308 Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



the death of Cormac is stated in such a way as to leave it optional with the 

 reader whether he should consider him a bishop in reality, or only in a figu- 

 rative sense. Thus in the Annals of Kilronan, which were compiled in Con- 

 naught in the fifteenth century : 



" A. D. 1138. Copmac, mac meg Cappchaij;, aipopij t)epmuman 7 epp pij n-Gp. m-a 

 peimepap cpabaio 7 ap rionacul peo 7 maine DO cleipcibo 7 cellaib, 7 ap lapmapr nejlapoajoa 

 a lebpuib', 7 a naiomib', DO t)hia, 7 DO ru;cim a meabuil la Cuaomumain : 7 bennachc le 

 nj anmutn." 



"A. D. 1138. Cormac, grandson of Carthach, cliief king of Desmond and bishop king of Ire- 

 land in his time for piety and the bestowal of jewels and wealth to the clergy and the churches, and 

 for ecclesiastical wealth to God, in books and implements, fell treacherously by Thomond: and 

 a blessing on his soul." 



Thus, also, in the Annals of the Four Masters : 



" A. D. 1138. Copbmac, mac rfluipea6ai. mic Capchuijj, cijeapna t)eapriiuman 7 eppoj 

 pigb Gpenn i na peirheap ap rioonacal peo 7 maome DO cleipcib' 7 ceallaib, peap leapui^re 

 ruach 7 ecclap, DO rimpb'uo i na rij pein i b-pioll la Coipoealb'ach, mac t)iapmaoa U.-6piuin, 

 7 la oa mac Ui Choncliobaip Ciappaije." 



" A. D. 1 138. Cormac, son of Muireadhach, son of Carthach, lord of Desmond and bishop king 

 of Ireland in his time for his bestowal of jewels and wealth to the clergy and to the churches, the 

 improver of territories and churches, was treacherously slain in his own house by Toirdhealbhach, 

 the son of Diarmaid O'Brien, and by the two sons of O'Conor Kerry." 



Here it will be perceived that in both these entries, if we put a comma 

 after the word eppog, we must clearly understand that Cormac was truly a 

 bishop; while, on the other hand, if we choose to suppose the words eypog 

 and pij to form a compound term, and connected with the remaining clauses of 

 the sentence, we may consider him as only honoured with the title of bishop 

 for his piety and liberality to the Church, as Drs. O'Brien and Lanigan have 

 supposed, and not as a bishop-king virtually, as Dr. O'Conor understands 

 the words of the entry in the Annals of the Four Masters, but which in fair- 

 ness I must state he does not translate correctly, as will appear from a compari- 

 son of his version with the strictly literal one already given : 



"A. D. 1138. Cormacus filius Muredachi filii Carthii, Princeps Desmoniae, et Episcopus Rex 

 Hibernias durante regimine suo, Donator munerum pretiosorum et divitiarum Clero et Ecclesiis, 

 optimus Consiliarius Clero et populo, occisus est dolose in domo propria, a Tordelbacho filio Diar- 

 mitii O'Brian, et a duobus filiis O'Conori Regionis Kerry." 



