wishes of Henry II., was a daughter of Roderic O'Conor. His sudden and violent death is thus related in the Annals of Ulster: "A.D. 1186. Hugo de Lacy went to Durrow to make a castle there, having a countless number of English with him; for he was king of Meath, Breifny, and Oriel, and it was to him the tribute of Connaught was paid, and he it was that won all Ireland for the English. Meath from the Shannon to the sea was full of his castles and English followers. After the completion of this work by him, i.e., the erection of the castle of Durrow, he came out to look at the castle, having three Englishmen along with him. There came then one youth of the men of Meath up to him, having his battle-axe concealed, namely Gilla-gan-inathar O'Megey, the foster son of the Fox himself (chief of Teffia), and he gave him one blow, so that he cut off his head, and he fell, both head and body, into the ditch of the castle." O'Megey, who escaped, was probably actuated by motives of revenge for seizures of land by De Lacy. This murder was by some considered a judgment of Providence for his building the castle on land sacred to St. Columcille. Hugh de Lacy was buried in the abbey of Bective with his first wife. His character is thus sketched by Cambrensis: "If you wish to have a portrait of this great man, know that he had a dark complexion, with black sunken eyes and rather flat nostrils, and that he had a burn on the face from some accident, which much disfigured him, the scar reaching down his right cheek to his chin. His neck was short, his body hairy and very muscular. He was short in stature and ill-proportioned in shape. If you ask what were his habits and disposition, he was firm and steadfast, as temperate as a Frenchman, very attentive to his own private affairs, and indefatigable in public business and the administration of the government committed to his charge. Although he had great experience in military affairs, as a commander he had no great success in the expeditions which he undertook. After he lost his wife, he abandoned himself to loose habits, and not being contented with one mistress, his amours were promiscuous. He was very covetous and ambitious, and immoderately greedy of honour and reputation." 134 148
De Lacy, Hugh, the younger, succeeded to his father's possessions in 1186, and in 1189 was appointed Lord-Deputy in place of De Courcy. He and his brother Walter compassed the capture of De Courcy, and after his death in exile obtained his Ulster estates. Their power assumed dangerous dimensions and they espoused the cause of De Braosa, On King John's visit to Ireland the three fled to France, in which country their adventures were of the most romantic description. They are said to have obtained situations as gardeners at the Abbey of St. Taurin. The abbot discovering their quality, and interesting himself on their behalf, they were permitted to return to their estates, Hugh paying 4,000 marks for Ulster, and Walter 2,500 for Meath. The De Lacys proved their gratitude to this abbot by knighting his nephew and investing him with a lordship in Ireland. Both Hugh and Walter died in 1234 or 1243, leaving but daughters. Hugh's daughter married Walter de Burgh, and Walter's daughters married Lord de Verdon and Geoffrey Genneville. Mr. Wills says the De Lacys "lived in an endless train of dissensions and intrigues, wars, oppressions, and spoliations, which the law had not force to control, and at which the Government found it necessary to connive, unless where circumstances made the opposite policy the more expedient means of conciliating the most efficient servants." 196
Delane, Denis, an Irish actor, was educated at Trinity College, Dublin. He appeared as an actor at Smock-alley Theatre in 1728. His success in England was considerable; his handsome countenance and figure, powerful though somewhat monotonous voice, pleasing address, and easy action, secured numbers of admirers, until Garrick, by raising the public taste, threw many of the old school of actors like Delane into the shade. His death, supposed to have been accelerated by intemperate habits, took place in April 1750. 116(62)
Delany, Patrick, D.D., Dean of Down, an eloquent preacher, a man of wit and learning, the friend of Swift, Gay, and Bolingbroke, was born of humble parentage in 1686. He entered Trinity College as a sizar, and obtained a high reputation for conduct and learning. He rose to be Senior Fellow, and became well known as a preacher at St. Werburgh's. Lord Carteret, when Lord-Lieutenant, was greatly attracted by his talents, and made him a frequent visitor at the Castle. In 1727-'8 he was impoverished by exchanging the Fellowship for the Chancellorship of Christ Church, an office the emoluments of which were small, but which he hoped would lead to still further advancement. In 1731 he married Mrs. Margaret Tenison, a rich Irish widow, and again found himself in a position to gratify his hospitable disposition and indulge his literary tastes. He wrote and published several works, chiefly
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