The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-10-08

ing and refinement named Cornac o'Clery, left hous
with the intention of seeking his fortune and tho
freedom for which he longed in the country OF Tho
O'Dornells whose soil had not yet been polluted Ivy
the footprints Of invaders. On his journey bens
forced TO seek the hospitality of the Abbey Of Assaro
he was quickly discovered by the monks 10 De youH5
man of more than ordinary merit and attachments.
This abbey was at the time great and wealthy
,,onaster- and like all such institutions in IrelarF
was remarlzab BILE for it's hospitality. Young MeClcr
heinz a cultured and scholarly attracted the at
tention of the abbot. who induced MN 70 remain
the place professor OF canon anu NISi Id.
whore he made the acquaintance of Matthew pSgtu.
gin the historical ollamh of the O'DonneIs who lived
KtlbarroR Castle, some three mics rom 'he mon
astery.
O'Sqincin then an old man. much Jim.
pressed with the young mans demeanor and 7eh".
arv attainment that, having no male issue living he
offered to make O'Clery his on-ln-laW ana heir OF
condition that if the marriage blessed by SOW
that son should brought up as the intended o'a1Hf
of the O'Donnells in all the requirements hecesSas
for the office. The young man Willingly accept.
these conditions and fulfilled them laiIu!uiE, ana
from the marriage sprang line OF oHamhs when cone
tinued unbroken down to the time Oh the Foui
Masters.
Some OF these ouamhs were men of great eninen-a
not only in history but in general literature. fhs
great grandson of Cormac OClery was called Diar'
mud of the Three Schools because he kept schoH.
of literature, a school of history ana d sthooi ''
poetrv The regniug prince of the ODonnells was
pleased make further valuable grant oil Iaha il
the extensive ancestral possessions Of this celebrated
scholar around N1lbOrf3n CdSJe dS d ildIN o. ot-
probation and to help maintain the schools and the
hospitality which the place noted The school
of T[ilbarron fourished down to the Flight of the
EarIs in the fateful year of 1907 Then. for the first
time in the history of Ireland. the despoiler could
exercise his will unchecked throughout the land The
lands OF Kbarron became the property of the alien
and the school shared the fate of so many other same
tuaries of Celtic learning in Ireland.
The celebrated group of men who have been called
The Four Masters included three of the ulustrlous
stock which began with the wanderer from TyraWey
Brother Michael OCleary Conary OCleary. and Pere'
CRIME O'Cery. Brother Michael in his youth vas
known as "Tadhg t-Sleibbe.' that Is Tim oil 'ne
Mountain a which has a special slshihcanes
when we remember that that youth synchronises with
the struggle in which Red hugh look sum p'0''
nent part.
He had been an accomplished Irish scholar and
antiquary before ne joined the Franclscahs At LoF
vain, in France about the year 1867. lie was soon
afterward sent back to Ireland by Father John Cox!
gan lecturer of theology in this MONASTERY TO collect
material for the great works The Lives of The Irish
Saints" which is associated with Father Coigan )
name Brother Michael fulfilled his mission to perfee-
ton but did also great deal more. He collected ma
terias for tine Annals Of the Four Masters ana
three other works-"The Succession Of the Kings OF
Ireland" The Book of Conquests, and The Mar
tyrology of Donegal The three latter works were
completed before the annals we're begun.
Conary O'Clery was layman with no earthly pos
sessions save his books and learning. Beyond his
the annals there is little or nothing
known Of him.
Pefegine O'Clery the third of the group. was the
last historical oamh Of the ODonnelIs He had W.T.
ten life of Hugh Roe ODonnen, which from IT'S
merits largely drawn upon in compiling the An
nails. At time he owned some landed property
but like many OF the mere Irish was dispossessed
after the fashion of the day. He finally settled in the
barony of Erris.- County Mayo. where he died.
Fearfeasa O'Mulconry, the fourth of the Masters,
was descended from the great stock of the OMUI-
,onrys of BaIIymulconry in the County Roscommon-
They were historical olamhs to the O'Connors and
men highest repute in all matters Of their pro-
esson Fearfeasa eminent Irish scholar and
Besides the mentioned. there sat at the same
able to give assistance and advice Peresrinc O'Dui-
;enan, ollamh to the McDermotts and ORourkes, ana
Maurice D Mulconry. brother of Fearfeasa, VINO re-
NAMED with the others only month
After four and half years unremittin6 labour tho
,reat work was completed the 10th OF August 1850
rbe Annals of the -Four Masters. besides their ineSt-
.ble historical value remains a living monument
# the sef-sacrfce and devotion TO duty which are so
orlmon in Irish history and which are always most
conspicuous when the cause seems hopeless.