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AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF IRELAND From AD 400 to 1800
Mary Frances Cusack 'The Nun of Kenmare'
Illustrations by Henry Doyle (1868)
Read online - http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14754/14754-h/14754-h.htm To the Right honorable Judge O'Hagan, / And to / his sister Mary, Foundress
and Abbess of Saint Clare's convent, Kenmare, / This volume / Is
affectionately and respectfully dedicated / By / The Author. List of Full-Page Illustrations ETC. THE EMIGRANTS' FAREWELL
SPECIMENS OF ANCIENT IRISH MANUSCRIPTS
ST. PATRICK GOING TO TARA
KING BRIAN BOROIMHE KILLED BY THE VIKING
MARRIAGE OF EVA AND STRONGBOW
INTERVIEW BETWEEN MACMURROUGH AND THE OFFICERS OF RICHARD II.
INTERVIEW BETWEEN ESSEX AND O'NEILL
MASSACRE AT DROGHEDA
IRETON CONDEMNING THE BISHOP OF LIMERICK
GRATTAN'S DEMAND FOR IRISH INDEPENDENCE
O'CONNELL REFUSING TO TAKE THE OATH
IRELAND AND AMERICA
Table of Contents CHAPTER I. CHAPTER XX.
CHAPTER II. CHAPTER XXI.
CHAPTER III. CHAPTER XXII.
CHAPTER IV. CHAPTER XXIII.
CHAPTER V. CHAPTER XXIV.
CHAPTER VI. CHAPTER XXV.
CHAPTER VII. CHAPTER XXVI.
CHAPTER VIII. CHAPTER XXVII.
CHAPTER IX. CHAPTER XXVIII.
CHAPTER X. CHAPTER XXIX.
CHAPTER XI. CHAPTER XXX.
CHAPTER XII. CHAPTER XXXI.
CHAPTER XIII. CHAPTER XXXII.
CHAPTER XIV. CHAPTER XXXIII.
CHAPTER XV. CHAPTER XXXIV.
CHAPTER XVI. CHAPTER XXXV.
CHAPTER XVII. CHAPTER XXXVI.
CHAPTER XVIII. CHAPTER XXXVII.
CHAPTER XIX. INDEX. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. A demand for a Second Edition of the "Illustrated History of Ireland,"
within three months from the date of the publication of the First,
consisting of 2,000 copies, is a matter of no little gratification to the
writer, both personally and relatively. It is a triumphant proof that
Irishmen are not indifferent to Irish history-a fault of which they have
been too frequently accused; and as many of the clergy have been most
earnest and generous in their efforts to promote the circulation of the
work, it is gratifying to be able to adduce this fact also in reply to the
imputations, even lately cast upon the ecclesiastics of Ireland, of
deficiency in cultivated tastes, and of utter neglect of literature. Nor, as a Catholic and a religious, can I fail to express my respectful
gratitude and thankfulness for the warm approbation which the work has
received from so many distinguished prelates. A few of these approbations
will be found at the commencement of the volume-it was impossible to find
space for all. It may be, however, well to observe, that several of the
English Catholic bishops have not been less kind and earnest in their
commendations, though I have not asked their permission to publish their
communications. Some extracts are given from the reviews, which also are
necessarily condensed and limited; and, as the Most Rev. Dr. Derry has
observed, the press has been most favorable in its criticisms. Even those
who differed from the present writer toto coelo, both in religion and
politics, have not been less commendatory, and, in some instances, have
shown the writer more than ordinary courtesy. Nor should I omit to acknowledge the encouragement which so many gentlemen,
both English and Irish, have given to the work, and the assistance they
have afforded in promoting its circulation. In a circular, quite recently
published in London, and addressed to the members of a society for the
republication of English mediæval literature, gentlemen are called on by
the secretary, even at the risk, as he himself admits, of "boring them, by
asking them to canvass for orders, like a bookseller's traveller," to
assist in obtaining additional subscribers to the series, and he requests
every subscriber "to get another at once." I am happy to say that, without
such solicitation on our part, many Irish gentlemen have done us this
kindness, and have obtained not one, but many orders from their friends. I
confidently hope that many more will exert themselves in a similar manner,
for the still wider dissemination of the Second Edition. It is a time,
beyond all others, when Irish history should be thoroughly known and
carefully studied. It is a disgrace to Irishmen not to know their history
perfectly, and this with no mere outline view, but completely and in
detail. It is very much to be regretted that Irish history is not made a
distinct study in schools and colleges, both in England and Ireland. What
should be thought of a school where English history was not taught? and is
Irish history of less importance? I have had very serious letters
complaining of this deficiency from the heads of several colleges, where
our history has been introduced as a class-book.[A] There are some few Irish Catholics who appear to think that Irishmen should
not study their history-some because they imagine that our history is a
painful subject; others, because they imagine that its record of wrongs
cannot fail to excite violent feelings, which may lead to violent deeds. I
cannot for one moment admit that our history is either so very sorrowful,
or that we have cause to do anything but rejoice in it. If we consider
temporal prosperity to be the summum bonum of our existence, no doubt we
may say with truth, like the Apostle, that of all peoples we are "most
miserable;" but we have again and again renounced temporal advantages, and
discarded temporal prosperity, to secure eternal gain; and we have the
promise of the Eternal Truth that we shall attain all that we have desired.
