Irish
Historical Allusions

The Author reserves the rights of re-publication and translation excepting in the Irish language.

To
My Son

MICHAEL FOLEY

This book, the fourth of a series designated to present all essential historical information on this County is

Dedicated
by his
Affectionate Father,
The Author.

PREFACE.

While these manuscripts were in the hands of Messrs. Sealy, Bryer & Walker, Printers, Dublin, the late Irish rising took place. During the fight, between the British military and the Irish Republican forces, a portion of the City of Dublin was destroyed by fire and artillery, including the printers' premises, together with the author's manuscripts for these books, and other works. Fearing the destruction of liners, by German submarines, the author held copies of his works until landed in Ireland. Believing that there they were safe, the copies were neglected and portions of them burned and lost. Therefore in the following pages the author presents to the reader but the remaining two parts of a book left after the Dublin fire, to which is added a brief account of Sinn Feiners and the outbreak.

AUTHOR.

Dated at Oakland, California, this 3rd day of July, 1916.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

According to leading Irish historians, close on three thousand years ago, Ireland was fairly well peopled. Of the several tribes that settled in the country, the most important colony was the Milesians. Dr. Keating, the Irish historian, says that race of people landed in Ireland thirteen hundred years before the birth of Christ, while McGeoghegan put this event down for 1029 B. C., and O'Flaherty, one thousand years before the Christian Era.

At the time of the landing of the Milesians, Ireland was governed by three Dedaanan Kings, viz: MacCull, MacKecht and MacGrena, whose Queens were Eire, Fodla and Banba.

The Milesians.—There were many battles fought between invading Milesians and the older settlers. Probably the first notable battle ever fought in the country, was that which took place between the Tuatha-de-Danaans, who possessed Ireland for over two hundred years previously, and the invading Milesians. This battle is said to have taken place about one thousand years before the Christian Era, and was brought about by the following circumstances: The Milesians, having left Scythia, settled in Spain, where they lived for several generations. One of their chiefs, named Ith, having on one occasion sailed in the direction of Ireland, unexpectedly touched the country, where he landed, with the result that he was attacked and wounded. Although he was carried away alive in his ship, he died on sea, and his remains were conveyed to Spain. To avenge his death the sons of Milesius assembled a large force, and headed by their mother, Queen Scota, eight of them with a fleet of thirty ships, landed in Ireland.

Having marched into the country and demanded battle or submission, the De-Danaans complained that they were taken by surprise and treated unfairly, and if the invaders re-embarked and retired from the shore, and if the Milesians were then able to effect a landing, the country should be given to them. The very moment the Milesians were on the high sea, a great storm blew, which scattered and wrecked the fleet. Four of Queen Scota's sons perished on the coast of Kerry. When the storm ceased, Queen Scota and her two sons made good a landing in Tralee Bay, which in olden times was called "Lough-Foirdreamhuin," and marched inland to Slieve-Mish. Here Queen Scota met a part of the De-Danaan army, led by one of the De-Danaan Queens, called Eire, with the result that a great battle was fought on the mountain of Slieve-Mish, in the County of Kerry, in which the Milesians were victorious, but the Queen fell.

After this victory the Milesian army marched towards 'Tara, where they defeated and killed the three De-Danaan Kings, MacCull, MacKecht and MacGrena. The Milesians then took possession of the country, which they divided between them, and gave a long line of kings to Ireland, many of whom fell in battle and few died a natural death.

The Milesian kings, princes and chiefs ruled the country for over 2,140 years. Roderick O'Connor was the last High King of the Milesian race to rule the whole of Ireland. He reigned in 1168 A. D. The largest percentage of the Irish are descendants of the Milesians.

Christianity was established by St. Patrick, and judging by the way he handled the Pagan Irish kings and chiefs, he must have been a wise statesman.

From 432 to 812, Ireland was known throughout the world as the "Island of Saints and Scholars." Foreigners came from all parts of the Old World for education. The ancient language of the country then, as now, was Irish. In the Irish wars most of the fine Irish arts and buildings were destroyed by foreign invaders. Probably the "Book of Kells" is the finest production of its age in the whole world.

Latin was the written language of England in the 12th Century, or thereabouts.

