Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 1, 1893

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
171
DATE OF FINGAL AND OSSIAN.
By Lieut. Colonel Chakles Ste
Tigh-'n-Duin.
T=V|ION, Scot, and Gael in Scotland, with
> H Milesians added in Ireland, are only
i .' different names fur tin- .same race.* They
came from Asia some centuries before the incar-
nation, and separated, the one part occupying
what is tiow known as the Highlands of Scot
land, and the other the north-eastern portion of
Ireland : out of this territory the Gaels who
went to Ireland drove another Celtic race called
ihe Firbolgs. The characteristics, mentally and
bodily, of these two peoples were radically
different, t but notwithstanding they were both
incorporated into the Irish Gaelic kingdom.
The union, however, was not a happy one. On
the other hand, betwixt the Gaeldom of Ireland
and of Scotland for a lengthened period there
existed the closest relationship, so much so that
in case of war they mutually, when required,
rushed to each others help.
An Irish prejudiced genealogist of the 17th
century says that there were no Sails in Scot-
land until the end of the 5th century, and Dr.
Skene and many others follow his verdict. For
the reverse, however, we have the authority of
Tacitus, Ptolemy, Dio Cassius, Animianus, Pros-
per Aquitanus, the chronicles of the Picts and
Scots, Gildas, Ethelward, Nennuis, Bede, and
John of Fordun. After this I think Mae
Pubis and his dictum may be dismissed.
The 3rd century was the premier century in
the history of the two Gaelic kingdoms. In
Ireland Corniac MacAirt, the greatest of her
kings, reigned, and her bard Carill sang. In
Scotland Fingal, the greatest of her kings,
reigned, and < issian and Dllin sang. And now
for the dates :
1. In a.d. l'J"), Cormac's father, Airt, the son
of Conn, was killed. {
L'. In a. ii. 211, § Fingal and his Gaels (or
Scots) defeated the great Roman host at Carroll,
ami drove them back beyond the line of the
Tyne and Solway.|| As usual, an Irish party of
Gaels came to the help of the Albinic Scots,
under command of Cuchullin, as Regent during
Cormac's minority. Ossian relates the history in
" Co valla."
» Pictish additions to " Hiatoria Brittonum " (Skene's
edition), pp. 4C>, 47.
tMacFirbis'a " Beok of Genealogies," title and
introduction.
{O'Curry's "Lectures,*' p. 43.
S The death of Severus at York settles this date.
|| lhe Latin historians acknowledge this, but don't
name the battle.
3. Cormac must have shortly hereafter suc-
ceeded to the full kingship, but the very date
we do not know, and reigned until A.D. '-'(17.
I. About a.d. 264 Cormac got a hurt in one
of his eyes, and Cuchullin was appointed
Regent, until it would be seen if Cormac would
recover, and l>e without blemish, so as to be
able to resume the sovereignty. 1r
5. In a.d. 267, it was seen that Cormac
would not so recover, and he retired from the
kingship, in favour of his son Cairhre.
G. Betwixt these two dates — a.d. 263 to 267 —
Cuchullin as Regent with the Irish host, assisted
by Fingal and his Scots, repelled an incursion
of the Northmen. Ossian tells the history in
his "Fingal."
7. Cairbre MacCormac in a.d. 284 attacked
his Gaelic subjects, with the Firbolys wdio
formed part of the kingdom, in order to alter
a constitutional sovereignty into a despotism.
The Gaels rose up in arms for their freedom,
and Fingal coming to their help Cairbre was
defeated and slain. Ossian relates the history
in •• Temora." t
Fingal was now old. and our friend the
theorist bumptiously proclaimed, with voice of
victory, that he could not have fought at Carron
in a.d. 211, and at Gabbra in a.d. 284. Modern
research, however, and our every day experiences
proclaim its perfect possibility, and theory once
more has to bow its head to fact. \
He was succeeded by Ossian, who was old
and frail, and shortly became blind Therefore
lie had to resign the actual kingship, but still
held it in honorary rank, and his court at
Selma. Put though he di.l so, alas, what a
shadow it was of that of the bygone days
How bitterly, too, ih.es he feel ihe want of his
heroic companions and brother champions of
tin- (lavs of yore. It was at ibis period of his
life that he mostly composed his glorious
poetry.
Amidst his sadness, one unspeakable comfort
remained to him, in the devotedness to his
happiness of Malvina, the widow of his beloved
son Oscar. Malvina was young, active, and
graceful, talented, beautiful and cultured with
the highest culture of the bardic colleges, and
which was not small either in extent or charac-
ter. Thus the two could bold with each other
the highest fellowship that cultured spirits can
hold. They could speak of the wonders of this
now earth, and also of the wonders of that
world to come, whither, as they believed, their
spirits rose when they parted from their souls
* Preface to the " Book of Acail.
" Book of Leinster," short poem ascribed to Oism ;
Gillies, p 167; MacCallums', p 84.
X Bailey's "Modern Methuselahs " and I>r. George
Humphrey's " Old Age."