.%. i J^ .<^h IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 IIM IM ilitt i^ iiiiiis mil 2.0 111= 1.4 IIIIIL6 V} ^ VI ^. el /a c# ■m .->" /. 9 c2 ^>/ o 7 M Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 y MP. i^- £^7 Ua O \ CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut canadien de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked helow. D D D n n n D D Coloured covers,^ Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couvertute endommagee Covers restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul^e Cover title missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Cartes gdographiques en couleur Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur Bound with other material/ Reli6 avec d'autres documents Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion along interior margin/ La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la distortion le long de la marge int^rieure Blank leaves added during restoration may appear within the text. Whenever possible, these have been omitted from filming/ II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajout^es lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont pas dt6 film^es. Additional comments:/ Commentaires suppldmentaires- L'ln^titut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire qu'il lui a dt6 possible de se procurer. Les details de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-§tre uniques du point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier uro image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage sont indiqu6s ci-dessous. I I Coloured pages/ D D Pages de couleur Pages damaged/ Pages endommagdes Pages restored and/oi Pages restaurSes et/ou pellicul^es Pages discoloured, stained or foxei Pages d6color6es, tachet^es ou piqu^es Pages detached/ Pages d^tachees Showthrough/ Transparence Quality of prir Quality in^gale de I'impression Includes supplementary materic Comprend du matv*>riel supplementaire I I Pages damaged/ I I Pages restored and/or laminated/ r~7r Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ I I Pages detached/ r~~| Showthrough/ I I Quality of print varies/ I I Includes supplementary material/ Only edition available/ Seule Edition disponible Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiellement obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, etc., ont 6t6 film^es d nouveau de facon d obtenir la meilleure image possible. This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ Ce document est filmd au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 10X 14X 18X 22X 12X 16X 20X 26X SOX 24X 28X 32X The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks to the generosity of: D. B. Weldon Library University of Western Ontario The images appearing here are the best quality possible considering the condition and legibility of the original copy and in keeping with the filming contract specifications. Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed beginning with the front cover and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All other original copies are filmed beginning on the first page with a printed or illustrated impres- sion, and ending on the last page with a printed or illustrated impression. The last recorded rrame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —»' (meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. L'exemplaire film6 fut reproduit grSce d la g6n6rosit6 de: D. B. Weldon Library University of Western Ontario Les images suivantes ont 6X6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin, compte tenu de la coniition et de la nettetd de l'exemplaire film6, et er> conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimis sont filmds en commen^ant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une emprointe d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbols V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds 6 des taux de reduction diffdrents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est filmd 6 partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche 6 droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 t c: ANECDOTES n OF IRELAND A SERIES OF SKETCHES ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS OF IRISH HISTORY, BY CORNELIUS DONOVAN Our memory shall often in dreams sublime, Catch a glimpse of the days that are over; And sighing look through the waves of time, For the long faded glories they cover. — MoORE. HAMILTON : EVENINO TIMES PUBMSHINO H«USE, 3 HUCHSON STREET. 1872. t& — - ' ■ i * i, »^w ii ^iiiii;iiyir, wvn ssscz ■■nvi f-PK, .i a**:' 3S^'^5' TO THE IRISHMEN OF CANADA THIS HUMBLE VOLUME IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. I THE ARGUMENT. ^ I In introducing to the notice of the world of litera- ture this our virgin production, we are influenced by the sole desire of placing in the possession of our patrons a pithy, yet comprehensive and reliable narrative of Ireland's prominent men. This is a subject that affords a wide scope for the ability of an author, and to do it full justice — that is, to give a detailed account of the actions of the legion of renowned characters that have at various times ap- l^eared on the stage of the great theatre of Irish history — would be a vast undertaking, filling many volumes, and worthy of the genius of the most famous writers. No country in the world can boast of a brighter galaxy of luminaries than Ireland, whether as warriors, churchmen, poets, orators or statesmen. Her warriors have never been excelled in any age for their bravery and chivalry ; her eccle- siastics of every degree, from the days of St. Patrick down to those of Cardinal CuUen, have been ex- amples of sanctity and learning for their contempor- aries of other nations ; her poets, whether under the guise of the simple bard of the ancient chieftain, or 6 The Argument. the more refined muse of modern times, have given to the world]cenceptions of genius unexcelled in the history of their respective periods ; and her orators byjtheir impassioned eloquence and fiery rhetoric, have elevated themselves to the summit of the tem- ple of fame, fromjwhichjthey can gaze down with a sublime consciousness of power on the futile efforts of the would be rivals at their feet. To give a graphic description of all these is beyond the reach of this liliputian volume ; but to delineate the chief among the four classes enumerated, in a brief, logi- cal and systematic manner, thereby supplying a long felt desideratum in Irisli literature, is our humble task, and for any slight inaccuracies that we may be guilty of in endeavoring to fulfil it, we crave the forbearance of all friendly critics. THE AUTHOR. March^ i8t2. I ' i en he )rs ic, tn- i a 'ts a 3h ef o le y c ' '^^^m^. IRISH PEARLS. =5H!HHBHH ANECDOTES OF IRELAND. IRELAND AS IT WAS. Afar from thee sojourning, Whether I sigh or smile, I call thee still " Mavourneen," , My own Green Isle. —IRISH maiden's song. HE Gem of the Sea has had its history expati- ated on by friends and enemies from time immemorial ; and if a few of the former have been given to excessive laudations, the great body of the latter, as a rule, have vented their venom and spleen by shameful misrepresentations or by equally reprehensible omissions. Passing on without further reference to the advocates of our national cause, we will at once join issue with its adversaries, and in as few words as possible analyze the subterfuges of those who traduce our country by sins of omission. What benefit, they ask, can be derived by the student of classical history, from the perusal of the 10 Anecdotes of Ireland. records of Ireland, a country whose chief historical features are characterized by bloody wars, deadly feuds and wild superstitions ? We answer, it is as beneficial as a knowledge of the events of those famous countries of antiquity, Greece and Rome, so highly recommended, whose internal conflicts were as numerous and no more to be admired than those of Hibernia. The civil strife of the Irish never entailed more misery on their country than did the factions of Marius, Sylla and the Triumvirates, on the Roman people, or the bloody struggles of Athena and Sparta on the several Grecian States ; and the absurd mythology of these refined countries, with their host of divinities as numerous as the stars of the firmament, exceeded the wildest dreams of super- stition that ever entered the brain of the most imaginative son of Erin. It is true, we cannot boast of having conquered the world, neither can we shew a Pass of Thermopylae ; but we can point to a roll of honor composed of men equal to the * ' bravest Roman of them all" — men whose patriotism exhibited itself equally palpable whenfighting against the marauding Dane Sitrick, the steel-clad followers of the Norman chiefs De Burgo and De Courcy, or the red-coated brigades of gen- eral Munroe and Oliver Cromwell. Even in later years, when centuries of dependence on a foreign government had succeeded the fearless times of Nial of the Nine Hostages and Conn of the Huudred Battles, we find ** the Irish abroad" carrying terror ^ Ireland as It Was, II J k and defeat into the ranks of the enemies of their allies; We have no Stoics, Sophists, or any oth«r branch of those Greek philosophers, who believed that the cul- tivation of misery and the ability to prove that right was wrong, and vice versa, were the noblest virtues man could possess ; but we can record the deeds of an army of scholars (clergy and laity) who were 80 proficient in the sciences of the day as to become eventually the teachers of Europe — not of mere flimsy and evanescent ideas, but of everything that would lead to the elevation of men's minds, both in a temporal and spiritual manner. The boasted efforts of their poets, a Homer and a Hesiod, we can anni- hilate by the pathos of a Carolan, the humor of a Lover, and the sentiment of a Moore ; and finally, the heaven-lauded oratory of a Cicero and a Demos- thenes, in stirring up their countrymen against the crimes of a Catiline or the intrigues of a Philip, we can oppose with the burning eloquence of a Grattan and an O'Connell, and then boldly ask these champions of the " classic land of Greece" as op- posed to "barbarous Ireland" if they can "play to that." The traditionary history of Pagan Ireland is strongly associated with its bona /Ide records in almost every particular. In connection with the fact of the landing of the Milesians, we find an account of a terrible conflict between the latter and the aboriginal inhabitants of the island, in which each party invoked and received the assistance of the 12 Anecdotes of Ireland, M powers of the other world ! Whether it was owing to the effeminacy of the aborigines or their allies we know not, but at any rate the sons of Milesius tri- umphed and divided the island into five kingdoms, nominally subject to a federal government. Again, we hear of one of their descendants being compelled by an ©ffended deity to wear asses ears during his lifetime ; the three daughters of Manam McLir being changed by malicious enchantment into swans to swim on a mystic river for an indefinite period ; and the cruel betrayal of the sons of Usna by the treach- erous prince of Dalriada, which provoked that beautiful allegory called the Lamentation of Deirdre. Even during this misty period our island was fam- ous for the learning of its Druids or pagan priests, and the piety and hospitality of its inhabitants. The valor of its soldiers was felt throughout the neigh- boring islands, and even far away on the confines of Italy and Germany, had its warlike chieftains made the name of the Irish Gael as much respected and fearedj as the learning of its scholars had caused it to be admired and venerated. The tramp of the Roman legionary, the conqueror of the world, was never heard on Irish ground; for although the renowned Roman general Plautius Seutonius, who with his 10,000 invincible soldiers annihilated the immense host of the British queen Boadicea, gazed from the summit of Mount Snowdon on the dimly visible wooded Isle of the West, it was with feelings of awe and dread rather than a desire of conquest ; ! Ireland as It Was. 13 and when the still more famous Julius Agricola per- formed a voyage of observation around the conquered island of Britain, the same superstitious feelings induced him to give a wide berth to the shores of Green Erin. Whether this can be a cause of con- gratulation or not we leave to the sentiments of our readers to determine ; but this we know, that the absence from Ireland of the ImjDerial sway of Rome, during the period she governed Britain, has deprived our historians, in a great measure, of the means of obtaining that authenticity which exhibits itself in the history of other countries where the Roman authority had been established. The light of the Gospel diifused throughout the Island by the sacred ministry of St. Patrick, enlight- ened the minds of its inhabitants and directed their aspirations into a nobler channel. They who had been famous throughout Europe for their attachment to the rites of Druidism, now became equally com- mendable for their Christian virtues and sanctity, and their unswerving zeal in the service of the one true God. The poets and musicians whose talents had been devoted to the praises of the pagan god Crom and his associates, now attached themselves with increased ardor and devotion to the cause of Jesus Christ; and those learned men who by their erudi- tion had earned for themselves the respect of the world, now found their abilities enhanced and their labors sweetened when accompanied by the sublime truths of Christianity. For three centuries Ireland 14 Anecdotes of Ireland. lis was the Academy of Europe ; — her priests spreading the Gospel throughout the savage countries of the continent, and her scholars diffusing learning among the more civilized, where records of their actions remain even to the present day. But the Danes broke in on this admirable and peaceful condition of affairs, like a hideous nightmare in a pleasant dream, and introduced their savage barbarities and vitiating influences among the accumulated virtue and refinement of so many centuries. One by one the great seminaries of learning were destroyed, the sanctuaries polluted and pillaged, the monasteries razed and their inmates cruelly murdered by these blood-thirsty pirates of the North. The inhabitants, so long unused to the implements of war, at first made but a feeble resist- ance to the encroachments of the Danes ; but as time wore on, their incapacity disappeared, and erop.ued to madness by the savage cruelties of the invaders, engaged in a fie ce struggle for the pre- servation of home and kindred ; and finally, after a contest that extended over a period of 300 years, expelled the pests from the island, at a period when their sway seemed more than ever irrevocably fixed in the country. A short respite succeeded, during which religion, arts and science made a wonderful revival towards their pristine splendor. It is true, that numerous dissensions existed among the native princes struggling for pre-eminency ; but they were no more excessive than those of contemporary na- Ireland as It Was. 15 -J ive tions, and had not fate otherwise decreed it, these reprehensible features would have eventually disap- peared under the dominant but salient sway of a - Brian Boru or a Malachy II. It was a woman that wrought the destruction of Troy ; and, in considering this, the *' classical " ' author will find a parallel in Ireland, with this diff- erence, that in the former case the ill-fated Trojans ended their miseries with the loss of their city, while in the latter, the inhabitants were doomed to endure centuries of calamities, as if to atone for the crime of a fickle fair one who srcrificed the sacred principle of honor on the voluptuous altar of passion. The Anglo-Norman then appeared upon the scene, a willing mercenary of a treacherous Dermot, whose dastardly conduct aroused the ven- geance of an injured husband and the wrath of a virtuous sovereign, an^ the ultimate consequence was that Ages of bondage and slaughter succeeded, where freedom and prosperity had pre- viously reigned supreme. The conquest of Ireland was not effected with that case and facility which Mr. Pinnock and some other historians of his class would have us believe. For, from the landing of the avaricious Henry II in 1172 to the advent of the hypocritical Cromwell in 1650, the state of affairs exhibited little more than an almost incessant struggle between the natives and the invaders — the former fighting for i6 Anecdotes of Ireland. their liberty and subsequently for their religion, and the latter for the subugation of the country and the possession of the rich spoils it afforded. Daring this gloomy period, Ireland can point with pride to many noble spirits that appeared from time to time, battling for her natural rights, and whope patriotism, ability and genius were discovered with equal force to the world, whether they appeared in the warlike dress of a chieftain or the more peaceful garb of a priest of God — the one opposing her enemies in the tented field, and the other defending the minds and intellects of the people against the irreligion, impitty and degeneracy which were concomitant associates of a bloody and savage warfare. The defeats sus. tained by the Irish, commencing Avith the burning of Waterford by the unprincipled Strongbow, down to the crushing reverse at Athenryin 1317, and the equally humiliating overthrow at Kinsale in 1601, and thence to the surrender of Limerick in 1691, and the final overthrow of the great rebellion f f 1798, will find an offset in the victories over their enemies during the same peiiod, commencing with their defeat of Strongbow in 1171 at the battle of Thurles, and continuing with their triumphs over King Richard II. in Meath, 1394, their successes during the reign of Henry VIII., the glorious victo- ries of the Yellow Ford and Curlieu in 1598-99, the ever memorbale triumph at Benburb, 1646, and the heriosim displayed during the stormy times of Cromwell and William II L — ^\\ of which, although Ireland as It Was. 17 fought in vain, yet retarded the conquest of the country for nearly 600 years ; and it was not until the close of the siventeeth century that the rule of the.British soTereigns extended itself throughout the island. Had not the despicable intrigues suggested by the crafty lord Bacon been brought to bear on the condition of the country, Ireland would never have been annexed to the British cro^n as a con- quered province. For we find that during that long succession of ages between the appearance of Strongbow and the reign of Henry VIII., the Irish, in a more or less degree held possession of the greater part of the country, retaining their own laws and customs'; and that notwithstanding the valor of the De Burgos, De Birminghams and De Courcys, the invaders experienced an inglorious defeat as often as they obtaintd a triumph, when opposed to the redoubtable O'Neills, O'Donnells, McCarthys, O'Brians and O'Connors. The consequence was, such was the fierce opposition of the Irish people directed by the ability of their chieftains, that up to the middle of the sixteenth century, the territory in possession of the English consisted of little more than a narrow strip along the ea«t and south-east coasts, and the rule of the Viceroy on more than one occasion extended little beyond the walls of Dublin. Even the knights of the " Pale " as the conquered district was called, in many instances adopted the cause of the struggling Irish, and, as the deeds of the famous Geraldiues alone amply i8 Anecdotes of Ireland. -I prove, made themselves exceedingly troublesome to the English rulers. But the introduction of Lord Bacon's "princlie policie" — than which no baser means were ever resorted to for the subugation of a country, by which the chieftains were divided against each other through a series of intrigues deceptive and treacherous in the extreme, broke down the power of tlie Irish and paved the way for their final overthrow. The country was completely overrun, the lands confiscated to the myrmidons of the crown, the ancient laws of the people abolished, their religion and language interdicted, their clergy hunted down like beasts of the forest, their lives and fortunes set at nought, and a brave and gener- ous nation compelled to lie for centuries crushed and bleeding from the eiFects of a code of cruel and barbarous laws, that inore resembled the bloody dictates of an Athenian Draco or a Roman Nero, than the civilized enactments of a virgin Tudor or a pedantic Stuart. This gloomy period continued without interrup- tion up to the close of the 17th century. Neither the noble efforts of the brave spirits of the Kilkenny Confederation, nor the heroic and self-sacrificing Patrick Sarsfield, could loosen the bonds of persecu- tion or give relief to the unheard of sufferings of their countrymen, and th3 failure of each attempt but served to rivet their fetters more firmly, and increase their miseries, if possible, to a still greater degree. The hellish deeds of torture and inhuman- Ireland as It Was» 19 ity inflicted on the people of Ireland by the regicide Oliver Cromwell and his graceless son-in-law, Henry Ireton, stamps these canting hyprocrites, and their equally blasphemous fellows (mis-called soldiers), with a stranger resemblance to the emissaries of the Arch fiend rather than representatives of evangelical England ; and even at the present day the lover of Ireland requires his fall quota of Christian virtue to prevent an utterance of malediction on the desti'oyers of Drogheda, Wexford and Limerick. The reign of William III., infamous for the violation of the treaty of Limerick, whereby the comparitively favorable concessions extorted by the bravery of Sarsfield and his band of heroes,^were shamefully dis- regarded, and those of Queen Ann and the two first Georges, disgraceful to liberty loving England, for the cruel and bitter enforcement of the penal laws, passed (to the Irish) lingeringly and painfully onward, and twenty years of the reign of the third George had gone by before we catch a glimpse of that One lucid interval Bnatched from the gloom, which enveloped the affairs of Ireland so long, and hid from the eyes of her people those rights and privileges that justly belonged to them. That interval so well-known and proudly commented on by Irishmen was of short duration, and owed its existence more to the fears which a brave and un. selfish phalanx of patriots impressed on the govern- ment, rather than any liberal desire on the part of 20 Anecdotes of Ireland, the latter to generate the principles of liberty and equality. The authors of this prosperous and happy condition, Grattan, Curran, Flood and their as- sociates, have fixed the memory of their deeds indelibly in the minds of their countrymen, and have earned for themselves Ja position in history, which for pure and unalloyed patriotism remains unsurpassed in the annals of any nation. The revival of the Baconian policy by a corrupt and jealous ministry produced a gradual retrogression in that prosperity and ease, which the country had for a few years enjoyed, and ultimately goaded the people on to desperate resources. The rebellion of 1798 however ill-advised in its policy bore at least the merrit of being a struggle for liberty, and although unsuccessful, it was not through want of bravery, but through an overwhelming predomin- ance of Might over Right. The consequence was the passage of the odious Union Act ; not by the action of the people, for they had no voice in the matter ; not by the people's representatives, for owing to the existing laws the religion of the masses precluded their co-religionists from the leg- islative halls ; but by an unlimited and unsparing distribution of gold and coronets to the weak and avaricious, whose country was but a secondary consideration, when filthy emoluments and empty honors were dangled temptingly before their eyes. The superhuman efforts of the heroes of 1'782 were unavailing in this crisis, and they were compelled Ireland as It Was. 21 to see their country shorn of its last remnant of independence, after the manful and, at one time, not ineffectual struggles they had offered in its behalf. This was the last drop in the cup of Ireland's misery, and although affairs retained their sombre hue for a long time, it was as the darkness that precedes the dawn, as from this period may be dated her gradual rise from the depths of woe, into which she was sunk for ages. In thus condensing a very long history into an exceedingly small nutshell, so to speak, we have for the moment lost sight of those silent and unobtrus- ive but inflexible preservers of Christian morals — the members of the priesthood. Throughout the whole length of Irish story, whether at the stormy period when the combatants on the one side struggle for " vy-tue and Erin," and on the other for '* Saxon and guilt ;" or during these gloomy times when the minds of the people were filled with despondency, and the laws of the conqueror interdicted the practice of the doctrines of their religion, we find the Catholic Church fulfilling its sacred mission in teaching the ignorant, curbing the headstrong, cheer- ing the hopeless, supporting the helpless, and ever in the foreground inculcating the divine attributes of Christianity. ; >' We will now proceed with our sketches, and en- deavor in our humble words to do justice to the four branches into which we have divided our subject, viz: The Warrior, the Ecclesiastic, the Orator and the Poet. ANECDOTES OF IRELAND. THE WARRIOR. The Star of the field which so often has poured, Its beam on the battle is set ; But enough of its ^lory remains on each sword To light ui to victory yet !— MooRE. CHAPTER I. THE HEROIC PERIOD. g it is necessary in all undertakings to adopt a starting point from which to proceed to com- pletion, so we commence our sketches with him whom Irishmen designate as their common ancestor and from whom they derive their patronymic Milesian. Looking forward from that far distant period at the myriads of noble warriors for whom Ireland is so famous, the writer would deem it a hopeless task to attempt a deserving description of all; he will therefore limit himself to those by whom the history of Ireland is most effected. According to the generality of Irish historians, the Celtic colony of Milesius has been assigned an 24 Anecdotes of Ireland. [ I eastern origin. They landed in Ireland fully equip- ed with warlike implementi, and under the direction of Eber and Eremhon (their father Milesius having died in passaing through Spain) advanced into the country then in the possession of the Firbolgs, a race of people who arrived many centuries before. A bloody and protracted war ensued with varying success, but the fierce and impulsive bravery of the Celts finally triumphed. The first battle was fought at the foot of Sliabhmis in Kerry, and although the Firbolgs were defeated they subsequently displayed coaisiderable dexterity in drawing them into ambus- cad ss and otherwise harassing then severly in their progress towards the interior of the country. The great battle of Telltown in Meath, ifi which the Firbolgs lost the flower of their army, and in which Eber and Eremhon slew with their own hands the three kings of the aborigines, was decisive. Eber and Eremhon then divided the island between them, the former taking the southern half and the latter the northern. But each, in time, seemed to think that his share was insufficient, and the consequence was that a dispute arose before many yearshad passed away. Hostilities followed in the wnke of illfeeling and jealousy, and at length we find that Eber was defeated and slain in a pitched battle, and Eremhon, as conqueror, took possession of his brother's domin- ions. He introduced several important measures into the government of the country, and divided the island into four principalities; Ulster, Lsinster,, The Heroic Period. 25 Munfter and Connaught. The last we hear of Eremhon, previous to his death, was his connection with a battle which he fought against a marauding tribe of Britons, over whom he gained a complete victory. He died in the year 488 B. C. TuATHAL ascended the Irish throne the third in succession from Ollamh Fodua, distinguished as the founder of the parliament held at Tara, the seat of government, every three years. Several impor- tant actions are recorded in favor of this monarch. Among others, the overthrow of a conspiracy framed by the remnant of the Firbolgs, for the extirpation of the Milesians. He enforced his authority over his subordinate princes, and carried kis conquests into the neighbOrina: islands to a considerable extent. He j their aged monarch and his faithful chiefs, fol- lowed up their previous successes. Their impetu- osity forced the invaders from all their hard won strongholds, and the Irish did not cease their efforts until little more than the cities of Dublin, Water- ford and Cork remained in the possession of their foes. The introduction of new adventurers from time to time kept the conflict alive almost uninter- ruptedly, and the period of which we write is remark- able for the number of bold and fearless warriors. The Norman chiefs divided the island among them, and having settled these prelimenaries to their own satisfaction, without taking into consider- ation the opinions of their would-be subjects, immediately set about the task of subduing their alloted portions. John de Courcy proceeded to the conquest of Ulster or [Tllidia, having for his oppo- nent the brave and gallent MacDualevy. This chieftain skillfully evaded the attacks of de Courcy for a long time, suffering in the intervals one or two rather severe reverses, — but, &t length, turning on his pursuer, he inflicted a terrible defeat at Glenure, in 1178, and the following season routed his army in a battle so disastrous, that De Courcy barely escaped with his life, and retired disgraced and humiliated to Dublin. De Courcy and his com- ; V 1 i 42 Anecdotes of Ireland, panioDS having thus found the direct conquest of Ulster to be a matter of considerable difficulty, had resource to other means for the acquisition of the territory. He skirted along the coast, and building castles at stated intervals, placed garrisons therein, from which they could make predatory incursions, from time to time, on the neighboring country. The conquest of Cennaught was attempted in a similar manner by Milo de Cogan, and with a like result. The western chiefs led him on a bootless journey from place to place, and then, having ex- hausted his powers and patience, compelled him to seek refuge in an inglorious retreat. In this cam- paign Conor Moinraoy, the second son of (Roderick, was leading character. The great native chieftains of the south at this period, were Donald More O' Brian and Cormac McCarthy, and their prowess was felt by the inva- ders in many a bloody field. They defeated the attempts of every Norman knight sent against th«m, and during the presence of prince John in Ireland, made the country so hot for him that he was glad to return to England. Hugh de Lacy and John de Courcy were the most powerful of the early Norman adventurers. The former exercised considerable influence over the minor native chiefs, and held a large portion of country under subjection ; the latt«r, although suffering defeat as often as enjoying victory, olung with teDacitj to an unsatiable desire of conquest. The Advent of the Norman. 