The Danes in Ireland.—About the year 795, Danish and Norwegian pirates appeared in ships upon the Irish coast. Here and there they sailed into harbors, landed, ran into the country, robbed the people, ravaged women, tossed children from lance to lance for pleasure, drank the blood of their victims, imitated the dogs in their wild ferocity, set houses on fire and successfully returned to their ships before their very presence in the locality became generally known. Year after year they increased in numbers. In the summer they came like swarms of flies. They robbed monasteries, tore up fine Irish arts, took ornaments off books and killed the monks. After some time parties of them settled on the seaboard. Their chief towns in Kerry were Ballinagaul, Ballylangford and Broadford. For two hundred and twenty years they held their criminal sway of rape, murder and robbery over the inhabitants of the seaboard of Ireland. In several engagements they were defeated and driven from Ireland by the Irish kings, chiefs and princes. However, in 1074, at the invitation of the Prince or King of Hinster, they attempted to conquer Ireland. On Good Friday, the 23rd of April, 1074, the Danes and their followers were completely defeated in battle at Glantarf, County Dublin, by the Irish, under Brien Borue, King of Munster. This day the Danish power in the whole of Europe was broken down, and their piratical expeditions ended. The same day Brien Borue fell while praying in his tent.

English Invasion.—Fighting between petty Irish chieftains became common. Following the example set by the Danes, the rule of might, not right, was very much practiced. Just as the people were settling down in peace, the Prince of Linster induced the wife of another Irish prince or governor to elope with him. Ireland was now divided. There were circumstances in the case which in the opinion of many did not justify the marriage of the Princess to O'Rourke. The High King of Ireland and the Irish could not stand the disgrace of such an act to occur on Irish soil, and consequently declared war on the Prince of Linster. The Prince of Linster appealed to King Henry II of England for aid. The kings, princes and people of Ireland stood for virtue, while the English king and his barons under the color and pretense of restoring virtue to Ireland, stood for a licentious old man and introduced rape, plunder and murder into the country.

In 1170, Richard Clare, commonly called the Earl of Strongbow, on behalf of the King of England, landed in Ireland. In 1171 the King of England in person visited Ireland. He produced the Pope's Bull, showing that he had authority from Rome to establish virtue, settle and possess Ireland. The majority of the Irish chieftains refused to recognize the King of England, no matter from whom he pretended to possess the authority.

These are the circumstances which brought about the first Norman English raids on the peaceful valleys of Ireland. Little by little the English succeeded in establishing a foothold on Irish soil. It took the English over four hundred years to completely conquer the whole island. After some time the English in Ireland became more Irish than the Irish themselves, but they had to get the "fat" of the land; they even appointed their own clergy, although both at the time were Roman Catholics.

The Protestant Reformation.—The most of the districts in Ireland were governed by their own independent native chieftains, although they were supposed to be under English rule. When the Protestant reformation burst forth, King Henry VIII of England hunted Luther and other Protestant reformers out of England. The Pope conferred upon him the title of "King Defender of the Faith."

This King Henry married his deceased brother's wife before the marriage of the latter was fully consummated. It is a settled doctrine of the Catholic Church that when both parties to a marriage enter into it of their own free will and accord, and that no moral objection is standing in the way of the ceremony, upon the consummation of marriage no priest nor power on earth can divorce and religiously remarry any of the parties while they both live.[1] Henry VIII knew this. After being for twenty years married, he pretended to feel frightfully uneasy because "it was wrong for him to marry his brother's wife" after the brother's death. He applied for a divorce to the Pope, and the Pope refused to grant him a divorce. He at once established his own ecclesiastical courts, declared himself head of the Church, and his courts at once granted him a divorce from his lawful wife. Immediately he married one Anne Boleyn, whom he divorced and killed for another wife. In all he had six wives, one of whom he caused to be ripped open on child's birth. He seized and confiscated the churches, chapels and all religious houses in England and converted them to his own use. Of course these acts were resisted with bloodshed.

The foundation on which the Protestant Reformation was founded in England, was born in lust, murder and plunder. The British sovereign declared himself supreme head of the Church on earth, and substituted the parson for the priest. Henry VIII attempted to introduce his new-made religion into Ireland. This religion was not Catholic nor was it Protestant. Ireland rejected it and Henry VIII was not able to enforce his orders there.

