The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

Ireland before the Conquest. 83
tlie words, as the Irish writer gives them, " faras Domhnal,"
\\hich look vcr\' like " where's Donald." He also tells us
that when Brodar and his attendant came in sight of Brian
praying in rear of his host, the attendant, who knew the
old monarch, called out " Cing, Cing"(King, King), and
that Brodar answered " Prist, Prist." Building with stone
and lime became common, and we read of streets and
causeways being built in the cities which were arising
around some of the great monastic establishments. Lime
kilns were erected, and bridges were built. Gothic archi-
tecture was introduced, and many ornate and beautiful
churches were built, and Miss Stokes claim.s for the Irish
the development of a distinct variety of style. Of the
churches built during this time, the most beautiful, and
probably the only one which now exists, is the building
called Cormack's Chapel in Cashel. This chapel, the Four
Masters tell us, was built by Cormac MacCarthy in 11 34,
and consecrated by a s}'nod of the clergy of Ireland, but
notwithstanding this distinct record, some Irish writers
fondly attributed it to Cormack MacCuilenan, the famous
King and Bishop of Cashel, who flourished two hundred
\'ears earlier. If new churches were built, however, some
old ones went into decay, and we read that in 1 125 Cellach
put a roof of shingles on the great stone church of Armagh,
which had been without a roof for thirty years.
Another instance of foreign influence was the intro-
duction of feudal ideas. The claimants to the high king-
ship and other greater princes now assumed the right to
make grants of the lands and of the chieftaincy of the
subordinate territories. There are frequent notices of such
grants, and we are told that Roderick O'Connor divided
the territory of the Northern Hy Niells into two parts,
giving one part to Nial O'Lochlan for two hostages, and
another part to Aedh O'Neill for other two hostages. And
of another claimant to the high kingship we read that he
divided the land of Ireland, and thus showed that he was
king.