which he maintained the independence of his Dalcassian principality and his claims to be acknowledged King of Munster, if not of all Ireland, gave him some right to his title, in Irish history, of Donalmor, or Donal the Great. His son Mortogh was chosen to succeed him in the manner prescribed by the Brehon law.

Towards the end of his reign he built the present church. of Killaloe, and the Cathedral of St. Mary in Limerick. The two beautiful structures-one close to the church of Killaloe, now used for Protestant worship, and the other in the little island opposite-are evidently of much more. ancient origin, and are attributed to either St. Flannan or St. Molua. The splendid doorway yet to be seen in St. Flannan's Church, bearing eloquent testimony to ancient Irish artistic skill, was taken from an older edifice-probably that built by Brian Boroimhe.

CHAPTER X.

FROM 1194 TO 1267.

Capture of Limerick-Surrender of Cork-English Garrison driven out of Munster-Dissension again-Donogh Cairbreac O'Brien allows the building of a Castle at Killaloe-The Clans resist and drive out the English-Donogh surrenders to King John-Permits again the erection of a Castle at Killaloe and Roscrea-Abandons Kincora for Clonroad-Rise of Ennis-O'Heney, Bishop of Killaloe, at the Fourth Council of Lateran--MacNamaras and O'Shaughnessys-Clare invaded-Donogh gives Hostages-Conor succeeds, and founds the Franciscan Monastery at Ennis in 1247-Drives out the English from all Thomond in 1257-Conference of Irish Princes at Caeluisce (Ballyshannon)—Another Invasion of Thomond-Defeat at Kilbarron, near Feacle-Battle at Suidene, in Burren-Defeat and Death of Conor-na-Suidene.

THE marriage of Donal's only daughter, Moira or Mary, with Cathal Crovdearg (the Red-handed) O'Connor, illegitimate brother of King Roderick, but whose ability and force of character secured him the succession to the throne in spite of his spurious birth, became the occasion of an alliance between the Dalcassians and the O'Connors, which led to important results. Marching southwards,' their forces were swelled by the adhesion of the Desmonians, under Donal MacCarthy. They first laid siege to Limerick, from which they drove the English, who had lately got hold of it, with great loss. They then proceeded to Cork. The English there capitulated, on condition of being allowed to depart unmolested, which MacCarthy gladly acceded to, as it saved the city from burning. They then turned their arms against other English garrisons, driving them everywhere before them, till the common enemy had not so much as a foothold in the Southern province.

1 Four Masters and Annals of Innisfallen.

This alliance did not last long. The old jealousies revived. The Dalcassians listened to the insidious advice of William de Burgho, designed to cripple the growing power of the Desmonians. In A.D. 1200 they again marched southwards, not as before against the foreigners, but in company with them, to attack their own flesh and blood. Under the leadership of three of the brothers of the reigning prince, they, with the English under De Burgho, traversed the whole country down to Cork, undoing their previous patriotic work, and slaying, among others, Auliff Mor O'Donovan, Prince of Carberry, and MacCostelloe, chief of his clan.1 Finally a peace was made between the Dalcassians and the Desmonians through the intervention of Mahon O'Heney, the Pope's Legate, and the Bishops of Munster, but the policy of De Burgho was triumphant in the end. The English recovered lost ground by setting the Irish against each other. Would that this were the last instance of the kind to be recorded! But, alas with an infatuation which speaks badly for their intelligence, the Irish princes, almost without exception, allowed themselves to be duped in like manner, time after time, till their own and their common country's ruin was accomplished.

The English connection brought infamy of a deeper dye still on the Dalcassians. Along with them, and under the same leaders, they, in the year 1202, not only plundered but polluted the Abbey of Boyle. It is only fair to add that this latter phase of the seizure of the holy place was the work of the English alone; for in the Annals of Kilronan, which give a full account of the dastardly outrage, it is said to have been the work of "the archers of the army." Cathal Carach O'Connor, who had deposed his own father, Roderick, and against whom the expedition was planned, was slain, with other Connaught chiefs of note, leaving the way to the throne clear for Cathal Crovdearg O'Connor, brother-in-law to the Dalcassian princes.

