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makes mention of its abbots from 590 to 953. Among them was the celebrated St. Finian. In 812 this monastery was surrounded by a body of Danes, who landed from Lough Foyle, and by them set on fire, when all the Monks who were unable to save themselves by flight, perished in the flames.

This place is now called " Cooley," which meant the "city," probably from a large number of persons having settled around the famous old pile, which appears to have been a very extensive edifice. For some time before the Protestant Reformation it was used as the parish church, and it so continued until destroyed during the Williamite wars of 1688. In the adjoining cemetery is a very ancient tomb, said to be that of St. Finian, and outside the walls is a very handsome stone cross, hewn out of one block, and in good preservation. The site of these ruins is a gentle eminence near Lough Foyle, and in view of the ocean. The monastery of Moville was founded by St. Frigidian or Finian, in the reign of Dermod, monarch of Ireland.

Having blessed Owen and his territory, the saint crossed the Foyle, and journeyed by Dunbo to Coleraine.

Eoghan, or Owen, lived for 23 years after the departure of St. Patrick, and died in the year 465. The following is the account of his death as given in the Annals of the Four Masters :-" Eoghan, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, (from whom are descended the Cinel-Eoghan*) died of grief for Conall Gulbant, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, and was buried at Uisce-Chain, (Iskaheen) in Inis-Eoghain, concerning which was said :

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Eoghan, son of Niall, died

Of tears-good his nature

In consequence of the death of Conall, of hard feats,
So that his grave is at Uisce-Chain."

Besides Aileach, Prince Owen seems to have sometimes resided in other districts of his territory: thus at Carthage, in the parish of Culdaff, is the fort of Doon-Owen, standing on the

* Cinel-Eoghan, that is, the race or descendants of Eoghan. These were the O'Neills, M'Laughlins, O'Cathains (O'Kean), MacSuibnes (MacSwiny), O'Gormleaghads (Gormly), O'Heodhasas, O'Connallains, O'Craoibhes, O'Madagains, O'Mulvihils, O'Horins, O'Donallys, O'Cathmhaoils (Caulfield), MacGiollkellys, O'Hegartys, and the O'Dubhdiarmas (O'Dermotts).

From Conall Gulban are descended the O'Donnells, O'Dohertys, O'Gallaghers, O'Boyles, and the O'Dalys.-Mac Geoghegan's History of Ireland, cap. 7, p. 119.

summit of a steep rock on the sea coast, said to have been his residence.

After Owen's death his rule was perpetuated in the person of his son Coelbad. This prince devoted his talents to the extension of religion and morality, and after his death his example was followed by his son Aidh. About this time Inishowen and

the whole of Ireland enjoyed happiness and civilisation in a high degree. Donat, bishop of Fesula, wrote as follows regarding this golden age in Ireland :

"Her fruitful soil for ever teems with wealth,
With gems her waters, and her air with health;
Her waving furrows float with bearded corn,
And arms and arts her envied sons adorn;
An island worthy of her pious race,

In war triumphant, and unmatched in peace."

On the death of Aidh the house of Owen was represented by his cousin, Murtagh Mac Earcha, grandson of Owen, who was elected to the monarchy, and died in 533. This monarch was renowned in war; he routed the enemy in seventeen battles; he was no less remarkable for his piety, and for the protection which he extended to religion. His wife was named Sabina, and she, too, died with a high reputation for sanctity. Murtagh was the first monarch of Ireland of the race of Owen; he met with a violent death. While stopping at one of his own manor houses, named Cleitagh, near the Boyne, on the night of the 1st of November, the house was set on fire by a wicked woman; he, to escape the flames, leaped into a puncheon of wine, and was drowned.

The next monarch of his race was Dermod, who ascended the throne in the year 544. In his reign St. Columbkille, of the royal race of Niall the Great, by Conal Gulban, prince of Tirconnell, founded more than one hundred churches and religious houses; among others, the abbey of Derry. As stated above, in this reign was founded the abbey of Moville, by St. Finian. Dermod distinguished himself as a legislator. He frequently assembled the states of the realm at Tara, and enacted, by their consent, several useful laws. He was very jealous of any infraction of the laws, and put his own son Breasal to death because he was guilty of a violation of them. Curnan MacHugh having killed a nobleman at the assembly at Tara, and having sought shelter from Feargus and Domhnall, the sons of Murtagh MacEarca, and from St. Columbkille, the

monarch, actuated by a sense of justice, had him arrested and put to death. On another occasion, when St. Columbkille had copied a portion of the sacred scriptures from a manuscript of St. Finian, and promulgated those writings without the owner's consent; and when St. Finian complained of him for so doing, and demanded the copy, the matter was referred to the arbitration of the monarch, who decided that the copy thus made by Columbkille was the rightful property of St. Finian, or more strictly of St. Finian's original. This celebrated decision of the monarch began thus:- “Le gach boin a boinin, agus le gach leabhar a leabhran," which means, to every cow belongeth her calf, and to every book its copy.

