No More Learning

chap, vi. , p. lOO. '^SupposedtobederivedfromRintt,"a
point," and probably meaning the Rinns of
" See " Annates "
Inisfalenses, Dublin Galloway,
copy, in Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum
Hibemicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 61.
's "
See Nials-Saga," cap. clviii. , p. 602.
in . Scotland,
" See <\nti4t4 LocHa C^, or the " Annals
of Loch Ce, edited by William M. Hen-
? * See Webbe Dasent's " George
nessy, pp. 4, 5,
Story of Burnt Njal,'' vol. ii. , chap, clvi. , p. 334.
" According to the Co5it)h JaeTjheL lie jAtbaibh, the son of Amlaibh, and King of Ath Cliath, went not into battle on that day.
See chap, cxvii. , pp. 206, 207.
'' See ibid. , chap, cviii. , ex. , pp. 190, 191,
'9*1'93-
*= See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's
"Rerura
pp. 38 to 49.
** See Thomas D'Arcy McGee's
"
Popu-
and n. 8.
"' These are called the Gamandraidh, an
ancient warlike people of the Firbolg race, who lived at Erris, in Connaught ; but, the name is here used in the general sense of heroes or warriors.
*" or Also written the Clann Luighdecli,
Ludech, or the descendents of I. uyaidMenn, KingofThomond. Hewasancestorofthe
DI
4i8 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23.
latter were probably the men of the five Dealbnas. '' It is said, the monarch divided the troops under liis command into three distinct corps. One of tliese was directed to oppose the enemy's first division, and it was placed under his son Murchadh or Morough,9° who, after the Trojan hero, is styled "the match- less Hector of Erinn". '' Along with him fought his own son Tordhelbach, or Torlough,9' with a select body of the brave IJalcassians. 's Some of the Mun- ster historians state, however, that Murchadli, the son of Bryan, was placed, mixed with the battalions of Desmond, as of Thomond, and that both of thesewerepostedsidebyside. NexttoAedhUaNeill,Murchadhwaslord of the volunteers of Erinn, for there was not a king of any single tribe in the island, that had not a son or a brother in his household. The northern chroniclers state,9< that among the Irish in mid-battle was Kerthialfad,95 and before him the banners were borne. s* The son of Murchadh, named Tord- helbach, was deemed the best crown prince of Erinn, in his time. '' With him was Conaing, the son of Doncuan, one of the three men in Erinn most valued by Bryan ; also, there stood Niall Ua Cuinn,? ^ Eochaidh,? ? and Cudulligh,'°° the three rere-guards of the Monarch ; and, Domhnall. '"' King of Corcabhais- cinn, with the greater part of the bravest men among the Dalcassians. Be- sides these already mentioned, four other sons of Bryan are said to have been in the field ; namely, Tadgh or Teige, Domhnall or Donald, Conchubhar, or
Dal Cais Borumha, from whom, in the six- son of Oenghus Tirech, who are called the teenth degree, Bryan himself descended. See Dal Cais of Borumlia, and the stainless in- Appendix B, Table iii. , in tlie CogA-oVi telligent heroes of the Gaidhill along with
5Aet>Viel tie JdltiibVi, p. 247. them. These were a tribe, worthy ol being •' In such case, they had only a collateral compared with the sons ofMiledh, forking- relationship with Bryan, branching from liness and gre. it renown, for energy and dig- Lugaid Dcalbh n Aodh, brother to Blod, nity, and martial prowess. They were the and ninth in descent from Oilioll Olum. Franks of ancient Fodhia, in intelligence
See ibid.
9° While some writers state, he was sixty-
three years of age, at this time. Dr. O'Dono- van thinks his ^e was only fifty-three, or perhaps, only forty-three.
9' The writer of the CojAibh jAeoheb He
5<il,l-aibVi furthermore pronounces the high eulogy, that he was the yew of Ross—one of the famous old trees of Ireland—among the
of Erinn ; the head of the valour,
Erinces munificence, liberality and ravery, chiv. ilry,
beauty of the men of the world in his time, and during his career ; since the historians of the tiacdhil do not relate, tliat there was any man amoni; the sons of Adam in his time, who could hold a shield in mutual interchange of blows with him.
