124 



So far my notice of the African pirates has been from Keating' s 

 History. I must now refer to the Annals of the " The Eour Masters," 

 edited by our lamented and illustrious associate, O'Donovan, for some 

 details additional to those of Keating, and in some respects at variance 

 with them. 



Thus we are informed, in the Annals : — 



'Trom the deluge until Parthalon took possession of Ireland, 278 

 years, and the age of the world when he arrived in it, 2520." . . . 



''The age of the world, 2530. In this year the first battle was 

 fought in Ireland, i. e, Cical Grigenchosach, son of Coll, son of Garbh, 

 of the Fomorians, and his mother, came into Ireland eight hundred 

 in number, so that a battle was fought between them (and Parthalon' s 

 people) at Sleamhnai-Maighe-Ithe, where the Pomorians were defeated 

 by Parthalon, so that they were all slain. This is called the battle of 

 Magh-Ithe." 



Then, in the age of the world, 2550, we are told Parthalon died. 



Under date. Anno Mundi, 2820, the destruction of the remnant of 

 the colony of Parthalon is mentioned, and the fact of their having 

 passed three hundred years in Ireland. Then, we are told " Ireland was 

 thirty years waste till Neimhidh's arrival." 



Age of the world, 2850, JSTeimhidh came to Ireland." .... 



Subsequently to 2859, A. M., but the precise year not specified, three 

 battles of ]^eimhidh with the Fomorians, and his victories over the latter, 

 are recorded. Then the death of IN^eimhidh, of a plague, with three 

 thousand of his followers, is recounted ; and next, in the year of the 

 world, 3066, we are told : — 



" The demolition took place of the tower of Conainn (on Tory Island, 

 off the county of Donegal), by the race of JN'eimhidh against Conainn, 

 son of Psebhar, and the Pomorians in general, in revenge for all the 

 oppression they had infiicted upon them (the race of l^emhidh), as is 

 evident from the chronicle which is called Leabhar-Gabhala ; and they 

 nearly all mutuallj^ fell by each other ; thirty persons alone of the race 

 of I^eimhidh escaped to different quarters of the world, and they came 

 back to Ireland some time afterwards as Pirbolgs. Two hundred and 

 sixteen years Neimhidh and his race remained in Ireland. After this 

 Ireland was a wilderness for a period of two hundred years." 



''The age of the world, 3260. The Pirbolgs took possession of 

 Ireland at the end of this year." 



Thus far for the references in the Annals of "The Four Masters" to 

 the Fomorians. 



The Abbe M'Geoghegan, in his "Histoire d'Irelande," names the 

 victors and oppressors of the JSTemedians, "the Fomorians, or Fom- 

 horaigs." But of their former marauding pursuits and African descent 

 he makes no mention, neither do the authors of the " Annals of 

 Ireland." 



O'Halloran, in his "History of Ireland" (4to, 1778, vol. i. p. 3), 

 referring to the arrival in Ireland of Parthalon and his colony from 



