services in the Spanish army were undoubted proof of his skill in all military affairs. He had been a short time previously made LieutenantGeneral of the province of Connaught, by the Confederate Catholics assembled at Kilkenny, and at first endeavoured to settle affairs. amicably with Captain Willoughby. However, on the 28th of February, Captain Thomas Burke of Anbally Castle surprised and took the Earl of Clanricarde's Castle of Clare Galway, after which he called upon the most influential gentlemen in the county to support him in attacking St. Augustine's Fort, and for ever putting an end to the atrocities of Willoughby and the other Cromwellians stationed there. Accordingly, he was joined in the month of April by Sir Valentine Blake of Menlough Castle, Sir Ulick Burke of Glynsk, Sir Robert Lynch of Castle Carra, Lieutenant-Colonel William O'Shaughnessy of Gortinsiguara Castle, Lieutenant-Colonel O'Flahertie, Francis Bermingham of Athenry, Hubert Burke of Dunamon Castle, Redmond Burke of Kilcornan, Rickard Burke of Derrymacloughlin Castle, Tiege O'Kelly of Gallagh Castle, Tiege O'Kelly of Aughrim Castle, Tiege O'Kelly of Mullaghmore Castle, Captains Richard Beytagh, Murrogh na-mart O'Flahertie, Anthony Brabazon, Ulick Carragh Burke, Walter Morris, Ulick Burke of Castle Hacket, Edmond O'Flahertie, John O'Madden, Jonack Mac Thomas, John Browne, John Garvey, William Burke of Cloghan, William Fitz John Burke, with several other gentlemen of distinction, who marched against the fort. Towards the end of the month, provisions becoming rather scarce in the fort, Willoughby sent a party of his soldiers into Iar-Connaught on a plundering expedition, which the citizens of Galway being informed of, they despatched some companies in pursuit, who, having succeeded in getting between them and their boats, most of them were cut off.

In the month of May, the siege was carried on in a most creditable and determined manner by the forces of the town and county. They erected two strong batteries, one on the point of Rintinan, and the other on the opposite point at Renmore. A heavy chain was then placed between these batteries across the entrance to the harbour, to prevent access from the sea, while the troops stationed at Clare Galway and Athenry prevented the Earl of Clanricarde, who then resided in Tirellan Castle, from assisting Captain Willoughby, though he was most anxious to relieve him. Rear-Admiral Brooke arrived in Galway Bay in the beginning of June, with a supply of arms and provisions for the fort, but the batteries on the points of Renmore and Rintinan opened fire on him, which prevented his approach. Admiral Brooke then endeavoured to throw in supplies, under cover of the night, into the

fort, through the medium of his long boats, which being met by those of the town, manned by the Young Men, were quickly obliged to retire, without being able to accomplish their object. Captain Willoughby and his soldiers being thus hemmed in on all sides, he requested permission from Lieutenant-General Burke to deliver up the fort to the Earl of Clanricarde. This request was refused by General Burke, owing to the Earl's former conduct, unless his Lordship consented to take the oath of the Catholic Confederation, which he declined to do. Accordingly, on the 20th of June, Willoughby, who was reduced to the greatest extremity, surrendered St. Augustine Fort and the Castle of Oranmore, without the Earl of Clanricarde's consent. The day after the capitulation was signed, three large ships from England arrived in the bay, but, unfortunately for Captain Willoughby, they came too late to render him any assistance. The ex-governor and his men embarked on board these vessels on the 25th, and great was the universal rejoicing in Galway, on the occasion of their departure. Prayers were offered up in thanksgiving to the Almighty, for the providential surrender of the fort, which had been so long an annoyance to the town. On the 18th of June, the Catholics repossessed themselves of St. Nicholas's church, and High Mass was solemnly celebrated therein, after which an impressive sermon was preached by the Reverend John Kegan, a Jesuit. On the 6th of August, the townsmen threw open the gates to the Irish, and raised £300 to enable them to besiege Castle Coot, in the county of Roscommon, which, except Loughrea and Portumna, was the only place in Ireland that still held out, for they had already possessed themselves of Tirellan Castle.