Our history, then, far from being a history of failures, has been a history
of the most triumphant success-of the most brilliant victories. I believe
the Irish are the only nation on earth of whom it can be truly said that
they have never apostatized nationally. Even the most Catholic countries of
the Continent have had their periods of religious revolution, however
temporary. Ireland has been deluged with blood again and again; she has
been defeated in a temporal point of view again and again; but spiritually-
NEVER! Is this a history to be ashamed of? Is this a history to regret? Is
this a history to lament? Is it not rather a history over which the angels
in heaven rejoice, and of which the best, the holiest, and the noblest of
the human race may justly be proud? On the second count, I shall briefly say that if Irish history were taught
in our Irish colleges and schools to children while still young, and while
the teacher could impress on his charge the duty of forgiveness of enemies,
of patient endurance, of the mighty power of moral force, which has
effected even for Ireland at times what more violent measures have failed
to accomplish, then there could be no danger in the study. Perhaps the
greatest human preservative of the faith, for those whose lot may be cast
hereafter in other lands, would be to inculcate a great reverence for our
history, and a true appreciation of its value. The taunt of belonging to a
despised nation, has led many a youth of brilliant promise to feel ashamed
of his country, and almost inevitably to feel ashamed of his faith. A
properly directed study of Irish history would tend much to remove this
danger. During the debate on the Irish Church question, Mr. Maguire, M.P.
for Cork, significantly remarked on the effect produced by the "deliberate
exclusion" of any instruction in Irish history from National schools. It
does seem curious that national history should be a forbidden subject in
National schools, and this fact makes the appellation of "National" seem
rather a misnomer. The result of this deliberate exclusion was graphically
described by the honorable member. The youth comes forth educated, and at a
most impressible age he reads for the first time the history of his
country, and burns with indignant desire to avenge her many wrongs. The
consequences are patent to all. It is, then, for the advantage of England,
as well as of Ireland, that Irish history should be made the earliest study
of Irish youth; nor is it of less importance that Irish history should be
thoroughly known by Englishmen. It is the duty of every Englishman who has
a vote to give, to make himself acquainted with the subjects on which his
representative will give, in his name, that final decision which makes his
political opinion the law of the land. I suppose no one will deny that the
Irish Question is the question of the day. The prosperity of England, as
well as the prosperity of Ireland, is involved in it. No educated man,
however humble his station, has a right to assist in returning a member to
Parliament without clearly comprehending the principles of his
representative. But unless he has some comprehension of the principles
themselves, it is of little use for him to record his vote. I do not say
that every English voter is bound to study Irish history in detail, but I
do say that, at the present day, he is bound to know what the Irish
themselves demand from England; and if he considers their demands
reasonable, he should record his vote only for those who will do their
utmost to obtain the concessions demanded. A man is unworthy of the
privilege of voting, if he is deficient either in the intellect or the
inclination to understand the subject on which he votes. But it is of still more importa