Wjsstkopp — Fortified Headlands and Castles in Western Co. Cork. 259 



died a.d. 827 ;' Maelniora, Lord of Baithlin, took part in the fatal battle of 

 Bealach Mughna, when the saintly King-Bishop of Cashel, the lexicographer, 

 Corrnac mac Cuilleanan, fell. Cian, son of Spellan, succeeded his brother 

 Maelniora in a.d. 907. 2 His son was Bron, probably commemorated in the 

 Bosbrins, whose son, Maelmuadh (born about a.d. 930), has a niche in Irish 

 history (perhaps more sinister than he deserves), as slayer of Mathgarnhain, 

 brother of Brian, the King of Minister. 3 It must always be remembered 

 that there is every reason to believe that the assumption of that position was 

 as gross a violation of the claims of the Eoghanachts as that of the High 

 Kingship by his brother Brian was of the ancient line of Tara — " Old Tara is 

 dragged to Kincora," as Maelsechlainn's bard protested. Out of such bitter 

 resentment, what but bloodshed was then to be expected ? " Are we so much 

 better than they" 900 years after? Mathgamhain had taken Maelniuadh's 

 hostages, possibly those he held as claiming to be King of South Munster, if 

 not of Munster, for, in " the Kings of the race of Eber," Dugan makes 

 Maelmuadh succeed, not Mathgamhain, in a.d. 976, but a non-Dalcassian 

 predecessor, Fergraidh, in a.d. 959. " Maelmuadh of the piercing blue eye, 

 son of Bron of endless prosperity," as even the Wars of the Gaedhil call him, 

 died a.d. 978 ; contradictory accounts remain, the Dalcassians alleging the 

 vengeance of Heaven for his broken pledge to Mathgamhain. His son, " Cian 

 of the golden cups," succeeded as chief of Ui Ecach. 4 



Mathgamhain's brother, Brian, a man of wise and noble character, did all 

 in his power to conciliate Cian, giving him his daughter Sadbh (by his first 

 wife Mor, a lady of the Ui Fiachraeh Aidhne) and many gifts and favours. 

 MacLiae, Brian's bard, honoured the chief, leaving an interesting poem on his 

 chief fort Baithlenn, 5 including him (if he be the " Cian ") in the dirge, " Where, 

 Kincora," and in another poem calling him " Cian of the Carn " (i.e. 

 Carn Ui Neid), or Mizen Head, which is very pertinent to our studies as 

 showing that he owned the Ivagha Beninsula in 1014. He also appears in 

 another elegy on Brian, by Giolla Caomh, as " high chief of the hosts from 

 Carn Ui Neid, and another by MacCoise, bard of the Ardrigh, Maelsechlainn 



1 Ann. Inisfallen (Bodleian), Ann. Four Masters. 

 2 Chronicon Sootorum, a.d. 907. 



3 Wars of the Gaedhil with the Gaill (ed. Todd), pp. 87-105. 



4 I use the Annals of Ulster, Inisfallen, " Munster" (the early ones often confused 

 with Inisfallen), Loch Ce, Chronicon Scotorum, and the Four Masters, besides the Wars of 

 the Gaedhil with the Gaill. 



5 This and the other poems have been studied in the Gaelic Journal, 1906— "Four 

 poems of the eleventh century," by Canon Lyons. 



[41*1 



