigline or Leyney, in Shgo, from a period so far back as the year 932 ; that is, the name of the O'Gara is older even than that of Mac Carthy by more than 100 years ; than that of O'Brien by about 80 years ; and than that of O'Donnell by about 300 years. As a small tribute of respect, then, fairly, I think, due to the O'Gara family as the patrons of the splendid work of the O'Clerys, it may be permitted me to insert here from these Annals the succession of their chiefs, from the year 932 to the year 1495, after which (and it is rather singular), they dis- appear from the work. [See Appendix, No. LXIX.] I have devoted the entire of the present lecture to a very summary accoimt of the greatest body of Annals in existence relating to Irish History. The immense extent of the work would indeed render it impossible for me to include in one lecture, or even in two or three lectures, anything like an ade- quate analysis of the vast mass and comprehensive scope of the history contained in it. I have, therefore, confined myself to some explanation of the nature and plan of the labours of the Four Masters, that you may understand at least what it was OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 159 they undertook to do, and that you may know wliy it is that lect. vii. this magnificent compilation has ever since been regarded by true scholars, and doubtless will ever be looked up to, as of the axnals of most certain and unimpeachable authority, and as affording a MTsTEiis" safe and soHd foundation for the labours of future historians. It is fortunate, however, that the Annals of the Four Masters are no longer like the other Annals, of which I have given you some account, preserved only in the almost inaccessible recesses of a few libraries of MSS. It is fortunate that you can now consult for yourselves (in the pages of a beautifully printed edition), those invaluable records, whose importance it has been my object in this lecture shortly to explain to you, and which, if you would acquire an accurate acquaintance with your country's history, you must diligently study again and again. Portions of these Annals had been published before the ap- pearance of the great volumes to which I allude. The Rev. Charles O'Conor, librarian to the late Duke of Buckingham, printed, in 1826, an edition of what is called the First Part of those Annals (that part, namely, which ends at the year 1171, or about the period of the Norman Invasion). It occupies the whole of the third volume of his Renim Hiheryii- carum Sa'iptores, a large quarto of 840 pages. It is printed from the autograph text in the Stowc Hbrary, and the editor has given the Irish text (but in Latin characters), as well as a translation and copious notes in the Latin language. This edi- tion is certainly valuable, but it is very inaccurate. I need not, however, occupy your time with any detailed account of it, not only because it has been since superseded by a work of real au- thority, bi^t because I have already discussed (and shall have reason again to observe at some little length on) the literary ca- pabihty and the historical knowledge of the reverend editor. A translation of the Second Part of the Annals, that is, from A.D. 1171 to the end of the work at a.d. 1616, was pub- lished in Dublin in 1846, by the late B. Geraghty, of Anglesca Street. The original Irish is not given in this edition, but the translation was made by ]Mr. Owen Connellan from a copy transcribed some years before by him from the autograph in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. This volume, though con- taining only the translation, extends to 720 pp., large 4to, closely printed in double columns, with notes by Dr. JNlac Dermott. I have mentioned both these publications only because it would be improper to omit noticing the fact that such attempts had been made to place the substance of the Annals in the hands of the reading public at large. But I need not enter into any criticism upon the labours of Mr. Connellan any more than those 160 OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. Of the Anxals of THE Four Masters. LECT. VII. of Dr. O'Gonor. For tlae Annals of the Foiu' Masters are now at last accessible to all, in a form the most perfect as regards typography, and the most copious and correct as regards translation and annotation, that the anxious student of our history can desire. I allude, of coiu'se, to the magnificent work to which I have abeady more than once referred, edited by Dr. John O'Donovan, and published to the world, in 1851, by Mr. George Smith, of Grafton Street. It is to this edition that in future every student must apply himself, if he desires to acquire only reliable information ; it is, in the present state of om* knowledge, the standard edition of that work, which must form the basis of all fruitful study of the history of Ireland ; and it is in consequence of this, its peculiar character, that I feel bound to lay so strong an emphasis upon my recommendation of Dr. O'Donovan's Annals to yoiu" special, if not exclusive, attention. Dr. O'Donovan's work is in seven large quarto volumes ; and the immense extent of the O'Clerys' labours may be imagined by those of my hearers who have not yet opened these splendid books, when I inform them that the seven volumes contain no less than 4,215 pages of closely printed matter. The text is given in the Irish character, and is printed in the beautiful type employed in the printing ofiice of Trinity College, and the forms of which were carefully drawn from the earhest authori- ties by the accurate and elegant hand of my respected friend. Dr. Petrie. The translation is executed with extreme care. The immense mass of notes contains a vast amount of informa- tion, embracing every variety of topic — historical, topographical, and genealogical — upon which the text requires elucidation, addition, or correction ; and I may add, that of the accuracy of the researches which have borne fruit in that information, I can myself, in almost every instance, bear personal testimony. There is but one thing to be regretted in resjject of Dr. O'Don- ovan's text, and that is the circumstance to which I have abeady called jour attention. In the absence of both of the autograph INISS. of the First Part of the work (that is, before A.D. 1171), one of which is kept safe from the eye of every Irish scholar in the Stowe collection, now in the possession of Lord Ashburnham, while the other still remains in the Library of St. Isidore's, in Rome, the editor was obliged to take Dr. O'Conor's inaccurate text, correcting it, as best he could, by collation with two good copies which exist in Dublin. The second part of the annals is printed from the autograph MS. in the Royal Irish Academy, compared with another autograph copy in Trinity College. The text of this part is, therefore, absolutely free from errors. OF THE ANCIENT ANNALS. 161 This noble work, extending to so great a length, and occu- lect. vn. pied (notes as well as text) with so many thousands of subjects, ^^ ^^^^ personal and historical, had need of an Index as copious as anxai.s op itself to complete its practical importance as a book of reference. mIIteks!' Tliis great labour has been included in the plan of Dr. O'Do- novan's publication, and the student will find appended to it hvo complete Indexes, one to all the names of persons, the other to all the names of places referred to throughout the entire. So that, in the form in which the work appears, as well as in the substantial contents of these splendid volmnes, there is absolutely nothing left to be desired. Upon the learning and well earned reputation of the editor, Dr. O'Donovan, it would ill become me, for so many years his intimate fellow labourer in the long untrodden path of Irish historical inquiry, to enlarge. But I cannot pass from the subject of this lecture without recording the grateful sense wdiich I am sure all of you (when yovi examine the magnificent volmnes of which I have been speaking) must feel, as I do, of the singular public spirit of Mr. George Smith, at whose sole risk and expense this vast publication was undertaken and com- pleted. There is no instance that I know of, in any country, of a work so vast being undertaken, much less of any com- pleted in a style so perfect and so beautiful, by the enterprise of a private publisher. Mr. Smith's edition of the Annals was brought out in a way worthy of a great national work, — nay, worthy of it, had it been undertaken at the public cost of a great, rich, and powerful peoj^le, as alone such works have been imdertaken in other countries. And the example of so much spirit in an Irish pubHsher — the printing of such a book in a city like Dublin, so long shorn of metropolitan wealth as well as honoiu's — cannot fail to redound abroad to the credit of the whole country, as well as to that of om- enterprising fellow- citizen. As, then, the memory of the Four Masters themselves will probably be long connected ■with the labours and name of their annotator, Dr. O'Donovan, so also I wovild not have any of you forget what is due to the pubHsher of the first complete edi- tion of the Annals when you open it, as I hope every student of this national University ■v\'ill often and anxiously do, to ^pply yourselves to study the gTcat events of your country's history in the time-honoured records collected by the O'Clerys. 11 LECTURE VIII. [Delivered July 7, 185fi.] Of the other Works of the Four Masters. The " Succession of the Kings". The " Book of Invasions". O'Clcry's Glossary. In my last lecture I concluded tlie subject of tlie various regular Annals wliicli liave come down to us. In connection with tlie subject of the last and greatest of these invaluable compilations, the Annals of the Four Masters, it became my duty, in explaining how that noble work was midertaken, to offer you some short accomit of the O'Clerys, its principal authors, and their learned associates. Before I pass, then, to an examination of the various other soiu'ces from which tlie student will have to draw the materials of the yet imwritten History of Erinn, it will perhaps be convenient that I should here conclude what I have to say to you upon the other histo- rical works handed down to us by the Foiu- Masters. These works (alluded to in that preface of Colgan's which you heard quoted at such length in the last lecture) are all to a great extent parallel with that which last engaged our attention. Their plan is not the same ; and, though a great number of facts are recorded in all the several series of the O'Clerys' writings, the details are rarely repeated; and each of these books, contemporaneous in execution as they were, must be studied as the necessary complement of the others of them. It is much to be regretted, that none of them, as yet, has met with the good fortune of the Annals, in being published in any form to the world; and I am sm-e, when you have become aware of their extent and value, you wiU join with me in the hope that the present generation may see these works also of our great annalists brought out in a style worthy of the splendid volumes edited by Dr. O'Donovan. The SuocEs The first of the historical books of the O'Clerys, referred to sioN' OF THE \)y Qolgau, to wliicli I sliall direct yom' attention, is that called the Rehn Rioghxddhe [pron : nearly, " Rem Ree-riah"], or Suc- cession OF THE Kings. And, as you are now acquainted with the manner in which the masters approach their subjects, in these serious histoi-ical compositions, perhaps the best course OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 163 I can take to-day is to open at once the autlior's Preface to lect. yiii. the Reim Rioghraidhe, of which the following may be taken as ^^^^ ^^^^ct^^. a sufficiently accurate translation [see original in Appendix sign of the No. LXX.]:— '"''*''■ " In nomine Dei. Amen. " On the third day of the month of September, Anno Christi 1644, tliis book was commenced to be written, in the house of Conall, son of Niall, son of Rossa Mageoghegan, oi' Lios 3faighnS, in Cenel Fhiachach (in Westmeath), one by whom are prized and preserved the ancient monuments of our ancestors ; one who is the industrious collecting Bee of everything that be- longs to the honour and history of the descendants of IMilesius and of Licgaidh, son of Ith, both ky and ecclesiastical, as far as he coidd find them. And what is written in this book is, the Reim Rioghraidhe (the Succession of the Kings), and the history of the Saints of Erinn, which are now corrected and amended by these persons following — viz., the Friar Michael O'Clery, Ferfeasa O'Mulconry, and Cucoigcriche O'Duigenan, all of them persons learned in the Irish language. And it is taken from the principal ancient Books of Erinn, in the Con- vent of Athlone, as v/e have before stated [it does not appear where] ; as well as from the historical poem, written by Gilla Caomhain CCuirnin, which begins (Eire 6g mis na naomJi) (Virgin Eire, Island of Saints), and another poem, written by Aengus Mac an Ghohhann (Aengus Ceile De., or the Culdee), which begina, ^ JVaomhsheanchiis naomh Inse FdiV (the sacred history of the saints of Inis Fail), and another poem, which begins ' Athair chdigh chuimsigh nimhe^ (Father of all, Ruler of Heaven). " This book contains also the Book of Rights, which was originally ordered by Saint Benean, and is copied from a book which was written by the aforesaid Conall [IMageoghegan] on the 4tli of August, 1636, from the Book of Lecain,wdiich had been lent to him by the Protestant Primate [Ussher], which Book of Lecain was written a long time before that, by Adam J/or O'Cuir- nin for Gilla Isa Mor Mac Firbis, Ollamh of Ui-Fhiachrach, Anno Domini 1418; and Morroch Riahhach GCoinlisg wrote more of it, in the house of Rory O'Dowda, King of Hy- Fiachrach of the jMoy. The present book contains, besides, the history of the cause why the Boromean tribute Avas imposed on the Lagenians, and the person by whom it was imposed ; and the history of the coming of the Delvians (Mac Cochlan) into ' Conn's Half of Erinn, out of Munster. It contains, also, the history of the cause why Feyiius Farsaidh went to learn 11b 164 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. I.KCT. VIII. poetry to the Tower of Nimrod, in preference to any other ™ o place ; and the names of the various lano^uaofes that were known The SuccES- r ' . i • i i ^ ^i i- i sioNOFTHE at that time, and irom wnicn the (jraedhhc language was brought away by Gaedliel, the son of Etlteor, from whom it derives its name. And it contains an account of the death of Conn of the himdred battles. It also contains the seven fatali- ties of the monarchs of Erinn, and the fatalities of the pro- vincial kings in like manner; and the poem wliicli begins Roileag laoch leithe Cidnn (the burial place of the heroes of Conn's Half) [of Erinn], which was completed, and finished, and put into this book, on the 25th day of September of that same year before mentioned (1644), by the Friar Paul OColla, of the order of Saint Francis, in the house of the aforesaid Conall [Mageoghegan]. It Hkewise contains the pedigrees of the monarchs of Erinn, and the length of time that each reigned ; and it contains the genealogies of the Irish saints as they have been collected from the books of the old writers, set down according to their descent, in alphabetical order ; [all] to the glory of God, and the honour of the saints and of the kingdom ; and to diffuse the knowledge and iiitelligence of the things aforesaid, and of the authors who preserved the history of Erinn, before and after the introduction of Christianity. Finished in the Observantine Convent of Athlone, in the Bishopric of Clonmacnois, 1630". [It is observable that the authors profess to include, in a single book, not only the succession of the kmgs, but also the gene- alogy of such of the saints of Erinn as descended from them, and which Colgan treats as a separate work.] The following is O'Clery's Dedication [see original in Appen- dix, No. LXXL] :— " To Torloch Mac Cochlain". " After I, the poor Friar Michael O'Clery, had been four years, at the command of my superior, engaged in collecting and bringing together all that I could find of the history of the saints of Ireland, and of the kings to whom their pedigrees are carried uj), it occurred to me that it would not be judicious to put that collection into other lanciuatjes,'-^^^ without the authority, proof, and inspection of other historians. I also considered that the aforesaid work could not be finished without expense. But such was the poverty of the order to which I belong, on account of their vow and the oppressions of the time, that I was obliged to complain of it to gentlemen who were not bound (■lo^ It is to be remembered tliat I am not transcribing from tlie autograph OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 105 to poverty by vow. And, among tliose to whom I made my lect. vm. complaint, 1 found no one to relieve my anxiety towards _ 4 bringing this work to completion, but one person who was sionof the willing to assist me, to the promotion of the glory of God, the ^''"^*' honour of the saints and the kingdom, and the good of his own soul. And that one person is Torloch Mac Cochlain. [Here follows the pedigree of Mac Cochlain.] And it was this Tor- loch Mac Cochlain that forwarded this work, and that kept together the company that were engaged in completing it, along with the private assistance given by the aforesaid convent every day. On the 4th day of October, therefore, this book was com- menced, and on the 4th day of November, it was finished, in the convent of the friars before mentioned, in the fifth year of the king Charles of England, 1630". It is remarkable that we have not the a\itograph original of any part of these two books, or rather this one book, now in Ireland. After this Dedication, or notice, follows, in the original, an Address to the reader [see original in Appendix, No. LXXIL], much of which is so characteristic of the simple enthusiasm of the writer, and so pathetic in the appeal it contains to the ten- derness of Gaedhhc patriotism, that I cannot omit to lay it before you. " Strangers", says Michael O'Clery, " have taken the principal books of Erinn into strange countries and among unknown people". . You have heard of many new instances of this hard fate of our most ancient books since O'Clery 's time, and of the difficulties and annoyances which the humble followers of our great liistorians have met with in their re- searches, even in oiir own days, from the same cause. It is remarkable enough, that of the three books of the O'Clerys which Colgan spoke of, we do not possess, to-day, the original of any one in this country. " Address to the reader. " What true children are there that would not feel pity and distress, at seeing, or hearing of, their excellent mother and nurse being placed in a condition of indignity and contcinpt, of dishonour and contumely, without making a visit to her to bring her solace and happiness, and to give her assistance and relief? " Upon its having been observed by certain parties of the natural order of Saint Francis, that the holiness and righteous- ness of their mother and nurse — Erinn — had perceptibly dimi- nished, for not having the lives, wonders, and miracles of her saints disseminated within her, nor yet made known in other 166 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LKCT. VIII. kingdoms ; the counsel tliey adopted was, to send from tliem The succEs- ^^^^ Erinn a poor Friar Minor of their own, tlie Observantine sioN OF THE Order, Michael O'Cleiy (a chronicler by descent and education), ^^^'^^' in order to collect and bring to one place all the books of authority in which he could discover anything that related to the sanctity of her saints, with their pedigrees and genealogies. " Upon the arrival of the aforesaid friar, he sought and searched through every part of Erinn in which he had heard there was a good or even a bad book [i.e. Gaedhlic MS.] ; so that he spent fovir full years in transcribing and procuring the matters that related to the saints of Erinn. However, though great his laboiu' and his hardships, he was able to find but a few out of the many of them, because strangers had carried off the principal books of Erinn into remote and unknown foreign countries and nations, so that they have left her but an insigni- ficant part of her books. "And, after what the aforesaid fiiar could find had been collected to one place, what he thought of and decided to do was this — viz., to bring together and assemble in one place, three persons whom he should consider most befitting and most suitable to finish the work which he had undertaken (with the consent of his superiors), for the purpose of examining all the collections that he had made. These were — Ferfema O'Mul- conry, from Bally Mulconry, in the County of Roscommon; CncoigcricM O'Clcry, from Bally Clery, in the County of Donegal; and Ciicoigcriche O'Duigenann from Baile-Coille- foghair [now Castlefbre], in the County of Leitrim. These persons, then, came to one place ; and, having come, the four of them decided to write the Roll of the monarchs of Erinn at the beginning of the book. They determined on this for two reasons. The first reason, because the pedigrees of the saints could not have been brought to their origin, -wathout having the pedigrees of the early kings placed before them, because it was from them they descended. The second reason, in order that, the duty and devotion of the noble people to their saints, their successors, and their chiu-ches, should be the greater, by their having a knowledge of their relationship and friendship with their blessed patrons, and of the descent of the saints from the stem from which each branch of them sprung, and the number of the saints of the same branch. " And there is, indeed, a considerable section of the saints of Erinn whose names may be found already entered in proper order in old genealogical books, without intermixtm'e of descent, the one with the other of them, as they branch off and separate from their original stems. OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS 167 " Whoever tliou art, then, O reader! we leave it to thySelf lect. vm. to perceive that thou wilt find profit, sense, knowledo-e, and „, ^ 1 • • 1 • 1 T-i 1 • • r ^1 ^ • The Slici:s- brevity m tins work. J^or the entire succession oi the kings, sionokths wdtli their pedigrees to their origin, will be found in it, in the order in which they obtained the sovereignty in succession ; together with the number of their years, the age of the world at the end of the reign of each king of them, and the age of our Lord Jesus from His Incarnation to the death of each, down to the death of Malachy the Great [in a.d. 1022]. And the saints are given according to their alpliabetical order, and their orio'in, as we have already said. Glory be unto God. " Your loving friends. Brother Michael O'Clery. Ferfeasa O'Mulconry. Cucoigcriche O'Clery. CucoigcrichS O'Diiigenan". The autograph of this valuable work is in the College of St. Isidore at Rome. There is, however, a copy of it in the library of Trmity College, Dublin, made by Maurice O'Gorman, about the year 1760 ; and another copy in the Royal Irish Aca- demy, made by Richard Tipper, in the year 1716 ; but neither of them contains the Book of Rights, spoken of above. The list of saints is confined to the saints mentioned in tlie poem before referred to, which begins " The Sacred History of the Saints of Inisfail" ; . and is different from the Maityrology of Donegall, comj)iled by the same pious and learned friar and his associates. The plan of this book, as you will have already seen, was, first, to give the succession of the Monarchs of Erinn, from the remotest times down to the death of Turlogh O'Conor, in A,D. 1156, under their respective years of the age of the world and of our Lord, according to the chronology of the Septua- gint. And, second, to carry back to, and connect with, the kings of this long line the generations of such of the primiti^^e and chief saints of Ireland as descended from them, down to the eighth century. This list of pedigrees of the saints extends only to the names of those found in the poem already mentioned, which begins, "The Sacred History of the Saints of Inis FdiF. Nor are these given promiscuously, but in classes ; such as all the saints that descend from Conall Gulhan, in one class ; all the saints that descend from Eoglian-i his brother, in another class ; all the saints that descend from CoUa Uais, in another class ; all the saints that descend from Oilioll Oluvn. in another class ; all the saints that descend from Catliair M6r, King of Leinster, in another class ; 168 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS^ LECT. vin, and so on, tliroughout tlie four provinces. Festival days, and ^, „ a few historical notes, are added to some of them. 1 llG SUCCES- • . • sioNOFTHE The poem from which this list of saints has been drawn is ^'^'^^' ascribed, in the preface, to Aengus Ceile DS (or the Culdee) ; but this must be a mistake, as the composition of this poem is totally inferior in style, vigour, and purity of diction, to any other piece or fragment of the metrical compositions of that remarkable man that has come down to our time. It is remark- able, however, that although Michael O'Clery in the preface ascribes this poem to Aengus, yet, when we come to where it commences in the book, we find Eochaidh C Cleircein set down as the author of it. This writer flourished in a.d. 1000, or two hundred years later than Aengus. The poem certainly belongs to this period, and appears to have been founded on Aengus's prose tract on the pedigrees of the Irish saints ; and whether O'Clery fell into a mistake in ascribing it to Aengus, or whether Maiu'ice O'Gorman, the transcriber of the present copy, committed a blunder, we have here now no means of ascertaining. The book in Trinity College, DubHn, is a small octavo, of 370 pages, in two volumes, and would make about 200 pages of O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters. The Book OP The Leahkav Gahhdla, or " Book of Invasions" (or " Con- i.NVAsioNs. quests"), — the third of those alluded to by Colgan, — is perhaps the most important of the three. It contains an ample record of those traditions of the successive early colonizations of Ire- land, which, in the most ancient times, appear to have been re- garded as true history, but which were not inserted at length in the Annals of Donegall. Upon the authenticity of these tradi- tions, or ancient records (if, indeed, they have come down to us in the form in which they really were believed two tliousand years ago), this is not the place to enter into any discussion. The object of the O'Clerys appears, however, to have been simply to collect and put in order the statements they found in the ancient books; and, as before, I shall let the Preface and Address of the author of the " Book of Invasions" explain that object in his own words. The following is the Dedication, prefixed to his Leabhar Gahhdla [see original in Appendix, No. LXXIIL] : — " I, the friar Michael O'Clery, have, by permission of my superiors, undertaken to purge of error, rectify, and transcribe this old Chronicle called Leahhar Gahhdla, that it may be to the glory of God, to the honour of the saints and the kingdom OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 169 of Erinn, and to the welfare of my own soul. This under- lect. vm. taking I could not accomplish without the assistance of other chroniclers at some fixed abode. Upon communicating my in- ik^vasi"«s.°^ tention to thee, O ! Brien Roe Maguire, Lord of Enniskillen \_Inis Cethlionn'] , the first of the race of Odhar who received that title (which thou didst from his Majesty Charles, King of England, France, Scotland, and Ireland, on the 21st of January, in the year of our Lord Christ 1627, and the third year of the king's reign), thou didst take in hand to assist me to commence and conclude my undertaking, because thou didst deem it a pity to leave in oblivion and unencouraged a work which would exalt the honour of thine own ancestors, as well as of the saints, nobles, and history of Erinn in general. After having, then, received thine assistance, I myself, and the chroniclers whom, by the permission of the Church, I selected as assistants, viz., Fearfeasa O'Mulconry, Cucoigry O'Clcry, CucoigryO'Duigenan, and thine own chief chronicler, Gillapatrick OLuirdn, went, a fortnight before AlUiallow-tide, to the convent of Lisgoole, in the diocese of Clogher, in Fermanagh, and we remained there together until the following Christmas, by which time we had succeeded in completing our imdertaking, under thy assistance, Lord Maguire. " On the 22nd day of October, the corrections and comple- tion of this Book of Invasions were commenced, and on the 22nd of December the transcription was completed in the con- vent of the friars aforesaid, in the sixth year of the reign of King Charles over England, France, Scotland, and Ireland, and in the year of our Lord 1631. " Thine affectionate friend. Brother Michael O'Clery". The Preface, or Address to the Reader, follows [see original in Appendix No. LXXIV.] : — " It appeared to certain of the people, and to me, the poor simple friar Michael O'Clery from Tirconnell, one of the native friars of the convent of Donegall, whose inheritance it is from my ancestors to be a chronicler, that it would be a charity for some one of the men of Erinn to purify, compile, and re-write the ancient honoured Chronicle which is called the Book of In- vasions, for these reasons. The first reason : My superiors hav- ing charged me to collect the Lives and Genealogies of the Saints of Erinn from all places in which I could find them throughout Erinn, after having done this, I selected associate chroniclers to adjust, purify, and wi-ite as much as I could find of tlris history of the saints, as well as the succession of the mo- narchs of Erinn, to whom the pedigrees of the saints are carried up, as may be seen in the book in which they are written. After that, it occuri'ed to me that the work of wliicli I have spoken 170 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LECT. VIII. was incomplete ■without correcting and writing tlie Book of In- ^ „ vasions already mentioned, becaixsc it is tire orioinal fountain of TliG Book of *^ • • , o iNv.vsio.N3, the history of the saints and kings of Erinn, of her nobles and her people. " Another reason too : I was aware that men, learned in Latin and in English, had commenced to translate tliis Chronicle of Erinn from the GaedhHc into these languages that we have spoken of, and that they had not so profound a knowledge of the Gaedhlic as that they could put the hard and the soft parts of the said book together without ignorance or error ; and I felt that the translation which they would make must (for want of a knowledge of the Gaedhlic) become an eternal reproach and disgrace to all Erinn, and particularly so to her chroniclers. It was for these reasons that I iindertook, with the permission of my superiors, to purify and compile this book, and to collect for it, from other books, all that was wanting to it in history and in other learning, as much as we could, according to the space of time which we had to write it. " The chroniclers who were with us for this pui'pose, and for purifying the book, were, Fearfeasa O'Mulconry, from the County of Roscommon ; Cucoigry O'Clery, from Bally Clery, in the County of Doncgall ; Cucoigry O'Duigcnann, from Bally- Coilltifo(/Jiair, in the County of Leitrim ; and Giollapatrick OLuinin, from Ard Ui Liiinm, in the Coimty of Fermanagh. " It is right that you should know that it was ancient writers of remote times, and commemorating elders of great age, that preserved the history of Erinn in chronicles and books in suc- cession, from the period of the Deluge to the time of St. Patrick, who came in the fourth year of the reign of Laeghaire mac JVeill, monarch of Erinn, to plant religion and devotion in her ; when he blessed Erinn, men and boys, women and girls, and built numerous churches and towns throughout the land. " Saint Patrick, after all this, invited unto him the most illustrious authors of Erinn at that period, to jJreserve the chroni- cles, synchronisms, and genealogies of every colony that had taken possession of Erinn, down to that period. Those that he invited unto him, at that time, were Ros ; Duhhthach, the son of Ua Lughair; Ferghus, etc. These were the sustaining pillars of the History of Erinn, in the time of Saint Patrick. " St. Cohmi Cille, St. Finnen of Cluain lor ard [Clonard], and St. Comgall, of Beannclmir [Bangor, in the County Down], and the other saints of Erinn, induced the authors of their time to perpetuate and amj^lify the history and synchronisms exist- ing in their day. It was so done at their request. The authors of the period of these saints, as is manifest in the latter part of OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 171 Eochaidh OTlinn's poem, were, Fiontain, tlie son of Bochna; lect. a^hi. Tiian^\\\Q son o^ C air ell, son oi Muiredhach Afuinderg, of the Dal ^^^ Fiatach; and Dalian Forgaill, the iUustrious author and saint. invasions. " The histories and S3aichronisins of Erinn were written and tested in the presence of these illustrious saints, as is manifest in the great books which were named after the saints themselves, and from their great churches ; for there was not an illustrious church in Erinn that had not a great book of history named from it, or from the saint who sanctified it. It would be. easy, too, to know, from the books which the saints wrote, and the songs of praise which they composed in GaedhHc, that they them- selves, and their churches, were the centres of the true know- ledge, and the archives and homes of the manuscripts of the authors of Erinn, in the olden times. " Sad evil ! short was the time imtil dispersion and decay overtook the churches of the saints, their relics, and their books ; for there is not to be found of them now, but a small remnant, that has not been carried away into distant countries and foreign nations ; carried away so that their fate is not known from that time hither. " The Books of Invasions which were present [_i.e., wdiich we had by us], at the writing of these Conquests of Erinn, were, the Book of Bally JMulconry, which Maurice, the son of Paidin O'Mulconry, transcribed out of the Leahhar-na- h- Uidhre, which was Aviitten at Cluainmicnois in Saint Ciaran's time ; the Book of Bally Clery, which was wi'itten in the time of Melsheachlainn 3I6r, the son of Domnall [king of Ireland, who began his reign in the year 979] ; the Book of the O'Dui- genanns, from Seanchua in Tirerill, and which is called the Book of Glenn-da-locha ; and the Book of the Ua Chonghail; together with other Books of Invasions and history, beside them. " The sum of the matters to be found in the following book is the taking of Erinn by [the Lady] Ceasair; the taking by Partholan; the taking by Nemedh; the taking by the Firbolgs ; the taking by the Tiiatha De Danann; the taking by the sons of Miledh [or INliletius] ; and their succession down to the mo- narch MelsheacJilairw, or Malachy the Great [who died in 1022] . " We have declined to speak of the Creator's first order, of the created things, the heavens, the angels, time, and the great uncreated mass out of which the four elements were formed, by the Divine will alone, in the six days work, \\ath all the animals that inhabit the laud, the water, and the air ; because it is to divines that it belongs to speak of these things, and because we have not deemed any of these things to be necessary to our work, with God's help. It is with men and time only that we deem 172 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LECT. VIII, it proper to begin oiir work'^^'^ tliat is to say, from tlie creation ^, „ of the first man, Adam, whose descendants, our ancestors, we The Book OF ,1,^11 . ^ ,. ' ,. . ' . ' Invasions, shall lollow m the cUrect line, generation alter generation, to the conchision of this undertaking, with the end of the reign of Malachy the Great, son of Domnall, who was the last undis- puted king of Erinn within herself; and we have proceeded, in this work, upon the authority of the Gaedhlic chroniclers who have preceded us ; and we have adopted the rule of computation of tha ages, as they have been found in the well- attested faithful archives of the Church of Christ. For it is founded upon the authority and faithfulness of the Holy Scriptures ; and we shall show below how Hnk by link this rule of computation fixes the course of ages, in point and in perfection, from Adam to the birth of Christ down, and down again to the departiu'e of the sovereignty from our nobles, as it was willed by God. We give the computation of the Septuagint for the first four ages of the world, together wHth the computation which the intelli- gent and learned men who followed them applied to the ages from tlie creation of the world till the birth of Christ, which they divided into five parts — namely, from Adam to the Deluge, 2,242 years; from the Deluge to Abraham, 942 years; from Abraham to David, 940 years ; from David to the Captivity, 485 years ; and from the Bondage to the Birth of Christ, 590 years. " The reason that we have followed tlie authorities who follow the Septuagint is, because they add the fifth age to their ages, and, by so doing, they fill iip tlie period of 5,199 years, from the creation of Adam to the birth of Christ. Among the authors who follow the Septuagint, in the first four ages, are, Eusebius, who, in his chronicle, computes from the creation of Adam to the birth of Christ to be 5,199 years. Orosius, in the first chapter of his first book, says, that there are from Adam to Abraham 3,184 years; from Abraham to the birth of Christ, 2,015 years, which make up the same number. These were two illustrious and wise Christian historians. Saint Jerome said also, in his Epistle to Titus, that 6,000 years of the w^orlds age had not been then completed. Saint Augustine, in the tenth epistle of his twelfth book of the City of God, says, that the time from the creation of man to that time counts six thousand years. Both these are said to agree with the prece- ding authorities in the same enumeration of 5,199 years from Adam to the birth of Christ. Another authority for the same fact is the Roman Martyrology, which asserts that the full (ii) The custom of the compilers of the older Books of Invasions was always to commence with tlie Mosaic account of the creation. It is to this that O'Clery alludes, in explaining his departure from this ancient usage of his profession. OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 173 •amount of tlie ages from tlie creation of the world to the bu-th lect. vin. of Christ was 5,199 years". ITZ ' J The Book of Ikvasio.ns. The Preface ends here, and is followed by the certificates of the assistant compilers of the work, with the approbations, respectively, of Father Francis Mac Craith, Guardian of the Convent of Lisgoole, where the work was compiled (dated the 22nd day of December, 1631), and of Carbry Mac ^gan, of Bally Mac ^gan, in the County of Tipperary (the 31st of August, 1631). The original of this valuable book is now in the collection of Lord Ashburnham, and there is a good copy of it in Trinity College Library [H. 1. 12.]. There is a fine paper copy of it in the Royal Irish Academy, made by Cucoigry O'Clery, evi- dently for himself, but it wants the "whole prefatory matter [No. 33. 4.]. This book is a small quarto of 245 pages, closely and beautifully written, and equal to about 400 pages of O'Dono- vau's Annals of the Four IMasters. Of the ancient " Books of Invasions", mentioned by O'Clery as having been used in the compilation of this book, we know of none at present existing but L,eahhar-7ia-h-Uidhre, which contains now but a small fragment of the Book of Invasions. There are, however, copies of the tract preserved in the Books of Leinster and Lecain, and a slightly imperfect copy in the Book of Ballymote. ' The other Irish works compiled or transcribed by Brother tj,^ oj,,gp Michael O'Clery, and of the existence of wliich we are aware, }y.°'"^*?^ are the following, now in the Burgundian Library at Brussels : O'Ciery. 1. A volume of Lives of Irish Saints, compiled and written bj him in the year 1628. 2. Another large vohune of the Lives of the Irish Saints, compiled and written in the year 1629. 3. A volume of Poems on the O'Donnells of Donegall. [These three books I have never seen.]*^*-^ 4. A volume containing many ancient and rare Irish Histo- rical Poems, together with the unportant Tract known as the Wars with the Danes. This volume was borrowed (with the Hbe- ral sanction of the Belgian Government), a few years ago, by the Rev. Dr. Todd, S.F.T.C.D., for whom I made a perfect copy of it. 5. The Skeleton Martyrology of Donegall [which I have seen]. (42) Since the delivery of this lecture, the Brehon Law Commissioners borrowed these three books, in the summer of 185G ; and I have read, and had several extracts made from them. 174 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LECT. Yiii. 6. The Perfect Martjrology of Donegall, full of important The other ^^^tes aiicl aclditious. This volume was also borrowed by Dr. Works of Todd, and of this too I made for him a perfect copy. b'ciery. 7. A large volume containing, firstly, a collection of very cu- rious and important ancient forms of prayer, and several religious poems. It contains also a good copy of the Felive, or Festology of Aengus Ceile De (or the Culdee), as well as copies of the Martyrologies of Tamhlacht [Tallaght] and of Marianus Gorman. With the exception of the Festology or Martyrology of Aengus, no part of the contents of this most important book was to be found in Ireland, until this also was obtained for a short time from the Belgian Government by the same distinguished gentle- man, and I have made a copy of it for him. And here, while on the one hand I feel bound to express the strong and grateful sense every Irish archseologist and historian must feel of the enlightened liberality thus exhibited by the Belgian Government (affording so very marked a contrast to the conduct of the English pubhc authorities in such cases, as well as to that of English private owners of manuscript works of this kind), let me not omit to remark upon the example which Dr. Todd's conduct suggests to all Irishmen, and parti- cularly to those who are Catholics. For in this instance, as in- deed m others too in which Dr. Todd was concerned, you have an example of a Protestant gentleman, a clergyman of the Pro- testant Church, and a Fellow of the Protestant University of Dublin, casting away from him all the unworthy prejudices of creed, caste, and position, with which, unfortunately, too many of his class are filled to overflowing, and, like a true scholar and a man of enlarged mind and understanding, endeavouring to recover for his native country as much of her long-lost and widely dispersed ancient Hterary remains as he can ; and this too, I may add, at an exj)ense of time and money which few, if any, in these very utiHtarian times, are found disposed to incur. To my excellent friend, Mr. Lam'ence Waldi'on, IM.P., of Ballybrack, in the County of Dublin, is dvie the first discovery of the important collection of Irish MSS. at Brussels, about the year 1844. He was the first that examined (at my request) the Burgundian Library, and he brought me home tracings and de- scriptions of great accuracy and of deep interest. These tracings I placed in the hands of Dr. Todd, with a request that he would take an opportunity to make a more minute examination of the MSS. Mr. Samuel Bindon, however, having heard of their existence, and ha^^dng occasion to spend some time at Brussels in the year 1846, made an examination of them, and afterwards compiled a short catalogue of them, which he published on his OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 175 return liome, and which was read by the Rev. Dr. Todd before lect. y iit. a meethig of the Royal Irish Academy on the 10th of May, 1847. ^^^j^^ Dr. Todd himself, and the Rev. Dr. Graves, F.T.C.D., both o-cieryMss. visited Brussels shortly afterwards, and each of them brought "^ ^ ^^^^^ home yet more ample and accurate reports of those newly-dis- covered literary treasm-es. Still, however, no competent person has had time enough to make a detailed analysis of the collec- tion. May I hope that it is reserved for the Catholic University to accomplish an object so desirable and so pecuUarly congenial to a yomig institution which aims to be a truly national one ? To return from this digression. Besides the above important of Michael compilations of the learned and tridy patriotic friar Michael ';!Ciery;s O'Clery, he compned m the Insh college m Louvain, and pub- lished in that city in the year 1643, a glossary of ancient and almost obsolete Irish words of great interest and value, not only at that period, but even still. And, as no description of mine could be as accurate or satisfactory as that of the author himself, I shall, as before, give you a literal translation of the title page, and the valuable prefatory address to the Bishop of Elphinn, who belonged himself, it appears, to the same Franciscan Order. The work is entitled: " A new Vocabulary or Glossary, in wliich are explained some part of the difficult words of the Gaedhlic, written in alphabe- tical order, by the poor rude friar Michael O'Clery, of the Order of Saint Francis, in the College of the Irish friars at Louvain, and printed by authority in the year 1643". [See original in Appendix No. LXXV.j The Dedication is as follows [see same App.] : — " To my houovired lord and friend, Baothglialach [Latinized Boetius] Mac -^gan, Bishop oi Ailjinn [Elphinn]. " Here is presented to you, my lord, a small gleaning of the hard words of our native tongue, collected out of many of the ancient books of our country, and explained according to the understanding and glosses of the chief authors of our country ill the latter times, to whom the explanation of the ancient Gaedhilg peculiarly belonged. " I know not in our country many to whom this gleaning should be first offered before yourself And it is not alone be- cause that our [conventual] habit is the same (areason which would otlieri;\'ise be sufficient to point our attention to you above all others), that has moved us to make you the patron of this book, but along with that, and especially because of yoiu' own excellence, and the hereditary attachment of youi- family to this profession. And fiu'ther that a man of your name and surname, Baothglialach 176 OF THK WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LECT. VIII Of Michael O'Clury's Glossaries. . RnadJi [Boetius the Red] Mac JE^gon, is one of tlie chief autho- rities whom we follow in the explanation of the words which are treated of in this book. " We have not, however, desired more than to give a little knowledge to those who are not well versed in their mother tongue, and to excite the more learned to supply such another work as this, but on a better and larger scale". After this Dedication follows the Preface, or Address to the reader [Appendix, No. LXXVI.] : — " Let the reader who desires to read this little work, know four things : the first is, that we have not set down any word of explanation or gloss of the hard words of om* mother tongue, but the words which we foinid with other persons, as explained by the most competent and learned masters in the knowledge of the difficult words of the Gaedlilic in our own days. Among these, more particularly, were Boetius Roe [Ruadli] Mac ^Egan, Torna O'Mulconry, Lugliaidh OClery^ and Maelseachlainn 'the moody' O'Mulconry. And though each of these was an accom- plished adept, it is Boetius Roe that we have followed the most, because it was from him we ourselves received, and we have found written with others the explanations of the words of which we treat. And, besides, because he was an ilhistrious and accomplished scholar in tliis [the antiquarian] profession, as is manifest in the character which the other scholar before mentioned, Lugliaidh O'Clery, gave of him after his death, as may be found in these verses : — " Athairne, the father of learning, Dalian Forgaill^ the prime scholar, To compare with him in intelligence would be unjust. Nor NeidS, the j)i"ofound in just laws. " Obscure history, the laws of the ancients. The occult language of the poets ; He, in a word, to our knowledge, Had the power to explain and analyze, etc. " We have known able professors of this science, and even m the latter times, such as the late John O'Mulconry \o£ Av'dchoill, ill the County of Clare] , the chief teacher in history of those we have already named, and indeed of all the men of Erinn Hke- wise in his own time ; and Flann, the son of Cairbrey Mac JEgan [of Lower Ormond in Tipperary] , who still lives ; and many more that we do not enumerate. But because we do not happen to have at this side of the sea, where we are in exile, OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR WASTERS. 177 the ancient books which they glossed, except a few, we could lect. vm. not follow their explanation but to a small extent. ofMiohaei " In the second place, be it known to you, O reader ! that [^'^^""'y? ■ , Trr- 1 • 1 1 I'll- 1 Glos^iiiies the diincult ancient books, to which the ancient authors put glosses, and from wliicli we have taken the following words, with the farther explanation of the parties mentioned above, who taught in these latter times, were : the Amlira, [or Elegy] on the death of Saint Colum Cille ; the Agallamh, or Dialogue of the two Sages ; the Felire, or Festology of the Saints ; the Mar • tyrology of Marianus O'Gorman; the Liber Hymnorum, or Book of Hymns ; the Glossary of the (Tripartite) Life of Saint Patrick ; an ancient Scripture on vellum ; and a certain old paper book, in which many hard words were found, with their expla- nations; the glossary called jFbrz^s iN9ca27 (or, 'The True Know- ledge of Words') ; and the other glossary, called DeirbsJdur don Eagna an Eigse (or, ' Poetry is the Sister of Wisdom'). And, for the greater part of the book from that out, we received the explanation from the before-mentioned Boetius. " Be it known to the reader, thirdly, that we have only de- sii'ed, when proposing to write this little work, to give but a Httle hght to the young and the ignorant, and to stimulate and excite the professors and men of knowledge to produce a work similar to this, but on a better and larger scale. And the reason why we have not followed at length many of the various mean- ings which poets and professors give to many of these words, is, because that it is to the professors themselves it more particu- larly belongs, and the people in general are not in as great need of it, as they are in need of assistance to read and miderstand the ancient books. " Fourthly. Be it known to the young people, and to the ignorant, who desire to read the old books (which is not difficult to be learned of our country), that they [the old writers] seldom care to write ' the slender with the broad, and the broad with the slender' [as required by an ancient ortho- grapliical rule] ; and that they very rarely put the aspirate /* upon the consonants, as in the cases of h, c, d^ f, etc., and also that they seldom put the long dash [or accent] over the words [or vowels]. Some of the consonants, too, are often written the one for the other, such as c for g, and t for d. The following are a few specimens of words by which this will be understood : clog is the same as cloc; agad is the same as agat; heag is the same as heac; codlad is the same as cotlad; ard is the same as art^ etc. Very often, too, ae is put for ao; ai for aoi; and oi for aoi. As an example of this : aedh is often written for aodh; and cael is the same as caoU and haoi and hoi are the same as 12 178 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LECT. VIII. hai. E is often written for a in the old books, sucli as die, whicli is the same as c/za, and cia the same as cie\ This vahiable preface closes with a fcAv examples of con- tractions, which are intelligible only to the eye [see Appendix, No. LXXVIL] These are all the works I know of by Michael O'Clery. Of the writings of Conaire O'Clery, brother of Fathers Ber- of the^ nardine and Michael, and who transcribed the chief part of the conairi&nd. fair copy of the Annals of the Fonr Masters now in the Royal o'Ctoy.^ Irish Academy, I have not been so fortunate as to discover any trace beyond his part in that work. In the beautiful handwriting of Cucoigcriche (Cucoigry or Peregrine) O'Clery, we have, besides his part of the Annals of the Four Masters, a few specimens preserved in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. We have : — 1. A copy (evidently made for his own use) of the Leabhar Gabhdla, or Book of Conquests, already mentioned. 2. A copy of the topographical poems of O'Dugan and OHuidlirin, together with some other ancient historical poems. 3. A book of the genealogies and pedigrees of the great Irish races, as also of the Geraldines, Butlers, etc. In the volume in which these pieces are preserved, the last article is the Last Will and Testament of Cucoigry O'Clery himself, written in Gaedhlic, in his usual beautiful hand, on a small quarto page of paper, and dated at Cuirr-na-Heillte, in the county of Mayo, the 8th of February, 16(M, which must have been, I should think, some five or six years before his death. The will begins in the usual way: "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" ; and after or- dering that his body should be bm-ied in the Monastery of Buirgheis Umhaill, or in whatever other consecrated church his friends might choose, he proceeds to bequeath the property most dear to him of all that he had acquired in this world, namely, his books, to his two sons, Dermait and John, to be used by them as their necessities should require. And he di- rected that the books should be equally at the service of the children of his brother Cairbre, with a charge that his sons and liis nephews should instruct their childi'en in the acquaintance and use of these books. [See the original of this will in the Appendix, No. LXXVIII.] He appears to have had very little property besides to leave his sons, and they do not seem to have much increased it. The last recognized member of his descendants, the late John O'Clery, died quite a young man in Dublin about four years ago. This OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. 179 John was the son of John O'Clery, who was many years gate- lect. vni. clerk at the gas works in Great Brunswick Street in this city. ^^ ^^^ To him the books that we have been speaking of did actually writings of come down by la-wfvd descent ; and, having brought them to o'cTery.^ DubHn about the year 1817, they subsequently passed from his hands into those of the late Edward O'Reilly, at the sale of whose books they Avere fortimately purchased for the Library of the Royal Irish Academy by Dr. Petrie. With his other literary accomplishments, hereditary and ac- quired, Cucoigry O'Clery appears to have been no mean adept in the poetic art of his country. I have in my own possession two poems written by him a short time before his death for some members of the great house of his ancient patrons, the O'Domiells of Donegall. [See original in Appendix No. LXXIX.] The first of these is a poem of forty quatrains, addressed to Torloch, the son of Cathbharj' [pron: " Caftar"] O'Donnell. It is a philosophical and reHgious address on the vanities and the fleeting dignities and interests of the world. He condoles with O'Donnell upon the fallen fortmies of his house, and the dispersion of his family and people. He compliments him as having, after the plantation of Ulster, collected about him a body of his own people, and having visited at their head (during the Cromwellian wars) all parts of Ireland, gaining honour and emolument with them wherever they went, during the space of foiu'teen years ; and that then only he permitted them, when all hope of success was past, to submit themselves to the English law, and so dis- banded them at Port-Erne, on the borders of their own ancient territory. He exhorts the figed chieftain and warrior, that as he had been granted such a long life (being, at tliis time, over seventy years of age), he should now dismiss from his mind ambitious aspirations, and should rather turn it to devotion and to penance for his sins. He says, that he himself will be the first of the two to be called before the Heavenly throne, and that this is his last literary effort and gift bestowed upon him at the close of his life. The second poem is a poem of thirty-four quatrains, in answer to one addressed to him by Calbhacli Ruadli [Roe] O'Donnell. O'Donnell's poem appears to have contained a request to O'Clery to take up the history and genealogies of the Tirconnell race, as he was bound to do, he being the last of their hereditary Seanchaidhe. O'Donnell comj^lains, too, of his having been driven by the foreigners out of Mayo, where his family had taken refuge, and forced to seek for a new home in the neighbourhood of Cncachain, in the County Roscommon. In O'Clery's poem the poet recommends his voung friend 180 OF THE WORKS OF THE FOUR MASTERS. LECT. vrri. O'Donnell to the attention of his o^vn learned tutors, the O'Mul- Of tfjg conrjs and the O'Higginses of the county Roscommon, who o'cierys. will, he assurcs him, extend to him the literary homage due to his own worth and to the well earned fame of his family. Whatever may be the poetical value of these pieces of Cuco- gry O'Clery, they certainly are not wanting in a clear apprecia- tion of the shifting of the scenes in this imcertain world, and the firmest religious conviction of the interference of an All- guiding hand in their direction. As specimens of the writing of one of our last Hterary scholars, they cannot fail to be in- teresting. I have now closed what I had prepared to say to you about the O'Clerys. If any apology were necessary for my having dwelt so long upon their labours and themselves, remember that I have done so on the ground of theirs being the last and greatest school of Irish historians, and not on account of the pecuhar authority which, of itself, every record and assertion of such careful and critical scholars has ever since been held to bear, and must ever continue to bear with it. LECTURE IX. CDelivered July 10, 1956.] Of the chief existing Ancient Books. The Leabhar na h- Uidhre. The " Book of Leinster". The " Book of Ballymote". The MS. commonly called the Leabhar Sreac. The "Yellow Book oi Lecain". The "Book of LecaM\ Of the other Books and ancient MSS. in the Libraries of Trinity College, DubUn ; the Royal Irish Academy ; and elsewhere. The " Book of Lis- more". The MSS. called the Brehon Law MSS. We have now disposed of tlie chief national Annals, and we have noticed the other historical works of the last and greatest of the annahsts. But, thovigh in some respects, undoubtedly, the most important, the compositions we have been considering form, after all, but a small portion of the immense mass of mate- rials which exist in Irish manuscripts for the elucidation of our history. In the course of the present series of Lectures, it will be my duty to describe to you, — not indeed in the same detail with which I have thought it right to deal with the annalists, but so as to make you understand, generally at least, their nature, value, and extent, — the vast collections of Historic Tracts which our gTeat MS. hbraries fortunately possess ; and I shall also have to bring under your notice some of the more important of those pieces which have come down to us in the form of systematic liistorical compositions, such as the "Wars of the Danes", the "Boromean Tribute", etc. But, before I do this, I desire to complete, in the first place, that part of my design, in this preparatory course, which con- sists of laying before you, at one view, the larger features of ova existing stock of materials for the elucidation of early Irish history. Accordingly, it is my intention, before passing to the consideration of the interesting pieces which record for us the special details of local and personal history, to present to you the outlines of the nature and contents of the great books them- selves in wlaich not only all these Tracts are preserved, but also the immense number of Genealogies in which the names and tribes of our people are recorded from the earhest ages ; books, many of wliich are themselves the sources from which the O'Clerys, and otlier annalists before them, drew all their knowledge. Fortunately, of these great books we have, as in the first 182 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. i.ECT. IX. Lecture yovi have been sliortly informed, many still remaining Of the old *^ ^'^' ^^ perfect preservation. And there is not one of you to Mss. still whom the originals themselves, notwithstanding the wear and xis mg. ^^^^ ^|. ggj^^-ypjgg^ may not easily become intelligible — so beau- tifully was the scribe's work performed in early days in Ireland — whenever you shall be disposed to devote but half the time to the study of the noble old language of Erinn, which you devote to that of the great classic tongues of other ancient people. A visit to the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, or of Trinity College, will, however, little serve to make you aware of the vast extent of the treasures which lie in the dark- written musty-looking old books you are shown there as curi- osities, unless you shall provide yourselves with the key which some acquaintance with their characters and language alone will afford. In the short account, therefore, which I am about to lay before you, of the great vellum books and MSS. in Dublin, I shall add, in every case, some approximate calculation of their length, by reference to the niunber of pages each book would fill, if printed (the Irish text alone) in large quarto volumes, such as those of O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters. And when you have heard of what matter the contents of these books consist, and reflect upon the length to which, if printed in full, they would extend, I think you will agree with me that all that I have said upon the value of our MS. treasures will, on better ^ acquaintance with them, be found to fall far short of the reality. The Lea- The first of thcsc ancient books that merits notice, because it h"lTdhee. '^^ ^^^^ oldest, is that which is known by the name of Leabhab NA H-UiDHRE, or the Book of the Dun Cow, to which I have already shortly alluded in a former lecture. Of this book, so often referred to in Michael O'Clery's Prefaces, we have now, un- fortunately, but a fragment remaining — afragment which consists, however, of 138 folio pages, and is written on very old vellum. The name and period of writing the book of which it is a fragment, might, perhaps, be now lost for ever, if the curious history of the book itself had not led to, and in some degree in- deed necessitated, their preservation. All that we know about it is found in two entries, written at different periods, in a blank part of the second column of the first page of folio 35. Of the first of these curious entries, the following is a literal translation [See original in Appendix, No. LXXX.] : — " Pray for Maelnmir^, the son of Ceilechair, that is, the son of the son of Conn-na-m-Bocht, who wrote and collected this book from various books. Pray for Donnell, the son of Murtoch, son of Donnell, son of Tadhg [orTeig], son of Brian, son of An- OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 183 dreas, son of Brian Luighneacli^ son of Turloch Mor [or the lect. ix Great] O'Conor. It was this Donnell that directed the renewal ^ of the name of the person who wrote this beautiful book, by bhIe na Sigraidh CyCuirnin; and is it not as well for us to leave cm- ^-uidhke. blessing with the o^Niier of this book, as to send it to him by the mouth of any other person ? And it is a week from this day to Easter Saturday, and a week from yesterday to the Friday of the Crucifixion; and [there will be] two Golden Fridays on that Friday, that is, the Friday of the festival of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Friday of the Crucifixion, and this is greatly wondered at by some learned persons". The following is the translation of the second entry, — same page and column [see same App.] : — " A prayer here for Aedh Ruadh [Hugh the Red-haired], the son of Niall Garhh O'Donnell, who forcibly recovered this book from the people of Connacht, and the Leahhar Gearr [or Short Book] along with it, after they had been away from us from the time of Catlial 6g O'Conor to the time of Rory son of Brian [O'Conor] ; and ten lords ruled over Carbury [or Sligo] between them. And it was in the time of Conor, the son of Hugh O'Donnell, that they were taken to the west, and this is the way in which they were so taken: The Short Book, in ransom for O'Doherty, and Leabhar na h- Uidhre [that is, the present book] in ransom of the son of O'Donnell's chief family liistorian, who was captured by Cathal, and carried away as a pledge ; and thus they [the books] were away from the Cenel Conaill [or O'Dounells] from the time of Conor [O'Donnell] to the [present] time of Hugh"', There is some mistake in this last memorandum. Conor, the son of Hugh O'Donnell, in whose time the books are stated here to have been carried into Connaught, was slain by his brother Niall in the year 1342, according to the Annals of the Four Masters; and the capture of John O'Doherty by Cathal 6g O'Conor, at the battle of Ballyshannon, took place in the year 1351). The proper reading would, therefore, seem to be, that Leahhar na h- Uidhre passed into Connacht first, before Conor O'Donnell's death in 1342, and that the Leabhar Gearr, or Short Book, was given in ransom for O'Doherty in 1359 ; Conor O'Donnell's reign covering both periods, as the writer does not seem to recognize the reign of the fratricide Niall. The following passage from the Annals of the Four Masters will make this last entry more intelligible, and show that it was made in Donegall in the year 1470 [see original in Appendix, No. LXXXL] :— " A.D. 1470. The Castle of Sligo was taken, after a long H-UlL>HKli. 184 OK THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. i>ECT. IX. siege, by O'Donnell, tliat is, Hngli tlie Red-haired, from Don- ^, . nell, the son of Eoghan O'Conor. On tliis occasion he obtained Tilt! JjEA- ^ BUAu NA all that he demanded by way of reparation, besides receiving tokens of submission and tribute from Lower Connacht. It was on this occasion too that he recovered the book called Leabhar Gearr [or the Short Book], and another, Leahhar na h-Uidhre, as well as the chairs of Donnell og [O'Donnell], which had been carried thither in the time of John, the son of Conor, son of Hugh, son of Donnell 6g O'Donnell". In reference to the first entry, it must have been made while the book was in Connacht, and by Sigraidh O'Cuirmn, who was, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, a learned poet of Briefney, and died in the year 1347 ; and he must have made the entry in the year 1345, as that was the only year at this particular period in which Good Friday happened to fall on the festival of the Annunciation, or the 25th of March. This fact is further borne out by an entry in the Annals of the Four Masters, which records that Conor O'Donnell, chief of Tircon- nell, died in the year 1342, after a reign of nine years; and we have seen from the entry, that it was in his time that this book must have been carried into Connacht. According to the same Annals, Donnell, the son of Murtach O'Conor, died in the year 1437, by whose direction OCuirnin renewed the name of the original writer, — which, even at this early period, seems to have disappeared, several leaves of the book, and amongst others that which contained this entry, having even then been lost. Of the original compiler and writer of the Leabhar na li-UidhrS, I have been able to learn nothing more than the fol- lowing brief and melancholy notice of his death in the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1106 [see original in Appendix, No. LXXXII.] :— " Maelmuiri, son of the son of Conn na m-BocJd, was killed in the middle of the great stone church of Cluainmacnois, by a party of robbers". A memorandum, in the original hand, at the top of foHo 45, clearly identifies the writer of the book with the person whose death is recorded in the passage jvist quoted from the Annals ; it is partly in Latin and partly in GaedliHc, as follows : — " This is a trial of his pen here, by Afaelmuh'i, son of the son of Conn" [see original in Appendix, No. LXXXIIL] This Conn na m-Bocht, or " Conn of the Poor", as he was called from his devotion to their relief and care, was a lay reli- gious of Clonmacnois, and the father and founder of a distin- guished family of scholars, lay and ecclesiastical. He appears to liave been the founder and superior of a conununity of poor OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 185 lay monks, of the Ceile De (or "Culdce") order, in connexion lect. ix. with that o-reat estabhshmcnt : and he died in the year 1059. _, . ri^l 1^ 1 -uro 1 1 r ■ ^ TheLE\- Ine contents oi the Mb., as they stand now, are ol a mixed bhakna character, liistorical and romantic, andrelate to the ante-Christian, "' as well as the Christian period. The book begins with a fragment of the Book of Genesis, part of which was always prefixed to the Book of Invasions (or ancient Colonizations) of Erinn, for genealogical purposes ; (and there is good reason to believe, that a full tract on this subject was contained in the book so late as the year 1631, as Father Michael O'Clery quotes it in his new compilation of the Book of Invasions made in that year for Brian MacGuire). This is followed by a fragment of the history of the Britons, by Nennius, translated into Gaedhlic by Gilla CaomhaiJi, the poet and chronologist, who died a.d. 1072. (This tract was published by the Irish Archeeological Society in 1848.) The next important piece is the very ancient elegy, written by the ^oai Dalian Forgaill, on the death of Saint Colum Cille, in the year 592. It is remarkable that even at the early period of the compilation of the Leabhar na h- Uidhre, this celebrated poem should have required a gloss to make it intelligible. The gloss, which is as visual interhned, is not very copious, but it is most important, both in a philological and historical point of view, because of the many more ancient compositions quoted in it for the explanation of words ; which comjoositions, therefore, must then have been still in existence. The elegy is followed by fragments of the ancient historic tale of the Mesca Uladk, [or Inebriety of the Ultonians,] who, in a fit of excitement, after a great feast at the royal palace of Emania, made a sudden and furiovis march into Munster, where they burned the palace of Teamhair Luachra, in Kerry, then the residence of Curoi Mac Daire, king of West Munster. This tract abounds in curious notices of topography, as well as in allusions to and descriptions of social habits and manners. Next come fragments of Tain Bo Dartadha, and the Tain BoFlidais ; both Cattle Spoils, arising out of the celebrated Cattle Spoil of Cuailgne. Next comes the story of the wanderings of Maelduin's ship in the Atlantic, for three years and seven months, in the eighth century. These are followed by imper- fect copies of: the Tain Bo Chiiailgne, or great cattle spoil of Cuailgne; the Briiighean Da Dearga, and death of the monarch Conaire Mur; a history of the great pagan cemeteries of Erinn, and of the various old books from which this and other pieces were compiled ; poems by Flann of Monasterboice and others; together with various other pieces of history and his- 186 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LEci". IX. toric romance, cliiefly referring to the ante-Cliristian period, and especially tliat of the Tuatlia De Danann. This most vahiable MS. belongs to the Royal Irish Academy. If printed at length, the text of it would make about 500 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. The Book of The iioxt anciciit book which I shall treat of is that at LEiNSTiiR. pi-esent known under the name of the Book of Leinster. It can be shown, from various internal evidences, that this volume was either compiled or transcribed in the first half of the twelfth century, by Finn Mac Gorman, Bishop of Kildare, who died in the year 1160; and that it was compiled by order of Aodh Mac Crimhthamn, the tutor of the notorious Dermod Mac Murroch — that king of Leinster who first invited Earl Strongbow and the Anglo-Normans into Ireland, in the year 1169. The book was evidently compiled for Dermod, under the superintendence of his tutor, by Mac Gorman, who had prob- ably been a fellow-pupil of the king. In support of this asser- tion, I need only transcribe the following entry, which occurs, in the original hand, at the end of folio 202, page b. of the book [see original in Appendix, No. LXXXIV.] : — " Benediction and health from Finn, the Bishop of Kildare, to Aedh [Hugh] Mac Crimhthainn, the tutor of the chief king of Leth Mogha Nuaclat [or of Leinster and Munster], successor of Colum, the son of CrimJuhann, and chief historian of Leinster in wisdom, intelligence, and the cultivation of books, know- ledge, and learning. And I write the conclusion of this little tale for thee, O acute A edh I [Hugh] thou possessor of the spark- ling intellect. May it be long before we are without thee. It is my desire that thou shouldst be always with us. Let Mac Lonan's book of poems be given to me, that I may understand the sense of the poems that are in it ; and farewell in Christ" ; etc. This note must be received as sufficient evidence to bring the date of this valuable manuscript within the period of a man's life, whose death, as a CathoHc bishop, happened in the year 1160, and who was, I believe, consecrated to the ancient see of Kildare in the year 1148, long before which period, of coiu'se, he must have been employed to write out this book. Of the Aedh Mac Crvmhthainn for whom he wrote it, I have not been able to ascertain anything more than what appears above ; but he must have flourished early in the twelfth century to be the tutor of Dermod Mac Murroch, who, in concert with O'Brien, had led the men of Leinster against the Danes of Waterford, so far back as the year 1137. OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS- 187 That this book belonged either to Derinod Mac Murroch lect. ix . himself, or to some person who had him warmlj at heart, will ^i r • . appear plainly from the following memorandum, which is Leinsteb. wntten in a strange bnt ancient hand, in the top margin of folio 200, page a. [see original in Appendix, No. LXXXV.] : — " O Virgin Mary ! it is a great deed that has been done in Eiinn this day, the kalends of August — viz., Dermod, the son of Donnoch Mac Murroch, king of Leinster, and of the Danes [of Dublin], to have been banished over the sea eastwards by the men of Erinn. Uch, uch, O Lord ! what shall I do?" The book consists, at present, of over four hundred pages of large folio vellum ; but there are many leaves of the old pagin- ation missing. To give anything like a satisfactory analysis of this book, would take at least one whole lecture. I cannot, therefore, within my present limited space do more than glance at its general character, and point, by name only, to a few of the many important pieces preserved in it. It begins as usual with a Book of Invasions of Erinn, but without the Book of Genesis ; after which the succession of the monarchs to the year 1169 ; and the su^ccession and obituary of the provincial and other minor kings, etc. Then follow speci- mens of ancient versification, — poem.s on Tara, and an ancient plan and explanation of the Teach Midhchuarta, or Banqueting Hall of that ancient royal city. (These poems and plan have been published by Dr. Petrie, in his paper on the history of Tara, printed in the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy for 1839, vol. xviii.) After these come poems on the wars of the Leinstermen, the Ulstermen, and the Mimstermen, in great numbers, many of them of the highest historic interest and value ; and some prose pieces and small poems on Leinster, of great antiquity — some of them, as I believe, certainly written by Duhhthach, the great antiquarian and poet, who was Saint Patrick's first convert at Tara. After these a fine copy of the history of the celebrated Battle of Ross na Righ, on the Boyne, fought between the men of Leinster and Ulster at the begin- ning of the Christian era. A copy of the Mesca Uladh, or In- ebriety of the Ultonians, imperfect at the end, but which can be made perfect by the fragment of it already mentioned in Leab- Jiar na h-Uidhre. A fine copy of the Origin of the Boromean Tribute, and the battles that ensued down to its remission. A fragment of the " Battle of Cennahraf, in Munster, with the de- feat of Mac Con by Oilioll Oluirn, Mac Con's flight into Scotland, his return afterwards with a large force of Scottish and British 188 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LECT. IX. adventurers, his landing in the bay of Galway, and the ensuing rr.^ „ battle of Maqh MucruimhS, fought between him and his mater The Book of i/ \ ot^ ' • i-ii ill LEiNSTtK. nal uncle, Art, the monarch oi Jl.rinn, m which battle the latter was defeated and killed, as well as the seven sons of Oilioll Oluim. A variety of curious and important short tracts re- lating to Munster, are also to be found in the Book of Leinster, besides this last one, up to the middle of the eighth centviry. This volume likewise contains a small fragment of Cormac's Glossary, copied, perhaps with many more of these pieces, from the veritable Saltair of Cashel itself; also, a fragment, unfor- tunately a very small one, (the first folio only), of the Wars of the Danes and the Gaedhils (^'. e. the Irish) ; a copy of the Di7insenchns, a celebrated ancient topographical tract, which Avas compiled at Tara about the year 550; several ancient poems on universal geography, chronology, history, and soforth ; pedigrees and genealogies of the great Milesian tribes and fami- lies, particvdarly those of Leinster; and lastly, an ample hst of the early saints of Erinn, with their pedigrees and affinities, and with copious references to the situations of their churches. This is but an imperfect sketch of this invaluable MS., and I think I may say with sorrow, that there is not in all Europe any nation but this of ours that would not long since have made a national literary fortune out of such a volume, had any other country in Europe been fortunate enough to possess such an heir-loom of history. The volume forms, at present, part of the rich store of ancient Irish literatvire preserved in the library of Trinity College, Dub- lin ; and if printed at length, the Gaedhlic text of it would make 2000 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. The Book OP Tlic ucxt book in ordcT of antiquity, of which I shall treat, IS the well known Book of Ballymote. This noble volume, though defective in a few places, still con- sists of 251 leaves, or 502 pages of the largest folio vellum, equal to about 2500 pages of the printed Annals of the Four Masters. It was written by different persons, but chiefly by Solomon O'Droma and Manus O'Duigenann; and we find it stated at folio 62.b., that it was written at Ballymote (in the county of Sligo) in the house of Tomaltach og Mac Donogh, Lord of Co- rann in that county, at the time that Torlogh 6g, the son of Hugh O'Conor, was king of Connacht ; and Charles O'Conor of Belanagar has written in it the date 1391, as the precise year in which this part of the book was written. This book, like all our old books still existing, is but a compilation collected OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 189 from various sources, and must, like tliem, be held to represent lect. ix. to a oToat extent several older compilations. ^^ „ It begms with an impertect copy oi the ancient L,eabnar hallymote. Gahhdla, or Book of Invasions of Erinn, differing in a few de- tails from other copies of the same tract. This is followed by a series of ancient chronological, historical, and genealogical pieces in prose and verse. Then follow the pedigrees of Irish saints ; the history and pedigrees of all the great families of the Milesian race, with the various minor tribes and families which have branched off from them in the succession of ages ; so that there scarcely exists an O' or a Mac at the present day who may not find in this book the name of the particular remote ancestor whose name he bears as a surname, as well as the time at which he lived, what he was, and from what more ancient line he again was descended. These genealogies may appear unim- portant to ordinary readers ; but those who have essayed to illus- trate any branch of the ancient history of this country, and who could have availed themselves of them, have found in them the most authentic, accurate, and important auxiliaries: in fact, a history which has remained so long unwritten as that of ancient Erinn, could never be satisfactorily compiled at all without them. Of these genealogies I shall have more to say in a subsequent lecture. [See post, Lect. X.] These family histories are followed, in the Book of Ballymote, by some accounts of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster ; of Aithirne the Satirist; the tragical death of the beautiful lady Luaidet; the story of the adventures of the monarch Cormac Mac Art in fairy -land ; some ciuious and valuable sketches of the death of the monarch Crimlitliann Mor; a tract on the accession of Niall of the Nine Hostages to the monarchy, his wars, and the death of his brother Fiachra, at Forraidh (in the present county of Westmeath), on his return, mortally wounded, from the battle of Caenraighe (Kenry, in the present county of Limerick). Some of these pieces are, doubtless, mixed up with mytholo- gical fable ; but as the main facts, as well as all the actors, are real, and as to these mythological fables may be traced up many of the characteristic popular customs and superstitions still re- maining among us, these pieces maist be looked upon as materials of no ordinary value by the historical and antiquarian investi- gator. After these follow tracts, in prose and verse, on the names, parentage, and husbands of the most remarkable women in Irish history, down to the twefth century ; a tract on the mothers of the Irish saints ; a tract on the origin of the names and surnames of the most remarkable men in ancient Irish his- tory ; and an ancient law tract on the rights, privileges, rewards, 190 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LECT. IX. and soforth, of the learned classes, such as the ecclesiastical or- ders, the orders of poets, teachers, judges, etc. After this we have balltmote. the ancient translation into the Gaedhlic of the history of the Britons by Nennius, before alluded to as having been published a few years ago by the Irish Archreological Society ; an ancient Grammar and Prosody, richly illustrated with specimens of an- cient Irish versification ; a tract on the Ogham alphabets of the ancient Irish, with illustrations (about to be published shortly by the Archaaological Society, edited by my respected friend, the Rev. Dr. Graves, F.T.C.D.); the book of reciprocal rights and tributes of the monarch and provincial kings, and some minor chiefs of ancient Ireland (a most important document, published for the first time in 1847, by the Celtic Society) ; a tract on the ancient history, chiefs, and chieftaincies of Corca Laoi, or O'Dris- coll's country, in the county of Cork (published also by the Celtic Society, in their Miscellany for .1849) ; a copy of the Dinnsenchus, or great topographical tract ; and a translation or account in ancient Gaedlilic, with a critical collation of various texts, of the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan war. The book ends with the adventm'es of iEneas after the des- truction of Troy. The Gaedhlic text of this great book, which belongs to the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, would make about 2500 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. The MS. As I have, in a former lecture, given a free analysis of the theLKABHAR MS. commonly called the Leabhar Breac, or Speckled Book, ^"'^^*^" an ancient vellum MS. preserved in the same library, I have only to add here that the Gaedhhc text of that most important volume would make above 2000 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. The Yellow -pj-^Q j^ext great book whicli merits our attention is that which lecain. has been lately discovered to be, in great part, the Leabhar BuidhS Lecain, or Yellow Book of Lecain, one of the ponde- rous compilations of the truly learned and industrious family of the Mac Firbises of that ancient seat of learning. It is preserved in the library of Trinity College, Dubhn, where it is classed H. 2. 16. This volume, notwithstanding many losses, consists of about 500 pages of large quarto vellum, equal to about 2000 pages of Gaedhlic text, printed like O'Donovan's Annals of the Fom- Masters ; and, with the exception of a few small tracts in other and somewhat later hands, it is all finely written by Donnoch and Gilla Isa Mac Firbis, in the year l390. OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 191 The Yellow Book of Lecain, in its original form, would ap- lkct. ix. pear to have been a collection of ancient historical pieces, civil ^j^^ yellow and ecclesiastical, in prose and verse. In its present condition, book of it begins with a collection of family and political poems, relating ' ■ chiefly to the families of O'Kelly and O'Conor of Connacht, and the O'Donnells of Doncgall. This tract made no part of the original book. These pieces are followed by some mo- nastic rules in verse, and some poems on ancient Tara, with another fine copy of the plan and explanation of its Teach Midhchuarta, or Banqueting Hall; the same which has been published by Dr. Petrie in his Essay on the History and Antiquities of Tara. After this an account of the creation, with the formation and fall of man, translated evidently from the Book of Genesis. This biblical piece is followed by the Feast of Dun na n-Gedh and the battle of Magh Rath (two important tracts published from this copy by the Irish Archseo- logical Society) ; then a most curious and valuable account, though a little tinged with fable, of the reign and death of Muir- chertach Mac JErca, monarch of Ireland, at the palace of Cleitech, on the banks of the River Boyne, in the year of our Lord 527 ; an imperfect copy of the Tain Bo ChuailgnS, or great Cattle Spoil of Cuailgne, in Louth, with several of the minor cattle spoils that grew out of it; after which is a fine copy of the Bruighean Da Dearga., and death of the monarch Conaire Mor; the tale of the wanderings of Maelduins ship (for more than three years) in the Atlantic ; some most interesting tracts con- cerning the banishment of an ancient tribe from East Meath, and an account of the wanderings of some Irish ecclesiastics in the Northern Ocean, where they found the exiles ; an abstract of the battle of Dunbolg, in Wicklow, where the monarch, Aedh Mac Ainmire, was slain, in the year 594; the battle of Magh Hath (in the present county of Down), in which Congal Claen, prince of Ulidia, was slain, in the year 634 (published by the Irish Archaeological Society) ; and the battle of A hnliain (now Allen, in the present County of Kildare), where the monarch Ferghal was killed, in the year 718. A variety of curious pieces follow, relating to Conor Mac Nessa ; Curoi Mac Daire (pron. nearly " Cooree Mac Darry") ; Lahhraidh Loingseach (" Lovra Lingsha"), king of Leinster ; Niall of the Nine Hostages, and his poet Torna; together with many other valuable tracts and scraps, which I can do no more than allude to at present ; and the volume ends with a fine copy (imperfect at the beginning) of the law tract I have already mentioned, when speaking of the Book of Ballymote. This volume would make about 2000 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. 192 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LECT. IX. The next of these great books to which I would desire your at- tention, is the volume so well known as the Book of Lecain. This lkcain. book was compiled in the year 1416, by Gilla Isa Mor Mac Firbis oi Lecain Mic Fhirhisigh, in the county of Sligo,one of the great school of teachers of that celebrated locality, and the direct ancestor of the [earned Duhhaltach [or Duald] Mac Firbis, already mentioned. This book, which belongs to the hbrary of the Royal Irish Academy, contains over 600 pages, equal to 2400 pages of the Gaedhlic text of the Annals of the Four Masters. It is beautifully and accurately "written on vellum of small folio size, cliiefly in the hand of Gilla Isa Mac Firbis, though there are some small parts of it written, respectively, in the hands of Adam 0''Cuirnin (the historian of BreifiiS, or Briefnoy) and Morogh JRiahhac O'CuindlisS^^^ The first nine folios of the Book of Lecain were lost, until discovered by me a few years ago bomid up in a volume of the Seabright Collection, in the library of Trinity College. The Book of Lecain differs but little, in its arrangement and general contents, from the Book of Bally mote. It contains two copies of the Book of Invasions, an uupeifect one at the begin- ning, but a perfect one, with the Sviccession of the Kings, and the tract on the Boromean Tribute, at the end. It contains fine copies of the ancient historical, sjmchronological, chronolo- gical, and genealogical poems already spoken of as comprised in the Book of Ballymote, as well as some that are not contained in that volume. These are followed by the family history and genealogies of the Milesians, with considerable and important additions to those found in the Book of Ballymote. Among the additions is a very valuable tract, in prose and verse, by Mac Firbis himself, on the famihes and subdi\'isions of the ter- ritory of Tir-Fiachrach, in the present county of Sligo ; a tract which has been published by the Irish Archaaological Society under the title of " The Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiaclu-ach". ofthe chief Tlic otlicr aucicut vcllum books of importance, preserved in in T.c D. ' '■ the library of Trinity College, Dublin, may be described as follows : — • 1. A folio volume of ancient laws, of 120 pages, on vellum, written about the year 1400 (classed E. 3, 5.) This forms part of the collection shortly to be published by the Brehon Law Commission, and would make about 400 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. (*3)And here I may perhaps be permitted to observe, that I believe the families of Forbes and Candhsh in Scotland, are the same as, and indeed directly descended from, those of Mac Firbis and O'Cuindlis in Ireland. OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 193 2. A small folio volume, of 430 pages, on vellum (classed H. lect. ix. 2. 7), consisting cliielly of Irish pedigrees; together with some ^^^^^^ ^^^.^^ historical poems on the O'Kellys and O'Maddens, and some yciium mss, frasrments of ancient liistoric tracts of great value, the titles of" which, however, are missing. It contains also some translations from ancient Anglo-Saxon writers of romance, and a fragment of an ancient translation of Giraldus Cambrensis' History of the Conquest of Erinn. The handwriting appears to be of the sixteenth century, and the contents of the volume would make about 900 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. 3. A large folio volume, of 238 pages (classed H. 2. 15), part on vellum, part on paper, consisting of a fragment of Bre- lion laws, on vellum, transcribed about the year 1300; two copies of Cormac's Glossary, on paper (one of them by Duald Mac Firbis) ; another ancient Derivative Glossary, in the same hand ; and some fragments of the early history of Erinn, on vel- Imn. This volmne would make about 500 pages of the Annals of the Fom- Masters. 4. A large folio volume, of 400 pages (classed H. 2. 17), part on paper, and part on vellum, consisting chiefly of frag- ments of various old books or tracts, and, among others, a fragment of a curious ancient medical treatise. This volmne likewise contains a fragment of the Tain B6 ChuailgnS; and, among merely literary tales, it includes that of the Reign of SatiuTi, an impeifect eastern story, as well as an account of the Argonautic expedition (imperfect), and of the Destruction of Troy (also imperfect). With this volume are bound up nine leaves belonging to the Book of Lecain, containing, amongst other things, the " Dialogue of the Two Sages" ; the Royal Precepts of King Cormac Mac Art ; a fragment of the Danish Wars ; short biographical sketches of some of the Irish Saints ; and many other interesting historic pieces. The Gaedhhc text of this volume would make altogether about 1400 pages of the Annals of the Foiu- Masters. 5. A large vellum quarto (classed H. 3. 3), containing a fine, but much decayed, copy of the Dinnseanchus. It would make about 100 pages. 6. A small quarto volume, of 870 pages, on vellum, written in the sixteenth century (classed H. 3. 17.). The contents, up to the 617th page, consist of ancient laws; and from that to the end the contents are of the most miscellaneous character. They consist cliiefly of short pieces, such as Bricrinn's Feast, an ancient tale of the Ultonians (imperfect) ; an account of the expulsion of the Deise, (Decies, or Deasys), from Bregia; a list of the wonders of Erinn ; the tract on the ancient pagan 13 194 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LECT. IX. cemeteries of Erinn ; the account of the Division of Erinn Of the ciiief ^^^"long the Aitliecich Tuatlia (called by English writers the Atta- yeihim Mss. cots) ; tlic discoverj of Cash el, and story of the two Druids : together with the genealogies of the O'Briens, and the Suc- cession of the monarchs of Ireland of the line of Eher. In the same volume will be found, too, the curious account of the reve- lation of the Crucifixion to Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster, by his druid, on the day upon which it occurred, and of the death of Conor in consequence ; the story of the elopement of Ere, daughter of the king of Alhain (or Scotland), with the Irish prince Muiredhach, grandson of Niall of the Nine Hostages ; a tract on Omens, from the croaking of ravens, etc. ; the trans- lation of the history of the Britons by Nennius ; the story of the courtship o£Finn Mac Cumhaill (pron. " Finn Mac Coole") and Ailbhe (pron. "Alveh"), the daughter of king Cormac Mac Art ; together with many other short but valuable pieces. This volume would make 1700 pages of Gaedhlic text like those of the Annals of the Four Masters. 7. A small quarto voliune, of 665 pages of vellum, and 194 pages paper, written in the sixteenth century (classed H. 3. 18). The first 500 pages contain various tracts and fragments of ancient laws. The remainder, to the end, consists of several independent glossaries, and glosses of ancient poems and prose tracts ; together with the ancient historical tales of Bruigliean Da Chogadh (pron. " Breean da Cugga"); a story of Cathal Mac FinghuinS, king of Munster in the middle of the eighth century; stories of Ronan Mac Aedlia (pron. "Mac Qi^a", or Mac Hugh), king of Leinster; and the story of the poetess JLiadain, of Kerry. This volume contains also the account of the revolution of the Aitheach Tuatha [or Attacots], and the murder by them of the kings and nobles of Erinn ; Tundal's vision; poems on the O'Neills, and on the Mac Donnells of Antrim ; John O'Mulchonroy's celebrated poem on Brian-na- Murtha CRoin-ke ; together with a great number of short arti- cles on a variety of historic subjects, bearing on all parts of Erinn ; and some pedigrees of the chief families of Ulster, Connacht, and Leinster. This volmne would make about 1800 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. 8. A small quarto vokxme, of 230 pages (classed H. 4. 22^. seventy of which contain fragments of ancient laws. The remainder of the book contains a great variety of tracts and poems, and among others a large and important tract on the first settlement of the Milesians in Erinn ; a fragment of the tale called Bricrinn's Feast ; several ancient poems on the fami- lies of the O'Neills, the O'Driscolls, the Mac Renalds, etc.; OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 195 togetlier witli various small poems and prose tracts of some lect. ix. value. This volume appears to be made up of fragments of two ^^^^^ ^^^.^^ books. The writing of the first seventy pages seems to be of veiium jiss. the sixteenth century, but the remaining part appears to be at "' • • ■ least a century older. The entire volume has suffered much from neglect, and from exposure to smoke and damp. The Gaedhlic text of it would make about 500 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. To these books I may add (as being preserved in the same library) the Annals of Ulster, and those of Loch CS, already spoken of, both on vellum, and the text of wliich would make about 900 pages of the Annals of the Four Masters. Besides these vellum manuscripts of law and history, the Tri- nity College library contains a large collection of paper MSS. of great value, being transcripts of ancient velhun books made cliiefly in the first half of the last century. To enumerate, and even partially to analyse, these paper MSS., would carry me far beyond the limits to which the present lecture must necessarily be confined ; but among the most important of them I jnay men- tion a volume written about the year 1690, by Owen O'Don- nelly (an excellent Gaedhlic scholar) ; some large volumes by the O'Neachtans [John and Tadhg, or Teige] , between the years 1716 and 1740; a copy of the Wars of Thomond, made by Andrew Mac Curtin in 1716 ; and several large volumes trans- cribed by Hugh O'Daly for Doctor Francis O' Sullivan of Tri- nity College, in and al^out the year 1750, the originals of which are not now known. In this catalogue of books I have not particularised, nor in some instances at all included, the large body of ecclesiastical writings preserved in the Trinity College library, consisting of ancient fives of Irish saints, and other refigious pieces, in prose and verse. Neither have I included, in my analyses of the col- lection, the fac-simile copies made by myself, for the fibrary, of the Book of Lecain (on vellum), of the so called Leabhar JBreac (on paper), of the Danish Wars, of Mac Firbis's glossaries, and of a volume of ancient Irish deeds (on paper). The fibrary of the Royal Irish Academy, besides its fine of the mss treasures of ancient veUum manuscripts, contains also a very Library of large number of important paper manuscripts ; but as they ^^^° ^'•^■^■ amount to some hundreds, it would be totally out of my power, and beyond the scope of this lecture, to enumerate them, or to give the most meagre analysis of their varied contents.^"^ (■**^ A list of all the Gaedhlic MSS. in the libraries of the E. Irish Academy and Trinity College, Dublin, will be found in the Appendix, No. LXXXVI, 13 b 196 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. ECT. IX. There are, liowever, a few among them to whicli 1 feel called ~^ upon particularly to allude, altliougli in terms more brief than, \is°MwtE. with more time and space, I should have been disposed to de- vote to them. The first of these volumes that I wish to bring under your notice, is a fragment of the book well known as the Book of LiSMORE, Tliis is a manuscript on paper of the largest folio size and best quality. It is a fac-simile copy made by me from the original, in the year 1839, for the Royal Irish Academy. This transcript is an exact copy, page for page, line for Hne, word for word, and contraction for contraction, and was carefully and at- tentively read over and collated with the original, by Dr. John O'Donovan and myself And indeed I think I may safely say that I have recovered as much of the text of the original as it was possible to bring out, without the application of acids or other chemical preparations, which I was not at hberty to use. Of the history of the original MS., which is finely written on vellum of the largest size, we know nothing previous to the year 1814. In that year the late Duke of Devonshire commenced the work of repairing the ancient castle of Lismore in the county of Waterford, his property ; and in the progress of the work, the men having occasion to re-open a door-way that had been closed up with masonry in the interior of the castle, they found a wooden box enclosed in the centre of it, which, on being taken out, was found to contain this MS., as well as a superb old cro- zier. The MS. had suffered much from damp, and the back, front, and top margin had been gnawed in several places by rats or mice ; but worse than that, it was said that the workmen by whom the precious box was fomid, carried off several loose leaves, and even whole staves of the book. Whether this be the case or not, it is, I regret to say, true that the greater number of the tracts contained in it are defective, and, as I believe, that whole tracts have disappeared from it altogether since the time of its discovery. The book was preserved for some time with great care by the late Colonel Curry, the Duke of Devonshire's agent, who, however, in 1815, lent it to Dennis O'Flinn, a professed, but a very indifferent, Irish scholar, living then in Mallow Lane, in the city of Cork. O'Flinn boimd it in wooden boards, and disfigured several parts of it, by writing on the MS. While in O'Fhnn's hands it was copied, in the whole or in part, by Mi- chael O'Longan, of Carrignavar, near Cork. It was O'Fhnn who gave it the name of " Book of Lismore", merely because it was found at that place. After having made such use of tlae book as he thought proper, O'Flinn retm-ned it, bound, as I have already stated, to Colonel Cmiy, some time between the years 1816 and OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 197 1820; and so the venerable old relic remained unquestioned, lect. ix. and, I believe, unopened, until it was borrowed by the Royal ^^^^ ^^^^ Irish Academy, to be copied for them by me, in the year 1839. of lismobe. The facihties for close examination which the slow progress of a fac-simile transcript afforded me, enabled me to clearly dis- cover this at least, that not only was the abstraction of portions of the old book of recent date, bvit that the dishonest act had been deliberately perpetrated by a skilful hand, and for a double purpose. For it was not only that whole staves had been pil- fered, but particular subjects were mutilated, so as to leave the part that was returned to Lismore almost valueless without the abstracted parts, the offending parties having first, of com'se, copied all or the most part of the mutilated pieces. After my transcript had been finished, and the old fragments of the original returned to Lismore by the Academy, I insti- tuted, on my own account, a close inquiry in Cork, with the view of discovering, if possible, whether any part of the Book of Lismore still remained there. Some seven or eight years passed over, however, without my gaining any information on the subject, when I happened to meet by accident, in Dublin, a literary gentleman from the town of Middleton, ten miles from the city of Cork ; and as I never missed an opportunity of prosecuting my inquiries, I lost no time in communicating to him my suspicions, and the circumstances on which they were grounded, that part -of the Book of Lismore must be still re- maining in Cork. To my joy and surprise the gentleman told me that he had certain knowledge of the fact of a large portion of the original MS. being in the hands of some person in Cork ; that he had seen it in the hands of another party, but that he did not know the owner, nor how or when he became possessed of it. In a short time after this the late Sir William Betham's col- lection of MSS. passed, by purchase, into the Hbrary of the Royal Irish Academy ; and as I knew that the greater part of this col- lection had been obtained from Cork, I lost no time in examin- ing them closely for any copies of pieces from the Book of Lis- more. Nor was I disappointed ; for I found among the books copies of the lives of Saint Brendan, Saint Ciaran of Clonmac- nois. Saint Mochna of Balla in Mayo, and Saint Finnchu of Brigohliann in the county of Cork ; besides several legends and minor pieces ; all copied by Michael O'Longan from the Book of Lismore, in the house of Denis Ban O'Flinn, in Cork, in the year 1816. And not only does O'Longan state, at the end of one of these fives, that he copied these from the book which Denis O'Flinn had borrowed from Lismore, but he gives the weight of it, and the number of leaves or folios which the book 198 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. tECT. IX. in its integrity contained. As a further piece of presumptive evidence of the Book of Lismore having been mutilated in Cork OF LisMOEE. about this time, allow me to read for you the following memo- randum in pencil, in an unknown hand, wliich has come into my possession : — " Mr. Denis O'Flyn of Mallow Lane, Cork, has brought a book from Lismore lately, written on vellum about 900 years ago, by Miles O'Kelly for Florence M'Carthy; it contains the lives of some principal Irish Saints, with other historical facts such as the wars of the Danes — 31st October, 1815". To this I may add here the following extract of a letter written by Mr. Joseph Long, of Cork, to the late William Elhott Hudson, of DubHn, Esq., dated Feb. the 10th, 1848 : _ " Honoured Sir, — I have taken the liberty of bringing tliis MS. to your honour. It contains various pieces copied from the Book of Lismore, and other old Irish MSS. They are pieces which I beheve you have not as yet in your collection. Its contents are '■Forhuis Droma Damhglioire\ a liistoric legend, describing the invasion of Munster by Cormac Mac Art, the wonderful actions of the druids, diaiidish incantations, and soforth ; ' A ir an da Fearmaiglie\ a topography of the two Fermoys, together with an account of its claieftains, tribes, or families, and soforth ; ' Seel Fiachiia mic Reataich\ a legend of Loch En in Connaught ; Riaghail do rightliihh^ a rule for kings, composed by Duhh Mae Turth ( ?) ; ' Seel air Chairbre Cinn-cait\ the murder of the royal chieftains of Erinn by their slaves, the descendants of the Firbolgs, and soforth. — Book of Lismore". With all these evidences before me of a part of the Book of Lismore having been detained in Cork, in the year 1853 I pre- vailed on a friend of mine in that city to endeavour to ascer- tain in whose hands it was, what might be the nature of its contents, whether it would be sold, and at what price. All this my friend kindly performed. He procured me what purported to be a catalogue of the contents of the Cork part of the Book of Lismore, and he ascertained that the fragment consisted of 66 folios, or 132 pages, and that it would be sold for fifty pounds. I immediately offered, on the part of the Bev. Doctors Todd and Graves, then the secretaries to the Royal Irish Academy, the sum named for the book ; but some new conditions with which I had no power to comply, were afterwards added, and the negociation broke off at this point. The book shortly after passed, by purchase, into the posses- sion of Thomas Hewitt, Esq., of Summerhill House, near Cork ; and in January, 1855, a memoir of it was read before the Cu- OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 199 vierian Society of Cork, by John Windele, Esq., of Blair's Castle, lect. ix. in wliicli lie makes tlie folio wing: statement : — „. „ . f» 1 1 1 • "'"^ Book " The work, it was at first supposed, may have been a portion of lismork of the Book of Lismore, so well known to our literary antiqua- rians, but it is now satisfactorily ascertained to have been tran- scribed, in the latter half of the fifteenth century, for Fineen McCarthy Reagh, Lord of Carbei-y, and his wife Catherine, the daughter of Thomas, eighth Earl of Desmond". " Unfortu- nately", he adds, " the volume has suffered some mutilation by the loss of several folios. The life of Finnchu and the Forbids are partly defective in consequence; but we possess amongst our local MS. collections entire copies of these pieces". To be sure, they have in Cork entire copies of these pieces ; but they are copies, by Michael O'Longan, from the Book of Lismore, before its mutilation among them, or else copies made from his copies by his sons. That Mr. Windele believed what he wrote about the Cork fragment, tliere can of course be no doubt ; still it is equally in- dubitable that this same fragment is part and parcel of the Book of Lismore, and that it became detached from it while in the hands of Denis O'FHnn, of Cork, some time about the year 1816. And it is, therefore, equally certain, that the book which Mr. Hewitt pm'chased, perhaps as an original bond fide volume with some slight losses, is nothing more than a fragment, consisting of about one-third part, of the Book of Lismore, and that this part was fraudulently abstracted in Cork at the time above indicated. The two pieces which Mr. Windele particularizes as being de- fective in the Cork part, aj'e also defective in the Lismore part ; the Life of Saint Fincliu wants but about one page in the latter, while in Cork they cannot have more of it than one page or folio ; and of the Forbuis, something about the first half is at Lismore, while no more than the second half can be in Cork. And although I have never seen any part of the Cork fragment, I feel bold enough to say, that, should both parts be brought to- gether in presence of competent judges, they will be pronounced to be parts of the same original volume, and that several of the defects in either will be exactly supplied by the other. My transcript of the Lismore fragment of this valuable book consists of 131 folios, or 262 pages. The chief items of the contents are : Ancient Lives of Saint Patrick, Saint Colum Cille, Saint Brigid of Kildare, Saint Senan (of Scattery Island, in the Lower Shannon), Saint Finnen of Clonard, and Saint Finnchu of Brigohhan, in the county of Cork, all written in Gaedhhc of great purity and antiquity ; the conquests of Char- lemagne, translated from the celebrated romance of the middle 200 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LECT. IX. ages, ascribed to Turpin, Arcliblsliop of Rlieims ; the conversion " of the Pantheon at Rome into a Christian Church ; the story OF LisMOKE. of Petronilla, the daughter of Saint Peter ; the discovery of the Sybilhne oracle in a stone coffin at Rome ; the History of the Lombards (imperfect) ; an account of Saint Gregory the Great ; the heresy of the Empress Justina ; of some modifications of cer- tain minor ceremonies of the Mass ; an account of the successors of Charlemagne ; of the correspondence between Archbishop Lanfranc and the clergy of Rome ; extracts from the Travels of Marco Polo ; an account of the battles of the celebrated Ceal- lachan, king of Cashel, "with the Danes of Erinn, in the tenth century ; of the battle of Crinna, between Cormac Mac Art, king of Ireland, and the Ulstermen ; and of the siege of Drom Damh- ghaire [now called Knocklong, in the County of Limerick], by king Cormac Mac Art, against the men of Munster. This last, though a strictly historic tale in its leading facts, is full of wild incident, in which Mogh Ruith, the great Mvmster druid, and Cithruadh, and Colptha, the druids of the monarch Cormac, bear a most conspicvious and curious part. The last piece in the book is one of very great interest ; it is in the form of a dialogue between Saint Patrick and the two surviving warriors of the band of heroes led by the celebrated Finn Mac Cumhaill, Caoilte, the son of Ronan, and Oisin [com- monly written in English "Ossian"], the warrior-poet, son of F'hm himself It describes the situation of several of the hills, mountains, rivers, caverns, rills, etc., in Ireland, with the deriva- tion of their names. It is much to be regretted that this very curious tract is imperfect. But for these defects, we should probably have found in it notices of almost every monument of note in ancient Ireland; and, even in its mutilated state, it cannot but be regarded as preserving many of the most ancient traditions to which we can now have access, traditions which were committed to writing at a period when the ancient customs of the people were unbroken and undisturbed. I regret that space does not allow me to analyse a few more of the important paper books in the Academy's Hbrary ; but I think I have abeady done enough to enable you to form some intelligible general estimate of the value and extent of the old Gaedhlic books in Dublin ; and I shall only add, that the paper books in Trinity College and the Academy are above 600 in number, and may be estimated to contain about 30,000 pages of Gaedlilic text, if printed at length in the form to which I have so often referred as a specimen, that of O'Donovan's Annals. There is, however, one collection (rather, I may say, one class of MS. monmnents of Irish history) which I cannot pass by OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. 201 without at least alluding to it, though it would be, perhaps, im- ^ect. ix. proper for mc at the present moment to enter upon any detailed ~^ account of it : I mean the great body of the laws of Ancient Law" mss.°" Erinn, commonly called by the English the "Brehon Laws". This collection is so immense in extent, and the subjects dealt with throughout the whole of it, in the utmost detail, are so numerous, and so fully illustrated by exact definitions and minute descriptions, that, to enable us to fill up the outline sup- phed by the annals and genealogies, these books of laws alone would almost be found sufficient in competent hands. Indeed if it were permitted me to enlarge upon their contents, even to the extent 'to which I have spoken upon the subject of the various annals 1 have desciibed to you, I should be forced to devote many lectm'es to this subject alone. But these ancient laws, as you are all aware, are now, and have been for the last three years, in progi'ess of transcription and preparation for publication, under the direction of a Commission of Irish noblemen and gentlemen, appointed by royal warrant ; and it would not be for me to an- ticipate their regular pubhcation. The quantity of transcript already made (and there is still a part to be made), amounts to over Jive thousand close quarto pages, which, on average, would be equal to near 8000 pages of the text of O'Donovan's Annals. This quantity, of course, contains many duplicate pieces ; and it will rest with the Com- missioners whether to publish the whole mass, or only a fair and full text, compiled from a collation of all the duplicate copies. Any one who has examined the body of Welsh Laws, now some years before the woild, will at once be able to form a fair opinion of the interest and value, in a historical and social point of view, of this far larger — this immense and hitherto unex- plored mass of legal institutes. And these were the laws and in- stitutes which regulated the pohtical and social system of a people the most remarkable in Europe, from a period almost lost in the dark mazes of antiquity, down to within about two hundred years, or seven generations, of our own time, and whose spirit and traditions, I may add, influence the feehngs and actions of the native Irish even to this day ! To these laws may we, indeed, justly apply the expressive remark of the poet Moore on the old MSS. in the Royal Irish Academy, that they "were not written by a fooHsh people, nor for any foohsh purpose". Into the particulars and arrangement of this mass of laws I shall not enter here, since they are, as I have already stated, in the hands of a Commission on whose preroga- tives I have no disposition to trench. I may, however, be per- mitted to observe that, copious though the records in which the 202 OF THE CHIEF EXISTING ANCIENT BOOKS. LECT. IX. actions and everyday life of our remote ancestors liave come down to us, through the various documents of which I have Law"MSS. been speaking, still, without these laws, our history would be necessarily barren, deficient, and imcertain in one of its most interesting and important essentials. For what can be more essential for the historian's purpose than to have the means of seeing clearly what the laws and customs were precisely, wliicli governed and regulated the general and relative action of the monarch and the provincial kings; of the provincial kings and the hereditary princes and chiefs; of these in turn, and of what may be called the hereditary proprietors, the Flaitlis [pronounced "ilahs"], or landlords; and below these again, of their farmers, and tenants, of all grades and conditions, native and stranger ; — and what is even more interesting, if possible, the conditions on which these various parties held their lands, and the local customs which reo-ulated their agrarian and social policy; as well as in general the sumptuary and economical laws, and the several customs, which distinguished all these classes one from another, compliance with which was abso- lutely necessary to maintain them in their proper ranks and respective privileges ? There are thousands of allusions to the men and women of those days, as well as to various circum- stances, manners, customs, and habits, to be met with in our historic writings, otherwise inexplicable, wliich find a clear and natural solution in these venerable institutes. And there are besides, too, a vast number of facts, personal and historical, recorded in the course of the laws (often stated by the com- mentator or scribe as examples or precedents of the apphcation of the particular law imder discussion), which must be care- fully gleaned from them, before that History which is yet to be framed out of the materials I have described to you, can ever be satisfactorily completed. These things will become accessible to all when the laboiu'S of the Commission are concluded, when the immense and magni- ficent work which the Commission is charged to pubHsh shall be (a few years hence) arranged, indexed, and printed. And perhaps this may be but the second great step in these times — Mr. George Smith's publication of the Annals having been the first — towards the vindication of the ancient honoior of the noble race of Erinn. Much more, both in ecclesiastical and secular history, remains to be done. Is the next step, after these re- served to be taken under the auspices of a great National Insti- tution, such as one may surely hope this, the Catholic Univer- sity of Ireland, is destined to become ? LECTURE X. [Delivei-cd JIarch (i, 186fi.] The Books of Genealogies and Pedigrees. In tlie present Lecture I propose to finish this part of our Intro- ductory course on the existing MS. materials of ancient Irish History, by giving you some account of the great Records of the Genealogies and Pedigrees of the Gaedhlic race, found in the earhest and most reliable of the books I have described to you. In all civiHzed nations, where the possession of property or the governing power was, from whatever cause, vested m any one individual, with the right of transmission to posterity through his legitimate descendants, direct or collateral, it follows, as a mere matter of course, that all persons living subject to such a le- gal arrangement must have taken good care to preserve accui'ate evidences of their descent and identity, — accurate evidence such as might sustain their claims to the succession, whether of pro- perty or dignity, territory or emolmnents, whenever any dispute upon such subjects should arise. And the natural necessity of preserving genealogies and pedigrees being thus simply estab- lished, it must be clear that the important duty of their preser- vation could not be left to the care of irresponsible persons alone ; and that, therefore, while every branch of the family kept a proper record of its own descent (as well as of all the other branches in relation to its own), some qualified persons must at all times have been set apart for the express pvirpose of keeping a pubhc record of all the descending branches of the original tree. Such records must have been kept, in order that, when- ever a reference to records was found necessary, no individual representative should be able to advance his own claims upon any mere private proofs within his own private power, nor on any authority save such as might be found to accord with that of a responsible public officer. And such precautions, we find, were effectually taken under the ancient customs and laws of Erinn. To obviate all difficulties in respect of the right of succession to the supreme rule, therefore, we find that the monarch of 204 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. Official records of t}ie Gene- alogies. Erinn had always an officer of high distinction attached to his court, whose office it was to keep, from generation to genera- tion, a written record, or genealogical history, of all the descend- ing branches of the royal family. And the same officer was obliged to keep true record not only of these, but of the famihes of all the provincial kings, and of all the principal territorial chiefs in each province, m order that, in case of a dispute among them and a ffiial appeal to the court of the chief king, he might be in a position to decide such a dispute by the solemn authority of a sure and impartial pubhc record. This pubHc officer, according to law, could only be elected from the order of Ollamhs; and the OllamJi may be described as a doctor, or man who had arrived at the highest degree of his- torical learning and of general literary attainments under the an- cient Gaedlihc system of education. Every Ollamli should also (according to the laws of the country, now popularly called the " Brehon Laws") be an adept in regal synchronisms, should know the boundaries of all the provinces and chieftaincies, and should be able to trace the genealogies of all the tribes of Erinn up to Adam. An Ollamh should also, according to the same law, be civil of tongue, unstained by crime, and pure in morals. The officer 1 have thus spoken of should be, then, an Ollamh thus qualified ; and he was privileged and boimd to make perio- dical visits to the provincial courts, and to the mansions of all the chiefs throughout the land ; to inspect their books of family history and genealogies ; to enter the names and number of the leading or eldest branches of each family in his own book ; and, on his return to Tara (or wherever the monarch might happen to hold his residence), to write these matters into what was of old called the Monarch's Book, but which, in more modern times, seems to have been designated the Saltair of Tara. And not only had the Monarch his Ollamh for these important state pm-poses, but every provincial king, and even every smaller territorial Chief, had his own Ollamli, or Seanchaidld [pron. "shanachy"zz historian], for the provincial and other territorial records ; and in obedience to an ancient law (established long before the introduction of Christianity in the fifth century), all the provincial records, and those of the various clann chief- tains, were retm'nable every third year to a great convocation or feast at Tara, where they were solemnly compared with each other, and with the great Book or Saltair of the monarch, and pmified and corrected where or whenever they required it. As a very sufficient authority for the existence of this great Monarchical Book, in the third century of the Christian era, I may refer you, among many others, to the poem by Cinaeth OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 205 [or Kennetli] O'Hartigan, on Tara, and on King Cormac Mac lect. x. Airt, of wliicli I have spoken in a former lectiu'e. It lias lonoj been the fashion amonsf English writers, and credibility those who ignorantly follow them in Ireland, to sneer at the tiquu/^of very idea of any nation, or any families of a nation, being able aio'^ies"^" to preserve their genealogies and pedigrees for one, two, or three thousand years ; and as for the suggestion, that an Irish- man, or a Welshman, of the year of om- Lord 1856, should be able, with any conceivable probability or even possibihty, to trace his generations up to Noah, it is set down as much worse than absurd; it is contemptuously termed an "Irish pedigree", or a " Welsh pedigree", and even the very name of it is deemed, as a matter of course, a subject fit only for ridicule. Let us, however, look a little into the question, and consider for a mo- ment the justice of this scepticism. You are all aware that the original genealogies and pedigrees of the human race (and, indeed, the very form in which oru' own ancient genealogies and pedigrees were recorded), are to be found in the Holy Bible ; as in Genesis, chapter x., verses 1 to 5, beginning : " These are the generations of the sons of Noe (or Noah) : Sem, Cham, and Japhcth ; and unto them sons were born after the flood". Now this Scripture record goes on : — 2. " The sons of Japheth [were] ; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Thubal, and Mosoch, and Thiras. 3. " And the sons of Gomer [were] ; Ascenez, and Riphath, and Thogorma. 4. " And the sons of Javan [were] ; Elisa, and Tharsis, Cetthim, and Dodanim. 5. " By these were divided the islands of the Gentiles in their lands ; every one according to his tongue, and their fami- lies in their nations", etc. It is curious that the sons of Magog, the second son of Japheth, are not enumerated in this genealogy ; and yet it is to tliis remote ancestor that all the ancient colonists of Ireland carry up their pedigrees, as recorded here long before Christi- anity and Christian books found their way into the country. Nor are the Gaedhils the only people said to have descended from Magog ; for I may remark, in passing, that the Bactrians, the Parthians, and others, also claimed descent from him. I shall not, however, follow to-day the subject of the verifi- cation of the ancient descent of the royal races of Erinn ; and I have only thrown out so much by way of hinting to you, that, notwithstanding the sneers to which I have alluded, still a great deal of serious study may be required before any rational con- 206 OF THE B00K8 OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. elusion can be arrived at with certainty in relation to it. I have only to-day to do with the plan and method followed by our toricai ac- ancestors, in recording and preserving the Genealogies of the GMieaioJes. Irish nation, as these have actually been handed down to us from the days of our early kings. I desire to deal with them simply as one branch of those materials for our history, of which I have described to you so many, as having come down to us in an authentic form. And whatever may be the opinions of modern commentators (all of them very ill informed on the subject) as to the truth of the more remote genealogies before the arrival of the Gaedhhc colony in Erinn, I think I have given you the most solid reason to trust the records of the Gacdlilic genealogies from that or at least from a very remote time down- wards, made and preserved, as we know they were, with the care prescribed by the laws to which I have just called your attention. I have shown in a former lecture, on authority that cannot well be questioned, that the Pedigrees of the Gaedlilic nation were collected and written into a single book (which was called the Cm, or Book, of Dromsneacht) by the son ofDuach Galach, king of Connacht, — and an Ollamh in history, in genealogies, etc., — shortly before the arrival of Saint Patrick in Ireland, which happened in the year 432. It follows necessarily that those pe- digrees and genealogies must have been already in existence, — doubtless in the various tribe-books ; and it is more than pro- bable that their leading portions had before then been entered, in the manner and under the law I have already explained, in the great Book of Tara. Without going farther back, then, than this Book of Drom- sneacht^ which is so often qiioted in our ancient MSS., it will be plain that succeeding Ollamhs and genealogists had before them a plan and mode of proceeding with their work, either founded on still more remote precedents, or, at all events, adopted so long ago as the earlier portion of the fifth century, by the author of that celebrated book. Nothing could be more simple than the plan of keeping local Pedigrees, where, as was the case in Ireland, each kingdom, province, and principality appointed a fully qualified ofiicer for the purpose. Every free-born man of the tribe was, according to the law of the country, entitled by blood, should it come to his turn, to succeed to the chieftaincy ; and every principal family kept its own pedigree as a check on the officer of the tribe or province, and as an authority for its own claim, should the occasion arise. As the Milesians were the last of the ancient colonists, and OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 207 had subdued the races previously existing in Ireland, it is their lect. x. genealogies only, with some very few exceptions, that have The Muesian been thus carried down to the later times. Genealogies. The genealogical tree then begins with the brothers Eber and Eremon, the two surviving leaders of the Milesian expedi- tion ; and, after tracing their ancestors so far back as to Magog, the son of Japheth, the earliest genealogies give us the manner of the death of each of these sons of Milesius, and the number and names of their sons again, respectively. From Eber, according to all the genealogies, descend all the The Lines of families of the south of Ireland, represented at present by the Eremon. race of Oilioll Oluim: as the Mac Carthys, the O'Briens, and their various branches. From Eremon, on the other hand, descend the great races of Connacht and Leinster, represented by the O'Conors, the Mac Murrochs, etc., as well as the great races of Ulster, also, from the fourth century down, represented by the O'Donnells, the O'Neills, etc. Besides these two chief races, the records relate the descent The iiian of two others of great liistorical importance. From Emer, the unes.* '^" son of Ir (who was the brother of Eber and Eremon), descend the races of Uladli, or Ulidia [an ancient district consisting nearly of the present counties of Down and Antrim], now re- presented by the family of Magenis of Down; and from Lu- gaidh, the son of Itli, their cousin, who settled in the west of the present county of Cork, descended the races of that district, represented in chief by the family of O'Driscoll. [This latter race of Gaedhils is minutely traced in the Miscellany of tlie Celtic Society, published in 1849.] To these fbin-, — or rather, indeed, with very few exceptions, to the two brothers, Eber and Eremon, — all the great lines of the Milesian family, all the great chieftain hnes of ancient Erinn, are traced up. It is not, however, to be expected that any re- cord of the genealogies of the people in general, in those remote ages, could possibly have come down to our times. It is only in the succession of the monarchs, of the provincial kings and chieftains, and in the hnes of saints and other remarkable persons, that we invariably find the new king or personage traced back through all the generations, either to his remote ancestor, Eber, Eremon, Ir, or Ith, or at all events, to some person whose pedigree has been in some previous part of the great genealogical records abeady traced up to these som'ces. The first great starting point in the Eremonian lines of pedi- grees, and from which the great families of Connacht and Lein- ster branch off, is to be found in UgainS Mor, who flourished, 208 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. according to our annals, more than 500 years before the Incar- nation of onr Lord. From his elder son (7o57i^7iacA (pron. nearly monian " C6v-a", now " Coffcy"), dcscend all the families of Connacht, as %l%Tmr. well as the O'Donnells, the O'Neills, and others, of Ulster ; and from his second son, Laeghaire (pron. nearly " Lea-ry"), de- scend the chief families of Leinster. Again, in the second centmy of the Christian era a great di- vision of families took jDlace in Leinster, that, namely, of the sons of the monarch Catliair Mo?' (pron. " Ca-hir more"), who divided his hereditary kingdom of Leinster among his sons, to some one of whom all the later Leinster famihes trace up their pedigrees. The Daicas- In the noxt, the tliird century, again, a great division of ter- Eo"hanacts ritorics took placc in Munster between Fiacha Muilleathan, the of Munster. gon of ESghaii Mor the elder, and Cormac Cas, the younger son of Oilioll Oluim, the king of that province; Eoghan's son taking South Munster, and his uncle Cormac Cas, North Mun- ster, or Thomond ; and it is to one or the other of these two personages that all the great Munster families of the line of Eber trace up their pedigrees. Again, in the fourth century a great division of families and of territory took place in Connacht and Ulster, between the three sons of the monarch Eochaidh Muighmheadhoin, — Brian, Fiachf'a, and Niall, afterwards called Niall of the Nine Hostages. The two elder sons were settled in Connacht ; and from them descend the chief families of that province, north and south, excepting the O'Kellys, the Mac Rannalls, and some others. The younger son, Niall, succeeded to the monarchy : and this Niall had seven sons, among whom he divided the territories of Meath and Ulster, the district comprising the pre- sent counties of Antrim and Down excepted ; and it is to these sons that all the great families of these territories trace up their pedigrees. Having so far placed before you, with much more brevity than I could wish, the remote leading points at which the great families of Ireland are recorded to have separated, I shall now proceed to show you how the genealogies have been arranged, and, with their still continued separations, carried down in some instances even to our times ; and as a Muster- man and Dalcassian, not, I trust, unreasonably attached to my race, I shall take my example from the really great line of the O'Brien. As, however, it would be tedious, as well as unne- cessary, for the purpose of a mere example, to carry the hne down for you all the way from Eber, the son of Milesius him- self, I shall begin with Oilioll Oluim, King of Munster, who OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 209 died, according to our annals, in tlie year of our Lord 234. I lect. x. shall adopt the very form and plan of the old genealoo-les ^ 1 T ^ ' 1 1 ' -i 1 T 1 • Genealogy of tnemseives, m the abridged account i am about to give you ; the oBnens, because I wish thus practically to make you acquainted with Munster"^ the mode in which the family pedigrees were recorded by the ^Sf ' ^"^""^ Ollamlis of old, and because, also, you will thus best under- ohum. stand the importance of the class of MSS. which we are now considering, in the study of the true history of the country. Oilioll Oluim had several sons, seven of whom were killed in the celebrated battle of ATagh MucruimM, in the comity of Galway ; and among them Edghan, ot Eugene, the eldest, from whom (through liis son again, Fiacha Muilleatlmhi) descend what is called by old wiiters the "Eugenian" line, to which belong the Mac Caithys, the O^'Callachans, the O'Sullivans, the O'KeeiFes, and so forth. Cimi was another of the sons of Oilioll Oluim killed in this battle ; he left a son Tadhg [a name now known as Teige or Thaddeus], from whom descend the O'Carrolls of Ely O'Carroll, the O'Reardons, the O'Haras, the O'Garas, etc., as well as seve- ral families of East Meatli, Cormac Cas, the second son of Oilioll Oluim, was the only one of his children who survived the great battle of Magh Mticruimhe, and between him and Fiacha (the son of the eldest son, Eugene), the old king divided his territory into North and South Munster, giving to Fiaeha the south, and to Cormac the north part. (This north part, I should observe, did not then comjDrehend the present county of Clare, that territory being at the time in the occupation of a tribe of the old Fii'bolg race.) Cormac Cas (whose wife was the daughter of the celebrated poet Oisin, or Ossian, son of the great warrior Finn Mac Cum- Iiaill, or Mac Coole) had a son Mogh Corh, who had a son Fer Corh, who had a son Aengus, called Tirech, or the wan- derer, who had a son called Lughaidh Meann (pron: " Loo-y Menn"). It was this Lugtiaidh Meann that first wrested the present county of Clare from the Firbolgs, and attached it to his patrimony ; and the whole inheritance lias been ever since denominated TuadA Mhumhain, or North Munster, a name im modern times Anglicized into Thomond. Lughaidh Meann had a son Conall, called Conall Fachhtaith, or Conall of the Fleet Steeds ; who had a son Cas. This Cas (from whom the Dalcassians derive their distinctive name) had twelve sons, namely, Blod, Caisin, Lughaidh, Seadna, Aengus Cdnnathrach, Carthainn, Cainioch, Aengus CinnaiUn, Aedh^ Nae, Loisgenn, and Dealhaeth. Blod, the eldest son of Cas, is the great stem of the Dalcas- 14 210 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. sian race, directly represented by tlie O'Brians. From Caism, the second son of Cas, descend the aSzo/ ^4ofZ/«a, represented by the O'Briens, the Mac Namaras, the O'Gradys, the Mac Flannchadhas (now Munster'^ Called Clanchys), and the CCaisins, etc. From Ltighaidh, the oSr ^'°°^ tliird son of Cas, descend the Muintir Dohharclion (now re- ohiim. presented by the O'Liddys of Clare). From Seclna (pron: " Shedna") the fourth son of Cas, descend the Cinel Sedna (not, I believe, now represented). From Aengus Cinnathrach, the fifth son, descend the O'Deas. From Aengus Cinnaitin, the sixth son, descend the O'Quinns (a family who may now be considered to be represented by the Earl of Dunraven), and the O'Nechtanns. Fyovcl Aedh (or Hugh), the seventh son of Cas, descend the O'Heas. From Dealheatli, the eighth son of Cas, descend the Mac Cochlanns of Dealbhna, or Delvin (in the county of Westmeath), the O'Scullys, etc. The descendants of the other sons are not now to be distinguished. It is curious to observe, in this recital, at how early a period the ancestors of those various Dalcassian families separated from each other. — But to return to the progenitor of the O'Briens. Blod, the eldest son of Cas, had two sons: Cairthinn Finn, and Brenan Ban. From this Brenan Ban, the second son, de- scend the O'Hurlys and the O'Malonys. Cairthinn Fimi, the eldest son of Blod, had two sons, Fochaidh, called Bailldearg (or " of the Red Mole"), and Aengus. From Aengus, the younger son, descend, among others, the famihes of O Comhraidhe (now called Curry); the O'Cormacans (now called Mac Cormacks) ; O Seasnain, now Sexton ; ORiada, now Reidy, etc. Fochaidh Bailldearg, the eldest son of Cairthinn Fhin, was born during the time that St. Patrick was on his first mission in Mimster, and received baptism and benediction at the hands of the great apostle himself. This Fochaidh Bailldearg had a son Conall, who had a son Aedli Caenih, or Hugh the Comely. A edh Caemh, the son of Conall, had two sons, Cathal (pron : " Cahal") and Congal. From Congal, the younger son, descend the O'Neills of Clare, and the On-Foghans, or Owens. Cathal, the elder son of Aedh Caemh, had two sons, Torloch and Ailgenan. It is from this Ailgenan that the O'Mearas descend. Torloch, the elder son of Cathal, had a son, 3Iathghamhain, or Mahon ; who had a son. Core ; who had a son Lachtna (the ruins of whose ancient palace of Grianan Lachtna, situated about a mile north of Killaloe, I was, by means of the records of these ancient pedigrees, first enabled to identify, in the year 1840, during the investigations of the Ordnance survey). Lachtna, the son of Core, had a valiant son, Lorcdn (a name OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 2 1 1 now Anglicised "Lawrence"). Lorcdn had throe sons, Cinneidigli lect. x. or Kennedy; Cosgrach; and Bran. From Cosgrach, the second q^^^^-^ ^ son, descend the O'Lorcans, or Larkins ; the O'Sheehans ; the tiie O'Briens, CCnaimhins (now Bowens); the O'Hogans; the O'Flahei-tys ; s"unster the O'Gloiarns ; the O'Aingidys ; and the O'Maines. From ^^^™f' ^'•''™ Bran, the third son, descend the Sliocht Branfinn, in DuiFerm oudm. in Wexford, a clann who subsequently took, and still retain, the name of O'Brien. Cwmidigh, or Kennedy, the eldest son of Lorcdn, had twelve sons, four only of whom left issue — namely, Mahon, Brian, Donnchuan (or Doncan), and Echtighern. From INIahon, the eldest son of Kennedy, descend the O'Bolands, the O'Caseys, the OSiodhachans, the Mac Inirys, the O'Connallys, and the O'Tuomys, in the county of Limerick, From the great Brian Boroimhe, the second son of Kennedy, descend the O'Briens and the Mac JMahons of Clare. Donnchuan, tliird son of Kennedy, had five sons — namely, two of the name of Kennedy, Riagan, Longargan, and Ceileachair. From one of the two Kennedys descend the family of O' Con- ning (now Gunning), and from the other the family of O'Kennedy. From Riagan descend the O'Riagans, or O'Regans, of Clare and Limerick. From Longargan descend the O'Longergans, or Lonergans ; and from Ceileachair, the fifth son, descend the O Ceileachair s, or Kellehers. Brian Boroimhe, the second son of Kennedy, had six sons: MurchadJi, or Moroch, killed at the battle of Clontarf; Tadhg; Donnchadh, or Donoch; Domhnall, or Donnall; Conor; and Flami ; — but two of them only left issue, namely Tadhg, the eldest after Moroch, and Donoch. From Tadhg descend the great family of the O'Briens of Thomond ; and from Donoch, the O'Briens of Cuanach and Eatharlagh, in the present counties of Limerick and Tipperary. Tadhg, the eldest surviving son of Brian BoroimhS, after the battle of Clontarf, had a son, Torloch. Torloch had two sons, Muircheartach, or Mortogh, and Biarmaid, or Dermod. Mortoch, from whom descend the Mac Mahons of Clare, assiuned the monarchy of L'eland, and died in the year 1119 ; and the Book of Leinster brings down the genealogies of the race of Eber to these two brothers of the Dalcassian line, and to their co-descendants, the brothers Cormac and Tadhg Mac Carthy of the Eugenian line, both of whose names are inscribed on that beautiful bronze shrine of Saint Lachtin's arm, which was exhibited in the gi'eat Dublin Exhibition in 1853, and of wliich some account will be fomid in the Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy (vol. v., page 461). This Cormac Mac Carthy 14 B 212 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. died in tlae year 1138. (And I may here observe, that by a ' general rule, from ■which, so far as I have knowii, there is never tiiTo^irfeiis, any deviation, the termination of these Hnes of genealogies in Mmister'^ anciont Irish manuscript books marks the date of the compila- cianns, from tion of sucli books. But to return :) oiuim. Dermod, the second son of Torloch, and brother of Mortoch, and from whom descend the O'Brians, had a son, Torloch. This Torloch had a son, Donnall 3I6r O'Brian, who was king of Munster at the period of the Anglo-Norman invasion in 1172. DonnallJ/w' had a son, Donoch (Donnchadh) Cairhrech, who had a son Conor of Siubhdainech, who erected the great Abbey of Corcamroe, in which he was bvu'ied in the year 1260. Conor of Siubhdainech (that is, Conor of the wood of Siubh- dainech, in Burren, where he was killed in battle by the O'Loch- lainns, in the above year) had two sons, Tadhg Caeluisge, and Brian Ruadh, or Roe, the ancestor of the O'Brians of Ai-ra, in Tipperary. Tadhg, the eldest son of Conor, had a son Torloch, the great hero of the wars of Thomond ; who had a son, Murtoch ; who had a son, Mahon ; who had two sons, Brian and Conor ; from the latter of whom descend the O'Brians of Carraig Og- Conaill (now called " Corrig-a-gunnell"), near Limerick. Brian, the elder son of Mahon, and who was styled Brian of the battle of Nenagh, died in the year 1399. The Book of Ballymote, which was compiled in the year 1391, and the Book of Lecan, wlrich was compiled in the year 1416, bring down the O'Brian pedigree, as well as all other pedigrees, to this Brian of the battle of Nenagh, who died in 1399, from where the Book of Leinster stops (that is, from the year 1119); and Dubhaltach Mac Firbisigh, of whose book we shall presently speak, continues the lines from 1399 down to his own time in 1664, as follows: — Brian of the battle of Nenagh had a son, Torloch ; who had a son, Tadhg, of Comhad; who had a son, Torloch ; who had two sons, Conor and Murchadh, or Moroch, of whom the last-named became the first Earl of Thomond and Baron of Inchiquin. Conor had a son, Donnchadh, or Donoch ; who had a son, Conor ; who had a son Donoch ; who had a son, Brian ; who had a son, Henry, seventh Earl of Thomond, hving in the year 1646, at wliich date Mac Firbis stops ; and from that period the line is, of coiu'se, preserved in many pubhc documents, as well as in local Irish records, to the late Marquis of Thomond, who died in 1855. You have heard (in a general way, indeed, for oiu- time allowed of no other) the evidences upon wliich such a pedigree OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 213 as I have thus traced for you, may claim credence. You have lect . x. heard in what manner the records from which I have derived it were kept — legal records, whose authenticity, so far at least, I think, it will he in vain for the most sceptical critic to call in question, when he has properly examined and studied them. And if ancient pedigree in an unbroken Hne be indeed so honovu'able as modern fashion seems to insist it is, then here is a line of pedigree and genealogy that would do honour to the most dignified crowned head in the world. Of the Dalcassian line we find that Cormac Cas, the founder, Genealogy of was king of Munster about the year of our Lord 260; Aengus slansl^ar*' Tireach, about the year 290 ; Conall of the Swift Steeds, in 366 ; ^i^^'^^Pcorded Cairtliinn Finn, in 439 ; Aedh Caemh, from 571 to his death in caedhuc 601; Lorcdn, in 910; Cinneidigh, or Kennedy, the father of ®'^^'^°^'^^' Brian BoroimhS, in 954; and Brian himself, from 975 to the year 1002, when he became monarch of all Erinn, and as such reigned till his death, at the battle of Clontarf, in 1014. The succession to the kingship of Munster was alternate be- tween the Eugenians and the Dalcassians ; but the former being the most powerful in nmnbers and in extent of territory, mo- nopolized the provincial rule as far as they were able. The line of the Dalcassians were, however, always kings or chiefs of Thomond in succession, and kings of the province as often as they had strength enough to assert their alternate right ; and it is a fact beyond dispute that the kindred of the late Marquis of Thomond hold lands at the present day which have de- scended to them, through an unbroken line of ancestry, for 1600 years. Now the Dalcassians, whose genealogical line I have only presented to you as an example, were but one out of about forty different great tribes of the line of Eber, which ex- isted in Munster in the sixth and seventh centuries ; all and each of whom held separate and peculiar territories of their own, which were again subdivided; and in these territories every man of the tribe, who could prove his relationship, had a legal share. And as the law and the custom were the same throughout all Erinn, it follows almost as a matter of necessity that the gene- alogies and pedigrees — the only proofs of title to the tribe- lands — must have been kept with all the jealous care and accu- racy we have ascribed to the compilation of records practically so important. A most curious feature in our ancient national records, in connexion with these genealogies, is the information they con- tain concerning the manner and time at which several of the ancient independent tribes and families lost their inheritance and 214 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. independence, becoming sometimes mere rent-payers ^ some- times servitors in tlie free lands of their fathers, and at other o™the Gene- timcs Settling as strangers in other territories and provinces. thfPan^ienr The laws imdor which such changes coixld take place, will of Laws. course be explained when the work of the Brehon Law Com- mission is completed. Historic facts, illustrative of many of them, are recorded in the genealogical tracts, which in this re- spect also will be found to contain many important items of historical information not entered in any of the annals. Family names first introduced .about A.D. 1000. Distinction between a Qenealogy aufl a Fedigi'&e. Previous to the time of the monarch Brian BoroimhS (about the year 1000), there was no general system of family names in Erinn ; but every man took the name either of his father or his grandfather for a surname. Brian, however, established a new and most convenient arrangement, namely, that families in fu- ture should take permanent names, either those of their imme- diate fathers, or of any person more remote in their line of pedigree. And thus Muireadhach, the son of Carthach, took the surname of Mac Carthaigh (now Mac Carthy); ^'■Mac^ being the GaedliHc for "son". Toirdhealhhagh, or Turloch, the grandson of Brian himself, took the surname of O'Brian, or the grandson of Brian, "0" being the Gaedhlic for "grandson"; Cathbharr, the grandson of Donnell, took the name of O'Donnell ; Donnell, the grandson of Niall Glundubh, took the siu-name of O'Neill ; Tadgh, or Teige, the grandson of Conor, took the name of O'Conor (of Connacht) ; Donoch, the son o£ 3IurcJiadh, or Miu-och, took the surname of Mac Muroch of Leinster; and so as to all the other families throughout the kingdom. The genealogists always made a distinction between a genea- logy and a pedigree. A Genealogy, according to them, em- braced the descent of a family and its relation to all the other families that descended from the same remote parent-stock, and who took a distinct tribe name, such as, for instance, the Dal- cassians. A Pedigree meant only the running up of the line of descent of any one of those families, through its various genera- tions, to the individual from whom the name was derived, such as the line of O'Brien, MacNamara, O'Quinn, etc., traced up again to a more remote ancestor, such as Oilioll Oluini, without any reference to relationship with the other families descended from the same remote progenitor. I have given you an ex- ample of a Genealogy, — that of the race of Oilioll Oluim. Now, the principal races are all traced in the same way in the great books of Genealogies. The Pedigrees of the different families are afterwards entered, beginning with the individual living at OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 215 the time of the record, and tracing his descent backwards (from lect. x. son to father) iip to that ancestor, whoever he was, from whom ^ the name of the family was taken, and who had been ah'eady Geneiiiogies recorded in one of the genealogies as the ancestor of the family. booUs."