9' Also called Terence, as Anglicised.
'3 The following extravagancies of panegy- ric and style are lavi-hed on them, we sus- pect by a writer of Thomond. He describes them as "brave, valiant champions; sol- dierly, active, nimble, bold, full of courage, quick, doing greai deeds, pompous, beauti- ful, aggressive, hot, strong, swelling, bright, fresh, never weary, terrible, valiant, victo- rious heroes and chieftains, and champions
and brave soldiers, the men of high deeds, and honour, and renown of Erinn ; namely, the heavy weight that broke down every stronghold, and cleft every way, and sprang
over every obstacle, and flayed every stout head,thatistosay,thedescendantsofLugaidh,
and pure valour, the comely, beautiful, noble, ever victorious sons of Israel of Krinn, for virtue, for generosity, for dignity, for truth,
and for worth, the strong tearing, brave lions of the Gaedhil for valour and bold deeds ; the terrible nimble wolf-hounds of victorious Banba, for strength and firmness, the graceful symmetrical hawks of mild Europe, against whom neither battle, nor battlefield, nor conflict, nor combat—, was ever before,northenwasmaintained," CojAwh
5aeT>hel Tie Jabbiibh, pp. l6o, i6l. "
'*See Nials-. Saga,"cap. clviii. ,p. 602.
95 Krom the part he is made to take in the battle, we are inclined to believe, the North- men intended by this name to designate Murchadh. However, it is intimated, that he survived the baitle of Clontarf, in the northern account ; but, it would seem, rumour furnished the chief stap'e, for their writers, in reference to this day.
"
9* See George Webbe Dasent's Burnt Nj il," vol. ii. , chap, clvi. , p. 334.
9' At this period, he was only fifteen years of age, according to the Annals of Clonmac- noise.
9* The Ui Cuinn were a distinguished sept of the Dal-Cassians, and from them the Earls of Dunraven have descended.
''^ Son of Dunadach.
"" Son of Cennetigh. "" Son of Diarmaid.
"'According to Dr. Sylvester O'Hallo-
Story of
April 23. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 419
Connor, and Flann. '°' Moreover, various chieftains were there, such Donchuad,
son of Kennedy, Lonargain, Ceiliochuir, Fiongallach and lonnrachtach ; toge- ther witli three Reguh from Teffia, as also Laogegan and Ultan. '°3 A body of men Irom Conmaicne-mara, a western part of Irehmd, were marshalled under Carnan. their chief '°« These were ordered, with Feargal Ua Ruairc and the Ui Brinin, to the left wing of the army. It seems doubtful properly to name or identify that Irish leader, called in the northern clironicles Ulfus Hraeda,'°5 or Wolf the quarrelsome,'"* who was on that wing of the battle against which Brodir stood ; we are told, moreover, on the other wing, where Sigtrygg stood against the Irish, were Ospak and his sons. '°7 To this division Maelseachlainn, King of Temhair, was ordered by Bryan to join his followers, composingthebattalionofthemenofMidhe. '°^ Itispretended,'"'thathe had arranged with the foreigners, on the preceding day, to have a ditch between himself and thera,"° both parties engaging mutual forbearance dur- ing the fight, provided the foreigners should not attack Maelseachlainn. With this evil understanding, it is said, that the King of Temhair refused to take thepostassignedhim. ThetenMormaersorGreatStewardsofBryanwere drawn up, with their foreign auxiliaries, on one side of his army. Foremost among these was Domhnall,'" son of Eimin,"" high steward of Alban,"3 others call him the Mormaer of Marr. "* With him was Muredach, descended from Maine Leamhna,"^ Mormhaor of Leavna, or Lennox ;"* and, although we only find these names recorded, the whole force of Alljan was probably here arrayed, and on Bryan's side. "'
Over that division, which was in order of battle to fight the second pf their enemy, commanded by Maelmordha, King of Leinster, Bryan placed Kian "' and Donald,"' two princes of the Eugenian line, under whom were the chiefs and forces from Desmond, and from other southern
ran, there were iu the field of Bryan's imme-
from the place of battle. See the Innisfallen Annals, and the Dublin copy, at p. 65.
