THOMAS P. O'NEILL, JR 
 LIBRARY 
 BOSTON COLLEGE 
 
 Gift of 
 
 John F. Hourihane 
 
ANCIENT IEELlND<^ 
 
 HER KINGS AND PRINCES,-HER GREAT MEN. 
 HER STRUGGLES FOR LIBERTY. 
 HER APOSTLE ST. PATRICK.-HER RELIGION. 
 
 Principal of the Collegiate Seminary, 57, Bolton-street, Dublin. 
 
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 HER MILESIAN CHIEFS, 
 
 BY 
 
 MARTIN A. O'BREMAN, LL.D. 
 
 JOHN 
 
 DUBLIN: 
 MULLANY, 1, PARLIAMENT 
 1855. 
 
 STREET, 
 
m 
 
 BOSTON rn» lEGF 
 
 JAN 6 7995 
 
TO THE VERY REV. JOHN SPRATT, D.D. 
 
 Very Reverend Dear Sir, 
 
 I take leave to dedicate to you, whose friend- 
 ship it has been my pride to enjoy for many years, this 
 poor effort of my pen in behalf of Ireland, her language, 
 and religion. It has been usual with authors to seek out 
 what are termed great names, to whom to dedicate their 
 works : I have not been singular in this respect, as I have 
 selected the name of one, whose untiring exertions in the 
 cause of charity and temperance have ranked him amongst 
 the greatest benefactors of the human family. It is not 
 titles nor riches that confer elevation — these may be, and 
 are, often possessed by the most worthless and degenerate. 
 It is moral worth confers dignity ; not dignity, worth. 
 In you, then, I behold that worth which, in my mind, 
 constitutes the great and good man. Hence I have taken 
 the liberty of dedicating this unpretending work to you, 
 whose zeal for our old language is surpassed only by that 
 for religion and temperance. I have to say, in conclusion, 
 that, if ever a grateful heart offered a sincere tribute to 
 friendship and worth, this is tendered, Very Reverend 
 Dear Sir, to you by 
 
 Your devoted, alfeetionate 
 
 Disciple and friend, 
 
 MARTIN A. O'BREMAN. 
 
 Collegiate Seminary, 
 57, Bolton-street, Dublin. 
 June, 1855. 
 
According to tradition, the interesting relic of remote antiquity — of 
 which the accompanying sketch is a perfect delineation — marked the 
 grave of an early Irish saint. It is of hard granite, in length three feet- 
 five inches, in breadth one foot ten, and in thickness five inches. The 
 stone bears two sculptured crosses, symbolical of the Christian faith, one 
 on the front and the other on the back ; each cross is enclosed within a 
 circle, the emblem of eternity. The crosses and circles are greatly worn 
 by the action of the elements during more than twelve centuries. It stood 
 in " Owen's-lane" (which leads from Corn Market, through St. Audeon's 
 arch, to Cook-street), near the door of entrance to the ancient church of 
 St. Audeon, or Owen. From time immemorial it was called the " Blessed 
 Stone," and was held in very great respect and veneration by the Catholics 
 
VI. 
 
 of Dublin — a respect so great, that for ages past, and up to the time of 
 its removal, all persons, when passing by, laid their hands on it, and in- 
 voked a blessing, through the intercession of the saint, to perpetuate whose 
 memor>' the stone was erected. In the year 1826, when the church near 
 which it stood was undergoing repair, this ancient monument was taken 
 up, and, being regarded with a slight respect by some workmen, it was 
 carefully removed and buried in a yard in Cook-street, where it remained 
 for some years. It is now in the possession of the Very Rev. Dr. Spratt, 
 of Aungier-street, who, as an antiquarian, looks on it, not only as an 
 object worthy of respect for its very great antiquity, but also, as a memo- 
 rial of the piety of a people whom ignorance and prejudice have sneered 
 at as barbarous. 
 
 The following letter conveys Dr. Petrie's opinion as to the use and 
 age of the monument, &c. 
 
 67, Rathmines Road, 2\st Octoher, 1853. 
 
 " My Dear Dr. Spratt, 
 
 " In obedience to your request that I should give you my opinion 
 respecting the probable antiquity of the interesting ancient stone on which 
 a cross within a circle is sculptured, and which till it came into your 
 conservating custody, was to be seen near the ancient Parish Church of 
 St. Audeon, I have no hesitation in expressing my opinion that it belongs 
 to a class of monuments — most probably sepulchral — which are now rarely 
 to be met with in Ireland, and which appears to me to be of a very early 
 Christian age ; and I have no doubt that this stone is much more ancient 
 than any portion of the very old church now remaining, with which it 
 was formerly connected. 
 
 " Believe me, my dear Sir, 
 < '* Most faithfully yours, 
 
 " George Petrie." 
 
SUBSCRIBERS' NAMES. 
 
 *#* The names have been inserted in the order in which they were received. 
 
 B. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 Blake, Most Rev. Michael, D.D. Bishop of Dromore, . . 2 
 Ball, Nicholas, Right Hon, Judge, Common Pleas, Dublin. 
 Ball, John, Right Hon., M. P., U, Colonial Secretary, Dublin. 
 
 Brady, John, Esq., M. P., Leitrim, London, , . '4 
 
 Burke, Bernard, Very Rev. Dean, P.P., Westport, . . 4 
 
 Bourke, John, Esq., 13, Charlemont-street, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Behan, J., Esq., Capel-street, Dublin,. . . .1 
 
 Bourke, P., Esq., Merchant, 94, Capel-street, Dublin, , . 1 
 
 Bagnall, John, Esq., T.C., 24, Mary's-abbey, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Hugh, Esq., Essex-st., Dublin, . . .1 
 
 Brogan, Michael, Esq., 4, Prospect-terrace, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Burke, John, Esq., Henry-street, Dublin, . . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Rev. Michael, C.C., Miltown, Tuam, . . .2 
 
 Brennan, Mark, Esq., Dublin, . . . . , 1 
 
 Brennan, Peter, Esq,, South George 's-street, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Burke, Thomas, Esq., Castlerea, . , . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Malachi, Rev. Canon, P.P., Ahamlish, , , 1 
 
 Blake, Francis, Esq., J. P., Cregg Castle, Galway, . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Rev. James, Chaplain, Clondalkin, . . . 1 
 
 Browne, Rev. Martin. P.P., Mayo, . . . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Rev. John, P.P., Warrenpoint, . . . 1 
 
 Burke, Rev. John, P.P., Mount Bellewbridge, . . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Rev. Patrick, P.P., Kildare, . . , 1 
 
 Boland, Patrick, Esq., P.L.G., 138, Capel-street, Dublin, . 1 
 
 Browne, Rev. James. P.P., Ballintubber, Mayo, . . 2 
 
 Brennan, Rev. Mortimer, C.C., Gort, . . . 1 
 
 Buckley, Michael, Esq., Kilternan, Sandyford, . . . 1 
 
 Bell, Rev. Frederick, C.C., Halston-street, Dublin, , . 1 
 
 Bermingham, Rev. J., P.P., Borrisokane, . . . I 
 
 Burke, Rev. Thomas, P.P., Portumna, . . . I 
 
 Boylan, Very Rev. Daniel, Dean, P.P., Enniskillen, . . 1 
 
 Brennan, Rev. Francis, B., O.S.F., Merchants-quay, Dublin^ 1 
 
 Burke, J., Esq., Liverpool, . . . , . 1 
 
 Byrne CO'), Mr. Myles, Newbridge, Rathdrum, . . 1 
 Brennan, Michael, Esq., P.L.G., Kiltimagh. 
 
viii. 
 
 C. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 CuLLEN Most Rev. Paul, D.D., His Grace, Archbishop of Dublin 
 
 and Primate of Ireland. 
 Cantwell, Most Rev. John, D.D., Bishop of Meath . . 2 
 
 Cantwell, J. M., Esq., Solicitor, Dominick-street, Dublin . 2 
 
 Curtis, Very Rev. J., S.J., Provincial, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Currin, V. Rev. Peter, P.P., Ballinamore, Kilmore . . 4 
 
 Campion, John C, Esq., A.B., 46, Charlemont-street . . 1 
 
 Cuff, Rev. Mr., 55, Blessington -street, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Conry, James, Esq., Castlerea, Co. Roscommon . . 1 
 
 Costello, Rev. Thomas, C.C., Belcarra, Ballyglass . . 1 
 
 Cotter, Rev. James, C.C., St. George's Catholic Cathedral, London 4 
 Coughlan, Very Rev. J , Archdeacon, P.P., Ballaghadereen, Co, Mayo 2 
 Commins, Rev. James, P.P., Clare-Galway . . • 1 
 
 Connoly, Rev. Martin, P.P., Glannamaddey, Beyounugh . . 1 
 
 Cogan, Rev. J., Halston-street, Dublin . . . 1 
 
 Crean, Martin, Esq., 40, Lower Ormond-quay . . .1 
 
 Conway, M. E., Esq., General Post Office, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Costello, Very Rev. Bartholomew, V.G., P.P., Crossmolina . 1 
 
 Constantino, Rev. Cosgrave, P.P., Keash, Sligo . . 1 
 
 Curley, Rev. Michael, P.P., Louisburgh . . .1 
 
 Croke, Rev. Thomas, P.P., Charleville ... . 1 
 
 Crane, Very Rev. Martin, O.S.A., Jolm's-street, Dublin . 1 
 
 Cavendish, Hon, F. A., Castlebar . . . .1 
 
 D. 
 
 Dixon, Most Rev. Joseph, D.D., His Grace, Archbishop of Armagh, 
 
 Primate of all Ireland . . . ; . .2 
 
 Durcan, Most Rev. Patrick, D.D., Bishop of Achonry. 
 Dufiy, Charles Gavan, Esq., M.P., Blackrock, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Duffy, Very Rev. Archdeacon James, P.P., Clontibret . - 4 
 
 Dowley, V. Rev. Philip C. M., President, St. Vincent's, Castleknock 2 
 
 Daly, Very Rev. Peter, V.G., P.P., Galway . . . 1 
 Dunne, Francis L., Colonel, M.P., D..L, Brittas, Queen's County. 
 
 Delany, J ames, Esq., Ballyhannis, Mayo. . . .1 
 
 Duffy, Very Rev. P., P.P., Dunmore . . . . 2 
 
 Duggan, William, Esq., Shaw-street, Dublin . . .1 
 
 Duggan, Rev. Patrick Adm., Cummar, Tuam . . .1 
 
 Dungan, Rev. Michael, P.P., Blanchardstown . . 1 
 
 Doyle, James, Esq., 6, Lower Abbey-street, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Dinan, Rev. Michael, P.P., Clondegad, Co. Clare . . 1 
 
 Donnelly, Martin, Esq., Portumna . . . .1 
 
IX. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 Dillon, M. J., Esq., Park House, Sandymount . . 1 
 
 Denehy, Cornelius, Esq., T.C., High-street . . .1 
 
 Dennehy, Rev. Henry E., C.C., Queenstown . • .1 
 
 Delahoyd, Robert, Esq., 81, Queen's-street, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Duncan, Very Rev. B., P.P., Swinford . . .1 
 
 E. 
 
 Ennis, Edward A., Esq., Solicitor, Capel-street, Dublin . . 4 
 
 Elwood, John, Esq., ] 12, Middle Abbey-street . • 1 
 
 Elliott, John, Esq., Ludford Park, Dundrum . . i 
 
 Elligot, T., Esq., C.E., Roundtown, Dublin . . .1 
 
 Evans, G. H., Esq., Pembroke Place, Dublin, . • 1 
 
 Ennis, J,, Esq., Drumcondra, Dublin, . . .1 
 
 Eccles, O'Connor A., Esq., Barrister, Roscommon . . I 
 
 F. 
 
 Feeny, Most Rev. Thomas, D.D., Bishop of Killala • . .4 
 
 French, Lord, Great Denmark-street, Dublin . . .2 
 
 Forster, F. J., Esq., Swords House . . • -1 
 Flanagan, Very Rev. Mathew, D.D., P.P., Francis'-street, Dublin 2 
 
 Fitzpatrick, Peter, Esq., James's Terrace, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Fitzgibbon, Henry, Esq., Castlerea . . . • 1 
 
 Fitzmaurice, John, Esq., Manchester . . .1 
 
 Feeny, Rev. William, P.P., Kiltolla, Tuam . . .1 
 
 Freeman, William, Esq., Castlerea . . . .1 
 
 Fitzgerald, Rev. Patrick, C.C., Castlebar . . .1 
 Fitzgerald, Rev. J„ P.P., Island Edy. 
 
 Flanelly, Rev. John, P.P., Aughagower, Mayo . . 2 
 Folan, Very Rev. Thomas D., Prior, O.P., West Convent, Galway . 1 
 
 Ferrall, Rev. Patrick J., P.P., Logher House, Duleek . . 1 
 
 Fagan, Rev. Mathew, P.P., Newtown-mount-kennedy . . 2 
 
 Fitzpatrick, P. V., Esq., Eccles-street . . .1 
 Farrell, Alderman Fergus, Esq., 120, Capel-street. 
 
 Farrell, Michael, Esq., Merchant, 122, Capel-street . . 1 
 Fitzpatrick, Very Rev. P., P.P., Mill-street, Cork. 
 
 Finegan, Peter, Esq., 45, New-street, Dublin . . .1 
 
 G. 
 
 Greville, Colonel Fulke L., M.P., D.L., J.P., Clonyn . . 4 
 Grattan, Richard, Esq., M.D., Edenderry, Kildare. 
 
 Gill, Andrew, Esq., Grosvenor Park, Rathmines . , 1 
 
 Greene, Alderman John, Esq., J. P., Wexford . . . 1 
 
 Goodman, Rev. J. Bernard, New Abbey, Sligo . . 1 
 
X. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 Gill, Rev. Thomas E., P.P., Oranmore . . .2 
 
 Green, Rev. Patrick, C.C., Robeen, Hollymount . . 1 
 
 Gray, John, Esq., M.D., Abbey-street . . . 1 
 
 Geraghty, Rev. John, CO., Oughterard, Galway . . 1 
 
 Gilmore, John, Esq., Barnaderg, Galway . . . 1 
 
 Gallagher, John, Esq., Dublin . . . . 1 
 
 Germaine, A. R., Rev. P.P., Blackditches . . . 1 
 
 Griffith, James, Esq., Ranelagh . . . . 1 
 
 H. 
 
 Htggins, Colonel Ousely. M.P., D.L., J. P., Glencorrib, Mayo . 2 
 Hamilton, Very Rev. Archdeacon John, P.P., St. Michan's, Dublin 2 
 
 Hennessy, Richard, Esq., 58, Aungier-street, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Higgins, Rev. James, P.P., Belaghy, Mayo . . .2 
 
 Horgan, Rev. William, C.C., Kenmare, Killarney . . 1 
 Harley, Rev. Patrick, P.P., Moore, Ballinasloe 
 
 Hayden, G. T., Esq., M.D., A.B., T.C.D., 82, Harcourt-street . 2 
 
 Hoey, John Cashel, Esq., Nation office, Dublin . . .1 
 
 Horan, Eugene, Esq.. Dubh'n . . . .1 
 
 Hardiman, Rev. Thomas, P.P., Ballinrobe . . .4 
 
 Henry, Rev. James, C.C., Achill . . . .1 
 
 Horgan, Rev. David, C.C., Ballincollig . . .2 
 
 Hoare, Philip, Esq., Merchant, Dublin . . .1 
 
 Hickey, Michael, Esq., Bantry, . . . .1 
 
 Haughton, James, Esq., 35, Eccles-street, Dublin . . 2 
 
 Hampston, Rev. James, Castletovpn, Berehaven . . 1 
 
 J. 
 
 Johnson, Richard, Esq., Lower Sackville-street . . 1 
 Jennings, Rev. W., Professor of Logic, M., and E., St. Patrick's Col- 
 lege, Maynooth . . . . .1 
 Joynt, Alderman W., Esq., Limerick . . . .1 
 Judge, Roderic, Esq., Mayo . . . .1 
 Jordan, Charles H., Esq., College, Newbridge . " . 
 
 K. 
 
 Keane, Most Rev. William, D.D., Bishop of Ross, . .4 
 
 Kildare, Most Noble Marquis of, Dominick- street, . . 2 
 
 Kelly, Most Rev. Francis, D.D., Bishop of Derry, . • 2 
 
 KildufiF, Most Rev. John, D.D., Bishop of Ardagh, . . 2 
 
 Keogh, W., Right Hon. Attorney General. M. P., Dublin, . 4 
 Kielty, Rev. Thomas, St. Jarlath's, Tuam 
 
 Kennedy, Tristram, Esq., M.P. Henrietta-street, . • 
 
xl. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 Kelly, Very Rev. P., P.P., Killskyre, Meath, . . .1 
 
 Kennedy, Ignatius, Esq., 18, Capel-street, Dublin, . . 2 
 
 Kilbride, Rev. James, C.C., Ballylinan, Queen's County, . . 1 
 
 Kenny, Very, Rev. John, P.P., Ennis, . . .1 
 Keon, Peter, Esq., Bolton-street, 
 
 Kavanagh, Very Rev. Micbael, A., S.J., President Clongowes Wood 
 
 College, . . . . . .1 
 
 Kenny, Rev. Francis, V.G., P.P., Moycullen, . . .1 
 
 Kenealy, William, Esq., Leader office, Thurles, . . 1 
 Kelly, Jasper, Esq., 7Wjw //eraW, . • . 
 Keaveny, Rev. Thomas, P.P., Annadown, 
 
 L. 
 
 Leahy, Most Rev. J. P., D.D. Coadjutor Bishop of Dromore. 
 Leahy, Very Rev. P., D.D., V.R., Catholic University, 
 Lucas, Frederick, Esq., M.P., Meath. 
 
 Lalor, E. J. Power, Esq., J. P., Longorchard, Ballydine, County 
 Tipperary, ...... 
 
 Laphen, Very Rev. John, T., D.D., P.P., Meath-street, Dublin, 
 Lyons, James T., Esq., Solicitor, 9, Henrietta-street, Dublin, 
 Lyons, Daniel, Esq., 59, Dominiclc-street, 
 Loftus, Rev. John, P.P„ Donagh Patrick, Headford, 
 Leonard, Rev. Lawrence, C.C., Galway, 
 Langan, Rev. Thomas, C.C., Painstown, Garristown, 
 Lynch, Rev. Thomas, P.P., Blacklion, Slane, 
 
 Lyons, Rev. Patrick, P.P., Spiddal, .... 
 Lanigan, John, Esq., J. P., Richmond, Templemore, 
 Lalor, Thomas, Esq., D.L., J. P., Cregg, Carrick-on-Suir, 
 Lalor, Patrick, Esq., Tenakill, Abbeyleix, Queen's County, 
 Lane, Rev. Michael, P.P.. Donoughmore, Cork, 
 Langan, Patrick. Esq., 9, North Earl-street, 
 Lynch, Michael, Esq., United States Consul, Capel-street. 
 
 M. 
 
 Mac Hale, Most Rev. John, D.D., His Grace, Archbishop of Tuani. 
 Murphy, Most Rev. Timothy, D.D., Bishop of Cloyne. 
 Mac Nally, Most Rev. Charles, D.D.. Bishop of Clogher, . 2 
 
 Moriarty, Most Rev. David, D.D., Coadjutor Bishop of Kerry. 
 Meyler, Very Rev. Walter, Dean, Notary Apostolic to Rome, P.P., 
 
 Westland-row, Dublin. 
 Mac Hale, Very Rev. James, Archdeacon, V.G., P.P., Castlebnr. 
 Moore, G. Henry, Esq., M.P., Moore Hall, Mayo, 
 
Xll. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 Maguire, J. R, Esq., M. P., Cork. 
 Mac Mahon, P., Esq., M.P., London. 
 
 Murphy, Michael, Esq., P.L.G., 64, Bolton-street, Dublin, . 1 
 
 Molloney, W., Esq., Mary-street, Dublin, . . .1 
 
 Maher, John, Esq., North Brunswick-street, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Mac Donnell, John, Esq., Kevin-street, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Mac Manus, Patrick, Rev., P.P., Clifden, . . .2 
 Mullarkey, Rev. D., P.P., Kiltinagh. 
 
 Markey, Edward, Esq., Grange, Naule, . . 1 
 
 Mac Cann, Joseph. Esq., 100, Upper Dorset-street, Dublin, . 1 
 
 Molony, Rev. Jeremiah, C.C., Kilmeen, Clonakilty, D. Ross, . 1 
 
 Mahony, James, Esq., Manager National Bank, Castlerea, . 1 
 
 Maher, John, Esq., Capel-street, Dublin, . . . 1 
 
 Mac Cann, Rev. Joseph C, C.C., Halston-street, . . 1 
 
 Moran, Patrick, Esq., Pensylvania, America, . . .1 
 
 Moran, James, Esq., Halston-street, Dublin, . . . 1 
 
 Mac Neille, John, Esq., Henry-street, Dublin, . . . I 
 
 Mac Namara, Rev. P., C.C., Glan, Mount Bellew, . . 1 
 
 Mac Sorley, Rev. Peter, C.C., Coalisland, Dungannon, . . 1 
 
 Meyler, Rev. B., P.P., Ferns, . . . 1 
 
 Mac Donnell, Very Rev. William F., P.P., Rathfarnham, . 1 
 Mahon, J. Esq., Mercury office, Galway. 
 Meany, P., Esq., Drogheda Argus. 
 
 Meany, Rev. Patrick, R.. C.C., St. Mary's Church, Clonmel. 
 
 Murphy, Very Rev. James, P.P., V.G., Ferns, Tomacork, . . 2 
 
 Moriarty, John, Esq., Solicitor, Mallow. 
 
 Moloney, Rev. Tbomas, C.C., Killmurry, Miltown Malbay, . 1 
 
 Mulcahy, E. J., Rev. P.P., Ballymakea, Clonmel, . . I 
 
 JNIulligan, Francis, Esq., Phibsboro, . . . .1 
 
 Moloney, James, Esq., European Hotel, 4, Bolton-street, 1 
 Mac Evily, Rev. John, President of St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, . 1 
 
 Mullen, Patrick, Esq., Dunshaughlin, . . .1 
 
 Mac Dermott, Thomas, Esq., Aughrim-street, . . .1 
 
 Mac Carthy, Rev. Florence, P.P., Mohaluffe, Killarney, . . 1 
 
 Mangan, Rev. Patrick, P.P., Keelmachedon, Dingle, . J 
 Meade, James L., Esq., Barrister, P.L.G., Lower Gardiner-street. 
 
 Mac Donnell, Edward, P , Esq., Cahir House, Kilkelly, . . I 
 
 Mac Kenna, Rev. John, P.P., Parochial House, Lisburn, . 1 
 
 Mac Hale, Rev. Patrick, P.P., Adragoole, Ballina, . . 1 
 
 Murray, Rev. Timothy, C.C., Adm., Skibbereen, . . 2 
 
 Mac Cawley, Rev. P.P., Ardagb, Ballina, . . .1 
 
Xlll. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 Maguire, Robert, Esq., 2, Burgli-quay, Dublin, . . .1 
 
 Mahony, Cornelius, R., Esq., High-street, Dublin, . . 1 
 
 Mooney, Robert, Esq., Booterstown, Dublin, . . .1 
 
 Mac Gauran, Rev. Hugh, P.P., Glenade, Kinlough, Ballyshannon. 
 Murphy, Rev. Thomas, Church-street, Dublin. 
 Mooney, Rev. Patrick, P.P., St. Audeon's, Dublin. 
 Mooney, Thomas, Esq., Melbourne. 
 M'Elheran, John, Esq., Surgeon, N. Y., America. 
 M'Tucker. Very Rev. Joseph, P.P., Boyle. 
 Mahony, Very Rev. D., V.F., P.P., AghaboUogue, Coachford. 
 Mahony, James, Esq., Castlerea, 
 Mylott, Rev. Daniel, C.C., Kiltulla,'Castlerea, 
 JMurphy, James, Esq., 8, Crane-lane, Dublin, . . .1 
 
 Moriarty, Rev. Patrick, C.C., Knockacoppuil, Killarney, . 1 
 
 Mechanics' Institute, Dublin, . . . .2 
 
 MuUally, W. F., Rev. P.P., Donohil, Cappawhite, . 2 
 
 N. 
 
 Newman, Very Rev, John, D.D., Rector, Catholic University, Dublin 1 
 Nult^, C, Esq., Mary-street, . . . .1 
 
 Noble, John, Esq., Capel-street, . . . .1 
 
 Noone, Rev. John, J., P.P., Menlagh, Ballinasloe, . . 2 
 
 Neale, William, Johnston, Esq., Barrister-at-law, London. 
 
 O. 
 
 O'Connor, Most Rev. Daniel, D.D., Bishop of Saldes. 
 O^Renehan, L. F., Very Rev., D.D., President Maynooth College. 
 O'Connell, John, Esq., M.P., Dublin. 
 
 O'Gorman, N. P., Esq., Q.C., Assistant Barrister, County Kilkenny, 2 
 O'Hagan, Thomas, Q.C., Assistant Barrister, County Longford, . 2 
 O'Flaherty, Anthony, Esq., M.P., Galway, . . .2 
 
 O'Brien, Very Rev. R., D.D., All-Hallows' College, . . 1 
 
 O'Connell, Very Rev. John, P.P., Ardfert, . . .2 
 
 O'Hea, Very Rev. M., V.G., P.P., Roscarberry, 
 O'Conor, Denis, Esq., D.L., J. P., Mt. Druid, French Park, 
 O'RaflFerty, Very Rev. James, V.G., P.P., Tullamore. 
 O'Brennan, Rev. Henry, P.P., Dysart, Ballyforan. 
 O'Carroll, Thomas, Esq., Skerries, County Dublin. 
 O'Connor-Kerry, Rev. C. J., Sandyford, C.C., County Dublin, . 12 
 O'Malley, J. B., Esq., Castlerea, . . , .1 
 
 O'Malley, Rev. Edward, P.P., Roundstone, Galway, . . 1 
 
 O'Dowd, Rev. Thomas, C.C., Ballyhaunis, . . .1 
 
XIV. 
 
 Copies. 
 
 O'SuUivan, P. J., Esq., Mecklenburgh-street, . 
 O'Daly, John, Esq., Bookseller and Irish Publisher, 9, Anglesea-st. 
 O'Malley, Rev. James, C.C., Ballinrobe. 
 O'Brennan, John, Esq., Lawrencetown, Banb ridge, 
 O'Brennan, Patrick. C, Esq., General Survey Office, 
 O'Byrne, Patrick, Esq., 21, Upper Sackville-street, 
 O'Brien, Rev. Daniel, Presbytery, Halston -street, 
 O'Connor, James, Esq., Ballinlough, Castlerea, 
 O'Beirne, Rev. Timothy, C.C., Castlerea. 
 O'Reilly, James, Esq., King's Ford, Cavan, 
 O'Brien, Rev. Patrick, J., Professor St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, 
 O'Brennan, Very Rev. Philip, Canon of Diocesan Chapter, Aughna- 
 
 mullen, W. Cootehill 
 O'Callaghan, Very Rev. Charles, P.P., Ballymacelligott, 
 O'Kean, Very Rev. Francis P., P.P., V.F., Castlerea, 
 O'Connor, Patrick Joseph, Rev. P.P., Foxford, . 
 O'Connor, Peter, Esq., J. P., Sligo, 
 O'Flynn, Rev. John L., O.S.F.C., Kilkenny, 
 O'Connor, Roderic ,Esq., J.P., Barrister, Milton, Tulsk. 
 O'Connor, Patrick, Esq., Ex- High Sheriff of Roscommon, J. P. 
 O'Fay, Very Rev. Joseph, D.D., C. H. R. E. K. G, S. P P. V. F. D. 
 
 H., Craughwell, .... 
 O'Reilly, Rev. John, Principal of Kilmore Academy, Cavan, 
 O'Dwyer, Francis, Power, Esq., Bath-street, Irishtown, Dublin, 
 O'Rorque, Rev. Mr., Lacken, 
 O'Dwyer, Rev. Thomas, C.C., Bray, . 
 O'Connor, Maurice, Esq., Sub-Sheriff, County Kerry, 
 O'Byrne, O'Loughlin, Patrick, Esq., Kerry Examiner^ Tralee, 
 O'Connor, Daniel, Esq., 3, North King-street, . 
 O'Grady, Francis, Esq., Swinford, Kilkelly, 
 O'Connor, Peter, Esq., Wine Merchant, Capel-street. 
 O'Sheridan, James, Esq., iron and Bell Foundry, Church-street, 
 
 Dublin, ..... 
 O'Connor, Rev. Michael S,, P.P., Clare Castle, Ennis, 
 O'Grady, Rev. John, P.P., Abbey Knockmo)^, Tuam, 
 O'Roarke, Rev. James, C.C., Donmore, Tuam, . 
 O'Connor, Maurice Mac Namara, Esq., Hermitage, Listowel, 
 O'Malley, Joseph, B., Esq., Castlerea, 
 O'Loughnan, Daniel, Esq., Sherriff-street, 
 O'Lougbnin, Rev. Henry, P.P., Ballymony, 
 O'Neill and Duggan, Messrs., 8, Dame-street, . 
 
XV. 
 
 * Copies. 
 O'Brennan, Lewis, Esq., U. S., America, . . .1 
 
 O'Mullane, Rev. Daniel, C.C., Aghada, Whitegate, Middleton. 
 
 O'Dwyer, Michael, Esq., Leeson-street, Dublin. 
 
 O'Coffey, Mathew, Esq., South Circular-road, Dublin. 
 
 O'Brien, Very Rev. D.D., P.P., St. Patrick's, Waterford 
 
 O'Tormey, P., Esq., Dublin. 
 
 O'Reilly, Michael, Esq., Merchant, 28, South George's-street. 
 
 O'Halloran, James, Rev., P.P., Knockane, Beaufort. 
 
 O'Connell, Rev. Timothy, C.C., Youghall. 
 
 O'Dwyer, John, Esq., London. 
 
 O'Gorman, Rev. Maurice, C.C., Dungarvan. 
 
 O'Doherty, Daniel, P.P., Cappagh, Omagh. 
 
 O'Connor, Very Rev. Thomas, D.D., P.P., Loughglynn. 
 
 O'Connell, Rev. E., C.C., Halston-streef, Dublin. 
 
 O'Connell, Rev. M., C.C., Listowel. 
 
 O'Neill, Neal, J. S., Esq., Crown Solicitor, Antrim. 
 
 O'Beirne, J., Esq., Castlerea. 
 
 P. 
 
 Power, Sir John, Bart., Roebuck House. 
 
 Power, James, Esq., D.L., J.P., Edermine House, Enniscorthy. 
 Plunkett, James, Esq., T.C., 98, James's-street, Dublin . . 1 
 
 Power, Rev. Nicholas, President of Navan Seminary . . 1 
 
 Plunkett, Luke, Esq., Beresford Place, Dublin 
 
 Pilsworth, Francis, Esq., T.C., Eccles-street . , . 1 
 
 Pye, Rev. George, P.P., denary and Kilead . 
 
 Prendergast, Rev. Richard, C.C., Aughamore, Mayo . . 1 
 
 Power, Rev. Maurice, P.P., Killeagh, Co. Cork . . 1 
 
 Q. 
 
 QuiNN, Rev. Andrew, P.P., Kilfenora . . . 1 
 
 Quaide, Rev. P., P.P., O'Callaghan's Mills . . . 1 
 
 R. 
 
 RicKARD, Rev. John, P.P., Old Ross and Ballyane . . 1 
 
 Reynolds, Very Rev. Peter, V.G., P.P., Claremorris .. .2 
 
 (Reynolds, Thomas, Esq., City Marshall, Dublin . . 2 
 
 Roche, Very Rev. B. J., D.D., V.G„ P.P., Galway . . 1 
 
 Rooney, Very Rev. Cornelius, P.P., Clontarf . . • 1 
 Roche, Very Rev. Nicholas, P.P., SS. Michael and John's, Dublin 
 
 Spratt, Very Rev. John, D,D., Aungier-street, Dublin . . 8 
 
 ! Swift, Richard, Esq., M.P. (Sligo), London. 
 Sandys, John, Esq., Pembroke Park, Dublin. 
 
xvi. 
 
 ♦ Copies 
 
 Sheehan, Timothy H., Esq., Sackville-street . . . 1 
 
 Sheridan, Rev. James, C.C., Dunshaughlin 
 Synan, Rev. James, Adm., St. Michael's, Limerick 
 Strickland, Charles, Esq., J.P., Loughglyn House 
 Shannon, Very Rev. Timothy, V.G., P.P., Gort 
 Skerrett, J. L., Esq., D.L., Athgoe, Rathcoole, Dublin. 
 Shields, G. H., Esq., King's Co. Chronicle ofifice, Parsonstown 
 Sheehan, Very Rev. John, P.P., Ennistymon 
 
 T. 
 
 Tyrrell, James, Esq., Merchant, Church-street, Dublin. 
 Talbot, Hyacinth John, Esq., D. L., Ballytrent, Broadway, Co. 
 Wexford ...... 
 
 Troy, Rev. Robert, P.P., Castlehaven and Mycross. 
 Trainor, Rev. Patrick, P.P., Killasnet, Manorhamilton . 
 Tighe, James, Esq., 162, Britain-street. 
 Tormey, P., Esq., Merchant, Dublin. 
 Tunney, N. J., Esq., Merchant, Carrick-on-Shannon . . 1 
 
 Tuomy, Kev. John, P.P., Mill-street, Droumtariffe,Diocess of Kerry 
 The Chevalier Daniel O'Connell O'Connor-Kerry, Lieut. Colonel 
 
 43rd Regiment of Austrian Infantry, Commandant of Eylau, in 
 
 Moravia. 
 
 V. 
 
 Vaughan, Rev, J., Dysart and Ruan, P.P., Co. Clare. 
 
 W. 
 
 Wilson, J., Esq., Longford 
 
 W. White, Esq., M.D., T.C., Dublin . . . 1 
 
 Walsh, Rev, Richard, P.P.. Headford, Galway . . 1 
 
 Walsh, Rev, James, P.P., New Ross, Co. Wexford . . 1 
 
 Ward, Eev. Peter, P.P., Turlough, Castlebar . . .1 
 
 Ward, Rev. Peter, P.P., Partree, Ballinrobe . . .4 
 
 Wallace, Rev. Edward, P.P., Ballygar, Killan, and Kilronan . 2 
 
 Wares, Hibbert, Esq., Hales Barns, Altrincham, Cheshire. 
 
 Waldron, Rev. James, C.C., Partree, Ballinrobe . . 1 
 
 Waldron, Rev. Peter, Clonbur, Ross . . .1 
 
 Waldron, Rev. Edward, P.P., Kilmolase, Neal, Ballinrobe, . 1 
 
 Watters, Rev. Thomas, P.P., Crossboyne, Claremorris . . 1 
 
 Waldron, Rev. James, C.C., Claremorris, Co. Mayo . . 1 
 
 Walsh, Rev. J., P.P., Old Ross, Ballyane, Ross . . 1 
 
 Walsh, L. J., Esq., Portobello . . • .1 
 Walsh, Michael, Esq., Merchant, 1 0, Molesworth-street, Dublin. 
 Webb, P., Esq., Galway. 
 
 Y. 
 
 Yore, Very Rev. William, D.D , V.G., P.P., St. PauPs, Dublin . 4 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Much of what was found necessary to be said on the beautiful structure 
 and genius of our venerable, pathetic, melodious, and vigorous old tongue, 
 I have given, in the shape of notes, under the " Dirge of Ireland," and, 
 therefore, with that part of the subject I shall not here deal. 
 
 THE HISTORY OF IRELAND. 
 
 The history of every other nation on earth has been penned, read, and 
 studied, whilst our history is generally neglected, almost unknown, 
 and, I might add, left in darkness. In Irish colleges, seminaries, and 
 schools, the histories of pagan Greece and Rome are sedulously attended 
 to ; the history of even our tyrannical oppressors is forced upon the 
 attention of pupils. They must learn it, whether they will or not ; but 
 with pain and shame I must confess that the study of Irish history is 
 wofully overlooked. We see very few prizes offered as an inducement to 
 the cultivation of a thorough knowledge of the architecture of our graceful, 
 polished language, and our deeply interesting annals. When at school 
 and in college I often wondered what was the cause that we were not made 
 study Irish history ; this reflection became stronger daily, upon having 
 felt that in polite society it was deemed a disgrace to be unacquainted 
 with the manners, deeds, and institutions of other countries, as contained 
 in their history, except with those of Ireland. We see the very extreme 
 parts of the world explored at great peril; the frozen regions of the 
 north — the sandy deserts of the south — the torrid climes of the east — and 
 the woody wilds and swampy fastnesses of the west, every and all of 
 them diligently explored, and laboriously written upon ; yet in the midst 
 of them all there is a country whose history is more interesting, more 
 engaging, and more brilliant than that of any one of them — a country that 
 was once the centre of light and learning — the tranquil seat of arts and 
 literature — a country that, when they all were in darkness, extended to 
 them generously the warm and vivifying rays of her light. But they now 
 turn their backs upon her. She is neglected and spurned ; she is sinking 
 into obscurity, and there is none to stretch out the hand to her, or to 
 come to her relief. Zion stretcheth forth her hands, and there is none to 
 comfort her — Lamentations, i. 17. 
 
 I was every day more and more struck with this deplorable neglect of 
 Ireland's Ancient History, and the singular fatuity by which all her former 
 glory has been allowed to sink into utter darkness ; all traces or recollection 
 of it having almost totally disappeared from amongst us. 
 
 2 
 
XVlll. 
 
 Therefore it was that I formecl, some years since, the resolution of going to 
 work, and of labouring to co-operate with others, who are producing books 
 by which this darkness might be dissipated, and by which we might again 
 obtain a steady view of the brilliant days of ancient Ireland, so that the 
 glory of our ancestors might once more be revealed to their remote pos- 
 terity of the present day, as well as to the other civilized nations of the 
 world. 
 
 To this resolution I have since adhered, without any relaxation ; 
 without being shaken or disheartened by the want of sympathy or encou- 
 ragement ; I yearned, from the inmost depths of my soul, for the revival 
 of our soul- stirring, heart-moving tongue, and the restoration of nation- 
 ality in all its integrity. Religion and nature has implanted in every 
 breast this sacred desire, which may be quelled or stifled, but can never 
 be eradicated; the savage loves the sounds in which he first lisped 
 his parent's name, he loves the tree under which he first amused himself 
 with his playmates, he feels that the God of his worship gave him an 
 innate right to govern his own household, as a merchant his own concerns. 
 What is true of one, is so of a nation of even savages who ought to be helped 
 to improve their system, but not robbed. This being so, ever since I 
 came to Dublin, in 1836, I proposed to myself, to struggle for the resusci- 
 tation of the Irish language, and to impress, on all whom I could influence, 
 to institute an inquiry into the ancient history of Ireland, but with respect 
 to attempting to write and pubhsh works, I feared the responsibility and 
 dangers, especially as I had no capital but the revenue of the patrimony, 
 given me by my parents — the profits resulting from the labour of an 
 educated mind. Though this source of wealth might have been sufficient 
 to support myself and family, I thought I could not make too large a 
 draft on such an exchequer ; however when the eloquent Poem of the 
 Most Rev. Kerry bard was placed in my hands by my beloved and valued 
 friend, the Very Rev. John Spratt, D.D,, of the Carmelite Convent, 
 Aungier-street, I was tempted to make some risk, and hence I determined 
 to undertake the present work. I trust that all my toil, my study, and 
 expense will ensure for the book that reception which may encourage me 
 to persevere in my labours. And as to the imperfections of the work 
 (I fear they are many), I trust to the generosity of my readers inasmuch 
 as it is a first effort, my first journey into a region almost unexplored 
 (I mean as far as making it a school book). The Very Rev. Dr. Spratt 
 kindly gave me an interesting work on St. Patrick, from which I copied 
 St. Fiech's hymn; but which, as being badly brought out, I had much 
 trouble in correcting. I had to compare it with an approved copy lest 
 any essential error might be allowed to remain; to a distinguished Dublin 
 
XIX. 
 
 priest I am indebted for the use of a work on St. Patrick and Ireland, 
 written in polished Latin by a distinguished Spanish Clergyman, the 
 Rev. Joachim Villanueva; from this book, approved of by the late meek, 
 pious, and lamented Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev. Daniel Murray^ 
 I have taken St. Seachnall's ** Life of St. Patrick." These two last poems, 
 with ray comments, I sent to the Western Patriarch, the Most Rev. John 
 Mac Hale, the illustrious Archbishop of Tuam, himself an eloquent Irish 
 poet, and the first of living Irish scholars. That they met the approbation 
 of so brilliant a scholar, thoroughly conversant with the structure of all 
 the learned languages, so unequalled a pillar of the Catholic faith, so 
 fearless and uncompromising an asserter of all national rights, is to me 
 ample compensation for much of ray drudgery ; and, as the name of his 
 Grace of Tuam has occurred, I must meet some silent, jealous whispers in 
 a few words : — His Grace was reared in a parish in which the Irish lan- 
 guage was spoken with attic brevity and fluency, and which his Lordship 
 spoke from the first day he was able to lisp up to the present. His 
 power of moving a flock to tears, or entertaining a private circle in this 
 peculiar strain of Irish eloquence is the theme for general admiration ; 
 this being so, and his refined and solid classical education considered, it is 
 evident to any man, unless one prejudiced, of Boeotian stupidity, or dogged 
 ignorance, that His Grace having from nature the poetic inspiration, pos- 
 sesses all the requisites that constitute a poet; and, as to the contem- 
 plative qualification, he has had ample field for the cultivation of it. lie 
 has had, supposing he never left Connaught, or that he never travelled, 
 an opportunity of contemplating and studying everything that was awfully 
 grand or terribly magrificent in nature ; when a child he could feed his 
 tender raind with sublime notions, as from his father's door he looked in 
 the distance upon that immense natural pile " Sleeve Chorna." In fact, 
 whithersoever he turned his eyes there were coelum, montes, et jjontus ; a 
 beautiful sky whose colours, laid on by the divine hand of the Omnipotent 
 artist, charmed the soul of the young student; cloud-capp'd mountains 
 and ivy-mantled towers, majestic lakes, and the wild roaring of the 
 Atlantic, all contributed to fan into a blaze the inborn spark of the youthful 
 John Mac Hale. When first his Lordship's splendid letters, as Bishop of 
 Maronia, whilst in Killala, continued to throw such confusion into the 
 enemies rank, he had to visit the wild and romantic Erris, therein the 
 poetic flame was still more fanned — and oh ! Croagh Patrick, what a 
 source to fire poetic genius ! Clare Island, Innisbofin ; in truth, all parts 
 of Mayo and West Galway are highly suited to the cultivation of poetry. 
 No one, unless he who has journeyed over these holy, haunted, enchanted 
 spots of nature, can, from anything they read, arrive at a reasonable csti- 
 
XX. 
 
 mate of their attractions. The national and religious pilgrim and even 
 the foreigner, to see them, and knowing their history, must almost 
 worship the earth on which he walks. 
 
 Why not a poet of the present day, as well as Homer of old, be allowed 
 to shape words to answer his metre. What are written sounds but mere 
 signs of ideas, and, therefore, one shape is as good as the other, especially 
 when either shape is intelligible ; are not heaven and nature as bountiful 
 now as at any former time. In fact, in proportion to the advanced state 
 of learning, we think His Grace of Tuam, if time allowed, ought to 
 produce much more polished compositions than the bards of old ; he has 
 had advantages which they had not. This we can fearlessly state, that, 
 in our opinion, his " Irish Melodies" excel the original. His epic poetry 
 as well as his Irish hymns must convince any rational Irish scholar, that 
 as a poet and a scholar he stands alone. I trust an apology for this 
 digression is unnecessary. 
 
 The officers of the Royal Irish Academy were most kind in showing 
 whatever my research demanded. To Professor Curry, whose friendly 
 suggestions were of use, and the Secretary, I publicly return thanks. It 
 is just to say, that whatever was required in Trinity College, was easily 
 obtained. Mr. Thomas Connolly, 12, Upper Ormond Quay, who gave me 
 free access to his extensive and splendid collection of Irish works, and 
 generously sent some of them to my house, has my cordial thanks. Mr. 
 J. O'Daly, 9, Anglesea-street, handed me various copies of Dr. O'Connell's 
 poem. These, with what I saw in the Academy, Dawson-street, the one 
 I had myself, and one given by Professor Curry, enabled me to give a 
 good version of as beautiful a piece of epic poetry as was ever composed 
 in any language. May its perusal have the same effect on others it had 
 on me ; if so, I will not have laboured in vain. The poem divides Irish 
 history into several epochs — it begins with the creation of man, then 
 touches on Pagan mythology ; the several colonies that came to Ireland — 
 the Milesians' voyage is particularly noticed in it ; it shows what the 
 worship was here up to the reign of Laoghaire (Lhayree) ; then O'Connell 
 sings of Patrick, and the triumph of Christianity ; then of the Danish inva- 
 sion ; next of the Norman irruption ; of the Reformation, Calvin, Luther, 
 Henry, and Elizabeth, and the immorality which then prevailed ; of the 
 great Earl of Desmond's insurrection ; the O'Donnell and O'Neill's struggle 
 for native land up to the year 1601 ; of all the principal chiefs who backed 
 them ; of those who reneagued country and creed for Elizabeth ; of the 
 murders of Archbishop O'Kelly of Tuam, Bishop Heber MacMahon, Bishop 
 Mac Sweeny, Bishops Egan, Bishop Rickard O'Connell ; of the insurrection 
 of Sir Phelim O'Neill ; Lord Maguire of Fermanagh ; the glorious O'Moore 
 
xxi. 
 
 of Leix, the O'Connor-Sligo, the O'Connor-Kerry, and all the great men 
 of those days of carnage and plunder ; of Cromwell ; of the Charleses, 
 the Jameses, and William ; of the traitors of former days ; of the fatal 
 effects of division amongst the Irish. The poet ends at the reign of Queen 
 Anne, when he must have been martyred or assassinated, as no account 
 has been had of what became of him or where he was interred. I did 
 what I could to ascertain ; all to no effect. Thus, it was only a few days 
 ago, Most Rev. Dr. Dixon discovered on the continent where repose the 
 remains of a distinguished Irish Prelate. There was such confusion in 
 those black days of persecution, that annals and records were destroyed 
 even by Catholics, lest they should serve as proofs against their hunted- 
 down clergy ; lest such documents would be brought up in evidence to 
 prove, that holy men were guilty of the enormous crime of being a Bishop 
 or Priest of the Catholic faith ! ! ! The regular intercourse with Rome — 
 the stellar centre of truth — was interrupted ; there were bloodhounds by 
 sea, as well as bloodhounds by land. Ecclesiastics, in order to be able to 
 break the bread of life to their starving flocks, were called, " Pat,'' " John" 
 &c.,.and wear any dress, however mean, that they might escape the vigi- 
 lance of the Priest-catchers. What an infamous class informers must be 
 when Tacitus so reprobated the practice of espionage of Pagan Rome, as 
 used in respect to their provinces. The government that sanctions it 
 whether Christian or Pagan, must be not of heaven, nor its policy of the 
 Bible. Heaven and the Bible can sanction nothing that is unjust or in- 
 human, but a heavenly pretence, and a corrupt interpretation of the Bible 
 laid this fair land one scene of blood and confusion. Now those days are 
 past for ever. 
 
 There was not a leading point of Irish history, from the earliest period 
 up to 1704, which the Poet did not allude to; I had to follow, and in 
 order to do so, I was obliged to consult at least 250 works belonging to 
 different nations and in various languages. I assure my readers that 
 though the commentary be only small, yet if money were my object I 
 would not do the same again. Nothing less than my cherished wish of 
 creating a taste for Irish literature could have made rae, who have no time 
 to spare, undertake such a task. May we not hope that in every school in 
 Ireland, rich and poor, college and university, henceforward, Irish history 
 and the language will be duly attended to. The Catholic University, the 
 Dublin University, have, each, an Irish Professor. But these gentlemen 
 must not be mere nominal Professors, reading old stories, however in- 
 teresting. They must teach the structure of the tongue — grammar in all 
 its parts ; they will be required by the public to give value ; they must 
 be teachers rather than mere talkers, when a good national work is to be 
 
XXll. 
 
 done, people must be in earnest, or they must be made to be so ; sentiment 
 may do for the drawing-room, work is necessary to uplift a fallen nation, 
 " res non verba." 
 
 Mankind in general are slow to adopt any theory, or any new system 
 or improvement, be it ever so desirable, until they see it in full operation, 
 and reduced into practice. 
 
 Example is better than precept. I would entreat, and do earnestly 
 entreat, to have an Irish class opened in every school and college through- 
 out Ireland. But the conductors of these establishments may very 
 naturally turn round to me and ask, have you got an Irish class opened 
 in any school in your own neighbourhood ? Have you set us the example ? 
 Have you taken any trouble to show us that it is practicable ; to point 
 out to us the mode, and to supply us with the means. ? Have you taken 
 any steps to carry your theory into practical effect?" 
 
 My brief answer to all these queries is, " / have." 
 
 I have a class in Irish, and Dr. Mac Hale's works are used in class. I 
 have now added a work of my own, which, whilst it is a history of Ireland, 
 will enable the student to arrive at a knowledge of our language. 
 
 We shall give a few extracts to show how valued our literature was by 
 men and women of genius. 
 
 Dr. Nicholson, the Protestant Bishop of Derry, 1723, published a work, 
 which he entitles, " The Irish Historical Library." He had been a 
 celebrated divine in England, distinguished for great learning and deep 
 historical research. He was subsequently promoted to the Bishopric of 
 Derry, in Ireland, and soon turned his mind to the history and language 
 of this country. He states, that while compiling his English and Scotch 
 Historical Libraries, he had frequent opportunities of observing what 
 Irish historians wrote at the same time." And then, with great candour, 
 he goes on to say — 
 
 "I am now, however, under a more pressing obligation, than I then 
 ever expected to have been, of paying my dying respects to a country 
 (Ireland) which gives me and my family the present comfortable supports 
 of life." 
 
 He states that he has made " abundant historical discoveries" since he 
 came to Ireland, and only hopes that his " poor attempt will invite others 
 to make much greater and more valuable improvements," for that he could 
 only pay his " dying respects." 
 
 The next is an extract of a letter from the Marquis of Downshire — 
 " The Ancient History of Ireland is certainly very curious and interesting, 
 though it appears to us at present to be enveloped or mixed up with much 
 fable. I, for one, would be extremely happy to see more diligence applied 
 to its development than' I am sorry to say, has been the case hitherto — 
 
xxiii. 
 
 and I am convinced that the result would be useful, creditable, and 
 honourable to the Irish nation at large. I am, Sir, faithfully, your obe- 
 dient servant, ** Downshire. 
 " Hillsborough House, Hillsborough.^^ 
 
 The late Archdeacon Trench, of Ballinasloe, wrote as follows — 
 *' If some of the many Irish manuscript works, which now lie in dark- 
 ness, were published, I think a great additional stimulus would be given 
 to the study of the language, and we might thereby attain some insight 
 into the ancient history of our country, which is now enveloped in night. 
 We have some traditional whisperings, that Ireland (I think in the eight 
 or ninth century) was the seat of letters. But where is the proof? Per- 
 haps in Ihe library of Stowe ; or the Bodleian ; or in Trinity College, 
 Dublin ; or scattered over the world, as in Denmark, &c. But we have 
 none of these records ushered forth to the world, to excite the industry of 
 many who, perhaps, would feel anxious to know if our country were ever 
 otherwise than barbarous. In fact (though perhaps to our shame it is 
 spoken), we await some stimulant of this sort, to induce us to apply our- 
 selves to a language which appears difficult to settlers to learn." 
 
 We would urge on the ladies of Ireland to cultivate a knowledge so 
 suited to the tenderness of their heart. How charming would the song, 
 " The harp that once thro' Tara's Halls," be, pronounced in our own 
 melifluous language. " The Minstrel Boy," in Irish, as composed by 
 Dr. Mac Hale is as apt as any rhapsody in Homer to fire the soul. The 
 poem respecting Fionn Mac Cooil (Fingal), as every Fenian poem, has charms 
 n it for ladies not to be found in any other language. To the expression 
 of joy or sorrow, our language is peculiarly adapted — It rouses or abates 
 in an instant, all the passions. The story of Ala wailing Fingal is most 
 touching. 
 
 The ladies should feel that they owe much to a language, which was 
 for ages and ages unceasingly employed in singing their praises, and 
 lauding, in the highest and most ardent strains, their charms, attractions, 
 beauty and virtues. Miss Brooke applied her cultivated mind to the 
 study of the Irish language, and was so delighted with the beautiful poetry 
 which it disclosed to her that she persevered, and was at length induced 
 to publish an interesting collection of " Reliques of Irish Poetry," which 
 she also, and very sweetly, translated into English verse, with historical 
 and explanatory notes. The following extract shews her admiration of 
 the Irish language and Irish poetry — 
 
 *' Poetry was cherished with enthusiastic regard in ancient Ireland, and 
 had soared to an extraordinary pitch of excellence. It was absolutely, for 
 ages, the vital soul of the nation, and shall we then have no curiosity re- 
 specting the productions of genius, once so celebrated and so prized ? 
 Besides the four different species of composition {the Heroic Poem — the 
 Ode — the Elegy — and the Song), others yet remain unattempted by trans- 
 lation. The Romance in particular, which unites the fire of Homer, with 
 
XXIV. 
 
 the enchanting wildner-s of Ariosto. It is really astonishing of what 
 various and comprehensive powers this neglected language is possessed. 
 In the pathetic, it breathes the most beautiful and affecting simplicity, 
 and in the bolder species of composition, it is distinguished by a force of 
 expression, a sublime dignity, and a rapid energy, which it is scarcely 
 possible for any translation fully to convey; as it sometimes fills the 
 mind with ideas altogether new, and which, perhaps, no modern language 
 is entirely prepared to express. The productions of the Irish bards ex- 
 hibit a glow of cultivated genius, a spirit of elevated heroism, sentiments 
 of pure honour, instances of disinterested patriotism, and manners of a 
 degree of refinement, totally astonishing at a period when the rest of 
 Europe was nearly sunk into barbarism. And is not all this very honour- 
 able to our countrymen ? Will they not be benefited, will they not be 
 gratified, at the lustre reflected on them by ancestors so very different 
 from what modern prejudice has been studious to represent them ? But 
 this is not all. As yet we are too little known to our noble neighbour 
 of Britain ; were we better acquainted, we should be better friends. The 
 British Muse is not yet informed that she has an elder sister in this isle ; 
 let us then introduce them to each other. But where, alas ! is the thirst 
 for national glory, when a subject of such importance is permitted to a 
 pen like mine ? Why does not some son of Anak, in genius, step forward 
 and boldly throw his gauntlet to prejudice, as the avowed and approved 
 champion of his country's lovely muse." 
 
 Such are the opinions expressed by the accomplished Charlotte Brooke, 
 as to the cultivated elegance of the Irish language, and the subHmity of 
 its poetry — she who, by her own beautiful translations of it into English 
 Poetry, has proved how fully qualified she was to form and to give an 
 opinion. Miss Brooke died in 1793. 
 
 Ladies have been the subjects of the greater part of the poetry in the 
 Irish language, and it would, therefore, now appear to be a duty incumbent, 
 in a particular degree upon them, to promote its revival by every means 
 in their power. 
 
 Poetry, besides, is a province of literature peculiarly suited to the fair 
 sex. They are gifted in a high degree with that delicate and sensitive 
 susceptibility so necessary for the perception of the more exquisite beauties 
 of poetry. We have, also, numerous instances in different countries and 
 at different periods, of Ladies having attained the highest perfection in 
 the composition of poetry, the purest and richest. In proof of this we 
 need but refer to the heavenly poetry of Mrs. Hemans at the present day. 
 It is much to be regretted that the Ladies of Ireland should have been so 
 long debarred from enjoying that poetry which no other country has ever 
 yet surpassed, and which I shall not here attempt to describe, because I 
 could not do so in language more appropriate or more true than that of 
 Miss Brooke, already quoted. But the barriers which have hitherto pre- 
 cluded all entrance into this ancient and romantic, region of literature 
 
XXV. 
 
 will now begin to disappear very speedily, and the Ladies of Ireland will 
 be enabled to read the elegant poetry of their own nation, with less trouble 
 and in less time, than they, at present, expend in endeavouring to attain 
 a knowledge of Italian or other foreign poetry. 
 
 The opinion here given by Miss Brooke is sustained and corroborated 
 by that of every man of genius who has ever examined deeply into the 
 language and literature of this ancient country. 
 
 These distinguished scholars and able men all combine in one sentiment 
 of sincere regret at the state of neglect in which they found this rich and 
 beautiful language lying. They also invariably accompany it with an 
 expression of equally deep regret that their own pressing avocations of 
 life prevented their entering upon the task of rescuing or restoring it. 
 Ussher, the Protestant Archbishop of Armagh, about 200 years since, and 
 one of the greatest scholars of his day, says : 
 
 " Truly the Irish ranks amongst the very first of languages for elegance 
 and richness : but no one has as yet arisen who would apply his mind to 
 it in such a way as that we might have it cultivated, as almost all other 
 vernacular languages of Europe have been cultivated within this age." 
 
 The Prelates and learned men of the present day felt the same regret 
 and the same wish ; but they despaired of any, even the most remote 
 chance, of having this wish realized. They looked upon it as impracti- 
 cable — a matter which there was no use in thinking of — and, with sorrow, 
 they gave up the hope of ever seeing the Irish language cultivated again. 
 But let them now dispel their sorrow ! Let them no longer despair. 
 
 The Archbishop of Tuam, the Royal Irish Academy, the Celtic Society, 
 the Kilkenny Archaeological Society, the Ossianic Society, Trinity College, 
 and private individuals are supplying works. The chief things needed 
 are elementary works. • 
 
 What I have hitherto written was as a stimulant, not as a proof of the 
 beauty of the language. For all have agreed that it is the sweetest, the 
 most copious, most vigorous of all. See Doctor Keating's praise of it, p. 
 54 of " The Dirge." 
 
 THE GENUINENESS OF THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF IRELAND. 
 
 It is indeed a fortunate circumstance for our history that occasionally 
 there appeared above our horizon such men, as Ussher, Flood, Vallancey. 
 Though not of Irish lineage, they appeared as historical lights, keeping 
 alive truth and dispelling the mists of falsehood. The evidences of such 
 a man as Sir L. Parsons (a late Earl of Ross), and of others of that class, 
 whose religion and politics differ from those of the nation, must naturally 
 carry weight with it. The Earl of Ross wrote a most able work in defence 
 of the Ancient History of Ireland. It should be in the hands of every an- 
 
XX vi. 
 
 tiquarian. From it we shall quote to show the genuineness of our history. 
 We feel that no language we could use would equal the extracts in style 
 and reasoning. Our readers are aware that the immortal orator, Henry 
 Flood, Esq., of Farmley, Kilkenny, left by will all his property to Trinity 
 College, to collect and buy up Irish manuscripts, wherever they could be 
 had, and to pay an Irish Professor in college. For forty years that college 
 neglected to do either, though they received the money. The Earl of 
 Ross published a work on that subject, and from it I shall extract. As 
 a Catholic writer I am bound to say, that the learned Ussher was a great 
 enemy of Catholics, and the family of the Parsons were oppressors of the 
 Irish, but when they give us a lift we have candour enough to thank them. 
 And, if my memory be faithful, the Earl of Ross was a supporter of 
 Catholic Emancipation. He was the first who got leave before Emanci- 
 pation, for the erection of a steeple and a bell in a Catholic church in 
 Ireland. We recollect his having entered Birr with his carriage decked 
 with laurels on the occasion. — See reference to his work farther on. 
 
 It is to be lamented that there is no entire truthful translation of the 
 learned Rev. Dr. Keating. The one by Dermod O'Connor, of Clare, is 
 false in many places, and it is said, that it was intentionally so. His 
 London publisher, in 1727, accused him of dishonesty with regard to the 
 subscriptions, and the Raymonds, of Kerry, charged him with purloining 
 the family MSS. He sought to make the MacCarthys absorb every 
 ancient glory, and thus he did an injustice to other families. 
 
 WEALTH OF IRELAND. 
 
 In the Royal Irish Academy we saw a copy of ** Ireland's Dirge," in 
 the first stanza of which are to be found the smallness of her wealth," 
 whereas, the copy given me by Dr. Spratt, as well as Mr. O'Daly's, has 
 *' The destruction of her property," or " The melting of her wealth." 
 Between both phrases there is a vast difference. The one conveys the 
 idea, that Ireland was a poor country, whilst any Irish scholar upon 
 having read the passage, and having learned who the author was, and his 
 aim, will at once see, that the former was not Bishop O'Connell's mean- 
 ing. Generally, the text of a book explains itself ; so it is in the first 
 stanza of " The Dirge." The author says, *' that his heart is torn by the 
 reflection of the murder and extermination of the priesthood," to whom 
 
 woods, forests, mountains^ caves are no shelter," as he sings at the close 
 of the poem ; the utter annihilation of his countrymen, or, as the poet has 
 it, " the devouring of her people," and, to close his plaint against England — 
 he adds, " the melting of her wealth ;" this interpretation gives the 
 exact scope of the author. The other is a manifest corruption, de- 
 
XXVll. 
 
 signed to throw ridicule on this nation, and to make persons suppose 
 tiiat Ireland was too poor to invite ambitious or avaricious robbers to our 
 shores. In other words, to make it appear that an illustrious Prelate — 
 whose grand uncle, Bishop Rickard O'Connell, was hanged, in I6b\,with 
 his own bridle, out of a tree, near Killarney, by an infernal troop of Crom- 
 wellian red-coats, on the road-side — said ** Ireland was a miserable nation." 
 We fear that our author met a worse fate, in the reign of Queen Anne, as 
 we could, after close inquiry, learn nothing of his death or place of inter- 
 ment. We have many subscribers, both prelates and priests from the 
 south. Yet, all the information I could gather was, that he was a bishop 
 and that he lived in 1704 — the very year that most stringent hellish laws 
 were enacted against the Catholic religion, when a price was set on the 
 head of a prelate or priest. Then it was, I am satisfied, he sang, " that 
 for them there was no remedy on earth." Many a holy ecclesiastic was 
 then hunted down like wolves, driven into dreary, wet, hiding-places, there 
 to starve. The last judgement only, can reveal the deeds of blood, per- 
 petrated under the guise of religion in this devoted land. After the 
 lapse of ages, and taking a retrospect glance through the long vista my 
 heart is wrung, beholding in thought, the beloved pastors of the people, 
 either perishing from hunger, dying in the woods, hanged in forests, torn 
 by blood hounds (for such were used), and their sacred flesh mangled and 
 scattered on the road-ways or foot-paths. The true sense of the passage 
 alluded to is, that the sacred vessels destined for the service of the altar were 
 melted down by the wicked soldiery who spared nothing, who demolished 
 churches, made them stables for their horses, and converted the monas- 
 teries into barracks. History says, that the Saxons destroyed the coins 
 of the Britons that there might not be even such a record of what they 
 were. The Normans did the same as regarded the Saxons. The English 
 acted in a like manner in this country even before the Reformation. 
 When she was Catholic she was not much less rapacious and cruel. In 
 the twelfth, and after centuries she robbed the natives. 
 
 Moreover, it would be wrong in any man much more so in a bishop of 
 the Catholic Church, to state that Ireland was a poor country. Our 
 greatest enemies, the blackest traducers of our character, confess, that our 
 population and the richness of our soil, are in themselves, if not actual 
 wealth, the source of such. The population of every country constitutes 
 its main riches. For what use is there of gold, or rich lands, without a 
 population ? To dwell upon the fertility of our soil, the prolific qualities 
 of our rivers, lakes, and seas, would be useless work. Thesfe are admitted 
 on all hands, as well as the great suitability of our bays and harbours for 
 commerce. But let us see if we had no gold, silver, or copper in the 
 
XXVlll. 
 
 land to attract the rapacity of invaders. It could not be a desire to serve 
 or improve us, that brought the spoilers to these shores, and kept us 
 in bondage 700 years. I find that in the year of the world 3370, King 
 Muinamhon (Mynahon) got several helmets made, having the neck and 
 forepieces all of gold, that he bestowed these, and golden chains on the 
 most deserving warriors. Such warriors were termed " Chain Knights," 
 from wearing chains of gold. "Whenever chiefs, princes, or kings were 
 made captives, their fetters used to be of gold, to distinguish them from 
 common captives. This was an established law of the country. Ailder- 
 goid, son of the aforesaid monarch, upon having ascended the throne in 
 3705, A.M., got rings of gold made for the first time in Ireland, and gave 
 them as prizes to such as excelled in arts and sciences. Who would 
 doubt our statements is referred to the " Books of Reigns," " Psalter of 
 Cashel," and the other incorruptible Irish records in the Academy, 
 Dawson-street. We may here by way of a passing remark, tell our 
 readers that the first war chariots were made in A.M. 3223, Rothachaigh 
 being on the throne. Our history informs us that the Irish warriors rode 
 in chariots drawn by two horses, and the foot soldiers attended them after 
 the manner of the times of Caesar. 
 
 In the year after the Creation, 3680, Aongus Ollav (a quo Mac Gennis), 
 having come to the throne, bestowed presents of gold ornaments on such 
 as were pre-eminent in any science. In 3850 the same honour was con- 
 ferred by Ruadh-righ (Rooaree) — Red King — from the Red flag. From 
 him were descended Clanna Ruadh-righ (Rudricians) — "the Red Branch 
 Knights" of ancient Ulster. He was of the line of Ir. This princely 
 family was, for centuries after Christ, masters of all the western parts of 
 Europe. But cursed division weakened their strength, and limited their 
 empire. In even 3952, when Connor, or O'Connor, was king of Ulster, 
 Fergus, his cousin, invaded Connor, and the dispute ended in the ruin of 
 that dynasty for many years after. They had three houses in Ulster ; 
 Emain, in which the knights kept their court; the house of The Red 
 Branch (the war flags), and the ** Sorrowful Lodging," which was the 
 hospital for their wounded men. 
 
 Cathaoir (Caheer) left by his memorable will, made about 122 years after 
 the Incarnation, an immense quantity of gold rings to Ross, his first son. 
 Hence he was called Rosa Failge (of the rings). From him the " O'Con- 
 nors Failey" — (Offaly, now King's County), and many other illustrious 
 families mentioned in this work. Cormac, who reigned A D. 213, and 
 who wrote the Psalter of Tarah, and several other poetic works, amongst 
 them one as a rule of life for princes, had at his table 150 cups of massive 
 gold. Nor is this a matter of wonder, as Virgil tells us of the sumptuous 
 
XXIX. 
 
 table of Queen Dido, which was spread over with cups, goblets, and dishes 
 of gold — having delineated on them the deeds of her ancestors for many 
 generations — longissima series rerum — (a long chain of facts) which 
 Belus and his posterity were wont to use. This Belus of Phoenicia was 
 the same as the Baal of the Irish. This entertainment to ^neas took 
 place about the same century that Gollay came to Spain. If the East was 
 so sumptuous in golden ornaments and plate, it is reasonable to infer, 
 that the Scythians, who came thence, carried with them the same taste ; 
 and we are told that Ireland had many gold mines, and that she excelled 
 in arts and sciences at a very early period as may be seen in another part 
 of this preface. The classical scholar is acquainted with the richness, the 
 artistic skill, and polished execution of the chariots and armour of the 
 Grecian chiefs at the Trojan war, and Juno's chariot. The artistic taste 
 of Ireland we heard most clearly proved by the distinguished artist of 
 our own days, Henry O'Neill, Esq., author of •* The Ancient Stone Crosses 
 of Ireland," in lectures delivered by him in the Mechanics' Institute, 
 Dublin. His arguments were such as to convince any man willing to be 
 convinced. If then the Scythians spread civilization wherever they went 
 (see p. 17 of " Dirge,"), and it is not denied — it is just to infer that, at 
 a very early period, the fine arts were cultivated in this country, and 
 amongst others, gold ornaments. This precious metal must have been 
 very plentiful here, as in Cormac's reign a golden calf was set up by the 
 Druids for veneration, but which the king refused to worship as he 
 believed in the true God. To this knowledge his great, refined learning, 
 and his exemplary life, aided by special inspiration had brought him. It 
 is said, that Columcille made diligent search for the grave of Cormac, the 
 learned law-giver, and that having found it on the banks of the Boyne, at 
 Ros-na-riogh, he said many masses over his grave. Thus proving that 
 he died a Christian ; as if he did not, the saint would not have prayed over 
 him. I find that Niall of the Nine Hostages, in the fourth century, presented 
 King Core, at Eily O'Carroll, with 180 gold rings and fifty cups of gold. 
 In St. Patrick's days there were several goldsmiths in this country, he 
 had himself three of them, of whom was Tassagh, afterwards bishop, who 
 ornamented Patrick's crozier — " The Staff of Jesus," and who attended 
 the Irish Apostle at his death. See Fiech's Hymn in this work. Surely 
 workers in any metal pre-supposes a supply of the article. It is a waste 
 of time, and, I might say, an insult to the understanding of my learned 
 readers to follow up this subject farther, yet the cavillers must be silenced. 
 The King of Cashel used to bestow on some of the sub-chiefs ten gold 
 cups, jeweUhilted swords, embroidered cloaks, scarlet mantles, and silk 
 garments. We refer the^reader to " The Book of Rights," p. 194, lately 
 
XXXI. 
 
 translated, and learnedly commented on by the accomplished Dr. 
 O'Donovan. The veracity and authenticity of that interesting work of 
 St. Benignus, Archbishop of Armagh, have been almost universally ad- 
 mitted, if we except a few modern dogmatizing followers of Pyrrho. 
 They doubt of even palpable truths for the honour of being eccentric 
 historical infidels. 
 
 The idol Cromcruagh, erected by King Tiernach, A.M. 3011, was almost 
 of gold. This king was the first who discovered a gold mine on the banks 
 of the LifFey, and he erected a factory for refining the metal. — See 
 " Ogygia," part ii., p. 49. All the pagan chiefs had a Cromcruagh and 
 twelve inferior deities around him, in imitation of the signs of the Zodiac. 
 There was another celebrated oracle in Oriel (Monaghan, &c.) ; it was 
 designated Clochoir (gold-stone). The Rev. Canon Maguire, in olden 
 times of Armagh, in his Scholia on the cessation of image worship, gives 
 a description of the Clochoir (whence Clogher). In it, and from it, the 
 devil, according to Colgan, used to speak and give answers. He adds, that 
 upon St. Patrick's approach, and at the very point of the" Staff of Jesus," 
 without at all touching it, the statue was bent, and the minor ones were 
 sunk in the earth, save the tops. This was the last Sunday in Summer, 
 whence it was called Dorahnagh Cromduibh (Downagh Crumduff), the sun 
 of the black Crom or devil. It is also termed *' Domhnagh Patrick," in 
 commemoration of the saint's putting an end to demon deceit and worship. 
 
 In 913 A.D., we find, by MacCurtin's "Antiquity of Ireland," that 
 Corraac MacCullinan, King and Bishop of Cashel, left, by will, large 
 presents of gold and silver to the churches of Ireland. Brian Borivey, 
 when he went to the north to receive hostages, made gold presents to the 
 Church of Armagh. But, at that time, such metals were not, what they 
 are now, an object of such worship. Rich lands and their products were 
 more appreciated, and justly ; for, what is money but a token ; and, by 
 common consent, a piece of hard turf, of stone, leather, or timber, would 
 answer the same purpose. The chalices, and all the altar services were of 
 gold or silver, and should be so according to the discipline of the ancient 
 Irish Church. Nothing was thought sufficiently precious for the celebra- 
 tion of the Mass. The piety of the monarchs and nobles enabled the 
 clergy to have them so. All the coverings of relics and books were of 
 gold or silver, or sumptuously ornamented with these metals, and jewels. 
 For many ages this country held sway in all the northern parts of Europe, 
 and our kings carried home with them the rich spoils. Tacitus, in his 
 " Life of Agricola" says of Ireland," Melius aditus, portusque per commercia 
 et negociatores cogniti meaning that our ports and harbours were better 
 fitted for commerce than those of Britain. Hence, there was a source of 
 
XXXll. 
 
 great wealth. What made ancient Tyre, the Phoenician capital, so rich 
 and flourishing as to be the admiration of the world, until Pygmalion, by 
 his restrictive laws, checked her glorious condition ? Commerce. Her 
 free trade, her enlightenment, her excellence in manufactures, her culti- 
 vation of the fine arts, her respect for men of toil and industry, her 
 character for integrity in her dealings, and her hospitality to strangers, 
 attracted to her coasts merchants from all quarters. The best historians 
 say the very same of our own island. 
 
 The Danes, during their power in Ireland, exacted ** an ounce of gold 
 for every nose." This exaction should be complied with, and to pay it 
 the metal must have been plentiful. This plunder continued for 150 years ; 
 yet, when Gerald Barry — the reviler of the Irish — came here, he states, 
 " Aurum quoque, quo abundat insula" — Expug. Hib., lib. ii. chap. 75. 
 Hadrianus Junius, according to Sir James Ware's '* Antiquity," page 70, 
 says, 
 
 " Et puri argenti venas, quas terra refossis 
 Visceribus, manes imos viscurarecludit." 
 
 The Ulster Annals tell that 240 ounces of pure silver were collected in 
 Ossory for the Coarb of Columcille, A. D. 1151. Concubar, or Cornelius 
 O'Brien, King of Munster, and other Irish princes, made large money pre- 
 sents to Dionisius, Christianus, and Gregory, successive abbots of S. James' 
 Benedictines at Ratisbon in Germany. To the messengers of the aforesaid 
 abbots, the Emperor Conrade gave letters of introduction to the Irish 
 kings. So magnificent were O'Brien's gifts to them, that the monastery 
 for stateliness, finish, and gorgeousness, surpassed anything of the kind 
 of those days. They purchased, with a portion of Ireland's presents, 
 lands, houses, &c., whereby to maintain the cloister ; for, even yet, " Super- 
 erat ingens copia pecunice regis Hibernios'," there was still remaining a 
 great quantity of the Irish king's money. — Chronicle of Rensburg, in 
 Annals of Emly ; Walsh, in his " Prospect," p. 440. The aforesaid King 
 O'Brien, who ended his holy life in a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. 
 Bridget, in Kildare, sent rich presents to Lothaire 11. , through Irish nobles, 
 in the time of the Crusades. In A.D. II 43, died Turlough O'Connor, 
 King of Connaught, and Monarch of Ireland : he left to religion jewels of 
 immense value, silver, and 540 ounces of gold. It is not necessary to 
 go farther, as about this time our shores were cursed by the English, plun- 
 dering bandits. Never was there a more barefaced calumny than to 
 insinuate the poverty of this island, whose very soil, whose very laborious 
 peasantry, whose very rivers, lakes, fish-abounding bays, coal mines, marble 
 mines, stone mines, copper mines, silver mines, and gold mines, added to 
 the geniality of the air, are in themselves wealth, unequalled by any other 
 
XXXll. 
 
 country on God's earth. We now leave the reader to judge if this old 
 land had not riches sufficient to invite the rapacity of our improving 
 neighbours, who gave such protection as vultures give to lambs, " covering 
 and devouring them." 
 
 O'Flaherty says, that before King Cathir fell in the battle of Talten, he 
 ordered his son, Ross Failge, to give legacies to the rest of his sons, and 
 to the other nobles of Leinster," and that he presented " to Daire Barry, 
 one hundred round spears with silver blades ; fifty sheilds in cases of gold 
 and silver richly carved ; fifty swords of peculiar workmanship ; five rings 
 of gold, ten times mettled ; 150 cloaks variegated with Babylonian art; 
 and seven military standards." Now this passage proves two facts : that 
 Ireland abounded in wealth, and that she cultivated the fine arts at a very 
 early period. From the battle of Moyture — which took place before the 
 days of Moses — down to the Anglo-Norman invasion, Ireland excelled in 
 the fine arts, as our native archives, and even some foreign writers attest. 
 Several passages are to be met with in " The Book of Rights," as edited 
 by Dr. O'Donovan, which place beyond all doubt Ireland's wealth, enlight- 
 enment, and her thorough acquaintance with everything that is character- 
 istic of a glorious nation and a polished people. 
 
 INAUGURATION OF THE KINGS OF ANCIENT IRELAND, 
 Even in A.M., 3075, as Giolla Caomhghin (Gilla Keevin) says, was thus. 
 When a king, whether monarch, or provincial prince, was to be inaugurated, 
 the princes, nobles (amongst whom were the druids, bards, and scholars, the 
 prelates), met at a grown place, such as Tara, for the paramount king, and, 
 having elected him, they did him homage by bending the knee, as at a 
 levee in St. James's palace, London ; they then yielded themselves and 
 their estates to him, as he sat on a throne in the middle of them, one of the 
 highest rank having advanced towards the Ruler, having taken his sword 
 from him, and having presented him with a long, white, unknotty wand, 
 said " Receive, Sire, the auspicious sign of your dignity, and remember to 
 imitate in your life and government, the whiteness, and straightness, and 
 unknottiness of this rod ; to the end that no evil tongue may find cause 
 to asperse the candour of your actions, with blackness nor any kind of 
 corruption, or tie of friendship be able to pervert your justice. Take, 
 therefore, upon you in a lucky hour, the government of this people, and 
 exercise this power, given you hereby with all freedom and security." 
 After this Mionn Riogha, or Royal Cap," made of Gold and precious 
 stones, was placed, by the grand Marshall on his head. So far Giolla : and 
 Cormac Mac CuUinan in the " Psalter of Cashel" writes that, 958 years 
 before Christ, this was the practice ; he adds that the crown was of gold, 
 
XXXIU. 
 
 that at that time a crowned king got many hehnets made, having neck- 
 pieces and fore-pieces of gold. All our native annalists, and they are the 
 only veritable witnesses in matters of ancient Ireland, agree that this was 
 the practice up to Christianity, but that then the Christian mode was 
 adopted. However our antiquarians tell us, the ceremony of the white 
 wand continued up to the English invasion ; the bishops, the sub-kings, 
 and princes were the electors, both as regarded monarchs and provincial 
 dynasts. O'Farrell, and O'Gallagher were the grand officers who used to 
 inaugurate *' The O'Donnell" of Tyrconnell, the former gave him the 
 sceptre, and the latter, as Marshall, placed the crown on his head. 
 Gratian, or Lynch, in his *' Cambrensis Eversus," and Peter Walsh in his 
 "Prospect" — p. 421, most clearly show that the mode of inaugurating 
 "The O'Donnell" was most solemn, august, and thoroughly Catholic. 
 Against such national records the fictions of men, ignorant of Irish 
 manners, habits and language, should have no weight. 
 
 Ireland's universities and conventual schools. 
 
 Of this subject we have treated at large in our notes on St. Patrick, 
 however it may not be out of place to enumerate here a few of these 
 nurseries of piety and learning, as we find them in our native records. 
 Felim, in his " Annals," relates that the College of Armagh, under O'Duflfy 
 (Dubhthach), A.D. 513, had 7,000 scholars, also under Tiagarnan, A.D. 
 619, and sometimes more or less than that number under other primates. 
 Under Cormac, king and bishop, the College of Cashel had 5,000 
 scholars, and 600 conventual monks, he was first Bishop of Cashel, Emly 
 being joined to it. And as for the number of students in Down and 
 Lismore, I should doubt it had I not proof in the Irish Annals. The 
 Abbey of Mayo had a splendid college numerously attended, amongst 
 whom were scholars from all parts of Europe ; here it was that iEdelfrid, 
 or Alfred, King of Northumbria, having been expelled by his rebellious 
 subjects, devoted himself to the study of the Irish language, and com- 
 posed a poem in that tongue, in eulogy of the learning, hospitality, valour, 
 riches, and piety of Ireland. This poem, composed in the seventh century, 
 is still extant. Clonrode, in Clare, Clonfiush, near Tuam,in Galway, and 
 many schools of note, are to be found farther on in this work. 
 
 Well could Bede, who finished his work A.D. 731, and Camden state 
 that this land deserved the title of Insula Sanctorum et Doctorum. We 
 had scarcely a prelate, king, or chief, in olden times, who did not compose 
 poetry in honour of God, or of their ancestors ; to enumerate them would 
 require pages. From the days of Araergin, son of Milesius, 1080 after 
 the Flood, down to the time of Tigernagh, the Annalist and Abbot of 
 
 3 
 
XXXIV. 
 
 Clonmacnoise, A.D. 1088, O'Reillj', in his "Catalogue," gives the number 
 of 108 poets of Ireland ; of that number, about seventy were either in 
 Holy Orders, or consecrated to religion ; some of their compositions were 
 given in prose. From 1088, to his death, the same author enumerates 
 123 Irish writers, most of whom, or nearly all were poets; O'Reilly 
 continues his " Catalogue," down to 1750 ; in all he counts 379, most of 
 them poets ; amongst them he reckons at A D., 1651, ** Dr. John O'Connell, 
 R. C. Bishop of Ardfert in Kerry." He was not, however, at that time 
 Bishop of Ardfert, as Rickard O'Connell, his grand-uncle, was (about which 
 time he was martyred), though we believe he was a priest ; nor did he then 
 write the " Dirge," whereas he refers to Beeling's " Writings" which were 
 not then composed. Ha also mentions King William, who was not until 
 1691. Archbishop Plunkett who was executed in London, on false 
 evidence, on the 1st of July, 1681, is mentioned by O'Reilly in his list. 
 The holy martyred prelate did not think it unbecoming his office to pen 
 an eloquent poem as a eulogy on Tara. The Plunkets of Meath, of whom 
 he was, were ever distinguished for love of letters and of Fatherland. 
 Connaught seems to have produced the greatest number of poets at one 
 period. This can be learned from a perusal of the "Irish Writers" — 
 which book, if there existed no other, is sufficient to prove the glory of 
 Ireland in every respect. It is a work of undoubted authority, having 
 been prepared under the inspection of " The Iberno Celtic Society," 
 Dublin, on whose committee, were Catholic prelates and priests — 
 seventy-three noblemen, mostly Protestant, and Protestant clergymen. 
 
 IRELAND NOT PECULIARLY ADDICTED TO DIVISION. 
 
 Notwithstanding the piles of native evidence and of foreign historians, 
 attesting the sanctity, valor, and enlightenment of our old country, still 
 as libellers have been hired to strive to tarnish her glorious fame, it is my 
 duty here to shew that she was not peculiar in her internal strife. 
 
 Though I bear no malice nor envy to any nation or to any person, yet 
 I shall give instances of bloody feuds in other lands. I shall begin with 
 the first inhabitants of this world, — Cain slew Abel. I shall then proceed 
 to Greece and ask my reader to call to mind their murderous strifes. 
 Then I shall direct attention to Rome, whose first king, Romulus, killed 
 his brother Remus. Thus, the foundation of the famous "seven-hilled" 
 city, was cemented with the blood of a brother. We bear in mind the 
 rebellion of Tarquin, the plebeian insurrection, the oppression and murder 
 of the decemviri — the tyranny of the tribunes — the factions of Sylla and 
 Marius, and the rivers of blood flowing from their swords — Cataline's 
 conspiracy — the civil wars of Pompey and Ccssar — the fatal change of the 
 
XXXV. 
 
 republic, ending in plain, lawless, rebellious force, and the annihilation of 
 myriads of the people — thirty emperors murdered. — In the time of Gal- 
 Henus thirty men at least set themselves up as emperors. Germany, in later 
 times, exhibit, awful instances of civil contentions — such as the violent 
 deaths of Rodolph, Albert, Henry VII., Frederick III., Lewis of Bavier — 
 each of whom was Mlled by poison or conspiracy. — Bodin, page 250 ; 
 Peter Walsh, 206. The Ghibellines and Guelphs; — the bloody re- 
 volutions of the Florentine republic, in Italy, which lasted for 340 years. 
 The slaughter and total extinction of one party was the result. At last 
 the prudence of one man, Cosmus Medicis, Grand Duke of Tuscany, re- 
 stored order. The same can be said of Spain — Alphonsus III., put out 
 the eyes of all his brethren, except one, who was killed. Raymirus treated 
 with the like cruelty, his own brother, Alphonsus IV. Peter deposed and 
 Mlled by his bastard brother, Henry, — Garzius by Sanctius — Sanctius by 
 Vellidius ; — all Spain in the time of Roderic/c, betrayed to the Moors by 
 Julian, prince of Celtiberia. By this act of treason 70,000 Spaniards 
 were killed in fourteen months ! And, as to France, no pen could describe 
 its convulsions, devastations, cruelties and barbarous, sacrilegious, civil 
 vv^ars, as can be seen in De Avila and Peter Walsh. Now let us come 
 nearer home and ask pure and pious England how stands her account ; — 
 Twenty-eight Saocon kiiigs, part killed by each other, part murdered, by 
 their own subjects, others deposed and obliged to fly for refuge. Four of 
 the Northumbrian kings alone murdered, and three deposed within the 
 space oi' forty-one years. Charles II., of France, having heard of such 
 atrocities, and though he had intended to send large presents to England, 
 changed his mind and told Alcuin, an Englishman, his majesty's tutor, 
 "that England was indeed a perfidious and perverse nation, a murderer 
 of their lords, and worse than pagans." The bishops and nobles had also 
 to fly, so that for thirty years no one dared sit on the throne of Northum- 
 bria. After the Norman invasion we have the unnatural rebellion of 
 Henry II.'s own children. The baron wars under king John and Henry 
 III. — Edward II.'s own queen, Eleanor, and son, the prince of Wales, con- 
 spired to dethrone him. The woful feuds of the houses of York and Lan- 
 caster — the oceans of blood that deluged the country for thirty years, 
 under Henry VI. and Edward IV, — the murder of Richard II. — all are 
 acquainted with the history of Richard III. ! His grandfather, the earl 
 of Cambridge, beheaded at Southampton, — the duke of York, his father — 
 beheaded before Sandal. His three brothers, one of them slain in cold 
 blood — the duke of Clarence drowned in a butt of Malmsey — his two 
 nephews, strangled in their beds, besides eleven battles fought — in one of 
 which 36,730 Englishmen were left dead on the field, besides the 
 
XXXVl. 
 
 wounded I (Echard, p. 520). This was the battle of Taunton, in Yorkshire. 
 Philip Comines, an English writer, says, " eighty of the royal blood were 
 lost in them," of whom was Henry VI., by all accounts, a good and 
 virtuous prince. The Usurper, Richard III., was killed in the battle of 
 Bosworth, after having swam to the throne on rivers of blood. His 
 opponent, the earl of Richmond, assumed the sceptre, as Henry VII., who 
 by marrying the daughter of Edward IV., united the houses of York and 
 Lancaster, and thus ended the terrible factions of " the White and Red 
 Rose." All this I have from their own historians, and to do justice to 
 Mylius, whose work is a very good school-book — he does not hide the 
 faults of his countrymen. Nor does he act so unfairly towards Ireland 
 as Lingard ; Mylius I take to be a Briton — Lingard, a Norman, all know, 
 of course, that both are Catholic books. " Lingard," by J. Burke, Esq., 
 is a well got up school book. 
 
 We now leave our readers to infer whether Ireland was peculiar in her 
 feuds. During the long space of 2468 years of the Gadelian monarchy, 
 down to 1172, A.D., it will be found that not more blood was shed by 
 civil wars in Ireland, than there was in 1000 years in England. During 
 the whole time of our 136 Pagan kings, and forty-eight Christian ones, 
 there were scarcely as many fell by intestine broils, as there did in one- 
 half the time in the island of our traducers. And what excites my indig- 
 nation most is, that some of our modern Irish romancers have the impu- 
 dence to tell us that they find no characters, in Irish history, illus- 
 trious enough to make heroes of tales. These bear a great name, but 
 very unjustly, as they live by forging calumnies of the Irish people, 
 of old and modern days, of peasantry and gentry ; still their base coin passes 
 current. They must know very little of the solid history of Ireland, else, 
 notwithstanding all her feuds, they could make out characters as brilliant 
 as ever adorned the pages of any book. 
 
 THE FORTY-EIGHT KINGS OF IRELAND AFTER ST. PATRICK. 
 
 As it is falsely asserted that there were no Milesian kings from the 
 coming of St. Patrick until the arrival of the English (though that most 
 accurate historian, O'Flaherty, in his " Ogj gia," gives them in regular 
 succession, and the year of the reign of each), yet, I shall here cite a few 
 foreign authorities, to disprove the deliberate falsehood : In the first book 
 of the Polychronicon I find these words — which I render thus in English — 
 " From the coming of St. Patrick, to King Felim's time, there have been 
 thirty-three kings in the space of 400 years in Ireland. But in the time 
 of Felim, the Norwegians with their leader, Turgesius, occupied the 
 
xxxvu. 
 
 land ; from Turgesius to the last monarch, Roderick, King of Connaught, 
 seventeen kings were in Ireland." Thus it may be seen that a foreign 
 author gives within eight of as many kings as O'Flaherty. 
 
 Anselm, the learned Archbishop of Canterbury, in one of his " Thirty- 
 six Epistles," (contained in Dr. Ussher's collection of the " Epistles of the 
 English Clergy"), written A.D. 1118 to Muircheartach (Murty), the great 
 O'Brien, King of Ireland, thus writes, " To the glorious Murty, by the 
 grace of God, King of Ireland, Anselm a servant of the Church of Canter- 
 bury, &c." Lanfranc, the predecessor of Anselm, and previously Bishop 
 of Dover, thus says in his letter to Turlough O'Brien, King of Ireland, 
 1074, " Lanfranc, a sinner, and the unworthy Archbishop of the Church 
 of Dover, to Tordelagh, the magnificent King of Ireland, benediction, &c. 
 
 In the same collection is mentioned a letter of King Henry I., to 
 Rodolph, Archbishop of Canterbury, ordering him to consecrate priest 
 Gregory Bishop of Dublin. This was A.D. 1123. These are Henry's 
 words, ** The King of Ireland has instructed me, that he and the citizens 
 of Dublin, elected Gregory to be bishop, and sent him to you to be con- 
 secrated. Wherefore, I order you that, in compliance with their request, 
 you immediately perform the consecration." 
 
 The Psalter of Cashel, quoted by the learned Rev. Dr. Keating, in its 
 allusion to Irial, son of Heremon, informs us that of his line, up to St. 
 Patrick, there were fifty-seven kings, and fifty after the same monarch. 
 Such evidences as the above are quite sufficient to show to any unbiassed 
 mind that there were, after Christianity, a long series of the Gadelian race 
 of kings in this holy land, whose renown, valour, hospitality, liberality, 
 and piety, formed a rich theme for the native bards and annalists. 
 
 It is worthy of remark that though there was repeated contention 
 amongst the provincial kings of Ireland, still the annals of the several 
 provinces agree generally as to the principal facts contained in Irish 
 history. Thus each was a check on the other and was sure to contradict, 
 if either put forward a false statement of any fact ; this tended to make 
 and keep native records pure and unadulterated. But, above all, the 
 Literary Committee of the Triennial Senate of Tara was highly calculated 
 to preserve the truthfulness of our history ; by it the historian, who put 
 forth false statements, was sure to be degraded. No other nation on earth, 
 of ancient or modern times, had such an ordeal of investigation. Amongst 
 our kings and princes, jealous of their fame, and having different interests 
 and views, there could not, by possibility, be a combination to corrupt the 
 national records. Mutual jealousy prevented it. 
 
 Our space will not allow us to give an outline of the constitution 
 of the Parliament of Tara, nor of the laws of OUamh Fodhla (Ollav Fyola), 
 
XXXVlll. 
 
 and Corrnac O'Quin, and of other Irish kings ; the first reigned twelve 
 centuries, and the second, two before St. Patrick. Who would read our 
 national archives will find that no nation, ever yet, up to his day, has had 
 so polished a constitution as was that of Tara. The reader is referred to 
 Keating, Mac Curtin, O'Halloran, O'Connor, O'Flaherty, Taaffe, &c. The 
 Scythic civilization, so much lauded by Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis, 
 of the fourth century, and quoted by me in page seventeen of the *' Dirge," 
 streamed to, and over Ireland. 
 
 BOOKS OF REFERENCE. 
 
 It would be tedious to enumerate, in this place, all Irish works whence 
 has been derived our information on the previous facts. The *' Seabright 
 Collection," in Trinity College, is a book of great value. " Psalter na 
 Rann," being an abridged history of the posterity of Abraham, until after 
 the death of Moses. The collection called the " Speckled Book," the 
 " Book of Invasions," the /' Book of Lecan," the " Book of Clonraacnoise," 
 the ** Psalter of Cashel," by Cormac, its king and bishop. Most of this 
 was a transcript from the " Psalter of Tara," besides some original prose 
 and verse compositions. He wrote also a glossary of difficult Irish words, 
 his poems, though not all illustrative of Irish history, but chiefly on reli- 
 gion, are most interesting. The " Psalter" is in the British Museum ; 
 the compositions of Eochaidh (Ayughy) O'Flynn, as contained in the 
 " Book of Invasions," by the O'Clerys, &c., are of immense interest. His 
 poems on the colonization of Eire, present specimens of eloquence and 
 diction not to be equalled in any language that I have read. His poem 
 on the Milesian kings, from their landing 2935, to 3150 of the Creation ; 
 his poem detailing the building of the palace of Emain, in Ulidia, 3596, 
 A.M., to Connor, A.D. 1, down to its destruction by the Colla Uais, A.D. 
 331, and many more of still greater importance. 
 
 The Annals of Tigernach, Abbot of Clonmacnoise, who died A.D., 1088- 
 He went back only to 3596. From this fact some dogmatizers assert, in 
 opposition to most numerous, concurrent, and authentic authorities, that 
 it was on that year the Milesians landed. Just as if a writer may not 
 take his start from any year he pleases. And so we find in the historians 
 of all countries. Such inferences from false data are very dangerous. 
 Was anything ever more silly than to say, " such a historian did not mention 
 a certain fact, therefore, such a fact had no existence." If a historian 
 finds a thing well done by another he leaves it so, he then takes up what 
 he thinks he may do better. Thus, acted Tigernach. He left well enough 
 alone. 
 
 «' The Roll of Kings," the " Din Seanchus," the " Book of Innis- 
 
XXXIX. 
 
 fallen," the " Book of Rights," the " Book of Etymologies." In fact, it 
 would require a large work to contain a list of the Irish works still extant 
 at home, besides hundreds scattered all over Europe ; England as well as 
 Denmark, did what they could to steal or destroy our Records. See the 
 Catalogue in Trinity College, the Irish Academy, and Dr. Ussher, Marshe's 
 Library, Royal Dublin Society. 
 
 We should have sooner said, that the harp-players and other musicians, 
 physicians, entertainers (betaghs), poets, annalists, &c., should — according 
 to the law — be of noble descent. 
 
 OBJECTION AGAINST THE EARLY MILESIAN COLONY. 
 It is most strange, that well-informed minds can be so silly, as to urge 
 against the early arrival in this country, the want of sufficient shipping. 
 On this point, we will not waste time, as every scholar has read of the 
 Argonautic expedition ; of the Grecian fleets before Troy ; of the twenty, 
 one ships of ^Eneas, and his having twice as great an extent of sea to 
 cross before his landing in the country of Latinus ; of the number of men 
 he must have had with him, worn and spent as they were after many sea 
 hardships, when the native king thought it the more prudent course to 
 make terms with him. Ireland was much nearer to Spain, than Latiura 
 or Carthage to Troy. Moreover, the Milesians were practiced seamen — 
 having crossed the inland seas so often — and their system was to coast 
 along for the purpose of taking in provisions. Again, we find St. Paul 
 sailed from Asia to Rome ; the vessel having on board 276 souls. — Acts 
 of the Apostles, c. xxvii. The ship was driven into the Adriatic, and met 
 with disasters. She must have been a large ship to contain so many and 
 provisions necessary for several months. The compass is the invention 
 of only a few ages ago ; yet, long before that epoch, a great many distant 
 islands were discovered and colonized. 
 
 As to our taste for Fine Arts, the following extracts from the FreemarCs 
 Journal of May, 1855, is quite apropos : — 
 
 " Mechanics' Institute — Lecture on the Fine Arts of Ancient 
 Ireland. — Mr. Henry O'Neill resumed, last evening, the delivery of a 
 course of lectures on the fine arts of ancient Ireland. Independent of 
 the interest with which Mr. O'Neill by his pleasing style of delivery 
 invests his lecture, the subject is one which should in an especial manner 
 command the attention of an Irish audience. We have read of, and we 
 have been lectured about, the ancient glories of almost every nation ; and 
 yet, we know but little, comparatively speaking, of the position which 
 our own country held with reference to the fine arts in the days of old. 
 It is high time to look at home, and any one who has heard Mr. O'Neill 
 cannot doubt that a rich field is open to such as care to explore it. The 
 talented lecturer gave a history of ancient Irish art and civilization, com- 
 mencing from the battle of Moyturra, which, according to the Four 
 
xl. 
 
 Masters, took place 1897 years before the Christian era — in fact, before 
 the time of Moses, and at which period the Irish were skilled in working 
 the precious metals. And pursuing the few evidences which are given by 
 our ancient writers, the lecturer dwelt with peculiar force and felicity 
 on the proofs these notices furnish of a very early civilization in this 
 country. The establishment of a parliament at Tara above 3000 years 
 ago — the literary character of our Irish King Cormac — the high condition 
 of art anterior to the English invasion — its decline from that period — art 
 dying out here when it was progressing in other countries — these impor- 
 tant facts in the history — ancient Irish art, and ancient Irish civilization — 
 were commented on in a most lucid, argumentative, and convincing way, 
 so as fully to establish the fact that Ireland had a very early civilization, 
 and that, nothwithstanding the Danish invasion, she preserved that civili- 
 zation until the twelfth century, and that her subsequent retrogression 
 was a natural result of the disorganised state of society consequent upon 
 the Norman invasion." 
 
 As to primitive nations being clad with skins, it is not a sigji of savagery ; 
 for skins, then, as now, were so manufactured as to render a dress of them 
 rather a sign of civilization than the contrary. Skins, in our time, are 
 used by the nobles of the land as ornaments. In olden times they were 
 ordinary clothing. 
 
 M. A. O'B. 
 
 APPROVING LETTERS. 
 
 As I feel that the following extracts from a few of the many letters re- 
 ceived will be found interesting I think it my duty to publish them. 
 
 Si. Jarlath's, Tuam, 
 
 April 3rd, 1855. 
 
