seemed doubtful. Both were equally expert with their weapons, having been trained by the same person. At length Cucullin was yielding before the indomitable vigour of the young chief. He grew enraged at the idea of being beaten by a stripling, retreated to a short distance and seized his servant's spear which was lying beside him on the ground. 'Twas his last resource, but his aim was unerring. He hurled it with his usual dexterity, and pierced the body of Conloach. The young chief fell a corpse at the warrior's feet. It was a sad sight-the father and the son. 66 'The conqueror bent over the fallen foe with reverence for the brave youth, and discovered beneath the folds of his garment a beautiful gold chain. 'Twas the same he had given to his young bride in Scotland when returning to his own country. Then, and not till then, did he know that he had slain his own brave son. The honours of victory were soon changed into the wailings of disaster. Gloom was on every face. The fallen chief was consigned to his early grave; fair maidens decked it with fresh flowers of spring, and brave men knelt there as though it were the shrine of the Battle God. "Some months after the occurrence of this sad tragedy a wild November storm was howling fearfully, when a muffled figure was observed gazing wistfully on the grave of the young chief, down in the green valley beneath the castle-the very spot where his life-blood once reddened the earth. The night passed away in fearful storms, and the next morning the figure was at the grave-side still. Cucullin, with some others, went down to see who it was, and there they found the dead body of her who was once the fair young Scottish bride-the mother of Conloach. She was buried by the side of her brave son, and Cucullin soon followed them to a sorrowful grave.” Murtagh O'Brien, great grandson of Brien Boiroimhe, became monarch in 1089, his rival being Domnald Maglochluin, Prince of Inishowen. Hither O'Brien marched, marking his course with fire and sword, overcame Maglochluin, demolished the ancient castle of Aileach, and carried some of the stones thereof into Munster, as a trophy of his success in the North. At the death of O'Brien, Maglochluin became monarch, and next year died in the Abbey of Derry. The demolition of Aileach, by O'Brien, was in revenge of Kincora, which Mac Laughlin razed and demolished some time previous. "Muircheartach commanded his army to carry with In com them, from Oileach to Luimneach, a stone of the demolished building for every sack of provisions which they had. memoration of which was said : 'I never heard of the billeting of grit stones, On the horses of the King of the West.'" Four Masters. Aileach was demolished by O'Brien in 1102, who, at the same time burned many churches and forts about Fahan, and about Ardstraw, and plundered Inishowen generally. Murtagh Mac Laughlin, son of Domnald, was Monarch after his rival O'Conor. Murtagh was a warrior and a politician, and he brought the provinces much into subjection; but he was the last monarch of the house of Inishowen. With him ended the supreme dignity of his illustrious race—a race, to whose immortal renown, saw their ruling princes in succession, though not consecutively, Monarchs of Ireland from the sixth to the middle of the twelfth century. Murtagh may be considered as the most powerful monarch since the reign of his illustrious relative, Malachi II. Writers have remarked that it would have been fortunate for Ireland had Murtagh enacted a law in favour of securing the succession of his house to the crown, which would have put an end to the factions caused by the usurpation of the provincial kings, that hastened the downfall of the nation. In his reign the great church of Derry, which was eighty feet long, was erected by Flaithbheartach Ua Brolchain, (Bradley) successor of Columkille, and the clergy, and by the assistance of the king, and they completed its erection in the space of forty days, as related in the Annals of the Four Masters, A.D. 1164. While Murtagh was making his tour of the provinces, a most remarkable incident occurred at Corofin, in the present County of Clare. It was the finding, as related by the Four Masters, of "the head of Eochaidh, son of Luchta ; it was larger than a great cauldron; the largest goose would pass through the hole of his eye, and through the hole of the spinal marrow." The celebrated Dearvforgaill, wife of O'Ruairc, Prince of Brefny, was the daughter of Murtagh Ua Macleachlainn, or Maelseachlainn. After its demolition by O'Brien, Aileach was never re-edified, but another castle, in more modern style, was erected there by one of the O'Dohertys, as is supposed, in the 15th century. This was occupied by O'Neills, O'Donnells, and O'Dohertys, successively, as either of these parties happened to be in the ascendant. It is now as quiet, as silent, and as deserted as the graves of most of the chiefs and warriors who contended for it, or who held princely sway within its walls for upwards of two thousand five hundred years. The owl, the crow, and the bat are its only denizens; they alone seem to keep vigil over the host of entranced soldiery who are said to lie dormant in its vaults, under the command of Dharra Dheerlig. It is said that at one time a man who was strolling about Elagh saw the end of a sword protruding from the ground, and, on pulling it up, forthwith the place opened, and the giants started up from their sleep, armed with spears, and shouting, "Is the time come?" The frightened wanderer replied "No," and they went to sleep again, and the earth closed round them as before. Whenever that sword is drawn, the sleeping warriors of Inishowen will be at their posts to know if the time is come. Contiguous to Elagh Castle is the little valley where Queen Reachtha ran a race against the fleetest horses in the stables of the monarch O'Connor. She left them far behind, save one, named Fairy, the king's favourite; but Reachtha was first at the winning post, and was