'"Chief of the Eochanachts of Magh
Geirrginn, or Marr, in Scotland.
"' He was son to Canicli. See Roderick
O'Flaherty's"Ogygia,"pars,iii. , cap. Ixxxi. , pp. , 382, 384.
diate fam ly, five sons, his grandson, and fif- "
teennephews. See GeneralHistoryofIre- land,'' vol. ii. , IJook xi. , chap, viii. , p. 261.
'"3 See the Dublin copy of the Annals of Innisfallen, in the Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Reruin Hibemicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 62.
'« Tiie Annali tocVid C^ state, howevej, that save the Hi-M line and the Hi-Fiachrach' and Cencl Oedha, tlie menof Connaught did not aid Brian ; and as no goo<l-will existed between hiniself and Tadhg an-eichghil, son of Cath. il, son to Conchobhar, King of Con- naught, so lie r'-fused to go with the Mon- arcli to Cluain tarbh. See pp. 6, 7.
"S See "Nials-Saga," cap. clviii. , p. 602.
"* He is called a great champion and war-
rior, while he is said to have been brother
to King Brian, in the Saga.
"'See Geoige Webbe Dasent's "Story
ofthe Burnt Njal," vol. ii. , chap, clvi. , 41.
334.
"* . See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerura
Hibemicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 62. Dublin copy of the Innisfallen Annals.
"« The <lnn<iL4 tochd Ci have it, that the men of . Mumha alone, MaeKhechlainn, with the men of Midlie, and the South Con- nacians, were the cliief supporters of Bryan on this day. See pp. 6, 7.
"° Tiie previous autliority has it, that Maelseachlainn retired the space of a field,
"3 See CogAoh Jieohet He jAtUaibli, chap, xcvi. , c, pp. 168, 169, 174, 175.
'"See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot- land : A History of Ancient Alban," vol. i. , Book i. , chap, viii. , p. 387.
"^ This Maine Leamhna was son to Core,
son of Lughaidh, son to OilioU Flainibeg, son of Fiacha Meuillcathan, son to Eoghan Mor, son to OilioU OUum, King of Mun- ster.
"* See O'Flaherty's "Ogygia," pars, iii. , chap. Ixxxi. , pp. 382 to 384. According to this writer, from the former descended the ancient Earls of Marr, tracing their origin to Carbre the Pict ; while from the latter de- sceiid the E iris of Lennox, supposed to be derived from -Manius Levinius.
"' See William F. Skene's " Celtic Scot-
Isnd : A History of Ancient Alban," vol. i. ,
Book i. , chip. , viii, p. 387, n. 4.
"' . Son 01 Maolmuadh, son to Bron. See
Dublin copy of the Annah of Innisfallen, in
Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibemicarum Scrip-
tores," tomus ii. , p. 63
"'SontoDubdaboren. Heelii't/.
"°
See Hid.
430 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23.
parts of Ireland. Kian is said to have been one of the tallest and most beau- tiful among the Irish chieftains. "" According to another account, Bryan col- lected one very strong and great battalion, formed from the chosen hosts of all Munster, who were stationed as supports, in the rere of his foremost troops. "' At tlie head of those reinforcements, he had two chief leaders. "' These were Mothla, son of Domhnall, son to Faelan,"3 King of the Desies, and Murcertach, or Murtough, in other accounts called Mangnus, son to Amnchadha,KingofHy-Liathain. Amongthesubordinateleadersofnote, in this division, were Scanlan, son to Cathal, chief of the Eoganacht of Lough
Lein j"* Cathal Mac Donabhain or son of Donovan, Righ h Ccairbre, or Lord of Hy-Cairbre Eabha ; Loingseach h Dubliloinn or O'Dowling, chief of
Hy-Connall Gaura ; the son of Beothach,"' King of Kerry-Luachra ; with Geibbionach, son to Dubhagan,"* chief of Fermoy Peine. The troops of Ely O'Carroll, under their chief O'Carroll, were joined by another O'Carroll, the prince of Oriel, in Ulster, together with Maguire, the prince of Fer- managh. "?
