The Eev. J. H. Todd on an Ancient Irish Missal. 7 



the Danes, and from the men of Leinster and of Ossory, as we learn from the 

 following record in the Annals of Tishernach. 



SluaijVieaft la mac mbpiain cop ^aX> 

 gialla pep inbpeaji TTli&e, ■] "^aXX, i Laigen, 

 1 Oppaige. 



An expedition by [Donnohadh*], son ot 

 Brian, who took hostages from the men of 

 Bregia and Meath, and the foreigners, and 

 Leinster, and Ossory. 



He subsequently invaded Connaught, and obtained hostages from the then king, 

 Roderick O'Conor, in 1059 (Tighern.) 



In 1064, however, Donnohadh was expelled from Ireland, after which he 

 appears to have professed repentance for his ambition and other crimes, as he 

 then undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, where he died in a monastery. Tigher- 

 nach thus records this fact: — 



Donnchot) mac bpiain bopoime, pij 

 mumhan, do achpiojaD, -\ a but bon Roim 

 Dia ailicpe, co nepbuilc, lap mbuaib naic- 

 pige a mainiptiip Sceaphain. 



Donnohadh, son of Brian Boroimhe, King of 

 Munster, was deposed, and went to Rome in 

 pilgrimage, where he died after the victory of 

 penitence, in the monastery of Stephen. 



From these facts it is evident that the inscription before us, which calls this 

 Donnohadh King of Ireland, cannot be older than 1023, when he appears to have 

 aimed at the supreme sovereignty, by ridding himself of his brother, nor later 

 than 1064, Avheu he was expelled from Ireland. f 



We conclude, therefore, that the inscriptions on this side of the box, which 

 are evidently all of the same date, must be assigned to the first half of the ele- 

 venth century ; and, therefore (it is reasonable to infer), the MS. for which so 

 costly a case was provided must have been at that time regarded as of consi- 

 derable antiquity and importance. 



The next inscription is as follows: — 



<i> ocus DO TTiacc T?aicln hu d 

 oNDchaoa Do R15 cassil 



"And for Mac Raith hu 



DONNCHADHA, KiNG OF CASHEL." 



* See Four Masters in anno 1026. 



t See Dr. O'Brien's tract on the "Law of Tanistry," Vallancet's Collect., vol. i., p. 510. 



