A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

UjSIOKV Ot THK HIGIILAMI.S.
mounted tlie throne, now succeeded. He was. according to Usher,
crowned by Coium, the Bishop of Sodor; but neither his own reign noi
(hat of his predecessor is marked by any important events. Jle died
in six hundred and tliirty-M-ven, after a reign of sixteen years.
Donal, sumamed bieac or fi'eckled, the son of Eocha'-bui, o
the race of Gauran, succeeded Ferchar in six hundred and thirty seven.
He was a warlike prince and had distingnislied himself in the wars
against the Cruithne of Ireland. Congal-Claon, the son of Scanlan,
the king of the Cruithne in Ulster, having slain Snibne-nican, tlie king
of Ireland, was attacked by Dnmnal II., supreme king of Ireland, who
succeeded Suibne, and was defeated in the battle of Duncetheren, in
six hundred and twenty-nine. Congal sought refuge in Cantyre, and
liaving persuaded Donal-breac, the kinsman of Domnal, to join him in
a war against Domnal, they invaded Ireland with a heterogeneous mass
of Scoto-Irish, Picts, Britons, and Saxons, commanded by Donal and
liis brothers. Cealach, the son of Maelcomh, the nephew of the reign-
ing king, and as tanist or heir apparent, the leader of his army, attacked
Donal-breac in the plain of Moyrath in six hundred and thirty-seven,
and completely defeated him after an obstinate and bloody engagement.
Congal, the murderer of Ills sovereign, met his merited fate, and
Donal-breac was obliged to secure his own and his army's safety by a
speedy return to Cantyre. St. Columba had always endeavoured to
preserve an amicable understanding between the Cruitiine of Ulster
and tlie Scoto-Irish, and his injunctions were, that they shoidd live Ml
constant peace ;
but Donal disregarded this wise advice and paid dearly
for disregarding it. He was not more successful in an enterprize
against the Picts, having been defeated by them in the battle of Glen-
nioreson during the year six hundred and tliirty-eight. He ended his
days at Straith-cairniaic on the Clyde, by the sword of Hoan, one of the
reguli of Strathcluyd, in the year six hundred and forty-two. The same
destiny seems to have pursued ids issue, for his son Cathasuidh fell by
the same hand in six hundred and forty-nine.
Conal II., the grandson of Conal I., who was also of the Fergusian
race of Congal, next ruled over the tribes of Cantyre and Argyle ; but
Dungal of the race of Lorn, having obtained the government ol
the tribe of Lorn, questioned the right of Conal. He did not,
however, carry his pretensions far, for Conal died, in undisturbed
possession of his dominions, in six iiundred and fifty-two, after a reign
of ten years. To Donal-duin, or the brown, son of Conal, who reigned
thirteen years, succeeded Maoldnin, his brother, in six hundred and
sixty-five. The family feuds which had long existed between the Fer-
gusian races of Comgal and Tauran, existed in their bitterest state
during tlie reign of Maoldnin. Domangart the son of Donal-breac was
murdered in six hundred and seventy-two, and Conal the son of Maol-
duiu was assassinated in six hundred and seventy-five.
Ferchar^ar/a, or the Itil/, apparently of the race of Lorn, and