THE STORY OF IRELAND

New Zealand Tablet, 12 June 1919, Page 7

THE STORY OF IRELAND

~ (By A. M. fSullivan.)

CHAPTER XXVII.—HOW THE VAINGLORIOUS & RICHARD OF ENGLAND AND HIS OVERWHELMING ARMY FAILED TO “DAZZLE” OR CONQUER THE PRINCE OF LEINSTER. CAREER OF THE HEROIC ART McMURROGH. . - ' ' ' The close of the century which witnessed the events I have been mentioning, brought about another “Royal visit” to Ireland. The weak, vain, and pomploving Richard 11. visited this country twice in the course of his ill-fated career—for the first time in 1394. I would not deem either worth more than a passing word (for both of them were barren of results), were it not that they inter-weave with the story of the chivalrous Art McMurrogh “Kavanagh,” Prince of Leinster, whose heroic figure stands out in glorious prominence on this page of Irish history. If the McMurroghs of Leinster in 1170 contributed to our national annals one character of evil fame, they were destined to give two centuries later on, another, illustrious in all that ennobles or adorns the patriot, the soldier, or the statesman. Eva McMurrogh, daughter of Diarmid the Traitor, who married Strongbow the Freebooter, claimed to be the only child of her father born in lawful wedlock. That there were sons of her father then living was not questioned ; but she, or her husband on her behalf, setting up a claim of inheritance to Diarmid’s possessions, impugned their legitimacy. However this may have been, the sept proceeded according to law and usage under the Irish Constitution to elect from the reigning family a successor to Diarmid, and they raised to the chieftaincy his son Donal. Thenceforth the name of McMurrogh is heard of in Irish history only in connection with the bravest and boldest efforts of patriotism. Whenever a blow was to be struck for Ireland, the McMurroghs were the readiest in the field —the “first in front-and last in rear.” They became a formidable barrier to the English encroachments, and in importance were not second to any native power in Ireland. In 1350 the sept was ruled by Art, or Arthur 1., father of our hero. “To carry on a war against him,” we are told, “the whole English interest was assessed with a special tax. Louth contributed .£2O, Meath and Waterford 2s

on every carucate (140 acres) of tilled land ; Kilkenny the same sum, with the addition of 6d in the pound on chattels. This Art captured the strong castles of Kilbelle, Galbax'stowxx, Rathville; and although his career was not one of invariable success, he bequeathed to his son, also called Art, in 1375, an inheritance extending over a large portion—perhaps one-halfof the territory ruled by his ancestors before the invasion.” From the same historian (McGee) I take the subjoined sketch of the early career of that son, Art 11. “Art McMurrogh, or Ax-t Kavanagh, as he is commonly called, was born in the year 1357, and from the age of 16 and upwards was distinguished by his hospitality, knowledge, and feats of arms. Like the great Brian, he was a younger son, but the fortune of war removed one by one those who would otherwise have preceded him in the captaincy of his clan and connections. About the year 1375 while he was still under agehe was elected successor to his father, according to the annalists, who record his death in 1417, ‘after being 42 year's in the government of Leinster.’ Fortunately he attained conxxxxaxxd at a period favorable to his genius and enterprise. His owxx axxd the adjoining tribes were aroused by tidings of success from other provinces, and the partial victories of their immediate predecessor's, to entertain bolder schemes, and they oxxly waited for a chief of distinguished ability to : concentrate their efforts. This chief «they found, where they naturally looked for him, among the old ruling family of the province. Nor were the English settlers ignorant of his promise. In the Parliament held at Castledennot in 1377, they granted to him the

aS- e GVB “ > PUT"”" 1 customary annual Tribute ; paid to; his house. . . . Art McMurrogh the younger'not only extended the bounds ' of his inheritance and imposed tribute on the English settlers in adjoining districts ' during the first years of his rule, but having married a noble lady of the ‘Pale,’ V * Elizabeth, heiress to the barony of Norragh, in Kildare, which included Naas and its neighborhood, ho claimed her inheritance in full, though forfeited under ‘the statute ,of Kilkenny,’ according to English notions. So necessary 1 did it seem to the. deputy and council of the day to conciliate their formidable neighbor, that they addressed a special representation to King Richard, setting forth the facts of the case, and adding that McMurrogh threatened, until this lady’s estates were restored and the arrears of tribute due to him fully discharged, he should never cease from war, ‘but would join with the Earl of Desmond against the Earl of Ormond, and afterwards return with a great force out of Munster to ravage the country.’ . . . By this time tire banner of Art McMurrogh floated over all the 'castles and raths on the slope of the Ridge of Leinster, or the steps of the Blackstair Hills ; while the forests along the Barrow and the Upper Slaney, as well as in the Plain of Carlow and in the south-western angle of Wicklow (now the barony of Shillelagh), served still better his purposes of defensive warfare. So entirely was the range of country thus vaguely defined under native sway, that John Griffin, the English Bishop of Leighlin and Chancellor of the Exchequer, obtained a grant in 1389 of the town of Gulroestown, in the County of Dublin, ‘near the marches of O’Toole, seeing he could not live within his own see for the rebels.’ In 1390, Peter Creagh, Bishop of Limerick, on his way to attend an Anglo-Irish Parliament, was taken prisoner in that region, and in consequence the usual fine was remitted in his favor. In 1392, James, the third Earl of Ormond, gave McMurrogh a severe check at Tiscoffin, near Shankill, where six hundred of his clansmen were left dead among the hills. “This defeat, however, was thrown into the shade by the capture of New Ross, on the very eve of Richard’s arrival at Waterford. In a previous chapter we have described the fortifications erected round this important seaport towards the end of the thirteenth century. Since that period its progress had been steadily onward. , In the reign of Edward 111. the controversy which had long subsisted between the merchants of New Ross and those of Waterford, concerning the trade monopolies claimed by the latter, had been decided in favor of Ross. At this period it could muster in its own defence 363 cross bowmen, 1200 long bowmen, 1200 pikemen, and 104 horsemen—a force which would seem to place it second to Dublin in point of military strength. The capture of so important a place by McMurrogh was a cheering omen to his followers. He razed the walls and towers, and carried off gold, silver, and hostages.” tT (To be continued.)