and Hugh Cathal went to claim
their assistance. The Lord Justice put himself at the head of the army;
they marched into Connaught, and soon became masters of the situation.
Roderic's sons at once submitted, but only to bide their time. During
these hostilities the English of Desmond, and O'Brien, a Thomond prince,
assisted by the Sheriff of Cork, invaded the southern part of Connaught
for the sake of plunder. In the previous year, 1224, "the corn remained
unreaped until the festival of St. Brigid [1st Feb.], when the ploughing
was going on." A famine also occurred, and was followed by severe
sickness. Well might the friar historian exclaim: "Woeful was the
misfortune which God permitted to fall upon the west province in Ireland
at that time; for the young warriors did not spare each other, but
preyed and plundered to the utmost of their power. Women and children,
the feeble and the lowly poor, perished by cold and famine in this
year."[321]

O'Neill had inaugurated Turlough at Carnfree.[322] He appears to have
been the most popular claimant. The northern chieftains then returned
home. As soon as the English left Connaught, Turlough again revolted.
Hugh Cathal recalled his allies; and the opposite party, finding their
cause hopeless, joined him in such numbers that Roderic's sons fled for
refuge to Hugh O'Neill. The Annals suggest that the English might well
respond when called on, "for their spirit was fresh, and their struggle
trifling." Again we find it recorded that the corn remained unreaped
until after the festival of St. Brigid. The wonder is, not that the
harvest was not gathered in, but that there was any harvest to gather.

Soon after these events, Hugh O'Connor was captured by his English
allies, and would have been sacrificed to their vengeance on some
pretence, had not Earl Marshal rescued him by force of arms. He escorted
him out of the court, and brought him safely to Connaught; but his son
and daughter remained in the hands of the English. Hugh soon found an
opportunity of retaliating. A conference was appointed to take place
near Athlone,[323] between him and William de Marisco, son of the Lord
Justice. When in sight of the English knights, the Irish prince rushed
on William, and seized him, while his followers captured his attendants,
one of whom, the Constable of Athlone, was killed in the fray. Hugh then
proceeded to plunder and burn the town, and to rescue his son and
daughter, and some Connaught ch