CHAPTER XII.

FROM 1343 TO 1500.

Another Brian--The Black Death-Brian murdered by the "Clann Keogh "-Revenge-O'Briens and MacNamaras defeat the English at Aenagh, on the Maigne-Ulic de Burgho defeated by the MacNamaras Marries a daughter of the reigning Prince, and assumes the Irish title of MacWilliam Oughther-Submission to Richard II. -MacNamara builds Quin Abbey-Peace-MacMahon, attacked by Teigue O'Brien and the O'Malleys, defeats them-Teigue brings all Leinster and Munster to submission-Covets the dignity of ArdRigh-Dies 1467-The Earl of Kildare, Lord-Deputy, invades Clare -Is defeated at Ballyhicky, near Quin.

As soon as Brian heard of the death of Mortogh, he made all haste to Clare. In the meantime, Dermod had "assumed the lordship." 1 On the arrival, however, of Brian, with doubtless a strong force, his well-known energy of character, and the prestige of his many successes on the other side of the Shannon, bore down all opposition. The MacNamaras, his old enemies, had been, as already related, humbled. He had made peace with De Burgho. Without these, Dermod could not count upon a force sufficient to cope with Brian, so without a blow he relinquished the supremacy. Brian began now a peaceful reign over all Thomond. On neither side of the Shannon did he meet with any opposition. He had the good sense to keep on good terms with the clans who had, in the early part of his life, been his and his family's bitter and successful opponents. Clare enjoyed internal rest. Even the awful plague called the Black Death, which had ravaged Europe, and which was brought by the English into Ireland in 1348, left it untouched. Those parts of Ireland where the English held their ground were reduced to the most 1 Four Masters. 2 Clyn's Annals. Stowe's Chronicles.

2

extreme misery, whole districts being almost depopulated by this fearful scourge.

This was too good to last long. In 1350, Brian was surprised, probably while insisting on his rights as sovereign in their country, by the Clan Keogh on the east of the Shannon, and treacherously slain. This crime was immediately avenged by Turlogh Oge O'Brien, Brian's grandson, who slew fifteen of the most guilty, and, besides, despoiled the whole clan of their cattle and lands.

During the reign of Dermod, who succeeded Brian, nothing of note occurred in Clare.

Dying without issue, he was succeeded, according to the Four Masters, by his nephew Mahon, surnamed Moinmoy. This reign witnessed some internal dissensions, during which Donogh MacNamara, " the best son of a chieftain in Leath Mogha in his time," say the Four Masters, and the eldest son of the chief of Corcovaskin, were slain by the O'Briens, for which the MacNamaras had their revenge in killing Teigue, grandson of Turlogh O'Brien, some years later on. Mahon gave the English such trouble that they were glad to come to terms with him, by the payment each year of a considerable sum of money. It was called the "Black Rent."

Within a few years, two learned men, Gilla na naemh O'Conway, chief professor of music in Thomond, and Gilla na naemh O'Davoren, chief Brehon or Judge in Thomond, died. There passed away also, A.D. 1365, O'Connor, Prince of Corcomroe, called the Hospitable, who with his own hand slew the younger De Clare at the battle of Dysert O'Dea, and thereby contributed so much to the rout of the English from Thomond. The death also of Donal MacNamara is recorded, A.D. 1368. In the following year, Mahon died in his own fortress at Clonroad, and "Brian O'Brien assumed," say the Four Masters, "the lordship of Thomond." This means probably a forcible seizure, as we will find his uncle Turlogh soon after disputing his claim.

No sooner was Brian in power than he gave proof of warlike vigour. At the head of his own troops, and supported by the Clan Cuilean, he crossed the Shannon, and gave battle 1 Four Masters.

2 Ibid,

on the 1st of July to the English of Munster, at Aenagh on the Maigne, near the great monastery founded in 1151 by Turlogh O'Brien, in the county of Limerick. The latter suffered a severe defeat. Garret, Earl of Desmond, John Fitz Nicholas, Sir Thomas FitzJohn, and many other nobles, were taken prisoners by the O'Briens and MacNamaras,1 while their army was routed after great slaughter. They then turned upon the city of Limerick, and, taking it by assault, having burned part of it, compelled the English garrison to surrender. Sioda Cam MacNamara, "son of the daughter of O'Dwyre," assumed the wardenship of the town, but the English who were in the town acted treacherously towards him, and killed him.2

Civil war again broke out in Clare. The English, under the command of Richard de Burgho, espoused the cause of the banished Turlogh, Brian's uncle, and, coming in great force, compelled Brian to fly. They then invaded the territory of the MacNamaras, whose prince, Loughlin Laudher (the Strong), not being taken by surprise, like Brian, was able to make a stout resistance. Under the able leadership of his youngest son, Hugh, this warlike clan utterly defeated De Burgho, A.D. 1377, with great loss, among the slain being some of the Connaught chiefs who ranged themselves under the English banner. This success prepared the way for the return to power of Brian Catha an Aenagh, who was married. to MacNamara's daughter. This prince wisely made terms with De Burgho, giving him his daughter in marriage, and thus detached him from the cause of his rival, Turlogh Mael.

