Ossian Collection > Critical dissertation on the poems of Ossian, the son of Fingal

A DISSERTATION. Ix
ceeding reigns, we learn from epitbdes in the fame poem, that the
chiefs of Atha made feveral efforts to become monarchs of Ireland,
and to expel the race of Conar.
To Conar fucceeded his fon Cormac, who appears to have reign- Book in.
ed long. In his latter days he fcems to have been driven to the
laft extremity, by an infurredlion of the Firbolg, who fupported the
pretenfions of the chiefs of Atha to the Irilh throne. Fingal, v^'ho
then was very young, came to the aid of Cormac, totally defeated
Colc-ulla, chief of Atha, and re-eflabliihed Cormac in the fole Book IV,
poffeffion of all Ireland. It was then he fell in love with, and took
to wife, Ros-crana, the daughter of Cormac, who was the mother
of Offian.
Cormac was fucceeded in the IriOi throne by his fon, Cairbre;
Cairbre by Artho, his Son, who was the father of that Cormac, in
whofe minority the invafion of Swaran happened, which is the fub-
ject of the poem of Fingal. The family of Atha, who had not
relinquifhed their pretenfuns to the Irifli throne, rebelled in the mi-
nority of Cormac, defeated his adherents, and murdered him in the Book I.
palace of Temora. Cairbar, lord of Atha, upon this, mounted
the throne. His ufurpation foon ended with his hfe ; for Fingal
made an expedition into Ireland, and reflored, after various vicifli-
tudes of fortune, the family of Conar to the poffeffion of the king-
dom. This war is the fubjedl of Temora; the .events, tho' cer-
tainly heightened and embellilhed by poetry, feem, notwithftand-
ing, to have their foundation in true hillory.
OssrAN has not only preferved the hiftory of the firft migration
of the Caledonians into Ireland, he has alfo delivered fome impor-
t> tant