The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-11
BRIAN BoROIMHE OF IMMORTAL FAME.
The rlost Brilliant King of
the Dalcassian Line.
MALAcHY OF THE COLLAR OF GOLD
"Brian the Brave" Killed in
..I.rloment of Victory. - -

Brian Boroimhe, or Brian OF the Trib-
ute, was the greatest king Of the old Dal-
cassian line, which was founded by Cor
mac Cas- in the third century. In alter
nation with the princes of the Eugenian
line the Dalcassian princes had ruled
over Munster for seven centuries, when a
son was born to Cinneidigh, who was
christened Brian. Before l explain the
Specification Of the surname which was
afterwards given to the Dalcassian
House, may not inappropriately quote
passage from O'Curry's delightful lee
lures, in which one valuable social re-
form, in itself enough to illuminate a
kingly reign, is set forth, says writer in
J the San Francisco "Nation."
previous to the time OF the Monarch
Brian Boroimhe-about the year 1000
there was no general system of family
names in Erin; but every man took the
name either OF his father or OF his grand
father for surname. Brian, however,
established new and most convenient
angement-namely, that families in flu
ture should take permanent names, either
those OF their immediate fathers or of any
person more remote in their line of pedi-
gree. And thus Murie Adllach, the son
OF Carthach, took the surname OF Mac
Carthaigh (now MacCarthy), MAC" be-
ing the Gaelic for SON Toirdl1eal-
bhag, or Turloch, the grandson OF Brian
himself. took the surname OF O'Brian or
"the grandson OF Brian''-O' being the
Gaelic of "grandson;' Catlbarr, the
grandson OF Donnell, took the name. OF
O'Donnell; Donncll. the grandson Of
Mall Glenrubh, took the surname Of
O'Neil1; Tadgh or Teige, the grandson
Of Conor, took the name Of O'Conor Of
Connacht; Donogl, the son OF Murctadh
or Murogh, took the surname OF Mac
Murogh Of Lcinster; and so as to all the
other families throughout the kingdom" :"
Brian was born in the year o41 When
he was ten years old his brother Mallon
succeeded to the kingslip. At that time
the Danes were the scourgc and the
dread Of the native Irish princes. Their
wild Vikings came over from the far
North i'll their long ships and settled
eagerly upon the smiling Irish shores,
plundering and devastating in all direc-
tions, and even encroaching more and
more upon the soil and pushing the lines
OF the settlements farther and farther
away from the sea. From his earliest
boyhood Brian seems to have been ami
invaders, and by consuming indignation
at the humiliation involved in the pres
ence OF the marauding encampments on
Irish soil. Hitherto no prince or league
of princes had been found strong enough
to drive the Danes back over the swans
bath to their homes in the frozen North
The desperate courage, the vast physical
strength, the gigantic frames of the
Northernmen, made them exceedingly
dangerous adversaries, and, moreover,
they settled upon the country in such
numbers as made any attempt to over
throw them difficult in the extreme
Brian's patience SENS to have given way
when Mal1on, in his sovereign capacity
as King of Munster, withdrew from what
looked like hopeless struggle with the
Danes, and entered into solemn treaty
with them. The treaty could not bind
Brian. He rallied around him mere
handful of the bravcst and most desperate
cheftans, and fought the hostile Danes
wherever and whenever he could, and
to such good purpose that he succeeded
in restraining their onward advance.
Fired by the courageous example OF
Brian, his brother Mahon and other
princes took heart and joined together in
comprehensive bond against the conf
mon enemy. Limerick, in which the
power of the Munster Danes was massed,
was assailed and carried after some hot
| fighting, and the Irish found themselves
masters Of many prisoners and vast
quantity OF treasure. Still, in spite OF
this signal victory, such was the power OF
the Danes, and such the strength OF their
arms from constant reinforcements, and
such the dread OF their desperate reputa-
ton, that after while they were per-
mitted to re-enter Limerick as traders,
and become masters of the town again.
The reinstated Danes were full OF bitter
feelings towards Mahon as head of the
great enterprise which had for a time
struck so heavy blow at their influence,
land they determined on revenge. A con-