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but too often met with in the events of Irish history. Even in the year 1016, when the unusual entry in the Annals of Ulster, of "Sith in Erinid" "Peace in Ireland," which like the shutting of the Temple of Janus in Rome was looked on as quite a remarkable occurrence, even in this very year King Malachy, now once more supreme King, was obliged to enforce his supremacy by invading Ulster. Having obtained hostages he again defeated the Danes, subsequently the northern O'Neills, assisted by the Eugenians or people of South Munster, and soon after accompanied by Donogh, son of Brian Boru, invaded Connaught, and forced its princes to give hostages. After defeating the Northerns at the Yellow Ford, now called Athboy, he retired A.D. 1022, to a small island in Lake Annim, in Meath, where this excellent prince devoted his last hours to works of penitence and devotion, providing amongst other deeds of mercy for the support of 300 orphan children. We now return to the Princes of Thomond.

The unnatural feud between Teigue and Donogh, the sons of Brian, is the principal event in the history of Limerick from the battle of Clontarf to the murder of the elder of these princes. This latter treacherous act which took place in 1023, is ascribed by the Four Masters to the Eili, and is expressly said to have been perpetrated at the instigation of Donogh, who had recently sustained a defeat at the hands of his brother in the part of Thomond on the eastern side of the Shannon. The previous year 1022 had witnessed the death of the illustrious Malachy, successor of Brian in the monarchy, which may have probably suggested the idea of the fratricide as a means of removing the principal obstacle between Donogh and the throne of Tara.

The country of Thomond, which extended from the Shannon to the Slieve Bloom mountains, had been subjected to two invasions before the assassination of Teige; on the first occasion by the Desmonians under Donald, the father of the Prince of Desmond, who had also been slain by Donogh, and who were defeated by the brave Dalcassians the year after the battle of Clontarf; on the second occasion by the army of Connaught, which plundered and destroyed both Kincora and Killaloe. This was also doubtless occasioned by the ambition of the King of Connaught, encouraged by the unnatural quarrel which had so fatal a termination. Donogh prospered so much that he obtained hostages three years after his brother's death from various chiefs of Leinster; he exacteds the homage of the Danes of Dublin, was now recognized as monarch of Leath Mogha or the southern half of Ireland, when he was defeated by the Ossorians and had a formidable antagonist to his claims in his nephew Turlough, the son of the assassinated Prince, Teigh, who was supported by Diarmid Maelnambo afterwards King of Leinster, at the instigation of Diarmid whose territory of Hy-Kinsella, Donogh had invaded, burning Ferns and committing other devastations in Wexford. Several sacrilegious robberies were perpetrated at this time at Clonmacnoise, &c. It is to the credit of Donogh that he made satisfaction to the clergy of Clonmacnoise for a most revolting sacrilegious robbery, on which occasion the robbers stole a model of Solomon's temple, probably a tabernacle, and a gold plated silver chalice, the former a gift of a Prince of wealth, the latter tastefully engraved by a sister of King Turlough O'Connor. In 1129, some of the Danes of Limerick were executed for

1 Annals of the Four Masters, and Innisfail.

3 Do. an. 1023. See also Tigernach.

• Tigernach and Inisfail, an. 1026.

2 Annals of Four Masters.

Annals of Four Masters, an. 1041.
Annals of Innisfail and Four Masters.

despoiling the monastery of Clonmacnoise. In the year 10501 a Synod was held at Killaloe, to provide some remedies against a prevalent distress, occasioned by bad seasons, and to restrain crimes, under Donogh and Cele, "the head of the piety of Ireland," as the annalists call him, upon which occasion, as our authorities inform us they " enacted a law and restraint upon every injustice, great and small; and God gave peace and favourable weather in consequence of this law."