 " My Dear Sir — I feel pleasure in becoming a subscriber for . . . 
 copies of your publication of " Ireland's Dirge." Your taste for our Irish 
 literature is not, I am happy to find, of that merely antiquarian chai'acter, 
 which neglects the living, breathing forms of our beautiful language, and 
 like the preservers of Egyptian mummies, wholly devoted to the decora- 
 tion of the remains, out of which life has just departed. Were their zeal 
 for our olden literature accompanied with an anxiety for its perpetuation, 
 then it would be entitled to the praise of a laudable devotion to the fame 
 and glory of Ancient Ireland. It is not one of the least strange anomahes of 
 our country to find so many entirely sentimental about the old language, 
 whose ears are at the same time, so fastidious as not to endure the con- 
 tinuance of what has been ever deemed the moral striking characteristics 
 of every nation. 
 
 " I remain, 
 
 " Your very faithful servant, 
 
 ^ John, Archbishop of Tuam. 
 
 "Martin A. O'Brennan, Esq., 
 57, Bolton -street." 
 
xli. 
 
 Riversdale, Ballina, 
 March, 1855. 
 
 *' Dear Sir — The perusal of your letter gave me much pleasure, as it 
 brought to my recollection the talents you displayed, when I had the 
 pleasure of giving you lectures on logic, in St. Jarlath's College. You 
 were then a bonce spei adolescens, and 1 have no doubt, that the literary 
 acquirements, which your then blooming talents showed you capable of 
 accumulating, must have fitted you to accomplish satisfactorily the work 
 which you have undertaken. I have great pleasure in subscribing to your 
 work, and of assuring you of the interest which I feel in its success. 
 
 " Believe me, dear Sir, 
 
 " Your's faithfully, 
 
 " ij« Thomas Feeny." 
 
 "Martin A. O'Brennan, Esq., LL.D." 
 
 As my notes on St. Fiech's and St. Seachnall's hymns were of a critical 
 character, both as they regarded philology and religion, and wishing to 
 be thoroughly sound on religion, I thought it my duty to submit proofs of 
 them to his Grace of Tuam, the most learned, polished and orthodox of 
 Ireland's sons on these matters. Here is his Lordship's answer — 
 
 St. Jarlath's, Tuam, 
 
 April 21th, 1855. 
 
 *' Dear Sir — I am glad your work is so far advanced as to be on the 
 eve of publication. In the notes there is evidence of much research and 
 learning. If, regarding ancient languages much better cultivated than 
 the Irish, there is found such diversity of interpretations, it is no wonder 
 if several words in the hymn of the Bishop of Sletty, some nearly, and 
 others entirely obsolete, should be found a rich theme for the industry of 
 its more modern expounders. Without, then, the dogmatizers, who insist 
 on our own glossary being exclusively the right one, you can well take 
 your place among those whose patient labour in the elucidation of old and 
 difficult forms of language entitles their version to a fair share of atten- 
 tion 
 
 " Wishing you again that encouragement which your devotion to the 
 literature and religion of Ireland so well deserves. 
 
 *' 1 remain, 
 
 " Your faithful servant, 
 
 '* ^ John Mac Hale. 
 
 Martin A. O'Brennan, Esq., 
 57, Bolton-street." 
 
THE 
 
 AUTHOR OF THE " DIRGE OF IRELAND," 
 
 As some small doubt (however seeming unworthy of notice) 
 has been thrown upon the fact that the author was a Bishop, 
 it becomes our duty to say something on the subject. 
 Let us, in the first place, state, that though several moderns 
 of the present day might have rashly asserted that he was 
 not a Bishop ; still we would look on such authority as no- 
 thing, when compared with the universally received opinion 
 to the contrary. A national tradition, relative to an im- 
 portant popular fact, which happened only five generations 
 (150 years) before the present day, is more than sufficient 
 to outweigh the authority of any living man, however learned 
 and respectable he might be. The name of the learned 
 Most Rev. John O'Connell, Bishop of Kerry, the author of 
 " Ireland's Dirge," is a household word in all parts of Kerry, 
 part of Cork, Waterford and Connaught. We have often 
 heard western Irish scholars recite the " Dirge," and talk 
 with rapture of the Most Rev. bard. But as the eloquent 
 poem tells such tales of woe, and so brilliantly sings of the 
 rapacity, oppressions, and murders practised on the prelate's 
 native land by the drumming ancestors of many men who now 
 pompously strut about our streets, it is very unpalatable to 
 disentomb (as a Rev. antiquarian has termed our efibrt) 
 the beautiful composition. Had another pen than ours 
 undertaken the task, it is probable that no doubt would be 
 sought to be made. But it is fortunate that, in addition to 
 the concurrent testimony of the national tradition, and (with 
 scarcely an exception) of all Irish scholars, we can give a 
 quotation from the letter of a learned Irish scholar, a parish 
 priest of the archdiocess of Tuam, once our fellow- student. 
 We have seen, in the Royal Irish Academy, a portion of a 
 manuscript purporting to be a history of Kerry, and in which 
 it is said that in that county there was, in the 1 7th century, 
 a great rivalry in dirgic poetry, in which "i/r. John 
 Connell" surpassed all other poets, and that Pierce Ferriter 
 ranks next. As to the manuscript itself, we have to say, that 
 though it directly, and not inferentially stated, our author 
 
xliii. 
 
 was not Bishop, still its words ought to have no force with 
 a logician, because the work itself proves the author's en- 
 tire ignorance of local circumstances, and he, everywhere, 
 adds, "that of himself he knew nothing of what he wrote." 
 He confesses that he did not know when the first of the 
 O'Connells settled in Kerry. Of them, their hospitality, and 
 learning, he speaks with great respect, and particularly of 
 John of Ashtown, who submitted to Cromwell. However, 
 the author evinces that he is a complete stranger to that 
 part of Ireland. He is clearly a minion of English power, 
 as we shall show elsewhere. It is quite evident he was 
 not a native of Kerry, nor of any neighbouring county. 
 "We have carefully read the anonymous, mutilated manuscript, 
 and we hesitate not to assert, that no scholar ought to raise 
 a doubt, depending on such an authority. As we have 
 above written, even though a work were subscribed by the 
 most distinguished man of the day, nevertheless the " con- 
 sensus hominum" would have the greater weight. We by 
 no means insinuate, that the mutilation was made by, or 
 in the Academy, w^hose labour we highly value. Again, 
 though Jolin O'ConnelV was not even a priest (there is 
 evidence to the contrary in the poem itself) when he was in 
 the habit of composing dirges, still it would not follow that 
 he did not afterwards receive ordination and consecration — 
 Next, any one who will carefully peruse the " Annals of the 
 Four Masters" will find that men, whether lay or cleric, 
 distinguished by learning, are styled "Master." We like- 
 wise find from a letter of Bishop Mollony, writing from the 
 Continent to Dr. Tyrrell, Bishop of Clogher, in 1689, 
 that a Bishop named Barry, is called three times " M. B.," 
 and once " Master Barry." This letter is to be found in 
 King's " State of the Protestants under James," and was 
 published in 1691. Wherefore if we had no further 
 authority we would rest content that our author was a Bishop 
 both holy and learned. But to silence all cavil on the matter, 
 we annex the extract from the parish priest's letter, and the 
 Bishop's pedigree, which we have from one of his lordship's 
 descendants. 
 
 January, Srd, 1855. 
 ** My Dear O'Brennan. — Need I say that I will cheerfully subscribe for 
 a copy of your forth-coming 'O'Connell's Irish Dirge,' which, I venture 
 to say, will be the best and most accurate epitome of the history of 
 
xliv. 
 
 Ireland that has ever appeared in print. You ask my authority for say- 
 ing to you, in a former correspondence, that the poem was composed in 
 1704, by the Right Rev. John O'Connell, then Bishop of Aghadoe, which 
 bishopric is now-a-days absorbed in Ardfert, alias Kerry. 
 
 " My dear Sir, my authority was no less a personage than the Liberator, 
 whose sister I met, eight years ago, at the mansion of her son-in-law, a 
 member of the ancient and illustrious house of Coolavin. The fine old 
 lady spoke the Irish fluently. I asked her the connexion between 
 O'Connell and the episcopal bard ; her answer was, she could not then 
 say, but promised me to consult her brother on that point. On her return 
 to Derrynane, she, at the earliest convenience wrote, informing me " that 
 the poet was the great-grand-uncle of their father, and that the bishop and 
 Queen Anne were contemporaries." 
 
 The above quotation proves two things, viz., that Dr. 
 O'Connell was alive in 1704, and secondly, that he was a 
 Bishop, and this is exactly what we stated in our first pro- 
 spectus, to which exception was taken. We need not add, 
 that nothing was more usual in the days of Queen Anne, 
 than to call Bishops and Priests by their name simply^ 
 omiting Bishop and Priest. This was most necessary to screen 
 the people's faithful pastors from the infernal system of 
 espionage, exercised to catch ecclesiastics in those days of 
 terror, blood, and irreligion, when a large price was placed 
 on the head of a Bishop, Priest, or Catholic teacher. — See 
 O'Connor's " History of the Catholics," also Curry's " Civil 
 Wars." These three classes were then obliged to hide (earth) 
 themselves as if foxes avoiding the pursuit of the horrible 
 dogs of war. On the mountain-tops, in caves, in bog-holes, 
 and under hedges, were the clergy forced to discharge their 
 ministration duties, and celebrate the august sacrifice of the 
 Mass. We are convinced that Doctor O'Connell's episcopacy 
 began about 1691, and that he died in 1704. — See note in 
 page 85 of " Dirge." 
 
 DESCENT OF THE MOST REV. JOHN O'CONNELL, 
 
 BISHOP OF ARDFERT, IN KERRY, AUTHOR OF THE " DIRGE OF IRELAND." 
 
 He was of the O'Connells of Iveragh, hereditary constables of the 
 castle of Ballycarbery. — See note under stanza ci. 
 
 I. Geoffrey O'Connell, head of the sept in the time of Elizabeth and 
 James I., by his wife, Julia, daughter of Sir Teige Mac Owen 
 Mac Carthy, of Brisbane, had three sons, viz. : 
 II. Maurice, the aged chief in the VTar of 1641 ; John of Ashtown, 
 
xlv. 
 
 law agent to the Marquis of Ormond ; and Rickard, Bishop of 
 Kerry, martyred, 1651. Said Maurice had two sons, viz. : 
 
 III. Bartholomew, the elder, whose wife was Honora, daughter of Mac 
 
 Croghan of Littercastle, he died before the war of 1641. Charles 
 a quo the Ballinablowne family. Said Bartholomew had two sons, 
 minors, during said war, and restored by Cromwell, viz. : 
 
 IV. Maurice, father of Brigadier General Maurice O'Connell and 
 
 three other sons, all of whom died s. p. ; and Geoffrey, the second 
 son, who had three sons, viz. : 
 V. Maurice of Ballinahaw, his heir, who forfeited in 1691 (about the 
 time " The Dirge" was written) ; Daniel, second son, a quo the 
 Derrynane (Derry Finan) ; family, and third, John, Bishop of 
 Kerry, author of " The Dirge," who died in 1704, according to the 
 testimony of the Liberator. 
 VI. Geoffrey, na m-bo (mo) mor (obiit 1722 aet 37), only son of 
 Maurice, was great-grand-father of the late Captain Rickard 
 O'Connell of Tralee (head of his sept who left issue), and of 
 Betsey, wife of the late James O'Connor, Esq., Clerk of the Peace 
 of the County Kerry, and of Mary, wife of the Liberator. John, 
 only son of the above Daniel, was great grandfather of the 
 illustrious Daniel O'Connell, M.P., the Emancipator of the 
 Catholics in the British dominions. 
 
 In 1689, Bishop Mollony wrote from the Continent to 
 Bishop Tyrrell to interest himself with King James and 
 Cardinal Howard, to recommend to his Holiness O'Leyne, as 
 Bishop of Waterford, Lismore, and to have united to them 
 Ardfert and Aghadoe, as " these latter were only small" How- 
 ever, O'Leyne's claims did not succeed, whereas Dr. O'Con- 
 nell was appointed. But O'Leyne was appointed Vicar 
 Apostolic of Aghadoe. And Dr. O'Connell must have been 
 the predecessor of Dr. Moriarty in Ardfert. Moriarty was 
 not made bishop until 1705. Dr. Mollony writes, that in 
 1689 there were only two bishops in all Munster, in the 
 absence of Master (Bishop) Barry. He tells Dr. Tyrrell 
 to resist the pretensions of Father Pierce, a Munster priest, 
 and of Father D'Arcy, of Connaught, who were chaplains in 
 King James's army ; he opposes them because they were too 
 * young, and because there were older men entitled to the 
 vacant places. Connaught had only two bishops at this time. 
 
 As we believe the prefix " Right Rev." was a Protestant 
 introduction, for the purpose of giving bishops the rank of 
 " Right Hon.," and, as it is not in accordance with pure phi- 
 lology (it is opposed to it), we reject it, and use the words 
 " Most Rev." for all Prelates ; the prefix " Arch" being suf- 
 ficient to mark the difference between a Metropolitan and a 
 
xlvi. 
 
 Suffragan. We have taken this course, though we find the 
 superscription on Bishop MoUony's letter of 1689, thus given, 
 
 The Right Rev. Father in God, 
 
 " Peter Tyrrell, Lord Bishop of Clogher." 
 
 Dr. Tyrrell was, at that time, a member of the " House of 
 Lords." 
 
 There were some interesting remarks on this point pre- 
 pared for press ;" but we have akeadyfar exceeded our limits 
 on other matters. 
 
 LETTERS, ECLIPSES, AND MUTABLES ; , 
 GENDERS, CASES, &c. 
 
 The Irish characters now in use are seventeen, b being considered as 
 an aspirate. Of these, five are vowels — three broad, a, o, u ; two slender, 
 e, ] — the rest consonants ; some of the latter are occasionally used as 
 vowels, as b, 6, 5, rt). There are thirteen diphthongs, as follow : Ae, A], 
 AO, eA, e], eo, eu, ]A, ]o, ^u, oy, ua, u] ; and five triphthongs : ao], eo] 
 7A], ]U],UA] — the ancients used oe], the moderns aoj. it maybe said, 
 has strictly but three sounds, the other two being from association with 
 others letters. The sounds are as heard in the English words all 
 hat, (a), and what. Instead of using the words sounded long, short, 
 broad, slender, I shall insert ' ' over the letters, and for pronounced I 
 will use = which means *' equal to." Thus, = aw, eA = ay or a in die, 
 e = ay in say, e — e in met, f = ee in meet, i = i in hit, 6 = 5 in 
 vote, o =t o in doctor, nearly, or a middle sound between short o and u, as 
 heard in but, Ci = u m lute, u = u in liut, ixe, :£vo, eu, eA, e] = ay in 
 say, or a die. A], ]o, oj = i in hit ; but in Connaught A] = a in hat, and, 
 e in bet ; ao is sometimes sounded in Connaught as eeu, but rarely eA, 
 e] = e in bet, ^] = wi in pawing, eo = 6 in vote, yet the e has a com- 
 pressed sound ; eo = u in push, f a, fo = eeu ; o] = 6 in vote and i in hit, 
 of = ee in meet, fu = ew in pew, ]U = 00 in good, ua = 60 in food it 
 never requires an accent, being always long ; Ci) = u in lUte and i in hit, 
 uf = ee in meet, uj = i in hit . Tripthongs, Aoj, jA] = ee in meet, eo] 
 := e in met, 6 in hot, and i in hit, forming, as if, one long sound, nearly as 
 5 in vote, but each vowel has a short distinct sound. The above sounds 
 are as exact as could be expected in a work of Ihis nature. A close at- 
 tention to them will enable the student to acquire an accurate pronuncia- 
 tion. 
 
 The consonants, except c, rj, z, sound as in English ; rj before 5 has a 
 nasal sound as the terminational French n. = th in the word there, 
 
xlvii. 
 
 c = th in this or thick, I = 1 in liam of William ; f , attended by slender 
 vowels = sh, attended by broad vowels = s in son. There are a few con- 
 versational exceptions in Munster and Connaught. 
 
 ECLIPSES. 
 I, TTj, X), tt, are never eclipsed. 
 
 rt) eclipses b, as ix]t nj-b^^tb, our poet. 
 
 5 — c — our case, 
 t) — & — '^]x n-&|tU]Ttj, our back. 
 b — p — 'A\x b-t:u]l, our blood. 
 
 x) — 5 , — '^yx rj-5eu5, our branch. 
 
 b — p — Ati b-plAoi)&xA, our plant. 
 
 6 — c — Ati &-citeA]*, our battle. 
 c — f — Att c-ylAc, owr ro(^. 
 
 It will be found by a very little observation, that the sounds of the Irish 
 letters are very simple, not like the English ones, of which Mr. John 
 Ellis in his ** Plea for Phonography," says — *' English orthoephy sets all 
 observations of analogy at defiance ; none but itself can be its parallel ; 
 we sincerely hope that ' we ne'er shall look upon its like again.' " Mr. 
 Ellis enumerates 553 sounds for the English alphabet. 
 
 The verbs are most simple, as I showed in my notes. The declensions 
 are very simple. It might be said there are only two cases (that is, vari- 
 ations) in the singular, the nominative and genitive. The nominative 
 plural is generally as the genitive singular, and A]b or ]b is added to the 
 gen. sing., to make the plural. This is, of course, but a general remark 
 made, to point out the simplicity of our language. The simple rule to 
 ascertain the genders (not the sex) of Irish nouns is this : prefix e or f e 
 to a noun, and if the phrase makes sense the noun will be masculine ; if 
 not, it will be feminine. Thus — le An Igac Aciv c]nr), it is the cheek that 
 is sore., does not make sense, where x] At) leAc, &c., does — as leAc is the 
 fem. gen. Sf An leAbAfi bo r\)<\]\) nje, it was the book taught me, does 
 not make sense, where re An leAbA^t, &c., does — leAbA ft_^being masculine. 
 This rule is chiefly for those who speak the language and have a good 
 ear. But the classical scholar who knows the rules for genders, will find 
 them nearly the same in Irish as other languages. He can appreciate the 
 simplicity and beauty of our native tongue. If one tenth, aye one 
 twentieth, of time were expended on it as on others the whole nation 
 would now be able to talk and use the Irish. 
 
 The initial yx in Irish has sometimes the sound of the aspirated Greek p, 
 as it has indeed in Enghsh, as " rural." R and s are the only Irish cha- 
 racters that differ in form from the English. I have observed, also, that 
 in English the accident of slender vowels to slender," and •* broad to 
 broad," almost universally obtains. A strange fact, but true. 
 
xlviii. 
 
 TO THE READER. 
 I am fully aware that most of my subscribers are better acquainted with 
 the matter of the following work than I am, and that their patronage has 
 been given solely to encourage native literature, 1 have not language 
 sufficient to convey my deep sense of gratitude for such high and flattering 
 support. 
 
 As to the facts detailed in the work, they are not mine ; they have 
 been taken from previous writers, native and foreign. If there be errors 
 in that respect I am not in fault, as I depended on the writings of the 
 best authorities for my information. 
 
 Errors of type are unavoidable in the first impression of every original 
 and critical work. 
 
 The nature of my profession prevented me making a large personal 
 canvass. If any friends were forgotten, the omission was not intended. 
 To provide for such contingency, some few copies additional were struck 
 off. 
 
 The explanations requisite to aid the student of Irish, which were at 
 first intended to be prefixed to the " Dirge," I thought better to place as 
 notes, that the reader might the more conveniently refer to them. 
 These are not as numerous as I could wish, but it will be remembered that 
 I was not giving a grammar to the public. I have introduced marks to 
 facilitate the study of the Irish, which, if the language were studied as 
 Greek or Latin, I would have omitted. There never was a more erroneous 
 notion than that our language is hard to be learned. From my experience 
 as a teacher, I am bold to say, that it is the easiest and simplest of all 
 languages. The works being in manuscript caused them to appear 
 difficult ; the case would have been different, had printing been applied 
 to the Irish as soon as it was to Greek and Latin. Irish scholars must 
 not then be jealous of each other, as neither can yet claim perfection in 
 writing the language. Much depends on conjecture and time. There 
 must be a mutual co-operation, and fraternal intercourse ; and, as each 
 province has its own dialect, as had the provinces of Greece, it must not 
 be that the native of either will condemn the language of another, as 
 either may be right. As the Greek writers used the Ionic, Poetic, Attic, 
 Boeotic, Doric, and ^Eolic, dialects ; the Irish writers differed on certain 
 words. It must be also borne in mind that the mere reading or manu- 
 scribing of Irish does not constitute a scholar ; thousands can read, talk, 
 English, and copy it with graceful ease, and yet be almost strangers to its 
 grammatical and poetical structure. Yet if such persons were allowed to 
 tamper with the language of the English poet, they would shortly take 
 down its fresco-cornices to make it agree with their own notions of 
 grammar. The Munster dialect, in which the Prelate wrote, has not been 
 interfered with by me. 
 
THE DIRGE OF IRELAND. 
 
I. 
 
 B^ot) Tt>o c]i]oSye A'rrj'j cljAb 8'"^ a ^teubAb. 
 
 [This mark * refers the reader to the notes at the end of this poem. There will 
 be only one mark for each stanza. The foot notes will be marked by small letters, 
 each verse beginning with the letter a. We had foot notes prepared for each stanza, 
 but space obliged us to relinquish that plan, believing that the historical comments 
 would prove more agreeable to our readers. If the /oo« notes belonging to each verse, 
 be not found in the same folio with the text, they will be got in next page, and before 
 those of next stanza. The mimbers in the translation mark the order in which the 
 words are to be read.] 
 
 " t)A, of the, gen. of ax), fem. gender, the masculine At) is invariable in 
 the singular, its plural is tiA, which is the same in all cases ; r)X is also the 
 plural feminine, and undergoes no variation — thus, t)A cor a, the feet, ija 
 5-cof, of the feet, bo ijA coi*A]b or co^a, to the feet, i)A cofA (the accus. 
 is the same as the nom.), a cofA (chossa), o feet — observe that 5-cor is 
 pronounced gus, or rather the has a middle sound between short 6 and 
 fi. — x)'A,, than, the word has many interpretations ; in the text it is the 
 genitive feminine article. 
 
 AH is " Me," Ann in. The English preposition in is in Irish 
 rendered by the above, as stated, also by a or ], sometimes by il before 
 an I, and hy rx), improperly by or). The a, preposition, is corruptly incor- 
 porated with xx), for tt)', njo. Nay, we have occasionally wxx) for a rx)', *'in 
 my." This must he exploded by scholars. Of late, a or Ann is the form 
 of preposition for the English "in," not j. Another corruption we would 
 respectfully suggest to the Irish student to be avoided. Some writers 
 divide the preposition Ann before a vowel, and this they do because the 
 words sound as if one. Surely it does not thence follow that they are 
 to be written, certainly not printed, as one word. In French, u?i ami, 
 des amis, are pronounced as if oounamee, dayzamee ; but who would, on 
 that account print them so — unnami, dessamis? However, such a bar- 
 barism is in use amongst persons who are thought to be Irish scholars. 
 They would maintain that An UA]|t ought to be printed AnnuAjtij or 
 
THE DIRGE OF IRELAND; 
 
 BY THE 
 
 RIGHT REV. JOHN O'CONNELL, BISHOP OF KERRY, 1704. 
 
 I. 
 
 The hour I reflect on the nobles of {the) Erin, 
 
 The devastation of the country, and the want of the clergy, 
 
 The destruction of her people, and the melting of her 
 
 wealth {jewels)^ 
 My2 heart^ in^ my breast* is tearing.^ 
 
 Ati-i}UA]n, thus inserting an euphonic ti where it is not required, as the 
 n in An fills up the hiatus ; and they would write at)o ah UAjfi, " in the 
 hour,^^ AX) r)AT)nuA]Ti ; and even if they use the hyphen, they tear the n 
 from the preposition or article, and prefix it to the word following. It is 
 time to put a stop to this barbarism. The mistake originated in this 
 way : having heard two words sounded as if one, they thought they might 
 write them so. In every language, it is common that two words sound 
 to the ear as one, particularly in Greek, French, and Italian, yet no scholar 
 would ever think of writing them as one word, 'iix) has many other sig- 
 nifications, as AT), time, hence annus, a year, ax) C-A17, when. 
 
 AX) UA]ti, " when," the hour. — Whenever the words of the text mean when, 
 they may be joined ; but they are to be written separate when the hour is 
 signified, thus ax) UA^tt. Some friends of the Irish language think that 
 the system hitherto observed in writing and printing it is defective. They 
 say that words, like these under consideration, ought to be always given 
 separate, that wherever euphony requires the omission of a letter or letters, 
 the apostrophe (') should be inserted, as 'nuAm, not nuA(ti : that wherever 
 the euphonic x), or any eclipsing letter, such as rx), h, 5, &c., occurs, a 
 hyphen ought to be used thus, ax) r-AcA]r», not zAtA]\i, the father. Others, 
 on the contrary, are opposed to this mode, and call it an innovation ; they 
 add, that though this system might seem an improvement, so far as faci- 
 litating the study of the language, yet it might be doing violence to its 
 native origin and peculiar structure. They urge, that Greek authors, 
 particularly Homer, abound in compound terms — prefixed, affixes, infixes, 
 elisions, erases, &c., still there was very little interference on the part of 
 posterity with the originals. The apostrophe, coronis, breathings, and 
 
 / 
 
4 
 
 II. 
 
 M^o|i rbA^H pujT)r) boT) c^t^e bAOT)bA,^ 
 
 2lcc Mao]* Y a cUtJr), Sert), Catt), ]|* jApb^cuj*. 
 
 accent, as used by the Greeks, are observed by Irish writers to some ex- 
 tent. We must say, that the accent was not introduced by Greek writers 
 until 200 years B.C., and then by Aristophanes, the comedian of By- 
 zantium, according to the traditional Athenian intonation. The primitive 
 Greeks, as well as the primitive Irish, spoke purely, without the use of 
 the accent ; but as men proceeded from the source, marks were requisite 
 to preserve or restore original grace and melody. As to the point in dis- 
 pute, we are to remark — that even in Greek, innumerable instances might 
 be adduced in which, though there is an omission of a vowel or vowels, 
 the apostrophe is not inserted — thus ravra, for ra avra, " the same 
 things,'^ raAAa for ra aWa, " the other things," sic passim ; instances of 
 crasis — irpovTv\pas for irph eruTrtras, passim. Between these opinions, 
 we adopt a middle one. As to the hyphen after the aspirate " h," and the 
 eclipsing letters, we agree with the improvement suggested, and gene- 
 rally with the use of the apostrophe. We have read, in an Irish prayer- 
 book this word bob, instead of &o and many such inelegant con- 
 tractions. In our mind, they are barbarous, and ought to be discontinued. 
 At the same time, we find similar contractions in Italian, thus col, for 
 con or colylaox le, and many of that class. We find " del padre," for 
 " de el padre," in Spanish ; not even an apostrophe is used. So also in Ger- 
 man. Notwithstanding what has been already said, it is to be remembered 
 •that the beauty of a language may be injured, if not destroyed, by a cum- 
 brous insertion of marks ; and that the facility aimed at may be effected by a 
 few clear prefatory observations, bearing on them, and an occasional note. 
 Though the marks have been much used in the English editions of 
 French works, yet we are satisfied the best ancient authors in France did 
 not generally apply them, if we except the apostrophe. In fact, the ab- 
 sence of them is an evidence of a primitive tongue. In conclusion, we 
 believe that the us« of marks was unknown to the ancients. We recollect 
 that, even when ourselves began our Greek Grammar, it was a contracted 
 one, and when we required a Lexicon, &c., it was contracted. In 
 course of time, the system was changed. So it will be with the Irish ; 
 the difficulty of rendering all matters in manuscript, imposed the neces- 
 
5 
 
 II. 
 
 After the Deluge; as is recorded {read) 
 There lived not a portion of the generation of people 
 Thatdid^ not^^drown^Uhe^ force^ of^the^ universaP flood,^ 
 But Noah, and his children, Shem, Ham, and Japhet. 
 
 sity oi contractions, and caused the absence of almost all marks — "/n 
 medio tutissimus." 
 
 A\i is also written A]n when the next word has, in its first syllable, a 
 slender vowel, as e or ], though this practice is not observed in old manu- 
 scripts. 
 
 <^ t^A Ij-GftieAnn, of (the) Ireland. — " The" is used either for the sake of 
 metre or pre-eminence, denoting glorious Eire, as we say in Greek, 5 Qeos, 
 the God, literally, though there is but one God. Eire will be found in this 
 poem without the article, euphony demanding its omission. In Irish as 
 in French, the article is generally set before the divisions of the earth, 
 names of some countries, cities, &c., a proof of the affinity that exists 
 between the languages and the peoples. Some ignorant dabblers in our 
 venerable language have frequently detached the t) from the beginning of 
 the article n<v and attached it to the previous word, especially to words 
 whose final letter was &, and that because the old historians and poets not 
 unfrequently placed & after some words. This custom was very much 
 abused, and sometimes interfered with the integrity of the word. The 
 ancients often substituted that letter for n, in the middle or end of a term 
 which would otherwise have rji). In old Latin authors this practice ex- 
 isted. It has entirely disappeared, and so should it be discontinued in our 
 language, unless where melody might demand it. 
 
 « Cc, b, be. t) mortifies or eclipses c ; hence the word c-cfo|icA, pro- 
 nounced theerha (land), the tongue must be pressed much between the 
 teeth, as the inhabitants of some parts of Ulster do when pronouncing 
 "though." This is the best notion I can give of the sound. 
 
 f bfoc for bfocuA]5, destroy, or destruction. In the Celtic, as in French 
 and other languages, verbs are used substantively. The word is pro- 
 nounced " dheeooaJ^ 
 
 s A," her, does not cause aspiration, but requires b before a vowel — 
 ** A," his, does require aspiration. 
 
 ^ ]f, A5ur, a'v, acuv, A5U]*, ocAt, and. 
 
 i tj-5tiejce. The sound of n before 5 cannot be given in writing, it 
 must be learned orally, just as the terminational '* n" in French, which 
 
6 
 
 III. 
 
 2lcc CO] I AT) 2l]|i&|i]3/ 'f^ T]^^ ejf^Acc. 
 
 IV. 
 
 2lT)-UA]]t A CA^C MaO], 5At) bAOjf,* J^XT) b|ieu5A, 
 
 2t)o]t^i) AOjfe, ]f c]i]oc A fAegA^l; 
 
 <t)o CUA^^ 30 L]rf)bo b' f eACA]T) 6ubA, 
 
 )y b'^^3 A3 A clo]t)t)^ AT) bOT^Aif b|iAet)Ac. 
 
 having no equivalent letter or combination of letters in English, must be 
 learned from one who talks the language purely, v-^ne^te. — The n in 
 this place is for euphony — the possessive pronoun a is left out for sake 
 of metre. 
 
 This line, the interpretation of which is 
 
 " The torturing of her people, the melting of her wealth," 
 has been treated of by us elsewhere. The author throws his feel- 
 ings, through a long vista of time, into ours. His language, so expressive 
 and affecting, moves us, as it evidently did himself. He saw the victims 
 of torture undergoing the excruciating ordeal. He must have witnessed 
 the inhuman execution of Bishops O'Connell and MacEgan,on Fair Hill, 
 near Killarney. We picture to ourselves his generous nature recoihng 
 from the mere reminiscence of the racking, mangling system of punish- 
 ment of Cromwell's party. In fact, to those who understand the language 
 the last lines present a beautiful hypotoposis — 
 
 *' bfor) n)o c^o]6'xe a' rt)' cl]Ab &'a iieubAo." 
 Pronounced beeun mo chreea si um chlee dhawrayboo. 
 } A'tx)', At) n)o, in our copy was xxrx), contraction for atj n)o. 
 ^ &' for bo, an euphonic particle set before some parts of verbs — to, of, 
 thy, bo, to him, to it, also, two, not, in, un; as &6-beurAc, not mannerly 
 or unmannerly, bo, when negative before a slender vowel, is by some 
 written &6]. bo-bAjrAc, not mortal, immortal; as can be learned from 
 the examples given &o aspirates. 
 
 Stanza ii. 
 
 a ^eAG, or ^reAb, might be interpreted, /aMow, length, continuance; 
 its translation is here, an ix. 
 
T 
 
 III. 
 
 But alone there was in Erin, 
 
 Fintan, the prophet, without drowning in the Deluge, 
 'Twas not his swimming, nor running gave safety to him, 
 But the will of the High-king ; that is the wonder. 
 
 IV. 
 
 The hour {when) Noah spent, without folly, without lies, 
 Much time, and the end of his life, (sin,) 
 He went to Limbo to look for Eve, 
 And left to his children the world wide. 
 
 Hence, " letter." 
 
 « SAonOA, dheena, the letter & being quiescent ; a euphonic is in- 
 serted, or added to the end of words in old authors — thus nnb, fen>?, 
 Xurib, pro. (in Munster) sin, sen, sun, (in Connaught) shin, shen,shnn. In 
 the middle of words it is quiescent where it is only euphonic ; but when 
 it is a radical part of the word, it must be sounded thus, lonoub, njun&ub, 
 a black-bird, but bnAo^novM), O'Brenan. In such as the last, the '* 
 may be a substitute for " n," or merely arbitrary. The poet should, of 
 necessity, sometimes introduce it for melody. " t^uine," a single person, 
 homo. — &AO]ni)e, population, jt;o/?t</M*, 8fc. 
 
 Stanza hi. 
 
 * Hodie, Ann. 
 
 in-CiTvmn — dative case — "t)" prefixed for euphony; in the 1st verse 
 •* b" was used for the same purpose, though, in the latter case, we think 
 it would be as sweet and as poetic to attach the " t}" to the foregoing, 
 
 and read "in," an old form of "Ann," as is also To prevent 
 
 disphony our poets, like those of Greece, were wont to insert " n." The 
 use of the aspirate over our vowels, instead of " b" before them, would 
 be an improvement. It occurs to us, that the above " n" belongs to '* ]," 
 and ought to be " ]nn." 
 
 Hence, " faith." 
 
 ^ ri), and b, thus dotted before broad vowels, have the sound of " w;" 
 as A TT)ixtA]tv, his mother, a Bacao, his baton, but before^e, or ], they sound 
 '* v at the end of words " v" is the sound, whether the words are broad 
 or slender, as cAorn, for khayuv. However, in Connaught these letters^ 
 when final, seem to have, in some words a protracted sound, nearly as 
 " wv," and the Conacians pronounce b final, in many instances, like "if,' 
 
8 
 
 V. 
 
 2lr) 9ix]^ f 0]T^* "puAifi Sett) njA^ c§bcu]b,» 
 <Do cu]c At) 6u|io^p cult) jApljecuf, 
 
 VI. 
 
 jA]l C-C]tUCU5A& AT) bOrr)A]T)j A b-p05U^ T)A 6]A^5 f]T), 
 M] llA^b T)A njAjlCU^T)!) ACC CeAC|tA|l 'f AT)* C-|*^]Tt) ID-bjC, 
 
 2l&ATb, If C^it), 2lbeil If 6ubA, 
 
 'S TpAjib C^v]T) 2lbe^l 5AT) ^at)-co]|i. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Cah) rt)AC Mao], t)A]t b'AOib^T)r) c|i6aca,* 
 
 Jf O CbATT) bo 5e|0* t)A b-ACA]5^ 5AT) bcAf A ; 
 SlclAf*' A|l A TD-bpb leAC T)A fp^]]te, 
 
 )f, Aet) C"fu^l A c-ceAT), Pol]pben)uf.^ 
 
 thus bub, pro. Buff, the tongue in pronouncing, being gently protruded 
 and pressed out between the teeth, y., Aer, does not aspirate, as a 
 
 « Hence, rota, wheel. 
 ' Aliter, Ttps, nf- 
 
 Stanza iv. 
 
 ■ FoUg, 1;, or any eclipsed or deadened letter, does not require to be as- 
 pirated with a dot or with an b after it, which is equivalent to a dot. 
 The student will please observe, that the dot and the 1) are used in the 
 poem, to accustom him to the use of both (r). This word must be care- 
 fully distinguished from rl^t^j or PT^j West, pro. " sheer," whereas ro]tt 
 is pronounced " serh," the " r" to be sounded roughly, or with a rough 
 breathing. This is easily understood by the Greek student, who is ac- 
 quainted with the use of the aspirated r. 
 
 ^ Alit r, c\}X)r). 
 
 •= Hence Dominus, also domain. 
 
 Stanza v. 
 
 * ce&cu]&, is also written ceA&ca]&, the syncope is of frequent use in 
 fhe Irish writings, as are the epinthesis, prosthesis, apocope, paragoge, 
 tmesis, aphaeresis, metathesis, elision, coesura, crasis. 
 
9 
 
 V. 
 
 ( The) Asia East got Shem as the first part, 
 And hot Africa got Ham, who was not blessed, 
 There fell Europe to Japhet ; 
 He took as his share, the West, the part^ last.^ 
 
 VI. 
 
 When created"^ was'^ the^ world, ^ shortly after that. 
 There was not living but four in happy existence, 
 Adam, Cain, Abel, and Eve, 
 And Cain killed Abel without one fault. 
 
 ♦ VII. 
 
 Ham, son of Noah, that was not of happy deeds (traits). 
 It is from Ham were descended the monsters without man- 
 Atlas, on whose shoulders was half of the heavens, [ners. 
 And Polyphemus, (with) one eye in his head. 
 
 ^ '5ATjn for ]f At}t), " and the," also used for 'r ^xt)t), and in." — Ham, 
 as a part of the curse entailed on himself and his offspring, for la\jghing 
 at his father's weakness, got as his inheritance hot Africa ; that even 
 their colour might be a brand of infamy. 
 
 In Munster this is usually sounded, but silent in Connaught ; it is 
 generally silent in the middle of words. This word might be translated — 
 " he took the end," or '* I would take," v^]nn being then a part of the 
 verb — the sign of the potential mood. |^U]nn, end ; Europe being the 
 end of the world. 
 
 Stanza vi. 
 
 " Y for A5Uf , &c. 
 
 Stanza vii. 
 
 ^ " Kawim mac nhee nhawr veevin thrayhaP As we write for two 
 classes of readers — those who know the language, and those who do not, 
 we thought right to give a key for pronouncing the first line. 
 
 ^ corruptly ^a6a]5, also ^acai5. 
 Atlas was a great astronomer — a chain of mountains extending through 
 the Barbary states to the Atlantic, was called after him, as from its top 
 he made his astronomical observations. Hence the classical myth, that 
 he supported on his shoulders the heavens. 
 
10 
 
 VIII. 
 
 505, n)Ac 5o]5> ir cui|ip 5^1? le]T)e. 
 
 IX. 
 
 Ciclopi*, Cer)CAU|tuj, Ce|ibe|iuf, Bji^cf, 
 3o|t50T) bo 5T;p6 cIoca bo bAorjrje ;* 
 
 X. 
 
 43'eA5lA A|i]p 50 b-qucfAb at? bjle,* 
 43o rbeAj* M]ir)]xob cojt bo 6^<vT)Am, 
 B116 b-^lTibe ce^v]) t}^?,T)A |i&uIca, 
 i)^lt° C|t]0cr)U]5, be] I* a fAec<\|]t. 
 
 XI. 
 
 C]tuit)r)]5l8 rf)ufcu]tu]T) bo 't)-a f AejiAjb,* 
 
 ci)0c Ol]rT)pu|*, Of A If Pbel]OT) ; 
 M] l)-]Ab bo b]o6 50 })-d]6ce A]t aot) cu]b, 
 2I5 cu|i p^cu]5e A r)-5^!i|i|iA]& peu]t-Ti)A|i. 
 
 One-eyed Polyphemus — There was a race of giants in the south-east 
 of Sicily, called Cyclops ; so called from having a circular large eye in the 
 middle of the forehead. Of these, Polyphemus was the chief. For an 
 account of these giants, the reader is referred to Virgil's iEneid, also to 
 Lucian. 
 
 Stanza viii. 
 
 * For the history of Briareus and Argos, see Lempriere's ** Classical 
 Dictionary," wherein will be had a full description of the giants. 
 ^ For these names read Lempriere. 
 
 Stanza ix. 
 
 » For i>Aor}r}]h. 
 
 Stanza x. 
 
 " This line is explained in the notes on thirteenth and fourteenth verse. 
 
11 
 
 vin. 
 
 Briareus, on whom were a hundred hands of thorny fingers. 
 Argus, the^ man^ with a hundred seeing eyes in his head. 
 Titan that swallowed^ ^ ten oxen at a meal, 
 Gog, Magog, and their bodies without cover, (shirt,) 
 
 IX. 
 
 Cyclops, Centaur Cerberus, Eryx, 
 Gorgon that made stones of persons, 
 Minotaurus, that devoured the Greeks, 
 Nimrod the chief, and king of armies. 
 
 X. 
 
 Through fear the^ flood^ again^ would'^ come,'^ 
 Nimrod^ resolved^ a'^ tower to make'* 
 Of^higher^ head'^ than^ the^ stars,^ 
 A thing^ that was^ not^ finished after^ his^ labour.^ 
 
 XI. 
 
 He collected a gathering of the artists 
 
 On Olympus Hill, Ossa and Pelion. 
 
 It was not they that were until night on one meal 
 
 A sowing potatoes in a fallow garden. 
 
 'h'A, with this mark its English is than; rf^., thus written is the mas- 
 culine article, translated the, it is also the genitive form of the feminine 
 article. There is but one article in the Irish language, An, the ; for mas- 
 culine and feminine, in the singular number, it is invariable, save that in 
 the feminine gender, in the genitive case, it makes t^a ; the plural mas. 
 and fem. is Hence can be seen how simple the Irish article is. If 
 we would translate a man, into Irish, we would write the simple word 
 treAtt. As in French, so in Irish, there are but two genders — mas. and 
 fem. ; so that all personal pronouns, representing inanimate objects, must 
 be interpreted — he, she, him, her, «&.c., in both languages. It is the same, 
 in many instances, in Greek and Latin, thus ille est magnus lupis, magniLs 
 gladim — literally — he is great stone, he is great sword ; ilia est brevis via, 
 bona penna—she is short way, she is good pen. We write these examples 
 
12 
 
 XII. 
 
 21] jt* AT) caIatt) 6 frlA]C|0]* b'A b-]:6ACA]T)r) ; 
 43o ]t]t)e 3^V]|ie |:ao] va p^j^qt)', 
 t^]0)t beA5 le]Y f^b bo b] A5 ^^yze^cz. 
 
 XIII. 
 
 jAb f6]T) Y A C-CT)U]C A||t Ttju^v A c6]le ; 
 
 2lc^ t*]Ab -jjioy A5 lofjAb* A T)-5eu5Aj* 
 Ca]*a6 |ie b-^l31T> A ct)eAbA8 *f a beic^b.'' 
 
 XIV. 
 
 21t) Tr)a]5]]*q|t leATt),* bo bf A]t t)A ]*Ae|iA]b 
 
 co|i 11eATi)]tuA]6, Y a^Iucc fAecA]|i; 
 'l^-UA]|i A b]A|i|tA6<* cloc, bo bej]ic]8 c]t6 86, 
 '1i-uA]|t A b]A]t|iA8 c|iAT)t>, bo be]|iq8 Ael 86* 
 
 to show the peculiarity of lingual idioms, and to check the sneers that are 
 too often indulged in by persons who would seek to ridicule the Irish 
 language. Hence it can be learned that " Billy of the mountains'" trans- 
 lation, when applied to any language, is as ridiculous as when used rela- 
 tive to our own. 
 " Con. n^x and fio. 
 
 Stanza xii. 
 
 = This word means artizans, from rAoe, knowledge^ and peAfi, man. 
 Stanza xiii. 
 
 » Some Irish scholars would read lUAf5A6 a T)-5eu5A, " clapping their 
 hands,'* but we prefer it as it stands in the text, as we found it. We 
 never wish to tamper with a text, especially when it conveys good sense. 
 lot5A6 A ii-5eu5A6, burning in their members, is excellent sense. 3&^3 
 is a bough of a tree, and by a figure, signifies a member of the body. 
 Therefore, whether we understand the words of the author in reference 
 to the pains of hell, or only to their being placed under the burning iEtna, 
 the text retained is evidently genuine. 
 
 ^ be]ci>.6, by syncope for be]cfu5A6, or, according to some philologists, 
 the former word is right, Cv\ol le caoI 'r Icacah le leAtAi) ; when the 
 last syllable of the root of a verb has a slender vowel, i& or eb is sweeter 
 
13 
 
 XII. 
 
 God was patient, meek, full of endurance 
 
 On the earth from heaven a looking, 
 
 He did laugh at {the worms) the people, 
 
 It was not little to him the length he was listening. 
 
 XITI. 
 
 He^ tumbled^ down* with-^ his^ nod^ 
 Themselves and the hills on top of each other. 
 They are yet burning in their members, 
 Turning with difficulty, a groaning and screaming. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 The silly^ master^ that was over the artizans 
 Of Nimrod's tower, and his labourers. 
 When he asked for stones there was given earth to him, 
 And when he asked for timber there was brought lime 
 to him. 
 
 than A&. The old writers had some regard to the above rule. Too close 
 an adhesion to it would be very unsafe. 
 
 Stanza xiv. 
 
 a '* The silly mperintendant who was over the men" leAti), pro. llyaw, 
 silly, I beginning a word or syllable, pro. as the I in the last syllable of 
 William llgum, the tongue being protruded between the teeth, but not 
 pressed. We wish to be precise and clear on this sound, as it seems dif- 
 ficult to learners ; but the observance of our simple rule at once removes 
 the apparent difficulty. A stranger to the sibilating leopard English lan- 
 guage, will find vastly more difficulties in its pronunciation than in ours. 
 The very sound we are explaining is a proof of what we say ; but as we 
 are familiar with the word William, the sound Ihyum, Ham, seems quite 
 easy. Habit is everything in speaking a language. This proves that 
 there is nothing peculiar nor difficult in pronouncing Irish more than 
 English. The rule for sounding I holds good for d, t. It will be borne in 
 mind, that this simple rule is the result of experience in speaking and 
 teaching the language, b] pro. vee, bo, pro. woe, x)^ plural of at), in all 
 cases, it is also gen. singular. xAe-\\-^]b or rAoiTiA]b, derived from X]i>, rio> 
 or xAoi), knowledge, and vev^tt man, Aib or ib being the sign of the 
 
14 
 
 XV. 
 
 ]tA|b ]tO]Ti)e'* X]V ACA acc aoi)-5uc,® 
 2lr) ceAT)5A 6<xb|iA, bo rbup) b-6be|i. 
 
 dative plural, x luce r^ecAiti, ow'^ persons of labour — iJie labour- 
 ing men — those who attended the tradesmen or artists — tvho were men 
 learned in their arts. The term xao]^ may be applied to any tradesman, 
 but the Irish apply it generally to carpenters or builders ; when they apply 
 it to masons they add the word clo]ce, g. of cloc. bo has many signifi- 
 cations : it is used in a relative sense as above, it means in, of, to, with 
 an accent on the 0, to him, two ; it is also negative — in tin in English, as 
 ho-^-euf AC, unanimously, feo-frA]CT]OTiAc, invisible ; pronounce it as though, 
 in English, or nearly so. It is, likewise, an intensitive particle, like in, 
 im, in English — exempli gratia — b6bti6]n, great grief, melancholy, /jltjKoct 
 black, xo^^j ^^^^» i^om the Greek, bo is sometimes a prefix or sign of 
 the infinitive, as bo ceAyAi), to torment, of the past tense, as bo ceAXAy, 
 I tormented. In prose, this word could be written without the broad 
 vowels, as it could in verse, if the metre required, according to the rule 
 " slender to slender," and " broad to broad." 
 
 ^ A has several meanings, in this place it is to be translated which, the 
 relative for AnuA]ti, *^ the hour,*' or when it signifies, his, hers, its, 
 theirs, sometimes placed before the infinitive mood, the present-perfect, 
 and future tense indicative, con. for ah, the interrogative particle, for ah, 
 in for *^5, the prefix of the pre. part., &c. 
 
 5AecA]ti, labourers — f^ec, or t^oc, labour^ and ^eAfi, man, a labour- 
 man : these were the workmen who attended the artizans — the rAojfi- 
 ctiATjT), carpenters, and the r^ori-cloice, the masons. 
 
 b is here the prefix of the past tense indie, bfAnti-^6, con. for bo 
 ]Ati1VA6, " they asked for." ^Ye may here note, that the author, as far as 
 we could find, has uniformly kept to the rule " caoI le caoI 'r leAtAn 
 le leACvM). However, grammar commands a deviation, when the broad 
 or slender vowel is an essential part of the word, so that another 
 cannot be substituted, as in the word b6]b, which is contracted for 
 no, to, ]b, them. Both prosody and etymology prevent the carry- 
 ing out the rule in this instance; there will occur other exceptions, 
 which the careful student can easily distinguish, fb is also ye, and 6fb, 
 con. for bo, to, fb. We are anxious to be explicit on these words ; a close 
 
15 
 
 XV. 
 
 They slipped away quickly, and separated together. 
 There was speech different in the mouth of each of them, 
 There was not before that to them but one tongue, 
 The Hebrew^ language^ that Heber^ taught.^ 
 
 distinction can alone make a stranger to the structure of our venerable 
 language comprehend the manner of using them ; 60 fb, the accent on the 
 f, " to you,^^ suffers apostrophe, and is written 6fb 6'|b. The observance 
 of such rules as these obviates the interference with the venerability of 
 the structure of the text, by the interposition of marks. This ought to 
 be avoided as much as possible. The 14th, 15th, and 16th verses are 
 literally grounded on the Book of Genesis (which see). 
 
 Stanza xv. 
 
 a A n)-be<vl, the mouth,''^ ] is used before a slender vowel, and is 
 translated in; before a broad vowel we use a or AT)n, pro. on. We have 
 already noted that when a letter is eclipsed it needs not to be dotted ; 
 nj-beAl, pro. mayul\ e, thus marked, invariably sounds ay. 
 
 ^ ] without an accent, pro. as i in hit, t as ee ; the latter is its natural 
 sound in every language, except English; in Irish it never, unless joined 
 with some other letter, sounds as the i in life. This last sound is an in- 
 novation amongst some of our Latin scholars. We are forced occasionally 
 to tolerate it, though knowing it to be a corruption. 
 
 This, and other prepositions, signify in. This copiousness of our 
 language gives a fluency to the speaker, a facility to the poet and prose 
 writer, as he can take the form most suitable to his metre or his taste ; 
 the same may be said of other prepositions. 
 
 <= Aon or Aen, as the vowel following may be slender or broad. 
 
 ^ bfob b'fob, con. for be fob, of them, must be distinguished from 
 to]h, to them. The eclipsed letter has been omitted by writers not pro- 
 ficient in literature. 
 
 * Could be T^irrje, 
 
 ^ Con. for Aot)-&u]t)e, Aon-5Uc, aox) one, 5ut, voice, in the previous line 
 we had Aen, here we have aot), each means one ; in one place the slender 
 vowel ] followed. Therefore, it was written Aex) in the latter place, the 
 broad vowel " m" came after, hence act). It occurs to us, that if a slender 
 vowel be pronounced broadly, the preceding vowel may be broad, as n;- 
 beAl. — Ums te plura docecit : 
 
 " Q,uem penes arbitrium est, et jus, et norma loquendi." 
 We must never, for the sake of melody, destroy the radio: of a word. 
 
16 
 
 XVI. 
 
 The numerals Aor} or Aen, bo, cause aspiration, thence upwards they 
 do not ; but peAcc, occ, no], be^c, cause eclipses or mortification, 
 Aot)5Uc should be written aot)-5Uc. It is a manifest corruption to join 
 such words. What caused this error in printing Irish was this : — The 
 original writers or transcribers found it inconvenient to be raising the pen 
 at the end of each word. They preferred to let it run to the next. This 
 they did for dispatch, and to compress their manuscript into as narrow 
 a limit as possible. An expeditious writer or copyist of the English lan- 
 guage does the same at this day. He will finish an entire line without 
 ever lifting his pen. It does not thence follow, that a printer ought not 
 to print his words asunder. Ignorant writers or copyists of the Irish 
 language, made the manuscript as the words sounded on the ear not as 
 grammar demanded. Hence, we have met some manuscripts that were 
 perfect nonsense and disgusting. And what makes this evil still worse is, 
 that the ignorance of some of them is incurable : they fancy themselves 
 more learned than all others, and will not, therefore, yield to the force of 
 common sense, because of their dogged pertinacity in pre-conceived 
 notions. However, I am satisfied that a little time will rectify this mis- 
 take, when it will be found that there are hundreds of learned Irish 
 scholars to be met with. Time, the grand developer of all things, will 
 prove the truth of this statement. There are, at this moment, many native 
 Cionfodhlas {kinfyowlas) in Ireland, though they do not shine in print. 
 There is no field for them, no encouragement, no patron to sustain a writer. 
 If an individual venture to publish to any extent, he is sure to fare as the 
 patriotic Barron of Waterford, who devoted his life, and his entire pro- 
 perty, to the revival of the language ; he got in return a broken heart. 
 Notwithstanding all this, it is fortunate that there is even one small field 
 for the advancement of Irish literature, even though a monopoly may be, 
 and is greatly complained of. Rivalry is salutary. It purifies matters, 
 as does agitation the waters of the deep. I like to see honourable emu- 
 lation, because it creates an earnest that work will be better done. 
 Stanza xvi. 
 
 » x)MX) yo]x), pro. nhom son, " that time," sometimes written cad ai), pro. 
 thon-son, in Munster is thon-sin. \ before the broad vowels is pro. as s 
 
XVI. 
 
 There was at tliat^ time"^ an accomplished^ prince,^ 
 In Scythia, Niul, the son of Fenius ; 
 He sent twelve and twenty and forty,* (72) 
 On'* a^ tour together^ to collect languages. 
 
 * All the ancient languages had this mode of computing. 
 
 in sat ; but before and after the slender vowels, pro. sh, as heard in sAall, 
 thus 5ei\T), pro. Shawn, John 5eArr)ur, pro. Shaymus, " James In 
 Connaught, ro and ru are sometimes pro. sho, shn ; but as con aiji) to, pro. 
 thor on sho, " come hither," Arm yub " thither," pro. on-shud. When the 
 student will be reminded that the h is not a letter, but an aspirate, he 
 will find that s in English, when preceded or followed by a slender vowel, 
 e or i, is attended by an h or aspirate ; and when by a broad vowel a, a, 
 or M, there is seldom an h. Hence, it appears that rule is as much a 
 rule of the English language as of the Irish. There are, however, some 
 few exceptions in one and the other. 
 
 ^ Epiphanius, Bishop of Salamis, a great writer of the fourth century 
 and who died in 403, says, •* that the monarchy of the Scythians began 
 soon after the flood, and continued to the captivity of Babylon he fur- 
 ther adds, *' that the laws, customs, and manners of the Scythians were 
 received by other nations as the standards of policy, civility, and polite 
 learning, and that they were first after the flood who attempted to reform 
 mankind into notions of courtesy, into the art of government, and the 
 practice of good government — see edition of his writing by Dians. Peta- 
 vius, Parist, 1622. 
 
 The primitive or early Scythia exactly corresponded with the present 
 "Western or Independent Tartary, though, in after days, it comprised a 
 great portion of Europe and Asia. The reader will please recollect, that 
 as often as Scythia, whence Milesius emigrated, will be mentioned in this 
 work, the author means no larger a territory than Western Tartary, having 
 the Caspian Sea to the west, the Beloo Tagh Mountains to the east, 
 Siberia to the north, and Persia with Atfghanistan to the south. 
 
 " This word, by the insertion of o for the first ], would read in English 
 pronunciation, " Scotia." 
 
 From him, "Phoenicia;" also European civilization. It is said he 
 built Athens, in Achaia, in Greece, see Mac Curtin's " Antiquities." 
 
 * Sometimes cAe5A&. 
 
 f Letters dotted in the middle of words are not sounded, e.g. c65bA]l, 
 ij-enj^eAcc, are pronounced " ihoge awill," " n-ainacht." 
 
 « The genitive plural takes the eclipsing letters, b, b, nj, &c.,as occasion 
 
 C 
 
18 
 
 XVII. 
 
 Ba I^a eolu]5e ceAr)5CA, ]|* cji^^ce, 
 3^^515 6Ab]tAir, Iai&]ot) 5AO|6il5e. 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 cuaIa6 Pl)A|tAol) c^f5 TT^e^c* Pet)]U|-, 
 <t)']A|i|i Ai|i bol le]X ^^]r) bo'i) Bi5ipc 
 
 2ler)6^eA|t^ At) ofi^-u]lc Scoca, be|6-5eAl. 
 
 XIX. 
 
 UAjCe CU5A6 Scoc]^ A^]t ^'^'^^^^^^ 
 
 ScopA A lA^bjor) rrjAji AjtJn) A]]t B]|te;* 
 
 requires ; double cc, cc, pp, &c., &-r, 5-c, b-p, &c., in these places the ^ 
 second letter is silent ; but to omit it would destroy the integrity of the 
 original term. 
 
 Stanza, xvii. 
 
 a R]r)T}', by apocope for " ninneio," cojqno n]U, " a meeting with them," or 
 " of them," that is, he made them Professors in his University ; the first • 
 we read of that was ever established. From that day down to this in 
 which we write, the Scythic race, wheresoever it streamed, has been pro- 
 verbial for its fame in all the walks of literature, and pre- eminently so the 
 descendants of the Milesian Irish colony. 
 
 ^ 11JAC pro. mogh, **a small plain," n;ACA]tte, "avast jy/am," resembling 
 a sea. " The plain of Senaar." Mac Curtin, in his " Defence of the An- 
 tiquity of Ireland," says, " this plain was in Achaia." From this it is 
 plain why Doctor O'Connell asserts in his poem, that Athens (in Greece) 
 belonged to the Gadelians by right of Feniusa." If this is so, then that 
 renowned city must have been built by the Scythians, who, as Justin, in 
 his second book, and Heredotus, in his fifth book, write, that they spread 
 civilization and refinement wheresoever they travelled. Heredotus, in the 
 passage alluded to, calls the Scythians avroxSoues. By this very name the 
 Athenians of old seemed to have called themselves avroxOovos. For this 
 reason, that, with the exception of the Pelasgi, they were never held in sub- 
 
19 
 
 XVII. 
 
 He^ arranged^ ameeting"^ ofthem^ on the plains of Slienaar, 
 Therein he assembled a school with diligence ; 
 He was the guide of virtues and languages — • 
 Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Irish, 
 
 XVIII. 
 
 Pharoah^ heard^ of the fame of Fenius' son, 
 Asked of him to go with him to Egypt, 
 He^ gave his daughter to him as wife. 
 The golden-locked^ maid,^ fair^ Scota.'^ 
 
 XIX. 
 
 It is from her the name " Scoti" is given to the Gaeliv. 
 Scotia in Latin, as a term for Eire ; 
 She^ brought^ forth^ a son very good, Gadelas, 
 That is Gael-glas, ancestor of Ireland (the Irish). 
 
 jection by any foreign tribe, and considered themselves as old as the ground 
 from which they thought they sprang. Heredotus viewed the Scythians 
 in the same light, though he formed a false notion of the primitive Scythia, 
 which certainly did not extend west of the Rha or Volga. 
 
 Stanza xviii. 
 
 ^ xr)e]C also rt)ic, of the son, it is also nje^c and n)]c in the nom. plu. 
 Masculine nouns and adnouns, are aspirated in the gen. sing., but not the 
 nom. plu. In some words they suffer eclipse not aspiration, as atj c-f ao^v 
 " of the artizan." Feminine nouns are aspirated in the nom. sing., not in 
 the gen. sing., but their gen. plu. suffer eclipsis ; if the gen. sing, of mas- 
 culine nouns be eclipsed, the same case plural of the same word will not. 
 
 ^ This means, for a man, that is, marriageable, or masculine ; intrepid 
 as a man. 
 
 Stanza xix. 
 
 Rather she was called Scota by Niul, in honour of his own country 
 Scythia. See a previous note. 
 
 ^ So called after Gael, the Linguist, whom Niul so much respected. The 
 Professor must not be confounded with Nial's son, the last syllable cut off. 
 
 Gaodhal Glas, Gadelas. Niul called his son by Scota Gaodhal {Gael), 
 or {Ghayul), out of respect to his tutor of the same name, who digested 
 
20 
 
 XX. 
 
 So '6 At) cArt) bo b] 2^A0j|*' ai) B51PC,* 
 
 pobAll j|*|iAel 6Ae|tb|iu]b 
 Pb^]to ^aII|*a, ]:]Ocrt)u|t, bA6]t le]|*, 
 
 )|* SCOCA CeAT)T)f A l^T) bO *6AeT)T)A]*.*' 
 XXI. 
 
 ]iu5 2t)A0)|*e A n)ii]i)c^]t le]|* 
 
 'Cjl^b AT) 2t)u]]t Hua6 I^Ut) 5AT) e^|*l]T)T)* 
 <t)0 Ti}eA]* AT) |t]5 A b-p]lleA&', A C-C|tAeCA&'' 
 
 3A]t bAjceAb 6 ']« a bu]&eAT) at)!)*' e]t)peACc. 
 
 XXII. 
 
 <Do JIac f 5|tubAl^ Tr)6]t cIat)T) J^b^luf* 
 CoTT)t)U]6e bo 8eAT)ATr) a|i at) c^eb f]T); 
 
 ^)0 jleAl*'' A CAbUc CjtOTr) 50 5l^U|-CA, 
 
 'S v']oi[i I'CAb *5u|i° |io^cAb]|i* cjtjoc t)A 3l^&|3e.* 
 
 the Irish tongue into form, and who was also his relative, being descended 
 of Gomer, son of Japhet. The reader will have learned, that when 
 Gaodhal was young, he was bitten by a serpent ; and Moses, through the 
 intercession of Aaron, laid his wand on the child's arm (the part injured), 
 and it was instantly healed, and the place of the wound remained green, 
 which, in Irish, means " Glas." Keating and i\Iac Curtin give this story, 
 which is not lightly to be denied. Niul relieved the Hebrew people with 
 provisions and other things ; and we are not, therefore, to be surprised 
 that Moses, the divinely-chosen leader, besought God in favour of the 
 generous prince and his child. We are moreover told, that the Hebrew 
 chief pronounced a blessing on the posterity of Gadelas, that wherever 
 they ruled, serpents could not exist. And it is a fact, that wherever they 
 reigned, as in Crete, Thrace, and Ireland, serpents have been unknown. It 
 is even remarkable, that the parts of Great Britain occupied by the Celts, 
 or their progeny, adders and snakes do not infest. Moses iikew'ise pre- 
 dicted, that learning, in all its lovely shapes, would be spread in eveiy 
 land wherein the Gael would gain sway. This has been hterally verified. 
 For, in this island, the infernal tyranny of the Danes, and the abominable 
 Vandal spirit of English rulers could not uproot learning from the Irish 
 soil. What but the Divine will powerfully manifested could have saved it. 
 Even as late as the days of bigotted Anne, mountains of precious Irish 
 
21 
 
 XX. 
 
 It was at that time tliat Moses was in Egypt, 
 
 And the people of Israel in bondage. 
 I Pharoah Iwas'] false, cruel, oppressive towards them, 
 \ And Scota mild, full of generosity. 
 
 XXI. 
 
 Moses^ brought^ his'* own^ people^ with^ him,^ 
 Through the Red'' Sea,^ safe without hurt. [them, 
 The^ king'* Hhought^ to bring them back and annihilate 
 So^ that^ himself"* and all his host^ together^ were^ drowned. 2 
 
 XXII. 
 
 Gadelas'^ sons^ made^ greaf* scruple^ 
 
 To^ make^ their^ residence^ in'* that^ quarter,^ 
 
 Their^ great^ fleet,* welP rigged,^ they* fitted,^ 
 
 They stopped not until they reached a territory of Greece. 
 
 manuscripts were burned and otherwise destroyed. We need not harrow 
 up the mind of the reader, by alluding to Elizabeth's demolition of Erin's 
 noble literary structure — 
 
 " Heavens ! whole ages perish there." 
 
 Just so, Ireland's faith cannot fail : such was the promise of the angel 
 Victor to St. Patrick, as the poem on which I am writing, states. How 
 vain was it, then, to strive to root out either the language or creed. They 
 are, each, based on imperishable rocks — on God's word. They can no 
 more fail than truth be entirely pushed back to the ever-flowing fountain 
 whence it gushes. 
 
 Stanza xx. 
 
 * 'r An C51PC ; by close observation we have found that this ^at) 
 hitherto set down as a preposition, is not such, but is compounded 
 of y, " m," and An, the definite article, " the.'' For example, t*Atj cfti, 
 pro. son theer, in the country." Now, as we have no indefinite article in 
 Irish, the Irish words given by us, must contain a definite one, and that 
 is evidently found in rAn, which should be r An, " in the." If we would 
 express *• in a country" in the Celtic, we would say Ann ^flt. Accord- 
 ing to our view of this matter x is often used for Annr> not for AnnrA, 
 
22 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 Ba leo 2lc})eT)|* a 5-ceA|ic P&t)]U|-,* 
 
 <Do cuAjb Af f]r) 50 LAceb^n^OT)^ 
 
 'S bo 5IUA]* Af le b-]0")A<3* 3^^^3^<^* 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 iDo iTr)q5 f]0|i leo juf at) Sqc^A, 
 
 'S Ar)T) b'^]|i]5 u|i]i^r)» ]b||t' A jeAlcA 
 
 <t) 'f |lle' a'|i Air b-ojll^A^t) i)A 5t^^151> 
 
 Or *nT)b^ r^oie* 5' ad b-63ipc, ir b-Jb^ix^. 
 
 as this last word is itself a contraction for Annr a, " in the" a being oc- 
 casionally substituted for ah, ** the," as it is for aw, " in." 
 
 Again we say, Ai^nr at? leAbAn, " m Me book," but ahi? or ]Tit} leAbAri, 
 " in a book," 'r Atj CAiabAb, " in t?ie chariot," Ap cAjibAb, in a chariot." 
 We were indeed much surprised to find, that the learned O'Brien, who 
 has conferred so lasting a benefit on his native tongue, did not animadvert 
 upon this inaccuracy, though the least reflection could not have failed to 
 suggest the improvement, Ar^uAti a bf ah v-lt 'l* 5-cAcAin, pro. 
 nhooir a vee un ree son goghir, — " when the king was in the city," but 
 AnuAti A bf AT) 7x^5 A 5-cAcA]ri, is translated " when the king was in a 
 city" "Wherefore, we undertake to say, that AmxA^, 'r«^n, Annr^* innr, 
 ■\r}X'^i or)x)x, onnr^ilj IH'JrAi), &c., are each equal to " in the ;" but that 
 our predecessors, for want of reflection, not through ignorance, did not 
 notice the error. 
 
 ^ &.xennAr for SAennAcc, for sake of metre. 
 
 Stanza xxi. 
 
 * hree un murrh roo-a slawn gun eshlhyn. 
 
 ^ b-^lUeA6, villhoo, in the copies we read iriiUeAo, which is clearly a 
 corruption. 
 
 The preposition Ai)n before this word used, to be improperly separated, 
 so that one n was placed before the efn, and the other after a. It is time 
 to improve when thought, by electricity, is being conveyed so rapidly. 
 Stanza xxii. 
 ^ The copy had r^nupAll, an English word. 
 ^ o^eur, in the copy t^vLAf. 
 
 " 5Uti T\oc re cTtfoc are the words of the copy — *' until he settled in 
 the country." We have made it " until he reached, &c. 
 
23 
 
 XXIII. 
 
 They were for a time in the city of Thebes, 
 To them belonged Athens by right of Fenius,* 
 They went thence to Lacedemon, 
 And he departed from it with many Greeks. 
 
 XXIV. 
 
 They went east to Scythia ; 
 
 It was there arose a strife between them and their kindred, 
 They returned back through the islands of the Greeks, 
 Thence they sailed to {the) Egypt and Iberia. 
 
 Stanza xxiii. 
 
 * bo bf i*]Ab, ** they were," the copy has it " he was" using re (shay) 
 instead of f ia& (sheeud). 
 
 ^ At) cebe, " of Thebes" the copy has h-]f peni^, " of Hisperia" We 
 read that the Gadelians were for some time in the city of Thebes. 
 
 <= The capital of Laconia, whose inhabitants wrote so curtly that all 
 pointed short writing, is styled laconic. 
 
 * Gadelas the linguist was from Greece, and was nephew to Fenius, and 
 this perhaps is the allusion here. 
 
 Stanza xxiv. 
 
 a utttJ^vT). I have considered this term more appropriate than jn^tteAf, 
 the latter denotes a petty quarrel. This is evident from the fact, that 
 rt)o}x, " great" is added when the idea of a dangerous dispute is to be 
 conveyed ; but the former term implies " contentio" a contention, not for 
 a part, but for the entire possession of a thing. — See Ainsworth's large dic- 
 tionary, he writes : '* Contentio est non de parte sed de tota possessione." 
 This was exactly the case in the matter alluded to by the poet ; the strug- 
 gle was for the sovereignty of Old Scythia, between Riflore, its king, 
 and his kinsman, Eagnon (Annon), son of Taith (Thagh), the former 
 having been slain, and the Gadelians fled to escape the rage of the de- 
 scendants of Nenual. 
 
 ^ X]r)h, the b is only euphonic, as the Greek poets had their euphonic 
 the Celts used b. The Greeks, according to their provinces, had their opa 
 6a Oev the Irish, also, had their particles to secure melody, for 
 which it stands pre-eminent. The patriotic Keating thus writes of the 
 Irish language. 
 
24 
 
 XXV. 
 
 J flfe^bce CAb^jii,*' Tt)|c 2llcurr)eT)A, 
 
 5uc, 5AT), cAbAiti, co-(5ctt-ice ; 
 SloTi, 5le, 5l]Tj5, sat&a, 
 5e]n), fUAjttc, fUlcblA]-&A. 
 
 ClA GAbtlA ceAii5v\ Ar reAt)r)!DA, 
 
 C]A lA]!3)onn ]r ieA5AncA, 
 Uaca tiiTice rjfop. ^tifc l]f)5 
 CuA^ieTt) pocA]l bo conjAjn." 
 
 " The Irish is a language completely sweet. 
 In aid of which no foreign e'er did meet, 
 A copious, free, keen, and extending voice. 
 And mellifluent, brief ; for mirth most choice. 
 
 Although the Hebrew language be the first, 
 And that for learning, Latin be the best, 
 Yet still, from them the Irish never was found, 
 One word to borrow to make its proper sound." 
 
 Stanza xxv. 
 
 ^ &' for &o, the sign of the past indie, as of the infinitive, for bo ix]t&- 
 
 A]5. 
 
 ^ Also c5At, 5Aot ATipAG, " fl tempest" at), intensitive particle, " very," 
 JTAD, " long," 5Aot-TT)OTi, great wind," "a storm." 
 
 <= '* Carhin" is a name the poet gives to a promontory on the south-east of 
 Italy, and w^hich, as we find by the third book of Virgil, was, with the 
 whole territory, sacred to Hercules, the son of Alcmena. Strabo says, 
 that in the city of that place was a colossus of brass to Hercules ; that it 
 was built by the celebrated Sysippus, Alexander's statuary ; and that 
 Fabius Maximus brought it to Rome, and placed it in the Capitol, catxa, 
 taken literally, means a head," also " a friend," it signifies also " a gam- 
 mon," likewise a " headland," but somewhat winding or crescent-like. 
 Hence cA|tb]i)i), *' a lofty headland," the promontory of Licinia, where 
 Juno was worshipped. To the west of this promontory lay Scylla and Cha- 
 rybdis ; the latter on the coast of Sicily, and the former on that of Italy. 
 CAttblr)!) is better, though we allow the text to stand. The reading of a 
 passage in Virgil leads to the true interpretation of CvAjt-binn, and only 
 
25 
 
 XXV. 
 
 A storm arose and the winds raged against them, 
 At the Cabiri, sacred to the son of Alcmena. 
 Between Melos and Ephesus, 
 Between Ortygia and the island of Crete, 
 
 . when we had a former note in print. cAyi-h^mf. for cAtin-b]nn, " stone- 
 promontory. cAttbfit, mountains of Phrygia, in Asia Minor, on the coast 
 of the Egean Sea ; they lay south of Troas. Deities, called after them, 
 were worshipped here, in a most obscene and wicked manner. This sys- 
 tem of worshipping was practiced in Colchis, west of the Caspian, and in 
 Samothrace; especially in the latter* place. These deities were supposed 
 to be most powerful in their guardianship of sailors and warriors. Hence 
 
 all chiefs and princes were initiated in Samothrace V. Her. ii., 51. 
 
 Strab. 10. Pan., ix., 22. There is much dispute as to who were those 
 gods. The author evidently sets them down as trijc 'd\cn)er)A, " sons 
 of Alcmena," daughter of Amphytrion, king of Mycenae, and her mother 
 was, according to Plutarch, Lysidice. She gave birth to twins, viz., 
 Heranleo by Jupiter, and Iphicles by Amphytrion. — V. Pantheon and Her. 
 ii., 43, and many others. Melos, lying between Candia and Peloponnesus, 
 famed for minerals, iron, and wines, much written about by Thucydides, ii. 
 Pliny iv., 12. 
 
 ^ Also A5ur, " and," ], also f, fnir- 
 
 « Oticf5]A, also called Delos, a little south of the Archipelago, and north 
 of Crete, or Candia. The latter was, at a very early date, inhabited by the 
 Milesians, whence some of them migrated to a place a little to the south 
 of Troy, where they built Milesus, of which place was Thales, the cele- 
 brated astronomer. There is another small island called Ortygia, in the 
 bay of Syracuse, south-west of Sicily ; there is a grove of that name near 
 Ephesus. In the former, the fountain Arethusa sprung up. ' 
 
 Melos or Milos is an island north of Crete. Ephesus a city of Ionia, 
 50 miles south of Smyrna, in Asia Minor, celebrated for the temple of 
 Diana, which was burned by Erostratus the night of the birth of Alex- 
 ander the Great. Its architect was Ctesiphon. Its length, 425 feet ; its 
 breadth, 220; it had 127 columns, each the gift of a king, Pliny xxxiv. 
 14. This temple was rebuilt, and continued to be thronged with votaries 
 until the days of Constantino, when all Pagan temples within his realms 
 were overthrown. 
 
 How beautifully does the poet group the places according to regular 
 geographical positions. Throughout the whole work can be seen a rich 
 
26 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 )Y CA|i]bh]]* b^5A]tAC, bAogUc 
 
 43o At) 2t)u|i|tuA8AC* 50 bji^t)*^ cAeb lejf, 
 
 21 5TtuA]5 f5A0]lce, ^ 6'a |i&]ceAc. 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 <t)o jlACAbAjt caIatt) a c-caIa]5* b-JrP^T^1^j 
 
 AVVV ^ Ti7-Biof5A]t), bo 5Ai|iii)eA& Hecy 8e,* 
 'puAjit le 5Ai]*5e Tt)A]t At)]tr) 2t)^lefjUf 
 " 2t)]l6 *6AfpA^r)T)e5'* AT)T)|- At)^ 3'^o^6e]l5. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 3aOC ]|* At)f a ]]* TTjeAjtbAll fp&]|ie, 
 
 CbwiT^ 30 BAT)bA cattjaU |io]TT) 3b<vo6lu]b ; 
 O b-^]<5]Tir5^^ll c|io6a ]f o LAegAjite,* 
 O CobcA^5 b]T)T)* bo f]i)T)eA8 Aft ceAbAjb. 
 
 vein of talent, and refined literary taste, evidencing the polished learning 
 of our anointed clergy at the very time that hell and wicked men con- 
 spired to annihilate prelates, priests, education, and the Catholic religion. 
 (How vain are the efforts of weak mortals ?) We are, in all these respects, 
 blessed be God, in a glorious position. — "Dews nobis, quis contraJ' 
 Stanza xxvi. 
 
 ^ Scylla — dangerous rocks on the coast of Italy. Charybdis, a whirlpool 
 on the north-east coast of Sicily. Here the Trojans apprehended great 
 dangers, against which Helenus, King of Epirus, warned them. Numberless 
 pages of myths were written by ancient Greeks and Latins on this passage — 
 Vid. Virgil's iEneid, b. iii. 1. 420 ; Homer's Odyssey, b. xii. c. 15. 
 Mer, iT)U]tt, sea, fiuAft, red, signifies, that the monster lady had golden 
 tresses. 
 
 ^ c-c, pro. <Z. written also z-zao^^ac, pumping, boiling, in compound Irish 
 words ; the first vowel of the second part determines the quantity of the 
 last vowel of the first to be either broad or slender. The same rule ap- 
 plies to words of more than one syllable, thus : ^reAti-U|nj-p]6e, " mediator," 
 y:eAp.xAp, "a spindle;" in all other cases it is the last vowel of the first 
 syllable that commands the following one, and so on to the end, thus : 
 ^e]l||ae, ** a calendar," the first being slender, the other is so. In order 
 
27 
 
 XXVI. 
 
 Between Scylla of the loud-resoimdinor billows, 
 
 And the menacing,^ perilous'' Chary bdis. 
 
 There was the mermaid melodious by his side (near him) 
 
 Her hair loose and she adjusting it. 
 
 XXVII. 
 
 They made land at a bay of Hesperia, 
 
 It was then in Spain, in Biscay he was called King, 
 
 Got, for might, as name, Milesius. 
 
 Spanish Milo in the Irish. 
 
 XXVIII. 
 
 Adverse winds, and a cloudy (foggy) sky, 
 
 Wafted to Banba, in a time (before) the Gaodhalibh, 
 
 Renowned''^ O'Driscoll and O'Leary, 
 
 And tunefuP O' Coffey, that played on the harp-strings. 
 
 to carry out the above rule one slender letter may be used for another, 
 and a broad for a broad. But this commutation cannot take place when 
 the letters are read radically; for instance, u cannot be substituted for a, 
 being a radical part of that particle ; so, also, eA, in 5neAi)T), could not be 
 commuted for ]v\, for then it makes 3^1^^, the latter means " sun,^' the 
 former ^'jest," the genitive of which is STW^- The derivation of 5ri]AT7, 
 Sne, " essence,'' ce]r}e, "fire." SfteAtj, the n being single, signifies to 
 engrave. 
 
 Terrific, boiling CharyMis, 
 
 \)]r)r) means a pinnacle, hill, promontory — figuratively, pitch of the 
 voice. Its translation in the line is " melodious." b]f;rt)o^ means the 
 same. 
 
 Stanza xxvii. 
 
 ^ The copy has, in first line, s-cAtAjtt, city, this could not be the true 
 reading, because strangers would not attempt a landing in it without first 
 reconnoitering the place. Again, there is internal evidence in the history 
 of Spain, at the time, that there was not a city in that part of it, wherein 
 they made a landing. 
 
 ^ iix) — the X) sounds with the 5 ; as in French we sound two words as 
 if but one, thus " un animal," pro. oonanimal. 
 
28 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 'S A fe]fio|t n)Ac bo b] t)a lAocjiAjb,^ 
 4)o |i]r)T)eA&A|i lobbu^jtc bo i;a bfeeqb, 
 'S bo 5IAC )t ^A^Tinr)5e rbACA^iie 
 
 XXX. 
 
 2t)AC ttJAjC BlteO^Alt) AOT)bA, 
 
 O BbtiA5At)f^A^ c]5 b'^ A b-|r^ucAiT), 
 
 'CuACA be <t)Ai)Ai)^ 5A1:) CA]|*e]b 5AT) bAor)t)Acc 
 
 B bo TbA]tbAbA]t l6 b-'<'»^buj6,® AT) A0r)-^eA|l. 
 Stanza xxviii. 
 
 ^ These chiefs must have been of the Nemedian tribe, and remained after 
 the others in this country. Hence Ith (Ee) had a fair pretext to visit his 
 kindred, for the Clan Nhuyvee were Scythians. Yet it is said that some 
 of Ith's crew remained in Eire and became numerous — the idea is, before 
 the full Milesian colony. 
 
 Stanza xxix. 
 
 ^ This verse alludes to the council of the Milesian chiefs, held in Brogan's 
 tower, in Gallicia, in the north-west of Spain. The place is generally 
 called Briganzia. Herein, after mature consultation, it was decided, that 
 the intrepid, learned, and accomplished Ith (Ee), son of Brogan, was to 
 go to Eire, to reconnoitre the country, in order that he might be able to 
 inform his friends how best to attain their object. We are told in 
 history, that, before he left Gallicia, a sacrifice was offered to Neptune for his 
 safe voyage. The translator of Keating mentions, that Ith (Ee) sacrificed 
 when he landed in Ireland. This matter is written of at much length in 
 the Book of Invasions. The poet here states that it was the uncle of Ith 
 (Ee) and his children that sacrificed. I cannot ascertain upon what au- 
 thority. I would be inclined to interpret the stanza thus — *^Bile, and six 
 other sons of Brogan, and their kindred," meaning Milesius (son of Bile), 
 his sons, &c., assisted at the sacrifice. Bile was the eldest son of Brogan, 
 pro. Broun, the other sons were Broa, Fua, Meur-heivne, Cualne, Cuala, 
 Blaa, Eivleo, Nar, Ith, pro. Ee. 
 
 ^ lAoctiAib, Warriors. — We have seen this word written Iaoctia, also 
 lAocAib, to agree with the last syllable of &ec]b. This word means a 
 large plain, hence, metaphorically, the sea. 
 
 Stanza xxx. 
 
 » The good and noble warlike son, Ith (Ee). — The reader can plainly 
 
29 
 
 XXIX. 
 
 Bile, son of Brogan, the liero, and his kindred, 
 And his six sons, who were champions, 
 He made a sacrifice to the Gods, 
 
 And Ith took to the expansive plain of Thetis {the sea). 
 
 XXX. 
 
 Ith,"* the good"^ and noble^ son^ of Bile,^ 
 That came from Braganza to visit {to explore)^ [iiity, 
 The Tuatha De Danaans, without beauty, without huma- 
 Him did murder with despatch, him only {the only man.) 
 
 perceive that Ee, here mentioned, could not be a son of ^Mile, or King 
 Milesius, but his uncle, as he was the brother of Bile, son of Brogan. The 
 term " Mile" was used in Spain to denote the MileSt or warrior of the 
 Latins. The Bourkes of Irish descent are fond of this name — there being 
 rarely a family of distinction of that name that has not a " Milo." Other 
 families have the name " Myles," a corruption of Miles. 
 
 ^ The b after the b in this word is what is improperly termed the sign 
 of aspiration, and causes the b to be sounded as the English w ; but before 
 e, or i, it is sounded as v — thus, ttjo bbeul, pro. mo vayul, my mouth. 
 The author of this poem, as may be seen, generally uses a dot as the sign 
 of aspiration, which would be with more propriety denominated a melody, 
 if we could so speak. The ] before the a in the end of the word is inserted 
 because the word after it has a slender vowel — carrying the rule, cAol ]\e 
 cAol Y leAcAi) tie leAcAT). 
 
 It may here be noted that b and li). at the end of words are in Munster 
 always pronounced as v, but in Connaught nearly as wv together, thus — 
 lATT), according to the Momonians, pro. lhav ; according to the Conacians, 
 lhawv. There may be a few deviations. 
 
 c bo=:6o A — GO belongs to the verb after a {them), and is the sign of 
 the infinitive mood in this passage ; it is also the sign of other parts of a 
 verb, as was already explained. The English of a, in this place, is them ; 
 it likewise signifies her, him, its, who, which, that, to, in; is also a prefix 
 of the tenses of the indicative mood ; is likewise a contraction for A5, ah. 
 
 ^ A long note of this colony will be found amongst the historical com- 
 ments in the end of this book. They were so called, meaning either 
 persons descended from Danan, a lady of a direct line from Nemedius, or, 
 according to some antiquaiies, cuaca, nobles, be, or &e]ce, gods, bixv, song. 
 
30 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 |:uACTT7U|i ]:eA]i5AC gUcA^b rjA 7*5^aIca ; 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 ^l^CA^b AT) A]|tro 't* A lo]T)5eAf 50 5l&AfbA, 
 Se]f]0|i* Tt^AC Tt)AC^T)CA,*' r^eAjibA 2t)])]lef|Uf 
 Se^f 10|i* TTjAc Bb]l^5*^ V^V- b-]:u]tuf A c-c|iAecA8, 
 Jf^ cl^VV W]c j|t,° bo CA]lleA6 bor) ceAb bul. 
 
 This colony, agreeable to the last explanation, was divided into three 
 classes — Nobles, cuacvA, gods or druids, be, bee (dbaye), or oejte, gods of 
 song, and poets — be b'^x). They were a very learned race, and were, we 
 might say, worshipped on account of their learning, especially in the ne- 
 cromantic art. 
 
 ^ le Abu]6, with despatch, or quickly — ai} Aon-nti* rectius AOj}-]:eA^, or 
 Aoi)&-^eAti, pro. ayunar — this term, in this passage, signifies the man, that 
 is, the matchless hero, or it means Ith alone was killed. 
 
 Stanza xxxi. 
 
 ^ This word is comp. of po, to, b-^^ir^fc, came. 
 
 ^ A h'A^x (wawish), of his death — a, his, pro. as a in ask — fourth sound 
 of a; this sound, even in English, is not carefully observed, it should be, 
 as it were, a ask, the a to be articulated twice but quickly, a, hers— a in 
 hat, or like it, very short — the ] in bj^jf , is the genitive sign, the nomina- 
 tive not having it. 
 
 <^ c or cl) is the same sound as^, thus cfs, cbio, pro. hig, came. It 
 should have been remarked before now, that b, placed before a word be- 
 ginning with a vowel to prevent hiatus or gaping of the mouth, is exactly 
 the same as the aspiration in Greek. Any one who has read a Greek 
 grammar knows, that there is no such letter as h in the language ; but 
 that an inverted comma (') expresses aspiration, and the ordinary comma 
 (') is the lenis or gentle breathing, not causing any change in the vowel 
 over which it is set. A philological question very naturally arises here. 
 Would it not be consistent with strictness to make the same distinction 
 in Irish as in Greek ? We will not assume to determine, but we must 
 observe, that as the Greek p is sometimes aspirated by having a dot (*) 
 over it, so is |i, in Irish, in the end of some words, and the mark might 
 
31 
 
 XXXI. 
 
 Report^ of his deatli'^ ^carne^ to his kinsmen, 
 And they became angry, having got the news. 
 They gave a thousand oaths, that were not falsified. 
 That they would get a kingdom and blood as an Eric. 
 
 XXXII. 
 
 They mustered an army, and a well-equipped fleet, 
 
 Milesius'^ six^ amiable,^ .stouf* sons,^ 
 
 Six sons of Bile, who were not easily conquered. 
 
 And the^ sons^ of Ir, who were lost on the first landing. 
 
 be the same. In the Greek poets the aspiration was for some time ne- 
 glected ; instead of it the digamma was used — n was likewise used, and is 
 still. But experience proved, that from the disuse of the aspirations, 
 melody was lost and disphony had set in ; the beauty of Homer was in a 
 manner injured, and it was dreaded, that innovation would have completely 
 destroyed the grand work of the Prince of Poets. Hence the use of the 
 aspirations was re-assumed. Wherefore it is also clear the use of all our 
 marks in the Irish dialect is necessary to protect and preserve its purity. 
 Wherever this was neglected, we know that we can find but the heads or 
 tails of words in the bastard dialects of our sweet, vigorous language. 
 
 ^ TT)|or)t)A. A stroke over x) makes it m- ]o — neither accented — pro. 
 as short i in nit — fo, eeu, as cfoc, keeugh, {pap.) 
 
 e e|t]c. — This name means a compensation for an injury inflicted. The 
 Brehon laws inflicted an ejit]c proportioned to the crime and rank of the 
 culprit. 
 
 Stanza xxxii. 
 
 * We think that the word i*e]r]ott (sheshur), is an interpolation of some 
 hand, who did not know the history of the sons of Milesius, or that the 
 poet merely meant, that only six sons of Gollamh (Gollay) attended the 
 council in Brogan's tower. For we find in Keating, that eight sons arrived 
 on the coast of Eire ; these are their names — Donn, Aireach Fabhruadhe 
 (Fuvrooac), Heber Fionn, Amergin (Avereen), Ir, Colpa (the Swordsman,) 
 Arranan, and Heremon. 
 
 ^ This would be n}e]c or njec, if the word after it had a slender vowel 
 in the first syllable. Eugene Curry, Esq., the well-known Celtic anti- 
 quarian, has made a very nice remark relative to this word, and, as far as 
 we can know, original. As it stands in the text, he says it signifies 
 youthful. We don't recollect having ever heard it sounded unless 
 
32 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 ColpA^ buAT) If 2l|rbiti5iT:) c|ae|5t:eAC 
 
 )y ^or)r),^ bo c^]\\e^S a T)--|A|tCA|i BeAititA.*^ 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 21 c-coi)c:Ae^ C]A|i]tii]be**' a T)-]A|icA]t B||teAT)i}, 
 
 5lACAbA|t ca1^5* a^5 pjbjoji S'Se^xje,*'^ 
 T!)aa]5 buT) C<\|t|t^vr)'* fof 3AT) c|Iv\oca8 ;® 
 2lr) c|tA5le|i^ ca]11]6 50 feAcnjullAC 6ur)bA.5 
 
 n)Ac:ivr}CA, which means generous, whereas ttjacohca is youthful. The 
 latter interpretation in this passage conveys exactly the idea of the poet, 
 who intended a compliment to the young princes; but assuredly the term 
 youtJiful would be a frigid one to express eulogy, that word being appli- 
 cable to even the most criminal or ignoble, and at best means only a lad of 
 about sixteen years. Persons may be youthful and bad, but the whole 
 scope of the author goes to compliment the Milesian race, and, this taken 
 into account, tt^vXc^mjca might be a fair reading, f ga^i (far) njAcivnrA is 
 used by the country people to denote a kind, generous man. njAC ■n)Acl\r)z<\ 
 TijeATtGA is a high eulogium on the sons of Milesius, " the kind, cou- 
 rageous sons kind yet fearless, humane yet intrepid, is a most graceful 
 expression, not to be surpassed by any poet who has ever climbed Parnassus, 
 or wooed the Muses. 
 
 <■ The poet must have here written l^fle, instead of l^n^OQAD, for the 
 sake of metre, as I find by the authority already given that seven sons of 
 BrogaUf or Broan, not his grandsons by Bile, accompanied the expedition 
 to have revenge for the death of their brother. Their names are Breagha, 
 Cuala, Cualgne, Bladh (Blaw), Tuaid (Tooid), Murtheimhne (Murhevne), 
 Eibhle (Evlay). 
 
 By this the author only means, that six sons of l)]Ie (Beelay) came to 
 Ireland, not that he had only sijc sons. 
 
 The sons of Ir, who was lost just as he was about landing, ceus oiil : in 
 my own copy it was ceu& cAt, first battle, which is plainly wrong, for 
 he was drowned on the coast of Kerry, and not killed in battle. This 
 correction I have been enabled to make through the kindness of my friend, 
 Mr. Curry, who allowed me to see two copies of the poem in the Irish 
 Academy, Dublin. The copies he showed me differ in some particular 
 
33 
 
 XXXIII. 
 
 Another"* progenitor,^ without doubt, Heber, 
 Heremon, who found luck, and Edna, 
 Colpa, the valorous, and Amergin,^ the virtuous, 
 And Donn, that was lost in the bay of Bere. 
 
 XXXIV. 
 
 In the county of Kerry, in the west of Erin, 
 They disembarked at the river Skeine, 
 There is at the end of Currawn, yet without decay. 
 The rock, whereby was lost sillily Enna. 
 
 from the one we have. Each of them has errors requiring to be removed 
 by the aid of history, geography, etymology, syntax, and prosody. The 
 laws of Irish poetry are very simple and beautiful. A knowledge of the 
 Greek poets is a help in reading the bards of ancient Ireland. Without 
 such a knowledge a " mere reader" of the language would destroy poetry, as 
 he would fancy errors where there are harmonious beauties. He would 
 imagine, that letters and syllables, inserted or omitted, as the case may 
 be, to suit the metre, would be a heinous offence against orthography, ety- 
 mology, and syntax. His want of a knowledge of rhetoric would not allow 
 him to recognise so flagrant a heresy as to use one case for another — one 
 tense for another, &c. In fact, unless a man is naturally a good Irish 
 poet, or that he is thoroughly acquainted with the laws of poetry generally, 
 he is an unsafe guide in that respect, no matter how well he may talk, 
 write, or read the language. 
 
 Stanza xxxiii. 
 
 " Another ancestor doubtless was Eibhir (Eivir). This was Ir's son — 
 and his only son, as far as his relation to Ireland. He must not be con- 
 founded with the son of Milesius. Hence, it is plain that the poet, in the 
 thirty-sixth stanza, having used the word cUnn l|t, did so for metre. Homer 
 and Virgil use the like privilege — plural for singular. How often do we 
 read the word littora, when one particular coast is only meant. 
 
 ^ We used to hear old men of the Brennan family derive their origins 
 from Colpa. We cannot trace the fact. We plead ignorance. Amergin 
 was a poet. — See O'Reilly's Irish Writers," 1st page. 
 
 <^ t^onn, another of the sons of Milesius. We have been unable to fix a 
 rule for final consonants when they ought to be single or double. The 
 only consonants we have found double, at the end of monosyllables, are tj, t, 
 
 D 
 
34 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 <t)Vw 3^^ b^^t) ^1ob° A]|i A*** c6]le, 
 21 b-^ir)ii7 I^^IP A]]t |:eA6 a ji^^rne, 
 *t)o®* CAbA]|ic rpAH A]i)rr) A]]t Jr)]p Bjlse. 
 
 and n> and these only after short vowels. The letter ^ we have found 
 double in the middle of some words. That chiefly occurs wherein the 
 latter syllable begins with an ti, and in such like instances other letters 
 are of course doubled. However, it strikes us, that whenever the final 
 consonant has a heavy sound these three letters are generally written 
 double, as fAtiti, ask. Of this rule we are almost certain. — Experientia 
 docebit. 
 
 ^ An island north-west in Bantry Bay, on the coast of the County of 
 Cork. 
 
 Stanza xxxrv. 
 
 » c-coT)CAe, pro. 5ot}cAe. — Gunthay (in Connaught). — Goonthay, in 
 Munster. 
 
 CjAtv-T^fp — King Ciar. From him are descended the O'Connors and 
 O'Brennans, of Kerry. 
 
 "Port," Greek, /ceAro, to make port ; Hebrew, " Cala," rested. G]tte 
 for eitieAi}!^, by apocope. In the copy before us the word is cATttiU]5 ; 
 we have made the change for these reasons : the word in the text suits the 
 metre ; again, we are of opinion that cAtiitui^ is a massive rock, and may 
 not be high or shelving, such as are the craggy barriers of our sea-girt 
 isle — the imperishable ramparts placed by the hand of Providence along 
 our shores, to beat back the fury of the angry element, and to serve as 
 towers to an united people — if such we were — the more securely to resist 
 from their cloud-capped tops the aggression of rapacious invaders. 
 
 ^ Currawn is a lake one side of the rock, and at a small distance from 
 the river Skeine. There is a small river, we understand, adjacent, called 
 " Enny," after Enna, one of the Milesian chiefs who was lost here. 
 
 e 5Ar) r|iA0CA6 (gunn thrayughoo), without decay ; in another copy 
 we have read le ^eAcainc, to be seen. 
 
 ^ CAiaTiA]5, a massive rock, ctiAi5, a shelving rock — such as may be 
 seen along the water's edge, near the Bailey light-house at Howth. The 
 Carraig is seldom very lofty, though it may be vast, whereas the craig, or 
 crags, are often very elevated and precipitous. They are then designated 
 cliffs. Lofty rocks or eminences, but not of wide dimensions, are some- 
 times called AlA-bit), rock-promontories, as there are some promontories 
 not of rock. Hence, Albany, as that country abounded in rocky headlands, 
 
35 
 
 XXXV. 
 
 There were three queens in that^ quarter/ 
 
 Each^ woman^ of'* them'' asked^ oP her^ husband,^ 
 
 Her own name during his reign 
 
 To give as an appellation to Inis Eilge. 
 
 or AU-b^vi), whiie rocks, as there used to be a perpetual snow on their tops 
 before they were reclaimed. Thus A]lclu]6, means rocky angle, or corner, 
 an appropriate name for Cnoc Heremon, now Fort St. Michel, a most 
 romantic rock, in form of an island, on the coast of Normandy, in France. 
 
 It could also be called a]IcI(u6, rock-wall, the natural rocks ascending 
 from the base to the summit like walls or brnchia, arms. This must be 
 the A|lclu|& to which St. Patrick alludes in his *' Confessions," as it could 
 not be the Clyde, in Scotland, which can be seen in our notice of the saint, 
 farther on in this work 
 
 s GunbA — sometimes written CAbnA — the O'Haydens claim descent from 
 this prince. 
 
 Stanza XXXV. 
 
 ^ bo b] — In these three words, the English of which is " He was," we have 
 an example of the simplicity of the Irish, when compared with Greek, 
 Latin, French, &c., the verb &o bf remains invariable ; add nje, the English 
 will be, I was; add c(i, and you have you were ; and so on by adding the 
 pronouns-^not so in the other languages mentioned, the verb and, of course, 
 the pronouns are varied, that is, a dilferent pronoun prefixed to a different 
 form of the verb. This- serves as an example for all the Irish in all the 
 tenses, active and passive. Another instance of its comparative simplicity 
 in the present tense active, buAl — add nje, ctl {thoo), ye (pro. shay), x]r) 
 (pro. shin), f |b (shiv), yiAb {sheeud), and you have / strike, thou strikest^ 
 &c. The Latin runs thus — each person, both verb and pronoun, having a 
 different form — Ego coedo, tu cadis, ille cadit, &c. — the English as above. 
 The Greek — E70 tutttw, tu rvineis, rvTrrei, &c. — English the same as 
 before. French — Je frappe, tu frappes, nous frappous, vous frappez, &c. 
 Italian — Jo frappo, tu frappi, egli frapp-e {frappee) not frappiamo, voi 
 frappet-e, eglino or egli frappono — the translation is ah'eady given. It is 
 unnecessary to collate fartlier. Hence it is evident that the Irish, com- 
 paratively speaking, is easier than other languages ; but the fact of its 
 not being commonly in print, instead of manuscript, has made it appear 
 difficult of attainment. Another circumstance has tended to make it seem 
 difficult. Signs and contractions were much used in olden times, resem- 
 bling in a manner our present system of shorthand. This was almost un- 
 
36 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 21 e-cji]U|i -^e^^i bo tu]z 6]r)freACc, 
 
 j T^A^lcjOl)!;® A CA^lleAb 50 ^Ab. 
 
 avoidable, there being no printing, and all public and private documents 
 works on literature, science, arts, poetry, &c., being of necessity to be pre- 
 served. No nation under the sun produced so many, such varied, learned, 
 and important works without the aid of printing as did the Gael — though 
 English Vandalism has left us only a mere remnant of them — the more 
 valuable — like the best of the people, having been exiled or destroyed. But 
 Providence has still preserved to us the materials for an Irish literature. 
 The language, like the Catholic faith and people, could not be rooted out 
 of their soil. They are indigenous. Had printing not been applied, when 
 it was, to the Greek, we would be less acquainted with it than foreigners 
 are with the 5ao]6]1]3. 
 
 t>e for &o e, of him, &'e, it. We find it sounded with the accent when 
 the o is omitted, as in the latter form, this word is the past tense, in- 
 dicative ^A5, or v^o-^l^ ^0 find ; it must be carefully distinguished from 
 ^UAtt, cold. Some writers mark the u long, this we think is not necessary, 
 as it is always long before a, and sounded 00 ; the letters ius, in this 
 word are a corrupt extension of Miles, " warrior." How it originated we 
 cannot say, but use has now established it. Spanish Miley, or Mile, in the 
 Irish Annr at) 5Ao]6eil5, the x) is prosthesis placed before the latter, a 
 hyphen is placed between them by modern writers — this is wrong in such 
 a place. The Greek poets prefix, affix, and infix, without scarcely any 
 marks. The Irish bards did the same as melody demanded — they left the 
 rest to the grammarian. At the same time I am bound to remark that 
 some transcribers and writers of our vigorous, euphonious tongue commit 
 grave errors in uniting words that should be written separately. This they 
 do, because they are pronounced together. French words are commonly 
 sounded as they were only one, yet who would jumble them into one — 
 thus, " qu' est ce que disent les journaux," pro. JcesJc diz lay journo, " what 
 is the news," " qui est ce qui," pro. kt ay ski, " who ;" how ridiculous it 
 would be to write the above phrases " questceque cequi ;" " il est en haut,' 
 pro. eelay aino, yet no one would write the phrase so. So it is in the 
 Celtic. In fact, in almost every language some words are so spoken that 
 in sound they seem as if but one, yet it has never been known that a 
 scholar wrote or transcribed them as such. And though a hcence may be 
 
37 
 
 XXXVI. 
 
