Irish History
And
The Fighting Irish
And
The Fighting Irish
cormac mac art
Of
all the ancient Kings of Ireland, Cormac, who reigned in the third century, is unquestionably considered
greatest by the poets, the seanachies and the chroniclers. His father Art was the son of Conn of the Hundred Battles, and was known as Art the Lonely, because the story goes, that from the time he lost his brothers, Connla and Criona - both slain by their Uncles ( though another famous story has it that Connla sailed away to Fairyland and never returned ) he was pitifully solitary, and silent ever after till life's end - the day of Moy Mocruine ( in Galway ) at which great battle he was killed fighting the foreign forces which his exiled nephew Lugaid MacCon had brought back with him from his exile among the Picts, and the Britons.
ART THE LONELY
The berried quicken-branches lament in lonely sighs
Through open doorways of the dun a lonely wet wind cries:
And lonely in the hall he sits, with feasting warriors round,
The harp that lauds his fame in fights hath a lonely sound.
The speckled salmon, too, darts lonely in the pool,
The swan floats lonely with her brood in shallows cool,
His steeds - the swift and gentle - are lonely in their stall.
The sorrow of his loneliness weighs heavy overall.
For in the house of Tara, three shadows share the feast,
Conn sits within the High-King's place, against the East,
And Crionna whispers to his hound some memory of the chase,
While Connla to the harping turns a joyous listening face.
Ethna Carberry in " The Four Winds of Eirinn "
Through open doorways of the dun a lonely wet wind cries:
And lonely in the hall he sits, with feasting warriors round,
The harp that lauds his fame in fights hath a lonely sound.
The speckled salmon, too, darts lonely in the pool,
The swan floats lonely with her brood in shallows cool,
His steeds - the swift and gentle - are lonely in their stall.
The sorrow of his loneliness weighs heavy overall.
For in the house of Tara, three shadows share the feast,
Conn sits within the High-King's place, against the East,
And Crionna whispers to his hound some memory of the chase,
While Connla to the harping turns a joyous listening face.
Ethna Carberry in " The Four Winds of Eirinn "
Lugaid having won at Moy Mocruime, established himself as Ard-Righ of Eirinn. A rude ill-tempered, domineering man was this Lugaid, who won little heart-loyalty from the people and was but little mourned when he died. He was stabbed to death by a Druid, at Gort-an-Oir, as he was bestowing golden gifts on the poets.
It was at the court of this Lugaid at Tara, that Cormac first distinguished himself and gave token of the ability and wisdom, which were afterwards, to mark him the most distinguished of Eirinn's monarchs. From his exile in Connaught, Cormac, a green youth had returned to Tara, where, unrecognised, he was engaged herding sheep for a poor widow. Now one of the sheep broke into the Queen's garden, and ate the Queen's vegetables. King Lugaid as equally angry as his Queen, after he heard the case, ordered that for penalty on the widow, her sheep should be forfeit to the Queen. To the amazement of Lugaid's court, the herd-boy who had been watching the proceedings with anxiety, arose, and facing the King said " Unjust is thy award O King, for because thy Queen hath lost a few vegetables, thoust would deprive the poor widow of her livelihood ? " When the King recovered from his astoundment, he looked contemptuously at the lad, asking scathingly : " And what, O wise herd-boy, would be thy just award ? " The herd-boy, not one little bit disconcerted, answered him: " My award would be that the wool of the sheep should pay for the vegetables the sheep has eaten - because both the wool and the green things will grow again, and both parties have forgotten their hurt. "
And the wonderful wisdom of the judgement drew the applause of the astounded court. But Lugaid exclaimed in alarm : " It is the judgement of a King. " And the lad's great mind having betrayed him, he had to flee. He returned and claimed the throne when Lugaid was killed, but at a feast which he gave to the princes whose support he wanted, Fergus Black-Tooth of Ulster, who coveted the Ard - Righship, managed, it is said, to singe the hair of Cormac - creating a blemish that debarred the young man temporaraily from the throne. And he fled again from Tara, fearing designs upon his life. Fergus became Ard-Righ for a year - at the end of which time Cormac returned with an Army, and supported by Taig, the son of Ciann, and grandson of the great Oilill Olum of Munster, completely overthrew the usurper in the great battle of Crionna ( on the Boyne ) where Fergus and his two brothers were slain. Cormac won undisputed possession of the monarchy.