The power of Donogh now began to decline, for he had sustained two serious reverses. During his absence in Desmond, his enemy Diarmid had invaded Munster with an army of Lagenians and Danes, of whom he was now acknowledged king, and severely avenged Donogh's, and Connor Melaghlin's raid into Fingal, on which occasion they had made many prisoners in the great stone church of Lusk. The second blow was inflicted on Donogh, in Thomond, where Torlough, the son of Teighe, maintained his ground against Donogh's son, Murrough, assisted by his Connaught allies, as he had been by Hugh O'Connor and by the king of Leinster in Middle Munster. In the latter the Lagenians and Danes burned one of the forts strengthened by Brian Boru-namely, Duntryleague; and during another expedition, under Diarmid, which took place in 1056, they destroyed another of these fortsthat at Lough Gurr, finishing their ravages by the destruction of Nenagh.

Donogh's deposition was now a proximate event.-Diarmid invaded Munster, once more burned Limerick and Emly, and defeated Donogh in a severe battle in the glen of Aherlow. Hugh O'Connor destroyed Kincora, with the town and Church of Killaloe; and Turlogh and the Lagenians once more burned Limerick in the year 1063, and exacted hostages throughout Munster. At last being utterly defeated by Turlogh and the King of Leinster, at the foot of the Ardagh mountains, he abdicated the crown of Munster, thus transferring his royal honors to his nephew. In the hope of atoning for his sins he afterwards set out on a pilgrimage to Rome, where he died with every appearance of sincere penitence, in the Monastery of St. Stephen, in the year 1064. Some writers assert that Donogh not only left the crown and regalia of Ireland with the Pope but made him over his kingdom, an empty compliment, if it took place at all, which is not probable, as it is not mentioned by any of the old annalists. It is added by those who tell this story, that the crown was afterwards given to Henry the II. by Pope Adrian the Fourth after the Norman conquest."

1 Annals of Four Masters.

Donogh was connected with the Royal family of England, having married Driella, sister of Harold, afterwards King of England. Harold took refuge in Ireland (Saxon Chronicle, an. 1051) during the rebellion of his father against Edward the Confessor, and was furnished by Donogh with a squadron of nine ships, with which he harassed the coast of England. In the time of Donogh the celebration of Athletic games was encouraged, and more taxes were raised and more ordinances made than during the period which had elapsed since the coming of St. Patrick. -Annals of Innisfail, an. 1023 (recte 1040).

Two interesting relics supposed to belong to Brian Boru are still in existence-namely, his harp and his sceptre. The latter was presented to the museum of the Royal Dublin Society, where it is preserved, by the Dowager Marchioness of Thomond, after the death of her husband in 1857. The harp, according to the statement given in the fourth volume of the "Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis," remained, with the crown and other regalia of Brian Boru, in the Vatican, until the reign of Henry VIII., when that "Defender of the Faith" received the harp with his new title. The Pope, it is said, kept the crown, which was of massive gold. Henry gave the harp to the first Earl of Clanrickarde, and it was presented by a lady of the De Burgh family to that of M'Mahon, of Clenagh, in the county Clare. In 1782 it was presented to the Right Hon. Mr. Connyngham, who presented it to Trinity College, where it still remains. Moore thinks the harp is modern, because it bears the O'Brien arms (in silver); but on this principle we might doubt the antiquity of the round tower on Devenish Island because it bears a modern inscription.

Since the death of Malachy, who was himself formally recognised by the states of Meath only, though tacitly accepted by the nation, the ascription of the title of supreme king by our native historians appears to have resulted rather from deference to might than to right—at least the most powerful for the time being of the Royal races of Ireland were recognised as the nominal monarchs, or as the Irish express it, Righ go Freasabhra, "kings with opposition." As the plan which we have laid down for ourselves will not allow of our introducing more of the general history of Ireland than may serve to illustrate that of Limerick, we can refer but briefly to the exploits of Dermot, King of Leinster, who is by some historians reckoned as nominal monarch after the death of Donogh, whom he obliged to abdicate the crown, in favor of Turlogh, the son of Teige, and grandson of Brian Boru. There is a great similarity indeed in the military history of all the enterprising kings of this period, and Dermot's included the crushing of a rebellion raised by Murchad, the son of Donogh; the compelling of the king of Connaught to give hostages; the exacting tribute from the people of Meath and Dublin; and if we can believe the continuation of the Annals of Tigernach, the subjection of the Welsh and Hebrides, or at least to the extent implied by the fact that they were obliged to pay him tribute. At last this vigorous monarch again entered Meath in 1072,1 and was defeated with great slaughter at the battle of Odhba, being himself killed, and leaving Turlogh, by his death, the most powerful king in Ireland.