 Fodlila, Banba, and^ Eire^ were their^ names,'* 
 Their three husbands fell together, 
 Mac Coll, Mac Ceacht, and Mac Greine, 
 In the battle of Tailtean they^ were'^ alP lost.^ 
 
 extended to poetry and to manuscript, yet in prose and in printing the 
 less the licence the purer and better will be the language. 
 
 The following notes were intended for another place, but were over- 
 looked, as well as the previous one : 
 
 Spain was called Hesperia. The Scythians called places west of them- 
 selves /or, Iber, Iberia, "west." The Greeks called places westward, 
 Hesperia — from Hesperos, " the end.'' In the copy which we saw were 
 written both CArp^vin and t)ior5A]n — the latter word we have kept and 
 omitted the former. This we did, feeling that Dr. O'Connell had not used 
 both words. 
 
 The passive may be formed by prefixing bo to the active participle as 
 ceAfAO, tormenting, &o was tormented. The consuetudinal 
 
 present form, is formed by adding cA|t to the root — thus Uf, to light, 
 pas. pres. lArcAti, / am in the habit of being lighted ; or by placing the 
 past participle after bfonj, as bfon) Ut&A. 
 
 OnpA, also AnpA (at^^ao), tempesty error of sky, alias, deluding stars — 
 Gr. '^(paipa, Lat. Sphcera. 
 
 The b in this place is prefixed to prevent the hiatus — it is but an 
 aspirate. In fact it is in every language. How common is the practice even 
 amongst educated English persons to pronounce words without the aspi- 
 rate " h." 
 
 Bile, son of Brogan. — It was this Brogan who built the great tower ia 
 Gallicia, north of Spain. In his tower council was taken to be revenged 
 on the Danaans for the death of Ith, pro. Eeh. 
 
 l)Tieo5U]n, or Ajn — the ] is inserted as the sign of the genitive in words 
 whose terminations are An, op, un, o\i, uri, An, &c. 
 
 '5a— "f A, and his kindred, — Bile was the father of Golamh, pro. 
 Gollhawv ; in Munster, Gollav. Miles or Milesius, in Latin. 
 
 "Oo T)A, from bfA, the nom. r fo— 'f bo. 
 
 bfoTij I0T5AD, / am used to be lighted — to be burned. le^oceAti Atj 
 to]f5eul 5AC Aon DoiTjHAc — The Gospel is usually read each Sunday. 
 
 Ci\]Ti), or cixtjje ceA^bA, / atn just now tormented, that is, this very 
 moment. This past present form (to so speak) is formed by adding the 
 past participle to the auxiliary verb. It corresponds, I might add, with 
 
38 
 
 XXXVIl. 
 
 O c]iucA& AT) bon)^]r) 50 n)^]t)]V At) Ue X]^f* 
 
 1i] 6eACA^6 OT) jleo bo cIo]T)T) 2t)blW]iir> 
 2lcc 6]|teATi7or), cIatji) j|t, 6|b]|t.°* 
 
 the Latin perfect passive which is made up of the past participle and the 
 auxiliary Sum — Gallia est divisa, " Gaul is divided." However, this passive 
 form of the verb is translated as the Latin present passive. There maybe 
 found some variation from this rule which the reader will himself be able 
 to understand. The passive voice of Irish verbs is much easier than that 
 of Greek or Latin. In both these languages each person of the present, 
 imperfect, and future indicative both active and passive is different — not 
 so in the Irish, the verb or participle (the latter also being varied in Greek 
 and Latin to agree with the persons) continuing invariable in these tenses 
 as well as the participle in compound tenses — the pronouns alone being 
 placed after the verb, in simple tenses, and after the past participle in 
 compound tenses. 
 
 2f)ol, to praise, the having a middle sound between short o and 
 short w, as the same syllable in the name Molloy, ^OolcAti, nje, cu, e, ]nt) 
 or X]r]x), |b, f& or |o&, / am praised, you are praised, &c. Hence it is evi- 
 dent how easy is the Irish passive verb. Perfect rules cannot be expected 
 in mere notes. Space and order prevent it. When is not marked long, 
 it is to be sounded short, or, as above stated, it is to be sounded long in 
 eo], as in ceo]l, in which it is very short, long and i, as i in hit — aoj, 
 as ee — ao, as ayu — thus, Aorj or J^e^ (one), pro. ayun — aot) is written 
 AO] or Aet), when the first vowel in the following word is a slender one, 
 as Aon TT)fijeAc&, one fineness. 
 
 This word is the Latin rex, " king," the Celtic term is iifo — T^T> some- 
 times fifo5 or n]A5, if a broad vowel follow it. 
 
 ^ See note on the Tuatha de Danaans and the landing of the Milesians, 
 where this stanza was explained in extenso, also note on first stanza. 
 
 ^ t)fob, of them, b6]b, to them. 
 
 ^ A, (his, their), pro. as a in " hat when a denotes her, or (their) the 
 latter possessive pronoun referring to females, the letter is very much com- 
 pressed, nearly to i in " hit." 
 
 « &o, A, le, cxxrx) are used as signs of the infinitive mood, the two former 
 are sometimes treated as relative pronouns as well as possessives. This 
 has been noted already ; however, in didactical instruction repetition is 
 often useful. 
 
39 
 
 XXXVII. 
 
 From the creation of the world to the morning of that day, 
 Three thousand years, besides five hundred ; 
 There did not go from the fight of the children of Milesius 
 But Heremon, and Heber, and the sons of Ir. 
 
 Stanza xxxvi. 
 * The history, here alluded to, was given in a previous note. 
 ^ Cu]ll, CeACc, 5lt<^ine, genitive cases, with the slight attenuation of ], 
 f Tailtean, near Kells, in Meath. These old names of places, rivers, 
 lakes, and persons are imperishable, actual monuments — facts, which are 
 internal evidences of the Scythic colonization, and of Ireland's great an- 
 tiquity. 
 
 Stanza xxxvii. 
 
 » The variation of time between the author of my poem we have already 
 alluded to, and said that it was not to be wondered at, that authors would 
 differ in their chronological accounts, whereas it is not agreed upon, how 
 long our Redeemer was on earth. 
 
 O'Flaherty makes the time from the Creation to Milesius' sons expe- 
 dition 2934, being 206 years later than Keating. Burns' " Remem- 
 brancer" agrees within a few years of Keating. By O'Flaherty's calcu- 
 lation, therefore, the plantation of the Milesians is 20O years later. Mac 
 Curtin, O'Halloran, and Keating almost agree. 
 
 Calvagh O'Moora or Moore, a nobleman of great landed property, and a 
 great antiquarian, makes the landing of the Milesians to be 2934, A.M., 
 from the Deluge, 1277, including twenty-one years of Abraham. There 
 intervened, as O'flaherty asserts, according to the Annals of Donegal, 980 
 years between Partholan and the arrival of the children of Gollamh 
 {Gullav), and 968, according to the Book of Cluanmacnois, and 965, ac- 
 cording to himself. The computation given in the poem must be the in- 
 terpolation of an ignorant person, as it cannot be sustained by any writer, 
 respectable or otherwise, that I have seen on the subject. Mac Curtin, in 
 his "Vindication of the Antiquity of Ireland," agrees with the computation 
 of 2738 given by Keating. As I am satisfied, that the two last-named 
 authors were best acquainted with the native tongue, and were, conse- 
 quently, better able to explore (and proved they explored) the critical 
 walks of Irish Chronology as contained in our native writers, I am con- 
 vinced that more reliance is to be placed on their account than on that of 
 others, who know not the Gaelic, and who, therefore, theorize on what 
 they hear from others that can — if they so please — deceive them. Some 
 
40 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 O B]|teArbo]T), clAi)r) M^^ll ]te ce]le, 
 O fljocc bu& Ti)6|t 5&]lle,^ 
 
 mercenary writers aflfect a great love for a knowledge of our antiquities, 
 yet they will not devote themselves to study the vehicle on which they 
 can ride up to the source. They look for knowledge in this way, in order 
 that they may find wherewith to draw their lamb-black brush over the 
 bright character and fame of our illustrious ancestors. But when they 
 will have looked through the telescope into the vista of past ages, and if 
 they will not allow prejudice to dim their mental vision, they must con- 
 fess that England, even in Christian days, and all parts of Europe, will 
 present to their view a bloodier picture of internal discord and family 
 mfirders than can be found in the history of Ireland, when yet she sat in 
 the darkness of infidelity. In our worst pagan days we had no in/ant 
 princes murdered in a tower to place a debauched and deformed uncle on 
 a giddy throne ; nor had we in such days a father married to his own 
 daughter. These are unnatural acts, perpetrated but by brutes, and from 
 which even their instinct has been known to recoil. — See Preface. 
 
 Ireland had, indeed, in pagan times, witnessed bloody deeds of domestic 
 strife, but her ignorance of the true God, who was then known only to 
 the Hebrews, goes to extenuate the atrocity of the acts. However, we 
 are to write, that the moral law of nature has given to man principles that 
 condemn murder and robbery, and other criminal deeds. I shall let 
 Justin, a very old and respectable Latin historian, whose words are sup- 
 ported by Heredotus, in his fifth book, speak for the Scythic race : — 
 
 " Hominibus inter se nulli fines; neque enim agrum exercent: nec domus 
 illis ulla, aut tectum aut sedes est, armenta, et pecora semper pascentibus, 
 et per incultas solitudines errace solitis. Uxores liberosque secum in 
 plaustris vehunt, quibus coriis imbrium hyemisque causa tectis, pro domibus 
 utuntur. Justitia, gentis ingeniis culta, non legibus. Nullum scelus apud eos 
 furto gravius : quippe sine tecti munimento pecora et armenta habentibus, 
 quid salvum esset, si furari liceret ? Aurum et argentum non perinde ac 
 reliqui mortales appetunt. Lacte et melle vescuntur. Lanre iis usus 
 omnino ignotus : et quanquam continuis frigoribus urantur,*^ pellibus 
 taraen ferinis tantum utuntur. Ha3C^ continentia illis morum quoque 
 justitiam edidit, nihil alienum concupiscentibus, Quippe ibidem divitia- 
 rum cupido est, ubi, et usus.*^ Atque utinam reliquis mortalibus similis 
 
41 
 
 XXXVIII. 
 
 The Momonians all are descended from Heber, 
 From Heremon, the O'Neills, and all their kindred— 
 From the race of Ir, who was of great glory. 
 Clan Rory, hospitable,* learned. 
 
 * Because they entertained the bards. 
 
 moderatio, et abstinentia alieni foret ! profecto non tantum bellorum per 
 omnia ssecula terris omnibus continuaretur ; neque plus hominum ferrum 
 et arma, quam naturalis fatorum conditio raperet. Prorsus ut admirable 
 Tideatur ; hoc illis naturara dare, quod Graci longa sapientium doctrina, 
 prseceptisque philosophorura consequi nequeunt ; cultosque mores incultae 
 barbarae collatione superari. Tanto plus in illis proficit vitiorum ignoratio, 
 quam in his cognitio virtutis. 
 
 Cap. III. — Imperium Asiae ter qusesivere, ipsi perpetuo ab aheno im- 
 perio aut intacti, aut invicit mansere. ^ Darium, regem Persarum, turpi 
 ab Scythia summoverunt fuga : Cyrum cum omni exercitu trucidaverunt : 
 Alexandri Magni dueem Zopyriona pari ratione cum copiis universis de~ 
 leverunt : Romanorura audivere, non sensere arma. Parthicum et Bactri- 
 anum Imperium ipsi condiderunt. Gens et laboribus et bellis aspera : vires 
 corporum immensae." What a noble character, even in its primitive state. 
 Stanza xxxvih. 
 Ka ?I)u]ri)m5 uile. — The author here says, that all the original Mo- 
 monian clans were descended from Heber — the son of Milesius ; that of 
 Heremon came the clans of O'Neill and the illustrious families of Ulster, 
 as the O'Donels, the O'Canes, O'Dohertys, the royal Mac Guires, &c.,and 
 that from noble Ir, who was drowned at Scelig Michel, off the coast of 
 Kerry, sprang the magnanimous chiefs of Emain in the north, the bravest 
 and most renowned of whom were the O'Rorys or O'Rogers. Heber was 
 his only surviving son, to whom were given the territory, now called Down 
 and Antrim, and all his posterity got Desmond — the present Cork and 
 Kerry. 
 
 ClAt)T)v\ Ku5ttAi6e, jijAtiAc eisfe. 
 The O'Rory clans, hospitable, learned. 
 
 Only about twenty-five of this tribe swayed the sceptre of Ireland, but 
 their renown in learning and arms was unequalled. They had a conti- 
 nental fame. 
 
 ^ 5e]tieA6 — Sometimes this word suffers apocope, and is written 5e]ti' 
 seine.' In almost every respect we have found the structure of the Irish 
 and Greek to be nearly the same — and no wonder, as Gael, son of Gomer, 
 the Professor of Greek, digested the Celtic. When we say Gael digested, 
 
42 
 
 XXXIX. 
 XL. 
 
 4D]A|iTr)Ujb bo t)]o6 luc ]]* l^irrji^eAC, 
 2lr*^fp)r)f]|t rbjc 2l]ljT>® o <t)uT) feAbut).* 
 
 we mean only, that he gave languages an educational shape, not that he 
 made them, being aware that God himself instituted them. Hence, the 
 dignity that has ever been accorded to the knowledge of languages. Every 
 other science, or species of knowledge, except revealed religion, has been 
 devised, produced, and acquired by man's industry, but the primitive 
 tongues were directly given by The Omniscient to mankind. How sub- 
 lime and noble must not, then, be the science of speech. What the 
 stuccoed fresco is to the noble mansion, such is lingual education to the 
 man. It refines the manners, it cultivates the taste, it purifies the motives, 
 it engenders self-respect, which ensures a just regard for others, it elevates 
 the thoughts, it ennobles high aspirations, it creates energy, it removes 
 sordidness ; it superinduces self-reliance, it creates an innate love of virtue, 
 it keeps alive an undying patriotism, it checks vice, teaches man his own 
 nothingness compared with the Creator, and finally it sublimates all the 
 ideas. 
 
 «= This word is given by St. Fiech. 
 
 ^ Of many hostages, and figuratively, q/'^rea^/70wer, also of great gene- 
 rosity. 3]Al, the genitive case of which, as well as nominative plural, 
 5e]Ue is a hostage, a human being, 50AU, a pledge, as clothes, cattle, lands, 
 gen. sin, and nom. plu. 5]ll. The posterity of Ir have been the most 
 eminent of the Milesians. 
 
 Stanza xxxix. 
 
 ^ 2lf ]oti)A6, pro. OSS ummoo. — Af, another form of if, it is. Or ]|* — 
 
 Iss umoo ree rochftvur rbinnugh, 
 Theeurna theere, iss dheenee nheefee, 
 Foy, iss floyee issfeele fweevrugh, 
 Hanig er gagh fheev dhun vayid shinn. 
 
43 
 
 XXXIX. 
 
 Many a king, lawgiving, brave, 
 Chief of territory, and people holy, 
 Prophet, and prince, and poet, satirical,^ 
 Were descended on every side from that line.^ 
 
 XL. 
 
 It is, from them have come the Fenii of Erin, 
 Fion Mac Cooil, Mac Art, Mac Traon, 
 Dermot^ that made pleasure and merriment. 
 And the ancestor of Mac Allen from Dun Eadin, 
 
 ^ )^^]5, 7r rl^ic, If t^ile, prophet, prince, and poet. — This stanza would 
 seem descriptive of the Irian clans, who continued formidable until the 
 avitum malum, division weakened them, when some of them migrated to 
 Conmacne, which comprised Tuam and the adjacent lands in Galway, in 
 Connaught ; some to Leix, Queen's County, others to Desmond, South 
 Munster — they were called Clanna Ruad-rig (Rooaree), the red king. 
 Cutting or rather sharp, is the natural import of ^ Aob|aAc. 
 
 ^ That line, viz., from Ir — From him ivas Ollav Fhblla, as great a law- 
 giver as was in days of yore. — See Preface. 
 
 Stanza xl. 
 
 a p]Ann*!^lB, by paragoge, for yi]Ar)x)^i being the dative plu. for the nom., 
 the same occurs frequently in Homer, as metre required. UAtA, pro. 
 ooha, /rom them; x-\>sr)\)A]b, the dative case for the nominative or 
 f eine. Virgil uses urbem for urbs to suit the metre : " Urbem quam statuo, 
 vestra est." Homer abounds in instances of poetic licence in giving one 
 case for another, G-^ieAi^n sometimes written G-\\i-\or}r}. Some persons, 
 unacquainted with our annals, look on the Irish Fiana as fancied beings. 
 Never was there a more erroneous impression. They were the national 
 militia to guard our shores against invasions ; they were not to interfere 
 in the strifes of the native princes and chieftains. No nation on earth 
 could boast of a more courageous army than they were. Keating gives a 
 full and interesting account of them. Lovers of romance and dealers in 
 legendary writings, did much harm in having attributed to some of them 
 impossible deeds ; so much so, that many doubted that there was such a 
 body at all, though no human fact is better sustained by history and tra- 
 dition. The reader will be amply recompensed by referring to some of 
 our annalists for their history, which, we regret, it is not possible for us 
 to insert here at any length. Keating is the most accurate. 
 
44 
 
 XLI. 
 
 5oll*^Tr)Ac 2it)o|tt)A bo r)]o6 e||ileAC, 
 
 jt* CoT)^r) 2t)Aol |reA]i it)]llce t)A p^ji^e. 
 
 ^ Fionn Mac Cumhaill (Cooill) was the son of Muirne Munchaomh 
 (Fair neck), her father was Teige or Timothy, the druid of a princely 
 family of Bregia, a district of Meath, extending to the County of Dublin. 
 His father, Cumhall, was, according to our author, the son of Art, the son 
 of Trein Mor (Treynor). But, according to others, Cumhall was son of 
 Baoisgne {smooth-palm), from Clanna Baoisgne, or Leinster Militia. 
 However, our own opinion, founded on fact, is, that Baoisgne was only the 
 ancestor, not the father. Fionn was the sixth in descent from Nuaghadh 
 Neaght (Nooa Neaght) : — Nuaghadh, 1 ; Baoisgne, 2 ; Trein, 3 ; Art, 4 ; 
 Cumhall, 5 ; Fionn, 6. The curious must have recourse to Mac Firbis' 
 grand antiquarian researches for the exact pedigrees of the Fenian chiefs, 
 whose existence is as clearly established by unquestionable authorities as 
 any historian requires to be. However, if modern Pyrrhonists take pleasure 
 in doubting, or, we should have said, seeking a pretext to make others 
 doubt, clear facts, let them indulge that morbid taste. Forsooth, because 
 feats stupendous or ridiculous have been attributed to the heroes of old 
 Eire, there never existed such men. These quidnuncs — these know-every- 
 things — these doubt -all-things, might as reasonably argue thus : — Ridi- 
 culous things have been recorded by Livy of Romulus and of Rome, by 
 Virgil of yEneas and Dido and Troy and Carthage, by Homer of Menelaus 
 and Helen of Sparta, &c., therefore, these persons and these places existed 
 only in the brains of a silly historian or wild bardic novelist. Now, who 
 would not laugh at such drivelling sceptics. 
 
 As to Nuagadh Neacht, he was so called from the fairness of his body. 
 Neacht means snow — hence the term implies that, he was fair as snow. 
 He succeeded 0'Edersgcoill,'or Driscoll, as monarch of Ireland, A.M. 3970, 
 or about thirty-four years before our Redemption. He gained a victory 
 over O'DriscoU in the Battle of Almhain, or Allen, in Kildare. His rule 
 was only of six months' duration. He was descended of Breanain Teffia 
 (Teabhadha), of the line of Heremon. He fell by the sword of Conaire 
 the Great, son of O'DriscoU, his predecessor. From this Conaire, were 
 the Dalriadas, in Scotland. It may be as well here to explain the term— 
 i2ia<fa— Conaire II., who reigned after " Conn of the Hundred Battles," 
 whose predecessor was Cathoir (Caheer) Mor, was married to Conn's 
 
45 
 
 XLI. 
 
 Goll Mac Morna, who made havoc, 
 
 Kielty, Osgur, and Usheen ( Ossin) the wonderful, 
 
 Glas Dunn, Mac-an-Chearda Beara, 
 
 And Conan, the bald, the unlucky man of the Fenii — 
 
 daughter, the princess Sarah, by whom he had the three Cairbres, or Car- 
 berrys : their names are Cairbre Roighfada, the eldest, Cairbre Bascoin, 
 and Cairbre Muisg. Bascoin and Musg had, the former, territories in 
 Clare, and the latter, the country to the east of him. The CoUas — the 
 sons of Eochaidh Dubhlein (EaghaDuvlayn), by Oilean (Illhayn), daughter 
 of the king of Albania — and the posterity of Cairbre Roighfada (Riada) 
 Longamanus, fled from Ireland, for refuge to the court of their grandfather, 
 A.D. about 315. 
 
 The father of these warlike, ambitious (the word Colla may signify 
 either ambitious or carnal) youths alluded to, was brother to the reigning 
 Irish monarch, and took the crown which the bravest of them, Colla Uais 
 (noble), placed on his own head, though he did not wear it long until 
 himself and brothers were expelled the kingdom. Their relative, Muiread- 
 hach Tireach (Mureeugh Theerugh),or Murty, regained and ascended the 
 throne of his father. It was from this monarch descended the Clanna 
 Neill (or O'Neills), and those of the same tribe in Connaught. They 
 were all of the Heremonians. Such is the learned Keating's account of 
 them. It may be interesting to the reader to learn the derivation of 
 Dailriada — Roig (Ree), the part of the arm between the wrist and the 
 elbow, /flifa, long. Hence the contracted form, Riada. 
 
 There was another Dail (tribe called Araida) Arraee, called after Fiaghra 
 (^Feeughra), Aradia. These occupied the eastern parts of Down and 
 Antrim, and never left Ireland, whereas the former clan inhabited the 
 western parts of the same counties. In A. M. 3099, the river y^-\ieAz 
 AbA]l (now Nevi^ry) sprang up between the two counties. The Collas, 
 after three years' stay in the land of the Picts, returned to Ireland, and, 
 instead of punishment, received generous forgiveness, arid the greatest 
 marks of friendship from the monarch " Tierach." He gave them men 
 and arms, to enable them to make conquests for themselves and their 
 children. They invaded Ulster, and destroyed the splendid palace of 
 Eamhain (Evan), which was built 350 years before the Christian era. This 
 is the time assigned. 
 
 *= The student will have observed the introduction of the slender vowdl 
 in the words after n;v\c, as the sign of the gen. case. 
 
46 
 
 XLII. 
 
 t)e|f T)A HjOjACC bo CU|l A^|1 AOT)CO|f, 
 
 Jf 'CuACA be ^ATXVTJt) bo leA^Ab Y CjtACCAb, 
 
 M|, ^A|iAO]t ! bo leAT) bo 3b^o]6eAlu|b5 
 C)'e]|i^5 imjieAj* eACA]t]tA, ceAb olc* 
 
 XLiir. 
 
 21t) uA]|t bo |i]i)i)eAbA|t 6a le]c b'6|]te, 
 ^)'ei|t5]6 jleo t)^|i b-^unuf a jt^^ceAC, 
 )Y Ar)T) bo CA^lleA^, 5AI) A^poc, t)A ceubA. 
 
 ^ 2lx for A5ur, ocAx, acuv, i^if. from Af , it is, in the first line. rinriT^ 
 (shinshir), ancestor of Mac Allen of Duneden, or Edinburgh, in Scotland. 
 This agrees with Hector Boetius, Keating, Charles O'Connor, O'Flaherty's 
 " Ogygia,'' and other antiquarians, of v/hom Rev. Dr. Keating is the most 
 venerable and most learned — though O'Flaherty is the most critical and 
 accurate. 
 
 ^ See Historical Notes. 
 
 Stanza xli. 
 
 a Goll, son of Morni, the word Mac, frequently a descendant. He and 
 O'Fionn had their forces drawn out in battle array ; when Fergus, the 
 Fenian poet, by his persuasive eloquence reconciled them. Goll, son of 
 Morna, king of Connaught, killed Eugene Mor, and thus Conn became 
 sole monarch. 
 
 beAtiA — a promontory of Cork, now Berehaven. 
 
 Stanza xlii. 
 
 * CeAb olc. — This has reference to the quarrel generated between 
 Heremon and Heber, through the ambition of Heber's Queen, and of Tea, 
 the Queen of Heremon, daughter of Luidhaidh (Lhooa) " a qua" Louth. 
 She gave name to Teamar, or Tara, Tea-mur, " the palace of Tea." An 
 ancient poet has stated, that the two young Milesians ruled the nation in 
 peace and happiness for twelve months, the Boyne and part of the Shannon, 
 at C]5 ClfoHA, in the west of Clare, forming the boundary of their respec- 
 tive territories. But this division is not agreed upon by other antiquaries, 
 who assert, that the bipartite division did not take place for many years 
 after the reign of these princes. Of that hereafter. The cause of dispute 
 was this : — Heber Fionn had two grand rich valleys — at that time when 
 the country was covered with woods, water, or bogs — these were of great 
 
47 
 
 XLII. 
 
 After the nation they put in order — 
 And the Tuatha De Danaans they weakened and subdued, 
 There arose a dispute and a first^ eviP amongst^ them^ 
 (^fourth line) 
 
 A thing, alas ! that has attended the Gaeliv {third line in 
 the Irish.) 
 
 XLIII. 
 
 Between Owen Mor and Con of the Hundred Battles 
 When they made two parts of Eire 
 There arose a dispute which was not easy to arrange ; 
 It is, in it were lost, without revival, the hundreds. 
 
 value; they were beautiful and extensive. But as Hereraon had one in 
 his kingdom, Heber's wife, prompted by excessive vanity, resolved to be- 
 come mistress of that one with her own, that thus she would be in pos- 
 session of the three finest and richest valleys in Eire. On the other hand,. 
 Tea, wife of Heremond, boldly told him she would reject hira as a husband, 
 if he did not uphold his dignity. The consequence was, the two brothers, 
 with their armies, met in the plain of Geishel, in King's County, in dread 
 array, wherein Hcber and three of his principal oificers were slain. This 
 was, alas ! the first fatal division amognst the Gael in Ireland. Heremon 
 was then sole monarch, A.M. 2738. Between that period and the birth 
 of Christ, we calculate 1283, that number being the difference between 
 Heremon's accession, as sole monarch, and 4021, the earth's age, when 
 man's redemption was announced by the birth of our Saviour. 
 
 Stanza xliii. 
 
 Conn, who took. — This ellipsis of the relative is in frequent and 
 elegant use, at^least in Connaught. l-<\bA]ti tije e]b]ti "bltlsi^ r 605^0 
 bf Ann, (Ihowir may idhir hreeid s Owen vee on) " I spoke between 
 Bridget and John, (who) were there." The relative often refers to the 
 latter noun only. Attention to this peculiarity of it will render the un- 
 derstanding of some clauses very easy. Between Eogan {Owen Mor), and 
 Conn, who gained a hundred battles. The manner of connecting the 
 sense of the verse is this : — There were many bloody battles between these 
 most valorous and illustrious princes — in most of them Owen or Modha — 
 Mogha — was victorious, until Owen became master of one-half the island. 
 It was then that the bipartite division— known as Leath (Lhagh) Chuinn — 
 
48 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 B]o6 50 |iAbAbA|t 1^1) bo 8aot)T)acc, 
 
 Cof*A1)CAC CAbA|lCAC CAbA]tC<VC C]t6^5CeAC,* 
 
 21 cc b|iA0]6eACc ]|* beATtjT)Ai(5eAcc ]f ^ aU^acc beece» 
 
 XLV. 
 
 <t)o 5Ab jup]ce|t ]on)^6 5^ille, 
 
 2t)A|i 6]A fUiCjf ]f rocUirb Ai)i)-&jT)freA|t ; 
 
 Mepcurje i:)A 8] a a|i at) n)U]]t b]aA0t)A^3, 
 
 PluCO^ At) lf]Ot)0, 1)]' AT) AOiyA]t.° 
 XL VI. 
 
 't)'-^v&]tA6 cu]b 8]ob b]A i;a 
 Cujb ejle aca Hac A5Uf HAelcA; 
 2t)A]trj B^vccu]-, Cup]b pbebu|- 
 2lpollo 5l]c rf)A|i 6] A T)A c6|lle. 
 
 and Leath Mhodha, took place — Conn's half and Modha's half. For Eogan 
 was also called Modha, besides two other names. From Dublin to Galway 
 was the line of demarcation — the northern part being Conn's, and the 
 southern Owen's. I should have said that the mother of the latter was 
 Beara, daughter of Heber Mor, son of Mioidhna (Minna), king of Castile 
 in Spain, and that his father was Modha Neid ; Conn, of the Here- 
 nionian line, and Owen of Heberian. Conn was designated as of "The 
 Hundred Battles," because he triumphed over the provincialists in many a 
 hard-fought battle. He made Cruachan, in Roscommon, his grand pro- 
 vincial palace, but, as monarch of all Ireland, he visited Tara, where he 
 fell by the hand of an assassin, prince of Ulster, whose name isTivbraidhi 
 Tireach (Thivreei Theeragh). Fifty ruffians, disguised as women, hired 
 for that purpose, attacked him, when he was taking a solitary walk, un- 
 attended by his guards or courtiers. But it must be here remarked that 
 success forsook him, since he himself caused the death of his rival, Owen, 
 as some chroniclers have it, on the very morning that they were to fight a 
 pitched battle in Magh Leana. His brother-in-law fell by the hands of 
 the invincible Goll, son of Morna, a Connaught Fenian chief. They 
 flourished in the 145th year of the Christian era. O'Halloran denies, 
 that Owen fell by the sword of Conn, and says, that Goll slew both Owen 
 and his Spanish ally and brother-in-law in open fight, just as the day 
 
49 
 
 XLIV. 
 
 Though they were full of generosity 
 Valorous, beneficent, munificent, virtuous, 
 There was not the light of the faith in Erin, 
 But druidism, diablery, necromancy or sorcery. 
 
 XLV. 
 
 Jupiter^ ^had^ many'' votaries^ 
 As God in heaven, and earth together. 
 Neptune, the God of the expansive^ sea,^ 
 I Pluto of hell and of wealth, and he hut one man. 
 
 XLVI. 
 
 Some*'^ of them^ adored^ as God'* the^ sun^ 
 Another^ part^ of thera,^ the moon and stars, 
 Mars, Bacchus, Cupid and Phebus, 
 Sage^ Apollo^ as God of Wisdom. 
 
 I appeared. The fame of the glory of two such champions and of their 
 posterity, reached far and wide and was the fertile theme for bard, poet, 
 and other writers, from their time down to this day. And I grieve to 
 have to say, that some of the leaven of division, fomented so many centu- 
 ries hence, still is visible in this unhappy land. Whereas men ought to 
 reflect, that each province has had its good men, and its bad men. It is 
 training and nature that form the character, not the soil. Oh, may 
 heaven grant my countrymen the spirit of mutual toleration and an ob- 
 livion of unchristian feelings and jealousies. Irishmen of every province 
 and of every creed can only prosper and be happy by union and by love. 
 ' In unity consist the welfare and security of society. How expressive these 
 
 ' words of the poet : — 
 
 1 j 
 
 Ah ! why will kings forget that they are men, 
 ' And men that they are brethren ? Why delight 
 
 > In human sacrifice ? Why burst the ties 
 
 { Of Nature, that should knit their souls together 
 
 y In one soft bond of amity and love. 
 
 Stanza xliv. 
 
 " • Homer does not contain a more beautiful or sweeter passage than this 
 y stanza. The alUteration and rapidity of the second line is hardly to be 
 
 E 
 
50 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 t)a T)-5Aibr)e BuIcat) b^ul bub 
 Pat), bjA buACA]ll^5e 'r)A c-CAe]tAc; 
 JuT)0, PAlUf, U6r)u|*, T^Cj]*, 
 Jb^ul* BeAT)^Ai8 r)A CA|i]tA]5e* l6|ce. 
 
 XL VIII. 
 
 ^)*^lt* C|i]0]-b bo ceAcc a c-colujt)T) bAei)6A 
 43b^ bl^AbujT) c|i^-8e]c ]|* ce]C]te c^AbA, 
 2t)uiq6*' 2t)bllco Tif t)bAl]tiAbA,** 
 <t)o*' SluA]!* 6 Ko^rb cAji Ajf b' A]t fAe|i<\&. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 Cele^qt)U]« AT) pApA T)AOTbCA, 
 
 43o cu]|i pAb]tAj5**cu3AiT)r) '|* a cl6]]te, 
 
 2lf 1*6 bo ceA5A]|*5 ^)|a&acc bAOi^bAcc, | 
 
 JO|*A Cjl^OI^C 1 C-C]t]OCA]b 6j|ieAT)T). I 
 
 equalled. The flight is lofty as an eagle's, the language is vigorous as that of 
 Oisin, and sweet as that of Fergus, the Fenian bards. 
 
 The system of worship practised by the Irish people when pagans, was 
 the most harmless as well as the most exalted and rational of all pagan 
 nations. See the Earl of Rosse's learned work in vindication of the 
 antiquity, enlightenment and civilization of ancient Ireland. His Lord- 
 ship's work should be in the hands of every antiquarian. 
 
 Stanza xlv. 
 
 ^ It would be as improper to write a ij-neinpeAcc as " u noome" for 
 " un homine," though sounded as oonum, one man. 
 
 ^ Some antiquarians hold, that Jove was not worshipped here ; but there 
 is no evidence to show he was not. 
 
 '= He was God of hell and riches — thus implying that the abuse of riches 
 leads to his dark realms. t 
 
 ^ tloTj'Ayx, by syncope, for AOTj|:eAti. — We forgot toremark when writing I 
 of 1th (Eeh), who was killed by the Danaans, that some copies have Arj i 
 leAbAD, in bed. That was evidently contrary to the evidence of history, 
 which tells us, that Ith brought up the rear of his men, and that whilst i 
 thus acting, as a brave general, guarding the rere of his warriors, he was 
 attacked and killed. It is, therefore, nonsense to say he was in bed when 
 murdered — Ae]nnT^> therefore, in the passage meant the one man, that is, \ 
 
51 
 
 XLVII. 
 
 Vulcan"* of the blackmoutli^ as GodLof Smiths^ 
 
 Pan as Deity of Shepherds, 
 
 Juno, Pallas, Venus, Thetis, 
 
 The Sybil, the prophetess of the hoary rock, 
 
 X1.V1II. 
 
 After Christ came in a human^ body^ 
 Two years, thirty and four hundred (432; 
 When^Micho Milcho was king of Dalriada^ 
 He^ came from Rome across the sea them to save. 
 
 XLIX. 
 
 Celestinus, the holy^ Pope,^ - 
 
 Sent Patrick and'* his^ clergy^ to us,^ 
 
 It was he who taught the Incarnation (the Gospel), 
 
 Jesus Christ to the people of Ireland. 
 
 the great man. It also signifies sometimes, as we find in the poem, 
 marriageable, or masculine, when referred to a young woman. 
 
 Stanza xlvi. 
 
 ^ The ancient Irish worshipped whatever was thought to be Jtre, as the 
 sun, moon, stars. They thought the sun gave life, vegetation, &c. We 
 cannot find history as to the assertion here made, that they worshipped 
 Bacchus; they were a temperate people, though they used generous 
 wine. 
 
 Stanza xlvii. 
 8 Some copies have ]o6b]oU i)A cttA^se lejcj. " Craglia." 
 
 Stanza xlviii. 
 
 * See Historical Notes. 
 
 ^ Micho Milcho is mentioned by St. Patrick in his " Confessions" only 
 as a man. It may be, that he was a chief or a prince of the country, called 
 Dalariada, comprising part of Down and Antrim, &c. ; but we cannot find 
 that fact in any ancient record. 
 
 <= That is, St. Patrick. The star refers to Historical Notes at end of 
 this book. 
 
 Stanza xlix. 
 
 * Patrick was consecrated in presence of Celestine, came to Ireland in 
 the next year — the first of Sixtus. 
 
52 
 
 C)o cIao]& AT) ]t]5, 5^6 5U|i beACAm ^ ^eAijATb, 
 2t)AC le]|*5e, M^jll MAO^jjAllAjg, tAegA^ite.^ 
 
 LI. 
 
 211* C]tUA& AT) CUT)]tA8 A]t A 7t6]C]ObA|t, 
 
 <t)u]T)e o bu]T)e bo cu|i at)T) ^]V^]'^ f 
 
 CeAT)T) AT) Cjje Ia^A& AT)T) A6T)freACC 
 
 'S A c6 T)AC b6]C|:]6e b' a 4)]A^ 5^|lleA6. 
 
 LII. 
 
 <t)'eA5lA 5eAfA bo be]c 't)a c-cu|b ^AbA^j, 
 
 SeAt)|*eAlA]b** bfiu]c |i§ t)a cfe^le; 
 
 ^)6|ceA6 AT) b|iAO], 'f* i)jO|i beA]i5 a^|i Bb^t)|T),^ 
 
 AT)!)-]-]!) bO CU5A& b,te]C CeA]tC T)AeTT)CA. 
 LIII. 
 
 <t)o b^j Y AT)* 2t)un7AjT) |iO]Tb e, 50 fAec|tAC, 
 CeAC|iA]t b'eAfpojAjb beApi^Ajgce, T)Aert)CA, 
 2l]lbe'' )n)\e ^)]A5lAt) <t)^|fe, 
 jbeA|i un)A]l If C]A|iAT) Cl^^ne.*' 
 
 Stanza l. 
 
 » Observe the frequent use of ]r instead of A5ur, (and), by our poet; but 
 a slender vowel mostly follows. In fact, the melody of our sweet language 
 demands it, and the curt colloquial style of our peasantry enforces it. 
 
 ^ Laoghaire {Leary) was rather inclined for Christianity, but was never 
 a true Christian. The poet hints as much in the third line ; history tells 
 us so. 
 
 Stanza li. 
 
 ^ This fact is mentioned in some of the lives of our saints. Greater 
 miracles were wrought in his favour. The simultaneous conversion of the 
 island was itself a stupendous miracle. 
 
 ^ This is exactly the accusative case of 0€os. 
 
 Stanza lii. 
 
 * An English word. 
 
53 
 
 He banished druidism, necromancy, and idolatry, 
 
 He baptized children and adult^ persons f 
 
 The^ king^ ^subraitted^ tho'^ that« was^ hard^ to^ efFect,^ 
 
 0'Leary,%e slothfuP son'of O'NeilP of the nine^ hostages. 
 
 LI. 
 
 Hard was the test on which they settled : 
 A person from a (each) person to put into one house, 
 Both ends of the house burnino^ over them too^ether. 
 And he who would not be burned, to his God thet/ were 
 to worship. 
 
 LII. 
 
 Lest charms were in their clothes 
 
 They exchanged dress with each other , 
 
 Burned was the druid, and it lighted not over Benignus, 
 
 And then was given a judgment righteous, holy. 
 
 LIII. 
 
 There were in Munster before him, with (of) diligence. 
 
 Four bishops, blessed, holy, 
 
 Ailbe^ of Imley, and Declan Deisey, 
 
 The humble Ivar, and apostolic Kiaran (^Kieran). 
 
 ^ Benignus was a pupil of St. Patrick, and his successor in the See of 
 Armagh. He wrote many Irish poems still extant. He was author of 
 the " Book of Rights." — See notes on Patrick. 
 
 Stanza liii. 
 
 * Or Amx — as before noted, the article is set before names of countries. 
 
 ^ Ailbe or Ailve, bishop of Emly, in the time of King iEngus, when St. 
 Patrick visited that province, which was then not composed of the same 
 counties as now. Deighlan or Deicolus (Ceile De),the pious, was bishop 
 in the country of the Desies or O'Deisies, county Waterford. Ivar and 
 Ciaran, of Saigar. He is called the learned, because he was eighteen years 
 in Rome, and taught theology therein. — See notes on St. Patrick. 
 
 *= This was an epithet of pre-eminence for learned ecclesiastics, though 
 in its literal acceptation it signifies a scholar, and it denotes a clergyman. 
 
54 
 
 LIV. 
 
 'Cbws 60 A be^c r)A bjie^qorb A|i 3b^o6lu]b,* 
 
 pA|l|lAl]* Aft S]Or) luAT) AT) l^jft-pjll]]* . 
 
 LV . 
 
 "CbuS bo CeAC|lA|l b'AT)rr)AT)T)A^b JAO&lA^b, 
 
 ^)o bjiejc 50 'plAjqof 5AC Saca|it) |»Ae|i le]f; 
 4)eA|ibA6 6ib^T)* bo bf i^AenjcA, 
 
 c]ti ceAC]tA|t^ bo CU5 ^ac 436 86. 
 
 4)'eA5lA cleAf, ^1* beA]tc bAojAl,* 
 2li)C]C|i]|*c bo lu^5 A]t 3b<'^o8Alu]b,^ 
 <t)o geAll AT) bjle A cu|t a|i 6]]ie,* 
 SeACc Ti;-bl|A8T)A jto^ri) Ia|*a8 i)a fjifeiiie.*^ 
 
 LVII. 
 
 <t)0 jeAll AT) b^T) bo ]i]m^' AT) T)AOTT)fA, 
 
 21 b-puT)c AT) b^j]* 5AC bu]T)e* a 8&A|ifA8, 
 
 Mo (bA T0-b^A8 A C-CAf) T)A C]t] tlO|T)T) 8ej5j01)AC, 
 
 2ir) c-At)ATr) bo b|te]cb o ^|:|i|OT)t) ]*Ae|i le]]*. 
 
 LVIII. 
 
 1)-lTf7]t) PbAb|tU]5 A b-AiT)im A i>5AOi8eil5, 
 
 <t)0 |l]T)e' SbACTJaU* Tr)AC <t)A]|teA|lCA, 
 
 2lcA A5UTT) b' TbeAbA^jt ]te cfejle, 
 
 )r *bo]tb6ojt)i)* A be]c A5 ^eAjiA^b 6j]teAT)T). 
 
 Stanza liv. 
 
 * See notes on Seachnall's and Fieeh's hymn, p. 98, 116. As Moses 
 shall sit on the last day as judge over the tribes of Israel, so shall Patrick 
 over the Irish. 
 
 ^ See also page 129, 84, 49. 
 
 Stanza lv. 
 
 « See Colgan and St. Evin's life of St. Patrick ; also the life of Deigh- 
 lan. — See note on stanza liii. 
 
55 
 
 LIV. 
 
 Jesus^ did speak face to face with him, 
 
 Gave him a book and crozier as a precious jewel. 
 
 Gave him to be judge over the Gaeliv, 
 
 Watching on Calvary the moon of the Last Desolation. 
 
 LV. 
 
 Granted to him four Irish^ souls'^ 
 
 To bring to heaven each Saturday free with him ; 
 
 Evin, that was blessed, asserts, 
 
 That^ the son^ of God^ did give ^twelve'^ to him.^ 
 
 LVI. 
 
 Lest the cunning wiles or danger 
 
 Of Antichrist would rest on the Irish, 
 
 He promised a flood to send on Eire 
 
 Seven years before the burning of the sphere. 
 
 LVII. 
 
 The'^ poem'^ the^ saint^ ^composed, ^ he ^promised^ 
 That, Sit the point of death, each person who would say. 
 Or, if he were in danger, the three last^ verses,* 
 His soul to bring from purgatory free with him. 
 
 LVIII. 
 
 Patrick's^ hymn, its name in Irish 
 SeaghnalF ^wrote^ it — the son of Darerca, 
 I have it ^alF to memory. 
 And I direct the ^men^ of Ireland^ to"^ have'^ it. 
 
 " Three fours did give." — The author writes three fours rather than 
 twelve to suit the metre. 
 
 Stanza lvi. 
 
 * The reader's attention is called to the melody of this beautiful line. 
 ^ See St. Ciaran's (of Saigar) prayers in behalf of Ireland, in Historical 
 Notes, stanza liii. 
 
 The fulfilment of this promise is not opposed to the promise, that 
 
56 
 
 LIX. 
 
 SeAcc c-c§Ab bajIa]!* ho fiiTje* at) t^AonjfA, 
 "Cui ^1^0 bl]A6Ar) bo rr)^]]i |*e j T>-fe]|ijr)r).*' 
 
 2lf iOTt)A& Ti)Ai5b]0T) b|t^v^5]b5eAl* beu^AC, 
 43o gUc fbO]l Y 1^1 we' c]te]6eAT)uf ; 
 4DeA3AT)AC, cAt)or)AC, cl^]|teAC, 
 C)o jt^ppe' AT) peA|t bo jiujAb curt) b6j5beA|ir.^ 
 
 21 T) ]i]05ACc ujle bo culleA6* cun) T)AOTbc^vcc, 
 
 Bl eA5lA 5AC )X 3T^^^ *t^e aca; 
 
 21t) ^eAb bo njA^ji ceA|* Ar) ciie^b, 5 at) c|iaoca6, 
 
 " OjleAT) T)A T)AOTi)," bO b'A]T)TO A]|t B]|t]T)T). 
 LXII. 
 
 'S]r) Tt)A|t cA^ceAbAii i*eAlAb 50 feuT)TbA|t, 
 
 "Ho 5U|l CA|*AbA|l <1)aT)A]|X b' A T)6]ljU5A8,* 
 
 21 lo|T)5eA|* lA^bjjt l^vi) bo lAecA^b,^ 
 
 ^)0 buAjje CATOaU ) C-CeAT)T)Af T)A b-B]|teAT)t). 
 
 there would not be an universal deluge — nor to the decree of an universal 
 fire. The Father of nature has made exceptions, and can make exceptions 
 from a general rule. 
 
 Stanza lvii. 
 
 » We think this word ought to have two v as the accent falls on that 
 letter ; but no dictionary spells it so. 
 
 ^ How like the Latin fert is this word, having the same signification. 
 Stanza lviii. 
 
 " This word proves, that the writer was a bishop. I direct or order — 
 the language of a man invested with spiritual authority. No layman 
 would use such a term. A layman may advise but not order in spirituals. 
 See this hymn and notes on it, at page 1 16. 
 
57 
 
 Two hundred and sixty bishops without wives. 
 Three thousand priests, holy, poor, 
 Six hundred churches this^ saint^ established,* 
 Sixty years he lived in Ireland. 
 
 LX. 
 
 It is many a virgin, fair, graceful, 
 That took the veil and made abstinence, 
 Deacons, canons and clerics, 
 
 The^ man'* who was^ born^ with^ happy^ lot,^ ordained. 
 
 LXI. 
 
 The kingdom all did rush to sanctity. 
 There was fear, each day, and love of God in them, 
 As long as lived the warmth of faith without decay. 
 Island of Saints" was the name of Eire, 
 
 LXII. 
 
 In that manner they spent a space of time happily 
 
 Until they met the Danes to cloud it, 
 
 In^ strong^ ships^ full of warriors 
 
 They gained ybr a time a head in Ireland. 
 
 Stanza lix. 
 
 " 5v\T) cejle was in the copy ; at the suggestion of a friend, a change 
 was intended, but reflection made us see that the author's words are those 
 of the text, showing the celibacy of the clergy. 
 
 ^ "We have made the number of years thirty-three, on the authority of 
 Lanigan. 
 
 Stanza lx. 
 
 ^ The most eminent was St. Bridget of Kildare, who wrote an Irish 
 poem in honour of Patrick. She was aunt of Cogitosus. — See Ware. 
 
 ^ A man may be a cleric, though not a priest ; those in minor orders 
 may be called clerics. 
 
 Stanza lxi. 
 
 * By this word it is implied, that some had relapsed into idolatry. 
 Hence it would seem, that there were many Christians in Ireland before 
 St. Patrick, though Palladius did not succeed — " Returned to righteous 
 ness," intimates that many had fallen away. F]Uo^^6 was in our copy. 
 
58 
 
 LXIII. 
 
 j c-CAc CbWT)ACA]tb 2lo]T)e At) ceu|*bA; 
 )X At>T) bo rbAtib, 5]8 cA^lleAb e ^e^t) le]f, 
 1,aoc|ia6 LoclAt)r) ujle le b-AOT) cac.* 
 
 LXIV. 
 
 ^^]X t)A 7i]05Acc A|iif bo |-Ae|lA&, 
 
 jr buAT)r)Af LocUi^t) fcopAb le b-AethCAC. 
 
 T^bu5 cUpT) t)A c-cA|tAb t)-^]lte 6* a c^^le, 
 
 2I5 b05A6 'f A c|teACA6 t)A Tt)-bA]lce Y b* a |iAebA6^ 
 
 LXV. 
 
 Mof Af Tf)eA|*A, 'f A]* Tl^AllAjge bV Tt)-^6jb]|t. 
 
 ^0 be^c A|i caIait), b^ feAUb A5 5Ao6Alu]b; 
 
 ^r)^V bA Tt)AlA]|lC|U5A6 CAj|t A c^]le, 
 
 'S A rov^ pofbA x^iv bo cji^jjeAT).* 
 
 2t)Ac* 2i)ii|iCA6A* tA^jeAt),^* It Tr)u|i ^jt) b'^]3i)]6, 
 BeAT) TIibl5eA]tT)^TT) U] Kua^jic fi^g B|i^itr)e; 
 
 <t)0 bA^I) A beACA Y A CaIaTI) a T)-6]]t^C.*^ 
 
 Stanza lxii. 
 
 • Hugh, the Fist- Sucker, succeeded to the throne of Ireland, A.D. 813. 
 In his reign the Danes first invaded Ireland, though some writers state, 
 that after they were beaten out of England at the close of the eighth cen- 
 tury, they came to Rathlin, an island off the coast of Antrim, and laid it 
 waste. 
 
 ^ lAecAjb, also lAoc^tA. 
 
 After Ireland had groaned for a long duration under the demon oppres- 
 sion of the Danes, until endurance was longer impossible, the Irish chief- 
 tains, once in their lives combined, and expelled the invaders. Would to 
 God, that we had now that union of purpose. However, it is to be feared, 
 that nothing but terrible persecution can effect so desirable an end. Yet 
 come it will — and sooner than is imagined. 
 
 As in a sketch, such as a note, we could not do anything like justice to 
 the glorious Brian of Clontarf, and King O'Connor of Connaught, who 
 
59 
 
 LXIII. 
 
 Bryan^ Boiroime'^ did^ free^ Banba from^ thaldrom^ 
 
 In the battle of Clontarf the Friday of Easter 
 
 It^ was^ in^ it^ he killed, though^ %imselP was^ lost^ 
 
 The host of Loghlin, nearly all by one fight, [thereby,^ , 
 
 LXIV. 
 
 After the kingdom again he freed 
 
 And the triumph of Denmark he staid in a single battle, 
 Sons^ of^ friends'^ took^ jealousy^ of eacV other^ 
 A burning, destroying, and dismantling towns. 
 
 LXV. 
 
 Habits the worst, and most wicked that are possible 
 To be on earth, were for a time amongst the Gaedaliv 
 Women exchanging from each other. 
 And'* their own married^ wives forsaking. 
 
 LXVI. 
 
 Mac Murphy, King of Leinster, in that way seduced 
 The wife of Tiernan O'Rourke, Lord of Breffney ; 
 That^ gave^ anger to the paramount King of Eire, 
 He took his property and his land from him as a penalty. 
 
 supported him at that famous battle, we must refer the reader to Keating, 
 or some other Irish Nationalist historian. 
 
 Stanza lxiii. 
 » Vid. Keating, ** History of Ireland." 
 
 Stanza lxv. 
 
 * This verse is explained in the next. Woman and wine subjected our 
 lovely isle to seven centuries of persecution, not equalled in the history 
 of the world. The rape of Helen was not the source of such woes to 
 Troy as was O'Rourke's Dervorgilla to Erin. 
 
 Stanza lxvi. 
 
 * See Historical Notes. 
 ^ Leinster Murrough. 
 
 Roderick O'Connor of Connauglit. — The stars (*) refer to notes at end 
 of the book. 
 
60 
 
 LXVII. 
 
 'S bo geAll bo BAi:)bA rnuji Iuac ]*AOCA^|t. 
 
 LXVIII. 
 
 2lr) bA|iA l}et)|ii bo Apir) b' ot) |iecf X]v, 
 ^o fruAfU 6 b-PApA bulU* le })'^]^e4^cz, 
 CeA|ic ]]* c|teib]0Tb bo -feAfArb ^ t)-6i|1]T)T), 
 j|* Ajtbcjof pbeAbA]]t bo b'pl 3AC if^]\e, 
 
 LXIX. 
 
 2t)AC 2t)A0l 1)A Tl}-bo CA|l A]f bOI) CAe]bfA, 
 
 Sb^c^AT) |ro AjtTtjujb 5l6AfbA 
 jAjtlA Sc]tAT)5bo leo Tr)U|t l^Abeji 
 C]tpc At) t5^1^> 5AbAbA|t 6||ie. 
 
 Stanza lxvii. 
 
 * Mac Murrough having landed at Bristol, went in the first instance to 
 the Bishop of St. David's, in Wales. This prelate introduced him to the 
 Welsh king, father of Nesta, the concubine of Henry I. She was the 
 mother of Robert and Meyler Fitzhenry, by King Henry. She was after 
 that married to Gerald of Windsor, by whom she had issue, Maurice Fitz- 
 Gerald, and David, the bishop alluded to above, also William, father of 
 Raymond le Gros. The aforesaid concubine's second husband was Stephen 
 of Cardigan. The offspring of this nominal marriage was Fitz- Stephen. 
 William de Barri, the son-in-law of the above chaste woman, had four 
 sons, Robert, Philip, Walter, and Gerald. The latter, through worldly and 
 ambitious motives, became a clergyman. The Church was the only hopes 
 he had, all his illegitimate and sinful connexions being needy adventurers. 
 His name will be for ever held in detestation by every lover of honour 
 and truth. Himself was so much ashamed of his hellish calumnies, 
 wickedly uttered before Archbishop Cummin, at a Synod in Christ's Church, 
 and nobly refuted by Alban O'Mulloy, Abbot of Kells, on the spot, that 
 he fled from Ireland, and never again dared visit its shores. But he vented 
 his spleen by using his diabolical pen in seeking to blacken Ireland's 
 character. Some writers say he was son of Henry by Nesta, and not her 
 grandson. Such were the desperados that polluted our shores in the 
 
61 
 
 LXVII. 
 
 The King^ of Leinster"^ ^went^ proud and wrathful 
 On that account to the Saxon'' King^ and put himself on 
 Asked of him aid against his kindred [him. 
 And promised him Banba as the price of his service. 
 
 liXVIII. 
 
 The second Henry was the name of that^ king^ 
 
 He got from the Pope a ^wonderfuP BuIF 
 
 Right and faith to establish in Ireland [Patrick. 
 
 And the supreme rent of Peter to pay each festival of 
 
 LXIX. 
 
 The son of the Bald, of the kine, returning from that 
 quarter 
 
 Brought with^ him^ Saxon'' men^ with^ finished^ armour;^ 
 
 Earl Strongbow with them as leader. 
 
 It is the finale of the history — they took Eire. 
 
 days of Pope Adrian ; we remove the veil only to make Irishmen learn 
 even now the infamous parties that came not to do (what their sinful blood 
 forbade), to edify, but to plunder our rich island — See Wright's " Ireland," 
 atA.D. 1169. 
 
 ^ Straight-a-head, direct. 
 It may seem strange to have two particles before the infinitive mood ; 
 the same occurs in other languages, thus, in French : pour dire,' to say 
 and this, though the very form implies "to," which is not the case in 
 Irish — at least, not so generally. 
 
 Stanza lxviii. 
 
 » It is said the Bull was a forgery. One thing is certain, it should be 
 held as void, our crown was our own natural, inalienable property. The 
 Pope had no power, by virtue of his spiritual supremacy, over our temporal 
 affairs. Hence his bull should be treated in that matter as waste parch- 
 ment. What is true of one person must be true of any number of persons, 
 or of a nation ; now no man, capable of managing his own affairs, it is 
 ageeed on by all, can, by any law, be deprived of his property. But the 
 Irish sceptre belonged of right to the nation ; therefore, the transfer was 
 contrary to right and nature, and wherefore an unwarrantable act and a 
 robbery. Though some say the Bull was forged, yet we believe the con- 
 
62 
 
 LXX. 
 
 4Do b' A0]|* bo CbtilOfb, AT)T)|-|T) 5AT) b|teA5A; 
 
 C)o bjObAfi* cAOjr) pbjAlcA, cfifejJceAC, 
 
 Bub TtJA^c A t)-8l^5eA&, ] c-c]te]b^orb ^ a Ti7-b§A|*A. 
 
 LXXI. 
 
 3^6* bu]T)e b'urblu]5 bo b^j a cu^b le^f, 
 
 430 bpbA|i ceAr)|*A^ Tt)u|i ce^vv cl&]|ie; 
 f jolA& A b-]:u]l t)A c^jle, 
 
 C)0 bj AT) 3^llbA, A "^^11 "^^o^l^c. 
 
 LXXII. 
 
 21 c-cftejbjorb 'f a T)-bl^5e 6e]|teA6 5u|i clAOclojb, 
 CA^lbjT) coIIa^6 ly Lucejt c|iAe|*Ac; 
 
 431 bo c]t6]5 A c-c|i6ib]orb A]]t Tbe]|ib|i^, 
 
 'S A t)-a5a6 t)A b-eA5lA]|*] i*5T^1<^^ 50 b-^15ceA]tc. 
 
 LXXIIl. 
 
 P|t]or)t)]*u]5e SAC|*At) olc be]|ieA8 at) T*5^|lfiT), 
 21t) coccrbAb 1)eT)|t]5* 6l]|*Ab^cA, 
 
 Hi T)A BtieACA]T), ]f 2llbAt) SeUTOUf, 
 
 Luceit leAT)A]b, |» a i)-eA5lA]i* ^^ui^a'. 
 
 trary, as we find by history that Pope John, a long time afterwards, in the 
 reign of Edward, alludes to the Bull of Adrian as a " licit document," and 
 upbraids the king in strong language for the robbing, persecuting conduct 
 of England in Ireland. We refer the reader to the letter contained in the 
 " Annals of the Four Masters," p. 723, by Owen Connellan, Esq. 
 
 Stanza lxx. 
 
 » For a contradiction of the kindness and goodness of the English here 
 mentioned, we refer to Brennan's " Ecclesiastical History of Ireland." A 
 few of the invaders were good. If space permitted we could adduce an 
 unbroken chain of unheard-of crimes, perpetrated on us by even Catholic 
 England. England, Catholic or Protestant, she should have Ireland in 
 chains. Yet our cup was not brimful until Cromwell's days. We would 
 be inclined to write that these last six lines seem an interpolation, as 
 evidently our poet was to the heart's core a nationalist, or he praised the 
 
63 
 
 •0 
 
 LXX. 
 
 A thousand, eight twenties, and one ten years'* 
 Was the age of Christ at that time without mistake. 
 They were kind, civil, virtuous, 
 Good^ were^ her laws, faith, and morals. 
 
 LXXI. 
 
 Each person that submitted, to^° him ^was^ left own^ 
 They were gentle as head of the clergy [property.^ 
 They mixed their blood without distinction 
 The3 GaeP Vere^ Gall and the Gall were Gael. 
 
 LXXII. 
 
 Until the faith and the laws at last they slighted^ 
 CarnaP Calvin,^ and lecherous^ Luther,'* 
 After he reneged his faith for a harlot 
 And against the Church he wrote unjustly. 
 
 Lxxm. 
 
 Bad Saxon monarchs — the end"* of that story^ — 
 The eighth Henry and Elizabeth, 
 King of* Britain and Scotch James 
 Luther followed and the Church denied. 
 
 English as they were in West and South Munster. We refer also to Pope 
 John's letter, in the " Annals of the Four Masters," to prove that the 
 English Government were robbers of sacred and temporal affairs. 
 Stanza lxxi. 
 * This is contrary to historical evidence. 
 
 ^ This is not true except of the Geraldines, of whom it was said, " More 
 Irish than the Irish themselves." The illustrious Brownes, of Tork and 
 Abbeyfeile, might also be excepted, and some other good families ; they 
 were only the exception, not the rule. 
 
 Stanza lxxiti. 
 
 ^ These were the three monarchs who scourged the Irish with a rod of 
 iron. All the old families were disinherited, except those wretches who 
 renounced their God and betrayed nationality. 
 
64 
 
 LXXIV. 
 
 <t)o cojbAb A c-caUtt) f A TO-beACA AT)T)^^T)freAcr, 
 4)o l)-10rt)p05A8 Ai) bpbU^ o U^bjOT) cun) b^AjtU, 
 
 'S V]^ ^CC 5Ar) A]^|llOT)T) b'6]|*beACC. 
 
 liXXV. 
 
 PubAll T>A SACfAT), 5Atttuj6e ^b^ojblu^b, 
 2lt) c|iejbiOTt> jUcAb a r-A]f]t]oi)t) cn^is^b ; 
 2lf ^Ab cori)A|icA^5 be^jteAb At) c-]*Ae5Ail, 
 <t)'f?0|*5Ail* At) 5eACA curt) peACA6 bo b^AtjAtt).^ 
 
 LXXVI. 
 
 ScAb o't) Ai^|t]Ot)T) <t)OTi)t)AC 5T^^1t)e,^ 
 
 BeAT) AfCeAC ^ ATt)AC A 'T)-Aet)^eA|t, 
 
 )ort)Ab ti)^ot)t)A A5UI* ti)6]tAt) ^jC]5, 
 
 LXXVII, 
 
 2lo]i)e pAife, f^ojl |f f^ufCA, 
 
 Ul5ll T)A t)-2lpr^Al 5At) C|tO|*5eAt) Al]t AOl) CU]b, 
 
 jf bu]t)e 'x A ceub bo glACAb n)U|i tt)6]le, 
 2l]i4vt) e6|iT)A b^olA|i -\x cAelbeoc, 
 
 liXXVIII. 
 
 C|iA0|* rr)^]y'^e a t)-joi)Ab At) cjte^jeATju^i*, 
 'So cu5Ab, "fub o]tc," b]A bo b' |t^]ceAc; 
 KAjr)t)c Tr)A|i Ati)b&|]t, beA]*A]5 b^Abo|i, 
 2ll|i5eAc ceAt)t) cA^ji ceAi)t) t)A clfe||ie. 
 
 Stanza lxxiv. 
 » Although the text has Biobla, he clearly means the Mass. 
 Stanza lxxv. 
 
 SI Cobbett said that the Reformation threw open the " flood-gate of 
 vice." How inconsistent he was to have continued a member of its Church. 
 To his work, relative to the sinful lives of the early " Reformers," the 
 reader is referred. 
 
65 
 
 LXXIV. 
 
 They made' of {the) king head of the clergy, 
 They seized their"^ lands and property also. 
 They' translated the Mass from Latin into English — 
 Thus they did but without Mass a-hearing. 
 
 LXXV. 
 
 The Saxon people and their Irish adherents'^ 
 This^ faith received and the Mass forsook ; 
 These are the signs of the end of the world 
 That opened the gates sins to commit. 
 
 LXXVI. 
 
 They remained from Mass on a sunny^ Sunday,* 
 A woman in and out to the same man. 
 
 There were many oaths and many lies. 
 Theft,' and robbery, and taking with violence. 
 
 LXXVII. 
 
 On Good Friday meat and feasting. 
 Vigils of the Apostles without fasting on one meal, 
 And a person in the hundred a-taking as a meal 
 Barley -bread,' cresses, and small beer (slender drink). 
 
 \' LXXVIII. 
 
 Gluttony and drunkenness instead of fasting (prevailed)y 
 And " here is to you" — God^ .righting^ you,^ 
 Dancing, and as amber polishing the hat, 
 Hard^ cash' for the heads of priests. 
 
 ^ The body all vice. 
 
 Stanza lxxvi. 
 
 * These verses refer to the great change the new religion made in the 
 morals of the nation. 
 
 ^ btieic |te e|5in, taking by violence — literally, with difficulty. — Here 
 its obvious translation is what we have given, b^teic means judgment, 
 carrying, giving Mrth to ; '\i is sometimes a contraction for btieiceAti; 
 
66 
 
 LXXIX. 
 
 Bojcc b'^ c-c]teACA6 "| ceAll<v b'^ |tAebA6, 
 2li) bAjr)c|tebAC bocc a CAOjtJeAb a c6jle, 
 'S A bjlleACCA Ai) c-q5 a b^^qj. 
 
 LXXX. 
 
 21 1* c|iuA]6 i)A bljgce bo |i]T)r)eA6 b'^^t r)-5eA|i5U]r). 
 Se|]*iu]r), cu]]tce]6, c^AiiTDUjg bAOjtA; 
 Bb^T^^n? llb]te, ji* cu]|ic 6cffecu]]t, 
 Cl0|* col^^|*b \)oxY)]\)h poerjA. 
 
 LXXXI. 
 
 3|ieei)-bAC|*, c^pjA^, bjt.^c, |tepl6jb]t), 
 BAt)T)Ai5e, b'jocA^l, p]ot)^jl, 6]5ceA]tc; 
 P]tobofc, ]*uf|ie]b, pojtcjieA, ro^A^tA, 
 SeA]t|t]Arr>, Tr)A]iAfCA^l, fe]T;^|*CAil cIaot)a. 
 
 LXXXII. 
 
 <t)li5ce beA5^ e^le bo |i^i)i)eA6 bo 3b<^o6lu]b, 
 Su|i]teT)be|i A^fi A c-ceA|ic bo 66Ar)ATt;, 
 <t)o cuiri f |t) LeAc Cu]T)t)^ c|t]6 T)A c6]le, 
 3lACA]b A T)A]|tn7, 5^6 cA^lleAS =jAb pep) le^f. 
 
 btxeiceAiijAr). In the barony of Costelloe, in Mayo, there are many re- 
 spectable families of that name, some of them are now called " Judge." 
 The first of them that took the latter appellation was an eloquent Latin 
 teacher, Mr. Roderick Judge, with whom we first began classics. He is 
 still living. 
 
 Stanza lxxvii. 
 « This was the fasting fare in Ireland in those times. 
 
 Stanza lxxviii. 
 
 a This verse represents the licentious habits of the followers of the so- 
 called Reformers. t^fA &o 6 tiejcAc, God righting you — the usual saying 
 is b]A 6 A TtejceAc. Whenever persons are in trouble or danger, the above 
 is the common expression. The author, in this place, makes the carousers 
 use it by way of recklessness — as much as to say, '* we shall settle with God 
 on the last day, let us put our crimes on the long finger." 
 
67 
 
 LXXIX. ^ 
 
 Blood, without cause, spilling and pouring. 
 The poor a-stripping, and churches a-dismantling, 
 The desolate^ widow^ lamenting her husband, 
 And the orphan at home a-crying. 
 
 LXXX. 
 
 And hard were the laws made for our oppression 
 Assizes, sessions, and terms severe. 
 Livery,^ wardships,^ and Exchequer^ court,'*. 
 College^ rents^ and penaP dues,'' 
 
 LXXXI. 
 
 Greenwax, capias, writ, replevin. 
 Bail-bonds, bills, fines, wrongs. 
 Provosts, tipstaffs, portrieves, manors, 
 Sheriffs, jailers, seneschals partial— 
 
 liXXXII. 
 
 Another^ smalP law^ was made for the Irish, 
 Surrender of their right to make. 
 
 This put Leih Cuin into disorder, [thereby. 
 They took up arms, though they loere ^themselves^ lost 
 
 Stanza lxxix. 
 
 ^ With the unheard of persecutions exercised on the Irish, for their un- 
 dying adhesion to Catholicity, our readers are already acquainted. The 
 CathoHc Archbishop Browne, of Dublin, who was one of the first that re- 
 neagued the old faith, was a great persecutor. His official communication 
 to the English government, on the vices of his followers, is a precious do- 
 cument. 
 
 Stanza lxxxii. 
 
 * He calls it small, with an irony, meaning that it was a hellish law. 
 This refers to the Court of Claims of James L 
 
 ^ The part of Ireland north of the Shannon, once the kingdom of Conn 
 of the Hundred Battles ; James' (the First) Confiscation of Ulster and 
 Connaught Catholics is meant. Then the O'Brennans of Roscommon 
 forfeited. 
 
68 
 
 LXXXIII. 
 
 c-Ja|iU O'M^iir* f u<\i]t b^]t]t p6]le, 
 O Cac^]T)* t)A T)-eAC Tt)-b^t> r t)A })-e]t:>e^S^^ 
 
 LXXXIV. 
 
 O'CeAlUis,* 0'Bui6ill,* 0'Kai5iIIi5,* 
 
 3lA1fT)e 2t)A5Tr)AC5ATbT)A,* AJUf ^A5 2lop5U]*A,* 
 
 M|aII 5A|ib At) co]t 2t)AC 2it)A5r)u|*A.* 
 
 LXXXV. 
 
 2t)AC t)OT)cbA&*^ At) Cbui1A^i:)T) ^ T)A C^]fe, 
 
 'S A |iA]b o |*]r) A]t ]:Ab 50 b-&]T^t)e ; 
 
 O 43ubbA*^ t)'^^ c-cA]fleAT) AelcA, 
 
 2t)AC SoTbA]]ile*^ bu^6e c]A 5u|t f ao|ia6. 
 
 STA.NZA LXXXIII. 
 
 » 7%e O'Neill; we find from a learned work of the "Dublin Celtic 
 Society," and for which work Ireland is mainly indebted to the labours of 
 John 0' Donovan, LL.D., Professor Curry, and the late generous and 
 enlightened W. H. Hudson, Esq., that in the reign of Henry III., the head 
 of King Bryan O'Neill was cut off, and sent to England. Besides him, 
 many of the chieftains of Connaught, and fifteen chiefs of the O'Canes 
 were murdered in Down, A.D., 1260, because they refused to join Espey 
 the Long, bastard son of Henry II., by the notorious Rosamond the Fair 
 (rather the Foul), in an expedition against their kindred and blood in 
 Scotland. From the first landing of the English up to this, our history, in 
 all ages, presents, one unbroken chain of murders, plunder, and sacrilege. 
 Were a pillar, as lofty as the Tower of Babel, erected, and were the bloody 
 atrocities perpetrated on us detailed on parchment, and placed along such 
 pillar, what an ensanguined roll would not the eye behold? But though 
 God is long patient, yet this system must have an end, and terrible and 
 heavy will fall heaven's weighty judgment on the murderers of our clergy^ 
 kings, chiefs, and people. Had England acted towards us as Normandy 
 acted towards her, the two nations had long since been blended and 
 united ; they would defy the world. Had justice been exercised in our 
 regard, we might be reconciled to English power, whereas we know and 
 
69 
 
 LXXXIII. 
 
 Lord O'Neill famed for generosity 
 And Lord O'Donnell of great renown, 
 O'Cane of the white steeds and the fine attire, 
 And noble^ O'Rourke,^ Lord of Breifney. 
 
 LXXXIV. 
 
 English^ Maguire^ and Lish^ Maguire,'' 
 O'Kelly, O'Boyle, and O'Reilly, 
 Noble^ Mac^ Mahon, and Mac Guinness, 
 NialP Garv^ in the tower and Mac Manus. 
 
 LXXXV. 
 
 Mac Donough of Corran and Keash, 
 And all from that to Lough Eirne, 
 O'Dowda of the lofty'' castles,^ 
 Mac Sowerly the yellow — tho' he was saved. 
 
 feel that many of their tribes migrated originally from this country, and 
 that from time to time the families of both islands have been incorporated 
 by marriage. Had they the wisdom of iEneas, to give us equal rights 
 and laws, it might be a matter of indifference who ruled us, whether an 
 Irish or an English monarch, or whether we had monarchy or a republic. 
 But one thing is beyond all dispute, that the Milesian blood has ever 
 clung to monarchical government, and never dreamed of anything else, 
 so did the Scythians ; for our own part we say either would be scriptural 
 and good, if impartially administered. It is not to be wondered at, if the 
 O'Neills had an undying hatred of Saxon power ; there scarce passed a 
 century without witnessing the murder of some of that ilustrious royal 
 family. 
 
 We wish space would permit us to give an abstract of an authentic 
 account of the trial and base execution of Irish Maguire — Lord Bryan 
 Maguire of Fermanagh, general under O'Neill. The document we have. 
 
 Of the white steeds and rich dress. He was remarkable for the gor- 
 geousness of his cloak and other garments. — See Historical Notes. 
 Stanza lxxxv. 
 
 * The Mac Donaghs, of Corran and Ceash, County Sligo, are descended, 
 I think, from the M'Dermotts, of Moylurg, County Roscommon, their 
 dun or fort was " Ballymote Castle." A story prevails that an O'Donnell, 
 
70 
 
 LXXXVI. 
 
 Sjol* C-C01)CubAl|l* ^U<V]|l clu le bAOt)T)ACC, 
 
 'S c]t] 2t)e]c Su^br)e* t)^|i ob ]-p6]|il]r)t) ;* 
 Ma c]tf 2t)u|icAi&e* h'Ay leAbA]t, 5eA5A, 
 
 ^U|XCa6* t)A C-CUAC, T)A tlUAJ, 'f t)A n)^]t TbA]tC. 
 LXXXVII. 
 
 UA]CT)e* bo cu^jt AT) fop A]]t f^^beAS 
 O Ja|ic<v]i LAjJeAt) A]]t ^Ab 50 b-fen^t)e; 
 
 Btl-^tJ^IS* beO&A, ]f CA0Tt)At)A]5^ CAOrbA, 
 
 Klb]|ie° At) 3bleAt)t)<v Y A H]b^T^e bl6i5eAl. 
 
 King of Tyrconnell, at one time married a daughter of Mac Donagh, on 
 condition that the latter would always give him a body-guard consisting 
 of twelve Mac Donaghs. What Mac Donough and O'Donnell these were is 
 not now certain ; it may be that this old tie was the reason why O'Donnell ^ 
 in 1600, took up quarters in Ballymote Castle — six miles to the south-east 
 of O'Connor Sligo's, at Collooney. 
 
 " The O'Donnell's Pass" (in its central part called Dunaveeragh), extends 
 through a part of four parishes, viz., Ballymote, Keash, Boyle, and 
 Ballinafad ; in the last place is Dunaveeragh. The part of this historic, 
 romantic defile known as the " Yellow Pass" is in the parish of Boyle. 
 
 The O'Dowda's Castle (or castles), was in Tireragh, to the north-west of the 
 Mac Donaghs. They are a very ancient and illustrious sept in Connaught, 
 some of that hospitable family are still in Tireragh and hold an estate, and 
 are much respected. Mac Donough, of Keash, was ons of the most glo- 
 rious and valiant of Ireland's sons. The last man of note of the sept was 
 a counsellor, who saved 700 acres of land for O'Connor of Belanagar, from 
 the cupidity of French, of Frenchpark, in Anne's time. 
 
 The black Mac Donnell, in our historical notes we set down 
 the family alluded to in this verse as of Antrim, whereas we ought 
 to have recollected that our own countryman, Joseph Myles Mac 
 Donnell Esq. (late M.P. for Mayo), of Doo Castle is the representa- 
 tive of the glorious Mac Donnells of the North of Mayo. They fought 
 many a hard fight for native land and Catholicity. But it is a known 
 fact that so kind were the Connaught chiefs to Protestants, that poor 
 men of the latter kept lands in trust for the former, until the tempest had 
 ceased to howl, and then restored them. The word Mac Sorely had 
 deceived us, but when we recollected that we ourselves knew many friends 
 of our own in Mayo of black complexions, we hastened to correct the 
 
71 
 
 LXXXVI. 
 
 O'Connor's^ race^ who found fame for hospitality, 
 And the three Mac S weeny s who had no equals. 
 The three Murphys of oxen, books, and groves, 
 Murtagh of the men, the chase, and the fatted kine. 
 
 liXXXVII. 
 
 Owney that put the wisp on blowing (that spread fire) 
 From the end of Leinster to Lough Erne ; 
 Courageous^ Walshes,^ and mild^ O'Cavanaghs,"^ 
 The Knight of Glen and the White^ knight.^ 
 
 mistake by this short note : — The Hon. F. A. Cavendish, of Castlebar, 
 married into an ancient sept of the Mac Donnells of Cahir House in the 
 south-east of Mayo. Edward Mac Donnell, Esq., is the present worthy 
 representative of that old Catholic family. The hospitality of Cahir House 
 was proverbial. It is worthy of remark that the names Joseph and Alex- 
 ander were very general in the family. It is so with the Antrim sept 
 the present Earl of Antrim is a Mac Donnell, not by blood but by patent 
 Just as if a piece of parchment could make black, white. Mac Donnells 
 and O'Dowdas had their territory adjoining each other, and contiguous to 
 those of O'Connor-Sligo, M'Donough, O'Rourke, Reynolds, O'Reilly, Mae 
 Dermott, O'Connor Roscommon. The O'Garas formerly held all Sligo. 
 b He was killed at the battle of Sligo. 
 
 " Mac Sorely Mac Donnell — The Yellow Earl of Antrim, also styled 
 Marquis, by Carte. The word 5oii^A]iale (Sorely), signifies grave. The 
 Mac Donnells of Antrim and their posterity, all over Ireland, were of a 
 swarthy colour. They were, as the name shows, of Clan DonnelL We 
 have known several of them : — the Mac Donnells of Cahir, Barony of 
 Costello, Mayo; Joseph Myles Mac Donnell, Esq., J. P., of Doocastle^ 
 Mayo. The late Su: Francis Mac Donnell, of Enfield, County of Meath, 
 came from Antrim. They were all proscribed in the time of Cromwell. 
 However, by industry they afterwards acquired estates and renown. This, 
 in itself, is an evidence of the recuperative power of the old Irish families. 
 Stanza, lxxxvii. 
 
 a The Walshes (followers of Strongbow), of the " Walsh Mountains," in 
 Kilkenny, also of Wexford, and other places, were stripped of their estates 
 in the time of William, as were the brave O'Cavanaghs of Kildare. The 
 latter are Milesians, and of royal lineage. They fought for Catholicity and 
 Ireland in the revolution of 1688. 
 
 ^ See Fitzgeralds — next stanza. 
 
72 
 
 LXXXVIII. 
 
 J<v]iIa**t)a SioT)t)Abe5 CAllA]T)T)e, )X ^Q^^rje; 
 Jl* )A|tlA*^ 43biiT)A Bu|6e t)-^ c-CAelW]tc, 
 
 <t)0 C65 T)^|l C0^1)A]Tb A^jt fexM)CO]t. 
 
 LXXXIX. 
 
 Bps T)^v|i ]ir)C|5 AT) cubA]|*c le c^jle, 
 
 5U|l CA^ll A CeAI^T) Y CeAT)T) |ij SeAjiluf.* 
 
 xc, 
 
 t*^ T*^ ^t) C05A6* bo c|t^ocT)Ai5 fejlte, 
 S bo cu]|i T)A Tt7]lce A15 "jAiiiiAjb b^]]tce ; 
 21t)-ua]|i bo b'jb|ieA6 at) Tiur)|*]U|* i^AerbcA, 
 
 ^)0 fljOC pl^V^5 1]* JOjlCA 0]t|tA AT)§lT)^eACC 
 XCI. 
 
 'CosbA^TD* ^it)T)e' K|0|TA|ib Bb6llli)3>* 
 liAC b^c bAOjtje, b]A6 t)o ^AbA^g, 
 M5 T)eA|ic t)^TbAb bo bA^T) b]ob Bi|ie, 
 21CC =jAb CAjll A]]t A c6]le. 
 
 Stanza lxxxviii. 
 
 » TAe JS'flW 0/ Desmond — Shanat was their great fortress in Limerick, 
 and near Shany Golden. Hence Shanai-aboo, Hurra for Shanat Castle, or 
 for the Geraldines, " Hiberniores ipsis Hibernis." 
 
 ^ The Fitzgeralds — First, the Knights of Glin and Kerry, and the White 
 Knight of Maine, County of Cork ; all of whom, however, made cunning 
 terms for themselves with the usurper ; and, secondly, the Fitzgeralds of 
 Castleisland, called the island of Kerry, from the fact of the river Mang 
 forming a kind of circle round its numerous castles. These branches of 
 the Geraldines were descended from natural sons of John of Callan, an- 
 cestor of all the Fitzgeralds, and whose legitimate posterity were the 
 Earls of Desmond, and Kildare. The White Knight became a notorious 
 " Priest-catcher so much for worldly considerations ! We stood on his 
 grave in Kilmallock churchyard. Awful stories are told of him. The 
 
73 
 
 LX XXVIII. 
 
 The Earl of Shanat, Callan, and Mang, 
 And the yellow"* bold'^ EarP of the narrow boat, 
 O'Dogherty the Ossin, the pride of the Fenii, 
 Brought war that I don't defend on any plea. 
 
 LXXXIX. 
 
 It was thus went mischief on Eire, 
 
 Though there came not black ruin altogether 
 
 Until Phelim'' began^ this^ rising,^ 
 
 And until Charles^ lost^ his"* power^ and head. 
 
 xc. 
 
 It was this insurrection that finished Ireland. 
 And that put the thousands to seek alms ; 
 When they banished the holy Nuncio, 
 There ran plague and famine upon them together. 
 
 xci. 
 
 I take the testimony of Richard Beeling, 
 That it was not^ want^ of men,^ food,"* or clothing,^ 
 Not the power of the enemy, that took from them Ireland, 
 But themselves that lost it on each other. 
 
 reader will have to keep in view that there were respective successive 
 earls of all the distinguished families alluded to ahove. No sooner did 
 England murder one than up sprung another Scaevola. 
 
 0' Sullivan Beare, who gave his castle to the Spaniards in 1601. — 
 " Annals of the Four Masters." 
 
 The O'Dogherty, Lord of Inishowen, in Donegal, to the north, in the 
 peninsula formed by the S willy and Foyle. 
 
 Stanza lxxxix. 
 
 ^ Charles I. was beheaded by the CromwelUans, on Tuesday, January 
 the 30th, 1649. He was a bad man. 
 
 Stanza xc. 
 
 a The insurrection of 1641, commenced by Sir P. O'Neill. Discord 
 amongst the Irish chieftains and in the Confederation of Kilkenny gave 
 England her bloody triumph. The division in the Confederation was sup- 
 ported by Richard Beling, the Bishop of Ossory, the Bishop of Meath, 
 Lord Mountgarrett, and Preston, all Catholics. 
 
74 
 
 XCII. 
 
 Se|* cACf f] |te|*e|b6A|t, 
 
 430 5t)j& |l0b^|l CAOC 3At) AOl^CA. 
 
 XCIII. 
 
 <t)o* b| c^V|l Arb|tu|f, b-|:u|l b|t6A5 at)T)? 
 
 5o |tA|b ^)0t)t)CA6,* 2t)u|tCA6, II* S^ATTJUf, 
 
 Jf ll|ll|Oc be Bu|i5 A||t cul bAO|tA, 
 
 2l||i Tb^5 AT) ScAi)CA||ib* A5 |n7||tc t>A b-^|Mot)i). 
 
 XCIV, 
 
 <t)0 |*5|t)T) eACO|t|tA A C|0T)A|5 |*pe||t|OC 
 
 <t)o |tu5 Ai}* but) r A 5U|T) A T)-6|i)^eAcc ; 
 Ol|be|t C|torT)U|P cu|ia6 t)a peii^i^e, 
 'S A TpAC l)eT)|i| 50 c|to6A cAeb leii*. 
 
 Stanza xci. 
 
 a Richard Beling was a distinguished writer, at the close of the seven- 
 teenth century. He held a situation in the Castle of Dublin, in 1684, as 
 a reward of his treachery towards Cardinal Rinuccini and nationality. 
 Roderick O'Flaherty, author of the " Ogygia," referred his erudite work to 
 his inspection, in the year mentioned. Dr. O'Connell must have written 
 his " Dirge of Ireland" after that time, as he appeals to Beling (of course 
 to his writings), in support of his lordship's statement — that division was 
 the ruin of Ireland. How dexterously does our author quote from Beling 
 against Beling, he being mainly the fomenter of the division. Beling's 
 son. Sir Henry, was secretary to the queen of Charles II. Well did the 
 bishop sing that Ormond, Muskerry, Clanricarde, &c., gambled away our 
 country. — See Rinuccini's letter, in the Historical Notes, p. 173. 
 
 Stanza xcii. 
 
 James, Marquis of Ormond — an Irishman; the Earl of Castlehaven — 
 an Englishman and a Catholic. Other leaders were O'Brien, Earl of 
 Inchiquin, the *' Church-burner," so-called from his sacrileges — a wretch 
 who changed sides as often as he saw the political tide ebbing. Preston, 
 the Catholic commander for Leinster ; General Barry for Munster ; Burke 
 for Connaught ; and, noblest and bravest of all, Owen Roe O'Neill, for 
 Ulster ; Lord Muskerry ; and the Burkes of Mayo. Niall Garv O'Donnell 
 
75 
 
 XCII. 
 
 A foreign^ general^ and an Irish^ army"^ 
 A foreign^ army^ and^ an Irisli^ general 
 Impost, and tax, and receiver fees,'' 
 They robbed without an ace. 
 
 XCIII. 
 
 There was a report of deceptive^ doubt,* was it a lie ? 
 That there were Donagh, Murrough, and James, 
 And Ulick Burke, on the guilty^ rere^ 
 On the plain of Stancard, at the gambling of Ireland. 
 
 XCIV. 
 
 There ran between them the ace of spades, 
 That won three Jives and the whole game together, 
 Oliver Cromwell, hero of the army, 
 And his son Henry, hardily at his side. 
 
 was reduced for a time, to command under the plunderers. In the 
 «* Annals of the Four Masters" are furnished many instances of Irish 
 chieftains being at the head of the armies for England. The allusion here 
 is to Phelim's insurrection. 
 
 Stanza xciii. 
 
 ^ Donough O'Brien, Murrough O'Brien, Ormond, and Clanricarde be- 
 traying Ireland at the battle of Stankard, in Carlow. — See farther on. 
 Stanza xciv. 
 a See last page of ** Dirge." 
 
 ^ For the cold-blooded, barbarous, and superlatively demoniacal atroci- 
 ties of the Lords Justices of Ireland, who assumed to represent royalty, 
 the slaughtering-house scenes, the revolting, disgusting, atrocious, and 
 hellish theatres of gunicide, senicide, and infanticide — too abominable to be 
 here recorded — the reader is referred to the work of the Rev. Dr. Warner 
 (a Protestant clergyman, T.C.D.), pp. 182, 135, 176, 177, 178, sicjjassim, 
 also " Journal of House of Commons." 
 
 Oliver Cromwell, that incarnate devil — the hideous monster, himself — 
 thus writes to the Speaker of the House of Commons — 
 
 " Sir — It has pleased God to bless our endeavours at Drogheda, After 
 battering we stormed it. The enemy were about 3000 strong in the town, 
 / believe we put to the sword the whole number of the inhabitants. I do 
 not think that thirty of the whole number escaped with their lives, and 
 
76 
 
 xcv. 
 
 'pleecuoob, Lu&lo, UAlle|t, ]x Bficor), 
 
 21 clo]6]Ort7 'i* A p^o|*col Aj5 5AC Aor) bpb, 
 CA|ib]T)e cl]]*be ]f -p]|ieloc sWfbA. 
 
 those that did are in safe custody for Barbadoes. This hath been a Mar- 
 vellous Great Mercy. There were about 3000 horse and foot (in the gar- 
 rison) under their best otficers. I do not believe, neither do I hear, that 
 any officer escaped with his life, save only one heutenant. / wish that all 
 honest hearts may give the glory of this to God alone, to whom indeed the 
 praise of this mercy belongs ! ! ! 
 
 " Plant Ireland with Puritans, and root out the Papists., and then secure 
 it." — Book entitled the *' Cromwellians," p. 55. 
 
 No savage nation under the sun, at any time, not even New Zealand, 
 perpetrated such diabolical deeds. Had the villain cut a canal through 
 Ireland, and had he brought all his victims, young and old. men, women, 
 and babes to its banks, and let their innocent blood flow into such canal 
 he might have floated his infernal troops in their ships along its surface. 
 
 The House of Commons approved his infernal acts, and proclaimed a 
 THANKSGIVING DAY throughout the. nation. — Pari, His., vol. iii. p. 1334. 
 
 All our readers are aware of the 300 women butchered by Cromwell 
 about the Cross of Wexford. With regard to the massacre of 3000 men, 
 women, and children— Catholics — all innocent, not being concerned in 
 the wars — the reader is referred to the work " Collection of Irish Mas- 
 sacres ;" also to Leland, book v. c. 3. Reference to the former work is 
 made relative to the depredations, burnings, and slaughter of O'Sullivan 
 Beare's country, in Bantry, wherein they butchered man, woman, and 
 child, and turned many into their houses to be burned therein, and that, 
 though the great O'Sullivan was a most humane man, and foolishly pro- 
 tected the very wretches that afterwards aided in his ruin and that of his 
 people. The same writer says, " that seventeen children were taken by 
 the legs by the soldiers, who knocked out their brains against the walls." 
 
 *• Inchiquin, in the Church of Cashel, put 3000 to the sword, taking the 
 priests even from under the altarT — Ludlow's Memoirs," vol. i. p. 106. 
 That rufiian was the ancestor of the Marquis of Thomond. For similar 
 inhuman, guilty acts, see vol. xi. p. 7 (Introduction), of Rev. Dr. Nelson, 
 a Protestant. These are the wholesale assassins with whom the renegade 
 Beling and the corrupt Friar Walsh would have the holy prelate, Rinuc- 
 cini, make terms. Terms with such men of blood ! Terms with such 
 sacrilegious blasphemers ! The idea of a peace with such black spirits 
 
77 
 
 xcv. 
 
 Fleetwood, Ludlow, Waller, and Ireton ; 
 
 Bold^ forces' with strong horses* and accoutrements, 
 
 His sword and pistol with each of them. 
 
 The ready 2 carbine,^ and polished^ firelock,'* 
 
 shocks every feeling of humanity, every sentiment of honour, every prin- 
 ciple of religion. A truce with Satan would not be more abominable in 
 the eyes of the God of Mercy ! The glorious Nuncio immortalized him- 
 self, enshrined his memory in every honest heart, as having shrunk from 
 the abomination of recognizing Inchiquin, and his furious myrmidons, ever 
 gorging, always devouring, and mangling unoffending Christians. Oh 
 God ! it is no wonder that the Right Rev. Dr. O'Connell exclaimed, in the 
 first stanza, that when he called to mind the cruel deeds — 
 " My heart within my breast is torn," 
 **l)foT) n)o c|to]6fe a' njo clfAb 6 A fteubAb." 
 
 These are 'words for which the English language does not afford a suffi- 
 ciently strong translation. 
 
 Leland and Warner state, " a gentlewoman big with child was hanged, 
 with others, by order of Sir Charles Coote." For other more sanguinary 
 perpetrations, see Carte's " Ormond," vol. iii. p. 51. We feel our flesh creep 
 at the mere narration of the following fact, from the above work : Sir 
 William St. Leger, ordered, among others, a woman great with child to be 
 ripped up, from whose womb three babes were taken out, through every 
 
 part of whose little bodies his soldiers thrust their weapons." History has 
 no parallel for the above. It needs no comment — " ex uno disce omnes.'* 
 Nero was harmless, compared to St. Leger and the Cromwellian furies. 
 Yet to some of such fiends Lord Ormond gave relief and supplies, as we 
 already showed from Carte's " Ormond." He offered to extirpate the 
 
 : Papists if the Lords Justices would only empower him. What a man he 
 was in whom Catholics were called upon by Bishop Dease, of Meath, Se- 
 
 j cretary Beling, and Father Walsh to place confidence. The result proved 
 
 i that no rehance should be reposed either in any of the faithless Stuart 
 family, nor in Ormond.— See Carte's " Ormond," vol. ii. p. 301, wherein 
 it is expressly written, that they who had murdered Charles I., had the 
 
 ! greatest share in the plunder of the property and lands of the Irish nobles 
 who supported royalty. The rapacious Ormond was deeply concerned in 
 the plunder. He was a comparative beggar, worth about ^7000, annually, 
 upon his appointment to the viceroyalty, and when peace was restored 
 he could count £80,000 a-year. The regicides were confirmed in their 
 
78 
 
 XCVI. 
 
 ^<vb* ]*o ho tt]T)r)e' corjcuefc fe]|ieAT)T), 
 
 'S 6 Cl0]C AT) SCAC^I]!) 50 BaoI B&A|l]tA. 
 XCVII. 
 
 T^] T)AC T1)eA]*|:Aj& 60 bo 8&AT)ATb, 
 
 "jAb bo 6]b^|t ]*eAT) 5'<'^i^l* f6]Tbe; 
 Bu]tcA^5, Buid6A|iAi5 <t)^]p5e, 
 )Y c]5eA]tT)UA T)A 2t)|6e bu6 n)d]i ^^le* 
 
 ill-gotten plunder, and insane Irish loyal slaves were treated as they de- 
 served ; as the immortal O'Connell, in his " Memoirs," said of the garrison 
 of Drogheda. In all the eloquent remarks of that illustrious champion oi 
 Ireland he speaks with pity, if not with contempt of the mistaken loyalty ' 
 of Irish Catholics in those eventful days. Throughout his work we could 
 plainly see that, had he lived in Inchiquin's time, he would think himsell 
 contaminated by any connexion with that apostate Catholic. 
 
 In these days, in which we write, we hear misguided persons led away 
 with the notion, that if England be not supported in her present diffi- ' 
 culty — we might add, in her dangerous position — our country will be 
 overrun by the Russians. Our own opinion is, that bad as the late Emperor 
 of Russia was, our condition could not be within a hundred-fold as bad as " 
 it was in the days of the Charleys, Elizabeth, and Cromwell, not excepting ' 
 Mary. Even Satan on the throne, matters could not be more terrible, nor 
 could his black majesty have enacted bloodier laws than did England to ' 
 establish her domination in this country. — See Curry's " Re\dew of the 
 Civil Wars," p. 392, et passim. ^ 
 
 In 1652, the 27th of EUzabeth was ordered to be most strictly put into 
 execution in Ireland. Every Romish priest was deemed guilty of rebellion, ^ 
 and sentenced to be hanged until he was half-dead, then to have his head ' 
 taken off, and his body cut in quarters, his bowels to be drawn and burned^ 
 and his head fixed upon a pole in some public place. — See above work and 
 page. The same penalty against any one who harboured a priest (see as^ 
 before). Curry, in pp. 393-4, states that five pounds were set on the head 
 of a Romish priest as on that of a wolf, and this was the act of the Com- 
 missioners, who were the law and the Parliament. Thousands of thou- Ir 
 sands who were seduced to surrender, under pretext of protection being r 
 
79 
 
 XCVI. 
 
 It was these who made a conquest of Erin, 
 They seized their towns and forts entirely. 
 From Inisboffin to the Hill of Howth, 
 And from the Giants' Causeway to Berehaven. 
 
 XCVII. 
 
 A thing that would not be thought of them to do, 
 It was they who banished the gentle old stock. 
 The Burkes, Butlers, Deasys, 
 
 And the Lord of Meath that was of great generosity. 
 
 afforded them, were massacred whilst under protection. Such protection 
 as vultures give to lambs — covering and devouring them ! ! ! 
 
 Morrison, in p. 14, Threnodia," says — Neither Israelites were more 
 cruelly persecuted by Pharaoh, nor the innocent infants by Herod, nor the 
 Christians by Nero, or any other of the Pagan tyrants than were the Roman 
 Catholics of Ireland at that fatal juncture of these savage Commissioners." 
 The few emaciated beings that outlived the carnage were ordered into Clare, 
 Galway and Mayo, and any of them found out of that might be shot by 
 the first person who saw the straggler. — " Clarendon's Life," vol. xi. p. 
 106. We regret we cannot give the passage at length. Broudin says — 
 "that not less than 100,000 were transported from their native land, 
 several thousands of whom were sent to Jamaica, and the other West 
 India Islands — many sold as slaves." 
 
 In 1652, the Earl of Clanricarde left Ireland, as did Murtough O'Brien, 
 the last of the Irish commanders. " Twenty-seven thousand men had 
 been sent away by Cromwell. — Dalrymple's " Memoirs of Great Britain," 
 vol i. part 2, p. 267. Several of the Protestant writers above cited, assert 
 that, after a few years not more than twenty families of all those who 
 were sold into Jamaica survived — that thousands perished on their 
 voyage. — See note, page 91. 
 
 Stanza xcvi. 
 
 a We have seen another copy of this poem that has convinced us, that 
 this stanza xcv. alludes to William's times, when red ruin blazed — 
 
 « From Inisboffin to the Hill of Howth, 
 From the Giants' Causeway to Cape Clear." 
 
 These were rallying words of the great O'Connell, the fifth in descent 
 after our bard. This evidently proves, that the poem was written at the 
 
80 
 
 XCVIII. 
 
