REIGN OF CONOR MACNESSA.

25

Méav, was made king of Connaught. This division of Ireland, alike fatal to its prosperity and independence, continued for many centuries.

SECTION III. Conor MacNessa and Queen Méav.

Another of the Bardic poems, known as 'Historic Tales,' gives an account of the reign of King Conor MacNessa, and this account we do not feel justified in passing by without notice, although it would be useless to claim for it any historical value. His succession to the throne, we are told, was rather a fortuity than the result of hereditary claim. Fergus MacNessa was rightfully king at the time; but Conor's father having died while he was yet an infant, Fergus, then the reigning monarch, proposed marriage to his mother when the youth was about fifteen, and only obtained her consent on the condition that he should hand over the sovereignty of Ulster to her son for a year. The monarch complied, and Conor, young as he was, governed with such wisdom and discretion, that when the assigned period had arrived, the Ulster men positively refused to permit Fergus to resume his rightful dignity. After much contention the matter was settled definitely in favour of the young monarch, and Fergus satisfied himself with still retaining the wife for whose sake he had willingly made such sacrifices. Conor continued to give ample proofs of the wisdom of his people's decision. Under his government the noble Knights of the Royal Branch sprang up in Ulster, and made themselves famous both in field and court.

It was usual in those barbarous times, whenever a distinguished enemy was killed in battle, to cleave open his head, and to make a ball of the brains by mixing them with lime. One of these balls becomes the subject of another legend, which, like most of the events assigned to these early ages, can make no claim to the character of history. It passed, it is said, into the hands of a Connaught champion, who threw it at Conor, while he was displaying himself, according to the custom of the times, to the ladies of an opposing army, who had followed their

cause.

lords to the scene of action. The ball lodged in the king's skull, and his physicians declared that an attempt to extract it would prove fatal. Conor was carried home; he soon recovered, but he was strictly forbidden to use any violent exercise, and required to avoid all excitement or anger. The king enjoyed his usual health by observing those directions, until the very day of the Crucifixion. But the fearful phenomena which then occurred attracted his attention, and he inquired if Bacrach, his druid, could divine the The druid consulted his oracles, and informed the king that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, was, even at that moment, suffering death at the hands of the Jews. 'What crime has He committed?' said Conor. 'None,' replied the druid. 'Then are they slaying Him innocently ?' said Conor. They are,' replied the druid. It was too great a sorrow for the noble prince; he could not bear that the Son of God should die unmourned; and rushing wildly from where he sat to a neighbouring forest, he began to hew the young trees down, exclaiming: Thus would I destroy those who were around my King at putting Him to death.' The excitement proved fatal; and the brave and good King Conor MacNessa died avenging, in his own wild pagan fashion, the death of his Lord.

6

Méav's exploits are recorded in the Historic Tale of the Táin bó Chuailgné,' which is to Celtic history what the myth of the Argonautic Expedition, or of the Seven against Thebes, is to Grecian. Méav was married first to Conor; but the marriage was not a happy one, and was dissolved, in modern parlance, on the ground of incompatibility. In the meanwhile, Méav's three brothers had rebelled against their father; and though his arms were victorious, the victory did not secure peace. The men of Connaught revolted against him, and to retain their allegiance he made his daughter Queen of Connaught, and gave her in marriage to Ailill, a powerful chief of that province. This prince, however, died soon after; and Méav, determined for once, at least, to choose a husband for herself, made a royal progress to Leinster, where Ross Ruadh held his court at Naas. She selected the younger son of this monarch, who bore the same name as her former husband, and they lived together

THE CATTLE OF MÉAV.

27

happily as queen and king consort for many years. On one occasion, however, a dispute arose about their respective treasures, and this dispute led to a comparison of their property. The account of this, and the subsequent comparison, is given at length in the Táin,' and is a valuable repertory of archæological information. They counted their vessels, metal and wooden; they counted their finger rings, their clasps, their thumb rings, their diadems, and their gorgets of gold. They examined their many-coloured garments of crimson and blue, of black and green, yellow and mottled, white and streaked. All were equal. They then inspected their flocks and herds, swine from the forests, sheep from the pasture lands, and cows-here the first difference

arose.

