Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-05
Nutes Of Trarelim GMrppe.
OBSERVATIONS ON IRELAND.
BY REV. r. LATHAM.
Written for the Yorkville Enuuirer.]

Written for the Yorkvlle Enuuirer.l
The little that is certainly known about
the early history of Ireland, makes that his
tory absorbingly interesting. The Irish,
like the Chinese, trace their history back
into the hazy past for long period ofyears;
but unlike the Chinese, they do not 60 be-
yond the creation into the evolutionary Pc
riod. So far as is known, the ancient Irish
all claimed that they were the posterity of
Adam, and that they descended from him
by ordinary generation. Irish historians,
with one consent, affirm that the name by
which the first inhabitants called their coun-
try was the Woody Isle. The name, we are
told, was expressive of a fact-the island
being densely covered with huge trees.
Taking this for granted, since it is uncon-
tradicted, we may safely conclude that Ire
land is an old country, or that it has been in
habited for long time. Every vestige of
these forests is gone. BY the name of the
Sacred Isle Ireland is thought to have been
known to the Carthagenians. In poem
on the Agonautic Expedition, Apollonius
mentions Ireland, calling it lernis. We
shall not attempt to trace, or even mention,
all the names by which Ireland has been
known. 1t certainly has changed its name,
or had it's name changed, as often as Laban
changed Jacobs wages.
Perhaps no country has such legenda-
ry histoI,y as Ireland has. 1t is so compact,
S. we'll jointed, so full of romance, that
from beginning to end it is as beWitchlng
as fairy tale. In fact, Ireland is the most
interesting country in many respects, on
the globe. It is full of antiquities which
point back to people who have long since
disappeared; or rather, these antiquities
point back to period in the history of the
island when it was controlled by a success
sion of tribal powers. Some knowledge OF
these tribal powers is necessary to proper
appreciation of the surface of the country.
Each and all of these tribes have left foot.
prints of their existence. The evidences OF
their dominion are seen everywhere, and in
great abundance. They are dug up in the
fields and stand out in bold relief on the
tops of the mountains. These monuments
are capable of being classified into Military,
Sepulchral and Ecclesiastical structures, and
link Ireland back with the dim past.
The five principal tribes which settled
Ireland were the Parthalons, the Meme
des, the Firbolgs, the Tuatha-de- -Dananns
and the Milesians. The colony planted by
Parthalon fourished and grew for a period
of three centuries, when it was visited by
a plague. Nine thousand died in one
week and were buried at place called
The name Tallaght is said to mean "plague-
grave" On the Tallaght Hills there are,
at present, number of sepulchral monu-
ments, such as tumuli, earns, and stone
ksts, which indicate that at some time
the place was the burial ground of whole
tribe. Parthalon, says the legend, prior to
leaving Greece, murdered his father and
mother, For this crime he was forced to
leave his native country. This event, says
the same authority, took place prior to the
birth of Abraham. The retributive justice
of Providence pursued the parricide and
after lapse Of three centuries swept with
the besom of destruction his pOsterity and
that of his followers from the earth. For
a period of near half century Ireland was
desolate waste without an inhabitant.
Nemedes. These came, it is said, from
Scythia. Their leaders, name was Nemed
from whom they were called Nemedes
How they managed to reach Ireland no one
can form even a reasonable conjecture. BE
this as it may, they are said to have landed
in Ireland, probably in the neighborhood
of Cork. The colony was conveyed in
thirty-four ships. each Of which carried
thirty warriors. Very soon after the arri-
val of the Nemedes in Ireland they were
attacked by the Formians, a band OF sea-
robbers from Africa. With these Formlans
Nemed fought three successful battles. Like
Parthalon, he and his colony were visited
by fatal plague which carried off, in short
time, three thousand persons, among whom
was Nemed himself. He was buried on
Great Island, on the hill on which Queens.
town is now situated. The death of Nemed
was severe calamity to his CO ony. The
survivors of the plague were again attacked
by the FOrmians and reduced to state OF
the most abiect vassalage. The FOrmians
had established themselves on Tory Island
Here they had constructed a strong fortress
tower and lived by depredating upon any
and all within their reach. They were
under the leadership of two noted sea rob-
bers, More and Conang. From the Meme:
des they extracted an oppressive and annual
tribute of corn, milk, cream, butter, flour
and children. The cruelty and oppression
of the Formians drove the Nemedes to
desperation. Goaded by oppression, they
determined to attack the Tower on Tory
Island This they did. The tower was de-
stroyed and Conang and all his family slain.
None seems to have been absent on some
piratical expedition when this battle was
fought. Soon afterward, however, he land
ed with fleet, said to consist of sixty ships,
and attacked the Nemedes. A fierce battle
was fought on the seashOre. So intent were
the combatants that many of them on both
sides were drowned by the rising tide.
When the battle ended, it was found that
only few of either party remained. Mono
and Il few of his followers survived and held
the island. OF the Nemedes only about
thirty were spared. These, under three
leaders, Simon-Brec, Ibath and Britain
Mail, remained in ireland for period OF
seven or eight years. when they fitted out
o,,I ,,,;fh n lor nnyn hor nf tho nO1n-
nv, fled from the country in order to get
rid of the cruelties and expressions of the
Formians. Those who remained were kept
in state ofcontinual misery, by sea-robbers
who infested the coast for long series o1
years. The three Nemedes chiefs who fled
settled with their respective followers in
different regions. Simon-Brec went tC
Greece, Ibath went to the north of Europe
and finally took up their abode in Attica
Greece. Britain Mail went to the north OF
Scotland. There the descendants of his fol-
lowers remained until they were expelled
by the Picts.
The descendants Of that portion Of the
Nemedes, who did not leave Ireland under
these three leaders, continued to reside on
the island for a period Of more than two
hundred years. They then seem to have
deserted it, and for a period of about two
hundred years Ireland was again without
an inhabitant.
The descendants of Simon-Brec were
called Firbolgs, and these were the next set
tiers of Ireland. The word Firbolg means,
it is said, "bag men," and had its origin in
this way: The descendants Of Simon-Brec
and his followers increased very rapidly
in Greece, and soon became very numer-
Gus. But they were as grievousy oppressed
by the Greeks as their ancestors had been
by the Formians. \ part of the lahOrious
toll to which they were subjected, was the
i ,f hn inb o1l In