sloping off gently to Inishowen Head.

The former are famous

in the annals of the private distiller, as affording dews more potent than Cognac, and sweeter than mead. The north is enclosed by the Glengad and Malin ridge, running from east to west, and terminating at Pollin Strand. This chain is not quite continuous, a link having apparently been snapped by some violent convulsion of nature, separating the Isle of Doagh from Malin, with which there is sufficient reason to believe it was once connected, and permitting the waters of the Atlantic to enter in the breach, and to form the gulf or rather inland lake of Strabreagy. From the apex of the triangle above-named a central range runs northward, with spurs that shoot off east and west, towards Glenaganon on the one hand, and the high lands of Coolcross and the Clonmany mountains on the other. The culminating point of this range is Slieve Snaght, which overlooks all the others, as a lofty tower in the midst of a city smiles on the insignificance of the surrounding buildings. By the Ordnance Survey, the summit of Slieve Snaght is 2,019 feet above the level of the sea; but on Bett's map of Ireland its elevation above sea level is given as 2,232 feet. Taking it at the latter, the circle bounding the observer's view from its summit would be traced by a radius of 57 miles, and would contain within its limits some 10,000 square miles of the earth's surface. Its east and west sides are steep and difficult of ascent, but it is more accessible on the north and south. On the top is a level space of considerable extent; here, too, is a cairn erected by the Surveyors of the Board of Ordnance; and a little lower are the remains of the huts which afforded them shelter during their stay on the mountain. Not far from the cairn is a well of water. The views from this mountain, on a fine day, are very extensive and highly interesting. To the north and west is the blue Atlantic, with its ceaseless pulsations, rolling along in league-long billows. Turn around, and Antrim, Derry, Tyrone, and West Donegal unfold themselves to our wondering gaze; the Giant's Causeway, Downhill, Magilligan, Beneveny, the heights around Londonderry, Horn Head, Dunfanaghy, the deep indentations of the ocean on that romantic coast, such as Sheep Haven and Mulroy water, Fannet, sacred to the memory of St. Columb, and Tory Island, his favorite retreat, are plainly perceptible. All around the spectator is Inishowen itself; its hills, dales, valleys, lakes, and rivers spread out as in a map. Between the mountains, or embosomed

among them, are glens, cloons (valleys), meens (narrow valleys glacks (secluded nooks), and narrow passes, with lakes of limp water teeming with eel and trout, formed to tempt as well to reward the attentions of the angler.

*

The only plain of any considerable extent in Inishowen Maghtogher, or the plain of springs. Conceive a line draw from the southern shoulder of Cruck-na-coille-dare (the hill oak woods,) on which, by the way, is a considerable stripe natural wood to remind one of the primitive forests with whic the country was once clad; conceive, I say, a line drawn fro this point to the bridge of Gleneely (the lime vale), anothe from said bridge to the Croah (stack) of Glengad, another from Croah to Magherard, Isle of Doagh, and a fourth from Magherard to Cruck-na-coille-dare, aforesaid, and you have th boundary of the plain of Maghtogher, in shape a quadrilateral one of the diagonals of which is about eight miles, the othe six. There is considerable indication of the ocean wave having at one time rolled across a portion of this plain from Culdaf to Binion Hill, isolating Malin, with which, as I have stated Doagh Isle was most probably connected. On the Glengad coast an old beach may be traced at a considerable distanc from the present sea line, and fully 50 feet elevation above its level, which goes evidently to show that the sea has retired Again, along the course I have named, stand the "Isles of Grellagh," which reared their heads above the ancient deep but towards Tulnabrattly, on the leading road from Carndonagh to Clonmany, the evidence of the action of the waves on the rocks, and traces of the coast line are quite apparent. The rivers are generally short and rapid. There are two which empty themselves into the sea at Buncrana; the Clonmany River, which rises in Meendoran Lough, and is joined by the Ballyhallon, near the town of Clonmany, and which empties itself into the sea at Binion; the two which pass Carndonagh, on its eastern and western side, and empty themselves into the

66

*The Annals of the Four Masters specify that the plain of Maghtochair was cleared (of wood) in the reign of Nemedius, whose colony arrived in Ireland in the year 1154 B.C. Dr. O'Donovan says'Magh-tochair means the plain of the Causeway. This was the name of a plain at the foot of Sliabh-Sneacht, anglicè Slieve Snaght, in the barony of Inishowen, and county of Donegal, which was anciently a part of Tir-Eoghain or Tyrone. The church of Domhnachmor-Muighetochair, near the village of Carndonagh, is referred to in the Tripartite Life of St. Patrick as in this plain."

sea at Strabreagy; the Culdaff River, flowing into Culdaff Bay; and the Braddagh, at Moville, are the principal.

The lakes are, Meentagh Lake, Meendoran Lough, Meedianmore Lake, in Malin; Moneydarragh Lake, Loughcunn, Ballyarnet Lough, Lough Fad, and the Round Lough in Urris Mountains.

According to the Catholic divisions, there are the following parishes, viz. :—-Upper Fahan, Burt, and Inch (united), Lower Fahan and Dysertegney (united), Clonmany, Donagh, Cloncha, Culdaff, Moville, and Iskaheen.

According to the Protestant divisions, there are twelve benefices. Eight of these, namely, Upper Fahan, Dysertegney, Clonmany, Donagh, Cloncha, Culdaff, Lower Moville, and Upper Moville, are Rectories; and four, namely, Burt, Inch, Lower Fahan, and Muff, are perpetual Curacies.

First

CHAPTER II.

