The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-22
FROM TARA TO CLONTARF.
Tho Great Battle in which the Gael
Beat the Viking.

toyed greatly Mr.. William Livingston's
fine letter about the derivation OF the
word "Temair" and the opinions Of the
different authorities on the matter. one
author. the Rev. Ulick Bourke. differs
from all the others In that ne does not
admit that the name OF the Milesian
Princess Tea comes into the making OF
the word Mt ALL He says that "Temair"
comes from "teo'' twarm. sunny. and
"mu-" twall. fort or mound). In this
| derivation the meaning OF "a sunny
mound overlooking q pleasant prospect"
Is not ruled out.
The Irish language has undergone
so many changes during the passing
centuries and so many treasures OF art
and speech have been lost altogether
in times Of war and rapine and invasion
that II IL not easy to say who Is right
when men differ as TO the meaning OF
certain words. However, the sound OF
the word would seem 10 bear out Mr..
Livtngston's theory OF Its derivation.
II tho derivation OF some old Irish
words has como to be doubtful. Il Ia In
| teresting to know that many Of tho
facts recorded by the ancient historians
and Seanachies have received striking
confirmation In the findings OF modern
scholarship. The battle Of Clontarf. in
which the Irish armies under King Brian
tHe DdneS utClSlNtly, WIS
fought on April 90. 1914. In the Irish
account OF the battle. an account that
dates from 1850, II Is said that the full
tide In Dublin Bay on that memorable
day coinclded with the sunrise. and that
| the returning tide at evening aided con-
sideraby toward the defeat OF the for
eigners.
In 1851 Professor Houghton made a
computation Ca work OF immense labor)
and found that the tide, neap tide.
was full along the Clontarf shore at
about 5 hours 30 minutes. ard the eve
ming tide was full about 5 hours SO min
utes 7. NJ. on the day Of tho battle.
| The returned tide therefore pre-
vented the escape Of the Danes along
the Clontarf shore to the northern bank
OF the LifYey. From this confirmation
| II was deduced that tho Irish account
OF the battle had been written BY an
actual eyewitness. Tho Irish account
Is we'll borne out IN most points by the
Viking story as related in the Icelandic
Saga OF Burnt NAL
There seems 20 be some confusion
with regard TO Murrough's part IN the
fight The Saga says that the greatest
hero of the Irish was called "Kcrthial-
fad" At least II gives him the most
prominent mention in the record OF the
battle. make this correction, for on
again referring TO the text ] And the
| following:
Brian wa@ tho best natured Of all kings
He had his seat IN Connaught in Ireland:
! his brothers name was Wolf the Quarrel
some. the greatest champion and warrior;
! Brian's foster child's name was Kerthiai-
/ fad. He wa the son OF King Kylh tMal-
/ achi7S. who had many wars with Brian
and FED away out OF the land before him,
] 4.
Brian went south on pilgrimage. then he
| met King Kylh. and then they we're atoned,
and King Brian took his son Kerthialfad
/ to him ana loved him more than his own
sons He was then full grown when these
| things happened. and was the boldest OF
ali men. Duncan was the name of the
! nrs, OF King Brian's sons. the second was
Msrgad, tho third TAXI whom We call
Tam.
These would correspond TO the sons Of
Brian who IN the Irish records are
called Donough Murrough and Flann
The deeds which the Irish accounts at
/ tribute to Murrough are In the Icelandic
| saga attributed 20 Kerthlalfad. The
/ Irish say that Murrough went three
times through the whole Danish host
and cut down their standard bearer
/ Here Is what tho Saga Of Burnt Maj
/ says:
Earl s!Eurd had a hard battle against
I Kerthialtsd, and Kerthialtai came on so
| fast that ne laid low all who were In the
front rank. and he broke tho array o.,
Earl Sigurd right up to HE banner. ana
slew the banner bearer Then he got an
other man 20 bear tn. banner and there
was again hard nght Ker,hia,,ad smote
his man TO his death AZ once, and so one
after another all who stood near him.
/ Now the question which some OF those
wise mon who have been questioning my
pronunciation OF Irish might deGn TO
answer l. this Are the Danes CON
fused IN their chronicles and are Muir
rough and kerthialfad the same? This
sounds Ike an Irish bull, but the ques-
/ ton Is, think, Ineligible.
Another question: Who IL Wolf the
Quarrelsome. called IN the saga the
greatest Irish champion and war
ror"? The Vikings were bonnie fight
ers and give the Irish all the credit they
deserved They admit that Wolf" "pu,
il all over one Of their own creates.
champions. Brodar. the admiral OF the
fleet. and that the only thing that saved
Brodar was his wonderful coat .; mail,
ION which no steel could bite" Here
is what these fair and square viking
chronlclers say
there was very hard night Brodar went
through tho host OF tho Irish foe and
fciled all the foremost that stood there.
but 10 steel would bite on his mail Wolf
the Quarrelsome turned 10 meet him and
thrust AT him thrice so hard that Broda-
fell before him al each thrust, and was
,at the lasp well nigh not getting on his
feet again. hut as soon ever he found
his feet he fed away into tho wood at
once
Old Rrodar evidently knew when he
had enough. lie afterward hung about
the outskirts OF tho battle and finally
stumbled on King Brians tent and man
aged 10 XIII tho aged monarch. have
never seen In any Irish history word
about Wolf" He was some war
rior. however, and had high respect
among the Vikings.
There are many other things OF great
interest about the great battle OF Cion-
tart where the Irish defeated the great
est fighters the world has ever seen. but
| will leave them for the time when
deeper historians than have settled
the two questions above propounded.
(RevD JAMES Il DoLLARp.
TORONTO. Canada. April 10.