The year after, Hugh MacNamara, son of Loughlin Laudher by his second wife, daughter of O'Daly of Corcomroe, slew his step-brother Teigue. This shocking crime, not unusual in that rude age, was probably prompted by his ambitious craving for the chieftaincy of the Clan Cuilean, and led to bitter enmity in after years between them and the O'Briens, whose ruling prince was married to Teigue's sister.

The fusion of the old English settlers with the native Irish had become at this early period a very noticeable feature of 2 Four Masters.

1 Grace's Annals. Four Masters.

Irish history. They were already beginning to adopt the dress and language, and customs and laws, of the native race among whom they lived. This one fact is a sufficient reply to the sneers of some English and other foreign writers, when describing or rather caricaturing the Irish of that day. The great Norman families who kept the despised Saxon in abject slavery, and who rarely intermarried with them, would not, it is fair to presume, abandon their own customs, and live like the Irish, if these were so rude as they were pictured. It was a tribute as great to their social, genial, and cultured excellence, as that paid in the past by the Romans to the Greeks, or by the Lorraine and Alsatian Germans of our own time to the French. It was with no little chagrin and indignation that the English began to speak of them as Hiberniores Hibernesis ipsis. As an instance of this, we find the Burkes aiding the Dalcassians, A.D. 1380, in exacting the tribute imposed on the English of Munster.1 But clear proof was given soon after, in 1411, when Ulic de Burgho, who had married the Dalcassian princess, openly renounced the English connection, and had himself elected in the Irish manner as chief of his clan, assuming the title of MacWilliam. Oughther, or Upper; while another of the same family, Edmond, assumed that of MacWilliam Eighther, or Lower.

Some time before this, A.D. 1394, Richard II. of England, having suffered reverses in his continental wars, determined to make a show of his authority in Ireland. He collected a fleet of two hundred vessels, and landed at Waterford with a force of no less than four thousand men-at-arms and thirty thousand archers. This was the largest army ever before launched against the Irish, and they prudently, and for want of cohesion among themselves, made signs of submission. The Munster and Ulster kings, O'Brien and O'Neill, "went into the house of the English king." The same was said, but it was not true, of O'Connor. Rival princes of the name ruled then East and West Connaught, and so some minor chieftain was said to have personated the Connaught king. Art MacMurrough, who became so famous afterwards, put himself also in the power of the English king, for which he had to 1 Book of Lecan.

1 2

2 Four Masters.

pay the penalty of leaving hostages to secure his release. O'Brien and O'Neill, and even chiefs of lesser note, were received with great distinction. A description, evidently highly coloured, of the festivities and other transactions on this occasion-the strange dress and customs of the Irish guests being specially dwelt on-is to be found in the Chronicles of Froissart. He must have taken on trust what he heard from some Norman, and therefore hostile narrator. Much stress is laid on the knighting after the Norman fashion of the four Irish kings. They submitted to it, but with bad grace, as they declared that at seven years of age an Irish prince formally undertook the profession of arms. After this mock pageant, O'Brien and his Dalcassian bodyguard returned home, and things went on in Clare just as though Richard with his powerful army had never landed in Ireland. Peace reigned there till Brian's death, A.D. 1399, when, his sons by his wife Slaine MacNamara being too young to rule, his brother Conor was elected to succeed him.

At the year 1402 the Four Masters give the building for the Franciscan friars of the beautiful Abbey of Quin, by "Sioda Cam MacNamara, lord of Clan-Cuilean, who ordained that it should be the burial-place of himself and his tribe." Its ruins are there still, speaking eloquently of the splendour of the gift, and the excellence of Clare architecture of that period. No better answer can be given to the silly theory of Mr. Marcus Keane, that the "towers and temples of Ireland" could not be of Christian origin, than to point to the exquisitely finished workmanship of the towers and cloisters. and chapels of Quin Abbey. It was all unquestionably the work of Irish hands, under the direction of a generous Irish prince, and in a county within which, as yet, nothing foreign had taken root. Probably it was only commenced in that year, and proceeded with in the subsequent years till 1433, when it was completed and occupied by the friars of the strict observance, as the latter is the date of the Bull of Eugenius IV. sanctioning the foundation, addressed to "Delecto filio nobili viro Mac son mac na-Mara Duci de Clandeullyan.' It may be assumed that it was for the

1 Wadding, vol. x. p. 526.

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