It was one to excite Méav's haughty temper. There was a young bull found among Ailill's bovine wealth: it had been calved by one of Méav's cows; but not deeming it honourable to be under a woman's control,' it had attached itself to Ailill's herds. Méav was not a lady who could remain quiet under such provocation. She summoned her chief courier, and asked him if he could find a match for Finnbheannach (the white-horned). The courier declared that he could find even a superior animal; and at once set forth on his mission, suitably attended. Méav had offered the most liberal rewards for the prize she so much coveted and the courier soon arranged with Daré, a noble of large estates, who possessed one of the valuable breed. A drunken quarrel, however, disarranged his plans. One of the men boasted that if Daré had not given the bull for payment, he should have been compelled to give it by force. Daré's steward heard the ill-timed and uncourteous boast. He flung down the meat and drink which he had brought for their entertainment, and went to tell his master the contemptuous speech. The result may be anticipated. Daré refused the much-coveted animal, and Méav proceeded to make good her claim by force of arms. But this is only the prologue of the drama; the details would fill a volume. It must suffice to say, that the bulls had a battle of their own. Finnbheannach and Donn Chuailgné (the Leinster bull) engaged in deadly combat, which is described with the wildest flights of poetic diction. The poor 'white horn'

was killed, and Donn Chuailgné, who had lashed himself to madness, dashed out his brains.

Méav lived to the venerable age of a hundred. According to Tighernach, she died A.D. 70, but the chronology of the Four Masters places her demise a hundred years earlier. On this difference of calculation depends the monarch who is to be assigned as reigning in Ireland at the birth of Christ. The following passage is from the 'Book of Ballymote,' and is supposed to be taken from the synchronisms of Flann of Monasterboice :- In the fourteenth year of the reign of Conairé and of Conchobar, Mary was born; and in the fourth year after the birth of Mary, the expedition of the Táin bó Chuailgné took place. Eight years after the expedition of the Táin, Christ was born.'

SECTION IV. The Revolt of the Attacotti.

.

According to the 'Annals of the Four Masters,' the birth of Christ took place in the eighth year of the reign of Crinsthann Niadhuair. Under the heading of the age of Christ 9, there is an account of a wonderful expedition of this monarch, and of all the treasures he acquired thereby. His 'adventures' is among the list of Historic Tales in the Book of Leinster,' but, unfortunately, there is no copy of this tract in existence. It was probably about this time that a recreant Irish chieftain tried to induce Agricola to invade Ireland. But the Irish Celts had extended the fame of their military prowess even to distant lands, and the Roman general thought it better policy to keep what he had than to risk its loss, and, perhaps, obtain no compensation. Previous to Cæsar's conquest of Britain, the Irish had fitted out several expeditions for the plunder of that country, but they do not appear to have suffered from retaliation until the reign of Egbert. It is evident, however, that the Britons did not consider them their worst enemies, for we find mention of several colonies flying to the Irish shores to escape Roman tyranny, and these colonies were hospitably received. Tacitus refers thus to the proposed invasion of Ireland by the Roman

THE REVOLT OF THE AITHEACH TUATHA. 29

forces: In the fifth year of these expeditions, Agricola, passing over in the first ship, subdued in frequent victories nations hitherto unknown. He stationed troops along that part of Britain which looks to Ireland, more on account of hope than fear, since Ireland, from its situation between Britain and Spain, and opening to the Gallic Sea, might well connect the most powerful parts of the empire with reciprocal advantage. Its extent, compared with Britain, is narrower, but exceeds that of any islands of our sea. The genius and habits of the people, and the soil and climate, do not differ much from those of Britain. Its channels and ports are better known to commerce and to merchants. Agricola gave his protection to one of its petty kings, who had been expelled by faction; and with a show of friendship, he retained him for his own purposes. I often heard him say that Ireland could be conquered and held with one legion and a small reserve; and such a measure would have its advantages, even as regards Britain, if Roman power were extended on every side, and liberty taken away, as it were, from the view of the latter island.'

The proper name of the recreant' Regulus' has not been discovered, so that his treachery must be transmitted anonymously to posterity. Sir John Davis, however, has well observed, that, if Agricola had attempted the conquest of Ireland with a far greater army, he would have found himself deceived in his conjecture.' William of Neuburg has also remarked, that though the Romans harassed the Britons for three centuries after this event, Ireland never was invaded by them, even when they held dominion of the Orkney Islands, and that it yielded to no foreign power until the year 1171. Indeed, the Scots and Picts gave their legions quite sufficient occupation defending the ramparts of Adrian and Antoninus, to deter them from attempting to obtain more, when they could so hardly hold what they already possessed.

The insurrection of the Aitheach Tuatha, or Attacotti, is the next event of importance in Irish history. Their plans were deeply and wisely laid, and promised the success they obtained.

According to one account, these Attacotti were the