Page. tholics-Whiteboys-Oakboys and Hearts-of-Steel -Partial Relief granted to the Roman Catholics- The Volunteers-They carry the Legislative In- dependence of the Country-Agitation of Parlia- mentary Reform-The United Irishmen-The De- fenders-The first Orange Lodge-Arthur O'Con- -Theobald Wolf Tone-The French at Bantry Bay-General Lake's Proclamation to disarm the People-Affected Submission of the United Irish- men-Lord Edward Fitzgerald-The Establish- Surrender of 6,000 Insurgents at Knockallen-Sur- render of another Body of Insurgents at the Rath of the Curragh, where they were treacherously massacred-30,000 Insurgents at Gorey-Assaults of Arklow, and Ross, where Lord Mountjoy fell at the head of his Regiment-Battle of Vinegar Hill, and Retreat to Wexford-Colonel Walpole killed, and his Troops put to Flight-Proclamation of General Roche, the Rebel General-Cruelties of Generals Lake and Needham's Troops-Sir Ed- ward Crosbie hanged and beheaded-The Rebellion The French land at Killala and march to Castlebar- ... Great Distress, owing to the Failure of Agricultural Crops in 1802-Emmet's Rising, and its Result— The Murder of Lord Kilwarden and the Rev. Mr. Wolf-Renewed Efforts of the Roman Catholics to obtain Relief-Pitt's evasive Conduct and Death- Lord Longueville's Advice to the Roman Catholics Their Meetings in 1810-O'Connell's Debut in Politics-The Duke of Richmond Lord Lieutenant George IV. visits Ireland-His Reception-Its mira- culous Effect on the Corporation of Dublin-Re- conciliation Dinners-Delusive Expectations of the Roman Catholics--The Catholic Association; its Formation, and Influence over the People-The Catholic Rent-The great Meetings at Waterford and Clonmel-The Beresfords lose the Represen- tation of the County Waterford-The independent Conduct of the Forty Shilling Freeholders-The simultaneous Parochial Meetings of 21st January, 1828 A Million and a half of sturdy Petitioners Notice of the ancient O'Connor Family-Published Pedigrees-Erroneous Statements and Assump- IRISH HISTORY. INTRODUCTION. WHEN we reflect on the great antiquity of Ireland, that it was inhabited for so many centuries before the birth of Christ, and find her history written in a language so little known, and in so exaggerated a strain, we must expect to discover but few reliable traces of the origin, laws, and customs of her ancient people. We may, however, very reasonably infer, from the statements and conjectures of eminent and indefatigable Irish historians, that her first inhabitants were of Scythian origin, and that, according to the computation of Roderic O'Flaherty, whose writings form the purest source we have of ancient Irish history, they first landed on the coast of Ireland three hundred and twelve years after the deluge: that others, who were considered to have been Canaanites or Phoenicians, expelled from the B land of Canaan about fifteen hundred years before the Christian era, and who had previously formed settlements in Africa, came from thence and established themselves on the northern coast of Ulster, and that their laws, customs, and religious worship differed very immaterially, if at all, from the laws, customs, and religious worship of the numerous tribes then wandering throughout Europe with their flocks and herds, wives and families, in search of settlements suited to their predatory habits and primitive mode of living. The Milesians, who deserve a greater portion of our attention, are said to have passed from Spain into Ireland during the reign of Solomon, about a thousand years before the Christian era, and many centuries before the Romans became acquainted with Spain, and, like their predecessors, to have been of Scythian origin. We are told that Niul, the younger son of a Scythian king, migrated to Egypt, married the daughter of Pharoah, then king of that country, and settled on the borders of the Red Sea; that he had a son named Goadhal, whose followers were named Gadelians, and who, on his expulsion from Egypt, visited Scythia under the guidance of Eiber, or Eber, the Scythian; hence they got the name Cineadh Scut, i. e., the race of the Scyths, or Scythians, and this was latinised to Scoti, and anglicised to Scots, all which signify Scythians. We are also told that they again migrated to Africa, where, according to O'Flaherty, they formed settlements in Getulia, from whence they sent a colony into Spain, overcame the race of Tubal, the descendants of Japhet, and established themselves in Iberia. Breogan, their chief, had a son, who, from being a celebrated warrior, acquired the name of Milidth Espaine, (Spanish hero,) latinised to Milesius, whose posterity were named Clanna Mileadh, anglicised to Milesians.* Milesius is said to have visited Scythia, the country of his ancestors, where he married Seang, the king's daughter, by whom he had two sons, Donn and Teabruadh. Upon her death he sailed from thence to Egypt, and there married Scota, the daughter of Pharoah Nectonabus, by whom he had several sons. Only three of his sons, Heber, Hereman, and Amergin, with their followers, reached Ireland on the Milesian invasion, and became masters "Annals of Ireland," Connellan's edition. |