pose the present prince to apply to them for fuccour? In the fecond century of Chrift, we read, that Eugene the Great, of this fame houfe, fled to Spain for fuccour, and by his allies defeated his enemies, and recovered his crown. It is undoubtedly curious to find, that, much about the prefent time, the Carthaginians are confeffed to have made a brilliant figure by fea, and to have had ftrong holds in Sicily and Sardinia. About this time alfo, we may place their famous engagement with the Phocæans, one of the most formidable maritime powers then in the world, and whose fleet they entirely destroyed.

Eochaidh, by means of his allies, as we have seen, was proclaimed monarch; but we are furnished with no other particulars of him after this, but that, in the twelfth year of his reign, he was cut off by his fucceffors.

Eochaidh, furnamed Fiadh-Mhuine, or the Deer Hunter, and 3404 his brother Conuing, called Beg-Oglach, or the Intrepid, of the line of Heremon, became joint monarchs. They divided the kingdom, the first chufing the fouthern, the other the northern half. Eochaidh was fuccefsfully attacked by Luighadh LaimhDearg, and flain in battle; and Conuing, unable to oppofe the torrent, fled the kingdom, but where he retired to, we are not told. I am inclined to think that it was to France, and that by the aid of the Gauls he was afterwards restored.

Luighadh, fon to the renowned Eochaidh, of the Heberian 3409 race, was proclaimed monarch. He was called Laimh-Dearg, or of the Bloody Hand, as that was the enfign of his arms, and which is ftill the creft of his pofterity. His antagonist having raised a confiderable army, attacked and defeated him, after a reign of seven years.

Conuing, instead of a partition, now faw himself fole monarch 3416 of Ireland. Our annals speak of him as a prince in whofe adminiftration the glory of Ireland was raifed to a very high pinacle,

3426

3432

3442

3453

3460

by his feats of arms; and at the fame time the most exemplary
juftice adminiftered to his fubjects. But neither his virtue or in-
trepidity could fhield him from the vengeance of his fucceffor.
It is remarkable, that in the beginning of this prince's reign we
read for the first time, of the irruptions of the Gauls into Italy.
For my own part, I do not entertain the leaft doubt, but that the
Irish were deep in thefe fchemes, and that this prince in particu-
lar greatly affifted the invaders.

Art, the fon or brother of Luighadh, an Heberian, claimed the
monarchy; and, as ufual with his predeceffors, the sword put a
period to his life in the fixth year of his reign.

Fiacha, the son of Muireadhach, fon of Simon Breac, of the race of Heremon, after a fway of ten years, gave way to the fword of his fucceffor.

Olioll, the fon of Art, an Heberian, affumed the reins of government, and fell in the eleventh year of his reign, by the fword of Airgeadmhar, of the line of Ir.

The Heberians however flock to the standard of his fon, by which means the regicide and his party are obliged to fly the kingdom, and Eochaidh VII. the fon of Olioll, is faluted monarch. In the seventh year of his sway, Airgeadmhar invades, the kingdom, and being joined by Duach, the fon of Fiacha, and other malcontents, attacks and defeats the monarch, at Knoc Aine, near Limerick..

Airgeadmhar, of the line of Ir, is now placed on the throne.. Giolla-Caomhain allows him a reign of thirty years, and in this. he is followed by archdeacon Lynch *. Dr. Keating makes it twenty-three, and Mr. O'Flaherty but ten years. We will fuppofe he ruled twenty years. In general I am not fond of departing from the Rein-Riogra; but reason juftifies it in the present

* Grat. Luc. p. 62..

instance,

inftance. But the impetuofity of his former affociate Duach, ftrengthened by the arms of Lughadh, of the line of Heber, deprived Airgeadmhar of life and crown.

Duach, the fon of Fiacha, of the house of Heremon, reigned 3480 ten years. He was called Laighrach, which fignifies Sudden or Hafty; because he allowed of very little interval between the condemning and punishing of criminals. His former ally Luaghadh, disappointed in a partition of the monarchy, long meditated, and at length gratified his revenge by the defeat and death of Duach.

Lughadh III. the fon of Cobthach, fon of Eochaidh, of the line 3490 of Heber, was proclaimed monarch, and was cut off in battle, in the seventh year of his reign.