Taig was granted a large territory between Damlaig ( Duleek ) and the River Liffi, since then called the Ciannachta
He became the ancestor of the O'Hara's, O'Gara's, O'Carroll's and other now Northern families. " A noble, illustrious King " says a tract preserved in the Book of Ballymote, " now took sovereignty and rule over Eirinn, namely Cormac, the grandson of Conn. The world was replete with all that was good in his time; the food and the fat of the land, and the gifts of the sea, were in abundance in this King's reign. There were neither woundings nor robberies in his time, but every one enjoyed his own, in peace. "
And another ancient account says: " A great King, of great judgment now assumed the sovereignty of Eirinn, ie Cormac the son of Art, the son of Conn of the Hundred Battles. Eirinn was prosperous during his time, and just judgments were distributed throughout by him, so that no one durst attempt to wound a man in Ireland, juring the short jubilee of seven years. " Cormac rebuilt the palace of Tara, with much magnificence. He built the Teach Mi Chuarta, the great banqueting hall, that was 760 feet by 46 feet and 45 feet high. Until quite recently the outline of the foundations of this great hall with the traces of its 14 doorways, were still to be observed on Tara Hill. He also built a grianan ( sun-house ) for the women- and the House of the Hostages, and the House of a Thousand Soldiers.
He gave the office of Ard-Righ a magnificence that it had not known before.
Amergin MacAmlaid, the scholar-bard of King Diarmaid Mac Carroll, in the 7th century, gives a poetic account of Cormac's princely household, in which he says his hall had flaming lamp, and 150 beds; 150 warriors stood in the King's presence when he sat down at the banquet; there were 150 cup-bearers; 150 jewelled cups of silver nad gold; and 50 over 1000 was the number of the entire household.
In the book of Leinster is related, " Three thousand persons each day is what Cormac used to maintain in pay; besides poets and satirists, and all the strangers who sought the King; Galls and Romans, and Franks, and Frisians and Longbards, and Albanians ( Caledonians ), and Saxons, and Cruithnians ( Picts ), for all these used to seek him, and it was with gold and with silver, with steeds and with chariots, that he presented them. They used all to come to Cormac, because there was not in his time, nor before him, any more celebrated in honour, and in dignity and in wisdom, except only Solomon the son of David. " And to the Feis of Tara he gave a new dignity and importance that helped to make its decisions and decrees respected in every corner of the land.
It was at the court of this Lugaid at Tara, that Cormac first distinguished himself and gave token of the ability and wisdom, which were afterwards, to mark him the most distinguished of Eirinn's monarchs. From his exile in Connaught, Cormac, a green youth had returned to Tara, where, unrecognised, he was engaged herding sheep for a poor widow. Now one of the sheep broke into the Queen's garden, and ate the Queen's vegetables. King Lugaid as equally angry as his Queen, after he heard the case, ordered that for penalty on the widow, her sheep should be forfeit to the Queen. To the amazement of Lugaid's court, the herd-boy who had been watching the proceedings with anxiety, arose, and facing the King said " Unjust is thy award O King, for because thy Queen hath lost a few vegetables, thoust would deprive the poor widow of her livelihood ? " When the King recovered from his astoundment, he looked contemptuously at the lad, asking scathingly : " And what, O wise herd-boy, would be thy just award ? " The herd-boy, not one little bit disconcerted, answered him: " My award would be that the wool of the sheep should pay for the vegetables the sheep has eaten - because both the wool and the green things will grow again, and both parties have forgotten their hurt. "
And the wonderful wisdom of the judgement drew the applause of the astounded court. But Lugaid exclaimed in alarm : " It is the judgement of a King. " And the lad's great mind having betrayed him, he had to flee. He returned and claimed the throne when Lugaid was killed, but at a feast which he gave to the princes whose support he wanted, Fergus Black-Tooth of Ulster, who coveted the Ard - Righship, managed, it is said, to singe the hair of Cormac - creating a blemish that debarred the young man temporaraily from the throne. And he fled again from Tara, fearing designs upon his life. Fergus became Ard-Righ for a year - at the end of which time Cormac returned with an Army, and supported by Taig, the son of Ciann, and grandson of the great Oilill Olum of Munster, completely overthrew the usurper in the great battle of Crionna ( on the Boyne ) where Fergus and his two brothers were slain. Cormac won undisputed possession of the monarchy.
