three Irish Kings," still pointed out in the cemetery of
the Kings. He is but one among several Princes, his
cotemporaries, who had made the same election. We learn
in this same century, that Cellach, son of the King of
Connaught, died in Holy Orders, and that Bec, Prince of
Ulidia, and Ardgall, son of a later King of Connaught,
had taken the "crostaff" of the pilgrim, either for Iona
or Armagh, or some more distant shrine. Pilgrimages to
Rome and to Jerusalem seem to have been begun even before
this time, as we may infer from St. Adamnan's work on
the situation of the Holy Places, of which Bede gives
an abstract.

The reign of Donogh I. is the longest and the last among
the Kings of the eighth century (A.D. 776 to 797). The
Kings of Ireland had now not only abandoned Tara, but
one by one, the other royal residences in Meath as their
usual place of abode. As a consequence a local sovereignty
sprung up in the family of O'Melaghlin, a minor branch
of the ruling race. This house developing its power so
unexpectedly, and almost always certain to have the
national forces under the command of a Patron Prince at
their back, were soon involved in quarrels about boundaries,
both with Leinster and Munster. King Donogh, at the outset
of his reign, led his forces into both principalities,
and without battle received their hostages. Giving
hostages--generally the sons of the chiefs--was the usual
form of ratifying any treaty. Generally also, the Bishop
of the district, or its most distinguished ecclesiastic,
was called in as witness of the terms, and both parties