ocht fiche Lunasa, De' Sathairn ( 28 August, Saturday), or in Scots Gaelic, ochd fichead, an Lunasdal, Di-Sathurna In 1896 Liam O'Flaherty, Irish author, was born. In 1969 the Welsh Office approved the limited use of bilingual roadsigns in Wales. O'Connors in Irish History, Episode 4 We left off with Dermot MacMurrough in Wales and Rory O'Connor as the High King. Remember Dermot was King of Leinster and had left Ireland leaving his son Donal Kavanaugh. In August 1167 Dermot returns to Leinster with a small bunch of Normans led by Richard FitzGodebert. (Remember "Fitz" indicates a Norman name). Rory O'Connor, High King, offers to restore Dermot the ten cantreds of Hy Kinsella if Dermot will pay an "honour price" to O'Ruairc (remember Dermot ran off with O'Ruairc's wife) and offer his twi sons as hostages. Dermot acceoted the deal, but turned around and brought in more Normans. Whereupon Rory killed the two sons. This left Dermot with one son, Donal Kavanagh. More Normans kept coming. FitzStephen and Prendergast landed at Bannow Bay and started building some substantial structures, a sign they intended to stay and set up their feudal system. It gets complicated here because the alliances had mixes of Irish and Norman. However, Dublin was the prime objective of the invaders and their collaborators. Rory had a national levy to defend Dublin, but Dermot sneaked around the Wicklow Mountains and reached the town from the south. Dublin was an Ostman's (descendants of the Vikings). Dermot now had his eyes on taking the High Kingship from Rory O'Connor. But on may 1, 1171 he died. Stringbow then became King of Leinster. Rory teamed up with the Vikings to take back Dublin but they got their signals switched. The Vikings attacked prematurely and were defeated with the leader Asgall losing his head. Irish forces then blockaded Dublin. Rory O'Connor offered Strongbow the Leinster kingship under the authority of the High King. in return for pulling his troops back. No deal! Ultimately Rory's army was defeated by Donal Kavanagh. Then things got serious. King Henry of England decided to get into the act. Possibly to divert attention away from the Thomas a becket murder. he declared Strongbow to be king of Leinster. henry did quite a bit of declaring and the Irish lost out. In October 1175 Henry made the treaty of Windsor which left Rory as king of Connacht ( under Henry) and an over-king of the unconquered areas. But he had to pay an annual tribute of skins to Henry. Rory until he died in 1198 was Ard Ri (High King) over half of Ireland. He was succeeded by his brother Cathal. Submitted by John Laughlin