43 the De Laoy met a tragic fate from the hands of a native, bat his place was supplied by the famous Williaai'de Burgh, whose carrer appears conjointly with that of John de Courcy. The latter chieftain^ after the death of De Lacy, advanced into Con- naught, and was opposed by the celebrated Donald More 0*Brian and Conor Moinmoy. These two famous warriors defeated 'all the attempts of De Courcy, and being joined by O'Flaherty of Donegall, assumed the offensive, driving De Courcy from the province. This intrepid soldier subsequently retired to England, where he died, as respected by his Irish opponents as by his own friends. Cathal O'Connor, surnamed Crovdhearg^ or the "Red Hand," was the most distinguished Irish warrior after the death of Donald More O'Brian, which occurred about the same time that De Courcy retired to England. He succeeded in restoring order to his patrimony, the province of Connaught, which had been torn by civil dissensions during the recent troubles of the nation. He had the skill and address to obtain the aid of one Norman chief against another, on several occasions, and took good care that his country profited thereby. He was looked upon by the Irish as their head, although not formally declared Ard-righ, as by his bravery and his diplomatic skill he offered a successful op- position to the encroachments of the Normans. He died in 1213, to the regret of the Irish and the extreme pleasure of the Norman, who were now 44 Anecdotes of Ireland. ! certain of having ererything their own way. He was the greatest soldier of his time, as well as the most consummate statesman. He overthrew all the efifbrts of the greatest of England's commanders for his subjugation, routing their armies in a series of wonderful victories, that made his name a terror throughout the British islands. Those renowned chieftains, the De Burgos, could make no head agaist him, and we find even the English king John courting his alliance m ^rdtr to put down the rebel- lion of the De Lacjb ''■;x ^ther knights of the " Pale." No wonder hiw eiic uies were joyful at. his death. He died full of y^vs and piflty, at the abbey of Knockmoy, in his nuuv,. proJico and many generations passed away before Ireland produced his equal. As a history of Ireland is not the object of this work, we must pass over with a bare mention those years of desultory warfare between the contending parties, which elapsed between the death of Cathal and the appearance of Richard de Burgh called the " Red Earl," and the greatest Norman chief of that name. In the early portion of this period, a chieftain rose suddently into prominence in the south, who for the spaci of twenty years kept the advance of the invaders not only in check but frequently carried the war within the limits of the " Pale," always inflicting severe chastisement on his enemies. This was the celebrated Florbnck McCakthy, a worthy iMMI ■O i n i i M iii i . .»j iii KirwTn t Mm The Advent of the Nonnan. 45 decendant df th« great Cormac, who fought side bj side with the famous Donald More O'Brian. The authority of the elder McCarthy, called More or the Great, extended from Tralee to Lismore, and from Kilmallock to the sea shore, so that Florence, who reprerented the junior branch, oalled the lords of Carbury, possessed very little property and still less authority. But what he lacked in possessions, he made up in personal accomplishments, which in time made him a formidable rival to McCarthy More and the other powerful chieftains of the south. The troubles which the rivalry of these clans threatened to bring upon Munster, awakened the attention of the lords of the Pale to the fact that that province could be easily subdued. John Fitz Gerald, earl of Desmond, accordingly advanced to what he considered certain conquest in the year 1260. McCarthy Reagh, as Florence was called, assembled all his available forces and threw himself in the way of the approaching Geraldinc, using all the strategy of which he was master in order to draw him into a net. He abandoned his stronghold at Dunmanway and retreated westward to Kenmare, closely followed by the confident earl, who attacked him with a powerful army at the Gallan Glen, with every pros- pect of success. The hopes of Desmond were doom- ed to be blasted, for in the battle that ensued, he himself was killed and his army completely routed beyond the power of rallying, and no other alterna- tive left them than a long retreat through a hostile 46 Anecdotes of Ireland. country. Ileagh followed with his victorious Irish- men, and pressed unceasingly on the rear and flanks of the retreating Geraldines. The defeat of Fitzgerald was complete ; his de- moralized army fled in confusion before the redoubt- able McCarthy, and being composed principally of Englishmen, many a weary mile was passed over, and many a sigh of anguish escaped them ere they again heard the familiar accents of their native language. This great victory spread the fame of Florence far and wide, and thoroughly united all the principal clans of Munster under his standard. With this consolidated army, he stormed and captured all the principal Anglo-Norman castles in the province in rapid succession, and almost totally uprooted the power of the English. His death while engaged in an assault on one of the English strongholds, pre- vented the total extirpation of the foreigners ; but for fifty years after his demise, the remembrance of the prowess of Florence McCarthy precluded the recurrence of an escapade similar to the Geraldine^s inglorious defeat. In fact, so little was the authority of the English feared or felt in the land, that the various chieftains, from the highest to the lowest, with their clans, roamed at pleasure from place to place, approaching even to the ramparts of Dublin and braving to their teeth the "Government" o^ that city, thus proving that after a century of war- fare Ireland was as far from being conquered as ever. *Knin#9l The Advent of the Norman. 47 Contemporary with Florence McCarthy was the celebrated Art O'Melaghlin, who during a period of 1 7 years made himself a terror to the English, rout- ing their armies, burning their castles, and inflicting on them a loss of men and money that was severely felt. His exploits extended throughout the provinces of Meath and Leinster, and in no instance is a defeat recorded against him. The bloody battles of Brosna and Shannon harbor, proved that neither the bravery of England's solditrs nor the fame of her general, W"alter de Burgh, were sufficient to overcome the heroic Art and his gallant gallowglasses. Defeat and ruin was the portion of invader in both battles, accompanied by a humiliation from which he was slow in recovering. Art O'Melaghlin ditd in 1283. 1 I: !i CHAFTBF. IV. THE WAR OF RACES. Unequal the/ engage in battle, The foreigner and the Gael of Tara ; Fine linen shirts on the race of Conn, And the itrangera one mass of iron. EPIC OF MACNAMBE. 'owARDS the close of the thirteenth century Richard de Burgh made his appearance among 'the horde of Norman chiefs, who were laboring for the conquest of Ireland. During the eventful career of this giant warrior, all his contemporary compeers dwindled into insignificance. There was not a native Irish chieftain to make liead against him ; and the most powerful clans of Ulster and Connaught, against whom he directed his chief atten- tion, were compelled to acknowledge his authority. The O'Connor, the O'Neill, the O'Donnell and other redoubtable warriors had to succumb to his jDrowess, and even the knights of the Pale did not escape his conquering arm. But though his power was coor- mou8> he never abused it, and the stigma of tyrant cannot be affixed to the name of the ** Ked Earl," as he was called. The Irish always found him a brave and generous enemy, and the chroniclers of the times acknowledge him to have been superior to any of his predecessors. As he lived at a time when the characteristics of the Norman were fast disappear- MmWL !IB | I . W ft The War of Races. 49 ing, and a gradual fusion of the different elements of England's population going on, he might be pro- perly considered the last of those iron-sinewed soldiers whose appearance in Ireland originated with Strongbow. Donald O'Neill, lord of Ulster, was the first to mak e head against the " Red Earl," and being assist- ed by Edward Bruce, brother of the reigning Scottish monarch, with a large auxiliary force, marched southward, overthrowing all obstacles in their path. O'Donnell, prince of Tyrconnell, de- clared war against the common enemy, and commited great havoc among the English forces in his yicinity ; and O'Connor of Sligo, casting aside the authority of the minions of De Burgh, to whom he had been compelled to pay tribute, also joined the national standard. In the short but bloody war that now followed, the Irish fought with their accustomed bravery, and although unsuccessful in the end, their misfortunes were owing to a force of circumstances over which they had no control. Their reverses commenced at the battle of Athenry, in ISlY, where Felim O'Connor and his chief clansmen were slain, and his army cut off to a man, under the terrible blows of John de Birmingham and his Norman followers. The result of the battle of Faughard the following year, was equally disastrous to the national cause. De Birmingham triumphed once more. Donald O'Neill retreated to the north with the remnant of his army ; and his Scottish allies I 50 Anecdotes of Ireland. barely escaped the pursuer, leaving their comman- der, Edward Bruce, dead on the field of battle. The chief result of these momentous events, was the instituting of the English earldoms of Kildare, Ulster, Desmond, Thomond, etc., in Ireland, origin- ally mere nominal titles, but eventually possessing great power and influence. They have made them- selves famous in Irish history through their assimi- lation with native interests, and their sympathy with and participation in the various struggles of Ireland's chequred career. The statute of Kilkenny, enacted in the early part of this period, did not prevent this gradual affiliation, and only served to increase the evil it intended to extinguish. But to return to our warriors. The deeds of the race of McMurrough in the twelfth century were a cause of disgrace to the name, and productive of incalculable injury to the whole country ; but the fourteenth century was destined to discover a McMurrough, who in genius and fame towered high above his contemporaries, causing Il*eland's star of destiny to shine out for a time with its wonted brilliancy. Art McMur- ROUGH was a worthy compeer of the great men who preceded him — a man of indomitable bravery, un- swerving energy and perseverance anduncompro* mising integrity. He appeared at^a time when his abilities were most needed — just when the evil effects of the overwhelming reverses of Athenry and Faughard were most felt by the people of Ireland ' 1 The War of Races, 51 — and most consummately ditl ho prove his powers equal to the iron spirit of the times. He was hotn in 1357, and at an early age exhibited those charact- crist'^s that made him so I'araons in after years. He needed to the cliieftainship on the death of his father, in IS^S. His youthful years did not render him inactive ; on the contrary, he had scarcely been elected chief of his clan, before he began asserting that supremancy which was soon acknowledged by all, whether English, Anglo- Normans, " Palesmen," or native Irish. He over- whelmei the English settlers in Leinster to such an extent that they were forced to pay him an annual tribute, which was continued to his successors for near! • two hundred years ; and before he had con ed his twentieth year, his prowess had placeu him at the head of the chieftainry of his native province. His alliance was courted by the earls of Kildare and Desmond, known in history as Fitzgeralds and Geraldines, and so wonderfully, had his power ultimately increased, that the English king Edward III. spoke of him as his "Royal Cousinne." His influence and territory continued to increase, and to set at defiance the whole power of the English, whose arms he vanquished and whose strongholds he captured. To remedy this state of affairs and restore the pres- tige given to the English r.ame by De Birmingham and De Burg, king Richard III. determined to in- vade Ireland. He landed at Waterford in 1394, r 52 Anecdotes of Ireland. with an army of 40,000 men, commanded by the ablest generals of the day. Boasting of their ability to exterminate the clans of McMurrough in a trice tljie English arrogantly advanced into the country, treating the inhabitants with contumely as they marched along. Art McMurrough as defiantly opposed their progress, and seemingly more anxion? to inflict sufferings and misery on the enemy rather than come to a pitched battle — although formidiable enough to do so — he hovered around the invading army like an angel of destruction ; harassing their flanks, advance and rear, without giving them the opportunity of a reprisal, cutting off reinforcements, destroying their baggage, ammunition and provi" sions, and otherwise showering annihilating blows with an energy and rapidity that completely bewil- dered the army of the luckless Richard. The lattei , abandoning all hopes of conquering McMurrough, led his forces by uufrequented roads and by-ways, conl'nually followed by the avenging Arr, until he finally arrived at Dublin with a starving, shivering, demoralized army, which presented a sorry contrast to the vaunting host that landed at Waterford but a few weeks before. The humiliated Richard soon after invited McMurrough to a friendly intercourse at Dublin, and having by this means inveigled the unsuspecting chief within his pov^^er, treacherously cast him into prison, from which he was not released until he promised submission to the English authority. But The War of Races, 55 McMurrongh considering that a promise extorted under such circumstances was not binding, immedi- ately after his release made preparations for being revenged for such a gross violation of the laws of chivalry and hospitality. Marshalling his clans he advanced with his usual impcrtuousity against the enemy, and inaugurated an uninterruped career of victory, which commenced with the storming and capture of Carlowin 1396, and terminating with the bloody battle of Kells in 1398, resulting in the rout of the English army and the death of the prince, and spreading terror and dismay through all the English settlements. Richard levied another large army, and with the determination to wipe away the stain of these reverses, once more invaded Ireland by the same course he had taken in 1394. His success on this occasion was no better than the former. His army dwindled away before the repeated attacks of the invincible McMurrough and his fierce gallowglasses ; disaster followed disaster in rapid succession, and McHurrough pursuing his favorite Fabian policy had the satisfaction of seeing his beaten and humil- iated enemy seek refuge within the walls of Dublin. Richard was compelled soon after to return to England, a rebellion having broken out during his absence. After the departure of the king, Art McMurrough pursued his conquests in Leinster, victorious ia every engagement. He overthrew everything ia 5F=SSm;c=: ^^^sssRseesB&ieat! 54 Anecdotes of Ireland, (in his progress. Cities were stormed, castles razed, armies destroj'ed, and consternation scattered broadcast among his enemies. The Duke of Lan caster formed a formidable coalition of *' Palesmen'* against him, and in conjunction with a powerful English army advanced to (as he thought) subdue tho Leinster king, in the summer of 1406. But McMurrousrh, whose advancing age had neither weakened his arm nor shaken the strength of his partietism, taking time by the forelock, unexpectly confronted the noble duke in the field of Kilmain- ham, in the vicinity of Dublin, and not far from the battle ground of Clontarf. On this spot was fought one of the greatest battles of Irish history, and here it was that the trained soldiers of England suffered one of their most humiliating defeats ever received at the hands of the brave but irregular clansmen of Erin. The duke of Lancaster with the loss of half of his army fled in confusion to Dublin, leaving the heroic Art master of the field. Years passed away before the Irish of the east w jro again molested, so severely was the defeat of K^lmainham felt by the English. It was the last important event in the life of McMurrough, and he was allowed to remain in peaceable possession of his dominions during the remainder of his reign. He died in 1417, at the advanced age of 60 years, 44 of which he had spent in the service of his country. He is represented as The War of Races. 55 being equally famous for his learning and religion as for his bravery and genius. In 1446, Thaddeus O^Brian, of the royal house of Mnnster and a man of considerable merit as a warrior, conceived the idea of restoring the Irish monarchy in his own person. He was successful in obtaining the adhesion of the chiefs of his native province, and crossing into Leinster, he obtained some advantages over the *' Palesmen." But having failed in his attempt to be acknowledged by the men of the west, he returned to Kinkora, his place of residence, and disappeared from the scene. About this time the Geraldines of Kildare and Desmond began to be conspicuous. These noblemen, together with other descendants of the Anglo- Norman chiefs, had gradually identified themselves with the native Irish, and now we find that they were as bitter opponents of the encroachments of the English as the Irish themselves. The earls of Kildare and Desmond played a most prominent part in Ireland's history, and consequently deserve more than a passing mention. Gerald, the eighth earl of Kildare, who comes into notice about the time of the disappearance of Thaddeus O'Brian, was one of the most consummate diplomats of his time. We find him to-day espous- ing the English interests with all his influence, and to-morrow working with might and main in behalf of the Irish. His duplicity did not escape the notice of the government, but his cunning and skill pre- fr=- T i T l C ■ III! I " ff 1 T" Iff r' " T ■■■mi'* f-^**™ 56 Anecdotes of Ireland. vented for a time the possibility of his falling into their power. He became ai length so obnoxious, that he was seized and cast into the tower; but afterwards being released, he was reappointed lord deputy, a position which he had fulfilled previous to his arrest. He then began to court the favor of the great chieftains of the country, and eventually suc- ceeded in obtaining a wide spread influence over them by a system of conciliation, among which a spice of duplicity was strongly observable. This deceit not being relished by many, a combination was formed against him, headed by Turlogh O'Brian, and a battle fought at Enockdoe in 1505. Kildare was assisted by several northern chieftains, and after an obstinate fight, remained master of the field. This victory left him without an enemy in the field for five years, when O'Brian and his allies recovering from their defeat, renewed the war with determina- tion and vigor. They attacked and routed his army at Minabraher, inflicted on them a severe loss, and forced them to take refuge in Limerick. This defeat was overwhelming, as by it Kildare lost nearly all his power and influence. He lost his life some years later in a skirmish with the O'Moores. Notwithstanding his double-dealings between the two parties, Gerald was far from being a tyrant, and during his rule as lord deputy he was distinguished for his mildness and clemency. The condition of the Irish chieftains, on the acces- sion of Henry VHI. to the throne, was much the Th& War of Races, 57 same as in the preceding two centuries. Each one held possession of his own patrimony — the majority independent of English rule, and the remainder, with the exception of the "Pale" territory, acknowledg- ing but a nominal subjection. The aspiring king of England, disgusted with the fact that the authority of the crown did not extend much farther than the limits of Dublin, Cork, Wexford, and a few other large cities, determined to effect a conquest of the whole country, and unite the English and Irish crowus under one head. Aware of the herculean task an armed conflict would produce, he had recourse to political intrigues and devices to effect his object. He spread disunion among the chiefs by impressing each one with the necessity of being on his guard against his neighbors, and then tendering to them his friendship and alliance, individually, in return for their acknowledgement of his authority. The bait took, and we find several of the great chieftains surrendering their fealty to theEnglish king in order to preserve their lands from the attacks of those rapacious neighbors which the wily Henry had stirred up against them. Lord Thomas Fitzgerald, the ninth earl of Kil- dare, seeing himself in a fair way of being despoiled of his territory by the crafty policy of Henry, en- deavored to form alliances with several prominent chiefs. While prosecuting this design, which was conducted with great secrecy, he was summoned to XiOndon on a trumped up pretext, but on his arrival fTITT 58 Anecdotes of Ireland, he was imprisoned in the tower and subsequently put to death, A. D. 1533. His son, also Lord Thomas Fitzgerald, commonly- called " Silken Thomas," roused to indignation by the cruel execution of his father, raised the standard of rebellion. He was followed by several of the Leinster chiefs and was at first successful, taking several strongholds and penetrating as far as Dublin castle ; but the tide soon turned against him and before the year was over the six Geraldines, consist- ing of lord Thomas and his five uncles, were taken by the English, confined in the tower and executed, February, 1537. After the destruction of the Geraldine league, Henry found little opposition in the field in the execution of his ambitious designs against the liberty of the Irish. He made use of every species of de- ception and corruption to bring the native chiefs to an acknowledgement of his soverignty, and when he considered the time was now ripe for the execution of his plans he summoned a congress of the great men to meet him at Dtiblin. There, amid great flourish of trumpets, the ceremony of crowning Henry VIII. of England, as monarch of Ireland, was performed 1544. The Milesian chiefs and Anglo-Norman barins returned to their homes, satisfied that everything was now settled. Henry- went back to London exulting over his victory, and indulging in the hope that the shamrock was now peacefully interwoven with the rose. The end showed nip The War of Races, 59 how miserably both parties were deceived. Before a generation had passed away all the fierce passions of the rival nations were aroused by the introduc- tion of the principles of the leformation. The Milesian chiefs with one accord repudiated the sovereignty of the English king, on account of his shameful disregard for their rights and priviliges, and the thunders of war between the two races again reechoed throughout the island. OUAPTER V. THE RED HAND OF ULSTER. Oh for the swords of former time ! Oh for the men that bore them, When armed for righi they stood sublime, And tyrants crouched before them ! |URiNG the enactment of Ireland's eventful drama, the race of the O'Neills and O'Donnells contin- ually played a prominent part, from the days of Nial their common ancester, in the fourth century, down to the final scene of the tragedy at Limerick in 1691. We hear of an O'Neill in early times giving expression to a prophetic exclamation, when the Anglo-Norman invaders were striving to deprive the people of Ireland of their liberty, that *•' we (the Irish) shall not cease to fight against the invader until they shall for want of power have ceased to do' us harm," — a prophecy that has been wonderfully fulfilled. During the time of the De Courcys, De Burghs, De Birrainghams and Geraldines, many stout warriors appeared among the chieftains of those two clans, but it was not until the reign of Queen Elisabeth of England, that those renowned warriors arose, who have immortalized their names and country in Qonnection with the history of that period. In the previous reign they had been re- duced to a rather straitened condition, but scarcely had Elizabeth ascended the throne, when their The Red Hand of Ulster, 6i torpor was shaken off, and the O'Neills began to assert their rights. John O'Neill, otherwise *' Shane the Proud,'* was chosen " O'Neil " in 1560, and at once set to work to devise a plan for the restoration of the ancient prestige of his clan. The troubled state of the country was not slow \n affording him an opportunity. He commenced by enforcing the alliance of the neighboring petty chiefs, and when he found himself sufficently strong, he attacked the more powerful, ultimately with the intention of working up a combination that would produce the overthrow of the English power in Ireland, and restore to the natives their pristine customs and immunities. Having succeeded in this to his entire satisfaction, he proceeded to the expulsion of the English garrisons stationed in the principal places of Ulster. Victory attended his progress at every step. He acted with a promptness, daring and energy that confounded his enemies, and lefo them no hope of success. Onward he marched resistlessly and impetuously, hurling lightning like blows right and left on his bewildered foes, driving them before him in one confused mass, meeting with no permanent opposition until he arrived within twenty miles of Dublin. The terrified deputy hastily collected all the available forces at his command, and placing them under the direction of the earls of Kildare, Desmond and Ormond, despatched them north against O'Neill. But O'Neill as cautious as he was 62 Anecdotes of Ireland. brave, avoiding r* general engagement, weakened and wearied his foes firat by cutting off his supplies and by a system of false alarms and night attacks, and subsequently by having recourse to the bold and daring plan of throwing himself between the enemy and the city of Dublin, which he effected by a forced march, after placing the English commander on a false scent. These manoDuvres ensured the success of O'Neill, and the army that had advanced to subdue this redoubtable chief terminated their campaign by offering terms of peace highly favorable him, A. D. 1562. This treaty of peace was afterwards ratified per- sonally between John the Proud and Queen Eliza- beth, and the former returned to his own country vested with supreme authority over the province of Ulster, and bearing the dignity of an ally where he had formerly acted the part ol a subject. But the English feared for ther possessions in Ireland while John the Proud lived ; and the man they could not conquer in the open field they attempted to remove by secret assassination, — failing in that they had recourse to the old method of stirring up disunions among the subordinate chieftains and thereby weaken the power of O'Neill. In this they were successful ; and an English array assisted by several treacher- ous chiefs once more advanced into the dominions of John O'Neill; Despite the numerical superiority of the invaders and the advantages which a civil war afforded them, The Red Hand of Ulster, 63 the overthrow of Shane was not accomplished with- out the expenditure of an immensity of treasure. Surrounded on all sides, this hitherto invincible soldier was at length obliged to succumb to the overwhelming odds brought against him. Deprived of his army b) a crushing disaster, he maintained the struggle with a small band among the moun- tain?, but finally perished, fighting single-handed against a marauding squad of Islesmen, towards the close of the year 1507. He was a brave soldier and a skilful commander, and the English generals of the day could not produce his equal ; but his private character was stamped with vices which the mem- ory of his warlike deeds cannot efface. His shame- ful treatment of his father-in-law, O'Donnell, whose life happiness he destroyed by seducing his consort* and his heartless conduct towards his own wife, in supplanting her with an unprincipled woman, are crimes the avenging of which he did not escape, as his final defeat and tragic death were produced through the instrumentality of the much- abused O'Donnell. During the period that elapsed between the death of John the Proud and the rise of Hugh O'Neill, were transacted the events of the Second Geraldine League— the insurrection of Silken Thomas and his five uncles being considered the first. This contest grew out of the enforcement of the penal laws on the Catholics, and continued for twelve years, from 1568 to 1580. The Geraldines of 64 Anecdotes of Ireland. Munster were the leaders of the movement and struggled obstinately and heroically, though un- availingly, against the power of the oppressor. Among the noted representatives of this great family, Sir James Fitzgerald was prehaps the most famous. Although often defeated he never lost courage, but returned to the conflict as uuflnchingly as ever, always keeping the enemy on the alert, and ever on the watch to obtain an advantage over them. He died the death of a hero, sword in hand, fighting for liberty and freedom of conscience, and •with him expired the hopes of the Geraldines. The last event of the bloody struggle was the massacre of Smerwick, where 800 brave men were wantonly thrown over the rocks into the sea below. The English commander on this occasion was Walter . Raleigh, one of the virgin queen's pets, and whose memory should be execrated by all right- minded men for participation in this inhuman deed. Although the Geraldine League was suppressed and the estates of the league confiscated to the crown, peace to the country was far from being preserved. A power now arose in the north that restored for a time the memory of Ireland's ancient glory, and for ten years bid defiance to the whole strength of England's most powerful queen. This was the celebrated confederacy of the, Houses of O'Neill and O'Donnell, the former represented by " Aodh na lamhdhearg " or Hugh of the Red Hand, and the latter by " Aodh Roe " or Red Hugh, two The R(d Hand of Ulster. 65 tit and gh un- pressor. s great lie most ^er lost ichingly le alert, ige over in hand, nee, and Bs. The massacre wantonly w. The Walter . eti», and I right- fcan deed . ppressed d to the om being orth that s ancient he whole en. This Houses of ented by ed Hand, lugh, two of the most enterprising warriors that ever graced the pages of history. Hugh O'Neill had commenced his career in the English camp, and there learned the art of war and at the same time obtained a thorough knowledge of the principal leaders of English politics. He was a silent spectator of the struggles of the Geraldines, with whom he sympathised, but to whom he could not render any assistance. On his accession to his estates as earl of Ulster and vassal to the English crown, he did not at first seem inclined to risk the assumption of the ancient title of his family, and he therefore sought to content himself with his present position. But it seems that the policy of the Eng- lish government, or at least of its representatives in in Ireland, was that the descendants of the native chiefs should not hold any position of strength in the land, and as Hugh was one of the most powerful of this class, he became obnoxious to the would-be rulers of Irelaiul. ,» , : Hugh O'Donnell, although a contemporary of O'Neill, was many years his junior. While yet very young, he was seized by the " Undertakers," as a certain class of despoilers were called, and carried to Dublin, where the authorities confined him for five yearF his escape in a most romantic man- his mountain home in Donegal, and tei is elevated to the chieftain's chair on he al .icatiou of his father. The memory of the cruel **8 practised on him while a prisoner in the if-r vJib. 66 Anecdotes of Ireland. hands of his enemies, and the growing and exacting power of the English in his own province, inflamed the mind of the young chieftain against the invaders, 80 that when the confederation of the Ulster chief- tains was contemplated, it needed no great powers of persuasion to induce O'Donnell to join its ranks, and he accordingly entered into the project with all the animation of his nature. A feasible opportunity for commencing the war was not long wanting. An attempt to abridge O'Neill's power as prince of Ulster to a mere sub- ordinate position awakened his spleen, and an unwarranted outrage committed O' Byrne, one of principal Ulster chieftains, capped the climax. The confederacy was proclaimed, and the descendants of Eremhon, once more more marshalled under one head, commenced their fight against the usurped authority of England. O'Neill inpugurated the war by capturing the English stronghold of Ulster, situated near the town of Armagh, an act w^hich provoked the advance of the English army under general Norris, but which returned without having effected anything. O'Donnell no sooner heard of the opening of hostilities, than he sallied from his native mountains and burst like a storm upon the English settlers in the south west part of Ulster and the north east part of Connaught, scattering his ad versa les like chaff before the wind. An English general sought to restrain him, but his efforts ended in his own de- The Red Hand of Ulster. 