A Popular History of Ireland : from the Earliest Period to the Emancipation of the Catholics — Complete — John Shaqi
A Popular History of Ireland : from the Earliest Period to the Emancipation of the Catholics — CompleteMcGee, Thomas D'Arcy
History
A Popular History of Ireland : from the Earliest Period to the Emancipation of the Catholics — Complete
McGee, Thomas D'Arcy
Ireland -- History
FLAHERTY, the next who succeeded, after a vigorous reign of seven
years, withdrew from the splendid cares of a crown, and passed the long
remainder of his life—thirty years—in the habit of a monk at Armagh.
The heavy burthen which he had cheerfully laid down, was taken up by a
Prince, who combined the twofold character of poet and hero. HUGH V.
(surnamed Allan), the son of FEARGAL, of whom we have just spoken, was
the very opposite of his father, in his veneration for the privileges
of holy persons and places. His first military achievement was
undertaken in vindication of the rights of those who were unable by
arms to vindicate their own. Hugh Roin, Prince of the troublesome
little principality of Ulidia (Down), though well stricken in years and
old enough to know better, in one of his excursions had forcibly
compelled the clergy of the country through which he passed to give him
free quarters, contrary to the law everywhere existing. Congus, the
Primate, jealous of the exemptions of his order, complained of this
sacrilege in a poetic message addressed to Hugh Allan, who, as a
Christian and a Prince, was bound to espouse his quarrels. He marched
into the territory of the offender, defeated him in battle, cut off his
head on the threshold of the Church of Faughard, and marched back
again, his host chanting a war song composed by their leader.
In this reign died Saint Gerald of Mayo, an Anglo-Saxon Bishop, and
apparently the head of a colony of his countrymen, from whom that
district is ever since called "Mayo of the Saxons." The name, however,
being a general one for strangers from Britain about that period, just
as Dane became for foreigners from the Baltic in the next century, is
supposed to be incorrectly applied: the colony being, it is said,
really from Wales, of old British stock, who had migrated rather than
live under the yoke of their victorious Anglo-Saxon Kings. The
descendants of these Welshmen are still to be traced, though intimately
intermingled with the original Belgic and later Milesian settlers in
Mayo, Sligo, and Galway—thus giving a peculiar character to that
section of the country, easily distinguishable from all the rest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account