^*^ All the Genealogies, as a general rule, are made to begin, as you have ah'eady heard, from the beginning of the world, or at least, from Noah ; and you are aware, from what I have told you in relation to O'Clery's " Succession of the Kings", how the line of Milidh, or Milesius, was traced. The great genealogical tracts then take i;p each province separately, and deal with all its tribes, one after another, just as the Dalcassians are dealt with in the example I have to-day given you. The Book of Leinster is, as you know, the second oldest of our existing historical MSS., the genealogical tracts in that book having been written into it, I may assert, about a.d. 1130. This tract comprises sixty closely-written pages of that cele- brated MS. The Book of Ballymote (a.d. 1391) contains the same tracts, enlaro-ed and continued. The same tracts asfain occur, with still further additions and continuations, in the Book of Lecain (a.d. 141G); and among the additions in the last named book, will be found a genealogy of the Ttiatha De Danann, the race anterior to the Milesians. I need hardly observe that, at the time those various books were compiled, these tracts were regarded as of the highest authority, as they have been ever since among Irish scholars and historical students; and it is more than probable that that in the Book of Leinster was copied from the Saltair of Cashel and other cotemporaneous books. But the fullest and most perfect of all is the immense Book Mac Firbis' of Genealogies, compiled m the years 1650 to 1666 (by being Genealogies, copied from a great number of now lost local records), by that Duhhaltach Mac Firhisigh^ or Duald Mac Firbis, whose cha- racter and works (including the present volume), as well as whose tragical death, I have already described to you in a former lecture. According to the plan I have observed in reference to the O'Clerys, I propose to make you acquainted with Mac Firbis himseh", as well as with his book, and the reason, as well as the plan, of its compilation, by reading for you, in translation, as much of his introduction as the remainder of our time may permit to day. And, I do so the more readily, because no part of it has yet been given to the world, and it contains an inmaense quantity of suggestion, of criticism, and of positive information, which I am particularly well pleased to be able to lay before you, upon the foundation of so venerable and learned an authoritv. [See the original of this Introduction in the Ap- pendix,"'No. LXXXYIL] 216 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. VII. Mac Firbis begins with the title of his book, which is expla- , , natory of its contents, as the title pages of books in the seven- liook of teenth century generally were : — Geneaiogus. ^ 'Y\\Q kincbcd and genealogical branches of every colony that took possession of Erinn from the present time back up to Adam (the Fomorians, the Lochlanns, and the Sax-Normans excepted, only as far as they are connected with the history of our comitry), together wdth the genealogies of the saints, and the succession of the kings of Ireland. And, lastly, a table of con- tents, in which are arranged, in alphabetical order, the sur- names and the noted places which are mentioned in this book ; which was compiled by Dubhaltach Mac Firhisigh of Lecain, in the year 1650". The author then continues : — " Although the above is the more usual manner of giving titles (to books) in these times, yet we shall not depart from the paths of our ancestors, the old pleasant Irish custom, for it is the plainest, as follows : — " The place, time, author, and cause of writing this book, are : Its place is the College of Saint Nicholas, in Gal way ; its time is the tune of the religious war between the Cathohcs of Ireland and the heretics of Ireland, Scotland, and England, and, particularly, the year of the age of Christ, 1650. The author of it is Dubhaltach, the son of Gilla Isa Mor Mac Firhisigh, historian, etc., of Lecain Mic Firhisigh, in Tu-eragh of the jNloy ; and the cause of writmg the same book is to magnify the glory of God, and to give knowledge to all men in general. " It may happen that some one may be surprised at this work, because of the copiousness of the pedigrees that appear in it, and of the hundreds of famiHes that are coimted m it, up to Adam, in the order of their relation to one another. Because I myself hear people saying that the pedigrees of the Gaedhils cannot be brought thus to their origin. Whatever is their reason for saying this, we might give it an answer, if we thought it worth wliile, but that is not our present object, but to show the truth, on the authority of ancient writings, of learned elders, old saints, and the highest seanachies or historians of Erinn, from the beginning of time to this day. This is a thing of which there can be no doubt ; for it is a common and true say- ing, in the ancient and pure Gaedlilic Books of Erinn, showing the classes who preserved their history. Thus do they say : If there be any one who shall ask who preserved the history \Seanchus'\, let him know that they were very ancient and long lived old men, recording elders of great age, whom God permitted to preserve and hand down the history of Erinn, in OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 217 books, in succession, one after another, from the Dehige to the lect. x. time of Saint Patrick (who came in the fourth year of Laegli- ^^^^ p.^^.^, aire Mac Neill), and Coluin Cille, and Comhgall o£ Bemi-chair Book of [Bangor], and Finnen of Clonard, and the other saints of Erinn ; ^^'^^ °^'^*" which [liistory] was written on their knees, in books, and which [liistory] is now on the altars of the saints, in their houses of writings [libraries], in the hands of sages and liistorians, from that time for ever. *' So far doth the foregoing say, but it is more at large in the Leahhar Gahhala; and that is a book that ought to be sufficient to confirm this fact. Besides that, here, in particular, are the names of the authors of the liistory and the other poetry [literary productions] of Erinn, who came with the different colonists, taken on the authority of very ancient writings, which set them down thus : — '■'• Bacorhladhi'a was the first teacher of Erinn, and Ollamh to Partholan. " Figma, the poet and historian of the Clanna-Nemheidh. ^'■Fathach, the poet of the Firbolgs, who related history, poetry, and stories to them. " Cairbre, Aoi, and -5j]dan, were the poets of the Tuatlia DS Danann, for history, poems, and stories. And besides that, the greater pai"t of the nobles (or higher classes) of the Tuatlia De Danann were full of learning and of druidism. " The Gaedliils, too, were not a people that were without preservers of then- history in all parts through which they passed : because Fenias Farsaidh, their ancestor, was a prime author in all the languages ; and it is not to be wondered at that he sho\ild know his own history. So it was with Nel, the son of Fenias, in Egypt, [who was invited by Pharoah]. So Caicher, the druid, in Scythia and in Getulia, and between them (Egypt and Ge- tulia), where he foretold that they would come to Erinn. So Mi- lesius of Spain, who was named Golam, after going out of Spain into Scythia, and from that to Egypt, and parties of his people learned the chief arts in it (Egypt) : that is, Seudga, Suirge, and Sobairce, in the arts; Mantdn, Falman, Caicher, in druidism; tliree more of them were just judging judges, that is, Gostin, Amergin^dindi Donn; Amergin Glungealthe son o^JS^iid, Caeham, and Cir the son of Cis, were the three poets of the Milesians ; Amergin and Caeham, were poets, brehons, historians, and story-tellers ; Cir, the son of Cis, was a poet and a story-teller [but not a historian] ; Onna was the musician and harper of the Milesians, as given in the Book of Invasions, in the poem beginning, ' The tw^o sons of Mileadh [Milesius] , of honourable arts' Mac Firbls' 218 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. " The sons of Ugaine M&r^ were, some of tKem, full of learn- ing, as is evident from RoighnS Mosgadach, tlie son of Ugaine, Book of"'* wlio was the author of many ancient law maxims. Genealogies. u QUamh FodJila, the king of Erinn, who was so called from the extent of his Ollamh learning ; for Eochaidli was his first name. It was he that made the first Feis of Tara, which was the great convocation of the men of Erinn, and which Avas con- tinued by the kings of Erinn from that down, every third year, to preserve the laws and rules, and to pmify the history of Erinn, and to write it in the Saltair [or psalter] of Tara, that is, the Book of the A^^d Righ [chief king or monarch] of Erinn. *' Would not this alone be sufiicient to preserve the history of any kingdom, no matter how extensive ? But it is not that they were trusting to this alone; for it is not recorded that there came any race into Ireland, who had not learned men to pre- serve their history. " At one time, in the time of Conor Mac Nessa, there were 1200 poets in one company; another time 1000; another time 700, as was the case in the time of Aedh Mac Aininire [Hugh, the son of Ainmire] and Colum Cille; and besides, in every time, between these periods, Erinn always thought that she had more of learned men in her than she wanted ; so that, from their numbers and their pressure [that is, the tax their support made necessary upon the people], it was attempted to banish them out of Erinn on three difl^erent occasions, mitil they were detained by the Ultonians for hospitality sake. This is evident in the Amhra Cholum Chille, who \_Colum CilU^ was the last that kept them in Ireland ; and Colum Cille distributed a poet to every territory, and a poet to every king, in order to lighten the burden on the people in general ; so that there were people in their following [that is, keeping ixp the succession of the ancient professors of poetry], contemporary with every generation, to preserve the his- tory and events of the country at this time. Not these alone, but the kings and saints, and churches of Erinn, as I have already stated, preserved the history in like manner. '■'■ FerceirtnS, the poet; Seancha, the son oiAilell; NeidS, the son of^4(^7ina; and J^f//ma himself, the son of Uither ; Morann, sonof Jiaon; yl ^AaiVne, the poet; Cormac Ua Cuinn [grandson of Conn] , Cliief King of Erinn ; Cormac Mac Cinlennain, King of Munster; Flann Mainistreach; Eochaidh OTlinn; Gilla na Naemh ODuinn, etc. Why should I be enumerating them, for they cannot be coimted without writing a large book of their names, and not to give but the titles of the tracts, alone, which they wrote, as we have done before now. However, these men preserved the history until latter times, say about 500 or 600 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 219 years ago, that is, to the time of Brian BoroimM. About that lect. x. time was settled the greater number of the family names of ^^^^ ^ , Erinn ; and certain families chose or were ordered to be jjro- Book of fessors of history and other arts at that time, some of them be- ^^^"^ °^''^^' fore, and some after that time. So that they remain in the countries of Erinn, with the chiefs all round, for the purpose of writing their genealogies, and history, and annals ; and to com- pose noble poems on these histories, also ; and also to preserve and to teach every instruction that is difficult or obscure in Gaedhlic, that is, to teach the reading of the ancient writings. " Here follow the names of a number of these historians, and the territories, and the noble families for whom they speak in those latter times. The O'Mulchonries, with the Siol Murray (O'Connors) round Cruachain ; another portion of them in Thomond ; another portion in Leinster ; and another portion of them in Annally (Longford, O'Ferrall's country). The Clann Firbisigh, in Lower Connacht, and in Ihh Fiachrach Moy ; and in Ihh Amlialgliaidh ; and in Cearra (county Sligo), and Ibli Fiachrach Aidhne, and in Eachtga; and with the race of Colla Uais (the Mac Donnells of Antrim) ; the O'Duigenans, with the Clann Maolruanaidh (]\Iac Dennetts, Mac Donachs, etc.) ; and with the Conmaicne Maigh rein. The O'Curnins, with the O'Ruarcs, etc. ; the O'Diigans, with the O'Kellys of Ibh Mainh ; the O'Clerys and the O'Cananns, with the Cinel Conaill m Donegall ; the O'Luin'ms, in Fermanagh ; the O'Cler- cins, with the Cinel Eoghain (Tyi'one) ; the O'Duinfns, cliiefly in Munster, i. e., with the race of Eoghan Mor (the M'Carthys, etc.) ; the Mac an Ghobhcn (a name now Anglicised " Smith"), with the O'Kennedys of Ormond; the O'Riordans, with the O'Carrolls and others, of Ely ; the Mac Curtins and Mac Bro- dies, in Thomond; the Mac-Gilli-Kellys, in west Connacht, with the OTlaherties, etc. And so there were other families in Ireland of the same profession ; and it was obligatory on every one of them who followed it, to purify the profession [i.e., to drive out of it every improprietyj. " Along with these, the Judges of Banhha used to be in like manner preserving the history ; for a man could not be a Judge without being an liistorian ; and he is not an historian without being a Judge in the Brethibh Nhnhedh, that is the last Books of the works [study] of the Seanchaidhe [Seanchies] or historians, and of the Judges themselves " According to these truthful words, we believe that hence- forth no wise person will be found who will not acknowledge that it is feasible to bring the genealogies of the Gaedhils to their origin, to Noah and to Adam ; and if he does not believe 220 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. that, may lie not believe tliat lie himself is the son of his own father. For there is no error in the genealogical history, but as it was left from father to son in succession, one after another. "Surely every one believes the Divine Scriptures, which give a similar genealogy to the men of the world, from Adam down to Noah ; and the genealogy of Christ and of the holy fathers, as may be seen in the Church [writings]. Let him believe this, or let him deny God. And if he does believe this, why should he not believe another history, of which there has been truthful preservation, Hke the history of Erinn ? I say tru.thful preservation, for it is not only that they [the preservers of it] were very numerous, as we said, preserving the same, but there was an order and a law with them and uj)on them, out of which they could not, without great injury, tell lies or false- hoods, as may be seen in the Books of Fenechas [Law] of Fodhla [Erinn], and in the degrees of the poets themselves, their order, and their laws. For there was not m Erinn (until the country was confounded) a laity [of a territory] , nor a clergy of a chvu'ch, on whom there was not some particular order [lay or ecclesiastical], which are called Gradha [or Degrees]. And it was obligatory on them to maintain the laws of these degrees, under the pain or penalty of fine, and the loss of their dignity [and privileges], as we have written in oiu" Fenechas [Law] Vocabulary, which speaks at length of these laws, and of the laws of the Gaedliils in general. " The historians of Erinn, in the ancient times, will scarcely be distinguished from the Feinigh, [or story-tellers,] and those who are called Aos ddna [or poets] at this day; for it was at one school often that they were educated, all the learned of Erinn. And the way that they were divided was into seven degrees : OUamh, Anrad, Cli, Cana, Dos, Macfidrmid, Foclog, were the names of the seven degrees, like the ecclesiastical degrees, such as priest, deacon, sub-deacon, etc. The Order of Poets, was, among its other laws, obHged to be pure and free from theft and killing, and of satirizing, and of adultery, and of every thing that would be a reproach to their learning, as it is found in this rann (or verse) : — " Purity of hand, bright without wounding, Purity of mouth, without poisonous satire, Pmity of learning, without reproach. Purity of ' husbandship' [or marriage] . " Any Seanchaidhe, then, whether an OUamh, an Anrad, or of any other degree of them, who did not preserve these puri- ties, lost half his income and his dignity, according to law, OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 221 and was subject to heavy penalties beside ; therefore, It Is not to lect. x . be supposed that there is in the world a person who would not ^^^^ p.^.^.^, prefer to tell the truth, if he had no other reason than the fear Book of of God and the loss of his dignity and his income ; and it is not becoming to charge partiahty upon these selected historians of the nation. However, if unworthy people wrote falsehood, and charged it to an historian, it might become a reproach to the order of historians, if they were not gtiarded, and did not look for it, to see whether it was in their prime books of authority that those writers obtained their knowledge. And that is what is proper to be done by every one, both the lay scholar and the professional liistorian; every thing of which they have a suspicion, to look for it, and if they do not find it confirmed in good books, to note down its doubtfulness along with it, as I myself do to certain races hereafter in this book : and it is thus that the historians are freed from the errors of Other parties, should these be cast upon them, which God forbid. " The historians were so anxious and ardent to preserve the history of Erinn, that the descriptions of the nobleness and dig- nified manners of the people, which they have left us, however copious they may be, should not be wondered at ; for they did not refrain from writing even of the undignified artizans, and of the professors of the healing and building arts of the ancient times, — as shall be shown below, to show the fidelity of the his- torians and the error of those who make such assertions as [for instance] that there were no stone buildings in Erinn mitil the coming of the Danes and Anglo-Normans into it. " Thus saith an ancient authority : The first doctor, the first builder, and the first fisherman, that were ever in Erinn, were : — " ^Capa, for the healing of the sick, In his time was all-powerful ; And Luasad, the cunning builder, And LaighnS, the fisherman. " Eaba,the female physician who accompanied the lady Ceasair into Erinn, was the second doctor; Slanga, the son oi Partliolan, was the third doctor that came into Erinn (with Partholan) ; and Fergna, the grandson of Crithinhel, was the fourth doctor who came into Erinn (with Nemed). The doctors of the Firbolgs were, Dubhda DidJdosach, Codan Corinchisnech, and Fingin Fisiocdha, Maine, the son of Gressach, andAongus Antemmach. The doctors of the Tuatha De Danann were, Dianceaht, Air- medh, Miach, etc. " Of ancient builders, the following are the names of a few, who 222 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. Mac Firbis' Book of Genealogies. were styled the builders of tlie chief stone edifices (of the world) : " Ailian was Solomon's stone-builder; Cabur was the stone- builder of Tara ; Barnab was the stone-builder of Jerico ; Bacus was the rath-builder of Nimrod ; Cicloin, or Cidoim, was Curoi {Mac Dairy's) stone-builder ; Cir was the stone-builder of Rome ; Arond was the stone-builder of Jerusalem ; Oilen was the stone- builder of Constantinople ; Bole, the son of Blar, was the rath- builder of Cruachain; Goll, of Clochar, was stone-builder to Nadfraich [king of Munster at the close of the fourth century] ; Casruba was the stone-builder of Ailiac [A ilinn ?~\ ; Ringin, or Rigj'in, and Gabhlan, the son of Ua Gairbh, were the stone- builders oi Aileach; Troighleathan was the rath-builder of Tara; Bainche, or Bainchne, the son of Dobru, was the rath-builder of Emania ; Balur, the son of Buanlamh, was the builder of Rath BreisS; Oricil, the son of Dubhchruit, was the builder of the Rath o? Ailin7i. [This list of names is repeated here in verse by Donnell, the son of Flannacan, king of Fer-li (?), about the year 1000]. " We could find a countless number of the ancient edifices of Erinn to name besides these above, and the builders who erected them, and the kings and noble chiefs for whom they were built, but that they would be too tedious to mention here. Look at the Book of Conquests if you wish to discover them ; and we have evidence of their having been built like the edifices of other kingdoms of the times in which they were built ; — and why should they not ? for there came no colony into Erinn but from the eastern world, as from Spain, -etc. ; and it would be strange if such deficiency of intellect should mark the parties who came into Ireland, since they had the courage to seek and take the coimtry, as that they should not have the sense to form their residences and dwellings after the manner of the countries from which they originally went forth, or through which they travelled ; for it is not possible that they were not acquainted with the style of buildings of the greater part of Europe, after having passed through such travels as they did — from Scythia, from Egypt, from Greece and Athens, from Felesdine [sic; qu. for Palestine?] from Spain, etc., into Erinn. " And if those colonists of ancient Erinn erected buildings in the country similar to those of the countries through which they came, as it is likely they did, what is the reason that the fact is doubted? There is no reason, but because there are not lime-built walls standing in the places where they were erected, fifteen hundred, two thousand, or three thousand years ago; when it is no wonder that there are not, since, in much shorter spaces of time than these, the land grows over buildings, when OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 223 once tliey are broken down, or fall of tlieir own accord, from lect. x. OI^H^''- r. P ,. Ti ir -Til • MacFirW " In prooi 01 tins, i have myseli seen, witnm the last sixteen Book of years, lofty lime-built castles, built of lime-stone ; and at this day, ^^^^ °^^^^' after they have fallen, there remains nothing of them but an earthen mound to mark their sites, nor could even the anti- quarians easily discover that any edifices had ever stood there at all. " Compare these to the buildings which were erected hun- dreds and thousands of years ago, one with another ; and it is no wonder, should this be done, except for the superiority of the ancient building over the modern, that not a stone, nor an elevation of the ground should mark their situation. Such, however, is not the case, for, such is the stabihty of the old build- ings, that there are immense royal raths [or palaces] and forts [^Lios] throughout Erinn, in which there are numerous hewn and polished stones, and cellars and apartments under ground, within their walls; such as there are in Rath Maoilcatha, in Castle Conor, and in Bally O'Dowda, in Tireragh, on the banks of the Moy. There are nine smooth stone cellars under the walls of this rath ; and I have been inside it, and I think it is one of the oldest raths in Erinn ; and its walls are of the height of a good cow-keep still. I leave this, however, and many other things of the kind, to the learned to discuss, and I shall return to my first intention, namely, the defence of the fidehty of our history, to which the ignorant do an additional injustice, by saying that it carries [the genealogies of all] the men of Erinn up to the sons of Mi'esius. " They will acknowledge their own falsehood in this matter, if they will but see the number of alien races which are given in this book alone, which are not carried up to the sons of Mile- sius, as may be seen in several places in the body of the book, and let them compare them with one another. " Here, too, is the distinction Avhich the profound historians draw between the tliree diiFerent races which are in Erinn — that is, between the descendants of the Firbolgs, Fir Domh- nanns and GaiUu7is, and the Tuatha De Danann^ and the IMilesians. " Every one who is white [of skin], brown [of hair], bold, honourable, daring, prosperous, bountiful in the bestowal of property, wealth, and rings, and who is not afraid of battle or combat ; they are the descendants of the sons of Milesius, in Erinn. "Every one wlio is fair-haired, vengeful, large; and every plunderer ; every musical person ; the professors of musical and 224 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. entertaining performances ; who are adepts in all Dniidical and „ -,. ,. , magical arts ; they are the descendants of the Tuatlia DS M.ac tirbis _^ o , ' . -^ Book of JJanann, m iirmn. Genealogies, „ Every One who is black-haired, who is a tattler, guileful, tale-telhng, noisy, contemptible ; every wretched, mean, stroll- ing, unsteady, harsh, and inhospitable person; every slave, every mean thief, every churl, every one who loves not to listen to music and entertainment, the disturbers of every council and every assembly, and the promoters of discord among people, these are the descendants of the Firbolgs, of the Gailiuns, of Liogairne, and of the Fh' DomJmanns, in Erinn. But, however, the descendants of the Firbolgs are the most numerous of all these. [This is summed up in verse here, but we pass it for the present.] " This is taken from an old book. However, that it is possible to identify a race by their personal appearance and their dis- positions I do not take upon myself positively to say ; though it may have been true in the ancient times, until the races subse- quently became repeatedly intermixed. For we daily see, in our own time, and we often hear it from our old people, a simihtude of people, a similitude of form, character, and names, in some .families in Erinn, with others ; and not only is this so, but it is said that the people of every country have a resemblance to each other, and that they all have some one peculiar character- istic by which they are known, as may be understood from this poem : — " For building, the noble Jews are found, f And for truly fierce envy ; For size, the guileless Armenians, And for firmness, the Saracens ; For acLiteness and valour, the Greeks ; For excessive pride, the Romans ; For dullness, the creeping Saxons ; For haughtiness, the Spaniards ; For covetousness and revenge, the French ; And for anger, the true Britons. — Such is the true knowledge of the trees. — For gluttony, the Danes, and for commerce ; For high spirit the Picts are not unknown ; And for beauty and amourousness, the Gajdhils ; — As Giolla-na-naemh says in verse, A fair and pleasing composition. " We believe that it is more likely to find the resemblance in Erinn (than anywhere else), because there is a law in the OB THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 225 Seanchas Mor, ordered by St. Patrick, wliich says, that if it lect. x. should happen that a woman knew two men, at the time of her ., „. .. , conception, — so that she could not know which ot tnem was the Book of father of the child begotten at that time, — the law says, if the "^"^^ °^'^*' child cannot be af&liated on the trvie father by any other mode, that he is to be borne with for three years, imtil he shall be- tray family likeness, family voice, and family disposition ; and the woman was thus assisted to identify him as the father to whom these characteristics bore the closest resemblance ; as it is supposed that it is to liim whom he the more resembles he belongs. And as this has been laid down in St. Patrick's law, it is no wonder that it should be a remarkable distinction of some families more than others. And though it may not be found true in all cases, there is nothing inconsistent with reason in it. And, further, it is an argument against the people who say that there is no family in this country which the genealo- gists do not trace up to the sons of Milesius. And notmthstand- ing this, even though it were so, it would be no wonder ; for, if a man will look at the sons of Milesius, and the great families that sprmig from them in Erinn and in Scotland, and how few of them exist at this day, he will not wonder that people inferior to them, who had been a long time mider them, should not ex- ist ; for it is the custom of the nobles, when their own children and famihes multiply, to suppress, blight, and exterminate their farmers and followers., " Examine Erinn and the whole world, and there is no end to the number of examples of this kind to be found ; so that it would be no wonder that the number of genealogies which are in Erinn at this day were earned up to Milesius. " It having been the custom of the genealogists to give dis- tinct names of books according to their variety, to the [tracts which relate to the] Gaedliils, who alone were the particular objects of their care ; such as the Book of Connacht, the Book of Ulster, the Book of Leinster, and the Book of Munster, I shall, in like manner, divide and classify this book. I will di- vide it into different books, according to the nmnber of the con- quests of Erinn before the Gaedhils, and according to the number of the three sons of Milesius of Spain, who took the sovereignty of Erinn ; a book for the saints, and a book for the Fomorians, Lochlanns or Danes, and the Normans, and Anglo-Normans, old and new, after them. " I shall devote the first book to Partholcm, who first took possession of Erinn after the Deluge, devoting the beginning of it to the comiiifj of the lady Ceasair, as they are not worth ^ 15 226 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. dividing ; tlie second, to Nemed ; tlie tliird, to tlie Firbolgs ; . , tlie fourth, to the Tuatha De Danann; the fifth, to the Gaedhils, Book of and all the sons of Milesius, though it is only of the race of Genealogies, j^^j-^^^qj^ \i treats, till they are finished ; and this book is larger than seven books of the old division, because it contains more than they did, and it is more copious than ever it [that is, than ever this branch of the Gaedhlic genealogies] was before. The sixth book, to the race of /;•, and the Dal Flatach; these are also of the race of Eremon, and occupants of the same country of Ulster for a long time. The seventh book, to the race of JEber, and the descendants of Lughaidh, the son of Ith; for Munster is the original country of both. The eighth book, to the saints of Erinn. The ninth and last book, to the Fomo- rians, the Lochlanns, and the Normans. " As to the arrangement of our book — O reader ! if you are not pleased with placing the younger before the elder, I do not deny that you will often find it so in it, from Fenias Far- saidh down. Behold the sons of Fenias himself : that JViul, the younger, has been from the beginning spoken of with pre- ference by the historians, wliile Naenbal, the elder, is little spoken of. " Eremon, too, the son of Milesius, is placed in it before the rest of the sons of Milesius, who were older than him; and there is no computing the number of such cases contained in it, down to the latter families which we have at this day. " See how the historians of Munster place the Mac Carthys before the O'Sulhvans, who are their seniors in descent, and the O'Briens before their seniors the Mac Malions. " Other books of the northern half of Erinn, as well as Doctor Keting, place Niall of the Nine Hostages, and his de- scendants, though junior, before the rest of his brothers, his seniors. " See how Duach Galacli, the youngest son of Brian, took precedence of the other three-and-twenty sons, his seniors. " The historians of the Siol Muiredhaigh, place the O'Conors (of Connacht) before their seniors. " The UHdians place 3Iac AongJmsa (or Magenis), of the race of Concdl Cearnach, before the descendants of Conor, the king, because Conall's descendants were the more distinguished ; and it was the same as regarded many other families, which it would be tedious to enumerate. And if these are allowed to be proper, why not 1 have a right to follow the same course ? " And further, should any one suppose that this is an ar- bitrary proceeding, I can assm'e him it is not ; and that very often it cannot be avoided, where the descent of many tribes OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. 227 and races has become complicated ; so that, in order to separate lect. x them, it is often found necessary to pass over the senior, and ,, „. . . , write oi the jmiior tirst, and then to return to tne senior again. Book of "Understand, moreover, O reader! that it was a law in ®'^*^'^ "t^'^*' Erinn to raise the jmiior sometimes to the chiefship, in prefer- ence to the senior, as the following Rule of Law, taken from the Seanchas Mar, and from the Fenechas in common, says: ' The senior to the tribe, the powerful to the chiefship, the wise to the Church'. That is, the senior person of the tribe is to be put at the head of that tribe or family, alone ; the man who has most supporters and power, if he be equally noble with his senior, to be placed in the chiefship or lordship ; and the wisest man to be raised to the supreme rule of the Church. " However, if the senior be the more wealthy and powerful, or if there be no junior of more wealth and power than him, according to the law, then he takes the chiefship. This, how- ever, is the same as what has been already said. " There is a common verse, which is repeated, to prove that it is lawful that an eligible junior ought to be elevated to the sovereignty, in preference to any number of his seniors, who were deficient in the lawful requirements. ' Though there be nine in the line. Between a good son and the sovereignty, It is the right and proper rule That he be forthwith inaugurated'. " And it is, therefore, sometimes proper that the junior be elevated to the sovereignty. Why, then, if one should choose it, that he should not be placed at the beginning of a book ? And, besides, it would be an unbecoming arrangement to place the most important of the guests at the foot of the table, while all the rest, even though they were his elder brothers, were placed at the head, when they are not kings. " See, too, how the ignoble of descent are now placed in high positions in Erinn, in preference to the nobles, because they possess worldly wealth, which is more to be wondered at than the above ; and it is a far greater insult to the native nobles of Erinn than any arrangement of their genealogies which we may happen to make, particularly as we receive no remuneration from any one of them. I pray them, therefore, to excuse their devoted servant Dubhaltach Mac Firhisigli\ I have stated, in a former lecture, that the autograph of Mac Firhisiglis Book, which is written on paper, is in the possession of the Earl of Roden, and that I made a fac-simile copy of it 15 B 228 OF THE BOOKS OF GENEALOGIES AND PEDIGREES. LECT. X. for the Royal Irish Academy, in the year 1836. I have only ^ . to add, as before, with respect to the other books, a calcvxlation Book of of the extent of the Gsedlihc text of this book, estimated, as before, Genealogies. -^ reference to the size of the pages of O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, supposing the Irish text alone were printed at full length, that it would make about 1300 pages. You will now, I think, be able to comprehend why it is that I have attached so much importance to the genealogical tracts ; and you, perhaps, already feel Avith me that by the future liisto- rian these great records will not be foimd less valuable than any of the annals themselves, to the accuracy of which they supply a check so invaluable in the comparison of historical materials. The last, the most perfect, and the greatest of these works is Mac Firbis's vast collection. Mac Firbis found the great lines and general ramifications of the Gaedhlic genealogies, already brought down, in the Books of Leinster, Ballymote, and Lecan, to the beginning of the fifteenth century. These he continued down to his own time, from a.d. 1650 to 1666, with most important additions, collected evi- dently from various local records and private family documents, as well as from the State Papers in the pubhc offices in Dublin, to which he seems to have had access, probably through the in- fluence of Sir James Ware. His book is, perhaps, the greatest national genealogical com- pilation in the world ; and when we remember his great age at the time of its compilation, and that he neither received nor ex- pected reward from any one, — that he wrote his book (as he himself says), simply for the enlightenment of his countrymen, the honour of his country, and the glory of God, — we cannot but feel admiration for his enthusiasm and piety, and venera- tion for the man who determined to close liis life by bequeath- ing this precious legacy to his native land. LECTURE XL [Delivered June 19, 1856.] Of the existing pieces of detailed History in tlie Gaedhlic Language. The History of the Origin of tlie Boromean Tribute. The History of the Wars of tlie Danes andl;he Gaedhils. Tlie History of the Wars of Thomond. The "Book of Munster". Of the Historic Tales appointed to be recited by the Poets and Ollamhs. Of the legal education of the Ollamh. The Historic Tales, with Examples. 1. Of the Cffamn(^, and, after their nuptials, carried her home to OF THE EXISTING OLD MS. HISTORIES 231 his palace at Naas, in Leinster. Some time afterwards his peo- lect. xi. pie persuaded him that he had made a bad selection, and that ,^^_^^ History the elder was the better of the tvfo sisters, upon which Eocliaidh of the ok- resolved by a stratagem to obtain the other daughter too. For iim;oMEAs this pm-pose, he shut up his young queen in a secret chamber of '^'•"'"■'^• his palace, at the same time giving out that she was dead ; after which he repaired to Tara, told the monarch Tuathal that Dairine was dead, and expressed his great anxiety to continue the alHance by espousing the other daughter. To this Tuathal gave his consent, and Eocliaidh returned again to his own court with a new bride. After some time the injured lady, DairinS, contrived to make her escape from her confinement, and quite unexpectedly made her appearance in the presence of her faithless husband and his new wife. The deceived sister, on seeing her alive and well, for the first time knew how falsely both had been dealt with, and, struck with horror, disgust, and shame, fell dead on the spot. Dairine was no less aifected by the treachery of her husband and the death of her sister ; she returned to her solitary chamber, and in a short time died of a broken heart. The monarch Tuathal having heard of the insult put upon his two daughters, and their untimely death, forthwith raised a powerful force, marched into Leinster, burned and ravaged the whole province to its uttermost boundaries, and then compelled the king and his people to bind themselves and their descendants for ever to the payment of a triennial tribute to the monarch of Eiinn. This tribute he fixed to consist of five thousand ounces of silver, five thousand cloaks, five thousand fat cows, five thousand fat hogs, five thousand fat wethers, and five thou- sand large vessels of brass or bronze. This was what was called the " Boromean Tribute" ; as it was named from the great number of cows paid in it, — ho being the Gaedlilic for a cow. The levying of this degrading and oppressive tribute by the successive monarchs of Erinn, was the cause of periodical san- guinary conflicts, from Tuathal's time down to the reign of Finnachta the Festive, who, about the year 680, abolished it, at the persiiasion of St. Moling of TiF THE ^ .^■*-, , ^ Danes ovct moTC than two hundred years, during which the Danish GAEDHal 8'i^tl^ other Scandinavian hordes continued to pour an almost in- cessant stream of death and destruction on the country. Of the history of this dreadful warfare we have a very ample account, preserved in various contemporary poems and minor pieces of prose ; but the most valuable, because the most complete and detailed, account of it remaining, is that contained in the tract specially compiled under the name of Cogadh Gcdl re Gaedhil, or the Wars of the Danes with the Gaedhils. Of tliis tract I had the good fortune some sixteen years ago to discover an ancient, but much soiled and imperfect copy, in the library of Trinity College ; and this manuscript, with the permission of the College Board, I cleaned and copied. On the discovery of the Brussels Collection of Irish MSS. in 1846, it was found to contain a perfect copy of this tract, in the hand- writing of the friar Michael O'Clery. This book was borrowed by Dr. Todd in 1852, and I made a fair transcript of it for the College library, thus securing to an Irish institution, where it might be easily consulted, a full and perfect copy. The ancient fragment must be nearly as old as the chief events towards the conclusion of the war, or the time of the decisive battle of Clon- tarf ; and, as the O'Clery manuscript was not made out from this, we have the advantage of two independent copies of authority so far; and this, I need not tell you, is no small advantage in the case of documents which must have passed through so many successive transcriptions in successive ages, as most of oiu" cele- . bratcd pieces have done. Of the antiquity of the original composition of the tract, and OF THE EXISTING OLD MS. HISTORIES. 233 of its authenticity, we have most important evidence in the lect. xi. fact, that a fragment (unfortunately the first folio only) remains ^^^ jj._,^^^. in the Book of Leinster. The existence of this fragment is of of the double miportance. Firstly, because the Book of Leinster, the Danes ha\'ing been compiled between the years 1120 and 1150, at a ^^^"^1! time that men were living whose grandfathers remembered the battle of Clontarf, this tract must have been at that period re- cognized as an authentic and veritable narrative, and exten- sively known, else it could scarcely find a place in such a com- pilation. And secondly, the fact of this tract containing a great amount of detail, of what must have been at this period very distasteful to the Leinster men, it is but reasonable to believe that neither exaggerration nor falsehood would have been al- lowed to form part of so great a provincial compilation. This, to be sure, is arguing in the absence of the now lost copy ; but any one acquainted with our ancient books, will be struck with the remarkable agreement which characterizes the record of the same events in books of different and often hostile provinces, even when the writer is recording the defeat, and perhaps disgrace, of the people of his own territory or province. This book is now in course of publication, as one of the series of Chronicles on the History of Great Britain and Ireland, under the superintendance of the Master of the Rolls, in England. It is to be edited, with a Translation, Notes, and Introduction, by the Rev. Dr. Todd, S.F.T.C.D. The next great piece of history that I have to call your attention The History to, in continuation of the historical chain, is one which, though waksop but of local name and importance, still must have had (as indeed thomond. it is well known to have had) a considerable influence in stimu- lating the fierce opposition which the Anglo-Norman invaders met with, in the south and west of Ireland, for near two hundred years after their first disastrous descent upon this country. The tract I allude to is commonly called the Wars of Tho- mond; and up to the present time it is, I am sorry to say, better known by name than by examination. It was compiled in the year 1459, by John, the son of Rory 3fac Craith, a member of a learned family of that name, which gave many poets andhistorians to the Dalcassian families ofClare,and many learned ecclesiastics to the Catholic Church, — down to the time of the wretched Maelmuire [or Miler] Mac Grath, who, from being a pious friar of the Franciscan order, became (after some smaller preferments) the first Protestant Archbishop of Cashel, at the close of Queen Elizabeth's reign. It professes to have been com- piled from various documents belonging to the families of men Wars of Thomond. 234 OF THE EXISTING OLD MS. HISTORIES. LECT. XI. wlio took an active and prominent part in the stirring scenes of which it is the record. of nie'^ °'^ The following is the explanatory title-page, prefixed to a fine paper copy of this valuable tract, now preserved in the library of the Dublin University : — " Here is a copy of that prime historical book, which the learned call Catlireim Thoirdhealhhaigh [the Wars ofTurlogh], in which is set forth every renowned deed that happened in Thomond, or North Munster, for more than two hundred years, or nearly from the Anglo-Norman invasion of Erinn to the death of De Clare ; first written by John, the son of Rory Mac Grath, the chief historian to the noble descendants of Cas [the Dalcassians], in the year 1459, as appears at the nineteenth foho of the same very old book, which may be seen at this day ; and now newly written by Andrew Mac Curtin for the use of Tadhg, son of John, son of Mahon, son of Donnoch, son of Tadlig Og^ son of Tadhg, son of Donnoch, son of Rory, son of Mahon, son of John, son of Dornhnall Ballach, son of Mahon the Blind, son of Maccon, son of Ctimeadha, son of Maccon, son of Loclilcdnn, son of Cumeadha Mdr Mac Namara of Ranna. A.D. 1721". The transcriber of this copy, Andrew Mac Curtin, of Ennis- timon, in the county of Clare, was one of the best, if not the very best, Irish scholar of his day ; and a transcript from his accurate hand may be received with confidence, and looked upon, for all historical purposes, as of equal value with the original. The Mac Namara, for whom the transcript was made, represented, in the direct line, the ancient chiefs of the Clann Cuilein, in Clare ; and well might he be anxious to preserve in his family a correct copy of this historical piece, because the Mac Namaras, his ancestors, were the most numerous, the most imjDortant, and, if possible, the most valiant of the proud and powerful Dalcassian Clanns who took part in the fearful internal warfare recorded in it. The tract opens with the death of the brave Domhnall Mor O'Brien, the last king of Munster, in the year 1194, and the elevation of his son, Donoch, (or Donnchadh) Cairbi^ech O'Brien to his place, — but as chief of the Balcais only (not as King of Munster), with the title of The O'Brien. The incidents of this prince's reign are passed over lightly, to his death, in the year 1242. Donnoch was succeeded by his son Conor, who erected the monastery of Corcomroe, in which his tomb and effigy may be seen at this day. This Conor had two sons, Tadlig and Brian Ruadh O'Brien, of whom I shall presently speak. The Anglo-Norman power which came into the coimtry in OF THE EXISTING OLD MS. HISTORIES. 235 the year 1172, had constantly gained ground, generation after lect. xi. generation, as you ai'e of course aware, in consequence chiefly of the mutual jealousies and isolated opposition of the individual of uie'^ °'^ chiefs and clanns among the Gaedhils. At last the two great jhojiond. sections of the country, the races of the north and the south, re- solved to take counsel, and select some brave man of either of the ancient royal houses to be elevated to the chief command of the whole nation, in order that its power and efficiency might be the more efiectually concentrated and brought into action against the common enemy. To this end, then, a convention was ar- ranged to take place between Brian O'Neill, the greatest leader of the north at this time, and Tadlig^ the son of Conor O'Brien, — at CaeluisgS [Narrow Water] , on Loch Erne (near the present Castle Calwell). O'Neill came attended by all the chiefs of the north and a munerous force of armed men. O'Brien, though in his father's lifetime, went thither, at the head of the Munster and Connacht chiefs, and a large body of men in arms. The great chiefs came face to face at either Bank of the NarroAv Water, but their old destiny accompanied them, and each came to the convention fully determined that himself alone should be the chosen leader and king of Erinn. The convention was, as might be expected, a failure; and the respective parties returned home more divided, more jealous, and less powerful than ever to advance the general interests of their country, and to crush, as united they might easily have done, that crafty, unscrupulous, and treacherous foe, which contrived then and for centuries after to rule over the clanns of Erinn, by taking ad- vantage of those dissensions among them which the stranger always found means but too readily to foment and to perpetuate. This convention or meeting of O'Brien and O'Neill took place in the year 1258, according to the Annals of the Four Masters; and in the year after, that is in 1259, Tadhg O'Brien died. In the year after that again, that is, in 1260, Brian O'Neill himself was killed in the battle of Down Patrick, by John de Courcy and his followers. The premature death of Tadhg O'Brien so preyed on his father, that for a considerable time he forgot altogether the duties of his position and the general interests of his people. This state of supineness encom^aged some of his subordinate chiefs to withhold from him his lawful tributes. Among these insubordinates was the OLocMainn of Burren, whose contumacy at length roused the old chief to action ; and in the year 1267 he marched into OLochlainns country, as far as the wood of Siuhhdaineach, in the north-west part of Burren. Here the chief was met by the CLochlainns and their adhe- 236 OF THE EXISTING OLD MS. HISTOEIES. LECT. XI. The History of the Wars of TnonoxD. rents, and a battle ensued, in wliicli O'Brien was killed and liis army routed : and hence he has been ever since known in his- tory as Conchuhhar na SiubhdainS, or Conor o( Siuhhdaineach. Tadhg O'Brien, the elder son of Conor, left two sons, Turloch and Donoch ; and according to the law of succession among the clanns, Toi'loch, though still in his minority, should succeed to the chieftaincy and to the title of O'Brien. In this, however, he was wrongfully anticipated by his father's brother Brian Ruadh, who had himself proclaimed chief, and without any opposition. This Brian Ruadh continued to rule for nine yeai's, until the young Torloch came to full age ; when, backed by his relatives the MacNamaras, and his fosterers the O'Deas, he marched with a great force agamst his uncle, who, sooner than risk a battle, fled with his immediate family and adherents, taking with him all his property, eastwards into North Tip- perary, and left young Torloch in full possession of his ancestral rule and dignity. Brian Ruadh, however, could not quietly submit to his loss and disgrace, and, taking counsel with his adherents, they decided on his seeking the aid of the national enemy, to rein- state him in his lost chieftainship. For tliis purpose Brian Ruadh and his son Donoch proceeded to Cork, to Thomas de Clare, son of the Earl of Gloucester, then at the head of all the Anglo-Norman forces of Munster, and sought his assistance, offer- ing him an ample remuneration for his services. They offered him all the land lying between the city of Limerick and the town of Ardsallas, in Clare. De Clare gladly accepted those terms, and both parties met by agreement at Limerick, from which they marched into Clare ; where, before any successful opposition could be offered them, the castle of Bunratty was built and fortified by the Norman leader. A short time afterwards, however (in the year 1277), De Clare put the unfortunate Brian Ruadh to death ; having had him drawn between horses and torn limb from limb, notwith- standing that the fidelity of their mutual alliance had been ratified by the most solemn oaths on all the ancient relics of Munster. And it was then indeed that the great wars of Thomond commenced in earnest; for, notwithstanding the treacherous death of their father, the infatuated sons of Brian Ruadh still adhered to De Clare, and the warfare was kept up with varying success till the year 1318, when Robert de Clare and his son were at last killed, in the battle of Disert O'Dea. After this the party of Brian Ruadh were compelled to fly once more over the Shannon into Ara, in Tipperary, where their descendants have ever since remained under the clann designa- tion of the O'Briens of Ara. OF THE EXISTING OLD MS. HISTORIES. 237 The brave Dalcassiaus having thus rid themselves both of lect xi. domestic aiid foreim usurpation, preserved their comitry, their ^^ „. , mdepeudence, and their native laws and institutions, down to of the the year 1542, when Murroch, the son of Tiuioch, made sub- t/omond. mission to Henry the Eighth, abandoned the ancient and glorious title of the O'Brien, and disgraced his lineage by accepting a patent of his territory from an EngHsh king, with the English title of Eail of Thomond. As illustrative of local topograpliical and family history, this tract stands unrivalled. There is not an ancient chieftaincy in Clare that camiot be defined, and that has not been defined by its aid ; nor a family of any note in that part of Ireland, whose position and power at the time is not recorded in it. Among these families may be foimd — the O'Briens, the Mac- Namaras, the MacMahons, the O'Quinns, the O'Deas, the O'GrilFys (or Grifiins), the O'Hehirs, the O'Gradys, the Mac Gormans, the O'Conors of Corcomroe, the O'Lochlainns of Burren, the O'Seasnans (or Sextons), the 0' Comhraidhes (or CiuTys), the O'Kennedys, the O'Hogans, etc., etc. The style of the composition of this tract is extremely redun- dant, abounding in adjectives of indefinable difterence ; never- theless, it possesses a power and vigour of description and nar- ration wliich, independently of the exciting incidents, will amply compensate the reader's study. There are several copies of this tract extant in paper, the best of which known to me is Mac Curtin's, in Trinity College library ; but there is a large fragment of it in vellum in the li- brary of the Royal Irish Academy, wiitten in a most beautiful, but unknown hand, in the year 1509. The text of this tract would make about 300 pages of the text of O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters. The last piece of this class of historical composition which 1 5^'^^^^°^'^ "^ shall bring under your notice, before proceeding to give some account of the Historic Tales, is the " Book of Munster", — an important collection of provincial history, and to a considerable extent of the history of the whole nation. The Book of Munster is an independent compilation, but of uncertain date, as we happen to have no ancient copy of it ; but as its leading points are to be found in the Books of Lein- ster, Ballymote, and Lecain, we may believe that they must have taken their abstracts from this ancient book in its original form. There are two copies of it on paper in the Royal Irish Academy, both made at the beginning of the last century, but neither of them giving us any account of the originals from which they were transcribed. 238 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XI. The book (as is usual in all tlie very ancient independent compilations of this kind) begins with a record of the creation MuNSTEK. (taken, of course, from the Book of Genesis), and this merely for the purpose of carrying down the pedigrees of the sons of Noah, and particularly of Japhet, from whom the Milesians of Erinn descend. The history of the Ebereans, or southern branch of the Mile- sian line, is then carried do\vn from Eher to Brian Boroimhe and the time of the battle of Clontarf. The line of succession of the kings and great chiefs of Mim- ster may be easily collected from the great books which I have before mentioned; but in tliis particular "Book of Munster" there is a mass of details relative to the various disputes and contentions for this succession (between rival local aspirants, as well as between north and south Munster, or the Dal- cassian and Eugenian lines), not to be found in any other work that I am acquainted with. Space will not, however, here allow me to enter into a minute analysis of this important tract ; but I may particularly call your attention to the detailed accoimt it contains of the contests and circumstances attending the succession to the throne of Munster of Catlial Mac Finguine, about the year 720 ; of Feilim Mac Crimthainn, about 824 ; of Cormac Mac Cullinan, about 885 ; of Ceallacliain of Cashel, about 934 ; and o? Brian BoroimhS, about 976; all of which are full of historic interest, and the more so, as they are fomided upon indisputable facts not elsewhere mmutely or satisfactorily recorded. The Book of Munster, including the pedigrees of the leading Munster families, consists of 260 pages foHo, on paper, equal to 400 pages of the Four Masters. I believe there is a vellum copy of it in the College of St. Isidore at Rome. Of the In the very short account I have thus given you of the larger Tales. historical tracts, which supply, for those portions of our history which they describe, the chief details passed over in the mere Annals, I have only endeavoured to make you aware of the scope of this class of works, without enlarging on their special importance to the futiu'e historian of the country, who will find in them so much of continuous narrative nearly made to his hand. A little consideration will indeed suggest to you how much I could have offered on this subject. I pass, therefore, without more delay to the consideration of a department of our literature, which is, perhaps, the largest in extent, and hardly the least in importance, among the materials for the elucidation of our ancient history, but which I find I must, for the proper OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 239 imderstanding of it, introduce to your notice here by some ob- lect. xi. servations of an introductory character. I aUude to those shorter pieces, which we may call the Historic Tales, and historic wliich consist of detailed accounts of isolated exploits and inci- ^'^^' dents, strictly historical in the main, but recited often with no inconsiderable amount of poetical or imaginative accompani- ment of style. Of these compositions, a very large number have come down to us, and when, by careful collation, and by the judicious ap- pHcation to them of an enhghtened criticism, the true facts of history with which they abound shall be collected, the futiu-e historian will find liimself at no loss for materials of the most valuable kind. I do not purpose in this place to enter into any detailed ex- amination of the authority of these tracts. Many of them con- sist entii'ely of pure history; many others contain recitals of indubitable liistoric facts in great detail, but mixed with minor incidents of an imaginative character. That they are all true in the main, I have myself no doubt whatever ; but the investi- gation of their claims to respect in this regard would lead me at present too far from the prescribed track of an introductory com'se. I shall, therefore, only open to you shortly the circum- stances under wliich tales of this kind were composed, and the general character and profession of their authors; and I shall refer you to a few examples of the recognition of their authority by some of our earliest, most careful, and authentic writers. I shall then at once proceed to describe to you the contents and plan of a few of these compositions, which may be taken as specimens of the remainder of them in each department. luca I have already shown you in a former Lecture, that under the Jl^ ^^^^^ ancient laws of Eiinn an obhgation was imposed upon certain fifties of an high officers to make and preserve regular records of the his- tory of the country. The duty of the Ollamlis was, however, a good deal more extensive than this, for they were bomid by the same laws to make themselves perfect masters of that history in all its de- tails, and to teach it to the people by public recitals ; as well as to be the legal referees upon all subjects in dispute concerning history and the genealogies (and you will bear in mind that the preservation of the rights of property of individuals intimately depended on the accuracy of that history and of those genea- logies). The laws pro^dded strictly for the education of the OllairJi (and no one could act as a Brehon or Judge that had not attained the degree of an OUamh), and they conferred upon 240 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. The educa- tion and duties of an Ollainh. XI. him valuable endowments and most important privileges, all wliicli he forfeited for Hfe, as I had occasion befoi'c to observe to you, if he became guilty of falsifying the history of any fact or the genealogy of any family. The education of the Ollamh was long and minute. It ex- tended over a space of twelve years " of hard work", as the early books say, and in the course of these twelve years certain regular courses were completed, each of wliich gave the stu- dent an additional degree, as a File, or Poet, with corres- ponding title, rank, and privileges. In the Book of Lecain (fol. 168) there is an ancient tract, describing the laws upon this subject, and referring, ^vith quo- tations, to the body of the Brethibh Nimhedh, or " Brehon Laws". According to this authority, the perfect Poet or Ollamh should know and practise the Teiyiim Laegha, the Lyias Forosnadh, and the Dichedal do cliennaihli. The first appears to have been a peculiar druidical verse, or incantation, believed to confer upon the di'uid or poet the power of understanding everything that it was proper for him to say or speak of. The second is explained or translated, " the illumination of much knowledge, as from the teacher to the pupil", that is, that he should be able to ex- plain and teach the foiu: divisions of poetry or jDhilosophy, "and each division of them", continues the authority quoted, " is the chief teaching of three years of hard work". The third quahfi- cation, or Dichedal, is explained, " that he begins at once the head of his poem", in short, to improvise extempore in correct verse. " To the Ollamh", says the ancient authority quoted in this passage in the Book of Lecain, " belong synchronisms, to- gether with the laegha laidhibh, or illuminating poems [incan- tations] , and to liim belong the pedigrees and the etymologies of names, that is, he has the pedigrees of the men of Erinn with certainty, and the branching off of their various relation- ships". Lastly, " Here are the four divisions of the knowledge of poetry (or philosophy)", says the tract I have referred to ; " ge- nealogies, synchronisms, and the reciting of (historic) tales form the first division ; knowledge of the seven kinds of verse, and how to measm-e them by letters and syllables, form another of them ; judgment of the seven kinds of poetry, another of them ; lastly, Dichedal [or improvisation], that is, to contemplate and recite the verses without ever thinking of them before". It thus appears that the Ollamh was bound (and even from the very first course of his professional studies), among other duties, to have the Historic Stories ; and these are classed with the genealogies and synchronisms of history, in which he was to preserve the truth of history pure and unbroken to sue- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 241 ceeding generations. According to several of tlie most ancient lect. xr. authorities, the Ollamh. or perfect Doctor, was bound to have „ • ■*■ TliG Gtiuca,- (for recital at the pubhc feasts and assemblies) at least Seven tion ana Fifties of these Historic narratives ; and there appear to have o"tem/° "" been various degrees in the ranks of the poets, as they pro- gressed in education towards the final degree, each of which was bound to be supphed with at least a certain numbei'. Thus the Anroth, next in rank to an Ollamh, shovdd have half the number of an Ollamh; the Cll, one-third the nmnber, according to some authorities, and eighty according to others ; and so on down to the Fochlog, who shoidd have thirty, and the Driseg (the lowest of all), who shoidd have twenty of these tales. To each of these classes, as I have observed, proportionate emoluments and privileges were seciu'ed by law. It is thus perfectly clear that the compositions I have already The autiio- called the Historic Tales, were composed for a much graver "iL'toric'^ purpose than that of mere amvisement; and when the nature oi'^^llf^l^ the profession of the Ollamh, the Poet, the Historical Teacher, History. is considered, as well as the laws by which it was regulated, it will not seem surprising that the poems and tales in which these officers preserved the special facts and details of history, shoidd have been regarded at all times as of the greatest autho- rity. Accordingly, we find them quoted and followed by the most distingTiished of the early critics and teachers of oiu' his- tory, such as the celebrated Flann of Monasterboice, and others. As instances of such references, I shall take a few examples at i-andom from the Book of Lecain ; but they occur in innu- merable places in that and other ancient MSS. The Book of Lecain, at foHo 15, b. a., after a poem on the death of Aengus Ollmiicadh, quotes as authority for it a poem by Eochaidli O'FHnn; and at 16, b. b., it quotes from another poem by the same writer. At folio 25, b.b-, a poem by Finntan (sixth century) is quoted as an authority on the subject of the colonies of Parthalon, . and Nemhed, and of the Firbolgs. At foho 277, b., a poem by Mac Liag, on the Firbolg co- lonies, is quoted as having been taken from their own accounts of themselves ; and at 278, a., another on the same subject. At foHo 280, is quoted a poem by Eochaidh O'Flinn, on the Tuatha De Danann and the first battle of Magh Tuireadh — a poem, in which the account of that battle corresponds with that of the ancient prose tale I have presently to describe to you. And so on. One reason, perhaps, why even the poems of the learned men of ancient times have thus been regarded as of such im- 1(3 242 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. I-ECT XI. The autho- rity of the " Historic Tales", as pieces of History. portance, is that the Ollamhs were in the habit of teaching the facts of history to their pupils in verse, probably that they might thus be the more easily remembered. Thus we find in the Book o£ Lecain (fol. 27, a. b.) a poem by Colum Cille, in praise of Eochaidh Mac Eire, addressed to a pupil who questioned him ; and this poem contains a minute account of the battle of Magh Tuireadh, and also of the Milesian expedition to Erinn. And Flann of Monasterboice (perhaps the greatest of our early critics), the celebrated compiler of the synchronisms which pass under his name, frequently quotes from and refers to poems earher than his time as authorities for historic facts, and he also often communicates in verse to his pupils his own profound historic learning. Of Flann's critical and historical poems there are several in the Book of Lecain : as at folio 24, b. b., one on the kings, from Eochaidh Feidhleach to LaeghairS^ in which he gives an account of the Cathreim Dathi, and the Bruighean Da Derga, exactly corresponding with the recitals of those events in the Historic Tales so named. So also, Lecain, folio 25, a.; 28, a. a.; 280, etc., etc., etc., It seems strange enough that the authors of the Historic Tales should have been permitted at all to introduce fairy agency in describing the exploits of real heroes, and to describe pui'ely imaginative characters occasionally among the subordinate per- sonages in these stories. This seems strange, because they could not alter the historic occurrences themselves, nor tamper with the truth of the genealogies and successions of the kings and chief- tains, — which it w^as their professional duty to teach in purity to the people, — without hazarding the loss of all their dignities and privileges. It is, however, certain that the rules of these compositions permitted the introduction of a certain amount of poetical machinery. These rules, and the circmustances imder which, and the extent to which, the Ollamhs used such licence, must remain matter for critical investigation. It only belongs to my present design to assure yo\i of the historical authority of all the substantial statements respecting the battles, the expedi- tions, and the alliances of our early kings, contained in these Scela, or Tales : and of this authority there cannot be any doubt, if we are to believe the testimony of the most accurate of our early critics and the most venerable MSS. which have been handed down to us. One other observation remains to be made. That the His- toric Tales which I am about to describe to you are indeed those which the Ollamhs were bound, under the laws I have quoted, to have for recital to the people, we are fortunately in a condition to prove out of one of the earliest, and on the whole, OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 243 I believe I may say, tlie most valuable, of all the early liistoi-ic i,ect. xt. books now in existence. I mean no other than the Book of Leinster itself (T.C.D. ; H. 2. 18). ^^""6 At folio 151, a., of this venerable MS., we find recorded the xaies-'alf rule I have already referred to as to the niunber of Historic come^uwi Tales which each class of poet, or teacher, was bound to have, — - to m, [See original in Appendix, No. LXXXVIII.] " Of the qualifications of a poet in stories and in deeds to be related to kings and chiefs, as follows, viz. : Seven times fifty stories, i.e., five times fifty prime stories, and twice fifty secon- dary stories ; and these secondary stories are not permitted [that is, can only be permitted] but to four grades only, viz. : an Ollamh, an Amrath, a Cli, and a Ccmo. And these ' Prime Stories' are: Destructions and Prcyings, Courtships, Battles, Caves, Navigations, Tragedies (orDeatlis), Expeditions,, Elope- ments, and Conflagrations". And afterwards, " These following reckon also as prime stories : stories of Irruptions, of Visions, of Loves, of Hostings, and of Migrations". A vast number of examples of these difierent prime stories follow, by which we are supplied with tlie names of so many as 187 in all, classified under their different heads; and this invaluable list has been the means of identifying very many of these ancient tales among the MSS. which have been preserved to our times. — [See this List in the Appendix, No. LXXXIX.] The number of the ancient Historic Tales yet in existence is considerable, and several of them have been identified. Many of these, of course, are not known to us in so pure a state as we could wish, but each year's investigation throws some addi- tional light on even the least of them, and brings out their his- toric value. I need only add, that the strictly Historic Tales known to me may be calculated as embracing matter extensive enough to occupy about 4000 pages of O'Donovan's Annals. Of the Historic Tales a few have been printed within the last few years, which may be taken, to some extent at least, as spe- cimens of the remainder. The Catli Muighe Rath (Battle of Magh Rath, or Moyra), published by the Archaeological Society in 1842, is one of the tales in the list in the Book of Leinster, The Celtic Society also printed two of the Historic Tales in 1855, the Cath Aluighe Leana, and the Tochnarc Momera, both of which are of remarkable interest and great historic value. Of those which I have selected shortly to introduce to your notice here, the first is also one of the Catha, or Battles, It is that of Magh Tuireadh, one of the earliest battles recorded in our history, and almost the earliest event upon the record of which we may place sure reliance. It was in this battle that IG B 244 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. ]°. Of the Catha, or " Battles". Tl.e "Battle of Maijh I'uireadh". the Firbolgs were defeated by the Tuatlia De Danann race, who subsequently ruled in Erinn till the coming of the Mile- sians from Spain ; so that it forms a great epoch and starting point in our liistory. The tract which goes by the name is somewhat long, opening indeed with the same account of the first colonies or expeditions that landed in Erinn which we find in the Books of Invasions. It is impossible that I should give you the whole account here, or indeed any considerable part of it, but I shall endeavour to make the contents of the tract as intelligible as our time may permit. The Firbolgs, according to the Annals, arrived in Ireland about the year of the world 3266. Very soon after landing, the chiefs, though wide apart the spots upon which in different parties they first touched the shore, contrived to discover the fate of each other; and having looked out for a central and suitable place to reunite their forces, they happened to fix on the green hill now called Tara, but which they named Druim Cain, or the Beautiful Eminence. Here they planted their seat of government ; they divided the island into five parts, between the five brothers, and distributed their people among them. The Firbolgs continued thus to hold and rule the country for the space of thirty-six years, that is, till the year of the world 3303, when Eochaidh the son of Ere was their king. In this year the Firbolgs were sui-prised to find that the island contained some other inhabitants whom they had never before seen or heard of. These were no other than the Tuatlia DS Da- nann, the descendants oilohath, son ofBeathach. lohath was one of the Nemedian chiefs who survived the destruction of Conaings Tower (on Tory Island), and passed into the north of Europe; wliilst another of them, Simeon Breac, passed into Thrace, from whom the Firbolgs descended. Both tribes thus met in the old land once more, after a separation of about 237 years. The Tuatlia De Danann, after landing on the north-east coast of Erinn, had destroyed their ships and boats, and steal- thily made their way into the fastnesses of Magli Rein (in the County Leitrim). Here they had raised such temporary works of defence as might save them from any sudden surprise of an enemy, and then gradually showing themselves to the Firbolg inhabitants, they pretended that they had, by their skill in ne- cromancy, come into Erinn on the wings of the wind. The king of the Firbolgs, having heard of the arrival of these strange tribes, took counsel with liis wise men, and they resolved to send a large, powerful, and fierce warrior of their people forward to the camp of the strangers, to make observa- tions, and ascertain as much of their history and condition as he OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 245 could. The chosen warrior, whose name was Sreng, went forward lkct. xr. on his mission to Magli Rein; but before he reached the camp ^^ the Tuatha De Danann sentinels had perceived him, and they catha, or immediately sent forward one of their own champions, named (The "Battle Breas, to meet and talk to him. Both warriors approached '^^l/llan;-). with great caution, imtil they came within speaking distance of each other, when each of them planted his shield in front of him to cover his body, and viewed the other over its border with inquiring eyes. Breas was the first to break silence, and Sreng was delighted to hear himself addressed in his own lan- guage, for the old Gaedhlic was the mother-tongue of each. They drew nearer each other, and, after some conversation, dis- covered each other's lineage and remote consanguinity. " They next examined each other's spears, swords, and shields ; and in tliis examination they discovered a very marked difference in the shape and excellence of the spears ; Sreng being armed with two heavy, thick, pointless, but sharply rounded, spears ; while Breas carried two beautifully shaped, thin, slender, long, sharp-pointed spears. Breas then proposed on the part of the Tuatlia I)e Danann, to divide the island into two parts, be- tween the two great parties, and that they should mutually enjoy and defend it against all futm'e invaders. They then ex- changed spears for the mutual examination of both hosts ; and after ha^dng entered into vows of future friendship, each re- turned to his people. Sreng retmiicd to Tara, as we shall in future call that place ; and having recounted to the king and his people the result of his mission, they took counsel, and decided on not granting to the Tuatlia De Danann a division of the country, but, on the contrary, prepared to give them battle. In the meantime, Breas returned to his camp, and gave his people a very discou- raging account of the appearance, tone, and arms of the fierce man he had been sent to parley with. The Tuatha DS Danann having drawn no favoiu^able augury of peace or friend- ship from this specimen of the Firbolg warriors and his formid- able arms, abandoned their holdings, and, retiring farther to the south and west, took up a strong position on Mount Belgadan, at the west end oi Magh Nia (the plain of Nia), which is now called Magli Tuireadh (or Moytura), and is situated near the village of Cong, in the present county of Mayo. The Firbolgs marched from Tara, with all their forces, to this plain of Moy- tura, and encamped at the east end of it. Nuada, who was the king of the Tuatha DS Danann, however, wisliing to avoid hosti- lities if possible, opened new negotiations with King Eochaidh through the medium of his bards. The Firbolg king declined 246 OF THE HISTORIC TALE«. iEci". XI. to grant any accommodation, and the poets having returned to their hosts, both the great parties prepared for battle. catha. or The battle took place on Midsunimer-day. The Firbolgs (7116*" Battle wcrc defeated with gTeat slaughter, and their king (who left the Tuireadm battlc-field with a body guard of a hundred brave men, in search of water to allay his burning thirst) was followed by a party of a hundred and fifty men, led by the three sons of Nemedh, who pursued him all the way to the strand called Traigh EothaiU [near Ballysadare, in the county of Sligo]. Here a fierce combat ensued between the parties, in which King Eochaidh fell, — as well as the leaders on the other side, the three sons of Nemedh. The sons of Nemedh were buried at the west end of the strand, at a place since called heca Meic Nemedli, or the Grave Stones of the sons of Nemedh; and King Eochaidh was buried where he fell in the strand, and the great heap of stones known to this day as the Carn of Traigh EothaiU (and which was "^^ formerly accounted one of the wonders of Erinn) was raised over him by the victors. In the course of the battle, the Firbolg warrior Sreng dealt the king of the Tuatha De Danann, Nuada, a blow of his heavy sword, wliich clove the rim of his shield, and cut off his arm at the shoulder. Nuada had a silver arm made for him by certain ingenious artificers attached to his court, and he has been ever since known in our histoiy and romances as Nn/xda Airgead-lamh, or the Silver-handed. The battle of Magh Ttiireadli continued for four successive days, until at length the Firbolgs were diminished to 300 fighting men, headed by their still surviving warrior-chief, Sreng ; and, being thus reduced to a great inequahty of numbers compared with their enemies, they held a counsel and resolved to demand single combat, of man to man, in accordance with the universally acknowledged laws of ancient chivalry. The Tuatha De Danann thought better, and offered Sreng terms of peace, and his choice of the five great divisions of Erinn, Sreng accepted these terms, and took as his choice the present province of Connacht, which, down to the time of Conn of the Hundred Battles, was called by no other name than Cuigead Sreing — that is Sreng's province, — in which indeed his descend- ants were still recognized down so late as the year 1650, according to Duald Mac Firbis. The antiquity of this tract, in its present form, can scarcely be imder fourteen hundred years. The story is told with singular truthfulness of description. There is no attempt at making a hero, or ascribing to any individual or party the per- OF THE mSTOBIC TAfiES,''^,! C, - » ^ '247 ibrmance of any incredible deeds of valoiir. Tbere is, noweve?;"" a good deal of di-uidisni introduced ; — but tlie position and con- dvict of the poets or bards during the battle, and in the midst of catha, or it, — the origin of the name of Moytura, or the plain of pillars or (nie^Muuie columns, — the origin, names, and use of so many of the pillar yj^"^'^,,.., stones, of the mounds, and of the huge graves, vulgarly called Cromlechs, with which the plain is still covered, — are all matters of such interest and importance in the reading of our ancient history and the investigation of om* antiquarian monumental remains, that I am bold to assert that I believe there is not in all Europe a tract of equal historical value yet lying in MS., / considering its undoubted antiquity and authenticity. There is but one ancient copy of this tract known to me ''''^''7=^- ^-'^ to be in existence, and of this I possess an accurate transcript^, 4 '4 \^ , The mere facts of the coming in of the TzcatJut De Dancmji^^""^'''^ ^ of the battle that ensued, and of the death of King Eochaidh , — ^-pr- ^ ^ only, are told in O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, at /^ f L^ /j the year of the world 3303. That accomplished Irish topogra- ' * - ■ pher lays down the position of Moytiua, and other places men- tioned in oui" tract, with his usual accuracy ; but he has mis- taken the account of the second battle (which is in the British Museum) for this ; and of that battle I shall now proceed to give you a short sketch, in abstracting for you a second of these Historic Tales, which we may call the Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh, or the Battle of Magh Tuireadh "of the Fomorians". After the brief record of the fii-st battle by the Four Masters, The "Battle at the year of the world 3303, they tell us (at the year 3304) 'ruireadh that Bveas, the chief of the Tuath D6 Danann, who was a Fo- j^momns". morian by liis father (the same who, as we have seen, held the parley with the Firbolg warrior Sreng), received the regency from his people during the illness of their king, Nuada, who had lost liis arm in the battle. Breas held the regency for seven years, when he resigned it again to the king ; and Nuada (who in the mean time was supplied with a silver arm by his surgeon, Dian- cecht, sindCreidne, the great worker in metals, — and thence called Nuada Airgid-lamli, or " of the Silver Hand") reassumed the sovereignty. The Annals pass on then to the twentieth year of Nuada's reign, (that is, a.m. 3330), where they merely state that, he fell in the battle of Moytura of the Fomorians, by the hand of Balor " of the stiiF blows", one of the Fomorians. Now nothing could be more dry or less attractive than this simple record, in four Hues, of the death in battle of the king of a country and people, without a single word of detail, or any reference whatever to the cause of the war, or to the other actors in the battle ; so that any person might take it upon himself to 248 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XI. question tlie veracity of so meagre a record, if there had been Of th ^° collateral evidence to support it. This, however, like the Catha, or former battle, had its ancient history, as well as its dry chronicle ; (The "Battle and from the former I shall lay before you in the following ab- Tufrtadh stract as much of it as will, at least, I hope arouse the curiosity of the and attention of my hearers, — begging of them at the same time to remember, that notwithstanding all that has been written and spoken for and against the remote history of Ireland, even ixp to this day, the test of pure, unbiassed criticism, historical and chronological, has not yet been applied to it. The tract opens with an account of the lineage of Breas, and how it was that he became king. We have seen that the warrior regent resigned the sovereignty at the end of seven years to Nuada the king ; but it was more by compulsion than good will that he did so, for his rule was so marked by inhospitality, and by entire neglect of the wants and wishes of his people, that loud murmurs of discontent assailed him from all quarters long before his regency was terminated. In short, as the chronicler says, the knives of his people were not greased at his table, nor did their breath smell of ale at the banquet. Neither their poets, nor their bards, nor their satirists, nor their harpers, nor their pipers, nor their trumpeters, nor their jugglers, nor their bujftbons, were ever seen engaged in amusing them at the assemblies of his court. It is in line added that he had even succeeded in reducing many of the best and bravest of tlie Tuatlia De Danann warriors to a state of absolute servitude and vassalage to himself; and his design seems to have been to substitute an absolute ride for the circumscribed power of a chief kinff under the national law of the clanns. At the time that the discontent was at its height, a certain poet and satirist named CairhrS, the son of the poetess Etan, vi- sited the king's court ; but, in place of being received with the accustomed respect, the poet was sent, it appears, to a small dark chamber, without fire, furniture, or bed, where he was served with three small cakes of dry bread only, on a very small and mean table. This treatment was in gross violation of public law, and could not fail to excite the strongest feeling. The poet accordingly arose on the next morning, full of discontent and bitterness, and left the court not only without the usual profes- sional compUments, but even pronouncing a bitter and wither- ing satire on his host. This was the first satire ever, it is said, written in Erinn ; and although such an insult to a poet, and the public expression of his indignation in consequence, would fall very far short of penetrating the quick feelings of the nobi- lity or royalty of these times (so different are the customs of an- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 249 cient and modern lionour), still it was sufficient in those early lect. xi. days to excite the sympathy of the whole body of the Tuatlia iJe jo ofthe Danann, chiefs and people ; and occurring as it did after so many catha, or just causes of popular complaint, they detennined without more (The "Battle to call upon Breas to resign his power forthwith. To this call ^„/f.";'rfA the regent reluctantly acceded ; and ha^ang held coimcil with his of "!^^J'",- mother, they both determined to retire to the court of his father, Elatlia, at this time the great cliief of the Fomorian pirates, or sea kings, who then swarmed through all the German Ocean, and ruled over the Shetland Islands and the Hebrides. Though Elatha received his son coldly, and seemed to tliink that his disgrace was deserved, still he acceded to his request to furnish liim with a fleet and army with which to return and conquer Erinn for himself, if he could, from his maternal rela- tions the Tuatha De Danann. Breas was therefore recom- mended by his father to the favour of the great Fomorian chiefs, Balor " of the Evil Eye", king of the Islands, and In- dech, son of De-JJomnand ; and these two leaders collected all the men and ships lying from Scandinavia westwards, for the intended invasion, so that they are said to have formed an un- broken bridge of ships and boats from the Hebrides to the north- west coast of Erinn. Having landed there, they marched to a plain iu the present barony of Tirerrill, in the comity of Sligo, — a spot surrounded by high hills, rocks, and narrow defiles ; — and, ha'ving thus pitched their camp in the enemy's country, they awaited the cleteiinination of the Tuatha De Danan?i, to surrender or give them battle. The latter were not slow in pre- paring to resist the invaders, and the recorded account of their preparations is in full accordance with their traditional character as skilful artizans and profound necromancers. Besides the king, Nuada " of the Silver Hand", the cliief men of the Tuatha De Dojiann at tliis time were : the great Daghda; Lug, the son of Cian, son of Diancecht, their great Esculapius ; Ogma Grian-Aineach ("of the sun-like face"), and others; but the Daghda and Lug were the prime counsellors and arrangers of the battle. The tract proceeds to state how these two called to their presence : — their smiths ; their cerds, or silver and brass w^orkers ; their carpenters ; their surgeons ; their sorcerers ; their cup-bearers ; their druids ; their poets ; their witches ; and their cliief leaders. And there is not, perhaps, in the whole range of oiu" ancient literature a more curious chapter than that which describes the questions which Lug put to these several classes as to the nature of the service which each was prepared to render in the battle, and the characteristic professional answer which he recei\'ed from each of them. 250 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XI. The battle (which took place on the last day of October) is 1° Of the eloquently described, — with all the brave achievements, and all Catha, or the deeds of art and necromancy by which it was distinguished. (The "Battle The Fomorians were defeated, and their chief men killed. King fkih^e^dh Nuada of the Silver Hand was indeed killed by Balor of the Evil of the Fo- Eye, but Balor himself fell, soon after, by a stone flung at him by Lug (his grandson by his daughter Eitldenn), which struck him (we are told) in the "evil eye", and with so much force, that it carried it ont through the back of his head. The magical skill, as it was called, — ^in i-eality of course, the scientific superiority — of the Tuatha De Danann, stood them well in this battle ; for JJiancecht, their chief physician, with his daughter Oclitriuil, and liis two sons, Airmedh and Mioch, are stated to have previously prepared a heahng bath or fountain with the essences of the principal heahng herbs and plants of Eiinn, gathered chiefly in Lus-MhagJi, or the Plain of Herbs (a district comprised in the present King's Coimty) ; and on this bath they continued to pronounce incantations during the battle. Such of their men as happened to be wounded in the fight were immediately brought to the bath and plunged in, -and they are said to have been instantly refreshed and made whole, so that they were able to retiu^n and fight against the enemy again and again. The situation of the plain on which this battle was fought, is minutely laid down in the story, and has been ever since called Meagli Tuireadh na hh-Fomorac1i, or "The Plain of the Towers (or j)illars) of the Fomorians", to distinguish it from the south- ern Moytura, from which it is distant about fifty miles. The story does not enter into any account of the setting up of any tombs, towers, or pillars, though many ancient Cyclopian graves and monuments remain to this day on the plain ; but as it appears to be imperfect at the end, it is possible that the tract in its complete form contained some details of this nature. Cormac Mac Cullinan in his celebrated Glossary quotes this tract in illustration of the word Nes; so that so early as the ninth century it was looked upon by him as a very ancient historic composition of authority. I have only to add, that the only ancient copy of this tract that I am acquainted with, or that, perhaps, now exists, is one in the British Museum, finely written on vellum by Gilla-Riah- hach O'Clery, about the year 1460. Of this I had a perfect transcript made by my son Eugene, under my own inspection and correction, in London, in the summer of last year [1855] ; so that the safety of the tract does not any longer depend on the existence of a single copy. LECTURE XII. [DoUvered March 6, 1856.] The Historic Tales (continued). 2. Of the Longasa, or Voyages, The Historj' of the " Voyage of Labhraidh Loingseach, or Macn\ The " Voyage of Sreacan". 3. Of the Tfjt/A/a, or Destructions. The " Destruction of the Bruighean (or Court of) Da Derga". The " Bniigliean Du Clwga". 4. Of the Airgne, or Shiughters. Tlie " Slaughters (battles) of Conghal Cldring- neach'\ Of the Revolt of the Aitheacli Tuatha, called the Attacotti, or Atta- cots. The " Slaughter of the Noble Clanns of Erinn, by Cairbre Cinti-cait" (Carbry-Cat-head). 5. Of the Forbasa, or Sieges. The " Siege of JEdar", (the Fortress of Howth Hill), The " Siege of JDrom Damhghaire" (Knock- long). In the last lecture I opened tlie account I proposed to gi\e you of the Historic Tales, with the remarkable tracts which describe the first and second battles of Magh Tiiireadh. These tracts afforded us examples of the most important class of those Prim-scela, or Prime Stories, mentioned in the Book of Leinster: I mean the Catha^ or Battles. The remainder of the tales of wliicli 1 intend to speak, as examples of the other classes, may be most conveniently introduced in the chrono- logical order of the events narrated in them ; but it is proper to remind you, that no such system of selection is adopted in the list in the Book of Leinster, or elsewhere, and that each class of the ancient Historic Tales^ embraces histories of events occiu- ring at every jDcriod of our liistory, from the most remote to the tenth century. The division of the tales into classes was purely arbitrary, and apparently for the mere convenience of reference All these tales are but the recitals in detail of isolated events of history, either in explanation of important historical occur- rences, or ilkistrating the wisdom or gallantry of the heroes of the Gaedhlic race, or recording some interesting circumstance in their well-known career. And of each of the classes into which this department of our historical literatiu'e was divided we possess still several examples. The next of these tales which I have selected to describe to you is that in which the curious history of Labhraidh Loing- seach is recorded, a Leinster prince, who became monarch of Erinn about the year 541 before Christ. This tale might, per- haps, be classed among the Tochmarca, or Courtships, in so far as it contains a relation of the romantic story of the marriage of Labhraidh with the ladv 3Joriadh, the daughter of the king of 252 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. lECT. XII. West Munster; or it might take its place among the Ah'gne, or 2° Of the Slaughters, in so much as it details the Destruction of the fort LoNGASA,or of I) Inn High (near Carlow), which was taken by Lahhxiidh (The^" voy- from liis treacherous grand-uncle, Cohhthach Cael, the usurping IfidhLoing- ^i^^g of Erinn, who was killed in it. It may, however, as probably seach"). be the tale recorded in the Book of Leinster among the Longasa, or Voyages, as the Longeas Labhrada, and as the prince's second name of Loingseach ["the Voyager"] was due to this Longeas, we may perhaps take tliis tract as an appropriate specimen of that class of pieces. The Longeas was in one sense simply a voyage ; from Long, a ship. But it is observable that this designation is usually con- fined in ancient stories to a voyage involuntarily undertaken, as for instance in the case of a banishment, or a flight. A volun- tary expedition by sea is described under a different name, that of Lnram, and we shall find an example of that class also amongst the tales which I have yet to introduce to your notice. In a former lecture I beHeve I told you sometliing of the great king Ugaine Mor, from whom almost all the chief Gaedh- lic families in the provinces of Leinster, Ulster, and Connacht trace their descent. Ugaine Mor was king of all Erinn about the year 633 before Christ, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. He reigned forty years ; and he was at last succeeded, in 593 B.C., by his eldest son, Laeghaire Lore, who was how- ever treacherously killed two years afterwards by Ms brother, Cobhthach Cael Breagli; and this Cobhthach then assumed the kingship of Erinn, which he enjoyed for full half a century, till he also was slain at the taking of Linn Righ, just alluded to. It is with the accession of Cobhthach Cael to the supreme throne that the story of Labhraidh commences. This story is particu- larly interesting as recording one of the earliest instances of the very early cultivation of music among the ancient Irish, — in the power exercised over the feehngs of liis audience by CraftinS, the fu'st harper of whom we find any special mention in our books. Laeghaire Lore, the story tells us, had one son, Ailill AinS, who succeeded him as king of Leinster; however, his uncle Cobhthach soon procured his death by means of a poisoned drink. Ailill Aim left an infant son named Maen Ollamh; but because he was dumb, and therefore, according to law, for ever ineligible to be made a king, the usurping monarch spared his life. The orphan prince was therefore allowed to reside in his father's palace of Linn Righ, and placed under the tuition and guardianship of two officers of the court of Tara, namely, Fer- ceirtne, the poet and philosopher, and CraftinS, the harper. This instance of the endeavour to communicate mental in- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 253 struction to a dumb person at so remote a period, is particularly lect. xn. interesting. The boy Avas not, however, as Ave shall see, dumb ^o of t,,e from his birth, and the choice of a harper as one of his instruct- longasa, or ors would suggest that he was never deficient in hearing. (xue "\oy- Maen^ vmder the care and tuition of his two able guardians, ^^^aidhufng- in the course of years, sprung up into manhood, singularly dis- «eachn. tinguished by beauty of feature, symmetry of person, and cul- tivation of mind. One day, hoAvever, it happened that while enjoying his usual sports in the play-ground of his father's man- sion he receiA' ed some offence from one of his companions. The insult was promptly resented by a bloAV ; and, in an attempt to suit words to the action, the spell of his dumbness was broken, and the young man spoke. The quarrel was lost in an ex- clamation of joy raised by his companions, when they all cried owt Lahhraidh 31 aen! Lahhxddh Maen ! [" Maen speaks I Macn speaks !"] ; and his tutor Craftine coming up at the same time, and hearing what had happened, said that henceforth the prince should bear the name of Labhraidh Maen, in commemoration of the wonderful cA^ent. News of tliis important occurrence having reached the monarch CohJithach, at Tara, he commanded Labhraidh Maen to appear at his court, with his tutors and retainers, to assist at the Great Feast of Tara, which was then being held. While seated at the feast, and in the presence of all the com- pany, the monarch (so the tale relates) happened to ask aloud, Avho Avas, in the opinion of the company, the most munificent man in Erinn? Craftine and Ferceirtine both ansAvered that Lahhraidh Maen was the most mimificent man in Erinn. He is better than me, then, said the monarch, and you both may go with him. The loss Avill be greater to you than to us, said the harper. Depart out of Erinn, said the monarch. If we can can find no refuge in Erinn, Ave will, said they. Lahhraidh Maen, accordingly, took counsel at once with his tutors and a fcAV other friends, as to what he should do ; when, after a careful consideration of all the circumstances of their case, they decided on leaA'ing Leinster, and seeking refuge and friendship from Scoriath, king of Fermorca (or the Great Men) of West Munster. Thither they repaired, and, after having received the customary hospitality of several days, without questions asked, at Scoriatlis palace, the king at last inquired the cause and natiu-e of their visit. We have been expelled by the monarch of Erinn, said they. You are welcome to my care and protection, then, said Scoriath. The tale proceeds to tell us that king Scoriath had a daughter, whose name was Moriath, and whose beauty had so bewildered 254 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. the young princes and chiefs of Minister, that several schemes ^ had been devised by some of them to obtain imlawful possession LoNGASA, or of her person, after their proposals of marriage had been rejected. (The^" voy- Ou. the discovcry of those designs by the lady's parents, they de- age of Labh- termined on being her sole guardians themselves, and, in order raulh Loing- _ iii t • f ^ • • •^ • seac/i"). that there should be no relaxation oi their vigilance, it was ar- ranged between them that the father should have constant charge of her by day, and the mother by night, so that she should never be out of the safe keeping of either the one or the other. This vigilance on the part of the royal parents did not escape the notice of their noble guest, who was, indeed, permitted to enjoy free conversation with the beautiful 3foriath, but subject to one trifling drawback, that, namely, of the presence of her father or m.other on all such occasions. But, notwitlistanding the res- traint which parental vigilance had placed upon any expression of tender sentiment, the youthful pair soon discovered that the society of each was highly prized and desired by the other ; but beyond tliis they had no power to proceed, — their love story had come prematurely to a full stop. The cautious parents of the young princess were, indeed, as often happens, the only persons in their court ignorant of the true state of the case ; but their watchfulness was not the less successful in baffling the designs of the lover. Distracted and dejected, the young Lahhraidh Maen had recourse to the counsels of his faitliful friend and mentor, Craftine, and that illustrious harper appears to have been no stranger to the delicate management of small court difficulties of the kind. On this occasion, he advised his ward to wait for some favourable opportunity to carry out his inten- tions, and he assured hiul that when such an opportunity should offer, he, Craftine, would contrive to obtain for him an interval of uninterrupted conversation with 3foriath. King Scoriath, after some little time, happened to invite all the chiefs and nobles of his territory to a sumptuous feast. The delight of the guests was much heightened by Craftines per- formance on his harp ; and, when the king, queen, and all the festive company were plunged in enjojancnt, exhilarated by wine, and charmed by the unequalled melody of the most dis- tinguished performer of his time, Lahhraidli Maen and Moriath snatched the opportunity to slip away unobserved from the company. No sooner did the gifted harper believe them to have gone beyond the hearing of his music, than he struck the almost magical tones of the Suantraighe, which was of so richly soft and enchanting a character as to throw the whole company, including the king and queen, into the most delicious and pro- found slumber ; and in the trance of this slmnber they were all OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 255 kept bj the magic of Craftiness harp, until the young lovers lect. xh had time to return again and take their proper seats in the as- sembly, after having, for the first time, plighted to each other mutual vows of constancy and alFection. The Ollamhs of music, or those raised to the highest order of ^|^^^j° musicians in ancient Erinn, I may here tell you, were obliged, cjansofan- by the rules of the order, to be perfectly accomplished in the "^"^ performaJice of three peculiar classes or pieces of music, namely, the Suantraighe, which no one could hear without falling into a delightful slumber; the Goltraighe, which no one could hear without bursting into tears and lamentation; and the Gean- traigld, which no one could hear without bursting out into loud and irrepressible laughter, Craftine availed himself, as we have seen, of the possession of these, the highest gifts of his profession, to assist the designs of his yoimg ward, and played into a profound sleep all those who would have stood in the way of his happiness. Now, however, that the pardonable objects of the young couple were attained, he changed his hand, and struck the Geantraighe^ which roused the whole company, and quickly tuxned their quiet sleep into a tiunult of uproarious laughter. And then, the musician having displayed these wonderful spe- cimens of his art, returned again to the performance of the less excitmg, but always beautiful melodies, so many of which still remain to remind us of the ancient glories of our country, and continued to delight his hearers until the time of their retire- ment had arrived. In the meantime, the ever-suspicious queen imagined she de- tected some equivocal radiations in the glowing coimtenance of her daugliter, and, approaching her nearer, she thought she caught the faintest imaginable whisper of a sigh. With an in- stinctive perception of deception and treason, she immediately called the king to her side : Your daughter, said she, has ceased to be herself; her sighs denote that she lias given part of her heart to another. The king was outrageous, ordered the strictest investigation, and vowed that if the conspirators were discovered, their heads should be struck off. CraftinS remon- strated against the violence of such a proceeding, but the king, not being without some suspicions, and disregarding the invio- lable character of a poet and musician, threatened even him with punishment, shovdd he interfere farther. After the first bm'st of anger and indignation had subsided, however, and confidence had been once more restored between the mother and daughter, the latter gradually permitted the former to discover the truth of her secret. It is but a poor compliment 256 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. to the march of intellect and the progress of civilization, that, 2° Of the ^^ those remote ages, they solved the mtricate complications of LoNGASA,or precipitate love very much in the same way that we do in the (Th7" voyl present enlightened times. But so it was, and King Scoriath rllmLoinrj- ^^^^ ^^^^ prudent queen, by the silent sighs of their daughter seacfr). and the soothing notes of Craftiness harp, were soon induced to accept Lahhraidh Maen as their son-in-law ; and so terminated this comedy, precisely as such comedies are brought to a con- clusion even in the nineteenth century. The alliance with the king of West Munster was an event of deep political, as well as social, importance to Lahhraidh Maen; for, immediately after the event took place, his father-in-law placed at his command a large force of the bravest men in liis territory, to assist him in recovering his hereditary kingdom of Leinster from his grand-uncle. With these troops he marched quietly into Leinster, where, bemg joined by a large number of adherents to his house's fortune, he at once laid siege to the royal palace of Dinn Righ, and succeeded in taking it from the garrison placed in it by the monarch. His triumph, however, was but of short duration; for King Cohhthach, who had re- covered his first surprise, raised a large army, and marched from Tara at once into Leinster. Labhraidh Maen found himself totally unable to meet such a force, and felt compelled to withdraw, for the time at least, from the iinequal contest. He accordingly changed his plans on the instant, disbanded his followers, sent his wife, Moriath, under the immediate guardianship of Craftine, and attended by her countrymen, into Munster to her father; and, selecting from among his adherents a small band of brave men, he bid adieu to his native land, and took sail for the opposite coast of Britain. He made no delay in Britain, but, passing over alone to France, he entered the military service of the king of that country, in which he so distinguished himself that he soon became one of the chief commanders of the army there. After he had in course of time estabhshed himself in the full confidence and estimation of the king of France, Lahhraidh Maen, who still kept up a correspondence with his friends in Erinn, determined, if he could, to make one more effort to regain his rightful inheritance. Witli this view, he made himself known, and disclosed his whole history to the king of France, and concluded by asking of him such a body of troops as he should select, to accompany him to Erinn, and assist him, in conjunction with his friends there, to reestablish himself in his kingdom. The French king consented without difficulty, and the exjDedition arrived OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 257 safely in the moutli of tlie river Slaney, now the liarbour of lect. xn. Wexford. _ , ^ • ^ i - 2°ofthe After resting awhile here to recover from the fatigues of their longasa, or voyage, and being joined by great numbers from Lcinster and (The"Vo.v- Munster, the expedition marched by night to Dinn Eigh, where cmO-^'''"'' the monarch Cobhthach, entirely ignorant of their approach, happened to be at the time holding an assembly, accompanied by thirty of the native princes and a body gviard of seven hun- dred men. The palace was surprised and set on fire, and the monarch, the princes, the guards, and the entire household, were burned to death. This was the Argain Dinn Rigli, or Slaughter of Dinn Righ. Lahhraidh then assumed the monarchy, and reigned over Eiinn eighteen years. Another of these Loingeas, but which seems to have been a voluntary one, is of much later date, — that, namely, of Breaccm, of which we have but the following short accoimt : — Breacan was the son of Maine, son of Niall of the Nine Hos- tages, monarch of Erinn, whose reign closed A.D. 405. This Breacan was a gi'eat merchant, and the owner of fifty Curachs, trading betv/een Ireland and Scotland. On one of his voyages he was, we are told, with his fifty Curachs, swallowed up in the great whirlpool formed by the confluence of the nortli-western and north-eastern seas with the channel between Ireland and Scotland. His fate, however, was not exactly known until Lughaidh, the blind poet, in many years after, paid a visit to Bennchuir [Bangor, — on the coast of the county of Down]. The poet's people having strayed from the town down to the beach, foimd the bleached skull of a small dog on the shore. This they took up, carried to the poet, and asked him what skull it was. " Lay the end of the poet's wand on the skull", said Lughaidh; and then, pronouncing some mystical sentences in the ancient Teinim Laegh style, he told them that the skull was that 0? Breacan s Httle dog, and that Bi'eacan himself, with all his curachs and people, had been drowned in the Coire Breacain (or Breacan's Cauldron), — an appro^jriate name, from the constant boiling up and surging of the whirlpool, and the name by which it continued ever after to be known in ancient Gaedhlic \viitinga. This story is preserved in Cormac's Glossary, compiled in the ninth centm-y, and in the BinnsencJuis, a much older comjjila- tion generally. The next class of tales, of which an example offers itself to our notice, is that of the Toghla, or Destructions. A Toghail, or Destruction of a Fort, is the title given to those histories 17 Da Derga"). 258 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. which detail the taking of a fort or fortified palace or habita- ,Q tion, by force, when the place is not merely taken, but also TocHLA, or burnt or destroyed on the taking of it. A Togliail may be a tiras"!^TTiie taking by surprise, or it may be a taking after a siege, but the tion of the term always implies the destruction of the buildings taken. Bruighean Of the Toglilci but a fcw are named in the list I have referred to in the Book of Leinster, though many others, of course, there were. Of those in the Hst, the most remarkable, perhaps, is that of the Bimigliean Da Deirja, or court of Da Derga; because it was in the storming and surprise of that residence that the great Conaire Mor was killed, one of the most cele- brated kings of ancient Erinn. This tract possesses, too, a pe- culiar interest for those wdao reside in or near Dublin, because the scene of the surprise lies near the city, at a place which still preserves a portion of the ancient name in its present designa- tion. And it is partly on this account that I have selected the account of the Toghail Bruighne Da Derga to describe to you. In the year of the world 5091, ConairS Mor, the son of Eidersgel, a former monarch of Erinn, ascended the throne, and ruled with justice and vigour, until the year of the world 5160, that is, till thirty-three years before the Incarnation of our Lord, according to the chronology of the Four Masters. The impartiality and strictness of Conah^es rule banished from the country large numbers of idle and insubordinote per- sons, and among the rest his own foster-brothers, the four sons of Donndesa, a great Leinster chief. These young men, adven- turous and highly gifted, impatiently put out, with a large party of followers, upon the sea between Erinn and Britain, for the purpose of leading a piratical life, until the death of the monarch or some other circumstance should occiu* that might permit their return to their comitry. While thus beating about, and committing depredations at both sides of the channel whenever they could, they met, engaged in similar enterprises, the yomig prince Ingel, a son of the king of Britain, who with his six brothers and a numerous band of desperate men like themselves had been for their mis- deeds banished from his territory by their father. Both parties entered into a compact of mutual risk and assistance ; and having, according to agreement, first made a night descent on the coast of Britain, where they committed great ravages and carried off much booty, they turned towards Erinn, for the pm'- pose of adding to their stock of plunder, and carrying on the war of depredation evenly between both countries. They landed in the bay of Tuirhhe [Turvey] (near Malahide, on the coast of the present coimty of Dublin), and immediately commenced OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 259 their devastation of the country, by lire and sword, in the lect. xit. direction of Tara. go of tiie At this time, the monarch Conaire, attended by a slender toghla, or retinue, was on his return from north Munster, where he had tions" (The been to eifect a reconciliation between two hostile chiefs of that tjou of the countr3^ On his entering Meath, and approaching his palace Bi-mihrnn of Tara, he saw the whole country, to his great surprise, wrapt in fire, and tliinking that a general rebellion against the law had taken place in liis absence, he ordered his charioteer to turn to tlie right from Tara, and drive towards Dublin. The charioteer obeyed, and drove by the hill of Cearna, Lusk, and the Great Road of Cualann to Dublin ; which, however, the monarch did not enter, but crossing the LifFey above the town, he continued his route to the court, or mansion, of the great Brughaidh (or Hospitaller), Da Derga. This court was built on the river Dodder, at a place which to this day bears the name of Bothar-na-Bruighie (or the Road of the Court), near Tallaght, in the county of Dublin. This was one of the six great houses of imiversal hospitality which existed in Erinn at the time, and the owner. Da Derga, hav- ing previously partaken largely of the monarch's bounty, he was now but too glad to receive him witli the hospitality and distinction wliich became his rank and munificence. In the mean time, continues the tale, the outlaws having missed the monarch, -ravaged all Brcgia [the eastern part of Meath], before they returned to their vessels, and then steered to the headland of Beann Bdair (now called the Hill of Howth), where they held a council of war. There it was decided that two of the sons of Donndesa (two of the monarch's foster- brothers), should come on shore, and find out the monarch's re- treat, they having abeady discovered the course he had taken from Tara. Tliis was done, and the scouts having returned to the fleet with the information sought, the piratical force landed somewhere south of the mouth of the LifFey, and marching over the rugged Dublin mountains, they surrounded Da Derga's court, which, in spite of a stout resistance, they destroyed and plundered, murdering the monarch himself and the chief part of his slender train of attendants. The composition of tlris tract must be referred to a period of very remote antiquity, the style of the construction and language being more ancient even than the Tain Bo Chuailgne, and, like that difficult piece, of a character totally beyond the power of ordinary Irish scholars to reduce to anything like a correct translation. This tract is one of considerable length, and not a little im- 17 B 260 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. 3° Of the ToGHLA, or " Destruc- tions". (The " Destruc- tion of tlie Brtiif/lieaii Da Derga"). The "Des- truction of the Brii- ighean Da Choga". 4° Of the AiEGNE, or "Slaughters' bued ■with tlie marvellous ; but, apart from its value as in essen- tials a truthful link in our national history, it contains, perhaps ^vithout exception, the best and most copious illustrations in any tract now extant (I mean, of course, illustrations by description) of the various ranks and classes of the officers that composed the king's household in ancient times, and of the arrangements of a regal feast — both social subjects of great historical interest. There is a fine copy of this tract (with a slight imperfection at the beginning) preserved in the ancient Leahhar na h- Uidhre, in the Royal Irish Academy; and another copy less copious, but perfect at the beginning and the end, in the Leahhar Buidhe Lecan, in the Library of T.C.D. ; so that from both these sources a perfect copy could be procured. Another of these Tof/hla, and one of great interest, is the Toghail Bruighne Da Choga, of which a good copy is to be found in MS. H. 3. 18. Trinity College, Dubhn. The Bruigliean Dei Choga was in the present county of West- meath ; and it was on the occasion of a sudden surprise of this Court that Cormac Conloingeas was killed, about a.d. 33. He was the son of the celebrated Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster, from whose court he had several years before gone into volun- tary banishment into Connacht, in consequence of his father's having put to death the three sons of Uisneach, for whose safety Cormac had pledged his word, when they consented to return to Conor's court at the king's invitation. On the death of Conor, his son prepared to return, to assume the throne of his province, and it was on his way back that he lost his Hfe, in the surprise of Da Cogas court, where he had stopped to rest on his road. Cormac Conloingeas was one of the most celebrated champions of his time, and figures in many of the detailed his- tories of events recorded at this period of our annals. The chronological order of the specimens of tales that I have selected leads us next to the class called Airgne, or Slaughters. The Argain, though separated by the writer in the Book of Leinster from the Toghail, is not, in fact, well to be distin- guished from it. The word signifies the Slaughter of a garrison of a fort, where the place is taken and destroyed. So the taking of Dinn High by Lahhraidh Loingseach, described in the tract I spoke of just now, is called, in the Book of Leinster, Argain Dinn High, and that tract may perhaps actually be the tale there so named. There are a great number of the Airgne named in the ancient list so often referred to, and of these several have 1 cached us in one shape or another. One of them, the Argain OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 261 Cathracli B6ircM is included in tlie lono^ tract the Cathreim lect. xn. CJionghail Chldiringnigh, or Battles of Conghal Claringneach. ^oofthe The Destruction of Cathair Boirche forms but a single inci- airgne, or dent in the career of the warrior Congal, and I may in a few words (xhT^^ ^'^ introduce to you the causes that led to so fatal a catastrophe, e^of Co«?a' Lughaidh LuaigJme, of the Eberean line, assumed the mo- ^^^™f- narchy of Erinn in the year of the world 4024 ; and, in dis- posing of the petty kingships of the provinces, he imposed two kings on the province of Ulster, to one of whom, Conghal Clar- ingneach, the son of a former monarch, he gave the southern, and to Fergus Mac Leide, the northern half of the province. The Ulstermen soon began to feel the weight of two royal establishments, and a secret meeting of their chiefs took place at Emania, at wliich it was resolved to invite both their kings to a great feast, for the purpose of having them assassinated, and then to elect one king from among themselves, whom they would support by force of arms against the Monarch, should he feel dissatisfied with their deed. The feast was soon prepared, the two kings seated at it, and the assassins, who were selected from the menials of the chiefs, took up a convenient position outside the banqueting house. By this time, however, the knowledge of the conspiracy had reached the ears of Fachtna Finn, the chief poet of Ulster; whereupon he, with the other chief poets of the province, who attended the feast, arose from their particular places, and seated themselves between the two kings. The assassins entered the house shortly after, but seeing the position of the poets, they held back, rmwilling to desecrate their sacred presence, or violate their too obvious protection. Wlien the prince Congal saw the assassins, he suspected their design, and asked the poet if his suspicions were not well- founded. Fachtna answered in the affirmative, and stated the cause of the conspiracy ; whereupon Congal stood up, and ad- di'cssing the assembled chiefs, off^ered, on the part of himself and his colleague, to surrender their power and dignity into the hands of the monarch again, with a request that he would set up in their place the person most agreeable to the Ultonians. The chiefs agreed, and the poets taking the two kings under their inviolable protection, they all repaired to Tara, where they soon anived, and announced the object of their visit. On their arrival at Tara, the monarch's daughter fell in love with Fergus Mac Leide, and at her request, backed by the re- commendation of the provincial kings who then happened to be at court, the monarch appointed him sole king of Ulster, though such a decision was against an ancient law, wliich ordained that. 262 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT.xii. a junior sliould not be preferred to a senior, — and Congal was ~777Z older than Fer^rus. 4 Of the ^ - . • . AiKGNE, or Congal, on hearing this decision, departed immediately from (ThT^^'^'^ Tara, collected all the disaffected of the country about him, to- erso^ coiigai gather with some Scottish exiles, and having met the monarch's cia,in(j- son, cut off his head and bid defiance to the father. He was, however, soon forced to leave Erinn with his adherents; and Ms adventures in the island of RacJdainn^ and in Denmark and other northern countries, form a considerable and most interest- ing part of liis career. After some years, however, he returned to his native country, and landed in the present bay of Dun- drum (county Down). Immediately upon his coming ashore, he discovered that his rival, Fergus Afac Leide, was at that time enjoying the hospitalities of Cathair Boirche (that is, Boirches Stone Castle or Fortress), the princely residence of Eochaidh Salbhuidhe, chief of the southern part of the present county of Down, at a short distance from Congal's landing place. On receiving this welcome piece of information, Congal marched directly to Cathair BoircM, and surprised and de- stroyed it with all that were in it. From thence he went straight to Tara, and challenged the king with all his forces to a pitched battle. The battle was fought in the immediate neighbourhood of Tara ; the monarch was defeated and beheaded by Congal, who was proclaimed in his place, and reigned fifteen years. The only copy of this fine historic tale that I am acquainted with, is preserved in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. [No. 205, Hodges and Smith Collection.] Ttid AUheach But the tale which I should prefer to take for you as a spe- "Attacots". cimen of the AirgnS, is one which recites the origin of one of the most momentous troubles which interrupt the course of our history; I mean the Revolt of the Ait/ieach Tuatlia (or "Atta- cots"), in the early part of the first century, an incident of which I have ah'eady shortly spoken. This tract is that which is en- tered in the list in the Book of Leinster as the Argain Chairpri Cinn-Cait for Saerclannaihh h-Ei'enn; that is, the Murder by Carbry Cat-head of the Noble clanns of Erinn. The revolution and reign of the Aitheach Tuatha {^^Attacotti", or "Attacots", as they have been called in English writings), mark an era in Irish history, more interesting, perhaps, than important in relation to the consequences of their rule ; and the name given to these people has supplied food for much learned discussion and speculation, to writers of more modem times. Father John Lynch (better known as Gratianus Lucius), General Vallancey, the Rev. Charles O'Conor, and many others ,of their times, have been more or less puzzled by the name "At- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 263 tacots", and have soiiglit everywhere for an explanation of it lect. xn. but where only it could be found, namely, in the lanofuaofc of „ „„ the country m which it originated, and in which those people afrgne, or grew, hved, and died. _ ^ S'Keloif The name which those modern writers have made into "At- oftueAme- " r 1 T • • -t n A Ml • • • m ""* Tun/ha, tacots , irom the Latinized form "Attacotti , is written m all or '• Atta- Irish manuscripts, ancient and modern, Aitheach Tuatha, and this means nothing more than simply the Rent-payers, or Rent- paying Tribes or People. It is also stated, by even our very latest historic writers, that the Aitheach Tuatha were the descendants of the earlier colo- nists, depressed and enslaved by their conquerors, the Milesians. But this is a mistake, for, according to the Books of Ballymote and Lecain, the revolutionists were not composed, even for the major part, of the former colonists, but of the Milesians them- selves. For, as may be expected, in the lapse of ages countless numbers of noble and free Milesian families fell away from their caste, lost their civil independence, and became mixed up and reduced to the same level with the remnants of the conquered races, who still continued, in a state nearly alHed to slaveiy, tillers of the soil. At the time of this revolution, which took place about the middle of the first century of the Christian era, the magnates of the land seem to have combined to lay even heavier burdens than ever before on the occupiers and tillers of the soil ; and the debased Milesians were the first to evince a disposition to re- sistance. Combinations were afterwards formed between them and the other malcontents, but so profoundly secret, that during the three years which they took to consider and matm'e their plans, not one of theu' intended victims had received the faintest hint of the plot that ripened for their destruction. The result of their councils was, to prepare a great feast, to which, as a pretended mark of respect and gratitude, they were to invite the monarch, the provincial kings, and the great chiefs of the nation, really for the purpose of destroying them during the convivial excitement and unsuspicious confidence of a regal banquet of the old times. The feast was prepared at a place since called Magh Cru (or the Bloody Plain), in Connacht. Thither came the monarch, kings, and chiefs, in the full flow of unreserved security, — a se- curity, as it befell, of the falsest kind ; for, when the nobles were deep in their cups, and plunged in the enjoyment of the deli- cious strains of the harp, treacherous hosts svirrounded the ban- quet hall with men in armom*, and slew without pity or remorse the monarch, Fiacha Finnolaidh, the provincial kings, and all the assembled chiefs, as well as all their train. 264 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. I.ECT.XII. Tlie revolutionary party having thus, at one blow, g-ot rid of .TTTT all tlieir old taskmasters, but still wisliin^ to live under a more 4 Of tuG • ^ AiRGSE, or _ lenient monarcliical goveraraent, proceeded to select a king. (The'leTOit Their choice fell on Cairhre Cinn-Cait, an exiled son of the llh^Ti^chT ki^g ^f Lochlainn (or Scandinavia), who had taken a leading or"Atta- ' part in the plan and completion of the revolution. cots' '1 y^ • • Cairhre, however, died in the fifth year of an unprosperous reign, and Fiacha Finnolaidli, of the royal Eremonian race, suc- ceeded to the sovereignty. Against Fiacha, however, another revolt of the provinces took place, and he was surprised and murdered at Magh Bolg in Ulster, in the year of our Lord 56 ; and Elim Mac Conrach, king of Ulster (of the Rudrician race of Ulster), was elected by the revolutionists in his place. The reign of Elim also proved unfortimate, for, not only did discord and discontent prevail throughout the land, but the gifts of Heaven itself were denied it, and the soil seemed to have been struck with sterility, and the air of Heaven charged with pesti- lence and death during those years. The old loyalists and friends of the former dynasties took advantaOT at once of the confusion and freneral consternation which seized on the minds of the people, and proposed to them to recal or rather to in\'ite liome Tuathal, the son of the mur- dered monarch, whose mother had fled from the slaughter to the house of her father, the king of Scotland, wliile Tuathal as some writers say was yet unborn. This proposal was very generally listened to, and a great number of the Aitheach Tiiatha agreed in council to bring over the young prince, who was now in his twenty-fifth year. Tuathal answered the call, and soon after landed in Bregia [jVIeath], where he imfurled his standard, and was immediately joined by several native chiefs, with all their followers. From this he marched upon Tara, but was met by the reigning mo- narch, Elim, at Acaill (noAv the hill of Screen), near Tara, in the county of Meath, where a fierce battle was fought, in which at length the reigning monarch, Elim, was slain, and a great slaughter made of his adherents. And thus the ancient dynasty was once more established, and continued, substantially unbroken, down to the final overthrow of our monarchy, in the twelfth century. There is a detailed, but not very copious account of the massacre of Magh Cru, preserved in a MS. (H. 3. 18.) in Trinity College, Dublin. The next class of the Historic Tales consists of the Forbasa, or Sieges. The Forhais may be called a Siege, because it im- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 2G5 plies a regular investment of a position, or of a city, or forti- lect. xii. tied place of residence. The name is generally, thougli not ^^ ^^ ^^^ always, applied to those sieges which were followed by the cap- foebasa, or ture, or, at least, the plunder of the place invested. That (fhe"\siege capture, as I have abeady explained to you, would be called ^^^l^-'^] "'' Toghail, if the place were destroyed If only besieged, the event would be a Forhais; but a Toghail, or storming, might, of course, take place, without being preceded by a Forhais. These distinctions the student will do well to observe, in apply- ing himself to the branch of historical literature now under our notice. Of the Forhasa, or Sieges, the example I shall take shall be the Forbais Eclair, or Siege of Howth, — again selecting a story the scene of wliich Ues near this city. In the more ancient times in which the events recorded in the tracts I notice to-day took place, and, indeed, down to a comparatively late period, it was customary, — I may premise by telHng you, — for distinguished poets and bards (who were also the philosophers, lawyers, and most educated men of their day) to pass from one province into another, at pleastu'e, on -a circuit, as it may be called, of visits among the kings, chiefs, and nobles of the country ; and, on these occasions, they used to re- ceive rich gifts, in return for the learning they communicated, and the poems in which they sounded the praises of their patrons or the condemnation of their enemies. Sometimes the poet's \dsit bore also a political character ; and ho was often, with diplomatic astuteness, sent, by direction of his own provincial king, into another province, with wliich some cause of quarrel was sought at the moment. On such occasions he was instructed not to be satisfied with any gifts or presents that might be offered to hiui, and even to couch liis refusals in language so insolent and sar- castic as to provoke expulsion if not personal chastisement. And, whenever matters proceeded so far, then he retiu-ned to his master, and to him transferred the indignities and injuries received by himself, and pubHcly called on him, as a matter of personal honour, to resent them. And thus, on occasions where no real cause of dispute or complaint had previously existed, an ambitious or contentious king or chief found means, in those days just as in our own, to pick what public opinion regarded as an honourable quan-el with his neighbour. A curious instance of the antiquity of this practice in Erinn, will be found in the very ancient but little known tract of wliich I shall now proceed to offer you a short sketch. It con- tains besides, I should however tell you, a great deal of other valuable matter illustrative of the manners and customs of a 266 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. very early jseriod : and it may be taken as a fair specimen of tlie 5° Of the important class of those Historic Tales wliicli I have referred to FoRBASA, or under the title of Forhasa. (The^-siege Tlicrc Hvcd in Ulster in the time of King Conor Mac Nessa, Howth")! °^" ^'^^^ iS' about a.d. 33, a learned poet, but withal a virulent satirist, named Aithirne, better known in our ancient writings as Aithirne Ailghesacli, or ^Aithirne the Importunate"; and he received this surname from the fact that, he never asked for a gift or preferred a request, but such as it was especially difficult to give, or dishonourable to grant. At this time the Ultonians were in great strength, and the valour of the champions of the Royal Branch had filled Erinn with their fame, and themselves and their province with arro- gance and insolence. They had already enriched themselves with the preys and spoils of Connacht, and they had beaten the men of Leinster in the battle of Ros na High, and extended the boundary of the northern province from the river Boyne southwards to the High (or river Rye, the boundary between the present counties of jNIeath and Dublin). They had also made a sudden and successful incursion into Munster, des- troyed the ancient palace of Teamhair Luachra, from which they returned home with great spoils. So that, having in this manner shown their power and superiority over the other pro- vinces, they were restless to undertake some yet more ambi- tious enterprise ; and, losing all self-restraint, they seem to have proposed to themselves no object but the one, to find an enemy to fight with, no matter where, and for any cause, no matter what it might be. In this embarrassment of the Ultonians, Aithirne, the poet, determined to relieve their languor by raising a still more se- rious quarrel, if possible, than ever, between them and some one of the other provinces. Accordingly, though not without the consent and approval of king Conor Mac Nessa, the poet set out upon a round of visits to the other provincial kings, resolved that his conduct and demands should be so insulting and ex- travagant that they should be forced to visit Mm with some gross indignity or personal punishment, such as might give him cause for pouring out upon tliem the most satirical strains of his venomous tongue, as well as make it incumbent on his province to demand and take satisfaction for the insult offered them in his person. He went first into Connacht, but the kings and chiefs of that province granted freely even his most imreasonable de- mands, sooner than be drawn into a war with Ulster by a refusal. From Connacht AithirnS passed to the kingdom of Mid- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 267 Erinn (compreliending the south of Connacht and the north lect. xn. of Munster or Thomond, and extending, it is said, within nar- .-onfth row limits, from the bay of Galway to DnbUn). The king of fotjbasa, or this territory at the time was Eochaidh Mac Luchta, whose re- (xile^^siege sidence lay on the brink of the present Loch Derg, in tlie Upper Hof urj. °' Shannon (somewhere, I believe, between Scariff, in the county of Clare, and the present Mountshannon Daly, on the south- eastern border of the county of Galway). This king, whose hos- pitality and munificence were proverbial, had the misfortune to be blind of an eve, and the malignant satirist knowino- that no demand on his riches, however exorbitant it might be, would be refused, determined to demand from him that which he was most certain could not be granted. He, therefore, demanded the king's only eye. To his great surprise and disappointment, Eochaidh Mac Lnchta (so goes the story) suddenly thrust his finger into the socket of his eye, tore it out by the roots, and handed it to the poet ! The king then commanded his servant to lead him down to the lake to wash his face and staunch the blood ; but fear- ing that perhaps he had not been able to extract the eye, he asked his servant if he had really given it to the poet. Alas ! said t\\e servant, the lake is red with the blood of your red eye. That shall be its name for ever, said the king. Loch Derg- dheirc^ or the Lake of the Red Eye, — (the present Loch Derg, above Killaloe, on the^Shannon). [Let me here obserA^e, in a parenthesis, that I should not, per- haps, have gone into this minor, though curious detail, but that more modern writers of family Irish history have endeavoured to make Eochaidh, the ancestor of the O'SidUvan family, to be the person who granted his only eye to the demand of a ]na- licious Scotch poet, and that it is from that circmnstance that the name OSuilahhain — that is, the one-eyed, — is derived. But there are two objections to the truthfulness of this version of the story ; the first is, that the tale I have just noticed is certainly older than the time of this latter Eochaidh; the second objec- tion is, that if this were the derivation of the name, it should be written with the letter m, instead of the 5, which is always found in it: that is, the word should be Sidlamhain (or " one eye"), and not Suilabhain, as it is generally (but not always) written in the ancient MSS. The fact, however, is, that both these spellings are incorrect, and that the family name, in the best authorities, is written 0' Suildhuhhain, or the Black-eyed.] But to return to the tract under notice. Our poet next crossed the Shannon into south Munster, to the palace of Tighernach Tethannach, the king of that province [from whom Cam Tighernaigh (on a mountain near Rathcor- 268 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. mac, in tlie county of Cork) in wliicli he Kes buried, lias its go Of the name.] The kings of all these territories submitted to the ^"«B^sA. or deejDcst insults sooner than incur the poet's virulent abuse and (The''" Siege the enmity of his province. Hotvth")! "^ Aithirn^^ therefore, proceeded on his circuit from Munster into Leinster, and came to a place called Aixl Brestine, in the present county of Carlow. Here the people of South Lein- ster, with their king, Fergus Fairrge^ met him in assembly with large and valuable presents, in order to induce him not to enter their territory. The poet refused to accept any of the rich gifts that were offered him, until he should be given the richest present or article in the assembly. This was a sore puzzle to them, because they could not well discover which was the best of their valuables. Now while they were in this dilemma, there happened to be a young man, mounted on a fleet steed, careering for his amusement, in presence of the assembly ; — and so close sometimes to where the king sat, that, on one occasion, while wheeling round at full speed, a large clod of earth flew from one of the hind-legs of his steed, and fell in the king's lap. The king immediately perceived a large and beautiful gold brooch imbedded in the clod ; and, turning joyfully to the poet, who sat next him, he said: " Wliat have I got in my lap?" "You have got a brooch", said Aith- irne, " and that brooch is the present that will satisfy me, be- cause it was it that fastened the cloak o^ Maine Mac DurthacJit, my mother's brother, who buried it in the ground here at the time that he and the Ultonians were defeated by you in the battle of Ard Brestine". The brooch was then given to AitJi- irne, after which he took his departiu'e from South Leinster, and came to Naas, where Mesgedhra, the supreme king of all the province of Leinster, then resided. The poet was hospitably received by this king, at whose coiu't he remained twelve months, and he was loaded with rich gifts by the king himself, and the cliiefs of North Lemster. The more he got, however, the more insolent and importunate he became, until at last he insisted on getting seven hundi-ed white cows with red ears, a countless number of sheep, and one hundred and fifty of the wives and daughters of the Lein- ster nobles, to be carried in bondage into Ulster. To all these t3a'annical demands the Leinster men submitted in appearance, but with a grace and condescension that fore- boded anything but good to the penetrating eyes of the poet. Satisfied that the men of Leinster, who felt themselves restrained by the public law of hospitality witliin their own territory, would, when he had passed out of it, follow and deprive him of all his OP THE HISTORIC TALES. 269 ill-gotten property, perhaps even of his life, he therefore sent a lect. x h. messenger into Ulster, demanding of king Conor to send a strong ^^ ^^ ^^^ body of men to the confines of Leinster, to receive and escort forbasa, or him and his property, as soon as he should pass across the (The^"siege border of that province. "I^^^^i;;; °'- When the poet's time for departure came at last, he set out from Naas with all his rich presents, his cattle, and his captives, attended by a multitude of the men of Leinster, apparently but to see him safely out of their country. When they came to Dublin, however, they found that the poet's sheep could not cross the river -L(fe [or Liffey] at the ordinary ford ; upon which, a number of the people went into the neighbom-ing woods, and set to work to cut down the trees and branches ; so that, in a very short time, they were able to throw a bridge, or causeway, of trees and hurdles across the river, by means of which the poet, his cattle, and train, passed over into the province of Meath, the LifFey being at this time the boundary line of Leinster and Meath at this point. (The point of the river over which this bridge of hurdles was thrown was, at this time, called Duhhlinn, literally the " Black Pool" (but in fact so called from a lady named Ditbh, who had been formerly drowned there) ; but from this time down it took the name of Duhhlinn Atha Cliath, or the Black Pool of the Ford of Hm-dles; and this ford, I have no doubt, extended from a point at the, Dublin side of the river, where the Dothor [or Dodder] falls into the Lifiey at Rings-End, to the opposite side, where the Poll-beg Lighthouse now stands. The Danish and EngHsh name Dublin is a mere modification of Dubhlimi, or Black's Pool, but the native Irish have always called, and still do call, the city of Dublin Ath Cliath, or Baile Atha Cliath — that is, the Ford of HmxUes, or the Town of the Ford of Hm-dles.) No sooner had Aithirne crossed the Ford of Hurdles than the Leinster men rapidly rescued their women ; but before they had time to turn their cattle, the Ultonian escort, which had previously arrived and encamped at the mouth of the river Tul- chlainn [or Tolca], a short distance from the ford, rushed down upon them. A battle ensued, in which the Ultonians were routed, and forced to retreat to Beann Eclair (now called the Hill of Howth), to which place, however, they succeeded in carrying with them the seven hundred cows. Here they threw up, on a sudden, a strong earthen fortification, which was ever afterwards called Dun AitJdrne, or Aithirne s fort, and within which they took shelter with their prey ; and they sent forthwith for further reinforcements to the north, and continued, in the meanwhile, to act on the defensive until their arrival of Edair Ilowth"). 270 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XII. The Leinstermen encamped in front of them, cut off their '°ofti communication with the country, and brought them to great Foi!BAs-\, or distress. After some time, however, the liower of the cham- (The^" Siege pious of the Rojal Branch arrived suddenly at Howth, attacked the Leinstermen, and routed them with considerable slaughter ; so that, with their king Mesgedhra, they fled towards their own country. Then Conall Cearnach, the most distingviished of the heroes of the Royal Branch, followed tlie Leinstermen with his chariot and charioteer, alone ; in order to take vengeance on certain of them for the death of his two brothers, Mesdeadad and Laeghaire, who had been slain at this siege of Howth. He passed over the ford of hurdles, through Drummainech (now Drimnagh), and on to Naas; but the army had already dis- persed, and the king had not yet reached his court. Conall pressed on from Naas to Claen, where he found Mes- gedhra, at last, at the ford of the LifFey. A combat imme- diately ensued between them, in which Mesgedhra was slain and beheaded. Conall placed the king's head in his own chariot, and ordering the cliarioteer to mount the royal chariot, they set out northwards. They had not gone far, however, when they met 3Iesgedhras queen, attended by fifty ladies of honour, return- ing from a visit in Mcath. "Who art thou, O woman?" said Conall. "I am J/es^etZ/tra's wife", said she. " Thou art com- manded to come with me", said Conall. " Who has commanded me ?" said the queen. ^''Mesgedhra has", said Conall. " Hast thou brought me any token ?" said the queen. " I have brought his chariot and his horses", said Conall. " He makes many presents", said the queen. " His head is here, too", said Conall, " Then I am disengaged", said she. " Come into my chariot", said Conall. " Grant me liberty to lament for my husband", said the queen. And then she shrieked aloud her grief and sorrow with such intensity, that her heart burst, and she fell dead from her chariot. The fierce Conall and his servant made there a grave and movmd on the spot ; in which they buried her, together with her husband's head, from which, however, according to a sin- gular custom hardly less barbarous than singular of which I shall say more presently, he had first extracted the brain. This queen's name was J3uan, or the Good [woman] ; and, after some time, according to a very poetical tradition, a beau- tiful hazel tree sprung up from her grave, which was for ages after called Coll Buana, or Buan's Hazel. The grave was situ- ated a short distance to the north of the Ford of Claen, on the ancient road which led from Naas to Tara, and may, perhaps, be known even at this day. OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 271 Copies of this tract are preserved in the Book of Leinster, lect. xii. and in a vellum MS. in tlic British Museum, Harl. 5280. go of the FoRB\sA, or Of the Forhasa listed in the Book of Leinster there is one (The^'siege more so remarkable, that I would make room for some account '^amk^ of it, if it were possible — namely, the Forhais Droma Damh- ^'^''"'^"^■ ghaire, by kinor Cormac Mac Airt, against Fiacha Muilleathan, king of Minister, about the year of our Lord 220. Drom Damhghaire was the name of a ridge or hill in the county ol Limerick, since Cormac's time (and still) called Cnoc Luinge, or Knocklong, from the tents set up there by Cormac, who encamped upon the spot. The following is shortly the history of this Forhais: — Cormac's munificence was so boundless that, at one time, his steward complained to him, that, although there were many claimants and objects of the royal beneficence, there was nothing for them, as all the revenues appropriated to such pur- poses were exliausted. Cormac, in this extremity, asked the steward's advice as to the best means of replenishing his stores. The steward, without hesitation, said that the only chance of so doing was in demanding from Minister the cattle revenue of a second province ; that it contained two distinct provinces, but that it had always escaped paying tribute but for one, and that he ought to call on them for the tribute of the other. Cormac apjieared to be well pleased Avith this suggestion, and immediately despatched couriers to Fiaclia Muilleathain, the king of Munster, demanding tribute for the second division of that province. The king of Munster received the monarch's message in a fair spirit, and sent the courier back with an offer of ample relief of Cormac's present difficulties, but denying his right of demand, and refusing to send a single beef in acknow- ledgment of it. Cormac having received this stubborn message, mustered a large army and all his most learned Druids, marched into the heart of Minister, and encamped on the hill then called Drom Damhghaire, or the " Hill of the Oxen". Having estabhshed his encampment, he consulted his Druids on the best and most expeditious means of bringing the men of Munster to terms. The Druids, after debate among them- selves, assured the monarch that the surest and most expedi- tious mode of reducing his enemies would be to deprive them and their cattle of water, and that tliis they were prepared to do on receiving his permission. Cormac immediately assented, and forthwith the Druids by their spells and incantations dried up, or concealed, all the rivers, lakes, and springs of the district, so that both men and cattle were dying of tliirst all round them. 6° Of the 272 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. Thckingof Munster in tliis extremity took counsel witli his peo- j)le, and the decision they came to was, not to submit to Cormac, but FoKBASA, or to send to the island of Dairhre [now called Oilean Daraire, or (The^" Siege Valencia], on the western coast of Kerry, to Mogh Huith, the most ^Damh"^ famous Druid of the time (who is said to have studied Druidisni (/haire"). {^ the East, in the great school of Simon Magus), to request that he would come and relieve them from the terrible distress, which they well knew had been brought on them by Druidic agency. The ancient Druid consented to come and relieve them, on condition that he should receive a territory of his own selection in that part of the province, with secmity for its descent in his family for ever. His demands were granted, and he selected the present barony of Fermoy in the county of Cork (where some of his descendants survive to this day, under the names of O'Duggan, O'Cronin, etc.). The Druid then shot an arrow into the air, telling the men of Mmister that water in abmidance would spring np wherever the arrow should fall. Tiiis promise was verified ; a rushing torrent of water burst vip where the arrow fell ; and the men of Munster and their flocks were relieved. The Munster men then fell upon Cormac and his hosts, routed them from C?ioc Luinge^ and followed them into Leinster, scat- tering and killmg them as they went. The place in which the arrow fell is still pointed out in the parish of hnleach Grianan, in the county of Limerick ; and the well remains still under the ancient name of Tobar (or Tiprd) Ceann rnoir, that is. Well of Great Head, or Spring; and a river that issues from it is called Sriith Cheanna mhoir, or the Stream of Great Head. This is a wild but most important story, full of information on topography, manners, customs, and Druidism. It is spoken of in several of our ancient books, but the only copy of it that I know to exist was preserved in the Book of Lismore, until that great book was mutilated in Cork many years ago ; and now there is a portion of the original staves at Lismore and a portion at Cork ; but I have a full copy of both parts in my own possession. Short as I have made the outlines I have given you of these few specimens of the Historic Tales, I have been unable to compress within the present Lectvue any intelligible account of those classes of them which it is my business to bring vmder your notice. At our next meeting I shall, however, endeavour to complete this branch of the inquiry I have opened. LECTURE XIII. [Delivere{ Stwdgiis and Mac Riaghla; and the Navigation o£ Maelduin. (One of these pieces, the Navigation of Saint Brendan, has been introduced to the world in full detail, and in beautiful verse, by my distinguished friend, our Professor of Poetry, Denis Florence INIacCarthy, in the Dubhn University Maga- . zine for January, 1848). \ Saint Brendan's voyages, for he made two, were performed about the year 560; the voyage of the sons of Ua Corra, about the year 540 ; the voyage of Snedgus and Mac Riaghla {two priests of the island of lona), about the middle of the seventh ; and that of Maelduin, in the eighth century. As the ' early history of the sons of Ua Corra, and the cause of their wanderings at sea, are more circtunstantial and curious (though their story, too, is tinged with a little of the fabulous) than any of the rest, excepting Saint Brendan's, I have selected this tale as an example of which to give you a short sketch. Conall Dearg Ua Corra was an opulent landholder and farmer of the province of Connacht. He had to wife the 19 290 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XIII. datigliter of the AircMnnecli, or lay impropriator of tlie church ofti lands, of Clothar; with whom he Hved happily for some years, iMRAMHA, or keeping a house of hospitable entertainment for all visitors tiraYby' and strangers. Not being blessed with children, however, Ixpedition'^ though praying ardently to the Lord for them, they became, of the Sons jjut particularly the husband, impatient and discontented; ' and, so far did his despair carry him, that at last he renoimced God, and persuaded his wife to join him in prayer and a three days' fast to the Devil, to favour them with an heir to their large inheritance. It would seem that the evil spirit heard their petition, for, in due time after, the wife brought forth three sons at one birth. These sons gi'ew up to be brave and able men, and, having heard that they had been consecrated to the Devil at their birth, they re- solved to dedicate their lives to his service. As if for that special end, they appear to have collected a few desperate villains about them, and to have commenced an indiscriminate war of plunder and destruction against the Christian churches of Connacht and ' their priests, beginning with the church of Tuaim da Ghualann ^A [Tuam], and not ceasing till they had pillaged or destroyed more than half the churches of the province. At last they determined to visit also the church of ClotJiar, to destroy it, and to kill their grandfather, the AircMnnecli of the place. When they came to the church, they found the old man on the green in front of it, distributing with a bountiful hand meat and drink to his tenants and to the benefactors of the church. Seeing this, liis persecutors altered their plans, and put off the execution of their murderous pm'pose till the more favourable time of night. The grandfather, though suspecting their evil design, received them with kindness, and assigned them a comfortable resting- place ; and, after having fared heartily, they retired to bed, in order to lidl siispicion, at the usual time. Loclian, the eldest of the three brothers, had, however, during his sleep, a strange vision, which ended by seriously affecting their design. He was shown in a dream, in vivid colours, the glories and joys of Heaven, and the torments and horrors of Hell ; and he awoke deeply affected by what was thus disclosed to him. When the three brothers, then, arose at the hour of the night appointed to execute their piu'pose, Loclian addressed himself to the other two, related to them his vision, told them of his newly-born fears, and, in fine, persuaded them that they had been hitherto serving an evil power, and making war on a good master. The brothers were powerfully struck with what they heard ; and so complete was the transformation of mind OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 291 suddenly wrouglit in them by it, that at last they all agreed lect. xm. to repair in the morning, in a spirit of sorrow and penitence, to their grandfather, to seek his prayers and pardon, and to imramha, or ask his advice as to what they should do to amend their lives, tiMTs^by'' and make reparation for the past. ^^ '^J^''® TTn 1 • Til 11 Expedition VVnen the mornuig came, accordingly, they presented them- of the sons selves before the Aircldnnech, acknowledged their wicked inten- tions, and took counsel with him as to their futiu"e conduct. The course he ad\'iscd them to take, and on which they deter- mined, was, that they should repair at once to Saint Finnen of Clonard, who was then the great teacher, and, as it were, the head of all the schools of divinity in Erinn, and submit them- selves to his spiritual direction. For this purpose they took leave of their friends, put off their habiliments of warfare and offence, turned their spears into pil- grims' staffs, and repaired to Clonard. Wlien the people of Clonard perceived them coming, being well acquainted with their wickedness, they lied for their lives in all directions, with the exception of Saint Finnen himself, who went out calmly to meet them. Seeing this, they hastened to meet the holy priest, and throwing themselves on their knees before liira, they besought his pardon and spiritual friendship. " What do you want?" said the priest. " We want", said they, *' to take upon us the habit of religion and penitence, and hence- forth to serve God". " Your determination is a good one", said the priest; " let us come into the town where my people are". They entered the town with him, and the saint having taken counsel of the people respecting the penitents, what they decided on was, to place them for a year under the sole care and instruc- tion of a certain divinity student, with whom exclusively they were to hold any conversation during that period. Having finished their year in this manner, in the solitary prac- tice of religious exercises, and the study of the Christian doc- trines, to the satisfaction and edification of their instructor and the entire congregation, the three brothers again presented them- selves before Saint Finnen, and besought his benediction and his penitential sentence for their former crimes. The saint gave them his benediction, and then said: " You cannot restore to life those innocent ecclesiastics whom you have slain, but you can go and repair and restore, as far as it is in your power, the many chiu'ches and other buildings which you have desecrated and mined". The sons of Ua Corra at once rose up and took an affectionate leave of Saint Finnen and his pious and learned flock ; and as the church of Tuaim da Ghualann [Tuam] was the first that 19 b 292 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XIII. suffered from tlieir wicked depredations, tliey determined tliat it should be the first to receive the benefit of their altered disposi- 12°. Of the . J- Imramha, or tions. timis'^y:" Thither accordingly they went, and they repaired the ruined IxVeditiorf church, and restored it to its original perfection. Aaid thus they of the Sons proceeded on, from place to place, until at last they had repaired " and restored all the ruined chiu'ches but one, after which they returned to Saint Fiimen. The saint asked them if they had finished their work. They answered that they had repaired all the churches but one. " Which is that?" said Finnen. " The church o^ Ceann Mara\ [Kin vara, at the head of the bay of Gal way], said they. "Alas !" said the saint, " that was the first church which you ought to have repaired, — the church of the holy old man, Coman of Kinvara ; and return now", said he, " and repair every damage that you have done in that place". The brothers obeyed, they went back and repaired the church, and after this, taking counsel with Saint Coman, they built themselves a great ciiracli or canoe, covered with hides, three deep, and capable of carrying nine persons, in which they deter- mined to go out upon a pilgrimage upon the great Atlantic Ocean. When their vessel was ready to be launched, several person.