was known to him, he despatched some of his faithful followers to ascertain in what part of his principality it was situated.  For some time they inquired in vain; but as they returned home in despair, the most exquisite music was heard to issue from a rock at Irrelagh.  When the chief was made aware of this, he at once concluded it was the spot destined by Providence for his pious undertaking, which he immediately commenced.

It was finished by his son, Donnell (1440).  The convent was dedicated to the Blessed Trinity.  It is said there was a miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin here, which brought great crowds of pilgrims.  The feast of the Porziuncula was kept here long after the abbey had fallen to ruins, and the friars dispersed, and was known as the Abbey Day.  Until the last few years stations were held there regularly, on the 2nd of October.

Clonmel Monastery was founded, about 1269, by the Desmonds; Drogheda, in 1240, by the Plunkets.

Some convents of Carmelite friars were also founded in the thirteenth century, but as yet they have not been fortunate enough to obtain the services of a historian, so that we can only briefly indicate the sites.  The Convent of Dublin, for White Friars, was founded by Sir Robert Bagot, in 1274.  The date of the establishment of the house at Leighlin-bridge has not been ascertained; but it was probably erected by the Carews, at the end of the reign of Henry III.  There were also convents at Ardee, Drogheda, Galway, Kildare, and Thurles.  The Convent of Kildare was the general seminary for the Order in Ireland; and one of its friars, David O’Brege, is styled “the burning light, the mirror and ornament of his country.”

In 1248 the young men of Connaught inaugurated the periodical rebellions, which a statesman of modern times has compared to the dancing manias of the middle ages.  Unfortunately for his comparison, there was a cause for the one, and there was no cause for the other.  They acted unwisely, because there was not the remotest possibility of success; and to rebel against an oppression which cannot be remedied, only forges closer chains for the oppressed.  But it can scarcely be denied that their motive was a patriotic one.  Felim’s son, Hugh, was the leader of the youthful band.  In 1249 Maurice FitzGerald arrived to crush the movement, or, in modern parlance, “to stamp it out”—­not always a successful process; for sparks are generally left after the most careful stamping, which another method might effectually have quenched.  Felim at once fled the country.  The English made his nephew, Turlough, ruler in his place; but the following year Felim made a bold swoop down from the Curlieus, expelled the intruder, and drove off a cattle prey.  After this proof of his determination and valour, the English made peace with him, and permitted him to retain his own dominions without further molestation.  Florence MacCarthy was killed this year, and Brian O’Neill, 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.