Taig was granted a large territory between Damlaig ( Duleek ) and the River Liffi, since then called the Ciannachta
He became the ancestor of the O'Hara's, O'Gara's, O'Carroll's and other now Northern families. " A noble, illustrious King " says a tract preserved in the Book of Ballymote, " now took sovereignty and rule over Eirinn, namely Cormac, the grandson of Conn. The world was replete with all that was good in his time; the food and the fat of the land, and the gifts of the sea, were in abundance in this King's reign. There were neither woundings nor robberies in his time, but every one enjoyed his own, in peace. "
And another ancient account says: " A great King, of great judgment now assumed the sovereignty of Eirinn, ie Cormac the son of Art, the son of Conn of the Hundred Battles. Eirinn was prosperous during his time, and just judgments were distributed throughout by him, so that no one durst attempt to wound a man in Ireland, juring the short jubilee of seven years. " Cormac rebuilt the palace of Tara, with much magnificence. He built the Teach Mi Chuarta, the great banqueting hall, that was 760 feet by 46 feet and 45 feet high. Until quite recently the outline of the foundations of this great hall with the traces of its 14 doorways, were still to be observed on Tara Hill. He also built a grianan ( sun-house ) for the women- and the House of the Hostages, and the House of a Thousand Soldiers.
He gave the office of Ard-Righ a magnificence that it had not known before.
Amergin MacAmlaid, the scholar-bard of King Diarmaid Mac Carroll, in the 7th century, gives a poetic account of Cormac's princely household, in which he says his hall had flaming lamp, and 150 beds; 150 warriors stood in the King's presence when he sat down at the banquet; there were 150 cup-bearers; 150 jewelled cups of silver nad gold; and 50 over 1000 was the number of the entire household.
In the book of Leinster is related, " Three thousand persons each day is what Cormac used to maintain in pay; besides poets and satirists, and all the strangers who sought the King; Galls and Romans, and Franks, and Frisians and Longbards, and Albanians ( Caledonians ), and Saxons, and Cruithnians ( Picts ), for all these used to seek him, and it was with gold and with silver, with steeds and with chariots, that he presented them. They used all to come to Cormac, because there was not in his time, nor before him, any more celebrated in honour, and in dignity and in wisdom, except only Solomon the son of David. " And to the Feis of Tara he gave a new dignity and importance that helped to make its decisions and decrees respected in every corner of the land.
From
the Book of Ballymote is taken this interesting description of Cormac at that Feis:
" His hair was slightly curled, and of golden colour; he had a scarlet shield with engraved devices, and golden hooks and clasps of silve; a wide-flowing purple cloak on him, with a gem-set gold brooch over his breast; a gold torque around his neck; a white collard shirt, embroided with gold, upon him, a girdle with golden buckles and studded with precious stones, around him, two golden net-work sandals with golden buckles upon his feet; two spears with golden sockets, and many red bronze rivets, in his hand; while he stood in the full glow of beauty, without defect or blemish. You would think it was a shower of pearls that were set in his mouth; his lips were rubies; his symmetrical body was as white as snow; his cheek was like the mountain ash-berry
his eyes were like the sloe; his brows and eye-lashes were like the sheen of a blue-black lance. "
his eyes were like the sloe; his brows and eye-lashes were like the sheen of a blue-black lance. "
The noted 17th century Irish scholar and historian O' Flaherty, says: " Cormac exceeded all his predecessors in magnificence, wisdom and learning, as also in military achievements. His palace was most superbly adorned and richly furnished, and his numerous family proclaim his majesty and munificence; the books he published and the schools he endoed at Temair ( Tara ) bear unquestionable testimony of his learning. There were three schools instituted, in the first the most eminent professors of the art of war were engaged, in the second history was taught and in the third, jurisprudence was professed. "
He sought not to confine the benefits of his rule to Eirinn, but wanted to extend them to Alba also. The Four Masters record under the year 240, that the fleet of Cormac sailed across Magh Rian, the Plain of the Sea, and obtained for him the sovereignty of Alba ( Scotland )
Cormac for all his greatness, was not invariably just. He carried an unjust war into Munster - and was punished therefor. Once tara rean short of provisions - which to befall king or commoner in ancient Ireland, at whose residence guests might any moment arrive, was almost the unpardonable sin. On this occasion, Cormac's high steward advised him that the great province of Munster which, by its size and wealth ought to pay two-fifths of the tribute of Ireland to the High King, only paid one-fifth , and should now be called on to provision Tara.
He sought not to confine the benefits of his rule to Eirinn, but wanted to extend them to Alba also. The Four Masters record under the year 240, that the fleet of Cormac sailed across Magh Rian, the Plain of the Sea, and obtained for him the sovereignty of Alba ( Scotland )
Cormac for all his greatness, was not invariably just. He carried an unjust war into Munster - and was punished therefor. Once tara rean short of provisions - which to befall king or commoner in ancient Ireland, at whose residence guests might any moment arrive, was almost the unpardonable sin. On this occasion, Cormac's high steward advised him that the great province of Munster which, by its size and wealth ought to pay two-fifths of the tribute of Ireland to the High King, only paid one-fifth , and should now be called on to provision Tara.
