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 Dun Almhain (the Hill of Allen, near Kildare) — an abode glowingly described in so many of his son Oisin's lays. The surrounding rath or fortification is still traceable, even from a distance. His other abode was Moyelly in the present King's County. Moore says in his history: "It has been the fate of this popular Irish hero, after a long course of traditional renown in his country — where his name still lives, not only in legends and songs, but yet in the most indelible records of scenery connected with his memory — to have been all at once transferred, by adoption, to another country [Scotland], and start under a new but false shape, in a fresh career of fame." The Four Masters state that Finn met his death in 283, at Rath-Breagha, near the Boyne, whither he had retired in his old age to pass the remainder of his life in tranquillity. He was killed by the blow of a fishing gaff, at the hands of one Athlach, and his death was avenged by Cailte MacRonain, his faithful follower. '^ 134 171

Finnachta, King of Ireland, 686 to 693. His age is memorable on account of a British invasion of Ireland, a great cattle plague, a severe frost, and his crushing defeat of the Leinster men in a battle at Lagore, near Dunshaughlin. Some remains of this encounter have been found in our own time. The invasion occurred in 683, when the British plundered Leinster, and carried away captives, who were afterwards returned at the intercession of St. Adamnan. Bede declares that this expedition ended in the unhappy plunder and wasting by Saxon hands of a country most friendly to the English. At the request of Saint Moling, Finnachta is said to have remitted the Borromean tribute off Leinster. He was killed in a battle near Kells, in 693. 134 171

Finnbarr, or Bairre, Saint, a native of Connaught, was born in the 6th century, his original name being Lochan. He was educated in Leinster by MacCorb, afterwards travelled in Britain with St. Maidoc, and spent some time with St. David. In the beginning of the 7th century he founded his monastery on the banks of the Lee, on ground granted to him by a chief, Aedh. The number of students who flocked thither caused habitations to spring up, and the foundations of Cork to be laid. He was consecrated Bishop of the district, and died in 623 at Cloyne, after an episcopate of seventeen years. The most eminent of his disciples was St. Nessan. One of St. Finnbarr's favourite retreats was Glengariff. His festival is the 25th of September. The island of Lough Erc, now Gougauebarra, was his hermitage, and preserves his name. [Barra, gen. of Barr.] He is also patron saint of a northern diocese in Scotland. Dr. Richard Caulfield, of Cork, has published his life in Latin, with a collation of various MSS. "9 =^3 =J4 235

Finnbarr, Findia, or Finnian, Saint, Bishop and Abbot of Moville, near Newtownards, in the County of Down, was born about the beginning of the 6th century. He was educated by St. Colman of Dromore, and thence passed to the school of Nennio, or Ninian, in North Britain. In 540 he established his famous school at Moville, where he died and was buried in 576. His festival is 11th February. See concerning him in Reeves's Antiquities of Down and Connor. "' ^^*

Finnerty, Peter, one of the ablest reporters of his time, was born at Loughrea in 1766. At an early age he sought his fortune in Dublin, and became a printer. In 1797 he was printer and editor of the Press, the organ of the United Irishmen, to which both Curran and Moore are said to have contributed. On 22nd December 1797 he was tried for a libel on the Government concerning the trial and execution of Orr, and, refusing to disclose the name of the author, was sentenced to stand in the pillory, pay a fine, and suffer imprisonment for two year's. Arthur O'Connor, Lord Edward FitzGerald, and others of his party, attended him at the pillory in Green-street. At the expiration of the sentence he removed to London, and procured an engagement as reporter on the Morning Chronicle. He sailed as an army reporter with the Walcheren expedition in 1809. Two years afterwards he was committed to Lincoln jail for eighteen months, for a libel on Lord Castlereagh. In the course of his defence on his trial, he made a false quantity in a Latin quotation, and was set right by Lord Ellenborough, whereupon he rejoined: "Pronounce it as you like, my lord, isn't the English of it the same." He memorialized the House of Commons against the treatment he received, and in the several discussions on the subject he was highly spoken of by Brougham, Romilly, Burdett, and Whitbread. He died at Westminster, 11th May 1822, aged 56. ^ "° =^S4C=)

Fitton, William Henry, M.D.,F.R.S., an eminent geologist, was born in Dublin, January 1780. At Trinity College he acquired his degree of B. A. in 1799. During a residence in Edinburgh, he formed the acquaintance of Sydney Smith, Jeffrey, Lord Brougham, and other eminent men; and in 1809 he removed to London. In 1811 he began to write geological articles, the first being on the geological structure

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