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STORIES OF
O'Neacthan, author of several poetic composi-tions in his native tongue. It was properly speak-ing a drinking song—" Maggie Laidir" being one of the many fanciful names by which Ireland has been designated—and is a description of an Irish feast. The song used to be sung by the chairman or president of the meeting. There are ten verses containing praises of the chiefs, blessings for Ireland's friends, and curses lono-and earnest for her enemies. Hardiman declares " Maggy Laidir" in point of composition to be superior to aOrRourke's Feast" so humorously translated by Dean Swift from a traditionary ballad put together by MacGavin of Leitrim, a contemporary of O'Carolan. It was composed to celebrate a great feast given by The O'Rourke, a chieftain of Leitrim, upon his tak-ing leave of his neighbours to visit Queen Elizabeth. The ruins of the castle where the feast took place still stands. O'Rourke was put to death in England.
The author of u Bardic Remains" is very indignant with the Scottish collectors of uncon-sidered musical pieces, and says, " The air as well as the words of ' Maggy Laidir/ though long naturalized in North Britain, is Irish. When our Scottish kinsmen were detected ap-propriating the ancient saints of Ireland (would
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