CHA P. IV.

The union of the principal branches of the house of Ir, to preferve the monarchy in their family-the reigns of Aodh, of Dithorba, and Ciombhaoth-building the palace of Emania-the earliest account of fione buildings in Ireland-the mistakes of writers with respect to the reigns of the above princes rectified—of Macha, Mong-Ruadh-Reachta becomes monarch-the nature of his war with the Picts explained.

A

ODH RUAH, or the Red, fon to Badhurn, fon to Air- 3497 geadmhar, an Irian, became monarch. This revolution was brought about by three coufin-germans, grandfons to Airgeadmhar; to wit, the present Aodh, Dithorba, the son of Demain, of Uifneach, and Ciombhaoth, the fon of Fiontan, of Fion

nabhar,

3518

nabhar, all young princes of great intrepidity, and nearly of an age. To prevent the fatal effects attendant on disunion, they made a folemn agreement, in cafe of fuccefs, that each fhould rule in rotation twenty-one years; Aodh the eldest, to be the firft appointed, and fo of the others; and that they should fupport to the utmost of their power, and obey each prince, according to this compact. Of the prefent prince we read no more, but that about the period affigned for his refignation he was drowned, paffing a cataract in a river in Tirconuel, from him fince named Eas-ruadh, or Red-fall.

Dithorba fucceeded, according to the original agreement, and died of a malignant fever.

Ciombhaoth was peaceably proclaimed monarch; and has been greatly celebrated for his prudence, his fortitude, and his moderation. He married Macha, called Mong-ruadh, or the Red-haired, daughter to his coufin Aodh. This prince revived all the wife inftitutions of his great predeceffor Ollamh-Fodhla, 3539 and founded the fplendid palace of Emania, next to Tara the moft magnificent public ftructure in ancient Ireland. The remains of this building near Ardmach, may yet be traced; occupying (as I am affured) an uncommon fcope of ground. This palace has been celebrated by fucceeding writers for its fumptuoufnefs, the fplendour and hospitality of its princes, and the intrepidity of its troops. The house of Craobh-Ruadh, adjoining to this great building, the feat of the hereditary knights of Ulfter, whose fame and glory have been fo often fung by our bards, and recorded by our Senachies, was proportionably grand. This noble structure got the name of Emania, or Eamhuin-Macha, we are told, from the emprefs Macha, who, with the broche or gold pin of her handkerchief, drew its æra on a proper fcale. For Ea, is Irish for a pin, or bodkin, and Muin, the neck. A very ancient poem on this building begins thus, begins thus," Eamhuin a luin "aras.

*aras Ulladh," i. e. "Lovely Emania, the feat of Ulfter kings." From this palace the fucceeding princes of Ulfter were called kings of Emania.

From the Venerable Bede's account of the building, the church of Lindisfar, which though elegant, he adds-" tamen more "Scotorum, non de lapide, fed de robore fecto totam compofuit;" and from a fimilar relation of St. Bernard, of an oratory built

*

by St. Malachy ; people have fuppofed the early buildings of Ireland to be moftly of wood. It is certain, that in a country originally covered with woods, prudence would point out the neceffity of a fpeedy confumption of part of it, the fooner to clear the ground, and correct the moisture of the air. I therefore take it for granted, that for a very confiderable time, most of the buildings were of timber; but it is by no means a confequence, that no other materials were used. The fuperb remains of ftone Atructures yet ftanding, and many of them in the moft fequeftered places, fufficiently proves the contrary. We can even trace when ftone buildings were firft introduced into Ireland; and this St. Cormoc tells us, in the Pfalter of Cafhill, was when Failbhe Foalcorthach, grandfather to the monarch Rotheachta, ruled Munfter, i. e. about A. M. 3150! But of these mighty buildings. of Tara and Emania, and indeed of much later times, we may with the poet exclaim

Non indignemur, mortalia corpora folvi ;

Cernimus exemplis, oppida poffe mori!

We have hitherto related the union between the branches of the Irian line, as we have found it recorded by antecedent writers. A little reflection will however fhew, that there must have been fome miftake in this account. For at the time of this confederacy

• Vita St. Malach. Epifcopi.

thefe