shed by him, at the entreaty of St.
Moling, of Tigh Moling (now St. Mullen's, in the county Carlow). It is
said by Keating, that he a ailed himself of a pious ruse for this
purpose,--asking the king to pledge himself not to exact the tribute
until after Monday, and then, when his request was complied with,
declaring that the Monday he intended was the Monday after Doomsday. The
tribute was again revived and levied by Brian, the son of Cinneidigh, at
the beginning of the eleventh century, as a punishment on the Leinster
men for their adherence to the Danish cause. It was from this
circumstance that Brian obtained the surname of _Boroimhe_.

[Illustration: LOUGH HYNE.]

FOOTNOTES:

[81] _Samhain_.--Now All Hallows Eve. The peasantry still use the pagan
name. It is a compound word, signifying "summer" and "end."

[82] _Breifne_.--In the present county Cavan. We shall refer again to
this subject, when mentioning St. Patrick's destruction of the idols.

[83] _Colours_.--Keating says that a slave was permitted only one
colour, a peasant two, a soldier three, a public victualler five. The
Ollamh ranked, with royalty, and was permitted six--another of the many
proofs of extraordinary veneration for learning in pre-Christian Erinn.
The Four Masters, however, ascribe the origin of this distinction to
Eochaidh Eadghadhach. It is supposed that this is the origin of the
Scotch plaid. The ancient Britons dyed their _bodies_ blue. The Cymric
Celts were famous for their colours.

[84] _Emania_.--The legend of the building of this palace will be given
in a future chapter.

[85] _France_.--It is said that foreigners who came with him from Gaul
were armed with broad-headed lances (called in Irish _laighne_), whence
the province of Leinster has derived its name. Another derivation of the
name, from _coige_, a fifth part, is attributed to the Firbolgs.

[86] _Diction_.-This tract contains a description of arms and ornaments
which might well pass for a poetic flight of fancy, had we not articles
of such exquisite workmanship in the Royal Irish Academy, which prove
incontrovertibly the skill of the ancient artists of Erinn. This is the
description of a champion's attire:--"A red and white cloak flutters
about him; a golden brooch in that cloak, at his breast; a shirt of
white, kingly linen, with gold embroidery at his skin; a white shield,
with gold fastenings at his shoulder; a gold-hilted long sword at his
left side; a long, sharp,