By means of their signal-fires, which were rapidly lighted from hill to hill, the Irish gave instant warning of an invasion to all the neighbouring districts. O'Halloran, in his History of Ireland, says, 'It is curious, even at this day, to observe the judgment with which these beacons were placed. I have examined several of these eminences, and not only through the whole county of Clare were forts so disposed, that in two hours the entire country could receive the alarm, whether the attempts were made by sea or land, or both; but in Lower Ormond, stations were so judiciously placed, that the least attempts, or preparations towards the Shannon side, were quickly made known.' In Kenedy's army there was a leader of distinguished bravery, named Sullivan. In that famous battle which wrested the city of Limerick out of the power of the Danes, their two chiefs, Amlare and Moran, were slain, the latter, who was the son of the king of Denmark, by Sullivan; the former, by Callaghan, who, on this occasion, had himself led out a numerous force. The loss of their generals was followed by the total discomfiture of the Danes, who fled towards Limerick pursued by their victors, and all entered the city promiscuously together. The conquering army took possession of the town, and drove from thence all the foreigners, excepting the Danish merchants, who were suffered to remain on account of the service which they rendered to the country, but very considerable contributions were exacted from them in gold and merchandize. The most successful warrior against the Danes was Murkertach, who was a prince of great promise and so beloved of the people, that his death, which hap pened in a conflict with the Danes, was celebrated by a poet of that day, in which he says, that the death of their hero left all his countrymen orphans.' He is described as a warrior of the saffron hue." He had a chosen band of 1200 warriors raised in his own principality. With these, he made a circuit throughout the island as a conquering hero, reducing the Danes, and exacting tributes and hostages from the people of Leinster and Munster, all of which he delivered up to the monarch, who returned them again to him as their proper guardian. To commemorate this event, and the mighty deeds of this prince, Corbmacan wrote his poem of 256 verses, beginning, 'Oh Muirceartach, son of worthy Niall, who hast received hostages from Falia's Isle.'+ 944. This year the monarch Donough closed his useless life, after a reign of twenty-four years. The state in which he left the country is thus recorded by his annalist: Without law to guide her, with rulers treacherous, false, and factious, the realm of Erin hath sunk into darkness.' Congelach, who succeeded to the throne, had, a short time before, made an attack upon Dublin, aided by the people of Leinster, and brought down the strength of the Danes, but the city was left in ruins. * A distinguished title to the heros of Ireland. "The warriors of the Saffron hue." The Irish delighted in this colour, and used it in the dye of their garments, until a statute was enacted in the reign of Henry VIII. forbidding any one to " use or wear any shirt, smock, kerchor, bendol, nechorchour, mocket, or linen cappe, coloured or dyed with saffron." This, with other Irish customs, was unnecessarily rendered punishable by law. + Trans-Iberno-Celt Society. A copy of this poem is in the O'Clery's Book of Conquests, and in the pedigree of the once royal family of O'Neill, which is in the hands of the assistant secretary of the Society. MARCH, 1842. The Danes were often driven out; but they as often returned and regained those possessions which had been taken from them. The following year, Blacar, the Danish king, retook the city. Warfare, continued warfare harassed the country, and put a stop to the progress of religion and learning. A second time the once-famed Beauchair lay in ruins, and the names of her pious and learned inmates sunk into oblivion with all their records and writings. No more now the island of saints, the mart of literature, the land of hospitality: the whole country exhibited marks of desolation. The celebrated cells of Magh-bile which resounded with the praises of God; the seminaries of Armagh, of Cashel, of Lismore, &c., &c., lay in dust and ashes. After the death of Callaghan, Mahon, the son of Kenedy, king of Thomond, succeeded to the throne of Cashel. As has been said, he was the brother of Brian Boroimhe, the deliverer of his country from the marauders, who for such a long period had been its scourge. The surname of Boroimhe is said by some to have been given him in consequence of a tribute of cattle (which that word denotes) demanded by him from the people of Leinster. Others think he received the name from Borumh, a town situated near to his palace of Kincora, in the county of Clare. Kenedy was the father of twelve sons, as we find from a poem still extant, supposed to have been written by Mac Liag, the secretary of Brien: 'Twelve sons of chaste Cinneide.'* At the time of his brother's accession to the throne, Brian was in his thirty-fourth year, and had been im * Trans-Iberno-Celt Society. mured to arms from his fourteenth year. He headed a brave band of his own Dalcassian tribe, whose proverbial character was, "the first in the field, and the last to leave it." This determined body entered into a solemn compact, joining hands from man to man, and rank to rank, declared their resolution to conquer or die; and hence they were called Glaslamh Dhalgais, which signifies "Hearts and hands joined." When Mahon was appointed to fill the throne of Munster, fresh reinforcements of the Danes were poured in from their own country, and during their predatory incursions, the king of Leinster and his children fell into their hands. Many murders were committed in Connaught, which they plundered throughout, and demolished the churches and religious institutions. But vigorous measures were taken to put a stop to their depredations. The monarch, Congelach, successful before, gained an important victory over them at a place called Mune-Bregan, in which it is said they lost 7,000 men. 956. Another great battle was fought, in which the people of Leinster joined the Danes against the monarch, who was slain. He was succeeded by Domnal, the son of the heroic Murkertach. 969. A victory over the Danes of Limerick is chiefly attributed to the skill of Brian. The good services of the clan of Dalgais, to the kings of Munster, in their warfare with those of Leinster, are celebrated in a poem composed by O'Dugan. Cormac gives an honourable testimony to their prowess. "In the vanguard was always the post of the Dalgais on entering an enemy's country."-Vallency. Four great Dalcassian families were the O'Briens; the Mac Mahons, the O'Kennedys, and the Macnamaras. It happened at Sulchoid, a place "frequently mentioned in subsequent ages and wars, even as far down as the last campaigns and revolutions that happened in this kingdom, as a noted place for the encampment of armies, being situated in a plain, which is guarded by heights on both sides, within one day's march of Limerick, and in the direct road from Dublin to that town by the way of Cashell." * The Danish cavalry, as they advanced to meet those of Mahon were suddenly attacked by his brother Brian, at the head of his light-horse, and were thrown into confusion which was succeeded by the fall of many, and the flight of the remainder to the main body encamped at Sulchoid. Here the whole of Mahon's forces drew up; a general engagement ensued, and ended in the overthrow of the Danes; 3000 of their dead bodies strewed the plain, while all who could escape with their lives, fled towards Limerick. They were hotly pursued, and the conquering army entered the city with them, killing and making captives. After having gone through the city in search of merchandize and gold, the victors carried off a great quantity of both, they then set fire to the houses and left the town in ruins. Many other victories achieved by these warlike brothers in concert, drew upon them the envy and evil designs of rival princes. History mentions two, Maolmuadh and Donovan, who by treachery and stratagem contrived to take away a life which in open warfare they could never hope to accomplish. Under pretence of a friendly meeting in conference, Mahon was induced to attend nearly unguarded. * Law of Tanistry, That very |