alk from his valuable and
interesting _History of Dundalk and its Environs._ Dublin: Hodges and
Smith, 1864. This gentleman has devoted himself specially to elucidating
the subject, and with a kindness which I cannot easily forget, permits
me to avail myself, not only of his literary labours, but even to
transfer to the pages of this work several complete pages from his own.

[210] _Chess_.--Flann Sionna, Monarch of Ireland, had encamped on this
plain, and ostentatiously commenced a game of chess as a mark of
contempt for the chieftains whose country he had invaded. His folly met
its just punishment, for he was ignominiously defeated. See _Wars of the
Gaedhil_, p. 113, note.

[211] _Valour.--Wars of the Gaedhil_, p. 101.

[212] _Belach-Lechta_.--The site has not been definitely ascertained.
Some authorities place it near Macroom, co. Cork.

[213] _Glen-Mama_.--The Glen of the Gap, near Dunlavin. This was the
ancient stronghold of the kings of Leinster in Wicklow. There is a long
and very interesting note on the locality, by the Rev. J.F. Shearman,
R.C.C., in the "Introduction" to the _Wars of the Gaedhil_. He mentions
that pits have been discovered even recently, containing the remains of
the slain.

[214] _Deeds_.--The origin of surnames is also attributed to Brian
Boroimhe, from a fragment in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin,
supposed to be a portion of a life of that monarch written by his poet
Mac Liag. Surnames were generally introduced throughout Europe in the
tenth and twelfth centuries. The Irish gave their names to their lands.
In other countries patronymics were usually taken from the names of the
hereditary possessions.

[215] _Fifty-three_.--See Dr. O'Donovan's note to Annals, p. 747.

[216] _Fidh-Gaibhli_.--Now Feegile, near Portarlington.

[217] _Given_.--The Book of Rights mentions, that one of the rights to
which the King of Leinster was entitled from the King of Ireland, was
"fine textured clothes at Tara," as well as "sevenscore suits of clothes
of good colour, for the use of the sons of the great chieftain."--Book
of Rights, p. 251. From the conduct of Gormflaith, as related above, it
is evident that the tunic was some token of vassalage.

[218] _Murrough_.--He was eldest son by Brian's first wife, Mor. He had
three sons by this lady, who were all slain at Clontarf.

[219] _Yew-tree_.--This was a sharp insult. After the battle of
Glen-Mama, Maelmordha had hidden himself in a yew-tree,