The Irish standard., 1891-08-15

| CGl6rWlSe the onward march OF pro.
gress and civilization would have long
since obIiterated these landmarks OF q
| buried past. We have now seen that
the Druids performed their mystic cere
monies in oaken groves upon affairs O;
large, unhewn stones, the top one being
placed slanting for the purpose have
stated.
Now the Doss landmark possesses
none ct the leading characteristics of
| the Uruid's altar. and moreover for a
distance of miles around it there is no
trace of oak to be found 1t is situated
on the shores OF Lough Neagh and con-
sists Of an incongruous little pile of dry
masonry the,stones being pretty regu-
lar)y placed the top one being perfectly
fat and horizontal, forming as it were
an altar table. 1t is surrounded almost
on three sides by the waters of Lough
N eagh which formerly laved it's base,
but which now have receded a consid-
erable distance. 1t is not probable that
an oaken forest ever grew here as no
trace has ever been found Of such a
| wood: the soil is gritty and uncongeniai
TO the growth Of oak; therefore,
think from the form and surroundings
Of the Doss Landmark we NAV disabuse
our minds of the idea of Its origin being
attributable TO the white bearded
Druids I think trom its shape and
surroundings and backward locality in
which tits situated we may justly con-
clutie 'Gis relic OF those blood curd!ing
days OF persecution upon which the
Catholic must ever mediate with
ahudder. | haye said The history OF Ire
land is traceable in her ruins. Yes; VIC
can easily read ia these ruins OF the
penal days the sad history of that ter
ribIe time. They vivldiY recall to our
Imagination the rack and the gibbet
afresh: We see Our venerated clergy
banned and hunted like rayen1ng
wolves with price upon their heads.
We have three beasts TO destroy y-tEle
FIRST is a wolf On whose head We lay SIS:
the second is a priest on whose head we
lay G1O; the third beast is a Tory. We
see those devoted priests in a mountain
cave and the desert wilderness offaiing
up the great aacrifice Of Calvary for
their prosecuted hocks, and the next
moment we sec them cut down, quar-
tered, disembowelled, by a brutal, ]lcen~
tious snd Infatuated sodiery. An! we
see the fair young virgins of Ireland fly
ing in an agony Of terror to unfre-
quented caves and woods, preferring
famine and fever and the haunts Of wild
animals TO tho loatbing licent iousness
ct the horrible hounds of war. We see
the green valleys Of Ireland flowing red
with che life blood Of her best and
bravest and purest. Oa Che banks of
the Boyne aud Blackwater We see fa-
theirs, mothers, sons and daughters
pouring out their life blood for their
God and their country. and like the
Rohillas Of Hindostan, raising their
diving eyes to heaven to suppllcate the
Eternal to avenge the wrongs of their
suffering land. We see onr martyred
priests stretched ON the infamous rack
until their bones leap from their sockets,
meeting death with sanity smile, and
looking with their last glance to heaven
for the martyrs crown. Ah! let me
turn from this CHASTITY picture; let me
draw the veil of oblivion over this hor-
rible panorama OF persecution and
rapine and RIGHTEOUSNESS. Such ruin
as that of Doss is silent memento OF
those terrible days. Many interesting
traditions cling around this interesting
relic of those days, The present owner
of the property, on which tits situated.
Mr.. Patrick McCann, is hale aud
hearty old gentleman Of 1O4 years.
Many qusint and extremely Interesting
episodes has be told the present writer
around the fireside, of the days of his
ancestors, how they shouldered pike
and carried a carbiue and fought ia de-
fence Of their faith and their country.
How they came down from their native
hills at the call of duly and gallantly
took their stand beneath the banner Of
green and gold.
Meath the folds Of the banner that streams O er
O'Donnell,
Stands MacSwyney of Axes from far-of Tyr
conneu,
Mcguire is there from the hills of Fermanagh,
O'Rrien sends his men from the wales of shanga-
nagh,
While McAnn sallies down from the heights Of
Ard -magh,
To plunge deep his sketne in the red Sassenagh.
The McAnns fought stoutlv for the
green valleys OF their fathers, and
helped the peerless and dauntless Red
Hugh to keep the green flag flying
DER the bills of Ulster for 40 years.
despite every effort Of England's virgin
Queen. A MacAnn marched in the
vanguard Of the gallant gallowglasses,
who followed the fierce and war
like Shane the Proud along the
banks Of Lough Neagh to the camp
of the treacherous MacD Donnells Of the