Above : Seven State. (5th to 10th Centuries, based upon “Book of Rights”)

The existence of the seven states of Ireland about the time of St. Patrick is testified as has been already mentioned by an authority which is accepted as originating in his time. This is the book called ” teAOdfi n<i

g-CeAf\c ” or the ” Book of Rights ” . This important work was traditionally ascribed to St. Benignus, the disciple and successor of St. Patrick, and O’Donovan believes that it was originally framed by him. But the form in w

hich it has come down to us is not the original work. In the 10th century, Cormac Mac Cuilleanain (page 82) incorporated ” Leabhar na g-Ceart ” in the ” Saltair of Caiseal,” and in doing so, modified it considerably, while in the next century it was again modified by another Munster King—Brian Boroimhe. Thus modified, it has been preserved in the ” Book of Ballymote,” and the ” Book of Lecan,” two works compiled at the end of the 14th century. The” Saltair of Caiseal,” which contained it, was in existence in the time of Keating (17th century), but has now been lost, and the two copies mentioned are the oldest left.

Originally framed soon after the intro­duction of Christianity, the ” Book of Rights ” is an index to at least the internal political constitution of the Irish states. Its account of them is consistent with their previous history ; it is borne out by what we know of contemporary events such as the mission of St. Patrick ; it agrees in every important detail with all the later history of the seven states. The alterations made in the book were made at the instance of two ambitious monarchs, and most probably affected the relations of the chief Kings with one another, and especially with the titular ” Ard Ri.” So far as concerns the relations of the ” provincial ” Kings with the many and diverse clans that comprised their Kingdoms, it is a true and reliable description. The ”

Book of Rights ” is, therefore, probably the oldest work on its early political constitution that any European nation possesses. It was edited with valuable notes by O’Donovan, but Professor MacNeill, in recent years, first drew attention to the importance of the information it contains when applied to early history.

* Ulaidh, Aileach, and Oirghialla—the evolution of ” Ulster ” is a peculiar historical study.