 'S AT) Koji'ceAC ^rlAjceArbu^l t)AC fe-cuj §^ceAc 
 
 3^A|IaIcA15^ LA^5eAT) ]|* ^^A^lAlcAjg 2t)6]T)e,^ 
 U|*bA]*A15 Plu]T)CeAbA^5 PAOjtA^j. 
 
 close of the seventeenth century, perhaps about 1690. The reader will 
 have observed the Bard does not say a word about James II. He dared 
 not do so in the state of affairs, much less could he do it in the time of 
 Anne, even if the poem were then penned, but we are certain it was not. 
 Moreover, he thought Ireland had enough of the faithless Stuart dynasty. 
 So said the Liberator himself, in his Memoir of English Atrocities." The 
 Bishop alludes, in this last verse, chiefly to the forfeitures in Munster and 
 part of Leinster. He left to other poets to record the losses of their lo- 
 calities. 
 
 Stanza xcvii. 
 
 * The old English of a peaceful disposition. The poet expresses his 
 surprise, that at least these unoffending parties, who took no part in the 
 wars, were not saved from the general ruin. The poet calls them xeAx) 
 5aU, old foreigners, that is of long standing, as having been in Ireland 
 since the close of the twelfth century. The Irish peeple called every 
 stranger, no matter from what country, 5AII. In the second century of 
 the Christian era the continental auxiliaries of Eugene the Great, includ- 
 ing the Spanish prince, brother of Beire, who was married to Eugene, 
 that landed in the west of Connaught to make war on Conn of the Hun- 
 dred Battles, were the first who were called 5^11, Galli, " Gauls," to dis- 
 tinguish them from the " Gael," Irish. The poet thought the unoffend- 
 ing old English families, who were certainly kind, good, charitable, and 
 devout, would be left unmolested by their countrymen. All the families 
 mentioned in these two following stanzas were of that class, and, as being 
 Catholics, they were proscribed, and most of them left the country. 
 
 A small book, written in Italian, which once fell into our hands, gives 
 an account of ten thousand men, a corps composed chiefly of Irish, in the 
 Austrian service, and commanded by the Irish Colonel, O'Deasy, having 
 defeated thirty thousand Tartars in full march upon Vienna, in or about 
 1685. In attestation of the bravery of the Irish and their chief, the , 
 writer remarks — *' These were men who needed the rein more than the 
 spur." They routed the Tartars with immense slaughter. For other dis- 
 tinguished names see J. C. O'Callaghan's splendid work on the *' Irish 
 Brigade." 
 
81 
 
 XCVIII. 
 
 The Barry s young, and Barry s old, 
 
 And the plentiful^ Roches,^ that did not wrong, 
 
 The Fitzgeralds of Leinster and Fitzgeralds of Munster, 
 
 The Eustaces, Plunketts, and Powers. 
 
 Stanza, xcviii. 
 
 * The Plunketts of Meath. — The family of Plunkett can, in common 
 with other distinguished Irish families, point to a long and distinguished 
 ancestral line, who have been true to the interests of Ireland. Their 
 ancient possessions were principally situated in the County of Meath, 
 at Clonabraney, which embraced large tracts of the rich lands adjoin- 
 ing. By intermarriage they came also to be possessed of the estate and 
 fertile lands of Loughcrew, which for centuries before bad been in the 
 possession of another family of the same name, and other estates in the 
 County of Cavan. The antiquity of this family is clearly proven from the 
 tombstone which covers the family place of sepulture, on which we find 
 the name of Oliver Plunkett engraven. This burying-place was erected 
 by the family in 1132, and is still in their possession. The great grand- 
 father of this Oliver Plunkett of Clonabraney, the first of the family re- 
 ferred to in existing family papers. 
 
 Thomas Plunkett, who was the grandson of Oliver, was the last inheri- 
 tor of Clonabraney. He married the only daughter of Dominick Plunkett, 
 who had inherited the mansion-house and estates of Loughcrew, and had 
 four sons and two daughters. The three younger of the sons emigrated 
 after the civil wars, in which they had taken an active part, but being un- 
 successful, lost all their property. Two entered the Austrian service, 
 where they soon distinguished themselves by their military skill and 
 valour, and wgre soon entrusted with some of the most responsible 
 military positions. The third brother entered the Spanish service. They 
 all died without issue. James, the eldest and sole heir, remained at home, 
 in the hope of being able to recover the family estates of Clonabraney and 
 Loughcrew, in the County of Meath, and Castlecor in Cavan. Antecedent 
 to this Cromwell had confiscated the property and dispossessed Dominick 
 Plunkett of Loughcrew, who was then in possession. Thus, by injustice 
 and robbery, this property passed from the hands of its lawful owners. 
 
 Dominick Plunkett, the last inheritor, was married to Mary O'Neil of 
 the house of Tyrone. Her only daughter, Elizabeth, was the mother of 
 James Plunkett, who had issue six sons and three daughters, of whom 
 there is now surviving Patrick Plunkett of Taneymagaraugh, about 
 
 G 
 
82 
 
 XCIX. 
 
 2lt) Bo56]be4c n)6\i e6]tr)Ac b^Aj^eAC, 
 Cat)cIut)a^3, Scat)cu!)A|5, Ra]5<vIIa^5, 
 
 3^llll5> S^iI-^iSj C:u|irA]5, C]tAece]6. 
 
 c. 
 
 B]tin:)AC Tujitc* B|tCir)AC p^jle, 
 
 Pu]|ireAU]5, Su]peAU]5, te|ri5> 
 SeA|tlo5Ai6, C]Of05Aj6, Ce]cit)]5.*' 
 
 three miles north-west of Oldcastle, County Meath, a venerable hale old 
 man of eighty-eight years of age, who has issue three sons and one 
 daughter. 
 
 We may here relate an incident not unfrequent in those starhng and 
 disastrous times, Thomas Plunkett of Clonabraney, who fought with King 
 James at the Boyne, and afterwards at Aughrim, and kept his estates during 
 all this time, was robbed of them the harvest after the battle of Aughrim. 
 
 Having, on the evening of finishing his harvest, as was then usual, or- 
 dered his steward to bring all his workmen up to the Castle at six o'clock 
 till he would give them some drink, the men were very much dehghted at 
 the invitation — put their harvest utensils, rakes, pitchfor*ks, &c., on their 
 shoulders and walked four men deep to the Castle-gate. 
 
 In a few days afterwards an old pensioner then living in Crossakiel, 
 went and swore that Mr. Plunkett was recruiting men for King James. 
 This information, and his being a Catholic, at once disqualified him from 
 holding possession of his estates any longer, and, consequently, he was 
 obliged to surrender his property, or renounce his faith and religion ; the 
 latter he would not consent to do. 
 
 This family we presume is, and can be traced as far back as any other 
 family in Ireland. Few families indeed sacrificed more for their rehgion 
 and their country. The following anecdote is an instance : 
 
 John Plunkett lived in Rathmore. He was married to Mary Cruise. 
 He had twelve sons and one daughter ; Cromwell appeared to be alarmed 
 at hearing of this John and his tvvelve sons. He sent for him, and stated 
 he would be most anxious to be acquainted with his sons, and invited the 
 said John and them to come to see him. So the innocent man and his 
 twelve sons, all fine men, none of them under six feet high, came, with 
 
83 
 
 XCIX. 
 
 The Bagot of large fine^ barley"* -fields, 
 Cantwells, Stauntons, Raleigh s, 
 Rices, Trants, Moores, and Mees, ' 
 Gal ways, Cooleys, Courseys,and Creaghs, 
 
 c. 
 
 Brown of Turc and Brown of the Feale, 
 And Condon of Oloughlea ( Grey stone). 
 The Purcels, Supples, Laceys, 
 Sherlocks, Cusacks, and Keatings. 
 
 their father, riding on twelve grey horses ; but how did Cromwell receive 
 them ? He had matters so arranged that the moment they appeared within 
 a certain distance of him he had a cannon planted before them and shot 
 the twelve on the spot. When the poor broken-hearted father reproached 
 Cromwell for this murderous act, his answer was that they appeared too 
 formidable to be allowed to live. They and their father are buried in the 
 church-yard of Newtown, Trim, in the County Meath. There is a tomb- 
 stone erected over the father's grave. He was a branch of the Clonabraney 
 family ; and the Archbishop of Armagh, who was hanged and beheaded 
 in 1681, belonged to a branch of the Loughcrew family. 
 
 The Earl of Fingall, though he struggled with the Liberator for Eman- 
 cipation, yet in that it would appear he was selfish. For since he got 
 leave to take his place in England's Senate, he has not aided Ireland in 
 her struggles for redress. Of his branch of the Plunketts much cannot be 
 said in praise. He could, if he would, give effective aid from his position 
 and great influence in England. As an Irishman of ancient lineage, his 
 Lordship ought to be with his countrymen. For in the day of trial he 
 may want them, if such would ever return, and it may. 
 
 ^ The Roches and the other families would gladly be granted a niche^in 
 our gallery could that, by possibility, be done. Dr. O'Connell, our author, 
 confers a marked compliment on the illustrious Roaches by saying, " they 
 never acted wrong," and that '* they were most generous." 
 
 The Earl of Kildare, ancestor of the present Duke of Leinster, and 
 the Gerald of Croome, County Limerick. — See note on verse Ixxxviii. 
 
 ^ The Powers. — We would, if space permitted, feel pleasure in placing 
 before our readers interesting facts relative to such members of this 
 ancient sept as remained true to creed and the old land. For this adhesion 
 
84 
 
 CI. 
 CII. 
 
 'SjAb bo b'jbjii Ci* ^ bo ce^y Ttje), 
 ^)ei|ieA6 bo't) b^os-^tuj^ , x^VT^^V' ^mom I 
 p|ijoi)r)|*A T)A T)-5AOi6eAl, (too c|i^ac fAeg^lcA,) 
 2t)A5 C^|tticA 2t)o]t* A fl^occ At)&jt)^eAcc.** 
 
 to Catholicity most of them forfeited, but some of them in course of time 
 had acquired honour and rank by toil and industry, the most " honourable 
 path to glory." Of these we deem it our duty to refer to that veteran 
 patriot Sir John Power, of Roebuck and Leeson-street, Dublin. Industry 
 has invested him with what injustice had taken from his ancestors. His 
 country and Catholicity has never in vain sought his aid, nor that of his 
 worthy son James Power, Esq., D.L. May penal laws never again rob them 
 nor their offspring. These families claim descent from Donough O'Brien. 
 Stanza c. 
 
 a These were the ancestors of the Earl of Kenmare, one of whom mar- 
 ried the heiress of their relative Browne, of Hospital, county Limerick, 
 whose great estate was thus added to their own — all forming a princely 
 territory. Volumes were insufficient to convey an adequate idea of the 
 excellent deeds of this noble family in private life. To them many Mile- 
 sian families of Kerry are indebted for their preservation in the penal and 
 persecuting times now past. M'Carihys, O'Connors, O'SuUivans, 
 O'Mahonys were enabled to uphold station and respectability, by receiv- 
 ing large farms at low or nominal rents from the Brownes, whose tenants 
 some of them continue down to the present day. 
 
 ^ Great barony of Condon. 
 
 * See Historical Notes on end of this verse. 
 
 Stanza ci. 
 
 * St. Fiech spells this word in the same way. 
 
 ^ The O'Briens, who continued Catholics, the Mac Namaras of Cratloe, 
 &c., and the MacMahons of Corco-Basgine, West Clare; some of the 
 latter lived on the south of the Shannon. 
 
 The annexed, taken from a copy of " The Dirge," made by Philip Fitz- 
 
85 
 
 CI. 
 
 It was tliey who banished the first (best) blood of Heber, 
 The seed of grand^ O'Brien of leaping horses {Limerick), 
 Mac Namaras, of fair Cratloe, 
 Lords of Corca-Basgine and Cliona. 
 
 CXI. 
 
 It was they who banished — it is it that tortures me (alas /) 
 The remains of the primitive'* piety^ of Ireland 
 (And) The prime of the Gael, — my worldly woe (alas!) 
 Mac Carthy Mor and his offspring together. 
 
 gibbon, a classical teacher of Kilkenny, in 1780, we here insert. This is 
 thought to be one of the oldest (if not the oldest) of the copies. It is im- 
 portant, as its mention of King William shows, that the poem was not 
 completed until after the battle of the Boyne, and that was just after the 
 date alluded to, when referring to Bishop MoUony's letter in our Preface 
 we stated the diocess of Ardfert and Aghadoe was vacant. This must 
 have been the period of Dr. O'Connell's appointment to Ardfert as bishop, 
 and of Dr. O'Leyne's, as Vicar-apostolic to Aghadoe, Dr. Moriarty being 
 Bishop O'Connell's successor. The terrible state of aflFairs threw every- 
 thing into confusion as regarded Catholic interests. What was the final 
 fate of Bishop O'Connell has not been ascertained, whether he was mur- 
 dered, like his holy grand-uncle, or that he died. His composition is, at 
 least, an evidence that he could not be considered what Whigs and Whig 
 Catholics call an intemperate prelate. That he was a bishop, in 1704, is 
 established by the Liberator's testimony, given in the Preface. 
 
 Ir 1^15 U]llfAn) b' f:^5A]l ceAnn^r G]tveAi)T) 
 S]n At) CATl) bo ^AbAD A 5Aob;<X]l c^fic, 
 Se]lb A n)-bA]lce 71* a b-peAtiAinn ce]le. 
 " After the victory of the Saxons over King James, 
 And King William having got sway in Ireland, 
 That was the time they seized, in firm grasp, 
 Possession of the towns and lands alike." 
 
 Stanza cii. 
 » This was the Mac Car (hi/ More. 
 
 ^ The Mac Carthy More, rightful King of Desmond, was confined in 
 London Tower 1601 as was the Earl of Desmond, the latter died in 1601 
 and was buried in its chapel. We mean " rightful," comparatively with 
 England. 
 
86 
 
 cm. 
 
 9t)^c ^)oi}r)CA6** pofCA i)A cle]|te, 
 
 'S V^^ cji^ rr)e]C ftpj bo b] -f:AO] X]OV, 
 
 )r C<V]t|lCA& BjAbAC o Cul 2t)qT)e. 
 
 CIV. 
 
 O'SujlleAb^jT) BeAlA]5 B^irpe,* 
 
 Jr ^)orbi)All O'SujUeAbaiT) BeA|i|iA; 
 
 pji^ir)^ feAbAc T)A |tuA5 If )*^i^l]Tr>» 
 cv. 
 
 'C]5eA|ti:)A Cboji^e 2t)A]r)5e* t)A Tr>e]cb|teAC, 
 )Y ^onjvcM 2t)Ac C^v|i|icA o C^ll e]5e, 
 Jl* t)A T)-5]ollu]5e 05A c-caItda 6i) Tr)Ael IjOf ^ 
 j|* i)A c-c|iuAC A]t A b-]:AfA6 cAe|tAe. 
 
 CVI. 
 
 <t)OTT)r)All <t)but)**A 50]ll Y A Na017A]3, 
 
 S A ]tA'b A c-ce^vv^T ^ CbA^fjol 50 Cl^jjie; 
 Sliocc'^ 2I06 Bb]l)^)eA]r) bA Ti76|t cjiejjce, 
 O b|tiiAC LeATi7r)A 50 ct)oc B|t^Ar)U]T)T).° 
 
 Stanza cm. 
 
 a They were the M'Donaghs of Duhallow, County Cork, of the race of 
 Mac Carthy More and distinct from the iM'Donaghs of Connaught, alluded 
 to elsewhere. 
 
 ^ The three sub-chiefs of M'Donagh were M'Aulitfe of Newmarket, 
 County Cork, of whom was the celebrated chieftain and prophet, 
 Malachy Oge M'Auliffe, contemporary with Charles I., the O'Callaghans 
 and O'Keeffe. M'Donagh, Lord of Kanturk and Duhallow, fell while 
 gallantly leading a charge of cavalry against the Cromwellians, 
 at the battle of Knocnaclashy, in July, 1652. Shortly after this Ross 
 Castle was surrendered. 
 
 Stanza civ. 
 
 a Bealagh Beime. — This place was the mountain-pass of Sullivan More ; 
 here he rallied his men to bear down upon the plundering English. He 
 
87 
 
 cm. 
 
 Mac Donogh — tKe prop of the clergy, 
 
 And the three sons of the king who were under him, 
 
 Lord Murray, Muskerry of state. 
 
 And Mac Carthy Reagh from Coolmine. 
 
 CIV. 
 
 O' Sullivan of the Bealagh Beime, 
 And Daniel 0' Sullivan Beara (Bere) 
 MacFinan from the bosom f?/*Eingil, 
 O'Finan — the falcon^ hunter"^ — and Felim. 
 
 .cv. 
 
 The Lord of Cosh Mange of the fat trout, 
 And Daniel Mac Carthy from Kileague, 
 And the attendants, young, brave, of the militia, 
 And of the tall reeks on which berries grew. 
 
 cvi. 
 
 Daniel O'Brien, his attendants^ and his people. 
 And those, who were in authority from Cashel to Clare, 
 The race of Hugh O'Bennan of many virtuous qualities, 
 From the border of Limerick to Brenan's hill. 
 
 possessed Dunkerrin. O'Sullivan Beare, Lord of Bere-haven ; his territory 
 was the barony of Bere. We regret space will not allow us to attempt a 
 due notice of these glorious names. 
 
 ^ Both are the same person, the " hawk" was on the tribe banner. 
 Stanza cv. 
 
 » The Tiernagh or Lord of Cosmang was a M'Carthy, whose estates 
 were on the river Maine or Mang, not far from Castleisland. The 
 M'Finnan was another distinguished chief of the McCarthys, whose 
 patrimony was at Ardtully near Kenmare. The Rev. Daniel M'Carthy, 
 Professor of Sacred Scriptures at the Royal Catholic College of Maynooth, 
 whose eldest brother, Eugene M'Carthy, of Tully, is still styled the 
 M' Finnan, is the lineal descendant of those chiefs. Finnan Duff was 
 a junior branch of 0^ Sullivan Beare. Stanza 104 : — 
 
 " Nor may I here forget Hugh Bennan's race." 
 
88 
 
 cvii. 
 
 ClAt)T) <t)OTT)l)All* pb]t)T)* O T) t^Of C-C|lAebAC, 
 
 CjteAb T)AC c-CAO]Tj^]r)t) fAOC t)A ^^ile, 
 P]A|i]tAf 'p]|i|ce|i'^ bA rnojt c|ife-|5ce.® 
 
 CVIII. 
 
 CoT)cobA|i** T^A&5 X A c-G/A|*p05 Bao5aIac,* 
 
 CjlOCAb A C-C|t01C ]^ C-C^)OCi^V T)A C-CAOItAC;*^ 
 
 CeAT)i) U]'* Cbot)cobAi|i A^^t Ai) 7*p^]ce; 
 'C|iAr)fplAr)c ciiAt^i'poiic 30 jAnje^cA.^^ 
 Stanza cvi. 
 
 » This was Donal O'Brien of Ara, iu Tipperary ; the O'Briens of 
 Limerick made good terms for themselves. Both sides of them were 
 plundered, but like old Tytirus, they were safe. 
 
 ^ Hugh or Aodh Beanan, was ancestor of the O'Connors-Kerry, the 
 O'Moriartys, and O'Brennans of O'Brennan, a parochial district between 
 Tralee and Castleisland. Aaodh Beanan died King of lar Mumhan, or 
 West Munster, now Kerry, in the year of our Lord, 619. Of him a poet, 
 quoted by the Four Masters, sings : 
 
 " When his broad shield he shook, his foes would yield ; 
 E'en on his back it was West Munster's shield." 
 See Keating's " Pedigree of O'Connor-Kerry, where this king is found in 
 his right place; although his name has been interpolated into the 
 McCarthy genealogy, for the purpose of making the ]Moriartys a collateral 
 branch of the IMac Carthys. The learned Dr. John O'Donovan has exposed 
 a similar attempt to identify with this Heberian family, the renowned 
 bardic tribe of the O'Dalys, whom he proves to be Heremonian. Other 
 writers translate the text ** Hugh Brennan." 
 
 • The tribe of the O'Brennans of Kerry is almost extinct — there is still 
 one rose remaining — the Killarney family. The famous St, Brendan, or 
 Brennan, of Ardfert, patron of the Diocess, filing from Brandon Bay, in 
 Kerry, was the first discoverer of America, after Brennan of Clonfert ; as a 
 manuscript, lately found in the Bodleian library, and another in Brussells 
 assert — .See " Lives of Saints," revised by Rev. Dr. Meagher, Rathmines. 
 Stanza ovit. 
 
 ^ Or Daniel the " Fair haired." 
 
 ^ This slight allusion which Bishop O'Connell makes to his own relations 
 is extremely affecting. His sole mention of them is in the simple words — 
 «' The O'Connell Family." His grand-uncle, one of his predecessors in the 
 
89 
 
 CVII. 
 
 The sons of Daniel O'Fynn of Liscreavey {Branch fort\ 
 The O'Connell family, the sons of O'Crevin and kindred ; 
 Who would not mourn the soul of generosity, 
 Pierce Ferriter of much erudition. 
 
 CVIII. 
 
 Teige O'Connor and Bishop Mac Egan [hill. 
 Were hanged from a gallows on the hill of sheep ( Sheep- 
 The head of O'Connor was on a spike ; 
 \ Others they transplanted awe? transported to Jamaica. 
 
 see of Kerry, suffered martyrdom about the year 1651. This eminent 
 Ecclesiastic, the Right Rev. Dr. Richard O'Connell, whose brother, " John 
 of Ashtt)wn," near Dublin, law agent to the Marquis of Ormond, Lord 
 Lieutenant of Ireland ; and brother, also, of Maurice of Ballinahaw, 
 chieftain of the O'Connells, made submission to Henry Cromwell in 1656. 
 The result was the *' Lord Protector's" decree, whereby one portion (now 
 extinct) of the family was transplanted to Clare, and another, from whom 
 the extant O'Connells derive, were allowed to remain in Iveragh, where, 
 however, they forfeited, under Orange William. — Records, Rolls Court, 
 Dublin. This note is given by a connexion of the family, 
 e The " sons of Crevin" are the M'Crohons. 
 
 ^ Pierce Ferriter, a gallant soldier, was of an ancient Danish family, 
 settled to the West of Dingle long ages before the Anglo-Norman invasion. 
 He was a nobleman of great generosity to poets, a good poet himself, 
 especially in the dirgic-heroic kind ; in the composition of which, great 
 rivalry existed amongst the Kerry bards of the seventeenth century. Of 
 Dr. O'Connell, even when young, held the first place, and Ferriter these 
 second. — (See manuscript, R. I. A). The latter was termed r^o] t)A 
 rejle, nobleman of generosity . We have seen copies with cTto]6e t)a ^e]le, 
 the soul of generosity ; either is good. 
 
 Stanza cviii. 
 
 * Teig O'Connor, an equally distinguished hero of the O'Connor-Kerry 
 family, was son to Thomas M'Teig O'Connor, fifth Lord of Tarbert, who 
 forfeited Aghalahama and other estates, in Iraght-i-Connor, shortly after 
 the martyrdom of his only son. To their grand-father's care Teig left his 
 infant children, David and Connor O'Connor, both afterwards of Fieries ; 
 from the former of whom the author of our " Metrical Version" is fifth in 
 direct descent. Boetius M'Egan was Bishop of Kerry, and immediate 
 
90 
 
 cix. 
 
 Jl* 0'*t)oi)T)cu6A At) 31)^^^t)t)<'>' 3t)]ceA& plA]|*]U|t; 
 
 ^ui)-5]b, 4Dut)-8a5, C)ur)-A0T)Ai7t,^ 
 
 3^1) f]OT), 5At) ceol, 5AT) b^t) bV ^]|*ceAcc. 
 
 ex. 
 
 <t)6^|* A|i cu||ieA6 cA|t Sjor)A^T)T)* -pA 6AO|ib|toib,a 
 'S A Tt^e^b A |ruA]|i Pbl^^l? 3^t> ^ilWb |i6 |*5&aU. 
 Cbu5A^t)t> t)A Tt)pT)r)A bo cun)A& currj l^]V'V'5V-]V9 
 
 21CA 5At) Tt)|OCAl, ACC pir)A|lCAj6 6]ce. 
 
 CXI. 
 
 C^* i>5eAbATi) |reA]*bA? t)o cAb bo S^attato? 
 
 bpT) 6u]T)r> CT)U]C, CO] II, t>o |*l6]bce, 
 Hi b-p]l Alt l6]5ior A5 l]A]5 1 v-^mvv,^ 
 2lcc <t)iA bo gujbe t)a t)Aori) At)T)-&it)^eACc. 
 
 successor of Richard O'Connell, to whom he had probably been coadjutor. 
 It would seem that, with Ferriter and O'Connor, he was taken prisoner 
 after the battle of Knocnaclashy ; and all three were hanged by the 
 Protestants, at the Fair Hill, Killarney, in 1652. He is to be distinguished 
 from Boetius Egan, of Ross, hanged two years previously by Broghill, at 
 Carrigadrohid, near Mallow, as well as from Boetius M'Egan, of Elphin ; 
 and yet the coincidence is very striking, that there should have been at 
 the same time three bishops of the same Christian and surnames. 
 
 ^ Some modern writers would write Ann for in in all places ; melody 
 and the ear condemn such an innovation. 
 
 «^ The second c is silent — the Jirst is sounded as 5. 
 
 ^ Anglice son=via in Greek ; ua and U] have the same signification, 
 though some make the latter the genitive of the former. 
 
 * Several thousands of the best blood of Ireland were transported to 
 Jamaica, in Cromwell's rule of terror; but few of them survived the 
 voyage. They were stowed up like herrings, in bad ships. Of one ship- 
 ment, consisting of 20,000, not more than twenty persons were alive two 
 years after they landed. — See note on Cromwell, p. 76, 77. 
 
 Stanza cix. 
 
 * O'Donoghue of Ross, or of the Lakes, was ancestor of the distinguished 
 families of this name in Spain and in Mexico. Geoffrey O'Donoghue, here 
 
91 
 
 cix. 
 
 The son of O'Donoghoe of Ross was banished also, 
 And O'Donohoe of the Glin, who practiced mirth, 
 Dungid, Dunday, and Dunenar, 
 
 Without wine, without music, without poems a hearing. 
 
 ex. 
 
 After all they sent across the Shannon in slavery. , 
 And all that Philip found without returning with their story ^ 
 Others took oaths, framed for their oppression, 
 They are without wealth but with much lies. 
 
 CXI. 
 
 Whither shall we go in future ? or what shall we do ? 
 No shelter for us, hills, woods, mountains. 
 There is not our remedy with a physician in Ireland, 
 But God to pray, and the saints together. 
 
 alluded to, was the O'Donoghue Glin, or of the Glens, a celebrated poet, 
 whose direct descendant is the present O'Donoghue, a maternal grand- 
 nephew of the Liberator's. 
 
 ^ Hermitage Castle These were castles of the O'Donoghoes. 
 
 Stanza ex. 
 
 ^ Beyond the Shannon, — The proscribed of Munster, Leinster, and Ulster 
 were driven beyond the Shannon, that is, into Connaught (Clare was then 
 in the province), or "hell." We supposed it was denominated hell, be- 
 cause Catholicity was so deeply inrooted in it, that all the power of Satan 
 could not oM^root it ; also because most of it consisted of bogs, woods, and 
 marshes. Into this place the aborigines were cooped up to perish or live 
 how best they could. There was not a noble stock in Ireland, a shoot of 
 which is not to be found in the province of the illustrious Archbishop 
 Mac Hale — the fearless champion of his country and her old faith. Others 
 of the outlawed fled to Philip of Spain. Some took the oath of allegiance 
 to England, and the new, easy creed, to their own disgrace. These, our 
 bard says, got Paddy's share of the carrot (the tail) ; that is, a patch of 
 lands, but are without wealth, though with perjury on their souls. Those 
 who would read a history at length of the frightful and unnumbered per- 
 
92 
 
 CXII. 
 
 43o Ajuj* c^, ]|* b'jA]* 5AT) c|iAecA6, 
 
 CXIII. 
 
 21t)* b-|fUjl CU bo&A|l T)0 CA b-fU|l CU ^^ACA^T)? 
 
 Nac CU &0 leA5 T)A 1)ACA|5 leb |*tT)&|beA6? 
 
 Ca beA5 6u|c fAb a ca A5 6]|*ceACc?^ 
 
 ^)]Tt>q5 A|i c-c|ie]bjorb, V] Ti)A]|i]OT)T) ac b'e^ 
 
 cxiv. 
 
 2lr) 6 1*0 bo jeAllA]!* bo Pb^^Tiii15 rjAerbcA, 
 ct)oc* l)e]t|T0OT)b* A5 ceAcc 50 b-B|]tpt) ? 
 
 "No A^jl AT) C-C]tUAC*'' CA||l 6^]* A Cjl^^geATJU]]* ? 
 Mo At) C-A|t)3jOl BblCCOjl AT) CAT) bO |l6|& le]f ? 
 
 cxv. 
 
 O T)") l)-ATi)lAjb, T)^ b-fU|l CU bjt^AJAC; 
 
 Tr)6|be c Ao^f Aft CA|C]f bo b' fAejA^l^^A, 
 
 Mfl poll A b' fCOjl, Ce T^Ojl bo 6A0t)T)ACC,* 
 S]T)T) |r6]T) bo CU^ll 5AC 1)16 ca b^AT)CA. 
 
 secutions, exercised in Cromwell's and Stuarts' times on Irish Ca- 
 tholics, are referred to Matthew O'Connor's " History of the Catholics." 
 It is much to he deplored, that, for some reason, he did not produce his 
 promised second volume. Some assert, that he was commanded by the 
 government not to do so ; others say, that he lacked energy. — See Histori- 
 cal Notes. 
 
 Stanza cxi. 
 
 ^ Never was formed a more pathetic nor more sublime stanza than this. 
 Herein is exhibited the poet's inmost soul's sympathy for the wrongs of 
 his country. It is a spiritual hypotoposis. 
 
 T) is only euphonic, not a con. for 'atj the, though Gfiyivn has the ar- 
 ticle sometimes prefixed. The text was printed before we thought of the 
 improvement that the n should go with ], but be sounded with Erin as 
 happens in Greek and French, as '* un ami," pro. oonnamee. 
 
93 
 
 CXII. 
 
 O God, that brigliten*st the moon and stars, 
 That formedst the earth, heaven, and the sphere, 
 That wast, and that art, and that wilt be without decay. 
 One God alone thou art and not three Gods. 
 
 CXIII. 
 
 Art thou deaf, or whither art thou looking, 
 "Was it not you who overthrew the monsters with thy nod, 
 What little to you the time that you are patient? (listening^ 
 Our faith is gone ; there is living but a spark of it. 
 
 CXIV. 
 
 Is this your promise to Saint Patrick 
 
 On Mount Hermon upon his coming to Erin ? 
 
 Or on the Reek after his fasting ? 
 
 Or of the Angel Victor the time he agreed with him ? 
 
 cxv. 
 
 Oh ! it is not so ! You are not false {lying) 
 No one knows the time thou has spent of thy existence, 
 There is not a hole in thy store, though great thy bounty. 
 It is ourselves deserved everything that is done. 
 
 Stanza cxii. 
 
 * How pathetic — how sublime is this passage. As a true Pastor he as- 
 sails heaven by prayer for his own Ireland. 
 
 Stanza cxiii. 
 
 ^ Who but a holy cleric would thus, in prayer, as if assail heaven, and, 
 by the violence of entreaties, implore the fulfilment of its promise to St. 
 Patrick, as he came to Ireland. It is evidently the language of a minister 
 of God, whose kingdom is to be gained only hy violence, as the Scripture 
 has it. 
 
 ^ Are you not long forbearing. 
 « t3'e=6o e. 
 
 Stanza cxiv. 
 
 » See note, p. 84, 97. 
 Patrick's Reek at Morisk, in Mayo, midway between Westport and 
 
94 
 
 CXVI. 
 
 6ojr) bo bAii*b, 6o]r) b^ b], 
 2l]T)&|i^A|*, peAbAji, Pol S^un)u|-? 
 
 CXVII. 
 
 2t)]c1)el 2l|tb-A]T)5iol })-^]i(ieAr)V, 
 p^b|tu^5 A|i T)-2l]ib-ApfbAl i)AOTi)CA ; 
 
 ^)Alb] AT) BtteACOAC, O Btt)e|tA,* 
 
 Oyx) a TbACA^|i A b] bo 3b^o&Alujb? 
 
 CXVIII. 
 
 Colu^rt)^ TT>AC C|llOTbCA]1)t) If Colu]Tt) Tt>AC pb^l^l]")}* 
 
 2lilbe jro^le, if C)iA5lAr) <t)6]re, 
 
 JoboTi utoaI ]f CjAiiAT) clfe^jte, 
 
 'S A c6 bo bbeAr)r)Ai5 at) 21|iuit)T), 6t)T)a?' 
 
 cxix. 
 
 6ib]T), 2l|T)^5 Ajuf p'jACA Sl^lbce,* 
 Jr SlOT)t)Ai) )r}]X Caca t)a pqfce; 
 Cot)AU ]X ConjSAV, pAolAT) L^iclit)];, 
 )f 2t)uioeAC 2lcAbeo 7)a jjie^i^e? 
 
 Louisburgh, where the blessed Patrick fasted forty days, as is said, with- 
 out human food, preparatory to the celebration of the great festival of 
 Our Lord's Resurrection, which was the first Christian feast he celebrated in 
 Ireland. Our glorious patron, in thus abstaining from earthly sustenance, 
 imitated Elias, and Moses before he approached his Creator to receive the 
 tables of the law. As to Cnoc Heremond, which is the present St. Michel, 
 in Normandy, and the angel Victor, we have written at some length, 
 when treating of St. Patrick, to which the reader is referred. 
 
 Stanza cxviii. 
 
 ^ Columhcille and the St. Columbas, are alluded to in after notes, as 
 are the other saints ; also St. Enna, that blessed the holy isle of Arran, 
 in Galway Bay. We have seen a disgraceful translation of this line in a 
 place where it ought not to be. We shall say no more. 
 
95 
 
 CXVI. 
 
 Where is Mary, fair necked, spotless {virtuous) 
 Virgin pure, and mother of thy only son, 
 John that baptized, and John that was related to her, 
 Andrew, Peter, Paul and James. 
 
 cxvii. 
 
 Michael, Archangel of Ireland, 
 
 Patrick, our Archbishop, holy. 
 
 Saint David the Welchman from Binarra, 
 
 As his mother was of the Gaadelig {Ghaylig). 
 
 CXVIII. 
 
 Columb, son of Crevin, and Columb, son of Phelim, 
 Ailbe of Emly, and Deicolus of the Desies, 
 The humble Ivar, and Kieran the learned 
 And he that blessed Arran, St. Enna. 
 
 ' CXIX. 
 
 Evan, Anne, and Fiagh of the mountains {Sletfi/), 
 Senanus of Iniscaha of the serpents, 
 Conall and Cowen, Felim of Leighlin (ffrei/ river), 
 And Muineach of Aghado of the sun {the sunn?/ Aghadoe), 
 
 ColumbkilL — See history of Patrick at end. There were several Columbs, 
 of whom the former was the greater, the friend of St. Brennan of Birr. 
 Stanza cxix. 
 
 » Sleibce. — The mutable consonant of plu. genitives, not aspirated, when 
 the article is not used, as here ; these mountains, wherein was St. Fiech's 
 See, were in Queen's County, Carlow, Kilkenny, as we think, also a part of 
 Wicklow ; and all Wexford. — See notes on Fiech and St. Patrick at end 
 of the work. 
 
 ^ St. Senan of Inis Catha (Scattery), on the Shannon, a few miles 
 west of Limerick. The island is called " of the serpent" or beast. We 
 recollect when young, that there was a notion, that some lakes, rivers, and 
 deep, large wells were infested with a water serpent, or paoist — nApe]T*ce, 
 of the serpent — this is genitive feminine singular, and, therefore, the p is 
 not aspirated, though the same case in the plural suffers eclipsis, thus tja 
 ro-bo, pro. ha tt)-o, of the cows. As all these saints have been noticed in 
 
96 
 
 cxx. 
 
 B]t^Ar)U]T)T) 2l|ib|:eA|iCA bA rr)6]i rjAorbcACc, 
 
 b| ]*eAcc Ti)-bl]A&t)A Aj5 ^A]t|iAi6 b&]|ice. 
 cxxi. 
 
 CeAT)T)TT)A|lA* T)A C-CUAi; ^UA^|l buA^& f^l^^j 
 BjtACA^It 5bll^1T^^ ^0 b] AT) AOT)A|i;^ 
 
 2t)ocu6A5 2t)olA5A5 Lacct)]T), B^it)lt)5> 
 
 CXXII. 
 
 ip]or}Mf CluATjA jo|iAj|ib 'i* A cl^^^ie, 
 
 p^l^At) 'pAlljOT) A^jl AT) L^joloc; 
 p^t^AT) loCA IaO] Tr)0 T)AOTT)]*A, 
 4)0 |IU5 O plA]5 JobjtACAC |*AO|l 
 
 our remarks on the Apostle of Ireland farther on, we can only direct at- 
 tention to them here. 
 
 One and a-c^uarter miles from Carlow, in Queen's County. He was 
 prelate over the principal parts of Leinster, appointed by Patrick. — See 
 his poem and notes at end of this work. 
 
 Stanza cxx. 
 
 ^ At present so piously ruled by the patriotic, zealous, and uncompro- 
 mising Bishop Blake — the prop of Catholicity, and the bold asserter of 
 Ireland's rights. 
 
 ^ The name of the O'Carroll's territory, in Queen's County ; he was son 
 of iEngus, King of Munster, out of whose palace himself and his mother 
 were turned, when young, took refuge in Queen's County, and was bap- 
 tized by St. Colman, above stated. Or he may be, rather, Colman of 
 Aileagh, spelled Eile, E for A, which is not unusual, even the Latin writers 
 use the slender for the broad, and vice versa — thus, maxume for maxime, 
 and Virgil olli for illi, in iEneid, book i., fhen by apocope of ach, we 
 have Eile. This place was on either side of the present river Lagan, in 
 the ancient country of the Dalriada, in the Diocess of Dromore. His feast 
 is kept on the 6th of June. This was the greatest of the Coimans. This 
 is treated of by us more closely elsewhere. — See Lanigan, who writes of 
 Colman. 
 
97 
 
 cxx. 
 
 Fursa, the son of Finton, son of Gilgeash, 
 O'Brenan of Ardfert, of great sanctity, 
 Colman Ely, and O'Brenan of Birra, 
 That was seven years on a pilgrimage. 
 
 CXXI. 
 
 Conmara of the bay who surpassed in generosity. 
 Friar O'Gara, that was a hermit, 
 Mochua, Molua, Lactan, Benignus {or Benin), 
 Bridget of Meath, and Gobeneta 
 
 CXXII. 
 
 Finan of Clonard and his clergy, 
 
 Finan Felion (whose grot was) in Lough Lene, 
 
 Finan of the Lakes, my patron saint, 
 
 That brought from plague Iveragh safe with him. 
 
 Still as the name is coupled with Brennan of Birr, we think it might 
 refer to a St. Colman of Eile, in Tipperary, as we find that the mountain, 
 now called the Devil's bit, was formerly so denominated ; and it was near 
 that hill St. Brennan of Clonfert met Aodh of Munster to reconcile him 
 and Aodh (Hugh) of Connaught. From the latter is the illustrious 
 tribe name of Keogh. Let the general reader be here informed, that there 
 were Pagan nuns in Ireland. Their residence at Tara was called Cluan- 
 fearia, or Corner of Graves, as they were dead to the world. They were 
 vestal virgins. 
 
 According to Mac Curtin, O'Brennan of Clonfert was descended from 
 Fergus Mac Roigh, of the posterity of Ir. This may be ; as elsewhere we 
 showed that tribes of that name, of the lines of Heber, Heremon, and Ir, 
 were, at a very early period, located in Connaught. According to the 
 same authority, the above saint built the Church of Clonfert, A.D. 530. 
 Wherever there are many of the same concerned in public matters, there 
 will necessarily be a difficulty in distinguishing one man from another ; 
 especially if the residences of the persons be also of the same name. But 
 in Ireland there were many Clonferts and Ardferts in Pagan and Christian 
 times, and many Saints Brennan. The term feart implies either " miracle," 
 " wonder," or " grave," and, consequently, Clonfert and Ardfert were 
 common names before St. Patrick. — See Historical Notes. 
 
 H 
 
98 
 
 CXXIII. 
 
 9it) c-2lcAj|i, AT) 2t)<vc, Y A Sit]0|tAb Maottjca, 
 
 2l|t b-peACA|6 u]le bo n}^]Z]orr) AT)r)-^]T)freACc, 
 
 21 c-c|i6]biorb Y ^ c-ceAftc b'Aj|*]Oc a|i ^b^oblu^b.^ 
 
 CXXIV. 
 
 PAce]t T)Ofce]t, cu] e]* p coel^f, 
 S]c t)oit)eT) cuurt) ]*AT)C]|:]cecu|i ; 
 <Deb]c<v i)Ofc|i<\ ]:eAfbA t)^ tl-^l^lS? 
 Seb l^b|tA vox o cu]le p6]i)e. 
 
 cxxv. 
 
 2lbe 2t)A]tiA, 3itAf|A plet)^, 
 Berjeb^ccA cu, <t)orr)]T)u|* cecuit), 
 OfiA -p]to i)ob]f, A CA|i<v T)^ b-^isn? 
 Mur)C ec ^erope]t bo ge^vbA^rt) ^ifbeACc. 
 
 Stanza cxxi. 
 
 * See Lives of the Saints," approved of by Very Rev. Dr. Meagher, P.P., 
 Rathmines, for all the above names. 
 
 ^ The hermit — an eminent saint. The O'Garas of Connaught are nearly 
 extinct. 
 
 St. Bridget was of Meath by birth, hence he calls her TT)]6e. 
 Stanza cxxii. 
 
 » St. Finghin, Finian, or Florence, here mentioned, was the founder of 
 the abbeys in Kerry; as of Derrynane (Derry Finan), Finan's ivied oak, 
 of Ballinaskellig, of Church island Tarman's lake, and of Innisfallen. It 
 is related, that through his intercession Iveragh was delivered from a plague. 
 His memory is held in great veneration in that country. Every district 
 and almost every distinguished family in Ireland had its household saint, 
 whose protection was invoked in times of all emergencies. These are 
 
99 
 
 CXXIII. 
 
 Let them pray, and I pray the God of gods, 
 
 The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, 
 
 Ali our sins to forgive together, [Gaodaliv. 
 
 The faith and their right to pay back (restore) to ihe 
 
 cxxiv. 
 
 Our Father who art in heaven, 
 Thus let thy name be blessed. 
 Our debts in future don't demand. 
 But deliver us from all pain. 
 
 cxxv. 
 
 Hail Mary, full of grace. 
 
 Blessed art thou, the Lord is with thee, 
 
 Pray for us, O faithful ! {O friend) don't forsake us. 
 
 Now and for ever, that I may obtain from you a hearing. 
 
 some of the saints enumerated here by our bard. The poet here calls 
 Fineen "his saint," as being the Patron whose patronage the O'Connells 
 invoked. Not long since Mr. Curry, in an interesting lecture, said much 
 of St. Fineen. 
 
 Stanza cxxiii. 
 
 ^ Pray ye, and let me pray — Here is the language of an ecclesiastic, ex- 
 horting, in the pathetic language of a pastor, his countrymen to place their 
 only — all their hopes in heaven. In fact, "vve have never read more touching 
 or sublime language than from stanza cix. to the end. With a holy vio- 
 lence he assails heaven, in the words of a prelate, who thought that, de 
 congruo, he had a right to obtain relief for Ireland from her oppression. 
 ^ Gyeeshe is gyeeimshe dheea na nhehe. 
 On thahir, on mocJc, s a spirid neefa, 
 Ur bacJca illay dho mogha on aynught, 
 A gyreedoo s a gyart dyaseeuck er gyayliv. 
 
100 
 
 Stanza lix. 
 
 The annexed stanza, which was not in our copy, we found in one in the 
 Royal Irish Academy, and in another lent us by Mr. O'Daly, Anglesea-st. 
 "We cannot understand how it was omitted, but we are to presume, that the 
 copyist not being inclined to believe the fact enunciated in it, thought he 
 was justified in expunging it. Such a practice is highly unbecoming and 
 most injurious to history. No transcriber should make verbal alterations, 
 much less leave out entire passages. Can anything be more improper than 
 such tampering with authors. Forsooth, because a scrivener finds a word 
 or passage different from his own view, he has the impudence to erase 
 what the author thought, and what was perhaps really a beauty. Public 
 opinion must condemn such conduct. 
 
 t5'A]cbeo5 o 't) hiK]- curt) beAcA f A05AICA ; 
 
 6 bl]A6At7 50 bl]A6An t)U]T)e 'f cui5 C'^o'^az. 
 
 " Forty and ten persons after death (50), 
 He re-animated from death to this life I 
 He raised nineteen men together, 
 From year to year a person and live fifties (251)." 
 
 Dhaw ighid er dhegh dhinne thar aysh ayga, 
 
 Dhaghvyoe owen wawsh chum vaha seeultha, 
 
 Dho ho-ig-shap nhee vir dhayug on ayun aeight, , 
 
 vlyeeun go vlyeeun dhinne s cooig ckaygoth. 
 
 * This line means that he raised nine men who died at the same moment. 
 
 9 
 
HISTORICAL NOTES. 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 Ireland had many names. The first was Jv^y t)a b-^]o6 
 ho]Se (veevee-e), an island of the wilderness of luood'^ 
 It received this name, about the year 2086, B.C., from a 
 subject of Ninus, son of Belus, son of Nimrod. Ninus, 
 as history tells, was ambitious of conquests and possessions. 
 Hence his messengers were sent into all parts in search of 
 such. When he explored this island he found it all covered 
 with wood, except what is now called Clontarf {ox field\ 
 then Maghnalta {plain of birds), from the fact of its being 
 the sunny resort of all sorts of birds to amuse themselves 
 before the sun. 
 
 2nd. It was called C|t]ocb t)a bb^jTjeAbb^cb^" (pro. 
 creeugli na veenugha), the end of nations,^' or of the 
 world, it being the most western isle in the world. 
 
 3rd. A third name is ^'Inis alga' {noble island)^ which 
 it had in the time of the Firbolg, or Bagmen, so called 
 from carrying bags of clay in Greece, by way of oppression, 
 to make them leave that country. A tribe in North 
 America is termed '^Algonkin' {noble people), alga, noble, 
 kine, tribe. Hence, we trace the common stock from the 
 affinity in names. In fact, a large afiinity exists between 
 the original dialects of North America and the Celtic — 
 see " Voyage of Baron La Hontan to North America." It 
 will be here noticed, the identity of the AI5A and the Greek 
 myXif], beautifid, 
 
 4th name of our land is Eire J' It was so called from 
 Eire, a queen of the Tuatha de Danaans, or necromancers, 
 
2 
 
 or little gods. She was the wife of Mac Grene, who was 
 king of this island when the Milesians landed in it. 
 Another author asserts that it was so called from "^rm," 
 an old name of the island of Crete, now Candla. This 
 appellation was given to Crete by the Gadelians, when 
 they arrived in it from iEgypt, which they likewise called 
 ^ria. 
 
 5th name of Ireland is ^^Fodhla,'' from another queen 
 of the Danaans ; her husband was Mac Ceacht. 
 
 6th name of Ireland, ^^Banha," wife of Mac Coill, 
 another king of the little gods. These queens were sisters, 
 and were married, as above stated, to the aforesaid kings, 
 who were likewise brothers. They ruled, in turn, for a 
 year, and it was agreed that the island should be called 
 after the name of the reigning monarch's queen during 
 his year of supremacy. The reason why Ireland is oftener 
 called Eire than Banba or Fodhla is this — Mac Greney, 
 Eire's husband, ruled on the arrival of the Milesians. 
 
 7th. ^^Inis faili' or island of destiny^ from the Lia fail, 
 or Saxumfatale, as Boetius, in his " History of Scotland," 
 calls it — the fatal stone. The Danaans brought it here 
 from Denmark, from the city "Falias,"called after it. It 
 was said that this stone, whenever a monarch of Ireland 
 was crowned on it, emitted a great noise and stirred, also 
 that in whatever country it was kept there would certainly 
 reign a monarch of the Milesian race. Hector Boetius 
 writes — 
 
 " Ni fallat fatum, Scoti quocunque locatum 
 Invement lapidem, regnare tenentur ibidem." 
 
 *' Unless the fixed decrees of fate give way, 
 The Scots shall govern, and the sceptre sway, 
 Where'er this stone they find, and its dread sound obey." 
 
 This stone was sent to Scotland that Feargus More 
 might be crowned on it. There it remained until it was 
 
3 
 
 translated to London, and placed under the coronation 
 chair in Westminster abbey, in the reign of Edward I., 
 who carried it away forcibly. Shortly after, one of the 
 Stuart family succeeded to the throne of England, and thus 
 was verified the saying of Boetius. Even the present 
 Queen has some of the Stuart*s blood in her veins. Time 
 only can reveal if she be as faithless as most of that family 
 proved themselves. 
 
 The assertion, that the Lia fail is still on Tara hill, was 
 made for a purpose. What sincere historian believes it ? 
 Likely, indeed, that such a monument, possessing or not 
 the wonderful enchantment attributed to it, would be al- 
 lowed to remain either in Scotland or Ireland. 
 
 We should have observed, that the Danaans were of the 
 race of Nemedius ; they were for some time in Boeotia, in 
 Greece, thence they went to Denmark and Norway, thence 
 to the north of Scotland, thence to Ireland. 
 
 8th name of this country was ^u]c^i)j|*, from njnc, pigy 
 1T)]|*, island, so called because the De Danaans, or gods of 
 verses, as is related, agreed with the Milesians, that if 
 they put to sea again and landed in spite of them they 
 should yield to them, and the latter, having retired from 
 the palace of Teamair, where the sons of Cearmada (Car- 
 mody) kept their court, went to their ships in Kerry, put 
 to sea, whereupon the island assumed, through the aid of 
 the necromantic art of the Danaans, the appearance of a 
 hog's back. In the effort to struggle against the storm 
 raised by diablerie, and to reach the land again, all the 
 sons of Milesius, except Heber Fionn, Heremon, and 
 Amergin, were drowned.* 
 
 * Lord Ross says, that the superstition of the people made them attri- 
 bute to a supernatural agency what was natural. Hence he takes occasion 
 to say, that of all nations the Irish were the most harmless in their worship. 
 
4 
 
 The whole island was divided between Heremon, Heber 
 Fionn, and Heber or Eimhir, the son of Ir. Heremon 
 had Leinster and Connacht, Heber Fionn had Munster, 
 and Heber had Ulster. 
 
 9th. The Milesians gave the island the appellation of 
 Scotia, after their mother Scota, who was killed in battle, 
 and buried in Glean Scoithin, or the Vale of Scota, on 
 the north side of Sliabh Mis* {fog mountaiii), 
 
 10th. Another name of Ireland is Hibernia,t the Latin 
 of Heber iniSi or island of Heber. Heber Fionn, urged 
 on by his ambitious wife, sought to be possessed of the 
 greatest and best parts of the island. He fell a victim in 
 a battle between himself and his brother in Gesial, near the 
 Shannon, not far from the present Banagher. It might 
 have derived this name from Jt)bbeA|i pjf ,t because of its 
 beautiful estuaries or rivers — Inbheavj a river s mouth, 
 and inis. 
 
 As to the names Juernia, luernia, lerna, and Verna, 
 they are only corruptions of Hibernia. Erin is but an 
 extension of Eire, which was explained above. The term 
 Irin,*' given by Diodorus Siculus, is the same as Erin. 
 
 1 1th. The term" Ireland" § may be thus accounted for — 
 poT)T) j|i — ^0T)T), land, of Ir, as Ir was the first of the Mi- 
 lesians buried in it when his vessel was wrecked off the 
 coast of Kerry. — (See " Book of Armagh," wherein the 
 island is called " the grave of Ir.") 
 
 12th. It got the name " Ogygia" from Plutarch. It is 
 
 * We understand that human bones were lately found in a place called 
 Glean Scothin in Kerry. There is another Mis in Ulster. 
 
 f This is disputed, as Heber never ruled paramount, whereas Heremon 
 did. — [See farther on.] 
 
 X " Invir innish." 
 
 § Or Itt, — lawn. Irian, the d" is only euphonic, and "e" by 
 epinthesis. 
 
5 
 
 a Greek word, and means Old land, or Ocean land, the 
 radices being ^lyriv, ocean, and yr], land. Either signifi- 
 cation is appropriate, as our island was peopled, compara- 
 tively speaking, soon after the flood, and most accurate 
 accounts of it, from the earliest periods, have -been pre- 
 served by antiquarians, chiefly in poetry, to prevent 
 tampering with facts, it being nearly impossible to intro- 
 duce or substitute other facts than those first recorded. 
 Interpolation can easily be efiected in prose, not in poetry. 
 Again, " Ocean land" is peculiarly suited to this island, it 
 being at the end of the world, in the ocean. 
 
 PATRIARCHS. 
 
 Noah was son of Lamech, Methusaleh was father of 
 Lamech, Henoch begat Methusaleh, Jared was father of 
 Henoch, Mahalaleel begat Jared, Cainan was father of 
 Mahalaleel, Cainan was son of Enos, who was son of Seth, 
 the son of Adam. All Cain's descendants were drowned ; 
 all who escaped the deluge were Seth's ofispring. The 
 space of time from Adam to the Flood was 1656, which 
 an ancient poet thus testifies in this distich — 
 
 " Six hundred and a thousand years I count, 
 And fifty, six, I add, from Adam to the Deluge." 
 
 The age of each patriarch is as follows : Adam lived 
 930 years; Seth lived 912 years; Enos, 905 years; Cainan, 
 910 years; Mahalaleel, 895 years; Jared, 962 years; 
 Enoch, 369 years; Methusaleh, 969 years; Lamech, 777 
 years; Noah, 950 years. Let me here call the attention 
 of the reader to an interesting fact, that, in primitive lan- 
 guages, words were not made simply to be conventional 
 signs of ideas, but were applied as a brief mystic history 
 of the sense to be conveyed, and, as it were, a method of 
 
6 
 
 artificial memory, when the use of letters was unknown. 
 This is no theory : it is grounded on common sense, and 
 consonant with our notion of divine benevolence. We 
 have manifest evidence of it in the patriarchal names in 
 the Hebrew, thus : Adam, man ; Seth, set, or placed ; 
 Enos, in misery; Cainan, lamentable ; Mahalaleel, blessed 
 God; Jared, shall come down; Henoch, teaching ; Me- 
 thusaleh, that his death loill send; Lamech, to humble 
 smitten man ; Noah, consolation. Clearly these words are 
 npt imposed arbitrarily, but as brief histories. The very 
 same remark holds good as regards the Celtic; whole 
 tribes and nations of it could be adduced in sustainment 
 of the fact. To close this note : the descendants of Seth 
 were strictly forbidden to marry into the offspring of the 
 murderous Cain. Their not having long obeyed the divine 
 command has left us an unmistakeable proof of God's anger 
 against those who disobey him, and of his Almighty power 
 to chastise evil-doers. He sent the Deluge which drowned 
 all mankind, except Noah (who obeyed him) ; his wife, 
 Cobha (Cowa) ; his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japhet ; their 
 wives, 011a, Olivia, Ollivania. After the Flood had sub- 
 sided, the three parts of the world were divided amongst 
 Noah's sons, according to a poet of antiquity — 
 " In Asia, Shem the sceptre swayed ; 
 
 In Africa, Ham and his descendants ; 
 
 The illustrious Japhet and his sons 
 
 Of Europe took possession." 
 
 Noah, having got drunk from the juice of the grape, 
 was laughed at by Ham, who, when the father awoke, 
 was cursed by him. Children, hence, are warned against, 
 on any pretext, despising parents ; and parents to guard 
 against being the occasion of sin and its consequences to 
 children; but Noah was excusable, as he knew not that 
 the juice of the grape would intoxicate him. 
 
7 
 
 STANZA III. 
 
 'p^oi^cAjt) y^A]^, — Fiontan^ the prophet. It was told 
 by some antiquaries, that, when the ark was being built, 
 Bith, the father of Csesar, applied for a room for the 
 use of his daughter, Csesar, and himself, and that being 
 refused, he and Fiontan, his son-in-law, made a ship, 
 and put to sea by the advice of an oracle to escape the 
 divine wrath, that they came to Ireland, landed in it ; 
 that Fiontan alone survived. Here an argument presents 
 itself to our mind against the theory of 2i partial or a mere 
 Armenian deluge. If the deluge was not universal, God's 
 aim would have been frustrated, as wickedness could get 
 out of danger; because several could have done what 
 fable attributes to the fabled Bith (Bee) and Fiontan: 
 they could have emigrated from Armenia to distant lands, 
 and thus have escaped the partial flood. 
 
 As to the legend about Fiontan, my author alludes to it 
 simply as a link in his story of Irish matters, but of course 
 looked on it as a mere popular fiction. He introduced it 
 in the same manner as did the Psalter of Cashel. Poets and 
 historians refer to incidents connected with their subjects, 
 not that they believe or even respect them, but lest it might 
 be thought they were ignorant of their existence. But it 
 is a source of pain to a candid thinker to find, that the 
 enemies of truth and the calumniators of our creed and 
 country take an undue advantage of what has been used 
 by our writers, as a mere link, to make it a ground of 
 charging us with superstition and ignorance. As regards the 
 fabled Fiontan, the lying Giraldus Cambrensis, or Gerald 
 Barry, an illegitimate son of Henry I., has given the 
 grossest fictions, to bring into disrepute the calendar of 
 Irish saints. Barry exerted his foul pen to make it appear 
 that Fiontafi was the same as Tuam, the son of Carrill, 
 
8 
 
 or according to some old writers, Caoilte — Kielty — Mac 
 Ronain, who was three hundred years old when St. 
 Patrick came to Ireland, and who gave much information 
 to the Great Apostle of the Irish, and became a convert. 
 But no book of Irish antiquities or old manuscript ever 
 mentioned Fiontan under either name. Hence it is clear 
 that Cambrensis, the malignant traducer of our old land, 
 confused the names to serve his work of falsehood. 
 That there was such a man as Tuam there are tenable 
 grounds for asserting. Doctor Hanmer also has vented 
 his virulent spirit in attempting to blacken our character, 
 in connexion with Fiontan. It is pitiable to be obliged 
 to be vindicating our nation from the vile aspersions of 
 persons who make a living by cobbling together facts 
 and fictions to compose what they call a history, and as 
 they know, that the deadlier the venom they spew upon 
 Irish affairs, the more numerous and richer will be their 
 supporters, so they will be sure not to spare the brush. 
 Hanmer would make the world believe that the Gadelians 
 had a great veneration for Fiontan, whom he calls Roanus, 
 who preserved himself during the deluge ; lived 2000 
 years after it ; met St. Patrick, told him the transactions 
 of many ages, was baptised, and in a year after died. No 
 doubt,, the legendary writers spoke of Fiontan as a great 
 prophet, but no respectable historian mentions him in any 
 other light than as a proof that they knew the fable about 
 him. They recorded the fact as we do, not crediting it. 
 Now of all this stuff of Hanmer' s there is not a word in 
 any antiquary or manuscript of authority. It is a known 
 characteristic of English writers to seek to raise the cha- 
 racter of their own by blackening the antiquities of the 
 Irish nation. In the attempt they too oflen expose their 
 own ignorance, which has allowed them to give several 
 
9 
 
 names to the same man, as in the case of Fiontan. The 
 reader who would know more gf the romance alluded to 
 must consult Doctor Keating's " History of Ireland," who 
 has plainly shown, that the whole tale with regard to the 
 Antediluvian is opposed to the Word of God, not sup- 
 ported by any respectable authority, and invented at first 
 only to please the superstitious, vulgar and low-minded. 
 
 STANZA VII. 
 
 (43e). The giants were descended of Cham, or Ham, 
 whose son was Chus, father of Nimrod, who spent forty 
 years erecting a tower to defy the power of God. What 
 evils, by the apparently trifling sin of laughing at a 
 father, did not the foolish Ham entail on his posterity and 
 himself. All that came of him were wicked, and propa- 
 gated wickedness. What terrible instances of the divine 
 displeasure at vice have we not in the criminal cities of 
 Babylon, Ashur, Ninive, Sidon, Sodom, and Gomorrha — 
 founded by the Hamites. From Adam to the building of 
 Babel there was but one tongue. This universal language 
 Irish scholars call " Gortiyern." It is called Lingua 
 humana" by Latin writers. Greek scholars call it 
 djjLoyXoio-a-a, anglice "homoglot." After Nimrod had 
 laid the foundations deep into the bosom of the earth, had 
 built the tower high, and even above the clouds, as it is 
 written, God caused a confusion of languages. This con- 
 fusion of tongues is thus recorded. Gen. xi. 7, 8 : "Come ye, 
 therefore, let us go down, and there confound their tongue, 
 that they may not understand one another's speech." 
 And so the Lord scattered them from that place into all 
 lands, and they ceased to build the city. The site of the 
 building was Shenar, and according to Bellarmine took 
 place 242 years after the flood. The above-named has in 
 
10 
 
 his chronicle stated, that it was in the year of the world, 
 1 856, Ninus, son of Belus, began his reign. This is accord- 
 ing to the Hebrew computation, which Bellarmine follows, 
 1656 from the beginning of the world to the deluge; to 
 this we must add forty-two years of Ninus' reign, that 
 being the number spent before Feniusa Farsa began his 
 school on the plains of vShenar. Here he continued 
 for twenty years until he had the college thoroughly 
 organized and until its fame had spread far and wide. 
 He then went to Scythia and established schools, and ap- 
 pointed Gadel, son of Eathor, as their President. After 
 that he commanded the President to adjust and digest 
 the Irish language into five dialects, viz., the Poetic, 
 Historic, Fenian, Theban (or Physicians' language), and 
 Common. Hence it is clear that it is called Gaelig 
 from Gael, who digested it. Others derive the name 
 Gaodilig from wanderers, Q^ll], folk, and ^^^c, 
 
 voice, it being the language of the Gadelians, or migra- 
 tory people. Niul, the son of Feniusa, called his son by 
 Scota, daughter of Pharaoh Cingeris, Gael or Gaeyal, 
 out of affection and respect for the great linguist, who 
 taught him the Irish language. We should have said before 
 this, that the Hebrew language was retained by Heber, 
 son of Sale, the fourth in descent from Shem, and from 
 him it was called Hebrew, Heber was permitted to pre- 
 serve the original language, because he was opposed to 
 building the temple, and sought to dissuade his wicked 
 brethren from doing so. 
 
 STANZA XVI. 
 
 From this passage one would be led to infer that it was 
 Niul founded tbe university in Magh Shenaar, but when 
 the p^em was written the author of it was young, perhaps 
 
11 
 
 35 years, and as being of tlie Heremonian line, the an- 
 cient O'Connells, he puts forward a grand ancestral name 
 instead of that of Fenius. Besides, when Fenius was pre- 
 sident over the schools for twenty years, he returned north- 
 eastward to his native Scythia, and left the supremacy of 
 them to Niul, and constituted Gadel, or Gael, the presi- 
 dent, who was the practical one all along. Bellarmine, 
 in his chronicle, states that Ninus, grandson of Nimrod, 
 was sole monarch of the universe when Farsaidh* came 
 to Shenar to learn the Hebrew language from Heber, 
 the fourth in descent from Shem. It was whilst he was 
 establishing the seat of learning in this south-western plain 
 that Niul was born. Before he left Scythia he sent seventy- 
 two scholars, with others to take their places in case of 
 death, to learn all the languages of the world, with strict 
 orders not to return until they understood them thoroughly. 
 This he did, evidently for the purpose of establishing the 
 nursery of learning in his native country ; but it would 
 seem as if Providence intended otherwise — that enlighten- 
 ment might proceed from the very quarter whence crime 
 overspread the land. The fact of Niul's birth in the plain, 
 added to the royal father's love of the Hebrew tongue, 
 caused Fenius to build the schools where he was, that not 
 only himself, but his young son, might be perfected in a 
 knowledge of it. What an anxiety did not this primitive 
 king exhibit to educate his son ! How highly he appre- 
 ciated learning and the moral training of the young prince ! 
 He absented himself for twenty years from his throne and 
 kingdom, which he entrusted to the care of his el der son, 
 Nenuall. He preferred knowledge and the careful edu- 
 cation of his son to the blandishments of the court, and 
 
 * Farsee. — Fear, man, saidh (see), knowledge — so that the name denotes 
 " learned man." * 
 
12 
 
 the mere bauble — a crown. Here parents have a grand 
 lesson as regards the duty they owe to their children, es- 
 pecially whilst young, until habits are formed and virtues 
 matured. In this passage we also can appreciate the 
 innate love of learning in Clan na Gael. The same love 
 of languages and sciences has floated down to us from the 
 source which sprung up in Shenar. The stream of know- 
 ledge, though often impeded in its way, has forced its 
 passage like a torrent that would not be checked, and, 
 despite every effort to divert it from the natural channel, 
 it has reached us, and has, by its genial influence, pre- 
 eminently distinguished Irishmen in all the walks of lite- 
 rature. 
 
 It should be stated that Shenar, where the college was 
 founded, was near a city called Athens. This circum- 
 stance induced some writers, ignorant of our language, to 
 state that the Gadelians came from Greece, as the cele- 
 hrated city of that name is in Greece, and as Gael, the 
 linguist, was of the posterity of Gomer, son of Japhet. 
 Now this is a manifest mistake. For whether the Irish 
 were called after the Linguist or after the prince, the fact 
 stands — -that our great ancestors came direct from Asia: 
 because the two Gaels lived in that country, and we have 
 no account of the Linguist's offspring whilst we have irre- 
 fragable evidence of the migration of Gadelas, son of Niul, 
 and his posterity. 
 ^ It was about 200 years after the Deluge that the reign 
 of Ninus commenced; in the forty-second year of his 
 reign, Farsa became president of his college ; this was 
 about the year 1898 of the Creation. Ninus died, A.M., 
 1908, ten years after the organization of the University. 
 This was the first nursery of learning in the world. Hence 
 it is evidtilQt that Scythia first lighted the lamp of know- 
 
13 
 
 ledge, and lier king gave permanent shape to literature. 
 Farsa continued in the plain ten years after the death of 
 Ninus, A.M., 1918; 788 before the Milesian monarchy 
 in Ireland; 2088, B.C.* It was the learned Scythian, 
 king, aided by Gael and Gar Mac Neava (Mac Nevin), 
 that devised the letters of what are called alphabets, not 
 of course as perfect as we have them at this day. 
 
 After the death of his father the sceptre came to Nenual, 
 who was the elder and who was trained to sway it ; the 
 only inheritance left to Niul being the emolument from 
 the schools and from his learning. And a rich inheritance 
 it was, and well he merited it. His fame as a scholar and 
 a philosopher reached all quarters ; and multitudes from 
 the surrounding nations flocked to get instructions under 
 him and to pay him their respects. Even Pharaoh Cin- 
 geris, the king of Egypt, the oppressor and taskmaster of 
 the Hebrews, came to visit the great Ollav. He in- 
 vited him to his country. The invitation was accepted. 
 He got Scota, the king's daughter, in marriage; built 
 schools and colleges in Caperchiroth on the coast of the Red 
 Sea. Here, again, is seen the wisdom of Providence : the 
 descendants of Heber are relieved by Niul, the progenitor 
 of the Gael. His father learned, from their predecessors, 
 the Hebrew language, which he prized and had engraved 
 on plates of wood — as Cianfodhla, who wrote in the time 
 of Columbcille, states. 
 
 All this time we have not a record of one good thing, 
 on the contrary, everything bad, on the part of the off- 
 spring of wicked Cham, who mocked his father Noah. 
 How beautifully in these incidents is the working of Divine 
 
 * There is a difference of a great many years between the Greek and 
 Irish chronicles; even Greek annalists difter from each other, as do the 
 Latins. 
 
14 
 
 Providence developed. The offspring of Shem and Japhet, 
 who reverenced their parent, are secretly influenced from 
 on high to reciprocate kindness and benefits. Gadel, 
 son of Eathoir (Eehor), son of Gomer, who was of 
 Japhet — after a tour in Greece, to learn its language — 
 aids the Scythian monarch, who was the fourth from the 
 same Japhet, to erect immense literary-lighted lamps, 
 whose effulgence would overspread the globe, whose 
 genial rays were to shed their halo over every land, and 
 were to brighten up a darkened horizon. 
 
 Scripture informs us that Moses led the Hebrew people 
 out of the land of Egypt, in the time of Pharaoh, father- 
 in-law of Niul. 
 
 STANZA XIX. 
 
 This people, though at that time the only true worship- 
 pers of the one God, being sorely oppressed, is an evidence 
 to show the false reasoning of modern evangelizers, who 
 assert that if Ireland had the true faith, and had the Bible 
 more generally taught amongst the priestridden and be- 
 rdghted Papists^ she would be rich and prosperous as 
 England. The Egyptians and their king were rich, 
 learned, and powerful, though they blasphemed Jehovah, 
 and cruelly persecuted his faithful people, whose leader, 
 Moses, gave to posterity the Pentateuch, the only Bible 
 the Jews at first had. But facts and arguments seldom 
 prevail when the love of mammon and prejudice have 
 pre-occupied the heart. The trafiickers in souls know 
 that Roman Catholics read, love, and teach the Bible 
 under authority. Even the law of the land is expounded 
 under the guidance of the judges. That is common 
 sense. 
 
 Some fancied a diflliculty in making Niul contempo- 
 rary with Moses, but there can be none whatever. From 
 
15 
 
 the deluge to the leadership of Moses, who took upon 
 ^him the command of Heber's descendants, there was a 
 space of 997 years. The seeming difficulty vanishes, 
 when we consider the duration of man's life at that early 
 period. Heber, the son of Sale, the fourth from Shem, 
 lived 464 years, Shem lived 500 years after the birth of 
 his son Arphaxad. (See 1 1th chap, of Genesis.) Hence 
 it is not to be wondered, if Niul, the fifth from Japhet, 
 lived from the forty-second year of the reign of Ninus to 
 the days of the dark bondage of the Hebrews^ Marianus 
 Scotis, a writer of weight, states, that the confusion of 
 languages did not take place until 331 years after the 
 flood, and there are the most authentic records to prove 
 that Niul was not born until long after the confusion. 
 The very fact of his father having sent Literati to travel 
 to collect the sevent}?- spoken dialects, attests that the 
 birth of this prince could not have occurred for a great 
 interval after Babel. For it was when Farsaoid came to 
 learn the original tongue, then kept only in Heber's race, 
 that Niul was born at Shenar. Wherefore it is quite 
 easy of credence, that Moses and Niul were contempo- 
 raries. 
 
 How wonderfully a population springs up in a short 
 time. Moses, as we are told, led with him across the 
 Red Sea, 600,000 men, able to bear arms, besides old 
 men, women, and children, and this, though a very few 
 years only elapsed since Joseph first went there. Of these 
 Joshua and Caleb were the only persons who reached the 
 promised land; but a numerous generation sprang up 
 during the sojourn in the wilderness. Of the number of 
 Pharaoh's host, a poet, writing on his being overwhelmed 
 by the waters, says — " They cover all his host, and in 
 their course, sweep away 60,000 foot, and 50,000 horse." 
 
16 
 
 This disaster happened to the Egyptians 997 years after^ 
 the deluge. Niul, who by the advice of Moses had put to 
 sea, fearing the displeasure of his father-in-law for having 
 aided the Israelites with provisions and other necessaries, 
 having observed from his ships the end of Pharaoh, re- 
 turned to land, reigned, for some time before his death, 
 admired by all as an amiable and a learned monarch, and 
 a brave warrior. Gadelas, his son, succeeded him and 
 took his mother, Scota, into a share of the government. 
 Gadelas was eighty years old when he ascended the 
 throne of his father. He was the sixth in descent from 
 Japhet, he was the seventh from Noah, and the fifteenth 
 from Adam. It was Dathe, the sixteenth from Sru, who 
 was the second from Gadelas, that came to Spain, as the 
 antiquities of Ireland certify. It is wrong to assert that 
 this Gadelas ever came from Greece to Spain or elsewhere. 
 He lived and died in the territory ruled over by his father. 
 But Pharaoh an Tiur, of the tower ^ some years after, upon 
 ascending the throne of his father, Cingeris, wishing to 
 repair the loss sustained in the destruction of the Egyptian 
 army, set about recruiting his forces to the end of expell- 
 ing the Scythians, whose power he began to dread, and 
 of avenging the catastrophe that befel his father. When 
 he had completed and marshalled his army he proceeded 
 towards Caperchiroth, which he entered with fire and sword. 
 Walsingham gives us this fact, though in doing so he 
 states what was not a fact, as we shall prove. These are 
 his words in English : " The Egyptians being overwhelmed 
 by the Red Sea, such of them as survived expelled a 
 Scythian noble, that lived amongst them, lest he should 
 seize the crown. He and his family [meaning all his 
 people] came to Spain, where he and his progeny lived 
 for many years. There they were greatly multiplied, and 
 
17 
 
 thence they came to Ireland/' Writers, unacquainted 
 with our antiquities, because of their ignorance of our 
 
 I language, and their consequent incapacity to read and 
 explore the native Annals — unable to go up to the source 
 
 1 or spring, content themselves with a passing draught from 
 the impure bucket of any libeller, whose statements he 
 takes as genuine, whilst the author, upon whose authority 
 he ventures to give facts to the world, was as careless, and 
 as incompetent as himself to have recourse to the pure 
 fountain. 
 
 Hector Boetius also had the temerity to assert, that 
 ; it was Gadelas himself who was driven out of Egypt 
 
 and made the expedition of which we are writing ; the \ 
 I fact being, that it was Sru, the grandson of Gadelas, that 
 \ went to Candia or Crete. This island, being so near 
 Greece, has led many into the error of believing that the 
 j latter country was the place whence the Milesian colony 
 came. They confounded, as was already observed, Gadel 
 i or Gael, the Linguist, who was professor of the Greek 
 language in Farsa's University — who reduced to system 
 the Celtic tongue and who, as must be presumed, nothing 
 to the contrary appearing, lived and died in Shenaar — 
 with Gadelas, who, as was also stated, was called after the 
 professor, by Niul, through respect and affection for his 
 tutor. To trace clearly the colony of Milesius, the above 
 fact must be kept in view. Wherefore, it is hoped 
 that pardon will be granted to us if we seem to repeat 
 i i ourgjlves. Brevity, much though it is to be admired, 
 ^ must be avoided, when doubted or obscure points are to be 
 [ j elucidated. 
 
 3 j In Dr. Patrick's Ancient Geography, p. 87, Cellarius, 
 1 j we find an account of the city of Phasis, at the mouth 
 J i of a river of the same name ; also Dioscurias at the mouths 
 
 b 
 
18 
 
 of the rivers Charistus, Cyaneus, and Hyppus, built by 
 " Milesiorum Colonia" [his own words]. This latter city 
 was rich in commerce Mercatu dives ;" called Sebastopol, 
 " Sebastopolis dicta" [not the modern city of that name 
 in the Crimea] which Ptolemaeus makes the end of the Col- 
 chic coast. North of this was Asiatic Sarmatia; N. W. 
 of that again was European Sarmatia. The Tanais, hodie 
 Don, which rises out of a lake on the north of the latter, 
 runs between both, and empties itself into Palus Mceotis or 
 Sea of Azoph. The above is a respectable authority in 
 sustainment of the fact, that the Gadelians, of whom was 
 Golay or Milesius, came not /rom Greece, though it might 
 be said they came through it — but from Scythia. They 
 sailed down the Caspian Sea from the north to the mouth 
 of the river Cyrus, hodie Kur, into which the Alazon and 
 Aragus on the north, the Araxes and other tributaries on 
 the south, flowed, and rendered it navigable. This river 
 runs south of Albania, quite through Iberia, whence, it is 
 probable, Ireland was called " Ibernia or Hibernia," owing 
 to the similarities the Gadelians observed in both countries, 
 though we have preferred the derivation from "Heber." 
 From what we have said, it is plain they travelled by 
 Albania through Iberia, thence by the narrow pass of 
 the Moschici Montes," where they met the beautiful, 
 majestic, navigable Phasis, upon whose noble waters they 
 sailed up northward until they came to the Euxine or 
 Black Sea. This was reckoned by the ancients one of 
 the largest rivers of Asia. (See Pliny, 10, 48, Martial, 
 13, Strabo, 1 1, Mela, 1,19, Pans, 4, 44.) It flowed through 
 Colchis, whose king was -^etia, mentioned by Justin, and 
 who, to obtain the golden fleece, killed Phryxus, who 
 had fled, as is fabled, to his court on a golden ram. It 
 is rendered celebrated by the Argonautic expedition to 
 
19 
 
 regain the golden fleece. The Argonauts, according to 
 tradition, saw on its banks large birds, some of which 
 they caught, and it is said this is the origin of ** pheasant." 
 
 So much danger did the Argonauts experience in their 
 passage on this river, that dangerous voyages have been 
 proverbially termed "sailing to the Phasis." 
 
 Upon the arrival of the Milesian emigrants at its mouth 
 they built a very large city, " Perampla urbs," as Cellarius 
 calls it, which was named Phasis, a little north of the 
 ancient Sebastopol, another town which they built. It is 
 said by Doctor Keating, that this colony continued a long 
 time in Cappadocia, the country of the Amazons. The 
 route we have assigned them, brought them directly from 
 Scythia to it, that land of female warriors being exactly 
 due south-west of the Moschici, aliter Meschichi montes. 
 
 We are here to observe, lest we might not hereafter 
 think of the matter — that many of our modern writers 
 animadvert very unkindly on the erudite Keating, though 
 some of them borrow largely, if not wholly, from his 
 history. When we consider the state of geographical edu- 
 cation, and of the art of delineation and mapping 200 years 
 ago, at the time he wrote, we will not be much surprised 
 at his error, great though it was. For it was impossible 
 that the Gadelians could take shipping in the Tanais, or 
 Don, a river rising north of European Sarmatia, and forming 
 almost the whole boundary of Sarmatia Asiatica, having 
 a vast extent of country between it and the Caspian, lying 
 very far to the west of Scythia Antiqua. It must be kept 
 in view, that Sarmatia Antiqua did not extend far north, 
 as will be seen by referring to an ancient map. Had it 
 been written that our noble ancestors travelled over land 
 to the Tanais, and then took to ships and sailed to Palus 
 Mceotis or Sea of Azoph, we could understand the asser- 
 
20 
 
 tion, though we could not think, that prudent adventurers 
 would take a land route through an unknown country.* 
 
 Herodotus fell into a like mistake, having written in 
 4th book, 45 and 100 chap., that the Tanais divided 
 Europe and Asia, and was one of the rivers of Scythia, 
 the fact being, that that Tanais did not at all touch on it. 
 Whether the Jaxartes, emptying itself into the Caspian, 
 N.E., was anciently called also Tanais or not, is in this 
 place of little value, as evidently it was wholly in Asia. 
 But Herodotus was never in Sarmatia Antiqua, and was 
 led into mistakes in his views of Scythia by giving facts 
 on hearsay and in prejudice. So much was he abater of 
 the Scythians, that he gives the grossest calumnies of 
 them, and calumnies, which are opposed to the best 
 authorities. This he did, because they overran Greece. 
 He made the Moeotis and Tane one and the same thing, 
 though that river has its source S.W. of the Valdai hills, 
 800 miles N.W. of Azof. He was entirely ignorant of the 
 Rha or Volga. Even Rha or now the Volga, nearer to 
 Scythia than the Don, is still at a distance from it, and 
 disgorges itself into the Caspian Sea. The name, as an 
 appellative or significant term, denotes, in the Sclavonian 
 or Sarmatian tongue, river," that is the great river;' 
 and the word " Volga" is derived from Russian terms 
 '* Velika Reka" great river, which flows from a lake, 
 south of the Hyperborean mountains (the Valdai hills) 
 in Russia or Muscovy. The approximation of the Tanais 
 to the Volga, before the former changes its course to the 
 Palus Moeotis, led many authors into the erroneous opinion, 
 that is was but an emanation or branch of the Rha or 
 Volga. 
 
 The Gadelians embarked from an island in the Caspian 
 * See foot note on Stanza 16. 
 
21 
 
 with three ships, in each of which there were sixty men, 
 and every third man had a wife. In their passage down 
 the Cyrus, now the river Kur, by Albania, through Iberia 
 and Colchis^ they encountered great dangers, as did, in 
 the same passage, the Argonauts, mentioned before, owing 
 to the rocks which were in the bed of the river, especially 
 at the junction of Phasis or Foaz with the Kur^ between 
 the " Moschici Montes." These difficulties made Gollamh 
 ( Gollay), in Mile sius (rectius Miles), consult Cacier, 
 sometimes written Cathier,* a learned Druid or priest. This 
 prophet told them that a western island was their final 
 destination. The name Cahier, or Keigher, corruptly, 
 Carr, is very common in Ireland. Cahier was the son of 
 Heber and nephew of Adnoin, and grandson of Tait, 
 great grandson of Agnamon, who was of Beogannon, the 
 son of Heber Scot, the warrior, who was the great grand- 
 son of Gadelas, who was the great grandson of Feinusa, 
 after whom the Irish Militia were called Feni or Fionna 
 Eireinn, and not after Fionn, son of Cumhall, that body 
 having existed before the latter. Cathier, it would ap- 
 pear, was a term usually applied to some of the learned 
 amongst the Gadelians. Lough Chaghier near Ballyhanus, 
 Mayo, was called after him. 
 
 In the 25th verse of Bishop O'Connell's poem occurs 
 the word " Carbin;" it might mean a city, north ofCap- 
 padocia, near the mountains, called in Greek " KajSeipa" 
 Latin "Cabira," Irish "CA|ibj|i,'* in which city Mithri- 
 datPd, King of Pontus, erected a basilisk. This city was 
 named "Diopolis" by Pompey. It must be near this 
 that the Gadelians encountered some of their dangers. It 
 was remarkable for Orgies in honour of their Divinities, 
 who were called " Cabin" (vide Strabo). Hence the 
 name of the city. Their system of worship, which was 
 * Pronounced " Caheer." 
 
22 
 
 barbarous and inhuman, was introduced from " Cahiri^^ 
 mountains of Phrygia, where it was first practised. These 
 are supposed to be the same with the Corybantes, priests 
 of Cybele; they were also called "Galli." Whenever 
 they sacrificed, they furiously cut their arms with knives. 
 Hence frantic persons are denominated " Gallantes." 
 The Corybantes were so called from " Koppurecz;," to hutt 
 with the horns, and " ^aiv^iv,'' to walk, as they used to 
 strike with their heads like cattle, as they walked. 
 
 Having witnessed such a demon class of beings, it is 
 not to be wondered, that the Milesians began to tremble 
 and to devise how best they could escape. It may be 
 presumed, that these travellers, like the ^^jEneads,^^ may 
 have left persons behind them in some places. This 
 being so, history has shown us how quickly a numerous 
 offspring arose. These in themselves may be deemed 
 branch colonies from the main stream, in its course to this 
 country. Might not the Crutheni or Cretheni, who came 
 to Ireland, be a colony of them. 
 
 STANZA XXII. 
 
 (1st line.) The note on this verse should have been 
 
 earlier, but the thread of the previous subject hindered 
 
 it. It was not Gadelas but Sru, as previously stated, 
 
 who was driven out of Egypt by Pharaoh an tuir, that 
 
 got this name, we are to suppose from having erected a 
 
 large tower, which answered the two-fold purpose of Fire 
 
 v)orship, in honor of Belus, adored in Shenaar as a God, 
 
 and as a light-house for sailors coming to Egypt. Pharaoh 
 
 Cingeris had instituted in his country the " Baal" worship. 
 
 Wherever the Gadelians went, they established it, as 
 
 they did in Ireland. The "Duj]t ce^i^e,"* Fire towers, 
 
 * Pro. " Thooir thinny." That these towers might have been, in after 
 times, used as '* Clfo^e clui5," " bell houses," is another question. 
 
23 
 
 or Round towers, as they have been called, were built for 
 that purpose. That this was their use is so clear, we 
 shall not waste time or argument to disprove the modern 
 theory of one or two writers, who, though they may be 
 well intentioned, do occasionally tamper, without due 
 authority, with our venerable antiquities. Such authors 
 think, that speculation is an agreeable game to attract 
 attention. The Gadelians steered for Greece to make 
 better preparations for their long journey, than they could 
 possibly have done in Egypt, being obliged to fly from 
 it. It will be remembered, that this was not their route 
 direct to Spain but to Scythia. 
 
 STA^iZA. XXIII. 
 
 (2nd line.) We must here infer, that it was in right 
 of Gadel, the Professor, Athens is in this verse asserted 
 to be Sru's. We can see no other claim he had to it. 
 This Gadel was Gomer's son. He came from Greece to 
 assist in founding the Scythian University, and digested 
 the Celtic language, called after him '^<^o'6\]T,, Both 
 Gadels were relatives. The reader will please not lose 
 sight of this fact, that there was another city of Athens 
 near Shenaar. Keating gives this on undoubted authority. 
 
 As these lines are by way of notes, it cannot be ex- 
 pected, that there will be such close consecutive connexion 
 of facts and details as can be in a regular history. The 
 matter of a former stanza may demand of us to narrate 
 what, in point of time and a particular locality, should 
 follow. However, we shall keep to the order of dates and 
 places as much as possible. 
 
 Heber, the seventh from Gael or Gadel, his own 
 sons, Cathier and Cing (Quin), with the sons of Agnon, 
 are the six leaders to visit Scythia. Whereas we must 
 
24 
 
 take it as a postulate, that the expedition must have been 
 entirely by water, for the sake of the greater safety — the 
 ships being only three, the crew being altogether but 180 
 men, and sixty women. We are to say, that from the 
 Caspian they entered the river Kur, south of the Moschici 
 montes, so called after Moschek, or, as the ancient writers 
 call him, Moschoh — one of Japhet's sons. Here having 
 crossed a dangerous defile, on the south-west of which they 
 saw the terrible worshippers of the Cabiri, or CA|ib]|i, 
 whom Bochart considered to be J upiter and Bacchus, and 
 of whom Sir Walter Raleigh speaks, when writing of the 
 Samothracian deities, they met the majestic river, Phasis. 
 Some writers of authority make the countries — through 
 which we have presumed to mark the route of the Gade- 
 lians — to have been a part of south-western Scythia, the 
 modern Circassian country, south of the Caucasus. Cel- 
 larius, in his description of towns, places, and mountains, 
 gives weight to this belief. It was physically impossible 
 for Heber and his followers to take any other way by 
 imter. Moreover, there are not, were not, such mountains 
 as those called Rhiphean (vide Lempriere), and though 
 Cellarius marks them as lying south-west of the Volga, to 
 the north of the Don, yet he does not give that river as 
 issuing from them, whilst at the same time he has painted 
 the river as proceeding from west of the fancied hills near 
 Alannus mons, which is situated south of a lake, whence 
 the Rha or Volga, according to Cellarius, issues. Hence 
 it is clear that the Moschici monies were these towards 
 which they sailed. 
 
 We are inclined here to correct a mistake into which 
 ancient geographers made us fall in a former note. Ac- 
 cording to a large map of Europe, published by Chambers, 
 the Volga has its source in lake Seligher, south-west at 
 
25 
 
 the Valdai hills, and empties itself into the Caspian. The 
 Don, or Tanais, rises, not from a lake, but in the inte- 
 rior of Russia, about 120 miles south-east from Moscow. 
 A canal about forty miles long connects it with the Upa 
 that joins the Oka, goes northward until it meets the 
 Volga at Nisnenovogorod, and the Don. 
 
 From all that has been said, it is, we think, clear that 
 the Moschici montes were those towards which the Gade- 
 lians steered their course. 
 
 Again, if even it were possible to go along by a river 
 to the assumed Gothland, let us see how far it would be 
 wise to venture through so extensive a country, and with 
 so small a force — 180 men. Would it not be worse than 
 madness to undertake so hazardous an enterprise ? Besides 
 what could have induced them to think of so distant a 
 country and through such wild and inhospitable regions ? 
 Whereas, on the contrary, Cathier prophesied — and the 
 Gadelians had great confidence in their druids — that a rich 
 western land was their destination ; but the other route 
 was northward. Hence we are inclined to say, that the 
 Gothi, named in the Book of Invasions, and by the accom- 
 plished Doctor Keating, was a territory north of Pontus, 
 or the Euxine Sea, which was occupied by the Viso- 
 Goths, and who called their adopted country Gotha^ after 
 their native country, or Sclavonia. Just as the Gadelians 
 are sometimes called Celts, from the word Crt/, which 
 means to remain^ because when some migrated, those who 
 stopped in the native soil were denominated Celt^ or settlers, 
 and in process of time the wanderers got the name above- 
 mentioned. New England, in America, is an evidence of 
 a colony having been named after the parent country, as 
 was Brittany after the parent Great Britain. O' Flaherty, 
 in the " Ogygia," says the GetcE were called Goths, And, 
 
26 
 
 indeed, from what we can learn of the manners and customs 
 of the tribes on the north-eastern coast of the Euxine, as 
 well as in Circassia, we are apt to come to the conclusion 
 that there is a great similarity, if not an identity, between 
 the Irish and these noble tribes. Their aspirations for 
 liberty, their hatred of oppression, and their generous dis- 
 position attest the fact. The invincible Dahee, at the 
 mouth of the Danube, are of the same race. By a close 
 perusal of our history we have found, that the Dahee on 
 the east, and the Morini on the west of Europe, the most 
 terrible enemies to the usurping arms of the Caesars and 
 of Rome, were of Scythic origin. 
 
 In this country Heber Glunfionn (Glennan) was born; he 
 was the son of Laivfionn (Lavin); of Glunfionn (Glooneen), 
 came Eivric, of him came Nenual, of whom was Nuagat, 
 son of Alloee, of Earcay, son of Deaghf hatha (Daha) son 
 of Braha. Hence, perhaps, the Dahi, alluded to at the end 
 of the eighth book of the ^neid. The opinion is, that 
 they remained in Gothia 150 years ; thence they proceeded 
 down towards Byzantium, hodie Constantinople ; into the 
 Mediterranean, by Thrace ; through the Grecian islands, 
 by Scylla of the Mermaids, who were no other than women 
 with enchanting voices, that induced sailors and voyagers 
 to give themselves up to criminal pleasures. Against 
 their evil influence Cahier guarded the Gadelians by 
 telling them to stuff their ears with wax, so as that they 
 could not hear them. By this means they escaped them, i 
 Calchas caused the sailors of Ulysses to do the same. 
 Braha, the eighth from Heber of the White knee, gave 
 name to Braganza, in Portugal. This Heber was grand- 
 son of Agnon, son of Tait, the seventh from Gael, son of 
 Niul, son of Farsa, son of Baath, son of Magog, who was 
 son of Japhet, who was of Noah, the ninth from Adam. 
 
27 
 
 0]5^5 ^15^> ^AT)CAT), and CAqjt* were the four cKiefs, 
 that accompanied Braha to Spain. On landing they had 
 but fourteen married couples in each ship and six armed 
 men. They sailed along the coast to make their obser- 
 vations, and finding that part now called Gallicia, in the 
 Bay of Biscay, suitable to their object, they landed in it. 
 The inhabitants were, according to the best authorities, 
 amongst others Josephus, the posterity of Tobal, or Tubal, 
 son of Japhet. These they defeated in many battles ; but 
 a plague shortly after cut them almost all away. However 
 the survivors multiplied wonderfully ; and Golav, son of 
 Bile, eldest son of Brogan, son of Braha, displayed great 
 powers as a warrior, and was therefore called MileEaspaine 
 (Miles or Milesius), Spanish warrior. Miles, or the Soldier, 
 whose fame was now farspread, anxious to pay a visit to 
 his relations in Scythia, collected some youths — the flower 
 of Spain — got them on board thirty ships, took to the 
 Mediterranean, sailed towards Sicily, thence to Crete — 
 probably to pay a visit to the friends they left there — then 
 northwards by the Archipelago, the Egean Sea, then by 
 the Dardanelles, or Hellespont, to the straits of Constanti- 
 nople, or Bosphorus, across the Euxine to the river Phasis, 
 eastwards towards Colchis, the Moschician mountains, the 
 river Cryrus or Kur, through Iberia into the Caspian, that 
 part of Scythia for which they were bound being on the 
 east of it. The inference clearly flowing from history, 
 and circumstances have caused us to make the above place 
 the cradle of the great progenitors of the Irish. It was a 
 district of what is now designated '* Independent Tartary." 
 The vast territory now known by the appellation of Eastern 
 and Western Tartary, was so denominated by the Chinese. 
 The latter looked on all others than themselves contemp- 
 tible, and in Eastern language the monosyllable " Tar" 
 * Ogay, Iggay, Mantun, Caheer. 
 
28 
 
 signifies contempt. Hence 7«r, Tar, a double noun, being 
 their form of a superlative degree, as indeed it was of 
 almost every primitive tongue, denotes most contemptible. 
 Thus we say in Irish c|tOTt>, c|ton)j most heavily^ or most 
 grievously. 
 
 Miles was most heartily welcomed by his relative, 
 Rifloir. In course of time the king becoming jealous of 
 Milesius' popularity, the latter with his attendants put to 
 sea, and having returned by the same route westward, 
 they voyaged until they arrived at the mouth of the Nile, 
 in Egypt. Thereupon Miles sent a message to Pharaoh 
 Nictonibus to say that he had landed in his country. He 
 was invited to court, welcomed, and land assigned to him. 
 Don and Aireach, his sons by Seang, daughter of Rifloir, 
 who died in Scythia, were amongst his followers to Egypt. 
 In this country our warrior, having rendered such services 
 to Pharaoh against his enemies, got Scota, the king's 
 daughter, in marriage. The Book of Invasions says that 
 he called her Scota, because himself was of the Scythic 
 race. Whilst here she had by him two sons, Heber Fionn 
 and Amergin (Avereen). For the purpose of introducing 
 arts and sciences into Spain, he placed twelve of the most 
 talented youths he had with him, for seven years, with the 
 best professors of Egypt, whither Niul had formerly intro- 
 duced literature. At the expiration of that time he em- 
 barked his body of people on board sixty ships, having 
 bid a farewell to his father-in-law. In a short time he 
 arrived in Biscay, and having learnt from the people there 
 how they were harassed in his absence by the barbarous 
 Goths, he assembled an army, gained fifty-four victories, 
 and subdued the enemy. Thus himself and the children 
 of Brogan had undisturbed possession of the greater part 
 of Spain. We have no authority to state, positively, who 
 
29 
 
 had the southern part of it. However we can fairly assume 
 that it was possessed by Mauretania. We might here re- 
 mark that the theory of some, who think that Gcetulia^ 
 in Africa, was the land which the Scythians visited and 
 not Gothland^ is untenable : for this reason, that Gsetulia 
 was south of Mauretania and the Carthaginian territory, 
 and shut in from the Atlantic by the mountain of that 
 name, and from the Mediterranean. Had it been on the 
 coast of Africa there might be some ground for the sup- 
 position. Nor does the fact of Dido having got a maritime 
 tract from larbas militate against our position : for the 
 place she got was not called Gaetulia, but Byrsa, We 
 have assigned a reason before why we thought the Goth- 
 land which they sailed to, was that of the Visogoths^ north 
 of the Euxine. We are borne out still farther in this 
 opinion, because we find, that the army of Darius nearly 
 perished between the rivers Ister, now the Danube^ and 
 the Tyras, the Dniester. Strabo says that a tribe of the 
 Scythians lived here, they were called Getce^ these were 
 also named Goths— see " Strabo," 7 ; Sil," 2, 61 ; 
 "Stat," 2; "Lucan," 2, 95. This tribe of Scythians 
 were most formidable in battle; they despised life from 
 their belief in the immortality of the soul, which they 
 learned from Zenolxis. 
 
 After Milesius had driven out the Sclavonian Goths and 
 Vandals, or ivanderers, he found the country wasted from 
 famine, plague, and war — three terrible scourges. The 
 Spanish chiefs hereupon take counsel as to what was their 
 best plan, under existing circumstances, and they agree 
 that Ith (ee), son of Brogan (Broan), a chief, valiant, in- 
 telligent, and learned in all the sciences, was to go, and to 
 take observations of Ireland. At Brogan (Broan) tower, 
 in Gallicia, in the north of Spain, they arranged this en- 
 terprise ; Bile presided at the above council. 
 
30 
 
 Since the time of Eochy Mac Earc — the last king of 
 the Firbolgs, married Tailte, daughter of Mamore, the 
 King of Spain — there existed an intercourse between the 
 countries. Hence it is evident, that because of their 
 mutual commerce in their interchange of commodities, 
 Spain and Ireland knew each other before the time of Ith 
 (Ee). Having reached the island he enquired its name, 
 and the name of its ruler. He was told the country was 
 called Inis Ealga, beautiful island, and that the three sons 
 of Carmoda Milveul (Mullvil), honey-mouthed, reigned 
 each a year on turn ; and that they were then in lUeach* 
 Neid, in Ulster, disputing about their ancestors' treasures. 
 He went to the sons of Carmody, told them he did not 
 intend remaining in their country, that he was to return 
 to Spain. From his wisdom, which they felt from his 
 remarks, they appointed him judge. He recommended 
 them to make three equal parts of the wealth. He advised 
 them to live in peace, adding, that their country abounded 
 in everything calculated to confer happiness, that it was 
 enough for the three, though it were di^dded evenly be- 
 tween them. He eulogised its air and its many other ad- 
 vantages. The young princes, fearing from the praise that 
 Ith (Ee) bestowed on the island, he might, if permitted to 
 go away, come back with a great fleet and take possession 
 of it, despatch 150 men in pursuit of him. He brought up 
 the rere of his men, and was killed on a plain named after 
 him Magh Ith (Mayee). It was Mac Coill who pursued 
 and wounded him. He died at sea ; but his followers 
 brought his body to Spain for interment, as above all 
 things, it is agreed, amongst all historians, that the Scythic 
 race had the greatest veneration for their chiefs and princes, 
 even for their dead bodies. Their fooHsh descendants in 
 the time of the faithless Stuarts, proved this fact. 
 
 * Or " Aileagh," in Derry. 
 