That division, which was opposed to the third of their antagonists,"* who were the insular Scandinavians, consisted chiefly of Connacians, commanded by Tadhg, "' or Teigue O'Conor, as their chief. '3° Under him served
Mulroney 0'Heyne,"3> chief of Aidiine -p" Teige 0'Kelly,'33 King of Hy- Maine ; 0'Flaherty,'34 King of Muintir Murchadha ; Connor 0'Mulroney,'35 chief of Moylurg ; Hugh Guineagh 0'Doyle,'3* and Foghartagh,'37 son to Donall, two chiefs of Ely ; Murtogh,'38 son to Core, chief of Muscraighe- Cuirc ; Hugh, "39 son to Loughlin, chief of Hy-Cuanach ; Donall,'''° son to
"' Among others, the Cineal Laoghaire were in this division. See Hid.
"' According to the Rev. Dr. Paul O'Brien's account, the second Irish division was under the command of Teige O'Conor. See Gene- ral Vallancey's "Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis," vol. i.
" Dissertations on the National Customs and State Laws of the Ancient Irish," part ii. , chap, i. , p. 527.
"3 From him, the O'Faelains, or O'Phe- lans, of the Desies, took their hereditary sur- name.
"« See the Dublin copy of the Annals of Innisfallen, in Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 63.
"5 The Dublin copy of the Annals of Innis- fallen calls him Mac Beotaicc mac Muiredh Righ Ciaruidhe Luachra—the latter territory is Latinized Ciarradiajuncosa. See ibid.
"* From him the family of Ui Dubhagain, now Duggan, derive their origin. This
family formerly belonged to Fermoy, in the county of Cork.
"' According to <)innAl4 tocTiA C^, the
Ulidians, the Airghialla, the Cenel-Eoglfein, the Cenel-Conaill, with the men of Northern
Connaught, were not with Bryan on that day, when the battle of Clontarf had been fought.
See pp. 6, 7.
"' According to Rev. Dr. Paul O'Brien,
the last division of Bryan's army was under the command of Cian and Donal, leading the Eugenians and Desians. See General Vallancey's "Collectanea de Rebus Hiber- nicis," vol. i. Disserlations on theNational Customs and State Laws of the Ancient Irish," part ii. , chap, i. , p. 528.
"' He is called Tadhg mc Cathail mc Con- chubhair Righ Connacht. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's "Rerum Hibernicarum Scripto- res," tomus ii. , p. 63.
'3» In the Tract Co^Aroh 5deT)heL He S-atl-Aibh, it is stated, that the battalion of Connaught was led by Maelruanaidh Ua-n- Eidhin, and by Tadhg Ua Cellaigh, King of the Ui-Maini, and by Maelruanaidh, son of Murghius, King of Muintir Maelrunaidh, and by Domhnall, grandson of Cuceninn, King of Ui n Diarniada, and by Ualgarg, son of Cerin, having all the nobles of Con- naught with him. See chap, xciv. , xcv. , xcvi. , pp. 162 to 169.
'3' OrMaolruanaO'HeidinnRighAidhne.
See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hiberni-
carumScriptores,"tomusii. , p. 63.
'3' From him the chiefs of Hy-Fiachrach-
Aidhne, in the county of Galway, descend. See Dr. O'Donovan's " The Genealogies, Tribes and Customs of Hy-Fiachrach," p. 398.
'350r, O'Cealla Righh Maine. See "Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 63
'5* Or O'Flaiihbhiorta Righ muintire Mur- chadha. See ibid.
'35 Or Conchubhar O'Maolruana Righ
Muighe-luirg. See ibid.
'3' Also called Aodh-guineach O'Dughall
or Hugli the Wounder. See ibid. , p. 64. 37 Or Fogartach mc Domhnaill da Righ
Eiie. See ibid.
'38 Or Muirchiortach mc Cuirc Righ Mus-
graidhe. See ibid.
39 Or Aedh mc Lochlainn Righ O'Ccuan-
cha. See ibid.