Colonists-Parthalon's Expedition-The Colony of Nemedius-The Firbolgs-The Tuatha de Danains-IthThe Milesians-The Three Collas-Defeat of the Collas by the sons of Niall of the Nine Hostages—Ennis-Owen.

O'Flaherty, following the annals of Clonmacnoise, fixes the arrival of the first colonists in Ireland under Parthalon, in the year of the world 1969. Parthalon, says Walsh, having landed with his colony in Ireland, divided the Island between his four sous, Er, Orbha, Fearon, and Ferghna; but, after three hundred years' residence in the country, his posterity perished by a plague, after which the country remained uninhabited for thirty years.

According to O'Flagherty,* Nemedius, great grand-nephew of Parthalon, having learned the tragic end of his relations in Ireland, embarked with thirty-four transports, carrying 1020 persons, besides his wife and four sons, and took possession of the island. After twelve years, his wife, Macha, died, and was buried at Ardmach; from which circumstance Armagh takes its name. The colony of Nemedius was overthrown by the Fomorians. Jobath, grandson of Nemedius, led a remnant of his people into north Germany, and from these, according to Keating, were descended the Tuatha de Danains.

* Ogygia, part 2, p. 65.

In some time after, the Firbolgs or Belgians, another people of Britain, to the number of 5,000 men, commanded by five chiefs, either by defeat or desertion of the Fomorians, took possession of the island. * They divided it into five parts, which gave rise to the pentarchy. Their dominion lasted eighty years, under nine kings, the last of whom, Eogha, married Tailta, daughter of a Spanish prince, who gave name to the place of her burial, still called Tailton, in Meath. †

In the reign of Eogha, the last of the Firbolg kings, the Tuatha de Danains made a descent upon Ireland, gave battle to, and defeated the Firbolgs at Partry, in the County of Mayo. The Thuathe De Danians, noted magicians, arrived here from Cornwall, after having passed through Norway and Denmark, and brought with them that celebrated stone which they used at the coronation of their Kings, and which was afterwards borrowed by Fergus I., of Scotland. It was preserved in the Abbey of Scone, carried off by Edward I., of England, and placed in the coronation chair in Westminster-Lia-Fail, or stone of destiny. Inishowen, from its natural defences, formed a safe retreat for the De Danains; here, accordingly, they built the stronghold of Elagh, where their King, Kearmada, died, and where his sons, Eathur, Teahur, and Keahur, reigned one year each alternately, on the arrival of the Milesians.

According to the Psalter of Cashel, this colony held possession of the island for the space of one hundred and ninety-seven years, under seven of their kings, of whom the three sons of Kearmada, who represented their father, and who ruled one year alternately for a space of 30 years, were the last. Those three brothers, who were married to three sisters, took surnames from the different idols which they worshipped; and Ireland, which previously was called Inisfail, changed its name with the reigning queen, and was called alternately Banba, Fodla, and Eire. Eathur, who espoused Banba, was surnamed Maccuill, from the hazel-tree which he adored. Teahur married Fodla, and worshipped the plough. He was called Mac-Keaght. Keahur, who married Eire, took the sun for his divinity, and was called Mac-Greine, which means the son of the sun.

One morning early in Autumn, about 1,000 years before the Christian era, a venerable man might be seen prostrate on the beach at the foot of that promontory known as Inishowen Head,

* Mac-Geoghegan. † Ogygia, part 3, chap. 9.

He knelt there to worship the sea god-to pour forth the gratitude of his heart to Neptune for the happy termination of a long and perilous voyage. His ship rode at anchor before him. No cloud darkened the deep blue of the heavens, the air was calm, the sky lustrous, the sun had just risen, and burnished with dazzling brightness the gentle ripple which played on the surface of the waters. The stranger was Ith, uncle of Milesius, who had sailed from Braganza, in Spain, in quest of the most western isle of the world, which a soothsayer had declared should be the final resting-place of his nation.

Many were the mutations and migrations of this people. Niul, son of Fenius-Farsa, King of Scythia, son of Baath, son of Magog, second son of Japhet, son of Noah, made a voyage into Egypt, where he married Scota, daughter of Pharoah Cincris, and had issue a son, who was called Gaodal-Glas, or Gadelas, from whom was descended the Gadelians. Having lived in Egypt for three generations, the Gadelians greatly increased in numbers, and were obliged, from the jealous fear of the Egyptians, to depart, which they did, sailing to Crete, now Candia. From Crete they proceeded to Scythia, thence in the course of time to North Africa, where they remained for eight generations. From Africa they crossed to Spain, then inhabited by the descendants of Tubal, son of Japhet, Here, by right of conquest, they became masters of the northern province, and built the town of Braganza, so called from their chief, Breogan, grandfather of Milesius. Milesius in turn became chief of the Gadelians, was twice married and the father of eight sons, Donn, Aireach, Heber-Fionn, Amhergin, Ir, Colpa, Aranann, and Heremon. He travelled much, did Milesius, and greatly distinguished himself as a general and warrior, particularly in the army of the King of Egypt, against the Ethiopians; and, after many dangers, toils, and difficulties, returned to Spain, where he ended his days in peace.

*

Soon after his demise a famine arose, which determined the Milesians to fit out an expedition to seek that fruitful Isle, that promised land, which the chief Druid predicted should be theirs. Accordingly, a vessel was fitted out with 150 soldiers on board, and to Ith, recommended by his wisdom and experience, was given the command. Having successfully overcome all the

*This account of the Milesians is founded on statements contained in Leavar-drom-sneachta, or the White Book, cited by Keating, and which was written in the time of Paganism.