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his father's hand, entreating him not to lament his loss, as he was most happy in dying in so good a cause. The spirit, which had borne him up in this heroic exertion, now ceased; he sunk unknown to the great world, and, without a stone to record his early matchless worth,

Rheban, Righ-ban, or the habitation of the king, anciently called Raiba, though now in ruins, without any remains of its former consequence, was in the second century one of the inland cities of Ireland; it is situated on the western bank of the Al Berba, Barragh, or boundary river, now called Barrow, navigable from Monastareven to Ross and Waterford. Two miles above Athy, near it is a very high conical hill or mount, supposed to be raised over some king or chieftain. This, with Dunamase and the adjoining district, was erected into a barony, and granted in fee to Richard De St. Michael, created baron of Rheban.

In 1325, in the absence of the English settlers, Dunamase, Rheban, and all their dependencies were taken by O'Moore. In 1424, Thomas Fitz-Gerald, lord Offaley, and afterwards seventh earl of Kildare, marrying Dorothea, daughter of Anthony O'Moore, received in dower the manors of Rheban and Woodstock. Rheban was found of consequence to the first English settlers, who repaired and strengthened the castle, as also the opposite one of Killberry, both intended

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intended to protect a ford on the Barrow. The weirs at Bert and Milltown have thrown back water not only on the ford but on thousands of acres. In 1642, the marquis of Ormond took Rheban from the rebels. In 1648, it was taken by Owen Roe O'Neal; he was defeated by Lord Inchiquin, who compelled him to surrender Rheban and Athy. The fair, formerly held at Rheban on St. Michael's day, O. S. has been long removed to Athy.

St. Woolstan's, two miles south of Leixlip. In 1202, a priory was founded here for canons of the order of St. Victor by Adam De Hereford. In 130s, John Ledleer erected a bridge over the Liffey. In the twenty-eighth of Henry VIII. Richard Weston the prior surrendered; the priory, with very extensive possessions, was granted at the rent of two knights fees to Allen of Norfolk, master of the rolls, and afterwards lord chancellor; it continued in the Allen family to the year 1752.

Cloncurry. In 1347, a Carmelite friary was founded here by John Roche; by thirty-fifth of Henry VIII. granted to William Dixon.

Clane. In 584, St. Ailbe founded a priory. In 1162, a synod of twenty-six bishops and a number of abbots passed a decree, that no person should be admitted professor of divinity in any church in Ireland, who had studied at Armagh. Alfred, the most enlightened monarch of England, received his

education

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education at Armagh, as did the sons of the English nobility and gentry for several centuries: such was the state of education in Ireland at this period, that of the numberless places for the instruction of youth of every nation, Armagh alone contained three thousand pupils. In 1287, Gerald Fitz-Maurice, lord Offaley, was interred at Clane; he had founded a Franciscan friary. By twenty-fourth of Henry VIII. this friary and sundry appurtenances were assigned to Robert Eustace, John Trevor, Richard Field, Richard Roche, and Edward Brown in capite.

Great Conal. In 1202, a priory was founded here by Meyler Fitz-Henry, whose father was natural son of Henry I.; he came into this kingdom with the first adventurers. In 1406, the prior and twenty-eight English attacked and put to flight two hundred well armed Irish on the Curragh. The buildings, which were pretty extensive, have gone greatly to decay; two Gothic windows have resisted the ravages of time.

Kilcock. The virgin St. Coca is honoured on the 6th of June.

Clonard, on the borders of Meath. An abbey for regular canons was founded here; it was several times sacked, and the religious put to the sword, particularly by Dermot M'Murchad, the introducer of Earl Strongbow, by whose forces he was assisted.

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