100 Proceedings of the Roijal Irish Acadeinij. 



The Menapii are shown by Ptolemy (second century), as M. D'Arbois 

 pomts out, located on the south-eastern side of Ireland, about Wexford 

 in Leinster. They were no doubt portion of the Meuapia, a people of 

 Belgic Gaul. In the time of Ptolemy the Brigantes, a similar people, are 

 placed slightly to the south of them in Ireland. 



The date of the destruction of Dind-rig and death of Cobthach is fixed 

 by the Four Mastei-s at 542 B.C. There appears to be some error about 

 this date, though a dindseuchas of Leinster supports it, stating it was 

 500 yeai-s before the birth of Christ that it took place. But in the copy of 

 the stoiy of Labraid, translated by Whitley Stokes, already referred to, from 

 the Book of Leinster, and from other texts of this version, the date is given 

 as 300 B.C." Another passage puts it at 307 B.C. 



In an estimate of tliirty years for a generation, from the date of Ptolemy 

 son of Lagas, who appears to be conteraporaiy with Ugaine grandfather of 

 Cobthach, M. D'Arbois fixed 216 B.C. for the massacre of Dind-rig. The 

 counting of thirty years to a generation is too high, considering the fact of 

 the murdei-s, so we can say some time in the third century as a suihcient 

 date. 



The coming of the Gauls with iron lances soon became a fixed belief : 

 the explanation of Laigin (Leinster), where the Gauls were settled, was 

 in this manner usually explained ; the references to it are very definite. 



Thus, at the concluBion of the Orgain Dind-rig in the Book of Leinster, 

 the scribe writes : " Labraid . . . brought many foreigners with him [to Ire- 

 land], to wit, two thmusand and two hundred foreigners, with broad lances 

 in their hands, from which the Laigin [Leinstermen] are so called."* 



In the version of the story in the scholia of the Amra Choluimb Chille 

 it is said with equal definiteness : — " Then the exile seized the sovranty of 

 Ireland ; and he was the first to make broad blue lances [laignej, whence 

 the I^^igin [Leinstermen] are named, "^ 



Wc find also ui the dindscnchos of Leinster this constantly referred to in 

 similar words. The prose accounts give some poema as authorities, 

 presumably somewhat earlier. Two from the ]3ook of Leinster will be 

 sutlicient; but there arc many allusions to Labraid and the lances scattered 

 through the literature and tales. 



' On errors of diUes in the Four Masters see the Rev. Dr. MaiCnrthjr's Todd Lectures, Led. ii., 

 p. 185, also Le<t. in., pp. 281 and 301, in which he goes fully into the subject. 

 'Zeitschrift fiirC. P., vol. iii., p. 14. 

 ' Rerue Cclliqiic, vol. xx., p. 4.33. 



