Mr. Petrie on the History and Antiquities of Tara Hill. 51 



of this monarch are very imperfectly preserved by the Irish annalists, enough 

 remains to indicate that he extended the power of the Irish monarchy farther 

 than any of his predecessors within the limits of authentic Irish history. 



10. Dathi, son of Fiachra, and nephew of the preceding monarch, succeeded, 

 and, according to the Four Masters, after a reign of twenty-three years, was 

 killed by lightning at the foot of the Alps, in 428, or, according to the Chro- 

 nicon Scotorum, in 427. With this monarch the line of the pagan princes of 

 Ireland closes ; and though this line is as yet enveloped in deep obscurity beyond 

 the reign of Tuathal, in the second century, there appears to be nothing in the 

 time succeeding to excite doubt in a rational and unprejudiced mind. It is 

 true, indeed, that the learned and judicious Sir James Ware has rejected, as of 

 no certainty, the whole list of Irish kings anterior to the establishment of 

 Christianity ; but this overcautious rejection will have little weight now, even 

 with the most judicious investigators, and in the opinion of Pinkerton, one of 

 the most sceptical of modern antiquaries, " was at best rash." " Mr. O'Connor," 

 says this writer, " remarks that Tuathal's reign forms a new and certain epoch 

 in the progress of Irish history. Foreigners may imagine that It is granting too 

 much to the Irish to allow them lists of kings more ancient than those of any other 

 country in modern Europe : but the singularly compact and remote situation of 

 that Island, and Its freedom from Roman conquest, and from the concussions of 

 the fall of the Roman Empire, may infer this allowance not too much. But all 

 contended for, is the list of kings, so easily preserved by the repetition of bards 

 at high solemnities ; and some grand events of history. For to expect a certain 

 detail, and regular order, in the pagan history of Ireland, were extravagant. 

 The Irish antiqulsts will, on the other hand, exclaim against this rejection of so 

 many fables, which they call, and perhaps, if the human mind can be so debased, 

 really think history. Mr. O' Conor says that the period from Tuathal to 

 Leogaire is the most useful and important of the whole heathen history of 

 Ireland. In which he Is certainly right : and the traditions and bardlsh rhymes, 

 with the early attention of the Irish, after conversion, to such learning as was 

 then in vogue, promise considerable veracity to this last pagan period." — Inquiry 

 into the Hist, of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 51. 



In the list of Christian monarchs who ruled at Tara, now to be subjoined, 

 Laoghaire, the son of Niall, will be placed at the head, for the sake of con- 



g-2 



