Preserved miraculously from the barbarian raids which swept away the Roman Empire and covered Europe with heathen conquerors, this treasure was presently brought forth and carried abroad, first to Great Britain, then to Belgium and France, Switzerland, Germany and Austria, Italy and Spain, and even to the twilight confines of Norway and Iceland. Beautiful illuminated manuscripts from Ireland rekindled the learning of Europe, after the barbarian conquest of the Goths and Vandals, Angles and Franks. From the following epochs of Ireland's story, there are many lessons to be learned, but the best of them is this that in the life of nations there works a providential destiny, not only in prosperity but in adversity, and perhaps most of all in adversity; that in Ireland's life this Providence, working through conquest, oppression, and misery, has miraculously preserved the pure spirit of the race in its pristine unworldliness and faith, its belief in holiness and in the spiritual world; and that this spirit so preserved, and now dispersed through many lands, is to-day one of the great treasures of humanity. Every reader of Irish race will find here a tale to make him proud of his parentage and his inheritance; a tale of valor and endurance; a tale of genius and inspiration; a tale of self-sacrifice and faith. Such a one, thus looking back proudly to a worthy and noble past, may look forward with hope for the future, and with a sense of consecration for the spiritual destiny of the Irish race. NEW YORK, February 1, 1905. THE AUTHORS. IV. POLITICAL GROWTH. A. D. 50–A. D. 266 V. KING CORMAC AND OSSIN. A. D. 254-293 VI. INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY. VII. FULFILMENT OF PATRICK'S MISSION. A. D. 432-525 VIII. THE SAINTS AND SCHOLARS. A. D. 500-795 · IX. THE RAIDS OF THE NORSEMEN. 795-1014. X. THE MISSIONS TO FOREIGN LANDS. 500-1100. XI. FROM NORSEMEN TO NORMANS. 1015-1169 XII. THE COMING OF THE NORMANS. 1169-1199 XIII. CONSOLIDATION OF NORMAN POWER. 1199-1318. 108 XIV. NORMAN RAIDS TO ENGLISH RULE. 1318-1485 124 XVII. CLOSE OF THE TUDOR PERIOD. 1583-1603 . XVIII. THE PLANTATION OF ULSTER. 1603-1641 XIX. THE IRish RebellioN. 1641-1649. XX. CROMWELL AND THE RESTORATION. XXI. THE JACOBITE WARS. 1688-1691 . 253 SOME IRISH SURNAMES APPENDIX LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE GLENDALOUGH. From a photograph Frontispiece PYRAMID AT NEWGRANGE. From Fergusson's Rude Stone PLAN OF THE CHAMBER IN THE NEWGRANGE PYRAMID. 4 5 PLAN OF TARA, based on that in Wakeman's Handbook SPEAR-HEAD. From Wilde's Catalogue SHRINE OF ST. PATRICK'S BELL. From Stokes's Early Christian Art in Ireland BELL OF ST. PATRICK. From Stokes's Early Christian 31 3335 33333 23 39 48 RUINS ON DEVENISH ISLAND. From a photograph 55 57 59 ANCIENT DANISH BOAT. From Engelhardt's Denmark in the 67 The Chalice OF ARDAGH. From Stokes's Early Christian CASTLE AT WATERFORD. From Hall's Ireland. SCRIBE AT WORK ON THE BOOK OF KILDARE. From Gilbert's Facsimiles of the National Manuscripts of Ireland. 81 PAGE FROM THE BOOK OF KELLS. From Gilbert's Facsimiles of the National Manuscripts THE ROCK OF CASHEL. From a photograph: CORMAC'S CROSIER. From Petrie's Ecclesiastical Architecture CROSS OF CONG. From Stokes's Early Christian Art in 93 NORMAN KNIGHT AND FOOT-SOLDIER. From Grose's Military Antiquities. 99 104 109 119 121 DUNDRUM CASTLE. From the Royal Historical and Archa- RELIEF OF HENRY II'S ARMY. From Gilbert's Facsimiles ART MACMURROGH AND THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER. From ARMORIAL BEARINGS OF THE EARLS OF KILDARE. From 131 133 • 136 144 IRISH KNIGHTS AND ATTENDANTS. From a drawing by Albrecht Dürer 147 SHANE O'NEILL'S AUTOGRAPH. From the Ulster Journal of IRISH SOLDIER OF 1582. From Gilbert's Facsimiles of the 156 HUGH O'Neill, EARL OF TYRONE. From Will's Irish CAPTURE OF BLACKWATER FORT IN 1597. From Gilbert's SIEGE OF DUNBOY. From the Pacata Hibernia SETTLERS' HOUSES IN THE ULSTER PLANTATION. |