^ besought permission to accompany them ; and among others, a bishop, a priest, and a deacon, as well as the man who built the canoe, and also (the story tells us) a certain musician. These five they received of the party. With this company then the three sons of Ua Corra went out upon the waters in the Bay of Galway ; and after having cleared the islands and headlands of the bay, deeming it useless to attempt to steer their course in any particular direction, they drew their oars on board, and committed themselves passively to the mercy of the waves and the direction of God. The adventurers were di'iven by the wind from the land into b the solitudes of the great Atlantic Ocean ; and the story goes on to describe how, after forty days and forty nights, they came to an island which was full of people, all of whom were moaning and lamenting. One of the wanderers went on shore for the pur- pose of learning the name of the island and the character of its inhabitants, but no sooner had he joined these strange people, than he too began to moan and lament like the rest ; and this induced his companions to depart without him. After this the tale becomes altogether wild and fabulous, al- ways, however, tending to a certain moral conclusion. The wanderers pass occasionally into the region of spirits, and are OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 293 brouglit into contact with tlie living and the dead ; and the in- lect. xiii. cidents of their voyao-e are made to tell, ne2:atively, on some of ~ JO ^ ^ '^p ' r* j-\ •12*' Of the the immoralities and irregularities of Christian life. On one is- imramha, or land, for instance, they found a solitary ecclesiastic, who told ti^ifj'^y'" them that he had been expelled from the community to which sea'. (The 111 IP ^ • T ' • 11 1 Expedition he belonged tor neglecting his matins ; that he set out on the of the sons sea in a boat, and so was cast ashore on this island alone. On ° " '"^'^" ' another island they found a man digging with a spade, the handle of which was on fire: and on asking him the cause of so strange a circumstance, he told them that when on earth he was accustomed to dig on Sundays; and this was the punishment awarded to liim. On another island they found a burly miller feeding his mill with all the perishable things of which people are so choice and niggardly in this world. On another they found a man riding a horse of fire, who told them that he had taken his brother's horse, and ridden it on a Sunday. An- other island they found peopled with smiths, and artificers in the precious metals, and men of every trade, all shrieking and moaning under the incessant attacks of huge black birds, which tore the flesh from their bones with their bills and talons ; and they learned that these people were thus made to suffer for all the falsehoods and frauds which they had been guilty of in this world. At length the voyagers approached a land which they learned from some fishermen on its coast was Spain. Here they landed, and the bishop built a church, which, however, he soon after- wards resigned to the priest, and went on himself to Rome, ac- companied by a certain youth, who was one of the wandering party. This bishop subsequently returned to Erinn from Rome, accompanied by the same youth, who is said to have related the whole adventure, under the bishop's correction, to Bishop Saerbhreathach [a name Latinized Justinus, and now called Justin] ; Bishop Justin related it to Saint Colman, of Arann <^ Island ; and upon this relation Saint Mocholmog wrote the poem [see original in Appendix, No. XCI.], which begins: — The Ua Corras of Connacht, Undismayed by mountain waves. Over the profound howhng ocean, Sought the lands of the marvellous. From the conclusion of this tale we may fairly infer that ita composition belonged originally to the great island of Arann, on the coast of the county of Clare, and in the bay of Galway ; and, although the narrative, in the latter part of it, is wild and fabulous, there is Httle doubt that this and many similar voy- 294 OF THE HISTORIC TALES. LECT. XIII. ages were actually undertaken by several parties of Ciiristiaii i'" Of the pi%ri^iis, in the early ages of the Church in Ireland. And this iHRAMHA, or fi.ict, as I have abeady stated, is fully borne out by the Litany tioiiYby'' of Aengus Ceile De, written about the year 780 (of wliich more ExpecViti^m^ on a future occasion), in which he invokes the intercession of ofthesona the SOUS of Uci Corrci and of their company, as well as of oiUaCorra). ^ r\ • o •^ • • , several other companies oi pilgnm navigators. At the time of the dehvery of tliis lecture I was acquainted but with two copies of this curious tract, both on paper, one in the Royal Irish Academy, and the other in my own possession. Since then, however, a copy of it, somewhat damaged indeed, but full and valuable, has come imder my observation ; one, namely, which is preserved in the old vellum ^' Book of Fer- moy", before refen-ed to as having been purchased by the Rev. Dr. Todd, at the sale of the books of the late William Monk Mason, in London, in 1858. The copy in my possession ap- pears to have been transcribed from the same original. Of the re- xiic Other divisions of the Tales mentioned by the early maining . j J classes of the wiitcrs, 1 iiecd uot Stay to enlarge on. tales!'**^ Of the Fessa (Feasts or Banquets), we have a great number, some of which I shall have presently to allude to in connexion with the Fenian and purely imaginative tales. The AitkidhS were Elopements. Of these an excellent ex- amjale is within the reach of all of you, in the celebrated story of Deirdre and the Sons of Uisneach, an edition of which (with a translation) was published here in 1808, by the Gailic Society of DubHn, of which copies may still bo easily pro- cured. This was the tract named in the Book of Leinster as the Aithid Dheirdri re Macaibh Uisnigh (the Elopement of Deirdre with the sons of Uisneacli). The Serea, or Loves, were love-stories, such as that eventful story of Queen Gormlaith, the principal part of which I had occasion to describe to you in a former lecture. The Tomhadhma were the stories of the bursting out of Lakes, and the irruptions of the Sea, and the consequences of the inundations caused by them. Thus the Tomhaidhm LocJia n-Echach, or Bursting out of Loch Neagh, is the account of the iiTuption which first formed that great loch, about the second century; in which irruj)tion JEochaidh Mac Maireda, the son of the king of Fermoy, in Minister, was drowned with his people. It is from him that Loch Neagh takes its name : Loch n-JUchach, the Lake of Eochaidh. The Tochomladh was an Immigration or arrival of a Colony ; and under this name the coniino- of the several colonies of Far- OF THE HISTORIC TALES. 295 thalon, of Nemedh, of the Firbolgs, the Tuatha De Danann, the lect. xm. Milesians, etc., into Erinn, are all described in separate tales. It of there- is probably from the original records of these ancient stories that maining the early part of the various Books of Invasions has been com- historic piled. _ ^'^'=''- Lastly, the Fis, or Visions, were stories of prophecies declared in the form of visions seen by various personages. Of the more remarkable prophecies, as they are called, I shall soon have oc- casion to speak to you at greater length. I beheve I have now laid before you a somewhat intelligible though very short sketch of what the student of history may ex- pect to find in the various classes of the Historic Tales of the Ollamhs and Poets of Erinn. Their value and bearing upon oiu' history I have already attempted to indicate, and I hope even the slight descriptions my space allowed me to give of these compositions, have been sufficient to prove to you their importance. LECTURE XIV [Delivered July 7, 1856,] Of the ancient Imaginative Tales and Poems ; and of the use to be made of them in serious historical investigation. Of the Fenian Poems and Tales. Of the compositions of Oisin (Ossian). Of Fergus. Of Caeilte. The " Dialogue of the Ancient Men". Description of the dwelling of Crede, the beautiful daughter of Cairbrc, Kuig of Kerry. The Story of the " Pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne". The Story of the " Battle of Ventry Harbour". The present course of Lectures lias been confined, as you are aware, to tlie subject of the materials of positive history to be found among existing ancient Lish MSS. Other remains of our ancient literature have also come down to us, and in very considerable quantity — literature, namely, of a pm-ely imagina- tive character ; and with the compositions of this class we have at present but little to do, though at a future period I hope to have an opportiuiity of making you acquainted with their con- tents. Even in ancient writings of pure fiction, however, little as at first sight you may suspect their importance to the student of mere history, much will be found of very great value in any inquiries into the life and institutions of our an- cestors in those remote ages. And as the true history of ancient Erinn can never be written or understood, without an accurate acquaintance with that life, as well as with those insti- tutions, it has appeared to me, that the sketch I have been en- deavoiuing to lay before you of the materials of our history would be incomplete, were I to omit to call your attention to the uses which may be made even of the most fanciful tales of piu'e imagination which are to be fornid in the ancient GaedhUc books. It is of this subject, then, that I propose to treat, though very shortly indeed, in the present Lecture. In the composition even of the wildest tales, you will almost always find that the imagery and incidents made use of by the author are drawn from the life and scenes actually passing around him, or else from those which he has learned from minute and vivid descriptions, handed down to him from earHer times in his own language. This is indeed almost a necessary condition of every novelist's success ; equally so whether he be the story-teller of the Arabian desert, the SeancliaidM of ancient OF THK IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 297 Erinn, or a raoclern Gaedliel, writing in tlie nineteenth century lect. xiv. in tlie Eno'lisli lano-ua 1^1111 T 'in lusto- fecott. Uut the farther back the author we examine has liou- ncai use to rished, the more hkely will it be that his short and simple the°iMA6iNA- poem or tale should have been framed out of materials actually "^^Jo^o^m. present to his eye, or existing within his knowledge in the so- ciety in which he lived. Wliatever be the names, the deeds, the suiFerings, of his heroes and heroines, — and even though the romantic visions of fairyland may be called in to add wonders to the adventures narrated, — still the mere details of life, the customs and action of society (without which no story can be made to move along), must be cbawn by the author from the manners and institutions existing around him, or, at farthest, from those with which he has been familiarized by his fathers immediately preceding him, and which still live in the popular memories of his time. If this were not so, the poet's hearers would not understand him, the story-teller's tale would cre^+e no interest among his audience. And so it is that, ev^n in these purely imaginative fictions, we may expect to find (and examination proves that we do find) abundance of minute and copious information upon those little details of ordinary Hfe, — upon the buildings, upon the interiors of the homes, upon the dresses, the food, the etiquette and courteous forms, and the mode of speech, of our remote ancestors, — which no historical records can give, but without wliich no historical records can be made to supply us with the true life and meaning of history. So far, therefore, as these necessary details are concerned, we must count gTeat part of even the pui'ely imaginative literature of ancient Erinn as containing much that claims a place among the materials of history. Of the serious use which may in this manner be made of genuine national compositions, though of the class of mere fiction, a remarkable example occm-s to me, wliich may explain the -^aew that I take of this subject, better, perhaps, than any lengthened argument. You are all probably familiar with the celebrated Eastern tales, commonly called those of the "Arabian Nights". It is scarcely possible to conceive any stories more entirely based on and even made up of fiction, and that fiction so purely imaginative, so ahnost exclusively conversant with the impossible, as to present very little indeed soberly capable of belief at all. And yet these stories, necessarily embracing as they do a vast amount of description and allusions con- nected with Arab life and manners, — these stories have been made the occasion and foimdation of, perhaps, the most soHd and valuable work on Eastern life in the English language. 298 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. LECT. XIV. I allude of course to the large (noted) edition of the "Arabian ^, .V a.- . Niffhts" published by Mr. Lane, the well-known Eastern tra- Of the histo- ,Y \^ ..•'.-,. ■/ . Ileal use to velier. JN ow it IS precisely m the same way that similar tales the"iMAGiNA- of ancient Erinn would be foimd most valuable as illustrating Aiof Poems ancient Gaedhlic life, if we were fortimate enough to possess so great a body of the earlier works of this class in proper pre- servation, or even of rehable copies of such works. Of those which we do possess, many contain somewhat more of truth than the Arabian Nights, because the personages intro- duced are often historical. Many, however, being meagre in extent, and little conversant with details of life, will be found to suggest little of importance to the student of mere history ; and these I shall therefore entirely pass over here. The re- mainder, however, appear to me to be of so much importance, in the manner and for the reasons I have shortly attempted to explain, that I feel boimd to assert that, without a careful exa- mination of their contents, no one, in the present state of know- ledge, can attain an adequate acquaintance with early Irish life, much less presume to address himself to the task of contributing to what may become a satisfactory history of Erinn. But, besides so much valuable information upon life and man- ners, as almost all the class of writings contain of which I am now speaking, there are some other points also upon which the imaginative tales in the ancient Gaedhlic embrace matter of sohd importance and authority. They frequently embody or allude to historic traditions, believed or partly believed in the time of the authors, and sometimes in the very statement of them supplying links wanting in the chain of history, in the allusions and references made in them to more serious works now lost. Every such tradition must, of course, have had some foundation ; and every such tradition, when found in any writ- ing of great age, deserves, and ought to command, diligent atten- tion at least, and careful inquiry. Very many of the Imagina- tive Tales, again, contain the most valuable records as to places ; often describing to us minutely the situation of cities, forts, graves, etc., well known in history, but whose topography could not otherwise be made out. And many a blank has been filled up, and many a mistake has been corrected, by the informa- tion respecting localities and the derivation of their names, found in tliis class of our literature. Without enlarging further, then, upon this subject, I think I have now said enough to explain to you why it is that in treating of the manuscript materials of ancient Irish liistory, I could not altogether pass over the Imaginative Tales found among our ancient Gaedlilic MSS., at least that class of them in which are OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 299 to be found those descriptions of information to which I have lect xiv. referred. The purely imaginative literature of the ancient Gaedliils, of the earlier still existing in the MSS. which have been handed down to us ginative in safety, may be di\dded into distinct classes, some of which fenian^^^ are compositions yet more ancient than the others. The earliest ^°^^^- of all — if we regard merely the authors to whom they are attri- buted — are the poems or metrical tales called the Fenian Poems, I many of which are attributed to Oisiii and Fergus, the sons of / the celebrated F'lnn Mac Cumhaill^ some of them to Finn Imn- self, and some to his cousin Caeilte. After these may be placed the prose recitals, probably founded on similar poems now lost, but probably also themselves compositions of as early a date : I mean those stories commonly called Fenian Tales, Finally, after the Fenian Poems and Tales, in point of date, we find a great number of romantic legends and tales, both in prose and verse, many of wliich were certainly composed at a very remote period, but of which the various dates of composition extend down almost to our own tunes. And it is within my own me- mory that in Clare, and throughout JNIunster, the invention and recital of such romantic tales continue to afford a favourite dehght to the still Gaedhhc-speaking people. It is obvious that, so far as concerns the historical value of such illustrative details as I have stated to exist in this class of literature, we may pass by at once almost all the tales which are known or may be believed to have been composed after the intimate contact of the pure Gaedhil with the Norman and Enghsh settlers, in whatever parts of the island such intimate contact took place. For as soon as any portion of the people became for a while intimate with foreign races and foreign modes of Hfe on their owm soil, their literature, it may be sup- posed, would probably become tinged with foreign ideas, and would therefore become of little value in illustration of the Hfe and history of the Gaedhils. In selecting for study, then, those of our Imaginative Tales which appear to contain valuable mat- ter for the historian, I would pass over altogether all those of the last three centuries in every part of the country, and all those of date before that period, composed in any part of the island in immediate contact with foreign society and manners. Of com'se, m the particular case of any separate piece, care must also be taken to investigate those circumstances upon which ought to depend its authenticity for the purposes of our inquiry. With these preHminary remarks, then, I proceed to offer some observations to-day upon those portions of the imaginative lite- LECT. XIV. Of the Poems, etc. 300 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AKD POEMS. rature of ancient Eiinn -wliicli we yet possess, and from wlaicK solid and reliable information is to be obtained. And, in the examples wliicli I sliall bring under yom* notice, I shall select ascribed to' fcom the carlicst and most characteristic of these interesting com- positions. Several writers on Irish history have been rather puzzled about the antiquity of the poems and legends ascribed to Oisin; and the Rev. Charles O'Conor, in the Bihliotheca Stowensis (vol. i. p. 165), says that, " All the most ancient poems on the subject of Tain Bo Clmailgne^ and the wars of Cuchnlainn, and on the wars of Conn of the Himdxed Battles, and of Fingal, and of Oscar, and of Oisin, or Ossian, are in this style of poetry, [He refers to a specimen.] They are romances of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries; the few historical facts in them are gleaned from Tighernach and from the Saltair of Cashel". Now part of this opinion belongs to the reverend doctor him- self, and part to his [in these matters] more learned grandfather, Charles O'Conor of Belanagar, who, in his observations on Mr. Mac Pherson's dissertations and notes on the poems of " Fingal" and " Temora", speaks as follows: " That the poems of Fingal and Temora have no foundation in the history of the ancient Scots, is an idea that we are very far from establishing. They are evidently fomided on the ro- mances and vulgar stories of the Fiana Eireann. The poet, whoever he was, picked up many of the names of men and places to be found in those tales, and invention made up the rest. In digesting these poems into their present forms, chrono- logy was overlooked, and the actions of different ages are all made coeval. Ossian, an ancient bard of the tliird century, is pitched upon as a proper author to gain admiration for such compositions, and the more (it should seem) as he was an illi- terate bard". Mr. O'Conor does not fix upon any probable date for these Fenian poems, for two reasons : first, because he could not find satisfactory data for doing so; and, secondly, because, as he could not find such data, he loould not do so. His learned and reverend grandson, however, was not so fastichous ; for it appears to have been a rule with him to dispose of everything for which he could not find a positive date, by placing it arbi- trarily witliin the period — " from the thirteenth to the sixteenth century". It is now too late to discuss whether Oisin was an ilhter- ate bard or not; but the Rev. Dr. Keting, in his History of Erinn, at the reign of Cormac Mac Art, quotes an ancient OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 301 authority, which I have not yet had the good fortune to meet, lectxiv. for the quaUfications which it was indispensable for a man to q^ ^j^^ possess before he could be received into the select militia, of ^"'^.'."5' '^t^-- which Finn Mac Cumhaill was the last commander ; and one otsin. of those qiuiHfications was, that the candidate should be a poet (that is, educated to compose regular verses), and should have learned the twelve Books of Poetry. C_ It is impossible to fix any precise, or even probable, date for these Fenian poems now ; and all that can be done, in answer to the arbitrary statements of Dr. O'Conor and others, relative to the date of their compositions, is to trace them back as far as knowm manuscripts of ascertained dates will carry us. Of these ancient authorities, the Book of Leinster, so often referred to in the course of these lectures, is the oldest and most authentic. It was compiled, as you will remember, in the early part of the twelfth century, and, certainly, from more ancient books. Its authority, so far, must be received as unexceptionable ; and to it I shall, in the first instance, refer, for the refutation of Dr. O'Conors arbitrary opinions on these poems. I may, however, I think, safely assert that the style, language, and matter of these poems will, in the opinion of any competent Irish scholar, carry their composition several centuries farther back. If the people of Scotland could show such poems as those to be found in the Book of Leinster and the other books which I shall follow, relating to Finn Mac Cumhaill and Oisin, and connecting them as much with Scotland as they do with this country, then, indeed, might they stand up boldly for Mac Pherson's forgeries and baseless assertions; and there is little doubt but that they would have long since presented them to the world in print. The ancient Hterary remains which have for a long time of the passed under the names of Fenian Poems and Tales are of poems\nd four classes. tales. The first class consists of poems ascribed directly, in ancient transcripts, to Finn 3fac Cumhaill; to his sons, Oisin and Fergus Finnhheoill (the Eloquent) ; and to his kinsman Caeilte. The second class consists of tracts made up of articles in prose and verse, ascribed to some one of the same personages, but related by a second person. The third class consists of miscellaneous poems, descriptive of passages in the fife of Finn and his warriors, but without any ascription of authorship. The fourth class consists of certain prose tales told in a ro- mantic style relating to the exploits of the same reno^vned captain, and those of his more distinguished companions. 302 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. tECT. XIV, The Poems ascribed to Finn Mac Cuinhaill. The poems ascribed, upon anytliing like respectable autliority, " to Finn Mac Cumhaill are few indeed, amounting only to five, as far as I have been able to discover ; but these few are found in manuscripts of considerable antiquity — namely, the Book of Leinster, which, as 1 have already observed, was compiled, chiefly from older books, in the early part of the twelfth cen- tury ; and the Book of Lecain, compiled in the same way in the year 1416. The first of these five poems is devoted to an account of the exploits and death of GoU Mac Morna, the great chief of the Connacht Fenians. This GoU had slain Finn's father, Cumhall, in the battle of Cnucha, near Dubhn, and was in Finn's early life his mortal enemy ; but he subsequently made peace with him and submit- ted to his superior command. In the poem Finn gives a vivid and rapid account of all the men of note who fell by the hands of Goll and the Connacht warriors in all parts of Erinn, with the names of the slain and of the places in which they fell. The poem consists of 86 quatrains, and begins thus [see original in Appendix, No. XCII.] : — " The grave of Goll in Magh Raighne'\ (This Magh Raighne was an ancient plain in Ossory in Leins- ter ; cm Finclie, or Saint Finche's church was situated in it, accor- ding to the Festology oiAengus Ceile De, or Aengus the " Cul- dee". The poem contains a great number of topographical re- ferences, for which it is particularly valuable. The second is a short poem, of only five quatrains, on the ori- gin of the name of Magh-da-Gheisi, or the Plain of the Two Swans, also in Leinster, beginning [see original in same Appen- dix] : — " The stone which I was wont to throw". The third is a shorter poem of only three quatrains, on tlie origin of the name of Roirend, a place in Ui Failghe, or OfFaly, beginning [sec original in same Appendix] : — "Beloved is he who came from a brave land". These three (which belong to the ancient lost tract called the Dinnsenchus) are found in the Book of Leinster only : the fol- lowing are likewise to be found there, but are also preserved in the Book o{ Lecain. A poem of seventeen quatrains, descriptive of Ros-Broc [Badger- Wood] , the place which is now Teach Moling [Saint Mullen's], on the brink of the River Bearhha [or Barrow], in OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 303 the present county of Carlow. It begins [see original in same lect. xiy. Appendix]:— xhePoen^ ascribed to ^^ Ross-Broc tlais day is tlie resort of warriors". Finn Mac •' Cum/iaill. In this poem (tlie authenticity of which as Finn's, there is abundant reason to question), Finn is made to prophesy the coming of Saint Patrick into Ireland to propagate the tiaiths of Christianity, and the futiu'e sanctity o£ Ros-Broc when it should become the peaceful abode of Saint Moling and his monks. Another poem is on the tragical death of Fithh' and DarinS, the two daughters of the monarch Tuathal Teclitmar, whose untimely end was produced by the treachery of Eocliaidli An- chean, King of Leinster. This poem begins [see original in same Appendix] : — "Fearfid the deed which has been done here". So far the Book of Leinster: but the Book oiLecain contains, in addition, two other poems ascribed to Finn. One of these is taken from the tract in the BinnsencJms, on the origin of the name of a place called Druim Dean, in Leinster. This was a hill upon which Finn had a mansion. Finn went on an expe- dition into Connacht, during which he defeated the chieftain Uinehe in battle at Ceann Mara [now called Kinvara], on the Bay of Gal way . Uinehe, with twenty-one of liis party, escaped from the battle, and came directly to Finn's mansion at Druim Drean, wliich he succeeded in totally destroying. Finn soon returned home, but finding liis residence destroyed and several of his people killed, he went with his son Oisin and his cousin Caeilte in pursuit of the enemy, whom he overtook and slew at a ford called ever since Ath Uinehe, or Uinehe' s Ford. On Finn's return from this last achievement, he addi'essed this poem to the hill on which stood his desolate home [see original in same Appendix] : — "Desolate is your mansion, O Druim Dean^\ Of some poems, prophecies, and sayings ascribed in other manuscripts to Finn Mae Cumhaill, the space I have allotted me will not allow me to speak in detail ; but I may, however, take occasion to assure you that it is quite a mistake to suppose Finn Mae Cumhaill to have been a merely imaginary or mythi- cal character. Much that has been narrated of liis exploits is, no doubt, apocryphal enough; but Finn himself is an un- doubtedly historical personage* and that he existed about the tune at which his appearance is recorded in the annals, is as certain as that Julius Caesar hved and ruled at the time stated 304 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. LECT. xrv, The Poems ascribed to Fi7in Mao Cumhaill. Of Oisin, or " Ossiau". The Poems ascribed to Oisiii. on tlie autliority of the Roman historians. I may add here, that the pedigree of Finn is fully recorded on the unquestion- able authority of the Book of Leinster, in which he is set down as the son of Cumhall, who was the son of Trenmdr, son of Snaelt, son of Eltan, son of JBaiscni, son of Nuada Neclit, who was of the Heremonian race, and monarch of Erinn about A.M. 5090, according to the chronology of the Four Masters, that is, 110 years before Christ. Finn himself was slain, according to the Annals of the Four jNIasters, in Anno Domini 283, in the reign of Cairhre Lifeachair. Oisin (a word which signifies literally the "little fawn"), the son of Finn Mac Cumhaill, has within the last hundred years attracted much attention among the most learned men of Europe. Mr. James Mac Pherson, a Scottish gentleman, gave to the world, as you are all doubtless aware, about the year 1760, a highly poetic translation of what he pretended to be some ancient genuine compositions of Oisin. It is no part of the purpose of this Lecture to review the long and learned controversy which followed the publication of these very clever imitations of what was then, and for a long time afterwards, believed to be the genuine style of Oisin s poetry ; but I can- not omit to observe, that of all Mac Phersou's translations, in no single instance has a genuine Scottish original been found, and that none will ever be found I am very certain. The only poems of Oisin with which I am acquainted, that can be positively traced back so far as the twelfth centmy, are two, which are found in the Book of Leinster. One of these (consisting, indeed, but of seven quatrains) is valuable as a record of the great battle of Gahhra, which was fought in a.d. 284, and in wliich Oscar, the brave son of Oisin, and CairhrS Lijeachair, the monarch of Erinn, fell by each others hands. There are two specially important facts -preserved in this poem, which, whether it be the composition of Oisin or not, is, at all events, one of very ancient date; namely, the fact, that the monarch Cairhre fought on horseback, and that the ]30ct, who- ever he may be, refers to an Ogham inscription on Oscar's tombstone. A perfect and very accurate copy of this poem was published in the year 1854, by a society which, adopting the Scottish in- stead of the proper Irish form, calls itself the "Ossianic Society". The second poem of Oisin, preserved in the Book of Lein- ster, is of much greater extent than the first, as it consists of fifty-four quatrains, and it is equally, if not more, valuable in its contents. Oisin, at the time of writing this poem, appears to have OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 305 been blind, and to have been popularly known by the name of lect. xiv. Guaire Dall, that is, Guaire "the blind". _ Tiie Poems The occasion of the poem appears to have been the holding ascribed to of the great fair and festival games of the Life, or Liffey, which probably were held on the Cuirrech Life (now known as the Curragh of Kildare). These games and fairs were of frequent occurrence in ancient Erinn, down even to the tenth century ; and among the sports on such occasions, horse racing appears always to have held a prominent place. The poet begins by stating that the king has inaugurated the fair; speaks of the happiness of those who can attend it, and contrasts their condition with his own, as being incapable, from old age and blindness, to participate as he had been accustomed to do in these exciting sports. He then gives a vivid account of a visit which, iii liis more youthful days, he had made, along with his father, Finn, and a small band of the Fenian warriors, to the court oi FiacJia Muilleathan^ King of jMunster, at Bada- mar (near the present town of Cahix in Tipperary) ; and of the races of Oenach Clochair [now Manister, near Croom, in the county of Limerick], which the king had celebrated on the occasion of Finn's -visit. The winning horse at the coiu'se was a black steed, belonging to Dill, the son of Dachreca, Avho was the king's tutor. The king p\irchased the steed from his old tutor on the spot, and made a present of it to Finn. Finn and his party then took their leave, and passed into the district comprised by the present coimty of Kerry, on to the sandy strand of Beramain [near Tralee]. Here Finn challenged his son, Oisin, and his cousin, Caeilte, to try the speed of their choice horses with his black steed on the sandy strand. The race is won by Finn ; but, in place of taking rest after it, he strikes into the country southward, followed by his two com- panions, and they proceed without resting until night comes on, when they find themselves at the foot of the hill of Bai?'- nech [near Killamey]. Here night overtook them, and although they were well acquamted with the locality, and had never known or seen a house there before, they saw one now, which they entered without ceremony. This, however, was, it seems, no other than an enchanted hov;se, prepared by some of Finn's necromantic enemies, in order to frighten and pimish him for the death of some friends of theirs by his hands. The wild horrors of the night in such a place need not here be related ; nor shall I delay over details ol" more solid interest in the story, such as the various incidents of Finn's visit to Munster on this occasion, and the very ciurious topographical notices of liis pro- gress. For all these things I must refer you to the poem itself 20 306 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. The Poems ascribed to Oisin. The Poems ascribed to Fergus Finnbheoil, LECT. XIV. This, howevei:, is not very difficult of study; and you will gain some assistance from a free metrical translation of it, made by our distinguished covuitryman. Dr. Anstcr, wliich was pub- lished in the Dublin University Magazine for March and April, 1852. The next of the Fenian poets is Fergus Finnbheoil (Fergus "the Eloquent"), son oi Finn Mac Cumhaill. Of this early bard's compositions, I have met but one ge- nuinely ancient poem. It occurs in the lost Book of Dinnsen- chus, copied into the Books of Lecain and Ballymote, and pro- fesses to account for the name of an ancient well or spring named Tipra Seangarmiia, situated in the south-eastern part of the present county of Kerry, and in which, I believe, the river Feile [Feale] has its source. It would appear from this poem that the spring oi' Semigarmnin issued from a cleft in a rock, or rather from a mountain cavern. Oism, the brother of Fergus, with a few followers, were, it would appear, while out hunting, in- veigled into this cleft or cavern by some of its fairy inhabitants, and detained there for a whole year. Durmg all this time Oisin was accustomed to cut a small chip from the handle of his spear, and cast it upon the issuing stream. Finn, his father, who had been in search of him all the time, happening at last to come to this stream, saw a chip floating down, took it up, and knew immediately that it was part of Oisin's spear, and intended for a sign. He therefore followed the stream to its source, entered the cavern, and rescued his son and his companions. And this is the legend which Fergus relates in the poem, (Book of Bally- mote, fol. 202, a. a.) which consists of thirty-three quatrains, and begins [see original in Appendix, No. XCIIL] : " The well of Seanc/armain, with all its beauty". The Poems The next and last of the ancient Fenian bards is CaeiltS caeiM Mac Mac Roucdn, the cousin of Finn, and one of his officers, the most onam. distinguished both as warrior and poet, but chiefly distinguished above all the rest in legendary record by Iris singular agility and swiftness of foot. Of CaeilWs poems I find but one among our more ancient tracts, and this was in the Dinnsenchus, in which it is quoted as supplying an account of the origin of the name Tonn Chliodhna [or Wave of ChliocUma], which was the ancient name of a strand and the waves that broke over it, situated in or near the bay of Cloch-na-Coillte [Clonakilty] , on the coast of the county of Cork. Tlois poem, like the last, is found in the Books of Ballymote and Lecain, and is said to have been sung by the author for Saint Patrick. It is not a legend of Finn or his people, but a ibed to Hi Mac OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 307 love story, the heroine in which (Cliodhna, a foreign lady) was lkct. xiv imfortimatcly drowned on this shore, and from whose name was ^.^^^ j,^^^^ derived the appellation of the Wave o^Cliodhna. The poem is afcii very ancient, and begins [see original m same AppendixJ : — Ronain " Cliodhna the fair-haired, long to be remembered". Having so far described to you such of these very ancient agi*,ative'' poems as I have found ascribed direct!}'' to Finn Mac Cumhaill, Tales his sons Oisin and Fergus Finnbheoil, and his cousin Caeilte, I of pieces shall now bring under your notice the second class of our audVrorr^" ancient imaginative compositions — namely, those tracts which were made up of articles in prose and verse, ascribed to some one or more of the personages already mentioned, but related by a second person. The most important, perhaps the only genuine, tract of this class now existing, is that which is well known as the A gallamh na Seanorach, or Dialogue of the Ancient Men. Tliese " ancient men" were OisiJi, the son o^Finn Mac Cmnh- ^ogt,e ,?nhe aill, and Caeilte, the son of CroncJm, son of Ronan, popularly ^^ncient called Caeilte Mac Honain, a near relative of Oisin. These two chiefs long survived their brethren in arms, and are even reported to have lived until the coming of Saint Patrick into Erinn to preach Christianity, by whom it is said they were converted and baptized. So in the " Dialogue" just referred to, then, they are made to give an account to the Saint of the situation, the history, and origin of the names of various hills, moimtains, rivers, caverns, rocks, wells, mounds, shores, etc., throughout Erinn, but more particularly such places as derived their names or any celebrity from actions or events in which Finn Mac Cumhaill, or his warriors, had been personally engaged or in any way concerned. Of this class of compositions we have at present existing, as I have just ob- served, but tliis one tract ; and even this, as far as can be yet ascertained, is imperfect. There is a large fragment of it pre- served in the Book of Lismore, a vellum manuscnpt wiitten about the year 1400 ; another large fragment, on paper, in the Royal Irish Academy [H. and S. Collection, No. 149] ; a more perfect, but still damaged copy in the Bodleian Library at Oxford [Rawlinson, 487] ; and, as far as I am able to judge without having seen the book, an older and more perfect copy than any of these, if not quite perfect, in the College of St. Isi- dore, in Rome, This tract, which might almost be called a Topographical and Historical Catechism, commences by stating that after the disastrous battles of Comar, Gabhra, and Ollarbha, the Fianns 20 b 308 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. tECT. XIV. or Fenian forces were so shattered and diminislied in nimibers, , that the surviving few of them dispersed themselves over the logue of the country, so that their number was at last reduced to eleven — Men".'^ namely the two good old chiefs, Oisin and Caeilte, and nine common soldiers. After having wandered a long time among the new and strange generation that had sprung up around them in their native country, the two chiefs agreed to separate for a time ; and Oisin went to his mother to the (enchanted) mansion of Cleitech, near Slane, while Caeilte passed over Magh Breagh (or Bregia) to the south, and to Saint Patrick, who was then sojourning at Raith-Droma-deii'g , to whom Caeilte related his unfortunate story. Saint Patrick was very glad to add so remarkable a personage to his congregation, and readily gave CaeiltS and his few com]j)anions a comfortable maintenance in his establishment. Oisin soon after joined his old friends, and the two chiefs thenceforth were Patrick's constant companions in his missionary journeys through the country, always giving him the history of every j)lace that they visited, and of numberless other places, the names of which incidentally occur in the course of the narra- tive, as well as the origin of their names, all of which was written into a book, for the benefit of futvu'e generations, l)y Brogan, Saint Patrick's scribe. The space allotted to these lectures will not allow me to dwell further on this tract than to lay before you one or two exam- ples of the nature and style of the countless articles of which it is composed. Saint Patrick, with his travelhng missionary retinue, including Caeilte^ we are told, was one day sitting on the hill which is now well known as Ard-Patrick, in the county of Limerick. The hill before tliis time was called Finn Tulach, the Fair (or Wliite) Hill, and Patrick asked Caeilte why or when it had received that name. Caeilte answered that its first name was Tulach-na-Feine ; but that Finn had afterwards given it the name of Finntulach. " And (continued Caeilte) it was from this hill that we marched to the great battle of Finntraigh (now ' Ventry' Harbour)". [See original in Appendix, No. XCIV.] " One day that we were on this hill, Finn observed a favourite warrior of his company, named Cael ONeamliain^ coming to- wards him, and when he had come to Finn's presence, he asked him where he had come from. Cael answered that he had come from Brugli in the north (that is the fairy mansion of Brugh, on the Boyne). Wliat was your business there? said Finn. To speak to my nurse, Muirn, the daughter of Derg, said Cael. About what? said Finn. Concerning Crede, the daughter of OF THE IxMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 309 Cairhre, King of Kerry \_Ciaraighe Luaclirci], said Cael. Do lect./xiv. you know, said Finn, that she is the greatest deceiver [flirt, ^^^^ „ j^.^_ coquette] among all the women of Erinn ; that there is scarcely logue of the a precious gem in all Ermn that she has not obtained as a token Men-, of love ; and that she has not yet accepted the hand of any of her admirers? I know it, said Cael; but do you know the conditions on wliich she would accept a husband ? I do, said Finn : whoever is so gifted in the art of poetry as to write a poem descriptive of her mansion and its rich furnitvire, will re- ceive her hand. Good, said Cael; I have with the aid of my nurse composed such a poem; and if you will accompany me, I will now repair to her court and present it to her. " Finn agreed to this proposal, and having set out on their journey they soon anived at the lady's court, which was situated at the foot of the well known moimtains called the Paps of Anann, in Kerry. When arrived, the lady asked their business. Finn answered that Cael came to seek her hand in marriage. Has he a poem for me ? said she. I have, said Cael; — and he then recited the very ciuious poem, of wliich the following is a literal translation : "A journey I make on Friday: And should I go I shall be a true guest. To Credes mansion, — not small the fatigue, — At the breast of the mountain on the north-east. " It is destined for me to go there. To Crede, at the Paps of Anann, That I be there, awaiting sentence. Four days and half a week. " Happy the house in which she is, Between men and children and women. Between Druids and musical performers, Between cup-bearers and door-keepers. "Between equerries without fear. And distributors who divide [the fare] ; And over all these the command belongs To fair Crede of the yellow hair. " It would be happy for me to be in her dan, Among her soft and downy couches. Should Crede deign to hear [my suit], Happy for me would be my journey. " A bowl she has whence berry-juice flows, By wliich she colours her eye-brows black ; [She has] clear vessels of fermenting ale ; Cups she has, and beautiful goblets. 310 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. lECT. XIV. The "Dia- logue of the Ancient Men". " The colour [of her dtin] is like the colour of lime ; Within it are coviches and green rushes ; Within it are silks and blue mantles ; Within it are red gold and crystal cups. "Of its Grianan [sunny chamber] the corner stones Are all of silver and of yellow gold, — Its thatch in stripes of faultless order, Of wings of brown and crimson red. "Two door-posts of green I see; Nor is its door devoid of beauty ; Of carved silver, long has it been renowned, Is the lintel that is over its door. " CredS's chair is on your right hand ; The pleasantest of the pleasant it is ; All over a blaze of Alpine gold, At the foot of her beautiful couch- " A gorgeous couch, in full array. Stands directly above the chair ; It was made by [at ?] TiUle, in the east, Of yellow gold and precious stones. " There is another bed on your right hand, Of gold and silver without defect, — ■ With curtains, with soft [pillows], And with graceful rods of golden-bronze. " The household which are in her house. To the happiest of conditions have been destined ; Gray and glossy are their garments ; Twisted and fair is their flowing hair, " Wounded men would sink in sleep, Thovxgh ever so heavily teeming with blood, With the warblings of the fairy birds From the eaves of her sunny chamber \_GTiandn']. " If I am [i.e., have cause to be] thankful to the woman. To Crede, for whom the cuckoo sings, In songs of praise she shall ever live, If she but repay me for my gift. " If it please the daughter of Ccdi'h^S, — ' She will not put me off to another time, — She will herself say to me here : ' To me your journey is greatly welcome'. " An hundred feet spans CredS^s house From one angle to the other; And twenty feet are fully measured In the breadth of its noble door. L,ECT. XIV. The "Dia- OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS 311 " Its portico is thatched With wings of birds both bhie and yellow ; Its lawn in front, and its well, iogueofthe Of crystal and of carmogal. Men". " Four posts to every bed [there are], Of gold and silver finely carved, — A crystal gem between each post, — They are not of unpleasant heads. [See Appendix.] " There is m it a vat of royal bronze. Whence flows the pleasant juice of malt ; An apple-tree stands overhead the vat With the abimdance of its weighty frmt. " Wien Crede's goblet is filled With the ale of the noble vat, There di'op down into the cup directly Foiu' apples at the same time, " The fom- attendants [distributors] that have been named, Arise and go to the distiibution ; They present to fom- of the guests around, A drink to each man, and an apple. " She, who has all these things, — Within the strand and the flood, [see Appendix] Crede of the three-pointed-hill, — Has taken [z'.e., wonby] a spear's cast before the women of Erinn. " Here is a poem for her, no mean present. It is not a hasty rash composition : To Crede now it is here presented — May my journey be brightness to her". The yoimg lady was, it seems, delighted vnih. this poem, and readily consented to become the wife of the gifted Gael; and their marriage, we are told, took place soon after. Their happiness was, however, of short duration ; for Gael was almost immediately called away to the great battle of Ventry Harbour, where he was killed in the midst of victory, fighting against the host of foreign invaders. Grede had followed him to the battle-field, and received his last sighs of affection for herself, and of exultation for having died in his country's cause. He was biiried by his comrades on the south side of the harbour in a place which was (after him, it is said) called Traigli Caeil, or the strand of Gael. Crede composed an elegy for him, wliich is valuable to us, among other things, as containing some curious allusions to ancient customs, as well as a descrip- tion of the grave of her lover and the manner of his interment. I think I need offer no apology for detaining you so long 312 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. LECT. XIV. The "Dia- logue of the Ancient Men". Of others of the Ken I AN TOEMS. with tlie details of tliis singularly interesting little poem. I sliall only give you, in a few words, one other example of the varied sort of information wliich Avill be found in the tract at present imder consideration, and then pass from the " Dialogue of the Ancient Men" for the present. Saint Patrick, we are told in it, receives an invitation from the king of Connacht to visit his coimtry. He sets out from Ard Patrick, passes through Limerick, Cratloe, Sliabh Echtghe., and many other places, into Ui Maine, and to the court of the king of Connacht at Loch Croine (in the present county of Ros- common), where he was joyfully and reverently received. One day that they were seated on a green mound in the vicinity of the palace, a young Munster warrior, who was at- tached to the king's court, put the following questions to Caeilte with Patrick's consent. Where did Oilioll Ohdm, [the cele- brated king of Munster,] and his wife Sadkbh, die, and where were they biuied ? Where did their seven sons die in one day ? Who were the parties that fought the battle of Cnoc Stwihna, in Tipperary? Where and how did Comiac Cas [another son of Oilioll Oluini] die ? etc. Caeilte answers all these ques- tions, and tells how the battle of Cnoc Samlina was fought between Eochaidh Ahradruadh [the Red Browed], King of Leinster, and Cormac Cas; how the latter received a fearful wound in the head ; and how after hngering for thirteen years in great agony, he died at Dun Tri-Liag, that is, the ^Dun (or fort) of the three pillar stones [now Duntrileague, in the county of Limerick], which was specially built for his particular accom- modation ; together with many other similar details. From the nature of these questions, and the copious answers which Caeilte is always made to give, it Avill be seen that tliis, as well as the other articles in this valuable tract, must be full of curious and really valuable historical information. Besides the pieces of which I have abeady spoken, a large collection of Fenian poems, chiefly ascribed to Oism, bvit some of them also to his brother poets, is to be foimd in our paper MSS. of the last 200 years; most of these manuscripts being transcripts, as I have abeady observed, from books of much older date. These poems are generally given as dialogues be- tween Oiain and Saint Patrick ; but they seldom contain much matter illustrative either of topograjahy or social manners. The most popular, as well as the largest, of this class of poems is that which is known as Cath Clmuic an Air, the battle of the Hill of Slaughter ; but as no details of topography are given in it — not even the situation of the Hill of Battle — and OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 313 as tlie foes were little more than three or four foreign champions, le ct. xiy. the piece is of little historic value. The next and last class are the Prose Tales, of which the of the following are the chief, if not all, that are at present known : ^H^^ the Toruigheacht DJiiarmada is Ghrdine, or Pursuit ofDiartnaid i" ^^'°^^- and Grainne; the Cath Finntrdgha, or Battle of Ventry Har- bour (in Kerry) ; the Bruigliean Chaei'thainn, or Mountain-ash Court; the Imtheacht cm Ghilla Deacair, or Flight of the Slothful Fellow; Bruigliean Cheise att Chorccinn, or the Court of Ceis Corann; the Bruigliean Eochaidh Big JDeirg, or Court of Little Red Eochaidh; the Bruigliean hheag na h-AhnhainS, or Little Court of Almhain (or Allen) ; and the Feis Tiglie Chondin Chinn t-Sleibhe, or Feast of Conan's House of Ceann SleibheS''^ Of these, the only tale founded on fact, or, at least, on ancient authority (though romantically told), is one in which Finn himself was deeply interested. It is the pursuit of Diar- 9naid and Grainne. The facts on which it is founded are shortly these. Finn, in his old age, solicited the monarch Cormac Mac The Taic of Art for the hand of his celebrated daughter Grainne in mar- of^'-^^!^'^^"'* riage. Cormac agreed to the hero's proposal, and invited Finn '""'ur-°^ ledgments to the princess, than they all, almost simultaneously, suit of Diar- fell into a heavy sleep. GraiwU'.) The liquor was of course dragged for this pui'pose, and no sooner had Grainne perceived the full success of her scheme, than she went and sat by the side of Oisin and Diarmaid, and, addressing the former, complained to him of the folly of his father Finn, in expecting that a maiden of her youth, beauty, and celebrity, could ever consent to become the wife of so old and war-worn a man ; that if Oisin himself were to seek her hand she shorxld gladly accept him ; but since that could not now be, that she had no chance of escaping the evil which her father's temerity had brought upon her but by flight ; and as Oisin could not dishonour his father by being her partner in such a proceeding, she conjured Diar maid by liis manliness, and by his vows of chivalry, to take her away, to make her his wife, and thus to save her from a fate to which she preferred even death itself. After much persuasion (for the consequences of so grievous an offence to liis leader must necessarily be serioi;s) Diarmaid consented to the elopement; the parties took a hasty leave of Oisin ; and as the royal palace was not very strictly guarded on such an occasion, Grainne found little difficulty in escaping the vigilance of the attendants, and gaining the open country with her companion. Wlien the monarch and Finn awoke from their trance, their rage was boundless; both of them vowed vengeance against the unhappy delinquents ; and Finn immediately set out from Tara in pursuit of them. He sent parties of his swiftest and best men to all parts of the country ; but Diarmaid Avas such a favourite with his brethren in arms, and the pecuHar circmn- stances of the elopement invested it with so much sympathy on the part of those yovmg heroes, that they never could dis- cover the retreat of the offenders, excepting when Finn liim- self happened to be of the party that immediately pursued them, and then they were sure to make their escape by some Avonderful stratagem or feat of agility on the part of Diat'maid. This, then, was the celebrated Pursuit of Dia7'maid and Grainne. It extended all over Erinn ; and in the description of the progress of it, a great amount of cmious information on topography, the natiu:al productions of various localities, social manners, and more ancient tales and superstitions, is introduced. OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 315 The flight oi Diarmaid aud Grainne is mentioned in several lect. xiv. of ovii' ancient manuscripts, and the popular traditions through- ~ out the country point to those ancient monuments, \T.ilgarly feman called Cromlechs, as their resting and hiding places, many of p^olfe.'" whicli are still commonly, though of course without any reason, [i^*^':.™^°^ called Leahthacha Dhiai-mada is Ghrainne, or the Beds o^ Di- suit of z>/ar- armaid and Grainne. [See Appendix, No. XCV.] ^oraimu-.^ The next Fenian tale that claims attention is that which is THe Tale of so populai-ly known as Cath Finntragha, the Battle of the of Finn- ' White Strand (a name now AngHcized Ventry Harbour, — in ve*,"uy"°'' west of Kerry), That tills is an ancient tale may be inferred from the mention of it made in the story of the mifortunate lovers Gael and Credo just mentioned, as well as from a damaged copy of it on vellum, which is preserved in an old manuscript in the Bodleian Library at Oxford [Rawhnson, 487] ; but the paper copies of it, wliich are numerous in Ireland, are very much coiTupted in language, and interpolated with trivial and incongruous incidents. The tale is a 2:)ure fiction, but related with considerable force and in a hig]ily popular style. The tale commences with the statement that Daire Dornmhar, according to the author the emperor of the whole world ex- cept Erinn, calls together all the tributary kings of his empire to join him in an expedition to Erinn, to subjugate it and to enforce tribute. He arrives with a great fleet at Glas Cliari^aig [now the " Skellig Rocks", on the coast of Kerry], piloted by Glas Mac Dremain, a soldier of Kerry, who had been pre- viously banished by Finn Mac Cumhaill. Tliis Glas Mac Dremain, who was well acquainted with his native coast, brought the fleet safely into the noble harbom- oi' Finntrdigh (or Ventry), from which place the emperor determined to subdue the coimtry. Finn had at all times some of his tiaisty warriors, vigilant and swift of foot, posted at all the harbours of the comitry, for the purpose of giving liim timely information of the approach or landing of any foreign foe on the island ; and not the least important, as well as interesting, part of tliis tale is the list of tlrese harbours, with their ancient as well as their more modem names. At the actual time of this invasion, Finn, -^ath the main body of his warriors, was enjoying the pleasures of swiroming and fishing in the waters of the liver Shannon, where a mes- senger from his warden at Ventry reached him with the impor- tant news. In the meantime, the news also reached several cliiefs and warriors of the Tuatha De Danann race, who were 316 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS, LECT. XIV. Of the Fenian Tales in Prose. (The Tale of the " Battle of Fuin- trdigha, or Ventry.") The Tale of the " Flight of the Sloth- ful Fellow". located in Ui Chonaill Gahhra [in tlie pi'esent county of Lime- rick], and several of" these, simultaneously with Finn, set out for Ventiy, wliere they all arrived in due time, and imme- diately entered upon a series of combats with the foreign enemy. Tidings of the invasion were soon carried into Ulster also ; and Gall, the son of Fiacha FoltleoAhan, king of that province, a youth of fifteen, obtained leave from his father to come to Finn's assistance, at the head of a fine band of young volun- teers from Ulster. Young Galf's ardour, however, cost him rather dear ; for having entered the battle with extreme eager- ness, his excitement soon increased to absolute frenzy, and after having performed astounding deeds of valour, he fled in a state of derangement from the scene of slaughter, and never stopped until he phmged into the wild seclusion of a deep glen far up the country. This glen has ever since been called Glenn-na- n-Gealt, or the Glen of the Lunatics, and it is even to this day believed in the south, that all the limatics of Erinn would re- sort to this spot if they were allowed to be at large. The siege, as it may be called, of Ventry Harboru', held for twelve months and a day; but at length the foreign foe was beaten off with the loss of all his best men, and indeed of nearly the whole of Iris airny ; and thus Finn and his brave wai'riors, as was their long custom (woidd that we had had worthy suc- cessors to them in after times !), preserved the liberty and inte- tegrity of their native land. This tale of the Battle of Ventry is of no absolute value as historic authority for the incidents related in it ; but the many names of places, and the various manners and customs tradi- tionally handed down and preserved in it, render it of consi- derable interest to the student in Irish history. The next Fenian tale which requires notice is one which is well known under the name of the Itntheacht an Ghiolla Deacair, or "Fhght of the Slothful Fellow". On one occasion that Finn Mac Cumhaill gave a great feast to his officers and men, at his own court at Almhain [the Hill of Allen, in the present county of Kildare], it was deter- mined to go into Munster on a hunting excursion. The feast being over, they set out with their dogs and hoimds, and after having passed through several places of historical celebrity, which are named in the tract, they arrived at last at Cnoc Aim [now called Knockany], in the present county of Limerick. Here Finn took his stand, and setting up his tent on the top of the liill, he despatched liis warriors and their hounds in various groups to the long range of mountains which divide the present OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 317 comities of LiiBcrick, Cork, and Kerry. The chase was com- lect. xiv. menced with ardoiu* and prosecuted with increasing excitement ^^ tlu'ough the momitains ah*eady mentioned, and then into the fenian game-abounding wilds of Kerry. Pro"a "(The When Finn had estabhshed his temporary residence on Knock- ™fig°^t*of any, he placed a scout on the brow of the liill to keep watch, ti^e siotufiu while he himself, with his few attendants, sought amusement in a game of chess. While thus engaged, the scout returned with news that he saw a man of great and miwieldy bulk slowly ap- proaching them from the east, leading a horse, which he seemed to be di'agging after Mm by main force- Finn and his party immediately started to their feet; and although the stranger was but a short distance from them, so slow was his movement, that some considerable time elapsed before he reached their presence. Ha\dng arrived before them at last, Finn questioned him as to his name, race, country, profession, and the object of his visit. The stranger answered that his pedigree and coimtry were imdistinguished and imcertain ; that his name was Giolla Deacair, or the " Slothful Fellow" ; and that he was seeking ser- vice imder some distinguished master ; and that being slow and very lazy, he kept a horse for the purpose of riding whenever he was sent upon a message or errand. The latter part of the answer afforded Finn and his friends matter for merriment, as the horse, from his gaunt and dying appearance, seemed to be less desirous of carrying any burden than of being carried liimself. However, Finn took the " Slothful Fellow" into his service ; upon which the latter requested and obtained pennission to turn his old horse out among the horses of the Fenian party. No sooner, however, had the old horse found himself among his better conditioned neighbours, than he began to kick, bite, and tear them at a fearful rate. Finn immediately ordered the new servant to go and bring his wicked beast away. This the servant set about doing, but so slow was liis movement that all the horses in the field would have been torn to pieces before he could have reached them, though the distance was but short. Conan Mac Morna, who may be described as the Fenian Thersites, seeing his own steed attacked by the mahgnant ani- mal, went boldly up to Mm, caught hold of him, and endea- voured to lead him off from the field. But no sooner was the old beast laid hold of, than he seemed to have lost all power of life and limb, and stir he would not. His owner, however, ha^dng come up by this time, told Conan that the horse was not accustomed to move with strangers except when ridden; whereupon Conan moimted Mm, but neither would he move 318 OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. LECT. XIV. then any more than before. The new servant then said that ,,.,, Conan was too liwht for the horse, which was accnstomed to Of the - .,"., ,_ ' Fenian move onlj With a Weighty load, and pressed the other men of Pros'e! '"(The Finn's party to mount along with Conan, which they did to the "FHeh/of number of twelve. The owner now dealt the old horse a smart the Slothful blow of ail irou rod which he always carried for that purpose. No sooner had the horse received this blow than he started off at a rapid speed "with his burden in a western direction towards the sea, followed by Finn and the few of his party who had re- mained with him. Having reached the sea, the horse plunged in, and the waves immediately opened a dry passage far in front, but closed up after him, the " Slothful Fellow" holding fast by his tail. It is sufficient to say that the riders were carried by enchant- ment to a foreign luiknown country; that Finn and a select party followed them in a ship; and that after much of wild and extravagant adventure, they were discovered and brought home again. These two last tales that I have been just describing, and another called the Bruigliean Chaerthainn, still existing, are mentioned by Dr. Keting, in liis History of Erinn, at the reign of Cormac Mac Art, as among the many romantic tales written of Finn Mac Cumhaill and his warriors, existinar in his own time, say about the year 1630. to In describing to you these early Fenian Tales, I have, m fact, made you acquainted with the general scope of the nu- merous tales of a purely imaginative character which come after them in the chronological order of the pieces of ancient litera- ture which have been presented to us. For my present purpose it is, therefore, unnecessary to give you any examples oi' the latter in dcitail. The value of all of them to the student of mere history, consists only, as I have abeady said, in the records of ancient topography, and in the glimpses of life, manners, and customs, which they contain ; and important as they are in so many other ways to the student of the Gaedhlic language and literatiu'e, a more minute examination of them must be reserved till such time as, in another com'se of lectures, it may become my duty to treat of those special subjects. Of these Imaginative Tales of ancient date, some older than those called Fenian, of wliich I have been speaking, some not so old, I shall, then, at present, only give you the titles of some of the more important ; and I may particularly name : — The Adven- tm'es of Brian, the son of Feabhall; of Coiila Ruadh; of Cor- mac Mac Art, in the land of promise; of Tadlig (or Tcige) OF THE IMAGINATIVE TALES AND POEMS. 319 Mac Cein; the exile of the sons of Duil Dearmart; the court- lect. x. ship of Etain; of Beag Fola; and the death of Aithirne. Q^^^j^g^ Copies of these are preserved in veUum ; and of the following ancient there are copies on paper. The Adventures of Conall Gulban ; tales iu the great battle of 3Iuirtheimne and death of Cucliulainn; the y^ge.'*"'^ RedRonte of Conall Cearnach (to avenge that death) ; and the tales called the Three SoiTOAvful Stories of Erinn — namely, the Story of the tragical fate of the children of Lear; the Story of the childi-en of Uisnech; and the Story of the sons of Tui- reann, etc. These various tales were composed at various dates, but all, I believe, anterior to the year 1000. In conclusion, I have only to indicate to you the extent of our existing manuscript treasures in this department of litera- ture, by stating roughly, as before, the quantity of letterpress which they would fill, if printed at length in the same form as the text of O'Donovan's Four Masters. The Gaedhhc text of the Fenian poems and tales, then, may be calculated as extensive enough to occupy about 3000 pages of such volumes ; and I believe the text of the mass of the other tales of which I have spoken, would extend to at least 5000 pages more. You may thus form to yourselves some idea of the amount of that literature, — small a portion of it as has, in any form, come down to us, — which awaits yom' study whenever you qualify yourselves to open its pages by making yourselves acquainted with that ancient tongue, so long neglected by the present des- cendants of the Gaedliils of your country. And in estimating the literary value of the compositions of this class (of which so very great a niunber remain to us), remember you are not to be guided by the remarks I have made respecting their merely historical importance. Perhaps their chief claim, after all, to your attention would be found to he in their literary merits, and in the richly imaginative language in which they are written. Let me, then, always remind you, that in these Lectiu-es I still confine myself strictly to my subject, — the materials of the An- cient History of Erinn; and that the subject of our Literature must be reserved for another course. LECTURE XV. [Delivered March 28, 1855.]' Of the remains of the early Christian period. Of the Domhnach Airgid. Of the Cathach. Of the Legend of the CMi/e/ac/A. Of the Reliquaries, Shrines, Croziers, Bells, and other rehcs, still preserved, of the first centuries of Christianity in Erinn. We have now brought to a close the too madeqiiate sketch which the necessary Hmits of a general course Hke the present permitted, of the nature and extent of the existing MS. mate- rials for the elucidation of the general History of Erinn ; mate- rials which, I hope, I have shown to be most abtmdant for the purpose, if only used with proper judgment, and after the mi- nute investigation and careful comparison among themselves which the various classes of these interesting historical and lite- rary remains of ancient 'times require at the hands of the histo- rian. There is, however, a special branch of our history con- cerning which from this place it must be expected that I should say something more than I have yet done ; and the rather that the authentic materials out of which it may be easily constructed in the fullest detail are singularly rich and varied, considering their great antiquity. I allude to the History of the early ages_ of the Church, from the introduction of Christianity into this island in the beginning of the Fifth Centmy. The investiga- tion of our early Christian remains in connection with the His- tory of the country, appears to me indeed to be a duty which of necessity devolves on me, when I consider the character of the Institution in which I have the honour to fill a chair ; and not the less so, perhaps, in consideration of the distinguished part in the history of the Church itself taken by our ancestors, not only at home, but throughout a great part of Europe, in the early centuries of Clmstianity. "Hibernia Sacra" and "Island of the Saints" are time-ho- noured names, of which our country may well be proud ; but few of us, at present, know on what her claims to such distinctions * Of the Twenty-one Lectures of the present course, Sis only were delivered in 1855, Six in the spring of 1856, and the remaining Nine in the summer of the latter year. After the Fourth Lecture had been delivered, however (in March, 18551, it was thought ad\nsable that, on the occasion of the opening of the Chair of Irish History and Archajology in the Catholic University, the subject of Christian Archaeology in Ireland should be prominently introduced; and the Fifth and Sixth Lectures actually delivered were accordingly those which now appear in their proper place as Nos. XV. and XVI. of the whole series. The dates assigned to Lectures V. to XII. (ante) have unfortunately been incorrectly printed, in consequence of a mistake in the list furnished by the University Secretary to the printer (see List of Errata). OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 321 rest : thoiigli, as I hope to show, abundant evidences of them lect. xv. yet remain in our all but unexplored manuscript records, as well j^T^turenf as in the numerous rehcs of ancient art which have been handed the existing down to us, and in the ruins of the towers, the churches, and the th"ear?y' sculptured crosses which cover the land, all forming an impe- pe'riod'i"n rishable and irrefragable monument of the Christian faith of an- Eiinn. cient Erinn. In i-emains illustrative of her early Christian times, it may, without the least exaggeration, be said that Ireland is singularly rich. The faith and devotion of her people, preserved with heroic constancy through ages of the most crushing oppression, have been the theme of many an eloquent pen. But, perhaps, in no way have these national virtues ever been more strikingly exhibited than in the transmission to our own days of the nume- rous sacred relics which we still possess, and of which some can be traced to a period coeval with the very introduction of Christianity into the island. The chief objects of interest to the Christian archaeologist in Ireland are of two classes. One of these comprises various very ancient copies of the Gospels, and of some other parts of the Sacred Scriptures. The other includes a great variety of examples of ancient ecclesiastical art, especially works in the metals, the most beautiful of wliich are to be found in ovtr great national collection, the INIusemn of the Royal Irish Academy ; such as Shrines, Bells, Croziers, Crosses, etc., etc. Adequately to illustrate these various relics would require in itself an extensive course of lectures ; it is not my intention, therefore, to do more than present you with some short notices of the most remarkable of them, in the hope that a taste may be thus awakened amongst the students of this University for the cultivation of this branch of Irish archeology. It is one whic;h wins from foreign visitors to our museums the most enthusiastic expressions of admiration, but which is not yet as extensively appreciated amongst ourselves as it deserves to be. Of the ancient Irish copies of the sacred writings, two are of such extraordinary antiquity, and present such a very remark- able history, that it will be necessary to give a somewhat de- tailed accovmt of them. These are, 1°. that known as the Domli- naeh Airgid; a copy of the four Gospels, once, we have just reason to beheve, the companion in his hours of devotion of our Patron Saint, the Apostle Saint Patrick ; 2°. the MS. called the Cathach, or " Book of Battles"; a MS. containing a copy of the Psalms, which there is scarcely less ground for supposing to have been actually traced by the pen of St. Colum Cille. AlROID. 322 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. I.ECT. XV. The DoMHNACH AiRGiD lias been well described by my dear ofthe ^^^ honoured friend, Dr. Petrie, the most accomplished anti- DoMHNACH quarian whom Ireland has yet produced, and to whom, in so eminent a manner, is due the revival of the cultivation of Irish literature and antiquities. Tins relic, like many others of its kind which we possess, but which are of more modern date, presents two separate subjects for our consideration, — the ancient manuscript itself, and the shrine, casket, or box in wliich it is enclosed. These latter are in such cases usually the works of various hands, and of different centuries, bearmg evidence of the veneration in which the precious relics contained in them continued to be held by successive generations, and often containing inscriptions in still legible characters, recording the pious care of the prince, the noble, or the ecclesiastic, who restored or repaired the orna- mental cases in which their predecessors had enshrined the MSS. The following description of the Domlinacli Airgid is taken from Dr. Petrie's communication to the Royal Irish Academy (Transactions, Vol. xviii.) in which collection the Domhnach is now placed. " In its present state", says Dr. Petrie, " this ancient remain appears to have been equally designed as a shrine for the pre- servation of relics and of a book ; but the latter was probably its sole original use. " Its form is that of an oblong box, nine inches by seven, and five inches in height. " This box is composed of three distinct covers, of which the first, or inner one, is of wood, — apparently yew ; the second, or middle one, of copper, plated with silver ; and the third, or outer one, of silver, plated with gold. " In the comparative ages of these several covers, there is obviously a great diiFerence. The first may probably be co- eval with the manuscript which it was intended to preserve; the second, in the style of its scroll, or interlaced ornament, in- dicates a period between the sixth and twelfth centmies ; while the figures in relief, the ornaments, and the letters on the third, or outer cover, leave no doubt of its being the work of the fourteenth century. " This last, or external cover, is of great interest, as a spe- cimen of the skill and taste in art of its time in Ireland, and also for the highly finished representations of ancient costume which it preserves. The ornaments on the top consist chiefly of a large figure of the Saviour in alto relievo in the centre, and eleven figures of saints in hasso relievo, on each side, in four oblong compartments. OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 323 " At tlie liead of tlie Saviour there is a representation of the lect. xy. dove, or Holj Ghost, enamelled in gold; and over this a small ^^^^^^ square rehquary, covered with a crystal, an.d which probably domhn-ach contains a supposed piece of the true cross. Immediately over " this again is a shield, on which the implements of the passion are emblazoned in blue and red paste ; and above this there is another square rehquary, similarly covered with crystal, but of smaller size. The smaller figures in relief are, in the first com- partment, the Irish saints Columb, Brigid, and Patrick ; in the second, the apostles James, Peter, and Paul ; in the third, the Archangel Michael, and the Virgin and Child ; and in the fourth, a bishop presenting a cumdach, or cover, to an eccle- siastic — a device which has evidently a historical relation to the rehquary itself, and which shall be noticed hereafter. There is a tliird figure in this compartment which I am unable to explain". " The rim", continues Dr. Petrie, " is ornamented on its two external faces with various grotesque devices, executed with very considerable skill, and the angles were enriched with pearls, probably native, or other precious jewels. A tablet on the rim, and at the upper side, presents the following inscription in the monkish character used in the thirteenth and foiu'teenth cen- turies : "'JOHS: O KAEBEI: COMORBANUS: S: TIGNACII PMISIT' ; or, thus, with the contractions lengthened : '"JOHANNES O KARBRI COMORBANUS [successor] SANCTI TIGHERNACn PERMISIT'. "Another inscription, in the same character, preserves the name of the artist by whom those embellishments on the outer case were executed, and is valuable as proving that this in- teresting specimen of ancient art was not of foreign manufacture. It Avill be found on a small moulding over one of the tablets : '"JOHANES: O BARRDAN: FABRICAVIT'. " The front side of the case presents three convex paterae, ornamented in a very elegant style of art with figures of gro- tesque animals and traceries : they are enamelled with a blue paste; and have, in the centre of each cup, an imcut crystal, covering relics like those on the top. An interesting feature on this side is the figure of a cliief or nobleman on horseback, with sword in hand. It exhibits with minute accm'acy the costume of the nobihty in Ireland during the fourteenth century. " The ornaments contained within the rim, on the back, or opposite side, are lost, and their place has been suppHed by the recent repairer with figures which originally belonged to the right and left sides". 21 B 324 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. Of the DOMHNACH AlRGID. " On the right hand side, the upper compartment presents a figure of St. Catherine with those of a monk in the attitude of prayer on the left, and a boy incensing on the right : these latter figures are not in rehef, but are engraved on the field of the tablet. The second, or lower compartment of tliis side is lost. " On the left hand side, the upper compartment presents the figure of an ecclesiastic seated on a chair or throne, his left hand holding a small cross, and his right hand raised in the act of giving the benediction ; figures incensing are engraved on the field. This principal figure probably represents St. Mac Car- thainn, or St. Tighernach. The under compartment exliibits a figure of St. John the Baptist holding in his left hand a round medallion or picture of the Lamb, and in liis right hand a scroll, on which are inscribed the words, ' Ecce Agnus Dei'. A figure of the daughter of Herodias, with the head of St. John on a salver, appears engraved on the field. " The bottom, or back of the case is ornamented with a large cross, on which there is an inscription in the Gothic or black letter. This inscription is of a later age than those abeady noticed, but I am unable, from its injured state, to decipher it wholly. It concludes with the word ' Cloachar, the name of the see to which, as I shall presently show, the reliquary ori- ginally appertained. " I now come to the most important portion of this re- markable monument of antiquity, — the treasure for whose honour and preservation so much cost and labour were ex- pended. It is a Latin manuscript of the Gospels ; but of what text or version I am unable, in its present state, to ofier an opinion, as the membranes are so tenaciously incorporated by time that I dare not venture, through fear of injuring, to se- parate them. These Gospels are separate from each other, and three of them appear to be perfect ; but the fom'th, which is the Gospel of St. Matthew, is considerably injured in the begimiing, and from this two leaves have been detached, which have en- abled us to ascertain the subject of, as well as the form of letter used in, the manuscript, — namely, the Uncial or corrupt Roman character, popularly called Irish, and similar in appearance to the very ancient manuscripts of the Gospels preserved in the library of Trinity College. That it is of equal antiquity with those manuscripts, — which are of the sixth century, — I have little doubt ; and from evidences which I shall presently adduce, I think it not unlikely to be of an even earlier age, — perhaps the oldest copy of the Sacred Word now existing. " The inscriptions on the external case leave no doubt that OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 325 tlie Domhnach belonged to the monastiy of Clones, or see of lect. xv. Cloglier. The John O Karbri, the Comharba, or successsor of ^^ ^^^^ St. Tighcrnach, recorded in one of those inscriptions as the domunacu person at whose cost, or by whose permission, the outer orna- mental case was made, was, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, Abbot of Clones, and died in the year 1353. He is properly called in that inscription Comorbanus, or successor of Tighernach, who was the first Abbot and Bishop of the Church of Clones, to which place, after the death of St. 31ac Carthainn in the year 506, he removed the see of Clogher, having erected a ncAv chm-ch which he dedicated to the Apostles Peter and Paul. St. Tighernach, according to all our ancient authorities, died in the year 548. " It appears from a fragment of an ancient life of St. Mac Carthainn, preserved by Colgan, that a remarkable reliquary was given by St. Patrick to that saint when he placed him over the see of Clogher". Thus far Dr. Petrie. I have myself referred to an authentic copy of the Tripartite Life of the Saint, in Gaedldic, in my possession, and as every particular relating to tliis remarkable rehc must be interesting, I extract the passage in which its presentation to St. Mac Carthainn is related, of which the following is a literal transla- tion. [See original in Appendix, No. XCVL] " St. Patrick", says this ancient author, " having gone into the territory of Ui Cremhthainn, fovmded many churches there. As he was on his way from the north, and coming to the place now called Clochar, [in the modern county of Tyrone,] he was carried over a stream by his strong man Bishop 3Iac Carthainn, who, while bearing the saint, groaned aloud, exclaiming Uch ! Uch! " ' Upon my good word', said the saint, ' it was not usual with you to speak that word'. " ' I am now old and infirm', said Bishop Mac Carthainn, * and all my early companions on the mission you have set down in their respective churches, while I am still on my travels'. " ' Found you a chm-ch then', said the saint, ' that shall not be too near us, [that is, to his own church of Armagh,] for famiHarity, nor too far from us for intercoru'se'. " And the saint then left Bishop Mac Carthainn there, at Clochar, and bestowed on him the Domhnach Airgicl, which had been given to him, [St. Patrick,] from Heaven, when he was on the sea coming to Erimi". And now to return to Dr. Petrie's observations: " On these evidences", he continues, " we may, I think, with tolerable cer- tainty, rest the following conclusions : 326 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. LECT. XV, Of the DOMHNACIl Air.GiD. "1. That the Domlinach is the identical reliquary given by St. Patrick to St, Mac Carthainn. "2, As the form of the cumdach indicates that it was in- tended to receive a book, and as the relics are all attached to the outer and least ancient cover, it is manifest that the use of the box as a reliquary was not its original intention. The na- tural inference therefore is, that it contained a manuscript which had belonged to St, Patrick ; and as a manuscript copy of the Gospels, apparently of that early age, is found witliin it, there is every reason to believe it to be that identical one for which the box was originally made, and which the Irish apostle pro- bably brought with him on his mission into this country. It is indeed not merely possible, but even probable, that the ex- istence of tliis manuscript was unknown to the monkish bio- graphers of St. Patrick and St, Mac Carthainn, who speak of the box as a scrinium or reUquary only. The outer cover was evidently not made to open ; and some, at least, of the relics attached to it, were not introduced into Ireland before the twelfth century. It will be remembered also that no supersti- tion was and is more common in connection with the ancient cumdachs, than the dread of their being opened. " These conclusions will, I think, be strengthened con- siderably by the facts, that the word Domhnach, as applied either to a church, as usual, or to a reliquary, as in this instance, is only to be found in our histories in connection with Saint Patrick's time ; and that in the latter sense, — its application to a reliquary, — it only once occurs in all our ancient authorities, namely, in the single reference to the gift to St. Mac Carthainn; no other rchquary in Ireland, as far as can be ascertained, having ever been known by that appellation. And it should also be observed, that all the ancient rehcs preserved in Ire- land, whether bells, books, croziers, or other remains, have in- variably, and without any single exception, been preserved and venerated only as appertaining to the original fovmders of the churches to which they belonged. " I also avail myself of this opportunity to add, that, having been favoured recently by Mr. Westenra with a loan of the Domhnach for further examination, I requested my friend, the Rev. Mr. Todd, to examine the detached membranes of the manuscript, and to give me his opinion respecting the antiquity of the version, and the age of the writing, as far as the frag- ments would permit such opinion to be formed. " I now add his transcript of what was legible, together with his remarks ; and I am authorized by him to state, that although he at first thought the contractions used in the fragment, — and OF THE EEMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 327 especially the ( ;) in the contraction iisq ; — to argue a later date lect. xy. than the historical evidences indicated, he has since seen reason to change liis opinion. While this sheet was passing through domhnach the press, he took the opportunity of reconsidering the subject '■^'^'*'"* by a careful examination of the valuable manuscripts of the Gospels preserved in the Library of Trinity College ; and he now thinks that the contractions of the Domhnach manuscript might have been in use in the fourth or fifth centuries". In tliese views of Dr. Petrie I entirely concur*, and I believe that no reasonable doubt can exist that the Domhnach Airgid was actually sanctified by the hand of oiu- great Apostle. This national rehc is now in the rich collection of the Royal Irish Academy ; and it deserves to be stated that its preservation in Ireland is clue to the hberahty of the present Lord Rossmore, who pm-chased it from Mr. George Smith at a cost of £300, Mr. Smith having procured it in the county Monaghan. At a sub- sequent period Lord Rossmore resigned his purchase to the Royal Irish Academy. The next ancient relic I propose to notice is the Cathach, ^^Jg^^n. the heir-loom of the great Clann Conaill, handed down from Saint Cohan CilU through the line of the O^Domhnaill, or O'Donnells, for a period of 1300 years. The Cathach consists of a highly ornamented shrine or box, enclosing a fragment of a copy of the Psalms on vellum, con- sisting of fifty-eight leaves, written on both sides. All the leaves before that which contains the 31st Psalm are gone ; but the leaves from this to the 106th Psalm still remain. The ^vriting is of a very ancient character. Like that of the Domhnach Airgid, the shrine of the Cathach is evidently the work of several successive periods. A partial casing of sohd silver was added so recently as the year 1723 by Colonel Domhnall O'Domhnaill (or Dormell O'Donnell). The history of this relic is in all respects very remarkable. The name given to it has been a matter of perplexity to several ; and Sir William Betham, who pubhshed an account of it in hia Irish Antiquarian Researches, says : " I have not been able to find out why it got the name of Caah, which is not an Irish word, nor have those learned Irish scholars I have consulted, discovered a word from wliich this name has been formed, imless it is a corruption of the word Cas, a box". How far this conjecture is from the truth we shall pre- sently see. In tracing the history of thia interesting rehc it will be nc- 328 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD- Of the Oatkach. cessary to state, that Saint Colurti Cille was of tlie same race as tlae Clann Domhnaill, being great-grandson of Conall Gulban, son o{ Niall Naoi-ghiallach [Niall of tlie Nine Hostages], who was monarch of Eiinn in a.d. 428. The manner of the transcription of this copy of the Psahns, and tlie origin and signification of the name by which the rehc is still known, are so well given in the hfe of the saint by Maghnus C Domhnaill, that I may best describe them by giving you here a pretty full abstract, in translation, of the passage. It is interesting in another point of view also, as illustrative of some portions of the life of the saint but little known to the readers of printed works. On one occasion St Colum Cillc paid a visit to St. Finneii of Drom Finn [in Ulster], and while on the visit he borrowed St. Finuen's copy of the Psalms, Feeling anxious to have a copy of the book, and fearing that if he asked liberty to take one he might be refused, he continued to remain in the church after all the people left it every day, and then sat down and made a hurried copy of the book, but not before he was ob- served by one of St. Finnen's people, who reported it to the saint, who took no notice of the matter until he found the copy had been finished, and he then sent to St. Coliim for it, alleging, that as the original was his, and he had given no per- mission to copy it, the smi'eptitious copy also was his by right. St. Colum Cille refused to comply with the demand, but offered to refer the cause of dispute to the monarch of Erinn, Diarmaid Mac Ferghusa Gerrhheoil. St. Finncn agreed to this, and both parties repaired to Tara, obtained an audience of the king, and laid their case before him. The monarch Diarmaid then gave the remarkable judgment which to this day remains a proverb in Erinn, when he said, le gach hoin a hoinin, that is, ' to every cow belongeth her little cow (or calf), — and in the same way, to every book belongeth its copy, and accordingly', said the king, 'the book that you wrote, O Colum Cille, belongs by right to Finnen'. ' That is an unjust decision, O Diarmaid\ said Colum, CilU, ' and I will avenge it on you'. Now, at this very time a dispute occurred between a son of the king of Connacht, who had been a hostage to the monarch, and the son of the king's chief steward, on the green of the king's palace, while at a game of hurling, during which dispute the young prince struck his antagonist with his hurley, and killed him. Seeing what he had done, the yoimg prince fied imme- diately for sanctuary to St. Colum Cille, who was still in the king's presence. The king was quickly apprised of what had happened, and gave instant orders to have the youth arrested and forth- OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 329 witli put to deatli, for lia\ang desecrated tlie precincts of the royal lect. xy. palace, against the ancient law and usage. The prince was at q^ (j^^ this time clasped in the arms of St. Colum Cille, but he was Cvthach. torn from his grasp, carried beyond the prescribed boundary of the court, and put to death. The king knowing well that this imusvxal insult to Colum CilU would greatly add to his anger, ordered a guard to be placed on him, and not to allow him to depart from Tara imtil his excitement had become moderated. Nevertheless Colum CilU passed out of the com-t without the king's leave and unperceived by any one, " the justice of God ha\T.ng thrown a veil of vmrecognition around him". He was soon missed, however, and a strong guard sent after him to bring liim back. Colum CilU, we are then told, dispatched his attendants by the usual route to the north, but took himself a path over the mountains north of Tara; and wliilst thus traversing the wild mountains alone, he composed and sung that remarkable poem of confidence in the protection of the Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, of which a fine copy with an English translation has been published in the Miscellany of the Irish Archceological Society. This poem contains seventeen quatrains, and begins thus [see original in Appendix, XCVII.] : Alone am I upon the mountain. O King of Heaven, prosper my way. And then nothing need I fear, More than if guarded by six thousand men. The authority from which I quote then proceeds to say, that God carried Saint Colum CilU in safety over the mountains, and into his native country of Tirconnel [now Donnegall] . Here, we are informed, he complained to his powerful friends and relatives — for he was of the race of Tir Chonaill [Tirconnell] directly, and the men of Tir Eoglicmi [Tyrone] were his cousins. These warlike tribes immediately took up his cause, and marched with him into a place called Cuil-Dreimne [between Shgo and Dromcliff], where they were joined by Eochaidh Tirmcharna, the king of Connacht, whose son had been so unmercifully put to death by the monarch Diarmaid. The monarch having been duly apprised of the revolt of his northern and western provinces, mustered a large force, marched at their head into Connacht, and pitched his camp in the vicinity of that of his enemies. A battle ensued on the next day, in which the royal army was routed with a great loss, and the monarch returned discomfited to Tara. The king, however, soon after made his peace with St. Colum CilU and his friends : but the saint himself did not feel 330 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. LECT. XY. easy in Ms conscience for liaving been tlie cause of the blood- shed at the battle of Cull Drehnne, and, to relieve his conscience, Cathach. he went to confession to St. Molaisi of Damli-lnis [now ' De- venish', in Loch Erne]. St, Molaisi then passed upon him the penitential sentence to leave Ermn forthwith, and never again to see its land. This penance St. Colum soon performed, by sailing to the coast of Scotland with a large company of eccle- siastics, ecclesiastical students, and others. They landed on the island of /, or Hy, where they estabhshed themselves ; and that hitherto obscure island soon became the glory of the west of Europe, rmder the still venerable name of lona. Lastly, we are told (in the same Life abeady referred to) that this book was the Cathach (or Book of the Battle) on account of which the battle "svas fought, and that it was the chief relic of St. Colum Cille in TiV Chonaill; that it was covered with silver, and that it was not lawful to open it (the covering) ; that if carried three times to the right around the army of the Cinel Conaill, at going to battle, it was cei'tain they would retm-n victorious ; and that it was upon the breast of an hereditary lay successor, or of a priest without mortal sin (as far as he could help), it was proper the Cathach should be carried aroimd that army. [See same Appendix.] This sacred relic appears at all times to have received the greatest veneration from the noble family of the O'Donnells of Donnegall, who for the last seven hundred years have been the most important branch of the line of the descendants of Conall Gulban, the remote ancestor of this and the other great families of Tirconnell. This Conall, who was the son of the monarch Niall the Great, was converted by St. Patrick. It has been stated, on the authority of a tradition in the O'Donncll family, that at the time of his conversion Conall had received the saint's benediction, together with a special mark of favour ; for that the saint inscribed a cross with the spike or heel of his pastoral staff (the celebrated Bachall losa, or staff of Jesus) on hia shield, and recommended him to adopt the motto of " Li hoc signo vinces", which the O'Donnells accordingly retained down to the time of the dispersion of the clann in the seventeenth century. This was in fact the belief of the O'Donnells and old families of Tir Chonaill, from the close of the sixteenth century down, at least. The behef was first put forth in a poem by Eoghan Ruadh Mac-an-Bhaird, who took it from the 138th chapter of Jocelyn's Life of St. Patrick. Jocelyn, however, does not apply the passage to Conall Gulban. The Tripartite Life of the Saint applies it to Conall the son of Amhalgaidh, king of Connacht, who at the same time received from the OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 331 saint the name of Conall Sciath BhachaU, or Conall of tlie lkct. xv. Crozlei -Shield. This Conall's race is not now known. ^^^j^^ This hook of St. Coluin Cille must have been encased in Cviuach. an ornamented shrine at some early period ; hut we find that it was fiu'ther cared for at the close of the eleventh century, by Cathhharr O'Donnell, chief of Tirconnell, and Donnell O'Raf- ferty, abbot of Kells (in Meath), who was one of the O'RafFertys of Tirconnell, and thus eligible to succeed his family patron- saint, Colum Cille, in any of the many churches fomidcd by liim throughout Erinn, one of wliich was the important church of Kells. This O'Hafierty died in the year 1098 ; and Cathhharr O'Domiell died in the year 1106 ; so that the magnificent silver- gilt and stone-set case, which now surmounts the older cases of tliis most ancient and interesting relic, must have been made some time before the year 1098, in which this abbot of Kells died. The authority for these dates is found on the shrine itself, in the following words [see original in Appendix, No. XCVIIL] : " A prayer for Cathhharr O'Donnell, by whom [that is, by whose desire and at whose expense] this shrine was made ; and for Sitric, the son of Mac Aedha [Mac Hugh], who made it; and for Domhnall Ua Rohhai'tuigh [Donnell O'Rafferty], the Comliarha [or Successor] of Cenannus [Kells], by whom it was made [that is, at whose joint expense with that of O'Donnell it was made]". The last mark of devotion conferred on this relic was a solid silver rim or frame, into which the original slirine fits. This rim contains an inscription, from which it appears that it was made in the year 1723, by order of Daniel O'Donnell, who, there is reason to beheve, foiight at the battle of the Boyne, after which he retired to the continent. At his death, or some time pre- viously, it appears, he deposited this important heirloom of his ancient family in a monastery in Belgium, with a written in- jimction that it should be kept until claimed by the true repre- sentative of the house of O'Donnell ; and here it was discovered accidentally in or about the year 1816, by a Mrs. Molyneux, an Irish lady who had been travelling on the continent, and who, upon her retm-n home, reported the circumstance to Sir Neal O'Donnell of Westport. This gentleman had asserted liis claim to the chieftainship of his name and race, under the authority of the late Sir William Betham, Ulster King-at-arms ; and thus prepared, he appHed for the Cathach, through his brother, the late Conall O'Donnell, then in Belgium, who succeeded in ob- taining it accordingly. From Sir Neal O'Donnell, the Cathach descended to his son, the present Sir Richard O'Donnell of Newport, county Mayo ; 332 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD LECT. XV. who with characteristic hberahty has left it for exhibition among Qj^j^g the many congenial objects of Christian, liistorical, and anti- cathach. quarian reverence, preserved in the Musemn of the Royal Irish Academy. The fragment of the original " Book of Battles", contained in this shrine, is of small quarto form, consisting of fifty-eight leaves of fine vellum, written in a small, miiform, but rather hurried hand, with some sHght attempts at illumination: and when we recollect that this fragment was written about thirteen hundred years ago, by one whose name, next to that of our great apostle. Saint Patrick, has held the highest place in the memory of the people of his own as well as of foreign countries, we have reason indeed to admire and reason to be proud of the intense and tenacious de^^otion which could, imder most un- favourable circumstances, preserve even so much of so ancient and fragile a monument. While speaking of relics so remarkable as those of the Domhnach Airgid and the Cathach, rendered sacred incur eyes by the touch of our national apostle and Saint Colum Cille, I cannot omit altogether to mention that I have met with two notices of certain objects, likewise said to have been in the churches of these saints, and bearing their names, though at periods subsequent to their own time. The precise nature of these objects I am yet vmable to deter- mine. But it may not be without use to call attention to the matter, as it is possible that those more intimately acquainted with ancient ecclesiastical remains in other countries, may be able to form some opinion of the probable nature of those to which I refer. They are mentioned under the name of Cuile- badh, Cuilebaidh, or Cuilefadh. Of the relic The very beautiful (but wild and fanciful) legend in which the Cuilefadh of Saint Colum Cille is described is of great an- tiquity. Its language is very ancient and difiicvilt, but the whole presents an excellent example of that combination of highly poetic imagery, and deep, though simple piety, so common in om' early Gaedhlic compositions. Wild as this legend may seem, I cannot myself dovibt that it is but the development of some record of one of the many voyages of our early missionaries. It cannot be doubted that at a very early period the Christian faith was carried by missionaries from our shores far into the regions of the north. And it is admitted by several "writers that books and other remains of the early Gaedhlic propagators of the Gospel were found in Iceland in the eleventh century. Taken by itself, the legend of the Cuilefadh would be interesting ; but called tlie Cuilefadh. OF THE KEMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 333 as illustrative of tliese observations, and regarding it therefore as lect. xv. based on fact, it must be considered of real importance ; and, for ^^ ^^^^ ^^j. both reasons, I think it will be worth while to introduce an caiied the abstract oi it here. On the death of the monarch Domhnall, son of Aedh, son of Ainmire (a.d. 639), liis eldest son, Donnchadh (or Donach), became king of the Cinel Conaill; and his younger son, Fiacha, became king of the Fer Rois. Fiacha much oppressed his sub- jects; and his oppression was at length the cause of his death at their hands. It is stated that in the second year of his reign, he held a meeting of his people at the mouth of the river Boyne, and that dming the holding of that meeting a wild deer, started by them, was followed by the king's guards ; where- upon the men of Ross, enraged at such an assertion of " prero- gative", killed the king himself with liis own weapons. Fiacha s brother, Donnchadh, came upon them in revenge ; but he stayed his vengeance until he should consult liis Anmchara (literally, " soul's friend"), the Comharba (Successor) of Saint Colum Cille, to whom he sent a message to lona, to ask his advice on the case. The Comharba of St. Colum Cille sent over two of his con- fidential clerics, Snedhgus and 3Iac Riaghla, with his advice; which was, that Donnchadh should send sixty couples of the men and women of Ross, in boats, out upon the sea, and then leave them to the judgment of God. The exiles were ac- cordingly put into small boats, launched upon the water, and watched, so that they should not land again. The priests, Snedhgus and 3Iac Riaghla, having discharged their own duties, set out upon their return to lona. As they were passing along over the sea, they determined to go of their own will on a wandering pilgrimage, and leave to Providence the direction of their course ; praying, at the same time, to be carried to wherever the sixty banished couples had found a resting place. They then ceased to work or dii-ect their boat ; and the wind carried them north-westwards, into the ocean. The legend then proceeds with a fanciful account of how they were driven to several wonderful islands, some inhabited, and some iminhabited. In some they were received with friendship, in others with hostility. After being carried to several of these islands, however, the wind at last blew them to one, in which there was an immense tree, on which vv^ere perched a flock of beautiful white birds, with a chief bird, hav- ing a golden head and silver wings. This great bird related to them the history of the world, from its beginning ; the Birth of Christ, of Mary the Virgin: His Baptism, Passion, and Re- surrection; as well as His coming to the judgment. And, Cuila/adh. 334 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. LECT. XY. wlien tlie great bird had concluded, all tlie rest laslied tlieir Of the relic ^idcs -witli tlicir wings, nntil the blood gushed from them, out called the of tcrror of the day of judgment. And the great bird gave one of the leaves of the foHage of this great tree to the priests ; and tliis leaf was as large as the hide of a great ox ; and he ordered them to carry it away, and lay it on Saint Colum Cilles altar. " And it is St. Colum Cilles Cuilefaidh at this day in Cennanas [or Kells]". " Sweet was the music of these birds", continues the story, " singing psalms and canticles in praise of the Lord, for they were the birds of the plains of Heaven ; and the leaves or body of the tree upon which they were, never decay. And the clerics left the island, and were driven by the wind to another island ; and, as they were approaching the land, they heard the sweet voices of women singing; and immediately they re- cognized this music, and said, ' That is the Sianan [or sweet plaintive song] of the Women of Erinn' : and, having come to land, they were joyfully received by the women, who spoke to them in tlieir own language, and conducted them to the house of their chief, who told them he was the chief of the banished men of Erinn. The clerics then retmiied safely home". It is to be remarked that after every little prose article, in this curious piece on the adventures of the clerics, the incidents are summed up in verse ; from which it may be inferred that the whole story was originally written in verse. The tale from which I have abstracted the account is preserved in the MS. H. 2. 16, Library of T. CD. It is fm'ther to be remarked that in the short metrical sum- mary of this legend, there is no mention that the great leaf, or Ouilefadh, was placed on the altar of St. Colum Cille at Kells ; and from this circumstance we may fairly assume that the verse is older than the prose, and that what was originally a short nar- rative poem was at a subsequent period broken up and interpo- lated with a prose commentary. That this was done some time after the year 1090, before which the Cuilefadh was not at Kells, will appear quite clear from the following curious entry in the continuation of the Annals of Tighernach at that year. [See original in Appendix, No. XCIX.] " 1090. The sacred relics of St. Colum CilU, namely, the Clog na High [or Bell of the Kings], and the CuilebaigJi, and the two gospels, were brought from Tirconnell, and seven score ounces of silver ; and it was Aengus C Domlmallain that brought them from the north". It may be asked, to what place they were brought. This, OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 335 I tliink, is sufficiently sliowii to have been Kells by the follow- lect. xr. ing entry, which I take from the Annals of the Four Masters, ^^ ^^^ ^.^j.^ at the year 1109: — called tue " Oengus O'DomhnaiUain, chief spiritual director and chief elder of St. Colum Cilles people, died at Kells". His name, likewise, appears as a witness to a charter of land, in an entry in the great Book of Kells, in Trinity College. The Cidlefadli of St. Patrick, or of Armagh, is alluded to in the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1128, where men- tion is made of a young priest who had been carrying it being killed by an assault of the O'Rourkes of Briefne, on the Comh- arba or Primate of Armagh, when returning from Connacht with Iris offerings. A third Cuilefadli is spoken of in connection with another Samt, — Saint Eimlun, from whom the modem town of Monas- ter-evan takes its name. It is referred to in a vellum MS. of the year 1463, in the Royal Irish Academy (43. 6; p. 17). [See Appendix, No. C] Such are the only notices of this unknown object that I am acquainted witli. Tbe Domhiacli Airgid and the CatJiach may be assigned, re- Of varions spectively, to the fifth and the sixth centmies ; and in every point and ms. of view they must be regarded as objects of extraordinary inte- "^'"' rest and great arcliffiological value. Several similar relics, but of a less considerable antiquity, still exist in various parts of the country and in the hands of different owners. There are also some in England and on tlie Continent. Several forms of shrine are to be met with ; one of the most usual is in the shape of a square, usually flat, box ; another resembles in figtu'e the outlines of a church, as in the instance of the beautiful little shiine in the possession of Mr. W. Monsell, M.P., now de- posited in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy ; and it is to this latter more especially, I believe, that the name of Domh- nach appHes, though the present case of the DomJmach Airgid, as we have seen from Dr. Petrie's description, is a square box. Of the other enshrined manuscript relics with which I am acquainted, I shall only mention a few of the most remarkable. " Dioma's Book", an illuminated manuscript of the gospels, made by a scribe of that name (and made it is said for St. Cro- nan of Roscrea, who died in the beginning of the seventh cen- tmy), was preserved in that neighbourhood till the early part of the present centmy. This rehc is now in the library of Trinity College, which also possesses another shrine and book, 336 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EAELY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 1.V.CT. XV. those namely of St. Moling of Tigh Moling [now St. Muilins], in tlie county Carlow. other shrines Bosicles thosG, WO navG the shrine of St. Molaise, in the relics. ' possession of Mr. Charles Haliday; another shrine in the pos- session of the Earl of Dunraven ; and that known as the Mio- sach, noAv in the College of St. Columba, near Dublin. The Miosach was one of the three insignia of battle which Saint Cairnech of TuiUn [now Dulane, near Kells, in Meath], appointed to the Clanna Neill, ''''i.e. to the clanns oi Conall and of Eoghan [the O'Donnells and O'Neills] ; the other two being the Cathach of which I have already spoken, and the Cloc Phatraic or Bell of St. Patrick. [See Appendix, No. CI., for the whole passage from H. 2. 16. T.C.D.] The word Mio- sach means literally " Monthly", or, " of Months"; and the rehc was probably a Calendar. Dr. O'Connor, in the Stowe Catalogue, describes, and giA'es a plate of, a shrine, then in the possession of the Duke of Bucking- ham, but now amongst the inaccessible treasures of Lord Ash* burnham. A shrine and manuscript are said, by the same authority, to have been discovered in Germany by Mr. Grace. Dr. O'Connor supposes this shrine to have been carried to the Irish monastery of Ratisbon by some of those Irish ecclesiastics who carried donations thither in 1130 from Torloch O'Brien, king of Mmister, as stated in the " Chronicon Ratisbonense", or Chronicle of Ratisbon. Of the an- Next to this class of venerable rehcs, we cannot pass without quaries, ' a noticc, howcver brief, the other numerous objects of ecclesi- Croziers, astical art which have come down to us, svich as Reliquaries, stiiTr*' ®**=-' Bells, Croziers, Crosses, etc., etc. Many of these articles exhibit served to us. a high degree of skill in the workmanship, great beauty of design, and most delicate finish of all the parts. No descriptions would be adequate to convey to you any idea of these singularly beautiful remains of our ancient Irish art. But, fortunately, description is the less necessary, as in the rich collection of the Royal Irish Academy, which is always open to the public, some of the choicest specimens of these relics may be examined at leisure by all interested in antiquarian studies. And as these remains are of value, not only for their own intrinsic excellence, but as throwing light on the condition of the arts in Ireland at remote and but little known periods ; and as they likewise often furnish valuable testimony of the genuineness of our manuscript records, which, in their turn, may be so effectually employed to illustrate the history and OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. 337 uses of several of tliese objects; I trust that many of my lect. xv. hearers, especially those who are students of this University, Qftj^gj^j,. will be constant visitors to that great Musemn, which, indeed, cient Reu- must henceforward be the chief school for the genuine study of Bensr^' Irish ecclesiastical archaeology, as well as of Celtic antiquities crossS%tc., in general. ^tiii pre- Vr 1 • r> 1 1 • T 1 'M • • served to us. Many beautiiul and ancient relics, however, stiil remain m private hands ; and perhaps the most remarkable of all these is the Bell of St. Patrick with its magnificent shrine, now in the possession of the Rev. Dr. Todd, and which, we have every reason to believe, is actually the Finn Faidheach, or "sweet- sounding", that was once used by the Saint himself, and which was made for him by Mac Cecht, one of liis three smiths. Another Bell, which is also believed, and not without reason, to have belonged to St. Patrick, is in the choice and beauti- ful collection of Dr. Petrie. It is in bronze, and not enshrined. Mr. Cooke of Birr, also, was the fortunate possessor of a beauti- fully enshrined bell, known as the Bearnan Culann, (or the gapped bell of St. Culann,) since sold by him to the British Museum. And in the collection of the same gentleman there is a bronze bell, which he states to have been found in the holy well o£ Lothra, in Ormond, and which, there is grovmd for believing, is the bell which Saint Ruadhan of Lothra rang as he made the circuit of Tara, when he cursed that ancient residence of the Irish monarchs in the sixth century, after which it was deserted. INIany other bells of great interest and antiquity still exist, i\\Q history of which is scarcely less deserving of notice ; but time will not allow me to dwell on them here. Several shrines and reliquaries also remain. The chief of them are : that of St. Manclian of Liath Manchain in Westmeath ; that of St. Maodhog, which belonged to the ORuaircs of Breifne, but was lately in the possession of his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Slattery, late Archbishop of Cashel ; and the beautiful shrine of St. Caillin, now, or lately, in the hands of Dr. Petrie. Another class of ancient reliquaries is that amongst the most beautiful of which is the Lamh Lachtain, or Shrine of the Arm of St. Lachtain, in bronze, inlaid with silver, and presenting four exquisite patterns of tracery inlaid. This beautiful reUquary, which dates from tiie early part of the twelfth century, has, it is to be regretted, become lost to Ireland, and passed into English hands. A somewhat similar reliquary, but not of the same ela- borate workmanship, is in the possession of the Lord Bishop of Down, the Right Rev. Dr. Denvir. Oiu- collections of antiquities contain several beautiful cro- ziers, many of which are of a very early period. Amongst 22 338 OF THE REMAINS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN PERIOD. LKCT. XV. these may be particularly noticed a fragment of tlie crozier of Of the an Di-UTow, wliicli, pcrliaps, is the oldest we have, and which, cientReii- there is reason to believe, belonged to St. Colum Cille himself, ?5eii™^' the foimder of the church of Durrow ; it was presented by him Crosses'%tc. **^ Comiac, liis dear friend and successor. etiiipre- One Still older, and asserted to have been brought into Ire- land by St. Patrick, existed in Christ Chm-ch in this city, till the year 1522, when it was destroyed by an infuriated mob. This crozier was known as the Bachall losa, or Staff of Jesus, a name accounted for by a curious legend preserved in the Tri- partite Life of the Saint. Under this name it is constantly referred to in ancient Irish writings, [See Appendix, No. CII.] A very ancient crozier, said to have belonged to St. Finn- hharr (of Termonbarry, in Connacht), — and beheved to have been made by Conlaedh, the artificer of St. Bi'igid of Kildare, early in the sixth century, — is now in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, as well as a beautiful crozier of about the year 1120, which, there is reason to believe, belonged to Clon- macnoise. In the collection of Dr. Petrie, so often alluded to before, there are some very beautiful examples of croziers, of exquisite workmanship, and undoubtedly of very high antiquity. There is also one in the possession of the clergymen of Clongowe's Wood College, which, there is reason to believe, was once the crozier of St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin. Passing over that now at Lismore Castle, and that of St. JBlathmac, and others in the Royal Irish Academy, the most highly-finished of all will be found to be that now the property of his Eminence the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, This crozier bears a GaedhHc inscription, which identifies it with the Church of Kells, and assigns it to the middle of the eleventh century. Various other objects of great interest, — as the Cross of Conga [Cong] ; the Fiacail Phadraig (the Tooth of St. Patrick) ; the Mias Tighernain (the Paten of St. Tighernan, dug, it is said, out of the grave of that saint in an island in Loch Conn, and now in the possession of the Knox family, of the county of Mayo), — would require observation, did our limits admit of it. But it is not to be understood that in this notice of our anti- quarian remains I mean to do more than call attention to their great importance, and the aids which they furnish us in so many ways in the study and illustration of the manuscript remains of our ancient Gaedhlic literature, and more especially of that part of it which relates to early Christian times. LECTURE XVI. fDelivercd March 30, 1855.]* Ecclesiastical MSS. Of the Early Lives of the Saints of Erinn. Of the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. Of tlie contents of tlie Leahhar M6r Dana Doighre, now commonly called the Leahhar Breac. We come now to the ancient books and compositions, — of wliicli we still have so great a number remaining in the Gaedhlic lan- guage, some of them, indeed, of extreme antiquity, — relating to sacred and ecclesiastical subjects. Amongst the most important of these are the nmnerous tracts known as the Lives of the Saints, several Martyrologies and Festologies, and many works in prose and verse on various sacred subjects. Of the curious and valuable historic tracts, once very nume- rous, called Lives of the Saints, we have still left to us a good many. Of these, some are written on vellum ; and some on paper, copied from ancient vellum books. Amongst those written on vellum, we have three lives of Saint Patrick ; namely, one knoAvn as the Tripartite Life, in the British Museum ; one in the MS. commonly called the Leahhar Breac, but properly the Leahhar M6r Lima Doighre, in the Royal Irish Academy ; and a third in the Book of Lismore, at Lismore Castle. Of the Lives of St. Colum CilU we have also three written on vellmn, namely, one in the same Leahhar Mor Dilna Doighre, in the Royal Lish Academy ; one in the Book of Lismore ; and O'DonnelFs great Life of his Patron Saint and illustrious rela- tive, now in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. Of St. Brigid we have two ancient Lives on vellum ; namely, one in the same Leahhar Mor Diina Doighre, in the Royal Irish Academy, and one in the Book of Lismore ; there is another on paper (about 140 years old) in the Royal Irish Academy. Of St. Senan, of Liiscathaigh (now called Scattery Island, in the Lower Shannon), there is a Life on vellum in the Book of Lismore, and another on paper, which is much more copious in incidents, in my own possession. This latter copy was made about the year 1720, from an original now I fear lost, by An- drew Mac Curtin, a native of the county of Clare, and one of the best GaedhHc scholars then hving. * See note at p. 320. 22 b 340 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. r.F.cT. XVI. Of St. Fimien, of Clonard, tliere is a Life on vellum in tlie Of the an Book of Lismore. cient Lives Of St. Fi?mchu, o£ Brigohhann, in tlie county of Cork, tliere of Eiiini!'" is also a Life on vellum in the Book of Lismore. Of St. Ciarcm, of Clonmacnois, tliere is a Life on velkun in tlie part of tlie Book of Lismore wliicli is now in tlie city of Cork; (see ante, p. 197). Of St. MocJiiia, of Balla, in tlie county of Mayo, tliere is a Life on vellum in tlie same part of tlie Book of Lismore. Of St. CailUn, oi Fidhnaclia (in tlie coimty of Leitrim), tliere is a Life on velltun in tlie Royal Irisli Academy. Of St. Ceallach, tlie son of Eoghan Bel, King of Con- naclit, we liave a Life on vellum in tlie Royal Irish Academy ; and one in my own possession, which I transcribed some years ago from an ancient vellum manuscript, the property of James Marinus Kennedy, Esq., Dublin. Of the Life of St. Moling, of Teach 3foling (now St. Mullins, in the coimty of Carlow), there is a copy in my own possession, made by me some years ago, also from Mr. Kennedy's ancient vellmn manuscript. Of the Life of St. Brendan, of Clonfert, there is a copy on vellum in the part of the Book of Lismore wliich is now in Cork. We have on paper in Dublin, the Life of St. Patrick by Joce- lyn, of St. Brigicl of Kildare, and of St. Colum CilU; the Lives of St. Ciaran of Saigkir (in the King's County) ; St. Declan of Ardmore (in the county Waterford); St. Fiiian o^ Ard-Fi- nain (in the county of Tipperary) ; St. Finan Cam of Cinn Eitigh (in the King's Coimty); St. Finnhharr of Cork; St. Mochuda of Raithin and Lismore ; St. Maodhog, or Mogue, of Feaima Mhor, or Ferns (in the county of Wexford) ; St. Caemli- gJiin (or Kevin) of Gleann da Loclia (or Glendaloch) ; St. Mo- laise of Damhinis (or Devinis in Loch Erne) ; and of St. Grellan of Cill ChluainS (in the coimty of Gahvay). We have in Dublin, — in the Royal Irish Academy, and in my possession, — copies of all the Lives enumerated in this list ; and there is in the British Museum another collection of Lives of Irish Saints, some on vellum, and some on paper. There is another fine collection of Lives of Irish Saints in the Burgundian Library at Brussels, collected by the venerable Friar Michael O'Clery, the chief of the Four Masters, about the year 1627. Tliis collection consists of 39 different Lives, among which are a few of those that we have here. It is only a few years since these remarkable tracts of tlie Lives of the Irish Saints were looked upon with distrust and OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 341 contempt botli by Protestant and Catliolic writers on Irisli His- l ect. xvj. tory. Even Dr. Laniran, a clear and able, but often too ^_, 1 • • • 1 • T • 1 T-i 1 • -1 TT- • Ofthean- dogmatic writer, m his Irish Jiicclesiastical History, never misses cient uves ^ an opportunity to scoff at the venerable Father Jolin Colgan's of Erm'n.'" * credulity m gi^Hng to the world, in liis Acta Sanctorum Hiber- nian, a few of these Lives in their original simplicity and fidelity of detail. Dr. Lanigan, as it seems, would have nothing pubHshed but what might seem to his o"wn mind demonstrably consistent with probability: he would publish no legends of miracles and wonders ; and he woidd give no view of the social, political, and religious state of society obtained tlirough the medivun of this most valuable class of ancient Irish writings. Dr. Lanigan woidd expimge from these tracts everything that was repugnant to what he called "reason"; thus assuming to himself the very important office of censor, and leaving the world to rest satisfied with what he decided to be true history. This mode of treating history has been tried by several wi-iters and in several coimtries. Ancient records have been digested, the thread of continuous history carried down from time to time, unincumbered by collateral details of fable, and all fact clothed in legendary form rejected. These details, having the brand of " worthlessness" and " fiction" stamped on them by some great authority, were deemed unworthy of examination, and in course of time were allowed to moulder and perish; carrying with them into oblivion, however, much of the broad plain history of the ordinary life and acts of the great body of the world's inhabitants, and leaving in its place only the limited picture of the world's great personages and rulers. Colgan and Keating, both of them Irish priests, have been of the unmercifully dealt with by our writers of the last two hundred of coiKan years, on the very unfounded assumption that both these truly ''^'^^^ ^^'^'''^'"s learned men believed themselves everything which appears in their writings. This can scarcely be called a fair proceeding, when we remember that Keating never professed to do more than abstract without comment what he found before him in the old books ; and that Colgan had not promised or undertaken to give a critically digested History of the Lives of the Irish Saints at all. In fact Colgan, like Keating, simply midertook to publish through the more accessible medium of the Latin lan- guage, the ancient fives just as he found them in the Gaedhlic. And it would be more becommg those who have di'awn largely and often exclusively, on the writings of these two eminent men, and who will continue to draw on them, to endeavour to imitate their devoted industry and scholarship, than to attempt to elevate themselves to a higher position of fiterary fame by 342 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT. XVI. a display of critical pedantry and Avliat tliey suppose to be in- dependence of opinion, in scoffing at the presumed credulity of cient Lives tliose wliosc labours liavc laid in modern times tlie very groimd- of Erimf"" work of Irisli history. _ But what, after all, is the reason of the very decided attempt to throw discredit on the Lives of the Irish Saints ; and why are they condemned as the contemptible and fabulous produc- tions concocted in latter ages, that they are often supposed to be ? No one who examines for himself can doubt that many holy men, at the first preaching in Erinn of the glad tidings of sal- vation by Saints Palladius and Patrick, founded those countless Christian chm'ches whose sites and ruins mark so thickly the surface of our country, even to this day, still bearing, through all the vicissitudes of time and conquest, the unchanged names of their original founders. Of St. Adam- St. Adamnau, an Irishman, and the tenth abbot of lona after of St. coilm Saint Colmn CilU, the founder of that great seat of piety and am. learning, wrote a life, in Latin, of his great predecessor and patron. St. Adamnan died, according to the Annals of the Four Masters, in the year 703. This Life, therefore, must have been written some time in the seventh century, say in about three generations after the death of Saint Colum Cille; Father Colgan has published this life in his Trias Thaumaturga, and although it is as full of wonders as any of the other Lives, yet it certainly cannot be placed in a list of lives written in the latter ages.^^j Be this as it may, however, the acknowledged fact that St. Adam- nan wrote a life of his relative, predecessor, and patron, in three generations, at most, after the death of the latter, is sufficient authority for the antiquity of the practice of writing or compil- ing such works, at this, if not at an earlier period. And as there were in Erinn in the fifth, sixth, and seventh centimes, many men as holy and almost as distinguished in their lives as St. Colum CilU, and as the churches they founded continued to be occupied and governed by men as eminent and devoted as St. Adamnan, there is no good reason to doubt that the very ancient Lives of St. Brigid, St. Ciarrcn of SaigJiir, St. Ciaran of Clonmacnois, St. Finnhliarr of Cork, St. Finnen of Clonard, aud many others, were written by their immediate successors in their respective churches. The idea of writing the Lives of the Saints of Erinn first ori- ginated, it woiild appear, with St. Fiacc, the celebrated poet, who was converted by St. Patrick, and consecrated the first (46) This most interesting work has been ably edited, since the above Lecture was delivered, by the Eev. "W. Eeeves, D.D., M.R.I.A,, for the Irish Archaeo- logical and Celtic Society. OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 343 Bisliop of Leinster. His cliurcli was at SleibhtS (Sletty) in the leot. xvi. present barony of Idrona and county of Carlow. This bishop ^^ ^^^ ^^ Fiacc wi'ote a metrical life of his great patron Patrick, some cient Lives time between the years 538 and 558 ; within which period Diar- of Erinn. moAcl Mac Ferghusa Cerrhheoil reigned as Monarch of Erinn, in ^^jfe^of^st.^ whose time Tara was cursed and deserted, — a fact alhided to as Patrick.) foretold only in this poem, and which is itself an illustration of the veracity of our ancient writers in this respect. [See Ap- pendix, No. CHI.] We have it on the authority of the Tripartite itself, that St. Patrick's hfe and miracles were collected by no less than six different writers, not including Fiacc of Slcibhte; among whom were St. Colmn Cille who died A.D. 592, and probably the St. Ultdn who died A.D. 656. We have it on the authority of the Liber Hymnormn (a composition, I believe, of the tenth centmy at least), that the Life and Acts of St. Brigid of Kil- dare were collected and written by St. Ultdn, who died, probably, as already observed, in the year 656. It is not to be expected, however, that these curious narra- tives of the lives and acts of the orio-inal founders of theCatho- lie Chm-ch of Ireland should have come down to our time m their primitive form, or without occasional expansions of some simple facts into fictions ; but that the miracles and wonderful works ascribed to the saints are mere fables, of comparatively modern times, certainly cannot be insisted on, since we find the same or similar acts recorded in the oldest lives of St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and others, as in those which might be called later lives. The "Book of Armagh", which is generally believed to be as old as the year 807, — but which, I conceive, is probably older than the year 727, — this very ancient book contains an ex- tract from the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, which records some wonderful miracles of the Saint, which, if not found in such ancient authorities as this, would be set down by modern writers, Cathohc as well as Protestant, as but silly inventions of the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries. To the truly philosophical writer and reader the Lives of our Saints will present little that is inconsistent with the necessary condition of neglected history and biography, but much that is valuable as presenting a clear, and I doubt not, veritable view of the actual state of society in all the relations of domestic, political, and reliofious life, in those remote a^es of our history : and he will • 1 ••I'll scarcely feel called upon to discuss the precise time at which the Almighty withdi'ew the grace of miraculous manifestations from the chosen propagators of His divine law. When foreign invasion and war had cooled down the fervid 344: OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. i,ECT. XVI. devotion of tlie native chiefs, and had distracted and broken up the long estabhshed reciprocity of good offices between the cient Lives Chiirch and the state, as well as the central executive controlling of Erton!™*^ power of the nation, the chief and the noble began to feel that the lands which he himself or his ancestors had oftered to the Church might now with little impropriety be taken back by him, to be applied to his own purposes, quieting his conscience by the ne- cessity of the case. When such a state of things as tliis did actually come to pass, dviring and after the Danish wars, it was no wonder if the Airchinnechs (or " Erenachs") of these church lands, who were seldom if ever ecclesiastics, were induced to take up the lives and acts of their patron saints, recopy them from mouldering tomes, and incorporate with the old text fabu- lous incidents of fearful struggles between the original patrons and the neighbouring chiefs of liis day, in which the latter were always sure to come off worst. I do not say that incidents of this kind were not found in the veiy oldest of these lives, but I am in a jDosition to show that such incorporations were actually made in the eleventh and twelfth and even later centuries. But, as to the genuineness and antiquity of many accounts of real miracles, full evidence is fm-nished by several ancient works. Thus, the Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick contains an account of one which we find copied imperfectly into the Book of Armagh. The following is the passage which relates this cm-ious incident, — one which I introduce for the piupose of illustration, as it shows how even a very old work may be corrected by one still more ancient. [See original in Appendix, No. CIV.] " One time", says the author of the Tripartite, " that St. Sechnall [Secimdinus] , of Domhnach Sechnaill [now Dun- shaughhn, in the county of Meath] went to Armagh, Patrick was not there. He saw Patrick's servants having two chariot horses unyoked. And Sechnall said : It were fitter to give these horses to Fiacc the bishop. [The reason for sending the chariot to Fiacc was, according to the Life, because he had a painful sore on his leg.] Patrick arrived at these words, and heard what was said. Patrick then yoked the horses to the chariot, and sent them forth without any one to guide [or take charge of] them ; and they went straight to St. MocJda's hermitage in Louth, where they stopped that night. On the next day they came to Domhnach Sechnall [Dunshaughhn]. They then went to cm Aiisaille, from that to Cill Monach, and from that to SUihhte [in Carlow], to Bishop Fiacc". Now this legend is quite intelligible in the Tripartite, but in the Book of Armagh it is not so. And the latter version, I think OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 345 it not improbable, was constructed on the former in some such lect. xvi. manner as that I have above indicated. ^^ ^^^ ^^^._ The Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, to which we have so often ent uves of made alhision, has been long known to the writers on Irish ec- EHnn'""(Ti°e clesiastical history, through Father John Colgan's Latin transla- Life^Jfst'^' tion of it in his Trias Thaiimaturga, published at Louvain in i'atnck.) the year 1647. After tliis publication, the original tract appears to have been lost, as no mention of Father Colgan's, or of any other copy of it, occurs in any book or writing that I have seen or heard of, nor did 1 ever know of any person who saw it, or had even heard of its existence since Colgan's time. To those — and they were many — who had faith in Colgan's honesty, the total disappear- ance of this most important tract became a source of uneasi- ness ; and with others an idea had at length sprung up, though I beheve not publicly expressed, that it was doubtful whether Colgan, in his translation, had done justice to the original, and whether he had not left out many things that might vitiate the authenticity of the tract, as well as the peculiar religious doc- trines expressed and implied in it. This state of uncertamty, however, exists no longer, as an ancient copy of this most ancient and important tract has been recently discovered by me among the vast literary stores of the British Museum. In the month of May, 1849, I was summoned over to give evidence before the Public Library Committee of the House of Commons. After having been examined on two successive days before that body, I determined to pay a short visit to the British Museum, which I had never before seen ; and on being properly introduced to Sir Frederick Madden, that learned and poHte officer at once gave me the most free access to the Mu- sevun collection of Irish manuscripts. Among the volumes laid before me, my attention was at once caught by a thin book of large quarto size in a brass cover, not a shrine, but a mere cover of the ordinary shape and construction. On examining this cover, I foimd it composed of two plates of brass, projecting nearly half an inch over the edges of the leaves at the front and ends, and connected at the back by a pair of hinges, thus giving the voliune perfect freedom of opening on a principle not much put in practice by ordinary bookbinders. The brass was rather clean, and had a modern appearance. The plates measured about twelve inches in length, nine in breadth, and three- eighths in thickness. The front plate had a plain cross etched on it about eight inches long, with arms in proportion. I im- mediately guessed that the book within was not one of any insignificant character, and I hoped indeed that it might be 346 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LKCT. XVI, some one of the many ancient works whicli, I well knew, had been long misshig. Full of expectation, I opened the volmne, enVurestf ^^^^ threw my eyes rapidly over the first page; from which, the Saints of tliough much soilcd and almost illegible, I discovered at once 'Tripartite' that I had comc npon a life of St. Patrick. Being well ac- pafri°cko*' quainted with all the Irish copies of this Life known to exist here at home, I immediately found this to be one that was strange to me, and it at once occurred to me that it was a copy of the long- lost Tripartite. Under this impression, I called for Colgan's Trias Thaumaturga, which having got, I at once proceeded to a comparison ; and, although I am but little acquainted with the Latin language, I soon found my expectations realized, for it was unmistakeably a fine old copy of the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. The Tripartite occupied originally twenty foHos or forty pages of this book ; but of these, the second and sixth folios were cut out at some imknown time long gone by. The volume, besides our saint's life, contains fragments of two ancient historical tales, namely, Fledh Bricrinn, or Brickiin's Feast, and the Tain Bo Chuailgne, mentioned in a former lec- ture ; but these tracts are written in a different hand from the Tripartite, and must have been originally part or parts of dif- ferent books. The following translation of a notice at the end of the Tri- partite gives the precise year in which it was transcribed. [See original in Appendix, No. CV.] " The annals of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the year that this life of Patrick was written, were 1477; and to-mori'ow night will be Lammas Eve, and it is in Baile an Mhoinin I am. It was in the house of W Troighthigh this was written by Domhnall Albanacli O Troighthigh, and Deo Gratias Jesus". There are so many places in Ireland called by the name of Baile an Mhoinin (that is, the village or place at or of the little bog), that it would be impossible, with only this mere ac- cident of the name, to identify it. The O' Troightliighs were, however, originally natives of the county of Clare, either in or near Corcomroe; and they were a clann of some note at an early period in the history of that district, as appears from an entry in the Annals of the Four Masters, at the year 1002 : " Conchohhar, the son of Maelsechlainn, lord of Corcomroe, and Aicher 0' Troighthigh, with many others, were slain by the men of Umhall". This Conchohhar, son of Ilaelsechlainn, was the founder of the family name of O'Conor of Corcomroe. With the former history of this volume we are quite un- acquainted. We only know that it passed from us some twenty- OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 347 five years ago, in tlie fine collection of Gacclhlic MSS., sold by lect. xvi . Mv. James Hardiman to the British INIuscum; and that it forms oftheanci- No. 93, Efferton, in Mr. Hardiman's catalogue, -where it is ent Lives of -, ° 1 -r- p r< T. • 1 1 1 11 11' tlie Saints of set down as, " Lite ot St. Jratnck, and other legends and his- Krinn. aiie torical tracts on vellum in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries". Lite'T/st.^ The antiquity of this Life, in all its parts, may be well under- ^atnck.) stood from the fact that, in the middle ages, it required an in- terlined gloss, by the most learned masters, in order to make it intelligible to their pupils and to other less learned readers. I have myself fortunately recovered an ancient copy of those glossed passages (in MS. H. 3. 18. T.CD.), by which I am enabled to form an opmion of the antiquity of the text, which it has not perhaps fallen to the lot of other Gaedhlic scholars to do. The antiquity of the tract may be also inferred from JNIichael O'Clery's introduction to his Glossary of obsolete Gaedhlic Avords, published in Louvain in the year 1643, in which he classes the old Life of St. Patrick with several other ancient tracts which required explanations ; explanations which it had received from various eminent scholars, even down to his own time : indeed any one intimately conversant with ancient Gaedhlic writings will perceive at once that tliis tract is one of great antiquity. Tliis Life is written with frequent alternations of Gaedhlic and Latin sentences, the latter sometimes explained by the former ; but, generally, the narration continues on throvigh both. There can be httle doubt that the short sketch of St. Patrick's life, written into the Book of Armagh, was taken from this tract, for some reason that we cannot now" discover ; and there can be, I think, as little doubt that the annotations of Tirechan on St. Patrick's Life, foimd, in Latin, in the same Book of Aiinagh (and which Tirechan says, he obtained from the books and from the lips of his predecessor, St. Ultan, whose disciple he was, and who died, probably, a.d. 656), — there can be Httle doubt, I say, that these notes were taken, so far, from St. Ultan's written Life of our apostle, as well as from his verbal account of some information obtained or remembered by him after the compilation, as it is mentioned in the present tract, of our saint's life and acts. [See Appej^dix, No. CVL] I have said that I do not know of the existence, at present, of any other copy of the Ti-ipartite Life of St. Patrick, besides that which I had thus myself the good fortune to identify in the British Museum ; but, in Colgan's time, there were three copies of this hfe, " the author of which", says Colgan, " as it would appear, was St. Eimhin, or Evin" — [Colgan, vol. ii. p. 169]. I shall here quote what he says of those MSS, 348 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT. XVI. " We give tliis life", says Colgan, " from tliree very ancient Gaecllilic MSS., collated with each other, and divided by its Oftheanci- i • i • i • i o f -i ent Lives of autlior mto three parts, with a triple pretace, one prenxed to El?nn?