60 The Forts of Erin. 



the sea, taught the monarch some knowledge of the true God, for 

 Cormac gave instructions to his people that after his death he 

 should not be buried with his ancestors, because they worship- 

 ped trees and fountains, and stones. Had he not acquired some 

 knowledge of the Christian faith he would not likely have given 

 such reasons and instructions to be observed by his people. It 

 is related that he was not buried in the great pagan cemetery on 

 the Boyne, where all the Milesian monarchs up to that time 

 were buried. 



As Irishmen we have a right to feel proud of our country, 

 formerly known as the Island of Saints, a country which both 

 colonised and christianised Scotland in the time of the Picts — 

 a country which at one time had subjugated not alone Wales 

 but South Britain. Did not Dathi, an Irish monarch, and the 

 last pagan King of Ireland, lead his victorious army as far as the 

 Alps, where he was killed, it is said, by a flash of lightning 

 whilst attacking a castle ? From thence his devoted followers 

 carried his remains back to Erin, and buried him in the 

 cemetery of his fathers at Rath Croghan, in the present County 

 of Roscommon. Our country was renowned as a seat of learn- 

 ing and sanctity ; the missionaries from Erin, from the seventh 

 to the tenth centuries, travelled to the continent of Europe, 

 where religion had decayed, and taught those people again a 

 knowledge of the faith. It remains for us, their descendants, 

 to emulate them in their religion and virtues, in their learning 

 and culture, and all their other noble qualities, as far as in us 

 lies ; and to discard everything that tends to strife and animosity 

 amongst our fellow-countrymen, for the races are so inter- 

 mingled that we cannot say we are Celts or we are Saxons, but 

 a race that possesses all the qualities that pertain to both, and 

 which have placed so many noble Irishmen in the very foremost 

 rank as orators, poets, statesmen, and warriors. 



The lecture was illustrated by a number of beautiful lime- 

 light views by Mr. J. Meneely; and a number of recent archaeo- 

 logical finds, including bronze weapons, utensils, and ornaments, 

 and also a richly-illuminated Irish MS., were shown by Mr. 

 Milligan. 



