882
AN GAOḊAL.
stitute, if not our earliest, at least one of the most
important of our historical records now extant.
How far the arrangement of events and the
chronology observed in most of our annals are to
be ascribed to Tighernach, is a matter that cannot
now be clearly determined. It is certain, however
that there were careful and industrious chroniclers
and chronologists before his time, with whose
works he was doubtless well acquainted.
From a very early period, we find notices of
chroniclers and historical compilers, I have al¬
ready mentioned the royal historian, Cormac Mac
Art, and also the author of the Cin Droma Sneach¬
ta. From the 6th to the 8th century, we meet,
amongst many others, the names of Amergin Mac
Amalgaidh, author of Dinn Senchas, Cennfaeladh,
and Aengus Ceile De. From the year 800 to the
year 1000, we find Maolmura of Othan, Cormac
Mac Cuileannain, Flann Mac Lonan, Eochaidh
O'Flinn, and Cineath or Kenneth O’Hartigan. In
the 11th century the historical compilers are still
more frequent the chief names in this period are —
Cuan O'Lochain, Colman O'Seasnan, Flann Main¬
istrech, or of the Monastery, and Gilla Caemhain.
The two latter lived in the same century with Tigh¬
ernach, Flann, the professor of St. Buithe's Mon¬
astery (or Monasterboice), who died A. D. 1056,
and Gilla Caemhain (a writer who died A. D 1072,
the translation into Gaedhlic of Nenius' history of
the Britons. Of these, as they were contempor¬
aries of Tighernach, it will be necessary to give
some account, before we proceed to consider more
particularly the Annals of that author.
Flann compiled very extensive historical synch¬
hronisms, which have been much respected by
some of the most able modern writers on early
Irish history, such as Ussher, Ware, Father John
Lynch (better known as Gratianus Lucius, the
author of Cambrensis Eversus), O'Flaherty, and
Charles O'Connor.
The synchronisms of Flann go back to the most
remote periods, and form an excellent abridgment
of universal history. After synchronizing the chiefs
of various lines of the children of Adam in the
east, the author points out what monarch of the
Assyrians, Medes, Persians, and Greeks, and what
emporers of the Romans, were contemporary with
the kings of Erinn and the leaders of its various
early colonists, beginning with Ninus, the son of
Belas, and coming down to the first of the Roman
emporers, Julius Caesar, who was contemporary
with Eochaidh Feidhlech, a monarch of Erinn who
died more than half a century before the Incarna¬
tion of our Lord. The paralell lines are then con¬
tinued from Julius Cæsar and his Irish contempor¬
ary Eochaidh Feldhlech, down to the Emperors
Theodosius the Third, and Leo the Third, and
their contemporary Ferghal, son of Maelduin,
monarch of Erinn, who was killed A.D. 718.
Flann makes use of the length and periods of
of the reigns of the emporers to illustrate and
show the consistency of the chronology of the I¬
rish reigns, throughout this long list.
After this he throws the whole series, from Ju¬
lius Caesar down, into periods of 100 years each,
grouping the emperors of Rome and the kings of
Erinn in each century in the following manner.
Thus, he takes 100 years, from the first year of
Julius Cæsar to the twelfth year of Claudius.
Five emporers will be found to have reigned with¬
in this time, namely, Julius, Octavius, Tiberius,
Caligula, and Claudius. The Irish paralell period
to this will be found in the 100 years from the
eighth year of Eochaidh Feidhlech to the fifth
year of the reign of Lughaid Riabh Derg. Six
monarchs ruled in Erinn during that term, namely
Eochaidh Feidhlech, Eochaidh Airemh — his broth¬
er, Edersgel mac Iar, Nuadha, Necht, Consire Mor
and Lughaidh Riabh Derg.
A second period of 100 years, in Flan's comput¬
ations, extends from the second last year of Claud¬
ius to the 18th year of Antonius Pius. Thirteen
emporers reigned within that time. There were
also 100 years from the fifth year of Lughaidh
Riabh Derg, monarch of Erinn, to the end of the
reign of Elim Mac Conrach, and seven monarchs
governed in that space of time, namely, Concobar
or Conor, Crimthann, Cairbre, Fearadhach, Fia¬
tach, Fiacha and Elim MacConrach himself.
(To be continued)
THROUGH THE FIELDS IN THE HAR¬
VEST TIME.
(From the Tuam News.)
The sun was shining on mead and mere,
The larks were ringing their matins clear
In a mellow, musical chime,
As I roamed along,
Composing a song,
Through the fields in the harvest time.
The reapers gay were singing a strain,
While cutting down the golden grain —
Nature was seeing sublime,
As over the corn
The music was borne
Through the fields in the harvest time.
The dew was falling on leaf and blade,
When I stole away my pretty maid,
Being in her youth and prime,
Coy and debonair
With her golden hair,
Through the fields in the harvest time.
And oft on those scenes I now ponder,
And of them e'er seem to grow fonder,
As I mount Parnassus climb.
And walks by my side
A blushing young birde,
Through the fields in the harvest time.
— REWBON.
Tuam, Oct. 3, 1888.
It is said that Mr. Edison is con¬
structing a far-sight machine for the
exhibition of 1892, by which a man in
New York could see the features of his
friend in Boston with as much ease as
he could see a performance on the
stage.
We have just received an excellent song entitl¬
ed "A Curl from the Baby's Head," by Edwin
Harley, from J. C. Groene & Co., 30 and 46 Ar¬
cade, Cincinnati, O.