67 stractioD. O'Donnell then direotci bis march to- wards Dangannon, and effected a junction with O'Neill. The two chieftains beseiged the fortress of Monaghan, which they took, but subsequently lost on the arrival of the English general N orris with a strong reinforcement. Norris attempted to follow up his yictory, and pursuaed and attacked O'Neill at the village of Clontibret. A severe battle ensued, in which the genius of O'Neill and the bravery of his troops again triumphed. General Norris was wounded, his army defeated with great loss, and compelled to fly in disorder on their base. This battle was fought towards the close of the year 15i*5, and was of so much consequence to the Irish, that the deputy appointed commist^ioners to offer terms of peace to the Irish chieftains ; but failing to come to an understanding, the war was renewed. The terms demanded by O'Neill and O'Donnell included entire freedom of religious worship, but it did not meet the approval of the English commissioners. The next successes of the chieftains were the capture of Armagh and the rout of the English at Druraflinch by O'Neill, in 1590, and the expulsion of sir Conyers Clifford from Ballyshannon by O'Donnell, in 1597, — a series of successes which awakened the anxiety of Elizabeth as to the stabil- ity of her dominion in Ireland. Marshal Bagnall was next appointed to the chief command of English army. The Government was now certain that the stubborn chieftains would be 68 Anecdotes of Ireland. annihilated. The Marshal took up his line of march northward with a force of 6,000 men, — well-drilled and well-appointed troops. O'Neill hearing of his approach massed his army in the vicinity of Ballina- buie (Yellow Ford), and there awaited the onset of the English general. The battle was fought on the 15th of August, 1598, and is referred to with feel- ings of pride by Irishmen to the present day. The superior discipline of the English, aided by their artillery was not proof against the cool intre- pidity of O'Neill, and the proud army of the English general was most signally defeated. Bag- nail, his chief officers and half of his army were left dead on the field of battle, and his camp and ^►aggage were taken possession of by the victorious Irish. I Never was a victory more complete. Its fame spread not only over the British dominions but reached even the distant courts of Paris, Madrid and Home. The result was most beneficial to the victors. The greater part of the enemy's strong- holds in the north were evacuated and now in possession of the confederates. The greatest terror prevailed among the English settlers, and a gene 'al stampede to the large cities took place. The armies in the field were summoned to the defence oi Dublin, and the terror-stricken government was in daily expectation of beholding the banners of the triumphant Confederates before their walls. Such The Red Hand of Ulster. 69 was the state of affairs when the winter of 1598 brought the campaign to a close. The operations of 1599 commenced with the appearance of the Earl of Essex at the head of the English forces to terminate his career as as insuc- cessful as his predecessors. He marched from Limerick with 2,000 men, intending to subdue all the armed tribes that intervened in his progress ; but he received a check at the outset that dispirited his army, and being harassed by the brave O'Moore, who hung on his flanks and rear, he retired precipi- tately to Dublin, making a narrow escape in his flight. He then despatched Sir Conyers Clifibrd against the chieftains of the west, who were up in their strength, making the country exceedingly hot for foreigners. His march was interrupted in the Corlieu Mountains by the heroic O'Donnell, and both armie s came to a general engagement on the fifteenth of August — the anniversary of the glorious victoiy of Yellow Ford. O'Donnell, assisted by O'Ruarc, bore down with his usual impetuosity on the enemy and routed him with great slaughter, and following him vigorously gave him no opportun- ity to rally his forces. Clifibrd was slain in this battle and Sligo captured, as also the English fleet in the harbor. The lamentations of the English over these re- peated defeats were loud and long. It galled them to core to think that their disiciplined armies led by |i 70 Anecdotes of Ireland. able generals should have been scattered to the four winds by the " savage Irishry." The strain on the resources of the government to continue the war was enormous, and fears of the ultimate succesg were more than once entertained by Elizabeth and her ministers. Profiting by the confusion which these sig^nal victories had introduced in the ranks of the enemy, O'Neill went to work with his accustomed energy to consolidate the great chieftains, and, if possible, extend the confederacy throughout the island. In Ulster, of course, the union remained | intact ; in Connaught everything was auspicious for that object — the several chieftains of the former being united under his banner and that of O'Donnell, and in the latter a similar union was effected with O'Connor at its head. He therefore directed his attention to Munster, where the fame of his success- es had inspired a feeling of admiration for his person, so that [the McCarthy More, O'Brian, O'Sullivan Beare, O'Mahony and other great chieftains of the south ranged themselves under his banner without much presuasion. Some of the chiefs of the east, such as O'Moore, O'Byrne, Maguire, and others, had already taken part in the struggle, and now O'lfeill found himself occuping a position some- thing similar to the ancient Ard Righ, -? ith every prospect of complete success. A treaty of peace was again proposed by the English, but considering O'Neill's dem ands too exhorbitant, all further ne- The Red Hand of Ulster. 71 gociations were declined. The terms laid down were the same as before : free exercise [of religion and participation in the government, were the chief articles of the treaty, and whether they were un^ reasonable or not we leave it to an impartial reader to determine. The English government having exhausted their best means to subjugate the Irish, once more had recourse to their old tactics of breeding dissensions and turmoils. The chief actor in this! drama was now lord Mountjoy, and he commenced his career of lord deputy, by displaying an energy and perse* verance that finally rewarded his efforts with success for the English cause. Rival chieftains rose in the north in opposition to O'Neill and O'Donnell, com- pelling these chieftains to return and renew in Ulster, the strife that they had so glorously con- ducted in the preceding years. A combined attack by land and sea was planned by lord Mountjoy and carried into execution, and this together with the enormous defections of the native chiefs, put the Confederates to their utmost to hold their own. Finding at length that there was but little prospect of succeeding in the face of so many difficulties, the chieftains transferred their forces to the south, where a Spanish auxiliary army had landed with the intention of assisting the Irish. The Spaniards took possession of Kinsale, but were immediately beseiged by an English army of 10,000 men under the command of general Carew. 7a Anecdotes of Ireland. O'Neill and O'Donuell soon after appeared on the Bcene, and laid siege to the army of investment. The English general thus found himself between two enemies, and fully expected annihilation. Such was not BO however, and Carew owed his escape to the blunders of his enemies rather than the superi- ority of his army. Contrary to the advice of O'Neill, the majority of the Irish determined on attacking the enemy at a time when their own soldiers were worn out with fatigues and privations, and the English soldiers on account of the superiority of there posi- tion, well supplied and compartively free from trouble. Had not treason again appeared in the Irish camp, even this inferior condition of O'Neill's soldiers would not have prevented them from ob- taining a complete victory. Carew was made known of their intended attack, and was on the alert to receive them. He led them into an ambuscade, and notwithstanding the hercul- ean exertions of O'Neill and the superhuman bravery of O'Donnell, the Irish army suffered an irretrievable defeat. The chieftains retired to the north, from whence O'Donnell departed to Spain for reinforcements, but soon after died without effecting his object. O'Neill gtruggled heroically against the overwhelming odds which, now that reverses had set in, poured down upon him from every side. Mustering all his strength for the contest, he bravely opposed his enemies with varying Bmccesses. The defection of so many of his The Red Hand of Ulster. 73 a the nent. ween Such ipe to uperi- NeiU, og the s worn Inglish e posi- ! from in the NeilVs om ob- attack, d them hercul- jravery icvable forme r allies reduced his forces to a small bodj of retaimirs, and he was consequently compelled to retreat from place to place, always offering a bull- dog froit to the advancing legions of Mountjoy. At length the aged chieftain was brought to bay near the village of Mellifont, in the spring of 1603, and feeling* that all further opposition was unavail- ing, laid down his arms, though not without obtain- ing concessions for his people that would not be disgraceful in time of victory. He did not long remain in Ireland to enjoy the clemency of the English, and bidding an etornal farewell to his native land, embarked for France, where he died about ten years after. Thus terminated the career of O'Neill and O'Donnell, lords of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, two of the brightest luminaries of Irish history, and two as noble patriots as ever fought for the liberties of their country. whence nts, but O'Neill ng odds d down trength ies with y of his : CHAPTER YI. THE DEATH STRUGGLE. Forget not the field where they perish'd, The truest, the last of the brave; All gone, and the bright hopes they cherished, Gone with them and quenched in the grave. Tyrone and Tyrconnell were no sooner banish- ed from the country than the government resumed the stringent and coercive measures that were in force previous to the rising of the Confederates. Wherever the power of the lord- lieutenant and his deputies extended the most tyran- nical and exacting sway was exercised. The articles of Mellifont, which granted nothing more than a just and liberal government should at any time allow, were shamefully violated, and a brave and chivalrous people, who laid down their arms on the solemn pledge of a civilized government that their civil and religious liberties should be restored, were still further burdened with unjust and aggravating enactments. The Stuart dynasty, which commenced its sway over England in the person of James I., was no more favorable to the Irish interest than its predecessor, the Tudor, and the reign of the last memioned monarch was signalized by the introductioL of several new schemes for the accumulation of the miseries of Ireland. The Death Struggle. 75 He commenced his rule by issuing a proclamation to the effect that no liberal policy would be exhibit- ed towards the Irish, and any amelioration of the penal laws would not be tolerated. The " under- takers" and " discoverers" were let loose upon the country, and reaped a rich harvest in confiscations and seizures. Any Irishman of consequence who was suspected of connection, however slight, with the late war for freedom, was forcibly expelled from his lands, which were then declared forfeited to the crown, in defiance of the treaty of Mellifont. The actions of these nefarious scoundrels just referred to would lead one to suppose that Ireland was a newly discovered country, and consequently liable to be treated as such. The original owners of the soil, men who had held their possessions from their forefathers time out of mind, and who never had any other dispute to their rights than those which native rivalry might occasionally stir up» were asked by the justice living " undertakers" to produce their title deeds, and failing to do so were at once dispoiled of their property. Thousands of defective titles were thus " discovered," and the unfortunate owners were made to suffer poverty and degredation because Cor mac Ulfadha, Brian Boru and their compeers had so far failed in their duty to their subjects as to neglect the establishment of chan- cery courts, and a system of blue-tapeism. The forcible introduction of thousands of the natives of Argyle, among the inhabitants of Ulster, by King • ( 76 Anecdotes of Ireland. James, was the most arbitrary act of his reign, and completed the humiliation of that province. The great chieftains of the south and west, if not alto- gether deprived of their property, were stripped of their authority, and reduced to some extremely subordinate condition, and to crown all, the semb- lance of national government, which had previously existed in some slight degree, was abolished, and the country ruled by the absolute control of the castle dignitaries. This tyrannical policy was continued by Charles I. in every particular, and the natives now perceiving that nothing was to be gained by appeals to the justice of the Government once more resorted to arms as their only hope. The idea once entertained, a fixed determination was soon arrived at, and when the storm of war again burst over the island, there was no cessation until thousands of valuable lives were lost, and millions of money expended. RoBY O'MooRK, a descendant of the renowned chiefs of Leix, was the originator and chief orga- nizer of this great conflict for independence. He it was who effected a unanimity of sentiment among the various chieftains, travelling north, south and west, and undeterred by no obstacle in prosecuting his purpose. Wherever he went he found that the tyranny of the Government had awakened mens* minds to the necessity of asserting their rights and throwing off the galling yoke that bound them, orga- Heit The Death Struggle, 77 consequently he had no cause to exercise any great powers of persuasion. The first appearance of the storm was perceived in Ulster. Sir Phelim O'Neill (a kinsman of the great Hugh) who was barely tolerated in the posses- sion ot a skeleton of the estates of his ancestors, was chosen leader of tlie patriots in that province, and at once commenced active operations. He be- sieged several strong fortresses held by the English, and strengthened his followers with the ammunition thus obtained. The news of his rising spread throwghout Ireland, confirming the irresolute and everywhere animating the suffering people. The government became aware this action of O'Neill in October, 1641, and before many weeks had gone by received the alarming intelligence that the principal clans of the west and south had also risen. The conduct of the native chiefs in this crisis was admirable. A concerted movement was planned by which considerable successes were obtained over the government forces, and a feeling of encourage- ment wafted over the struggling districts. The town of Kilkenny was chosen as their headquarters, and here a general assembly was called, which resulted after mature deliberation in the establishment of a form of government, organization of armies, and a decentralization of power. In this assembly all prominent advocates of the national cause, both among the natives and Anglo-Irish, took part, 78 Anecdotes of Ireland. deliberating in a manner that would have done credit to old established governmcntfl. After the formation of the Confederation of Kilkenny, the war went on from month to month with varying success — the advantnge being for the most part on the side of tlie Irish. General Munroe, the commander-in-chief of the English army, tried his fortunes in various directions against the patriots, but for a long lime lie exhausted all his efforts in vain. Taking the advantage of the disorders which internal dissensions had wrought among the people of Ulster, he overtiirew them in several engage- ments, and took possession of their strongholds. This had the effect of dispiriting the contestants in the field, and might have brought their efforts to an abrupt conclusion had not Owen O'Neill, nephew of the great Hugh, returned from abroad and entered the lists with his hereditary courage and military ability against the Puritan commander. He received the command of the Confederates in Ulster from the Assembly, and from that date victory attended the national armies. Triumph succeeded triumph in rapid succession. The armies of Munroe were scattered in every direction before the strong arm of O'Neill, the national leaders received fresh courage from the success of this great soldier, and the cause of the government declined in exact proportion as the strength of O'Neill increased. Ulster, Connaught and Munster were almost cleared of their oppressors through the The Death Struggle, 79 edit n of onth r the nroe, tried riots, rts in which jeople igage- s. jstants prts to Neill, abroad ourage ander. ates in date riumph armies before leaders of this jrnment igth of unster lugh the prowflss of Rory O'Moore and general Preston, and when the spring of 1640 opened, the hopes of the Confederates of ultimate success were considerably advanced. The Catholic party now made overtures to the government, coucliod in terms respectful but firm, and again asking for those privileges which Tyrconnell had contended for so bravely, nearly half a ceutnry before. A temporizing answer was returned, under cover of which the government recruited its forces, and then having again rendered itself formidable, insultingly replied to the just de- mands by despatching a fresh army for the subjuga- tion of the Confederates. General Munroe was again commander-in-chief. With an army of 12,000 well-trained soldiers, sup- ported by artillery and cavalry, he made another attempt to overthrow the " O'Neill." All eyes were now turned towards the North, where it was felt that the crisis of the insurrection had arrived. O'Neill had been long wanting an opportunity for a decisive engagement with the Puritan general, and the victory that resulted after a bloody and obstinate battle answered his expectations, and crowned the numerous successes already won by the Confederates. Munroe was completely routed, 4,000 of his men and his principal officers were left dead on the field, and his camp equipage together with 1,500 of his cavalry captured by the conquer- ors, whose loss did not exceed 200 in all. The fruits of this victory were mainfold, Munroe i| 8o Anecdotes of Ireland, fled in a panic to the extreme north, and tremblmgly ' took refuge behind the ramparts of Carrickfergus. O'Neill with an army now vastly augmented found a clear path to any part of the kingdom, and march- ing towards the south he drove the English garrisons out of the various towns as he passed along, and finally camping with his army, consisting of 12.^000 men. In the vicinity of Kilkenny. The viceroy, Ormoilcl, retreated at his approach to his castle in Dublin, which he endeavored to place in the best possible state of defence. O'Neill was joined by Preston at Kilkenny, and with their united forces, having swept nearly the wliole country, proceeded to besiege Dublin. The inhabitants were thrown inio the greatest consternation on hearing of the approach of the Catholic army, and numbers fled to England and Scotland. Ormond collected all possi- ble reinforcements, armed the citizens, and did his utmost to encourage them. The Confederates had every chance of taking the- city, but owing to jeal- ousies and bickerings in their camp, origniated and abetted by their enemies, they frittered away their vaulable time, and by giving the besieged an oppor- tunity of recruiting their strength, were finally compelled to abandon their attempt. Tbe civil war in England soon afcer gave another turn to the war in Ireland, and we behold the strange spectacle of O'Neill and Preston, the two bravest defenders of Catholic rights, fighting side by side with Ormond and Coote, their former inveterate ene The Death Struggle, 8l as. ind •ch- ons and .000 royi e in best d by >rce8, eeded irown pf the led to )0S8i- d bis bad jeal- and their oppor- finally another strange bravest by side ate ene (8 id mies, against the forces of Charles, rebellious Parli- ament, whom they held in check until the arrival of the regicide Cromwell. This brave and skillful but unscrupulous and blood-thirsty soldier made com- paritively short work of hia opponents. The chivalrio O'Neill nothing daunted by the iron name of Cromwell or his canting followers, put himself at the head of his army and marched southwards to measure swords with the conqueror of Naseby. But fate declared that they should not meet. O'Neill died on the march, from the effects of posion which he had absorbed into his system and administered without doubt by his enemies, who thus treacher- ously rid themselves of a foe they could not conquer in the field. The career of Oliver Cromwell is well known to the student of Irish history. His bloody and cruel massacre of the inhabitants of Drogheda and Wex- ford are eternal blots on his name ; and the total disregard for every principle of common humanity, which he manifested during his stay in Ireland, has caused his memory to be hated by Irishmen through succeeding generations. Even at the present day, the "curse of Cromwell " is considered by the peas- antry to be the greatest malediction that can be invoked. On his departure for England, he left the command of his troopers to his son-in-lav/, Henry Ireton, with orders to pursue the same merciless policy until the Irish were completelj subdue*'. Huen O'Neill, son of the lamented Owen, took 82 Anecdotes of Ireland. command of the army in Munster, and jiastened to the relief of Limerick — the principal post still in the hands of the Confederates — now threatened b^^ the Parliamentarians. Ireton laid siege to the city, prosecuting his exertions with vigor, and was guided in his plans by Hardress "Waller, one of the most brutal generals < 'lat ever commanded an army. The combined efforts of these worthies were for a long time baffled by the skill and bravery of Hugh O'Neill and general Purcell, the commanders of the Limerick garrison. Ireton made several ineffectual assaults on the works, and tried strn*.agem8 without number to draw the brave defenders lOto their meshes. Assisted by disease and treason, they were at length successful. Wasted by sickness and fam- ine, the strength of the garrison was daily decreasing, and the defection of the chief civic ofhcials of. the town, who allowed egresB to tho enemy, completed their overthrow. The greater part of the army fell into the hands of the Cromwellians, and were bar- bariously treated, and several of their officers and the principal ecclesiastics were mhumanly executed. Hugh O'Neill barely escaped with his life. Galway was the last to fall, and with its surrender termin- ated the Confederate war, which had continued for nearly ten years. After the final overthrow of the Confederates, the cruel and tyrannical policy of Cromwell ground the people to th3 lowest degree of endurance. He did not discover a single trace of leniency during The Death Struggle. 83 to the the ity, was the •my. or a Lugh t the ctual Lhout then- were fam- afiing, of. the pleted ny feU re har- V8 and jcuted. lalway tevmin- led for Jeiatep, ground 56. He during his protectorate, but kept the nation in a continual tnrmoil by hi^ confiscations and prosoripticns. The accession of '"harles II. on the death of Cromwell, did not relievfc 'he disabilities of the Irish to any great extent although much was expected by the latter on account of their sympathy for his race. There was no alternative left the Irish but endu- rance. Their great leaders had all disappeared, and the only effective means they had ot reciressing their wrongs were thus taken from them. In the next rei/^n, however, a short respite was afforded, and a *' strong man" appeared on their side who tem- porarily revived the glory of Hugh O'Neill and made himself renowned in Irish story. Patrick iL -afield was the grandson of the celebrated Rory O'Moore who played so contp'o- uous a part in the Kilkenny confederation. He was an ardent lover of his country from his birth, and seems to have drawn his inspirations with his mother's milk. In his youth he lep^ned the art of war, as most Irish soldiers of his time did, in a foreign country, so that when an opportunity arrived for striking a blow for his country's weal, he was both ready and willing. His enthusiasm far out- stripped his years but did not counteract the wis- dom and prudence that were inherent in his nature. Brave and generous to a fault, he struggled obsti- nately and to the last in defence of the religion and rights of his countrymen, and did not lay down hia nmn 84 Anecdotes of Ireland, sword until every hope had been blighted and every prospect of sacoeas faded from bis views. He was the most popular of all commanders who fought under king James, and on that account was frequently tramelled by the arrojance of his supe- riors. Nevertheless, he found means for exhibiting his g'snius and brilliant qualities to an extent that surpassed them all ; and it is acknowledged by all impartial writers that had Sarsfield commanded the army of James, the Irish would never have had reason to lament the defeats of the Boyne and Augh- rim, and their mournful consequences. He was as upright and honorable as he was brave, and as devoted a follower of the religion of his ancestors as he was an unselfish lover of his country. He fought his way unaided from the position of a common soldier to the rank of a nobleman of the kingdom, always presenting the same integrity of I)uipo8e and the 8;jnie unflhichiug patriotism. On the landinrr of king James in Ireland he was one of first to espouse his cause, and when that cause could be sustained no longer he was the last, ^.o abandon it. At the battle of the Boyne fought on the first of July, IGOO, he saved the royal army from total destruction, by the skill with which he handled the cavalry troops under his eommand. In the retreat from that memorable fie! i, iie beat off the repeated attacks of the pursuing enemy, occasionally making daring and sudden assaults in their flanks and rear. Throughout the whole of William's advance on The Death Struggle. H Limeriok, to whioli the army of James was now rapidly retreating, Sarsfield made himself a terror to the onemy, and when the siege of the city was regularly commenced, the fertile brain of the earl of Lucan derised means for the annoying and har- rasdng of the Williamites that kept them in a continual luroro. By one of the boldest and most daringly conceived stratagems on record, he de- prired the Dutch king of his whole park of artillery, which was being pushed forward for the siege, and thereby retarded the progress of that monarch long enough to defeat his project. Deleated in his attempts to take ihe city by storm through the active and energy of Sarslield, on the twenty-seventh day of August, William raised the siege and re- turned in disgust to England. Notwithstanding the heroism of the earl of Lucan, fortune turned against the cause. The battle of Aughrim July, 1691, was a orusling blow to the Irish revolutionary war, and was followed by the surrenders of Galway and Limerick in the same year. The noble defence olfered by Sarstiold in the latter city procured for the Irish the most favorable terms, which, although signed in good faith by the representatives of the English king, were never adhered to. Sarsfield and his gallant army were allowed to depart with tlyiug colors, and as they abhorred the throught of serving under the destroy- ers of their country, set sail for Franco, where they were warmly received and ilteir services gladly 86 Anecdotes of Ireland. accepted by Louis XIV. 9ar»field died in 1693, in the arms of victory, fighting under the lillies of France against his ancient enemy, Williaiu. i Jv -■'«■. CHAPTER VI. AFTER THE BATTLE. In vain the hero's heart had bled, The sage's tongue hath warned in vain ; Oh, Freedom I once thy flame h«th fled, It never lights again. —Moore. I^ATRicK Sarsfikld may be justly considered the § last of Ireland's great warriors. It is true that ^^ the fight for needoin did not permanently cease after the capitulation of Limerick, and it is equally true that the brave defenders of the " queen city of the west" were not the last of those who struggled for Ireland's liberty ; but it is a mournful fact that all subsequent attempts of a similar nature never partook of ihe grandeur and consequence of the campaigns of 1690 — 91, except the memorable re- bellion of " '98." For the first eight decades of the eighteenth century, the sovereigns of England in their legisla- tive measures rode rough shod over the rights (without considering the privileges) of the people of Ireland. The articles of Limerick were scornfully and derisively treated, and their violation agreed on almost before the sails of the patriot vessels had disappeared below the horizon. The Catholic gen- try, of whom very few had escaped the persecutions of the preceding reigns, were still further subjected Bi 88 Anecdotes of Ireland. to robbery and spoliation by the executors of Wil- liam^s, Anne's, and George's evangelical legislation, and we behold the anachronism liberty-loving Eng- land, whose boasted refinement and civilization was' daily re-echoed " from pole to pole," holding a sister Bation, whose only crime was patriotism and a desire to worship God after its own conscience, bound hand and foot, as it were, and bleeding from every pore. The draconian code of Elizabeth was outdone by the still more sanguinary edicts of Queen Anne, whose rule in connection with Ireland was charac- terized by the most barbarous policy that ever emanated from a tyrannical government. The details of these grinding and death-dealing laws are too numerous and too well-known to demand particular- izing ; suffice it to say, that the tortures attributed to the ingenuity of the wildest savage of the forest, could not exceed the torments inflicted on conquered Ireland during the period referred to. The country was ruled on a system far exceeding the arbitrary power of martial law, and every precaution taken to prevent the recurrence of an attempt on the part of the prostrate people to assert those rights which, as men and Christians, Avcre properly theirs. Not even by the more peaceful course prescribed by constitutional proceedings, could the oppressed Catholics obtain a modification of their miseries, for every avenue of distinction was closed against them and they were debarred from participation in any office, even the most menial. A bailiffship was as After the Battle, 8» far from their position as the lord lieutenanoy, and a Catholic lawyer, Justice of the Peace, or member of Parliament, was unknown. Education for Catho- lics was prohibited, Catholic churches destroyed, their pastors hunted with bleod-hounds, and a price set upon their heads. Such was the condition of Ireland during the reign of the last Stuart and the two first reproscntativc!^ of the House of Brunswick. But if the Irish suffered at home they prospered abroad. Fugitives from tyranny and intolerence, they received an asylum under the more congenial laws of the continental nations. Thuir bravery and military skill were appreciated by the governments of the different nations to which they had emigrated, and positions of honor were assigned them from all quarters. As allies they were invaluable, and the military enterprises of Spain, Franco and Austria, during the latter part of the seventeenth and the beginning of the eighteenth centuries, received much of their successes and glory from the impet- uous bravery of the Irish. The prince of Parma, marshal Turennc and prince Eugv ne were loud in their laudations of their new allies, who were not slow in accepting the favors of their patrons, as through their agency they found means to be aveng- ed on their hereditary foes for the centuries of pent up wrongs and heartrendering sufferings they had endured. In the campaigns of the French in the Netherlands, Sarsfield and his compatriots sustained their old reputation as military leaders, as a succes- ' 90 Anecdotes of Ireland, fiion of glorious victories on many a hard fought field, clearly proved, though the satisfaction they derived from the overthrow of their foes suffered a little from the thought that had they fought for Ireland their succcses would have been more glorious. At Naraur and Landen the soldiers of William III. felt the weight of Sarafield's strength to their entire discomfiture, but at the last named place the great Irish hero disappears forever from the scene, slain, as before mentioned, by the bullets of the enemy, 1693. Justin McCarthy (lord Monntchasel) and the DuKB OP Berwick, both distinguished soldiers in the Irish campaign of James II., worked themselves into prominence in the military history of France and Spain. The former served with glory in the war between France and Austria during 1692-93, routing the enemy at Marsigold and killing their general, whose father, the diike Schomherg, had made such havoc among the Irish at the Boyne, He died at Burges, after a career that was credit- able to himself and advantageous to the country iinder whose banners he fought. The 0'Bria.ns of Thomond were represented in these foreign wars in equal prominence with others of their fellow countrymen, and did immense service to their adopted country. One of this ancient race was a participator in the ever memorable victory of Fontenoy in 1'746, when the Irish brigade com- manded by Dillon and O'Brian, effected the com- After the Battle, 91 Id ia bhers Irvice race |ry of com* com- plete oyerthrow of the array of England's proud duke of Cumberland, after the French marshal Saxe had given up all hope of victory. The con- duct of the Irish at this renowned battle wa* commented on with wonder and admiration by the nations of Europe, and caused a feeling of anger and dismay to pervade the minds of the members of king George's oligarchical government. The vanity of the haughty son of an equally imperious monarch was humbled, and the humiliation of Aughrim and Limrick finally and completely avenged. The connection of several prominent Irishmen with the ill-fated attempt of Charles Edward to regain possession of the throne of his ancestors was but another proof of the generous self-sacrificing spirit of the Hibernian of the period. The ancient names of O'Neill, O'SuUivan and Lynch figure as conspicuous- ly as ever in the several phases of the Pretender's fortunes, from the landing at Moidart, to the crush- ing reverse at CuUoden and the inglorious flight from Badenoch. In his hour of gloom they were as faithful to the unfortunate Stuart as in the hour of victory, and by their conduct throughout present- ed a strange contrast to the unfeeling policy pursued by the Pretender's ancestors to the people of Ireland in the days of their power. In the reign of George II. there flourished an im- portant personage in Irish political circles, who al- though a member of the oppressive party, discovered sufficient of the " milk of human kindness " in his ^Ti %. <>, ^^ %^ ^%. S^y. \% IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 '': m - ilia IIM 1.4 M 1 2.2 II 2.0 I— 1.6 v;.