In the year 1553, Edward VI died, and Queen Mary, daughter of Henry and of Catherine of Aragon, became Queen of England. This Queen was a staunch Roman Catholic. Maddened at the ill-treatment of her mother at the hands of Henry VIII, his ministers, the ecclesiastical courts and reformers, she restored the Catholic religion, recovered Catholic churches, monasteries and like property, and tortured and burned Protestant leaders, especially those who refused to deliver up the property. By Protestant historians she is styled "Bloody Mary." As Ireland was always Catholic, her reign there did not cause much disturbance.

Queen Elizabeth.—After her came Queen Elizabeth, called the "Virgin Queen" by Protestants, because she never married. However, she was the reverse of a virgin. She declared herself a Catholic, but when the Pope was notified that she ascended the throne by hereditary rights and the will of the people, it appears he made use of some language to the effect that he did not see how she could claim the Crown of England by hereditary rights, as she was the daughter of Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn while his first wife was alive. Queen Elizabeth, fearing the influence of Rome might deprive her of the crown, at once declared herself a Protestant.

During her long reign, Catholic Ireland became her greatest slaughter field. Although in the Protestant Bible she is said to be the "bright occidental star," "of most happy memory," the truth is that she did not care much for any religion, but used Protestantism as the most favorable one to gain her ends. Bad as "Bloody Mary" was, her reign was a mild one when compared with "virgin" Elizabeth. England became worse in those days than Mexico of today. The instruments of torture in the Tower of London bear silent evidence of many dark crimes.

Charles I Beheaded.—After this hateful Queen dying, James I, son of Mary, Queen of the Scots, came upon the throne. He was followed by King Charles I, whom over a question of a little tax, Cromwell beheaded and established the Commonwealth. Cromwell did not confine his butchery to England; he landed in Ireland, took Drogheda, killed women and children and put the priests to the sword; he caused both the real and personal estate of the people to be seized and had the lands parcelled up amongst his officers or "gamesters." These, together with some of Queen Elizabeth's followers, became Irish landlords and tyrants of the worst kind. The people who reclaimed, tilled, improved and erected buildings on those lands, could not understand how a foreigner who never tilled or improved one inch of land could claim ownership of everything which the farmer raised. For two hundred and fifty years, war has gone on between the landlords and the tillers of the soil. Today the descendants of ancient occupiers of the holdings are repossessing same and Cromwell landlords are disappearing.

Cromwell.—When Cromwell died, England did not become a Republic, and again a king in the person of Charles II ascended the throne.

King James II and the Battle of the Boyne.—The next most important event in Irish history is the Battle of the Boyne—the disgraceful boast of some Englishmen—fought in Ireland between King James II of England, a Catholic, of the Stuart family, and his son-in-law, William of Orange from Holland. In America this war is called a religious war, fought between Catholics and Protestants. It is true that because this king declared himself openly a Roman Catholic, Protestants in wrongful occupation of Catholic property became intensely alarmed for their future, and invited William, Prince of Orange, to invade England.

King James was one of the greatest cowards that ever lived. With his English troops he lost almost every engagement in England. He then fell back on Ireland. William, Prince of Orange, on landing in Carrick-a-fergus, Ireland, on the 14th day of June, 1690, found himself at the head of about 40,000 men. The Irish had no love for any British king. However, priests and Catholic leaders influenced the Irish to come to aid King James, on the pretense that his own daughter and her Protestant husband, a foreigner, were depriving this old man of his kingdom because he was a Catholic. The Irish, blinded with sympathy, entered the fight. On the 1st of July, 1690, the Battle of the Boyne was fought. William in person led his own army while King James stood at a distance, ready to mount his horse and ride away if the battle should be favorable to the Prince of Orange. The Irish fought bravely for over half the day, but as they began to retreat in good order, the English King mounted his horse and rode away into Dublin, leaving the Irish fighting behind him. He was designated "Dirty James" by the Irish.

The Irish, although deserted by the King and others, continued the fight for over one year from the River Boyne to the walls of Limerick and Athlone. On the 3rd of October, 1691, the generals of both armies signed the famous treaty of Limerick. According to the articles signed, full religious liberties were granted to the Roman Catholics, but no sooner did the Irish soldiers sail away to France, than England wilfully and wickedly broke the treaty. England has never yet kept a treaty with the Irish, if it stood in the way of plunder or gain.

