and it is remarkable how
early the love of country is manifested in the Irish race, since we find
those who once inhabited its green plains still anxious to return,
whether their emigration proved prosperous, as to the Tuatha De Dananns,
or painful, as to the Firbolgs.

According to the _Annals of Clonmacnois, Keating_, and the
_Leabhar-Gabhala_, the Firbolgs divided the island into five provinces,
governed by five brothers, the sons of Dela Mac Loich:--"Slane, the
eldest brother, had the province of Leynster for his part, which
containeth from Inver Colpe, that is to say, where the river Boyne
entereth into the sea, now called in Irish Drogheda, to the meeting of
the three waters, by Waterford, where the three rivers, Suyre, Ffeoir,
and Barrow, do meet and run together into the sea. Gann, the second
brother's part, was South Munster, which is a province extending from
that place to Bealagh-Conglaissey. Seangann, the third brother's part,
was from Bealagh-Conglaissey to Rossedahaileagh, now called Limbriche,
which is in the province of North Munster. Geanaun, the fourth brother,
had the province of Connacht, containing from Limerick to Easroe. Rorye,
the fifth brother, and youngest, had from Easroe aforesaid to Inver
Colpe, which is in the province of Ulster."[35]

The Firbolg chiefs had landed in different parts of the island, but they
soon met at the once famous Tara, where they united their forces. To
this place they gave the name of _Druim Cain_, or the Beautiful
Eminence.

The fifth, or Tuatha De Danann "taking" of Ireland, occurred in the
reign of Eochaidh, son of Erc, A.M. 3303. The Firbolgian dynasty was
terminated at the battle of _Magh Tuireadh_. Eochaidh fled from the
battle, and was killed on the strand of Traigh Eothaile, near
Ballysadare, co. Sligo. The cave where he was interred still exists, and
there is a curious tradition that the tide can never cover it.

The Tuatha De Danann king, Nuada, lost his hand in this battle, and
obtained the name of Nuada of the Silver Hand,[36] his artificer, Credne
Cert, having made a silver hand for him with joints. It is probable the
latter acquisition was the work of Mioch, the son of Diancecht, Nuada's
physician, as there is a tradition that he "took off the hand and
infused feeling and motion into every joint and finger of it, as if it
were a natural hand." We may doubt the "feeling," but it was probably
suggested by the "motion," and the fact that, in those ages,