ted tted 1 to the the all. I ECCLESIASTICAL. ANECDOTES OF IRELAND. THE ECCLESIASTIC. And false the light on Glory's plume, As fading hues of Even ; And Love, and Hope, and Beauty's bloom, Are bloosoms gathered from the tomb ; There's nothing bright but heaven. CUAPTBB I. THE SACRED TRIAD. |KUiDisM was in Ireland, as in the neighboring island of Britain and the opposite coasts of Gaul, the principalTeature in the civil and re- ligious institutions of the people before the introduc- tion of Christianity. It was the power behind the scenes that moved the machinery of legislation and regulated public transactions, and it frequently had as much influence in military enterprises as in civil affairs. It was affiliated with the laws and institu. tions of the country, and its power was absolute. The gloomy character of it rites and ceremonies filled the minds of the people with awe, and its harsh 100 Anecdotes of Ireland. f and severe doctrines and practices held them bound under a restraint that premitted no equivocation. To revolutionize this state of affairs and produce a system direetly opposite, it will be seen, was a task of no ordinary magnitude. But St. Patrick was not in the least intimidated by the herculean appearance of the labor he had alloted for himself. Strengthened by the graee of God and animated by a desire to rescue a warm- hearted and chivalrous nation from the influence of the powers of darkness, he pro«eeded to the accom- pliishment of his design with a full determination to succeed, and the event answered his highest expec- tations. It was no half measure he was bent upon and his continual and] increasing exertions proved the sincerity of his heart. The seven years of captivity which he endured in his youth in the midst of the Irish people, first prompted him to the prosecution of his holy mission, as it was then he discovered the natural good qualities of the inhabitants, and ob- tained a full knowledge of their manners and eumstoms. Little did the warlike Nial think that in the train of captives brought from Gaul in his last invasion of that country, was a simple and unassuming youth, who woild one day drive oat the authority and superstitions of Druidism and substitute in their stead the purity and sublimity of Christianity. Such was the case, however, and the seven years of confinement, patiently endured, were The Sacred Triad. lOI ion* ;e a bask ated had ;e of arm- je of icom- onto xpec- no sooner brought to an end than the preliminarj steps were taken for that purpose. On his return to his native town in Gaul, the remembrance of his conceptions for the conversion of the Irish never left Iiim, and as years passed onward the resolutions formed in the mountains of Down received fresh accessions of strength. The desire at length became fixed in his mind, and com- municating his intentions to the reigning Pope, received that pontiff's sanction and commission for his holy object, accompanied with the ecclesiastical title of bishop for which he had fitted himself by years of study and devotion. Ills preparations for this great e?iterprise were exceedingly meagre and his com- panions limited — trusting to the sancity of hia mission for success rather than on imposing demon- strations. Attempting a landing in two different localities without success, he boldly determined to attack the lion of paganism in his very den, and accordingly sailing up the Boyne he landed at a spot near the confluence of that river with the Blackwater. The daring of this stroke ensured success. The hill of Tara, the seat of the Irish general govern- ment, was not far distant, and it happened that just at this auspicious moment the triennial assembly was on the eve of holding its first sitting. Thither then St. Patrick directed his stepi with but a single attendant, leaving his boatmen to shift for themselves on the banks of the Boyne. The heroism displayed 102 Anecdotes of Ireland. by the saint oti this occasion can be imagined when we consider that he was advancing in the face of difficulties that, no matter how viewed, appeared unsurmoimtable. He had to combat the principles of the Druids who advocated their cause and clung to their doctrines with a fierceness and tenacity that exhibited little or no abatement, and he had to uproot those practices which age and universality had firmly imbedded in the habits of the people. As has been already stated, St. Patrick wa« thoroughly versed in the usages of the country, he therefore knew that the opening ceremony of the next day would bo the lighting of the sacred fires in honor of the presiding deity Crown. He also knew death was the punishment for the lighting of a fire in the holy hill of Tara during the time that elapsed between the extinguishing of one sacred fiame and the kindling of another. But in defiance of the existing law, and regardless of the penalty attend- ing its violating, he kindled a fire at the dawn of the morning in a position where its flames wore exposed to the yiew of the assembly of Tara. The constern- ation and surprise that of august body on witnessing this profanation were general, and the anger of the Druids on thus beholding their power defied was nnbonnded. The doom of the author of this sacrilige was already pronounced. An imperious summons was despatched to bring the offender or offenders, as the case might be, to the presence of the court' and there answer for the glaring violation of existing The Sacred Triad, 103 jsing the was ^•iUge ions Iders, jourt' isting laws. When St. Patrick made his appearance before the monarch his calm and peaceful aspect increased the wonder of the spectators. Leary, who ex- pected to behold a tierce and hautghy adventurer, was struck with the expression of sanctity and benignity that appeared in the countenance of the saint, and he marvelled greatly, as to the object the stranger had in view in thus risking his life for its prosecution . The king himself was a man of noble impulses, and when St. Patrick opened with an exposition of his doctrines and calming but steadily stated that his sole desire was to behefit the people of Ireland by tea'^hing them the way of eternal life, his mind was filled with admiration at the generosity and nobility that prompted snck a motive. The words which fell from the lips of St. Patrick, breathing the very essence of love and peace, and inculcating the teachings of divinity, were listened to with eager- ness mingled with respect by the audience, and the eflfects were almost instantaneous on a people whose national characteristic of keen perception and discrimination at once led them to a thorough understanding of what they heard. The chief nobles of the court one by one signified their belief in the doctrines of Jesus Christ, and although the king did not follow the example of his courtiers, be threw no obstacles in the way of those who wished to ex" change the religion of their ancestors tor that of the stranger. The arch-druid himself, to the utter dis- may of his disciples, bowed down to the new 1 l< B 104 Anecdotes of Ireland. doctrine, an example that was speedily imitated bj many of the latter, and thus were in the altars and uperstitious practices overturned as it were at one blow. Although not completely crushed, the serpent of Druidism continued to struggle for some time to come ; but its back was broken by the severity of the blow inflicted by St. Patrick, and gradually losing strength from day to day it finally disappear- ed altogether from view. ' From the palace of the Ard-righ St. Patrick turned his attention to the other portions of the island, and penetrated it remotest corners, baptising thousands as he went along, building churches, ordaining priests, consecrating bishops and consti- tuting monasteries and convents. Numbers ot men and women were induced by his exhortations to withdraw themselves from the world and consecrate their lives to the service of God. He bestowed his superfluities on various charities, and in these works, frequently reduced himself to extreme poverty. He worked with might and main in his holy vocation* humbly bearing the crosses that came to his lot with the greatest resignation and never allowing him- self to be puffed up with his success. He en- dured persecution without number, always receiving them with the utmost fortitude and greatest Chris- tian spirit. He filled the country with schools of learning and piety, and laid the fouidation of those famous seminaries that for many centuries after his time attracted the yonth of the nobility of Europe 1' The Sacred Triad, 105 on aceount of the their great erudition and sanctity. He divided the island into ecelesiastioal provinces, appointing to each its hierarchy, governing them with uncompromising rectitude, infusing his own spirit into all their proceedings. Having effected the complete conversion of the island, he fixed his residence at Armagh, and regu- larly visited the different bishoprics under his care. The miracles performed by him were numerous and wonderful and served to open the minds of the incredulous on every occasion to the divine truths of Christianity. The early biographers of this great saint state that during his lifetime in Ireland he raised nine dead bodies to life, besides restoring health to the sick and sight to the blind. He left his imprint in eveiy province and at this day we find innumerable records of his presence, in every saction of the country even the most remote. He died at Down- patrick in Ulster, in 493, after amission of 61 years, at the advanced age of 105. Contemporary with St. Patrick was St. Bridget, a native of Faughard, Ulster, and at a very early age adopted the Christian religion. !N©t satisfied with the adoration of the Deity during her ordinary avocations, she threw aside all cares of the world, and receiving the veil of the recluse from the hands of a disciple of St. Patrick, spent the remainder of her life in seclusion from the vanities of the world. She established herself near the spot where Kildare now stands, and by her virtues and sanctity attract' I I; io6 Anecdotes of Ireland. ed the attention of the pious in that vicinity. Several of her sex, wiflhing to follow her example, sought her companionship, which was willingly accepted. A religion! community of woman was not long in forming, which gradually increased in proportions until it spread out in numerous branches all over the island Her name became venerated, not only in Ireland, but throughout the neighbouring islands, as wcYrequently find mention of churches being dedicat- ed to her memory in Scotland, England, and even in France and Germany. Her life was a succession of pious deeds and charitable works, and tradition informs us that several miracles were performed by means of the relics that were preserved after her death. As St. Patrick is the patron saint so is St. Bridget looked upon as the patroness, and their names have been cherished with feelings of love and veneration through succeeding ages. The for- mer wrought the conversion of Ireland from a starting point exceedingly humble, and lived to witness a glorious triumph to his labor ; the latter enjoyed a similar happiness, for her earthly career did not close until the solitary cell at Kildare had grown into vast proportions and its oilshoots multiplied into many great and noble institutions* She died about the middle of the sixth century. St. Columb or Columbkill forms the third person in Ireland's sacred Triad. He was one of the most renowned saints of the period, both in respect to foreign nations as well as to Ireland, the country The Sacred Triad, toy of his uativity. He was a descendant of the royal house of Ireland, but his connection with nobility did not preclude him from consecrating his liie to the honor and glory of God. Casting aside all the allurements of wealth and position, he entered the Church and during the half century that elapsed between his entry and his death, his pious talents shone out highly above the many great ecclesiastical luminaries for whom those ages are so remarkable. He spent the first part of his life in his native country, where he occupied the highest position in the ecclesiastical sphere for a long time ; but becom- ing desirous of spreading the light of the gospel among the tribes of the heathen islands, he left his home and country and departed for a new field of labor. An Irish colony had some two or three centuries belore obtained a settlement in Argyleshire, in Scot- land, and thither St. Columb and the twelve com- panions who accompanied him, directed their steps. He was successful in converting the king and people of this settlement to Christianity, and during his stay made himself revered by his many saintly qualities. He then turned his attention to the Picts, the other inhabitants of the island ; and although he experienced greater difliculty than in his labors among his kinsmen, he had the satisfaction in the end of seeing his teachings take root in the hearts of these savage people. Having thus brought these two nations to an understanding of the True Light, io8 Anecdotes of Ireland. St. Golumb established himself in the little island of loha, and from this humble residence directed the workings of his flock in every part of the country during the remaining thirty years of his life. Hugh II., monarch of Ireland, growing jealous of the increasing prosperity of the Irish colony of Argyle, sought to turn its progress to his own advantage, and endeavored to effect that object by imposing taxes on its inhabitants. St. Columbkill espoused the cause of the inhabitants, who resisted the right of the Irish king to burden them with taxation ; and repairing to Ireland, where a council was being held to deliberate on the matter, eloquent- ly and successfully contended against the oppressive designs of Hugh. The result was that the odious measure was not only dropped, but the nominal tribute which the men of Argyle had annually paid to the mother country, was refused, and the colony from that time was virtually independent. Thus were the exertions of t aia celebrated man as much directed to the temporal as well as the spiritual welfare of those under his care. Although bitter feelings and animosities might have been expected by this result, yet the abilities of St. Columbkill being equally respected and acknowledged at home and abroad, were successful in preserving harmony; and no two nations in the world can point to a brighter record of friendship and cordiality than that which existed between Ireland and Scotland throughout their whole history. This is a remark- Tht Sacred Triad, 109 a lan irk- able fact, and the intelligent m«n of the two natioM have always agreed in attributing the foundation of this gratifying state of affairs to the wisdom and prudence of the great Columbkill. The ancient records of Ireland and Scotland are filled with traditions of this wonderful man — all Yieing with each other in lauding his virtueSi purity, industry, courage and amiability. The affection in which he held both his native country and the land of his adoption is dilated on in numerous illustrative anecdotes ; one of which represents him as ascend- ing daily the summit of a high mountain in order to catch a glimpse his beloved Ireland, from which he had vowed to be a voluntary exile ; and another beautifully picturing his spirit to the eyes of the simple Hebredonian as returning regularly to the scene |of his earthly labors in order to count the islands as if fearful that any might disappear. Num- erous other tales are related in praise of this exemplary man— tales that have been handed down from father to son and from age to age — but enough is already shown to prove the estimation in which he was held by the rude and illiterate but simple and pious people of the day. His famous prophesies are familiar to every Irish- man, as in them his enthusiastic nature can perceive a striking similiarity to the facts of his country's history, and as they have hitherto proved themselves to his satisfaction, he considers it but just to suppose that the rest will surely follow with like exactness. « 9 no I '. fi Anecdotes of Ireland. He was as distingnished for hispoetry and eloquence as for his piety ; and his education was beyond his contemporaries. He held a magic power of kings and warriors but he exhibited it with that sweetness and tenderness that conveyed love, rather than abject fear. He died at the close of the sixth century, at the ripe old age of four score, having spent his whole life even to the hour of his death in works of piety — a forcible example of the immensity of good proceeding from an unswerving practice of the sublime virtue of charity te God and to our neigh- bor. At the time of his death there was not a single unconverted tribe among the Caledonians. : '::A' ;■ ■•''t.'^-i^ '-',^^y:' CHAPTER II. BEFORE THE INVASION. Angel of Charity, who from above Comest to dwell a pilgrim here, Thy voice is music, thy smile is love, And pity's soul is in thy tear. FTEE the death of St. Patrick many saintly and learned men arose in Ireland. Some of these confined their ministry to their native country^ while others extended their labors to nations beyond the seas, everywhere reaping a rich harvest of souls to be added to the Christian fold. France and Germany as will as England and Scotland were vis- ited by these holy men, and their teeming popula- tions of heathens brought to the knowledge of the one true God. Where the blessings of Christianity had already been felt the faith of the wavering was confirmed and the wickedness of the impious reclaim- ed by their teachings. Their presence was to the minds of the people as the orb of day to the worlds dispelling the gloom and superstition that surround- ed every object of their lives and bound them to the great enemy of salvation. We hear of these soldiers of Christ penetrating the wilds of northern Germany, and the inhospitable shores of Scandinavia, supplant- ing ignorance with religion, darkness with light, and everywhere acting the part of pioneers of civili- 112 Anecdotes of Ireland. zation to the barbarous inhabitants of these rude and savage countries. Even in France, southern Germanj, Italy, and other places where refinment, cnlture and piety had existed for generations they labored with the same untiring zeal to fix those noble qualities still more firmly in the m:inner» of Oh 1 Thou who dry'st the mourners tear, How dark this world would be, If, when deceived and woundtd here, We could not fly to thee. :c4Ni)iNAVJAN and Norman had each in his turn endeavored to overthrow the independence of Ireland, and abolish its existing institutions. They had in the several stages of their existance, been the cause of much trouble and confusion ; they aimed at the possession of the country with the rich spoils it afforded, and wrought destruction and devastation to property wherever they appeared ; but all the horrors of war which they produced — including as they did, famine and ruin in their train, fell far short of the heart-rending miseries introduced into Ireland by the attempts to establish the " evan- gelizing" doctrines of Martin Luther, in the room of the ancient religion of the people, transmitted from age to age from the time of St. Patrick. The Dane pillaged the monasteries, violated the sacred edifices, and destroyed the institutions of learning ; but in his dealings with religious doctrines, he was more frequently a convert than a missionary to Christ- ianity. The Norman knight did not hesitate to avail himself of the riches and spoils of conquest ; ■I I III! 1:1 Anecdotes of Ireland, but the exercise of religion received no molestation at his hands ; on the contrary we frequently hear of him endowing schools and building churches. It remained for the civilized(?) and enlightened Henry VIII. and his equally cultivated successors to estab- lish a series of persecutions, in comparison with which, the barbarities of the Danes were trifling, and which rivalled in their enormity and cruelty the deeds of Nero aud Domitian. " o > * Henry VIII. having, as we hp ve seen in the pre- vious section, obtained possession of the title of "king of Ireland " by means of every iniquitous subterfuge that his wily and deceitful nature Avas master of, immediately set to work to impose the pernicious doctrines of the " Reformer " ou his new subjects as he had previously done in England. He endeavored to have himself acknowledged supreme in religious matters, and did not stop at any obstacle that might come in his way to oppose his ambitious and sacri- legious views. When the Catholic prelates of Dublin, Armagh and Tuam refused to comply with his wishes he declared them deposed, and elevated his own pliant tools in their stead. Their churches he turned into the service of the new religion, and confiscated their sacred vessels and properties to his own benefit. He authorized the most violent out- rages under the cloak of religion that ever disgraced a monarch or afflicted a country, leaving his satanic imprint on every transaction. The great houses of religion and learning — the The Age of Proscription, 133 monasteriee, convents, abbeys and churches — were one by one robbed, violated and destroyed by the fiendish mercenaries of the bloated and tyrannical monarch. The horiible scenes of blood and con flagration were heightened and intensified by the torture and cruelties of religious persecutions. Bit- terly and unremittingly did the English king prose- cute his designs against the religion of |the people, accompanied by an avaricious desire for the acqui- sition of their property. Such was the character of the ** English Nero," and such was the tenor of his actions. The boy Edward was the next occupant of the English throne. His ministers' policy rivalled the monstrosities of the preceding reign, and although the rule of the youthful king was short, the persecu- tions of " the powers that be " against the inoffend- ing Catholics were as cruel as during the more lengthly rule of the ferocious Henry. The princess Mary succeeded her brother, and during the six short years she held the reins of government the Catholics breathed more freely, and a restoration to the old order of things effected for a time. The original prelates were reinstated in their former benefices, and a short period of repose succeeeded the stormy time of Henry. Mary died in 1558. But Elizabeth appeared, and with her those in. human penal laws that have become proverbial among all right minded persons for their barbarity I m 134 Anecdotes of Ireland. and cruelty. An appropriate term to convey an adequate idea of the real signification of Elizabeth's enactments is wanting, as all ordinary expres> sions fall short of the proper meaning, and even her tyrannical father was outdone in deeds of cruel- ty by this model daughter. She restored the nomi- nees of Henry in their usurped positions among the prelates, the confiscations of the reign of that monarch and his effeminate son were resumed, and her long reign of forty-five years was a continuous ordeal of misery to the people and clergy of Ireland. Decrees were passed forbidding ihe exercise of the religion of the people ; non-conforming churches were ordered to be closed, and their pastors pro- scribed. Death was the penalty for being a priest, fines or imprisonment for being a practical (catholic. Nevertheless the Irish hierarchy never exhibited greater Christian fortitude than during those trying times. With a price set upon their heads they went about the performance of the duties of their holy station regardless of the terrible consequences, and when the bloodhounds of the law hunted them down, they heroically bore the punishment of mar- tyrdom, strengthened by the divine promise of future reward. Among the many sufferers for their religion during this bloody period, were Dermid 0*Hurley, archbishop of Cashel, who was put to death by slow torture after every effort of perver- sion had been brought against him in vain ; Patrick The Age of Proscription. 135 ir id Lo O'Hely, bishop of Mayo, who endured similar barbarities and died without yielding an iota to the persecnter ; and Richard Ore agh, primate of Ireland who was taken in the discharge of his sacerdotal functions, carried to London and poisoned. These events ©ccurred between the years 1582 and 1585. "We have seen how the tyranical policy of the government at length drove the great chiefs to take up arms in the cause of religious freedom, and having performed deeds that made the virgin Queen and her unprincipled ministers tremble for their possessions, they were finally overwhelmed by superior numbers. The final defeat of O'Neill and the death of Eliza- beth occurred about the same time, and if anything could detract from the grief of the former event it was the satisfaction experienced when the demise of the latter became known. " - ' In this stormy sixteenth century flourished many famous ecclesiastics. Maurice de Portu, archbishop of Tuam, author of a Dictionary of the Holy Scrip- tures (so invaluable to ecclesiastical literature), was passessed of an extraordinary knowledge of meta- physics that made him famous throughout Europe ; Nicholas Maguire, bishop of Leiglin, a renowned litcratus and chronologist ; and Roderick Cassidy and Patrick Cullen, bishops of Ulster, famous for their combined productions, called the " Annals of Munster." The reign of the Stuart kings with the exception of that of James II. did not exhibit any more len- 31 3K mi fciitl m 136 Anecdotes of Ireland. iency to the Catholics of Ireland than did those of the sovereigng already mentioned. James I. was especially infamous for his inveterate enemity to Catholicity. The clergy received his particular enmity, as shortly after his accession he issued a proclamation forbidding " Jesuits, seminary priests or priests of any order^to wander about the island seducing the people," and if they refused to obey the mandate they were punished with the utmost rigor of the law. He held out inducements to such of the above as would apostasize from their religion and conform with the Established Church, but it is unnecessary to state that his labors in this line met with very little success. , An oath of abjuration was drawn up which the authorities were to administer to all Catholics whom^ soever they pleased, whether clergy or laity ; but as it denied the Pope's supremancy and the principle dogmas of the Catholic Church, its enforcement was productive of much disorder and frequently blood- shed. One instance will serve to illustrate : A Protestant bishop of Dublin hearing that Mass was being celebrated in one of the Churches, hastened thither with a body of soldiers to disperse the " recus- ants," as the members of the Establishment styled the Catholics. The altar was torn down, the sacred edifice rained and the priests carried off and thrown into prison. This incident occurred in the sixth year of the reign of Charles. The stormy era of the Confederacy of Kilkenny, The Age of Proscription. 137 Lth with their early triumphs and final defeats, and the presence of Cromwell, like the txistence of a plague, have already been noticed in the political sketches, so we pass on to the eventful times that succeeded when Charles II. was restored to the throne of his ancestors. In this reign a shadow of toleration existed for a time, and in the city of Dublin some few places of worship were re-opened, and prominent Catholics admitted to the highest offices. But this happy state was momentary, and the bigots awakening from their sleep, resumed their former intolerance, and ceased not in their efforts until the favors lately shown to Catholics were completely disavowed. Titus Oates then came before the public with his ingenious invention of a *' Popish Plot," revised and improved by Messrs. Bedloe and Dangerfield, and having obtained a "royal patent," industriously set to work in order to obtain supporters for the same. His efforts were crowned with success, and many an innocent person lost his life by the flagrant perjuries of these infamous men. The oath of abjuration was renewed with all its vigor, and to such an extent that even the king's brother, the duke of York, did not escape molestation. ..j ♦.;.,. ^ One of the first victims of the bigotry and intol- erance of this manifestoe, was the lamented Dr. Plunkett, who succeeded to the primacy in 16«9. His piety and zeal awakened the hatred of his enemies, and information having been laid against ii! m m If! I3» Anecdotes of Ireland. I him to the effect that he was infringing on the law relating to the prohibition of Catholic priests, he was arrested about the close of 1G79, and carried to London, where he was kept in close confinement until his trial. In that licentious age, no difficulty was experienced in obtaining witnesses to swear against the venerable prelate, and of course his conviction was not long delayed. A form of trial was given him, in which he was charged with high treason — a charnellation) in July, 1681. His prosecutors did not live long to enjoy the fruits of their villainy. They all died the death accorded in Scripture to those who "live by the sword." Their victim continues to live in respect in the memorys of men, while his accusers receive their well-merited execrations. James H. succeeded his brother Charles, and, as in the case of Queen Mary, a brief respite was afforded the Church of Ireland. The Catholic relig- ion was restored as the religion of the nation, and during its temporary pre-eminence, the happiness of the Irish was complete. They saw their long persecuted pastors openly returning to their midst and celebrating the divine mysteries in open day- light, where formerly they had to content them- selves with caves and hedges. The embarrassiag I , The Ags of Proscription, 139 laws were allowed to remain a dead letter, and free enjoyment of religion was the necessary conse- quence. The revolution of 1688 put an end to this peace- ful state of affairs in Ireland, and the patriot army of Sarsfield and Mountcashel having been over- whelmed, the reign of persecution was resutned. The violation of the treaty of Limerick (so often quoted) which granted equal rights to Catholicf and Protestants, was followed by the usual pro' scriptions and banishments of Catholic clergymen — a state of affairs which does not do much honor to the boasted liberality of William III, A detailed statement of the storms and tempests that assailed the Irish Church during this and the suc- ceeding reigns would be a mournful recital indeed, and present no variety from the cruelties performed in the iudividual cases already quoted. The distinguised ecclesiastics of the seventeenth century were quite numerous, notwithstanding the many obstacles that persecution threw in their way. Peter Lombard wns advanced to the Primacy in 1598, and continued to battle against the terrible trials of the day for some time ; but the fury of his enemies being directed against him with increased malice, he was forced to fly to the con- tinent. He was a profound student of Scriptural and Ecclesiastical history, and gave publicity to a number of invaluable works. During his absence on the continent he delivered several theological Ji- i 3fc 140 Anecdotes of Ireland, leotares, that gave him a wide-spread fame. He died at Rome in 1625. Hugh McCaughwell, bishop of Ulster, was another famous apostolical minister of this century. He was thoroughly versed in the ancient languages, particularly his own native Irish, a knowledge which gave him the name of a skilled antiquary. Hugh O'Reilly, the learned bishop of Kilmore, and subsequently Primate of Ireland, enjoyed the esteem of all classes during his lifetime, and was one of the noblest among the successors of St. Patrick. He died in 1656. About this time lived the celebrated Dr. Keating of T ipperary, who wrote the well-known Irish gem called the History of Ancient Ireland. Luke Wadding, a native of Waterford and bishop of Ferns, was one of the most renowned ecclesiastics either of this or any previous century. He excelled all his contemporaries in learning and erudition. He Avrote the most pop- ular " Lives of the Popes," and is still more remark- able for the number of colleges he founded while on the continent. It will be seen that owing to the unjust laws that governed their native country, these famous men were compelled to spend the greater part of their lives in foreign nations, giving to them the advantages of their abilities which would otherwise be possessed by their country. The reign of Queen Anne and George I. are distinguished in Irish history as the era of the deepest misery and degradation to the unfortunate people of Irelanc'. While England could boast to The Age of Proscription. 