Treaty of Limerick Broken.—In 1692, contrary to the articles of the treaty of Limerick, the Catholics were excluded from the Irish Parliament. Education of a Catholic child, shortly afterwards, was declared to be a serious crime. Catholics were required to take an oath declaring the mass damnable. No Catholic could learn a trade.

In 1701, contrary to the treaty of Limerick, Catholic solicitors were disqualified. Priests found in Ireland were branded with redhot irons on the cheeks. The law made it death to shelter, and penal servitude to know where a priest was concealed and not to inform the government. Priests were dragged from the altars, branded, disemboweled, quartered, hanged and transported. A Catholic could not have a horse worth more than five pounds (twenty-five dollars). Any Protestant tendering a Roman Catholic five pounds for his horse, the horse would have to go.

Flight of Wild Geese.—The young Irishmen of that period rushed to France and were called "Wild Geese." Catholics could not send their children to be educated at home or abroad, and Catholic doctors were not allowed.

The Irish Brigade at Fontenoy, France.—At Fontenoy, France, on Tuesday, the 11th of May, 1745, the Irish Brigade in battle swept before them the British and their flag. The war cry was "Revenge! Remember Limerick!! Dash down the Sassenach!!!" From that day onward Irish priests and Irish Catholics could move about without the danger of being hanged or transported. At Fontenoy the Irish exiles made the British ministry conscious of the harsh and unjust manner in which they had treated the Irish Catholics, and gradually the penal laws were forced to disappear.

American Revolution.—In 1775, Irishmen were found very active in the cause of the American Revolution. Shortly after, England granted Ireland an independent Parliament. This Parliament is known as "Grattan's Parliament." The progress of Ireland under her own Parliament surprised the world and immediately England set about for its destruction. In 1801, Ireland was again a bleeding nation—her Parliament was gone. Although an Irish Catholic could not sit in Irish Parliament, yet the people expected Catholic emancipation from it much sooner than from the British Parliament.

Tithes and Orangemen.—During all this time Roman Catholics resisted the payment of tithes to the parson. The parson was a minister of the Protestant church, who was substituted for the priest and never ministered to a Roman Catholic. Catholics were compelled by law to give one-tenth of their crops to the support of the Protestant Church without receiving anything in return but insult and injury. Then came the landlord, giving nothing but claiming everything to the body and souls of the tenants. Up until the land agitation the buildings and all improvements made or erected by the tenant became the property of the landlord. In order to keep Ireland divided, the wealth and power of the Unionist (capitalist) class from England to New Zealand is still lavished on a body of foreigners in the North of Ireland, called "Orangemen."

Orangemen.—It must be remembered that it is not the Orangemen alone the Irish have to contend with in their fight for Home Rule, but the whole power and wealth of the Unionist Party in England, Scotland, Ireland, India, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The English under the color and pretense of peacemakers and Christians are always doing the utmost in their power to sow the seeds of discord and dissension amongst the Irish people. One of the sharpest wedges they can drive to divide the people is religion. If the English Unionists believed that by granting Home Rule they could set Irishmen fighting, a full measure would be granted in eight hours.

Irish Patriots.—Amongst the Irish patriots the following Protestants took a leading part for Irish freedom, namely, Charles Stewart Parnell, Sir Isaac Butt, Henry Grattan and Robert Emmett. Their names, with many others, Ireland will hold in grateful remembrance.

Every blade of grass that grows on Irish soil is consecrated by the blood of Irishmen, women and children, shed in the cause of freedom. England, in her efforts to destroy the Irish language, the Catholic religion and the nationality of the country, tried the rack, gibbet, pitch-cap, quartering, coercion, famines, bribery and every barbarous and refined form of cruelty, without success. The war between Sax and Celt will rage hot and fierce until the last vestige of English misrule is swept from the green hills of Erin.

