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The Story of Ireland · Emily Lawless — chapter 2 of 37 · ~257 words · public domain

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IV.

ST. PATRICK THE MISSIONARY

St. Patrick's birth--Capture, slavery, and escape--His return to Ireland--Arrives at Tara--Visits Connaught and Ulster--Early Irish missionaries and their enthusiasm for the work.

THE FIRST IRISH MONASTERIES

"The Tribes of the Saints"--Small oratories in the West--Plan of monastic life--Ready acceptance of Christianity.

VI.

COLUMBA AND THE WESTERN CHURCH

Birth of Columba--His journey to Iona--His character and humanity--Conversion of Saxon England--Schism between Western Church and Papacy--Synod of Whitby--The Irish Church at home.

VII.

THE NORTHERN SCOURGE

Ireland divided into five kingdoms--The Ard-Reagh--Arrival of Vikings--Thorgist or Turgesius?--Later Viking invaders--The round towers--Dublin founded--Hatred between the two races.

VIII.

BRIAN OF THE TRIBUTE

Two deliverers--Defeat of the Vikings at Sulcost--Brian becomes king of Munster--Seizes Cashel--Overcomes Malachy--Becomes king of Ireland--Celtic theory of loyalty--Fresh Viking invasion--Battle of Clontarf--Death of Brian Boru.

IX.

FROM BRIAN TO STRONGBOW

Result of Brian Boru's death--Chaos returns--Struggle for the succession--Roderick O'Connor, last native king of Ireland.

THE ANGLO-NORMAN INVASION

First group of knightly invaders--Their relationship--Giraldus

Cambrensis--Motives for invasion--Papal sanction--Dermot McMurrough--He enlists recruits--Arrival of Robert FitzStephen--Wexford, Ossory, and Kilkenny captured--Arrival of Strongbow--Struggle with Hasculph the Dane and John the Mad--Danes defeated--Dublin besieged--Strongbow defeats Roderick O'Connor, goes to Wexford, and embarks at Waterford--Meets the king--Arrival of Henry II.

XI.

HENRY II. IN IRELAND

Large military forces of Henry--The chiefs submit and do homage--Irish theory of Ard-Reagh or Over-Lord--Henry in Dublin--Synod at Cashel--Henry recalled to England.

XII.

EFFECTS OF THE ANGLO-NORMAN INVASION

Effect of Henry's stay in Ireland--His large schemes--Their practical failure--Rapacity of adventurers--Contrast between Irish and their conquerors--Civil war from the outset.

XIII.

JOHN IN IRELAND

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