The return of the Dalcassians to their own territory was but the prelude to fierce internal dissensions. The blindness of Mortogh unfitted him for the sovereignty in Thomond. The claim of the next brother, Conor Roe, was disputed by

1 Annals of Innisfallen.

the next to him, Donogh Cairbreac, but unsuccessfully. Conor ruled only for a short time. He was slain by Mortogh, his own brother, according to the Four Masters and Annals of Clanmacnoise. This prince was soon after treacherously seized by the English of Limerick,' at the instigation of Donogh Cairbreac, and probably put to death, as we hear no more of him in Clare history. The beautiful doorway set in St. Flannan's Cathedral, at Killaloe, marks, it is said, his tomb. Donogh Cairbreac was henceforth acknowledged

Prince of Thomond.

An attempt was made by the English, in 1207, to erect a castle at Killaloe. This concession may have been promised by Donogh in return for their support; but the Dalcassian spirit was not yet broken. The clans fiercely resented this intrusion into Clare, and the English had to retreat after considerable loss.2

A son of his uncle Brian, whose eyes had been put out by Donalmor, now laid claim to East Thomond, over which his father had ruled. With great vigour he seized upon the castles of Birr Lorha and Kennety. About this time, A.D. 1210, King John landed in Ireland with a large army. Το secure his support against his cousin Mortogh, Donogh hastened to pay him homage, and on payment by him of a fine of one thousand marks, and a yearly tribute of one hundred pounds, was acknowledged by John as King of Thomond, to the exclusion of any other claimant whatsoever.3 Another and a more galling condition had to be complied with the erection of two castles by the English, one at Roscrea and the other at Killaloe. His rival Mortogh could not hold out against the combination; but Donogh paid dearly for the advantage he had secured. The English had not only a strong fortress overawing East Thomond, but another for the first time in West Thomond (Clare), and close by Kincora too, the ancient royal residence of the Dalcassian kings. Donogh did not relish the neighbourhood of the Saxon intruders. He changed his residence to Clonroad, in

1 Historical Memoirs of the O'Briens.

2 Annals of Clonmacnoise.

$ Leland quoting Rymer.

the centre of the county, and so may be regarded in some measure as the founder of its present capital, Ennis.

The following appears in the Four Masters, 1215: "Conor (Cornelius) O'Heney, Bishop of Killaloe, died on his return from the Fourth General Council of Lateran." The year after, 1216, an Englishman, Robert Travers, was appointed to succeed him. For some time the two other sees of Roscrea and Iniscatha had been united to Killaloe, and have so continued ever since. This bishop built a house under the protection of the castle lately erected there by Geoffry de Marisco (Marche), but it is clear that the people did not accept his services. He had to resign, or was deprived some years after, and no other Englishman, one excepted, filled the see ever since.1 In this important particular, at least, the people insisted on the continuance of their ancient privilege.

No events of importance enough to be recorded occurred in Clare for some years. The English contented themselves with the nominal subjection of Donogh in the name of the various clans. There was no renewal of the old feuds with the Desmonians. The MacNamaras, or Clan Cuilean, and the O'Shaughnessys, whose territory lay along the north of Clare, fought among themselves, A.D. 1223, for some cause not assigned. The chief of the O'Shaughnessys was slain, in spite of a compact entered into between those clans, and ratified by an oath on the crozier of St. Colman of Kilmacduagh.

After the death of Roderick and Cathal Crovdearg, A.D. 1224, a civil war of a desolating character broke out between the O'Connors. The succession to the throne was fiercely disputed. The claim of Hugh, son of Cathal, was supported by his uncle Donogh O'Brien and the Dalcassians, while O'Neill not only gave aid, but came into Connaught to inaugurate Turlogh, the son of Roderick. The Dalcassians, advancing rapidly with Hugh's Connaught supporters and the English who encouraged the feud, compelled O'Neill to withdraw, bringing with him the sons of Roderick. They took much spoil, and in an attack upon the Termon, or sanctuary, of St. Caelainri, the English contingent suffered 1 Ware, by Harris, vol. i. P. 521. 2 Annals of Kilronan.