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by Manus O'Donell, prince of Tirconaill, and published in Colgan's 

 work, p. 391, and is merely intended to shew who was the " Finnius 

 Cubhallijilius," mentioned in the text. In that text the author of 

 the Life says, " not only those who were advanced in Christian per- 

 fection, and full of the Spirit of God, but even many of the Pagan 

 augurs predicted the birth and sanctity of Saint Columb. Of the 

 latter the most famous was Finn Mac Cubhaill, a man celebrated, 

 not only in annals but in fables, for his herculean strength of body 

 and frequent triumphs over his enemies." Here there is not one 

 word said, or even the name mentioned, of the " Saint Ossin, or 

 Ossian, to whom," Sir John says, " the Irish ballads regarding Saint 

 Patrick and Ossian ought to be attributed." For what purpose then 

 did Sir John introduce the name of " Ossin, or Ossian " here, when 

 referring to a place where Colgan takes no notice of any such person ? 

 Who can say that it was for the purpose of promoting a candid 

 inquiry into the subject in dispute ? Or who can acquit " the wily 

 Scot " of entertaining an unfair design ? 



The note to which Sir John refers says, " This celebrated hero, 

 very famous amongst his own people, (inter suos,) flourished in the 

 time of king Cormac, about the year 230." Upon this the baronet 

 remarks, that by the words " inter suos" Colgan must necessarily mean 

 that he (Finn) " belonged to Scotland and not to Ireland." The 

 argument, it must be admitted, is specious, but the conclusion is not 

 borne out by the facts. Colgan wrote his note on the work of ano- 

 ther, who was treating of an Irish subject, and who spoke of Finn as 

 an Irishman, " famous not only in history but in fable." If Colgan 

 had written the note on his own work it might be expected that he 

 would make use of the words "inter nostrates ;" but as Colgan 

 wrote his note in France, and in explaining a passage in the work 

 of another, and speaking of a person of very remote times, the most 