^"(The ^acli ; Concerning the fidelity, the authority, and the integrity, Life^oTsr' ^^ "^Q^ as the author, of which we shall inform the reader in Patrick.) the following observations : " The first thing that is to be observed is, that it has been written by its first author, and in the aforesaid manuscript, partly in Latin, partly in Gaedhlic, and this in very ancient language, almost iin]3enetrable, by reason of its very great antiquity ; ex- hibiting, not only in the same chapter, but also in the same fine, alternate phrases, now in the Latin, now in the Gaedhlic tongue. " In the second place, it is to be noticed that this life, on ac- comit of the very great antiquity of its style, which was held in much regard, used to be read in the schools of our antiquarians in the presence of their pupils, being elucidated and expoimded by the glosses of the masters, and by interpretations and obser- vations of the more abstruse words ; so that, hence, it is not to be wondered at that some words (which certainly did happen) from these glosses and observations gradually crept into the text, and thus brought a certain colour of newness into this most ancient and faithful author; some things being turned from Latin into Gaedhlic, some abbreviated by the scribes, and some altogether omitted". # * * 95 * * * " Fourthly", he says, " it is to be observed, that, of the three manuscripts above mentioned, the first and chief is from very ancient vellums of the O'Clerys, antiquarians in Ulster; the second, from the O'Deorans in Leinster ; the third, taken from I know not what codex : and that they differ from each other in some respects ; one relating more diffusely what is more close in the others ; and one relating in Latin what in the others was told in Gaedhlic ; but we have followed the authority of that which relates the occuiTcnces more diffusely and in Latin". Colgan then proceeds to consider the question of the author- ship of this Life of the Saint. He considers it as certain that the author was by birth a native of Erinn, and by profession a monk or priest. That he was a native of Erinn he considers proved by his exact and singular skill not only in the native tongue, but also in the proper names of men, places, families, and territories. He believes that the author flour- ished before the end, or about the middle of the sixth century, and that he was St. Eimliin (Evin), who, Jocehnus (cap. 186) says, wrote the acts of St. Patrick, partly in the Latin, partly in the Gaedhlic tongue. As to the age or time in which the writer flourished, Colgan draws several very ingenious arguments from OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 349 the internal evidences in the work itself. Tlie cliief of these rest lect. xvt. on passages m which it is implied that, at the period in which they ^^ ^^^^ ^^^. were written, certain individuals, the dates of whose deaths we ent Lives of can refer with tolerable certainty to some time in the sixth cen- Eiinn*^ (The tnry, were then living. Thus we find the following: — " There LTfe'^/sJ®' is in that place a town called Brettan, where Loarn is [est] Patrick.) Bishop". Again: — "Patrick came to the Church of Donoch- more, where JNIimca is Bishop". In anotlier place he says : — " But this son of Milco is Bishop Guasactus, who is to-day [ho- die] at Granard in the territory of Carbry", Again, speaking of St. Fiacc, he observes: " But no one of them rose up to the servant of God, except Dublitliacli O'Lugcm', arch-poet of the king and kingdom ; and one young man of his disciples, who is to-day [hodie] in the church of SleibhW'' [Sletty.] As far as internal evidence can go, these passages, siippos- ing them to be genuine, which I see no reason to doubt, cer- tainly seem to imply that the writer lived in the times of which he speaks. It must be admitted, however, that this mode of speaking in the present tense, used by distinguished ecclesiastics of the fifth and sixth centimes, continued to be used in the eighth and ninth, as may be seen in the notes upon the Festology of Aengus Ceile De, though that work itself was written but shortly before the year 798. For myself, I can see no reason whatever to doubt any state- ment to the effect that the acts of so remarkable a personage as St. Patrick were committed to writing, and that probably by more than one person, during his own lifetime, and by several hands in the periods iiiimediately subsequent to it. And when a work narrating the acts of the saint's hfe is handed down to our times, accompanied by a very ancient tradition, and also by written testimony of its authenticity from a very remote period, I cannot see how we are warranted in rejecting it as spurious, or in presuming that, at least, the basis or framework of the narrative is other than what it purports to be. Colgan, in summing up his evidence about the Tripartite, quotes the passage from Jocehnus, in which that writer says, that St. Eiynhin (Evin) wrote a life of St. Patrick, partly in Latin, partly in Gaedlilic, and distinguishes this life from those by Saints Benignus, Mel, Luman, and Patrick Junior. It appears, therefore, that, at the time in which Jocelyn wrote — namely, the year 1185, it was beHeved that a hfe of St. Patrick then existed, which had been written by St. Eimldn (Evin). Colgan says that he beheves the copies wliich he used were essentially the same as that seen by Jocelyn. 350 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT. XVI. As to the objections wliicli may be urged tbat St. Eimhin ~~ r could not be the author of the Trij)artite, on the ground that ent Lives of there are cited in it, as the wi'iters of St. Patrick's miracles, the EHnn!"\The namcs of St. Colum Cille, St. Ultan, St. Aileran or Eleran the ilfe'^Tsr ^^^s*3, St. Adamnan, St. Ciaran of Belach Duin, St. Colman, and Patrick.) Others, who lived after the time of Eimhin (Evin), while St. Eimhin himself is not mentioned at all, he offers a very obvious explanation — that the passages in which they are mentioned are interpolations. It is only natural to suppose that additions were made, at various times, by the different scribes, or, as we may call them, editors, through whose hands the original j)assed; or that the assertion has reference to lives compiled by those writers after St. Eimhin, each absorbing in his own edition all that had been written by his predecessor, (such indeed the Tripartite in its present form appears to be) ; or, possibly, St. Eimhin s Life had not been accessible to the compiler. As far as my judgment and my acquaintance with the idiom of the ancient Gaedhlic language will bear me, I would agree in Father Colgan's deductions from the text of the Tripartite ; but I cannot get over the fact that compilers of the seventh century are mentioned in the tract itself. It is ciuious, however, that John O'Connell, of Kerry, who wrote a long poem on the History of Ireland about the year 1650, refers to " St. Eimhin s Life of St. Patrick", and thus supplies us with an additional authority in favour of Colgan's opinion. The first of the three parts gives an account of St. Patrick's parentage, captivity, education, arrival in Erinn, and mission to his former master in Ulster, his return to Tara, and conflict with king Laeghaires Druids, etc. ; and the part ends with those remarkable words, as if the author had preached as well as written the tract: " The miracles will be only related so far this day". [See original in Appendix, No. CVIL] The second part describes the saint's journey into Connacht, and his return by Ulster, north and east, after an absence of seven years ; and it ends with the same words as the first: " The miracles will be only related so far this day". The third part describes the saint's mission and travels into Leinster and Munster, with his retm-n and death at Armagh. [See observations on the opening passage of tliis thii'd part, in Appendix, No. CVIII.] It is much to be regTetted that Father Colgan did not Hve to pubHsh his Life of St Eimhin, the reputed author of the Tri- OF THE EAKLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 351 partite Life of St. Patrick ; however, as lie lias fortimately given lect. xyi. us liis festival, tlie 22nd of December, we are able to identify liiin and establish his period. cnt Lives of In the Festology of Aengus CeUe Be (or the Culdee), we Eri„n!'"Sui find that T\n:iter, at the 22iid of December, beseeching the in- L^f";^^7gt'^' tercession of St. EimMn^ "the white" or " fair", from the banks Patrick.)' of the river Barrow. Now, the saint EimMn from the brink of the river Barrow, was EimJnn, the founder of the original chiu'ch or monastery of llainister Eiinhin [now Anglicized Monasterevan], on the brink of the Barrow, in the Queen's County. This St. EimMn was a Munsterman, and one of the four saintly sons o£ Eoghan, son oi Murchadh, son oi Muiredliach, son of Diarmaid, son of Eof/han, son of Ailill Flann Beg, son of F'lacha Muillethan, son of Eoghan Mor, son of Oilioll Oluiin, king of Munster, who died a.d. 234. EimMn was thus the ninth in generation from Oilioll Oliiim, which, by allowing thirty years to a generation, will make 270 years. This, added to the year 234, in which Ailill died, Avill bring us down to the year 504, in which year, then, this St. EimMn was probably living ; so that he had, very probably, seen and coua^ ersed with St. Patrick, who had ched only eleven years before this time, or in 493. Admitting, however, that the Tripartite Life of our saint was compiled by St. EimMn, it must be evident to any one that he could not have had full personal cognizance of all the incidents in the saint's career which are introduced into the work. He must have had the assistance of persons who had attended Patrick in his various missionary travels. And his dividing the work into three parts, each beginning with an appropriate in- troduction, and apparently read at fixed periods, — all this would seem to show that, whoever the writer was, the life was written and collated at intervals of a year or periods of greater length. There can, I think, be Httlc doubt that the lives said to have been written by Colum Cille, Ultan, Adanman, and others, were primarily drawn from this compilation, and exjianded by the addition or incorporation of local information, wliich escaped the original collector or compiler. In our present limits we cannot go farther into the considera- tion of this very ancient and important branch of religious and ecclesiastical Gaedlilic Kterature, which we have comprised imder the general name of Lives of the Saints of Erinn. The most re- markable of them is, without doubt, the Tripartite hfe of our great apostle, whose antiquity and authority we have been just discussing. But many others of great interest, and also bearing evidences of great antiquity, remain for consideration at a fu- ture occasion. 352 OF THE EABLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT. XVI. Of the con- tents of the Leabhar Mdr Diina Doighre, called the J.eabhar Breac. We now turn to anotlier class of religious compositions in tlie Gacdhlic language ; and of these the chief collection is to be found in the great volume commonly known by the name of the Leahliar Breac. We have in the course of these lectures often had occasion to refer to an ancient GaedliHc MS., generally called Leahliar Breac, or Speckled Book, preserved in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy; and as it is in itself a composition of great interest and importance, and as we shall often have occasion to refer to it in future lectures, it seems to me that a brief general notice of it will be appropriate here. The proper name of this book is Leabhar M6r Dilna Doighre, or the great book of Dun Doighre. Dun Doighre was the name of a place on the Galway side of the river Shannon, some distance below the present town of Athlone, where the great literary family of the Mac -^Egans had, from time immemorial, kept schools of law, poetry, and literature. This book appears to have been written by some member of that learned family about the close of the foujrteenth century. It is not a transcript of any one book, but, as will be seen, a compilation from various ancient books, preserved chiefly in the churches and monasteries of Connacht, Munster, and Leinster ; such as Mainister ua g-Cormaic (or Abbey Gormacan, in the county Galway) ; Leacaoin, in Lower Ormond ; Cluain Sosta (Clonsost) in the Queen's County ; Clomnacnois, etc. The volume is written in a most beautiful style of penman- ship, on fine large folio vellum. The contents are all, with one exception, of a religious character, and all, or nearly all, in the purest style of Gaedhhc. Many of the tracts are translations and narratives from the Latin. Among these are found a Scrip- ture narrative from the Creation to Solomon; the birth, life, passion, and resurrection of oiu* Lord ; and the lives, and man- ner of death of several of the apostles ; various versions of the finding of the Cross, etc. There are besides these several pieces ancient sermons or liomiHes for certain days and periods of the year — such as, sermons for Lent, Palm Sunday, Easter Sunday, Pentecost, on the institution of the Holy Eucharist, and others of a similar kind. In these sermons the Scripture text is always given in Latin, and then freely and copiously expounded and commented on in pme Gaedhlic; and in the course of these expositions various commentators are often mentioned and quoted. Besides these sermons, there are many small tracts on moral subjects, illustrative of the divine teachings of our Lord. St. SechnaWs Hymn, in praise of his uncle St. Patrick, is also to be found there ; as Avell as the celebrated Altus of St. Colum OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 353 CilU; a Lorica by Gildas (wlio is believed to bave been a lect.xvi . Saxon saint) ; etc., etc. _ _ ^ ofthecon- Among tbe original Irisli tracts in tbe Leahhar M6r Duna tents of tiie Doighre, are foimd Pedigrees of the Irish Saints, compiled it is ji/or Duna believed by Aengus CeileDe, at the close of the eighth century, ^aTied'the as well as his celebrated Litany of the Irish Saints ; ancient ^f*^"'' abstracts of the Lives of Saints Patrick, Colum CilU, and Brigid of Kildare ; a curious historical legend of Cathal Mac F'inghuinef king of Munster in the eighth century, of 3fae Conglinne, the poet, and of the abbot of St. Finnbarr's monastery at Cork ; the ^lartyrology o£ Aengus CeileDe, written cliiefly at Tamhlacht (or Tallacht, in the county of Dublin), before the year 798 ; ancient copies and expositions of the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Com- mandments ; ancient rules of discipline of the religious order of the Ceilidhe De, vulgarly called Culdees ; ancient Litanies and Liturgies, monastic Rules, Canons, sacred Loricas, and countless other articles of the same tendency, — among them an ancient rule and law for the obsei-vance of Sunday, or the Lord's day. The Leahhar Mot Duna Doighre contains also a Life of Alex- ander the Great, remarkable as being copied from the ancient Book of the celebrated St. Berchdn of Cluain Sosta (or Clon- sost), who flourished so early as in the seventh century. But to enter into more minute details of the contents of this curious and important volume, would carry me beyond my pre- sent purpose, nor, indeed, I may add, is it competent for a lay- man to deal with them in any but a very general manner. Compiled, as it was, from many and most ancient sources, the Leahhar Mor Dana Doighre is the most important repertory of our ancient ecclesiastical and theological writings in existence ; but it is not by any means our only resource for varied and valuable information on these subjects. Besides the Martyrology of Aengus, contained in this volume, we have the Martyrologies of Marianus Gorman ; the Martyr- ology of Tamhlacht (or Tallacht) ; the Martyrology of Cathal MacGuire, now at St. Isidore's in Rome ; and the Martyrology of Donnegall, compiled by the Four Masters. Some of my young friends, for whose special instruction in of the study these matters I am honoured with a chair in this University, may ent*'' jiaJtyr- here ask, what is the use or benefit of examininsf and studyino' oiogies' and . . P' n . . other Eccle- these ancient tracts, which we call Martyrologies ? This is a siasticai question which may be answered in a few words. Passing Gaeliuiic.*'^ over altogether for a moment the value of such studies in a religious point of view, we shall take them at their mere anti- quarian or their purely historical value. 23 354 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT. XVI. And we may positively affirm, that it is totally impossible to know, to imderstand, or to write, eitlier the civil or ecclesiastical oftheanci- liistory of Erimi, without a deep and thorough acquaintance orogies''and' with tliosc yet Unpublished and unexplored documents. This other Eccie- jg fg|^ ^j^j acknowlcdijed by several writers and historic inves- siastical . 01X1 I*'- Mss. in the tigators oi our day, oo that 1 have no hesitation m asserting, that until these national remains are thoroughly examined by competent and well-qualified persons, we shall have no civil or ecclesiastical history of our country worthy of the name. But even as a matter of individual pride and gratification, indeed asf a matter of intellectual enjoyment, could there be any tiling more agreeable to a cultivated mind than to know the origin and liis- tory of those countless monuments of the fervid piety and devo- tion of our primitive Christian forefathers, which are to be found in the ruined church and tower, the sculptured cross, the holy well, and the commemorative name of almost every townland and parish in the whole island ? Few out of the many thou- sands who see those places and hear their names know any- thing whatever of their origin and history ; and yet there is not one of them whose origin and history are not well pre- served, and accessible to those who will but qualify themselves to become acquainted with them, by a proper study of the rich and venerable old language in which they are recorded. Besides these martyrologies, and the many tracts on ecclesi- astical subjects preserved in the Leahhar MOr Di'ma Doighre, you can scarcely open an ancient Gaedhlic manuscript without meeting one or more pieces in prose or verse, illustrative of the great principles, particular doctrines, and moral apphcation of the Christian religion, as brought hither from Rome, and preached and established in Erinn by St. Patrick, in perfect connection with, and submission to, the never-failing Chair of St. Peter. Mine is indeed but a poor attempt at placing before you a view of the extent and variety of this important class of our ancient writings ; but it ought to be sufficient, in consideration of the natural duty that every man owes to himself, to his country, and to his race, to induce a more general and profound acquaintance with these long-neglected sources of our History. LECTURE XVII. [Delivered July 10, ISMJ Ecclesiastical MSS. (continued). Of the early Ecclesiastical Writings in the Gaedlilic language. Of the Books of Pedigrees of the early Saints of Eniin. Of the Martyrologies and Festologies. The Saltalr na Rami. The Mar- tyrology of IMariauus O'Gorman. The Martj^Tology of Tdmhlacht. The Fdire, or Festology, of Aeugus Ceile De. Of the Canon of Fothadh. The still existing materials for our ecclesiastical history are not, and could hardly be expected to be, as ample as those of the civil history of the coimtry ; because the causes which led to the ne- glect, destruction, or dispersion of both, affected the former more severely. From the year 1170 to the year 1530, this country was engaged in an incessant war for its civil independence against a powerful and perfidious foreign foe. From the year 1530 again to the year 1690, she maintained a war for civil and rehgious liberty against a fierce tyranny, characterized by robbery as foul and rehgious persecution as unrelenting as any with which the page of Christian history is stamed. And from 1690 to 1793 (to come down no farther towards o^xc own times), she was doomed to be the victim of a system of plunder still more completely organized and more degrading to the people, — a system under wliich the robbery of mere property was even less galling than the brutal "domiciliary visits" and the various other personal insults and wrongs in- flicted under the protection of local legal tribunals where savage injustice invariably reigned, and the ojDpression of a legion of spies and infonncrs from whom notliing could be concealed and in whose hands the shghtest evidence of a sus- picious character became the means of destruction to the per- secuted Cathohc. In such a country the hand of the local tyrant, the village Nero and liis spies, of course fell heaviest of all on the ministers of God, the natm-al preservers as well as recorders of the history of the Church. And from about the year 1530, in the reign of the English King Henry the Eighth, to the year 1793, the priests of Ireland were ever subject to persecution, suppression, dispersion, and expatriation, according to the Enghsh law ; their churches, monasteries, convents, and private habitations, were pillaged and wrested from them ; and a Vandal warfare was kept up against all that was venerable and sacred of the remains of 23 b 356 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT. xYii. ancient literature and art which they possessed. Wlien, there- ^,„„„„ ,.,„ fore, we make search for the once extensive monuments of loss and dis- leammg wmch the ecclesiastical ubraries contained of old, we irish°Eccie- must remember that this shocking system continued for near ffii^OTfcaf"*^ three hrmdred years ; and that during all that long period the *P^- '^^™^ clerffv — the natural rei^ositories of all the documents which be- thelastthree . c-/ i i • r- i /-^i i i • • n centuries, loiiged to the nistoiy oi the Ohm-ch — were kept m a continual state of insecurity and transition, often compelled to resort to the continent for education, often forced to quit their homes and churches at a moment's notice, and fly for their lives, in the first instance, to the thorny depths of the nearest forest or the damp shelter of some dreary cavern, until such time, if ever it should come, as they could steal away to the hospitable shores of some Christian land on the continent of Europe. Such were the times and such the circumstances which led to the destruc- tion and dispersion of the great mass of our ecclesiastical htera- ture and history ; for we may be assui'ed, and it is indeed matter of proof, that whatever else the Irish priest carried with him in his flight for his life, he rarely forgot, when at all possible, to take with him his Gaedhlic books, along with the various articles which appertained to the exercise of his sacred functions. Thus it was that so large a collection of these expatriated books passed into Belgium, the chief part of wliich found their way into the Franciscan College at Louvain. And there must have been other collections in Belgium besides this ; for I am acquainted with a manuscript book of historical and religious poems (of which few are fomid anywhere else), containing more than 10,000 quatrains, which was either compiled or transcribed at Ostend in the year 1631, now in possession of the O'Conor Don ; and another manuscript book of poems, less select, and not so large, was compiled or transcribed in Lisle and Antwerp, by the expatriated friar, Fergal O'Gara, in the year 1656, which is now in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy (No. 22. 5.). Of the originals of these two books no trace has been yet dis- covered, nor indeed, I believe, has any extensive search been yet made for them among the Belgian libraries. Yet, notwithstanding the losses which our ecclesiastical books must have suffered under the detestable war so long waged against their conservators, still a comparatively large and im- portant quantity of them remains extant, at tliis day, in the original Gaedlilic, though scattered over Europe, and now deposited in so many various and remote locahties. And it appears to me that I could not properly omit to devote a portion of this course of Lectures to the separate consideration of these ancient writings, in reference to. the materials which they con- OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. 357 tain for tlie elucidation of the history not only of the Church lect.xti i. in Ireland, but also of the nation itself. Analysis The most important ancient Ecclesiastical Writings in the of what Gaedhlic known to me may be conveniently classed under ten tuemostiia- distinct heads, not all of them, however, of equal importance to the^oaedhiic the special subject of om- present studies. ''^Tmss^''" There are, first — Canons and Ecclesiastial Rules, drawn up for the government and direction of bishops and priests, as well as of some ancient regular orders. Second — Monastic Rules of Disciphne, interesting also as containing a full and clear development of the rehgious doc- trines behoved and taught in these holy institutions. Third — A remarkable tract, containing the ancient ritual for the consecration of a church or oratory. Fourth — An ancient tract explaining the ceremonies of the Mass. (This tract contains a clear and beautiful statement of the Catholic doctrine of the Holy Eucharist.) Fifth — Forms of Prayers, and Invocations to God and the Saints ; among which is a beautiful Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sixth — Ancient Homihes and Sermons, with commentaries upon and concordances of the Evangelists. (Some of these ser- mons are preserved in pure Gaedhlic, and others of them are composed of Gaedhlic and Latin, for the better preservation and discussion of the Scriptural texts and quotations.) Seventh — Poems, doctrinal and moral, ascribed, on good authority, to the saints and doctors of the Gaedliil; and with these may be classed some ancient hymns, in Latin and GaedhHc, of undoubtedly remote antiquity. Eighth — Ancient Lives of a great number of our Saints (such as those of which I spoke in the last Lecture), full of valuable and otherwise inaccessible information — genealogical, historical, and topographical. Ninth — Ancient Tracts respecting the genealogies and pedi- grees of the Saints of Erinn. Tenth — Martyrologies or Festologies, in prose and verse; containing lists of the saints of Erinn, and sometimes of those of the continent, arranged under their respective festival days ; and with these, various genealogical, historical, and topogra- phical illustrations. The first seven of these divisions are of purely ecclesiastical and theological interest. The last tlxree are more directly con- nected with the history of the country ; and it is to these, there- fore, that I have, in the first place, to direct your attention. In the preparation of a course of popular lectures like these, 358 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LECT.xYii. where the subject spreads over several centuries or ages, tlie An- n Inquiry into the Origin and Uses of the Round Toivers of Ireland, p. 134. One slight mistake Dr. Petrie lias fallen into in this liassage, as to the tract in the Book of Leinster. The tract he alludes to there, is Aerigus's Book of the Pedigrees of the Irish Saints, and not his Litany, which is found only in the Leabhar Mor Dliaa Doiyhre. 382 OF THE EARLY ECCLESIASTICAL MSS. LEc. XVIII. i-incler Abban, tbe son of Ua Cormaic, invoco in auxllium meum per Jesiim Cbristum", etc. [See orioinal in Appendix, No. 5° Of Ancient i-ix'-vTT/- -| ^ Prayers, In- L/-<:V^V1 V .J and^Llianies And thus clocs Aeiigus go Oil to invoke groups of men and (The Litany -vvomen wlio came into Erinn from all parts of the world, and CiiUDL) joined tliemselves to various religious persons and communities tbroughovit our land, to benefit by their purity of morals and exalted j)iety; as well as the comitless groups of men, lay and ecclesias- tical, who left Erinn on pilgrimages to the Holy Land, under SS. Ailbhe, Brendan, etc.; and others who went out to plant and propagate their Christian knowledge and piety, in remote and unfrequented countries, which had not yet been brought within the range of the Lord's vineyard, or in which the seeds of Christianity formerly sown had either run to extravagant wildness or totally failed. After invoking these various groups at considerable length, he turns to the bishops of Erinn, whom he invokes in groups of seven, taking together those who either lived contempora- neously or succeeded each other in the one chru'ch ; as the seven bishops of Drom-Aurchaille; the seven bishops of Drom Derce- dan; the seven bishops of Tulacli na n-Esjjuc, or Hill of the Bishops, etc. [I may mention to you that this Tulacli na n-JlJspuc, was Tidla, near Cabinteely, in the county of Dubhn ; and that it is stated in the Life of St. Brigid, that these seven bishojDS, on a certain occasion, paid her a visit at Kildare, a circum- stance which fixes the time at wliich they lived.] The invocation extends to 141 groups of seven, or in all 987 bishops, ending with the seven bishops of Domlinach Chairne [probably the place now called Doncycarney, near Dublin]. Of the Pro- We now come to another and the last section of our Eccle- cribed'^tVtiie siastical MSS., if wc may include imder this title the writings Erinn! '^^ callcd Propliccies ascribed to the saints of Erinn. Li opening the subject of ancient Gaedlilic Prophecies, it might be expected that I should take a comparative glance at the prophecies of other countries, as this would indeed be the most learned and approved mode of introducing the subject; but as I have hitherto in the progress of these Lectm-es confined myself to a simple analysis of the liistoric and Hterary remains of our own country, treated from the points of view offered by internal evidence only, I shall follow the same rule in this instance, and proceed to treat of our ancient prophecies, as they are called, on their own authority and on their own internal merits alone. In the first place I have to tell you, that although those ascribed to the saints form the chief part of our collection of prophecies, there are a few referred to times anterior to the year OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 383 432, tlie year in which St. Patrick commenced his Christian lec. xvih. mission in Erinn; and their authorship is ascribed to persons 77 still involved in the darkness of paganism. As, then, it is my phecies as- design to take all the " Prophecies" in their presumed chrono- sa^hts of ^'^^ losfical order, I shall begin with those which are referred to our ^'^"'"• pre-Christian period. The oldest prophecy, or rather prophetic allusion to future of «>e events in Erinn, that I can remember, is found in the ancient "Prophecies" but little-known tract, which is entitled AgaUamh an da theumeo'f Shuadh, or the Dialogue of the two Sages ^or Professors). The fThe"'P?o- liistory given of this Dialogue is shortly tliis. piiecy"inthe Adkna, a distinguished Connachtman, was chief poet of Ulster of the Two in the reign of Conor Mac Nessa (about four hundi-ed years "-^^^^"-^ before St. Patrick's arrival). Adhna had a son, Neidhe, who, after ha\ang been carefully instructed in the prescribed lite- rary coiu-se of the period by his father, was then sent by him into Scotland, to add to his stores of nati^^e knowledge all that could be acquired at the famous academy of Eocliaidh EchhheoiL, in that country. During Neidhe's sojourn in Scotland, his father, Adhna, died, and Athairne, the celebrated poet and satirist, was raised to his place of chief poet of Ulster. An account of these important changes having, however, reached young Neidhe in Scotland, he immediately returned to Erinn, and went straight to the palace of Emania. He entered the royal court at once under protection of his well-recognized poet's tonsure, and made directly for the chief poet's chair, which he found vacant at the moment, with the arch-poet's Tuighen, or official gown, lying on the back of it. (This gown of the arch-poet is de- scribed as having been cne ornamented with the feathers of beautiful birds.) Neidhe, finding the chair accidentally vacant, sat in it and put on the go-wn. Athairne soon after made his appearance, and seeing his appointed mantle and seat occupied by a stranger, he immediately addiessed him in these words : " Wlio is the learned poet upon whom the Tuighen with its splendour rests ?" [See original in Appendix, No. CXXV.] This led to a long, learned, and animated contest in literature, poetry, philosophy, Druidism, etc., in which Neidhe showed himself fully qualified to retain the position which he had tem- porarily assumed; but, in obedience to the beautiful patriarchal law of reverence for seniority which pervaded all conditions of society in ancient Erinn, ha^dng first estabhshed his superior qualifications, he then voluntarily vacated the chair, put off the splendid gown, placed it on the shoulders oC Athairne, and, in the absence of his father by death and of his later preceptor by distance, he adopted him as his father and preceptor. 384 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LEc. XVIII. Tliis strange piece is coucliecl in very ancient language, some- of the what resembling, indeed partaking largely of the character of, so-called tlic ancicnt text of the Brehon laws ; but every phrase, almost anteriortr cvcry word, throughout the whole, is explained in the version st.'^patHc°k. which is preserved to us, by an ancient interlined gloss, still in (The 'Pro- ancient, but much more accessible language. "Dialogue Wc liavc sliowu in a former Lecture, on the authority of the Sages"o^^° ancient Book of Uachonghhdil, that the obscurity of the lan- guage in which this dialogue was carried on, in the presence of King Conor and the nobles of Ulster, was the immediate cause of taking from the Poets the exclusive right which, down to that time, they had enjoyed, of interpreting the ancient laws of the country, and of opening their study to all such men of all grades as should incline to make the law their profession. This dialogue is also quoted at the word Teathra ("the Sea"), and at the word Tuighen (" the Gown") in Cormac's Glossary ; a compilation of the close of the ninth century. Yet, altliough the mere literary part of the tract may, perhaps, be referred to the re- markable period of Conor Mac Nessa's reign, it is too much to ex- pect that the precise reference to the precise discipline and doc- trines of the future Christian Church of Erinn, which it is made to contain prophetically, could have been really predicted by persons not yet rescued from the darkness of Paganism. The passage occurs thus : The Dialogue is carried on by way of ques- tion and answer : A thairne puts the question, and Neidhe answers. After a variety of questions relating to literature, poetry, Druid- ism, astronomy, ethics, etc., Athairne asks Neidhe whether he has any knowledge of the future state of Erinn ; Neidhe answers that he has, and he then goes into a long review of what is to happen in church and state, to the end of time. There would be mortalities of cows all over the world ; Kings would be few ; Professors of the various arts would be mere imitators ; Pagan enemies would waste Erinn, so that dignity of birth or extent of wealth would serve nobody. [This no doubt alludes to the Danish invasion in the eighth century.] Kings would be wan- derers ; religion extinguished ; the nobles crushed down ; the ig- noble raised up, and neither man nor God would be honoiu'ed or worshipped ; clerical orders and functions would be cast off, and hypocrisy and delusions assumed; musicians would be meta- morphosed into clowns; the churches would become subject to the lords of the lands ; pupils would neglect to maintain their tutors in their old age. There would come, after this, great mortalities; lightnings, and thunder; unnatural seasons; a vengeful slaughter for three days and three nights; and this would be the fiery plague of the festival of St. John the Bap- OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES, 385 tist, which would desti'oj two-thirds of the people of the world, lec. xviir. and one-tliird of which should fall upon the animals of the sea ^^ ^^^ and the trees of the forest. After those years of sorrow, the fo-caiied foreigners would come in their ships to Inbher Domnainn [now anteriorVo* the Bay of ^Nlalahide, on the coast of the county of Dubhn]. s^paTrldf. This was to be the Eoth Rdmhach, or " Ro win of Wheel", (of (p^ "Pro- 1 • O ' \ pilGCV iu tll6 which more hereafter) ; and it would fly off to the Coirthe •'Dialogue Cndmhchoille, or Rock of Cndmhchoill (of which more here- sages^'.)"° after), where it would be broken; — that is, where the enemies, (of whom, as of a plague, it was the poetical designation,) would be overthrown and almost annihilated, as well as their " stammer- ing foreign women, that is, Saxon women, who would bear cliildren to their own fathers". The destruction and desertion of the great palaces and cities of Erinn was to take place, — namely, Emania, in Ulster; Tara, in Meath; Cruachain, in Connacht; Cashel, in ]\Iunster ; and Aileach, in Derry ; — after wliich the sea- would come over Erinn, seven years before the day of judgment. This part of this so-called prophecy appears to me curious, because it seems to brinsr the author s time down to the tenth centmy, when the Danes were accustomed to run over here from England, with their Saxon bond wives and bond women. But I need not dwell longer upon it at present. The second personage belonging to the pre-Christian period, "Propiie- to whom I have found any existing prophecy ascribed, is no ciibed to other than the celebrated Conn " of the hundi'ed battles", mon- HunOieV'** arch of Erinn, who was slain in the year of our Lord 157, or '^^"'^^• 275 3^ears before the arrival of St. Patrick. Conn's name is connected vidth two distinct prophecies, — one delivered by himself, and entitled the Baile Chuinn, or Conn's Ecstacy ; the other dehvered to him, and entitled the Baile an Scdil, or the Champion's Ecstacy. The word Baile, wliich means madness, distraction, or ecstacy, is the ancient Gaedhlic name for a Prophecy. Of these two " Prophecies" nothing seems to have been known to Gaedhhc scholars and historians, for some centuries back, more than the quotation from the Baile Chuinn found in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, as pubHshed by Father John Colgan, in his Trias Thaumaturgas, in the year 1647, (a quota- tion which was reprinted by Dr. Petrie, in his History and An- tiquities of Tara, published in the year 1839, in the l8tli volume of the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy). Even at the time that Dr. Petrie wrote his important Essay on Tara, the serious examination of our ancient Gaedhlic manuscripts was but in its infancy ; and when this Baile Chuinn was discovered in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, it was not known who Conn, the 25 386 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LEC. XVIII. Of tlie so-called "Proiihecics' anteiior to the time of St. Patrick ('■ Prophe- cies" as- cribed to Conn of the Hundred Battles.) author of it, was ; nor at what time he flourished ; nor whether it contained any more than what is there quoted; it was only believed that he must have been some ancient Druid. Neither could the most minute research among our extensive collection of manuscripts in Dublin throw any light on his history. How- ever, on my visit to London in the summer of 1849, I had the good fortune to discoA^er an ancient copy of the entire prophecy, of which an extract only is quoted in the Tripartite Life. The piece is a short one, filling but one column of a small folio page. It is entitled Baile Chuinn Ched-Chathaigh; that is, ' the Ecstacy (or Prophecy) of Conn of the hundred battles'. The manuscript is written on vellum, and was compiled or transcribed in Burren, in my native county of Clare, by Donnel O'Davoren, about the year 151)0. It Avill be found in the British Museum, classed, " Egerton 88". The transcript appears to have been made fromsome ancient decayedmanuscript,andAvith some carelessness, many words being carelessly spelled or contracted. The style of the composition is affectedly irregular and obscure, and can- not be taken as evidence of the remote antiquity to which it is referred. It will appear from what follows, that the piece pro- fesses to have been originally written forty nights before Conn's death. The " Prophecy", which is written in prose, has refer- ence to the succession of the kings of Tara ; and Conn com- mences with his own son, Art, of whom he disposes in the following few words : " Art will succeed at the end of forty nights ; a powerful champion, who shall die at Mucruimhe'' ; [see original in Appendix, No. CXXVL] The Prophecy then runs rapidly down to Mac Con, the successor of Art ; Cormac the son of Art, and successor of Mac Con ; Cairbre, the son of Cormac, killed at the battle of Gabhra; Fiaclia Sraibhtine, the son of Cairbr(^; Midred/iach, the son of Fiacha; and passing over Eoehaidh Muighmheadlwin, the son of Muiredhach, it comes down to his son again, Niall of the Nine Hostages ; and then to Laeghaire, the son of Niall, who was monarch when St. Patrick arrived. Here the prophet foretells the coming of our great apostle, in words which stand as follows, with their ancient explanations : " With Laeghaire the violent will the land be humbled by the coming of the Tailcenn, that is, Patrick ; houses across, that is churches, bent staffs, which will pluck the flowers from high places". [See original in same Appendix.] A somewhat dif- ferent and better version of tliis prediction is given in the ancient Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, where it is quoted, without gloss, from the BaiU Chuinn; it runs thus: "A Tailcenn shall come, he will erect cities, churches, music houses, with gables and e of ick. OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES 387 angles; many king? will take up pilgrim staffs". [Sec original leg. xvih. in Appendix, No. CXXVII.] The word Taileenn (or Tailgenn), ^^ ^^^ which occurs here, and in various places in our ancient writings, so-caiiod means the reverend person, — to whom all men would bow the anteworVo^ head in reverence. [See same Appendix.] For the precise gf^p"",.' meaning of every word in this ancient strain I have succeeded (" Propiie- in procuring from ancient manuscripts the most undoubted au- cvibedto thorlty; and this is rather remarkable, since the version of it ^1^,',^,"^''° given by Father John Colgan in his Latin translation of the Matties.) Tripartite Life, is inaccurate and incongruous/^*' After bringing the predictions down to king LaeghairS, and the coming of St. Patrick, as we have just seen, the royal " prophet" is made to continue the list of his successors in the sovereignty, sometimes by name, and sometimes by description, down to the three Nialls, the last of whom, Niall Glun-duhh, was killed in battle with the Danes, near Dublin, in the year 917; and from that down, by description, to a king described as the false fratricidal kingf in whose reiffn the Saxons were to come. Now, this fratricidal king of Tara was, without doubt, Domnall Bveaghach O Maeilsechlainn, who, in the year ]169, murdered his cousin Diarmaid, the rightful king of Tara, and set himself up in his place. And this was the precise year in which the Anglo-Normans (or Saxons, as they are called here), first invaded Ireland ; so that, whatever degree of credit might be due to the early part of this strange prophecy, the latter part savours strongly of a foregone knowledge of historic facts. It is unfortunate that no vestige of the original history of this prophecy has come down to us : what the immediate in- citing causes to it were, and to what extent it ran at the time that it was first introduced into the ancient Tripartite Life of St. Patrick. That some such accoimt existed, there is good reason to believe ; and upon the character of it would very much depend whether the so-called prophecy, or any part of it, was to be received as authentic or not. These observations will be better understood from the following fanciful history and description of the Baile an Scdil, the other ancient prophecy with which the name of king Conn is connected. The history is prefixed to the copy of this prophecy in the British Museum MS. (Harleian, 5280), and runs in the following style: — One morning Conn repaired at sunrise to the battlements of the Ri Haith, or Royal Fortress, of Tara, accompanied by his three c***^ It runs as follows : " Advenict cum circulo tonsus in capite, cujus aedes ad instar aedium Romanarum : efficiet quod cellaj futurte sint in pretio et aestimatione. jEdes ejus ei'unt angustae et angulatae et fana mueta pedum pastorale domiimbetux" — Trias Thaum.,-p. 123. 25 B 388 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. IiEC. XVIII. Of the so-called "Proi)hccies' anterior to the time of St. Patrick. (" Proplie- cles" as- cribed to Conn of the Hundred Battles.) Druids, 3fael, Bloc, and Blnicne, and his three poets, Echain, Corb, and Cesarn; for he was accustomed every day to repair to this place with the same company, for the purpose of watching the firmament, that no hostile atrial beings should descend upon Erinn unknown to him. While standing in the usual place this morning, Conn happened to tread upon a stone, and imme- diately the stone shrieked under his feet, so as to be heard all over Tara, and throughout all Bregia, or East Meath. Conn then asked his Druids why the stone had shrieked, what it's name was, and what it said. The Druids took fifty-three days to consider ; and at the expiration of that period returned the folloAving answer: " Fed is the name of the stone; it came from Inis Fail, or the island of Fed; it has shrieked under your royal feet, and the number of shrieks which the stone has given forth, is the number of kings of your seed that will succeed you till the end of time; but", continued the Druid, " I am not the person destined to name them to you". [See original in Ap- pendix, No. CXXVIIL] Conn stood some time musing on this strange revelation; when, suddenly, he found himself and his companions en- veloped in a mist, so thick, that they knew not where they were, so intense was the darkness. They had not continued long in this condition, until they heard the tramp of a horse- man approaching them ; and immediately a spear was cast three times in succession towards them, coming nearer to them each time. The Druid then cried out: "It is a violation of the sacred person of a king to whoever casts [on the part of any one that casts] at Conn in Tara". The horseman then came up, saluted Conn, and invited himself and his companions to his house. He led them into a noble plain, where they saw a royal court, into which they entered, and found it occupied by a beautiful and richly dressed princess, with a silver vat full of red ale, and a golden ladle and a golden cup before her. The knight, on entering the palace, showed his guests to appro- priate seats, and sat himself in a princely chair at the head of the apartment ; and then, addressing himself to Conn, said : — " I wish to inform you that I am not a living knight ; I am one of Adam's race who have come back from death ; my name is LiiKjli Mac Ceithlenn, and I am come to tell you the length of your own reign, and the name and reign of every king who shall succeed you in Tara; and the princess whom you have found here on your entrance, is the sovereignty of Erinn for ever". The princess then presented to Conn the bare rib of an ox, and the bare rib of a boar. The ox's rib measured four-and- twenty feet in length ; and when both its ends were laid on the ground, it formed an arch eight feet in height. She subse- OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 389 qiiently presented liiin with the silver pail and the golden ladle leg, xyih . and cup. The princess then took up the ladle, filled the cup, ^^ ^^^^ and said: " AVlio shall this cup with the red ale be given to?" socaiied The knight answered: "Give it to Conn of the Hundred Battles auteHdrtT (that is, he shall gain a hundi-ed battles) ; fifty years shall he sl!vlir\cl have reigned, when he will be slain at Tuath Amrois\ The ("Piophe- princess said again : " ^^^lO shall tliis cup with the red ale be ciibed to given to?" "Give it", said the knight, "to Art, the son of nun"ired ^^ Conn : he shall have reigned thirty years, when he shall be Matties.) slain at Magh Mucruimhe'\ And thus does the princess con- tinue to put her questions, the knight always giving the name of the succeeding king, the length of his reign, and the place and manner of his death, dowm to Laeghaire, the son of Niall, where the knight answers: " Give it to Laeghaire of the many Conflicts, who shall devastate the Life [Liffey, that is, Leinster], and many other territories. Five years shall he have reigned, when a stranger company shall come, among whom shall be the Tailcenn, that is, Patrick, a man of great dignity, whom God will honour, who will fight a great torch which shall illuminate Erinn even to the sea. Laeghaire shall be slain on the bank of the Caise. Kings and many champions will be brought to take up the pilgrim's staff by the preaching of the Tailcenn'. The prophecy is then continued in the same way doviai to the monarch Fergus, the son of Maelddin, who was to be slain in the Battle of Almhain, on a Friday, an occurrence which took place in the year 718. And here our copy unfortunately breaks off, otherwise we should be pretty well able to fix the probable date of the original composition of this piece. That this piece, however, whatever was its date, was a well- known tract, and of authority for the succession and reigns of the monarchs of Ermn in the middle of the eleventh century, is clear, as we find it quoted as an authority by Flann, of jNIouas- terboice (who died in 1056), in the 16th stanza of his poem on the succession of the Kings of Tara, when speaking of the monarch Eochaidh Muidhnhedlwin, who died in the year of our Lord 365, in the eighth year of his reign. Thus writes Flami [See original in Appendix, No. CXXIX.] : Died, after being kinged by the hosts, The smooth and stainless Eochaidh Mv.ighmliedliuin, Here was verified (whatever other cases may be,) That which was written in the Baile an Scdil. This is an important reference to the Baile an Scdil. It is pretty clear that Flann did not befieve in its inspiration, and that he had not found its historic details as accurate, in all in- stances, as those wliich related to Eochaidh Muighmhedhoin. 390 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LEC. xvni. Of tlie so-called "Prophecies" anterior to the time of St. Patiick. (" Prophe- cies" as- cribed to Conn of tiie Hundred Battles ) A fine copy of Flann's poem is preserved in tlie Book of Leinster, compiled about eighty years after liis death. It be- gins [see same Appendix] : " The Kings of Tara who were animated by fire". I think it quite unnecessary to offer any observation on the J5az7e an Scdil itself, after having placed before you a fair version — indeed a literal translation nearly — of the purely fabidous account of its origin, which has come down to us, and which must certainly be as old as the prophecy itself. And notwithstanding that the BaiU Chiiinn is quoted in the most ancient copies known to us of the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, still it is impossible to assign to it any higher degree of antiquity or authenticity than to the other. Indeed, both seem to have been manufactured by the same hand, one being a mere echo of the other, but with some additional details, as far as our imperfect copy of it comes down. It wordd be absurd to believe that either Conn himself, or his doubtful informant the Seal (both pagans), could have recei^'ed any divine revelation, or could, even with druidical aid, have given us the precise name, length of reign, number and names of battles, as well as the place and manner of death, of every king of Conn's race, who would occupy Tara, from the year of our Lord 157, down to the Saxon or Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, in the year 1169 ! How, then, it may be asked, did this prophecy come to be introduced into our most ancient copies of the Tripartite Life ? To this question, I can only state my ojiinion in answer; an opinion founded, however, on the thoughtful reading and study for many years of the character and possible authenticity of such old compositions of a so-called " prophetic" character as have come under my notice. Allow me, then, to say, that we have no really ancient copy of the Tripartite, that is, any copy older than, or even as old as, the twelfth century ; and (if we had copies to refer to in succession from the sixth century to the twelfth, when the prophecy would, if perfect, we presume, have ended,) I have for my part little doubt that could we with certainty discover the first copy in which the Bails Chuinn occurs, we should find it not older than the year 1169 ; that is, presuming that the present is the original version of the prophecy. It is a very remarkable fact, however, that Macutenius, who collected or wrote a short tract on the lile of St. Patrick before the year 700, introduces an ancient pagan prophecy of the coming of our apostle, of which he gives the Latin, but that he makes no mention, nevertheless, of the Baile Chuinn. Probus also, who wrote a Life of St. Patrick in the tenth century, it is believed, quotes the same pagan prediction, and gives a Latin son orin, OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 391 translation of it, but has no reference to tlie Bade Chuinn; and leg, xvth . Joceljn, who wrote his Life of St. Patrick about tlie year 1185, ^^ gives the same pagan prophecy, but not a word about the other, so-caiieci I shall now pass from the Baile Chuinn, for the present, to antenorTo" take it up again when I come to speak more particularly of the gj°p!^",!jp°k pagan prophecy just referred to. ("Prophecy" The practice of ascribing predictions of the coming of St. Art -'the Patrick to persons who lived some centuries before that event, of^com Avas not confined to the case of Conn of the Hundred Battles, sjaj" a.d. or his gifted friend from the land of spirits, the Seal. We find, in the ancient historic tract on the Battle of 3fagh Mucruimhe (which was fought in the year of our Lord 195), a " prophetic" poem, ascribed to the monarch Ai't, the son of Conn, who was slain in that battle. This poem is preserved in the ancient vel- lum jNLS. called the Leahhar na h-Uidhre, compiled before the year HOG, a book which has been so often spoken of in the course of these lectures. There is a short prose introduction headed, " The Prophecy and Christian Belief of Art the Lonely", which states tliat the prophecy was the result of a vision which Art saw while enjoying a sleep on the top of\n^lJum]ia Selga, or hunting-mound, a short time before the battle, while hunting at Treuit (the place now called Trevit, situated about three miles east of Tara, in the county of Meath). In this vision Art is said to have seen the coming of St. Patrick ; the gi-eat changes which his mission would bring about in the condition of Erinn; the subsequent importance, as a religious estabhshment, of T7'edit, the place in which he then happened to be, and where, by his own direction, his body was carried from the battle-field and buried, in anticipation of the future sanctity of the place. The poem, which consists of 156 lines, was addressed to Den J/or, Art's attendant, and begins [see Appendix, No. CXXX.] : " Pleasant for Denna, the vehement", This is one of the oldest poems that I am acquainted with, and many of the words are explained by an ancient interlined gloss ; but it is remarkable that it has no reference to those who were to succeed Art in the monarchy, nor to the Danish or Saxon invasions. I think it was written immediately at, or about the time of founding the church of Treuit, and before either of the invasions had occurred, and that, consequently, the prophet was too honest to see farther forward into futurity. In my next Lecture I shall proceed with some account of the remainder of these so-called Prophecies, after which I propose to take up those ascribed to St. Colum Cille and his successors. LECTURE XIX. [Delivered July 1", 1856. J The (so-called) Prophf.cies (continued). The Prophecies attributed to Finn Mac Cumhaill. Of the Magical Arts of Finn. Of the Pagan Prophecy of the coming of St. Patrick, quoted by Macutenius. The Prophecies attributed to St. Caillin. The Prophecies attributed to Beg Mac De. The Prophecies attributed to St. Colum Cille. Of the spurious and modern Prophecies attributed to this Saint. In our last Lecture we considered shortly tlie remarkable ^'■Dia- logue of the Two Sages'\ the two " Prophecies" referred to Conn of the Hundred Battles, and that ascribed to his son Art, called the Lonely. Before we pass to the ProjDhecies (as they are called) attributed to the early Christian Saints of Erinn, we have still to notice one or two other compositions which pass under the same name, thouofh belonmnw to an earlier era. The next of our pagan " prophets" in chronological order is no less a personage than the celebrated Fmn Mac Cihnhaill, who was slain in the year of our Lord 283, or 149 years before St. Patrick's coming. It would indeed have been a great omission on the part of our ancient chroniclers of the wonderful, if they had failed to endow Finn with the gift of prophecy, along with all his other surprising accomplishments. I have in a former Lecture given a short account of the poems in general which we find ascribed to Finn in our old manu- scripts, and among them one foretelling the mission of St. Patrick, the foimding of a Christian church by St. Moling at lios Broc [now St. jNIullins, in the county of Carlow], and the future renoAvn of that place. There are, however, besides this, two other " Prophecies" known to me as ascribed to Finn, one of them of an ancient date, and the other not so old ; and there is a third prophecy of Finn's, preserved among some poems and prophecies ascribed to St. Colum Cille, in a vellum manuscript in the Bodleian Library at Oxford ; but I had not, when there, time to examine it. Of the two prophecies which I am about to describe, one is preserved in a vellum manuscript of the fifteenth century, in the Library of Trinity College (Class H, 3, 17). It is very short, and is written in irregularly measured prose, in ancient language, and with an interlined gloss. It is headed: " Finn, the grandson of Baisoie cecinit, foretelHng of Patrick, when he OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 393 slipped off the flag on which he afterwards came to Erinn". lect. xix. [See original in Appendix, No. CXXXI.] q^ ^^^^ The "Prophecy", which consists of about thirty lines, begins sccaiied with the following [see same Appendix] : — antedor't'o* " It is not in the path of crime my foot has come, st^patTicic. It is not a decUne of strength that has come upon me, ("Piophe- Bnt it is the warrior's stone this stone rejects: mbedto He is a distinguished man for whom the stone rejects me, culmham. [a man] With dignities from the Holy Spirit" (i.^., the dignity of a bishop). It is impossible to imderstand the legend alluded to in this very curious piece, in the absence of any more of its history ; and the more so, that, as I am certain, the short heading is de- fective by two words ; for I should have but little difficulty in identifying the legend, and inferring the history of the pro- phecy, supposing it had run, for example, thus : " Finn, the grandson of Baiscne cecinit, foretelling of Patrick, when he [Finn] slipped off the flagstone upon which [the leper] came afterwards to Erinn". The legend of the leper and the flagstone is this : When St. Patrick was lea^'ing the coast of Britain to come over to Erinn on his mission, just as the ship had cast oft^ from the shore, a poor leprous man came on the beach, and begged earnestly to be taken on board. Patrick was willing to put back and take him up ; but the crew refused, and the ship moved on. The poor leper still continued his entreaties; whereupon, Patrick took his altar-stone (which, in the old writings, is called the Stone Altar), and casting it on the water within reach of the leper, desired him to sit on it and be quiet. This the leper did, and immediately the stone moved, following the ship throughout its course, until they reached the harbour of Wick- low, where the leper was one of the first to land ; after which the Saint again took possession of his " Stone Altar". This stone is spoken of as an altar in the text of this prophecy, and with the promise, that as long as it lives in Erinn Patrick's children in Christ will live in his doctrines. It is not im- probable that there was an ancient legend, which is not now known, of the history of this stone before Patrick consecrated it to his holy purposes. In this, as in the former prophecies, Patrick is called the Tailcenn. [See App., No. CXXVIL] Assuming the foregoing, then, to be the true reading of the legend imphed in the heading, there remains still the other legend to be accounted for ; that, namclj^ of Finn's slipping off the flagstone ; a legend, of which I have never met "with any trace in my reading, though it has been rather extensive in this 394 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XIX, Of the so-called "Prophecies' antei'ior to the time of St. I'atrick. (" I'roplie- cies" as- criljeJ to Finn Mac CuinhaiU.) particular direction. If, however, I were allowed to infer tlie legend from tlie few facts mentioned in the opening lines of the prophecy, I shoidd say that it might perhaps have once run in this strain: — That Finn was hunting somewhere about Sliahh Alis (in the county of Antrim), where St. Patrick, during his early captivity in Erinn, was employed to herd the swine of his master Milchu ; that Finn in his progress happened to tread upon a stone, from which he slipped in some remarkable manner ; that, on looking at the stone, he discovered that it was one which offered a good material for a weapon, — probably for one of those curiously- fashioned weapons of which we have so many specimens of all sizes in the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, and which now pass by the unmeaning name of celts (a kind of weapon, which in ancient Gaedhlic was called Lia Milldh, or Warrior's Stone), and one or more of which every champion carried in his girdle to be cast as occasion might require ; that Finn, in some unac- countable way, failed to appropriate the stone ; that he then had recourse to his Druidic powers of divination to discover the cause of his failure ; that he found the stone to be predestined for a higher and holier office than that of an offensive weapon in the hands of a professional warrior, and that on that account, it intuitively shrunk from his hand ; and finally that, long after- wards, when Patrick was employed as a swine-herd on this mountain, this stone having attracted his notice, he took it vip without difficulty, and carried it about him in his escape from bondage, and ever after, until he was ordained a priest ; and that then he formed it into the stone altar, which he carried with him on his jovirney from Rome, and upon which the leper, as we have already seen, accompanied him over the sea from Britain into Erinn. That some such legend as this had been (and probably is still) in existence, on which this prophecy was founded, any one who has paid much attention to the character of our old ro- mances, will, I think, without difficulty feel disposed to believe. But the matter certainly requires much further investigation. There are two other prophecies of Finn Mac Cumhaill to be found in modern Gaedhlic manuscripts ; but they are much in- ferior in style to the pieces just described, and it will be seen at once by the Gaedhlic scholar, that they must have been com- posed centuries after the former. The first of these is a poem of 188 lines, in which the poet Oisin is made to repeat to St. Patrick a prophetic poem which his father, Finn, had composed at Beinn Eclair (now the Hill of Ilowth). St. Patrick addresses Oisin as follows [see original in Appendix, No. CXXXII.] : OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 395 O Oisin^ wilt tliou relate unto us, Some of tlie prophecies of Mac Cthnhaill, — Of what the gifted king foretold, He whom angels truly honoured. Oisin answers : I will relate to thee with pleasure, O Patrick, the chaste son of Calphurnn, And thy heart will be sore from hearing Of all the evils which are foretold. Finn having one day sat in the east. Over the sea at the hill of Edar, He saw a black cloud ajaproach from the north. Which, all of a sudden, darkened Erinn. ***** The hearty Caeilte then said To noble Fiim of Abnhain: Put thy thumb of knowledge to thy tooth, And leave us not in ignorance. Fin7i answers : Alas, my dearest Caeilte, The prophecy is far from thee, — Barbarians from beyond the sea Will one day confound the men of Erinn. Fi7in goes on then to show that this black cloud meant tlie Saxons, or Anglo-Normans, that On a Thursday a man goes to invite them. It will be a bad legacy to Erinn's land, — 31ac Murchadha, the dark demon, His return shall be that of a ghost. The invaders, according to this poem, were to despoil the land of Eiinn for the space of 400 years, but the space of time varies in various copies. They were to receive several defeats, and some of these defeats are plainly enough pointed out, — as, for instance, where they were to be three times defeated by the brave Donn or lord of Ui Failglie, now OfFaly. This lord of Offaly must have been Afurchadh OConor, who defeated the English of jNIeath first in the year 1385, at the battle of Cruachdn Bri File [now Crochan, a well-known place in the present King's County] ; a second time in the year 1406, at the battle of Geisill [Geshill, in the same county] ; and a third time at cm Fochain [somewhere on the borders of Meath and OfFaly], in the year 1414. The foreigiiers were to receive another remarkable defeat at Ceann Feahhrat (on the borders of the counties of Cork and Limerick) ; and I believe that this was fulfilled in the year 1579, when the two sons of the Earl of Desmond mettSir Wilham Drury, the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, at Gort na Ti- iECT. XIX. Of the so-called "Prophecies" anterior to the time of St. rati ick. (" Prophe- cies'" as- cribed to Finn Mac CumhaiU.) 396 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XIX. Of the so-called "Prophecies' anterior to the time of St. Patrick. (" Prophe- cies" as- cribed to Fm7i Mac CAmhaill.) The Legend of Finn's "Thumb of KnowledM". hrad, in tlie county of Limerick, not far from Ceann F'ebrat, and 'wliere tlie Englisli captains, Herbert, Eustace, and Spris, were killed, together with oOO of their men, immediately after which Sir William Drury himself died. After announcing these occurrences, the prophecy passes to the battle of Saimjel [Singland, near Limerick], where an oak of the house of O'Brien was to lead the native clanns against the enemy and defeat them with great slaughter, and then would the five provinces arise and expel the strangers alto- gether. This rising applies, doubtless, to the war of the latter part of Elizabeth's reign, and in which Hugh of Derry was to take a chief and successful part. This was, of course, the great Aedh Ruadh [Hugh Hoe] O'Donnell, and the poem must, I am very sure, have been written some fcAV years previous to the disastrous battle of Kinsale, in which Hugh was defeated and compelled to ily to Spain, where, as you are aware, that illus- trious chieftain soon afterwards died. It would be easy to analyze this whole prophecy, correct its incongruities, and fill in its dates and agents, if it were worth it; but as it is evidently a composition of the close of the sixteenth century (or a collection and continuation of some earlier local fugitive stanzas carried down to that period), I do not deem it worth any further notice, and shall therefore pass to another prophecy, ascribed, with equal veracity, to the same author. This second is a poem of forty lines, addressed by Finn Mac CumJiaill to some woman Avho recited a poem to him. The warrior prophet promises the coming of St. Patrick, who would bless Erinn, — all lauds would be measured by acres — the gray Saxons would be numerous — and he regrets his own inability to take part in their expulsion. Another word, however, would really be too much to waste on this piece. The history o^ Finn Mac CmnhailVs "Thumb of Knowledge", as related in the ancient Tales, is a very wild one indeed ; but it is so often alluded to that I may as well state it here. It is shortly this : upon a certain occasion this gallant warrior was hunting near Sliabh na m-Ban, in the present county of Tip- perary ; he was standing at a spring-well, when a strange woman came suddenly upon him, filled a silver tankard at the spring, and immediately afterwards walked away with it. Finn fol- lowed her, imperceived, until she came to the side of the hill, where a concealed door opened suddenly, and she walked in, Finn attempted to follow her farther, but the door was shut so quickly that he was only able to place his hand on the door- post, with the thumb inside. It was with great difficulty he was able to extricate the thumb; and, having done so, he ira- ^ N OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 397 ^ metliately tlirust it, bruised as it was, into his mouth to ease the lect. xix. ,. pain. No sooner had he done so, than he found himself pos- ^ w\sessed of the gift of foreseeinsf future events. This gift, how- so-caiied S ever, was not, we arc tokl, always present, bvit only when he anterlor'tT ^ bruised or chewed the thumb between his teeth. (This legend st^pa™!jek '^ is found in the vellum MS., H. 3. 18., T.C.D.) Such is the 1 1 veracious origin, handed down to us by the tradition of the ' poets, of Finn Mac CumhailVs wonderful gift of prophecy ! i II The next and last of the so-called pagan prophecies, with "Prophecy" 4 which I shall at present trouble you, consists of biit a few words, Patrick's ^ which we generally meet in the form of a stanza of four lines, tdbiued'to I and relates exclusively to the coming of St. Patrick into Ireland, the piaids fcj^ It is found m all the ancient copies of the Saint's life that I have LaeghaiH. ^ met. The history of this prophecy is, like itself, short enough. ' Three years before the arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland, on his f^^ apostolic mission (that is, in the year 429), his coming was, it is stated, foretold as a fearful event to the pagan monarch Laeqh- ^ aire, by his two chief Druids, Lochra and Luchat Mael, in the ^ following words [see original in Appendix, No. CXXXIII.] : ^ A Tailcenn wdll come over the raging sea, — [see p. 393.] v- With his perforated garment, his crook-headed staff, i With his table at the east end of his house, <) And all his people will answer, ' amen', ' amen'. The perforated garment is easily explained to be the Chasuble of the Catholic Priest; the crook-headed staff, the bishop's Pastoral Staff; and the table at the east end of his house, as the table of the Lord, tho Altar of the Church. Of the antiquity of this prophecy there can be no rational doubt, as we find it quoted by Macutenius; who, as already stated, wrote or transcribed some notes on the life of St. Patrick, some time before the year 700, which are preserved in the ancient Book of Armagh (fol. 2, page b, coL a), in which he says that the words of this little verse are not so plain on account of the idiom of the language. Macutenius does not give the original words, and his Latin translation of them clearly shows that he did not understand them. Probus also, who wrote a life of St. Patrick in Latin, in the tenth century (it is believed), quotes this prophecy, apparently from Macutenius, without the original words ; but he gives us a still more inaccurate translation than the former one. (See Trias Thaumaturgus, p. 49, col. a.) Now of all the pagan predictions of St. Patrick's apostolic mission, this alone has any colour of authenticity : not from any thing in its style or history, but from the fact that Christianity was fully established and extensively spread on the contin^it -., JU^^^iP ,^',',,^._,^ __. fJ^J/ g^n^^^^,,j^ Rte^^yr <>^U4^^, A^^/ /... 3^8^*^^/'^- OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES, , (/^ /T.'^f/ LECT. XIX. (and to some extent in Britain) in tlie reign of LaeghairS, ana?- from the liigh probability that his druids were well acquainted, J^^ ' Prophecy' Patrick's coming, at- tributed to tlie Druids of Siimt if not with its doctrines, at least with its pecuhar external fea- tures and ceremonies ; and so, that from the fact of its having "^■ approached their own shores, and probably landed on them too, of" King they foresaw the inevitable consequence of its spreading over the atg air .. ^^^-^^^ \im.d. of Erimi, and the final overthrow of their own ancient system and the various institutions founded upon it. Tliis pro- phecy would not apply as much to Pallachus as to Patrick ; because although the former came one year earlier, he failed in his mission, whilst the success of the latter was complete and permanent. You may, if you wish, extend to Finn, Art, and Conn, the possibility of an acquaintance with Christianity, as well as to Laeghdires Druid ; but the probability is much more in favour of the latter. Of the "Pro- We now pass from our pagan to our Christian "Prophets"; cribed to the and amongst these we shall begin with St. Caillin of Fidhnacha Er'inn.°ahe Maiglie Rein (in the present county of Leitrim) ; who, according of sahiT'^"' ^^ ^^^^ ^i^'^' quoted in the Annals of the Four Masters, buried Caiiiu.) the great Conall Gulhan in his church in the year 464. The Life of St. Caillin, of which there is a vellum copy of the sixteenth century- in existence, contains a poem of 816 lines, ascribed to the saint himself, on the colonizations of Erinn, and the succession of its monarchs down to his own time, in the reign o^ Diarmaid, the son of Fergus CerrbJieoil, and in Avhich he " foretells" by name all the monarchs from Diarmaid down to . ,, Roderick O'Conor, in the year 1172. To this list he adds twelve ^...../^J^^'^'^more, by fanciful descriptive names, the last of whom is to be '^.-^-^ Flann Cethach, in whose time Antichrist is to appear on earth, and of whom we shall have more to say a little further on. The " Prophet" then gives a list of the Ruaircs, Lords of BreifnS (Breifny), his native territory ; coming doAvn to gallant Ualgarg ORiiairc in the year 1241. Ten lords of the descendants of Ualgarg were to succeed himself Tlie last of these ten would be William Gorm (Blue William), who woidd plunder the saint's church at Fidhnacha, after which the sceptre would pass from his house. I have not been able to find any " Blue William O'Ruaire" in our annals ; but I find a William Ruadh (or red- haired William) O'Ruairc, Lord of Breifne, who died in the year 1430 ; and there is little doubt in my mind that this very glaring forgery was concocted in or about this time. This poem, which, as 1 have already said, contains 204 stanzas, or 816 fines, begins thus [see original in Appendix, No. CXXXIV.] : OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 399 Great Erinn, Island of Angels". lect. There are many more prophetic rhymes interspersed through this Life of St. Caillin, but they were all written by the same ' prophet' and at the same time as the first. The next of our Christian " prophets" was Beg Mac Be, who J<'J.™„f died in the year 556. He was the son of a Munster nobleman, Big Mac dl and held the office of poet and propliet at Tara, in the reign of the above king Diarmaid. He appears to have been a person of an eccentric character, more remarkable for ready wit than sound sense. He was a man, however, of a religious disposition, and well acquainted with St. Colum Cille, as well as with other distinguished ecclesiastics and scholars of his time. There are several fugitive stanzas, witty sentences, and prophetic sayings of his, scattered through our ancient writings, specimens of which may be seen in the Annals of the Foiu- Masters, at the years 478 and 825. There is also what appears to be either a short collection or a continuous series of his prophetic prose sayings, preserved in the ancient vellum MS. already spoken of, (Harleian, 5280), in the British Museum. All the predictions in this little tract, which extends but about half a small folio page, are of an un- favourable character; they contain allusions to the Danish but none to the Anglo-Norman invasion, which I think plainly enough shows that they were written after the former, but before the latter. Indeed, the time of writing could, I beheve, be safely deduced from the first sentence of the piece, which runs as follows [see Appendix, No. CXXXV.] : " Wo is he who shall live to see in the land of the Gaedhil, the son succeed the father in [the primacy of] Ardmacha'' [Armagh.] This allusion to the son succeeding the father at Ardmacha would, I think, bring the composition of this prophecy down to about the year 940, when the lay usurpation of the Primacy commenced, which continued for 200 years afterwards ; but the allusion in the text to Aenghus Ua Flainn, successor of St. Brendan at Cluain Ferta (Clonfert, in the county of Galway), brings the time of the author down to the year 1036, in which O Flainn died. Beg Mac De is quoted also in the tract on the Danish wars, preserved in the Book of Leinster. The next, and the most popular of all our "prophets", is St. "^hlci^^f Colum Cille. It would be difficult, indeed, to fix on tire period saint coium at which prophetic sayings first began to be ascribed to this saint ; but the oldest MS. in which I have found him quoted as a prophet is the Book of Leinster, in a fragment of the his- tory of the Danish wars preserved in that book, and which must 400 OF THE SO-CALLED PEOPHECIES. LKCT. XIX. have been compiled about the year 1150. The quotation con- sists but of the following stanza fsee original in Appendix, No. phecies as- KjJ%.Js^J^ V l.J . w^ o? ^^° " Those ships upon Loch Ree, }:}'"^\ (™?, Well do they mai^nify the paofan foreio^ners : of Saint They will give an Abbot to Ardmacha; " "'" ''' His will be the rule of a tyrant". This stanza has reference to the fleet of ships or boats which the Danes placed on the Upper Shannon, by means of which they plundered the churches and territories on both sides of the river. This was about the year 840, when Turgesius was the Danish leader, and when he made his wife supreme head of the great ecclesiastical city of Clonmacnois, and afterwards promoted himself to the Abbacy o^ Archnacha, as foretold (or rather, as I believe, aftertold) in this stanza. This stanza, however, is but a quotation from a poem of 360 lines, which now exists, and in which it makes the tenth stanza ; or, what is more probable, this and a few more stanzas which appear to belong to it, were seized upon at a later period, and made the foundation of the present poem. This poem, which St. Colum Cille is said to have addressed to his friend and companion St. Baoithin, at lona, begins thus [see original in same Appendix] : " Attend, O excellent Baoiihin, To the voice of my bell in cold lona, Until I now relate to thee All that shall happen towards the world's end". The supposed prophet then gives a gloomy accoimt of what was to befal the Leath Chuinn, Conn's or the northern half of Erinn ; and the death of Cormac Mac CulHnan, king and arch- bishop of Cashel, in the year 903. Then comes the allusion to the fleet of Loch Ree, or the Upper Shannon — quite ovit of its proper place ; after which the battle of Clontarf is foretold. The prophet then passes down throiigh some of the Leinster and Munster kings and monarchs of Erinn to Muivclieartach (or Mortoch) O'Brien, who was to demolish Aileach, the ancient palace of the descendants of Niall of the Nine Hostages (situated in the present county of Derry) ; an event which occurred in the year 1101. Li this year, Murtoch O'Brien, monarch of Erinn, marched Avith a large force over JSas Ruaclh (at Ballyshannon), and from that to the above ancient palace of Griandn Ailigh, which he razed to the ground, ordering his men to carry back with them a stone of the building in every sack which had been emptied of its provisions upon the march ; and with these stones he afterwards built a parapet upon the top of his royal OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 401 palace (whicli was situated on the site of the present cathedral lect. xix. of Limerick), as a perpetual memorial of his victory over the ofthe"Pro- ancient enemies of his house. r>hecies" as [I may here observe that this was not a wanton deed ofsaiiftsof destruction on the part of O'Brien, but a retaliation for some- upr"phecTe3^ diing of a similar insult which the northerns had, two hun- '^Jf'^^^K-,u. ored years before that, offered to the Dalcassians, when they made a sudden and unexpected rush into that country, and cut down and carried away by force, from the celebrated woods of Creatalach, [Cratloe, I beheve], as much prime oak as roofed and adorned the same palace o^ Aileacli?^ The prophecy goes on then to foretell that this indignity to the northerns should be avenged by Aedh (or Hugh), the valiant king of Tirconnell, who was to appear in 136 years after (that is, in the year 1237), and who was to be slain at Dubli]! by the sea-king, the son of Godfrey, after a reign of twenty-one years, that is, in 1258. Either the prophet or his transcriber of the poem is here, hoAvever, out in his calculation. No Hvigh O'Donnell of Tirconnell bore sway at or about the year 1258; nor have we any record, as far as I know, of any northern prince avenging the destruction of Aileach about this time, nor for 341 years after; that is, till the year 1599, when the great Red Hugh O'Donnell made a sudden irruption into Thomond, and plundered and ravaged tlie northern and north- eastern parts of it. And it is a remarkable fact that the fulfil- ment of this very prediction was at that time applied to him by the Dalcassian poet, Jiao^7^n Og Mac JBruaideadha [Mac Brody], whose cattle O'Donnell's people had carried on, but which O'Donnell, on the poet's demand, restored in full, whereupon the poet said [see original in Appendix, No. CXXXVIL] : " It was destined that, in revenge of Oileach, O Red Hugh ! the prophet foretold. The coming of thy troops to the land of Magh Adhair; From the north is sought the relief of all men". The prophecy then goes on to say that, in thirty years after, Aedh (but this is certainly a different Hugh, and this part of the poem is misplaced) Cliahhghlas (or Hugh the gray-bodied) would assume the rule of Erinn ; after whom there would be but seven sviccessors to the end of time, with twenty-seven years between each; that the last of them would be Flann Ciothach, in whose time would come the Brat Baghach, or Flag of Battles, and the Both Bamhach, or Rowing Wheel. This " rowing wheel" was to be a ship containing one thousand beds, and one thousand men in each bed; alike would this strange ship sail on sea and on land, nor would it furl its sails 26 492 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. lECT. XIX . until it was wrecked by tlie Pillar-stone of Cndmliclwill. They would then be met by the brave chief oi CndmhchoiU, who phecies" as- Avo^ild cut them all off, so that not one of them shoiild ever sahfts of '^ cross the sea again. After this there woxild come a fleet to In- "Propiiede's" ^^^^''^ Domhiiann [the present bay of Malahide, in the county of 9f J^ai'it Dublin]. This fleet was to consist of one thousand ships of all kinds. These would capture the cattle and women of Erinn ; and in the excess of their pride and confidence they would move on to Tara, where they woidd be overtaken by the king, Flann Ciothach [recte " GiuacJi", or the voracious]. A battle would ensue at the side of Rdith Chormaic, at the hill of Tara, and at the ford in the valley ; where almost a mutual annihi- lation of the contending forces would occur ; but the foreigners would be routed and followed to their ships, of which one barque only would escape over the sea. The foreigners, however, would leave twenty-seven famihes behind them, who were to mix with the natives, but who wo\dd be all destroyed (by the fiery bolt) at the festival of John the Baptist, which was to happen upon a Friday, and which would destroy three-fotaths of all men until it reached the Mediterranean sea. This part of the poem is evidently transposed, and shoiild have come in at or about the fourteenth stanza ; but it com- mences now at the sixty-seventh, and continues to the eighty- seventh stanza. And though this may appear to be a matter of very little moment, I shall presently show that restoring it to its proper place and time is a matter of the greatest importance in dealing with a curious subject which has not hitherto under- gone any thoroughly critical examination. As to the first prediction, that is, the coming of what is called the Brat Baghach or Flag of Battles, it is evident enough that this was to be a fleet of the Danes or Northmen, who were to be broken against the pillar-stone of Cndmhchoill. Now Cndmh- choill was an ancient wood situated near the present town of Tipperary ; and the history of the pillar-stone which stood in it, as it is handed down to us, is shortly this: — Mogh Ruith, the Archdruid of Erinn, ha"\ang, as we have seen in a former Lec- ture, exhausted the druidic knowledge of the best masters in Erinn and Scotland, travelled with his daughter into Italy, where they put themselves under the tuition of Simon Magus, and assisted him in his contention with the apostles. And it was with their assistance that Simon was said to have built the Roth Ramhacli, or " RoAving Wheel", by means of which he sailed in the air, to show that his miraculous powers were greater than those of the apostles. The Druid and his daughter (whose name was Tlachtga) returned home afterwards, the daiighter OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 403 caiTying with lier -what remained of the materials of the Rowing lect. xix. Wheel, which appears to have consisted of two pieces of rock, one „ of which she set up in Forchairthinn (somewhere in the neigh- phecies" as- bourhood o^Ruith Chumhaill [RathCoole, I think, in the present saims of comity of Dubhn], and the other at Cndmhchoill (in Tipperarj). -i'ij.""i,(.tJes" These rocks or pillars, it was said, retained their share of the of saint ^ destructive influence of the " Rowing Wheel", as every one who looked at them was struck with blindness, and every one who touched them, with death. The reason, we are further informed, why this fearful Ro^ving Wheel was to pass with destruction over Em-ope in the latter times, was, because there was a pupil from every nation in Europe at the school of Simon Magus, assist- ing him in his contention Avith the Apostles [see same App.]. Now the three events predicted here appear to me to have oc- curred in the years 941, 979, and 1096, and were, I am very sure, well known historical facts at the time that this poem was written. The first, the destruction of the Rowing Wheel, was, I believe, the great battle of the wood of Salclwid (or Sollyhead, about three miles to the west of the present town of Tipperary), near enough to Cjidmhchoill for the verification of a post-pro- phecy. This battle was fought in or about the year 941, by Ifathghamhain Mac Cinneidigh [Mahon the son of Kennedy], king of Munster, and his brother Brian, afterwards the great Brian Boroimhe (then but in the sixteenth year of liis age), against the Danes of Munster; and in it the ten-ible Danish cliiefs, Treitill, Ruamann, Bernard, Mam'ice, and Torolhh^ the most cruel and barbarous of all the Danish cliiefs, were killed, tocrether with two thousand of their bravest men. A large party of the Danes retreated after it into Limenck, pursued by the -sdctorious brothers with the brave claims of the Dalcassians, and here again a great slaughter of the Danes took place ; all their strongholds and fortifications were won and burned down, theu' houses and treasures pillaged, and their whole power and force, quite unexpectedly, annihilated for the time. The verification of the second predicted event, namely, the battle of Tara, will, I tliiiik, be clearly recognized in the follow- ing passage from the Annals of the Foiu* Masters : — " A.D. 978. The battle of Tara was gained by Maelsech- lainn, son of Domhnall, over the Danes of Dublin and of the Islands, and over the sons of Amlaff in particular, where many were slain, together with Randall, son of Amlaff, heir to the sovereignty of the Danes ; Conamhail, son of Gilla-Arri, the orator of Dublin ; and a dreadful slaughter of the Danes along with them. ***** After this, Amlaff went over the sea and died at lona". 26 b 404 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. I.ECT. XIX. It is remarkable that tliis is the only battle of -wliich we have Of the "Pro ^^^ recorcl, as having been fought at Tara within tlie Christian rhtcies" as- era ; and it is a singular coincidence, or, if you please, verifica- Saiiusof ^ tion, of this would-be prophecy, that Amlaff, the chief of the Tropiieck's^' D^ncs, sliould havc departed from Erinn after his overthrow in of Saint this battle, and, of necessity, Avith but a small company, probably Colum Ctlle.) , ^ • ^ t ^ • i. ^ ' L j but one ship, as the prophecy has it. As regards the third prediction, namely, the twenty-seven Danish families Avho were to remain after the battle of Tara (in Dublin of course), and who were to be destroyed by the terrible visitation of the Festival of John the Baptist, when it should fall upon a Friday in a leap year. This long-dreaded occurrence of the festival happened in the year 1096, according to the follow- ing entry in the Annals of the Four JN'Iasters : — " A.D. 1096. The festival of John [the Baptist] fell on Friday this year; the men of Erinn were seized with great fear, and the counsel taken by the clergy of Erinn, with the successor of St. Patrick at their head, in order to save them from the mor- tality which had been predicted to them from a remote period, was to command all in general to observe a three days total fast, from Wednesday till Sunday every month, and a fast every day till the end of a year, except on Sundays, solemnities, and great festivals ; and they also gave alms and many offerings to God, and many lands were granted to churches and ecclesiastics by kings and chiefs : and so the men of Erinn were saved for that time from the fire of vengeance". So far the di"eaded terrors of this festival passed harmlessly over in 1096 : but not so in the previous year ; for we find that " there was an awful jDCstilence all over Europe in general in this year (1095), and some say that the fourth part of the men of Erinn died of this plague". Now, among the great number of distin- guished persons who died of this pestilence, we find the names of Dunglms, Bishop of Dublin, and Godfrey Maranach, Lord of the Danes of Dublin and the Hebrides ; and when we find that, although the fourth part of the men of Erinn were carried oif by this distemper, the number recorded is less than twenty ; and when we find that the Danes of Dublin supply their two most distinguished men to the Hst, I suppose we may fairly conclude that the destruction of the other classes among them was almost total, and so far I believe our prophet's predictions were verified with sufficient accm'acy for his purpose, and I am sure to his perfect knowledge. As I shall have occasion to touch again on the festival of St. John, I shall now pass from it, and ask your attention for a few minutes, wliile I endeavour to show my reasons for thinking OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 405 that this is not a genuine poem, — that (I think) it never was lect. x ix. written by St. Colum Cille. nff, „"ti Till 1 11 f ' Or the "Pro- 1 must acknowledge at the outset that the want oi an ancient puecies" and correctly-arranged copy (the present being a modern one the sa'ints of on paper, and much confused, if not intcrpokxted) renders any ?/i"opi,eciJs" discussion on its real antiquity and authenticity very difficidt; °f ?'""*,.„,, 1 1 .T-'' ^ /-\ 1^ 1 ^ Colum Cilll) but as no other copy is nearer to us than (Jxiord, where one on vellum of the sixteenth century is preserved, but which has not been yet critically examined, I shall have to deal with the pre- sent copy as I find it. It must be admitted as I have abeady shown, that one stanza of this, or some such poem, ascribed to St. Colum Cille, one which forms the tenth stanza of the present copy, is that quoted along with St. Bercluins in the folio of the tract on the Danish Wars, remaining in the Book of Leinster ; and that there appears to me no diiference in style of construction, or character of the lan- guage, between this and the other stanzas of the poem. Neither is the style or language more antiquated than many poems written in the fourteenth and fifteenth centiuies. The entire poem after all deals only (and that very defectively) with that period of our genuine history which extends from the year 842, in which the Danes first appeared on Loch JRibh [Loch Ree, in the Upper Shannon], to the destruction of Ailech by Muircheartach (or Mortoch) O'Brien, in the year 1101, that is 259 years ; all the rest of the poem consisting of mere general speculations on the future. Now it requires, I should think, but little argument to show the improbability, to say the least of it, of St. Colum Cille sitting down in his church at "lona on the night of the yth day of Jmie, in the year 5;'2. in the 77th year of his age, but one week, and that to his own knowledge, before his death, and there composing a poem of 90 stanzas, or 360 lines, on a few occur- rences which were to happen in Ireland between the years 842 and 1101. For, after all, this very long poem deals but with a very few facts ; such as that Cormac Mac Cidlinan was to be killed in battle on Tuesday (in the year 903) ; that a Danish fleet would appear on Loch Ribh (in 842) ; that the "Rowing WTieel" and the ships of Inbher Domnann would come and be destroyed ; that Brian Boroimlie would be killed at the battle of Clontarf ; then the statement of the promised destruction of the people whenever the festival of St. John should i'all upon a Friday (which, however, was not fulfilled) ; and lastly the de- struction of the palace of Ailech by Mortoch O'Brien in 1101. The promised revenge for Ailech, which was to happen in 125 years after its destruction (that is, in the year 1226), never was fulfilled; which shows clearly, in my mind, that at whatever 406 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XIX. time — and it could not be very remote — the first part of the r,*i, UT> poem was written, this latter part must have been composed Of the "Pro- r . ' . ^ n a -i j • -i -i-iz-w-i iihecies" as- some time alter the destruction oi AiLecli m the year 1101. Saints of ^ At the wiiidiug up of the poem, the Saint is made to propose "Prophecies" ^^ Icavc to the men of Erinn certain relics of his own to protect of Saint them from all future dangers. These relics were his Alius, his Vespers, his Amhra (or Elegy), and his Mesca (or " Intoxica- tion"), which is the name of the present poem, said to have been written by him a week before his death. Now, the Altus is the well known Latin poem on the Trinity, written by St. Colum Cille at lona, when he received the present of the great rich cross which Pope Gregory the Great had sent him.^*'^ The second relic, his Vespers, I never read of save in this tract ; unless indeed it were his well known copy of the Psalms, for centuries celebrated as the Cathach, now the property of Sir Richard O'Donnell, and at this moment to be seen in the Royal Irish Academy. The third relic, his Amhra (or Elegy), of course had not been written until after his death; so that he could scarcely think of bequeathing it, though he was aware that it was to be written. The fourth relic, his Mesca (or " Intoxi- cation"), is the present poem. And I believe I may conclude my observations upon it by expressing my own certain convic- tion that no part of it was written for at least 400 years after the death of the Saint. The second so-called prophetic poem ascribed to St. Cohim Cille, with which I am acquainted, is one of twenty-two stanzas or eighty-eight lines, addressed also to St. Baoithin; the following is the first stanza [see original in Appendix, No.CXXXVIII.]: " Listen to me, O pale Baoithin, Thou noble man of true devotion, Until I relate to thee without guile All that shall befall the Clann Chonaill". This spurious poem gives a list of the kings or chiefs of Tir Chonaill, beginning with Domhnall M6r O'Donnell, who died in the year 1241, down to the great Red Hugh, who died in Spain in 1602 ; and when the line of known names fails the author, he continues the Hst by a few figurative or descriptive names, among which that of Ball JDearg O'Donnell is given, who flourished in 1690. (49) This poem is published by Colgan in his Trias Thaumaturgus ; and another edition of it, witli the original notes and glosses, from the Liber Hym- norura, is now in course of publication by the Irish Archaeological aud Celtic Society, edited by the Eev. Dr. Todd. OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 407 This piece of forgery surely does not deserve another mo- lect. xix . ment's consideration, and I shall therefore pass to the third of of the "Pro. tlie prophetic poems ascribed to St. Colum Cille. The third phecies" as ^ ^ . ^ ft -iPT 1 cnbed to the poem consists oi twenty-one stanzas, or eighty-iour lines, be- samts of ginning [see original in Appendix, No. CXXXIX.] : "pl-opiiecies^ " The three Conns of the Red-haired man's race". cofumcuu.) This poem professes to foretell the exploits and fate of three lords of the O'Donnell family, who were to descend from the "Red-haired man", and each of whom should bear the name of Conn. The fii'st of these was to fall by the Cenel ESghain (or O'Neills), the second by his own family, and the third in battle with the Enghsh near Dublin. Now, there was no remarkable red-haired man of the line of chiefs of Donnegall before Aedh Ruadh (Red Hugh), the son of Niall Garhh O'Donnell, a brave man, who resigned the chieftaincy of Tirconnell in the year 1497 to his son Conn. Conn, however, was killed in the same year, in a battle fought between him and the O'Neills, at Seal atha Dcdle, in Donnegall, upon which the father resumed the chiefship again, and died in 1505. No Conn of the O'Donnell family ever became chief or leader of the Clcmn Chonaill after the above Conn, son of Red Hugh. It is true, however, that a Conn O'Donnell, who was tlie son of Calbhach, son of Manus, son of Aedh Duhh (Black Hugh), son of the same Aedh Ruadh (Red Hugh), was a most distinguished man, and opposed to the chief at the time; this Conn died in 1583. Of the third Conn, who was to die on the plain of Dublin, there is no trace in our annals. A Conn O'Donnell, son of Niall Garhh, of the same hue, was killed in the year 1601, not on Jfagh n-Ealta (the plain of Dubhn), " fighting against the English", as predicted, but before the venerable monastery of Donnegall, where his father and lumself were basely fighting on the side of the Enghsh, against the brave Red Hugh O'Donnell. I think I have followed this silly prophecy far enough to prove to you that St. Colum Cille, who died at lona in Scot- land in the year 592, could hardly be supposed to write a poem on the fife and adventm'es of three insignificant men, who were to live and die in Ireland some nine hundi'ed years after. It is remarkable that no reference to any of these long, cir- cumstantially defined prophecies can be found in any of the many ancient copies of the Saint's life which have come down to us. Even O'Donnell, the patron Saint of whose family Colum Cille continues to be recognized to the present day, who compiled a fife of him in the year 1522 (into which he collected every legend respecting him, no matter how impro- 408 OF THE SO CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XIX. bable, upon wliicli he could lay hold) — even this writer, I say, Of the'Tio- ^^'^^ ^°^' ^^ ^^y ^^VJ ^^^^ -'- li^ve seen, make the remotest allu- phecies" as- sion to any such prophecies having been ever written by or Saints of attributed to St. Colum Cille. Neither is there any such allu- "Propiiecios^'sion to be found in the more ancient lives of him, preserved in cofun"aii^) *^^® Leahhar Mor Diina Doighre (known as the Leabhar Breac), and in the Book of Lismore. Even St. Adamnan, the cousin of St. Colum Cille, who was born abovit the year 627, that is, about thirty-five years after the Saint's demise (and who wrote a Latin history of the life and miracles of his great kinsman and predecessor in the Abbotship of lona), does not make the smallest allusion to the Saint's ever having written any such prophecies as these, nor to the existence of any such works at the time. Saint Adamnan's, as well as the other biographies of St. Colum, preserve several instances of the Saint's revealed knowledge of coming events; but these are always of the simplest character,— such as telling his monks or his attendants, that in three days a distinguished guest, who was then on his way over the sea, would arrive at the port of lona ; or that such a strident will be a distinguished saint hereafter ; and so on. The fact is, the practice of writing those long and but too suspiciously circumstantial prophetic poems, and ascribing them to distinguished persons far back in our history, appears to have first sprang up in Erinn after the occurrence of the Danish invasion, at the close of the eighth century ; and I may indeed add, that we have lately seen instances of the same practice continued doAvn so late as to about the year of our Lord 1854 ! When the cruel northern barbarians commenced to plunder and destroy the churches and all that was sacred and beautiful in the country, then the lay Airchinnech or steward of the Church, and the local bards, discovered among their old books a forewarning of this fearful visitation, in such small scraps of rhyme as are collected in the tract on this Danish War, already sj)oken of. And speaking of these flying stanzas, it is strange that in the one which I have quoted as ascribed to St. Cohan CilU, the author should only Ibresee the ravages of a Danish fleet on the banks of the Shannon, and the desecration of Ar- magh by a Danish lay abbot, without foreseeing at the same time the ruthless plundering of his OAvn great establishment at lona, as well as of all his churches in Erinn, and the martyrdom of his people, by the same barbarous hordes. If this be a pro- phecy, it is strange, I repeat it, that this venerable and holy man should only receive from Heaven so very limited and vague a glimpse of so fearful a national disaster as the invasion of the Danes, their prolonged cruelties and final destruction; OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 409 "vvliile Lis inspired knowledge of the long line of petty princes lect. xix. of his own kindred, who were to govern a single tribe of the offj^gup^g. great Milesian race, happens to be so precise as to foretell their phecies- as- names, the number of years which each was to floiu'ish, andsamtsof the manner and place of their death ! 'Tropiiecies^' of St. Colum The fourth prophetic poem ascribed to St. Cohim Cille, with which I am acquainted, is one in which he is made to foretell the decay of Tara, of Cruachain, and of Emliain (or Emania), because the nobles of Erinn would cease to be good Christians. This piece, which is really too contemptible for serious notice, consists of forty lines, beginning [see original in Appendix, No. CXL.] : " Tara of Bregia, Tara of Bregia, Though countless be her men this day. Not far distant the time when it will be a desert. Although this day it enjoys full happiness". The fifth prophetic poem ascribed to St. Colum CilU, with which I am acquainted, consists of thirty-one stanzas, or one hundred and twenty-four lines. This poem is addressed to the celebrated prophet St. Berchdn of Cluain Sosta (Clonsost, in the present Kings Coimty). This "prophecy" gives a very unfavoiu'able account of the futiu'e moral and social state of Erinn, but contains no allusion to the political changes of the country. The poem is a pure forgery, and begins [see original in same Appendix] : " A time will come, O Berclidn, When you woidd regret to be in Erinn. The laws will be but few, The literary students will be ignorant". The sixth prophetic poem ascribed to St. Colum CilU, with which I am acquainted, is one of ten stanzas, or forty lines, in the same style as the last, and promising the same unfavour- able future state of Erinn: bad kings, bad jvidges, bad fathers, bad sons, bad daughters, bad seasons, and so on. It professes to be a special revelation from Heaven received from the lips of an angel, and begins thus [see original in same Appendix] : "Hail thee ! O messenger. Who Cometh from the King of Heaven's mansion, Since unto me thou hast come. Unto God I return my thanks". The seventh and last prophetic poem, with which I am 410 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XIX. acquainted, ascribed to St. Colum Cille is one of five stanzas, „ or twenty lines, spoken by Mm at lona shortly before liis death, piiecies"as- to liis friend and relative St. Baoithin; in which he says that, sain^ts of "'^ after his burial in lona, Mandar, the Danish chief, will come ^Prophecles^ with his fleet, and exhume the body, and that it will be after- of Saint wards interred in Downpatrick, in the same tomb with St. Patrick and St. Brigid. This poem is preserved in O'Donnell's Life of St. Colum, and begins [see original in same Appendix] : " Mandar of the great ships will come". This poem, in its present style, was certainly not written within hundreds of years of St. Colum's death. Of the apo- You will not for a moment, of coiu'se, infer from any stric- racter of the tures that I liavc made, or shall make, on these so-called Prophe- "Prophe- cies, that I entertain any doubt that the saints and elect of God cies". have been, and will continue to be at all times, the medivim of His revelations to man. It is, indeed, my firm belief that at the present day we receive divine warnings and instructions, without ever feehng that they are inspired truths, which, in times when faith and hope were more new and fervid, and worldly clamoiu's and cares less engrossing, would have been re- cognized and received as direct revelations from Heaven. But the compositions under the name of Prophecies, of which I have been speaking, are of a very different class, as I think I have sufficiently shown. And now having so expressed my most mature and decided opinion of the spurious apocryphal character of these reputed prophecies, I feel it to be a duty I owe to my country, as well as to my creed as a Catholic, to express thus in public the dis- gust which I feel in common with every right-minded Irish- man, in witnessing the dishonest exertions of certain parties of late years, in attempting, by various pubhcations, to fasten these disgraceful forgeries on the credulity of honest and sincere Catholics as the undoubtedly inspired revelations of the ancient Saints of Erinn. It is impossible, indeed, not to be struck with the testimony which even these so-called "Prophecies" bear concerning men whose sanctity must have been indeed striking and remarkable, when, at the distance of himdreds of years after their deaths, such silly forgeries could for a moment pass cur- rent under the revered stamp of their holy names. And if simple credulity alone were the only evil involved in a fervent belief in the more immediate promises of these Prophecies, it would scarcely come within my province, under any circmn- stance, to intrude my humble opinion upon a subject which ought more properly to belong for examination and decision to OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 411 the constituted pastors of the people, as their preservers from mis- lect. xix. chievous dekisions of this kind as well as from all other iuflu- ^^ ^^^^ ^^^_ ences dangerous to the soid. The native language, however, crypiial cim- having under most baleful influences ceased for centuries to be so'caiied taught in the Ecclesiastical Institutions in which the Irish ^i^^"!'^'^" clergy have been educated, at home and abroad, and this hav- ing happened in the period within which ancient writings and traditions, often inconsistent and never authenticated, have been subjected to the more critical examination of Irish scholars, lay and ecclesiastical, it is no wonder that we should find, as in fact we do, that comparatively old writings, so composed as to be still as formerly in harmony with the national political senti- ments for some centuries, should be received at this distance of time, and even by comparatively educated persons, with reve- rence and even confidence. It is time, however, in my mind, that this kind of delusion should be put an end to. Our pri- mitive Saints never did, according to any rehable authority, pretend to foretel political events of remote occiu-rence ; and, perhaps in a future course of Lectures, I may find an opportu- nity, not only to show you that this was the case, but also to place before you satisfactory evidence in detail of the very causes which first produced, and afterwards fastened in our later literature, these spurious prophecies, as well as other historical falsehoods equally mischievous and discreditable. LECTURE XX [Delivered July 21, 1856. J The (so-called) Prophecies (continued). The Prophecies attributed to St. Berchdn. The Prophecy attributed to St. Bric'in. The Prophecies at- tributed to St. Molinfj. Of the ancient superstitions concerning the " Row- ing Wheel", tlie "Broom out of Fdnait", and the Fatal Festival of St. John the Baptist. Political use made of such superstitions against the people of Ireland. Prevalence of absurd superstitious, even now, regarding the so- called Prophecies. In my last Lecture I concluded tlie subject of the writings called Prophecies attributed to pagan authors, and I gave you some account of the earlier writings of this class rcfeiTed to the saints of Erinn, and particularly the so-called Prophecies of St. Colum cms. From St. Colum CilU we pass now to St. Berchdn of Cluain Sosta [Clonsost, in the present King's County] , — a saint who is usually styled Berchdn na Fditsme, or Berchan of the Prophecy, and who enjoys this title even in such old MSS. as the Book of Leinster, in which, in his pedigree, he is called " Bearchan Profetans". St. Berchdn was one of the Dalriadan race (of Scotland), and flourished, it is supposed, about a.d. 690 ; but what the parti- cular prophecy was, from which he derived the title of prophet, I have not been able to discover, unless it be that contained in the three stanzas found in the tract on the Danish Wars abeady spoken of, which stanzas run as follows [see original in Appen- dix, No. CXLL] : " Pagans will come over the slow sea; They will gain ascendancy over the men of Erinn ; There will be an abbot from them over every church ; They will have power over Erinn. " Seven years will they be — no faint achievement — In the chief sovereignty of Erinn ; In the abbacy of every church These foreigners of Dublin fortress. " An abbot of them will be over my church too, Who will not attend to matins ; There will be neither prayer, nor credo, Nor Latin, but all foreign language". Whether these three stanzas constituted the entire of the on- Berc/uxn.) OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 413 ginal " propliecy" ascribed to St. Berchdn, I am not able to lect. xx. say ; but there is a very long prophetic poem (of 204 stanzas, or 81G lines) in existence, ascribed to this saint, and of which pUecies" as- these three make verses 7, 8, and 9. This poem, which appears sahfts of "^^ to have been addressed to some pupil or disciple, begins thus ??propi,ecS" fsee same Appendix! : of saint Dtop a little, my white small boy ; Listen to the words of BercJidn, Until I make a cross upon thy sweet lips — A consecrating touch of my crozier". The author then goes on to say that in sixty years after his own death his church would be ruined ; and that although it was then full of ecclesiastics, a time would come when the sweetest tones of its bells would not be able to call even one piiest to vespers in it. Tliis short introduction brings the au- thor to the three stanzas mentioned above, in which he foretells the Danish invasion ; and if the prophecy had stopped here with the ninth stanza, it might be difficult to say at what pre- cise time it was written after the Danes had gained a firm footing in Erinn. But, unfortunately for the authenticity of the piece as a prophecy, the tenth stanza betrays the century in which (or after which) the author flourished, so unmistakably, that we may be quite certain that either this stanza, and Avith it the whole re- maining part of the poem, were written about a.d. 1120, or else that the first nine stanzas alone were of an older date, and the great body of the composition strung to them long afterwards, so as to give the whole an air of antiquity as high as that which may be claimed for these few verses. It is my own opinion that the first nine stanzas are older, perhaps by a century, than the remainder; but I entertain no doubt that no part even of these first stanzas is nearly so old as the time of St Berchdn. The tenth stanza runs thus [see same Appendix] : " Shortly there will come a yonth, Who will relieve Banhha from oppression. So that the foreigner's power shall never be After him in Dun dd Leth ghlas [Downpatrick]". The next stanza says that this youth, who was to relieve Erinn from the oppression of the Danes, was not to be a king, but only an heir apparent to the monarchy, and that he would be killed at Tara. Now, among all the heirs to the crown of Tara, of which our annals make mention, there is but one who could answer to this prediction, and his death is thus recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 1026 : " Three battles were gained by Roen, son of Muircheartach, son of Maelseachlainn of the Clann Cholmdin, royal heir of £erchdn,) 414 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XX. Tara, — one battle over tlie men of Meatli, another over the „,„ .,„ men of Brescia, and the third over the foreigners of DubHn". Of tiie Pro- ," -, , ^ piiecies"as- And again, at the next year, that is 1027, we find that: — Saints of ^ "An army was led by Sitric, son of Amlilaibh [or Awley, "Prophedes" king of the Danes of Dublin], and DuncJiadh, Lord of Bregia, •jf^sajnt ^ into Meath, as far as Leac Bladhma, where the men of Meath, under the command of Roen O' MaoilseacMainn, met them ; in which the Danes and the men of Bregia were defeated and slaughtered, together with Dunchadh, son of Donn, lord of Bregia, and GillausaiUe, son of Gillacaemhghm, lord of Ui Briuin. They tiu'ned back upon Roen again, however, and defeated and slew Roen, lord of Meath, and great numbers beside". This is the only record in the Annals of any " royal heir" of Tara having given to the Danes their final or any important overthrow ; and jiidging from the analogy of known cases of the kind, there can be, I think, but little doubt that this part of the prophecy was written in or about his time. But, although the writer steps suddenly from the seventh century, in which St. Berchdn flourished, down to the eleventh century, he goes back again then to his own time, and foretels all the monarchs that were to reign over Erinn till the time of Anti- christ, occasionally introducing a provincial king into the list. This list ends with the 96th stanza. From that to stanza 117, the poem is occupied with very dubious references to St. Patrick, St. Brigid, and St. Colum Cille, as well as obscure references to the Picts of Scotland. From stanza 117 to the end it gives a list of the Dalriadan kings who were to reign over Scotland, with the length of reign, and manner and place of death of each, from A edha7i Mac Gabhrdin in. 570, to Domhnall Ban in 1093. The succession of the kings of Erinn is intelligible enough down to Muircheartach [or Mortoch] O'Brien, who died in the year 1119; and as neither Toirdhealbhach Mot [Turloch Mor] O'Conor (who assuined the monarchy after O'Brien), nor Ruaidhri [Roderic], his son, who succeeded Turloch in 1156, is mentioned, nor the Anglo-Norman invasion in 1169, it is, I think, clear enough that the author of this prophecy lived in the time of Muircheartach O'Brien, that is, about 1119. Again, in the twelfth stanza, the " proj)het" addresses Colmdn Mor in the following manner [see same Appendix] : — " Let some one request the son of Aedh [Hugh], — Colmdn Mor, — to protect me ; He has but a month's time from this night Until he meets death in his encampment". Now this is inaccurate history; for Colmdn Mor was the OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 4] 5 brotlier, not tlie son, o£ Aedh Slaine; and tliey were botli the lect. xx. sons of Diarmaid, tlie monarch of Erinn. Cohnan was slain of the "Pro not in his camp, but in his chariot, in the year 552 ; and his piiecies" as- brother, Aedh Slaine, who became monarch in 595, was slain sainisoV^ in the year 600. But the writer had no notion whatever of upropj^gglp*,® addressincv himself in person to Colmdn 3f6r and Aedh Slaine °^ ^^^^^ themselves, who had been long- dead m his time. It was a well-known and allowable form in ancient Gacdhlic history to speak of the representatives of a chief or saint, as of the chief or saint himself; and thus we find, down to the tenth and eleventh centuries, either honour or dishonour spoken of as having been offered to St. Patrick, when in fact it was to his representative or successor it had been offered, six hundred years after himself. And it is the same in civil history ; for we find even down to the sixteenth centmy, the O'Donnells and O'Neills, and their co-descendants, spoken of as Conall and Eoghan, their remote ancestors in the fifth centmy. So that, when the writer of this poem pretended to address himself in the person of St. BercJidn to Aedh Slaine, and his brother, Colmdn Mor, to protect his church, it does not at all follow (and this is, indeed, very clear fi'om the context) that he addressed them personally — though that was what he wished to be understood — but that he pre- sented this poem to their descendants a long time after their death and that of St. Berchdn, as one in which St. Berchdn had commended his church to the powerful protection of their ancestors before them ; and that, as a matter of course, they the descendants were bound for ever after to extend the same pro- tection to the same church. Any one intimately acquainted with the manner in which lay abbots and lay impropriators of Church-lands interpolated the simple and edifying lives of our holy primitive saints, will unmediately understand the original cause of writing such pieces as this. Again, at the opening of the second part of this poem, — I mean that part which refers to the succession of the kings of Scotland, — the reputed author, St. Beixhdn, is made to tell us that it was on the day after writing the poem that St. Patrick was to die, — that is, on the 17th of March, 493; that on the same day, St. Brigid was to proceed to Downpatrick, to endeavour to procure that the holy Patrick should be hurried at Kildare ; and that, in sixty years from the 17th of March, 493, St. Colum Cille would be born. Now St. Patrick died in the year 493; St. Brigid in the year 525 ; and St. Colum Cille was born in the year 515. St. Berchdyi " the prophet" was of the Dabiadan Scotic race of 416 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XX. Scotland, and tlie twenty -first in descent from CairhrS Eiada, ~^ (who fought at the battle of Ceann Feahhrat, near Kilfinan in piiecles" &s' the county of Limerick, in the year 186) ; and according to his sahiTs of "^^ pedigree preserved in the Book of I^einster, he must have up "", ^^'!?, flourished in the seventh century. It is therefore impossible of Saint that this Berclidn could have been alive on the day before St. eichan.) Patrick's death, thirty -two years before the death of St. Brigid^ and sixty years before the birth of St. Colum Cille, who was, as you have seen, born in the year 515, for this would be throwing his own nativity back to the year 455. I have said that this poem consists of 204 stanzas; of this number, however, ninety-six only are devoted to the Danish Invasion, and the succession of the kings of Erinn; the re- maining 108 stanzas are devoted to notices of the deaths of St. Patrick, St. Brigid of Kildare, and St. Colum Cille, and to the succession of the kings of Scotland. This part of the poem, beginning with the ninety-seventh stanza, assiunes distinctly as I have mentioned, the authority of a very high antiquity. The first stanza runs thus [see same Appendix] : " The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, ^ , / > Are they whom I adore as one ; I '■■ /i '- -f.-A-' c ^ •^ ■ ■ Upon to-morrow will ascend to heaven ^ J Patrick oi Ardmaclia, the diadem of chastity V'*- ^^'^''7*!^ According to this stanza the poem would have been written on the day preceding that of St. Patrick's death ; that is, on the 16th day of March, in the year of our Lord 493. I need scarcely say that a poem or any other piece of genuine Gaedhlic composition of this remote date, would be received, quite inde- pendently of its historic or prophetic value, as a production of the highest arcliEcological interest, not only by Gaedhlic scholars, but by all the antiquarians of Europe, Unfortimately, how- ever, no such antiqu-ity can be claimed for this, any more than for the preceding part of the poem ; and the only difference is that this part is more precise in fixing the real period of the composition of the entire piece, as will be seen at its con- clusion. After the confession of Faith and the death of Patrick just re- ferred to, the author goes on to state that St. Brigid of Kildare was to go to Ardmaeha on the following day, to endeavoiir to procixre the body of St. Patrick, to have it buried at Kildare ; and that she should not succeed, but that he should be buried at Downpatrick, where Brigid herself would be subsequently buried in the same tomb with him. He then says that in sixty years from the same morrow there would be born at Rath Cro, OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 417 a son, whose renown should fill all Erinn and Scotland ; that lkct. xx. he would be a sage, a prophet, and a poet, a son of virginity, and ^ . , a priest; and that he would fight the Battle of Cnil Dreimne vhecics- &s- which would be the cause of his forsaking his beloved church of sliintsof Derry and going into exile in Scotland. This gifted son was, I'l'^J^^^^J^^^- of course, the great St. Colum Cille, who was destined to settle °^ ^'•'^"} in lona, and to convert the Scots and Picts. The pi'ophecy goes on, then, to give the succession of the kings of Scotland, with the naine, length of reign, exploits, and manner of death of each, from Aeclhan Mac Gabhrdw, the co- temporarj of St. Colum CilU, down to the usurper Domlmcdl jK««, who assumed the title in the year 1093 ; and it is precisely at this date that the Irish part of this great prophecy stops. Here, however, there is no speculation on the future state of Scotland, as there is on that of Erinn in the first part ; and this it is that I tliink fixes pretty clearly the date of the whole piece, in its original form. There is another poem of seven stanzas ascribed to St. Ber- chan^ in which he very dimly relates to St. Ciardn some of the destinies of Erlrm, just as they are both going to visit the islands of Arann on the coast of Clare. The actors in this poem (the great stock in trade of these prophets), are Aedh JRuadh (Hugh Roe O'Donnell), and others of his race. The piece, which is not as a "prophecy" worth any further notice, begins [see original in Appendix, No. CXLII.] : " Long live, I pray, Erinn after me." It may be curious to state here that at the celebrated Battle of Bel an Atka Buidhe, fought by the great Hugh Roe O'Don- nell against the English in the year 1598, OT^onnelfs poet, Ferfesa O'Clery, quoted the following verse from a prophecy of St. Berchdn, to show that he, O'Donnell, was the person foretold in it who would destroy the English power in Ireland ; but this verse is not found in any of the saint's prophecies that we have been describing. Indeed, I strongly incline to believe it was specially made for the occasion. [See original in Ap- pendix, No. CXLIIL] " In the battle of the Yellow Ford, It is by him shall fall the tyrants ; After extirpating the foreigners, Joyful will be the men from Torry". There is, besides, another poem of thirty -one stanzas, ascribed to St. Berchdn, beginning [see original in Appendix, No CXLIV.] : " A warning will come after the flood, As I think, in Erinn's Isle, 27 418 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XX. Of the " Pro- phecies" as- cribed to the Saints of Krinn. (The 'Prophecies" of Saint Berchdn.) * Prophecy" ascribed to St. Bricin. Which will drive some parties to destruction, By the stormy waves of Loch Sileanri\ This poem goes on to say that before the occurrence of this great event, red water would burst forth from a hill in the north of Erinn ; that Locli Sileann [now called Loch Sheelin, in West- meath], would, durmg a Samhain [November] thunder storm, burst its banks and flow into Loch Gamhna [in Longford], then to Loch Erne, and so to the Shannon ; that the glen of the river Muaidh would burst and destroy Tir Fiachrach, and drown Liis Bo Finne; that Gal way would suffer dreadfully ; that the Saxons would become powerful and tyrannical, churches would be taxed, and their clergy hiding in glens, or going over the sea ; that a man of the Clann O'Neill would raise a war, assisted by King Louis of France ; that they would fight the Battle of Emania (near Armagh), when twenty thousand Saxons would be killed ; and that another great destruction of them would take place at Kildare, after which the Saxons would never again be strong, and the power of the Gaedhils would be assured for ever. This forgery was, I beheve, the composition of Taclhg (or Teige) O Neachtain^ and of so late a date as about the year 1716. Leavlncf now St. Berchdn, we come to another of our so-called prophets, of whom, nideed, but very little is known, though he was undoubtedly a distinguished scholar and eccle- siastic in his day. This was St. Bricin, abbot of Tuaim Dre- cain, [probably the place now called Toomregan, near the village of Ballyconnell, on the borders of the counties of Cavan and Fermanagh.] St. Bricin flourished in the year 637; and you may recollect that, in a former Lecture, it was shown that it was to his great establishment at Tuaim Drecain, that Cenn- faeladh the Learned was carried to be cured, from the battle field of Magh Rath, wdiere his skull had been fractured with the loss of part of his brain ; and that here it was that he learned by rote all that was taught in St. Bricin s three schools. The prophecy ascribed to this Saint, which is strictly ecclesiastical, is entitled Baih'; Bhricin, or the "Ecstacy of Bricin", and the following short history is prefixed to it: Saint Bricin, one Easter Sunday night, after having kept the great fast of Lent, was sitting in his chamber, liaving omitted to go to perform his accustomed devotions in his church. While thus sitting at his ease, he heard the angels of Heaven celebrating aloud the happy festival in the Church, upon which he fervently pra3'ed the Lord to aflibrd him an opportunity of conversing about the Heavenly host with one of His angels. OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 419 After this the aiiQ-el of the Lord came to talk to him between lect. xx. midnight and matins. Bricin was then favoured with a sifjht ,,,, ,.„ o o Of the Pro- of the Heavenly host celebrating the festival of the Resurrection phccies" as- around the altar of the Lord in Heaven, after which he begged saiiftl o° of the angel to inform him of the number and names of the phecv'-^of'st' sons of Life, or righteous men, who would, after himself, continue Bricin.) to adorn the Chui'ch of God for ever in Erinn. The angel answers that a great foreign persecution of the Churches would come (alluding to the Danish Invasion) ; that after this perse- cution, the first son of Life who should appear would be a lord of three monasteries, who would raise the condition of the laity and beautify the appearance of the churches ; who would be a king, a bishop, and a foiuitain of charity and mercy. I do not know any person who would answer this description as well as Cormac Mac Cullinan, king and archbishop of Cashel, who was slain in the year 903. The next son of Life who was to appear was TdnaidhS Mac Uidhir [Mac Guire], who was abbot of Beannchidr [county Down], and who was slain by the Danes in the year 956. The angel goes on then to enumerate the sons of Life to the number of fifty, by figurative names, which, at this distance of time, are totally unintelligible, if, indeed, they were all ever meant by their author to bear any definite meaning; nor does he appear to have observed any fixed chronological order, as will be seen from three of the personages identified by some ancient transcriber, and who stand in the text in the follow- ing order: Tdnaidhe Mac Uidhir, abbot o£ Beannchui7\ already mentioned, who was slain in the year 956 ; Fothadh na Can- Sine, of FatJtan Mura, who floiu'ished about the year 800; and Donnchadh O'Braoin, abbot of Cliiainmicnois, who died in 987 ; after whom there were to be but six more sons of Life until the birth of a man named Tibraide, in whose time the Christian rehgion was to cease, and the reign of Antichrist was to be established. This Tibraide was to be born in the reign of Aedh Engacli (or Hugh the Valiant), according to the prophecy called Bails an Scdil (the " Ecstacy of the Champion"), of which I have already spoken ; but, as my copy of that prophecy is imperfect at the end, where this prediction could be found, I am imable to draw any conclusion from a comparison of both texts. It is my opinion, however, that Bricin's prophecy was written about a.d. 1000; and, probably, by the same person who wrote Baile an Scdil. It is preserved in a manuscript in the British Museum, already referred to (Harl. 5280). From St. Bricin we pass to St. Moling, of Tiqh Moling "Prophecv" (now St. MuUins in the county of Carlo w). St. Moling died °^st.j/o?,«^. in the year 696 ; and with the exception of St. Colum CilU, 27 B 420 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. I.ECT. XX. there are more poems ascribed to liim tlian to any other of our "p • ^^^'^y sahits. Among all his poems, however, I have met with no phccies" as- moro than one of a prophetic character. This is called the Saints of *'"' BmU Mholmfj, or " Ecstacy of JN'Ioling", and consists of fbrty- Erinn ("Pro- geven stanzas or one hundred and eighty-eight lines, on the suc- phecy"ofSL . n t -, • pt • i ^- ■^- ^r • • i • a Moling.) ccssion 01 the kmgs 01 Lemster, begninmg |_see origmal m Ap- pendix, No CXLV.] : " I say unto ye, O men of Lelnster — And not for the sake of rich rewards — Guard well yoiir own territories, An attack will come upon you from afar. Respond ye, for it well behoves ye, To the noble Fergal, son of Maekhnn, By you shall fall the brave descendant of Conn, In the furious battle o£ Almhain. Aedh Allan with his battalions Will come from the north to avenge his father, Here he will be met by Aedh Menn, Who shall be left dead at Fidh Cuilinn. The broom out of Fdnait will be severe ; Over the centre of Erinn, from the north-west To the sea in the south, it shall make its course, And bring direful woe to the people of Cork". Now, the noble Fergal, son of Maeldidn, whose expedition and death are predicted here, succeeded to the monarchy of Erinn in the year 709 ; and in the year 718, that is, in twelve years after St. Moling's death, he made the incursion into Leinster, which resulted in his death, at the battle of Almhain [now the Hill of Allen, in the county Kildare, the ancient patrimony of Finn Mac CumhailT]. Aedh Allan, the son of Fei'gal, succeeded to the monarchy in the year 730 ; and in three years after, that is, in 733, he marched all the forces of the north of Erinn into Leinster to a place called Alh Seanaigh [now Ballyshannon, four miles to the west of Kilcullen Bridge in the coimty of Kildare], where he was met by the Leinster- men, in their utmost force, under their king, Aedh [or Hugh], son of Colgu. A furious battle ensued, in Avhich the Leinster- men were almost totally cut off; and their king was slain in single combat by the monarch Aedh. The prophecy passes directly from the events of this year, 733, to the death of Cormac Mac Cullinan in the battle of Magli Ailbhe in the year 903; and without any special refer- ence to the Danish Invasion, tells that the Danes will carry off OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 421 the cattle of CillAusailU (now Killossy, near Naas in tlie county lect. xx. of Kildare), after which they were to be defeated and ahnost oft^eupr„. destroyed by Ugaire, the son o^ Aillill, King of Leinster, a phecie-i" as- prince who did, in fact, defeat tliera at the battle of Ceannfuait sainTs ..f (now Confey, near Lucan, in the county of Kildare) in the year J;,';i.".";-^of ^t" 915, where t/^cm-^l himself fell, together with a great number ^/oto?.) of the gallant chiefs of Leinster. The poem goes on, then, to give a list of several of the kings and chiefs of Leinster under figurative names (but with original interlined identifications) down to Diarmaid, son ofJ/eal na m-hd, King of Leinster, who was killed in the battle of Odhhlia (in Lleath) in the year 1072, and, I believe, to Donnell Mac Gilla- patrick, who died King of Ossory, in the year 1165. Mac Gilla- patrick, according to this "prophecy", was to be succeeded by Flann of Cidl GamJma, who is not identified ; and this Flann was to slauo-hter the Danes of Dublin seven times, and reduce the strength of Mnnster. This description would apply to no Lcinsterman of this period but to Dlarmaid Mac Murchadha [commonly called Dermod Mac Murroch], who became King of Leinster in 1137 ; and the poem must, I am convinced, have been written in his time, but before his banishment from Erinn, and subsequent return with the Anglo-Normans, else the latter unfortunate event would have been foretold in it. The prophet, then, when he comes to tovich on the real future, follows precisely the course of the other prophets of whom we have been treating, and jumps ivom. Dlarmaid Mac Murchadha to Flann Cwthac/i, so often mentioned already. In his time the Both Ramhach, or "Rowing Wheel", was to come, as well as a dreadful calamity promised to reach Erinn from the south- west, which was to destroy the three-fomths of the people, as far as the Mediterranean Sea ; and another dreadful calamity or visitation which was called the Scuap a Fdnait, or "Broom out of Fanait" (in Donnegall), which was to sweep over Erinn from the north-east into the sea in the south-west, and was to bring fearfid destruction upon Cork. This prophecy limits the reign of the portentous king, Flann Ciothach, who is here called Flann (Jinach [the voracious], from Diirlas [Thurles], to sixty years, sixty months, sixty fortnights, and sixty nights ; and states that the time between the end of Flann's reign and the day of judgment wall be but one hundred years. '■'■ Berchdn dixW'' i% written in the margin, opposite stanza 3(5 of this poem, but the original author follows from that stanza to the end. From this well written poem, falsely ascribed to St. Moling, 422 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XX. we pass now to another prophetic poem of 20 stanzas, or 80 lines, carried on by way of a dialogue between St. Finncliu of Bri- ascribed to Gohhanu (in the county of Cork), who flourished in the sixth fentm-y)!^' ccntury, and a prophet named Sedna, with whose history I am unacquainted. The poem begins [see original in Appendix, No. CXLVI.] : " Tell unto me, O Sedna, News of the end of the world, Wliat will be the condition of the people Who follow not a life of tnith". Sedna answers this question, as might be expected, in terms very unfavourable to the conduct and fate of the generations which were to follow, whose crimes would bring on them various plagues, as well as loss of all their power and dignity. He then foretells that the Saxons would come in upon them and hold sway in Erinn during a term of nine score years (that is to the year 1350), when they would behave treacherotisly to one another ; and that one of the old Anglo-Normans would, at a subsequent period, lead that party and the native Irish against the Elizabethan and other modern settlers, and would totally drive them out of the country. All the copies of this poem that I have seen are so in- accurate, that the predictions cannot be reconciled with the actual history of the country ; nor should I follow the silly pro- duction further, but that I find the prophecy quoted in a well- written poem composed by Donnell Mac Brody of the covmty of Clare, for James, the son of INIaurice Di(hh, son of John Fitz- Gerald, Earl of Desmond. John FitzGerald, Earl of Desmond, was arrested by the Lord Chief Justice at Kilmallock, and sent prisoner to London, in the year 1567, according to the Annals of the Four Masters ; and the same annals tell us, that in the year 1569, James, the son of Maimce, son of the above earl, was a warlike man, at the head of many troops; and that the English and Irish of Munster, from the River Barrow to Cam Ui Neid (in the south-west of the coimty of Cork), entered into a unanimous and firm confederacy with him against Queen Elizabeth. So far, the prophecy (which appears to have been, as usual, made for this occasion) was fulfilled ; but the part of its fulfil- ment which then had not arrived, never after proved true ; as James, the son of Maurice Duhh, after a career of varied for- tune, was killed at last, near Cnoc Greine (in the county of Limerick), in a skirmish with the Burkes of Clann WilHam, in the year 1579. Mac Brody's poem, of which I possess a fine copy, consists OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 423 forty-two stanzas, or 1G8 lines, and begins [see original in i.ect. xx. Appendix, No. CXLVII.] :— " Whose is the oldest charter of the land of NiaW\ There is another prophetic poem, said to have been delivered "Prophecy" iiir;777 1 ascribed to by some person named maeUamhiachta, to another person Maeitamh- named Maeldithri, neither of whom can be identified. It is a silly production, of no antiquity, in its present form; it pro- mises, that when the Saxons shall have become as wicked as the native Gaedhil, their power over Erinn shall come to an end ; and that this prediction has not been finally verified long ago, one cannot help remarking, is a pretty clear proof that the author was very Httle of a prophet ! The poem, which is not worth another word of notice, begins [see original in Appendix, No. CXLVIIL] :— " Say, O Maeltamlilachtd!\ So far I laave led you through the chief part of the founda- p,^ecies''^^°' tions upon which have been built the various compositions long concerning spoken of and referred to as the popular " Irish Prophecies", Festival of as well as of some few that have not, I believe, been ever be- the'saptist. fore brought into public notice. In place of entering into any further discussion upon their antiquity or authenticity, I shall now proceed to add a few more specific references, which may throw some light on the often-mentioned Roth Ramhacli, or Rowing Wheel, the Broom out of Fanait, and the fatal day of the Festival of John the Baptist, so often and so mysteriously spoken of in the old MSS. That these were fancifiil names for threatened visitations of the Divine vengeance, which were to afflict the people unless they repented of their imputed sins and iniquities (threats of vengeance, which might be held in terror over evil doers for ever, no matter how long after they may have from time to time been apparently verified, or stated to have been so), will 1 think, appear clearly enough, from the few short articles which I now propose to lay before you. The first of these articles is an extract from the life of St. Adamnan, who died in the year 703. Of this extract, the fol- lowing is a literal translation [see original in Appendix, No. CXLIX.]:— " Two of the various gifts of St. Adamnan were jjreaching and instruction. He preached in the last year of his life, that a pestilence would come upon the men of Erinn and of Scot- land, at the ensuing festival of St. John. " At this time an unknown young man was in the habit of visiting St. Colman of Cruachdn AtgU, [Cruach Patra{c,~\ a spiritual director of Connacht. And the young man related 424 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. I.ECT. XX. many wonderful things to Colman, and asked liim if Adamnan Of the "Pro ^^^^ ^^°^ predicted a pestilence to the men of Erinn and Seot- piiecies'con- land at the ensuing festival of St. John. The prediction is not Fatal Fes- truc, Said Colmau. It is true, said the yomig man, and the joimuie'' pestilence shall be fulfilled by the death of Adamnan himself iic;i.tidt. at this approaching St. John's festival". And the life goes on to say, that the prediction was in fact so verified hj the death of St. Adamnan on the 23rd of September in that year, three weeks after the festival of the beheading of John the Baptist (29th August); and that this was felt by the men of Erinn and Scotland as the greatest calamity that could befall them. This would appear to have been the real origin and verifica- tion of the St. John's festival prediction; though succeeding dealers in prophecies, like those of the present day, found it their interest, or their inclination, to give new interpretations. At some period subsequent to the Danish Invasion, this pro- phecy of St. Adamnan was put into a more formal shape, and written and preached under the title of Aclamnan's vision. Of this piece called Adamnan's vision, which is very short, there is a beautiful copy in Latin, with a Gaedhlic commentary, pre- served in the Leahliar Mor JJiina Doighre (or Leahhar lireac)., in the Royal Irish Academy, and a fragment, on paper, in the library of Trinity College. The whole tract makes more than one of the closely and beautifully written pages of the Leahhar IJor Dihia Doighre. The following is the text of the vision and its title [see original in Appendix, No. CL.] : " The vision which Adamnan — a man filled with the Holy Spirit — saw, that is, the angel of the Lord spoke these His [that is, the Lord's] words to him : " Woe ! woe ! woe ! to the men of Erinn's Isle who transgress the commands of the Lord. Woe ! to the kings and princes who do not direct the truth, and who love both iniquity and rapine. Woe ! to the prostitutes and the sinners, who shall be burned like hay and straw, by a fire ignited in the bissextile and in- tercalary year, and in the end of the cycle. And it is on the [festival of the] beheading of John the Baptist, on the sixth day of the week, that this plague will come, in that year, if [the people] by devout penitence do not prevent it as the people of Nineveh have done". So far the vision, which is immediately followed by an ex- planation of the cause and character of this fearful visitation, and the mode of Avarding it off. The substance of this explanation may be summed up as follows : It was to Adamnan, it informs us, that were revealed all the OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 425 plagues, mortalities, and destructions by foreigners wliicli were lfxt. xx. to afflict Erinn in consequence of the iniquities of her people. , Dreadful would be the plagues that were to come if they did piiecics" con- not repent, namely, a flame of fire that would purify Erinn Kata'i' Fes-'' from the south-west: and that was to be the fire which would j',^,',',',"|,^*' burn the three-fourths of the men of Erinn in the twinkling of Baptibt. an eye, — men, women, boys, and girls. Of all the plagues that were to afflict the nation, — disease, famine, foreign invasion, and destruction, — this terrible fire of St. John's festival would be the last and most destructive. The people are then charged with the crimes of theft, falsehood, murder, fratricide, adultery, destruction of churches and clergy, charms, incantations, and all sorts of wickedness, excepting alone the worship of idols. This catalogue of imputed crimes is then followed by an earnest inculcation of the mode of warding off the fiery visitation of St. John's festival, in accordance with the testament of St. Patrick and St. Adamnan, and after the example of the people of Nineveh and several others of sacred history. And this was to be done by a total change of life, by fasting and praying, and giving large and liberal alms to the poor and the churches. There can, I think, be little doubt but that this piece was written after the great mortalities of the seventh and eighth centuries, the Buidhe chonnaill and Crom cJionnaill [see Appen- dix, No. CLL], and even after the total overthrow of the Danish power in the year 1014, but before the Anglo-Norman Invasion was so much as thought of. The ecclesiastics of this time were expert calculators of cycles, and they availed them- selves here of an ancient prediction (if, indeed, it was ancient), threatening a fiery visitation when the festival of the Beheading of John the Baptist (that is, the 29th day of August) should fall on a Friday near the end of what I must believe to be a cycle of the Epact. Now the number of the Epact for the year 101)6 was 23, so that a cycle of the Epact terminated that year. In that year also the Decollation of St. John the Baptist fell on a Friday. And this conjunction had not happened, I believe, from the time of the Danish supremacy until this year of 1096. This year of 1096 was besides a bissextile, or leap-year. We have already seen, from the Annals of the Four JMasters at this year, how strictly in accordance with the instructions laid down in this tract was the course recommended by the clergy of that period and acted on by both laity and clergy. And so we may, I think, fairly assume that this version of the vision of St. Adamnan was written (at least in its present form) immediately or shortly before that year, although it is possible that a portion of it, or perhaps some version of the entire, may have been 426 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. Of the " Pro pliecies" con cei-ning the Fatal Fes- tival of St. John the Baptist. LECT. XX. uttered or written many generations before. And tlie probabi- lity of tliis " Vision" being of the date I assign to it, is further sustained by the fact that the language is not of a more ancient character. It appears certain, from the Life of St. Adamnan, that his prophecy respecting the St. John's festival amounted only to the prediction of a simple pestilence or calamity, and that this prophecy was believed to have been fulfilled in his own death. At what time this simple calamity was magnified into a flame of fire which would burn to cinders three-fourths of the people, from the south of Erinn to the Mediterranean Sea, and back again from Fdnait (in Donnegal) to Cork, it would be curious and instructive to inquire ; and it is fortunate that we have, in the same Leahhar Mor Dana DoigJire, a short article, giving such an origin to this fiery visitation as will, I am satisfied, take it for ever out of the catalogue of inspired predictions, as well as another short article, which, in my opinion, clearly identifies the " Fiery Dragon" with the so-called " Broom out of Fdnait'\ The following literal translation of the first of these little tracts will be found as curious in its topographical as in its legendary interest [see original in Appendix, No. CLII.] : " It is in the reign oi Flann Cinaidh \_Ginach, or " the vora- cious"] that the Rowing- Wheel, and the Broom out ofFcmaid, and the Fiery Bolt, shall come. Cliach was the harper of Smirdnbh MacSmdil, king of the three Rosses oi Sliahli Ban [in Connacht]. Cliach set out on one occasion to seek the hand in marriage of one of the daughters of Bodhhh Derg, of the [fairy] jDalace of Femhen [in Tipperary]. He continued a whole year playing his harp, on the outside of the palace, without being able to approach nearer to Bodhhh, so great was his [necromantic] power; nor did he make any impression on the daughter. However, he continued to play on until the ground burst under his feet, and the lake which is on the top of the mountain, sprang up in the spot: that is Loch Bel Scad. The reason why it was called Loch Bel Sead, was tlois : " Coerabar boeth, the daughter of Etal Anbuail of the fairy mansions of Connacht, was a beautiful and powerfully gifted maiden. She had three times fifty ladies in her train. They were all transformed every year into three times fifty beautiful birds, and restored to their natural shape the next year. These birds were chained in couples by chains of silver. One bird among them was the most beautiful of the world's birds, having a necklace of red gold on her neck, with three times fifty chains depending from it, each chain terminating in a ball of gold. During their transformation into birds, they always re- OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 427 mained on Loch Crotta Cliach [that is, the Lake of CliacKs lect. xx. Harpsi, wherefore the people who saw them were in the habit „.,, .,„ oi sajing: ' iMany is the oecia [that is, a gem ; a jewel, or other piiedes" eon- precious article] at the mouth of Loch Crotta this day'. And Fatal Fes-^ hence it is called Loch Bel Sead, [or the Lake of the Jewel john the'' Mouth.] BaiJtist. "It was called also Loch Bel Dragain, [or the Dragon-Mouth Lake] ; because Ternogs nurse caught a fiery dragon in the shape of a salmon, and St. Fursa induced her to throw it into Loch Bel Sead. And it is that dragon that will come in the festival of St. John, near the end of the world, in the reign of Flann CInaidh. And it is of it and out of it shall grow the Fiery Bolt which will kill three-fourths of the people of the world, men and women, boys and girls, and cattle, as far as the Mediterranean Sea eastwards. And it is on that account it is called the Dragon-Mouth Lake. " Cliach the Harper, now, always played upon two harps at the same time; and hence the name Crotta Cliach [the Harps of Cliach — Cruit being the Lish for a harp], and Sliabh Crott, [or the JMountain of the Harps, on the top of which the lake of CliacKs Harps is still to be seen]. " It was of this fiery bolt that St. Moling was preacliing when predicting the St. John's festival, when he said, " O great God [O great God], May I obtain my two requests. That my soul be with angels in bhss, That the flaming bolt catch me not. In John's festival vrill come an assault. Which will traverse Eriun from the south-west ; A furious dragon which will burn all before it. Without communion, without sacrament. As a black dark troop will they burst in flames. They will die Hke verbal sounds ; One alone out of himdreds Of them all shall but survive. From Dun Cearinna to Sruihh Brain, It will search ; and to the Mediterranean Sea, eastwards ; A furiovis, flaming dragon, full of fire ; It shall spare but only a fourth part. Woe to whom it reaches, woe him who awaits it, Woe to those who do not ward off* the plague ; The Tuesday upon which the festival falls, — It were well to avert it in time. One shall tell the precise time When the Lord shall bring all tliis to pass ; 428 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. Five days of spring after Easter, Five years before the mortality. A time will come beside this, When in a bissextile year; A Friday upon a cycle, woe who sees. Oh ! the fiery plague may I not see !" Such, then, was the piirely fabulous origin of the Fiery Bolt which was to bm'n three-fourths of the men of Erinu from the south-west. You will remember that this version of St. MoUng's predic- tion of the festival of St. John differs considerably from the version of it already given. In his poem on the succession of the kings of Leinster, the time of its fulfilment is referred to some indefinite period after the appearance of the Rotli Ramhach (the Rowing, or Oar Wheel) ; whilst here its occurrence is particularly laid down in five years after the year in which the Festival falls on Tuesday in the same year in which Easter Sun- day should happen five days before the end of spring, that is, on the 25th of April. This combination of these festivals has never since occurred, even to the present time ; for, although Easter Sunday fell upon the 25th of April in the years 482, 672, 919, 1014, 1204, 1451, and 1546, yet the 29th of Au- gust did not happen to fall upon a Tuesday in any of these years, nor in the fifth year after any of them, so that the would-be prophet would appear to have miscalculated his time, or the prediction is yet to be fulfilled ! Having thus laid before you all that I have been able to col- lect relative to the origin of the Rowing Wheel, and the pre- diction respecting the festival of the Decollation of St. John, as well as the use made of them in after asfcs, and havinsr ex- pressed my own decided opinion, that these never were real prophecies or inspired predictions at all, I shall now pass to the third of this group of foretold misfortunes, namely, the Scuap a Fdiiait, or " Broom to come out of Fanait" (in Donnegal). You will remember that in the poem on the succession of the kings of Leinster, ascribed to St. Moling^ who died in the year 696, the saint is made to predict that • " The broom out of Fanait will be severe Over the centre of Erinn : from the north-west To the sea in the south it shall make its course. And bring direful woe to the people of Cork". And in the second place he says it will come on a Tuesday. It will be seen from the following;' note on the festival of the OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 429 Behcacling of Jolm tlie Baptist, in tlie Festology of Aengns lect. xx. Ceile De (preserved in tlie same Leahhar Mor JJi'uia Doighre) oftiie"Pro- tliat this calamity, like the Fiery Bolt, was to afflict Erinn in piiecies" con- revenge of the decapitation of the man who baptized the Fatal Kes- Saviour. Thus rvms tliis curious note [see original in Appen- joim'the*' Dix, No. CLIIL] : baptist. " It is in revenge for the death of John the Baptist that the Broom will come out of Fdnait to purify Erinn towards the end of the world, as it was foretold by Airerdn the Wise, and by Colum Cille, and it is on Tuesday in particidar the Broom out of Fdnait will come, as Colum Cille said: 'Like unto the grazing of a pair of horses in a yoke, so shall be the closeness with which it will cleanse Erinn'. " Thus saith Airerdn, of the Broom : 'There will be two ale- houses within the one close, side by side. The man who goes out of the one into the other shall find no one alive in the house into which he goes, and neither shall he find any one alive in the house out of which he went, on his return to it, such shall be the rapidity with which the Broom comes out of Fdnait'. " Thus saith Riagliail [on the same svibject] : ' Three days and three nights over a year shall this plague remain in Erinn. When a ship can be seen on Loch Rddhraidhe, from the door of the refectory, it is then the Broom out of Fdnait shall come. A Tuesday, too, after Easter, in spring, will be the day upon which the Broom shall issue from Fdnait, to avenge the death of John the Baptist' ". We have here three different persons predicting, as we are told, the Broom out of Fanait, besides St. Moling, whose pre- diction of it we have noticed twice already. St. Colum Cille is made to say that it would come on a Tuesday. St. Airerdn the Wise does not specify any particular day or season ; and he himself, I may observe, died of the plague which was called Buidhe chonnaill, in the 664; but St. Riaghail gives a Tuesday in spring, after Easter, as the day of its appearance, " when a ship could be seen on Loch Rudhraidhe from the door of tlie [his] Refectory"'. The Loch Rddhraidhe mentioned here, is the pre- sent bay of Dundrum, in the county of Down ; and St-RiaghaiFs refectory and church were situated on the east side of this bay, near its mouth, where the name is still preserved in the parish of Tyrella, properly Teach Riaghala, or RiagaiVs house or church. The reference to a Tuesday after Easter in spring, given by St. Riaghail as the day on which the Broom was to come, is not precise enough to enable us to understand what Tuesday is meant ; and it is evident that there is something left out in the 430 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LECT. XX. note from wliicli it is taken. There can scarcely be any doubt that ~ it was intended to agree with St. Moling's time for the coming Of the i.v.