31 
 
 The sons of Miles, having joined those of Brogan, at 
 once resolved to bring a force to Irin* and chastise Mac 
 Coill, Mac Ceacht, and Mac Greine, the sons of Milveul, 
 the murderers of Ith (ee), their uncle. Their fleet con- 
 sisted of thirty ships, with thirty chiefs in each ship, besides 
 their wives and common soldiers. There were forty (two 
 twenties, for so the Irish counted,) chiefs over all these 
 again. This may serve as an index of the Gadelian skill 
 in strategy, both in land and sea warfaring, at so early a 
 date. The Gadelians of olden, as well as modern days, 
 could be reduced to bondage by no other power than in- 
 ternal dissension, and Saxon (Sacks' son) demon cunning 
 in its corrupting influence. Well has our own immortal 
 Kerry bard sung— 
 
 !^cc ]A& ^ejij bo c^]ll A]|v A ce]le." 
 
 '* Not the hostile band, that took our native land, 
 But native discord and the traitor hand." 
 
 Moore has also truthfully written — 
 
 Unpriz'd are her sons, till they've learned to betray ; 
 Undistinguished they live, if they shame not their sires." 
 
 At all times our own division, too often created, but 
 always fanned, by the minions of British rulers, has been 
 our greatest source of weakness : 
 
 'Twas fate, they'll say, a wayward fate, 
 
 Your web of discord wove ; 
 And while your tyrants join'd in hate. 
 
 You never join'd in love." 
 
 Notwithstanding all this we are not, in this respect, 
 worse than other countries ; there is still a vitality in us 
 that can never be completely subdued — 
 * One of the names of Ireland. 
 
32 
 
 *' The gem may be broke 
 
 By many a stroke, 
 But nothing can cloud its native ray ; 
 
 Each fragment will cast 
 
 A light to the last, 
 And thus Erin, my country, tho' broken thou art, 
 There's a lustre within thee, that ne'er will decay, 
 A spirit, which beams thro' each suffering part. 
 And now smiles at their pain on Patrick's day." 
 
 STANZA XXIX. 
 
 The Right Rev. author makes the O'Driscolls, the 
 O'Learys, and O'Coffeys descendants of the Scythic tribes 
 who came to Ireland before the Milesians. We think they 
 were of the brave Nemedians, or Clann Neiv (Neimb). 
 The more probable opinion may be, that they were the 
 offspring of some of the Ithians, who may have remained 
 in Ireland after Ith. 
 
 Now for the summary of the colonizations: Partholan, 
 grandson of Sru, came to Ireland 300 years after the 
 Deluge, 1 978 of the World. He migrated from Mygdonia, 
 a part of Greece, so called after Mygdon, its king, who 
 was brother of Hecuba, Priam's queen ; Chorebus, the 
 son of this Mygdon, who was at the Trojan war, was 
 called Mygdonides after him. 
 
 Sir Walter Raleigh (O'Reilly) affirms (see vol. i. cap. 
 12, pp. 232-278), that the Celts and Scythians were dif- 
 ferent families of the common stock, Magog ; Gomer, the 
 younger, went to Greece ; this being so, Gael, the Linguist, 
 must be descended from him ; Tubal, according to Jose- 
 phus, emigrated to Spain ; his posterity were there, ac- 
 cording to the most learned antiquarians, when the Gade- 
 lians visited it ; Magog* remained in Asia, near the Caspian 
 Sea; whence his descendants overspread Europe from 
 time to time, as has been already shewn. Saints Augus- 
 * Father of Baath (Baw). 
 
33 
 
 tine, Jerome, Eustachius, and, amongst modern writers, 
 Bochart, agree in this opinion; Josephus, Raleigh, and 
 others, asserted that the Celts were from Gomer, and give 
 as one evidence of the fact, that their common tongue was 
 called Gomerigu (the tongue of Gomer), Here is a 
 reason for the great admixture of Greek and Latin words. 
 This last fact is given by Cluverius. See 4th book, cap. 
 13, of Pto. ; Pliny, 6, cap. 16; Hieronymus, Trad., 
 Genesis, Eustachius com., Stra., Mela, &c. 
 
 In summarising the various colonies, that visited this 
 land from the East, we have to say, that it is wholly 
 impracticable to avoid, what might appear at first sight, 
 a jumbling of facts, dates, circumstances, genealogies, 
 and topography. The reader will have observed that it 
 could not be otherwise, whereas the twenty-eighth verse 
 contains matter, comments upon which must have refe- 
 rence to facts long anterior to the circumstances alluded 
 to in it, the Milesians, the last Scythian colonization, 
 having been alluded to in the twenty-seventh verse. 
 
 Passing over Adhna (Anna) said to be sent by Ninus, 
 140 years after the Flood, as he made no settlement, we 
 come to Partholan, who was grandson of Sru, and arrived 
 here 300 years after the Deluge, A.M., 1978. He mi- 
 grated from Mygdonia, as before observed. Partholan, as 
 the more generally received opinion, was the brother of 
 Nemedius. Mygdonia was a small country much written 
 about by eminent historians, such as Stra, 7th, 330; 
 ' Thucydides, 2, 97. Therma, its capital, was the place of 
 Cicero's exile, whither, through the influence of Clodius, 
 he was banished, because of his unconstitutional execution 
 I of the conspirators ; and that he acted unconstitutionally 
 I must be confessed. Horace alluded often to that country. 
 The Partholonians, after inhabiting Ireland for about three 
 
 c 
 
34 
 
 hundred years, were all cut off by a pestilence near Binn 
 Eaduir (the cliff of Eaduir, a woman's name). That was 
 in A.M., 2278. Howth is the modern name of the pro- 
 montory. 
 
 Clan Neiv (Neimb) next landed on the shores of Eire, 
 thirty years after the destruction of the Partholan colony, 
 in which catastrophe the hand of God had manifestly fallen 
 on an entire people, because of Partholan's wicked and 
 unnatural murder of his father, to obtain the throne of his 
 own country, but from which he was expelled by an in- 
 dignant people. Nemedius — whether he was the son, ac- 
 cording to Keating, or only a more remote descendant, ac- 
 cording to others — with his followers, possessed the country 
 217 years, until A.M., 2495. In their time African 
 pirates, the Carthaginians, or, as Vallancey calls them, 
 sea sovereigns^ some of Shem's posterity, landed on the 
 coast of Inisfail, avoiding intercourse with the offspring 
 of Ham, who got his father's curse. These Africans re- 
 duced the Nemedians to bondage, and after many bloody 
 and hard-fought engagements, in most of which Clan 
 Neiv won the victory, one most furious and desperate 
 battle took place on the coast of Ulster, in which More, 
 the African chief, commanded his men, and in which the 
 Nemedians had collected thirty thousand land forces, and 
 as many marines. This grand struggle for liberty, on the 
 part of the noble Neivi, or Nemedians, eventuated in a 
 carnage unequalled in history up to that period. In the 
 pages of Irish annals, at any time, we have not on record 
 an instance of such a terrible slaughter. Thousands fell 
 before the swords of the belligerents, as deep meadow 
 before the sharpened scythes of the sturdy mowers, as 
 raging Vulcan ruins gorgeous palaces, and well-streeted 
 cities, as an impetuously rolling mountain cataract, in its 
 
35 
 
 headlong course, prostrates the luxuriant crops, and sweeps 
 them before it ; so intent was each of the hostile armies 
 that they never felt until they were encompassed by the 
 tide. 
 
 We have here an evidence of the fact, that sooner than 
 brook tyranny, or yield the neck to slavery, the Scythic 
 and Celtic races — who are identified with us — had rather, 
 at all times and in all places, sacrifice life and rich pos- 
 sessions. This is attested by the highly interesting his- 
 tory of the Celts and Scythians, by Sir Walter Raleigh, 
 who figured so prominently in the reign of the virgin 
 queen, Elizabeth. 
 
 Of the 60,000 Nemedians, who entered the battle- 
 ground, not more than thirty oflicers and three chiefs 
 escaped; they took to sea in a sloop. For seven years 
 they kept to retreats until they gathered sufficient strength, 
 and collected their scattered countrymen, to rescue them 
 from their task- masters, who in barbarity are only sur- 
 passed by our English invaders, whose thirst for riches 
 and power, though they boast of the Bible, was, and is, 
 as inextinguishable as was that of the African pirates. 
 Wherever the bloody flag of England floats, there is a 
 piratical body, there is a usurping power, whose history is 
 raised upon a colossal pyramid of ensanguined materials, 
 whose sway is despotism, and whose rule is legalized 
 plunder and rapacity. 
 
 Y/e will close the sketch about the Neivs by mention- 
 ing, that it was from Briotan-Maol (the Bald), England 
 was designated Britain — this is also O'Halloran's opinion, 
 as well as Keating's and Mac Curtin's ; himself and those 
 of the Nemedians, who joined him, landed in that country, 
 ! and continued there until the Saxons drove them into the 
 mountains of Wales. The names of many places in Wales, 
 
36 
 
 and England, which are radically Irish, attest the truth of 
 this statement. 
 
 How like the treatment our ancestors received from the 
 same quarter. Geoffry of Monmouth, Cormac Mac Cul- 
 linan. Archbishop and King of Cashel, and the most dis- 
 tinguished antiquaries say, that the son of Nemedius was 
 he who gave name to the Britons. The poem alluded to 
 by Keating, and headed thus — 2lbAti7h AcbA]|i f |iu]cb A|t 
 fluA5b (pro. Adhav our shroo er sloou), "Adam was 
 our father," &c., gives this stanza — 
 
 " The brave Nemedian train, 
 
 Under Briotan launch into the main ; 
 
 A prince, whom all the ancient annals trace, 
 
 As the great founder of the British race. 
 
 " Another poet and antiquary makes the same remark 
 in this manner : — 
 
 " The warlike Welsh the great Briotan claim. 
 To be the founder of the British name. 
 
 " And we have more reason to suppose that the word 
 Britannia was derived originally from this Briotan, than 
 from Brutus the Trojan, which is a fable that some histo- 
 rians are very fond of; for if it were so, it would rather 
 be called Brutannia. Besides we are informed by Geofiry ' 
 of Monmouth, that the ancient name of the country was 
 changed by the three sons of Brutus ; his son Laegrus . 
 called his part of the kingdom Laegria ; Camber, the 
 second son, distinguished his share by the name of 
 Cambria ; and Albanactus, the third son, would have his 
 part known by the name of Albania. So that this account, , 
 from the authentic records of the Irish nation, gives a| 
 great light to the name of Britain, and deserves our belief, I 
 rather than the fabulous relations of partial and romantic i 
 
 I 
 I 
 
37 
 
 writers, who have been the bane and destruction of true 
 history." We refer the Irish student to the Book of 
 Invasions, in the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin, in which 
 he will find his labours amply repaid, if he can read it. 
 
 The FirbolgSi or belly-men^ so called because they were 
 obliged to wear leathern bags before them, for the purpose 
 of carrying clay by way of oppression, flying from slavery, 
 arrived in Ireland, 847 (A.F.), in the year of the World, 
 2495. Here they continued for thirty-six years. It may 
 be here mentioned that the Firbolgs were the posterity of 
 Simon Breac, the grandson of Nemedius. One portion of 
 them were called Firgailians — Fir, men, Gailian, spear ; 
 their duty being to protect the bagmen mdi the miners — 
 Firdhivneean (Firdhomhnoin), whilst at work. Such is 
 the learned Keating's explanation. — See vol. 1, page 62. 
 They reigned thirty-six years, and then followed the 
 Tuatha de Danaans. We can merely allude to this colony, 
 space not allowing us to dwell on the interesting subject. 
 
 The Danaans came to Eire in 883, A.F., 2531, A.M. 
 Nuadha Airgiodlamb was their chief ; he was called the 
 V Silverhanded," because in the battle fought between his 
 followers and the Firbolgs, his hand was wounded, and it 
 having been subsequently amputated, he got an " Airgiod- 
 lambh" (Argidlhawiv), a silver hand. The last king of 
 the Firbolgs was Eochaidh (Eeughee). He, as well as the 
 Nemedian princes, had good laws, and made great im- 
 provements in this island. In his time agriculture and 
 commerce flourished. He was married to Tailte, daughter 
 of Maghmore, King of Spain, as may be seen in the history 
 of the Milesians. When his queen died she was buried in 
 a place near Kells, County of Meath, called Tailtean, and 
 it is still pointed out under that name. The Tuatha are the 
 posterity of Faidh (Fayee), a son of Nemedius, who settled 
 
38 
 
 in Achala,* north-west in the Peloponnesus, or Morea ; and 
 this is the best reason we see, why Dr. O'Connell men- 
 tions in his poem, that Athens, of right, belonged to the 
 Gael, This country has Boeotia on the north ; the capital 
 city of which is Thebes — according to Pomponius Mela — 
 in which, the Kerry bard stated in stanza twenty-three, 
 the Milesians delayed some time. Here they learned the 
 art of necromancy, or diablery. It is recorded of them, 
 that so expert did they become in their wicked science, 
 that in the war with the Assyrians they used to revive the 
 dead bodies of the Athenians, so that the invaders de- 
 spairing of victory, notwithstanding their superior numbers, 
 had recourse to an eminent druid, or enchanter, who told 
 them that, in order to defeat the skill of the necromancers, 
 they should thrust a stake of quick-beam wood into the 
 body of each man they killed : that if it werel^y the power 
 of the devil they worked, this plan would neutralize their 
 hellish power. So it was : the Assyrians gained the 
 victory; and the Danaans, dreading to fall into their 
 hands, resolved to quit the country. They roved from 
 place to place, not caring to struggle through wild and 
 inhospitable countries; anything rather than fall into the 
 hands of the Assyrians, from whom they could expect no 
 mercy. Therefore their having wandered towards the 
 imaginary Riphean hills (but in reality either the Valdais, 
 in Russia, or the Dovrefields, between Sweden and Norway) 
 can be no argument that the Milesian colony took the same 
 route ; because, besides that the former were flying from a 
 
 * According to the Roman bipartite division of Greece, Achaia com- 
 prised the entire Peloponnesus, Attica, Boeotia, &c. Cadmus, a descendant 
 of Fenius, or Phoenius, built Thebes, according to Herodotus, and was the 
 first that introduced the alphabet into Greece, 1493, B.C. (see "Lempriere)» 
 about 225 years before the Milesians landed in Ireland. 
 
39 
 
 people, on whom they were the cause of great woes having 
 been inflicted, the Book of Invasions does not say they took 
 to sea — as in the case of Gollav, or Milesius — but only that 
 they went hy land. The more probable route was over 
 the Carpathian and Sudetic chains, by the Baltic, to 
 Norway. Of the Danaans we have treated in a former 
 note, to which the reader is referred, as likewise to the 
 Book of Invasions. They, many of them, emigrated to 
 Scotland; their posterity are there to this day, and, as 
 was written above, they came to Ireland, where they ruled 
 until A.F., 1080, and A.M., 2736. It was in this year 
 the Milesians landed. From the Creation to that time, 
 was — according to the author of the poem, which forms 
 the basis of our comments — 3500 years. This is totally 
 different from Keating's calculations, which he grounded 
 on the writings of learned antiquarians. But we are not 
 to wonder that Doctor O'Connell and Keating differ on 
 this point. For even as regards so important a matter — 
 a matter, interesting to all Christians — as the length of 
 time Christ remained on earth, many disputes prevail 
 amongst annalists. Some assert His time on earth, as 
 God and Man, was thirty-three years ; others say He lived 
 longer; others maintain He did not continue so many 
 years amongst men. Who would then conclude He was 
 not at all on earth as a Redeemer ? We must then say, 
 that, as Keating devoted great attention to the chrono- 
 logy of Ireland, and consulted with diligence the native 
 annalists, most reliance is to be placed on his computation. 
 Mistakes of a few years in the narration of such compli- 
 cated dates to be carried back so far, may have appeared 
 in his writings. However, taken in its totality, it is a safe 
 guide. But yet, as to this difference between Keating 
 ^d our author, we must in justice remark, that the 3500 
 
40 
 
 in the poem must be an interpolation, as we have seen 
 very many spurious copies of it, each copyist having made 
 alterations suitable to his own views. We have made 
 none, unless literal or syllabic ones, from our copy, which 
 was presented to us by our beloved friend, the Very Rev. 
 Dr. Spratt, of Aungier-street, Dublin. It is a great injustice 
 to make changes, for sinister purposes, in the text of any 
 author. The corruption in this instance was made as an 
 attempt to disprove the antiquity of the Milesian colony, 
 and that in defiance of the most genuine national records. 
 
 We had nigh omitted noticing, that a tribe called Picts 
 visited Banba. Of these, Charles Mac Cuillionan, in the 
 Psalter of Cashel, treats at some length. In that valuable 
 work of antiquity it is written that the Picts, who resided 
 in Thrace, landed with a numerous army. They fled 
 from a libidinous king, who sought by force to take his i 
 fair and beautiful daughter, and retain her as a concubine. - 
 Pollcarnus was the name of the prince, and Gud was the 
 chief of the Picts. They slew the king and then fled the 
 country. Thence they went to France, whose king as- 
 signed them lands ; they built a city which they called 
 Pictavium — the modern appellation of which is Poictiers. 
 The}^ used to paint on their bodies the images of fanciful 
 birds and other things. Hence the name Picts (Picti). 
 The King of France also having been enamoured of the 
 charming Pict, thought to take her from her father to 
 gratify a base passion. Gud, with his followers, dexte- 
 rously seized the French vessels, and having weighed ;i 
 anchor, put to sea; they landed at Inbher (Inver) Slainge 
 (Slaney), in Wexford. They enabled Criomhthan (Cre- 
 vin). Governor of Munster, to defeat the Britons, who were 
 wasting the country and harassing the people. The last- 
 named invaders recommended the governor, under Here- 
 
41 
 
 mon, to dig a pit, to fill it with new milk procured from 
 150 white-faced cows, observing that any of his men who 
 would be wounded with the poisoned shafts, upon having 
 bathed in the milk-bath, would be instantly hpaled.) The. 
 experiment turned out to his satisfaction. 
 
 Gnd, and his followers, though they helped Heremon 
 to banish the Tuatha Fiodha (Thooha Feeha), having 
 conspired to take possession of Leinster, were driven out 
 of Ireland and settled in Alban, or Scotland.* Seventy 
 kings of that race ruled in Albania; Cathluan (Callan) 
 was the first, the last was Constantino. The country, 
 before their arrival, was designated Cruith-an-thwath (Cru- 
 anthooa), the land of the plebeians, or boors — See Psalter 
 of Cashel, whence has been borrowed these lines : — 
 
 " The Picts, unable to withstand the power 
 Of the Milesian troops, a truce implore ; 
 And, willing to be gone, their anchors weighed, 
 And bold the Albanian coasts invade ; 
 Where seventy monarchs of the Pictish race, 
 With great exploits the Scottish annals grace, 
 'Twas Cathluan began the royal line. 
 Which ended in the hero, Constantine." 
 
 Five learned Picts, however, remained in Ireland. 
 Trosdane (Treston), the druid, who suggested the milk- 
 bath ; Oilean, Ulfuin, Neachtain, Nar, and Eneas ; estates 
 were assigned them in Meath. The Irish chronicles state 
 that Heremon sent some of the posterity and of the Tuatha 
 de Danaans, with the Picts, to conquer Scotland. From 
 these, some say, descended the Brigantes, who, afterwards, 
 took possession of England; some of them went back to 
 Spain. The Dalriada, and, afterwards, Fergus the Great, 
 
 * rock, and biM), white; or her)x) — h]mj promontory. Scotland has 
 been famed for its lofiy promontories and white stony heights. Its earliest 
 name was ^ilb^t?. 
 
42 
 
 subdued the Picts, in the fourth century of the Christian 
 era. 
 
 We may in this place remark that all the Scythic or 
 Scottish — properly, Scuitish tribes, according to the most 
 unquestionable authorities, spoke the Irish language, and 
 freely conversed with each other in it. Ith, or Ee, ad- 
 dressed Queen Eire in it. To dwell upon this fact is not 
 necessary ; we allude to it only as an incident, which may 
 be interesting to some to know. Anything else we may 
 say, relative to the first settlement of the Milesians, shall 
 be directed to point out the different branches of them, as 
 located in each of the four provinces. This must be very 
 brief, as our feeble pen attempts, not a history, but a few 
 cursory comments on facts, regarding our illustrious an- 
 cestors. 
 
 Heber and Heremon reigned conjointly in the greatest 
 harmony until Tea, grand-daughter of Ith, wife and cousin 
 of Heremon, created a quarrel between the brothers. 
 Heremon had all that part of Erin, north of the Shannon, 
 called Leath Cuinn, or Cons share ; and Heber had all 
 south of the Shannon, called Leath Modha (Lha Mogha). 
 But we are inclined to say, from facts we have met in the 
 history of this country, that the two divisions consisted 
 nearly of what are called Ulster, Connaught, and part of 
 Leinster, in the one part, and Munster, with the southern 
 part of Leinster, in the other — See O'Halloran, O' Flaherty, 
 Book of Conquests, and Keating, vol. i. p. 70, &c. This 
 bi-partition took place in the second century, when Con 
 of the hundred fights^ was monarch paramount in Ireland. 
 However, in course of time the families became mixed ; 
 some of the Heremonians having gone to Leath Mogha, 
 and the Heberians migrated to Ulster, Leinster, and Con- 
 naught. The reader will please keep in view, that, of the 
 
43 
 
 descendants of Ir, born near Thrace, and of the renowned 
 Colpa, born of Scota, in Thrace, some of the oldest, 
 bravest, and most illustrious families of Ireland have been 
 descended, and glory in their high ancestral origin. 
 
 The O'Connells of Kerry claim Heremon as their pro- 
 genitor. The O'Connors of that county are the offspring 
 of Ciar-righ (Kerry), who was of the line of /r. The 
 O'Brennans of Louth, we heard from an antiquarian of 
 that name, pique themselves as being descended from 
 Colpa, the swordsman^ who was lost off the coast of 
 Drogheda, at Beltra. That family, throughout Ireland, 
 use the motto, B^it* t)^ Oi^o^jt,* Death or Glory, They 
 allege, that such was Colpa's answer to the Danaans upon 
 putting to sea, for the purpose of making the land a second 
 time by force. We could not find that Colpa, the son of 
 Milesius, had any children ; but we read of a Copa^ in 
 O'Halloran's " Ireland." We think this word should be 
 Colpa ; but a later chieftain than the son of Milesius. He 
 must have been the ancestor of the O'Brennans of Louth 
 and Meath, though from their proximity to Down we in- 
 cline to the opinion, that they were Irians, as were the 
 O'Brennans of Kerry. Those of Leinster were clearly 
 Heremonians, as having been the offspring of Cathaeir 
 (Caheer) Mor, King of Leinster, and Monarch of Ireland, 
 in the second century. From the same monarch are de- 
 scended O' Conor Faly, O' Duffy, Mac Murrough, now 
 O'Cavanagh, O'Dunne, O'Ryan, O'Byrne, O'Dempsey, 
 O' Toole, Mac Patrick, or Fitzpatrick, besides many other 
 names of note in Leinster. With respect to the Fitzpatricks, 
 Mac Curtin traces them up to Conla, thirteen generations 
 before Caheer, also a family of the O'Brennans. 
 
 A territory of Ui Bruinn, or O'Brennans* country, was 
 * Pronounced Baws naw Unnoir. 
 
44 
 
 in the counties of Roscommon and Galway, in ConnaugHt. 
 It was so called after Brain, or Bruin, eldest son of Eoclia 
 Meadhgoin (Ayugha Meevin), King of Meath, and para- 
 mount Monarch of Connaught and Ulster, in the fourth 
 century. By his wife Mogfinna, Queen of Connaught, he 
 had four sons, of whom Brain was the eldest. O'Flaherty, 
 in the Ogygia^ part iii. chap. 79, says, that the Hy (Ui) 
 Bruinans sprang from Brain, and that he had twenty-four 
 sons, to whom he assigned estates. He adds, that the 
 O'Hanlys and O'Brennans possessed Corcochlanna, a 
 district lying between Tir Oilill (land of Oilill), in Sllgo, 
 and the mountain of Baghna, now Sleev Bawn, in Ros- 
 common.* We have personal actual knowledge that some 
 of the above tribes are there at the present day. From 
 the above Brain came the kings of Connaught. From 
 Conall Glu, one of Bruin's sons, were derived the Hy- 
 Bruinans Sionna, whose country was Tir-na-Bruin,^ on 
 the banks of the Shannon, in the County of Roscommon, 
 &c. 
 
 Batlia (Ragha), son of Brain, was the founder of Hy- 
 Bruinans^ whose territory in the west of Connaught, com- 
 prising fourteen townlands, was denominated Hy-Bruin 
 Botha, It was here on Sleev Knoctua, about six miles 
 east by south of Galway, that a famous battle was fought 
 in 1504, between Kildare and Clanricarde, when Gormans- 
 town, who aided the former, recommended him "to cut 
 the throats of their Irish auxiliaries." St. Brennan — aliter 
 
 * The Rev. James Graves, Hon. Sec. to the Kilkenny Archseological 
 Society, wTote a very interesting work on the O'Brennans of Idough, 
 which we regret we could not procure. The Map in the " Annals of the 
 Four Masters," by Owen Connellan, Esq., has described on it the ancient . 
 possessions of the tribe names, in the four provinces — Roscommon, Kerry, | 
 Down, Kilkenny. 
 
 t Pronounced Theer vrin. 
 
45 
 
 Brendan — of Birr and Corcolanna, was of the same origin. 
 ( Ogygia^ part iii. p. 193.) 
 
 There are many Catholic clergymen, remarkable for 
 zeal, piety, and learning, of the above ancient name in the 
 dioceses of Tuam, Elphin, and Achonry. The Rev. 
 Henry, and his brother. Rev. Malachy O'Brennan, in 
 Elphin, are of the old stock. We have the pleasure of 
 a personal acquaintance with many of the Connaught 
 branches. The last remnant of their estates was sold in 
 Henrietta-street, in 1854. There was such a mixture of 
 the different tribes, persons flying from other parts of 
 Ireland, in the days of persecution, for protection to 
 Connaught, that it would be a difficult task to trace out 
 the different families of that name in it. So far back as 
 the sixth century, O'Connors and O'Brennans migrated 
 from Kerry to the west. The Sleihh Bar an* Sleev Ui- 
 Fhlynn (Weelhynn), and Gurteen families — the former 
 in Roscommon, and the latter in Mayo, are of the most 
 ancient septs. The Rev. P. Brennan, the patriotic parish 
 priest of Kildare, is of the Carlow sept. Their territory 
 was Cualann. — See O'Brien's " Dictionary." 
 
 All the septs were terribly oppressed, because they 
 adored God as conscience dictated. In the reign of Queen 
 Anne the attainder was, by Act of Parliament, enforced 
 against the rebel 0*Brainanes. At that time intercession 
 was made for the restoration of their hereditary property. 
 However, the Saxon plunderers, in their mighty influence, 
 prevailed over right, and the ancient chieftains were driven 
 wanderers and outlaws upon the world. The following 
 ^anecdote is told of the western clan — Their chieftain, at 
 the surrender of lands, in the time of King James, for the 
 purpose of deriving under the crown of England, had a 
 
 * Pronounced Shleev lawn. 
 
46 
 
 tutor for several months teaching him to say, " I will upon 
 condition I get them again." Having appeared before the 
 perjured judge, whose ostensible object was to do justice, 
 but whose real aim was to plunder for himself and a wicked 
 jury, the chief, having heard the words, " O'Brennan, 
 O'Brennan, of the County of Roscommon, come in, and 
 give up your estate to the king," answered : **/ will upon 
 cundhirs I get um again^ Not having spoken the words 
 required by law^ though clearly understood by the Court, 
 his claim was rejected. Such was O'Brennan's just hatred 
 of foreign rule and of the tyrant's jargon that he could not 
 be got to articulate distinctly a few English words. We 
 are not to wonder that a native chieftain had such an an- 
 tipathy to so grating a language ; some of the English 
 nobles themselves, in olden times, abandoned its use for 
 the euphonius Irish. 
 
 Great care should be taken not to mix up names together, 
 because though the names may be like, still the septs or 
 clans were different, and had their names from totally dif- 
 ferent circumstances. At the same time, it is wrong to 
 infer, that, because a letter may be in one name which 
 does not appear in another, both names are not of the same 
 ancestor. However, as we are not writing a history of 
 names, it is not our province to enter deeply into that 
 subject. The O'Brennans of Iduagh, of Down, of Ros- 
 common, Mayo, and Kerry were the chief branches. In 
 some of these districts they are still numerous, except in 
 the last-mentioned place, where there is only a family. 
 
 The translation of Keating's "History of Ireland," 
 confounds O'Brennan of Clonfert, in Galway, who 
 endowed that Church, with O'Brennan of Ardfert and 
 Kerry. In several passages the translator, however, dis- 
 tinguishes the two names. He mentions, in describing 
 
47 
 
 the seats of tlie bishops, who attended the synod, called by 
 the bishop of Limerick, in 1115, one of the seats by the 
 name of Cluan Fearta Breanoin. In another page of 
 Keating it is said, that there were fourteen eminent saints 
 of that name, the most distinguished of whom were 
 O'Brennan of Birr, and O'Brennan of Ardfert, Of these 
 saints we have to write farther on, towards tjie end of the 
 poem. 
 
 We have entered thus far into this patriarchal name, 
 not because we bear it, but because a learned antiquary, 
 whose opinion we respect, has, in a work of his, wiped 
 away the name in toto from his topographical notes, and 
 that, contrary to the evidence of O'Brien, O'Flaherty, 
 Keating, O'Halloran, Mac Curtin, Rev. James Graves, 
 Kilkenny, and the accomplished O'Donovan, in his notes 
 on the " Tribes of Ancient Ossory." 
 
 Eogan More (Owen More), King of Munster, was father 
 of Oilioll Ollum, by Beara, a Spanish princess. Gas was 
 father of Caisin, by the daughter of Conn of the Hundred 
 Battles. From Caisin (Cassin), fourteen generations before 
 Brien (O'Brien), sprang Mac Namara, king of a part of 
 Clare. Breanainn (O'Brennan) was second son of Caisin, 
 and was chieftain or prince of Baoisgine, also in Clare. 
 From O'Brennan is descended the O'Gradys, who also in- 
 herited in the same place. There is a lake there called 
 Lough O' Grady. There are also the O'Brainans of Cineal 
 Aodhe (Kinnel Ee), descended of Dathi (Dhahee), suc- 
 cessor of Nial of the Nine Hostages, so called as having one 
 hostage from each of the Pentarchs of Ireland, and four 
 from Scotland and other British isles. — For these facts 
 see Keating, Mac Curtin, O'Flaherty, &c. From what 
 has been written it will be learned, that all of the same 
 name have not had the same ancestor. From Eugenius — 
 
48 
 
 Irish, Eogan — eldest son of Niall, sprang the illustrious 
 O'Neills, kings of Tir Eoglian (Tyrone), or Tirowen — 
 Owerts land', also tlie O' Canes, Mac Sweenys, O'Dalys, 
 O'Hay, or Hayes, O'Conallin, O'Creagli, 0*Hagan, 
 O'Duan, O'Mulligan, and O'Horan. From Conall Gulban, 
 son of Niall, descended the renowned families of O'Donell, 
 kings of Tirconnell, the noble O'Doherty, O'Gallagher, 
 O'Boyle, O'Connell, and many other illustrious branches. 
 
49 
 
 ^ SAINT PATRICK'S BIRTH-PLACE. 
 
 Saint Patrick was born at Holy Castle, a town of the 
 
 j Morini, in Belgic Gaul. We find in the first book of 
 " Cesar's Gallic War," that the Belgse inhabited all the 
 northern parts of Gaul, as far as the mouth of the Seine, 
 which formed a part of the boundary between the Celtae 
 and Belg^. The reader will bear in mind that the ancient 
 Belgium was more extensive than the modern one. It 
 comprised all the maritime parts of France, and a part of 
 the modern Germany. This can be easily seen by glancing 
 over the maps of ancient and modern Gaul, or, still better, 
 
 ! a map of the Roman Empire in the time of the Caesars or 
 Constantino. Though Cellarius is good, we prefer ^^Za5 Uni- 
 verselde Geographie, 8fc., par A. H. Brue^ aParis, 1822. 
 
 ; We are not writing a history of our glorious apostle, we 
 are simply commenting on a poem, in which his venerated 
 name turns up. Hence it is not to be expected that we 
 will go at length into all disputed points. Moreover, we 
 are not inclined for controversy, farther than an absolute 
 necessity of placing an important national fact in as clear 
 a view as possible, and in as few words as the nature of 
 
 j the subject may demand. 
 
 Now, let us say that there never was a more obvious 
 translation of any two words from one language into 
 another, than "Holy Castle," or Tower, is of t)eArb cu-(t; 
 
 i and we are not disposed to place a false interpretation on 
 the text, for the purpose of pleasing the wishes or preju- 
 dices of persons. 
 
 St. Fiech, to give weight to his statement of Patrick's 
 place of nativity, adds, "as is read in stories^"* meaning 
 * See notes on Fiech's hymn. 
 
 d 
 
50 
 
 history. We saw it stated, that if Fiech (Feeugh) in- ; 
 tended the expression to coiivey more than " Nempthur," 
 one term, he would have written 'Ciiji i^eAti}, because in 
 Irish the adjective comes after its noun. To this we i 
 answer, that theorising often leads men into laughable 
 mistakes. It is true, that analogy is very good with 
 respect to the rule of having the adnoun after the noun ! 
 in the Celtic, as in other languages. But each of the 
 ancient and modern Continental tongues affords many 
 examples of exceptions from the above rule. To quote \ 
 instances is idle, as the youngest reader is acquainted with 
 them. And so it is in our language, the word peArb, or ■ 
 T)ejTT), is always before the substantive; so much so, that i 
 in the Irish Lexicon it is prefixed and joined to its noun, i 
 The General Confession, in Irish, is a sufficient illustration, j 
 But T)eATbcA* {blessed)^ which is a participle, comes after \ 
 the noun. Thus we say MeAti) PAccit^c, Saint Patrick, ] 
 and Pacc|X|c MeArbcA, blessed Patrick, 
 
 There is a vast difference between the two phrases. A I 
 man may be blessed, and yet not a saint, according to the ^ 
 sense of the Church, which confines the latter name to a j. 
 person who was canonized. 
 
 We are at a loss to understand how any man, having . 
 any knowledge of the Irish, could have translated " Tor," j 
 or " Tur," Tours, More especially as Tours was, and is j 
 a considerable city, about two hundred and fifty miles ! 
 north of the Loire, south by west from the Department j 
 Artois, comprising the ancient Morini, in which was Cas- ; 
 tellum, aliter Gessoriacum, the present Boulogne-sur-mer. ( 
 We would be more inclined to write that the town of 
 Castle is Calais, the Iccius Portus of the Romans, were it 
 not that Ainsworth, Lempriere, Cellarius, and others are 
 * Pronounced nheefa. 
 
51 
 
 quite clear on the point. These authors give four towns 
 called " Castellum," or Castle, something like our own 
 " Duns," or forts, as Dun Garvan, Dun Saney, Dun 
 Manaway. Almost all towns and cities were at first but 
 Duns, Forts, or Castles. — See Goldsmith's Origin of 
 Towns in the Reign of Henry VII." Each prince, baron, 
 or chieftain made a fort or fortress for his soldiers. Towards 
 this the victualler, grocer, tradesman, and others, congre- 
 , gated to supply its inhabitants. In course of time their 
 I children intermarried, and, as they multiplied, the state or 
 monarch extended to them the privilege of making bye- 
 ! laws for their mutual protection and advantage. Such was 
 i the case under the Romans. Hence, though the place 
 I wherein St. Patrick was born had been, in the beginning, 
 i only a mere Castle (or Taberna), in process of time a town 
 grew up, and it was called Castle, London itself was thus 
 created. Its derivation is this — Lyn^ river, Duriy Castle 
 or Fort. 
 
 Again, the translation of Tur into Tours is a painful 
 I evidence of the disagreeable results of persons attempting 
 
 to write of facts, which cannot be ascertained unless through 
 I the natural medium — the language in which they have 
 I been recorded. Writers who are obliged to rest upon the 
 
 authority of any other translation than their own, often 
 ! draw on fancy — nay, they sometimes presume to improve, 
 ; as they think, on the borrowed words, and thus commit 
 i grave and reprehensible errors. This they do ; whereas 
 i it is well known that not only the change or substitution 
 ! of a word, but even a letter, or the omission of a dot, would 
 
 completely alter the original; thus -peAiic, a miracle j ^eo|tr, 
 I a tomb. Even the same Irish word has a different meaning, 
 
 V^}vo r)]W nothing, tie^n) a holy thing, rje^rb Tt^ASA^l 
 
 (pro. nha reeul), bad rule or disorder, t)^]Tt7 T^|A5A]1, good 
 
52 
 
 rule or regularity. It is to be observed, that when the . 
 word following Tjeiri) has a, o, or u in the beginning of it, 
 the above word must be written T)eAn)' ; le|5,- read 1^13,"* 
 let^ le^rb or leArb, foolish, \^]vr),'^ a leap, le^c, near, as 
 5Ab A le'jc,^ draw near, le]ce, half (gen.), le]te, greyness. 
 Thousands of instances of that character are at hand. 
 Hence can be inferred the danger of attempting to write 
 upon the antiquities of our island without a thorough 
 knowledge of the architecture and actual structure of our 
 language. Before closing this remark it may not be deemed 
 irksome to hear another instance or two of the above class 
 of words — \]VVi^ a pool, lime, l^T)r), an offspring, \ 
 
 \\x)\), with us, \\\),'^ flax, lu^b,® a corner, lu]b,^ an herb, 
 Xoc'^v),^^ a pool, Xoc'^v,^^ chaff. 
 
 The very poem which is the basis of all our remarks 
 was materially injured by the omission or insertion of the 
 sign of aspiration. Nor does the circumstance of one word 
 being used to convey a different idea, argue a want of 
 copiousness or perspicuity in our language; the same is 
 peculiar to all the learned languages. 
 
 Though an Irish term may apparently represent many 
 different ideas, still upon close inspection it will be found 
 that every word was intended for, and has its own idea. 
 But as to " r)ert) cu]t" in Fiegh's poem, it can be as well 
 translated lofty tower, celestial tower, as " Holy Castle,** 
 though our opinion is, that the simple name was cu|i, 
 castle ov fortress (implying the town), and that St. Fiech 
 called it " Holy,'* as having given birth to his illustrious 
 master, St. Patrick. It is idle to object, that it would be 
 ridiculous to call a man's birth-place "Holy Castle," or 
 Tower. It is just as good sense to use that expression as 
 
 Pronounced ' nnyav or nnyeeuv, llyav ; ^ lhayee ; ' llhayig ; * llhyayim ; 
 * gav a Ihyeh; « llhyinn; ^ llhyeen; ^ llyooib; ® Uhyiv; Ihughawa; 
 " Uhoghawn. 
 
53 
 
 any other, as Holy Well, in Wales, Holy Cross, Castlebar. 
 How many places in Spain and other parts of the conti- 
 nent or in their colonies (such as Santa Cruz, in the 
 Balearic Islands), in North and South America, have the 
 prasnomen, ''Holy." So that we need not (if we do not wish) 
 say, that Patrick's birth-place was termed- Holy, because 
 of the accident of his birth ; much less are we driven to 
 the necessity of doing violence to the words tjerb or rje^nj 
 zu]i, and make them one Gaulic word, nevtria, nephtria, 
 or neustria. For though the territory, in which St. 
 Patrick was taken into captivity, did bear that name, still 
 it is more likely that the Franks, under their converted 
 monarch, Clovis, called the district, hitherto Moriiii, by 
 the name of Nevtria, from t)eATr) cuji, just as we have 
 New Castile in Spain. In all countries districts have 
 been denominated after their chief towns ; thus the County 
 of Roscommon, after the town which was so called from 
 St. Coeman (son of Faolchan, and disciple of St. Finan, 
 at Clonard), who in the year 540 founded an abbey of 
 Canons Regular in that locality. In this very fact we 
 have an instance of a town springing out of the erection 
 of a monastery. The house took the name of its founder, 
 as did the town and the county. Would not a person be 
 justly laughed at, who could, after this fact in point, state 
 that it was nonsense to call the birth-place of a man Holy 
 Castle. It is more reasonable to allege that the Franks, 
 who must clearly have heard of the fame of St. Patrick, 
 denominated their newly acquired territory in the north, 
 Neutria or Neustria, after the capital, Holy Tower, the 
 Gaulic and Irish appellation of which being nearly iden- 
 tical. And were it not outside the notes on a poem we 
 could cite numberless passages wherein both idioms are 
 identical. On this subject we treated at much length a 
 ^few years ago. However, as to the term Neustria, it was 
 
54 
 
 not at all used during tlie temporal rule of Rome in the 
 north of France. 
 
 Let us hear what Lempriere has written relative to the 
 Morini. Here are his words: " Morini — a people of 
 Belgic Gaul, on the shores of the British ocean. Their 
 name is derived from the Celtic — ' Mor/ which signifies 
 the sea, denoting a maritime people. They were called 
 extremi hominum by the Romans, because situated on the 
 extremities of Gaul. Their city, called Morinorum Cas- 
 tellum, is icyow Mount Cassel, in Artois (Boulogne), and 
 Morinorum civitas is Terouenne (Tarvenna) on the Sis." 
 Pliny, book iv., Virgil, book viii. of the -^neid, Caesar, 
 book iv. c. 21 . allude to that place. Virgil, when singing 
 the praises of the Caesar, thus wrote : — 
 
 " Euphrates ibat jam mollior undis 
 
 Extremique hominum Morini, Rhenusque bicornis 
 Indomitique Dahae, et poutem indignans Araxes." 
 
 " Euphrates was seen now to roll in gentler streams, 
 The Morini, remotest of mankind, appeared, and two-horned Rhine, 
 The untamed Dahae, and the Araxes disdaining a bridge." 
 
 In the above beautiful passage, of which the lines given 
 are a literal translation, the poet represented in glowing 
 language the triumphs of Augustus, and makes all nations, 
 from the distant East to the remotest West, from the 
 majestic Ganges to the Rhine, walk in procession before 
 the triumphal car of Caesar. We would here, by way of 
 parenthesis, state a curious fact, viz. that the Morini, in 
 the days of Pliny, carried on a great trade in poultry, 
 especially in geese. Such is the case to the present day. 
 
 What says Cellarius, whose geography and maps agree 
 with the classics in the times of Rome, from the earliest 
 period up to the Caesars and after ? These are his words 
 in the Index : — " Morini, now Bologn," that is, the county 
 
55 
 
 of Boulogne. Now, as to the town, the Index is this : — 
 "Gessoriacum oppidum (Boulogne);" and in the geography, 
 when enumerating the towns of Gaul, he writes : — " In 
 Morinis ad fretum Britannicum, Portus Iccius (a Tacito 
 taominatum) ex quo C^sar in Britaniam trajecit, qui 
 (scilicet-portus) idemne sit ac Gessoriacum, quod pariter 
 in Morinis laudatur, an diversus ab illo, disputamus alibi." 
 Though we may be thought pedantic for giving transla- 
 tions of such passages as the above, still, a desire to please 
 many of our readers has induced us to risk the imputation. 
 " In the country of the Morini, on the British Channel, 
 lies the Iccian port, whence Caesar passed over into Britain, 
 which port, whether it was the same as Gessoriacum, 
 which is likewise mentioned as in Morini, or a different 
 one from it, we shall elsewhere discuss." 
 
 Now it is manifest from these quotations that Gessori- 
 acum was the name, in the days of old Rome, of the capital 
 of the Morini, and that it was the present Bouhgne-sur' 
 mer in the county, to so write, of Boulogne. 
 
 The large edition of Ainsworth states, " Gessoriacum is 
 Boulogne-sur-mer, Pliny iv. 16, Suetonius, &c." — Cas- 
 tellum Morinorum, Cassel in Flanders (a part of the 
 /ancient Belgic Gaul), a town near the river Fene.'* 
 " Morini a voce Celtica Mor, quae mare significat ; qui, 
 Maritimi (Hardianus), from the Celtic word, Mor, which 
 fiignifies sea (that is, a maritime people), a people of 
 Belgic Gaul, near the sea coast, which is opposite to Britain 
 (not the Gallic Britain lying west of it), on the confines 
 of Picarde, Artois — Virgil, ^neid, viii. 727." 
 • Cellarius gives us a town Bonna, west of the Rhine, in 
 Belgic Gaul. Bonna is an appropriate name, synonymous 
 with the Irish word Bot)T)Ab})0]T) (pro. Bunowen), that is, 
 mouth of the river, and we find in Terouanna, alias Ter- 
 
56 
 
 vanna (Tarbenna), tributaries flowing east by north, and 
 disembogueing themselves into the Ehine near its mouth 
 at the German Ocean. 
 
 Dr. Alexander Adam, in his learned work on Geo- 
 graphy and History, in the index, mentions " Gessoriacum 
 Bononia — Boulogne in Picardy;" in other passages his 
 words are exactly the same as those of Cellarius and 
 Ainsworth, as before cited; and he adds, that "other 
 places were called Bononia," page 623, index of Geogra- 
 phy. When we consider that Adam writes of only cities 
 and places which were remarkable, we must infer, that 
 Gessoriacum was a celebrated place, and he annexes the 
 word " Bononia" by way of pre-eminence ; he states in 
 the title-page, that he treats of " places, that were distin- 
 guished by memorable events." 
 
 We are fully aware, that there are different opinions 
 upon the subject of our remarks, but we feel convinced 
 that our best course is to keep not minding what this or 
 that writer may have stated, and to place before our readers 
 pertinent passages from the best authors. It is much more 
 conducive to the object we have in view, not to be raising 
 many unnecessary objections, as we have found others to 
 have done. Thus did they in some manner render obscure 
 what they laboured to clear up — 
 
 Nil agit exemplum litem quod lite resolvit." 
 It is to be regretted, that men of recognized talents, 
 with massive intellect, colossal mind, towering genius, 
 vast grasp of comprehension, penetrating genius, and 
 solid learning, have, by playing on words and mere trifles, 
 created doubts on questions, which they proposed to them- 
 selves to elucidate ; so much so that their readers said to 
 us that, instead of being enlightened, they were rather 
 confirmed in their doubts. 
 
57 
 
 Before the Romans, Ainsworth says, that all the west 
 •and north of Gaul was designated " Armorica," and he 
 refers to Pliny, book iv., in proof of his statement ; con- 
 sequently it contained Bretagne (Little Britain), Picardy, 
 Boulogne (Morini), all places to the banks of the Rhine. 
 He derives the name from the Celtic ar, '*upon" or 
 
 along," mor, the " sea," the same as our Irish A]t Tt)u]|i. 
 This identity of language is quite natural. For, if we 
 mistake not, we observed in our notes on the several co- 
 lonizations of Ireland, that some of the Firbolgs crossed 
 over to the north of France, and settled there. We stated 
 the fact on the authority of Keating, who rested his asser- 
 tion on proofs, deduced from the most undoubted ancient 
 records of Ireland,- with which he was thoroughly ac- 
 quainted. He may be imitated, but he can scarcely be 
 equalled by any of our modern writers. When we exa- 
 mine when, where, under what circumstances, and in what 
 condition of his sorely oppressed country, he wrote, we 
 must admire the work, and love the warm heart of the 
 accomplished writer. He was verily an Herodotus. His 
 opinion is, that the Belgse were a colony of the Firbolgs 
 from Ireland. Hence the sympathy in tongue. We have 
 also stated on unquestionable authorities, that Britaon Maol, 
 grandson of Nemedius, was the progenitor of the Britons. 
 This Britaon and his followers, after a noble struggle against 
 the African pirates, went to Scotland, where they remained 
 until driven thence by the Picts, after the latter were ex- 
 pelled Ireland by Heremon. Cormac Mac Cullinan, in 
 his Psalter, says that the Welsh came from the same stock. 
 See Keating," vol. i. p. 58. 
 
 It is not true that Brutus was the ancestor. For, though 
 his sons changed the name of the country, no part of it 
 was called after any of them. The descendants of Briotan 
 
58 
 
 overran England and crossed over to Armorica, and formed 
 a colony known as Little Britain or Bretagne^ as distin- 
 guished from Great Britain. Hence, the great affinity 
 between our language, manners and habits, and those of 
 the inhabitants of Armoric Gaul ; and as to the Celtes in 
 Gaul, strictly so called, it is not to be wondered at that 
 they resemble us so much. Firstly, because of their 
 proximity to Britanny and Belgium; secondly, because 
 of their contiguity to Spain — the Mater Hibernorum, 
 Hence, we confess — and we do so with pleasure — that the 
 blessed Patrick was by birth at least a native of an Irish 
 colony, or a Briton, in the sense in which Virgil uses the 
 expression " Sidonian Dido," though her Tyre was some 
 leagues distant from Sidon. This manner of phraseology 
 has been occasionally used by good authors. 
 
 There can be no better authority on a matter like this 
 than a good French writer. Let us see what he says on 
 Armorica: — "Par la terre d' Armorique les anciens en- 
 tendaient toutes les cotes occidentales des Gaules, habitees 
 par les Aquitains, les Armoricains, et les Morins, tons 
 noms qui signifient la meme chose, c*est a dire — peuple 
 maritimes." — Lahineau, " By Armorica the ancients un- 
 derstood all the western coasts of the Gauls, inhabited by 
 the Aquitani, the Armorici, and the Morini, all which 
 names signified the same thing, namely, maritime states." 
 
 Therefore, from the above, those who would have our 
 Apostle made captive in his youth in Armorica, and no 
 where else, can here see that the place of his birth and 
 captivity is exactly what they properly were used to call 
 it, and what we, when young, were taught to believe. 
 Let it then be kept in mind that the old Armoric Gaul 
 included what is now called (beginning on the east) French 
 Flanders, Artois, Picardy, Normandy, Bretagne, and all 
 
59 
 
 I ihe country west along to the bay of Biscay and the 
 Pyrenees. 
 
 Hirtius, who continued Caesar's " Commentaries on the 
 I Gallic Wars," writes: — " Cseterseque civitates positse in 
 ultimis Galliae finibus, oceano conjunct^, quae Armoricse 
 appellantur." — Book viii. chap. 25. Eutropius, in book 
 xix. says: — *'Carausius cum apud Bononiam pertractum 
 I Belgicae et Armoricae pacandum mare accepisset, quod 
 Franci et Saxones infestabant." Here we find Carausius 
 i commissioned at Bononia (Gessoriacum) to free the ma- 
 ritime parts from the piratical Saxons and Franks. 
 
 We have observed in a map " Carte Generale de 
 Gaules par Brue a Paris" (stating at foot "limites de 
 Principaux Peuples, avant la Conquete des Bomains"), 
 " Gessoriacum postea Bononia," and near that we have 
 observed " Taruenna." Every person acquainted with 
 even the English language is aware that u and v have 
 been used for the same purpose. And we need not re- 
 1 mind the linguist that the Celtic M, B, and the Latin 
 i b are represented by the English v, u, or v\ And it is 
 1 to be kept in view, that persons, when narrating facts and 
 { detailing circumstances which had their origin in Celtic 
 countries, and conveying their ideas in Latin, retained 
 the primitive B or M, Thus Coemgen and Brendanus 
 for Kevin, and Brennan, as written in English. Taberna 
 ' j or Tavernna, or Taruanna, subsequently Terouanne, is 
 I the same name. Whether it was a district or only a 
 , town has little to do with the disputed point ; because, 
 , as was before remarked, a district has been often called 
 , j after a county. Thus the Diocese and County of Dublin 
 were named after the city ; and it is to be noted, that the 
 ; diocese of Dublin extends over parts of several counties. 
 [ { The same can be said of most of the episcopal territories 
 
60 
 
 of Ireland. Therefore, the substitution of one letter for 
 another, or the transposition of a letter is not to be con- 
 sidered as having weight, relative to any question. In 
 Greek, nothing is more common than metathesis or trans- 
 position, thus Kpabia for Kapbia, the heart," and Kpahtri 
 for Kapbia, in Homer's Iliad, book i., line 225, in which 
 author, as in other Greek writers, we find one case for 
 another — and that even in prose authors. Herodotus 
 and Xenophon abound in such. It is unnecessary to re- 
 mind the Celtic scholar, that the same is of most frequent 
 occurrence in that language. 
 
 As to the remark that vico Taherniw, in *' St. Patrick's 
 Confessions," must imply that Tabernia was a country not 
 a town, we must say the deduction is false. Because, in 
 *'Cataline's Conspiracy," cap. 30, we read ^'urhem Romce" 
 the obvious translation of which is ''the City Rome" or 
 " the City of Rome." No scholar would translate it other- 
 wise. Where now is the laugh of the writer, learned 
 though he was, who says, that if Tabernia meant a town — 
 the nonsensical interpretation of vico Tahernics. should be 
 " in the town of (the town) Tabernia," that is, a town in a 
 town. In fact the " City of Rome," the " City of Athens," 
 the " City of Dublin," is the ordinary expression. Indeed, 
 in the ancient classics both forms are to be had. 
 
 A writer on this subject asserted, that no such word as 
 Taberna occurs, as connected with Belgic Gaul, in the 
 days of the Romans, and thence he infers, that Bononia 
 was in Italy, because the cognomen " Tabernise" was used 
 by St. Patrick in his " Confessions :" and it is further al- 
 leged, that the term was not applicable to any part of Gaul 
 in which the Romans ruled, inasmuch as Taberna was a 
 tent. There never was greater nonsense urged to sustain a 
 false position than this. For what are camps or castra, but 
 
61 
 
 Tabernae or tents. Surely, as no one in his senses will 
 state, that Castra were houses, it must follow they were 
 Tabernee ; and, as a consequence, though that exact word 
 may not have been used by any Roman writer when treat- 
 ing of the Roman expeditions in Belgic Gaul, there is no 
 reason why a town, which sprung up where the Roman 
 encampment was, would not be called Tabernia or Ta- 
 berna. Moreover it is not requisite, to prove our position, 
 to have recourse to a weak shift, and say that the Belgic 
 Taberna was so-called after Tarvana, a Roman officer. 
 What writes Lempriere ? We introduce him here, not to 
 prove the existence of Terounna alone, but to exhibit the 
 folly of those who say that Taberniae was a name ^ eculiar 
 to Italy. 
 
 These are Lempriere*s words : " Tabernse Rhenanae, a 
 town of Germany on the Rhine, now Rhin Zabern. Ta- 
 bernae Riguse, now Bern Castel, on the Moselle. Tabernae 
 Triboccorum, a town of Alsace, now Saverne." In this 
 passage we have an s and z substituted for t. 
 
 It is pitiable that men with eyes to read, will not con- 
 sult authorities before they hazard opinions. If the per- 
 sons who assumed to prove that St. Patrick was an Italian, 
 looked over their classics, they would not have made 
 themselves so ridiculous in endeavouring to maintain a 
 false position and upon false data. We are quite aware 
 that there is a Bononia in Cisalpine Gaul, part of the mo- 
 dern Italy ; but facts and circumstances are in the way of 
 its being the birth-place of our Patron Saint. Now, as to 
 the statement, that the word Taberna does not appear in 
 Roman writers when speaking of Northern Gaul, we have 
 made out the following passage in the " Annals of 
 Tacitus," book ii. cap. 14, "adit castrorum vias, adsistit 
 tabemaculis," he approaches the avenues of the camp, he 
 
62 
 
 remains beside the tents. We quote these words simply 
 to show the temerity of hazarding an opinion without con- 
 suhing authors. If it be objected, that the quotation has 
 not reference to the encampment in the Morini, our an- 
 swer is, that the system of encamping must be the same 
 on the west of the Rhine as on the east in Belgic Gaul, 
 and that a part of Germany was included in the former 
 country in Caesar's time. We have also to observe, that 
 Taberna and Tabernaculum, having reference to Castra, 
 are of the same signification, though Tabernaculum, in 
 strict philology, means a small tent. The Jewish tents, 
 which must have been very large, were called Taberna- 
 cula. Tabernacles. 
 
 Hence we thus argue. When a question is raised as to 
 the identity of a certain town, reason suggests that when 
 facts, circumstances, and a generally accepted opinion are 
 in favour of a given one, we are bound to arrive at the 
 logical conclusion, that such a town is that meant ; but in 
 the present case, the three things are plainly for Bononia 
 (Celtice, Bonaven) Taberniae, in the Morini: therefore, 
 it must have been the birth-place of St. Patrick. The river 
 or rivers are there ; the Tabern^e, or Castra, were there ; 
 the ruins of Terronane, according to Lempriere, and the 
 Le Brue are there ; and a general, nay an almost universal 
 opinion on the point exists. 
 
 But, before we proceed to the argument deducible from 
 St. Patrick's Confessions as to his birth-place, let us say, 
 that Tours could not by any means be where he was taken 
 captive. For it lay to the west, and when the Irish were 
 pursuing the Romans to the Alps their route lay rather to 
 the east. 
 
 We find the original of the following words in the 
 Leabhar Breac (Lhowar Bhrack), Speckled Book, at 
 
63 
 
 Seachnall's hymn, Patrick's Captivity." They (Irish 
 invaders) happened to come on a party of the Britons of 
 Ercluade (b-6|icluAbe). A party of the Britons met them 
 (the pirates) at that time in Armorica Letha (litoralis). 
 They killed Potitus's son, Calpurn, Patrick's father, and 
 they captured Patrick and his two sisters." Nothing can 
 he clearer than that the Britons and the Ercluade, alluded 
 to in the above quotation, belonged to Gaul. The con- 
 jecture, that they belonged to Scotland^ is most ridiculous. 
 What would have brought a Scotch family to so distant a 
 land ? Moreover the Irish, at that time, were aiding the 
 Scotch Britons to repel the Romans, and in doing so they 
 captured Patrick in his native land, as the Speckled Book 
 shows. We shall return to this part of the subject at 
 another time. 
 
 Lingard makes particular mention of the snowy heights 
 of the Morini, of which Gesoriacum or Bononia Taburnas 
 (Bonaven) was the fortress, and Taberna the civitas, or 
 corporate capital. Hence, as we would say Howth (if it 
 were a fortress), Dublin, so St. Patrick, Bonaven Tabernice. 
 Nor does the use of ?w, for w, alter the matter, because it 
 was already shewn that there has been a literal substitution 
 in other tongues. Moreover, vefustas, quce consumitferrum 
 lapidemque may have given us m for n. But to render 
 more intelligible the addition TabernicB : if an Irishman be 
 on the Continent, and that a Frenchman, who was never 
 in Ireland, asks him to what town he belongs, he will give 
 him the name of the most remarkable place in his country, 
 thus a man of Kingstown will say — I am from Kingstown, 
 Dublin. This was precisely what our saint did. 
 
 Eustachius, a learned writer of the seventh century; 
 Probus, a faithful historian ; Baxter, and other respectable 
 historians, all agree in this view of Bononia and Tarvenna. 
 
64 
 
 Dr. Lanigan comments elaborately and learnedly on the 
 subject in the first volume of the " Ecclesiastical History 
 of Ireland." However, he is so hypercritical that we had 
 to pursue our own path. Those of our readers, who wish 
 to read extensively and critically about the places, can 
 gratify themselves by having recourse to Lanigan, whom 
 we shall call the malleum or mallet of lying, slanderous, 
 and mercenary Ledwidge, who considered nothing too 
 base, too wicked, or too abominable, to deny the existence 
 and blaspheme the religion of the Blessed Patrick. We 
 will have a word with him shortly. 
 
 We had nigh forgotten JocelynsEmpthor, and his aphse- 
 resis of the letter t). It is astonishing that he could bring 
 himself to so mutilate the text of St. Fiech, whose words 
 are rjen) cu]t, holi/ tower, Jocelyn inferred, that because 
 the preposition ai^t), in, has been ignorantly divided into ^ 
 and T)T), as a v-^\^]V) the letter is euphonic, used only to 
 prevent the hiatus, and therefore he presumed he could 
 remove it to suit his purpose, without injuring the integrity 
 of the name. He ought to have recollected that Fiech 
 was a vigorous Irish scholar, after the Attic style, if we 
 may so write, and that before his conversion he was by 
 profession a most learned poet. Therefore, it was clear 
 he would not have written corrupt language. But, de- 
 taching the V from the ] before it, would have been a cor- 
 ruption. Besides, the Irish language has no such prepo- 
 sition as )r)V*y but the old scholars frequently used ], where 
 after-writers inserted aw, and if Fiech intended the use of 
 T) simply for euphony, he could as elegantly, and as con- 
 sistently with the metre, have written AT;r;. Wherefore, 
 it is evident that Jocelyn knowingly perverted the text, 
 and it is clear also that two words are the proper reading. 
 * Poets accomodate language to themselves — not themselves to it. 
 
66 
 
 This refugium of Jocel}^ is so silly, that it deserves no 
 further notice from our pen. 
 
 We shall now proceed to " St. Patrick's Confessions.'' 
 For this purpose we use a very handsome work of the 
 Rev. Joachim Laurence Villanueva, which has been very 
 kindly lent to us by our esteemed friend, the Ven. Arch- 
 deacon Hamilton, a great patron of literature. 
 
 As to the Apostle's birth-place, these are his own words : 
 " Patrem habui Calpornium, qui fuit e vico Bonaven 
 {aliter Bonavem) Tabernise ; villam enim, Enon, prope 
 habuit, ubi ego in capturam decidi, annorum eram tunc 
 fere sexdecem." — " My father was Calpurnius, a native 
 of the town of Bonavem Tabernise ; he had near the town 
 a villa (called) Enon, where I was made captive, I was 
 then nearly sixteen years of age." Now the reader — from 
 previous remarks and from our comments on T)eATT) cu|i, 
 holy tower, which St. Fiech, the disciple and first-ordained 
 convert of our patron saint, mentioned as his birth-place — 
 plainly sees, that Bononia Tabernice, alluded to in the 
 " Confessions," must be that town. For it must be con- 
 fessed that Fiech was well acquainted with the name of 
 his great master's native town. Nor is it to be objected 
 that Fiech ought to have used Bonaven* In the first place, 
 such a term would not suit his metre, and he, very natu- 
 rally, preferred to use the language of his heart — the lan- 
 guage in which he was accustomed to write his poetry — 
 the Irish. An Englishman prefers his own language. In 
 fact, men of all countries do the same thing. 21ca cl'jAc* 
 is the Irish name of Dublin ; yet, if a native of Rome, and 
 resident in it, were giving the life of St. Laurence O' Toole, 
 he would insert Dublinium, or JSblana, and not the Irish 
 name ; nay more, he would call St. Laurence a native of 
 Dublin, though it was not the place of his nativity. Such 
 * Pronounced Aha kleea. 
 
 e 
 
66 
 
 has been the historical mode of recording facts of that class. 
 In after-ages Latin authors will write down, that most 
 illustrious champion of Catholicity, the terror of heretics — 
 His Grace the Most Rev, Dr. Mac Hale, as of Tuam, 
 though he was born in Mayo. In the same manner, Ta- 
 bernia, being the corporate city (civitas), is joined to 
 Bonavem, the small town (vicus). 
 
 For the sake of a subsequent argument we may as well 
 here state, that Malabranque refers to the Chronicon Mo- 
 rineuse, the " Catalogue of the Bishops of Boulogne," and 
 the " Life of St. Arnulphus of Soissons," to sustain a po- 
 pular tradition of the inhabitants of that country, to the 
 effect, that St, Patrick ruled that diocese, in which was 
 contained Terouanne for some time. Bouchserius, in his 
 Belgium Momanum, book viii. cap. 15, maintains, that 
 Bonavem (Boulogne) was the ancient See, and that it had 
 a bishop in the time of Constantine or that of his sons. 
 To this the Bollandists object, that there was no Bishop 
 of Boulogne before the fall of Terouanne. The testimony 
 of Malabranque is the weightier authority, founded, as it 
 was, upon local traditions and records ; and, in the absence 
 of any direct and respectable convincing proofs to the con- 
 trary, the assertion of the Bollandists must be rejected. 
 Moreover, though Boulogne had not been a regularly esta- 
 blished See in the days of St. Patrick, it is most reasonable 
 to suppose that he was a Regionarius Episcopus, in the 
 same way as there were Regulares Exempti, having power 
 to officiate wherever they saw a want of priests. And to 
 meet the rejoinder, that no bishop could be consecrated 
 without a flock over which to preside, our reply is — that 
 we cannot, at the present day, judge of the exceptions 
 which the exigencies of the first spread of the Gospel de- 
 manded, and which the Pope, in all likelihood, made to 
 gain over souls to Christ, Again, St. Patrick could have 
 
67 
 
 been Bishop of Bonavem, ad interim,* and of another place 
 after that, as necessity recommended. Therefore he h ad an 
 ad interim diocese. Besides, history has proved that he was 
 such a character as would have given confidence to Celes- 
 tine to confer on him the title of Missionary Bishop, to 
 enable him to officiate wherever he found the want of a pre- 
 late. It may be urged that Terouanne, being the large town, 
 and not Boulogne, the small one, should be given as the 
 See. Logicians do not draw conclusions from possibilities 
 or probabilities, but from facts, when they can come at 
 them ; and it is a fact, according to Malabranque, that 
 Boulogne, and not Terouanne, was the See. Yet we 
 can give a case in point, where Sees have been called, not 
 after the large towns, but by the names of even compa- 
 rative villages. Elphin was never so large a place' as 
 Sligo, Athlone or Roscommon, still the diocese is called 
 that of Elphin. The same can be said of Tuam, Achonry, 
 Ardfert, Clonfert, Killala, and other Sees in Ireland. 
 
 Reasoning from probabilities ought to be avoided as 
 much as possible when dealing with matters of importance, 
 especially when facts, circumstances — equivalent to facts— 
 and a consensus populorum, are available to establish a 
 truth. We have read an interesting life of St. Patrick, 
 by Lynch of Dublin, and yet the author committed him- 
 self most gravely in order to support his assertion — that 
 Tours on the Loire was our saint's natal soil. Lynch, 
 after having alluded to Patrick's second captivity, says, 
 on the authority of Baillet, that he was brought a slave to 
 Bordeaux, or thereabouts. He adds, that *' at last he ar- 
 rived to his relations, whose joy upon seeing him was ex- 
 cessive. They sought to persuade him to continue the 
 remainder of his life with them, but he was destined for 
 
 * For a time — as we say, "/?ro temy 
 
68 
 
 a more active life." Here the native place of the Irish i 
 Apostle is given as in Little Bjitain ; which, as is clearly 
 ascertained, lay along the coast of the English Channel, 
 and contained Normandy, Picardy, Artois, and a little 
 more territory, east of the last and west of the first. The 
 learned writer, Lynch, further says, that whilst the saint 
 was reflecting on the advice of his friends, he was warned 
 by a vision of one of the inhabitants, who lived near the 
 wood Foclut, which was in Tiramalgad, the modern J 
 Tyrawly, in Mayo, that God required him to go and lead 
 from idolatry and paganism the Irish nation. The same i 
 author affirms, that henceforward the blessed Patrick re- • ! 
 solved upon an attempt to convert to the one God, Ireland, \ 
 and the better to prepare him for such a task, he under- i 
 took a painful journey to foreign parts, to enrich his : 
 mind with learning and experience." We quote this 
 passage to show how cautious a writer ought to be before . ( 
 he pens his words. For what man, upon reading- the ' 1 
 above passage, and without informing himself farther on \ 
 the subject, will not infer that there is a strange incon- ( 
 sistency in Lynch. If Tours, on the inch, or islet of the i 
 Loire, as Mr. Lynch states, was Patrick's native place, he \ \ 
 needed not go to foreign parts to acquire learning and \ \ 
 experience to fit himself for the Irish mission. He had a i i 
 college, we say, at the door, with his friends, presided '■ \ 
 over by St* Martin of Tours, and a most celebrated one. I 
 What need, then, was there of a painful journey 9 Besides, i 
 if Tours were his native place, St. Patrick would not have ; [ 
 called it vicus (a village), as his real birth-place was only i 
 on the summit of the lofty shelving cliffs of the Morini, 
 which was not the name of a particular country, but a { 
 term applied to signify maritime inhabitants, and is com- i 
 posed of the two words, mor or muir, " sea," and duinnee, 
 
69 
 
 "persons;" latinized, Morini, and in that sense could be 
 applied to any people living along a sea coast, and so a 
 word of like import has been employed for the same pur- 
 pose by the people of every country. 
 
 It may not be here out of place to mention, fortified 
 towns are seldom large places. The arsenals of England 
 and of France are not so. 
 
 We would, if possible, avoid saying more on Lynch's 
 history, which is very interesting, and very well written 
 in other respects ; but when a theory is put forward with 
 much pomp and with a sneer at the true and literal trans- 
 lation of T)eATb cuji, " Holy Tower," of the erudite and 
 accomplished scholar. Father Colgan, Lynch must not 
 be let off when he writes incongruities, to speak in the 
 mildest manner of him. Hear the next sentence in his 
 " Life of St. Patrick." He continued abroad for thirty- 
 five years, partly on the mission, and pursuing his studies, 
 for the most part under the direction of his mother's uncle, 
 St. Martin, bishop of Tours^ who had ordained him dea- 
 con, and after his (Martin's) death, with St. German, 
 bishop of Auxerre,* who ordained him priest (and called 
 his name Magonius, which was the third name he was 
 known by), and partly among a colony of hermits and 
 monks, in some islands of the Tyrrhenean Sea, which, the 
 Bollandists say, were the Hieres, south of Provence ; and 
 Lerius was the island, in which Justus delivered the 
 wonderful staff of Jesus to our Apostle, which was given 
 him from Heaven for that purpose. The same authority 
 writes, that Patrick started thence for Ireland. 
 
 In the words cited, according to Lynch himself, St. 
 Patrick could not have proceeded on a painful journey, 
 as Tours^ and Auxerre^ a town of Burgundy, in the depart- 
 * AUisodorus. 
 
70 
 
 ment of Yonne, and Turonia, were all along the N. and 
 N. E. bank of the Ligeris or Loire ; and the nearest of 
 either place was about 300 miles from the Morini, which 
 was not considered by the early inhabitants as of " Les 
 Gaules," or Gaul, strictly so called, as we shall shew. This 
 being so^ — and the fact, that our saint was educated by the 
 illustrious saints alluded to, no one denies — it is monstrous 
 to assert, that he travelled in foreign parts, whereas his 
 theatre of studies was the enchanting, fertile, flock-feSding 
 plains, along the banks of the majestic Loire, his own dear 
 river ^ as Lynch would have us believe. In truth, he ought 
 not have written, that his going even to Rome would be 
 undertaking a painful journey^ had he to proceed only 
 from Auxerre to the Eternal City — the glorious stellar 
 centre of Catholicity. Auxerre lies far to the south in 
 France, on the river Yonne, within a few miles of the 
 Loire, on the east. 
 
 No historian could say, that a man going to Rome from 
 the south-east part of France was proceeding on a danger- 
 ous journey foreign parts. Much less could there be 
 danger to St. Patrick, whose parents were, beyond all dis- 
 pute, of Roman origin, in travelling from a part of ancient 
 Gaul to Italy, the former being a part of the empire at that 
 period. But the notion of a native of Tours^ as Lynch 
 made our saint, going to foreign parts, to St, Martin of 
 Tours, to Tours, is the most unmeaning thing ever heard 
 of. It is more ridiculous than the Holy lower in the 
 clouds, as himself designated the learned Colgan's rye^rx) 
 cu|i, and than Lanigan's city in a city. We have already 
 shown, that Rome could not be considered a foreign part, 
 because Auxerre, the See of St. German, was not far from 
 the Alps. Therefore Lynch's theory regarding Tours, 
 for the reason assigned as well as from the arguments, 
 
71 
 
 7iot probabilities, before given, is necessarily to be re- 
 jected. 
 
 We stated in an early part of this comment, that per- 
 sons called Britons from Britaon Maol, grandson of Ne- 
 medius, passed over to the coast of France, as adventurers 
 having been driven out of Ireland, and there settled. That 
 they were there when the Romans invaded Great Britain 
 we have Pliny, book iv. cap. 17, as authority. We have 
 an excellent map of Le Brue, of France before Caesar's 
 time, and on it we find the Britons occupying the terri- 
 tories now known as Normandy, Picardy, and part of the 
 Straits of Calais; Lempriere, Cellarius, and Ainsworth 
 agree on this fact. Colgan in his life of the great saint, 
 Fursey of Lough Corrib, nephew of St. Brennan of Birr,* 
 as Keating calls him, when on a journey to Rome, 
 whither all the saints looked, and occasionally travelled 
 as to the centre of unity, passed through Britain, in which 
 was Ponthieu in the modern Picardy. Here it may be 
 in order to demonstrate, that the fact of England being 
 called Great Britain is no proof, that she was the cradle of 
 the Britons of a part of Armoric Gaul, if we can give an 
 instance of a country which was designated " Great,'' 
 whilst the nursery, whence it sprung, was not so styled. 
 But this we can easily do. The southern part of Italy, 
 which was colonized by the Greeks, was denominated 
 " Magna Grecia," though Greece itself was not. There- 
 fore the hypothesis, that England, because she was the 
 greater country, peopled Little Britain or Britany, falls ; 
 and we have given the true history of its earliest inhabi- 
 tants — the descendants of Briton the Bald, grandson of 
 Nemedius. We gave our authority and our reasons, 
 resting not upon surmise, but upon the evidence of internal 
 * Rather, of Clonfert. 
 
72 
 
 national records, which are within the reach of the curious 
 and the learned. The BoUandists object, that Ponthieu 
 was not in Normandy but in Picardy ; but they ought to 
 have read, and they would have discovered, that when 
 the Normans took possession of some of the maritime 
 places, Neustria, in which was Ponthieu and Normania, 
 became convertible terms ; and that the Normans, when 
 writing in Latin, called their country Neustria, which, we 
 already proved, comprised most of the northern maritime 
 parts, including a part of Germania Secunda along the 
 Rhine, Nennius, Labineau, Baronius, Malabranque, Sido- 
 nius, and many other writers agree, that a part of Belgic 
 Gaul was inhabited by Britons. Dionysius thinks so. Yet 
 we prefer the authority of Keating to all of them, who, 
 defending the national, incorrupted and incorruptible re- 
 cords of his own Ireland, stated, that the offspring of the 
 valiant Nemedians settled in that country. Had Colgan, 
 Lanigan, and other writers studied more closely the his- 
 tory of their own far-famed and loved native isle of saints 
 and of scholars, and that in the native tongue, they would 
 not be "as a man in the midst of an immense and track- 
 less forest," seeking in vain to unravel a difficulty. Phi- 
 lologists have been bewildered in absurd, though learned 
 conjectures, when wandering in their darkened orbits, 
 unillumined by the friendly light of the Irish tongue. 
 Their want of lingual knowledge reminds us of an appro- 
 priate passage in Virgil's ^meid, book vi. line 270. 
 
 " Quale, per incertam lunam, sub luce maligna, 
 Est iter in silvis, ubi coelum condidit umbra, 
 Jupiter et rebus nox abstulit atra colorem." 
 
 '^:Dr. Johnson, in a letter to the learned Charles O'Connor, 
 urging him to extend Irish literature, acknowledged his 
 own want in this respect. He says, that " those who 
 
73 
 
 would become acquainted with the original of nations and 
 the affinities of languages" require the aid of our language ; 
 and that he regrets that many, not having this aid, are 
 unacquainted with a people so ancient, and once so illus- 
 trious; for ''that Ireland was known by tradition to have 
 been once the seat of learning and piety." Camden says 
 that the Anglo-Saxons got their alphabet from the Irish. 
 Wormius states the same relative to the Icelanders to whom 
 St. Brennan carried in his hand the lamp of truth and of 
 learning. Sir Walter Raleigh gives similar testimony. 
 Hence we can safely assert that, in order to be able to 
 correctly write on matters having reference to Ireland, a 
 knowledge of its language is as necessary as the compass 
 is to the mariner. We have often sought in vain for the 
 roots of words in Greek, though the words were in Homer. 
 We were not a moment at a loss when we called to our 
 help our own vigorous, rich, and sweet language. We are 
 not at a stand for the derivation of the name Waldenses:" 
 ^Aol-bAOji^e, Irish people, which interpretation distin- 
 guishes them from the Waldenses at the foot of the Alps, 
 who were called after Peter Waldo of Lyons. 
 
 Mosheim made this distinction between the latter and 
 the former, whose language, up to the present day, is 
 genuine Irish. After the death of Dathi (Dhahee), who, 
 having routed the Romans as far as the Alps, was killed 
 with lightning, many of his followers settled in that part, 
 and their descendants continued there. 
 
 Wherever our people journeyed — and, if we are to 
 believe Bede, Camden, and a host of respectable writers, 
 our learned men, at a time when the present haughty 
 sister island had scarcely, if she had at all, her alphabet — 
 diverged from brilliant Erin, as pipes from a stupendous 
 gasometer, bearing enlightenment to all parts of the 
 
74 
 
 darkened orbit. Wonderful was the dazzling effulgence 
 of her lamp in the ninth and tenth centuries, when almost 
 the entire of Europe was groping its way in the dark. 
 
 We shall not return to add any additional proofs, that 
 what was called Little Britain, or Britany, was in Belgic 
 Gaul, and we trust it is not requisite to remind our readers 
 that it was not the same as the present Bretagne, which is 
 the exact north-west part of France, and as a territory its 
 native name was Armuric. However, as was said of the 
 Morini, that it meant Maritime, so does Armuric. 
 
 In connexion with this question, it may be here as con- 
 venient to dispatch briefly the passages that have been so 
 flippantly put forward to disprove that Holy Tower, or 
 Boulogne-sur-mer, in Britany, or the modern province, 
 called " Straits of Calais," was St. Patrick's native place. 
 It is almost an insult to common understanding to waste 
 time on such objections. Any one who will take the 
 trouble of examining the Book of Conquests, will learn, 
 that at a very early era there existed frequent correspon- 
 dence between the Irish and French ; that Irish monarchs 
 had married into that country ; that Criomthan (Creevan), 
 one of our kings, attempted the conquest, and that the 
 sturdiest opponents were the indomitable Belgae, who ap- 
 peared on the top of the snowy cliffs of the Morini, to repel 
 him. An old Irish poet, whose authority Keating asserts 
 is unquestionable, thus sung : — 
 
 *• The famed Criomthan swayed the Irish sceptre, 
 And, dreaded for the fury of his arms, 
 His sovereignty extended over the seas. 
 Unmindful of the dangers of the waves, 
 He, with insuperable force, subdued 
 The Scots, the Britons, and the warlike Gauls, 
 Who paid him homage, and confessed his sway." 
 
 He ruled Ireland, A.D., 360, and about ten years before 
 
75 
 
 the birth of our saint. The fact of a part of Gaul be- 
 coming tributary to Ireland, encouraged the mutual com- 
 merce between the two countries. The Irish monarchs 
 continued and extended their conquests in Armorica, 
 which in the first days of the Roman writers was not con- 
 sidered as a part of Gaul. It was in one of these incursions 
 that Patrick was taken into captivity. The reason of 
 Patrick's family being in Morini, is very simple. His 
 relatives, as himself tells in his famous letter to Coroticus, 
 were amongst the nobles of Rome, and his grandfather 
 and father, being in Holy Orders, it is fair to infer that 
 they migrated to the Roman colony, on the coast opposite 
 to England, and that they officiated amongst the Roman 
 colonists, such as were Christians : just as our priests would 
 accompany our soldiers, who could not understand the 
 language of foreign priests ; and we read in Patrick's own 
 Confessions," that himself when in Ireland, long after- 
 wards, was very uneasy about the souls, whom he had 
 gained to Christ, " in ultimis terrceJ^ It was during these 
 disturbed times that Patrick, when a lad, was taken away 
 from his father's country seat, Enon, and carried into 
 Ireland. How providential was his captivity. It was 
 salutary for Patrick, as his " Confessions" tell us, inas- 
 much as that, from not having been as faithful to God as 
 he ought, the pains and trials of captivity chastened him, 
 nor could he indeed be bad, though humility caused him 
 to believe himself so. He had not yet arrived at an age 
 in which much badness is apt to be displayed. His cap- 
 tivity was good for Ireland, which, through his agency, 
 was taken out of her abominable state of diablery, idolatry, 
 and paganism. 
 
 As to the term " Alcluid," it may, without doing the 
 least violence to language, apply to the stupendous rocks. 
 
76 
 
 nature's own arcliitectural bulwarks of the Morinl, from 
 whose cloud-capped summits the hardy and dauntless 
 natives were wont to laugh at the impotent efforts of the 
 English, in later days, on her first attempt to float her 
 bloody and crime-dyed flag over a free and chivalrous 
 nation. However, having successfully put into requisition 
 her most powerful engine— more powerful than all her 
 armies — her divide et impera^'' she gained her point 
 for a time. But the glorious Franks, rather the descen- 
 dants of the old Belgians, colonists from Ireland — the in- 
 habitants of once Armoric or maritime Gaul — threw by 
 cursed division, united as brothers all, tore down and 
 draggled in the mire England's piratical banner, and waved 
 her own flag of independence, which braved the battle 
 and the breeze for ages. 
 
 England's wars have been generally suggested through 
 a thirst of conquest and of power, pushed forward by 
 needy or ambitious men. Let the reader cast his mind's 
 eye around him — let him extend it by the power of fancy 
 over the periphery of the globe, and he will come to the 
 same conclusion, if prejudice has not dimmed his mental 
 vision. Hence we say, that nearly all her wars, with 
 scarcely an exception, were for plunder, rapine, and un- 
 bounded sway; and consequently they must be pro- 
 nounced inhuman, unholy, opposed to Gospel truth, sub- 
 versive of happiness, of liberty, and of religion. It is not 
 here our place to notice her criminal rule in Ireland ; that 
 has been written of in our notes on other passages. 
 
 Since the above was penned it occurred to us, that it was 
 unnecessary to waste time on such frivolous objections; be- 
 cause our arguments in favour of Boulogne-sur-mer, based 
 on the best authorities, supported by facts, circumstances, 
 and general consent, did not require secondary or minor 
 
77 
 
 corroborative aid. However, as whilst writing these very 
 words a Reverend friend has paid us a visit, and seemed 
 to be full of the Anglican doctrine, which would have 
 Patrick born near the Clyde ; we must say a few words 
 more on the subject. And in doing so it affords us plea- 
 sure to be able to assert, that the Celtic word Aldcluid, 
 2llclu]6, is a most appropriate name for the site of 
 T)eATi) cu]t, the fortress^ or, to use an Irish term, the 
 Dun. We have before us a most interesting work of 
 Robert and William Chambers of Edinburgh, a Gazetteer. 
 Their pleasing and graphic account of Aldcluid, or 
 Dunbarton (or Brittan), confirms what we said of the rise 
 and progress of Holy Tower, the present Boulogne. Their 
 Dun is situated on cloud-capped hills, which used to be 
 perpetually covered with snow. In course of time a large 
 town sprung up contiguous to it, called Dunbarton, and 
 was called Aldcluid in the times of the Britons. It was 
 the stronghold of the Highlands — and afterwards became 
 a burgh or corporation. It was called by the Britons 
 Aldcluid, evidently because it was on the summit of snowy 
 cliffs, just what Lingard, in his " History of England," 
 vol. i., names the rocks of the Morini or Armoric Britons. 
 What is the derivation of the word ? 21U, wliite or swan^ 
 and cloc, stone or rock — white rocks* We are sustained 
 in our interpretation by Chambers, in his quotation from 
 the tale of Carthon. "I came," replied Classmmor, "in 
 my bounding ship to Balclutha's walls of towers, and 
 Clutha's streams, my dark-bosomed vessel." This fortress 
 is said, by the Messrs. Chambers, to have been the rally- 
 ing point to resist England in her attempt to enslave 
 Scotland, and in this tower was imprisoned the glorious 
 Wallace. 
 
 * Or " Ail," rock, and cluid," creek — the rocky creek. 
 
78 
 
 It is rank nonsense to argue, that because St. Patrick 
 might have alluded to such a place, it was, therefore, his 
 native place, especially when there exists the most unan- 
 swerable arguments, that the same name can be as justly 
 applied to a fort on any snow-capped cliffs. Language 
 is a grand key to truth, as St. Patrick in his " Confessions" 
 has said — " Per linguam dignoscitur sensus, et scientia et 
 doctrina veritatis.'' 
 
 Lanigan quotes from Keating, who says : " I have read 
 in an ancient Irish manuscript, whose authority I cannot 
 dispute, that St. Patrick and his two sisters were brought 
 captive into Ireland from Armorica or Britany, in the 
 kingdom of France." O'Flaherty admits the same ; but, 
 like old Anchises, he was ^^deceptus novo locorum err or e^" 
 though he, from his knowledge of language, might, had 
 he examined a little more closely, have guarded against 
 the mistake, and could find the name Alcluid equally as 
 applicable to the Morini cliffs as to those of the Scotch 
 Highlands, as was previously remarked. The erudite 
 O' Sullivan — and he an Irish scholar too — agrees with our 
 doctrine. Probus is most clear on the subject: "When 
 he (St. Patrick) was yet in his own country with his father 
 Calpurnius, and his mother Concessa, also his brother 
 Ructhi, and sister, by name, Mila, in a town of Armorica, 
 a great commotion arose in these places." The reader 
 will have seen by the last words, that it is a very common 
 practice with authors to use plural nouns where a single 
 one would do. The town alluded to was not places, but 
 a place, though it must be confessed the disturbances per- 
 vaded all Belgic Gaul, which was at that time invaded by 
 foreign powers, and amongst them, by the Irish. So satisfied 
 was the Venerable Bede, that there were Britons in Armo- 
 rica earlier than in Great Britain, he says, that the conti- 
 
79 
 
 nental Britons gave name to the former. — See Ecclesiastical 
 History, book i. cap. 1. Nennius and Procopius are of 
 the opinion, " that Britons lived in the north of Gaul at 
 an early period." 
 
 Lest we should forget a fact worthy of notice we may 
 I as well refer to it here. The head-land or promontory at 
 Boulogne, when the tide is very full, resembles an islet, 
 being nearly, if not entirely, encircled by the sea. We 
 likewise add, that if the heights are not now the same as 
 in the days of St. Patrick, the like change, according to 
 Chambers, has been effected at the Scotch Clyde — 
 
 " Tantum aevi longinqua valet mutare vetustas." 
 
 If cities and empires disappear from maps, may not moun- 
 tains and hills be wiped away or reduced. 
 
 If we be told, that our saint uses the word Britanniae, 
 the plural number, and that this word cannot in strict 
 philology be applied to one Britain or to Britany, we an- 
 swer, that nothing is more ordinary than such an explana- 
 tion. St. Patrick, in the same place, uses the word 
 
 Gallias," Gauls, though we all are aware there was but 
 one Gaul. Csesar did the same in various passages. St. 
 Maclovias uses similar language as Sigebert relates of him, 
 " Maledictis Britannis in Gallias abiit'' On referring 
 to the author it will be seen, that Britany was here meant, 
 and hence may be inferred, that the maritime parts, as 
 being extremi hominum, "the end of the world," was 
 looked on by the Romans as not at all in Gaul. Here 
 a most convincing proof, if such were wanted, presents 
 itself to our mind. In Virgil's iEneid, book viii., is to 
 be found this passage elsewhere quoted by us, Extre- 
 mique hominum Morini, Rhenusque bicornis" The learned 
 Jesuit, Ruaeus, commenting on this clause, says, that their 
 
80 
 
 capital was Tarvanna, now in ruins, and that they were 
 called by the Romans extremi hominum^' the most 
 remote people on the west. In fact, Virgil took them 
 to be so, else he would have introduced another appella- 
 tion for the Morini, when he referred to them on the west 
 as he did to the Dahas on the banks of the Danube on the 
 east. We have no doubt that St. Patrick's knowledge of 
 the Latin classics reminded him of the above sentence, 
 when, in his " Confessions," he made use of " Ultimis 
 terrcBr Surely had his relatives been at the Clyde in 
 Scotland, he, who was a scholar, could not have said they 
 were in " Ultimis terrceJ^ In other words he would not 
 have said, they were in the most remote land, when they 
 would be actually within a few hours sail of him if he 
 were a Scot. Besides, as we must believe himself, that 
 they were of that class of persons who could very 
 easily have gone to see him, and would unquestionably 
 have done so, were they in Scotland. But, in truth, St. 
 Patrick meant that his friends were in the Morini — Vir- 
 gil's " Extremi hominum,^' called by him " Ultimis terrcB," 
 And to assert, that " Ultimis terror' meant distant parts 
 of Ireland would be sheer nonsense, as may be learned 
 from the context in the " Confessions." 
 
 Another proof against our saint being a native of Scot- 
 land is to be found in his epistle to Coroticus : " Inge- 
 nuus fui secundum carnem ; Decurione patre nascor. 
 Vendidi enim nobilitaem." I was noble by birth ; my 
 father was a Decurio ; I sold my nobility. 
 
 There were two classes of Decuriones, The one class 
 was military. Each command ten Equites. These latter 
 were something like English knights at their first institu- 
 tion. They were what we would denominate the first grade 
 of nobiHty. They wore gold rings as the mark of their 
 
81 
 
 rank. They were men of estates. In order to be elected 
 a Decurio a man should be possessed of 100,000 sistestii, 
 or £781 5s, of our money (a large amount at that early 
 age). 1 hese resembled our cavalry officers. The second 
 class of Decuriones were rather civil officers, as our deputy 
 lieutenants of counties — hence the name " de curia and 
 were members of provincial senates, or legislative assem- 
 blies — SeeLempriereand Kennell's "Roman Antiquities." 
 
 W en it is borne in mind that the equites, who were 
 commanded, ten each, or the third of a troop — by one of 
 the first class of Decuriones, were themselves all men of 
 rank, as may be ascertained by the census of Servius 
 TuUius in Livy, and that the second presided in the pro- 
 vinces, the reader can infer what influence St. Patrick's 
 family possessed. Why he stated that he sold his nobility 
 was this : Constantino, to prevent any order discharging 
 more offices than one, lest that office would not be ful- 
 filled to the advantage of the state, decreed that any laic 
 becoming a clergyman forfeited his inheritance. How- 
 ever, the very fact of Patrick saying that he sold it, proves 
 that an exception was made in favour of his father, who 
 was a deacon, and a Decurio at the same time. Even 
 here is an instance of the influence of his family, an ex- 
 ception having been made in favour of Calpurnius, and 
 of Potitus, the grandfather. Here again is a most probable 
 reason for the family being in Belgic Gaul — viz., their 
 civil as well as spiritual influence. 
 
 Now we would ask the advocates for making Kill- 
 patrick our saint's birth-place, who ever heard of the title 
 j Decurio as a Scotch or English one. What writer on 
 Scotch or English topography has ever used the name 
 ! Tabernice, which St. Patrick applied to the town of his 
 birth, whereas we meet Castra or Caster attached to many 
 
 / 
 
82 
 
 places. The very absence of Tabernise from tbe works 
 of their old topographers is an indirect evidence that 
 Scotland has no claim to the honour of being St. Patrick's 
 native soil, though we would love him equally as well 
 if he even were. But facts are against the hypothesis ; 
 history is opposed to it, tradition contradicts it, and the 
 concurrent testimonies of the best writers disprove it. 
 
 There is one other passage in the " Confessions" which 
 might seem to require an explanation. He said that he 
 wished after paying a visit to his friends in Britain (Britany) 
 to visit the Gauls. Here it may be objected, that if 
 Britany was in France how can this saying of the apostle 
 be reconciled ? Very easily. But that the reader may the 
 more clearly understand the phrase, we shall give a quo- 
 tation from Caesar: " Th^ river Garonne is the boundary 
 between the Aquitani and the Gauls. The Marne and 
 the Seine between the Gauls and the Belgians." Here 
 the Beige and Gauls are set down by Caesar in his first 
 book as different peoples, though sometimes for brevity 
 he applies the name Galli (which himself says was the 
 Roman appellation for the Celt«), to all Gaul : ipsorum 
 lingua Celtce^ nostra Galli appellantur. In their own 
 tongue their name is Celts, in ours (Roman) Gauls. 
 Hence it is quite plain why St. Patrick used the phrase 
 " and thence to the Gauls." For he was aware that his 
 countrymen considered the Celts, or the south, and south- 
 eastern people, called "Galli" — the Roman term — entirely 
 as distinct from the Armoric Britons. In reality, up to the 
 time of Ca3sar there was nothing known of the Britani 
 and Belgae (whom we have already shown to be colo- 
 nists from Ireland and Scotland) in Rome. This is in- 
 ferrible from Csesar's words, talking of their bravery and 
 power of endurance, which he attributes to their tem- 
 
83 
 
 perance habits and active life : "Of all these the Belgae 
 are the bravest, because they are very far removed from 
 the refinement and civilization of the province (Gaul), 
 and merchants trade to them seldom, and do not import 
 those things, that are apt to impair the spirits." Here 
 again an unmistakable difference is drawn between the 
 Belgse and the Gauls, The former are declared the 
 bravest, because, far removed from the vices ofJRome, and 
 because they are temperate. What a grand character has 
 been forced from a haughty enemy, and to the credit of 
 terrible foes, to subdue whom, cost the Romans mere time, 
 money, and men, than the conquest of any other nation. 
 So much so, that Virgil mentions by name the Morini 
 (Belgae) and the DalKB, as the climax of Octavius' triumph. 
 Indeed, so it was a proud triumph ; because the Dah^, 
 who were Scythians, cut to pieces the troops of Darius, 
 and are mentioned as the bravest of warriors, and desig- 
 nated by Virgil himself as invincible, Cassar records the 
 same of the Morini, who were also, as before stated, in all 
 probability from Ireland, and consequently of Scythic 
 origin. 
 
 To close the argument about the birth-place of our 
 great Apostle, we shall introduce some lines from Probus, 
 who, beyond all doubt, makes Armoric Gaul his native 
 land. These are his words : Which town of Bononia 
 we undoubtedly find to be of Neustria, where rumour has 
 placed the giants of old." We cannot conclude without 
 observing that Villanueva's remarks as to St. Patrick's 
 birth-place, ought to have been more carefully written, 
 with a closer attention to Latin classics, than to Phoenician 
 derivation. They required no such aid in the question ; 
 our best key being in our own dear native tongue. As 
 it is our desire to make no unkind remarks, we shall 
 
84 
 
 not further allude to him than say, that it would have 
 been much better had he left the word "Bonaven" un- 
 noticed. Had he endeavoured to bring the Celtic, and 
 not the Phoenician language to his relief, he would have 
 done better.* 
 
 * We should have mentioned elsewhere, that Patrick was taken prisoner 
 into Bretagne, which then comprised the present Picarde and Normandie, 
 whence he was carried to the north of Ireland. Cnoc Hermond is the 
 modern Mt. St, Michael in Normandy. It is worthy of remark what a ten- 
 dency Patrick had, to make the loftiest eminences the theatre of the most 
 remarkable parts of his life. We have his holy name identified with 
 the fortress Holy Castle in the Morini. We had him on the Mourne range 
 in Down ; he fasted forty days on Cnoc Aichle, Patrick's reek in Mayo, 
 and on the top of Fort St. Michael he arranged with his Divine Master 
 and Victor how he was to conduct the Irish mission. It may be interest- 
 ing to our readers to be presented with a short description (if such could 
 be given) of this stupendous work of Dame Nature. This extraordinary 
 fortress, which is one of the most remarkable objects in the world, cannot 
 be described with the pen and pencil, though both were united. The 
 plain on which it stands is all covered with sand, and is eight leagues 
 square, which is traversed by many rivers, whose waters, now and again, 
 spread themselves over the surface and form a temporary lake. This 
 dreary desert, though boundless to the eye, is girt by the open sea ; and 
 farthest from the ocean, and far from the land on either side — the famous 
 fortress of Mount St. Michael raises its fantastic shape. It resembles 
 more a fairy-land than a work mainly the result of human hands. On its 
 top is a beautiful church. It was a place of great note in the early ages 
 of Christianity. Such a work as this will not allow us to go farther in so 
 pleasing a topic. Its seven walls, &c., whether the work of man or of 
 nature, must be decided by some other pen. — Demitit septem brachia. 
 
85 
 
 ST. PATRICK'S EXISTENCE. 
 
 As annotators, it is not our province nor our intention to 
 enter fully into St. Patrick's existence, and we are only- 
 surprised, that Dr. Lanigan, tlie Irish Muratori, whose 
 learned volumes are a text-book to the ecclesiastical 
 student, could have brought himself to spend so much 
 time in refuting the abominable trash of objections of the 
 lying Ledwich, who sought out every base means of re- 
 viling the land of his birth. No language that hell could 
 suggest, he did not put into requisition to endeavour to 
 uproot the belief in the existence of the extraordinary 
 Apostle, who came to Ireland with the brilliant lamp of 
 faith in his hand to lead the inhabitants out of the ways 
 of darkness, in which they were groping. If St. Patrick 
 did not exist in this country, who, we ask, effected the 
 stupendous miracle of the almost simultaneous conversion 
 of the Irish from diablery, druidism, and sorcery ? In what 
 monarch's reign, and by what monk, and in what dark 
 age, as was audaciously asserted, was the gigantic lying 
 fact of the blessed Patrick's existence fabricated. The 
 reign, the lying monk, and the dark age, should have 
 been given by the unchristian, christian minister, Ledwich, 
 in order to gain any degree of credibility for his infamous 
 theory. Did he suppose that his ipse dixit would be 
 taken for truth even by his own party. Did he for a 
 moment imagine, that any respectable Protestant would, 
 on his sole authority, withhold belief in the existence of 
 a man, to whom they owe, under God, the blessings of 
 the Christian dispensation. Silly driveller ! Base reviler ! 
 His conduct in this matter resembles that of the beetle, 
 which avoids the most delicious viands, and feeds upon 
 
86 
 
 the most putrid carrion, the filthiest substances. But 
 nothing was too vile, or too foul for him, when his native 
 land and its religion were the objects for his corrupt 
 thoughts, his envenomed pen. We shall not, therefore, 
 stoop to follow him in his scandalous and maniac lucu- 
 brations. The truth of our saint's existence and his 
 glorious apostleship in Ireland is as clearly deducible from 
 the premises, laid down in showing his birth-place, as any 
 fact that has ever been established by human reasoning. 
 The very discussion about where he was born presupposes 
 his existence. Why argue about where a man might 
 have been born, if no such man had existed. Conse- 
 quently, the writings of all the eminent men who treated 
 of St. Patrick's native town, must be admitted, according 
 to the rules of logic, as an irrefragable proof, that he did 
 exist, and converted Ireland. What man, unless a mad- 
 man, or a man of Ledwich's effrontery, could have dared to 
 contradict a fact, established by the concurrent testimony 
 of the most profound historians. Catholic, Protestant, and 
 Presbyterian, of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, 
 England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland ? What motive 
 could have effected so wonderful a union of men of dif- 
 ferent nations, different interests, different views, different 
 political, civil, moral, and religious opinions? What 
 common bond could possibly have so linked such jarring 
 elements to fabricate so egregious a falsehood ? Above 
 all, what could have induced Irishmen, who are so tena- 
 cious of national fame, to attribute to a nonentity their 
 conversion from idolatry ? They had St. Albe, St. Ciaran, 
 St. Ivar, and St. Deighlan, bishops, Irishmen, contem- 
 poraries of St. Patrick. Would not our ancestors have 
 handed to posterity any, or all of these as having con- 
 verted the Irish people ? Most unquestionably they would. 
 