Turlogh now entered upon the usual course of one determined to be recognised as the Sovereign-in-Chief, no competitors of his own family existing since A.D. 1068, the year of the death of Morrogh "of the short shield, who was slain during a foray into Teffia, a territory now forming a part of Westmeath and Longford; while the King of Connaught, Aedh of the Broken Spear, who had defeated Dermot, Turlough, and their "great army of Leathmogha," as the annalists call it, some five years before, had himself fallen in turn, in battle with Art O'Rourke, Prince of Breffny, who had invaded his territories. Connor, too, the son of Malachy, had fallen in the year 1073, by the hand of an assassin, and Turlogh, now admitted to be the most potent of the native Kings, prepared himself for an expedition into Ulster, where the indomitable O'Neills maintained their independence.

The Annals of the Four Masters for this year2 record a curious anecdote of Turlough in reference of his having carried off the head of the murdered King of Meath from the Abbey of Clonmacnoise on a Good Friday, immediately before his Northern expedition." It was brought back again from the South with two rings of gold along with it through the miracles of God and Kiaran. A great disease seized the King Turlough O'Brien, which caused his hair and beard to fall off through the miracles of God and Kiaran, for when the head of Connor was brought into his presence, a mouse issued out of it and went under his garment, which was the cause of his disease." The Annals of Clonmacnoise mention the same curious story, and state that Brien "was like to die until he restored the said head with certain gold."

It was during an expedition undertaken into Meath, immediately after this, to punish Morrough Melaghlin, the brother and murderer of Connor, that he carried off the head of one of the bitterest of his enemies, as related above.

Annals of Four Masters, of Innisfail, and Tigernach.

2 A. D. 1073.

s A. D. 1070 (recte 1073).

In 1075 Turlogh marched into Connaught, and received homage and hostages from O'Rourke, O'Reilly, O'Kelly, MacDermod, and other Princes. In the following year, accompanied by the army of Munster, Turlogh marched into Meath, and received the submission of King Melachlin, the latter being accompanied by the Bishop of Armagh, styled by the Annalists the Successor of Saint Patrick, who brought with him the Bachal Isa, or "Staff of Jesus." In this year, according to the Four Masters, Dunlevy O'Heoghy and the chiefs of Ulidia went into Munster to serve for pay.

In 1084, the chief of the Ulidians, having engaged the services of Donogh, the son of O'Ruarc, nicknamed "the Cock," who commanded the forces of East Connaught, marched into Leinster and encamped at Monecronogh, where he was encountered by Murtagh O'Brien, son of Turlogh, at the head of the troops of Leinster, Ossory, Munster, and the Danes of Dublin. Four thousand persons were left dead on the field in this action, which appears to have been a drawn battle. O'Ruarc was amongst the slain, and his head having been brought to Limerick, it was exposed on Singland, near the city, probably in the locality now occupied by the Water Works, near Gallows Green.

While Turlogh's army was engaged in Leinster, the Ulstermen entered. Thomond, and burned Killaloe, Tomgraney, Scariff, and Moynoe, of which O'Halloran says in his usual patriotic style, " then flourishing cities on the banks of the Shannon, now scarce retaining the traces of villages." But Turlogh had his revenge, for in the next year (1085) he once more invaded the north, ravaged the territory, and took Muireadhach, Prince of Muintercolies (the tribe name of the Magranalls or Reynolds) in the southern half of the county Leitrim.