.
*Or Domhnall mc Diannada Righ Cor-
cabaisgin. See Hid.
'*' East Corcobaskin was comprised in the
barony of Clonderalaw, in the county of Clare.
'' Or Donncha mac Caithil Righ Mus- gruidheAedha. Seeibid.
'••' Or Echtiaghain mac Donagain Righ Ararih. See ibid.
'" See, also, tiie Battle of Clontarf, by John O'Donovan, in "The Dublin Penny Journal," vol. i. . No. 17, p. 134.
'« See "Journal of the Royal Historical
and Arch«ological Association of Ireland," vol. v. , Fourih Series, No. 40. "On the Site of the Battle of Clontarf," by Thomas O'Gorman, p. 176.
'*' This agrees also with the account of a
centre and in the " " ac- wings, Njals Saga
count of the baiile. See cap. clviii. , p. 602. '*' See the Dublin copy of the Annals of Innisfallen, in Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p.
66.
'' A modern poet, William Kenealy, has
rendered this address into English verse. It is ""
Desecrated all things holy—as they
soon may do again, — If their power to-day we smite not
if to-day we be not men !
" On this day the God-man suffered— look upon the sacred sign—
May we conquer neatli its shadow, as of old did Constantine !
May the heathen tribe of Odin fade before it like a dream,
And the triumph of this glorious day in future annals gleam !
"— God of Heaven, bless our banner
April 23'. ] LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. 4SI
Dermad, chief of Corca-Baisgin ;'*' Donough,'*' son to Cathal, chief of Mus-
craighe Aedha ; and Ectigerna,"3 son to Donegan, King of Ara. ''*'* These leaders and their clansmen now waited the signal for action.
When the order for battle had been arranged on the Irish side, Bryan issued from his tent, to review his troops, and to raise their courage for the desperatestruggle,whichwassoontocommence. Wearenottosuppose, as might be inferred from descriptions of tlie array on both sides, tiiat either of the armies had been massed in three divisions, one drawn up before or after another column. '5 Rather it may be considered as altogether pro- bable, that from their respective positions, the battalions formed into open and lengthened lines, '' with supporting reserves, to relieve or fill up the fore- most ranks, as need required ; and, it was only in such order their weapons could be wielded with effect, while no considerable part of either army could remain inactive, after the onset had been fairly commenced. Holding a crucifix in his left hand, the aged monarch had his sword in the right. With
his son Murchadh, Bryan rode through the ranks,'*' and addressed them, in words, calculated to animate,'*' and to inspire them with a determination to
to be found in The Hallads of Ireland col- lected and edited by Edward Hayes, vol. i. , pp. 81, 83. —Some stanzas of this poem we
"
"
For red vengeance on the spoiler, whom the blazing temples trace—
For the honour of our maidens and the glory of our race I
Should I fall before the foeman, 't is the death I seek to-day ;
Should ten thousand daggers pierce me, bear my body not awa—y,
till the
Then the holy Mass be chaunted, and the funeral rites be done.
here quote
" Chiefs and Kernes of Dalcassia !
thers of my past career. Oft we've trodden on the
Till this of be day days
:
pirate-flag that flaunts before us here ;
You remember Inniscattery, how we bounded on tlie (oe,
As the torrent of the mountain burst upon the plain below !
"
They proudest
Men of Erin
— ha—ve razed our castles
Chase these Northern wolves before you, like a herd ol frifjhtened deer! Burst their ranks, like bolts from heathen
!
spo Lord
— —
crew, For the
the
iled Temples
of the
heaven
Down on the
Burnt to dust the sacred relics
put
of the Crucified, and Erin's glory too ! "
the peaceful to the sword
Bro-
nerve our sinews for the strife—?
we now for all lh. it's for holy
Fight
our altars, land, and life—
ov—er field is fought and won
men of Erin battle-axe and s|)ear I
1
grasp
the
glory
!