141 the world of her advancing civilization and refine- ment, of great victories won abroad by Marlborough and Elliot, of the progress made by her savants in science; of her superiority in the art of navigation exemplified by the voyages of Lord Anson and others, she still maintained a tyrannical domin- ation over her Irish subjects. Priest hunting became the most lucrative profession of the day. A scale of prices was drawn up and arranged ac- cording to the position of the ecclesiastic; the murderer of an archbishop receiving a greater re- nuraeration that the slayer of a priest. And would it be believed that all this happened but little more than a century ago, and that a parliament of men representing the nobility and gentry of episcopalian dignity had passed a law authorizing these bloody and monstrous persecutious ? . j But as the saying is " it is always darkest before the dawn," so it was that the violence of persecution- exhausted itself by tlie very means that had been taken in its early stages for its preservation. The enlightened Protestants of the country becoming disgusted with the inhumanities practiced on the Catholics, tendered first their sympathy and sub- sequently their personal aid to ameliorate their condition and we find that towards the close of the reign of George I. the rigorous persecution had somewhat abated. We behold a numerous of gener? ous and liberal minded men working slowly but surely to remove the malice of the existing laws, 142 Anecdotes of Ireland, and though the weight of persecution hung long and heavily even after the origination of the first attempt for its removal, yet it was gradually lifted as it were from the backs of the overburdened pop- ulation, and glimpses of comparitive freedom held out in the distance. We cannot close this chapter without a notice of that great Irish ecclesiastic, Hugh MacMahon, arch- bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland. He was chosen to fill the primatial chair in 1701, when intolerance and persecution were at their height ; and nobly did he breast the storm that raged so violently against Catholicity, He was frequently compelled to secrete himself from his enemies, but whether in public or private, he never neglected his duties. Standing as it were on the frontiers of moderation in the governmental policy, he could look back with horror on the sufferings of the past, while in the distance he could point to the glimmei- ings of, if not happiness, at least freedom from persecution. He was primate for the space of 29 years, dying in 1737. Another event worthy of note in connection with the history of this period, was the execution of the Rev. Father Sheehy, the famous parish priest of Clogheen, in Tipperary. He was accused of com- plicity in an imaginary plot against the government, but owing to a failure of the charge, an accusation of murder was then laid against him, and by making use of the customary false witnesses, this holy priest The Age of Proscription, 143 was condemned and executed. His real crime in the eyes of the authorities, was the publicity he gayo to their crimes, and fearless manner in which he denounced their heartless conduct towards the oppressed people. The first symptoms of relief appeared about the year 1746, when mass was tolerated. Thia was followed up by other relief bills — one in 1 762 and another in 1774, which although granting but minor liberties paved the way for the more encour- aging days of Flood, Grattan and Curran. This (17th) century is also remarkable for its distinguished clergy. Dr. Michael Moore, one of the most eminent prelates of his time, contributed many valuable works of literature to the Irish col- lection. At the time of James II. he received the appointment of king's preacher, and was subse- quently elevated to the position of provost of Trinity College. Adverse fortunes drove him to the con- tinent to swell the ranks of the noble army of Irish exiles, and he died at Navarro, in Spain, 1726. — Cornelius Nary, a celebrated controversialist and writer, flourished about this time. The famous literary production called "St. Patrick's Purgatory," was the offspring of his fertile brain. Thomas de Burgo, born in 1 709, was a learned scholar and an ardent lover of his religion, as well as a bright ornament to Irish literature. His life was a source of profit to his church and country and great credit to himself; he died in 1786. m % CHAPTER V. THE DAWNING OF THE DAY. ii I Behold the sun, how bright! From yonder east it springs ; As if the soul of life and light, Were breathing from his wings. ^HE tide of toleration and religious equality once set in, flowed onward with measured movement The peaceful and happy days of 1782 — the re- sult of the labors of Grattan and his associates — have been already referred to. In the beginning of the last decade of the eighteenth century tlie temporary stoppage of the advancing wave and the resumption of the old leaven of intolerance brought on the troubles of " '98 " andjthe humiliating Union Act of 1801 ; but after that the Catholic cause gradually improved until it received its linal triumph in the Emancipation Bill of Daniel O'Connell, in 1829. Thus we find alter a conflict of three hundred years between the proselytizers of the English Reforoma- tion and the Catholics of Ireland, in which the latter endured throughout nearly the whole contest the most unheard of persecutions, that the cause of Right finally triumphed, and while the Catholic Church was Tstrengthened by its ordeal the Established Church received little or no accession to its numbers. The great ecclesiastics of this last period of Irish ecclesiastical history were numerous and renowned The Dawning of the Day. 145 L829. The Rev. Abthur O'Lbabt flourished during the last half of the eighteenth ceutury. He was an ardent advocate for civil and religious liberty ; and the great qualities he displayed were never more required than during this eventful period. He was born in 1729. He spent some years in Brittany in France, where he made himself beloved and respect- ed on account of his stern integrity and amiable disposition. But it was in his literary talents that he excelled. His writings transcended the produc- tions of the greatest authors ot his time, and he proved himself an overwhelming antagonist to his opponents, among others the great champion of Methodism, .John Wesley, whom he competely crushed. He was chaplain to the Irish brigade in 1782, and was a warm supporter of their cause. His publications Hooded the land, attracting the attention of the higli and low. He died in 1802. Patrick Curtis, who became Primate in 1819, was a prelate universally beloved. In his early days he was intended for a mercantile profession, but Divine Providence decreed otherwise. Having de- cided to take Holy Orders he went to Spain and studied in the college of Salamanca. Hero he completed the necessary time, and spent altogether thirty years in the country. He was primate for thirteen years, and died in 1832. The Rev. Theobald Matihew, justly styled the Apostle of Temperance, was born at Thomastown, in Tipperary, in the year 1 790. In his youth he was ' ul ;^l:: I t . » ! 146 Anecdotes of Ireland. noted for his sweet and engaging disposition which made him a general favorite ; and to these he added in after life the virtues of benevolence and holy charity. He w^as ordained priest in 1814, at the age of twenty-four, and soon rose to emineiice among his brethren. Among the other great acts of his life Avas the founding of literary institutionis in different parts of the counrty. The evil of intemp- erance made a deep impression on his mind, and animated with a divine inspiration he determined to alleviate, as fai- as possible, its miseries. His energy and indomitable perseverance aided by his winning and pleasant manners made him wonderfully success- ful in this laudable enterprise. Every part of Ireland experienced the benefit of his labors. Dub- lin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and the cities of the North were each in their turn visited ; thousands o^ hopeless inebriates were reformed, and thcnsands that were hurrying to destruction by the same path were reclaimed. He was the warm friend of O'Con- nell, the liberator, who gave him valuable assistance by his eloquent harangues. The grand procession through Cork, in which thousands of persons took part and which was headed by Father Matthew and Daniel O'Connell, is an event that constitutes an important epoch in the history of that city. He extended his labors to America, and the cities of New York, Boston, Washington, Richmond and New Orleans were electrified and bciefitted by his presence. Having spent two years in the States, he The Dawning of the Day, 147 licb Ided boly the ttong f his la in temp- and led to nergy inning iccess- art of Dub- of the inds 0^ . nsandft le path O'Con- istancc )cesBiou ns took lew and utea an ty. He cities of )nd aiul d hy his tates, he returned to Ireland and continued his noble exertions to the day of his death, which occurred in 1856. Besides these great doctors and learned desput- ants already mentioned, there are others who require special mention, viz : Drs. Doyle, Cahill and McHale. Dr. James Doylb was born in the year 1796, in New Koss, county of Wexford. His parents were T)0t possessed of a superfluity of world^^y goods, but they were pious and respectable, and filled with profound religious feelings. His early education was received in his native town, in the course of which he developed a strong inclination for matters apper- taining to religion, which being perceived by his parents, his education to the priesthood was at onco decided on. The nature of the existing laws threw many obstioles in the way of an education to that sacred end, and he was accordingly sent to a famous school in Portugal. Here he rapidly advanced in his studies, and rose from one degree to another, until ho enjoyed the attainment of his wishes, when he returned to his native country, endowed with a talent and genius unexcelled by any of his contemporaries Shortly after he returned to Ireland he received a professorship m Carlow College, where he remained for about five years inculcating morality and piety as well as ordinary branches of knowledge in the minds of his pupils. In 1819 he was dected bishop of Kildare and en- tered on the administration of his diocese with I * I 148 Anecdotes of Ireland, renewed energy and zeal. He governed his clergy with the strictest disoipline, free, however, from harshness, and made the welfare of his people his chief study. He endeavored to uproot the danger- ous principles of the Ribbonmen, to whom he addressed himself in mild persuasive exhortations, and with the most salutory effect. In 1625 he issued a prohibition against the resumtion of controversial disputes which had for some years back been of common occurrence in some districts, and which tended to the spread of bitter fellings among the opposite creeds. His letters, essays and pastorals on various subjects are valuable acquisitions to ecclesiastical literature, and breath an air of piety and religious feeling through their whole course. HiB whole public life was productive of good works that will ever remain as monuments of his talents and virtues ; and his private life demands even greater admiration. He died on the fifteenth of June, 1834, after a lingering 'illness. His funeral obsequies were attended by all the leading ecclesias- tical dignitaries of Ireland, and his remains interred in the cathecJnl of Carlo w. Dr, D. W. Cahill was born in the Queen's County, in the year 1801. He commenced his stud- iet in the College of Carlo w, having for his tutor a Jesuit priest. Having completed the usual branch cs of educatioB, in the pursuit of which he displayed more than ordinary application, preparations were made for obtaining him a position in the army ; but The Dawning of the Day. 149 Btud- tutor anch ayed were ; btit when on the eve ^f taking his place among the sons of Mars he suddenly conceived a, strong dislike for the profession, and returning once more to college began his studies for the more sublime position of a soldier of the Church militant. After spending the necessary time in Carlow College he entered May- nooth. Here ho found several distinguished pro- fessors among the then faculty of the College, the most prominent of whom was Dr. McHale, the present archbishop of Tuam. The studies which he prosecuted among these great masters were exceed- ingly numerous ; Theology and Philosophy being among the jnost alevated, and Hebrew, German, French and Italian were his classics. He advanced from one position to another with credit and profit to himself, and was finally ordained after having completed a course of studies that placed him among the great learned doctors of his time. His abilities attracted the attention of Dr. Doyle, the rector of the diocese of which he was a subject, and received the appointment as professor of natural philosophy in the College of Carlow chiefly through the instru- mentality of that learned divine. In this capacity his shining talents were developed to their full scope, and so famous and well appreciated had his many noble qualities become that the degree of Doctor of Divinity given him by the Pope was con- ferred in a very few years after entering the College. He never ceased to improve his mind ; and we find him in after years possessed of a most extraordinary T'lT (ijiiiariui* ' "i"ii>'TtiriTrirnw~i-nr«riiii I ! 150 Anecdotes of Ireland. diversity of knowledge. From Carlo w he went to Dublin, where he spent many years in teaching to others those high branches of knowledge which he had acquired himself so eminently. In addition to his fame as a profound scholar he enjoyed the repu- tation of being an eloquent orator and a distinguished writer, and in proof of this we have only to point ^ to the numerous ad^lresses he has delivered on various subjects in different parts of the United Kingdom, and also in America. He had correspon- ence with the duke of Wellington, earl of Derby, lord Palmerston and other great noblemen, on matters of importance in connection with the events of that momentous period, in all of which he elicit- ed the warmest admiration and esteem even of those who were diametrically opposed to him. His visit to this country in 1867 and the sensation he created among all classes by his presence is still fresh in the memory of most of our readers. He died at Boston, in the year 1868. He was one of the brightest orna- ments in the Irish ecclesiastical history, and his name will remain a synonym for all that is noble and virtuoup. The present hierarchy is rich in the possession of two gieat ecclesiastics, viz. : Cardinal Paul CuUen, the worthy and respected primate, and Archbishop MoHale of Tuara, already mentioned as a church- man well versed in Theology, and possessed of all those virtues that are so essential to his elevated office. The era of these prelates will be forever The Dawning of the Day. 151 laemorable for the passage of that famous Act of Parliament decreeing the disestablishment and dis- endowment of the English Church, thus sweeping away the last vestige of the persecutions inaugura- ted by Henry VIII. in 1541. Three hundred years had passed away since the first Catholic suffered for his religion ; then the sanguine " Reformers " ex- pected complete success, but when the curtain drop- ped on the last scene in 1869 the Catholic popula- tion bore a greater proportion to the whole than in 1569, when the storm of persecution bui:st forth under Elizabeth. The Catholic Church in Ireland stands to-day completely disenthralled from its disabilities, free as air ; and never again will the children of Erin suffer persecution for conscience sake. il, ! ■; i ■ ! I \:.'\V Jv ;; ■\ -■ MNEGDOTES OF IRELAND. THE ORATOR. An eloquence, rich — wheresoever it wave Wandered free and triumphant with thoughts that shone through As clear as the brook's " store of lustre," and gave With the flash of the gem its solidity, too. CHAPTER I. ELOQUENCE IN GENERAL. dhf NCiENT Ireland had its public men divided into J}l|three great classes — the Warriors, Druids and ^^ Bards. The duties incumbent upon the second of these were numerous and onerous, but they endowed their possessors with the greatest influence. The warriors, who were composed of the noblest of the land, potent as they were, did not possess the power or receive the respect given to the Druid. These mysterious beings were the priests, teachers, law giyers and historians of the nation ; and through their absolute influence over the minds of the people in the exercise of their religious functions, they exhibited wonderful talent and zeal for the common 156 Anecdotes of Ireland. K .^ ill good, in connection with their other prerogatives. They were the source from which were drawn the orators and statesmen of the time, and though their conceptions and deliberations were what the present generation would term rude, they were possessed of a fire and wisdom that was quite in keeping with the age in which they lived. When a native prince had fibused his power and became exacting or tyrannical in his legislation, the wild eloquence of these pagan votaries roused the people to vengeance ; when one chieftain endeavored to abridge or destroy the authority of another, he found the Druidical orator of his opponent, his greatest enemy, although his action might have been encouraged with all the warmth of a Druid of his own sept ; when a foreign enemy invaded the shores of the island, the courage of the national warriors was roused to its highest pitch by the fiery eloquence of the priests, whose stirring rhetoric urged them on to deeds of super- human bravery. Not to warlike speeches alone did they confine themselves, but gave full rein to their words in matters of religion. The council chambers of the different principalities and the hall of the great national conclave at Tara resounded with the orator, ical efforts of these wonderful men, and the haughty chieflain and proud warrior bowed their heads and hearts in token of acknowletlgement of their super- iority and genius. The great annalists of our country refer to them as men possessed of eloqence Eloquence in GeneraL 157 aud statesmanship, fallj equal to their contempor* ariei in foreign countries. Few examples of their geiius have been preserved beyond their own era, and the world is thus deprived of a knowledge of these pioneers of rhetoric and legislation. The language of the nation was admirably adapted for an effective display of eloquence, and the imaginative qualities characteristic of their race served to give that excellence which they so preminently possessed. Bven among the chief monarchs or Ard-righs this gift exhibited itselt in not a few instances. Ollamh Fodhla and Cormac Ulfadba are mentioned at sovereigns possessed of some fame as orators, but the use made of their talent in this respect consisted in urging on their armies to battle, either when in- vading an enemy's country or repelling foreign encroachments. The former king lived about the Christian era, and the latter [about the beginning of the third century, both of whom have already been referred to in the early portion of this work. They were renowned as incomparable warriors, but their fame as rulers and legislators deserves still greater honorable mention. Although several great chieftains distinguished themselves as orators and statesmen, still war was their chief occupation and in prosecuting this all the finer arts were cast aside as unworthy of their attention. War then being the characteristic feature of the period it is no wonder that examples under the head of political genius are rare. ■MHRMnil 158 Anecdotes of Ireland. When the darkness of paganism had been ex- pelled by St. Patrick, and the divine truths substi- tuted for the superstitions of the Drudical period, wo find the sacred eloquence as delivered from the lips of the patron saint and his successora constituted the orations of the time. The pulpit was the only place from whence issued any remarkable display of spoken language, and wonderful was the effect on the multitudes. The Druids were no longer listened to, their langurge formerly so potent fell on unwill- ing ears and appeared dry and meaningless when put in comparison with the inspired words of the Christian ministers. After the extirpation of Druidism, the holy preachers of Christianity had the whole country to themselves. The division of the island into ecclesi- astical provinces was settled, and whether as fixed pastors or travelling missionaries from place to place the same sacred oratory was a marked feature in the lives of the members of the Irish heirarchy and priesthood. Believers were strengthened in the faith, the careless were enlivened, and sinners brought to sincere repentance through the effects of the eloquence of these holy preachers. The national rulers now englightened by the rays of truth, dis- covered greater aptitude for government and displayed more than ordinary ability in the conce]>- tion of laws, and thus laid the foundation of f renown in statesmanship. The schools and ai la- mical institutions for which Ireland was so famous Eloquence in General. 159 X- ti- ips ted nly ilay ton ned : the holy p:y to clesi- fixed ce to ature archy lathe inners ects of tional h, dis- atid 3once|>- f IK »a- famoufl 1 during the three centuries succeeding the time of St. Patrick were warm promoters of elocution, and devoted a considerable portion ot their time to the cultivation of this art under the direction of the best masters. It was, no doubt, owing to this fact that the Irish missionaries so transcended their fellow laborers in the cause of Christianity, for we And wherever they went their arguments were so con- vincing that a failure in th« object intended was of rare occurance. The sunny plains of Italy, the vine-covered valleys of France, and the forrest clad mountains and plains of Germany could not produce their superiors in this art, and ecclesiastical records of these countries are replete with examples of the per- suasive eloquence of the Irish missionary. Kationa as well as individuals acknowledged their wonderful talents, and the harvest of souls reaped by their labors was consequently both extensive and lasting. During that period of Irish history comprised under the head of the Norman era, there existed a famous branch of the monastic institution called the Order of Preachers. The members of this Order did infinite service to the Christian cause by their untiring zeal and perseverance. No one wai deomed qualified for full membership until he had .iStered his native language, and very often several ^reign languages, to an extent sufficiently cultured J be possessed at least of a ready delivery. An- other essential qualification was a superior education in all the higher branches of the period, and in 1 111 ■ I Bf m i6o Anecdotes of Ireland. those ddyH it was saying a great deal, for education was not uncommon even among the peasantry. Thus equipped and armed at all points to combat heresy and paganism they sallied forth on their mission of Halvation. This institution existed for many years among Jthe people of Ireland, but its chief objective points were the nations of the continent. During the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth centuries multitudes of learned Irishmen left their country either in a clerical or laical capacity, and it is a remarkable fact that they rose to the highest stations in the countries where they had taken th*ir stay. Some were distinguished by their abilities as states- men, others as public speakers and lecturers on various subjects, for their diversity of talent enabled them to deal with almost every branch of knowledge. As religious controversialists they had to combat the arguments of heretic*^ and schismatics, but in every case their superior skill assisted by the grace of God enabled them to come off with flying colors. As proof of what we have stated we refer to the lives of John Scotus, a native Down, who lived about the beginning of the thirteenth century, and created a European celebrity by his brilliant orator- ical displays in Oxford, England ; Paris, France ; and Cologne, Germany. A worthy compeer of Scotus was Malachy, who flourished about the time o^ the battle of Athenrv, He was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity in the University of Oxford, and still Eloquence in General. i6i further added to hiB laurels during a residence in the city of Naples. He received the friendship oi the English king Edward II., who appointed him court chaplain during his lifetime. Others of little less inferior renoTrn flourished during the same period, but the meagreness of detail furnished by the historians of the day prevents the possibility of giving more than a dry record of names and dates. The two instances which we have cited are fair representations of the style of oratory of the times of which we write, and are given on account of of their transcending all others in their great abilities. In fact a particular mention of orators dnring the early part of the history of any nation seems to be strangely omitted. Irish historians are neglectful in a similar manner, and as for statesmen the continual struggle which the people'of Ireland had to^maintain against the Danes, Normans and English conduced little to their developement. Some of the O'Neills — Hugh the Great in particular — possessed all the characteristics of statesmen, but they found that the circumstances they had to contend against were not to be overcome by diplomacy or wordy expressions, and they fell back on their sword as their best weapon of attack and defence. The Ger- aldincs developed a similar talent, but were forced to make use of the same means to maintain their ground, and were unsucccssiul in both resources as the history of this famous family will prove. In fact ihe government which pretended to l62 Anecdotes of Ireland. rule Ireland in those days geemed determined that the national party or their sympathizers should have no representatives in the counsels of the nation, but by treating them with inhumanity, not to say con- tumely and insult, drove the chiefs of the people to desperation and then finally crushed them in detail, and confiscated their possessions. It was not until the middle of the eighteenth century when all classes of the Irish population had become weary of the relentless policy of the govern- ment, that the legislation partook of jluj semblance of equity and justice, and then we find among the ranks of intelligent and liberal minded Protestants of the day a number of aspiring and talented men that gave their energies to the task of breaking the shackles that bound the masses of their fellow countrymen. CHAPTBR II. SIR TOBY BUTLER. Does Time with his cold wing wither Each feeling that once was dear ; Then child of misfortune come hither, I'll weep with thee tear fpr tear. dhf s has been already stated, the severities of the j\ penal laws prevented the election of a Catholic ^-^ to any office, however menial ; but during the snatches of relief that were occasionally tolerated by reason of a non-enforcement of the existing laws, a few of the boldest of the persecuted class stepped to the front and made use of every reasonable meas- ure to procure a relaxation of the vigorous laws. At other times, when some new persecution was on the point of being introduced by the government, the same heroic persons, at the imminent risk of their personal freedom, if not their lives, boldly denounced the tyrannical principles of the author- ities. Among these unflinching patriots were Counsellor Malone and Sir Toby Butler, two of the few Catholic gentry tolerated in the city of Dublin. These gentlemen were appointed as a committee to petition the government against the passage of a bill, entitled an " Act to prevent the further growth of Popery," but failing to make an impression in that way they determined to appear before the House /64 Anecdotes of Ireland. of Commons, and there plead the justice of their cause and the inhumanity of the contemplated bill before the assembled legislators. On that occasion Sir Toby delivered an oration that astonished his auditors by its brilliancy of thought and expression no less then its cogency of argument. It was listen- ed to with attention by the members of the House and the vast audience that crowded the galleries. In order to give our readers any idea of its merits we subjoin a short extract from the principal portion of this masterpiece of eloquence, where the deliverer dwells with warmth of feeling on that section of the bill which offers inducements to the children of Catholic landowners to become monsters of ingrati- tude, by giving them the right to expel their parents from their properties and taking personal possession, on conforming to the established religion. It is as follows : " By the first of these clauses, I, that am the Popish father, without committing any crime against the state, or the laws of the land, or any other fault, but merely for being of the religion of my forefathers and that which, till of late years, was the ancient religion of these kingdoms, contrary to the express words of the second article of Limerick and the public faith plighted for its performance, atai deprived of my inheritance which by : lese articles I am entitled to enjoy, equally with every other of my fellow subjects, whether Protestant or Popish. And though my estate be even the purchase of my own Sir Toby Butler, 165 Wed am f my And own hard labor and industry, yet I shall not, after my eldest son or heir becomes a Protestant, sell or have leave of my own estate to leave a legacy to my other children or my other relations ; but during my own life my estate shall be given to my son, being a Protestant, though ever so undutiful, extravagant, or undeserving ; and I, that am the purchasing father, shall become tenant to ray own freehold which I purchased with my own money, and my son or other heir shall be at liberty to sell or otherwise dispose of my estate, the s^reat of my brows, before my face ; and I, that am the purchaser, shall not have the liberty to make one farthing's use of my inheritanee, but the issues and profits of it shall, before my face, be at the disposal of another. Is not this, gentlemen, a hard case ? I beseech you, gentlemen, to consider whether you would not think so if the scale were changed and the ease your own, as it is likely to be ours, if this bill pass into law." ** It is natural for the father to love his child, but we all know that children are too apt, even without any such liberty as this bill gives, to slight and neglect the duties they owe to their parents, and surely such an act as this will not be an instrument of restraint, but rather of encouragement." "It is too common with the son who has the prospect of an estate, when once he arrives at the age of manhood, to think his old father too long in the way of his enjoying it ; and how much more will he be subject to it now when by this act he shall i66 Anecdotes of Ireland, have liberty before he comes to age, to force my estate from me Tvithout being liable to account for the encumbrances with which the estate might have been charged before the passage of this act," *' Is not this against the laws of God and man ? against the rules of reason and justice by which men ought to be governed ? Is not this the way to make children undutiful, and bring the grey head of the parent to the grave with sorrow and tears? • " It would be hard for any man, but for a son whom I have nursed in my bosom to become my plunderer, to rob me of my estate, to cut my throat, and to take away my land, is much more grievous than from any other, and enough to make the most flinty of hearts bleed at the thought. And yet this will be the case if this bill pass into law, which I hope this honorable assembly will not think of when they shall more seriously consider and weigh these matters." *' For God's sake, gentlemen, will you consider whether this is according to the golden rule, to do as you would be done by. And if not, surely you will not — nay, you cannot, without being liable to be charged with the most manifest injustice imagin- able, take from us our birth rights, and invest them in others before our face." This speech he delivered on the 22nd of February, 1703, the first year of the reign of Queen Anne, but it was delivered in vain. After he had concluded, the members proceeded with the necessary prelimin- Sir Toby Butler. 