Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-04-01
Was the Most Brilliant King of
the Old Dalcassian
Line.
Under His Reign Commerce,
Arts, Education and Peace
All FlOurished.
KILLED IN THE MOMENT OF VICTORY.

Brian Boroimhe, or Brian of the Trib-
ute was the greatest king of the old Dali
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 Cinnedigh, who was
christened Brian. Before | explain the
Specification of the surname which was
afterwards given to the Dalcassian
House may not appropriately 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
the San Francisco Nation.
Previous to the time of the Monarch
Brian Boroimhe-about the year 1000
there was 10 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 a new and most convenient
arrangement-namely that families III
future should take permanent names,
either those of their immediate fathers or
of any person more remote IN their line
O, pedigree. And thus Murie Adhach,
the son of Carthach, took the surname of
MacCarthaigh. (now Mccarthy, Mac"
being the Gaelic "son." Toirdheal-
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" Cathbarr, the
grandson of Donuell, took the name OF
O'Donnell; O'Donnell, the grandson of
Mall Glehrubh, took the surname OF
O'Neill; Tadgh or Teige, the grandson OF
Conor, took the name OF O'Conor, Of
Connacht: Donogh, the son of Murchadh
or Murogh, took the surname OF Mac
Murogh, of Leinster; and so to all the
other families throughout the kingdom. "
Brian was born in the year 94l. When
he was ten wears old his brother MahOn
succeeded to the Kingship. At that time
the Danes were the scourge and the
dread of the native Irish Princes. Their
wild Vikings came over from the far
North in their long ships and settled
eagerly upon the smiling Irish shores,
plundering and devastating i'll all direc-
tons, 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
mated by the fercest hatred against the
invaders, and by consuming indignation
at the humiliation involved i'll 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
Mortimer, made them exceedingly
dangerous adversaries, and, moreover,
they settled upon the country in such
numbers as made any attempt to over
throw them difficult i'll the extreme.
Brian's patience seems to have given way
when Mahon, 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 bravest and most desperate
cheftains, 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
a comprehensive bond against the COM
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 a 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 a 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 time
struck so heavy a blow at their influence,
and they determined on revenge. A con-
spiracy was formed between Ivar, head
of the Danes of Limerick, and renegade
Irish Prince, Molloy, SON of Bran, Lord
of Desmond, who had long been jealous
rival of Mahon, whom Mahon had ex-
PEELED from Desmond, and who was
thirsting for revenge. Between the pair
scheme was laid for the assassination of
Mahon, which was carried out under con-
ditions Of peculiar and revolving perfdy.
Molloy summoned Mahon to an amicable
conference, at which the claims OF the two
rival Princes might be discussed and
XIX. .|.|