Towards the end of the month of February, 1651, Stephen de Henin, Abbé of St. Catharine, Ambassador of the Duke of Loraine, arrived in Galway with offers of assistance to the Confederate Catholics of Ireland. On hearing of his arrival, Ulick de Burgh, fifth Earl of Clanricarde and second Earl of St. Albans, who was created Marquis of Clanricarde in 1644, came to the town and took up his residence in Tirellan Castle. He appointed a committee of the bishops, nobility, and gentry then in Galway, to arrange with him. The propositions made by the Ambassador were, that the Duke of Lorraine should be received as Protector of the kingdom of Ireland, with regal powers, and that Galway and other towns should be given up to him, as security for the several sums which he would advance to King Charles I. for the defence of the country. The Marquis of Clanricarde refused those terms, as infringing on the rights of the King, prepared to leave Tirellan and denied the Abbé an audience before leaving for Portumna Castle. On hearing this, the surprised

Ambassador consented to waive part of his proposed terms, and to advance £20,000 on the security of the city of Limerick, and the town of Galway alone. This was agreed to by the Marquis, who directed that all articles should be adjusted by a treaty, to be entered into at Brussels, to which he sent Nicholas Plunkett and Geoffry Browne, to conclude the treaty in conjunction with Lord Taaffe. General Preston being pressed by the tide of war, with a few troops under him, took refuge in Galway, where he received the chief command, and was appointed Governor of the town.

This year also, Sir Charles Coote, one of the Parliamentarian generals besieged the town, and blockaded it on every side. He succeeded in capturing the castles of Tirellan, Oranmore, and Clare Galway, but the town did not surrender to the Cromwellians, until the following

year.

While passing the Castle of Tirellan, the boatman remarked

"I never thought I would live to see the castle in such a ruined state, and the noble Earl banished by the pack of foreigners that are now plundering the country. The day the Castle was burned, there was a woman in one of the top rooms, who did not know the place was fired, until the flames broke out in every direction, and she was so much afraid of being burned to death, that she flung herself from the battlements, and was instantly killed. It is believed that her spirit haunts the castle, and very few boatmen on this lake, would venture after nightfall, up or down the river, between Wood Quay and Menlough."

"Her death was a tragic one, at all events," interrupted Cuthbert, "and though I was in the town during the siege, I am surprised I did not hear of it from any of those who abandoned the Castle, at the approach of Baron de Ginckell's army. It is certainly a pity the Castle was destroyed, but such is the case in time of war, that those in command are frequently obliged to sacrifice the places which they hold, for the benefit of their cause."

"I know, sir, its destruction could not be avoided," continued the boatman-"but, speaking of the woman that leaped from the battlements, I was told on yesterday, by some of the other boatmen on the lake, that they saw her the other night sailing up the river in a little boat, but that when they pursued her, to see who it was, both herself, and the small skiff she was in, vanished in a mist, when near Menlough Castle."

Cuthbert smiled at this strange story, and remarked that he was most anxious to hear any legends or traditions there might be about the De Burghs, and would therefore be thankful to the boatman, if he re

U

lated some story about them. The boatman willingly complied, and then told him the following tradition.