This was the last expedition of this vigorous monarch, who died in 1086, at Kincora, in the 77th year of his age, from the effects of a disease resulting from the incident which we have quoted from the Annals of the Four Masters, and Clonmacnoise. His forgiveness of his nephew, Murched, who raised a formidable rebellion in Thomond, in the second year of his reign, and to whom, though he renewed his revolt after being forgiven, he assigned ample possessions in Cuonogh and Aharla, in the county Limerick, prove him to have been a man of a generous and forgiving disposition. As a proof of the high character he enjoyed amongst his contemporaries, we may refer to this letter1 addressed to him by the illustrious Lanfranc, Archbishop of Canterbury, as "The magnificent Turlough, King of Ireland," in which, he says, that "God was mercifully disposed towards the people of Ireland, in giving him royal power over that land, and stating that though he has never seen him, he loves him from the description he had received of his pious humility, his severe justice, and his discreet equity." As additional proofs not only of the high estimation in which Turlough was held, but of his being recognised as monarch of Ireland by his contemporaries, we may mention that another letter was addressed to him some years after by Gregory VII., in which he is called "the illustrious King of Ireland;" and, at the request of the chiefs of Man, Turlough sent a prince of the blood royal to be regent during the minority of their youthful king.

In Lanfranc's letter to Turlogh he complains that in his kingdom marriages were often irregularly contracted; that bishops were consecrated by one bishop; that infants were baptised without consecrated chrism; and that holy

Usher Vet. Epist. Hibern. Syll.

2 Chronicle of Man, A.D. 1075.

orders were given by bishops for money. As Lanfranc makes the same complaint about irregular marriages in his letter to Gothric, King of Dublin, Dr. Lanigan' supposes these abuses were confined chiefly to the Danes; while as to the second and third objections, Lanfranc was mistaken as to what is required by evangelical and apostolical authority and the canon law. Besides, the Irish still retained the order of chorepiscopoi. The charge of simony, Lanigan thinks, may have been partly true; but that crime was not confined to the Irish, nor to the church of any particular time or locality.

CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY OF THE KINGS OF THOMOND, CONTINUED.

KING Turlough was succeeded by his second son, Murtagh O'Brien, not undeservedly surnamed More, or the Great, as king of Thomond, and nominal king of Ireland, A.D. 1106. Of his two brothers, the eldest had died at Kincora, and the other, Dermott, having been banished into Connaught, Murtagh became the sole, but by no means the undisputed sovereign. The provincial kings joined Dermot, who was subsequently slain in Meath in his brother's army, A.D. 1103, in a coalition against the king of Thomond, as pretender to the chief sovereignty of Ireland; and another formidable opponent appeared in the person of Domnal M'Loughlin, chief of the Hy-Niells, who, having enforced homage from the king of Connaught, united that prince's forces to his own, and with the combined army invaded Munster. Rory O'Connor's West Connaught men had defeated Murtagh's fleet, when attempting to dislodge them from their position on Innishayrcuch (Horned Island) in the Shannon, previously to the junction of the Northern forces with those of Connaught, and Murtagh now found himself unable to retaliate with effect until the most terrible devastations had taken place in his dominions. The invaders burned Limerick, devastated the country as far as Emly, Lough Gur, and Bruree, beseiged and demolished Kincora, and carried off the head of O'Ruarc from the place of its exposure at Singland. Murtagh, determined to strike the first blow at the king of Connaught, dispatched a fleet in the following year, 1089, as far as Loughree, on the Shannon, and greatly to his discredit plundered the churches on the various islands, and along the shores of the lake, including those of Innisclothran, Innisboffin, and Innis-aingin. The Dalcassian troops were, however, intercepted in their retreat by the king of Connaught, who had occupied Inishayrcuch and Rughra; and being obliged to turn back to Athlone were encountered by Donald O'Melaghlin, king of Meath, who gave them a safe conduct to Thomond, on condition of leaving behind their vessels. With these vessels the kings of Meath and Connaught immediately afterwards descended the Shannon, and once more invaded Thomond.

Ecclesiastical Hist. of Ireland, chap. xxiv.

2 Four Masters, ad. an. 1088.

Ibid. ad. an. 1089.

This name appears in a variety of spellings.

2

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