167 aries for its passage. It was endorsed by the Lords and signed by the Queen the following month. Th« efforts made on the behalf of religious freedom during this period, were confined to the members of the bar, among whom such men as Counsellor Malone and O'Callaghan figure conspicuously. The former had two sons that are intimately connected with the patriotic struggles of the times, one of was a judge, and the other so distinguished for his eloquence as to be ranked among the greatest orators then in the three kingdoms. But after George II. took his seat on the British throne, an act was passed by the Parliament and signed by him, excluding Catholics from the study of the law ! This act remained in force for a period of 60 years, thus shutting off the only avenue left open to the oppressed people for the generation of that talent in which they pre-eminently excel, and from which they expected to derive their greatest benefits. The Irish parliament, it is true, had its full com- pliment of legislators (!), and contained men that were possessed ©f fair abilities for the fulfilment of their duties ; but as it was not a representation of the masses of the people, it could not be looked upon but as a self-constituted assembly, or else a vehicle for the conveyance of English misrule. Under these circumstances the display of statesmanship was abominable in as much as it was almost solely "^^nnni^^nmpi i68 Anecdotes of Ireland, directed to the framing of statutes tending to the increase of Catholiu disabilities. Few in this body were found to be possessed of an honesty to oppose the corruptions that were daily pouring in upon them ; or of a bravery to resistfthe domineering spirit of the British Parliament, and in consequence the Local Legislature was nothing more than a pliant tool in the hands of the British masters. Some noble spirits might occasionally appear and eloquently and energetically oppose the despicable policy of the Commons, but they were either scornfully treated or completely silenced by the overwhelming majority against them. The day of Ireland's great and virtuous statesmen arrived, and when these gallant heroes rose in their might, the liberties of the country that had been bound so long were set free, and the miserable sup- porters of tyranny and intolerance fell cringing and grovelling beneath the crushing oratorical blows of these renowned and pure minded patriots, A sketch of their lives with an extract from the masterpiece of each will now follow. CniPTKR III. GRATTAN AND FLOOD. Shall the harp then be lilent when he who first gare To our country a name is withdrawn from all eyes ; Shall a minsti^l of Erin stand mute by the ^ravc Where the first, where the last of her patriots lies. fEW orators recorded in history possessed the rare gift of eloquence to such an extraordinary ^ degree, or obtained such widespread renown as Henky Gbattan. His name is inseparably con- nected with the history of the Irish nation as one of the greatest of its patriots, and as one who was chiefly instrumental in procuring for his country those just liberties for which her noblest warriors had fought and bled — and in vain. Admiration for this truly great man becomes heightened manifold when his disinterestedness is considered, and that all his labors were conducted on a purely unselfish prin- ciple. He had nothing to gain by the concession of Catholic rightS; consequently his heroism became more visible and more appreciated, and in the opin- ions of his countrymen Shall bis glory stand out to the eyes of all time. Henry Gbattan was born in Dublin, on the third of July, 1746. His early education was received in companionship with Anthony Malonc and other youths who afterwards became men of distinction^ — -^-J n.tt-1. j'./JM , I ! 1 170 Anecdotes of Ireland. and while yet very young developed llial lofty genius and energy that characterized him in after life. In 1763, he entered Trinity College, where he studied for three years. He then departed to Lon- don to prosecute the study of the law. During the period of ten years that now succeeded he spent his time about equally between his legal exercises in London and the enjoyment of sports and general amusements in different parts of Ireland. Wherever he went he became a general iavorite, and his brilliant talents gave him an entry to the highest circles of society., lie closely watched the charac- ter of the great men of his time, Lord Chatham, Henry Flood and other.-", and availed himself of every opporlimity to profit by their abilities. Their famous speeches he listened to with eagerness and rapt attention, and from them conceived the idea of being an orator. When but twenty years old his elo- quence attracted the attention of all who heard him, and when in after years he became acquainted among the gentry his fame rapidly spread, and in a few years he was known as the most promising young orator of the day. He was elected a member of the House of Com- mons in 1775, when only twenty-nine years of age, and although he spent some time in taking observations of the men and manners of the House he was not long in making his power known and felt. He took the side of the opposition against the existing administ ration, and fought long and labor- Grattan and Flood. 171 r c 1- le lis in ral vet his \icst ^vac- uum, 2\f ot Their nnd lea of elo- dhimi among a fe\v' yovmg yi Cona- of ag«' taking e House )wn a^^ alnst the iously in behalf of the liberties of the people. He proceeded from one victory to another, attack- ing the government at every assailable point, and never ceased until he had ofiected its complete overthrow. The volunteer corps were organized principally by his exertions, and then he determined to make that bold stroke for the achievement of Irish nationality, which created such amazement among friends and opponents alike. The motion for the legislative independence of Ireland was intro- duced by him on the nineteenth of April, and carried after the delivery of one of the most sublime master- pieces of eloquence that ever issued from the lips of an orator. This act carried the wildest joy and enthusiasim throughout the land, and made the successful statesman the idol of the people. The British Parliament at first seemed loth to endorse the action of its Irish subordinate, but the spread of the volunteer movement and the bold stand taken by its members, enlightened by the fire of Grattan'a genius, induced the Imperial government to accept the ultimatum and relinquish their right to bind the Irish Parliament, May the seventeenth, 1782. The contest in the respective Houses was between Fox and Grattan ; Grattan was successful and a grateful nation signified their appreciation of his services by a vote of £100,000 for the purchase of an estate. After this great triumph he continued in his efforts for the advancement of the people's cause, and while he was in power the good he produced for the long- i- 172 Anecdotes of Ireland. suffering people was invaluable. He made several gallant but ineffectual attempts for the complete emancipation of the Catholics, but had the satisfac- tion of carrying more than one important, relief bill. But the enemies of j ustice and toleration began to increase in the House, and being assisted by the English Ministry they gradually undone all that Grattan had with so much skill and energy establish- ed in the country. He witnessed the complete disappearance of the Volunteer institution without being able to restrain it, he saw the corrupt ministry daily carrying out exacting measures towards the resumption of the old tyrannical system, and finding that his opposition was of no avail ho resigned his position in the House and retired sorrowfully to private life, 1797. He roused himself for a final effort for the maintenance of his country's independ- ence during the debate on the Union Act, and there displayed his eloquence with its ancient fiery pre- eminence, but, as is well known, it was in vain- After the Union he occupied a seat in the Imperial Parliament for many years, introducing at regular intervals measures calculated to benefit his suffer- ing country. He made his mark in tins haughty assembly as clearly and impressively as in his own local institution. Although frequently unsuccessful he never allowed himself to be cast r'own or intimi- dated by repeated defeats, and his indomitable will and wonderful eloquence excited the admiration of all who heard him. He died on the fourth of G rattan and Flood. 173 i n \c at ai- eie out itvy the ding y ^^ final pend- tVieve vain- penal egulaif attgli^y is own X intitni- able wiU ation of ourtb of . JuDe, 18fiO, a straggling patriot to the last, and a man eyer to bo remembered among the wisest and bravest of mankind. As an example of his oratory, we quote the following speech made on the occasion of the passage of the bill acknowledging the TRIUMPH OF IRISH INDEPENDENGB. " 1 am now to address a free people : ages have passed away, and this is the first moment in which you could bo distinguished by that appellation." " I have spoken on the subject of your liberty so often, that I have nothing to add, and have only to admire by what Heaven directed steps proceeded until the whole faculty of the nation is braced up to the act of her own deliv ernnce." " I found Ireland on her knees, I watched over her with patient solicitude, I have traced her progress from injuries to arms, and from arms to liberty. Spirit of Swift ! spirit of Molyneaux ! your genius has prevailed ! Ireland is now a nation ! in that new character I hail her and bowing to her august presence I say ^sto perpetua.'^ " She is no longer a wretched colony returning thanks to her governor for his rapine, and to her king for his oppression ; nor is she now a squabbling fretful sectary, perplexing her little wits and firing her furious statutes with bigotry, sophistry, disabil- ities and death, to transmit to posterity insignificance and war.'' 3|C 3|« iff 1|C 9yC ^ )|* 3fC mt l|( m I 174 Anecdotes &f Ireland. "Yotir historians did not supply the want of monuments;* on the contrary, these narrators ot your misfortunes, who should have felt for your wrongs, and should have punished your oppr ssors with oppression, natural scourges, the moral indig- nation of history, compromised with publie villany, aod trembled ; they excited your violence, they suppressed your provocation, and wrote in the chain . which entramelled the country. I have come to break that chain, and I congratulate my country, who without any of the disadvantages I speak of, 3oing forth as it were with nothing but a stone ana sling, and what oppression could not take away — the favor of Heaven — accomplished her own redemp- tion, and lefl you nothing to add and everything to admire." " You want no trophy now ; the records of Par- liament are the evidence of your glory : I beg to to observe that the deliverance of Ireland has proceeded from her own right hand ; I rejoice at it, for had the great requisition of your freedom pro- ceeded from the bounty of England, that great work would have been defective both in renown and security. It was necessary that the soul of the country should have been exalted by the act of her own redemption, and chac England should with- draw her claims by operation of treaty, ani r.ot of mere grace, and condescension ; a gratuitous act of Parliament, however expressed, would have been revocable ; but the repeal of her claim under oper- Grattan and Flood, 175 ation of treaty is not ; in that case the legislature is but covenant and bound by the law «f nations— the only law that can legally bind Parliament. Never did this country stand so high. £ngland and Ire- land treat ex cequo. Ireland transmits to the king her claim of right, and requires of the Parliament of England the repeal of her claim of power, which repeal the English Parliament is to make under the priee of a treaty, whicii depends on the law of nations — a law which cannot be repealed by the Parliament of England." " I rejoice that the people is a party to this treaty, because they are bound to preserve it. There is not a man of forty sliillings freehold who is not a^soci- in this our claim of right and bound to die iu its defence ; cities, counties, associations, Protestants and Catholics ; it seems as if the people had joined in one great national sacrament ; a fiame has de- scended from Heaven on the intellect of Ireland, plays around her head and compasses her under- standing with a consecrated glory." Henhy Flood, the contemiwrary and, at one time, the rival of Grattan, was born in the year 1732. lie, too, was a brilliant orator and consum- mate statesman, and one who has earned an undying reputation among his countrymen. He it was who won the first material relief for his down-trodden country, and who, for the space of un years th:it .le held the leadership of 176 Anecdotes of Ireland, the national party in the Irish House of Commons, heroically contended for the liberties of the nation, and proved himself more than a match for the most powerful of his opponents. One by one they dropped at his feet overwhelmed by his withering philippics and baffled by his unparalleled diplomacy. He laid the foundation of the Opposition in Parlia- ment for the obtaining of Irish Legislative Inde- pendence, and established it on a basis which all the intrigues of the Ministerialists could not break down. He gathered around him not only the medi- ocrity but also the aristocracy of the country selecting from each the firmest, and most enduring, thus giving vigor and tone to Lis party. The Octennial Bill which limited the duration of Parlia- ments to eight years received its warmest advocacy from Henry Flood, who was chiefly instrumental in its final passage. The institution of a national mil- itia, bettor known as the Irish Volunteers, was strenuously upheld by him, and that obnoxious law, established by Poyning, which decreed that the heads of all Irish bills should be first transmitted to the English government for approval, was exporied in all its injustice by the ready eloquence of this great orator. His abilities were acknowledged by the leaders of the English Parliament, who made ieveral attempts to detach him from the ranks of the nationalists, but for a long time iuefFectually. He at length agreed to accept office under the ministry of lord Townscnd, and endeavored to explain his Grattan and Flood. 177 conduct by stating that in his new position he could work to greater ndvantag* for the national party than formerly. The course he adopted on this occasion will admit of palliation, when we consider th. his conduct while in office proves that he was not guilty of a single act that would either streng- then the power of the government uninstly, or increase the disabilities of the people. When Grattan rose to the zenith of his power, a bitter rivalry sprung up between these renowned states- men which produced much angry discussion and which was scarcely if ever removed. For years after, Flood maiutaioed his ancient policy in all national matters, and assisted in the introduction and passage of several measures tending to the iv'kjT of his Catholic fellow countrymen. He died iki 1791, leaving his country, as he thought, in the enjoyment of the blessings of, at least, comparitive freedom. f ''\ CnAPTEB IV. EDMUNE BURKE. Oh, it it sweet to think that wherever wc rove. We are sure to find something blissful and dear ; And that when we're far from the lips we love, We have but to make love to the lips we arc near. 'DMUND Burke was one of the brighest ornamentB- among the orators of Ireland, and was not to be excelled by any of the numerous orators and writers of his time. This distinguished statesman was born in 1*730, in the city of Dublin. His early education was carefully attended to, and he enjoyed all the advantages that could be bestowed on him in that respect His fragile form and delicate con- stitution led his anxious parents to believe that he would not long live to reap the fruits of his great erudition, but his after career disabused them of their anxiety. On entering Trinity College, history and debate received his principal attention ; and being of an aspiring temperament, he soon outstrip- ped all his fellows. Having completed his course in that institution, he spent some time in London, Glasgow, and other places, apparently witn no fixed intention, and finally pcttlod down in London. Here he produced many brilliant efforts of literature which established his fiune as a writer throughout the nation. In the pursuit of literary fame he attracted the attention of Lord Verney, who per- Edmund Burke. 179 reiving iu young Burke a: man who would be of great service to the country, exercised his influence to procure his return to Parliament, 1763. His genius had now a wide field for developement. His career was in the English Parliament, and his soul-stirring eloquence, even on his first appearance, did not fail to impress the members of the House with an exalted opinion of his merits. His popular- ity increased daily among all classes, as his abilities were constantly exercised for the benefit of the masses. His fame rapidly advanced in the estimation of the nation, and the wonderful powers of eloquence which he discovered continued to excite the wonder and admiration of all who approached him. When the American revolution broke out, he advocated gentler measures and a conciliating polioy towards the colonists ; and the skill he desplaycd in debating on the subject, showed his intimate knowledge of its circumstances. In all questions connected with the legislation of Ireland, he always took a firm stand in behalf of his country, and plainly showed by his enthusiasm then the devotion in which he held his native land. He was the chief exposer of the irregularities of tho Ind'.uTi government and the short comings of Wairen Hastings ; and his able speeches in support of these charges art; ranked among the mas- ter pieces of eloquence. He spv^nt 30 years in Parlia- ment, retiring in 1 794, after a weil-spent life of nation- al legislation; but from his place of retirement he continued to watch the moveuKuti of the variot s "n m If'! sT I r i Anecdotes of Ireland. iSo /i/*«^»'"* ' favorite U-ansactions in the -^^J^J^^L also followed occupation oV'^^rCdT™ tUe tone of his late ^th unabated "g°^'*"„'^t the feebleness ot old ;^oductions, the world b- ^hat^ e ^.^ ^.^, ^h Le had not weakened the powc ^^ti^^ment Lhofhisonlyso„.asho.tume^a^^^^^^^^ ^^.^^ ^^^ from pubUe life, »fl -t J b ^^ „ever recovered. «\Xct from his speech on the The followmg rs an exUa t ^^^^^^^^^ SU0BTE«ING THE DURATION O ^ * * * J- „.n the sense and agreeably ..To govern aecovd.ng to tn ^^^ .^^^ to the interest, of the peopk ^a g ^^^^^^ ^^ ■>^i^<'* ICrTgh the mcdium'of popular elec- obtained but <'''y°"S=" „ • v,ty evil. " « tions, and popular «^«°"°"Xt though there are few such, and BO great ---'\'^l\,, o|gi„ally elective, nations whose ™'"«'f ^^.^r'^hey a.c the disturt^^ vtrv few are now elected. I aey ^^ relSions ; U-^ ''-,~7, -f »:: impossible, cure these di^uu-bers- d>mc ^^^ „. the only thing ^l^^j; «' ^^ \,t„n too freauently. wealth is to prevent the»r ^^g ^ fre- The objects in view '^'J^^^^.Xhingthem in the quent as they can be w. bout ^_^^ ^^^^ ,„ ^.oseeutioa C public bnsmes , o ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^, lecure the i-^n'^^^-'";. ^t. J^' ""' ^^'^^ 'T. to give them that qmet^^e ^^ ^^^^^^ i„ their fortune as ^^J'^^^,^, ,,„ty in th. world aost arduous and m*.t P* Edmund Burke. i8i with spirit, with efficiency, with independency and with experience, as real public councillors, and not as the canyassers at a popular election. It is wise to compass as many good ends as you possibly can, and seeing they are numerous on both sides with benefits on both, to give up a point of the bene- fit to soften the inconvenience. The perfect cure is impracticable, because the disorder is dear to those from whom alone the cure can possibly be derived. The utmost to be done is to palliate, to mitigate, to respite, to put off the evil day ©f the constitution to its latest hour, and may the day be a late one." *' The bill I fear would precipitate one of the two consequences. I know not whioh most likely or which most dangerous ; either that the crown by its constant stated power, influence and reverence would wear out all oppositions in elections, or that a violent and furious popular spirit would arise. I must see, to satisfy me, the remedies; 1 must see from their operation in the cure of the old evil, and ia the cure of these new evils which are inseparable from all remedies, how they balance each other, and what is the total result. The excellence of mathe- matics and metaphysics is to have but one thing before you, but he forms the best judgment in all moral disquisitions who has the greatest number and variety of considerations before him, and he can take them with the best possible consideration of the middle results of all." ■XT I CHAPTER T. JOHN PHILPOT CURRAN. 'Tia gone and forever the light we saw breaking, Like Heaven's first dawn er the sleep of the dead ; When man from the slumber of ages awalcing, Look'd upward and blessed the pure rays ere it fled. ^OHN Philpot Curran, the siiljject of the follow- ing sketch, was uudoubtedly one of the greatest oratorB that the Avorkl has ever produced. IIo was a characteristic Irishman, warm hearted, impul- sive, earnest, CTen from cliildhood. There was nothiog dull or dreamy in his nature ; the moment action was required his whole soul swelled with cnthusiasim and his energetic spirit was roused to its fullest powers. He was born in Newmarket, in the county of Cork, in 1 750, and grew up from child- hood to youth developing those traits of genius with which he was so strongly imbued in after life. His early education was received in his native town, and at the age of lY entered Trinity College,the alma mater of the Protestant Irish youth of that peried. Scripture classes and general literature received his undivided attention while in college, and attained such a proficiency at these studies that he was enabled in a short time to write sermons and historical sketches with a literary skill far above the ordinary. London was his objective point, after completing his studies iu Trinity and while there John Philpot Curran. 183 :est llo pu\- Avas nent with 10 Us n th« .•hiia- ;emuB r life, town, ed bis Gained le was 18 and jve the „ after le there followed up with his usual ardor his favorite liter- ary pursuits. Shortly after his return to his native country, he endeared himself to his countrymen by his able and successful defence of an aged priest against the malicious prosecution of a dissipated nobleman. This and other similar noble actions gathered many earnest friends around him, and found himself beloved by the people and respected by the aristocracy. In 1 782 he became the friend of Grattan and Flood whose efforts for constitutional freedom were just being crowned with success, and in 1783 he was elected to the House of Commons as repre- sentative of the borough of Kilboggan. He at once joined the ranks of the noble army of patriots who were battling for Irish nationality, and during the whole of his parliamentary career there was not a more able and strenuous advocate of this cause than John P. Curran. His speeches in favor of Cath- olic Emancipation were his masterpieces of oratory and stand unparalleled in the history of that divine gift. The Volunteer corps found him an unswerv- ing supporter, and by his many noble efforts in their behalf became the idol ^nd delight of its members. In his speeches at the Bar he exhibited the same wonderful talent, and he was unsparing in his invec- tives against "corrupt Judges and savage lawyers.'* He also took a prominent part in State trials in which he delivered many excellent speeches. The unsuccesshil rebellion of 1798 ha-l been the cause of a frightful loss of human life and the gallows i84 Anecdotes of Ireland. received not a few of its victims. The numbers that were arrested for participation in this outbreak were very great, and in the trials that followed their arrest Currau played a prominent part. He adopted the prisoners for his clients and exercised all the spirit-moving eloquence of which he was master. He frequently drew tears from Ihe eyes of his auditors by the pathos of his word3,he excited their feelings to the liighest pitch, but was of no avail, judge and jury refused to be irai)resBcd, and the prisoners with very few exceptions suffered the extreme penalty of the law. Wolfe Tone, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, and Napper Tandy received each in his turn the defence offered by Curran's impassioned eloquence, but as in other cases the result was unfavorable. His speeches on these occasions lashed the government and its blood- hounds so severely that few of them were allowed to to be published. After the close of the trials he retired for a time from public life. In 1806 he was appointed Master of the Rolls. In the elections for 1812 he was solicited to stand for Newry, but was defeated. In 1814 he finally retired from politics, and from that time until the day of his death his mind and body gradually decayed. He died in 1817, but his memory will ever live in the hearts of all true Irishmen as one of the greatest patriots that Ireland ever produced. The following is the outline of Curran's great speech on fjohn Philpot Curran, 185 n V d 10 jr. lis eir ail* tlic the lovd Lved •An' 9 •asea on lood- ed to Is be was US for >va« Ailics, h bis led in arts of 18 ibat great CATHOUO. BMANaPATIOir. " Gentlemen have talked as if the qnestion was whether we may, with safety to ourselyes, relax or repeal the laws which have so long coerced our Catholic fellow subjects? The real question is, whether you can, with safety to the Irish oonstitn- tion, refuse such a measure. It is not a question merely of their sufferings or their relief; it is a question of your own preservation. There are some maxims which an honest Irishman will never aban- don, and by which every public measure may be fairly tried. Those are the independence of Ireland connected with Britain as a confederated people, and the preservation of the constitution upon the prin- ciples established at the revolution in church and state. If you wish to know how these great objects may be effected by a repeal of these laws, see how they were effected by their enactment. Here you have the infallible test of fact and experience ; and wretched indeed must you bo if false shame, false pride, or false spirit, can prevent you from reading that lesson of wisdom, which is written in blood, and the calamities of your country. These laws were destructive of arts, of industry, of private morals, and public order. They were fitted to extirpate oven the Christian religion from among the people, and iL'duce them to the condition of savages and rebels, disgraceful to humanity and formidable to the state.'* " Let me ask you how have these laws affected i I IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I iii IIIM ,50 'll=^ IIIIM '-=.' IIIIM 2.2 .1^ m ^ 1^ 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 .4 6" — ► VI i9 /}. 'a c^: ^1 ^^" ^l d^^ M Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 4is /? ip 41: /a i86 Anecdotes of Ireland, tbe Protestant subject and the Protestant constitu- tion? In that interval were they free ? Did they possess that liberty which they denied to their brethren ? No, sir ; where there are inhabitants but no people, there can be no freedom ; unless there be a spirit and what may be called a pull in the people, a free government cannot be kept steady or fixed in its seat. You had indeed a government, but it was planted in civil dissension and watered in civil blood; and whilst the virtuous luxuriance of its branches aspired to heaven, its infernal roots shot downward to their congenial regions and were nur- tured in hell. Your ancestors thought themselves the oppressors of their fallen subjects, but they were only their gaolers; and the justice of Providence would have been frustrated, if their own slavery had not been the punishment of their vice and their folly But are these facts for wh'ch he must appeal to history ? You all remember the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine. What were you then ? Your constitution without resistance in the hands of the British Parliament ; your trade in many parts extinguished, in every part coerced. So low were you reduced to beggary and servitude, as to declare that unless the mercy of England were extended to your trade, you could not exist. Here you have an infallible test of the ruinous influence of these laws in the experience of a century ; of a constitution surrendered, and a commerce utterly extinct. In 1782 you became ix^(^. Your Catholic John Philpot Curran, 187 He m So de, as were Here nee of of a tterly tholic brethren shared the danger of the conflict, but you had not the justice or gratitude to let them share the fruits of the victory, You suffered them to relapse into their former insignificance and depres- sion. And let me ask you, has it not fared with you according to your deserts ? Let me ask if the parliament of Ireland can boast of being now less at the feet of the British minister than at that period it was of the British parliament." 4c He ili >ii >K 4c " I call on the House to consider the necessity of acting with a social and conciliating mind. Con- trary conduct may, perhaps, protract the unhappy depression of my country; but a partial liberty cannot long continue. With infinite respect must any man look forward to the aberration of three millions of our people, and to a degree of subserv- iency and corruption in a fourth. The inevitable consequence would be the emigration of every man of consequence from Ireland ; it would be the parti- cipation of British taxes without British trade ; it would be the extinction of the Irish name as a people. We would become a wretched colony, perhaps, leased out to a company of Jews, as was formerly in comtemplation, and governed by a few tax- gatberers and excisemen ; unless, possibly, you might point to 15 or 20 couple of Irish members who may be found eveiy session sleeping in their collars under the manger of the British minister." CeAPTER V. DANIEL O'CONNELL. ii ii I ■ f > i 1 ■ ! 1 M A braggart tyrant swore to smite A people struggling for their right — O'Connell dared him to the field, Content to die, but never yield. 