Taxation and Refunds.—By the Unionist Parliament, whiskey was taxed much heavier than beer. Few Irishmen drink beer, but many of them drink whiskey, while nearly every man and woman in England likes to have beer. After a careful study of Irish customs, every taxable article desired by the Irish was especially aimed at. To make the tax appear just, the sum for the same quantity was raised alike all over the United Kingdom. By such plans and others of the like, Ireland was robbed of over $28,000,000 a year, outside of her proper proportion, not to mention the millions the landlords or other office pets took out of the country. Money raised in Ireland went into the British treasury. Recently the England Parliament would make a grant of a few million pounds to Ireland for some purpose, the largest portion of which would go to some English pets holding offices of some kind in Ireland. Then a cry would be raised of "millions of English money granted by a generous government to Ireland." The truth is that in such grants the Irish people only received back a small portion of their own money.

Author's Most Earnest Desire Is to See Ireland Free.—The author's most earnest desire is to see the morning dawn when Protestant and Catholic in Ireland would be linked together in one bond of peace, enjoying the blessings of good laws made by a free people in an Irish Independent Parliament. He is opposed to a class or creed ascendency, the adoring of human false gods, or the keeping of the whole island in slavery by a few non-productive, pampered gamesters.

GOD SAVE IRELAND!

P. M. FOLEY, Author.

Abduction.—Forceable abduction for a time was common enough in those parts. The most common source from which those abductions sprung was a man, after courting a girl for some time and finding her for him inclined, but the parents refusing to consent to their marriage, would come, accompanied by a dozen or more persons with saddle horses, drag the girl screaming out of bed, place her on horseback, gallop off to his hiding place—sometimes to his own house, but at other times to a friend's house—and there keep her until married.

When it happened that a Catholic boy and a Protestant girl were in deep love with each other, and the feminine members of the Protestant family would wish for their marriage, but after sounding the feelings of the girl's father and finding that he was steadfastly opposed to allow a Roman Catholic to be connected with his family, the hint would be thrown out to the boy that the only way he could possess his sweetheart now was by kidnapping. A hint so broadly given was quickly acted on. In a short time abuses set in, and instead of honest courtship, persons made for girls inheriting large fortunes.

Next came our "Squireens," or country gentlemen. These were made up chiefly of that class of landlords called middlemen, and persons holding some petty offices. The majority of them were corrupt, low and immoral, but still had the presumption to insist that others look up towards them as gentlemen. For cockfighting, fox-hunting, or race-meeting, they would dress themselves up in great brilliancy and make such a display that they appeared just as remarkable as the rancheros or caballeros of Old Mexico, whom, I understand, are their nearest comparison, and would have been their fittest companions.

A young man of that class, having his proposal of marriage with a young lady of fortune rejected, would become an abductor, and with the aid of firearms and a faction would carry her off and force a marriage upon her. To remove the reputation of a scandal, the clergy of both churches willingly performed the marriage ceremony, and often without any fee from the parties at the time. The strangest part of the transaction was that both Protestant and Catholic churches allowed forced marriages to stand as valid. Once the example was set by those high-class parish gentlemen it was adopted by their understrappers and, like a contagious disease, it reached the common people, with the result that in the seventeenth century abductions of pretty girls with fortunes and good names became for a time numerous.

Bally-Ferriter Evictions.—These were evictions which the Sheriff of Kerry was never able to carry out. On portions of the estates of the Earl of Cork, near Bally-Ferriter, several tenants were to be ejected. On the 16th of February, 1887, the Sheriff with a staff of Bailiffs, protected by a large force of police armed with rifles, bayonets, revolvers and battons, under the command of District Inspector Gray, started from Dingle, towards Bally-Ferriter. Upon reaching a place called Shannacnock, two thousand people assembled. They were armed with pitchforks, scythes and sticks. They forced the Sheriff, his assistants and escort hastily to return to Dingle. Several attempts to carry out these evictions failed. A settlement was arrived at through the Rev. Father Egan, P. P., of Bally-Ferriter, whereby the evictions were abandoned.

(See P. 281, History Co. Kerry-Corkaguiny.)

Barking Disease prevailed about the year 1341. It appears persons of both sex went about the country barking like dogs. This disease was pretty bad and visited those parts.

Battle of the Boyne.—This battle was fought on the 1st of July, 1690, at the River Boyne, in Ireland, between the soldiers of King James, the lawful King of England, and his son-in-law, William, Prince of Orange, a foreigner from Holland.

