The Irish standard., 1898-06-11


The Irish army, facing southwark, had
its right on Drumcondra, its center on
Fairview and its extreme left ON Clon-
tart. Ec;h armies were divided into
three divisions.
All being ready for the signal of bat
tie, Brian rode through the Irish lines
with his sword in one hand, and, hold
ing crucifiX aloft, addressed them in
| eloquent language, reminding them of
the great emergency for their affairs and
their country which called on them to
| meet the sacrilegious invaders as pat
riots should. "On your valor," he eX-
claimed, rest the hopes of your country
today, and what surer grounds can they
rest upon? Oppression now attempts
to bend you down to servility. Will
you not burst it's chains and rise to the
independence of Irish freedom? Your
| cause is one approved by heaven; you
seek not the oppression of others; you
fight for your country and your sacred
affairs. 1t is a cause that claims a
| heavenly protection.
IN this days battle the intarposition
OF the God who can give victory will be
| slgnally manifested in your favor, Let
| every heart, then, be the throne of
| confidence ana courage You know that
the Danes are strangers to religion are
humanity. They are intlamel with the
desire of violating the fairest daughters
Oh this land of beauty, and nnriching
themselves with the spoils of sacrilage
and plumber The barbarians have in
famously fixed, for their struggle to
enslave us, upon the very day upon
which the Redeemer of the world was
cruciiied; victory they shall not have.
From such brave soldiers as YOU they
can never wrest 1t; for you fight in de-
! tense of honor, liberty and religlon-in
defense OF the sacred temples of the
Deity, and of your sisters, wives and
| daughters. Such holy cause must be
the cause of God, who will deliver your
enemies this day into your hauds On
ward, then, for your country and your
sacred altars!"
| VINO can be astOnished that, as Brian
ceased, shout, wild, furious and deaf
enlng, burst from the Irish lines? a cry
arose from the soldiers, we are told, de-
manding instantly to be led against the
| enemy. The aged monarch now placed
. himself at the head of his guards, 10
lead the van Of battle; but at this point
his sons and princes protested against
his attempting at his advanced age to
take part personally in the conflict; and
eventually, after Eiuch effort, Ihey sue
ceeded in prevailing upon him to retire
to his tent and let the chief command
devolvc upon his eldest son, Morrough.
The battle then commenced; spirit
cd, violent, fierce, vengeful and furious
battle, the likeness of which was not to
be found at that time. 1t was Il conflict
of heroes. The chieltains engaged al
every point in single combat; and the
greater part of them on both sides fell.
The impetuosity Of the Irish was rrcsist-
ible, and their battlcaxes did fearful
mailed warriors Of Norway having been
made to bite the dust
The heroic Morrough performed
prodigies of valor throughout the day
Ranks of men fell before him, and, hew-
ing his way to the Danish standard, he
cut down the men who surrounded II
with his battleax. Two Danish leaders
enraged at this success, rushed on him
together, but both fell in rapid success
sion by his sword. Thus the battle
ragged from an early hour in the morn
ing, innumerable deeds OF valor being
performed on both sides, and victory ap-
pearing still doubtful, until the third OF
fourth hour in the afternoon, when q
fresh and desperate effort was made by
the Irish, and the Danes, now almost
destitute OF leaders, began to waver and
give way at every point
Murrough snatched the standard OF
Fingal, and, waving it high IN the air
shouted: Before another hour this
must float above the tents of the Danish
camp, or over my dead body!" 4 furi.
GUS onslaught followed, which threw tho
Danes into confusion, and they flee
precipitately toward their ships. fol
lowed to the shore by the victorious
Irish. Murrough's right arm had be
come SO swollen that he could no longer
use 1t, and, as he knelt beside a brook tt
bathe it, he was set upon by a retreatinl
Danish chief. Murrough tripped the
Dane with his foot, with his left hant
tore the armor from his body, and drove
his sword through his PROSTATE form
pinning him to the earth, but not before
the expiring but still defiant Dane hat
snatched a scimitar from Murrough'!
side and stabbed him. The Dane i'm
mcdiately expired, and Murrough ling
cred till the next day, receiving The
last rites of the church ere he died
This disaster had not the effect of turn
ing the fortune of the day, for the Danes
and their allies were in a state Of uttel
disorder, and along their whole line hat
commenced to fly towards the city or te
their shipsg
But the chief tragedy Of the day re.
mains to be related. BrOdar, who com