'ar attention is next directed to the " immortal Dan," by far the most popular and probably the greatest orator and most genuine Irishman of all the bright and noble characters that have devoted their lives and talents for the welfare of Ireland in the legislative halls of the nation. He did not, it is true, have the happiness to " fight the good fight" in the national legislature of his country, for at the time of the existence of that body the penal laws were in full force, and no Catholic could take hig seat in its midst. But from his position among the haughty legislators of England he hurled the thun- ders of his eloquence against the powers that had held his country under an iron rule so long, and compelled them by his bold and undaunted exertions to release their iron grasp and restore to his co-re* ligionists those rights which were theirs by all right, human and divine. It was a long contested strug- gle, but the pent-up feelings of ages found an outlet in the heroism of the great counsellor, and the victory was for once on the side of Right. Daniel O'ConnelL 189 laws 3 Ills g the thun- it had and rtions co-re" right, Strug- outlet id the Daniel O'Connell was born on the sixth of August, 11l5y near the town of Caherciveen, Kerry. His father was the owner of considerable property in the vicinity, and in a position to give his son as liberal an education as the nature of the times would permit. On the continent he pui*sued his most advanced studies, in the Colleges of Lou- vain, St. Omer and Douay, where he not only rose to pre-eminence in knowledge, but also became thoroughly imbued with high devotional principles in the practice of his religion, which was a marked feature in his whole career until the day of his death. After giving some time for study in Eng. land (a course the law demanded) he went to Dublin and took his position in the Irish bar, the Relief Bill admitting Catholics to the profession of the law having been passed about five years before. In the profession of the law he continued to dis- tinguish himself for many years, rising to consider- able renown among his fellow barristers. He took a prominent part in the several movements anent the Catholic agitators, in all of which his superior abilities gave him the leadership. In 1816 he succeeded in establishing the Catholic Association, which became so important in after years as to excite the apprehension of the govern- ment, who did their utmost to break it up. But O'Connell set all their efforts at naught, and by his skill and ingenuity eluded all the legal proceedings that could be brought against the Association. : igo Anecdotes of Ireland, O'Connell and his party became so formidable in the course of time that the attention of the English Parliament was attracted in earnest to the object in view, viz. : the complete emancipation of the Oatholics ; and the wonderful efforts of the " agita- tors " in supporting and encouraging the election of such as would advocate the national cause, hastened the action of the government. Having thus suc- ceeded in arousing the interest of all parties to such a pitch as to make the Catholic Emancipation the question of the day, O'Connell appeared in the field as a candidate for parliament ry honors for Clare — the penal statute being to the contrary notwith- standing. The wildest excitement now prevailed throughout the whole kingdom, for every one knew that the crisis had come. In spite of all the exer- tions of his opponents, backed by the aid of a powerful government, O'Connell carried the day amid the utmost enthusiasm of his countrymen. The first grand triumph having thus been achieved the rest followed as a necessary consequence. When O'Connell appeared at the bar of the House he refused to take the oath of abjuration, and was therefore sent back to his constituency. But his gigantic exertions had already wrought their effect. The Catholic Relief Bill passed and O'Connell again appeared to claim his seat, and he wa« not refused. During the many years that he represented his con- stituency in the Imperial Parliament he stood without a rival in eloquence and statesmanship Daniel O'Connell. 191 among the many great men that sorrounded him. He became the centre of attraction for the Empire, idolized by his countrymen and admired and respec- ted by all. Ireland he devotedly loved and for her welfare he consecrated his whole life, and his grate- ful country in return retained his memory in their inmost souls, with an affection and respect never before felt for any of Ireland's patriots. After his triumph of Emancipation, he organized the Repeal movement, and for years worked with all tlie strength of his gigantic powers for the accomplish- ment of this purpose, so dear to all Irishmen. But he was opposed 15y the full strength of Sir Robert Peel's narrow-minded government, who finding that the logical arguments of the immortal ** Dan" and his friends could not be combatted, resorted to the more effective means of silencing them by having them arrested for treason ! The House of Lords refused to sustain the charge of the lower Assembly, and the Repealers were set at liberty. This occurred in 1844, and from that time the public life of O'Con- nell ceases. He died in 1847, at the age of seventy- two, in the far off plains of Italy. His remains were brought to his native country and followed to their last resting place by an immense cortege, amid the tears of an entire nation. Volumes might be written of this great and virtuous man, but his panegyric may be pronounced in a few words : he was pious, charitable, talented, patriotic and trans cendantly eloquent, and his virtues and genius have so - I ill! if' I' 'II I 192 Anecdotes of Ireland. ' iadeliblj fixed themselves on the minds of his countrymen that all succeeding generations of Erin's sons, in whatever part of the world they may be, will unhesitatingly pronounce him " Ireland's glory." We quote the following extract from a speech delivered by him at the celebrated " Dublin Elec- tion," in the course of which he eulogizes the mem- ory of the immortal Grattan in words of fire. "We are met on this occasion to celebrate the obsequies of the greatest man Ireland ever knew. The land of his birth in mourning over his remains, feels it is a nation's sorrow, and turns with the anxiety of a parent to alleviate the grief of the orphan he has left. The virtues of that great patriot shone brilliant, pure, unsullied, ardent, un- remitting, glowing. Oh ! I could exhaust the dictionary three times told ere I could enumerate the virtues of Grattan." " In 1778 when Ireland was shackled he raised the standard of Independence, and in 1782 he stood forward as the champion of his country, achieving gloriously her independence ! Earnestly and unre- mittingly did he labor for her, bitterly did he deplore her wronjs ; and if man could have prevented her ruin ; if man could have saved her, he would have done it." " After the disastrous Act of Union, which met his most resolute and determined opposition, he did not suffer despair to creep over his heart and induce him to abandon her as was the case with too many Daniel O'Connell, 193 )f his Erin's ay be, jlory." speech Elbc- B mem- ate the • knew. emaiDB, ith the of the ,t great ent, un- ust the umerate ised the |e stood thieving id nnre- deplore ited her dd hare lich met J, he did induce )o many others. No, Le remained firm to his duty in the darkest adversity, he continued his unvarying ad- vocacy of his country's rights. Of him it may be truly said in his own words—' Ha watched by the cradle of his country's freedom ; he followed her hearse.' His life to the very period of his latest breath has been spent in her service — and he died, I may ever say, a martyr to his cause." " Who shall now prate to me of religious animos- ity ? To any such I will answer by pointing to the honored tomb of Grattan, and I will say, * There sleeps a man of the Protestant community, who died in the cause of his Catholic fellow countrymen.* " " I have been told that they would even rob us of his remains, that the bones of Grattan are to rest in a foreign soil ! Rest? No! the bones of Grat- tan would not rest any where but in their kindred earth. Gentlemen, I trust that we shall yet meet to interchange our sentiments of mixed affection and admiration over a monument of brass and mar- ble erected to the memory of the man'whose epitaph is written on the hearts of his countrymen ! " " Gentlemen, I do not come here with a womanly feeling, merely to weep over our misfortune, though heaven is my witness that my heart is heavy, I come not here to pay a vain tribute to the dead. To do justice to the name of Grattan would require an eloquence equal to his own ; but I ask myself, I ask you, how we can best atone and compensate our country for the loss she has sustained? It is by 194 Anecdotes of Ireland, uniting as brothers and Irishmen in returning a rep- resentative for our city not unworthy of filling the place of him ivho raised the standard of universal charity and Christian benevolence. Yet in this hallowed moment of sorrow, ere yet his sacred remains are consigned to earth, the spirit of discord would light the torch of fanaticism and set up the wild hollow of bigotry and persecution. * May God in Heaven forgive them, they know not they do.'" '.' Gentlemen, will they call this religion? will they profane the name of religion by such a presumptions assertion, such jin invidious destinction ? They will not, they cannot ! " * * ^ * * a vep- ig the versal a this sacred liscord up the ly God do.'" ill they nptious They CHAPTER VI. RICHARD LALOR SHIEL. Unchilled by the rua and unwakened by the wind, The lily lies sleepinp through winter's cold hsur, Till spring, with a touch, her dark slumber unbind And daylight and liberty bless the young flower. [iCHARD Lalor Shiel was not the least among the renowned orators of the " Irish School of Eloquence." His orations were of the fiery and impulsive nature, but it was as noble-minded as it was enthusiastie, and his political career is dis- tinguished as much for his many admirable social qualities as for his wonderful genius, He was born in Dublin in 1*793, and after passing through the usual course of studies he was called to the Irish bar in 1814, at the age of twenty-one— an extraor- dinary youthful age for that position. His talent as a speaker had developed itself at a very early period of his existence, in fact he was little more than a mere boy when he became reniarkable for his publio speeches. He was an able and strenuous supporter of the Catholic Association, uniting his ability with the genius of the Liberator for the attainment of Catholic Emancipation, and the popularity he earned in this cause among his countrymen was excelled by that of O'Connell only. From the com- mencement of his political career in 1822, up to tho f 196 Anecdotes of Ireland. >> 1 I passage of the Emancipation Act in 1829, he labored unceasingly in the cause of Irish liberty, and never dcTiated for a moment from the line he had drawn out for himself, and although a misunderstanding arose between him and his great colleague, it neither continued forever nor prevented or hindered in any way their determined prosecution of the good work they had in hanel. In 1829 he entered Parliament, and continued for many years in various capacities of public life. His genius sparkled as liighly in the legislative halls of old England as in the debating rooms of his native land, and it never failed to impress all who came within the reach of his masterly elo- quence with a deep sense of his power. His duties to the government he discharged to the satisfaction of the leaders, who did not hesitate to place the utmost confidence in his integrity, probity and ability. In all his official cares he still retained his love for old Ireland and he never lost sight of th© duty he owed her as the land of his nativity and forefathers. He received the appointment of ambas- sador to the ducal court of Tuscany in 1850 — three years after the death of his compatriot — and entered on this new position with the alacity and prompt- ness which he always displayed. He did not live long afterwards. He died in Florence in 1851, but hie memory is enshrined in the hearts of his country- men. The following is a sketch of the speech he delivered during the existence of the Catholic Asso- Richard Lalor Shicl. 197 red yer iwn Ung ther any TTOVk fient, lities n tbe ating ipress y elo" duties action ce the and ed his lof the and imbas- — three jntered rompt- lot live 151, but ountry- ech he Asso- ciation, on the advantages to be derived by sending a deputation to England, in order to advocate their cause before the Imperial Parliament. ^* The English are a wise, a generous and a lofty minded people, and we should have appealed to their wisdom, to their justice and to their humanitj. We should have disabused them of many mistakes ; we should have demonstrated to them that we are not unworthy to be incorporated in that great com* munity of British citizenship; that our politieal ethics are much better than they had been taught t# believe; that there is no dogma in our religion which renders us unfit for the enjoyment of social freedom ; that our creed is the faith of their great progenitors; and that in casting contumely upon ovtt opinions they stamp damnation on their fathers- graves. We should have told them that the barons of Runimede were as good citizens as the lords of Chancery Lane, and that the sword with which the Magna Charta was won might be weighed against Lord Eldon'smace. We should have told them that the part which they have taken towards our country reflects no credit upon them in the eyes of mankind ; and that having the excellence of gigui- tic strength, they should not use it in the spirit of gigantic domination ; that liberty is like light and is not impaired by participation ; and that the dis* franchisement of 7,000,000 of British subjects cannot fail to be productive of great calamities ; that we are placed in an unnatural and therefore injurious 198 Anecdotes ej Ireland. relation towards the empire ; and that it befits their dignity to interpose between the contending factions by which the country is torn asunder ; that they had too long turned our furious contentions into sport ; and that it is unworthy of them to sit like the spectators of a Roman {theatre, at a gladiator- ial exhibition of their slaves, and make a pastime of the ferocious passions with which they are arrayed against' each other, in all the insolence of inglorious triumph and infuriated despair. We should have liold. them that by a single act of magnanimous justice they might have put an end to the animos- ities that have cost so much English and Irish blood : — that our emancipation would have been an act of thrift as well as one of humanity, and that it became their prudence as well as the grandeur of their national character, and that it is a matter of economy as well as honor to make us free." * * ♦ * ♦ « ^ "Are we to continue forever in this frightful state? Are we to be everlastingly marshalled against each other by infuriating provocations of the laiw? Are we to be set with a rabid and canine fdfj against each other ? Are our detestations to b6 endorsed with a disastrous immortality ? Is our hatred to be eternal? Is the corroding sentiment which consumes our bosoms and preys on the vitals of our country to be like tho fire that is not quenched and the 'worm that dieth not?' Are we to be doomed to everlasting execration of each other ; and mm * Richard Lalor Shiel, 199 when the present generation shall have passed away , are our children to rise out of their cradles with the same feelings with which their fathers descended into their graves ? If there were no other calamity to be apprehended, t'nis evil should be regarded as a dreadful one." i i "•• -1 SI Mi CHAPTER VII. THE PATRIOTS OF FORTY-EIGHT. The soldier's hope, the patriot's dream, Forever dimmed, forever crossed, Oh ! who shall say what heroes feel, When all but lifo and honor's lost. [HBif the " Young Ireland " Party made their abortive bat well-meant attempt for the libera- tion of their country in 1848, there were many gallant and aspiring young Irishmen made to suffer for its ill success. Falling into the hands of the authonties of the crown they were found guilty of high treason, and ultimately condemned to perpetual exile. Among the participants in this insurrection the principal, or those who afterwards rose to the greatest fame, were Thomas D'Arcy McGee, Charles Gavin Duffy and Thomas Franeis Meagher. Thomas D'Arcy McGsb, at the time of the illfated escapade referred to, was but twenty-three years of age — having been born 1825, near Carlingford, in the county of Louth. He had visited Boston some am- years previous to the embryo insurrection and astonished the people of that city by his amazing powers of oratory, more remarkable on account of his extreme youth, being seventeen. His connection with the Boston Pihty in which he earned such a wide-spread renown both as a poet and prose writer, The Patriots of Forty-Eight, 201 heir )era- aany uffer ; the by of etaal ction the arles llfated lars of |rd, in gome |n and lazing |unt of lection such a [writer, is no doabt familiar to oar readers. He returned to Ireland in 1845, and shortly after associated himself with the editor of the Dablin Fbbeman's Joubnal, Charles Gavin Duffy. In this capacity he became famoQs throughout Ireland — the grandeur of his editorials and the beauty of his poetry, together with the sublimity of his eloquence elevating him to an enviable position in the minds of the people. When the storm burst and scattered the members of the "Toung Ireland Party" far and wide, jyArcy sought shelter in Scotland, and finally made his escape to America. He took up his residence in New York, and established a paper called the New York Nation, which became very popular among the Irish people of that city, but its editor lost prestige by his unseemly attack on the venerable Archbishop Hughes, for which he was, however, subsequently sincerely repentant. From New York Mr. McGee went to Boston and opened the office of the American Celt, where he continued until 1852, when he transferred his business to Buffalo. In this city he remained for five years, editing his paper with his accustomed consummate skill, and deliver- ing occasionally stirring lectures in various parts of the country. While here, as in every other place, he made the elevation of the Irish race his chief study ; and he ever manifested by his actions that their welfare constituted the sole idea of his public life. In 1857, he gave up his residence and paper in Buffalo, and went to Montreal, at the earnest m 202 Anecdotes of Ireland, 1 ' solicitation of several of hia friends in that city. A year had not elapsed when, notwithstanding the great difficulties in his way, he was elected to the Canadian Parliament, to represent the interests of the third electoral division of Montreal. His mem- orable remark, made in the heat of the contest when the charge ot " rebel" was frequently thrown in his face, silenced the taunts of his enemies : — " It is true, I was a rebel in 1848. I rebelled against the misgovernment of my country by Russell and his school ; I rebelled because I saw my countrymen starving before my eyes, while my country had her trade and commerce stolen from her. I rebelled against the Church Establishment in Ireland ; and there is not a liberal man in this Commons wha would not have done as I did if he were placed in ray position and follow the dictates of humanity." In the Caradian Parliament he distinguished him- self as one jf the best, if not the ablest orator and statesman of the day. In his public life he waa respected and admired by people of every creed, and among his own countrymen his abilities and exertion* for their welfare were duly appreciated. He was af one time President of the Council and Secretary for the Province ; and it was while engaged in the duties of these offices that he wrote and published his great History of Ireland, and other valuable works. His last public act was in connec- tion with the Commissionership from Canada to the Paris Exposition, in 1867. The sudden and tragic The Patriots of Forty-Eight. 203 M and other jonnec- to the tragic termination of his career is yet fresh in the minds of the public ; and the general opinion of its cause was the change which his political opinions underwent during his stay in the States, and the opposition which he at all times manifested against Fenianism. It was on the night of the 7th of April, 1868, that the assassin's bullet penetrated the brain of Thomas D'Arcy McGee, one of the most talented, virtuous, and patriotic Irish Catholics that ever lived. Charlbs Gavin Duffy is another of these purely unselfish beings that we occasionally meet with in history, perilling their lives and happiness for the salvation of their country. He was born in the county of Monaghan, in 1816, and grew to his 18th year, devoid of all principles of education but such as his own natural genius taught him. His first employment was in Dublin in connection with the Repeal organ, the Mountain ; but after remaining in this position almost a year, he commenced on his own account with a new paper called the Nation. It was in the publishing of this journal that he discovered to the world those brilliant qualities that have signallizQd him as one of the shining lights of the country. His very earnest exertions on behalf of his country caused his movements to be watched by the government, and when the troubles of 1848 broke out, he was arrested for treason; but the charge could not be sustained. After his release, he resumed the Nation, and subsequently represented 204 Anecdotes of Ireland. the constituency of New Ross for about four years. He then removed to Australia, where his fame having preceded him, he was soon after his arrival elected to the legislature of Victoria, and was advanced to the highest offices. His great abilities left him without a rival in his new sphere, and obtained for him the admiration of the colonists. The Irish settlers in the country were justly proud of the talents of their great countryman, and did everything in their power to shew the estimation in which he was held by them. He had not been a year in their midst before they presented him with a valuable estate as a token of their esteem. Their confidence wa^ neither abused nor misplaced, for we find that during the course of his public life he was not unmindful of their interests, and that even in that far distant country the fire of national devotion still kindles in his bosom with undiminished ardor. He proved himself a statesman of more than ordinary diplomatic skill, as his actions in c nnection with the government plainly testifies. H^s assistance in forming a ministry has been solicited more than once to iprevent confusion in politics, fand now we find him in the 56th year of his age, prime minister , of one of her majesty's most important colonies, with almost unlimited power. His life has leeia chequred with trials and troubles, ]but now he sta,nds , on. the summit of prosperity, haviag successfull jr ^ climbed The Bteep ythett Fame's prondlerople sbioes i^ffr. The Patriots of Forty-Eight, 205 Thomas Fbancis Meagher was another of thote brave but unfortunate Irishmen who loved their country " not wisely but too well " for their own good. He was born at Waterford in 1823, and had all the advantages of an early and liberal education, both in Ireland and England. In the latter conntrj he obtained the highest honors in the several branches of his academical studies. He returned to Ireland in 1844, and commenced the study of the law, but like many | other patriotic young men of his age, he took part in the great Repeal agitation then being prosecuted by Mr. O'Connell. His com* plicity in the attempt of 1848 led to his arrest and banishment to the penal colony of Van Dieman's Land, from which he succeeded in effecting an escape to the United States. Every one knows the prominent part taken by him in the Great Ameri- can Rebellion, and the unflinching bravery with which he and his gallant brigade marched to battle for the Union. He rose to the rank of brigadier- general by his superior soldierly qualities, and maintained an honorable reputation throughout the war. In 1867 he was appointed governor of the territory of Montana, which position he held with credit for about a year, when he lost his life by accidental drowning in the Missouri, while on a steamboat voyage to a distant part of the territory. The zeal for the glory and welfare of his country, which he continually manifested, has won for his memory the eternal regard of his countrymen. -\i i t I^i ■®^l^^^^3g^ THE POET ■I, ■ ¥ ANECDOTES OF IRELAND. THE POET. Harp of the land I lore ! forgire tkia hand, That reverently lifts thee from the d«tt. And scant thy strings with awe and lOTC, Lest hy neglect the chards of soag shoold rust. — .McQbx. CHAPTER I. THE BARDS OF OLD. JHE music of Ireland is as well worthy of ad- miration as her oratory and warlike deeds. Who has not heard or read of the Bards of ancient Ireland whose melodies were replete with grandeur, wirth, sorrow, sentiment and every variety of feeling that finds a response in the human heart ? Far back in the earliest ages are records to be found respecting the music and poetry of Ireland. Wher ever mention is made of the actions of her warriors there also is the song of her bard ; for the tales of war and chivalry come handed down to us prind- pally in the glowing language ol those Irish troubadours. T heyjconstituted one of the chief orders '% P! •J 210 Anecdotes of Ireland. into which the people were divided, and next to the Drnids were held in the highest estimation and respect Every chieftain had his bard or musician to extol his deeds of war, to preside at feasts, wed- dings or other amusements, and he was considered so essential to the clan [that no chieftain of conse- quence was without one. When the prince went into battle his bard accompanied him to inspire him with his martial strains : when victory attended his arms, the bard sung his praises with all the applause he was capable of rendern^ ; when defeat or misfortune cast a gloom over the feelings of the chief, his faithful bard taxed his powers to drive away all melancholy ; when an heir was born or a fair bride introduced into the household, the master of song discoursed his most enlivening strains in character with the occasion ; and finally when the ehieftain's days were over and his earthly remains lay in their last resting place, the mournful dirges of this versatile genius resounded throughout the ancestral halls, striking his hearers with sentiments of sorrow and depression. In fine the Bard was an indispensible household article to every respectable dignitary ; and more than that, an insult offered to to the former was fiercly resented by his patron, thus showing the significance and importance in which they were held. The chief musical instrument of these ancient times was the Harp, which to this day remains as one of the distinguished emblems of Ireland. The The Bards of Old, 211 Pibrooh or bagpipe was also ia common use. The former lias almost totally ceased to be used, but the latter still contiuues to be the popular instrument among the peasantry. These musicians were the news carriers of the time, acting much the same as a substitute for the mail system. They travelled from place to place recounting in their rhymes, with harp accompaniment, the events current in the country. They were everywhere hospitably re- ceived and treated with the utmost cordiality and friendship — the cheering notes of their instru- ments and the pleasing rhymes adapted thereto being considered by the hosts a sufficient recompense for any outlay they might have undergone in enter, taining their guests. The musical compositions of these ancient masters were admirably in keeping with the national senti- ment, and well they knew how to arrange their selections in order to suit the time and place. These wild melodies and inspiring lilts that we find among the Irish national airs of the present day are the productions of our bards to a considerable extent, but the author of each particular piece is unknown. Witness the effect of these airs on the son or daugh- ter of Erin who has any inclination for music — and who has not ? A selection conveying a sorrowful cadence in its* burthen will awaken thoughts of home, kindred and early associations, filling the mind of the auditor with emotion and sorrow ; but a change in the metre, substituting animation for >* m 212 Anecdotes of Ireland, fiectiment, will produce a corresponding change in the feelings, and the heart that but a short time ago was ** bowed down " to the earth has again re- sumed its gaiety. Those beautiful airs which the immortal Moore has so skillfully adapted to his world renowned poetical compositions date their origin from this distant period, but at what e;caot time or by whom they were composed is a mystry, and will probably ever remain so. KeirerthelesB they will ever remain as living monuments of Ire* Iand*s ancient minstrelsy) and wherever the native of the Emerald Isle may be found, whether at home or abroad, the emotioional strains of the sorrowful ** GouUn " or the soul-stirring notes of his national anthem, " St. Patrick's Day," with all their kindred airs, will ever obtain a warm place in his affections. The churches of Christian Ireland have been always famous for the beauty and sublimity of their music j but in ancient times there was a marked superior- ity. As in matters of education, the youth of the noblemem of Britain and the continent were sent to Ireland to complete their musical studies, and no musician was considered " finished," no matter how talented, unless he could boast of having spent a portion ot his time under the tuition of the Irish masters. From the banks of the Guadiana in Sptun, or the Vistula in Germany, to the extreme north, the genius of the Irish musicians was on everyone^s tongue, and up to the middle of the fourteenth century their pre-eminence was acknowledged by all The Bards of Old, 213 European nations. The art of music was cultivated by all classes of the people, and at one time it was as generally in use as the every-day customs of life. Such were the acquirements of the ancient musi- cians of Ireland, and such was the condition of that heavenly art in connection with other sciences, at a time when all other nations were luxuriating in what is termed by " popular " writers the " dark ages." The Bards continued to hold their almost unlimited power far into the Norman period, and were a source of comfort snd animation to the clans, men during the fierce struggles they had to main- tain against their inveterate enemies. From that time they gradually lost strength, [and diminished year by year. The extinguishing process [extended over a long period, and we have reason to believe that relics of this once powerful order could be found in Ireland within the memory of the present generation. The " Wandering Harper " is still fresh in our memory, but the glory ofjthe Irish Minstrel has departed never more to return. CHAFTER II. TERENCE O'CAROLAN. Last of our Uncient Minstrels, thou who lent A buoyant motive to a foundering race ; Whose saving song into their being blent, Sustained them by its nassion and its grace McGee. ^EEBNCE O'Carolan the famous Irish compouer was born at Nobber, in Meath, in 1670. He possessed all the characteristics of the ancient Bards whom he emulated in no small degree. He was the composer of most of those popular melodies which partake so mucli of sentiment, pathos and grandeur. His instrument was the Harp, which he played on in his youthful years for his own recrea- tion alone — other employment being sufficient for his maintenance. Like all other renowned artists he was self-taught, and in him the natural gift developed itself in a ironderful degree, and he became the admiration not only of his neighborhood but also of the whole nation — his fame finally spreading into foreign countries. When about 25 years old he became afflicted with total blindness, and from that time forward he was compelled to make use of his harp and genius as a means of livelihood. Even in this lamentable condition the spirit of poetry and song manifested itself with as great a power as ever in the fertile imagination of the blind Turlogh,* Terence O'Carolan. 