"The O'Flaherties of Aughnenure Castle, whose ancestors formerly possessed the barony of Clare, in this county, were the Chieftains of Iar-Connaught, and were, for a very long time, the stern and most determined opposers of the De Burghs, Earls of Ulster, which Earldom they maternally inherited from the noble family of De Lacy. The De Burghs were not then Earls of Clanricarde, that peerage having been first conferred on Ulick-na-Cean, or Ulick of the Heads, after he recognised the authority of the English, and submitted to King Henry VIII. Well, the O'Flaherties becoming jealous of their increasing influence, declared war against them, and invaded the territory of Clanricarde. After many severe engagements, in which the Earl of Ulster was nearly always successful, the O'Flahertie sept was greatly weakened, and the Chief, who was compelled to retire to his mountain fastnesses in Connemara, was soon reduced from his former power, and obliged to undergo the greatest hardships, and encounter many dangers in endeavouring to escape from his enemies, who lost no opportunity of harassing him. On one occasion, the distressed but stubborn old Chieftain of Iar-Connaught, while accompanied by one or two devoted adherents, being hotly pursued, was obliged to conceal himself in the large and intricate wood of Glan. Here, exhausted from fatigue and hunger, the unbending Chieftain and his clansmen fell into a sound slumber, having no other canopy than the leafless branches of the huge trees, and no softer pillows than their battle-battered shields. After some hours, the mailclad followers of De Burgh, having discovered their retreat, surrounded the place and were closing in upon them, but the O'Flaherties still slumbered heavily, quite unconscious of the impending danger. At this critical moment, when the Chieftain was about falling into the hands of his foes, a lizard approached him and bit his ear, as if to warn him of coming danger, and in memory of this event, the O'Flaherties ever since bear a lizard as their crest. He immediately sprung to his feet and aroused his companions. Seeing themselves surprised, they at once slung their shields on their left arms, and, unsheathing their trusty swords, cut their way through those who were between them and their galley; pushed off and succeeded in reaching the Castle of Aughnenure in safety The De Burghs being shortly after reinforced, marched to the Castle, and surrounding it, cut off all communication between the Chieftain and his clan. After a long and trying siege, the garrison were at length obliged to capitulate, and acknowledge the authority of the Earl of Ulster, while the Chieftain of Aughnenure was bound, by

the treaty of surrender, to pay annually a large quantity of corn, cattle, and wool, as tribute to the Earl of Ulster, and his heirs, whom he acknowledged as Lords of Iar-Connaught. However, the Earl's forces had no sooner returned to the territory of Clanricarde, and their leader taken up his residence in Tirellan Castle, than O'Flahertie deeply regretted ever having signed the treaty. He therefore dissembled with the victors for three years, during which period he postponed the payment of the stipulated treaty, by giving various plausible excuses to the different messengers sent by the powerful Earl to Aughnenure Castle, to demand of him the fulfilment of the conditions of his treaty of surrender. In the meantime, the old Chieftain was busily engaged in strengthening and disciplining his retainers and followers, who were ever ready to follow their Chief to the field of battle. At the expiration of the third year, the Earl, who had become impatient, resolved to send his own son for the tribute which was owed him by the Chieftain of IarConnaught. One of the sentinels on the battlements of Aughnenure Castle, on seeing the young horseman approach, informed his Chieftain, who gave directions to lower the drawbridge, raise the portcullis, and to receive him in the hall of the castle with every mark of respect. Soon after his arrival, O'Flahertie descended to the hall, and after the usual salutations on such occasions were exchanged between them, endeavoured to convince De Burgh, that neither he, nor any of his family, had any claim to Iar-Connaught, and that himself, as its Chieftain, was not bound to pay tribute to the Clanricardes, as he had been forced to capitulate. However, the fiery De Burgh, who listened impatiently to his remonstrances, soon commenced to upbraid the old Chieftain with having broken faith with them, and with having acted a dishonourable part. The blood of the old Chieftain swelled in his veins on being thus accused, and observing that De Burgh happened to be standing on the trap stone in the centre of the hall, in his fury he touched the spring. In an instant, the slab revolved on its axis, and the brave youth was precipitated into the river which flowed beneath the castle, and which was grated on either side. After a short time, O'Flahertie caused his body to be taken up and removed to the courtyard, where he struck off the head with a single blow of his battle-axe, which he placed in a large bag. The Chieftain of Aughnenure Castle at this period had three grown up sons, and calling the eldest he thus addressed him—

"Here, take this bag to Tirellan Castle, and tell the Earl of Ulster that your father, O'Flahertie of Aughnenure, sent it as his tribute to him, and that it is the only chiefry the O'Flaherties will ever pay to him or his descendants."