The period may, therefore, be roughly described as one of ” unchecked feudalism.” Ireland was a country with no central Government, each territory ruled by its own petty lord or chief. All were Irish, but they were also feudal.

In most cases there was not even the control of a superior great lord. Desmond, Ormonde and Kildare might, to some extent, act as petty Kings ; O’Neill and O’Donnell, O’Brien and Mac Carthy might control their own immediate sub-chiefs ; but the general tendency was in favour of purely local independence.

 As the lords had thrown off the dominion of the King, so the clans had lost much of the old tradition of acknowledged supremacy. The Kings of Aileach, of Tara, of Laighin, and of Caiseal still succeed one another, but their power is only nominal.

Desultory events Of a country so circumstanced there can be httle continuous history.   Most of the incidents are petty and local;the few important events are of a varied nature.

The quarrels, dissensions, and ambitions of clans, the rivalries of lords, the spasmodic malevolence of the Crown officials, the desperate efforts of the Pale to save itself from annihilation, form a strange medley to which the echo of English political strife constantly adds a discordant note.