- , phecies"cou- 01 the r icrj Bolt that is, when the 29th of Aiif^ust, the feast cerninK the Fatal Fes- tival of St John the Baptist. of the Decollation of John the Baptist, should fall on a Tuesday, and Easter Sunday within five days of the end of spring. The probable fact would appear to me to be, that when the Fiery Bolt was, by some southern prophet of disaster, threat- ened to flash from Dun Cearmna [now called the Old Head of Kinsale, in the county of Cork] to Sridbh Brain [or Loch Foyle, in Inis Eogliabi], that is, from the southern to the northern extremity of the island, — some northern rival after- wards took it upon himself to return the compliment, and send back the Broom from Fanait, in the same northern point, to deal destruction on the people of Cork. But the time first appointed by St. Moling for the visitation of the Fiery Bolt, — that is, five years after the year in which Easter Sunday would fall on the 25th of April, and the 29th of August on a Tues- day, — as already shown, has not yet come. Then, as regards the second time appointed by St. Moling for the coming of the Fiery Bolt, if that be what is meant, — that is, on a Friday in a leap year, at the end of a circle, or cycle, — I have already shown that all the predicted circum- stances of this appointed time occurred in the year 1096. In that year the 29th of August fell on Friday; the year was a leap year; and it was at the end of a circle or cycle of the Epact, which was twenty-three in that year ; for, if we add the annual increase of eleven days to twenty-three, it ^vould make it thirty-four, thus passing into a new cycle of the Epact for the next year, 1097, whose Epact would accordingly be four. But, what is much more important than any argument of mine, I have already shown, from the annals of our country, the consternation which seized on the people at the approach of the year 1096 ; and how faithfully the means of averting the threatened calamities, as said to have been recommended by St. Adamnan, were carried out — in peniteuce, prayers, devo- tions, fastings, alms to the poor, and offerings to the churches ; thereby showing clearly that the prophecy had not been, up to that time, fulfilled. And, as we have no record of its being feared or talked of ever since, I suppose we may hope that the means so long prescribed as efficient, and then so amply and so successfully put in practice to avert it, have for ever blotted oiat the hard sentence which the Lord was believed to have passed on an already sorely afflicted country ! When first I entered in these Lectures on the discussion of the authenticity of these " Prophecies," as they are called, I never OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 431 intended to follow them out to the extent that I have done ; lect. xx. but the more I examined them, the more imperatively did I j)ij,,o„est feel myself called uijon — as one who had spent his whole life iisemadeof 1 1 -, ■ n 1 ••ir-tnTi forged and in the perusal and comparison ot the original (jraednhc aocu- pretended ments, — to examine them fairly and thoroughly, and, without ^^^1°^ ®' assuming anything of dictation or dogmatism, to record my humble opinion of the degree of credence to be given to this class of compositions. Another motive, too, impelled me to come forward, — the first that I am aware of to do so, — to throw doubt and suspicion on the authenticity of these long-talked-of " Irish Prophecies" — I mean the strong sense I entertain of the evils that a blind belief in, and reliance on their pro- raises have worked in this unfortunate land for centuriesj^^back. I have myself known — indeed I know them to this day — hun- dreds of people, some highly educated men and women among them, who have often neglected to attend to their wordly advance- ment and security by the ordinary prudential means, in expec- tation that the false promises of these so-ealled prophecies — many of them gross forgeries of our own day — would in some never accurately specified time bring about such changes in the state of the country as must restore it to its ancient condition. And the believers in these idle dreams were but too sure to sit down and wait for the coming of the promised golden age ; as if it were fated to overtake them, without the slightest eflbrt of their own to attain happiness or independence. Wlien such has been and continues to be the belief in such predictions, and even in these modern times of peace, what must their effect have been in the days of our country's wai's of independence, when generation after generation so often nobly fought against foreign usurpation, plunder, and tyranny ! And in the constant application of spurious prophecies to the events of troubled times in every generation, observe that the spirit of intestine faction did not fail to make copious use of them. So we have the blind prophet predicting that a Red Hugh O'Donnell would annihilate the Anglo-Norman power on the plains of the Liifey ; but we have him adding, too, that the same redoubtable hero would, to complete his triumph, burn and ravage Leinster, Munster, and Connaclit also, as if for the very purpose that the ccmmon enemy should, on his next coming over the water, have less opposition to meet. And well did the astute Anglo-Normans (as well as, indeed, their Ehzabethan successors in a subsequent age), know what use to make of these rude and baseless predictions, as we read in Giraldus Cambrensis, when speaking of the invasion of Ulster by John De Coiu-cy. [See original in Appendix, No. CLIV.] 432 OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. LEc T. XX. " Tlien was fulfilled, as is said, tlie prophecy of tlie Irish Columba ; who, foretelling that war [at Downpatrick] ages be- nse^madeof fore. Said that the carnage of the citizens would be so great, that piefeudea' ^lie cneiny Avoidd wade knee-deep in the blood of the slain. For " Pi-opiie- when, owino; to the softness of the mud, the Aveijrht of tlie men's (Giraidus bodics causcd them to sink down to the bottom, the blood which auT.i'ohn''^ oozcd from them flying to the surface of the viscid earth, easily De Courcy.) reached to the knees and legs of the assailants. The same prophet is also said to have stated that a certain man, poor, and a beggar, and, as it were, a fugitive from other lands, would come to Down with a little band, and without the authority of a superior would gain possession of the city. [He foretold] also many battles, and tlie fluctuating issues of fortune ; all which were evidently fulfilled in the case of John De Courcy. Even John himself is said to have carried about with him this Irish book of prophecies, as a mirror of his exploits. " It is stated also in the same book, that a certain youth was to storm the walls of Waterford with an armed band, and take the citv, with great slaughter of the inhabitants ; that the same individual was also to march through Wexford, and afterwards enter Dublin without obstruction. All which was plainly ful- filled in Earl Richard Strongbow. The saint testifies also that the city of Limerick would on two occasions be abandoned by the English, and on the third be retained. Now it appears to have been twice forsaken. First, as has been stated, by Rey- mund ; second by Philip de Breusa, who, on arriving near the city which had been granted to him, finding himself shut out from it by the river which flowed between, without any effort or assault, went back the way he came, as shall be fully stated in its proper place. After which, according to the same pre- diction, the city, a third time visited, is to be held possession of, or rather, after a long interval, being treacherously destroyed under Hamo de Valoignes the justiciary, and recovered and restored by Meyler". (Giraidus Cambrensis, Hibernia Expug- nata; Lib. ii., cap. 16, — p. 794, Ed. Camden.) Speaking elsewhere of the reduction of Erlnn, the same writer observes [see original in same Appendix] : " For whereas the Irish are reputed to have four prophets — Moling, Braccan [Bearchan?], Patrick, andColum Kylle (whose books, written in the Irish tongue, are still preserved among the people), — they all, when speaking of this conquest, declare that, through constant encounters and a protracted struggle, it shall sully many future ages with excessive bloodshed. But just on the eve of the Day of Judgment they award to the English people a decisive victory — the subjugation of Ireland from sea OF THE SO-CALLED PROPHECIES. 433 to sea, and the occupation of the island with castles. And, lect. xx . thousfh it may happen first that the English be put to confusion y.. . and exnaiisted wniie they experience the issues oi the martial use made of struggle (for instance, according to the statement of Braccan, pretended nearly all the English will be dislodged from Ireland by a king cies-.'^'^^" who is to come from the desert mountains of Patrick, and, on a (Giiauius oi -1 • I'l TC/^ii-N Cambiensis, ounday niglit, storm a certain castle m the woods oi (Jphelania), andjoini still, according to their declaration, the English will always ^ °^"^^' maintain an undisturbed possession of the eastern coast of the island". (lb., cap. 33; pp. 806, 807, Ed. Camden.) Now, there can be no doubt whatever that Giraldus's aci ' See note at p. 320. HOW THE HISTORY OF KRINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 441 By far the greatest part of tliese invaluable records and of tliese lect. xxi. most interesting narratives, have not been examined at all. Rgcapuuia- Generallj, the writers who have undertaken to become " His- tiou. torians" of Ireland, have been unable to consult a Gaedhlic MS. at all, for want of acquaintance with the language ; and such writers have attempted to conceal their deficiency in this regard by a flippant sneer or an ignorant but positive falsehood. And the very few who, knowing the language, have applied themselves to the task of composing a general history of Erinn, have done so without access to any considerable body of the MSS., and under cii"cmnstances which deprived them of the means of effecting that examination and collation of authorities which the neces- sary critical investigation of history so imperiously requires. Perhaps the whole number of writers worthy of mention as ofthe ha^ang attempted the history of ancient Erinn, may be reduced writers on to three ; for, I believe I may pass over the rest in absolute of Erinn"'^ silence. Those three are, Dr. Geoffrey Keating (of whom I had occasion to speak in my Lecture on the Four Masters) ; the Abbe Mac Geoghegan ; and, if only because he is the latest of all, and because his well earned popularity and his character in other respects entitle him to such notice, the late Thomas Moore. It is no part of my purpose to criticise the performances of these, or indeed of any modern writers on Irish history ; and I only mention them because they are so well known that it may seem strange to omit doing so just after having assured you that there is no history of Ireland. Such of you as have read the works of those three writers, need not be told that by none of them has adequate use been made of any part even of the materials I have described to you. Such of you as have not yet read them may read them (at least Keating and JMac Geoghegan) without mischief, taking with you only the caution which my remarks may imply. Of Moore's total w^ant of qualification for the task he imder- ot imore's took, you are aware from the anecdote I gave you in a former Ireland": Lecture. Lie discovered it too late ; but he was candid enough to admit it without qualification. Against his work, then, I should directly warn you. The account he gives of ancient Erinn is nowhere to be relied on; it is taken entirely from English authorities, not merely hostile in feehng but even themselves ignorant of the facts of the case on which they wrote. So that there is, perhaps, no one event of ancient Irish history accurately given in jNIoore ; and there are innumerable passages in which the most imjDortant facts are wholly misrepre- sented in the gross and in detail. I do not accuse the poet of any intention so to write the history of his country — far, far 442 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. LKCT. XXI. Of Moore's " Histoi-y of Ireland". Of Keating History. Of Mae Geo- ghegan's History. from it. I believe lie intended honestly to tell tlie truth ; but he knew of no authorities but those which 1 have just alluded to ; he did not understand the language, and had not even heard of the existence of our great MSS. books till after his first volume had appeared (the volume in which the early history is treated) ; and when he did discover his mistake, he was, I have the best reason to believe, heartily sorry that he had ever under- taken a task which was, indeed, it is said, suggested rather by the author's publisher than by his OAvn special tastes or study. The history of Dr. Keating was compiled, as I have already told you, among the caves and woods of Tipperary, to which the proscription of Protestant persecution had driven the Catholic priest. Keating had with him some of the old books, such as the Book of Invasions, at the commencement of which are recorded the ancient traditions, not only of the origin of the Milesian race, birt of the successive colonizations of Erinn by the various waves of the Celtic family which reached this island from the European Continent before the time of Milidh or Milesius. And he must have also had with him some collection which contained many of the pieces of the kind I have classified as the Historic Tales. Keating's work consists of nothing more than a compilation of these materials, as many as he had by him in his wanderings ; and he seems to have done nothing but abridge, and arrange chronologically, such accounts of historic facts as he found in them, never departing in the least from what he saw before him, and often preserving even the arrangement and style. It is greatly to be regi'etted that a man so learned as Keating (one who had access, too, at some peiriod of his life, to some valuable and ancient MSS. since lost) should not have had time to apply to his materials the rigid test of that criticism so necessary to the examination of ancient tales and traditions — criticism which his learning and ability so well qualified him to undertake. As it is, hoAvever, Keating's book is of great value to the student, so far as it contains at least a fair outline of our ancient History, and so far as regards the language in which it is written, which is regarded as a good specimen of the Gaedhlic of his time. The Abbe Mac Geoghegan wrote his history in Paris (in the French language) in the year 1758. He had no access there, of course, to the great books now in Ireland, and most of which were at that time also here ; but the Book of Lecain was then in Paris, and of that invaluable MS. he made copious use. His other authorities were chiefly Lynch (Cambrensis Eversus), and Colgan, besides the various Anglo-Norman and English writings from Cambrensis down. Llac Geoghegan HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 443 made a very excellent attempt, considering liis opportmiities. lect. xxi . His work is, however, very meagre in detail ; and that part of it which gives an account of ancient Erinn, seems to consist merely of a very short abridgment of the Annals, or else to have been taken from the Book of Invasions, or, more readily, from one of Lynch's chapters. I do not speak here of Lynch's book, because it is ratlier a qj .. ^an,. critical defence agfainst Ansflo-Norman misrepresentation, than iJiensisETer- a O X ' SUS . a history. The " Cambrensis Eversus" is, however, a work of very good authority, and abounds with information most valu- able to the student of history. It was published (in three large volumes) a few years ago, by the late Celtic Society, with a translation and notes by my [late lamented] friend, the Rev. Professor Kelly, of Maynooth ; and it has lately been again issued by the united Archaeological and Celtic Society. Having shown that up to the present time there has been nothing written which can be called a History of Ireland, and having considered the nature and extent of the materials out of which (after proper preliminary investigation and criticism) a history can be constructed, I may be permitted now to state shortly how, as it occurs to me, these materials may practically be best approached by the future historian ; though it is true that the time for undertaking a complete history has not yet arrived, and though I myself dread, perhaps more than any one, such a work being undertaken, before years of labour are first devoted to that critical examination of all our MSS., and of the traditions as well as the records they contain, which must, I am sure, precede any successful effort in this direction. I have frequently alluded to a particular mode of dealing with the Annals, which is, perhaps, obvious enough of itself, and which occurs to me as the readiest in making use of the body of the other materials to illustrate them ; and it is this plan which, with your permission, I shall endeavour, by way of conclusion, to develop in the shape of an example of what I mean. The only valuable, the only complete and rich history, then. The History the only worthy, the only truly intelligible history of ancient must be Erinn, must be written upon the basis of the Annals, of which I?'"*^". °" 1 nave given you some account, and, above all, upon the basis the Annais. of the last and most complete of the Annals, those of the Four Masters. From O'Donovan's richly noted edition of this great work the student can indeed learn almost all the chief part of that history ; but, as I before explained to you, even these annals, and especially the earlier portion of them, are extremely 444 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. LECT. XXI The History of Eriiiii must be written on tliii ba.sis of the Auuals. How to set about a His tory of An ■ cient Eriun. dry and meagre; so that to arrive at anything like an intel- ligible history of those early times, we are forced to search else- where for assistance. The lights and shades, the details of such a history, the minute circumstances, — not only those which explain historical events, but those equally or even more im- portant descriptions, in which the habits and manners, the social ideas and cultivation, the very life of the actors in those events, are recorded for us, — all these things must be brought out in their proper places in order to transform the meagre skeleton supplied by the mere annals into a full and real history. And it is out of all the other materials which have been spoken of in these Lectures that these details are to be gathered, for the purpose of filHng in the outline drawn by the Four Masters. All these various materials must, however, first be submitted to the closest analysis, to the most careful comparison one with another, and to the most minute critical investigation, assisted by the light supplied by the languages and histories, as well as the antiquities and v^hat is known of the Kfe, of other Celtic nations, — of all the contemporary nations, indeed, with whom our forefathers Avere ever likely to have come in contact. Such criticism, I need hardly say, does not come within the scope of these Lectures. It is my province here only to introduce to you the various classes of historic materials themselves, and to sug- gest the use which may be made of them. For such of you as have energy and ambition enough to undertake so important a work, there are many directions from among which to choose a course wide enough and deep enough to exercise your powers, after your classical and critical education shall have been suffi- ciently completed, in assisting to accomplish this necessary pre- liminary to the complete investigation of your country's history ; and you can easily make yourselves masters of the language as you proceed. I hope some of you will take the hint, for 1 can imagine no employment in which the best years of a literary life could now be spent more likely to lead to rich results for your country or more honourable to yourselves. For my present purpose, however, let us suppose this critical investigation completed, and the historic truths contained in all the materials of every kind, which I have described, separated clearly by accurate analysis and comparison. We shall then be in a position to fill up the outlines siqDplied by the annals, and to do this for almost every generation of our ancestors, from a period very long before that of Christianity. You have already seen that great part of the work of history has been done to our hands, with respect to the long and impor- tant periods embraced by the three great compilations I have HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 445 described to you — I mean the large tracts called tlie "History lect. xxi. of the Boromean Tribute", that of the "Wars of the Danes", g^^ to set and that of the "Wars of Thomond". And in the similar tract about a ins- called the "Book of Munster" you have been told that a simi- cieiuEUnn. larly detailed history is preserved of the principal events relating particularly to that province during several centuries. With these great works, then, the future historian will have to begin his labours of compilation. Of course the basis of the whole will be the Annals of the Four Masters, as at once the most compre- hensive and the latest work of authority among the Annals, wliile the various books of Genealogies and Pedigrees, and especiall}^ those of Mac Firbis, will supply the means of tracing the connection between the various provinces and tribes, as well as many details as to the lives and circumstances of the kings and chiefs wdio figiue in the national annals. So much being done, we come at last to the use to be made of the immense mass of miscellaneous historical Hterature which I have so often called the Historic Tales, and on these we shall chiefly have to depend for that minute illustration of the details of historic life which I have since alluded to. The chronicles, records, and purely historic narratives upon which we have to rely for illustrating any particular periods in our history, and filling up the outlines furnished by our anna- lists, appear to have undergone, you will remember, even at a remote time, a wide dispersion, and to have been broken into almost innumerable fragments. To recover and arrange them is now a task of no ordinary difficulty, owing to the numerous and various sources which we must draw upon for information before we can compass any connected view of them. Of these various sources of information I believe I have now laid before you an account intelligible enough, at least, to enable you to understand this difficulty. Many ways, doubtless, might be proposed, to effisct the re- union of these scattered fragments of veritable historic records. That which I propose to adopt appears to me simple and con- venient; and in the short example I shall give of it, you are to remember that for my present purpose I shall not adhere to any strict principles of classification in the selection of any par- ticular epochs of our history. I desire that you should take the several fragments of the historic chain of which I have spoken, or shall speak, simply as examples ; and I believe that, if space allowed, it would be as easy for me to fill up the spaces wluch occur between them. I shall then rapidly pass before you a few periods marked in our annals by some important events, and group about these so much of the records, historic tales, 446 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. I. and other materials of our genviine history (especially those How to set '^■'^^c^^ ^ have already introduced to your notice in detail), as about a His- may scrve to indicate how the blanks in the annals are to be cient°Ei'i"n. fiHod up ; and I shall take for my starting point the early traditional history of the origin of the last great colony of Celts, the race commonly known by the name of the Milesians. The iiiiesian The Milcsiau history is pretty generally known, and has been "°"^' much canvassed by the writers of the last 150 years. But although several writers have been bold enough not only to question, but even to reject altogether, the fact of this Spanish colonization of Erinn, nevertheless not one has ever ventured upon assigning any other origin to the peculiarly constituted race of the Gaedhel, at least none founded on any tiring more than mere conjecture, and that of the weakest kind. It is impossible not to remark that the writers of this class have been chiefly, if not exclusively, Protestant ; writers of a party who have ever been singularly ready to lay hold of the most trivial incidents which they can dress up to give colour to their denial that the ancestry and Christianity of ancient Erinn had been derived from Western Europe. It would have been much to the credit of some of these writers, had they confined themselves to fair discussion and a candid examination of such facts and authorities as came before them, and had they decided honestly on the evidences alone which they funiish, particularly as the historic question concerning the coming of the Gaedhils themselves from Spain, and their religion from Rome, is really a matter of no importance whatever in the discussions of the pre- sent day, except as regards mere ethnological inquiry and as regards the veracity of our ancient traditions and writings. But for writers and investigators of this class, a single dubious sen- tence, or a single immaterial contradiction, is enough, if only ingenuity can in any way twist it into a contradiction of the whole scope and tenor of history, spread over one or any number of volumes. It is then magnified into a mountain of truth, and all the rest set at nought, or coolly passed over. This subject, however, of the authenticity of our ancient tra- ditions, is too large to be discussed here, as it were, accidentally ; but it is one that shall not be overlooked or postponed to any indefinite period. At present I shall do no more than lay before you a short sketch of the traditional origin of the Gaedhils of Erinn, as it is recorded in our oldest books ; and I shall do so without criticism of any kind, only that you may the better understand what is to follow. Plow THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 447 The Milesians, according to the Book of Drom. Sneachfa (a lect. xxi. book written before St. Patrick's arrival in Erinn), as well as oftueanci- their predecessors in this country, the Firbolgs and the Tiiatha mt tradi- De Danami, are recorded to be descended from the race ofceinlngthe Japhet, through his son Magog. They are said to have been coiony." originally seated in " Scythia" ; and the earliest traditions tell us that a branch of them settled in Egypt in the reign of Pharaoh Cingris ; that they returned to Scythia again after some genera- tions; that they subsequently went into Greece, and idtimately to Spain, where, after a long residence, they erected the city and tower of Bragantia, from whence, after some time, a colony of them came into Erinn in the year of the world 3500, i;nder the command of the eight sons of Galamh, who is commonly called Milesius. The stoiy goes on to say that they landed at the mouth of the river Sldinge, or Slaney (in the present county of Wexford), unobserved by the Tuatha Dc Dancmn, and that they marched at once from that place to Tara, the seat of government. The chief nile of the island at this period was conjointly shared by the three sons of Cermna Milhheuil, namely, Ethur, Cethur, and Fetliur, three personages niytholo- gically known as Mac Cuill, Mao Ceacht, and Mac Greine. The Milesians immediately summoned these three kings to sur- render to them the government of the country in peace, or submit it to the right of battle. A very curious instance of early chivah'ic tradition follows, the critical explanation of which I shall for the present leave to the investigation of the historical inquirer, merely stating here the story in the form in which it has been handed down to us. The answer of the Tuatha De Danann appears to have been a complaint that they had been taken by surprise ; and they pro- posed to the invaders to return to their ships, to reembark, and to go out upon the sea " the distance of nine waves" (as the story rans) ; and that if they covild, after that, effect a landing by force, then that the country should be surrendered to them. To this proposition, it is related, that the Milesian brothers assented ; but when the Tuatha De Danann found them fairly launched on the sea, they raised a furious magical tempest, which entirely dispersed the fleet. One part of it was driven along the east coast of Erinn, to the north, under the command of Eremon, the youngest of the IVIilesian brothers ; whilst the remainder, under command of Donn, the eldest of the sons of Milesius, was driven to the south-west of the island. However, the Milesians were not without their druids too. At first the latter thought the tempest was a natural one ; but after some time, suspecting that it was the result of druidical cernin Milesi; Colony. 448 HOW THE HISTORY OF EUINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. LECT. XXI. agency, tliey sent a man to tlie top-mast of tlieir sliip, to know if the wind was blowing at that height over the surface of the ent tradi- sea. The man reported that it was not. This confirmed their cernlngthe suspicions ; whcrcupon they immediately set about laying the Milesian storm, by countor arts of magic, in which they soon succeeded, though not before five of the eight brothers were lost. Four, including Donn, the eldest, were drowned oft" the coast of Kerry ; and one, Colpa, at the mouth of the river Boyne, which from him was called Inbhear Colpa; and it was here that Eremon landed. When the storm abated, the surviving brothers of the southern party, Eber Finn and Amergin (the poet, chronicler, and judge of the expedition) landed, with the shattered remains of their people, on the coast of Kerry, and, after taking a short rest they moved \v^ the country, but they were met at the foot of the mountain called Sliahh Mis, by a strong body of Tuatha DS Danann, headed by EirS, the queen of one of the joint kings. Here a battle ensued between them in which the Milesian brothers were victorious, though they lost three hundred of their men, as well as their mother Scota, and Eas, the wife of one of their chiefs. The Tuatha De Danami were routed with the loss of a thousand warriors. The valley in which this battle is recorded to have been fought is still well known, and lies at the foot of Sliahh Mis, in the barony of Trichadh an Aicme, in Kerry ; it was named Glenn Faisi (the Valley of Fas^, from the lady Fas, the first of the Milesians killed in it. The lady Scota was buried here too, at the north side of the valley, near the sea, and Fert Scota (or Scota's grave), is still pointed out in Gleann Scoithin, in the present parish of Annagh, in the same barony, Eber Finn pushed on at once after this battle, and succeeded in fighting his way to the other side of Erinn, as far as the mouth of the Boyne, where he found his brother Eremon, after which they sent a challenge of battle to the three joint kings at Tara. This challenge was accepted, and the battle of TaUlten [now Telltown, in Meath] ensued, in which the three kings were defeated and killed, their people subdued and great numbers of them slaughtered, and the power of the Tuatha De Danann totally overthrown. The best account of the Battle of Taillten that I am acquainted with, although still limited in details, is to be found in an ancient but much-wrecked MS. in Trinity College Library (class H. 4.22), one of those which, for this period, the historian must consult, and of which he will make copious use. The Milesians having thus become masters of the country, HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 449 the brotlicrs Kher Finn and Eremon divided the island into two lect. xxi . parts between them, the former taking all the southern part from 0^^5,3 3^^.;. the Boyne and the Shannon to Cape Clear, and the latter taking ent tiaai- all the part lying to the north of these rivers. cemlng the Each of them then took a moiety of the chiefs and people, cdiony." who proceeded to settle themselves throughout the country, and who soon erected all those numerous raths, forts, and Cathairs, which to tliis day bear the names of these early invaders. The brothers Eber Finn and Eremon, however, did not long remain content in peace ; and after a little interval they met to decide their quarrels by battle at Geisill (near Tullamore, in the district now called the King's county). The scene of the battle was at a place called Tochar eter clhd mhagh, or " the causeway between two plains" ; and on the brink of the river Bri damh, the river which runs through the town of Tullamore. In this battle Eber fell with three of his chief leaders, namely, Suirc/he, Sobhairce, and Goisten. The name of the battle-scene is still preserved in the name of the townland of Ballintogher, in the parish and barony of Geisill; and at the time of the compo- sition of the ancient topographical tract called the Dinnseanclius, the mounds and graves of the slain were still to be seen on the battle-field. The authenticity of the record of a battle at this place at a period of very remote antiquity, cannot be questioned; in this instance at lf "'"^ nology of the Four Masters. In the catalogue of ancient historic tracts preserved in the Book of Leinster, there is one set down which described an expedition of Ugaine Mor to the Continent, and as far as Italy ; but of this important piece un- fortunately not a vestige now remains ; nor would I refer to it, but for the pm-pose of showing that, although there is no little scarcity of those more remote detailed accounts in the books which still remain to us, still there can be no doubt of their having been al)undant within the Christian era. I believe, indeed, that they probably formed a chief part of the lost Cuilmen and of the Book of Dront Sneachta, mentioned in a former lecture, as well as of numerous other books, of vdrich we have never heard, and many of which were perhaps con- signed to neglect and decay by their owners among the druids and other learned men who became converts to Christianity, in their fervour and devotion to the cultivation and propagation of their new creed. The Annals of the Four Masters record the death of Ugaine Mor at the year of the world 4606, in the following words: " At the end of this year Ugaine 3for, after having been full forty years Monarch of Erinn, and of the whole of the west of Europe as far as the Mediterranean Sea, was slain at Tealach an Chosgair (that is, the Hill of the Victory), in Magh Mui- redha in Bregia. This Ugaine it was who obtained from the men of Erinn in general the security of all creation, visible and invisible [that is, obtained from them a solemn oath on all created things], that they would never contend for the sove- reignty of Erinn with his children or his seed". Ugaine Mor was succeeded in the sovereignty by his son, Laeghaire JLorc. Laeghaires next brother was Cobht'iach Cael, who resided in the provincial palace of JJinn High (or the " Hill of the Kings"), an ancient royal residence founded by the Fir- bolgs on the brink of the river Barrow, near Leitligldinn [Leighlin], in the present county of Carlow). This Cohhthach, we are told, became so full of envy of his brother Laeghaire, that 29 b 452 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. LECL. XXI. lie pined away in secret almost to death ; nor could anything be found to cure liis disease but tlie deatli of tlie king. Having of Ugai7ii coufidcd tliis sccrct (or ratlier, having disclosed his murderous ^^'^^' design) to his Druid, the latter advised him to take to his bed, that Laeghaire would surely come to visit him, and that then he could not fail of an opportunity to take his life. Cobhthach did accordingly take to his bed, and his brother Laeghaire soon came to visit him, and entered the sick chamber alone. When, however, he stooped over his brother to embrace him in his bed, the latter plunged a dagger into his heart. Laeghaire had, however, a son, an only son. Ail ill Aine, and he again had a son, then a child, whose name was Maen. Cobhthach, therefore, at once proceeded to take the life of his nephew, — he had that of his brother, — in order to make his way to the throne : and Ailill Aine wls murdered immediately after his father. Maen, the child, was not, however, put to death ; but his granduncle is recorded to have caused him to be fed on such disgusting food as that he became stupid and even speechless, upon which he was considered (according to law) incapable of succeeding to the royal power. No part of these details is to be found in the Annals of the Four blasters, where the mere fact is stated, that LaeghairS Lore, son of Ugaine, after having been two years in the sove- reignty of Erinn, was killed by Cobhthach Cael Bi^eagh at Carman (now Wexford). And, after stating the accession of Cobhthach, the next entry is equally meagre, namely, at a.m. 4658 (or 542 b.c): " Cobhthach Cael Breagh, son of Ugaine, after having been fifty years in the sovereignty of Erinn, fell by Of the reign T-jobhraidh Loingseacli, that is, Maen, son o^ Ailill Aine, with Lo^ingseach'' thirty kiugs about him, at Dinn Rlgh, on the brink of the JBeorbha [the Barrow]". The cu'cumstances which I have just mentioned are taken from an important tract on the Genealogies of the ancient tribes of Leinster, preserved in the Book of Leinster itself The romantic story of Maen or I-,abh7'aidh Loingseach, [the Exile,] is one of those Histoiie Tales w^liich I selected as an example of them to lay before you a few evenings ago. It is presem-ed in the Leabhar Buidhe I^ecain, in the library of Trinity College, one of the most authentic and valuable of our Historic MSS., as you are already aw^are. By consulting these two pieces, — both of great age and of quite unquestionable authority, — you can easily understand, then, how large a blank may be filled up, and with how much detail respecting the events of Gaedlielic history at these very early periods. HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 453 Let US now pass on to another remarkable era in our history, lect. xxi. that of the celebrated Conaire M6r Mac JEdersceoil, one of the wisest of the kings of Erinn, who flourished about a century of ConaiH before Clirist. I piu'posely confine my examples to showing you the important use which may be made of the pieces I have almost at hazard selected as specimens of the Historic Tales, because the description I already gave you of those pieces enables me to be more concise, since I need not enlarge on the nature and extent of the details with which they supply us in such abundance. The Annals of the Four Masters simply enter the accession of Conaire at a.m. 5091 (b.c. 109); and the next entry is a.m. 5160 (b.c. 40), relating his death only, in these words: — " Conaire, the son of Ederscel, after having been seventy years in the sovereignty of Erinn, was slain at Bridgliean Da Dhearga by insurgents". For the circvimstances of this occurrence the historian will consult the Historic Tale I have described to you as the "Destruction of the Court of Da Derga", a piece in which he will find abundant illustrations of the history, both social and political, of that age, as well as all the details of the event itself. The great King of Ulster, Conor Mac Nessa, does not make of Conor his appearance at all in the compilation of the Four IMasters. ^^^'^ ^^'^^*' His life and exploits we must seek in local chronicles, and the historian will find the most copious illustration of his time, as ' well as facts connected with his extraordinary career, in a great many tracts besides those of the Siege of Howth, and the Death of Conor, which I have opened to you. [See Appendix, No. CLVL] Conor's time was less than a century after ConairS 3Ior. The great event which I have called the Revolution of the of the Revo Aitheach Ticatha (known under the inaccurate designation of ^,^^^"°,[ *^*° the Attacotti or Attacots), is recorded by the Four Masters fuatha, or almost as baldly as the others of which we have spoken. The tract which I so shortly described to you is, nevertheless, a regular history of this period, copious, accurate, and detailed. At the year of our Lord 123, the Annals, in the driest manner, of the reign record the accession of the celebrated Conn of the Hundred °^ *'"""■ Battles ; and the annahst proceeds to record, in connection with this great king, but one fact, and that only in reference to the name of the gi'eat roads discovered, or finished in his time (viz. : Slighe Asail, Slighe Midhluachra, Slighe Cualann, Slighe Dala, and Slighe AJor), namely, that the Slighe Morw&s the ''^ Eiscir Riadd!\ 454 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. i>ECT. XXI. and tlie division line of Erinn into two parts, between Conn and „,,^ . Eoqlian Mur. But tlie historian w^ill find in tlie remarkable of Cmm. ° tale called tire Catli Muiglie Leana (Battle of Maglr Lena), all tlie particulars of the contest between the great king and the celebrated founder of the chief Munster families ; while in the Tochmarc Momera (the Courtship of Momera), or story of the voyage of Eoglian to Spain, and his courtship and marriage there, he will be supplied with numerous details, both historical and social, in illustration of tliis period. Of the reign The Four Mastci's are equally concise in respect oi Niall of mall -^j^^^ Ghiallach, or Mall " of the Nine Hostages", at a.d. 379 and 405. His accession is barely noted, and his death almost in the next line: " Slain by EochaidJi, son o{ Enna Ceinnsecd- ach, at 3fuir n-lcht [the ' Ictian Sea, that is, the sea between France and England"]. Of this event, and of much else con- cerning Niall, we are minutely informed by the tract called the " Exj)edition ofNlallio the Ictian Sea, and the Death oiNiall". Of King The death o£ DatJii is described (at a.d. 428), without even Dat/n. mentioning liis accession (he, in fact, succeeded Niall) : " killed by a flash of lightning at Sliahh Ealpa\ But of VatJd the historian will find many things recorded in the tales in great detail ; and the history of his last expedition is given at very full length in the tract I lately described to you under the name of " The Expedition of king Datlii to the Alps". ofthenseto I could go On for hours, instead of the few minutes to which the™iistoric I niust confine myself, to give you hundi-eds of examples of the same kind, respecting the mode of using the materials which it has been the object of these lectures to introduce to your notice. But it would be a waste of time to do so, for the few examples I have selected will be sufficient to convey what I mean. I shall for the present only ask you to place confidence in my assertion, when I assure you that there are few important pas- sages of our early history which may not be thus illustrated, and very few distinguished kings and chiefs recorded in our annals, concerning whom considerable details may not be found, by reference to some one or more of the existing historic tales, most of which are precisely of the same nature as those of which I have spoken at length, by way of specimens of this class of our materials. From the Historic Tales, the facts, personal and historical, necessary to complete our early history, may thus be gleaned, for insertion at the proper place in the general narra- tive. With respect to the Christian period, many important Tales. HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE AVRITTEN. 455 facts are also to be foimd in the lives of tlic early saints, every lec t. xxi . part of wliicli deniands tire most attentive stiuly ; and the value ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ of these authorities is greatly increased by the circumstance, te made of 11 • • 11 1 , i Vl the Histui-ic that they are compositions generally almost cotemporary witn xaies. the facts recorded in them. But the recital of the facts of history, however detailed, cannot satisfy those who seek in a history properly so called a lively as well as truthful report of the life and character, the thoughts and manners, of their ancestors, as well as a record of their government, and of the heroic achievements of the kings and chieftains among them. History is only really valuable to a j)eople for the lessons it gives them of what their race has succeeded or has failed to do, — for the lesson it gives them in the capacities as well as the faults of the men whose blood is in their own veins to-day, and whose peculiar virtues and vices their descendants have probably inherited, and will perpetuate to the end of time. History is really valuable when it revives and strengthens the bond which connects tis with our fore- fathers, — the bond of sympathy, of respect towards themselves, — of pride in and emulation of their brave deeds and their love of country. We want to know not merely of the existence of the kings of ancient Erinn, but we Avant also to become acquainted with themselves, to be able to realize in our minds how they and their people lived. To do this, the historian must intro- duce us to their laws, to their social customs, to their mode of education, and, above all, to so much of their private life as sliall exhibit to us the relation in which the stronger and the Aveaker sex stood to one another ; in short, to the nature of the civilization of ancient Erinn in detail. Of this part of the historian's task I have no need to say more, than to allude to its importance. Long before any con- siderable amount of research can be applied to the other portions of our historical materials, we may expect the completion of the labours of that commission to which I have already alluded. We may expect then to have before us, with full translations, con- cordance, and notes upon every part of it, the great body of the laws of ancient Erinn. We shall have, in that vast collection, the most detailed information upon almost every part of ancient Gaedhelic life; and we shall find in it, besides, an immense number of what I may call anecdotes recorded (generally by way of example), which w^ll largely add to the amount of his- toric facts elsewhere to be found. By the light of this great Avork we shall also be far better able to understand the descrip- tions and allusions which, as I have already observed, make the 456 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. LECT. XXI. historic tales so vali^able to the historian, with respect to this ^r^v . department also of his labours. Of the use to -l , . . . ., ije made of Jb or the samc purpose an accurate examination must be made Tiues,— the'' of the various monuments, remains of buildings, of graves, etc., rem'ium — "^ and of the various ornaments, arras, and other works of art and and the Kc- manufacture, which have come down to us, with a view to dis- miss, cover, if possible, the era of each class, and the progress of the development which took place in them in successive ages. Lastly, as to the Christian period, the various ecclesiastical tracts I have already described to you at so much length, will supply, as you may readily understand, a vast quantity of valuable details of life and manners. Of other mis- I am sure I need hardly repeat that no part of these, the ne- inateriais ccssaiy preliminary labours ol' the Historian of Erinn, has ever o7E*inn."^'^ yet been completed, nay, even attempted. Still less has the attention of writers been directed to the equally indispensable investigation of the many soiu-ces of information likely to throw light on ancient Gaedlielic history and antiquities which are to be found in the books and MSS. of other coiuitries and in other languages than ours. I allude here not only to the various Anglo-Norman and British accounts of Ireland, from a period even before the twelfth century, but also to the Latin corres- pondence of many of the Irish saints at home and abroad, and, besides these, to the allusions to this island and her people, which are to be found in the classical writers, and which ought to be completely collected and considered for us as Amadee Thierry dealt with them "wath respect to some of the most inte- resting passages in the ancient history of France. I allude also to the valuable illustrations which must needs grow out of a proper investigation into the antiquities and history of all the other Celtic nations, in which so much has been done of late years in France and Germany. These labours completed, how easy would it not be to write at last a History of Erinn ! how easy, even now, to make a com- mencement of so grand a task, if the historical student were only first acquainted with the Gaedhelic Language, so as to be enabled to apply himself to the study of the MS. materials lying unopened, but in svich excellent preservation, in this very city ! It is very true that the critical examination of these vast mate- rials must demand much time, much labour, much knowledge, before it can be satisfactorily completed : but at least the mate- rials themselves are not wanting, as I hope I have by this time demonstrated to you ; rather they are, perhaps, more abundant than the ancient and cotemporary records of any other European country could supply. now THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTEN. 457 If I have succeeded in showing this much, I have done all lect. xxi. I had proposed to myself". I believe there was little idea, not ~~ only on the part of the general public, but even among educated sity for the literary men, that such a mass of valuable matter as that of which GaedheHc^^ I have endeavoured in these Lectures to describe the nature and language. extent, existed at all in the long-neglected GaedheUc tongue. If these Lectures shall have served but to make known to the future student and historian wliither he must go for really full and trustworthy information, and to what to apply himself, my object will have been completely accomplished. Of the various divisions in wliich I have treated the o-eneral subjects of these Introductory Lectmes, every one should properly form the subject of a separate course, in order to treat it with anything hke justice ; and if it please God to permit me sufficient opportunity, I hope on future occasions to develop them, one by one, in more satisfactory detail. In the mean- time, let me again assvu-e those who wovdd be students of Irish history, that their first necessity is to make themselves acquainted with the language ; for whatever may be done towards the translation and publication of the ancient MS. materials of Irish history, vast as is their extent, it must be perfectly clear that, without the assistance of a National Government (assistance certainly not to be hoped for in the present generation at least), the whole can never be given to the world. One thing only is wanted. We have, with some exceptions, a really good grammar of the Irish, in that of Dr. O'Donovan. We are not yet furnished of the want with an accurate and copious Dictionary. This want, however, ll.y_ ^"=''"°' there are now some hopes of seeing supplied in the course of a few years ; and immediate exertions would have been made upon the subject before now, were it not that the labours of the Brehon Law Commission must throw very great hght on the mean- mgs of the words and the structure of the language ; and wliile those labours are in progress, the preparation of an important part of a complete dictionary may be considered as constantly in progress too. A few years ago an influential Committee was appointed by the two Councils of the late Celtic and the Archgeological Society, to undertake the preparation of a dictionary, and my lamented friend, the late William Elliott Hudson, siibscribed £200*^^-^ to that Committee, towards the (^"-) Mr. Hudson, in fact, subscribed for £500 ; and, having intended to pay over tlie amount in cash to the Trustees of tlie Dictionary Fund (Lord Talbot de Malahide, tlie Rev. J. H. Todd, and Major-General Larcom), he made no provision for it in liis will. He did transfer to the Eev. Dr. Todd a sum of £200 stock, but his sudden death, which, unfortunately, took place a few days afterwards, prevented the completion of his design, and his representatives have not thought it mcumbent on them to fulfil his patriotic intentions out of the ample property which came to them by his decease. 458 HOW THE HISTORY OF ERINN IS TO BE WRITTE>\ LECT. XXI. accomplisliment of this great national object. T\Tien the Brehon ,^,,, . Law Commission shall liave completed its duties, that Com- Of the want . . . .J- ' . of a Diction- mittec wili iosc no time m pressmg on the work. The materials ^^' for a dictionary already collected are enormous ; they will by that time I hope be almost complete ; and money alone will be wanted to enable us to bring them into shape, and to publish them to the world. But though the sum required must be very considerable, I have yet but little doubt that Irishmen of wealth, and Irish Institutions especially interested in so great a literary undertaking, will feel it an honour to come forward, in imitation of Mr. Hudson's noble example, to assist in this patriotic enterprise.*^^^-* Conclusion ^ have detained you to-night, I fear, too long ; but I have now done. I will not attempt to express to you the delight I felt when first I learned the determination of the founders of this University to erect a chair for the cultivation of the history, the archaeology, and the language of Ireland ; and beheve me my satisfaction was far from being merely personal. I expected no less from the Catholic University of Ireland than that it should become the national institution for the education of our country ; and I felt that it peculiarly became a national Univer- sity to take the lead in this department of learning above all others. Let me add, that the hope that it will do so, and yet more effectively every year, forms the chief interest which an humble professor feels in the honourable position which he has been selected here to fill. (53) Even since the above Lecture was put to press, an important addition has been made to the fund commenced by Mr. Hudson's donation. Mr. John Martin, formerly of Loughorne, Newry, has placed at the disposal of the Com- mittee a sum of £200, which had been presented to him by the Irish inhabi- tants of Melbourne on his leaving Australia, after his release on the occasion of the amnesty accorded to some of the political exiles of 1848. Mr. Martin selected the enterprise midertaken by the Committee as one essentially patri- otic, while unconnected with mere pohtics. He has, however, annexed to his donation the condition that within a limited period the funds at the disposal of the Committee should be raised by other donations to the amount of £1000 in all ; and his invitation has already, I beheve, produced a further donation of XlOO from an Irish Literary Society (the Saint Patrick's) in Melbourne. APPENDIX APPENDIX. APPENDIX, No. I. [Lect. I., Page 2 ; (note (^')]. Of the pli and "PitToecc. The "word -pti is ordinarily translated, and properly, "poet". But tliat it was considei'ed by the learned in former times to signify strictly much more than this, will be seen from the following deri- vations of the word, taken from old ^ISS. of authority : 1. In Cormac's Glossary : — "Pill .1. p A nAei]A, ocui" ti A ihoLa-o in pti. jrili "oin .i. yiAt^'111, ^'Ai -peite. [Viti, i-e, poison (-p) is his sath-e, and beauty (b) is his praise, ■pi li, then, i.e., a ■pAl-ftn, i.e.., a ■pmireiLe, a professor of generosity or hospitality (fi'om the richness of the gifts of knowledge which he bestows).] 2. In the vellum MS., H. 2. 16. (T.C.D.) :— "Pill, 5l^^^' ■^ f^^ AmAcop, .1. i^ei]\ci-o ^ro^bomo. Ho pie .1. ii, p [.1. p] -jTopA Aeip. octi-p bi -popAe mobcAt). [Vibi, Gi'eek, afilo (philo), ^ amator^ ; i.e.., a lover of learning. Or Vibe, i.e.., p ti, that is -pi (poison) on his satire, and ti (beauty) on his praise.] 3. In the vellum MS., H. 3. 18. 16. (T.C.D.) :— pb .1. pAbpAi .1. -pAi 11 At); Ap Ani ip -p^Ab bAipn pbit) 1]^ l^eip, no poipcecAb ipn ngnAcbbepbA; conA "oe aca -peAbmAc, ocnp i:eAb-|"tib, ocu-j' pbi, ocui" pbi-oecc. tlo pbi .i. pi ocnp bi .1. p"i A omnA [a Aeipe] fAiiA ocnp bi a "OAnA. [pibi, i-e., a pAb-pAi (or -peAl-i-Ai), {i.e., a professor of poetry] ; for what is -jreAb A\'ith the poet is i'eif, or -poi-pcecAb [l^nowledge, or instruction], in the common language ; so that it is from that comes treAbtriAc [a son of knowledge or instruction, a pupil] ; and ^eAb-pub [a philosopher], and inti ; and pbi-oecc [the knowledge or profession of the ■pli]. Or pti, i.e., p and b, i.e., the poison of his satire upon him, and the beauty of his art [in laudation]. 4. In the veUum MS., H. 3. 18. 81. (T.C.D.) :— 1^1 be, 5l^^c, A pbo .1. Anio]\e ixienciAe. 116 pi l-i'i -i- p \o\\ A Aoip, ocuf bi fop A mobA-o. Tlo pAb bi .1. bi tiApAb nA peer n^pAT) pbi .i. obbAiii, An]AA'6, cbi, cAnA, "oop, niAc ptup- miT), pocbbAch. [Vibi, Greek ; a ''filo\ i.e., amove scientice. Or pi-bii, i-e., p [poison] on his satire, and ti [beauty] on his praise. Or p^t-ti, noble beaxity Of l]ie Fili T7 „i 1 ,„i and File- Foclllacll dec/it. 462 AFPKNDIX. [or gloss], i.e., the noble gloss [slieen, or beauty] of the seven orders of the poets, Ollamh, Anradh, Cli, Cana, Dos, Mac-Fnirmidh, 5. In the vellum MS., H. 4. 22. 67. b. (T.C.D.) :— pile .1. pAt-pui \.Ay 1 tnbiAC -petmAic .i. -|nii*6, ajaa ireAl X^Aiy inpte i]"ei-p no i:oi]\ce"OAt a-|")ti jnAcbejilA, coriA -oe aca ^etiTiAc, ocu]" -|:ett^"Ani ; pti ocu]" ptToecc .1. iio -pAltnAi^cA]! 1 pf fech riA tub. [pti, ^'-^M a itiaIi'ai [ji- professor of knowledge or mstrnction], with whom there are students ; i.e., a ym-6 [professor] ; for what is ■peAt with the pU is ye^y [knowledge] or -poipcecAl [instruction] in the ordinary language ; so that it is from that conies -petmAc and ■pell-i'Aiii ; irili and yibTDecc, i.e., he reigns [rules or governs] in know- ledge beyond any one else.] 6. In the vellum MS., H. 2. 15. 85. (T.C.D.) :— Ce]'c, CIA cpuch ot)obe]iAH ;gHA'OA ]:o]\ -pitex) ; Tlin. 'CAi]"benAX) a -oneccA -oo .i. 'oo oblAmAin, octi^^ bit) ha •pecc 5|AA-6o ^"ibe-6 occai, octi^^ ^Aibci iii ]wt^ iiia Iaii jpAt) cuccA, ocu]" moo -pocbAX) AjA in coitAm a-j" a '0]\eccAib ocui^ a]" A AnncAi, ocii]" A.yy TonA .i. TonA i:o-6bumA, ocu]' i*6nA beoit, ocui" TonA tAime, ocu]" tAnAmnm^", ocu-j" TonA inn]\Acui|' a-|\ JAiu, ocu-p b^Aic, octif in-obi jit), octi]" i-onA ctiiup nA poib acc Aen li-peing 1ai]", Ap At)bA'LAi]\ cpe coibbgi ciAbAip. [Question : In what form are degrees conferred iipon a poet ? Answer: He exhibits his compositions to him, that is, to an OJlamh [a Master of the arts of poetry, etc.] ; and he has the qualifications of each of the seven orders [of poets] ; and the king confirms him in his full degree, and in what the Olhimh reports of him as to his compositions, and as to his innocence and purity ; that is to say, purity of learning, and purity of mouth [from abuse or satire], and purity of hand [from bloodshedding], and purity of union [marriage], and purity of honesty [from theft and robbery and unlawfulness], and purity of body — that he have but one wife, for he dies [in dignity] through impure cohabitation.] 7. In the "Book of Lecain" (R.I.A.), fol. 155, a. (from an ancient Grammatical tract) : — "Piti .1. i:eAb]"Ai .1. [v'SAt] i^o^tAiin, octi]"i"Ai yogbiiiuAbepnini, lApi^Ani bit) I'o^bAincigi aici ic -[.'ogbAim .i. yeAbi^Ai, no pAb- ^'Ai. 11o p Ani AepA^', octi-p bi, Alii inobti]\ 1lo pbi oni i^" pbioi'opu-p .1. -peAbbi^Ain, Ap obijit) m pbi 50]iob ]:eAbbpAm. [pli, i.e., yeAl]-A^, i.e. [yeAl], is learning, and he is a doctor of learning, because of the fact that he has learners mth him at learn- ing, i.e., he is a learned master, or a generous master. Or p is what he satirizes, and ii is Avhat he praises. Or -pti is from the Avord Jiliosopus, i.e., a philosopher, because it is required of the poet that he be a philosopher.] And O'Flaherty, in his Ogijgia, adopts the term " philosopher" as APPENDIX. 463 the best translation foi' pb. " All those", he says, " who were in- app. i. structed in every liberal art, and those who by their wisdom con- suited the real advantage of their country, Avere called Fileadha ^nd rue- [pleAT)<.\], i-G; poets ; wherefore Fileadh [pleAX), or more correctly ' [O'F., Ogug. (Hely's Translation, voL 2, p. 72), pt. iii. ch. XXX. " Of the Irish Letters".] APPENDIX No. II. [Lect. I., Page 4.] Of Writing in Erinn before Saint Patrick's time. It is perhaps impossible, now, to arrive at any certain conclusion as to the nature of the writing in which the records were kept, and history, poetry, and literatiire preserved among the Gaedhils of Erinn, in the ages Avhich preceded the coming of Saint Patrick. In the absence of any known remains of the Avriting of the pre-Christian period, it may, indeed, be reasonably asked what reason there is to think or believe that the Gaedhils were at all acquainted with any form of written characters? Do we find any names still preserved in the Gaedhelic language and ancient writings for a book, parchment, writing, pen, ink, page, line, stave, etc., in use in or havmg refer- ence to these early ages? These are important questions, and I must confess that I have not paid so much attention to their consideration as to enable me to give any thing like a full or satisfactory answer to them. At the same time I must observe that I believe the subject to be one Avhich it is now too late to attempt to clear up ; so scanty are the remnants, and so widely dispersed, of our very ancient books, or rather of those copies of but a few Avhich have come down to us. Enough, how- ever, in my mmd, remains to show (at least I myself feel perfectly satisfied) that the pre-Christian Gaedhils possessed and practised a system of "WTfiting and keeping records quite different from and inde- pendent of both the Greek and the Eoman form and characters, which gained currency in the country after the introduction of (1) Tlie Latin text of OFlaherty is as follo-ns:— " r'ileadha J. Poeta? apud nos olim nominabantur dootrinas omnis liberalls esperti,et qui reip. sapientia sua coiisulebant I'.iide Fileadh quasi idem, ac pliilosophus. Philosophos poetarum nomine comprehensos indicat e Platonis scliola llaximus Tyrius, ( — Commodo Imperat. floruit — ) ; li, inqi;lt, re ipsa philosophi nomine autem poetse rem invidiosam ad earn aitem revocavunt, qucc populum adniodum demuleeat'. [" Ogtgia : seu lierum Hibernicarum C'hio- nologia (etc.); Auihore Rodkrico O'Fi.ahertt, Armigero ; Londini, ad insigne Navis, in Coemeteiio D. Pauli, a.d. 16S5". (p. 215).] 464 APPENDIX. Of the use of the Oghuim, on stone and on wood. In the Tciin bo Chuailgni. In the Tale of BailA Mac Buain. Christianity in the first part of the fifth century, if indeed they were not known here even a considerable time before that era. It is not my purpose here, however, to offer any opinion as to the characters in which the Saltair of Tara, and the Cin Droma Snechta Avere originally written; though I dare say it may have been but the modified Roman character of the time. But I may place before the reader a few references to another mode of writing, to characters which are repeatedly spoken of in all our old historical books, and of which numerous specimens (though in a limited form) have re- mained to astonish and puzzle the learned, even to this day. I mean the Oghuim characters, which are still to be seen in some of our oldest books, as Avell as on many stone monuments, the remote antiquity of which cannot, I think, be denied. It is not, however, to what is written in these books, or inscribed on these stones, in the Oghuim character, that I intend to call attention at present, nor even to all the numerous references to the writing of Oghuim to be met with in our most ancient books, that subject being now in the able hands of the Rev. Charles Graves, F.T.C.D.; but in the absence of more direct proofs it has occurred to me to refer the reader to a few passages of authority, by way of example, in which Oghuim "\\Titing is spoken of as having been employed to record historical events, and even sustained historical or romantic tales, among the Gaedluls, long before the supposed introduction of the Roman letter about the time at which the Gospel of Christ was brought among them by lettered scholars of continental education. Passing over, then, the frequent mention of the general custom of inscribing monumental stones with Oghuim characters and words, I shall briefly note a few instances in which this species of writing is spoken of as havuig been applied to a different purpose and in a different way. First, as regards the material in Avhich or upon Avhich the ante- Christian Gaedhils wrote, besides stone, we find it mentioned under four different names — CAtnlongA Vi'Li'6? that is. Staves of the Poets ; CAbAtl ■Lot\5A, Tablet Staves ; CAibli pb-o, Tables of the Poets (the same thing, though apparently a more modern form of the first name, evidently modified from the Latin Tabula, a word with which, nevertheless, I think, it can be showTi the former had originally no connection) ; and i:leA-pc pli, the Wand of the Poet. In the cAin "bo cViuAiljne (Avhich we have in a part of the Leahhar na h-Uidhre, a IMS. as old as 1106), we read in more than one instance of Cuchulainn having written or cut an Oghuim in hoops or wands, which he had placed in such places as that they should be found by queen Meave [iiieTab] and her army; and that when they were found, they Avere always carried to Fergus, the other great Ultonian champion, in the camp of the queen, to read and explain them, Avhich he Avas always able to do. There is, besides this, another very ancient tale, from which Ave may learn what Avas, at least so long ago as in the time of king APPENDIX. 4G5 Cormac Mac Art, believed to have taken i)lace at a period corres- app. ii. ponding to the very commencement of our common era — a romantic tale, indeed, yet even itself so far of authority that it is founded on ^^,,7/ facts in the main to be taken as true — of the loves and tragical J^«c Buain. death of Aillinn, the daughter of Fergus, and of Buile, the son of Buan (who was the sou of , the son of Capha^ the son of Cinga, the son of Ros, the son of Riidhraidhe, who was monarch of Erinn, and died am. 4981, that is, about 212 B.C.). This story is shortly as foIloAvs : — Bdile "the sweet-spoken" Avas the favourite lover of Aillinn, the daughter of Lugkaidh, son of Fergus Fairge, king of Leinster. There ap^^ears, however, to have been some impediment in the way of their union, and they proposed to hold a private meeting at Ros- na-Righ, on the south side of the Bojaie. Bcdle set out accordingly from Emania, and proceeded as far as Dun-Dealgan, now called Dundalk. While resting himself here he saw a fierce, forbidding looking man approaching from the south; and Baile sent to ask liim Avhence he came, and whither he was going. The stranger answered, that he was on his return to the mouth of the Bann from INIount Leinster, and that the only news he had was that the daughter of Lughaidh son of Fergus, who had been in love with BaiU Mac Buain, and was on her way to keep an appoint- ment vfiih. Mm, was overtaken by the men of Leinster and killed, or died in consequence of the violent detention to Avhich she was subjected, in fulfilment of the prophecies of the Druids and wise men, who foretold that they never would meet in life. The stranger then disappeared from them "like a gust of wind". The moment that Baile Mac Buain heard this he fell dead on the spot; and the tale relates that he was honourably biu-ied on the sea shore, whence that place derived its name of " the Strand of Baile', and that a yew tree shortly afterwards sprang up out of his grave, having the form of Bailees head on its top. In the meantime, as the princess Aillinn was sitting in her "sunny cham]:)er", the same fierce-looking man suddenly entei'ed it and in the same way he told his ' news' to the lady ; that he saw the Ulto- nians holding an assembly of lamentation, and raising a Raith, and erecting a flagstone, and ^vi'iting on it the name of Baile Mac Buain, who died there when going to visit a favourite lover of his ; for it was their fate never to see or meet each other in life. The man ' sprang away* then, and the lady Aillinn fell dead on the spot. She also was buried in the usual way, like her lover, and an apple tree, says the story, immediately sprang from her grave, and became a large tree in seven years, with the form of Aillinn' s head on its top. At the end of seven years the poets and prophets and seers of Ulster cut down the yew tree which was over the grave of Baile, and made it into a Taball Filidh, or Poets' Tablet, '•'• and they iviote", we are told, '■'■the Visions, and the Espousals, and the Loves, and the Courtships of Ulster in it". The same was also done to the apple tree 30 466 APPENDIX. Tale of aiU Mac Buain. nscribed talilets before the time of Art (A.D. 166). Ancient iillusions to the Tale of Baili Mac Buain. over the grave of Aillinn, and the Courtships, Loves, etc., of Leinster were written in it. Now, a long time afterwards, when Art, the son of Conn of the Hundred Battles, was monarch of Erinn (in a.d. 166), on the occasion of the great periodical feast of Samhuin, or November Eve, the poets and the professors of all arts came, as was the custom, and brought their tablets with them, and, among the rest, the tablets above mentioned; and the two tablets were brought to Art, and he had them in liis hands face to face. Suddenly, then, says this singular story, each tablet of them sprang upon the other, so that they became bound together in the same way as the Avoodbine to the green twig, and it was foimd imj^ossible to separate them. And they were thenceforth always preserved, we are informed, like all the other jewels, in the treasury at Tara, until the palace was burned by Danlaing, the son of Enna, king of Leinster, at the time that the maidens were killed by him at Tara. (This happened in the year 241, when Cormac the son of Art was monarch.) This singular legend of the growing together of the two tablets was most probably a poetical accoimt of some inscribed tablets of the time of King Art, which had at that early period become oblite- rated or inextricably clung together, very much as so many ancient leaves now in existence which belong to a period above a thousand years before our own. The value of the story for the purpose for which I cite it lies, of course, in the evidence it supplies of the exis- tence in Art's time of what Avas then believed to have been a very anciently Avritten book, and, of course, of the existence in and before Art's time, at least, of letters (Avhich some perhaps will say could not well have been Oghuim), among the pagan Gaedhils. [The Tale itself is altogether so curious, that as it is very short, I have thou.ght it advisable to add the text of it, as well as a litei'al translation, at the end of this Note (see pp. 472-474).] As the genuine antiqiiity of the history of the lovers alluded to in the tale must, of course, be a matter of the last impoi'tance to the value of the evidence supplied l^y it, I may give here from the conclusion of the two copies of it which I ha^-e met, short quotations which they preserve from ancient poems containing allusions to the trajjic fate of Baile Mac Buain and Aillinn: — " The apple tree of noble Aillinn, The yew of Baile, — small inheritance, — Although they are introduced into poems. They are not understood by unlearned people. •' And [Ailbhe'\ the daughter of Cormac, the grandson of Conn, said : — " What I liken Aluime to, Is to the yew of Edith Baile'; What I lilven the other to. Is to the apple tree of Aillinn. APPENDIX. 467 *' Flann Mac Lonan dixit : — app. ii. " Let Cormac decide Avitli proper sense, So that he be envied by the hosts ; anusf "ns to Let him remember, — the ilhistrious saint, — the xaie The tree of the strand of BaiU Mac Buain. Mac Huain. " Tliere grew np a tree under "which companies could sport, With the form of his face set out on it's chistering top; When he was betrayed, truth was betrayed, — It is in that same Avay they betray Cormac. " Cormac dixit : — Here was entombed the son of White Buan". ***** The first two stanzas of these quotations in the Tale (as given in H. 3. 18) are taken from a most ancient and singular poem, pre- served in the Book of Leinster (H. 2.18. T.C.D.), known indeed from the context thei'e to have been Avi'itten by Ailbhe, the second daughter of king Cormac Mac Art, but directly ascribed to her in the MS. in the British jSIuseum, from which I have taken these ex- tracts. (Harleian, 5280, p. 75, and H. 3.18. T.C.D., p. 47 ;— but Ailbhe is not mentioned by name in the lattei-.) The poem in the "Book of Leinstei-" consists of nine stanzas; and in the absence of any direct historical reference to the occasion of its composition, I am inclined to believe, from the allusions in it, that it was Avritten on the occasion of the elopement of King Cor- mac's elder daughter, Grainne, ^yiih one of the lieutenants of Fimi Mac CumhaiU, Dermot O'Duibhne, the famous Adonis of the Fenian Tales. The fate of Dermot was tragical on account of this elope- ment ; but if these stanzas have reference to him, they were written before that event, and while he was yet with his fair one traversing the country to escape the vengeance of his offended commander. [I have thought it right to insert this curious poem also, with a literal translation, at the end of this Note (see pp. 476, 477).] The verses quoted from Mac Lonan (chief poet of Erinn, who died A.r>. 918), are exceedingly ciu-ious, as they appear to have been ad- dressed to the Holy Cormac MacCuilen7uiin, King and Archbishop of Cashel, Avho was slain in the battle of Magh Ailbhe in the year 903. The allusion in Mac Lonan's verses to the betraj^ed of Baile Mac Buain could not possibly bear on any event in King Cormac's life but that of his betrothal to, and subsequent repudiation of, the cele- brated princess Gormlaith, daughter of Flann Sionna, the Monarch of Erinn, and his entering into holy orders and becoming Arch- bishop of Cashel afterwards. Whether Cormac's breaking off the match with the monarch's daughter was occasioned by any malig- nant slanders, by motives of policy, or, as it is stated in a poem ascribed to himself, by a simple desire to enter the Church, I am not in a position to say; but Mac Lonan's allusions certainly lead us to believe that such events did not occur without some deep intrigues, of which, however, no precise accoimts have been hitherto dis- 30 B 468 APPENDIX. App. II. covered. It will have been seen that Cormac wrote some verses, in ~~ answer, I should suppose, to Mac Lonan ; but of these, unfortunately, cientVse'of Only one line remains, and that only in the copy of the tract pre- Ts^effTvia' served in the MS. H. 3.18. T.C.D. tohy Cormac That Kinp; Cormcic MacCailenndin was versed in the knowledge of niHii ^ ' ^^^^ Oghuim writings, as well as in that of the current literature of his day, may be gathered from an allusion in a poem, written by the Cormac Mac same Mac Lonan, Avhere, in pajdng compliments to many of the versed in kings and chiefs of Erinn, his contemporaries, he devotes the fol- oghuim. lowing stanza to Cormac : " Cormac of Cashel with his champions, Munster is his, may he long enjoy it; Around the king of Raith BicUj are cultivated The Letters and the Trees".*^^^ The '"Letters" here signify, of course, our present Gaedhelic alpha- bet and writings; but the "Trees" can only signify the Oghuim letters, which were named after certain trees indigenous to the country. Cormac himself, in his Glossary, often speaks of the Oghuim writ- ing, as having been in use among the older pagan, as well as the latter Christian Gaedhils ; as at the word Fe, which he explains to mean a pole or rod with which bodies and graves were measured, and which he says was ahvays left in the cemetery, and in which the people " wrote in Oghuim whatever Avas hateful or detestable to them". Tale of the Another early example of the use of Oghuim occurs in an ancient Mif8^of°z>!af Tale, called Loinges Mac nDuil nDermait, or the " Exile of the Sons Dermaie. of DuM Dermctit" ; an Ulster story of the time of Concohhar Mac Nessa (who flourished at the time of the Incarnation). In this tale we are told that three personages mentioned in it disappeared mys- teriously, and that Cuchulainn was enjoined to discover them. It is stated that he accordingly went from the palace of Emania to his own town of Dun-Dealgan (or Dundalk), and that, Avhile taking counsel with himself there, he observed a boat coming to land in the harbour. This boat, it seems, contained the son of the king of Alhain (Scotland), and a party, who came with presents of purple, and silk, and drinking cups for king Conor. Cuchulainn, however, was at the moment in an angry mood, so that he entered the boat and slew aU the crew till he came to the prince liimseh". The tale then proceeds : — ^nmAin mnAnm^jin a CucubAinn, if hac ACA-o^enAniAp, G]i-pe. In f?ecAp cit) -piic cpi mAccu 'Ouib 'OepmAic a]' a rip, o]\ CuctibAinn. nicon|.-ecAp ob in coctoec, acc aca mu]i-in"oetb bim ocu)" -pocicepcAp 'oeicpti, octif pocbiA in cupAC, ocu'p ni i-oicbeA An]:ip x)e. 'Oo bepc CucubAinn a ■pteijin X)6, ocn-p "oo fopne o^um ninx). (2) COIMDAC CxMpL COHA CUpi, bei]' niiinni, co|\ nietA ; U]\A5. ^on mAC btiAin, "bAiie, bA fAinfe]\c j^eoin -oi Aibtinn injen btij-OAC mic 'Pe^AjiifA ^Aipje. Ho -oinpii CoJAin mic *Oaci, octif bA i'Aini'e]Ac -oo jAcb Aon a-oci-o, ocii]' -00 ctuinet), et)ip ppu octif mnA Ap a upi^^ebAib, copo "OAibf ec coip coiiroe Ag 1lof iTA II15, occ LAinn IllAob-ouib, a]\ bpii boimie bpej. Uauiic in ]:ep AC11A15 -oia coppAccAin o 6niAin IIIaca cAp APPENDIX. 473 StiAt) "PiiAT), rA]\ 111ti]\cemiiie co U^^aij mt)Ai'Le. Ho rtipiiAic app. ir. A CA]\]0AC, ]\o ci.i]uc Aiieic -|:oi\ e^\ ingetc, "oo jnii^ec Ainei" ocMy ~~ Ai'bne]\ Baii^ AnibACA]\Ann conAccArA]\ elpAic iiac1iiiia^\ en-OAine cucca '^'^'"^ ^""*"' Aii'oe'p, bA ■oiAii A ceiiii ocu^- a ciAtiAix) imcecc, nieice lAi-p ha -pAicex) in CAtmAiii Anuvit y^^e -["eij "Oi Aibb, 110 jaoc "Oi ^Ia^" iiiui]\. A cte y\\^ z\]\. A]\<\ C11T0, A^ uAite, conpA]\-|:Ai5e "oe cto cet) no CAnA-]' CAinic, no CIA yAic a cinnenui]\ T)! ITviA^ 1nbe^\ ceigim ajaai]" 1.10C1.IA15 Anof a o ShtiAb SiiToe "Lai jen, ocvif ni y\.u1 -co -p^etAib tunn acc ingen l/Ug-oAc inic pe^A^nivx cue 51k\-o x)i OAite iiiac QuAin, ocn-p cAinic x)ia coinx)e, CO pnci'Au 615 LAigen ]:vi]\]\i, ocni' iiiA]\bAic in yo yoy- CA"o, AniAib ]\o ^ebbi'AC •o]\Ai*6e, ocii]' "oe^ivvi-oe -ooib, nA coni- 1\Aic"oi-p AnibecAi^, octi^^ con]\ic|'A"OT|" ia^|\ nA mbA-|% ocni^ nAc •)xe|roAi|" q\iA bicti. 1pAc pn mo ixetA. Ocu]^ nuiixei-oe UAib, mA]\ I'l^e 5Aif e ca^ ^bA^' nni!]\, ociii^, nipcA]\ cuimgec a popcAX). Oc ciiaIa iDAibe AniTj^m "oo i:uic mA]\b cm AniiiAin, ocii]' cbAi-ocei^ A i--ei\c, ocnp a llAir, ocnp pAice]\ a biA, ocup -oigni- che-|A A AonAch ^nbcv La bllbcti. •<:\ci.ip a^ai^ 1p1ni]\ c]ma nA bi^e conibA ^eib yu Buan's only son was Baile; he was the specially beloved of AilUnn, the daughter of Luyhaidh, son of Fergus Fairge''^ (or [as some say] the daughter of Eoghan, the son of Dathi) ; and he was the specially beloved of every one who saw or heard him, both men and women, on account of his novel stories. And they [himself and AilUnn'] made an appointment to meet at Ros na Righ, at Lann Maolduibh, on the [south] brink of the Boimi [Boyne] in Bregia. The man [^BaiW] came from the north to meet her, from Emuin Macha, over Sliabh Fuaid,'-^> over Muirtheimhne^-'' to Truig/i niBaile [Dundalk]. Here (5) Rudhraighe. — He was monarch of Erinn, and died a.m. 4981, according to the Annals of the Four Masters. (6) Dal mBuain, Dal Cuirb, and the Monach, were the tribes descended from the three grandsons of Capha, and the territories which bore their names were situated iu the present county of Down. (7) Fergus Fairgi.—'He was the son of Nuadhat Necht, monarch of Erinn, who was slain A.M. 5090 [Four Masters], or one hundred and three years before the Christian era. APPENDIX. 475 they unyoked their chariots, sent their horses out to graze, and turned tliem- ^pp_ jj^ selves to pleasure and happiness. While there, they saw a horrible spectral personage coining towards them from Tale of thejsouth. Vehement Avas his step and his rapid progress. The manner in BaiU which he sped over the earth miglit be compared to the darting of a hawk ^'^"'^ Buam. down a cliff, or to wind from off the green sea. His left was towards the land [he was coming from the south along the shore]. Let him be met, said Baile, to ask him where he goes, and where he comes from, and what is the cause of his haste. To Tuagh Inbhcr [the Mouth of the River Bann] I go back, to the north, now, from Sliubh Suidhe Laiyhen [now " Mount Leinster"] ; and I have no news but of the daughter oi Luijkaidh, son of Fergus, who had fallen in love with Baile Mac Biiain, and was coming to meet him, until the youths of Leinster overtook her, and she was killed by the forcible detention [i.e., lost her life for having been detained] ; as it was promised [foretold] by druids and good proi)hets for them, that they would not meet in life, and that they would meet after their deaths, and that they would not joart for ever after. This is my news. And he darted away from them Uke a blast of wind over the green sea, and they wei'e not able to detain him. When Baile heard this, he fell dead without life, and his tomb was raised and his Edith ; and his tombstone was set up, and his fair of lamentation [assembly for games, etc., in honom* of a deceased personage] was held by the Ultonians. And a yew grew up through his grave, and the form and shape of Bailees head was visible on the top of it, unde Trdigli mBaile. AfterAvards the same man went to the south to where the maiden Aillinn was, and went into the grianan [sunny chamber]. Whence comes the man that we do not know ? said the maiden. From the northern half of Erinn, from Tuagh Inbher, and [I go] past this place to Sliabh Suidhe Laighen. Have you news'? said the maiden. 1 have not news worth relating now, but that 1 have seen the Ultonians holding a fair of lamentation, and raising a Raith, and erecting a stone, and writing his name, to Baile Mac Buaiu, the Righ-dhamhna [royal heir] of Ulster, by the side of Trdiyh Bhaile, [who died] whilst he was coming to meet a favourite and beloved woman to whom he had given love ; for it is not destined for them that they should reach each other alive, or that one of them should see the other alive. He darted out after telling the evil news. Aillinn fell dead without life, and her tomb was raised, etc. [as before in the case of Baile^. And an apple-tree grew through her grave, and became a great tree at the end of seven years, and the shajie of Aillinn's head upon its top [that is, the top, as in Bailees case, took the shape of Aillinn's head and face.] At the end of seven years, poets and prophets and visioners cut down the yew which was over the grave of Baile, and they made a poet's tablet \_Taball Filidh'] of it, and they wrote the visions, and the espousals, and the loves, and the courtships of Ulster in it. [The apple-tree which grew over Aillinn was also cut down and] in the same way the courtships of Leinster were written in it. When the November-eve (Sa/;//i«m)had arrived, (long) afterwards, and its fes- tival was made by Art, the sou of Conn, the poets and the professors of every art came to that feast, as it was their custom, and they brought their tablets with them. And these Tablets also came there ; and Art saw them, and when he saw them he asked for them ; and tlie two tablets were brought, and he held them in his hands face to face. Suddenly the one tablet of them sprang upon the other, and they became united the same as woodbine around a twig, and it was not possible to separate them. And they were preserved like every other jewel in the treasm-y at Tara, until it Avas burned by Danlang, the sou of Enna, namely, at the time that he bm'ned the princesses at Tara. Ut dicitur : "The apple tree of noble AilUnrC (etc., as supra, p. 4G6). (8) Sliahh Fiiaid.—'E Midi's Mountain, a mountain near Kewtownhamilton, in the county of Arinagh. (9) Muiriheimhne, or ^fagh Muirtheimhne, an ancient plain which extended from Drogheda to Dundalk andCarlingford. 476 APPENDIX. APR. II. [Original of the Poem o/Ailbhe, daughter o/Cormac Mac Airt, from Poem by *^^^ ' "^^^^ °^ Leinster', (MS. H. 2. 18., T.C.D.) fol. 105. a.b. (see Aiioh^, ante, p. 467).] daughter of Cormac a ^ ^ i Mac Airt. Ailoe injeti Cno]\iTiAic mic ^i]\c, cecmic. tlA]\ in t<\ce -00 'Liimttiine Itteic teinne icAi^e Ain, 1-p tiA]i dt) "o'lngm 11 Chuint), ■poitcej" A moin^""- Altomg Iaui 1f i^Mf fAmtAim toinlAine X\(\ IIda^^ 11aca bAite 'P^iicoc-i^Amto]^ A UheuiiA, PH1-|- in AbAiit A li-Ate.* -AbAtt Atinni A^xo^ IbA^i bAibe bee no]\bbA, ^'"^ Ce "oo be|ACA|\ ibtAi-oe, tlif cviCAC "OAine bo]\bbA 1]' \\\^X fAmbAim tomUxme "P^;! IDAiii '0tjbA]icAc 'O^M^iien'o, IPincocfAmtA^i A UheunA, P]\i 6itce 'OjAOinmA 'Oju^nent) ^X Vl^r r<^i' to, 2C0.) To the Yew of jRdith Baile, To what I liken his Tethna Is to the Apple-tree from Ale* The apple-tree of high Ailimi, The Yew oi Baile of little land. Though they are put into poems, Ignorant people do not understand them. It is what I liken Lomlaine^^i to, To the dark-shaded Buck of Drigrend, What I hken his Tethnd^-^ to Is to the does of Dromm Dri(/nendS^^> It is what I liken Lomlaine to. To beautiful White-hazle rods, What I liken Tethna'^-> to Is to the shadows of the top of milk. O! Lumlaini'^^' hast thou reached To Lee ddBhearg^^*^ at Sriibh Brain?'^^1 I have reached Ferta Maghen^^^> By Suidke Lag/ien,^^^) on the east. * i, e. from Ailinn. (11) I have to express my regret that I am quite unahle to trace either the history or alhi- sions of this singular poem. There is an explanatory note in the margin of the old book, but, most unfortunately, tlie ink is so decayed and injured by friction that it is illegible for any satisfactory purpose. Who tlie person called Lumluini, Lumlaini, or Lomlaini, was, I am at a total loss to know. The name appears to have been a familiar one, or descriptive, com- pounded of hmi. or lorn (bare), and UmU, or laini (pleasure, merriment); so that the name ■would signify the bare and cheerful man. — an appellation somewhat borne out by the line which follows, which represents him as pursuing his sports in ' half a cloak'. This, I admit, is but taking the component parts of the name at their ordinary value; and such a process does not at all, in every case, applj' to the better understanding of the real name of an unknoANTi personage. It is singular, liowever, that there really was such a family name in Ireland as O' Lumhani, as will be seen from the following entries in the Annals of the Four Masters, at the following years : — A.D. 1170. " Corbmac Va LumUiini, the chief professor [or master] of Cluain Ferta Brenainn [Clonfert], the sole remains of the professors \i. e., the last of the great scholars] of Erinn in his time, died". A.D. 12.59. " Corbmac Ua Luimluinn, Bishop of Cluain Ferta Brenainn [Clonfert], and high sage of Erinn, died; a saintly senior of long age". (It may be presumed that the bishop was son to the professor, and tliat the famil)- was a literary one.) (12) Tethna — Whether tliis is a real personal name, or a name only descriptive or figura- tive, I confess myself unable to determine. It must be a proper name, or else an abstract noun substantive expres.sing some property or quality of Lomluine himself. In the second and fourth stanzas, by placing the possessive pronoun 'a' (his) before ^Tethna\ the word is made to signify some appendage, or beloved object, of Lumhiine; but in the tifth stanza, this pronoun is left out, and the emphatic suffix (.s^) inserted to till \\\) the measure ; thus leaving the word Tethna an independent noun, and apparently a proper name. No such name, however, ha.9, to my recollection, come under my notice before. (1-3) Dromm Drignend — The mountain ridge of Drirjnend; a place unknown to me. (14) Lee Cor Leac) Da Bhearg. near, or at Srubh Brain; its situation is unknown to me. (1-3) Srubh Brain, or Bran's Stream.— There were two places of this name in Erinn; one in the west of Ken-y, and one in the north of Ulster. It is to the latter that our poetess refers ; and the following note, fuiTiished by Dr. John O'Donovan to the late Rev. Dr. Matthew Kelly's translation of Cambrensis Everstcs, .shows that the name and situation are still known : — "Srubh Brain, now Shruve-Brin, or Stroove-Brin. It is the name of a well-known place in the north-east extremity of the barony of Inishowen, in the county of Donegall. AVater oozes from the bank, and forms a well, near high water mark '—Ca/n6. Ev., vol ii., p. 786, note 20. According to Dr. iveating, who quotes from the ancient Book of Cluain Eidhnech, the' diocese of Rath Bhoth (Raphoe) extended from Eas Ruaidh (Ballyshannon) north and east, along the sea, to Srnbh Brain, and from Cam Olas (Green Mound) to Sruibh Brain. And Dr. John O'Donovan, in a note to the Annals of the Four Masters, a.d. 1417, p. 832, says:— 478 APPENDIX. APP. II. Poem by AiJhhe, daughter of Cormac Mac Airt. (circa A.i). 260.) O ! Lumlainc, urge me not onwards, That I be not touched by a MescJiohi Muaid,''^' Were it not for Leca Lugdach Lis,'^^^> Eoiii Bic BaiW^^> would be in existence. The heart-love of my softest desire, The daughter of Tara's king, in the North ; And the beloved of my soul are The young warriors of cold AlnihainS^'^^ " It is quite evident that it (Cam GlasJ is the hill now called the Tops, which is situated on the boundary of the diocese of Deiry and Kaphoe, and between Raphoe and Donoghraore. Donoghmoi-e Cluirch stands to the right of the road, as you go from Stranorlar to Castlefiii, within one mile of the latter". Struve Point is marked on Beaufort's Ecclesiastical Map, inside Inishowen Head, on the bay which forms the entrance to Loch Feabhaill (Luugh Foyle). (This Loch Feabhaill it.self derives its name from Feabhall, the son of Lodan, the father of Bran, one of the Taatha Di Danann.) (16) Ferla Maiglien. — This name would signify the Graves of the Field, that is, of some particular field, or place. In our ancient laws, Maighin diyhona signified an inviolable enclo- sure surrounding a man's liouse. (17) Suidhe Laighen, — now Mount Leinster, in the county of Wexford, on the east side of which Ferla Maighen must have been situated, according to our text. Suidhe Laighen is believed to signify the Seat, or Sitting-place, of the people of Leinster, at some of their great meetings. There can be no doubt, I think, that this mountain was the same as the Sliabh Suidhe Chonchorb (fol. 24 of the Book of Leinster), or, more properly, Sliabh Uight Chonchorb, that is, the Mountain of Ctichorb's Fate, or Death, as it is called also in the same Book, at fol. 241. [See Note on Cuchorb, and Aleadhbh's Elegy, at the end of this Appendix (p. 480).] (18) Meschoin Mnaid. — Leca Lugdach Lis. — Etiin Bic Baile. Although these words are all intelligible in their direct and ordinary signification, )-ct it would be totally impossible for any one to discover, without some explanation, what connection they coultl have with tlie present te.Kt. This explanation has come to light, in whole or in part, very unexpectedly, in several distinct places, none of them in direct connection with the poem, tliougli one of them has reference to it. The first place in which the explanation is found is in the ancient vellum ilS. chiefly consisting of Laws, (class H. 3. 18. T.C.IJ.), a volume which has been already so often referred to in the course of these Lectures. At page 4 of this volume, in the lower margin, and apart, of course, from any connection with the laws, is to be found this very stanza of our poem which requires the explanation, with some curious variations of the text, and an interlined gloss, which, however, is not affected by the difference of text. The verse runs as follows: — Flann of Line, urge me not onwards, That I be not deluded by a JiIeschoin(.a) Muaidh(b) \\^eve it not for Leca Lugdach Liss(c) Eiiin Bic Baile(d) would be in existence. TlA'o i\ocb]\eccA'o me^'coiii (a) iiniAit)(6) triAinbA'o teACA ttig'OAch 'Liff(c) e6iii bice \)■cs.^'ie(d) nocbeicif. The gloss (on the preceding words) is as follows :- (a) barren, [impotent.] (6) a jealous man. (e) blushes and disgrace. (<0 a kiss, and a strumpet. (a) Tnefcoin .1. "oibixAi (i) niuATO .1. -pep ecAi'O (c) beACA buj'OAc bif]' .1. iwiici ocu-p A1C1f (AiiA. Ocii]" ip 111 nie'o'b pti -DO ■|Aoine 111 ■niA|\iiAi'oli -00 Comcopb mcAn -po tiiopbAT) he. Ag -pAfnni) riA cboici -pi -pop bigi Concopp ic Sbeib tliTbe Concopb ip Aim x>o peine JTlet)b in niAphnAi-o op-opAic. The strength and power of this Meadhbh [Meave] was great over the men of Erinn ; lor it was she that would not permit any king in Temair [Tara] without his having herself as wife. And it was by her was erected the royal Rdith by the side of Temair, namely, Rdith Madhbhe{20) [Meave's Raith]. And she built a choice house witliin that Rdith, in wliieh kings, and the chief maaters {Ollamhs) of every art used to assemble. And it was that Meave that composed the death song for Cuchorb when he was killed. At setting uj) the stone which is upon the grave of Cuchorb at Sliubh Uidhe Clioiichorb it was that Meave composed theadmirabledcath-song: — mAcc tllejAcopbb celAp ctu, CunpepAp cpii 'OAnA jAib, Alb UApA bigl bA I1AC, bAplAI'Oe cblAC tJAp CblU lllAlb. Moghcorb's son conceals renown, Well sheds he blood by his spears ; A stone over his grave, — 'tis a pity- TV ho carried battle over Cliii MdilS^^) because his foster-father was a carpenter. The Fdl mentioned here was the Lia Fail, the ancient stone on wliich the inonarchs were crowned at Temair {incorrectly supposed, as my readers are aware, to have been afterwards taken from Erinn to Scone, in Scotland, and thence into England; incorrectly, for the stone so long in Westminster Abbey, upon which the English kings are crowned, whatever stone it may have been in ancient times, is now known for certain not to have been the celebrated Lia Fail). (19) Almfiain. — Now the Hill of Allen, in the county of Ivildare, the ancient residence and patrimony of Finn Mac Cumttaill; and the warm ailusion to it in the te.xt may, perhaps, be taken to Kive some countenance to the idea that Finn, or some one of his warriors, was implicated in the adventure, whatever it was, with King Cormac's daughter. (20) Baitti Meidftbtii.—This great old rath or fort remains still a conspicuous object, on an eminence a little south by east of the Hill of Tai'a. (21) Cliv, Mdel.—Cliu was an ancient district in tlie barony of Coslea, in the county of Limerick. It received the addition of Mael from Mat, the son of the monarcli UgaiiU Mdr having been slain there. (22) At/i Fiim Fail.—'' The fair (or white) Ford of Fdl". This place is not known to me; but it must, I think, have been situated in Leinster, and probably near the shore, or island of Beg Erinn (which was anciently called hiis Fail), in the bay of Wexford. APPENDIX. 481 t11o|\i5 All, ni t\Ai'oet) goe b^ •oe]\b A 0)\oe in cec nAi|\c ; "OubiTd^x ^1 b|\t\ri A bi\«xe, Jibi-oijA A cneff 1\A liAet, A^\6eii |\o conciAjiiuMf a|\ CAe, • he raised a contest ; Alas, that destruction has come on the son. [The son, etc. APPENDIX, No. III. [Lect. I., Page 5, note ''>'\. Three Poems Tlivce Poems hii *Ovil!)tAc 11 A tuTTAiii, Chief Poct of the Monarch A.D. 4o2), on the trmmjjhs of of Duhhthach Ua Lugair ; (A.D. 430.) LAeJAi]\e (loho fiourished GniiA Ceni^elAC and his son C]\inicAnn, Icings of Leinster (from tlie Book of Leinster [H. 2. 18., T.C.D.], fol. 25). •oublicliAcli .b. U13A111. cc. AiTO]'ii immAixbAig im lAjmb, "Lacu^x i:e|\t)A, lAbixAiT) bonji'ec i\oinAiAb Cliob- CAC, 1 CtiAini cenbA. DUBHTHACH THE SON OF LUGAIR CECINIT. It is difficult to contend with Lein- stermen, In manly actions. Lahhraidh Loinc/sech'-^^ it was that killed Cobkthach At Tuaim Tenba. village and lands of Horetown, as -u-ell as many other lands that we meet with, not set forth in this note; and also, of one corn mill, and fulling mill, called Fonck's mill, and the advowson and right of presentation to the church and rectory of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of Horetown, otherwise Maghmaine. It was found in another Inquisition, taken at Wexford, the 17th of August, 16-tl, that Mat." Fitz-IIarris, late of Mackmayne, in the county of Wexford, and Anstace, his wife, had been seized, during the term of their lives, of the village and lands of Mackmayne. And again, on the Kilth of April, 1641, in the same place, it was found that Mat. Fitz Harris had been seized in his lifetime of the manor of Maglimayne, and of the ■\illage and land of Maghmayne. (Horetown, I may state, is now, or was lately, the seat of William GofF, Esq. ; it is situated on the old road leading from New Ross to Wexford, and about three miles south-west of Taghmon. See Leieis' Topographical Dictionat-y.) (2-5) Glainse CricM, literally, "the boundary stream". — This stream was situated in the county of Kildare, and formed the eastern boundary of an ancient territory which extended from it to a place called Vada, in Laighis (Leix), in the present Queen's County. {Book of Lecain, fol. 93, 109.) (26) Bernas (ubi Laighes Etta M6r).—Beriias means, literally, a Gap in a Hill. Laighis is the present district of Leix, in the Queen's County; and Reta M6)\ Great Reta, or Magh Reta, was the name of an ancient plain in that county. The name is still preserved under thelAnglicized form of ' Jlorieh', and is a manor in the barony of Portnahinch, adjoining the great Heath of Maryborough, in the Queen's County. (See O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Mastei's, a.m. 3529, note 9.) (27) ifo!i?jd— Cm signifies a Hound; Corh (or, more properly Corp) "signifies Body; hence, Cii-chorp, Hound's body. Corbmac Mac Cuilenndin gives a different meaning to Corb: that of " corrupt", or " chariot" ; but neither of these could well be compounded with Cm. (28) Gailian ; an ancient name of Leinster. (29) Labhraidh Loingsech.—llo killed the monarch Cobkthach Gael, his own grand-uncle, A.M. 46.58, and assumed the sovereignty himself Labhraidh was born in Leinster. Tuaim Tenba, where this occurrence took place, is the place long known as DinnRigh. It is situated in the townland of Ballyknockan, a quarter of a mile to the south of Leithghlinn Bridge, on the west bank of the river Barrow, county of Carlow. (;W) Eochu Ce7iselach.— His surname of Censelach Giterally foul-laugh, according to our old etymologists) was applied to EochtCs father, Enna Censelach, and not to himself. His father was king of Leinster ; and, to secure his fealty, the monarch Niall, when come to the supreme throne in a.d. 379, insisted on having the yoiuig prince Eochu placed in his hands as a hostage. The prince, however, soon escaped to his own country ; and years afterwards, when Niall made his last expedition to the continent, he was followed in disguise by this Eochu, who found an opportunity of killing him with a dart, with which he shot him, across the river Loire, in the year 405. APPENDIX. 483 0OCU CeiifelAc niAC GniiAi, bA ]\] -[aacIkvcIi, A]\ iigemile-o jiaII in A|AbA^'CA]\ niAlL niAc eduxcVi. Ifci'o lliiAnn necc tiu\c SecriAi, SAe\\ A bl111AT>, 'RonK\i\b ©ce^xi^ceL rtiAC OojAin, x\]\-D]\i5 tlUiniAn. ^yc^X) 1i:e]\-^i\f niAC II615 ni UirAil'), n All 511 1' njAlniAiA, ■AltlLt niAC llOfA llUAIT), ■pilAll^ 'OA WAlAbAT). llA C|\1 1UlAT)-C111"0 bAT)! tAJIllb, bAecTJA inc^^obAiig, •mA]\bfAc bugATO* ocuf ConAi|\e, OCU^' COIIAbb. ei\c iriAC CAi]\piM cboci\i 1ie^\en'o, ConA uii]\Ain'o, reiTo inbAi\i\-piTO beiicAif a ceiro "Oe CoinciibAHTO. of Duhfi/hach Ua Luriair (A.D. 4^0.) : Eochu Censelach ""^"^ the son of Eima, ^pp_ jjj Was a prosperous king ; '- After INiall] liaving bound hostages, Three Poems he [Eofhit-] killed Niall The son of Echaidh. And Nuadhu Necht,<'^^'> also, the son of Sctna, Noble his origin, He killed Ederscel, the son of Eo- f/han The high king of Munster. And Ferghus Mac Roigh, ^^-^ also, of the Ultonians Of the gallant deeds, It was AiUll, the son of Ros Ruadh, He found to kill him. The three Red-heads' ^^' were of Lein- ster, A valiant cluster : They killed Lughaidh* and Conaire And Conall. Ere, the son of Cairpri,^^*^ famed king of Erinn, With his multitude. Stoutly the Fair-haired one cut his head Off Cuchulainn. * i.e., [Lughaidh'], the redstreaked. * .1. iMAbiToe|\5. (31) Nuadhu Nechl. — He was the son of Setna Siihbhaic, kingof Leinster, and slew the mo- narch Eterscel at Ailinn (near Kilcullen, in the present county of Kildare), a,m. 5089, when he assumed the monarchy himself. (32) Ferghus Mac Eoiffh.~He was son to Ros Ruadh, and grandson of Rudhraidhe, monarch of Erinn, who died a.m. 4981. Fergiis was one of the most celebrated of the Knights of the Royal Branch of Ulster; hut, after the treacherous death of the sons of Uisneach, for whose safety he was guarantee, he passed in disgust into Connacht, where he was well received by Queen Meadhhh (Jleave) and her husband, Ailill, who was the second son of another Uos Ruadh, the king of Leinster. He was subsequently slain, at the request of AiliU, by Lughaidh, that prince's brother, through jealousy. He was called Ferghus Mac Roigh from his mother, Roich. (3-3) Tlie three Red-heads.— AXfhowga. these " Red-heads" are set down here as Leinstermen, it is stated, in an ancient account of the death of Conall Cernach, that they were of the Erneans of Munster Lughaidh Riabh-nderg, monai-ch of Erinn, died, a.m. 5191, of gi-ief for the death of his wife, Derbhfhorgaill, daughter of the king of Lochlainn (according to the Annals of Clonmacnois and other authorities). I have never read anywhere but here that he fell by "the three Red-heads". Neither is it mentioned in the very ancient account of the death of the monarch Conairi M6r (a tale known as Bruighen Da Derga), that he fell by the Red-heads, although they are introduced into the story as messengers of ill omen to him. Conaire met his death at tlie place now called Bothar na Bruighne, near Tamhlacht (or Tal- lacht)inthepresentcountyofDublin, at the hands of British and Irish outlaws, A.M. 51G0. Conall Cernach, one of the celebrated Knights of the Royal Branch of Ulster, retired in his advanced age to the court of AiliU and Meadhhh (Meave), at Cruachain, in Connacht. Here he was well received, until the queen, in a moment of jealousy, incited him to avenge her wrongs on her husband, AiliU. The old warrior threw a spear at the king, which inflicted upon him a mortal wound. Conall fled then, but was pursued by the three " Red-heads", who, at this time, were in the pay oi Aillill. They soon overtook and beheaded him, after which they carried his head into West Munster, in revenge for the death of Curoi Mac Dairi, king of that country, who had been shortly before slain by Cuchulainn and the Ulstermen. (34) Ere the son of Cairjm.— Caii-pri Niafer was king of Erinn for a short time, at or about the Incarnation ; but he is not counted among the Jlonarchs. It was his son Ere that beheaded Cuchulainn after the great slaughter of Muirtheimhni, and it was in revenge of this act that his own head was cut otf afterwards by Conall Cernach, as will be seen in the note on AcaiU, near Tara [Appendix, No. XXVIII.]. (35) The son of jVatfraech.— This was Aenghus, the sob of Natfraech, king of Munster, who was the first person baptized by St Patrick in that covmtry. Eithne Uathach ("the detestable"), daughter to the Crimthan, king of Leinster, mentioned in the next .stanza, was his wife.' They were both killed in the battle of Cill-Sosad, or Cill Osnadh, near Leithghlinn, in tJie pre- sent county of Carlow, a.i>. 489. Of Degha, who slew the queen, we have no farther account 31b 484 APPENDIX. >PP. III. C^'° ^'"^^'^ llATDf^ A1C Oenju^niiirtiAH, — C01U\ -f-AllMITO Three Poems 1c Soi-fAt) CVielt bA1\-p(\CAlb A ceiTO of Dtibhtharh t^ xMillU tfa Ltujair (A.D. 430.) ■OOlAOcllAllA An-O eicne tlACAC, Aiiitn 'OA]\c|\ebA, 5)\Am cotigAiixje, bA 'oo bAjmb CAi-pp^M niAC 'OejA. CiTD Aibibb 111 obc cocAc Oca, "bA -pi -pACAcIl, Co uT\icAic cec •ooi\iAAc 111 ec CyvitncAn cACAc. t:oy\c]AACA|\ fuiTO iiAifie 1ie|\en'o ■niAlA^AA 1lA'0]\A'0, Ife Ari'oiL ceiToitiibbA'o tlA |\15 jAAgtAII. Ar\X)]-u. Even the son of N(itfraeck,'^^"> Otngh us of Munster, With his forces, At Sossad- Chell, he left his head With AililL There fell there Eithne Uathack, A name beyond tribes, (A barbarous deed !) Of the Lein- stermeu [Was] Cairpri, son of Degha. Even Ailiin^^i Molt, till the battle of Ocha, AVas a prosperous king ; With thirty hundred, he was hurled to death By Crimthan of battles. There fell there the nobles of Erinn, As was foretold ;t^') That was their fate, without dis- grace. The kings most noble. It is difficult [etc.]. I'oeni 'O^ibcliAcb ceicinic. C|viincAri cboci\i coicit) hCixenn "OiMiinne 'oo|\ inibib inobcA, 'b|\ui'Dni bei\5A. bl\1At;A|^ i:ii\eii tiA 'bi\e^'Aib beobAig tllic piACAC, 1n bAi\ i:A|\b]Minnib liitjpeg liib^A- CAC, 1n ■J'CAb f C1ACAC. 1n fceb i*cAibi>o bAi^VT) bAi-og "bAnbA "Pah liibiu iiib^\i5Ac, 1ii \>\\ey bec*t\Ac, in 'b\\e6 bAjAc, 1n jLeo gn'iniAc. 1ti 5*1 uij' AbAint) Af bAjnecAib bipi be|A5iii6i|\, 1n pAb i:o|\cAib, A|\cee ■pnc6l|^, 1n i-Uao "oei'igoijA. (.1. lie)\eiTo). IDEM DUETHACH CECINIT. Crimthan, the famous king of [the] province of Erinn, The Hector of Elgga ;* The topping chief of a tho\isand lau- dations. Of bristling mansions ; A righteous word, the grandson of Bresal Beolach, Son of Fiacha; The vigilant chief on the border of Bregia ; The shielded hero. The fame Avhich is proclaimed by the boastful bards of Banba Throughout the great world ; The puissant king, the battle-torch; The [man of] deedful conflicts. The splendid countenance above the Leinstermen Of the broad-bordered Liffey ; The munificent prevailer in every fair succour ; The mountain of red gold. * (i.e., Erinn). (36) Ailill Molt.—Ailill (or OiliolT) Molt was son to the celebrated King Dathi, and succeeded King Laeghairi in the nionavchy in a.u. 4.5S. He Wiis I^illed in the battle of Ocha (qu., Ochain, near Tara?), a.d. 478. Crimhthann, the son of Enna Censelach, king of Leinster, for whom this poem was written, tooli part in tliis battle against the monarch ; but this is the only place in which I have found it stated that the monarch fell by him, except in a marginal note on O'Duinn's poem on the Triumplis of the Kings of Leinster, (at folio 24 of the Book of Leinster.) [See 0' Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, a.d. 478.] (37) As was/oretokl. — See stanza 22 of the next poem, where it is stated that St. Patrick foretold this victory for Crimhthan four years previously. APPENDIX. 485 1n 'DOi'i' "oicne^- 'o^aouja 'OomiuMTo, ■Don Ch&yi 6Acbne'*^'> Avas seen Sec e^Y mAje. Passing over £ss-ilfa2^/ie.(^6) 1'no|\fiiTo ruepiec, ociii- tYlAfcen, The great fair-man of Mesnech,'*''^ Ocuf tnupiA, and of MasffiM, (^^J 1t1e)\ATo CO h]\&t nAn'oe]\nA And of Mughna ; Ac At 111 ic UignA. For ever shall live, what he did At Ath-Mic LughnaS'^^) Some nights after this the king had a vision. A comely Old Man, with a beaming counte- nance, came to him, and taking him by the hand, led him from his chamber to the battlement of the walls of Cashel on the south side, from which he sa\v the whole of Magh Feimheii full of a host of white saints in flowery forms. The king asked the Old JIan what noble host they were. The Old Man answered, that they were St. Patrick and the saints of Eriun, who had come to the relief of St. Mochaeinli6(j ; and he further told the king, that if he did not make terms with the saint, he would soon die. The king slept then, and he saw again that the Old Man took liim by the hand and led him to the battlement on the north side, and he showed him a vision similar to the first, namely, Magh Moisaid, filled -with a flowery host, all clothed in bright white garments. And it appeared to the king that they stopped at the point of contact of the two bordering territories, namely, between Magh Fcmhin and'Magh Mossaid. These were St. ISrigid of Kildare, and St. Jte of C'luain Credhail (now Killee'dy, in the county of Limerick), accompanied by all the holy virgins of Erinn, who had come to the relief of St. Mochaemliog, who was the nephew and pupil of St. ltd. I need not say more now than that Magli Mossaid, at least its southern part, must have been that part of the present barony of Eliogarty which adjoins the northern boundary of the ancient Corca Eathrach, now the barony of Middle Third, in which the city of Cashel is situated. Of Rdith Brcasail, which, according to our poem, was situated in the plain of Mosad, I can give no farther account. Even our profound ecclesiastical historian, Dr. Lanigan, had no conception of the situation of Raith Breasail, as will be seen from the following passage : " Our writers do not tell us where Rath Breasail was situated, but, if we are to judge from the name, I should think it was in the district anciently Hy-Bresail, now Clanbrassil, in the county of Armagh; or in the other Hy Bresail, that formed part of Ily-Falgia [Ui Failghi] (the ancient Offaly) in Leinster" — Lanigan's "Irish Ecclesiastical History", vol. iv., p. 87. (41) Magh Mossaid.— See last note (40), on Raith Breasail. (42) ,S/«(>.— The river Suir. (43) Dun Sighe. — Not known to me; but it must have been situated to the west of the river Suir, and in the direction of Cnoc Aine (now called Knoekanj'), county Limerick. C44) .4ini. — Cnoc Aini, now Knockanj', near Bruft', in the county Limerick. ('40) Magh Fini. — The Plain of Fine, probably some place in Leinster, but unknown to me. (46) Ess Maighe.—IXtaX is, the cataract of the Maigh, now the waterfall of Cathair Essa (Caherass), the noble seat of .Sir David Roche, in the county of Limerick. (47) Mesnech. — Tliis must have been the name of a place bordering on the north side of the territory wliich the i)oet received in reward of the poem. (See below, note 5!i.) (48) J/asteM— genitive of MaisHn.—T'his was the well-known Mullach Maisteii (Mullagh- mast), in the county of Kildare. (49) Ath Mic Liig?ma.—The Ford of the son of Lughna. Of this son of Lughna I have not been able to obtain any account, and it is only by an inference (amounting, however, to certainty) tliat I have been able to flx the locality in which the Ford was situated. The I3ook of Lein- ster in the library of Trinity College, Dublin, and the MS. classed Harleian, 5280, in the Briti.sh JIuseum, both contain an ancient tale, entiil^iX Soil Miticci Mic Ddthd, or tlie Story of the Pig of Datho's Son. The true name of Mac Ddthd was Mesroeda, and he was called Mac Ddthd, [dd th6] or the son of the two silent persons, because his father and mother were deaf and dumb. Mac Ddth6 was king of Leinster, and brother to Mesgedhra, king of Leinster, the same with whose bi'ain foi-med into a dried ball Concobhar Mac JVessa, the king of Ulster, was struck in the head by C'eat, the son of Magach, of Connacht. [See Appendix, No. CLVL] Mac Ddthd reared a famous hound, whose fame spread all over Erinn ; and messengers came to him from Ailill and Meadhbh, the king and queen of Connaclit, begging a present of this liound from him. Other messengers arrived at the same time on the same errand from Concobhar Mac d^essa, king of Ulster. Mac Ddthd saw in this coincidence a chance of drawing the two northern jjrovinces into a battle, or perhaps a war, which would weaken the powei of both ; for the weakness of the restless northerns was the strength of the soutlierns. Mac Ddthd told the messengers of the two kings respectively that he had already promised the hound to the master of the other, and that he saw no way of getting out of the difficulty but by both kings, with their nobles and choicest warriors, coming to his court at an ap- jiointed time, to partake of a feast whieli he intended to jirepare for them, and where he (A.D. 430.) APPENDIX. 487 Vokjiii ini cViiMinclvMi'o tiK\c entiAi The Leiiistermen around Crimthan ^pp, m, tlejxcAic cOklniAi, sonofEima, Ace itiuiici|\ mrni rtKuTOulem, Strong and valiant, Tluce Poems nimcli A rokniioi. Except the hosts of Heaven with their of Dubhtimch Creator, ,?/"i?rn'''" There is none to equal. 1j"e C]\inic^iTo <^iiine^' <.\)\cokd, It is Crimthan that excels every one Co 'fi.t innlei, In the bloody cause ; Ife oeti]:e]\ ifi:^i\t\ "oo fil, He is the one man, the best of the SAe'oet nguinec. seed Of the wounding Gaedhils. 1|'e C|MmcAnii cinne'p a^xcac, It is Crimthan that excels every one CecAib ^\iiAcliAi\, In hundreds of expeditions; floc)\Ai-o c^vicA cbeninA Ab^\ACA^A, He has tortured the lands of his 111et)bA C|\iiACAn. cousin's allies, [That] of Medhbh [Meave] of CruachainJ^'^) 1-pe |\oc|\eici •oo pAct\Aic, It is he that believed Patrick (^'^ Cen x>u\\ ii-oLijiT), Without hard conditions; tlo]' jAb •oAnincA]\Aic CAiT) c)\e"0Ail;, He received him as a chaste holy Oc IIaic biiir. soul's friend, At Ruith BiUghS^"'^ might probably so arrange between them as to extricate himself from his diflBculty. The appoInteJ time came, and the northern kings, with a selection of their nobles and champions, arrived in due time at Mac Ddtltos comt, which appears to have been situated in the southern estremit.y of the present county of Carlow (Ceatharlach). The generous host had killed for the occasion his famous pig (for some account of which see Battle of Magh Ldna, published by the Celtic Society, page 14, note 7i). The comjiany having sat down to the feast, a diffi- culty arose as to which of the northern provinces should have the cutting up and distribution of the great pig. After a sharp contest, in a comparison of the relative military merits of the two provinces, carried on chiefly by C'eat Mac Marjnch of Connacht, and Conall Cearnach, the famous Ulster champion, the cutting was conceded to the latter. Conall sat at the pig's tail, and distributed it liberally to his own countrymen ; but when he thought at last of his neigh- bours of Connacht, he found that he had nothing remaining but the pig's two fore legs, and these he threw to them disdainfully, and with a sneer which hinted that they were emblem- atic of the speed with which the Connachtmen fled before the Ulstermen. A fierce conflict ensued, blood was spilled in abundance, and the Connachtmen retreated northwards. The hound, which had been let loose by Mac Datlw, joined the Ulstermen, and, coming up to the chariot in which AiJiU and MeacVibh were on their retreat, sprang upon it ; the charioteer struck it in the neck with his sword, so that the head fell into the chariot, and the body to the ground. The hoimd's name was AUblie, and It was believed that it was troni it that Magh Ailhhi (Ailbhe's plain) where it was killed, derived its name. This plain is believed to have been on the borders of the pi'esent counties of Carlow and Kildare, but within the border of the latter, and a short distance north of the present town of Carlow. The king and queen pursued their course northwards still, to Belach Mughna of old Roirinn (now Ballaghmoon, in the count)' of Kildare, where Cormac Mac Cuilenndin, King and Archbishop of Cashel, was killed in a.d. 903), over Ath Midlibhinni (a locality not now known), to Maistin (now the cele- brated MulUich Maisten, or Mullemast, in the county of Kildare), past Druim Criaigh (called cm Dara, Kildare, at! this day), past Edith Imghain (Rathangan^, to Fidh n-GaibhU (the wood of the Gabfial, or fork of the two rivers, which met near Clonsost, in the north-east corner of ancient Ui FaiUjhe or Offaly, and of the present King's County, north-west of Kath- angan) ; to Atlt Mic Lug/ma (the Ford of the Son of Lughna) ; this ford must have been upon the north-east branch of the Gabhal) ; past Druim da Mhaiglte (the Hill of the Two Plains), now Drumcaw, in the parish of Ballynakill, barony of Coolestown, in the north-east corner of the King's County [see O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, a.d. 1556, p, 1543, note m.] ; over Lroichet C/iairpri, — (Carpri's Bridge ; not known to me, but probably it was the same as Tochur Cliairpri, [Carpri's Causeway], a place lying south of Clonard, [Cluain Iraird,'] along which the boundarj' line of ileath and Leinster passed to Geisill, near Tullamore, in the King's County. — [See Keting in the divisions and boundaries of the five provincesofErinn.]— Carpri's Bridge was over the Boyne, in the present barony of Carbury, in the northern corner of the county of Kildare) ; to Alh Chinn Chon (the ford of the hound's head), in Fera Bili (now barony of Farbill, in Westmeath). It was here he (the charioteer) cast the hound's head out of the chariot. And hence the name of this Ath Chinn Chon, or the ford of the hound's head, now very probably Kinnegad. I have designedly followed the chariot of king Ailill and Queen Meadhbh thus far, to the end, that the authority of so ancient a tract as the story of Mac Ddthd's Pig should bear evidence to the antiquity of the above several topographical names, as well as to the accuracy with which they have been identified by Dr. O'JJonovau in his learned notes to the Annals of the Four JIasters. (00) Mi:dhbh of Cruachain. —This was the Meadhbh mentioned in the preceding note. Her 488 APPENDIX. APP. III. Three Poems of Duhhthach Ua Lugair; (a.d. 430.) 1n"bennA6cu •oo-pAcnocor>u^\6i\An'o, A\\ nieill cotti, A]\ inutlAc "Oaci, 1]"fO-[\ cViyiimcAn'o. C. ■OllbcllAC tmiYI ■"14C "OO lugAIT), trie iAo-ppAipc i]"|vo-p|:o|^5AitL, ■pAc cen 'oib'oii'D, trie fvuc innecA-o HAf AiAgut) "oo, tetn^'A cecriA bAc'LA-p 'di|\cac, 1f c|\of ctoce, 1)'fe tno cimcAc |\Abo^ im cVi^micAn ICAc Oce. tno bulled iAii\n, mo i^ciac imiA, IDocnei' mo ca^aac, "bA-poccAbc -pein, i:e|\, ha iiA^|\ec, ll^et) )\onAnAcc. X)ii|\iv\n -pbAic i:u\b iroiAf A ^\oemt'o, 1leim AccontiAiAc, Aibibb 111 obu inci -pAyifnimmAixc, Ida ]\i ConnAcc. Secc c6c "Dec cenei'bAi'o noenpix, 11i]\Aii fvoengo, ■RomA-pb CiMmcliAiTo icac Oce, Sill pii cento. Tlae blessing which he gave never decays, Upon bccautiful Mell,^^^") Upon Dathi's liead,*-**' And upon Crimthann. Duhthach am I, son to Lugaid, [sic] Poetic, fully subtle ; It was I that gave the judgment between Laeghaire And Patrick.* It was I that examined and that sen- tenced — A cause without extinction ; — It was I tliat gave Mm revenge for his violation, And forgiveness. It was by me an oratory was first built, And a stone cross ; It was my cloak that was upon Crim- thann, In the battle of OcheS^^^ My lorica of iron, my shield of bronze, My side, my friend, — He admitted himself, the chief of the chiefs. That 't was it that saved him. Pity the munificent Mug who was defeated. Whose career I witnessed ; Ailill Molt,^^^^ the man who was sub- dued. Was the king of Connacht. Seventeen hundred, without the want of one man, It is no sweeping falsehood, Crimthann killed in the battle of Ochi;— That number in the one day. * Ay<. lluA-OAic nneixg mAc Heibb ixomA-pb Otiiaaii a|\a Pacixaic tMicAt) in mbixecbi'eo .i. a inAi\bA'o ocui' nem •oo iA|\uAin. [It was upon Nuadat Derg, the son of Niall [and brother of Laeghaire'], who killed Patrick's charioteer, tliis judgment was given ; i.e., to kill him, and give him Heaven afterwards.] consort, AiliJl, was son to Boss Ruadh, the king of Leinster, and consequently a far back rela- tive of Crimthann. (51) Jt is he that believed Patrick.~lt was Patrick himself that haptized Crimthann, ac- cordhig to the Tripartite Life ; but my copy of that important tract gives no farther detail. (52) Rdith Biligh. — This is the well -known Ravilly in the present county of Carlow. (53) J/e/?.— She was tlie wife of Crimthann and daughter of Ei-nbrann, king of the Deisi, (now the Decies in the county of Waterford). See Book of Lecain, fol. 101, b.b. (54) Ujwn Dathi's Mead.— This Dathi, who received the special benediction of St. Patrick on his head, and we may presume baptism at the sanie time, was the direct ancestor of the O'Riain family, of Ui Drdna (now Idrone, county of Carlow), and of the O'Cuileamtiain family of the ancient district of Sil Mella (that Is, of the descendants of Queen Mell, to dis tluffuish th»m from Crimthann's sons by other wives), of whom the brave Colonel Ricliard O'Cuilramhain, or Cullcn, Lieutenant-General of the "Catholic Army" of Leinster in 1643, was descended, as well as the present worthy Comarba of St. Lorcdn O'Tuathail, the learned and Most Eev. Paul O'Cuileamhain, Ai-chbishop of Dublin. (55) Oche, or Oc/id.— This battle was fought a.d. 478, and although Ocha, where it was fought, somewhere near Tara, was the spot (Ochain) in which, I believe, il^m/^of theNine Hos- tages was buried, it is remarkable that all remembrance of its precise situation should be lo.st in modern times, although it (Ochain. or Ochnn) is mentioned in the Tain Bo Chuailgne as situated between the river Dubh and Slane, on the North of the Boyne. APPENDIX. 489 ceniiAC cu^'leo, tlocAiiMijeixc pdc|\Aic "oo C^Mtn- cIlAIIX) 1fe lAoi'bfMfpe'o. 'Oob^ifT' enriA X)a p^\inicAc ■oec, 'Oa'Lcii' t-nili, A|\ U'lb neiib b<\ 5Ai]Mn jAU CAi|\e, "Oob^M^ CiMtncliAiTO ceu|\i caca Va'OO -o ebb Aim, 1 A]\ feif]' 1\i fneibtm-mjib iinnjlMn-o, Ingin &]\nb]\AiiiT). A-obAIC •OAWTA ec TIIAbb inoiijAC tlAC'pAir -pbuiT), A]\T>omcALtA inAtbi -|\oiticbAiinA, Ij'ixomciniu'o. Co^Aib i:6m co'oei]\eD •ootriAin, "OiiA-p mo -otiAne, Co|\op ec bAf cAtAm ci|\e, aLa-o {JAne. V«lb UlUpiTObA A]\AfeC11A15, C|\ec1iiiAi5 cobpnAibb, couch <.\1K* m coii'omAec iMfcom- cim, -ponniAet, t^on-o-Rtuni.t x3ie]\bubb oc bxMlA bt\ecq\UA-!'o, 1lA llAbt) IIAIIXTD-Oe, CeiTo AcyvecmmiMi, ■& ceux> A cpecmm^ii ha -pAiiAge. VincA|\ lib becec iia c|\ice, ■potxfAngebAm, O StAlf inA^-CAlb jMpTOAbAm Co triAg Se^VAT). SecA TAiix riA 'j'Aij 1Y1eii'nec, Co [miii|\ mibAc ?], A]" yo-oef^' 1 ci\ei'^' c]\e6bbA Co hefY n"OimmA. * 11 omen boci. t llomiriA bocofum. Four years before that battle, j^pp, uj. Without any default, Patrick propliesied for Crimthann Tlnee Poems That it was he that would break of Oub/ithac/t [gain] it. UaLugair; (A.D. 430.) Enna broke [gained] twelve prime battles, In which blood was shed, Upon the Ulhh Neill ; ^^^) it was a distinction without a reproach. Was the whole defeat. Crimthann broke four battles. Twice, I assert, After espousing Mell, <^*' smooth- white, soft-pleasant, The daughter of Ernhraan. He bestowed upon me a slow hairy steed, Which seeks not to stale. Because I was deprived of the other on which I had been set, And which to me had been ap- pointed. That it may be under me to the end of the world. The i-eward of my poem. That it is a horse of land and country, Speckled, green. There are three humps upon his body, Sea-bound, slow-waved ; ToRCHAiR, '^3' it is not a soft wave that threatens it, FORMAEL,*"*^^ FOKDRUIM.f^^) His tail is at Bana,"^^') the red-mixed. Against a high cliff; Stiff his noisy wave, his head In the noisy wave of the sea.'^*' Would you know the breadth of the land Upon which we shall settle. From Glais-in-ascaii>,<^^3^ with which we meet, [mere] To Magh Serad.(S9^ Pass it eastwards, seek not Meis- NECH,'^^-' To [the fishy sea?] From it southwards by rapid motion, To the cataract of Dimma.'^^^ (Nomen loci.) (Nomina locorum. (56) AiliUMoU (or Oilioll ^fol1).—'RQ was the son of tlie famous king Dathi, and succeeded his relative Laeghair4,the son of Niall, in the monarchy, in a.d. 458. (57) Uibk Neill. — These were the men of Ulster and Meath, descendants of Niall of the Niiic Hostages. (58) Mell, danrjliler of Ernbrami.—SeG note (53) above (59) Torchair.—Forniael. — Fordruim.— liana.— The sea. — Glaisin Ascail. — Magh Seradh. — ifeisneth. — Es Dimma (tlie cataract of Dimma). — Tlicse were the bounds, and a few of the 490 APPENDIX. APP. III. -AtTo Acbe^c "OacIii niAc CiMnicVi- There, snid Dathl, son oi Crimthann, " — — ~ AUTO, The residing land Three Poems 1ti i(:or\x> ^oyvAif, To thee quickly shall be given, oi Dubhthach tliToreo cotUiAc •oocbiA, The territory thou hast chosen. topographical features, of the lands which had been bestowed on the poet, Dubhthach, author of tlie present poem; and it could scarcely be expected, that after such an interval of time — about 1400 years — any one of the landmarks of so small a territory could be identified. From the above description it appears that the territory extended in length from the river Bana to the sea eastwards; and in breadth from Olais in Ascail (which must liave been a stream), to the plain of Magli Seradh, soutliwards and westwards, by which tlio boundary passed on to tlie east, -witliout touching Meisnech, and continued tlien southward (and, I thinlf , eastward still) to Es or Eas Dimma, or the cataract of Dimma. Tliis being laid down as the outline boundary, we find farther tliat there were tliree remarkable hills or mountains on tlie land, Torchair, Formael, and Fordruim ; and it will be suflScient for our purpose of identi- fication if we can, without exact local knowledge, fix within sufiicientiy narrow limits the localities in which, two hundred years ago at all events, two of these very mountains were known with certainty to have been situated, if, indeed, 1 may not say that their identity is preserved even to this day in local names still in use. This fact will be well understood from the following grant of the fifteenth year of King James the First of England, that is the year 1C18 .- ''Grant from the King to Sir Laurence Esmond, Kilt. Wexford Co. In Kinshelagh Territory : The towns and lauds of Limenagh, otherwise Limerieke, Ballychoan, Ilossballyvonny, and the mountain of BaUycahirvally - Fer- nioylew Formoyle, 40 acres; Clonglose and Rahindrohurly, 60 acres; Killenerin, 80 acres; Larahin, 55 acres; Cooletegard, 100 acres; Kallyknockan, 20 acres; Kilbegnet, 41 acres; Ballymackaw, 37 acres; Tenecarigy, 12 acres; Tenecurra, 62 acres; Agher and Cronaltau, 1C9 acres; BaUycollitan, 27 acres ; Cronedaroge, 37 acres ; Kilkavan, 142 acres; Ballymagil- leboy, 68 acres; Ballyehin, 89 acres; Ballyliam, 9 acres; Ballylasy, 85 acres; Tomnehely and Ballynesraglibegg, 107 acres; Coolenoge, 130 acres; Mochoille, 186 acres ; Baroge, 56 acres; Morgoros, 14 acres; one-sixth part of Kilbeggs or Killebiggs, Cowlernegawny, Ballyvoran, and Ballyskeagh, 54 acres; together with all mountain, bog, etc., belonging to the premises, ex- cept 20 acres in Agher and Cronaltan, next the church of Kikjorman, assigned for the glebe thereof; and except 20 acres in Kilkavan, next the church of Kilcavan, assigned for the glebe thereof; half of the entire fisliing in the river Owemjorman near the said lands, viz., from the main sea to the lands of Pallas ; and the entire fishing in the sea, bays, and creeks there", etc.— [4 Feby.,15th Jac. I.]. I have given this grant verbatim to very near its end, in order that the position of the mountain " Fermoyle" or " Formoyle", the Formael of our poem, should be clearly and with- out any doubt established, as far at least as regards the district in which it was situ- ated. All the places mentioned in this grant are or were situated in the barony of Gorey, in the parishes, I believe, of Kilgorman and Kilkevan, a few miles north of the town of Gorey; and, as the charter says, in tlie Kinshelagh territory, which lay to the north of the river " Owenvarra", now the river " Owenamorroghd", which runs from the south and falls into the sea about three miles south-east of Gorey. Again, in a grant from the same king to Sir Edward Fisher, Knt., of lands situated in the same Kinshelagh's Territory, we find the following lands enumerated: Kilmurry, 205 acres ; five-twelfths of Ballinglan, Monecheale, Barnufuicke, next to Ballineskevtan, and to the moun- tain of Torc/iill, 77 acres ; together with all barren mountain, bog, etc., belonging to the pre- mises; the advowson of the rectory of Kiltynell ; half of the fishing in the ri\eT Oioenvan-a, near said land, from the main sea to Ballycale ; and the entire fishing in the sea, bays, and creeks there", etc. [17th January, 15 Jac. I., Patent Rolls, p. 358.] From these two grants we may gather that a great part, if not the whole of the lands granted to Sir Laurence Esmond, lay south of the river Owengorman, since we find that he was entitled to half the fishing in that river, and that must have been the southern half. It would appear from the second grant, that made to Sir Edward Fisher, that his boundary com- menced on the north where Sir Laurence Esmond's ended on the south, and that his terri- tory extended southwards to the river Owenavarra, the southern boundary of the parish of Kiltennill (or Courtown) mentioned in his grant. And as we find, with certainty, another of the hills or humps of Dubhthach's territory, namely, Torcliill (the Torchair of the poem), in this parish, we may with good reason conclude that the whole territory extended from Owengor- man on the north to Owenavan-a on the south, and from the river Bana on the west, in some part of it, to the sea on the east. I believe that the river now passing under the compara- tively modern name of Owengorman, or Gorman's river, was the ancient Glais in Ascail, or "Stream of the Roar", or thunder ; and that the name is still in part preserved in " Glasgor- man", the present name of the sandbank which rims parallel with the shore at a short dis- tance from the mouth of this river ; it is probable, too, that it was from the loud noise of the waves breaking over tliis shallow bank that the stream first received its descriptive name. If these inferences be right, as indeed I cin'tbut think they are, then the Es Dimma, or Cataract of Dimma, must have been the mouth, or some place near it, of the Owenavan-a. And thus we liave the actual length and breadth of the splendid gift to Dubhthach O'Lut/air, which, accord- ing to my measurement on Beaufort's Map, was six Irish miles long from west to east, at its northern boundary, at least ; and five miles broad from north to south ; but I believe it nar- rowed considerably towards the sea as it approached the southern boundary. Should any objection be raised to the assumption, that the name of the mountain Torchill is identical with Torchair, it can be easily answered by reference to the well-known tendency APPENDIX. 491 Tloi iigpAt) ninii ocu]' iiToectiuvt), ^y^^^z •oitp Liuvgi 'LetnmcAi|\, •OuAiii C|MTiicOkin. C. tlliltiUT) init)e, iiioixAT) t.xgeii, teni 'OAp LwLcAc, tli cAinic ]\^ bokX) comtiuvicli i c|\i 111 C|\imc)i the high, ter- I'ible, — It was not a conflict without labour. In which was subdued the king of CruachainS''^' *0'.e., son of Enna). of the people of the east and south- east of Ireland to modify topographical names wliich end in ar, air, and inn, to ail, ill, and so on: as Loch Aiiiinn in Westmeath, now called Loch " Ennill"" ; Loch Uair, in the same county, now called Loch Uail, or "Owel". So Sriithar (a stream) is pronounced in the south, as well as in the east, "Shrule", "Shrewill", or "Shrowle"; and I am strongly of opinion that the present " Owen Avarra", which could not have been a really old name, was more anciently called Sruthar Guaii-e. It is remarkable that there ac- tually was a townlaud -n this very locality hearing the name of "Shrowle", as will he seen from an Inquisition taken at Wexford on the Stli of April, IC31 (the sixth year of the reign of king Charles the First of England), which found that " Onora Iveavanagh" was in her life- time seized of the villages and lands of Clantefin, Kiltriske, Knockdanke, Banogeroe, Tullibeg, Knockedille, Cooltrundell, Corandonall, Jlongan, Shrowle, etc. Of these lands Kiltriske is still the name of a parish in the barony of Balleaghkeen, lying between the above river " Owenvan-a" and the sea, on the south side ; and what is more remarkable still, the parish of Donoghmore, which lies between the parish of ICiltriske,,to the north, and the mouth of the same river, contains a townland which still bears the name of " Shrale". (60) Tlie tenth order.— 1\us,\i, of course, the Church Militant on Earth. (61) Lulcach. — I am at a total loss to know what this is ; whether it is the name of any river or mountain, or of any place on the borders between Leinster and JIunster or Meath. (6i') Core of Caisel [(jashel]. — This Core, the elder son of Luijhaidh, king of JIunster, was one of tlie tliree kings who formed the Council of Nine, who revised the ancient laws of Ire- land, and compiled the SenchasMur. St. Patrick and our poet Dubhthach himself were of the number. (63) DairL—T[\\s, was Dair6 Cerba, tlie younger brother of the above Core, and chief of Ui Fiilhgenti in tlie present county of Limerick. 492 APPENDIX. App. III. Cac cticAfrAj\ C|\inir1iAri, 1c ©I'lMIAlX) bA^AulA'D, Three Poems llApe incAc c|vuait) cicM-oeb, oiDubhthach -Oaia -plAI-oer) -pUlAlj 'U'La'O, Ua Lugair ; (A.D. 430.) A battle which Crimthan gave At Esrnaidh,'^^'^'' where he went, — It was the hard battle of swords, By which were cut down the host of Ulster. Tho' many did Crimthann give Of battles about roads, IMuch more did Enna give Of battles against warriors. Enna^ of Ailinn'^^^ broke Twelve battles, without difficulty, Upon the plain-land of Tara, Upon the host of brave Cerna.^''^^ Ten kings did Enna kill Of the fair kings of Funedh .-(^^^ Aedh of Emhai)i,''0) ^iaU of Ailech, Flaun of Tara} to be counted. Lughaidh, and Lore of Limerick ; Oengus,§ victorious in assemblies ; Maelduin, which was cause of plunders ; Ailill, Cairpri, Cuba. Enna, the son of valiant Niall — He was the king of purity ; It was whence he met his last end Was from the other Enna. Enna, the son of valiant Mall, Was a beautiful, sensible king; By Enna of the battles He was killed in the battle of Liam- Even Liamhain they went past — The Leinstermen past it into Tarbh- To the bmniing of Tara, With Enna the high renowned, t (e.e., Censelach). X {i.e., the son of Concobar). § (t.e., the son of Dunlaing). (64) Ailill. — This must have been Mlill [or OililT] Molt, son of king Dathi, who had heeu forty years king of Connacht before his accession to the monarcliy in a.d. 458. (6.5) Cruachain. — Tho Itoyal Palace of the king.s of Connaclit. (66) Esruaidh. — Now tlie cataract of Bailysliannon in the county of Donegall. (67) Ailenn or Ailinn. — Tliis was one of tlie ancient palaces of the kings of Leinster. Its remains are situated on a liill a short distance to the north of Okl Kilcullen, in tlie county of Kildare. (See Circuit of Ireland, publislieil by the Aj'choeological Society, p. 37, note 67; and see the Story of Jlaile Mac Buain and the princess Aillinn [ante, p. 472, Appendix, No. II.] from wliora the place took its name, according to the Dinnseanclms, Bk. of Ballymote, lol. 19.". a. b.) (68) Cerna. — This was the name of a hill not now identifief]. It was situated in the south- east of Mcath, somewhere near the present f^aristown, and north of Lusk in the county of Dublin. (See the ancient unpublished Tale of Tochmarc Emeri.—lhQ Courtship of Emir and Cuclmlainn.) (69) Fuinedh. — This was an ancient name for Ireland, signifying the western end, or sunset. (70) Aedh o/£mAain, etc. — It would be difficult, if not impossible, now to identify M'ith cer- tainty the personages here named among their numerous contemporaries of the same names. (71) I.iamhain. — Now called Dunlavin, in the county of Wicklow, an ancient seat of the kings of Leinster. (72) Tarhhgha. — Some place between Dunlavin and Tara (but in Meath, I think), and not known to me. There was a Cnoc Tnrblnjha near Cruachain in Connacht, wliich could not of course be the place referred to in tlie te.\t. CiT) tn6|A •oo]\Ac C]\imchAri, X)o CACAib imi\6uti, \>& mo "ooiAAC enriA X)o dACAib t\i hocu. KobiM^ entiAt AiteiTO "Oa cac •oec cert "ocoAing, ■}ro|\ cuAcniAig iiA Cern|AA, "Poix I'luAg Ce|\nA c-po'OAitig. X)ei6 fvig ivoiriA^xb GnnA, "OO -piTO^I^AllD ■puniT), Aet) CtiiriA, "niAlb Aiiig, VbAiToi Cein]\A )\ACU|Min. ttijAit) If ■Loi'.c ■Lmnnig, Oeii5ti'p§ Ag -piAi -oaLa ; 1V1 AebTSii 111 bA iTACAi-fvgiie, .Alblbt, CAIjAp^M, CAbA. en 11 A 111 AC Tleibb IIA-jAAIg, llApe in -pi conjl/Aine. IfAnt) -puAi^x AcnijbA, t/A-pn nennA nAibe. ennA mAC neibt nA^AAtg llAbA |\1 CAeTnciALbA, Ua heiiiiA nA b^xjA, 11 Abie 1CAC l/iAtnnA. CiT) biAmAin ^aIouai-v, bAJin CA|\11 1 CA-jAbjA, "Oo bofcuT) nA c;eiii|\A bA ennA nA^At) nAm|\A. t (.1. CenfebAig). X (.1. •rnAc ConcobAi|\). § (.1. TriAc "OMnbAing). APPENDIX. 493 "OO 'LoyCll'O 1K\ ClMlAcluM, A]\ niuiAAt) riA h&innA, •J^UAC'OA toCAjX tApil, X)A\\ AC 'Oi.'me "OogAllA. Ida teiMuip Iajih. ■Ll]\1Cl]\ "OA f CO|\Alb. tlAi'ciii|\fec A iieocu, "OA^ m»]\ CApt ctlAVVAIJ, ■RUCI'AC JIAti CAC 11011 DAI p, "Leo CO tnA]'uin nuAxisiAiii. \)A iniA'OAc 111 iininci|v, 11obACA]\ oc einiA, tlopf AC tl^M au'daIa, Uopj'AC Laiiia c|\enA. ftOIDfAC 1^111 A ci\eriA, tlic -pceLA ceil bunAT), ■Ra tec CuiiiT) tiA cbAitDeb, Ha ni6i\cliUAc'hAib muTHAn. CA111 CUCAt) -00 ©11 n A, ALbeic CliiiniT) riA cu|m, ScixepAbb CACA C151, Do fiiTO]\uini uibi- CAir> cwcA'o "DO enriA, A tlUimAin -pni 5|\e-p]'tt, tlnji "ooiv cec ii-cim Iffin bbiA-OAin Ida nefini- tlopT'Ac iriAci bAjin, ■p)Ai biiTO einiAi irtigbAin, tloboi ic1i icaIiiiaiii, tloboi me]' ip'obAi'o. ■RAbicii' A C151, 1 ClbcAlb CA11A1cllbl, til bey\cif "DA ]\6cAib ■Ap iiAniAin A cAcim. llAbici-p A C151, A. ciLcAib -pA cecib, ■RtlCfAC 51 Abb CAC COICI'O, 5Ab]Mc 1AC A]A ecin. Famous the march he went To the burning of Cruachain,^''^'> After demoHsliing Emhain y'^'^J It was a valiant, contentious deed. Contentiously the Leinstermen went Over the ford of Dun Duyhair;^'^'^') Numerous were tlie Leinstermen, As numerous were their steeds. They unyoked their steeds Upon the rampart of clerical Caisel; They brought a liostage every nine men With them to Mastin of pure honour. Honourable were the people Whom Enna had ; Numerous were their assemblies ; Brave were they of hands. Brave were they of hands — It is not a report without founda- tion — Against Lctli Cliuinn of the swords — Against the great tribes of Mumh- ain. The tribute which was given to Enna From Leth Chiiinn of the feasts, — A screpall from every house, Of JiiiJniini^'^' the whole. The tribute which was paid to Enna From Miimhain [was] with slay- ings, An uinge'''') of gold from every man- sion, In the year that was next. Good were the Leinstermen In the time of Enna the pure ; There was corn in the land, There were fruits in the woods. APP. III. Three Poems oi Dubhthach Ua Lugair ; (A.D. 430.) Their houses used to be Upon hills without decrease ; They removed them not from the roads For fear of being expended. Their houses used to be Upon hills and upon fair-greens ; They took the hostages of every pro- vince ; They took them by force. (73) Cruachain. — The Royal Palace of Connacht. (74) £m/iinn.— The Royal Palace of Ulster. (75) Alh Dune Doc/hair.— The Ford of Uun Doghair. Not known to me. (76) Findruiitl— Although this metal appears in several places in our ancient writings to signify some precious kind of White Bronze, it certainly appears in other places to mean carved, or ornamented Silver, -which in the present instance, and sometimes elsewhere, would imply some standard piece of silver money. The Screpall of silver was the value of three pitu/inns, or pence. (77) Uing4.—An uingi (ounce ?) was twenty-four Screpalls ; a Screpall was three Pinginns 494 APPENDIX. ■LAbyvAit) bixefAL beLAc, Labhraidh, <''®' Bresal Belach, ■piAcu niAc riA ^tIacIia ; Fiachu, the son of the king : ■UATub -pAcin enriA, From them descended Enna ; — til fcelA CO CACA. It is not a story to be contested. Cac. [A Battle.] APPENDIX, No. IV. [Lect. I., Page 8.] mlln'^"^' Original of passage concerning the Ctntmenn, from the Booh of Leinster (the MS. classed H. 2. 18., T.C.D.)^ fol. 183. a. Coiicom^A^^diA c]\A, pti"o 1vC]\enn "oo SliendiAn Uoi\- pei-jx, -oiii" in bA mebo]\ teo Uaiii Do CuAlnje innA 651 ; ocii^' A^^be]\uACA]\ HAT) i:euA]\ "oi acc btogA riAtnniA. /A-|^be^\c lAjium SenctiAn ^\ia -oaIca 'oui' cia -oib 110 ^\a5A'o a]ia ben- riAcc 1 ci]\e LecA "oo f'o^bAim tiA Uaiia be^tcA 111 i^u'i i^aih "OApei]" in Cluitinenn. 'OobbuTO Cnnne .h. Ilinene octi|" 'mii|\5en niAC SencAin -oo cliecc i^ai^i. APPENDIX, No. V. [Lect. I., Page 9, and note ^^^ (also Lect. II., p. 31).] The "Seven Original (with Translation) of a p)^ssage in an ancient Law Wisdom", Glossary, coi^ijnled hy 'OubAbcAC IIIac 'pi^\bip j, explaining the ^'■Seven Orders of Wisdom^', from the MS. classed H. 5. 30. T.C.D. {under the word Caoj-oac). Caoj'oac .1. Ainm j^aai-o, r]\e iiia^a cAntq' nA cjai caoja'oa ■pAbin ; po^bAinci'oe, 'Oei^^jibAt, ScA]AUi-6e, "PoijAceA'obAnoe, Saoi CAnoine, X)]n.iiincti. Aji'in nA i^eAcc n^^AAi-o eAjnA. 'Po^bAinci'oe .1. i:eA-|i aj a inbi eobuf 1 nt)eic teAb|\Aib "o'-jTocoi^A Aije, tiime pn ^oi^acoa-h "oe ireA-ji ciAccAnA irocoi^AeAc. 'Oej^jibAb .1. -peA]! A5 A mbi i-ocoi^ie nite .1. "oa beAbAjt ■oeAj nA i:ocoi]AeAC. ScA^itiToe .1. i:eA]A A5 a mbi c]\ioca "o AiceACCAib nAOiiicA in A -irojboiin. 'Poi1\ceA'otAit)e .1. yeA\\ aj a mbi giAAmA-OAc, C]A0|"An, ocuj' I'loblAbA, octi|' ^Aime, octif iacaca Jl^ene, octif e^^jA. Saoi CAnoine .1. -peAp aj a mbi eobtij" CAnoine, octi]" (or pennies); and a Pinginii was tlie weight of eight [or as it is said in another place twenty- four] grains of wheat, grown in good land. (See Book of Ballymote, fol. 181, b. h,, etc.) This was the value and weight of silver. (78) Labhraidh was the son of Bresal Belach, who was the son of Fiacha Baicidha, sou of Cathair M6r, monarch of Ireland, who was slain a.d. 122. APPENDIX. 495 CAIM]' SjetA 1o]'A .1. b]\eiceOkH n-'Oe (ifin iiiat) ^Lah i mbi) app. v. .1. eACIlA Ca-oIaIC CAtlOine. The"Sevei '0]\uiincii .1. yeAn a^a mbi eobur lomtAii ha li-eAgtiA, on orders of eADA]\ Af mo "OA ngoi^rceAjA cuiLmeAn gti^Mn LeADA]\ Af LugA •OA n5oi]\c;eA]i -oeic b^\eiui^», itiA iToeAcc]\Ai5ceAiA .i. i nx)ej- coiju^ceA]^ An ciomnA mAiu "oo ^\mne "Oia "oo IllAoip. [translation.] [Caogdach, i.e, the name of a grade (or man of degree), because that he chants the three tunes fifty Psalms ; student, disciple, his- torian, lecturer, doctor of the canon, druimcli. These are the seven grades [or orders] of Axdsdom. Foglaintidh [a student], i.e., a man who has knowledge of ten books of science, and hence he is called a man who is acquiring science. Desgihal [disciple], i.e., a man Avho has knowledge of the whole of science, i.e., the twelve books of science. Staruidhe [liistorian], i.e., a man who has thirty holy lessons in his coiu'se of learning. Foirceadlaidhe [lecturer, tutor, or teacher], i.e., a man who has [professes] grammar, criticism, and orthography, and enumeration, and the courses of the year, and the courses of the sun and moon. Saoi Canoine [doctor of the canons], i.e., a man who has knoAV- ledge of the canon, and who relates the Gospel [story] of Jesus ; i.e., the word of God (in the pure place in which it is to be found) ; i.e., catholic, canonical msdom. Druimcli, i.e., a man who has perfect knoAvledge of Wisdom, from the greatest book, which is called Cuilmen, to the smallest book, which is called Ten Words, m which are well arranged the good Testament which God made unto Moses.] The Druimcli was the Ferleigliinn, or Ollamh, in imiversal learn- ing. These were the graduated professors in the collegiate educa- tional course, whether lay or ecclesiastical, whether attached to a church or ecclesiastical estabHshment, or in an achadh (or field). The folloAving very curious memorandum is found on an unpaged vellum slip, between pp. 73, 74, of the MS. classed H. 4. 22., T.C.D., — a MS. of circa a.d. 1450. It professes to give, quaintly enough, a sort of philosophical ' pedigree' of Scholarship, and is valuable as distinctly referring to the degrees of learning described by Mac Firl)is in the foregoing extract : — ScotAije, mAC beijint), mic caoiccai-o, mic yojtAncA, mic -oeifcipuib, mic -puA-o bicp, mic i"ua"6 CAnoine, mic 'o-piiim- cbAi, mic *Oe bi. [translation.] [School-boy, son of Lesson ; son of Caogdach ; son of Foglaiii' 496 APPENDIX. APP. VII. tidh; son of Disciple; son of Professor of [profane] Letters; son of Professor of the Canons ; son of Druimclai: son of the Livinoj God..l The "Seven ' o J Oiders of r^T^^Q Starutdhe, or Historian, it will be observed, is not counted vVisaom . /-in • T • -T as a Graduate m this cunoiis pedigree. APPENDIX, No. VI. [Lect. I., Page 10.] 'ij^saitair Original of passage from the opening of the poem of CiiAn IIa LocAin on Tara, coiHaining a reference to the SAtuAip; from the Book of Ballymote {fol. 89, a. a.). ctj^n o iocli<\in ceciniu. Uem int), a^ Cobtim Cibbe, octi]" t)ixic Cobtnn Cibbe: — IS mAi\b t/on [ip iiiA]tb bon], Xfo Chibb 5<'^1^<5^"0 tno^t nt)on, t)e-|Mnt) conibA]A AcriteAb, 1c t)icb bepnt) octip -pcob AcbAcb bon [AcbAcb bon], 1 Cibb 5<^b<^"o "lop ''1"' "oon, 1p t)irb be^int) ocu-p -[xob 1nt)-|"i Cjient) t)A]t a bo]i. APPENDIX, No. XVIII. [Lect. II., Page 29.] Leihafhe. 0/ "LecA, the cincient name for Italii in the Gaedhelic. ancient Irish >/ ' j u I'tuiT^"'^ That Letlia was the ancient name applied by the Gaedhil to Italy (and particularly to that part of Italy in Avhich Kome is situated), appears to be certain, from many old authorities. It is, however, true that the same word was also used in reference to Letavia or Armorica, that is, Brittany, in France. It is so used in the Trans- lation of Nennius, in the Book of Ballymote, and the MS. H. 3. 17, rr.C.D.) (See p. 69 of the " Irish Version of the Historia Bri- tonum of Nennius", edited by the Eev. Dr. Todd, S.F.T.C.D., for the Irish Archfeological Society, in 1848 ; and see a somewhat pert note (Note XI.) at p. 19 of the Appendix to that volume, by the late Hon. A. Herbert). See also Note H, on "The Ancient Leatha", from Avhich Mr. Herbert might have learned to be a little less authoritati\'e in the tone of his remarks, in the "Tribes and APPENDIX. 503 Customs of Hy-Fiachracli\ edited by Dr. O'Donovan for the same app.xvtti. Society, 1844 (p. 411). Dr. O'Donovan refers (ubi supra) to the filth, sixth, and ninth quatrains of St. Fiach's Hymn to St. Patrick, ancient Irish as applying the word Lethu or Leatha to Latium in Italy, and quotes "'^'"'^ f"'^' Mr. Patrick Lynch's statement, on the other side, that this is an error (see LjTich's Life of St. Patrick; Dublin, Haydock, 1828; ])p. 74, 75, 77, etc., and Note, p. 320). He refers also to the gloss on the Felire Aenguis (at 27th June), and to a very ancient Irish stanza quoted in the same work, as showing that the word was intended primarily for Italy ; he quotes, to the same effect, a passage in Diiald Mac Firbis' Genealogies ; and he refers to two additional authorities in the Book of Lismore and the Book of Feenagh. The following passages (including those referred to by Dr. O'Donovan in the Felire) Avill be found, I think, conclusive on the subject. The people called the " Britons of LetlicC Avere the people of Armorica or Brittany ; but the word Letha is translated " La- tium", or "Italy". Of the former use of the word Ave have examples iu that passage from the Irish Translatioii of Nennius (in the Book of Ballymote, and in H. 3. 1 7) : — Octif 1]' K\-o fin bixeACAin teACA, "And these are the Britons of etc. Leatha", etc. And in the folloA\dng passage in the MS. H. 2. 