42 2 LIVES OF THE IRISH SAINTS. [April 23.
strain every effort, throughout the fierce contest, which was now impending. ''"
" Be not dismayed, because son Donogh, with the tliird part of the Momonian forces, is absent from you, for they are plundering Leinster, and the Danish territories. Long have the men of Ireland groaned under the tyranny of these seafaring pirates ! the murderers of your kings and chieftains ! plunderers of your fortresses! profane destroyers of the churches and monasteries of God ! who have trampled upon and committed to the flames, the relics of his saints! " Then, raising his
"
His words of exhortation are thus rei)orted :
'9 See a brief report of this speech, in the Dublin copy of the Innisfallen Annals. Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , pp. 64, 65.
'S" See John O'Donovan, on "The Battle of Clontarf," in " The Dublin Penny Jour- nal," vol. i. . No. 17, p. 134.
this latter, in the opinion of Dr. O'Donovan, seems correct.
'35 The monarch does not appear to have been more actively engaged, in this battle ; although, in the Dublin copy o( the Annals of Innisfallen, it is stated, that Bri. m and Murchad, with the army of the Dalcassians, rushed against the thousand warriors in shirts
my
May the Almighty God, through his great mercy, give
voice, he cried out :
you strength and courage this day, to put an end for ever to the Lochlannan
in Ireland, and to them their — and their tyranny revenge upon many perfidies,
profanations of those sacred edifices, dedicated to his worship this day on which Jesus Christ himself suffered death for your redemption. "'5° So saying,
he showed them the symbol of the bloody sacrifice,'^' in his left hand, and taking his golden-hilted sword in the right,'s' the Monarch 'declared that he was willing to lose his life in so just and honourable a cause. Then he pro- ceeded towards the centre, to lead his troops into action ; but, the chiefs of his army, with one voice, requested their great monarch would retire from the field of battle, on account of his great age. They also requested, that he should leave to his eldest son, Morogh, the chief command, on this eventful day. '53 The monarch was now unable to lend much greater aid, than the moral weight of his presence, to the combatants arrayed on his side. 'S4 We may rest assured, however, that he anxiously watched the vicissitudes of this battle, by directing or counselling the movements of his subordinate chiefs. 'ss Wherefore, at the entreaty of his friends, after this review and exhortation of the troops, he retired to his tent, which stood at some distance, and which was guarded by three of his aids. '5* Here, alternately prostrating himself before the crucifix, or looking out from his tent door upon the dread scene that lay beyond, the Monarch most earnestly awaited the result. 's?
'5' See the "Annals of Innisfallen," at A. D.
1014. Dublin copy, in Rev. Dr. Charles of mail. See Rev. Dr. O'Conor's " Reriim
O'Conor's "Rerum Hibemicarum Scripto- res,", tomus ii. , p. 65.
'5= in such situation, we may well apply to him these lines of the Irish-American poet,
—
" Out of its scabbard ! Never hand Waved swonl from stain as free,
Nor purer sword led braver liand, Nor braver bled for a l)righter land ; Nor brighter band had a cause as
grand. "
'53 See "The Dul>lin Penny Journal," vol. i. No. 17, p. 134. John O'Donovan, on "The Battle of Clonta'rf. "
'54 According to the Annals of Clonmac- noise, of Iimisfallen, and 01 the Four M. is- ters, he was then in the eighty-eighth year of his age; however, the Annds of Ulster have him only in his seventy-third year, and
Hibernicarum Scriptores," tomus ii. , p. 65.
'5' to the Danish a According account,
shieldburg, or a ring of men holding their shieid-i locked together, was thrown round King Bryan, while Iris host was drawn up in array before tliem. See George Webbe Dasent's "Story of Burnt Njal," vol. ii. . chap, clvi. , p. 334.
Rev. Abraham J. Ryan
:
'=' " See Thomas D'Arcy McGee's
Popu- lar History of Ireland," vol. i. . Book ii. .
chap, vi. , ]>. loi.
's^ A cnrious circumstance, with a remark-
able coincidence, has. to be related, in con- nection with the narraiive given by the writer of the Tract, Co5a-oh 5. \et)heL He SoiliAibh ; v:z. , th. d the fnll ti. le happened at sunrise, when tlie battle commenced. See chap, cix.