Protestants of England, who held Catholic confiscated lands, feared King James, and invited William into England. In England, James offered very poor resistance; in Ireland it was different. Although the Irish had never much love for any English King, yet the leaders and clergy worked upon the sympathies of the people by pointing out the wrong of the King's Protestant daughter to be depriving her father of his lawful throne, his home and country. Blinded by sympathy, the Irish were induced to fight. By his own fault James had but six guns, while William had fifty. William's army was only 25,000 men against 50,000 in James' army.

The Irish fought well, but several times showed signs of yielding in the afternoon. King James mounted his horse and deserted his Irish troops. The Irish nicknamed him "Dirty James."

This battle was lost but the Irish continued the fight, although the King was off for France.

On the 12th of July, 1691, another decisive battle was fought at Aughrim, in which the soldiers of the Prince of Orange were victorious.[2] However, the fight was continued in Limerick and Athlone. On the 24th of September, a truce of four days was agreed upon. The 3rd of October, 1691, the Generals of the English and Irish armies signed the famous Treaty of Limerick. The Irish soldiers sailed away to France. In 1692 the English broke the treaty.

Battle of Glantarf.—On Good Friday, the 23rd of April, the final battle was fought between the Danes and Brien Borue[3] at Glantarf, Dublin. Before the battle started Brien Borue rode on his horse amongst his troops; holding a crucifix in his hand he addressed his army. This was a hand-to-hand fight. From the time the tide was high-water until a long time after it was low-water the result was doubtful. Before evening the Danes gave way all around. Victory crowned Brien and his Munster men. The losses were: Irish, over 4,000, and Danes, over 7,000.

However, Brien Borue was assassinated while praying in his tent.

This battle released the whole of Europe from the Danish power.

Black Death.—This dangerous contagious disease made its way into Ireland about the year 1348. It was so dangerous that any person who touched the sick or even looked for a few seconds into his face was immediately affected and died. It swept the English out of Ireland. According to the English accounts, it touched but few of the native Irish.

Black Famine.—This was called to the famine years of 1845, 1846 and 1847. During these years for the want of food people died by thousands from hunger. From November, 1846, until the end of the spring of 1847, people were falling dead like Autumn leaves in a storm, by the roadside, in their cabins, and in the fields. For burial their corpses were conveyed to the graveyard in sheets and buried without coffins. Dogs in search of food tore into the tombs and preyed upon the emaciated corpses of the famine victims.

This famine was caused by a failure of the potato crop, on which the common people lived for sustenance. The blackest feature of this famine was that the Irish branch of the Church of England availed of it to seduce the starving people into Protestantism with soup and bibles, and that these years there was enough corn shipped out of Ireland to maintain the class ascendency in luxury, that would feed as many as died through hunger.

(See P. 212-232, Hist. Co. Kerry.)

Blood Money.—This is money paid by the government to spies, informers and crown witnesses, to induce them to swear against persons charged with murder, or serious crime. It was much used during the Irish agitation. By the Crimes (Coercion) Act of 1882, it was proposed to levy a "Blood Tax" for murder on the innocent rate-payers.

At present, compensation to police injured in certain cases in the execution of their duties and malicious injury to property is charged against the rate-payers.

Boycotting.—This word was derived from Captain Boycott, a land agent who was boycotted. Today it is to be found in every dictionary in the English language. Its use and effect in our district is fully set forth by me in my "His. Co. Kerry"—Corkaguiny, and also under The Reading of Chronology.

Brehons.—Were the names given to ancient Irish judges, who administered the Irish ancient laws with strict justice and impartiality. In 1365 or thereabouts, the English by the Statute of Kilkenny, forbade the English subjects to obey it. However, for its justice it was respected and obeyed until after Cromwell's wars in Ireland.

Brigid's (Saint) Day.—This falls on the 1st of February of each year, and formerly was observed as a holy day in honor of the death of St. Brigid, she being the founder of the famous nunnery of Kildare and the patroness of Ireland. In those parts a pretty ancient custom of carrying a Brideoge on St. Brigid's Day, and receiving gifts in her name, still survives, although in a dying form. In country homes eggs were usually given to those accompanying or carrying Brideoge. However, if any of those receiving these gifts were seen drinking intoxicating liquors with the proceeds of St. Brigid's Day, it would be made sufficiently clear to some member of the party that thereafter their visits were undesirable, and the next time they came around they were to go empty-handed.

