That, though he never visited the country, Edward I., like his great-grandfather, had large schemes for the benefit of Ireland is certain.  Practically, however? his schemes never came to anything, and the chief effect of his reign was that the country was so largely drawn upon for men and money for the support of his wars elsewhere as greatly to weaken the already feeble power of the Government, the result being that at the first touch of serious trouble it all but fell to pieces.

Very serious trouble indeed came in the reign of the second Edward.  The battle of Bannockburn—­the greatest disaster which ever befel the English during their Scotch wars—­had almost as marked an effect on Ireland as on Scotland.  All the elements of disaffection at once began to boil and bubble.  The O’Neills—­ever ready for a fray, and the nearest in point of distance to Scotland—­promptly made overtures to the Bruces, and Edward Bruce, the victorious king’s brother, was despatched at the head of a large army, and landing in 1315 near Carrickfergus was at once joined by the O’Neills, and war proclaimed.

The first to confront these new allies was Richard de Burgh, the “Red Earl” of Ulster, who was twice defeated by them and driven back on Dublin.  The viceroy, Sir Edmund Butler, was the next encountered, and he also was defeated at a battle near Ardscul, whereupon the whole country rose like one man.  Fedlim O’Connor, the young king of Connaught, the hereditary chieftain of Thomond, and a host of smaller chieftains of Connaught, Munster, and Meath, flew to arms.  Even the De Lacys and several of the other Norman colonists threw in their lot with the invaders.  Edward Bruce gained another victory at Kells, and having wasted the country round about, destroying the property of the colonists and slaughtering all whom he could find, he returned to Carrickfergus, where he was met by his brother, King Robert, and together they crossed Ireland, descending as far south as Cashel, and burning, pillaging, and destroying wherever they went.  In 1316 the younger Bruce was crowned king at Dundalk.

Such was the panic they created, and so utterly disunited were the colonists, that for a time they carried all before them.  It is plain that Edward Bruce—­who on one side was descended both from Strongbow and Dermot McMurrough—­fully hoped to have cut out a kingdom for himself with his sword, as others of his blood had hoped and intended before him.  His own excesses, however, went far to prevent that.  So frightfully did he devastate the country, and so horrible was the famine which he created, that many even of his own army perished from it or from the pestilence which followed.  His Irish allies fell away in dismay.  English and Irish annalists, unanimous for once, alike exclaim in horror over his deeds.  Clyn, the Franciscan historian, tells us how he burned and plundered the churches.  The annals of Lough Ce say that “no such period for famine or destruction of men” ever occurred,