‘MacGille-Eoin or MacGille a Ea-in (MacLean), the two MacLeods (Harris and Lewis), MacConnigh (Mackenzie), Mac a Toisigh (Macintosh), Murmor Hundon (Mormaer of Moray?), are of the race of Conaire. ‘Murmor Abhaill (Mormaer of Atholl), Murmor Mair (Mormaer of Mar), Murmor Gall (Mormaer of Galloway), MacCenedig (Kennedys), Muirgeach og, Lord of Granta (Grants), MacCregan (MacGregor?), are also of the race of Eremon.’[138] The first group here given evidently belongs to the supposed settlement by Colla Uais of the race of Heremon, and consists of the great clans of the MacDonalds and MacDougalls, and their branches, descended from Somerled, the great Lord of Argyll, whose traditionary pedigree is deduced from Colla. The second as certainly comprises those supposed to be descended from the six sons of Erc, whose pedigree is deduced from Conaire, a king of Ireland;[139] but among them are included the MacLeods, whose legendary origin, as we have seen, belongs to an older race. The third, said to be also descended from the race of Eremon, seems to be composed of those who could not be included in either of the two former groups, and likewise presents inconsistencies. The Mormaers of Athol were of the royal family, and afterwards Stewarts, and under the title of the Mormaer of Mair, and of Muirgeach og, by whom the earls of Lennox descended from Aluin og, son of Muredach, seem meant the race deduced from Corc, king of Munster, who was of the line of Heber, are here included among the descendants of the line of Heremon. [Sidenote: How far have these legends a historic basis?] The turning-point in the chronology of the early history of Ireland may with some reason be fixed at the battle of Ocha, which was fought in the year 478, and placed the first Christian monarch on the throne of Ireland. It obviously separates the artificially-constructed history of the pagan period which makes so large a demand upon the assent of the historian from that succession of events which corresponds with all the historic dates we possess, and commends itself readily enough to our belief. With the change produced by that event all that is fantastic, improbable, and artificial ceases, and the incidents recorded are more natural and in better accordance with what we should expect to find. In the oldest records of Irish history it appears as a great era from which the dates of its events were reckoned, and is connected as such with another settlement of Scots in Alban. We are told by the synchronist Flann Mainistrech that twenty years elapsed from the battle of Ocha till the children of Erc, son of Echach Muinremhair, passed over into Alban, viz., the six sons of Erc, the two Anguses, the two Loarns, and the two Ferguses[140]. The question then at once arises, To what extent have these legends a historic basis, and how far may we accept them as true elements in the history of the population of Scotland?