Page:Irish minstrelsy, vol 2 - Hardiman.djvu/141

Rh to support the Spaniards, enquired who lived in a certain Castle? Being told that it belonged to Barrett, a good Catholic, whose family had been possessed of the Estate for above 400 years; O'Nial exclaimed, "No matter, I hate the English churl as if he landed only yesterday."—No one can be surprised at these strong expressions of National animosity, who is at all acquainted with our history since the arrival of the English.

Donn, one of the sons of Mile, or Milesius, according to Eochy ua Floinn, a poet and historian, who died A.D. 984, (and of whose compositions there are several still remaining of great value,) was cast away with his companions on the Duchains, to this day called Teach Duin, or Donn's Mansion, in the West of Munster. In succeeding ages, Donn was exalted by our bards to the rulership of the Fairies of that district, and in that capacity he appears to have taken a particular interest in the subsequent affairs of Ireland. As he defied the vigilance of the priest and bard hunters, several prophetico-political songs have been attributed to him, or rather to his inspiration or revelation communicated to our poets. The present song is one of this character.

This alludes to the renegade Irish who joined the common foe, and of that class, from the days of the infamous Mac Morrough, who invited over the Anglo-Norman auxiliaries to his aid, our Annals have damned many to everlasting fame. Indeed, so effectually did the settlers pursue the Machiavelian policy, "divide and govern," that it gave rise to the disgraceful adage, "put an Irishman on the spit and you will find another to turn him;" but, be it remembered, that the son of the settler was generally the turnspit. Espionage and deceit were the invariable rule of English conduct towards the VOL. II.