Ossian Collection > Thoughts on the origin and descent of the Gael

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fought for a long period of time for indepen-
dence, failed of success, for want of that combin-
ed union of strength, by which alone they could
be enabled to stem the torrent of the northern
people, Saxons, Angles, and Danes, by whom
they were invaded. In a])out half a century
after the Saxons had landed in South Britain,
they extended their conquests over all the pro-
vinces to the south of the Humber.
We have reason to believe that tlie northern
invaders, known to the Gael of Scotland and
Ireland by the name of Loc/ilinmc/i, were in pos-
session of the Western Isles of Scotland, ancient-
ly known by the name of Htbrides, prior to
the beginning of the sixth century. The time
at which Fergus the son of Eric, or Eire, (this
last mode of spelling the name is also proper, be-
ing the inflexion of the genitive case), began to
reign over the mountainous division of Albinn,
is fixed by Scottish historians at the year 403 of
the Christian era; but it is evident from the testi-
mony of our ancient chronicles, that the reign
of Fergus, the son of Eric, cannot be dated at an
earlier period than 503 years after Christ. The
authority of those chronicles which were pre-
served in our religious houses cannot be called
in question, as matters of historical evidence.
It is well established as an historical fact, that
Aodan or Aidan the son of Gauran, more pro-
perly Gabhran, died a. d. 605.