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Ireland and the Making of Britain
it was this Crimthann who gained victories and ex-
tended his sway over Alba, Britain and Gaul, as the
Shanachie tells us in the following rann:
"Crimthann, son of Fidach, ruled
The Alban and the Irish lands,
Beyond the clear blue seas he quelled
The British and the Gallic might." *
It was during the reigns of Eochaidh Muighmeadhoin
(358-366), of Crimthann Mor (366-379), and of'Niall
of the Nine Hostages (379-405), that the Irish invasion
and conquest of a large portion of Britain became con-
solidated. More than one of the Irish kings assumed
the title of King of Alba (Britain) ; and of one of them,
Miurchartach, son of Earca, who died in- 533, it is re-
ported that, in addition to his Irish titles, he was styled
king of the Britons, Franks and Saxons. 2
Readers of history are familiar with the Roman
accounts of the blows dealt the empire in Britain by the
Picts and the Irish Scots. The ancient chroniclers are
generally assumed to represent that the Irish military
taking part in these invasions all came, like the Picts,
from the north. But Ammianus Marcellinus, "an old
soldier and a Greek" as he calls himself, writing 380-390,
expressly states that the Picts and the Irish arrived by
different ways (per diversa vagantes). Bede has a passage
to a similar effect, indicating that the Irish naval forces
invaded Britain from the west, that is directly from
Ireland, for the Irish or Scoti did not then inhabit present
Scotland in any great number.
The invasion was organized and persistent. At the
year 360 we find one of the earliest Roman references to
the Irish "Scoti" as cooperating with the Picts in raids
i Porus Feasa na h-Eireann (History of Ireland).
a Irish Nennlus. pub. of I. A. S., 180.
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