Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Annals of Ulster (Author: [unknown])
Year U1522
U1522.0
Kalends of Jan. on Wed., 1st of moon, A.D.
1522.
U1522.1
Huge war arose this year in the western part of Europe, between the
nations of Christendom, to wit: the Romans and Italians and Germans,
Spaniards and Saxons on one part and side against the king of France alone,
except the Scots alone who were on one side with the
king of the
p.539
French. And they the Scots succeeded not in giving aid
to him, except one hosting they made on the border of the Saxons to destroy
the country. And binding of peace was made by them then to a certain time.
And, though brave were the nations and though they were many to count
against the French, we learn from the folk who spread news and frequent
ports that it was with the French remained the victory of the contest and
the bravery of that war against the many nations.
U1522.2
Very great war arose in Ireland this year and particularly between
O'Domnaill, namely, Aodh and O'Neill, namely, Conn, son of Conn. And O'Neill
collected a large host in one place, namely, his own sept and kinsmen and the sub-kings
of Ulster, that is, Mag Aenghusa with his kinsmen and Mag Mathgamna with the
nobles of Oirgialla and O'hAnnluain and Mag Uidhir and O'Cathain and some of
the Foreigners of Meath and a band of Scots under the son of Mac Domnaill,
namely, Alexander Carrach and many other gallowglasses of the Clann-Domnaill
and the Clann-Sithigh. And after the assembling of that large host, they
marched into Tir-Conaill and were themselves and O'Domnaill close to a week
in camp in face of one another, using feint on each other. And no notable
damage was done that while, except an attack that was given by the front of
the Conallian host at the entrance of Ath-na-pucan, on the river Finn and the son of O'Neill, namely, Niall, son of
Art junior, was dangerously wounded in his leg there. As to O'Neill
afterwards, he pretended to return to
Tir-Eogain and marched through Cois-Deirgi
p.541
and to the Termons and went into Tir-Aodha and burned and destroyed much of
the country and took the castle of Bel-atha-Senaigh and slew many persons in
it, namely, the son of Mac Suibne of Tir-Boghaine, that is, Brian of the
Fleet and a band of gallowglasses of his people, and the son of O'Duibidhir,
namely, Gilla-Padraic and a band of his sept, and two sons of Domnall, son
of the bishop O'Gallcubuir and others of his sept. There was taken there the
black Gillie, son of Cu-Connacht Mag Uidhir and a good
band of horsemen that chanced to be with him there were slain. There was
slain there also a good learned person—namely, Diarmait, son of Tadhg
O'Cleirigh the Lame, one eminent in history and a good poet—who
chanced to be in the place at that very time, waiting to go to meet O'Neill.
And there was slain there also on the same occasion the son of Mac-an-baird,
namely, Aodh, son of Aodh Mac-an-baird, one likely to be a good poet. And
they made a sally on Magh-Eni on the morrow and the son of O'Ruairc, namely,
Brian, chanced to be before them and they made an
attack on him and two good horsemen, namely, Rughraidhe, son of Godfrey, son
of Aodh O'Neill the Foreign and the son of Mac Cellaigh, were taken from him
in centre of the Drobhais. And they burned Bun-Drobhaisi and Dun-Cairbi and
Bel-leice and threw down and burned the Bridge of the Erne. And they left
the country on the morrow and went to Inis-Sceillinn and got hostages from
the Coarb Mag Uidhir, namely, his son and his brother and he pledged
submission to O'Neill. And that host returned with victory and overthrow on
that occasion,
p.543
without damage being done to them, except a band of Scots that were cut off from them in the district of
O'Flannagain. And it was not long after that until
O'Neill collected the same host and they went into Tir-Conaill and he
destroyed much of the country, until he went to Glenn Fheile and they seized on spoil in Cenn-maghair. And, when
O'Domnaill and the Conallian nobles heard that, they mustered and met each
other and this is the counsel they adopted,—to go into Tir-Eogain. And
they left O'Domnaill and part of his gallowglasses in camp and Maghnus
O'Domnaill and the other part of the host and Conn, son of Niall, son of Art
O'Neill, marched far out into Tir-Eogain. And they found great spoils and
herds to put before them, so that it was not easy for them to drive them,
for the amount of the cattle-spoil that was there. And they came off safe, after killing a number of persons and after
raiding much of the country. And when Ua Neill and his host heard that, they
turned on the track of those preys, destroying much of the country and
without notable damage being done to him on that march.
U1522.3
Another war arose against O'Domnaill this year in the province of
Connacht, arising from the design and procedings of O'Neill: to wit, the two
Mac Williams and Mac Diarmata and every force they found united with each
other against O'Domnaill and a very large host was mustered by them around
Mac William of Clann-Ricaird, namely, Ricard, son of Ulick, son of Ulick.