87 
 
 Their not having done so ; and St. Fiech, on the contrary, 
 an Irishman, and bishop in the fifth century, having ad- 
 mitted our thesis, is quite conclusive on the point, that the 
 glory of spreading the light of the Gospel amongst our fore- 
 fathers is due to St. Patrick. St. Benignus of Armagh, 
 St. Maccaille or Mac Hale of Roscommon, St. Seanagh 
 of Mayo, St. Enna (Enda) of Arran, in Galway Bay, 
 were all native Irish bishops of the same century, in v^hich 
 history says, St. Patrick preached in Ireland. Is it likely, 
 that Irish writers would have passed over all these eminent 
 saints for 2^ foreign, fancied sslnt ? Why, the supposition 
 is so absurd, that whilst we write we laugh at it. Would 
 not the British isles have claimed the honour attributed 
 to St. Patrick, for some of their own ecclesiastics ? Would 
 not Scotland have claimed it for St. Palladius (Roman 
 though he was), inasmuch as he became their apostle, 
 and died amongst them. But after all, they, too, owe 
 indirectly to St. Patrick their conversion, it having been 
 not completely brought about until St. Columba, or 
 Columbkille, went amongst them, and he was one of the 
 heavenly results of Patrick's mission amongst the Irish 
 Septs, if we can so write. 
 
 It is a wonder Ledwich did not create an English, 
 Scotch, Welsh, or Manx Protestant Thaumaturgus as 
 the converter of the Irish idolaters. Having had a stomach, 
 able to digest anything, we are astonished, that he hesi- 
 tated at such a trifle, especially, as such a pious forgery 
 was necessary to give a something of plausibility to his 
 cherished hypothesis — there was no St. Patrick." Un- 
 fortunately for himself he did not. Doctor, if you were 
 sincere, whence did you get your mission of Aghadoe ? 
 Who gave you the Bible ? Who consecrated the bishop 
 that gave you a formal ordination? To whom will he 
 
88 
 
 trace the source, whence he got the power to preach and 
 teach ? Was it from an invisible bishop he derived his 
 jurisdiction? But this you cannot, consistently with 
 even your own doctrine, admit. The extraordinary 
 mission ceased with the immediate apostles of Christ, and 
 descended not to their successors. Come then, doctor, if 
 St. Patrick did not exist as the Apostle of Ireland, even 
 granting that your faith was Orthodox, tell us what right 
 have you to confer what are called sacraments in your 
 church ? You cannot trace your episcopacy to any visible 
 source, if your position be true. If your mission be or- 
 dinary, it can be traced up to Christ, from whom through 
 some earthly being you have obtained it. When you 
 deny St. Patrick, you do not satisfactorily give a substitute. 
 Having failed in this point, you did an unintentioned 
 wrong to yourself. You will not allow, that you had an 
 extraordinary mission ; according to the conclusions from 
 your own premises you have not an ordinary one. Hence 
 you leave us no alternative, but to say, that you enjoy a 
 rich benefice to which you have no just claim — that, as 
 you have no possible rightful patent to preach, you are 
 an impostor and a cheat — as are all who believe with you. 
 
 Would there not be a general reclamation of clerics and 
 laics against the imposture, if such were practised ? Would 
 not prelates and priests have denounced the fraud of setting 
 up for veneration the absence of even the shadow of a 
 saint ? 
 
 If there were a general reclamation, history does not 
 give it, and it could not exist without being recorded. It 
 did not occur in the fifth century, when Irish saints and 
 learned men of the nation were placed on the periphery of 
 our horizon, numerous and shining as twinkling stars on 
 the blue ethereal vauh of heaven on a frosty night, when 
 
89 
 
 the bespangled ether, whose colors, laid on by the plastic 
 hand and brush, of the Supreme Painter, dissolving, as it 
 were, into one, presents to the vision of the contemplative 
 mind such a rich feast for thought. 
 
 Ciaran, the learned and intrepid bishop of Saigar, would 
 
 I not have yielded to the humbug of an imported ^^Nemo" 
 This Ciaran having met Patrick (or Ledwich's ovtls of the 
 Cyclops), on his way to the Eternal City, where he taught 
 theology, for twenty years, would he, on his return home, 
 have submitted to Si pious, unnecessary fraud ? St. Ailbe, 
 
 : Bishop of Emly, and afterwards of Cashel, met Patrick on 
 the Continent. This Ailbe exercised metropolitan powers 
 over Munster, or Leagh Mogha, as Bishop of Cashel, in 
 the time of King ^ngus, but was not, certainly, papally 
 and canonically appointed archbishop. He would have 
 
 I denounced the pious fraud. We find in history, that Ivar, 
 or Ibarus, of Begerin, on the coast of Wexford, resisted 
 the jurisdiction of St. Patrick for a long time; that he 
 was warned by an angel, that St. Patrick had his patent, 
 not only from Celestine, but from Heaven. Thereupon, 
 he submitted, and differences were adjusted, in which 
 negociation Ailbe, Deighlan, and the Munster King as- 
 sisted. Ivar's fame, as a scholar, is too well known to 
 doubt for a moment that he would acquiesce in a fraud, 
 which would rob Irishmen of an honor that was justly 
 their own, if St. Patrick had no being, as the Apostle to 
 the Irish. 
 
 The great Fursey of Lough Corrib, or Orsben, his 
 martyr brothers, and their glorious uncle, St. Brennan of 
 Clonfert, St. Brennan of Ardfert, Enna of Arran, the 
 intrepid Columbkille, the holy Colmans, Columbanus, 
 Adamnan, and Probus, some in the time of St. Patrick, 
 others following in centurial order ; these would assuredly 
 
 I 
 
90 
 
 have not consented to a monstrous cheat, which strips their 
 country of its merit. 
 
 Were there any colleges in Ireland in the fifth, sixth, 
 and seventh centuries ? If there were, their learned pro- 
 fessors and students would not stand a splendid humhug of 
 an ovTLs apostle. There was St. Ailbe's College, in East 
 Munster; St. Fiech's, in Sletty, in the Queen's County. 
 From the number of disciples, said to be of Benignus, we 
 are to infer that he had a college. He, for a time, it is 
 said, even before his elevation to the primatial chair, pre- 
 sided over the school of Armagh ; St. Mel, of Ardagh, had 
 a school ; Mactheus, of Louth, is represented as a man of 
 great learning; St. Ivar, or Ibar, of Beg-erin, had a re- 
 nowned school. — See his life, in " Usher." There was a 
 school under Mochay, in Antrim. That of Olclan, of 
 Derkan, in Ulster, was a famous depot of literature, and 
 sent forth great luminaries. We must not forget these of 
 Elphin and Cloonfoish, . near Tuam. In the next century 
 those of Clonfert, Bangor, Mayo, Clonard, and several 
 others, with their thousand students in each of them. To 
 these schools literary pilgrims, from all points of the com- 
 pass, wended their way, through danger and hardships, in 
 pursuit of learning, encountering perils by land and sea. 
 
 Now we ask could there be, by any possibihty, an im- 
 position practised as to an important fact without a thun- 
 dering protest from these seats of learning ? The hypo- 
 thesis is repugnant to common sense, and inconsistent with 
 national pride. 
 
 Though, as mere commentators, we do not feel called 
 upon to enter into special arguments on this point, still it 
 may not be out of place to handle the subject a little in 
 detail. We shall, therefore, briefly take leave to introduce 
 to our readers the names of a few of the writers of the 
 
91 
 
 fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries, 
 
 who either alluded to St. Patrick, or were his biographers ; 
 though it might not be necessary to come down lower than 
 the eighth, as that is the period alluded to by the lying 
 Ledwich. 
 
 St. Seachnall, or Secundinus, Bishop of Dimshaughlin, 
 the first prelate, who died in Ireland nine years after his 
 arrival from Rome, wrote a hymn in praise of St. Patrick. 
 In the second line of the first quatrane he mentions the 
 name of our saint, as can be seen from the poem. St. Fiech, 
 whose hymn on Patrick we give elsewhere in this book, 
 got the Roman alphabet, his ordination, and appointment 
 as bishop over part of Leinster, from St. Patrick. St. 
 Benignus, a disciple, and the successor of the blessed 
 Patrick, in the See of Armagh, left a biography of his il- 
 lustrious master. This life is to be seen in the learned 
 Colgan's collection, and in it, we are informed, that sixty 
 lives of Patrick were written, before he (Benignus) com- 
 posed his one. And here we have to remark, that though 
 no other life were given for many subsequent ages, it should 
 not be a cause of wonder, nor made a pretext for arguing 
 against the existence of the Irish apostle. The lives of 
 other eminent saints were to be recorded, and prudent men, 
 nati^ally enough, thinking it a useless task to do over again 
 what was already well done, thought it wiser and better 
 for posterity to take up, each a different saint, and record 
 his heavenly acts. Hence we are not to be surprised, that 
 a biographer did not allude to St. Patrick, as he was not 
 the subject of his history, and as others had amply written 
 concerning him. Besides, the difiiculty and tediousness of 
 recording eveiything in manuscript obliged historians to 
 omit everything irrelevant, or to be found elsewhere. No 
 sane man can deny this truth, St. Ceenan, or Kainen, 
 
92 
 
 Bishop of Duleek, who lived in 480, wrote a life of St. 
 Patrick. However, it is right to observe, that some 
 modern Pyrrhos, doubters of almost everything, deny the 
 authenticity of this life. St. Loman, first bishop of Trim, 
 in Meath, A.D., 450, and St. Mael, or Maol, Bishop of 
 Ardagh, 488, transmitted to us lives of our saint. 
 
 The biographers of the sixth century had not only the 
 written authorities of the foregoing saints, but they saw 
 them and conversed with them. Hence the stream of 
 evidence was two-fold — oral and written. St. Evin, of 
 Mectruin, in Leinster, who lived A.D., 510, wrote St. 
 Patrick's life. It is thought to be the tripartite life, pub- 
 lished by Colgan. The Scholiast of St. Fiech, 570, con- 
 tinued the life to the next century, when Tirechan wrote 
 a life very much prized by Ussher. Tirechan was a dis- 
 ciple of St. Ultan, Bishop of Ardbraccan, and Ultan was 
 himself a biographer of Patrick. These form the link to 
 St. Eleran, who placed on record his thoughts on our 
 Apostle, as on other matters, which were of such merit, 
 that Sedulius, a most profound scholar and theologian, of 
 the ninth century, inserted some of them in a collection 
 of his own. Here is an evidence of the refined taste of 
 some of our very early writers. 
 
 We come now to Probus, said to be of the tenth century, 
 but we are convinced he was a writer of the latter end of the 
 sixth century. This is the opinion of Bollandus. Alcuin, 
 who was tutor to Charlemagne, and a scholar of Egbert, 
 who was made Archbishop of York, in 705, testifies, that 
 Probus' life of our saint was a work of great repute in the 
 seventh century — that Egbert had it in his library before 
 he was elected to York. When it is remembered how 
 long it took to make a copy of a book in olden times, and 
 that Egbert was archbishop in 703, and had the transcript 
 
93 
 
 before that time, it is fair to infer, that the work must have 
 been in repute at the end of the sixth century. Hence it is 
 evident, that it is not the famous Probus, who was burned 
 by the Danes, at Slane, in 948 — See " De Pont, et Saints 
 Eboraci apud Gale." 
 
 St. Adamnan, who flourished in the seventh century, 
 died in 703. He was successor of St. Columbkille, as 
 metropolitan abbot of Hye, as well as of all the monasteries 
 established by Columba. In his preface to his life of his 
 glorious master, he mentions St. Patrick's name ; these are 
 his words : " Quidam proselytus Brito, homo sanctus, 
 Patricii episcopi discipulus, Mavateus (or Mochheus) no- 
 mine ita de nostro prophetavit patrono." — "A certain 
 Briton, a proselyte, a holy man, a disciple of the bishop 
 Patrick^ &c., prophesied respecting our patron (Columb- 
 kille)." The tripartite life of the "Dove of the Cells,'* 
 the fearless and uncompromising asserter of the Catholic 
 faith, its privileges, and of its divine independence of 
 temporal control, of the unqualified right of hierarchical 
 liberty, unadulterated by state interference, has been 
 looked upon by the best critics as thoroughly genuine, 
 bearing internal evidence of its authenticity. This work 
 of St. Adamnan remains an imperishable monument of the 
 polished state of literature, amongst monks and Irishmen, 
 at the close of the sixth, and in the seventh century. 
 
 We should have said that Adamnan and Probus were 
 Irishmen. It was a great injury to the cause of historical 
 accuracy to metamorphose Irish names into Latin, by 
 clothing them in a foreign dress ; confusion in names, facts, 
 and dates occurred. Had the names of our immortal, 
 learned saints and men, remained in their native garb, the 
 result would have been of large advantage to the philolo- 
 gist and antiquarian. St. Cumraian, of the seventh cen- 
 
94 
 
 tury, refers in these words to Patrick : "St. Patrick, our 
 Pope, brought with him, &c." This passage is to be seen 
 in his letter to Segenius, Abbot of Hye. Kienan, of Con- 
 naught, pupil of Nathy, of Achonry, wrote a life of St. 
 Patrick, in the seventh century. We need not here insert 
 from the Antiphonarium Benchorenoe" (of the County 
 of Down), which Muritori has so justly lauded, and which 
 we used elsewhere, when speaking of St. Patrick's birth- 
 place ; neither need we allude to the testimony of Mabillon, 
 who refers to "Litanies for the use of the Anglican Church." 
 The document was executed in the old Anglo-Saxon cha- 
 racters. In this were contained — along with the names 
 of St. Gregory the Great, &c. — those of Saints Patrick, 
 Brindan (Brennan), Columcille, Bridget, Carnach, Munna, 
 &c. Not one of the famous English saints was named in 
 this document. Neither Laurence, Wilfrid, Mellitus, nor 
 any other. In this very omission of the names of the latter 
 we have an incontestible evidence that the document must 
 have been written before the existence of the above-named 
 saints, and therefore before the eighth century. 
 
 The Venerable Bede tells us himself, that he wrote a 
 martyrology, and in this work is recorded the name of our 
 Patron Saint. — See book v. c. 24, or Recapitulation. 
 
 We regret space does not allow us to insert passages, 
 but the reader can have recourse to the works. Nor can 
 it be urged that Bede, in his " Ecclesiastical History of 
 England," did not speak of Patrick. What had Patrick 
 to do with England, that was not converted until the time 
 of St. Austin, long after Patrick's days ? and if the vene- 
 rable historian alluded to Palladius, the reader will observe 
 that the allusion was incidental, otherwise there would 
 not have been a word about Palladius. Nor would that 
 have been a reason to excite surprise, as Palladius was not 
 
95 
 
 a part of Bede's theme, which was to give the ecclesiastical 
 affairs of England, and of no other country. He men- 
 tioned some Irish saints, simply because they aided in the 
 conversion of England. He omitted the names of eminent 
 English saints, such as David, Kentigern, and others ; who 
 would thence infer that they never had existence ? 
 
 Nennius, the most learned Briton of the eighth — but as 
 is strongly argued by some, of the seventh — century, speaks 
 at large of St. Patrick. In A.D., 850, we have Eric, of 
 Auxerre, writing of St. German. He declares that— " he 
 considers it as the highest honor of that prelate to have 
 been the instructor of St. Patrick, as the glory of a father 
 shines in the government of his children." Eric adds, he 
 would mention one of his pupils, " by far the most famous, 
 as the series of his actions shew, Patrick, the particular 
 Apostle of Ireland, -who was under his holy discipline for 
 eighteen years ;" he recommended him to Celestine, then 
 Pope, by his presbyter, Segetius; approved by his judg- 
 ment, supported by his authority, confirmed by his bless- 
 ing, he set out for Ireland, and instructed them by his 
 doctrine and miracles." In these passages is an evidence 
 of the supremacy of Rome, over the Church of Ireland, in 
 the fifth century, as it has ever since continued, and will 
 continue to the end of time, despite all the malignant ef- 
 forts of heresy. 
 
 The martyrology of Roban, pupil of Alcuin, and Arch- 
 bishop of Mentz, in 856 — the martyrology of Nather Le 
 Begne, of the monastery of St. Gal, in Switzerland, up to 
 871, mention Patrick's name. ^lH]'^^ CAorohshlP 
 (Kevin), who died 1072 ; an eminent poet and historian, 
 some of whose works are in the Royal Irish Academy, 
 made mention of St. Patrick ; Sigebert of Gembloirs, in 
 Flanders,, who died 1112; William of Malmesbury, born 
 
96 
 
 early in the eleventh and died in the middle of the twelfth 
 century; St. Bernard, the light of the twelfth century 
 (we shall not name the infamous Barry) ; Jocelyn, whose 
 work was based upon, as himself says, four biographies 
 from the pen of ancient authors, contemporaries of our 
 Apostle; Vincentius of Beavais, in 1244; James de 
 Voraigne, 1350; St. Antonini, 1459; Petrus de Nata- 
 libaus, 1470; Texier, Heinschenius, Papebrock, all have 
 recognized Patrick as the Apostle of Eire. Nicholson, 
 the venerable Protestant bishop of Derry, who said, he 
 regretted that "he came only time enough to pay his 
 dying respects" to the Irish language. Lloyd, bishop of St. 
 Asaph, Stillingfleet, Bayle, Ussher, Swift, the translator 
 and annotator of Jocelyn — all Protestants — have acknow- 
 ledged and maintained the existence and apostleship of 
 Patrick. Harris, such an enemy to Catholicity, and the 
 impartial Ware, as Protestant testimonies in behalf of St. 
 Patrick, should not be omitted. To give a list of foreign 
 writers would take up an entire book. Hence, we con- 
 clude, that the Testimonium hominum was never more 
 universal for the sustainment of any moral certainty than 
 in the present argument ; that so general is it, that nothing 
 but mathematical demonstration can surpass it. The va- 
 riations about dates and place of birth cannot weaken it. 
 For, about the date of Christ's passion, the most remark- 
 able and important fact to Christians, there have been 
 variations — yet who would dare deny the fact? About 
 Homer's birth-place there has been a difference of opinion ; 
 still who would deny his existence as the prince of poets. 
 Finally, these differences of opinion do but contribute to 
 establish facts more firmly ; because they create new 
 writers, who would otherwise have never appeared, and 
 each of whom supplies his rivulet to the great river of 
 
97 
 
 knowledge, on whose surface the disputed point is carried 
 down to posterity with more force, having acquired fresh- 
 ening impetus from the strength imparted to the current 
 by the several tributary streams. 
 
 We cannot more felicitously close the argument of our 
 saint's existence, than by referring to the " Staff of Jesus," 
 given him by Justus, who told him "he had received it 
 from the Redeemer himself, to be delivered to a pilgrim, 
 named Patrick; which command given, he ascended to 
 heaven." The apostle, having got the " staff" or crozier, 
 with which he was to work such miracles in Ireland, as 
 Moses did with his rod in Egypt, proceeded on his jour- 
 ney. But there was a vast difference in one respect be- 
 tweeen the " staff" and the ** rod." The latter brought 
 death on the Egyptians ; whilst the former was the token 
 of health and life to the Irish. 
 
 History records the powerful virtue of the Staff of Jesus, 
 which is certainly extant somewhere, Gerald of Wales 
 calls it " Virtuosissimum baculum Jesu ;" he adds, " that 
 Noble Treasure was translated from Ardmagh to Dublin." 
 David Roth, bishop of Ossory, answers objections made 
 against the history of the Staff. He says, *'if there be 
 exceptions against our Saviour's appearing on earth after 
 his ascension, he remits them to St. Ambrose, who relates 
 that long after that period Jesus appeared to Peter at a 
 gate in Rome." He desires them to consider the Rod of 
 Moses and its wonder-working power — the brazen serpent 
 in the desert — the brazen statue of our Saviour at Caesarea 
 Phillipi — the woman cured by touching the garment of 
 Jesus — and "the poor Staff and Torn Cloak" of the 
 Egyptian hermit, Senuphius, which was the means of a 
 signal victory over Maximius, the tyrant. 
 
 9 
 
98 
 
 P^t)H2lJ3* 21PST:0JI fejHe2lMM, 
 
 4Do cuir)A& |te 'pjece, 6A]*bu]5^ |»le]bce° a 5-coT)bAe t)><v 
 
 1. .3^t)AiT^ P-^vc]iAic,^ ] Heri)^ 'Cuit 
 2l|*° |*e6 A b' |:ec b]'^ SceUjb, 
 2t)ACAT) rr)-bl]A6At) bejcc, 
 2I1:) CAT) bo bfiec bb^jtA^b. 
 
 2. SuccAc* A A^rjTf) b-lc|tub|tAbb 
 C]bb A ACA]|i bA fiffe, 
 ?|)ac CAlpu]|tr) rb^c Oqbe 
 'l)-6 <t)eocAii) Ob]|-|*e. 
 
 3. Ba] t*6 bl|Abl)r)A b-] "pojrjAtb, 
 21:3A]fe* bo]T)e v]V coiDlebb*' 
 BjCAji^ le CocjiAjge^ 
 CeACAji c|iebe b]A ^ojtJAbb. 
 
 * pA&ti<^]5 or PACTIA75 — The initial consonant of the genitive case of mas- 
 culine nouns is aspirated, but not of feminines ; and the same case in 
 the plural suffers the mortification or eclipsing of the same consonant, as 
 T)A 5-ceAttc {na gart^, of the rights. Nouns whose final letter is c, as 
 PAbttfc, drop that letter and take 5 with an a for the genitive singular. 
 bocunjAft, was composed. In our language active verbs are sometimes 
 used passively as in French — " II les fera commander par les gens," he 
 made them be commanded by men. — Telemaque, 1. 5, and thus in many 
 passages. 
 
 ^ eATbu]5 or GATbAis is the genitive of eAfboc, it is in apposition to 
 |r]ece, the gen. of y:]Ac. This is termed by grammarians the fourth 
 concord. 
 
 « Sle^bre, gen. plural of rM^^> ^ mountain, pro. sleevte, sleeuv. 
 
 ^ bAntifoQpA, com. of beAo, woman, and ^fo5An, royal, or, as some 
 would have it, queen, but the latter would be an awkward tautology ; 
 because then bAi)ttfoaAi7, gen. bAntitoo^Af should be a compound of beAii, 
 
99 
 
 A HYMN CONCERNING PATRICK, 
 
 APOSTLE OF IRELAND, 
 
 Which was composed by St. Fiech (or Fiagh), Bishop of Sletty, in the 
 Queen's County, a disciple of, and a man contemporary with, Patrick 
 himself. 
 
 1 . Patrick was born in Holy Tower, 
 As is recorded in stories, 
 
 A youth of sixteen years 
 
 At the time he was brought under captivity. 
 
 2. Succat was his name at the beginning ; 
 Who his father was, be it known, 
 
 He was son of Calpurn, son of Otidus, 
 Who was son to the deacon Odissus. 
 
 3. He was six years in servitude, 
 Human food he eat not, 
 
 ( They) were by him supported 
 Four tribes of his servitude. 
 
 woman, tifo5, king, and xmj for bexxn, woman. This is evidently a ridicu- 
 lous analysis. 
 
 Stanza I. — ^ ], in. There are many forms to express in; we shall not 
 mention them now, as we treated of them already ; we shall only add, that 
 in the prepositions irjr, ^mx, mx, all of which we have met in the best 
 authors, the f is merely euphonic not radical. 
 
 ^ ryen), Jiodie x]e^ri) ; of these words we have written at some length 
 elsewhere, see page 49. There is a difference between neAxt) cutt and 
 cuti T>eATTjcA ; the English of the former is as we have given it in the 
 translation, but the translation of the latter is Blessed Tower^ WeAti) 
 PA&itA]c, St. Patrick, VAhyvd^]c "HeArijcA, Blessed Patrick. 
 
 " % re6 e A, or 'xe^, that is what, b'^^ec, &o ^rec, is told, how like 
 fatus^^ told ; hence /aife. 
 
 ^ bj» the b is only an aspirate — r^'^wl or r3^iil> stride loquendo is 
 oral news, as is rciv]n» but at present, the terms are used to imply oral or 
 written tradition. The word " Gospel" is translated into Irish xo]X'5^^^, 
 
100 
 
 <t)e TT)U]|t bo b-'<^Tb|iA |teACA, 
 
 21t) bAef AT) be]XC]0]iz^ ■L<vecA. 
 happy story, or news. The reason of the ahove term is this : In the primi- 
 tive days of man all knowledge was imparted ora%, there being no books. 
 St. Irnseneas says, that for many years the Christians worshipped God 
 without pen or ink ; and, consequently, oral instruction was then the only 
 system practised. Where was then the Bible ? How could people read 
 what they had not ? and yet we are informed, that the Church of God 
 abounded in saints. 
 
 Stanza II. — * Succat was his name ; the auxiliary to be is frequently 
 understood in Irish as in Latin. There is a perfect sympathy, if we can 
 so write, between all the learned languages. 
 
 Stanza III. — « rry\]X& &o|ne, human food, is the literal English of the 
 words, but we take it to signify, the food of the Gentiles, or Pagan Irish. 
 However, we would not withhold belief from the notion, that our saint was 
 fed from heaven, as were the Israelites with manna for forty years. An ex- 
 ception from the natural order was as necessary to enable St. Patrick to lead 
 the Irish from the worse than Egyptian bondage of sin, as to assist Moses 
 to bring the Hebrews from the slavery of Pharaoh to the promised land ; 
 and the whole tenor of our apostle's life is an evidence of how he was 
 cherished by God. 
 
 ^ CoTi)leA6, he ate. Observe how like the Greek rotxri, cutting or eating ; 
 hence " tome," a volume. 
 
 « t)]CAri. — If our translation of this line be good, then c in cot^Ai^e 
 must not be a capital, and the word is a participle. The interpretation, 
 he was with four chiefs, is good sense : then cot\\A-\-^e=cetAV. T^loe, the 
 term t^lo denotes a king or chief. The Latins often use " rex," to imply 
 a chief as well as a king. 
 
 CetAi(X rfiebe b]A vo5DA&b-" 
 " Were by him attended 
 Four families in hu servitude." 
 
 We prefer this reading and translation. 
 
101 
 
 4. Victor [the angel) said to the servant 
 Of Milclio — go over the waves. 
 
 He {Victor) placed his foot on a stone there, 
 
 There remained after him the impression (of his foot). 
 
 5. He journeyed over all mountains, 
 Over sea, prosperous was his flight. 
 He dwelled on the seas with German 
 Southward of the southern part of Letavia. 
 
 The chieftains of old kept men, termed " Entertainers," whose business 
 was to provide the necessaries of life. We call such, at the pi esent day, 
 " House Stewards." No one, unless he was of noble origin, was appointed 
 to the office, but the blessed Patrick had gained such favour by his 
 good conduct, that, though a slave, Milcho selected him as an Entertainer 
 or Procurator. 
 
 For the words of the translation, printed in Italics, there is no Irish 
 given. Such omission is common to all languages, and as we feel we have 
 to deal with some unreasonable parties, we are occasionally forced to be 
 prolix. Some of these will fault our version of the last lines of the third 
 stanza, because we make words in the fourth verse the nominative to a 
 verb in the third line. However, the general linguist acknowledges, that 
 such can be the structure of sentences, and when we please him we have 
 nothing to fear. 
 
 The word as a preposition, is exactly the same as in Greek, and has 
 the same import — which is manifold ; but in neither language does it sig- 
 nify " of." In Greek as in Irish it likewise is a name for " God." 
 
 lie might be the best reading, only that we find le not ]le in our text. 
 Yet there are many errors of type in Colgan's work, and it is more than 
 likely that the ] was omitted in that manner. According to this last 
 reading, the translation will run thus — 
 
 " AH were (termed) Coghree, 
 Who served four tribes or families." 
 
 ^ le or &o answer the same end, le is either with, hy, or /o, &o, to. 
 Some make the word one of Patrick's appellatives. We think that not 
 tenable. 
 
 Stanza IV. — ^ bettr, says ; Latin, ^^fert,'^ tells, or says. In the old 
 Celtic, b and \: were commutable, and were rendered by the Latin writers 
 V, thus Vergobretus in Caesar, is made up of treAti, man, 'So,for, btiejt, 
 
102 
 
 6. 2lr)r) ir)i)|*]b* n)A|tA 'Coji^t^At)'' 
 eA8 l]T)T)e. 
 
 8. Bo* |io cobA]|t bOT) b' Q^^t^vv 
 
 Bo° clof C^At) fOT) A|l 5A|lrpA 
 
 2t)AC]tA^6] cAjlle "poclAb.^ 
 
 judgment. — //e i<;a.9 the supreme magistrate. The' literal English of the 
 passage is this — " And Victor brought forward to the servant, Sfc. 
 
 ^ X]r)b — Tin. pro. shin. 
 
 ^ ni — t)^x, the plural article, the. 
 
 Stanza V. — CAlpA, hills of any sort, but, strictly speaking, stong pro- 
 montories, a most appropriate name for most of the mountains over which 
 St. Patrick travelled on his way to Bantry Bay, when escaping from bon- 
 dage. GAlpA, AlpA. — The term was very common amongst the primitive 
 Milesians. They had even some chiefs called by that name. Scotland was 
 at first denominated 2llb]nn, by the settlers from Ireland, and retained that 
 name until the Dalriads got it called Scotia Minor. The roots of the word 
 are clearly aU rack, b]i)r), or pwr), lofty promontory. It is as often spelled 
 CAlbu]t), as 'iK\h]x)r), Latin Albania. The word is met with in the Ogygia. 
 Its other name, Caledonia^ is but a com. of 5Ao6a]1 (gyayul), bAoir^e (thee- 
 nee), Irish colony, or people. Others give another derivation. 
 
 ^ lA, or le 5eTtn)Ai). — See Historical Notes. 
 
 <= t)eir, south, ]*c]ottc, or r5|otx-, border. — On the south of the southern 
 border of Letavia, a country on the banks of the Rhine, according to 
 Tacitus. We are confirmed in this truth by the aid of one of the first 
 scholars in Ireland, also by Eochadh O'Flanagan. 
 
 Stanza VI. — ^ ]ri\)v]h, in islands, the dative plural of ■\x)r)]X' — This term 
 implies likewise a peninsula, also a portion of land nearly surrounded by 
 rivers as Innis or Ennis. Ennistymon, in Clare ; Inch, or Inchicore, the 
 island, south-east of the City of Dublin, distant two miles from the Post- 
 Office. 
 
103 
 
 6. In the islands of the Tyrrheneiim sea, 
 He tarried in them, I affirm ; 
 
 He reads the Canons with German, 
 That is, as it is certified to us. 
 
 7. Towards Ireland does he proceed 
 Warned hy angels of God in apparitions ; 
 Often he saw in visions. 
 
 That he should come back again. 
 
 8. It was great relief to Eire 
 
 The coming of Patrick to Foclat ; 
 
 By him was heard the distant sound of the calling 
 
 Of children from the wood of Foghlad. 
 
 ^ C]tin]An, Tyrrheneum mare, the Tuscan Sea — being the north-west 
 part of the Mediterranean. Here was the island of Lerins. south of Pro- 
 vence, to which St. Patrick went from Tours. — See Bollandists at March, 
 also our notes on the Apostle elsewhere. Pope Celestine appointed him ; 
 but he came to Ireland in the first year of Sixtus, successor of Celestine. 
 
 " ^]nir> r-^inir> third person past tense of ah, or t"at), to tarry, ^-c. (ad, 
 time, is the root). iT^&ib, ]ti, or -\r)X), in, ]b, them, the 6 is euphonic, or a 
 substitute for an n. 
 
 ^ ^lbrt]Tt)e, A oe]nn)' for &e]t«- Ttje. — By metathesis, or transposition, 
 prj/itt, the Greek for word, is like this verb. 
 
 * ]:]a6a&, certified; hence fabatur, "he certified." 
 
 Stanza VII. — ^ Ctieiin, Cmnn. — We think that the true interpretation 
 of the two first lines is this. Towards Ireland, by him (&6), was to come 
 the Angel of God pointed out to him. For often he saw in visions that he 
 must return." How like videt is \i]t]x, and pirir to visit, *' visions," or 
 things seen." 
 
 Stanza VIII. — ^ t)o, \)a, was, c]Cca or zeAcz, coming. OcIac, a wood in 
 the north of Mayo, by synecdoche for all Ireland. The children of this 
 wood appeared'in a vision to St. Patrick, on Cnoc Heremond, at Fort St. 
 Michael, in Normandy, presenting a petition of entreaty that the Saint 
 would come to take them out of the darkness of infidelity, 
 bo dor, wfl* heard the long distant {or shrill) sound. 
 
 ^ l^ocUe— OcIa6. 
 
104 
 
 9. 3^6AbA|v* CO c]|-|*eA6 T)oeb 
 
 10. 'CUACA b-6/]teT)T) CA||lCAT)CA^f, 
 <t)Of T)]CfeAb f^clAfC TJUA, 
 
 2t)e|tAi8 cocj AT)-iA|iCAi5e 
 Bj^ ]:4v]* 'CeTi)|iAC. 
 
 11. 21 <t)|tu]6 A]t LAojA^^ie 
 'CjcbcA* PACjtA^c T)j cejlqf, 
 
 Bo ^"(ItAb ]T) bA]C|*]T)e 
 
 jr) A ^Iaca Af be]|iq]*. 
 
 12. Ba le]]t pAC|tA]C coit)bebA 
 Ba fAb* it)T) AjibA*' doer)], 
 jf e6 cuA]t5Aib A LuA 
 SuAf be |*ecb 'CjtebA boeAT). 
 
 13. )n)rvu]V A5Af 2lpocAl]pf, 
 
 "Ha* C|t] COJCAC T)Of CAT)Ab, 
 
 p]t^ccbAb, bAC|*ec^ A|iT)]5eb,° 
 
 <t)0 t1)0lA8^ C)6 ]T) At)Ab.* 
 
 Stanza IX. — » 3A6AbAri=3ui6A&An, entreated. 
 ^ 1t) i)oeb=An neATT), Me saint. 
 * t}lTT)tire6=n-]Ti)n*e6, leaving. 
 
 ^ c]T)CA^A6=c]ttT)co6, or cjoncAis, ^0 ^Mm, 6,/rom, cloeAT), ctriV. As in 
 Latin /acinus, means a good or bad act, so cloeArj — cIaot), is an hiclina- 
 tion, good or bad. In the text it is taken in the latter way. In this sense 
 it is the root of de-c/ine, " to decay." 
 
 Stanza XI. — ^ In the second C]chrA, we find the slender ], followed 
 by the broad a, which shows that the rule, alluded to by us elsewhere, 
 *• slender to slender," does not always hold good. We say now as we did 
 already, that a close adhesion to that rule would often interfere with the 
 integrity of words. In fact, our experience, since we began to comment 
 on the poems before us, leads us to the opinion that cAol ^le caoI, &c., if 
 
105 
 
 9. They entreated of the Saint to come, 
 Upon his forsaking Letavia, 
 That he might convert from evil, 
 The peoples of Eire to life. 
 
 10. The Druids of Eire foretold 
 
 That there would come a new time 
 That would last for ever {to the end). 
 The country of Tara will be deserted. 
 
 ' 11. His Druids on (from) Learey 
 Patrick's coming concealed not, 
 ( They) were fulfilled, the prophecies 
 Respecting their sovereign they made. 
 
 1 2. Prudent was Patrick during life. 
 He was fortunate in expelling error. 
 This is what spread his praise (vjorth) 
 Up to every nation of mankind. 
 
 13. Hymns and the Apocalypse 
 
 And the three fifties of psalms he habitually sang ; 
 He preached, baptized, and prayed, 
 From the praising of God he ceased not.* 
 * Or, ** He glorified God incessantly." — apas — At^pACi, joerjoe^wo. 
 
 a rule, admits, and must admit many exceptions. We will say this, a close 
 perusal of leAbAti t}A 5-CeAiic would incline one to think it was a rule. 
 
 Stanza XII. — ^ 5At», or r^Ti). 
 ']t)T) A|tbA, are one word in the text — in banishing ; we prefer them 
 separate. As in Latin, so the first consonant of the next word influences 
 the last one of the preposition in Irish. Thus, in Latin, inlatum is given 
 illatum for euphony. In the fourteenth stanza of the hymn before us we 
 have b|U]nr)ib, in the waters, which might be written ^m, or ]r)x) l]r}i)]b — 
 here, as in Latin, I is inserted euphonically for x). 
 
 Stanza XIII. — ^ Ka cni coicac='Na ctif CA05A&, the three fifty psalms 
 (150), all David's psalms. 
 
 bAcrcr, baptized. — This is the natural word, whilst our modern 
 
106 
 
 14. M] COT)* 5eb6b ^uacc f]r)e, 
 
 P|t]ccA]r TO It) &|r)bAib. 
 
 15. \)-] SV^rf zttA-]t Bept)A-BA]|tcbe, 
 
 CAr)A6 c6b pfAln? cecb T)-A^bcbe 
 4)0 K]5 ^]D3el 50^ 5r)]A. 
 
 bAfceAft, is a corruption. The former term was a very appropriate epithet 
 when we call to mind that immersion, not aspersion or infusion (the present 
 mode), was the manner of baptising in the first days of Christianity, bAc, 
 or bAc, to dip or bathe. The Church, the merciful interpreter of God's 
 will, uses infusion as being less dangerous to infants, though aspersion was 
 for a time practised, and is still by Protestants. 
 
 *■ ^|tn]5eb — u|tnfoeA6, prayed — a, o, u are comrautable consonants, but 
 not when such commutations would injure the essence of a word. The 
 same occurs in Latin ; as also the slender vowels for the broad, thus op- 
 tvmus, maxumus, olli, for opfimus, maximus, Hit, as can be seen in Sallust 
 and Virgil, and in many passages of Plautus and others — See Cellarius 
 and Fabretti on old Latin words. 
 
 t5o njolA6 Tie io ai)a&. — Mr. Richard Plunkett, of Meath, who wrote, 
 A.D., 1784, translated the above line thus — t)o ujoIad t^e ni r^-^&UoAO — 
 the English of which is what we have given in our translation. Colgan 
 interprets it in the same way. We reject other versions. 
 
 Stanza XIV. — * K] corj, or con, stop. — The words being in Italics 
 is to shew that the Irish of such is understood. 
 
 ^ f)--]\ l^nnib, these were one word in the copy, but it is unprecedented 
 to find, in any language, the governed noun incorporated with the prepo- 
 sition. We said noun and preposition, because we admit that prepositions 
 and pronouns are incorporated in all languages, as are nouns and adverbs, 
 &c. The Latin illex, " not law," is not a compound of in, a preposition, 
 but of the neg. par. in, " not," and lex, " law." As, therefore, there is a 
 manifest sympathy between the structure of the learned languages, which 
 could not be found preserved in blUinnib, we separated it into b-jl lir)rj]h. 
 Here, again, is to be observed the analogy of languages. For, as in Latin 
 in becomes il before an /, so also in Irish. We may here note, that when 
 there is a word compounded of two words, the one ending and the other 
 beginning with the same consonant, one of the letters may be omitted, as 
 
107 
 
 14. The sharpness of the cold blast did not stop him. 
 He stopt by night in the waters (pools) 
 
 For a clear conscience to keep, 
 He preached by day on hills. 
 
 15. In Slan (a well), north of Benna-Boircha, 
 ( Which drought does not dry), the litanies 
 He sang, and a hundred psalms each night, 
 To the King of angels with diligence. 
 
 be]r-rciotvr, written be]rc]otic. Grammarians are not agreed on this 
 point. 
 
 Stanza XV. — » In" Slan' {well), north of Benna-Boirche. This is the 
 English of Colgan's Latin. The translator would imply, that Patrick 
 chanted (caoa6) a hundred psalms each night at this well or in it. "We 
 have read in the foregoing stanza, that he remained ivhole nights in the 
 waters. 
 
 ^ Benna-Boircha — Bens or Promontories in Down to the north of 
 Mourne. They were so-called after a man named Baiorcha," the shep- 
 herd of king Ros. From the tops of these, which extend towards Carling- 
 ford, according to Giraldus Cambrensis, the country for a great extent all 
 around could be seen. The present barony of Mourne comprises the ter- 
 ritory, called of old " Boirche." — See the Annals of Tighernagh, A.D., 744, 
 also the Dinnseanchus. Near the foot of the upper mountain there is, 
 we understand, at this day a place called idoca beAnn^ bojTtce. There 
 was a territory called Hy Barrche, in Leinster. The chieftain of this 
 district was Ere, whose son Fiech was. — See Lanigan, vol. i. p. 274. 
 
 It may be as well to mention here, that St. Fiech was a widower, and 
 had one son, Fiachre, when St. Patrick met him on his visit to Hy. 
 Kuisellagh, which consisted of — according to Lanigan supra — parts of the 
 counties of Wexford, Carlow, Queen's County, and all Kilkenny. We 
 suppose, that Hy-Barrche, the patrimony of Fiech's family being next to 
 that of Enna Kinsellagh, made the latter jealous of the influence of the 
 son of the former, and hence, until St. Patrick's subsequent visit, this 
 latter chieftaincy continued unconverted. 
 
 The "Tripartite," b. iii. c. 23, places St. Fiech's monastery on the east of 
 the Barrow in the County of Carlow, and his See was at Sleibhte (Sletty), 
 on the west of the Barrow, in Queen's County. There is some difference of 
 opinion as regards the sites of the monastery and the See. Archdall makes 
 them one and the same. O'Heerin places both on the west of the Barrow 
 
108 
 
 16. Ip0]6 ^o|i le^c lu]rr) ]^]iAn) 
 Ocbuf cujlcbe ^lujcb irnn}e* 
 
 \e]c A co|tp ] z]rvrne. 
 
 and, conseqnently, in Queen's County. — See Dr. O'Donovan's note, page 
 212, leAbAn ha 5-01? auc, ''Book of Rights^ In another note, page 208, 
 supra, Dr. O'Donovan states, that Domhnagh Mor is in the present 
 county of Carlow. Dr. Lanigan inclipes to the first opinion. — See vol. i, 
 p. 278. In matters of such remote antiquity, especially ^vhen we consider 
 the confusion arising from several causes, that took place not only in that 
 quarter, but all over Ireland, we are not to wonder that there may be a 
 Tariation as to dates and sites. Nor does that take from the truthfulness 
 of the important facts. All men of common sense will admit that : his 
 church was about a mile and a quarter west of the Barrow. The Scholiast 
 says of him — " tandem archiepiscopus Lagenice institutus ;" he says, that St. 
 Patrick had previously consecrated liim bishop. This was, of course, after 
 he was properly instructed in all things necessary for that state. Widowers 
 were then as well as now eligible for the priesthood. The church, how- 
 ever, being more in want of candidates at that early period than in these 
 days, was obliged to ordain pious converts, who were willing to make the 
 vow of perpetual celibacy. There must have been many Christians in 
 that quarter, even before Patrick travelled there. The very question put 
 by our saint to Dubhtagh (O'Duffy), whether he could present any one 
 for ordination, pre-supposes the existence not only of Christianify but of 
 Christian education. Patrick would not have asked an idle question ; but 
 to inquire if any one were prepared for the ministry, would be an idle in- 
 quiry, if there was no Christian teaching before his time. 
 Dr. Colgan translated this stanza thus : 
 
 " In Slan, a well to the north near 
 Benna Boirche which weU nerer fails). 
 He chanted a hundred psalms each night. 
 Serving the King of Angels. 
 
 Such is a verbatim translation of Colgan's Latin. Mr. Lynch translated 
 it in this way : — 
 
 " In saving the people of Bembarka, 
 
 He experienced neither drought, nor hunger ; 
 
 He sang a hundred psalms each night. 
 
 The King of Angels to serve " 
 
 Mr. Richard Piunket, alluded to already, gives his Irish interpretation 
 thus : — 
 
109 
 
 16. He rested (slept) on a bare stone then, 
 And a wet coverlit his coverinor, 
 A stone was his pillow, 
 He left not his body in sloth. 
 
 " 21 c-cobAin SlA]T)e o tuA^r Iatitj ne benrjA bojnce, 
 (CobAtt T7AC 5r)Ac &ol A c-criA75e) 
 t5o cat)a6 ceub fA^lri) 5AC o]6ce 
 t5o K]5 t)A n-AjnseAl 00 ^CqHAb. 
 
 The English of \vhich runs thus — 
 
 " In the well of Slan on the north side by Benna Boirche 
 (A well that is not wont to go to low water)." 
 
 The rest is translated as by the former writers. Let us observe that the 
 expression, a r-cttA]5e, is usually translated to shore, but cnAT5e, strictly 
 speaking, signifies " shore at low water," hence hac &0I a c-riiAi^e, im- 
 pUes " that does not dry," or sink to low water. 
 
 If rl^n ruAic be taken to imply " in saving the people," then the next 
 line must be thus interpreted " there was to him neither sharpness of thirst 
 nor hunger," in such case t^a, according to modern orthography should be 
 written nor. The first words might be read as one, the English of 
 which would be "7» saving." If 1]A may be, by apocope, for I7A5, &flag, 
 or stone, then the second Une wiU run thus — " There is to it (the well), 
 neither sharpness of drought, nor of ice," that is, neither summer's heat, 
 nor winter's frost dries it. Every speaker of the Irish language is aware, 
 leAc — lTA5,^a^ stone, ox flag, is applied to ice, being so hke it ; and though 
 the word e]6m6 (eyere) be sometimes affixed, still it needs not. 
 
 Now, to give our opinion, we have to say, that, though the translation 
 in the Poem stands, as having been printed before writing these notes, we 
 adopt the first Une according to Colgan, but not the second, as he gave no 
 Latin for r)A liA,^nd as far as the Latin of this line went, it plainly was 
 not the translation of the Irish. Lynch's interpretation of the second hne 
 cannot at all be accepted. First, because 5ebe6 has been used in the four- 
 teenth stanza to signify sharpness, not experienced — because is not even 
 an abbreviated term for hunger, also because his translation would be a 
 denial of Patrick's self- mortification, as mentioned in the previous stanza; 
 and, lastly, because this verse is clearly explanatory of stanza fourteen; 
 but it would not be so, if we accept Lynch's translation. Moreover, his 
 experiencing neither hunger nor thirst, was a miraculous interposition of 
 God in his favour, as happened to some holy men of old, whereas his re- 
 
110 
 
 17. P\i]zc^S SofcelA bo cAcb. 
 
 JcCAjb lufCU Ia C|IU]*CA 
 
 2t)A]|ib bo|* ^uj|*ce6 beAcu. 
 
 18. pAC|iA]c pn^occAi]* bo Scocu^b 
 Bo cbeAf n)6]i ]*eAc ] LeAcu 
 Jrrjrr)] co qfAC bo bjtAC* 
 
 )X c^6 bof ^]uc bo beAcu. 
 
 19. 9t)e]C 6iTi)j]t, rr)e]C Q^]]i]rr)0]X) 
 T^ocA|i bu^l^ l^* C]]*eAl, 
 
 pO]* |tolA]C ^1) C-A|tT17 Cb^fAl 
 
 20. C0T)bA* C-AT)^C ]T) C-ApfCAl 
 
 <t)o pA^c, 5^6 5Aece b^rje 
 Plt^ccbAjf c|i=j f^cbce bl]A6r)A, 
 Cjiiocl) C]t'j|'c bo cuACA]b 'perje 
 
 21. lpo-\i t\iA]t b-6|ieT)T) bo^ cerbel 
 
 'CuACA A&0]tCA ^81a, 
 
 1i] cbltA^cfeb p 'pblT^^eAcc 
 
 maining up to his middle all night in a spring. well was a work of severe 
 penance and self-mortification, thus proving, by his own example, that not 
 only the mind, but the body likewise, must be kept under subjection — lest 
 whilst preaching to others they themselves become outcasts. 
 
 To close these observations we give the second, third, and fourth lines 
 thus — 
 
 " There was to it (the well) neither sharpness of heat, nor cold. 
 He sang a hundred psalms each night, 
 To the King of Angels, with diligence." 
 
 ^ 5o sni^. may be translated to serve, yet we think with diligence, or 
 diligently, better language, and taken adverbially, to qualify, cat)a6, he 
 sang diligently. 3o, not accented, denotes to, till, with, Sfc, accented, it 
 means a lie. 
 
Ill 
 
 17. He preached the Gospel to every one ; 
 He wrought more miracles in Letavia, 
 He healed the blind with fasting, 
 The dead he raised to life. 
 
 18. Patrick preached to the Scots {the Irish), 
 He suffered many hardships in Letavia, 
 That (they) might come to judgment, 
 
 And each whom he converted to life {faith), 
 
 19. The sons of Heber, and the sons of Heremon 
 All were seduced by the Devil, 
 
 Yet Satan sunk the army, 
 
 And that in the great temptations of Hell. 
 
 20. Until the Apostle arrived [strong. 
 Who saved them, though the winds {opposition) were 
 He preached three score (sixty) years 
 
 The cross of Christ to the peoples of Fenius. 
 
 2 1 . Over the peoples of Eire was darkness. 
 Peoples adoring idols ; 
 
 They believed not in the True Divinity, 
 In the True Trinity. 
 
 Stanza XVII. — » Tradition says he raised numbers to life in Ireland, as 
 well as in Letavia. — See note on 59th verse of Dr. O'Connell's poem. The 
 word tTjott, more, is used comparatively with Ireland, as is the same term 
 in the second line of eighteenth stanza. The meaning is, that our Apostle 
 performed more miracles, and sutfered more, in Letavia than in Ireland. 
 If this comparison was not intended by St. Fiech, it would be inelegant 
 and irregular to have introduced Letavia in this place ; he would have said 
 all he had to say about it at the ninth verse. 
 
 Stanza XVIIL— ^ " bTteio"— " eib]Tt." 
 
 Stanza XIX.— ^ Or " le." 
 
 Stanza XX. — * is here metrie causa. 
 
112 
 
 22. )t) 2l|ibn)Acl)A fjl it^j], 
 
 )y cell Tt)0]t <t)ur)-lec-3UTt*re, 
 Mjii^ b]l q6 b^c^tub* 'CemA^ii. 
 
 23. pAC|t<V]C b]A rt)-bo] ^l lobjtA 
 2lb cob]tA bol bo 2t)Ace 
 
 43o Uu]6 2l]t)5el a|i a ce^vv 
 po|i |*eb A T^eASAT) Ic^^te, 
 
 24. 43o -pAjc |rA 8eA|* b* UjccA^, 
 
 Ba b-e A|lib ]tAlA|*CA|l, 
 iA|*fAl|* ^TT)TT)Up:)e ] TT)-bA1 
 2lf AT) CejT) A b' 5AlA]*CA]t. 
 
 25. 2lf be|ic ojtbAT) bo 2t)Acbe, 
 <t)o C]t]|*c AclAi5ce bujbe 
 
 ^)0 cbuTT) 1)1 rbe Tt)0|l jlAj^V 
 
 Bo jiACA bu]c bo 5Uj6e. 
 
 26. Jnjnjor) bo fioejuicbiw 
 B]b lulled)* bjb^T) bo cac, 
 jiDitjuc*' ^l lACjturoefA 
 Be5A]c t)-6|tei)b bo b|iAc. 
 
 27. 2lt)A]|* 'CAfAC* b|A Ae|*, 
 
 21 T) CAT) bo bejic Coit)A]1) bo 
 2l|*be|tc r)]oy i^-jCpeAb pAC]tA]C, 
 Bfi^AiicA 'C^T^]'5 V]]^ bu 56. 
 
 28. SATbA]5]r C]i]c]-) -pit) A^bC], 
 
 21 |i T)A cAce lef oca ; 
 
 Co cetyr) bl]A&T)A bAj fO]lp, 
 
 Ba })-e X]tl^]te^ -pobA. 
 
 Stanza XXII. — t3], or without, tttebe, tribes, or people. 
 
 Stanza XXVI. — » lu]Taecb — Latin, " lorica." ^ ]rt)r\)nc, with thee. 
 Seachnall's hymn is here meant ; it comes next, and w as alluded to in the 
 fifty-eighth stanza of " The Dirge." 
 
113 
 
 22. In Armagh is the seat of the (entire) kingdom of 
 
 Ireland, 
 
 And the head of the kingdom of Eraain ( Ulster)^ 
 And great is the church of Dundalethglass, 
 It is not pleasant, that tribeless be Temar. 
 
 23. Patrick, when he was in decay {sick), 
 For comfort was going to Ardmagh ; 
 But there sat an Angel on his head, 
 On his way in the middle of the day. 
 
 24. He went southward to Victor [his familiar angel), 
 It was he sent for him. 
 
 Blaze did the bush in which he was, 
 And in' (from) the blaze he thus spoke. 
 
 25. *' There is given rule to Armagh, 
 To Christ {for this) give thanks ; 
 To heaven, i/ou great, will go, 
 Happy to you was your petition. 
 
 26. A hymn, which you sung, 
 Will be a coat of mail to all ; 
 
 In the day of Judgment, with thee 
 Will go the men of Eire to be judged." 
 
 27. Tassagh. remained after him. 
 
 When (the time) he gave communion to him. 
 And said Patrick would not come back. 
 The words of Tassagh were not false. 
 
 28. Stopt did the end of the night {night ceased), 
 For there was not spent the light with them ; 
 To the end of a year was light. 
 
 That was the continued, long day. 
 
 Stanza XXVII. — ^ Tassagh, it is said, was at first a gold and silver 
 smith ; that he ornamented St. Patrick's crazier, called the Staff of Jesus" 
 (see page 97), and that he was afterwards a priest and bishop. 
 
 Stanza XXVIIl. — * SjclAite, age for dai/, by synecdoche. 
 
 h 
 
114 
 
 29. 21t) cac ^eccA ] ro-BeAC|toT) 
 
 -pe6 ACfec l]cc|ie but). 
 
 30. l)-uA]|i Af|*u|c Ia l)-je|*ue 
 
 jt) 5ttiAi^ ^jt] h^x cloet), 
 C]A|*] c|teb|iecb be b-uji'i'e 
 Sojllfi fft^ becfecc at) T)oe, 
 
 31. Cle|t]cb 6|ter)b uoca|i 
 43'Aj|ti pAcftAjC, Af cecb f^c 
 Sot) It) ceAcu^l ^Of ]tolA^c 
 Cot)cu]l c-^cb uAbbjb fO]t ]*6c 
 
 32. 2lr)]rr) pAc^tAjc f]tjA cojtp 
 
 Jl* ^A]t fAeCAjb |tO |*CA|IA& 
 
 2lT)5el ] cec Ajbbce 
 Slji^b ^eq]* ceT)At)Abb, 
 
 33. Jr) CAT) COT)buAlAj PAC]tAjC, 
 
 2lb ellA p Pac|ia]c i:)A]le 
 )X TT)Alle cor)ucc A^bfec 
 
 cbuiD b'JfA TDAC 2l)A]|ie 
 
 34. PAC|tA]c cer) A]|ibe T)-UAbA]|i, 
 
 Ba TDO|t bo TT?A]C ]tO Tt7eAr)U]]t, 
 
 'B]t ]v 5ellfrne roejc ^A^jte 
 Bb<v r^i}5Ai|te It) 5et)ui|i. 3ei)u^|i. 
 
 Stanza XXXIII. — * PActiA]c, Patrick. — Supposed to be his nephew, 
 who died at the same time with him. 
 
 We regret we cannot afford space to follow up these notes. 
 
115 
 
 29. In the battle fought in Bethoron, 
 
 Against the tribes of Canaan, by the son of Nun, 
 Rested the sun over Gabaon, 
 
 That is what sacred letters (the Scriptures) tell us. 
 
 30. Whereas {or when) stood for Joshua 
 The sun for the death of the wicked ; 
 Therefore, threefold be this 
 
 Light on the death of the saint. 
 
 31. The clergy of Ireland went 
 
 To wake Patrick, from each quarter 
 
 The sound of the kettle drum, already buried 
 
 In sleep, each of them on the spot. 
 
 32. The soul of Patrick from his body 
 Was, after his labours, separated, 
 Ancrels of God on the first nigfht 
 Watched around him incessantly. 
 
 33. When {the time) Patrick died 
 He went to the other Patrick, 
 And with him he ascended 
 To Jesus the son of Mary. 
 
 34. Patrick void of the height of pride. 
 
 Many were the benefits he devised {or taught), 
 He was in the service of Mary's son, 
 He was of happy joy in his birth. 
 
116 
 
 HYMNUS ALPHABETICUS. 
 
 S. SECUNDINO.EPISCOPO, 
 
 ADSCRIPTUS IN LAUDEM S. PATRICII, TUM VIVENTIS. 
 
 1. Audite omnes amantes Deum sancta merita 
 Viri in Christo- Beati, Patricii Episcopi : 
 Quomodo bonum ob actum similatur angelis, 
 Perfectamque propter vitam sequatur apostolis. 
 
 The foregoing hymn was composed by Seachnall, properly Seanchall, 
 or Secundinus (Seanchal, pro. ShayunchuU, is the Irish for Secundinus 
 Secundus, and Felix, " happy"), in honour of St. Patrick. This Seanchall, 
 with two other eminent saints, came to Ireland from the Continent, A.D. 
 439. His father's name was Restitutus ; however, being a Latin name, it 
 needs not be concluded that he was a Roman, though he might be. For, if 
 Secundinus was himself called, in Irish, Seachnall, it would not imply that 
 he was an Irishman. The ecclesiastics of all countries, in early times, and 
 other personages, in connexion with Rome, either took or got Roman 
 names. Any person accustomed to history, especially Roman history, 
 admits this. Dr. Lanigan has shown, that Darerca was not his mother, 
 nor Patrick's sister. His reasoning on this head is very clear and cogent. 
 Restitutus was a Longobard. The exact territory of the Longobardi has 
 been disputed. We cannot enter that question, as space will not allow us 
 to do 30. Tacitus, in his " Annals," book ii. chap. 4, talks of them as a 
 German tribe. Cellarius, in his " Ancient Geography," places them east of 
 the Elbe and north of the Spree, in Germany. Lempriere makes them the 
 same as the Lombards, who settled in Italy, at the close of the sixth 
 century. Dr. Alexander Adam, in his " Summary of Ancient Geography," 
 denies this. But we find, on good authority, that the " Lingones," who 
 lived south of the Marne, towards Langres, joined a nation of the southern 
 Germans, the Bardaei, crossed the Alps, and made a settlement in Italy. 
 Hence it happened that Roman names and customs were not strange to 
 persons living east of the Alps. Seachnall was born A.D. 374, and died 
 A.D. 449, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, being only nine years on 
 the mission in Ireland. He was a bishop of eminent piety, prudence, 
 and learning. According to the learned Dr. Lanigan's computation, which 
 
117 
 
 THE ALPHABETIC HYMN 
 
 OF ST. SECUNDINUS, 
 
 TO THE PRAISE OF ST. PATRICK, WHILST HE YET LIVED. 
 
 1. All you who love God, hear the holy merits 
 Of a man in Christ blessed. Bishop Patrick, 
 How for his good deeds he is compared with angels. 
 And for his perfect life he is equalled to the apostles, 
 
 after due consideration, y>e have adopted, he was born thirteen years be- 
 fore St. Patrick, whose birth the accomplished Doctor has fixed A.D, 387, 
 , and death A.D. 465 : thus making him seventy-eight years old when he 
 departed this life. It is a very rare thing to find a nephew thirteen years 
 ; older than an uncle, yet Seanchall is represented as being a nephew of St. 
 [ Patrick. But, from the clear and convincing arguments laid down by 
 ; Lanigan, we are satisfied that the Irish Apostle had no relatives in Ireland, 
 I and that he called holy women and nuns sisters, just as is the custom in 
 our own days. For, if he had so many near relatives, what sense can be 
 found in certain passages in his " Confessions," expressive of his ardent 
 desire to pay a visit to his friends in Britany. Moreover, we are confirmed 
 in our opinion by a passage in his letter to Coroticus. In it he says, "//e 
 was constrained by the Spirit to be separated from his kindred." Besides, 
 in giving an account of his painful captivity, it is manifest that a man of 
 his piety would have exhibited some anxiety about his sisters, and would 
 have mentioned them. His omission in thar respect is an argument that 
 he had no sisters in Ireland. Again, the number of bishops set down as 
 the children of his sisters, renders the story difficult of beUef and very im- 
 probable. ^Yhoever would read more on this subject is referred to the 
 first volume of Lanigan, who rejects also the account, handed down by 
 some writers, alleging a dispute between St. Patrick and Secundinus. We 
 shall not, therefore, give it. The real motive that induced St. Seanchall 
 to compose the hymn was a divine impulse. It was an inspiration that 
 such an act would be pleasing to God, who rejoices in the praises of men 
 that have been sanctified by their good works, which were operated through 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 Seanchall, who was Bishop of Dunshaughlin, in Meath, and who, for 
 
118 
 
 2. Beati Christi custodit mandata in omnibus ; 
 Cujus opera refulgent clara inter homines, 
 Sanctumque, cujus sequuntur exemplum mirificum; 
 Unde et in coelis Patrem magnificant Deum. 
 
 some time, discharged vicariate duties for St. Patrick, whilst he visited 
 distant parts of Ireland — not Rome, as some assert — asked our Apostle's 
 permission to write a hymn in honour of a bishop who was yet alive. St. 
 Patrick answered, if he had made up his mind to perform such a duty, that 
 he had need to make his will, as his dissolution was nigh, and that he, of 
 all the bishops then in Ireland, would die first. Wherefore he, without 
 delay, wrote the hymn, and, according to Patrick's prediction, his pure 
 soul, having left the body, mounted up to heaven to possess the unfading 
 crown of glory, for which he so zealously fought the good fight. His 
 remains were interred in the Church of Dunshaughlin, and the many mi- 
 racles wrought at his tomb are an evidence that Heaven had anticipated 
 Rome in numbering him amongst the saints. When the reader refers to 
 the time of St. Seanchall's death, which was given above, he can easily 
 learn the time the hymn was composed. An insinuation was thrown out 
 by the Rev. Villanueva, a Spanish writer of 1835, that it was the first 
 hymn composed in Ireland. Had the Rev. historian stated that it was the 
 "first Christian Latin hymn," we might understand him. His not having 
 so qualified his language was paying too bad a compliment to an island 
 that surpassed every other country on the globe for the number of its poets, 
 the beauty of their diction, their Attic brevity, their Smyrnian sublimity, 
 and their Roman grace. We have a list of the bardic galaxy that adorned 
 the Irish horizon up to and after St. Patrick's days. But this is not the 
 place to enter upon such a question. At the same time, we feel bound to 
 reject, with just indignation, the imputation — that we were an illiterate 
 nation of savages before Christianity. We could demonstrate as plainly 
 as any proposition in Euclid, that our ancestors, the descendants of the 
 great Milesius, retained the deposit of learning that *vas brought to them 
 from the University of Scythia. It is likely that Latin literature was on 
 the decline, as it wa*s even in Rome in the fourth century. But the Irish 
 language, in all its graces and beauty, flourished in its native garden. In 
 it our Pagan bards wrote and sang the glorious deeds of the noble Mile- 
 sians. Through its medium was Astronomy, and the other sciences, taught 
 before Christianity. Dubhtagh, and his pupil, Fiech, were distinguished 
 poets when Patrick came to Ireland. We are not aware of any positive 
 proof that Latin was not taught here before Patrick. It is true he intro- 
 duced the Roman characters. 
 
119 
 
 2. Blessed Christ's commands in all things he keeps ; 
 His works shine bright amongst men, 
 And the Saint, whose wonderful example they follow, 
 Whereby in heaven also, God, the Father, they mag- 
 nify. 
 
 The hymn having been finished, the author asked St. Patrick's leave to 
 read it for him. Our Saint replied, "that he would willingly hear the 
 Lord praised in the works of His servants, or what He has wrought through 
 them." Secundinus, apprehending that he might incur the displeasure of 
 Patrick, who disliked human praise, omitted the first stanza in which our 
 Saint's name occurred, and he began at the second. Having proceeded on 
 until he came to the words — " Maximus in regno ccelorum," St. Patrick 
 interrupted him by saying, " how can it be said of a man, that he is the 
 greatest in the kingdom of Heaven ?" Seachnall replied — " the superlative 
 degree is used for the positive." The classical scholar is well aware that 
 such a practice is very usual with Latin writers. 
 
 When the reading of the hymn had ended, Secundinus hinted, that it 
 was indited in honour of St. Patrick himself, from whom he expected a 
 fixed reward. Patrick, though despising human applause, yet not wish- 
 ing to censure the devout zeal of his disciple, answered : " that Seanchall 
 might expect from the clemency of his Saviour the reward — that whoever 
 morning and evening would devoutly recite the hymn, would obtain a 
 happy death and the reward of glory." St. Evin adds, that Patrick an- 
 nounced : " that the person reciting the hymn would obtain a happy 
 death, if he were penitent and contrite." — See " Tripartite Life of St. 
 Patrick," b. iii. cap. 91. St. Evin and others have written largely on the 
 wonderful efficacy of the hymn. — See Probas L., iii. cap. 33 ; also the 
 authors of the Lives of Saints Kevin, cap. 23, 48 ; of Colman, cap. 25 ; of 
 Cannoc, cap. 43. Jocelyn says, that the Irish were in the habit of re- 
 citing it, and that they experienced its extraordinary efficacy, that many 
 reciting this hymn passed unobserved through the enemy's ranks, though 
 thirsting for their blood. Colgan, in his "Life of St, Aidan," bishop of 
 Ferns, treats of it at much length. Lanigan writes in high terms of it, and 
 alludes to an addition to it, which he saw in Colgan, and which we have 
 given. 
 
 The hymn was written in Latin, but in the Irish characters. We have 
 copied it from the work of Rev. Joachim Villanueva, who, with permission, 
 dedicated his book on Irish matters, to the late sainted Archbishop 
 Murray. It was contained in the " Antiphonarium Benchorense." This 
 most valuable work belonged to the monastery of Bangor, in the county 
 
120 
 
 3. Constans in Dei timore et fide immobilis, 
 Super quern sedificatur ut Petrum Ecclesia ; 
 Cuj usque apostolatum a Deo sortitus est, 
 
 In cujus portae adversum Infemi non praevalent. 
 
 4. Dominus ilium elegit ut doceret barbaras 
 Nationes, ut piscaret^ per doctrinae retia, 
 Ut de saccule credentes traheret ad gratiam, 
 Dominumque sequerentur sedem ad seternam. 
 
 of Down, Ireland. It is now in the Ambrosian library of Milan, whither 
 it was removed from the monastery of Bobio, in the Appenines. It may 
 be found in *' Muratori's Anecdota Ambrosiana," — Tom. iv. Patavii 1713. 
 He thought the manuscript a thousand years old. Dr. Lanigan says, that 
 it was much older; he does so, resting on evidences founded on certain 
 facts. In the lists of books presented to the monastery of Bobio, by Dungal, 
 in the ninth century, the Antiphonarium is not mentioned. St. Colum- 
 banus, the founder of the Italian monastery, was a monk of Bangor. 
 Hence Lanigan inferred, from a letter of his, and from other circumstances, 
 that the document was in Bobio, in the end of tlie seventh century. A 
 copy of it with scholia and a gloss, is in the " Speckled Book." — Royal 
 Irish Academy, Dublin. We regret we cannot insert the scholia, though 
 we fear some of them are not genuine. 
 
 The hymn, taken from the manuscript, was published by Colgan, A D. 
 1647 ; also by Ware, 1656, who calls it " Alphabetical," for this reason, that 
 the stanzas begin with the letters of the alphabet in regular order. A, B, 
 C, &c. This order is plain in Ware's edition, which, at the tenth stanza, 
 has " Kastam," though *' Castam" is given by Colgan. There are some 
 variations in these editions. We may say they are of no consequence, 
 being only literal not verbal — and not all at affecting the sense. These vary 
 a little from Muratori's edition, but not materially. The latter has the 
 addition of Colgan. Lanigan, who is rather hypercritical, but thoroughly 
 sound, seems well pleased with the integrity, authenticity, and veracity of 
 the hymn. It is to be kept in mind, that it was simply an imitation of 
 " Laudate Dominum Omnes ge7ites," being drawn up to praise God, in 
 praising his faithful servant, Patrick, through whom millions of Pagans 
 were gained to Christ. This, and this alone, was its object, though it 
 affords a grand model for a holy life, and gives a clear idea of perfect 
 Christian discipline. We have read much of Church history and of mis- 
 sionary labours and their results, and we have arrived at the conclusion, 
 
121 
 
 3. Constant in God's fear, and in faith fixed, 
 Upon him is built, as on Peter, the Church, 
 And his apostolate from God he received. 
 
 To whose detriment the gates of Hell do not prevail. 
 
 4, The Lord him elected to teach barbarous* 
 Nations, that he would fish by doctrine's nets. 
 That from the world believers he would draw to grace. 
 And the Lord they would follow to the eternal abode. 
 
 that no missioner or apostle made so complete, rapid, and vast a conver- 
 sion as St. Patrick — at once an evidence of the fruits of his perfect life, 
 and, at the same time, of the generous nature of the Irish, whose refined 
 literature tended to help the conversion. 
 
 Allusion to this hymn is made in the fifty-eighth stanza of Dr. O'Con- 
 nell's poem. He adds, that in case of necessity, at the hour of death the 
 recital of the three last stanzas would preserve the soul from purgatory. 
 Always, of course, pre- supposing contrition for sins. Upon what authority 
 he made this statement we have not seen. But we take for granted, that 
 the bishop must have met it to that effect in some of the lives of St. Patrick, 
 or in the life of some other saint. The author of " Ireland's Dirge" says, 
 that St. Patrick consecrated 200 bishops without wives. He uses " without 
 wives,'' because Protestants, who pretend that our saint was a Protestant, 
 assert that bishops ought to have wives. The humblest capacity can 
 plainly see, that the penitential and mortified life which our saint led (as 
 clearly stated in Seanchall's hymn, that of Fiech, and Patrick's own 
 " Confessions"), is repugnant to the principles of Protestantism, which 
 hold all penitential works to be damnable and derogating, as they say, 
 from the merits of Christ. Could they tell what was the name of Patrick's 
 ■wife, of whom not a word in his own writings ; ungrateful man, not to say 
 one word of his wife (!) 
 
 Eochaidh O'Flanagan, Erenagh, of xirmagh, says, that Seachnall's father 
 was Ua Baird — a descendant of Bard, or Ward, " of the race of the pure, 
 fierce, white-coloured, Longobairds of Letha." This written passage is 
 quoted by the Four Masters (A.D. 987), and his death at A.D. 1003; 
 they call O'Flanagan ** Historian of Ireland." 
 
 Aengus, the Culdee, in his book on the ** Mothers of the Saints of Ire- 
 land," mentions Seachnall as one of the seven sons of Ua Baird. Priest 
 Lugnath's (one of them) tomb is still to be seen in Inish na Gholl in 
 Corrib, in Galway. Dr. Petrie's *' Round Towers." " Annals of the Four 
 
122 
 
 5. Electa Christi talenta vendit Evangelica, 
 Quae Ibernas inter Gentes cum usuris exigit : 
 Navigii hujus laboris, turn operae pretium 
 Cum Christo regni coelestis possedit gaudium. 
 
 6. Fidelis Dei minister, insignisque nuntius, 
 Apostoiium exemplum formamque pr^ebet : 
 
 Qui tarn verbis, quam factis plebi prgedicat Dorainum, 
 Ut quern dictis non convertit, actu provocet bono. 
 
 7. Gloriam liabet cum Christo, honorem in saeculo : 
 Qui ab omnibus ut Dei veneratur Angelus : 
 
 Quem Deus misit, ut Paulum ad Gentes, Apostolum, 
 Ut omnibus ducatum prisberet regno Dei. 
 
 8. Humilis Dei ob metum spiritu et corpore, 
 
 Super quem, bonum ob actum, requiescit Dominus : 
 Cujusquea justa in carne Cliristi portat stigmata, 
 In cujus sola sustentanteb gloriatur cruce. 
 
 9. Impiger credentes pascit dapibus coelestibus, 
 Ne qui videntur cum Christo in via deficiant : 
 Quibus erogat panes, verba Evangelica, 
 Cujus muitiplicantur, ut manna, in manibus. 
 
 Masters/' tell us, that Aengus Olmucadlia, A.M. 3790, or according to 
 OTlaherty, A.M. 3150, gained twelve battles over the Longobardi; this 
 he takes from Leabhar Gabhla (Book of Invasions). These got no pos- 
 sessions in Italy before the latter end of the sixth century, and there 
 was never any such people known in Great Britain. But Leatha, in the 
 language of old Irish scholars, means Letavia or Armorica — Letha, 
 Litoralis, maritime. 
 
 Stanza IV. — » Because strangers to the language of Rome. 
 
 ^ The ancient Latins sometimes used " pisco" — Piscaretur would not 
 answer the metre as it would make the line consist of sixteen syllables. 
 
 Stanza V. — Mandates he gives. 
 
 ^ Present tense for future, " will possess." 
 
 Stanza VI.— » " to faith." 
 
123 
 
 5. Christ's chosen Gospel talents he vends,* [interest, 
 Which amongst the Irish Gentiles he requires with 
 Of the pilotage of this labour, as of the work the re- 
 ward, [the joy. 
 
 With Christ, of the celestial kingdom possesses'^ he 
 
 6. God's faithful minister, and illustrious messenger, 
 Apostolic example and model he gives. 
 
 Who, as by words, so by deeds, to the people preaches 
 the Lord ; 
 
 So that, whom by language he converts not, by good 
 works he stimulates.^ 
 
 7. Glory hath he with Christ, honour with the world ; 
 Who bv all is venerated as an Ano^el of God, 
 Whom God has sent {to the Irish) an apostle, as Paul 
 
 to the Gentiles, [dom. 
 That to all, guidance he would afford to God's king- 
 
 8. Humble, because of his fear of God, in spirit and body, 
 Upon whom, for his good works resteth the Lord ; 
 And in his pure flesh Christ's marks he bears, 
 
 In bearing whose cross alone he glories. 
 
 9. Diligently the faithful he feeds with flesh celestial. 
 Lest they, who are seen with Christ, on the way be- 
 come weak ; 
 
 To them he distributes as bread the Gospel precepts, 
 In whose hands, like manna, they are multiplied. 
 
 Stanza VIIL — ^ Cujus, qui, quem, are used in this poem, by Antimaeria, 
 for ejus, is, quern. 
 
 ^ Or sustentans, but in every sense this word would be corrupt Latin. 
 
 Stanza IX. — * Dupibus. — This word means the " Eucharist," the 
 fountain of all graces. If Seachnall meant bread, such as is used in the 
 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper — mere bread — he would not have 
 written " dapibus," but " panibus nor does the use of the plural number 
 
124 
 
 10. Kastam qui custodit carnem, ab amorem Domini : 
 Quain carnem templum paravit sanctoque* spiiitui, 
 A quo constanter cum mundis possidetur actibus : 
 Quam ut hostiam placentem, vivamb offert Domino. 
 
 11. Lumenque* mundi accensum ingens, Evangelicum, 
 In candelabro levatum, toti fulgens sa3culo, 
 Civitas Regis^ munita supra montem posita, 
 Copia in qua est multa, quam Deus possidet. 
 
 12. Maximus quoque in regno cselorum vocabitur 
 
 Qui quod verbis docet sacris, factis adimplet bonis.b 
 Bono praecedit exemplo, formaque'^ fidelium 
 Mundoque in corde habet ad Deum fiduciam. 
 
 13. Nomen Domini audenter annuntiat gentibus, 
 Quibus lavacri salutis seternam dat gratiam : 
 Pro quarum orat delictis ad Deum, 
 
 Pro quibus, ut Deo dignas immolatque hostias.** 
 
 militate against his obvious meaning. As a poet, he has applied through- 
 out the singular for the plural, and vice versa, as he did one tense for 
 another. Prose writers do the same. Thus Seachnall, more than once, 
 introduces actum for acta. In Virgil's ^Eneid, book iii. line 224, we read 
 " dapibus," though there was evidently but 6ee/, the flesh of the Harpies' 
 oxen. This appears from the fact that Celeno denounced woes to /Eneas, 
 "jyro sfratis juvencis,^' for having slaughtered their oxen. ^Yherever the 
 word dopes occurs in the iEneid, it signifies flesh-meat. However, our 
 feelings revolt from the abominable notions objected to us, because of our 
 belief in the Real and Substantial Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. 
 
 From the latter passage is learned that dapes was used by the old Latin 
 poet to denote, not corn or flour meat, hut flesh meat. Hence it is patent 
 that St. Seachnall intended to express by the term, that the Body and 
 Blood of the Lord was the Spiritual food with which Patrick diligently 
 fed his people, especially as in the second next line he introduces the 
 " Gospel truths," verba Ecangelica, as another sort of bread which he 
 broke to his followers. Dapes is the term for delicious viands. 
 
 Stanza X. — » Thus St. Paul says : " I bear the stigmas and wounds of 
 Christ, our Lord." 
 
125 
 
 1 0. Chaste he guards his flesh through love of the Lord ; 
 Which flesh, as a temple he prepared, and {that) for 
 
 the Holy Ghost, 
 By whom he is constantly possessed with pure deeds, 
 Which flesh, as a pleasing offering, living he presents 
 
 to the Lord. 
 
 11. And he is a light of the world, burning, great, Evan- 
 
 gelical, 
 
 In a candlestick raised, shining over all the age, 
 A city of the king, fortified, on a mountain placed, 
 In which is great abundance, which God possesses. 
 
 12. The greatest^ also in the Kingdom of Heaven will he 
 
 be called, 
 
 Who, what by sacred words he teaches, the same 
 
 fulfils by good works, 
 He excels in good example, and model^ of the faithful. 
 And in a clean heart hath he, before God, confidence. 
 
 13. The name of the Loi'd boldly he announces to the 
 
 Gentiles, [nal grace ; 
 
 To whom of the laver* of salvation he gives the eter- 
 For whose sins he prays to God, 
 For whom to God he also oflers'* worthy victim.^ 
 
 a Que is only for metre. 
 ^ Vivam, living by virtues. 
 
 Stanza XI. — » Lumen is the flame, lux the matter whence the flame 
 issues. 
 
 b Civitas Regis — The King's City. The " Speckled Book" makes Patrick 
 the king, and Christ the fruitful mountain — the city is the Church, in 
 which there is a great abundance of virtues ; Christ possesses the City. 
 What abounds in virtues and is possessed by Christ could not err. 
 
 Stanza XII. — ^ For very great. — This is very common with Latin 
 writers. 
 
 ^ Factis bonis.~lt is worthy of notice, the frequent mention made of 
 
126 
 
 14. Omnem, pro divina lege, mundi spernit gloriam, 
 Qui cuncta ad ejus mensam aestimat quisquilias ; 
 Nec ingruenti movetur mundi hujus flumine, 
 Sed in adversis lagtatur, cum pro Christo patitur. 
 
 15. Pastor bonus ac fidelis gregis Evangelica 
 Quem Deus Dei elegit custodire populum, 
 Suamque pascere plebem divinis dogmatibus ; 
 
 Pro qua, ad Christi exemplum, suam tradidit animam. 
 
 16. Quem pro meritis Salvator provexit Pontificem, 
 Ut in coelesti moneret clericos militia, 
 Coelestem quibus annonam erogat cum vestibus, 
 Quod in divinis impletur sacrisque affatibus. 
 
 " good deeds — honum actum, for bona acta, &c. ; if good works were de- 
 rogatory from the merits of Christ, Patrick would not have performed 
 them. 
 
 <= " The Life of St. Gregory," by Joannes Diaconus, has this couplet, 
 taken from the epitaph on his tomb — 
 
 " Implebatque actu, quidquid sermone docebat, 
 Esset ut exemplum, mystica verba loquens." 
 
 How like Seachnall's character of St. Patrick. 
 
 d Porma, in the third line, can be also translated as a nominative case, 
 thus — " As a model to the faithful he has confidence," &c. 
 
 Stanza XIII. — ^ Baptism is here meant. 
 
 b " Hostias," the plural number for the singular, as there is, was, and 
 will be but one victim, the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass, Jesus Christ, 
 who continues to otfer himself in an unbloody manner on our altar, by the 
 hands of his priests. " Hostias" must mean that, or prayers, or mere 
 bread ; he does not imply mere orizons. Because, in the preceding line 
 he mentioned prayers, " he prays,^' it does not denote " simple bread," 
 else the offering in the new law would be inferior to those of the old 
 law, in which cattle were offered ; and it is admitted, that the latter 
 were superior to bread offering, or the sacrifice of Melchisedech, and as 
 the sacrifice of Abel was before that of Cain ; but it is repugnant to 
 common sense, that the Jewish dispensation, " which was but the figure 
 or shadow,^' according to St. Paul, would have had a superior offering to 
 that of Christianity, which is the fulfilment of the former. The latter is 
 
127 
 
 14. For the divine law, all the world's glory despises he,^ 
 Who all things compared to His table he deems trifles, 
 Nor is he moved by the rushing torrent of this world, 
 But in adversity rejoices, as for Christ he suffers. 
 
 15. The good and faithful shepherd of the Evangelic flock, 
 Whom God selected to guard God's people, 
 
 And to feed His people with Divine dogmas;* 
 For which people, after Christ's example, he gave up 
 his life. 
 
 16. Whom for his merits* the Saviour raised to be Pontifex^ 
 That in heavenly warfare he might teach clerics. 
 
 To whom he distributes ceZes^za/'' hvesLd\Yith. vestmeiitSy 
 Which dutT/^ is concluded by divine and sacred ad- 
 monitions. 
 
 the reality, the former the type, and as substance excels the shadow so 
 must the sacrifice of St. Patrick, and all priests, surpass that of the Mosiac 
 system. Therefore the "hostias" mentioned in the poem, was written to 
 express the sacrifice of the Mass, and in the foregoing line he alluded to 
 the sacrament of penance. 
 
 Stanza XIV. — * The second line of the fourteenth stanza clearly goes 
 to demonstrate the pre-eminence of the Eucharistic table — all things are 
 tribes to it. If it were mere bread that was offered, the bible and other 
 matters would not be called trijles in comparison to it. 
 
 Stanza XV. — =^Here, again, is made a distinction het\yeeii feeding with 
 doctrine, and the feeding with the Eucharist, alluded to above. 
 
 Stanza XVI. — ^ Patrick is rewarded with preferment for his merito- 
 rious or good works. His faith would be dead without them, as the 
 Apostle has it — " Faith without good works is dead." 
 
 b High Priest, or Head of the Irish Church, of course subject to the 
 Pope, from whom he got his appointment, though previously called by 
 God ; as must indeed, by grace, every true minister. 
 
 Here again is a distinction between teaching and bestowing the " Body 
 of the Lord." In the previous Une he was to warn (to instruct) Priests, 
 in this line he gives celestial Eucharistic bread and vestments. Patrick is 
 represented in the passage giving, not terrenam annonam, but ccelestem — 
 not earthly, but celestial corn or bread. An appropriate name for the 
 
128 
 
 17. Regis nuntius, invitans credentes ad nuptias, 
 Qui ornatur vestimento nuptiali indutus ; 
 Qui coeleste haurit vinum in vasis coelestibus, 
 Propinansque Dei plebem spiritali poculo. 
 
 18. Sacrum invenit thesaurum sacro in volumine, 
 Salvatorisque in came Deitatem pervidet : 
 Quern thesaurum emit Sanctis perfectisque meritis, 
 Israel vocatur hujus anima videns Deum. 
 
 19. Testis Domini fidelis in lege catholica, 
 Cujus verba sunt divinis condita oraculis, 
 
 Ne humanse putrent carnes esseque a vermibus. 
 Sed coelesti salientur sapore ad victimam. 
 
 Eucharist, whose elements, whilst they retain the form, taste, appearance, 
 &c., are entirely transubstantiated, and feeds the soul, as temporal bread 
 does the body. 
 
 ^ This quatraine refers to the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Bishop 
 gives the candidates Communion, the vestments, the Missal; pledges them 
 to chastity and obedience, and admonishes them in Latin. The preposi- 
 tion in, in the fourth line, signifies " by," as it does in the ^Eneid, book i. 
 line 180 — "m formite'^ — "by vibrating the materials," &c., and in many 
 passages also in Greek. 
 
 Stanza XVII. — ^ This is an allusion to the royal marriage feast, men- 
 tioned in the Gospel of St. Matthew, cap. xxii. If but ordinary wine, how 
 could it be called celestial ? 
 
 ^ Propinans, " distributing the Eucharistic blood." This Stanza refers 
 to the celebration of the most holy and august sacrifice of the Mass, and 
 the administration of communion to the penitents at its close, just as our 
 prelates and priests practice in our own times. If in the chalice or 
 *' vasibus," there was only ordinary wine, it was terrenum not coeleste — 
 earthly not celestial, and the cup containing it would be no more coeleste 
 than any other vessel ; and in pledging the people of God (giving them 
 the chalice, as was the primitive custom until necessity, to which all cus- 
 toms must bow, interposed) in a spririfual bowl, he was therefore doing 
 a duty v.ith a vessel containing in it the true Sacred Blood of the Lamb 
 that was slain. Every word in the quatraine conveys the sublime notions 
 that the CathoHc Church has ever taught, believed, and professed relative 
 
129 
 
 17. The King's* messenger inviting the faithful to the 
 
 marriage feast, 
 Who is ornamented, being clad in the nuptial robe, 
 Who takes the celestial wine in heavenly vessels, 
 And pledging'' the people of God in the spiritual cup. 
 
 18. The sacred treasure in the sacred volume he found, 
 And in his Saviour's body the Deity he clearly saw, 
 Which treasure he purchased with his holy and per- 
 
 ^ feet merits; 
 
 Israel is called, his soul- seeing God. 
 
 19. The Lord's faithful witness in the Catholic law, 
 Whose words are preserved* with the divine oracles, 
 Lest human flesh would rot and be eaten by worms,b 
 But that they be seasoned with savour for a sacrifice. 
 
 to the real presence of Christ in the Most Adorable Eucharist. In it we 
 ihave mention of the priests' vestments, heavenly not earthly wine (there- 
 fore transubstantiated), the spiritual cup not temporal, having in it a 
 spiritual not a temporal gift. The language is altogether sublime and 
 expressive. 
 
 Stanza XVIII. — ^ Israel, according to St. Jerome, is " a man, or mind, 
 seeing God," he besides interprets the term — "Chief with God," when 
 commenting on Genesis, chap, xxxii. In the " Speckled Book" there is 
 this remark — " Israel, when a dissyllable, denotes a man fighting with 
 God, but when a trisyllable, a ma7i seeing God. It is written, that as the 
 Twelve Apostles will sit in judgment, on the last day, over the Tribes of 
 Israel, so will Patrick be judge over the Irish. Thus, according to Jerome's 
 comments, they will be Chiefs with Christ." How salutary must nol 
 then the invocation of St. Patrick be ? How influential his intercession 
 I with his Divine Master. 
 
 Stanza XIX — ^ From cojidior — to preserve or season. Fourth conju- 
 gation. 
 
 Or, Lest human flesh would corrupt and be food for worms. Might 
 not these words mean, that Patrick's own body would not see corruptiou 
 as other bodies ? that it would not decay nor become the food of worms ? 
 Or "vermibus," of vicious human science ; that is, that men might not be 
 
 i 
 
130 
 
 20. Verus cultor et insignis agri Evangelici, 
 Cujus semina videntur Christi Evangelica, 
 Quae divino serit ore in aures prudentlum, 
 Quorumque corda ac mentes Sancto arat Spiritu. 
 
 21. XPS. (Christus) ilium sibi elegit in terris vicarium, 
 Quem^ de gemino captivum liberat servitio, 
 Plerosque de servitute quos redemit hominum, 
 Innumeros de Zabuli obsolvit dominio. 
 
 22. Ymnos cum Apocalypsi, Psalmosque cantat Dei : 
 Quosque ad aedificandum Dei tractat populum, 
 Quem legem in Trinitate sacri credit nominis, 
 Tribusque Personis unam docetque substantiam. 
 
 23. Zona Domini prsecinctus, diebus ac noctibus 
 Sine intermissione Deum orat Dominum : 
 Cujus ingentis laboris percepturus proemium, 
 Cum Apostolis regnabit Sanctis super Israel. 
 
 left to perish by infidelity, or be led into error, and become the prey of 
 false teachers " vermibus" or " lupis," " wolves." 
 
 Stanza XXI. — ^ Elegit. — Peter is the Comes, Patrick the Vicarius, and 
 Christ, the *' King." St. Jerome, de gradibus Romanorum, says that the 
 " Vicarius is a man who is over the city in the absence of the Comes, whilst 
 the Comes goes with the * King :' so he (Patrick) is Vicarius Dei." — Liber 
 Hymnorum. It is not necessary to tell the Linguist that the Latin term, 
 Comes, is a *' companion," — " chief adviser." 
 
 ^ By using quem, " whom," the passage signifies, that Christ freed our 
 saint from his Irish captivity, and from what he underwent in his own 
 country when he returned from Ireland ; or from the double slavery of 
 man and Satan. But we prefer making it qui, ** who," and thus make 
 Patrick the antecedent, as he emancipated thousands in his own country, 
 in the islands, and Ireland from the bondage of the devil ; and he like- 
 wise liberated thousands from physical slavery, as may be learned from 
 his memorable letter against Coroticus, who captured and murdered, 
 amongst others, the Christians. He threatened him, in God's name, with 
 eternal damnation, unless he desisted from his iniquity. We must then 
 read in this line ** captivos" for " captivum ;" or, Who frees captives from 
 double slavery. 
 
131 
 
 20. A true and distinguished cultivator of the Evangelical 
 
 land, 
 
 Whose seeds are seen to be the Gospel {or of the 
 Gospel) of Christ ; [the wise, 
 
 Which, with his divine lips, he sows in the ears of 
 Whose hearts and minds he ploughs with the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 21. Christ, him for Himself, selected* on earth, as vicar. 
 Whom, when captive. He frees from two-fold slavery, 
 A great many he * redeems from the slavery of men, 
 Inniimerable he has released from the dominion of 
 
 Satan. 
 
 22. Hymns with the Apocalypse, and the Psalms of God 
 
 he chants. 
 
 And which he announces* to edify the people of God, 
 Whom he believes to be the law^ in the Trinity of 
 
 the Sacred Name, 
 And in Three Persons, One Substance, he teaches.*' 
 
 23. With the girdle of the Lord begirt, days and nights, 
 Without intermission, God the Lord he prays. 
 Whose reward /br his great labour he will obtain ; 
 With the holy Apostles he shall reign over Israel. 
 
 * Patrick. 
 
 Stanza XXII. — ^ The word** tractat," announces or publishes, implies 
 expatiates upon, explains to his flock. 
 
 ^ He believed the Christian law to be, that God was the Trinity — 
 that the Trinity was God ; that is, that there were three Persons, distinct, 
 but that there was only One Substance. St. Patrick was most minute 
 in explaining the Trinity and Unity. This doctrine — of course a stupen- 
 dous mystery — he sought to make Laoghaire (Lhayree), the king, under- 
 stand by pointing out to him, that the trefoil, or Shamrock, had three leaves 
 and but one stem. Hence our native shamrock has ever since been held 
 in veneration by Irishmen of all creeds and classes throughout the world. 
 
 * " Que" after '* docet" is for metre, to complement the verse of fifteen 
 
132 
 
 [In Colgani exemplari additur :] 
 
 Audite : 
 
 Patricii laudes semper dicamus, ut noscum illo defendat 
 Deus ; 
 
 Ibernienses omnes clamant ad te pueri : 
 
 Veni, sancte Patrici, salvos nos facere. 
 
 Patricius sanctus Episcopus oret pro nobis omnibus, 
 
 Ut deleantur protinus peccata quas commisimus. Amen. 
 
 TRANSLATION. 
 
 [In Father Colgan's copy of the Poem are read the following lines, which 
 we take to be an Antiphon.] 
 
 Hear ye : 
 
 Patrick's praises I will always sing, that God us witli 
 
 him defend. 
 All the Irish youths cry out to thee, 
 Come, holy Patrick, cause that we be saved. 
 May the holy bishop, Patrick, pray for us all, 
 That forthwith may be effaced the sins we committed — 
 
 Amen. 
 
 The Antiphon in the Liber Hymnorum is diflferent from the above, as is 
 that in the Leabhar (Lhyowur) Breac. 
 
 syllables. For the same reason it may be, that he uses the present tense 
 for the past; though, in doing the latter, he has only imitated the writ- 
 ings of some of the poets of the Augustan age. In fact, the Greek and 
 Latin poets rather make language subservient to them, than that they 
 should be bound up by grammatical rules. Our modern bards are equally 
 arbitrary. Homer abounds in particles — ** metri aut festivitatis, seu mu- 
 sicse causa." An ignorance of the laws of poetry and of poetic licence 
 has caused parties, otherwise well versed in the translation of Irish, to 
 destroy the fresco cornices of some pieces, to reduce them to the standard 
 of their own notions of grammar. 
 
133 
 
 THE APOSTLES OF IRELAND. 
 
 The annexed interesting passage is taken, word for word, from a manu- 
 script Martyrology of Tamlacht (Tallaght), preserved in the Burgundian 
 Library, at Brussels, Belgium : — 
 
 Joannes Baptista = 
 
 Petrus Apostolus = 
 
 Paulus A. = 
 
 Andreas A. = 
 
 Jacobus A. = 
 
 Johannes A. == 
 
 Philipus A. = 
 
 .Bartholomeus A. = 
 
 Tomas A. = 
 
 Matheus A. = 
 
 Jacobus A. = 
 
 Simon A. = 
 
 Thatheus (Tadeus) A. = 
 
 Mathias A. = 
 
 Maria = 
 
 Martinus — 
 
 Antonius Monachus = 
 
 Augustinus Sapiens = 
 
 Ambrosius Immodicus = 
 
 Job Patiens = 
 
 Jeromius Sapiens = 
 
 Clemens Papa = 
 
 Gregorius Moralium = 
 
 Laurtius (sic) Diaconus = 
 
 Beda Sapiens = 
 
 Ibarius Episcopus et Sapiens = 
 
 Cornelius Papa = 
 
 Silvester Papa = 
 
 Bonifacius P. ~ 
 
 Pauconius Monachus = 
 
 Benedictus Caput Monachorum = 
 Europse 
 
 Augustinus Episcopus Anglorum = 
 (sic) 
 
 " Hi sunt sancti, qui erant unius moris vitse, ut dicunt." 
 " These are saints whose habits and lives were the same." 
 " * So called from having composed several verses. (We think this note 
 refers to Mal-isi Damh). 
 
 ** Pope Gregory the Great, author of the ' Libri Moralium,' or ' Expo- 
 sition of the Book of Job.' 
 
 " Cummian Fota, the Tall. 
 
 A. D. 601." 
 
 Episcopus Ibar 
 Patricius 
 
 Finnan Cluana h-Jiraird 
 Colum-cille 
 Finnian Mhinghe bile 
 Ciaran Cluana 
 Cainneac (Cannoc) 
 Brendinus Senior 
 Brenain Cluana Ferta 
 Colum-tire-da-glas 
 Comgall Bennchoir 
 Molisi Damh-inis 
 Sinchallus Junior 
 Ruadan (Ruan) Lothra 
 
 Brigita 
 
 Caemghin (Kevin) Glinn-da-Logha 
 Feichin Fobhar (Tovir) 
 Lonngaradh (Lonngara) 
 Mac in Decis 
 Munna Mac Tulcain 
 Manchan Leith 
 Ciaran Saigir (the first) 
 Cumman Fota 
 Decoin Nassau 
 Binte Mac Bronaigh 
 Seachnall Episcopus 
 Maclog Ferna (Ferns) 
 Adamnus Episcopus 
 Malaisi Leith-glinne (Leithlin) 
 Cainen Innis Cealtra 
 Fintan Cluana Eidneach caput Mo- 
 nachorum totius Hibernise 
 Episcopus Mumhain agus Conacht 
 
134 
 
 STANZA XLVII. 
 
 Diarmuid C Duibfine in the battle of Gabhra (Gawra) 
 showed himself a hero of great strength. He engaged 
 and slew Criomthan (Creevin), king of Leinster. He 
 supported the rebel, Fionn, who sought by the Fenian 
 forces to enslave both king and people. Never yet did 
 liberty exist with a standing army, who are but the tools 
 of some tyrant or a few knaves. This Diarmuid took 
 away Fionn's wife, Graine, and to escape his vengeance,' 
 scoured all Ireland, and made what are termed the 
 " Hag's beds." We often sheltered in one of them on 
 
 o 
 
 the top of a hill near the cross-road of Becan (a parish in 
 Mayo), on our way to school. It was called '*Leaba 
 Diarmuid agus Graine." This Grace was the daughter 
 of King Cormac, who then gave his other daughter to 
 Fionn as a wife ; her name was Albea. 
 
 Glas Donn (the Brown) Mac Aenchearda, was a 
 celebrated Fenian chief. His wife was the famous Sadhbh 
 (Syve). See "Fenian Tales." GoU, after he killed 
 Cumhill at Castleknock, became chief of all the Fiana 
 Eire as well as of his own Clanna Morni, of Connaught. 
 Eogan More made Cumhall (Cooill) general of the Fian- 
 na, A.D. 173. 
 
 Caoilte Mac Ronan, Oscur, and Oisin^ were also chiefs 
 of the Fians. Oisin was son of Fionn, and Oscur was 
 son of Oisin. They were poets and druids as well as 
 military chiefs. See Miss Brooke's " Collections." 
 
 Conan upbraided Fionn, chief of Clanna Baosgne, of 
 malice towards the Clanna Morni, because of Cumhall's 
 death. His foul mouth, like that of Homer's Thersites, 
 was unsufFerable. He created such a spirit of jealousy, 
 that it ended in the destruction of the Fian bodies by 
 
135 
 
 Cairbre. Hence our author styles him Fear millte na 
 Feine," the ruin of the Fians. 
 
 Conan died A. D. 295, and was buried on Sliabh 
 (Shleeiv) Callan, in the county of Clare. The Ogham 
 inscription on his tomb is this : — 
 
 " ^0 TT)-bo T*o (5) A5 loc 'f AX) Oca C]^A &ll t)A^." 
 
 " Long may he rest at the lake under the Ogham, which is the favorite of the sacred." 
 