16 (T.C.D.), col. 781 : — O SCACA15 'buAnAn'o, injin A|\c " It Av^as from Scdthach of Bua- ■Jemme, x>o t)|\ecAin LecA, i:o|\05- tiaiini, the daughter of Art Gemm^, of LAitTO CucuIaiito ha ctej^A. tlie Britons of Letf/a [Letavia] that Cucliuluinn learned the feats of arms". And in this passage in the Tale of Fraech Mac Fidhaigh, in the Book of Fermoy (at present in the possession of the Rev. Dr. Todd, S.F.T.C.D.) :— nobtit) cocniAiAc CA|\ toej mbeo "That Avould be courting over a ■p-n, A]A "Oonn. II1 h-eAJ, A-p lllToip, living calf" [i. e., courting a woman oi]\ -00 inA)\b CoiiaLI, ViAAec coha whose husband was living], said ceiaiMin a bonjbA-iTOAib beuA, aj Donii. " It is not", said i1//f/(V, "for inn]'Ai5e co h-ebpA. Conall has killed Fraech [the hus- band] with his hand, in [among] the Longbards of Letha, while going to the Alps". This Letha Avas probably Letavia, or Brittany. The folloAving authorities, hoAvever, all specifically record the exact meaning of the Avord Letha : — The gloss on FiacKs Hymn, (Liber Hymnonun, T.C.D.) is this : — ■Do fATo cA-|\ eb-pA h--uite, He [the Angel Victor] sent him OA-cr X3e niAi|\, bA Atn^A ^ecA, all the Alps, — C011T0 -pA-pg^Ab La 5e]MiiAn, This was by far the most admirable OiiToei' in x)efciu|Ac becA [.1. IcaIia, of runs, — ubi |ruic JepuAn.] Until he took up with German, In the south, in the south of Leiha [i. e., Italia, ubi fuit German.] 504 APPENDIX. App. XVIII. In the Felire Aenguis, at March 12, (in the Leahhar Mor Duna Doighre, commonly called the Leabhar Breac, in the R.I. A.) it Letha the . •. , n -,-, ancient Irish IS ^vrltten as loilows : name for Italy. JjMgoip Abb ■RuAtriA lAin 'teud. " Gregory Abbot in full of Rome OF Letha". And in the verse of the same poem, as well as the gloss upon it, at June 27, as follows : — ■Ro iD|AoinuA r:]\e niA|\u|\A -AcA tiio|\ c]\iimi c|\ecAni .U11. 1T0e|\bl\ACAl\ CAC1f 1 1liiAirti lecA becAni [.i. a nomine lAcnnn .i. tecA.] They were tested through martyr- dom, They are a powerful great sea, — Seven valiant brothers, In Rome of broad Letha [_i.e., a no- mine Latium, i. e., Letha.] Lastly, in the Glossary, H. 4. 22. T.C.D., p. 58 (a MS. of a.d. 1460), we find the Avord derived and explained. teAcA .1. ©TDAit, no beiceAC. Leatha, i. e., Italy, or breadth. The C'uil- menn. APPENDIX No. XIX. [Lect. II., Page 32.] Original of passage in the t>eAb«.N]\ m6\\ 'OuriA 'Ooi^^^e (in the JR. I. A. — commonly called the l^eAli)A]\ L)]\eAc), containing the word Cuitmenn. PjAomA -piiTO 'o'pe^AjA'L iTiAC llittiAm yo]i in CuiLmen'o o\X. The Cail- menn. APPENDIX, No. XX. [Lect. II., Page 32, note ^^^^J Original of passage concerning the xoord Cuitmenti in an ancient Glossary, classed No. 74, R.I. A. — and another in the ancient Glossary in the vellum MS. classed H. 3. 18., T.C.D ., fol. 603. ColAiTinA -|:eA]Ab .i. CtntnienriA ]:eA^\'b .i. cpoicne bo. Ctntnienn .i. tebAp, uc e]x, be]\cA in fAi -pAiiA t)A]\eif in Chuibineinri. Of the Beai\ Sidhe. APPENDIX, No. XXI. [Lect II., Page 36 (note 23).] Of the t)eii Sit)e. [Si-6. — "Pejip-oe. — tDenp-oe.] The term si'o [pron. "^Aee"], as far as we know it, is always ap- plied in old writings to the 2:)alaces, courts, halls, or residences of those beings wMch in ancient Gaedhelic mythology held the place which ghosts, phantoms, and fairies hold in the superstitions of the present day. Of the yei\-fTOe [pron. "farr-shee", "man of the Sidhs"^ and the ben-i-me [pron. "bann-shee", "woman of the APPENDIX. 505 Sidhs"^ there were, however, two classes. One of these was sup- app. xxr. posed to consist of demons, who took on themselves human bodies q^ j,,g of man or woman, and by making love to the sons and daughters Sean Sidhe. of men, and revealing to them delusive views of a glorious pros- pective immortality, seduced them into a fatal union, by which they were for ever lost from God. [See an example of this class in the " Sick-bed of Cuchulainn", in the Atlantis, Nos. II., III.] The second class consisted of the ciiaca "Oe •OAtiAnn, a people said to have been devoted altogether to the practices of Druidism and the Black Art. This people, in fact, were the possessors of Erinn at the coming of the ^lilesian colony; and having been con- quered by the ^Milesians, and disdaining to live in subjection to a more material and less spiritual power than their own, their chiefs were imagined to have put on the garb of a heathen immortality, and selecting for themselves the most beautiful situations of hills, lakes, islands, etc., throughout the land, to have built for them- selves, or caused to spring up, splendid halls in the midst of those chosen situations, into which they entered, draAvdng a veil of magic around them to hide them from mortal eyes, but through which they had power to see all that was passing on Earth. These im- mortal mortals were then believed not only to take husbands and wives from amongst the sons and daughters of men, but also to give and receive mutual assistance in their battles and wars respectively. [See the same Story pubHshed in the Atlantis.] Numerous instances could be adduced to prove that the word signifies a hall or residence of those immortals. The followdng stanza is taken from an ancient poem by 3Iac Nia, son of Oenna (of whom I knoAV nothing farther), [in the Book of Ballymote, fol. 190, b.] on the wonders of bjAuj (or 'biAGj) ha "boinne [the Palace of the Boj-Tie], the celebrated Hall of the ■oa^'oo. nio-p, who was the great king and oracle of the cuaca 'Oe "OAnA-nn. This poem begms : " A cTiAemu 'b|\e5 "biMj riAt) 'bi\e5" (" Ye Poets of Bregia, of truth, not false"), and this is the second stanza of that poem. VejAi-o in fit) A^ i:o|\ fuil, Behold the Sidh before your eyes, ^\ -pcoe-pc ■oib ^'{^ cpeb -pij, It is manifest to you that it is a flo 5iiiT) lAipn 'Oaj'oa m^ll1|^, king's mansion, bA •oinn, bA -oun, Am^AA b]Ai j. Which was built by the firm Daghda ; It was a wonder, a court, an ad- mirable hill. (See also the most curious, though comparatively modem, Fair}'^ Lullaby, printed in Petrie's Ancient Music of Ireland, vol. i. p. 73.) From all this it will be evident that ■peiA'pi-oe is a man of the im- mortal mortal Sidlis, and that the ben-p'oe, so freely spoken of by modern MT-iters on Irish Fairyism, was a woman of the Sidhs. [See also the 'Tripartite Life of Saint Patrick', where the daughters of King lAejAiixe ask him if his priests clad in white are gods or ' pt^-j-TOe', i.e., men of the ptio, or Faiiy mansions, or phan- toms.] 506 APPENDIX. Extract from the Tdiu Bo Chuaihjni. APPENDIX, No. XXII. [Lect. II., Page 38.] Original of the description of the champion UeocATO IDac pAceiiiAin, from the Ancient Tale of the Uaiii bo Chu- Aitjne. Uaiiic biii"oen Aite aito tDiiA, pn rul-Aij cecnA i SleniAin Tnit)e, yo\\ IIIac Hoc. tli comici^ tAec i]' cliAemivi iia in tAec -f-Ail in Aipintic nA buitDni pn. "potu cobAc 'oeiAg-bui'oe ■pAip. /Aije-Q yocAin, -f-o^ibecAn tAi]']\ llofc iiojbAfi", jo-p- ■pAjraA, i-j^e cAin-oet-OA, jAjieccAC ha cint). "Pe-jA c6i]a ciiciAummA, i]'e i:aca, yocAet, yobecAii. l3e6it "oei-ixg, cAnAi'oe beiiy. IDeoic niAni-OA, neniAn-OA. Co]^p ^et, cne^^cA. CA^^An ^et- "oepg 1 ^Aix)i tiAi'u. Co 6i|i ipn b]nicc oi^ a b]\i.inni. Lene "oefnob -|Ai5 TiiA 'oe]\5pt'Luit) *oe 'oe|i5-6|\ p\i ^eb cnep\ 5^b )"ciAch CO ctiAjtn'itAib 'oe]\5-6i]^ pM]^. CtAToeb 6|V0tii]An, mclA]']"! i:-o|i A chbiu. ^6.e ]:aca -pAeboiv^bA-]', t\e fAjA -peig l-'obAnuA, CO -puAnemnAib bojA, co i^emniAnnAib i:in-o]\uine niA tAiin. CiA pic Abe, bA]i ^ibibb in 'Pe]\5ii]\ lT.ACA|:ecAm- iiiA^i Am Abe, bA]\ fe^i^u]". 1]^ tec n^biAX) |"Ain ; i]' ^aIiut) combAinx), 1]' boiTO-b]iuch nA]\con cAch cahic aito, lleocAit) niAC pAcbemAin o Hig-oont) achait) An"o]"Ain. v^ ^ ^ ^ Kxtiact from tlie Tain Bo Ckuailgni. APPENDIX, No. XXIII. [Lect. II., Page 38.] Original of the description of the champion "Peji^nA, /rom tlie same. UAnic buToen Aibe Ant) "onA, ipn cubAig cecnA i SteniAin tlli-oe, yo\\ niAc llocb. t^Aec beccon-i'ocA, o-ooitoa in Aipnuc nAbui-ompn. pobc -oub i:ai]i. Sicb-bAbbi\At) (.i. coiya'^aca). l3]iAcc 'oe\\^ pv cA-|"bAi imme. t)|ieccnAii" bAn-A^igAic ii^in b^iiicc 6y A b]\tinni. t^eni binitJi pn cnep". Sciac q\o-'oe]\5 CO coni]\Aix) ]:ai|\. CbAi'oeb co niiTOiiiAn a^^aic bA]A a clibui. Sbe^ mbbec, 6]i-c|\iii UA]ni. CiAp'ic Abe, bA]\ ^ibbb ]\\ ^e\\^\\\\ 1lACA-}:ecAmA]i Am Abe, bAii pe]\5ui\ ^e:\\ c]\i -ntncce yin. X^Y n" l^Aicci. pep C111 ^\AmACA. peii c]ii mb|\i^xi. JTep cp mbuA-oA. ire]\ c]\i mbA^A, "Pe^ijnA niAC 'Pin'oconnA, -pi l3l3|\A15 HbAt) ACUATO An-o^'Ain. Extract f 1 om the Tciin Ho Chuailgni. APPENDIX, No. XXIV. [Lect. II., Page 38.] Original of the description of Prince G"]ic, from the same. UAnic buToen Aite Anx), "onA, pn cubAig i SteniAin ITIi-oe, yop niAc Hoc. ^\- bi i'Dprnx) ecpAmAit \\\\- nA bii-onib APPENDIX. 507 Ail.e. Aitt b]\uirc "oeinj. Ailt b]\iiir jIai]"^'. A^XX h]\\.nzx: app. xxiv. 5iii]\ni. ^\itt b]\uiuc tiAne, btAe, bAiiA, bui"oe. Iciac Aibte, Extract eq\ocrA iiAini. 'llnx)'peo hiac liibec, riibjAecoe^Aj, co mh]\uzc ^^^^^^^^ co]\c]\A, ecti]\|\u bA]A ine-oon bA-oe^ym. 66 6i]\ i|" inb]\ucc chuaugni. 6\-A b]\iinni. tene "oe f]\6l, 1^15 bA tDei^jpncbui'o "oe "oei^j- 6]\ i:|\i ^eb-cneiY- ^^M'^^'^'^ 5*^ cuAgmibAib ■oe]\5-6ii\ |'ai]i. UauL 6i]\ bA]\pn fciAC. bib 6^\\ iriA imcbinicbuibb. CLAix)eb 6]\t)Ui]An bee bA dioiiTiin Aice. 5<^® -^""^ er]\omm 50 ■po'pcA- CAib UA]"u. CiA inir Abe, bA^^ ^ibibb ]\i 'Pei\5ii^\ 11 At) ■t>ecA|\-|"A Am, Abe, bA|A "Peiiju-p, innA]' ha binx)nii^m, iia in in AC bee yib inci •O'f-AcbAib |ai tlbcAib "oa]! meij^; acc oen bAT) "0615 biin^'A AiTO, coinci-p 1AC p]i UbemiAA im G-|ie ttiac Vetdbiiii llociniuAip. tllAcp'oe CAi^Apiti HiA-pe^A. APPENDIX, No. XXV. [Lect. II., Page 41.] Of the Date of the Uaiii bo ClniAilsne. Date of the J J O xdin Bo The foUoAving is the entry, in the Annals of Tighernach (Paper MS. Chuaiigni. in T.C.D. — H. 1. 8.), recording the death of Cuchidainn. The year is entered in the margin, in the hand-\\i-iting of O'Flaherty, " Ann. Chr. 39" :— Kt. nio]\f ConctilAinn ■tro|\ri-p- "Kalend. Mors Cortc«/a(n« fortis- pmi 1iei\o-p Scoco]\iim, Ia Iujait) simi heros Scotorum, by Luyaidh [mv\c-iiA-c)M-Coti. octif l,A li-frpc] [the son of the three Ci('s*^3', and by 11K\c niic CAi]\|3)\e niA-pe^A, .tin. Ere] the son of tJie son of^^") Cairpr€ nibtiATDiiA A Aoi-p An tiAifv 'oo jAib Nktfer.^^^^ VII. j^ears was his age jAii'ge-o. .XU11. An cAn boi An- when he took arms.^*-J XVII. when ■01A15 CAnA "bo CuAibjne. .x.wni. he was in pursuit of the Tain Bo An CAn AcbAc. Chuailgne. XXVII. when he died". The words in parenthesis, above, are "ni'itten in the margin of the MS. (H. 1. 18., T.C.D.), in another hand, with a reference to the text. Tliey are correct. Tlie text itself is not accurate (see below, note^*"^). It is unfortunate that in this MS., as Avell as in many other places, the age of Cucliulainn is recorded in numerals only, all, probably, originally copied from the same ancient autho- rity ; if Ave had it given in words at length, we should probably have the truth of the record. HoAvever, it is not only extremely improbable that the hero could haA-e died so young as at tAventy- scA-en (considering Avhat Ave knoAV of his life and exploits, not only in his OAA'n country, but abroad), but Ave have another detailed account, much more consistent A\ath probability. It is that pre- served in the MS. classed H. 3. 17., in the library of T.C.D. (p. 765). (79) See Xote (18) [Appendix No. II.], post, pp. 478 and 479, as to this Lughaidh. (80) These words, " the son of", in Italics, should he omitted, ^rc was the son of Cairpri, not his grandson. (81) Cairpri Xvifer was Alonarch of Erinn (i.e., king at Tara) according to many of the ancient Tales ; yet his name does not appear in the Reim Rioghraidhe, nor is it recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters. [See an example of reference to this Monarch, post. Appendix XXA'III., and particularly at page .HIS] (S2) That is, was admitted into the order of Champions, or, as it would be expressed in modern times, of Knighthood. 508 APPENDIX. App. XXV. (a MS. of wliicli tills portion dates about 1460), from which I may extract here this passage : — Date of the -!_ 11 1 11. Tain Bo Da "OeiT:nDei|\ "OO ptl "0110 A\\ 'OODA'OAH "OA DUA'OAin ChuatlgiU. ^^^ ^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^ CUCAt) CAcIl T)]\OinA C]\1A-6, OCU]" "HO JAb *OeichciAi A inACAi]A I/U^ait) RiAbn'oe]\5 in aLcu]" a|aa i^^acI"), ocu]" y^o boi .uii. mbhiA-onA pcceAt) A Aef m caii i\o bo iTiA|^b Cocbo Ai]Miim i "PiAemAtTO, ocu]- x)a bbiA-oAin a\\ .xx.AC [a] Ae]' An CAn [niAiAbAt)]. e-ice|\]"cet ('d-tll. 5080) 15 dp]iAic -AijA^i Al1lAi]xm, octi'p ifin bbiA-OAin cAnAifce iA]Apn cttcA-o in UAin a chaij'oo jieijiAn cfbeAccApn. Octif bA-OA]i meic ChAitium .11111. mbbiA'onA a]\ UAnAit) 50 n"oeACAt)A]\ -oo ■oeAnAin a -po^tAmuA, a]i bA-OA^i nA nAitDeAnAib a cbuvbAnAib in CAn 110 niA]\bA"o a nAchAi^A .ix. mbbiA-onA "ooib ia-ji pn A5 •oenATn Ai'oj'LAmcA .uii. mbbiA-onA iA]ipn ■pogbAnn Ag "oenAni A nA]Am, A]A ni -pAijbAiceA acc Aen 1a yA bbiA^Ain a njAi ; octj-p cp bbiA-onA AjA pn -po bA-OAiA meic CliAibinn 15 cinob ocnp 15 coceA^'CAb "peAp n6i]AeAnn 50 iDebAcb tl1ic tlibc 1 tiling llluipceiiine. ^^^''^'o ^''^ btiAX)Ain nA UAnA in nAemAT) bbiA'OAin "oeg a]i "oa .xx.'oib Aep ConctibAinn, o Aicbe a genAinnA co 1iAic1ie a bAip, ocup a .n'l'i.xx. "oo Aip ConAipe 'oo cAicb CncubAnn ; ocu]" a ciito btiA-OAn ]io niApb CeAC ConcobA]A "o'lncinT) ITIeppgeA-opA. ConAt) AniAib pin imup]Ao, •00 peip 1leiT)e I11 tllAOilconAiiAe ocup 'plAinn IllAini-p'opecli. [translation. [He had cause for that noAv ; for tAvelve years was his age when the battle of Druim Criadli was fought. And his mother, Dectirey took Lughaidh Riahli n-Derg to nurse, under his protection. And TAventy-seven years was his age Avhen Eocho Airiumh Avas killed at Fremhainn; and Forty-tA\'o years Avas his age when Eterscel was killed at Tiprait Airghi at Maistin; and it AA^as in the second year after that the Tain was carried off from the North, according to this account. And the sons of Cailitin AA^ere eight years after the Tain before they AA'ent to pursue their learning ; for they AA^ere but infants in cradles at the time that their father Avas killed. Nine years for them after that, pursuing their learning ; seven years after finishing their learning AA^as spent in making their weapons, because there could be found but one day in the year to make their spears. And three years after that did the sons of Cailitin spend in assembling and marching the men of Erinn to Belach Mic Uilc, in Magh Muirtheimne. So that the year of the Tain was the fifty-ninth year of Cuchulainn's age, from the night of his birth to the night of his death. And it Avas TAA^enty-seven years of the age of Conaire [_M6r\ Cuchulainn spent ; and it AA^as in a year after Ceat killed Concohar with MesgedhrcCs brain. So that that such is the fact, according to Neidlu 0\Maoilchonaire, and Flann of the INIonastery.] APPENDIX. 509 The following passage is, however, very strong in favoui* of the app. xxv. record first above quoted. It is indeed subject to the same objec- tion, that the numbers are expressed by numeral letters, not by Tain no words in full. It is, however, so minute in the calculations it con- Cimaiigni. tains, that it is but right to insert it here in full. It is taken from the Book of Ballyjiote (in the R.I.A.), where it occurs at fol. 7. a. a., in a tract which is identified in a note in the margin, in the handwriting of no less an authority than Charles O'Conor of BaUy- nagar, as the Synchronisms of Flann of Monasterboice (see Lect. III., p. 53 ; and ante) : — 1]^iii ccAciuMiiA-o bliA-OAiii "oeg "oo ^M^e ConAi]\e ocui^ Con- cobAi]\ \\o ^eiiAi^A tnuiixe; ocu-]" .xiii. bA -pbAn tdo ChomciiiAiiTO Anx)pn ; ocu]' ipn ceACjAAmAX) bbiA-OAin ia]a n^ein 1Tlui]\e, l^luAi^e-o Uatia bo CuAiljne. ^i' yobbuf Ay -|^in ^ti^Ab cAe]XA UAin HA l3]\UToin ; o]\ x)6i5 ^\- aito i^aii occinAX) nibbiA- "OAiii "oe^ '00 juge Cone^ bA ylAii -oo CoincubAUTO AtTOfin .i. i-pA X)A\\A bliAX)Ain -oeg a]\ .xx. "oo i^i^e OccApn luju^-o in ybuAi^et) ce-onA. Occ mbbiA'onA ia]\ i^luAi^ex) Uatia Do CuAib^ne -|\o ^enAiji C-|Ai-pc, ocuf bA i^Iaii -oa btiAX)Aiii 1365 x>o inui]\e Annym; octif .xb. bbi-A-OAn bA i^Uxn -D'OccAirm iriA IMje Ann]^in, ocu]' in .ui.e-o bbiAtJAin .xx. -oo ^ii^e ConAi]\e ocuf ConcobAip; ocuf "oa bbiATJAin ia]\ njein Cpifc ccai^-oo CucuiAin-o ; ocvif .un. bliAt)Ain .xx. i^Aejub ConcubAint) copn, [TR.\is'SLATION.] [In the fourteenth year of the reign of Conat're','-^^ and of Concho- bar,'-^*^ Mary [the Blessed Virgin] was born, and thirteen [years] Cuchulainn had completed at that time ; and in the fourth year after the birth of ISIary, the Expedition of the Tain Bo Chuailgne [took place]. It is manifest from that the Tain was sooner than the Bruidhen ;'-^^^ for it was in the eighteenth year of the reign of Conaire that the Expedition of the Tain Bo Chuailgne occurred. Seventeen years had Cuchulainn completed at that time, that is, it was in the thirty-second year of the reign of Octafin Jugust [Octavius Augustus] that the same Expedition took place. Eight years after the Expe- dition of the Tain Bo Chuailgne Christ was born, and Mary had completed tAvelve years then, and forty years complete had Octafin [Octavius] been in his reign then ; and in the twenty-sixth year of the reign of Conaire and Conchobar, and in two years after the birth of Christ, Cuchulainn died ; and twenty-seven years was Cuchulainn s age to that.] (83) Conairi M6r, Slonarcli of Erinn (see account of the Bruighean Da Derga, in Lecture XII., ante). According to the Annals of the Four Masters, Cunairi ascended the throne B.C. 109, and was killed B.C. 40. The former date is evidently wrong. (84) Conchobar Mac Nessa, King of Lister, contemporary with the Monarch Conairi. (85) The Bruighean Da Derga, when Conairi Mdr was killed (b.c. 40). 510 APPENDIX. App. XXVI. APPENDIX, No. XXVI. [Lect. II., Page 44.] Description Original of the description of the Jlfonarch CojAiriAC 1TIac ^i^c, conwc liiae <^^ ^^^^ Assembly of Tara {at the commencement of the third Bo'okoVt'a- century); from the Book of BaUymote (fol. 142 b.b.), on the congbkaii. authority of the lost Book of the Ua 011011513^1 1. Til tiA-pAl o|\iii'oe ^\o 5AbA^xA]\ 'p'LAicuif ocii-|" i:o]itAiiiii|" fe]\ n-e-]\eiiii ]:eAcc riAiit .1. Co]\niAc Ha Cuinx) ep-oe. t)A Iati in bic "oo 5AC niAic ]iu\ bni'o in jn^pn ; bAime-p ocu-|' ctA|' octj-p iiiu]\co^\A'6, bAi p"6 ocn-p -pAiine ocu]" imbA. tli bcvi jnin, nA "oibe^^j pnA -|\epin acc cac nA nniA-o "oncAi-o fo-oein. 'Oo]\ectTiAin5 iA]\uni, niAiti i:eA|i nG^ienn ic ob "Pep Uem]u\c ini ClionniAC, yeAcc Ant). ^pAt) yo nA "Hi^a bA 1111 coj'ca'o nA •{.-beip .1. 'Pe]\5U|" 'Onb'oe'OAc, ocu-|' Gocaix) 5^^i^<'^'^» "o<^ I^^S UbAt). 'Ounbunj niAC CnnA lliAt), pj LAijen. Co|imAC CA-p, niAC AibibbA Oltiim, ocnp piACU ITluibbecAn niAc GojAin, "oa 1115 TTIniiiAn. II1A iii6i\ HIac Lii^ait) "Pi-nc^n .1. iriAC niACA-|i Clio]\mAic, ocnp -dex) niAC e-c1iAc1i inic ConAibb, "oa ]\^^ Con nAcbc. Oen^np ^^'^ifi-^^s^'^c, ^\i iDjieAg. pe]\At)AC tiiac <\pAib imc Cmnn 'P'enne'OA, ]\^ llli-oi. IS AinbAix) -oo cingcip AenAip ocn-p nio^TOAbAbA pi]\u Gj^enn ip in AiiiTi'i]\pin : cac p cunA cbAcc pg timie, ocnp conA CAcbAii-p 6]\-OA pA ceAiin ; nAi^A ni jAb-OAip rtnonnA pg'OA po]ipo ACC A ]1A1 CACA n Am 111 A. AbAint) cAinic Co]nnAc ipn iii6]\t)Aib pin, oip ni CAinic pAiiiAib A "oebbApon acc ConAipe lllop niAC G-oeiipceoib, 110 ConcobAp mAC CAcbAt), no Aen^tip iiiac m 'Oaj'oa. \)a "oep- pcAi jcec cpA, ecopc ChopmAic ipin *OAitpin. ITlong boAccA, pocAppA, p-o]\6]TOA p'Ai]\. 'Oeji^bocoi'o CO pin-oui, octip co nnbti 6ip ocup CO cnA5X)'|\uiiiinib ai]\51'o p'Aip. D]\ac co]\c]\a, CAp- bcAccA mine. LiA-oeAbj oip po]\ AbpnnToi. Illuncoiic 61 p 1111 A bpA^AiT). b/cni geAb, cubpAt)AC, CO nt)ep5 inx)buiT) (6ip) tiiine. Cpp 6ip 50 njeniAib "oo bij bo^iiiAi]! cAi]\ip. 'Oa A]yA mogbAi^i, 6pT)A, CO pibbAib 6ip mine. X)C\ fbeg opcpAi nA bAini, CO n"0UAbAib ini*0A x)on cpe-omiiAe. IS eipiin lApmn, cpucAc, CAem cen Ainnii ^en ACAip. IDApbeAc bA p^]\op *oo neinconx)Aib |\obA"o inA cint). 'OA]\beAC bA -onAb pApcAinji Abeb; bA Jibi- ce]i pneAccA a copp ivveiroenmAC. IDa CApniAib p"]\i pA]\cbi CAilbi, no piAn pbeibi a5]\uai'0. CopniAib y]\^ bnJAApnbi. CopiiiAib pn cAicneAiii njopinbAinni a niAibji, ocup a AbjiAt). 1S epin ct^A, cpucli ocnp ecopc p-o n'oeocbAix) CopniAc ipin mop-OAib pn p^cAp nG-penn. Ocnp ipe-o Acbepcpon'i, ip ipin connDAib ip Aipeg-OA "oo lAOiiAt) AnG]\inn piA cpei"oeAm, UAip ipiAt) nA piiiAccA ocnp nA iieccA 'oo ponA"o pin "OAibpin mepup AnGpinn co b]iAC. APPENDIX. 511 -Al'be^xcACAU niAici ^e]\ tiG]\enn cac "oo^tou'oa'o y:o]\ a ceccA ap. xxyi. yem aco .1. e-oy-\\ ]\1^]^<^^v^, ocu]" ottAninAib, ocui"0]\uca, ocu-p biuitut), ocur AinrA, ocur cac "OAiii otceAtiA: on bA "oenb teo of king ' "^ . ! ' ' ^ '11 ^^' ^ Cormac Mac iii-oo]\]\x)ii5U'o -oo gencA Ane-i\inii 1^111 "OAiL^'in la p]\vi i-o-ola, ^fw, inthe CO]\ob e X)0 blAt) ITTOCI CO b]\AC. 11a1]\ on UAII ^\UC AmAIIA^in ^conabhau'^' ^lun^eb, in pbi, cet) b^iec AnC]\inn i\obA "La pte'OAib in AenujA b]\eicemnA-p cii]" An imACAbtAini in -oa UlniA]A ine-AtnAin 111aca .1. "pe^iceiAcne pbi, ocu]" Hei-oi niAC A-onA, iiia ciii^ni j obl^MiiAii. Oa •oo]\ca "Gin, acac in tAb|\A "oo lAbAiiAi^eAT) nA IMbit) i]^in yui jibti'in, ocu]" ni]\bo tei]A -oonA -jM^Aib ocu]' "oonA irileA-OvMb m b]\eiceninu]']\tic-]'A'o. 1S Lai" nA p]\ui'A AiiAenufA A mbnec, ocu-p Aenm-p ocuy eoiuf , "po-pf nA -pij, ni cmcemni ce- tDii]" A -pAi-oic. IS menn, •ono, ol ConcobA-p, bie-o cint) "00 cac An-o]'om on"oiu cob]AAC, acc An b]\ec x)ucai5 'ooibfeom -oe, ni ]AicpA An Ailb, ^ebiT) cac a n'0]\ecrA -oe. UAttAX) X)no, b]\eiceAm- nAp A]\ yiteA-oAib An-opn acc a n-oiicliAi^ *6e, ocup lAojAb cac 'ope]AAib G]\enn a XJ^ecu *oin b]\eicertinup; AiriAib ^AojAb-pAt) b]\eiceA CcAC mic Lucca, ocu]' b]\ecA ^ACcnA inic ScAncA-OA, ocu-)^ 5^i^V^^^ CAHA"oniA"o Uepcci, ocu-p b]AecA lllo^uvinx) mic tTlAin, ocup bjACCA Co^Ain mic 'Ou-p-pcAcc, ocu-|" b|\ecA TDoec Hemci, ocu]^ bpecA t)]\i5i AmbAi, ocu|" b^iecA 'OiAncecc o bei^ib. Ce -|Aobc\-oA]Apin In cuf ipin Aimp]A pn, conAimcicAiA mAici -peA]\ n6]\enn comu]" nAi ocu]" in-o-jxi "oo cac ia]a nA miATDAiiibAcc \\o 5Ab-|'At) i-|' UA b|\ecAib "neimeA-o. Ho meA-j^c cac Ap\ -OAn A cete A|\i-p co cauic in m6|TOAibpin nii Cho|\tTiAC. ■Ro •oeibig-i^e'o "oin, A-|\i-p Ae-|" caca "OAnA -p]UA Ajioibi i]^in mo-p- •OAibpn, ocu-p |\o bo-|AX)Ai'6 cac -o'lb -po^v a -oAn ■oVieA]'. [See also the "LeAbAi^ t)uit)e t/CCAin (M.S., T.C.D., H. 2. 16.) fol. 886.] APPENDIX, No. XXVII. [Lect. II., Page 47.] Original of the commencement of the Preface to the '■'■Book of Extract AcAibL" (in the vellum MS. classed E. 3. 5., T.C.D.) to"the B^ook^ ^ of Acaill, — LOC X)0n Liubu^\ yo AlClLL A]! AlCe UemAljl, OCU]- A11Tl-|'e-|1 "OO attributed Aimpi]\ Coipp]\1 Llp'ec1lA1]1, line CopmAIC, ocu-p pe^\fA X)0 macMae"^' Co]uiiAC, ocup cucAic A-oenmA, CAecliAt) Co]\mAic -oo Aen^xiy ^^^'' ^AbuAi-oecb, iA]\ puv\cAc1i inpne So]iai]a mic A]\r Chui^ip "oo ChetbAch, mAC Co|uiiaic. Ai]u GcIica in cAen^u-p ^AbuAi- -oecb pn ac "oigAib 5]^eip cennub a cuAcbAib tui^ne, ocu-p "Oo cuAit) A cec muA Ant), ocu-p ac ib boim a-|\ eicin aito ; ocu-p -|\o bA cb6]\A -OAic, Api in ben, in^en "oo b-jiAcliApi tDO •oijAib A]\ Cebl<\ch mAC Co]unAic, ua mo biAT)pA a]\ eicin "00 512 APPENDIX. AP. XXVII. cAicheAni ; ocu-|' rn i\i.iiinenn tebii]i otc "oo 'oenAni '^\ty in Extract nifiAi, Achc "OO ctiATO peiiiie -oo iiTOj^Ai^TO HA UcmnAC. Ocuf to^tiieBook^ ""^l^ jTUinet) -njiAeine ]\o I'lAchc co Uein^AAij, ocuy jei-p vo of Acaiii,— ■CemjAAij Ai]\ni tAich "OO b^\eic1i itroce lA-p -|:viine-6 i"!5|\eine, to king Cor- ACC tlA llA1]Mn "00 eClllAICI)" IITOCC ; OCU]' 1AO JAb Acn^tll" 111 Airi.'^^'^'^ CjumAbt Co]unAic AiuiA]' VA beAbcAin^, ociif cue buille t)! A CettAc 111AC Co]\inAic co]A iiiA]AbtiixA]\ he; co]a ben a lieochATu "OA^A innb Cho]\niAic co -|\o tec CAech he, ociij" -i\o ben A hujAbunn a n"0|aiini -pechcAi]\e nA Uem]\Ach, ACACA^A^AAing a CebbAC, CO ]\o mA^bn^xA^A he; ocuy bA jei]" ^15 co nAinim •oo bic A Uem]AAi5, ocu^^ i\o cuine-o Co]\mAC aiiiac "Oa beijei' CO Aicitt A]i Aici UemAi]); ocui" -|\o ciceA Uenu\i]\ a hAicitt ocuf ni ]:AicceA Aicitt a UeniAi^i; ocu]" cucAt) 1^51 n-e-i-jxenn r>o Coi|Ap]ii tyi):echAiiA, hiac Co^miAic; ociif if Ann pn X)o planet) in lebA^A 1^0 ; ocvii^ if e if cine "00 CofiiiAc Ant), cAch IdaiI aca " bW ocuf "A iheic AfA feife]\"; ocuf ife-o if ctnc "DO Cin"OfAel,A-6, cac ni ochA fin aiiiac. APPENDIX, No. XXVIII. [Lect. II., Page 49 and Page 51, note. ^=^^'] Further Original of the remainder of the Preface to the ^'■Booh of ^cAibl", Preface to'" giving the explanation of the word ^icill or ^CAibl. tlie Book A A J, xii /~. of^raiw,— ^icibL pn, uch oLL "00 fi^ne 'AiceLL, mren CAifpfi, Ann a attributed ^ • ^ >-» 1 ' 1 to king Co?-- cAinex) ei]\c nnc CAi]\pfi a "oeiibfAchAf ; ocuf -oeifmifecc Ai]i fin : Ingen CAifp]\i, "oo iiocAif, 1f -00 peTotenn lloc^iocAij, 'Oo cuiiiAi^ e-ifc, Aebx)A in f Aint), 5^ec 1 n-o'i^Ait ConculAinn. Ho, Aicebt, ben Cifc mic Cc\ifp]\i bA niAfb "oo cuniAit) a fif Ant), Af nA niAfbAt) t)o ChonAlt Cef nAC ; ociif t)eif- mif ecc Aif : ConAbL Ce]\nAch cue ceAnn Gifc He CAeb UenifAC nn cfAc ceifc; If cfUAJ in gn'im t)o t)ecAit) t)e, U]\ifet) e]\it)i uAif Aicbe! TTIa fo bAi Aft»Afc t)li5et) Ann, if i eifie cucAt) Ann fin, Achc rriA fo bi fAeff Ach a]\ IllAig Of eg, Ainuit x>o beifcheA fAeffAch t)on t»Af a beich, ocuf t»Ae]\fAch t)on tec Aite, im A tec A fAef Aicittnecc ocuf in tec Aite i n-t)Aef Aicittne. TTlAnA fAibe fAeffAch^*"^^ offA icif, if i eific cucAt) Ann (*^)Sao|\|\aic.i. cin jiAllnAtr^MAlAim, cm cu]\u bei A n^oigAil ConctilAint). ConAll Ce^vnAc C115 ceAn-o &]\c ■Oociim i:enii\A 1111 cpAc ce^c, CjMiAj injnini "ooyvijneD •oe, "b^iffeT) cixAiTDi tu\^\ Aide. A "OuinA "PinT), *DtiinA nA nt3)\iiA'o, "OuinA C]\e'oni jixma-o &]\ jimiat), "OuniA i>ion'oe|\nA'o jlecc gle, "OuniA eyvc, 'ouiTiA Aide. A Tahja'daia niAice uIa-o 1w ConcobA-p nA cu^xat), RoTreixrAt) 5]\AfDAin-o jiIjIaui, •o'AcAiil Ap Aice CeniAiiA. "OtimA ne^vc ni aicoi ci\eA^, Sin •o]\iiini y:\v\ UemAi|\ Anne)% frfvc If Ann cAinig A|\e, ■Oe|\b)\AcliAi|\ AlAirnD Aide. A King of Laighin (Leinster). And it was Ere that cut his head off Cnchu- lainn. Fedlem Nochrothaifjh (of the ever new beauty), daughter of Con- chobar Mac Nessa (King of Ulster), was the mother of Ere and Aeaill. And Conall Cearnach now came to avenge Cuchulainn on Ere ; and Ere fell on tlie occasion, and liis head was brought to Teamair to be exiiibited. Acaill, his sister, came out of Ulster from her husband, namely, Glan, the son of Cur bud, to lament her brother ; and she was nine nights at mourning, until her heart burst nutwise within her ; and she desired that her grave and her mound should be in a i)lace from which the grave of Ere aud his mound could be seen. Undo Erc's Mound, aud Acall's Moundnomiuatur. Cinaeth G'Hartagan this below. Cinaeth O' Hartagan cecinit, Acall hard by Temuir, Was beloved by youths from Ema- nia — Was mourned when she died, — The white spouse of Glan, son of Carbud, Cairjm's daughter that died — Daughter to Fedldim Nochrothaigh— Of grief for Ere, of whom verses were filled, Who was slain in revenge for Cuchulainn. It was Conall Cernaeh that brought Ere's head Unto Temair at the third hour ; Sadtlie deed that was effected of it — The breaking of AcaWs noble heart. The mound of Finn, the mound of the Druids, The mound of Crcdni, cheek by cheek ; A mound at which was fought a gallant fight, — The mound of Ere, the mound of Acall. They came — the noblest of Ulster — Along with Conehobar of the cham- l>ions ; They performed bright pure games For Acall hard by Temair. The mound of Ere is no narrow work. In the hill by Temair on the south — Ere, it was there his career was ended. The beautiful brother oi Acall. APPENDIX. 515 ■OuiiiA riA n'OiuiA'O ■piM-p Aney, T:emM\\ 11 v\ ]\^■^, 111 ^Mgle^^ V|M CeiTIAl]\ <.\11A1J\ AIIAtL IfATHipn AubAc ACAtt. A noco CA^MD A|^ CALriiAin cf ai 5, \3ux> feAjiix 1111 biu\|\ 110 1111 jtiAvo, noco]\ aIc 1 CeiiiAii\ caII. ben buT) v'^^^IM^ ^^'''^ AcaLL. A O5IAC •oti CAi^ipiM 11lA|^eA|\, OodAiT) 5A^\b, 5e|\Aic ^AiTiel, CApiiAi-pc combeic 111 tiia cIahiii ViMpn 111115111, -(qM liAcAiLU A ■Oo bni]\ cei]'C fUAicmg AiApii, 'Oa|\ 1115111 CAi|\p|\i ciMcliij; TlAC |^|\1U A 1lUA1|\ CAI'OI CaLI, Sec ogniriAib Aitli AccAfL. A b|\Ac1iAii\ Viii'o A liAibimn tuMji, 1^' OltlLiA A C|\UAc1lA111 C]M,1Ani), CAi)\p|vi nico 1 CeinAi|v caLL, ■OiA|\bo nijeAii pAti AcaLI. A In cinAt) icAT) A^ nee llobAe CAibL ciMtJ A^i CAc tec, Ci|\ in &5if, ItlAine niAiLi, ■Oo gAi^ci 'oe |\e nAcAibi. A DlA^Ai-o tlAic ConAi)\e cAin, tnA^VAIT) tlAIC CAlfpiM C|\1CA15; ni iiiAi^ ^W^ -pii no caII, Til tiiAi]\ e^c, ni inAi|\ AcAtt. 'SAn-o^^Ain ^OA-onACu in ben, Injen aiii^ojii nAii^Ai'oeA'L; UoclAI'Oe'O -01 111 llACf A UAti, "Oa f11AH\ A VlATOeA'O, ACAtt. A Se mnA ^y peA|\'t\ |\obAei A]\ biu te, X)Ayie^\■ mviii\e tllAcliAip ["Oe,] tneiDb, SAT>b, SA-pAi-o ■peg'OA, ■RAin-o, [recte ■pAin-o] e^AC, If eme^, il' AcAibL. A 5iii'oiiii tYlAC "Oe "00 ^At* infei^5 Ca]a IITeTjb tec'oeiig, "OAy^ nieiab n'oei\5, "OA^A SAI'ob, •DA^A SA^Vtll'O, ■OA|\ ■JTAin-o, "OAjA jAljAb, -OAIX e^lC, X)A'(^ ACAlbi. A The mound of the Druids, by it on ^p. xxviii. the south Temair of the Kings, the kingly Fmther Court; — extract By Temair on the east hither, to°ihe^Bo^r It was there died Acall. of Acaill,— Theredid not layupon the earth a foot, attributed One better to bestow kine and steeds; ^" ^"^s Cor- There was not nursed in Temair ^2ir(. ""^ within A woman better than Acall. A soldier of Cairpri Nia-fear, Eochaidh Garbh, — champion of the Gaedhil, — Was anxious to have some of his children By the maiden, by Acall. I will give a high character, therefore. Upon the daughter of Cairpri of territories, — That for her abduction no time within was found, Beyond the beautiful young mai- dens, Acall. Brother to Finn from noble Ailinn, And to Oilill of hardy Cruachain, Was Cairpri- Niadh of Temair within, Whose bounteous daughter was Acall. The place in which our horses are There was a wood through it on all sides, The Land of the Poet, Maine the modest, It was called before Acaill. Still lives the Rath of comely Co- naire, — Still lives the Rath of Cairpri of territories ; Essa lives not here nor there ; Ere lives not, J. ca /Hives not. It was there Avas buried the woman, The daughter of the high King of the Gaedhil ; For her was raised the Rath yonder When she had met her fate, Acall. The six best women that in the world were, After Mary the Mother [of God,] Medhbh, Sadhbh, fair Saraid, Faind, Ere, and Emer, and Acall. I beseech the Son of God, who sent His anger Upon half-red Medhbh, upon red Medhbh, Upon Sadhbh, upon Saraid, upon Faind, Upon Garbh, upon Ere, upon Acall. 33 b 516 APPENDIX. AP. xxviir. t^05Ai\cAc1i ^AobAe 1 iTOnm-Hig, Fogartach, who Avas in Dinn-Righ^ \)& -ptAic ■pociA jupnngniiTi, Was King of Fotla [Erinn], with Fiiither ■pe-oA'OAi\ ^atoiL if jAitt, fair deeds extract pnir inAenfen iti AcAiLt. A Gaedhil and Galls once found, from Preface The valour of the one man at to the Book . ,, oi Acaill,^ Acall. attributed SttA1l^c iiToixein 'oej'OAi^ "oaca, A pleasant party, active, comely, to king Cor- ctAnn CenriAi^ mic "OiAni-nA-oA, The sons of Cernach, son of Diar- wac Mac i c i ' ' ^,-,.^_ JegnArAjA ctuMiA co-pe, mait; lincAebAib tiA]\A Aicte. A They slew companies ere now, Upon the cold sides oi Acall. Caiiihj 50 CeAiiiiAAij 11A ]M5 To Temair of the Kings came Cotviiii CiLte 5A11 iTtifiiiiii ; Co/nm (,V//e, without fatigue; CutiiT)Ai5ceA-|A Lei]' eAjlAf Aiin, — A church is built there by him, — Saii cnuc An hAT)nAcu AcAbi/*''-' A lu the hill in which [was] buried AcalL APPENDIX, No. XXIX. [Lect. III., Pages 56, 57.] Mo^T"''^^ Ori'f)'{r?aZ of the entry of the Death q/plAnn TnAiniix]Aec in the boice. Annals 0/ UijennAC (a.d. 1056); a7id Original of passage concerning "ptAiin in the LeAl!)A|A ^^•'^^^^'^^^^ ^Z OClery. The foUomng is the origmal of the passage quoted from Tigher- nach : — "plAiin TnAinifT)-|ieAC iij-OAji ^Aoi-oiot ei-oi]! tei^ionn ocii-|' cfencti]", ocn^" plmeAcc, ocu]" i:oi]\cex)o'L 111 .1111. Kal. *Oe- cnnbiji. X111. tun. incAni -peticice^x in xpo. [x^ii-pco] pnniic. The passage referred to in the text [p. 57] from the Book of Invasions is uicorrectly printed there as a quotation. The original is as follows, to which I have added an exact translation. It is to be found, not at p. 52, but at p. 225 of the MS. classed 23.5 in the library of the li.I.A., — the beAbA|\ jAbAbA of the O'Clerys. A\ "oonA "RiogAib ^"in po ^Ab e-]\inn o 'Oaci niAC "jpiAcpAc 50 tTlAobi^eAcbAinn tllop niAc 'OoninAibb, "oia nAniuAnnAib ocuf t)iA noweAX) *oo pi^ne An cug-OAp oi]ipt)e]\c "pbAnn ■pepbei^mn TnAinij'cpeAc iDiiice, Saoi eAjnA, ocu]' cponice ocni" pbi"6eccAe ^Aei-oeb nA Aim^^ip, An -otiAni^o \^o\. Ilig UeAinpA CAobAi je lAiAccAin. [translatiox.] It is for those kings that took the sovereignty of Erinn from Datlbi, the son of F'iachra, to Maolseacldainn Mor, the son of Domhnall., for their names and their fates, that the illustrious aiithor, Flann the Fei'-leig/iinn of Mainistir Bnile, the Saoi of the ■wisdom, and chronicles, and poetry of the GaedhU, made this poem beloAv : "Kings of faithful Tara afterwards", (etc.) '^'') This last quatrain is written on the upper margin of folio 190 a. a., with a (t) referring to it from the conclusion of the poem, same column. APPENDIX. 517 APPENDIX, No. XXX. [Lcct. III., Page 58.] Original of the entry of the Death of T^\t^e]\Vi'\c in the '■'Chro- Tighemaen nicwu Scotorum' (a.d. 1088). theAmiuUst. 1088. 'Ci5e]\nAC 11a b]\Ain, -oo Slut llUn^Ae-oAij, coiiuvubA Clii<\]u\in ChtuAiux mic Hoii^ ocu]' Choiiu\in, "oe^. And in tlie " Annals of Ulster" : — 1088. "CijennAC ha b]\oein, Ai]\cinnec CIuaha inic t1oif, t)e5. [Tighernach Ua Broeifi, Airchinnech [Erenacli, or lay Impro- priator] of Cluanmicnois, died.] APPENDIX, No. XXXI. [Lect. III., Pages 58 to 60.] Of the foundation of Clonmacnoise. Foundation Tliis account is preserved in a Tract on tlie Foundation of Clon- noise. macnoise, and on the succession and reign of Diarmait, the son of Ferghns Ceirrhheoil, in the sLxth century (in whose reign Tara, cursed by Saint Riiadan, was deserted, and ceased to be occupied by the monarchs of Erinn), in the Leabhar Buidhe Lecain — the MS. classed H. 2. 16, T.C.D., foi. 869. APPENDIX, No. XXXII. [Lect. III., Page 63, note ^=^^>' and Page 67.] Of the fragment of an ancient vellum copy of the Annals of UijennAc, bound up with the Annals of Ulster, in the i\a\s of' Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Tujkemach. The following is the letter from the Rev. Dr. Todd, P.R.I.A., referred to in the text, and which I received from him while the tirst four sheets of the present volume were actually in type : — "Trinity College, October 6, 185S. " My dear Curry, " Tliere can be no doubt that the sheets at the beginning of the MS. of the Annals of Ulster in Trin. Coll. contain a fragment of an ancient copy of Tighernach. The fragment begins in the middle of a sentence. " ' [IimaL ■5ti.mnu\]\]'®®'''oie'oomitiicAhi i'enix)ni occiimi'ei'c o Cli|\iniciiii'o tliA nA|\ ueL A gAtbii' tic aIh •oictinc. " See Dr O'Conor's l^ighemach, p. 25, at a.d. 82 (which date, however, is wrong, for All Saints' Day was not on Sunday in that year). " The dates in this MS. are all given by the years of the world, and generally iheferia on the first of January is noted, and the epact. The year following the above record of the death of Irial Glunmar is noted thus : " 'iiii xx.x 1111. KL. en. ui. -p. L. oc. "This means the Year of the "World 4034, which, I think, is intended to coincide with a.d. 34; for in that year the First day of January was Qihferiu, (or Friday). The Lunar Epact, however, which I suppose to be meant by I.X., was 15 ; but your copy (I have not had time to look at the original) marks the l.x... (thus), as if there was a letter illegible; so that it might have been l.xu. "This computation goes on through the whole of the fragment. There are a great many years vacant, and marked thus, according to the usual way : (S8) The first two words, in brackets, are supplied by Dr. Todd. 518 APPENDIX. AP. XXXII, A.'/, Kl. (etc.) ; and it is possible that there may be some errors in the transcrip- tion of the Kl, for the chronology is evidently wrong. Of the An- " The last entry in the fragment is as follows : ^Tiyhfrnach. " •1111'01^"-'^^^' K'L- en. 11. 1. XX lliTAonimuf in "bechleein lo-petucAcup qui inue)\p]\ecAci.ii' efc eb]AAice, 5-i\Aece, 'LACine, SiiMce/^"' C^I'DAice, Acuce^"'^ IDonuice. " Then follow twelve Kl. ; and the page ends with the date iiii.'o,x:>cii, but without any other entry. " St, Jerome was ordained priest in a.d. 378, which was a,m. (according to the common chronology) 4382 ; and the first day of January in that year was ii.y, or Monday, — so that it is just possible that this maybe the year intended, although some other computation of the a.m. era seems to be adopted, " Dr. O'Conor was not aware of the existence of this fragment ; otherwise he might have supplied from it the ' Hiatus', or a part of the ' Hiatus', v hich occurs in the Bodleian MS, " It is, however, much less full than the Bodleian MS,, which is evidence of its antiquity; for in all probability the Annals of Tighernach, as they were left by their author, did not contain all the entries which we find now ; each suc- cessive copyist being anxious to fill up, from such other records as he was acquainted with, the vacant A7, " Nevertheless this fragment contains several most interesting entries, which are not to be found in O'Conor's edition. Our MS. generally omits the notices of foreign ecclesiastical and civil history, which occur in O'Conor's edition, and gives the Irish history more fully, " Take this specimen : [OCoNOR, p. 29 (a.d, 130).] _ [Our MS.] ^'\^^\uxx■\x. CiiacIiaI Ceclicmon |\. An. .xxx. Kt. en. m.-p. 1. iii. Cac Aicte hi 1|'hececnAiAonAifc. Do]Aum LAigen coivcAi-p CiLini IIIac Con)\Ac Ia Cua- ocuf A-p |\ir -po iACAX)1i A]A cii]\ cAL CeAccmA-p niAC V-AchAi'o pnn- Ki, niAL ITlAC Uocli^\Ai'oe -p. An f'AlA, ecu-]' UwauIiaI ^\e5nAUiu Annij' ©AiriAin 3CX0C111. .xxx. ocuf ly x>o cecnA \\o nAifce'6 ociifp^ipi\ohicA'oin'bot\oinA'LAjen. ttlAb niAc 1locy\Ai'Di yvegnAtiic in etiiAin ,\w?ciii. Annij', " Then, after five blank KL, follows the Chronological note, similar to (but not altogether the same as) that in O'Conor ; after which there are nineteen blank Kl. All the matter which Dr. O'Conor has printed in Italics, p, 30, 31, is omitted in our MS.; and the next entry, dated iiii.c.iiii,, is the death of Tuathal Teachtinar, and the reign of Feidklimidh in the following year. The Italics in O'Conor are again omitted, and our MS. gives next the reign of Bresal (O'Conor, p. 32). Then (O'Conor's Italic entries being omitted) we have the death of Cathair Mor; then the reign of Conn Ced-Cathach, and the division of Ireland. The entry which O'Conor gives at a.d. 171 (p. 33), with all that he has printed in Italics, is omitted, and the next entry in our MS. is under the year : "nil. c.xxx\. Ki. en. u. -p. t. .xn. " CippAice di\ec ]\e5nAiiic in eiiiAin Annip .\\\w. " This may suffice to prove to you the identity of this MS. with the Annals of Thjliernach, and also to show how far it differs from Dr. O'Conor's copy. You will see that the principal diiference is the omission of foreign historical matter. " I have considered very carefully the passage of Tighernach, to which you called my attention : ^ Omnia monumenta Scotoriun usque Cimbaoth incerta eranf. I thought at first that there might be some emphasis in the past tense, ekant, ' they loere uncertain, but are not so now'. But on consideration, I beheve tliat the writer only meant to say that the ancient historical records of Ireland, relating to the period before the reign of Cimbaoth, are not absolutely to be relied on. He had just before said that ^Liccus is said by somt to have reigned'; (89) [A.M. 4.509.] (90) [Syriace.] (91) [? atque.] APPENDIX. 519 and, to apologize for this uncertain way of speaking ('regnare ab aliis fertur ap. xxxii. Liccus'), ,he adds the apology: ^ Omnia inonumenta Scotorum usque Ciiabaoth utcciia erant\ Of the Aii- "Ever yours most truly, n-'i=^ "'' "J.H.Todd". TUjh.rmch. The follo-\ving is the entire passage, from the commencement, as it appears in the copy of Tighcrnach, in the MS. classed H. 1. 18., T.C.D. (p. 113). I have inserted in the note the only variations in it which occur in the R.I.A. :MS. (classed 33. Q)S'^^^ ^\e^^^^A\\e mchoAni' hie i^icu]^ Aiinuf. xii. ^nci^oni i\ pco- toinei p]\imo conpegnArum epc <:]U0t]tie ITIaccooiiia pcoto- meu]' ec Seleuo^'ip. ppinnip \\. ibi pope '(\tAXv\iToep[ptini ?] p..tipiip, qui ec -A-|\e'oetip A'LAOCAnt)ep AiitDip tin. pejnAppiuino Anno pcoiomei pegnApe mcipienp K. 5°' Kt. xi. Anno ppiope "Dtiip pp. AtAXAn-o^ii cjui ec pibpu]' ]\ex IllAce'copum cum puA A]\nnxo]\e G-jwoice a inAce-oonibnp ippip piiA-oencA [puA- ■oence] OtnnpiA'oe mAC]\e AtAXAn-opi occipup epc pope cjiiem ]\. CApAiToep Anno .xix. a i|iio lle]\cii'Lep ^lAXAn-oju pitiup XU11 ecAcip pue Anno cum pex a niAcpe ptiA inceppecctip epc. tA^onup pex Appie Ulinopi]' a Setuco pcotomeo occipup epc pope c|ueni p. 'Onnecpip c|ui non potieiicToep pitiup Annip XU111. in An-Qo xuiii.° pcotoinei puic imciAcup pegnApe in GAihoin CiombAoc pitnip tjui p. Annip xum. Uunc A cUeniAi]\ Cocato tDuA-oAc ACAip llgoine pejnApe Ab Atiip pepcup Liccup pe]\pc]\ippimup otbim Ab il^Aine im- pepAppe. OmniAlTlonuniencA Scoco]\uin up. CunbAoc mcepcA e]u\nc. lloc cempo]\e CiAemon pcoicup ec IllinAn-oep coimcu]' ec Ueupi^ [UeoppA]xup] pibopopbup cbApepunc. R. CepAn-oep 11. ITlAce-ooniA obic cjui [etc., etc.]. In all these copies of Tighernach^ as well as in those described by Dr. O'Conor (those in the British Miiseimi), the passage, " Omnia monumentcC, etc., occurs in Latin, and with no material variation of language.'^''^^ And if the observation did not occur elsewhere, or in any other form, the remarks of the Eev. Di*. Todd might, perhaps, (92) The R.T.A. MS. omits the first lines of the passage, the first page of that MS. com- mencing as follows : — Arideus f rater Alex. Magni occisus est m Olym. cxv. ei An. Urb. Conditce i?>G occisus est Antigonus Rex Asice Minoris occisus est An. Rom. 453. Eodeni tempore iuitiatus est regnare in Emania, i.e., An Eamhain Ciomhaoth JIac Fiontain qui reg'iiavit annis XVIII. Interim a Teamhair Eocha Buadhac athair Ugain^ ab aliis fertur. JVos vero perscripsimus olim ab ipso Ugaine tunc ibi imperatinn esse. Oiinia Monujiesta Scotoruji usque ad Ciomhaoth iNCERTA ERANT. C'esonder Rex Macedoniie obiit An. R. 456 (etc., etc.). [The words printed in small Roman are written in the MS in the Gaedhelic character. The words in Italics and small capitals here are all, in the MS., in Roman running hand.] (93) The whole passage in O'Conor's Tighernach is as follows; the whole of the first eleven or twelve lines above being omitted, though in his preface (p. xiii.) he says that this T.C.D. copy begins with the .same words as Rawl. 4.SS, in the Brit. Mus. (see text, p. 67, GS) : — "In AKNO XVII1° PtOLEM^EI INITIATL'S est REGXARE in EaMAIN CniBAOTII FILIAS FiNTAIN, QUI EEGXAVIT ANNIS XVIII. TUNC IN TeMAIR EaCHACH BUADHACH ATHAIR UgAINE.=KEGNABE AB ALIIS FERTUR LiCCUS.. Pr.ESCRIPSIJIUS OLLUM AB UGAINE REGSASSE. OjINIA MONUMENTA SCOTORUM USQUE ClJIBAOTH INCERTA ERAST. HOC TEMPORE ZeNO StOICDS ET MENANDER COJIICUS ET ThEOPHRASIUS PHILOSOPHUS CLARUERtrST.=PTOLElL«US PHILADELPHCS EEGNAKB CffiPiT, QUI kegsavit ankis XXXVIU ; etc., etc. 520 APPENDIX. AP. XXXII. be considered sufficient to accotint for it. But 1 have found an im- portant parallel passage in one of the oldest tracts in the Book of nais of ' Ballymote, wliicli is certainly not a version of Tighernach. TighernacTi. ji^^ ^^y\^ 5^ t]-^g Book of Ballymote contains a page of Spichronisms which I am unable to identify as by Tighernach or Flann. That they were not believed by Charles O'Conor, of Ballynagar, to be Flann's, appears evident from the memorandum at the head of the next leaf (fol. 6), in the handwriting of that great scholar, in which he marks another Tract, commencing there, and not connected with this pre- ceding piece, as the Synchronisms of Flann. The tract at fol. 5 begins : PpiniA CcAf niutToi. It proceeds then to record all the several ages of the world and their respective lengths, pointing out at what dates they are con- sidered by chronologists to have begun and ended. It states that from the Deluge until the coming of Parthalon to Erinn was 1002 years. It then sj-nchronizes the subsequent colonizations after Par- thalon with various personages mentioned in the Old Testament and in ancient history. Passing down to the Greek empire under Alexander, it then records that it was in the Fifth year of his reign that Cimbaoth began to reign at Emania, and that from the taking of Erinn by Parthalon to the reign of Cimbaoth was 1202 years. And immediately afterwards we find these words : — rii'OAT) fe-pfd ocwy ■ni'oAT) ■oe^'bA The accounts and the histories of ^cetA ocuf -penciiT^A ye\i. n-epenn the men of Erinn are not known and coniji CimbAec tllAc pirocAin. are not certain until [the time of] Cimbaeth Mac Fintdin. The writer then gives a list of Thirteen Kings of Emania after Cim- baoth, and the years of their reigns, do^vn to Concohhar Mac Nessa; and states that it was 206 years after the death of Concohhar that Connac Mac Airt became Monarch of Erinn, and that this was in the Fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar. He then proceeds to record a number of dates connected with Church History; I'ecords that it was in the thirteenth year after the Crucifixion that St. Peter went to Rome ; gives the date of his death, as well as that of St. Paul ; records the times of the Eight General Persecutions of the Christians ; and then states that it was in eight years after the eighth Persecu- tion that Cormac began his reign at Tara. The tract concludes, on the same fol., with a short chronological account of several incidents in the Christian Church down to' the coming of Palladius and of Patrick ; but it contains nothing further relating to Erinn. It appears to be certain that this tract is not a version of Tigher- nach, with whose work it has no correspondence further than in containing (but in the Gaedhelic, and with considerable diiFerence of expression) the remarkable sentence above qiioted. The second Tract of Synclironisms above alluded to is at fol. 6 of the same Book (the Book of Ballymote). It is headed, in the hand- APPENDIX. 521 AP. XXXI r. Tiyhernach. Avriting of the venerable Charles O'Conor of Ballynagar, as "The ^^^^^ ^^ Book of S}T.ichronisms of Flaim of the Monastery" : uais of tye<\bA]\ Conu\imp]\eACCA "ptAinn t'llAini|'C|Aec -pioj^AnA. This tract, however, cannot be a part of the former, since it includes the same period ; and it is remarkable that Flann^ a writer contem- porary with, though older than Tighernach, and of the very highest authority, makes no such remark with respect to the period before Cimhaetlis time, but simply records the synchronism of the Ulster King in its proper place. This tract also begins at the beginning, with Adam himself; and it carries down the record as fiir as the Battle of Magh Mucruimhe (in which the Monarch Art was killed), AD. 195. The object of the piece is to mark what kings of the Assy- rians, Medes, Persians, and Greeks, and what emperors of the Romans, were contemporary with the several Monarchs of Erinn in succession. When the ■\^'riter of this tract reaches the time of Cimbaeih, he simply enters it in connection with Alexander, by saying (fol. 6 b. b.) that : aLaavmicaiia .1. c. iMj 5l^e5 .u. Alexander the First was King of ■btu\x>iv\, ocu^' CnnbAec IIIac \:^r\- Greece five years; and Cimbaeth Mac CA111 iriA \\e. Fintain [was] in his time. After which he continues only : CotAineuf niAc 'Lx tlgAine in6|\ 3Ionqruaclh and Rechtaidh Rig-derg iiv\lAe -pof. and Ugaine Mdr in his time too. The tract then enumerates Eleven only of the kings of Emania from Cimbaeth to Conchobhar ; but five additional names, not clearly dis- coverable here, are preserved in the poem of Eochaidh G'Flainn^ — On Cimbaeth and his Successors, — written more than two hundred years before TigliernacKs time. It was, I am convinced, in this poem of Eochaidh OFlainn that Tighernach found the names of the kings of Emania. It was from the same authority that both Flann and Tighernach took the names and facts of much else in their annals both before and after the era of Emania. Eochaidh wrote historical poems on the Succession of the Monarchs of Erinn from the very beginning, yet he is quite silent as to any doiibt upon the earlier periods. If the sentence which now appears m Tighernach Avere written by him at all, it is, therefore, diffi- cult to imagine upon what grounds, not known to his own historical authority, he could have been induced to make such a remark. It is imfortunately impossil^le now to ascertain by whom the sen- tence in question Avas first introduced into any record of the kings. Was it -ftTitten by Tighernach, or was it copied by him from a pre- ceding Avriter? If the former, Avas the Gaedhelic version, Avhich appears at fol. 5 of the Book of Ballymote, a translation from Tigher- nacKs Latin, and introduced by a subsequent scribe in a tract diffe- rent from that of Tighernach? If the latter, did Tighernach translate into Latin the observation of a previous Avriter in GaedheUc ? If so, Avho could that Avriter have been, seeing that nothing of the kind 522 APPENDIX. AP. XXXII. occurs in the Synclironisms attributed to Flann, or in the historical poems known to be the work of that writer, who Avas contemporary iiais of " Avith Tighei'nach, though a little older, and seeing that nothing of Tighernach. ^\^q kind occurs in the historical poems of Eochaidh O'Flaimi (200 years before both), from which both Tighernach and Flann unques- tionably, as I believe, take their account of the succession of the Kings ? I can only say that it appears to me more likely that the Latin sentence was a free translation of the more precise and fuller Gaedhelic, than that the latter, as it occurs in the Book of Ballymote, was an expansion of, by way of gloss upon, the former. But I have no means of guessing at what time, or by whom, either Avas inserted. It is quite possible that the original, whichever it Avas, Avas, after all, but a marginal gloss, or observation of a scribe long subsequent to Tighernach ; for the Book of Ballymote itself, it is to be remem- bered, was AATitten three centuries after the time of the Annalist, Avhile the oldest fragment of Tighernach noAV knoAAai is more than a century later still, and all the copies of his Annals in AAdiich the Latin entry appears are still more modern. That Tighernach's great contemporary, Flann, found no reason to doubt the historical records of the Succession of the Kings before, any more than after, the local era of the Foundation of the provin- cial palace of Emania, is also clear, from the style of the elaborate poetical tracts preserved in the Book of Lecaiii-, pieces Avhich we can be quite certain Avere Avritten by him, — detailed poems so elaborate (constructed, too, A\dth the special object of the instruction of youth in the college in Avhich their author taught), that it is quite impos- sible to suppose he Avould have omitted to express in them a doubt so serious, upon the authenticity of so large a part of the teaching they contain, if he had himself heard of or shared it. The only e\ddence Ave now haA^e of the second Synchronisms in the Book of Ballymote (the Tract at fol. 6.) being by Flann, is that supplied by the marginal note already referred to in the handAvriting of Charles O'Conor. But the great Poems in the Book of Lecain contain direct internal evidence of their authenticity. Unfortunately, that invaluable volume is defective by at least nine folios at the com- mencement, the present pagination beginning AAdth fol. 10. The Succession of the Kings, both before and after the era of Cimbaoth in in Ulster, is, however, complete ; and the particularity of the account may be judged by the foUoAving short abstract of it. At fol. 19. a., line 17 (Book o( Lecain): CovnA^mfef.AX>■(^^■£■\r^x)omA^r\ ocuy The synchronisms of the Kings of jAbAi n-e|\enn iao i"C]\ib|"oni i ru]- the World with the various coloniza- in tiubAi^A OCA triAich nin rnic tions of Erinn, I have \rritten at the peiL i\o jAb ^Mgi 111 'ooniAin A]\cuf beginning of the Book, from the reign cuy in cdcet) ]\1 'oojixeccAib octif of Nin, son of Pei/, the first A^'ho as- o IDA^coiAii tiiAc Se]\A ■oo 1\05AD sumed the empire of the world, to O^mut) A^xcuf iA|\ iroiLnTo cuf in the fifth king of Greece; and from coiccT) btiA-oAin itIaua Cijejxnniui]" PartJioIan, the son of Sera, tlie first iriic ■potlAir lAOjAb lAigi ne^xenn colonist of Erinn after the Deluge, to cocenn ce'o bLiA'OAn uc aIii Aiunc. the fifth year of the reign of I'ic/hern- APPENDIX. 523 ISye^x^A tiumi '00110 co|\5iMbAiiicoin- inas, the son of Follach, who reigned ^p. xxxii. *Mn]'ej\«.\T) nok cm yopleich Ann]'o. one hundred years, ut aUi aiunt. It is better, therefore, that we write Of tiie An- the synchronisms in a separate stave "'I't °f ljgj.g/ TKjhernach. He then begins thus : — pitoiD*.\ce|\ c^xA in coiceAT) |\vt)o Philopater, the fifth king of the 5l\eccAib .w. otiA-onA •oo i com- Greeks, five years in co-reign with ^.-iAiuef i:]M Ci5e|\ninA-|'. Tighernmas, (etc.) And he continues the synchronisms of the Assyrians, Medes, Greeks, etc., down to Julius Csesar, the first king of Rome, Avithout intro- ducing the name of a single king of Erinn. Julius Cajsar he syn- chronizes with oiu' monarch, Eochaidh Feidhlech, and then continues the parallels down to the monarch, Fergal Mac Maelduin, Avho was killed in battle in a.d. 718. The prose is then followed by a poem of 1096 lines, in Avhich the kings of the whole period, exclusive of those of Erinn, are given, as well as many curious historical facts recorded. At the end of the Synchronisms of the Monarchs and Provincial Kings of Erinn (foL 23, b. b.), the following notice appears in the original hand : — Incipic ■oe lAejibiif IlibejMiie Ab 'he]\etiioii, ti^c|ue ©ocato V'ei'o'lec ; And then follows a poem of eighty-one quatrains, embracing the period indicated by the heading, and which is evidently intended to supply, in a separate and more convenient form, the absence of the monarchs of Erin from the great poem of 1096 lines. This poem is immediately followed by the following notice : — ■Oe -pegibiif llibe^wie Ab lleixeinon ufv^ne Gocai'd V^i"obec ec incipic Ab eoco u^'que AX) bAejAiive m mo fAejAib ocu-p CO |\o innii^-oi An -pAJAim cennj^A in Coim-oi. ^eAbbmni-one •otiiccp An ni pn a bncc An Coinroi, A^ApAt) po imii^i-o pn, ociif imici^at) beAnnAccAin beo o nA noi-oi, octi-p ]\o iTA^-j^Ac beAnnAccAin A151 -onA. Ko i^ija^icc cecb conAi-n ^o cuAbA-oAii in cSbAinici *oo imcicc. RAnicA'0A|i -onA, ■po-oeom C0HUIC1 le^uq^Abem, ocn-p irnA^u-p'OAH ^^f Anein]:eAcc Ann, ocuf jio bA-onAiceA-o co noijA [nonoiji] moi]i ia-o in lejiu- -pAbem. UAinic tlliceb ApcAinjeAb o TJia a|ia ceAnn. l-onb- 34 530 APPENDIX. App. XL. ■pA'OA'p -pum : ni ^lAJum no 50 -j'tAnAi-onn in bjAeAcli cti^f Am y|tiA A|\ noi-oi fro -poif'cetA C]\i-|x. lAichiJTO [ImcViigit)] a]\ in cAin- story of git, OCtlf' innp-Q "OO C]M btlA-OnA Coteicll AI5I "00 fAegAt, ociii' aUio-Tear- <^ *otit in i-pjAinn CO bfAAch. lAjipn befiu|\ An b^ieArh Atbo bhaill. bjlAcVlA -pAI]!. IntDI-p 'Ollinn, AfA pAt), CIX) THA CUHCAfV in 1]:- ■pinn e. A-p c]\i iTAcbuib, a]a in CAinpb .1. a^a me-o cop]\cei' An CAnom, ocup a me-o -oo liinAiiii ypipt) coimpicenn, octif A]A c-i^ejAt) An AtcupA, 1Se imon]ioiTi ^ac a]a a^\ rpeigptim aii cAbcup" .1. itiac niAic •pobAeit) Aco [occo] .1. THAeipA"0]iAic a Ainin. 1lo-|^ob gAbuft iDAip in niAc. II0 50b An cAbctip yofeACc inA cinicibb Afi •OAit) conA-o bA-o inA]\b in iiiac. nip CAftbAi-o "ooibptitfi pn, UAip bA mA|\b in nu\c pA ce-ooin. l-oubAiiic ITlAebpucAin nAcb gebA-o in Abcup cpe bicun'i o nAC -pACAit) Anoip ac XJia pAip. Ocuj" 111 "oeApAnoip cue "oia "oon Abcnp gAn f'bAinci 'oia'o itiac ■pAn, Acc pcA]!]) beip in niAC 'oobeicb e-oiji in nniinnci|\ lleiriie nA e-oifi miiinnci]A cAbiiiAn. Ho bAei-o TnAeb-|"iiCAin -peAcc mbbiA-onA cen Abcti-p "oo gobAib. lA]ipn CAngA'OAfA AC|Aiti]t TDAbcA-o "DO AjAbtiib 1T1 AeibpvicAin ipeccAib q\i cobum njeAb, ociif p-eAppum pwibci ypni. Innipit) X)Aifi ce -pAt) mo I'AejAib, ocn-p An p"AX)iiim p^ocpuici. Acacc, a]\ pAtjpom, c]m bbiA"6n<\ DO pAegub AciiT), ocii]" 'oo "oub A nip^iinn cobpAcb lAppin. Cm imA mbemn Anip-funn, Ap eipin. A\\ cpi p'AcbAib, Ap pA-opniTi, ocu-p pvo innp-OApv nA cpvi -pACA a "onbpumAii -[Aomuinn. llibA ■pipi mo 'otibp'A An ip^Ainn, Ap\ -f^e, iiai|\ nA cpvi buibc pn, Appe, ACA1C ocompA Aniu, ni biAX) ocom-pA Anni, ni biAX) ocumpA opunn AniAcb, ocu-p c]iei5p'eAt)pA nA tnnbc pn, ocui^ bogp^Ai-o 'O1A TDAm lAt), AiiiAib 110 gcAbb p'oin An cAn A ■oiibAi]\c: " Im- piecA-p impii in t^uAcumcjue bo]\A contiefipnp pmepit) non no- cebic ei". t1i -oen "oonA, ciAbb UAim pein ipn CAnoin, [acc] AmAib no jeib ip nA beob]iuib 'oiA'ouib. J^^^'^'o "onA cet) pbeccAin cech bAi. Scacc mbbiAt)nA AciipA gen -Abciip "oo gAbAib, ocup gebAt) in cAbcnp po pcAcc cec noici-o cen be-o beo, ocnp "oo "oen c]\eginvip cecA peAccminne. *OenAi"6pi •ono cocc "oocuin neime, Ap pe, ocnp C151 aLIo ineiin)eAccA 'oinnipin pceb 'OAiii. Uuicp-Amnit) Ap piAt), ocup -oo cuA-OAp a cpiup p^on ctiApApcbAib ce-onA, ocup po beAnnAccpA"o "06, ocup po beAnnAcpuiti -oAibpum. 1bbo An eip*oeccA cAngu-OAp a cpiup p-on cuApupcbAib ce^onA, ocup po beAnuAcbA cIia [beAn- nAcliA] cAcb "OA ceibe "oib, ocup ]\o p-iApp^Am "oib : in inAnn mo bcAcliApA inx)ni ac 'Olv ocup aii Ia eite CAngAbuip "00111 AgAb- tuib. II1 liinAnn umoppo, AppiAX), UAip "oo ceApbenAt) 'ouinne cinA-opA Ap Tleirii, ocup ip beop binnit) a peAbup. UAUgA- mApne Amu AmAib po geAbbAiTiApne, Ap X)o ceAnnpA, ocup CAp linn Ap Amup An inAit) pin, co pobuip 1 ppAcpAcup 'Oe ocup APPENDIX. 531 An AeiicATo tiA UiAinoi'oi, ocu]' mumnri]\i lleniie, co h]\<\x: riA app. xl. mb]\eAc1i. IS Annpn ]\o cmoibt) ^"acai]a [^-acaiiac] ocu-p ctei- j^^^^^^^^ |M"6 iiti"6a CU151, ocu|' \\o hon^A-o he, ocuy ni ^\o ^'5A]\^'A"o a x)a\>- story of CAi-o f\\^Y no 511 troecA'OAp "oociiin 11ein'ie. Ocuf ^]ye yc]\ep- ainocear- CV1A [rc]\epc]K\] 111 p]\ ihaicIi pn a ca in 1nni]"'PAic'Lenn ipn '"''"*" ectAif ]:o]\ pnic. APPENDIX No. XLI. [Lect. IV., Page 76, Note '''''] Contents of the ^^Liher Flavus Fergusorum\ a vellum MS. in contents two parts, or volumes, 4:to^ of the date 1437, in the possession caiiedLiMR of James Marinus Kennedy, Esq. [the volumes not consecu- 1]:;^^^^^^^^' lively paged, but each consisting of several staves (-4, B, C, etc.), paged separately at present, hut irregularly divided^ Pars I., A, — Fol. 1. A religious legend (in which the names of St. Stephen Martyr, and Judas occur). Fol. 2. The Triumphs of Charlemagne [a rather short tract]. Fol. 10. The Story of Constantine the Great. Account of the Names of the Trees of which the Cross was composed. Accou.nt of a man's head having fallen off at the fair of Taillten, for swearing falsely upon the hand of St. Ciaran, Story of Niall Frassach, Monarch of Erinn. Fol. 11. Trial of Friendship by an Ancient Philosopher. Story of 3Iaelsittham OCearbhaill [O'Carrolt], Secretary and Ad^dser to Brian Boroimhe. [See ante, Appen- dix No. XL.] Story of Saighir Ciaratn. Account of the Wonders of the birth of Christ. Fol. 13, Short Life of St. Moling. B, — Fol. 1. Story of Enoch and Elias. Fol. 2. Death of St. Chiistoferus. Fol. 6. Religious Legends (of Erinn). Fol. 7. Religious Legends and Rules. FoL 1. Legend of St. Moling. C, — Fol. 1. Story of the Sons of Eochaidh MuighmJieadhoin. A Religious Legend. Fol. 2. The Historic Tale of the Tain Bo Flidais (part of the Tain Bo Chuailgne). A Religious Legend. Fol. 3. Account of the "Irruption", orOrigm, of the Boyne River. Story of St. Colum Cille. Birth of Conn of the Hundred Battles. Fol. 4. Story of Niall of Nme Hostages, and his Sons. A Religious Legend. Fol. 5. Short Account of St. Patrick. Fol. 6. Account of the Death of St. Andrew. Fcl. 7. Account of the Death of St. Philip the Apostle. 34 b 532 APPENDIX. APP. XT.I. Contents of the MS. called LiREK Flavus FiiU- GUSOKUM. Fol. 7. Account of the Death of Partholan. D, — Fol. 1. Life of St. John the EvangeHst, (imperfect). FoL 3. Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Life of St. Elexinus. Fol. 4. Exposition of the Lord's Prayer. Fol. 5. Moral and Eeligious Tracts. Fol. 6. Story of Dunchadh, or Donogh, O'Brieai ^^O'Bi^aoin.'] Story of the ISIan who swore by St. Ciaran's Hand. Story of Mac Coise the Poet, and the Fairy Wt)man- Story of Aodh Oif'dnidhe and the Enchanted Goblets. Story of Constantine the Great. Pars II., A, — Fol. 1, et seq., Religious Pieces (miscellaneous). Fol. 6. Account of the Death of St. Salmus. Fol. 9. Life of St. Julian. Fol. 10. Of the Passion of our Lord. B,_ Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. C,- Fol. D- Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. Fol. E,- Fol. Fol. Fol. Eol. 1. Religious Tract from St. Aiigiistine. 2. A curioiis Address from a Priest to the Heir of the King of Oriel, on the Sacraments. 5. Death (and Life) of St. Ceallach, son of Eogan Bel, King of Connacht ; (see ante, Appendix No. XIV.) 8. Religious Legend of the Seven Heavens, and of the Crea- tion of Man. 10. Threatened Inflictions on the Church in Ireland if the purity of the Faith was not preached and forwarded. Tract on SS. Peter and Paul. 12. The Genealogies of the Apostles. 13. Religious Tracts (miscellaneous). Eol. 1. On the Passion, Resurrection, etc. 8. Story of St. Baithin. -Fol. 1 . Story of Tadhg G'Briain and the Devil. Tract on the House of Solomon. The " Epistle of Christ". 2. Tract on the Greatness of God, etc. (commonly called Teanga Bithnua). 4. Dialogue of the Soul and the Body. 5. The Vision of St. Paul. 6. Tract on the Evicharist. 7. On the Situation of the City of Jerusalem. 8. On the Colours of the Vestments used at Mass. Life of St. Evistatius. Various Legends (religious, etc.) 10. Lite of St. Mary of Egypt. -Fol. 1. Life of Saint Georgius (much defaced). 5. The Testament of the Blessed Virgin. 7. Legend of St. Bvenann of Birr. 8. Legend of Meadhbh and the Cave of Crtiachain. Tract on the Expulsion of the Deise (Decies or Deasys) from Tara. APPENDIX. 533 Fol. 9. Tract on the Death of Conor Mac Nessa on the Day of a pp. xli. the Crucifixion. contents Tract concerning the Devil. of the MS. Tract on the Commandments. f'i.avi s Fei''- Fol. 12. Story of Saint Brendan. gusokum. [Some parts of these MSS. are as old as the middle of the fifteenth century, and other parts perhaps not so old. The date 1437 occurs at the 29th leaf of Part I., or Part I. C. Fol. 5.] APPENDIX XLII. [Lect. VL, Page 84.] Original of entity in the Annals of Ulater of the Death of the or the original comjyiler, IIIac 1llA5nu]'v\. (a.d. 1498.) compuerof f> '1 ' /-v 1 1-1 • ' the Annals SceL ino]t itto Oninn uite in DUA'OAinp .i. -j'o py. of uister. 111ac DlAJmiivN 1l1he5tii"6i-n "oo eg in btiA-OAinp .i. CacaL 65, iTiAC CauaiI, mic CAUAit, mic 5i1-^<'^P'^'0|\n x)o fmnn^iA'o. Octif CtiiAin In DjiAOin mo to^. APPENDIX No. XL VII. [Lect. V., Page 94.] Original of a third memorandum in the same, 1581. PeAiACAO^A-o 6 'OiiiljjenAirin .i. itiac 'P^P5'<^i^ ^^^ pilip •oYajaiI bAip A j-CbtiAin 1 t)]iAoin. APPENDIX No. XLVIII. [Lect. V., Page 94.] Original of a fourth memorandum in the same, at 1462. U-pi "ouibleojA octi-p .11. .xx.ic memiAUim aca ifin ■LeAli)A|\pA, Per me Dauid Duiginan. APPENDIX No. XLIX. [Lect. V., Page 95.] Original of an entry, at ad. 1581, in fragment of the con- tinuation of the Annals of \y0c Ce, in the British Museum; and of Note appended thereto by Brian Mac Dermot, Chief of rriAJ 'lt11l^5 [^jMoy Lorg.] 1581. An CAbbAC niAC 'OomriAiU, iinc Tai-o^, niic Ca- cbAil 015 bi ConciibAip, 015116 Slijit) ocuf 1ccai|a Cohhacc APPENDIX. 535 rAn imni]'Ain •o'y^-^S^^'^ hc^yy in Aome ^ve]\ t)A CAi-pc riA app. xlix. bllA-OnA]'0. j.„j,.y(^, The following is the note : — tinuation o" Ocvi]' If X)0 I'^etAib ni6]iA ha lie-]\enn An ceniiiAC pn 'Ooni- i^ch vl riAiltl ConcubAi)\,ociif in6i]\e ingmel Ruai]\c; ochimii CAinic •oo flicc bjUAin Lm^ni^ ^maiii, ye\\ a ao|v\ but) mo "oo -pceb ha e, ocu]" ni "ooij co cicpA; ocii]' "oo c]\ai'6 ini'getpn c]\oi'oet)A ConiiACC, ociif CO liAi]nce x)o cjaato i^e eijif ociJ|" ottumhAin ciJipt) ConriAcc; ocu]p "oo conipomni^e mo q\0T6e ye^r\ riA •OA cult). tJch, uch i|" c|^UA5 mA|i cAim Ant)e6i5 mo ceibe, OCU1' mo compAtiAig, ocu-p au ci "oobA coca, ocui" tDobo CAi]\ip lem A]\bic. Illip bjUAii 111ac 'OiA]\mAt)A "oo f5l"b pn, A]A Ca]\j\ai5 tllic 'OiA)unAt)u ; ocu]' if f AniAtcA me Auoif ye h-Olill Otom AntDiAiT) a ctoinne ye cAfeif Cboinne h-t1ifnech -oo mApbAtD a bfebb a nGAmuin TTIaca, te ConcubAf 111ac "PAccnA, mic llofA ]iUAt), mic "RutDfAi-oe. Oi]\ ACAim tDiibAC tDobfonAic t)ib]\050it)ec "oomenmnAC a ntJubAije, ocuf AiitJO^Aibtfi ; ocuf ni heiT)i|\ a ]\iom nA a innipn mA]i ACAim Anx)iAt) mo compAnAig t)o "out UAim .1. An CAtbAch ; ocu-p An Ia tDei^enAC X)o mi ITlAfCA x>o liAtJ- tACAt) A Sbi^ecb e. APPENDIX No. L. [Lect. V., Page 96.] Original of entry in the Annals of the Four 3f asters, of the Death ot Death of Brian 3Iac Lhrmot, 0/ITIA5 l/Uipj, a.d. 1592. Dermotof A •« Moy Luig. tiiAC 'OiAfmAt)A iTlAi^e Lui]\cc, D]\iAn 1T1ac lluAmjn mic UAitDcc mic 'OiA]\mAt)A, t)ecc 1 mi nouembe]\, ocu-p ]\o bA m6iT)e tDAX)bAf eccAoine ecc An -pin pin ^An a co]^mAiteAf ■oo beic T)o ctoinn ITlAoifUAnATo 'oo gebAt) ceAntJup t)iA eipi. APPENDIX No. LI. [Lect. V., Page 101.] Original of entry in the Annals of hot Ce at a.d. 1087. Entry in An- nals of Loch Q^t ConAcLA ACIAIC copuinn La HuAitJ-pi nA yA-^ buiT)e mAC c^- Oet!)A in 5A bcApnAi^, p'0]i OetDh itiac Aipc Hi RuAipc; ocu-p iTiAice ConiiiAicne uite iu^uIaci punc ec occip-|\ APPENDIX No. LII. [Lect. V., Page 101.] Original of entry in the same at a.d. 1087. Enti-yin An- nals of Loch HACup eye oc Anno UoiiAjA-oeALOAC Ua ConcooAip. cl 536 APPENDIX, APP^Liii^ APPENDIX No. LIII. [Lect. V., Page 101.] Batt°e"ff°^ ^'>^W'^^^ of account of the Battle of ITlAg Slecc, from the Maghsiecht, Aimals o/ Loc Ce (//. 1. 19., T.C.D.), at a.d. 1256. in Annals of ^ \ / Uch a. Anno cicb -potif cei\ciuf Annti-j- 'oecimti'p Anno xiiii. int)ici- one. Tn. cc. 1. j^exco. piAnn niAC l^toinn t^UTO 6-]"piic UuAmA "oo ec a mlDpof- coniA. A]TOef puc iDliAiie Aca CtiAC -oo ec in bliA'OAin cex)nA. HuATo^M Ua 5<5^'6]^a, pij Stebe t^ti^A x>o liiA^ibAt) "oa CAi-p'oe)" CiAi-pc -pein .1. 'OAbi'o rriAO Uicai|a"o Cuipn a pit, ocu-p a mebuit, ocup a cAipten "00 bp^e-o in CAnpn '06. Stoi^eii) A^obut h'io^a -00 'oenAiii La tlAceiA niAC Ricaiia-o, niic llittiAm t)ii]\c -oociiin pe-otim inic CAcliAit C-jAOi'b'oei-n^, ocu-p "oocntn a rinc .1. Aox) niAC "Pe-otimit), ocup cum mic UijeiAnAin 1 Ruai^ac; ocui" i-p nnciAn ■)\6ime pn 6 -jao cino'lAX) A comVinmA-p in cptoij pn a nGpnn, oi]i i-petih -po Iiai]!- mex)h Annpn .1. pche mite a]a Ai]Aem Aoinpii. Ocu-p cAn- jAtDA^A nA i^tiiA^A lAnmo^AA -pin 50 111 A j nCo nA SA-j^AnAC, ocn-p Api-oe 50 DaIIa, ocup Ap^i-oe a]\ pi-o Ltii^ne; octi|" iao Ai^i^-j^ex) Liii^ne a^i ^ac teic inA cimcett; ocu-p cAnco"OA]\ CO h-AcliA-o ConAii\e. Ocup "oo cui-|Ai"ec ceccA A-p pn uAcViAib -oinnpoi^it) muincep KAijittij, ocup "oo A-ob^xA-OAii cocc nA coinne 50 cnoi-|" 'Ooipie Caoiu, -po|i cinn Ai|ice|\Ac IDjiaic- ptebe, A Ui^\ 'CuAcliAit. Ocu-p cAn5A"OAi\ muinci^\ llAijiiti^ CO CtAcllAU tlluCA-OA pO]1 Steib An lA1^\n. 0CU-|" -pO impAtDA^A muinci-p llAi^ibti^ Annpn ^aii coinne -o'-pA^Ait o ^^^IbAib ; ocu-|' cAncocA]i Ap pin co Soitcen nA n^^pAU. 5u-|iAb ipin bo ce-ouA pin .1. "oia liAoine "oo -punn^iAb, ocup Ia -pete Cpoip cAp ^AC bA, po tinoib ConcobAp mAC UigepnAin 1 tluAipc, pip l3pei]:ne ocup ChonmAicne, ocup An -ttieit) po pet) iriAibbe p]\iu, pA AoV) 11a CboncobAi]i, ocup mAice ChonnAcc, ocup cSib tTluipe'OAig ApcbeuA. Ocup ip"iA"o bApepp Ap An pbuAg pin .1. ConcobA]\ iiiac UijepuAin 1 RuAipc .1. Ri Ua mlDpiuin ocup ChonmAici ; ocup CAcliAb VIa 'pbAicbe]icAi5 ; ocup tllup- cliA-o pnn Ha jTep^Aib; ocup RuAi-opi in IThe-oA Ua ptoinn ; ocuppbAnn nihAj OipeccAi^ ; ocup'Oonn oglTlbAjOipeccAi j ; ocup cuit) mop "OO cpib CheAbbAij; ocup cp'i mic tHic *OiAp- iiiaca; ocup'OiApmAictlAptAnnA^Ain ; ocupCAcliAbmAc'OuAp- CAin 1 C^hjiA ; ocup -oa ii'iac 'CijeiinAin 1 ChoncobAip ; ocup gib- bAnAUAem Ua Uai-oj. Ro b'im*6A cpA, "D'ogbAi-o CbonnAcc Ann 6 pin aihacIi. Ocup ip Ann puc copAcin c-pbuAig pin pop muinci]i RAijibbij, A5 Soibcen nA ngApAn ; ocup ]io benpAc lAt) CO \\6\x, Uije ITlhe^uip'in. 1p Ann^-in po impvVOAp jlAp- (04) Hie in the MS. APPENDIX. 537 Iaic iiuiincii\e TlcMgitbj y\uY 111 fttiAJ ceccA]\"6A pn ; ocu]' app. lui. CUCfAC CjU nK\t)nU\nnA ].'0|\]\v\. ^y AW^]-U^ -HUCfA-O in r^^<^5 Account of iiion roi\nA, i] Of the Idol Original (loith Translation) of passage in the Tripartite Life "cmach!^"^^* 0/ Saint Patrick concerning the Idol called Cenn Cruaich, [or Crom Cruacli] and the Plai7i called ITIaj Stecc. "LuTO lA-pum Paujaaic 1 UecbAi cuAi-pcipic .1. co CiaicIi Coi|^- pi^e, bAte [in] ^o e-ob^^At) •oo]"iini ^l^^^n^^l^'o o mACCAib Coi-ppjAe ; ocnp i:onACAib]"oni in-oiipn G-ppcop ^^^^r^^c niAc Tnibcon, a coTiiAtcAi, ocnp nA "01 CmijA, pecpACA in hipin ; octip luhe conAccubpAc cuip V11 CtiiAin l3p6nAi5; ocup ip Aipi aca AccoibAT) innA cibte pjMA tAibi ; ocnp Aipchin-OAch 5l'^i''-^''l^c o^TOn epp cenn CAitbecb 'oo 5]iep b'l CtuAin DponAij. In CAn imo]\po, po pen pAcpAic CAitbe popp nA o^Aib pempAici po cbocAp A ceicpi coi^A ipin cboic: pembigic inui a poib- ieccA pempep. TDo coit) pAcpAic lAppin cAp in tipci -oo ITlAig StecuA, bAib i]\pAbi Ap-o i-OAt nA hCipenn .1. Cenn CptlAIC, CUmCACCA O op ocup O ApgAC, OClip "OA ITDAb -OeACC Aibe ctimcAccA 6 uniA imme. Oc cbonnAipc pAcpAic inn i-oaI, on npci "oiAnix) Ainm ^"CAp'ox) (.1. jAbcA a guc), ocnp o po corriAicpij "oonni-OAb, connApgAib a tAim -oo cliup DAcbtA Ippu pAip, ocnp noco jiaLa, acc "00 pAipbepc piAp -oon timitic [recte cttmnit] pop a lee n-oepp, Ap ip in-oepp po boi a Aget) ; ocup mApAit) plicc innA IDacIiIa inA teic cbu beup, ApAi"6e noco popcAi^ An tDACAbb a lAim pAcpAic ; ocup potbuicc in CAbAin nA "OA AppAcc "oeACC Aibi conici A cinnu ; ocup acaic pon intjup pm 1 cconio^TOUjAt) int) epcA; ocuppo mAbbAc "oon •Demon, ocup po in-OApb in ippinn ; ocup -oopogApc innAlnube cum peje Loeguipe icbepme po A-opAipeu innit)Ab; ocup AcconnApccAp innA huibi e (.i.'oemon) ocup po imecbAicpec a neipibcin mAnit) cliui]Ae'o pAcpAic he inn ipppinn. [translation.] Patrick went afterwards to North Tethbha [TefEa], i.e., to Coirpre's land, where Granard was offered to him by the sons of Coirpre; and he left in that place Bishop Guasacht, the son of Milchu, his [former] companion, and the two Emirs, that person's sisters ; and it was they that first took up at Cluain Bronaigh; and it is on that ac- APPENDIX. 539 count tliat the one cliurch is attached to the other ; and it is the app. liv. Airchinnech [abbot] of Granard that consecrates the superioress of nuns perpetually in Cluain Bronaigh. When, now, Patrick had caiLd Crow consecrated the veil upon the virgins aforesaid, their four feet sunk cruach. into the stone [upon which they Avere standing] : their marks remain in it semper. Patrick after that went over the water to Magh Slecht, where stood the chief Idol of Erinn, i.e., Cenn Cruaich, ornamented with gold and with silver, and tAvelve other idols ornamented Avith brass around him. When Patrick saAv the idol from the Avater Avhich is named Quthard [loud voice] {i.e., he elevated his voice) ; and Avhen he approached near the idol, he raised his arm to lay the staff of Jesus on him, and it did not reach him, he bent back from the attempt upon his right side, for it Avas to the south his face Avas; and the mark of the Staff lives in his left side still, although the Staff did not leave Patrick's hand ; and the earth SAvalloAved the other tAvelve idols to their heads ; and they are in that condition in commemora- tion of the mii'acle. And he called upon all the people cum rege Laeghuire; they it Avas that adored the idol. And all the people saw him (i.e., the demon), and they dreaded their dpng if Patrick had not sent him to hell. APPENDIX No. LV. [Lect. V., Page 102.] Original of memorandum at the end of the second volume of the jiemoran- copy of the Annals of Connacht, in the Library of T.C.D. na™of con {classed H. 1. 1., H.1.2.) nacht. Ia^mia 5]\Ai]:neAt) Af teAbAji AOfOA meAm]u:iitn, octif, ia|a ha chpiocbnuJA-o, ah .xxioc.tA-oon itiii 0cc6beiA,A0if aii UijeA-priA ATI CAnpn, 1764, ]\e TDuipii' O'gojMnAin. APPENDIX No. LVI. [Lect. V., Page 109.] Original of memorandum in the so-called Annals of Boyle, in Memoran- the British Museum {under the year 1594, at the lower cXd An" margin of fol. 14 b.). naisofsoyie UoitiaIcac rriAC CojAin, mic Ae-OA, inic T)iA]AmA"OA, tnic RuAi"6]M CA01C, mojAcu-p e-pc, i mi "oeipriAC riA btiA-otiA -po iriA t^t^ -pein a CtuAin P]iAOic. APPENDIX No. LVII. [Lect V., Page 111.] Original of a second memorandum in the same Book {at the second Mem. lower margin of fol. 30 a. \or, qu. 33 &.]). Annairof'"' Boyle. LeAbu|A GiiM-pAiiii OiteAn iia tlAem 540 APPENDIX. Acconnt of S. Colum CilU, in O'Donnell's Life. ^^^^^^^^ APPENDIX No. LVIII. [Lect. V, Page 111.] Third Mem. Anntr^f*^ On(/z'na^ of a third memorandum in the same Book (at the Boyle. loioer ma7'gin of fol. 13 6.). Ceq-iA yicic btiAt)Ain 6 bAf pAr]\Aic 511 h^y 'OiA^iniACA inic ce]AbAi'L, "oo '\\Q'i\\ VC\'X\\T:\\A\'oe Oitem tiA llAeiii. APPENDIX No. LIX. [Lect. V., Page 112.] Original of account of S. Cobuin Cibte at t^oc Ce, from 0' DomielVs Life of Colum Cille (in the vol. classed JVo. 2. 52, E.I.A., p. 158). peAchc "oo Chobum Cibbe a^ oiben a]\ Log Ce 1 cCon- noccAib, octi]" CAinic ).'ibe, ocui' "0111116 eAbAjiiA -oa lonn- I'oi^e, ociif "CO bi cAiiiAbb Ag comjiA-o ]ii]'; ocu]' "oo iincbij UA^oA iA]\pn. Ocii]" "oob lon^nAX) bei]" ha rriAncbAib ha^a lAiiji Cobtim Cibbe ni "oa eAbAJAin -pein a|\ 111 pbe pn, inA]\ iA]A]AA'6 A^A 5AC 'ouiiie eAbA^riA Gibe 'OA ccijeA'o einje; ocii|' 110 -piAiAiTAi^eA-OAii "06 c^iex) i:a iToeAjAHA -pe I'in. lp]ieA5|iA|' Cobuin Cibbe, ociif ^\-e^o A-oubAiiAc, riAji cneA-poA "oo -pein neice I'obAi^ACA "o'iaiiiiai-o a^i a iTotiine Ag a iiAibe tDobAj' i HjAjA "oo; ocuf riAc yA^oA 50 biTAicp-oi]' -ouine aj cecc cui^e *OA innipn "oo 5ii]i itiahIda-o An pbe pn. Hi ino ^viji "ooAbAig •oeijieAt) An c6miiAi*6 pn pu, An tiAiji "oo cttAbA"0A|i jbAoj i bpo]ic nA binnp ; ocu]' A-oubAi^ic Cobum Cibbe gu-pAb be f^eAbmb iTiAiibcA ah pie cAinic An "ouine "oo pnne An jbAog pn ; ociif 110 ponAX) pn tube, AiriAib AiDubAi^ic Cobuin Cibbe: 5U|A Tn6]iA*6 Ainni "oe ociif Chobuim Cibbe "oe pn. APPENDIX No. LX. [Lect. V., Page 115.] Extract from Original of entry in the Annals of Connacht, (classed H. 1. 1. connl'cht. and H. 1. 2., T.C.D.,—a fragment of the ''Annals of Kilro- nan\ according to Charles C Conor of Belanagare), at a.d. 1464. Ua-65 Ua Conchob)Ai)i, bec-iu^ ChonnAcc rtio]it:iiof eix. An fACApn iA|\ ce-o pVieib ITluipe in pVioJAiTiAiii, ec -pepubcu-p i Ko-p ConiAin co honopAc, UApAb, o c-pb CliACAib Clipoib-"oeip\5, ocup o ctiAUAib c-S'ib inmiie'OAij, mA^i nAcb -oepiAt) p iieiifie •oo c-pib CliACAib Cbiioib-tDeiiij ^le ciAn -o'Aimpiii. CAinbA- •OA^A A iiiAiAcpbiiAJ, ociip A n-g^-^bbogbACAib inA n-ei-oe-Q cnn- ciobb cmpp An Aijro-pj, niAp "oo "oecAi-oip a n--oAib caca; ocnp A n-^bApbAici inA c6]\Ai5rib caca; ociip cIia]aa ocup Aop cAbA-onA; ocup muA c-SibA ITIuipe-OAij inA m-bpoincib APPENDIX. 541 •oi^xinie inA "oeJAi^. Octi]' bcx "oi^niiie Atm^'A riA h-GjtAifi An app. lx. Ia fin, U CO]Ap An AllTOjMg, -OO buAlb, OCXiy ecllAlb, OCUf j-^j^^^.t from Ain-cioc. Ocur *oo cAi'o'bne'o x)6roni erein oca bneic "OOAnnaisof 1 ' *->. 1 Ut 1 ' 1 Conuacnt. D|AeceninAf La iiiicneL. Original of abstract of same entry, in the language of BIr. OConor of Belanagare, as inihlished by his grandson, the Rev. Charles 0' Conor {Stowe Catalogue, vol. 1, p. 76). Ao\x UijIiejuiATncccclxiu — UA-ohj Ha Concliob. 'oi.'liAjh- Ait bliAi]^ octi-p A AX)hnACAt A TlofcomAin a birlnA-ohnAife iiAi]'le An Choij. 50 bvtibe, nA^A ViAnnAC. Aon -oo 1115b ConnAcbc O CliAch Ch]\obt)e]A5 a nuA^ ni bo b-ono]\Ai5b. ocuf x\\\\ bbiAng. pn "oo -obenAiiib teif An Tlijb bu *oei- gbein. "oo bbi a]\ ClionnAcbcA A^iiAnih be ^ebbii-p a cb^eicbe. TI10H ■^o^\\ Aon Ixi^b a 5-ConnAclicA on Am pn a teicb, ocuf Ainim til Concliob. x)YbA5hAib 50 coiccben 'OAibb ocuf onAcli |\Aib1i pA-o -pein jeAb "Oa cheibe 'oo ^5)110^ lAt) be bAinx)bi5b eAp\onn. ocu]" niAiubemn. o *ObiA 50 birhAj. in ei^MC A bpcAC. Domine ne statuas nobis hoc peccatum. A\- beAbb.A]\ Chibbe UonAin ^o cbAi]\in5u-p pn cum appro- batione qviatuor Magistrorum. CAchAb O'ConcbAbbAiji, 2 Aug., 1728. [MS. in Stowe CoUect. No. 3, fol. 27, b.] APPENDIX LXL [Lect. V., Page 115.] Original of corresponding entry in the Annals of 1/Oc Ce Entry in (i/. 1. 10., T.C.D.; — also erroneously called, hy some, An- Loch a. nals of Kilronan). UAt)^ 1T1AC Uoiii|A*6eAbbAi5 HuAiX) 1 ChoncubAi|i, bec-i\i Con- riAcc "o'eg .1. "ouine "oo bA cuijp, ccjAei^e a gConnAccAib ionA Aimp|t |:ein. APPENDIX No. LXII. [Lect. VI., Page 121.] Original of the Title to the Book of Pedigrees of Mac Firhis Title to Mac (TJUDAbCAC TTIAC HT^OII^IJ). of Pedigrees. C^AAobA coibneA-pA Ajti-p jeujA jenebtiij ^aca jAbAbA "oa^i gAb G|ie on Am-pA 50 ViA-oAiii (acc "Potiio^iAig, "LocbbAnnAij A5AI' SAXJAibb AiiiAin tAiiiAiii o cAn^A-OAii "OAii cci]i) : 50 11 AOIlil- I'^encu-j" . 440). Ajui" cu-p "0151 tD' O'CAOiriAin 6 tiA n-'Oub'OA; Aguf jAn O'CAoniAin X)A h-ibi 110 50 cuja -j^e "oo'n pti-o h-i, .1 -oo 111 ac 'Pi]A'bi'pi j, Agvi-p A]ini Aju^" eAH]AAt), Agtif eic1i h-1 'Oi.ib'OA caji ei-p AnniA "oo 5Ai]\ni "oe t)' O'CAeniAin, Agu-p A|\m Ajtii" eAji-nA-o li-l CliAoiTiAin Ag HIac pipbipj; A^up m 'oinpiiAtA O'TDtib-OA "DO jAinni CO b]AAC, 110 50 n-^oijut) O'CAomAin a^u]" IIIac pi];- bip5 An c-Ainm, aju]- no 50 CAb]\A IIIac p]\bip^ co]\p ha 1'tAici o\ cinn I1-I 'Otib'OA; a^u^' jac ctei]\ec, ajii]" ^ac coriiA]\bA citti, Ajup jAC Ci^boc, A51.1]" CAOi]'ec ^re^ioint) tdo |aa-6a ah AniriA a n-'oiAig I1-I ChAoniAin aju^" ITleic "Pijibipg; A^u]" ACA HI cenA, x)a ce^mA-o a Ui]a AmAbgATO 0"Oub-oA, "oo bu "ootc ATDo CO CA^Min AiriAbgAit) *oo gAi^Atii AniiiA -oe, Ac1ic 50 m-beic HA cAoipi^ 1--A]\if : A^tip no "oa cegniA'c a CA]Ann inline bpiAin b-e ni]\ -ootcA 'oo Anonn x)o jai|iiti An AnniA, Agu]" r\\\\ C15CI "DO AnAbb 6 CA]\nn AniAbgATO, ai]a i-p 6 AniAbgATO iiiac Pacjaa ^bjAit), "OO cocuib An CA]\nn "00 irein "oo cum Ainm cijeA^niA "OO ^AijAtn "oe yein a^u]" tda ^ac "ouine t)A n-^ebAt) fbAice]' nA "oiAi j, Agiii^ i|" Ann aca -AniAbjATO -pein A-obtiici, Agnp ^y ua-oa Aimnni^cep An CA^mn ; Aguf jac jmj *oo cbAn- t)Aib "piACjAAc nAc 5oi]\]:eAt) Amni itia]\ pn biAi"6 5Ai-|a i^eicbe "oo, A51.1]" ni bA b-oi]\]\'onic a -pib nky a i^eimeAn Agup ni yAicire i:bAiciu]' 'Oe CO bjAAic. "Pmic. -Amen. APPENDIX No. LXIV. [Lect. VI., Page 127.] Title, etc., of Original of the Title, and commencement of the Preface to the Scotorum. Chromcum ocotorum [Ii. 1. 10.; I.C.iJ.). Incipic C]-ionicom Scoco]\um .1. cinnpjAncAji c]AOinic nA Scoc An-opo. " UU15 A beccbc6i]A i:a A-obA]! Ai^iToe, ocup 50 yobbtip -oo fecnA em'ieAbcAip, gu^iAb co Ay Aitb binn c]aacca'6 ocup ca^a AccumAi]; "00 -oenAiii a]\ Aijnpn nA Scoc AiiiAin pAn coip-pe, Ag pA^bAib biopcAC"OA nA beApA|\ Aippn Amtn j, conAX) Ai]Ae- pin lAjiiiAmATO oi]Abpi ^An a^a n-incneAchA*6 cjux), tiAi|A •o-ireA'o- AmmA]\ 5U]AAb A"obAb An c-eApnAiii be". APPENDIX No. LXV. [Lect. VL, Page 127.] Not^ebyii/ac Original of note at fol. 3. col. 1. of the Chronicum Scotorwn, Chronicum in the haud of the compiler, 'OubAbcAc HIac "Cinbirit. Scotorum. •' \ r i i o " Ax)c6p uAim •QUID A be^niccn nACjro urn ■pA0CA]\ An cpbec-oA APPENDIX. 543 ^0 '00 5^\Ai^'']:rie'6 0|Mn, conA-o Ai]Ae ^^in aiUtii oi|\b]"i c|\e p\\ app. lxv. coijle 5A11 lii'injpm c]\it) (iiia-6 ctii5ce]i lip c|\e-o ]:o "oejAA ^^^^ ^^ ^^^. inn AtiitAi-o), 01H Af 'oemin nAC lAt) ctAnn p^ibip^ ai' cincAc". /'u-6i.fin — ' Scotorum. APPENDIX No. LXVI. [Lect. VI., Page 128.] Original of memorandum (at a.d. 722) in the Chronicum Memoran- •^ o J 7'- 7/>'j7 dum in CVwo- ocotorum, explaining a dejiciency there. maim smio- "Ue^^'OA b]\ottAC -OA •otnt'Leog "oon c-f en te'bA]\Ai'A ^"j^AibAini '""*' ^o, ocu]' -jrA^uim A|:'|:ui'L ^\6ni "oon lee CAOib-p nA n-oi|\ci'L'L. lllip 'OubAtcAC ■pi]\bi]'i5". APPENDIX No. LXVII. [Lect. VII., Page 146.] Oriqinal of the Dedication of the A nnals of the Four Masters, dedication c J J I of Annals of gtii'ohiin 'OiA 1111 CAbAi]ic ^acIia b-AOibneA)' -oo -jiacax) i teAi" ^j.'',,^'"*'" •OA c1iu]ip, Aju]' -OA AiiniAin x)''PeA]\5At 0'5bA'0]\A Uicc1ieA]\nA tniiAi^e til 5^''^'0]^<^r ^5^r Ciiuiie O -pPinT), Aon -oon -oiAp 'Rnoi]\eA'o1i pA^vtemence |\o co5A"o1i A-p con-OAe Sbiccijb co li-Ac CtiAC An btiA-oAin p 'OAOi'p C]no]x, 1634. A\ ni coicceAn-o i^oittein pon nibe 'ooriiAn in gAc lonA'oh i nibi UAipte no onoi]i in ^Ach Aiinp]\ ■OACUAinicc -jiiaiii "oiato i n-oiAix) nAcb i:]:uit ni Ap 5'L6]imAine, Ajup Ap Aiimnccni^e onoi\Ai5be(A]\ A-obAjiAib ionT6A)inApoi"peAn"OAccAnApeAnu5- •OAn, A^up eobAp nA HAi^^eAc, Agu]" nA nuA-pAb |io bA-OA^i Ann ipn Aiinp]A jieAnipo "oo cAbAi]ic "oo cum -pobAip a]i "OAigh co nibeic AiceAncAp, Ajwp eotAp Ag gAcb 'oiiiiin^ i n-'oeA'OAi'o Ajioibe cionnAi" "oo CAicpoc a pinnpiji a ]Ae A^up a n-Ainipp, Ajti-p CIA h-AijieAcc i\o bAccAjA 1 ccicceA]inAp A n'-ouicce, i n-'oijnic, no i n-onoip 'oiai'6 i n-tiiAi-oh, Agup cpet) i An oi-oca-o |:uAi]ipi0(::c. UAnAccfA An bpACAijA bocc 'ou|i"o S. Pponpeif tTlicbet 0'Cte|ncch (ia]a mbeic X)eicli m-btiA-onA "OAtii acc SccpiobAt) ^Acb -peAn-OAcbcA "oa bpuA-pA-p A-p TlAorfiAib nA b-CpeAnn a TTiAitbe be b-tniibAcc ^Acb PpoumpiAib "oa pAibe in 6pinn a n-'oiAi'o A cebe "oo beic accahi) "oa bAp bACAippi a UApAit, a "pheAp^Aib Hi 5^"'^"6p<5^. 'Oo b]iAiceAp Ap bAp n-onoip ^tip bA-obAp cjiUAi^e, A^np neiiiebe, "oo^Aitpi, Aju-p "oobpoin bibh ("00 chum jboipe 'Oe A^u-p onopA nA h-C]\eAnn) a rhet) "Oo •oeACACCAp •ptiocc 5<'^oi"6ib tneic tliuib p"o CIA15 <^5up "oop- CAtDAp, jAn p^iop eccA nA oi'oeA'OAtlAoirii, nA t)AnnA0ii1ie, Ai]\- "oeppcoip, 6ppcoip, nA AbbA-o, nA iiApAb 5pAiX)b eccAibpi oibe, TI15, nA 11ui]\i5, UigeApnA nA Uoipcch, coriiAinipip nA coirii- pneAt)h neicb •oib1ipix)'he ppi Apoite. 'Oo poitbpigeApA 'OAoibpi gu-p bo "0015 beAin 50 p'p'uiginn cuixjiucca'o ha ccpoimcije Ap Ap mo mo liieAp 'oo chum beAbAip AnnAtAX) "oo f ccpiobAt) 1 544 APPENDIX. AP. Lxvii. cctiin]:i'6e i cciiiiiine ha neice )\ein]\c\ice, aju]' "oa teiccri ^]\ Dedication CA1HX)e JAtl A ScCIMolDAt) "OO tACAl]^ TIAcIl |:]:in5hci 1A"0 tJOpi-OI-l'l of Annals of ie A trroiAAicmeAC, A^ur te a ccmniniuccAX) jco cnich, A-ciir -co the Four ^ r I v i ' w-w • it i i. "^ Masters. i^oinceAriri A11 oeAchA. X)o c|iuinTiicceA'on LeArti via LeADAi^i AmiAlAt) A|" i:eA|A]A Aju-p A-j' tiomiiAine, A-p mo "oo bei-oi^i tem "o-pA^Aili n-6nirin ui'Le(biot) gvi^A '6eACAi]\ "OAni a cceAcclAm- A*6 50 ti-Aom lonA-o) "oo dnini An teAbAi^ip "oo |"cc]\io'bA'6 m iJA^ n-Ainmp, Ajtip in hA\\ n-onoi^A 6i^\ a-j" pb cticc tuAch -pAOCAI^A "OO riA CpOiniCTOlli) tA|" ^AO I'CC'IMobA'O e, AJU]" b]iAici\e conuence 'Oum riA n-^^l^t "oo caiuIi co-pcAi' bi*oh, ajuj" ^"]aioc- Aibifie ]\^^^ mA]\ ah cce-oiiA. 5<^ch mAic "oa cnocpA -oon leAbA^i pii "OA CAbAi^\c -pobAi-pi" x)o CAC 1 ccoiucchiniie A-p -p]\ibpi a^^ i3ei]\c1ie A bui'obe ; Ajiip r^^]\ c6^]^ niAcctiAt), no longnA-o, ex) no lomcnuc "oo beic -pA liiAic -oa n-xiin^enA-o fib, 6i|\ Ay "oo fiob einn^ilTleictniteA-o ^einpoc SOUi^h "oo iiiogAib G^icAnn, Ajuf A b-Aen A-ji CIA1 p"iccib "oo llAon'iAib. An Ua-oj fin IIIac Cem mic OitetbA Otuim 6^ pob-pAC a h-occ X)ecc "oo nA nAoriiAib fin Ap ei-oiji -oo bfeit 6 ^bun 50 jbun jn-p An Ua-o^ ce-onA. Ko jAbbAi^bfioc Ajuf |io AiccfeAbfAC cbAnn An Uai-oj fin 1 n-ionA'OAib cxaiiiIa Af fux) 6feAnn .1. Stiocbc CofbniAic 5^1- tenj ibt/tii jnib ConnAcc of jemeAbbAijifi, THuinci^i g^'^l^'^^ An "OA 11a e-A^f a bi cConnAccoibb, Aguf O'h-GAJf a An Huca, O'CeAfbAibbi n-eibe, Ajiif 0'tTleAcbAi]\ 1 n-Uib CAi]\in, O'Con- cobAif 1 cCiAnnAccA 5l-ii"'i"'©-5^^"^^^^- 'Oo "oeAfbA-o A]\ bAf ccechuf a on f uit iiAf Aib fin a "oub^iA- niAf Acc fo bAf n-jeinoAbAcb. A pheAf^Ait til ^llA-Of A A liieic Uai-occ nieic OibeAbtA meic 'OiAfiTiACCA, [ec cecef a.] An tDAf A La ficbec x)o mi lAnuAfi Anno 'Oomini 1632, -oo cionnf5nA"ob An beAbAf fo 1 cconuemc 'Ohnm nAn-^^tb; Aguf -oo cfiocbnAigbeA'oh ifin cconuemc ce'onA An "oeAcb- mAt)b bA "o'Angufu, 1636. An cAonmA-6 bbiA-OAin -oecc vo fijbe Af Tli5b CApifobiif of SAXAin, PfAinc, AbbAin, Aguf of Cifinn. iDAf ccAf A loniiiAin biiAuliAin mictiet o cLemsh. APPENDIX No. LXVIII. [Lect. VII., Page 147.] Original of the Testimonium to the Annals of the Four Masters. AcAcc nA b-Aichf e "oo tlf-o S. ppi onf eif cbuif p eAf a bAmliA Af f o AjA fiA-obnugbA-oh 5Uf Ab e 'PeAfjIiAb O'^A-obf a cucc Af An m-bfAdiAif tllicbeb O'Cleficcb nA Cfoimci'oe Ajtif Testimo- nium of Annals ot the Four Masters. APPENDIX. 545 An CAO]' eAlAohnA -oo ch|\uinx)ui5AT) co Iiaoui loiiA-oh \.Ay ]\o ap. lxvu i. ^xcpiobliAToli teAb1u\i]\ Oi]\i]' ^'^S'-T ^^1""1^^^ '''^^ h6]uoiix) (ah ^gg^i^,,;,. n'leiCC -nob ei-OIjA TDyA^hAli te a ]XC1UobA-oll -Oiob), AJU]' ^0]\ nium i.f Ab e All PeA-HjllAb Ce'OnA CUCC l015ll1"6eAc1lC ■OOlb A]\ a tUe Four VcctMobhA-oh. *^'''*^''*- •eAbA]\ CliLoinne tJi TnbAOibconAi]\ej LeAbA]i inuince]ie 'Ouib^oAn-OAin Chib- be RonAin ; ^-^uy "LeAbAj; oi^iifCAn teACAin llleic pi^ibipccb, yySzh chucA ia]i yc]iiobbA"oh n]\inoi]i An LcAbAi^i, a^u]" a|" yo ycy^ohhy<\zz ^acIi bioniiKMiieAcbc "oa b]:uAi]\-|^eAcc (a "tAAnj- Aco]\ A boA]") nAC ]\Aibe -iy nA ceicu LeAb]\Aib bAco]\ aca, A|\ n'l bAoi 1 'LeAbA]\ CbuAnA, in a yoy i t/CAbliA]; An Oibem Achc -^uy An mbbiA-oAin p -OAOi-p a]\ cUigeAimA 1227. 'Oo cionnixcnA-oh An "OA-pA LeAbbA]i -oaiiaI) co^acIi An bbiA- •oAin y[ 1208, An bbiA-OAin p -o'aoi]' Cjuoi^c, in iao bA jA^roiAn An ceA]\bAt) 5AC net t)A]-» ■jx^uobAtjIi Annpn lloniAinii, ^cAinirie iia peAn^'AHHA -|"o pof Ag co]i A|i bAiii A]A -po hi cCoiiuenc 'Oluun iia n^Abt An t)eAc1iinAt) Ia t)o Auju^^c, A01S, CllHIOSU, lllibe Se ctiet) quocliAC A Se. Fb. Beenardinus Clery. Guardianus Dungahnsis. DjIACAIII 111U1]U-|" tlbbcAcb. D]1ACA1-|\ Illui^U]" tlbbcAC. l3HACAi]i l3onAU<\ncu]\A 0''Ooiiiiiilt, l.eAcoii\ lubitAC. The Succes- sion of the O'Garas, Lords of Cuil Finn, (Coolavin). APPENDIX No. LXIX. [Lect. VII., Page 158.] Of the succession of the Chiefs of the 0' Gara family , from a.d. 932 to A.D. Ibil •■, from the Annals of the Four Masters. [It will be noticed iu tliis list of Chiefs that the Hne does not run in unbroken succession of generations, because that sometimes the kindred family of Oli-Eaghra (now O'Hara) succeeded in inter- ruptmg it in their own favour.] A.D. 964. Toichleach TJa Gadhra, Lord of South Luighne (or Leyney), Avas killed in battle. A.D. 1056. Ruaidhri Ua Gadhra, Tanaiste (Tanist) of Luighne, Avas slain. A.D. 1059. Riiaidliri Ua Gadhra, heir presumptive (Damhna) to the Lordship of Luighne', died. A.D. 1067. Donnsleibhe Ua Gadhra Avas killed by Brian Ua h-Eaghra (O'Hara). A.D. 1128. Ua Gadhra, Lord of Luighne, Avas slain on an expedition into Leinster. (9G) Tlie conclusion of this paragraph is also omitted in the text. It should run : -^The Book of Mac Bruaideadha (Maoilin dg)from theyear 1588 to 1603; the Book of Lughaidh O'Clerigh from the year 1586 to 1602". APPENDIX. 547 A.D. 1206. Ruaidhri Ua Gadhra, Lord of Sliabh Ltigha, died [see app. lxix. O'Donovan's Annals of the Four Masters, note 1., p. i-A-iriTT>iTT-l The Succes- loO, V ol. I., Fart 11. J 8i„n of tl.e A.D. 1217. Domlmcdl Ua Gadhra, died, Eontfof A.D. 1226. FergJml, the grandson of Tadhg an Teaghlaigh ("Teige ciinoFmn, of the Household"), Captain of the House of Cathal of (Cooiavin). the Eed Hand O'Conor {Cathal Cwhh-Dearg Ua Conchohhair), and Aedh, the son of Cathal, were slain by Donnsleihhe C Gadhra. A.D. 1227. Donnsleibhe C Gadhra, Lord of Luighne, Avas killed by the Gillaruadh [Hterally the Eed-haired-fellow], the son of his OAvn brother, after surprising him in a house at night ; and the Gillaruadh was killed in revenge after that, through the plans of Aedh O'Conor. A.D. 1228. Muircheartach, the son of Flaithhheartach 0' Flannagaia, was killed by the sons of Tadhg 0' Gadhra. A.D. 1237. A prey Avas taken by Conchohhar, son of Connac \_0' Gadhra ?^,i\-om Ruaidhri Ua Gadhra; and Ruaidhri' s brother was slain. A.D. 1241. Tadhg, the son of Ruaidhri 0' Gadhra, died. A.D. 1254. Maghnus Ua Gadhra was accidentally killed by the people of the son of Fcidhlimidh O'Conchobhair. A.D. 1256. Ruaidhri O'Gadhra, Lord of Sliabh Lugha, was killed by David, son of Rickard Cuisin. Aedh, the son of Fddhlimidh C Conchobhair, plundered the territory of the son of Rickard Cuisin, in revenge for C Gadhra. He knocked down his castle, and killed all the people that were in it, and seized on all the islands of Loch Techet [now "Loch Gara", in which the River Boyle, in the county of Roscommon, has its source]. A.D. 1260. Tadhg, the son of Cian CGadhra, was killed (at the battle of Downj)atrick, fought between Bryan O'Neill, King of Ulster, and the English of that province). A.D. 1285. Ruaidhri Ua Gadhra, Lord of Sliabh Lugha, was killed by Mac Feorais [Birmingham], on Loch C Gadhra. A.D. 1325. Brian O'Gadhra died. A.D. 1328. Donnchadh Ruadh O'Gadhra, and five of his name, were killed. A.D. 1328. Tadhg, son of Toirrdhealbhach 0' Conchobhair ["Turloch O'Conor"], was killed by Diarmait Ua Gadhra. A.D. 1329. Tadhg, the son of Toirrdhealbhach, son of Mathghamhain [" Mahon"] 0' Conchobhair, was killed by Ua Gadhra and the people of Airteach. [Here the O'Haras interpose again for some time.] A.D. 1435. O'Gadhra was killed by his own kinsmen, on Inis Bolg, in Loch Techet. A.D. 1436. An incursion Avas made by the sons of Mac Donnchaidh [" MacDonagh"], and the sons of Tomaltach Og Mac 35 B 548 APPENDIX. APP. LXIX, T}ie Succes- sion of the O'Garas. Lords of Cilil Finn, fCoolavin). Preface to the lUiiii Rioyhraiilfie. Donncliaidh, into Cuil G'Finn [" Coolavin"] upon O'Gadhra, and upon Tadhg, the son of Donnchadh Buadh \^0' Gadhra]. The sons of MacDonnchaidhwere routed, and seven of them killed, together with Con- chohhar Camm (the Stooped) O'Gadhra; and it was he that had treacherously killed the O'Gadhra^ his own brother, before that time. A.D. 1451. A prey was taken by Feidhlimidh 0' Conchohhair from Ua Gadhra; and a prey was taken by Ua Gadhra from the people of Baile Mor JJi Fhloinn. A.D. 1461. Feriihal Ua Gadhra, Tanaiste ["Tanist"] of Cuil G'Finn, Avas killed by INIac Costelloe. A.D. 1464. Tomaltach Ua Gadhra was killed, in a nocturnal attack on Sliahh Lugha, by Murchadh (or IMaurice), the son of Cormac, son of Mac Diarmait Gall, and by Edmund of the Machaire Mac Costelloe. A.D. 1469. O'Gadhra, that is Eoghan, the son of Tomaltach Og, son of Tomaltach Mor, Lord of Cuil G'Finn, died between the two festivals of [the Blessed Virgin] Mary, in autumn ; and his worthy son, Eoghan, died of a sudden illness soon afterwards ; and Diarmait, his other son, assumed the lordship in his father's place. A.D. 1478. The son of Ferghcd 0' Gadhra, and Maghnus, the son of David, were killed by the descendants of Riiaighri Mac Diarmata. A.D. 1495. Cian, the son of Brian GGadhra, Avas killed ; and G Gadhra himself, that is Diarmait, the son of Eoghan, was taken prisoner, in the battle of Bel-an- Droichit, near Sligo (fought between the O'Conors of Connacht, and the O'Donnells of Tir Connell). A.D. 1537. 0^ Gadhra, Eoghan, the son of Diarmait, son of Eoghan, Lord of Cuil GFinn, died. [The O'Garas and O'Haras, from a remote period, had possession of ancient Lnighne, or Leyney, in the county of Mayo, till driven out by the Costelloes in the fourteenth century, after which they made a settlement in Cuil GFinn (noAV the barony of " CoolaAdn"), in the county of Sligo, where we find the GGara settled as lord in 1436 ; and where also Ferghal, the worthy representative of this ancient noble family, resided at the time that he extended his countenance and bounty to the "Four Masters", when they proposed to compile the National Annals which now go by their name.] APPENDIX No. LXX. [Lect. VIII., Page 163.] Original of the Preface to the 1leim "Rio^jAAi-oe of the O'Clerys {from a MS. in the Royal Irish Academy, No. 40. 4, tran- scribed, by Richard Tijjper, a.d. 1728). 1n noinine T)ei. ^men. Ar\ cpeA]" Ia t3o iiii i'e]3cembA]A, Anno xpi. 1644, "oo APPENDIX. 549 nontT]'5n<.\t) aii teAb|w\n]'o -oo I'^iMobokt) Accij Chonuilt n'nc app. lxx. Ileill, nnc Ropw, lllhe^ CocA^Ain ecc. A bo^^ IllAi^ne ^p^.^^^^^^^ cCinel bViACOkC, Aon te ccAirzriceAn A^ur ie ccoiiiie-oce<.\i\ theflem yeAn iiionAineinciD A]\ pw^-eA]\ aju]" p]\-DeAC cioiiifAigci Ajuf onoit 5AC neice -oa nibeAriAnn te honoi^A a^ui^ te -peAn- ciii' ctoinne ITlhitio-o CAi'pAine, ax^u-]" I'-teACCA Luijto riieic Ice, T01H nAotii A511]" ctAiin riiAicne jac cuAice, An riiet) 50 iii]:ei'oii\ te tiA "oicciott "ouu^iaccac nemniAitiecciiAC e, A^uf A^-e AUA i^gjuobcA i^An teAbnAn^'o: 1leiiii 1li05|\ui-6e Agu-p TiAom'i-feAncii]^A ha hCi^uonn noc aca a]\ tia ngtAnAt) a^u]' A]A tiA teAiui^AX) teif nA peA]i|'Antii'b i^o pop .1. ah b]\ACAip lllicet O Cteipij, peA]i]:eA-p|v\ O tTlAotconAi|\e, CticoijiMce O 'OuibgeAiiAin, a -ibnion'i-teA'b]\Ai'b i^eAtTOA riA Vi-e-i^uonn, ]v\oice ipn gliAOTotij; a^u^- a cCoinumc Aca tytiAin Aiiunt a x)u'b]\A'6 t\oiiniiii ecc. ^511^' An -otiAm ci^eAncuif "oo ]\inne JiottA CAoniAin O Cui^min ■oa]\ Ab copxc " Ci^Ae a|\x> Ini^^ nA 11105", ■^5^'r ■^^'' "ouAin -oo |\inne 5^0^^^ ITIo-ou-oa "Ua Cai^- yi-oe, 'ooyx) Sc. p]\oinpAif, ACC15 An ChonAitt ^Aeirii|\Ai-6ce. Sencup IHO^h CIRI 01111 a]i nA temiioin 50 mbunA-6, Agup An Aimpp po caic jac pij -oiob A ccennup A^up a ccuriiACCAt) Cipionn inA pije. ^eneAtAij 550 APPENDIX. App. Lxx. riA nAon'i n6i-neAnnAC Aiiuiit |^Hic lAt) a l,e<\l3]\Ait) n<\ i^eAn- iJ5-OA-j\, A^\ riA ccu]\ pof inA i^teAccAnin'b aiiiaiI ij' "oo ^^h- thtmin Iaij i^iax), a|a 0]\-o Aib5i-o|\e. 'Oo cum ^toi^^e TDe, ono^iA riA RioghratdM. y^^Q^ '^'S'^X ^^ -jAIO^ACCA, Agt!]" "OO CAbAII^ AlUne AgU'p eolATp A]\ riA neiuili) lAeniipATOce, A^u-p yo-p A-p riA hu^xjAiauib -po coimeAt) i^eAncu]" CiiMonn i^ia cc^^eTOion'i Agu-p ia|i cc-jiei-oiorh. -A-p nA cq^iocnii^AX) i cCointnnc Ob-pe]AiiAnciAe Aca t>UAin, An GpbogoToeAcc CluAriA THic lloi-p, IGoO. APPENDIX No. LXXI. [Lect. VIII., Page 164.] Dedication Ongincil of the OClen/s Dedication to the Tleim HiojitAToe to the lUi^ / fj.Qr^ {] Q g^„^g MS.). 'Oo ZTlToipviA-oeAfbAC tDliA^ CoctAin. lAp mbeit ceic]M btiA'oriA lombAriA 'oaiiii^a, aii t)^AACAip t)occ THiceb 0'Cbei]\i5 (Ap Aicne m'tiAcq\Ain) Ag ceA^bAiiiA-o, A^tip A^ rinot A b-ptiAi\ui" "OO i'eiicti-|" iiAom &i]\ionn Agup ha ■juog cum AmbepcA-|\ iax) ; Xio pnuAinio]" A^Am ■pern, tia^x ii)'iomcul!)Ai"6 An ceAjtAiiiA-o pn "oo cu]\ AcceAnjcAib oibe gAn u^tDAivA-j', 'oejibA'D, Agu^ itA-oA^ic -|"eAncA-6 eotAC eibe; -oo cuijeA^ mA]i An cceA-onA, nA]^ bpupup An ni pem]\Ait)ce "oo cpiocnu^A-o gAn copcup, uai|\ bi -oo boccAcc An tnpx) "oa -pAbAp, "OO cAob A moiioe a^ui^ p-op a teAcr]\om ipn Aimpippi, gup ctupeAp -poniAm pn "o'eAgcAoine pe "OAOinib UAii'be Ap nAc ]AAibe moTO bocuAine; git) mop n-oAome ]ie n"oeApiAp mo CApAoit), Agup m'eu^Aoine, n'l bpuA^u-p Aon be']! •pA|'A"6n mo rheAnmA "oo cAoib mo pAccAnAi^ "oo cum nA boibjAep "oo cpocnu JA"6, Acc Aon neec "oo bi -ponnmAp cum cuiXDijce tiom, lonniip 50 pAcliA-o A ngboiji "oo 'OI11A, a nonoi^A 'oonA 1lAom- viib, Agu]' X)on pogAcr, Ajup a \.eA-\" AnmAtDo p-ein ; Ajup A]'e An cAon-ncAC pin .1. Coi^Ap'oeAl.licvc niliAJ Coct^m tnic plAicciLLe mJ <\vio niic niojA cluii]\b ).niiL CvvL) line Co|\nniic CA^y Dedication 1111c CoiivMiL e».\c-UiAic 1111c OiLiotiok oUmn. [ecc] to the Reim 1111c tms'oeAc niednn Rioyhraidhe. ^jA-p Ai^e An Uoi^\]TOeA'L'bAC ^'o HIa^ CocIaih At^iib^iAmtin, ■00 CUI^A All 1'A0CA^\ 1^0 A]t AJAIt), AJtII" -00 COH^All!) All COlilttlA- T5A|v "oo bi AjA cn'iocntiJAt) AiiAicc A ceile, mAitte \\e jac con^iiAiii 'oii'C]\ei'oeAc "oa CC115 An Conuinc ]\eiini\AT6ce x)6ib 50 tAireAiiiAit. Aw 4'"' La -oo liii Occobe]\ "oo cionn-|^;5nA'o1i An teAbA]\ ]'o "00 I'^iAiobAt), A5111' An 4. La "oo rii'i Tlonembe]\ "oo ]:o-|\bA'6 e, A cConuinc nA nib]\ACAii -neiiiTHATOce ; An cui^eAX* btiA^Ain -oon \w^, Cinj CAnotuf of Sax^ An, ere. 1630. APPENDIX No. LXXII. [Lect. VIII., Page 165.] Original of the OClerys Address to the Reader, prefixed to the ^^^llf^j^^^Q Reiiii Rio^nAi-oe (from the MS. classed H. 4. 6., T.C.D.). tue Rdtm 'Oo cum An teAJceoi^uv. CiA An cbAnn nA'oii]\cA La nA bA-6 cimiaj, ajui^ La nA bA"6 hinif-nioniAC a niACAi]A aju]" a nibuime jemeAriinA Ajti]" jbAn- oibce, "o'^A^cpin no "oeip'oeAcc y:6 cA]t Agti]' ^6 tA^iciii^me, fo ■oimiAC, A^tii" yo 'oimijin ^An ceAcc ai\ cuai^\c "oa liionni^oig, ■oo C\.\\\ ]"0tA1]' ■^S^T fl-lbACAiy U1]\]\e, A^U-p "OO CAbA1]\C CAbA]\- CA Ajny i:i1^\CACCA 'O'l. 1a]a nA CAbAi]\c "OA nAi]\e "oo ■onuinj "OAijngue *o'o|ro nA"oti]\cA Sc. P]\otnnpAf 50 n-oeACAToh nAoiiicAcc, ocuf p]\eAncAcc A t'nACA]\-'bLiiiTie, Ci]\e A-p ccut, c|\e ^An beA- CAigce, -jreA-ncA, ajui^ tnio^vboibe a nAoiii no pobAt) mce ■pein, no -po]' a |MojAccuib eibe, Ap coriiAipbe "oo cinneAt); Leo, b]\ACAip bocc lllionup -oa no^ro -pern -o'ept) ObpenuAnciA, ITIicet 6 Cteii\5 ("oa^i -ouccui', Ajiip "oa^a bp-o^buim c]\oinic), ■oo c\i\\ UACA 50 liGi^imn "oocuin AbpuijeA'6 "oo beAb]\Aib in a mbeic en ni "oo ciocp-A-o ca]\ nAoiiicAcc a nAoiii ^onA peAn- cupiiib Ajui' 5eineAbAi;5ib "oo cprnnnni JA-o 50 liAon-ionAT). A^y, ceAcc "OAn l3pAcA mbeic gAc c]iAob "oiob, Ajup pop po]" nuiiiipe nAoii'i nA c]Vc\oibe cetJiiA. 5© ACA Aicme -oo nAoiiiAib Ci]\ionn *oon riieA-o "oo ppiccA-o lAp nup"0 A peAnl,eAb]\Aib peAUcupx -oiob X)^<^^i^ AnwAig, ^aii c]iecumup5 ptoACCA yof cpiApoite, ip ahi'Lai'o ]\6 JAbtAi^fiAC Aguf "00 pgAOitcAX) 6 A nibunAi-6 p\eumAib. 5e be cu, a leA^coip, tei^mit) a itieAf atd beic pein 50 byuij cA]\bA, ei]:eAcc, eobup Ajuf AccunmpeACC ipin pAocAp po, 6^]\ ACA 1leim nA II105 ^onA-o njbuinib ^eneAbAi^, 50 bunA-oup Ann "oojieip inup ■00 5Abp\c juoJACc ia]a nupx); 50 nAipioiii bbiAguin, 50 nAoip An -ooiiiAn, a bpopbAX) ptACA 5AC pi^ X)iob, Agup 50 nAoip Ap cUigeApuA lopA, 6 A loncobb- nu^A-o, 50 beug tllViAoibeAcbuinn Illiioi^A, Ajup nAOiiii "oo peip uipt) A nAibji-oep, Agup -oo peip a mbunu-OAip iiiAp "oo pAmeATriAp pon'iuinn. 5^6i]\ "oo 'OhiA. l3bup ccAi]roe lomiiuine bpAcip nil eel O Cbeipig, peAppcApA O TIlAOibconAipe, Cucoi^cjuce O Cbeipijb, Cucoigcpice O T)uib5eAnnAin. APPENDIX No. LXXIII. [Lect. VIII, Page 168.] Dedication Original of O'Clery's Dedication of the "LeAbAp 5<^^<^^<^ {from V^lar the MS. classed H. 1. 12., r.C.D). Gaihnia. ^^ cuipeAppA AU b]\ACAip llliceb O Cleipig peAiiiAin An cpen-cpoimc -OApAb Ainni "LeAbAp 5<5'bAbA -oo ^bAUA-o, "oo ceAp- cu^At) ocup X)o pcpiobAT) (AniAibbe be coib lirllACCApAin) "oo cum 50 pAcliAt) 1 ngboip *oo *01iia, in 6n6i]i -oonA nAomViAib, APPENDIX. 553 ■oo ^MO^Acc e-i]\ionn, ocu]- a \.e, 50]^ b'oi|^cio-i" "oo 'ouine eicin 'o'6-[AionncAib -peAn c]ioinic onopAC 6^\ionn "oa njoi^Aceii LeAbA]A ^^'^bAbA, "OO jbAnA"6, '00 co]i be ceibe, A5111" "oo fgjuobAt), A^\ nA bA-6bo]^Aibpe. An ce-o A'6bA]i, "oo cui]\]"eAC iTi\iAccAHAin -oo cii]\Am onoin beAcbA"6A A511]" -peAncu]' llAoiii Gpionn -oo c|\tiinnni JA"6 ^y ^ac aic a bji-ui^inn lAt) a]i |ni"o Gpionn ; Aguf ia|a nA 'oenAifi pn "OArh "oo cojhAf coiiibiiAX)o|A "DO cjAoinicTO, -oo ceA'irctiJA'o, 'oo gbAnAt), Agiip "oo fjiuobAX) riA •mei'oe a -puA^AA-)" -oon c-fencAf pn nA IIaoiti, Agup lleirne tl'io^^^AToe Cpionn ^n-p a m-beno]A nA nAoin'i, AiiiAib ip pob- bA]' ^Y in beAbo]\ inA bYoibic. Ia^ pom "oo cuicciop nA']i b'loinbAn An pA0CA]A pn a tDobAij^c, ^An An "LeAbo^i 5^^<^^<^ ■]\eAiiipAice "oo jbAnAt) Agtip X)o i^^piobAt), UAip ipe bA cobo]< bunAix) -00 SbeAncup nAoni Agiip poj 6i]Aonn, "oa n-UAipbib A^up "OA nipbib. •cX-obAp oibe beop, "oo -peA"oo]A jiqi cionnp;5AinpeAuc 'OAOine p'o^bomcA A \yAirin A^np a iiibe]ibA, An cpoinicpi nA b-Cpionn ■00 cionncnx) a ^^oTobicc, ip nA ceAnguAibpi a X)iibpAino]i, A^iip nAcb jioibe p-ojbuim nA eobAp a n^Aoi-oibcc 50 gpinn ACA, cpep A ccui]\piuip cpuAp, bticcA Agtip peAnctip m biuboip cet)nA be ceibe, ^An Ainbpiop, gAn lonipobb, Agtip 50 iiAcbAt) An cionncuT), pin -oo -oeAn-OAOip -o'eApbuix) eobtnp ^AOi-oibcc, An ACAip Ajtip An iin-oeAp^At) piopx)iii5e "o'Cipinn uibe, Agup 50 bAipme "OA cpoinicip. Ay a]i nA pAcoib pin T)0 ctnpeA]' ]ioniAiii, AtnAibbe pe uoib iii'tiACCApAn, An beAbo|i po 100 jbA- nA"6, A^np "oo cop be ceibe, ■r^ 1 Address A CC^VOmig, OCVI-j' A LeAD]\01D, 'OIAI'O AnX)lA1X), O A11Tl-|^1]l TjlLinn prefixed to 50 hAimf11\ ITAOlil pACq\AlCC, CAiniC 1|" ah CeAC-jWMilAt) btlA-OAin ^GabhcUa'""' ^"t AC A t. AO j A1 ] \e m 1 c 11 ei tt 11 A01 -51 Ait ai 5,1x1 6^ \i o n 11 , t) o p o t At) c]\ei'oriie ocuf c]\Abtiit) innce, co ^o "beAnnuij 6i^\inri, po-jiA, niACA, niriA, ociif in^eAHA, gup ctiiii-ooi j, ocu-p ju]), -f-ocuix) ceAttA, 0C111' conjiiuvtA innce. Ko cociii]\ nAoiii Pax^haicc ia]a pn tdia -poigi-o, nA 1ni j"ooi|^ -pob-OA-jv oii\]roeA-ncA in Ci^unn An ionbui-6 pn, p\i coniiet) c]\oi- nice, octi]" coiiiigne, ocuy -peAncufA ^ac ^aIdaIa ^\o ^Ab 6|\e 50 pn. Af 1AC ^10 cocuipc cui^e An CAn I'ln, Rof, 'OubcAC rriAC Ua "Lti^Aip, peA^ijnp, ecc. \)a hiA'op'oe iiobtDA-ji -j^Aitje -pocAig- ceACA x)o fcAncAp e-]\ionn, a nAiinp]\ nAon'i Pa"D|aaicc. 1x0 yo^iAib u\^\oin, llAon'i Cobnnn Cibte, "pmnen CtiiAnA hlonAi^TO, ocnp ComjAtb t3eAnncoi]i, octif nAoirii G^Monn A]AcenA, A]v ii^-Qo^wib A nAiTiip|Ae buiDen, SeAncti-|' ocxiy coin'ijneA'OA Ci^Monn "oo coirhet), ocii"p "oo cohitiac. T)o -po- nA'6 i:o^i]Aopoiti ■pAiiibi.ii'o. Aciac "oo bA-oo]; a nAimpji nA nAoiii fAin, AiiiAii ip -|:ottAp a n-oeiiieA-o "ouAine Coc1iat)a tli "phtoinn, ponncAin niAC bocnA, UiiAn niAC CAiitibb mic lllin- ■HeA-oAi^ llliniToeiiice, "oo 'OIiai'L b^iACAcb ; 'OAbtAn "Po-jv 5AibL An ciig-QO]) ocvi-p An nAon'i oip\-6]iuicc. tlo -pjpobuic, ocu-p ]\o "oeAjibtiic -peAncupA ocii^' coin'i- jncA-oA Giponn a bpA-oninp nA nApv-o nAorh I'o, AiiiAit Af ):ottAp 1^ nA ppom-beAbjioib yo 1iAinmni5eA"6 6 nA nAoiiiuib -pen, ocuf 6 nA nA^ra-ceAbbAib ; tiAi^i ni poibe eACcttni^ oi]ip "oi^ic A nG]\inn, nAch Ainnmi^ce pn'ioTii - teAbo-ji i^eAncupA eii^e; no on nAoiii i\o beAnntng mnce. X)o bA i^o-oAing be6]% Aicne A-ji nA beAb]\oib "oo 'p5^\iobAX)A]i nA nAOiiii ocuf a]i nA CAinncicib mobcA "Oo ctitnpAc a n-^AOi'oitcc, joja bAliiAc yen ocuy A cceAbtA bA hinneoin p-o^uvip, ocui" bA coiiijiAi^i coirii- e"OA "oo y5]\eApcpAib u^-ooiv Ciuonn a nAbtAnA. 111onviA]\, Alii, bA 5A]\ UAi|\ CO n-oeACATO ppcbini ocii]" eA-p- cp»A A-p ccAbbuib nA nAon'i, a|\ a inionnmb, octip Ap a biub- -[\Aib, oip ni bpoib A]i A11TO, "Gib Ano-pA acc cioiinAi]ipi nibicc, nAc ]\u5A'oh A ccpiocAib imciAnA, eAccoip cmeoit, gAn a peA-j- A n-oiAcb 6 pin ibte. 'AciAC nA bioboi-p jAbAtA "GO bA"0A|i "OO bAcvnp Aj pg-iiiobA-o nA n^AbAbcA -po nA hCpionn, icAbop t)1iAibe 1 lllhAoitco- noi|\e "00 p5piob mnriijiop iriAC pAi-oin II1 in1iAoibconoi]\e Ay tiobA-p nA hl1i"6]\e "oo pjpiobA-o a cCbuAin lllic lloip a n- Ainipip nAOiiii ChiApAin ; teAbop l3lK\ibe Hi Clitei]ii5 "oo fgp'io- bA-o A nAinipi]i liHiAOitpeActoinn lllhoi-p iinc 'OoiiinAibi; ieAbop lT)1niinnripi *Olniib5ionnAin -da n50i^\cep teAbopi 556 APPENDIX. AP. LXXIV. 5lll-1111"'e "OA LaCA, OCUj' LeAbo]! HA h tl ACOIlglilAlA, AtTlAltte Address V^ teAbjioili) gA^AtA ocu^^ i\eAncu]^A oiic ^eti nio CATO pn. prefixed to AciAc ru'iiii tiA neceA"6 ACAX) Vaii teAl!)oi\rA riorAiiA. ?;a- aabhdia. CxxiL CneA-]^]\A ce-QU]^ -jUA tTt)ibnn innce; ^a^aiI phA]\CAtoiri lAji pn ; 5Ali)Ail lleniieA'o; gA^Ait plieAi^ nibol^; gA^Ait ufiUAice X)e 'OAnonn, ocuf ^aIdaiI IIIIiac IllileA-oh, 50 IIIaoI- yeAchttiinn tlloji. u1iAH ccAi]At)e lomriuine, D]\Acoi|\ niicet O Cteipg, ')-"'eA]ipeA-]v\ O 1llAotconoi]\e, CiJcoicc]\ice O Ciei]^^!!, Cucoicc]\ice O 'Oui'b^ionnAin, Agti]" 5'ol'tApAcc]\uicc O t/tnnin. "Oo leiceioinon coiunnn 'LA'boi]\r; a]\ oitoh^ax!) ah ChiAucAig- ceo^iA ce-ou]" a]a tia c]\eACvii|Mb: lleAiii, Aingit, Aini^"i]\, a^u]:' All TnA-pA A'o'bAi'L ecc]\iiuA A-p A\\ ceibicc Ati ceAtA^-'otJi'L 6 coil AriiAin, 1-p in oibiuu^A-o -pe tAice, gup tiA Innie AiimonriA AicciAeAbinc a ccAlAiii, a tiiiip;5e, Ajti]' a tiAie]\, "oo bpj JlljAAb "OO "OlA-OOllub ip 01]AC10p 111 -OO tAboi]\C 0|\]AA, AJtII' 11A]1 iiieA-|'Amo|\ en ni '610b 'oo beic "oo ]UACCAnup a]\ a^ noibjuo^- A-6 AiriAiite i\e coil n'Oe, acc "OAoine Agu^" Aniip]\ nAniA. 'Oa bjAi^ i^o, X)0 5AbAmA|\ be'-p nAii", Aimp|A "oo ^Iaca-o, A-p oi]\ciop Ann X) "otime, A-OAiii ip a fbiocc teAnp-Atn a^x a\\ pnnpei^- 01b 1-pin Vine n'oi]AeAcli, jtun a]i Jbtin 50 c^viocmi^At) in cinn- l^gecAibp A bpoi|\ceAnn ]iiojacca IllliAoilpeActAinn mhoip line 'OomnAbt, eipi-6e ^115 "oeiponAcb 6i]\ionn innce -pen gAn -p]ieA-|"AbpA, AiTiAibLe 1ni5-6A]i|\Ap nA cc-|\oiniceA-6 CAnjA- "OAji ]\oiiuiinn, Ajiip be -|\iAJoib -|\iihe nA nAop Aiiioib -po^Ajuc iacc A cci-p'oeA'OAib p"oi]\bce, p-ipencA eAccttnpi Ch-piO'p'O, a\\ bopicc ti^'oon Agn-p piien nA Sc]\epc|\A 1lA0iitie, -peb AinmneocAin popAnA, eAn^ AineAn^ "00 iMAgtAt) nA nAOf i\eirii|\Aice, a -|AOinn Agnp a niomtAine, 6 At)Aiii 50 gem Ch^\iop'o AiniA-p mA|\ An cceA-onA, 50 pgAjAcoin nA i\icce ne'|\ nuAiptib, "oo ■|iei]\ uobA n'Oe. -di^Moiii An -oa -peA]i .txx. a]\ nA ceitjie cet) AopAib -Don "ooniAn AniAibte in]- An Aipioiii cug-pAC "OAoine •peA-pAcViA -pogbAincA "DO ten iatj ip An toncc n'oi^AeAch Ap nA liAoptnb, 6 cjiiicuJAX) in 'ooiiiAin 50 ^ein Cbpiop-o, a|i nA 1\oinn A CCU1CC |\Annnib. O ^-oAiii 50 'Oitinn, 2242 ; 6 'Oitinx) 50 bAb]\AbAm, 942; 6 Ab]\AhAm 50 'OautoIi, 940; 6 T)hAi- in-ob 50 b^wi-o, 485 ; 6 IdIi^oto 50 gem Ch]\iopx), 590. Ay uime "OO cui]AeA'OA|\ nA "OAOine n j'oo]roA *oo teAn An "oa ■peAji txx. An cuicceA"6, Aimp]A be nA nAiinj-eiioib, gu]! AtnbAiX) coirhbioncAji An Aimft]i fo, 5199, 6 cjaucvijax) A-OAirii 50 jeni APPENDIX. 557 CVi^\iopD. Ay "00 HA 1ni j-oA^wiib teAnuf An "oa feA\\. Xxx. ap. lxxiv i|' riA ceic|\e cex> Aoi-j^ib 6tifebiu-p Ai]\nieA^' iriA c]\oinic 6 ^^^^^.^g^ cmicti^A-6 A"6oim ro trein Chtuoi^, 519'.>. Onoriur ir in inefixtdto cceAX) CAipceL 'oa cex> l,eADO]\ A-oei^t 50 opmL o Ax)Am 50 Gabhdia. h\\p]u\m, 3184; 6 Ab]\v\hAin 50 ^ein Cli]\io]^-o, 2015; a ptuni A]\Aon, 5199. 'Olu\ -|b]\ioni-prA]\UT6e ecctiii]^e Ch^uopt) lAcpotii. Ax)ubAi]rc beop SAnccui^ 1be]\onmuii' inA epii^cib -oocuni U1CAI]', ^^A'\\ coiriitionA-o pe iriibe btiAX)An "OAOip An "ooiiiAin 50 1'in. A-oeijA c]\A, S. An^upnn i-p An 'oeAcbiiiA'6 CAipceb 'oo'n ■OAi^A ieAbo]\ "oej de Civitate Dei nAc Ai]Aiiiionn 6 cyiuchuJA-o An "oume 50 pin pe rinte bbiA-oAn. Cinpcen nAbeic pin ApAon, CO cceAccoic beip An bncc peuiiipA a nen ntiin'iip cunn- CAip, 6 cpndniJA-o A-oonii 50 gem Chpiop-o, 5199. IDeA];- bA-o oibe Ap An Ai]\eAin cceA*onA, An mA]\cA]\o'LAi5 HoiiiAnAch •oeinmioJAp lombAinebtiA'OAn nA nAop 6 c]\iiuii5a-6 An ■oomAin 50 501 n Cbpiop-o, 5199. j^From a copy of the leA'bAi\ jAbAlA, written in 1685, for Brian, the son of CoUa Mac Mahon, of Oriell, now in the Eoyal Irish Aca- demy, but not classed.] APPENDIX No. LXXV. [Lect. VIII., Page 175.] Original of the Title and Dedication to OClerys G lossary Tuie ann ( froin a 2US. copy, in the handioriting of John Murray^ to*o'CUe")"s 1728, in the possession of the Editor). Glossary. "PocbAip no SAnApAn ntiA-o lonA ii'iini5ceA]i CAib eipn "o po- cbAib cptiAi"6e nA ^Aorait^e, a]\ nA p^piobA-o Ap tipt) Aibgicjie, be bpACAip bocc ciiACA tVopt) SAinc P]\onpiAp .1. Ilbcetib Ua Cbeipi^, A ccobAipce nA niD]iACAp nQipionnAC a LobAin, Ap riA cup A ccbo mAitbe pe bu^'OApAp, 1643. Amen. 'Oon cijeAjinA po on6]\AC, A^up •com CApATO, iDAOc^AbAC ITIac Ao-oA^Ain, GApbAC Aitpnn. Agpo cu^Aib (a Ubi^cApnA) •oio;5biiiin beA^ 'opoctAib cpti- Ait)e Ap cueAnjcA x)uucAip, a]\ nA ccpninnni^A-o Ap inopAn "oo penbeAb]io i\ei|\ nA niiir(i]Ae Af m o [ikANSLATION.] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. I beqiieath my soul to God Almighty, and I charge my body to be buried in the Monastery of Burgheis UiiiJiail [Borrisoole], or in "whatever other consecrated church .... in which it will appear best to my friends to bury me. I leave the property most dear to me that I have put into my possession in the world, namely, my books, to my two sons, Diarmaid and Seaan. Let them take their profit out of them without injuring them, and according to their necessities; and let them give their sight and their constant access to Cairbi'e's children like themselves ; and let them instruct them according to benefit of Caii'bre's children, to teach and instruct their own children I am charging them to be loving, friendly, respectful,' * as they would be to their own children, if they wish that Grod should be propitious to themselves, and give them prosperity in the world here, and their share in the kingdom of heaven to them in the other 36 562 APPENDIX. Lxxviii. world I charge in like manner ~_ Catlierina or great CucoigcrUM that shall be in her possession, and the horse ciery iu J^er own hands. I give her its possession from my o-wn death out and accordingly as it shall appear best There is examine what shall be ui her hands, and I give her possession (after my death) of a horse and of a foal, and let him do all the good that he can to her [until he has put] her care off him non-shame- fully. Should go ... . another woman in the time of their idleness or ... . the woman . . . upon the share of her sister, and if the woman of them who shall be brethren that shall be heirs of them both in their time there .... without being alive. If the little boy, the son of Eoch . . . should take quietness of residence to himself, and come to the one place with And, Seaccn, I am charging you to do every good which can be done accordingly as I have done, and . father and to his grandfather and to his grandmother a cow Avhich 1 put into his possession to hiui of your share or of your brothers residence in which he is, dispose of it according to your own wishes . . . as a benefit [pay] for saying Mass for the soul of Seaan Meg-G as shall appear to yourselves. CtrcoiGRi[cHE Cleirigh]. In Curr-na-h-EUte, the 8th day of February, 1664, according to the greater comjoutation. APPENDIX No. LXXIX. [Lect. VIII., Page 179]. Two Poems Original (toith translation) of tivo Poems hy Cucoigriche migcHcH 0' CUry ; fvom MMS. transcribed hy James Mac Guire, in o'ciery. 1727, for Hugh O'Bormell (of Lark/ield), now in the pos- session of Professor Curry. I. 1. Cucdjc^Mce O CLeijAij "oo |\inrie Aii CuchoigcricM O^Chry that made this •OA-n-i'A -Do'n cViaIIjac IIiia'6 niAc poem for the Calbhach Ruadh, the nV\jnA-pA, rtiic Cuinn 615, inic Cu- son of Maghmis, son of Conn dg, iiin, niic An CtiAlbAiccli, son of Conn, son of the Calbhach (O'Donnell). lonnnnn ay\ Iaoi-o 'LeA5CA-t\ funn, Beloved the lay which is read here, C15 uAic, A cliAlliAij cujuin, Wliich comes from thee, O CaM- ^Y^ c]\e yviin •pA'LLi'A ^o feAf, ach, to me, Ace ■oo f u]\ AnnfA c'eicceAi-. Not through a treacherous design I know, [poet. But to seek the affection of thy APPENDIX. 563 <\ ■poiT) LcAc 6-0 -oiveic n-'ooimi- jit, pA'onA CAiunie i^' ctti O cCumn, S-OAipce 'oi. fbocc cliuinn, tAoc^VAi'o gAn tocc, AcA An c-Aintn Cuigeo Clionnccc, Ua-o mac -pAnn 1 teic teAt)AtA, Cjxe A m-oeic Ann Ag AicpveAljA'o, T)ifte te Conn Coije'o Stipieing, tlo en cvnje'o An (Ji|\inn, V\^\\. cuitTDeAf "o'a ctoinn 6 foin, 5An ixuiTJteAf Cl?oinn -oo CA|\coin. A Ua &x^ cConn cuAit) 6 c1ioi\ai"o, 'Sa cliuinn ciA|\ 6 ccAngoDAiix, Hi ■oeo^Ai'oeAcc, a -oeAixc gtAn, CeAcc 50 ceot-oi^eAcc ClijAtiACAn. ni •oit)ei]\u -ouic ciai\ jac aid, C-|\e neA]ic Aintpne neAccp^Ann, A ClAb •otlJClilA-p HA CCOtX CCAf, "Oct 6 ■OUCcVlA'T 50 "OUCCAp I understand thy design accordingly, ^p_ lxxix. That too far from thy noble bright face are Two Poems TJie witnesses of the munificence ^.v. (\ and fame of Comi's race, \_Conall. o'ciTry^^ The secret records of the blood of As thou art putting me in mind Tliat I should, after our authors, — Ungentle are the words of the men, — [cestors. Eeraember the history of thy an- Good is the seeking that thou hast made, [tory, — To go seek the knowledge of his- ■ To visit me first would be an idle journey — [Erinn. To the home of the learning of An old saying, wise and ancient this, "The learning of Erinn at Crua- c/iai)i'\ [given will. To its learning above all thou hast It was not without reason thou hast made the choice. They are in this land a long time, Around the Cruachain of Comt of the hundred battles, The 0' Maolchonaire's without fault In chosen esteem with chieftains. Tliou hast, too, found other know- ledge, \jiair^. With the comely Clann Maolcho- The cause of our invitation from thee, [from my tutors. Through the career of my learning From the race of Conn, champion without fault. Comes the name of Connacht Fifth [{.e. Province,] — [books, — A statement not weak as regards Because of their having been there inhabiting. [Fifth (i.e. Province), More favoured with Conn was Srengs Than any other Fifth in Erinn, It was not becoming his children ever since, ConrCs special right not to cherish, Thou grandson of our northern Conns, from Torry, And of the Conn in the west from whom thou descendest, [eye. It is no exile, thou of the bright To come to the musical assemblies of Connacht. It is no banishment to thee in the west in all time, Through the force of stranger fo- reign tribes, — Thou of the clustering, crisp, curl- ing hair, — [other. To go from one native land to an- 36 B 564 APPENDIX. AP. Lxxix. "Ha ceApMolrA ryji'Ar o\A njlop AM C)\10C •00 CAIAAIf, "Ouicp riAC fAC f AtcAHAIf, 'SjojA 5A]\ oibe 6 CA01 cjAeAbA^v, Ca]a tlllioije A01 A\\ AiciAeAbA-o. ■niACAipe dioiinocc riA ccac, Se't^ bfA'OA e '11 A f-AfAcli, "Oe n'A]A fjxiipif, A jne jeAl 5uip cuiiMf e fA -poiixjiieAiii. CoiTi|\A'6 A eot/AcTi uile, ■D'Aoif AicjAeAbA An TnliACMi|\e, tDoib Y\A]\ b'Aicne e -pA bAiL, 50-0 |\e cAicirii jei a CliAtbAij. 'S 5ii|\ cw\\ C11 -pA cjAom eAtlAig, Iac oii\'6ei|\c An ■p^^i^i^-^^AnnAij 1f tTlAJ Ao^ o'n peim 1 |\Aibi, 5o]A leip gAc Laoi a l/OinpAi|\e. ■A jAA'o pib ni fAT) nAijAeAcVi, "Oo beic eAiciiieAc con jAi)AeAd, 'S50 ccAice, jA fAOi]Ae -peAb? SjAice niAoine gAn niAoi'oeAm. If gu^A rnAc reAjlAc ic ceAjli, tllAfvbu feiLi fe Ap finnfeAf, 'S'oo beic Ann fA Aoib jAn "oimvic, In gAc Am "DAOib 50 •oAoiniuc. Ke't) linn im cTifWAcAin nAcceAn, Tli ■pint UAf aI no ifeAb, tlAc leif niA ceAc nitii]\n mof, 1mA f eAc cuif m if coiiiot. The praises they have bestowed on thee, [Connacht, Those learned men of the land of Well pleased I am that thy cha- racter is not lessened, [breath. And that it lias heightened my My beloved friends are these, They convey to me in their letters, Thy common report, from the dear band, [liear it. And it is no shame that all should To tell their story I shall forbear, As now I have them as witnesses ; I don't propose to publish them, nor conceal, No forbidden words do I speak. Of their contents at first, speaking of thee, [nacht's land, How the foreigners sent to Con- By a dangerous enmity, not pure. Thy like of the nobles of Ulster. Part of their words — the country thou hast loved, [uiity, To thee shall not be a cause of en- And that shortly again, as thou art prudent, [in. Till thou lovest Mar/h Aoi to dwell Machaire' Connacht of the battles. Though long it had been a desert, From it thou didst not cease, thou bright of aspect, [closure. 'Till thou didst put it under eu- The conversation of all its learned. Of the residents of the Machaireis That never did they see it pros- perous, \_ach. Until the spending time of Calbh- And that thou hast placed under heavy stock [nach ; The noble land of the Finnbhean- And brought Magh Aoi from its former state, [pastures. That every day sees its well-grazed To say of thee is no shameful saying, That thou art spendive, hilarious. And that thou spendest, — what happier time ? — riocks of kine without boasting. And that company is frequent in thy house, [ancestors, Such as was seen in the days of our And that thou art with never a frown. At all times with crowded people. In thy time around Cruachain of the loves, [ferior, There is not a superior nor an in- In whose house there is not great merriment, APPENDIX. 565 With circling bowls and social ^p. lxxix. drinking lonTOd «xcA eic feAnj;A, ■pion, •pleA'o-o'L 1]' pccVieAtt/A, 'SbiniTO teAcny Gu- ing, [in their houses, o-cier''"^ And wide-spread boards each day Without avoidance of road or high- way, [den Alike do they bear thee as their bur- in all places, — those who love thee, And thou art sung out at Conn's Cruac/iain, And in the lands of the west of Umaill. Were they thine own Oliamhs, That had sent thy renown afar, They would not be noticed, thou life of our maidens, [own. It wovdd be said the pet was their It is from thine own good sense thou hast received Tliis most illustrious name. Since it is hailed everywhere, it is no harm, [ing territories! Thy name, and thy fame in border- Who of thy stem, king, or chief — If thou wilt read the kingly succes- sion — [rited, Eeceived the reward which he me- Or an illustrious name, without il- lustrious deeds ? On that account, my active son, If thou desirest thy name to be heard, Adhere to thine original deeds, Follow nationality and prudence. Let it not molest thee, thou Man of the Finn, The evil hearts, the malignity Of those who envy thy bright brow ; Their gaze is the omen of secret peace. My last words to thy noble mien : Be not the first to fly from friend- ship ; [with man ; Causeless break not thy affection But share with him thy highest love. No empty renown to be sent afar, Is the fame of the daughter of Walter ; [ture. For friendship and for best of na- No shame is the time to Aibhei- lin. Though she may be of chattels scant, From her her wants are never heai'd, [out regret, What she has spent is gone with- And her goodness is without pride, without ostentation. 566 APPENDIX, AP. Lxxix. K&X) 6i,^■£ 1 cctwAif a ceiie, 50 inb'i jAn •oui'L "ooiiVieine, 50 -pAOllueAC, gA 'OAl'L 1f -0116 ? 'S50 TjAoilceAc, fAiiii, pmpVi"6e Two Poems l)y Ct«- coigrricM O'Clery. The words of all men in each other's ears : [ill-temper, That she's ever without shade of Cheerful — what state so lovely ? — And disbursive, placid, simple ! To her appearance we have given our approval, [of pride, And to her goodness, without ore And to her mien along with these; It is not hke any other woman she is beloved ! Beloved. [Note. This poem commences at page 323 of the volume, and the following poem at page 336] T)A h-AI-pjTOlb CV^^ATll A^A CCOll, If 'OA WAic, jAn niein iiaIjaija, 1f "DA jriAoi HA ii50i|\e foin, — ni tnA]\ tViriAoi o\\,e Af ioniiioiii ! lomiiGin. II. Cucoijc-jMce O Ct/ei|\i5 -00 ]Mrine An •oAn fo, "oo t:hoi)\-t\'6eAtDAc O ■OoninAitt, niAc CAcbAjA-p. THO triAfLACC O^AC A fAOJAlL, TTlAif5 riAc CCU15 -oo |\6-'bA05Ai'L, 'S50 ccui^e -pein a cceili "ouiTin tlAc "oiob 5]\a'6ai jce c'fO]\ciiin. ^Z^■b lonroA -pi ai\ a |\Ai'b meAf, ■pUAI^A t1A1C fige Agii-p flAlceAf 'St)A cciigAi-p mmiAn, feAfOA, if ■pLeATi), VeAccAp A cc|\ioc fA "oeif eA-o. lonroA ■ptAic Af -peAfAc tiiin lOtlTOA AifoiMjh "oob in jiil, llA ngein clipiofo ca|\1,a Ap -oo liiuin, 'Stjo c-|\Af5|\Aif fiof 50 CAiiniiin. II105A if trionAif c An 'oo-mAin, O CA A muL 'nAjx ntifvcoTiiAii\, ITlAf fiA-onA fCAi|\ce nA n-of onj ■OeAixbAiTD 50 fio|\ A nAbfoin. tliojA nA nAffA|\'6A if trieAt), CugAif 'ooib f eAb n'A|\ fo-bcAj CAbbAC-OA If peA^\f A n'At\ bAg, VUAIf f CAC f eAb, CA1C Ap JAbf AC ? AbescAn-oef , tY1onA|\c mo^ Ce-o Inipef Sfeg nA ngbAn- fbogb, 5e'^m6i\ A tiieAf 'f^ i\o-neA|\c t)i]\ ciAn A f e CO iiiA|\coigeAcc. lubiUf CAefAi\ 50 nAjh, Cet) Inipeip f eib nA lloiriAn, Af njAbAib An 'ooiTiAin bAif, -AfAOgAlb Cf eAt) fA'f Cf Af5f A1f ? II. Cuchoigcriche O'Cleni that made this poemjor Toirdhealbhach O'Donnell, the son of Cathbharr. My curse upon thee, O world ! Woe is he who understands not thy great dangers, [sensible And that thou thyself makest us That thy fortunes are not an object to be loved. Tho' many a king who had been esteemed [reign ty ; Eeceived from thee reign and sove- And to whom thou gavest mirth, feast, and banquet : Behold their fate at the end ! Many a sovereign that we know. Many a high king who was their equal Before Christ's birth, mounted thy back, [gromid. Whom thou didst cast down to the The kings and the monarchs of the world, Whose knowledge we have at hand, If the histories of the parties be witnesses, They prove truly what I say. The kings of the Assyrians and Medes, [small ; Thou gavest them a space not very The Chaldeans and Persians, — not weak, — [they gone ? They had their time, — where have Alexander, a great monarch, First Emperor of the Greeks, of noble armies, Tho' great his esteem and great strength, [thee. His time was not long for riding Julius Cfesar of renown, [mans, The first real Emperor of the Ro- On the world having been con- quered by him, — [him ? O world ! why didst thou prostrate APPENDIX. 567 ■Hi]\ ei|\i5 tieAc ciA|\ no to^\^, A]\ ■0|\U1111 •OO |\Oc1lA A f AOJAll,, riAc e A 'Dei|AeA'6 ia]\ jac f o-o, A cti|\ f A01 An ^oc fA '6iib]\6n. ■boicc An cfAojAiL miA^'eAc, ■Oioc Ai' beice •ooi'l!) buToeAc, 111 caTdjaa ni •661b ■DOT)' liiAoin, 'Sni beAnA •oio'b tio comAoin. C6n\ A buToe \\e Dia -011, A]\ nib|\eic 1 nAinip|\ c]\ei'oini, l^'C'iuo^'T) ■d'a^x ieijiof 6'|\ ccoii\, 'SgAn A'6]\A'6 ■otiicp A f AOJOll. a\ f^eAb niA-p ACA 1 VeAb]\Aib, 1lAinonAii\cp, AClioi|\]\'6eA'LbAij, ni bA nieii-oi Aj "OiA bA|\ nAir, 5An ■ooL •oib nA ccomppAicc C|\A-6 tiom no jeniibnijA-o 'OAon, "SjAn ca'oaL'L ■Dine A-jx liiicAoin, Ace po^-yuAc mA)\ 'cA |\e c|\eAl.L eAcc^AAnn A|\ UAij'tib ei|\eAnn. JiTJeA^o, ■oeAnA •oinibjMj ■oe, "Oa niAi\|\A pb nieAf yoi'|\i.'e, ■Do beic oi\Aib caLL 'y-x bu]', 5b6ii\ ■DO "OliiA, ACA A]\ •DO cunuif. SnniAin 6 cuf 50 ^iija^o -pb 1 nAm c^v\bv\T6 11' c|\ei'oiiii, 11lA-[\nAc ^xujA'O (Ttio|\ ]\e A tiieAf), 11a niOnA11\C CUA]', ■DO A1|MiieA]\ UAbAi^i ■poijei'oe it) b|\oi'D, 5Ab cotiiAi]\Ve 6 ^ac ca|\oi^o, ■Da bpiibiige niA|\u]AA gAn coi|\, buAine ■ouic beACA fucAin. TAinic lof A r\\6 UA|\ ccoi]\, ■Oo mtii AnuAy 6'n Acoii\, 'S^oo ■ooijAc pub A ctii]\p lube, -A|\ Ap nj^XA^o c|\e cp6cui)\e. A]\ ■6o^'j\x: gAc IIIa^ciia ■o'a bfuib O tuy 50 ■Dei'peA'o •DoriTUin, "Do bvi moj-jeb b]\Aon •Do'n pub ■Oo ■Doi^\c1oyA cT\e A^\ ccionctiib. VtiAi|\ C]\io)'-D bAf c|\oice A|\ A-fv fon, "Oo 1A^\^\ o|\uinn a]\ cc|\oc ■o'lom- C0|\, 'Sain ccoib "oo cuniA ^\e a coib, Ajii^' e ^euToo beAnriioin. No person has arisen, west or east, ap. lxxix. On the back of tliy -wheel, world 1 AVhose end is not, after all hap- Two Poems piness, [sorrow, '^y <^«- To be buried under the wheel m o-ae?/*^ The poor of the earth all arotmd, To thee they have cause to be thankful ; [wealth; Thou givest them nothing of thy And thou deprivest them not of thy gifts. It is proper to thank the loving God, That we are born in the time of religion, [our sins, And that Christ has healed us of And not worshipping thee, O world. Their story, as it is found in books, Of these monarchs, O Toirdheal- hhach, [with God, Thy place will not be the worse Not to follow them in comparison. I am grieved at thy being cruelly fettered, [trust, And thou hast not merited dis- But true hatred, as there is for sometime, [ofErinn. By the foreigners against the nobles However, make little matter of it, If thou seekest perfect esteem To be upon thee yonder (in heaven) and here : [power ! Glory be to God, it is in thy Reflect, firstly, that tliou bast been born In an age of piety and religion, As were not born (highly is it to be prized) [named. The above monarchs, whom I have Bear with fortitude thy captivity ; Accept counsel from every friend ; If thou shouldst suffer martyrdom without guilt, More lasting to thee is eternal life. Jesus came, through our guilt. From heaven down, from the Fa- ther, [body And He shed the blood of His whole For our love, through mercy. What all the martyrs have shed of their blood, [the world, From the beginning to the end of A greater loss one drop of the blood Which Christ has shed for our crimes. Christ received death on the cross for us; He asked us to carry His cross, And to shape our will by His will, And to follow Himself. APPENDIX. AP. Lxxix. fw^iir c"r^' YATctiiiAce A xwm, A rne^c CAc'bA|\^\ tli "01101111111111, Two roems rii 6 "OliiA Agvif -pe fA |VAC, 111 •oLije 'beic "oe ■oioin'oAc'h. by C'u- coigerichi O'Clery. tTUAjlAlf l-AOgAl l.-A'OA giAll, \iA^^■^ A]\ f eAcuiiiojAc bliA-oAn, tonj All AiiiTiA AH co|\p 5on5|\Airi, lYllCIX) "OO 'pO|\C "DO gAlJAlL. ■Re tmn fiotcliAiiA i^ fo6|\A, ■puA|\Ai'pbeAcA loniiiobcA, 1A|\ bpLAiincii JAT) ic c'lyv CAbb, "O'Ainupne Aiiic]\in eAcc|\Aiin. 1 MAUI cogA-o "DA eiy' pri 5ac a|v beAii pbli "oo'c "oAoinib, "OO f-AOfXAI-piA'D &.\\ 50]^CA, '(\]\ bAf -JTUACCA If fiOIMIOCCA. CiA be An fbAiu "00 •]f•]^e1n1 "OliAbAiJ, "Oo ■pei-[\niib iiA bAmiAbAi j, Cug oiyveAT) cobA)\cA bib, In Am cojAit) 'o'a -oAOinib? "Oo piMf be6, ceAnn 1 cceAnn, tljMiio^ C615 ccoiji-o e1|^eAnn, "Oa n-oi-oeAn a|v ^ac -peA-oAin, "OO jllAbbAlb, ■00 jIlAOTOeAbAlb. 11ij\ d:Ai]'cibfiot) ci|\ -o'lob 'po, 1 beiu Cbumn, no 1 beic niliojo, ■JIac bio-o cniic in jac bAibe Tliu YS^^'''' '^'^'^ ^^ ccoiimAToe. Vi\6 An tr-u-puAcc cu5A'OA)\ '661b, Ho A b-pUAItApOC UAUA -D'onoill, 'Stjo beAn x)iob (op "pgeb fiixe) X)^\eAm "OO bucc jag en cipe. ■OO COl'Ain CU lA-O AlilbAT6, 1le ^e An cojai'o cAc-ApniAi 5, Ceicpe bbiA-onA 'ooi]Abe'oe5, 11A]\ beijip f Aibb 'nA ccoimex). Ji'o moix-oiob 'Oo bi beo bocc, A5 ceAcc cujAib x)'a birtipcocr, 'S'OA ccujAi-p niAom CA^An ccoip, •A A'DiiiAib Amu A-p e-ooig CuiiiAin beAm 50 |\ioiVicaoi -pn, C]\i iTiibe bo A^A "OO liiuinncip, Agup lAtJ uile A-p bA)\ ccup, Va't) beAJA'O ip jTA't) 5eA|\|M1'6. UujAip bcAc f6x, lAp gAC f eAb, Thou hast received, and it should be valued, O son of Cathhharr O'Donnell, Gifts from God, and a time of pros- perity ; [fill to Him. He does not deserve to be unthank- Thou hast received a life, long and pure, Over seventy years ; ' [soul : The valiant body is the ship of the It is time for it to take a port. In the time of peace and prosperity Thou didst receive a praiseworthy life, [land within, After there had been planted in thy Strange, tyrannical foreign tribes. In time of war after that. All such of thy people as followed thee, [tion — Thou didst free them from starva- From a death of cold and nakedness. Who is the Idng of the race oiDdlach, According to the knowledge of the annals, Who gave as much relief as thou, In time of war, to his people ? Thou hast traversed with them, one with another, [of Erinn, The most part of the five provinces Protecting them from every party Of the foreigners and of the Gaedhil. They traversed no land of these, — Of Conn's Half, or of Mogh's Half,— That there was not envy in every place Of them, and they not residing. Greater was the relief they gave to them, [of honour. Than what they received from them And there adhered to them (since it is a true story) A party of the people of every land. Thou didst defend them in that way During the time of the battle -armed war; Fourteen inauspicious years. That thou didst not neglect to guard them. Though many of them that were but alive and poor, At coming to thee for their relief, And to whom thou didst give more than proper means, [likely. To acknowledge it to-day is un- I remember when there were counted Three thousand cows to thy people ; And all these at thj'^ disposal, Under thy laying down and thy dis- tribution. Thou didst bring still after all time APPENDIX. 569 Iat) uiie Ag "oot \^A •olijeATi, 5u|\ fjAoilreAc pA]\ Agiir roir, lie lieAj iiib'LiA'DAii 56 aca pb, A^\ -p|v beAjAii 'oo'c Tiniiniicii\, tTuA^Ai-p beACA jAn iiAi]\e, 'Snip -tin AX) leAC a liiointAine. 'bio'6 iia'|\ "oionjtiiAlA I^c^'a, A]\ CCeACC 50 llAOl)^ AtNl'ACCA, "beACA ■meAi'A]\'6A •oeAiTA-p, ■Oob •peA]Afv i tiA b]AAi5t)eAnA|*. C-peij 'oo •oiomAf, riA ieAii "oe, miciT) •6111c in e^\y. c'Aoife, SaojaI riA rtieAn^ •oo cuijpn, 'SriAc cu AniAin ■oo ■|\o-cui|\p5, CAic|Aeiin '•ppeAi\)A yA jt^em jbom, ■Oo neoc •oaY gem a]a cAbnioin, 'SA-p buAine •66 cAbb iai\ iToob, bi.iAi6 A|\ -oeAiiiAn 'y&\\ '6oiiion. CiAi nAitiToe AH AnniA jac Atn, "OiAbAb, fAojAb \a cobAnn, 'OATnbei]\e cufA a mbtiAi6 pii, 1lACAi]\ 50 ]\ei6 •oo'n llijcij. jwi'oiTn "O1A ^Moc, A i\iin -oib, Ha belt; -pu lb cJi]\ioi:-o 1 iiAi^ji^ob, Cuibb ■|\e bAic|Mre 5e1'|^, gboin, •Oo -oob ipii -picii fn:icoin, "OenA A11 cinc|\eACA'6 •obige, O c«f 50 eip.^A c'Aimp]\e, Sj-pil-O Ab-pUA1]\ cu 5 AC CAII, 'Sa iroeAiMiAi]" pif '-['An •pAojAb. ■bio-b cm-p-p ^y conjtiin cpi-oe, Ope cpe ctnlbeAiii oipoipe, An CI Ap A ccii5A'6 jAn coip, tlA niibce cpecc cpe-o cioncuib. triA "00 cpAi'Dip neAc 6 coib, 1 ccbu, A mAoin, nA cpe pjAnnoib, ■OeAnA AipeAj Ann 50 coip, "Oo peip opeicpe An con-pepoip. "bu^o bttAice biompA nA bilj, (be coib T3e) •o'pop An Uigcig, mobuibbe pjuip Ape po, ■Oibpe 1 nxjeipeA-o mo ceApmo. tno ITIAbbACC The whole of them to go under the ap. lxxix. law, [eastward, Until they dispersed westward and Two Poems At Port-Erne under thy hands. ty C^l- A small term of years though thou art, ^^cTe'ry'"^ With only a very small part of thy people, [out shame, Thou hast received a living with- And thou wouldst not prize it in its entirety. [worthy, Although that thou wouldst not deem At coming to the age of seniority, A living of moderate extent, It were better than captivity. Abandon thy pride, follow it not, It is time for thee at the end of thy age, To understand the world of wiles, And that it is not thee only it has distressed. [sun. The best triumph under the bright For any one born upon earth, And the most lasting for him yon- der where he goes, [world. Is a victory of the demon and the The three foes of the soul at aU times, Demon, world, and body, [tory. If thou but gain of these the vic- Thou shalt go smoothly to Heaven. I pray God for thee, my dearly be- loved ; Let not Christ's blood go for nought. Merit by a sharp, pure repentance To go into the peace eternal. Make thou the necessary criticism. From beginning to end of thy life. Scrutinize what thou hast received in all time, [in the world. And what thou hast done with it Let there be distress and contrition of heart [rebuke Upon thee, for having deserved the Of Him, upon whom thou hast un- justly brought [faults. Thousands of wounds through thy If thou hast aggrieved any one, of thy will, [scandal, In fame, in wealth, or through Make thou restitution in it justly, According to the words of the con- fessor. Sooner shall I go than thee, (With God's will) to visit Heaven, My finishing blow it is this. In thy behalf in the end of my term. My curse. 570 APPENDIX. AP^^^xxx^ APPENDIX No. LXXX. [Lect. IX., Page 182.] Memoranda Original of tioo memoranda in \>e^A\\ tiA h-tli-one (R.l.A); in Leabhar ■/■' J "^ K \ \ / nah-Uidhri. J 01. OD. OjiAic "00 fnoetnuniM HIac CeiteAc1iAi]A rriAc nnc Cuitto riA inbocc, -po ix]\ib ocii-p ]ao]X|auc Ateb^\Aib ej^^AnilAib in be- bii]i-|"A, 0]AAi"o "oo X)omnAbb nu\c niui^AcheA^^uAig, nnc 'Oom- riAibb, mic UAit)j, mic l3]iiAir> true AiiropA-p, nnc l3|\i f i l-\{\c\ 7\ Au-m. in Book classed H. 2. 18., I.C.JJ), at the end of jol. 202, b). of Leinster. iDecA ocuf i"tAince o "pirro Gp^xop (.i. citti "oaj^a) "oo Ae-6 niAc C]iimcAiii, -00 pjiteigiiTO ai]\'o-]\i5 teidii TIlogA (.i. 11tiA- •OAc), ocup "oo ComA]\bti CotAim mic CiumcAinx), ocu]" "oo ibpiin-penciiAix) Lai^oii, a|\ gAC-p ocup eolup, ocup ciAebAijie lebu]A, octip fe^yA, ocup po^tominA. Ocup pc]Mbc1iA]\ -OAm ■oeipet) in pceoib bicpe co cinnce "ouic, a Aev) AmnAip, a p^ copn nAebobb-niAip; ciAn -^0 -|Aicem "oo-o [?] binjuAip, niiAn •OAT11 tDG bic cum 'oomjnA'o. Uucca]; t)Am "ouAnAiiAe tllic LonAin con -pAiccmi-p a ciAbtA nA n-ouAn pbec Ann, ec UAte in Chin-pco ecc." APPENDIX No. LXXXV. [Lect. IX., Page 187.] Original of Memorandum in the sayne hooh {at the top margin Memoran- o//o^. 200 a.). ^-U'Jl-'^ " \A intii|\e] Af mo]A in gnim "oo ^Mngnet) in hG^un'o intDUi .1. hi CAbAinn Augn^^u. 'OiA]imAic mAc 'OonncliA'OA lllic 1'nti|ic1iA'OA, -jii l/Aijen Agu-p jaII, "00 innA^\bA t)o ire^Aib hGnen-o [ca]i in mt.ii]i fAiii.] uc, uc, a coiiToiti citD x)o gen". APPENDIX No. LXXXVI. [Lect. IX., Page 195, Note '"''■'] An abridged List of all the Gaedhelic MSS. in the Libraries o/mss. in the Royal Irish Academy and of Trinity College, Dublin. xcd.^'"^ [It has become impossible for me to prepare the complete List I had originally intended to form this Appendix ; and anything less than a complete List Avoiild not answer the purpose I had in view. The mere skeleton List itself of these MSS. would in any case occupy, indeed, a greater niimber of pages than could be properly devoted to it in the present volume. I can only hope to find another occasion to redeem my promise of pubHshing it, in some form sufficient to give students of Irish History an idea of the immense mass of reading these great MS. Libraries contain for those who will quaUfy themselves by some preliminary study of the language to avail themselves of it.] 572 APPENDIX. ^^^^"- APPENDIX No. LXXXVII. [Lect. X., Page 216.] Title and Qriainal of the Title and Introduction to the Book of Gene- Introduction ^ iJ J , /•w^ii.^v^a^i. . '' to Mac Fir- aloqieS Of X)UDALCAC Til AC kinDifix:. biss' Boolv of i] J I I 1 O Genealogies. C^AAoTdA COl'bneA-|"A A^Af ^eUJA geneltll^ JACA ^A^aIa '0A]1 JAb C^ne on Am]"A 50 liAxjAm (acc pomonAij, l^octAnriAig AgAj" SaxjaiII AiiiAin, lAmAin o cAn^A-oAii -oah cciia) 50 riAOin'ifencAi', aja-j' lAeim ]Aio§]\Ai'6e 'Po'o'La -po-p, a^ai' -pA t)e6i5 ctAjA 'ha ccuiinp5ceA|A (ia]a tivi^to Aib5i'0]Ae) nA Stoince AgA]" tiA ViAice oi|\-6eAncA ItiAicepi ipn teAbApifA, "oo ceAgto- mAt) teif All 'OubAtcAc IIIac p]\bip5 "LeACAin. 1650. \)\Q)t iimo^A|\o, 5ii^\Ab |:on -pAiiiAit pn Af jriAicce cAbAi|\c cio'OAi'L "oo beAbpAib ^e bm ait binep, 111 beijireAm bojAg a]\ SeAii, An SeAn^nA-j" ^jAiAnAC, 5<^oi'o&^^<'^c "oinn, oi]\ A|'e ai" ■poibeijAe, TnAjAi'o. t/oc, Aimp^A, peA^AfA, AjA]" cti^ATO -pgjAibne 'oon beAbA^A^A. "Loc "60, CobAiixe S. tliocob 1 n^Aibbirh, Aimp]A "oo, Aimp^A An cojA-o c|Aei"OTni5 e-oijA CliAcoibcib Cjienn, AjAf C^ACicib 6|Aenn, Abbun, A^Af SAXAn, 50 liAi^n-oe ipn iTibbiA"6Ain 130 aoi-j" C^\i]x. 1650; peA]A]-A •60 'OubAlcAc niAc 5iobbAio]^A 1111ioi^a tllhec pbiiAbipj, ScAncAit), ecc, a beACAin tllliec pbi^v- bip5 1 cUi]A phiAC^AAC niiiAToe; Agn]" ctijAix) ^^gpbne An beAbAi|\ ceu'onA, "oo iiio]\ti5A'6 gboiiAe tDe, a^ai^ "qo jetinAm nnb "00 CAC 1 ccoiccinne. Uegeun'iA'o qAAjo meAfpAt) neAC e^m lonjnAX) ipn obAi|Ap c^e ATobbe aja-j" i-oi]\beicne nA SengenebAc^^A fiA]\ a]a nA ceii"OAib cineAX) coiiMJceAiA Ann 50 bA*6Ani ia]a nniTO a n^Aob |Ae ^AAibe, iiAi]\ AX) cUnnini yen "OjAongAib a "oept) nAc e-oijA geneAbAij ^^o^**^^-^^ '^^ b-|Aec 50 bnn 111 a^i i^oin. 5^be |:ac rriA nAbjAATo pn "00 beAiATiiAoif bA]\AThuib "OA TiiAt) bjAij binn, ai^a ni "00 ACAinuTo, acc "oo cAipoeunAt) nA p|Ainne ia|\ j^enyjuib- nib iniToi^ce SuAt), SeAn-nAoni A5AI" pAuic-f-eAncAX) 6-]Aenn ob-ceAnA, 6 ceu'oco]' nA nAnnpojA gui" Amu, ni nAc cni^Ace 1 5CuncAbAi|Ac, UAi^A A"!" lAAt) coicceAnn coiriiion'0]AAic x>o ^bAin- beAb]\Aib ^^^oi'o^l-S^ AopoA G|AeAnn nA b]AiAU]\A]"o pop Ag yoibb-piugAX) bAJCc coniieut>A An SheAncAi-p. A^i^o mAn AXDeiA: TIIa bee noAC pA]\p"Ai5eA]' cia i\o coiiriet) An ScAncA^ r IDioc A pof A5 CAc 5n]Aob ^AeAjAAig 50 ]Aeeib ^Aoyo-OA, Agu^^yeAnoijAe cuirimeACA ciAnA0^n)A "oo "oeonAij 'O1A X)0 coiiiien-o Aju-p 'oo Aifneif SheAncAif C^Aenn ibeAb]AAib "oiai j in-oiAi j -oo gAcb •onine o *6ibinn 50 bAiin]^i]A llAoiii Pa'0]aai5 (cAinij i]^in ceAc- lAAtiiAt) bbiA'OAin -pbACA bAo^uijAe mec lletb), AjAf Chobuim Cbibbe, AjA-p Chorh JAibb l3eAnnciJi]A, AgAf "phinen CbbuAnA blojAAi^ro, AgAi^ llAotfi C]Aenn a^a ceAnA, \\o i^^juobAt) -pop a n- gluinibj'i-oe 1 biub)\A, lonnAf 50 -p^ruii \e a]a AbcojAAib nAoriicA, APPENDIX. 573 icdjib i"5|AeAbq\A, i tAnnub S-|uiiceA"6 AjAf f UAt), AjA-p -peAn- l xxxvh. CAToeAX) orm aiuac ■co bnAc. I ^-^ ' . , . Title and 50 pn ACA All i\A"o ]\eAni-nAice, A;gAp ArA niAp poi^ALeicne introduction ipn LeAbA^x ^'-'^bAtA; teAb^^t pii bA io]A "oo 'oeiriinigeA'o ah b^ss'lsookof necepi. UAipip pn, aj po pumiitAt) AnniAnn uj-OA]; SeAncvnp, ^eneaiogiesi. AjAp eAtA-OAii ebe C]Aenn AjAinn ^e jac ^AbAit "oa ccAimr mnce, ^A\\ pen-p^^^eAbcuAib ciAriAop'OA ctii]\eAp pop rriAH yo. Ax)e\\ "LebAi^ 5*^^^^^/^^^ l3Aconb-l/A'6]\A ceu'oiiA horoe 6]\enTi, ottAlil P 1 1 A] \CAt Ai n . Pi^Tiuv, pite AjAf SeAncAi-o cbAinne tleiiieA"6. "Pacac, pite 'PeA]\ mlDotg, -00 caiia-o SeAncAp, tAOi-oe a^aj' p^eAbui-oeAcc "ooib. CAijibpe, -(\oi, AgAp CA-OAn, pteA-oA UIiuac "oe T)1"iAnAiin \\e SeAncApAib A^Ap tAoi-oib, A^Ap •pgeubtii'oiocc beop; A^Ap p-op bA Iati "oo eotup AjAp "o^iAoi-oeAcc tipiiiop UApAt UhuAche "oe 'OAHAnii tiite. ^AOToib c]\A, ni biAT) A5 11AC pAibe bucc com'ieti'OA a SeAn- CAp 'p^AC A1C imbA'OAp, llAip ITenUip "PAIipAI-O A peA11ACA1]\ bA ppioiii-ti^'OAp 'priA bii-beuiAUnb e, n'l mAoi-oce Aipv eob-up* a SheAnctipA p^en. ITIaja pin beop "oo Heb itiac penitipA ipiii Cjipc; CAiccAp "opAoi ipin Scicia, AjAp 'piiA 5^octAijib, Agup eAcop]\A piUj-ou Ap cApAn^Aip Cpe "ooib, ecc. 1llili"6 CppAine '0'X\\ b'Ainni 5'°^^^""^ ''^1^ iToot "oo a bCApDAin 50 S51CIA, AjAp Ap pin 50 hCgipc, po po^btiimpio'o p-oipeAnn x>A itiuinceAp ppiom-'OAnA mnce .1. Seu^o^A, Stnp^e, A^Ap SobAipce ppiA pAoippi .1. ars .1. caIa'da (Amu); tllAncAn, "Put- niAn, CAiceAp ppiA '0]\Aoi"6eAcc. iDA-OAp buA'otAmn, A^Ap bA"OAp pn|\b]\eACAc cpiAp ete "oa mumcip .1. 5oip"oen, Annip- 51 n, AjAp TDonn (pec teAu 91, 92). Aimi]A5m ^^iiin-geAb niAC llliie'6, CACAin, AjAp Cip niAC Cip c]m p-iteA-OA 1T11iac IDibit). 'PiteA'OA, bpeceAiiimn, peAncAi-oe, A^Ap pgeubtn-oe-oA, Aimip^m, A^Ap CACAin, AjAp Cip rriAC Cip pe p^iti-oiocc, A^Ap pe p^eluToecc; OnnA pe ceot, A^Ap C]\tnci]\ecc "oo lllliACAib tTliti-o, mApcA ipn l^eAbAp ^AbAtA: " 'Oa riiAC ITIitit) miA'6 nop-OAn, etc.", L 99. CtAnn tl^ome liioip, bA tAn "o'eotiip "opeAiii "oiob, iriAp Ap pobbAp Ap lloigne Rop5At)AC, itiac "Ugome, Ap u5X)Ap tDo lortiAX) pcAn-pAX) "PeneACAip. OtbAiii 'po'obA pi Cpenn "OAp liAmmmgio'o Ap Arable a eobApA, ObbAin, tiAip GocATo A ceti"OAimn ; Ape'oo pmne "Pep UeATii]iAC Ap cup. 1Tlo]raAib pcAp nCpenn pin -oo nit)ip II105A e-]ienn o pin ^aca cpeAp btiA-onA "oo coniieu'o pcAccA A^Ap piA^bA, AgAp "OO ^tAnA^O SCAnCtlip Cpeim, A^Ap "OA pgpiobAX) 1 SAtcAip nA UeAriipAc .1. 1 IcAbAp Aip-o]\i j Cpenn. (99) i.e. " The Leahhar Gabhala saya" : etc. 574 APPENDIX. Lxxxvii. ^A\\ beAg pn -pen "00 coiriieino SeAncuii' Imojacca ta Title and TTieti-o, til lieAX) go ]\Ait)e CAob lei^% UAi|\ ni|i hAi]An'ieAC 50 Introduction ccAinij; AOiTitine 111 Clunn At: iiAC bee Aor i:o"ctomcA i\e to Mdc Fir- • rr • I r O I biss' Book of COirtieUt) A SeAtlCU^^A. Genealogies. peACC Atin \\e tin COTICAbAljl bAX)A]A 1200 pie in AOIll bin-oin ; uai]a ebe mite, uai^a ete yeAcc ccet), mA]A -oo bi iie tin -Ao-oA line -dinmi]AeAC, aja]' Chotuini Chibbe: a^a]- -^oy An jAC Aon Aimj^i^A eAco]\]\o pn bA mo be 1i6pnn a ^AAbj^A-o •oo cUA]\Aib no "oo ei^^^ib ]Ae beobti-p innce inA a ct:eA]"OA UACA, lonnA]" c]\e nA bionitiui]ie, A^A-p r\\e nA ccponroAcc ^m\\ cj^iAbbAt) A nx)iocA]\ A bGjiinn fo t\\^, ^Hji "po^^'OA'OA^A tlbAi-o aja ■j.-ebe lAt), tnA]A a]" be]i An -dni^AA Chobnim Chibbe, "oo con^Aib |:a "oeoi^ ia-o a^a]" "oo cui^a pbe jaca ctiAice, a^a^^ pbe ley An jM^ "oib ("OA neuuc]\onui5A'6 "oo cac) 50 ]:piitTO -|:oi]Ane a]-» A bo]\5 ]Ae binn ^ac bine Ag coimeut) "OAb nA "oiimce -^vy An CAn]'A. 11 1 hi At) pn ATiiAip acc jnj, AjA-p nAoirii, aja^ eA^btHj" Cpenn iiiaja t>o -pAToeA-p ceAnA, coiiiieu'OAi'o An SeAncu]' -pop 'Peuc'^'°°' pijAciiAqie pbe; SeAncA iiiac AibebbA; He-oe niAc A-onA; A^onA, niAC Uici^v; ino]\Ann iiiac tllAoin; ^\ici]\ne; Co^miAc Ha Cinnn An CAi^wing; Co|nnAC 1TIac CuibennAin |\i5 lHuiiiAn; "plAnn 1llAinip'0)\eAC ; GocIiai'd Ha pboinn ; ^lobbA nA nokon'i "Ua 'Ottinn, aja^ iiia]a pn. C]\ex) "oa mbiu "OA nAi]\eAni ni be-oi^i cineA-6 0]1]ia ^An bAin-beAbA]A "DO ^^gpobAi!) "OA nAniTiAnnAib, ajaj^ jAn acc cioDAb nA cnpAclic "00 i"5|\iobpAC no cu]\ \\e a ccoi]" AiliAin, niA^i -00 |ion]^Ani ceAnA ]\eiiie i^o, acc "00 coiriiex)po"o An i^eAncup jnp iiA bAimpioninb 'oegeAncAib cnnciobb CU15 no ^pe ceu-OAib bbiA-OAin o pn ; -pA ctiAipni nA bAinippe pn "oo copAi jpiot) AnA|" nio *oo nA -pboinncib 5<'^oi"6eAbcA acato in Gjunn Anop'A, AgA"!" "OO gAbpA-o no -|Ao bopix)Ai5i'6 cmeA'OA *oo bee ]\e SeAn- cup AjA-p ]\e beAbA-onAib ebe in lonbui'opin, "o^iong x)ib -peAb |ienie, A^Ap j^eAb iA]\Ani 'opeAiiiA ebe, lonnAp 50 p'p^tnbi'o 1 ccipb G]\enn Ag -pbACAib ■pApeAc \\e a SeAncup "oo i^gpiobAt), A^A]' -j^e bAipipnib, aja]" ]\e bAnnAbAib, AgAf \\e 'oeunAifi •DUAn n-oeAjApgAiceAc Ap nA SeAncupAib pn beo^, AjAf -pe coiTTieux) AgAp ceAgApg jAC AipceAt)Aib -pop-oopcA n5<^oi'6eb5 ceAnA. A.-^ yo "oponj "oonA SeAncAToib pn gup nA biACAib AjApnA bAip*o-cineA-6Aib "oa bAbi\AT0 ^y in Aimpip -oegeAnAij. O1 IllAobconAipe Ag Siob ITItn^ieA-OAij 11111 CbpuACAin ; 'opong "oiob 1 cUtiAgriitiiiiAin, AgAp ApAibe 1 tyAijnib, AgAp ipin An- JAibe 'oib. CbAnn pipbipg in loccAp ClionnAcc AjA-p in 1b pIllAllCAC ITIUAI'Oe, A^A^ in lb -dlilAb^Alt), A5A]' CeApA, A^Ap 15 Hib "phiAcpAc Ait)ne, aja-]" Cacc^a, AgAp Ag Sliocc ChobbA (100) i.e. " Behold". APPENDIX. 575 llAif .1. Cl<\nn nT)oTlinuiLt. tTluinci]\ 'OuibjeAnriAin aj l xxxvii. Ctoinn 'mh<\oi'L]\UAiu\i'6, a^a-j' aj ComiiAicne tllhui^e ^^^i"" • i-jti . and inuinci]\ Clui1|\nin AJ lA.l1A]\CACAl'b, A^A-]' A]\Al'Le. Mi 'Oulb- Intioauction AjAin 1 IllAineACAib. 11Uiinci]\ Chte^ug, aja]' 1Tlumci]A CIia- bLs'Book of riAnn aj Cineut jConAilt. ITluinci]; Ltiinin aj peAjAAib Genealogies. tTlAnAc. ITIuincip Chle|\ceii Ag CineAt G05A111. 1T1iiirici|\ 'Ohuinnin ipn ITIuniAiii "oo tinmo]\ .1. a^ Siot C05A111 lllhoi^i, iTiA-p cAit) CtAnn ChA]\|\rAi5, Siot SuilieA'bAin, aja]" AiiAite. ITIac ah ^Ii^^^^^^ii"! ^'^ Siot cCmne-oi^ in t1]\inniiiiAin. ITltnn- cijA Kio^lbAiroAin in Cte. CtAiin Cli]itiiciii a^ai^ iniiinci^\ l^h^uiAToeA-oA 1 cUuAJriiuttiAin. CtAnn tllliec ^lottA CheAt- tAij in 1a]iua|\ ChonnAcc A5 tlib "plitAicbeA^icAij, AjA-p AjiAite. ■niA|\pn i:a iDA'DA-p cmeA'OA ete in C^unn ^iif An eAtA-oAin ceuTDnA, AjA-j" ■o'pACAit) A]i jAC nAon ACA "00 beAn "Ol "OIOJ' tinm yioji^tAn "oo "oeAnAiii iii]\]\e. lllAitte ^\ui pn "00 t)it)i-|^ b]\eiceAniAin nAl3 Aipi-6e (-oa n^oipceAp 5]\a-6a .1. ceniieAnnA); AjA-p tsti^eAX) nA n^pAb pn -o'-piACAib Ap ^ac "opoinj "oiob x)o coniieu'o p"A pen i^ttiacca A^Ap a non6]\A "oo CAitteAiii (inA]i "oo ygpiobpAiii inAp poctoijA IpeneACAii^ tAb]iAp 50 ir6i]\teACAn oppApin, A^Ap A]\ '6ti5eAt) 5<5^oix)iot 1 ccoiccmne). SeAncAb Cpenn, tiiTio]ipo, beA^ niAb gebceA^i ipn i^eAn- Ainipp -oipiA eAcop-pA AjAf l^enij, AgAp An '0]\on5 -oa njoip- 576 APPENDIX. Lxxxvii. ceAjA Aoy "OAriA Amti, tiAi|\ bA 1iA0ti--p50i'L 50 minic "oo e^pb e-]\enn tnte aii lonbui-opn, aja]" a]' Aiiittn-o bix)!]^ a^a]" i^cacc Introduction n5]AA*6A ACA .1. OttAlll, An]\A'6, Ctl, CaTIA, 'OO'l", TIIaC ^1111^111-6, bis's'^Bookof ^S'^^'^r pO^^<^5' AnniAlinA riA I'CACC nglAATi) fAll, AinUlV ACATO Genealogies. i-eACC n^JAAI-O eAJAtl'A .1. Sa^AJIC, 'OeoCAItl, Sl1l'bx)eOCAin, AjA-]' A]iAite. 11a j|\a"6a pteA-o uitiohiao, "oo biA*6 (niAi'Le te ^Ac 'oti^eA'o cle) -o'-piACAib o]A|aa bee fAO\[ jIah a]\ 501*0 aja]' A]\ niA]\bA*6, A^l A0]1A'6, A5AI" A]\ A-Outc^AA^", AgA-j' A]\ gAC 111 bA toe "OA ]:]:o5ti.inn, Aiiiuil aca ipn pAiin^-A: — lo-onA tAin'ie, tic jaii juin, lo-onA beoit, jaii aoi]i nioiiTouib, lo-OIIA ^"OgtAITlA 5 An je]', -d^A]" lo-oriA tAiiAninuip ^ibe ]'eAricAi"6 c^a, iyia'd OttAiti [no] An]AAt), no gibe giiA-o ^ ACA nAC ccoimteA-o nA liio-onA .1. nA gtAine pn, x>o CAitteA-o •pe A tecencActAnn, ajai" a onoi^A -00 ^ie^\ 'otiji'O, AgA-]' -oo bee l^iriAcc A-obAt Ai]i beo]\ IDa b]\i j pn beo^", ni hiniiieA-p'OA 50 ^-puit "ouine cetti-oe ipn c^unnne nAc ppnne bA ronniiiAi]\e tei-p "oo tuA"6, iininA bee "opvc Aije Ace eAgtA *Oe, a ono]\A AjAj" A eneActAinn t)o cAitteAX). ConAt) "oe ^^m nAC copiiuit ctAon "oo ctiji A tec nA SeAncA-o ceojcA. J^-oeA-o, -oa ■pg^uob'OAOi]" "OAOine eipon-o^AACA b^^euj AgA-p a cuja a tec peo^ncA-o "oo be-oiiv a -out a niioctu x)onA feAncA-OAib inunA ■pAbuix) Aip A cconiieu'o, aja^ a peucAin An a p]\iriiteAb-nuib U JXDAITOA geblt) An lut AJAp Ap inA]1 pn Ap C01-]\ -00 CAC iiite, eiDIjA CUACA AJA-p peAnCAlx!) JAC ni A^\ A inbl AtiipOjIAp ACA •o'peucAin, AgAp munA ppAgtii-o "ocAiAbcA 1A]A ntDejteAbjAAib e, A cnncAbAipe pen "oo cti]i \\e Acoip (itia]i t)o nimpi pein \\e liAjAoite "oo pteACCAib piApAin ipm tcAbA^ipA) AgAp mAp]"in pA0)ACA]\ nA peAncA-oA AjA peAC]\An CA15 ete "oa ccunitiipje opiiA (nA]A tege 'Oia). bAoi "oo "oucpAce iin -OAtAib 6]\enn "oo lonicoinient) Ag nA peAncAi-oib nAp ctnpce in longnA^o oppA piop "oa poi]\tecne •OA ppV115pi"0ip Ap llAipteACC AJAp Ap Ap-onop CAlj, Aip nip top tec pin jAn pgpiobA'o ApA -OAoipneiin-oib, Ap tcAJAib, AgAp pAopmb nA peAnAiinpipe, niAp btip tep piopAnA: "o'poittpui- gA-o ■otic]iACCA nA peAncATi), AgAp peAcpAin HA "opoinge A"oep nAC pAbpA-o oibpeACA ctoc in G]\inn 50 ceAce 5^^^^' ^""^ t^octonn innee. -dg po rriAp A-oep An penptiocc. Cex> tiAig, ceo pAop, A^Ap cex> lAp^Aipe, "00 bi in Cpinn Ap cup pi Alii .1. CApA pe tejeAp ni tAg, tie peiiieAp po Ida coiiimeApc, APPENDIX. 577 I]' 'LilA'pA'O An yAO]\ gtic ^te, lxxxvit. ^ 1 1 1 • 1 ^ ^ • Introduc- e-ADA .1. DAinLiAiT;; CAinir ai\ Aon Le CeAfAin, aii UAi?:tionto o1 -»-. • 1 1 i ' 1 Mac Fiibiss' UAIIAip. biAnjA IIIAC pA]\CALAin AH C]\eA-|" UAI^, CAIIIIJ La Book of PA]\CotAn in e-]\inn. 'PeA^XJnA UA C|\1Cinbet An CeAC^AAlilA'O Genealogies. tiAij, cAinig A]\Aon te ileiiiix) in e-fnnn. "Lcaja "pheAiA mlDotg ■oin, *Otib-OA 'OubtofAC, AjA-p CoTJAn CoiincipieAc, aja^ "Pinjin "pipocoA, AjAi' UlAine niAC gp^lT'^c, [ajai^] Aongu'p Anue)\nAniAcli. teA^A UlniAce 'oe 'OAnAnn .i. 'OiAnceAcc, A^A]" AXi^vmeAT), AgA)' IlliAch, ecc. 11a |v\oi-h umo]\i\o, a^j^o AnniAnnA '0'i\oin5e •oib "oa n^AijA- ceA-|\ i"AOi|\ nA b-p^uoiii-ctocli. Alii An, cAii^beoi]! Sotmon. CAbAjA cAipteoi^A nA ireAiii|\AC. L)Ai]\nib CAi-pieoi]! 6]a]mco. iDAcvif, 'oin, ^lAcbuToe lleAiii- lAUAi-o Cin5'oo]An cAi]'beoi|\ Cbon^Mii. Ci]a cAi-j-beoi-p lloniA. 'd]\on'o CAi]'teoi]\, lA]Mii'Abein. Oiben (no Cteouoi]\) cAi^^beoi^i ConixAncmopoib. t3otc itiac DIaiia ^AAcbni-oe Cb]\i.iACAn. 5obt Ct0CA1]\ CAipbe01]\ IVilC 1lAt)]:i\A01C. CAp]\iibA CAipbeoi-|A AibiAC. Ilin^ni, no IIi^iaui, a^a^ 5^^^^^ ^^^ ^^ 5<^^?^» ^^ 5Ai\bAn, "OA cAi-pbeoip Aibi^. 'C]\oi jbeACAn iAAtbui*6e UeAnifAAc. iDAince, no bAibcne, iiiac 'Oob^wi, ^lAcbvii-oe GAinnA. t)Abti-[A niAC DuAntAiiiAi^ -[AAcbm-oe 11aca 0^\ep. C^ucib iiiac *Ouib- C]uiice nAcbuToe IIaca Aibinne. ConA-o iA"0 pn pAOi]\ nA b-p^uoiivcboc, AiiiAit Appe]AC aii Iaoi-6.('»'^ [translation.] AitiAti La Solmdin r\A fUiAg, \_Ailian, with Solomon of the hosts, t)A cAifleoip congbAij cAoiii- Was an erecter of beautiful, noble 'JAUA'6 ; Ca/sefe ;('02) A5 TleAtTiixuAT) bA biicAi]\ LeAtn, With Nimrod, I am pleased to say, CaU]\ |\o c|\ticAig cAifeAbb. Caur it was that formed Caisels. bA^vriAb ■01A]\ bo mici'6 "oo, ]_Barnab, when it was his time, CAii'beoi|\ ciMcni) beiMco, Was the Caisel builder of the land llnj Hoiiii Ci|\, bA CAOtii A jAeAng^ of Jerico ; A]AAnn, -j^AojA lA)\ui'Aibeiti. Rome took Cir, gracefulhis chisel; Arann was the builder of Jerusalem. 1 cCon^TAiicinpoit bA p)\Ab, [In Constantinople actively, cbeocoi]\ f\obA ct\eun jAbjAX), Cleothoir, was a powerful cham- A5 neAiii|\iiA'6 gAti buAX) buToe, pion; [tion, "bAcuf -puA-o bA flAcbui'oe. With Nimrod, without poetic fic- JBacus, the red-haired, was Rath- builder. CAi]'beoi|\ CbonjAui, Cin5'oo|\n CAirt ; [The C'cHse W)uilder of Cu-roi [was] the comely Cingdnm ; (101) These words are not translated in the text (page 222) : " And these were the builders of the chief stone buildings, as the poem says". [This poem (by Domlinall. son of Flannacan, who flourished about a.d. 1000) is not translated in the text. See at page 2'22. A literal translation of it is therefore inserted here. It is but a repetition in verse of the names previously given in prose.] (102) A Caisel (pronounced " CasheT') was a Raith, or fortress, of stone. 37 578 APPENDIX. Lxxxvii. A5mActlAcirt\Aoic'li5o"L1CtocAi|\; With the son of Natfraech, was ■ CA-p]MibA cAifteoijA 11A c]\ec Goll oi Clochar ; [builder, Title and Ag A inbi-o b)\Aif-be6ib blAic- Casraia was the high-priced CmseZ- Introduc- beAC. Who employed quick axes to m"" f b" ' smoothen stones. [armed, Kook of "OhA cAii"beoi^ Aibij An Ai-ptn, [The two Cn/se/-builders of Ailec/i the Genealogies. Uijixni AgA-p 5Ai\bAn TnAcn5Ai|\b ; Ilignu, and Garbhov, son of Ugarbh; UivoijbeACAii ATibuij -oeAbbA, Tz-o/cz/e^/iKw, who sculptured images, liAcbuToe cui|\ c|\en CeAiiiiAA. Was the Kath-builder of the hill of Teanihair. ■foobc mAc "bbAi^N 6 -Au "bbAifx binn, [^Bolc Mac Blair, from sweet Ath- •RAcbwiTDe C^xuAcriA Ch-po-in'o, bldir, 'iCro-flnnn. ■bAince iiA mbiMJ a b)eAi\bA, Was the Rath-builder of Cruachain llAcbuToe iMg ixuAiu eAniiiA. Bainche', the gifted, from the Berbha, [of Emhain. Was Rath-builder to the noble king tjAbti^, i\obA 'oiobibviin 'oe, \_Balur — it was worthy of him, — •po CU111 -|\AicT>ibi\iojnnii]\ inlD^e^i, That formed the strong Rath of C|\iceb 111AC "Ouib, 1AA1U 5A11 -[Mim, Breas. [without satire, flobA ]'A0|\ A1C ^o^x Aibbmn. Cricel, the son of JJubh, a saying Was the acute builder oi Ail/inn. "Oo |\ACA|A neAtii nuA-pAb riAti, [May high happy heaven be given "Oo "OoiiiriAbb niAC •pbAnnACAii, To Dom/mciU, son of Flannacan, "Oo cum bAd-o tiAc bAiiTpA]\ binii, Who has formed a lay ■which to us O CA AibiAn 50 bAibbinii. is not awry, AibiAn. [Extending] from Ailian to Aillinn. AUian.'] 'Oo ^eulbniAOii" itiomA'o "oo oib]\eACAit) ao|"o<\ 6|ienii ]-ie a riAinmnni^A'o mAilte -jaui pn, a^a]" ha -pAOijA "oo pin iatd, a^a^" HA iMJ, AgA-]" HA ]\o--j:tAice -OA nt)eAiAniii'o accjoiha-o eirinlc a TiAi|'nei-|^ jmnn ; i:ec aii LeAbA-jA 5^\bc\tA niAt) Ait a ^""irAgAii; A5AI" Til -1:1111 AiiipA-p AjAinn 50 HAbixst) tjenuA, itiaia oib-pcACA 1 -pio^AccAib ebe 1111 An Am 1 n'oeApnA'6 iat) ; A^A-p ciieux) An |:ac nAC betJif, tiAi|i ni cAinig ^AbAbcAi^ in C]\inn acc on "oorhAn Anoi]i, ihaiaca SbAin, AjA-p A|\Aite, a^a]" a]" longHAt) cpeux) An eA]^pAi*6 incteAccA "oo nA '0]\on5Aib cAnjA-OAii in 6-|iinn AiiiAib bAoi -00 riiepni^ lonncA G-]ie "oo gAbAit nAC bee •oo CUlb-OOA]" teo A1C]M"p A llAICIjCe AgAp A hlOpCAT!) "OO Ct1]A A ccopiiuiiteAcc -pi-p An ci|a o-p c]\iAbbi"At3 iA|i mbiinA*6ti-p, no lA-p n 11*0111111116; UAi-p ni he-oin nAC a]\ beol -ooib in'oeAll AicjieAb tl]1lil01]1 e-0]ipA A^Ap pAT) A]l CCOACC (f5AC fll^l'O inA|\ gAb- -pAc) A S51CIA, AhCjipc, A 5r^5' <^bAitneAp"OA, a pe1ipx)ine, A b^AppAin, AjAp A]iAi1e, 50 1i6]\inn. AgAp niA-oo ponpAT) nA jAbAlA ut) Cpenn oib]\eACA innce in lonnAiiiAil obAp nA ccAlniAnn cpe a ccaii jc\x)Ap, itia]i Ap coprfiAil 50 ntDeApHpAt), cpent) inA ppmlcoAp -ooib. II1 puil Acc cpep nAC ppAicceAp IaIIa'da aoIca in a peApAiii ip nA liAicib "00 co^bAX) tllile 50 lee, no "oa linle, no upi riiile, AgAp ni Ap ino X)0 bliA-onuib opin : ni nAC lon^nAX) ^An Abec, UAip Ap 5io]\]u\ inA pin An Ainipip 'iia ccij caIaiii ca]i oib]\eACAib o'oo b]Mpt)eAp IAT), no o cuicto uaca u-oen cpe AppAi-oeAcc. 'Oa "oeApbA-o pin "oo connApc pen cAob Apcij "oo pe bliAX)- APPENDIX. 579 nuib "oevi^, CAi-pten a]i"oa AoIrA mte, ■(\]\ riA rroeunArfi -00 ctoic lxxxvii. AotcA, A^A]' Anni (a]\ tiA ccmcini) ni iriiit acc iiiuca cAtniAti t)A CC10]MJA1]Ap, AgA'p 111 11lO)\ JO nAlclieonA-O AineotAC 50 Introduc- I^aId^^a-o oibpe Ann ^v^]\. jia" I'lrbiss' SinceA]l pn AgAf nA hoib]Ae "OO ^AOnAT) nA CeU-OA A^A^ ^^^^Qgnealo les Tintce btiA-OAin 6 fin -i\e cete, a^a]' ni hionpiAt) ('oa n-oeun- ca]a) iiiunA bee ireAbAi^ nA ^'ec\n-obA]\ (-j^eAC oib]\ib nA liAim- 1'i]\e p) ^An ctoc nA a]to tiipe -oo Aicne inA nAicib ; p'oeA'o ni llAlilbAI-O ACA (-oo ApjlACCATOe nA nobA]^ nAO]"'OA) ACATO pAcu ]\io5-6a ]\o nio]AAi, AjA^" leA-pA 50 bioniTiAii A]\ ■jTH'o Gjienn nA p-uitit) ioLa^i ctoc ^^nAice, -pbeAiiiAn, aja^ -i^oiteti^i, no ccAJAp" -pA CAtiiiAin -jTA A muiAuib, inA|i ACA 1 TIaic inliAoib- CACA, ic CAii^ben Cl"ioncAbAi]i, tDAite tli *Ohub-6A 1 cUi]\ pVii- AC]iAc A^i ^l^^^S n<^ IlluAi-oe. AcAit) nAoi i^oibeiii ctoc ccoirii- fleAiiitiin -pA iiiu]i nA ]iaca pn ; aja^" "oo bA-OA-]' if^^S innce AjA-p i^AoiLim 50 b-puit, A|A ]\Acuib iomAO-|"CA CjAenn ; AgA-p Af niAic An Ai|i"oe bA-ob-ouin aca 'nA mupi. "PA^bAim pn aja^^ loiTiAt) A lonnAiiiAib ebe 'gun aoi' eAjntii'oe -pe a b]\eAci.i5A'6, A^AppitteAiii 50 A]i cceu-o-AigneAX) unne po .1. copnAiii p]\inne An cpeAncui-]" a]\ a n-oeunAit) AineotAig etijoiiA eie Ag ^aax) 50 mbepeAnn p'ip\ Cpenn uite 50 IllACAib lllitix). Ai-o-oeuiiiAix) lA-o -pen p^Alti^A Ann pn -oa bpeucAit) a p^uib "OO eAccAincmeubAib 1^' in teAbApi -pA pen nAC bepceA]\ 50 ITlACAib lllitno, iTiAH hxif te]\ |\oiTiuinn 1 ccu|ip An tiubAi-p in iob-Aicib; AjAp peiicAit) po -piA nA cebe. Ap yo -pAine (.1. neiinonAnnAi') At) p-iA-oAix) ^\o-eo'LAi5 An cpeAnctipA im eAXAiiitAcc An "oa [nA cpi ?] cineOk-6 neugpA- liitnb pitet) in e-]Mnn .1. e-oi]^ lA^^pniA pheAp nilDotj, aja]- ■peAp n*OomnAnn, AgA-pg^Aitiuin, a^a^ UliUAtA "oe 'OAnAnn, AgA-)" HlliAC IIIiIto. "^Ac Aon Ap jCAt, A]" "oonn, Ap "OAnA, Ay enij, Ap tjeu'otA, A-p -j^onA, A-p cio-6nAicceAc -petiT) a^a]" iriAoine, a^a-]" op-ouipi, A^Ai" nAC eAjAt ppiA cAc nA con'itAnn ; ApA"o I'An lAp^^niA 111 h AC niitix) in e-pinn. 5^6 Aon A-p pnonn, a^ inicli, A-p i-nop; jac Ai-pjceAc, ^ac ceotifiAn; luc-o cet)binniop"A citub, AjA-p Aipp"i"oij, m^ niApicAc -po]A ^Ac ceA-px) 'op\Aoi"6eAccA, A^A-p JAC iTiiA'ocuince A]i ceAnA; ApAX) -pAn iA|\piiiA UlniAc -oe IDAnAnn in Cpinn. 