l,
Lord of Tyrone, submitted to the Lord Justice--thereby freeing the
invaders from two troublesome combatants. The next year, however, the
English, who were not particular about treaties, invaded the north, and
were repulsed with such loss as to induce them to treat the enemy with
more respect for the time.

Under the year 1249 the Annals mention a defeat which the Irish suffered
at Athenry, which they attribute to their refusal to desist from warfare
on Lady Day, the English having asked a truce in honour of the Blessed
Virgin. They also record the death of Donough O'Gillapatrick, and say
that this was a retaliation due to the English; for he had killed,
burned, and destroyed many of them. He is characterized, evidently with
a little honest pride, as the third greatest plunderer of the English.
The names of the other two plunderers are also carefully chronicled;
they were Connor O'Melaghlin and Connor MacCoghlan. The "greatest
plunderer" was in the habit of going about to reconnoitre the English
towns in the disguise of pauper or poet, as best suited him for the
time; and he had a quatrain commemorating his exploits:--

"He is a carpenter, he is a turner,
My nursling is a bookman;
He is selling wine and hides,
Where he sees a gathering."

The quatrain, if of no other value, gives us an idea of the commodities
bartered, and the tradesmen who offered their goods at Irish fairs in
English towns during the thirteenth century.

In 1257 there was a fierce conflict between the Irish, under Godfrey
O'Donnell, and the English, commanded by Maurice FitzGerald. The
conflict took place at Creadrankille, near Sligo. The leaders engaged in
single combat, and were both severely wounded: eventually the invaders
were defeated and expelled from Lower Connaught. Godfrey's wound
prevented him from following up his success, and soon after the two
chieftains died. The circumstances of Maurice's death have been already
recorded. The death of O'Donnell is a curious illustration of the
feeling of the times. During his illness, Brian O'Neill sent to demand
hostages from the Cinel-Connaill. The messengers fled the moment they
had fulfilled their commission. For all reply, O'Donnell commanded his
people to assemble, to place him on his bier, and to bear him forth at
their head. And thus they met the enemy. The battle took place on the
banks of the river Swilly, in Donegal. O'Donnell's army conquered. The
hero's bier was