immediately delivered of "two twins." She suffered much, and was greatly displeased at the men of Ulster for urging her to run the race, and, having cursed them, it is said they suffered the same pains as herself for a long time afterwards. CHAPTER VI. The English Conquest. As our last chapter began with the incursions and depredations of the Danes, so the present one begins with that long series of internecine strife, commonly called the English Conquest. A cursory perusal of the history of this period will suffice to show, that while their opponents ever acted on the principle of divide and conquer, the Irish seem to have been unconscious that "Union is strength." In 1177 the English, led on by De Courcy, attacked Ulster, and were completely defeated by Murtagh O'Carril and Frederick, Prince of Ulidia. After the death of Murtagh Maglochluin, the next prince of Inishowen was Flahertach O'Maolduin. In 1188 the authorities of the Pale prepared an expedition against Ulster, which Flahertach caused them to abandon. In 1196 he killed Russell, a follower of De Courcy, who had pillaged Tirconnell, and the same year he himself died. O'Maolduin was succeeded by O'Dougherty, a descendant of the monarch Niall the Great by his son Conal Gulban. O'Dougherty was, therefore, a younger branch of the O'Donnells.* This prince did not long enjoy his new dignity, but fell in the battle-field, fighting in the cause of his country against De Courcy. His memory, however, is still perpetuated, for it is from him that the O'Doughertys of Inishowen take their name. De Courcy was, for a while, superseded by De Lacy, but, being pardoned again, set sail for Ireland, and was fifteen times repulsed by contrary winds. where he died. Baron Kinsale. He was at length driven on the coast of France, He had a son, who was afterwards created After the death of the first O'Dougherty the miseries of Inishowen were multiplied. In 1518 it was attacked by Arthur O'Neill, Prince of Tyrone, in consequence of differences which arose between him and Connor Carragh O'Doherty, whereupon O'Neill marched hither, destroying all in his way by fire and sword, notwithstanding the best exertions of O'Dogherty to defend the place. It next appears to have passed into the possession of O'Donnell, Prince of Tirconnell, for O'Neill having claimed the right of lord over O'Donnell, the case was referred to the arbitration of the English Deputy, who decided that O'Donnell was free from all dependence on O'Neill, except a yearly tribute of 60 oxen for Inishowen. It was probably about this time that O'Neill sent his behest to O'Donnell, saying, "Send me tribute, or else;" when the latter as laconically replied, “I owe you none, and ifIn 1555 Calvagh O'Donnell defeated Phelim O'Doherty, and wrested from him the castle of Elagh. In 1573, and likewise 1576, the Earl of Essex made two unsuccessful attempts upon Ulster. Next, in 1587, followed the capture of Young Hugh * Ua Domhnaill, now anglice O'Donnell. This family, who, after the English Invasion, became supreme Princes or Kings of Tirconnell, had been previously Chiefs of the cantred of Cinel-Luighdheach, of which Kilmacrenan was the principal_church and residence. They derive their hereditary surname from Domhnall, son of Eigneachan, the son of Dalach, son of Muircheartach, son of Ceannfaeladh, son of Garbh, son of Ronan, son of Lughaidh, son of Sedna, son of Fergus Ceannfoda, son of Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, Monarch of Ireland in the fifth century.-Dr. O'Donovan. O'Donnell, Prince of Tirconnell, by decoying him on board a ship in Lough Swilly. After he effected his escape we find him allied with the chiefs of Tirconnell and Inishowen against the English, whom he fought at Enniskillen and elsewhere. In 1599 Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, came to Ireland as lord deputy. He received instructions to blockade the Earl of Tyrone by garrisoning the forts of Lough Foyle and Ballyshannon. The plan was abandoned by Essex, but accomplished by Lord Mountjoy, who became deputy next year, and who sent into Lough Foyle a fleet of 67 ships, containing 5,000 infantry and 300 horse, under the command of Sir Henry Dockwra. Dockwra erected four fortresses on the Inishowen coast of the lough, from which he ransacked the country, despite the exertions of John O'Doherty. Greencastle, built by The O'Doherty in the fifteenth century, was abandoned at this juncture, and taken possession of by Dockwra. It is now a magnificent ruin, and stands on a boldly prominent rock near the entrance to the lough, and, from the great strength and extent of the building, which covers a surface of 100 yards long and 56 yards broad, flanked by octagonal and square towers, inaccessible towards the sea, and strongly fortified towards the land, would seem almost impregnable. The walls are in some places 12 feet thick, and many of them are still in a good state of preservation. It was afterwards granted to Chichester. I may also add that near this place are other extensive ruins called Capel Moule, having the appearance of a military edifice, and supposed to have formerly belonged to the Knights Templars; and on a detached rock about a mile distant are the ruins of Kilblaney Church. Previously to 1620 Kilblaney formed a separate parish. Hugh O'Donnell hearing of the harsh treatment of the people of Inishowen by the garrison of Lough Foyle, came to oppose them, and killed a great many. Hither, also, came O'Neill, and surrounded the forts, and in August killed 1500 who were foraging in the country; but such losses were soon repaired by the fleet, which kept constantly transporting troops from England. Dockwra having advanced to Derry, was hemmed in by O'Donnell, and in the fury of combat was wounded by the blow of a pike, dealt him by O'Donnell, which cut through his helmet. The O'Donnell next repaired to Munster to oppose Carew, and left the defence of this district in the hands of John O'Doherty, Niall Garve O'Donnell, and D |