the Lord Deputy, and the Council of Ireland, whereby he agreed to surrender the principality of East Breifny to the Queen, on condition of obtaining it again from the crown in capite by English tenure, and the same to be ratified to him and the heirs male of his body.  In consequence of this agreement, and with the intent of abolishing the tanistic succession, he, on the last day of August, 1590, perfected a deed of feofment, entailing thereby the seignory of Breifny (O’Reilly) on his eldest son, Malmore (Myles), surnamed Alainn (the comely), afterwards known as the Queen’s O’Reilly.

“Notwithstanding these transactions, Sir John O’Reilly soon after joined in the rebellion of Hugh, Earl of Tyrone, and died on the first of June, 1596.  After his death the Earl of Tyrone set up his second brother, Philip, as the O’Reilly, and the government of Elizabeth supported the claim of Sir John’s son, Malmore, the comely, in opposition to Philip, and Edmund of Kilnacrott.  But Malmore, the Queen’s O’Reilly, was slain by Tyrone in the great battle of the Yellow Ford, near Benburb, on the 14th of August, 1528, and the Irish of Ulster agreed to establish Edmund of Kilnacrott, as the O’Reilly.

“The lineal descendants of Sir John passed into the French service, and are now totally unknown, and probably extinct.  The descendants of Edmund of Kilnacrott have been far more prolific and more fortunate.  His senior representative is my worthy old friend Myles John O’Reilly, Esq., Heath House, Emo, Queen’s Co., and from him are also descended the O’Reillys of Thomastown Castle, in the County of Louth, the Counts O’Reilly of Spain, the O’Reillys of Beltrasna, in Westmeath, and the Reillys of Scarva House, in the County of Down.

“Edmund of Kilnacrott had a son John who had a son Brian, by Mary, daughter of the Baron of Dunsany, who had a famous son Malmore, commonly called Myles the Slasher.  This Myles was an able military leader during the civil wars of 1641, and showed prodigies of valor during the years 1641, 1642, and 1643; but, in 1644, being encamped at Granard, in the County of Longford, with Lord Castlehaven, who ordered him to proceed with a chosen detachment of horse to defend the bridge of Finea against the Scots, then bearing down on the main army with a very superior force, Myles was slain at the head of his troops, fighting bravely on the middle of the bridge.  Tradition adds, that during this action he encountered the colonel of the Scots in single combat, who laid open his cheek with a blow of his sword; but Myles, whose jaws were stronger than a smith’s vice, held fast the Scotchman’s sword between his teeth till he cut him down, but the main body of the Scots pressing upon him, he was left dead on the bridge.