215 I as It was during this (to him) dark period tliat he improvised his most beautiful poems and airs. He wandered about the country on horseback with no other company than a young boy, and was every- where received with the most profound respect and the heartiest welcome. As it was the ancient cus- tom for the Bard to obtain a patron under whose fostering care he could always find shelter, so every poet in following up this practice was never in want of this requisite. He lived at the time of the troubles arising out of the Stuart succession, and in sympathy with the majority of his countrymen adopted the cause of the exiled race. Many ballads were composed by him commemorative of the state of existing affairs, and as he gave expression to his compositions in his native language he escaped the wrath of the authorities. As it was, he received the name of the "Jacobite" poet which he retained until the day of his death. He died at Aldereford in Roscommon, in 1731, in the 61st year of his age. His compositions are varied and consist of Con- certos, Planxties and general melodies. These last as has been stated before, were generally mournfuU and pathetic in their strain, and form among the Irish peasantry of the present day the airs for their most popular songs; but he frequently adopted ameta- phorioal and ironical vein by which he bemoaned the griefs of his country, in the person of some familiar object or person — thus eluding the eter watchful enemy who sought to prevent even this I i f 2l6 Anecdotes of Ireland. manner of complaint. We have but to point to the hidden meaning conveyed in the *' Drimin dhu Dheelieh," the " Blackbird," the " Roishin Dhuv," the " Green Linet," and the " Coleen dhas Cruthee na mbo," to illustrate this style of poetry. Music was his chief characteristic and in this art he was unexcelled by any Irish poet of his time. The blind bard, '' the last of his race,*' as he has been signifi- cantly called, has long since passed 'away, but his works shall remain in the hearts of the descendants of Erin as long as there is one to be found on the earth. I i }} CHAPTER III. THOMAS MOORE. For us, while an echo remains on life's mountain, While the isle of our youth 'mid her seas shall endure. We must pray as we stoop to drink at the fountain Of song, for the soul of the builder, Tom. Moore. — McGee. p all the poets that Ireland can boast the greatest and most popular is Tom. Moore. Wherever the English language is "spoken there will be heard the name of this famous Irish poet, and not only among his own countrymen is his name re. spectel and his memory treasured up, but eren among the intelligent and cuUivated of other ciyil- ized nations we find that his poems occupy a promi- nent position in literary circles. Without taking into consideration the many sublime {poems which he has given to the world we have only to examine his " Irish Melodies " to find the spark of genius flashing through every thought. There will the son of Erin find patriotism sufficimt to satisfy the most enthusiastic ; and sentiment to answer the prompt- ings of the most romantic. His productions under this head are incomparable, and such as to iijspire every true Irishman with feelings of love for their author and the most exalted opioions of his country. He was born on the twenty-eighth of May, 1780, in the city of Dublin. In his youth he was exceed- I ;T , j , i;-im' . a7W 4 r 'i 2i8 Anecdotes of Ireland, ingly studious and retentive ; so much bo that he had mastered all the rudiments of education prepar- atory to entry in Trinity College, at the age of fourteen. In this institution he was distinguished for close application to the study of the classics and a strong love of country, which discovered itself on more than one occasion. At the age of nineteen he had finished his collegiate course, and thenceforth we find him embarked on the sea of poetry. The compositions that flowed from his pen followed thick and fast, exciting the wonder and admiration of all lovers of poetry. His absence in Bermuda in 1803 interrupted his writings for a short time, but on Jhis return he resumed his pen as laboriously and as creditably as ever. In 1817 appeared his grandest effort, " Lalla Rookh," one of the most valuable acquisitions to [the world of poetry, and that which has earned him the greatest fame. Be- tween 1803 and 1825 were written the great bulk of his poems, including his celebrated "Irish Melodies" and the " Lives of Augels." From the publishers of these productions he derived a handsome income. His poetical genius gave him admission to the high- . est circles of Society, and his kind and amiable disposition made him loved by all. His advance in wealth and prosperity did not produce a feeling of haughtiness or pride in Moore, on the contrary he always preserved the same familiar demeanor to the friends of his earliest and most prosperous days. He married in 1811, and went to live in Derby- Thomas Moore. 2ig shire where he fixed his residence permanently. Here he continued his literary labors as long as his health sustained him, but he finally broke down about the year 1845. Some few years previously he had received a pension from government which pre. vented a relapse into poverty. He died in 1852, at the advanced aged of seventy-two, leaving behind him an undying fame as a poet of the people. As a specimen of his ** Irish Melodies " on which lie based his fame, we append the following which partakes of patriotism and sentiment combined. high- , THE SONG OF O'RUARK. The valley lay smiling before rae, Where lately I left her behind ; Yet I trembled, and something hung o'er me, That sadden'd the joy of my mind. I looked for the lamp, which she told me Should shine when her pilgrim return'd ; But, though darkness began to infold me, No lamp from the battlement burn'd. I flew to her chamber — 't was lonely As if the loved tenant lay dead { — Ah ! would it were death, and death only 1 But no — the young false one had fled. And there hung the lute, thut could soften My very worst pains into bliss, While the hand that bad waked it so often Now throbb'd to a proud rival's kiss. 220 Anecdotes of Ireland. Thert was a time falsest of women ! When Brefifni's good sword would have sought That man, though a million of foemen, Who dared but to doubt thee in thougnt ! WhiU now— oh, degenerate daughter Of Erin !— how faH'n is thy fame ! And, through ages of bondage and slaughter, Our country shall bleed at thy shame. Already the curse is upon her, And strangers her valleys profane ; They come to divide — to hishonor, And tyrants they long will remain ! But, onward ! — the green banner rearing, Go, flesh every sword to the hilt ; On our side is Virtub and Erin ! On theirs is tur Saxon and Guilt. CHAPTER IV. SAMUEL LOVER. Like the Gale that sighs along Beds of oriental flowers, Is the grateful breath of song That once was heard in happier hours. — Moore. riT AND Humour have at all times beer a dis- tinctive feature in the Irish character, and nowhere do we behold theni exhibited to a better advantage than in the writings of Samuel Lover, the prince of Irisli Immourists. A. perusal of the works of Lover, whether prose or poetry, cannot fail to drive away all symptoms of melan- choly in the reader, and introduce the more cheerful faculties instead. Ilis wit is not of the vulgar style, and, consequently, not calculated to offend the most fastidious ideas of propriety. As Moore in his pathetic and sentimental style earned for himself an inperishable fame, so also has Lover for genuine humour and drollery. Samuel Lover was born in t)ublin, in 1767. His father was in wealthy circumstances, and, therefore capable of giving young Sam. a liberal education. To pitch on a settled occupation for the aspiring youth was a matter of considerable difficulty, as the genius of versatility had discovered itself quite palpably in his actions. His earliest profession was that of an artist, and in that he attained a degree 222 Anecdotes of Ireland, 1 ' I i i of proficiency — attracting to his studio some of the most distinguished noblemen, who complimented the young painter on his talents. Becoming rest- less under the restraint thus imposed by the profes- sion, he suddenly abandoned it, and turned his thoughts and actions on literature. In his new occupation he soon became equally as famous as in his previous one, and he enjoyed the same distinc- tion among the'upper circles. His works were com- bined to Irish subjects, chiefly of a comical character, written in that racy, exciting style which made him the mostjpopular writer of his class. They consist- ed of poems, ballads, tales, sketches, etc., and two great plays, one entitled " Irish Evenings," and the other illustrates life in America. He visited the United States in 1847, where he was received witli great eclat, and returned to Dublin the following year. For the next twenty years he continued to issue publications, all of the same style as his pre- ceding efforts, but early in 1870 his health began to fail. A few months ago the Atlantic Cable an- nounced his death, at the age of seventy-five. The following interesting " piece" is from the pen of this popular poet : "THE WHISTLING THIEF." When Pat came o'er the hill, His Colleen fair to see : His whistle low but shrill, The signal was to be {Fat whistles.) Samuel Lover, " Mary," the mother said " Some one is whistlin' sure ;" Says Mary, " 'tis only the wind " Is whistlin' " thro' the door." (Pat whistles a hU of a popular tune.) " I've lived a long time, Mary, In this wide world my dear ; But a door to a whistle like that I never yet did hear. ' ' But, mother, you know the fiddl ; Hangs close beside the chink, And the wind upon the strings Is playing the tunes I think [The 2ng grunts) " Mary, I hear the pig Uneasy in his mind ;" But mother, you know they say, The pigs can see the wind." 223 " That's true enough in the day, But I think you may remark, That pigs no more than we Can see anything in the dark " ( The dog harks.) " The dog is barkin' now, The fiddle can't play that tune ; " But, mother, the dogs will bark Whenever they see the moon." 224 Anecdotes of Ireland, " But how could he seo the moon, When you know the dog is blind ; Blind dogs wont bark at the moon, Nor fiddles be played by the wind." « I'm not such a fool as you think, I know very well 'tis Pat ; Shut your mouth you whistlin' thief. And go along home out o' that." " And you go off to bed, Don't play upon me your jeers, For the' I have lost my eyes, I have'nt lost my ears." ClIAPETK V. THOMAS DAVIS. Oh how welcome breathes the strain,; Wakening thoughts that long have slept ; Kindling former tmiles again, In faded eyes that long have wept ! 'iiOMAs Davis was another of Irelaud'a famous poets. His inspiring verses carry with them a feeling of patriotism and ardor that cannot fail to be observable to the most obtuse comprehen- sion. Combining simplicity with grandeur, and depth of feeling with sublimity, this great poet has given to the world a collection of poems that can- not but be interesting to the public generally, and to the Irish people in particular. He was born in 1814, at Mallow, in the county of Cork ; he received a good education in the primary schools of his native county and finished at Trinity. He was backward and unassuming in his disposition and almost devoid of that aspiring temperament which conduce to the advancement of so many. He seemed to be intent on his own private studies but with no apparent ultimate object. Unknown to himself and the world he was quietly developing his natural gifts in the silence of his studies ; but his bashfulness kept him in the rear the greater part of his life, and when he at length appeared before the public in the role of a man of literary tastes, he had ■I 226 Anecdotes oj Ireland. but a short time to earn his fame. But such were the talents he exhibited after his debut that he rose to distinction in great rapidity. Gems of Irish history were the sole burthen of his rhymes, and these he wove into some of tlie moat beautiful and enchanting harmonical wreaths that were ever penned by poet. The glories of Ireland he painted in glowing colors, her misfortunes he commisserated in words of the deepest sorrow, and the future he dilated on with expressions of triumph and sub- limity. He was connected with the N'ation for a number of years and contributed much to sustain the elevated tone of that journal. In these occupa- tions he wore himself away, and became very ill, he retired to his residence as if to recruit, but he died there in September, 1845. The following stirring poem will be found highly interesting, and to the point : BATTLE OF FONTENOY. Thrice at the huts of Fontenoy, the English column failed, And, twice, the lines of Saint Antoiue, the Dutch in vain assailed ; For town and slope were filled with fort and flanking battery ; And well they swept the English ranks and Dutch auxiliary. As vainly, through De Barri's wood, the British soldiers burst, The French artillery drove them back, diminished, and dis- persed. The bloody Duke of Cumberland beheld with anxious eye, And ordered up his last reserve, his latest chance to try ; On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, how fast his generals ride I And mustering como his chosen troops, like clouds at even- tide. Thomas Davis. 227 Six thousand English veterans in stately column tread, Their cannon blaze in front and flank, Lord Hay is at their head; Steady they step a-down the fclope — steady they climb the hill; Steady they load— steady they fire, moving right onward still, Betwixt the wood and Fontenoy, as through a furnace blast, Ihrough rampart, trench, and palisade, and bullets showering, fast ; And on the open plain above they rose, and kept their course With ready Are and grim resolve, that mocked at hostile force : Past Fontenoy, past Fontenoy, while thinner grow their ranks — They break, as broke the ZuydorZee through Holland's ocean banks. ittery ; ^liary. burst, id dis- eve, even- More idly than the summer flics, French tirailleur8 rush round ; As stubble to the lava tide, French squadrons strew the ground ; Bomb-shell, and grape, and round shot tore, still on they marched and fired — Fast, from each volley, grenadier and voltigeur retired. " Push on, my household cavalry !" King Louis madly cried • To death they rush, but rude their shock — not unavenged they died. On through the camp the column trod — King Louis turns his rein : " Kot yet, my liege," 8axe interposed, " the Irish troops remain ;" And Fontenoy, famed Fontanoy, had been a Waterloo, Were not these exiles ready then, fresh, vehement, and true. " Lord Clare, ke says, " you have your wish, there are your Saxon foes !" The Marshal almost smiles to see, so furiously he goes ! How fierce the look these exiles wear, who're wont to be so The treasured wrongs of fifty years are in their hearts to-day — The treaty broken, ere the ink wherewith 'twas writ could dry, n '!' 228 Anecdotes of Ireland. Their plundered homes, their ruined shrines, their women's parting cry, Their priesthood hunted down like wolves, their country overthrown, — Each looks, as if revenge for all were staked on him alone. On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, nor ever yet elsewhere, Bushed on to fight a nobler band than these proud exiles were. O'Brien's voice is hoarse with joy, as, halting, he commands, " Fix bay'nets" — " Charge" — Like mountain storm, rush on these fiery bands I Thin is the English column now, and faint their volleys grow. Yet, must'ring all the strength they have, they make a gallant show. They dress their ranks upon the hill to face that battle-wind — Their bayonets the breakers foam ; like rocks, the men behind ! One volley clashes from their line, when through the surging smoke, With empty guns clutched in their hands, the headlong Irish broke, On Fontenoy, on Fontenoy, hark to that fierce huzza ! " ReA-^enge ! remember Limerick ! dash down the Sassanach !" Like lions leaping at a fold, when mad with hunger's pang, Kight up against the English line the Irish exiles sprang : Bright was their steel, 'tis bloody now, their guns are filled with gore ; Through shattered ranks, and severed files, and trampled flags they tore ; The English strove with desperate strength, paused, rallied, staggered, fled— The green hill side is matted close with dying and with dead. Across the plain, and far away passed on that hideous wrack, While cavalier and fantassin dash in upon their track. On Fcntenoy, on Fontenoy, like eagles in the sun, With bloody plumes the Irish stand — the field is fought and won CHAPTER VI. GERALD GRIFFIN. Hied, tand Short was his day of labor, but its morn Prolific was of beauty ; thoughts were born In his heart's secret spots, which grew, attended By a fine sense instinct and reason blended. — McGee. EKALD Geiffin was, Undoubtedly, one of the clererest writers of the present century, as weU as one of the greatest of Ireland's poets. With- out the assistance of wealthy friends, and unaided except by his own inherent genius, he struggled manfully upward through alternate shadow and sunshine to a glorious and enviable position in the temple of fame. His days were limited, but his splendid talents and energetic nature crowded a vast fund of beauty and sublimity into that short life, and he had scarcely arrived at manhood's years before he had established an undying reputation, and to make use of the words of the lamented McGee, Had climb'd the summit of his native skies. His birthplace was near Limerick, on the banks of the river Shannon, (which he has immortalized in his songs) in the year 1803. He conceived, at au extraordinary youthful age, a passion for melody and poetry. The compositions of the blind 0*Carolan bewitched his young fancy, and inspired him with a desire to stimulate the efforts of that great min- strel. His early productions filled his immediate 230 Anecdotes of Ireland. friends with wonder, and as he advanced to raaturer years his efforts became devloped in a greater degree of talent, and, consequently, attracted the notice of the public at large. A holy feeling of ven- eration for the Deity and love for his religion prevaded all his actions, and he never allowed these sentiments to leave his breast even at the height of his prosperity. His literary abilities were divided between poetry and prose, and he proved to the world that he was as competent to handle one as the other. Where can we find a tale abounding with more emotional interest or geniune home feeling than the '* Collegians ? " or where can be seen a poem more mellow or touching than the " Fate of Cathleen ? " It was such promptings of genius as these that built up the fame of our devotional poet, and as long as the beauties of literature will exist the poems and legends of Gerald Griffin will receive the admiration of all true lovers of the beauties o art and nature. Just as he had attained the summit of popular favor and esteem, he astonished the world by returning into the ranks of the Christian Bretheren, thus throwing aside all the vanities oi the world, and consecrating the remainder of his days to the praise and udoration of the Supreme Being. It is in this self-sacrificing action thut we can form a true conception of the grandeur of Gerald Griffin's character. From this we can see that worldly ambition was not the object of his life, and that the wonderful traits of genius which he had Gerald Griffin- 231 immit the istian ies oi sdays preme t we rerald } that }, and c had giveu to the world during his short stay iu it were the pure authorship of nature, unalloyed with any personal or selfish motive. After he had entered upon his change of life he cast aside all thoughts of his former occupation, and spent the remainder of his days in works of charity and benevolence — feed- ing the poor, teaching the ignorant, and reforming the misguided. He commenced his new duties with increased zeal and fervor, laboring with all his strength to fulfil the duties of his position. But his stay in this holy institution was not long. He gradually failed in health, though retaining his mental faculties to tlie last, and died on the twelfth of June, 1840, after a well-spent life of piety and virtue. He was but thirty-seven years old at the time of his death. The following beautiful poem from the pen of the poet-monk will find a response in the hearts of all Exiles of Erin : FARE THEE WELL MY NATIVE DELL. Faro tbeo well my native dell, Though fr.r away I wander, With thoG my thoughts shall ever dwell, In absence only fonder. Farewell ye banks where once I roved, To view that lovely river ; And you, ye graves so long beloved, And fields farewell forever ! Here once my youthful moments flew, In joy like sunshine splendid ; The brightest hours that ever I knew, ese sweet scenes were blended— '^■■. » ^iM y jf; i *i | i y yi w y«'» i * v 'i ' ii ' ij»i|» . iiii 232 Anecdotes of Ireland. When o'er these hills at break of morn, The deer went bounding early, And huntsman woke with hounds and horo, The mountain echoes cheerily. ' Fare thee well, ye happy hours, So bright, yet long departed ! Fare ye well, ye fragrant bowers. So sweet, but now deserted I Farewell each rock and lonely isle, That makes the poet's numbers ; And thou, oh, ancient holy pile. Where mighty Brian slumbers ! F/ii-ewell thou old romantic bridge, <^''here man has seen me roaming; '1 juark across each shallow ridge, The uiighty Shannon foaming. No more I'll press the bending oar "o Bi': •-' the painted wherry. And gli'iu Alcg the wood shore. To view the hills of Derry. There's many an isle in Scariff Bay, With many a garden blooming ; Where oft I've passed the simimer day, ' Till twilight hours were glooming. No more shall evening's yellow glow, Among the ruins find me ; Far from these dear scenes I go, But leave my heart behind mc. Fast, fa^st Ave rido by bridge and tree, Fast fade my loved bow^ers ; Still through the bursting tears I see Thy hills and hoary towers 'Tis past, my last glimpse is o'er, My last farewell is spoken ; I'll see these loved scenes no more. My heart, my heart is broken ! Fare tbee well my native dell, Though far awa} I wander, With thee my thoughts shall ever dwell, In absence only fonder. CHAPTER VII. OLIVER GOLDSMITH. Has sorrow thy young days shaded, As clouds o'er the morning fleet 7 Too fast have these young days faded That even in sorrow were sweet. OVER GoLDSMirii, One of the most renowned poets in British history, was born in Pallas, "^ county of Longford, in 1731. He receired his feducation in Dublin, and was designed by his parents ^or the medical profession ; but the wild, roving spirit which he exhibited at any early age precluded the possibility of his settling down to any steady occupation. He studied some time in Edinburgh, and then took a sudden journey to the continent, where he travelled for years from place to place with scarcely a shilling in his pocket, subsisting by his wits and journeying on foot. Returning to England, he became connected with several periodicals and newspapers ; and finally appeared before the world as a poet, in his great poem of the " Traveller," the burthen, of which he no doubt conceived while wandering on the continent. He followed soon after with the " Vicar of Wakefield, which at once estab- lished his fame as a writer. He was eminently distinguished as a historian as well as a poet and novellist ; and also gave publicity to several plays. His masterpiece w{},s the " Deserted Village," which J 234 Anecdotes of Ireland. is uniyersally admired. Notwithstanding his im- mense success and wide-spread renown, his spend- thrift habits always kept him in an embarrassed pecuniary condition. Though he spent the greater part of his life in England, he did not altogether lose sight of his native land, as some writers have stated. His reference to the place of his birth in a portion of the " Deserted Village," and his letters to his friends, prove that he still retained a spark of devotion for the land of his nativity. He died in the prime of life, straitened in circumstances, and ill in mind and body, in 1774, at the age of 44. All writers unanimously agree that Oliver Goldsmith may be ranked among the great literary celebrities of modern times. 'MQOBr THE DESERTED VILLAGE. Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain, Where health and plenty cheer'd the laboring swain, Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid, And parting summer's lingering blooms delay 'd ; Dear lovely bowers of innocence and ease. Seats of my youth when every sport could p'ease, How often have I loiter'd o'er thy green, Where humble happiness endear'd each scene ; . How often have I paused on every charm, The shelter'd cot, the cultivated farm, The never-failing brook, the busy mill, The decent church that topt the neighboring hill, The hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade, For talking age and whispering lovers made ! How oft have I blest the coming day. When toil remitting lent its turn to play, And all the village train from labor free, Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree ; While many a pastime circled in the shade, Oliver Goldsmith. 235 The young contented as the old survey'd ; And many a gambol frolick'd o'er the ground, And sleights of art and feats of strength went round ; And still as each repeaidd pleasure tried, Succeeding sports the mirthful band inspired ; The dancing pair that simply sought renown By holding out to tie each other down ; The swain, mistrustless of his smutted face, While secret laughter titter'd round the place : The bashful virgin's side-long looks of love. The matron's gaze that would those looks reprove. These were thy charms, sweet village 1 sports like these, With sweet succession, taught e'en toil to please ; These round thy bowers their cheerful influence shed. These were thy charms — but all these charms are fled. Sweet smiling village, loveliest of the lawn! Thy sports are fled, and all thy charms withdrawn : Amidst thy bowers the tyrant's hand is seen. And desolation saddens all thy green : One only master grasps the whole domain. And half a tillage stints thy smiling plain ; No more thy glassy brook reflects the day. But chocked with sedges, works its weedy way ; Along thy glades, a solitary guest. The hollow sounding bittern gaurds its riest ; Amid thy desert walk the lapwing flies. And tires their echoes with unvaiied cries. Sunk are thy bowers in shapeless ruin all, And the long grass o'ertops the mouldering wall ; And, trembling, shrieking from the spoilers hand. Far, far away thy children leave the land. EFEEENCE has already been made, under the proper heading, to Thomas D'Arct McGee as statesman and orator, coupled with a few re- marks with regard to his poetical genius. Under the caption of " The Poet," we therefore give place !!5H 236 Anecdotes of Ireland. ^ ■A to a specimen of the skill of this traly great and versatile Irishman. No one will deny that thejpro- ductions of Mr. McGee are among the most valuable of Irish collections of poems, and that their whole drift convey a beauty of sentiment in which the glories of Ireland and love for religion are strongly blended. * THE CELT'S PRAYEE. Oh 1 King of Heaven, who dwelleth throned afar Beyond the hills, the skylark and the star ; Whose ear was never shut to our complaints, Look down and hear the children of Thy Saints I We ask no strength of arm or heart, Lord ! We still can hoist the sail and ply the sword ; We ask no gifts of grain — our soil still bears Abundant harvests in the fruitful years ! Tlie gift, Lord ! we need, to David's son Thou gave, for asking, once in Gabaon ; The gift of Wisdom, which in all your powers Most needful is, dread Lord I to us and ours. Our race was mighty once when at the head Wise men like steadfast torch«s, burn'd and led ; When Ollamh's lore and royal Cormac's spell Guided the Gael, all things with them went well Finn famed for courage, was more famed for art, For frequent meditations made apart ; Dathi and Niall valorous both and sage. Were slow in anger, seldom stirred to rage. Look down on us, oh Sire, and hear our cries \ Grant to our chiefs the courage to be wise ; Endow them with a wisdom from Thy throne, That they may yet restore us to our own ! THE VALEDICTORY IRELAND AS IT IS. ?(!-, kU U And when all creation was sunken in the flood, Sublime e'er the deluge the Patriarch stood ; Tho' destruction around hira in Thunder was hurled, Undaunted he looked on the wreck of the world ; For high o'er the ruin hung Hope's blessed form, Tli« rainbow beamed bright thro' the gloom of the storm. —Lover. ^HB last event in connectioa with the bloody record of the times of " 98" was the execu- tion of the talented and brave but unfortunate Robert Emmeit, who was hurried out of mortal existence under charge of a crime, the commission of which he was entirely innocent, at the premature age of 24. This event occurred in 1808, and by it Ireland was deprived of the abilities of a talented youth, who bore promise of becoming one day a worthy compeer of his country's greatest patriots^ The speech which he delivered on the eve of his execution was an extraordinary and glorious speci- men of eloquence, and serves to immortalize his name in the recollection of all Irishmen. The memory of his immense sacrificei and brilliant plans for the disenthralment of his native country excites the admiration of all noble minded men and carries the imagination of the reader of liis biogi*aphy back to the days of chivalry and romance. ,.mtU-r''^ii^§fy ! •¥' I < m . r 238 Anecdotes 0/ Ireland, The " Agitators" and Repealers, led on by Daniel O'Connell and directed by his giant intellect, com- menced their labors a few years later, and triumphed after a herculean struggle in the manner already described. The Catholics of Ireland aud of th Empire, were now relieved of the burden of their disabilities, aud all avenues of perferment and dis- tinction were thrown oi)en to them. This was a great relief to a long sufferiug nation, and although the full measure of justice had not yet been meted out, enough was obtained to fill the hearts of the people with cheer, and awaken hopes that the future would yet bring with it a complete restoration of right. The press was now resorted to as a means for th' attainment of that end, and many a great lies availed himself of its medium to advocate the wants of the Irish people. Public meetings were held in various parts of the country for the same purpose ; but when the process of liberation appeared too slow, an enthusiastic number of the nationalists, formed themselves into an association called the Fenian Brotherhood, for the forcible proseoution of their demands ; but no general outbreak took place. The continued agitation, however, attracted the attention of the Imperial Parliament to the condition of Ireland, and after a great deal of delay and much legislation, two bills were passed — the Dis-estab- lishment Bill, whereby Catholics were relieved from the obligation of supporting the Church of the Ireland as It Is. 239 ;ora- ibed aady Ih their [ dis- lOUgll neted >f the future ion of or th« ]\Q2 wants leld in rpose ; id too tnalists led the tion of place, d the dition much i-estah- d from lof the Establishment ; and the Land Bill, granting import- ant immunities to the tenantry. The former was decisive in its results, but the latter fell far short of the desired end. The national party are still as strong as ever — seemingly determined never to desist as long as an oppressive law against Ireland remains on the Eng- lish statute book. Their last cry is *' Home Rule," and the energy that is displayed by its supporters bids fair to be rewarded with ultimate success. The educational question exhibits every prospect of being settled in a manner satisfactory to the Catholic majority of the population, to whom it has hitherto been antagonistic, and as the min -rity has no cause to compliiin, an amicable arrangement is not far distant. The Home Rule Party comprises support- ers of all creeds and opinions; and now that the question is being agitated with such imaniraity and cordiality, " Ireland for the Irish" will not long remain a vain and meaningless cry. Reader, our allotted task is completed. We have exhibited the glories and misfortunes of Ireland in connection with its principal men under the four heads into which this little work is divided. If the reader be a son of the Emerald Isle, he will dwell with pleasure on that period when his national kings lorded it at Tara, and when Brian Boru hurled the fierce Northmen from the green fields of his native island ; he will contemplate with pride the noble stand taken by his forefathers to resist the 99! 240 Anecdotes of Ireland. encroachments of the Normans and their successors, and when after scattering confusion and defeat in the faces of their opponents for ages, they finally succumbed to superior numbers. If he mourns in sorrow and indignation over the misfortunes and cruelties that were then inflicted on the conquered people, he can now take courage and exercise for- bearance, for the future is pregnant with joy and hope to the children of Eber and Eremlion. The dark night of slavery has passed, the bright day of liberty dawned, and the sun of prosperity and hap- piness is rapidly advancing to the zenith. Let us hope that in its future progress athwart the firma ment, the clouds of misery and persecution that overshadowed it in by-gone days shall never again obscure its rays ; and that the words of our national poet may be verified to their full extent, Eria ! oh ! Erin, though loag in the shade, Thy star shall shine out when the proudest shall fade. ERBATTA Page 51, Richard III should be Richard II. Page 143, (Uth) should be (18th). -<* sessors, ifeat in ' finally )urns in les and iquered cise for- joy and 'he dark day of ind hap- Let US LO firma Lon that Br again national s*