Mr. Pethie on the Book of Mac Firbis. 5 



Giolla losa more Mac Firbis, historian, &c. of Lecan Mac Firbis in Tireragh on 

 the Moy ; and the cause of writing the book is to increase the glory of God, and 

 for the information of the community in general." 



In the introduction which follows, and consists of 18 pages, the compiler argues 

 ably in support of the authenticity of the ancient history and genealogies of the 

 Irish, and of their claims to early civilization, particularly in literature and the 

 architectural art. He gives, from ancient authorities, the names of the poets, 

 law-givers, historians, harpers, and builders, who came with the early colonies, as 

 well as of those writers most distinguished in subsequent times, of whom he states, 

 that it would require a whole volume to mention only the names. 



" With regard to our later writers," he adds, "who flourished within the last 

 600 years, here follow the names of some of them : — the O'Mulconrys were 

 the hereditary Bards of Connaught, and some branches of them were Bards of 

 Thomond, some ofLeinster, and some of Annaly, (now Longford ;) — the Clan- 

 Firbis were the hereditary Bards of Lower Connaught, (i. e. of the County of 

 Sligo,) of Hy Fiachrach Moy, of Tir-Amalgaid, (Tirawly,) of Cera, of Hy 

 Fiachrach Aidne, of Eachtga, and of the race of CoUa Uais, that is, of the Clan 

 Donnell; the 0' Cumins were the hereditary Poets of the O'Ruarksof Brefney, 

 (now the County of Leitrim;) the O'Duigenans were the Poets of the Mac 

 Dermots, called Clan Malroney, and of Conmacne of Moy- Rein ; the O'Du- 

 vegans in Hy- Maine, followed them ; the O' Clerys and the O'Keenans were 

 the Poets and Historians of Tirconnell ; the O'Luinins were the Poets of 

 Fermanagh ; the 0' Clercens, of Tyrone ; the 0' Duinins, of South Munster, 

 that is of the descendants of Eogan More, namely, the Mac Carthys, the O'Sul- 

 livans, &c. ; the Mac an Ghabhans, of Ormond ; the 0' Riardans, of File ; the 

 Clan Crutins and O'Brudins in Thomond ; the Mac Gilkellys, in Western 

 Connaught with the O'Flahertys, and so on. — Every district had its Bard and its 

 Brehon, or Judge ; and the genealogies were so accurately entered in their 

 hooks, that he who refuses credit to them, may equally deny faith in his father 

 or grandfather, since our fathers and grandfathers were our witnesses, each 

 generation committing them to the care of their successors. 



" Neither was there any order, lay, or ecclesiastic, in Ireland, which was not 

 bound by penalties, as stated in our Law books, and on pain also of loss of honor 

 and reputation, to preserve their genealogies and histories, so that on comparison 



