450 Proceedings of the Royal Insli Academy. 



recorded, as made by Cenedid, father of Brian Boroimhe, at the election of 

 Cellachan of Caisil,' but, though theoretically allowed by the Eoghanachts, it 

 was never conceded as a reality till Mathgamhain was strong enough to enforce 

 his election, after which the Dal Cais equally ignored it in practice. There 

 was consequently no little temptation to foist it into the tribal records, but 

 it favours their general reliability that it was never done on any large scale. 

 I only find two interpolations, and those late in insertion— one, perhaps, 

 honest enough. Aedh of Cragliath is stated to have been King of Cashel 

 (before Forannan- and Dioma were Kings of Thomond) about a.d. 573. This 

 is, perhaps, a mere mistake. He had a contemporary, Aedh of Cashel, who, 

 with him, is alluded to, a.d. 570, by St. Brendan, of Birrha — " both are my 

 friends" — and there is CA-ident confusion (perhaps of both of these) with 

 Aedh, son of Flann Cathrach,son of Cairbre Crom,^ who was actually King of 

 Thomond (and present as such in the Synod of Dromceatt), A.D. 575. The 

 second and later statement is evidently dishonest.^ It says that T.orcan, son 

 of Lachtna (of the Cragliath line), was King of Cashel ; this was really 

 Lorcan, son of Conligan. The other attempted interpolations are too late and 

 too notorious to mislead. I will study the whole question of the alleged 

 alternate succession in pre-Christian times later on.'' Certainly there was 

 none in historic times ; but the fact that Cormac of Cashel and tlie Eoghanacht 

 acknowledged such a fact (though the latter are found opposing its action) 

 implies that it was no mere fiction^ of the ambitious Dal Cais of the tenth 

 century, but a legendary, lapsed claim. The destruction of the Bruree 

 Kings and their records by the Norse, before a.d. 830, deprives us of any 

 good source for our traditions outside the Saltair of Cashel. The other line 

 of chiefs, at Cragliath, knew of their half mythic ancestors, T.ughaidh Meann 



' Cathreim Cellachain Caisil (ed. Bugge), p. 59. Mac Neill, in New Ireland Review, 

 vol. xxvi, p. 140, rejects the alternate succession ; it is at least certain that it never took 

 place in the historic period from a. p. 430-960, tUl Mathgamhain forced his claim on the 

 throne of Cashel, but of this more hereafter. See alleged poem of St. Benen, a.d. 460, 

 on alternate succession of Cashel (Book of Rights, p. 8). 



- Brother-in-law of Guaiie Aidne, and opponent of St. Mochulla of Tulla. circa a.d. 

 620-50. 



^ Revue Celtique, vol. xx, p. 139. 



^ Iso attempt was made, however (as could have been done), to forge an entire alternate 

 succession from Eanna to Mathgamhain. 



^ There was a variant tradition that the alternate succession was established (not by 

 Oilioll Olom. but) by arrangement between the descendants of Eoghan Jlor and Cormac 

 Cass, which seems not so improbable (Caithreim Ceallachain Caisil, pp. B9, 60). Compare 

 the "Book of Rights," p. 81. 



^ Equivalents seem to occur in the alternate succession of the Deisi lines of Ui Faolain 

 and ri Bhric— 1014, Ua Faolain ; 1057, Ua Brie ; 1059, Ua Faelain : 1068, Ua Brie ; 

 1167, Ua Feolain. There were two Kings of Corca Bhaiscoiim in the naval battle with 

 the Danes (Cath Ceallachain, p. 97). 