 It is said he was treacherously slain by the Fians at a 
 sun-worship gathering. It was an ancient Irish poem 
 that led to the discovery of his monument. The poem 
 has these words ; — 
 
 •"5 c^v A]x)]x\) 05ATt) AiTl lie bUicT), I 1*1] Abb con)])-&ubl) CAUA]n." 
 "And his name is in Ogham cliaracters on a flat stone on the black mountains of Callan." 
 
 Many ideas of literary enquiry present themselves to 
 our vision arising from the above lines, but we regret we 
 cannot here insert them. One thing we must observe, 
 that "•Oca" in the former verse and "O5ATT)" in the latter 
 are synonimous, and that in them we find the root of 
 " Ogygia," a name of Ireland. This being so, we wish 
 here to say that we prefer this latter to a former derivation 
 we gave. The perusal of the late Lord Rosse's " Defence 
 of Ancient Ireland," in which he exposes Mac Pherson's 
 plagiary, suggested the above root. 
 
 The family of the Mac Aliens are alluded to by the 
 author of the poem on which we are commenting, as 
 being the founders of Dun Aidan or Eadun — Edinburgh — 
 in Scotland. We find from the writings of Adamnan, 
 successor of Columba, that Aidan, king of Albanian Scots, 
 was, through the interest of St. Columba, allowed to take 
 a seat at the Council of Dromceat in Ulster, which was 
 summoned to chastise the poets for their insolence, and 
 which was obviated by the saint's interference. Aidan 
 
136 
 
 procured an exemption from the Borivean tribute. His 
 kingdom was henceforth declared independent, through 
 the influence of Columbkille, who himself gave up his 
 right to a crown, that he might devote himself entirely to 
 religion. The grandson of Aidan or Haydon, turned his 
 arms against O'Donell, king of Ireland, A. D. 603, who 
 defeated him. His defeat in Ireland weakened his power 
 much, and a part of his kingdom fell into the hands of 
 Saxons for some .years after. Aidan, Eadun, Headan or 
 O'Haydan, was a great name amongst the Irish. One of 
 the sons of Miledh (Meelay) or Milesius was so called. 
 
 Some of our readers may wish to be informed on the 
 term " Picts." The Criuthini, or Picti, migrated very 
 early from Asia to Thrace, thence to France, to evade the 
 criminal passion of the king of that country for the 
 daughter of their leader. In France they built the city of 
 Poictiers. Here also the monarch of that country wished 
 to enjoy the young lady without marriage, but her father, 
 to preserve the honour of his child, fled, and sailing north 
 of Britain, landed, according to the Venerable Bede, in 
 Ulster ; Whence they were afterwards driven to Albania, 
 denominated Scotland by Nial, at the request of the Da- 
 lariads. It should be sooner noticed that, according to the 
 Chronicle of Stow, some of the Scots settled in Albania so 
 early as A. D. 73. Numerous and learned are the autho- 
 rities that make it certain Scotland was peopled by the 
 Irish Scots. It appears to us that these Picts {so called 
 from painting the figures of persons and things most 
 admired by them on their clothes and skins), though 
 they are by origin, Scythians, were natives of Crete. — 
 " Cruthim' differs very little from Crethini, or Cretini. 
 Indeed the reader, who is acquainted with the spirit of 
 Latin, and aware of the practice of the old authors of 
 
137 
 
 substituting one vowel for another, can easily have ob- 
 served, that the words above denote the same thing, and, 
 consequently, that Crete was their old land. In that 
 island some of the Milesians, having been old, sick, and 
 others weary of the wanderings of their chief, settled and 
 multiplied. A colony of these built Miletus, in Asia 
 Minor, to the south of Troy ; of these Scuts or Scots 
 came Thales, the great astronomer. In truth, wherever 
 the Milesians went they carried in one hand the lamp 
 of knowledge and enlightenment, though they bravely 
 wielded the sword in the other. See history of the 
 Milesians in this work. 
 
 The Sybil prophetess of Carrigaleea, — The Dalcassians' 
 "fairy queen" was a Sybil. Her cave was near Killaloe, 
 if this be the " fairy" meant in this passage. An antiquarian 
 says the name of her habitation was Crage-liath" (Ihyagh), 
 and, that Murrough, the son of Brian Boroimhe (Borivey), 
 consulted her before the battle of Clontarf. The latter 
 -part of the story is a fable, as the young prince was a 
 Christian, and would not consult an imaginary being. 
 The Rev. Charles J. O'Connor, of Sandy ford, a native of 
 Kerry, a descendant of the illustrious O'Connor-Kerry, 
 whose ancestors suffered the loss of life and property in 
 the awful times of Cromwell, has lately told us, that, when 
 in 1851, he was making an antiquarian tour in his old 
 county, which was possessed by his progenitors many cen- 
 turies before the Mac Carthys and O'Sullivans came to 
 it (Kerry and Cork were formerly Desmond), a resident 
 learned priest pointed out to him the place where the 
 Sybil cave stood. It is about one and a-quarter mile 
 west of Tralee (cjiAg I^ac, gray shore), and he adds, 
 that the place is still called cA]i]ti5e I^ac, grey rock 
 or stones. We are aware that many places in Ireland 
 
138 
 
 have that name. There is one in Wicklow very much 
 frequented in Summer by Dublin tourists. Not far from 
 the Sybil's cave is an old church on the Clogherbreen 
 road, near which the Right Rev. Richard O'Connell, 
 bishop of Kerry, and Pierce Ferriter were hanged in the 
 terrible days of that scourge from hell — Cromwell — and 
 here we may say, that our author must have been a young 
 relative of the martyred bishop — that it is likely he was a 
 student when the relative was murdered. After the exe- 
 cution of Richard, there was a great confusion relative to 
 the dates, names, and elections of Munster bishops, espe- 
 cially of Ardfert. In 169 1, an attempt was made to annex 
 the latter to Waterford, as we have learned from a work 
 of that date. 
 
 In the times of Cromwell, as in the days of St. Patrick, 
 it was perhaps the practice that some of our bishops had 
 legatine powers in all matters requiring the interference 
 of Rome. Such was the system of espionage observed 
 by Cromwell's sharks and bloodhounds, that there existed 
 a necessity for such a provision, owing to the difficulty 
 of communication with the Centre of Unity. On this 
 point we write in our preface. We should remark that 
 it appears the exact spot on which the bishop and the 
 accomplished poet were sacrificed is called Ovoc^v t)a 
 5leAT)r) — Fair-hill, near Killarney, or hill of the vale. 
 
 From the fact of the existence of an Irish sybil, it ap- 
 pears that there were more than the Cumean one in Italy, 
 who was consulted by ^neas. There were several fairy 
 prophetesses in Ireland, whom the Pagan chiefs consulted 
 on all great occasions. The Mac Mahons of Clare con- 
 sulted Cliona. Some of the princes of parts of Cork and 
 Kerry had recourse to Ane (Awney). This goddess was 
 respected in other parts of the country. Ana is a con- 
 
139 
 
 traction of eA5T)A, loisdom. Hence Sanus, fern. Sana, 
 put away Sis, and we have " Anna," or " Anne." The 
 name is something resembling the Athene, Minerva, of 
 Greece. We could adduce some thousand words almost, 
 nay, exactly identical in Greek and Irish. Their manners 
 and system of worship were nearly parallel. The pro- 
 phetess of Cuma vaticinated by means of leaves. Hence 
 the radices — |*|6e, /fl/ry, b]ll65e, leaves, and not o-etoj, 
 for ^etoy, fern. Oeii], divine, and 'Bovkr], plan. This is 
 the received derivation — ihowgh. forced. Hence also may 
 be inferred that the institution of the Italian fairy was 
 borrowed from the Celts, in their travels through the 
 Mediterranean Sea. The works of the " Kilkenny Archae- 
 ological Society" have much interesting matter on this sort 
 of knowledge. )hh\x\ might be thus derived — pS, know- 
 ledge, b^ul, mouth, to distinguish her from the sybil that 
 gave her vaticinations on leaves, — See VirgiFs " -^neid." 
 
 STANZA LIII. 
 
 The poet in this quatraine says, there were four bishops 
 in Munster before St. Patrick. By the appellation 
 
 Munster,'* he signifies Leagh Mogha, that part of Ire- 
 land which was given to Owen Mor, in the time of Conn 
 of the Hundred Battles, and lay south-west of the Shannon 
 and Boyne. The assertion contained in this passage cor- 
 responds exactly with the following quotation from the 
 Life of St. Deighlan, C^^le C)e, or Deicolus, " God- wor- 
 shipper:" — ^^Quatuor Sanctissimi episcopi cum suis dis- 
 cipulis fuerunt in Hibernia ante Patricuum, prcedicantes 
 in ea Christum ; scilicet, Albceus, Deiclanus, Ibarus, et 
 Kyrianus'' It should have been stated, that St. Palla- 
 dius was sent by Celestine ; but, as he did not understand 
 the Irish language, the chieftains gave him no reception. 
 
140 
 
 and, after twelve months, he withdrew to Albania, or 
 Scotland, where he died. Ailbe was a great saint and 
 scholar; as we treat of him in our notes on St. Patrick 
 elsewhere, it is not necessary to say more of him in this 
 place. Deighlan was bishop of the " Desii," in Water- 
 ford. Mr. O'Desey, the eminent Queen's Counsel, is a 
 descendant from that ancient and illustrious tribe. 
 Deighlan was baptized by Colman, a priest, at whose ex- 
 pense he was educated by Dymna, a Christian school- 
 master; went to Rome, was ordained, and afterwards 
 consecrated by Celestine. He met Ailbe of Imly (shortly 
 after of Cashel), in the Eternal City; he met Patrick also 
 therein. He was of the noble tribe of the O'Deisies. 
 St. Kyrian of Saigar lived to be very old. He read and 
 taught theology for twenty years in Rome, and was con- 
 secrated bishop. He was of Ossory, in Ely O' Carroll, a 
 country in the present King's County ; but, in the days of 
 St. Kyrian, it contained the present baronies of Ikerrin 
 and Eliogarty, in Tipperary. He is said to have made 
 three petitions to God for his countrymen, viz. one 
 for the grace of repentance at the hour of death; one 
 against injury from infidels; and last, for the destruction 
 of Ireland seven years before the coming of Antichrist, 
 lest the Irish should be tempted by his preaching. Probus 
 records other petitions made by him. He* was born at Cape 
 Clear, A.D. 352, and was seventy years old when Patrick 
 came to Ireland. His mother was Liedania. Ivar, for a 
 long time, opposed the jurisdiction of St. Patrick, until 
 he was warned by an angel to yield to him, as he was 
 
 * St. Kyrian was on the mission in many parts of south and east Ireland. 
 His bii-th-place is said to have been Cape Clear, as stated ; his chief mis- 
 sionary labours in King's County, Tipperary, and Wexford. Hence writers 
 generally set him down as of that country : people will give the Right Rev. 
 Dr. Blake, of Dromore, though born in Dublin, as " of Dromore." 
 
141 
 
 divinely appointed to govern the Irish Church. He at 
 once manifested his natural humility. — See " Deighlan's 
 Life," and Hanmer, page 695. These glorious fathers of 
 the Church are more particularly noticed in our notes on 
 St. 'Patrick. Some of this note may be disputed, but 
 space does not allow us to answer objections. 
 
 STANZA LIX. 
 
 Some respectable writers deny this number of bishops 
 and priests. However, we see no reason to doubt it, as 
 the number is to be referred to the consecrations and or- 
 dinations of all the years of St. Patrick's mission in Ireland. 
 Some of his first converts were men advanced in life and 
 did not long survive their promotion to the episcopacy and 
 the priesthood. The nobles of this country were as zealous 
 in the cause of their newly adopted religion as they were 
 before remarkable for their thirst for fame in the practice 
 of arms. Princes and chieftains were foremost in seeking 
 the clerical state. For instance, the children of ^ngus, 
 king of Munster ; Columba, heir- apparent to a throne in 
 Ulster ; O'Brennan of Ardfert ; and O'Brennan of Clonfert 
 (though the saint of Aghadoe, in Kerry, did not live in 
 St. Patrick's time) ; the latter was about thirty-two years 
 old when Patrick *came to Ireland, and lived 112 years 
 after him, that is, until 577, as we find in O'Reilly's "Irish 
 Writers," in Burns' " Remembrancer," and other places — 
 
 Years. 
 
 His age was, when Patrick came, 32 
 
 According to Lanigan, the time of Patrick's mission - 33 
 
 St, Brennan's age when Patrick died - - - - 65 
 Add to this, after Patrick - 112 
 
 177 
 
 Almost all writers are agreed, that O'Brennan of Clon- 
 fert lived to that age ; during his long life he founded 
 
142 
 
 many monasteries, he visited distant lands, and was first 
 bishop of Clonfert, which is named in Keating as one of 
 the Sees represented in the early synods of Ireland, and 
 denominated Clonfert Breanuin. He died in the convent 
 of his niece, Briga^ in Annadown, and his remains were 
 afterwards translated to Clonfert, where they repose. 
 Owing to the fact, that there were, according to Keating, 
 fourteen eminent saints of that name in Ireland, he is 
 often confounded with O'Brennan or Brendan of Kerry, 
 who was not born in St. Patrick's days, but whose birth 
 and future greatness the apostle foretold. A few years 
 ago there was a beautiful alto relief figure of St. Brennan 
 in the old church in Ardfert. The diocess included the 
 whole country and a part of Cork, being fifty-two miles 
 from north to south, and forty-eight broad. The most of 
 the ruins of that once magnificent church were standing at 
 no distant period ; also a round tower 120 feet high, 
 
 which fell in 1770 Archdall's " Monasticon." We see a 
 
 difficulty in attempting a description of some of the galaxy 
 of saints that shed a halo on ancient Ireland ; but it is not 
 our duty, as mere annotators, to enter on such a project, 
 else we would endeavour to adjust the names, dates, and 
 places of the respective saints. From what we have read 
 in various histories, as well ecclesiastical as profane, we 
 have come to the conclusion that O'Brennan of Clonfert 
 was son of Finloga, of the royal race of Heremon, in 
 Connaught, who died, 577, in the north-eastern part of 
 Ui Bran — that there was an O'Brennan of great celebrity 
 in Ely O' Carroll (now of King's County), he was the son 
 of Luagne (Lhovawne), of the Leinster Heremonians, 
 and that St. Brennan or O'Brenan of Kerry (died 576), 
 was of the royal line of Ciar.'* — (Keating, vol. ii. p. 
 531.) O'Flaherty gives a Brennan or Brendan, son of 
 
143 
 
 Fergus, son of Conall Gulban, and of Erica, daughter of 
 King Lorcan. He was uncle of Columbkille. This being 
 so, we see how so great a number of saints of the same 
 name existed. Wherever there are many of one name, 
 there must necessarily be confusion, unless much care be 
 taken to adjust the names; and, indeed, Irish Church 
 history requires a revision in this important matter. Else- 
 where, depending on some authority, we made the saint 
 of Birr and Clonfert one and the same. But there miorht 
 have been more than one Birr, and the confluence of the 
 ji Shannon and Suck, near Clonfert, could be well called 
 Birr, which means waters." There were more than 
 one Cluanfeart (Clonfert) . Wherever miracles or wonders 
 were wrought, or dead bodies interred, was a CIuat)- 
 peAjtcA, a corner, or place of miracles or graves. Thus 
 Tara was at one period called Cluan-feart, 
 
 Many of the bishops that were consecrated travelled to 
 other countries to spread the faith. Moreover, the sudden 
 conversion of all 'Ireland, afibrds an inference that the 
 number of prelates and priests must have been very con- 
 siderable to eifect so wonderful a work in so short a time. 
 And St. Patrick saw, that, as the nation was a warlike 
 one, he should engage many hands to conquer Satan, and 
 when the victory had been won, like a skilful general, 
 he felt that he required more teachers to keep the converts 
 from harm, as well as to push his conquest all over the 
 country. This he did with a rapidity never equalled. 
 Hence it is plain the number here set down, when con- 
 sidered as spread over the space of his mission and over 
 the pentarchy, was not exaggerated. Another reason for 
 the large number might be this — some of the royal blood 
 had joined the standard of Christ, so that our saint saga- 
 I ciously bestowed the mitre on many of them, who were 
 
144 
 
 tlius made princes much higlier than earthly ones. There 
 was great wisdom in such a course, at such a time. 
 
 STANZA LXIV. 
 
 We would, did space permit, comment on the subject of 
 this verse, which alludes to the fatal differences that purpled 
 the green fields of Erin with the blood of men, whose souls 
 should be knitted together in the bonds of love. After the 
 death of Brian Borovey, Malachy, or Maol Seaghlin, re- 
 gained the throne; be was succeeded, according to Keating, 
 by Donough, son of Brian, in 1048, who after a turbulent 
 reign of some years, and the murder of his brother Teige, 
 was deposed and went to Rome to do penance for his sins. 
 In ignorance of his right to the crown, which he held only 
 in trust from the nation, he brought it to the Eternal City, 
 and, it is said, he made a present of it to his Holiness. In 
 this attempt to expiate the sins of his past life he sought 
 to rob his native land of her sceptre, and thus put an obex 
 to his repentance being accepted by H!im, who said on 
 Sinai — " Thou shalt not steal." What madness ! just as 
 if he had the right to transfer, or the Pope to accept, what 
 belonged to Ireland. Monarchs are but the stewards of 
 the throne, the people are the proprietors. Hence, he 
 acted iniquitously in transferring it, and the Pope should 
 not have acted on the offer of an old profligate, who, for 
 his unnatural conduct towards a pious brother, was hurled 
 from the royal seat which he dishonoured and stained with 
 fratricide. 
 
 STANZA LXVIII. 
 
 What a man was sent to reform the habits of the Irish ! 
 the sancticide Henry, whose hands were still not cleansed 
 from the blood of that illustrious prince of the Church of 
 
I 
 
 145 
 
 God, St. Thomas a Becket. Such a monster to be dele- 
 gated to restore discipline was making a mockery of reli> 
 gion. But Adrian was an Englishman, and for aught we 
 know, a relative of Henry II. After he was elected Pope, 
 in 1154, England's king wrote him a letter of congra- 
 tulation. Hence forward a friendship was established 
 between them. The aggrandizement of his native country 
 was his motive, and I may add, that he manifested some- 
 thing of personal ambition in the sale of Ireland. The 
 spiritual supremacy of the Church, vested in the Pope, is 
 as necessary as that of a ship's captain to steer herself and 
 her crew safely; but he had no temporal right over 
 Ireland to make away with its crown. 
 
 Almost every history on Irish matters, even Wright's, 
 brought out by Tallis, has agreed that the cause of re- 
 ligion in Ireland, at that very time, did not require any re- 
 formation — and could not expect it from the allies of the 
 adulterous, perjured Mac Murrough. Who were his first 
 adherents in Wales ? The Fitz Henrys, illegitimate sons 
 of Henry L, and other children of Nesta, the concubine 
 of the said Henry, viz. De Gros, Fitz Gerald, Fitz Stephen, 
 the three De Barris, one of whom was the infamous Cam- 
 brensis — all the offspring of the harlot Nesta — a vicious 
 monarch, with Cavanagh, his bastard son, were the nest 
 of robbers who, at first, gave their adhesion to Dermod, 
 God! how awful is the reflection, that an island which 
 was so powerful in resources should become the prey of 
 such an infernal banditti — all the issue of sin ! The soul 
 shrinks back from the contemplation of, and the flesh of 
 the hand, that writes these lines, creeps with disgust at the 
 mere recording of such turpitude. For the origin of the 
 gang of English plunderers we refer to Wright's "Ireland," 
 chap. ix. p. 1. The idea of Satan quoting Scripture is not 
 
 k 
 
146 
 
 more repugnant than religious reform from such sinful 
 reptiles. What a precious company Dermod brought with 
 him to the Abbot of Ferns, in Wexford. Carabrensis 
 says, that the Helen of Ireland^ Dervorgilla, O'Rourke's 
 wife, was one of the company at the abbot's table. Can 
 it be ? We cannot answer. What a fraternity ! only the 
 presence of the murderer of the glorious a Becket was 
 wanted to complement one of the most remarkable soda- 
 lities that ever existed. For the burnings, desecrations, 
 plunders, murders, and all sorts of atrocities perpetrated 
 by these freebooters, before the arrival of Strongbow, the 
 reader is referred to the work last mentioned. Wright, 
 though a bigoted writer, and, in some cases, a libeller of 
 ^ our character, tells some things with much force, and in 
 good language. At the same time, he is certain to depre- 
 ciate such historians as most favour Ireland. He says that, 
 at the instigation of Henry De Montmaurice, seventy 
 citizens of Waterford were made captives, brought to the 
 summit of a rock, had their limhs first deliberately broken, 
 and they were then cast into the sea, O' Regan, secretary 
 to Dermod, makes the number greater. This was not the 
 first taste of England's thirst for Irish blood. In fact, the 
 history of that country's career in Ireland has been a con- 
 tinuous chain of bloody deeds and iniquitous spoliation. 
 We may here mention that there were other O'Cavanagh's 
 who were an honour to their country. Dermod's son was 
 a brave fellow, and had his valour been directed against, 
 and not in favour of the needy adventurers, the latter 
 would not have withstood him for any time. Anything 
 that could be said on the next fifteen stanzas will be found 
 interspersed in other parts of this work. Comments on 
 them here would be therefore only repetition — See notes 
 on stanza Ixxxvi. 
 
147 
 
 STANZA LXXXIir. 
 
 We had prepared a review of the gallant men, who 
 rallied in the days when red ruin rode triumphant over 
 the natives, but the length of previous notes prevent the 
 possibility of our doing so. We can, therefore, only 
 glance at their history, and their respective localities, 
 taking O'Halloran and the " Four Masters" as our chief 
 guides. 
 
 The Earl O'Neill, alluded to in this verse, is Hugh, 
 Earl of Tyrone, nephew of the late earl. He it was who 
 urged Florence Mac Carthy, whom he created The Mac 
 Carthy Mor, to unite against Elizabeth. This Florence 
 was a man of great power of mind and body. In 1602, 
 he wrote a letter to Cecil, in which he states— The two 
 sorts of the greatest ability and authority to persuade the 
 Irish gentlemen, are the priests and rhymers, both dislike 
 the English government more than other classes do. The 
 priests may not be trusted to do service for the queen, 
 while of the rhymers only some may, if employed by those 
 gentlemen, whose followers they are by lineal descent." 
 We find by the state papers, dated July, 1600, that seve- 
 ral renegade Irishmen were used by the government as 
 spies. Of those, one was most infamous ; his name was 
 Crosby or Crossan. His father was a rhymer of the 
 0'M<?ore family. He was deputy to Sir Geoffry Penton, 
 Surveyor-General. His mode of intentionally issuing de- 
 fective patents had driven many gentlemen in Munster 
 into rebellion against the queen. The old Earl of Des- 
 mond, when writing to Cecil on the atrocious conduct of 
 officials, tells him, that Mac Crossane was Crosby's real 
 name, and that his ancestors were rhymers to the O'Connors 
 and O'Moores, For his services in expelling the seven 
 septs from Leix into Kerry, he got large tracts of land. 
 
148 
 
 Our readers being so familiar with the history of the 
 O'Neills, makes it unnecessary to say more, even if space 
 permitted. Their territory varied from time to time. 
 They were the posterity of Conn of the Hundred Battles. 
 In the time, of which we are writing, they possessed some 
 of Tyrone, Down, Antrim, Armagh. O'Donnell here 
 meant, was of the tribe of the O'Donnell's of Tirconnell 
 (the country of Conall), who was son of Niall of the nine 
 hostages^ monarch of Ireland, in the fifth century. 
 Donegal comprises nearly what was called Tyrconnell. 
 
 The O'Donnells were its chieftains, but there were other 
 distinguished families in it besides them, as the O'Boyles, 
 O' Gallaghers, O'Doghertys, &c. They are Heremonians 
 as well as the O'Neills. Red Hugh O'Donell, alluded to 
 in this place, was of right. Earl of Tyrconnell. The 
 dispute between himself and the Earl of Tyrone, which 
 occurred before Kinsale ruined all their prospects, other- 
 wise they had for that time overturned England's power 
 in Ireland. We should have said the celebrated Huorh of 
 Lough Fogle, at the age of sixteen, was treacherously im- 
 prisoned by Perrott, Lord Deputy, in 1587. After three 
 years he escaped from the Castle of Dublin, but was re- 
 taken the same year; and, in 1592, he made his second 
 escape from the Castle, and was that year inaugurated 
 "The O'Donnell." After the failure at Kinsale, he went 
 to Spain, and died the same year, 1602, being but thirty- 
 one years old. This Hugh was such a man as we could 
 love. He was a practical Christian — a patriot and warrior. 
 Had he lived to come with the Spanish auxiliaries in 
 August 1602, he, aided by heaven, had liberated his 
 country. May God grant us such a man at the present 
 juncture. We weep over his immature death. "He 
 
149 
 
 was a lion in strength, a C^sar in command." — See 
 Annals of the Four Masters," page 2297. The follow- 
 ing is a translation of an extract from his speech, delivered 
 in the Irish tongue, on the morning of the battle of the 
 "Pass of the Curlew Mountains." 
 
 "The great dispenser of eternal justice has already 
 doomed to destruction those assassins, who have butchered 
 our wives and our children, plundered us of our proper- 
 ties, set fire to our habitations, demolished our churches, 
 and monasteries, and who have changed the face of Ire- 
 land into a wild, uncultivated desert. On this day, more 
 particularly, I trust to heaven for protection, a day dedi- 
 cated to the greatest of all saints, whom these enemies of 
 religion endeavour to villify ; a day on which we have 
 purified our consciences to defend honestly the cause of 
 justice, against men, whose hands are reeking with blood, 
 and who, not content Vv^ith driving us from our native 
 plains, come to hunt us like wild beasts into the mountaing 
 of Dunaveeragh. But, brave Irishmen, you burn for re- 
 venge. Scorning the advantage of this impregnable 
 situation, let us rush down, and show the world, that, 
 guided by the Lord of life and death, we exterminated 
 those oppressors of the human race. He who falls will 
 fall gloriously, fighting for justice, for liberty, and for his 
 native land ; his name will be remembered, while there 
 is an Irishman on the face of the earth ; and he, who sur- 
 vives, will be pointed at, as the companion of O'Donnell, 
 and the defender of his country. The congregation shall 
 make way for him at the altar, saying, that hero fought 
 at the battle of Dunaveeragh." 
 
 History says, that if the monastery of Boyle, in which 
 which the English took shelter, had been a few miles 
 more distant, not one of them would have survived to tell 
 
150 
 
 of The O'Donneirs glorious victory. Having placed 
 confidence in the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose festival 
 day (the 15th of August) was that of the memorable bat- 
 tle, fought one side of the romantic Coran and Ceish. 
 He advanced under the protection of the Queen of heaven. 
 Never was there a more visible sign of the power of 
 Mary's intercession than on that day, when, with but a 
 few men, the main body of O'DonnelPs forces being in 
 Tyrconnell and Munster — he, after the observance of a 
 fast by himself and his gallant few, and after shrieving 
 and communing, not having waited for the advance of 
 Clifford, but relying on the righteousness of his cause, 
 rushing on the enemy, bore down upon them as fire upon 
 dried stubble. 
 
 In all Ireland there is not a spot more worthy the at- 
 tention of the tourist than Ceish and the Curlew Mountains, 
 between Boyle and Ballyraote. 
 
 The O' Canes had property between the Foyle and the 
 Bann in Londonderry. Donell Ballagh, son of Rory, is 
 here meant. The tribe was Oireacht Oibhne (Evne) ; 
 he was inaugurated chief 1598. Our poet calls him the 
 O' Cane of the white steeds and rich garments. He sup- 
 ported the neighbouring chieftains against Mountjoy. He 
 was aided by the Mac Donnells of Antrim. In the days 
 of Cromwell the O'Canes and Mac Donnells of the north, 
 gallantly resisted the Parliamentarians — Carte's " Or- 
 mond," vol. B. part iii. p. 482. With respect to the 
 O' Cane of white steeds and rich robes we are to say, that 
 Bishop O'Connell is a better authority than the libeller 
 Morryson, whose infernal slander should have never been 
 published by any Catholic. It carried its own contradic- 
 tion with it. Imagine a rich chieftain, able to converse 
 in Latin, and still to live in a state of savagery. We are 
 
151 
 
 pained, that one of our antiquarians should have circulated 
 the base libel, and, what is worse, he did not contradict 
 it in the place he inserted it. 
 
 The O Donneirs robes were gorgeous, and hence we 
 are to infer, that the O' Canes were so, also. — See 
 Stilenger, in a Letter to Henry VIII., relative to the 
 gorgeous dresses and bonnet of O'Donnell, thirty pair of 
 golden aiglets, his crimson cloak, &c. 
 
 The aUourhe had West Breffney (Leitrim). The 
 Mac Ranalls were their able allies, and they at all times 
 harrassed the English very much; in the twelfth cen- 
 tury the O'Rourkes and the Reynolds beat back the 
 English plunderers as far as Meath, Alderman John 
 Reynolds of Esker-house, Dublin, and Thos. Reynolds, 
 Esq., Marshall of Dublin, are of the above family, and 
 ought to have very little love for the power of England. 
 Their ancestors suffered sorely from the Saxons. One of 
 them had great influence with Elizabeth ; he could 
 manage her as he pleased. He was a gigantic man, and 
 had great nerve; but, in the days of Cromwell, the 
 Reynolds fought hard in company with O'Rourke. The 
 O'Rourke of Leitrim Castle — a glorious rebel — was 
 hanged, and beheaded in 1591. His son, Brian Oge, also 
 a rebel, died 1604. 
 
 STANZA LXXXIV. 
 
 Cuchunnacht or Lord Cornelius Maguire*s patrimony 
 was Fermanagh. "We have seen it written, that he was 
 called " English Maguire," because, when young, he sub- 
 mitted to the power of Queen Elizabeth. He was bar- 
 barously butchered by the regicides in London. We have 
 before us a narrative of his trial and execution. He was 
 first half hanged, and, when his lamp of life was still 
 
152 
 
 feebly flickering, he was taken down, his bowels quickly 
 ripped out and burned before his eyes, ivhich had not en- 
 tirely lost their sight. He would be let off, if he confessed 
 to the Parliamentarians from whom he had the commis- 
 sion to resist them, and if he abjured Catholicity. The 
 papers, found in his hands after his murder, showed them 
 how little he cared about their tortures. These papers 
 contained prayers, such as Ave Maria, and others, rnani- 
 festing his love of the old faith. The narrative alluded to 
 is from the pen of Sir W. Cole, a witness against the un- 
 fortunate Lord. He was, also, his Lordship's enemy. 
 Bryan Maguire (Irish) was called "Irish," because he 
 never shrunk from his devotion to creed or country. He 
 was of the same family, which is nearly extinct. 
 
 Hugh Maguire, sonof Cuchunnacht or Connor Maguire, 
 accompanied The O'Donnell to Kinsale. He slew Sir 
 Warham St. Leger in combat, and gloriously cut his way 
 near the city of Cork, in 1600, right through a murderous 
 multitude of English, who waylaid him and, assassins like, 
 attacked him when he was almost alone. His conduct 
 on the occasion was unparallelled. He received severe 
 wounds, and, having proceeded a short distance from the 
 enemy, he dismounted, and died of his wounds. His 
 death was a heavy blow to the Irish interest. The Ma- 
 guires of Fermanagh were all the same family ; though, 
 of our own knowledge, the terms " English Maguire" 
 and " Irish Maguire" are kept up to this day, as some are 
 Protestants and others Catholics. However they cherish 
 a great friendship for each other. 
 
 STANZA LXXXVI. 
 
 O' Connor, noted for integrity. We would be disposed 
 to say, that Teige O'Connor of Kerry was here meant; 
 
153 
 
 but we find in Carte's " Ormond," b. iv. v. page 535, 
 that the O'Connor Sligo, with the magnanimous Malachy 
 O'Kellj, Lord Archbishop of Tuam, w^ere hanged at 
 the siege of Sligo by a nefarious party of CromwelUans. 
 How remarkable is the fact, that the See of Tuam has 
 been always blessed with lion-hearted prelates. The il- 
 lustrious John of Tuam is a lion in courage, a Hercules in 
 mental strength, and a Lynceus in penetration. The 
 conduct of the Rev. Peter O'Connor, at the late Sligo 
 election, forcibly reminded us of his noble ancestor. 
 Two hundred years elapsed between the two acts of re- 
 sistance to English intrigue and villainy. In 1601, ano- 
 ther Archbishop elect of Tuam, Malachy O'Conry, at- 
 tended the O'Donnell as chaplain at Kinsale, and went 
 with him to Spain. 
 
 Besides the O'Connors of Sligo, of the royal Heremo- 
 nian line, who, as stated above, were mercilessly struck 
 down by Cromwell, another family, of the same name, 
 but of a different race, suffered a like fate ; and, with the 
 entire* confiscation of their possessions, lost also two of 
 their chiefs by the gallows^ at the close of this war. 
 These were the O'Connors of Kerry, of the royal line of 
 Ir, whose martyred chiefs were John O'Connor, of Car- 
 rigafoile Castle, and Teige O'Connor, of Aghalahanna, 
 Lord of Tarbert, both in L'aght-i-Connor (O'Connor's in- 
 heritance or principality), the most northern Barony in 
 Kerry county. The fate of the latter chieftain is described 
 in stanza cviii. of the poem ; that of the former, which is 
 unaccountably pretermitted by our author, is thus pithily 
 detailed in Father Morrison's " Threnodia" (a work of 
 unquestionable authority). The illustrious John 
 O'Connor-Kerry, Lord of Kerry and Iraght, on account 
 of his adhesion to the Catholic party, and his efforts to 
 
154 
 
 draw to it, not only his personal followers, but all with 
 whom he had friendship, was, after having been by stra- 
 tagem seized upon by the Protestants, brought to Tralee, 
 in that county, and there half hanged and then beheaded, 
 A.D. 1652." 
 
 To neither of these remarkable executions does Smith, 
 who wrote a hundred years ago, make the slightest allu- 
 sion in his so-called *' History of Kerry," nor in his state- 
 ment of their forfeitures does he mention even the names 
 of the O'Connors. Perhaps he did not deem it prudent 
 to remind slaves of their rights in the midst of their op- 
 pression. Their estates were bestowed on Trinity College 
 by the ungrateful Charles II. ; and the learned Corpora- 
 tion, thus enriched, possesses, including other grants, at 
 least one hundred thousand acres of good profitable land 
 in Kerry alone, " The largest gift of lands," says Smyth, 
 p. 64, under the said act (' Act of Settlement'), was that 
 made to the Provost and Fellows of Trinity College, Dub- 
 lin, who, by the letters patent of King Charles II., dated 
 November 10th, 1666, had a very large estate settled on 
 the said University for ever, with Courts Leet and Courts 
 Baron, at Noghoval and Carrigafoile, together with fairs, 
 markets, &c., and the king was pleased to reduce the 
 crown-rents of the said estate in this county to the sum of 
 £100 per annum." And thus, for ever did the last rem- 
 nant of the once princely possesions of the O'Connors of 
 Kerry, pass out of the stony hands that held them for six- 
 teen hundred years and upwards. For, all our histories 
 concur in stating, that the ancestors of this most ancient 
 race of Kiar, and Irian Prince, who conquered and gave 
 name to Kerry {^Ciarriadhe, " Kiar's Kingdom"), so early 
 as the first century of our Era ; and that the O'Connors 
 continued in the undisturbed enjoyment of the northern 
 
155 
 
 half of the present county, until the arrival of the English 
 invaders, when, in the course of time and war, they were 
 
 gradually deprived of the greater portion of their princely 
 territory by the Desmond Geraldines, who finally com- 
 pelled them, by treaty (recorded at Bermingham Tower), 
 to confine themselves in future to the single Barony of 
 Iraght-i-Connor. Yet, even upon this diminished inhe- 
 ritance of theirs, encroachments were made by the rapa- 
 cious Elizabeth and her immediate successor. The vir- 
 gin queen rewarding Fitzmaurice, Lord Kerry, with es- 
 tates in Iraght for his services against the O'Connors ; 
 and " Scottish James" bestowing the Seignory of Tarbert 
 upon the M'Crossans, alias Crosbies, for still worse acts 
 of treachery and baseness. Nevertheless, they retained, 
 do-wn to the Protectorate, considerable estates both in 
 Iraght and Fuenachmy Baronies, as appears by the fol- 
 lowing extract from Petty's " Book of Forfeitures and 
 Distributions," authentic record of Cromwell's ruthless 
 spoliations, according to which : — 
 
 1st. The Carrigat'oile family, the eldest branch, now 
 extinct, but then represented by Connor Cam. O'Connor 
 Kerry forfeited Cahimuil, Kiletine, Carrig Island, and 
 Lislayhtin, in Ahavallin parish, with Kilbrachach, in the 
 parish of ]Murhur. 
 
 2nd. The Aghalahama family, the next, and now the 
 representative branch, whose then chieftain was Thomas 
 M'Teige O'Connor, father of Teige, hanged, as above, 
 for Aghalahama (Ahalanna), in ^lurhur, Ballaghenespic 
 and Larhoe, in Ahavallin, Beenturk, in Kilnaughtin, and 
 Gallardy in Liseltine parish. 
 
 3rd. The Knockanure family, who soon after became, 
 and still are, peasants on their own lands, but were then 
 represented by Donogh O'Connor, forfeited Culleengurteen, 
 in Knockanure parish, and Corventoine, 
 
156 
 
 4 til. The Liselton family, described from Dermod, son 
 of Donagh, slain in 1405, whose representative, Thomas 
 O'Connor, is marked in Cromwell's "List of Catholic 
 Proprietors" as, by connexion, a Protestant, his brother 
 J'ohn, a pervert priest, being then a Protestant minister? 
 forfeited Kilgrevane^ now Kilgarvan, Lachach and Farren- 
 stackey, all in Liselton parish. This family, like the pre- 
 ceding, continued to locate in L'aght, without, however, 
 being reduced to the same state of obscurity. The re- 
 formed minister had a son and a grandson, the one arch- 
 deacon^ the other chanter of the Cathedral of Ardfert, who 
 intermarried with the new Cromwellian proprietary, in- 
 fusing a much boasted improvement into their Saxon 
 blood; and, strange to say, their last known descendant, 
 Mr. Ambrose O'Connor, became a convert to the Catholic 
 Church, and, being an excellent classical scholar, kept a 
 school at one time at Mill-street, and then at Listowell, in 
 both of which some of the existing priests of the diocese 
 were educated. Of Thomas, by connexion a Protestant, 
 the present representative is Mr. John O'Connor, of Glan- 
 more, near Dundrum, in the County of Dublin, a native 
 of Liselton, the old locale of his ancestors. 
 
 5th. The Ballyline, or Ahannagran family, descended 
 from a younger son of Dermod Sugagh (the pleasant), who 
 died in 11 54, just seven hundred years ago, forfeited those 
 two estates in the parish of Ahavallin, where they had 
 been located for five centuries. The forfeiting chief was 
 Murrogh O'Connor, who remained, as under tenant to 
 the College middleman, on his own confiscated property, 
 and was succeeded, as such, by his son, grandson, and 
 great grandson. But this latter, another Murrogh, who 
 was a good poet, having represented to the Board the op- 
 pressive conduct of the chief tenant, was himself put in 
 
157 
 
 his place by that body, who indeed have always main- 
 tained the character of good landlords. — See "Poems, 
 Pastorals, and Dialogues, by Morrogh O'Connor, of Aiigh- 
 anagraun;" Dublin: E. Jones, Clarendon-street, 1739 ; 
 in which volume Morrogh does justice to his benefactors. 
 The book is alluded to by Smith (who was contemporary 
 with Murrogh O'Connor), in a note to the " History of 
 Kerry," without any mention of the author's name. An 
 event, however, occurred shortly after the historian's de- 
 cease, which, had he lived, would have compelled him to 
 notice the clan whom he so studiously passed, on all occa- 
 sions, in silence. It was of an extraordinary nature, and 
 refers to the poet's son, who, from his fashion of wearing 
 a French hat was called Matthew Lefaux," a soubriquet 
 thus corrupted from chapeau^ or, as others will have it, 
 from his affecting to be the head of the entire sept — an 
 honour pertaining, as is evident from what we have said, 
 to the Alaghanna branch. It so happens that Matthew 
 was once arrested for debt, and lodged in Tralee Jail. It 
 was the Assizes week, and almost every man of the narne 
 was gathered in the county town at the moment. The 
 news spread quickly and the jail was surrounded by the 
 O'Connors calling for the deliverance of their clansman. 
 The taking of the Bastile was about to be enacted in an- 
 ticipatory rehearsal. A panic spread through the town, 
 which reached the judge upon the Bench. And what was 
 the result ? The grave representative of majesty had to 
 give orders for the instant opening of the prison gates, 
 and " Matthew Lefaux" walked forth a free man, amid 
 the cheers and congratulations of all the O'Connors of 
 Kerry. 
 
 Two other families are recorded in Sir William Petty 'a 
 book, as having forfeited, at this period, in the Barony of 
 
158 
 
 Tnilienashmy, whence they were never, until then, dis- 
 lodged; having held uninterrupted possession since the 
 middle of the eleventh century. Both were descended 
 from Donal, second son of Cathal O'Connor-Kerry, slain 
 in 1049, whose elder brother, Connor O'Connor- Kerry, 
 was ancestor of the five families of Iraght, already enu- 
 merated. These descendants of Donal were : 
 
 6 th. The Rahonane family, now untraceable, but re- 
 presented in Cromwell's time, by Brian O'Connor, who 
 forfeited Rahonane, Cakirslee, and Lidoose, in the Bo- 
 rough of Tralee, and Carrigreague, in the Parish of 
 Annah,*' near that town : and lastly — 
 
 7th. The Nohoval family, who settled at Garrihees, 
 in Corkagumny, after their confiscation, having forfeited 
 y^ohoval, Lisglissane, Cluantarriff, and Bally Regan 
 (? Bally Egan), near Castleisland. Its chief, in Petty'g 
 time, was Thomas ^I'Furlogh O'Connor, of Novhoval, 
 ancestor of Thomas O'Connor, Esq., of Beal, and his 
 brothel*? Maurice O'Connor of Rusby Park, deputy to his 
 cousin, William Hike, of Kilelton House, Esq., the pre- 
 sent high sheriff of Kerry, and which latter gentleman is 
 also maternally descended from the eldest, and extinct 
 branch of O'Connor-Kerry, the O'Connor of Corrigafoile. 
 
 A remark we had intended for a subsequent place (lest 
 it might escape us), we may here make. We feel sur- 
 prised that Charles O'Connor, Esq., overlooked illustrious 
 families, more ancient than his own in Connaught, Were 
 not public opinion too partial in his J^vour, we would say 
 that he wished rather to procure subscribers for his book 
 and flatter persons in high positions, even though enemies 
 to his faith, and to the profession of which, it must be 
 admitted, his forefathers were ever true — than to enun- 
 ciate boldly the naked truth. 
 
159 
 
 Historians, who are actuated merely by vanity or sordid 
 gain, are a curse to society. Through ambition, the one 
 perverts truth, and money makes the other write against 
 his convictions. Such creatures have ever done much 
 injury to Ireland. In order to contribute to the pure river 
 of knowledge, of which posterity could safely drink, the 
 writer, when taking up his stylus, should place conspicu- 
 ously before his mind the motto — 
 
 ** Fiat justitia, ruat coelum,'^ 
 At any risk let truth be told. 
 
 We cannot recognise the foolish distinction that has been 
 made between the descendants of Brian, son of Eocha 
 Muidhmheadhain [Aglia Meeiviv?)^ and elder brother of 
 Niall, ''of the nine hostages." From Duachghalach 
 (Dhooghyollogh)^ the son of Brain, who, with his sons, 
 reigned in Connaught, when Patrick came to Ireland 
 as an Apostle, are descended the O'Connor-Roe {red), 
 the O'Connor-Donn {brown), and the O'Connor-Sligo. 
 Terlagh O'Connor, who died monarch of Ireland, 1146, 
 had five sons, viz. Cataldus de Carpo Rubro (of the Red 
 branch). He was ancestor of the O'Conchobhair-Ruadh, 
 and O'Conchobhair-Donn — O'Connor the Red, and 
 O'Connor the Brown, so-called, we suppose from the 
 colour of their ensigns, or battle flags, or it might have 
 been from the colour of their hair. It is a known fact, 
 that in Connaught the children of one brother used to be 
 distinguished from those of the other by the cognomen, 
 red, black, fair, yellow, brown, Sfc. Such was the origin 
 of some sir-names, the chief ones having been first ap- 
 plied by Brian Borovey. The second son was Brian 
 Laighneagh, father of O'Conchobair of Shgo. After 
 him a place in Roscommon was ignorantly called Mount 
 
160 
 
 Leinster." It should be Mount Leyney, as the Barony of 
 Leyney — once the patrimony of the O'Connor SHgo — 
 after the name of the above king. Cromwell robbed the 
 latter family of that inheritance; but, by industry, it 
 has since acquired honour and property. The third son 
 was Aodh {Hagh) Dall {the blind), from whom are the 
 O'Gallways, the Keoghs, Mac Keoghs, and iMac Hughs 
 or Hughes. The fourth son was Manus, from whom 
 Mac Manus. The fifth son was Conchobhair na Midhe 
 (O'Connor of Meath), from whom are the Conniffes. We 
 have found it an invariable rule in the conversion of Irish 
 names into English, that when a consonant was imme- 
 diately followed by an aspirated letter, that the aspirated 
 or dotted one become the same as the unaspirated one. In 
 other words, that the preceding one was doubled. Hence 
 the two w in " O'Connor," which is, beyond dispute, the 
 way to spell the name. From what we have written it 
 can be seen, that all the O'Connors of Roscommon, as 
 being of the same stock, are all related. We cannot de- 
 cide which branch is the O'Connor Donn. The nonsense 
 of the Spanish title, Don, makes one laugh. Is not their 
 royal descent much higher than a petty foreign title. 
 
 This family, historically considered, we are bound to 
 say, exhibited at all times a vacillating spirit. In the days* 
 of Elizabeth they manifested a hesitancy to oppose her 
 rule. The glorious O'Donnell had more than once to 
 coerce them into the ranks of the national Irish party. It 
 was strange that so much property was left to them, whilst 
 others were confiscated. It may be that they, like Virgil's 
 Tityrus, were left in their snug corner, whilst all around 
 them were plundered. It may be that their bland manners 
 and generosity, for which they were conspicuous, as Bishop 
 O'Connell writes, rendered their persons and properties 
 
161 
 
 sacred in those days of spoliation. Our nature inclines 
 us to be partial to a family so thoroughly Catholic, and 
 with which the O'Brennans were identified, and who 
 possessed as largely as they, up to the time of James I. ; 
 but our motto is — 
 
 " Tros, Tyriusve mihi nullo discrimine agetur." 
 ** Friend and foe we shall treat as he deservedr 
 
 Ireland was first lost through the feminine amiability of 
 the last monarch of this name. Had he treated Strongbow 
 as an able warrior would have done, and disregarded all 
 intercession, come whence it did, had he annihilated him 
 when he had him confined within the City of Dublin, and 
 as the absolute necessity of the crisis demanded, viz. to 
 prevent the merciless annihilation of his own countrymen, 
 he would not have had the mortification to see the Irish 
 sceptre in the hand of an usurper, and the crown on the 
 broiv vf a stranger. Alas ! his ill-timed mercy to robbers 
 was the cause of ruin and slaughter to the innocent Irish. 
 
 Mercy to the criminal and ambitious has often turned 
 out to be dire cruelty to the innocent. When some urged 
 on Roderick the expediency of mercy to the sinful spawn, 
 had he addressed them in the following words of Cato, he 
 would have defended his own right and have saved the 
 nation : — " Hie mihi quisquam mansuetudinem et miseri- 
 cordiam nominat ! Jam pridem equidem nos vera rerum 
 vocabula amisimus ; quia, bona aliena largiri, liberalitas ; 
 malarum rerum audacia, fortitudo vocatur : eo respublica in 
 extremo sita est. Sint sane, quoniam ita se mores habent, 
 liberales ex sociorum fortunis ; sint misericordes in furibus 
 serarii : ne illis sanguinem nostrum largiantur ; et dum 
 paucis sceleratis parcunt, bonos omnes perditum eant." 
 
 What a pity that a wiser head, though possessing a less 
 
162 
 
 tender heart, had not the Irish crown on his head at that 
 eventful time. If it graced the brow of one of the glorious 
 O'Connors, the offspring of Ir, our poor old country would 
 now be our own. Nor would we have to shed tears over 
 seven centuries of misrule, worse than Egyptian bondage 
 and Mahomedan persecutions. The O'Connors, now 
 living, are lineally descended from Sir Hugh O'Connor, 
 of Ballintubber Castle (once a great stronghold of the 
 name, in Roscommon, of the early part of the last century), 
 who had four sons, viz. : 1st. Calvach ; 2nd. Hugh Oge 
 (young) ancestor of Dominick O'Connor Donn, of Clonalis, 
 and Alexander O'Connor Donn — his brother — who was 
 never married, whose sister was married to Daniel Eccles, 
 Esq., of Castlerea: the only representative, by Law, of 
 Sir Hugh, is Alexander O'Connor Eccles ; 3rd. Charles 
 O'Connor, of Belanagare, the historian. Upon the death, 
 in 1820, of Sandy (Alexander) of Clonalis — uncle of 
 O'Connor Eccles, of Roscommon — Owen, of Belanagare, 
 took the imaginary title, " Don," and, after his death, 
 Denis assumed it; but, in right of blood it belonged to 
 the son of Eccles. Alexander, being an eccentric man, 
 left Clonalis, by will, to the issue of the third son, and, if 
 he left no issue, to the children of Bryan, fourth son of 
 Sir Hugh. With that arrangement we have nothing to 
 do as writers. It was about 1790 the Belanagare family, 
 to serve some whim, first spelled the name " O' Conor." 
 The branches of that regal house, now li^dng, are as 
 follow : — the Minor O'Connor Don, whose father was a 
 most accomplished character, of courtly address, cultivated 
 mind, and refined taste. He was M. P., for Roscommon, 
 and Lord of the Treasury. He had great weight in the 
 House of Commons, because of his high royal origin as 
 well as on account ol' his prudence. Denis O'Connor, 
 
163 
 
 Esq., D. L., Mount Druid; Roderick O'Connor, Esq., 
 J.P., Miltown, Tulsk; Patrick O'Connor, Esq., J. P., 
 Dundermod, Ex High Sheriff; and Arthur O'Connor, 
 Esq., J. P., Elphin; also Roderick O'Connor, Esq., J.P., 
 Clareview, County of Galway (who is brother of the above 
 Patrick), are the living representatives of the Roscommon 
 O'Connors. There is, we think, a branch of the family in 
 Willsbrook, near Castlerea, to the south, whose ancestor 
 was Denis, grandson of Colonel Roderick O'Connor, son 
 of Bryan and of Miss O'Connor Roe of Castleruby. 
 
 To complete the note we will say, that the heir-at-law 
 is The Don^ but every member of the family is a Don, 
 just as all the members of the Mac Dermott Roe family 
 and the Connor Roe are designated Roe, The term The 
 Don, simply implies, at present, the heir of the Clonalis 
 estate, and is not a Spanish title, though the cognomen 
 of one in whose veins royal blood circulates, and we know 
 not what is in \h.Q future. 
 
 Mac Sweeny s owned Fanaght, in Tyrconnell, they were 
 treacherously murdered in Dun-na-long. One of them, 
 Murrough, was the champion of Ulster, and the guardian 
 of his family treasure. They were a noble and fearless 
 tribe. We are inclined to the opinion that the Mac 
 Sweenys of Roscommon and Munster are of the same 
 stock. Persecution scattered that distinguished family, as 
 it did all the old stock of Ulster. They took a prominent 
 part in the insurrections of O'Donnell and O'Neill, and 
 sturdily resisted English tyranny and the Reformation. A 
 bishop of the name was killed at the head of 1300 men, 
 at the siege of Letterkenny, in 1646. — Carte's " Ormond." 
 
 " The three Murroughs (O'Murphy's) of cattle, books, and proves.'* 
 
 These were Wexfordians, and were true to fatherland. 
 
164 
 
 Wexford has been famous for patriotism, and is so at this 
 day. Its present parliamentary representatives — Charles 
 G. Duffy, the intrepid assertor of Ireland's rights ; Thos. 
 Devereux, famed for integrity, generosity, and piety ; and 
 P. M'Mahon, Esqrs., are an evidence of the independence 
 of Wexford. The last independent member is a combi- 
 nation of the Ulster and Limerick tribes. His father's 
 great-grandfather — Con j\Iac Mahou, of Limerick — com- 
 manded a body of cavalry at the Boyne ; he received a 
 womid in the knee. He assisted Sarsfield in blowing up 
 William's artillery at the siege of Limerick. His wife was 
 Ellen Mac Mahon, of Clonina, niece of the illustrious 
 Sarsfield. Wexford may be proud of such men. 
 
 We have seen a copy of Dr. O'Connell's poem, in which 
 is contained, instead of t)a 2t)u]tCA8e, these words at) 
 c]tf 2t)u|tcA8 — the former means " the three Murphy s,'' 
 whilst the latter is translated " the chieftain Murphy T 
 This reading we prefer, but the text was printed before 
 we met it. 
 
 Murtovgh Buadh, or Rory O'Flaherty, " of the hattle- 
 axes, cattle, and lawns" of MoycuUen, hereditary prince 
 of lar (West) Connaught, was father of Hugh O'Flaherty, 
 the father of Roderick, author of that master- work, the 
 " Ogygia." Rory committed frightful havoc, with his 
 
 Battleaxe men," amongst the enemies of his creed and 
 country. Now and again, he and other chiefs walked, 
 from a prudent necessity, along with the English; but 
 when occasion presented, they made the foes reel before the 
 might of their arms. Rory held out against Clanricarde, 
 who supported the Ormondists, in opposition to the gallant 
 policy of Rinnucini, the Irish bishops, and the native Irish 
 Catholic Lords, who declined entering into terms with 
 the notorious Murrough O'Brien — the Church-burning, 
 
165 
 
 the Prelate-rnurdering^ Inchiquin. They knew him to 
 be an inveterate apostate bigot; thej felt that such a re- 
 creant, who was unfaithful to his God, whose religion he 
 abandoned for^^/fand honour^ was not to be relied upon — 
 that he would keep a truce only as long as he thought 
 he could not break it. It occuia to us that — from what 
 we read of the Murroughs O* Brien^ of Thomond, their 
 back slidings, their changing sides so often, and their final 
 adhesion to the Anglican party, both in Elizabeth's and 
 Cromwell's days — they are alluded to by the Kerry bard, 
 and that he weeps over their apostacy, and the disgrace 
 they brought on their royal race, whose ancestor treed 
 Ireland from Danish slavery. The castles of the O'Briens 
 of Thomond, which was joined to Munster, in 1576, were 
 Clonrode, Bunraitj, and Ibrakin, in Clare. 
 
 The lar Connaught Flahertys were great patrons of 
 learning and learned men. They were themselves dis- 
 tingmshed for erudition, and the (Cultivation of the fine 
 arts. 1 hey were great musicians, and were lamed for 
 hospitality. Their descendants owe no fealty to the 
 English crown. When the present members of the femily 
 will have calmly considered the following lines fi-om 
 O'Flaheny's History of Ireland," they wiU have learned 
 how little devotion they owe England. The author, after 
 having mentioned a famous battle between a merchant, 
 named Orsben, firom whom Lough Orsben or Corrib, 
 and Lliniif the grandson of the monarch, Nuadh {Xhooa)^ 
 whence Maghuiinn {Magcullm), thus writes: "This is 
 my natal soil and patrimony, enjoyed by my ancestors, 
 time immemorial. There was a manor exempted, by a 
 patent, firom all taxes. It likewise had the privilesre of 
 holding a market and fairs, and was honoured with a 
 Seneschal's Court to settle litigations. But, having lost 
 
166 
 
 my father at the age of two years, I sheltered myself 
 under the wings of royalty, and paid the usual sum for 
 my wardship. Having come to the age of possessing my 
 lortune, I was deprived of the patronage of my guardian 
 by the detestable execution of my king. I was obliged 
 (at the age of nineteen) to take refuge in a foreign clime. 
 The Lord wonderfully restored the prince to his crown, 
 but he has found me unworthy to be reinstated in the 
 possession of my own estate." This language was a cut- 
 ting satire on the pei-fidy of the faithless Charles II., in 
 whose services Murtagh Roe* and Hugh, the author's 
 father, fought, bled, and forfeited. The words quoted 
 were recorded in A.D. 1684, and we cannot learn what 
 since happened to make any member of that ancient, plun- 
 dered family, render any service to the Saxon. Roderick 
 O' Flaherty, who was bom in the town of Galway, was a 
 half year older than Charles II. — See " Ogygia," partiii. 
 page 27. 
 
 STANZA LXXXVIII. 
 
 jA]tU feAi)T>u^&e. This was the Great Earl of Des- 
 mond, who fought his way so gallantly at Youghall. His 
 greatest fortress was Shanat at Shanny Golden, in 
 Limerick. Hence Shanat- aboo, "hurra for Shanat." 
 He was afterwards treacherously murdered by a ruffian, 
 named Kelly. His head was sent by Ormonde to Eliza- 
 beth, Tvho had it placed on a spike at London-bridge. 
 The three great insurrections were these of Fitzgerald, 
 O'Donnell, and O'Neill, in the days of Elizabeth, the 
 Stuarts, and Cromwells. 
 
 Some of our readers are to be reminded, that the 
 Shannon skirts a part of Kerry, and that the Eai4 had a 
 
 * Murtagh Ruadh (Roe) is the same as " Rory " " Roderick" and 
 *' Ron" are compounds of " Ruadb," red, " Righ," king or chief, hence 
 Rudricians." 
 
167 
 
 stronghold on its bank. In the days of Desmond, Hugh 
 O'Neill, and O'Donnell, and other chieftains, fought many 
 a hard battle with the Saxons at the close of Elizabeth's 
 reign. The young O' Moore of Leix, ^^loho set the loisp 
 a-going^'' as our poet has it, all the way towards Ferma- 
 nagh; in other words, " who lighted the blaze of nation- 
 ality," acted a chivalrous part in the struggle. How 
 honourably does G. H. Moore, Esq., M.P. for Mayo — a 
 lineal descendant of Rory O' Moore of Uathne — represent 
 that ancient family in his ardent co-operation with the 
 present band of true men to uphold the rights of Ireland. 
 The state papers, to be seen in the Castle, present a 
 frightful instance of the turpitude of recreant Irishmen, 
 both in old and modern times. The examination of them 
 would bring the reader to the irresistible conclusion, that 
 the independent opposition of our representatives to any 
 government, no matter what may be their promises, that 
 will not concede protection to our industry and perfect 
 religious equality to Catholics, is the only sure path to 
 vindicate what is due to Irishmen, and to resist insult, to 
 redress wrongs, to maintain the dignity of our old land, 
 and to command respect. But to return. Were it not 
 for the unhappy differences that occurred in 1602, between 
 O'Neill and O'Donell before Youghal, British rule and 
 tyranny had been ended for that time in Ireland. And 
 may we not say with shame and sorrow, that even at this 
 day (such is England's prostration, and her contemptible 
 figure before Europe, when her soldiers in the Crimea are 
 obliged to beg old clothes and bread from Frenchmen) 
 were it not for our representatives, we should and would 
 obtain good terms for this country. The English trea- 
 sury has debauched most of our public men, and scattered 
 the seeds of division. They have well played the game : 
 " Divide et impera yet dum scribo, spero, " every dog 
 
168 
 
 has Ids day." The days of the " Comipttonists" must 
 end, and purity and honour will, in due time, be recog- 
 nized. Men will find, at last, that no English Ministry 
 has ever kept their word, nor monarch his or her oath with 
 us. History presents this sad picture of human depravity. 
 Elsewhere we have written on this painful topic. In the 
 parliament that assembled in Dublin, in 1689, we have 
 found, since the first part of this paragraph was in type, 
 that a Garrett O' Moore sat for Mayo. So that, besides 
 the migration firom Leix, it appears there were O'Moores 
 in Mayo of rank and fortune. 
 
 In the reign of James I., son of Mary, Queen of Scots, 
 the diabolical treatment of the Irish is to be found in the 
 case of the O'Bjrnes of " The Ranelaghs." — See Matthew 
 O'Connor's " History of the Catholics," appendix ii. : 
 also " History of Confiscations in Birmingham Tower, ii: 
 the DubHn Castle." The aforesaid James had the follow- 
 ing words as a maxim: Plant Ireland icith Puritans, 
 and root out Papists, and secure it.'' Was not such 
 language an unmistakeable royal mandate to extirpate — 
 quovis modo — Catholics ? Could words be plainer or 
 stronger ? The Scotchman did not confine himself to the 
 expression of Chief Baron Wild, who said — '^Popery is 
 not to be endured in that kingdom.'' This phrase might 
 be mildly interpreted, " Uproot Popery, but do not injure 
 Papists." No, no ! That would not satiate the sanguinary 
 appetite of the king who, thirsting for blood, trampled 
 upon ^very law, human, natural, and divine, and raised 
 the cry of To Hell or Connaught" with Papists, who, as 
 Matthew O'Connor writes, " icere cooped up together in a 
 barren corner to perish.'^ 
 
 Catholic prelates and priests were hunted down Like 
 wolves. In fact, the total extirpation by butchery, star- 
 
169 
 
 vatlon, and transportation of God's anointed clergy was 
 the favourite system. It was thought that by the removal 
 of the faithful shepherds, the sheep would become an easy 
 prey to the wolf. It is no wonder that the impious, the 
 profligate, and the debauched should have an implacable 
 hatred to an order of men eminent for sanctity, ornaments 
 to religion, and a check on the turpitude and depravity of 
 the demons of those awful times. As a palliation for the 
 butchery and plunder of the old Irish, and the English 
 Lords and Catholics of the Pale, it was alleged, though 
 without a shadow of proof, that a massacre of Protestants 
 was committed by Catholics on the 23rd of October, 164 1. 
 If such a thing had occurred the despatches of the Lords 
 Justices of Dublin, dated 25th October, 27 th November, 
 and 23rd December, of same year, and directed to the 
 House of Commons, would give an account of so impor- 
 tant a fact, but in them there was not a word on that point, 
 though they specified that ten of the garrison of Lord 
 Moore's house, at Melifont, were killed by a party of rebels, 
 as they called patriots. There is not a word in the 
 Journals of the House of Commons" relative to a general 
 massacre. The absence of a governmental record of the 
 alleged fact is a clear proof that the assertion was a pure 
 fabrication, a barefaced falsehood. Milton states, that 
 600,000 Protestants were massacred ! ! ! Tliough, accord- 
 ing to Sir William Petty, a most accurate statist, there were 
 in all Ireland, at the time, only 220,000, that is 380,000 
 less than Milton said were killed ! The Rev. Dr Warner, 
 F.T. CD., reduces the number to 4,080 ; he adds, "it is 
 easy to demonstrate the utter falsehood of every Protestant 
 historian of the rebellion." Milton, Barton, Temple, 
 Frankland, Rapin, Wormius, Clarendon, and Hume — 
 the last of whom makes the number but 40,000 — stand 
 
no 
 
 convicted of a wilful and satanic lie, by parliaraentar}- 
 evidence as well as by Warner. 
 
 The cause of Sir Plielim O'Neill's insurrection, which 
 was as follows, may not be known to some of our readers. 
 Having seen the estates of the old owners in the possession 
 of robbers — the minions of Bess^ Mary, Harry, James — 
 and having found Charles faithless, deaf to all entreaties 
 for justice, and allowing his infamous minister, Strafford, 
 to get up " a commission to enquire into defective titles," 
 and thus intending to rob such Connaught gentlemen, as 
 were not plundered — Ulster having been already confis- 
 cated — and having seen might thus triumphing over rights 
 Sir Phelim had recourse to the promptings of nature and 
 the principles of equity — self-defence and self-preservation. 
 He sought to win back Ireland for the Irish, and to secure 
 freedom for Irishmen. The injustice began with England 
 and its monarchs, in favour of any one of whom, as having 
 acted justly to their silly creature supporters, no exception 
 can be found in the bloody pages of their history. On the 
 contrary, the spoilers were confirmed in their plunder. 
 Were Irishmen but vigorous and united at the time, such 
 villany could have been successfully resisted. Rinnucini, 
 aided by God, would have righted the ancient land, would 
 have restored the churches, and have put an end to foreign 
 domination. ' 
 
 STANZA xc. 
 '* When they drove away the Holy Nuncio, 
 Plague and famine overran the land." 
 
 These two lines, if proof were wanted, mark Dr. 
 O'Connell's estimation of the most illustrious, uncompro- 
 mising, and dauntless Rinnucini, Archbishop of Fermo, 
 in Italy. He came to Ireland to uphold Catholicity, to 
 protect the native Irish, at all hazards, and against all 
 
171 
 
 enemies, and, according to his own words before the 
 Council of the Confederation of Kilkenny — Mountgarret, 
 presiding — uphold King Charles against the Crom- 
 icelliansr Richard Beeling, alluded to in the next verse, 
 who was secretary to the Confederation, went to Rome to 
 implore the aid of His Holiness in the distressed state of 
 the Catholics of Ireland. The patriot Franciscan friar, 
 Father Wadding, went with him, as did the Right Rev. 
 Heber Mac Mahon, of Clogher. Father Luke Wadding's 
 powerful and feeling addresses, delivered publicly in 
 Rome to the people, had such an effect on Rinnucini, that 
 he volunteered his services, if he got leave from the Pope. 
 This being obtained he came away, Beeling promising — 
 that the direction in all matters would be given to the 
 Nuncio. How unstable are human affairs ! This same 
 Beeling became faithless to Rinnucini. He became the 
 sycophant of the infamous Ormond, and deserted the 
 Archbishop of Fermo. Let us see who this Beeling was 
 in whom Catholics confided. It would strike us that he 
 sought the post of secretary to betray and to create division. 
 But he was a cunning man. O' Flaherty, author of the 
 " Ogygia," thought him a true man, when he asked his ap- 
 probation of his work in 1684. We have read Beeling*s 
 short note of approbation, and it appears strange that 
 Harris places his death in 1677, anterior to the introduc- 
 tion to the " Ogygia," whose dates are brought down to 
 1684. Beeling did what he could, in his writings after 
 the Restoration to blacken the character of Rinnucini. He, 
 in this matter, acted only the part of every man, who, to 
 make himself secure in his property, or to acquire wealth, 
 writes to support the powers that be. In vindication of 
 the Nuncio's conduct, we intend to give a beautiful letter 
 of his, against holding any terms with the apostate Catholic 
 
172 
 
 Inchiquin. We have translated it from a work well 
 known — " Hibernia Dominicana." Before we present our 
 readers with this interesting document, let us see, as we 
 find in Harris' " Writers," what was Beeling's parentage, 
 that confidence should be reposed in him. 
 
 We find in Harris' " Irish Writers of the Seventeentli 
 Century," that Beeling was "the father of Sir Richard 
 Beeling, Knight, who was secretary to Catharine, Queen 
 of Charles II.," and that " he was married to a lady named 
 Arundel, heiress to a large estate. His children were 
 obliged to adopt the mother's family name." — Harris' 
 "Ware's Writers of Ireland," book. i. p. 165. From the 
 fact of this jo/ww^e into another name, sight was lost of that 
 Beeling family. The father stood by Ormond, who 
 gambled away Ireland to Colonel Jones, and fled, leaving 
 Dublin to the mercy of that ruthless, manslaying, city-dis- 
 mantling, church-desecrating, infant mangling, woman 
 torturing faction. How keenly our poet cuts up Ormond, 
 in his allusion to Tankardstown Battle. We refer to 
 stanza xciii. We find in Carte's " Ormond," vol. i. part 
 3, p. 494, that Ormond " gave money and relief to the 
 Covenanters^'^ in Ireland, to enable them to massacre the 
 loyal Catholics. This was the "miller's dog," whom 
 Beeling would support, and whose advice he would adopt 
 in preference to the Nuncio, who came to Ireland, resting 
 on his promise. It was this treachery on the part ot 
 Beeling, as well as the weakness produced in Meath, by 
 Bishop Dease and the Prestons of Gormanstown, of those 
 days, that made Binnucini retire in disgust from a people 
 for whom he was ready to lay down his life. How dif- 
 ferent from Bishop Dease is the present venerated and 
 patriotic Rt. Rev. Dr. Cantwell, who is an ornament of 
 religion and an honour to Ireland. 
 
173 
 
 How dexterously does our poet refer, in stanza xci., 
 to the writings of Beeling against Beeling himself. He 
 quotes Beeling 7% Beeling. A letter, purporting to be 
 from the Council of the Catholic Confederation, was sent 
 to Rinnucini, relative to the cessation or making terms 
 with Inchiquin. The document was not signed by even 
 a respectable, or an honest fraction of the Council. It had 
 Beeling's name to it. Such was the document that was 
 sought to be foisted on the Nuncio as a genuine minute of 
 the Supreme Council. Here is a masterly argument and 
 eloquent reply. We select this from many of his lucid 
 letters in our possession. 
 
 THE LETTER OF THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS NUNCIO, DISSUADING THEM 
 FROM A TRUCE, 
 
 " A consideration, as well for our own duty, as a respect for your illus- 
 trious Lordships, always requires, that, in all the deliberations of the 
 Supreme Council, we be most particularly anxious, that both the advance- 
 ment of the Catholic religion, and the glory and the fame of country, as 
 well as the joy of our Most Holy Lord (or Father), should be manifested, 
 especially at the present moment, when a deputation from this kingdom 
 to Rome has, as it is hoped, arrived safely with his Holiness. Wherefore, 
 unless these three conditions meet in the truce, which is being just now 
 treated of, with the Lord Baron de Inchiquin, it is very much to be 
 doubted, but that a quite contrary effect to what is expected may follow, 
 and that the way to a more extensive and a heavier injury to the country 
 may be paved. For whereas the tendency of the present truce is to leave 
 the state of affairs as it is at present, and that no change of parties is 
 made — all see the present wretched condition of religion in Munster, since 
 the cruelties and plunder that have been perpetrated therein, during the 
 autumn and winter by the Baron himself, besides the fines imposed upon, 
 and the transportation of so many priests, and the demolition of churches, 
 all of which might continue to the destruction of so many souls, particu- 
 larly at a time when, because of the weakness of the opposing army, and 
 the impaired strength of even the Parliamentarians, it was to be hoped, 
 that the Catholics would recover whatever they had lost in Munster, and 
 ■would commence a year remarkable for, and favourable to religion. And 
 hence proceeds the respect due to fame and glory by the Confederated Ca- 
 tholics ; for it is now public throughout the entire of Europe, that the 
 Lord Baron has laid in ruins the city of Cashel, and has within its Temple, 
 
174 
 
 counties, and lastly at the very walls of Kilkenny insulted its chief Magis- 
 trate. Consequently let no one imagine, that the strength of the Cathohcs 
 has been so exhausted, as that they would offer a truce to so deadly an 
 enemy, having received so many calamities at his hands. Nay, even it 
 will be the general opinion, that no greater glory could accrue to the 
 Supreme Council, than, if upon an army being mustered, they should 
 order them to enter the enemies quarters, and effect both the exemption 
 from the contributions (that is, the tribute imposed), and the safety of 
 the people. For who can bear, that the money and other means, which 
 should be to support Catholic soldiers, are, by an unfortunate exchange, 
 in the hands of the enemy, and make them our stronger and more implac- 
 able foes. Certainly all the counties to be freed from such tendency, 
 ought, and will, give us, more cheerfully, than the enemy (from whom 
 many always expect greater wrongs), resources. But as regards our Most 
 Holy Lord, I confess, illustrious nobles, that T know not how I can offer 
 this message to him, to obtain for the enemy a truce after such rapine and 
 losses. Because His Holiness is already aware, that from past cessations 
 have proceeded all the evils to which the kingdom has been subjected, 
 and he is conscious nothing can be more pernicious than by delays to 
 serve the enemy. For what will there be in this case in which it will not 
 be unknown to His Holiness, that the enemy have a weak army, and that, 
 through hunger and want, they have been making repeated excursions ; 
 moreover, that relief from England cannot' be expected — that it has been 
 gravely prejudicial to the Catholic rehgion, and that they, however, will 
 have been persecuted. How, I ask, will this embassy obstruct the Dele- 
 gates, appointed by your most illustrious Lordships, whom His Holiness 
 will upbraid with this fear of the Confederation, and will justly think, that 
 he is deservedly drawn from giving any further aid. On the contrary, if 
 generously, and for the sake of restoring our holy religion in Munster, an 
 army be collected, and some place at the sea be recovered, it is needless 
 to repeat to your Lordships what will be the joy of His Holiness, or what 
 will be his disposition towards the confederation, when they will satisfac- 
 torily learn from Dyonisius the Deccan, what His Holiness had prepared 
 as well in money as in public honours if Dublin should come into their 
 hands, as he most ardently wished and even yet wishes. I certainly now 
 wish, and all along these two years wished for nothing more than to be 
 once able to announce to His Holiness, something to incline his mind to 
 greater benevolence towards your Lordships, and I know what can be 
 expected from him. In this case, I am of opinion, the secret judgment 
 of God is, that hitherto I could write only adverse, and inauspicious mat- 
 ters, nevertheless, I would judge it wonderful if the Confederation would 
 
175 
 
 dedicated to St. Patrick, by a horrible sacrilege butchered many priests 
 and women at the very altar, and afterwards imposed a tribute on many 
 not for once strive to do that, as they will experience in the matter (other- 
 wise useful to themselves), if what I have so often endeavoured to impress 
 on them be true ; and I have done so for no other reason than for the 
 greatest happiness of your Lordships, and the due promotion of the Catholic 
 religion. On this account we thought it our duty to write thus before 
 our arrival. 
 
 " I remain, as usual, illustrious lords, 
 
 JOHN BAPTIST RINNUCINI, 
 " Archbishop, Fermor 
 
 To the above brilliant document a lengthy, shuffling 
 rejoinder was sent by a clique of the Supreme Council, 
 amongst whom was the Bishop of Limerick, Beeling, and 
 Lord Athenry. Thos. Dease, Bishop of Meath, figured 
 in another an ti- national letter. In fact, at the time, the 
 Council consisted mainly of Lord Mountgarret, Beeling, 
 Bishop Dease of Meath, Bishop of Ossory and Limerick, 
 and all the other Prelates and the native Peers were with 
 the Nuncio. The annexed is the intrepid Nuncios' bold, 
 straightforward, and brilliant reply : — 
 
 " Having seen the response of your Illustrious Lordships, in having heard 
 what, in their name, your Lordships' Commissary Generals have laid before 
 me, relative to the negociation of a truce, it appears to me that the diffi- 
 culty on this head still remains, unless we come to particular conditions, 
 subject to which a treaty can be concluded, upon the due examination of 
 which conditions rests a true judgment, to be formed with respect to such 
 peace. 
 
 " For, although it be most true as your Illustrious Lordships state, that- 
 truces have been at all places entered into, even with infidels, and that 
 even the mightiest monarchs have at all times ratified them, it is still 
 not less certain that these alone are approved of, w^hich have been formed 
 from necessity, but to advantage, and on the other hand, these are censured 
 which want either of the aforesaid conditions. 
 
 " But necessity in our case is confined to this alone, namely, whether 
 the Confederates be unequal to both wars, in Leinster and Munster, in 
 which circumstance I would suppose it worth while to convoke all the 
 Generals, and hear their opinions, that a judgment may not be formed 
 
176 
 
 "williout the greatest experimental proof of affairs. For it is their province 
 to state, if the Cathohc army be unequal to both expeditions, and after 
 having weighed the present state of the enemies, to inquire diligently by 
 what means they can be attacked or intercepted, and with how many 
 legions, and within what limits the affair can be accomplished, otherwise, 
 these, who are not in actual service, can easily pronounce as to the other 
 point, to wit, that both armies have been reduced to straits, as is everj'- 
 where heard, and that, therefore, their forces are not to be dreaded ; most 
 particularly, and, above all, in a war undertaken in defence of religion, in 
 which something is to be entrusted to God ; or, on the contrary, that the 
 strength of the enemies is not so impaired but that aid may be expected 
 from England, and that, therefore, it may be said to come on terms with 
 the other enemy. Which contrariety of opinions a Council of War only 
 can solve. 
 
 " But, seeing that there was not necessity, let us try if there be utility 
 in the cessation. And, in the first place, it is necessary that I should re- 
 move the erroneous impression which I find has been made on your 
 Lordships' minds by my former letter, as not being explicit enough. For 
 in the letter, which, it is asserted, I wrote on the first of March, I think I did 
 not at all approve of a truce with the Scots. Now, granting that such a 
 passage be read in it, it was surely beside my intention, as I have advised 
 a treaty neither with the Scots, nor -mth Inchiquin, himself, but with 
 others of a different religion ; and, in such cases, my meaning was merely 
 as regarded some accommodation, or some such adjustment. And the 
 reason of the difference is this, which I have touched upon in my first 
 writing, namely, that during the cessation, things are to continue as they 
 now are, without advancing the object for which the war is undertaken. 
 But an adjustment or accommodation cannot be concluded unless some- 
 thing advantageous accrue to the contracting parties respectively • and 
 when I considered that we could not possibly arrive at that with the Scots 
 unless some increase to our religion had been permitted in these places, 
 so also I not only always recommended, but even wished, that a like alliance, 
 with the same increase, would be contracted with the Lord Baron, as most 
 of the Lords of the Supreme Council will be able to testify. But wherever 
 no such advantage can be had, I had no notion of approving of any truce, 
 or the like interstice. 
 
 " Having laid down these premises, let us see what advantage to our 
 religion, or to the king, can be discovered in this armistice. Now, as re- 
 gards religion, if we do not come to particulars, nothing is heard hitherto 
 that can advance it ; and, therefore, what was considered in my first letter 
 still holds true, to wit, that the state of religion in Munster has been no 
 
177 
 
 where more unfortunate, and more confined, and that these who have in- 
 flicted the injury, will, to our greatest disgrace bear away the prize, and 
 reap the advantages ; whereas spirits, truly Catholic, had the opportunity of 
 rising up against the sacrilegious enemy, and, by an united etFort, either 
 subdue or repel them. 
 
 ** But with respect to the King, concerning whom your illustrious Lord- 
 ships seem to suppose, that our Most Holy Father ought to be pleased 
 that the confederation was devoted and friendly to His Majesty, and on 
 this account acted well in having embraced with, and having moved to a 
 truce. Lord Inchiquin, who declared for the King. I indeed signify 
 to your illustrious Lordships, that His Holiness was of opinion, it was 
 always a thousand times a better plan for the sovereign, if the citadels 
 and strongholds of Munster continued in the hands of the Catholics, than 
 in the Lord Baron's, though he declared for the King, nay even that nei- 
 ther a more faithful guarding of them could be aftbrded, nor a more im- 
 plicit obedience yielded to His Majesty than by Catholics, who can observe 
 their allegiance to God. For why has His Holiness, during the past years, 
 interposed so many acts of kindness, and admonitions through the Most 
 Reverend Scarampiors, and subsequently through me, that the confedera- 
 tion would attack Dublin, which was in the possession of the Marquis of 
 Ormond, who, not only declared for the King, but was even a Viceroy ; 
 perhaps forsooth that its obedience might be withdrawn from His Majesty, 
 nay, but that the King would be served better by Catholics than by Pro- 
 testants ; and wherefore if His Holiness were persuaded, that a truce 
 with Inchiquin were entered into without evident necessity, and that, too, 
 when the recovery of his Quarters might be expected, they may believe 
 for a certainty, that he will take it very much to heart, that this had been 
 done under snch pretext, forsooth, of a declaration for the King; on the 
 contrary. His Holiness would be found to think, that neither the interest 
 of rehgion, nor that of His Majesty was consulted. 
 
 *' But, indeed, my most illustrious Lords, what ! if this declaration, as 
 having been made by a man (hitherto most hostile to the king), fickle* 
 and naturally most cunning, be considered trifling by foreign princes, and 
 in the eyes of persons who profoundly enquire into all matters, and not 
 to be attended to, unless it be first proved by the surest and safest experi- 
 ments ? What ! if Her Most Serene Majesty, the Queen, and the Prince, also 
 consider it trifling, and believe it would be safer for them that the Catholic 
 Confederation, rather than the Lord Baron, should hold those quarters ? 
 What ! if, finally, Lord de Lichiquin, who has been united during the past 
 months with Jones to intercept the confederates between them, having now 
 previously sent the above-mentioned declaration, nevertheless, should 
 
 m 
 
178 
 
 secretly coalesce with him, and as the confederate array would be ap- 
 proaching Dublin, even Jones declares himself a royalist, and together 
 they should exclude from all acquisition the confederates ? Will there 
 then be observed towards Jones a law different from that with Inchiquin, 
 and in what state will religion then be which is now almost lost in 
 Munster, and without any advance in Leinster ? For, that these things 
 may happen, it sufficeth to give as example the Lord Marquis of Ormonde, 
 who, when he was bound to the king, nevertheless, having no regard to 
 His Majesty, made over Dublin to the Parhamentarians, and now again, 
 as though this tergiversation were attended with no inconvenience, he 
 returned to the king. 
 
 " Those are what our Most Holy Father deplores ; he sees those un- 
 certainties, he foresees those dangers, and he bewails the injury to religion, 
 particularly if it happen through a pretext of obedience to the king or 
 other advantages, or quiet, which are to be hoped for in vain, without any 
 progress in religion, and which generally turn out false, as has been often 
 remarked. 
 
 " Wherefore I said to your Lordship's commissaries, that all these things 
 could be managed with great honour and prudence, nay, even with the 
 apparent sanction of foreign princes, and particularly of His Holiness, if, 
 whilst the truce is being arranged, some army also would be sent into 
 Munster against the Lord Baron, which would effect this, that he being 
 now reduced to difficulties, and being irreconcileably opposed to the 
 Parliament, would either come on terms, advantageous to your Lordships, 
 and the whole Confederation, or would be stripped of some portion of his 
 power. I thought it my duty to propose that the more on this account, 
 when after the Lord Baron's retirement from Kilkenny, I had written to 
 His Holiness a long letter, detailing whatever was made known to me 
 generally by public report, but especially by Lord (Bishop) of Limerick, 
 namely, that the confederates being provoked by his hostile domineering, 
 formed a closer union, and resolved, having laid aside their dissentions 
 and jealousies, to send at once an united army against the Baron, and show 
 him how they value both their religion and their country. But it is now 
 to be deplored, and to be looked upon as the greatest misfortune, that we 
 are compelled not only to write, that all these expectations vanished in 
 smoke, but that the baron, for a mere parole declaration for the king, had 
 altered the whole face of things, and that the confedetates had come down 
 to his entire satisfaction which, as I have fully explained in my first letter, 
 T strongly suspect, may change the mind of His Holiness, particularly at 
 a time when the delegates of your illustrious Lordships are most earnestly, 
 and at this very moment imploring him, and I, as I have also written to 
 
179 
 
 you, can see that I am placed in a most unpleasant situation, in which now, 
 after so many months, I cannot, by any joyous tidings, more and more con- 
 ciliate His Holiness to this country. 
 
 " However, all this has been said rather to throw light on the matter, 
 shortly to be concluded from the Conventions intimated by your illustrious 
 Lordships, and from the particular conditions of the cessation, many things 
 can be considered which will more fully disclose, and more happily end 
 the affair. In the mean time we have given directions, that prayers be 
 poured out by all the religious and priests during fifteen successive days, 
 to which we exhort your most illustrious Lordships, and all the laity, be- 
 seeching God, if this treaty be to His glory, and for the good of the 
 country, that he vouchsafe to promote it by an unanimous consent, but if 
 not, to prevent it ; this humility of souls will obtain from God what we 
 ask, and will inspire your most illustrious Lordships, whose hands we 
 officially kiss. 
 
 * »J«JOHN BAPTIST RINUCCINL 
 
 April, 1646." 
 
 We are convinced that any impartial reader, who would 
 carefully peruse the documents that passed between the 
 Nuncio, and Ormondist clique of the Confederation, will 
 decide that Rinuccini, as a man of truth, principle, and 
 honour, had no other course to adopt but what he did. 
 Wherever Ormond found the Protestant party, though 
 anti-royal, likely to be unequal to the loyal Catholics, he 
 was sure to aid either directly — as above shown — by sup- 
 plying funds, or indirectly, by betraying the cause of his 
 king — as his leaving Dublin vacant for the regicide Jones. 
 
 Ormond marched into the Counties of Wicklow, Wex- 
 ford, Carlow, Queen's, King's, Kilkenny, and Kildare was 
 present at, and aided in the atrocities, murders, burnings, 
 and other depredations perpetrated by Sir Charles Coote, 
 Colonel Armstrong, Sir Thomas Lucas, and Sir Patrick 
 Wymes. He fought against Lord Mountgarrett, Lord 
 Viscount Ikerin, Baron Lughmoe, Lord Dunboyne, the 
 O'Dempsys, the O'Byrnes, and O'Cavenaghs, and other 
 
180 
 
 well-known loyalists, though he ought to know that the 
 
 leaders of his own party were secretly disloyal See 
 
 Kush worth's ''Historical Collections," part iii. pp.510, 
 11, 12. This battle was at Tankardstown, in the Queen's 
 County, on the Barrow, near the castle of Grange Melon, 
 within four miles of Athy. Might this be tlie battle al- 
 luded to by Dr. O'Connell in the ninety- third stanza, 
 wherein he hints that James — that is Ormond (some think 
 " James, Duke of York," is hinted at) — and the clique, 
 played " fast and loose." As we find the account in a 
 most bigotted work, we must be sure we have a false ac- 
 count — we mean false as to the details of the battle, not 
 as regards Ormond's treachery. As no volume, much less 
 such a book as this, could give a detailed account of the 
 injustices exercised by England on Ireland, we will here 
 give a very short summary of a few of them. 
 
 The Irish were excluded from all places > of honour and 
 emolument. Their language, manners, dress, even the 
 mode of wearing the hair, fell under the severity of 
 England's penal laws. Leland bears ample testimony to 
 the truth of this statement. Marriage witli the Irish, 
 fosterage, gossipred, was, by law, strictly prohibited under 
 pain of forfeiture of property. Submission to Brehon ju- 
 risdiction, adoption of Irish names, the use of the Irish 
 language, presentation of any Irishman to ecclesiastical 
 livings; the reception of the Irish into nunneries and 
 monasteries, and the entertainment of their bards, fell 
 under the English penal code, in the time of the Edwards. 
 (See Baron Finglas' " Breviat of Harris' Hibernia," p. 84, 
 also Leland, vol. i. p. 320.) These unnatural laws had 
 an eflfect quite the opposite of what they were intended to 
 produce. For the De Burgos and the Geraldines of 
 Desmond renounced the English manners, habits, and 
 
181 
 
 dress, having conformed to those of Ireland — See Finglas, 
 p. 89 ; also Leland, vol. ii. p. 9. This disposition of the 
 settlers continued to progress until even the humblest of 
 them forgot their own country's language for the sweet, 
 euphonious Celtic. Henry VII. revived the penal statutes, 
 but it was all to no purpose. From this tendency on 
 the part of the English nobility, resident in Ireland, and 
 that of their dependants, the author of Ireland's Dirge 
 inferred that, generally speaking, they were kindly in- 
 clined towards the Irish. But a few schemers, who in- 
 variably had the government of aifairs, exerted their ne- 
 farious influence to mar such a happy fusion of the races ; 
 on the contrary, they did what in them lay to keep them 
 divided ; and effectively to rule this country with a rod of 
 iron, they ever devised means to create jealousy amongst 
 the native chieftains. Such is the cursed machinery they 
 have always used, in regard to every country that has had 
 the misfortune to allow them a footing amongst them. 
 
 In the reign of Henry VII. the Geraldines of Desmond 
 were pitted against the Mac Carthy and the O' Carroll, 
 the O'Neill of Tyrone and the O'Neill of Tyrconnell were 
 stimulated to contend for supremacy in the north. The 
 divide et impera was put in requisition. The Earl of 
 Kildare burned the Church of Cashel with the Archbishop 
 in it, and assigned as his reason for so doing, that he had 
 so acted, ^'because the Archbishop icas in itT The good 
 Catholic^ Henry, only laughed at the piece of fun of burn- 
 ing a prelate and a church ! ! ! The O'Briens and their 
 Munster clansmen, backed De Burgo, at Connaught, 
 against his father-in-law, Kildare, who was supported by 
 O'Neill and his dependants. The Kildare having gained 
 a victory over De Burgo at Cnoctoa, near Galway, Lord 
 Gormanstown recommended to cut the throats of the 
 
182 
 
 Irish wKo supported them, in order to complete the 
 victory'' The only motive that influenced Kildare not 
 to act on the suggestion was, that they might be yet 
 wanted. 
 
 Next came Harry the Eighth, of infamous memory, 
 who never spared woman in his lust, nor man, woman, or 
 child ill his anger. He hanged Lord Thomas Fitzgerald 
 and his five uncles at Tyburn. His reign was one con- 
 tinued scene of blood, with which all our readers are 
 acquainted. But his conduct towards Ireland was not 
 worse than that of some of his predecessors. They ex- 
 cluded Irishmen, and murdered Irishmen ^br being Irish- 
 men, he did the same because they icere Catholics, Where 
 is the difference ? We do not see much. 
 
 In the reign of the virtuous boy. King Edward VI., the 
 O'Moore and O'Connor, of Leinster, were entrapped to 
 go to London, under the promise of being treated kindly. 
 The former was put to death, and the latter lingered for 
 some time in prison. For the atrocities committed in this 
 vicious lad's reign, see Taaffe, O'Halloran, &c. 
 
 As regards the justice that was done to natives in Mary's 
 reio^n, little can be said in favour of her. She treated 
 with contempt all appeals made to her by those who were 
 robbed in the former reigns because of their firm adhesion, 
 under all privations, to the Catholic faith. She refused 
 redress to her Irish Catholic subjects. Hence we assert 
 that English monarchs, whether Catholic or Protestant, 
 treated us alike. We can then safely state, that the ques- 
 tion at all times, between the two nations, was one of cash, 
 not of religion ; and if we would at all aspire to national 
 independence, there- ought to be perfect religious tolera- 
 tion amongst Irishmen, in respect to the mode of worship- 
 ping. Mutual toleration is the basis of true happiness, 
 
183 
 
 and the great bond of mutual good will and charity. 
 Every man to be at liberty to adore God as his conscience 
 iells him. Any convulsive attempt to revolutionize reli- 
 gion has been always attended with the most terrible re- 
 sults. The soul shrinks back from the bare recollection 
 of the scenes of blood. 
 
 We have next the virgin Queen Elizabeth on the throne. 
 As she was the child of a wicked father — whose crimes 
 are too foul to be narrated — and of a sinful mother, she 
 might, in truth, be called the offspring of sin. Hence 
 we are not to be astonished at anything, however bloody, 
 that might have occurred in her reign of terror. In this 
 reign Sydney, whilst entertaining the O'Neill, murdered 
 him at Clanaboy, and the Earl of Essex did the same, 
 under similar circumstances, to the next O'Neill. — See 
 page 84. 
 
 When these villain dastards were not able to meet the 
 Irish chieftains in the field, they dishonoured the right of 
 hospitality, which should protect, much less murder the 
 unsuspecting guest. But no crime, however diabolical, 
 was too red for the agent of English power in this country. 
 No language can paint, or mind conceive the inhuman 
 conduct pursued at this time towards the Irish. The ut- 
 most ferocity and cruelty prevailed. A succession of 
 massacres, diversified with the demolition of houses, 
 the burning of churches, and the wasting of substance, 
 took place in all parts of the south by the government. 
 Morrison, in his account of Lord Mountjoy's conduct, in 
 the O' Moore's country, when he murdered Owen Mac 
 Rory O' Moore; and of Calvagh Mac Walter ; says, ''the 
 captains and soldiers did cut down and destroy £10,000 
 worth of the rebels' corn." He adds, he was surprised to 
 find such a knowledge of agriculture amongst such barba- 
 
184 
 
 rous inhabitants, and tlie reason whereof was, that the 
 Queen's forces, during these wars, never till then came 
 amongst them — -See " Annals of the Four Masters," at 
 1500. 
 
 Let us hear Spencer on the humane policy he suggested 
 to extirpate the Irish race — " The end of them will be 
 very short, and although there should none of them fall 
 by the sword — their being kept from manurance, and their 
 cattle from running abroad, by this hard restraint they 
 would quickly consume themselves and devour one another! 
 The proof whereof has been seen in the late Warres of 
 Mounster — 'ere one year and a-half (by Spencer's system) 
 they were brought to such wretchedness as any stout heart 
 would have rued the same — they were creeping forth (from 
 the woods) upon their hands, their legges would not bear 
 them, they spake like ghosts crying out of their graves, 
 the very carcasses they spared not to scrape 
 out of their graves . . . . in a short time a most po- 
 pulous and plentiful country suddainely left voide of man 
 and beaste ; in all that Warre there perished not many by 
 the sword but by the extremities o£ famine.'' — "View of 
 the State of Ireland," pp. 165 and 167. — Dublin edition, 
 1800. 
 
 Ben Johnson, in a letter to Drummond of Hawthornden, 
 says, ** that Spencer, himself, died for lack of bread, in 
 London." What a righteous and appropriate judgment. 
 
 STANZA CI. 
 
 The O'Briens were kings of Thomond (Tuath, TJiooa), 
 Mumhuain (Mooin), North Munster — that is, of all the 
 Counties of Clare and Tipperary, as far as Cashel. In the 
 time of Donough O'Brien, who stole the Irish crown to 
 Rome, O'Doncgan was chief of Lower Ormond, or East 
 
185 
 
 Munster. It occurs to us that Mumliain, in olden times, 
 comprised only Cork, Kerry, Waterford, and a part of 
 Limerick. — See O'Brien's " Dictionary." 
 
 Some writers confound Leagli Modha (Lha Moa) with 
 Munster, but erroneously, as part of Leinster was included 
 in Eogan's (Owen's) southern half of Ireland. Clare was 
 originally in Connaught. Hence, Thomond meant — not 
 North Munster, but North of Munster — Oir Mumliain, 
 
 Ormond," East of Munster, lar Mumliain, West of 
 Munster, and that called Deas Mumhain, " Desmond," 
 South Munster, is stride loquendo, Munster." At one 
 time the Mac Carthys ruled South Munster — that is, all 
 places south of a line, drawn from Dungarvari to Brandon's 
 (O'Brennan's) hill, in Kerry; and the O'Briens possessed 
 all parts north of the same line. This bipartile division, 
 belonging to the descendants of Eogan Mor and Cormac 
 Cas, was, in truth, Desmond and Thomond. 
 
 STANZA CIX. 
 
 Dun Ross, or Ross Castle, on the Lake of Killarney 
 
 In the awful and troubled times of Charles, this Donough 
 Mac Carthy, who was the second Lord Viscount Muskerry, 
 the fifth Lord Muskerry, the first Earl, and the fifth in 
 descent from Cormac Ladir (Lhadhir), was, as we find in 
 the appendix to the translation of Keating's "Ireland," 
 the last, in behalf of the Stuarts, who laid down his 
 arms. He was the General of the royal forces in Munster. 
 We shall show, before we close, that it had been fortunate 
 for Ireland and her religion that he had never taken a 
 prominent part in the luckless wars of the faithless and 
 perfidious Stuarts. 
 
 The Castle of Ross is situated in the lower lake of Kil- 
 larney, anciently Lough Lane, whence the river Lane 
 
18G 
 
 flows into the Atlantic, at Killorglin, or Castlemaino 
 harbour. In the time o£ pious Bess, this place and the 
 surrounding lands, were taken from the old Catholic pro- 
 prietors, and given to an apostate, named Conway. After 
 this family, it was sometimes called " Castle Conway." 
 If we are not mistaken, it came by a female heir to the Blen- 
 nerhasset family. It is in the diocese of Ardfert, County 
 of Kerry, four and a quarter miles south-west from IVIill- 
 town. The fortress of j\Iac Carthy was on an island in 
 the lake, which was embosomed in lofty mountains, and 
 could be approached, at that time, only by rugged paths. 
 Hence, it might be deemed impregnable, or not to be 
 taken unless by a protracted siege. After the unsuccessful 
 battle of Cnock-na-glosha, Lord Muskerry, with about 
 1500 of the Catholic Confederate armv, betook himself 
 to this mountain fastness, and thought to secure himself 
 therein, until succour would have come to him from 
 Charles II., who was then in France. But nothing could 
 secure him. For, as the author of our poem has graphi- 
 cally sung, plague and ruin overspread the land, because 
 of Muskerry's contempt of the holy Rinuccini, who sought, 
 as himself stated in eloquent language, in the presence of 
 the insolent Mountgarrett, President of the Kilkenny 
 Confederation, to assert the rights of the king, but at every 
 risk, to vindicate and uphold the privileges and dignity of 
 the Catholic Church. Such, said the glorious Nuncio, 
 was the commission he had from Holy Innocent. He 
 further added, "that he was instructed not to quit the island 
 until he saw the churches and lands, of which violence and 
 fraud had deprived them (the Catholics) restored." Heber 
 Mac Mahon, Bishop of Clogher, to whom Rinnucini was 
 confided, supported the eloquent appeal. 
 
 Smith, in his ''History of Kerry," p. 316, writes that 
 
187 
 
 the people believed, owing to a prophecy, that Castle Ross 
 could never be taken until a ship should swim on the 
 lake." In the " Gesta Hibernorum," which are annexed 
 to Sir J. Ware's " Annals" (p. 183, Dublin, 1705), we 
 read this passage — " A.D., 1652. Rosse, in the County 
 of Kerry, a castle in an island, is yielded up to Ludlow, 
 after he had caused a small ship to be carried over the 
 mountains and set afloat on the lough, which terrified the 
 enemy." The hold the supposed prophecy had on public 
 opinion, it would seem, from the words quoted, had also 
 its effect on Protestant superstition. However, the facts 
 themselves will show that Ludlow did not make so light 
 of the difficulty of capturing the castle, as hostile writers 
 have asserted. Let us hear Ludlow himself, who gave his 
 memoirs to the world years later than the annals attributed 
 to Ware. Though his own narration of his mode of be- 
 sieging the castle is but very obscure, yet the reader will 
 see that he had a considerable force. 
 