St. Brigid was born about the year 452 at a place called Foghert, near Dundalk. She founded her convent under or near an oak tree, from which the town and county of Kildare took their present name.

She was the mother and foundress of many others and was known as the "Wonderful Worker" throughout Ireland. On the 1st of February, 525, she died and was buried at Kildare. Her nuns honored her memory so much that they kept a fire continually burning both day and night which was not extinguished until 1220, when the Archbishop of Dublin ordered it to be put out, as it was fast becoming the object of superstition.

Owing to the Scandinavian raids upon Ireland, in which they tore down churches and monasteries, her body was taken from Kildare and transferred to Down Patrick. In 1185 a triple vault was discovered containing the bodies of St. Patrick, St. Brigid and St. Columba. On the 9th of June, 1186, or thereabouts, the Pope caused the relics of these three great saints to be placed in the Cathedral of Down. This cathedral with its contents was destroyed by order of King Henry VIII of England, but pieces of the relics, including the head of St. Brigid, were saved by some clergy. The head was carried to Neustadt, in Austria. In 1587, Emperor Rudolf gave it to the Church of the Jesuits at Lisbon. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, her hand is preserved at Lumiar, near Lisbon, Portugal, and another relic is at St. Martin's, Cologne.

Cat Brack.—This was the name given to printed matter found in Irish primers supplied by the Irish Protestant Society to Irish-speaking Roman Catholics in those parts, because the former, under the color and pretense of preserving the Irish language, both oral and written, instead taught the Protestant version of the Scriptures and thereby attempted to overthrow the Roman Catholic religion. This campaign started out very active in 1836 and lingered on to the last days of the last century. While the scholars were learning both teachers and pupils were in receipt of pay. Some teachers made it a practice to enter the names of Roman Catholics on their roll books who were not students, but as a friendly neighbor would accommodate the teacher so as to enable him to get his fees.

Catholic Rent.—This was a tax levied in 1823 upon Catholics by Daniel O'Connel's Catholic Association to support the fight for emancipation.

Charity Meal.—At the end of 1879, a famine threatened Ireland. The British Government at first refused to take any steps to prevent death from hunger. The Land League, which was founded by the later Michael Davitt, in April, 1879, by Parnell, was temporarily converted into a relief organization. In America, Parnell and John Dillion collected $250,000 for the relief of distress.[4] The Duchess of Marlborough also appealed for help. In January and February, large contributions arrived from Canada, Australia, India, and the United States. The funds were distributed amongst the clergy of the poorer parishes, who issued tickets to traders to supply poor people with Indian meal.

Cholera Plague.—On the 14th of March of 1831 this great plague made its first appearance in Belfast, Ireland. It visited our part of the country shortly after. When it was first discovered in the town, the inhabitants fled to the country. It was nearly as fatal as the Black Death. It also followed the famine years of Black Death.

Clanna-Gael.—Clanna-Gael is an Irish society formed in America in 1881, or thereabouts. It was made up of most loyal members of the old Fenians, who hated to their dying day British rule in Ireland, and at the first opportunity available are determined to overthrow British power in Ireland.

Cloghane Pattern Day.—This pattern is held on the last Sunday of July in each year. The old people of the parish believe that it originated in honor of a pagan chieftain called Crom Duff, signifying Crom of the Heap of Stones, one of the deities of the Irish Druids. The last Sunday in Summer is called Black Crom, being held sacred to St. Patrick as the anniversary of commemorating the destruction of this class of idols as well as others of a like nature.

Cromleacs, composed of huge stones, the selection of ancient Druids, are to be found in the Parish of Ballyduff, and other like evidence in the neighborhood which go to show that the district was the scene of ancient ceremonies. Tradition gives credit to a pagan chieftain for building the old church, the remains of which stand at the east end of the dismantled Protestant church in Cloghane burial ground. However, the present structure was not erected for many centuries after paganism was overthrown. It is probable that the first Christian building in Cloghane was erected by a pagan chieftain, the follower of the Crom Duff form of worship. After mass, dancing and other like innocent amusements are carried on here. Excessive drinking and rowdyism, I am very glad to note, is very very much on the decline; in fact, is gone out of existence there.

Cockfighting.—These games were common in those parts until suppressed by law.

