Dr. Todd has well observed, in his admirably written “Introduction” to the Wars of the Gaedhil and the Gall, that from the death of Malachy to the days of Strongbow, the history of Ireland is little more than a history of the struggles for ascendency between the great clans or families of O’Neill, O’Connor, O’Brien, and the chieftains of Leinster.

After the death of Brian Boroimhe, his son Donough obtained the undisputed sovereignty of Munster.  He defeated the Desmonians, and instigated the murder of his brother Teigue.  His next step was to claim the title of King of Ireland, but he had a formidable opponent in Dermod Mac Mael-na-mbo, King of Leinster.  Strange to say, though he had the guilt of fratricide on his conscience, he assembled the clergy and chieftains of Munster at Killaloe, in the year 1050, to pass laws for the protection of life and property—­a famine, which occurred at this time, making such precautions of the first necessity.  In 1033, his nephew, Turlough, avenged the death of Teigue, in a battle, wherein Donough was defeated.  After his reverse he went on a pilgrimage to Rome, where he died in the following year, after doing penance for his brother’s murder.  The Annals say that “he died under the victory of penance, in the Monastery of Stephen the Martyr."[231] Dermod Mac Mael-na-mbo was killed in battle by the King of Meath, A.D. 1072, and Turlough O’Brien, consequently, was regarded as his successor to the monarchy of Ireland.  Turlough, as usual, commenced by taking hostages, but he found serious opposition from the northern Hy-Nials.  His principal opponents were the Mac Loughlins of Aileach, and the O’Melaghlins of Meath.  In 1079 O’Brien invaded the territory of Roderic O’Connor, King of Connaught, expelled him from his kingdom, and plundered it as far as Croagh Patrick.  Next year he led an army to Dublin, and received the submission of the men of Meath, appointing his son Murtough lord of the Danes of Dublin.  The Annals of the Four Masters give a curious account of O’Brien’s death.  They say that the head of Connor O’Melaghlin, King of Meath, was taken from the church of Clonmacnois, and brought to Thomond, by his order.  When the king took the head in his hand, a mouse ran out of it, and the shock was so great that “he fell ill of a sore disease by the miracles (intervention) of St. Ciaran.”  This happened on the night of Good Friday.  The day of the resurrection (Easter Sunday) the head was restored, with two rings of gold as a peace-offering.  But Turlough never recovered from the effects of his fright, and lingered on in bad health until the year 1086, when he died.  He is called the “modest Turlough” in the Annals, for what special reason does not appear.  It is also recorded that he performed “intense penance for his sins”—­a grace which the kings and princes of Ireland seem often to have needed, and, if we may believe the Annals, always to have obtained.