5^c Aon Af *oiib, A-p bAbA]\-^topAC, beuxDAc, -j^^e-ubAc, en^ec, eucAi-oe; jac -oonA -oii^^ip, "OAop^Aip, ti-omAtb, Anb-po-puit), Ain"oiuix), Aininic; ^ac nio^, ^ac mo^-lAtDpAin, jac "OAoiceAp- nAi^; gAC Aon nA concuAip p\i ceob, nA Ai]\pix)io'6; tiicc biiAi-oeApcA 5ACA cAinjne, AjA-p t;AC AipieACCA, aja^" lomco- -pA1X)e CAIC, ApiAT) lAppillA "plieAp IlliDob^, AJAp ^^'^iblOin, AgA-p tiojiTiAine, AgA-p pheAp\ n'OorhnAn in Gpinn ; acc ceAnA, a-|^ 37 b 580 APPENDIX. LXXXVII. Title and Introduc- tion to Mac Firbiss' Book of Genealogies. iA]A"pmA "pheA-it ml3otj a\- tiA •oib pn Anniit A^'pejic An -peAn- CA1X); [translation.] [Be it known to the Historians of the men of Fail, — Let them not be about it in error, — The difference of tlie sons of MUidh and their children, [Danann. Of tlie Flr-Bolgs, and Tuath De [Every white, every bold, every brown [man], [bat, Every brave [man], hardy in com- Every [man] valiant in deed with- out noise, Is of the colony of the sons of j\[iitdh of great renown. [Every fair great cow-keeper on the plain, — [nious, — Every artist, musical, harmo- The workers of all secret necro- mancy,— They are of the people of the Tuath De Danann. [tinction clear, — [Every blusterer, wrong-doer, — dis- Every thief, liar, contemptible wretch; [Such] are the remnants of the three peoples hitherto, [_nann. The Galleoin, Fir-hholg, Fir-dom- [I have placed in a synchronic line The differences of these three par- ties, [historians not false, According to the arrangement of As they relate, be it known to ye.] Stiocc -peAnteAbAin pii, ^I'oeA'o Aicne 'j:i]Ae AicmeA'6 A|a a riAigeAticAi'b, AjA-p c]AotAili), m cui^Aini 50 cnince \\6m A]\a'6 gi-o 50 iriAt) e'oi]\ A Ibec po\\ ^\■ 11A ceu-OAiiTipoiwiilb (no 511]^ ctiniAip^eAT) nA cineA-oA a|\ a cete 50 niinic ia^aaiii), tiAi]\ a*o ciinit) 50 tAece^Kniuit \\e\\ tmn, a^a-]" At)ctinnmix) 50 minic 6|\ -peAnAib, -pAiiitu JAX) c-jaoca A^A-p CAile, AjAp benf beop "00 bee Ag pne innce -pen "oo 6-]\inn -|Ae AjAoite; ajaj" ni VieA'o AiiiAm 50 nibi pn 'pAriittii'o, acc a "oejAceAiA 50 mbi co-priiAibeA^ A55AC bucc en c]\ice innce p-en jAe cebe, a^ai^^o inbi em betip" AbAin A-p A nAicni jceAjA ia"0 aca uite, niAp Ap e-oip a ctnjp Ap An tAoit) fi : — [translation.] [For building, the noble Jews, And their truly fierce envy ; Large size [is characteristic] of the guileless Armenians ; And strength of the Saracens, [Cunning [is] in the Greeks, with valour; [Romans ; Excessive haughtiness with the (103} Literally : "As the Historian says". nA biT) uime in iomA|\]\Aiii, SAine inliAc mibix) '-[m cctAnn, pheA^ mlDoLg, If dniAC ■oe "OAn- A.nn. 5AC gOAb, 5AC "OAIIA, JAC -001111, 5ac caIiiia, c]\i.iai'6 i cconilAiin, 5AC gAjXCAlg 1 1151110111 5AII gbo^l, CA]'5A|\ nillAC nilllt) 11lbtAX)-1Tl6-f\, 5ac ponn-AijAgueAc mojA AiMnuig, 5ac ceAfvoAC ceobiiiAi\ cii'bui'6, "Lticc "|'^1'^''5 5*-^^ ciiAicLe caII, "Opong pn uhuAce -oe "OAnAnn. 5ac jloiAAc, beu'OAc, miA-o nj;l,e, 5ac byvAf, b-jAeiijAc, eiicAi'oe, lAjAfHIA 11A CC|M CUtlAC AIIAbb, jliAibeoii, -pheAp mlDobg, V^i^^^^r nDoiiinAnn, CtijAf -pnAice C01111 jne CAin, 1in pAineiiA cc]m n-o^onj; fAin, ^A\\ -ppec I'eAIICA'OA IIAC bAg, Aiiiuib AT) pA-oATo pionnAX). t^. Cuiii'OAc tiA nluTJAiueA-o riA^t), -AjAT^ A ffopilA'O p01A-5Al\5, nieAT) HA nAi]\iiiiAiiAc 5 AH -peAbb, A5A]' -poiiAi^ce SAi]\cenn. AiiiAiiifi 1 115|^eu5A11^ 50 njAib, ■Roi-'oiuiTiU]' A5 lloniAnAuil!), APPENDIX. 581 'Oun\e r\A Saxah iiiaitia6, Dullness [is the characteristic] of lxxxvii. AjAf bupbok e<.\fpAnAc. the creeping Saxons ; And fierceness of the Spaniards. Title and SAiicAi'oe 1 i:iri^Aii5c<.\ili) -piAeAciAAij, [Covetousness [is] in the responsive intioduc- ^W reArs iT.TiA-lih,AeAciiAib ; French, MacHrbiss' Aj yo eoLiii' iia cc|\aiiii 50 ceA]\c, And anger in the Jiritons; — Boolj of C|\AOf 5AiL AgAf ceAiiinii'6e<.\cc. This is the knowledge of the trees, Genealogies. justly ;— [merce. Gluttony of the Danes, and com- ■>noi|\-nieAnm<.\ C|MiiuneAc ni ceAl, [The high spirit of the Picts I cannot Aiiie AjAf cAucpA-o ■gAoi'oeA'L, conceal; [Gaedhil; AT)bei\ JioLLa ha -nAoiii ci\e iiau. The beauty and amorousness of the ■A Ch]\\]-T: i\ob caohi ah cmiTOAc. C. So says Gilla na Naomh through verse, [pleasant.] O Christ ! may the composition be *0a]\ tTooij a-]' coi\Ai'oe All cofniAiteA-|"iix) "oyA^Ailin e-]\inn IIIAIA CA "OO 'otlgeA'D 1 SeAnCA-J^ ^^^0]\ phA'0]\A15 -OA CCCA^IIlAt) beAii ev^\\ "oij' feA]\ in Aiinp]\ coiiiipeA]\cA, lonriAf nAi\ ^^^reA-p "oi CIA "Oil!) ACAi^i An coi^\]icifoo ^eli) An uAijipn, A'oe^A'otijio'o (nuinAb ex)i)\in tcAnAb "oo cu]\ a]\ acai-^ p\\e a]a ino*6 ete) e-jxeAcc te-i" 50 ceAnn ceo^AA inbtiAA-oAn 50 cci pne-c^\uc, pne-^tic, A^A-j" pne-betii^A "66; aja]" 5^^^ ''^o^'' "OApoii ^\e a cce-o 50 ucu^Ann pn cun^nAiii inToeAnniA "oon limAoi ai^a, tiAi]\ iTieA]n)A]\ ^iijAAb \,ey in feA]\ ten copiun'Le An leAnAb e; AgA-p 'OA^A tioni AX)o coTiicAjAAi jeA"© pn 1 n-otijeA-o S. Pac|\aic A-p neiiiiion^nAt) a beu nA A-ptJ-coitiAiA-oA a|\ cineA'ooib -peAc a cete. t)io-6 nAc et3i]A a ■jta^ai'L p]\inneAc jac UAi-p, ni -puit egcneAi'-oocc eobtii-p Ann ; AjAp yoy Ap ni e in a^ato ha '0]\oin5e At)e|A nAc br cineAX) ipn c]\ic nAc ccm^ut) peAncAt)A 50 niACAib 1l1iti"6: AjA-p CA]A A ceAnn pn "oa iiia AiiitAix) vo bee ni|A lon^nAX) e, viai]a "oa -ppeiicAt) -peA]! A^vTIIhACAibmi'Lix) p'en (jtip nA cl-Annuib ]aaciiia]aa "oo poti-At) uaca in G]\inn, A5AI" in AbbAin, AgA]" A lAJAt) riiAi]\eA|' "oib Anui) ni cui]a- p'eA-6 in lon^nA-o jAn 'OAoine A]' tiippbe inATO (-oo bio"6 -pucA . •[Ae p^a-oa) "oo liiA-jACAin, a]\ ^y -^n^t "oonA liA^ro-pbAicib (An iiai-[a lonixDAi^iX) A cctAAnnA AjAi" A ccineutA) poiiroinge, peovu JAt), AgAp yAj'ti^A-o A ccebeA'o AjAf A tucc teAnAiiiinA. "Peiic e-]Ae, AgAy An x)oiiiAn tube "oia ccti^^AAe pen, AgA-p ni ■poib p'oijAceAnn a]a a p-pnige "OO epiombAipib Ann "oo pin, a]' nAc lonpiA-o "OA rtiA-o 50 ITlACAib ITIibi'o "oo beupcAoi ui^AeAt) genebAC pACA in e]\inn Anui. 'Oo b]\i5 5U]\ bo beup X)o nA peAncAi-6ib pbonnA'6 beAbA]\ A]A belt, x)o -[Aep A i"Aine, "00 'pAO]AcbAnnviib 5<^oi'^&^^^ (AbAin, •oobio-o AnAi' uibbe a]a a nAi-jAe no loinconiieux)) niAjA CAbeAbA|A ConnAccAC, UbcAC, LAijneAC, ITIuiThneAc; -00 jetinAin pioinn AJA-p 'Oip^AIAI JA-O A-JA An bcAbA^A "pA A^A |AOinn A beAb]AAlb -|"Aine po bion ^AbAb e-]AeAnn -|Ae n^Aoi-oeAbAib, AgA-]" p^o bion iia ccpi 111 AC 111ibi-6 e-ppAine o|a ;gAbA'6 p'bAiceAp nA po-obA, beA- bAp -GO iiA nAOiiiAib, AjAp beAbA]\ ■00 plioiiiopcAib, "OO l^ocbAn- 582 APPENDIX. Lxxxvn. ntnli), "oo gViAtttiib, aja^^ SAXJAlttnb, -peAriA Aju-p nuA'DA ~ T "OA nef . intioiiuc- .1. An ceti"o teAlJA-p "oo phA|AUAtATi -po ceutD-^Ali) G|Ainn lAp Ma'cFiibiss' tTOltinn, JO CCOI'UJAt) All IcAbAIII, AJA]" CCACC ClieA-p-pA heoy G°'n'iao ies ^^^^ V^^^ ^ 1^011111. All x)Ai\A ieA^A^A "00 TleTiiit), AH cjieA-p x»''pheA|Auib IDoIj, ati ceAc^ATiiA-o "OO UluiAic "oe 'OAriAnn, An cuijeA-o X)o jli^oi'oeA'LAi'b, AjA-p "oo tllliACAib ITIiIto uile; gi'oeA'o A-p "OO pot C]ieAiiiom tAl!)p\A-[' 50 cpoc-nviJAT!) "ooib, AgA-p A|^ mo An leAbA]! -pom inAix) j^eAcc leAbAi-p ia-ja -peAn- ■poinn, UAiji ACA ni A.y mo inA pn Ann ni A-p tionmAip\e inA mA-p "oo bi lAiAiti, mApv bup teji "oon tetijcoi-p pApitiin. Art 'pepo'6, •00 pot 1|A, AgA-p-oo 'OhAiip'piACAc; "optiil e-]\eAm6in 15601" ■'■<5^"op*6e iiAi-p A-p etin 'oucAib "ooib in UtcAib -pe Iiauato. An -peAC-omAX) 'LeAbA|\ "oo fiot 6bi|A, ajai' "oo ctoinn ttnj-oec mic Ice, UAiiA Ap enn 'oucato '601b An ITllnimA ia|\ mbtinA- •oup An coccmAX) teAbA-p "oo nAomAib GpeAnn. An nomA"6 AgA-p AntcAbA^v •oepneAc, "o'pomoiACuib, -oo l/OctAnncuib, AjA-p "OO ^l^^'^tlAib. SnToniJAX) A1\ IcAbAi]! (a teujcoi^i) munAb \.o\\ toAC z\\e puTomJAX) i^opAijA -pe pmpio-p: ni A*oiiiuiin nAc Ain-minic aca inncib, o Ipheniwp ■pA]ipAi"6 AniiAf ; -penc ctAnn ■pheninp-A ■pein .1. llel An -popAji 50 1iAipmeAc aj i^eAncAi'oib o co-pAC, AgA-p TlAonbAt AH pnpo|A jAii ]\o nAi]Aiiie, ajai" mA-|\ pn. Gpieriion mAc tTli'Li'o pA ccnit) ele "oo clomn tliiti-o a-j' pnne inA-p; ni put cineAb a]i a pptiit Ann iTiA-p pn jup nA l^toinncib TDejeAncA acato AjAinn Amu. Penc mA-p cnipt) -peAiicliAbA tlltniiAn CtAnn CIiajacaij |\e pot SuittebAin A-p pnne inAi-o, pot mtDpiAin -pe cctoinn TnliAcJAmnA A-p pnne inAit), aja]" mAp pn. Ctii|\i*o tebAi]i ete 1 Let Ctiinn, AjAp ctiip"6 'Oocctii'p Cecin, TiiAtt llAoijiAttdc connA ftiocc Ap -po |ie nAb^AAicpb bAt) pne inAp. peuc 50 n-ooACAt) 'Ouac ^^'^^^'^c mAC l3pAin, An •poi'Ap ]\^A]■' nA cp niACAib pceAX) bAX) i'ine inA-p. Cuipt) yeAncATo Slut lllnipeA'6015 pot cConcAbAip |^e nA pnpioi\uib. Ctuiux) tltrAij IIIA5 Aon jnpA, "00 -ptiocc Chonmtt CheAji- nAi j ]\e -ptiocc An pj ConcAbA^i, mA|i ApAt) -ptiocc Clionuitt bA iiAtiiiAi^Ae Ann, AjA-p mA]\ pn "oo lomA-o ete bA heiiietc iie A nAii\eAn"i ; AgAp niA tegueAii teo -j^An a 'oeAnAifi ia]i ccoi]i, ciAeut) nAC but) 'oteAcc "OAmpA toAnmuin a tui|\5. UAi^u-p pn, -OA yAoitoAt) Aoin neAc 50m At) AUJnA-p -put), ni Viet) ceAnA, uai]a Af mime nAC et>ip\ jAn a •oeunAiii r]\e Aim|ie- ceAc loniAt) nA nAicineAt) AgAp nA nitcineut Ag ceACC AnuAf A]i A]\Aite, Aguf t)ocum A i^Aoitce o cete Ap ejin An pn-j^iop APPENDIX. 583 "DO tejeAii i^eA^A ■peAt.A'o, a^a^^ ^^5jMobA*6 a^a ati fO-pA^, Ar;Af lxx xvii. ^]\^y A]\ All finf101\, AJA^^ inA]\ ]'in fA]^eAC A]1 UA1|Mb. Title and Utii5 cuille teAc a ■Leu^coi]^, gunob "olijeAt) 111 6]\inn intiotiuc- f 6f<\jl -00 CU]\ 1 |Y^1"^^^r ^1* betllAlb pnpil, niA]A A"Oe-|A An Mac I-irbiss' -|MAJA CliogA. UA-riA. (CAin bo CliuAbjne. CAin ceo|\A i-ie|\c ec-OAc. DESTRUCTIONS. The Three Circuits of the House of The Possession of BuracKs House.cos^ The Ears -Battle of the House of DumhaJ^'^^) [House.f'o'*> The Diflerence of CathbhadlCs The Destruction of Nechtain'^ House.<'06) IBergaS^"^' The Destruction of the Court of Ua The Destruction of the Court of B)on, the sou of BriunS^°^> Tlie Destruction of the Court of fJa The Destruction of the Court of JJa- COW-SPOILS. The Cow-spoil of Cuailyne'^^^'^'> The plunder of the tliree Cows of (104) Lir appears to liave been tlie Neptune of tlie Tuatha Di Danann ; but this Tale of the attack on his liouse is not linown to us now. (105) Nothing known of these tales. » (106) There is an account of such a Destruction as this in the Tciin Bo Chuailgni, and the house there mentioned was the old " fort" or Dun, near the present Netierville House, above Drogheda, in the county Meath. (107) (or Da Derga); near Tallaght, in the county Dublin, where the Monarch Conairi ihir was killed, a.m. 5160. Copies of tliis tract are preserved in Leabhar na h-Uidhri, (R.LA.), and in the "Yellow Book of Lecain" (H. 2. 16. T.C.D.). (108) Nothing known of these tales. (1 09) This Fort was in West Meath, and the occurrence took place about the time of the Tain Bo Chuailgni, or about a.d. 20. There is a copy of the tale in the MS. classed H. 3. 18. T.C.D. (110) An account of this Tale has been given in Lect. II. (a7ite, p. 32). (111) A raid made on Cenn-tiri (Cantire), in Scotland, by Cuchulainn and the Ultonians. An ab.'>tract of this Tale is preserved in the MS., Egerton, 88, Biitish Museum. APPENDIX. 585 The Cow Tlie Cow- The Cow The Cow- The Cow. The Cow The Cow The Cow The Cow ■spoil of i?0S.(I'2) spoil of RegamanS^^^'> ■spoil of Flida{s.'^^*'> ■spoil of FraechP^^^ ■spoil of Fit/iir.'-^^^') ■spoil of FailinS^^^'> -sijoil of 6'eV"'J -spoil of JjalrtS^^^) -spoil of Ci-eban.'-^^^'> COURTSHIPS, OR WOOINGS. The Courtship of Med/MS^-'^> The Courtship of Finer M^^) The Courtship of A iMc^S^^^) The Courtship of FtamS^'^^) The Courtship of i^ae/. The Battle of CoramiS^^^) The Baitle of CldireS^^^) The Battle of ToidenS^^^^ The Battle of TeamairS^'^'^^ CAVES (incidents of). TheCaveof^(«f7ed('*2) The Cave [or Cellar] of the Church of IiichanunarS^*^) The Cave of Leac BladhaM^^^ The Cave of the Eoad of Cu-glasS^*^) t:ocrnAl^c eiuhne tiACAige, ingine Cpi inch auto. CAUhA. Cac tlUiige Cxiil\eT). Cac CAitcen. Cac tlltnje 111uc]MmA. Cac "OiAoinA 'Ool-Ac -oa^a ■DICA C)\iicni j. Cac lllAige 1Iac. Cac Co]\aiito. Cac Cl,Aii\e. Cac Coi'oen. Cac Cem^xAc. tlAc AngexiA. llAc ecAti-A ImcinninAiiA. 11 AC ticce "btA-OA. llAc 'belAig ConglAi^. (130) This, I believe, is the tale of Crunn, a farmer of Ulster, and liis wife Madia, wliose curse was the cause of the Debility of the Ultonians at the time of the Tain Bo ChuailgnS. She is referred to in t\iQ Dinnsendius, in tlie article on ^-Ird J/ac/(a, in the Book oi Lecain (R I. A.) ; and the whole tale is iireservcd in the JIS. Ilarleian, 52.-iO, British Museum. (131) The daughter of Crimlhann, King of Leinster, who was wooed and won by AKiigtcs, son of Natfraedi, King of Munster. They were both killed in the battle of Cill-Osnadh, in the county Carlow, a.d. 4y'J. No detailed account of this courtship is preserved. (132) i.e. of Maah Tidreilh, near Cuwja (now Cong, in the county Galway), fought between the Firbolgs and the TaatUa Da Danann, in which the former were defeated, a.m. 3303. A copy of this celebrated tale is preserved in the Yellow Book of Lecain, H. 2. 10., T.C.D. Tliere is a second tale, jicrliaps incliuled in that named in the List in the Book of Leinster ; — the Battle of ilmjli Tuircilli. na liltFomhoradi. This Second Battle took place at the Northern Magh Tuircdh (in the county Sligo), between the Tuailia Di Danann and the Fomorians, and the latter were defeated. (Jf this Battle an account is preserved in a separate tale, of which there is a copy in MS. Ilarleian, 52S0, British Musc-um. (133) Tills Battle took pUicc at Taillen, now called TclUown, in Jleath, between the Milesian Brothers and the Tunttin D-J Danann, about a m. :j.JOO, in which the latter were subdued. The mere fact onlj' of the occurrL:ucc of this battle is given in the Boole of Invasions ; and there are some details given in the MS. 11. 4. 22., T.C.D. ; but tlie full tale has not come down to us. •(134) The Battle of J/''^// Mucruimhc was fought between ^r<, the monarch of Erinn, and his nephew Mac Con, a Munster prince, in which the former was slain, a.d. 190. Several paper copies of tlie tale are pieseivcd among the JISS. in the Royal Irisli Academy, and there is a good copy in my own possession in the liandwriting of Andrew M'Curtin (about 1710). (13.5) A great battle, in which the Cruithneans, or Picts, were defeated. N^o existing account of the battle is known to me. (136) This battle ^\■as fought between the Monarch Domhnall and Congal Claen, and the latter was defeated in it, a.d. 034. This tale was published with an Knglish translation by the Irish Arch;eological Society in 1S12. (137) This battle waslought in Connaclit, about a.m. 4-532. The Tale is lost. (138) A battle in Last .Xlunster, about a.m. 4100. The Tale is lost. (139) There is no account of this battle remaining. (140) I do not know wliat Battle of Tara is referred to. (141) Uatha, plural of (J The Navigation of Brigh LeithS^'-'*^ The Navigation of Brecon.' ^^^> The Navigation of Lab/iraid/i.'^^'> The Navigation of Fothadh.'^'^'' > TRAGEDIES (or DEATHS). The Tragical Death of CiiroiJ^^^'' The Tragical Death of CuchukdnnS^^^) The Tragical Death of Ferdiad/iJ^^°^ The Tragical Death of Co?«a«.(i6i) imaginary pagan worship to which they gravely assure the world, on etjTnological aiithoritj'-, the spot in question was devoted. Tlie authority for the legend of Cu-glas is the Dinii- teanchus, on the place Bealach Conglais (Book of Lecain). The full Tale has not come down to us. (146) Nothing is known ahoiit either of these caves or plains. (147) Bcinn Edait\ now the Hill of Howtli. This was the great cave in which Dinr maid ar)fl Crrainni (the daughter of the Monarch Cormac) look refuge, when pursued by that lady's affianced hushand, Finn Mac (JuuJiaill. There is a copy of this short talc iu the SIS. Harleian, 6280, British Museum. (148) Nothing is known to nie aliout this cave. (149) Now the Cave of Dnnmore in the county Kilkenny. There is an allusion to the tram- pling to death of some sort of monster, in the mouth of this cave, by a Leinsterwoman, in a poem on the Graves of Hcroe.s who were killed by Leinstermen, preserved in the Book of Leinster (H. 2. 18., fol. 27),T,C.D. (150) I have in my own possession a poem in the Ossianic .style, which gives an account of a foot race between CaiUi, the celebrated companion of t'inn Mac C'uinhaifl, and an unkno^vn knight who had challenged him. The race terminated by the stranger running into the Cave of Cruacliain, followed by Cailte, where he found a jjarty of smith.s at \vork ; etc No copy of the full Tale has come down to us. I think, however, that it is the Tain Be Aingen, already referred to. (151) There are copies of this Talc in Lealhar na h-Uidhr6, and in the Yellow Book of Le- cain (H. 2. 1(J.,TC.D.). (152) This Tale is preserved in the Book of Feiino}'. See account of it in Lecture XIII. (153) He was grandson of that Eoghan from whom Tir i'oglHiir, is named, and from whom descend the Clann Neill. See some account of him in the Iri.sh Nennius (publ. by the Ir. Archreol. Soc.) ; and of his death, in the Yellow Book of Lecain (11. 2. 10. in T.C.D.). There is a short sketch of his Navigation in the JIS. H 3. 17., T.C.D., p. 71)8. (154) i c. Brigh Lcith. Nothing is known of this Tale. (155) This Brccan \tas the son of Purihulon, who came towards Erinn before his father, but was drowned with his sliip in the well-known eddy called Cuiri lireacain, between the north- east coast of Krhin and Cantirc in Scotland. The tact only is recorded in the Dinnsenchus name Coiri Brecain) in the Book of Lecain. The Tale is lost. There is a sketch of it pre- served in Cormac's Glossary, however, where Breacan is said to be the son of Maini, son of mall of the Nine Ho.stage.s. See Lect. XII., p 257. (156) This was Lahhraidh Loing.<:rch, who.se \\anderings from Erinn to Gaul have been de- scribed in Lecture XII. The Tale (or an abstract of it) is preserved in the Book of Leinster (H. 2. IS.), and in the Yellow Book of Lecain (II. 2. IC), T.C.L>. (157) Tills Tale is not known to me. (158) This was the gieat Ciiroi Mac Baire, King of West Jlimster, who was killed by the cham- pion Cuclmlainn. (See Lecture XIII.) The story is told in Keating, and a very ancient version of the Tale is preserved in the .MS. Egcrton, 88, British Museum. (159) The Death of Cuchulainn. by the necromantic arts of the Children of Cailitin, in the Bris'each Mhor Mhaighe MhuirOiernhni, or Great Battle of />'ris/tc/i in .3/j«riAem?je. A paper copy of this Tale is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy. No. 1. 1. (160) Killed in fight by Cucliulainn This Tale must be part of the Tain Bo Chiiailgni. (161) That is, the champion Conall Cearnach, who fell at the hands of "the Three Red- Heads of Munster" (See Appendix III). There is a copy in the MS. H. 2. 17. T.C.D. List of Historic Talcs in the Book of Leinster. 588 APPENDIX. LX XXIX. List of Historic Tales in the Book of Leiuster. 'Ai'oe'o CeLucAiyv. AToeT) ■Loe5Ai|\e. AToex) ■pe|\5U'pA. -AiTjet) ConcobAi]\. ^XiTjet) p1iu\tn<.\m. Ai"oex) niAet^AcAivcAig mic UoriAin. -Ai'oex) CAi-og -mic Cein. -Ai-oet) mic SAiriAiti. ■pessA. ■peif cige 'bicAi|\. i'ei-p cige UiiLcinne. V^^V ^^'S^ CjMcitn. Veif uige Li. ■pel]' cige line. Veil' cije 5111c. ■peif cije 5nAAi^. peif cije c]M inic "OemoncA^^x. •peif cije Aiifcte. •pel]' cige ITlett'oo'Lo.ij. •p&if C|MU\CAri. ■peif emii<\. ■peif Aien-o. Veif Cem|\A. peif "Otiin bol^. Veif "Ouiri bucec. ■pOlllDOSSA. po]\bAi]' -pe^A p^i^vV. ■pOjAbAip eCA1]\. The Tragical Death of CeltchairS^^^' The Tragical Death of Bla Briu- The Tragical Death of Zae^rAajr^.CS^) The Tragical Death of Ferff/iusSi^^l The Tragical Death of ConchobharS^^^'' The Tragical Death of FicnnainS^^*^ The Tragical Death of Maelfathar- taif/h, son of HouanS^^^) The Tragical Death of Tadhg, the son of C/aM.('66' [(»■«.('") The Tragical Death of Mac Samh- FEASTS. The Feast of the House of FerblaiS^^'^'i The Feast of the House of BicharS^^'^^ The Feast of the House of Tid- The Feast of the House of Tri- The Feast of the House of iiV'ss) The Feast of the House of Zin^.des) The Feast of the House of GotM^s) The Feast of the House of r?narr.(i68) The Feast of the House of the Three Sons of DemonchathaS^^^') The Feast of the House of AuscUM^^^ The Feast of the House of Melldo- The Feast of CruacIiainS^^^') The Feast of EmhainS^^^) The Feast of ^!7eHw.('«9) The Feast of Temair.^^^') The Feast of BunboIg.O^oi The Feast of L>un BuchetS^''^^ SIEGES. The Siege of the Men of Falga.^^^^'' The Siege of BtairM^^^ (162) Tliese Tales are lost ; but Keating has made use of them in his Histoiy. (163) i.e. of Conckobhar (or ('onor) Mac Nessa. This Tale is preserved in Keating, and iu H. 3. 17., p. 794 (see Lecture XIII.). (164) (Son of Forrai). Nothing known of this Tale. (165) King of Leinster, who died a d. 610. This young prince was slain at the instigation of his father. There is a copy of tlie Tale in the Book of Leinster (H. 2. 18), T.C.D. (See back Lecture XIII.). (166) i.e. Tadhg, the son of Cian, son of Oilell Oluim, King of Munster, a.d. 266. This prince •was killed by a deer on the brink of the Boyne ; but we have no details, the Tale being lost. (167) No account of this personage is known to me. (168) Nothing known of these Tales . (169) Cruachain, Etnkain, and Temair were the chief royal residences in Erinn; those of the Kings of Connacht, of Uladh, and of Erinn. Crnachain was in Roscommon ; Emkain near Armagh ; and Temair (now called Tara), in Meath, about sixteen miles west of Dublin. Ailenn was near Kildare. (170) Dunbolg. i.e. (literally) the Fort of the Sacks. This Tale, I believe, is part of the tract on the Origin and History of the Boromean Tribute. The Feast took place a.d. 594, when Aeclh, the son of Ainmiri, monarch of Erinn, was killed at Dunbolg, in or near Balltinglas, by Bran Duhh, the celebrated King of Leinster [See Annals of the Four Masters, at this year]. (171) Dun Bucket, i.e. Buchet's Fort. Buichet was a celebrated Farmer of Leinster, who kept an "open house" of free entertainment for all men [See Annals of the Four Masters at A.D. 593, for some account of the Feast]. The full Talc is lost. (172) Falga was, I believe, an old name for the Isle of Man; and the " siege" against it was by the men of Ulster, with Cuchnlainn at their head. There is a trifling, obscure sketch of it in the JIS. Harleian, 5280, British Museum ; but no full copy of this Tale has come down to us. (173) Of Etair, or Edair, now the Hill of Howth, See Story of Aithirni, Lecture XII. APPENDIX. 589 ■po)\be -pe tllACAib Uif- nig. The Siege of ^cm7/.(i'*> lxxxix. The Siege of Dun BarcS^^^> " The Siege of Dun Bimf^S^^^'' List of The Siege of the Men of FldhghaJ^"'' Histoiic The Siege of the Liffey.^l^^ ^'^'^ ^l ^^^ The Sieg^ of LadJuu7iny'^'> _ Leinster. The Siege of Drom Dam/ighalreS^^^^ ADVENTURES. The Adventui-es of lYez-a."^") The Adventures of FianiainS^^^') The Adventures of Cu]-oiS^^'^> The Adventures of Ciichu/ainn.'^^^^ The Adventures of ConaNJ^^*'' The Adventures of ConcIiobharS^^^') Tlie Adventures of Crimhthann Nia iVfwr.(i«"J The Adventures of Macha, daughter of ^e(//?, /^««rfA.<'87j [J//>on«.(i88) The Adventures of Nechiain, son of The Adventures of AUchinn, son of Amhahjaidh.''^^^) [fearnaS^^^^ The Adventures of Finn in Derc- The Adventures of AedJuin, son of Gabftrim.^^^O) [BaetkanS^^^) The Adventures of Maefuma, son of The Adventures of Mongan, son of Fiachna}^'^'^^ ELOPEMENTS. The Elopement of Mugain vrith Fia- main.^^'-'^) The Elopement of Deirdr€ with the [Sons of UisnechS^^^^ (174) (qu., of Acaill, near Tara ?) I believe there is nothing known ahoiit this siege. (17-5) That is, the Fort of the Ships. Nothing Is now known about this place or siece. (176) Not known. (177) This was probably the Battle of Ardlemnachta (or " New-milk Hill"), in the county Wexford, fought in the reign o( Eremoti, by Crimhthann Sciath-bhel, a Firbolg chief, against a tribe of Britons who infested the forests of that country. See Dinnsenchus (on the name Ard-lemhnachta), Book of Lecain, fol. 234. The full Tale is lost. (178) Neither of these is known to me. (179) Literally, the Hill of the Ox-Bellowing ; now called Knock-long, in the county of Lime- rick. This siege was laid by the Monarch Corinac MacAirt against the Jlen of Munster. A copy of the Tale is preserved in the Book of Lismore, R.I.A. (see Lecture IX.). (180) This Tale is not known to me, unless it be the Tain Bi Aitigeti already spoken of. (181) This Tale is not known to me. (182) i.e. Curoi MacDairi. The Tale is not kno'mi to me. (183) This probably was the champion's journey into Scotland to finish his military educa- tion under the lady Scathach. If so, it is included in the " Courtship of Emer", already- described. (184) i.e. Conall Cearnach. This Tale is not known to me, but it is spoken of in the account of the Battle of Ross na Riyh, in the Book of Leinster (H. 2. 18), T.C.D. (18.5) Not known to me. (186) i.e. those of tlie monarch Ci imhthann- Nia-Nair in Britain. See Annals of the Four Masters, at a.u. 9. No copy of the Tale is now known. (187) Probably this was her joui-ney into Connacht. See Appendix, on the Founding of Emania. The Tale is lost. (188) Neither is known to me. (189) That is, oi Finn Mac Cwm/iaiVnii the Cave of Dunmore, anciently called Z>erc /"eaj-na. This Tale is now lost. (190) King of Scotland, about a.d. 570. Tlie Tale is not known to me. (191) Not known to me. (192) King of Ulster, killed a.d. 621. The Tale is not known to me. (19-3) Not known to me. (194) Published by the Gaelic Society of Dublin in 1808 ; and by me in the Atlantis for July, 1860. 590 APPENDIX. LXXXIX. List of Historic Tales in the Bonk of Leinster. Aicetj A^^e ingen eojAin \ie VDey- •oe&X). Aicet) HcMfe mjen ■p^ivjii^A fve neA|ACAc1i niAC Ui "Leic. A^tex> rtiriA 5aiai|\ inic ■Oe1]^5 |\e 5I-A]' niAC CinibAech. Aicet) btAcriAiue injen pAilt 1DIC ITtoaij; |ve ConculAinn. A^te^o '5|\Aitiiie j\e "Oiajmiiai-o. Aicet) 111iii]\ne ]\e "OubiMii-p. ^icex) Ki.iicceA]MiA -pe Cuaiia indc CAiLcin. Aicet) &i|\ce inline "Loaiimi t\e niuijM-oAcli niAC eojAin. AiceT) "Oije |\e lAi-ocneri. Aicex) ninA ^XiIiLLa nnc ©ojAin ■pe ■pocuT) CAiiAnn. Allien e. A^AgAin nUnje CejAlA mic V^bAi. ApjAin Ac A 1i1. A]\5Aiti "Oiine 'OiibjiAii'e. Apj^Aiti 'Oinii 11ig. Ai\j;Ai'n At A cLiAC. AiAjAin "Oune 'Oe'LgA. A|\5Aiii Cuii\ CoiiAin'o. A]\5Ain Ailij ]:o]\ tleic niAC Iitoai. •AjxjAin "belcon "b^eipii. A]\5v\m CAi]\p^i Ciiin-CAic ^0]a yAejx-clAntiAib lie]\etin. The Elopement of Aife, the daughter of Eog/nin, with Mesdead.^^^^' The Elopement of A' (/ise, the daugh- ter of Fergus, with Nertach, son of Ua Leit'hM'''^) The Elopement of the Wife of Gaiar, the son of Derq, with Ulas, the son of CimhaethJ '■'■*) The Elopement of Blathimt, the daughter of Pnll, son of Fidhach, with CiirJiidainhS^^^^ The Elopement of Grainne \\ii\\ Diar- mai.tS^'->') [rH/s.('9») The P.lopement of 3hdrn Avith Duhh- The Elopement of Fadthcheam with Cuana, the son of t'dilcinS^''^^^ The Elopement of 7i'/c, daughter of Louni, with Muir [rHe«.(20i) The Elopement of Dlr/he with Zrrirf- The Elopement of the wife of Aihll, the son of Foghan, Avith Fothudh CanannS-''''') SLAUGHTERS. The Slaughter of .l/w^rA C) i.e. of the Ford of the Hurdles, i.e. Dublin. The Tale is not known to me. (206) i.e Diindalk. The Tale is not known to me. (207) On Toi-ry Island, off Donegal. It was a victory of the Nemediansover the Fomorians, and is told in the Book of Invasions. (20H) A chief of the Tuatha Di Daiiann, who was surprised and slain by the Fomorians. The Talc is lost. (209) Belchu and his sons were surprised and slain by Conall Cearnach. The Tale is pre- served in MS. H. 2. 17., T.C.D. (210) This was the celebrated Revolution of the^iWienc/j Tuatha, or " Attacots". There is a copy of the Tale in the M.S. H. 3. 17., T.C.D. (See also Lecture XII.). APPENDIX. 591 AT\5Ain ©cTiAc i:o|v a niACAib. Ai\5Ain CAjtle CotiAilt. A^gAin "OonriAn e^A. AlAJAIM nilC "OACO. A|\5Ain IIIIC TtlAgAC. Tales in the Book of Leinster A|A5Ain A-pjAin A]\5Ain A]\5Ain A|\5Ain AngAin A]\5A111 -<^1^5A111 [mo/Z.^-'^) The Slaughter of the "Wood of Co- List of The Slaughter of [St.] Donnan of "iftoric The'Slaughter of Mac DathoS^^*') The Slaughter of the Sons of Ma- The Slaughter of Sidh NentaP^^') The Slaughter of Sruth CluadaP^'') The Slaughter of /S7?o6/i Soih/echS^*^) The Slaughter of BdU/i RujlibardP^^) The Slaughter of Edith liosgrnlU^'^o) The Slaughter of Fuiith TiiaighcS22i) The Slaughter of Fuil/k TtimskS^^i) The Slaughter of lidlth ro/iac/itaS-i^i) The Slaughter of Ildith TimchillJ-'^-i^^ The Slaughter of Rdith CiiiiiqeS22\i The Slaughter of Bdlth CidllmjiS^^^') The Slaughter of Puii'th Croc/iai7iS22\) The Slaughter of Cat/imr Boirc/ieS^^'^> TheSlauiihter of lidi//, BlaiS-'^'^^ The Slaughter of lidith GailaS^^S) The Slaughter of Bdit/, U:/hi£(^'i3) The Slaughter of the jRditk of NaasP'^3) [Ce.(224) The Slaughter of tlie ridlth of Bhm The Slaughter of Rdith dranardS-'^^^ The Slaughter of Rdith BuirighS^'^^') The Treachery of Scone ^^^^^ The Visitation of [King] Arthur.^^as) (It is as Prime Stories these below are estimated; namely, Irruptions, and Visions, and Loves, and Expe- ditious, and Marches, namely : The Irruption of Loch BchachS-'^'^') (211) i.e. Eochdidh Feidhlech. This was the Battle of Ath Cuniair. A coijy is preserved in the MS. No. 1. 1. ; (H. andS.) E.I.A. (212) Not known to me. (213) Eg was an island in the Hebrides, in which St. Donuan was martyred (see Filire Aengusa, at April 17). The Tale is lost. (2i4) See note on DublithacWs land (onte, App. III.). (215') These were Connachtinen ot tlie time of Ailell and 2fedhbh. The Tale is lost. (216) This was a fairy mansion in Connachfr, of wliich Sigmall was the lord. This man was charged with the murder of the Monarch Eochaidh Aireann, a.m. 50S4; and I believe the slaughter of his people by the men of Erinu was the conseciuence (see the C'athreim of King Dathi). (217) Now Strath Clyde in Scotland. Nothing is known to me of this particular Tale. (21 S) i.e. Sally-Hill; a place not known to me. The Tale is lost. (219) This was one of the earliest Milesian Courts; but I know nothing of its "Slaughter". The Tale is lost. (220) There is no record of this "Slaughter" that I know of. (221) These seven Tales are all of them unknown to me. (222) In the county Down. This Tale must be a part of the "Triumphs otCongal Clairin- gnech" (this hero was monarch of Erinn, a.m. 5017). Of the last mentioned piece there is a cojjy in the MS. classed H. and S. No. 205, in R.I.A. (223) These four Tales are now unknown. (224) i.f. the Peak of C'lJ. The Tale i ow unknown. (225) Not known. (226) Burach was an ancient chieftancy in Ulster. This Tale however is not known to me. (227) This, I think, was a Pictish Tale, but it is not known to me. (228) Not known. (229) i.e. Loch Ncagh. See the Dinnsenchus on the word Loch n-Echach (Book of Lecain, fol. 252). 592 APPENDIX. Lxxxix. CoinAi-om Ioca eijMie. List of Historic Tal.-s in tlie Book of Leinster. tTi^' tnriA tleimi'o, ■pif Cotic1iobAi|\ [.1. CocmA]Ac t^ei]\- be?] ■pil' CtiiiTo .i.tjAite 111 ScAib. Se|\c CAbtige be^iAe •oo trocAT) CVlAHAITO. Se|\c "OubiLAcA 'OO monjAii. Se]\c 5o]\nibAice *oo 11iALb. SUU\51T). SbtiAgi'o AugAine moii\ co Vie-CAib. SbllAglT) "OAcIiI CO SblAb lietpA. SiuAgi-o tleibi tnic ecAc co ITluip 1cc. SbuAJIt) ITlACIIA H11C "bAICAIII CO "Otin n5i.iAii\e 1 SAJCAiiAib, ocuf id)\iiii- I'luAgiX) lie-penn obceiiA. cochomiA"OA. CocombA'D pAi\c'hoboin 'oo cinn CoconibAT) neniTo co 1ie^\inii. CocoinbAX) ■p1ie|\ nibjobj. CocoTubAX) CuAce 'Oe "OAnAii'o. rocombAt) lllibe nuc b)ibe co hOf- ■pAin. CocombAT) mliAC inibTO A be^'pAin 1 CocombA'o Cyiuicnec a U-^acia co li&]\inn, octi|" A coconibA'D o 1i&- jMnn CO liAbbAiii. The Irruption of Loch Eirn^S'^^'^^ The Vision of the Wife of NeimidhS^^n The Vision of Conchobhar^-^'^^ [qu: the Tochmarc Feirbe?'] [>Sca//.'-33) The Vision of Co?in, i.e., Baile an The Vision of Fursa^^^i) The Love of CaiUech Berr4 for Fo- tliadh ChonannS-^^^ \^ganS''^(>'> The Love of Duhhiacha for Mon- The Love of Gormlaith for NicdlS-i37) EXPEDITIONS. The Expedition of Ugaine Mdr to Italy .(■■238) [pine Mountains.(239) The Expedition of Dathi to the Al- The Expedition of Nkdl, son ofEoch- aid/i, to the Ictian Sea.(24o) The Expedition of Fiachna, the son of Baedan, to Dun Guaire in Bri- tain, and the prime Expeditions of Erinn besides.'^^i) PROGEESSES. The Progress of Partholan to Erinn.'2J2) The Progress oiNeiviidh to Erinn^2is) The Progress of the FirboIgsS^**') The Progress of the Tuatha De Da- 7iann^-ii^) [of Bd(?, to Spain.(2^6' The Progress of Mde, [Milesius,] son The Progress of the Sons of Mile [or MilesiusJ from Spain to Erinn.(247) The Progress of the CruitJmeans [Piets] from Thrace to Erinn; and their progress from Erinn to Al- bain.(2«) (230) In the Dinnsenchus, (Book of Ballymote, fol. 209). (231) Not known to me. (232) i.e. Concliobkar, or Conor, MacNe&sa, King of Ulster; (qu. in the Courlship of Ferb, daughter of Gerg, in the Book of Leinster, fol, 189 ?). (233) The Vision of Conn of the Hundred Battles. See Lecture XVIII. (234) This Tale is not known to me. (235) A Tale of the third centuiy; not now known. See back in this List of Tales; — the last of the Ailheda, or Elopements, ante, p. 590. (236) Mongan was King of Ulster, and slain a.d. 622. There is a copy of this Tale in tlie Book of Fermoy, in Dr. Todd's possession. (237) This is the Tale of Queen Gormlaith referred to in Lecture VI. (238) About A.M. 4590. (239) A.D. 428. There is a copy of this Tale in my possession. (240) A.D. 405. Some account of this Expedition is preserved in the Book of Ballymote. (241) About A.D. 580, Baedan was King of Ulster. Of this Expedition there is some account in the Book of Lecain. (242j This is given in the Leabhar Gabhala. (243) Given in the Leabhar Gabhala. (244) The coming of the Flrbolgs into Erinn; given in Leabhar Gabhala, and also in the Tract on the Battle of Magh Tuiredh. (245) i.e. into Erinn; also given in the Leabhar Gabhala. (246) Given in the Leabhar Gabhala. Mili, or Mileadh, Latinised "Milesius". (247) Given in the Leabhar Gabhala. (248) Given also in the Leabhar Gabhala. And as to the Picts, see the Irish version of Nen- nius, published by tlie Irish Archaeological Society, 1848, APPENDIX. 593 roconiLA-o tonjp l^eiAjtif a a IiUI- The Progress of the Exile of Fergus lxxxix. cAib. out of Ulster.(-'«> CocomlAT) •rtlurcjxAije x)e 111 Ait The Progress of the il/(«sc?'(^«flns into List of iDlxeKom. Mauh BreagumS^^o) [(aV.(25i) HLstori. ^^^^ rocomLAT) nA n"Oefi o chenif A15. The Progress of the Deisi from Tern- gook. of CoconitAT) Ctonine ©chAc 11luij- The Progress of the Sons of £oc/ia»c/A Leinster. iiie-oom A nii-oe. Maiglimhedlioin out of Meath.(2a2) CocoiiiLa'o Catoj 1111c Cem o Cai- The Progress of Tadhg, son of Cian put. [son of 0(7/7/ Olnim^, from Cashel [into Meath.]<253) CocoihIa'o 'OaiI Uiacai 1 nALbAin. The Progress of the DaU R'lada into Ocu]Mii 111 ]\o hoi\c ocuf |\o bic Scotland/-''*^ And all tliat were kil- ocii]' AcbAc. Hi pLi iiA-ocoiiijiie led, and wounded, and died. He is coiiiACAjMiA'o fcetA uiLe. no poet who does not synchronize and harmonize all the stories. APPENDIX No. XC. [Lect. XIIL, Page 276.] Of the place of the Death-wound of ConcolbAn tllAc TleffA. ceatiiof The clearest authority, as to the place where Conclwhhar^ or Mac JVessa. Conor Mac Nessa, received the blow which was the eventual cause of his death, is that of Father Michael O'Clery, the chief of the " Four ]\Iasters". The follomng marginal note, in his handwriting, occurs in the Index to the Martyrology of Donegall, the MS. of which is among those preserved in the Burgundian Library at Brussels : — I^Aite At in l1pcAi^\ 1 cCine'L pAcliATo, aca UempAtb TDatoi .1. bAit A|\ biiAiteAX) iniicinn 1lleip5e'6]\A Ap CboncobAp Hi 5 ntltAt). [translation.] " The Town of the Ford of the Cast, in Cinel Fiachaidh, where is Temple Ddidhi, i.e. where the brain of Ilesgedhra was struck upon Conchohhar [or Conor Mac Nessa], the King of Ulster". [For an accoimt of the occurrence referred to, see post, Appendix No. CLVI. The spot referred to is now Ardnurcher, barony of Moycashel, county of Westmeath, sheet 31, Ordnance Map.] APPENDIX No. XCI. [Lect. XIIL, Page 293.] Original of stariza in a Poem of S. 111060111165 about tJie 11 a stanza as CoppA (from the Book of Fermoy , fol. 105). corra. 11 A COppA "00 CbomiAccAib ^An ciine ppiA conn-poprAib, Op^piAii inA]iA inonjAip-rixein A\\ pi op AllAOip lOn^AHCAlg. (249) That is, of Ferghus Mac Roigh, out of Ulster into Connacht. This Tale is lost. (250) In Tipperary. C2ol) There is an account of this In Leahharna h-Uidhr6; and another in tlie Book of Leinster, fol. 208. b. (252) Related in a poem hy Flann of Monasterhoice. Copy in mj' possession. (253) Related in the Battle of Crinna, in the Boolt of Lismore, R.I. A. (254) Not kno•^^^l to me. 38 594 APPENDIX. Poems by Finn Mac Cuinhaill. ^pp- ^^"- APPENDIX No. XCII. [Lect. XIV., Pages 302, 303.] Originals of the first lines of six Poems attrihuted to 'Pinn ITIac CuiiiAilt. " Lije jtiiU 1 iriAij -RAisne".— [^. of Leinster; (H. 2. 18, T.C.D.)-fol. 159. 6. a.] "In ti-A no cbeilgm tdo ji^e^^". — [lb., fol. 153. b. a."] " InniAin cAinij 6 dii]\cenn". — [lb.,fol. 153. b. 6.] " Hof in-b]\oc nToni i^' conAi]i ctiAn". — [lb.,fol. 211. a. 6.] " lllon in gnim "oo ^ugneAii) ^nin-o". — [ib.,fol. 211. b. 6.] "Po^Anocc '00 -omn <\ 'Oli^\iiiin 'OcAn". — \_B. of Lecain, fol. 231. b. a.] APPENDIX No. XCIII. [Lect. XIV., Pages 306, 307]. Original of first line of a Poem attributed to pe]\5i.if pnnbeoit, the son of pnn HIac CurhAitl {from *Oinni'eAncuf, in the '■'■Booh of Ball^mote" , fol. 202 a. a.) ; and of first line of a Poem attrihuted to CaiIco 111c\c llonAm (from the 'Omn- ■peAnciif, in the ^^ Book of Ballf/mote", fol. 200. b. a.; and the '■'■Book of Lecain\ fol. 236. a. b.). " Uip^AA SeAnjAjyinnA yo a i^nA-j^". — " Cli-onA cein-opn-o, buAn in be-o". — Fenian Poems. Credlti. APPENDIX No. XCIV. [Lect. XIV., Page 308-11.] caei ua Original of jyassage from the -AgAltAiii nA SoAnonAc concerning fndtheiZy CacI 11 A lleAmnAinn and the lady C\\e-b\ {from the Book of Lis77wre, fol. 206. b. a.). Utt^uif ACcVin t)iA liAine ^e-oec 1^' A111 p]\ Ai-oe Co cecb Ci^e-oi ni i^nnn i^uaiI, He liucc in cj^teibe AnoiivctiAit*. -AcA A cinnet) •oAin "oub Ann 5ti C]\e'6i A CicliAib AnAnn, Co ^\AbA]\ Ann yo 'oeAC]\Aib Cer]\A bA ocu]' beic feAcbcmuin. Aibmn in cecb in aca 1tDi]i p]iA 11' iiiACA i|' mnA, l-oi^A '6]uii'6 ocuf Ae-p ceoib, l-oi^i -oAibnim ^Y ^6o^]\]''e6^\\ 1t)ii\ jibbA ycw]\ nAc -pceinn, Ocuf iionnAi^ie ^le i\oinn ; Aca a coiiiAi' pn tube, -A5 C^ie-oi pnt), yobc-bui'^i. APPENDIX. 595 IDu-o Aibinn "oAiiijw riA 'oiin, 1"oi]i coicAij ocu^^ clinii, ITlA-OAlt "OO C^ieTDi ^o cto]", iDut) Aibinti "OAiii mu chuiio^'. SicIiaL A1C1 A pt i^uj f^ib, ^1" "00 gnie-o AbtAi [b]Ui?] ^ub, *OAbcA glAine, jai]! "oeAj^cA, CttpAin Aice ^\' CAeiifi-eA^xnA. A t)AC AlTIA^t "OAC An AGlb, Coilcig ecti]A]AA ociif Aein, Sit) A ectin]u\ 1^' b]\AC 50]viTi, 'Oe]\5 6|\ ecti]\]\A i]' glAii conn. ■A 5]nAnAn, a cloc cin]ie, X) A]\cAc ociif t)'6]\ bui"6e, Um ji *6]Miminec ^An "oocrriA, "O'eicib -oonnA i^^ '6^1^5 co^c^a. "OhA u]Aiv\m tiAini"6i atdci, aA coiritA, ni "oocjAAit) hi, Ai^cec echcoA ciAn \\o cboi", In c]\An"o bui nA ]:on'00|io]^. CActiAi]* ChneToi -ooc iAiiii cti, Da i"ua]\ca ^a -I'liAjtCA hi, CAf A1]\ Ul|1]\e "0 0^ e-AbpA, Pa co^tiib A CAeiiii tepcA. LeAbAfo tncAi^ 'nA bine "Piiib o^" cinn nA cauaiju, 'Oo ^onAT) AC Unite cai]i, *0 o|\ bni*6e ip "oo tic togiiiAiii. "LcAbAit) eibe VOX) bAiin '6ei^% *0'6)i 1]' "D'AjicAt: jAn eii^beip, Co pubuibb CO [pebbAib] mbujA Co CAen'i-fbACAib c]\e"oun'iA. A^n ce^bAch aca nA cig, Ay x)6ib Ap Aibne ]io chin In -OAC ^bApA, pbiniA A mbptnc, Az CApA pinnA a poji-'j:tiibc. X)o coi-oebcAip pip joncA, ConA cAepcAib cpoin-pobA, Re hentnb pi-oi ac piAnAn Op b6p"oi,iib A gbAn ghpiAnAn. IIIa-o A111 bui-oecpA •oon mnAi, "Oo Chpe"6i -OA ngAipenn cat ITlepAi-o nibup biA a bAit)i, HIa-o ■da n-oibA A commAine. AP. XCIV. C'lel Ua Nenmnainn, and the Liidy Credhi. 38 b 596 APPENDIX. AP. XCIV. Cael Ua Neamnainn, and the Lady Credhi. THax) Alt te hmgin CliAi^biAe, tlTOAin ciii]\]:e a\\ c6^\\ ciA\\'oej Cu nAb]\A irein iwn aIdu]", 1]' mo iii6i^\cin 'oo'o uu]AU'p. Cet) C^AAI jlT) 1 CI5 ClT|Aeit)t O'n cui^AjA 511 ^loic A ceile^ 1]' pcic cjUMJTO coniui^' A ieicec a 'oej-'ooiiiii^". A liworiAcc 1^" A ctii^i 'O'eicib en n^ojun 1]" inbui'oi A hu^A]"CA1A c1lA1]\ AC CobA]l, 'Oo jtAin if t>o cA^|vm ocaI. Cecb]\A luiAitne urn ^ac beAbAi"6, '0'6]A 1^" 'o'a|\cac c6]\-necAi|A, 5ein jtAine ei*oi^\ jac UAiuney tlix)AC cenn Aii]uiAi^\ce. "OAbAc Ann "OO c]\UAn -{rbACA, -A I'lbeAnn -puj ^"ua^ac b^AAchA, AbubL o]" cmn nA "OAibce Co niiiiAC A qAoiiicbAi]Ace. In tiAA^A VinrA^i co|\n CbjAeToi, T)o Ttng nA "OAbcA X)ene, Utncit) ipn co]An co cgjac TIa cec]AA btjbbA a nAeinjreAcc. Ar\ ceAC]AA|A ii-o "oo 1iAiiAriieA"6 G1]AJ1C A1A in y^AlclTOAlbeAIT), UAb]\AC "oon ceAC]AA]A AntJinn *Oeoc 5AC pjA octif AjbAbt. In CI 5A CA1C pn tiibi, 1*Oip C:|AA15 OCU|" cuiti, tluc C^Aeit)! A cubcbAib C]ai inbeAnn, Gt) tijACAi|A *oo irinAib Gi^\eAnn. 1>A1'6 -punn cviice, ni c\\ot^ ca^ Til 5lAe]" biiijci CO tnAcb]AAi", Co C]\ei'6i C]\UCA15 Abni% y^ViX) ttic1iAi]\ be nio cii]\iif. Ut1]AUf. Octi]" I'p A1' 1^0 X)o cuAinAijAne "oo cu^a CacIia "pmn-qAA^liA, ocuf AcconncAmA]A ocbAc "oo muinno^A pmn "oa^a nmnpAi^i-o .1. CAob c-jAO-OA, ceiD-guinecb Ha lleAinnAinn. CAn Ap a CAnA- ctiif A CliAeit, A^A pinn. A\- in l3]\ti5 bjiAenAC acuato, Ay CAeb. C]\ec t)o iA]AAi-p Ann, a^a pnn. 'O'ACAbtAim mni]Aint)e, in- line 'OeijAj, mo thinme -peni. Cm a A-obAjA pn, a|a ^inn Ay bicin ieAnnAin cp-oe, ociif AjAXD-nuACAi^, octip coiaat) Aif- APPENDIX. 597 tinge .1. C^ie-oe, injen ChAi-pb^M ClineA-pbAin, injen ^uj Cia]\- ^^- xciv- lUMge LiiAC]\A. 1n bpeA-o^UM]' a CliAeil, a^ pmn, cdiito liipn caei ra bAin-nieAtlc6i]\ bAn Gi]\emi, 0^ i]' ze]\c |'ec iiiAicb a iiG|\inn ^"^"fieLady nA]\ bpec cum a TDtinATO ocu]" a 'oe5-A]\ui-|\ Octi-p in p"oi]\ creu/d. cu JA com A lApu-p A-ji CAC, A]\ CAot. 'Oo i:et)A|\, A]\ "JTinn .1. gibe Ag Ambeic 'oo -OAn, no 'o'pti'oecc •ouAn vo 'oenAtii •oi, OCV1]" cuAnu^xbAib A CV1AC, ocuf A co^in, ocu-p A cupAX), ocuy A In All, ocu]^ A lK\i]ro-teAi"OA^>, octii" A ]ii5-cech ]\o vr\6\\. Ac^ libitum Aciim]'A, A^\ nA cAbAi-jic "OAtii o lTllun]unn injen 'Oei|\5, cm buime yein, [a^i CAet]. [literal translation.] And it was from this we went to fight the battle of Finntrdigh; and we saw a warrior (one) of Finn's people coming towards us, namely, Cael, the valiant 0' Neamhnainn. "Where hast thou come from, 6WZ.^" said Finn. "From the teeming Bnigh, from the North", said Cael. "Wliat didst thou seek there?" said Finn. "To con- verse with lluirinn, the daughter of Deirj, my own nurse", said Cael. " What was the cause of that ?" said Finn. " On account of an enchanting favourite, noble wife, and the fruits of a vision, namely, Cre'dhi, the daughter of Caivbre, the Wliite-skinned, the daughter of the kings of Ciarraighe Luachra". "Dost thou, O Cael", said Finn, " know that she is the chief deluding woman among the women of Erinn? for scarce a valuable jewel in Erinn that she has not inveigled to her court {Dun) and beautiful residence". " And dost thou know what conditions she puts to each person ?" said Cael. "I do", said Finn; "namely, whoever should have the gift, or poetic genius to compose a poem for her, and describe her boAvls and her (drinking) horns, and her cups, and her pans, and her (other) noble vessels, and her very great kingly house". " I have it ready, having brought it with me from Micirinn, the daughter of Derg, my own nurse", [said Cael.^ APPENDIX No. XCV. [Lect. XIV., Page 315.] Of the ancient monuments called Cpombec. OiCrom'ecTis. The subject of the remarkable monuments popularly but im- properly called " Cromlechs" (including those to which modern story- tellers have fancifully applied the name of Leahacha Dhiarmada agus Ghrainne, or Beds of Diarmaid and Grainne), is too extensive and too important to admit of a complete and satisfactory notice in a short note. It will, besides, come to be discussed in full in its proper place in the Course of Lectures I am now engaged in, — On the Life, Customs, Manners, etc., of the ancient Gaedhil. I shall therefore content myself here with the mere statement of my opinion regard- ing all these monuments, — that they never were intended and never were used as Altars, or places of Sacrifice, of any kind ; that they 598 APPENDIX. App. xcv. were not in any sense of the word " Druidical" ; and that they were, OiCiomiechs ^^ ^very instance, simple Sepulchres or Tombs, each marking the ' grave of one or of several personages. Autliovity tt- t(i the D'liii/inuch Air aid. Prayer of St. Cuhiin CilU. Autlinrity as to tlie Calhach. APPENDIX No. XCVI. [Lect. XV., Page 325.] Original of passage in the " Tripartite Life" of St. Patrick {my copy, p. 102 ; JEgerton MS., 93, British 3Iuseum, p. 26), describing the piresentation by him to S. IIIac CA]\cAnin of the relic called the 'OoiiniAc Ai-njit). Ill CAiAAitt Paci\aic in 1ll A'opubA]\c ia|\ cu]icbAit Pacjaaic: tic, nch. Illu 'Oeb]\oc, ob Paujumc, ni bu gnAcli in -pocubpn X)0 ^At) •ouiupu. A\w penoi]i, octif Ain bobu^i, ob e-ppcop IIIac CAi^xcbint). "PA^xAcbAipni inn coniAbcu In cebbAib, ocup nieip phop pxp conAiji. ITocmjebpA, -OAnA, ob pAcpAic, 1ii cibb iu\pA i\o ocnp, A]i nApA "oiinicmti, nipA 110 ciAn "OAnA, co]ioApcAp immAchigixD ec]ion'o. Ocnp p"op- ACAib Pac]\aic lApuiii, Gppcop 111ac CAipchm'o In Cbochup, ocnp in 'OomnAcii Aip^ic beip, "oo ]\AbA"o 'oo pAcpAic "oo tliin, "OiA mboi po|i mui]i oc cunoecc x)o cum nCpenn. APPENDIX No. XCVII. [Lect. XV., Pages 329, 330.] Original of first stanza of the Prayer of Saint Cobuin Cibbe (leAbAp buToe tecAin, 3IS. II. 2. 16. P.C.D., col. 320). 1TToenu]\An "OAm ip in pbiAb, -d pig 5]nAn |\op popAX) pet), tlocA n-CA^bAigi "OAm ni. Ha va in-bemt) cpi picic ce-o. Original and Translation of passage concerning the Cacac, in O'DonnelVs Life of aS. 'Cobum Cibbe {MS. classed 52.2., RJ.A.,page 190). -An Cacac iino]\]io, Ainm An beAbAip rpep a cciigvV-o An cAch, ocup Ape Ap A]\-o-n'nonn aj Cobum Cibbe, i cUip ClionAibb; ocup ACA pe A]i iiA cum-OAc 'o'Aipgio'O, ocup ni tibeAJAp A popgbA'o, AgAp "OA ccugcAp cpi huAipe "oeipiob 1 ccimciobb pbuAig Chineb ClioiiAibb aj -onb X)o cum caca ■ooib, Ap "DUAb 50 cciucpAi"oip pv\ buATo; ocup An ucc ComApbA, no cbei]\i5 gc\n pcACAX) niApbcA Aip (mAp Ap peAp]i Ap peixjip bei]'), .:>.Y c6i]\ An Cacac x)o beic A5 cimciobbc\-o An rpbuAig pin. APPENDIX. 599 [translation.] AP. XCVtI. The Gathach, indeed, is the name of the book on account of which A„t,,ority the battle was fought; and it is it that is Colum Cille's high relic astotno in Tir Conaill; and it is ornamented (or covered) with silver, and <^""""^ • it is not laAA^ul to open it ; and if it is carried three times to the right around the army of the Cenel Conaill when going to battle, it is certain that they would come out of it with victory ; and it is upon the breast of a Comharha, or a Priest without mortal sin upon him (as well as he can), it is proper for the Cathach to be at going round that army. APPENDIX No. XCVIII. [Lect. XV., Page 331.] Oriqinal of Inscription on the Shrine of the Cacac. eiuine of ^ '^ "L . , ^^ ^ ^1 1 the Cathach. 01I01U -oo CAcnbA|>]\ t1c\ t)omiiu neACAilp |:|\i tAini BacUaiiisu. 5e|AmAin. tyiiTO pAqiAic iA]uim i:o]\ iinii]\, nonbAH itin. 1]" Anni'ein -notAA inni-np cohaici a cec inie ocu]" in lAnAiiiuin inoicit) Aim, ocuf connAccAi i^encAm c]\in iiTOo^iA-p in C151 yoi\ A l-AinAib. Cit) X)AA]' in cAittec, oi Pau]\aic, if" nion a iob]\A? 'P]\if]\05]\Ac inx)octAc1i oc\^Y iffe-o \\o \\b, nAc •oia nAii\e. Uo boi^pcpec beo]', Aguf |\o bjM-p- fecc lomAije oi]\T5eAi\CA, "pc^Mne, Agu^^ CAifi nAeih e^enn, Ajuf SliAx- An. II0 boifccpoc niA]A An cce'onA iAp\ pn TjeAbb 11Uii|\e oi-jx-oeA^Ac bAoi 1 nAc Ci\tiini •00 jn'io'6 ■pe|\cA A5U-pniio)\bAbA, -00 f bAnAi jet) ■ooibb, btll-OIIV, AJU-p bACAl j, AJUp AOf JACA cex)niA ApvcenA; Agiip An b)AcAbb 1ofA bAoi 1 n<\c CbiAc Acc "oenAih niio|\bAb beo-p 6 Ainip]\ pAcpvAicc gu-p An i\e -pn, Agit-p bAoi ibbAini Cpvio-pc -OIA nibAoi ecii\ "OAOinib. "Oo ■ponA'o beo c-jxa Ai]\-oeppcoip, Agu]" -puibepfcoip ACA -pern, Ajuf geY tTi6]\ mj^Aeim n i a^ / ^^^ a 7 / the chariot Vecnc IIAlLl LU1"0 SecllllALL "00 AlTO IllACnA, OCtlf 111 11A1D1 of Saint Pa- ^ ' i l' ' . ' ' trick. Pac^aaic ln yo]y, C011ACCA1 "OAecii CA^\pviic La nniinci]\ JDAqiAic 'fO\\ A chiunn fo\\ -|"cti]i; ocu]' ]\o ^ia"oi SeclniAlt bA cojiti intjeicb ucuc "oo b]ieic "oon ep]xop .1. "oo pAcc. "UaI^I "OO lltlACC PaC]AA1C, ACcbllAp "OO A1li]'1t1. 1xO IllbcO A CA^ipAcc yo\\ 11A edni, ocu]' nupiroi-oi Pachaic cen "ouine beo, CO ]:eocA]\ innAiToi]^ni^\c bA HlocbcAe. t/OCA^\ "oei^^ebb A]\AbA|\AC CO 'OonHIAcb SeCHAlbb. boCA^I 1A^\ 11A1]1Ce]\ "OO Cbibb ^uxibi. b-ocA^i lAiipiii-oiti CO Cibb llloiiAch. "LocAii u\]\v\ni CO piACC CO Sbeibci. 1fpi cucaic in cbA|\pAicc "oo b]\eic CO piACC, A^i no ceijet) "oia SAcbAi^UTO Initii coinbic oc Cnncc '0^\oniniA CobbAi. IIaiih "oo Ann. 11. bAi^ijin beip, iie]io pvMiiA eyz. 'Oia SacIiai^ui'o Ca^c -oo CAiget) -oo- cbiini Sbeibn, ocvip "oo chaijici boinnn beip "oeu .n. pAnibnp. Ipi cucAic in CA]ipAicc "00 b]\eic1i "oo "PiACC, ]io cbnAi "OAib A coipp conibn comocbjiAib bAp]' "oo. [literal translation.] At a certain time Sechnall went to Ard Macha, and Patrick was not at home, and he saw two chariot horses with Patrick's people before him, unyoked. And Sechnall said : It were more proper to give those horses to the bishop, that is to Fiacc. Wlien Patrick returned he was told that thing. Their chariot Avas [then] yoked upon the horses, and Patrick sent them without any person with them, until they were in his Desert with Mochtae. They went southward the following day to Domhnach Sechnaill [Dunshaughlin]. APPENDIX. G07 They Avent by the east to Cill Auxili. They went after that to CiJl app. civ . Monacli. They went after that to Fiacc to Slcibhte. The cause of of O' • giving the chariot to Fiacc was because he used to go on Shrove- Patrick, Saturday until he reached [i.e. used to go to] the Hill of Dromm Coblai. ff„]'^f^^a^ He had a cave there. Five cakes he had with him, vera fama est. the chariot On Easter Saturday he used to come (back) to Sleibhfe [Sletty], and trickl"'' ^^ used to bring with him a bit of his five loaves. The cause of giving the chariot to Fiacc was that chafers had gnaAved his leg so that death was near him. [Tripartite Life of St. Patrick, p. 144, my copy; Egerton MS. 93, p. 36, British Museum.] The following is the passage in the Book of Armagh (fol. 18. b.) : Passage in tuit) SechnAbt 1<\]\C [a .1. roiUpser, illuminates.] Hi diet) CM nieic noenn, A TI1 conic Amgbiu, A Clioini-oiij nAn-oome. A. Cboiiii'oiu nAn*ooine, A -|A1 yi^MAn p]\-iiiAicli, ConAin]AAib cac I'obA'o, A]\ IllobA'O 'OOC ^M^HAIt). 'Oo pig^iAt) noinobA|i, Ob i-|' cii 1110 inii|\e, 'Oo^AAbuf A]i ni'Ai]\e, 5pei"clii DC "DO 5tii"oe. ^ui'oiu lege 'ooib, lloillAin A]\AU ^lOgbtlf, CAin-popub cu big-'OAcll In ^Aig-jAAt) iini\o]\'oi.if. APPENDIX. 611 APPENDIX No. CXIV. [Lect. XVII., Page 367.] ^^-^5^- Original of first stanza of the peti]\e Aenguj^A, at January 1 ; Aevgma; {from the same). '^''"' ^• He pi ■oaIac1i "ooine, ' UAitjet) in Hi ^AetTiAin ; LniT) 1:6 ^Aechc ajto ejAAit, C]\iix 1 CAtlAin-o eiiAi^^. APPENDIX No. CXV. [Lect. XVIL, Page 368.] Original of stanza of the ipeh\^e xXengUj^A, at March 17 \_St. ^I'^/l^^. Patrick'] ; (from the same). Mar. n. ' tAp'AjA 5]iem Aiiie, -iXfpAi e-)\enn oige, Pac]iaic, CO niec inite, llob •oiciii 'oiAi\ c]\oi5e. APPENDIX No. CXVI. [Lect. XVIL, Page 368.] Original of stanza of the y^eh\\e Aengu^^A, at April I'd [^^'^ ^^',[''f;^„ . festival of Bishop UA-jyAc] ; {from the same). Ap. i3(st. In iM^-epooc UAppAch, "Oo be]\c, 6 'CO nAnic, Co]\p C^M^x, in ^vig "PijvbAitc, La CumAinn tDo Pac]iaic. APPENDIX No. CXVII. [Lect. XVIIL, Page 373.] Original of the " Canon of St. Patriclc\ from the "Book o/^he "Canon Armagh'' {fol. 21. h. h.). trick", from the Book of Item quicumque similiter per inclustriam atque injiiriam vel ne- Armagh. quitiam malum quodqiie opus contra familiam seu pai-ucliiam ejus perficerit aut prasdicta ejiis insignia dispexerit ad libertatem examinis ejusdem Airddmachse prssulis rccte judicantis perveniet caussa to- tius negotionis cseteris aliorum judicibus pra^termissis. Item quEBCumque causa valde difficilis exorta fuerit atque ignota cunctis Scotorum gentium judicibus ad cathedram arcliiepiscopi Hibernensium, id est Patricii atque hujus antestitis examinationem recte refFerenda. Si vero in ilia cum suis sapientibus facile sanari non poterit talis caussa pr£edicta3 negotionis ad sedem apostolicam decrevimus esse mittendam, id est ad Petri apostoli cathedram auctoritatem Romae urbis babentem. Hii sunt qui de lioc decreverunt, id est Auxilius, Patricius, Se- 39 b 612 APPENDIX. Ap. cxvii. cundiniis, Benignvis. Post vero exitum Patricii sancti alumpni sui ^j^ .ip valde ejusdem libros conscripserunt. of Saint Pa- r n trick", from [tEANSLATION.J the Book of _ . • ti r. t t Armagii. Moreover, "whosoever m like manner, of malice prepense, and wrongfully or ■wickedly, shall do any injury to liis family or parish, or shall treat his aforesaid insignia -with contempt, the case of the entire matter at issue shall be submitted to the free investigation of the same prelate of Ardmacha, duly judging thereof, other judges of other (tribiuials) being passed over. Moreover, if any case should arise of extreme difficulty and beyond the knowledge of all the judges of the nations of the Scots, it is to be duly referred to the chair of the archbishop of the Irish, that is to say, of Patrick, and the jurisdiction of this bishop (of Armagh). But if such a case, as aforesaid, of a matter at issue, cannot be easily disposed of (by him) with his counsellors in that (investigation), we have decreed that it be sent to the apostolic seat, that is to say, to the chair of the Apostle Peter, having the authority of the city of Eome. These are the persons who decreed concerning tliis matter, -vaz., Auxilius, Patrick, Secundinus, and Benignus. But after the death of Saint Patrick his disciples carefully -wi'ote out his books. [The last tAvo paragraphs are printed in Part 3 (Imt not correctly) by Archbishop Ussher (1631), who translates the passage as fol- lows: — "\ATaensoever any cause that is very difficult, and unknoAvn luito all the judges of the Scottish nations, shall arise, it is rightly to be referred to the see of the archbishop of the Irish (to "wit, Patrick), and to the examination of the prelate thereof. But if there, by liim and his -wise men, a cause of this nature cannot easily be made up, we have decreed it shall be sent to the See Apostolic, that is to say, to the chair of the apostle Peter, which hath the authority of the city of Eome" — Beligion of the Ancient Irish, cap. viii. ; Works, vol. iv., p. 330. He cites the original in the note, and gives it as an extract from Vet. Codex Ecclesioe Armachance.'] APPENDIX No. CXVIII. [Lect. XVIIL, Page 374] Original of the last sentence of the " Rule of St. Coiiim Citte"; aiii". iyfvom MS., Vol. XVII., Burgiindian Library of Brussels; see App. No. CX.). " -AjA tiA bece^v inej^pA, uc *Oominii-|" aic, Hon AppApebrj" Alice me tiAcuiip". [This little tract is published, with my translation, by the Irish Archaeological Society ; in the volume [for 1850] containing Primate Colton's Visitation, edited by the Rev. Dr. Reeves (p. 109).] The " Rule of St. Colum APPENDIX. G13 APPENDIX No. CXIX. [Lect. XVIII., Page 376.] ^^-cxix Original of extract from an Ancient Treatise on, or Exposition y^^l^^^^^ ^^ of] the 3Iass (^from the \je, lAf cAin-bef Alb, lim-oei^ic octif icfocAif e ; UAif ipfin clnifp- fA fo^AbAf "oefmifecc nA -oeefci 'oo]\oifce cec n-oeeifc .1. A ci-onocut fen cen cinAit) -oAfcen-o cliinAt) fit -A-OAim. If befin nnoffo, oi^e ocuf conitAncnif nA biffe CACAtc- ■OAi, AtnAit fo]ic1iAncAf ifin Scfipciiif , ecc. Prayer of St. Aireran "tlieWise". Gloss of tlie word Oirc.his or Ail chis. Prnyers of Col'ju Ua Duineclida. APPENDIX No. CXX. [Lect. XVIII., Pages 378, 379.] Original of the commencement of the Invocation of God the Son in the Prayer of St. Aif efAn the Wise; ( from teAbAji bui-oe UcAin, MS. H. 2. 16., T.C.D., col. 33^). O TJeuf pAcef oninipocenf 'Oeuf exe]\cicuuni mifefeft nobif. A X)e Az\^A^\\ intecbni-nAcbcAij, a *Oe nAftoj Aifcliif t)in, Aifcbif "Din A 'Oe tutecbuiTiAcbcAig. A Ifu Cfifc. A ITI1C *Oe bi. A III1C fogenAif fo -oi. A oengem TDe AcbAf . The petition to the Holy Spirit (same Appendix) begins:- Aifcbif -oin A "Oe uitecuiiiAccAij. A Spi]\nc lloib. Spi]\i-ic If iiAifte CAcb Spifiic. A APPENDIX No. CXXI. [Lect. XVIII., Page 379.] Original of explanation of the word Oifcif (or -Aiiicif), in an ancient Glossary, referring to the Prayer of St. Aif e|\An ; {from MS. II. 3. lb., T.C.D.,p. 534.). Oifcif .1. fUfrAcc, Am Alt A-oeif a niifnAi-oci -AififAin in CcnA. Oif cif ■cm a "Oe -(XcIiaiii nitecuniACCAig. APPENDIX No. CXXII. [Lect. XVIIL, Pages 379, 380.] Original of commencements of the first and second ptarts of the Prayer of Cotgn VI a TDmnecvA; (from the l/CAbAf iDui-oe UcAin, MS. H. 2. 16., T.C.D.; col. 336). Aceocb ffic A 1fu Tloib, -oo ceicbpe SuifcetAije f0]Xfib- f At) "OO ShofcetAi CoiiToecA, et)on niAUA, TTlAifcc, LncAf ,1oin. APPKNDIX 615 The second prayer begins [citfol. 337]: — AP. CXXII. A Ij'VI noeli, A ChA]AA COeni, a llectll inATOirrOA, a 5lUAt1 Piayersof tAti U\idii-oe ciiinx)Achx)Ai, a \)]\eo ah iha p]\en ocuy, m^ otinechda. pHin-oe, octif niA bichbecliAt), ocuy iiia biclif udiAineuA-o. APPENDIX No. CXXIII. [Lect. XVIII., Page 380.] Original of commencement of an Ancient Litany of the Blessed ^jicient Vh'gin Mary; (from the \^e^h^]\ 111 6]\ 'OutiA 'Ooij|\e, no lo the ba^ji. called l/eAbA]\ b]\eAc, ILl.A.,fol. 121.). A tntnpe mop, a lTltii]\e Af mo "ootiA ITltiipb, a Romo|\ ha mbAn, A Ili^An ha tiAingeb. APPENDIX No. CXXIV. [Lect. XVIIL, Page 381.] Original of commencement of the Litany of ^Aengu-p Ceibe "Oe Litany of {from the same hooh,fol. 11. a. h.). cem'ii- U-pi CAecAic cuiictiA "00 AibicbiAib KomAii gAbj^AC .h. blmete tim tlouAb, tim tlem-penctiATO, um Cho|\nticAn, pen 1e|nim [ecc] Ueo^A mile aucIiaha-o ]\o]"cectAmpAc La 1Tlti- mAiii y\\^ boen-ceipc urn G]^poc 1bAi]\, -oia cAbA|\c1iACA|A Ain^eb *Oe in •jrteit) mAi]\ "oo -[Mgrie SAncc IDjai^ic "oo Ipu ida cjAitDiu, pe]i lepum [ecc.] Up caccaic AiLicbe^^ Aite tocA]\ Ia liAibAin, buA "oo ]:epAib llomAn, ocup LecA, pe|A lej^um. fecc] U]\i cAecAic ye\\ 5l^A1■o, pi-n^MAgbAcb cec oen, -co ^oe'cetu, tocA]-i a noibic1ii-|\ inoenpenuit), um AbbAn mAC hui Co]\mAic. pep lepum [ecc] [literal translation.] Three times fifty canoes (full) of Eomaii pilgrims, who took up in Hi Imele, "with Notal, with Nemhsenchaidh, with Cornutan, per Jesum [etc.]. The three thousand father confessors who congre- gated in Mumhain to consider the one question under Bishop Ibair, by whom to the angel of God was ascribed the great feast which St. Brigit made for Jesus in her heart, per Jesum [etc.]. Tlie other three times fifty pilgruiis, Avho went into Scotland (Albain) third in succession to the men of Rome and Letha, per Jesum The three times fifty men in holy orders, each of them being a man of Rule, of the Gaedhil Avho Avent into pilgrimage in one synod with Abban, the son of Ua Cormaie, per Jesum [etc.]. [The following poem, ascribed to St. Brigid, is the only tract that I have Poem hy met which could throw any possible light on tlie circumstances of the synod St. Brigid. held in Munster under Bishop Ibar. The poem is undoubtedly an ancient one, and must, I am sure, have been in existence in the time of Aenghus. (It is taken from the MS. Vol. XVII., Burgundian Library, Brussels) : — 616 APPENDIX. AP. rxxiv. Poem by St. Brifjid. "biMgliicc (ccc.) llopA'6 rtiAic leni copni-lnix) mop, UopAT) mAicleiTi Tnuinnce|\ nimVie AccA lioL x:\\e bice fi-p, RopA-o iriAiu iem cAiti\ce Cy\eicme cfVAbATO jLaiii, UopAX) 1T1A1C Lein tnifCA GcIa oc ino c|\eib. llopAT) inAiu Lem -pp iiiiiie, 1in uejli-oAi^ yein. tlopA-o nuMu tern •oA'bcvN Annineic "oo A|Aei]\. KopA'6 niAic ieiii befciMi "OeiiAcce -00 ■oaiI, ■RopA-o iriAic teni efc-pA C]\ocAi]\e "oiA ■OAvm. HopA'6 111A1C bein ■poiclielL. "Oo bicli inA \vYX- llopA'o niAiu beni Ij'i.i \)e6y ■oo beic ip'lT* llopATD niAic bem iia ceo|\A triAiiM, rtnA'o A cbii, ■RopAX) niAic belli Tniiniiire]\ ninie •OA cec ■oii. RopAT) niAiu beni co]\bAiii Clf Alge "DOII -pbAic, triAT) c1ie^"f linnet) po-fVfA cip]\e'6 beiTOAcc niAicli. RopA'6 inAicb bem. Brigid (cecinet). I should like a great lake of ale Tor the King of the Kings ; I should like the family of Heaven To be drinking it through time eternal. I should like the viands Of beUef and pure piety ; I should like flails Of penance at my house. I should like the men of Heaven In my own house ; I should like kieves Of peace to be at their disposal, I should hke vessels Of charity for distribution ; I should like caves Of mercy for their company. I should like cheerfulness To be in their drinking; I should like Jesus, Too, to be here (among them). I should like the three Marys of illustrious renown; I should like the people Of Heaven there from all parts. I should like that I should be A rent-payer to the Lord ; That, should I suffer distress, He would bestow upon me a good blessing. I should like [etc]. APPENDIX No. CXXV. [Lect. XVIII., Page 383.] Aa.iress of Original of passage in the AjAttArii -A\ie Clnnnn, of the word UAitcenn, or '^ci^nenn. UAitgenn. UicyAc CAitciiTO, coinic]v\c i\iiAnu\, noipc ce'LtA ceoitci^e benx)ACA (.i. teo, i.e. hy them), bei"ix)chopAi^\, iti -|:tAic nnbAclA. The folloAving explanation of the word Tailginn, or Tailcenn, is from the opening of the ancient Law compilation, called the Scnchus Mor, or Great History, in the completion of which St. Patrick took part along with King Laeghaire and others (vellum M.S., H. 3. 17., T.C.D., p. 1), Avhere this prophecy of the Druids is quoted, with an interlined gloss, as follows, [and see another version in App. No. CXXXIII., post, p. 624.] Ui u c]:ai "o c ai hji n n ,^*^ Ua|a intii-|\ nieinginn, A c]\oinTi c|\oin-cirin,^''^ A cinn coht-cinn,'^''^ A iniAi'A^'^^ in iA]ACA-p [read Aipcmn] Aci^e, ^•oepuic VII he Ainen. f"' .1. Intucc "OA cuLingfre cac a cinn Ag fLeccum, i.e., the parties to whom all persons will humble their heads in genviflexion. C*^ .1. ImbvXclA ci\om»\ iiv\ lokmAib, i.e., their bent staffs in their hands. o .1. A coi]Mie iniA centiAib, i.e., their coronas (tonsures) upon their heads. •<*) .1. A iiaIco^x, i.e., their altars. The connection or relation between the words Tuluigh, to humble, and Tailcenn or Tailginn, the person or persons (for the last form is plural) may be seen from the folloAving example, taken from the vel- lum M.S., H. 3. 18., T.C.D., p. 653 :— ni mui^ c^xeciiAc cAib5iue]\ ^\e It is not the tempestuous sea that iiAibnib 1]\ .1. tniilA no cen-inigA'o abates to angry rivers, i.e., that hum- .1. nocA ciiiAijenn in nniii\ c^\eii- bles, or is pacified ; that is, the power- conriAc \\\Y iia liAibnib -peixgACA, 110 ful-billowy sea does not humble itself fucAine. to [either] the angry or placid rivers. And yet it is difficidt to avoid thinking that there is as much natural relation between the word Toll-cinn, tonsured-head, and Tail- cinn, as there is between the latter and Tidaighenn, to humble; and, indeed, a very curious case in pomt occurs in the very ancient tale of the Bruighen Da Derga, in the ancient Leabhar na h- Uidhre (fob 63. b.), in the Royal Irish Academy. Ingcel, the pirate chief, in describing the monarch Conaire Mor's attendants, says : — AcconriA-pc Aire bo-p]\-6cbAec a^ I saw there a portly young man beiAib riA im'OAe cecriAe ^o|v bA-p in in front of the same couch in the cige. Acif niAibe fAi|A. pnnici]^ middle of the house. The disgrace cAnAc fbebe cac pnnA Af ai' cfMAnA of baldness was upon him. As fair cent), ***** CAvicinne, as the mountain cotton (cat's tail?) 618 APPENDIX. cxxvrr. As to the word Tniicenn, or Tailgenn. Ancient account of the Baili an Scdil. |\15 -oiMic 1\15 Cem|\0i6, ctej'AfniiAd is every hair that grows through his ClioriAipe in pii ; fe]\ c oniric iii6ij\ head. ***** That man is 111 ]:e|\]Mn. Taulchinn^, the royal buffoon of the King of Tei/iair, juggler to Conair^ Mor [the monarch] ; a man of great power is tliat man. It is evident from tliis passage that the name or soubriquet of Talclienn, or Taul-chinne (which is the same as Tul-cJnnne, au in the ancient Gaedhilg being the same as u in the modern), was descrip- tive of baldness, and a term of reproach, baldness being at all times looked upon as a disgrace ; and I believe it was as a submission to disgrace or humiliation for the sake of God that the tonsure Avas first adopted by the Christian priesthood. APPENDIX No. CXXVIII. [Lect. XVIII., Page 387.] Original of ancient account of the Dai be aii ScaiI (from the MS. classed Harl. 5280, in the British Museum, p. 119). 1/AA -poboi CoiTo 1 Cein^AAig lA-p iix)ic "ooriA jAigAib, ArjiAcc niACAin modi \o\\ ^\i-]AAit ha Uem^iAc, -piA ctincbAib 5-peine, ocuf A t:\\\ 'o^\uic A]\oen p-p .1. ITlAob, uboc, Dbuicne; ocu-p A qAi pbx) .1. e-chAin, Co]\b, CefAiAti. "Po-oej AcqAAigeponi cec -oiA 111 bionpen, -oo Ai]\'o-exin, a]a ha jAb-OAOi]" Pii-p-oe y:o-\\ e^jMiTO cen aihiujat) -ooinim. In "ou "Oia nx)ecbAix)i^iom '00 ^YQ]"-, CO CA^\tA1C ctoicb AITO -pOA COpAlb, OClip I'AtcilAI'p ■puipi. Ho gep All oboe -po copAib co cbo-p p'o UemiiAig iiibi, ocu]" -po bj^ejAib. Ip AiTopin -po lAppACC Conn -oia "opui-oib CTOA ^uif gep An cboc, cia hAinm, octif CAn t)o -f\AbAX), OCUf no -pAJAX), OCtip Clt) "JAO CA]AAlbb Ueill^AAIJ. Ipe-o Tobe^Ac An '0]\ai -ppi Conn, ni i^bon-OAT) co cen-o CAecAC Laici, octip A q\i. In cAn ]ao cm'oio'o An A]Aiompn, |\up lAiApACc Conn "oon 'o\\a'\ Ap'pi'oip. 1-p Ann A'obenc An "opiAi : l^Ab AninAim nA cboice. Ini-p "PoAib a^a cAiA-OAt). UemAip rijAi p^Aib 1 -poi\]AomA"6. Ui|a UAibbcen AnAi^np^e co b]\Ac, ocu^Mpi An ci^\pen btip oenAC cbnice cen nbep p-bAicio]' A Uem^AAij; octip 1a -oejinAC An AonAij, in p-bAiu nACAf pwijp-i bi-o cvi]\ If An bbiAX)Ainpn. II0 jep ^Ab p-oAc co-j^Aibpe Annn, ob in -o^aai, ocu-p no iAAi]\n5e|\u ; An tin jAiiAin \\o jef All cboc ipe"0 bion ^ai^ biA-p "ooc fiob co bpiAc. Tli bA me not) I'boin'op'e "oeic, ob in "opAi. AinbACA]A ie]\nin, conACOCAiA, ciaic moi]A iiTnnAciiAi]\c, connA p-e-oocA^A ci"0 "OO cocAp Ap met) An t)o^ACU t)upnAinecc; conco- Iaca^a cpediAn in niApcAi^ a]\ a nAintif. 1TloA-p niAipc tDinnn, ob Conn, t)iAnA iaaiccai a ci|a nAiniuib. 1e]Apn t)obbeci An mA-|ACAC C|A1 0]ACOpA CUCAl, ociif if cpAit)e t)tifnAnAic in copcoiA t)e5enAc inAp [in] cofclioiA coipec. 1-p t)o jum ^15 erh, o|v in t)piAi, cibe t)ibpAiciu-p Conn a UenipAij. Awc^x> lAf- APPENDIX. 619 pn An tii<\]\CAc 'oin "oibjAACCA-o, 0011]" cic cuca, ocuf |.'e]\Ai]" cxxvin. fAitci y\\'[ Conn, octi|" conjAjxc te-p "oia r\\eh. 'OufcocAjA ia- ^jj^j^jj^, |uim con-ou^ jaaIai i]'in niAg nAtAint). ConAciicA]\ An ^vi^-iaaic account of inpn 0CUI" bib 6\\x)iuii|" nuvcAin 1Tltic]AAiine, 1iiu\ coeu]'AX) iiuMivbiti. \)^^ X)-[\\yAy\ Xio A]\c iiiac Ctnnx) Cu meic -AitefLA Oltnni. 'OlA'OA|raom -[TICTO cac A cAoctif "La 1^1 1 LtijAc. U]ucA btiA'OAin iiAinA In cAn no "ooc ib'OAA. [translation]. A duy that Conn was in Temair after the destruction of the kings, he went up at early [morning] upon the royal rath of Temair^ at the rising of the sun; and his three druids along with him, namely, Maol, Bloc, Bhuicne; and his three poets, namely, JEthain, Corh, Cesarn. The reason that he Avent up there every day -with that number, to view all the points [of the heavens] was, in order that hill-meu [fairy-men] should not rest upon Erinn unperceived by him. The spot that he always frequented, he happened to meet a stone there under his feet, and he stood upon it. The stone screamed under his feet so as that it was heard all over Temair, and over Bregh [or Bregia]. Then Conn asked of his druids what the stone screamed for, what was its name, and where it came from and where it should go to, and Avhat broixght it to Temair S^^'^^ What the druid said to Conn Avas, that he Avould not tell till the end of fifty daj^s and three. AVhen the number had ended. Conn asked the druid again. It was this the druid said : '■'■Fed is the name of the stone. It was out of the Island of Foal it was brought. It was in Temair of the Land of Fal it was set up. In the land of Tailltin it shall abide for ever ; and it is that land that shall be the sporting fair- green as long as there shall be sovereignty in Temair; and the last day of the fair, the sovereign who does not Avitness it, there shall be hardness in that year. Fal has screamed under thy feet this day, said the druid, and prophesied ; the number of calls Avhich the stone has screamed is the number of kings that shall come of thy seed for ever: It is not I that shall name them for thee", said the druid. As they Avere there, after this, they saAv a great mist all roiuid, so that they kneAV not Avhere they Avent, from the greatness of the darkness Avhich had come ; and they heard the noise of a horseman approaching them. " It AA^ould be a great grief to us", said Conn, " if Ave should be carried into an unknoAvn country". After this the horseman let fly three throAvs [of a spear] at them, and the last throAV came with greater velocity than the first throAV. " It is the wounding of a king, indeed", said the druid, " Avhoever shoots at Conn in Temair". The horseman then desisted from the shooting, and came to them, and bade welcome to Conn, and he took them A\ith him to (258) It will be perceived below that this question is not answered by the druid ; the stone, howevtr, had been brouglit to Temair by the Titatha Di Danann. APPENDIX. G21 his house. They went forward then until they entered a beautiful cxxviii. plain. And they then saw a kingly rath and a golden tree at its . door ; and they saw a splendid house in it, under a roof-tree of uccoimt of Findruine; thirty feet was its length. They then went into the anscdii^ house, and they saw a young woman in the house with a diadem of gold upon her head ; a silver kieve with hoops of gold by her, and it full of red ale ; a golden can [escni] on its edge ; a golden ciip at its mouth. They saw the Seal [champion]] himself in the house before them, in his king's seat. There was never found in Temair a man of his great size, nor of his comeliness, for the beauty of his form, the wonderfulness of his face. He spoke to them and said to them : " I am not a Seal indeed, and I reveal to thee part of my mystery and of my renown : It is after death I have come ; and I am of the race of Adam ; Lug, son of Edlenn, son of Ttghernmas, is my name. What I have come for is, to reveal to thee the life of thine own sovereignty, and of every sovereign who shall be in Temair". And the maiden who was in the house before them was the sovereignty of Erinn for ever. It was this maiden that gave the two articles to Conn, namely, an ox-rib and a hog -rib. Twenty-four feet was the length of the ox- rib ; eight feet between its arch and the ground. When the maiden came to distribute the drink, she said to them : " Who shall this bowl be given to ?" The Seal ansAvered, that every sovereign from Conn down for ever would be named. They went from out of the shadow of the Seal, and they did not perceive the rath nor the house. The kieve was left with Conn, and the golden escra, and the bowl. It is from this have come the " Vision [£aile^ of the Seal, and the ad- venture and journey of Conn". [There is something irregular here, as this paragraph ought to be the end of the tale.] " "Wlio shall this bowl with the red ale be distributed to ?" said the maiden. " Distribute of it", said the Seal, " to Co7in of the hundred battles : that is, he will gain an hiuidred battles. Fifty years shall he spend Avhen he shall die. He Avill fight battles, namely, the battle of Bregh; the battle of Eli; the battle of Aiche; the battle of Macha; the battle of Cenn-tire; seven battles in Magh-Line; the battle of Cuailgne; seven battles in Cldirine, etc. " In his combat Avith Tipraite, Though unequal in strength, their advance ; It is he that shall be Avounded Avhile cleaving The hosts that shall accompany him. " Woeful for Conn of the hundred battles. After having paved Dreeh-Mhagh, He is killed, after having gone round all the bays, On Tuesday in Tuath Eemruis". " Who shall this boAvl with the red ale be distributed to ?" said the maiden. " Distribute of it", said the Seal, " to Art, the son of Conn. A man of three shouts". G22 APPENDIX. CXXVIII. Ancient account of tlie Baili an Scdil. " He shall fight the battle of Fidh-Ros, the morning of Mucriiimhe, In which shall fall great Avarriors, It will be woeful to Art the son of Conn, With the sons of OiliU Oluim. " Upon Thursday he fights the battle In which he falls by the sons of Lughaidh. Thirty years only (shall he reign) At the time that he shall be slain". Flann. APPENDIX No. CXXIX. [Lect. XVIII., Pages 389, 390.] Reference to Original of staiiztt, referring to the l3Aite ah ScaiI, in the Poem scdii,^^ on the succession of the Kings of Tara, hij "ptAnn UlAinii^- TZYBC, from the Book of Leinster; H. 2. 18., T.C.D.; fol. 98, {'62nd stanza); and original of first line of the same Poem. ITlA^Ab lAjAflA -|M5A 'oon cfbo^, e-oco min-^bAn 111 u 5111 et) on, 1xO p^AA-O, CTO C]\UC Albe, 1vo ^x|\ibA'o ifpn ScAb-bAibe. — II15 Ueiii]\A tDiA ce^^bAiTO cnu. — Poem by King Art. APPENDIX No. CXXX. [Lcct. XVIIL, Page 391.] Original of first line of the ^^Projyhetic^ Poem ascribed to A]\x: " the Lonely', son of Conn {from l/eAbAjA nA b-tli-6]Ae, R.I.A.,folll). CAin "oo 'OennA 'oen. APPENDIX No. CXXXI. [Lect. XIX., Page 392.] asciTbecuo ^'"^'^^'^laZ of the heading and coimnencement of a Prophecy of St. Patrick, ascribed to pmn IIIac CuniAitb (from a vellum MS. in T.C.I)., classed H. 3. 17,;>. 835). Fi7in lUac Cumhaill. ■puTO llA biMi'cne ceciniu, occ cAii\cec ino cof]'A e^'ce ^recov'o A)\f''^ mm iie^c •nAi)\cniif, Aclic''^^ cLoch ■otortiAif p5V^i''i'''''o l^ecc^**) CATo cAifelbuAi co n^pok- •OAib^^-'noeb Spi]\& upeojA-oAi, ci\en-b]AecAi5. Finn, the grandson of Baiscn^, fore- telling of Patrick, when he slipped off the flag on which he afterwards came to Erinn : It is not through a path of crime my foot has come/"^ For of strength I am not bereft,(W But a stone rejects a Fenian king/*^) A flag*^"^ ' which represents a cliaste man with the dignities of the Holy Spirit.^'-) It will not bear God-grieving, fleshy, Fenian bodies."'-' A residence j^leasant,*^^) with Angels to watch in presence [of the rock] in the heavy circle of plaintive clerical music, preachiug^'^.' a great^'' work. With ornamented instrviments, whose name is, the Altar of the all-direct- hig, strong-judging God. APPENDIX. 623 Ci\eipti Anne-pc ne|\c ninmoin ^^> tlAniA 5IIA, 5|\AT)A15C1'D pnt) ■p|\- iri'oe neni-p liuAi'o.i, )'0'|y<.\'o i'ui- 'onijA'o, -oiAneT) ^Mj-rinxje nem ; 'oiAni'o fO'pceme'L cAUini, aiii^iL CO cu|\ ceoAc 1 CAcAip Ciiif cc. Conui- TA'pcAjx CAilcenti c^en "oo-o ^c^re Jiilf oen A|\ c]\ec^e, conbiA A cIiLaiih bicViriAi'oe ceii iiia^aa]' Ciocli Coc|\Ai5e/i) Pac|\aic. pine. [ininin JA'o.] (*) .1. til c)\i coe Ai^ce "ooivAinci]" mo coif. .1 . ni ImixcVipA nii\c pb of um. (•=) .1. ACC If Cbocll fig "ftAtW f1f ■obomAif in cboc. <'') .1. If CAiT) in CI 'oiAnAfcAf in'ef A f A in cloic. (^) .1. 'SfA'OA epfcoif). (^ .1. ni fVniAinj cuf-pA nA p^^i'ii^ feoilniAf cf AitJic "OiA. <*) .1. If AfUf nAicc nAinjeb bic ica ifnAToe pAcfAic In fiAt)- nAife nA bice. C") .1. feAnmoif no ccAgAfc. (') .1. nion ceifc. ('').i. •oiADAib. nminoin .1. AnmAin. ('li. Ainni Aibe -oo pACfAic Coc- fAije. [It is quite clear that there are two stones, or rather, a stone and a rock, referred to in this curious ancient piece ; that is, if we believe the heading to be correct, either in its first form, or vnih my presumed correction. One of these was an altar stone, that upon which either Patrick or the leper came to Erinn ; and the other the celebrated Rock of Cashel, which to this day is called Carraig Phatraic, or Patrick's Rock, but which was also anciently called Leac Phatraic, or Patrick's Flag-stone. It is alluded to in a popular oath imder that name — •oAf An bic pACf aic aca a cCAifeb : "By the Leac Phatraic which is in Cashel". See the old tale of ceipieAih injine siniibb ("the Grumbling of GoU's Daughter"), a story of Feidhlim Mac Crimhthainn, king of Munster, who died A.D. 845. The city called Core's City, where the angels Avere to keep vigil for the coming of Patrick, was the City of Cashel, first founded by Core Mac Lughach (who was king of ]\Iunster at the time of Patrick's coming), he having been induced to do so by the resort of angels to the place, as will be seen in the Note on Edith Breasail (ante), Appendix III., p. 485.] Its strength is more preyailing than ^p_ cxxxi. the strength of the soul's false ene- — '- — '- ' my.^'') The lover of fair truth, the " Prnphecy" illustrious Heavenly King, who on ascribed to His throne sitteth; whose kingly F^mn Mac throne is Heaven, whose footstool is the Earth. Angels seeking Him shall be in Core's City. Until comes the powerful Tailcenn, who will heal every one who shall believe; whose children shall be perpetual as long as Cothraiff/ie's,'^^ Patrick's, Rock shall live. Finis. [gloss.] (a' i.e., it is not through a path of crime I have brought my foot, (b) i.e., it is not decay of strength that is on me. (") i.e., but it is the stone of a Fenian king which the stone rejects. ('') i.e., he is a chaste person for whom comes my refusal by the stone. (^) i.e., the dignities of a bishop. C) I.e., it will not bear the bodies of the fleshy Fianns who grieve God. ^''> i.e., it is a pleasant residence with the angels who are watching for Patrick in presence of the flag. *'') i.e., a sermon or instruction. ^') i.e., of great right, f'') i.e., of the devil. Ninmoin; i.e., a soul. C' i.e., another name for Patrick is Cothraighe. 624 APPENDIX. APPENDIX No. CXXXII. [Lect. XIX., Page 395] "Prophecy" Original of stanzas in one of the ^^Ossianic'^ Poems, containing a poemf'''^'' ''Prophecy' ascribed to pnn HUc CuiiiAiU {MS. H. 1. 11, ^?,?ir T.C.D.,p.in). 11 1 *oo i' All-in e line CiimAit'L, 1mA]i clAijingin An \\\^ co ]\ac, -Aingit 50 pH *0A A-OIAAX). O. Inneoi^AT) -otnu i^eAl 50 5^111111, A phACjiAic CAi-o true CAtp]\Ainii, AgA]" bA CjAAX) tet)' Cj^AOl'Oe, 5<-\c •oaL aca a ccAi]\n5i^\e. Sui-oe "oo ]\inn pnin cai^i, O^" jlinn A5 DeniiAib e-OAi)i, 50 -p]:ACAi'6 neAt 'ou'b acuai-o, 'Oo n'n'ic Ci^Ae ■\\e ViAon-UAi^v * ***** "Oo |\oi"beA]\c CAOitce cpAOToe, lie pinn oi]roei]\c AbiiiAine, UAbAi|\ co]to65 -pot)' "oeAT) y\\- ^]- 11A teig i^inn a nei-|^li]". V- U^wiA^ pii A CliAoitce c]\Aoix)e, If ciAn tiAic in CAi]\n5i]\e, H1e|"C|''Ait) 'OAnAip CA]\ iiuii]\ ineAnn, A nuibc i:o]\ i^eA^AAit) Cii\ec\nn. ****** Pev\]A "01 A 'OA]\t)c\oin cei*6 a]^a cceAnn, Otc An iA]n-nAi]\r "o'iac Gi^^eAnn, 111 AC 111n]\chAt)A, An 'OlAbAt "OU^l, Da pAl!)A]\uA e a]\ nnnpn-o. APPENDIX No. CXXXIII. [Lect. XIX., Page 897.] ascrib'Jd''to ' Original of stanza containing the '■'•Prophecy'' attributed to the the Druid l)ruid of King l^AeJAi]\e; with the ancient Gloss, {from Laeghairi. the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick; my copy, ^. 21 ; 31 S. Egerton 93, British Museum, p. 6.) \_See also Appendix No. CXXVIL, p. 617]. UicyA cAibcent),'^^^ Ua]a itiui]\ niei]\cenn, A bjiAcc cott-cenx), A chjAAn'o^''^ c]Aom-c1ientD A miAf^"^ in Aijiuhitip a ci^i, "PliepepAC huiti. -Amen, Ainen^ [Gloss:] ("^ .1. p. 414. Original of the twelfth stanza of the preceding "Prophetic''' Poem of St. Berchan. -AbjAA-o noAc i:|ii niAc -Ao-oa, l^jii CotniAn iiio|i me cAoiiiriA, til CA ACC 'OAb ini-p o nocc, 50 n-"oec "oo 65, iia tongpoiic. Same Appendix, p>. 416. Original of the ninety-seventh stanza of the same "Prophetic'^ Poem of St. Berchan, being the frst stanza of iJie second part. AcAljl niAC, 1^" Spi]MJC llAOlil, 40 b 628 APPENDIX. App. cxLi. IpAT) AiDiAAim yo]\ Aon ; , „ ^ . „ 1r AniAiiAC cei*o An ceAt, "Prophecies ' ' ' ' attributed to PaCIIAIC IIIACA, 11111111 ■ceAIIHinAlX). St. Berehdn. ' ' ' O APPENDIX No. CXLII. [Lect. XX., Page 417.] Original of first line of a second ^'"Projjhetic" Poem attributed to St. l3e|icAii (3IS. 3. 59, Hodges and Smith Collection, R.I. A.; p. 90). fnAjicAin CA]1 iTi'eif 'o'Ci^nnii haiiii. APPENDIX No. CXLIII. [Lect. XX., Page 417 ] Original of verse quoted from a so-called ^^ Prophecy" of St. De^icAii by 1;re|i):e'p|'A O'CLe^ng {Annals of the Four Masters, A.D. 1598). A ccAc A11 AcA l3ui"6e, Ay Iai]' ciiic]re ha "OAnAiii, 1aji iToiciu^A-o AttiiniiiieAc, IDto ^^AOitit) p^i 6 'Clio]\Ai5. APPENDIX No. CXLIV. [Lect. XX., Page 417.] Original of first stanza of a ^^ Prophetic'' Poem attributed to St. \)e]\cA^^ (but believed to have been icritten by Ua-o^ O'TleAccAin, about 1716) {MS. 2. 11, Hodges and Smith Collection, R.I.A.; p. 10). UiocfA jiobA-o "oei-p 'oibonn, IIIa^i -|"A0i1ini 1 n1ni]" Cijiior.r), Cm^ipof "o^ieAin cum nnoy-olumri Le jAnb-cuinii Loca Sitionn. APPENDIX No. CXLV. [Lect. XX., Page 420.] T^e. Baiu Original of commencement of the l)Ai'Le ITlhotint: (MS. H. 2. At;be|iiiii ]w\) A ■LAigniu. Til x)o clmit) cuittnn c1iAi'obi]i CoiinecATo bA^ c]\ic1ia ^-ein, 'Oo pc]:AC coiXAi]\ "oo cliein. "Pencil Aitce^i bib, "oo-p pb iDiiib, ■pe^i^Ab niAicb rriAG IllAibe'ouin, "Oo i-'Aecb ACAib ua cAem Cuiiro, 1 CAcb AbiriAine AX)buiiiX). APPENDIX. 629 Aex) Alhsr\ coriA cViAcliAib app. cx ly. U15 t)0 -OlgAll A AcVlAjA ; The Baili "PAicebcluv^A -putTo Ia h-Aexi meiTo, Mhoung. \y biAit) i:Aen 1 pt) Cluiitterro. APPENDIX No CXLVI. [Lect. XX., Page 422.] Oriqinal of first stanza containing the so-called ^'■Prophecy'' <^/ attr'if'tTt Se-oiiA {MS. H. 1. 15, T.C.D.; p. 961). &t.sedna. '6^A\\\ |Mom A SVieA'onA, SceAtA X)ei|AeA"6 "ooiiiAin, CionnA-]^ biAi" An bine ; TIac boiH5 p|\e A mbeACA. APPENDIX No. CXLVII. [Lect. XX., Page 423.] Original of first line of Poem by 'OoiimAbb 111 ac tjpuAi'oeA'OA {circa 1570), referring to the so-called '■'■Prophecy'''' attributed Sex)nA {MS. 1. 57, Hodges and Smith Collection, P.I. A.; p. I). CiA Af 1'me CAi]\c A]A c|\ic tieibb. APPENDIX No. CXLVIII. [Lect. XX., Page 423.] Original of first ivords of so-called '•^Prophecy" attributed ^0 "Prophecy" tllAebcAlilbACCA {MS. H. 1. 10, T.C.D.; p. 167). loMael- ^ 1 . «, 1 ^ . -I • tamhlachta. AoA\\\ A mnAoibcAmLAccA. APPENDIX No. CXLIX. [Lect. XX., Page 423.] Original of passage from the Life of St. A-OAinnAn, {M.S. Vol. ^^^^^^^^]°^^ XI. 4190-4200, Burgundian Library, Brussels). namtAdam- bA -00 fAin-'OAnAib A'OAmnAin p]\ocepc octif fro^AcecAb. Ho p]AioccA"6 iA]\Ain ipn mbbiA'OAin "oeijenAc a bediAit), conue]\cA'o yocbAToi inion -peib n-Com p "oo yei\Aib 6]\enn ocup AbbAn. no cACAijex) occbAech AnAicni*6 50 CobniAn C]\UACAn Ai^be .1. AncA-juv boi 1 ConnAccAib, ocup no Aif- neToe-o in c-occbAec mo^i "oo ingAncAib "oo ChobniAn ; ocu]" A]'be]ic n^iff : 1n cAi|\n5e|Aex) ADAmnAn i:ocai"oi "oY^I^-ai^ C]\enn ocu]" AbbAn imon "peib n-Goin p? U6, ob CobniAii. bi-o p-\\ tDono, ob in"OoccbAec, i]^! in ^ocAitJi, A-OAinnAn "oo cecc 'Dociim mine imon "Peib n-Coin p. APPENDIX No. CL. [Lect. XX., Page 424.] Original of the " Vision' of St. A-OAinnAn {from thr LeA^Aji J^'gY^f"" tT16]i 'OunA "OoijiAe, novj called LeAbAH D]\eAc; R.I.A., Adamnan. fol. 129. b. b.). tJipo quAe ui-oic A"OAmnAnii^' iii]i Spiiucii SAncro pbenii]' boo epc Anjebni" X)oniini "Oixic bAec ue]\bA eiup ibbum 630 APPENDIX. The "Vision' of Siiiiit Adamnan, Waq UAe tii]iif hibe]\riiA infotAe mAtroArA 'Oomini ciaavii'- j^iA-oiencibuf . tiAe pegibu]" ec p^uncipibtii' <:|ui non t)i]Ai5tinc unicAceni ec "oibigvinc in [?] ini<|UicAuem eu -lAApinAin. tlAe •ooccopbui" •c^tn non 'oocenc tinicAcem ec conpenpnnc unicA- cibui" inipe]Apecco]Auni. tUve iiie^nc^Aicibti]^ ec peccACOjAibu-p cjui pictic poennin ec pcipnbuin conc]AemAbiincti]\ a bu]\A i^nACA in Anno bipexcili ec embote^'mi ec in pine cipcubi ec in "oecobbAcione loliAnip '0Auci|XAe. In pexcA pepiA liAec pbAjA conuenic in itbo Anno nip •oeuocA poemcenciA p]\ohibue]\ic lie TlinuencAe pecepunc. Of the disea'~e3 called the BuUlhe Choanaill and Crom Clwnnaill. APPENDIX No. CLI. [Lect. XX., Page 425.] Of the l3ui-6e ChonnAibt, and the Cponi ChonnAiti. The character and cause, or material, of this fearful pestilence, the Crom Chonnaill, has been at all times a difficulty to our old an- nalists, and to such of our Avriters as have given the subject their consideration. But as it has been no part of my plan in the course of these lectvires to go out of my way to discuss opinions which did not bear adversely on historical truth, I shall on this subject content myself with simply recording the most curious and j^recise reference to this pestilence which has hitherto appeared, except through my- self. The mere fact I communicated some years ago to Mr. W. R. Wilde, and he has published it in the " Report on Tables of Deaths", of the Census of Ireland for 1851, page 416. Among the numerous ancient and important Gaedhelic historical tracts known as the Lives of the Saints of Erinn, there is a Life of St. MacCreiche, the founder and patron of the interesting ruined chiu'ch of cm MicCreiche, near the town of Inistimon, in my native county of Clare. Like many of its class, it is a very curious docu- ment, and one of great importance in the investigation of the genealogies and topography not only of the north-western seaboard of Clare and the Arrann Islands, but of the counties of Kerry and Tipperary, and of much of the southern portion of Connacht. MacCreiche was a native of the present barony of Corcomroe, in Clare, and paternally of the same race as the O'Conors and O'Lochlainns of that country ; but his mother Avas a native of Kerry. He Avas the contemporary and friend of St. Ailbhe of Ivdiuch. [Emly], and the foster-father and tutor of St. Manchin, the founder of Cill Manchin, (now called St. Munchin's), in the city of Limerick. When the Crom Chonnaill pestilence was raging, about the year 544, the liife tells us in this short passage that, 1p Annpn cAn^ACAp ceccA o ChiAp^iAi^e Ap cent) TDlieic Cpeice, CO ntDecbi^At) "oo "oion^mAib pbAiji "oiob, Ap bA 'oiob A TTiACAip; ocnp bA hi An pl-Aig ifin .i. An Cbpoin ChonnAibt, APPENDIX. 631 ]\o bAi Ag "|:o]A'b-Aip ]:o]i]AA hi 1Tliii^ t1tc\'6. 'Cei'o ITIac C]\eice app. cli. CAeuc inScop A'PAnAic. IllAipc eppAij imoppo, lApCAi^^c tpe tAich pecbrniAine bicicpA inScop int)i5Ait cepcA Coin, uc t)ixic ITloting, ocpii5|\At) nA peite Coin: — lliyeit Com ric]:A rpepp, SiiiireiY e-ipint) AnAi]it)e]Y, '0]\Aic tont) toiix|'ei" CAcb ponicc, Cen choiTiAint) cen pACApbAic. APPENDIX No. CLIV. [Lect. XX., Page 432.] Giraidus ^ Original of tico jjassages froju Giraldus Camhrensis, concerning pretendeT^ pretended ^''Prophecies'''' of political events. " Prophecy" . by St. Cuium [The Title of Cambrensis' Avork is Expvgnatio Hibernim, sive ''* ■ Historia Vaticinalis Silvestris Girakli Cambrensis ; and the following extracts are taken from the edition of that piece published by Camden in his " Anglica, Normannica, Hibernica, Cambrica, a veteribus scripta", etc., Francofurti ; ISIDCIII,, p. 755. The passage from Cambrensis, liber ii., cap. 16 (p. 794, 1. 41), is as follows : — " Tunc impletu est, vt dicitur illud Hibernici Columbfe vaticiniu; qui bellu istud longe prfEcinens, tanta in eo futura, inquit, ciuiu strage, vt hostes ad genua eorunde fuso cruore natarent. Pr« glisis namq ; mollicie, dum ad ima penetraret humana ponderositas, terras lubricaj sanguis profluus superficiem tenens, genua cruraque de APPENDIX. 635 facili pertingebat. Scribit etiam idem vates, vt ferttir, quendam -ipp. cliv. paiipero & meudicvi, & quasi de aliis terris fugace, cum parua manu Dunam venturum ; & citra maioris autoritatem vrbem obtenturu. cambiensis' Bella quoq; plurima, variosq; reru euentus : qua; omnia de Joamie pretended _ de Curcy siuit manifeste completa. Ipse vero Joan, librii liunc ^'y st. ^Coiwn proplieticu Hibernice scriptum tanqua operum suoru speculii p ''''"^• manib. dicitur habuisse. Legitur quoq ; in eode lib. Juuene quendam cum armata manu Guaterfordije muros violenter irruptu- rum, & cum magna ciuium strage urbem obtenturum. Eiuidem quoq; per Guesefordiam transiturum, & demum absq; difficultate Dubliniam intraturum. Qua3 omnia de Comite Richardo costat esse completa. Vrbem quoq; Limericensem, ab Angiorum gente bis deserendam, & tertio retinendam Sanctus ille testatur. Sed deserta quidem iam bis videtur, Primo, vt dictu est, a Reymtuido : se- cundo a Pliilippo, sup. c. 18. de Breusa : qid cum ad vrbem sibi datam, aqua tamen interlabente veniret : citra conatus omnes, & insultus eandem reuertendo deseruit : sicut plenius siio loco dicetur. Vnde juxta idem vaticinium : vrbs tertio petita, erit retinenda, vel potius longe post sub Hammone de Valoignes Justitiario fraudu- lenter destructa, & per Meylerivim restaurata recuperataque". The passage from the same book, cap. xxxiii. (p. 806, 1. 57), is as follows : — " Cum enim quatuor Hibernici prophetas habere dicantur : Mo- lingum, Braccanum, Patricium, & Columkyllum (quorum etiam apud illos libri adhuc extant Hibernice scripti) de hac expugnatione loquentes omnes testantur eam crebris conflictibus longoque certa- niine multa in posterum tempora multis ca^dibus fadaturam. Sed vix parum ante diem iudicii, pleuam Angiorum populo victoriam compromittunt ; Insulamq ; Hibernicam de mari vsque ad mare ex toto subactam, et incastellatam. Et quanquam Angiorum populum antea pluries bellici discriminis in Insula vices experiendo turbari cotingat, & debilitari (sicut Braccani testimonio, per quenda Regem de desertis Patricii montibus vfturum, & nocte Dominica castrum quodda in nemorosis Ophelania; partib^ irrupturum ; Omnes fere Anglici ab Hibernia turbabuutur) eorundem tame assertione, Ori- entaUa Insular maritima continue semper obtinebit". APPENDIX No. CLV. [Lect. XX., Page 434.] Original of stanza of a pretended ^^Prophecif quoted by ySzr " Prophecy" George Carew in 1602 (Careio 3IS., 607, p. 149 ; Lambeth s°rG.'carew, Library, London). ^" ^^*^^- Uic]:ex) "oo CAApc ah CliAjuitiAi^ 50 mux) hAi]\eAC lib AiToencAOi, "but) hioni-oA glop AlbupAi^ "Oa ]XAOileAt) coil" riA ITIiacIaoi 636 APPENDIX. AFP. cLvi. APPENDIX No. CLVI. [Lect. XXL, Page 453.J tvjfcAoftA-ir ^f ^^^ accounts of the celebrated King of Ulster, ConcobAjA MacSessa. ITIaC TleffA. Conchobhar was popularly called Conchohhar Mac Nessa, from liis mother Nessa, daughter of an Ulster chief named Echaidh Sal- bhuidhe, the wife of another Ulster chief named Fachtna. Nessa was left a widow in the prime of youth and beauty, at a time at which Fergus Mac Roigh was king of the province, and when Conor was seven years old. Fergus fell in love with the widow, and proposed marriage to her, with a request to name her doAvry. The widow consented on condition that the sovereignty of the province should be resigned to her son, Conchohhar, for one year ; in order, as she said, that his children might be called the children of a king. Fergus took counsel with his people, and they advised him to agree to the condition, feeling that the youth would be but too glad to get rid of the cares of government long before the year was expired. In this, however, they were mistaken ; for when his mother found herself in a position of wealth and inflvience, she supplied the boy and his tutors, who, of course, were his counsellors, with all the money, goods, and other wealth that she could lay hold on, to be distributed secretly among the most important and influential chiefs of the province. She also advised and enabled him to keep up a style of splendour and hospitality such as none of his predecessors ever attempted before him ; so that his court soon became the resort and residence of all that was brave, dignified, scientific, and learned in his kingdom. The poets extolled him in verse ; the druids pro- phesied his future fame and renown ; the ladies loved him for his beauty ; and the chiefs, the warriors, and the youthful military aspirants of the province, looked up to him as the very soul of munificence and chivalry; so that when his year of office was expired, the Ultonians refused to allow him to hand the kingdom back to Fergus, alleging among other reasons, that Fergus appeared willing at any time to barter it and themselves for the sake of any woman who took his fancy. Fergus did not submit tamely to this breach of covenant; he raised a war against Conchobhar, Avhich was carried on for a long time with vigour, biit he was ultimately de- feated and forced to an involuntary submission. Conchohhar married Medhbh, (or Meave,) daughter of the monarch Eochaidh Feidlech, but she soon eloped from him, and her father gave her to another man, and made her queen of Connacht. This was a disastrous circum- stance for Conchobhar, as it laid the foundation of a constant warfare between the two provinces. Conchobhar's court at Emania became the central or head quarters of the knights of the Royal Branch (not Red Branch, as they are erroneously called) ; and more or less in connection with the exploits of this famous order his name holds a distinguished place in many of the great Historic Tales, both as a king and as a knight ; — in the Death of the Sons of Uisnech; the Tain APPENDIX. 637 Bo Chuailgne ; the Battle of Ros na Righ; the Mesca Uladh, or app. clvi. Intoxication of the Ultonians (during which they made a sudden in- cursion into Munster, and destroyed the ancient palace of Teamhair conchobhar Luachra, near Abbeyfeale, in Kerry) ; the Seirglighe Chonchulainn; ^ac Nessa. the Tochmarc Emire; the Fledh Bricrinn; the Ceasnaoidhean Uladh, etc., etc. The entry of the Death of Conchobhar in the Annals of Tighernach, (according to Dr. O'Couor), is, at a,d. 33, as follows : — 33. ConcobAjA ITIc tlei^ obnc cui fucce^^i'ic ptiuf eiuf CumAi'C]\ATO [? Cum^x^AAit)], <.]w ]\e^nAuic An 6AinAin Anni|" 1111. In the MS. of Tigheniach, in T.C.D., however, (H. 1. 18, fol. IIG. b.), the passage is as follows. (Indeed Dr. O'Conor is not to be depended on as to the version in the MS. quoted by him.) It is at A.D. 48 : Conco'bA^ 111AC neiYA obic qtn [a.d. 48] Conchobhar Mac Nessa ■piccefi^u -pinii' fuu]' jiAipie, <\vl^ obit, cuisuccessit filius suus Glaisn^, ^ejriAUic Annif ix. qui regnavit annis ix. The following is the accotmt of the Death of Conchobhar Mac Nessa given in the Historic Tale called the AToe-o clionco'bAi-p, or Tragic Fate of Conchobhar, preserved in the Book of Leinster (H. 2. 18., T.C.D. ; foL 79. a. b.) :— t)Ai me-pcA m6\\ ■\(o\\ titco jreccnAiTO iiie-iHAin TTlAchA. 'Oocii]Ai'OA^ "oini, iiTnnAjAbAjA monA ocuf com|\AmA ecti]\|Ao .1. eci^A ChoiiAbb [Ce]triAch] ocu-j' CoincutAinn, ocu]" t.oe- 5Aii\e [btiA-oAch]. UucAi-o -OAi-ni^A, AjA ConAbL, inchiiTO ITlei^- ;5e5]\A'o co[iOAcittiU]\ ocu nAComnAin. Ida be|" •o'lltcAib inx)inbAi'opn cac cti]AAi'o no mA]\bt3Aif A]\ ^AtAib oenpp no jACA Aninchmt) A]"]'Acent)Aib ocu]' comme^xcA Aet Ai-pcib con'oenAt) tiAC|\oice c^AUA-oe 'o'lb. Ocuj' incAn nobici|" inim- mA|AbAi5 nocom]\AmAib, T^obenci-p "ooib combin-p innAtAmAib. triAit A ChonchobAiii, a]a ConAbb, nAcon-oe-nnAc oic nAconi- ■pAtn ecu i^oninnAi^A a]\ ^AbAib 6inp]\, nTOAccuAbngi coin]iAin ^iiTi]'A. 1]"p]\6n A]\ ConcliobA^A. 'Oojaacax) iA|\Ani, i:on|"in ■ponux) ]:o^\Ambi-o "oo 51^6]^ in-oincin"o. Luit) cac Aieci A]\nA- i)A-pAc 'oiAc'Lucni. 'Ootbvii'o "OAnA, Cec niAC THacac "oocuai|\c ecc-pA bA Ubco. bei^x A]'-pAn"o-pAiTi ^Aoboi in b6-|Ain"o in Cec. 1]"e*o 'oobbui'op'oe 'OA^ApATOci nA bCinnA, ocu]" c^u beAccint) bei]" "DO tltcAib, incAn bACAi\ Via on in ice co cbticui "oo incbint) 'me]"5e5^\A, i-jyet) Acbe]\c in'oonmic p\iA]\Aibe. Rocbtum- e"OA]A Cec Anipn. CcATop-oe inincint) AttAim intDAbAnAi ocu|' be|M"o iei]"; o]iopci]A Cec ^\ob6i icAj^n^epe "oo ITleiy- ^eg^AA A"oi5AibiApnA ecAib. Cac cac octi]^ cac i|^5A[ib] nobit) ■oo CVionnAcco p\i Ubco nobe^Aet) Cec innincmt) inA c|ii)y •oti^' in cecAiACAT* ecc nAmjiA 'o'iltcAib ■ooinA|\bAt) '01. 638 APPENDIX. App. cLvi. "Pecc AtTO "oni, ■Dotttiit)-|"eom inci Cec |'A1]i co cue caiiai inbo Z. A "peiiAib 1loi]']\ 'OonA|\iu\i"o imA-nmo]\ACT: IIIato iha-oiato; Coiich^har 'Oo]\1ACCACA]\ X»AnA, ConHACCAl "OOlToteiC Alte '01Ate]YA]\- MacNeisa. ^^^^ I'eoiii. "PecAip CAC eciip]\o. 'OoIUh'o ConchobAiA -pein ipn CAC. Coni-o ArTO]'iii gAtJACA]! mriA ConriAcc 'oo Clion- chobA]\ cuit)ecc •j:o]\'Leich 'oo'oefcin A"oetbA "ooib. "Pobic ni|\Abi i:o]ACAbniAin ■oetbx)uini AmAit "oetb Conc1iobAi]i .1. ece|\ t\\\\t ocuf "oeitb ocu-p "oecetc; ecepmec ocu]" c6|\e ocuf ctic]\tiininAe; ece]\ ^lopc ociif yotc ocuf gibe; ece^t ^Aif ocu]' aLaij ocu]" e]\bAb]AA; ece]A ei\]\ni'o ocu-j" Ane ocu-p ecopc; ece^A A]un ocup iniiTiA"o ocup o]ro"OAn ; ecepi JtiAi-p ocuf gAi-pcet) ocu-p ceneb. tli^ibo boccAc C]ia inci Concbo- bA|\. A coiiiA]\bi inio]\]AO, inCbeic -[lo jAbpAC iia mnA Aibpf "oo CbonchobA]!. "LuiT) iA]u\m -po-|\bec A6inu]\ "oia "oepcin •oonAimiAib. 'Oob- buTO Cec imo|\po combui ece]\ nAniriA nniTie'oon. nopirit)- becAp Cec mcbiiTo tne]'5e'0]\A ipncAbAibb, ocu]' nop-ceibc coni-ocAiibA imnuibbAC Conch obAi^i, combACA]\ a"oa cp\iAn innAcinx) ocup cocopcAipipeoni, ipA cent) coca^\1,a -ppi bA^i. pocbeiw-OAC IIIaix) cuci coni-o ]\uc]'ac o Cbec. Xo\\ h\\i\ AcA tDAii\e TDA IDacc ipAn-o 'oonocbAi]A ConcbobA]!. -AcA A bigeAUt) bAibe 1 copcliAip, ocu]' co]\ce -p^uAcent) ocu|" COjACe ■p]MACOppA. inA1X)l'0 C]AA p-O^A CoririACCA CO SC1A1"0 Al|TO HA Coii. 'Oo be|\CA]A llbATO i'Ai]A "oopToip CO Ac\\ 'OAi]\e "OA Daoc. tTlo b]\icbpe App, a]\ Cor)cbobA]\, "oo bep n'lje ntlbAt) "ooneoc noiiibe]\A connici mocec. llocbejipA, a]\ Cennbe]A- ]AAi"oe, A]\A pbbA p-o"oein 'Oo beippToe boniAin imme ocup nombeip popAinuin co A|\"ot)ACA'o Stebe "puAic. ITIatoto Acpi"oe ipnjittu ; couit)- •oepin ACA, llige Cirrobep^vAi-oe p-op UbATO .1. in]u popAmum bee iiTobAi. ConocbAT) cpA, imDebAio on cpAc coA^AAibe •OApeif in -[ug. Co]\Amii'o p-op tibco iA^\]^m. 'Oobe]\Ap cpA, AbiAij coConchobA-p .1. pn^en. 1ppepi"oe no -pmnAt) "oon-oiAi-o no cbeige-o "ooncij inUn nobit) m^A- bu|A pncij, ocup cecjAbAp nobix) Ant). 111aic, op^n^en, tdACAtcAiA incbboc Apt)ocint) biAcmA]\b p-ocecoip; niAmcuc- CAH App imoppvo, nocicpAint), ocui" bit)Acip t)uic. IpAiyo t)un, A]\ tlbcAit), int)Aci-p obt)Ap Aec-pom. lloiccAt) lApAin a cent), ocup i\opuA5et) copuAc 6ip, Ap bAcuinmA t)Ac p'uibc ConcbobAip ocup t)AC mnoip. Ocui" Apbepc inbiAi^ ppi ConcbobA]\ combecb ipomcin .1. ApnAcipAt) Ape]\5 t)6, ocuf UAuigpet) p-oiAec, ocup uAecpAiget) niuAi CO AupecA, ocup UApecet). tloboi t)AnA, ipmcuncAbAipc pn cein -pobobeo .1. uii. APPENDIX. 639 tiibtiA-oiiA, ociii' ni]\boen5nAnu\it), acc AAiiMpinn iiinAfuix)i app. clvi. riAmmA .1. nAcociiAlA Cuirc "oo ciiocax) •oo1ux)AiT)ib. UAnic 1 . . Of King AITOp'Oe C|MC mO|-V ■pOjll'riA'OUU, OCU]' -jAOC^AICllAlg nem OCU]' Conchobhar CAtAiTi tAinec mgniiiiA "OAiAonA-o aito .1. 1ini C^m^^c itiac *0e ^^'"^■^^*" t)i -00 cixochAT) cencmAix). CjieACfo, A]\ ConcliobAjA -jtima "o^auto, cia obc m6]A "oo 5iic1ie]-v ipnx)lAciu^v\ in-oiu ? I1' i:i]\ on em, A|^ iiTo^wn, [1]-ti C|M^"c niAC 'Oe aca aja bA^m^AX) Anoi^^ a^ Ui-OAi^ib/^®'^^] 1|" m6|\ in^nhii^'in, a]\ ConchobA]i. Inpep^'in -oaiia, Ajtin-o^Aui, inoeriATOci 1^056111 octii" jw^emi'iu .1. m .uin. CaIahto e-nAi]\, cencopinutTO bbiA-OAin. l-pAiTopn noc^\eici ConcbobAn; ocuf iiyepn in"OAi\A|:e^x Hoc]Aeci X)0 'OiA in hC];^!^) ]\iACiACCAin c]\eicini e .1. IlloiiAnt) in ■^e\\ Aite. TTIaic c]aa, a]a ConcbobA]\: IDa liAp^AAint) nAiDAit cua^tohi^, nA|A nA55 AciiiTibeoi]\ ij^^ncc c^\ua"o-cu]\a"o ciccip cicci-p^''"^ nio- beoib concictAi-p ciaua^ mon TniteT), TnAi'om nicA iTiiiAit3 nnn- f^boi^ -pejAbAi^Atec, 'po]TOni^e"o i'oe]A-cobAi|A. "La C^Ai-pc con^e- nAHTO. 5^^111 bAec bA^iubenTi i-ojAbecAin tAncomtDet) tAnixeb cecboinci]\ cjAOCAt) yS-^ bAmoo coipp a]ai AjronAC A"OAni]\Ai. Uunicicce in^nini icinot cAi]\ipeni ci\e6in UApAb icoim-oet) coimcecc conjnAin CAin be La'Dia "oit^A-OAC "oiAcobAi];. CAin po]Alun"o p6be]AAin"o. CAin comtnn'o ciAOcpn-o C^npc AnneiTic1iui]i, nipui^ic ce ceppAicip coi]ip c]aia"o. CiA|\bo a]a Cjiii^c cAit) CI11TIACCAC C1A "oij "oun nA"0|\ocem \\ko "ou^t *oei\- coince 1^11 n o]\CAi\ inAfMnen, monA iniA"o nA^o^Aig lAOAccmAii •|ionc]\Ait)i, cixocAX) C-nipc inAcococbAimnnp, bAliAppu nA-obem- ini-p iA|\nA]\t)]AAC ecomnA]AC. tlAi'At pi lAOcep cpoicc]\tiAi'o AjA-ooine -oi^mAi^; •oiA]\Aich ^A^AinD^^e bAp, Accn pl-Aic po]A- beccAint) pocib necA, nAbtini nemcbuin necc pemiceii^et) ; "oo- feowinit) Tnoc]\i'oe cbuAp inAironAc ngubA, Ap itiu'Oia in"opcib nA-opi^ poAcc, copppopcAcc pucviiTichAbpon bAip, conAcbnip A]A omun •ooiTi'otii -oivuib, cen tDutemAin "oi^Aib. 1pAnt) x)0]Mn5ni ConcbobA]\ in pecopicpe X)iA]Aoinip Dac]\ac •oniJi TDel^An^ib 'ooClionchobAp C]\i]'u X)oc]\oca'o, "oiaiaaiaii- ^Ai^ ConchobA^, ciaca Ai|\"oe ingAnuACApo, ecc. 11 o -OAnA, combA"oe ^bcup in Conftii "oo 'oecAi'o oOccAum "ooctinjit) incbipA co 5<'^e'oe'LAib noinni]'ex) x)o ChonchobAp Cpipc -ooch^iocA-o. [tr.\kslation.] The Ultonians were greatly intoxicated on one occasion in Emhain IJhacha. There arose indeed great contentions and [com- parison of] trophies between them, that is, between Conall Cernach, and Cuchulainn, and Laeghaire Buadhach. "Let Mesgedhrds brain (262) [Keating.] (263) Cicdf . [This is a mistaken repetition of the same word.] 640 APPENDIX. Of King Conchobhar Mac Nessa. be brought to me", said Conall, " that I may talk to the competing warriors". It was a custom with the Ultonians at that time, every champion they killed in single combat, to take their brains out of their heads, and mix lime with them until they were formed into hard balls. And whenever they Avere in contention, or at [compa- rison of] trophies, these were brought to them until they had them in their hands. " Good, O Conchobhar \ said ConaU, " the warriors of the trophy-comparison have not performed a deed like this in single combat ; they are not competent to compare trophies with me". " It is true, indeed", said Conchobhar. The brain was then put upon the shelf, where it was always kept. Every one went his own way the next day to his sport. Cet, the son of Ifagach, now went upon an adventurous visit into Ulster. This Cet was the most dangerous pest in Erinn. The time that he passed over the green of Emhain, and having three half heads with him of the Ultonians, was at a time that the fools (of Emhain) were at their play with the brain of Mesgedhra, as one fool said to the other. Cet heard this. He snatched the brain out of the hand of one of them, and took it away with him ; for Cet knew that it Avas prophesied for Mesgedhra to avenge himself after his death. Every battle and every combat which the Connachtmen fought against Ulster, Cet used to carry the brain in his girdle to see if he could succeed in killing some illustrious (personage) of the Ultonians with it. Cet went eastwards and took a Tain of cows from the Fera Ross. The Ulstermen followed him in pursuit. The Connacht- men, on the other hand, went to save him. A battle was fought between them. Conchobhar himself went into the battle. And it was then the women of Connacht prayed Conchobhar to come to their side that they might see his shape. For there was not upon earth the shape of a person like the shape of Conchobhar ; namely, in form, and face, and countenance ; in size, and symmetry, and proportion ; in eyes, and hair, and Avhiteness ; in wisdom, and prudence, and eloquence ; in costume, and nobleness, and mien ; in arms, and amplitude, and dignity ; in accomplishment, and valour, and family descent. The man Conchobhar was faultless. It was by the advice of Cet now the women preferred their request to Conchobhar. Conchobhar then drew aside alone, so that the women might view him. Cet had previously taken his place among the women in the middle. Cet adjusted Mesgedhra's brain in his sling, and he threw it so that it entered Conor's skull, and that its two -thirds entered his head, a^d it remained in his head, so that he fell with his head to the earth. The Ulstermen rushed forward and carried him off from Cet. On the brink of the ford of Daire da Bhaeth it Avas that Conchobhar fell. His bed is there Avhere he fell, and a rock at his head and a rock at his feet. The Connachtmen were then routed to Sciaidh aird na Con. The Ulstermen were driven eastwards again to the ford of Daire da Bhaeth. APPENDIX. 641 " Let me be carried out of this", said Conchohar; " I will give tlie app. clvi sovereignty of Ulster to the person who shall take me to my oAvn house". " I will take thee", said Cetmberraidhe, his own servant. Conckobar He put a cord around him and he carried him on his back to Ard ^^"^^ ^^^"''' Achadh, of Sliahh Fuaid. His heart broke within the servant, and that is the cause of [the saying of] '■^Cennherraidhe''s Sovei-eignty over Ulster", i.e., the king upon his back for half the day. The battle Avas sustained, however, from the one hour of the day to the same hour of the next day after the king, after which the Ultonians overthrown. In the meantime his physician was brought to Conchohar, namely, Fingen. He it was that could know by the fume that arose from a house the number that was ill in the house, and every disease that prevailed in the house. " Good", said Fingen, " if the stone be taken out of thy head, thou shalt be dead at once ; if it is not taken out of it, however, I would cure thee, but it would be a blemish upon thee". " The blemish", said the Ultonians, " is better for us than his death". His head was then healed, and it was stitched Avith thread of gold, l^ecause the colour of Conchohar''s hair was the same as the colour of the gold. • And the doctor said to Conchohar that he should be cautious, that is, that he should not allow his anger to come upon him, and that he should not go upon a horse, and that he should not have violent connection with a Avoman, and that he should not run. He continued then in that doubtful state as long as he lived, namely, seven years, and Avas incapable of action, but to remain sitting only, that is, until he heard that Christ Avas crucified by the JcAvs. There came at that time a great convulsion over creation, and the Heavens and the Earth Avere shaken by the enormity of the deed Avdiich Avas there perpetrated, namely, Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, to be crucified Avithout crime. " What is this ?" said Conchohar to his druid. " What great evil is it which is perpetrated on this day ?" " It is true, indeed", said the druid [Christ the Son of God is crucified this day by the Jews].'^-''*' " That is a great deed", said Conchohar. " That man, noAv", said the druid, " it Avas in the same night he Avas born that you Avere born, that is, in the eighth of the calends of January, though the year Avas not the same". It Avas then that Conchohar believed ; and he Avas one of the tAvo men that believed in God in Erinn before the coming of the Faith ; that is, Morann Avas the other man. " Good, noAv", said Conchohar ; " it is a pity that he [Christ] did not appeal to a valiant high-king, Avhich Avould bring me in the shape of a hardy champion, my lips quiA'ering, until the great valour of a soldier Avas heard dealing a breach of battle betAveen tAvo hosts ; bitter the slaughter by Avhich there Avould be propitiated free relief. With Christ shoiild my assistance be. A Avild shout has sprung at large : a full (264) [Keating.] 41 642 APPENDIX. App. cLvi. Lord, a, full loss, is lamented ; the crucifixion of a King, the greatest body, who was an illustrious, admirable King. I would complain of the deed to the faithful host of noble feats, whose vigilant, beautiful aid, shoidd be with the mercifvil God to relieve Him. Beautifid the overthrowing which I ivould give. Beautiful the combat which 1 would wage for Christ who is being defiled. I would not rest though my body of clay had been tormented by them. Why for Christ, the chaste, the powerful, what is the reason for us that we do not express words of deep tear-lamentation ? He who is slain in Armenia ; a greater than the dignity of any righteous king is being tormented. The crucifixion of Christ if Ave should befriend, it were better that we should not be accounted an unrighteous high king. High the King who suffers a hard crucifixion for the sake of ungrateful men ; for His safety I would go to death ; but a king shall not go to a guilty death, in order that it should not be that which defiles purity that should take precedence of Him. It crushes my heart to hear the voice of wailing for my God ; the arm which does not come to reach with true relief to arrest the sorrow of death — because I am told that it is dangerous for me to ride in chariots — without avenging the Creator". The time that Concliohar made this Rhetoric was, when Bacrach, a Lemster druid, told Concliohar that Christ was crucified ; wheu Conchobar asked him : " Wliat wonderful signs ?" etc. Or, indeed, that it was Altus, the [Roman] Consul, who came from Octavius to demand the tribute from the Gaedhils, that told Concliohar that Christ was crucified. The great antiquity of the original of this tale may be inferred from the concluding paragraph of this very old version of it, in which the still more remote version, which ascribes to Bacracli the Druid the explanation to King Concliohar of the wonderful pheno- mena of the day of the Crucifixion, is referred to, whilst the latter writer (himself not later than the middle of the twelfth century at least) hints what appears to him to be a more reasonable and pro- bable source of information. The Book of Leinster, from which this tract is copied, is a MS. of the middle, a portion of it of the earlier part, of the twelfth century ; and the writer of the tale in its present form would appear to have copied it out with impatience, when he leaves unwritten the result of King Conchobar^s frenzied address, namely, his death. I do not recollect having seen any ancient original detailed account of this tragical event beyond what is told here ; but the learned Dr. Geofi:ry Keating, in his History of Erinn, gives a modified, and less accurate, but fxiller version of the tale from some ancient authority no longer known to us, and concludes in the following words : — THA^fin 'oo ■peAcc ■mbLiAt)iiA, In that state did he remain seven ju-p An Aoine 'nA]\ c]aoca'd C|\io]'c, years, until the Friday in which •oo |ven\ t)t\oin5e -pe feAncuf; Aju]' Christ was crucified, according to mo bi 'tiA yocAip, c^xeAt) ■da ccAimj ah tiiAlAipc tieiiijiiACAc pii ipo\\ HA ■omLib. loj'A C]\io]~c ItlAc 'Oe, a]\ v\n ■0]\A01, ACA AJA bAiniJA-O A1101]' aXJ llfOAIjlb. r-|\UA15 pi1, A]A COIICU- ■bA|\, •DA tnbeiiin]'i riA iACAi]\ -oo iiiui]\piiii A]\Aibe cimciobb mo \^'^o■£ •DA bAi^ujA-o. Ajuj' XjOmc pn cug i\ cboit)eAiii AtriAc, Aju-j' ceit) f-'A •Doii\e coibbe -oo bi lAiiti |\ir, ^v\\ gAb AgA jeAlAjXATi), AJUj" AJA DI1A111, Ajuf A]-e-6 A -oubAiixc, -OA tiibeiu AiiieA]'5 nA nlvTOAi jeAc, ju^vAb epn ■Oiob X)0 bcAJAAT) OJ\]\A, : AgUT A]\ meAX) riA "OAfAccA -00 jaIj e, -oo Utig An meAib ^\f a ceAnn 50 ccai- 1115 cuTo -OA inciiin 'iia "oiaij, aju^' niA]\fin 50 b^niAii\ biif. CoiLbbA- m^Ai je A ■bVe]^|\A1b lloi^" 50i|\ceAi\ ■0011 limine coibte pn. the unusual change of tlie creation, ^pp^ cLvr. and the eclipse of the sun, and the moon at its full, he asked of Bucrach, of King a Leinster Druid, who was along Conchobar with him, what was it that brought ^«« ■'^«''^<'- that unusual change upon the pla- nets of Heaven and Earth. "Jesus Christ the Son of God", said the Druid, " who is now being crucified by the Jews", " That is a pity", said Conor; "were I in His presence, I would kill those who were around my King at putting Him to death". And with that he brought out his sword, and rushed at a woody grove which was convenient to him, and began to cut and fell it ; and what he said was, that if he were among the Jews, that that was the usage he would give them ; and, from the ex- cessiveness of the fury which seized upon him, the lump started out of his head, and some of his brain came after it ; and in that way he died. The Wood of Ldmltraighe, in Feara Rois, is the name by which that shrubby wood is called. So far Keating ; and as it is of some interest to throAV this story of King Conchobar s death as far bad?; on authority as we can, I may here quote a distich, with its gloss, from a poem on the manner of death and place of sepulture of a great many of the champions of Erinn at and about the time of Conchobar. This poem was written by Cinaeth Cllartagain, whose death is recorded in the Annals of the Four Masters at the year 973 ; the poem consists of thirty-eight stanzas, beginning : — •piAnnA bACA|\ m eniAin. Warriors who were in Emain. Of the fourth stanza of this poem, the following are the first two lines, and gloss : — iVcbAc triAc Tle^fA in ^Mj Ki coeb 'Leic]\ec bAmjAAigi. [.i.t)iA t\o i^elAi-o Concobtain a loan of them from the Burgundian Library. With most commendable liberality his Majesty at once consented to permit any one or more of the manuscripts to be sent over to this country through the Belgian Ambassador in London aad the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; and, accordingly, in 1849, two volumes came over, containing the Martyrologies of Aengus the Culdee, of Tallaght, of Marianus Gorman, and that of Donegall compiled by the Four Masters. Of these I made accurate and laboured copies for Dr. Todd's private library and at his private expense, no pubhc body here being willing at the time to undertake the cost of such a work. On returning these books to Brussels we next obtained two other important books,— the Danish wars and a volume of Religious and Historical Poems. Of the former I made a copy for the Library of Trinity College. In 1 850 we had the remaining volumes of the collection sent over for the pur- poses of the Brehon Law Commission ; but although O'Clery's magnificent collection of the Uves of our saints was among them, there were no parties here who could be found willing to defray the expense of copying them. I, however, at my own expense had copies taken of the lives of SS. Adamnan, Moling, Berach, MacCreiche, Crannatan, CeaUach, Colinan Ela, a.nd Mac ho emdg of Leith Mdr. We have, in the instance of the Irish MSS. in the Burgundian Library and the collection at St. Isidore's, examples of the manner in which the materials of our ecclesiastical history are scattered all over the continent. The writings of Dr. Lanigan, and aU others of a similar kind, are mere digests of Irish ecclesiastical history, omitting all the more important historical and social details which give consistency, and, I may say, unimpeachable authenticity, to those remarkable documents. Amongst other reasons which would make it desirable for us to possess at least authentic copies of these valuable documents, I may state that, as a 648 APPENDIX. APP. cLvii. Catholic Trofessor of Irish History and Archeology, I feel myself greatly embarrassed in my connection with the Catholic University. I have been MSS^'^at st'^ preiiaring and delivering courses of Lectures in this institution on the Antiqui- isidoie's, ties and early civil History of Ireland, drawn altogether from ancient existing manuscripts, of which, for this purpose, we have a tolerably large store remain- ing ; but I have been deterred from entering upon any lengthened course of Lectures on the still more important subject of our Christian History, solely because the original authorities are so widely scattered and impossible of access. If it were possible, and I believe that, with the aid of your Lordships' influ- ence, it would be readily so, to bring together in Dublin, even for a short time, the collection at St. Isidore's, and that of the Burgundian Library, Brussels, copies of these works could be made, which, with the materials that could be procured by transcription by a competent person in k month or six weeks in Oxford and London ; and then, indeed, would the materials for Lectures on the ancient Catholic History of Ireland, as well as for the general history of this country, be abundant, authoritative, and unanswerable. Indeed I would look upon the collection and concentration, in the Library of the Cathohc Univer- sity, of those scattered fragments of our national history, as supplying nearly as great a desideratum as the University itself. — EUGENE O'CURRY, Professor of Irish Archfeology. [end of the appendix.^ 649 EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. [The Fac-Similes which follow are arranged in the Chronological Order of the dates, or supposed dates, of the MSS., or handwriting, represented. They will be found to be distinguished by the letters of the alphabet — (A.), (B,), etc. — for convenience of reference to the following Explanations.] (A.) MS. in the " 'OomnAc ^ijaji-o"; [R.I.A.]. {temp. Saint [a.] Patrick; circa a.d. 430). — " eli . . [ ] gG • • [ ] • • l^i g6 Jacob Jac . . hi genui . . [ ] Omnes ergo generationes ab Abracbam usque ad David gene»erationes xiiii, et a David usque ad Transmigra- tionem Babil[oww] generationes xiiii., et a iY2in^[migratione\ Babil . . ni . .usque ad \Christuin'\ generationes" [xiiii.], etc. [See as to this MS. (the '■'• Domhnach Airgid^) the text at Lect. XV., page 321-2 ; and particularly the description of it from Dr. Petrie, at p. 324; and see Appendbc, No. XCVI., p. 598.] The MS. preserved in this celebrated shrine was supposed to have been miraculously presented to Saint Patrick ; it may at least be said with cer- tainty that this very MS. was in the possession of the Saint, on account of which it was always regarded as one of his Eelics. It consisted of a copy of the Four Gospels. The present fragment is one of the two leaves referred to by Dr. Petrie (see p. 324). It is part of the first chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew, of which the 15th, 16th, and 17th verses are as follows in the Vulgate, It will be seen that the translations are not identical ; as, for example, the 17th verse, in the MS. begins '• Omnes ergo'", instead of " Omnes itaque": — "15. Eliud autem genuit Eleazar. Eleazar autem genuit Mathan. Mathan autem genuit Jacob. " 16. Jacob autem genuit Joseph virum Maria;, de qua natus est Jesus, qui vocatur Christus. " 17. Omnes itaque generationes ab Abraham usque ad David, generationes quatuordecim : et a David usque ad Transmigrationem Babylonis, generationes quatuordecim : et a Transmigratione Babylonis usque ad Christum, gene- rationes quatuordecim". (B.) MS. in the Cacac. (6^A Century; MS. attributed to Saint [B] Colum Cille). " Devis in nomine tuo salvum me fac, et in virtute tua judica me. Deus exaudi orationem meam : auribus percipe verba oris mei. Quoniam alieni insurrexerunt adversum me, et fortes qusesierunt animam meam" : [etc.] 650 EXPLANATION OF THE f AC-SIMILES. [See as to this MS., (the " Cathack''), the text at Lect. XV., pp. 321 and 327, et seq.] The MS. consists of a fragment of a copy of the Psalms of David, believed to have been hurriedly written by Saint Colum Cille himself. It is in ad- mirable preservation. The passage represented in the fac-simile exactly agrees with the Vulgate ; Ps. ltii. ; vv. 3, 4, and part of 5. [CO (C.) " Book of Kells" [T.C.D.]. (ikh Century; MS. attributed to Saint Colum Cille) ; f'ol. 46 a. " Nolite the?isaurizate vobis tliesauros in terra: ubi er go \cerugo\ et tinea demolitur; et ubi fures efFocliunt, et furantur. " Thewsaurizate autem vobis tliensauros in caslo, ubi neque erugo \_oerugo] neque tenea demolitur, et ubi fures non eifodiunt, [etc.] [See text, at Lect. I., i). 28. The passage represented in fac-simile agrees with the 19th and 20th verses of the VI. chap, of St. Matthew, in the Vulgate. The peculiarities are indi- cated by Italics. [D] (D.) " Book of Durrow", [T.C.D.]. (Qth Century; MS. attri- buted to Saint Colum Cille); fol. 107 b. " De die autem illo et [yel] bora nemo scit, neque angeli in c£elo, neque Filius, nisi Pater. " Videte, Aagilate, et orate; nescitis enim quando tempus sit" [See Text, at Lect. I., p. 23. The passage in fac-simile agrees with the 32nd and 33rd verses of the xiii. chap, of St. Mark, in the Vulgate. [The reference in the margin (see Fac-simile), — (" mr. civ. VI. mt. cclx".) — means that the same thing told in the text occurs in Mark, cap. civ., and in Matt. cclx. The VI. is a reference to the (Eusebian) Table. [I'he numbers in the margin are those called the Eusebian numbers. They are a reference to the ancient tabular harmony of tlie Gospels. These Tables are: 1° tlie passages which occur in one Gospel only ; 2° tlie passages that occur in two; 3° the passages that occur in three; 4° tlie passages that occur in all the four Gospels. The Tables mider the head No. 2°. are: (1.) Matt, and Mark; (2.) Matt, and Luke; (3.) Matt, and John; (4) Mark and Luke; (5) Mark and John ; (6.) Luke and John. Those under head 3° (1.) Math , Mark, and Luke; (2.) Matli., Mark, and John ; (3.) Math., Luke, and John ; and (4) Mark, Luke, and John. [I am indebted for this note to the Rev. Dr. Todd, S.F.T.C.D,] [E] (E.) Memorandum in the " Book of Dlutow", [T.C.D.]. (Qth Century). ^ Tni|'e]\e]\e 'Ooinine nAeniAni »|« . . . ^ pli 11ecb. . . . ^ [No account of this Naemhan (a name of which Naemani is the Latin form in the Gen Case) has been discovered. There is a Naomhan, the grandson of Dnbh, mentioned in the Martyrology of Donegall, at Sept. 13, but no further reference to him has been found. Nor has any name been yet foimd of which Neth. could be the first part.] EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. 051 (F.) Meniorancliim in the " Book of Durrow", [T.CD.].* {C)th [k.] century), fol. 244, b. " U]\ifaciAe". (tristitias). [See Text, at Lect. I. p. 23. An example of the Irish running hand of the time. The word is written in the original handwriting of the scribe, in the margin, as a gloss or expla- nation. It is placed opposite a line (in an Explanation of the Proper Names in the Gospel of St. John), in which these words occur : cHAconiat)is iie50ciAuio AnjusciAe. (G.) "Book of Dimma:\ [T. C. D.]. {circa a.d. 620), fol. 2.b,a. [g.] " Et cum invenerltis renuntlate milii ut ego et veniens adorem cum, qui cum audiissent regem abierunt", [etc.] [See Text, at Lect. I. p. 23, and XV. p. 335. From the end of the 8th and commencement of the 9th verse of St. Matth., cap. II. (H.) Same Book, (circa a.d. 620); fol. a.b. [h.] [There are several different styles of handwriting in this curious volume, though all belong to the same age, if not actually to the same hand. This diminutive copy of the Lord's Prayer has been selected for fac-simile, not only as a good specimen of one of these styles, but to furnish a good iioint of comparison witli the equally remarkable specimen from the Evangelistarium of Saint Mollnq, [see Specimen (N.),] which belongs to a later period of the same (vii.) century. The slight differences in the reading from the version in the Vulgate (Matth. vi. 9.) are marked in Italics ; " Pater noster qui es in cselis sanctificetur nomen tuura, adveniat regnum tu- um, fiat voluntas tua sicut in caelo et in terra, panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie, et demitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos demlsiimus debitoribus nostris, et ne patkais nos induciin temptationera, sed libera nos a nialo". (I.) Same Book, (chra a.d. 620); fol. 52, b. [i.j " Deus qui facturam tuam pio semper donares afectu, inclina aurem tuam suplicantibus nobis tibi ad famulum tuum nunc adA^ersitate valitudinis corporis laborantem, placituri respice, visita cum in salutare tuo et cselestis gratiae ad medicamentum : Per Dominum". [This passage is from the Prayers for the Visitation of the Sick. The writing, in this specimen of the Book, is of the finest hand of the period. The contraction at the end, for " Per Dominum", is one of the carhest forms.] (J.) Memorandum in same Book {circa a.d. 620) ; fol. 15, lower [JJ margin. 652 EXPLANATION OF THE f AC-SIMILES. [•J] "Pinic. Onoic "oo 'Oimniu ]\o'0]X)\ib p]\o 'Oeo ec bene- ■oiccione. [translation.] " Finit. A prayer for Dimmu who wrote [this] for God ; and a benediction". [At the end of the Gospel of St. Mcatt.] [K.] (K.) Same Book {ciixa a.d. 620) ; last fol., at the end. Siinc Aiiuein ec aIia nuitcA cjUAe i:ecic ^e\\x <]tiAe -pt •pcpbAncu^\ p[e^^ pTi5u]'LA nee ip-puni Apbic]AO]\ nitiriDUin IDOj'pe CApe]Ae eo]" <\\.n pcpibetToi -ptinc bbnop. pmic Amen. tDnnniA niAC IIacIii. (Ji Sunt autem et alia multa quae fecit lesu quae si scribantiir p[er singu]la nee ipsum arbitror mundum posse capere eos qui scribendi sunt libros. ^Finit Amen. Dimma mac Nathi. lijt [The verse in Gaedhilic, at the end of the specimen (perhaps the oldest piece of pure Gaedliilic writing in existence), is as follows : — Si]nm -oom bibluA^ mo -|v\echi)\, A benmAm Abe cen *oic1nbb, Cm neimnicnecbc nAC|\A'o Ocuf Ac^AAb in-o -|\ichich. [translation.] I beseech for me, as the price of my labour, (In the follo^ving chapters without mistake), That I be not venomously criticized ; And the residence of the Heavens. [End of the Gospel of St. John, and of the book. [The Si in the first word of the first line of this verse is conjectural, on account of the decayed state of the original letters ; but as the other three letters, -rim, are quite legible, and as the whole verse is a prayer for reward, and a deprecation against severe criticism, I have chosen (or rather guessed) these two letters, to make up this well-known and ancient form of " I beseech". Similar reasons decided me in supplying n in the negative cin, at the beginning of the third line. It is a curious fact in regard to this most ancient Irish text, that the midistinguished crowding of words in the lines to be found in later MSS. (and to which the modern school of philologists seem to attach so much importance), is absent here, except in the words hiLUiAg (hiL-buAg) in the first line. The four lines are, however, written in two. [L.] (L.) Same Book, {circa a.d. 620). " Initium Evangelii Jesii Cliristi filii Dei sicut scriptum [est] in Essaia profeta. Ecce [ego] mit[t]o angelmn meum ante faciem tuam qui preparabit viam tuam ante te. Vox clamantis in deserto, Parate viam Domini, rectas facite semitas [ejus]". [The first three verses of the first chapter of tlie Gospel of St. Mark.] EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. 653 (M.) Evangelistariuiu of Saint Moling, [T.C.D.] {circa a.d. 690). [>r ] " De Jolianne. " Hie est Johannes Evangelista unus de xii. discipulis Dei, qui virgo electus a Deo est: quern de nuptiis nolentem nubere vocavit Deus, cui virginitatis in hoc duplex testimonium in EvangeHo datur, quod et pra^ceptis delectus a Deo dicitur, et huic matrem suam iens ad crucem commendavit Deus ut vir- ginem virgo servaret". [See Text at Lect. I. p. 23, and at Lee. XV. p. 335-6. This is St. Jerome's Argument to the Gospel of St John. (N.) Same Book, {circa a.d. 690). [n.] [The preceding example from this very ancient Book is written in a careless running hand. The present is a much more careful piece of penmanship. It has been selected partly on that account, and partly also as affording an interesting point of comparison with the version of the Lord's Prayer already given from the (supposed) somewhat earlier " Book of Jjimma" [see (uite, Speci- men (H.)]. The slight differences between this version and that of the Vulgate (Matth., VI. 9) are here also marked by Italics: "Pater noster qui es in caslis sanctiiicetur nomen tuam, adveniat regnum tuum, fiat voluntas tua, sicut in caslo et in terra, panem nostrum supersub- stajitiahin da nobis hodie et /emitte nobis debita nostra sicut et nos remitte- mus debitoribus nostris, et ne patiaris 7ios iuduci in temptationem, sed libera nos a male". (O.) " Book of Armagh", [T.C.D.]. (a.d. 724), fol. 18. b, a. [o.j [See the passage in APP. No. CIV., p. 607.] (P.) Same Book. (a.d. 724), fol. 21 b, b. [P] [See the passage in APP. No. CXVIL, p. 611.] (Q.) "Liber Hymnorum" [E. 4. 2., T.C.D.], {circa a.d. 900). m [See the passage in APP. No. CIII., p. 606.] (R.) Entry in the "Book of Armagh", made temjy. Bria7i Bo- [R-1 roimhe (a.d. 1002) ; fol. 16. b, b. "SAnccu"!" P<\q\i[ci]i.i-p lerif aX) coetutn mAn-OAiiic cecum j-^-puccuiTi tAbojAi^^-pui cAtn bApcifciAtn [?] cAm cAupA-pum <\wox) eternoipiriApuni -oepepetTouin eppe ApopcobicAe upbi <]ue Scocice noinmAcup A\xoxi ITlAchA. Sic pepe]\i m bibbio- chicip Scoco]\um. Cjo pcpippi to epc CAtuup pepennip G54 EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SOIILES. Ill coii-|"peccu t)]AiAni impe]\Aco|U|' Scoco]^l1m, eu que pcnipp pnijuic pjio oninibu]' )\e5ibii]' 1lK\ce]\iAe". " Sanctus Patri[ci]us iens ad coelum mandavit totum fructuni laboris sui tam baptistta/H [?] tam causarum quod elemo(si/!«rum deferenduni esse apostolicae urbi que Scotice nominatur Ardd Macha. Sic reperi in bibliotbicis Scotorura. Ego scripsi id est Calvus Perennis in conspectu Briani imperatoris Scotorum, et que scripsi finiyuit pro omnibus regibus Maceriae". [" Saiiit Patrick, going up to Heaven, commanded that all the fruit of his labour, as well of baptisms as of causes and of alms, should be carried to the Apostolic City, which is called Scotice [i.e. in the Gaedhelic] Ardd Macha. So I have found it in the book-collections of the Scots [/. e., the Gaedhil], I have written [this], that is [I] Calvus Perennis [/(7. -'Bald for ever", /. e., Mael-suthubi] in the sight [under the eyes] of Brian, Emperor of the Scots, and what I have written he determined for all the kings of MACERiiE [i.e., Cashel, or Munster"]. [The word " Macerice'\ in this remarkable entry, had long been a subject of doubt among those to whom the Book of Armagh was known. But it was certainly intended by the writer as a literal Latin translation of the Gaedhilic word " C'aisear\ — " a stone fort", — the name of the chief city of Munster. The certainty that this is so, for the first time occurred to me a few years ago, (I think in 1852), one day that Dr. John O'Donovan and IMr. MacCosli, I think, both Professors of the Queen's College, Belfast, were inspecting this passage in the Book of Armagli, then deposited in the Royal Irish Academy, Dawson Street. Whilst discussing between them the possible meaning of the word " Macerim", I asked them to define the ordinary meanhig of the word in Eng- lish. They answered of course, " a stone wall" ; whereupon I at once said that it must mean Cashel, because Caiseal is the Gaedhilic for a Stone Fort, or wall ; an exjilanation to which Dr. O'Donovan agreed at once, and with satis- faction at the discovery. The entry was in fact made as a solemn determination by the Ard-Righ (Chief-ffing, " Imperator", Emperor) of the Gaedhil (Scots), of the supre- macy of the Primatial seat of Armagh over the Arcliiepiscopal capital of Cashel, over which Brian, as Iving of JNIunster, was the immediate monarch. The word "Jimguil" in the passage is also a diflBculty. The ff has been also read a t. It is indistinct, and in fact looks likes a c with a dot above and a dot below. If so, these dots would represent the scribe's mark of an erasm-e, and the letter is to be passed over. The word will then stand "■ Jiniv'u".'] [s.] (S.) "teAbA]\ WA h-t1i-6]\e [R.I.A.]. (circa a.d. 1100); fol. 45. " UAin bo cuAibn^e inpo pp. " UApcomtAr) ptoige-o .ni6]\ La ConriAccu .i. Ia li-Aitibt ocvip tA 1Tleix)b, ociip liediA 1niAi"oib copriAr]\ichoicec aiLi. Ocup poice ceccA 6 Aititb co uii. mACti UlAgAcli .i. co liAititl, CO AnttiAn, co tlloccopb, co Cec, co 6n, octi]^ bApcAbt, ocup 'Ooce .XXX. cec La cActiAe; ocup co CopmAC Con-obongAp niAc CoricobAip coda cjubcecAib boi po]\ coni3 • met) tA ConiiAchcA. UecAic uibe iA]\um conibACAp 1ii CpuAcliiiAib a\i [translation.] " Tdin Bo Cuai/r/ntf here below. "A great host was assembled by the Connacians, that is, by Ailill and by Medhhh ; and messages went from them to the otlier tiiree provinces. And EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. G55 messages were sent from Ailill to tlie seven sons of Alagaclt, that is, to AU'dl, to Anhian, to Moccorb, to Ce(, to -En, and Bascall, and Doch^, thirty hundred with each man of them ; and to Connac Conlo)i(/a.s, the son of Conchuhhar, with his three iiundred, who were upon free quarters with the Conuacians. They all came then, until they were in Cruuchain Ai". [The commencement of the fragment of this celebrated Historic Tale refer- red to in the text (Lect. IX. ; p. 185).] (T.) "Book of Leinster" [H. 2. 18., T.C.D.l (circa a.d. 1130), H'] fol. 10. b., a. [See the passage in APP. No. XXXVIII. p. 526]. (U.) Same Book {circa a.d. 1130). fol, 25, a, 1 a. [f] [See the passage in APP. No. III. p. 482. (V.) MS. in T.C.D. [H. 2. 15.] ; (ad. 1300). fol. 13. b. [v] 'Oe iro-otAib cineoitcuAici. niuiMtc\in5 biieulieiiiiu\cliu^ poiipne ha- Viii'oiii, ^^A'o pMSu^ii AneuAiisc^ii^'o. .1. nococvinn^ec bueicemriACCA x)opei]\ in-ophenecAij" |.'0]\ pne nA]:o"6Ae-n .i. iAe]\e c|M|a. t1oecA-|\]XA]\A"o ita pne ocny iiA|-tJiX)]\e ]:iM ylAicb. [translation.] " Of the classification of the tribes of a territory. "HE IS NOT COMPETENT TO THE JUDGESHIP OF A TRIBE NOR OF .4 FUIDBIR, WHO DOES NOT IvNOW [the law of] THEIR SEPARATION". " That is, he is not competent for judgeship according to the Fenechas, upon a tribe, nor upon a semi-slave. [That is, one who is so during the time of three successive masters], or the separation of the tribe, or the semi- slave from a lord". [The Fuidhir was a person, Avho, if he only crossed the boundary line into the next territory, without stock or means of any kind, and took stocked land from the chief of that territory, was looked upon, after having remained so (or his cliildren), during the lives of three succeeding lords, as half enslaved. During this time he or his cliildren might depart, but take nothing away witli them. Should he or they come under a fourth lord, without opposition from themselves, or claim from their original tribe chief, they could never be free to depart again. This curious tract (one of those called Brehon Laws) treats of the various grades into which a tribe was divided, their relative positions and reciprocal responsibilities to each other and to their chief, as well as the duties and lia- bilities of the latter to the people. The MS. belongs to the 14th century. (W.) Entry in 'LeAbA]A riA b-t1i'6]\e, (fol. 35, a. b ), by Sijiaato [w.] 0'Cui]Aiiin ; [R.I.A.J. (a.d. 1345). [See passage in APP. No. LXXX. p. 570 (the first paragraph). 656 EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. t'^ ] (X.) " Book of Balljmote", [R.I.A.]. (a.d. 1391) ; fol. 12, a.b. " CiA 'om ciACA ]A05Aib GiMiin Ai^ro-p^Aij cAtmAn. " l-poA"© Ache\\z iebA]A 'Ohoiiia Siioacca comAt) iDAtibA Ainm nAcecm^eine i\05Ab e-|Amn •jAiAiroi'Lin'o, octi-p jomAX) UA1U1 nobeic t^AiibA yo]\ 6|Mnii. Uiai caocaic oj "oo-oecAi-o ocu]" qMA]\ i:eA^\. t/AJ|\A inc^eA]" fOA^i, i^^epn cec niA]Ab GjAenn Annpn octi^^ i^niAt) Ainmm^ceA^A A\\x) 'LA5]\Ann CeAC]AACAC btlA'DAII (llobA) 1\1 AtTOlbllTO "OobA-QA^V ipiTOnilTO^I pn. 'Oo]"|''Aini5 iA]\oin jaIa]; cone|\boibci'OA^A tube AriAen- • -peAccinoin. [translation.] " Who now was the first that found Erin, the first [person] of earth. " It is what the Book of Dromsneachta says, that Bunba was the name of the woman who found Erin before the Deluge, and that it was from her the name Banba is upon Erin. Three times fifty virgins, and three men. Laghra was one of the three ; he was tlie first dead person of Erinn then ; and it is fr(jm him Ard Laghrann is named. Forty years [or days] before the Deluge the}' were in this island. There came then a distemper, and they all died in one week". [And see passage in APP. No. IX. (p. 497)]. [Y.] (Y.) Same Book (a.d. 1391), foL 142 b. b. [See passage in APP. No. XXVI. (p. 510).] [z.] (Z.) Same Book (a.d. 1391), fol. 189 b. [See passage in APP. No. XXIII. (p. 513).] [aa.] (AA.) "leAbA^A btii-6e becAin", [H. 2. 16., T.C.D.] {circa x.d. 1390), col 338, b. [See passage in APP. No. CXX., (p. 614).] [The passage in the App. copied in the fac-simile is the 3rd paragraph of the 1st Invocation. The fac-simile goes on to include also the 4th paragraph, which is as follows : — A pjum^eni 1TUii]\e oije. A lllic 'OAbi'o. A Tllic ^b]\Aim. A Uboi]'!^ nA nvnbe. A popcent) in 'OoniAin. [translation.] " Thou first-bom of Mary the Virgin. Thou son of David. Tliou son of Abraham. Thou Chief of aU. Thou End of the World". [BB.] (BB.) Same Book {circa a.d. 1390), col. 896. [See passage in APP. No. VII., (p. 496).] [The passage in the App. is copied from the version in the Book of Bally- mote. The following (which very shghtly differs from it) is that from the "Yellow Book of Lecain", in the Fac-Simile: — "Oo lAi^neAt) "om gnnn riA-oAtii^AA bA Co^uuac AiTopn .i. EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. 057 SAtcr».] [See passage in APP. No. CXII. (p. 609).] (EE.) Same Book {circa a.d. 1400), fol. ?>'2, b. [ee.] [See passage in APP. No. CXV. (p. Gil).] (FF.) MS.inR.I.A. [H.and S.,3.67] ; (aVca a.d.1400), fol.3,a.a. [ff.] [See passage in APP. No. I. (p. 461).] [The Fac-Simile contains the following sentence before the passage given in the Appendix, which is to be read in continuation of these words : — peliTiAc .1. niAC A biAX), 110 A huA-o .1. A1. "pete .i. ecp, no ecep', inx)e "oiciruii iribi-oecc .i. ecp. [translation.] " Felmac, that is the son of his lad, or his Uad, that is [of his] A! [poetry or science]. Fele, that is, poetry, or a poet, hide dicitur Fllldecht, that is, ecsi [poetry"]. [This is an analysis of the word Felmac. Fel [or FkiQ is the same as Feih', hospitaUty, but is appUed here to the teacher who so hospitably dispenses his knowledge of the science to his mac, " son", or pupil ; and hence the pupil is called Fel-mac, that is, the Son of hospitable science.] (GG.) MS. in R.I.A. {circa lUh Century). [gg.] [The diagram contains the following words :— n^ h^ilvo|\ennAi5 a]\ wa iToo|\cii5At) 1. The high stars, on being darkened orcAiLe 11A cAini.Mi. by the shadow of the earth. Speit\ riA 5iAeine. 2. The sun's sphere. Spein iM 5|\eine. 3. The sun's sphere. ScAile nAoi-p C]\^of^c, 1433. Aoty Cpo-pc, nule, cecpe cet), c^uocacc, a c^ai. CoccA'6 mop eici]\ cenet cConAitt a^U]' Go^Ain. Ua 'OoiTiriAi'Li, IliAtl ^AjAb mAC Uoin|TOeAtbe Yaii Cj^eAtichu]"; ^i-oeA-o ni ]\Aibe Ann acc ]\i 50 biriieA-pAbjiA, TnA|A AUA ]\i A ]\Ai'be ni6]\An -o'uAi^^tib e-i]AeAnn aj cti]A in a a^ai-o. [translation,] " Ruaidhri 0' Cotichobhaif assumed the sovereignty of Connacht, and the greater part of Erinu, since that the king of Oirghiull, and the king of Mklhe, and the king of Breifne submitted to him ; and he is called king of all Erinn in the histories ; however, he was a disputed king, that is, a king who was opposed by a great many of the nobles of Erinn". [From Dr. Geoffry Keting's Hist, of Ireland, at a.d. 11G6. (GGG.) Handwriting (small) of Eucrene O'Curry, M.R.I.A. Cggg.] (1848). CAin in 'OoninAi^ Annj^o. 1S 6*6 in]^o ■|:o]\ii]' diAnA in "oomnAij "ooi' ]:iic ConAlb iriAc Coebimnne "oiclniAit) "oia Aitic-|u "oo lloini, Aguf' 1\o -pciub a Iaiii i:ein a]' in eibiixit \\o yc]\ib Iaiii 'oei:o]Anim a pAtDnAip ye\\ mine, aju]^ ]\o tAt) 1:0)1 Atcoi]i pecAi]i -dp-pcAit i-p in Roim. [translation.] " The Law of Sunday here. " Here is the true knowledge of the Law of Sunday which Conall, son of CoelmidM, brought [home], who went on his pilgrimage to Kome; and which his own hand wrote from the Epistle which the hand of God wrote in Heaven, in the presence of the men of Heaven, and cast upon the altar of Peter, the Apostle, in Rome.] [Erom the MS. H. 2. 16., T.C.D., (the YeUow Book of Lecain,) col. 217.] (HHH.) Handwriting (laraje) of Eugene O'Curry, IM.R.I A. [hhii.] (1848). Aengu-p A liAenAcli nime, I'un'o ACA A bechc ^a ti^e, ^Y A jninx) -oo cIiuai-o a]i coaI 1)' m Aine co nAem neAin. QQ4: EXPLANATION OF THE FAC-SIMILES. [''HH.] 1S A CiuAin ei-onedi ^o aIc, 111 CtuAni Gix)necli iao A-oiiAchr, hi CtuAin Ci-oiiech ^\.A]\ c]Ao-pp, ]\o teg A -I'Alnni a]\ ciio]y. [translation.] •' Aengus in the Assembly of Heaven, Here are his tomb and his bed ; It is from this lie went to death, In the Friday, to holy Heaven. " It was at Cluain Eicllinech he was educated, It was in Cluain Eidhnech he w^is interred ; In Cluain Eidhnech of many crosses He first read his Psakus". [From Leabhar Mdr Duna DoighM, (R.I.A.) fol. 43, b. b.] (A.) MS. in tlie "Domhnach AirgicF', [R.I.A.]. (temp. St. Patrick ; circa a.d. 480.) cci>cU)T?fictivmi tisq* ocf dam 4 i^ev GJ^ clones xvii C^ciclajqicl iilSqi^totrRaTiSmiy^ct^OTTe t>ai)i2 V^., J I » '^v^ } K^^ (E.) MS. in the " CaCiach". (6th Century, MS. attributed to St. Coium C>"Ke'.) 'TP <3r.* lT>tTircciTijexw^epwrTt'sxt>tjrerwrtTrTTrrj <5: -p^TctersziticoefT aotxtmc^xm rno-TTwn e«m t/3 v^-+ o \^]C 1 \t S ^ ^^r "^ ^ ^ ^ . ? S V^ ?~JF ^ i M (R.) Entry in " Book of Armagh", [T.C.D.]. (m»de temp. Brian Boroimhi, a.p. lOOJ.) nut r^oTvf^ a^r^n^^i rS.) ■' leabhar na h-Uidhri", [R.I. A.], (circa a.».1190.) &7i3?.coc6r,co^.7hi7*Ciltt.7D6ce--^ ^tcutr_ OTKttI ^tKfc tiQ- cfnti ^ oooitem rfpicotTalt cai>r\ [II. 2, 16 ; T.C.D.]. (circa a.d. 1390.) (t;C ) " leahhar Mor Thina Doighre". (called " Leabhar Breac"), fR.I.A.]. (circa A.D. 1400.) [t^ . 4^1 ^em ^ffe ^ Tnerr TmtrwrhtDDOTne. 12 k" ~ ^ d f y ^ too-s 5- n t bill's v^ I 13 (GG.) MS. in Roy. Ii-. Acad. (Astronom : Tract ; cirea a.d. 1400.) (HH.) MS. in Trin. Coll. Dubl. [H. 2. 7.] (circa a.d. 1400.) 14 (U.) ■■ Book ot Lecain". [R.I.A.]. (a.i>. 14-16.) xoc (JJ.) '■ Book of J.ecain", [R.I.A.]. (a.d. 1416.J n'geTDet-i4yut4t^co (KK.) " Book of Lecain\ [R.I.A.]. (x.J>. 1416 ) rpTr 5D^Trp'.> f ocp\irrzui 16. r^ I 1 u -I f 1 .2.5 f' (YV.) MS. in Trin. Coll. DuW. [H. 1. 8. J. (ICth Century.) 17 OjcA/ ^oji wiji yjler 1^lf 1^ '1'YO ^f ywxiXfKC^ ^n(vcAym^ xy^m^v^-jvSiii, .^. >4So teto*vtt^-^T2il^ ^4cfiec tn4k5 -f24it?t^4^*jsn4p>t5ft44fo^^t045f^ -^-rr|£i?i4'gtw4Y I 16. •Mill m ^ fi Ml o o 'f o 13. I t f ^^ '^ ^ I 20 ^f If 1^ a .-r s •J -sr V- g-rv 2: £ V- ■H^' 20 ITF **tC r-!n ri- JT'-^^^ a -^'v^ f 21. I 22. (CCC.) Handwriting of Duald Mac Firbis, [H. 1. 18. ; T.C.D.J. U.d. 1660.) 23. If V. 4 ! r i 24 25. •vo 1- 26. -^ t-^ 4 J ^ U P ^ ?r^ VS r^ 4r -V- ^ ▼-"" r.,^f^-r^ *- -St^ 665 INDEX. Aaron and the priests, 369 Abban,sono{UaCor7naic,3S'2lA'pp.C>lG Abraham, and the Patriarchs, 368 Absolution ; Canon on, 372 Academy, Museum of the Koyal Irish, 321 Acaill, the Hill of Screen, 29, 47, 230, 264.— the Siege of [App. 589 n.— Book of, 47, 49, [App. 511, 512 Acoll, or AicelJ, daughter of Cairpri- Niadh, 49, [App. 514, 515 Accomplishments of ladies in ancient Erinn, 279 Achadli, Ard-, 100 [App. 641, Achadh CowfliVe (Achonry), 101 Achadh (field) [App. 495 Achadh Leithderg (in Farney), 69, 72 Acres, lands measured by, 396 "Acta Sanctorum Hiberniie", Col- gan's, 143 [see Colgan.] Adamnan, Saint, 342. — grandson of Atinni [App. 608. — Extract from Life of, 423, [App. 629, (and see 647.)— Vision of, 424, [App. 629.— His Life of St. Cohan CUle, 342, 350, 407, 408 Adam's Race, 388 Address to the Eeader, prefixed to O'Clery's Re'nn Rwghraidhe, 165, [App. 551. Adhair, Macjh, 401 Adehn, William Fitz- [App. 603 Adhna, son of Uiihir, chief Poet of Conor Mac Nessa, 45, 218, 383. Adonis; Diannaid O'Duibhne, the Fenian [App. 467 Adventures, Of the ; (Echtrai). [His- toric Tales, No. 10], 283 Ae=rAo, 177. Aedan, the Poet, 217. Aedh=Aodh, 177. Aedhagan ; {Flann Mac), 151 Aedh Allan, Monarch ; 130, 420 Aedha, Mac ; {Sitric, son of), 331 Aedhan Mac Gabhrain, K. of Scot- land, (a.d. 570), 414, 417, [App. 589 n. Aedh Bennan [App. 590 n. Aedh Cliabhghlas {Aedh, the gray- bodied), 401 Aedh; C'olman Mm; son of, 414. Aedh Dubh O'Donnell, 407 Aedh Engach, (" the Valiant"), 419 Aedh, K. of Tirconnell, (1237), 401 Aedh Mac Ainmirg; 50, 218. — Mon- arch, (A.D. 694), 232.— killed (a.d, 594), [App, 583 n. — Domlinall, son of, 333 Aedh Mac Neill, 364, [App. 610 Aedh Mem, 420. Aedh Oirdmdhe, (Monarch, a.d. 793- • 817), 363, — and the Enchanted Goblets [App. 532 Aedh Ruadh ; Tale of the Adventure of Macha, daughter of, 283 Aedh Ruadh; (O'Donnell), 22, 70, 396. 406, 407, 417.— Life of, 22,— Aedh Ruadh, son of Badurn, 70 Aedh, the son of Colgu, 420 Aengoba, or Oengaba,{a.t}ieT oi Aengus, 363 [App. 610 Aengus, son of the Daghda, 45, 478 n. — Gabuadech, 48; [and see Oengus] Aenghus Ua Flainn, 399 Aengus oi Brugh naBoinM; The Four Kisses of, [App, 478 Aengus Cede De, Mac Aeii- Ghobhann, 12, 17, 26, 53, 76, 163;— his Pedi- gree, 363, [App. QlO.—Felire of, 351, 363, [App. 611 et seq.— Invo- cation in Felire', 365, [App. 610 Pedigi-ees by, 353, 359, 363.— Li- tany of, 289, 294 ;— on the Festival of St. John the Baptist, 429;— Scdtair na Rann, of; 21, 360. Aengus Mor, K. of Scotland, 55 Aengus 0^ Domhnallain, 334 Aengus OUmucadh, death of; poem on, 241 Aengus, son of Natfraech [App. 586 n. Aengus' s tribe, 50 Aengus Tirech, 209, 213 Afiiliation, St. Patrick's law of, 225 Agad^agat, 177 Agallamh an da Shuadh, "Prophecy" in the, 383. — Passage in [App. 616 Agallamh na Seanoi-ach, 307 [App. 694 AgrariaLex, the, of the Gaedhils, lOn. Aherlow [Eaiharlagh'], 211 Ai^Aoi, 177. Aich^, Battle of [App. 621 43 6QQ INDEX. Aicher O'Troighthigli, 346 Aicilf, 47, 49 [App. 511, 512 (and see AcailT) Aicm€, Triuchadh an-; (in Kerry), 448 AiDEADHA ; or OiTTE, (" Tragedies", —Historic Tales, No. 6), 273 Aidhn^, (JJi Hachrach of), 125 Aiqlmech, Cuan Snamha (Carling- ford), 287 Aiffle, Cruachan ; (Cruach Patraic) 423 [App. G29 Ailb, the plain of, 63 Ailbhe, daughter of Cormac Mac Airt; 194. — poem by, [App. 466, 476. — Tale of the Courtship of, by Finn Mac CumhaiN, 283 Ailbhe, Magh ; Battle of (a.d. 903), 420, [App. 467 Ailbhe, St. ; of lumlich (Emly), 374 — Ills Pilgrimage, 382 Ailbhine, (now Delvin), Ford on the, 282 Aileach, 133. — Destroyed by Muir- cheartach O'Brien, 400, 405.— Eoof of, made of oak from Cratloe, 401. — the stone-builders of, 222 Aikll [see also AiliU\ Finn ; Flidais, wife of, [App. 585 n. Aikll (father of Seancha), 218 Ailell (see Oilioll) Molt, 88-9 [App. 484, &c. Ailell (see Oilioll) Olum, 44, &c. Ailell, son oi Eoghan ; Elopement of the wife of [App, 590 Ailenn [see also Ailimf\; Palace of, 367, [App. 492 Aileran the Wise, 350, 378, etc. (see Aireran^ Ailfinn [Elphin], 175 Ailgenan ; the O'Mearas from, 210 Ailiac (qu. Ailinn ?), 222 Ailian, Solomon's builder, 222 Ailill [see also AileW] ; Ugair^, son of (K. of Leinster), 421 Ailill Ain^, son o{ Laeghair€ Lorc,252 Ailill Flann Beg, B51 Ailill, (Prince of Leinster), and Meadbh ; marriage of, 282 Ailinn (" Ailiac") ; Casruba, stone- builder of, 22^2 Ailinn, the Rath of; Cricil, builder of, 222 Ailinn, the royal palace of Leinster, 222, 367 [App. 492 Ailinn, daughter of Fergus [App. 465, 472 Airgetmar, 70 [App. 527 Ai7ie(Cnoc),3l6, [App. 486 Aingen, (Tain Be, or Bo) ; Tale of the, 283. [App. 586 n., 587 n., 589 n. Aingliin (Tnis), 112 Aingidy, 0'; 211 Ainle', (one of the Sons of Uisnech),275 Ainmire, sonof Cellar, 363 [App. 610 Aimnire {Aedh Mac), 50, 191, 218, 232, 588.— Domlinall, son of, 333 " Air an da Fearmuighe", 198 Aireran " the Wise" of Tamldacht, Saint, 379 Aireran, (or Airenan), the Wise, [of Clonard], (Saint) ; 350, 378 [App. 608, 614 ^' Air^ Echta'", ihe, 48. Airemh ; Eochaidh, 54 Airchinnech (" Erenach"), 290, 344, — a lay Airchinnech, 408 Airchis, or Oirchis, (the word) ; 379 [App. 615 Airqhiall (Oriel): Aedh O'Caellaidhe', Bishop of, 361 AiRGNE (" Slaughters"), [" Historic Tales", No. 4], 252, 260 Airmedh, son of Diancccht, physician, 221, 250 Airteach [App. 547 Airthir (Coil I), 102 Aitheack Tuatha, 194, 230, 262, 453 [App. 590 n.— Tale of the Revolt of the, 262 AiTHiDHE, of the ; (" Historic Tales" of Elopements), 294 Aithirne Ailghesach Q^ Aithirtie the Importunate"), 218, 265-8,— his poem to Neidhe', 383 [App. 616 Aithirne', Tale of the Death of, 319 Alacluaith, the (of Britain), 88 Alan's (Archbishop) Register ; re- ferred to [App. 603, 604 Albain (Scotland), 194 [App. 616.— Dathi invoked as King of, 285 Albanach 0' Troighthigh, (Domhnall), 346 Alban's, Saint; crozier of St. Patrick at the monastery of [App. 603 n. Alexander the Great ; Life of, 25, 353. — SjTichronism of [App. 521 Alexandria, the Bishops of, 369 Ale ; vessels of fermenting, 309, 311 ; — vat of red, 388, — can (escra) of, [App. 621 Allan ; Aedh, (Monarch, a.d. 730), 420 Allen, Archbishop [see Alan]; 603,604 Allen (Almhain), 191,313, 316 Almhain (Allen, Co. Kildare); 191, 313, 316.— i^/H« of, 395.— Hill of Allen [App. 480 n Battle of, 191, 389, 420 Almhaine, Bruighean bheaqna h-; 313 Alphabets ; Tables of (B. of Bally- mote), [App. 470 INDEX. 667 Alpine gold, 310 Alpine Slountains ; plunderers from the [App. 585 n. Alps ; King Dathi's Expedition to, and death by lightning near, the, 281, 288 A/t na h-EiIti, 102 .1/^ Tiqhe Milk. Cuirin, 102 .4/?o(V(altar), St. Patrit^k's; [App.624 Altus,a Romanconsnl, 277. [App.6J:2 " Altus" of Colum Cille, the, 77 n.. 352, 406 Altars; " Cromlechs'" never [App. 598.— ("table at the east end"), 397 Altars at Rath Archaill ; Druids, 284 Altar Stone, floating; of St Patrick, 393 Ambrose, St. ; referred to by Aen- gus, 368 Amen, amen, 397 Amergin Gluingeal, 45, 217, 448 Amergin Mac Amah/atdh, 53 Amhlaihh (Awley), 403, 414 (219) Amhalgaidh, Ibh- ; Clann Fii'bis his- torians, 219.— L^t-, 125.— r/;-, 126 Amhalgaidh, K. of Connacht, 330 Amhra (Elegy) of Colum Cille, 29, 177, 218, 406 Amlaff, the sons of, 403 Amrois{Tuath),2,SQ Anann, the Paps of, 309 Anhuail, Etal ; Caerabar Boeth, daughter of, 426 Andromeda, parallel story to that of, 280 Anglo-Normans, 225. — invasion of, 414. — power of (after a.d. 1172), 234 Aiimchara, 76, (" soul's friend"), 333 Annadh 0'2Iidreadhaigh, 100 Annagh, parish of (Kerry), 448 Annalists subsequent to Tighernach ; of the, 74 Annally, Co. Longford; OTerrall's country, 219 Annals, the Ancient, 52. — As ma- terials of History, 119. — the future History must be founded on the, 445. — the Latin annals (of Multi- fernan, Grace, etc.), 52. — of Boyle (so called), 52, 81, 105 [App. 539.— of Clonmacnoise, 52,130. — ofClyn, 52.— of Connacht, 104, 113, 114 [App. 539. — ofDonegall; or of the Four Masters, 52, 140, 145.— of Grace, 52. — of Inis Mac Nerinn (in Loch Ce), wrongly called of Kilronan, 52, 93, 97, 114 [App. 541. —of Innisfallen, 52, 75, 79. —of Kilronan, 52, 93, 97, (113), 114 [App. 540.— of Loch C^, 93, 95, [App. 534.— of Multifernan, 52.— of the O'Duigenans of Kilronan (called Annals of Connacht), 113, 114.— of Pembridge, 52.— Of Tigh- ernach, 52, 62, 74, 90 [App. 517. —of Ulster, 23, 52, 83 [App. 517 Annhian Mac Aegan, 141 .4w/-o///, the, 241, 243 Anster, Dr. ; translation of Fenian Poem by, 306 Anthony (St.), and the Monks, 369 Antichrist, 398, 414, 419, 433. Antioch, the Bishops of, 309 Antiquarian inquiry, neglect of, 1, 2 "Antiquarian" nonsense about pagan worship [App. 586 n. Antiquity of our genealogies; credi- bility of the, 205 Antwerp ; Irish MSS. written at, 356 Aodh=Aedh, 177 Aoi, (Poet of TuathaDe Danann), 217 Aoi; Magh- [App. 564 Aongus Anternmach, physician, 221 Aos dcina ; poets, 220 Apocryphal character of the " Pro- phecies", 410 Apostles, the Hill of the {Cnoc na n- Aspal), 361 Apple-tree in Crec/Ai's house, 311 Apple-tree over Ailinn's grave; Ta- blets of the, [App. 465, 466 Ara, the O'Briens of, 236 Arabian Nights, the, (Lane), 296, 297 Arainn Island, St. Colman of, 293 Arann Islands, 417. — "Arann of the Saints". [App. 605. — Topography of, [App. 630 Archaill, Rath, 284 Archaeology, Cliristian, 321 Ardachadh{AxCi2ig\\), 100 [App.641, Ardan, 275 Ard=^art, 177 Ard Brestine', 268 Ard-choill, (Co. Clare), 176 Ardee, named from Firdiadh, 39 Ard-Finain (Co.Tipperary), 76 ; — St. Finan of, 340 Ard Laghrann, 656 Ardlemnachta ; (Ard Leamhnachta, New Milk HiU), 450 ;— Battle of [App. 589 n. Ardmore, St. Declan of, 340 Ardnurchar {Bail€-ath-an- Urchuir), 276 [App. 693 Ard-Patrick, Co. Limerick, 308 Ard-Righ, 218 Ardsallas (Co. Clare), 236 Ard Ui Liiinin, 170 Argain Chuirpri Cinn-Cait for Saer- 45 b 668 INDEX. clannaibh h-Erenn ; Story of the, 262. — Argain Dinn Righ, the, 257 Argonautic Expedition ; Story of, 25. Argat Ross, 449 ; — Liighdidh's grave in, [App. 479 Arm of Saint Lachiain; Shrine of the, 337 Armagh, desecration of, 408. — Ca- tliedral, etc., burned, (1178 ;) [App. 602 n. — (See Primacy of Ardma- cha), 399, 400. — Intruding prelate, NkiU, or Nigellus ; [App. 602. — Book of; 21, — Macutenius' notes in, 397 Canon in, 373. — Sketch of St. Patrick's life in Book of, 347 the (original) Book of, 21. — the Culle/adh of, 335,— Entry in, 653. " Armenians" ; " the large size of the guileless" ; 224 [App. 580 Armorica, [App. 502 Arms, etc., in Museum of Royal Irish Academy, 38 n. Arms of the Firbolgs and TuathaDe Danann, 245 Army, Finii's defensive ; 315. Arond, stone-builder of Jerusalem,222 Art ; Ancient Irish, 38 n. Art Aenfhir, "the Lonely", son of Conn, 42, 43, 96, 386.