Corkaguiny Magistrates Disliked Attorneys and Decided Cases According to Dingle Justice.—From 1720 downward to 1822 the Corkaguiny justices of the peace would not allow any attorney-at-law to plead before them, but instead of deciding cases according to law settled them in conformity with "Dingle justice." Whenever an attorney was brought at high expense from Tralee to appear before them, the cases in which he was engaged were adjourned from court to court and his client in the end defeated.

Lady Chatham in her visit to Dingle noticed that cases were not decided in keeping with "the law," but according "to justice." She did not know that the houses of the Dingle magistrates were filled with smuggled goods, and that they reaped a rich harvest from several just but illegal trades. Therefore they sat more often for the protection of the smugglers than the enforcement of the law. (See "His. Co. Kerry"—Corkaguiny.)

Cromwell.—Oliver Cromwell rebelled against King Charles I, beheaded the latter, and set up a Republic. In 1649, Cromwell landed in Dublin, took Drogheda, and put the priests and women to sword. Pierce Ferriter held Kerry against the English for ten years. Ferriter was the last Catholic chieftain to hold out against Cromwell's forces. In direct violation of the English pledges, Ferriter was hanged at Killarney in 1653, together with Father T. Moriarty.

Crowbar Brigade.—This was applied to the Sheriff and landlords' bailiffs because, armed with crowbars and protected by police, they forced an entry into the houses of those to be ejected and demolished the homes of the evicted tenants. They also often carried a battering ram, i. e., timber bound with irons, hoist on poles, and swung against the sides of the buildings.

Doon-an-Ore and Olean-an-Ore.—These were the names given by the country people hereabouts to a rock in Smerwick Harbour on seeing it covered with brass cannon, the flags of Spain and the Pope's consecrated banner sparkling in the sun. Foreigners also had the reputation of bringing a large quantity of gold with them. (See "Hist. Co. Kerry"—Corkaguiny.)

English Garrison.—The Irish landlords are so called by public speakers because as Cromwell's soldiers they possessed themselves of all the Irish lands, and since then the British Government by military force has maintained them in this country, where they became a crushing burden on the people.

Enlisting Young Men by Slipping a Shilling Into Their Hands.—The custom of recruiting sergeants going around the country and slipping a shilling in the Queen's name into a young man's hand, then forcing him into the army, has been stopped. In Dingle peninsula the recruiting sergeant very often secured crippled tailors of good appearance, who on purpose would sit in the darkest room in a public house likely to be visited by the sergeant, keeping their feet under a drinking table and their crutches hidden, with a half-gallon of porter before them. The recruiting sergeant, looking into the faces of fine, strong-looking, muscular men, would force a drink upon them and ask them to enlist. At first they would take the drink, but would pretend to be hesitating very much about taking the shilling which the recruiting sergeant would have spinning on the table before them. After a good deal of sham pretentions of being unable to fight and unwilling to do so, each of them would slowly accept the shilling, spend it at once, swallow the free drinks and eat Queen's dinner and, when fed like game cocks, would ask one of their companions to look for their crutches for them so they could accompany the sergeant and enlist in the army. When the sergeant would discover his mistake the trouble started to get back the shilling, but as they made it a point not to have more than one penny in their possession he was compelled to leave without recruits or money.

Excommunication with Bell, Book and Candle.—During the Souper Campaign persons were excommunicated in Dingle, Ventry and Castle Gregory Chapels. After the priest had read the sentence, the bell was rung, the book closed and the candles extinguished. That moment the person excommunicated was excluded from the sacraments.

Faction Fights.—The fairs of Ballinclare were noted for their faction fights. The way these fights usually were started was a hero follower of the Fitzgeralds, primed with drink, would prance through the fair, waving his blackthorn cudgel and at the same time shouting for a Moriarity. Of course, he would not go very long until he would be met by a gang of the followers of the Moriarity's. Then a fight was started in which whole parishes became involved. They fought each other without any individual ill-will, using stumps of furze, sticks of hawthorn or oak as their weapons. Sometimes big fights were started by a man holding out a stick and having one member of a faction spit on it and asking a man of the opponent's faction then to let him spit on. If he did, this was a challenge and the fight started. Tents were upset and the people scattered leaving the fair grounds to the combatants.