 Whilst Ludlow was thus engaged in watching the place 
 of Mac Carthy's retreat, we find by a letter of the Rev. 
 Mr. Jones, whose brother was the general to the regicide 
 Cromwellian army, and who was himself afterwards made 
 Bishop of Meath, under the very monarch whom they 
 sought to keep from the throne, that an expedition was in 
 readiness to sail from Kinsale to Castle Conway, on the 
 next day. This letter was forwarded on the 14th of June, 
 1852: it requested that a force would be sent dowm to 
 protect them as they were landing. This Jones was Scout 
 Master to the rebellious parliamentary insurgents, whose 
 objects were the subversion of monarchical power, the 
 extirpation of Popery and Papists, plunder, and personal 
 aggrandizement. His plan, as proposed by his dispatch 
 to the commander-in-chief, was to prepare the materials 
 
188 
 
 for twenty boats, capable of carrying, eacb, sixty men, two 
 of them pinnaces with two pieces of ordnance in their 
 bows. These we would now designate " Gunboats." 
 
 It is liere to be observed that a branch of the Mac 
 Carthvs took the name of Mac Donouorh. Thev lived in 
 Mallow in Cork. See note on stanza ciii. 
 
 STAXZA CXX. 
 
 St. Fursa was the son of Fintain, of the tribe of Heber, 
 king of south ^lunster, and of Gilgesia, of the royal 
 Heremonian tribe of Ui-Bruin, in south-east Connaught, 
 bordering along the Shannon. He was baptized and 
 educated by his uncle St. Brennan. His father, because of 
 his marriage with Gilgesia, was persecuted by his father. 
 The saint built a house for them near his monastery at 
 Clonfert. Here it was that St. Fursa was reared, and 
 imbibed the early lessons of piety, which fired his soul 
 with a burning zeal for the salvation of man. When 
 he was of age (with the consent of his uncle) he founded 
 a monastery in Lou^h Orsben (Lough Corrib). At this 
 time, Ware and Hanmer write, that he, wishing to with- 
 draw from the tumult of war, which was then raging be- 
 tween the wicked Saxons and the Britons, withdrew to 
 France ; founded several monasteries, which were filled 
 with thousands of holy monks ; he rested in the Lord, 
 according to the Annals of Boyle (a place which has ever 
 been surrounded with the clan O'Brennan," for years a 
 farmer class, through English plunder), A. D. 653, in 
 Peronne in Piccardy. It should have been mentioned, 
 that he, and one of his brothers were, at Rome, by the 
 Pope consecrated bishops. He was a great patron of the 
 arts and sciences, and walked in the footsteps of his illus- 
 trious uncle. The monastery built by him in the above 
 
189 
 
 mentioned lake, though allowed for a long time to be in 
 a state of dilapidation, was repaired with great splendour, 
 and endowed with rich presents by a king of the East 
 Saxons, or, we are apt to think, by a queen. It was situ- 
 ated in the deanery of Eanuichduin (Annadown), County 
 of Galway, Archdiocess of Tuam. Near the monastery 
 of Clonfert (in ancient times a bishop usually resided in 
 each monastery) several thousand monks were edified by 
 his instructions and sanctified example. The holy saint 
 travelled for seven years as a pilgrim, spreading the light 
 of the Gospel wherever he went, founding monasteries, 
 attracting by the magnetic influence of his piety thousands 
 of pious anchorites, establishing rules for their guidance, 
 whilst he was in his person an example of self-denial and 
 mortification ; all the monks of his institution lived by 
 the sweat of their brow. He must not be confounded 
 
 with the eminent St. Brenan, of Ardfert, in Kerry 
 
 Ware, vol. ii. p. 34 ; Hanmer, pp. 107, 117; also the life 
 of St. Ruadanus (Ruane). A manuscript, lately dis- 
 covered in the Burgundian library, it is said, asserts that 
 he visited and taught not only the Icelanders, but even 
 many parts of North America, and that he celebrated seven 
 Easters on sea, and then returned home by France, having 
 thus paid homage to the birth-place of Ireland's great 
 Apostle, as well as to hear about and see his nephews, 
 Fursa and Ultan. The fact of his having, at his own 
 private expense, built his church and monastery, the nun- 
 nery and monastery of his niece and nephew, and having 
 supported Fiontan and his wife as became members of 
 royal families, is an evidence of his royal descent, wealth, 
 and influence. 
 
METRICAL VERSION 
 
 OF 
 
 THE RIGHT RKV. BISHOP O'CONXELL'S 
 "DIEGE OF IRELAND," 
 
 BY 
 
 TIIE REV. C. J. O'CONNOR-KERRY, C. C. 
 
 1. All glorious Erin with her noble sons, 
 
 The prey of godless tyrants worse than Huns ! 
 Who waste her valleys, her fair fanes defile, 
 Her abbeys plunder, her pure priests exile, 
 
 2. Devour her people, melt in lust her wealth — 
 The thought, O God ! it racks my heart — my health 
 Most ancient Isle ! for thee a seed was sav'd, 
 
 Not of their kin, whose Ark the Deluge brav'd. 
 
 3. Who rescued Finton? Was it sails or wings ? 
 Oh, no ! The right hand of the King of Kings I 
 'Tis well ! when Noe to his mother Eve 
 Descends at last, 'twere further cause to grieve 
 
 4. Her mother's breast, in Limbus of the Fathers — 
 If aught could grieve her there ! — to learn how gatlieri 
 O'er all her offspring desolating pain. 
 
 Since her first fault and Adam's, led on Cain, 
 
 5. And many a fratricide, to outrage Heaven ; 
 Till sin grew greater than might be forgiven,* 
 And God, in anger, purg'd the World of men, 
 Sparing but three to people earth again. 
 
 * The poet means — sin so overspread the earth, that God, in his anger, 
 sent a deluge to purge it of mankind. 
 
191 
 
 6. Lo I when the universal flood subsides, 
 The Patriarch Sire amoncr his sons divides 
 A world all verdant. Fertile Asia falls 
 To Sem the first-born ; Africa, that appals 
 
 7. With snakes and sultry heat, to Ham unblest; 
 To Japhet Europe with its Islands of the West. 
 From Ham those monsters came that scare the world, 
 Titan, who would Heav'n's King from Heav'n have 
 
 hurl'd, 
 
 8. Atlas, who on his shoulders bore the skies ; 
 Huge Argus with his hundred rolling eyes; 
 Briareus with as many horny hands, 
 
 And Nimrod leader of embattled bands. 
 
 9. And Nimrod, conscience-struck, a tower would build 
 Should reach the stars above ! For, he had spill'd 
 Much blood, and much he fear'd a second flood — 
 But, vain his thoughts, his toils ! they were not good ! 
 
 10. Higher than Pellon pil'd on Ossa's hill. 
 There stood a mountain. Thither men of skill, 
 Masons and architects and labourers came 
 Around their king, to rear his tower of fame. 
 
 1 1 . And they, be sure ! had much to drink and eat, 
 Good beer and better bread and solid meat. 
 Not a potato food, our stingy pay ! 
 
 Who dig a fallow-field on one scant meal a day. 
 
 12. And, God beheld them from high Heav'n's expanse, 
 Who sees the wide creation at a glance ! 
 
 He sees them — insects ! — toiling noon and morn ; 
 He sees the worms ! and lauofhs their toil to scorn ! 
 
192 
 
 13. Down fell the fabric at the Godhead's frown, 
 And down the mountain fell, and people down. 
 Each upon other — shrieking as they fell. 
 Some to the earth alive, and some alive to hell ! 
 
 14. Confusion seized them ! Where one tongue at jSrst, 
 And one alone, was heard — a hundred burst 
 Forth from as many lips. Few neighbours knew 
 Their neighbours' speech, and all, at once, withdrew 
 From that ill-fated spot. Some eastward fled. 
 Some north, some south — as chance or instinct led. 
 
 15. In Scythia's wilds there liv'd in after years, 
 A prince accomplish' d beyond all his peers, 
 JSiul, Phinusa's son. Him sacred love 
 
 Of learning and of languages did move. 
 
 16. Forth went professors, by his sage command. 
 To glean the treasur'd lore of every land ; 
 
 For whom return*d, like honied bees, from far. 
 He founds his royal college at Shenaar. 
 
 17. And Pharoah, hearing of Phinusa's son — 
 Of all the peaceful laurels he had won, 
 Bids him to Egypt, to become his guide 
 In wisdom and in arts ; and gives beside 
 His golden-braided daughter as his bride. 
 
 18. And Scota was that maiden's name — a name 
 She left our Western Isle, well known to fame ; 
 And theirs was one illustrious son, Gadele, 
 The future father of the far-famed Gael. 
 
 19. 'Twas in those days the Israelites in chains, 
 Toil'd at their thankless task on Memphian plains ; 
 And Pharoah rul'd them with an iron rod ; 
 
 But Scota pitied the choice tribe of God. 
 
193 
 
 20. People of God ! now be ye slaves no more ! 
 The Red Sea opens wide from shore to shore 
 And Moses leads you safe as on dry ground — 
 Pharaoh hath follow'd — but his hosts are drowned ! 
 
 2 1 . And shall Gadelas stay in such a land, 
 
 So signally chastised by Heav'n's own hand ? 
 
 Ah, no ! his ships already woo the gale ; 
 
 Well mann'd and well equipp'd, for Greece they sail. 
 
 22» Athens and Lacedemon, Thebes and each 
 
 Proud city hail'd him, as he touch'd their beach. 
 O'er old Beotia's towns he rul'd awhile, 
 But, he must seek the destin'd Western Isle. 
 
 23. Not he, in sooth ! His life is but too brief! 
 Time of his race hath rais'd another chief — 
 Who summons ail the offspring of Gadele, 
 Now numerous as brave, to tempt the gale. 
 
 24. Hark ! how the tempest howls athwart their fleet ! 
 It drives them from Ortygia back to Crete, 
 Down on Miletus- — Ephesus — and on 
 
 Cabriri, sacred to Alcmena's son, 
 
 25. And Scylla's rocks, whence quick repell'd, they hear 
 The mermaid of Carybdis singing near. 
 
 Landed at length, to Baal they sacrifice, 
 
 " On to the Western Isle !" the prophet cries. 
 
 26. Then, sword in hand, they traverse sunny Spain, 
 Where Mile Espanne in Biscay 'gins to reign j 
 And Breogan hath built Breganza's tower, 
 Whence Eire may be spied at evening's roseate hour. 
 
 n 
 
194 
 
 27. " Hail, happy Island ! Ith shall view thy strand, 
 '* And bring us tidings of our promis'd land !" 
 Ith sail'd, and saw its fields of shining green, 
 But liv'd not to relate what he had seen. 
 
 28. The Danaans, in all wiles of sorcery skill' d, 
 Lur'd him on shore, and, peaceful slumbering, kill'd ! 
 Sad tidings for his sons to bear away ! 
 O'DriscoU More, O'Leary, frank and gay, 
 
 And Coffy who on tuneful harps could play. 
 
 29. " What shall his « Eric' be ?" " A kingly crown ! 
 Blood and revenge !" In wine their vows they drown. 
 And such the welcome Ith's three sons receive ; 
 And greeted thus, why will they longer grieve ? 
 
 30. For, see ! from every full Galician port 
 
 There issues many a ship that Eric' to extort. 
 Hail to the brave in such a cause who dare ! 
 Despite the storm they reach thy banks, Kenmare ! 
 
 3 1 . Whose arms embrace the proud invading host, 
 Debarked on Donn's still well-remember'd coast. 
 But Donn, their leader ! will he join them soon ? 
 He and his flag-ship perish at " Tec Duin /" 
 
 32. Ir, too, lies mangled by the whirlwind's force — 
 Lone Skellig of St. Michael holds his corse ! 
 And vainly Enda hopes the shore to make. 
 Wrecked at the Innys' mouth, nigh Tarman s Lake. 
 
 33. Three princes these — whose glory ne'er will fade ! 
 And, shall not slaughter d foes appease each shade ? 
 Three kings at Telton* fell ! Our Isle hath names 
 She bears in honour of their queenly dames ! 
 
 * Telton is in Meath ; all the other remarkable places here mentioned 
 are in the County Kerry. 
 
195 
 
 34. Thy " Eric,'' Ith ! was paid at Telton well, 
 Where kings and queens and Danaan people fell ! 
 Nor, yet, may thy Milesians idly boast — 
 
 Add Slieve Mis and Glen ais ! — then count the cost — 
 
 35. Scota the Empress, Fais the druid's bride, 
 The bard Amergin, Colpa, sword of pride ! — 
 Enough ! we will reserve our tears ! The sun 
 Three thousand less three hundred years had run, 
 Ere those two fights were nobly fought and won. 
 
 36. Heber those fields and Heremon survive, 
 The sons of Ir and Ith are still alive — 
 
 Four patriarchs brave, fi:om whom our ancient race 
 Their royalty and lineage love to trace. 
 
 37. Heber and Ith dwell by jMomonia's rills ; 
 By UUah's cataracts, and Connaught's hills 
 Are Heremon's fierce sons ; and far and wide 
 O'er Erie of the streams, the Irians abide. 
 
 38. From Ir, on every side, descend Clan Roy, 
 Prophets and chiefs, a people's pride and joy ! 
 Kings that gave laws to suit remotest time, 
 And poets of the sweet, satiric rhyme. 
 
 39. Heroes and bards are of his brother's kin, 
 Finians of Erin, Oscar, Ossian, Finn — * 
 Oscar, yet li^dng in a father's lays. 
 
 And Finn, who left a son to sing his praise ; 
 
 40. Mac Owen without beard and Conran bald, 
 
 Glas from his nut-brown locks, the comely called ; 
 Blithe Dermod's heir, Mac Allen of the skiffs. 
 Who built Dun Edin's fort on Albyn's snowy cliffs. 
 * Fion son of Cumhal, the Fingal of M'Pherson's "Ossian." 
 
196 
 
 41. Oh ! they were good — those sons of Innlsfall! 
 But, oft o'er summer seas sweeps the loud gale ; 
 And sudden o'er the calm of Fola pass'd 
 Dissension^ that first fault, which haunts her to the 
 
 last ! 
 
 42. Conn of the battles and great Eugene More 
 
 The Isle partitioned, straight, from shore to shore ; 
 And now a feud among her tribes arose. 
 The finiitful source of many hopeless woes. 
 
 43. Yet, tho' she knew no ray of Gospel Light, 
 And Eirie bent the knee to druid rite. 
 Still was she moral, valorous, and true 
 And bounteous as the gently falling dew. 
 
 44. To Jove her sons a homage offer'd free, 
 
 As king of Heav'n and Hell, of Earth and Sea ; 
 Some bow'd to Pluto, some fear'd Neptune's nod — 
 In these three names they worshipped man as God. 
 
 45. And some adored the sun, and some the moon. 
 And some the stars, that gladden night's pale noon ; 
 Mars, too, had votaries, and rash Cupid fam'd, 
 And sage Apollo, God of Wisdom nam'd. 
 
 46. To black-lipp'd Vulcan, blacksmiths rendered vows; 
 Shepherds to Pan, on misty mountain brows ; 
 
 But some preferr d to Nymphs of air or sea. 
 The Sibyl Prophetess of Carrig Leigh. 
 
 47. Ah ! soon such deities shall wing their flight, 
 And Gentile darkness yield to Gospel Light! 
 From Rome — Heav'n sent ! a missioner hath sped 
 To preach a Man-God slain and risen from the dead. 
 
197 
 
 48. Patrick, empower' d by Celestine the Pope — 
 Prelates, without the Pontiflf s grace, but grope ! 
 To Erin came, what time Ulidia fair 
 
 Mark Milcho served, and Tara crowned Loghaire. 
 
 49. He preached the Cross — and, lo I the blest result ! 
 Quick he baptized each infant and adult ; 
 Struck demons dumb, effac'd sin's mortal taints. 
 And made green Erin's Isle an Isle of Saints. 
 
 50. Long had the Monarch stood from Faith aloof — 
 His proud heart asks a miracle for proof — 
 
 Druid and Christian in yon fire be thrown ! 
 He who escapes unscathed, his God I own !" 
 
 51. So spake the king. A druid and a priest. 
 Exchanging clothes, stepp'd in to dare the test. 
 The screaming druid straight to ashes burns ; 
 But the good priest of Christ unharm'd returns. 
 
 52. Holy the bishops were, and past all praise. 
 Who taught in Desmond ere St. Patrick's days ; 
 Declan of Decies, Ailbe, Emly's star, 
 
 Kieran the wise, and eloquent Ivar. 
 
 53. But who with Calphurn's son can cope in grace. 
 With whom the Lord held converse face to face, 
 Gave him a book and crozier, promising 
 
 Patrick shall judge the Gael when the last trump 
 shall ring ! 
 
 54. And Jesu gave him power each Sabbath eve, 
 Four souls of that fair nation to relieve 
 From purgatorial flames. The blest Ivar 
 Affirms the number freed is greater far. 
 
198 
 
 55. And Jesu promis'd him the seventh last year 
 Before the conflagration of our sphere, 
 Should see a flood o'er Erin's mountains flow 
 
 To save her rescued race from Antichrist and woe. 
 
 56. Great was our saint! The very song he wrote 
 With blessings to the sons of men is fraught. 
 
 Who has not heard of " Patrick's Hymn?" I sung 
 Its verses from my mother's lips, when I was young ! 
 
 57. Oh ! learn ye sons of Eirie ! that sweet strain ; 
 At death 'twill save from purgatorial pain ; 
 Nay ! but the last three stanzas, as you die, 
 Will shield and soothe you in your agony. 
 
 58. Three-score the years he taught. Alas ! too few 
 For zeal for ever burning fresh and new ! 
 Three hundred were the bishops whom he left 
 To mourn a flock of such a primate reft. 
 
 59. Three thousand priests his holy hand ordained; 
 He spread six hundred churches o'er the land, 
 Where many a deacon, many a canon pray'd. 
 And virgins took the veil in chastity array'd. 
 
 60. What wonder that a people thus thrice bless'd. 
 Should spurn this world and pant for heav'nly rest ? 
 Oh, yes ! God's fear and love her heart enflam'd, 
 And Erin Isle of Saints was justly nam'd ! 
 
 61. And such for ages was her bearing, tiU 
 The squadrons of the North her havens fill, 
 And Danes deal havoc o'er the sainted Isle, 
 Importing evil manners, which defile. 
 
199 
 
 62. But, Brian of the Tributes rose in time, 
 And stay'd the Gentiles' fierce career of crime. 
 'Twas on Good Friday noon, in one pitch'd fight, 
 Falling himself, he conquer'd Erin's right. 
 
 63. Scarce on Clontarf the blood of foes was dry. 
 When sons of friends were stung with jealousy ; 
 Each with each other warr'd ; and, worse than Danes ! 
 E'en Irish shed the life of Irish veins. 
 
 64. Dismantled towers appear'd on every side ; 
 Morals were changed — man took his brother s bride ; 
 Mac Murrogh seiz'd the princess of O'Rorke — 
 Then Banba's monarch rag'd, then followed ruin's 
 
 work ! 
 
 65. Hate in his heart and vengeance in his head. 
 From Ferns to England's throne fierce Dermod fled ; 
 Against his country arms and aid he claim' d, 
 
 That country's right the rich reward he nam'd. 
 
 66. And, Henry smil'd ! — he smil'd with cunning hope ! 
 His fair pretext — a brave Bull from the Pope — 
 
 Faith to restore !'' Alas, he brought a curse. 
 " And Peter's pence to pay" — into his purse. 
 
 67. Back with the traitor churl Earl Strongbow sail'd, 
 Men in his train in finish'd armour mail'd — 
 Why waste my breath ? The story soon is told — 
 Dissension did the deed — Eirie was sold. 
 
 68. But, they grew kind, those sons of Saxon sires, 
 And mildly mingled round our social fires. 
 Mixing their blood with ours in marriage rite. 
 Loving the clergy well — our hearts' delight ! 
 
200 
 
 69. They revefenc'd the laws our Brehons plann'd. 
 Nor crush' d the foe that fear'd their strong command j 
 So Celt and Saxon soon were brothers all 
 
 In love ; and Gall was Gael and Gael was Gall. 
 
 70. At length — the Law, the Faith they flung overboard, 
 When carnal Calvin, lecherous Luther roar'd, 
 
 " Down with the Church ! free Passion from duress 
 " Raise high the floodgates of Licentiousness !" 
 
 7 1 . That cry reverberates round England's throne, 
 Where rules a despot's iron will alone ; 
 Henry, Elizabeth, and Scottish James 
 
 Echo the cry, and set a realm in flames. 
 
 72. The tale is quickly told. Black sin corrodes 
 The Saxon people and their Lish toads. 
 They foUow'd wheresoe'er their sovereigns led, 
 And made a king or queen the clergy's head ! 
 
 73. They strip p'd the Church of all the poor's estate, 
 And gave its acres to the guilty great. 
 
 They dressed the Latin Mass in English guise — 
 Oh, what a Mass — without a sacrifice ! 
 
 74. Rapine and lust and perjury had sway, 
 Scarce one went out to keep the Sabbath day ; 
 And, on a sunny Sunday — men assert — 
 
 A woman and her son would stay at home to flirt. 
 
 75. And there was feasting high — my soul it grieves 
 E"en on Good Friday and Apostles' Eves. 
 Who then eat cresses at the gushing well ? 
 None, save the hermit creeping from his cell. 
 
201 
 
 76. No fast ! but drunkenness, gluttony and strife ! 
 Who drinks your healtti — will swear away your life — 
 And yon sleek fop the pleasant dance that treads, 
 Hath pocketted hard cash for priests' and bishops' 
 
 heads. 
 
 77. Blood without cause was spilt, the poor werefleec'd, 
 Churches destroy' d, church-land to spendthrifts leas' d, 
 Widows were seen their husbands to deplore. 
 
 And orphans begg'd for crumbs from door to door. 
 
 78. And laws were fram'd to harrow and to vex, 
 Dire penal laws ! their very names perplex — 
 Assizes, sessions, livery, college rents. 
 Wardships, exchequer courts and parliaments. 
 
 79. Greenwax and capias, lattitat, replevin, 
 Bailbonds, bills, fines, and wrongs that cry to heaven, 
 Provosts and portrieves, tipstaffs, sheriffs, manors. 
 With aught but " justice" written on their banners. 
 
 80. But, there was one small law — Oh, quite a blessing ! 
 And yet we Irish thought it sore distressing — 
 Just only to surrender all our lands, 
 
 And trust our wealth in our oppressor's hands ! 
 
 81. 'Twas this last outrage rous'd Leath Cuin* to arms, 
 And vainly fill'd our Isle with war's alarms — 
 
 Up with the ''Blood-Red-Hand" of Owen Roe,t 
 A flag that never quiver' d to a foe ! 
 
 82. Onward, O'Donnell! Onward, rich O'Kane ! 
 O'Rourke, O'Boyle, O'Keily without stain ! 
 Maofuire of England and Maguire of Erin ! 
 M*Mahon and Magennis nobly daring ! 
 
 * The half of Ireland, from the Boyne and Shannon, northwaid. 
 t Owen Roe O'Neill. 
 
202 
 
 83. O'Reilly and M*Manus marcli in power, 
 Robert O'Neill whose fate was London Tower, 
 M'Donogh and O'Dowd of Castles bold, 
 And dark M'Sorly* ransom'd for his gold ! 
 
 84. O'Connor, on ! for sterling worth renown'd, 
 M'Murphy who in kine and books abound, 
 M*Swiny of the axe that shone like rays, 
 And you who set the signal wisp ablaze ! 
 
 85. On ! with each chief from Leinster to Lough Lean, 
 Courageous Walsh and Cavanagh serene ; 
 
 Thou, too, of narrow Galleysf yellow Earl ! 
 No tall ships on the lake their sails unfurl. 
 
 86. March to the fight ! alas, that fight is vain ! 
 
 Tho' Geraldines will join from Glyn and Maine — 
 From Shannet, Callan, and the Mang's wild flood. 
 And bright O'Doherty of Ossian's Finian blood ! 
 
 87. In many a field they met the Regicides — 
 But, what avail the brave whom feud divides ? 
 Still o'er the land black ruin had not sped 
 
 Till Phelim rose unwise, and King Charles lost his 
 head. 
 
 88. Then were the people seized with bitter qualms, 
 Driv'n on the world to crave precarious alms. 
 Plague crawl'd along and famine loudly yell'd — 
 Why not? Christ's holy Nuncio was expell'd ! 
 
 89. Let truth be told ! Not England's martial hordes. 
 Nor our own want of men, or means, or swords. 
 Not her superior power, nor our weak force 
 Lost us our Island — 'twas Division's curse ! 
 
 * M'Donnell, Earl of Antrim. f Donogh M'Carthy, Lord Muskerry. 
 
203 
 
 90. An alien leader and an Irish army — 
 
 Such odds against me must be sure to charm me ! 
 
 An alien array and an Irish leader — 
 
 Poor Erin ! she were lucky had they freed her ! 
 
 91. But rumour runs — can it, perchance, be true? 
 Muskerry, Murrough, Ormond, Burgh — base crew ! 
 At Stankard hung upon the guilty rear, 
 
 And play'd a game of "neutrals" — rather queer ! 
 
 92. "Spades, trumps" — they pass firom hand to hand 
 
 the ace; 
 
 " Win, Gael, win. Gall" — they win in any case. 
 So, Cromwell scour'd the field, and at his side 
 Was seen son Harry hardily to ride. 
 
 93. Ireton and Ludlow — fit for worst misdeed ! 
 Fleetwood and Waller — fanitics in creed ! 
 The ready carbine and the polish'd gun — 
 
 These were the men by whom our Land was won ! 
 
 94. By force or firaud they seiz d each town or fort, 
 Banish'd or hang'd by military court — 
 From Innisboffin* to the Hill of Howth, 
 
 From Causeway to Cape Clear, their names we loathe. 
 
 95. Oh ! it was they who routed from our Isle 
 
 The old — the gentle stock ! who knew no guile — 
 The Lord of Meath, the Butlers, Burkes, and Deases, 
 Now seek their fortune where hard fortune pleases. 
 
 96. The Barry s old, and eke ' the Barry s young, 
 The Roches rich, who scom'd to do a wrong — 
 Power, Plunkett, Eustace, doom'd to droop and pine. 
 The Leinster and the Munster Geraldine. 
 
 * An island north-west on the coast of the county of Galwav. 
 
204 
 
 97. The Bagot of the plenteous harvest field; 
 Moores, Cantillons, and Creaghs that ne'er would 
 
 yield ; 
 
 Trant, Staunton, Raleigh, Rices, Gallweys, Mees, 
 Courseys and Cooleys — sent across the seas. 
 
 98. Where are the Supples, Purcells, Condons, Lacys ? 
 Of Sherlocks, Keatings, Cusacks — where the traces ? 
 Where Brown of beauteous Tore? Where he of 
 
 Spittal?* 
 
 Replac'd, perhaps, by Scotch or English wittol ! 
 
 99. Ah! whither vanish they of Heber's seed? , 
 The strong M'Mahon of the leaping steed? 
 The Mac Con Mara prompt to do or dare ? 
 The great O'Brien, Lord of craggy Clare? 
 
 100. And, have they all departed — woe is me ! 
 The relics of our pristine Piety ? 
 McCarthy More, the pride of Innisfail? 
 And his brave offspring, princes of the Gael ? 
 
 101. M'Donogh, too, the clergy's prop and stay, 
 With the three chiefs who own'd his potent sway ? 
 Is Reagh, the swarthy, number' d with the dead ? 
 And, has Dun Donal to some refuge fled ? 
 
 102. Where are the lords of Bearra and Dunkerron? 
 Where they who hunted with the hawk, the heron ? 
 Where is the cheerful Tiernagh of Cos Mang ? 
 And where M 'Finnan, who the red deer sprang ? 
 
 103. Say, shall I find McCarthy at Killeague ? 
 Or, has he fallen the victim of intrigue ? 
 A clan, unmatched in field or in defile, 
 Prove weak before the fell deceiver's wile ! 
 
 * Hospital, in the County of Limerick. 
 
205 
 
 104. Nor may I here forget Hugh Brennan's race, 
 Those priests who were the altar's light and grace. 
 You feel their eloquence resounding still, 
 
 From Limerick of the ships to Brandon Hill. 
 
 105. Tis felt ! for its good fruits will ne'er depart — 
 Nor may I pass the children of my heart 
 
 In silence, for their names are told in Heaven ! 
 My own O'Connells and the sons of Crevin. 
 
 106. But who denies the homage of a tear — 
 Tho' grief but ill beseems the martyr's bier ! 
 
 To those three friends who, 'mid a people's prayers, 
 Hung on one gallows where men hold their fairs I* 
 
 1 07. The good Pierce Ferriter of song and sword. 
 Brave Teig O'Connor, Tarbert's rightful Lord, 
 M*Egan — bishop Boetius was he hight ! 
 
 And he absolv'd them for their Heav'n-ward flight ! 
 
 • 108. O'Connor's head upon a spike was plac'd — 
 A nobler never yet a gibbet grac'd ! 
 His two fair boys steal nigh on market day. 
 And crowds will bless and screen them as they kneel 
 to pray. 
 
 1 09. Thousands are banish'd to J amaica's swamps ! 
 Thousands are banish'd to far, foreign camps ! 
 The son of Ross O'Donoghue is gone. 
 While he of Flesk in covert lingers on ! 
 
 110. How plans my mirthful Sheara his escape ? 
 He now can know no mirth in any shape ! 
 Dungid, Dunday, and Dunenar are mute. 
 Unheard within their halls the laugh or lute ! 
 
 * The "Fair Hill," Killarney; called in Irish, Ciio.:C\n a 3-ceonA. 
 
206 
 
 1 1 1 . No hope for us albeit we cross the main ! 
 No hope for us albeit we hug our chain ! 
 No hope for us albeit their oaths we try ! 
 Conscience rebukes — our life's a living lie ! 
 
 112. What shall we do? or whither shall we go? 
 
 Nor hill, nor woods, nor mountain, hides from woe. 
 
 No cure is here and no physician there ; 
 
 But God is good ! Let our resource be prayer ! 
 
 1 13. O God ! who makest Moon and stars so bright. 
 Who framedst Earth and Heav'n and spheres of light, 
 Thou who hast been and art, and e'er wilt be 
 
 One God alone — a Triune Deity ! 
 
 114. Is Thy sight dim ? Thy sense of hearing hushed ? 
 Art Thou not He who once the monsters crushed ? 
 Will not Thy lightning our oppressors rive ? 
 They've quench'd the Faith — scarce left a spark alive. 
 
 1 15. Is this Thy promise made to Patrick erst, 
 When on Mount Heremon ye both conversed? 
 Was this the promise vouchsaPd on the Reeks, 
 When he had fasted well his Fast of Weeks ? 
 
 116. Oh, no ! It is not thus ! Thou art all truth ! 
 Eternal years are Thine — yet Thine is youth ! 
 Ours is the sin — the more Thy hand bestows, 
 The more Thy bounteous treasure overflows. 
 
 117. Let Mary hear us ! fair-neck'd, undefil'd 
 Virgin, and Mother of Thine only child ! 
 Hear, John the Baptist ! hear us, second John ! 
 Hear us, Apostles ! pillars of God's Throne ! 
 
207 
 
 118. Saint Michael, Angel-guardian of our Isle ! 
 Patrick, great saviour from the demon's guile I 
 Ye saints of Eirie, full of holy Love ! 
 Columbas, each as gentle as his dove ! 
 
 119. Ye Finians ! and ye Brendans ! three and three, 
 But chiefly thou who'st brav'd the Arctic sea ! 
 Thou of the ivied oak, whose vows did lay 
 The Spirit of the Plague when on his way 
 
 To decimate the plains of Iveray 
 
 120. Thou, round whose islet Shannon's waters flow ! 
 Thou of the bright, the sunny Aghadoe ! 
 Thou of the grotto o'er the placid lake. 
 
 And thou whose abbey walls the ocean billows break ! 
 
 121. Oh ! pray for Erie, blessed soul of Bride ! 
 And all ye saints and anchorets beside — 
 Pray that your God may free us from despair. 
 And I, too, pray that God may hear your prayer | 
 
 122. Almighty Father, who in Heav'n hast rest! 
 Restore our Faith, thus let thy name be blessed ! 
 Teach us to bear this overwhelming yoke. 
 
 The many pains our many sins provoke !" 
 
 123. " All hail, sweet Mary ! full of Jesu's grace ! 
 Thrice hallow'd thou who seest him face to face ; 
 In this her dreary, darksome hour of night. 
 Obtain for Erin Liberty and Light !" 
 
 THE END. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 CONTRACTIONS IN INDEX. 
 
 e. p. = et passim, 
 
 a. e. = and elsewhere, 
 
 pro. = pronoun, 
 
 pre. = preposition, 
 
 pref. = preface, 
 
 Athens, its founders, note b. 18. 
 Aspirations of nouns, note a. 19. 
 Alban (Alpin), 41. 
 Alcluid (Ercluid), in Gaul, 'explained 
 
 see 63, 75, 77. 
 An uair, note upon these words, 3. 
 Adamnan, St., h. n. 89, 93, e. p. 
 "An," rule upon, 1 n. b. 
 *' A," rule for, n. g. 5, n. b. 12. 
 " Ar.," rule for, n. c. 5. 
 " As," n. h. 5. 
 
 Amergin, or Avereen, historical 
 
 notes, a. e. 
 Annadown, 39, a. e. 
 Antiquity of Ireland, h. n. 
 Atlas, c. 9, 
 
 Adam, Abel, Cain, Eve, 9. 
 Asia, 5. 
 
 " Anna," note upon. 
 
 Algonkin, America, h. n., 1. 
 
 Armagh (book of), h. n. 4, 87 
 (supremacy of), 113. 
 
 Armenian deluge, 33. 
 
 Alazon, Aragus, Araxes (rivers) 18. 
 
 Albania, between Euxine and Cas- 
 pian, 18. 
 
 Argonauts, Amazons, 19. 
 
 Alannus Mons., 24, 25. 
 
 Alloee, Agnon, Archipelago, 26, 27. 
 
 Achaia, where situated, 38, 
 
 Ailbe, 53 stanza, and in notes on it, 
 86, 89. College of, h. n. 90. 
 
 Ainsworth, quoted in stanza 25, 
 h. n. 50, 57, e. p. 
 
 A. H. Bru^, quoted, h. n. 49. 
 
 Atlas, Universal de Geographie, h. n. 
 49. 
 
 Artois, h. n. 49, 50, 58, e. p. 
 
 Augustus, h. n. 54. 
 
 Alexander Adam, quoted, 56, and 
 
 many places, h. n. 
 Armorica, h. n. 57, 58, 63. 
 
 n. c. = nominative case^ 
 
 d. c. = dative case, 
 
 p. = page, 
 
 h. n. historical notes. 
 
 African pirates, 57, and many places. 
 
 Aquitani, 58, h. n. 82. 
 
 Letha (Layha), Armorica, h. n. 63. 
 
 Aghado, h. n. 87, e. p. 
 
 Ardfert, h. n. 47, 67, 89. 
 
 Arran (island of, Galway), h. n. 89. 
 
 Antrim, h. n. 90, e. p. 
 
 Ardagh (school of), h. n. 90 (bishop 
 
 of), h. n. 92. 
 Ardbraccan, h, n. 92, a. e. 
 Alcuin, Charlemagne's tutor, h. n. 
 
 92, h. n. 95. 
 Alcuin, scholar of Egbert, A Bishop 
 
 of York (705 A.D.), h. u. 92. 
 Antiphonarium Beuchorense, h. n. 
 
 94, 120. 
 Achonry (Mayo), h. n. 94. 
 Anglican Church, Anglo-Saxon cha- 
 racters, 94. 
 Austin (St.), h. n. 67, 94. 
 Auxerre (Antisodorus), Eric of, 
 
 writes to St. German, h. n. 95. 
 Antonini (St.) h. n. 96. 
 Asaph (St.), bishop of, h. n. 96. 
 Ambrose (St.), h. n. 97. 
 A, commutable for o. u. sometimes, 
 
 106. 
 
 Angel, Victor, 133 and many places. 
 AnecdotaAmbrosianaMuratori, 120, 
 a. e. 
 
 Alphabetical hymn of St. Seachnall 
 (why so called), 120. 
 
 Aengus, the Culdee (God-worship- 
 per), 121, a. e. 
 
 «* Annals of the Four Masters," 44, 
 121, e. p. 
 
 Aengus (of the swine herds), 122. 
 
 Apparent difficulty of Irish explain- 
 ed, 35. 
 
 2ltA c\].\t (DubUn), 65. 
 
 Ailbe, Ciaran, Ivar, Deichlan, 86. 
 
 Almhain (Allen), battle of, 44, 45. 
 
209 
 
 Austin (St.), 94, e. p. 
 
 Ambrose (St.), on the appearance of 
 
 Jesus on earth after his Ascension, 
 
 history of, 97. 
 Aidan, or Eadan, king of Scotland, 
 
 135. 
 
 Annals of Donegal, 39, e. p. 
 Aradia Dail, different from Riada 
 
 Dal, 45. 
 Ane — , 138. 
 Athene, 138. 
 
 Archaeological Society, Kilkenny, 
 
 139, a. e. 
 iEngus, 141. 
 Ardfert, diocess of, 142. 
 Archdall's " Monasticon," 142. 
 Adam, A. Dr., 116, a. e.j 
 Adrian, Pope, 61, 145. 
 Abbeyfaile, 63. 
 Annadown, 189. 
 Archdiocess of Tuam, 189. 
 Athy, 182. 
 
 Atrocities under Sir Charles Coote, 
 
 77, a. e. 
 Andrew (St.), 95. 
 Arran (St.), 95. 
 Author of "Dirge," 4, 85, 93. 
 Apology for Eire, pref. 
 
 B. 
 
 Babel tower (its site, the time of its 
 erection, according to Belarmine), 
 h. n., 9. 
 
 Brendan (or O'Brennan, St.), 46, 
 47, e. p. 
 
 Boetius, false assertion relative to 
 
 Gadelas, 17. 
 Book of Invasions, h. n. 25, 28, 37, 
 
 39. 
 
 Brittany, h. n., 25. 
 
 Byzantium, Braganza, Baath, 
 Father of Farsa, Braha, Bay of 
 Biscay, Bosphorus, 26, 27. 
 
 Bile, Brogan, h. n. 27, 28. 
 
 Byrsa, the name of Carthage, 29. 
 
 Binneaduir (Howth), h. n. 34. 
 
 Bible, boast about, h. n. 35. 
 
 Briotan j\Iaol, h. n. 35, 57, ancestor 
 of Britons, 71. 
 
 Brutus, his sons, h. n. 36. 
 
 Breac, Simon, grand-son of Neme- 
 
 dius, h. n. 37. 
 Bceotia, h. n. 38. 
 Baltic, h. n. 39. 
 Brigantes, 41. 
 Britons Armoric, h. n. 82. 
 Bawn sleev (O'Brennans of), 44. 
 Brennan (0'), P., Rev. P.P., Kil- 
 
 dare, 45. 
 Birr, 47, 143, a. e. 
 Beara (Spanish princess), 47. 
 Belgae (Belgium), 49. 
 Boulogne-sur-mer, 50, e. p. 
 Bonna, 55, e. p. 
 Bunowen, 55. 
 Bononia, 56, 61. 
 Bretagne, 57. 
 Breanuin Teffia, 44. 
 Bipartite division of Ireland between 
 
 Conn and Owen, 48. 
 Beara, wife of Owen. 
 Bonaven (Bonavem), 62, often. 
 Baxter (quoted), 63. 
 Bouchaerius (quoted), 66. 
 Bollandists, 66, e. p. 
 Baillet, 67. 
 Baronius (quoted), 71. 
 Brendan, St., (O'Brennan), visits 
 
 Iceland, 73, great age of, 141. 
 Bede, Ven., 73, e. p. 136. 
 Book of Conquests, 74, and often. 
 Balcluthas's walls of Towers, &c., 
 
 77. 
 
 Benignus (Benin), St., of Armagh, 
 
 53, 87, e. p. 
 Bangor (school of), 90, e. p. 
 Bernard (St.), 99, e. p. 
 Bayle, quoted, 96. 
 Benna-Boirche, where situated, 
 
 107. 
 
 Barche, or Boirche Hy, in Leiaster, 
 107. 
 
 Baptism, modes of administering, 
 
 105, 106. 
 Bethoron, 115. 
 Bangor, monastery of, 119. 
 Bobio, monastery of, 120. 
 "Book, Speckled," of Banvmote, 
 
 120. 
 
 Brooke, Miss, 134, and pref. 
 Bilay (bile), 37, e. p. 
 
210 
 
 Brogan, 37, e. p. 
 
 Bosgoin (Boscain), 45, a. e. 
 
 Berehaven (Beara), 46. 
 
 Bishops in Ireland before Patrick, 
 
 139, a. e. 
 Boyne, 139, a. e. 
 Burns' "Remembrancer," 141. 
 Brendan (O'Brennan), St., carries 
 
 the faith to distant lands, 142, 
 
 189, a.e. Great age of, 141, 142, 
 
 visits North America. 
 Bardsei, 166. 
 Barton, quoted, 169. 
 Brian Boiroihme (Borivey), 58, 
 
 a. e. 
 
 Battle of Clontarf, 58. 
 
 Bridget (St.), of Kildare, 57, and 
 
 h. n. 96, 98. 
 Bristol, 60. 
 
 Barri de, Wm. 60, four sons of, 60. 
 
 Bald, of the kine, 61. 
 
 Bull of Adrian, 61, recognized as 
 
 licit by Pope John, 62. 
 Brownes, illustrious, 63. 
 Brennans, E., " History of Ireland," 
 
 62, 63, a. e. 
 Beeling, 171, 179, a. e. 
 Brendon's Hill, 185. 
 Briga (St.), of Annadown, Galway, 
 
 niece of St. Brendan, 142. 
 Brendan (St.), of Kerry, of the line 
 
 of Ciar, 142 ; his church and 
 
 diocess, 142. 
 Boyle, annals of, 188. See also, 
 
 O'Donnell and Curlew mountains. 
 Burgundian library, 189. 
 Book of Forfeitures, 155. 
 Berminghara Tower, 155. 
 Brown, Archbishop of Dublin, on 
 
 vices of Reformers, 67. 
 Book, " Cromwellians," 76. 
 Baggot, 81, 82. 
 
 Base, present outcry of Catholics for 
 
 England, 78. 
 Broudior (quoted), on massacre of 
 
 Irish, 79. 
 Browne, of Hospital, 84, 63, a. e. 
 Basgoine (Bascine), 84. 
 Bealagh Beime, 86, 87. 
 Burkes, Butler, 79. 
 Barrys, 81. 
 
 Barbarous treatment of the Irish, 
 90, a. e. 
 
 Blake, Most Rev. Michael, Bishop 
 
 of Dromore, 96. 
 Brownes, of Turc, 63, 81, a. e. 
 
 C. 
 
 Cionfodhla, 13. 
 
 Cellarius (quoted), 17,49, e. p. 
 Crimea, Caspian, Colchis, Cappa- 
 
 docia, 18. 
 Cyrus, Cathiar, Carr, Carbin, Ca- 
 
 bira, Cabiri, 21. 
 Cybele, Corybantes, Crutheni, Cing, 
 
 (Quinn), 23. 
 Circassia, Chambers, Cathair, Celts, 
 
 24, 25. 
 Crete. 27. 
 
 Chinese adjective, Caheer, 27. 
 Carthaginian Territory, 29. 
 Carmody, Milveul (honey-mouthed), 
 30. 
 
 Choroebus, son of Mygdon, mention- 
 ed in 5th book of Homer, 32. 
 
 Cluverius, Clodius, 33. 
 
 Clan Neiv, or Nemedians. 34. 
 
 Carpathian Mountains, 39. 
 
 Constantine of Alban, Cathluan 
 (Callan), 41. 
 
 Cruanthooa (Land of boors), the 
 first name of Alban, 41. 
 
 Colpa, 43. 
 
 Ciarrigh, 43, 142, a. e. 
 Conall Gulban, 47, 143, a. e. 
 Cathaoir (Caheer, Kingof Leinster), 
 43, 44. 
 
 Corcoclilanna (in Roscommon), 44. 
 Conal Glu (a son of Bruin, ancestor 
 
 of Roscommon O'Brennans), 44. 
 Clonfert, 46, 67, e. p. (school of), 
 
 90. 
 
 Cas, father of Caisin, 47. 
 
 Conn (of the Hundred Battles), 47. 
 
 Castle Holy, 49, term explained, 51. 
 
 C?esar (quoted), 49, 54, 55, e. p. 
 
 Calais, 50, e. p. 
 
 Clovis, King of the Franks, 53. 
 
 Coeman, St., 53. 
 
 Canons Regular, 53. 
 
 Clonard, 53, e. p. (school of, 90). 
 
21 
 
 I 
 
 Confessions (of Patrick), 62, 65,e. p. ; 
 Calpurnius (Patrick's father), 65, 78, ! 
 
 e. p. i 
 Colgan, Father, 69, e. p., his opinion 
 
 of Nem Tur refuted, 69. 
 Calais, straits of, 71. 
 Camden, 73, and often. 
 Criomthan (King), invades Belgae, 
 
 74. 
 
 Coroticus (English tyrant), 75. 
 
 Chambers', Messrs., Gazetteer 
 (quoted), 77, 79. 
 
 Conchessa (Patrick's mother), 78. 
 
 Clyde, 79. i 
 
 Constantino's (Emperor), law pre- 
 venting two offices being filled by 
 one person, 81. 
 
 Columbcille, 89, e. p. 95. 
 
 Colmans, St., 89, e, p. 
 
 Columbanus, St., 89, e. p. 120. 
 Monk of Bangor in Down. 
 
 Colleges of Ireland, 90. [90. | 
 
 Cloonfuish (Tuam), Galway, school, 
 
 Cummian, St. (7th century). 
 
 Cothraighe, a name of Patrick (ex- 
 plained), 100. 
 
 Canaan, 115. 
 
 CeUbacy of Clergy, 121, 108. 
 Corrib Lough, 121, a. e. 
 Civitas Regis — King's city, 125, ' 
 Cluanmacuois, Book of, 39, e. p. 
 Conaire, 44. 
 
 Cairbres (Carberrys), 3, 45. 
 Collas, their descent, 45, and his- 
 
 torical notes at Mac Mahons and 
 
 Mac Guires. 
 Clauna Neill, 45, Heremonians, 45. 
 Clontarf, battle of, 58. 
 Carrig and " Craig," difference, 34. 
 Cyrus defeated by Scythians, 41. 
 Conn's division of Ireland defined, 
 
 48. 
 
 Cruachan (Croghan), ancient palace 
 of Irish Kings in Roscommon, 48. 
 
 Centre of Unity (Rome), difficulty | 
 to, in Cromwell's time, 139. 
 
 Celestine, Pope, before Sixtus, 139, 
 e. p. 140. 
 
 Cliona, 138. 
 
 Cumean Sybil, 138. 
 
 Colman (St.), a priest, 140. 
 
 Clear, Cape, birth-place of Kvrian 
 ! A.D. 352, 140. 
 i Columba (Columcille), 140. 
 Clonfert, its derivation, 143, a. e. 
 Curlew Mountains, pass of the, 
 149, where situated. See Dirge. 
 Coran and Ceish (Keash), 150. 
 Clifford, General, 150. 
 Carte's " Ormond," 77, 163, a. e. 
 
 153, 172. 
 Cromwell, see at stanzas, 93, 91, 96. 
 a. 6. 
 
 Clarendon (quoted), 169, e. p. 79. 
 i Cambrensis and O'MuUoy, 60, and 
 Cogitosus, h. n. [h. n. 
 
 Cummin, Archbishop, 60. 
 Connellan, Owen, Esq., 42. 
 Con Mac Mahon, 164. 
 Confederation, Kilkenny, 171. clique 
 of, 175. 
 
 Clogher, 171. [172. 
 I Covenanters relieved by Ormond, 
 Cantwell, Most Rev. Dr.', 172. 
 Cole, Sir W,, quoted (see Maguire), 
 a. e. 
 
 Coote's wicked conduct, 179 and a. e, 
 Clanaboy, 183. 
 Cnock-na-glosha, 186. 
 Castleconwav, 136. 
 ' ClonaUs, 162. 
 Castle Ruby, 163. 
 Crosbies (M'Crossans), 155. 
 Curry, Eugene, Esq., 68. 
 Celtic Society, Dublin, learned work 
 of, 68. 
 
 Cavendish, Hon. F., Mayo, 7L 
 Charles I., when beheaded, 73. 
 Collection of Irish massacres, book, 
 
 quoted, 76. 
 Clanricarde, 75, 79, a. e.' 
 Cooleys, Courseys, Creighs, Cor- 
 dons, Cusacks, 83. 
 Connaught or Hell, origin of, 91. 
 Consonants (mutable), rule for, 95, 
 I a. e. 
 Colman (St.), of Dromore, 96. 
 Crevin, 95. 
 
 Columb, son of Felim, 95. 
 Conall, Cowen, Sts., 95. 
 Conduct of the Abbot of Ferns, 145, 
 146. 
 
2 
 
 12 
 
 D. 
 
 D, rules upon, 5, n. e,, 6 k, 7 c, 14 
 d, 15. 
 
 Dioscurias (at the rivers, Charistus, 
 Cyaneus, and Hyppeus), a city 
 built by a Milesian colony, 18. 
 
 Don.— See Tanais, 20. 
 
 Deaghfbatha (Daha), Dardanelles, 
 26, 27. 
 
 Dido, Danube, Dniester, Tyras, 29. 
 Darius, destruction of his army by a 
 
 tribe of the Scythians, north-east 
 
 of the Euxine, 29. 
 Danaans Tuatha de, settled in 
 
 Achaia, 38, 39. 
 Doverfield Mountains, 38. 
 Dalriada, h. n., 41, 51. 
 Drogheda, 43. 
 
 Dathi (Dhahee), 47 (King), 73. 
 Dublin, 59. 
 
 Defence of Ireland (in Preface), and 
 40, also in many places. 
 
 Dalriads, explained, their settle- 
 ment, 44, 45. 
 
 Dyonisius (quoted), 72. 
 
 Dunbarton, 77. 
 
 Danube, 80. 
 Decurio" (Patrick's father was 
 one), explained, 80, 81. 
 
 Disputes about variation of dates, 
 not a proof against the existence 
 of facts, 96, a. e. 
 
 " Dia," prep., explained, compared 
 with Greek, 101. 
 
 Diunseanchus, 107. 
 
 Dundalethglass (Down), 43. 
 
 *' Dapibus," interesting note on, 123. 
 
 Dromceat (in Derry), council of, 
 135, e. p. 
 
 Donegal, annals of, 39, e. p. 
 
 Deluge, A.M. 1656. 
 
 Do hi (do vee), he was, note upon 
 Irish, Greek, Latin, French, com- 
 pared, 35. 
 
 Darius, defeat of by Scythians, 40, 
 
 Desmond, its present extent, 41. 
 
 Division of Ireland, first when it 
 was made, 41. 
 
 Deighlan (St.), Life of, 139, 140, 
 a. e., 95. 
 
 Desies (Desii), 140. 
 Dymna, 140. 
 
 Descent of the Saints Brendan, and 
 
 death, 142, 143. 
 Donough (Brian's son), 144— Theft 
 
 of Irish crown, 144. 
 Dunshaughlin, 117. 
 Darerca, not Patrick's sister, 116. 
 Dunaveeragh, where situated. — See 
 
 " Dirge." 
 DuflFy, Chas. Gavan, Esq., M. P., 164. 
 Devereux, Thomas, Esq., M.P., 164. 
 Desmond, Great Earl of, 166, a. e., 
 
 72, 73. 
 
 Danes first invade Ireland, 58. 
 
 Dervorgilla, 58, h. n. 
 
 David's (St.), bishop of, his part in 
 the injustice to Ireland, 60. 
 
 Deluge of Ireland before last judg- 
 ment, 55. 
 
 Dease, bishop, 172. 
 
 Decuriones, explained, 80. 
 
 Drummond, 184. 
 
 Dungarvan, 185. 
 
 Discord helped on by Beeling, also 
 Mountgarrett, Preston, bishop of 
 Ossory and Meath, 73. 
 
 Dalrymple's " Memoirs of Great 
 Britain," 79. 
 
 David (St.), 95. 
 
 Defence of Ireland, pref., a. e. 
 
 E, 
 
 Epiphanius, bishop of Salarais, his 
 opinion of ancient Scythia — its 
 polish, note b, page 17. 
 
 Eclipsed or mortified letters, note g, 
 17 ; note a, 19, 224, a. e. 
 
 Eire, grammatical note on, 5, 7. 
 
 Eastern language, 25, 26. 
 
 iEneid, 26. 
 
 Eochy MacEarc, last king of Fir- 
 
 bolgs, 30. 
 Eustachius, 33, 63. 
 Eogan More (Owen More), 47. 
 Eugenius, 47. 
 
 EochaMeadhghoin (Ayngha Meeviu 
 
 King of Meath), 44. 
 Extremi hominum, the Morini, in 
 
 Belgic Gaul, 54, 79, 80. 
 
213 
 
 England (her bloody flag), called 
 Britain after Briotan, a descend- 
 ant of Nemedius, 35. 
 
 Eutropius (quoted), 59. 
 
 Emain, when built, when destroyed, 
 45. 
 
 Ercluade (in Gaul), 63. 
 Enon (where Patrick was captured), 
 65. 
 
 England (her wars), 76. 
 " Equites," Knights, explained, 80, 
 81. 
 
 Elphin, school of, 90. 
 
 Ealpa (English Alps), 102, explained. 
 
 Ennistymon, 102. 
 
 Emain (Ulster), viz. Down, Armagh, 
 Monaghan, and part of Antrim, 
 113. 
 
 *' Entertainers," noblemen, 101, and 
 
 pref. 
 Eucharist, 123. 
 
 Eucharistic table, pre-eminence of, 
 127; food, its distribution, 128. 
 
 Eadan or Aidan (O'Haydon), 135, 
 136. 
 
 England's bloody history, 40, e. p. 
 Education, advantages of, 42. 
 Eliogarty, 140. 
 Ely O'CarroU, 140. 
 Elbe, 116. 
 Eleran, (St.) 
 
 England Catholic or Protestant, 
 equally unjust to Ireland, 62, e. p. 
 
 Essex, Earl of, 183. 
 
 Elizabeth, 183. 
 
 Edward VI., 183. 
 
 Eanuchduin (Annadown), 189. 
 
 Every Romish Priest deemed a rebel, 
 being a Priest, the crime of trea- 
 son, 78. 
 
 Eustaces, 81. 
 
 Evan or Evin (St.), 95. 
 
 Enna (St.), 95. 
 
 Eclipsed letters, &c., after pref. 
 F. 
 
 Fenius or Phenius, a quo Phoenicia, 
 
 n. d., 17. 
 Fiction relative to him, by Gerald 
 
 Barry, answered. 
 
 Fiontan 6, h. n., 7, story of, refuted. 
 Feniusa Farsa, his University, its 
 
 place, 10. 
 Firbolgs, their history, 37. 
 Firgailians, Firdhivneean, 37. 
 Fergus the Great, 41. 
 Fitzpatrick. — See Mac Patrick, 43. 
 Fiech, St., (quoted,) 49 ; his life of 
 
 Patrick, 98 ; Dirge, 95. 
 Faolchan (father of St. Colman), 53. 
 Finan (St., of Clonard), 53, 96. 
 Fionn Mac Cooill and the Irish 
 
 militia, defence of, 43, 195 ; scep- 
 tics answered, 44. 
 Fursey (St.), of Lough Corrib, 89, 
 
 188, his parents and history. 
 Fort St. Michel, 103, 84. 
 Fenian chiefs, 135, stanza xlvii., a. e. 
 Fianniv (Fiannivh), d, c, for nom., 
 
 43 ; License of poets shewn from 
 
 Virgil, 43, e. p. 
 Ferriter, Pierce, 138, a. e. 
 Fair Hill, 89, 138. 
 Fairy (sidhe, shee), 139. 
 Finloga, 142. 
 
 "Four Masters," 62, 63, 147, a. e., 
 184. 
 
 Ferns, abbey of, 146. 
 
 Frankland (quoted), 169. 
 
 Fitz Stephen, 60, 145. 
 
 •Fitz Henry, 60, 145. 
 
 Fitz Gerald, 60, 145. 
 
 Fermo, archbishop of, 170. 
 
 Fitz Gerald, Lord Thomas, and five 
 
 uncles, hanged at Tyburn, 182. 
 Fergus, son of Conall Gulban, father 
 
 of one of the Sts. Brendan, 143. 
 Finloga (King of Ui Bran), father of 
 
 O'Brennan or Brendant of Clon- 
 
 fert, Connaught, 142. 
 Fiontan, father of St. Fursey, 188-9. 
 Fursey's (St.) Monastery in Lough 
 
 Corrib, repaired by a Saxon king, 
 
 189. 
 
 Finglas, Baron •* Breviat" of Harris' 
 Hibernia, 180, 181. 
 
 Fingall, Earl of, 83. 
 
 Finan, Mac, 87. 
 
 Ferriter, Pierce, hanged, 89. 
 
 Finan (St.), of Killarney or Lough- 
 lane, 96, 97. 
 
21 
 
 4 
 
 G. 
 
 Gadelas, why so-called, note b, ver. 
 XX., 19. 
 
 Gadelas, the Linguist and Professor, 
 19. 
 
 Gaelig, why so-called, 10. 
 
 Gadel, grandson of Gomer, aids 
 
 King Farsa to digest the languages, 
 
 14, 
 
 Gadelians, start from an island in 
 the Caspian sea, encounter dan- 
 gers, Gollay, GoUamh, Galli, 21, 
 22. 
 
 Gothland, 25 ; Gothia, 26. 
 Goetulia, falsely stated as Gothland, 
 29. 
 
 Gomer, Gomerigu, Genesis, 32, 33. 
 Gud, Pictish Cheif, 40. 
 Graves, Rev. James, 44, 47. 
 Gessoriacum, 50, e. p. 
 Goldsmith, on the origin of towns, 
 51. 
 
 Gallic Britain, 55. 
 
 Gaul Armoric, its extent, 58, 59. 
 5eAU, the difference, 42. 
 
 Grecia Magna, 71, proof that the 
 less country is called " Great," 
 whilst the " Parent" one is not, 
 71. 
 
 German (St.), 94, e. p. 
 Gal (St.), Irish, 95. 
 Greek and Irish compared, 100, 41, 
 e.p. 
 
 Giraldus Carabrensis, 107, e. p. 
 
 Gabaon, 115. 
 
 Gormaiistown, Earl, 181. 
 
 Gollamh, Gollay, 37. 
 
 Greek poets, knowledge of, useful 
 for reading Irish bards, because 
 of an affinity, 33, 139, a. e. 
 
 Greek poets, practice of, same as of 
 the Irish, 36. 
 
 Geishel, battle of, and where, 47. 
 
 German tribe, 116. 
 
 Geraldines, 63, a. e. 
 
 Gesta Hibernorum, 187. 
 
 Gunboats, 188. 
 
 Gilgesia, mother of St. Fursev, 
 188. 
 
 Grange j\Ielon, near Athy, 180. 
 
 Glen, knight of, 71, 72. 
 
 Gall (foreigners), first so-called in 
 
 Ireland, 80. 
 Giants' Causeway, 79. 
 Galways. — See 6'Galways. 
 Gobeneta (St.), 96. 
 
 H. 
 
 Heredotus' notion of the origin of 
 
 the Scythians, 18. 
 His calumnies of them refuted, 20. 
 His ignorance of their topography, 
 
 20. 
 
 His opinion of their great civiUza- 
 
 tion, 18. 
 Heber, Heber Scott, 21. 
 Heber Glunfionn, borne, 26. 
 Hieronymus, 33. 
 
 Horace, alludes to the wealth of 
 Mygdonia, 33. 
 
 Heber, 42, a. e. 
 
 Heremon, 42. 
 
 Hirtius (quoted), 59. 
 
 Heremon's accession as sole mo- 
 narch — the battle between him 
 and Heber — when and where 
 fought, 47. 
 
 Hieres, islands of, 69, 103. 
 
 Heinschenius, 96, a. e. 
 Holv Tower,'' a citv. 99, 49, e. p. 
 
 Holy Orders, 127, 128. 
 
 Hesperia (Spain), note on, 37. 
 
 Homer's method, same as Irish 
 bards, 43, 44. 
 
 Hanmer, 141, 188, 189, a. e. 
 
 Henry II., the sancticide, 144, 145, 
 his infernal crew of robbers, 146, 
 
 Hume, 169. 
 
 History of Confiscations in Berming- 
 ham Tower, 169. 
 
 Hugh (a guo Keogh, MacKeogh, 
 Mac Hugh, Hughes), the Fist- 
 sucker, king, 58. 
 
 Helen, 59. 
 
 Henry I., his illegitimate sons and 
 
 concubine, 145. 
 Harris' "Irish Writers," 172. 
 Hospitality violated, 183. 
 
2 
 
 15 
 
 Hint of James I. to butcher Papists, 
 168. 
 
 Henry VIIL, hangs six of the Ge- 
 raldines, 182. 
 
 Hugh O'Flaherty, father of the au- 
 thor of "Ogygia/' 166. 
 
 Henry VH. proscribes Irish lan- 
 guage ; in his reign the Earl of 
 Kildare burns the Archbishop and 
 church of Cashel, 181. 
 
 Hibernia Dominicana, 170, 171. 
 
 Howth, Hill of, 79. 
 
 I. 
 
 Ireland, several names of ; its seve- 
 ral colonies ; the dates of their 
 arrival ; their chiefs ; the duration 
 of their time in the island, &c., 
 &c., h. n. p. 1 to 48. 
 
 Ireland : Route of the Milesians or 
 Gadeliansfrom Scythia to Africa; 
 their return home ; their route 
 back again by the Caspian sea; 
 the Kur or Cyrus river ; through 
 the defile of the Moscheck moun- 
 tains, by the river Phasis into the 
 Euxine or Black sea; their visit 
 to their relatives ; the Gaetoe or 
 Goths, and Dahoe north of it; 
 their return by the Black sea, the 
 sea of Marmora, into the yEgean 
 Archipelago, by Crete to Egypt ; 
 their having perfected some of 
 their party in the arts and sciences 
 which their ancestor, Niul, had 
 introduced thereto; their depar- 
 ture thence to Greece ; thence by 
 the south of Italy, Scicily, through 
 the Pillars of Hercules ; their 
 coasting along the western shores 
 before their landing in Gallicia, 
 the north-western part of Spain ; 
 the final migration of a colony of 
 them, thence to Ireland ; the 
 names of their leaders, the place 
 of their landing, and the divisions 
 they made of the island, &c., &c., 
 h. n. p. 15 to 43. 
 
 I, how sounded, note b, 15. 
 
 Iberia, Ibernia, 18. 
 
 laxartes, 20. 
 
 Illeach Neid (in Derry), where Ith 
 met the sons of Carmody, 30. 
 
 Inchiquin drags priests from under 
 the altars and murders them ; put 
 3,000, to the sword in the church 
 of Cashel, 76. 
 
 Irish Brigade, 80. 
 
 Iveragh, 89, a. e. 
 
 Ir, born near Thrace, 43. 
 
 Iccius Portus, 50. 
 
 Interpretation (diflferent of words), 
 52. 
 
 Ibarus (Ivar), St. of Big Erin, Wex- 
 ford, 89, 95, e. p. 
 Inchicore, 102. 
 
 " Israel," meaning of explained, 
 from St. Jerome, and " Speckled 
 Book," 129, 
 
 Ireland's Apostles, interesting list 
 of, 133. 
 
 Irish and Greek, collated, 37, e. p. 
 Irish and Latin, collated, 38, e. p. 
 Italian and Irish collated, 35. 
 Irish poets, their custom much like 
 
 that of the Greeks, 36. 
 Inchiquin (O'Brien), the church 
 
 burner, 164. 
 lar-Connaught, 165. 
 Inis na Ghoill, in Lough Corrib, 165, 
 
 a. e. 
 
 Irishmen ought to be united, 49, a. e. 
 Idolatry of Primitive Irish, 49, 50. 
 Interpolation of passages in " Dirge," 
 
 62, a. e. 
 Insurrections, three great, 166. 
 Ith (Eeh), a fact of, 51. 
 Innocent, Pope, 186. 
 Ikerin, 179. 
 
 Injustice, England's, bar to Union 
 
 of the two nations, 68. 
 Inishowen, Lord of, 73. 
 Insurrection of Sir Phelim, 73. 
 Irish and French pronounciation 
 
 alike, 92, a. e. 
 
 Justin's opinion of Scythic civiliza- 
 tion, 18. 
 Japhet, 5. 
 
216 
 
 Joshua and Caleb, 15, 115. , 
 
 Jupiter, 24. ' 
 
 Jocelyn, Rev. (his false translation of 
 NEM TUR refuted, 64. 
 
 Johnson, Dr. (quoted), on lan- 
 guages, 73. 
 
 Justin, interesting quotation from, 
 40, regarding Scythians. 
 
 James I., exterminating policy, 168, 
 his hint to butcher papists. 
 
 Journal of " House of Commons," 
 168. 
 
 Justices, Lords of Dublin, 169. 
 
 Jones, " Memoirs" (see Maguires). 
 
 Johnson, Ben, 184. 
 
 Jones, scout master, 187. Made 
 Bishop of Meath, 187, though a 
 regicide. His plan to take Ross 
 Castle, 187. 
 
 James, Duke of York, 180. 
 
 John Baptist, 95. 
 
 John, Evangelist, 95. 
 
 K 
 
 Keating, Rev. Dr., 57, defence of, 
 19, 9, 25, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 47. 
 
 Knocktua, near Galway (ancient pa- 
 trimonv of a tribe of O'Brennans). 
 44. Battle fought at, 44. 
 
 Killala, 67. 
 
 Kenneth's Roman Antiquities, 81. 
 
 Keenan, St., of Connaught, 94. 
 
 King's " State of Protestants," time 
 of James II. See Preface on 
 Author of Dirge. I 
 
 Kinsale, 148, a. e. I 
 
 Keoghs or Mac Keoghs, 160, a. e. i 
 
 Kenmare, Earl of, see note on i 
 O'Connor-Kerry, also 84. | 
 
 Kildare, Earl of, 181, 72, 73. 
 
 Keatinsrs, 83. i 
 
 Kieran^ St., 95. a. e. 
 
 Letters, dotted, silent in middle of 
 
 words, 17, 224, a. e. 
 L, how to pronounce it, n. a. 13. 
 Lia Fail, 2, false assertion about, 3. ! 
 Lawvfionn (Lavin), 26. j 
 Lucan, 29. I 
 
 Leath Cuinn (Lyagh), Leath Modha 
 (Lyagh Mogha), Con's half, 
 Mogha's half, 42. 
 
 Letha (Lyava), Armorica, h. n. 63, 
 122. 
 
 Limerick (Synod of), 47. 
 Louth, 43. 
 
 Lempriere (quoted), 50, e. p. 
 London, 51. 
 
 Languages, advantages of, 42, 
 Leabhar Breace (Lhyowr Byrack), 
 
 Speckled Book of Ballymote, 62, 
 
 and often. 
 Lingard (liistorian), 63. 
 Lanigan, Rev. Dr., 64, e. p. 
 Ledwidge, 64, e. p. 
 Laurence, St., 65. 
 Lynch, quoted, 68, and often. 
 Lynch's " Painful journey of Patrick" 
 
 refuted, 69. 
 Labineau, 72. 
 Livy, 81. 
 
 Loman, St. (first bishop of Trim), 
 93. 
 
 Lloyd, of Asaph, 96. 
 
 Laceys, 83. 
 
 Latin and Irish compared, 101, 112, 
 e. p. 
 
 Letavia, 105, e. p. 
 
 Leary (Laoghaire, King). 105. e. p. 
 
 Letters, commutable, 106, e. p. 
 
 changed by composition, 106. 
 Longobards, of Letha, 121, 116. 
 Leadhar Gabhla (Lhyowur Gowla), 
 
 Book of Invasions, 122. 
 Lerins, island of, 103 (Bollandists), 
 
 at March. 
 Loire (Ligeris), river, see Jones. 
 Libellers of Ireland reproved, 40, 
 
 e. p. 50, pref. 
 Languages given by God himself, 
 
 42, a. e. 
 
 Legatine power of Irish bishops, 
 
 138. 
 Liedauia, 140. 
 Luagne, 142. 
 Lingones, 116. 
 Langres, 116. 
 Lombards, 116, 
 Lough Foyle, 148. 
 Lough Swilly, h. n. 
 
2 
 
 17 
 
 Loghlin (Denmark), 58. 
 Loghlin (0'), h. n. 
 Ludlow's Memoirs, 87, 76, and a. e. 
 Lough Lane. 
 
 Lhadir-Cormac (Mac Carthy), 185. 
 
 Leiand, 180, 183, 76, 77. 
 
 Luagne (father of one of the 
 
 Brendans), 142. 
 Lughmoe, Baron, 179. 
 Leinster, Duke of, 83. 
 
 M 
 
 Moses and Niul of the same time, 14. 
 Mosehicimontes, Marshal, Mela, 18. 
 Mile, Easpaine, Mantan, 27. 
 Mauretania, 29. 
 
 Mamore, Mac Coill, Mac Cceacht. 
 Mac Griene, Milveul, Moore, the 
 
 poet, 31. 
 Magh Ith, 30. 
 
 Moore (not the poet), quoted on 
 
 discord, 31. 
 Mygdonia, the -county of Mygdon, 
 
 brother of Hecuba, Priam's queen, 
 
 32, 33. 
 
 Magog, father of Batth (Baa), set- 
 tled north, at the Caspian ; Sts. 
 Augustine, Jerome, and, amongst 
 modern writers, Bochart think 
 so, 33. 
 
 More, the African chief, 34. 
 Mac Curtin, 35, 47, 43. 
 Monmouth, Geoffry of, 36, says 
 
 Britaoii Maol gave name to the 
 
 Britons. 
 
 Mac Cullinan, King of Cashel, says 
 
 the same, 36, 57. 
 Milesius, e. p. 
 
 Mac Murrough (O'Murphy), 43, 
 
 145, 146. 
 Mac Patrick, 43. 
 
 Mac Guires (Maguires), 41, e. p. 
 
 151, a. e. 
 Moghfinna, 44. 
 Morini, 49, 50, e. p. 
 Morinorum Castellum, 54. 
 Mac Aliens, of Edinburgh, 46, 135, 
 
 136. 
 
 Mac Hale, Most, Rev. John, Arch- 
 bishop of Tuam, 66, 153, andpref. 
 
 Malabranque (refers to Chronicon 
 
 Morinense), 66. 
 Martin, St., of Tours, 68, e. p. 
 Mosheim (quoted), on language, 73. 
 Maclovius (quoted), 79. 
 Michael (Fort) St., described, the 
 
 modern name of Cnoe Heremond, 
 
 84. 
 
 Maccaiile (Mac Hale), St., of Ros- 
 common. 
 Mel, of Ardagh, St., 90, e. p. 
 Macthens, of Louth, St., 90. 
 Machay, St., of Antrim, 90. 
 Mayo, school of, 90, e. p. 
 Muratori, 94, 120, e. p. 
 Malmesbury, 95. 
 Milcho, 100. 
 
 Miracles of Patrick, 111, at 59 
 stanza of Dirge. 
 
 Murray, Most Rev. Daniel, Arch- 
 bishop of Dublin, 119. 
 
 Milan, library of, 120. 
 
 Mass, sacrifice of, 126, 64. 
 
 Miletus, south of Troy, 137. 
 
 Mac Carthy, 137. 
 
 Mac Donnells, 151, and note in 
 
 Dirge. 
 Mountjoy, 183. 
 Munster, its derivation, 185. 
 Mac Walter Calvagh, 183. 
 Morrison, quoted, 183. 
 Muskerry, Lord (Mac Carthy), 157. 
 Mac Donough (Mac Carthy), 188. 
 Mallow, 188. 
 
 Murtagh (Roe), of Moycullen, 164, 
 why so called, 165, its priveleges. 
 
 Mountgarret, Lord, 179. 
 
 Mac Mahon, of Monaghan, 69. 
 
 Monarchy, Irish adhesion to, our 
 own opinion upon, 69. 1 
 
 Mac Donough, of Ceash, 69. 
 
 Mac Dermotts, of Moyburg, 69. 
 
 Mac Guire, 69. 
 
 Mac Donnells, of Mayo, 70, 71, and 
 h. n. 
 
 Mac Donnells, of Antrim, 71 and 
 h. n. 
 
 Murderers of Charles, great plunder 
 
 of, Orraond shared in it, 77. 
 Mac Donough, of Duhallow, 86. 
 Moores (not the O'Moores), 83. 
 
218 
 
 Meagher. R. Dr., Rathmines, 88, 98. 
 Mees or Meehans. 83. 
 Macnamara, S5, 97. 47, h. n. 
 Mac Carthy Mor, 85. 
 Mac Carthv, Rev. Daniel, Mavnooth, 
 87. 
 
 M'Finnan, M'Finnan Duff, 87. 
 
 M'Crohous (Croghans), in Con- 
 naught, SS. 
 
 Mary, Virgin, 95. 
 
 Michael, Archangel, 95. 
 
 Muinach, St.. 95^^ 
 Uesian landit 
 note on, 39. 
 
 Moore, or O'Moore's, opinion about 
 year of Milesian Invasion, 39. 
 
 Momonia. 41, of Heber, e. p. 
 
 Murrough, or Murphy, 45. 
 
 Mac Mahons. of Clare, 13S. 
 
 ^lediterranean. 139, e. p. 
 
 Munster Christianity of (before 
 Patrick), 139. Ailbe Declan, 
 Ibar, or Ivar, Kyrian, or Cyrian. 
 
 ^lac Egan, Bishops of Elphin and 
 Clovne, murder of, see Dirge. 
 
 Marne, 116. 
 
 Mac Carthy Mor, The, 147. 
 
 Mac Guire's, of Fermanagh, 151, 
 
 tortures, death of. 
 Morrvson's (Father) Threnodia, 79, 
 
 153. 
 
 Mac Hugh, or Hughes, 160, a. e. 
 Mac Sweenvs, 163, and Dirge. 
 Mac Mahon, Patrick, Esq.T M. P.. 
 164. 
 
 Mac Manus, 160. 
 
 Moore (0'), G. H., Esq., M. P., 167. 
 
 Milton, quoted, 169. 
 
 Mac Murrough's return with his 
 
 English robbers, 60, 145, and 
 
 h. n. 
 
 Montmorency, 146. 
 Montmaurice, inhumanity of, 146. 
 Mac Mahon, Heber, bishop, 171. 
 Marv, Queen (Catholic), treats us 
 badly, 182, a. e. 
 
 N 
 
 N, sound of, before G. 
 
 Note, important on 15th stanza, 15. 
 
 Numerals, note upon, 16. 
 
 Wah) fon, note upon, 16. 
 Nisnenovogorod, New England, 25. 
 Nuadha Airgiodlamh (Nooa Argidl- 
 
 hawv), 37. 
 Norway, 38, 39. 
 Nial of the nine hostages, 47. 
 Nem Tur (false translation of), 50. 
 
 h. n. 
 
 Nevtria (its derivation), 53. 
 
 Nua Sneacht, 44. 
 
 Nennius, 72. 
 
 Nathy of Achonry, 94. 
 
 Nun (a man's name), 116. [39. 
 
 Names of places, proof of antiquity, 
 
 Nuagad Neacht, why so called. 44. 
 \\'hen King, 44. His victory 
 over O'Driscoll, 44. 
 
 Nesta, daughter of King of Wales, 
 concubine of Henry I., 60. 
 Supposed mother of Lying Barry, 
 (see Clarke's notes on Dirge) ; 
 married (after being rejected by 
 Henr}-) to other husbands, fathers 
 of the sinful spawn that polluted 
 our holy island, 60, and h. n. 
 
 Nelson, Rev. Protestant), quoted, 
 
 O'ConneU, Rickard, Bishop, inhuman 
 murder of, with his horse's bridle, 
 by the demon regicides, 16, 138. 
 
 O'Connell, John, bishop, author of 
 Dirge, 3, 58, 89, a. e. 
 
 O'Cavanagh, 43, a. e. 
 
 O'Connors (Leinster), 147, a. e. 
 
 O'Duffy, 43, 108. 
 
 O'Donnell. King of Ireland, A, D. 
 603, 136. 
 
 O'Connor-Kerry, Rev. C. J., Sandy- 
 ford, Dublin,' 137. 
 
 Ogvgia, 4. 
 
 Oka, O'Flaherty, 25, 47. 
 Oise, 27. 
 
 O'briscolls, OXearys, O'Coffeys, 
 descended of Ith, 32, a. e. 
 
 O'ReUly (the true name of Sir. W. 
 Raleigh). 
 
 O'Connor (of Connaught), King at 
 Clontarf, 58. 
 
 O'Connells of Kerry, 43, 48. 
 
219 
 
 O'Connors of Kerry, 43, 153. 
 
 O'Connor Faly, 43! 
 
 O'Connor Me'ath, 43. 
 
 O'Connor of Sligo, 153, Rev. Peter 
 
 O'Connor, 160, a. e. 
 O'Connor of Roscommon, 159, 160, 
 
 the severalfamilies, and the names 
 
 of the heads, 162. 
 O'Connor, the historian, 158, a. e. 
 O'Connor of Ulster. 
 O'Brennans of Ulster, 46, 43, 47. 
 O'Brennans of Connaught, 46, 44, 
 
 45, 47. 
 
 O'Brennans of Leinster, 43, 45, 46. 
 
 O'Brennans of Thomond, 47. 
 
 O'Donovan, Dr. John (quoted), 47, 
 48, 68, 108, e. p. 
 
 O'Brennans, Kerrv, 43, 45, a. e. 
 
 O'Reilly's " Irish Writers," 141. 
 
 O'Deasey, Rd., Esq. M.P., Q.C., 140. 
 
 Ossory, 140, e. p. 
 
 O'Moores, 147, a. e. 
 
 O'Donnell, Hugh, the Great and 
 Virtuous, his speech, 149, 167. 
 
 O'Cane, The, calumny about, refut- 
 ed, 150. 
 
 O'Rourke, 151, 
 
 O'Conry, Malachy — Archbishop — 
 
 elect — of Tuam, 153, 
 O'Kelly, Malachy — Archbishop of 
 
 Tuam. his execution, 153. 
 O'Gallways, 160, 
 O'Brien's Castles, 165, 
 O'Moore (The) of Leix, 167. 
 O'Byrnes (The) of Ranelagh, 168, 
 O'Connor's " Historv of Catholics," 
 
 168. 
 
 O'Neill's (Sir Phelim) cause of his 
 
 rising, 170, 
 O'Deisies, 53, h, n, 
 O'Cavanaghs, 146, 71. 
 Ormond relieves regicides, 172; he 
 
 aids atrocities of Cootes, 179; he 
 
 deserts Dublin to Jones, 179. 
 Ossory, Bishop of, A.D, 1646, 175, 
 O'Moore's (Rory) wheat, ^10,000 
 
 worth destroyed, 183. 
 O'Brennan or Brendan (St.) of 
 
 Kerry, 143, 
 O'Connor-Sligo, is hanged, 153. 
 O'Crevin, 89, 
 
 O'Doyle, h. n. 
 
 O'Connor-Kerry, John, inhuman 
 
 murder of, 153. 
 O'Briens (Kings) of Thomond, 184. 
 O'Donegan, 184. 
 O'Brien's " Dictionarv," 185. 
 O'Reilly, 70, and h. n. 
 O'Rourke, 70, 
 
 O'Sullivan Beare's country, slaugh- 
 ter in, babes taken by the legs, 
 their brains dashed out against 
 walls, 76. 
 
 O'Connell (Immortal), 3/emoir», 78. 
 
 O'Connell's contempt of Catholics 
 mistaken loyalty, 78. 
 
 O'Deasv, Colonel,' 80. 
 
 O'Callaghan's (J. C.) work, 80. 
 
 O'Callaghans, 86. 
 
 O'Keefe, 86. 
 
 O'Mahonys, 84, a, e, 
 
 0'Leyne,'Dr., 5, 85. . [91. 
 
 O'Donoghue, Geoffrev,of the glens, 
 
 O'Gara (St.), 96. 
 
 O'Gradvs, 47. 
 
 O'Neills (Kings of Tyrone), 48, 61, 
 
 68, 147, 167. 
 O'Canes, 41, 48, 150, 158, a. e. 
 O'Dalvs, 48, 88. 
 O'Hay (Hayes), 48. 
 O'Conallin, 48. 
 O'Creagh, 48. 
 O'Hagan, 48. 
 O'Mulligan, 48, 
 O'Horan, 48. 
 O'Duan, 48, 
 
 O'Gallagher, 48, 148, a. e. [a. e. 
 O'Donnell (Kings of Tirconnell), 48, 
 O'Bovle, 48, 148, a. e. 
 Oilioll OUum, 47, 
 
 O'Halloran (quoted), 47, 43, 147, 
 
 e. p., 182. 
 O'Brien, Dr, (quoted), 47, 45, e. p. 
 O'Brien, family, 47. 
 O'Grady, lough, 47. 
 O'Flahertv's " Ogvgia' (quoted), 47, 
 
 44, e, p, 
 O'Flaherty of lar-Conaught, 
 Owen Mor (King of Munster), 47. 
 O'Dunne, 43. 
 O'Rvan, 43. 
 O'Fvnn, 89. 
 
220 
 
 O'Byrne, 43. 
 O'Dempsey, 43. 
 O'Toole, 43. 
 O'Hanlys, 44. 
 
 O'Brennan (Roscommon), anecdote 
 of, 45. 
 
 O'SuUivan (quoted), 78, 137. 
 Oclan, (St.), 90- 
 Otidus, 99 ; Odisus, 99. 
 O'Flanagan," IrishWriter" (quoted), 
 
 102, 120. 
 Ochlad, a wood in Mayo, 103. 
 O'Heerin, 107. 
 O'Donnellys, 41, e. p., 148. 
 O'Dogherty, 41, e. p., 148, 73. 
 O'Rorys (6'Rogers), 41.* 
 
 P. 
 
 Patriarchs, their ages, mystic history 
 
 of the names, b. n., 5. 
 Polyphemus, 9. 
 Pentateuch, by Moses, 14. 
 Pharaoh visits Niul, the Ollav, 13; 
 
 his host drowned, what vear, &c., 
 
 &c., 15. 
 Pausanias, 18. 
 Portugal, 26. 
 Pharaoh Is'ictonibus, 28. 
 Partholan, arrives about 300 years, 
 
 A.F., A.M. 1978, 32; his people 
 
 perish, 33. 
 Ptolemy. 33. 
 PUny, 18, 33, 54, 55, 57. 
 Pomponius Mela, 33, 38. 
 Peloponesus, 38. 
 
 Policarnus, Picts, Pictavium, Poic- j 
 tiers, 40, 41. I 
 
 Psalter of Cashel, 40, 57. I 
 
 Patrick (St.), Apostle of Ireland, his 
 birth place, 49 ; his existence, 85 ; 
 his life, by St. Fiech, 98 ; his life 
 by St. Seachnall, 116; first com- 
 ing to Ireland, 50, h. n. 
 
 Portus Iccius, 55. 
 
 Piccarde, 55, e. p. 
 
 Potitus (grandfather of Patrick), 63, 
 a. e. 
 
 Probus, 63, e. p. 
 Patrick (St.), on language, 78. 
 Procopius, 79. 
 
 * No names are introduced unlcs 
 
 Palladius (St.), 87, a. e. 
 Petrus de Natalibus, 96. 
 Papebrock, 96. 
 
 Priests murdered in Cashel, 76. 
 Plunkett, John, inhuman murder of 
 i his twelve sons, 82. 
 I Power, Sir John, 84. 
 
 Power, James, Esq., D.L., for Wex- 
 I ford, 84. 
 I Purcells, 83. 
 1 Phehm (Felim, St.), 95. 
 ! Peter, Paul, 95. 
 
 I Psalms of David, Apocalypse, 105. 
 j Plunkett, Richard, Irish scholar of 
 1 Meath, 106. 109. 
 Petrie, Dr., 121. 
 
 Peter's (St.) dignity, Patrick's rank, 
 ! 131. 
 
 Poets not bound by rules of syntax, 
 persons ignorant of poetic license 
 injure the beauty of Irish, 132. 
 Picts (Crutbini), Cretani, 137. 
 Passive verbs, how formed, a rule 
 
 for, 39, a. e., 37, 38. 
 Pronunciation of Irish, 6, 42, 99, 
 
 100, a. e. 
 Partition of Eire, first, 41. 
 Pope Adrian, an EngUshman,145, 63. 
 Petty, W. S., 169 
 
 Protestants, massacre of, refuted, 
 169. 
 
 Protestant intolerance, 169. 
 Proof that author of " Dirge" was a 
 bishop, 56 ; and language of, 58 ; 
 and stanza cxiii. — See also p. 4. 
 Peronne, in Picardy, 188. 
 Persecution creates union, 58. 
 Palladius, 57, and h. n. 
 Parliamentary policy for Irish mem- 
 bers, 167. 
 Prostration of England, a just judg- 
 ment, 167, 
 " Parhamentary Records," 76. 
 Parhament of DubUn, 1689— 
 
 O'Moore of Mayo sat at, 168. 
 Persecution of Prelates and Priests, 
 
 168, 169, 67. 
 Pale, 169. 
 Prestons, 172. 
 
 Protestant superstition, 187. 
 Puritans, 172, a. e. 
 s as connected with the poems. 
 
221 
 
 Peers and Prelates with the Nuncio, 
 175. 
 
 Pillar with ensanguined roll, 68. 
 Plunkett (families of), 81. 
 Powers, 81. 
 
 Q. 
 
 " Quidnuncs" (the), " Douht-every- 
 things ;" the modem Pyrrhos, 
 alluded to, 44, a. e. 
 
 Quarrel (first), amongst the Irish 
 Milesians, 46. 
 
 R. 
 
 Ruadanus (Ruan), St.,' 189. 
 
 Rushworth's " Historical Collec- 
 tions," 180. 
 
 Reformers, licentious habits of, 64, 
 65, 66, 67. 
 
 Rosamond the Fair, 68. 
 
 Roches 83, a. e. 
 
 Raleighs, rectius (O'Reillys), 83. 
 Rices, 83. 
 
 Round Towers, their use, 23. 
 
 Raleigh, Walter Sir, 24, 32, 35. 
 
 Ritloir welcomes Milesius on his 
 return from Spain to Scythia, 
 Milesius' return to Spain, Seang, 
 calls Scota his wife, his sons by 
 her, 28. 
 
 Royal Irish Academy, 37, 95, e. p. 
 Riphean Hills, 24, 38. 
 Roscommon, county of, 53. 
 Regionarius Episcopus, Regulares 
 
 Exempti, 66. 
 Raleigh, Walter Sir, on language, 
 
 73. 
 
 Ruaeus (Jesuit), quoted, 78. 
 
 Rod of Moses, 97. 
 
 Roth, Bishop of Ossory, attests the 
 virtue of St. Patrick's Staff, as 
 does Barry of Whales, 97. 
 
 Rule for genitive case, 95, a. e. 
 
 Rosse's (Lord) censure of Mac Pher- 
 son the plagiarist, 135, and pref- 
 ace. 
 
 Renown of the Irians, 41, 42. e. p. 
 Riada Dal, explained, 45. 
 
 Ruadh-righ (Rooaree) clann, ex- 
 plained, 43. 
 
 Rhetoric useful to preserve beauty 
 of Irish poetry, 33. 
 
 Rule for double consonants, 33, 34. 
 
 Romans, unable to conquer Scythia, 
 41. 
 
 Relative pro, ellipsis of, explained, 
 47. 
 
 Restitus, 116. 
 
 Reynolds, 151, 70. 
 
 Rinuccini, 164, his letters, 173. 
 
 Rapin (quoted), 169. "Reforma- 
 tion" described, 62, 63, 'Acts, a. e., 
 Cobbetts^opinion of 64. 
 
 Ross Castle, Killarney, 185. 
 
 S. 
 
 Stanza 94, game of, explained, 224. 
 " Sh," how to pronounce it in Irish, 
 17. 
 
 *♦ Scythia" (ancient), its exact situa- 
 tion, 17. 
 
 Scotia, derived from " Scythia," 
 n. e., 17. 
 
 Scvthia,its University (where built), 
 18, 118. 
 
 Scota, called after Scythia, 20, v. 19. 
 
 Shenaar, h. n., 13, Niuls birth dur- 
 ing Farsa's stay there, his return 
 thence to meet the seventy-two 
 Delegates after their tour to collect 
 languages, his founding the Uni- 
 versity. Error relative to, 12. 
 
 Sarmatia, a description of Sevas- 
 topol. 
 
 Scythia Antiqua, Sarmatia Antiqua, 
 Sarmatia Asiatica Sarmatia Eu- 
 ropea, 18, 19. 
 
 Seligher, Sclavonia, Samothracian 
 deities, 24. 
 
 Scylla, Spain, 26, 27. 
 
 Strabo, 7, 33, e. p.. Statins, sil, 7. 
 
 Sclavonian Goths, 29. 
 
 Strategy of the Gadelians, 31. 
 
 Summary of the various Colonies, 33. 
 
 Spratt John, Very Rev., D.D., Dub- 
 lin, 2, 40, a. e. 
 
 Slaney, Wexford, Scotland, Spain, 
 40, 41. 
 
222 
 
 Suetonius (quoted), 55. 
 Substitution of one letter for another 
 
 considered, 60. 
 Simplicity of Irish verbs, 35, 37, 38. 
 Sound of AT), 1, a. e. 
 Stanza (pronounced in Roman type\ 
 
 6, 42, 99, 100. 
 "Seachnalls,"hymn (quoted), 63, his 
 
 hymn, 116, his life, 116. 
 Scotch Britons, 63. 
 Servius Tullius, 81. 
 Scythians and Darius, 82. 
 Seanagh (Sionagh) St. of Mayo, 87. 
 Segenius, Abbot of Hy, 94. 
 Segetius (priest), who at the desire 
 
 of St. German, accompanied St. 
 
 Patrick to be consecrated in Rome, 
 
 95, e. p. 
 Sigebert, 95. 
 Swift Dean, 96. 
 Stillingfleet, 96. 
 Staff of Jesus, its virtue, 97. 
 Senuphius, Hermit (torn cloak of), 
 
 97. 
 
 Succat (St. Patrick), 99. 
 Sletty (Sleibhte), territory of, 107. 
 Scholiast of Fiech, 108. 
 ** Slan tuaith," note upon, 107, 108, 
 109. 
 
 Sixtus, Pope, 103, and other places. 
 Stow, Chronicle of, says in A.D., 
 
 73, Ireland colonized Albania or 
 
 Scotland, 138. 
 Sybil of Carrigaleah, 137. 
 Scythians, founders of Parthian and 
 
 Backtrian empire, 41. 
 Suck, 143. 
 Shannon, 143, a. e. 
 Sudden conversion of the Irish, 
 
 reason of the, 143. 
 Strongbow and his band of Royal 
 
 bastards, 146. 
 Saigar, Ciaran of, his prayer for 
 
 Ireland, note ^ 53 stanza. 
 Supremacy Spiritual, 145. 
 Sarsfield, 164. 
 
 Stuarts Royal, faithless, 185, a. e. 
 Smith's History of Kerry, 186, a. e., 
 154. 
 
 Sydney, 183, a. e. 
 
 Spencer's (Poet) plan of subduing 
 
 Ireland, 184 ; he dies of hunger, 
 ib. 
 
 Sallust (quoted), 161. 
 
 Surrender of Ross Castle, 185. 
 
 Shanat-aboo, 72. 
 
 Supples, 83. 
 
 Sherlocks, 83. 
 
 Staunton, 83. 
 
 Swilly, 73. 
 
 St. Leger, Wm., abominable savage 
 act of, 77 ; offers to extirpate all 
 Papists, 77. 
 
 Senanus (St.), 95. 
 
 T. 
 
 Trant, 83. 
 
 Thales, the Astronomer, 137. 
 Tailtean (Telton), 36, 39. 
 Tralee, 137, a. e. 
 Temple (quoted), 169. 
 Test of Christianity, by Laoghaire, 
 52. 
 
 Tork or Turk, Lord Kenmare's, 63. 
 
 Toleration mutual, 49, a. e. ; religi- 
 ous, 182, a. e. 
 
 Taaffe (quoted), 182, a. e. 
 
 Tuam, Archdeacon of, 189, a. e. 
 
 Tankardstown (Stantard), battle of, 
 180. 
 
 Tartars, 80. 
 
 Tanais, or Don, or Tane, 20. 
 Tait, Tobal, or Tubal, 26, 27. 
 Tartary Independant and Western, 
 27. 
 
 Tailte, daughter of Mamore, King 
 
 of Spain, 30. 
 Thucydides, 33. 
 
 Therma, the capital of Mygdonia. 
 
 Cicero's place of exile, 33. 
 Tailtean, or Telton, near Kells, 
 
 Meath, 37. 
 Thrace, 26, 32, 40. 
 Tuatha Foidha (Thooha Feeha),37, 
 
 41. 
 
 Tea, wife of Heremon, 41. 
 Tir Oilill, Sligo, 44. 
 Tours (not Patrick's birth-place), 
 50, 
 
 Taberna; used in connexion with 
 the Romans in Gaul, 60. 
 
223 
 
 Terouenne (Tarvenna), Tarvana, 54, 
 61, e. p. 
 
 Tabernae, Rhenanse, Rhin Zaberu, 
 61. 
 
 Tabernae Triboccorum (Saverne), 61. 
 Tacitus (quoted), 61, and many 
 
 places. 
 Tabernacles (Jewish), 62. 
 Texier, 96. 
 
 Telemaque, quoted), 98. 
 Tyrrhenean (or Tuscan sea), 103. 
 Tighernagh (Annalist), 107, e. p. 
 Tripartite, on Sletty, 107. 
 Tassagh St. (Bishop), a Goldsmith, 
 113. 
 
 Teaching and bestowing body of the 
 Lord, distinction between, 127. 
 Trinity," 131. 
 
 U. 
 
 Upa, 25. 
 Ulysses, 26. 
 Uige, 27. 
 
 Ui Bruinn (of Connaught), 43, 44. 
 Universities of Ireland, 90, and 
 
 other places, and pref. 
 Usher Dr. of Armagh, p. 
 Ulidia (Ulster men of), Ir, 41, and 
 
 elsewhere. 
 Union its good effect, 48. 
 Ulinn. 165. 
 
 "Ua" " Ui" equal (Son), 90. 
 V 
 
 Valdai hills, Volga, Velika Reka, 
 20. 
 
 Visogoths, 29. 
 
 Virgil( quoted), 54, 55, 72, e. p. 
 Vico Taberniae (explained), 60. 
 Variation of the time of the Milesian 
 
 Invasion, 39, explained, 39, a. e. 
 Villanueva, Rev., 65, 83, and St. 
 
 Seachnall's hymn. 
 Vincentius of Beauvais, quoted, 96, 
 
 note on. 
 
 Verbs (Irish) as in French, active 
 
 translated passively, 98. 
 Vergobretus (in Caesar), an Irish 
 
 term, 101. 
 
 Voraigne de, 96. 
 
 Victor (Patrick's familiar angel), 
 103 e. p. 
 
 Vindication of Keating and Mac 
 Curtin's computation, 39, e. p. 
 
 Virtue of primitive Scythiaus at- 
 tested by Justin and Herodotus 
 (enemies of them), 41. 
 
 Virgin, Blessed Mary, invoked by 
 the O'Donnell, 149. 
 
 Vienna, 80. 
 
 W 
 
 Wealth of Ireland (See Preface), a. e. 
 Wales, 35. 
 
 Wormins (on language) 73, 
 Waldenses, Irish people, 73. 
 Words in Italics (see note) 101, a. e, 
 •'Works good," 125, a. e., 127, 
 
 Patrick, St., rewarded for them. 
 Waterford, diocess, 138, atrocity of 
 
 the English at, 146. 
 Ware, Sir James, 120, 188, 189, e. p. 
 Wilde's (Chief Baron) persecuting 
 
 spirit, 168. 
 Wormius (on alleged massacre of 
 
 Protestants), quoted, 159. 
 Warner, Rev. Dr., quoted, on same, 
 
 169, 77, and a. e. 
 Wright's "Ireland," 61, and h. n. 
 
 145. 
 
 Wadding, Father, 171. 
 Wretches, who renounced religion, 
 63. 
 
 Wicklow, 179. 
 
 Wexford, 144, 146, 179, a. e. 
 Walsh (W'alsh Mountains), 70, 71. 
 White Knight, of, 71, 72. 
 Walsh Friar, the corrupt, 76, a. e. 
 William's times, 79. [41. 
 Western northerns, of Heremon, 
 
 Z 
 
 Zenolxis, the philosopher, taught the 
 Scythians the immortality of the 
 soul. 
 
 Zopyrion, Alexander's general, de- 
 feat of by Scythians. 
 Zeal of Irish convert kings, 141. e. p. 
 
224 
 
 CONTRACTIONS. 
 
 = Equal to. 
 Der. = derivation. 
 V. or vid- = see. 
 G. = genitive. 
 Str. or Strab. = Strabo. 
 Pans. = Paasanias. 
 Sg. = signifying. 
 Sa. = stanza. 
 
 V. g. = verbi gratia, for sake 
 
 example- 
 Pas. pres. = passive present. 
 Pro. = pronounce. 
 Gr. = Greek. 
 Lat. = Latin. 
 L. = book. 
 Pto. = Ptolemy. 
 Com. = commentaries. 
 
 A. M. = Anno Mundi. 
 
 B. C. = before Christ. 
 B. F. = before the Flood- 
 Sp. = Spanish. 
 It. = Italian. 
 
 A. F. = after the Flood. 
 
 Con. = contraction. 
 
 Nom. = nominative, 
 i Comp. = compounded. 
 
 Ap. = appendix. 
 
 Mas. = masculine. 
 
 Fem. = feminine. 
 I lb. = ibidem = same place, 
 of ' V. = verse. 
 
 Plu. = pluraL 
 
 Mel. = Mela- 
 
 Stat. = Statins. 
 
 PIL = Pliny. 
 
 Pomp. = Pomponius. 
 
 Her. = Heredotus. 
 
 V. = VirgU. 
 
 Hom. = Homer. 
 
 St. = Saint. 
 
 P. = page. 
 
 Pas. — many places. 
 
 He. = Hebrew. 
 
 Cel. = Celtic, Cellarius. 
 
 NOTE ox STANZA CXIV. 
 
 "bun r A oUjr). — These are terms used in playing cards, and mean — the 
 former three fives (fifteen), and the latter the fite fives, or what is called 
 jirUc and tcTieel out. Though forty-five be the Munster game, yet if any 
 player get the_/ire lifts together, he has won the game. The allusion in 
 the stanza is, that the dishonest Irishmen of Cromwell's days were playing 
 fast and loose, and resolved to have some of the spoil whether the King or 
 the Puritans succeeded. 
 
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