Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
Letter of Florence Mac Carthy to the Earl of Thomond, on the ancient history of Ireland (Author: Florence MacCarthy Reagh)
paragraph 9
Afterwards in the time of Niall Glundubh77 son to Aodh Finliath aforesaid, Blind Sitrick O'Hiowmar,78 first (by whom Ugaire mac Oilella, the chief, and all the Lords of Leinster were overthrown and killed,) and thereupon the rest of the O'Hiowmars came with a mighty power and took Dublin, where the King, Niall Glundubh, with the forces of Ulster, Meath and Connaught, came to feight with them) was overthrown and himself with the nobility, and above 5000 of theirs killed; but within a while after Donnchadh mac mic Maelsechlainn79 of Meath overthrew their chief forces at Tech mic n-Echach, and Congalach mac Maoilmithigh, King of the Half of Conn, overthrew them at Muine Brocáin80 where they lost 7000 men; and Ceallachan,
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King of the Half of Mowh,81 overthrew them in divers battles by land and by sea at their departure, who having supplied their forces came afterwards to Limberick with a far mightier power under the Hiowhmars, by whom the land was brought again under that barbarous cruel covetous nation, whose Tyranny was to place Lords and petty lords of theirs in every country and barony, seargeants in every town, and another under-officer in every house
82 that had yearly half the goods thereof. Their King's rente was not exacted of lands, cattel or comodities but of men, for every body paid a mark yearly, or had his nose cut off; they destroyed the churches, religious houses, and academies, and led from Ardmacha 2000 students into bondage. At the first they burned all the books they found, which afterwards they took away with them.