who established the law of colours by which the colour of one's coat or dress was regulated, a slave being allowed but one colour, a soldier two, an officer three, a gentleman who could entertain, four, a nobleman five, the bards, historians and royal family six. Another derivation of the name would connect it with singeing. This would recall the fact that it was an Eochaidh who is alleged to have introduced the custom of driving horses and cattle between the fires of Beal or the sun, on the day of Beltaine (la beal-tine), which, according to Cormac's Glossary, means the two fires which used to be made by the lawgivers or Druids with long incantations, when they drove the cattle between them to guard against the diseases of each year. This day is said to have been the first day of summer, the first of May. O'Donovan's Almanac (Celtic Society) for May, 1848, gives "May-Day, 1, Monday, La Bealltaine, SS. Philip and James, S. Mochamius, Abbot of Terryglass. There is a Bell hill in Clareen, near Kinnetty, where S. Kiaran is said to have rung his bell, but which is more likely to be connected with the ancient fires of Beal-taine kindled originally in honour of the Sun-god, but kept burning to the glory of the true God by S. Kiaran, who, according to Colgan, "arranged that the paschal fire kindled in his monastery should not be extinguished." Mr. Cooke, a writer of 1850, stated that "this fire still continues to be ignited with sparks from flint on every Easter Saturday." The next Eochaidh was Eochaidh Faobharghlas, because of his green flashing brand. He is said to have been an early ancestor of the O'Carrolls, princes of Ely, in the present King's County, being descended from Heber Fionn. He was a great destroyer of woods, having cut down seven forests, one known as Magh Smearthuin-with which compare the Irish word Sméaróit, a burning coal-which Keating locates in I've Failge (Offaly) also in the King's County. The next Eochaidh, called Mumho, was grandson of the last named, and, according to Keating, began to reign A.M. 2954 (B.C. 1050). He is said to have wrested the throne from Fiachadh Labhruine, whom he defeated at Bealgadain, a place which may be identified with the present Ballygaddy, often known as the "Three Sisters," where three roads meet between Birr and Leap Castle. He is also said to have fought a battle at Claire, Clara or Moyclare, near Ferbane in the same county. The Four Masters tell us that this Eochaidh was "of Munster." It is probably after him that Munster or Mumhan-ster is called. In those days the district of Ormonde which embraces the southern portion of King's County belonged to Munster, being as its name implies East Mumha or Munster. There are two places near Kinnetty which may be connected with this king, Munnu or Money near Frankford, in the district of Fearcall, and Lismoney, a hill near Knock-na-man, which is derived from Lios or lis, a fortified residence, and may mean the fort of Mumha or Mumho. This is as probable as the other explanation, the fort of the brake (Muine), which, suggested the name of Moneyguyneen-the rabbit's brake-now the residence of Mr. Assheton Biddulph, the Master of the King's County Hunt. It is said that a prince of the name Eochaidh lived at a place called Raheenevil (or the fort of the burning coal, eaball) near Frankford, Birr. The next Eochaidh was celebrated as Ollamh Fodhla, or learned doctor. The Four Masters and the Book of Clonmacnoise give Eochaidh as the name of this Ollamh Fodhla, the Irish Confucius. This Eochaidh wore a girdle and is said to have loosed it when about to speak at the assemblies. He made good laws, such as (1) Let no man slay his fellow; (2) Let not man take of the belongings of another man's property; (3) Let not the lips utter what the mind knoweth to be false; (4) Man be merciful; (5) Let man do ever as he would be done by. When his son Fionn was going to Munster our Irish lawgiver said to him: "When mirth and joy prevail, gravity and wisdom are out of time. In Muma all is sport and music and the chase and drink. dance and song and Whilst thou abidest Even in these early be as Muma in all but the last." days Munster was famous for the hard drinking and fearless riding of its sons. The son of this learned monarch was Eochaidh, king of Uladh (Ulidia = Ulster) and also Ard-rí or High King. He was specially skilful in the management and breeding of horses. The next Eochaidh was called Uairceas, from the small skiffs which he caused to be made, uairceas being the Irish for boat. This boat was doubtless similar to the corach or coracle used in the western portions of the country. This monarch was twentieth in descent from Eochaidh Faobharghlas, the ancestor of the O'Carrolls of Ely, and was slain by Eochaidh, called Fiadhmhuine the hunter, "because he took great pleasure in the chasing of deer and other wild beasts, which he frequently hunted in the woody and wild parts of the country;" Fiad means deer and muine signifies brake. This hunter of the line of Heremon was slain by Luighaidh Lamhdhearg or Lewy of the Red Hand, of the line of Heber Fionn and son of Eochaidh Uaircheas, the boat-builder. He was succeeded by other Eochaidhs, the most important of whom was Eochaidh Foltleahan or the Broad Locks, who began his reign 254 B.C., and seems to have met his end in the district of Ely O'Carroll, of which princely line he was also ancestor. For he was slain by Fergus Fortamhaill (vigorous), a valiant and strong-bodied prince, who may have left his name to the Fortal cross roads between Kilcolman and Kinnetty. The next Eochaidh was Feidhlioch, who commenced to reign about B.C., 64, and who was the father of the celebrated Queen Maev (Meidhbh) or Mab of Connacht. The king and his counsellors determined that a royal seat should be made in Connacht, and Tinne, one of the princes of Connacht, having offered a site for the palace was rewarded with the hand of the princess. The ditch and rath were made, and a poet describes how the Rath Eochaidh became known as the Rath Cruachan, after Cruachan Crodhearg, the mother of the illustrious Mab. Rath Crochan is doubly interesting to us because of S. Patrick's visit to its fountain, where he had the interview with the daughters of the Ard-rí of Ireland, Ethne the Fair and Fedelm the Red. In the sepulchre of the kings close by this fortress Dathi, the brave Irish prince, who is said on good authority to have assisted the Romans in the Gallic campaign of 428 A.D., is buried according to the Irish poem of Torna-Éices Under thee is the King of the men of Fail (Ireland), Dathi son of Fiachra, the Good. Croghan, you have hidden him from the Galls, from the Goidels. Under thee is Dungalach the swift, who led the king (Dathi) beyond the seas. This Eochaidh was a great prince, he restored the laws and encouraged the sciences. The next Eochaidh (A.M. 3952. Keating; Ogygia A.M. 3934, B.C. 70) was called Aireamh (grave) from having introduced the custom of burying the dead in graves, considering it neither decent nor secure to raise cairns of stones over their bodies. He was slain by Siodhmall (a fairy of the hill). The next Eochaidh was called Ainchean, a depraved person who caused the unhappy death of two fair princesses, the daughters of King Tuathal, and in consequence brought the terrible tax called Boroimhe Laighean, or tribute of Leinster upon his kingdom. The story is fully given in Keating's history. Suffice it to say : Two princesses, the daughters of Tuathal, S. Moling in after years obtained a remission of the taxes from Fianachta, by a verbal quibble, requesting a respite until a certain Monday but employing an idiom which meant Doomsday. We now come to three celebrated kings, Cathaoir Mór, Conaire and Oilioll Olum. From Cathaoir Mór, the father of twenty sons, are descended the O'Connors of Offaly, the O'Dempseys of Clanmalire, and O'Dunnes through his eldest son, Ros of the Rings (Failge), all of whom are leading King's County clans. Conary had three sons by Sarah, daughter of Conn of the Hundred Battles, called the three Cairbres, Cairbre Rioghfhada, Cairbre Baschaoin and Cairbre Muisg. From the eldest of these, Carbery Riada, |