And O'Cerbaill, namely, Maelruanaigh and the nobles of his district and Mac
William de Burgh and Mac Diarmat and O'Concobuir the Brown and Mac Feorais
and Mac Maurice and O'Cellaigh and the sons of O'Briain, namely, Donchadh
and Tadhg, and the junior bishop O'Briain and part of
p.545
Sil-Cennetich went on that hosting. And on their coming together, they went
without hindrance to Sligech, the vigil {lit.
fast} before the first feast of Mary. And O'Neill collected another
large host about that time, to go to meet the Connacht host; for it was he
himself that was drawing them on and they promised to meet each other about
the first feast of Mary in the district of O'Domnaill. As to O'Domnaill and
the Cenel-Conaill: they were mustering to meet each other about that time,
for their party and their border friends abandoned them. And, when
themselves came together, this is the counsel they adopted,—to
sacrifice themselves for the sake of their territory and their land. And
they marched in one compact body, that they might give attack by day or
night to the host of O'Neill. And on that host of O'Neill rising out, they
went into Cenel-Moen and took a fortified position at Loch-monann. And when
the Conallians heard that, the result of their counsel was to attack them
that night; for they left behind all their horses, in order that they should
have less mind of flight or of turning back; And they considered, as the
other host was more numerous than themselves, that the night would be of aid
to them and that they would find them without a strict guard. And not thus
they were, for they got accurate tidings and were distrustful respecting
them, on account of the greatness of their courage. Hence they went on
guard: to wit, O'Neill and his horse-host went on watch a space from the
camp and they left a large portion of the best of their gallowglasses and
Scots in battle-array on the ridge of the camp on the
other side. And it seemed to themselves it was great luck for them to have
their foes make for them whilst they were in that
array. As to O'Domnaill and the Conallian nobles: as they marched
p.547
they marshalled themselves and went into battle-
array, namely, O'Domnaill and Maghnus O'Domnaill, his son, royal heir of the
territory and the others of his sons that were serviceable and the three Mac
Suibnes and O'Baighill and the Muintir-Dochartaigh and a few of Lower
Connacht. And when they came near to the camp of O'Neill, those two hosts
gave two huge shouts at one another, so that the Conallian host went out of
the array and were themselves and the host of O'Neill mingled with each
other and a long while co-slaying each other, as they had a mind to. But
for one thing however, the Conallian host gained
possession of the camp of O'Neill and broke through what was opposed to them
there and the camp with many suits of armour remained with them. And they
spent what was before them of the night in slaying and in routing their
foes. And when O'Neill heard that the site of the camp was in the hands of
his enemies, he departed with the battalion in which
he was and the part of his people that remained with him. And the want of
their horses did not allow the Conallian host to pursue the horse-host, as
they had a mind to. And on the coming of the light of day to them, it was
very manifest what was slain on the site of the camp in the conflict of that
night, along with heaps of slain of the Clann-Domnaill and of the
Clann-Sitigh and of Scots and of the Oirgialla and of the Men of Meath. So
that Tir-Conaill was the better during the space of that time for what came to them of horses and of arms and of armour
and of apparel and of provision and of every thing it were fitting for a
host to have. As to the Conallian host: they turned back to succour the
castle of Sligech against that Connacht host that sat around it. And when
the two Mac Williams and that large host that was responsive to them heard
of the march of O'Domnaill to them, and he after inflicting confusion on
that other host, they fled themselves from the town and went off in plight
of
p.549
rout, without their having been attacked. And O'Domnaill and his host went
home safe, without notable damage being done to
them.
U1522.4
The son of O'Cathain, namely, Domnall the cleric, son of John O'Cathain,
a man of hospitality and nobleness and a person intelligent, accomplished
respecting Latin and Gaidhelic and one who was to be lord of
Oirecht-Ui-Cathain without dispute, was slain by some of the
Route.
U1522.5
Mag Cormain, namely, Mael-Shechlainn, the one that
was of best intelligence and kept the best guest-house of the clerics of
Thomond, died this year.
U1522.6
Domnall, son of Donchadh O'Ruairc, a good, noble person in his own
district, was slain by the sons of Feidhlimidh O'Ruairc.
U1522.7
The son of O'Neill, namely, Brian, son of Domnall, son of Henry O'Neill,
died this year.
U1522.8
The prior of Lis-gabail, namely, Redmond the Red, son of the junior abbot
Mag Uidhir, died this year.
U1522.9
Master Feidhlimidh O'Corcrain, a cleric eminent in Canon Law and in versifying and in grammar and a distinguished
person, died in the end of Spring of this year, as he was returning from
Droiched-atha and was buried in Lughbadh.
U1522.10
Rughraidhe, son of Aodh junior, son of Aodh Mag Mathgamna the Red, an
eminent leader, died.