Columbkille was much incensed against the king, because of his arrest of the son of the king of Connaught while under his protection; and on account of his judgment in regard to the manuscript, he, therefore, determined to punish him. Going to his relatives in Tirconnell, he induced them to join him, which they did, and, aided by the Connaughtmen, they gave battle to the monarch, at Cul-Dreimhne, in the county of Sligo, where the monarch's force of 2300 charioteers, cavalry, and foot-soldiers, were defeated with much slaughter. The saint and the monarch made peace after this battle, and the manuscript was given to Columbkille. It was preserved for centuries in the family of O'Donnell, and finally deposited in the museum of the Royal Irish Acadamy, where it now is. But the saint's troubles were not at an end, for, being accessary to the bloodshed of the battle of Cul-Dreimhne, a canonical penance was imposed upon him; he was obliged to leave Ireland, which he did, with twelve of his disciples, and sailed for the Hebrides. He landed in the small island of Iona, since called Icolmkille, from which he preached the Gospel to the Picts.

Dermod reigned 20 years, and was slain in battle in the present county of Antrim. His body was buried at Connor, his head at Clonmacnoise.

The sons of Murtagh MacEarcha succeeded Dermod in the monarchy, under the names of Fergus III. and Domhnall I.; in 565. They died after having reigned but one year, and were succeeded by Eocha XIII., son of Domhnall. In 599 the abbey of Fathan (Fahan) was founded by St. Murus, of the race of Niall the Great. This monastery was highly venerated on account of its illustrious patron and founder, and

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likewise for the valuable records preserved in it for many centuries. Amongst others, a small volume written in Scotic verse by the saint, and a large book of chronology filled with historical passages concerning the nation in general. This work was very highly esteemed; Colgan, the celebrated historian, says that there are still some fragments of it which have escaped the vandalism of latter days.

The Four Masters give the following account of some of the abbots of Fahan :- 66 Ceallach, abbot of Othan-mor, died in the year 657; St. Cillene Ua Colla, abbot of Athain, died on 3rd January, 720; Robhartach, abbot of Athain-mor, died in 757; Ultan, abbot of Ohain-mor, died in 769; Aurthaile, abbot of Othain (Fahan), died in 788; Learghal, abbot of Othain, died in 850; Fearghal, abbot of Othain, died in 1070." Likewise, that, "in 716 three wonderful showers fell : a shower of silver in Othain-mor, a shower of honey in Othain-Beag,* and a shower of blood in Leinster."

Hugh IV., brother of Eocha XIII., became monarch in 605. This prince was renowned for his justice and bravery, and died at Tara after a reign of seven years. In the reign of the monarch Finshneachta, which lasted for 20 years, and terminated in 693, the abbey of Both-Chonais was founded by St. Congellus. Much uncertainty existed as to what part this abbey stood in; but Colgan, who knew it well, describes the place as "in regione de Inis-Eoguin prope Cul-Maine." "It is obviously," says O'Donovan, "the old graveyard, in the townland of Binnion, parish of Clonmany." Feargall, son of Maolduin, and great grandson of Hugh IV., became monarch in 709. He checked the incursions of the Britons, who made descents on the Irish coasts for the purpose of plunder. In 728, the sixth year of the monarch Flaghertach,† a battle was fought at Magh-Itha, where numbers of the inhabitants of Inishowen were slain. War and bitter feuds seem about this time to have been almost incessant. Not content with the mischief already done, Flaghertach sent to Scotland for a fleet of foreigners, who made no delay until they arrived in Inishowen. The monarch and his forces and mercenaries were opposed by the CinelEoghan, Ulidians, and men of Keenaght, in the present county * Othain-Beag was probably in the same neighbourhood.-Dr. O'Donovan.

The monarch Flaghertach was not of the Cinel-Eoghan.

of Derry; but the monarch was victorious, though many of the brave allies were drowned in the river Bann while on the retreat. Hugh V. (Ollan), son of Feargall, was elected monarch in 734, and his brother, Niall Frassach, in 763. In his reign Ireland was the scene of frequent earthquakes, which spread gloom and desolation throughout the land. He abdicated, and retired to a monastery in the island of Hy, where he spent the remainder of his days in mortification. Besides the earthquakes which occurred in his reign, the Annals of Clonmacnoise state that a great famine prevailed at the beginning of it. The king was deeply penitent on account of the misery existing among his people, and, accompanied by seven bishops, besought God of his mercy to have compassion upon them. The request was no sooner made than throughout the districts of Aileach and Fahan (then called Muireadhach's territory) three showers fell-namely, a shower of pure silver, a shower of wheat, and a shower of honey, so that there was such abundance as was thought would be sufficient for a number of kingdoms.

CHAPTER V.

From Turgesius to De Courcy.

Hugh VI., (Oirnigh) his son, became monarch in 797, and reigned 25 years. Early in this monarch's reign the Danes made their first descent on Ireland, and inaugurated scenes of cruelty, terror, fire, and bloodshed, general depravity and corruption of morals, ignorance and misery unparalleled. Niall Caille, son of Hugh VI., became monarch in 833. In his reign the Danes began to make regular settlements in the country, and to construct their raths. The monarch, Niall Caille, gained a great victory over these invaders at Derry, and another at Tirconnell Berry. He was soon after accidentally drowned. This was the signal for the Danes to tear the sceptre from the ancient line, and to confer the monarchy upon Turgesius, one of their own body. Niall, thrown by his horse, was drowned in the river Callainn, county Kilkenny. In commemoration of his death was said:

"A curse on thee, O severe Callainn,
Thou stream-like mist from a mountain,
Thou hast painted death on every side,
On the warlike brunette-bright face of Niall."

Annals of the Four Masters.

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