The Irish standard., 1905-07-22
WHO THEY WERE
Memory of Ireland's Four Mas:
ters Fondly Cherished.
Circumstances Under Which
Their Work Began.

ways dear and venerable name In
Ireland; and sketch of their lives
and labors must prove both interest
ing and instructive to everyone who
feels the least interest in the history
of his native land. That name was
first given to the compilers of the An,
nails of Donegal by the celebrated John
Colgan; and it was felt to be so appro-
pirate that it has been universally
adopted by Irish scholars. 1t has, in
deed, sunk deep into the hearts of the
people, and the memory of the Masters
is fondly cherished even by those who
know little or nothing of their history
AS O'Curry has truly said: 1T is nc
easy matter for an Irishman to sup
press feelings of deep emotion when
speaking of the Four Masters and es.
pecially when he considers the circum
stances under which, and the objects
for which, their great work was under
taken"
Just mile to the north of the estu.
ary of the river Erne, on a steep and
nearly insulated cliff overlooking the
stormy waters of the Bay of Donegal,
may still be noted by a careful OBJ
server the gray ruins of an old castle
that in the distance can hardly be dis
cerned from the craggy rock on which
they stand. That shapeless remnant
of a ruin is now all that remains of
kilbarron Castle, for some three hun
dred years the cradle, the home and
tie school of the illustrious family of
the O'Clerys, from whom three of the
Masters sprang.
The rock on which it stands is not
only steep, but overhanging; and the
waves are forever laundering far be-
low. Before you is the noble Bay of
Donegal, the largest and finest in Ire
land, flanked as it is on three sides by
grand mountain ranges, exhibiting
every variety of shape and coloring,
but open to the west, and therefore
to the prevailing winds which carry
on the unbroken billows of tie Atlantic
to the very rocks beneath your feet.
Darcy McGee, influenced by the
grandeur of its surroundings, and
doubtless even still more by the asso-
Citations of the past has described Kill
barron Castle in a sonnet of much
grace and beauty The opening lines
describe the scene:
Broad, blue and deep, the Bay of
Donegal.
breads north and south and far-a-
west before
..e beetling cliffs sublime, and shat
tered wall,
Where the O'Clerys name is heard no
more, etc.
thy hearths, alas!
The churlish thistles thrive, and the
dull graveyard grass"
The "home of a hundred annalists"
is fast falling into the sea; but the
gray ruin is still lit up with the radi-
ance of an old romantic story that
tells how the O'Clerys came to Kilbar-
ron, and how they grew and tlourished
there. These OClerys originally be-
longed to the southern Fly Fiachrach,
or the Hy Fiachrach Aidhne, whose
ancient kingdom was conterminous
with the present diocese of Kilmac-
aaugh. In the thirteenth century they
migrated northward to their ancient
kinsmen on the banks of the River
Moy, who were known as the northern
~ Fiachrach. Once more the o.
Clerys sought new quarters. Tircon-
nell was still the inviolate home of
Irish freedom. and it's grand noun
tains could be seen any day from Tir-
awley rising up in strength and pride
beyond the bay to the northeast. Then
it was that certain Cormac O'Clery
pu. his books in his wallet, and, taking
his staff in his hand, set out for the
North. Round by Sligo he walked,
lodging probably at Columcille's abbey
of Drumcliff; then, keeping between
the mountains and the sea, he crossed
the fords of the Erne, and came into
Tirhugh, the demesne lands of the
chieftains of Royal Donegal, betook
himself for rest and shelter to the
hospice of the great Abbey Assaroe,
which the children of St. Bernard had
founded long before in pleasant val.
ley On the banks of small stream
that falls into the River Erne little
to the seaward of Ballyshannon.
Abbey Assaroe, like most of the
foundations of st. Bernard's children
in Ireland. was great and wealthy
monastery, while it's hospice was al.
ways open with hearty welcome to
receive the poor and the stranger.
But in Cormac O'Clery the good monks
soon discovered that they had more
than an ordinary guest, and we are
told that they loved him much "for
his education and good morals" and
also "for his wisdom and intelligence u
This is not to be wondered at.
The suppression of the traffic in
brandy called for all his zeal, courage
and energy. 1t was temperance