An Illustrated History of Ireland from AD 400 to 1800

The Project Gutenberg eBook, An Illustrated History of Ireland from AD 400 to 1800, by Mary Frances Cusack, Illustrated by Henry Doyle This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: An Illustrated History of Ireland from AD 400 to 1800 Author: Mary Frances Cusack Release Date: January 22, 2005 [eBook #14754] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF IRELAND FROM AD 400 TO 1800*** E-text prepared by Project Rastko, Zoran Stefanovic, Nenad Petrovic, Susan Skinner, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 14754-h.htm or 14754-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/4/7/5/14754/14754-h/14754-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/4/7/5/14754/14754-h.zip) AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF IRELAND FROM AD 400 TO 1800 by MARY FRANCES CUSACK 'The Nun of Kenmare' Illustrations by Henry Doyle 1868 TO THERIGHT HONORABLE JUDGE O'HAGAN, AND TO HIS SISTER MARY, FOUNDRESS AND ABBESS OF SAINT CLARE'S CONVENT, KENMARE, THIS VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY AND RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED By The Author. List of Full-Page Illustrations ETC. THE EMIGRANTS' FAREWELL SPECIMENS OF ANCIENT IRISH MANUSCRIPTS ST. PATRICK GOING TO TARA KING BRIAN BOROIMHE KILLED BY THE VIKING MARRIAGE OF EVA AND STRONGBOW INTERVIEW BETWEEN MACMURROUGH AND THE OFFICERS OF RICHARD II. INTERVIEW BETWEEN ESSEX AND O'NEILL MASSACRE AT DROGHEDA IRETON CONDEMNING THE BISHOP OF LIMERICK GRATTAN'S DEMAND FOR IRISH INDEPENDENCE O'CONNELL REFUSING TO TAKE THE OATH IRELAND AND AMERICA PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. A demand for a Second Edition of the "Illustrated History of Ireland," within three months from the date of the publication of the First, consisting of 2,000 copies, is a matter of no little gratification to the writer, both personally and relatively. It is a triumphant proof that Irishmen are not indifferent to Irish history--a fault of which they have been too frequently accused; and as many of the clergy have been most earnest and generous in their efforts to promote the circulation of the work, it is gratifying to be able to adduce this fact also in reply to the imputations, even lately cast upon the ecclesiastics of Ireland, of deficiency in cultivated tastes, and of utter neglect of literature. Nor, as a Catholic and a religious, can I fail to express my respectful gratitude and thankfulness for the warm approbation which the work has received from so many distinguished prelates. A few of these approbations will be found at the commencement of the volume--it was impossible to find space for all. It may be, however, well to observe, that several of the English Catholic bishops have not been less kind and earnest in their commendations, though I have not asked their permission to publish their communications. Some extracts are given from thereviews, which also are necessarily condensed and limited; and, as the Most Rev. Dr. Derry has observed, the press has been most favorable in its criticisms. Even those who differed from the present writer _toto coelo_, both in religion and politics, have not been less commendatory, and, in some instances, have shown the writer more than ordinary courtesy. Nor should I omit to acknowledge the encouragement which so many gentlemen, both English and Irish, have given to the work, and the assistance they have afforded in promoting its circulation. In a circular, quite recently published in London, and addressed to the members of a society for the republication of English medi val � literature, gentlemen are called on by the secretary, even at the risk, as he himself admits, of "boring them, by asking them to canvass for orders, like a bookseller's traveller," to assist in obtaining additional subscribers to the series, and he requests every subscriber "to get another at once." I am happy to say that, without such solicitation on our part, many Irish gentlemen have done us this kindness, and have obtained not one, but many orders from their friends. I confidently hope that many more will exert themselves in a similar manner, for the still wider dissemination of the Second Edition. It is a time, beyond all others, when Irish history should be thoroughly known and carefully studied. It is a disgrace to Irishmen not to know their history perfectly, and this with no mere outline view, but completely and in detail. It is very much to be regretted that Irish history is not made a distinct study in schools and colleges, both in England and Ireland. What should be thought of a school where English history was not taught? and is Irish history of less importance? I have had very serious letters complaining of this deficiency from the heads of several colleges, where our history has been introduced as a class-book.[A] There are some few Irish Catholics who appear to think that Irishmen should not study their history--some because they imagine that our history is a painful subject; others, because they imagine that its record of wrongs cannot fail to excite violent feelings, which may lead to violent deeds. I cannot for one moment admit that our history is either so very sorrowful, or that we have cause to do anything but rejoice in it. If we consider temporal prosperity to be the _summum bonum_ of our existence, no doubt we may say with truth, like the Apostle, that of all peoples we are "most miserable;" but we have again and again renounced temporal advantages, and discarded temporal prosperity, to secure eternal gain; and we have the promise of the Eternal Truth that we shall attain all that we have desired. Our history, then, far from being a history of failures, has been a history of the most triumphant success--of the most brilliant victories. I believe the Irish are the only nation on earth of whom it can be truly said that they have never apostatized nationally. Even the most Catholic countries of the Continent have had their periods of religious revolution, however temporary. Ireland has been deluged with blood again and again; she has been defeated in a temporal point of view again and again; but spiritually--NEVER! Is this a history to be ashamed of? Is this a history to regret? Is this a history to lament? Is it not rather a history over which the angels in heaven rejoice, and of which the best, the holiest, and the noblest of the human race may justly be proud? On the second count, I shall briefly say that if Irish history were taught in our Irish colleges and schools to children while still young, and while the teacher could impress on his charge the duty of forgiveness of enemies, of patient endurance, of the mighty power of moral force, which has effected even for Ireland at times what more violent measures have failed to accomplish, then there could be no danger in the study. Perhaps the greatest human preservative of the faith, for those whose lot may be cast hereafter in other lands, wouldbe to inculcate a great reverence for our history, and a _true_ appreciation of its value. The taunt of belonging to a despised nation, has led many a youth of brilliant promise to feel ashamed of his country, and almost inevitably