[5] _Uachongbhail_.--O'Curry's _MS. Materials_, p. 11.

[6] _Same_.--Ibid. p. 12. The Psalms derived their name from the musical
instrument to which they were sung. This was called in Hebrew _nebel_.
It obtained the name from its resemblance to a bottle or flagon.
Psaltery is the Greek translation, and hence the name psalm.

[7] _Devastated_.--This was probably written in the year 1001, when
Brian Boroimhé had deposed Malachy.

[8] _Fené-men_.--The farmers, who were not Fenians then certainly, for
"Cormac was a righteous judge of the _Agraria Lex_ of the Gaels."

[9] _Erinn._--Keating says: "We will set down here the branching off of
the races of Magog, according to the Book of Invasions (of Ireland),
which was called the Cin of Drom Snechta; and it was before the coming
of Patrick to Ireland the author of that book existed."--See Keating,
page 109, in O'Connor's translation. It is most unfortunate that this
devoted priest and ardent lover of his country did not bring the
critical acumen to his work which would have made its veracity
unquestionable. He tells us that it is "the business of his history to
be particular," and speaks of having "faithfully collected and
transcribed." But until recent investigations manifested the real
antiquity and value of the MS. Materials of Ancient Irish History, his
work was looked on as a mere collection of legends. The quotation at
present under consideration is a case in point. He must have had a copy
of the Cin of Drom Snechta in his possession, and he must have known who
was the author of the original, as he states so distinctly the time of
its compilation. Keating's accuracy in matters of fact and