— "Prophecy" ascribed to, 391. — poem of [App. G22 Art Corb, 48 Asal, 44 Asail ; Slight, the, 453 Ascaill ; Glais in [App. 489, 490 Ashburnham, Lord, 25, &c. Ash (Mountain-),Court ; the, {Bridg- hean Chaerthainn'), 313 Aspal, Choc na n-, 55 ; Abbot of, 361 Assembly in Munster under Bishop Ibair [App. 616 Astronomical Tract, ancient, 657-658 Athair chaigh chuimsigh nimhe, 163 Athairn^ {av AitMrn^),i\\Q poet, 176,- 189, 218, 268, 383, etc. [App. 616 Ath-an-Imok (Ford of the Sods), 282 Athdiath of Ireland ; the, 88 Ath CUath ; DuhhUnn-, 146, 269 Ath Cumair, (near MuUingar), 33 Ath Truim (see Haile Atha Truim') [App. 604, 605 Athens, 222 Ath Flrdiaidh, (Ardee), 39 Atlantic, Expedition of the Sons of Ua Corra into the, 289 ; — peniten- tial pilgrimage into the, 292 " Atlantis, the" ; Story published in, 36 n. Athlone, named from story in the Tain Bo Chuailgti^, 40 Ath Luain, (Athlone), 40 Ath Mdr, 40 Ath na Beithighe, 102 Ath Seanaiqh (Bally shannon, Co. Kildare), 420 Ath Uinche (theFord of Uinche'),B03 Atinni, grandfather of St. Adamnan, [App. 608 " Attacots" (Aifheach Tuathd), 194, 230.— Tale of the Revolt of the, 262 AurchaiUe ; Drom, 382 Ausaille; Cill, (Killossy), 344, 421 Authority, early references to the Historic Tales as, 241 Authorities upon our early History, 441, 443, 445-6 Auxihus, 373 [App. 612 Awley (Amhlaibh), 414 Bachall (see Sciath Bhachall), 331 ; (and see [App. 602). Bachall Isu, the, 104, 330, 338 [App. 539, 600, 624 Bacorbladhra, (the first teacher), 217 Bactrians and Parthians of common descent with the Gaedhil (from Magog, son of Japhet;, 205 Baculus pastoralis [App. 602 n. (and see Bachall /.s«) " Baculus Jliesu" [App. 600 et seg. Badamar, court of K. Fiacha Midi- leathan, 305 Badger Wood (Ros Broc), 302 Badley, Philip, 94 [App. 634 Badurn, 70 [App. 527 Buedan, K. of Ulster [App. 592 n. Bacrach, the Druid of Conor Mac Nessa, 277, [App. 642-3 Baeth (seeDcnrtfdd Bhaeth) [App.642 Baghach, Brat ; (Flag of Battles), 401, 402 Bail^, (=hamlet), 40 Bad(fan Scdil, the; 385,419, [App.618 Bailean Mhoinin,MQ [App. 607 Baile-aiha-an- Urchair, (Ardnurchar, Co. Westmeath), 276 [App. 593 Bade Atha CUath, 88, 146, 269 Bade Atha Trtdm [App. 604, 605 Bade Bhricin (" Extasy of Bricui"), 418 Bad^ Chidnn, the, 385, 419. [App.617 Bade' Codlefoghair, 166, 170, Bade' Mac Bimin; Tale of, [App. 464 et seq., 472 BadeMhoUng, 420, [App. 628 Bcdle Mdr Ui Fhloinn [App. 548 Bade Ui Chleirigh, 22 Bail€ Ui Mhaoilchonaire, 21 Bailldearg {Eochaidh), 210 Bainche, or Bainchne, son of Dobru, Rath-builder of Emania, 222 INDEX. 669 Bairnech hill, near Killarney, 305 Baiscni, 304. — Fint), the Grandson of, 392 [App. G22 Baitkh), St. ; 18.— Story of [App. 532 Balla (Co. Mayo) ; St. Mochua of, 340 Ballaa;hmoon, Co. Kildare [App. 487 Ball Dearg O'DonneU, 406 Balhngarry, Co. Limerick ; Disert Aengusa near, 364 Ballintogher (near Tullamoro), 449 Balls of Gold, 426 Ballyboghall Church, (near Swords, Co. Dublin) [App. 603 Ballyconnell ; Toomregau, near {Tuuiiii Drecain), 418 Ballymacmanus Island {Senait in Loch Erne), 84, 85 Ballymote, Book of, 188, &c. Ballyragget, Co. Kilkenny QRakh Beothaigh, near), 449 Ballysadare, County Sligo; (Traigh Eothaile, near), 246 Ballyshannon (Co. Kildare), (Ath SeanaigK), 420 Ballyshannon, (Co. Sligo) ; Eas Ruaidh on the Erne, near, 284 Bulor " of the stiff blows", 247.—" of the Evil Eye", 249 Baku; son of Buanlamh, builder of Bath Breise, 222, [App. 577. Baltinglass {Bealach Conglals), 232 ; [App. 586 n. — Dunbolg, near [Api>. 588 n.— Tale of the €ave of, 283 Bana, (the River) ; [App. 489, 490 Banhha; 13, 413.— Erinn, 219, 656 Banshees, (see Bean Sidhe) ; 36 n. [App. 504.— S/«, the [App. 599 Ban, Sliabh- (in Connacht) ; the three Rosses of, 426 Bangor (Co. Down) ; [see Bennchuir^, 257, 374 Bann,Mouth. of the, (^Tuagh Inbhet-) ; [App. 475 Banquets (Feasa) ; Tales of, 294 Baoi^=boi, 11 '6 Baoit/nn, St.; Poem of St. Colum Cille, to, 400, 406 [App. 625 Baothghaledi Buadh Mac Aegan, 142, 151, 175 Baptist, St. John ; fiery bolt on fes- tival of, 385, 402, 404 Barbarous custom of a brain trophy, 275 Bare, Dun [App. 589 Bards, 248, — the " Contention of the, 141 Barnab, stone-builder of Jerico, 222 Barrdan, Joannes 0', 323 Barrow, the river {Bearbha'), 302, 422. — St, Eimhin of, 351 Bath, medical healing, of the Tuatha DiS Danann, 250 Battle of ^Ica///, 230, 264 Battle oiAchadh Leithderg (a.d.331), 69 Battle of Aichi; [App. 621 Battle of Almhuin, (a.d. 718), 191, 389, 420 Battle oi Ardhmnachta [App 588 n. Battle oi Ath Cumair [App. 591 n. Battle of Ballyshannon, (1359), 183 Battle of BealAtha DuUe{li>05), 407 Battle of Bel an Atha buidhe (1598), 417 Battle of Bd-an-Droichit [App. 548 Battle of the Boyne, 331 Battle of Bernas, the, [App. 481, 482 n. Battle of Bregh [App. 621 Battle of Brinlech, in Muirthimn^, [App, 587 n. Battle of Caenrai(,he, 189 Battle of CennAbrat, (II.century),187 Battle of Ceann Feabhrait, (1579), 395, 416 Battle of Ceannfuait (915), 421 Battle of Ceann Mara (Kinvara), 303 Battle of Cenntire [App. 622 Battle of cm Eochain, (1414), 395 Battle of cm Sosad, or Cm Osnadh [App. 483, 586 n. Battle of Claire, [App. 586 n. Battle of Clairinc, [App. 621 Battle of Clontarf, 233, 400 Battle of Cnoc an Air, 312 Battle of Cnoc Samhna, 312 Battle of Cnucha, 302 Battle of Comar. 307 Battle of Conachail, 101 Battle of Corann [App. 586 n. Battle of Craunagh, 69 Battle of Cruachan Bri Eile', (1385), 395 Battle of Crinna, 200, [App. 593 n. Battle of CuaUgne [App. 622 Battle of CuilDreimn€, 329, 417 Battle of Disert O'Dea, (1318), 236 Battle of Downpatrick, (1260), 235 [App. 547 Battle of DruimCriaigh [App. 487,508 Battle of Dunbolg, (a.d. 594), 191, 232 Battle of Eli [App. 621 Battle of Emania (" foretold"), 418 Battle of Fidh-Ros [App. 621 Battle of Finntraigh (Ventry- Har- bour), 308, 315 'BsitWe ot Fossnd [App. 481 Battle of Gabhra, 304 Battle of Geisill, (b.c. 1975), 449 (a.d. 1406), 395 670 INDEX. Battle at Gort na Tibrad, 395 Battle of Kinsale, 396 Battle of Leac Bladhma (1027), 414 Battle of Liamhain [App. 492 Battle of 3Iacha [App. 621 Battle of 3Iagh Ailbhe (903), 420 [App. 467 Battle of Magh Leana, 243 Battle of Magh Mucruimhe (a.d. 125), 43, 391 [App. 621 Battle of Magh Rath, (a.d. 624), 50, 191, 243, 418 Battle of 3Iagh Slecht, (1256), 101 [App. 536 Battle of Magh Tuireadh, 241, 244 Battle of Magh Tuireadh na bh- Fomoraxh, 247 Battle of Muirtheimn^, 319 Battle of Ocha or Och^, 55, 88-9, App.] 484, 488 Battle of Odhbha (1072), 421 Battle of Ollarbha, 307 Battle of Rath Chormaic (atTara), 402 Battle of Ross na Righ, (first cen- tury), 187 [App. 589 Battle of Saingel, 396 Battle of Salchoid (Sallyhead, Tip- perary), 403 Battle of the Samair [App. 485 Battle of Seaghais (a.d. 499) ; [App. 499 Battle of Tailhiti, 448 Battle of Tara (978), 403, 404 Battle of Uchbadh, (a.d. 733), 130. Battles, the Flag of; {Brat Bughach), 401 Battle (with the Danes near Dublin, A.D. 917), 387 Beag=^beac, 177 Beagh, Rath-, 449 B€ Aingen, Tain; the, 283 Bealach Conglais [see Baltinglass], 232, 283, 586, etc. Bealach na Beithighe, 103 BealAtha Dade; Battle of, (1505),407 Bean-sidhe (Banshee), 36 n. [App. 504 Sin, the [App 599 Beannchuir (Bangor, Co. Down), 170, 374 -^—Mac Uidhii; abbot of, 419 Bearbha, the river (Barrow), 302, 452 " Bearchan Profetans", 412 [App. 626, etc., [see Berchan'] Bearnan Culainn, (the gapped Bell of St. Culann'), 337 Beathach, ancestor of the Tuatha Di Danann, 244 Bede on the Picts, 450 Bed, four posts to, 311 ; — of gold and silver, 310; — of Diarmaid and Grainn^, 315 [App. 597. — iwda of St. Ciaran, at Clonmacnoise, 27 Begfolad, Tochmarc ; Tale of the, 283 Beg Mac D€ (ob. a.d. 556) ; " Pro- phecies" of, 399 Beinn Edair, (Howth), [App. 587 n,, 588 Beithe' Lids Nin, the [App. 471 Belach Duin ; St. Ciaran of, 360 [App. 608 Belach Mic Uilc [App. 508 Belach Mughna (Ballaghmoon) [App. 487 Belach Conglais, 232, [App. 586 ii.— Uath-, 283 Be'l an atha Buidhe, Battle of (1598), 417 Be'l an Bheallaigh, 102 Bei-an-Droichid (near Sligo); Battle of, [App. 548 B^lchu [App. 590 n. Bel Dragcdn, Loch; 427 [App. G33 Bd, Eoghan ; King of Connacht, 340 Belgadan, Mount, 245 Belgian government, liberality of, 174 Belgium; Irish MSS. in, 26, 232 356. — the Cathach long in, 331. — MSS. lent by the government of, 362. [App. 647.— Irish priests take refuge in, 356 Bell, — of the kings, the (Clog na Righ), 334. — " the voice of my bell in cold lona", 400. — of St. Patrick ; the Finn faidhech, 337 [App. 631 n. Bells, church, 413. — In Museum of R.I.A., etc., 321, 336 "Belle Isle", 13allymacmanus Island, [see Sencui'], in Loch Erne, 85 Bel S^ad, Loch ; 426 [App. 633 Belltain^, pagan Festival of (May- day), 286 Benedict, the gifted, 369 Benen, S. (St. Benignus), 4, 373, [App. 612.— His Life of St. Pa- trick, 349 Bennan, Aedh ; K. of West Munster [App. 590 n. Bennchur (Bangor, Co. Down), 170, 257, 374, 419 Bennchcdr, Cuil; in Ui Fcdlghe', 365 Benne Brit, 43 Beothaigh, Raith; iid Beremain, the Strand of; (near Tra- lee), 305 Berchan, St. ; of Cluain Sosta, 409 [App. 626. — " Prophecies" of, 412. — Book of, 353.- Quoted in the " Danish Wars", 405 " Berchan dixit" (in "prophecy" ascribed to St. Moling), 421 INDEX. 671 Bernard, St. ; his Life of St. Mala- chy cited [App. 602 Bernard, a Danisli cliief, 403 Benias, the Battle of. [App. 481,482 Berraidhe, Ceann ; (servant of Conor Mac Nessa) [App. 641-2 Berry-juice, a bowl of, 309 Besom out of Fanait ; tlie, 420, 421, 423, 426, 428 Betham, Sir W., and Sir N. O'l^^on- nell, 331. — account of the Caihach, 327 Bethech ; Diseri-, 364 Bethlehem, 369 Bkaet/i, Doire da, 276 Biatach, CHospitaller), 84 B!l(f, 21a gh ; (MoviUe), 287 Blllffh, Raith ; (Rayilly). [App. 488 Bindon, Samuel, 174, [App. 647 Biographical Dictionary of Mac Fir- bis, 123 Birchwood used for tablets [App, 470 Birds, fairy ; in the eaves of Credhi's Grianan, 310 Bird, fairy (golden head and silver wings), 333. — Fairy transforma- tion into, 426.— Music of, 334.— Birds of Baili, the. [App. 479 Bishops, Hill of the (near Cabin- teely); {Tulach na n-Espuc), 382 Bishop ; punishment of a, 372 Bissextile Year, 427 " Black Book" of Clirist' Church, re- ferred to [App. 603 Black Maggot, the {Cro?n Duhh) [App. 631-2 Bladh. App. 586 n. Bladhma, Leac, (Meath), Battle of, (1027); 414 Blai, 48 Blar (father of Bole), 222 Blathmac,St. ; sonof Flann, Monarch, 362.— Crozier of, 338 Blathnait. [App. 590 Bloc, the Druid, 388, [App. 620 Blod, 209 "Bloody Maggot, the" (O-omCrwac/*), • [App. 631-2 (and see 103, 538) Blue Mantles, 310 Bluicne, the Druid, 388. [App. 620 Boar, bare rib of a, presented to Conn, 388 Boat of Hides, a large curach or, 292 Bobbio, ; MS., formerly in, now at Milan, 27 Bochra, 11 Bochna, {Fiontan Mac), 171 Bodhhh Derg; the fau-y. 426 Boeth, Coerabar, 426 Bo Finne, Inis, 418 Boi=Baoi=Bai; 177 " Boin ; le gacli", etc., 328 Boinne; Brugh na-. [App. 505 " Boinin ; le gach bohi a", 328 Boirche; Cathair. [App. 591 n. Bole, sou of Blar, rath builder of Cruachain, 222 Bolg, Ink ; in Loch Techet (Loch Gara). [App. 547 Bolg, Magh; murder of Fiacha at, (a.d. 56) ; 264 Bolt, fiery, on the festival of St. John Baptist, 385, 402, 404 Bo; Mael na m-, 421 Books before St. Patrick, Of, 4 Books of Poetry, the Twelve, 301 Books of Erinn ; " the countless hosts of the", 368 " Book, to eyery, its Copy", 328 Book" (" the smallest), 9 Books, of the Lost, 1 et seq., 20. — Of the chief existing ancient, 181 , et seq. Book of AcaiU, 47 Book of Armagh, 21, 27, 343 Book of Bally Clery, 22 Book of Ballymote, 9, 44,188, 215, 656 Book of Bally Mulconry, 21 Book of St. Berchan of Clonsost, 353 Book (Saltair) of Cashel, 19 Book of Cluain Eidhneach, 21 Book of Clonmacnoise, 22 Book of Clonsost (^Cluain Sost), 21 Book of Connacht, 225 Book of the Dun Cow {Leabhar na h-Uld/ire), 20, 182 Book of Cuana, 19 Book of Blmma, (T.C.D.), 23, 27, 335 Book of Doir^ (Derry), 20 Book oi Drom Ceat, 21 Book of Drom Snechta, 13, 41, 656 Book of Duhh da leith€, 19 Book of Dun da Leth glas (Down- patrick), 20 Book of Diin Doighr€, the Great, (called the Leabhar Breac), 31, 190, 352 Book of Durrow, T.C.D., 23 Book of Feenagh. [App. 503 Book of Fermoy, 25 and n., 294 Book of Flann of Dungeimhin, 20 Book of Glenn da Locha (Glenda- loch), 21 Book of HyMany(i?)A Maint),\2, 658 Book of Hymns, (T.C.D), 24, 343 Book of Inis an Dtdn, 20 Book of Invasions, 21, S6, 168 Book of the Island of Saints {Loch RM), 22 672 INDEX. Book of Kells (T.C.D.), 23 Book of Laws (Senchus Mor^, 16 Book of Lecain Mic Firbhisic/h, 22, 1 92 Book o{ Lecain, (the Yellow), 125, 190 Book of Leinster, 69, 186, 215 Book of Leithghlinn, (the Long), 21 Book of Lismore ; [Note. — The Cork part of it has been restored to the original Book of Lismore, since the delivery of these Lectures.] 196, 199 Book of Mac Aegan (the Ked), 21 Book of Mac Brody, 22 Book of James Mac Firbis ; " The Dumb", 125 Book of Mac Murrach,(the Yellow),20 Book of Saint Mochtce, 19 Book of Saint Molaga (the Black), 20 Book of Saint Molinq (theYellow), 20. — liis Evangehstarium (T.CD), 23 Book of Monasterboice,(the Sliort),20 Book of Munster, 225, 237 Book of tlie O'Duigenans, 22 Book of the OTerguses ; the Yellow, ("Liber Flavus Fergusiorum"), 76 n. [App. 531 Book of Pedigrees and Genealogies of Duald Mac Firbis, 120, 215 Book of Sabhall Phatraic (Saull, Co. Down), 20 Book of Seanadh Mhic Maghnusa (in Loch Eirn€ ; called the Annals of Ulster), 22 Book of Slane ; (the Yellow), 20 Book ; the Speckled, (^Leahhar Breac ; and see Great Book of Dun Doigh- rc); 31, 190, 352 Book {Saltair) of Tara, 9, 10, 11, 41, 42, 204 Book of the Ua Chonghbha.il, 13 Book of Ulster, 225 Boroimhe, 10, 5(j.— {Brian), 213, 214, 231, 238 Boromean Tribute, History of the Origin of the ; Tale of the, 181, 230 [App. 585 n., 588 n. Borrisoole [see Burgheis UmhaiW]. [App. 561 Bothar-na-Bruiqhne ("the Eoad of the Court"), 259 Bowen {O'Cnaiinhvi), 211 Bowl of berry-juice, 309 Box, ancient ; of St. Molbu/s Gospel (T.C.D.), 23 Boyle, Annals called those of, 52, 81, 105 [App. 539 Boyne, Battle of the ; Domhnall O'Donnell at the 331 "Ford of the Sods" on the, 282. — Meeting at the mouth of the, 333.— Tale of the eruption of the. [App. 531 Braccan {Berchan), 433 Bragantia, in Spain, 447. Brahmins; Gen. Vallancey and the, 366 Brain; Sruibh, 4:27 [App. 477 Brain of a conquered warrior made into a ball, as a trophy, 275 Bran, 211 Bran Dubh, King of Leinster (a.d. 594), 232 [App. 588n Branch, Itnights of the Eoyal, 14, 244, 270, 279 [App. 507, 637. Branfinn (Sliocht), 211 Brat Baghach (Flag of Battles), 401 402 Brat Sliabh, 101 Breacan, Tale of the Voyage of (a.d. 405), 257 Breac; Leabhar (so called); [see Great Book of Dun Doiqhr^~\, 31, 181, 190, 352 Breaqain, Magh ; (in Tipperary) ; [App, 593 Breaghach ; Domhnall (^O^Maeilsech- lainn), 387 Breas, herald of the Tuaiha Dg Da- nann, 245, 247 Breasail, (K. of Leinster), 91. — Raiih-, [App. 485, and n. Brecan (sou of Partholan) [App.587n. Bregh, or Breqia; the east part of Meath, 49, 63, 193, 259, 286, 409, 451 [App. 620.— Battle of [App, 621.— j\Iaqh Muiredha in, 451.— Tara of, 409. [App. 62Q,— Oengus, (" of the poisoned spear",) King of, 44. " Brehon Law Commission", 16, 17 " Brehon Laws", MSS. of the, 201, etc. [and see "Laws", " Seanchiis M6r\ etc.], — example, 655 Breifne', 102.— O'Rourkes of, 335, 337 Breise (see Bath Breise^, 222 Brenainn ; Cluain Ferta-, [App. 477 Brenan Ban, 210 Brenann of Birr ; Legend of Saint [App, 532 Brendan, St., of Clonfert, 399 ;— Life of, 340. — Pilgrimage, 382. — the Navigation of, (Tale of), 289.— Story of [App. 533. Brestine, Ard-, 268 Brelhibh Neimhedh, 46, (201), 219 Tract on (in B. of Lecain), 240 Brettait, Town of, 349 (Loam Bishop) Breusa, Philip de, 432 Bria7i Boroimhe, 76,213,214:,23\, 653- 4.— At the Battle of Sakhoid, 403 Brian, K. of Connacht ; Genealogy [App. 499 INDEX. 673 Brian na 3Iurfha O'Jiuairc, 194 Brian of the Battle of Nenagh, 212 Brian, son of Feabhall ; Tale of the Adventures of, 318 Bricin, St., 48, 50, 418;— " Prophe- cies" attributed to, 418 Bricrinn's Feast, 193,346 [App. 637-8 Bri Eil€, Cruachain, — Battle of, 395 Brigh Ambui (daughter of Senchadh, 46 Brigid, St., of Kildare, 369.— (goes to Downpatrick 17th March, a.d. 493 ; dies, a.d. 525 ;) 415.— buried at Down, 410.— Lives of, 339 et seq., 342, 343. — Conlaedh, the arti- ficer of, 338. — Poem by [App. 616. — Visit of the Seven Bishops (of Cabinteely) to, 382.— Figure of, 323. Briyobhann, 197. — St. Finnchu of, 340 422 BrisleachMhorMhaigheMhuirthemhne (Battle of). [App. 587 n. Britain ; Christianity in, before St. Patrick, 398 Brittany (Letavia) [App. 502 British Museum, MSS.in, 25.— Visit to, in 1849; 345 Britons; "anger" of the, 224 [App. 581 Britons of Fotharta (Forth, Co. Wex- ford) ; poisoned weapons of the, 450 " Britons of Letka''' ; the [App. 503 Briiiin, Ui-, 414 Broc ; Eos (Badger Wood), 302, 392 Brody, 141, 148,— Mac, 401 (^ste Mac BriaddeudlKi) Brogaii, St. Patrick's scribe, 308 Bronaigh ; Cluuin, [App. 538 Bronze, golden ; rods of, 310 Brooch of Maine'Mac Durthacht acci- dentally found in presence of, and claimed by, Aithirn€t\iQ poet, 268 Broom out of Fanait; the, 420, 421, 423, 426, 428 [App. 632, 634 Bronze; vat of ale, 311, — bed-rods of golden, 310 Brtia ideadJt a , Mac-; (MacBrody),40 1 [App. 625, etc. Brughaidh, 83 Brugh na Boinne [App. 505]. — " The teeming Bruglf [App. 597 Brugh, the fairy mansion of, 308 Bruiqhean Da Choga (see JJa Choga), 260 Bruighean Da Derga, 14, 185. [App. 618.— referred to by Flann, 242 Brussels, Burgvmdian Library, 26,— MSS., in, 232 Buadhach, Laeg/tair^, 275 Buan (see [Tale of] Bade Mac Buain), 464, 472 Buan, the wife of Mesgedhra, death of, 270 Buanlumh, 222 Biichet {Dun Buichei) [App. 588 n, Buckingham, Duke of ; slirine in pos- session of, 336 Buffoons, 248 (Taulckinne, App. 618) Baidhe ChonnaUI, 425, 428 [App. 630 Builders, the principal ancient, 222, [App. 577 Builder; the first in Erinn, 221 Buildings of stone in Erinn, Mac Firbis on, 223 Buirqheis Umhaill, 178, [App. 561. Buithe, 20, 23, 43, 53, 56 (and see Flann of Monasterboice) Bunratty Castle, built by De Clare, 236 Burach, 38 [App. 591 n. Burgkeis Umhai/I (Borrisoole) ; Mo- nastery of, 178, [App. 5G1. Burkes, the, wrote in Gaedhilic, 6 ; — the, of Clann WiUiam, 422 Burren, 212.— O'LocJdainn of, 235 Bursting of Lakes (Toinadhnia) ; Historic Tales of the, 294 Butlers, the, wrote in Gaedhilic, 6 — Mac Richard Butler, 19. C ; (of the sound of the letter c in Gaedhehc), 48 n. Caah (see Cathach), 321, 327 Cabinteely; Tidach na n-Espuc, near, 382 Cachani, the poet, etc. 217 Cabur, stone-builder of Tara, 222 Caech {Rudhraighe), 109 [App. 539 CaeilM Mac Ronain, Poems ascribed to, 301 et se.q. (see CaUte) Caelain ; Cluain-, 374 Caelbad (ancestor of Aengus CciU De), a Rudrician, 363 [App. 610 Cael=Caol, 177. Cael O'Neamhain, 308, — and the lady C redid [App. 594 Cael, the Strand of {Traigh Cueil), 311 Caeluisg^ (Tadhg), 212 Caehisg^, " Narrow Water", 235 Caemh (Aedh), 210, 213 Caemhghin, St. (Kevin), of Uleann da Locha ; Life of, 340 Caenraighe, 189 Caherass {Cathair Essa) [App. 486 Cahir (Co. Tipperary) : Badamar, near, 305 Catcher, the Druid, 217 Cailitin; the sons of [App. 508,— ne-' 074 INDEX. I cromantic arts of the childreu of [App. 587 n. Cdillin, St., of Fklhnacha (Co. Lei- trim) ; Life of, 31, 340, 398.— " Prophecies" of, 398. — Shrine of, 337 [App. 625 Cailte Mac Ronain, 301, etseq.; — in a foot race, [App. 587 n,— his poems, 311 [App. 594 Cainioch, 209. Cairbr^, 217,— (see 0"Karbri), 323 Cairbre Cinn-Cait, 198, 230, 262, 264 [App. 590 n. Cairbre Lifeachair, 48, 72; — killed at Battle of Gabhra, 304.— King of Ciaraighe Lnachra (Kerry), 309 [App. 597. — Finn slain, (a.d. 283), in reign of, 304 Cairbr^ Nia/ear, 49 [App. 483 n., 507 n., 513 Cairbre Riada (ancestor of Dalria- dans), 516 Cairbrk, son of Cor mac Mac Airt, 386 Cairbre, the satirist, son of the poet- ess Etan, 248 Cairbrech {Donnchadh, O'Brian), 212 Cairell (Tiian, son of), 171 Cairin {Ui); O'Meachuir in, 147, Cairnech of Tuile'n, St., 336 [App.600 Cairpr^Niafer, 49, [App.483,507,513 Cairpri Cinn C«iV,198, 230,262,264 [App. 590 n. Cairpri Niadh [App. 515 Cairthenn Finn, 210, 213 Caise', (the river), 389 CaiseJ=za. stone fortress, [App. 577 ; 654 Caisin, 209 CaMach, 95, 407, 562 Calbhach Ruadh 0'Donnell,179, 407, etc. [App. 562 Calendar {clar'i) [App. 599 " Calf" ; " to every cow her", 328 ; — " courting over a living" [App. 503 Callaghan (see Cea/hichan), 200, 238 Calphurnn, father of St. Patrick, 395 Calwell, Castle- ; near Caeluisye', 235 Cambray, MS. at, 28 " Cambreusis Eversus", by Lynch, 443 Cambrensis, (Giraldus), 431,432, — as to the BachaJI Isu [App. 602, 603. — Passages from, concerning pre- tended "Prophecies",432, [App.634 Cam, St. Finan ; of Cenn Eitiijh ; (King's County), 340 Cumm; Conchobhar, [App. 548 Campion's History, (the Bachall Isu referred to iu) ; [App. 603 Candhsh {O'Cuindlis), 192 Can {escra), of ale, [App. 621 Canons, 357,— of St. Patrick, the, 373 [App. 612. — as to absence from Mass on Sunday, 372 — " Canon" of Fothadh na Canoin^, 364, 419 [App. 610 Cano, the, 243 Cantire, Ceunn Tire; Cuchtdainn in 280.— Battle of, [App. 622 Caogdach [App. 494 Caoihe', [and see Caihe'}, 200; — cousin of Finn Mac Cumhaill, 299 Caoin, Oirear, 287 Caol=caeI, 177 Capa, the first doctor in Erinn, 2^1 Capita, son of Cinga [App. 465 Caradniadh Teiscthe, 46 Carbry ; Granard in the territory of 349 Carew, Sir George ; false use of pre- tended " prophecy" by, 434 [App. 636 Carlingford {Citan SnamJia Aigh- necli), 287 Carlsruhe, MSS. at, 27, 28 Carmogal, 311 Cam, of the daughter of Brian, 126 Cam Glas [App. 477 n. Cam of Traigh Eothaik, the, 246 Cam OUltriaUaigh, 100 Cam Tighernaiylt (mountain, near Eathcormac, Co. Cork,) 267 Cam UiNeid (Co. Cork), 422 Carpenters, 249 Carraig Locha Ce, 96 Carraig Mhic Diarmada, 96 Carraig 0' g-Conaill(Co. Limerick), 212 Carraig Phatraic (the " Rock of Cashel") [App. 623 Carrignavar, 196 Cartait (the only Pictish word we have), 20 Carihach, 214; — (called Mochuda), the Rule of St., 374 Carlhuinn, 209 Carthainn, Mac, Saint, 324, 325 Carved silver lintel of the Lady Credlii's door, 310 Cas, 209, 213 ;— (a box), 327 Cashel; SaUairoi,\^ ; — first discovery of the site of [App. 485 n.— the Rock of (called Carraig Pliatraic'). [App. 623,— =" Maceria", 654 Casruba, stone-builder o{ Ailinn, 222 Cassidy, [see O'Caisid^^, 85, 86 Castle Conor, 223 Castlefore, {BaiU CoilU Foghair), 166, 170 Castle Kelly, Co. Galway, HI. [See Errata] INDEX. G75 Cathac/i, the, 321, 327 i'atlutir Boirch€, Slaughter of; Tale of the, 261 Cnthair Conroi (in Kerry), [see Curoi Mac Dah^'] ; [App. 631 u., etc. Cathair Mor, 68, 1G7, 208.— Eace of in Leinster, 208 Cathairs ; Eaths, Forts, and, 449 Cathal, 26 Cathal Crobh - Dearg Ua Concho- bhair. [App. 547 Cathal Mac Finghuine, King of Mun- ster, (A.D. 720;, 238, 353 Cathal MacGiiirc, 84 ; his death, 84. [App. 533 Cfl^^«/ O'Conor, 114 Catha, The (Battles); ("Historic Tales", No. 1), 243 Cathhadh, 45 Cathbharr O'Donnell, 179, 214, 331 [App.599.— the first 0'Donnell,214 Cath Chimic an Air, 312 " Cat-head", Cairbre, 230, 262, 264 Cathair Mo'r, 68, 107, 208 Catherine, figure of Saint, 324 Catholics perbecvited in Ireland, 355 Cathrach Boirche, Argain, 261 Cathreim Chonghail Chlairin(/nigh,261 Cathreim Daihi, the; referred to by Flann, 242 Cathreim Thoirdhealbhaigh, (" The Wars of Thomond"), 195, 234 Cavalry fighting at Battle of Gabhra 304 Caves, of the Tales of ( Uathu). [His- toric Tales, No. 9], 283 CV, Loch, Annals of, 97. [App. 534 Ce, Raith of Beinn-, [App. 591 n. Ceacht ; Mac, 447 Ceallach, St., (son of Eoghan Bel) ; [App. 532.— Life of, 340, [App. 647 Ceallach Mac Curtin, 82 Ceallachan of Cashel, K. of Munster, [A.D, 934], 200, 238 Ceann Berraidli^, servant of Conor Mac Nessa. [App. 642. — " Ceann Berraidhe's sovereignty over Ul- ster". [App. 642 Ceann (or Croni) Cruach, 103. [App. 538 Ccannfaelad, 47, 48, 49, 418 Ceann Feabhrat, Battle of; 395, 416 Ceann Fuait, Battle of (915), 421 Ceann Mara (see Kinvara), Battle of, 303 ;— Church of, 292 Ceann Sleibhe'; Tale of the Feast of Conan's House of, 313 Ceann Tire', Land's End (" Canth'e"). in Scotland, 280 ;— Battle of [App. 584 n., 622 Cearbhall, 132 Cearmna, Dun-, 427, 429 Cearna, the Hill of ; 259 Cearnach, 14 Cearra (Co. Sligo) ; Clann Firbis historians of, 219 Ceasair, the lady, 13, 171, 225. — her female physician, 221 Ceasnaidhean Uladh, Tale of the, 37 [App. 637-8 Cecht, Mac- ; one of St. Patrick's smiths, 337 Ceileachair MacConn na mBocht,\38, 182, 185 i—Maelmhuir^ Mac, 182. [App. 570 CejYe'De, 12,17,26,53,76,111,185,353 Ceinnselach, 5 Ceinnsealach, Enna ; (Eochaidh, son of), 454 Ceis Corann, Tale of the Court of, 313 Ceisneamh Inghine Ghuill [App. 623 Ceithlenn ; Lugh Mac-, 388 Cein, Tadhg Mac ; Tale of the Ad- ventures of, 318 Cellach, 48 Cellar, son of Oengus, 363 [App. 610 Cellrais, 108, 109 Celtic Society, Miscellany of, 207 Cenannus (Kells), 331 Cenel Chonaill, 183, 327, — the his- torians of the, 219, [App. 570, 600 Cenel Eoghain, the, 407; — the histo- rians of tlie, 219 Cenel Fhiachach, (in 'Westmeath),163 Cennabrat, 187 Cennfaeladh "the Learned", of; 47, 48, 50. — cured at Tuaini Drecain, 4 18.— his Tablets ("Charta-Book"), [App. 472 Cenntire' {see Ceann-tire'), 280, — Bat- tle of, [App. 584 n., 622 Censelach [App. 482 n. — Enna Ceinn- selach, 5 n. 454, 482 and n. Ceolach, 42 Cerbheoill (Diarmaid Mac Ferghusa), 55, 111 Cerds (gold , silver, and brass workers) , 249 Cermna Milbheoil (the three sons of), 447 Cerrbheoil, (Diarmaid MacFerghusa), 55, 111 Cesair, the lady, 13, 171, 221, 225, etc. Cesarn, the poet, 388 [App, 620 Cet Mac Magach, 275 Cethach, Flann-, 398,401,402,421,426 Cethur, (or Mac Ceacht^, 447 Chaerthainn, Bruighean-, 313 " Chain- verse" (Conachlcam), 365 Chains of Silver, 426 67G INDEX- Chairof Credhi, 310 Chair of the chief poet, the, 383 Chiurne, Domhnach- ; (qu. Donnycar- ney ?) 382 Chaldeans, the, 369, — tract on the Kings of, 83 Champion's Extasy, the {Bail^ an Scdil), 385, 419 Champions of the Eoyal Branch, 270, 274, 279. — Cliampions, Order of; or of Knighthood [App. 507 Champions, professional, 279 Cliaracteristics of the races in Erinn, 223 Charioteer of Cuchulainn: Laegh^ 278 Chariot of C'o«(«Veil/o;-, 259. — of Cu- chilainn, 281 — of St. Patrick and St. Fiacc [App. 606 Charlemagne, the Conquests of (tract in the Book of Lismore), 25, 200. — The Triumphs of [App. 531 Charms, (Druidical or Medicinal), 28. " Char ta- book" of Ceniifaeladh, the, [App. 472 Charter of Land ; Oengus O^Domhnal- luin witness to a, 335 Charter; the oldest, of the land of Niall, 423 Charlhi, {Magh an), [in Scotland] ; 287, 288 Chasuble (" perforated garment"). 397 Chess-playing [App. 565 Children; dedication of, to the Church, 372 Chivalry, a vow in, 280 — Vows of, 314. — Custom of (ladies calling on a hero of the opposite army to show himself to them), 276 Chonaill, Tir-, 329 ChonaUl Gabhra, Ui-, (Co. Limerick), 316 Chonckobhair, Aideadk-, 274 ChonnaUl, Buidhe- ; (and Crom Chon- naill) ; 425, 428 [App. 630 Chosgair ; Tealadi an (Hill of the Victory), 451 Christ ; Birth of (Synchronisms of) [App. 509. — " CR." conti'action for the name of, 366. — Conchobur Mac Nessa accounted the first martyr in Erinn for, 277. — Mystical Inter- pretation of the ancestry of, 379. — Kepresentation of, in alto relievo, 323 Christ-Church, Dubhn, the "White Book" of [App. 603.— The " Book of Obits.", etc., of [App. 602.— " Black Book" of [App. 603 Christian Period ; Of the remains of the early, 32Q Christianity in Erinn before St. Pa- trick, 397 Chronicon Ratisbonense, the, 346 " Chronicum Scotorum", the, 120, 126, 128 [App. 542 Chronologists and Historians, ■ EARLY ; Of the, 52, 53, etc. Chronological Poem of GiUa Caem- hain, 55. — of Eochaidh O'Flinn, 69 Chronology of Annals of Loch Cif, 101.— of the Four Masters, 151 Church; altar at tlie east end of a, 397. — and State, 344. — Canon on dedication of children to the, 372. — the early, in Erinn, 320 Clan, son of OiUoU Oluhn, 209 [App. 593 Cian, the son of Diancecht, 249 Cianachta Glinne Geimhin, 147 Ciaraighe Luachra (Kerry), 309 [App. 697, 630 Ciaran, St.; 8, 41, 59, 197.— his Hand ; Tale of the Man who swore by [App. 532. — of BeJach L>uin, 350 [App. 608. — of Clonmacnoise ; Life of, 340, 342. — referred to in " prophecy" of St. Berchan, 417. — the Rule of, 374. — of Duleek, 64, — of SaigJiir (King's Co.); Life of, 340, 342!— (Story of) [App. 531 Cianaigke, 309, 597, 630 Cidoin, (or Cidoini), stone-builder of Cii7-oi Mac Dcdre, 222 Cildi, Colum- [App. 608 an AnsaiUe, 344,— (Killossy), 421,— {CUlAuxili) [App. 606 an C/iaidhe, 15 i cm Chluaine (Co. Galway) ; St. Grellan of, 840 CillDara {Druim Criaigh) [App, 487 CillEochain; Battle of, 395 cm F'mche in Magli Raighn^, 302 - cm Gabhra, 17 CiV/ Garad, 18. cm Manchin [App. 630 cm Mic Creiche (near Inistimon), App. 630 cm. Monach, 344 [App, 606 cm Mosomog, 134 cm Rona'm, 22 Cimbaoth, 63, — (Dr. Todd on the pas- sage in Tighernach), [App. 518 Cinueth O'Hartigan, 42, 49 (n, 28), 53, [App. 513, 643. Cin Droma Snechla, 13, 15, 41, 53 [App. 501 Cinel Chonaill, (O'Donnells), the ; [and see CDornhnum'] ; 183, 219, ' 327 [App. 570, 600;— the Calhach of the [App. 599 INDEX. 677 Cinel Eocjhain (O'Neils of Tyrone) ; Historians of the, 219 Cinel Fiachaidh [App. 593 a tiff a, son of Ros [App. 465 Cingris; Pharaoh, 447 Cinn-Cait, Cairbre, 230,202, 264 Cinnathrach (Aengus), 209 Cinnaiiin (Aettffus), 209 Cinneidig/i, 211,213 Cinn [or Cetm] Eitigh (King's Co.); St. Finan Cam of, 340 Ciothack; Flann, 398, 401, 402, 421, 426 OV, 217,— stone-builder of Kome, 222 Cis, 217 Cifhruadh, 200 Civilization of our pagan ancestors, 4 Clachan Mucadha, 101 Claen, ford of the Z»/eat, 270, 275 Cldir^; Battle of, [App. 586 n. Clair ine; Battle of, [App. 621 Clanna-Nemheidh, the, 217 Clann Cholmain, the, 413 Clann ChonaiU, the, 406 Clann Chuilein, (in Clare), the, 234 Clann Ui Mhceilchonaire, the, 148 Clann William ; Burkes of, the, 422 Clanchy {Mac Flanchadha), 210 Clar (Calendar?), 599 Clare, De, 234, 236 ' Clare, the chieftains and clanns of, 237. — Fenian Tales current in, 299. — Topography of [App. 630 Clarus (Sanctus Magonus) [App. 608 Classical Teacher, the{Fer-Leiffhinn), 2 n.. 9 n., 56 [App. 495 , Classification of the people in ancient Erinn ; a fixed legal, 4 Clathra, or Clara, 37 Clear ; Cape, 449 Cleitcc/i, the enchanted house of, 308 Cleitech ; palace of Muircheartach Mac Ere, on the Boyne, [App. 600 Chith (see Cli), 9 n. Clery, Book of Bally-, 22 Clergy the, released from military service, 363 Cli, or Chith (column, or tree of a house), 9 n. Ch, the, 241, 243 Cliabhghlas {Aedh); \_Aedh, "the gray-bodied"], 401 Cliach ; Eochaidh,chief oi \_A-pTp.585n. Cliack, harper of Smirdubh Mac Snidil, 426 Cliach ; Loch Crotta- ; (Lake of Cli- ach's Harp), 427 Cliath, Diibhlinn Atha, 2G9 Cliodlma, the Wave {Tonn) of, 306, 307 Cliii Mail [App. 480 Clochar, 325 Clock na Coillte (Clonakilty), 306 Clochar (Co. Tyrone), 325.— Bishop Erniedach, of [App. 608 Clochair, Oeiiach- ; (Manister, Co. Limerick), 305 Che Phutraic (Bell of St. Patrick), 336, 337 Clog=cloc, 177 Clogher (Clochar), 290 Clog na High (Bell of the Kings), 334 Clonakilty {Cloch na Coillte), 306 Clonard, St. Finnenof, 291, 340 Clones, Monastery of; (The Domh- nach), 32o Clonfert {Chain Ferta Brenainn) [App. 477.— St. Brendan of, 399 ; —Life of, 340 Clongowes Wood College; Crozier at, 338 Clonmacnoise, 352. — History of the Foundation of, 58 [App. 517. — St. Ciaran's bed (imda) at, 27. — Annals of, 130, — Authorities used for, 137.— Crozier of, 338. — Donn- ehadh CBraoin, Abbot of, 419 — Prayer of Colga Ua Duinechda of, 379. — Turgesius' -wife, superior of, 400 Clonsost (Cluain Sasia),B52 Clontarf, Battle of; "foretold", 400 Clothar (Clogher), 290 Clothrann {Ms-), 112 Cloyne {Cluain Uamha) "of the Caves", 66 Cluada ; Srath-, [App. 591 n. Cluain Bronaigh [App. 538 Cluain Caelain, 374 Cluain Eidhneach, 21,26,364 Cluain Ferta (Clonfert), 399 Cluain Fraoich, 110 [App. 539 Cluain Hi Bhroin, 94 Cluain Mic Ndis, (Clonmacnoise) ; 8, 21,59,138,185 Chiaitie' {see Cill Chluaine), 340 Cluain Sosta (Clonsost), 352, 353 Cluain lorard (Clonard), 170 Cluain Uamha (Cloyne; literally, " Cloyne of the Caves"), 66 Clyde ; Strath-, [App. 591 n, Cnamhchoill (in Tipperary), 385, 403 Cnamhchoille i the Coirth^-, (Rock of), 385, 402 Choc Ain^, (Knockany), 316, 317, 486 n. Cnoc an Air, Battle of (the Hill of Slaughter), 312 Cnoc na n-Aspal; Abbot of, 361 Cnoc Grein^, 422 678 INDEX. Cnoc LuiiH/e (" Knocklong") ; Drom Damhyhuire, 198, 200, 271 Cnot Samhna, Battle of, 312 Cnucha, Battle of; Cumhall, killed at the, 302 Coast Guards, Finris, 315 Cobal; Eochaidh, 363 [App. 610 C'obkthach Cad Breagh, 63, 208, 451. — killed in Dinn Righ, 253 Cohlai; Druim-, [App. 607 Cochlan (Mac), 163,— [Pedigree of, App. 550 Codan Corinchisnech, physician, 221 Codiad^cotlad, 177 Coelbad, 363 [App. 610 Coerabar Boeth, daughter of Btal Anbuail, 426 Coemghhi's [S. Kevin's], Church at Gleann da Locha, 367, 370 Coga (see Da C/ioga), 260, [App. 584 n. '^ Cogadh Gall re Gaedhealaibh", the, 232 Coidi^ O'Coicle, 102 Coigedh Shreing [App. 563 Coin Eassa, 102 Coilhfoghair, (Baile), 166, 170 Coire Breacain, 257, [App. 587 n. Coirthe Cnamhchoille, the, 385, 402 CoinMDmrg (the Red Pillar Stone), of Dathi, 288 Cokely, (OCoicle), 102 Colamnafearb, 32 Colgan, Father John, 26, 143, [App. 645. — Defended against Lanigaii, 341, 345. — On the ancient Lives of St. Patrick, 348 Colgu; Aedh, the son of, 420 Colgu Ua Dinnechda; Prayer of, 37'J [App.#615 Col/a Mac Mahon of Oriell [App. 557 Colla Uais, 55, 72, 167 —Race of; Clann Ferbis historians, 219 Collas, the Three : CoUa Uais, Colla Meann, and CoUa Fochri, the de- stroyers of Emania, 72 CoJhit, Cruimthir ; from Druim Roil- gech, [App. 608 Coll Buana (" the Hazel of Buaii"), 270 College of St. Columba ; the Miosach at, 336 College, Trinity; MSS, copied for, 370 Caiman (see Clann Cholmabi), 413 Colman Mdr, 414 Cohnan, St., of Arann Island, 293, 350 Colman, St., of Cruachan Aigle, 423 Colman CSeasnan, 53 Colman Uamhach [App. 608 Coloured thatch, 810 Colpa, 447 (Inbliear Colpa) Colptha, 200.— Bath Colptlia [App. 603 Colton's Visitation, Primate ; Dr. Reeves' edition of [App. 613 Columba, St., (Coli/m Cllle); forged " prophecy" of, 432 Columbanus, MS. Commentary on the Psalms, by (at Milan), 27 Colum Cille, Saint, 17, 18, 41, 77, 170, 218,339etseq.,342, 369, 399, 407 ;— called Cohnn Cildi [App.608 ; the son of Feidhlimidk [App. 608, — first compiled the miracles of St. Patrick [App. 501, 608.— Prayer of, 329 [App. 598. — " Alius" of, 77.— Rule of, 374 [App. 612. — Cuilefadh of, 332, 334 [App. 599. — Crozier of, 338. — his Amhra 218.— Copy of the Psalms by, 321, 327.— Figure of, 323. — his burial and exhumation, 410. — Judgment of K. Diurniaid against, 328. — Lives of, 389 et seq., 342.— O'Don- nell's Life of, 407 [App. 540.— Pre- tended " Prophecies" of, 399, 432, [App. 625 et seq., 634-5,— Co/«w Cille, and the Saints of Scotland, * 369. — pedigree of, 360. — acquainted with Beg Mac De', 399. — his Poem on Eochaidh Mac Eire, and on the Battle of Magh Tuireadh, 242 — the Cathach of, 330 [App. 598, 599 Colony, Immigration of a (Tochomh- ladh) ; " Historic Tales" of, 294 Coman of Ceann Mara,^ Saint, 292 Comur, Battle of, 307 Comqull, (son of Domanqori), 55, — Saint, 170 Comhad, 212 Comharba (successor), 58, 325 Comhghall; the Rule of St., 374 Commandments, the Ten {Deich m- Breithir) ; [a name for the Penta- teuch,] 9, 31, [App. 495 Commons, Committee of the House of (1849), 345 Comyn, John; grant by John Earl of Moreton to [App. 604 Conachuil ; BaXtle of, 101 Conacldann, or " Chain -Verse'', 365 Conaill,Cinel(see Cinel Chonaill),lSo, 219, 327 [App. 599, 600 Conaill, Clann ; heir loom of the, 183, 327, 219 [App. 599, 600 Conaill, Buidhe; the, 425 [App. 630 Conaill, Crom ; the (ib.) Conaing's Tower, 244 [App. 590 n. Conair€ Mdr Mac Ederscedil (Mo- INDEX. 679 narcli a.m. 5091), U, 45, 54, 258, 453, [App. 618.— Date of the reign of [App. 509. — Ci(-(/Ius, Master of the Hounds to [App. 586 n. Conaire O'CIerlff/i, 148 Comiire, the Rath of [App. 515 Connll Ceanutch, 14, 49, 226, 270, 275, 279 [App. 514;— and Bi-ldm [App. 590 n. — At Ross na Bii/k [App. 589 n.— Death of [App. 483, 587 n.— The " Eed Route" of, 319 ConallDearg Ua Corra, 289 Conall Eachhuikh, 209 Cunall G(//6a«,288,— (Adventures of), 319, 328, 330.— Burial of,(A.D. 464), 398 Conall ("of the Swift Steeds"), 213 CoiniH" Sciath-Bhachair, 331 Conul/, son of Amhalgiiklh, 330 Conall, son of Coelmuine, at Rome ; 663-3 Conall, son of Niall " Xaoi-ghiallach", 360 Conamhail, son of Gilla-Arri, 403 Conan Mac Morna, 317 Conan^s House of Ceann Sleiblie ; Taleof the Feast of, 313 Conception ; the Immaculate, 380 Conchobhar, oi; St. Ultan, son of [App. 608 Conchobhar, 54, 96 Conchobhar Camin [App. 548 Conchobhar Mac Nessa ; -69, etc. [see Conor], — the Vision of [App. 592n. —Tragedy of, 274, 276, 458 [App. 693, 636.— On the place of death of [App. 593 Conchobhar na Siubhdaind', 236 Conchobhar, son oi Maelsechlainn, 346 Conde're, 17 [on, 372 Confession and Absolution ; Canon Confey, near Lucan (^Ceannfuait) ; Battle of, 421 Confessors, assembly of 3000 Father-, 381 Conga (Cong) ; the Cross of, 338 — Magh Tuireadh, near, 245 Congal Claen, 50 [App. 586 n. Conghal Claringneach (^Caithreim') ; (the Battles of. Tale of), 261.— the Triumphs of [App. 591 n. Conghbhail, Ua ; Book of the, 13 [App. 496 Congliniie, Mac ; the Poet, 353 Conlaedh, artificer of St. Brigid, 338 Conla Ruadh, Tale of the Adventures of, 318 Conloingeas, (Cormac), 36, etc. Conmach, successor of St. Patrick, 363 Conmaicne, 101 ConmaicneMaigheRein; O'Duigenans, the historians of the, 219 Conn " Ced- Cathach" ; (" of the Hun- dred Battles"), the birth of [App. 531. — poems on 300. — his reign, 453 (and see Bade Chuinn, and Bade an Scad) [App. 618, 620.— " Prophecies" ascribed to, 385 " Coim's half" (see '■'■ Leath Chuinn"), 400, etc. Conns, the three ; 407, 507, — the son of; [App 479, 507 Con, Loch ; Paten of St. Tighernan found at, 338 Conn-na mBocht, 138, 182, 184, 185, [App. 570, 571 Connacht, Annals of, 104, 113 Connacht, Fenians of; Goll Mac Morna, chief of the, 302 Connellan's edition of the Annals of the Four Masters, 150, 159 Connery ; the Abbe, 6G Connla Mac Ecliagan, 130 Conor ; Castle, 223 — diocese of, 76 Conor Mac Nessa, 69, etc. [and see Conchobhar'] Adhna, poet of, 383. — Cormac Conloingeas, son of, 260, 275. — tract on the Death of [App. 533. — the History of, 453 Conor O'Beaghan, 82 Conroy, Florence {O'Maelchonair^), [App. 644 Conrui; Aideadh-, 273 Conry, John, 98 Consecrating touch of the crozier, the, 413 Consecration of a church; ancient ritual for, 357, 378 Constantinople; Oilen, stone-builder of, 222 Constantine the Great ; Story of [App. 532 Consul; Altus, aRoman,277,[App. 642 " Contention of the Bards", the, 141 Continental expeditions of Ugaine Mdr, 451 Continuation of Tighemagh, by 3Iac Gradoigk, 74 [App. 529 Contractions appended to O'Clery's Glossary, 178 [App. 560 Copenhagen, no fragments of Irish MSS. found in, 5 Cooke, Mr., of Birr, 337 Coolavin, (Ciiil bh-Finn), 145, [App. 546, 548 " Copy ; to every book its", 328 Corcmn, 101.— Battle of [App. 586 n. Corb, the Poet. 209, 388. [App. 620 Core, 210 Core of Caisel. [App. 491 680 INDEX. Core, the son of Lughaidli, Tale of. [App. 469 ;— his city, [App. 623 Corca Laoi, 190 Corcomroe Abbey, 212, 234, 346 [App. 630. — Founded by Conor O'Brien, 234 Corcomroe, the O^Troightlnghs of, 346 Cork, woe to the people of, (" Pro- phecy" of); 420, 421, 426, 428 CoRMAC Mac Airt ; History of King, 42, 43, — A righteous Judge, 10 n, — Description of, 44 [App. 510. — Learning and legislation of, 46- 47. — At Drom Damhghaire [App. 589 n. —Courtship of ^//6/(e',Daugh- ter of, 283.— Tale of the Adven- tures of, 318.— >SaZtoiV, 9, 41, 402, 464, 656 Cormnc Mac ChuUhnnain, 12, 53, 41 7; — K. of Munster (a.d. 885), 238.— Killed (a.d. 903), 420 [App. 467. —Killed on a Tuesday, 405.— The Rule of, 375,— his Glossary, 17, 19. — on"T'eo- 589 n. Cricil, son of Dubhchruit, builder of the Rath of Ailinn, 222 Crbiudi, 48 Crimhthainn, (Aodh Mac-),18G, [App. 571 ' Crimthainn, FeiJdhimidh Mac; K. of Munster (a.d. 824), 238, 362 [App. 623 Crimthan, 5 n., 54 Crimhfhann Mor, 189. — granduncle of King Dathi, 285 Crimhthann Nia Nair in Britain, [App. 589 n. Crimhfhann Sciath-bel [App. 589 n. Crimhthami's daughter Eithne " Uu~ thach", or "the Hateful" [App. 483, 586 n. Crinna, 200; Battle of [App. 593 n. Crithinbd, 221 Crobh-Dearg, Cathal, 101 [App. 547 Crochan, King's County {Cnta chain Bri File), 395 Crofton ; Duald MacFirbis unfortu- nately slain by a, 122 Crogh Patrick {Cruach Phatraic'), 423, etc. Cro'in^; Loch-, 312 Cro7n Chonnaill, 425, 428 [App. 630 Crom Cruach, 103;— the site of it, 103, [App. 538.— "The Bloody Maggot" [App. 631-2 Cromlechs, graves vulgarly so called, 247, 315 [App. 597 Cromwell's barbarous rule in Erinn. 127 Cronins, the (O'Crdnin); descended from the Druid Mogh liuitk, 272 Cronan of Roscrea, Saint, 335 Cronchu, son of Rdnan, (father of CaeilM), 307 " Crook-headed staff", (crozier), 397 INDEX. 681 Crooiu, Co. Limerick, 305 Cro ; Jiath-, 416 Cros-Doire- Chduin, 101 Crosses in Museum of R.I.A., etc., 321, 336.— of Co»f/a, 338 Crotta C/iach, Lodi ; (Lake of CUaclCs Harps), 427 Crott, SUabh- (the Mountain of Harps), 427 Crozier (" crookheaded staff"), 397. — of St. Patrick (and particuhu-ly, see BachaJl Isii), 603 n. — the con- secrating touch of the, 413 Croziers in Museum of R.I.A., etc., 321, 336 " Crozier shield" ; Conall of the, 331 Cruach (Crom-), 103 [App. 53S. — "The Bloody IMaggot", [App. 631-2 Cruachain, 179. — Bole, rath-builder of, 222.— Palace of, 2S5.— Bait/,-, 33.— Iving Dat/ti, buried at, 288. —Tale of the Cave of, 283 —Tale of Meaclhbh and the Cave of [App. 532.— The Cave of [App. 586 n. 587 n, Cniachain Aigle (^Cruach Plialraic), 423 [App. 629 Cruachain Bri Eile, Battle of, 395 Cruachne, 88 Cruai()li, or Cruaklh, (not CruaicK), the -word in O'Lochain's Poem on Tara; 10 n. Crucifixion, death of ^ Conor Mac Nessa on the day of the, 277 [App. 642 Cruimthir CoIIait, from Druim Roil- gech [App. 608 Cruit, a harp, 427 Cruithneans, the (Picts) ; 450, [App. 586, 592 n. Cru, Mucjh-i ("bloody plain"), 263 Crunn, and his wife, Macha; [App. 586 n. Crunnbadrai, son of Eochaidh Cobai 363 [App. 610 Crystal cups, 310 Crystal ornaments, 323 Cu. — [the son of the three Cus, or Co«s].— [App. 479, 507 CuaUgne, 8 n., — Battle of [App. 621, (and see Tain Bo Chuailgne) Cualann, S/ig/te, (The Great Road of Cualann), 259, 453 Cuan O'Lockain, 9, 42, 53. — His Poem on Tara, 9, 10 [App. 496 Cuan Snamha Aighnech (Carlingford), 287 Cuana, Book of, 19 Cuana, King of Fermoy [App. 590 n. Cuanuch (O'Briens of), 211 Guar ; Dun-, 3G3 Cuchonnaclit, 103 Cuchorb ; {Sliabh SuidM C/'tonchorb), [App. 478, 480, —poem on the Death of [ApP- 480, 482 Cuchulainn, 14, 69, 274, 275, 278, 279, 280,— death of, by magical arts [App. 319, 483, 507, 5S7.— Adventures of [App. 589 n. — and Blathnait [App. 590 n at the siege of Falga [App. 588 n. — the SeirgUgh€ Chonchulainn, [App. 637-8. Cuckoo sings for Credhi, 310 Cucoipriche O'CIery, 22 [App. 78, 79 Cucoigriche G'Dubhgennain, 145 Cuglas, Prince ; (from whom Bdach Con^/atSj^Baltinglas), 283 [App. 586 n. Cuigeadh Sreing, the, (Sreng's Pro- vince, Connaclit), 246 Cuil Bennchair, in Ui Fadgh^, 365 Cuileanndin, Cormac Mac, [aud sea Cormac], King of Munster, (a.u. 885), 238 Cidlefadh, the (of St. Colum Cille), 332, 334 [App. 599.— the, (of St. Eindiin), 335, [App. 599.- the, (of St. Patrick), 338 Cuil Dreimne, 329 Cuilein, Chain- ; in Clare. 234 Cuil Garnhnu, Flann of, 421 Cuilinn, Fidh, 420 Cuill; Mac-, 447 " Cuilmenn", the, 1, 8, 29, 31, 32.— great antiquity of, 41 ; [App. 494, 504 Cuil bhFinn {Coola.vm), 145, [App. 546, 548 Cuinnire, 76 Cuirrech Lifi, (the " Curragh of Kil- dare"), 305 Cuirr na h-EillM, 178 [App. 561 Cuisin ; David, son of Rickard, [App. 457 Culann, Bearnan- ; (the gapped Bell of St. Culann), 337 Culdees (Cede I)c), 111, 185, 353.— Rule of the, 375 Cullen, (^O'Cuileamhain), Most Rev. Paul; Archbisliop of Dublin; fa- mily of [App. 488 Cul, the Feara- ; (of Teabhtha), 286 Cumair, Ath-; Battle of [App. 591 n. Cumdach, 326 Cumhaill (see Raith Chumhaiir), 403 Cumhall, lather of Finn, 302, 304 Cunga (see Cong), 82, 93, etc. [App. 586 u. Cup-bearers, 249, 309 44 682 INDEX. Curacli, the making of a, 292. — Trad- ing between Eriun and Scotland, 257 Curoi Mac Daire, 185 [App. 587 n., 589 n., 590 n., 631 n.— Tale of the Tragedy of, 273. — his Grave [App. 579.— Stone-builder, Cldoin, 222 Curragh of Kildare (^Cuirrech Lif^), 305 Curry, (0' ComhraidM), race of, 210 Curtains of bed, 310 Custom (see Chivalry), 276 Cycle of the Epact (calculation as to St. John's Day), 425, 427 Da Choffa, Tale of the Destruction of the Bndghean, 260 [App. 584 n. Da Derga, Destruction of the Brulg- hean, 14, 185, 242, 258 [App. 584, (and see 618) Dachre'ca, Dill, son of, 305 "■Dael Uladli", Duhhthach, 275 Daghda, Aeiigiis, son of the, 45 DagJida Mor, the, 249.— the Hall of the [App. 505 Da idh I, Temple-; [App. 593 Daile, Deal atha. Battle of, 407 DaiThre, or Dairaire, Island ; (now called Valentia Island), 272 Daire, 68.— Cerba [App. 491.— Do/r^ Da Bhaetk, the ford of (where Conor Mac Nessa fell); [App.642 — Daire Dornmhar, " Emperor of the whole world", 315 Dairine, daughter of Tuathal Teacht- mar, 230, 303 Dairt, daughter of Eochaidh [App. 585 n. Ddla, Sliglie, the, 453 Dalcassians, Pedigrees of the, 209, 213. — the ; called the House of Tal, [App. 479. — Kings of this race, 213 Dal Cidrh [App. 474 Dal Fiatach,\n, 226 Dalian Forgaill, 29, 171 Dal m-Buain [App. 474 Dal Monach [App. 474 Dall (the blind), Guairif-, 305 Dalriada, 88; — of the race of, 412,414, 415 Progress of the, into Scot- land [App. 593 Darnghhuire', Drom (Knocklong), 108, 271, 200 [App. 589 n. Damh-Inish (Devenish), 330, 340 Danes and the Gaedhil; History of the Wars of the, 232. — Copy in volume among the O'Clery MSS. in Brussels, 173 Danes, — or Lochlannx, 225,226. — ene- mies of letters in Erinn, 6. — bat- tle with the; (A.D. 917), 387.— Gluttony of the, 224, [App. 581.— Commerce of the, 224 [App. 581. — Blathmac killed by, as a Christian, 362.— of the Hebrides, 404.— &inc, King of the, of Dublin, 414. — in Munster defeated at Sulchoid (a.d. 941), 403 Daniel, 369 Danish Invasion, 5, 416. — "Prophe- tic" allusions to, 399. — Fleet on the Upper Shannon, (a.d. 840), 400, 405 Daraire, Oilcan- ; (" Valentia Is- land") ; 272 Dare', 35 Dathi, King, 125 [App. 592 n.— the Cathreiin, [App. 591 n. — Death of (A.D. 428), 284.— the History of, 454. — Tale of the Expedition of, to the Alps, 284.— Duald Mac- Firbis descended from, 125. — an- cestor of O'liiain and O'Cuileam- hain, (Cullen), [App. 488 Datho; Mac-, {Mtsroeda) [App. 486 David, 369 Deacair, Imtheacht an Ghilla, 313, 316 Dealbaeth, 209 Dean, Drniin ; house of Finn at, 303 Dearc Ferna, (now Cave of Duumore) [App. 587 n., 589 n. Dearg, (Ath-), 103 Dearmait, Duil ; the Exile of the sons of, 319, 468 Deasy {Deise), 50, 193 [Aiap. 532 593 Debility of the Ultonians, the [App. 586 n. Decollation of St. John Baptist, Fes- tival of, 425, etc. Decies, 193 (see Deise) Decision of King Diarmaid as to St. Colum Cille, 328 Declan, St., of Ardmore ; Life of, 340 De Clare, 234, 236 De Courcy, John, 235. — Forged "prophecies" in favour of, 451 Dectir(f [App. 508 Dedication of Annals of the Four Masters [App. 543 Dedication of O'Clery's Leahhar Gahhdla [App. 552 Dedication to O'Clery's Reim Riogh- raidh^ [App. 550 D€ Domnand, Indech, son of; a Fo- morian, 249 Deer hunted by the king's guards, 333. —Tadhg, son of Cian, killed by a deer [App. 588 n. INDKX. G83 Defence of Erinu; Finn's arrange- ments for the, 315 Deick m-Bi(it/iir,9, 31 Deirditf, 9(>, 14. — and the sons of Uistieach, Tale of, 29 1 [App. 5S'J n. Deirbshiur don Eagna an Eu/se, 177 Deise, 50, 193 [App. 532, 593 Deluge foretold, a, 385 Delvin, the {Ailbhine) ; Ford on the, 282 Delvin (Co. Westraeath) ; Mac Cogh- lan,Lord of, 130 Denmark, Consul Clarvujneach in, 262 Den Mor; (Arfs attendant), 391 Denvir, Kight Hev. Dr., Bishop of Down ; Shrine belonging to, 337 DerbhJhorgaHI [App. 483 Dercedan ; Urom-, 382 Derg, Bodhbh ; — (the fairy), 426.— Muirn, the daughter of, 308 Derg-dheirc, Loch ; origin of the name, 267 Dermod Mac Murroch, 187, 42) [App. 571 Dermot (see Diarmaid) Derry, the Book of, 20 Desgibal, (Disciple), [App. 495 Descriptions (personal) of the Ulster Chiefs, in an ancient Tale, 38 Desmond, Earl of, 395.— James, Earl of, 422 Destruction of literature by the Danes and Anglo-Normans, 5, 6. — of the Palace of E mania by the Three CoUas, 72 Devenish {Damh-Inh), 330, 340 Devil, a vow to the, 290. — Tale of Tadg O'Bruibi and the [App. 532 Dialects ; the inventors of the [App. 501 "Dialogue of the Ancient Men", 307 "Dialogue of the Two Sages"; (;" Prophecy" in), 383 Dianceucht, physician, 28, 46, 221.— the surgeon of King Nuada, 247 Diarmaid, 55 — and. Graiune, 313. — "Beds of" [App. 597. — at Beann Edair, (Howth), 283 Diarmaid Mac Fcrghusa Cerrbheoil, the Monarch, 398 ; — judgment of, 328. — his courtship of the Bcgfo- lad, 2So.—Beg Mac De, Poet of, 399 [App. 517 Diarmaid Mac Murchadha, 187, 421 [App. 571 Diarmaid; murder of King, (a.d. 1169), 387 Diarviaid, son of Cucogry O'Clery [App. 561 Diarmaid^ son of y[ael na m-b(S, 421 Diarmaid, the sons of, 415 Diarmada (the Sliockt), 110. — The genealogy of the Ua-, 13 Diarmuit, son of Ainmire, 363 [App. 610 Dichedal do chennaibh, 240 Dictionary ; want of a Gaedhelic, 457. — Committee formed to prepare a, 457 Dill, son of Dachreca, 305 Diman, 70 [App. 527 Dimma ; Es-, [App. 489, 490 Dimma's Book (T.C.D.), 23, 335 ; 652 Dinn High, 451, — (Tuaitn Ttnbu [App. 482, — the Destruction of, 252 Dinnsenchas, 9, 53, 49 (n. 28), 188, 193, 449,— the, about Brecdin, 257. — Einian Poems from the, 302 Dionui's Book (T.C.D.), 23, 335 Directors, Spiritual, 368 Disert Aengusa, 364 Disert Bethec/i, 364 Disert O'Dea, 236 Discipline; Monastic Rules of, 357, 373 Distribution of Food. 311 Dithorba,^ 70 [App. 527.- The three sons of, 283 Divination by Druidism {Finn Mac Cumhaill), 3d4: Dobkarckon (JSIiunter^, 210 Dobru, 222 Doctor; the first, in Erinn, 221 Dodder ; the Bruighean Da Derga on the, 259, 209 Dopt of Neimthenn, the judgments of, 46 Dog, Breacan^s, 257 Doqlira, the chief Druid of King JJalhi, 284 Doighre; LexiMar mdr Dilna (com- monly called Leabhar Brew j E.I.A.), 31, 190, 352, etc. Doirif, 20 Doire' da Bliaelk, 276 Doire Lurain, 50 Doirin Cranncha, 102 Domangorl, 55 Domhnach, the name (to what ap- plied), 335 Dondinuch Airgid, the, 321, 322 [App. 598 Domluiach Chairne (qu. Doneycar- ney?)382 Domhnach Sechnaill (Dunshaughlin), 344, [App. 600 Domhnall, 50. — Military School of the Scottish champion, 279 — Son 41 B 684 INDEX. of Flannacan, liis poem, 222 [App. 577 Domfmall Ban, K. of Scotland (1093), 414, 417 Domhnall Mor O'Briei), last Iving of Munster, 234 Domhnall, son of Aedh Mac Ainmire, 333 Domhnainn, Inbher- ; (Malahide Bay), 385, 402 " Domiciliary visits" in Ireland, 355 Domhnainn, Mac'il (" Moll Downey") [App. 485 Domhnann multitudes ; tlie, [App.485. —the Fir-, [App. 580 _ Donaghadee (probably Oirear Caoin'), 287 Donaldbane (^Domhnall Ban), 414,417 Donegall, Martyrology of, 353 Doulevy, 148 Donn, (the ^'Donn Chuailgn^"'), 85, — Donn ; the eldest son of Milesius, 217, 447, 448,— Lordof Z;/-er//«,414, — oV/ Mac Oireachtuigh, 102 Donnan, St., martyrdom of [App. 591 n. Donnchadh, brother of K. Fiacha, 333.— K. of Leinster, 364 Donnchadh O'Biaoin, Tale of, [App. 532 Donnchadh, son of Domhnall, 333 Donnchadh, son of Donn, 414 Donnchuan, 211 Donn Chuailgne, 35 Donndesa [App. 586 n. — the sons of, foster brothers of the Monarch Conaire Mar, 258 Donochmore, Munca, Bishop of, 349 Donnsleibhe Ua Gadh-a, [App. 546 Donovan (Rev. J.) ; his publication without acknowledgment of cata- logue of the St. Isidore MSS., drawn up by Mr. O'Curry for the late Very Rev. Dean Lyons, 157, [App. 646 Donnycarney(qu.Z)o/«A««cAC'Aa//7ze'), 382 Doorkeepers, 309 Doorposts of green (bronze), 310 Door, (lintel of carved Silver), 310 Dornmhar, Dair^-, 315 Dothor, the (Dodder river), 259, 269 Dove, representation of the Holy Ghost as a, 323 " Downey, Moll" ; (Maeil Domhnaimi) [App. 485 Downpatrick, Battle of, (a.d. 1260), 235, [App. 547. — Burial there of St. Cohan Cill€, St. Patrick, and St. Brighid, 410. — {Diln da Leth glas), 20, 413.— The Book of, 20 Dragnin ; Loch Bel, 427 Dragon, the Fiery, 426, 427 Drecain, Tuaim; St. Bricin of, (a.d. 637), 418 Drech-Mhagh, paved by Conn [App. 621 Dremain, Olas Mac, 315 Dremn^, Cuil, 329 Dresses and accoutrements of an an- cient chief, 38 Drignend, Drom-, [App. 477 Drimnagh (Drummainech), 270 Driseg, the, 241 Drogiieda, (Inbher Colpa), 448 Droichit; Bel-an-, (near Sligo),Battle of [App. 548 Drom Aurchaille, 382 Drom Ceata, the Book of, 21 Dromm Coblai, [App. 607 Droma Deirg, Ruith, 308 Droma Snechta, the Cin, 13, 41, 206, [App. 464, 497; 656 DromcViS (Cidl Dreimne, near), 329 Drom Damhghaire, 198, 200, 271 Drom Finn, Saint Finnen of, 328 Drom Sneachta,(The Clnof), 206, 656. "Drowning of books", etc., by the Danes, 5 Druid, Finnchaemh, the (of Dnthi), 285 Bacrach, Conor's, 277, — Dor/hra, the, 284, Druidical arts, 284.— Spells, 271.— Verse, 240 Druidism of Finn (his Thumb of Knowledge), 396, 394. — of the Tuatha De Dancum [App. 505 Druids, 249, 309 ; their learning, 4 ; — as heralds, 287. — Of Conn ; the three, 388 [App. 620.— of King Laeghaire; " prophecy" of St. Pa- trick by, 397 [App. 617.— of the Mi- lesians,448. — Mound of the(Dumha 7ia n-Druadli), 284. — the mound of the, at Tara, [App. 514 Druim Cain, the ancient name of Tara, 244 Druimcli, 2 n. 9, [App. 495 Druim Coblai [Ajip. 607 Druim Criaidh, the Battle of [App. 508 Druim Dean, house of Finn at, 303 Druim Tibrait, 59 Drummainecli (Drimnagh), 270 Drury, Sir William, 395, 396 Diiuch, son of Brian, K. of Connacht, 14, 15, [App. 498-9 Duach Dalta Deadhgha,(Monarch),63 Duach Galach, 15 and note, 206. 226, [App. 497 Duach Laclhrach, [App. 526 INDEX. 685 Duach Tengumha, 15, and note; [App. 498 Dtiaibhsech, the wife of Muircheartach Mac Erect, neglected for Sin the Beansiclhe; [App. 600 Dminair^, 12 Duarcan 0' li-Eaghra (Cathal, son of), 102 Duhh, the lady ; (from whom " Dub- Un"), 269 Dubhaltach, 82 Diibhaltach Mac Firbhisicjli, 9, 120,129 [App 541, 542 Diibhchruif, the Builder, 222 Duhhda DiMhsacJi, physician, 221 Dubh da leithe, Book of, 19 Dnbhdeadach, 44 Dubh(]enn O'Duigenan, 83 Dublilacha and Mongan [App. 592 n. Dubhlinn (Dubhn), 88, 403, [App. 590 n. 627. — Origin of the name of, 269 Dubh Mac Turilu (?), 198 Dubhthach, 5, 82,^4, 170 Dubhthach Duel Uladh, 21 o Dubluhach Ua Liiguir, or O'Lugair, 349.— Lands granted to [Ajjp. 489. —Poems by [App. 482 Dubhn, 88, 269-403, [App. 590 n., 627. — tlie orator of {Conamkail^, 403. — (^Dubhlinn), origin of the name of, 269 Du Cange, cited, [App, 602 u. Dufferin, in Wexford, 2^11 iJufthakr (Norse for Dubthacli), 5 Dugdale's Mouasticon referred to [App. 603 n. Duggan, (O'Duggans of Fermoy), descended from Mogh Buith, 272 Dmbldinn [App. 627 Duigenan, 113 [and see Muintir Didhhglienainn, 22 ; and O'Duibh- genainn']. Duignan, David, 94 [App. 534 Dud Dearmuit, the Exile of the Sons of, 319 [App. 468 Dud Droma Ceata, 21 Dtdnechda ; Cohju Ua-, 379-80 [App. 615 Dulane (near KeUs, County Meath), (Ttdk'ii), 330 " Dumb Book" of James Mac Firbis, the, 125 Dumha na n-Druadh (the Druid's Mound), 284 Dumha Selga (hunting mound), 391 Dun Aithirne (on the Hill of Howth), 269 Duncan, 211 Diin Cearmna, (Old Headof Kinsale), 427, 429 Dim Cuar, 363 Dihi dd Leathqhias, (Downpatrick), 13, 20, 413, [App, 627 Diin Leth-glasse [App. 606 Dun na n-Gall, 52,148 Dun na n-Gedh, 191 Diin, the, of Credhi, 309 [App. 597 Diinbolg [App. 588 n. Dunchadh (Donnchadh^. son of Donn, 414 Dundealgan (Dundalk), 287 Diin Doighre, 31, 180, 190, 352 Dundrum Bay, (Co. Down), {Loch Rudhraidhi?), 429. — Congal Clar- ingneach lands at, 262 Dunfliun, Co. Sligo ; murder of Du- ald Mac Firbis at, 122 i)i(rt(7e/«/«'», (Dungiven, Co.Derry),20 Dunghus, Bishop of Dubhn, 404 Dunlang, 44 Dunlaing, son of Enna [App. 466 Dunmore, Cave of (Dearc Ferna ; County Kilkenny), [App. 587 o., 589 n. Dum-aven, Earl of, 210 Dun Riga, 63 Dunshaughlin {Donihnach SechnailT), 344 [App. 606 Diin Tri-Liag (Duntrileague), 312 Duntrileagne, Co. Limerick (Dun Tri Liarj), 312 Durlas (Thurles), 421 Darius, in Connacht (Palace of K. Guaire &i), 30 Durrow, the Book of (T.C.D.), 23.— The Crozier of, 338 Durrthacht, 46 Durthacht ; Eoghan Mac, 275 Durthacht; Mairnf Mac, finding of the brooch of, 268 E written for A, 180 Eaba,t\\Q female physician of Ceasair, 221 Eachtgha, 125. — Clann Firbis histo- rians, 219 Eaghra (Ui), 147 [App. 546 Ealta (see Magh n-Ealta'),^ 407 Eamhain Mhacha, (Emauia), 96 Earc, 55 Eas Mac n-Eirc, 81, 111 EasRuuidh (near Bally shannon), 71, 284, 400 [App. 528 Eassa (Coill-'), 102 East end of a church, the altar at the, 397 Eatharlagh (Atherlow, O'Briens of), 211 Eber (or Eihlr), Finn, 147, 157,— and Eremon, the genealogical lines of, 194,207,447-8 686 IKDEX. Ecclesiastical MSS., analysis of the, 339, 357 Ecclesiastical History ,materials of,355 Echach (genitive case of the name Eocltaidh; as App. 610) Echach ; Loch n- (Loch Neagh) [App. 591 n. Echaidh Salbiddhe, father of Nessa, 262 [App. 636-7 Echbhedil, Eockaidh, 383 Echtigern, 211 Echtgh^; Sliabh-, 312 EoHTRAi, of the ; (" Adventures") ; [" Historic Tales", No. 10], 283 Eclipse of the sun on the day of the Crucifixion, 277 Edail (Italy), [App. 504 Edain; Tale of the Courtship of, [App, 585 n. Edair, Vath Behind; (Tale of the Cave of Beann Edair), 283 Edair, Beinti- ; (Hill of Howtli), 269 269.— Poem by Finn at, 394, 395 Edinburgh, Advocates' Library, 26 Edlenn, son of Tighernmas. (^Lug, son of), [App. 621 Education, and duties of an Ollamh, 239. — Education for the Priesthood, Canon on, 372 Eg in the Hebrides [App. 591 n. Eglais beg, (Clonmacnoise), 59 Egypt, 222, 447 Eibir Mac Mileadh, [and see Ebbr'], 147, 157, etc. Eibhin, [see Eimhiti], 132 Eidersgel, father of Condire Mor, [and see Etersgel,'] 258, — killed, [App. ^508 Eidhneach ; Cluain-, 364: Eile, Cruachain Bri; Battle of, 395 EilM, Our mi h-, 178 [App. 562 Eilti; Ah nah-, 102 Eimhin, St. ; Life of St. Patrick bv, 347, 348, 351. — the Cuilefudh 6i, 335, 351 [App. 5dQ.—Mainister-, (Mouasterevan), 132 Eimhir^, Tochmarc ; (Tale of the Courtship of Eimer), [see Emer], 278 Eire; [see Ere; and Eas Mac n-Eirc'], 111 Eir( dginis na naomh, 163 Eir^, Queen, 448 Eirn^, Loch [App. 592 n. Eithlenn, daughter of Balor, 250 Eithn€ ''Uathach", ("the Hateful") [App. 483, 586 n. Eitigh (see Cinn Eitigh), 340 Elatha, King of the Fomorians, fa- ther of Breas, 249 Elegy of St. Colum C'iirc,[8ee Amhra'], 406, etc. Eleran (see Aileran), 350, 378, etc., [App. 608,614 Eh/ga (Erinn) [App. 484 ii//,' Battle of [App. 621 Elias, 369 Elim Mac Conrach, 54, 230, 264 Elizabethan and other modern set- tlers in Erinn, 422 Elizabeth, confederacy against Queen, 422 Elizabeth's reign, Wars of, 396 Elopements (Aithidhe); Historic Talcs of, 294 Elphin, {Ailfimi), 175 Ehan, 304 Ely, O'Carroll of, 209, 219 Emania, 63, 64, 67, 70. — Bainchn^, rath-builder of, 222. — Foundation of. Historic Era of the, 67, 68, 70 [App. 518, 526. — Foundation of the Palace of, d^cription of, 283. Battle of, " foretold", 418. — De- struction of (a.d. 331), 72 Embroidery (the lady Eimer'), 279 ^wer, the Lady; 279,"[App.515, 585n. Emer Mac Ir, [and see Eber'], 207 Emhain Macha, [and see Emania], 70. — Foundation of [App. 526 Emhin, St. [see Eindwi], 347, etc. EmiM, grandson of Ninin€, 8, 30 Emly (Imliuch), 374 [App. 630 Er)iir [App. 538. — Tochmarc Emire [App. 637-8 Emruis, Tuath- ; [App. 621 English defeated in several battles, 395. — settlers; Tales, etc., before the time of, 299. — Use of forged "prophecies" by the, 431 Enchanted Goblets ; Aedh Oirdnidhc and the, [App. 532 Enchanted house of C/eitech, the, 308 Engach (the Valiant) ; Aedh, 419 Enna Ceiiinsealach ; 5, — Eochaidh, son of, 454 Enna Nia, 44 Enniskillen, (Bns Cethliotm), 169, [App. 553 Enoch, 369 Eochaidh Abhradh-ruaidk, 312 Eochaidh Aireamh, murder of, (a.m. 6084) [App. 591 n. Eockaidh Aireamh, Monarch (b.c. 100), 285, 286— Killed, [App. 508. — and Etain, [App. 685 n. Eochaidh Aincheann, or Ard-Cheann, King of Leinster, — and the daugh- ters of Tuathal Tcachtmar, 230, 303. [App. 586 u. INDEX. G87 Eothaidli Biy Dciry, Bruiyhean, 313 Eochaidh Buadhach, G7 [App. 526 Eochaidh Cohai, 363 [App. GIO Eochaidh DomhJen, 72 Eochaidh Echbhe'oil, school of, in Scotland, 383 EochaidhFeidkch,{coQtQva\}O^SXjv:it\\ Julius Cffisar), I^ing; 33, 5-1, 224 [App. 523. — Father of Queen Mcdhhh [App. 637.— Slaughter of his sons by [App. 591 n. Eochaidh Gurbh [App. 513 Eochaidh Giuuwt, 41 Eochaidh Mac Daire, 68 Eochaidh Mac Eire ; Cohan Clue's Poem on, 242. — when king, 244. — Tailte, the Spanish wife of, 287 Eochaidh Mac Luchia, King of Mid Erinn, 46, 267 Eochaidh Mac Maireda, K. of Fer- moy, 294 Eochaidh Muiyhmhedhoin, 14,208,386, 389. — Story of the Sons of, [App. 531, 593. — fhe descendants of, [App. 498 Eochaidh O'Flannayain, 20, 138 Eochaidh Flinn, [and see O'F/oinn.'] 53 [App. 521. — his Chronological Poem, 69 Eochaidh Salbhuidhe, 262 [App.636-7 Eochaidh, soa of Enna Ceinnsealach, 454 Eochaidh, the first name of OUamh Fodhla, 218 Eochaidh, the Lake of, (Loch n- Erhach, or Neagh), 294 Eochaidh Tirmchania, K. of Con- nacht, 329 Eochain, CiU ; Battle of, 395 Eoyanacht, (of Loch Le'ui), 76, 77 Eoyhun Bel, King of Connacht ; St. CeaUach, son of, 340 Eoyhain, Cinel; (see Cine! Eoyhain), 219 Eoyhan, from whom Tir Eoyhain, (Tyrone^, [App. 587 n., 590 n. Eoyhan Mac iJurthacht, 275 Eoyhan Mo'r, 44, 208 Son of Oilioll Oluim, 351. — race of in South Munster, 20S. — O'Didnins histo- rians of the race of, 219 Eoyhan 0' Conor, 184 [App. 570 Eoyhan liuadh Mac an Bhaird, (Ward;, 330 Eoyhan, son oi AiJill Flann Bey, 351 Eoyhan, son of Murchadh, ancestor of St. Eimhi'n, 351 Eoyhan Srem, 15 Eoyhain, Tir, 329 [App. 587 n., 590 n. " Eoteream ci'sitatem" [App. 501 Eo-minn, 71 [App. 528 Edin Bic Baile [App. 478 Eoir (the river Nore, n-Eoir), 364 Eo'lhaik', Traiyh ; (near Bally sadare), 246 " Eothena", 15 [App, 501 Epact for 1096 ; (as to St. John's Day, that year), 425,427 Episcopacy, duties of the, 372 Equerries, 309 Era of foundation of Emania, wiiy preferred or selected by Tiyhernach, 68 [App. 518, 526 Erail, A. itye, (request) [App. 633 Ere (see Eochaidh Mac Eire), 88, 242 [see also Eiic, and Eas mac n- Eire'] Ere (the lady), 39 [App. 506, 515 Ere, son of Cairpri, or Cairbre', 49, [App. 483, 507,— Mound of, [App. 513 Erca, 171 Eremon, 447, — the grave of, 449, — and Eber, the genealogical lines of, 207 Erenach, an (Airchinnech'), 290, 344, 408 Eric, 49 Erinn ; " Banba'^ (q. v.), 656. — desti- nies of (St.Berchan's "Prophecies"), 417 Sovereignty of [App. 621. — Noble Saints of, 369. — Learning in ancient, 3 " Erlonde ; the great relicke of" [App. 604 Ermedach of Clochar, Bishop [App. 608 Erne; Loch, 418, — Caeluisy^ on, 235. — Devenish in, 330, 340.— Island of Senait (Mac Mayhmtsa) in, 84 Erne, the river ; Eas Liuaidh on, 284 Ernin, son of Duach ; writer of the Cin Droma Snechta, 14 Escra, or can, of ale [App, 621 Esmonde, Sir T.; note concerning the estate of [App. 490 Espousals, or courtships ( Tochmarca); Historic Tales of, 278 Espue, Tidach na n-; (near Cabin- teely), 3S2 Essa [App. 515 ; — Cathair-, 486 Etain, Tale of the Courtship of, 319, [App. 585 n. Etair, Beinn ; (or Edair), 283 Etal Anbuail, Coeraber boetli, daugh- ter of, 426 Etan, the Poetess, mother of Cairbr€ the Satirist, 248 Ethain, the poet, 388 [App. 620 Etheor, 164 Ethur, (or Mac Cuill), 447 fiS8 INBEX. Eterscel, 258,— killed [App. 508 Etymologies of names, part of the lore of an Ollamh, 240 Eucharist, the Holy ; ancient Expo- sition of Doctrine of, 357, 376 Eugene, son of Sdran, 374 Eugenians (the), 213, — and Dalcas- sians, alternative rights of, 2 1 3 Eusebius referred to by Aengiis, 368 " Eusebian Numbers",'the, 650 Eustace ; Captain, 396 E vangelistarium, the, of Saint Moling, (T.C.D.), 23 Eve, November, a pagan festival, 284, 286 Exile on the sea of the Men of Ross ; of the, 333 Expeditions by Sea; of the, (Im- ramha ; Historic Tales, No. 12), 288 Expeditions, Military (Sluaighead/ia ; Historic Tales, No 1 1), 284 Expedition to Italy of Uyaine il/o'r,451 Eyebrows, colouring of the, 309 Facktna Finn, chief poet of Ulster, (A.M. 4024), 261 Fachtna,d5, 46, 96— Father of Con- chohhar Mac Nessa, 274 [App. 636-7 Faidheach, Finn, the ; ("sweet sound- ing" bell), 337 Fail, Ath Finn; [App. 480 Fail, Tnis, (the Island of 7^a7), 167, 388 [App. 620 Failcjhe, Ui, (Offaly), 302, 365, 395 Faitsin€, Berchan na ; 412 Faind [App. 515 Fair of Tailldn, the, 2S7.— of the Lije (Liffey), 305 Fairies, and Fairy Mythology [App. 504.— Tale of Mac Coise, the Poet, and the Fairy Woman [App. 532 Faithlenn, Inis-, (Inisfallen), 75 Fal, "the stone of Destiny", 388 [App, Q20.—Temair of [App. 479, 620 Falc/a, the Isle of Man [App. 588 n. Faiman, the Druid, 217 Fanait, the Broom out of, 420,421, 423, 426, 428 [App. 632, 634 Farney, 69, 72 Faro [see Pharaoh], 369 Farsaidh {Fenius), 15, 127, 163,217, 226 [App. 501 Fas, US,— (Glenn Faisi), 448 Fast, general (in 1096), 404.— three days ; (vow to the Devil of), 290, Fathach, 217 Futhan Mura (a.d. 800), 419 Fawn,alittle (meaningof " O«.s«'m"),304 Fe, Cormac on the word ; [App. 468 Feabhaill, Loch ; (Foyle), [App. 478 Feahhall, Tale of the Adventures of Brian, son of, 318 Feabhraf, Cecmn ; Battle of, 395,416 Feadha (" woods"), letters anciently called, [App. 470. — Gleann, (the Woody Glen, in Scotland), 287 Fearadharh, 54 Fear a Ciil Breagh [Bregia], (or, of Teahhtha), 286 Fearfeasa O^Maelckonnh% 145 Fearmidghe (Air an dci), [and see Fermoy], 198 Fearna Mhor (Ferns, Co. Wexford), St. Maodhog of, 340 Fcarnmhaigh, (Farnej'), 72 Feasa, of the ; (Historic Tales of Banquets), 294 Feast of Taillt^i, (Telltown, Co. Meath), 287.— Feast of the Lifii (LiflPey), 305 Feathers ; go^vn of a poet ornamented with, 383 Fedhlim, Mac Cathail Crobhdeirg, (Ua Conclwbhair), 101 Feenagh, Book of (as to Letha) [App. 503 Feidelm Nockrothaigh, or Nitachru- thach (" the ever-blooming"), 39, 49 [App. 512, 514 Feidlimidh, father of St. Colum CilU, 360 Feidlimidh Mac Crbnhthainn, K. of Munster (a.d, 824), 238, 362 [App. 623 Feile, the ; (the river Feale), 306 Feing; Tidach na-, 30S Feinigh, storytellers, 220 Feis (Assembly) of Tara ; the first, by Ollamh Fodhla, 218 Feis Tiqhe Chondin Chinn t-Sleibh€, Tale of the, 313 Felisdine (qu. Palestine ?), 222 Felire Aengusa, the; 17, 26, 174, 367. Noteson, 349, 351 [App. 501, 610 et seq. ; 660. Felmac ; Feile'; etc. 657. Femhen, the fairy palace of, 426 Fenerhas, 49, 121.— The Book of, of Fddlda, 220 Fene men, 10 Fenian Poems, etc.. Of the ; 299, 301 Fenian (Prose) Tales, of the, 313 Fenians of Connacht; Goll Mac Morna, chief of the, 302 Fenius Farsaidh, 15, 127, 163-4, 217, 226 [App. 501 Fera Roiss, the [App. 641 Feradach, 44 ; 264 [see Errata] ; — K, of Scotland [App. 469 IXDEX. 689 Feraniorz, 278 Ferb, daughter of Gerg [App. 585 n., 592 n. Ferccirtne, 45, 218. — Poet and philo- sopher, 252 [vVpp. 558 Ftrcorb, 209 Fer Leighinn, (a Classical Teacher), 2 n, 9 n., 51 n., 56 [App. -195 Fer-morca (iu West Munetci) ; Sco- riath. King of the, 253 Fera Jlois, Fiacha, King of the, 333 Fer-sidhe ; of the, [App. 504 Ferdiadh, 39 Feredach Finn, Kins of Scotland, 287 Ferc/hal mac MaoUiduin (contempo- rary with Leo. III.), 54, 389, 420 Fergtui, 38, [App. 506 the physi- sician, 221 Fergus Fnirge, K. of South Leiaster, 268 [App. 465, 474 Fergus FinnbJieoil (Fergus " the Elo- quent'', son of Finn Mac Cumhaill), Poems ascribed to; 299, 301, et seq. [App. 593 Ferghus Fog/ui, 69, 72, 73 Fergus Mac Leide, K. of North Ul- ster (a.m. 4024), 261 Fergus Mac Roigh, 30, 36 [App. 483. — married to Xessa, 274, [App. 636-7. — and Flidais [App. 585 n. — Exile of, from Ulster [App. 593 Fergal^Lac Uilliam, 32 [App. 504 Fergus Mor, son of Ere, 55 Fergus, son of Conall, grandfather of St. Colum CiUe', 360 FerU; the King of, 222 [App. 577 Fermenting ale, vessels of, 309 Fermoy ; Book of, 25 and 25 n, 294, — (Tale of Fraech Mac Fidkaigh) [App. .^03. — Eochaidh Mac Mai- re'da, King of, 294. — Famihes de- scended from Mogh Ruith in, 272 Ferns (Co. Wexford) ; (see Fearna Mhor), 23, 340 Fert Scota, 448 Fessa, {Feasa), the, 294 Festivals, pagan; Belltain€, 286; Samhain, 284, 286 Festologies, 339, 357, 360, etc. Festology of Cathal Macguire, 26 Fetkur (or Mac Greine'), 447 Fiacal Phadraig, the; (Tooth of St. Patrick), 338 Fiacc, of Slettv, 4, Si2.—Sechnan, and St. Patrick, 344, [App. 606.— his Poem on St. Patrick, 5, 343,349 [App. 606 Gloss on his Hymn (as to Letha), [App. 503.— as to the desertion of Tara, 343 [App. 605-6. — his sore leg, 344, [App. 607 Fiacha, 54, 209 Fiacha Finnolaidh, Monarch, 230. — Mm-der of, 263 [.and see Errata, as to his name at p. 264, where it should be that of his son Fera- dach.'\ Fiacha Foltleathan, King of Ulster, 316 Fiacha, King of the Fera Rois, 333 Fiacha MuiUeaihan, 44, 208, 305 Race of, in Munster, 208. — Ances- tor of St. Eimhin, 3.5 1 Fiacha Sraibhtene, 72, 386 Fiacha Suidhe, 50 (n. 29) Fiachaidh, CineJ, 163, [App. 593 Fiachna, son of Baedan [App. 592, n. — viae Reataich, Story of, 198 Fiachra, 189 Fiachra Ealgach, 126 Fiachra, father of King Dathi, 284. — Genealogy of [App. 499 Fiachrach (Ibh) ; Clann Firbis, his- torians, 219 Fiachrach, Tir, 120, 125, 418 Fianna Eireann, the, 300, 315 Fiatach, 5i—Dal-, 171, 226 Fidhaigh, Fraech Mac (Tale of), [App. 503 Fidh Cuilinn, 420 Fidhgha [App. 589 n. Fidhnacha (Co. Leitrim) : St. Cail- lin of, 340:—" Prophecies" of, 398 Fidru, son o? Diarmint, 363 [App.GlO Fiech (see Fiacc), 5, 342, etc. "Field, the, of the Pillar Stone"; (^Gort an Chairthe'; in Scotland), 288 Fiery Plague on festival of St. John Baptist^ the, 385, 402, 404, 423 Firjma, 217. FiVe', or poet, 2, 8, 16, 29, 45, 70 [App. 461, 464.— Degree of, 240, 243 Filedecht, 2, 18, 29 [App. 461, 464 Finan, St. of Ard-Finain ; Life of, 340 Finan Cam, Saint ; of Cinn Eitigh (King's Co.) ; Life of, 340 Finan Lohhar, 76 Finbarr, Q^Mac Hui Bardene"), 91, — (of Termonbarry), 338,— (of Cork), 340 Finch^; Cill-, (the chiirch of Finch(f), 302 Finchadh Mac Baicheda, 68 Findruing; the " white metal", [App. 493. — a rooftree of, [App. 621 " Fingal" of MacPherson, the, 300 Fingin Fisiocdha, 221 Physician of Conor Mac Nessa [App. 641 600 INDEX. Finguin^; CuthalMac; KingofMun- ster (a.d. 720) ; 194, 238, 353 Finnabhair, (" tlae Fair-browed"), 36, 585 n. Finnobkair of Ma ffh InisJO, [App.527 Flnnachta the Festive (a.d. 680), 231 Finn (AedJi), 102 Finn Faidheach, the (" sweet-sound- ing" bell), 337, [App. 631 n. Finn Mac CumhaiU, 56, 194, 200, 283, 299, et seq.— a historical ijerson- age, 303, 304. — his courtship of AiWhe, 283, [App. 585 n.— in the Cave of Dunmore, [App. 589 n. — Poems ascribed to, 301 et seq., 395, [App. 594, 624. — " Prophecies" as- cribed to, 392, [App. 422, 624.— the mound of [App. 514. — his " Thumb of Knowledge", 395, 396 Finn Titlach, 308 Finnhharr, St., of Cork, 91. — Life of, 340. — of Termonbarry ; Crozier of, 338 Finnbarr's, the Abbot of Saint (Tale of), 353 Finnbheannach, (the great Connacht Bull), 34, 39,— the noble land of the [App. 564 Fimichacmh, the Druid of Duilii, 285 Finnchu, 197. — St., of Bri Gobhunn, 422.— Life of, 340 Finncona, 38 Finnen, of Clonard ; Saint, 170, 291 .— — Life of, 340, 342. — of Drom Finn, 328 Finnjail; Nnada, (a.m. 4238), 83. Finnliath (Aedk), 133 Finnbheoil (Fergus), 299,300 [App. 593 Fiitntan (sixth century), 11, 171. — Poem by, quoted as authority, 241, —(father of Cimbaoth), 68 Finntragha ; Cath-, (Battle of Ventry Harbour), 308, 313, 315 [App. 597 i^mtaw, 11, 67, 171,241 [450 Fiodha, Tuatha, the, (Forest Tribes), Fiodhnacha, S. Cuillin of, 31 Fiontain Mac Bochra, 171 Fior comhlainn, the, 37 Firbhisigh, {Dubhaltuch Mac), 120 [App. 541. — the Clann, (historians of Lower Connacht), 219 Firbolgs, 226.— Colony (a.m. 3266), 244. — the first physicians of the, 221 referred to by Finntan, 241 FircJieart [App. 558 Firdiadh ; Ath-, (Ardee), 39. Fir Domhnann, 223 Fires of Tailltin, the, 287 Fis (Visions) ; (" Ilistoric Tales" of), 295 Fisher, Sir Edward [App. 490 Fisherman, the first in Erinn, 221 Fishing by the Fenians, 315 Fithil, 11 Fithir, Daughter of Tualhal Teacht- mar, 230, 303 Fitzgerald, John, Earl of Desmond, 422.— Maurice Bub/i, 422 Five provinces, the, of Erinn, 896 Flag of Battles, the (Brat Baghach), 401 Flag, Patrick coming to Erinn on a, 393 Flagstone, Finn slipping on a, 393 Fluinn, Aengus Ua, 399 Flaith, 3, 202 Flaithbheartach O'Flannagain [App. 547 Flannacan ; Donnell, son of, 222, [App. 677 Flann Beg, Ailill, 351 Fkinn, Blathmac, son of; Monarch, 362 Flann Cethach, 398, 401, 402, 421, 428 Flann of Cuil Gamhna, 421 Flann Mac Aedhagain, 151 Flann Mainistrech, or Flann of Mo- naslerboice ; 53 et seq. ; — not an ecclesiastic, 56, — Synchronisms of, 54 [App. 509. — Entries of the death of [App. 516 — Compared with Bede, Gildas, and Nennius, 57. — quotes from poems of eai'lier date, 242. — Verse identifying, with the Synchronisms, [App. 523 Poem on the kings, etc., 242. — Refers to the Baile an Scdil, 389, 390 [App. 621 Flann Mac Lonvn, 53; poem by [App. 467 Flann Sionna, 132 Fleasc File, the ; (Wand of the Post) ; [App. 464 Fledh Bricrinn, Tale of the. 346 [App. 637-8 Fleming's CoUecta Sacra, 379 Fleming (Thomas), Archbishop of Dublin, 151 Flidais [App. 585 n.—Tdin Bo, 185 [App. 531 Flynu (see Ui Fhloinn) [App. 548 Florence Mac Carthy, 198 Foal, the Island of (from Avhich the i^«? was brought to Tara) [App. 620 Fochlog, the, 241 Fochri, Colla, 72 Fod/du^^BTUxu, 220 Fogartach, King of Fotla (Erinn) [App. 516 Foglaintibh [App. 495 I INDEX. 691 Foirceadhidki [App. 495 fhircetal (knowledge) [App. 461 Folt/eathan; Fiacha, King of Ulster, 316 Fomorians, 225, 226. — in the German Ocean, 2i9.— Bohr "of the stiff blows", one of the, 217. — Tribute of women to the, 280 Footrace, by Cailte [App. 587 n. Furbais, a siege by regular invest- ment, 264 FoRBASA (Sieges). Tales of. — (" His- toric Tales''^ No. 5), 264 Forbes, (Mac Firbis), 192 Forhuis Droma Damhghoire, 198, 271 Fon-hairtkuw (near Kathcoole) [and see as to the "Rowing Wheel"], 403 Fords, combats generally at, 281 Fordmlm [App. 489, 490 Foreign Ecclesiastics in ancient Erinu, 381 Forest Tribes {I'uatha Fiodha), the, 450 Forgall Monach, father of the lady £/we?-,278, 279 Forgery of " Prophecy", bv O^Neach- ^«/m (1716), 418 Forgery of " Prophecies" of St. Co- him Cille, 407, etc. Fonts Focail; the Glossary called the, 177 Fornnd/i, 189, [App. 588 n. Forth, in Wexford (Fotkarta), 450 Fossud, (Battle of) [App. 481 Fothudh Canann, and the wife of Ailelf; of [App. 590 n. Fothadh lui Cuudine, 363, 419. — the Canon of [App. 610 Foiharta (Forth, in Wexford), 450 Foundation of Emania; of the His- torical Era of the, 70 Four Masters, Annals of the, 140, 155 [App. 543 et seq. — " Martyro- logy of Donegal", 353 Foyle, Loch {Sndbh Brain), 429 Fruech [App. 585 n. — Ifac Fidhaigh, Tale of [App. 503 France, assistance to Erinn from,418. — Labraidh Maen flies to the King of, 256 Fratricidal King, the, 387 Fraoich {Cluain), 110 [App. 539 Freumhainn (now Frewia in West- meath), 285 French, the ; in Scottish army (5th century), 288. — " Eesponsive" (re- vengeful), "covetous", 224 [App. 581, — Expedition to Erinn with I.nbhraidn Maen, 256 Frewin, Hill of, in Westmeath {Freamhainn), 285 Friday, a journey on, 309.— Plague on festival of St. John on a, 402,404 Fuaid, S/iabh; [App. 475, 642 Fuidhir, 654 Fuinedh [App. 492 Fursa, Saint, 427.— The Vision of [App. 592 n. Gabha/a, Leabhar-, (O'Clerys), 168 [App. 552 Gabh/tin, son of Ua Gairbh, stone- builder of Aikach, 222 Gabhra; CUl, 17.— Battle of, (a.d. 284), 72. — Oscar, son of Oisiii, killed there; 304, 307, 386,— {Magh Ui\ 145 [App. 546,— L^t ChoiudU-, (Co. Limerick), 316 Gabhrd'in, Aedan Mac, K. of Scot- land (a.d. 570), 414, 417 Gabran, son of JDomangort, 55 Gabuaidech, Aengus, 48 Gaedhel, son of Ethiur [App. 501 GaedhU, 3, 13, 164. — Beauty and amorousness of the, 224 [App. 581 GaedhU, GaedluUc, etc., 3, 29, 188, etc. Gaeidelg, 3 Gaileng, 147 GaUeoin, the, or GaUiims, 223 [App. 580 G'cM7?e'(Galtee) Mountains, 141 [App. 485 Gairbh, Ua-, 222 Gairech, the Hill of, 39 Galach, 15 Galariih (Milesius), the eight sons of, 447 '' Galur breac'\ the, 84 Gall, St. (in Switzerland), MSS. at, 27, 379 Gall, the son oi FiachaFoltleathan,Z\Q Gall-bearla, il2 [App. 627 Gal way, prophecy of suiferings of, 418 6-'a/«/(rta,Z.oc/i-; (Longford), 109, 113, 418 Gara, Loch-; {Loch Techei) [App.547 Garad, Magh, 17, — Bisert, 17,— an, 18 Garbh (Niall), 183 [App. 570 Gecdt, Glean na n-, 316 Geantraighe, the (laughing music), 255 Gearr (^Leabhar'), 183 Gedh {Dun na n-), 191 Geimhin, 147 Geisill (Gesbill), Battle of, 395, 449 Gelasius {Gilla Mac Liag), 361 Gem, crvstal, set between bedposts, 811 692 INDEX. Genealogical Tables (^NiaU naoi ghi- (dlach) [App. 499 Genealogies and Pedigrees, the Books of, 203. — Mac Firbis' great Book of, 121, 215 [App. 572.- -Official records kept of all, 204 Genealogies of the Irish Saints, 357, 358 Genealogy, a, distinguished from a Pedigree, 214- -Example of, in that of the O'Briens, 208 Georgius and the Innocents at Beth- lehem, 3C9 Geraldines, the, 6 Gerq, of Glenngeirg [App. 585 n., 592 n. German, St. ; in Letha [App. 503, 601 Germany, shrine discovered by Mr. Grace in, 330. — MSS. in (described by Zeuss), 27 Geshill (Gets*//), Battle of, 395 GIteisi, Magh da; (Plain of the Two Swans), 302 Ghobhan, Aengiis Mac an (see Mac an Ghobhan), 163, 219 [App. 610 Ghuakinn, Tuahndd; (Tuam) 290 Gilba (Gilboa), Mount, 3G9 GUIa an Chomdcdh Ua Cormuic, Poem by, 70 [App. 526 Gdla-Arri, 403 Gilla Caemhghin, 414. — Chronolo- gical Poem by, 55 Gilla IsaMor Mac Firbhisigh, 82, 121 Gilla Mac Liag (Gelasius), 361 Gilla na Naomh O'Hiddhnn (O'Hee- rin), 83 [App. 581 Gilla na Naemh O'Taidhg, 102 Gillaruadh O'Gadlira [App. 547 Gillausaille, son of GUlacaemhghin, 414 Gildas' (a Saxon Saint); his " Lori- ca", 353 Ginach; Flann-, 398, 401, 402, 421, 426 Giolla, [see Gdla'] Giolla-Piitrick, Si.— O'Lidnin, 169.— — DonnellMac, 421 Giraldus Cambrensis, 431, 432 [App. Gp2, 603, 634 67(15 Charraig (the SkeUig Kocks), 315 Glaiss^ Criche [App. 481-2 Glais in Ascaill [App. 489, 490 Glas Mac Dremain, 315 Glann, son of Carbad [App. 514 Gleann an Chatha (Battle Glen), in Scotland, 288 Gleann dd Loclia (Glendaloch), 2 1 . — St. Caemhghin (Kevin) of, 340 Ghann Falsi (Valley of Fas), 448 Gleann Feadha (the Woody Glen), in Scotland, 287 Gleann-na-nGealt, 316 Gleann Scoithin, 448 Glenn dd Locha, (Glendaloch), 21 Glonn-Ath (Ford of Great Deeds), £82 Glossary, Cormac's, 19, — (Battle of Magh Ttdreadli). 250. — Brecan, 257 Glossary, of Michael O'Cleiy, 175, 847 [App. 557. — of Mac Firbis, 123.— of O'Davoren, 123 Gloucester, Earl of; Thomas De Clare, son of the, 236 Gbm-dubh, [see NialT], 133 Glun-r/eal, [sqq Amergin'], 217 Goblets, 309 Godfrey, the sou of the Sea King, iOX. — Mearanach, Lord of the J) in PS 40*4! Gold, Alpine, 310.--Cups of red, 31 0. — yellow, 310, — necklace of red, 426 Goisien, (or Gosiin), 217, 449 Goliath, 309 Goll, the Grumbling of the Daughter of; (^C'eisneamh Inghine Ghuill), [App. 623 Goll Mac Morna, (chief of the Fe- nians of Connacht,) Poem on, by Film, 302 Goll, stone-builder of Clochar, 222 Goltraif/hc, the (lamenting music),255 Gorm, William (0'i?««(7c), 398 Gormacan ; Abbey, (JSIainister ua g- Cormaic), 352 Gorman, Mac, 237 Gorman, Marianus ; Martyrology of, 353, 361 [App. 609 Gormain, Maelmidr^ Ua, 353, 361 [App. 609 Gormlaitk, Queen, 132 [App. 467, 592 n. Gort an Chairth^ (the Pillarstone Field), in Scotland, 288 Gort na Tibrad, Battle at, 395 Gosiin, or Goisien, 217, 449 Gospels, ancient copies of the, 321 Gothic, or black letter, inscription,324 Gown of a poet; the of&cial {Ttdghen'), 383 Grace, Mr. ; shrine discovered in Ger- many by, 336 Gradha, (Degrees), 220 Grammar and Prosody ; ancient tracts on, 190; 659.— O'Douovan's, 457 Granard ; Guasactus, son of Milco, Bishop at, 349 INDEX. 693 Grainne a.nd Diarmaid, 313 [App. 587 n., 590 n.— *' Beds of" [App. 597.— at Beinn Eclair, 283 Grainne, the elopement of [App. 467 Gratianus Lucius, (Father John Lynch), 53, 262, 442-3 Graves ; called " cromlechs", 247 [App, 597. — of Eremon, the, 449. — of GoU Mac Jlorna, the, 302. — of Heroes killed hy Leinster- men. Poem on [App. 587 n. — of Oscar, Ogham iuscription ou, 304. — of St. Tighernain at Loch Conn, 338 Graves, Very Kev. Dean, F.T.C.D, 175, 190, [App. 647 Greece, 222 Gi'eeks, " acute, cimning, and valor- ous", 224 [App. 580 Green, the, of the king's palace, 328 Gregory, " Abbot of Home ofLetha" [App. 504. — the great, Pope, 406 Gregory O'Mulconry, 83 Grellach EiUti, (in Westmeath), 59 GreUun, St., of Cill Clduaine (Co. Galway), Life of, 340 Greine; t'noc, 422. — JIac, 447 Grcssach, 221 Griandn, (sunny chamber), 3 10, [App. 475. — Ailigh, 400. — Imleach-, 2<2. — Lachtna, 210 Griffin (O'Griffy), 237.— Gerald, 291 G-'/ tti6«e', the poet [App^4G9 Guaire, '■ the Hospitable", 30 Guuire Dull, {Oisin, so called), 305 Guarantees, to confirm an agree- ment, 70, etc. Guasacht, Bishop [App. 538 Guasactus, son of MUco, Bishop at Granard. 349 Gidban; (Conall), 167 Gunning, 211 Guthard, the water named [App. 539 " Hag's beds" (Beds of Diarmaid and Grainne), 315 Hair, twisted, 310 Hahday, Mr. Charles, (shrine of St. Molaise), 336 Hand ; Cathal of the Red [App. 547 Hamo de Valoignes, 432 Hardiman, James ; MSS. of, 347 Hare(0'Z?eAiV). -37 Harpers, 248. — Crafting, one of the first named in history, 252. — Sirdr- diibh Mac Smuil ; Cliac/i, the son of, 426 Harps; Cliach played upon two, 427 Harris (in ed. of Ware) on Cathtd ilaguu'e, 85. — Eemarks on ilac Pirbis, 123 Hostings, or Military Expeditious ; {Sluaig/ieudha), 284 Hazel of Buau, the; (Coll Buana'),270 Head of JLsgedhra taken away as a trophy, 270, 275 Hebrew account of descendants of Japhet, 205 Hebrew women (exiles of), in Erinu at the coming of Milesius ; 15-16 Hebrides ; Danes of the, 404. — in- habited by Fomorians, 249. — He- bridean Islanders, 288. — Eg in the [App. 591 n. Heir, royal, of Tara (Roeti), 413 Henry VIII. ; the reigu of the English I£ing, 355 Herald, a Druid sent as, 287 Herbert, Captain, 396.— The late Kc v. jUgeruon, ou the Picts, 450 Herbs, the Plain of; {LusMhagh).2oO, — healing; Bath medicated with,250 Hermon, Mount ; St. Patrick on [App. 602 " Hibernia Sacra", 320 " Hibernis ipsis Hiberniores", etc, 6 Hides, a curach made of, 292 Hill of the Victory, the; {Teulach an Chosgcur), 451 Hill, New Milk- ; (Ard Leamhnach- ta) ; Battle of, 450 Historians, 2, 3. — and Chronologists, early, 53. — of Erinn, families of, 219.— the Judges of Erinn, 219 Historic period; Tighernach's com- mencement of the, 67 [App. 518 Historic Tales, 229, 238, 243.— of the historic truth of the relations in the, 239, 241. — introduction of legendary or mythical inventions in, 38, 39, 242, 250, etc. — use to be made of the, 454. — List of in the Book of Leinster, 243 [App. 583, 584. — Example of natiure of de- tailed information preserved in, 40 ; [and see also, 445-455] History, anciently Avritten in verse, 12. — the Annals as materials of, 119. — detailed pieces of, in the Gaedhelic, 229. — of the Borobiean Tribute, 230. — of the Wars of THE Danes and Gaedhils, 232. — of the Wars of Thojiond, 233. — Book of Munster, 237. — of Ireland, wars and persecutions, 355. — in Erinn, commencement of, 4. — of Erinn ; how it is to be writ- ten, 443, 444. — John O'Connell's Poem on (1650),350:— of the Wri- ters on, of the xii., xiii., and xiv. centuries, 82. — of the various wri- 694: INDEX. ters ou the, ii\. — of Erinn yet un- written, 437 Holy Ghost, representation of the, 323 Holy Land, pilgrimage to the, 382 Homilies and Sermons, ancient, 357 Honorati, 369 Horse of Conan Mac Morna, 317 Horseman, spear cast by a, 388 — cavalry in battle (Battle oiGuhhra^, 304 Horses of an Ollamh, 3 Horseracing, (tempore Finn Mac C'lini- haiU), 305 Hound of Mac Datho, the [App. 487 Hounds ; an Ollarnh's, 3. — Master of the, to Conaire Mdr [Ai)p. 586 n. House, dimensions of Credlas, 310; — dimensions of -£?<c^/-jc^ O'Clery's MSS. in ; 110, 178 ;— his Will (MS. 34. 4), 178, 560; [and see 179, 562] E.I.A., Fragment of Wars of Tho- mond, 237 R.I.A., Vellum MS. (Life of St. Caillin, etc.), 340 R.I.A., Paper MS. of the Sluaghed Dathi, 288 R.I.A., Paper MS. (Life of St. Brigit), 339 T.C.D., Various MSS. in (E. 3. 5 ; H. 2.7; H. 2. 15; H. 2. 17; H. 3. 3;H. 3. 17; H. 3. 18; H. 4, 22), 192 T.C.D., Book of Armagh, 343, 344, 372, 373, 397, 607, 608, 612 T.C.D. (CI. E., 3, 5), Book otAcaill. 47, 49 n, 511, 512 T.C.D. (CI E., 3, 20), Annals of Ulster, 84, 533 T.C D. (CI. E., 4, 2), Liber Hym- norum, 343, 406 n., 503, 606 T.C.D. (CI. F., 3, 19), (Trans, of). Annals of Clonmacnoise. 13u, 135 T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 1 ; H. 1. 2), An- nals of Connacht. 104, 115, 539, 540 T.C.D. (CI. H., 1. 8), Annals of Ulster. 84, 85, 90; (Tighernach, 507) (517) ; 533, 534 T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 10), 400, 409, 410, 423, 625, 626, 627, 629 T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 11), 394, 624 T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 12), O'Clery's Leabhar Gabhala, 168, 169, 173, 552 5."'4 T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 15), 422, 629 T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 18), Chronicum Scotorum. 58, 120, 125, 128-9, 507, 517; (Tighernach, 519, 599) ; 542, 543. T.C.D. (CI. H. 1. 19), Annals of Loch Ce. 94, 95, 101, 115, 534, 536, 604 702 INDEX. MSS. Quoted, (coutiuued): T.C.D. (CI. H. 2. 15), Mac Fir- bis Glossaries. 123, 4(32 T.C.D. (CI. H. 2. 16), Leahhar Buidhe Lecain. 11, 13, 58, 125, 126, 190, 260, 286, 329, 334, 336, 378-9, 380, 381, 420, 428, 452, 461, 469, 496, 503, 517, 584 n., 685 n., 586 n., 587 n., 599, 600, 614, 629 T.C.D. (CI. H. 2. 17), 587 [n. (161)1 590 [n. (209)] T.C.D. (CI., H. 2. 18.), Book of Leiu- ster. 9, 13, 14, 15, 16 n, 20, 29, 31, 69, 70, 186, 187, 233, 243, 271, 274, 277, 283, 294, 301, 302, 303, 334, 359, 381,383, 389, 399, 400, 405, 412, 452,467, 469, 476, 480, 482, 486 n. 494, 498, 501, 526, 683, 584, 585 n, 687 n, 688 n, 689 n, 690 n, 592 n, 594, 616, 622, 625, 627, 636. T.C.D. (CI. H. 3. 3) IDinnsean- chus'], 10. T.C.D. (CI. H. 3. 17), 392, 485 n., 602, 503, 507, 585 n, 587 n , 588 n., 622 T.C.D. (CI. H. 3. 18), 32 n., 51, 260, 264, 347, 397, 461, 467, 468, 472, 478, 604, 512 n.,513, 584 ri., 590 n., 615, 617 T.C.D. (CI. H. 4. 22), 462, 495, 504, 686 n, T.C.D. (CI. H. 5. 30), Mac Firbis Law Glossary. 9, 494 T CD. (CI. H. 1. 18.), Mac Curtin's Copy of the Wars of Thomond,2 34 T.C.D. (Copy of) O'Clery's Beim RioghraidM, 167 Annals of Innisfallen, 58, 60 Annals of the Four Masters, 16 n , 82, 96, 138, 146, 147, 157, 178, 183, 184, 335,401, 403, 404, 413, 414, 417, 451, 452, 453, 454, 477- 8 n., 482 n.,484 n., 487 n., 509 n., 535,643, 544, 546, 570, 571, 606, 628 Annals of Tighernach, 66, 57, 64, 65, 67, 68, 74, 90, 334, 507, 616, 517, 624, 626, 529, 604, 636 Book of Fermoy, 293, 294, 503, 693 Brussels (Burg. Lib.), MSS. in: 173, 232, 340, 361-2, 362, 374, 423, 593, 609, 613, 616, 629 Keating's History : 12, 13, 14, 15, 21, 487 n., 497, 498, 501, 642-3. King's Inns Lib. (Dubl.) ; MSS. in, 660 "Liber Flavus Fergusiorum" : 76, 340, 631 MSS. QooTED, (continued): London (Brit. Mus.), MSS. there, 340 London (Brit.Mus.); (Ayscotigh,49 —4795), Annals of Ulster. 84, 89 London (Brit. Mus.); (Clarendon, 36) : Annals of Ulster, 83, 89 London (Brit.Mus.) ; (Egerton, 88), 386, 584 n., 587 n., 617 London (Brit. Mus.); (Egerton, 93) : Tripartite Life. 104 n., 325, 339, 344, 345-6, 347, 350, 385, 386, 397, 488 n, 605, 538, 598, 601, 606, 608, 609, 617, 625 London (Brit. Mus.); (Egerton, 185). 360, 609 London (Brit. Mus.) ; (Harl. 6280). 271, 387, 399, 419, 467, 479 n , 486 n., 686 n., 588 n., 618 London (Brit. Mus.) ; MS. by Gil- lariabhach O'Clery. 282 London (Brit. Mus.), Fragment of Annals of Loch Ce, 95, 534, 535 London (Lambeth Lib,); (Carew MS. No. 607). 434, 635 Mason, Mr. Monck; vellum MS. of. 479 n., [App. 643. O'Clery's Glossary; (Copy, 1728), 175, 176, 557, 658 O'Clery ; (Copy of) Poems of Cu- coigchrice, 179 O'Conor Bonn; MS. in possession of the. 558 n. Oxford (Bodl. Lib.); Anuals of Inisfalleu. 80 Osford (Bodl. Lib.); (Cotton, A. XXV.). 81, 105, 106, 108, 109, 111 539 640 Oxford (Bodl. Lib.); (Laud, 488), 624 Oxford (Bodl.Lib.) ; (Laud, 610). 20 Oxford (Bodl Lib.) ; (Rawl, 487). 307, 315 Oxford (Bodl. Lib.) ; (Rawl., 489), Annals of Ulster. 83, 86 Rome ; MSS. at St. Isidore's in, 156, 238, 307, [App. 644. Stowe MSS., No. 3. 114, 641 " Wars of the Danes", Poem in. 479 n. Maodhoq, Saint, of Fearna Mhor (Ferns) ; Life of, 340 MaoUchatha, Rath; stone work in, 223 Maoilin 6g Mac JBruaideadha, (Mac Brody); 22, 148, 401 Maol, druid of Conn ; [App. 620 Maolchonair^ (see JBaile Ui M.), 21, — Clann [App. 663 Maolmura, 103 (and see Maelmair^) IXDKX. 70J Maolruanaidh, [Mulroony], 96, 97. — Claim, [the Mac Dermots, Mac Donoghs, etc.], O'Duigenaus his- torians of, 219 Maon, (father of Morann), 218 Maranach ; Godfrey, 404 [see Mear.'] Marhhan, 31 Marco Polo, Travels of (Book of Lis- more), 25, 200 Marianus Gorman ; Martyrology of, 174, 353, 361 [App. 609 Mark, and the Bishops of Alexan- dria, 307 Martin, John ; (donation to the Dic- tionary Committee), 458 Martin, St., 369,370 Martyr, ConcJwbhar Mac Nessa ac- counted the first in Erinn, 277 Martyrologies ; 339 et seq., 353, 357, 360 et seq.— of Donegal (Skele- ton),173; (Perfect), [O'CleryMS.], 174. — of 7\tmhhicht, 174 Mary's Abbey, St., Dublin (Crozier of), 338 IMary, the Blessed Virgin, 369. — iVncient Litany of the B.V., 357, 380 [App. 615.— age of the B.V. [App. 509.— Burning of miracu- lous image of [Ai^iJ. 604 Mason ; Collection of Mr. Monck, 25 ]\Iass, form of the ; temp. St. Patrick, 377 [App. 613. — Ancient ti'act on the Ceremonies of the, 357, 376 [App. 613. — Canon as to absence from ]\Iass on Sunday, 3£2_ Masses for the Saints, 361 3Iasi in [App. ^^ " --pt *.- 4' / ■'' Masters, Annals of the Four, 140,''' 155 [App. 543 et seq. ]\Iaterials of Irish History, miscel- laneous, 456 MathgJiamhain (Mahon), 210. — Mac Cinne'idigh, 403. — 0' Conckobhair, [App. 547 Maurice, a Danish chief, 403 Maximus Tyrius [App. 463 May Day, festival of (BdltaiM), 286 Mc Ere, 88 Meadhbh, or Medhbh ; (Meave, or Mab) ; 33, [App. 515, etc.— Tale of the Courtship of Queen, 282. — Married to Conchobhar Mac Nessa, [App. 636. — and the Cave of Cruachain, Tale of [App. 532.— Daughter of Conan ; Poem by, [App. 480. Meann, 72 Mearanack, [see Maraunch'], 404. Modes; Tract on the Kings of the, 83. Medical Arts of the Tuatha De Du- nann, 250 Mediterranean, the, 402, 426, 427.— Uodine Mdr's rule, as far as to the, 451 Mcisnekh [App, 489, 490 MeVs Life of St. Patrick, 349 Melaghhn 0']\lulvany, 82 Melbourne ; St. Patrick's Society of, 458 Melv, Ui-; Koman pilgrims settled in, 380, (see Iiuele), [App. 615 Mell [App. 488 Menu; Aedh,i20 Afesca (Intoxication), of St. Colum Cille, 406 Mesca Uhtdh ; Historic Tale of the, 185 [App. 637 Meschoin Muaid [App. 478 Mesdeadad, brother of Conall Ccar- nach, 270 Mesgedhra, King of Leinster; At- thirne's visit to, 268, 275. — his brain (^Conall Cearnacli's trophy), 275 [App. 593, 640 Mesroeda ; (Mac Datho), [App. 486 Metals, worker in; Creidne, King Nuada's, 247 [365 Metre of Chain- Verse (Conac/Janw), Meyler, 432— Mac Grath, 233 il//oc/;, physician, 221 Mias Tiglierna'm, the ; (Paten of St. Tighernati), 338 Miatlilach, the river; (Co. Cork), 434 [App. 635 Michael the Archangel ; Church de- ■ dicated to, 364 ''Midhhiachra, Slighe-, the, 453 Mid-Eriuu ; the kingdom of, 266 Midhclniarta, (the Teach), 187 Midir [App. 503 Milan; the Bobbie MS. in the Am- brosian Library at, 27 Ml/bheml, Cearmna-, 447 Mdchu, [App. 538.— St. Patrick, swineherd of, 394 Milco ; Bishop Guasactus, son of, 349 MUidh, Mile, or MUead/i, or Milesius, 147,[App.592 n.— Genealogy of,215 Milesian Colony ; History of the, 440 Milesian Genealogies, the, 206 Miler MacGrath, 233 Miley, Rev. J., translation of ancient Irish Sermon, published by, 28 n. MiUtary Expeditions (Sluaigheadha') ,- [" Historic Tales" of,] 284 MiUtary Schools in Scotland, 279 Mdiuc (Maccuboin Magus) [App. 608 Milk Hill, New-, {ArdLeamhnachta'), 450 704 INDEX. Miorh, son of Dianceckt, physician, 250. [See 3Iiack.] Miosach ; Of the, 336, [App. 599 Miracles of St. Patrick [App. 609 Misacli., or Miosach ; the, 336 [App. 599 Miscellaneous materials of Irish His- tory, 456 il/is, Sliabh, (in Kerry), 448. — (in Antrim), 394 Mochaemhog, St. [App. 485,617 Mocholmog (St.); poem on the Ua Corras, 293 [App 593 Mochua, St , of Balla (Co. Mayo), 197. —Life of, 340 Mochia, Saint, 18, 88, [App. 606.— Book of, (6th century) 19.— Her- mitage of, 344. Mochuda {Carihach\ the Eule of St. 374. — St., of Raithin and Lismore, Life of, 340 Mocteus (5th centiury), 88 Mo(jh Corb, 207 Moffk Nuadhat, 186 Mogh Rukh, 200.— Archdruid of Erinn, 272, 402 [see Duggan ; and Cronin]. Mogue, St. (see Maodhog, St.) 340 Moinin (see Bade an Mhoiniii)^ 346 [App. 607 Mou*a (Magh Rath) ; Battle of, Tale of the, 243, 418 Molagu; the Black Book of Saint, 20 Mohdse, Saint, 330.— Life of, 340 — Shrine of, 336 Muling, St.; Bishop of Ferns, 23.— of ^Teach MoUinj, (St. MulUns, Co. Carlow), 302, 336. — Church founded at Ros Broc by, 392. — EvangeUstariura of, 23. — Inter- cession as to Boromean Tribute, 231. — "Prophecies'' of, 412 [App. 628. — Poem on St. John's festival, 427 [App. 633.— Life of, 340, [App. 647.— the Yellow Book of, 20.— the Bail^MhoUr)g,'i20 [App. 627 MoUng, Teach-; (now St. MuUins), 302 " Moll Downey", (Maeil Domhnainn), [App. 4S5 Molyueaux; the Cathach found in Belgium by Mrs., 331 Mom€ra ; Tochnarc, CHistoric Tale of the), 243, 282 Monach ; Cill-, 344 [App. 606 Monasterboice, 53 Monasterevan, from Saint Eimhin, 335, 351. — Camp of Aedh Oirnidh€ near, 364, Monastery of Clonmacnoise, 58, etc (see Clonmacnoise). --of Inisfallen, 76 Monastic Rules (of Discipline), 357, 373 Mongan and Duhhlacha, [App 592, and n. Mongan, son of Fiachna [App. 589 n. Monks ; Rule of the Gray, 375 Monsell, Rt Hon.W.j Shrine belong- ing to, 335 Monster in the Cave of Dunmore (Dearc Ferna), [App. 587 n. Moore, Thomas, 441. — his qualifica- tions, 44 1 . — his mistaken criticism on early Irish history, and his dis- covery of his error, 154 Morann macMuein, (orMaoin'), 46,218 Moreton, Earl of, grant by, confirmed on the Bachull Isu, (1329), [App. 604 Morlath, daughter of the K. of West Munster, (b.c. 540), 251, 253 Mormael, King of the Feara Cid, 286 Morna; Co)ian Mac, S17 Morning Star, the river [App. 485 Mossaid, Magh, [App. 485 Mosomdg, 134 Motto of the O'Donnells, 330 Mount Leinster, (Sliabh Suidh^ Lai- ghen), [App. 475-8. Moville {Magh Bile), 287 Moy, the river (Muaidh), 125, 284, 418, Moycashel, Arduurchar in [App. 593 Moytura, 24 ; [see Magh Tidreadh'] Muaidh, the river (Moy), 125, 284, 418, — Ibh Fiachruch Muaidh; Clann Firbis historians of the, 219 Mucruimhe, {Magh) 188, 209.— Battle of, 43, 386, 389 [App. 586 n. Mughna, {Bealach), 132 Midghe, Raith-, (Kathmoy or Rath- mo) ; [App. 631 n. Muighndiedhdin; [see Eochaidh'], 14, etc. Main, 71, [App. 528 Muineaman, 83 Muintir Duibhghenainn, 22, 23 Muindr Mhaoilmhordha, 103 Midntir Mhaodchonaire, 22 Midrchad mac Maileduin, Death of, 27 Midrcheartach Mac Erca, 89, 191 [App. 599.— Note on [App. 687 Muircheartach, son of Maelseachlainn, 413 Midrcheartach Ua Briain, 55, 211, 400, 405 Midredha, Magh, (in Bregia), 451 Midreadhach. 72, 195 Muireadhnch Mac Carthaigh, 214 INDEX. 705 Midredhach, son of Diannaid, ances- tor of St. Eimhin, 351 Mniredach, son of Fiacfia, 386 Muireadkaigh, the Siol-; (Murray), 57, 83, 2i9 Midrgcn, son of Senchan, 8 Muir ii-Ichf, the ; (Ictian Sea), -toi [App. 592 n. 605 Muirinn, the daughter of Derg, 308 [App. 597 Aluirtheimne [App. 475. — Brisleach MJwr Mhaif/he-, [App. 587.— Tale of the Battle of, 319 Mulconry ; Book of Bally, 2 1 MuUach Maisten ; [App. 486 MuUach Ruaidhe, the palace of King Dathi's Queen, 284 Mullens, Saint; {Tigh Moling; Co. Carlow), 231 Mulroony, (Maolruanaidh) ; 96, 219. Mulvany ; Melachlin O', 82 21iunhain, (Munster), 209. — Assem- bly under Bishop Ihar in, [App. 616.— the Book of, 237 Munca, Bishoii at Donochmore, 349 Munchiu's, St.; (Cill Manchin; Li- merick), App. 630 Munster, the Book of, 237 [and see Mumhahi] Mura, Fathan-, (Fothadh na Ca- no'me, of ; a.d. 800), 419 Murchadh Finn 0' FergJiaiU , 102 Mttrchadh O'Conor, 395 Murchadh, son of Midredhach, ances- tor of St. Eimhin, 351 Muiredhach Midnderg, 171 Murray, John (1728); MS. of O'Cle- ry's Glossary by [App. 557 Murray (the Siol Midreadhaigk), 57, 83, 219 Muscrigians, the; progress of into Magh Bregain [App. 593 Museum of the Royal Irish Academy, 321, etc. Music, the Ollamhs of ; qualifications of, 255 Museum ; visit to the British, in 1849, 345 Musicians, 2, 255 IMusic ; Petrie's Ancient (Fairy Lul- laby in), [App. 505. — of women, 334 Mythical, or legendary, inventions in ancient Historic Tales, 38, 39, 242 IMythology ; Fairy, [App. 504 Naas, founded by Liigh Mac Eith- lenn [App. 478. — Killossy {Cill Au- saille) near, 421. — Palace of, 231. — residence of Mesgedkra, K. of all Lsinster, 268, 270 NadJraecKs stone-builder, Goll, 222 Nae, the son of Cas, 209 JVaemhan, 650 Naenbal, son of Fenias Farsaidk, 226 Nagle, Sir Richard; the late, 131 Names, family ; first introduced by Brian Boroimhe, 214. — the Ol- lamhs bound to know the etymolo- gies of, 240 Naomhsheanchus Naomh Ins€ Fail, 163 Narrow Water {Caeluisg^'), 235 Naoisi, 275 Naffraech, Aengus, son of [App. 483, 586 National Independence, loss of, 6. — Literature encouraged by the na- tive chiefs even after it, 6-7 Natsluagh, SOU of Caelbad,3G'd [App. 610 Navan (the Book of the Ua Chongh- bhail, or of), 20 Neagh, Loch (Loch n-Echach) [App. 591 n. — Historic Tale of the Burst- ing forth of, 294 Neamnainn ; Gael Ua-, 308 [App. 594 Necklace of red gold, 426 Nechtain; Dun, [App, 584 n. Necromancy of children of Cailitin [App. 587 n. Needlework ; (the lady Eimer), 279 Neglect of antiquarian inquiry in Ireland, 1-2 Neidhe, son of Adhna, 45, 176, 218, 383 [App. 616 Neid, Ui- ; Cam, (Co. Cork), 422 Neill, Clanna ; the, 336 Neimthenn, the judgments of Doet of, 46 Neit, son of Indai [App. 590 n. Nemhidh, 171, 226, — his physicians, 221, 225.— Sons of, at first battle of Magh Tuireadh, 246.— Tale of the Immigration of, 295. — his Colony, referred to by Finntan, 241 Nemedians, ancestors of the Tuatha De JJanaiui, 244 Nemsenchaidh, 381 [App. 615 Nennius, 53. — Irish Version of [Ed. Ir. Archffiol. Soc), 450 [App 590 n. — Letha named by, [App. 502. — Translation of, 190 Nenyita, Sidh- ; (the fairy mansion), [App. 591 n. Nera [App. 589 n. Nerin, Inis Mac, (in Loch C^), 93 Nero, conduct of the village, in Ire- land, 355 ^^ Nes" ; Cormac's Glossary on the word, 2.jO Nessa, mother of Conor, 274 [App. 706 INDEX'. 636 ; [and see Conchohhar Mac Nessa'\ New-Milk Hill, {Ard Leamhnachhi), 450 NeAvry Water, {Glenn Ric)h€), 72. — {lubliar Chinntragha), 287 Nia Mdr, 44 Niull, [and see Nigellus, App. 602], — the oldest charter of the land of, 423 Mall Frasach, Tale of [App. 531 Niall Garbh O'Donnell, 407 Niall Glun-dubh, 387 Niall ^^ Nnoi-ghiallach" (" of the Nine Hostages";,284, 328, 360, 386, 454. — the race of, 208. — Genealogy of [App. 499. — his death, 454. — his sons [App. 631. — his expedition to the Ictian Sea [App. 592 n. Niagh, Magh; now Magh Tuireadh, 245 Nicholson on the Annals of Loch C^, 96 Nigellus (Niall), intruding prelate at Armagh (a.d. 1134) [App. 602 Nineveh, 369, 424 Niimie, 8 Niul, son oiFenias Farsaidh, 226 Noah ; all Genealogies made to begin from, 215. — and the elders, 368 Noble Saints of Erinn, the, 369 '■'■NochrothaigK', Fedlim ; (daughter of K. Conchohhar Mac Nessa), 49 [App. 514 Nore, the river ; (ii-Eoir), 364 Norman invasion, the, 414 Normans, 225, 226. — in Erinn, 422. — Anglo-, (called Saxons), 387. — adoption of Irish language, etc., by the, 6. — Settlers ; Tales before the time of the Norman, 299 Nos ; {Cluan Mic Nois), 8 Notal, 381, [App. 615 November Eve, a pagan festival (Sandmin), 284, 286 Niiadha Airgead-lamh, 246, 247, 249, Nuadha Finnfdd, (a.m. 4238), 83 Nuadha N'echt, (Monarch a.m. 5090; or B.C. 110), 304, [App. 474, 483 "0"and "Mac", 214 0'Aingidy,211 Oak from Cratloe for the roof of Aileach, 401 Oar Wlieel (see Rowing Wheel), 427, etc. O'Barrdan, Johannes, 323 (rBibsaigh, 103 Ohlen, son oiFidru; 363 [App. 610 O'Boland, 211 O'Braoin {Tighernach), [O'Breen], 57. — Donnchadh, Abh. of Clonmac- noise, 419. — Right Rev. J., BishoiJ of Cloyne, 66. — Donnchadh, story of [App. 532,— Tipraite, [App. 621 OBriain, 158, 209, 226.— the first- named,2 1 4. — oiEatluirlagh [Ather- low], 211. — of Cuanach, 211. — Tadhg, and the Devil, [App. 532.— Brian Ruadh, son of Conor, 234,236. — Domhnall Mor, 212. — Tadhg, son of Conor, 234, 235, 236. — Tur- loch, son of Tadhg, 236. — an oak of the house of, 396. — Conor, foun- der of Corcumroe, 234, 236. — Domhnall Mor, last lOng of Mun- ster, 234. — Donnchadh Cairbrech, 234. — Muircheartach ; Aileach de- stroyed by, 400, 405. — Donoch, son of Tadhg, 23Q.—Midrcheartach (d. 1119), 414 O'Briens, the; junior to the Mac Mahons, 326,— of Ara,the, 212, 236. —of Dufferin, Wexford, 211.— Ge- nealogy of the race of the, 209. — Submission of Murchadh to Henry VIII., 237.— The, in 1194 ; 234, 236. — Turloch, King of Munster, 336 0^ Caellaidh^ ; Aedh, Bishop of Air- ghiall, (Oriell), 361 O'Caiside'; Ruaidhridhe, (RoryO'Cas- sidy), 85 O'Callaghan, 209 O'Cane; O'Mulvany, Chief Poet of, 82 O'Cannan and O'Clery, historians of the Cinel CoHtu// (in Donegal), 219 O'Caonihain, 126 O'CarroU, 209.— of Ely; O'Riordan, historian of, 219; [and see O'Cear- bhuiiq O'Casey, 211 0' Cearbhiull, Maelsuthain, 76,'' [App. 529, 531 Ocha, or Och^, 55, 88-9, [App. 484, 488. Ochtriidl, daughter of the physician Diancecht, 250 O'Cleircein; {Eochaidh), 168. — the, historians of the Cinel Eoghain, 219 CClerigh, 146. — and O'Cannan, his- torians of the Cinel Conaill (in Do- negal), 219. — Conaire', the Avorks of, 178. — Cucoigchric^, the last will of, 178 [App. 560.— the works of, 178, 179.— Two Poems by [App. 562. — Ferfasa, poet of O'Donnell, 417.- Gilla-Riabhach, M.S. by, (1460), 250.— GdlaRiabhach, son of Tuathal, (died 1512), 282.— Zm- INDKX. 707 yhaidh, 142. — his Life of Aedh Ruadh, 22.— Michael, 22, U2, et seq., [App. G4:5. — as to Flann [App, olG. — Glossary, 347. Books re- ferred to by the O'Clerys, 21, 22. — Marty rology (of Donegal), 353. — (Michael) Lives of the Saints, 340, — Seuan, 19, — other works of the O'Clerys (besides the Annals), 21, 86, 1G2, 173 G'Cnaimhin, 211 O^CoinUsq, (^Mmxhadh Riabhach), 163 O'CoZ/o (Friar Paul), 164 O'Comhrald/te' (O'Curry), 210 O'Conchobhair ; FeidhUnddh [App.547 O'Connally, 211 O'Connel], John (of Kerry) ; Poem on History of Erinn, by, 350 O'Conuiiiff, 211 O'Conor (Rev. Chas.) on Tighernach . 63, 66 n. [App. 524.— on Flunn, b't. — on the Annals of Innisfallen, 80. — on the so-called Annals of Boyle, 81. — on the Annals of Ul- ster, 86. — on the Chronicum Sco- torum, 129. — on the Annals of Connacht, 113, 117. — on Oisin, or Ossian, 300 O'Conor, Charles, of Belanagare ; on Flann, 53. — Observation on Annals of Connacht, called by him of Kil- ronan, 114. — on MacPherson's Os- sian, 300 O'Conors, the, 226. — the first named, 214. — Character of the bouse of the, 115. — The O'Mulconrys, their historians, 219. — Cathal Crobh Dearij [App. 547. — Toirrdhealbach Mdr (Turloch), 414. — Birth of, [App. 535. — Rudhraidhe (mon- arch, A.D. 1156—1172), 361, 398, 414. — Murchadh, Lord of Offaly, 895. — of Corcomroe [App. 630. — the founder of the, 346 (yConox Donn, 116. — MS. in posses- sion of, 356. O'Cormacan, 210 O'Cronius of Fermoy, descended from Mogh Rukh, 272 O'Cuile.amhain (Cullen), [App. 488 O'Cuindlis {Murchadh Riabhach), 192 O'Cidrnin, 79. — Giolla Caomhain-, 163. — Historian of the O'Ruarcs, 21%.— Sigraidh-, 183, 184 O'Daly (Hugh), 195 O'Davoren, 121. — Law Glossary by, 123. — Donnell-; MS. by, (a.d. 1590), 386 O'Dea, 210. — Fosterers of Turloch O'Brien (a.d. 1270), 236 O'Deorans of Leinster, the, 348 Odhar, 30, 169 Odhbha, Battle of (1072) ; 421 O'Doherty, 183 0'i)o?«/i««(7/, ;(0'Donnell), the first named, 214. — the name occurs 288 times in the Annals of the Four Masters ; (O'Brien 254 times), 158. — Aenqus, 334. — Domhnall, Colonel (1723), 327, SZl.—Magh- nus (Life of St. Co/ urn Cille, by), 328.- the O'Donnells, 327, 330.— Poems on the (O'Clery MS.), 173. — Aedh Uubh, 407. — Aedh Ruadh (Hugh Roe), 22, 396, 406. — O'Clery's Life of, 22.— a Co7m- ; basely fighting on the English side, 407. — at Beat an atha Biddhe (1598), ill.— Ball Dearg, 406.— Brother Bonaventura, 147. — Cal- bhach, son of Manus, 407. — Comi, 407.— Domhnall Mor (1241), 406. — Conall, 331.— List of Obits of the [App. 570. — Manus, 407. — NIall Garbh, 407.— Hugh ; of Lark- field, [App. 570.— Sir Neal, 331. — Sir Ricliard Annesley, 331. — Toirrdhealbach [App. 566. — O'Don- nells called ^'■Conall", 415. — O'Don- nells, the historians of the; (see Cinel Conaill), 219. — O'Donnell's Life of St. Colum Cille', 407 [App. 540. [gus, 334 0' Domhnallain, (O'Donnellan), Aen- O'Donnelly (Owen), 195 O'Donovan, Dr. John, 99. — on the name Lctha [App. 503. — mistaken comments on the preference of O'Gara to O'Donnell, 157. --his edition of the Annals of the Four Masters, 85, 150, 160, 445.— his Grammar, 457 O'Dowda; Bally-, 223.— Ceremony of the Inaguration of, 126 [App. 542 O'Driscolls, 190.— of Cork, of the Ithian race, 207 (JDroma ; Solomon, 483 aDubhthaigh, 82, 94 C Dubhghennain, (see O'Duigenan), 94, 145 O'Dugan, 178. — Historian of the O'Kelly's, Ibh Maine; 219, 658. O'Duggans of Fermoy descended from Mor/h Ruitli, 272 O'Duibhne, Uiarmaid, 313, 315 O'Duigenans, 94, 145, — Book of the, 22, 23.— Historians of Clann Maol- riianaidh (MacDermotts, MacDon- achs, etc.), 219. — of Kilronan; An- nals of the, 113 708 INDEX. O'Duinin, historian of the race of Eoghan Mor, 219 O'Ditinn's Poem on the Kings of Leinster [App. 484 n, Oenach Chchair (Manister, Connty Limerick), 305 Oengoba, son of Ohlcn, 363, [see Aen- f/oba, App. 610.] Oengus, 44, 46, 48, 335, etc. (and see Aengus). — Son of Natsluagh, 363 [App. 610 Oenna ; Mac Nia, son of [App. 505 O'Ferghaill (Murchadh Finn), 102 O'Fergus, Dr. John, 98.— Book of ("Liber Flavus Fergusiorum"), 76 [App. 531 O'Ferrall's country; O'Mulconrys, his- torians of, 219 Offally {Ua Failghif), 302, 365, 395 Official records of the Genealogies, etc., 203-4 O'Fkwm, 399 G'Flaithhhmrtaigh (O'Flaherty), 53, 211, — the, descended from Senach, son of Duach Tenquniha, K. of Con- nacht (ad. 499), 15.— Mac Gilli Kelly historian of, 219. — Cathal, 102,— on the FUi [App. 462, 469 O'Flanagan ; Theophilus, 366 0" Flannagain {Eochaidh), 20, 138 — Muircheartach , son of Flakhbhear- tach [App. 547 O'Floinn, Eochaidh, 69. — {Riidh- raidhe), 102. — Poem on Aengus 0/1- mucadh, 241. — Poem on the Tuutha De Danann, and Battle of Magh Ttdreadh, 241, — Ui Fhloinn, [App. .^48. O'Flynn (see Ui Fhloinn) [App. 548 QGara, 209.— Ferghal, 145 [App. 546, 548 — tlie expatriated Friar, 356. — Succession of tlie Chiefs of the [App. 546 Ogham writing, 41, 80 [App. 464, 468, etc. — Ancient tract on, 190. — Inscription on Oscar's Tombstone, 304. Ogma " Grian Aineach", 249 O'Gloiarn, 211 O'Gorman ; Maurice, 104, 167 [App. 539,— the Chevalier Tliomas, 104 O'Grady, 210, 237.— Mr. Standish Hayes [App. 590 n. O'Griffy (Griffin), 237 O'Hanlon, 73 O'Hara, 1(>2, 147, 209.— the O'Haras [App. 548 O'Hartagain ; Cinacih, 205. — Poem by [App.479, 513, 643. O'Hea, 210 O'H-Eaghra, CO'Hara) {Duarcan), 102, 147 [App. 546 O'Heeren, 83, 178 O'Hehir (Hare), 237 O'Higgins, 180 O'Hogan, 211. O'Hiddltrin (O'Heerin).- Gt7/a na Naemh, 83, 178 O'Hurly, 210 Oi=Aoi, 177, Oihlen, 363 [App. 610 Oi Conchobhar ; St. Ultan, son of [App, 608 Oi/each (Aikach), 401, etc. Oilcan Darair€ (" Valentia Island''), 272 Oilcan na Naemh, 111 [App. 539 Oilen, stone buUder of Constantinople, 222 Oilioll Oluim, 43, 96, 207, 208, 351. — Death of, 312. — Genealogy of tlie races from, 158, 208, 209 Oilltriallaich, Cam, 100 Oirchis, or Airchis; (" mercy") ; 379 [App. 615 Oirear Caoin, 287 Oirdnidhe, Acdh ; Monarch, 363 Oisin, 200, 209, 299, 300, 394 et seq. — Poems ascribed to, 301 et seq., 304. — Oisin and CaoilM, dialogue with St. Patrick, 200 OiTTE, or Aideadha; ("Tragedies") — [" Historic Tales", No. 6], 273 O'Karbri, Johannes, 323 O'Keef, 209, 211 O'Kelly,— the race of, 208.--of Ibh Maine; O'Dugan, the historian of, • 219 O'Kennedy, 211. — Mac an Ghobhans historians of, 219 Olivll Oluvi, 96, etc. (see Oilioll) OH ; Uch-, the ; (the Great Lamenta- tion), 49 Ollamhs, 2, 12, 14, 29, 74, 204 [App. 462.— the duties of the, 239, 243. their education, 240. — Classifica- tion of, 241. — Duty of, in keeping the Genealogies, 204. — Quahfica- tions of an OUamh by law, 204, 241, 255. — of Music; quahfications OT tllP 2^^ OUamh Fodhla, 218 Ollarbha, Battle of, 307 O'Liddy, 210 O'Lochain ; Cuan, 9, 42, 53 f-'^PP- 496 ; — correction of translation of a word in his poem on Tara, 10 n. O'Lochluinn of Burren, 212, 235 [App. 630 Longan, 120 I>'DEX. 709 O'Lorcan, (Larkin), 211 O'Luinin, 85, ^6 [App. 533. — in Fer- managh, 212.--CGillapatrick-), 86, ir,9 O'Meachair (O'Meagher), 147 O'Mahony, from Aihjenan, 210 G'Maine, 211 0'MaeIchonair^,\i:0 [App.5G3; 644 0^ MaeUseclilainn ; Domnall Breagh- ack, 387. — JRoen, 413, 414 O'Meara, from AUgemtn, 210 " Omnia Monumenta usque Cimba- otJi", etc., 63, 67, 68, 70, [App. 518, 519 O^^fuireadhaigh, 100 O'^Iulconry, 79, 176.— Paidfii, 118.— Historians of the O'Conors, 219 O'iMulloy, Hugh, 98 O'^lulvany, INIelaghUn, 82 C/JLiirr/, 100 O'Xeachtain, 195, 210. — Tadhg (1716) ; forged "prophecy" by, 418 [App. 628 O^Xeainhnainn; Cael, 308 [App. 594 O'Xeill, 208, 214.— the first named, 214. — the race of, called '-Eoghan", 415 a man of the clann, " pro- phecy" of, 418. — the O'Neills of Clare, 210. — the Ceiiel Eoghain, 407. — Brian; alliance with Tadhg OBrien,23o, — 0'Dugan'spoem,658 0' n-Eoghan, 210 Onna (Harper and Musician), 217 On Festival of St. John Baptist, 429. App 634 Ophelania, 433 O'Quinn, 210 O'Rafferty, Donnell (Abbot of Kells), 331 O'Raghallaigh, 101 Orainn (qu. Craiim) [App. 470 Orator of Dublin, the; {Conamhail), 403 Oratory, ritual for consecration of an, 357, 378 Order of Poets, qualification of the, 220 Orders, holy; unqualified candidate for, 372 Orders of Wisdom ; the Seven, 9 Ordination of the File (i.e. Poet, Doc- tor), 2 Ordnance Survey, the, 370 O'Reardon, 209, 217 O'Regan, 211 O'Riada, (now Heidy), 210 O'Eiain, (O'Eyan). [App. 488 Oriel {Airghkdl), 361 O'Riordan, 209.— Historian of O'Car- roUofEly, 217 Ornamentation of Croziers, etc., by Bishop Tassach, 368 Ornaments ; of feathers on a poet's gown, 383. — on shrine of JJomh- nach Airgid, 322.— m RI.A. Mu- seum, 38 n. O'Ruairc, 101. — Brian iia Murtha, 194.— of Breifne, the, 335, 337, 398. ■ — the O'Cidrnins historians of the, 219. — Ualgarg, 398. — WilUam Gorm, 398 O^Ruanaidh. John, 82 Oscar, son of Oisin, 300, — Ogham in- scription on Tomb of, 304 O'Scoba ; 100, — of Clonmacnoise, the books of, 21, 100 O'Scully, 210 O'Seasnain, 210 O'Sheehan, 211 O'Siodhachan, 211 O^Slebhin, Gillacomqnill ; (chief poet of Uladh) App. 479 Osnadh, Gill-; (Battle of) [App. 483, 586 n. Osraigke (Ossory), 17, 302, 421, etc. Ossian [see Oisin], 297, 300, et seq. Ossory, 17 ; — Donnell Mac Gilla Pa- trick, K. of (1165), 421.— J/(f^A Ruighne in, 302 Ostend; Irish MSS. written at (1631), 356 O^Suileabhain, meaning of the name, 267 (see O'Sullivan) O'Sullivau, 209. — Meaning of the name, 267. — the, senior to Mac Carthy, 226 O'Taidhq ; (^Gilla na Xaemh), 102 O'Troigkhigh, 346 [App. 607 Othna, 42, 53 O'Tuomy, 211 Ounce, an; (Uing^?) [App. 493 Owen, 210. — Race of the family called, 210 Ox, bare rib of an ; presented to Conn, 388 Oxen, Hill of the {Drom Damhghair€, — Knocklong), 271 Oxford; MSS. in, 25.— Copy of Felire compared, 371 Pa id in O'Mulconry, 118 Pagan worship ; pretended, [App. 586 n. Painting of the eyebrows, 309 Palestine, 222 PaUadius, St., 342, 398 Paper not used in ancient Erinn [xVpp. 470 Paris ; Bibliotheque Nationale, 26 Paps of Anann, the, 309 710 INDEX. Parchment; birch wood used before invention of [App. 470 Partholan, 171, 225. — Brecon, son of [App. 587 n. — Colony referred to by Finntan, 241. — his pliysician, 221. — Tale of the Immigration of, 294-5 Parthians and Bactrians, the ; of com- mon descent with the Gaedhil; (from Magog, son of Japhet), 205 Paste, blue and red ; ornaments in, 323 Paten of St. Tighernain ; (the Mias TigJier)iniri), 338 " Patricius Cothirthiacus [App. 608 Patrick, St. ; and the noble saints of Erinn, 369. — Letters in Erinn be- fore, 4. —Buried at Down, 410. — the Canon of, 373 [App. 612. — Ard - Patrick (Co. Limerick), 308. — Cothraige, another name for [App. 623.— ieac Phatraic, or Car- raiq Phatraicc (the Kock of Cashel) [App. 623. — Croziers of (and espe- cially the Bachall losu [App. 600, etc.), 603 n. — His chariot, St. iSech- nall, and St. Fiacc [App. 606.— His miracles first collected by St. Colum Cille [App. 608. — Bell of Saint, 336, 337 [App. 631 n. — Gospels, a rehc of Saint, 321. — Brogan, the scribe of, 308.— Death" of (March 17, 493), 415.— Miracles of [App. 609. — His Dialogue with CaoilM and Oisin, 200.— His Law of Affi- liation, 225. — Mac Cecht, one of the tliree smiths of, 337. — Saved from poisoned drink, 370. — Sketch of his life in Book of Armagh, 347.— The CuUefadh of, 335.— Tripartite Life of, etc., 339 et seq., 342-3 [App. C09.— The tooth of, 33-<.— Tlie fes- tival of, 368 [App. 811 Patrick the Younger ; life of St. Pa- trick by, 349 Paul (old); and Spiritual Directors, 368 Pedigree, a, distinguished from a ge- nealogy, 214 Pedigrees and Genealogies, the Books of, 203. — of the Irish saints, 353, 357, 358. —of Mac Firbis, Book of, 121, 215 [App. 541.— of " scholar- ship", [App. 495. —of St. Eimhin, 351, — of the Dalcassians, 209 Penal Laws ; Duald Mac Firbis one of the victims of the, 122 Penitential Pilgrimage to sea, a, 292 Pentateuch, the; (i\\e Deidi ni-Bni- t/ur),d, 31 Persecutions of religion in Ireland, 355 Personal descriptions in tale of the Tain Bo Cliuailgne, 38.— Descrip- tion of Cortnac Mac Airt, 44 Pestilence in 1095, 404 Peter and Paul, church dedicated to Saints, 325 Peter, Epistle of, from heaven, 662-3. — and the apostles and disciples, 368 Petrie, Dr. George; on the Saliair of Tara, 11, 12. — on the ancient laws, 16. — on the murder of Duald Mac Firbis, 122. — on the autograph of the Annals of the Four Masters, 149.— his Paper on Tara, 187, 191, 385. — on Litany of Aengus, 380, 381. — on the Ordnance Survey, 370 Possessor of a bell of St. Pa- trick, 337. — his work on the Round Towers ; mistake in, corrected, 381 . — his Ancient Music ; fairy lullaby in [App. 505. — Description of the Domnnach Airqid, 322 Pharaoh=Faro, "369.— Cengris, 447 Philip de Breusa, 432 Philhpps, Sir Thomas, 26 Philosopher (Flh), [App. 462 Philosophy, or Poetry ; the four divi- sions of, 240 Physicians; (the first in Erinn), 221, — treatment of Conchohhar Mac Nessa by his, 276 Picts, the; (^Crukhneanns), 288, ioO. — high spirit of the, 224 [App, 581 . — references to the, 414, 417 Pictish Tale ; the " Treachery of Scone", a [App. 591 n. Pictish word; " Cartaii", the only one preserved, 20 Pictiers (Poictiers) ; the Picts in, 450 Pig otMac Datho, the [App. 486 Pillar Stone ; the Plain of the, {Mag/i an Charthe, in Scotland), 287, 288, — the, oi Cnumhchoill ; 385,402 Pilate's wife, 367 Pilgrimage ; of Snedhgus and Mac liiaghla, 333. — to sea ; a peniten- tial, 292 Pilgrimages to the Holy Land, 382 Pilgrims, Roman, in Erinn, 381 PiUows, 310 Pinginn [App. 493-4 Pipers, 248 Plague (in a.d. 1095), 404,— Fier}', on the festival of St. John Baptist, 385, 402, 404 Plagues of the 7th and 8th centuries, 425 Plants, healing; bath medicated with, 250 INDEX. 711 Plato; Maximus Tyrius, school of [App. 403 Poems and Tales ; Of the Imagina- tive, 1^96 Poems, Ancient Historical ; (O'Clery MS), 173.— On the O'Donnells of Donegal (O'Clery MS.), 173.— Fenian, 299, 301. — Behgious, by early saints, 357, — Poem to tlie Holy Trinity, St. Cohan Cille's, 329 Poet; ^lc//(«a, the, 383 Poetess ; Etan, the, 2-18 Poets (see File), 2, 210, 243.— Quali- fication of the Order of, 220. — the seven degrees of, 220. — the official gown of a (Tuighen'), 383. — Privileges of, taken away, 384. of Conn, the three, 388 [App. 620. Poetry (see Philosophy), 240.— The Twelve Books of, 301. — Abbrevia- tion in MSS. 18 n, Poictiers (Pictiers), the Picts in, 450 Poisoned drink ; St. Patrick saved from, 370, — poisoned weapons of the Britons of Fotharta, 450, — Oenr/us' poisoned spear, 44. PoU-beg; (Lighthouse of, near Dub- lin), 269 Polo; Marco [see Marco], 25, 200 Pope, Supremacy of the, in St. Pa- trick's time, 373 [App. 612 Portico thatched with wings of birds, 311 Port Lairg^ (Waterford), 50 Portloman; parish of, (Westmeath), 285 Port Patrick, 287 Posts, four (to beds), 311 Prayers, Ancient Forms of, 357, 378 Preface to O'Clery's Glossary [App. 558,— to O'Clery's Lealhar Guhh- ala [App. 554, — to O'Clery's Reim Riograidhe of [App. 548 Prerogative; assertion of royal, re- sisted, 333 Priesthood ; Canon on Education for the, 372 Priests clad in white [App. 505. — English persecution of Irish, 356 Primacy of Ardmacha (Armagh), 373 [see Canon of St. Patrick. [App. 612]. — Hereditary succession to, 399, 400. Primogeniture, rule of, 227 Prim-sce'la, " Prime Stories", 243, 251 Printing ; effect of discovery of, 6 Priscian, Codex of (at St. Gall), re- ferred to by Zeuss, 27 Privilege of hunting, royal, 333 Privileges of an Ollamli, etc., 3 Probus, 390, 397 Profession of a champion, 270 Professor; the Classical (Ferleighinn), 2n.,9n., 56, [App. 495 " Prophecies" ; Of the so-called, 382 et seq., 410. — Political use made of forged, 430. — as to the Death of Conor MacNessa, 275. — Druidical, 284,386-7 [App. 617.— in ancient Gaedhilic " Baile", 385. — of St. Patrick, by Finn Mac CumhaiU, 803. — Use made of forged ; by Sir G. Carew, (a.d. 1602), 344 [App. 635-6, — Passages from Cambrensis (Expug. Hib.) concerning some, 432, [App. 634 Prophet and Poet ; office of, at Tara, 399 Protestant Archbishop of Cashel, the first, 233 Protestant persecution of Cathohcs, 442 Province; Sreng's,2i6 [App. 563. Psalms, copy of the ; St. Coluni CiUe's, 321,327 Psalter, [see Suliair'], 11, etc. Ptolemy Lagus {Tolameus Mac Lairge) [App. 521 Qualifications of a Poet, 220, 243 [App. 583-4.— of an Ol/amh, 239- 40, etc. — of an Ollamh of Music, 255. Eace,Foot- ; with CaezY^e' [App.587 n. Race, the Red-haired man's; the Three Conns, of, 407 Races in Erinu, characteristics of the, 223 Racldcdnn, 38. — CongaVs adventures in the island of, 262 Eahan (King's County), [see Raith- im], 340,374. Raighne, Magh- ; the grave of Goll in, 302 Raith ChiimhaiJl (Rathcoole), 403 Rcdth Muighe (Rathmoy, or Ratoo,) [App. 631 n. Raithin (Rahan, King's County), St. Mockuda of, 340. — Ecclesiastical city of, 374 Raith Meidhbhe [App. 480 Ramhach (see Roth Ramhach), 385, 401, 421, 423, 427 Randall, the son of Amlaff", 403 Ranks of learned men in ancient Erinn, 2 et seq. Ranna ; Mac Namara of, line of, 234 Rami, Saltuir na; the, 21, 360 (and see 609). Ransom of a noble ; a MS. the, 6 712 INDEX. Raphoe {Eath Bhotha), 100, [App.477 Hath (see also Rnith) Eathangan(i?a;>^ Imghairi) [App.487 Rath Beagh {Raith Beothaigh), 449 Rath Bhotha (Raphoe), 100, [App. 477 Rath Breis€; Balur, builder of, 222 Rath Chormaic (at Tara), 402 Rath Colptha (now Raholp, Down) [App. G03 Rathcoole, (Co. Dublin) (Raith Chu- mhaill), 403 Rathcormac(Co.Cork); Cam Tigher- naiqh near, 267 Rath'Cro, 416 Rath Cruachan, 33, 35 Rathlin Island {Rechraimi), 280 Raths, Forts, and Cuthairs, 449 Ratisbon ; shrine in monastery of, 336 Ravilly (Raith Biligh) [App. 48S Raymund, 432 Recapitulation (Lecture XXL), 435 Rechrainn, now Rathlin Island, 280 Rectaidh Rig-derg [App, 521 Red Hand, Ca^/i«7of the [App. 547 Red-Heads, the three [App. 483, 587 n. Red-haired man's race; the three Conns, of the, 407 Reeves, Rev. W.; edition of Adam- nan's Life of Colum Cille, 342. — edition of Primate Colton's Visi- tation [App. 613 References to Historic Tales, etc., as serious authorities, 241 "Reformation, the"; iconoclast rage of [App. 604 Regarnain ; the Cow-Spoil of, (Tale of) ; [App. 585 n. Relievo, alto; ornaments on shrine, 322 Reichenau, Irish convent at; MS. for- merly at, 27, 28 Reidy, (O'Riada), 210 Re'im Rioghraidhe, 162 [App. 548 et seq. Rein, Fidhnacha Magh, 398 Relics, 321, 332, 335, 336, 368, 406.— of St. Colum Cille, 406. — Iconoclast rage at the " Reformation" [App. 604 Rehquary, 326, 336 Renduin, 108 Reochaid Mac Fatheman, 38 [App.506 Reta Mor, Laighes, [App. 481-2 "Rhetoric", [App. 642. Riahhach 0' Cuindlis {Murchadh), 192 Riabhach C Coinlisg (^Murchadh), 163 Riada, Cairbre, (ancestor of Dalria- dan race), 516 Riugan, (O'Regan), 211 Riughail do riglithibh, 198 Riaqhail (St.), on the Scuap a Fa- liait, 428, Riughlu, Mac, 333; — and Snedgus ; Tale of the Navigation of, 289 Rib of an ox, and of a boar, 388 Ribh, (Loch), 109 Rigdonn, 38 [App, 506 Righbaird ; Raith [App. 591 n. Righe, (Glenn), 72, 73 Righ-Dhundina [App. 475 Righe, the river; (Ros na Righ), 266 Ringm or Rigrin, stone-builder of Aileach, 222 Rings-End, near Dublin, 269 Rioghraidhe; {Re'im-), 162 [App. 548 et seq. Ri Raith, the; of Tara, 387 Ritual for Consecration of a Church, ancient, 357 Road, ancient ; from Naas to Tara, by Claen, 270. — Road of Cualann, the great, 259 Roads, the Five ; finished in the time of Conn, [see Slighe], 53. Robhartuiqh, Ua ; Domhnall, 331 [App. 699 Roche (Fr.) Bishop of Kildare, 151 Roden, Earl of; (Mac Firbis auto- graph), 227 Rods of gold-bronze [bed rods], 310 Roen, son of Muircheaitach, royal heir of Tara; 413 Roighne Rosgadach, 218 Roileag laoch Leithe Chuinn, 164 Roih/ech, Druim ; Cruimthir Collait, from [App. 608 Roirinn [Ajip. 487 Roirend (in Offaly), 302 Jio/s, the Fera-; [Apj). 641, — Fiacha, king of, 333 Roland the Brave ; Story of, 25. Roman Consul, Altus a; 277, [App. 642 Roman letters, uncial or cor- rupt, 324. — Pilgrims, the three times fifty in Erinn, 381 [Ai)p. 615 Romans, excessive pride of the, 224 [App. 580 Romantic Adventure of Cuchulainn in Rechrainn, 280 Rome; in " Letha'' [App. 504, 616.— Cir stone-builder of, 222. — Supre- macy of (temp. St. Patrick), 373 [App. 612. — the holy Bishops of, 369.— College of St. Isidore, in, 26, 156, [App. 644.— Altar of St. Peter, in, 662-3. — pilgrimage of Conall to, 662-3 Rondin; Caeilt^ Mac, 306, 307 INDEX. 713 Ronan, K. of Leinster (ad. CIO) [App. 588 n. — Tale oi Maelfathar- taiq/i, son of, 277. — Roiian Mac Aedha, 10-t Ros; the Chief File of Erinn, 170.— Argat-, 449, [and see Rois], Ros, son of Rudliraidhe [App. 465 Ron Bror (Badger Wood), 302.— St. Mollnfjs Church at, 392 Ros na Righ, 187, 266. — Datki's arri- val at, 286.— Battle of, 187 [App. 589 n. Roscrea ; St. Cronan of, 335 Rosses of Sliabh Ban (Connacht); the three, 426 Ross Ruadh, 34. [App. 513 Ross, the Fera-, 333, [App. 641 Ross, men of, sent out on the sea, 333 Rossmore, Lord (preserver of the Jjomnach Airgid), 327 Roth Ramhach (" Rowing Wheel", the) ; " Prophecy of the", 385, 401 , 421, 423, 427 Round Tower at Aenc/us' Church, Discrt Aenpusa, 364. — Fetrie's Work on tlie Round Towers, 381 Royal Branch ; the Champions of the, 270, 274 Royal heir of Tara; Roen, 413 R.I. A.; Collection of MSS., in the Library of the, 24 Royal residences in Erinn; the chief, [App. 588 n. Ruadh, 96,— King Dathi's Queen, 284 Ruadhan, St. ; Bell rung hy, at Tara, 337 Ruaidridhhe O'Caiside, 85 Ruammu), the Dane, 403 Rudliraidhe. 96.— Monarch, (b.c. 212) [App. 465, Hi.— Loch, 429 Rudrician or Ultonian race; Aengtts Cede' l)e' o{ the, 3Q3 Riaihchearn [App. 590 n. Rules, Ecclesiastical, 357, 373. — ^Mo- nastic (of Discipline^, 357, 373. — of St. Colli m Cille, the, 374 [App. 613,— of the Gray Monks, 375 Rumold, St. ; Ward's Life of, 381 Rushes, floor strewn with, 310 Rye, the (the riA-er Righe), 266 Sahhall Fhatraic, (Saul, Co. Down), 20 Sadhhh (Sabina), [App. 5 15, 585 n — death of, 312 Saerhhreathach, (Latinized " Justi- nus", or Justin), Bishop, 293 SaercJannaihh h -Erenn, Argain Chair- pri Cinn-cait for, 262 Sa{,\see Sfioil, 2 n, 18 [App. 461, 462 Saighir Chiarain ; Story of [App. 531 Saighir (King's Co.) ; St. Ciaran of, 340, 342 Saingel (Singland), Battle of, 396 Saints ; Erinn called the Island of, 320. — Ancient invocations to the, 357, 380, — Genealogies and Pedi- grees of the Irish, 353, 357, 358.— Lives of the, 339 et scq, 342, 357 St. Gall, in Switzerland; Irish MSS. in Monastery of, 27, 379 Saint MuUins, [see Tigh Moling'], 231 Salhhuidhe, Echnidli ; (father of iVe.s'- sa), 262 [App. 636-7 Salchoid ; (Sallyhead, Tipperary), Battle of, 403 SaJtair na Rann, the, 21, .360. — the spurious [App. 609 Saltair of CaiseJ (Cashel), 19 Saltair of St. Ricemarch, 23 Saltair of Tara, 9, 10, 11, 41, 42, 204 [App. 464, 496,-656-7 Sandiain, or Festival of November Eve, 284, 286, 418 [App. 466 Samhair, the river [App 485 Samhna, Cnoc; Battle of, 312 Sanctuary ; of the OUainh's wand, 3. —with St. Cohu7i Cille, 328 Sanskrit; Gen. Vallancey's specula- tions from, 300 Saoi Canoine [App. 495 Saoi, 2, 8, 1 8, 29, 42, 57, 74, 76 [App. 461, 462, 463, Saracens ; strength of the [App. 580 Saraid [App. 515 Sdran, 374 Satire, the first in Erinn, 248 Satirists, 248 S.iul, 3&d—{SabhaJl Fhatraic), Co. Down, 20 Saxon Saint, Gildas a, 353 Saxons, " powerful and tyrannical", 4 1 8. — the gray, 396. — " the creep- ing", dullness of, 224, [App. 581. — Twenty thousand, killed ; (" pro- phecy" of), 418.— sway in Erinn, 422 — "wicked", 423.— Women, 3. — "Prophecy" of the coming of the, 387 Scdil; Ath in- [App. 481 — the Bail€ an-, 385, 419 [App. 618 Seal, the, 390 Scathach of Buanainn [App. 503 Scattcry Island {Inis Cathaigh), 339 Scandinavian; Forgall Monach dis- guised as a, 279 Scariff (Co. Clare), 267 Scathach; Military School of the Scot- tish lady, 279, [App. 589 n. Seel air Chairbr^ Cinn-cait, 198 46 714 INDEX. Seel Fiaehna inic Recitaich, 198 Scela (Tales), 242, 2-13, 282 Scholarship, "Pedigree" of [App. 495 Schools, MiUtary; ia Scotland, 279, [App. 589 n. — Schools of Divinity InErinn, 291 Scholar, a; 2n. Sciad/i ard na Con [App. G40 Sciath-hel; Crimhtluitm, 450 Sciath Bhacall; Conall, 331 Scone, the Treachery of [App. 591 n. Scoriath, King of the Feramorca in West Munster, 253 Scota, {Fei't Scota) ; (^Gleann Scoi- thin); 448 Scotland ; OiFJann's Synchronisms of the Kings of, 55, — School of Eoch- aidh EchblteoU in, 383. — the Dal- riadanrace of, 412, 414, 415. — the Saints of, 369. — curachs trading to, 257, — Fcredach Finn, King of, 287, 288,— Military Schools in, 279 Scotorum ; the Chronicum, 120, 126, 128 [App. 542 Scots (Milesians) the, 450 Scott, Sir Walter, 297 Screeiie; in Tireragh, Sligo; {Mid- lachRuaidhe'), 284 ; [and seeAcaill]. Screpall [App. 493 "Screptra" of Maelsuthain O'Cear- bhuUl, 79 Scripture Genealogies, 205 Scriptures, ancient copies of the, 32 1 Scuap a Fanait, the, 420, 421, 423, 426, 428 [App. 632, 634 Scythia, 222, 447 Seaan, 19,— son of Cucogry O'Clery [App. 561 Sea, the Ictian (Muir n-Iehf), 454 [App. 592 n., 605 Sead, Loch Bd, 426, 427 Seadna, 209 Seaghais ; Battle of, (a.d. 499), 499 Seanadh mhic Mai/Imiisa, 22 Seanaiyh, Ath- ; (Ballyshannon, Co. Kildare), 420 Seanar, the Plain of, 15 Secincha, sou oi Aihll, 218 Seanc/ias Mor (see Senchus), 16, etc. Seanchadh, 46 SeancJtaidlie, 3, 204 Seanchua, in Tirerill, 171 Seanchuaeh, the O'Duigenans of, 22 Seangarmna, Tipra (in Kerry) ; 306 [App. 594 Seanurac/i, Agallamh na, 307, [App, 594 Seachnaill, Domhnach, (Dunshaugh- lin) [App. 606 Scchnall, St. •, 344, — (" Secundinus", 373, 610,— his Hymn, 352.— St. Fiacc and St. Patrick [App. 606 Secundinus (.S'eac/»7a//),373 [App. 612 Sedna, the " prophet", 422 — " Pro- phecies" of [App. 627, 628 Segetius, priest under St. German [App. 601 Seirqiif/he' Chonculainn, the [App. 637-8 Seis (knowledge) [App. 461 Selga, Dundia ; (hunting mound), 391 Senaeh, 15 Senait Mic Maghnusa ; the Annals of, caUed Anuals of Ulster [qu. v.], 52, 74, 83, 85, 117, [Aj)p. 533, etc. Senan, St. (of Inis Cathaigh, or Scat- tery), Life of, 339 Senchan Torpeist, 8, 29, 30, 41 SenehiisMdr, the,16, 91[App.617; 655 Seniority, ancient law of preference by, 261 Seradh ; Magh [App. 489, 490 Serca, (Love Stories), 294 Scrinium, or reliquary, 326 Sermons, Homilies and ; ancient, 357 Seudga, 217 Sexton, family of, 210 Sheeliug, Loeh ; (^SUeann^, 418 Sheep, the Widow's ; case of, 43-4, Sheuar, the Plain of; (^Seanar),\5 Shetland Islands inhabited by Pomo- lians, 249 Shield, Conall of the Crozier, 331 Ship, the strange; called the Roth Randuic/i, 401 Shrine of the arm of St. Lnchtam, 211 Shrine belonging to Mr. filonsell 335 Shrines ; Traceries on, 323, — in Mu- seum of ll.LA., etc., 321, 336 Sianan, the (plaintive song), of the Women of Erinn, 334 Sidhe (^Bcun-sidhe, Fersidhe,) [App. 504 Sidh Neannta, the fairy mansion [App. 591 n. — Siogmall of, 286 Sieges ; (Historic Tales — Forbasd), 267 Sir/maU, 286.— the fairy mansion of [App, 591 n. Sigruidh O'Cidrnin, 183 S'deann, Loch (Loch Sheeling) ; the gloomy waves of, 418 Silks for dress, 310 Stl Midredhaiqh, [see Siol], 115 Silver Hand, Nuada of the, 246, 247 Silver ; door-lintel of carved, 310. Simeon Breac in Thrace, 244 Simon Magus, 402, 4:0:i,—Mogh Ruith educated in the East by, 272 Sin, the Banshee [App. 599 INDEX. 715 Singlaud, Co. Limerick (Suiiiffel), Battle of, 39G Siogmall of Sidh Xeaimta, 2SG Siol Muireadhaiqh ; the Race of the, (Murray). 5 7,' 83, 219, 2->G Stol Aodfia, 210 Siiric, son of 2Iac Aedha, 331 L-App- 599— Sou otAm/ihiM, Hi Siubhdalneck (Conor O'Brien of), 212 Siub/idaineac/), the Wood of, 235, 236 Siitlr, the river (Suir) [App. 4S5 Skellig Kocks, the {Glas CharrairJ), 315 Skreen, the Hill of; AcaiU, 230, 26i Sldine, Aed/i, 415 Shnmje\Tnhher, (the Slaney), 257, 447 Slane (the enchanted house of Cleiiech, near), 308 Slaney, the, 447 ; landing of the French with Lahhraidh Maen in the, 2-.7 Slane, the Yellow Book of, 20 Skingu, the son of Farthalon, 221 Slattery, Most Rev. Dr. ; Archbishop of Cashel, 337 Slaughter, Battle of the liill of; {Cath Chnuic an Air), 312 Slavery of the Aitkeach Ttiatha, alleged, 263 Sleckt, Magh ; Battle of, 101 [App.536 Sleibhte (Sietty), 4, 342, 349 [App,607 [and see Fiacc] Slendiain, 38 Sliabh an lurainn, 101, 102 SUabh Ban (in Connacht), the three Rosses of, 426 SUabh Croit, the ilouutain of Harps, 427 Sliabh 2Iairge', 17 Sliabh Mis, (in Kerry), 448, — (in An- trim), 394. Sliab/i n-Ealpa (the Alps), 284 Sliabh na m-Ban (Co. TipiJerary) 396 Sliyhe Asail (and see '■^Midlduacra", "Cualami'\ ^^DakC), 453 Slicjhe Mor, the, 453 Slir/ech, 96, 146 Sliocht Brain Finn, 211 Sliocht Diarmada, 110 Sling, the (Cranntabhaill), 276 Slothful FeUow, Tale of the Flight of the, 313, 316 Sluaigheadha, of the ; (" Military Expeditions") ; [" Historic Tales", No. 11], 2t)4 Smdil, Sndrditbh Mac, 426 Small Pox, " Galar breac", 84 Smirditbh Mac Smdil, 426 Smith, Mr. George ; his undertak- ing of C*'Donovan's edition of the Annals of the Four Masters, 161, 202, — copy of the Felire Aengusa transcribed for, 371 Smiths ; of the Tuatha Dd Danann, 249,— St. Patrick's three, 337 Smith, the Anglican form of Mac an Ghobhan. 219 Snaclt, 304 [rectius Suaeli] Snandia Aighnech, Cuan ; (Carling- ford), 287 Sntdltfjus, 333, — and Mac Riaghla, Tale of the Navigation of, 289 Sobhairce, 217, 449 Society ; Irish Archjeological and Cel- tic, 77 n. etc. — Ossianic; (publica- tion of) [App. 590 n. — Gaelic (i)ub- lication of the), 14 n. [App. 589 n. — St. Patrick's, of Melbourne, 458 Soilgech ; Sliabh [App. 591 n. Soiltean na n-Gasan, 102 Sollyhead, near Tipperary (Salchoid), Battle of, 403 Solomon's builder, Ailian, 222 Song of ihe Women of Erinn, tlio plaintive, 334. Sorrowful Stories of Erinn, the three, 319 Sorar, 48 Sorceress, 249 Sosta, Cluain-, (Clonsost), 352, 353 Sovereignty of Erinn, the [App. 621 Spain, 222, — Bragantia in, 44. — Flight of Aedh Ruadh to, 396.— his death in, 406, — (see Momera), 243, — an Irish Bishop builds a church in, 293, — voyage in a curach to, 293 Spaniards, the, fierce and haughty, 224 [App. 581 Spear, cast of a, 311, 388, — of Oisin, the, 306 Spears (see Arms), 245 Spiritual Directors, 368 Spris, Captain, 396 Sraibhtbine ; Fiacha, 386 Srath Cluada, (Clyde), [App. 591 n. Sreng's Province, 246, [Aj^p. 563 Sreng, herald of the Firbolgs, 243, 246 Sruibh Brain, 427, 429 Sruth Cheanna mhdir, 272 Staff; Tiih\et-,{Tabhall.lorg') ; [App. 471.— Staff of Jesus (the Bachull Isu), 101, 330, 338 [App. 539, 600 Star, the Morning ; (a river), [App. 485. Standdhe [App. 495 State Papers, vol. ii., referred to [App. 604 " Staves of the Poets" [App. 464 Stephen and the Martyrs, 368 716 INDEX. Steward; the king's chief, 328 Stockholm ; no vestiges of Irisli MSS. found in the collections at, 5 Stone, a warrior's {Lid MUidli), 394. — Patrick coming to Erinn on n, 393. — Shrieking under Conn, a, 388. — Writing on [App. 464 Stone buildings in Erinn, Mac Firbis on, 223 Stones, couch ornamented with, pre- cious, 310, 311 Storytellers; FeinigJi, 220, — (Seati- chaidhe), the, 3, 3 n. Strand of Baile (the) [App. 465, 475 Strath Clyde, [App. 591 n. Stream, the, called Si'itth C/ieanna mhu'ir, 272 Strongbowe, Earl, 432 [App. 603. Study the materials of Irish History ; how to, 437 Suadh [see AgaUamh'], etc., 383 Suaelt, [v. Snaelt], 304. Suantraighe, the (sleep melody), 254, 255 [App. 608 Succetus, " qui est [deus belh]" ; Succession ; law of, 227, — by primo- geniture, 227, — of the Kings, in Tiqhernach, taken from Eochaidh O'JFlynn, 69,— O'Clery's, 162 [App. 548 et seq. Suibhne, 50 Suidhe Luighen, SUabh ; (•' Slount Leinster") [Ajjp. 475-8 Suidh, 17 [App. 462 Siiirge, 217, 449 Sullivan (see O'Suihab/iain, 267, etc.) Sun, Vallancey's speculations on wor- ship of the, 366 Sunday; law of, 662. — Canon as to absence from Mass on, 372, — le- gend, as to observance of the, 293 Supremacy of Reme, Canon on, 373 [App. 611 Surgeon of Nuadha Airgead-lamh,2i7 Surgeons, 249, — treatment of Conor Mac Nessa by his, 276 Susanna, 369 Swans, Plain of the Two (Magh Dd Gheis), 302 Swimming, exercise of, 315 Swineherd oiMilchu ; St. Patrick, 394 Synchronisms ; part of the lore of the an OUamh, 240,— of Flann of Mo- nasterboice, 54 [App. 509. — In B. of Bally mote [App. 520.— In B. of Lecain, App. 522 System of law and policy in ancient Erinn ; a regularly defined, 4 Taball Filidh,{VoQ\:s Tablet); [App. 464, 465 Tablets (of stone and wood) ; [App. 464, 465 Tadkg, son of Cuthal 0^ Conor, 95 Tadhg " an Tea ghUngh'" , (" of the Household"); [App. 547 Tadhg Cam O'Clerig/i, 11, Tadhg MacNamara of Ranna, line of. 234 Tadhg son of Cian, 147, 209 [App. 588 n. — Tale of the Adventures of, 3 18. — his progress from Cashel into Meath [App. 593 Tailcenn, the; or Tailgenn, 386, 387, 389, 393, 397 [App. 617 et seq. ; 624 Tai/liin, 72. — the Fires of, 287.— Games at, 287, — Founded by Lugh Mac Elthknn [App. 478,— Battle of, 448 [App. 586 n, Tailte, the wife of Eochaidh Mac Eire, 287 Tain Be Aingen, 283, 586 n, 587 n, 589 n, Tdin Bo Chuailgn€, the; 8, 29, 31, 69, 278. — Story of the recovery of the Tale of the, 29, 30, 32, 193, 278 — Language of Tale of Bruighean Da Derga, older than that of the Tale of the ; 259. — of the Date of the [App. 507.— MS. in British Mu- seum, 346 Tain Bo Dartadha, 185 Tain Bo Flidais, 185 [App. 531 Tal, the House of [App. 479 Talbot de Malahide, Lord; 457 n. Tales and Poems ; Of the Imagina- tive, 296 Tales ; Of the Historic, 238, 243.— List of in B. of Leinster, 243 [App. 583, 584. — Use to be made of the, 454. — their authority as pieces of History, 239, 241 Tales of the Immigrations {Tochom- ladh) of Partha /on, of Nendiidh, of the Firholgs, of the Tuatha De' Danann, of the Milesians, etc., 295 Tales, — (tlie Three Sorrowful Stories of Erinn), 319 Tale of AedJi Oirdnidhi and the en- chanted goblets [App. 532 Tale of the Courtship of AilhU (by Finn Mac Ciunhaill), 283 Tale of the Tdin Bo Aingen, 283, 586 n, 587 n, 589 n. Tale of the Revolt of the Aiiheach Tuatha, 230, 262 Tale of the Death of Aifhirnc, 319 Tale of the xirqain Cathrach Boirche, 261 Tale of Bail^ Mac Buain [App. 4G4 INDEX. 717 Tale ot the Courtship of Beq-folad, 263. 319 Tale ohheCaveof /?e/(7rA CoiH/hds,2'^3 Tale of the Irruption of the Boyne, [App. 531 Tale of the Voyage of Breacan. 257 Tale of the Navigation of St. Bren- daiiui, 289 Tale of the adventures of Bricm, son of FeabhaU, 318 Tale of Bricreim's feast, 340 Tale of the Bruujhean Bheag na h- Almhaine, 313 Tale of Cairbre Cinn Cait, 198 Tale of the Caithreim Chealluchain ChaislI, 238 Tale of the Caih Jlulr/ke Tuireadh,2U Tale of King Cathal Mac Fmyhuine, 353 Tale of theCathreimChonff/iail Chlair- ingnigJi, 2G1 Tale of the Bndghean Chaerthainn, 313, 318 Tale of the Triumphs of Charlemagne [App. 531 Tale of the B) uigheun Cheise an Cho- rainii, 313 Tale of the Feis Tight Chondin Chinn t-Shlbhc, 313 Tale of the Tdbi bo ChuaUgn^, 29, 30, 32, 185 [App. 507 Tale of the man who swore by St. Via ra It's hand [Aj)p. 532 Tale of the birth of Conn Ced-Cathach [App. 531 Tale of the Red Route of Conall Cear- nach, 319 Tale of the adventures of Conall Gul- ban, 319 Tale of the Death of Conchobhar Mac Nessa [App. 533 Tale of the Tragedy of Conchobhar Mac Nessa, 274 Tale of the adventures of Conla Ruadh, 318 Tale of Coustantine the Great [App. 532 Tale of Core, the son of Lughaidh [App. 4G9 Tale of the adventures of Cormac Mac Airt, 189,318 Tale of the Cave of Cruachain, 283 [App. 532 Tale of the Sick bed of Cuchulainn, [App. 505 Tale of the Tragedy of Ciiroi Mac Dai re, 273 Tale of the Bndghean Da Choga, 2(30 Tale of the Bruighean Da Derga, 185, 212, 258 Tale of the Tdin Bo Dartadha, 185 Tale of the Cathreim Dathi, 212 Tale of the Debility of the Ultonians, 37, 187 Tale of Deirdre and the sons of Uis- neach, 291, 319, (and 90, etc.) Tale of the Pursuit of Diarmaid and Grninne, 313 Tale of the Destruction of Dinn Righ, 252 Tale of Donnchadh O^Braoln [App. . 532 Tale of the Forbids Droma Damh- ghoire, 198, 200, 271 Tale of the Exile of the sons of Dad Dearmait, 319, 403 Tale of the Feast of Dun na n-Gedh, 191 Tale of the Siege of Howth {Forbais Fdair), 205 Tale of the Cave of Beann Fdair, 2.*3 Tale of the Courtship of Elmer, by Cuchulainn, 278 Tale of the Bndghean Eochaidh Big Deirg, 313 Tale of the Sons oi EochaidhMuighmh- eadhdin [App. 531 Tale of the Courtship of Eicdn, 319 Tale oi Fiachna Mac Reataich, 198 Tale of the I'din bo Flidais, 185 [App. 531 Tale of Fraech Mac Fidhuigh [App. 503 Tale of the Imtheacht an Ghilla Dea- cair, 313, 316 Tale of Queen Gormlaith, 131, 294 Tale oi Labraidh Loingseach, 251 Tale of the tragical fate of of the chil- dren of Lir, 319 Tale of the Tondiaidhm Locha n- Echach, 294 Tale of the Death of the lady Luaine, 189 Tale of Mac Cois^, the poet, and the Fairy Woman [App. 532 Tale of the Loinges Mac Dull Der-^ mait, 319, [App. 408 Tale of the Echtra Macha, inghine Aedha Ruaidh, 283 Tale of Maelsuthain O'Cearbhaill, 70 [App. 531 Tale of the Navigation of Maeldui)/, 289 Tale of the Wanderings of Maeldum, 185 Tale of th e Tragedy of Maclfothartaigh Mac Ronain, 277 Tale of the Courtship of Queen Meadbh, 282 Tale of the Cath Muighe Leana, 243 718 INDEX. Tale of the Cath Muir/he Rath, 243 Tale of the Battle of Muirt/ieimne, and Death of Cuc/uthiinn, 319 Tale of Nlall Frassach [App. 531 Tale of Niull " Naoi-ghiallach'''' and his sons [App. 531 Tale of Tad/iff O'Biiain and the Devil [App. 532 Tale of the Sluaghed Dathi co Sliabh n-Ectlpa^ 28-t Tale of the Navigation of Sned(jus and Macliiar/hla, 289 Tale of the adventures of Tadhg Mac Cein, 318 Tale of the Tochmarc Momera, 243 Tale of the Second Cath Muujhe Tuireadh, 247 Tale of the Sous of Tuireann, 319 Tale of the Imramh Ua Corra, 289 Tale of the Cliildren of Uisneach [see Deirdre^, 319, (and 96, etc.) Tallacht, {Tamhlac/u), near Dublin, 26, 174, 353, 362, 364, 379 — the JBruif/hean Da Z>er(/a, near, 259. — the Martyrology of, 353, 362, 364 Tamhlorga Filldh (Staves of the Po- ets) [App. 464 Tanaidhe Mac Uidhir, (Mac Guire), 419 Tanaidhe O'Mulconry, 83 Tanaisie of Litif/hne, the, [App. 546 Tana; Of the, (-'Cow-spoils"); ['His- toric Tales", No. 7] ; 277 _ Tara, anciently called Dndm Cain [see Teamair'], 244 [App. 620.— Battle of (a.d. 978), 403.— Saint Fiacc as to the desertion of, 343 [App. 605. — Bell rung by Saint Ruadhan round, 337. — Feast of, 287.— Palace of, 285.— The first Feis of, by Ollamh Fodhla, 218.— The Sahair of, 9, 10, 11, 41, 42, 204 [App. 464 ; 496, 656.— Cuhur, stone-builder of, 222. — Troighka- than, rath-builder of, 222. — Various mounds at, named [App. 514 Tarbhgha [App. 492 Tassa'ch, Bishop; artificer of St. Pa- trick, 368 [App. 603,611, Taulchiiine (the Juggler) [App. 618 T.C.D. Library ; MSS. in, 23.— Prin- cipal vellum MSS. in, 102 Teabhtha, (Teffia, in Westmeath), the Feara Cul of, 286 Teach Midhchuarta, the, 46, 187 Teach Moling (now St. Mullens), 231, 302 Teach Riaghala (Tyrella) [see Riagh- ai7],428 Teach Screp/ra, 79 Teadgh j^rectius, Tadhg'] Mac Cein, mic Odella Olidm, 147 Teaghlaigh, Tadhg an [App. 547 Tealach an Chosgair (Hillof the Vic- tory), 451 Teamair, 10, 48, [and see Tara]. Teamair Breagh, 409 [App. 626 Teamair Luachra, 185 Teamhrach, 10, [and see Tara], Teanqa Bithnua, the [App. 532 Teathra, 384 Tech, [see Teach] Techet, Loch ; (now called Loch O'Gara) [App. 547 Teclmical language, abuse of, by the Poets 45. Teffia (see Teabhtha), 286 Teinim Laegha, the, 240, 257 Telltown QTaiUtin), the Fair of, 287 "Temora" of MacPherson, the, 300 (see Tara) Temple Daidhi [App. 593 Templeport,Lake; InisMadoc, in, 27 " Ten Commandments, the ; {Deich m-Breithir) ; a name given to the Pentateuch, 9, 31 Tengumhu,Duach, 15, 16 n. [App.498 Termonbarry (Counacht), St. Finn- bharr of, 338 Ternog's nurse, 427 Testimonium of Annals of the Four Masters [App. 544 Tetbannach, Tighernach- ; K. of South Munster, 267 Tcthna [App. 477 Thatch, 300,— coloured, 310, 311 Thersites, the Fenian ; {Conun Mac Morna^, 317 Thomond, 209.— Earl of, acceptance of title by O'Brien as, 237.— History of the Wars of, 195, 233. Thrace, the Fjrbolgs in, 244 — The Picts from, 450 " Thumb of Ivnowledge" ; Finn's, 395, 396 Tlmrles (Durlas), 421 Tiberius Ctesar, contemp. with Cor- inac Mac Airt [App. 520 Tibrud, Gort na ; Battle at, 395 TArtYK/<'-,419 [App. 621 Tiqhe Chondin Chinn t-Sleibhe, Feis, 313 Tighernach, St., 323.— Tetbannach, K. of South Munster, 267. - -the An- nalist, 41, 52, 57, 74.— Death of [App. 517. — his references to early authorities, 61. — liis Chronology, 61.— Fragment of in T.C.D., 90.— Letter from Kev. Dr. Todd, P. R I A., concerning [App.517. — Va- INDEX. 719 rious versions of passages as to Cim- baoth [App. 519. — References to the Bachitll Isu in [App. G03. — his entry of the death of Conchobhar Muc Nessa [App. 637 Ti(/hcr)uiir/h, Cam-; (mountain near kathcormac, Co. Cork), 267 T)()her»ain, Mias- ; the, (Paten of St. Tl(jherna)i), 338 Tifihernan O'Ruairc, 101 Tiqlienvuas ; Edlenn, son of [App. 621 Tujh Mo/iiu/ (St. Mullens, Co. Car- low). 231, '302, Tin-bath, 63 Tipperary ; flight of Brian Ruaclh O'Brien into North, 236. — Topo- grapliy of [App. 630 Tipra (or Tobar) Cheanna mhdir, 272 Tipra Seanganmia (in Kerry), 306 [App. Si)! Tiprait Airgh'i [A^ip. 508 Tipraite,^Vd [App. 621 TipraiM O'Bruoin, (O'Breen), 82 Tir AecUia, 70 [App. 527 Tir Choiiaill (Tircounell), 329.— Aedh, King of, 401. — List of obits of chiefs [App. 570 Tir Fiachruch, 82, 418 Tir OihUa, 22 Tirec/taiis (St.) annotations on Life of St. Patrick, 347. — Quotation from [App. 608 Tirerrill ; niarcli of Foraorians to, 249 Tinnchdnta, Eochaidh, 327 Tirren (the,) sea, 16 Title and Dedication of O'Clery's Glossary [App. 557 Title and Introduction to Mac Firbis' Genealogies [App. 572 TIacht(/a, daughter of MoqhRtiith, i02 Tobar (or Tipra) Cheanna mhdir, 272 Tobias, 369 Tochar eter dhd mhagh (the " cause- way between the two plains", at Geisill, near TuUamore), 449 TocHMARCA ; Of the ('• Courtships") ; [" Historic Tales", No. 8], 278 Tochmurc Emire; Tale of the [App. 637-8.— Tale of the Tochmarc Mo- m€ra, 243, 282 TocHOBiLADH (Immigrations of a Co- lony), " Historic Tales" of, 294 Todd, Kev. J. H., S.F.T.C.D., Pres. E.I.A., 22 n.. 25 n., 50 n., 77 n., 84 n., 174, 457 n., [App. 646, 650.— his Letter on Fragment of Tiyher- nagh [App. 517. — in Oxford to com- pare the Felire, 371. — on contrac- tions in MS. of Domhnach, 327. — possessor of St. Patrick's Bell, 337. — onthePicts, 450. — Belgian MSS. lent to, 362, [A pp.647.— his notes to Bookof Obits, etc., of Christ Church (as to the Bachall Isu) [App. 602 Toe/hail (the destruction of a Fort>, 257, 265, 283 ToGHLA, Of the, ('' Destructions") ; ["Historic Tales", No.3], 257, 265, 283 Toichleach Ua Gadhra [Ai>p. 546 Toilette, Credki's, 309 ToirrdlteaJbliach Mdr Ua Concltohhair (O'Conor), 414 [App. 535 Toirrdhealbhach UBriain, 234. [See Wars of Thomond. [ Tolameus Mac ZaiV^e' (Ptolemy La- gus) App. 521 Tolka river, the (Tulchlaimi), 269 ToJl-cinn, " tonsured head" [App.618 ToMADHMA (Bursting of Lakes), Sto- ries of. 294 Tomahach, 109. 110 [App 539 Tomaltach Og Mac Donnchaidh [App. 547 Tomb of Oscar; Ogham inscription on, 304 Tonn Ch/iodhna, the, 306 Tonsure (the toll cinn) [App. 618 Toomregan {Tiiaim Dracain), 418 Tooth of St. Patrick, the, 338 Topographical information in tract in B.of Lismore (conversation between St. Patrick, Oisin, and Caoilte), 200. — in tract on Diarmaid and Grainne, 314. — Notices in Fenian Poem, 305. — Tract (the Agallumh naSeandrach), 307. — from Emania to Lusk, 282 Torchair [App. 489, 490 Tor chill [App. 490 Tama Eigeas, 191. — his Poem, as to burial of JJathi, 288 Torna. O^Maeilchonair^ , 148 Torolbh the Dane, 403 Torry Island [App. 563. — Conaing's Tower on, 244 Tornifjheacht Dhiarmada is GJiraiiKf, 313 Towers, Round ; Petrie's work on the, 381 Traceries on shrines, 323 Trade with Scotland in curachs, 257 Tragedies {0 it te or Aideadha) ; (His- toric Tales, No. 6), 273 Trdii/h Caeil (the Strand of Gael), 3U Trdigh Eothaile (near Ballysadare), 246 Trdigh niBaile [App. 475 Tralee, Beramain near; Finn at, 305 720 INDKX. Transformation into birds, fairy, 426 Travels of the Gaedhil before reacli- ing Erinn, 222 Trees"; "The Letters and the" [App. 408 Trekill the Dane, 403 Trenmdr, 304 Treok (Trevit, near Tara), 19, 391 " Trias Thaumaturgus", Colgan's, 143 — quotation from, 387 n. Tribute ; History of the Origin of the Boroniean, 230 Triuchadh anAicme'im Kerry), 448 Tri-Liaq; Diin, (Duntrileague), 312 Trim (Bai/e Atha Tridm) [App. 604 Trinity, the Holy; Colum Cille"'s Hymn to, 329 TroighleatJtan, rath-builder of Tara, 222 Trophy, barbarous ; (see Brain). 275 Troy; Story of the Destruction of, 25 Trumpeters, 248 Tripartite Life of St.Patrick, 330 [see Patrick] ; [App. 609.— MS. in Bri- tish Museum, 345, 346.— on St. Mac Cartkainn, 325. — (Passage from), 344 Tuadh Mlmmhain, 209 Tuagh Lihher (Mouth of the Bonn) [App. 475 Tuaim da GhuaJann (Tuani), 290 Tuaim JDrecain, (Toomregan), 49, 50, 418.— St. Brkvi of (637), 418 Tuaim nDregan [App. 513 Tuaim Tenba;{Dhm Bigh); [App.482 Tuan Mac Cairill, 171 Tuath Emruis, 389, [App. 621 Tuatha De Danann, 28. — Genea- logy of the, 215. — in Erinn, (a.m. 3303), 244.— fighting under Finn, 315. — [see Eairies, etc. [App. 505. —Physicians of the, 28, 221.— Secret Agency of the, 286 Tuath Amrois, 389, [App. 021. Tuatha Fiodha, the (Forest Tribes), 450 Tuathal Mad Garbh, 55, 59 Tuathal Teachtmar, 230, 264, 303 — the daughter of [App. 585 u. Tuighen (the poet's official gown), 383, 384 Tuile, in the east ; a Couch made at, 310 Tuile'n; St. Cairnech of, 336 [App. 600 Tuirbh€ (Turvey, near Malahide,) 258 Tuireann, Tale of the Sons of, 319 Tuirrin bright na Righ (in Scotland), 287 Tulach, Finn, 308 Tulach na n-Eipuc (near Cabinteely, Co. DubUn), 382 Tidchlainn, the; (the Tolka river), 269 Tulla, near Cabinteely {Tulach na n- Espuc), 382 Tulloch (see Tealach), 451 Tulach na Feine, 308 Tuluigh, "to humble"; connection of the word with Tailcenn [App. 617 Tundal, 194 Turgesius the Dane (a.d. 840), 56, 400 Tiirioch ; the Wai's of, 234, — - Mor O'Conor, 183 Turvey, {Tnirbhe), near Malahide; Bay of, 258 Tutors, subordinate, 3 Tyranny over Ireland, 355 Tyrella, Co. Down {Teach Righala) 428 Tyrone (Tir Eoghain), 329 Tyrrhene ( J'/>7'e'«) Sea, the, 16. Ua Brain, 58 Uachtair, Loch, 108 Ua Chongbhail, 1, 11, 12, 13, 21, 171 —Book of the, 13, 44, [App. 496 Ua Conchobhair [see O'Conor] ; Ca- ihal Crobh-Dearg [App. 547 Ua Cormaic; Abban, son of, 382 [App. 616 ; — Poem by Gilla an Chomdedh, 70 [App. 526 Ua Corra, Imramh ; Tale of the, 289 Uada, in Leighis (Leix) [App. 481-2 Ua Duinechda (see Colgu) [App. 615 Ua Flainn ; Aenghns, 399 Ua Floinn ; see O'Floinn. Ua Gairbh, 222 Ua Gormain, Maelmaire, 353, 361 [App. 609 Uaimh, (Uatka, etc.) [App. 586 n. Uais, 72. Ualgarg O'Ruairc, 398 Ua Lughair, Dubhtltach, 170 Uamach, Colman [App. 008 Ua Neanihnainn, Gael, 308 [App. 594 Ua Rohhartaigh, Domhnall, 331 Uatha, Of the; (-'Caves"): — ["Histo- ric Tales", No. 9], 9.m.— Uatha; Uatlt ; Uaimh [App. 586 n. Uch, (" uch oil"), 49 Uch,uch, 187 [App. 571 Uchbadh, 130 Ugaine Mor, 63, 68, 207 [App. 521, 4.51.— Race of, 207-8.— Monarch, (B.C. 633), 252.— the sons of, 218 Uqaire, son of Ailill, K. of Leinster, 421 Uihh FoircheUain, 17 INDEX. 721 Ui Briuiii, 102.- - Gillausaille, lord of, 414 Ui Cremhthainn, territory of, 325 Ui Dinrmada , 13 Uidhir, Mac; Tanaidhe, 419 Uidfire; Leabhar nah-,\S2 [App. 570 UiFaiI(//ie {OSa\y), 302, 365, 395 Ui Fhloinn ; Bail^ Mor [App. 548 UiMain€, 312 Ui Mele, Roman pilgrims settled in, 381 [and see Imele, App. 615] UiNcid; Cam, (Co. Cork), 422 Uinffe (an ounce ?) [App. 493 Uinche defeated by Finn, 303 Uisncach, the sons of, 10. 14, 30, 3G, 96, 260, 275 [App. 527.— Tale of Deirdre, a.nA the sons of, Q^ Ait hid Dheirdrire 2Iacaibh L^."), 294, 319 Uithir, 218 Uladk, 185, 207.— 3Iagh-, [App. 631 n. — the Mesca, 185 [App. 637. — the Ceasnaoidliean, 37 [App. 637-8 UIc (see Belatjh Mic Uifc), [App. 508 U/idian race, the, 207, 363 Ui/tacli, Christopher, 148 Ulster, Annals of, 23, S3 [App. 533.— Fragment in T.C.D., 90 Ultan, St., 343, — teacher of Tirec/ian, 347,350 [App. 607-8 Umaill [App. 565 Umhaill; Burgheis-, (Borrisoole), i\Io- nastery of, 178 [Apj). 561 Umhall, 346 Uncial letters, 324 Uraicept [App. 471 Uraichecht [App. 501 Urchair, Baik'-ath-an-, (Ardnurchar, Westmeath), 276 [App. 593 Ussher, Archbishop; as to Flann's synclironisras, 53. — his Translation of Canon of St. Patrick [App. 612 Valentia Island, anciently Dairbr^, (or Daraire'), 272 Vallancey, reckless theories of, 17. — his nonsense about " Creas", 366 Valoignes ; Hamo de, 432 Vandal warfare of the EngUsh in Ire- land, 355 Vassalage of Tuatha D€ Danann, 248 Vat of red ale, 388. — of royal bronze, 311 Ventry (Finntrdigh), 308, 315 [App. 597 Verse; Chain-, (Conachlann), 3G5 Victory, the Hill of the (Tealach an Chosgair'), 451 Violation of a King, 388 [App. 621 Vision of Adanman, the, 424. — of St. Bricin {BaiU Bricin), 418 Visions {Fis), Tales of, 295 Virgin, the Blessed; honoured, 367. — Ancient Litany of, 357, 380 [App. 615. — Representation of the Blessed, 323 Virgin Saints of Erinn, the; under Brighid, 369 Virguiar cliaracters [App. 470 Visitation, Primate Colton's ; Dr. Reeves' edition of [Apj). 613 Vows of Chivalry, 280, 314 Waldron, Laurence, M.P., 174 [App. 646 Wales, Ancient laws of, 201 Walter, the daughter of [App. 565 Wand of the Poet, the (Fleasc Fili) [App. 464. — Sanctuary under, 3 Ward (see Mac an Bhai'rd), 330, 142.— Father Hugh, 26, [App. 645. —His life of St. Rumold, 381 Ware, Sir James, 97, 107, 127, etc.— on Litany oiAengus, 380. — his refe- rence to Flann, 53. — to the Annals of Connacht, 105 — Mac Firbis em- ployed by, 127 (and see 122). ^"^ars of the Danes with the Gaedhil ; the History of the, 188, 232 Wars of Thomond, the History of the, 233 Watchguards, Finn's, 315 Waterford {Port Lairg^), 50 Wave of Cliodhna, the, 306 Waves, Magical, of the Tuatha De Danann, 447 Well ; of Seangarmain, the (in Kerry), 306 — the, called Tobar Cheanna Mhdir., 272 Westminster, the Cardinal Arch- bishop of ; Crozier in the possession of, 338 Westminster Abbey, Papers concern- ing Ireland in the Chapter House of, [App. 604 Wexford, the Picts landed in, 450 Wheel; Rowing, (see Roth Ramhach), 383, 401, 421, 42.3, 427 White ; Priests clad in [App. 505 White Book of Christ Church, re- ferred to [App. 603 Whiteness of Lime, 310 Wicklow (Inbher Deci) [App. 485 Widow's, the, Sheep ; Case of, 43-4. Wife of an 0//amA, Privileges of the, 3 Wilde, Air. W. R. ; Census Report by [App. 630 Wilham, Clann ; (Burkes of), 422 William Gorm O'Ruairc, 398 William Ruadk O'Ruairc, 398 Windele, Mr. John, of Cork ; nego- ciation with him as to fragment of Book of Lismore, — [Note. This 47 722 INDEX. fragment has, since the delivery of these Lectures, been restored to the original Book at Lismore], 199 Wings of birds worked in thatch, 310, 311 Wisdom ; the Seven Orders of, 9 Wiseman,Cardinal ; Crozier in posses- sion of, 338, 48 Witches, 2-19 Writers (historic) of the xn., xiii., and XIV. centuries, 82 Writing in Erinn before St. Patrick's time ; Of [App. 463 Women; the six best, in the world [App. 515. — of Erinn; the Plain- tive Song of the, 334. — Foreign stammering (Saxons), 385 ■J Wonders of Erinn ; the Cam of Trmcjh Eothdih; one of the, 246 Wood; writing on Tablets of [App. 464 " World" ; Dair^ Dornmliar, " Empe- ror of the whole", 315 Worship of the Sun, discovered by Vallancev, 366 Wurzburg,'MS. at; 27. Yellow Ford, Battle of {Bel an Atha Biddhe), 417 Yew cover of Domhnach Airgid, 322 Yew tree over BaiWs grave ; Tablets of the [App. 465 Zeuss (Graramatica Celtica), MS3. noted by, 27 JflNIS.], '4 (Ti T^ "2;. " 9.sr^. / John F. Fowler, Printer, 3 Crow Street, Dame Street, Dublin. '-L -t^^-. >ate D- DATE DUE AR ^ '•'■HO U^^i^^ERsirT^^oDUCTS^^ BOSTON COLLEGE 3 9031 01189646 1 ;>/S