505 
Museum of the Academy. It is a large ring of gold, with another 
smaller ring running upon it, intended apparently for suspension. 
About this time, Maolmorda, or Maolmurry, brother of Gormlaith, 
mother of Sitric, joined the Danes of Dublin, in order to secure their 
assistance in defence of his pretence to the crown of Leinster against 
the more legitimate claim of Donnchadh, son of Domhnall Claon. This 
alliance, together with the success of Malachy’s campaigns, appears to 
have made a change in the politics of the Munster chieftains. For in 
997, or 998, ‘‘to the great joy of the Irish,” as the Four Masters say, 
we find Brian and Malachy uniting their forces against the Danes of 
Dublin. The terms of this alliance, as stated in the ‘‘ Wars of the 
Gaedhil with the Gaill,’’ were these:—That Malachy should restore all 
hostages or prisoners who were Brian’s subjects or allies; that Brian 
should be acknowledged as King of all Munster; and that Malachy should 
be recognized by him as King of Leth Cuinn, or the northern half of 
Ireland, ‘‘ without war or trespass from Brian.” 
Two years after this treaty, the Danes of Dublin, with Mael- 
mordha, who had usurped the sovereignty of Leinster, revolted, 
after having taken Donnchadh, the legitimate king of Leinster, pri- 
soner. They met the united forces of Malachy and Brian at Glen-mama,* 
a place near Dunlavan, the fortress of the Kings of Leister, in the 
county of Wicklow ; and a bloody conflict ensued, in which, after much 
slaughter on both sides, the Danes were completely defeated. The vic- 
torious troops marched without resistance to Dublin. The Castle was 
taken, and the town plundered. Brian remained encamped in the city, 
“from great Christmas to little Christmas,’’} or, according to another 
account, from Christmas Day to the Feast of St. Bridget (Feb. 1). 
During this period Brian was not idle. He plundered a great part of 
Leinster, cut down woods, and cleared passages through the country, with 
a view, no doubt, to future military operations. 
On the day of the battle of Glen-mama, Murchadh, son of Brian, 
found the Leinster chieftain Maelmordha, after the defeat of his allies, 
concealed in the foliage of a yew-tree. He was, of course. taken pri- 
soner. The King of Dublin, who is called, in the wars of the Gaedhil and 
Gaill, Amlaibh, or Olaf, but more correctly, by the Four Masters, Sitric, 
son of Amlaibh, or Olaf, fled to the north of Ireland, expecting to receive 
protection from the northern O’Neills. In this, however, he was dis- 
appointed; and before the end of the year he ‘‘submitted to Brian’s 
* This place has not been identified. The name signifies ‘‘ Valley of the gap,” and 
seems to point to some natural gap or pass in the mountains. Mr. O’Donoghue is wrong 
(Mem. of the O’Briens, p. 20, note) in supposing the name to mean “‘ Valley of the defeat,” 
and to have been derived from the battle here spoken of. The place was called Glen- 
mama long before. See Circuit of Muirchertach Mac Neill, pp. 86, 37. 
+ i.e. from Christmas day to the Epiphany.—‘“‘ Wars of Gaedhil,” &c., p. 113. But 
the Four Masters seem to understand by Little Christmas the octave of Christmas, for 
they say that Brian remained in Dublin a week only. 
¢ ‘Wars of the Gaedhil and Gaill,” p. 117. 
R. I. A. PROC. PROC.—VOL. VII. 4B 
