Ossian Collection > Reliquiae Celticae > Volume 2

144 THE BOOK OB' CLANRANALD.
which is the same as the date implied in the chronology of the
Macdonald History, and also the same as the chronology of the
Irish Annals of the Four Masters. The handwriting is like the
one on the previous pages, and it is followed by 4 pages of a
chronology in an 18th century hand. The chronologies are all in
English. On the 69th page begin the Irish genealogies in Irish,
which develop the oifspring of the mythic Eber, Ir, and Eremon,
the sons of Mile, through long lines of kings down to contemporary
Irish chiefs like Se'an 0' Neill of Tyrone and the Macdonalds of
Antrim. There is also given the descent of Mile from Adam
•downwards. The whole extends to 14 pages. After scraps of
chronology and a blank page, we light upon 12 pages of Irish
poetry, forming 6 pieces in all. In the first, Diarmad mac
Laoisighe mhic an Bhaird proves in 17 verses that the Red Hand
belongs to Claun Rughruidhe, the descendants of Ir, and the
Ulster men, citing mostly the exploits of Conall Cernach (circa
year 1 of our era), who placed two thousand heads on one withe
in revenge for Cuchuluin. In the second poem, of equal length,
Eogan o' Donelly denies and ridicules this, claiming the Red
Hand for Conn and his descendants, whereof are Clann Colla,
whence, as we have it, the Macdonalds are descended. We have
already noted that Niall M'^ Vurich replies to both poets in the
Red Book. The third poem consists of 4 (not 5) verses of advice
a la Cormac's Advice to His Son in our ballads. These verses
■are : —
No 5 rain dhuit a T>\\o\\c\\aidh
deuna mar adera siad
diogha rain ni bhfuighir uaimsi
crain go ttorrthaibh uaisle iad
Brath haignzf?A abhair beagan
bi go reidh fo rsichadh ort
na beir breith re gaol do ghaire
go breith e don taobh eile ort
Na hob sith na seachan cogadh
na creach ceall gio» bws beò
na bi do gniomh tenn os tengaidh
na dena feall no gealladh gleò
Bi go min accriochaihh carad
a ccrioch biodhb/iacZ/i na bi tais
bi go caoin re deornidh Chriost
a leomhain do shiol Chorm*^ chais.
No.